Dehradun, September 13
Primary schools in the capital that have suffered damage due to heavy rainfall have approached higher authorities for funds to reconstruct the school buildings.

The school building of Tunuwala Primary School, which comes under the Doiwala block, was damaged due to incessant showers.

The administration took two rooms on rent and have shifted the school there. No reconstruction has yet been initiated at the school.

According to RS Rawat, Additional District Education Officer, Dehradun, "The week-long rain damaged the building. As soon as we got to know about the damage from the school administration, the principal was directed to shift the school to a rented place nearby. Renovation could not start due to scarcity of funds with the department.”

“Two rooms have been rented for Rs 1,500. The total strength of students is 32 along with two teachers.

“Luckily, no raw material of the midday meal scheme was damaged as the stock in the school was not much. The food is cooked on the school premises,” he said.

Meanwhile, three primary schools have reported the damage of foodgrains due to excess rain. “The midday meal scheme is not being doing well as a large chunk of food items has been destroyed due to dampness. Seepage from the ceiling and walls of the school has destroyed about 1.5 quintals of food grains of the scheme,” said Sushila Rawat, a teacher at Government Girls Inter School.

As per information from the Educational Department, Dehradun district, 154 schools require immediate repair. The department has written to the state administration demanding funds for repairs.

The embankment at Sornadobri Primary School collapsed due to heavy rain. This was followed by wall collapse in two classrooms. There was no casualty, but to avoid any mishap, the school was closed for two-three days till a rented place was arranged to run the classes.

District Education Officer Geeta Nautiyal denied having information about damage to midday meal material, but expressed concern over the damage to school infrastructure.

“We have already directed Block Education Officers to ensure proper running of midday meals. For the damaged infrastructure, the clear picture will only emerge when the rains get over.”

“We have asked the school authorities to submit their reports to the Block Education Officers regarding the damage throughout Dehradun district. These will be sent to the State Project Office, District Planning Office and to the Disaster Management Department,” added Geeta.

Haridwar, September 13
Though imprisonment is necessary for offenders of law, it is also essential that during the period of their punishment they are given opportunity for changing themselves, making them realise the wrongful deeds they have committed as well as impart creative skills so that their mind is involved in constructive activities.

This reforming method of imprisonment is way better than the rough and hardcore criminal behaviour or seeing them as unwanted in society’s frame. Though they have been convicted by courts as culprits in various cases, be it heinous crimes like murder, attempt to murder, robbery, dowry harassment, illegal drug trafficking or are undergoing trial in minor cases, yet it is mostly seen that whenever they are given opportunity to change and prove their skills, they honour the faith as well as the trust bestowed on them.

Take for example the Roshanabad-situated prison, where hardcore and notorious criminals of the entire state are kept. More than 900 prisoners are currently behind bars, while the criminal record of some may give shivers to us.

The jail administration, with the help of several social organisations, a few years back, took the onus to reform the jail, which had notoriously being associated with several Uttar Pradesh jails. But the reformed approach has now started bearing fruits as prisoners are learning computers, reading newspapers and general knowledge books on a daily basis and learning several employment-oriented trade and craft skills.

One of the most sought places for many prisoners is the library-cum-study room where, when The Tribune team visited, a group of prisoners were involved in discussion on caste-based census which the Central government had announced.

Praveen Singh, convicted in many criminal cases, said earlier prisoners used to be mostly confined in jails or busy in routine jail work. But now every day they read newspapers, other media publications, get books issued from the library and attend computer classes. “This reformed programme has given us a new leash of life as now we realise that imprisonment is due to our bad deeds done in the past, and in the present we have an opportunity to reform and become good persons so that our future after quantum of sentence is bright,” said Girish Kumar, who is convicted in a dowry case.

District Jail Superintendent Mahendra Singh Gwal informed the team that the change in the behaviour of the prisoners was easily visible, but added that it couldn’t have been possible without the self-assessment of prisoners, apart from the help the jail administration received from various social organisations that carry out varied aids and programmes.

Like the Rotary Club of Kankhal, which formed the jail library in 2008, has also been constantly giving aid in the form of money or publications to it. Now the Rotary Club has taken the onus to fund the study fee as well as book material for all those prisoners who want to pass either Class X or XII through open schooling.

“We have been involved for the past five years with the district jail, while for the past three years continuously we provide daily half a dozen newspapers, weeklies, magazines and books which span religious, mythological, historical, inspirational to personality development topics so that prisoners mindset is reformed,” said Ashok Sapra, head of the Kankhal unit of the club.

The jail administration is trying its best to create job skills in inmates so that they are rehabilitated after serving term by giving them computer training and other trade skills like knitting, gardening, candle making and small-scale trades which will equip them to get work.

“While gory tales of crime make headlines, life in and beyond jail is an area where few care to tread, but such efforts by the jail administration surely is quite appreciative by making people like us good citizens once again,” stated Amit, jailed for the five years while learning Adobe Photoshop at the Vedanta Social Foundation-aided jail computer practical lab.

Dehradun, September 13
With fear of the current session of the School of Nursing being declared a zero year, the Health Education Department is now trying out various options to bail itself out of a tricky situation.

All through this while, the department forgot to conduct exams for the newly opened nursing school. Its carelessness proved costly as soon the organisers of the exams realised that time was running out.

Now, sources claim that, the department is contemplating selecting students through the UPMT with biology stream, instead of conducting separate examinations that may ultimately leave a lot of students desirous of taking admission in BSC Nursing School high and dry. “There are several of us who did not take the UPMT tests, but we are keen to take up the nursing course. If the department directly recruits students who had taken UPMT exams, we will be at a loss,” said Rachna Bisht, an aspirant.

Dehradun, September 13
The Aryan group has complained to the grievance committee of DAV PG College that newly elected general secretary Nitin Joshi is ineligible for the post.The group has levied allegations on Joshi of having presented bogus certificates and documents to the college administration at the time of students union election.

It was learnt from Rakesh Kumar, chief election officer, DAV, that such an issue was raised in the college today, but nothing in written was submitted to the committee yet.

“The documents and other credentials of each and every contesting candidates were thoroughly checked during the election procedure. No issue of counterfeit came to our notice. A strict action will be taken if the issue comes up to the committee,” added Kumar. 

Dehradun, September 13
Another little more than 100 mm of rainfall in Dehradun and the 1971 record of heavy rainfall in the city will be broken, even as rains continued in other parts of Uttarakhand disrupting normal life.

So far there has been 2,643 mm rainfall in Dehradun this monsoon and there are many more days still to go for the retreat of monsoon. A total of 2,763 mm of rainfall was recorded in 1971.

Met officials in Dehradun forecast more rain in the days to come. “There is at present no indication of retreat of monsoon even in Rajasthan. Thus rains in Uttarakhand are likely to continue in the coming days,” Dr Anand Sharma, Director, Dehradun Meteorological Office, told The Tribune today.

Meanwhile, the Char Dham Yatra continued to be disrupted due to blockade of roads. Many pilgrims got stranded at various places.

The Ganga, Yamuna and their tributaries continued to be swollen as rains in higher reaches brought in a large volume of water. Both rivers were close to danger-level marks.

Uttarakhand Congress President Yashpal Arya yet again accused the Uttarakhand BJP government of failing to deal with calamities. In a statement issued today, Arya said the entire state from length and breadth was affected due natural disasters linked to rains. He said there had been several incidents of cloudburst in Garhwal and Kumaon regions.

Congress leaders like Almora MP Pradeep Tamta and Tehri Garhwal MP Vijay Bahuguna have already resorted to strong criticism of the state BJP government over its failure to effectively carry out disaster management.

Dehradun, September 13
Aptech Computer Education launched its first branch here today. Pooja Sharma, Central Director of Aptech, Dehradun, inaugurated the branch of the computer institute at Nehru Colony.

The institute offers three job-oriented courses for students at nominal fees of Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 per month. The first course is for those who have scored less in their intermediate, followed by second type of course, “Mahila Jyoti Yojna”, only for women. This women-oriented course will consist of an English-speaking course with personality development classes for the development of housewives, working women and students (girls).

The course, “Gyan Deep Yojna” is for those who have scored more than 90 per cent in their intermediate.

The institute also announced giving scholarships worth Rs 1,000 per month to students with excellent academic record. It boasted of 100 per cent placements of their students in the past. 

Dehradun, September 13
Welham Girls School thrashed Hope Town Girls School 47-19 in the Sixth Gardner Silver Jubliee Inter-School Basketball Tournament played at St Thomas’ College here today.

Ridhima contributed chiefly for the winning team with 12 points. Pummy who scored six points braved well for Hope Town.

Doon International School (DIS) also beat Moravian Institute 19-6. Anshul played the pivotal role scoring 10 points for DIS. Meenaskshi also chipped in with four points for the losing side.

Earlier, in the first match of the day, CNI Girls Inter College was outplayed by Carman School, Dalanwala, 22-6. Jagriti (eight points) of the winning team top-scored while Uma got four points for CNI which was not enough for her team.

Dehradun, September 13
Guru Nanak Academy outplayed Doon Cambridge School 8-0 in a league match of the Junior Council Football Tournament held at Col Brown’s School here today.

Ayush (5th and 22nd), Shubham (7th, 15th and 40th), Himanshu (32nd and 42nd) and Priyanshu (35th) fashioned the win of Guru Nanak Academy. All made major contributions to help their side post a big victory over the rival team.

In another match, a lone goal by Subodh (45th) led Carman School register 1-0 win over Marshall School. While in the third match, Mohit Kumar scored a brace to enable Col Brown beat GRD Niranjanpur 2-0. Kumar netted the goals in the third and 58th minutes of the play.

Meanwhile, the last match of the day failed to achieve any result. Raja Ram Mohan Roy Academy and St Jude School ended one each. Aditya (21st) of latter team and Shubham of former team were the scorers for their sides.

Dehradun, September 13
A bronze medal in the Junior Powerlifting World Championship, which was held at Pilsen in the Czech Republic from August 30 to September 4, has added another international medal to the kitty of Uttarakhand head constable Nizam Ali.

The third place in the 52kg category in the world championship, in which as many as 97 countries participated, brought not only happiness, but also remorse.

"I am happy with my win. But I am also hurt with the fact that despite many victories, I have never been honoured by the government," said Nizam, who set a world record by lifting 462.5 kg in the 52kg category during the Asian Powerlifting Championship held in Udaipur in 2009 in which he claimed the gold medal.

Prior to this, he won a silver medal at the 2009 Commonwealth Championship held in Pune and gold medals at the All-India Powerlifting Championship, Guwahati, and Asian Championship, Mongolia, in 2010.

"There is a lot of talent in village children, but there is no one to recognise it. Several talented players quit sports in the absence of facilities and lack of support from the government,” the 23-year-old added.

Coming from a poor family from the Khatima area of Udham Singh Nagar district, it was never easy for him to reach where he did. He lost his father during childhood and was brought up by his mother who had to endure many hardships.

To support his mother, he left studies to learn electric welding. But fortune smiled on the talented lad when he saw international powerlifter Rajinder Singh Bhinder returning from Kazakhstan after winning a medal.

The grand welcome and the respect given to Bhinder by the people enthused interest in Nizam to join powerlifting.

"I used to run away from the electric welding shop to see my guru Bhinder practice. Once he asked me to join him and from then, I never looked behind," said Nizam, who joined the Uttarakhand police in January 2009.

The five-feet power house, who is aiming for gold at the Asian Championship 2011 followed by 2011 Canada World Cup, gives credit for his success to his mother Bato Begum, Manglore MLA Qazi Nizamuddin and Sports Control Board head DIG Alok Sharma.

He has been awarded Rs 10,000 for winning bronze at the World Championship in Czech Republic.

Dehradun, September 13
Summer Valley claimed the under-14 and u-19 boys team championships while Doon International School won the u-19 girls team championship at the District Table Tennis Tournament that concluded here yesterday at Pestle Weed College.

Hosts Pestle Weed College remained unlucky as they emerged runners-up in all three team championship categories.

However, the hosts emerged winners in the u-14 boys individual championship with their Saurabh Mehta bagging the first place.

Nitish of Gaurav International School stood first in the u-19 boys individual championship beating Utkarsh of Pestle Weed College. In the u-19 girls category, Apurve of Children's Academy got the first place.