Nainital, November 27
India has entered into a trilateral understanding with its northern neighbours - China and Nepal - on the issue of conserving the ecosystem of Mount Kailash which is of immense importance in spiritual spheres for followers of Hindu and the Buddhist faiths.

Under the project, about 20,000 sq km of landscape area will be covered and the entire exercise will be supervised from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Nepal.

This was stated by the Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh while speaking at a forum of South Asian journalists in New Delhi where this correspondent was present.

The minister said India was looking forward to joint strategies of ecosystem management. He pointed that while Mount Kailash has religious importance for Hindus and Buddhists, it is located in Chinese territory.

The project aims at enhancing regional cooperation for the conservation of fragile ecosystems in and around Mount Kailash through the establishment of a Regional Cooperation Framework (RCF).

It is learnt that in the first phase, the project will establish a transboundary cultural and biodiversity conservation landscape - the Mt Kailash Sacred Landscape (KSL) - in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and other partners in Nepal, China and India.

It is expected that Forest Department officials from Uttarakhand as well as other Indian institutions will play a major role in execution of the project activities falling in Indian territory.

Similarly, the Chinese Academy of Sciences has been authorised to take responsibility of implementing the project activities in the Chinese side of the Mount Kailash landscape. The target landscape is said to be highly diverse and environmentally fragile as it represents a sacred landscape significant to millions of people.

The minister also said that India was taking similar initiatives in other parts of the region as well. He said that the country was committed to launching a South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) Coastal Zone Management Programme in Male in the Maldives. This is being done at a cost of $1 million.

Similarly, it is planning to launch a Forestry Centre in Thimpu in Bhutan involving a similar amount of money. Ramesh asserted, “Besides the climate issue, it is also a strategic issue.”

He also hinted on similar joint initiatives with Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the days to come.

Haridwar, November 27
The hill state of Uttarakhand is known for its four shrines - Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri - that are known as the Char Dham.

Activists of the Uttarakhand Sanyukta Sangharsh Samiti stage a protest at the City Magistrate’s office in Haridwar on Saturday. Tribune photo: Rameshwar Gaur

In addition to these, the state is also home to the famous Sikh shrine of Hemkund Sahib and the Islamic shrine of Piran Kaliyar.

Now, the demand to include Piran Kaliyar as the fifth dham is gaining ground. Today, the Uttarakhand Sanyukta Sangharsh Samiti (USSS) began a movement in this regard.

Samiti members have decided to hold several agitations and programmes in this regard in the coming months.

JP Pandey, central general secretary of the USSS, said that rallies, submission of memorandums and symbolic protests in various parts of the state will be carried out to make sure the demand of according the coveted status to Piran Kaliyar is met.

A meeting-cum-dharna was held in this regard at the City Magistrate office wherein the samiti leaders spoke on the need of the Islamic shrine to be accorded this special status.

Notably, Piran Kaliyar, also known as Kaliyar Sharif, is the holy tomb of Baba Sabir Ali, a Sufi saint. The shrine is believed to be about 800 years old with thousands of pilgrims, and devotees irrespective of their religion coming there to pray.

Haridwar parliamentarian and Union Minister of State for Employment and Labour Harish Rawat too had put the development of Piran Kaliyar on his electoral agenda and is also in support of having the shrine as the fifth dham.

Dehradun, November 27
Life has been an unending struggle for 45-year-old Sudha Devi, who resides in Chandan Nagar here with her two children, ever since the death of her husband in 2003. With no source of income, the hapless widow is faced with the difficult task of feeding her two children. Her husband, who used to own a tea stall, was allegedly poisoned by someone seven years back.

Her daughter Jyoti is 18 years old, while her son Mayank is 19 years old. Jyoti used to pull a rickshaw earlier and earn about Rs 70-80 per day, but no one gives her work now.

“I am ready to pull a rickshaw full of load, but considering my age, everyone refuses to give me this work now. They fear I might cause an accident,” she says.

Now, Mayank works as a labourer to earn bread and butter for his family. “He leaves home at about eight in the morning, but has no fixed time to return,” Sudha said and added, “Though I am ready to work, I am not able to do so due to poor health.”

She had also applied for relief under the Chief Minister Relief Fund six months back but to no avail.

“Some officials visited our place and took photographs few months back, but never returned,” Jyoti affirmed.

As both kids were good in studies, their father had put them in an English-medium school. “Both children use to get first division. Jyoti has completed class VIII and Mayank is class IX pass. She wanted to study further, but keeping in mind our financial health, she dropped the plan,” Sudha said with tears rolling down her cheeks.

The building in which they live is dilapidated and there are no doors. “This is my father-in-law’s property and needs to be divided among four brothers. They want me to vacate the same, and, hence, they are not getting it repaired,” she stated.

Recently, two drunk men entered their house in the night, but ran away after neighbours gathered on hearing their screams. “I cannot sleep the whole night nor I can leave my daughter alone here as the doors are broken and anyone can enter,” Sudha said with a heavy heart.

Talking to The Tribune, Ashok Verma, councillor of the area and Opposition leader, said, “There have many schemes going on for BPL families in the district and many NGOs are working for the benefit of poor, but none of them came forward to help this family. I will go to any extent to help them,” he exclaimed.

The District Magistrate has also asked the SDM to pursue the matter so that required steps could be taken, but due to the ongoing strike by the employees of the Collectorate, no action had been taken till the filing of the story.

Dehradun, November 27
The Society of Petroleum Geophysicists (SPG) has stressed on the importance of Shale gas as an alternate source of energy. The Indo-US collaboration in technology has increased the chances of Shale gas production in the country.

At the inauguration of the two-day convention of the SPG, DK Pande, a patron of the SPG, elaborated on the importance of Shale gas as alternate source of energy for the country. He said the US had become the leader by increasing the Shale gas contribution to 8 per cent of its annual gas production.

“Even in terms of the US national gas reserves of 1,836 trillion cubic feet Shale gas contributes as much as 33 per cent. Thus, proving to be an important source of energy,” Pande pointed out adding that world was finally waking up to the importance of shale gas as an alternate source of energy. He categorically held that Shale gas could be relied as credible source of energy for the next 100 years. He admitted that land availability, massive hydro fracturing and the need of huge quantities of water were some challenges for shale gas production.

Welcoming the delegates Apurba Shah, president of the SPG, described Shale gas as a game changer and held that after the US, European countries and China were going for Shale gas in a big way. He said in India, ONGC Ltd had taken over the Damodar Valley for the Shale gas project. He also termed Cambay, Kaveri Basin and the Shivalik foothills as potential sites for Shale gas production.

Shah said in the recent visit of the US President to India, he had assured better technological cooperation between the two nations.

Senior Geophysicist Tarun Chakroborthy also interacted at the inaugural address. Geophysicist Deepa coordinated the proceedings and KM Shukla, secretary of the SPG gave the vote of thanks.

Dehradun, November 27
Bahadur Rana of Uttarakhand won the 48kg under-19 age category in the National Boxing Championship by defeating Sumit of Chandigarh in an exciting final bout.

The bout was not without controversy as Chandigarh players protested against some of the decisions of the judges. Agitated team members from Chandigarh were annoyed and even threw a chair in the boxing ring, creating a flutter. Order was restored by the organisers and the bout was resumed.

In the 54kg category in under-19, Ajay of Haryana defeated Ajay of Himachal Pradesh. In the 60kg category in under-19, Rohit of Delhi trounced Kulveer of Chandigarh.

In the 46kg category in under-17 age group, Bommy Singh of Manipur beat Pramod of Chhattisgarh while in the 50kg category, Aditya of Uttar Pradesh trounced Lakshya of Chandigarh.

In the 30kg category of under-14 age group, Sangram of Maharashtra defeated Danveer of Chandigarh while in the 34kg category, Simranjit of Punjab beat Vipin of Chandigarh.

In the under 14-category, Punjab won the overall trophy by scoring 35 points followed by Haryana with 29 points. Maharashtra secured the third position by scoring overall 24 points.

In the under-17 age category, Uttarakhand won the first overall position having 33 points followed by Maharashtra with 30 points. Haryana was adjudged third with 28 points.

In the under-19 category, Uttarakhand won the first place with 33 points followed by Haryana with 30 points. Punjab stood third with 25 points.

Sangram singh of Maharashtra was declared the best boxer in under-14 age category while Prithvi Singh of Manipur was adjudged best in the under-17 age group. Bahadur Rana of Uttarakhand was the best in the under-19 age group.

Vipin of Chandigarh was the best loser in the under-14 age group while Jitender of Punjab was the best loser in the under-17 category. Baljeet of Punjab was the best loser in the under-19 age group.

The most promising boxer in the under-14 age group was Rahul of Delhi while the best talent in under-17 age group was Akash of Indian Public School. In the under-19 category, Rakesh of Haryana was adjudged the best promise.

Uttarakhand Agriculture Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat distributed the prizes to the winners.

Dehradun, November 27
On the fourth day of the 10th All-India Police Water Championship, six final races of kayaking and canoeing in the 200m category were held where 36 heats of rowing under 500m were conducted at the Solani canal of Roorkee town.

In K1, Zahoor Ahmad of J&K won gold, Robindro Singh of ITBP silver and Kuldeep Kumar of BSF won bronze.

In K2, Ranjit M and Rohit Kumar of BSF took gold, Zahoor Ahmad and Parvaij Ahmad of J&K silver and Mukesh Sharma and Nitish Panwar of UKP won bronze.

In K4, Kuldeep Kumar, Vinod Singh, Nain Singh and Surender Beniwal of BSF won gold, Mukesh Sharma, Manoj Kumar Arya, Narender Singh Rana and Nitish Panwar of UKP won silver and Shri Om, Rajender Verma, O Jayant Singh and Ashok Malik of CRPF won bronze.

In the final result of 200m canoeing competitions, Adil Mohi-Ud-Din from J&K won gold, Ankit Pachouri of BSF won silver and G. Suresh from Andhra Pradesh won bronze in the CI event.

In C2, Manoj Rawal and Shakti Keer of CRPF took gold, Imitiyaz Ahmad and Adil Mohi-Ud-Din from J&K silver and Devopam Shom and Somnath Nayak of BSF booked bronze.

In C4 category, Sanjib Lakhar, Mahendra Kumar, O. Premjit Singh and K.Suresh Singh of SSB won gold, Ankit Pachouri, Deopam Shom, Satish Kumar, Varun Khari of BSF won silver and, Arvind Kumar, Govind Koshyari, Jaikrit Singh Farswan and Vinay Singh Datal from UKP won bronze.

The participants securing gold and silver medals positions underwent dope tests soon after the races. Other samples were collected soon after the races. The tests were conducted under the supervision of Chief Pharmacist JP Dimri.

A huge crowd of spectators watched the games with avid interest. The five-day water sports event will come to an end on Sunday and the Chief Minister is expected to attend the function.

Dehradun, November 27
Uttarakhand Institute of Management (UIM) defeated Uttaranchal Institute of Technology (UIT) by five wickets in the Inter College Cricket Tournament organised by the Uttarakhand Technical University (UTU) at the Survey Grounds here today.

Batting first after winning the toss, UIT team scored 144 runs in 29.5 overs. Pankaj was the highest scorer for the team with 32 runs. Sumit Surya took three wickets for 13 runs for the UIM team.

In reply, UIM team scored the required runs with five wickets in hand thanks to excellent unbeaten half centuries by Amrit Raj and Sameer. Amrit Raj scored 58 runs in 58 balls while Sameer scored 53 not out in 62 deliveries to steer their team to a five-wicket victory.