Haridwar, December 2
The Matra Sadan ashram, which is now more known for its social activism than its religious aspect, has now started a movement over the conservation of the Ganga.

After successfully carrying out an agitation against the Lohari Nagpala hydroproject spearheaded by noted environmentalist Prof Gurudass Aggarwal for more than a month as a result of which the Centre had to scrap the ambitious project on which more than Rs 600 crore had been invested.

Now, Swami Shivanand, Matra Sadan founder, has taken up the cause of the Ganga which is regarded as “moksh-dayini” as well as conserving of the environment the neglect of which is inviting problems galore like global warming.

Swami Shivanand’s agitation has now completed a fortnight which is also taking up the cause of eradication of the quarrying mafia from operating on the notified Maha Kumbh land.

Alleging that for monetary benefits, the quarrying mafia were destroying the Ganga river bed, Shivanand said that much of this illegal trade was going on due to the collaboration of the political-administration setup with the mafia.

Notably, Matra Sadan ashram has been working for saving the Ganga from pollution and corruption in the past decade - fighting with the weapons of truth and non-violence as per Gandhian principles.

Brahmacharya Dayanand had carried out a massive 160-day fast against quarrying at the Matra Sadan in October 2009 followed by Brahmachari Yajanand and Swami Poornanand. Finally, Swami Shivanand took the fight to its zenith.

Citing a governmental order issued on March 18, 2010, social activists associated with the Sadan point that the GO stated prohibition of the crushing activity in the Kumbh mela area, but on the ground, this order is being defied openly.

“The onus is on the state government to make sure this order is implemented to save the Ganga river bed,” the swami said.

On March 26, another GO was issued banning all mining and crushing activities in the Kumbh mela area, but despite a writ petition filed by Matra Sadan, no substantial legal action has taken place.

This propelled Swami Shivanand to once again take to the agitational fast route at the ashram premises. He is also getting support from varied sections of society.

Swami Shivanand has vowed to raise this issue strongly and has urged people to join him in the noble cause.

Dehradun, December 2
When Shridhar, a visually impaired scholar, wanted information on the number of blind persons on roll of the Central government institutions, he sought recourse to the Right To Information (RTI) Act.

The RTI is providing a ray of hope to the visually impaired and most of them are actively using it as a weapon to reduce barriers. An active campaign by the National Institute of Visually Handicapped (NIVH) to create awareness among visually impaired persons is paying rich dividends.

The RTI Act mandates that along with seeking information they also receive information in the format that is accessible to them. “Most of their problems are related to Public Distribution System (PDS), jobs, denial of passport etc and other information that may be of personal use to them and around 25 percent of the visually impaired are using the RTI”, said Anuradha Mohit, Director, NIVH.

She said most of the information sought was usually provided in regular written format by respective departments, which was then deciphered for individuals in Braille or orally.

The NIVH had printed information about the RTI Act in Braille that had been provided to all rehabilitation institutions, centres and blind schools. “For the past two years we have been working to create awareness about the RTI and hope to spread even more awareness about consumer rights, the effort is to fully integrated the visually impaired in the society,” said Anuradha Mohit.

To make reading material more accessible to the visually impaired, the Institute is also working on a pilot project that will result in a Large Print coming up at Chennai.

“A proposal on a pilot project for large print press that will serve 20,000 low-vision persons will soon be started at the NIVH. A sizeable population of children and elderly need large print reading material, but each blind individual may have different requirements. Individuals can opt between 18-30 points depending on the eye condition and even respond differently to different paper contrast,” elucidated Anuradha.

A size has to be developed that is not heavy and easily negotiable by children. “The pilot project will be worked on a sample size of 2,000 children and if it is okayed by the experts the reading material will be produced on heavy duty press,” affirmed Anuradha.

Besides tomorrow, on the International Day for the Disabled, the NIVH will launch

BEd, MEd courses in the Department of Special Education and Disabilities Studies affiliated to Uttarakhand Technical University.

“We will be giving the nation something concrete on the International Day for the Disabled. The focus will be on research for improving education and services for the blind. The empowerment of blind is an on going process,” she stressed.

Dehradun, December 2
Chetna from Pauri Garhwal bagged the title of Miss Talented, a sub contest held under the Miss Uttarakhand Contest, 2010, here today.

Judges Asha Negi (Miss Uttarakhand, 2009), Chetna Singh(dance choreographer and educationist), Kumar Sanjay Kerwal (fashion photographer), Priyanka Chetrri (Miss Uttarakhand, 2009, 1st runner-up) and Manibharti (AIR/TV artiste) judged the contestants on the basis of their talent like dancing, singing and acting etc.

Dehradun December 2
To mark protest against commercialisation of education in Dehradun, Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) workers staged a demonstration in front of the state Assembly here today.

The agitators shouted slogans and demanded reduction in school and college fees. The ABVP workers also demanded the enforcement of strict laws against fraudulent academic institutions in the state for the welfare of the students.

Under leadership of senior ABVP leader, Dehradun, Surender Singh handed over a memorandum to state Agriculture Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat in favour of their demands.

Nainital, December 2
District Education Officers (DEOs) across Kumaon have been asked to take the mid-day meal (MDM) scheme seriously and ensure that it is run efficiently in all schools across the region.

These directions were given by Dr Kusum Pant, Director, Higher Education, at a meeting of the DEOs from the districts of Kumaon held here on Wednesday afternoon. Dr Pant told the DEOs to monitor the implementation of MDM at their level.

She said if any shortcomings are found in the implementation of the scheme, the DEO of the concerned district would be held accountable for it and have to face action.

She also warned absentee teachers in schools in remote areas and said the DEOs should ensure that no school is shut because there was no teacher available.

Another matter that was taken up at the meeding was the reconstruction of education structure after the recent rain-related disaster in the region. The officials of the Champawat district were pulled up by Dr Pant on their failure to come up with reconstruction proposals on time.

Dehradun, December 2
A large number of Aryan group members held a relay strike and gheraoed DAV PG College principal BL Nautiyal in support of student council president Anshul Chawla, here today.

The agitators were demanding action against debarred student council General Secretary for allegedly producing bogus certificates during elections. The party has also sought re-elections for the vacant posts of the student council and a probe into commerce library scam.

The principal has assured the students of carrying proper scrutiny in all matters and provision of justice to every individual.

Haridwar, December 2
It was a quite a relief to see students getting involved in something constructive at the city’s Shravannath Math Jawaharlal Nehru College as for the past few months these students have been indulging in factionism, protests, rallies and effigy-burning, dharnas and student union- related programmes.

But today the students exhibited their not-so-known talent and vision by putting these via colours in a painting-cum-poster exhibition held on the occasion of World Environment Day on the college premises organised by the cultural department of the college.

So from environment conservation, planting of trees, industrial pollution, human evolution, ancient Indian civilisation, global warming, AIDS, polythene negatives to Indian development in the field of information technology-sporting arena and several other developments were put on canvas by the students.

Later, when college judges came for inspection, the participating students informed them about their concept and the steps that should be taken to conserve environment.

Speaking to The Tribune, one of the judges Dr SK Batra, Head of the commerce department, lauded the efforts of the students and their vision in preserving the environment. He urged the students to take a few steps from their own side.

Other judges Dr Navneet Kumar Ghildiyal and Dr Nalini Jain also lauded the efforts of the students and asked for more such events so that students’ inner talent came to the fore. Coordinator of the programme Harish Nautiyal, lecturer, Environmental Science, highlighted the need of controlling global warming which was causing severe damage to the ecology and environment worldwide.

Later, the students were also felicitated with meritorious certificates to be accorded at the annual function to be held early next year.

Presiding over the function, college Principal Dr Ashok Mishra focused on the need of environment conservation and urged students to make greener their homes and college premises too.

“By having such events we get a platform to get involved in co-curricular activities. Everyone should make a contribution in environment conservation, as even little things make a big difference in controlling pollution, be of water, air, sound or any other form of it,” opined a participant Niharika Kumari of BA-II.

Dehradun, December 2
ICFAI University takes proactive measures to develop students’ holistic personality. Country head of university’s Stipendary Assisgnment Programme (SAP) MRK Prasad stated this while addressing students at a workshop held at Rajawala, Selaqui, today.

The experts emphasised on skill development, financial independence, understanding of market dynamics, interaction with the industry and job opportunities for the students. Under the programme, time management, communication, presentation, marketing, money management skills were developed within the students so that they could become successful individuals.

The experts emphasised that the value addition with SAP gives ample opportunity to the students to develop their organisational, inter-personal and intra-personal, team building and leadership skills.

Eighty trainees participated in the workshop. The other expert was Deputy Regional Manager, North India SAP, Mohit Ahluwalia. Principal, Faculty of Education, Dr DK Giri gave the vote of thanks. SAP Manager Suman Kapil and Academic Coordinator Prof Archana Thapliyal managed the whole program effectively.

Dehradun, December 2
Dehradun District Magistrate (DM) Sachin Kurve yesterday inaugurated a helping centre for disabled people at the Prohibition Department on the premises of the Collectorate. The centre will cover all facilities to be provided by the District Welfare Department.

Taking to the media after the opening, the DM said this would be one-window centre where all facilities like oldage pension, widow pension, disabled pension and I-cards would be available. He further said not only this, people visiting from far-off places would not be required to move here and there, as they would be able to get all information regarding the schemes provided by the Welfare Department under one roof.

Kurve asked the Social Welfare officials to maintain a register at the window in which they would be writing about the application form along with the date they were deposited.

The DM also told the SDM Mohan Singh Barnia to keep a tab on the department so that people should not face any problem and they could get the scheme benefit on time.

Dehradun, December 2
Scholars Home bagged the first position in inter-school quiz competition conducted by the National Hydrographic Office here today.

The competition was organised in association with the Navy Wives Welfare Association on occasion of the Navy Week. Maps, charts, models and compasses that provide assistance to naval personnel when on sea were also displayed in an exhibition organised on the occasion.

The mega event had four prominent schools of Dehradun, including Scholars Home, CNI Boys Inter College, Shri Shradhanand Bal Vinita Ashram and Sanatan Dharma Inter College. The quiz competition was followed various programmes conducted by the Navy Wives Welfare Association.

Dehradun, December 2
Sumit scored the lone goal in the 1-0 win of DAV Inter College against CHNS in the Sub-Junior Mir Iqbal Hussain Inter-School Coca Cola Football Championship held at Ambedkar Stadium.

Sumit scored the decisive goal in the 40th minute of the game.

In the second match, Sports College defeated Maharishi Vidya Mandir 3-0. Anuj (10th), Amit (35th) and Shashank (45th) were the scorers in the win.

In third match played today, KV Sangathan surpassed SGRR Mission 2-0. Kiran (5th) and Shashank (52nd) were the winning team’s scorers.

Tomorrow’s first match will be played between DAV Inter College and Gautam International and the second match will be played between Sports College and KV Sangathan.

Dehradun, December 2
The men’s team of Dolphin “B” won their first match defeating DBIT 25-8, 25-9 on the first day of the Inter-College Volleyball Competition held by Dolphin (PG) Institute of Bio-Medical and Natural Sciences here today.

Sardar Bhagwan Singh Institute of Biomedical Science and Research’s boys team lost to Ifkai University. Ifkai University won 25-17, 25-11.

Tulas Institute of Techonology defeated Uttaranchal Ayurvedic College 25-19, 25-14.

The women’s team of Dolphin “B” lost to Ifkai team 11-25, 14-25.

In other competitions, Dolphin “A” (men) won the match against Uttaranchal College 25-8, 25-10.

On the first day of the competition, Institute of Technology and Management won their match 25-22, 20-25 and 15-13 by defeating Alpine Institute of Aeronautics.

Dehradun, December 2
SMS service, which was started by Dehradun District Magistrate (DM) Sachin Kurve in the first week of October, on Monday entered its second phase with its inauguration at the DM’s camp office. National Information Science Centre has prepared the software.

While talking to The Tribune, the DM said the service would be provided in Kalsi block in the beginning and carried all over the district within a month.

He said with the help of this software, the team would be sending SMS every week to the parents informing about the date their child’s needs to get immunisation injections. “With this, the parents will have no tension of forgetting the dates. Parents will be informed well in advance about the dates, which will save their time,” said Kurve.

Chief Medical Officer RK Pant said they had registered the names and addresses of all children, who were born after April 2010. They had also saved the names and addresses available in health centres and ANM centres.

Dehradun, December 2
The district-level boxing championship concluded here today at the Parade Ground. Neha stood first in the 36-40 kg category. Amrita emerged second and Karishma and Surbhi shared the third position in the same category.

Soniya, Shalini and Richa got first, second and third positions, respectively, in the 40-44kg. Sangeeta, Priyanka and Shivani also got first, second and third place, respectively, in the 44-48kg.

The players were given prizes by the District Sports Office. Coaches and volunteers were also given prizes.

Other results: Girls: 48-51kg: Navedita, Sandhya, Shobha, Sunita.

Boys: 26-30kg: Aditya, Paras Kapri, Abhishek Bisht, Mukul Bhatt.

28-32kg: Pawan, Lalit, Bharat, Kunal.

32-36kg: Paras, Tushar, Himanshu, Pankaj Rawat.

36-40kg: Srikant, Suraj, Naveen, Rajat Tiwari.