Dehradun, December 13
The report prepared by the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board has done an extensive study on the area around Gangotri, and chalked out details about developing some of the towns around it as strong tourist attractions, which will further strengthen the Gangotri route as a big tourist destination.

Chamba, located 79 km from Rishikesh, is a major stopover for pilgrims going to Badrinath and Kedarnath from Delhi, via Mussoorie, and pilgrims leading to Kedarnath after covering the Yamunotri and Gangotri. The development measures at Chamba can include augmentation of accommodation facility, formalisation of street sections in towns, public conveniences, basic accident relief infrastructure, slope stabilisation through affectation, provision of signage and improvement of road juncture.

Uttarkashi, another town situated 99 km from Gangotri town, on the Bhagirathi route, is an overnight stopover for pilgrims and also for tourists coming for sightseeing around Uttarkashi. The town has a major road, the Rishikesh-Gangotri road. It is proposed that a stopover facility may be developed before the town to facilitate the passage of pilgrims on their way back from Gangotri, so that they are not required to stop in the town.

The other developmental measures that have been proposed at Uttarkashi include formalisation of street sections in the town; development of off-street parking and public conveniences, basic accident relief infrastructure and slope stabilising measures.

Narender Nagar is another urban settlement 14 km ahead of Rishikesh. The bypass road offers picturesque view of the valley. The town offers required amenities for the tourists. A few measures have been enlisted worth attempting for augmenting the comforts of the tourists, such as development of a view part along bypass, meditation centre and slope stabilisation through afforestation.

Situated 17 km from Narender Nagar, Agrakhal is an urban agglomeration resulting out of ribbon development. The settlement of people is before a landslide prone area, a km ahead of Narender Nagar. The area needs enforcement of existing right of way through the streamlining of street sections and provisions of adequate parking areas. Being a landslide-prone area, accident relief infrastructure is also being considered.

Baldiyana, 33 km ahead of Chamba, is one among such probable tourist towns. The road stretch to Balidyana town offers a potential for setting up a viewpoint. The proposed viewpoint shall have adequate parking facilities and public conveniences. It is also suggested that a riverfront area with amenities plaza can be developed.

There is a proposal of construction of airstrip at Chinyalisod, 31 km from Uttarkashi. This makes the town a potential location for development likely to take place in future when the alternative routes of transport become operational with the construction of airstrip. It is also suggested that the area around the proposed airstrip be designated as a separate zone and a separate model plan should be prepared for the same.

Dehradun, December 13
In a gruesome murder case that had similarities with the infamous Naina Tandoor Case of New Delhi, a highly educated software engineer residing in Dehradun, who first battered his wife to death and then cut her body into little pieces, was today sent to a four-day police custody after he was produced in the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) here.

The Doon police, who discovered the body hidden by the accused in a freezer for two months, produced the accused in the court. The cops asked for a four-day police remand and CJM Kanwar Amninder Singh ordered the same. Victim counsel SK Mohanty said this was the rarest of rare crime and they would fight for capital punishment.

The court witnessed unprecedented scenes today as women groups raised slogans against the accused and curious onlookers tried to have a closer look of the accused who appeared calm.

According to the police, accused Rajesh Gulati (38) had murdered his wife Anupama on the eve of Dasehra, on October 17, by stuffing cloth in her mouth and smashing her over the head with a heavy iron object.

He then kept her body in the bathroom for two to three days. When foul smell started coming from the body, he went to the market and purchased a refrigerator worth Rs 20,000 to keep her body in the freezer.

But when the body of his wife didn’t fit in the freezer, he bought a hacksaw and a marble cutter and cut it into eight to 10 pieces. Following this, he started disposing of parts of her body.

He put these in packets and started going by his car to throw them in the jungles on the Mussoorie road day by day. The engineer meanwhile told his two twin children, both four-and-a-half-years old, that their mother had gone to Delhi.

The accused kept updating his wife’s e-mail address and social network sites to misguide her Delhi-based family and friends. He also used to send messages and make calls to his in-laws assuring them that everything was okay between them.

However, when the victim’s family didn’t hear from her for weeks, they got suspicious, as the couple already had strained relations. Her brother Siddhant, a resident of Dwarika, New Delhi, came to Doon and enquired about his sister from Gulati.

The latter started giving unsatisfactory replies to her brother about the whereabouts of the woman. Siddhant then lodged a missing complaint of his sister with the police. Following the complaint, the cops started enquiring Gulati who first tried to mislead the police, but later confessed to his crime and narrated his whole story.

The police recovered some pieces of the body from the freezer and also the hacksaw and the marble cutter from the house. The police has handed over the two children to the brother of the victim.

The cops today took the accused to the three shops from where he had purchased the refrigerator, leather bag and hacksaw and got the confirmation of his buying. 

The marriage of accused Rajesh Gulati and victim Anupama was on the rocks for a long time and this made the husband kill his wife brutally. As per reports, the two had met in 1992 in Delhi during their college days. Together they did computer engineering. They had a love affair for seven years and also had a live-in relationship for a few days.

Meanwhile, Gulati got a job and the two got married in February 1999. He went to America and after two years he took along Anupama. From there, their relations got strained.

In 2008, Gulati came back to Delhi and later the couple shifted their base to Dehradun and started staying in a rented accommodation at Idgaha, Prakash Nagar locality. Gulati used to work from home for a share-broking consultancy.

Gulati allegedly had an extra-martial affair with a woman in Kolkata. Gulati also alleged that his wife had a love affair with someone in America. 

Pitthoragarh, December 13
Kumaoni writers, linguists and literary figures have reacted sharply on the Uttarakhand Government order that deleted eligibility of knowing local dialects like Kumaoni, Garhwali and Jaunsari for recruitments as grade III employees in the state.

“The state government has lost a golden chance to promote the local languages like Kumaoni, Garhwali by this order. This is a step to eradicate the basic identity of the state,” said Nanital-based well-known Hindi littérateur Dr Laxman Singh Bisht ‘Batrohi’.

Dr Batrohi said after Hindi, the Kumaoni and Garhwali languages should be given second priority in the state. Renowned linguist of Himalayan languages Dr DD Sharma said the efforts to promote local languages like Kumaoni and Garhwali should start from the primary level in schools and gradually extended up to intermediate level.

“The state government should make such an academic atmosphere for these local language that the number of writers, poets and readers should increase in the state. This will make a permanent atmosphere to promote these languages,” said Dr Sharma.

Some scholars think that as the Kumaoni and Garhwali language have been divided among various sub dialects, the standard Kumaoni or Garhwali should be created through academic efforts, which the respective governments in Uttarakhand have failed to do during the last 10 years. “Instead of Sanskrit, the local languages should be given priority by the government after Hindi in the state,” said retired professor of Hindi from Kumaon University Dr Ram Singh. “The issues to delete local languages or promoting Sanskrit as second language of the state are politically motivated,” said Dr Ram Singh.

Publisher, Dudboli (a Kumaoni annual magazine), Mathura Dutt Mathpal said the Kumaoni and Garhwali were still to become language of the region as they were divided into many sub-dialects and accents. “If the state government will not think of promoting these languages, the new generation of hill state will forget them in some years,” said Mathpal. 

Dehradun, December 13
To protest against the release of 18 per cent shares by the Punjab and Sindh Bank, bank staff staged a strike here today. The protest was made under the banner of the Uttranchal Bank Unit Union in association with the All-Indian Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), Rajpur branch. The staff members of 26 branches were on strike today in Dehradun during their lunch break.

While protesting, Anil Dangwal, general secretary of the Punjab Sindh Bank Staff Association, said the government was pushing the bank towards privatisation by releasing 18 per cent of its shares and handing these over to private hands.

“Today, the Oriental Bank of Commerce, Dena Bank and India Bank are just restricted to 51 per cent in the market due to privatisation. We strongly oppose such government schemes that can lessen the significance of bank employees in future or can face the repercussions of recession,” said Jagmohan Mehendiratta, general secretary, All-Indian Bank Employees Association. 

Dehradun December 13
Under the leadership of Harish Virmani, president of the Mahanagar Congress Committee, Dehradun, farmers and gram pradhans of Sahaspur staged a dharna in favour of their demands at the District Magistrate’s office here today.

The protestors shouted slogans and gave a memorandum to the District Magistrate (DM) . The protestors demanded preventing farmers from being persecuted in the name of illegal mining.

The affected farmers also complained of seizure of their tractors, ploughing equipments and other machines required in farming by the administration. They appealed to the DM to immediately look into the matter and save them from further harassment. 

Nainital, December 13
Udham Singh Nagar District Magistrate (DM) Dr BVRC Purshottam has asked District Education Officer SC Arya to personally monitor disbursement of scholarships and warned that if the scholarships fail to reach the students despite reaching the schools, the Principals of such schools will be suspended.

The DM has asked the officials of various departments to ensure that the one meant for beneficiaries of various schemes must reach the latter well in time.

Asking District Development Officer (DEO) JK Tewari to deploy officials at various places to monitor the disbursements, Purshottam has called for a verification report on all these disbursements of scholarships and monetary distribution to the beneficiaries of various schemes.

Evaluating the implementation of various schemes in his district at a meeting in Rudrapur, Purshottam asked executive engineer of the Power Department Pawan Kumar to write to the SSP office on growing instances of theft of transformers and transformer oil.

He also pulled up Horticulture Officer Mohammed Omar for failing to utilise the funds released last year under the horticulture mission. The DM also ordered the constitution of a committee to evaluate work done under minor irrigation in the current financial year and underlined that the executive engineers would be held responsible for the shortcomings.

He also expressed his displeasure at the slow pace of work being executed under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and those being done by the Public Works Department (PWD).

Dehradun, December 13
Peppy music numbers played by a local orchestra were the highlight of the third day of the student union week at DAV PG College here today.

Boys and girls danced to the tunes of popular Bollywood numbers, while teachers enjoyed the musical notes played by local artistes.

Rajpur MLA Ganesh Joshi inaugurated the programme and offered flowers to Goddess Saraswati. Accompanying him were CM’s Tourism Advisor Prakash Suman Dhyani and Vikasnagar MLA Kuldeep Kumar.

While addressing the students, Ganesh congratulated everyone for being a part of the prestigious college and appealed to them to maintain the glory of the college.

Haridwar, December 13
Passed-out students of Rishikul Ayurveda College, Haridwar, gathered on occasion of their annual alumni meet, organised by the Graduate Alumni Student Council, on the college premises here yesterday.

Swami Achiyutanandan Maharaj of Bhuma Niketan dwelt upon the immense contribution the ayurvedacharyas could make towards society. Prayers were also offered to the Lord Dhanvatri on the occasion of Dhanvantri Triyodashi.

Former MC chairman and Rishikul Snatak Parishad president Paras Kumar Jain said the need was to make the college stronger by incorporating newer ideas.

College founder Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya was also remembered on the occasion. Tributes were also paid to martyr Jagdeesh Vats, whose statues were put up on the college premises in 2002. Jagdeesh Vats participated in the Mahatma Gandhi-led Quit India Movement in 1942 and attained martyrdom when he was in the second year of the college.

Secretary of the parishad Dr Chandradhar Kala, Dr Ramakant Sharma, Dr Vinod Kumar Sharma, Dr Sunil Joshi, Dr Ramesh Goyal, Dr Madhu Sharma, Dr Vinay Sharma, Dr Veer Kumar, Dr MS Singhal, Dr Jogesh Pal, Dr Udaynarayan Pandey, Dr Ashok Paliwal, Dr Harsh Vardhan were present on the occasion.

Mussoorie, December 13
The annual day function of Sanatan Dharam Girls Inter College was celebrated here today. Mussoorie MLA Jot Singh Gunsola inaugurated the function and a newly  constructed hall in  the school.

The students performed Garhwali and Nepali folk dances on the occasion. The school principal read out the annual report highlighting the achievements of the school.

Earlier, Gunsola also granted a sum of Rs 11 lakh from his MLA LAD fund and announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh for the construction of auditorium in the school.

The students excelling in academics, sports and culture were also awarded. Chandni, Bushra, Asha Bhatt, Garima Nawani and Noor Subha Parveen received the diligent student award. Meena Rawat, Lakshmi Panwar and Susmita Panwar were awarded first prize in the sports. Garima Nawani got the best volunteer award, Hina Parveen got the best guide award and Sana Khursheed was adjudged the best student of  the year.

Gunsola said all students should participate in various activities conducted by the school for development of their all-round personality. MC president OP Uniyal 
also congratulated the school for being adjudged as third best girls school in the state by the  Chief Minister.

Dehradun, December 13
Athletes of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) who participated in the Commonwealth Games 2010 and Asisan Games in China were felicitated here today.

The players honoured at the function were Mandeep Kaur, who won gold medal in 4x400 m relay race, Chitra K Soman, gold medallist in 4x400 m relay race, Kavita Raut, bronze medallist in 10,000 m relay race, Harwant Kaur, silver medallist in discuss throw, Jauna Murmu, gold medallist in 4x400 m relay race, and Abdul Najeeb Qureshi, bronze medallist in 4x400 m relay race.

The participants of the Commonwealth Games like Sidhant Thingalaya (110 m hurdle), Suresh Kumar (10,000 mrace), Samarjeet Singh (javelin throw), Kuldev Singh (400 m hurdle) , Sourabh Vij (shot put), Om Prakash Singh (shot put), Anil Kumar (discuss throw), Tiana Mary Thomas (200 m race), Mayookha Johny (long jump and triple jump) and Sinimole Paulose (1,500 m race) were also honoured at the function by ONGC officials.

Dehradun, December 13
Additional Director-General of Police SK Bhagat has been elected president of the Uttaranchal Tennis Association for 2011-2014. 

Pradeep Kumar Walia and Harish Mohan Bangri were selected secretary and treasurer of the association, respectively. This information was given by Deputy General Manager Bipin Kumar Rai who also gave the election results. 

Dehradun, December 13
Maninder’s one-goal effort led Bajrang Club to a 1-0 win over Doon United in the Shivalik Football Cup Tournament held at the Survey of India grounds here today.

The closely contested match saw both sides putting up their best play. The two teams made good goal bearing attempts but only a single one remained a success out of the all during the match.

The first half went barren as the two teams played a fighting match. However, in the second half, Maninder (42nd) of Bajrang Club scored the much awaited goal and turned the tables in his side’s favour.