Dehradun, October 14
With the Law Department yet to transfer three acres to the Health Department, doubts are being expressed whether the proposed Doon Medical College will again be bogged down by the land tangle.

A dream project of former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, it has repeatedly missed deadlines fixed by the government.

After approving the design for the medical college, the government had declared that the college would start functioning from the next academic session.

However, with the government still unable to resolve the land tangle, doubts are being raised whether the project would finally take off before the code of conduct came into place ahead of the Assembly elections next year.

It was a shortage of land that had led to the rejection of the proposed Doon Medical College’s application at the Medical Council of India (MCI) last year.

The Health Department has managed to acquire seven acres out of a total of 10 acres vacated on Haridwar Road. However, another three acres continues to be in the possession of the Law Department.

“The government is holding talks with the Law Department. The matter will be sorted out soon. The technicalities of land transfer have to be looked into along with the demands of the Law Department,” said Dr Asha Mathur, DG (Health and Family Welfare). 

Dehradun, October 14
If you plan to travel during these festive days, you will do well not to bank on the bus services provided by the Uttarakhand Transport Corporation (UTC). The corporation’s buses rarely leave the Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) on time as many conductors usually report late for work. As a result, fights have been reported between passengers and drivers.

Sometimes, the duty in-charge is forced to ask any conductor available to do the work of an absent conductor. 

Drivers and punctual conductors allege this indiscipline had been going on for a long time.

Duty in-charge Tilak Raj said: “Confusion occurs when we have to put extra buses on routes during festivals as the number of passengers leaving for their homes multiplies. The buses supposed to leave for morning time areas are also used at night for extra services. We face a shortage of conductors, at times of drivers also, the next day which results in chaos at times.”

Assistant General Manager, Uttarakhand Transport Corporation, ISBT, Satpal Singh said the absence of conductors or drivers was not a daily occurrence, but a rarity during festivals. 

He said he could do nothing as there were only a limited number of buses. However, ISBT shopkeepers vouched for alleged indiscipline among conductors, resulting in delays almost daily.

They said bus services of other states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh were far better.

General Manager, UTC, Deepak Jain said the corporation had no paucity of staff at the ISBT and said he was not aware of the matter. He promised to look into the matter.

Dehradun, October 14
Pt Kaivalya Kumar Gurav, a trained engineer and a management graduate, succumbed to the musical legacy of his family and the charm of the Dharwad region, known for its Hindustani musical lineage.

“My life came full circle when I began learning music from my father and Guru Pandit Sangmeshwar Gurav, an exponent of the Kirana gharana, though I had a brilliant academic career.

It also made me reflect on the kind of teaching one should be able to impart to students who are influenced by films and western music,” said Gurav, while speaking to TNS at the end of his recital held today at Scholars Home, which was organised by SPIC MACAY. The musically fecund environment of the city also inspired Pt Kaivalya to establish a gurukul, where students not only learn music but also master pranayam, yoga and breath control. “I think the waning interest for classical music among our students may be attributed to the absence of good schools and gurus. A good guru will be able to tell his students the importance of presentation and tonal fluidity, ” said Gurav.

He attributes tonal precision in his singing to a few minutes he spends doing pranayam and Omkar sadhna. His students, too, religiously follow the rituals at his Gurukul in Dharwad. A total control on his breath was evident in his recitals, giving evidence of both high pitch and slow tempo while performing raag Madhmadh sarang. Trained in 200 raagas exposition, the unique blending of science and music made him realise very early in life that while musical techniques could be mastered in a given span of time, the real test of one’s musical virtuosity lay in effortlessly melding into other gharanas. “I know the purists will frown upon this suggestion, but if one was to limit one self to one’s gharanas there will not be any new learning,” said Gurav.

Dehradun, October 14
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) has supported the demands put forth by the agitated anganwari workers throughout the state and urged the state government to fulfil these demands urgently.

At a meeting convened at the party office yesterday, the workers of the party also demanded that a government order should be issued fixing the minimum monthly wages at Rs 5,000 for these workers.

Secretary Vijay Rawat said the Women Empowerment and Child Development Department had announced that it would give an allowance of Rs 1,500 to the workers but on the contrary it withdrew the allowance of Rs 1,500 allowed to them during the Tiwari regime in 2005. The government must revoke this cancellation order, he added.

He also said the state government must release the amount sent by Centre to buy food items by anganwari centres under the Kukut Food Scheme as also ensure a fixed gratuity amount for the the workers.

He urged the state government to act on its promise of appointing anganwari workers against 138 vacant posts out of a total of 276 vacant posts of worker and supervisor.

District secretary Surender Singh Sajwan, Virender Bhandari, Anant Akash, Shiv Prasad Devli, Kamruddin were also present.

Dehradun, October 14
Welham Girls’ School beat Convent of Jesus and Mary (CJM) 43-12 in the finals of the District Youth (U-15) Girls’ Basketball Championship at Doon International School today. Ridhima was the highest scorer of the winning team with 16 points.

In the boys’ section, Welham Boys’ School defeated Hilton’s School 39-33. Vishal was the highest scorer for the winning team with 12 points.

Dehradun, October 14
Dehradun District Magistrate Dilip Jawalkar, along with officials, today inspected construction works related to roads, sewerages ad electricity supply. Doon roundabout, Tehsil Chowk, Darshan Lal Chowk, Lans Downe Chowk, Ashley Chowk, Survey Chowk and Dharampur Chowk were all inspected. The DM also met officials from the PWD, the Jal Nigam, the Municipal Corporation, the electricity department and the forest department.

He told officials to ensure that works are finished on time. The DM also asked them to sit together and solve issues related to the widening of roads. He told the executive engineer from the electricity department to relocate the transformer and pole located near Ashley Hall before Diwali.

Public Works Department’s Executive engineer told the DM about works related to the roundabouts. Of the 16 roundabouts, work on five has been finished. The engineer told the DM that repair of the the sewer line at Indra Nagar and the work of pipeline from Malik Chowk to BhudGaun was complete. Work at Mohit Nagar and Shivalikpuram, Ballupur Chowk to Cantt Road, Panditwadi Marg and various internal roads was in progress. He added work for 21 roads had been sanctioned and was completed on 14 roads. 

Dehradun, October 14
To help the students belonging to the weaker section of society, the managing committee of Shri Guru Nanak Public Boys Inter- college awarded Shri Mela Ram Marwah Memorial Scholarship to them here today.

Scholarships worth Rs 56308 were awarded today by Jasbir Marwah, the president of the managing committee of the college and gave an assurance the students and the staff of the school that water purifier would be installed on the campus

Dehradun, October 14
To encourage the plethora of talents of students, St Joseph’s Academy commenced a two-day art and science exhibition ‘Spectra 2011’, here today. The event was conducted in the premises of the school, which was inaugurated by renowned scientist Dr Umesh Chandra Agarwal.

The participants showcased their artistic talents through paintings, pottery and craft, highlighting traditional artwork. Also, photography club chose a theme of old cameras versus new technology and displayed photographs clicked by them showing instances of day-to-day life.

The students of science stream impressed all with their vivacity through presentations on electromagnetism, laser beams, burglar alarms, the solar system and a polar satellite launch vehicle.

The exhibits, pertaining to the environment, showed various problems like global warming, pollution, the green house effect and its solutions like recycling and an extensive canal system.

In addition to this, stamp and coin collection was also exhibited on the occasion along with the presentation on cyber crime by the cyber club of the students.

The exhibition will conclude tomorrow. 

Dehradun October 14
The Dehradun branch of Central India Regional Council of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) organised a seminar today on ‘Rising to the Challenges in Public Finance and Government Accounting’.

The seminar was organised so that the branch members could upgrade and provide up-to-date knowledge to the Chartered Accountant Fraternity. CA Madhukar Narayan Hiregange, Central Council Member, soke on recent changes in Service Tax and CA.

Rajendra Kumar addressed the gathering on the practical aspects of indirect taxation. 

Dehradun October 14
To welcome the new students of Dolphin Institute of Biomedical and Natural Sciences, a joint freshers’ party was organised on the college campus, here today.

On the occasion, students of 10 departments of various courses gave a formal welcome to 500 new students admitted in the institute from various states of the country as well as abroad.

The ceremony appraised all new students with the heritage and work culture of the institute.

During the introduction session, the freshers presented various culture programmes like song, poems and other cultural activities.

Students of various departments participated in the event while Vipul Garg, Dean of the college, said the institute had introduced new courses, including B.Sc Agriculture, M.Sc Zoology, M.Sc Botany and M.Sc Forestry from current session (2011-12). He wishes all the students and encouraged them to bring name and fame in the fields of various research activities.