Dehradun, July 25
The resolution moved by Surat Ram Nautiyal for extending the tenure of Uttarakhand BJP chief Bishan Singh Chufal for another term failed to catch attention of leaders at the state executive meeting that wrapped up today in Haridwar.

The resolution by Nautiyal, who was ex-chairman of the Char Dham Board, managed to create a flutter among the BJP leaders forcing general secretary (national) and Uttarakhand in charge Thawar Chand Gehlot to explain to the leaders that according to the party constitution, the tenure of the BJP presidents could not be extended but according to the recent amendment, they could stand for the elections for the post for the second term.

“According to the Mumbai resolution moved at the national executive of the BJP, now the BJP presidents at all levels could stand for election even after completing three years term. In effect, relaxation has been given for contesting election for the second term and it is not for the extension of the tenure,” said Thawar Chand Geholt.

The term of the Uttarakhand BJP office-bearers will be ending shortly and the elections will be held in December. Along with the elections for the post of president, the organisational elections will be held for the block-level office-bearers in September and district-level office-bearers in October.

With focus on strengthening the organisational structure of the party, it was also decided to hold the active and general membership drive in the state simultaneously to achieve the membership targets.

To keep the conflict at bay, national general secretary of the BJP (Organization) Ram Lal in his opening remarks said the performance of the BJP in 2012 was being discussed in the light of its ability to deny the Congress a convincing victory.

“In that sense, the entire focus was on the distribution of ticket and how it could have been better managed to ensure victory for the BJP,” said Ajay Bhatt, Leader of the Opposition in the Uttarakhand Assembly.

Sources claim that while former Chief Ministers BC Khanduri and Ramesh Pokhriyal managed to meet the organisational secretary separately on the issue of indiscipline, the leaders were asked to work unitedly for the party.

Some leaders also enquired about the action taken report of the disciplinary committee and they were told that around 200 notices had been issued to leaders in this context and in some cases action had also been taken.

The state leaders were also asked to get ready for the Tehri parliamentary election and three names of the candidates would be forwarded by the Uttarakhand BJP to the BJP parliamentary board for the final selection of the name of the candidate.

Yesterday, a political resolution was passed condemning the five-month rule of the Congress when there was complete break down of law and order situation. The party leaders were told to expose the misgovernance of the Bahuguna government through political means and agitations.

Mussoorie, July 25
Although born in Nainital, Jim Corbett, a legendary tiger shooter and real lover of big cats, had a close connection with hill town of Mussoorie.

Local historian Gopal Bhardwaj, while remembering Jim Corbett on his birth anniversary today, said the great shooter was not a hunter but a man who saved the common villagers from the tyranny of the man-eating tigers lurking around in the jungles of the state. People called him ‘Carpet Saab’ out of affection after he had shot down many man-eaters in Rudraprayag and the Kumaon region.

He frequently visited his relatives in Mussoorie, who stayed at the North View lodge at Camel’s Back Road, presently owned by the Reserve Bank of India.

Another connection of Jim’s family with Mussoorie was that his parents- Christopher William Corbett and Merry Jane, got married in 1859 at the St Paul Church in Chaar Dukaan at Landour Cantonment, Mussoorie.

As per the records kept safe with Gopal Bhardwaj, Christopher Corbett was an assistant epothikery in the Army’s Horse Artillery Regiment that he left in 1848, three years after his marriage. He joined the postal department in the town.

In 1862, Christopher was transferred to Nainital where Merry gave birth to Jim.

Jim was only six when Christopher died in 1881 and was buried near the St John Church in the wilderness of Nainital.

Jim joined the Army and left as a Major to join the Railways. Apart from being a sharpshooter, he was a gifted writer and a photographer. He has written numerous volumes on his two loves - the tiger and the mountains.

Bhardwaj, while showing rare collection of negatives taken by Jim Corbett and his photographer friend FW Champion, said the two visited Mussoorie on several occasions and a lantern and a cooking stove belonging to Corbett, while he left at his relative Winfred Mande Bibra Broneke’s house, was still in his possession.

“These priceless articles were given to my father late RGR Bhardwaj by Winfred Mande Bibra Broneke,” said Bhardwaj.

Owing to Corbett’s utmost love for tigers, which were being gunned down at an alarming rate in the jungles of the country, one prime tiger reserve of the country was named after him.

Dehradun, July 25
The ashes of Superstar Rajesh Khanna were immersed in the Ganga at Rishikesh here today. Dimple Kapadia, wife of Rajesh Khanna, and their daughter Rinki Khanna reached Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun, in afternoon, from where they headed to Rishikesh by road.

Dimple and Rinki performed the ashes immersion in a brief ceremony at Rishikesh before rushing back to Mumbai. The media was kept away from the entire ceremony. The ceremony was initially scheduled for Haridwar, but was later changed to Rishikesh to keep the crowds away. Rajesh Khanna died in Mumbai on July 18.

Dehradun, July 25
The Supreme Court’s decision to ban tourism in core areas of all tiger reserves in the country could not have come at a more appropriate moment for Corbett National Park, the highest tiger density park in the country. While tourism had taken a giant leap in and around Corbett, boosting the region’s economy, it's adverse ramifications on tigers have been a matter of concern among the conservationists.

In his first reactions to the apex court’s order, Uttarakhand Principal Chief Conservator of Forests RBS Rawat, while reiterating the Forest Department’s commitment towards tiger conservation, said they will await Union Environment and Forests Ministry’s directions regarding the Supreme Court order and act in it's accordance. He admitted that banning tourism in the core areas of tiger reserves will serve the large purpose of tiger conservation.

Welcoming the Supreme Court’s directive, wildlife conservationist and authority on Corbett Park Hem Singh Gehlot said the Supreme Court’s decision has come very timely. He said today tigers in the country and Corbett in particular have suffered the most in the name of eco-tourism. “Take, for example, Corbett; the resorts stand as main culprits. While on the one hand these resorts have blocked the tiger corridors, on the other they flay all norms to create trouble for the region’s wildlife, including tigers, by promoting rampant tourist activity inside the reserve,” he pointed out.

People for Animals, Uttarakhand, member-secretary Gauri Maulekhi, too, expressed her happiness over the Supreme Court’s order. She said a large tourist inflow into the core areas of Corbett Reserve is proving to be detrimental to the tiger population in the reserve.

Echoing similar sentiments, former Uttarakhand Chief Wildlife Warden AS Negi said the Supreme Court decision will certainly relieve the core zone of Corbett of increasing burden of tourists and will be in the interest of the region’s wildlife.

While conservationists have taken the Supreme court decision as a matter of rejoicing, former chairman of the State Forest and Environment Advisory Committee Anil Baluni has expressed his concern over the decision, asserting that locals, who are solely dependent on tourism in Corbett as a source of livelihood, will be the ultimate losers.

“About 20,000 people earn their livelihoods through tourism in Corbett, and the latest Supreme Court order will come as a huge setback for them,” Baluni pointed out. He said in the backdrop of the Supreme court order, he himself will be taking up the matter legally. Baluni said he would even appeal to the Uttarakhand government to take to legal course over the matter as various large and small entrepreneurs in and around Corbett will be on the verge of losing their jobs after this decision.

Dehradun, July 25
Supporters of Gandhian Anna Hazare today staged a dharna at Deendayal Park in Dehradun in support of Team Anna’s agitation in Delhi.

Led by Uttarakhand Chapter of India Against Corruption, the volunteers pledged full-fledged support to Anna’s campaign against corruption.

One of the protesters Avnish Sharma said the nation today was facing the worst challenge in the form of rising corruption.

He said political will was definitely lacking while dealing with corruption.

He said Anna was the voice of the nation and appealed to the people to fully support the agitation.

A large number of people took part in the dharna despite heavy rains in Uttarakhand’s capital Dehradun today.

Dehradun, July 25
Three persons were killed and 15 others sustained injuries when the Max vehicle they were travelling in met with an accident near Bironkhel in Pauri Garhwal this morning.

The injured were taken to District Hospital by the 108 GVK EMRI ambulances.

Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has expressed grief over the accident. In his condolence message, Bahuguna prayed for the peace of the departed souls and strength for the bereaved families. He wished for the speedy recovery of the injured. Governor Aziz Qureshi also mourned the death of the passengers.

Dehradun, July 25
The second lecture of the Platinum Jubilee Lecture Series - Schooling Today for Tomorrow - was delivered by R. Gopalakrishnan, Director, Tata Sons Ltd, today at Welham Boys' School.

Gopalakrishnan, in his lecture, traced the historical evolution of "our left brain-oriented education system, which has reduced the ambit of teaching only to what can be taught. A shift in the approach by encouraging right-brain activities would open the possibilities to learn what cannot be taught." Beautifully woven with anecdotal and historical illustrations,

Gopalakrishnan's address held the audience enthralled as well as provoked some rather serious introspection, both internal and public.

The talk was attended by students and staff of Welham Girls' School, Rashtriya Indian Military College, as well as of Welham Boys' School.

Gopalakrishnan studied physics at Calcutta University, engineering at IIT, Kharagpur, and also attended the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School.

He had served as Chairman of Unilever Arabia, as Managing Director of Brooke Bond Lipton India and finally as Vice Chairman of Hindustan Lever Limited.

The talk was followed by an intense and thought-provoking question/ answer session.

Players in action at the 3rd ONGC BS Negi Memorial Football Tournament in Dehradun on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph

Dehradun, July 25
Doon Star and Garhwal Sporting today won their respective matches in the 3rd ONGC BS Negi Memorial Football Tournament being played at Ambedkar Stadium, Dehradun.

In the first match, Doon Star beat Doon Challengers 2-1. Balvinder scored both the goals for Doon Star, whereas Mukesh Thapa scored for Doon Challengers.

In the second match, Garhwal Sporting beat Eleven Star Football Club 5-0 in a one-sided match.

Shivam added two consecutive goals to Garhwal Sporting.

Tomorrow Uttarakhand Police will take on Garhwal Boys.