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CM promises tribal welfare board before August 15
PFA suggests steps to check man-animal conflict
Poaching a major challenge in Corbett
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Four killed in mishaps
More rain predicted in Uttarakhand
Honour HC's decision, says TPS Rawat
Bond releases book ‘Birding in the Doon Valley’
Janmanch remembers founder Chander Rana
Semwal re-appointed spokesperson for UKD (D)
Relief given to villagers hit by natural disasters
Uttarakhand Police in ONGC soccer final
Fraud case against builder
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CM promises tribal welfare board before August 15
Dehradun, July 29 The Chief Minister on the occasion also announced Rs 10 lakh assistance for the Janjaati Mahostava organised in the state every year by Uttarakhand Schedule Tribes Welfare Committee. Bahuguna also assured allotting 3 bighas of land for construction of Janjaati Bhawan in Dehradun. Vijay Bahuguna said the five tribal communities, Tharu, Jaunsari, Boxa, Bhotia and Raji, were part and parcel of Uttarakhand society and reiterated his government's commitment to work towards welfare of tribal communities in the state. Uttarakhand Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Pritam Singh said the tribals were getting reservation in the state as per the Centre's guidelines. He demanded setting of special schools in the tribal dominated villages of Uttarakhand. Former MLA Gagan Rajwar sought land ownership rights for Raji community members in the Terai region of Uttarakhand. Earlier, Uttarakhand Schedule Tribes Welfare Committee's president Gopal Singh Rana welcomed the Chief Minister by presenting him with tribal headgear. Former Minister Kedar Singh Fonia, Chief Information Commissioner NS Napalchayal and Uttarakhand Principal Chief Conservator of Forests RBS Rawat were prominent among those present on the occasion. |
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PFA suggests steps to check man-animal conflict
Dehradun, July 29 In a letter to the office of Uttarakhand Chief Wildlife Warden SS Sharma, PFA member secretary Gauri Maulekhi held that the number of leopards falling victim to poaching and revenge killings had been astounding but was constantly being underplayed by the state Forest Department. The natural prey base of these animals was dwindling due to poaching. Also, leopards had been reported to attack villagers in the hills often when they went into the forest to relieve themselves. "If toilets could be built in the villages by the Department of Rural Development, it will help minimise the conflict", Maulekhi said. Referring to the monkey menace, the PFA member secretary said even though the construction of cages for mass sterilisation of rhesus macaque was under way in Uttarakhand, the procedure had failed miserably in Himachal Pradesh and resulted in an increase in monkey bite cases ever since the operation started. Needless to mention that there had been no respite from the problem. On the anti-poaching cell of the Uttrakhand Forest Department, the cell comprises a single officer with no staff, resources or budget. Cases of poaching go either unreported or uninvestigated. "In cases where clear evidence of poaching has been indicated, the lone officer, unduly overburdened with departmental formalities, could not find time to investigate", Maulekhi said. The PFA has expressed concern over the occurance of poaching in areas that shares border with Uttar Pradesh or Nepal. "Coordination of the Uttarakhand Forest Department with the authorities of either Uttar Pradesh or Nepal is absent. In order to prevent wildlife trade and poaching, it is crucial that a periodic joint review meetings be held between states", the PFA member said. On wildlife rescue, the rescue centre at Chidiapur in Haridwar has been a major disappointment so far. Since March 2011, it has sheltered just five animals, all leopards. only one of these leopards could be rehabilitated. The PFA has also stressed on the need to have one wildlife trained vet at every forest division and every wildlife reserve, so that wildlife related emergencies and crime can be effectively tackled. The department has only two vets, who have so far been sourced from the Animal Husbandry Department. Both these vets will be deputed in Nainital district. "The wildlife in Uttarakhand is dwindling fast and if immediate steps are not taken to correct the situation on a war footing, there may soon be no animals left to be protected", he observed". |
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Poaching a major challenge in Corbett
Dehradun, July 29 Spread over an area of 1288 sq km, the Corbett Tiger Reserve prominently includes the Corbett National Park and the Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary. The Zoological Survey of India, Dehradun, has discovered as many as 1013 species of the fauna from Corbett. Entitled, "Fauna of Corbett Tiger Reserve'', it reveals 685 species of birds, 49 species of mammals, 39 reptilian species, 36 species of fishes, 10 amphibians, 10 species of nematodes, 11 species of centipedes, 21 species of termites, seven species of bugs, 34 species of hoppers, 36 species of butterflies and 10 species of beetles among Invertebrates. At the time of its inception way back in 1936, the Corbett covered an area of 323 sq km which was subsequently increased to 1288 sq km after inclusion of Kalagarh and parts of Ramnagar and Terai West forest divisions. Since the Project Tiger was launched here in 1973, the population of tigers in the Corbett Tiger Reserve landscape has increased to more than 214. However, the Corbett has its own set of challenges. Spurt in tourism activities, movement of poachers, man-animal conflict, shrinking wildlife corridors and providing necessary infrastructure for tourists are some prominent challenges before the Corbett. With an aim to keep an eye on poachers, electronic surveillance system has been introduced in the CTR, which is the first of its kind initiative taken anywhere in any tiger reserve of the country. According to Corbett Director R K Mishra, to further strengthen and conservation, nearly 200 local youth are being put to use to protect tigers from poachers in the buffer areas whereas ex-Army personnel are already pressed into service under the Tiger Protection Force to assist the Forest Department staff towards the protection of tiger and its habitat in the CTR. The recent Supreme Court ban on tourism in the tiger reserves has also come as major challenge for the Corbett, which attracts tourists in large numbers and leads to direct and indirect employment to thousands of local people. Tourism continues to be the backbone of economy in Ramnagar and the adjoining areas of the Corbett. Rs 84 lakh revenue was generated from the arrival of 62,000 tourists in 2000-01. However in 2010-11, a total of 2 lakh tourists visited the Corbett giving it a revenue of staggering Rs 6 crore. The Corbett has five tourist zones and 19 forest rest houses with a total of 192 beds and stands as tourists wildlife hotspots in the country. |
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Four killed in mishaps
Pithoragarh, July 29 Two others also sustained injuries in the mishap. Bahadur Singh was on way to Sera village from Banga when the mishap took place. In another incident, two bodies were found in a local swollen rivulet in Kapkot subdivision of Bageshwar district today. The deceased have been identified as Paruli Devi (47) and her daughter Nandi Devi (19), residents of Siri village. In yet another incident, Jewan Chalal (45)
drowned in the Kali river at Jauljibi town on Saturday. The body is yet to be recovered," said RS Rana, District Disaster Mitigation Officer, Pithoragarh. |
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More rain predicted in Uttarakhand
Dehradun, July 29 Meanwhile, the state capital today witnessed rain almost throughout the day. It also led to waterlogging in a number of localities like Mannu Ganj, Chukkuwala, Paltan Bazar and other localities in downtown Dehradun. However, today being Sunday, there were little commuters on road. |
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Honour HC's decision, says TPS Rawat
Dehradun, July 29 He said both Congress and BJP were only interested in vote bank politics and kept least concern towards society. He said provision of reservation was kept in the Constitution to ensure a casteless society but politicians of today had rather used caste to serve their political benefits. The Raksha Morcha also referred to the court's outcome of Tiwari paternity suit case as a shame for Uttarakhand. He said senior politicians of Uttarakhand must rather show the right way to the youth of Uttarakhand. |
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Bond releases book ‘Birding in the Doon Valley’
Dehradun, July 29 The 200-page full-colour book, co-authored by environment research scholars Suniti Dutta and Nikhil Devasar, is published by Winterline Publishing, an offshoot of the Mussoorie-based environmental NGO, Winterline Nature Trust. According to Suniti Dutta, co-author of the book, it will serve as a guidebook for bird watchers at the regional level. She further said that the book contained more than 200 pictures of the different varieties of birds that are found in and around the valley. She further stated: “In the 20 plus years that I have lived in Doon as a child and an adult, I have long wondered why we have no book on the birds of the region. I myself have wished to contribute to such a book for all these years, and I was delighted when Winterline invited me to write the text, with Nikhil Devasar as my co-author. I am so proud to have made a contribution, and it is a pleasure and an honour to have Nikhil, who is surely India’s best bird photographer, as my co-author. I must say I’m extremely proud at how the final book has turned out.” According to the publisher Shantanu Sarkar, the book has 15 original, accurate colour-coded birding maps, which were created via thousands of GPS satellite readings collected by the Winterline team over a 24-month period. The 200-bird species guide gives a wealth of info about a variety of birds, with stunning bird images by Nikhil Devasar. Overall, there are 320 colour images, with over 270 species of birds. There are also dozens of pictures of the region's spectacular landscapes, including the swamps of Jhilmil Jheel, the rich Sal forests of Thano and Chilla, the beautiful winter scenery of snowy Dhanaulti, the deodar forests of Deolsari, and other high-biodiversity areas. The book also actively promotes eco-tourism in the region. For expert bird watchers, the book offers and detailed, 504-species regional bird list, which is cross-referenced against the top 3 bird reference guides available in the market. The writing style in the 70-page narrative text section is deliberately written for a wide audience of all expertise levels, added Shantanu Sarkar. He also revealed that Winterline would be releasing 2-3 books in the series every year, and that 4 such books for other beautiful, bird-rich regions of India are already in the pipeline. The eminent author, Ruskin Bond, speaking about the book after release said: “It is a remarkable and much-needed book that holds rich rewards, for young and old alike. In learning about the bird life of our blessed region, you just might learn more about yourself, as you discover an ever-true source of lifelong joy, birdwatching.” Ruskin Bond, concerned over the diminishing population of insects in the region, said that it was important to safeguard the population of the insects as most of the birds were dependent on them for the food. He also said that the decrease in the number of vultures and sparrows was also a cause of concern and should be studied further. He hoped that people would read the book and satiate their desire of bird watching through it. Vijay Jung Thapa, the well-known journalist and a co-founder of Winterline, speaking about the book said; “Not only do we expect that young and old alike will find our book enjoyable and rewarding, but we are also confident that the pricing of the book is very fair, considering the overall quality of the product.” Distinguished historian and Principal of Doon School Peter Mclaughlin said that book will go well with the young readers who were interested in the birds and eager to find out more about their behaviour and habitat around the region. |
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Janmanch remembers founder Chander Rana
Dehradun, July 29 The manifesto of the organisation was also released on the occasion. Senior CPI leader Samar Bhandari said though Rana himself wanted to release the manifesto at a big convention, it was released today as a tribute to him. Bhandari said the manifesto was all about the welfare of the people of the hill region. “Uttarakhand is a hill state and the state government must ensure ample avenues of employment generation or jobs for its people,” he said. Surender Nautiyal said people in a large number were migrating from the hill areas to the plain ones. He said civic amenities, adequate security arrangement and small industries must be ensured in the hill areas to check migration. On the occasion, Mountaineer Harshwanti Bisht, while remembering her association with Rana, said: “Most of the political leaders prefer living in urban plains. However, Chandan Singh Rana would live in his village Raithal in Uttarkashi and was a simple man."
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150 saplings planted
Dehradun, July 29 Rizwan Ali, in charge of Kaash, said five voluntary organisations working in the field of the environment in Dehradun had pledged to work together to make the city clean and green. |
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Semwal re-appointed spokesperson for UKD (D)
Dehradun, July 29 He also made it clear that the party would contest the Tehri byelections on its symbol. In the state Assembly elections recently, Bhatt, also former Revenue Minister in the BJP-led state government, had fought the elections on the BJP's symbol and faced drubbing.
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Relief given to villagers hit by natural disasters
Pithoragarh, July 29 According to the District Magistrate, the district has received 45 per cent less rains than required in the month of June, while it rained normally during the month of July. "Out of this money, a sum of Rs 71,410 has been distributed among 39 families as government relief for their damaged crops, while a sum of Rs 1,03,650 has been distributed as relief to repair their houses. A sum of Rs 6,69,900 has gone to 31 families as compensation for the dead and injured livestock," said the District Magistrate. "We have not only installed JCB machines and laborers at disaster-sensitive points of various roads, but have also linked them with the control room at the district headquarters to keep a watch on natural disasters during monsoons," said the DM. In Champawat district, the District Magistrate, Sridhar Babu Addhakhi, has informed that the district has received 74 per cent less rains this year till date, affecting the crops and horticulture of the district up to 50 per cent. "A total of 649 villages have been affected by poor monsoons this year. Over 100 traditional drinking water sources have been rendered useless and a loss of Rs.18.29 crore has been caused to the district till date," said the DM, Champawat. The District Magistrates of both the districts were in link with the Kumaon Commissioner through video conferencing, whenever they wanted to take stock of natural disasters in the region. The Commissioner of Kumaon, Hemlata Dhaudhiyal, has asked the District Magistrates to give day to day information of disaster incidents in the region to her. |
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Uttarakhand Police in ONGC soccer final
Dehradun, July 29 Garhwal Sporting did get one chance when it got a penalty kick. Sunil Chetri took the kick but Uttarakhand Police goalkeeper Virendra Pandey easily saved the goal. The 2nd semifinal match will be played tomorrow between CT Young and Vijay Cantt. |
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Fraud case against builder
Dehradun, July 29 In the complaint, Chouhan alleged he had invested Rs 5.51 lakh by hiring a cottage in a project at Kyar Kuli near Mussoorie which was promoted by Patel. Since the project did not take off, so Chouhan pressed Patel to return the money with interest. Patel issued a cheque for Rs 5,51,000 on June 26 which had bounced due to insufficient funds. Chouhan said he tried to contact Patel, but he is on run. Patel runs two offices in the city. 2 killed as truck falls into khud
Two persons were killed while four others sustained injuries when a truck fell into a khud near Kausani- Bhatadiya in Bageshwar district last night. Out of the total six persons travelling in the truck, two died on the spot. The injured have been admitted to a hospital. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has expressed grief over the accident. Fire in shop
A fire broke out in a utensil shop at Dhamawala at 10.30 in the morning due to a short circuit. The fire was soon brought under control by firemen. A sitting desk at the reception got burnt in the process. The neighbouring shops remained safe. Nobody got hurt in the fire. A minor incident of fire destroying a chemistry lab also took place in Doon School due to a short circuit. It was also controlled in time without much damage. Only the electricity board got burnt.— TNS |
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Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has announced setting up of Uttarakhand tribal welfare board in the state before August 15.
The eminent author from Mussoorie, Ruskin Bond, released a book on bird watching titled “Birding in the Doon Valley” at a simple function held at the Doon School auditorium today.
