SI suspended 
Dehradun September 21
Sub-inspector Vijay Prakash in the Rajpur police station today resigned after he was suspended this morning for dereliction of duty.

Haridwar, September 21
Taking cognisance of a brawl between Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) employees and an official late last night, the management suspended six employees today. They are Prashant Gupta, Satish, Sanjay Singh, Manish Singh, Ashok Gupta and Sumit Kumar.

According to information, Sanjay Singh, who was on night duty at New Blade Workshop, had a heated argument with TK Verma, an officer, over some issue. However, it took an ugly turn when Verma allegedly thrashed Sanjay in front of all employees. In the meantime, a worker allegedly assaulted Verma and soon other workers also joined him, leaving Verma seriously injured.

When the matter was reported to the BHEL officers' union, its members arrived at the workshop and boycott work, demanding action against those who allegedly thrashed Verma. However, members of the workers' union were adamant that Verma should apologise.

Later, the management conducted an internal probe and six workers were found involved in the violence. It immediately suspended them.

Meanwhile, labour unions have opposed the move of the BHEL management and threatened to launch an agitation if the employees were not reinstated at the earliest.

On the other hand, NK Gupta, Managing Director (HR), said indiscipline would not be tolerated on the BHEL premises.

Dehradun, September 21
BJP councillors today laid siege to Mukhya Nagar Adhikari Ashok Kumar for not removing the encroachment on a drain at Shanti Vihar.

The councillors blamed the owner of Avinath Institute Ashwini Kumar for occupying one and a half bigha land on the drain. However, the Dehradun Municipal Corporation was doing nothing.

The institute owner was not letting the DMC widen the drain, whereas many localities situated around it faced waterlogging during the monsoon.

Councillor Surender Kukreja said, "The drain used to be a long rivulet and was known as the small Bindal river.

It has now been reduced to a drain after a number of encroachments were made on it. Avinath Institute has occupied a major chunk of land on it."

He said the councillors had been bringing up the matter before the DMC for long but the officials did not show interest in investigating the matter.

"With the connivance of some influential people, the institute has shown the occupied land as their own.

The owner also got a stay from the High Court when a team from the DMC went on to widen the drain," he said.

He said every year, hundreds of people living on both sides of the drain got affected during the monsoon season, as the drain overflew and water entered the houses. The MNA said he had no knowledge of the matter before and now he would look into it.

Dehradun, September 21
Two deaf and mute teenagers from Dehradun have been selected for a mission to Stok Kangri- India’s highest trekable summit located at the height of 20,086 ft in Ladakh.

The trek will begin on September 24 and conclude on October 11. It is being organised by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation and Manav, a voluntary youth organisation.

Making their way to the team that invites application from all over the country, 18-year-old Priyanshi Kotiyal and 17-year-old Vaibhav came out in flying colours at the end of a three-year training programme.

“For the past three years, I have been participating in the camps that helped me overcome my disability. Now I am ready to put my skills to test,” said Priyanshi.

The 10-member team comprises of persons suffering from different disabilities and hailing variously from Karnataka, Delhi and Dehradun. Four volunteers are also part of the team.

“The trek will be a morale booster for the teenagers. Even if they cover half the distance, it will be no less an achievement for them,” said Pragya Bhardwaj, a volunteer and special educator.

The base camp is located at 16,300 ft and the final stretch of the Stok Kangri summit climb is on a ridge (at 19,000 feet) that starts on the southern side of the mountain. It is almost a 1,000 ft climb from that point.

At 20,086 ft, the Stok Kangri summit is 70 per cent the height of the Everest. Most summits in the world are below this height.

The trek, which continues for over four days, touches two high passes at 17,00 ft before descending to 16,300 ft at the Stok Kangri base camp.

Team members Manjunath Virabhadrappa, Ningayya Mallikarjunaiah, Krishna (physically challenged) and Mohammed Nimatvla are from Karnataka. Other team members include Ashish Dixit (Kanpur), Tsering (Ladakh) and Harshwardhan Holkar (Delhi).

Dehradun September 21
Sub-inspector Vijay Prakash in the Rajpur police station today resigned after he was suspended this morning for dereliction of duty.

It was during an inspection which was carried out by a team led by Public Relation Officer, Senior Superintendent of Police Office, Kalyan Singh Bisht, last night that Prakash was found sleeping in a room at the Rajpur police station. Prakash also allegedly misbehaved with Bisht when he woke him up and questioned him for sleeping at the time of his duty.

The matter was reported to the SSP who first attached him to the police lines and then suspended him today.

Prakash levelled serious allegation saying that the Rajpur police had seized Rs 5 crore from a Delhi-based resident a few days ago, but it had disclosed before the media that only Rs 1.5 crore had been seized. The bundles of currency notes were found in a car which were later counted in the presence of the media and the SSP. The inspector said Bisht had falsely implicated him. He was having severe stomach pain and was taking rest in the room of police station, whereas Bisht distorted the facts in his report.

Vijay Prakash was suspended earlier also on corruption charges.

Dehradun, September 21
MLA from Raipur Umesh Sharma lauded the efforts of the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IEI), Dehradun, for encouraging entrepreneurship among rural women.

Speaking on the concluding day today, Sharma said: “The institute has boosted the confidence among rural women by engaging them in income generation. The training to rural women in tailoring, fashion, designing and cosmetology by the IEI is proving to be useful,” he said.

He urged the organisers to include more courses so that the rural women were employed.

The regional head of the institute Poonam Sinha said the institute was engaged in developing entrepreneurial skills among women.

On the occasion, a rural fashion show was held in which the participants showcased the costumes designed by them. 

Dehradun, September 21
The consistent performance of Wills Youth Club (WYC) in local football has been finally rewarded. In a development, which will help the WYC in its sports initiative, a private college today decided to sponsor it. This is the first instance that a local football club has got sponsorship from a higher education institute in the Doon valley.

The WYC, operating from the MDDA Kedarpuram locality in Dehradun, created ripples in 2010 when it secured the fourth place in the district football league. The Shree Dev Bhoomi Institute of Education, Science and Technology (SDBI) today announced that it would sponsor the club. As a part of the deal, the SDBI would provide complete football kit and balls to the team. Besides, the institute also plans to take another initiative for development of football in the WYC.

The new jersey of the WYC for the ongoing football season was released at a function held here today. The club would don a green outfit this time.

Shriniwas Nautiyal, Director of the SDBI, said, “Football is extremely popular in Dehradun. I was planning to do something for sports promotion for a long time. When my friends asked me for sponsorship to Wills Youth Club, I agreed instantly.”

Among the local football clubs operating on individual and group donations, mainly from owners and members of the club, the WYC is the first one to get a sponsorship from a private institute.

Devendra Bisht, secretary of the District Football Association, appreciated the move and said, “Dehradun football needs such support. The move will inspire other institutes to adopt more football clubs in the city.”

The local clubs have so far failed to attract any corporate sponsorship. Former India player Amar Bahadur said, “The current trend indicates that football is changing in Dehradun. Football lovers from outside Uttarakhand are showing interest and this is a good sign for the sports in the state.”

Wills Youth Club is a new football club in the city. Current club president Tajendra formed it in 2010. The club began playing in the district football league in 2010 and in the very first year it impressed sports lovers by winning the ‘fair play trophy.’ Last year also the club finished among the top 10 teams in the district league.

Dehradun, September 21
Governor Aziz Qureshi here today addressed a programme held on World Peace Day at Raj Bhavan. It was organised by the Dehradun chapter of The Experiment in International Living (EIL).

A large number of schoolchildren attended the event.

The Governor called upon them to join the worldwide efforts to create an atmosphere of peace, joy and brotherhood.

The EIL used posters and banners to promote the cause of world peace.

Schoolchildren read out the resolve to work towards world peace and also signed a resolution letter. The Governor also signed it.

He said such campaigns should also be conducted in Hindi and regional languages.

Dehradun , September 21
In the memory of the late Joaquin L. D'souza, an epitome of sincerity, who had served St Joseph's Academy with distinction for 40 years, the annual J L D'souza Memorial Inter-School Debate was held here today.

A total of seven schools, St Joseph's Academy, The Doon School, Hilton's School, St. George's College, Convent of Jesus and Mary, The Heritage School and Hopetown Girls' School participated.

The event began with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp by the Principal, Rev Bro AJ George.

The stage was set for an evening of arguments. The debaters squared off on the proposition: "Promotion Under RTE is a Blessing". The debate commenced with some serious arguments. After the culmination of the debate, the proposition was put forward to the open house in which several people in the audience gave their views.

After an enlightening and entertaining couple of hours of arguments, the results were declared.

Anuj Thaparia of St George's College, Mussoorie, was adjudged the best speaker and also received the best re-buttal award while Tanushree Chandra of CJM and Akshay Rai of St. George's College, Mussoorie, finished the 1st and 2nd runners up. St. George's College, Mussoorie, bagged the much-coveted best team award.—TNS

Dehradun, September 21
A special assembly was conducted at Welham Boys School to commemorate the death anniversary of Oliphant, founder, Welham Boys School.

A prayer book was released by Guneet Bindra, Principal, Welham Boys School. Teachers sang the hymn "My Soul Proclaims the Lord My God".

Known for her firmness and affection, Oliphant has been the constant guiding light for all her successors. It being the 75th year of the existence of the school which she founded. The new prayer book contains 75 hymns. 

Haridwar, September 21
With a view to spreading environment awareness among children, a week-long plantation drive has been launched.

All children studying in Doon Cambridge School planted saplings on the school premises. Students of Class I, along with their teachers, planted different variety of saplings. During the plantation drive, children were being apprised of the environmental benefits of trees. The parents of the children were being involved so that a plantation drive would be carried out in their colony.

Doon Cambridge principal Kamini Verma said due to global warming, and urbanisation, green cover had been suffering the most. —TNS

Dehradun, September 21
Pine Grove School, Solan, and Welham Girls' School, Dehradun, entered the final of the Indian Public School's Conference All-India Girls' Basketball Tournament for U-14 here today.

In the first semifinal match, Pinegrove School, Solan, defeated Mayo College Girls' School, Ajmer, 17-14. Surreet from Pinegrove School scored six points while Anavi Singh and Annie scored four points each for the Mayo College team.

In the second semifinal match, Welham Girls School, Dehradun, beat Modern School, Barakhamba, New Delhi, 26-06.

Ananya scored nine points for the Welham team while Shivani scored two points for the Modern School team.

Dehradun, September 21
In the Dehradun District Football League being played at the Rangers College ground, the 3/1 Gorkha Rifles and Doon Eagle teams emerged victorious today.

In the first match, 3/1 Gorkha Rifles defeated Doon FC 2-0. Mohan and Rajkumar scored both the goals for 3/1 Gorkha Rifles. In the second match, Doon Eagle defeated Indira Club 2-0. Harpat and Shakil scored both the goals for Doon Eagle.

Vijay Cantt will clash with Bajrang Club tomorrow. Sports Hostel will take on BSC Boys and Yankees Club will play against Garhwal Star. 

Dehradun, September 21
Two girls from Unison World School have brought laurels to the school and the state.

Manya Agarwal, a student of class IX, represented the state at the Gun For Glory Shooting Championship held at Pune from September 12-18 and won a gold medal in the 10 m air pistol category.

Saina Kataria also competed in the 10 m air rifle (NR) youth women and qualified for the 56th National Shooting Championship.