Olympian confident of Indian judo coaches doing well
Neil Adams’ stint comes to an end
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 7
Former world champion and Olympic silver medallist Neil Adams’ brief stint as coach during the four-day national camp for judo coaches in Haridwar ended at Gurukul Kangri University here today. Neil Adams trained more than 50 coaches, who came from different states of the country to seek expertise from the veteran judoka, who is currently coaching the Belgium judo national team.

At the conclusion of the camp, Neil Adams felt confident that if Indian coaches and players were given more exposure and emphasis on physical development, training and technical expertise, they could make a mark in the global world of judo.

Talking to The Tribune, Neil Adams made it clear that he didn’t find the Indian coaches’ up to the world class mark but with more such exposure, they certainly could attain that level where they can produce Olympic-level medallists.

Reflecting on his stint in India, Adams, five-time European champion, said judo was a popular sport in the world with more than 100 countries playing it. As it figures in the Olympics, the prospect of winning an Olympic medal was making more countries take up this sport.

“Judo is not like other sports where infrastructure is as important as the technique. Judo needs concentration, flexibility, alertness, tactical acumen, right technique and finding flaws in opponent’s technique. Indians have a long history of wrestling; so they may find judo easier to slip in. But technique with physical fitness and sharp judgment of moves is a must,” advised Adams to the coaches.

Sukwinder Kaur, coach from New Delhi, was all impressed with the experience that she got from veteran Neil Adams.

“We used to coach our students by making them run around the stadium but here Neil imparted us several judo-specific physical exercises which have more impact on one’s body and flexibility.”

Arjuna awardee Yashpal Solanki said that the major benefit they got from Adam’s stint is the stress on technique and adopting to changes in them.

He emphasised the need of having more such foreign exposure and even a regular foreign coach on the lines of other sports such as cricket, hockey, shooting, wrestling and archery in India.

Night stay huts for tourists visiting Milam glacier
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, November 7
To facilitate the tourists visiting Milam glacier in big numbers every year, Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam will construct night stay huts for the tourists on the lines of those constructed on the route to Pindari glacier in Bageshwar district.

KMVN assistant general manager Ram Narayan announced this at Munsiyari today while addressing a workshop on tourism organised by the Hari Smarak Samiti at Malla Dumar village of Munsiyari subdivision.

“The nigam has accepted a workplan on the subject, after implementation of which, the tourists will get relief during travel on this 7-day trek route to Milam and other glaciers of the area,” said Ram Narayan.

“We have 28 glaciers, 27 passes, 8 trek routes and 32 famous peaks in the Munsiyari region. If infrastructure facilities on these routes could be increased, the tourism business in the area could increase manifold,” said Govind Singh Pangti, president of Malla Johar Vikash Samiti.

The locals, who are earning their bread and butter out of tourism business, cite their difficulties and say that if the government could take attention towards the problems being faced by the people involved in tourist business in Munsiyari, more migrant youths can be attracted to the area . “Our 18-family village of Sarmoli houses thousands of tourists every year during the season and every family earns a handsome amount,” said Neha Pangti, a resident of Sarmoli village, who runs a home stay business on the Munsiyari-Milam route.

A symposium was inaugurated by former Chief Secretary of the state RS Tolia, who emphasised on creating more facilities as well as more avenues to the increasing tourist busines of the region. “We need to add local crafts and herbs to the flourising tourist trade in the area to accommodate more local youths in this trade to end migration from this part of the border area,” said Tolia.

We have 28 glaciers, 27 passes, 8 trek routes and 32 famous peaks in the Munsiyari region. If infrastructure facilities on these routes are increased, the tourism business in the area could increase manifold. — Govind Singh Pangti, president of Malla Johar Vikas Samiti

Our 18-family village of Sarmoli houses thousands of tourists every year during the season, and every family earns a handsome amount. — Neha Pangti, resident of Sarmoli village

Make Gairsain summer capital, says SP leader Barthwal
Sandeep Rawat/TNS

Former chief of the state unit of the SP Vinod Barthwal in Haridwar on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Rameshwar Gaur

Haridwar, November 7
The Samajwadi Party (SP) during its government in Uttar Pradesh had passed a resolution for carving out a separate state of Uttarakhand and formed Kaushik and Barthwal committees to resolve the issue of capital. It now demanded that Gairsain be made the summer capital of the state.

Veteran party leader Vinod Barthwal after meeting with party workers here today demanded a temporary capital status for Dehradun and the full-fledged summer capital status for Gairsain in Chamoli district.

Barthwal even suggested the shifting of the Uttarakhand Secretariat, offices and the Chief Minister house to the outskirts of Dehradun as the city had become congested due to massive urbanisation after it was made the interim capital.

He criticized the Congress for trying to take credit for Gairsain by holding a Cabinet meeting there. He said he had been demanding the capital status for Gairsain since late 90s when Mulayam Singh Yadav was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

Both Kaushik and Barthwal committees had suggested the suitability of Gairsain for capital but the respective BJP and Congress governments in the state failed to build on it. Instead, they agreed on the interim capital status for Dehradun and kept mum on Gairsain, said Barthwal.

The former Uttarakhand SP president said a consensus should be built on matters related to development of Gairsain as capital and other issues like hydropower projects, tourism, water, sanctity of the Ganga, unemployment and migration from hill districts.

He said the SP was now trying hard to cement its base in Uttarakhand and cited Mulayam’s deep relations with the state.

“Mulayam’s both daughters-in law hail from Uttarakhand. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s wife Dimple Yadav is from Pauri Garhwal. Hence, the SP can’t be anti-Uttarakhand. Mulayamji played a pivotal role in the creation of Uttarakhand though we couldn’t convert it into votes,” asserted Barhtwal.

He praised former SP legislator Ambrish Kumar, who left the party two years ago. He said Ambrish was a statesman whose appeal with masses and grip on political issues were unmatched in the state. “Like former Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna, he possessed a development-oriented vision. He left a void in the party which could not be filled,” added Barthwal.

Training given in microbiological technique in pharma industry
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 7
A seven-day hands-on training programme organised by Dolphin (PG) Institute in collaboration with the Drug Manufacturing Association (DMA), Uttarakhand, imparted training in microbiological technique used in pharma industry. The programme will conclude tomorrow.

During the training programme the participants visited the three pharma industries to learn in detail about production, quality and research activities.

GS Bedi, quality assurance manager from Ranbaxy Lab Ltd, gave a detailed lecture on raw material and finished product analysis. He also emphasised on industrial academia interactive and encouraged the participants to excel in the terms of techniques. He also advised them to learn about professional chemistry and pharma chemistry in the field of microbiology or biotechnology.

He also discussed about media testing, media sterilisation, autoclave, waste validation and vacuum etc. Shailja Pant, Principal, spoke on "Culture Media and Isolation of Pure Culture." Manjinder Kaur Bedi, Shailesh Kr. Joshi, Tripti Malik, Gauri Singh and Seema Rawat, subject specialists, also delivered lectures on the various topics.

In the category of popular lecture, VK Madhav from Pune University spoke on “Research Methodology and Statistics for All.” He said that one should not be disturbed for not getting suitable jobs, but should channelise energies in developing models for the solution of the prevailing problems. This will ensure inflow of money.

CM likely to give plum posts to unhappy MLAs
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 7
To accommodate unhappy Congress MLAs and party workers, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna is likely to appoint some of them as chairmen of commissions and heads of committees in the coming days. The MLAs, who could not be accommodated in the cabinet, are desirous of appointment on these ministerial-level posts.

Former Chief Minister ND Tiwari had allotted ministerial-level posts in bulk, inviting criticism from the Opposition.

This was also one of the reasons for the defeat of the Congress in the 2007 Assembly elections.

Bahuguna had recently hinted at allotting the ministerial-level posts to a few MLAs and party workers. At the same time, he had been maintaining that these posts would be restricted between 30 and 40.

“Several senior MLAs could not be accommodated in the Cabinet. A few senior party workers too have to be adjusted, somehow. I have referred the matter to the high command and once approval is granted, the appointments will be made,” said Bahuguna.

Though the Congress MLAs and workers have been lobbying for plum posts, sources claim that the time is appropriate for the Chief Minister to allot at least five of them.

The Chief Minister has a task cut out for him as both Union Minister for Water Resources Harish Rawat and Pauri Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj are vying with each other to get plum posts for their supporters.

Already there is speculation that at least two MLAs belonging to the Satpal Maharaj camp, namely Anusiya Prasad Maikhuri and Rajender Bhandari, are set to get plum posts.

Minister for Agriculture and Medical Education Harak Singh Rawat too has a list of his supporters though he has accommodated his men in mandi parishads and other organizations under his control.

Bahuguna lays stone of adventure sports academy at Koti Colony
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 7
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna laid the foundation stone of Rajiv Gandhi Adventure Sports Academy at Koti Colony here today. He said the local people would be given priority and engaged in various activities organised at Tehri Lake. The Chief Minister also announced Rs 11.50 crore for the recarpeting of the Dobra-Jakh road. He inaugurated the building of the Institute of Hydropower Engineering and Technology.

Describing Tehri Lake as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, Bahuguna said adventure activities would be promoted in the lake which would in turn help in the economic uplift of local residents.

He said an authority would be constituted for the development of the lake and efforts would be made to affiliate it to an international university. Bahuguna said tourism would be promoted for the development of the state and checking migration. He said helipads would be constructed at 22 places and other hill stations would be developed on the pattern of Nainital and Mussoorie.

Tourism Minister Amrita Rawat said Tehri Lake would be developed like Dal Lake in Kashmir and publicise local culture through it. She said in all, 24 activities would be undertaken at the lake, including canoeing, rowing, boating, water scooter, speed boating, rafting, kayaking, house boat, scuba diving, cruise boating etc.

Agriculture Education Minister Harak Singh Rawat said the adventure sports academy would prove beneficial to Uttarakhand.

Anti-quarrying drive launched in Haridwar
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 7
The administration has launched an anti-quarrying drive in Haridwar. Various teams, led by the SDM, tehsildaar and nayab tehsildaar, are carrying out crackdown on quarrying mafia. Tehsildar Shahid Hussain said stone crushing units were being raided and illegal JCBs, loaders and tractor-trailers used in transporting quarrying material had been found there.

"We have issued a warning to the owners of stone crushing units. However, stern action will be taken against them if illegal transport vehicles were again found on their premises. Only those JCBs, loaders and tracor-trailers, which have been given permission by the authorities, can be parked inside the units. All other vehicles will be impounded, besides cancelling the licence of the offender," said the tehsildar.

The main targets of the administration are the Bhogpur, Jagjitpur, Lakshar, Khanpur and Laldhang areas and Ganga embankments. The drive has instilled fear into the quarrying mafia.

According to information, although quarrying activity had been banned at Bishanpur Kundi and Bhogpur last year after an agitation by the Matri Sadan, illegal quarrying still goes unabated in the region.

Training for IFS officers begins
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 7
A two-day training workshop on reducing emissions in deforestation in developing countries (REDD) plus programmes for Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers began at the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) here today.

Inaugurating the workshop, Director General (ICFRE) VK Bahuguna said REDD plus programmes, if implemented properly, kept a great potential for improving the livelihood of forest fringe communities. “The local communities who have been traditionally conserving their forests are to be benefited with REDD plus projects in terms of payment for environmental services, a term which is quite new to India,” he said.

Earlier, Deputy Director General (Extension), ICFRE, Saibal Dasgupta described the importance of REDD plus programmes in climate change mitigation. Dr TP Singh, Additional Director General, Climate Change, gave an overview of REDD plus concepts and its scope for India’s forests.

He said the gathering about the objectives of this training workshop which, he said, was aimed at providing basic information on technical aspects related to the measurement of forest carbon stocks for developing inventories of forest ecosystems and to enable the officials of India Forest Service to better understand technical options of REDD plus programmes.

The workshop has been sponsored by the Ministry of Environment and Forests and is being attended by 16 participants from various states.

Singer Negi, poet Sharma release book ‘Gairsain’
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 7
The book entitled ‘Gairsain’ encapsulating the statehood struggle of the people and authored by Jaiprakash Panwar was released today by famous folk singer Narinder Singh Negi and poet Atul Kumar Sharma.

The author of the book, Jaiprakash Panwar, said: “I have participated in the Uttarakhand statehood struggle and can vividly remember how Gairsain became the chosen capital of the future state of Uttarakhand. Later, when the state was created, all our expectations were dashed to the ground, and now Gairsain is in the limelight,” said Panwar.

Stating his stand on Gairsain, famous folk singer Narinder Singh Negi, who for the first time associated himself with a government programme by singing at Gairsain on November 3, said: “The occasion gives me immense satisfaction. I could not help but sing for Gairsain and the brave people of Uttarakhand. From now on, there will be forward movement on Gairsain. If they go back, I will be the first one to express my displeasure,” he said.

20 projects to represent Doon at science congress
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 7
Twenty projects displayed at the 20th Intra-regional National Children Science Congress, which concluded at Kendriya Vidyalya (FRI) here yesterday, have been selected for the National Children Science Congress to be held in Hyderabad from November 22 to 24. The projects will represent the Dehradun region.

In the science congress, 40 Kendriya Vidyalyas from the Dehradun region had participated. The event was divided into two groups. The junior group comprised children in the age group of 10-14 years while the senior group comprised children in the age group of 14-17 years.

Principal of the school Charu Sharma congratulated the winning teams and wished them good luck.

‘Kumaon University VC to be appointed after panel's report’

Pithoragarh, November 7
Governor Aziz Qureshi said today that the Vice-Chancellors of Kumaon University and Pant Nagar University would be appointed after a search committee set up by the government to look for suitable candidates submitted its report.

He stated this while addressing mediapersons at the residence of the Kashipur MLA today.

At present, a senior IAS officer and former Chief Secretary of the state is the acting Vice-Chancellor of Pant Nagar University while the Commissioner of the region is the acting Vice-Chancellor of Kumaon University. — OC