ASHA workers hold a protest in front of the Secretariat in Dehradun. They are demanding the payment of the pending arrears. Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir

DMC team removes 15 illegal hoardings on Saharanpur Road-ISBT stretch
Dehraudn, November 20
A team led by Deputy Mukhya Nagar Adhikari, Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC), Sadia Alam Khan, removed 15 illegal hoardings on the stretch of Saharanpur Road to ISBT in the city. The team is to remove 168 such hoardings in the city.

Workers of the Dehradun Municipal Corporation remove illegal hoardings from Saharanpur Chowk in Dehradun on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir

SSP sends cop to Police Lines on bribe charge
Dehradun November 20
SSP Kewal Khurana yesterday sent police post in charge, Laltappar (Doiwala), Sadanand Pokhriyal to the Police Lines for allegedly taking a bribe from the public.

Commissioner reviews traffic situation in Dehradun
Dehradun, November 20
Garhwal Commissioner Kunal Sharma here today held a meeting with senior officers to review traffic situation, the widening of crossings and the removal of encroachment in Dehradun.


Commissioner, Garhwal, Kunal Sharma, along with other officials, inspects Darshan Lala Chowk in Dehradun on Tuesday.

SSP pulls up SHO; tells him to take action in murder case
Dehradun, November 20
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kewal Khurana today directed Station Police Officer, Nehru Colony, to gather information about the viscera report of Sunny Khatri, who died of poison 15 months ago.

Mussoorie club honours students
Mussoorie, November 20
The Inner Wheel Club, Mussoorie, yesterday honoured students from Hindi medium schools for excelling in various academic competitions organised by the club recently.

Priya, Sanchi TT winners from Uttarakhand
Dehradun, November 20
In the All-India Tennis Talent Series Tennis Tournament 2012 (Under-14 and Under-16 Boys and Girls) being played at the Shanti Tennis Academy in Dehradun, several matches were played today.



A player in action during the All-India Talent Series Tennis Tournament in Dehradun on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir

Sports events for slum kids
Dehradun, November 20
A charitable organisation, Ankit Welfare Society, today organised sports for children on the Ordnance Factory Ground, Dehradun.

Dehradun, November 20
It is for the first time that the management of Hotel Drona, a sick unit of the Tourism Wing, Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN), has paid the salaries to 52 employees, amounting to Rs 10 lakh, from its own coffers.

Members of the GMVN Employees Association had sought six months from the Managing Director (MD) to make Drona a profitable entity when the Tourism Department announced to give it on the public private partnership mode.

Due to insecurity of losing jobs in private hands and sharing an emotional chord with the hotel, the employees pinned hope on DS Negi, manager, Bharat Bhumi rest house in Rishikesh, who is credited with turning the Rishikesh sick unit into lucrative one in just one year in 2005.

Negi too took the challenge and proved in three months that the faith reposed in him was not misplaced. The hotel earned enough to meet expenses of the salaries of the staff.

The Tourism Department had been demanding Rs at least 5 crore for the renovation of the hotel, spread across 1.5 bigha of land in the heart of the city, but Negi only demanded Rs 30 lakh that too on a promise to return the entire sum at the end of six months.

Till now, Negi has spent around Rs 12 lakh on the renovation of 27 rooms and will need another instalment of Rs 18 lakh for 33 rooms. He said, “I did not make any structural changes. The rooms having cracks in walls, chipped whitewash, stains of seepage, furniture in bad condition, faulty and broken electricity boards, torn mattresses, dirty linen and flawed water supply were all taken care of at a nominal rate. The furniture was only varnished and not replaced. The bar had been spruced up and lawns are being maintained.”

The perpetual seepage in small water tanks are being plugged. A 4,000 litre capacity solar heating system with a sensor is being installed.

Managing Director, GMVN, Dr Pankaj Kumar Pandey, is happy that the confidence he reposed in the employees paid dividends. He said, “I am happy that Hotel Drona has started doing well. A hall, used as store room, is also being converted into grand art gallery, as the city desperately needs a proper one.”

Mussoorie, November 20
Ginkgobioloba, popularly called as Maiden Hair, the rare tree from China, known for it's medicinal values and planted at Company Garden near Happy Valley nearly 75 years ago, is attracting tourists and botanists alike with it's benign beauty in Mussoorie.

Ginkgobioloba tree, that is believed to be related to modern Ginkgo, dating back 270 million years, attracts geologists from all over the world. The tree described by Charles Darwin as a living fossil is the oldest surviving tree species.

Bimol Sharma, director of Yasmin Fernery and caretaker of Company Garden, shedding light on the history of the the rare tree from China, said that the tree was brought in India by Lord Dalhousie and from there it found it's way with the help of unknown British Railway officials in around 1937 to Company Garden. The tree here has a rare distinction of being one of the seven of the trees that are still surviving in India presently.

The other six trees of the same species can be found at Bhopal, Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Kalimpong in Darjeeling and it's presence has also been reported in Haryana presently.

The Ginkgo tree is classified in it's own division. Ginkgophyta is one of the best-known examples of a living fossil. Sharma said that the Ginkgos trees were tall and slender and adapt well to the urban environment in both plains and mountains alike and rarely suffer from disease problems with few insect attacks. During autumn, the leaves turn a bright yellow, then fall, sometimes within a short space of time. Some specimens of the tree are claimed to be more than 2,500 years old. A 3,000-year-old Ginkgo has been reported in Shandong province in China. Sharma also informed that the tree was also known for its tenacious qualities.

The fact that in Hiroshima, Japan, where four trees growing between 1-2 km range from the 1945 atom bomb explosion, were among the few living things in the area to survive the blast, while almost all other plants (and animals) in the area were destroyed. The Ginkgos, though charred, survived and were soon healthy again and are alive till today. The other important fact about the tree is that it contains remarkable medicinal qualities. Sharma said that the studies have revealed that Ginkgo extract may have three effects on the human body, improvement in blood flow (including microcirculation in small capillaries) to most tissues and organs; protection against oxidative cell damage from free radicals; and blockage of many of the effects of platelet-activating factor (platelet aggregation, blood clotting) that have been related to the development of a number of cardiovascular, renal, respiratory and CNS (Central Nervous System) disorders.

However, some contradictory studies have revealed that Ginkgo may have some undesirable effects, especially for individuals with blood circulation disorders and those taking anticoagulants such as ibuprofen, aspirin or warfarin.

It is also said that Ginkgo should also not be used by people who are taking certain types of antidepressants or by pregnant women without first consulting a doctor.

Bimol Sharma added that the state government should initiate more research on the tree and promote the plantation at the grand level as it could become a major bread earner in years to come.

Dehraudn, November 20
A team led by Deputy Mukhya Nagar Adhikari, Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC), Sadia Alam Khan, removed 15 illegal hoardings on the stretch of Saharanpur Road to ISBT in the city. The team is to remove 168 such hoardings in the city. The campaign began from Saturday when the team could remove only seven hoardings. Given to public holidays in between, the campaign picked momentum today. Khan had planned to remove 25-30 hoardings but could not achieve the target owing to opposition from local and a couple of political heavyweights. Initially, the minor resistance came from the traders of Arat Bazaar but the matter was soon settled as the traders were made to understand that the drive was undertaken at the behest of the High Court.

Two court commissioners had come on inspection of the illegal hoardings in the city. It was on their report that the High Court had directed the DMC to remove 168 such hoardings installed at the identified locations. A major uproar was raised today by BJP leaders Vinay Goyal and Sanjay Goyal when the team went to remove hoardings owned by them in Patel Nagar. The Goyals asked her to show the list sent by the High Court.

Since Khan was carrying the list of only 133 hoardings, which had no mention of the Goyal hoardings, she felt unnerved. She called up the High Court and soon got a fax copy of the complete list. The list included the name of Vinay Goyal. The matter proceeded further and the hoardings were removed but it consumed close to three precious hours.

Khan, who could not get adequate police force today, dropped the idea of moving ahead and planned to take up the remaining part of the drive tomorrow.

Dehradun November 20
SSP Kewal Khurana yesterday sent police post in charge, Laltappar (Doiwala), Sadanand Pokhriyal to the Police Lines for allegedly taking a bribe from the public.

Khurana said Pokhriyal would allegedly take bribe from the drivers of vehicles bound for Haridwar to allow them to purchase liquor in his area, knowing well that liquor was banned in Haridwar.

He said he was getting many complaints against him so he sent him to the Police Lines.

Meanwhile, Khurana visited the Tapkeshwar temple to review security. He further beefed up security.

Dehradun, November 20
Garhwal Commissioner Kunal Sharma here today held a meeting with senior officers to review traffic situation, the widening of crossings and the removal of encroachment in Dehradun.

The meeting was attended by the District Magistrate, the IGP (Dehradun Range), the SSP, the Secretary, Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority and other officials of the Dehradun Municipal Corporation and the PWD.

Sharma asked officials to remove encroachment in the city, which led to traffic jams. He asked District Magistrate BVRC Purushottam to instruct SDMs to take action against the offenders.

He directed officials to speed up the widening work on crossings. He also told them to prepare estimates for providing U-turns, left turns, zebra crossings and dividers. Sharma also visited Budha Park and Darshan Lal Chowk.

Purushottam found electricity poles installed in the middle of roads and vendors occupying space as the main cause of traffic jams.

Sharma said motor workshops operating without garage would be shifted to Transport Nagar and shopping complexes without parking facilities would be identified.

SSP Kewal Khurana demanded a contingent of Home Guards to improve traffic situation in the city.

During the meeting, DIG Sanjay Gunjiyal suggested restricting the timings of the movement of garbage lifting vehicles in the city after 10 pm.

Dehradun, November 20
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kewal Khurana today directed Station Police Officer, Nehru Colony, to gather information about the viscera report of Sunny Khatri, who died of poison 15 months ago.

The mother of the victim, Renu Khatri, met the SSP today and said that her son, Sunny,19, worked in a mechanic shop with owner Monu, with whom he was also staying for the past six months in Nehru Colony. She alleged that Monu killed him after a bitter wrangle. She said the police kept mum, taking refuge in the excuse that they had not yet got a viscera report till now. The SSP called the SHO and gave him a piece of his mind for utter negligence and directed him to leave for Lucknow immediately to gather information about the viscera report.

Meanwhile, in another case, Khurana directed to evict Suresh Chand Sharma, PCS officer, who is currently appointed as planning officer in the Social Welfare Department in the Madhya Pradesh government and his wife Urmila from the residence of complainant mother Shakunatla Sharma on Guru Tegh Bahadar Road in Dalanwala. Shakuntala complained that her son and his

wife had been harassing her for many years, given to which she disowned her son last year. But on November 11, both of them entered the house and forcibly evicted her out of the house. She was spotted by councillor Babita Sahrotra on the road, who brought her to her home.

Today the SSP directed Dalanwala SHO to evict the couple and facilitate entry of Shakuntala into the house. Later, the SHO requested Shakuntala to give the couple time of two days. Sehrotra warned that if the old mother could not go back to her home after two days, then she would start an agitation on the issue.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner, Garhwal, today rewarded SSP Kewal Khurana with a prize of Rs 5 lakh for better traffic management. The prize money, Khurana said, would be spent on creating infrastructure such as barriers, zebra crossings etc on roads.

Mussoorie, November 20
The Inner Wheel Club, Mussoorie, yesterday honoured students from Hindi medium schools for excelling in various academic competitions organised by the club recently.

An art and craft exhibition was also held on the occasion.

Regional president of the Inner Wheel Club Brij Panwar honoured Pooja, Savita and Farah for excelling in a debate competition and Meetu, Januf, Shivani were felicitated for excelling in a handicraft competition.

Pooja, Arushi and Kajal received awards in a creative writing contest in the junior division. In the senior division, Deepak from Rama Devi Inter-College received an award in a essay competition. Suman from Nirmala Inter-school and Babita from Mussoorie Girls School received awards for excelling in the senior girls; division.

Jyotsana from Sanatan Dharm Inter-college received an award for excelling in a essay competition in the junior division. 

Dehradun, November 20
In the All-India Tennis Talent Series Tennis Tournament 2012 (Under-14 and Under-16 Boys and Girls) being played at the Shanti Tennis Academy in Dehradun, several matches were played today.

In U-14 boys, Mohit Sarawat (Delhi) beat Dron Walia (Delhi) 9-5, Saket Tomar (Delhi) beat Aryaman Shukla (Uttarakhand) 9-3, Devshish Singh (Manipur) beat Aditya Pratap Singh (Uttarakhand), Rishab Sharda (Chandigarh) beat Kunal Goyal (Uttarakhand) 9-0 and Pramjeet Deol (Delhi) beat Anmol Singh (Delhi) 9-5.

In U-14 girls, Komajeet Kaur (Chandigarh) beat Vriti Panwar (Haryana), Harleen Kaur (Punjab) beat Asifa Khan (Uttarakhand) 9-5, Priya Thapliyal (Uttarakhand) beat Simarpreet Cheema (Chandigarh) 9-5 and Neelanchal Gupta (Delhi) beat Arushi Verma (Uttarakhand) 9-3.

In U-16 girls, Sanchi Belwal (Uttarakhand) beat Misha Sood (Delhi) 9-5, Harleen Kaur (Punjab) beat Vedica Anand (Delhi) 9-6, Neelanchal Gupta (Delhi) beat Geetika Sharma (Rajasthan).

In U-16 boys, Eklavya Singh (Jharkhand) beat Prakar Pal (Uttarakhand) 9-0, Manik Dabar (Uttarakhand) beat Kartikeya Sharma (Delhi) 9-2, Rohit Kumar (Haryana) beat Sanjit Singh (Delhi) 9-5 and Alok (Uttar Pradesh) beat Utkarsh Shaukeen (Delhi) 9-1.

Dehradun, November 20
A charitable organisation, Ankit Welfare Society, today organised sports for children on the Ordnance Factory Ground, Dehradun.

Both schoolchildren as well as those children that had not been introduced to the schools participated in it.

Chief Guest, Uttarakhand Sports Minister, Dinesh Agarwal, lauded the Ankit Welfare Society for hosting a sports events, particularly for the children from the slums. He said it was very rare that slum children were participating in sports with the school going children. Congress MLA Umesh Sharma from Raipur stressed on more efforts towards imparting education to the poor children, who could not go to schools. He also distributed prizes to the participating children. He also assured all support to the activists of the Ankit Welfare Society.

Various types of races were organised as part of the games programme. Naseem Mohammed, senior member, Ankit Welfare Society, accorded the vote of thanks.