Dehradun, March 2
The city police is coming up with novel methods to deal with the police personnel who have been breaking discipline or flouting rules repeatedly while carrying out their duties. Attachment with the Police Lines does not seem much effective anymore. The deduction of one-day salary is also taken lightly while the officials avoid suspensions. It leaves a negative impact on the psyche of policemen and financial implications on their families.

The police has now resorted to tough punishment, known in the Army to 'straighten up such spoilt persons.' They would now be seen traversing in jungles at night, munching rice-dal or sweating while lifting arms and ammunition for four hours at night on secluded roads. These might seem queer or hair-raising punishments, but these methods are indeed going to be implemented to bring up the much required improvement in the conduct of erring ones in the police force. There is no relaxation for women police personnel. They need to be on guard as well.

SSP Kewal Khurana who said that he had carried out this experiment successfully during his tenure as SSP, Tehri, said: "The policemen who were found indulging in indiscipline repeatedly will be given orientation training in police lines for 15 days, where they would be made to go through grilling exercises and explained about their mistakes and ways to improve their conduct in future."

After this approach, if the policemen concerned did not show any marked improvement, then they would be pushed for rigorous training.

Khurana said: "The policemen would be made to march from 11 to 3 at night on the stretch from Sahaspur to Doiwala. They will be given some heavy stuff and rifles to lift while marching. Thereafter, they will be sent to a jungle for one full night stay with some utensils and dal-chawal."

He said the third punishment for hardcore indisciplined persons would be suspension. There is no relaxation for those who might complain of ailment when given such rigorous punishment.

The bulging bellies of police personnel are also of equal concern. The tough training will be good to melt down some of the fat of those who would be chosen for it. Others would also be ordered to attend yoga classes, which are also being started in police lines soon. A medical camp will be organised on Mondays where policemen would be able to go through various kinds of medical tests to ascertain about the wellbeing of their health.

Dehradun, March 2
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna inaugurated the Sara Governor Golf Cup Tournament at the FRIMA Golf Course today with an inaugural shot. Speaking on the occasion, he said it was the effort of the state government to encourage talented sportspersons of Uttarakhand in various sports.

He said golf was a sport closely linked to nature and would be given all possible support.

The Chief Minister said that soon a golf tournament would be organised in Dehradun.

He appreciated the efforts of the Sara Group and said more industrialists should come forward to fulfil their social responsibility .

He said that recently Uttarakhand Lions had won the IPL in golf. Welcoming the participants, Sports Minister Dinesh Aggarwal said that golf would be promoted in the state.

He said that an international cricket stadium was being set up in Dehradun with the help of ONGC and soon an international stadium would come up in Haldwani.

Lt.Gen Manvender Singh said that FRIMA Golf Course was set up in 1932. He said soon a golf range would also be developed.

As many as150 players, including women golfers, are participating in the two-day tournament.

Sara Industries chairperson Vijay Dhawan said that the tournament would be held every year. 

Dehradun, March 2
The Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) has not given any relief to those 11 shopkeepers who have built shops in the passage area of Indira Market. They are the ones who have been given only 6X8 ft of space and hence have appealed to the MDDA for bigger space in the proposed multiplex to be built at the same place.

The other shopkeepers have been given 10X18 and 12X25 space. The 11 shopkeepers have been fighting but do not see any hope on the issue.

The case of Albert Swami, who runs five shoe shops in the market, is quite peculiar as he has been given a small passage. He said I started my business in shoes, which I bring from Agra, and expanded it to five shops in the last 10 years. I am paying Rs 35,000 as monthly rent. I built my first shop in the passage area of the market by closing it from one side and occupying some more space from the adjacent shop.” Swami said he never showed wisdom in building a kiosk like others even when they were once getting a shop in place of a kiosk.

He said he would not be in a position to pay rent of shops in the newly proposed multiplex. “The rent of the new shops in the multiplex will run into lakhs of rupees which I can’t afford. I am at a loss to understand where I will shift my business. I will also lose customers and my business will be badly hurt.” Vice-Chairman of the MDDA RM Sundaram, however, refused to make adjustments in Swami’s case.

Kuldeep Kohli, representative of traders of Indira Market, too threw his hand in the air in despair and said if he pursued Swami’s case, similar demands for extra space would be made by other shopkeepers as well. — TNS

Dehradun, March 2
Hundreds of workers of the BJP led by party legislator and former Assembly Speaker Harbans Kapoor marched towards the residence of the Chief Minister in protest against the dilapidated condition of city roads here yesterday.

The party workers started their march from Parade Ground and went up to the Cantt road where the police had made elaborate arrangements to stop them. The police had put tall barricades to prevent the workers from proceeding any further. The BJP workers jostled and argued with the police personnel.

Kapoor later alleged that their workers wanted to peacefully give their charter of demands regarding the bad condition of roads to the Chief Minister but were prevented by the police from moving any further. Hecharged that the condition of roads had gone worse ever since the Congress came to power. He said the Chief Minister should immediately order the repair and carpeting of the city roads. 

Dehradun, March 2
The First National Parliamentary Debate took place at Law College, Dehradun, today. A total of 28 teams of leading varsities and colleges from across the country participated in the debate competition. Every team consisted of three students.

The competition was inaugurated by the Chancellor of Uttarachal University, Jitendra Joshi, who lighted the auspicious lamps. The parliamentary debate competition spread over two successive days is being organised in two phases. In the preliminary round, the participants have to go through five rigorous rounds. The selected teams would enter into the final round.

The coordinator of the college, Poonam Rawat, stated that 15 groups of participating teams competed in the first round. Each group consisted of two teams termed as “The Government” and “The Opposition” respectively. The propositions or “The Government” presented the bill which was emphatically opposed by “The Opposition.” The adjudicators adjudged the teams on the basis of their presentations as well as the analytical and logical capabilities. "The Government" released the motion that the school going students should be monetarily rewarded which was vehemently opposed by “The Opposition.”

Addressing the students on the occasion, the principal of the Law College Rajesh Bahuguna said that a democracy is the ideal form of civil society and parliament is its representative. He stated that parliamentary debating competitions develop the understanding of students about the parliamentary processes which subsequently becomes instrumental in infusing healthy parliamentary traditions in people right from the beginning of student life. He exhorted the students to ingrain the values emanating from the long experiences of parliamentary traditions.

The Chancellor of Uttaranchal University, Jitendra Joshi observed that students are opting politics as a prospective career now a days. He said that it is evident from the presence of young parliamentarians coming from across the country that students are taking keen interest in understanding and participating in the parliamentary process. He stressed on the continuous organization of such competitions. Witnessing the logical and analytical speeches of the participants the audience was spell bound.

Dehradun, March 2
Uttarakhand Governor Aziz Qureshi today renamed Lakkarmandi-Lakhbagh road in Dehradun as Abdul Kalam Azad Road.

Dr Qureshi on the occasion recalled the role of Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad in the Independence movement. Local Councillor Mohammad Abdul Aziz present referred to the development initiatives taken by him for the development of the area.

Congress Dharampur constituency MLA Dinesh Aggarwal and Uttarakhand Congress Vice President Suryakant Dhasmana were prominent present on the occasion.

Dehradun, March 2
The tussle between the IAS and IFS officers has taken a serious turn with the IAS officers now planning to take the matter of the interference by the IFS officers in matters pertaining to administration to the Chief Minister.

The tiff that started after the government announced the appointment of an Additional Secretary to the post of Chief Project Manager, Watershed Management, held by the senior officials of the Department of Forests has refused to subside.

The IFS lobby had then raised a hue and cry against the appointment, though Additional Secretary on her own did not take charge.

But the vociferous protests by the IFS officers did not go down well with the IAS officers who termed it as an interference in the administrative works of the government. The issue was also raised during the meeting of the IAS officers Association.

At the meeting it was also decided to take the matter before the Chief Minister. 

Dehradun, March 2
Pratap and Chandragupta sections led the points tally after the end of the first round of Inter Section Quiz Competition of the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) here today. The quiz is conducted every term in two stages. It is aimed at enhancing the mental abilities of the cadets and to inculcate a habit of reading in them. There were a total of 
nine rounds on 
different subjects.

It was a keenly contested quiz with lots of ups and downs. Pratap Section lagged behind in the initial rounds but ultimately managed to score heavily in the buzzer round. At the end of the first round, the scores were as follows: Pratap and Chandragupta (40 Points), Chandragupta (25 Points) and Ranjit (10 Points)

The chief guest for the evening was Col HS Bainsla, SM, Commandant RIMC. He was impressed by the performers of the quizzers and stated that the future of the College Quizzing Team looked bright with these budding quizzers. The quiz masters for the evening were: Balvir Chauhan, ndrani, Ruchi P Dutta, Kamal Gupta and Rekha Negi. Others present were Lt Col Ambarish Tewari, Adm Officer, RIMC, CS Vishwakarma, Vice Principle, RIMC, Wing Commander SK Thapliyal, Maj R Richardson, Asst Adm Officer, RIMC and Lt Pinku Heikham. The quiz was organized under the overall coordination of PK Sharma.