DM orders challaning of traders flouting polythene ban
Dehradun, March 13
As the deadline of March 15 for resumption of 'Clean Doon Clean Campus campaign is coming closer, District Magistrate, BVRC Purushottam, called a meeting of nodal officers and directed them to start issuing challans to the shopkeepers and traders for using polythene in the city.

Dehradun, March 13
Uttarakhand Governor Aziz Qureshi said here today that true empowerment of women was possible only when nameless, faceless and voiceless women of the country, who comprised 99 per cent of the total women population, were recognised and empowered.

The Governor was speaking at a function organized by the Uttarakhand Mahila Association at the Raj Bhavan auditorium for conferring awards on women from various spheres.

He hoped that from next year the association would honour those women who did not have any knowledge of their rights and had no resources to empower themselves.

The Governor gave away awards (Uma Shakti Samman) to several women selected by the association in the fields of social service, education, health and journalism. Dr Manjula, Kavita, Anita Devi, Tania Saili, Astha, Dr Arti Dikshit and Dr Sunita Prabhakar were among those who received the awards.

Chairperson of the State Women’s Commission Sushila Balooni said women should realise their power and believe in their culture and values.

Dehradun, March 13
District Magistrate BVRC Purushottam held a meeting with the Udyog Mitre Smiti, a district- level committee of industrialists, at his office here today. At the meeting, he directed officials to solve the problems of industrialists. Purushottam also issued instructions to make arrangements for streetlights and drains in the industrial sectors.

He asked the general manager of the District Industrial Centre to provide him a list of non-functional hand pumps for repair. He gave an assurance to industrialists that he would get checked whether old drinking water/sewage pipes could be changed under the ADB or JNNURM projects.

Purushottam took serious note of complaints about the delayed renewal of the registration of factory licence. He directed his staff to arrange his meeting with the Chief Director, Factory, over the matter.

On the issue of a shortage of water in the industrial unit of Selaqui, Purushottam said he had already asked the officials of the drinking water department to send their requirement for land to make arrangements for drinking water in the area.

He said work related to the widening of roads and the construction of drains would be started at the co-operative industrial unit, Patel Nagar, in given time frame.

Dehradun, March 13
As the deadline of March 15 for resumption of 'Clean Doon Clean Campus campaign is coming closer, District Magistrate, BVRC Purushottam, called a meeting of nodal officers and directed them to start issuing challans to the shopkeepers and traders for using polythene in the city. He directed City Magistrate Harak Singh Rawat to hold a dialogue with wholesale traders of polythene bags and Joint Magistrate Ranjana Verma to hold talks with ST officials in this regard.

Purushottam said the use of polythene in the form of polythene carry bags and goods made of polythene such as glasses for tea would be completely banned in the city from March 15 onward. He said the defaulters would be fined for Rs 500 in the first step. If they did not deposit the fine with Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC), then the fine amount would be raised to Rs 5000. The challan would be issued by the sector officer of that particular ward.

He directed DVWM project officers to place dustbins at all main places in the city. He said people threw garbage on roadsides or in vacant plots. Therefore, dustbins were necessary for all main points of the city. He also stressed on the need for public to be aware on this issue.

Purushottam pulled up DMC officials for not checking the garbage being burnt in public places and directed them to monitor it during the morning hours. He said Supreme Court had given direction against burning garbage in public places.

The meeting was attended by Joint Magistrate Ranjana Verma, Additional District Magistrate Finance and Revenue Jharna Kamthan, District Social Welfare Officer Ram Avtar and sector officers of various wards.

Dehradun, March 13
The Uttarakhand Jan Kranti Dal has constituted a working committee of 30 members. City president of the party NK Gusain, while addressing a press conference today, said a target had been set to enrol at least one lakh members into the party by year-end. He added the training of party workers would start soon. The party would be strengthened at the tehsil and block levels also.

He invited attention towards other burning issues in the state. “The issues of price rise and reduction in the number of subsidised LPG cylinders are being talked about but no one is paying attention to the supply of lighter gas cylinders. “The gas agencies are openly defying the guidelines given in this direction and making big profits by siphoning off gas from the cylinders,” he added.

He opposed the state government policy to encourage liquor sales in the state. He said the people of the state required employment and not liquor shops. The women of the state had been opposing liquor shops for many decades as they ruined their families, he added.

Gusain said their party was not against industrialisation but had reservation about industrial units that were not giving jobs to the unemployed youth of the state in the requisite number. He added 70 per cent of the total employees in the industrial sector should be locals.

He emphasised that if the state government issued stringent guidelines in this direction, the unemployment problem could be tackled to a large extent.

Gusain touched upon the issue of Gairsain and said the people had waited patiently for the permanent capital of the state all these years and it was high time that the state government settle the issue once and for all.

He refused to accept Gairsain as the summer capital of the state and said it was a ploy to reduce this place (Gairsain) to a picnic spot for state ministers.

Dehradun, March 13
Though it is bloom time for Semal trees, their visibility has decreased significantly in forest-predominant Uttarakhand. Scientists have suggested a census of the tree.

The contribution of Semal, which has botanical name of ‘bombax ceiba’, to enriching biodiversity is immense. It has big bright flowers that are a big attraction for avian fauna. Moreover, its big flowers have better quality pollen grains and honey bees and other insects are thus more inclined towards it. Semal has two main varieties, one with yellow flowers and other having red flowers.

Old-timers recall Semal growing in abundance in Dehradun. Hari Raj Singh, a resident of Indira Nagar Colony and scientist by profession, says Semal trees are now no more visible in Dehradun. The importance of this tree species can be gauzed from the fact that a Semal growing near his house attracts a large number of birds.

“While during morning hours you come across a large number of crows on the Semal tree, parakeets take it over during the afternoon and by the evening smaller birds can be seen,” Hari Raj says.

“This is the only Semal tree which I have come across in the Indira Nagar-Vasant Vihar stretch. I have been seeing it since 1984 and now I have realised that conserving a Semal tree is important. Its census will help in at least knowing its population statewide,” he adds.

Its presence particularly in Dehradun has been restricted to Rajpur, on the outskirts of Dehradun city. A few trees can be seen on the Forest Research Institute (FRI) campus and some in Rajaji National Park.

Plant taxonomist DP Naithani recalls the long presence of Semal in the state, particularly Dehradun. “The plantation of Semal was undertaken near Mohand in Dehradun way back in 1950s as part of the efforts to improve its germplasm. Some of the trees can still be seen as one turns towards the Shakumbari Devi road from Mohand. Even the FRI had undertaken research on Semal way back in sixties and seventies under the guidance of Dr S Kedarnath,” he says. He admits Semal got little attention in the subsequent years.

Significantly, Semal is a softwood tree ideally suited for matchmaking. Its flower buds are used as vegetables. Even dry Semal flower is used by some in tea preparation.

Another scientist Dr VP Uniyal says Semal needs to be conserved to save the rich biodiversity of the state. Entomologist VP Uniyal says a census of Semal trees is needed to know their exact numerical strength in the state. “Semal in Uttarakhand, particularly in Dehradun, is fast disappearing. Rampant construction activity has taken its toll on Semal that today stands neglected. Sincere efforts are needed to know its population in Uttarakhand and a census can give a clearer picture in this regard,” Uniyal says.

Dehradun, March 13
As many as 33 securitymen/gunners, deployed for the security of 24 VIPs in the city, have been called back to the police lines on the direction of the Supreme Court. Yesterday only, 13 gunners had returned to the police lines whereas rest of them reported to the Police Lines today.

SSP Kewal Khurana had warned to suspend those who would fail to return and report by today morning. He had taken the indiscipline on the part of gunners quite seriously.

Khurana held a review meeting over the security arrangement in the wake of the Vidhan Sabha session beginning from tomorrow.

The total force at the Vidhan Sabha deployed comprises two officials of the rank of Superintendent of Police, six circle officers, 17 inspectors, 40 sub-inspectors, 8 head constables, 148 constables, 47 lady constables and 6 company of the PAC.

Khurana said it was decided today not to divert the traffic as it caused inconvenience to public.

The police would be deputed on roof top of buildings as well as on the top of lodge as well.

The security personnel would be provided refreshment on the spot of their duty from where they would not move. The policemen will have to wear their winter uniform which will change after March 22.

He said the police personnel had been asked to keep calm and patience and control the situation efficiently.

Dehradun, March 13
The second and last day of the 91st Founder’s Day function of the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) witnessed a host of activities and frenzied participation of old boys and cadets.

The day began with offering of a wreath on the War Memorial by senior Rimcollians and Cadet Captain. It was well-synchronised with flypast by helicopters of the Air Force. Those who offered wreaths at the War Memorial were Gen SK Singh, Vice-Chief of the Army Staff, Air Marshal DC Kumaria, Lt-Gen Manvender Singh, Commandant, RIMC, Gen VN Sharma, former Chief of Army Staff.

Cadets displayed stunts in an inter-section horse show competition in which the Shivaji Section emerged victorious. Cadet Mani Shanker was adjudged the best rider and Cadet Amit kumar bagged the Akshay Chibber Gold Medal for riding.

In another event, old boys played a cricket match with the cadets and defeated the cadets' team by 25 runs. Cadet Prateek Pegu had been the highest scorer with 52 runs to his credit. From the team of the old boys, Wg Cdr Deepak Ahluwalia scored the swiftest 26 runs in two overs.

Old boys and cadets also witnessed parajumping by a team of officers from the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.

In the evening, enthralling cultural programmes were organised by the cadets. The Chief Guest of the cultural programme was Gen SK Singh, Vice-Chief of the Army Staff. Host of awards and trophies were given away by Gen SK Singh to the deserving cadets.