Work on undisputed projects to begin soon, says Bahuguna
Performs bhumi pujan at Vyasi hydropower project site
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 23
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna performed bhumi pujan at the site of the proposed 120 MW Vyasi hydropower project substation and switchyard here today.

Addressing a gathering, Bahuguna said work on all undisputed projects would begin soon. He said negotiations would also be held with the Himachal Pradesh government on the Kisau project.

He said it was unfortunate that despite the state's tremendous hydropower potential, the state had to buy electricity from outside. "Efforts are on to resume work on the stalled projects after obtaining environment clearances," he said.

Bahuguna said small-scale hydropower projects would soon be launched in the state, from which they were expected to get additional 400 MW. He said such projects would lead to faster development of the areas where they were located and would also generate employment.

He also discussed the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy-2013 for hydroelectric projects.

Agriculture Minister Harak Singh Rawat said the government was making all efforts to make Uttarakhand a power surplus state. He said to meet this goal, it was crucial that hydropower projects were completed in time.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Pritam Singh said the coming up of the Vyasi hydropower project would accelerate the development of the region. Vikasnagar MLA Navprabhat urged the government to ensure that the construction work of small hydropower projects be handed over to local contractors, so that more employment was created.

Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar gave a detailed information about the Vyasi project and said the project was expected to be completed within three years. Mussoorie Municipal Council Chairman Manmohan Mall, Additional Chief Secretary Rakesh Sharma, Dehradun District Magistrate BVRC Purushottam and Uttarakhand Jal Vidhyut Nigam Limited Managing Director JP Patel were present on the occasion.

Food Security Act to benefit 61.94 lakh people
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, November 23
Over 61.94 lakh people in the state will be benefited from the Food Security Act. This figure includes 21 lakh people that were under the BPL category previously, said Kunal Sharma, chairman of the State Food Security Commission.

Sharma was addressing the officials of Kumaon districts during the review of preparations for the implementation of the Act in the region recently. He said the survey work was on for identifying the remaining 40 lakh people who would be covered under the Act.

He added ration cards of those people who fell under the food security category would be made in the name of women heads of the families and each card would be allotted ration worth 35 kg per month. “These is a provision under the Act that if a ration retailer does not give ration to card holders despite having stock in his shop, the commission can impose a fine of Rs 5,000 on him,” said the Chairman. Sharma said the survey of the people, who are covered under the Food Security Act, would be completed by next month. Thereafter, the lists of identified people would be pasted at the block and town headquarters so that suveyed people could pin point mistakes in the tally. “The final hearing of the objections will be held at Nainital for Kumaon division and in Dehradun, Haridwar and Pauri for Garhwal division,” he said. 

Nov 30 deadline for issuance of death certificates
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 23
In an important decision, the district administration has set November 30 as the deadline for the issuance of death certificates of those who died during the Himalayan Tsunami that hit the state in June this year.

The decision was taken at a meeting presided over by District Magistrate BVRC Purshottam at the District Collectorate's office here yesterday.

The decision to set the deadline came following orders of Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna according to which the death certificates of those pilgrims who had arrived for the Char Dham yatra in the state from other states would also be issued.

A committee comprising City Magistrate (administration) Harak Singh Rawat, Joint Magistrate Ranjana Verma, Deputy Commissioner Sonika, NS Dangi and Sonia Pant has been formed. Instructing the officials for speedy issuance and dispersal of the certificates, the DM said that they should issue at least 150 certificates per day to meet the deadline.

Sanskriti varsity ties up with foreign universities
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 23
Taking a step further in providing international educational exposure to the students, Dev Sanskriti University has tied up with the universities based in Germany and Poland.

Under the agreement, Germany based European College of Yoga and Psychotherapy, Berlin, and University of Poland, Kazimierz Wielki University, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Haridwar here.

Dr Chinmay Pandya, pro Vice-Chancellor, Dev Sanskriti University, said in the fields of yoga, ayurveda and spiritual-vedic knowledge, the DSU will provide aide as well as research on varied curriculum to the universities.

In the mutual exchange programmes, an inter-university visits and holding faculty-students visits on regular basis would also be part of the mutual cooperation between the educational institutions.

As per the DSU officials, University of Poland, Kazimierz, had more than 50,000 students enrolled.

104 medical service soon
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 23
After successfully running the 108 emergency ambulance service in the state, the Health Department will soon set up another non-emergency 104 medical consultation service.

Awaiting the nod from Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, the proposal to start the 104 medical consultation service is in the final stage. The 104 service is expected to be a non-emergency, toll free medical consultation service powered by trained paramedics, who would provide consultation to patients for minor non-emergency ailments. 

Nepalese throng Jauljibi fair
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, November 23
The first batch of Nepalese mountain horses reached Jauljibi to participate in the trination fair after travelling for 15 days from distant Humla and Zumala districts of Nepal. A large number of Nepali clients also reached the fair after the wooden bridge on the Kali river, which remained closed for four days, was thrown open.

“Cultural programmes of the day were cancelled due to the motor accident in which 15 persons of the Ranthi village of this sub division were killed,” said Pramod Kumar, Sub Divisional Magistrate and mela officer of Jauljibi.

The SDM said this year’s Jauljibi fair had officially concluded yesterday, though the Dharchula sub-divisional administration ordered extension of security.

BJP to collect soil, iron for Sardar Patel’s statue
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 23
The state BJP will launch a drive in Haridwar from December 1 to February 15 to collect soil from religious places and parts of iron implements used by farmers for building the proposed Statue of Unity in memory of Sardar Vallabhai Patel at Ahmedabad.

Bachi Singh Rawat, senior leader and state co-ordinator (Uttarakhand) for the Statue of Unity, said here yesterday that, “Soil from the holy places and pieces of iron from the farm implements used by the farmers collected from the state will form part of the proposed statue of Sardar Vallabhai Patel on the banks of the Narmada.”

He said Haridwar had been selected for the programme as the panchayat elections would not be held in the district and the model code of conduct would not be in operation there. He added the proposed 182 metre tall statue of first Union Home Minister Sardar Vallabhai Patel, which had already been inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Gujarat Chief Minister Narender Modi, was being designed so that from the chest portion of the statue, the Sardar Sarovar Dam would be visible.

Lack of BCCI affiliation halts cricket’s progress in state
Associations appeal to Sachin Tendulkar for help
Ajay Ramola
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, November 23
The presence of legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who retired recently and is relaxing in the hill town these days, has once again raised the debate over cricket activities in the state. The state’s cricketing fraternity was of the view that the future of cricketers was in a jeopardy as the Board of Control for Cricket of India (BCCI) had not granted affiliation to any existing association in the state. They are now looking up to Sachin to pursue the matter with the BCCI to grant affiliation to any cricket association in the state.

Roop Chand, who runs a cricket academy in the town in the name of his elder brother Nand Kishore Bamboo, a former Ranji player, appealed to Sachin to take up the affiliation matter with the BCCI. He said this would promote the existing talent, which could show its prowess at the national level just like other associations in the country.

He said the state had been awaiting the affiliation from the BCCI for the last 13 years, but no action has been initiated so far. It had jeopardised the future of cricketers in the state as they had no option but to play from other states, he added.

Roop Chand said, “Once the state gets affiliated to the BCCI, cricketers’ task of playing for their state will become easy. This will prove to be a milestone in the annals of the state’s cricketing history.” He demanded that the state government should meet and discuss the issue with Sachin and request him to take up the matter on their behalf for speeding up the process.

However, BCCI member Rajiv Shukla in his earlier statements during his visit to the state had said the delay was due to the divide among various cricket associations running the affairs in the state. It resulted in the BCCI staying away from granting affiliation to the state so far. Shukla said various factions should form one body and approach for affiliation so that the BCCI could take the decision without any riders.

General secretary of the Uttarakhand Association of Cricket PC Verma, who has been running the cricketing affairs from the last several decades, said without affiliation poor cricketers from the state were forced to play under the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association. He said it was a makeshift arrangement to display their talent. Cricketers from the state faced immense difficulty due to stiff competition from the aspiring candidates from Uttar Pradesh, he added.

Verma said most associations were ready to come under one banner by keeping at bay their differences. They had written several letters in this regard to the BCCI, but no action had been initiated, he added.

“The BCCI can send an administrator, who can run the cricketing affairs of the state, till the formal announcement of the affiliation is not made. This will provide a platform for budding Sachin Tendulkar’s of the state,” said Verma.

The Uttarakhand T-20 Cricket Association general secretary Javed Butt said officials from various organisations should form a joint delegation to persuade Sachin to take up the affiliation matter with the BCCI.

However, whether Sachin would accede to their demands will be known only if the delegation met him during his stay in the town.

Maharaj writes to BCCI for affiliation
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 23
Pauri Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj has sought prompt BCCI affiliation for a cricket association in Uttarakhand.

In a letter written to BCCI vice president and MP Rajiv Shukla, Satpal Maharaj said the youth of Uttarakhand were being denied better opportunities in the national cricket as the BCCI was yet to grant affiliation to a cricket association in the state.

He said Uttarakhand was being denied its due in this regard. 

Fans sweat out to catch a glimpse of Sachin
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, November 23
The fans of ace cricketer Sachin Tendulkar who has been holidaying since his retirement have begun converging in large number to catch a glimpse of the legend who they have adored all these years.

Anjali Bhatt, a local resident, said she was standing since six in the morning outside the house where Sachin was staying as she was determined to take his picture, who she had admired all these years.

Several youth had arrived from Jalandhar to catch the glimpse of the ace cricketer in person. They said all these years they had seen the master blaster on television and it was a good opportunity to see him in person and they didn’t wanted to miss the opportunity.

School students were also seen lined up to meet the cricketer. They said they would not leave till their dream of talking to him was not fulfilled.

Sachin also did not disappoint his fans. He obliged his fans with autograph on hand, paper, note-book and T-shirts, much to the delight of the cheering fans here.

“For us, it is the most memorable day in our lives,” said Gurpreet, Anuj and Bharat Bhushan, fans from Jalandhar.

Graphians enter final of volleyball tourney
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 23
Semifinal matches were played in the ongoing Graphic Era President Cup Volleyball Tournament here today.

In the first semifinal match, Graphians trounced Spikers 45-32 and entered into the final.

Rishi of Graphians scored the maximum (18) points in the match.

In the second semifinal, both D4 and Individuals fought till the end to make their way into the finals.

In the end, D4 won the match 29-25 score. Manvinder remained the highest scorer in the match with an individual score of 16 points.

Doon International romp home
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 23
Doon International School won the 10th AC Deb Memorial Invitational Basketball Tournament after defeating Hilton School in the final match played at Raja Rammohan Roy Academy here today.

The match remained a close encounter between the two teams, but Doon International managed to won the match in the end 61-51.

Doon International won the first quarter 14-11 while Hilton won the second quarter 17-13. Doon International won the last two quarters 14-10 and 20-13.

Sambhav Jain of Doon International remained the highest scorer with 22 points, followed by 20 points of Aditya Panwar from Hilton School.

Cops told to ensure speedy disposal of complaints
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 23
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Haridwar, Rajeev Swarup has directed policemen to ensure speedy disposal of complaints coming to them.

Addressing a monthly crime review meeting at the Roshanabad Police Lines here today, the SSP said as compared to the 2012 crime data, there was a fall in the number of robbery, murder, vehicle theft and road accident cases. He lauded the efforts of the SHOs in this regard.

He asked police officials to ensure the arrest of the wanted criminals at the earliest. The SSP said raids should be carried out on their suspected hideouts on a regular basis.

He directed the police personnel to keep tabs on history sheeters in the district and also identify land mafia. He said arms licence should only be issue to those applicants who faced threat to their lives and had obtained a weapon skill certificate from a reputed organisation. The SSP directed them to review all licence applications received by the department.

With a rise in the number of firing incidents at wedding functions, rallies and processions, the SSP directed the SHOs concerned to take such cases seriously and cancel the licence of the offenders.

As the foggy days are nearing, the SSP directed the SHOs to ensure that reflectors were installed on all tractor-trailers and other heavy vehicles.

Many senior police officials were present at the meeting.

Meanwhile, the SSP also addressed a convention of Army personnel at Roshanabad.

Unniti wins U-40 kg judo competition
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 23
Unniti from Dehradun won the judo competition in U-40 kg (girls category) in the ongoing Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA), organised by the Youth Development and the Prantiya Rakshak Dal Department. Parul of Haridwar and Achla of Pauri stood second and third, respectively.

In the 44-kg category, Shikha of Dehradun won the competition while Manita of Haridwar stood second. Nireksha won the 52-kg category and Prachi stood second. 

Doon int’l conveys save environ message on Sports Day
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 23
The junior wing of Doon International School celebrated its annual sports day with a theme ‘Go green’. All staff members were dressed in green and white attire to portray the theme.

The event opened with an enthralling aerobic dance performance by tiny tots of the kindergarten. They were dressed like plants and animals. Various field displays included the well-synchronised zumba workout and African drill on go green songs. Tae kwon do display and grand finale on the go green anthem were the highlights of the event. All athletic event and races were closely contested with little ones trying their best to win medals for their respective house. Races like the pot a plant race, jump and eat race, wrap it up race, hoopla race, and the grandparents’ race amused and entertained the audience.

A number of banners with inspiring go green quotes such as ‘I have a dream and its green’, ‘green doings’, ‘bring green rewards’ and ‘save the near future’ were used in various events.

J&K girls a force to reckon with in tennis ball cricket
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 23
Clad in track suits with face slightly covered with a hijab, the contingent of Jammu and Kashmir girl players has become cynosure of all eyes, not only with their appearance, but also their skillful play.

At the ongoing All-India Junior U-19 Tennis Ball Cricket Championship, the Jammu Kashmir girls are a force to reckon with in this new form of cricket, which is slowly making inroads into the country.

With Jammu and Kashmir also being a hill state like Uttarakhand, tennis ball is becoming a popular sport there as is shown by the expertise these female players have gained in a short span of time.

As Mir Aneesa ,a class 12 student hailing from Anant Nag, told TNS that as majority of months snowfall and winter prevails in J&K and due to geographical conditions, availability of plain stadiums or grounds is not easy. Tennis ball cricket is fast gaining popularity among younger lot of Kashmiris.

Anjumand, also from Anantnag, pointed that in Uttarakhand too this game can be more popular as hill girls are physically stronger due to lifestyle and hill geographical conditions.

''People usually associate Kashmir with terrorism but that is not so. Kashmir valley is peaceful and we as girls feel independent and free to venture out in the evenings. Females are given great respect, which might not be the same as in New Delhi, Pune, UP or Bihar where every now and then we hear cases of molestation,'' said Anjumand.

Bazila Farooq, a batswomen, says that in hill states less weight age is given to sports, which can be gauged by the fact that all hill states have fewer world class stadiums or sporting facilities. Nasira ,a class X student, termed her visit to Uttarakhand as similar to her home state and wants to explore pilgrim cities of Haridwar-Rishikesh more to acquaint themselves with the local culture and nature's flora/fauna.

Errant drivers penalised

Dehradun, November 23
To streamline traffic in the city, the traffic police held a drive at the Bindal bridge and collected Rs 7,000 as fine from rule violators here on Friday. A police team reached in the morning and checked registration papers of vehicles and driving licences.

In all the traffic police challaned 49 vehicles under the Motor Vehicle Act. As many as 65 errant motorists were given red slips for flouting norms. The police collected Rs 7,000 from motorists as fine. — TNS