Banking services hit as staff go on 2-day strike 
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 10
Business worth several crores was severely affected in the state capital on the first day of the two-day strike being staged by the banks on a call given by United Forum of Bank Unions (UBFU).

As many as 27 public sector banks, 18 private banks, eight foreign banks and 48 regional rural banks across India joined the strike call by the UBFU - an umbrella organisation with top-bank employees and officers unions under its fold.

Demanding an immediate action on pending issues of wage revisions, employees are also opposing banking reforms like privatisation of banks, mergers, issuing new bank licenses to corporate houses, rising non-performing assets and other aspects.

Long queues were seen outside ATMs where people were seen withdrawing money and depositing their cheques. The employees of various banks gathered outside the SBI Branch on Rajpur Road to stage a demonstration.

Customers feel the heat

Mussoorie: Banking services were hit due to the two-day strike call given by public sector bank employees against the proposed banking sector reforms and for immediate revision of their salary in Mussoorie today. Tourists and residents were seen running from one ATM booth to another to withdraw cash. They had a harrowing experience the whole day.

Ravinder Chugh, a tourist from Delhi, said he was to pay hotel staff for room tariff but no cash was available at any ATM counter in the town.

Parents seeking admission for their children in schools were at the receiving end as they were unable to withdraw cash from ATMs for school fee. Villagers around Mussoorie faced a lot of difficulty as most of the banks, including State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, Union Bank, remained closed for the day.

Employees of the banks said the strike was against the government, which failed to increase their salary and was trying to reform the banking sector. 

Ghulam Nabi Azad opens AIIMS in Rishikesh
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 10
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad inaugurated the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rishikesh today.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said the institute would provide speciality care to patients, who were forced to go to Delhi and Chandigarh for treatment.

“The institute being built at a cost of Rs 840 crore is a project under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Surakasha Yojana (PMSSY). It will have 960 beds, out of which 500 beds will be dedicated to the speciality department. While another 300 beds for super-speciality departments, 100 beds for the ICU and trauma care, 30 beds for the PMR and 30 beds for the AYUSH,” said the minister. In all, the institute would have 40 departments of super speciality and speciality care, he added.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat said the institute would prove to be a boon for the people of the state. “It will set a milestone for quality medical care and medical education, which will greatly aid the state, plagued by shortage of manpower,” he said.

The Ministry of Finance has approved 2,936 posts for the institute. During the current academic year, the intake for MBBS course has been increased to 100.

“We have already commenced teaching for first batch of 50 students in the academic session 2012-2013 and 60 students in the BSc (nursing) for 2013-14,” said Prof Rajkumar, Director of the AIIMS, Rishikesh. 

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences will prove to be a boon for the people of the state. It will set a milestone for quality medical care and education.
—Harish Rawat, chief minister

CM pays midnight visit to railway station, hospital

Dehradun, February 10
Chief Minister Harish Rawat made surprise midnight visit to different facilities, including the railway station, two police stations and a leading government hospital here, and expressed dissatisfaction over the arrangements.

Rawat spent nearly an hour at the railway station, Doon Hospital and the Kotwali and Ara Ghar police stations to take stock of the facilities, his OSD Rajiv Jain said.

The Chief Minister expressed dissatisfaction over inadequate facilities for passengers at the railway station and said he would soon take up the matter with the officials concerned.

He also pulled up the Doon hospital authorities for lack of hygiene and lighting facilities in the toilets.

Finding just one woman police constable on duty at Kotwali, he asked the SHO to deploy at least two women police constables on night duty, said Jain, adding that the Chief Minister would continue to make such surprise inspections.

Days after he replaced Vijay Bahuguna as Chief Minister, Rawat had visited the flashflood-hit districts of Chamoli and Rudrapryag and said separate disaster management officials with administrative and financial powers would be appointed there to provide succour to people.

He also paid a surprise visit to a slum area here and listened to the grievances of dwellers. — PTI 

Unhappy with facilities

• Chief Minister Harish Rawat spent nearly an hour at the railway station, Doon Hospital and the Kotwali and Ara Ghar police stations to take stock of the facilities
• Expresses dissatisfaction over inadequate facilities for passengers at the railway station
• Pulls up the Doon hospital authorities for lack of hygiene

CM assures help to Muslim clerics
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 10
A delegation of Muslim Ulemas (clerics) met Chief Minister Harish Rawat today and hoped he would fulfil their aspirations regarding employment, education and other issues. The delegation felicitated him on his elevation as the Chief Minister.

The clerics drew his attention towards the problems being faced by the employees of the Haj committee and Madrassa board.

Rawat said he was fully committed towards the development of the Muslims in the state. He said the state had a unique culture of brotherhood and tolerance which must be sustained at all costs.

He called upon the clerics to concentrate on education.He said most of the villages inhabited by the Muslims were densely-populated with minimum civic amenities. He said his government would provide funds and resources for basic infrastructural facilities in all such villages.

He announced that Piran Kaliyar shrine would be developed as a tourist spot at an estimated cost of Rs 51 crore and the Minorities Development Finance Corporation would be strengthened to provide easy finance to the entrepreneurs belonging to the minority communities. He assured the clerics that the problems of the Haj committee employees and Madrassa board would be sorted out at the earliest. 

Admn launches clean river drive
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 10
The local administration has launched the first phase of the clean river project. The cleanliness drive was launched at the Rispana river.The move comes after Chief Minister Harish Rawat rapped officials for the pitiable condition of dry river-beds of seasonal rivers, which had turned into the garbage dumping grounds.

Officials of Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA), Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DDC) and the state government were seen at the sight to ensure that the first phase was completed as per the plan. Volunteers of NSS, Civil Defence and various NGOs were also seen participating in the drive in which the garbage and polythene were removed from the area.

Addressing the gathering, Cabinet minister Preetam Singh Panwar said it was very important to clean rivers and surrounding areas to maintain a hygienic environment and prevent the outbreak of any disease. He said, “The project has been launched to keep the city clean and green. The MDDA and DMC will be participating in the drive.”

The Chief Minister had pulled up officials for the prevalent unhygienic conditions after his visit to the area in and around the slums. A committee was set up and three nodal officers were appointed for cleaning the dry river beds of three seasonal rivers of the city - Rispana, Bindaal and Choti Bindaal.

Speaking about the project, Principal Secretary MH Khan said the nodal officers would be responsible for the rivers under their preview. Kahn said, “By clearing up the dry river bed and areas around it the problem of water logging will also be resolved especially during the monsoons. Apart from cleaning the city rivers, we are also planning to set up parks and beautify the Clock Tower, a prominent city landmark. We are also planning to put up a wired barricading around the rivers so that the area residents are not able to dump garbage.”

Meanwhile, speaking on the anti-polythene drive launched a few weeks ago, District Magistrate BVRC Purshottam said they had appointed four zonal officers and 60 sector officers to monitor the progress of the drive in 60 wards of the city.

“We have set February 20 as the deadline for shopkeepers after which we will start registering cases against defaulters, including customers and shopkeepers,” said the District Magistrate. 

Waste Warriors’ team cleans forest road
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 10
With the mission of making the city free from garbage, Waste Warriors, a local NGO, organised a cleanliness drive along the forest road that runs from Jakhan to Johri village here on Sunday .

The volunteers of the NGO cleared tonnes of garbage accumulated on the roadside. About 25 bags of waste weighing 1,000 kg were collected.

Chetan, Saurav, Prerna, Tannu, Poonam and Deepak, volunteers of the organisation, joined Chief Executive Officer of Waste Warriors Jodie Underhill and workers Rajan and Govinde to clear the main dump.

Their initiative also got support from zila panchayat member Godavari Thapli and she promised to send volunteers for the next campaign.

According to the volunteers, they would continue with the drive next week, as garbage was still lying at some places.

Local schools and representatives from nearby villages have been invited to take part in the cleanliness drive on Jakhan Road scheduled for February 15. 

55,275 young voters added to electoral list 
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 10
The final publication of electoral rolls by the Chief Electoral Office points towards a substantial increase in the number of first time voters. From October, 2013, to January 1, 2014, there has been an increase of 55,275 voters in the age group of 18-19 years, taking the total number of first time voters to 1,62,276. In the same age group, the number of male voters is 1,03,312 whereas the number of female voters is 58,964.

The number of voters in the age group of 20-29 years stands at 20,00,572. Among the districts, the number of first-time voters stands at 25,833 in Hardwar and 24,618 in Dehradun.

"The aggressive campaign launched by the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) to encourage youths to enrol themselves as voters as soon as they turned 18 has been successful," said Radha Raturi, Chief Electoral Officer, Uttarakhand. Significantly, the number of voters in the age group of 18-39 years stands at 38,35,463 out of a total of 67,86,394 voters in the state.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, along with the first-time voters, all eyes will be on the voters in the age group of 18-39 years as they form a substantial chunk of the voters and may prove to a game changer for the party that strikes a chord with them.

While the BJP has already taken to the social media and its youth wing is being trained to use the social media to their advantage, the Congress is yet to begin its use.

"Our prime ministerial candidate Narinder Modi is already popular with the youth. As the elections are drawing near, we would make announcement for the youth through our manifesto," said Teerath Singh Rawat, BJP chief.

Meanwhile, the Congress is banking on the assistance allowance announced for the unemployed by former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna. 

Rawat lays stone of Vyasi Dam
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 10
Chief Minister Harish Rawat laid the foundation stone of the 120 MW Vyasi Dam and the 300 MW muti-purpose Lakhwar hydroelectric project at Judo village today.

After performing bhoomi pujan at the site, he said the economic development of the country was dependent on the availability of power. He expressed hope that these two projects would usher in a new era of development in the state. He said the work on the construction of the Kisau hydro-electric project would also start soon. He said the projects would help provide employment to the state youth.

He directed the Managing Director, Uttarakhjan Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited, involved in the construction of the project that local industrial training institutes and polytechnic institute should impart training to youths.

Funds for unemployment allowance released
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 10
The state government has released funds for the unemployment assistance allowance for the period of August-October. The amount has been transferred to the bank accounts of the jobless youth.

The remaining instalment from November to January is expected to be released by next week.

After the launch of the scheme last year, the government under former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna had introduced flexibility in the norms by increasing the upper age limit for beneficiaries from 35 to 40 years and also limiting the enlisting criteria at the employment exchange to one year.

14th Finance Commission team to visit state today
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 10
The Chairman of the 14th Finance Commission, Dr YV Reddy, along with Prof Abhijeet Sen, who is also a member of the Planning Commission, Sushma Nath, former Union Finance Secretary, Dr Govinda Rao, former Director, National Public Finance and Planning Institute, and Dr Sudipto Mundle, former Executive Chairman of the National Statistical Commission, will visit Uttarakhand on February 11 and 12. Dr Reddy was a former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India.

Dr Reddy, along with the 13-member team, would hold a meeting with Chief Minister Harish Rawat, state ministers and senior officials on February 11. The state government would present its requirements before the team.

A separate meeting with the representatives of the industry and business community, political parties, and urban and panchayati raj institutions would be held on February 12 to solicit their opinions.

It may be noted that the Finance Commission would make recommendations on grants to the state and panchayati raj institutions from central taxes.

168 species sighted at spring bird festival
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 10
A total of 168 species of birds were sighted at the five-day “Uttarakhand Spring Bird Festival". The festival concluded at Asan Conservation Reserve, Dehradun, yesterday.

Ten team leaders and 20 guides from the state, led by Sanjay and Anchal Sondhi from the Titli Trust, guided people about birdwatching.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Planning) Veena Sekhri was the chief guest at the closing ceremony. She gave away mementos to the team leaders and guides. More than 1,200 persons participated in various activities during the festival.

According to Chief Conservator of Forests (Eco Tourism) Rajiv Bhartari, the bird-watching festival was organised as a part of the Uttarakhand Birdwatching Programme to promote it in the state by increasing awareness among forest staff, nature guides, students and the tourism industry. Bhartari said the next bird-watching festival will be organised in March end at Pangot in Kumaon next year. 

Namik village gets ANM centre
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, February 10
Cabinet ministers inaugurated several projects worth Rs 1,100 crore in the Kumaon region yesterday on the occasion of Vikas Diwas.

The state government also announced an ANM centre for Namik village in Munsiyari subdivision and a degree college for Devidhura in Champawat district.

Welcoming the decision, Jiwan Sanu, a Namik villager, said "They had met Governor Aziz Qureshi last month and urged him to open an ANM centre in the village. The centre will soon be inaugurated by DG (Health) Dr JS Pangti."

Tulsi Devi, former Gram Pradhan of Namik village, said the centre had been announced after several agitations by villagers. She said now they would urge the government to recruit teachers in the local school and ensure continuous power supply to the village that remain under snow for eight months. Meanwhile, residents of Devidhura celebrated the announcement of a degree college in the area. However, expressing resentment, residents of the Pati area said earlier, the college was proposed to be set up in the Pati block.

NDA felicitates Ruskin Bond
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 10
The Rashtriya Indian Military College cadets were in for a treat when writer Ruskin Bond interacted with them during a function organised to felicitate him for receiving the Padma Bhushan, here today.

While interacting with the cadets, the author shared anecdotes from his school days, revealing that his mother always wanted him to join the Army.

He said, “In our times every other boy wanted to join the National Defence Academy. Even my mother kept pressing me to get into the armed forces. But, these days there are only a few youngsters who want to be part of the elite force. I think joining the armed forces is the best career decision and is also a great way to serve the nation.”

On being asked about the important landmarks mentioned by him in his stories, the writer said: “Over the years, the landmarks have disappeared. It is very important to preserve our history as it is the wealth of a nation.”

Speaking about the ghost stories penned down by him, Bond said they were often made up. “I make up the ghosts in my stories. Often when I run out of real people or characters for my stories, I turn to ghosts. It is one topic for which the material never runs out.”

Later, the author also signed autographs for the cadets and the audience present at the function.

Congress announcing new projects only to woo voters, alleges BJP
Party says funds can be used to build houses for disaster victims
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, February10
The inauguration and stone-laying spree for various developmental projects by several Congress ministers on the occasion of Vikas Diwas, yesterday, has drawn flak from BJP leaders.

The leaders alleged the Congress party was cheating the people in the name of development projects for which the state government was still to sanction a budget.

“The foundations stones laid to inaugurate these projects is a mere hogwash. They could have been used to construct 400 houses for victims of last year’s natural disaster,” claimed Ajay Bhatt, leader of Opposition, while talking to media at Haldwani.

The BJP leaders have alleged that after failure of one Chief Minister to deliver on his promises in Kumaon region, the new Chief Minister too hasn’t shown any commitment to the people’s need in the region.

Had the former Chief Minister of the ruling party completed several schemes in the region which were promised by him, the scenario of this region would have been different, said Bhatt.

Another BJP leader and state General Secretary of the BJP Prakash Pant said the development projects announced by former Congress Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna did not see the light of day in Udham Singh Nagar. “Several announcements made by Bahuguna for the Bengali community and creation of separate administrative units in Udham Singh Nagar could not be completed and now the new CM has gone ahead to announce a new set of schemes,” rued Pant.

Another BJP leader and party Spokesman Suresh Joshi said the announcements made by the former Chief Minister during his visits to Almora, Pithoragarh and Bageswar districts, are still pending.

“The developmental schemes like separate sub-divisions and schemes for road repairs and new hospitals, announced by Bahuguna at Khut and Dhamdho in Almora district, during his visit last year couldn’t take shape till date,” said Joshi.

According to BJP leaders even the newest announcement made by the new Chief Minister Harish Rawat’s brigade on Sunday, are fraudulent as some of these schemes were announced just to please the locals.

“The laying of a foundation stone for a base hospital in Pithoragarh district headquarter is a complete fraud as it has not been listed in the tally of schemes to be inaugurated in the district, in the list of projects released from Dehradun,” said Prakash Pant.

According to Pant, Congress should first give priority to complete the schemes which were announced by its former state leadership and then announce new schemes.

‘Launch of new projects a mere poll gimmick’

Spokesperson for the state BJP unit Suresh Joshi, along with district unit president Kuldeep Gupta, at the party office in Haridwar on Monday. A tribune photograph

Haridwar, February 10
With the spate in inauguration of large-scale development projects, the BJP has criticised the Congress-led state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Harish Rawat and called the policy a mere poll gimmick.

Speaking in a meeting held at the district party office at Devpura today, BJP state Spokesperson Suresh Joshi said a majority of these projects were already being constructed, as they were launched way back during the BJP regime under former Chief Minister BC Khanduri and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.

Joshi added: "The sudden increase in announcements points out how Congress did not do anything in the last 22 months. No development work was undertaken under former CM Vijay Bahuguna's regime and Congress is taking to such face-saving techniques before the 16th Lok Sabha polls."

He said, "A host of new schemes worth crores and new projects have been launched in the last four to five days, just before the model code of conduct comes into force prior to the panchayat elections. In the last two years, no such projects were announced; surely the public isn't blind to such developments."

Referring to last year's flash floods affected districts of Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Rudraprayag, Joshi said the works on disaster related projects must get emphasis, which has not been done till now. District unit President Kuldeep Gupta lamented when Chief Minister Harish Rawat as parliamentarian of Haridwar failed to utilise his MPLAD funds, how does he plan to utilise them for mega crore projects on a daily basis?

Gupta claimed had Harish Rawat contested from the Haridwar parliamentary constituency for the second consecutive time, he would have lost, as he had done nothing for his constituency in the last five years, as a parliamentarian or as Union Cabinet Minister for department of Water Resources.

Indira Hridayesh fails to turn up at inaugural function
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, February 10
Minister for Legislative Affairs Indira Hridayesh failed to turn up at a project inauguration function organised here yesterday as her helicopter failed to land owing to foggy weather.

Both Congress and BJP legislators present at the venue entered into a dispute and confrontation as they tried to take credit for development projects.

Foundation stones for 11 development projects were to be laid on the Town Hall premises. Seven projects were to be inaugurated by Indira Hridayesh.

She moved on to Udham Singh Nagar, where she was slated to inaugurate similar projects yesterday.

After waiting for more than an hour, BJP legislators Swami Yatishwaranand (Haridwar rural segment), Sanjay Gupta (Laksar) and Chandra Sekhar Bhattewala (Jwalapur) expressed their resentment over the non-arrival of the minister.

Yatishwaranand, along with Bhattewala and Gupta, tried to cut the ribbons of info slabs on which information about projects in their respective Assembly segments has been carved out.

Congress leaders, led by Jwalapur mandi samiti chairperson Sanjay Chopra, objected to the BJP legislators’ move, which led to heated arguments.

Activists of both sides arrived in large numbers, creating ruckus at the venue, which led to additional deployment of the police. Mukhya Nagar Adhikari Vipra Trivedi remained silent, while SHO Mahendra Singh Negi tried to strike a truce between the two sides.

Yatishwaranand, Sekhar and Gupta termed the announcement of development projects and foundation-laying spree as a political gimmick of new Chief Minister Harish Rawat. “At a time when the state is reeling under the impact of disaster, the Congress-led state government is trying to woo voters by announcing such projects. Ventures that are being inaugurated were sanctioned and completed in the tenure of former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna. Rawat is just trying to take credit for the work done by Bahuguna and the previous BJP government,” alleged Yatishwaranand.

Gupta said the MLA's fund was used for the completion of these projects, for which the state government was now trying to take credit. “It speaks volumes of the new Chief Minister’s attitude,” he alleged.

District Information Officer Manoj Shrivastava said the inauguration and foundation stone-laying ceremony of these multiple projects had been postponed indefinitely.

Minister faces protests during stone-laying spree
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, February 10
Uttarakhand Cabinet minister Dinesh Aggarwal faced protests during the stone-laying spree in Pithoragarh and Champawat. A delegation of unemployed youths with TET certificates met the minister and demanded that they be recruited against 5,000 posts of the teachers lying vacant in the state.

"We have been assured by the minister that despite the imposition of the code of conduct in the upcoming days, the state will issue orders regarding vacant posts of primary school teachers in the state," said Girish Gahtoli, leader of delegation that met the minister in Champawat.

BPEd qualified youths in Pithoragarh were prevented by the police from meeting the minister. They were demanding their appointment orders before the imposition of the code of conduct in the state. “We demanded appointment orders as soon as possible,” said Nmrata Bohra, leader of the delegation.

Besides the unemployed youths, residents from Banelagaon village from Gangolihat subdivision also met the minister and demanded that the vacant posts of teachers in their village school be filled soon. “Our primary school is being run by a teacher for the past one year,” said Thakur Singh, a member of the villagers’ delegation.

Residents from Pati town in Champawat also met the minister and demanded opening of a degree college in their town. They protested against the opening of a degree college at Devidhura near Pati. “The villagers have provided10 acres for the college, but the college was shifted to Devidhura, which is purely a political decision,” said Devendra Oli, a resident of Pati.

Aggarwal had to face a protest by the Lohaghat residents, who were demanding the construction of an artificial lake at Kolidhek in Lohaghat to promote tourism. Residents of Banbasa in Champawat and villagers from the border area near Nepal in Pithoragarh protested the shortage of LPG cylinders.

Buddha, Gandhiji united country: Guv
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, February 10
After Lord Buddha, it was Mahatma Gandhi, who bonded the human beings in one chord, diffusing the communal, casteist and regional boundaries existing in society.

This was stated by Uttarakhand Governor Aziz Qureshi while presiding over the fourth International Conference of Management Innovations and Emerging Trends in Global Management Practises as as chief guest. The conference was organised by Faculty of Management Studies of Gurukul Kangri University here today.

The Governor cited example of Gurukul Kangri University founder Swami Shraddhanand being invited by Jama Masjid clerics to address a gathering. It pointed to the communal harmony between Hindus and Muslims in India, he added. He Swami Shraddhanand worked for social causes and upliftment of society. Qureshi said Gurukul Kangri University was a land of spirituality, morality, freedom fighters, vedic hub and a symbol of traditional Indian education.

Vice-Chancellor of Gurukul Kangri University Surendra Kumar gave information about the history and achievements of 100-year-old university, founded in 1902 by Swami Shraddhanand. He said the sole aim of university was to revive the ancient gurukul mode of education.

Terming India as leader in Vedic-based education, Asst Prof of Oxford University Elizabeth, who is also associated with Jindal Global University, said India should retain its moral-based education while going in for modern education system.

Elizabeth said the Western education system, despite being advanced, upgraded and modern, lagged in guru-shishya type education as taught in gurukul mode of education.

He said this institution was established with the objective of providing an indigenous alternative to Lord Macaulay’s education policy. Imparting education in areas of the Indian vedic literature, philosophy, culture, modern sciences and research was its main purpose.

Conference director Prof VK Singh, secretary Prof SP Singh, deputy conference secretary Dr Anil Dhangwal, Dr Rajul Bhardwaj, Dr RKS Dagar, Dr Kartar Singh, Dr Pradeep Joshi, Pankaj Madhwal, Sunita Rana, Dr Ajay Malik, Dr Kapil Mishra and delegates from different universities attended the conference.

Man-eater tigress in Terai yet to be trapped
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 10
A man-eater tigress on the prowl in the Terai region of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh is still eluding the forest departments of the two states.

After a man was mauled to death in Uttarakhand, forest officials and the locals are a worried lot.

The wildcat that had killed six persons in the region was declared as a man-eater by the Uttar Pradesh government.

Till recently the tigress had been confined to the Uttar Pradesh part of Terai, but chances of the beast to have strayed into the Uttarakhand side could not be ruled out. However, till now, the tigress has not been sighted either in Utttar Pradesh or Uttarakhand.

Saket Badola, Deputy Director, Corbett Tiger Reserve, admitted that an Irrigation Department official had been killed by a wild animal in Kalagarh, but refused to link it to the man-eater tigress. He said the death had been caused by a suspected big cat. However, forest officials are trying to investigate the matter.

A woman was killed in the Uttarakhand side of Kalagarh by a wild animal in January, but after investigations it was found that a male tiger had mauled her thus ruling out the role of the man-eater tigress in the incident.

I Can conference concludes at RIMC
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 10
A two-day ‘I Can’ conference concluded successfully at the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC), here yesterday.

During the conference, cadets were divided into corporate houses, media houses and political parties, in an effort to simulate the real world within the micro-environment of the school.

The students were made leaders of political parties and there were 15 corporate and five media houses, which were led by CEOs.

The students performed a variety of activities on; corporate houses advertised their product by making newspaper ads, posters and TV ads. A political party headed by the Prime Minister Cadet Shashank Shekhar held a meeting where the sessions were being chaired by the speaker Cadet Abdul Malik.

RIMC Commandant Col HS Bainsla commended the team of four youngsters, who executed the conference and congratulated them on having brought such a concept to the RIMC.

‘I Can’ is a unique educational concept that is working with high-school students to develop and hone their life skills and soft skills. The core team consisted of two Dehradun youngsters: Akshit Batra and Vansh Nathani, who are alumni of Doon school along with two other youngsters: Priyamvada Lamba and Deviyani Dixit.

Gambler arrested 

Dehradun, February 10
The Dalanwala police on a tip off arrested a notorious gambler, who was active in the DL Road area in Dehradun.

Accused Vijay Kumar Mandal was the kingpin of the gambling activities in the entire region and he was caught red-handed at Lohar Gali on the DL Road.

The police have also recovered gambling slips along with cash from his possession. — TNS 

YSS Club beat Doon Fighter by 128 runs
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 10
YSS Club registered a big win by 128 runs against Doon Fighter in the ongoing HN Bahuguna Memorial Glocal Dehradun Premier League (DPL) at Global School here today.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, YSS Club batsmen showed character and made 181 runs with Prashant contributing the highest 43 runs and Neeraj making 42 runs. For Doon Fighter, Sumit took three wickets and Manish claimed two wickets. While chasing the target, Doon Fighter batsmen faired badly and no batsman could cross the double digit. Doon Fighter bowled out for 52 runs and lost the match by 128 runs.

Nester Cricket Club win

In the second match of the day, Nester Cricket Club defeated Sai Grace by six wickets. Sai Grace batted first and set a target of 93 runs for the rivals. Though no batsman could play a big inning, small cameos played by Deepak, Mohit and Ankush helped in taking the score to a fighting total. For Nester, Sumit took three wickets.

In reply, Nester Cricket Team started their chase well with Rituraj making 35 runs and Ashish making 18 runs. In the end, Varun's quick knock (21) led the team to the six-wicket victory. 

Sloggers Club pip Children’s Academy
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 10
Sloggers Club defeated Children's Academy by 29 runs in a match during the 62nd Dehradun District Cricket League here today.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Sloggers Club made 174 runs with Harshit scoring 50 runs.

For Children's Academy, Shail took 4 wickets. In reply, Children Academy started well with openers Mohsin Khan and Sachin.

But the team started losing in the middle overs and lost the match.

St Thomas College register victory

Dehradun, February 10
The Sub-Junior Inter-School Cricket Tournament began here today. It is being organised under the aegis of the Dehradun Council Schools’ Association and hosted by St Jude’s School. Twelve teams are participating in the tournament.

In the first match, St Thomas College defeated Carman Residential and Day School, Dalanwala, by 10 wickets. After being put into bat first, Carmen School bowled out after scoring 36 runs. For St Thomas College, Rajan took four wickets. Chasing the target St Thomas College won the match without losing any wicket. Shubham scored the highest 25 runs.

In the second match, The Heritage School won its match against The Indian Cambridge School by 48 runs. Batting first, they scored 108 runs with Ankur and Jatin scoring 19 runs each. The Indian Cambridge School got all out for 71runs. Aryan scored 18 runs. For The Heritage School, Ritik took four wickets. — TNS