Go after hardened criminals, DIG tells police personnel
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 2
DIG (Garhwal) Sanjay Gunjial today instructed in-charges of police stations to pull up their socks to nab hardcore criminals. He told officers to reduce pendency in their respective police stations. He said strict action would be taken against police officers who fail to perform as per the desired standards.

Coming out with a review at a meeting here today, DIG (Garhwal) Sanjay Gunjyal expressed concern over increasing crime cases in Haridwar and Dehradun districts. He instructed officers to prepare a plan to nab criminals in order to check crime.

The DIG told officers to monitor criminals in order to check loot in the districts. He said an elaborate plan should be drawn up to nab vehicle-lifters in the districts.

He said additional police force would be deployed along the Char Dham Yatra route in order to ensure a disruption-free yatra during winters. He said police posts would be constructed at vulnerable spots along the Char Dham Yatra route with an aim to provide immediate relief to victims in case disaster strikes.

He gave stern instructions to officers to register their daily movement with the control room. DIG Gunjyal told officers to strictly follow those cases that came under the purview of the Gangster Act.

He instructed officers to hold a parade every Friday in every district, and to hold a review meeting in the first week of every month in order to reduce pendency in the districts.

The directives

• Hold a parade every Friday in districts
• Organise a review meeting in the first week of every month to reduce pendency in districts

Journalism a passion to create awareness: Experts
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 2
Journalism is not merely a profession but a passion with good intent to bring about a positive change in society. This was the general view of a large number of journalists and educationists from 25 universities from across the country who took part in a two-day national convention on ‘Journalism for Positive Changes’’ that concluded at Dev Sanskriti University here today.

Noted film maker Akanksha Joshi said universities providing media courses should include subjects like moral values and legal knowledge in journalism courses.

Shedding light on the monthly journal ‘Akhand Jyoti’ published by Gayatri Parivar Shantikunj, Dr Chinmay Pandya, pro vice-chancellor of Dev Sanskriti University, said the journal was being published since 1937 without financial support of advertisements.

“The journal is read by thousands of people as it reflects the moral-idealistic-spiritual-religious values,” said Pandya.

He also spoke about the works of Akhil Vishwa Shantikunj Gayatri Parivar founder Pt Shri Ram Sharma Acharya as a journalist and eminent writer. He said Acharyaji created social awareness through his writings that instilled moral values and patriotic fervour during the Independence movement. His thoughts were even more relevant today.

Bhoopendra Kainthola, Director, Press Information Bureau, said reporting in real sense meant covering news stories from live event spots.

Dr KK Retu, Director, Doordarshan, Dehradun, said media’s credibility was in disseminating positive news and messages.

Dr Dinesh Chamola, an eminent journalist, also discussed journalistic skills.

Meanwhile, Chandra Bhan Patnayak, Director of Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE), University of Hawai, at the inaugural function yesterday spoke about the challenges and social responsibility of journalism in today’s time.

Patnayak said Indian journalism had set high standards of constructiveness and positivity. He called upon young journalists to pave the way for a positive change and bring about a social revolution through their thoughtful writings.

Sharad Paridhi, Vice-Chancellor of Dev Sanskriti University, said in today’s technological era barely a few newspapers, weeklies and journals stood out which disseminate motivational, innovative, moralistic, idealistic and positive thoughts.

“This is a matter of concern as journalism is not all about being professional but also about dedication, commitment, truth, idealism, patriotism and social responsibility,” said Paridhi.

Dr Gobind Singh, Director of Humanities, Haldwani, said journalists could bring about a positive change in society with their thoughtful writings and video-enabled news.

PIB director, Chandigarh, Bhoopendra Kainthola, Dev Sanskriti University registrar Sandeep Kumar, journalist Kushal Kothiyal, Dr Raj Kumar Bharadwaj, film-maker Akanksha Joshi, Dr Dinesh Chamola, Pratibha Jyoti, Dr Sukh Nandan Singh also spoke on the importance of journalism.

government sop
1 kg finger millet, salt, soya for expecting women
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, November 2
Chief Minister Harish Rawat, announcing several sops for the state’s women, said that the government had decided to provide 1 kg finger millet (Mandua), salt and black soya bean (kaley bhatt) to expecting women in order to address deficiency of iron.

Rawat, addressing the villagers while attending a week-long rural sports and culture meet being organised by Aglar Ghati Krida and Sanskritik Samiti at the Kempty School Grounds yesterday, said he was concerned about the well-being of the state’s women. He said he himself was fond of bread made of finger millet. He appealed that people should eat finger millet as it contains iodine, iron, etc, which is beneficial for health, instead of going for noodles and other junk food.

Rawat said his plans were to promote finger millet production in a big way. Uttarakhand has already opened two integrated finger millet development centres at Pithoragarh and Uttarkashi, that would help in making the state an important centre for research.

He said in order to ease the physical burden of grinding, the government has decided to provide mechanised equipment to women under self-help groups involved in millet farming.

Amid loud cheers, the CM announced opening of a polytechnic for village students from around the region for them to be able to receive technical education and seek employment in future.

Rawat assured the villagers that the dilapidated building of the Forest Department that was hindering the expansion of the proposed ground, would soon be part of a community ground so that sports activities could be organised with ease.

Locals also aired their concern at the pending construction work for the government school building in Kempty. They demanded its completion soon.

The MC president also demanded regularisation of the shops that had been constructed in Kempty falls and suffered during the disaster last year.

Rawat directed the officials to look into the demand for construction of sidewalls at the helipad near Kempty village that was under the grip of subsidence.

The Chief Minister directed officials to identify farmers above the age of 60 who are still ploughing fields in the state so that they are given life-long pension.

He said the villagers who plant fodder-producing trees on their barren fields would be given bonus of Rs 300 per tree after three years in order to preserve greenery and ensure fodder for the livestock.

President of the organising committee Rajendar Panwar, along with Mukesh Panwar and Bijendar Panwar, demanded that the rural cultural and sports festival be officially declared a major tourism fair. They sought construction of parking space at Kempty Falls considering the high influx of tourists, financial assistance for beautification of Kempty Falls, expansion of Kempty Falls bypass road and construction of public toilets at the falls.

The CM assured he would look into the matter and expedite the needful at the earliest. Later, dance and song items depicting the region’s folk tradition were presented by Sandeep Dayal and others.

Tourism Minister Dinesh Dhanai, Sports and Planning Minister Dinesh Agarwal, Urban Development Minister Pritam Panwar, Municipal Council president Manmohan Singh Mall, senior Congress leader Jot Singh Bisht, members of the organising committee Jagat Panwar, Jaipal Rana, Bharat Singh Panwar and others were present on the occasion.

Religious tourism to winter abode shrines welcomed
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 2
With comparatively low turnout witnessed in this year’s Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib pilgrimage in Uttarakhand, the state government’s move to open portals of winter abode shrines to pilgrims has been welcomed by teerth purohits, local traders and politicians.

Agricultural Production Committee chairperson Sanjay Chopra termed this move as vital for religious tourism-based economy of the hill state, while addressing devotees from Gujarat and other parts of the country, at the Shrimad Bhagwad Gita discourse being organised by the Shri Swami Narayan sect at the Pantdeep mela ground.

Chopra said the state is now slowly recovering from the flash flood impact of 2013, as a result of which, many a pilgrim are heading here once again.

Citing hundreds of Gujarati pilgrims who have arrived for taking part in the Bhagwad Gita discourse in Haridwar, Chopra said that this bodes well for the state as the state government is also initiating the pilgrimage to Shri Badrinath, Shri Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri temples winter abodes.

City traders division general secretary Anirudh Bhatti said Haridwar is a gateway to revered shrines of Char Dham. The local trader fraternity as well as residents are waiting to see arrival of such a large number of pilgrims, as being witnessed at the religious discourse, he added.

Spiritual ideologue of Mata Chandi Devi Shrine Mahant Meera Giri, Rashtriya Dharamshala Suraksha Samiti president Pundit Chandra Prakash, Haridwar Hotel Association president Kuldeep Sharma, Haridwar Tour Travels president Umesh Paliwal and Rakesh Aggarwal, among others, have expressed their pleasure at the move.

Water woes to end soon: Minister
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 2
Forest and Sports Minister Dinesh Agarwal assured residents of Dehradun that every possible step would be taken by the state government to overcome the problem of potable water in the state. He said funds would not become barrier for constructing drains in the colonies.

Agarwal instructed Public Works Department officials to expedite development related works in order to avoid inconvenience to residents. After inaugurating development works worth Rs 2,98,14,000 in Dakota, and ward number 45, Niranjanpur Chaman Vihar, and Mehunwala village in a function held here today, Agarwal said strict instructions were given to officials to complete all pending development works soon.

He instructed Executive Engineer PWD, BN Chowdhury, to expedite construction of roads and drain system in the localities. He said strict action would be taken against officials, if they found guilty of using sub-standard material for constructing roads, and drain system.

Agarwal highlighted that Congress-led state government was committed to developing of rural and remote areas of the state.

Residents of Dakota village complained minister about problem of frequent power cuts, and shortage of potable water in the locality. Agarwal assured residents that every possible step would be taken by the government to address their grievances. He told officials to submit proposal in order to improve basic amenities in the colonies.

Agarwal told funds were already released by the government for constructing damaged roads in the colonies. He said laying of potable water pipelines was ongoing to overcome the shortage of potable water in the affected colonies of Dehradun. Among others, Sitaram Nautiyal, Mahendra Prakash Gupta, Ashok Gupta, SK Srivastava, Rajesh Parmar, Ashok Pradhan and Beena Devi were present.

Funds allocation

• State government releases funds for construction of damaged roads in colonies
• Executive Engineer PWD, BN Chowdhury, told to speed up construction of roads and drain system in localities.
• Officials asked to submit proposal in order to improve basic amenities in the colonies.

Preparations for state foundation day celebrations reviewed
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 2
District Magistrate Chandresh Yadav held a meeting to review the ongoing preparations for celebrating the forthcoming 14th State Foundation Day to be observed on November 9, at the district collectorate here yesterday.

Instructing the officials, the DM said lighting arrangements should be made at all government offices on the eve of November 8 and 9. “The cultural department would make preparations for a cultural programme. The various state government departments would make adequate publicity arrangements to advertise various public welfare schemes started by the state government,” he added.

The DM also instructed Dehradun Municipal Corporation officials to ensure that the state capital remains clean between November 1 and 15. “The education department would organise various quiz competitions in government schools and felicitate the position-holders. A marathon would be organised at 6 am,” he said.

Those present at the meeting included Alok Kumar Pandey, Jharna Kamthan, Pratap Sah, Mohan Singh Bernia, Girish Chander Gunwat and several others.

Lobbying begins for state's lone Rajya Sabha seat
SMA Kazmi
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 2
Intense lobbying has begun for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Uttarakhand which goes to polls this month. The single Rajya Sabha has fallen vacant following the election of sitting member Bhagat Singh Koshiyari as Lok Sabha member from Nainital in the May 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The rival factions of Chief Minister Harish Rawat and former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna are lobbying with senior party leaders in New Delhi to stake their claim on the seat. Both the senior leaders from the state had met party president Sonia Gandhi in the past week to express their opinion about the candidate for the seat.

Former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has put pressure on Chief Minister Harish Rawat's camp to allow him to sit in the Upper House. With a majority in the state Assembly and support from its alliance partner Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) having seven legislators, the ruling Congress is sure to wrest the seat from the BJP. Vijay Bahuguna, who was removed as the state's Chief Minister by the party high command on February 1, is a legislator from Sitarganj Assembly segment in Udham Singh Nagar district. He looks keen to get into national politics after his exit as Chief Minister.

As a pressure tactic, he has been clamouring for greater representation to Congress legislators, particularly those belonging to his own group in the state Council of Ministers. He has been arguing that the Congress, after winning all the three state Assembly byelections, have a majority of their own and Congress legislators should be given their share in the state Council of Ministers. The PDF, which helped the Congress to a majority after the 2012 state Assembly polls, having seven legislators, has five ministers in the Harish Rawat Ministry.

Political observers believe Bahuguna has been making things difficult for Chief Minister Harish Rawat with the aim of getting his nod for his candidature for the Rajya Sabha seat. The name of his sister Rita Bahuguna Joshi, a former state president of Uttar Pradesh Congress, who lost the Lok Sabha election from Lucknow, is also being mentioned by the Bahuguna camp.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat is not expected to give any concessions to Bahuguna to enter the Upper House and enter the party's national politics. The candidate he has in mind is his protégé and Uttarakhand Congress president Kishore Upadhyay.

Insiders believe that despite claim being staked by the Bahuguna family on the Rajya Sabha seat, it is likely for the party high command to nominate a national leader to the Rajya Sabha from Uttarakhand. Both Harish Rawat and Vijay Bahuguna had asserted that a final decision about the party candidate would be taken by Sonia Gandhi and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi. Many senior party leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kapil Sibal, who were defeated in the Lok Sabha polls, are also lobbying for the seat. It was expected that the Congress would decide about its candidate before the nomination process starts on November 10. Well, it looks like the Chief Minister would be happy if a senior Central party leader is nominated; that would probably be disappointing for Vijay Bahuguna.

Parties stake claim

• The rival factions of Chief Minister Harish Rawat and former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna are lobbying with senior party leaders in New Delhi to stake their claim on the seat. Both the senior leaders from the state had met party president Sonia Gandhi in the past week to express their opinion about the candidate for the seat.
• Political observers believe Bahuguna has been making things difficult for Chief Minister Harish Rawat with the aim of getting his nod for his candidature for the Rajya Sabha seat. The name of his sister Rita Bahuguna Joshi, a former state president of Uttar Pradesh Congress, who lost the Lok Sabha election from Lucknow, is also being mentioned by the Bahuguna camp.

100 join U’khand Kranti Dal (P)
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 2
As many as 100 persons from across the state joined the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Panwar) here today.

Welcoming them into the partyfold, UKD (P) president Trivendra Singh Panwar said people’s faith on the UKD (P) was growing tremendously in the recent years.

He alleged both the BJP and the Congress had befooled people of the state and it was time that they realise that it was only the UKD (P) that could fulfill their aspirations.

Targeting the Harish Rawat government, Panwar said the state government was resorting to large scale misuse of funds while the common man was suffering. He announced appointing Himani Vaishnav as the UKD (P) Dehradun wing president.

UKD (P) state media in charge Manmohan Lakhera said the UKD (P) was constantly working on public issues and was hopeful to give rich electoral performance in the 2017 Assembly elections in Uttarakhand.

He said people of the state had suffered both under the Congress and the BJP rule and called upon the people to reject both these so-called national parties in the state.

Virendra Mohan Uttarakhandi, Shashi Bhushan Bhatt and Latafat Hussain also spoke on the occasion. Among prominent people, who joined the UKD (P) today included Goverdhan Prasad Dhyani, BS Sajwan, Harendra Negi, Sunil Mamgain, Sunil Bahuguna, Maya Dimri, Rekha Gusain, Shivnath, Ranvir Kandiyal, Sandeep Rawat, Kanchan Lakhera and Renu Rawat.

Cong councillors gherao MNA
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 2
Congress councillors gheraoed Mukhya Nagar Adhikari (MNA) Harak Singh Rawat here yesterday, demanding the removal of encroachments from the properties of the Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC).

Neenu Sehgal, leader of the opposition in the municipal corporation, who led the councillors, alleged that the Mukhya Nagar Adhikari and Mayor Vinod Chamoli were not acting against the land mafia and thus, helping it to encroach upon land earmarked for carving out colonies. The councillors threatened to launch an agitation if the DMC did not remove all encroachments from its properties and take stringent action against the land mafia.

BJYM activists yet to hear from govt
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 2
Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha activists (BJYM) burnt an effigy of the Congress-led state government in order to register their resentment against cancellation of advertisement for class IV employees in the state.

The BJYM activists led by the morcha’s Mahanagar president Vipin Rana gathered at the Mahanagar office here today. The agitators raised anti-state government slogans and burnt an effigy of the state government at Lansdowne Chowk here today.

Addressing a gathering, the BJYM Mahanagar president has lamented that the state government has failed to curb unemployment in the state.

He said the Congress had mentioned in its manifesto that job opportunities would be created in various government departments, but the state government had failed to keep its promise.

Vipin Rana said cancellation of advertised Class-IV posts had dashed the dreams of thousands of unemployed youths of the state. Ravi Talwar, Mohan Singh Negi, Deepak Bisht, TS Rawat and others were present.

Notice served on CMI hospital
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 2
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dehradun, has issued notice on the Combined Medical Institute (CMI) for concealing information of a dengue case that had come up at the hospital and the patient lost his life.

For better surveillance, the chief medical officer instructed the private hospital to inform them about the dengue cases, but the hospital failed to inform the authorities concerned, though the patient was admitted for a week. The 12-year-old patient, a resident of Kanwali, later died.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer BS Jangpangi said the CMO office has designated Doon Hospital and Himalayan Institute hospital trust for conducting Elisa tests but the hospital allegedly did not follow the instructions. In this season, so far one death has occurred due to dengue.

Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Officer said as the private hospitals were not under their jurisdiction due to the failure to implement the Clinical Establishment Act, the office could not do anything beyond issuing notices.

108 doctors promoted
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 2
The Department of Medical Health and Family Welfare promoted 108 senior medical officers to the post of joint directors and assigned them new places of postings in the different state health facilities.

Two radiologists from Doon Hospital Dr Manoj Upreti, Dr Yatinder Singh and Dr Sanjay Jain, a radiologist from Coronation hospital, and DR SK Jha from Prem Nagar have been promoted out of Dehradun.

Both Doon and Coronation hospital will be without the services of radiologists for the time being.

Meanwhile, Dr Manu Jain, an anaesthetist from Doon Hospital, has been transferred to Uttarkashi.

Ignoring climate change could be perilous: Expert
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, November 2
Appealing to intellectuals and scientists to come forward to save the planet earth, noted geologist Dr Kharak Singh Waldia has said that if the community fails to understand the sufferings of the planet, the whole world would be inviting catastrophes for the future generations as the trends of weather and climate have changed due to global warming in the last decade.

Speaking as chief guest at national children’s science congress at Bageshwar, Dr Waldia said that due to increased global warming, the multiple weather pattern of our country has now scrapped into two weathers of warm and cold only. “This changed weather has not only started speedy melting of Himalayan glaciers but also poses a threat before several villages and towns near the sea of submergence,” said Dr Waldia.

The workshop was organised under the aegis of national children’s congress on the topic of “Understanding Weather and Climate.”

Describing results of high human interference into nature, Dr Waldia said that the pattern of high rain or untimely rain has brought devastation to human beings and has affected sprouting and ripening season of crops, and weather experts have predicted that in the coming days, snowfall will be in less density during winter months.

“The weather pattern in the Himalayan region has shifted one month ahead, as the monsoon rains as well as winter is coming a month late,” said Dr Waldia.

Dr Waldia appealed to young scientists to become curious of the changing patterns in their surroundings and observe every change minutely. “This tendency will sharpen your instinct as scientists,” added Dr Waldia.

NGO opposes tree felling
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 2
Students NGO - Making a Difference by Being the Difference (MAD) conducted a successful cleanup drive and awareness programme at an open garbage spot near Vaish Nursing Home here today.

MAD volunteers paint a wall near a garbage dump at Old Survey Road in Dehradun on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

As many as 24 students of the MAD group took part in the special activity which involved painting a beautiful wall mural on the otherwise shabby Old Survey Road open dump area where waste is openly thrown at the side of the walls.

Coordinators Shardul Singh Rana, Manvendra Singh Rawat, Swati, Mallika and Diksha prominently took part in the cleaniless drive. Meanwhile, Making a Difference by Being the Difference (MAD) - opposed proposed felling of two peepal trees on Chakrata Road, Dehradun. MAD volunteers have written to the Union Environment and Forest Secretary, seeking due intervention to save the trees. In a letter, founder chairperson, MAD, Abhijay Negi, said peepal trees have religious significance and have served as landmarks for centuries.Negi asked the secretary to direct the Dehradun District Administration to restrain their actions directed towards felling of the two trees. “Many signature campaigns and online petitions are already underway to save these trees. In this context, it is humbly urged to the Union Ministry to depute a fact-finding team to thoroughly analyse whether the felling of the two trees is essential,” Negi said in his letter.

Divyanshi, Shubham bag crowns at youth festival
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 2
Students of Indian Institute of Technology, Fashion Institute, National Institute of Technology and 400-odd leading premier engineering students took part in the four-day ‘Thomso Festival-2014’ which concluded in Roorkee today.

Thomso-2014 has become one of the most participated youth festivals in the past few years. It was being accorded the ‘Youth Festival of Uttarakhand’ status by the state government last year and held annually at Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, on a regular basis.

More than 10,000 students from IIT-New Delhi, Mumbai, Kharagpur, Madras, NIT Powai, NIFT, JSS Noida, IMS Dehradun, among other leading engineering colleges participated in the festival.

Solani Ameza of SRM University was crowned Captain Princess followed by Sofia Singh of BIT Noida.

Femina Miss India top 5 contestant Anukriti Gosain, hailing from Pauri Garhwal, was the judge for the beauty contest, who drew huge applause from youngsters as she announced the judgement.

While Miss Thomso 2014 award was given to Divyanshi Kaushik, an IMS Dehradun student and Mr Thomso 2014 to Shubham Viz, an IIT Roorkee student.

Thomso coordinator Arvind Puniya said organising Thomso was to touch the varied aspects of life and society, inculcating spirit of positivity, participation, bonhomie, sporting spirit and cultural traits among youths.

IIT Roorkee professor Pradeep Banerjee said participants displayed their varied co-curricular skills and shared their talent, knowledge and bonhomie with fellow students from across the country in the four-day festival.

Thomso organising committee coordinator Dr MK Jain said the spirit of openness and living life freely was amply displayed by students in the festival.

Students enthral audience at Pithoragarh Autumn Festival
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, November 2
The Pithoragarh autumn festival was inaugurated by the state Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal here today. The seven-day cultural extravaganza will feature a variety of cultural programmes as well as sports and culinary competitions from regional teams and from outside the region, said the organisers.

Addressing the gathering from across the district and outside including from Nepal, the Speaker lauded the rich cultural variety of the state. He said by organising such festivals, local folk get not only recreation but also get knowledge of the latest methodology depicted in the stalls put up by various departments of state and Union governments. “The local entrepreneurs get the chance to display their produce through such festivals,” said the Speaker.

The depiction of Choliya dance besides other cultural dances by various schools in the form of a cultural procession was appreciated by the audience before the Speaker’s inaugural address.

Inter-school Geeta path results
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 2
Kasiga School hosted the 6th annual inter-school Geeta path competition here yesterday. Besides hosts Kasiga, some of the participants included Doon International School, Doon Blossom, Oak Grove Public School, Himjyoti School and St Joseph’s Academy.

The participants were required to select any 11 shlokas from Chapter 5. This chapter relates to the time when Arjun was indecisive and unable to decide on the course of action to take at the epic battle of Mahabharta. Sri Krishna’s discourse on Karma Yoga and Sankhya Yoga helped Arjun fight on the side of righteousness.

The eminent judges were Dr Surya Mohan Bhatt, Principal, Shivnath Sanskrit Vidyalya, Dr Ram Vinay Singh, professor, DAV Degree College and Mohan Lal Joshi, Principal, Laxman Sanskrit MahaVidyalya. The message of the Bhagwad Geeta is as prevalent today as it was during the time of the Pandavs and Kauravs. The students spoke with knowledge and conviction and the judges were hard pressed to come up with winners. The host Kasiga School won the first position while Him Jyoti School and Manav Bharti School won the seond and third place respectively.

Brahma Kamal flower draws people in large numbers
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 2
A large number of locals, pilgrims and tourists queued up to have a glimpse of a unique variety of the state flower of Uttarakhand – ‘Brahma Kamal’ in Haridwar late last night.

At the house of Ram Avtar Sharma near Niranjani Akhada, Ganga Temple, Mayapur, two flowers of a unique variety of Brahma Kamal blossomed for a short span of four hours.

As the Brahma Kamal is considered a pious and original variety found at a high altitude of 4,000 metres in Garhwal Himalayas, the word about the unique blossoming of twin flowers spread. From 8 pm till late night, visitors’ queues were seen at Sharma’s residence.

Special ritual and rites were performed after the blossoming of the twin flowers as these are considered sacred and are offered to Lord Vishnu and deity Laxmi.

Ram Avtar Sharma, former manager of Usha Breko Ropeway Company, that operates Mata Mansa Devi-Mata Chandi Devi shrines, said seven years ago, he had brought a sampling of this specific variety from a Bengaluru-based nursery.

Since then, he has been watering and caring for this sapling, with twin flowers blossoming last time in 2012 during the monsoon season.

“It’s God’s blessing. This rare species rarely grows elsewhere barring the high Himalayan altitude. Brahma Kamal has been given the recognition of the state flower of Uttarakhand and is offered to deities Vishnu and Laxmi in Hindu rituals,” said Sharma. Shikha Ohri Rawat, a resident of Vivek Vihar Colony, said as soon as she heard the news of the blossoming of Brahma Kamal, which, till date, she had seen only in pictures and heard of, she was out to have a glimpse of this rare flower.

Floral scientists of Gurukul Kangri University labelled this floral breed as ‘maidani Brahma Kamal’ or plain region variety of Brahma Kamal as barring high altitude feature, this flower has other features that are akin to the Himalayan Brahma Kamal variety.

New five-star hotel opened near Mussoorie
Parwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Siya (Mussoorie), November 2
Aiming to restore the lost glory of Mussoorie, termed as the queen of hills, JW Marriott opened its first resort near Kempty Falls in Mussoorie here yesterday.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat and Simon Cooper light a lamp during the inaugural ceremony of the hotel in Mussoorie on Saturday. Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir

In a lavish opening ceremony attended by a large number of guests from different walks of life, Raj Chopra, the chairman and managing director of Competent Group of Companies, handed the keys to Simon F Cooper, president and managing director (Asia Pacific), Marriott International.

Earlier, addressing a press conference, Chopra said that over the past several years Mussoorie had lost its charm. “We intend to bring back the lost glory of the hill station. I have always been in love the hills. This is the reason that the group chose Mussoorie as the first destination to open its resort,” he said.

Speaking about the difficulties faced while constructing the property, Chopra said that the biggest hurdle was organising the manpower and machinery for a terrain like this. “Due to the extreme weather conditions coupled with difficult terrain, it was difficult to manage the labour. We had 200 labourers working at the construction site, out of which after every pay day around 25 per cent used to leave. Also, to get the construction machinery at the site was a Herculean task,” he added.

Admitting that he had initial inhibitions to set up a hotel in Mussoorie, Simon said that he was not convinced the project when it was brought before him two years ago. “However, once I saw the site and the way the project was designed, everything changed. With JW Marriott being here, it would play a major role towards making a different future for a lot of people. Around 65 per cent of the employees are from Uttarakhand,” he added.

The 115-room luxury resort called JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort and Spa has five specialty restaurants called JW Cafe, Teppan, Wisteria Deck, Perch and Trout House Grill and Bar.

The resort also houses Cedar Spa by L’Occitane featuring five lavish treatment rooms and an array of invigorating treatments inspired by the cedar trees of the region.

Bajrang Dal activists organise blood donation camp
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 2
Bajrang Dal activists organised a voluntary blood donation camp to mark golden jubilee of the Vishva Hindu Parishad here today.

Residents from different walks of life participated in voluntary blood donation camps, which were organised at Prem Nagar, Clock Tower and Raipur.

The camp was inaugurated by Ashok Windlass, state president of Vishva Hindu Parishad, by garlanding statue of Dr BR Ambedkar at a function held here today. He urged residents to come forward and participate in voluntary blood donation camps.

He said participating in voluntary blood donation camps is the only way to curtail shortage of blood in the state. He said raising awareness among the masses is a key to overcoming blood shortage in the state’s medical institutions.

Mahendra Singh Negi, RS Pokhriya, Chanragupt Vikram, Ajay Kumar, Vikas Kumar Verma, Gaurav and others were present.

Conclave on higher education from Nov 4
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 2
The Uttarakhand Open University (UOU) will hold a two-day conclave on “scope of higher education in Uttarakhand” at Doon University from November 4.

Dr Rakesh Rayal, organising secretary of the conclave, addressed mediapersons here today.

He said scholars and professors, academicians etc from across the country were likely to attend the conclave.

He said Dr Indira Hridayesh, state Higher Education Minister, would be the chief guest on the occasion and Prof Jeet Ram, Parliamentary Secretary (Higher Education), the guest of honour.

Rayal said the conclave would be beneficial for improving status of higher education in the state as over 12 dissertations would be presented by academicians on the occasion.

He said various topics like improving standards of education etc. would be discussed on the occasion.