Snowfall in higher Himalayas

Higher reaches of Himalayas in Uttarakhand have started to receive snowfall bringing cold conditions in lower parts of the hill state. Higher reaches of the Himalayas both in Garhwal and Kumaon including Badrinath, Kedarnath, Auli, Nanda Devi and Munsyari received snowfall while it was partly cloudy in lower hilly and plain areas. The temperature in the state capital was, however, recorded at 25.1 degree C (max) and 13 degree C (min), which is normal. Met department said most of the lower hilly and plain areas are likely to have an overcast sky for the next 24 hours with light rainfall expected in some areas.

Feature film on Garhwal region

Garhwal hills in Uttarakhand are again the focus of acclaimed short film-maker Ahsaan Baksh's lens after his documentary shot in the picturesque region got rave reviews in film circles worldwide. And again like the documentary 'Aakhiri Munadi - The Last Announcement', his next film, this time a full length feature, will rope in local folk artistes to tell the tale of the simple lives of Garhwali people. "My next film will be named 'Under the Sky' and it will be a sweet tale of love revolving round the lives of the Garhwali people, their simplicity and culture," the NSD (National School of Drama) graduate told PTI. Ahsaan (rpt Ahsaan) said he felt very close to the place hailing from there himself. The young director, who was in Kolkatta for the screening of the documentary at the prestigious Kalpanijhar short film festival at the Max Mueller Bhavan earlier this month, said. "My films are a vision which I feel I can better execute with people I can interact with and whose roles are closer to their lives," he said. That was the sole reason he would not settle for any established name while making his next film.

Rembering the martyrs

many Bereaved families of NSG men who made the supreme sacrifice during 26/11 have made Uttarakhand their home:

It's been two years since NSG commando Gajender Singh gave up his life fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks and now his family is trying to pick up the threads of their lives again. Singh, a specialist PARA commando of the NSG's 51 SAG assault unit, was awarded the Ashok Chakra posthumosuly for undertaking the daredevil 'heliborne' operation against terrorists in the Jewish residential complex Nariman House.

He is survived by his wife and two school-going children while his mother lives with his brother here. "It has been two years now that Gajender is not with us.

The family has moved on and life is usual again. His wife and my mother are well," Singh's brother Birendra Singh told PTI. "I have seen that solemn remembrances are being organised in Mumbai and other places which are essential to remember and keep alive the memory of martyrs and their contribution to the country. I am happy that my brother's children are getting their schooling at the Army school here and they have been supported well by all," he said. Singh's wife Vinita has moved to Dehradun from their village Ganeshpur after the incident to devote all her time to her children Gaurav (13) and Preeti (11). Singh, who was on deputation to National Security Guards (NSG) from the Army's 10 PARA (Special Forces) was considered a "specialist in heliborne operations" and was killed during the operation at Nariman House on November 28 in Mumbai.

Another NSG commando, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, laid down his life during the same operation at the Taj Hotel and his father reached Mubai today after he cycled from Delhi to the western metropolis in his memory.

The then NSG chief J K Dutt on November 30, 2008 had lauded Singh's valour and said the "terrorists opened fire on Havildar Gajendra when he was trying to get into the building to nab them. He could have easily come back but continued to advance.

"And because of his extremely gallant action, an opening was created and we came to know from where exactly the miscreants were hiding and firing from. The terrorists had also used hand grenades which exploded apart from the heavy firing and Gajendra laid down his life there," Dutt had said.

Environmentalist asks govt to set up institute for eco study

In a bid to save the Himalayas from further degradation, prominent environmentalist and Magsaysay award recipient Chandi Prasad Bhatt have asked the government to establish a multi-purpose institute to examine the changes in the glaciers, lakes, and forests in the region.

Bhatt, in a letter to Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and others, said the region was under constant threat due to increased incidents of floods and landslide. "43 per cent the area of our country lies in the region of Ganga, Many rivers originate from it and these rivers contribute almost 63 per cent to the water resources," Bhatt said. According to the scientists, Himalayan glaciers are shrinking and rivers are changing their course due to which the frequency of floods and landslides is increasing, he said. "Every year during monsoon, millions of people are rendered homeless and property worth crores is destroyed due to floods and it also affects the economy of our country," he said, adding, the region also needs special attention because the entire Himalayan region lies in Zone IV and V, the most active seismic region, making it vulnerable to earthquakes. An 'Eco Task Force', set up by the Planning Commission in 1982 for development of Himalaya, had recommended an 'Eco Development Commission' chaired by Prime Minister but nothing has happened as of now and with the increase in temperature, glaciers are shrinking, and threat is looming large on the Eco system, he said.

Uttarakhand November 21-28 news update

disaster training unit in the state

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has announced to set up a disaster training unit in the state with a cost of Rs one crore. Speaking at a function held to inaugurate the building of Indian Red Cross Committee, Nishank said the training unit would be equipped with modern technologies and equipment, and it would help in speedy relief work during disasters, an official release said here. Earlier, Uttarakhand Governor Margaret Alva inaugurated the Red Cross building, which has been constructed on one acre with a cost of Rs 2 crore. She said the Red Cross this year trained nearly 3,500 volunteers for carrying out relief work in disaster-hit areas despite tough geographical conditions in the hill state.

‘List all festivals where animals are sacrificed’

Uttarakhand High Court has asked the Pauri Garhwal district administration to give it a list all such festivals where animals are sacrificed and also to identify individuals who perform the ritual killings. The instruction of the High Court came while hearing a PIL, filed by an NGO People For Animals and some other religious organisations, seeking a ban on animal sacrifices, claiming that festivals celebrated in the state have no such ritual necessity, District Magistrate Dilip Jawalkar told PTI.

The district administration is gathering the data and listing such festivals, he said, adding that the authorities are trying to prevent such sacrifices. Activists are demanding a ban on animal killings during the Bunkhal festival, to be organised on December 11 at Kalika temple in the district. It is expected that many goats and male buffaloes would be sacrificed on the occasion. Meanwhile, the district magistrate has allotted Rs 15 lakh for Bunkhal festival to give it a facelift.

SAF Winter Games to have two ceremonies

The first South Asian Winter Games, scheduled to be held in Auli and Dehra Dun early next year, will have two inaugural and closing ceremonies. The inauguration and closing in the hill town of Auli will be held on January 7 and 10 respectively, while here the event will start on January 14 and closing will be performed on the 17th, Brig (retd) S S Patwal, president of Winter Games Federation of India (WGFI) told reporters here. The decision to organise two opening and two closing ceremonies has been taken considering the distance between the two towns. "Auli and Dehra Dun are 320km apart from each other and it takes more than 10 hours to reach from one place to another," Patwal added.

While Auli will host skiing events, Dehra Dun will organise Ice Skating. Prior to the winter games, WGFI has also decided to organise coaching camps at Auli from December 13 to 23 and at Dehra Dun from December 7 to 19, during which coaches from India and abroad would train the participants. Patwal said participating countries can also join the coaching camps at Auli and Dehra Dun.

Man held for making obscene MMS

A 38-year-old man was today arrested for allegedly making an obscene MMS of a girl at Dalanwala area here, police said. Sarvjit Singh, an architect, was arrested from his residence at Race Course locality following a complaint by the victim in this regard, they said. In her complaint, the girl said that Singh was also threatening to circulate the MMS. The police said it was further investigating the case.

Tiger found injured

An injured tiger was found in the forests of Jaspur area in Udham Singh Nagar district, a forest official said. The three-year-old male tiger was groaning in pain when it was noticed by forest guards yesterday during a routine patrol near Ramnagar, Divisional Forest Officer (Ramnagar) Nishant Verma said. Senior forest officials were rushed to the spot and veterinary doctors also called for starting its treatment, he said. The tiger was today shifted to Pantnagar veterinary hospital where doctors are conducting tests to ascertain the cause of injury, Verma said. Preliminary examination of the tiger and the spot where it was found suggested that it might have suffered some spinal injury or fractured a bone in the lower portion of the body during its fight with a wild boar, the DFO said. Some hair of a boar was noticed at the place where the striped cat was found lying, he added. Detailed reports are still awaited.

United for animals

PFA has launched its Uttarakhand unit with top names on board:

Anjali Nauriyal

A large number of luminaries, including writer Ruskin Bond, actor Victor Banerjee and Headmaster, The Doon School, Peter McLaughlin, IAS Vinita Kumar, IFS Jai Raj, and Principal, Welham Boys' School Dev Lahiri gathered at the formal launch of People for Animals (PFA) movement organised in the state recently.

Agriculture Minister Trivendra Rawat was the chief guest on the occasion. Maneka Gandhi, who could not be present personally, sent as message. Victor Banerjee asserts, "We live in a country where human life is cheap. The poor die of starvation, lack of medical aid, victims of political violence and natural calamities. We deprive our people by stealing from their coffers unashamedly and perpetuate slums and juggis to house vote banks. Under such circumstances, where you have scant respect for human beings, it is difficult to inspire people to worry about the welfare of animals. But for those of us who have the will to serve the people and can afford it because we don't worry where our next meal is coming from, I think it is time we sat up and looked out of the windows of our apartments and noticed how street dogs are stoned, live with painful and oozing sores all over their bodies, species of birds that disappear because the seed-bearing shrubs and trees they lived off have been cut down to build colonies for people flocking to populate our towns and cities. See how cattle and buffalos, frothing at the mouth, are whipped to carry unbelievable loads up gradients that would break our backs. We watch it all and simply drive on. So what should we do when we simply carry on doing nothing? That's where 'Safar ek rupye ka' comes in to make it easy for you to make a substantial difference. Not only does your institution match your peoples' contribution, but that single rupee slowly but surely creates an awareness that is an essential ingredient for every citizen's consciousness and also educates some callous minds."

Uttarakhand state in-charge Gauri Maulekhi informs, "In Uttarakhand, PFA has presence in Dehradun, Nainital, Roorkee and Kotabagh through its units managed by Manavi Bhatt, Anurag Barthwal, Kuldeep Suryavanshi and Rajiv Rastogi, respectively. Haridwar, Kotdwar, Rishikesh, Champawat and Chamoli pitches in through its helplines. Each unit and helpline is run by dedicated individuals but their capacity to take the animal rights movement to the next level or to interface with the government or to raise funds to sustain the work that they do may be insufficient. This is where a need was felt for an umbrella organisation to assist, strengthen and monitor all the units and help more shelters and clinics come up in even the far recesses of the hilly state."

For 10 years, PFA has run a shelter in Dehradun but few were aware of it and the cause could not become a community movement until a sudden spurt of activity during the past two years.

"All major schools, institutions, industries and corporates have been roped in and the support that the government has offered has been exemplary. Bureaucrats have even consented to join hands with PFA which goes a long way to show that the government is also determined to take constructive action to deal with crime against animals," adds Gauri.

Maneka Gandhi affirms, "The newly formed board will be instrumental in increasing the fund raising capacity of PFA, strengthening all the units and helping more units of PFA to come up in each district of Devbhoomi. It will interface with and motivate the Government so that PFA's mission of making a more humane society for all can be achieved." www.pfauttarakhand.org, a new website was also launched at the event.

The IMA way

The trek to Gangotri was undertaken to study the environmental state of the Bhagirathi river valley:

Ruchi Pradhan Datta

The most hotly debated issue throughout the world today is the state and scale of environmental degradation and measures to arrest if not reverse its apocalyptic effects. Forums are formed; conventions held; measures discussed and remedies announced, with precious little being accomplished on the ground. The reason probably is that the decision makers are far removed from the actual location of the effected areas and thus probably the severity of the damage cannot be truly fathomed.

Thus driven by an urge to experience things first hand and then take them up with the concerned authorities, an officer and two Gentlemen Cadets (GCs) of the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, under the leadership of 70-year-old Col (Retd) K.S. Dhami, a Para Trooper and a member of United Services Institution of India (USI) recently trekked to Gaumukh, the source of the Ganga. The basic aim of this 'adventure-cum-study' environment initiative of the USI was to observe and fix the position of the snout and note the environmental state of the Bhagirathi river valley.

Describing their experiences on the five-day journey from Uttarkashi via Chirbasa and Bhojbasa to Gaumukh, the officers and GCs Vikas Sehoran and Brijesh Beniwal observed alarming deforestation along the route, especially the stretch between Gangotri and Gaumukh which at one time was covered by pristine forests of deodar, bluepine, Oaks and Bhojpatra. They were also left aghast by the extensive negative impact of 'storage dams and the run-of-the river hydel projects in forests.

"Trees are the only redeeming factor that can save the environment by acting as a huge sponge that can keep the rivers flowing even when there is no rain. To see them so brutally hacked in the name of development was really heart wrenching," remarks Capt Neeraj.

"Contrary to controversial views about the melting state of Himalayan glaciers, especially the Gangotri glacier, we saw large chunks of ice shearing and crumbling," states the team. Yet another pertinent observation that was made by the team was that in contrast to the original single source of water for the Bhagirathi (as the Ganga is known from its source to Devprayag), alternate feeding points have now sprung up, a clear indicator of the increase in melting rate of the glacier.

Col Dhami says, "I visited the snout of the glacier and noted the state of the ablation zone during the same time ten years ago, October 2000, to be precise and have no doubt now that the glacier is receding over 50 meters a year and shrinking fast. Unfortunately, other than the satellite images of the snout, no effort was made in the past to fix the snout position on the ground. Had this been done, we would have known the exact melting rate of the Gangotri Glacier. Also, these controversies could have been avoided if a ground check had been done and taken into account the 'International Geophysical Year 1956-57' programme during which a number of Himalayan glaciers were studied and their snout position fixed. Surprisingly, this information is not available with any government department!"

Capt Neeraj further adds, "We have taken the longitude and latitude reading of the snout; but to get the exact receding rate some old record is required. We are working on this."

While Col Dhami is a self-driven concerned individual, IMA involved its GCs in the expedition as a learning and sanitizing exercise for the cadets as well as to inculcate a sense of belonging towards Nature. Col Dhami is of the optimistic view that if corrective steps are adopted and executed on a war footing, "we can hope to delay the complete disappearance of the glacier, which is the womb of North India's lifeline." It is probably a telepathic coincidence that while the team is carrying out the practical groundwork, a theoretical solution, too, is on its way, with the Central Government declaring the 130 km stretch of the Ganga from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi as an Eco-Sensitive Zone. Also the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), under the Chairmanship of PM Dr. Manmohan Singh has ratified a decision to abandon three hydel power projects in Uttarakhand, so as to safeguard the fragile river ecology.

Avian thrill

With the onset of winter, migratory birds have been flocking to Haridwar for roosting:

P.S. Chauhan

Come winter and the Bhimgoda Barrage, along with the wetlands of Jhilmil Jheel near Laksar, Solani river near Roorkee and Pashulok Barrage near Rishikesh, presents a splendid spectacle, with a large number of migratory fowls chirping and frisking on water. Wintry sojourn of avifauna to these wetlands from short and long distances is a regular seasonal phenomenon.

At Bheemgoda barrage a number of migratory birds arrive each year for wintering from the cold Palaearctic regions of Europe and Siberia in search of food and shelter. These birds are native to cold overseas places and travel thousands of miles to the plains of South Asia including India. Bheemgoda barrage has a crucial significance for these migratory birds due to slow flow of water here, luxuriant growth of vegetation and plenty of food in the form of fish. The barrage, situated between the Neeldhara and other tributaries of the Ganga, adjacent to the Rajaji National Park in the backdrop of the Shivalik ranges of the Himalayas, is a virtual paradise for these winged guests.

These migratory birds start thronging Bheemgoda barrage in November every year and when the warmer days arrive in March, guided by their in-built biological clock and sure sense of direction, they depart to their native habitats. A noted ornithologist and professor in the department of zoology and environmental science in the Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar, Dinesh Bhatt, who has done extensive research work on avian biology, has spotted about 35 migratory species dotting Bheemgoda this year. Hundreds of individuals of these species of migratory and resident birds such as ruddyshelduck, gull, mallard, northern shovler, eastern merganser, grey heron, cormorants, grebe, egrets and osprey can easily be sighted at the barrage, says Prof. Bhatt.

Birds migrate for many reasons that include the need to travel to areas where food resources are at their peak abundance, the climate is milder and there is less competition. The main environmental trigger for bird migration is the changing ratio of daylight and darkness, says Dr. Vinay Sethi, senior research associate in the Gurukula Kangri University. With the onset of winter, days get shorter reducing activity hours. This triggers the almost entirely instinctive phenomenon of bird migration, Dr. Sethi adds.

Human intervention in the form of rush of traffic on the nearby Haridwar-Dehradun national highway, unregulated number of visitors and bird poaching by the locals are posing a threat to the aquatic birds at Bheemgoda Barrage. As a result of these unexpected activities migratory birds have also selected a new site near Missarpur village in Haridwar. "At present Missarpur ghat is really a wonderful spot for birdwatchers and I am delighted to see these birds at a new location,” says Vikas Saini, a bird watcher. However, the lovers of avifauna are worried due to the depleting number and the changing patterns of migration of these winged guests. Ritesh Joshi, a bird expert says that same types of efforts are required for the protection of avifauna, both local and trans-Himalayan, as are being undertaken by the central and the state governments for the conservation of wild life. The demand is also increasing to declare Bheemgoda barrage a bird sanctuary. If this ideal birding destination is declared a bird sanctuary, it will help in regulating the movements of the visitors and curb the activities of the poachers, besides enhancing the aesthetic beauty of the reservoir.

Miss Uttarakhand 2010

Uttarakhand to launch attachment proceedings in alleged molestation:

Attachment proceedings will be initiated against two absconding persons who allegedly molested girl students from Rajasthan during a school trip near here, police said. The proceeding will be initiated against Kuldip and Sanjay who are among the six accused. Both are absconding since the incident occured on the night of November 15, police said. One of the accused, identified as Ajay Rautel, surrendered before the court and another remains to be identified. Kamal and Pradip Rana were arrested early this week. The incident took place near Rajpur when 70 students, including 30 girls, of HRP Senior Secondary School from Alwar were going to Mussoorie after visiting Sahastradhara. On their way, six car-borne persons intercepted their bus, thrashed the bus driver and molested girls in the bus, police said. Police had registered a case against the six accused under various sections of IPC.

Participants of the Miss Uttarakhand 2010 beauty pageant poased at a gym during the Miss Body Beautiful contest in Dehradun on Wednesday.

Pranab Mukherjee meets Margaret Alva

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee met Uttarakhand Governor Margaret Alva at Raj Bhavan here. "It was a private meeting," a Raj Bhavan spokeswoman said, adding she did not have the details. Mukherjee also met Alva's husband Niranjan Alva. Later, Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank also met Mukherjee and discussed various matters related to the state. Earlier in the day, Mukherjee, visited the LBS Academy at Musssoorie where he met IAS probationers. However, Mukherjee did not talk to reporters both at Mussoorie and Dehradun.

Ganga conservation campaign

Uttar Pradesh Police have organized a campaign from Haridwar to Varanasi to create awareness among people to save the River Ganga. The campaign was initiated by the personnel of the Uttar Pradesh police in which personnel of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Border Security Force (BSF) were also included. "There is lack of awareness among people and Ganga is becoming more and more polluted. As it is a heritage possession of our elders, so we are trying to spread awareness among people to keep the river clean," said Deep Chand Yadav, PAC official.

"At a few places the river is clean but at few places it's very dirty. Polythene and dead animals are flowing in the river. So, at every bank, with the help of the locals, we tried our best to clean the river," said Maan Singh, a policeman. In recent years, non-stop inflow of untreated civic waste and industrial effluents has turned the Ganga into a polluted water body.

The Government has planned to end discharge of untreated waste into the Ganga by 2020.

Though the Union Government enacted Ganga Action Plan in 1985 to clean the river, much of the action seems to have confined to papers.

Curb Corruption

Ramdev calls for putting decisive check on the menace:

Yoga Guru Swami Ramdev called for putting a decisive check on corruption and earnest implementation of all the welfare schemes in order to control the Naxal menace.

"Lack of development is the main cause for growing Naxal and Maoist activities and a decisive control on corruption for earnest implementation of the welfare schemes was required for checking this menace", Ramdev told reporters here. Claiming that he had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi two years ago to demand concrete measures for checking corruption, Ramdev regretted that no step has so far been taken in this direction. The yoga guru claimed a minister in Uttarakhand asked for bribe but refused to divulge his name or the party, which was in power at that time.

"In case the present government failed to take any step in this direction, efforts would have to be made to change the government through democratic process", he said, adding that though he has no plan of entering politics or launching a party as of now, but a new political scene might emerge in the coming two years. "After this change, corruption would be fully controlled and the process of bringing crores of rupees stacked in foreign banks and the campaign against foreign companies harming the country's economy would begin", he said.

To a question, Ramdev said that he has earned the ire of the corrupt and foreign companies against whom he has started a campaign and faced a life to threat. He also claimed that almost 99 per cent ministers in the present government were corrupt. He also advocated framing a law awarding capital punishment to the corrupt.

Baba wants 'Z-plus' security

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has requested the Uttarakhand government to provide him with 'Z-plus' security considering his vulnerability to attacks from his opponents. "Baba Ramdev has been exposing the intentions of MNCs in the field of health and beverages, launching a tirade against corruption and establishing Indian tradition and culture. So, he has become a target of his opponents," general secretary of Ramdev's Haridwar-based Patanjali Yogpeeth Acharya Balkrishna said. Since he also floated a political party 'Bharat Swabhiman Trust' and has announced to contest the next general elections, the number of opponents who may harm him have increased, he said. Balkrishna said he has recently sent a letter to the Uttarakhand government asking for providing 'Z-plus level' security to the yoga guru. Currently, Ramdev has been given 'Y-level' security.

School trip turns scary; girl students 'molested' in Uttarakhand

On a school trip to scenic Uttarakhand, 70 students from Rajasthan had a harrowing experience when a group of youths in car allegedly intercepted their bus, molested girls and broke windowpanes of the vehicle. The incident took place on Monday night near Rajpur here when the 70 students, including 30 girls, of a private school from Alwar were going to Mussoorie after visiting the famous tourist spot of Sahastradhara, police said. According to the police, six car-borne miscreants intercepted the bus and thrashed its driver. Some of them entered the bus and allegedly molested girl students.

They also threatened the students and teachers when resisted, and broke the windowpanes of the bus with rods and hockeys they were carrying. Principal of the HRP Senior Secondary School, Vinod Kumari, who was accompanying the students, later lodged a complaint at the Rajpur police station. A case has been registered against six persons under various sections of IPC including section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty).

Two of the accused -- Pradip Rana and Kamal, have been arrested and raids were being conducted to nab others, police said. Meanwhile, the students who came on a three-day visit to Dehradun and Mussoorie on November 15, left for Alwar.

Nano to stay

Tata has assured state’s CM that Pantnagar will continue to produce Nano:

State Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank said he has been assured by Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata that world's smallest car would continue to be manufactured at its Pantnagar plant, from where the first Nano was produced.

"During our meeting, I urged Ratan Tata that production of Nano should not be stopped at Pantnagar plant and he has assured me that it would continue to be manufactured from here," Nishank told a jam-packed house of prominent personalities of the hill state gathered for a lecture by Tata on 'India in 21st century: Opportunities and Challenges'.

Tata's assurance to Nishank has put on rest the rumours that Tata Motors is considering closing down production of Nano from its Pantnagar unit in a phased manner after its Sanand plant in Gujarat became fully operative. Tata is mainly producing Ace mini truck at Pantnagar plant.

Nishank said he had asked for two more things from Tata like guiding Uttarakhand as Management Guru and settling down in the hill state in future. "Seeing a smile on his face in response to my requests, I am assured that he would settle down in the state and his decision in this regard would give us immense pleasure," Nishank added.

Rajaji National Park reopens on Nov. 15

P.S. Chauhan

If you are a wildlife enthusiast and like to enjoy the pristine beauty of nature then Rajaji National Park situated in the foothills of the Shiwalik ranges of the Himalayas in the upper Gangetic plains, is a good destination for you. After remaining closed during the monsoon, the park is reopening for the tourists and the visitors on November 15. "This year the heavy rains caused heavy losses in the park and devastated all the tracks and the roads. After repairing them we are ready to welcome the visitors from November 15, with traditional hospitality and all the possible facilities at our disposal," says S.S. Rasailly, the director of the park.

The park, named after the first Governor General of the country, Rajgopalachari, lovingly called Rajaji, was carved in 1983 after amalgamating the Chilla, the Motichoor and the Rajaji wildlife sanctuaries, along with the adjoining forest areas, mainly as an Elephant Project. It spreads over 820.82 sq. kms. of Haridwar, Dehradun & Pauri districts of Uttarakhand and is home to about 50 species of mammals including leopard, wild boar, cheetal and sambhar, and more than 300 species of avifauna belonging to 57 bird families. The rich bio-diversity, including its large variety of flora, fauna and avifauna , makes it a preferred destination for eco-tourism.

The main charm of the park lies in its Asiatic elephants which are found here in "Gods plenty." Since the central government has recently accorded to the elephant, which is an integral part of our cultural traditions, the status of "the national heritage animal,” the park has acquired greater significance and attention. Out of the total population of about 22,000 elephants in the country, Uttarakhnad is home to about 1350. According to the last wildlife census carried out in 2008, there were 418 elephants in the park, making it the largest habitat for the pachyderms in the state. The best thing about the population profile of the pachyderms in the park is the male female ratio. Ritesh Joshi, a noted wildlife expert and chief investigator of the central government sponsored Elephant Behaviour Project, says that the male female ratio in the park is 1: 4.5. "It is the best male female ratio of elephants in the country," says Joshi.

Thousands of visitors come to the park every year. During 2007-2008, 18864 tour vists visited the park, which generated the revenue of Rs.18.19 lakh, while the number of visitors during 2008-2009 rose to 19288, with the earning of Rs. 19.56 lakh for the park. During the year 2009-2010, the number of tourists came down to 18882 with the revenue generation of Rs. 27.16 lakh. The Dy. Director of the park, Shravan Kumar attributes the decline in the number of visitors in the park last year to the various traffic constraints in the Kumbh held at Haridwar, though the revenue earning went up due to increase in the entry fee charged from the visitors.

The full potential of the park for eco-tourism remains to the tapped. At this time out of the nine ranges of the park only the Chilla range is the main hub for the tourists. The park authorities say that now to take off pressure form the Chilla range they are planning to develop some other eco-tourism zones, such as the Ranipur-Beriwala zone, Motichoor zone and Ramgarh zone. The park sources also say that they are initiating several other measures, such as providing training to the local villagers as guides, renovating rest houses and improving infrastructure, to lure more tourists. At this time the facility of elephant safari is also not available in the park. Arundhati, lovingly called the Queen of the park, which used to take the visitors round the park, died a few years ago. The park authorites have three female elephants under their custody, but they are not being used for safari due to some legal dispute.

The chief wildlife warden of the state, S.K. Chandola says that the visitors who genuinely come to enjoy the charm of nature and the sight of wildlife are most welcome, but the park should not be treated as a picnic spot. "We are all for regulated tourism. Our main objective is the conservation of bio-diversity. Tourism comes afterwards. There cane be no eco-tourism exercise at the cost of flora and fauna of the park," avers Chandola.

BEG celebrates 208th Foundation Day

The Bengal Engineering Group (BEG) & Centre, one of the oldest and the bravest army units of the country, celebrated its 208th foundation day. The vast sprawling cantonment area wore a festive look in keeping with the dignity of foundation day celebrations, which continued for four days, bringing alive the centuries old saga of valour and sacrifice.

The BEG and Centre, popularly known as Bengal Sappers, had its genesis in the Pioneers raised by Captain Wood in Nov., 1803 at Kanpur. The unit which passed through a chequered career, is a living legend of bravery and heroic sacrifices, with dozens of feathers in its cap, including the Victoria Crosses. The awards make up the highest number won by any single organization in the country. A large number of serving and retired officials and jawans of the unit gathered on the occasion. The culminating point of the celebrations reached on the last day with an highly impressive ceremonial parade. Army commander of the central command, Lt. General V.K. Ahluwalia took the salute of the parade which was commanded by Brigadier D.S. Ahuja, the commandant of the BEG and Centre Roorkee. The ceremonial parade comprised of 14 officers, 29 junior commissioned officers and 520 jawans.

The chief guest, Lt. General V.K. Ahluwalia recalled the laurels won by the Bengal Sappers during the last 208 years of its existence, ranging from the storming of the Kabul Gate of the Ghujnee fort in 1839 during the Afghan war to the heroic sacrifices of the martyrs, veterans and serving sappers in the wars of 1947-48, 1965, 1971 and the Kargil war. “The achievements of the BEG and Centre during times of peace are no less renowned than those during war. It won accolades by constructing the Upper Ganga Canal, building roads and bridges at high altitudes and difficult terrain and undertaking management of calamities and disasters in difficult periods,” said the Lt. General. He exhorted the officials and the jawans of the unit to uphold the glorious traditions set up so assiduously by their predecessors.

Rudraprayag wins overall championship

In State Schools Athletic & Cultural Meet the district stunned favourites:

P.S. Chauhan

Rudraprayag district team bagged the overall championship in the 10th state schools athletic and cultural meet held at the BHEL sports stadium at Haridwar. In the cultural events Udham Singh Nagar came out with flying colours, while in the P.T. Dehradun district won the laurels.

In the senior category (boys) of 200 meter race, Pawan Kumar of Pithoragarh finished first, while Gaurav of Sports College, Dehradun and Ankit of Pauri secured IInd and IIIrd positions, respectively. In javelin throw, Ashish Bisht of Dehradun scored the first rank, with Naveen Bhandari of Pauri and Tarun of Pithoragarh trailing at the next two positions. In the 200 meter race of the senior category (girls) Aarti of Rudraprayag clinched the top rank, followed by Monika of Almora and Laxmi of Rudraprayag at the IInd and the IIIrd slots, respectively. In javelin throw (women) Neha of Rudraprayag came first, with Kanchan Chaubey of Champawat at the IInd and Anita of Nainital at the IIIrd place. In 200 meter race of the Junior category (boys), Mukesh of Pithoragarh won the top laurel, with Mohit of the Sports College, Dehradun and Shalu Kumar, also from the same college, lagging behind at the IInd and the IIIrd ranks. In the girls category of the junior section, Gayatri of Almora stood first, with Neetu of Dehradun and Pooja of Rudraprayag at the IInd and the IIIrd positions.

Three-day event was inaugurated by Govind Singh Bisht, the state education minister. "The state government is trying its best to promote games and sports in the state," said the minister. The students enthralled the audience, as they took out impressive parade with their flags. The state minister for tourism and urban development, Madan Kaushik, who gave away trophy to the winner team and awards to the individual participants, said that though the students of the government schools did not have the facilities at par with those of the public schools, they had talents which they had demonstrated in the national and the international level meets. On the occasion the students from the different districts presented folk songs and dances of their districts to showcase the cultural traditions of their respective areas.

Members of UKD stage protest

Pressing on their demand to make Gairsain as the permanent capital of Uttarakhand, members of Uttarakhand Kranti Dal staged a dharna on the railway line to temporarily stop the train services here. Despite being an ally of the state government, UKD is protesting against the 'government's delay' to declare Gairsain as the permanent capital.

Since Uttarakhand was carved out of Uttar Pradesh as a separate state, the UKD, a key regional party, has vociferously raised the demand for making Gairsain its capital. Activists of UKD also organised a rally in Pauri and demanded restoring works on hydroelectricity projects in the state. The recent decision of the central government to stop works on hydroelectric projects on the rivers of Uttarakhand, an eco-sensitive zone is opposed by UKD.

Senior leader of UKD Kashi Singh Airy said the move to stop the work on hydroelectricity projects has made the youth unemployed as power production is the chief resource of the state.

Uttarakhand news for November 2010

Train mishap averted

A major train tragedy was averted due to timely detection of a fractured track on the Delhi-Ambala section, 16 kms from here, Northern Railway officials said. The incident occurred yesterday shortly before Ahmedabad-Haridwar mail was to pass through the broken track, they said, adding the fracture was detected during routine patrolling and movement of trains was disrupted on the route for an hour to repair the track.

Ratan Tata to deliver lecture

Tata Groups Chairman Ratan Tata would deliver a lecture on Nov 15 being organised on the ocassion of completion of first decade of formation of Uttarakhand. During the lecture on "India in 21st century: Opportunities and Challenges", Uttarakhand Governor Margaret Alva and Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank would also be present besides industrialists from the states, an official release said here. Uttarakhand power Secretary Umakant Panwar has been made President of the organising committee for formation day lecture, which is organised every year since 2002.

Tusker Terror

elephants are on a ramapge in Motichoor area

P.S. Chauhan

With three villagers falling causalities to the rage of roaming elephants near Khand village a few days ago, there is panic in the villages on the periphery of the Rajaji National Park.

The sources say that when Mahavir of Khand village, his daughter-in-law Munni Devi (45 yrs), her daughter Suman (6 yrs), Manju (4 yrs) and her son Anil (2 yrs) , were coming back from Haridwar, they were suddenly assaulted by a tusker near Motichoor Railway crossing. Mahavir and Manju saved their life by running away from the spot, but Munni Devi, Suman and Anil were trampled to death by the ferocious tusker. The forest and the police personnel, who reached the spot after getting information of the incident, had a tough time in driving away the tusker in the forest by firing gun shots in the air. The forest authorities have announced an exgratia of Rs.1 lakh to the family for each of the deceased.

The next day of the incident, when the director of the park, SS Rasailly, accompanied by other park officials, reached the village, he and his team were made hostage for hours by the infuriated village folk. The forest officials were released only after they gave an assurance that adequate safety measures for the villagers will soon be initiated by the forest department. The MLA from Rishikesh, Prem Chand Agarwal, who visited the village, also blamed the forest authorities for the increasing incidents of killing of the village folk by the elephants straying out of the Rajaji Park. It is to be mentioned here that a woman was also crushed to death by a rogue elephant on this track a fortnight ago.

120-year-old Kotdwara Railway Station to be revamped

Kotdwara railway station in Uttarakhand, built by the British government in the 1890s and one of the oldest in the country, is set to receive a new lease of life after the Northern Railway has decided to develop it as the ideal railway station.

"The Kotdwara station will be developed as a model railway station and will have better facilities for passengers coming from and going to the hills," Divisional Railway Manager Ramesh Chandra told reporters here today. "This will increase the tourist inflow to Uttarakhand and boost the economy in the region," he said. Kotdwara Railway Station was constructed by the British government in 1890s as a halt for goods trains. Timber was carried from the foothills of Himalayas to the mainland by the trains. Later in 1901, passenger coaches to Delhi and other places also started plying from Kotdwara. Vikky Sharma, a local hotelier, said revamping the station would attract tourists undertaking the "Chardham Yatra", a Hindu tour of four holy places -- Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.

SC directs govt to provide adequate relief for Tehri dam evacuees

SC directs govt to provide adequate relief for Tehri dam evacuees

The Supreme Court today directed Uttarakhand government and Tehri Development Corporation to take urgent steps to provide rehabilitation and succour to those displaced and affected by the construction of Tehri dam.

A Bench of Justices R V Ravindran and Justice A K Patnaik asked the state and the Corporation to provide funds for rehabilitation of 158 additional affected families in 26 villages who had been left out during the previous surveys for rehabilitation and compensation. The court ordered construction of three bridges within a year at Dobra, Ghonti and Chinyali Saur to facilitate connectivity to local people that has been disrupted due to the project.

Pending completion of the bridges, the people should be provided with ferry boat services on both sides of the lake on Bhagirathi and Bhilangana valley or alternatively ropeway facilities as the dam has created a reservoir of around 42 sq km. It asked the government to construct new roads connecting the affected areas. About 400 shopkeepers, whose businesses have been affected due to the displacement, should be rehabilitated and compensated adequately, the Bench said. The apex court ordered that public buildings or institutions that have been submerged or affected due to the dam should be reconstructed by the government.

It asked the authorities to complete within four months the three promised drinking water schemes--Koshiyar Tal pumping scheme, Sarjyula pumping scheme and Pratap nagar pumping scheme. Justice Raveendran, heading the Bench, asked the grievance redressal cell to expeditiously dispose of pending rehabiliation cases and ensure that no affected family goes without rehabilitation. It directed the matter to be listed for further hearing after six months.

Senior counsel Colin Gonzalves and counsel Anita Shenoy and Sanjay Parekh appeared for petitioners in the case who had complained about tardy rehabilitation measures.

Tiruchi unit bags Bhel crown

P.S. Chauhan

The Tiruchi unit of the BHEL bagged the over-all championship in the two-day inter units athletic meet held at the Haridwar unit of the BHEL. More than 100 athletes from 11 units of the BHEL in the country participated in the different events of the championship. Inaugurating the championship, the general manager (human resources) of the BHEL, Haridwar, Vimal Kumar said that the games and sports promote health and healthy employees are the back bone of any organization. The athletes held out an impressive march past carrying their flags, in the BHEL sports stadium.

In the shotput throw, Suraj of Jhansi clinched the gold, with Satya Prakash of Tiruchi and Dashrath Ram of Bhopal winning the silver and the bronze respectively. In the 800 meter race Mohit Rai of Jhansi, Kushveer Singh of Haridwar and Krishan of Tiruchi bagged the first, the second and the third ranks. In the high jump, K.S. Ram Murti of Tiruchi won the first place, whereas Hariharan, also of Tiruchi and K. Prakash of Bengaluru got the second position and the third position went to Doda of Bengaluru. In Javelin throw Harbhajan of Haridwar won the top laurel, with Vijay Rawat of Bhopal and Anil Saini trailing behind at the second and the third slots respectively.

In the 400 meter race, the first, the second and the third ranks went to Mohan Prakash of Tiruchi, Hari Haran also from Tiruchi and Raj Kamal of Haridwar respectively. In the 1500 meter race, Mohit Rai of Jhanshi came out with flying colours, followed by Devi Lal of Tiruchi and Shrawan Singh of Haridwar at the two next places. In the 5000 meter race, Mohit Rai of Jhansi won the top accolade, relegating K.K. Krishnan of Tiruchi and C. Vijay Kumar, both from Tiruchi, to the second and the third positions. On the basis of the final tally of the gold, silver and bronze medals, the coveted championship was awarded to Tiruchi unit, while on the basis of individual performance Mohan Kumar of Tiruchi and Mohit Rai of Jhansi were jointly awarded the top honour.

The executive director of the BHEL, Haridwar, D.K. Mody gave away trophy to the winner team and prizes to the individual players who had made their mark in different events. "All the athletes had tried their best to make to the top honours. Those who could not succeed should not feel disheartened," said Mody. On the last day of the championship the horse riders thrilled the spectators by their impressive feats and quest for more.

Me and my machine

Doon student creates robot having emotional intelligence

This robot may not have a Rajnikanth-like image, but the model created by a 17-year-old Doon School student possesses emotional intelligence and can even dish out answers for unexpected questions with the help of the internet. The 3-dimension Robo 'iTalk', an award winning working model, talks in English, lisps like a human and understands human moods of happiness and anger with the help of unique programmed algorithms and a 'software development kit' offered by the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US.

"The iTalk is a robot capable of communication in a manner similar to humans. Technically, his functional construct also emulates the basic blueprint of the human body. By interpreting data in the same manner we do, he is able to emulate human behavioural tendencies," Arjun, a class-12th student at the Doon School, said.

"He (the robot) is an intelligent module, able to take decisions on his own, learning from past experiences," he added. Once developed to an advanced stage, the Robo can be used for interface with children and humans for counselling and other purposes, he said.

The 'iTalk' Robo can distinguish between different humans with an accuracy of 97.68 per cent as it is enabled with a stereoscopic vision and face recognition software.

"The speech analysis software put inside it enables it to differentiate between different pitches and voice samples," Arjun, who displayed his creation during his school's 75th founders day celebrations recently, said. Arjun, who was assisted by his junior Sookrit Malik from class 10th in the project, now plans to take the Robo to international innovation forums and get a larger technical assistance from institutes like the MIT. The students have put an initial investment of Rs 70,000 in the project which was funded by the school.

The 'iTalk' although has no sci-fi movie connection but it bears resemblance to the 2008 Walt Disney produced science fiction film WALL-E, in which the computer is designed to clean up a waste covered Earth sometime in the future, Arjun said. "For each new person it meets, it creates a new profile, logging all information. This allows it to carry out various tasks such as having a conversation, and as soon as it is told something which is not already stored, it logs on to the internet and gets the information and also saves it," he said.

The 'iTalk' stands 2.5-feet tall, has two eyes as webcameras, a speaker for the mouth and a track system for legs.

On a bird's trail

The third Great Himalayan Bird Count was carried out in the state recently when Nut Cracker, a new species, was sighted:

Anjali Nauriyal

The third Great Himalayan Bird Count was carried out recently and already over 70 per cent of the participants have registered for the next count. The new species sighted this time was the Nut Cracker. Participants included those from abroad including from the USA, Singapore and Sri Lanka. Gentlemen Cadets from the Indian Military Academy registered their first entry and have now become permanent partakers. There was encouraging participation from the rural youth and schools from the valley, chiefly the Hope Town Girls' School. The participants, the maximum of whom came in from Mumbai, went on a bird trail to the different river valleys and came back ecstatic about the impact of the natural beauty of Uttarakhand. In other words, everything went off well with the effort, except that the Tourism Department that stands to gain the most from this expedition was conspicuous by its absence.

Their absence was amply made up by the participation of the Forest Department though that is ready to now get into an MOU with Action & Research for Conservation in Himalayas (ARCH) for perpetuity seeing the all round benefit the entire exercise would accrue for the state and its environment concerns. Indeed the efforts of ARCH are now beginning to bear fruit. Just into its third year and ARCH has created a niche for itself in environmental conservation through its impetus to this rare bird movement.

Prateek Panwar, the founder trustee of ARCH, says, "We are proud that ARCH is today a nationally-known organization, working in the field of wildlife conservation involving young minds from rural and urban." The PCCF, Dr. R.B.S. Rawat, who flagged off the bird count 2010, expressed elation at the fact that as many as 122 bird watchers and internationally known ornithologists participated in this initiative. He avers, "Since its very conception, people in great numbers have been travelling from very far off places like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai, Surat, Rajkot, Goa, Chennai, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Punjab to join hands for this novel and unique cause. But with time this small initiative has grown in popularity so huge that this time bird scientists have come from foreign countries as well. This truly augurs well for this amazing movement."

This time the Count was planned on 36 most popular trekking trails situated in the river-valleys of Tons; Yamuna; Bhagirithi; Bhilingna; Ganga; Mandakini and Alaknanda in Garhwal Himalayas including Asan and Jhilmil Jheel Conservation Reserves in Dehradun and Haridwar districts, respectively. During the orientation and briefing seminar, the participants enjoyed interactive sessions with internationally-known bird watcher like Raju Kasambe, National Coordinator, Indian Birds Conservation Network, BNHS, Shyam Ghate, Anil Kunte, Anuj Jain from Singapore, Rima Dhillon and Sarabjeet Kaur who travelled all the way from Singapore.

Sudeep Jugran, who has taken time out from film assignment in Mumbai just to volunteer for this conservation cause, states, "What impresses me about this exercise is the simple fact that many people are coming for the third time, which is indeed unique."

Another highlight of this year's count was the maiden launch of Mobile Bird Recorder in association with ARCH, Dehradun, developed by Phanindra Sarma and Suman Kumar, where this free software application allows birders to record sightings and creates birding lists from field trips. It is a highly integrated platform offering host of user friendly features to birding enthusiasts in the country. It can also be downloaded free. The count involves four days of vigorous field activity including long trekking. The concluding session was presided over by the former chief secretary Dr. R.S. Tolia as the chief guest.

Uttarakhand Crime news November 2010

95 bottles of liquor seized

On Nov. 1, Police seized 95 bottles of liquour from an Uttarakhand transport bus and booked the driver and the conductor under the Excise Act. The bottles of XXX Rum, packed in two bags, were being smuggled to Himachal Pradesh, police said. The seizure was effected when police stopped the bus for routine checking at Paonta. The bags containing the bottles were kept under the seats close to back door of the bus which was on its way from Chandigarh to Haridwar, police said. The driver and the conductor were booked under the Excise Act.

Two held for possessing illegal drugs

Two persons were arrested under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act here and 2200 drug capsules recovered from them, police said today. Gurprit Singh and Sunil Kumar, residents of Sevalankala area, were arrested when the police intercepted their car at Asharori police check-post last evening for routine search and recovered 2200 capsules of drugs from their possession. Investigations revealed that the accused bought the capsules from nearby Saharanpur town in Uttar Pradesh and sold it to college and school students, they said. Further investigations are on to find whether they are involved in a drug-peddling racket, they added.

Attentive always

That is what Mindfulness in Education initiative promises. Dehradun will host a four-day MIE workshop by Shantum Seth from November 15::

Ira Chauhan

You cannot transmit wisdom and insight to another person. The seed is already there. A good teacher touches the seed, allowing it to wake up, to sprout and to grow.

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Shantum Seth is busy in his office in Noida. The phone buzzes. It is a call from California. One of his next batches of Buddhist pilgrims wants to ensure a paparazzi-free spiritual trip to India. Shantum doesn't say much as a calm assurance puts the Hollywood celebrity on the other end of the phone line at ease. The room overlooks a tiny terrace garden. The itinerary on the board shows he's living out of a suitcase but nothing in his countenance suggests stress.

Shantum is living proof of the magic of 'mindfulness'. He is passionately involved in the Mindfulness in Education (MIE) initiative in India. Inspired by Nobel Peace prize nominee Thich Nhat Hanh, he runs the Ahimsa Trust, a voluntary organization that aims to create peace and harmony within oneself, one's family and in the society.

"To bring about a shift in the consciousness of the society, one must start helping the youngsters find peace and happiness within, before looking outwards," states Shantum.

Very soon Dehradun will be a landmark for the Ahimsa Trust as the organization is developing a Mindfulness Practice Centre. The centre will be an educational, spiritual and socio-ecological centre at a beautiful four-acre site in Rajpur village.

But its Dehradun connection goes further as the Ahimsa Trust in collaboration with The Doon School will be holding a Mindfulness in Education Workshop/retreat in Dehradun from November 15 to 18. The workshop will focus on equipping educators with very simple and doable practices to handle everyday classroom situations and introduce their students to 'mindful' ways. The workshop will include practices, techniques and exercises to reduce stress, maintain good communication, relaxation, mindful consumption, talks, group discussions and question and answer sessions and guided meditations. Teachers from schools all over India will be attending the workshop.

The best of our schools today cater to the market of a consumerist world and churn out intellectual giants but moral and emotional pygmies. They focus on analytical processes; memorizing information and deduction. It appalls one to think that our academic system ruthlessly kills the soul of the child in the guise of learning! There is hardly any space left for original thought and creativity or even involvement in what they are learning. It is just about finishing off the syllabus in the prescribed time.

The role of the teacher is fast changing in today's world where all the information a student needs is available at the click of a mouse. While the Intelligence quotient (IQ) is very important, the teacher must assist with enhancing the Emotional quotient (EQ) or social emotional learning (SEL) of the pupil. The irony of modern day teaching is that students are asked to 'pay attention' but unfortunately no one tells them how!

The practice of mindfulness teaches students how to pay attention as it creates an environment where the students benefit academically, socially and emotionally and the teachers, too, thrive professionally and personally very much like their students!

Mindfulness is the energy of being aware and awake to the present moment. It is increasingly being seen as an essential educational tool. Though Mindfulness in Education (MIE) is based on the tenets of Buddhist interpretations of Thich Nhat Hanh, it is a spiritual practice not to be confused with religious or Buddhist practices. Years of scientific research and practice have proved mindfulness to be a potent and enduring instrument for optimizing one's academic, creative and physical potential, enriching social and emotional interaction, and increasing understanding, compassion and self-awareness.

November 2010 Uttarakhand news

Minister sustains injuries

State’s Cabinet Minister Matbar Singh Kandari was injured when he was hit by a boulder in Sirobagad area in Rudraprayag district, official sources said. The incident happened last Sunday when the Irrigation Minister was returning home after attending a function at Guptkashi, they said. On the way, he got down from his vehicle to see the condition of the road when a boulder fell from a hill-top and hit him. He was admitted to a hospital in Rudraprayag where his condition was stated to be stable.

12 hurt in clash

At least 12 people were injured in a clash between supporters of a Congress MLA and a BJP leader here, sparking tension in the area. The violence broke out after supporters of MLA Tilakraj Behad and BJP leader Rajesh Shukla had heated arguments over control of Bhadaipura Ramlila committee, police said. Both the groups pelted stones at each other in which 12 were injured, they said A large posse of policemen were deployed in the area where tension ran high, police said. The injured were admitted to a hospital.

A green crusade

Uttarakhand Chief Minister pitches for compensation for preserving eco-system:

Ahead of a crucial meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) on November 1 in New Delhi, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said Uttarakhand must be adequately compensated for preserving the rich eco-system of the Himalayan region.

"We will not construct a single project provided we get adequate compensation for preserving the rich eco-system of this vast Himalayan region. This eco-system is not only crucial for our country but for the whole world," Nishank told PTI in an interview.

He also reiterated the demand for 2,000 MW of free power in lieu of the three hydel projects - 600 MW Loharinag Pala, 480 MW Pala Maneri and 381 MW Bhaironghati in Uttarkashi district - which were scrapped by a group of ministers headed by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee this year. While NTPC has already been assured of a compensation of Rs 650 crore for the Loharinag Pala project, Uttarakhand is yet to receive compensation for its two projects - Pala Maneri and Bhaironghati. Stating that his government wanted to maintain an uninterrupted flow of the Ganga, Nishank, however said he was open to setting up small hydel projects instead of big ones on the river. Nishank has also sought from the Centre allocation of coal blocks for the hill state in order to set up thermal power plants. The NGRBA was set up in February 2009 with the aim of conserving river Ganga and cleansing it of pollution with a holistic approach. The Centre has also proposed to declare a 135 km-long zone between Gomukh and Uttarkashi on the Ganga as an eco-sensitive zone.

When asked to comment on a recent letter from Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh asking the state government to stop the 24.3 MW Bhyundar Ganga hydropower project in order to save the famous Valley of Flowers situated in Chamoli district of the Garhwal region, Nishank said his government was not in favour of scrapping the project. "We want to hold talks with the Centre on the issue," he said. Ramesh had expressed concern over the project saying it will destroy the serenity, splendor and richness of the Valley of Flowers, which has been endowed with the status of a world heritage site. He had cited concerns raised by environmentalist Chandi Prasad Bhatt against the project and reminded the state government that similar concerns had also been expressed in the past by late Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.

135 km stretch of Ganga in Uttarakhand gets green shield

The central government has declared a 135 km stretch of the Ganga river from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand an eco-sensitive zone, Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh said Tuesday. The decision was taken in the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday.

"The NGRBA gave in principle approval under section (3) of the Environment Protection Act (EPA) of 1986 to declare the 135 km stretch from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi as eco-sensitive zone," said Ramesh. The NGRBA is a planning, financing, monitoring and coordinating body of the central government and the states. The objective of the NGRBA is to check pollution and conserve the Ganga through comprehensive planning and management. "The NGRBA ratified a decision to abandon three hydel power projects - Loharinag Pala, Bhairon Ghati, and Pala Maneri - in Uttarakhand," he said.

Nothing filmy about it

Anupam Kher wants to set up acting school in the Uttarakhand::

Film actor Anupam Kher met Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and expressed his desire to set up an international acting school in the state. During their meeting at Nishank's official residence, Kher told him that he wanted to open his sixth international acting school in Uttarakhand as he had found the place very beautiful and full of budding talents, said an official release. Kher said he had already set up five international acting schools which are running successfully in India as well as abroad.

During the talks, Nishank asked Kher to conduct a national-level acting workshop in the state, to which the actor immediately agreed. Nishank said his government was committed to providing all possible support for promotion of film industry in the state. He said natural and scenic beauty is abundant in Uttarakhand and can provide good locations for film shootings for filmmakers.

Ten years of success

On November 9, Uttarakhand celebrated ten years of its creation. P.S. Chauhan lists five factors which have made Dev Bhoomi a land of opportunities:

The air was replete with gaiety and excitement, as the entire state geared up to celebrate its 10th anniversary on November 9. But as the state is still recovering from the recent havoc wreaked by unprecedented rains and floods, the celebrations this year was marked by simplicity and austerity coupled with dignity in consonance to the dignity of the occasion. The region, even before the creation of the state in 2000, has been a world famous destination of pilgrimage, tourism and education. However, during the last 10 years the region has taken big strides towards progress and development, while retaining its basic traditional features. The five key drivers have taken the state to new heights.

COME TO MY STATE

Pilgrimage and tourism still continue to be the main pillar of strength of the state. Haridwar has always been attracting hordes of pilgrims from all over the world for a dip of redemption in the Ganga, while Rishikesh is a preferred destination for yoga and meditation. Lakhs of devotees, from across the country and the world, participate every year in the Char Dham Yatra, one of the biggest yatra circuit in the world, to pay obeisance at the holy shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. Besides this, the dargah of the sufi saint, Sabir Sahib at Piran Kaliyar near Roorkee is one of the most revered places for the Muslims, whereas the Hemkund Sahib is frequented by a large number of devout Sikhs every year. After the creation of the state the 34 kilometer stretch on the Ganga from Rishikesh to Kaudiala has emerged as a big hub of water sports, including white water rafting, canoeing and kyaking. The recent meteoric rise of Baba Ramdev of Haridwar as yoga guru has suddenly has catapulted the holy city as a global hub of yoga tourism. The state was adjudged as "the best tourism destination in the country" by central government in 2005, while Haridwar was accorded in 2006 the coveted honour of being the best religious centre.

POWER POINT

The third key driver, which has accelerated the development of the state, is the power generation capacity of the state. Being the origin of the rivers like the Ganga and the Yamuna, the state holds out immense possibilities for generation of hydro electricity. With the Chilla Power Project, Vishnu Prayag Project, Dhauli Ganga Project, Tons River Project, Ram Ganga Project and, above all, the gigantic Tehri Dam, the highest in Asia, the state may well become Urja Pradesh (energy state), if the full potential of the water resourced are tapped. A recent development on the power front is the declaration of the 135 kilometer stretch from Gangotri to Uttarkashi as eco sensitive zone and winding up of the Bhairon Ghati, Pala Maneri and Lohari Nagpala hydro electric projects by the Ganga River Basin Authority headed by the Prime Minister. "To compensate this loss the state has now to explore the option of setting up small hydro projects," says the chief minister, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.

NATURE'S BOUNTY

Nature has most beneficently endowed the state with forest wealth, including an amazing variety of flora, fauna and avifauna. There are six national parks, including the famed Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve and Nanda Devi National Park and the Valley of Flowers, which have now been declared as the "world heritage sites" and six wildlife sanctuaries for the conservation of bio-diversity. These parks attract lakhs of wild life enthusiasts and lovers of nature every year. The central planning commission has this year ranked Uttarakhand at the first place among the states for their efforts towards environment conservation.

CENTRE OF EDUCATION

Another factor which is contributing to the development of the region is its network of excellent educational institutions. Thompson College of Engineering, Roorkee, set up in 1847, which is the oldest technical institution of Asia, was integrated into the IIT network of the country just after the creation of the state. If the IIT Roorkee is doing pride to the state in the field of modern technical education, the Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar, established in 1902, is a premier institute for higher studies and research in oriental studies and the G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Rudrapur is a centre of excellence in the field of agriculture science. A number of other universities, such as the Petroleum University, Dehradun, the Doon University, Dehradun, the Uttarakhand Sanskrit University, Haridwar and Patanjali University of Yoga and Ayurveda, Haridwar, which have been set up during recent past, are taking the state to new heights. Public schools, such as the Doon School and the Wellham's School of Dehradun, Sherwood of Nainital and Woodstock of Mussoorie provide world class education.

INDUSTRIAL HUB

The Central Industrial Package (CIP), announced by the centre in 2003, gave a tremendous boost to industrialization in the state. About 300 national and multinational companies, including such industrial giants as the Hero Honda, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hindustan Unilever, the ITC, the Birla Tyres, the Tata Motors, the Asai Glass, the Kirby and the Patanjali Food Park, have set up their units at Haridwar, Dehradun and Udham Singh Nagar districts with an estimated investment of about Rs. 20,000 crores, providing direct and indirect employment to nearly 3 lakhs people. Though the time limit of the CIP, which included several tax concessions, expired on March 31, the state continues to hold charm for the entrepreneurs. "The Central Industrial Package was only a booster dose. It has served its purpose. If the state government continues to follow industry friendly policies and provides required infrastructure, such as the rail and road connectivity and regular supply of electricity, the momentum of industrial growth will continue," asserts Harendra Garg, the president of the Regional Industries Association (Garhwal region).

The last but not the least, the credit of the forward march of the state, as Padamshree Khalid Zaheer of the BHEL aptly puts it, "goes to its brave people, to their tireless efforts and fortitude and their capacity to turn every challenge into an opportunity.

FM radio station Uttarakhand

The popularity of Radio Khushi-Gungunate Raho, the region's first FM radio station, is growing by the day::

Ruchi Pradhan Datta

The world is zipping ahead with snazzy phones, I-pods, social networking sites like Face book, Twitter, etc. Yet all this techno-paraphernalia has not been able to usurp the magic of the good old radio as is evident with the soaring popularity of Radio Khushi-Gungunate Raho, the region's first FM radio station.

Broadcast on 90.4 MHz, what makes the station so special is not just the fact that it is the first FM station in the Garhwal Mandal region, but that the station has been established by Guru Nanak Fifth Centenary School, Vincent Hill, Mussoorie, and is operated by its students.

"The station was launched in April 2010 with a broadcast time of five hours, but on popular demand it has been extended to eight hours within a short span of time. Now it is on air daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.," informs Arjun Kainturia, Station Director.

Being a community radio station, along with the regular dose of entertainment and daily weather updates, the station raises socially relevant issues; presents programmes on current affairs; concerns related to young people as well as interviews with well-known personalities of the Dehradun-Mussoorie belt. The programmes are hosted mostly by the students who are trained and guided by professions radio jockeys, prominent among them being the Programming Head of the station, Nupur Karanwal. Even young talents in various fields like singing, playing various musical instruments are encouraged to showcase their talent.

The channel can be heard in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and parts of Western Uttar Pradesh and is especially popular in Dehradun, Mussoorie, Rishikesh and Haridwar. The school authorities believe that this initiative will inculcate self-confidence, enhance creativity and augment awareness about media-related professions among the students. In fact, so popular are some of the student RJs like Anuroop Sandhu, Nizan Ahmed, Shivani Sharma and Ritika Chaddha that they have already cultivated a steady fan-following and are contemplating taking anchoring/radio jockeying as a full time profession. Little Rehan Bhutani, a student of class I, has been immensely appreciated for his beautiful presentation of moral thoughts. Young engineer Nikita Kumari, a Radio Khushi loyalist from Dehradun, opines that the primary reason for the channel's success is the freshness brought in by the young school students. "We are not subjected to the constant yakking of the professional RJs and it is a pleasure to listen to bright, new voices, who are not governed by pre-determined notions of what a radio-jockey should be like," she reveals. While it is the chirpy voices that enchant Nikita, for student Aman Nautiyal, it is the content of the programmes that draws his attention. "Alongside the Hindi and English programmes, there are broadcasts in Garhwali, Kumaoni, Punjabi, Jaunpuri et al, making it truly multi-linguistic experience," he observes.

Owing to the popularity of the channel, the school plans to soon increase the broadcast time to round the clock as well as impart training to school students in the Dehradun-Mussoorie area.

"It is the amalgamation of youthful and innovative ideas of the young presenters along with the cultural and community-oriented content of the programmes, which break away from the mundane routines generally associated with radio channels. This happy mix is the USP of Radio Khushi, resulting in its phenomenal success," concludes Lecturer Madhu Parmar.

At A Glance: October 2010

Employees to get ex-gratia

State government has announced an ex-gratia for employees working in various government-owned corporations on the lines of state government employees. Issuing a government order to this effect government has said that corporations would have the final say to decide the amount of ex-gratia to be paid to the employees according to their finanical position, officials said. Around 40,000 employees working in various government-owned corporations would be benefitted by this move.

IMA celebrates 63rd Infantry Day

On Indian Military Academy celebrated 63rd Infantry Day to mark the successful eviction of Pakistani invaders by Indian Army from Jammu and Kashmir in 1947.

IMA Commandant, Lt Gen R S Sujlana laid the wreath at Lal Gate War Memorial in Garhi Cantt area in the presence of several retired and serving army officers. A two-minute silence was also observed in the memory of those, who laid down their lives for the cause.

SAF Winter Games in Dehradun

SAF Winter Games will be held from January 7 to 12 in Auli and January 14 to 19 in Dehradun::

Anjali Nauriyal

The first ever South Asian Federation (SAF) Winter Games are now scheduled to be held in two slots in Auli and Dehradun in January 2011. Though the preparations for the games are far from complete, the authorities are confident that all will be in place in time. It may be recalled that the event has been cancelled three times in the past. And a whopping amount of Rs 110 crore has been already spent on the event. The Winter Games Federation of India has announced new dates for the event - January 7 to 12 in Auli and January 14 to 19 in Dehradun.

According to Brig. S.S. Patwal (retd), President, WGFI, "Our preparations are well in place and the indoor stadium in Doon will be the venue for ice hockey." He informed that as many as eight South Asian countries are likely to participate. And the major events would include speed skating, figure skating, ice skating and many more. Majority of the events would be held in the city, while events requiring ski slopes would be held in Auli. Patwal expresses confidence that the Winter Games 2011 will work as the launching pad for future winter sports in Uttarakhand and will attract a large number of sports persons and tourists from India and abroad. Grand opening and closing ceremonies have already been planned. A winter sports team for participating in forthcoming 7th Asian Winter Games to be held in Kazakhstan would also be selected shortly.

Patwal was addressing the first WGFI's Technical Committee Members' meeting at the Ice Skating Rink after having taken over as the president. He further said that the games would open up many avenues in sports providing employment opportunities to the youth of the state.

A state-of-the-art skiing infrastructure, which includes homologated ski slopes with artificial snow making system, has been developed in Auli. Similarly an Ice Skating Rink has been constructed in Dehradun.

Bharal, the Himalayan Blue Sheep, has been chosen as the mascot of the Winter Games, keeping in view its agility, strength, sure-footedness and adaptability for survival in high altitudes.

Jumbo efforts

Elephant hit by train, rescued in Uttarkhand::

A rescue operation on a wild elephant was carried out successfully in Tanda Range forest in Uttarakhand. A team of veterinary doctors from the G. B. Pant University and Corbett Tiger Reserve along with the Tarai Central Forest Division rescued a tusker hit by a speeding train which fractured its leg. Forest officials took over three hours to control the elephant by tranquilizing it. For the first time, an X-ray machine was used in a forest rescue mission.

"It is for the first time in the country that an operation was carried using X-ray machine in forest area. This is also the biggest operation carried out on an elephant since the time it was named as a national heritage animal. We are hoping that the elephant continues to live a healthy life," said Parag Madhugar, Divisional Forest Officer, Tarai Central Forest Division. Gautam Bhalla, a veterinary doctor at Corbett National Park, said he was happy with the way the rescue was carried out. "I feel this is a very successful attempt and it was a joint operation along with Forest Department along with human medical facilities, veterinary facilities, all from G. B. Pant University and Corbett Tiger Reserve," said Bhalla. "It was quite difficult because we did not know what was the condition of the animal, to what was prevailing in the animal. Definitely, a train hit him but we could not have a proper diagnosis. It took us a long time to conduct the operation," he added. The Tarai Central Forest Division is also planning to take action against the train driver who was responsible for hitting the elephant.

A traumatic story

CAG criticises U'khand govt on non-functioning trauma centre::

A trauma care unit in Uttarakhand set up to provide life-saving treatment to victims of road accidents remains non-functional even after being constructed at a cost of Rs 1.49 crore, defeating the purpose for which it was built, a recent CAG report has said. Due to non-functioning of the trauma unit in the accident-prone Gopeshear town of Chamoli district, 1,072 accident victims had to be referred to considerably distant places like Srinagar town in the state, which is a 4 hour-drive away, and Dehra Dun, a 7 hour-drive away, putting them at high risk, said the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). The construction of the trauma care unit took more than 3 years against the stipulated time of one year due to inability of the health department in handing over land to the state's Peyjal Nigam, the executing agency, and then the slow progress of work by it.

The proposal for creation of 23 posts, including those of a Neuro Surgeon and an Orthopaedic surgeon, was also awaiting approval from the Director General Health as on March 2009, the report said. The Centre had provided financial assistance of Rs 1.50 crore to the Uttarakhand government in 2004 for upgradation and strengthening of emergency facilities in government hospitals located on national highways. In 2005, the state government released Rs 58.60 lakh for construction of the trauma centre in Gopeshwar and Rs 90 lakh for purchase of equipment. However, the CAG report stated that the trauma care unit lacked critical infrastructure for emergencies, such as CAT scan to diagnose head injuries, a diagnostic laboratory and intensive care unit for critical victims among various other facilities. The procurement of equipment was still in process till July 2009. The two available ambulances for shifting patients were not provided with life-saving equipment. The control room and communication system to facilitate quick release of information regarding accidents and other major emergencies was not established, the report said. "Due to the apparent debilities, the trauma care unit could not be made functional, yet it was inaugurated by the Chief Minister for public use in February 2009," the report said. It said the CMS of the hospital had admitted that the trauma care unit could not be made operational and accident cases were being referred to Srinagar town and Dehra Dun.

"The delayed construction of the trauma care unit without specialist care defeated the very purpose of providing immediate treatment to victims within the first hour of the accident, crucial in saving their lives," the report said.

For a green planet

Last week IIT Roorkee hosted Indo-Italian Workshop on impact of climate change in the region::

P.S. Chauhan

A three-day Indo-Italian workshop on 'Impact of climate change and anthropogenic activities on soil and water resources' was held at IIT Roorkee. The workshop was organised by the department of hydrology in association with the institute of environmental geology and geo engineering Rome, Italy, the Italian embassy, New Delhi and the ministry of water resources, New Delhi. The patron of the organising committee of the workshop and director of the IIT, Roorkee, Dr. S.C. Saxena said that the objective of the workshop was to evaluate the current status and progress achieved so far in handling multi disciplinary issues within the framework of global and national policies of climate change. The researchers representing research institutes under the Italian Research Council and academic institutes of Italy and the researchers and policy makers of the Indian government organizations and the experts from the educational research institutions, including the Indian Institute Of Science, Bengaluru, the ministry of water resources and the various IITs took part in the deliberations.

Inaugurating the workshop G. Mohan Kumar, the additional secretary, the ministry of water resources, govt. of India shared information about the policy frame work of govt. of India to assess and combat the issue of impact of climate change. Professor R.D. Singh, the director of the National Institute Of Hydrology, Roorkee, who delivered the valedictory address, said that anthropogenic activities such as agriculture, urbanisation, deforestation etc., were leading to wide spread deterioration in soil structure resulting in reduced rates of infiltration and consequent increase and runoff in the form of floods and decreasing ground water.

The experts said that one of the most important and immediate impact of global warming would be the changes in local and regional water availability and its quality, since the climate system is interactive with the hydrological cycle. "The impact of climate changes, in turn, will influence the water supply system, food production, power generation, soil erosion and deposition and eco-system conservation. These effects need to be evaluated as early as possible because of the great socio economic importance of water and other natural resources," said the experts. The workshop recommended that a major thrust should be to put on R&D activities in various identified areas related to climate change and its impact on soil and water resources. The workshop also recommended to promote team efforts in collaborative research at national and international levels. The workshop passed a resolution to set up a joint Indo-Italian forum or centre having focus on water, climate change and human and institutional capacity building duly recognized under the prevailing norms of both the Indian and Italian governments. Another resolution emphasized on knowledge sharing on topics of mutual interest and initiate the process of establishment of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between selected institutions. It was also resolved that activities like the present workshop be undertaken on a regular basis under the umbrella of the government support of both the countries.

Nirmal Ganga Abhiyan launched

Campaign aims to create awareness on Ganga cleanliness::

P.S. Chatham

The director general of the state police (DGP), Jyoti Swaroop Pandey flagged off the Nirmal Ganga Pravah-2010 campaign from the Ganga ghat at Haridwar. A number of boats, carrying 100 police personnel from Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh and representatives of the participating NGOs, will cover the 1500 kilometer stretch on the Ganga from Haridwar to Patna in next 27 days. During these days programmes relating to environment, cleaning the Ganga and tourism promotion will be organised at 27 places. The jawans and the officials of the police are being accompanied by the personnel from the ITBP, the CRPF, the BSF, Nehru Yuva Kendra, the U.P. Nauka Sangh, the Sports Directorate, the Rafting and the Kyaking Association, the State Olympic Association etc. The main objective of the campaign is to disseminate information about environment protection and saving the Ganga. During the campaign efforts will also be made to find out new destinations for adventure sports and tourism. The first phase of the compaign will end at Balawali in Haridwar district of Uttarakhand.

Speaking on the occasion of the flagging off the campaign, the DGP said that the objective of the journey on the Ganga upto Patna was to enlist public participation. "Be it crime or any social issue, it is difficult to deal with them without people's involvement. The campaign has been launched for the cleanliness of the Ganga. It will send a good message across the country", said the DGP. "The aim of the campaign is to create environmental awareness and tourism promotion. Wherever we shall stay during the campaign, we shall hold painting competitions, poetic contests and seminars involving the youths in order to connect them with Maa Ganga. The coverage of the entire event through the media will create mass awareness", said Aditya Mishra, the inspector general of police of U.P. and co-ordinator of the campaign. Swami Achutyanand Teerth, Bhooma Peethadheeshwar said that the Ganga was the life line of the country. "If Indian civilization is to be saved, the Ganga has to be saved. The sant community should come out in a big way to save the holy river", he exhorted.

The nodal officer of the campaign in Uttarakhand and D.I.G. of the P.A.C., Alok Kumar Sharma, the district magistrate, R. Meenakshi Sundaram, the S.S.P., Sanjay Gunjyal, many V.I.P.s and the representatives of the sant community and the social organizations were present when the campaign took off from the Ganga ghat in Haridwar.

Afghan team visits to study agri techniques

A team of farmers and officials from Afghanistan are on a visit to the Pantnagar Agriculture University here to explore new agricultural techniques. The 20-member team, which arrived in India last week, was informed about the new techniques and crop varieties developed by the university to increase agri production, University Vice-Chancellor B S Bisht said.

An agricultural official from Kandahar, Sayed Mohammad Kabir, said "the university has developed modern agricultural techniques. We will adopt these techniques in our country to make our nation prosperous." The visiting Afghan farmers also discussed ways to grow sugarcane, as the country at present does not grow the crop. The team would also visit Kashipur, Jeolikot, Haldwani and Nainital in this connection. Bisht said a team from the university had recently visited Afghanistan.

Rafting in Uttarakhand

Government policies and unprecedented floods have taken a heavy toll on rafting industry::

P.S. Chauhan

Under normal circumstances this time of year is a boom time for the rafting companies in Rishikesh-Kaudiala eco-tourism zone. As each year in October rafting season begins and hordes of water sports lovers flock to the temple city of Rishikesh to feel the thrill of white water rafting and other water sports. However, this time it is a different story altogether and the entrepreneurs engaged in rafting business are a worried lot. Besides prolonged bickering between the state government and the rafting companies, the unprecedented natural disasters have made the 'unkindest cut' on the adventure tourism activity of the state.

With clear foamy water, serene environment and the quality of gradients, the 34 kilometer stretch on the Ganga near Rishikesh offers some of the best rapids in the world and so it has emerged as one of the most preferred destinations for water sports enthusiasts. Though water sports, such as rafting, canoeing and kayaking, started in the region in the 1990s, these sports took the shape of a business activity in 2000 after the formation of the state. Today, rafting has taken the form of a big industry, with 109 rafting companies, including some big players like Snow Leopard, Mercury Himalayan Exploration, Outdoor Adventure India and Rino Expedition, with an estimated business of about Rs.40 crore per annum.

Deepak Bhatt, the president of the Sahasik Paryatan Sangharsh Samiti (SPSS), the association of all the rafting companies operating in the region, says that the policies of the government are adversely hitting adventure tourism in the state. "There is no permanent policy for issuing rafting licenses and for allotment of campsites at banks of the rivers. The licenses are renewed every year by the tourism department after inspection and the campsites are also allotted on yearly basis by the forest department. This creates uncertainty. We cannot develop the banks properly, since we are not sure which bank will be allotted to which company. The licensee should be granted and campsites should also be allotted for 5 or 10 years, so that there is continuity in our business," says Bhatt. To make the matters worse the state government has now imposed 20 per cent entertainment tax on the adventure tourists. "Rafting is not an entertainment industry. This tax is not levied on rafting in any other state of the country," says Dinesh Kathait, the secretary of the SPSS. The sources say that rafting companies are now considering the option of going to the court against the imposition of the entertainment tax on the rafters.

As things stand today, the rafting companies have to deal with the tourism department, the forest department and the entertainment tax department to run their activities. "Dealing with so many agencies create problems and unnecessary delay. There must be a single window system at the government level for the rafting industry," says Manjul Rawat, who runs a rafting company. The rafting companies are also opposing a proposal of the state government to auction the campsites to the highest bidders. The government authorities say that the rafting companies are earning crores of rupees every year, but the state government gets only a very little share out of it. However, the rafting companies reject this argument given by the government to justify the auction of the banks to the highest bidders. "The auction of banks to the highest bidders will open the gateway for the mafia and the outside players. If this is done, the interests of the local entrepreneurs will suffer," says Dinesh Kathait. It view of the strong protest by the rafting companies the proposal has been shelved for the time being and status quo is being maintained. However, the forest department has hiked rent of the camp sites by three times. "Since rafting companies have hiked the fares they realize from the rafters, the upward revision of the rent of the camp sites was over due," says R.D. Pathak, the divisional forest officer of Narendra Nagar forest division, who looks after the camp sites in this eco-tourism zone.

Last month the government appointed a high power committee under the chairmanship of the forests and rural development commissioner of the state to formulate a rafting policy. The committee consists of representatives of finance, tourism, forests and revenue department. "We, as stake holders in the rafting business, should also be included in the committee. Without our representatives, the recommendations of the committee will not serve the required purpose," says Deepak Bhatt.

Here rafting season starts in September and continues upto June. Due to floods the level of water in the Ganga throughout September is too high to do any sort of rafting. The banks and roads are also damaged. The rafting companies hoped to have boom time in September and October due to the Common Wealth Games in Delhi in October, but nature fury dashed all their great expectations, as most of the water sports lovers turned towards Himachal Pradesh. Their licenses have now been renewed and the roads and the banks are in the process of being repaired. But by the end of October, the influx of tourists dwindles and now it is only after March that water sports activities will pick up here. It may well prove to be an year of losses for rafting business.

Schooled in Doon

Sanyukta Timsina, Nepalese beauty queen who is participating in the Miss International currently being held in China, gives credit to her alma mater Welham Gilrs' School for making her the person that she is today::

Sudeshna Sarkar

Miss Nepal Sanyukta Timsina, who will participate in Miss International soon, has a strong affinity with the city as she spent her formative years in Welham Girls' School. She has another strong association with India as she also studied in the Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) which is also know as the Indian School in Kathmandu. And according to the beauty queen, her stint at these two premier institutes helped her become the first runner-up at the Miss Nepal 2010 contest.

"Welham, my school, developed my personality," says the 19-year-old, who has left for China recently to take part in the grooming and other activities that will lead to the Miss International 2010 finale in Chengdu city on November 7.

"It improved my oratory skills. Other extracurricular activities that I learnt here like yoga, social service and even karate gave added dimensions to my personality," states Sanyukta.

The daughter of a senior police official, the young woman says when she took part in the Miss Nepal contest last month, Kendriya Vidyalaya, where she did her Plus II, rallied round her. "There was an SMS voting system and the school asked its students to vote for me," Sanjukta says with a smile, adding, "Lots of people from KV voted for me and my Welham friends called me, some of them after two years, hoping I would be Miss Nepal."

Though the crown went to Kathmandu girl Sadichha Shrestha, Sanjukta, the first runner-up, is hoping to do Nepal proud in the China pageant.