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July 6, 2018

Mussoorie. Queen of Hills witnessed a star-studded evening at a gala event held at the Grand Ballroom of the Savoy Hotel, Mussoorie. Twelve young ladies from Delhi, Dehradun, Mussoorie, Haridwar walked down the ramp with stars in their eyes to win the coveted Miss Eva Uttarakhand, India 2018 crown.

The 2^nd Edition of Eva India 2018, State Level audition was a day event, with twelve finalists making it to the final round from where three were chosen. The final contestant will go onto to represent the State at the Grand India Miss Eva Contestant to be held in December this year. The first of it kind event at the hotel was an attempt to revive the golden era, when “Mussoorie was the Queen of Resorts and the hotel, the resort of Kings,” as many old-timers would put it.

“The Grand Ballroom of the Savoy Hotel is not new to such beauty pageants. Up until the 1990’s Miss May, Miss June, Miss Summer Queen and when they ran out names, Jungle Queen were held under its crystal chandeliers adding grander with something of the old and something of the new,” said Prof Ganesh Saili, chief of jury.

In continuation of the legacy left behind from Savoy’s past, General Manager, Amit Kumar briefs us: “This is the first of its kind event after the hotel was renovated and opened with complete fanfare on June 1^st , 2013 and we hope that we are able to carry on this tradition which gave Savoy a niche over other properties.”

The one amongst the lucky twelve who out-shone the others and walked away with the crown and sash was Doon girl Smeeksha who won prizes worth five lakhs and a contract with Eva, 1^st runner up was Ameesha again from Dehradun while Mussoorie’s Shania Mary O’Connor was the 2^nd runner up who signed off saying, “No dream is too small to be achieved.”

Survey completed for Kichha-Khatima new railway line

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July 6, 2018

Ashish Dobhal/Tania Saili

Dehradun, Survey work of new location for the construction of Kichha-Khatima new railway line has been completed. DPR for the 51.48 km railway line to be constructed at a cost of Rs 165.67 crores will be prepared by North Eastern Railway soon. In this regard, a meeting between the Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh and General Manager, North Eastern Railway, Rajiv Aggarwal.

It was also decided in the meeting that the North Eastern Railway will construct a RUB (Railway Under Bridge) at Lalkua-Kathgodam line and Kashipur town. Uttarakhand will also bear some part of the expenditure to be incurred on this. Apart from this, a RUB will be constructed at Khatima-Bunbasa railway line too.

It was also discussed in the meeting that the arriage of grains from FCI godowns in Rudrapur, Kashipur and Bajpur should be done through rail. Chief Secretary has requested the GM North Eastern Railway for starting Corbett Special Train between Ramnagar and Delhi and Dehradun-Kathgodam Intercity Train. GM assured that soon a techno-feasibility study will be done for this.

Dip in Chardham pilgrims as monsoon sets in

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July 6, 2018

“Not until mid-September or October,” says Urmila Rawat, a teacher who lives in Dharampur, Dehradun who was thinking of heading into the hills for the cherished Chardham Yatra. “Don’t trust the hills, especially if there’s thunder, lightning and rain,” She tells me. It is something she had always heard.

Further afield, at Rishikesh, Biometric Officer Premanand, has finally got a break from a tough schedule. ‘ No sooner had the Yatra season begun, we hardly had time to breathe. It seemed as if everyone was heading to the hills. But no sooner did the first clouds appear signalling the onset of the monsoon, the number of pilgrims is down by some eighty percent.“

This year Uttarakhand’s Chardham Yatra has shattered all previous records as far as the number of pilgrims registering themselves is concerned. Perhaps the rains evoke memories of the June 2013 Kedarnath tragedy. It seems to be on the minds of every visitor. A sudden dip in the numbers is a sad reminder of that public memory is not all that short.

When the signs of that disaster were visible all around, in good weather, people seemed to have forgotten the bad days. But the moment a few wisps of cloud herald rain, the exodus begins as visitor exit these sub-montane river valleys to head to the safety of home and hearth.

Needless to say, for over a month now, the State Machinery has been gearing up to face any eventuality, working on war footing. With hourly weather updates from the Meteorological Department, emergency services on standby, numerous JCBs clearing landslides, landslips and roadblocks in a matter of few hours. In the Meantime, State Disaster Relief Force teams have been stationed at thirty one places in the State, and leaves of field employees cancelled until mid-September. Seventy Four satellite telephones have been handed out by disaster management, if need arises. Yet, pilgrims remain skeptical, not wanting to risk a Yatra during the monsoon.

Dehradun gears up to celebrate HH The Dalai Lama’s 83rd birthday

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July 5, 2018

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In 1959, His Holiness The Dalai Lama arrived in Mussoorie’s Birla House, Happy Valley. The first Tibetan settlement came up here and since then, in his wake followed some 11,000 Tibetans who have made Doon and its environ their home. As the ‘Man in Maroon‘ reaches the 83rd summer of his life tomorrow, his family in exile, be it monks, nuns, students, young and old will join in spirit to celebrate the life of their beloved Guru as he turns a year older.

For over 70 years and more, the valley, Mussoorie and its umpteen Tibetan establishments have held a special place in the heart and mind of the XIV Dalai Lama, who visits the region more often than naught.

It will be for the first time ever, Dekyiling youth under the patronage of Doon Buddhist Committee will be organising a program in Dehradun where the Tibetan community will turn out in their fineries to partake in a two hour celebrations with cake cutting, yak dance, snow lion dance including a special prayer for world peace and harmony at the Pacific Mall, Dehradun from 3:45 p.m. onwards tomorrow.

Talking to Newspost, Sherin Luding informs us, “Each year we celebrate His Holiness’s birthday in our homes and community and settlements. It is a very special day in our lives. This year what is different is that for the very first time, we shall be ringing in the birthday in public.’ What’s the special reason for making an exception this year? I ask. “His Holiness is an apostle of peace and universal brotherhood. We want to take his message to all. What better time, than on his birthday.”

While the world prays for the long, healthy life of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, we are no different, for it was in our neck of the woods, that he set-up his first ‘home-away-from home’ after an epic fifteen-day long trek from Lhasa, Tibet to Birla House, Mussoorie, India.

Gati, for a cleaner and better tomorrow

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July 4, 2018

An extensive three day field study by Abhishek Singh, Bhaskar Tripathi and Pyare Lal part of the Gati Foundation Team along the 32 kilometre Dehradun-Mussoorie road of over sixty Maggi Points, threw up some startling facts.

As part of the Gati agenda, the audit was pegged around the legal concept of Extended Producer Responsibility which is an integral part of the Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016.

The reports show how Maggi sales, per day, during peak-business was a staggering 31.7%. The sale of the yellow plastic wrapped maggi was highest in the summer month of June with a sudden dip in the wet and gloomy month of August, when tourists visiting the area are at an all time low.

What is even more alarming is the fact that 55% shopkeepers said that they burnt empty packets to dispose them off while a mere 15% disposed off the garbage on the garbage collection vehicle. Why none of the shopkeepers were using larger Maggi packets? Many would ask, to decrease plastic waste! A whopping 51.7% blamed distributors failing to provide them with the larger variant of the popular product.

Research and policy-oriented Gati Foundation has been working on war-footing with its growing numbers of members and volunteers in the field of environmental policy and regulations, sustainable mountain development, urban governance and public health. To implement proper collection of plastic waste and its disposal being on the top of their agenda.

Taking to Newspost, Director, Anoop Nautiyal stated, “Our mountains are facing a great environmental risk due to the easy to handle and small sized Maggi packets and sundry other similar products. Influx of tourists is worsening waste management scenario. Absence of any proper mechanism for collection and disposal of waste is resulting in parallel mountains of plastic waste.”

Taking the matter up with people concerned authorities, Gati Foundation will be submitting a formal report of their findings with Nestle Pepsi Patel Agro, uprising them of the growing menace as well as filing a formal complaint with the Pollution Control Board as well, along with a signature campaign to spread awareness.

Come on-board & sign-up for a cleaner, greener tomorrow:

https://bit.ly/MyEndorsementToEndPlasticPollution

Sports Minister holds meeting regarding ‘Khel Mahakumbh- 2018’

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July 4, 2018

Dehradun, A meeting presided by Uttarakhand Sports and Youth Welfare minister Arvind Pandey to discuss successfully organising the “Khel Mahkumbh 2018” was held at Secretariat. Officials from Education, Sports and Youth Welfare Department were present on the occasion. He directed the officials to provide better environment for the block, district and state level sports competitions and ensure the participation of the sportspersons from the remote areas of the state. He said that the selection of the state level sportspersons should be done before the assigned dates of the national sports events.

He asked officials to coordinate with School Games Federation of India and Youth Welfare Department to complete the registration and selection process on time. He directed the officials to conduct the sports event at Nyay Panchayat, Block and District level as per the calendar and publicize the event as much as possible. He said that the open competition should be held in various categories and then the sports persons should be selected and registered.

He directed to double the sum of cash award to the sports persons and enquired about the progress of 7500 sports persons registered last year. He said that football was the popular sports of the state and directed to conduct a grand football event and ensure adequate food and stay of the sportspersons involved in such event.

He also discussed the ways to provide attractive prizes for the talented sportspersons so that more are attracted towards sports.

Administration on alert as heavy rains predicted to lash State

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July 4, 2018

SDRF teams stationed at 31 places in the state
Leaves of field employees cancelled till September 15
74 satellite telephones are being used in disaster management
Amit Negi, Secretary, Disaster management provides information at a press conference

Amit Negi, Secretary, Disaster Management informed all present at the Secretariat here that the administration was on alert in view of heavy rains in the state. However, the situation is normal.

He said that the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary are continuously reviewing all the necessary preparations. Several roads which are sensitive from view point of landslides have been identified and JCB, Polk-land machines and manpower have been deployed at such places so that in case of landslides, the blocked roads could be opened immediately.

Telephone numbers of junior engineers, assistant engineers and driver of JCB machines have been made available to the disaster management centres and concerned tehsil headquarters. In view of heavy rains, the leaves of field staff has been cancelled till September 15.

All concerned officers and employees associated with disaster management have been put on alert. Coordination has been established with army, ITBP,BRO and other agencies. Alternate track routes have been made at places on the national highway which are identified as chronic landslides zones so that vehicles on both sides on any such landslides could be arranged for transshipment of passengers.

Shelter points have been identified on the ‘Char Dham Yatra’ route where pilgrims could be stopped safely in case of any emergency. Required safety equipment for disaster relief are available in sufficient number at the tehsil level.

Pilgrims enroute to Kailash Mansarovar yatra were safe. He said that, “effort of the state government that communication and information system work under any circumstances. Uttarakhand is one of the state where largest number of satellite telephones are being used.” Adding, “We have 74 satellite telephones which are provided to District Magistrates. We have arranged for two helicopters one each for Garhwal and Kumoan regions.”

The necessary stock of rations and other essentials commodities for three months have already been arranged in the remote areas. The SDRF teams have been deployed at 31 places in the state. A total of 7500 policemen deployed in far off posts have been provided training in disaster management and volunteers have also been activated.

Keeping alive the memory of George Everest

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July 3, 2018

Mussoorie, For two hundred years and more there has been no doubt about Sir George Everest’s birthday. One struggles to understand the knee jerk, last minute, frenetic efforts by the Uttarakhand Tourism Department’s efforts to celebrate the famous Surveyor-General’s entry into this world.

A two day celebration is being organised in Mussoorie’s Park Estate and other sprawling venues in town that includes lots of entertainment: from Heritage Walk to Cycling, Mountain Biking, food and handicraft stalls, screening of a movie based on the life of the Great Man, as well as local musical bands, story telling sessions, traditional dance performances and a photo exhibition are just some of the events that hope to attract not only locals but tourists too.

Today i.e. on the 3rd of July, the first day of the two day event, an interesting insight into the stupendous achievement of completing the calculations of the Great Meridian Arc will be highlighted by famous authors Stephen Alter and Ganesh Saili, at the Savoy Hotel Mussoorie.

Perhaps it is in the fitness of things that the programme concludes with a Jagar rendition by Garhwali folksinger Preetam Bhartwan. It is hoped this ‘too little, too late’ makes the Tourism Department awaken from its slumber and pull up its proverbial socks. It doesn’t take a genius to put together an annual calendar, so that programmes can be scheduled way in advance and not become a parcel stuck together with gum and cell-o-tape.

That indeed would be a befitting tribute to a great soul who made his home in Mussoorie from 1832-1843 at the 600 acre Park Estate whose fate swings like a pendulum between various government agencies looking for a face-lift and little care, if not more.

Chief Secretary issues weather advisory for Kumaon districts

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July 2, 2018