200-member Sikh jatha leaves for Pakistan

Amritsar, June 9

A 200-member jatha of Sikh devotees that was stranded at the Attari Railway Station after the Union Foreign Ministry did not allow them to travel through train today crossed over to Pakistan via the road route.

The purpose of the visit is to observe the martyrdom day of fifth Sikh guru Guru Arjan Dev at Dehra Sahib in Lahore.

The pilgrims were stranded at the railway station after the Indian authorities refused to allow a special Pakistan train from entering India. The devotees had also staged a protest and raised slogans at the railway station yesterday against the government authorities concerned.

The Pakistan government had granted visa to 485 Sikh devotees who had applied through the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Bhai Mardana Yaadgari Kirtan Darbar Society (Ferozepur), Khalra Mission Committee and Nankana Sahib Sikh Yatri Jatha. 

678 Gentleman Cadets pass out of IMA

Gentlemen cadets of the Indian Military Academy
 rejoice after the passing-out parade in Dehradun on Saturday.

Dehradun, June 9

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma has exhorted Gentleman Cadets (GCs) not to rest on their laurels and asserted that perseverance is an essential prerequisite to success.

Admiral Verma was addressing the GCs at the Indian Military Academy’s spring term 2012 passing-out parade in Dehradun today in the capacity of reviewing officer.

As many as 657 GCs and 21 foreign GCs from friendly countries - Afghanistan, Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Maldives, Tajikistan and Tonga - passed out from the IMA here. The parade was witnessed by military and civil dignitaries, relatives and friends of the newly commissioned officers??.

Earlier, the Gentlemen Cadets marched at the drill square in the backdrop of the majestic Chetwode Building. They marched to the tunes of ‘Col Bogey’ and ‘Sare Jahan Se Achcha’ and put up an excellent show before the gathering.

Admiral Nirmal Verma said life was too long to rest on past laurels. “Today is not the end. It is the beginning of your training and education as officers of the Indian Army.

“After you take the ‘final step’ and pass through the Chetwode Hall today, life as you know it, will change forever - bringing new responsibilities, new challenges, new hardships and new horizons,” he said.

Remembrance ceremony at IMA's war memorial

 

Dehradun - A remembrance ceremony was held at War Memorial of Indian Military Academy to pay homage to the alumni of the academy who have sacrificed their lives for the nation. The IMA commandant Lt Gen Manvender Singh along with the deputy commandant and chief instructor Maj Gen TS Gill and next of kin of martyrs laid wreaths at the memorial on the eve of the passing out parade.

Apart from this ceremony, a multi-activity display by the GCs was also viewed by the reviewing officer of the PoP Admiral Nirmal Verma, Chief of Naval Staff, the IMA commandant and other military and civil dignitaries.

Those present during the remembrance ceremony included the family of Lt Col Abhishek Khattri, who attained martyrdom recently on the Line of Actual Control on the India-China border. Lt Col Khattri and his team were working in the area with inhospitable terrain, limited resources and adverse weather working against them. On September 13, 2011, due to landslide the jeep fell down into 310-metre gorge killing Khattri and the driver.

His widow Puja Mukherjee Khattri accepted a memento in the ceremony on Friday.

Another event held on Friday was a multi-activity display which included show jumping, aero-modelling display, Kalaripayattu (Kerala’s martial art), trick riding and tent pegging. A show of para motors by the Dare Devils groups also entertained the dignitaries and families of the passing out GCs. An equestrian and PT display show by GCs along with dog show and skydiving demonstration by the alumni of the academy also enthralled the gathering.

The multi-activity display was appreciated by the reviewing officer of Saturday’s PoP, the IMA commandant and family members of GCs of passing out course.

Multi-activity display at IMA on eve of passing-out parade 

Dehradun, June 8
On the eve of the passing-out parade, 'Spring term-2012', multi-activity display was organised at the Polo Ground of the Indian Military Academy with utmost grandeur and style here today.

The reviewing officer of the passing-out parade, Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma, PVSM, AVSM, ADC, CNS, graced the occasion. Lt Gen Manvender Singh, AVSM, VSM, Commandant, IMA, Maj Gen TS Gill, SM, VSM, Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor, IMA, also witnessed the same along with various military/civil dignitaries and parents of the gentlemen cadets of the passing-out course.

The programme started with the flag hoisting and mounted salute.

This was followed by exciting show jumping, aero modelling display, kalaripayattu (Kerala martial art), trick riding and tent pegging.

A splendid show of para motors, also known as dare devils, was also presented. The gentlemen cadets also displayed equestrian and PT display show along with dog show and skydiving demonstration by the alumni of this academy.

The multi-activity display was highly appreciated by the reviewing officer of tomorrow's parade.

Six groups of poachers active in Corbett National Park: Activists

Dehradun/Nainital - Wildlife activists have raised fears about the presence of six distinct groups of poachers at work in the Corbett national park and its neighbouring forest divisions.

Responding to a letter written by the People For Animals, Uttarakhand member secretary Gauri Maulekhi, the member secretary of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) Rajesh Gopal has said that the authority will soon send its team to Uttarakhand to check the situation.

In the letter Maulekhi had stated that groups of poachers are active in Savaldeh area of Bijrani range, Corbett; Fato range of Terai West Division and the adjoining Amangarh area in UP; Sitabani and Kotabagh area; Khatima area and Kotdwar range.

The three poachers recently nabbed by the department are wanted in various cases but were not involved in the Bijrani incident reported on May 24.

The authorities seem to be diverting attention from the main culprits and focusing on nabbing individuals who may not have anything to do with the cases at hand. “Corbett warden UC Tiwari, who is responsible for the Bijrani, Dhikala and Sarpduli ranges, is responsible for the incident but has been able to cleverly exercise his influence over higher authorities to escape punishment.

He has not been posted out of this area for more than nine years now and was allegedly involved in running an illegal canteen in the Dhikala range which was busted by PFA in April last year.

He was himself appointed as an investigating officer in the case against himself and his range officer and the matter was closed without him being posted out or suspended,” said Maulekhi.

She further averred that yet again Tiwari escaped repercussions of his failure while junior staff has been attached to the director’s office after the Bijrani incident. Maulekhi has urged the NTCA to insist on cracking down on the real culprits who are carrying on with their business while the authorities are indulging in an eyewash investigation.

IMA proposes to increase capacity to 2,400 cadets from next year

Dehradun - The Indian Military Academy has the capacity to train 1,650 gentlemen cadets but is presently training about 1,800 cadets. This number is proposed to be increased to 2,400 cadets next year to meet the shortage of officers in the Indian Army though the proposal is awaiting sanction from higher authorities.

The IMA commandant Lt Gen Manvender Singh said this while addressing the media on the eve of the passing out parade of the spring term-2012. The chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Verma will be the reviewing officer of the PoP on Saturday. Of the 678 gentlemen cadets passing out on Saturday, 21 are foreign gentlemen cadets.

The commandant said that the academy has been in the business of getting officers commissioned in the Indian Army for 80 years with 51,661 officers being commissioned in the Army through the IMA so far.

The number of officers commissioned through the academy will increase to 52,318 with the passing out parade on Saturday. About 2,000 JCOs, Jawans and civilian staff also play a crucial role behind the scenes in the training of the GCs, said the commandant. “We have stabilised the training system in the academy which has made it an institution of vital importance for the nation and also elicited regard from across the world due to which citizens of various countries still come here to learn and develop into officer quality material. Officers from IMA have contributed immensely to the nation with 823 of them attaining martyrdom so far in the service of the nation.”

Referring to the shortage of officers in the Army, he said that since the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission and opening of the Officers Training Academy in Gaya the shortage of officers has been somewhat lessened. “From next year the academy also proposes to increase its capacity to 2,400 cadets though this proposal is awaiting approval.

In the IMA, physical fitness, academic-technological aspects and qualities which make an officer are the main focus of the training. There has been some change in the content of subjects taught in the academy during the past six months.

We have replaced study of foreign battles like the Israeli war with battles fought in our sub-continent which are historically and geographically more important than foreign wars. The training is also more technology oriented now,” he added.

Replying to a question on foreign gentlemen cadets the commandant said, “There are presently 147 FGCs in the academy with many of them from Islamic nations. The academy takes all necessary measures to ensure that their religious beliefs are not violated during training. However, we have restricted internet access for all GCs because after 18 hours of daily training, we don’t want them to waste time on the internet though we also keep them updated of latest developments. The GCs are banned from using social networking sites and I hope that none of them is violating this prohibition,” he added.

Stressing that the academy makes no compromise in the training, the commandant said that three GCs had been relegated this year for various reasons.

Haritima, first organic restaurant of India, opens at Tera Gaon

Mussoorie, June 8
The efforts of Uttarakhand Organic Commodity Board (UOCB) to make organic food popular among the connoisseurs of taste have finally yielded results in the state with the opening of Haritima, the first organic certified restaurant in the country, at Tera Gaon, Shastra Dhara, near Dehradun.

Haritima, the brand identity for the organic food, conceptualised by UOCB after the research of more than a decade, ably supported by Dev Rishi Educational Society, Tera Gaon, Renaissance Hotel Management Institute, and Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam, was inaugurated by Agriculture Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani on World Environment Day.

The Agriculture Minister, speaking on the occasion, said that it was indeed a historic day for the state and commended the efforts of all the organisations involved in it. The minister further said that the government was also planning to open such green restaurants in other towns of the state where the traditional cuisine would be served using organic produce. More than 45,000 organic farmers would benefit from this project, added Agriculture Minister Mantra Prasad Naithani.

The UOCB programme manager Binita Shah, speaking to The Tribune, said that presently the restaurant would be serving local items, namely roasted pumpkin and corn soup, three bean salad and Navrangi salad.

In snacks the local dishes such as badeel, tofu kebab, pahari chilla and mandua kathi roll will be served. In the main course bugyali kofta curry, hariyali tofu, bhang methi, gahat ka paratha, buckwheat chilla, and tofu paratha accompanied with walnut chutney, apricot chutney, pyaaz ki chutney and til ki chutney are being served. In bakery items breads, fruitcakes, finger millet and Amaranth cookies, finger millet, fruit cakes and buckwheat breads are available at the restaurant. She further said that for beverages buraansh (rhododendron) margarita, mango shake with hemp milk, apple mojito and kafal (berry) kamikaze will be served. Binita Shah said that with the increase in the popularity, more items prepared from the organic produce will be included in the culinary, for which they have entered into arrangements with the farmers directly so that there is no shortage of raw material at any cost.

The food lovers would thoroughly enjoy the taste of desserts prepared from jhangora barn yard, millet ki kheer, himkhand and bread in finger millet sauce, added Shah.

Elaborating further, she said that the whole objective of opening such restaurant was to introduce highly nutritional varieties of organic food in a way that is more palatable and promoting the traditional food items of the state. Binita Shah further said that the business community involved in hospitality industry should come forward in incorporating this business model, aptly named Haritima, so that more than 45,000 farmers involved in organic farming are kept motivated, thus re-kindling the interest towards traditional farming in them and also assisting in curbing the migration from the hills, added Binita Shah. The technical manager, Amit Srivasatava, said that they were also planning to open one such restaurant in Mussoorie so that the tourists from around the world can savour the taste of the traditional food items prepared using organic methods.

CYBER CRIME

 

Mohali couple arrested for stealing software

Chandigarh, June 8
The cyber cell of the UT police today arrested a Mohali couple for copying a software developed by a company and selling the duplicate to dealers abroad, causing losses to the company.

Acting on the complaint of Sanjay Aggarwal, a Manimajra resident, the police today arrested Rajat Basin and his wife Taranjot, residents of Phase VI, Mohali.

Inspector Sri Parkash, in charge of the cyber cell, said the couple was employed with a company in the IT park. They allegedly stole a code of the software developed by the company for sale to dealers in the US. The software pertained to a driving school. They then created a duplicate software and sold it to dealers in the US. The police had registered a case on May 29.

Determination Inspires

Chandigarh, June 8
Students of Institute for Blind, Sector 26, have come out with flying colours yet again in the Class XII examination conducted by the Punjab School Education Board, the result of which was declared today.

The school has achieved 100 per cent result, with a majority of students scoring above 70 per cent.

While Vikram Goyal stood first with 81.6 per cent, Poonam and Amod Sharma shared second position with 81.3 per cent. Abhishek Kumar got 80.5 per cent and stood third.

Manjit Kaur, mother of Amrinder Singh, one of the meritorious students of the school, who had come to thank his teachers, said, "My son is specially abled as he has left many students behind. He has always excelled in studies and we are happy with his achievement."

MC refuses to impose house tax

Chandigarh, June 8
Cutting across party lines, members of the house tax assessment committee today unanimously rejected the proposal of the imposition of house tax and enhancement of commercial tax in the city. During an interaction with the media here today, committee chairman Sat Parkash Aggarwal said it was decided that neither house tax would be imposed in the city nor would commercial tax be revised as directed by the UT Administration.

Objecting to the delay in the payment of a matching grant of property tax, which the Administration had assured in 2004 when commercial tax was imposed by the corporation, he stated that the Administration had to pay Rs 48 crore since 2004. He said even after several reminders, the Administration had not released the funds to date. Hence, they could not impose a new tax.

Clueless about the norms of getting JNNRUM grant, Aggarwal said the corporation was "rich" and there was no need for any kind of grant from the Administration or the Centre to implement development projects in the city.

He said directions had been given to officials to conduct a fresh survey about commercial buildings and impose property tax on it. The committee also asked about the details of habitual defaulters of property tax and instructed the department to take stringent action to recover pending tax from them.

MC Additional Commissioner Lalit Siwach said a communication was being sent to the Administration to release the pending share of the matching grant of property tax. He said the Administration would also be apprised of the decision of the house tax assessment committee and the decision would be tabled in the forthcoming meeting of the House.

"Ignoring" the fact if the committee has any power to reject the imposition of new tax, vice-chairman of the committee MP Kohli said the committee could pass the resolution and send it to the Administration for consideration.

He said the grant which the Administration would get from JNNRUM would not only be utilised by the corporation, but also other departments. Commercial property tax was imposed by the corporation when there was a financial crunch, but now as the financial position had improved, there was no need to impose any new tax to generate funds.

The committee also directed the officials to prepare a detailed report on the share of grant-in-aid received from the Administration in the past.

No to international flights at Chandigarh Airport

MoD not giving permission despite Civil Aviation Ministry making city airport eligible for such flights

Chandigarh, June 8
Chandigarh Airport will not have any international flights, at least in the immediate future. Senior officials in the Ministry of Defence (MoD), New Delhi, have clarified that the local airstrip was a base for the Air Force. Keeping in mind, its strategic location for catering to the western frontier, there was little likelihood of clearance from the MoD till alternatives were worked out.

The ministry had denied permission to Air Arabia, the first airlines which had announced flights from the city, earlier this year. The first international flight expected to commence from November 15, 2011, was also denied by the ministry. The flights were cancelled without giving any reason.

The ministry is not clearing international flights despite the Ministry of Civil Aviation having notified Chandigarh Airport as a "customs airport", making it eligible for international flights in August 2011.

Punjab Civil Aviation Secretary Vishwajeet Khanna said: "The Chief Minister has taken up the matter with the Ministry of Civil Aviation. We are still awaiting a formal communication."

HS Toor, Director of the airport, said he could not comment since the matter was pending with the MoD.

In January this year, Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Sukbhir Singh Badal had said international flights would commence in two months. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had sought a formal clearance for international flights from the Civil Aviation Minister.

A senior official, requesting anonymity, said: "There is a sizable number of flights providing ration and ammunition to soldiers in Kashmir and Leh and Ladakh. During winter, which lasts about five months, the public and troops in these areas depend on the Air Force for even routine supplies. Chandigarh has two transport squadrons comprising AN32s and another one having a mix of AN-32s and I-76s, besides Mi-26 helicopters."

It was also said the local terminal would need an upgraded air traffic control (ATC) for handling added rush. The runway as well as the ATC of the airport is at present being managed by the Air Force. International flights would mean more staff, which needs a formal clearance from the MoD. Most importantly, the airport does not have night landing facilities. There is also no confirmation about any contract with international airlines.

Jarnail Singh Jodhan, a Ludhiana-based businessman, said: "It is being said since the Congress was unable to form a government in Punjab, the Centre would not like the Akalis to take credit for international flights. It is disappointing for thousands of people, especially Punjabis, who come from abroad and are forced to land in Delhi."

Bhupinder Singh, a Canadian national, said: "I think the matter of international flights being delayed needs a high-level inquiry. There are serious allegations of the powerful lobby in the travel business, including hotels, cabs and related services not allowing an international airport in Chandigarh."

Vineet Sharma, a travel agent, said even local tourists who had started going abroad, particularly Bangkok were concerned about the international flights landing in the city.

Pikender Pal Singh, Regional Director of the CII (northern region) said no international client would like to spend an extra day in the onward or backward journey.

Former Congress MLA Jalalpur sent to judicial custody

Patiala, June 8
Former Congress MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur was today remanded in judicial custody till June 22. He was arrested yesterday in connection with the poll violence in Ghanaur during the nagar panchayat elections.

Jalalpur has been booked under sections 353, 186, 332, 323, 148, 149 of the IPC and 131, 132, 134-b of The Representation of People Act 1951 for alleged booth-capturing, tearing the uniform of a policeman, injuring policewoman Gagandeep Kaur and hindering the poll process.

The clashes between the Congress and Akali workers, however, have exposed the tall claims by the district administration and the police of ensuring smooth polling.

The district police top brass today held a meeting to discuss the law and order situation ahead of the June 10 Patiala Municipal Corporation polling.

Patiala DIG LK Yadav has appealed to the supporters of various parties and candidates to abide by the rules inside and outside polling booths.

Jalalpur told mediapersons outside the court complex that he was being fabricated. He alleged the police did not initiate any action against the SAD supporters and their leaders.