Pine needles, considered harmful to the environment, are becoming a means of self-employment for women. Women of self-help groups are preparing attractive rakhis from Pirul. Rakhis prepared by women associated with the Ladidhura Autonomous Cooperative in Barakot block of Champawat district are in demand in Dehradun and Chamoli. Women’s groups have been preparing rakhis for the last three years. Suman Joshi, president of the co-operative society, said that it is for the first time that Rakhis are being made from pirul which comes out of pine trees.
Govt to give three pay hikes to medal winners
The Uttarakhand government has decided to give a special pay hike to government employees who bring medals in all-India civil services competitions. The mandate for the same has been issued. “This will be effective from January 1, 2016,” the order said. According to the order issued by Special Principal Secretary Abhinav Kumar, three special increments have been approved in the form of individual salary throughout the service period for the regular employees of the state government who have secured first, second and third positions by participating in the All India Civil Services Competitions.
Research students make snake-catching device
Research students at the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES) Dehradun have developed a snake-catching device that can catch snakes in the blink of an eye without harming anyone. The project, called Smart Snake-Trapping Device, has been approved by the Centre’s Department of Science and Technology. Now the university has sought permission to test the device at the Wildlife Institute of India and the Forest Research Institute. The smart snake-trapping device is being worked on by research students Huma Naaz, Rahul Chamola and Nitin Pasi under the leadership of Principal Investigator Dr Neelu Jyoti Ahuja.
Narendra sethi
Our correspondent in Uttarakhand
narendrasethi@ newindianexpress.com