Curtains down for Doon’s landmark
Dehradun’s inonic landmark Prabhat Talkies, which entertained generations of cinema lovers, shut down earlier this week. Deepak Nagalia, the owner, told TNIE that the plan to close the hall with a screening of cult classic ‘Bobby’ on March 30 got disrupted by the order to temporarily close all cinema halls till March 31. The owners, who shared good relations with the Kapoor family, had also invited Raj Kapoor’s son Randhir for the screening. Built in 1947, the cinema was once the favourite of movie-goers but it had been running into losses for past many years due to the advent of multiplex. The building will now be converted into a commercial complex.
Bad weather a cause of worry
The MeT office issued an advisory of a rise in diurnal variability (difference between maximum and minimum temperature) of temperature over the next few days in Uttarakhand, making the weather conducive for spread of cold and flu. The effect could be worse in the plains. Officials stated the variation could go above 18 degrees Celsius during next six-seven days and advised the people should take extra precautions. Due to rain, snow and thunder activity in both hills and plains since last week, temperatures are below normal. On Tuesday, the maximum temperature in Dehradun was 27.7 degrees Celsius, while the minimum settled at 9.9 degrees Celsius — a diurnal variation of over 17 degrees Celsius. Similarly, diurnal variation in Pantnagar was over 18 degrees Celsius.
Meeting for Kumbh
The Kumbh administration and seers at Niranjani Akhara meeting in Haridwar decided that permanent structures at mela land’s Bairagi camp area will not be removed. Urban development minister Madan Kaushik and mela officer Deepak Rawat met Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) chairman Swami Narendra Giri to discuss preparations for Kumbh. After the meeting, Giri said no permanent structure, including temples and ashrams on the mela land in Bairagi camp, will be demolished. The minister said that he will talk to CM about the matter.
Adequate water at Naini Lake
In some good news for nature lovers, water level of the Naini Lake in Nainital has reached a ten-year-high at 14 feet. Experts welcoming this gave credits to good spells of rain and snow in last three months. The lake remains the main source of water for the picturesque Nainital town. The present water level in the lake is six feet higher than the usual. Prior to this, the water level in the lake had touched the 14-feet mark in 2010. The rise in the water level is significant as eight lakh litres of water (on an average) from the lake is used daily through 11 tube wells.
Vineet upadhyay
Our correspondent in Dehradun vineet.upadhyay@newindianexpress.com