More helicopter routes in the offing
Despite lukewarm response to chopper services started in July, the Uttarakhand government is mulling to start helicopter service on eight routes, including Dehradun-Haridwar-Mussoorie. “The plans to start more chopper services within the state and ti other states are also being discussed with the Centre,” said Ashish Chauhan, CEO of Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority. The move comes despite ‘lukewarm response’ to the existing helicopter services under the Regional Connectivity Scheme of the Udan programme between Dehradun and Gauchar and other routes.
Uttarakhand to get new DGP
Ashok Kumar, a 1989 batch IPS officer, will be the new state police chief from November 30. Kumar will take over from Anil Kumar Raturi. Kumar was selected from a panel of three IPS officers as per the norms. The other two IPS officers were V Vinay Kumar and MA Ganapathy. Kumar had served in undivided Uttar Pradesh and is currently holding the position of Director General (law and order) in the Uttarakhand Police. He has served in the CRPF and the BSF on central deputation. He also served under the UN in Kosovo in 2001. A native of Kurana village in Haryana’s Panipat district, Kumar did his schooling from his village’s government school and then went on to pursue B Tech and M Tech from the IIT- Delhi. He then joined the police service in 1989 after cracking the UPSC.
Nilgai declared vermin
The Uttarakhand government after receiving a nod from the Centre has declared nilgai a vermin that can be killed after seeking permission from the forest department. “Approval was granted by National Board for Wildlife to all the states to take independent decision regarding declaring of animals as vermin in a recent meeting. The step is intended to save farmers from losing their crops,” said chief wildlife warden JS Suhag. Wild boar was also given the “vermin” status again. But vermins can be killed only with a firearm and one cannot chase an injured animal right inside forests. Carcasses have to be discarded in the presence of forest personnel among other various rules.
Lit fest starts online
The fourth edition of literature and arts festival, Valley of Words, was inaugurated by Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday. This year, due to the pandemic, the three-day-long festival is being held in virtual mode. Started in 2017, the event has emerged as a popular open-access festival, which involves people from all walks of life — authors, poets, thespians, artists, photographers, philatelists as well as students. On Saturday, Lobsang Sangay, the president of the Tibetan Central Administration, read a message from the Dalai Lama, requesting the audience to keep promoting the “rich traditions” of India.
vineet upadhyay
Our correspondent in Dehradun vineet.upadhyay@newindianexpress.com