Dehradun diary: All that is happening in 'Dev Bhoomi'
No Dussehra fairs this year due to pandemic
In the wake of COVID-19, the committees that organise Dussehra fairs in Dehradun have decided to refrain from burning the effigy of Ravana. Shree Ramlila Kala Samiti, which has been organising Dussehra fair in Jhanda Mohalla for 151 years now, has also decided to abstain from Ravan Dahan and will just conduct a recitation of the Sunderkand (one of the seven sections of epic Ramayan).
Harish Virmani, president of Bannu community which organises Dussehra fair the Parade Ground, said the death of a patron in the community is also a reason for not conducting the Ravan Dahan.
Foundation course for fresh civil servants begins in LBSNAA
The 95th foundation course for the fresh batch of civil servants or officer trainees (OTs) commenced from Tuesday amid strict physical distancing and precautionary measures at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA).
As many as 428 OTs, including those who have joined the IAS, Indian IFS, IFS and other central services, have already reported at the academy for the 15-week foundation course. Sanjeev Chopra, director of LBSNAA said a COVID-care centre with all the required facilities has been set up on the campus to deal with pandemic cases, if any. Joining of the participants is being done in different slots over three days, and authentication is being done using the facial recognition technology while physical documentation is being avoided.
Rare day-flying moth spotted in Garhwal
Achelura bifasciata, a rare day-flying moth, was spotted in Uttarakhand’s Garhwal Himalayas last week. Experts said the moth was last spotted in the Kumaon region in the 1890s following which the sighting occurred last week in Tehri Garhwal district’s Sreedev Suman Titli Park, a habitat for butterfly created by local residents. Sanjay Sondhi, the co-author of “Butterflies of Uttarakhand — A Field Guide” and a trustee of Titli Trust, a nature conservation organisation, said the moth was never reported to have been spotted in Garhwal.
Additional 0.5 per cent cess on liquor to develop sports facilities
The Uttarakhand government has decided to put an additional 0.5 per cent cess on liquor to collect revenue for developing sports facilities and infrastructure in the state. The new sports policy has been termed as the best in the country by the government officials of the state and will have various provisions to develop sports facilities and promote sports activities in the state. Under the new sports policy, the government will also provide travelling facilities to sportspersons participating in national level competitions.