Over thousand Gurdwaras around the world celebrate 2nd Sikh Environment Day

Today is the anniversary of Guru Har Raibecoming the seventh Guru of the Sikhs (this type of anniversary is called a Gurpurab)  in 1644.  Among the aspects of his legacy that Sikhs remember today was this Guru’s love for the natural world.

19th century painting of Guru Har Rai

Washington : As many as 1007 Sikh institutions and gurdwaras around the world celebrated March 14, the day nature and animal lover Guru Har Rai became the seventh Sikh Guru in 1644, as Sikh Environment Day.

EcoSikh, a Washington based Sikh organization, which had initiated the celebrations last year had set the goal of enrolling more than 700 Sikh institutions and gurdwaras to celebrate the day this year as compared to 450 last year.

This year it had also included Sikh run schools and Sikh-owned businesses to join in this endeavour.

Dr. Rajwant Singh, president of EcoSikh said: "It is amazing to see so much enthusiasm among Sikh masses and we believe that is perhaps the largest direct action by the Sikhs for the environment ever in the history.

"Guru Har Rai's life has inspired so many individuals to lead efforts at the local levels in India and all across the globe to take meaningful actions dedicated to this day."

Bandana Kaur, New York based programme director of EcoSikh in North America, said: "Many Gurdwaras are engaging in the local environmental issues in North America in their own localities and many are becoming eco-friendly in their operations."

Scores of young people are excited about this effort since it gives them the opportunity to relate to their faith in a unique way. South Hall based largest gurdwara in Europe has organized a major green drive on this day."

Sri Akal Takhat Sahib and Takhat Hazur Sahib in Nanded, Maharasthra, and Sikhs in several countries including USA, Australia, Canada, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Argentina, Nigeria, Kenya and UK joined in the effort to mark the Sikh Environment Day as a tribute to Guru Har Rai, EcoSikh said.

Traffic police launch drive to penalise offenders

Haridwar, March 15
In view of the large number of accident cases, particularly due to overloading, not wearing helmet and usage of cellular phones while driving, the city police has now started a drive in this regard.

Apart from imposition of penalty and seizing of vehicles, the traffic police is also along side carrying awareness drive among the vehicle riders.

Superintendent of Traffic Police Kiran Lal Shah told TNS that taking into account past two years’ accident cases in the city zone, most of them have occurred due to rash driving, overloading and not following traffic rules.

“As a result the police has now decided to penalise offenders, challan vehicles and even impound them if they violate again the traffic rules,” said Shah.

Autorickshaws which ferry more than stipulated passengers or are seen in prohibited routes and zones are also being booked by traffic police personnel. This drive has created fear among the traffic violators as traffic personnel are deployed at major intersections, highways and congested markets to ensure violators don’t roam freely.

Teenagers, particularly school students, who are found riding without helmets or are carrying more than one pillion rider, are being given stern warning initially taking into consideration the examination season. Such offenders’ parents are also being informed so that they know the risk their children are creating themselves. Kanika Bahuguna, a Ranipur resident, whose college-going daughter was penalised by traffic personnel as she was not wearing a helmet and talking on mobile while driving and ferrying two other girls on a single scooty, appreciated the ongoing traffic drive.

She urged police personnel to inform youngsters’ parents immediately when they catch them as otherwise they don’t come to know of the violation of traffic rules by their children easily. 

Ayub Khan shoots for TV serial based on Bond’s story

Mussoorie, March 15
Ayub Khan, the popular actor in Indian film and television domain, who is also nephew of Bollywood legend Dilip Kumar and son of Nasir Khan and actress Begum Para, on his visit to Mussoorie today said that it is television that has made him a household name in the country.

Ayub Khan is in the town shooting for a serial based on a story of eminent author Ruskin Bond titled “Ek Tha Rusty II” directed by Subdarshini Singh. He is playing the role of Inspector Keemat Lal in the serial being shot here.

Ayub Khan, after completing the shooting for the day, met media persons and said that he was excited to be in the famous hill station for the second time as he was here while shooting for the popular feature film “Salaami” in 1994.

Ayub Khan, who has done more than 20 films and is acting in several television serials, said that both mediums had their own advantages and disadvantages. He further said that there was more money in films in comparison to television but it was the television serials that had made him a household name in the country.

Recollecting his earlier films, Ayub Khan said that he had acted in films such as Toh Baat Pakki (2010), Zamaanat (2009),Teesri Aankh: The Hidden Camera (2006), Apaharan (2005), Revati (2005), LOC: Kargil

(2003), Gangajal (2003), Dil Chahta Hai (2001). He said his films had performed well at the box office but right now it was television that was consuming his time with so many serials on air in various channels.

Thanking his television fans, he said that it was due to the small screen that he had now become a household name and achieved immense fame, which was not possible earlier.

With many television serials on air, namely Uttaran, Rakhi - Ek Atoot Rishte Ki Dor, Piya Bina, Sambandh, Aandhi etc, Ayub Khan said that he was excited to work in the television serials based on the writings of eminent author Ruskin Bond.

“I have read the short stories of Ruskin Bond and found them immensely engrossing, especially during his childhood, and now working in the serial based on his work was immensely pleasing”. Ayub Khan will be in Mussoorie for a few more days and would return after completing his shooting schedule. 

Indo-US workshop lays stress on green chemistry

Mussoorie, March 14
A three-day Indo-US workshop on “Green Chemistry for Environments and Sustainable Development” that was held at a hotel in Mussoorie concluded yesterday with the emphasis on forging a bilateral cooperation in promoting green chemistry throughout academia and chemical enterprise and reducing toxic waste to provide a cleaner environment.

The workshop was organised under the aegis of Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University and Texas University. The speakers from the USA and India elaborated in detail about green chemistry and need to promote it in daily life so that there is reduction in the amount of the toxic waste in the planet. Dr J Leazer from the USA, while discussing the 12 principles of the green chemistry, said synthetic methods should be designed to maximise the incorporation of all materials used in the process into the final product. He also laid stress on the prevention of the waste rather than clean it up after it was formed. Dr Leazer also said that chemical products should be as effective as possible. He further said auxiliary substances such as solvents and separation agents should be avoided. He also said energy requirements should be low and extreme temperatures and pressures should be avoided so that there was decrease in the level of the toxic waste. Leazer also said the chemical products should be designed in such a way that at the end of lifetime they readily break down to harmless products.

Eminent chemical scientists Dr Joseph M. Fortunak from Howard University in Washington said there was need to educate cooperates about the green chemistry as it was economically beneficial to them apart from keeping the environment clean. Dr Fortunak also said that one thing that was needed at the government level was imposing strict regulations which were not being done so far.

Dr Fortunak said, “There was need to change the way we look at this planet and the workshop is a step on that direction”.

Praising India on its initiative to reduce toxic waste, he said India had done a lot to reduce the waste and using the material that was abundant in nature much more judiciously than many other countires. He also said india could become a leader in promoting green chemistry in near future as the enthusiasm among the people was immense in the country.

Dr Rajendar Bhatnagar later speaking to the media said the objective of the workshop was to forge ahead a bilateral understanding with the United States and India in regard to reducing the harmful chemical products from entering the environment. Dr Bhatnagar also said India should learn from the past mistakes and disregard such technologies which damaged the environment and the best way to work on that path was through introducing green chemistry in the academia and the chemical enterprise. He also said that the organization which was keenly following the green technology should be rewarded so that others were also motivated towards following green chemistry practically.

Elated at the outcome of the workshop on green chemistry, he said around 150 delegates from the various fields around the world participated and shared their experience and divulged various ways to reduce toxic waste from the environment.

Seminar on violence against women

Dehradun, March 14
A one-day seminar was organised by the YWCA, on the theme ‘Violence against women’ in regard to International Women's Day.

Sushila Baluni, president of the state Women Commission, Advocate Anjali Gosain, police officer Sarla Rawat and Principal of St Xavier School Jyotika Gonsalves placed their views before the women audience.

Baluni said, “In the present times, women must know about their rights to fight against injustice. In the same vein, they should not forget their cultural values and direct their strengths in the right direction.”

Gosain congratulated the women for being associated with the YWCA and giving their selfless services to society. She enlightened the audience about the various rights being given to the women by the Constitution of India such as the right to education, career, property, maintenance and protection against physical, domestic and financial violence.

Rawat elaborated on helpline services and numbers such as 108 and 100. She also advised the audience not to ignore violence of any kind and report to the police immediately. 

Jhanda Mela concludes

Mahant Devender Dass leads ‘Nagar Parikarma’ on the
 concluding day of Jhanda Mela in Dehradun on Wednesday. 

Dehradun, March 14

Following an old tradition set by Guru Ram Rai, Mahant Devinder Das of Darbar Sahib accompanied by his followers did the parikarma of the old city today and bid a farewell to the sangat that had come for Jhanda Mela.

The parikarma started from Darbar Sahib and after passing through Saharanpur Chowk, Kanwali Road, Clock Tower and Guru Ram Rai Public School, Bindal bridge, it culminated at Lakhi Bagh.

At Lakhi Bagh, Mahant Devinder Das paid homage to former Mahants.

After establishing his dera in Dehradun, Guru Ram Rai used to do the parikarma of the areas under his dera and also meet the people. The tradition continues to be followed even today. The group covered a distance of 10 km.

Later in the evening, Mahant Devinder Das gave a good send-off to the sangat with prasad and gifts. 

CM visits Congress headquarters

Dehradun, March 14
A day after his swearing-in as the new Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Vijay Bahuguna today visited the state Congress headquarters in Dehradun.

Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna greets supporters at Congress Bhavan in Dehradun on Wednesday.

Bahuguna reached Congress Bhawan during the afternoon hours today and spent over an hour with Congress workers who had turned up in large numbers to greet the new Chief Minister. Bahuguna interacted with the party workers and expressed gratitude to them for ensuring Congress victory in the Assembly elections in the state.

Uttarakhand Congress president Yashpal Arya, state Congress vice president Suryakant Dhasmana were among prominent Congress leaders who accompanied the Chief Minister. In a brief interaction with mediapersons, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said it will be his priority to take all sections of society together in the works of development.

Earlier, Congress workers resorted to large-scale bursting of crackers at the state Congress headquarters.

There was also large-scale beating of drums to welcome Vijay Bahuguna.