Pic of the Week

Work to curb effects of climate change: Prince Charles to NGOs

Prince Charles waters a sapling that he planted at the Forest Research Institute in Dehradun.

Dehradun: Prince Charles on Thursday advised NGOs engaged in rehabilitation efforts in Uttarakhand to work on minimising the effects of climate change and preventing a natural disaster of the scale that hit the state in June. 

The Prince of Wales, who along with his wife Camilla Parker Bowles began his nine-day India visit from Uttarakhand yesterday, gave the advice to representatives of NGOs who met him at the Indian Military Academy here on the sidelines of a function held in the royal couple's honour at the institute. 

"His highness expressed satisfaction at the contribution made by nearly 40 odd NGOs in putting life back on track in the flood-hit areas of Uttarakhand and advised us to work especially on minimising the effects of climate change for disaster mitigation and prevention of a calamity like the one which hit the hill state in mid-June," Jayant Kumar, programme head of CASA, an NGO engaged in relief operations in affected areas said. 

Earlier the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were received at the gate of the academy by its Commandant Lt Gen Manvendra Singh and his wife and ushered into the historic Chetwode Building where the Prince viewed a training exercise while the Duchess watched equestrian activities. 

The royal couple later met and interacted with IMA cadets, officers, their wives and students of the Rashtriya Indian Military College at Batra Mess on the IMA campus. 

IMA Commandant Lt Gen Manvendra Singh also presented the royal couple with a memento and described it as his proud privilege to receive them at the institute. 

He said their visit will further cement the ties between the two countries and their armies. 

The royal couple also presented a sword to the IMA Commandant as a memento. 

The Prince of Wales then visited the Forest Research Institute and toured its Timber Museum. He was conferred with an honorary degree by the institute.

Bureaucratic reshuffle in Uttarakhand

Dehradun: In a minor reshuffle, Uttarakhand government on Wednesday changed the responsibilities of several bureaucrats, including four senior officers. 
Director Information and deputy chairman of Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority R Meenakshi Sundaram has been given additional charge of Secretary, Industrial Development and Managing Director of SIDCUL, an official release here said. 

Haridwar Development Corporation Deputy Chairman Ranjit Sinha has been absolved of his responsibility as the secretary of the state Public Service Commission. Former examination controller of the Commission Surendra Narain Pandey will take over from Sinha as its Secretary. 

Banshidhar Tiwari who was earlier Secretary of Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty, Directorate of Information. 

27-year-old pregnant woman beheaded body recovered near Dehradun Raj Bhawan

Dehradun: A beheaded body of a woman was recovered from army area near Raj Bhawan in the city, police said on Thursday.

The headless body of a 27-year-old woman kept in a sack was found by rag pickers in the army area about 200 metres from Raj Bhawan on Wednesday evening, SP (city) Jagdish Chandra said.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the woman was apparently pregnant and was possibly raped before being killed, he said.

It appears that the woman's body was dumped in the area after the crime was committed somewhere else, he said.

Efforts are on to identify the woman by collecting details of people who went missing from nearby districts recently, he said, adding a post mortem is underway.