Latest news with #Dehradun-based
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
No relief for Doon builder from HC in land fraud case
Dehradun: Uttarakhand high court on Monday declined to grant immediate relief to Dehradun-based builder and industrialist Sudhir Kumar Windlass and his three associates, who are facing fraud charges. A single bench of Justice Pankaj Purohit scheduled the next hearing on Windlass's third bail application for the first week of July. Windlass's counsel said the 72-year-old was undergoing treatment for health complications at Himalayan Hospital in Dehradun, as per court directions. "We told the court that the chargesheet is under cloud before the Supreme Court, and since the trial is unlikely to conclude soon, he cannot be incarcerated indefinitely. There is no justification for keeping him in judicial custody without a conviction," said Sanjeev Agarwal, Windlass's lawyer. He was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Dec 2023. Windlass is accused of defrauding individuals by persuading them to sell land, which he then allegedly transferred to another businessman. After complaints from victims, the state govt launched a probe, later handing the case over to CBI. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar The CBI investigation implicated Windlass and three associates in the alleged scam. A special CBI court refused to grant any relief to Windlass and his bail plea was rejected 12 months ago, after which he and others sought bail from the high court. The defence argued that the "actual perpetrators," now in prison, "tarnished Windlass's reputation by fabricating documents, despite his standing as a respected businessman in Dehradun." They maintained that Windlass had no role in the fraud and that others misused his name to illegally execute a land sale deed.
United News of India
6 hours ago
- Science
- United News of India
WII scientists track hyena's 85-km trek, flag corridor concerns
New Delhi, June 23 (UNI) In what wildlife biologists are calling a rare and significant observation, the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has documented a striped hyena's 85-km dispersal from Rajaji Tiger Reserve to Corbett Tiger Reserve — the longest such journey recorded for the species in India through camera traps. The hyena (Hyaena hyaena) was first photo-captured in Rajaji National Park in March 2018, followed by a sighting in the adjoining Shyampur forest division in August, and finally in Corbett Tiger Reserve (Kalagarh) in January 2019, according to a study published in the latest issue of journal Current Science. While typical hyena movements range between 0.7 to 9.5 km, this individual covered an estimated 85 km, one of the farthest recorded for the species in India. This unusual dispersal behaviour highlights the importance of wildlife corridors that connect fragmented forest landscapes. 'This is the first documented dispersal event of a striped hyena through a camera-trap network in India,' said Dr. Ayan Sadhu, lead author of the study titled, 'Dispersal record of a striped hyena from a camera trap survey'. 'It underlines the functional connectivity between Rajaji and Corbett, and the importance of intact forest corridors in supporting such movements.' The researchers used systematic, grid-based camera trapping conducted as part of the All India Tiger Estimation 2018, covering Rajaji, Corbett, and adjoining forest divisions. The Terai Arc Landscape, where the study was conducted, is home to multiple large carnivores including tigers, leopards, and bears, and is increasingly threatened by infrastructure development, agriculture, and urban expansion, said the wildlife biologists. 'Despite facing risks such as road mortality, disease spillover from domestic animals, and human conflict, carnivores like the striped hyena are still able to disperse—provided suitable habitat corridors remain intact,' said Dr. Qamar Qureshi, senior scientist at WII and co-author of the study. The other authors included Kainat Latafat and Yadvendradev V Jhala, both from the WII. Wildlife corridors between Rajaji and Corbett are already under pressure due to linear infrastructure, including highways and railways, which fragment habitats and pose barriers to animal movement. The study highlights the utility of large-scale camera trap surveys in capturing behavioural and ecological insights for species that are otherwise difficult to study, at the same time calling for protecting and restoring wildlife corridors to facilitate movement and maintain gene flow between isolated populations. "Safeguarding such corridors is critical not only for hyenas but for the long-term survival of the entire large carnivore community in the region," it said. The study was conducted with support from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under the Union Environment Ministry and the Uttarakhand Forest Department. UNI AJ SSP
Indian Express
7 hours ago
- Indian Express
Salary warning to those who skipped Yoga Day event creates stir at Wildlife Institute, later withdrawn
An internal email from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has run into controversy after it warned that the salaries of employees who were absent for the International Yoga Day event on Saturday at its offices could be withheld until a valid written explanation is submitted and verified. The email was sent on Monday morning by the Registrar of the Dehradun-based central government institute. After it created a stir, another email was sent in the afternoon saying that the previous one had been withdrawn. According to Monday morning's email, the overall attendance for the Yoga Day event was poor despite repeated notices issued by the WII and communications from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 'Please note that while WII ensures the timely disbursement of monthly salaries/emoluments to over 600 employees (including researchers), about 75 individuals participated in this important national event,' it said. The mail further said that all those who were absent on June 21 — Yoga Day — without prior intimation are required to submit a written explanation for their absence. WII employees, permanent and contractual, were asked to submit an explanation to their sectional head or the Deputy Registrar. The email also asked the finance officer to withhold the release of salaries for the month of June until the attendance record, tour details, or a valid written explanation is received and verified, the email said. Then at 1.54 pm on Monday, another email said the previous one stands withdrawn. The institution's Registrar, J A Johnson, said the morning email was sent to ensure 'professional conduct' among employees, and was not a ministry directive. 'As the administration, we expect punctuality and discipline, which is why the email was sent. We had not planned any action. Yoga Day was an institutional event, and I wanted employees to take part,' he said. Before Saturday's event, on the same email thread, the Registrar had asked the employees to wear white clothes and carry individual yoga mats to celebrate the day. Staff at the institute said that participation on Yoga Day has always been voluntary at the institute. The Registrar also said it has not been made compulsory. Aiswarya Raj is a correspondent with The Indian Express who covers South Haryana. An alumna of Asian College of Journalism and the University of Kerala, she started her career at The Indian Express as a sub-editor in the Delhi city team. In her current position, she reports from Gurgaon and covers the neighbouring districts. She likes to tell stories of people and hopes to find moorings in narrative journalism. ... Read More
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Business Standard
8 hours ago
- General
- Business Standard
WII threatens of pay freeze for Yoga Day absence, then retracts order
The International Yoga Day on June 21 was clearly a major event of the year at the Wildlife Institute of India. But some of its staff chose to skip it without prior permission. The event was so vital that missing it was seen as an act of defiance by the Dehradun-based institute. Consequently, the Wildlife Institute of India on Monday warned employees that their June salaries would be withheld for skipping the International Yoga Day event without prior notice. But within hours, the directive was rolled back, like a yoga mat in the monsoon. The warning came via an internal email sent by the Dehradun-based institute, expressing disappointment over the 'poor attendance' at the June 21 celebration, despite repeated notices from the WII and reminders from the Ministry of Environment. 'Please note that while the WII ensures the timely disbursement of monthly salaries/emoluments to over 600 employees [including researchers], about 75 individuals participated in this important national event,' read the email accessed by PTI. The message instructed all staff — permanent and contractual — who missed the event without informing in advance to submit a written explanation to their reporting officer or the deputy registrar. Until these explanations were received and verified, the finance officer was directed to withhold June 2025 salary disbursements. However, the situation changed quickly. By 1.55 pm the same day, the administration issued another email to all staff, stating that the earlier directive had been withdrawn. Speaking to PTI, WII Director Virendra Tiwari clarified, 'No such action is proposed,' and added that it was simply a routine communication shared with employees. However, the tone of the initial e-mail and the threat of salary stoppage stirred concern among staff. 'This was a bit too much,' a WII employee told PTI. The staffer said they had not been informed earlier that attending the event was mandatory and confirmed receiving the withdrawal notice later. The International Day of Yoga, observed every year on June 21, is a wellness initiative promoted by the Government of India. While central government employees are generally encouraged to participate, attendance remains voluntary across most institutions.
Deccan Herald
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Wildlife Institute of India issues, then withdraws order to withhold salaries of staff who skipped Yoga Day event
In an internal e-mail, the administration of the Dehradun-based institute expressed concern over the 'poor attendance' at the June 21 event, despite repeated notices issued by the WII and communications from the environment ministry.
