Cow dung on classroom walls: DUSU chief defaces principal's office
New Delhi (PTI): DUSU president Ronak Khatri on Tuesday smeared cow dung on the walls of Lakshmibai College principal's office, escalating a row that ignited after she was caught on video coating classroom walls with cow dung for “cooling” them.
In the video, widely shared on social media, principal Pratyush Vatsala was seen coating classroom walls with cow dung.
"No consent was taken from students for such an initiative," Khatri told PTI Videos while arguing with a faculty member inside the principal's office.
"If you want to do research, do it at your home," he said.
The principal told PTI on April 13 that the faculty-led initiative was part of an ongoing research aimed at exploring indigenous and sustainable cooling techniques.
There was no immediate response from the university regarding Tuesday's incident.
In a post on X, Khatri referenced the principal's viral video and sarcastically said that he and his supporters had gone to "help" her by plastering her office walls as well.
"We have full faith that madam will now get the AC removed from her room and hand it over to students, and run the college in this modern and natural cool environment smeared with cow dung," he wrote.
In defense of her now-viral video, Principal Vatsala on April 13 said it was part of an ongoing research project conducted in porta cabins.
"It is under process. I will be able to share details of the full research after a week," she had said, stressing that misinformation was being spread without full context.
"There's no harm in touching natural mud," she added.
The principal reportedly shared the video in a teachers' WhatsApp group, noting that the indigenous method was being used to cool classrooms in C Block.
"Those who have classes here will soon get these rooms in a new look. Efforts are being made to make your teaching experience pleasant," she wrote.
The administration maintains that the method is part of scientific inquiry into sustainable practices amid rising temperatures in the capital.
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Heavy rain, hailstorms likely to lash Uttarakhand on Tuesday; IMD issues warning
Dehradun/Pithoragarh (PTI): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning for heavy rain and hailstorms across several districts of Uttarakhand on Tuesday, as temperatures remained markedly below normal in the region.
Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar districts. Most places across all districts are expected to receive light to moderate rain or thunderstorms, while higher reaches are likely to witness snowfall, officials said on Monday.
The weather department warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, hail and intense spells of rain in six districts, including Dehradun and Nainital. Gusty winds with speeds reaching 40-50 kmph are also expected at isolated locations in these areas and other hilly districts.
In the state capital, Dehradun, the sky is forecast to remain partly cloudy with light rain and thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds of 30-40 kmph.
The maximum and minimum temperatures in the city are expected to hover around 31 degrees Celsius and 19 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Maximum temperatures during the past 24 hours remained markedly below normal in the hills and appreciably below normal in the plains. While no significant change in temperature is expected over the next 2-3 days, the IMD predicts a rise of 3-5 degrees Celsius during the subsequent 3-4 days.
Rainfall was recorded in several areas after 8.30 am today, with Ramnagar receiving 31.5 mm and Nainital recording 26.5 mm. Other areas, including Pithoragarh, Khatima and Champawat, also reported moderate precipitation.
Authorities have stopped a batch of 36 Adi Kailash pilgrims at the Dharchula base camp and placed the high-altitude yatra route on high alert following heavy rains and hailstorms in the district on Monday.
Dharchula SDM Ashish Joshi said the pilgrimage was halted due to adverse weather conditions. The issuance of new inner-line passes has been suspended until the weather normalises.
With 1,700 passes issued so far, pilgrims already at higher camps are being monitored for safety, the official added.
