Dehradun: Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi inaugurated a community radio station in Jyotirmath in Garhwal on Sunday. Ibex Tarana 88.4 FM is the first such radio station in Garhwal.
This is the second community radio station established by the Army in Uttarakhand in the last 20 days. The previous one has been set up in Pithoragarh very close to the China and Nepal borders under the name Panchshul Pulse. The move is being seen as an outreach effort towards the people residing in the high mountain border areas and establishing a direct connection with them.
Border areas are often the target of propaganda unleashed by the neighbouring countries and radio happens to be a major tool in this game.
The community radio stations that have been set up will provide information on various subjects to the listeners besides helping to preserve the cultural heritage of the region. They will also act as a bridge to connect the youth with their culture.
Inaugurating the community radio station at Jyotirmath on Sunday, General Dwivedi said that this radio station was an important means to amplify the voice of the youth of the area.
“Ibex Tarana is not just a radio station; it is a powerful medium to amplify the voice of youth. It will bring the community together, promote local talent, and reconnect people with their cultural roots,” he said.
During his visit to Garhwal the Army Chief visited Kedarnath with his family. He also visited the forward posts and interacted with the personnel of the Indian Army as well as the Indo Tibet Border Police (ITBP). He was all praise for the personnel doing their duty in tough geographical conditions.
The Army Chief honoured ex-servicemen with a ‘Veteran Achiever’s Award’ during his Jyotirmath visit. Those honoured included Subedar Vikram Singh Kandari, Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Surendra Singh Kanwasi, Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Shashi Kapoor and Lance Naik Rajesh Prasad Semwal. They were honoured for their contribution in the form of providing education and coaching to orphans, encouraging the youth to join the defence forces, providing free legal aid to the citizens and encouraging setting up of home stays in remote areas to generate employment. All these initiatives are fuelling reverse migration to the villages.
Emigration from the villages of Garhwal as well as Kumaon regions of the state has emerged as a major challenge. There are numerous ‘ghost villages’ in the state from where people have migrated to the plains or other parts of the country for livelihood. Absence of population in the border areas hampers intelligence gathering for the defence forces.
Read More
