HP to set up panel to review land laws
SHIMLA, Dec 10 — The Himachal Government will soon set up a committee of experts to review various land laws, many of which had either become obsolete and irrelevant altogether or required suitable amendments to save the common people from harassment and inconvenience.

HP plan for crop insurance
SHIMLA, Dec 10 — The Himachal Government will soon formulate a special crop insurance scheme for the benefit of wheat and maize growers of the state.

An ailing health centre
NAGROTA SURIAN: The local primary health centre which looks after the needs of 15 to 20 panchayats is in bad shape because of official apathy.

TV programmes disrupted
SHIMLA, Dec 10 — The broadcast of programmes over AIR and TV stations in Himachal Pradesh was disrupted today because of the strike by the programme staff.

Rahman visits ATC headquarters
SHIMLA, Dec 10 — The Chief of the Army Staff of Bangladesh, Lieut-General Muhammed Mustafiz-ur-Rehman, visited the headquarters of the Army Training Command here yesterday.

HP to set up panel to review land laws
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 10 — The Himachal Government will soon set up a committee of experts to review various land laws, many of which had either become obsolete and irrelevant altogether or required suitable amendments to save the common people from harassment and inconvenience.

The Revenue Minister, Dr Rajan Sushant, was replying to the discussion raised by Mr Harsh Wardhan to draw attention to the problems being faced by villagers due to the government decision to transfer the control of shamlat land to the Forest Department on the basis of an old notification dating back to 1952.

Dr Sushant said the problem had arisen after the enforcement of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, under which forest land could not be diverted for non-forestry use. He said in the proposed committee besides legal and revenue experts public representatives would also be represented.

He said wastelands were notified as forest land in 1952 but the necessary entry could not be made in the revenue record for want of proper demarcation.

Earlier, Mr Harsh Wardhan said the decision to transfer shamlat land, which was owned by villagers until 1974, to the Forest Department would adversely hit development activities.

The Health Minister, Mr J P Nadda, assured the House during question hour that the government would create more posts of drug inspector to ensure proper supervision of medicine shops to curb the abuse of drugs by youth.

Replying to a question put by Mr Gangu Ram, he said the government was aware of the growing social malaise of drug abuse by young boys who were consuming cough syrups and certain other medicines as intoxicants. However, this could be effectively checked only by creating awareness in society.

He said the Medical Council of India had refused to grant recognition to the Tanda medical college for various deficiencies in the infrastructural set-up. The previous government had opened the college without providing requisite staff and other required facilities. The attitude of the government also annoyed the council.

He said the present government had allocated Rs 9 crore for providing the basic infrastructure and work on construction of operation theatres, library and other units was in full swing. The government had also established a rapport with the MCI which had assured recognition would be granted after the deficiencies pointed out by it were removed.

HP plan for crop insurance
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 10 — The Himachal Government will soon formulate a special crop insurance scheme for the benefit of wheat and maize growers of the state.

The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, while intervening in the discussion raised by Mr Chander Kumar on shortage of seeds ad fertilisers said the government had already set aside Rs 1 crore for implementing the scheme. The modalities were being finalised with an insurance company.

He said under the proposed scheme the premium on behalf of farmers would be paid by the government and the insurance company would compensate their loss in case their crop was damaged as the result of a natural calamity.

Replying to the discussion, the Agriculture Minister, Mr Vidya Sagar, denied the allegation of the Opposition that there was a shortage of agriculture inputs during the current sowing season.

Quoting figures, he said against a demand of 28,796 tonnes as many as 19,978 tonnes of potato seed had already been supplied. This was about 4,000 tonnes more than 15,480 tonnes supplied last season. He said the seed was supplied by the department at the rate of Rs 990 per quintal whereas the rate was more than Rs 1000 per quintal in the market.

Referring to the supply of fertilisers, he said against 46,025 tonnes made available in 1997-98 more than 52,000 tonnes of various fertilisers had been distributed during the current year.

Earlier, initiating the discussion, Mr Chander Kumar said the supply of seed and fertiliser was irregular and inadequate. In most of the areas, fertiliser was not available at the start of the sowing season. In fact, 80 per cent of the farmers had sown the crop without using any fertiliser.

There were also cases where farmers had been supplied substandard seed. In some areas, there was no germination at all, adding to the miseries of farmers who were already reeling under the impact of sky-rocketing prices of seeds and other inputs.

Mr Dulo Ram said there was no shortage of inputs but certain cooperative societies controlled by those sympathetic to the Opposition deliberately did not lift their requirement to give a bad name to the government.

Mr G.S. Bali said the government should refund the excess money to farmers who had been supplied potato seed at higher rates.

The issue of increasing incidence of fatal bus accidents also engaged the attention of the House. Members of both the Opposition and the ruling group called for effective measures to put a check on accidents.

Mr Dhumal said it was impossible to check overloading in buses in view of the ever increasing population. The state had limited resources which were not enough to provide adequate number of buses.

He said instead of blaming each other the members should come out with constructive suggestions so that an effective system could be evolved to bring down the incidence of accidents. He said he had already issued a directive that buses condemned by the state road transport corporation were not to be used by private operators for transporting passengers.

The Transport Minister, Krishan Kapoor said the incidents of accidents had come down. He said this year only 289 accidents took place, killing 171 persons and injuring 1042 persons. In 1996, 444 accidents occurred in which 237 persons lost their lives and 1,552 were injured.

He said the government had taken a number of steps to check drunken driving, plug revenue leakages and improve roads. As many as 23 drivers, who were found drunk on duty, had been dismissed. Drivers were subjected to regular health check-up.

Earlier, initiating this discussion, Mr Kaul Singh expressed concern over the fact that buses discarded by the HRTC were being purchased by private operators and plied on regular routes. He said one such bus fell into the Beas recently, killing six persons.

He said while there was unhealthy competition between private bus operators and government-run buses on certain routes in others there was a dearth of buses. He said a traffic survey should be carried out to provide adequate bus service in all areas.

He said there had also been cases when the accident had taken place because the driver had been overworked. Instead of eight hours of duty, drivers were at times made to ply buses non-stop for 13 to 14 hours.

Mr Ram Lal Thakur, Mr Jaikishan and Mr Kuldeep Kumar also took part in the discussion.

Himalayan festival lacklustre affair
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Dec 10 — The much hyped about fourth Himalayan international festival turned out to be a lacklustre affair, in the absence of patronage from the state government.

The festival, which had turned out to be a major winter attraction for the tourists during the past years, is organised annually by the Indo-Tibetan Friendship Association and the Tibetan Government-in-exile from December 10 to 12. Though the festival had been accorded the status of an international event, this time it merely turned out to be more of a local affair. In the absence or adequate publicity, there were hardly any tourists, making it a low-key affair.

People associated with holding the festival, admitted no interest was taken either by the state-level officials or the district administration to make the festival a mega event. "Everything was done just to complete the formality and as a result the participation this time is less," commented one of the organisers.

As compared to 12 cultural troupes, who came here from outside last time, there are only five this time. In fact, it was only at the last minute that powers were given to the District Tourism Officer to make the arrangements and invite the teams. Cultural troupes from Manipur and Ladakh, which were a major hit last year, did not turn up.

No efforts were made at all to publicise the event. No advertisements were issued, nor was any information regarding the festival put up at various hotels of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. "Despite our repeated efforts nobody took the matter seriously. It was treated like a routine mater," lamented one of the organisers.

An ailing health centre
From Bijender Sharma

NAGROTA SURIAN: The local primary health centre which looks after the needs of 15 to 20 panchayats is in bad shape because of official apathy. There is a perpetual shortage of medicines at the hospital. Medicines given to patients are inferior. In most cases patients are asked to bring their own medicines. Even life-saving drugs are not available easily.

The condition of building housing the health centre is bad. The hospital lacks cleanliness and patients live in unhygienic conditions. Garbage lies dumped in front of the centre. Latrines are not cleaned daily. There is an acute shortage of drinking water in the health centre. The PWD, which looks after the functioning of drinking water supply, remains unconcerned and patients continue to suffer. Power supply is also irregular.

The condition of staff quarters is no better. Constructed in 1983-84 by the PWD, they are in bad shape. There are over 16 houses but no employee lives there. In the rainy season, the health centre building leaks and water enters the premises. Electric wiring of the staff quarters has been damaged.

Most of the doors and windows are missing.

The health centre is facing shortage of staff which comprise one doctor and a sweeper. Women patients who have to get treatment for gynaecological disorders and MCH services suffer the most as no ANM and female health worker is there. It urgently needs nurses, lady doctor and female health workers. There is need for upgrading the laboratory and providing X-ray and ECG facilities. Dr Narula, who is posted here, said he had written to the government about the shortage of staff and other problems but nothing was done. A senior PWD officer said a plan for construction had been submitted to the government but the necessary budget was not provided the Health Department.

TV programmes disrupted
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 10 — The broadcast of programmes over AIR and TV stations in Himachal Pradesh was disrupted today because of the strike by the programme staff.

The production of programmes was also paralysed.

The programme Staff Association is demanding revised pay scales equal to their engineering counterparts with effect from 1978, the arrears of which have already been received by them. These revised pay scales were announced by the Prasar Bharati Board in December last after a long agitation. These scales have not been implemented so far despite assurance given by the government.

The association has also demanded the filling of 600 vacant posts in various cadres.

Rahman visits ATC headquarters
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 10 — The Chief of the Army Staff of Bangladesh, Lieut-General Muhammed Mustafiz-ur-Rehman, visited the headquarters of the Army Training Command here yesterday.

The Bangladesh Army Chief was accompanied by a delegation of officers of the Bangladesh Army.

On arrival he was received by the GOC-in-C, Lieut-Gen Vijay Oberoi at Annandale. He was accompanied by his wife, Begum Rashida. The delegation left for Ambala today. General Rahman will be the chief guest at the passing out parade at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, on December 12.