tribuneindia... Himachal

H I M A C H A L
P R A D E S H

Tuesday, July 21, 1998

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Virbhadra gets clean chit on raising of loans
SHIMLA, July 20 — The previous Congress Government headed by Mr Virbhadra Singh was given a clean chit today when the Chief Minister , Mr P.K. Dhumal, told the Vidhan Sabha that no irregularity was committed in the payment of commission for raising loans worth Rs 390.80 crore in the past four years...

Burning of woman figures in House
SHIMLA, July 20 — Shakino Devi, a Dalit woman, was burnt alive in broad day-light after being tied to a tree by eight persons in Kathiala village in the Jawalamukhi area of Kangra district...

Farm Notes
High-density cherry planting catches on
SHIMLA: Cherries are much in demand, and growers are getting good returns because of its high price. Its cultivation has been picking up, but quite slowly...

Move to oust civic body chief
DHARAMSALA, July 20 — Six of the total 11 Congress-controlled municipal council have demanded removal of the Council president, Mr Jagdish Pradhan from the post...
Steps to check prices reviewed
SHIMLA, July 20 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, today reviewed the position regarding the availability of essential commodities and steps taken by the government to keep the prices under control in the state...
Youth urged to protect environment
SHIMLA, July 20 — Noted environmentalist Sunder Lal Bahuguna has exhorted the youth to work for protection of environment, which is at present under serious threats from various quarters...
Set up education panel: parishad
SHIMLA, July 19 — The Himachal Vidvat Parishad has urged the government to set up an Educational Council of India on the pattern of the Medical Council of India (MCI) to regulate the functioning of degree colleges and other institutions of higher education...
Mt Mulkila scaled

Virbhadra gets clean chit on raising of loans
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, July 20 — The previous Congress Government headed by Mr Virbhadra Singh was given a clean chit today when the Chief Minister , Mr P.K. Dhumal, told the Vidhan Sabha that no irregularity was committed in the payment of commission for raising loans worth Rs 390.80 crore in the past four years.
In a written reply to a question tabled by Mr R.R. Kaundal, Mr Parveen Sharma and Mr Ravinder Singh Ravi (all BJP), the Chief Minister said the commission was paid on the rates fixed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). A commission of Rs 12,09,258 was paid for investments in the SLR bonds which were approved by the Centre and the RBI.
The Chief Minister said there was no question of taking action against anyone because commission was paid as per the RBI guidelines.
A commitment payment of Rs 16 lakh was paid to the HDFC for raising a loan of Rs 16 crore for the state in 1994-95 and 1997-98.
The Chief Minister said loans to the tune of Rs 390,8015,9080 were raised by the government at an interest ranging between 9 and 15 per cent. Of this Rs 173 crore were raised from market borrowings.
The Chief Minister said that the loans included those from the Centre, the LIC, the Housing Development Finance Corporation, the National Insurance Corporation, General Insurance, HUDCO and NABARD.
He said a sum of over Rs 271 crore had been repaid. The repayment of loan was being done regularly to escape penal rate of interest.
The Chief Minister said that an interest of Rs 1,38,0063,454 was paid during 1997-98 on these loans.
The HVC leader, Mr Sukh Ram, who is an alliance partner of the ruling BJP, has been demanding a CBI probe on the raising of loans by the Virbhadra Singh government.

Burning of woman figures in House
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, July 20 — Shakino Devi, a Dalit woman, was burnt alive in broad day-light after being tied to a tree by eight persons in Kathiala village in the Jawalamukhi area of Kangra district.
Seven persons, including 5 women, had so far been arrested in this connection.
This was stated by the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, in the Vidhan Sabha today while replying to a calling attention motion tabled by Ms Krishna Mohini, Mr G.S. Bali, Mr Kuldip Kumar (all Cong) and Mr R.R. Kaundal (BJP).
The woman was allegedly burnt over a land dispute.
The Chief Minister informed the House that the incident occurred on June 30. The charred body of Shakino Devi was found under a tree near her house in the afternoon.
He said her son noticed the body and informed his father, Ramesh Chand, who rushed to the spot and found pieces of burnt clothes and tufts of hair lying scattered. The burns were anti-mortem.
The Chief Minister said the arrested included Kaka Ram, Jai Devi, Jeevna Devi, Ranjeet Singh, Rumla Devi, Tripta Devi and Sunita Devi. One of the main accused, Om Raj, had not been arrested so far as he was serving in the Army. The SP, Kangra, was taking necessary steps for his arrest.
The Chief Minister said according to available information there was a land dispute between Ramesh Chand and the family of Mrs Premi Devi. There were allegation that Mrs Premi Devi assisted by others used to harass Ramesh Chand and his wife Shakino Devi.
Shakino Devi was allegedly beaten up by the son of Mrs Premi Devi in May when an FIR was registered by the police. Another FIR was registered following the complaint that a buffalo of Ramesh Chand was poisoned. In yet another incident, an attempt was made to set the house of Ramesh Chand on fire.
There were allegations that certain officials of the panchayat had been supporting Mrs Premi Devi in harassing Ramesh Chand and his wife.
The Chief Minister said stern action would be taken against the officials who had deliberately acted in a partisan manner in investigating the case.
He had ordered the police to complete the investigations within two months under the supervision of an Additional Director General of Police.
Earlier, the members expressed shock over the incident and demanded stern action against the culprits and also the police and panchayat officials who acted in a partisan manner.
Ms Krishna Mohini described it as a shameful incident and said that a team of Mahila Congress would visit the village to find out facts about the case.

Farm Notes
High-density cherry planting catches on
C.M. Kumbhkarni
SHIMLA: Cherry is in much demand, and growers too are getting good returns because of its high price.
Cheery cultivation has become picking up, but quite slowly. The practice of high density planting in cherry being propagated by experts may give a fillip to cherry cultivation in Himachal Pradesh.
Sweet cherries need more exacting about soil and climatic requirements as compared to other temperate fruits. It requires well-drained deep sandy loamy soils. Cherries are well-adopted to cooler climates, and require 1,000-1,500 chilling hours in winters below 7° Celsius.
In Himachal Pradesh it is being grown successfully at heights varying between 1,500 m and 2,000 m above mean sea level, where the soil moisture regime is good during summers. The summer climate is mild, and area is not very humid. Hail-storms and high rainfall, particularly in area with early monsoon, damage the fruit. The drought-prone areas must be avoided, according to Dr R.D. Sharma, Associate Director at the Regional Horticultural Research Station in Mashobra.
High density systems are reported to have consistently increased the popularity and acreage, particularly with small land holdings. High density plantings were first done in Europe in the sixties. As traditional systems of production are labour-intensive, low yielding and poor in fruit quality, there has been a gradual change-over to more efficient production of orchards for generating higher income per unit area as well as increased fruit productivity.
High density planting, according to Dr Sharma, is practised in the developed countries in almost all the temperate fruits like apple, pear, plums, peaches, apricot and cherry as well, where there is availability of the controlling rootstocks and suitable management practices.
Dr Sharma explained that high density planting in cherry was being achieved by preventing upright growth of trees, developing of horizontal laterals, spacing small laterals along the central leader, and developing rigid, strong and self-supporting laterals.
The most efficient size controlling rootstock for cherry varieties has been identified as "Colt", which is semi-dwarf in nature.
There are some rootstock selections which can reduce the plants size by 20 to 30 per cent and can be suitably adopted in high density planting.
A trial of the cherry varieties "Black Heart", "Red Heart", "Bedford Prolific" and "Stella" grafted on "Colt" was done at Mashobra Research Station during 1996-97.
The planting density under trial, according to Dr Sharma was 625 trees per hectare (size 4x4m), 1111 trees per hectare (size 3x3 m) and 2500 trees per hectare (size 2x2 m).
The trial was in the initial phase and was expected to give the fruit crop during 1999. Some flowering and sample fruit setting took place in the current year, but due to hail, fruits dropped, and the required observations could not be taken.
Dr Sharma is hopeful of the success of the high density planting system being tried out at Mashobra.

Move to oust civic body chief
Tribune News Service
DHARAMSALA, July 20 — Six of the total 11 Congress-controlled municipal council have demanded removal of the Council president, Mr Jagdish Pradhan from the post.
The members have submitted a memorandum to this effect to the Deputy Commissioner for a fresh election for the post.
The move in this direction had begun soon after the formation of the BJP government in the state. Sources in the Council point out that the signatures of the six members had been obtained in March, but the letter was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner last week. However, the undated letter given to the DC has the signatures of Mr Ashok Sharma, Mrs Suman Sharma, Mrs Sudershana, Mr Madan Singh, Mr Nirmal Singh, and Mr Anurag Khanna.
The sources point out the vice-president of the Council, Mr Randhir Singh Rana, had been offered the post of president , but he declined. During the elections to the Council in 1995, the Congress won six seats, the BJP three and the independents two. Mr Pradhan became the president after facing stiff resistance even from the Congress members.
Members considered close to the Congress include Mr Jagdish, Mr Randhir Rana, Mr Ashok Sharma, Mr Anurag Khanna, Mrs Ratni Devi and Mrs Shanti Deewan. Those considered close to the BJP are Mr Kamal Kant Minocha, Mrs Suman Sharma and Mrs Sudershana. Mr Nirmal Singh is a BJP supported Independent, while Mr Madan Singh is considered to be a communist.
The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Sushil Negi, confirmed having received a demand for moving a no confidence motion against Mr Pradhan. "There are six signatories to the memorandum, but it is undated", he disclosed. He said after ascertaining the views of the six signatories a decision would be taken." In case they stick to their decision an officer will be deputed, notices will be issued and a meeting shall be convened to take up the matter", said Mr Negi.
Mr Pradhan said he was aware of the no confidence motion, but added that some of the signatories had changed their mind. He added Congress members who had signed would support him.

Steps to check prices reviewed
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, July 20 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, today reviewed the position regarding the availability of essential commodities and steps taken by the government to keep the prices under control in the state.
The Chief Minister directed the Deputy Commissioners to fix margins of profits under the Himachal Pradesh Hoarding and Profiteering Prevention Order, 1977. He said that most of the Deputy Commissioners had already reviewed the position after holding meetings with the traders and added that Deputy Commissioners had also been directed to carry out regular inspections under the Himachal Pradesh Commodities Marking and Display Order, 1977 and Himachal Pradesh Hoarding and Profiteering Prevention Order, 1977.
The Chief Minister was informed that during month of July the Department of Food and Supplies had carried out 2000 inspections all over the state under various control orders.
It was informed in the meeting that there were adequate stock of essential commodities like wheat, rice, atta and levy sugar, etc. Under the public distribution system the department was monitoring the prices and availability of these commodities daily.

Youth urged to protect environment
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, July 20 — Noted environmentalist Sunder Lal Bahuguna has exhorted the youth to work for protection of environment, which is at present under serious threats from various quarters.
He was speaking on environment protection here today in a seminar organised by Academic Staff College for the participants of refresher drawn from different parts of the country.
He advised the teachers to organise trekking expeditions and study tours for the students during the holidays so that they understand the environment deeply and contribute something concrete to it.
Mr Bahuguna came down heavily on the politicians and stressed the need for productive labour education for the students.
Expressing reservations about hydel power generation, Mr Bahuguna pointed out that hydel power potential should be harnessed without constructing big dams but from the flow and run of the river.

Set up education panel: parishad
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, July 19 — The Himachal Vidvat Parishad has urged the government to set up an Educational Council of India on the pattern of the Medical Council of India (MCI) to regulate the functioning of degree colleges and other institutions of higher education.
The parishad, which met here today, expressed concern over the haphazard opening of schools and colleges which affected the academic standard. Institutions had been opened without requisite staff, buildings and other facilities. This unhealthy trend could be checked only by introducing stringent regulatory measures.
It also suggested the constitution of state educational councils to enforce the norms laid down by the proposed ECI.
The parishad decried the growing tendency to appoint untrained and less qualified persons under voluntary teachers scheme on contract basis and urged the government not to compromise on this account. The minimum qualification for teachers should be graduation up to the middle school-level and postgraduation for those teaching ninth class onwards.
It also urged the government to encourage private institutions wherever possible and itself open schools/colleges in the remote and backward areas. Institutions should be opened on the basis of long-term planning and it should be ensured that trained teachers were appointed.

Mt Mulkila scaled
From Our Correspondent
MANALI, July 20 — A mountaineering expedition, led by Col S.S. Sharma, Director, Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali, scaled the 20,467-foot-high Mount Mulkila-5 in the central Lahaul on July 19.
Members of the team included Mr Rajiv Sharma, Mr Gautam Thakur and eight trainees.