More than 1000 deodars
hit by killer disease
SHIMLA, Nov 6 — More than 1,000 cider pine trees in the dense forests of the western Himalayan region in the tourist retreat of Chail are afflicted with a fungal pathogen called Phytophthora cinnamomini. The disease causes chlorosis or yellowing of needles of the tree and subsequent drying up of the tree in a centripetal manner from the root to the side branches and then the centre.

More than 1000 deodars hit by killer disease

SHIMLA, Nov 6 (ANI) — More than 1,000 cider pine trees in the dense forests of the western Himalayan region in the tourist retreat of Chail are afflicted with a fungal pathogen called Phytophthora cinnamomini.

Chail, situated 45 km from here, has a forest area of 650 square kilometre.

The disease causes chlorosis or yellowing of needles of the tree and subsequent drying up of the tree in a centripetal manner from the root to the side branches and then the centre.

It affects older trees having a diameter bigger than 4 cm as the immune system of the tree starts to decline at a later stage.

According to Mr GS Goraya, Director, Himalayan Forest Research Institute (HFRI), a 5 hectare patch of cider pine trees, also called Deodhar in local language, started drying up some 15 years ago for which no apparent reason was found.

A preliminary research based on the ecological parameters of the region was carried out by the institute.

It found that the disease did not match with any of the earlier recorded diseases of deodar in the Himalayan zone.

The disease causing fungus was later reported to have afflicted nearly 900 species in at least 60 countries worldwide.

Mr Goraya said his institute had suggested measures to the state Forest Department to contain the disease which threatened to spread to the adjoining areas.

"We have suggested to the department to close one area temporarily by barbed wire fencing and initiate in association with the HFRI trials on various control regimes," Mr Goraya said.

"This includes digging up trenches around the affected trees, taking up some chemical measures to control the disease and also to take up mulching, that is, bio-control measures of these trees on a trial basis," Mr Goraya added.

With the help of these steps the government would be able to arrive at some effective solutions within two years, he said.

No threat to govt, says Dhumal
From Our Correspondent

BAGWARA (Hamirpur), Nov 6 — Himachal Chief Minister, Prem Kumar Dhumal said here today that despite political pressure from various quarters, his government would complete five-year term and development of the state would go on without hindrance.

Addressing public meetings here and at Dadooh and Chamboh in his Bamsan constituency, the Chief Minister stated that there was no threat to his government and minor rumpus was bound to happen in a democratic set up. He said, he would overcome hiccups in the way of running the government.

He denied charges of discrimination between various areas of the state and added that he had not only increased the support price of apple but also provided support price to citrus fruit of lower belt of the state. He said that so far 1.87 crore boxes of apples had been sent outside the state besides procuring 65,000 metric tonnes of apples for juice factories of the state. This showed that the government was for balanced development of the whole state. He alleged that the former Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh had announced support price for apple only and ignored other crops of lower areas of the state.

Prof Dhumal lashed out at the previous Congress government for poor allocation of funds under Nabard scheme. He said that while Rs 85 lakh had been given to Hamirpur district during past four years, a sum of Rs 11.11 crore had been sanctioned for the district for the current fiscal year for the development of the roads and bridges in the interiors of the district.

The Chief Minister was accorded warm reception here where he had studied up to VIII. He was also accompanied by Education Minister, Ishwar Dass Dhiman and Mrs Urmila Thakur, Parliamentary Secretary.

Anti-polythene drive doomed
From Bijender Sharma

JAWALAMUKHI: The much-talked-about anti-polythene drive in the town faces an untimely death following the dumping of polythene waste in different areas. The uncooperative attitude of residents has shattered the plans of social workers and volunteers engaged in the drive to end this "synthetic pollution."

Polythene has polluted the entire town whether it is the nullahs, residential areas or backyards of shops and offices. The worst affected are the nullahs where polythene bags and packets are dumped into them, which has made its water stagnant. People living on either side of these nullahs find the stink caused by the waste in such bags unbearable.

The nullah which runs between the temple compound and Pajari mohalla areas are replete with polythene waste, says a social activist, Mr Krishan Parmar. These nullahs are seasonal. All the filth wrapped in polythene bags comes to door of houses during the rainy season when nullahs become streams of filth.

The condition of other nullahs is no different. Bada nullah, the largest, gets half of the town's garbage. Kitchen and other waste in such bags not only produces a nauseating stink, it also results in the nullah's banks giving way.
The stink is so strong that even rag-pickers avoid collecting polythene from these nullahs. "We prefer to collect dry polythene bags as collecting wet ones from the stinking nullah is unhygienic and an invitation to health hazards," says a rag picker.

The area between the bus stand and Mandir Road gets the largest amount of polythene waste. The nullah is without a lining at some places which leads to the waste coming on to the path. The whole area gets blocked particularly during the rainy season and causes inconvenience to passers-by. Scores of polythene bags can be seen strewn near the old bus stand.

While residents blame the Nagar Panchayat for the heaps of waste, which gets scattered everywhere by winds, social workers and anti-polythene campaigners blame residents for littering their areas with polythene waste.

Nagar Panchayat officials lament that despite providing each house with a waste collection bag, the result has not been encouraging. The practice of throwing garbage in polythene bags continues unabated. The non-availability of eco-friendly and cheap packing substances has aggravated the situation. The situation has become so bad that polythene bags have started accumulating even under signboards carrying anti-polythene slogans!

The Nagar Panchayat hopes to get rid of the polythene waste availing of NORAD funded schemes. However, a solution lies not just in commissioning the waste removal schemes, but in setting up a number of waste collection and segregation centres. The town's elite feels that it cannot get rid of this polythene unless responsibility is fixed on residents. Those throwing garbage in polythene bags outside dustbins should be penalised to discourage this practice.

Anti-price rise rally on Nov 10
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 6 — The CPM will organise an anti-price rise rally here on November 10.

Announcing this here yesterday, Mr Rakesh Singha, secretary of the CPM, said rallies would be organised in other parts of Shimla district in protest against the pro-trader policy of the BJP-HVC combine government. A rally will be held at Theog on November 19 and at Rohroo on November 27.

The CPM urged the government to raid the godowns of wholesale dealers and unearth the hoarded commodities.