H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

CM holds dist officers’ meeting
Hamirpur, May 7
The Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, has laid stress on the timely completion of ongoing works in the state and priority to redressing public grievances. He was addressing a meeting of district-level officers here last evening. It was an unscheduled meeting attended among others by Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman, Education Minister and Ms Urmila Thakur, Parliamentary Secretary.

SHO held, suspended on smuggling charge
50 sleepers of deodar seized
Mandi, May 7
The SHO, Gohar, and three police personnel were arrested today following the impounding of a police truck allegedly laden with 50 deodar sleepers by Mr Mast Ram, chairman, village forest development committee, and its members at Samnoh village in the Dhangiara valley of Gohar subdivision in the district last night.

HP to organise “jeep safaris”
Shimla, May 7
Undeterred by the poor response of tourists to sight-seeing flights, the Himachal Tourism Development Corporation is planning to organise “jeep safaris” with an eye on summer tourists.

Students of Himachal Pradesh University participate in a cultural programme "Uts," organised by the ABVP. — Photo by Vivek

Nomination of bank’s Director withdrawn
Shimla, May 7
In a significant move which will have a bearing on the ongoing legal battle being pursued by employees of Himachal State Cooperative Bank against the reinstatement of the Board of Directors of the bank, the Himachal Government today withdrew the nomination of Mr K.K. Kaushal, Chairman, as Director. 

Drugs worth 345 cr burnt
Kulu, May 7
Drugs worth Rs 345 crore in the international market were destroyed by a committee constituted for the task in the presence of the Director-General of Police, Mr A.K. Puri, thousands of schoolchildren here today and government officers of various departments.

Staff nurse suspended
Shimla, May 7
Disposable syringes are being reused on patients in the government hospital at Theog. This was detected by the Health Minister, Mr J.P.Nadda, during a surprise visit to the hospital today.

CM holds dist officers’ meeting
Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, May 7
The Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, has laid stress on the timely completion of ongoing works in the state and priority to redressing public grievances. He was addressing a meeting of district-level officers here last evening. It was an unscheduled meeting attended among others by Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman, Education Minister and Ms Urmila Thakur, Parliamentary Secretary.

The Chief Minister blasted the District Education Officer (Primary) for his failure to implement the orders of the state government and showing laxity while discharging official duties. The officer failed to tell the Chief Minister about the number of inspections he carried out in the district and the name of places visited by him.

The Education Minister asked officers of the Education Department to ensure that all orders issued by the government were implemented in letter and spirit.

The Chief Minister stressed that officers should take keen interest in the implementation of public welfare programmes and step up the pace of development.

He suggested the need for more field visits by the senior officers to redress public grievances on the spot. Targets fixed under various schemes for the current year should be achieved well in time, the Chief Minister added.

He directed the IPH Department to chlorinate water sources and do survey of drought-prone areas. He advised the Forest Department to promote the Bamboo cultivation in the area.

He directed the PWD to connect maximum villages by roads under Union Government’s schemes. Mr Dhumal told the officers concerned to carry out study on growing off-season vegetables and other commercial crops in the areas.

The Chief Minister said 1023 grievances were received under Lok Mitra Project, out of which 900 had been solved. A special programme at a cost of Rs 47 crore had been started by the DRDA in the district, which include three watershed projects and promotion of sericulture.

Ms Anuradha Thakur, Deputy Commissioner, gave details of various developmental works under way in the district.

SHO held, suspended on smuggling charge
50 sleepers of deodar seized
Our Correspondent

Mandi, May 7
The SHO, Gohar, and three police personnel were arrested today following the impounding of a police truck allegedly laden with 50 deodar sleepers by Mr Mast Ram, chairman, village forest development committee, and its members at Samnoh village in the Dhangiara valley of Gohar subdivision in the district last night. The alleged attempt of the SHO, in uniform, to smuggle the deodar sleepers was foiled by the villagers who stopped the truck by force and informed the Conservator of Forests, Mr D.C. Khanduri.

Mr J.R. Thakur, SPs rushed to the spot this morning and all tour police personnel — Lal Chand, SHO, Daler Khan, Head Constable, Nagender, constable and driver constable, Hira Lal — were arrested and placed under suspension.

Mr A.K. Puri, Director-General of Police, who was here on a four, took a serious note of the involvement of the policemen in forest crime. He told this reporter that the matter would be investigated by the Crime Branch of the CID and the investigating officer would not be less than the rank of DSP

Mr Puri said he had also ordered a departmental inquiry by the DIG of the Central Range to go into all circumstances under which the truck of the Police Department was taken out from Mandi to the spot of crime which was over 50 km away in a remote valley

Mr Khanduri said a case had been registered under Sections 41 and 42 of the Indian Forest Act after the DFO, Gohar, Mr S.K. Musafir, formally lodged an FIR at the Gohar police station. The DFO is an authorised officer under the amended Indian Forest Act to try the cases of forest crimes. The vehicles used in smuggling are confiscated and on the conviction of the culprits three become the property of the government. It is for the first time that a police vehicle has been used for smuggling and the SHO in uniform has been involved in the crime.

Mr Khanduri said villagers disclosed that a BDC member was also sitting in the truck. He lauded the bravery of the villagers who were not cowed down by the SHO and informed the higher authorities. He said this spoke volumes about the awareness which had been generated among villagers over the years that preservation of forests was linked with the survival of the people.

HP to organise “jeep safaris”
Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 7
Undeterred by the poor response of tourists to sight-seeing flights, the Himachal Tourism Development Corporation is planning to organise “jeep safaris” with an eye on summer tourists.

The corporation has been conducting helicopter flights to provide a close view of the snow-clad mountains to the tourists since 1999 but without much success. The idea of aerial flights was mooted to make a profitable use of the unutilised flying hours of the state-leased private helicopter. However, not many tourists turned up and only a few flights could take place.

This year the corporation plans to organise “jeep safaris” which will enable the tourists to savour the awesome beauty of the rugged mountains and visit the lesser-known destinations. Originating from Chandigarh, the “safari” will pass through Narkanda, Rampur, Sarhan, Kalpa, Nako, Tabo and Manali to terminate at Chandigarh.

Mixing pleasure with adventure, the “safari” will also afford the tourists opportunities for trekking in the interior Himalayas, says Mr V.C. Pharka, Managing Director of the corporation. Sufficient flexibility will be in the route options to enable the tourists to visit the destinations of their choice.

Since a lot of logistic support has to be provided for smooth movement of the vehicles through the remote hill areas, each “safari” will consist of at least five jeeps. As such about 15 to 20 tourists will comprise each group, he explains.

The “safari” will take off only in July after the roads in the tribal Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts, which have suffered extensive damage due to rain, are reopened to traffic.

Meanwhile, the corporation has come out with a “Sindhu Darshan” package, which will take tourists from Delhi to Leh via Manali, Sirchu and back.

The nine-day tour will cost a tourist Rs 10,000. The package tour will be conducted from June 1 and the focus will be on the “Sindhu Darshan” fair held annually at Leh.

The corporation in collaboration with the Forest Department plans to organise a series of programmes to educate the tourists and those connected with the tourism industry about the need to protect busy tourist destinations from pollution.

Besides, organising special cleanliness drives to remove non- biodegradable garbage from tourist resorts, proper arrangements will be made for the collection of garbage from the current season.

The hoteliers will be encouraged to maintain cleanliness in and around their complexes. Schoolchildren will also be involved to drive home the importance of keeping the hills free of garbage.

Nomination of bank’s Director withdrawn
Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 7
In a significant move which will have a bearing on the ongoing legal battle being pursued by employees of Himachal State Cooperative Bank against the reinstatement of the Board of Directors of the bank, the Himachal Government today withdrew the nomination of Mr K.K. Kaushal, Chairman, as Director. He was made Director after the BJP came into power and he later successfully contested the election for the post of Chairman.

Mr Kaushal, against whom the employees have levelled serious charges, will, thus, no longer be eligible to hold the post of Chairman.

The government had earlier conducted a preliminary inquiry into the charges and, subsequently, suspended the Board of Directors.

However, the Registrar, Cooperative Societies, reinstated the board after holding a regular inquiry.

The employees, however, termed the inquiry as mere eyewash and challenged the order of the Registrar revoking the suspension of the board in the High Court.

Now with Mr Kaushal no more on the Board of Directors, the employees’ case will be further strengthened.

Drugs worth 345 cr burnt
Our Correspondent

Kulu, May 7
Drugs worth Rs 345 crore in the international market were destroyed by a committee constituted for the task in the presence of the Director-General of Police, Mr A.K. Puri, thousands of schoolchildren here today and government officers of various departments.

While addressing the gathering, Mr Puri called upon the students to stay away from drugs. The drug addiction has become a menace in this part of the state and there was a need for an awareness campaign, he added.

Mr N. Venugopal, SP, said 344.772 kg of charas, 2.660 kg of ganja, 249 gram of smack and 30 gram of hashish oil, which was seized in 245 cases was destroyed.

Earlier, an anti-drug rally was organised and a procession was taken out through Dhalpur Maidan, Lower Dhalpur Bazar, Beasa Mod and Akhara Bazar. More than 5,000 persons, including schoolchildren, participated in the procession.

Staff nurse suspended
Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 7
Disposable syringes are being reused on patients in the government hospital at Theog. This was detected by the Health Minister, Mr J.P.Nadda, during a surprise visit to the hospital today.

An official spokesman said the minister had ordered the suspension of the staff nurse, Ms Kaushalaya Devi, for absence from duty and the unsatisfactory condition of the operating theatre. The work of the nursing staff was found unsatisfactory.

The minister has ordered action against the senior medical officer who was found absent and warned the doctors for coming late to the hospital. Mr Nadda found that the sanitary condition of the hospital was in a bad state and the cash book was not signed by the drawing and disbursing officer since October, 2001. An enquiry has been ordered into the lapse.