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Monday,
July 29, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Financial crisis grips Shimla MC HP to
develop nature parks NGO project a success Dam oustee moves court to save land |
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Manimahesh pilgrimage from Aug 30 Arya College students wait for teachers Devaih wins WWF poster competition ‘Include’ IPR issues in curricula Minjar fair blossoms HRTC drivers drop stir
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Financial crisis grips Shimla MC Shimla, July 28 As against the normal 10 per cent increase, the government has slashed the grant from Rs 5.12 crore to Rs 2.54 crore, a reduction of more then 50 per cent. The cut is improper and unjustified, as the government had, while abolishing octroi, made a commitment to compensate the urban local by way of grant-in-aid. Not only that, it had even promised to increase the grant by 10 per cent every year. The plea of the government that grant had been reduced as the peripheral areas, which were merged into the corporation in 1996, had been again excluded from it does not hold good as octroi was abolished much before the merger. Further, octroi was in force only in the corporation and not in the peripheral areas. More importantly, the grant was not increased after the merger, despite repeated pleas of the corporation, which had no funds to provide civic amenities in the newly included areas. As such the grant cannot be reduced on this pretext of exclusion of perpheral areas from the corporation. The decision of the government to exempt self-occupied houses from house tax up to the extent of 100 sq metres had also severely affected the income of the corporation. The number of taxpayers has come down by almost 50 per cent and the tax collection has declined by about Rs 2 crore. Further, most of the government departments have not been paying house tax and the arrears come to Rs 6 crore. The decision of the government to partially rollback the water charges hike had also affected the corporation. Initially, there were indications that the charges may be increased from the present Rs 1.80 to Rs 4 per kilolitre. However, with the BJP government in the state in a “rollback” mode in the election year, the Congress-ruled corporation is not likely to take the unpleasant decision of revising the charges. The Irrigation and Public Health Department was making bulk supply of water to the corporation at the rate of Rs 4.00 per kilolitre and it was spending another Rs 4.80 per kilolitre on distribution. Thus, the cost of supplying water comes to Rs 8.80 kilolitre and as such it is losing Rs 7 for every kilolitre of water supplied. The corporation has been facing problems in even maintaining the basic amenities like water, roads and streetlights. It owes Rs 15 crore to the Irrigation and Public Health Department and Rs 5.50 crore to the state electricity board which maintains the streetlights. The corporation had passed a budget of Rs 25.07 crore for the year. However, with the slashing of grant, non-revision of water charges and non-realisation of outstanding tax arrears, the actual funds available will be around Rs 16 crore which was barely enough to meet the establishment charges and other routine expenditure. The corporation will not even be in a position to properly maintain the civic amenities. |
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HP
to develop nature parks Shimla, July 28 The lush green Potters’ Hill, aptly named as “Van Vihar”, is being developed as a nature park by the government under its plan to promote eco-tourism in the state. It is being managed by a society, which has developed various facilities like eco treks, viewing platform and children park for the nature lovers. Over the years, tourism in Himachal Pradesh has remained confined to traditional hill stations like Shimla, Kulu, Manali and Dalhousie. The state government has now come forward with a new concept of eco-tourism to open up the largely unexplored interior areas on an ecologically sustainable basis and without degrading the local culture. A policy has been formulated for promoting eco-tourism in the interior areas of the state in collaboration with local communities. The forest department has been made the nodal agency for the purpose. Eco-tourism sites are being managed through autonomous registered societies with adequate representation of local stakeholders. So far societies have been established for the Great Himalayan Nature Parks in Kulu and Kufri, the Renuka Wildlife Sanctuary and Potters’ Hill Van Vihar. In the next phase societies for Khajjiar in Chamba district and Chanshil in Shimla district will be set up. Assets of the Forest Department are being used by the eco-tourism societies on terms and conditions. At present, the department alone manages more than 400 forest bungalows located at vantage locations throughout the state. It also manages about 5,000-km long network of bridle paths crossing through the most beautiful forests of the state. Eco-tourists have vast opportunities to trek to remote temples, crystal clear lakes and traditional villages. The Great Himalayan National Park in Kulu district is a prime protected area with well-developed eco-treks taking off from an altitude of about 1,500 to more than 6,000 metre. The area has forest bungalows and tents for night halts. Besides, private guest rooms in traditional houses are also being developed. Located at an altitude of 2,700 metre the Himalayan Nature Park, Kufri, is spread over about 100 hectares of prime Western-Himalayan temperate forests with its floral diversity. Brown bear, musk deer, yak, bharal, sambhar, ghoral, monal pheasant and many more animals and birds in the park also provide added attraction to the tourists. The park also offers guided treks to the Mahasu peak. Similarly, the Renuka Wildlife Sanctuary is located around the picturesque Renuka lake in the outer Himalayas with deciduous forest cover. Attractions include ancient temples of Rishi Yamdagini, Goddess Renuka and Lord Parshuram, a lion safari, a mini zoo and trekking. Boating facilities are also available. |
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NGO project a success Dharamsala SAT was set up in 1999, the motivating force being Dr Prem Chandra. In December, 2001, the Dalai Lama inaugurated the SAT main centre in Sanauran village of Nagrota Surian block. The organisation planned to educate the illiterate adults by using Devnagri script in computers and also to train rural youths in computer applications. A project — ASHA -2005 — was launched this year with the intention of reaching the most backward villages of Nagrota Surian block and help the villagers by imparting education and training in health, social welfare and environment. Surprisingly, the response in all three villages where camps have been organised has been heartening. According to Dr Prem Chandra, Nagrota Surian has a high percentage of physically challenged persons with rampant poverty. More than 25 per cent families are registered under the IRDP or Antyodaya poverty alleviation programmes. Only villages on the banks of Pong Dam are economically better. Keeping this in mind, SAT decided to launch ASHA-2005 with a target of training 2,100 persons in three years and with their help educate 15,000 illiterate adults. ASHA-2005 decided to go out of Sanauran and hold regular camps in villages where rural people, particularly women, are to be educated and trained. ASHA-2005 has successfully held three camps till date. The first camp was organised in Dhangar panchayat of Nagrota Surian in April. The next was in Bilaspur village panchayat, which concluded recently. The third camp was started on July 10 in Gatuthar panchayat. According to SAT, women are more responsive to adopt new technologies while men are not so forthcoming. Computer education is catching up fast amongst the education unemployed in these villages. SAT also invites officials of the district administration and other departments so that problems of the area are discussed at a platform and solutions found. |
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Dam oustee moves court to save land Nurpur, July 27 In a complaint filed under Sections 420, 468, 471, 120-B and 34 of the IPC in the court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Jawali, recently, he pleaded that he had been allotted 25 bighas in Anupgarh tehsil in Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan on September 3, 1993, in lieu of acquisition of his immovable property in Dehra Gopipur tehsil of Kangra district for the construction of the Pong Dam reservoir. He had been cultivating the allotted land personally. However, owing to his old age and failing health, he gave the general power of attorney (GPA) to Kamal Kishore of Bharmar village on March 28, 2001, to look after his land. He revoked the GPA on April 21, 2001. The GPA holder was served a notice in this connection. The complainant alleged that Kamal Kishore, one of the suspects, wanted to grab his land. When he visited his land on July 3 this year, he was startled to know that his land had been sold through the execution of a sale deed by Iqbal Singh, a bogus GPA and resident of New Mandi Gharsana, Rajasthan. The land was sold on June 28 this year to Sanjiv Kumar, a local resident, for Rs 4.09 lakh. The complainant alleged that on enquiring it was found that Kamal Kishore in connivance with the other suspects, had hatched a criminal conspiracy and forged a GPA in his name and gave the same to Iqbal Singh on April 4, 2000, which had been used for the purpose of duping by way of executing the sale deed on June 28 this year. |
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Manimahesh pilgrimage from Aug 30 Chamba, July 28 According Mr Rahul Anand, Deputy Commissioner of Chamba, the holy Chhari of Manimahesh will commence from Chamba a week before the holy dip. The district administration is all set to provide adequate security cover to the pilgrims coming especially from Bhadarwah area of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in view of the prevailing militancy conditions in J&K. The DC said the district authorities had been directed to make all arrangements like regulation of traffic, parking lots, medicines, fuel, water and electricity for the facilities of devotees on their way to Manimahesh hailing from different parts of North India. The DC said langars (free meals) would not be allowed on roadsides. To keep the Manimahesh Lake clean, no “langar” would be permitted in the precincts of the sacred lake. He appealed to pilgrims to bring with them pullovers and sweaters and other necesssary material required for the pilgrimage. Set in the snow-clad Bharmour tribal valley of Chamba district, Manimahesh is about 214 km away from Pathankot railhead, via Chamba, the district headquarter town. The divine Manimahesh Mount (abode of Lord Shiva) at an altitude of about 5656 metres is clearly visible to the devotees, pilgrims and tourists from the Manimahesh sacred center. |
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Arya College students wait for teachers Nurpur, July 28 Due to the efforts of Mr
Rakesh Pathania, local MLA and Chairman of the HPTDC, the government
had agreed to take over the management of the Arya Girls College, of
which Mr Sat Mahajan, a former PCC chief, was a patron. Significantly,
local leaders rose above political considerations and shared a common
dias on June 16, when the Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal announced
the government takeover of the college on the college
campus. Intriguingly, admissions started with late fee on the first
day itself on July 8. The date was extended till July 30. Till now,
neither the Principal, nor the teaching and administrative staff, has
been posted at the college. The Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) has
not listed faculties to be introduced. Ironically, the clash of
political egos has hampered the taking possession of the college by
the government for which a team of the HPU had stayed here for three
days. The condition of the managing committee of the college to name
the government college after ‘Arya’ is not acceptable to Mr
Pathania. The state government had, however, issued a notification for
the government takeover of the college in the beginning of this
month. The transfer of college assets has been hanging fire.
According to the college managing committee, things have been taking
the final shape. The government’s reluctance to name the college
after ‘Arya’ is unwarranted, it rued. On the other hand, Mr
Pathania clarified that there was no pre-condition on behalf of the
managing committee before handing over the college to the government.
The committee had nominated him a member a few years, back but he had
never been consulted before making any resolution on naming of the
institution, he said. Mr Pathania alleged that the committee had been
creating hurdles in the way of handing over of the college assets to
the government. He asserted that the college would only be named as
Government College, Nurpur. “The government will not hesitate to
revoke its notification of government takeover of the college and to
start classes for the new academic session in the government buildings
lying vacant in the area,” he stated. The proposed naming of the
college has triggered a controversy. There has been a demand that
local politicians should again rise above party politics for paving
the way for smooth start to the current academic session. |
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Devaih wins WWF poster competition Shimla, July 28 As many as 50 students participated in the model, herbarium, craftwork and poster competitions at the fair. Sanjay and Rajneesh of J.N.V. Theog, won the first position in the model competition, Kanishaka and Sanjeev of the local Henault Public School and Priyavir of BCS shared the second position, while Mukul and Visharad of St Luke’s School, Solan, got the third position. In the herbarium display, Shikha and Shweta of Dayanand Public School were adjudged the best, followed by Nisha and Deepika of Hainault Public School and Obaid Kamla of the BCS. Devaih of Dayanand Public School won the poster competition. |
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‘Include’ IPR issues in curricula Shimla, July 28 Mr Avay Shukla, Principal Secretary (Science Technology), said with the advent of the new economic order worldwide, India required a strict intellectual property protection system in order to survive in the competitive market. He said research and development was getting costlier every year and universities and scientific institutions had to create a new environment for scientists to patent their inventions. Mr Shukla said the State Council for Science, Technology and Environment would document the indigenous knowledge in Himachal Pradesh to identity patentable processes. Mr R. Saha, Adviser, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, said scientists and institutions should be aware of IPR issues related to imported agricultural and horticultural plants, and new seeds, both improved or genetically modified, which could have been patented in the country of origin. The export of such seeds and plants after these were produced in India could invite legal action in those countries. Mr Saha informed that there was a misconception that neem and turmeric had been patented. The naturally occurring trees and plants could not be patented. Only formulations, processes, bio-pesticides related to neem and turmeric had been patented. He informed that 53 patents about neem had been filed in the USA and 24 in India. As many as 80 scientists and coordinators of patent information centres of eight states participated in the workshop. |
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Minjar fair blossoms Chamba, July 28 He was accompanied by the local legislator, Mr Harsh Mahajan and other officials, dignitaries and residents of the district. They also paid tributes and observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect to Vice-President Krishan Kant, who died yesterday. The fair will conclude on August 4 with the immersion of minjars in the Ravi. More than one lakh visitors, including tourists from abroad, are expected to participate in the fair. Singers Vinod Rathod, Sunidhi Chauhan, Hans Raj Hans and Poornima will perform during the fair. Importance is also being given to folk artistes from different parts of the state, who will perform during the fair. |
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HRTC drivers drop stir
move Shimla, July 28 Mr Ram Swaroop, general secretary of the HRTC Drivers and Conductors Operational Staff Union, said the union had also deferred its one-day strike on August 23 to create cordial relations between the management and the workers. The union has expressed concern over the transfer of its office-bearers from the Sundernagar unit and the chairman of the union from Dharamsala to Hoshiarpur. |
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