H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Delimitation panel disposes of objections
Shimla, November 7
Ignoring the demand for deferment of the ongoing delimitation exercise, the Delimitation Commission today disposed of a large number of objections raised by the associate members on the proposals circulated for redrawing the boundaries of Assembly and parliamentary constituencies, leaving no one in doubt that it was keen on completing the task before the ensuing Vidhan Sabha poll in the state.

Poor response to bandh call
Dharamsala, November 7
The Kangra bandh, a call for which had been given by a section of the BJP against the proposals of the Delimitation Commission, today evoked a poor response from the people.

Be ready for poll, CM to party workers
Tounidevi (Hamirpur), November 7
The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, today exhorted party workers to be ready for the next Assembly election in the state which could be held any time. He said the BJP was sure to form the government once again as it had done a lot for the well-being of the masses.

Result tampering case: student demoted
Dharamsala, November 7
Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University, Palampur, has demoted a third-year student. He had allegedly got his marks increased and declared pass in connivance with certain officials of the registrar’s office.

Parmar varsity grows top rose variety
Shimla, November 7
The Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, has grown world’s top rose variety in cut flowers — “first red variety”. The university has developed a cheaper and better technique to grow the variety. This variety can be grown in polyhouses also.

HPU to shift exam branch
Shimla, November 7
Himachal Pradesh University has decided to shift the examination branch to a private building in Summer Hill giving computerisation of the branch as the reason behind the move. University sources say the university will pay Rs 1 lakh as rent even as it is already suffering a financial crunch.

Inculcate moral values: Bhan
Shimla, November 7
Dr Suraj Bhan, the Governor, has underlined the need to inculcate moral values, sense of discipline and the spirit of patriotism among the younger generations.

Three IAS officers transferred
Shimla, November 7
The Himachal Pradesh Government today transferred three IAS officers. Mr Arvind Kaul, Principal Secretary, Home and Vigilance, has been given charge of Industry Information Technology, Training and Foreign Assignment.

Fresh snowfall in higher reaches
Shimla, November 7
Higher reaches in tribal areas of Lahaul and Spiti and Pangi and Bharmaur had another spell of moderate snowfall last night, creating intense cold wave conditions in the adjoining midhills.

Delimitation panel disposes of objections
Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 7
Ignoring the demand for deferment of the ongoing delimitation exercise, the Delimitation Commission today disposed of a large number of objections raised by the associate members on the proposals circulated for redrawing the boundaries of Assembly and parliamentary constituencies, leaving no one in doubt that it was keen on completing the task before the ensuing Vidhan Sabha poll in the state.

The commission which held its meeting under the chairmanship of Mr Justice Kuldeep Singh, at New Delhi today discussed the objections pertaining to 10 out of the total 12 districts. The meeting will continue tomorrow and take up the objections pertaining to Kangra and Chamba districts.

All the associate members including four MP’s and five legislators attended the meeting which passed off peacefully. This was quite in contrast with the stand taken by most of the associate members and senior leaders of both the Congress and the BJP. They had been demanding the deferment of the exercise till the Assembly elections. In fact, the six out of the seven associate members belonging to the BJP-HVC combine had before the first meeting of the commission held on October 30 made a written request to the commission to defer the exercise till the elections. Subsequently, 21 Congress legislators, led by Mr Virbhadra Singh, the leader of the Opposition, too made a similar plea to the commission. The Kangra district unit of the BJP had even given a call for Kangra bandh today to protest against the exercise.

According to sources, the commission during the meeting made it clear that it would not be cowed down by such tactics and asserted that it would accomplish the assigned task within the given timeframe.

The main concern of the commission were the electorate and not the elected representatives who were trying to block the exercise, it impressed upon the associate members.

The objections pertaining to Rohru, the constituency of Mr Virbhadra Singh, the scrapping of Sulah, from where Mr Shanta Kumar had been contesting the election, were also discussed. It may be recalled that as per the proposals Rohru is to be reserved for Scheduled Castes and Sulah to be scrapped altogether to reduce the number of seats in the Kangra district from 16 to 15. The number of seats in Kulu district is to be increased from three to four.

The draft proposals were likely to be published within a couple of days. Thereafter it will conduct a public hearing before giving final shape to the delimited constituencies.

Poor response to bandh call
Tribune Reporters

Dharamsala, November 7
The Kangra bandh, a call for which had been given by a section of the BJP against the proposals of the Delimitation Commission, today evoked a poor response from the people.

Most of the markets remained open as beopar mandals refused to close shops, terming the protest as being political motivated.

The failure was a setback to the BJP faction led by Union Rural Development Minister Shanta Kumar. Despite hectic efforts by a group of ministers and MLAs belonging to Kangra who have opposed the Chief Minister, residents refused to support the bandh call. Educational institutions remained open and life was normal, except for a disruption of vehicular traffic for some time.

In Palampur, Dharamsala, Nagrota Bagwan, Kangra, Shahpur, Dehra, Jwalamukhi and Nurpur towns, the impact of bandh was negligible.

At Palampur, some BJP workers supported by women workers from adjoining village blocked traffic at main chowk.

Interestingly, shops of some of the protesters remained open during the bandh which was cause of much ridicule in the town.

According to police sources, BJP workers blocked traffic at certain points for some time but no untoward incident was reported from any part of the district. It is reported that some workers were taken into custody at Shahpur for blocking traffic, but were released soon after.

NURPUR: The bandh call given by the Kangra district BJP today failed in Nurpur and Jawali subdivisions. All markets remained opened, except those at Jassur where BJP Yuva Morcha Kangra district president Rajiv Bhardwaj managed bandh for two hours as taken strike.

The groupism and factionalism in state BJP came to the fore with the bandh call given by the Shanta faction being opposed by the supporters of the Chief Minister Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal in Kangra.

HAMIRPUR: Himachal Pradesh BJP chief Jai Krishan Sharma on Thursday strict disciplinary action against the delimitation of Assembly constituencies in the state.

Talking to mediapersons at Tounidevi, near here, he said dissidence in the organisation would not be tolerated.

MANALI: Mr Govind Thakur, former president of the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and the member of the newly constituted State Youth Board, has stated that it is wrong to drag the name of Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal in the controversy over delimitation of constituencies.

In a statement issued here, he said it was a constitutional matter and beyond the purview of the Chief Minister.

He welcomed the proposal for the creation of the Manali Assembly constituency.

Be ready for poll, CM to party workers
Our Correspondent

Tounidevi (Hamirpur), November 7
The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, today exhorted party workers to be ready for the next Assembly election in the state which could be held any time. He said the BJP was sure to form the government once again as it had done a lot for the well-being of the masses.

Addressing the workers here today, he said the BJP and development were complimentary to each other. The BJP government had done a lot for the people and there was no comparison with the work done by the previous Congress government. He asked the party cadres to spread to villages and tell the people the policies and programmes of the state government.

Prof Dhumal criticised the dissidents for trying to harm the cause of the party. He said no organisation could flourish without the active support of new members.

Result tampering case: student demoted
Our Correspondent

Dharamsala, November 7
Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University, Palampur, has demoted a third-year student. He had allegedly got his marks increased and declared pass in connivance with certain officials of the registrar’s office.

Inderjit Singh was admitted to Veterinary College of the university in 1999 under the NRI/self-financing scheme. Son of a retired Army officer, Inderjit failed in the first year in anatomy, but was promoted to second-year as per university rules. Presently the university follows external examination system. In the next class, he failed in two subjects — Anatomy and Pathology. As per the rules, he was declared fail.

Inderjit was helped by certain officials of the secrecy branch in the registrar’s office in tampering the marks sheet submitted by the external examiner. Inderjit was declared pass and allowed to join the third year.

The Dean, College of Veterinary Sciences, Dr M.P. Narang, confirmed that Inderjit had been demoted.

The Vice-Chancellor, Dr Tej Pratap, said five more such cases had come into his notice.

Parmar varsity grows top rose variety
Our Correspondent

Shimla, November 7
The Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, has grown world’s top rose variety in cut flowers — “first red variety”. The university has developed a cheaper and better technique to grow the variety. This variety can be grown in polyhouses also.

The “first red variety” can be grown four times in a year and a plant has a lifespan of 10 years. Scientists say the floriculturists of the state can expect a windfall by adopting the rose variety. Other than Himachal Pradesh, the rose variety is undergoing trial runs in six other states.

“The first red variety”, which is imported in large quantity from European countries, will be grown in the state in polyhouses only. A minimum amount of Rs 1.50 lakh is needed to set up a 195 metre polyhouse and a floriculturist can grow roses four times in a year.

Dr Y.D. Sharma, Head of Floriculture Department, said the rose variety was being developed on a commercial scale. He said in the field trial area about 3,000 rose cuttings had been grown and in less than five months flowers had come in full bloom on them. The roses lasted for two weeks in flower vases. Other than Nauni, Bangalore, Pune, Gangtok, Bhubaneshwar and Coimbatore were undertaking research on the variety.

Dr Sharma said in polyhouses cheaper methods were being worked out to enable the common farmer to grow the variety.

HPU to shift exam branch
Our Correspondent

Shimla, November 7
Himachal Pradesh University has decided to shift the examination branch to a private building in Summer Hill giving computerisation of the branch as the reason behind the move. University sources say the university will pay Rs 1 lakh as rent even as it is already suffering a financial crunch.

The sources say the contract for computerisation of the examination branch has been given to a Delhi-based firm, adding that the decision of the university administration has not gone down well with teachers and employees of the university.

The Himachal Pradesh University Teachers Association (HPUTA) has criticised the decision to shift the examination branch outside the campus. Dr Rajendra Singh Chauhan, HPUTA president, said the examination branch was a sensitive wing and it should be situated on the campus

Inculcate moral values: Bhan
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 7
Dr Suraj Bhan, the Governor, has underlined the need to inculcate moral values, sense of discipline and the spirit of patriotism among the younger generations.

Speaking at a state-level function held at Raj Bhavan to celebrate the foundation day of the Himachal Bharat Scouts and Guides, here today, he asked the boy scouts and girl guides to disseminate the message of universal peace, brotherhood and humanity among people. He also called for steps for effective channelisation of youth energy in constructive activities.

The Governor also flagged off a rally of boy scouts and girl guides of local schools carrying placards with the message of unity, peace, harmony, protection of forest wealth and preservation of natural resources. He inspected a flower show put up by the students.

Three IAS officers transferred
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 7
The Himachal Pradesh Government today transferred three IAS officers.

Mr Arvind Kaul, Principal Secretary, Home and Vigilance, has been given charge of Industry Information Technology, Training and Foreign Assignment. Transport Department has been taken away from him and given to Mr B.S. Chauhan, Secretary, Ayurveda and Language, Art and Culture Department.

Mr Ajay Mittal, who was divested of the Industry and Information Technology Department, has been given the charge of Food and Supplies, earlier held by Mr B.S. Chauhan.

Fresh snowfall in higher reaches
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 7
Higher reaches in tribal areas of Lahaul and Spiti and Pangi and Bharmaur had another spell of moderate snowfall last night, creating intense cold wave conditions in the adjoining midhills.

The fresh snowfall also caused a sharp fall in the temperatures in the Lahaul, Pangi and Chamba valleys.

The sky remained partially overcast in the region and cold winds continued to sweep the mid and higher hills. PTI