Shimla, April 28
With most parts of the state capital being hit by an acute water shortage and no deadline being set for launch of the Giri water supply scheme, Mayor Narinder Kataria has decided to visit Giri to take stock of the situation.

With the water supply position in the capital worsening, the Mayor admitted that in case water from Giri was not supplied within two or three days the situation would become grave. “Seeing the water position, I have decided to visit the Giri water supply scheme along with councillors so that we know the actual position from IPH officials,” he said.

Kataria said there had been a delay of seven months in the launch of the Giri water supply scheme and even now IPH officials had not given any deadline. “Against a requirement of over 40 million litres per day (MLD), we are receiving a supply of only 26 MLD,” he informed. He admitted this was bound to cause a water shortage but all-out efforts were being made to address the problem.

He said areas where supply could be given through gravity were being provided water while in other areas tankers had been pressed into to meet the water requirement. Despite rationing and alternate supply of water to the entire capital, some areas do not get water for four or more days at a stretch.

With the situation being so bad even before the summer, the situation could become worse if the Giri water supply scheme is not made operational. The issue of water scarcity is likely to be discussed at the general house meeting of the local Municipal Corporation tomorrow.

Now what remains to be seen is whether both Congress as well as ruling BJP councillors join hands on the issue or remain divided along political lines.

With the influx of tourists to the hill town on the rise, the water situation will worsen as the floating population of visitors will put an additional burden.

Shimla, April 28
Alarmed over the political developments in Nepal and its growing proximity with China the Government of India is keen to take up the Jogindernagar-Manali-Leh rail line as a strategic project from the security point of view.

According to highly placed sources the matter has already been discussed at various levels in the ministries concerned which have agreed in principle to take up the project. The Ministry of Railways has already held initial discussions with a consortium of companies led by ICC Holdings for conducting a pre-feasibility survey of the project. The company plans to have technical collaboration with an Austrian company for the purpose. The chief executive officer of the company Rakesh Mathur has had a series of meetings with senior officers regarding the possible mode of funding the project.

China has built a 1147-km railway line into Tibet and it plans to extend it further to areas close to the Indian border, which will pose a serious security risk. Belatedly though the government has realised that the only way the threat could be dealt with effectively is to develop a similar infrastructure on this side of the border. The government also plans to revive some of the airfields in Ladakh and other North-East areas that have fallen into disuse over the years.

The matter was first taken up by Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal after the Centre rejected the proposal for upgrading the narrow gauge Pathankot-Jogindernagar rail line to a broad gauge as economically unviable. He wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that “the project to convert the Pathankot-Jogondernagar rail line into a broad gauge one may be examined so that India could effectively counter the logistical superiority that China has gained by extending its rail line into western Tibet. He asserted that the project could not be shelved on the consideration that the cost of Rs 1,000 crore was high, when it involves a question of national security.”

He stressed that construction of the Jogindernagar-Manali-Leh rail line be taken up as a strategic project so that the rail line built by China did not pose a security threat to India. The decision be reviewed so that Pathankot-Jogindernagar section could be converted into a broad gauge rail line and linked to the proposed Bhanupalli-Barmana-Manali rail link at a feasible point and further extended to Leh and Ladakh. This project would not only negate the superiority that China had gained in terms of its defence security but also help give a major boost to industrial development and tourism.

Shimla, April 28
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal appealed to the bankers to extend their full cooperation to form agriculture cooperatives and liberally finance the farmers.

Addressing the inaugural session of the 110th State-Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) organised by the convener of United Commercial Bank, here today he said the government had already decided to allot hydroelectric projects up to 5 MW to the Himachalis or their cooperatives with a view to develop entrepreneurship among the educated unemployed youth in the state.

Special emphasis was being laid to promote agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, herbiculture and allied farming activities with a view to generating self-employment opportunities for the rural youth at their doorsteps.

He appreciated the effort of the banks in trebling the credit flow for agriculture from Rs 386 crore in 2004 to Rs 1,183 crore during the current financial year. He urged the Reserve Bank of India, NABARD and the lead bank to coordinate a special drive for issuing kisan credit cards to every farmer in the state. He said 3.40 lakh credit cards had already been issued and bankers need to provide 100 per cent credit coverage to the farmers on the analogy of household coverage completed in the state.

Dhumal emphasised the need for 100 per cent switch over to the banking treasury system over the next three months. All commercial banks had completed the target for switch over to banking treasuries and 14 sub-treasuries were awaiting linkage through local regional rural banks.

Dhumal also launched the SLBC website (www.slbchp.com).

Executive director of the UCO Bank V.K. Dhingra detailed the banking achievements. He said the credit growth in the state was 23.13 per cent during the last calendar year and agriculture sector had the highest of 22.99 per cent.

Shimla, April 28
A large number of families whose land and built-up property have been acquired for the construction of Kol Dam have been denied due compensation and other relief because of reliance on panchayat parivar register for identification of the affected families.

The problem has arisen due to the fact that many families, most of those living away from their native village, had not got their names entered separately in the parivar register and as such they were denied the status of ‘project-affected families”. As per clause 1.2(b), the panchayat parivar register would be taken into account for the purpose of “separate family” for various rehabilitation benefits. On its basis a person residing temporarily away from home, who is rendered houseless and landless and whose name could not be entered in the parivar register inadvertently prior to the notification under section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act is not an oustee.

A spokesperson for the affected families said there were over 100 such families which had lost their land and houses but had not been included in the project-affected families. He said the clause violated the law of inheritance and the Hindu Succession Act. Moreover, the parivar register could not be relied upon as pradhans play politics or adopt a partisan approach to delay matters.

K.K.Gupta, head of one such affected family, said that in his case only three out of six brothers had been given compensation and other benefits. The remaining three whose name did not figure separately in the panchayat parivar register had been denied the benefits. It was gross injustice as in no case land and other property could be inherited by brothers unless bequeathed specifically.

He pointed out that in the case of the Narmada project the Supreme Court struck down such a discriminatory clause and laid down that no difference be made between temporary or permanent submergence, rich or poor and rehabilitation benefits be granted equitably to all major sons whose parents are dead.

The affected families want the government to revise the discriminatory clause and ensure that justice was done to all those who have been affected by the construction of the project. 

Kangra, April 28
Encroachments were removed along the national highway passing through the town here today.

Administration officials and police personnel conducted the drive. A JCB was also used for the purpose. Encroachments near the bus stand had been hindering the flow of traffic.

Vegetable and fruit vendors had encroached upon the National Highway No. 20 from Tehsil Chowk to the local bus stand. This generally resulted in traffic jams in the area.

This road stretch witnesses heavy rush of pilgrims and tourists. The anti-encroachment team was headed by naib tehsildar Shamsher Singh.

The fruit and vegetable vendors resisted the drive. They sought intervention of the SDM for allowing them to earn livelihood.

SDM Pardeep Kumar Thakur said, “We cannot allow traffic hazards and nuisance on the highway.” He told the vendors that they should look for some alternative place to run their businesses. The sub divisional authorities would help them in that direction, he said.

The SDM urged the people to help in the administration’s effort of keeping the town clean and free from traffic hazards.

Shimla/Hamirpur, April 28
The Election Commission of India today issued the notification for the by-election to the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency on May 22.

Chief electoral Officer Manisha Nanda said here today that the process of filing of nominations had also begun with the notification . The last date for the filing of nominations was May 5.

Scrutiny would take place on May 6 and the last date for withdrawal was May 8. Polling would be held on May 22 and counting of votes on May 25.

The election process would be completed on May 27.

BJP nominee Anurag Thakur would file his nomination papers on April 30 at Hamirpur.

Hamirpur MLA Urmil Thakur said Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, BJP vice- president Shanta Kumar, in charge of Himachal affairs Satya Pal Jain and state BJP chief Jai Ram Thakur would also be present at the time of filing of the nomination papers.

She said the party would also organise a public meeting at Gandhi Chowk in Hamirpur before the filing of the nomination papers.

Shimla, April 28
A two-day national training programme for paediatricians concluded at Indira Gandhi Medical College here yesterday.

In the final session Dr A.P. Dubey, head, paediatrics, Maulana Azad Medical College explained about the new “once-a-day” oral medication for better management of patients suffering with thalassaemia, a disorder in which the patient needs a repeated blood transfusion. Unlike the existing drug, which had to be administered twice or thrice a day, the new medicine had no sideeffects. It would not lead to overload of iron in the body and enable the patients to have almost a normal life span.

Dr Anupam Sachdeva from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, deliberated upon the recent trends in the management of bleeding in new born while Dr Anupan and Dr J. Chandra taught various techniques like aspiration cytology, bone marrow aspiration, biopsy and splenic puncture.

Dr V.K. Sharma and Dr N. Grover, both from the Paediatrics Department of the host college, distributed the participation certificates among those who attended the programme.

Dr A.K. Sood, organising secretary, called upon the doctors to put the new techniques to use for enhanced patient care.

Nahan, April 28
Two principals have been functioning in the local Postgraduate College for the past two months, with the staff and students in a dilemma as to whose orders should be obeyed. The Education Department is yet to issue any order in this regard despite the fact the matter had been brought to its notice many times.

People of Shillai were sore as Degree College there had been without a principal for the past nearly two months.

Principal of the Nahan college Rama Nand Chauhan has not joined at Shillai while principal of the Shillai college relinquished the charge there and joined in the local college after the stay on the transfer of Rama Nand Chauhan to Shillai was vacated on March 5.

The Education Department had not yet not issued any fresh movement orders regard despite the fact that Rajeev Singh joined as principal in the local college as per the provisions of previous orders.

On the other hand, Rama Nand Chauhan has not relinquished the charge in the absence of a fresh communication from the department. 

Nahan, April 28
The Monal Eco Club of Adarsh Vidya Niketan Senior Secondary Public School of Nahan yesterday initiated a move to clean the water bodies of the town.

In the first phase of their campaign, hundreds of students cleaned the Kalisthan Talab, which was having tones of polluting waste material thrown by residents of the area. Many environment workers and employees of the Nahan Municipal Committee also joined 
in the campaign with the students.

A teacher working with the students told that Nahan was called the town of ponds, having 11 water bodies, most of them were in a bad condition due to absence of proper care.

Kangra, April 28
The Tibetan Solidarity Committee (TSC) today reiterated that the Tibetan parliament-in-exile and the Tibetan administration had never opposed the Olympics; however, it once again urged the International Olympic Committee and related organisations to reconsider taking the Olympic torch to Mount Everest and in Tibet.

The committee said if lives were lost due to IOC’s failure to reconsider its stance, it would be its sole responsibility. It said the actual situation in Tibet was completely in contrast to the Olympic spirit. It suspected that the Chinese government would create such a strict and suffocating atmosphere that the Tibetans, who were already under martial law-like conditions, would suffer further repression, subjugation and tension.

Ani (Kullu), April 28
Sheltered by local political vested interests, the opium smugglers from Punjab and Haryana are encouraging certain poor farmers in the remote poppy growing belt in the region in raising the poisonous contraband hybrid poppy fields under the nose of law enforcing agencies over the years.

The Tribune investigation revealed that certain farmers are being encouraged by the opium smugglers zeroing in on the Mandi-Kullu belt from Punjab and Haryana. The police have yet to break this new dangerous nexus, revealed experts.

The drive came to a standstill yesterday, giving time to cultivators to either destroy the poppy plants or harvest them before the police would re-launch the drive.

The casual attitude of the law enforcing agencies has exposed the fact that poppy cultivators allegedly enjoy the support of local politicians while the law enforcers look the other way, local enquiries revealed.

The 20 policemen who destroyed over 30 bigha of poppy in Bishladahr area on Saturday are no matches for the scale of hybrid poppy cultivation, which has acquired dangerous commercial dimension in the remote areas in this subdivision.

The police has asked the higher authorities to dispatch more policemen and asked the district administration for assistance.

“No case can be registered against the offenders as the police did not have any clue regarding the details of revenue records to identify the landowners who have raised the poppy cultivation,” police sources revealed.

Former zila parishad chairman B.S. Thakur said, “The commercial cultivation needs to be curtailed. The isolated efforts will not yield any result as law enforcing agencies would have to involve local community.”

Kullu SP Jagat Ram said, “We are getting the assistance of revenue authorities in the drive. We have limited sources. But we have registered three cases in Bhuntar area during the drive and we will do it in Ani area as well. We would destroy the poppy in the area and book opium smugglers from time to time as and when the police gets information.”

Solan, April 28
The allocation of lakhs of rupees by MP D.R. Shandil from his MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) fund for tennis courts in the town has become a question of debate. These tennis courts are situated at the Durga Club premises and the Police Lines. As these courts are beyond the reach for a common man, the allocation of money from the MPLAD fund has led to a debate as to what community purpose it will serve.

The MP inaugurated the newly constructed tennis court at the Durga Club yesterday. Only a few club members were present on the occasion. Since the membership of the club is available for Rs 25,000, the facility will remain well beyond the reach for an ordinary man. Moreover, the membership is given only after duly considering the social status of an individual.

Shandil has also contributed Rs 7 lakh for the construction of a tennis court at the Police Lines. This court is also beyond the reach of the public. This police club has a limited membership, which is confined to either the police officials or some enlisted members.

Whether the MPLAD fund can be spent on such elite clubs is a moot question.

Shandil admitted to have allocated funds for these tennis courts. He, however, sought to justify his move by saying, “While allocating funds I had instructed the club managements to ensure that these tennis courts were made available to youths, even if they were non-members.”

Elaborating on his vision for the masses, he said he had also contributed Rs 18 lakh for the improvement of the local Thodo Ground. He would endeavour to get that ground transformed into a state-of-the-art stadium.

Interestingly, the MP had sent a fax message to the administration a few days ago to install an inauguration plaque in the Thodo Ground highlighting the fund allocation by him. The administration was, however, caught in a fix as various other politicians, including local MLA and health minister Rajiv Bindal had contributed 5 lakh, former deputy speaker D.P. Thakur Rs 4 lakh. The district administration and the municipal committee had spent Rs 16 lakh on improving the ground. Officials said since it was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama, there was hardly any need to erect any such plaque.

The MP had only yesterday stated that the annual MPLAD fund should be increased from Rs 2 crore to Rs 5 crore.

Shimla, April 28
Although various animal right activists are vehemently opposed to the lifting of ban on the export of monkeys, the state government will once again take up the matter with the the Union ministries concerned so that the devastation being caused by the simians can be checked.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has shot a letter to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest, opposing any move to allow export of monkeys to foreign countries for use in experiments. Various animal right activists and NGOs are opposed to the export of monkeys.

“We also have a humane approach towards animals, but when a situation has arisen where people are being attacked by groups of monkeys and farmers have been forced to leave farming due to repeated devastation caused by monkeys, we need to look for solutions,” said forest minister J.P. Nadda.

Though requests were made to the Centre to lift the ban on export of monkeys in the past also, the issue would now be taken up afresh, he added. “Seeing the devastation being caused by simians, we have been left with no option but to make this demand. Sterilisation alone cannot solve the problem,” he said.

The state has around 3.18 lakh monkeys. The Forest Department has started scientific culling of monkeys on an experimental basis after seeking approval from the Centre. The problem is so grave that during the recent Assembly elections, all main political parties had included tackling of monkey menace as one of their election promises in their manifestoes.

On the other hand, PETA feels other methods should be adopted as export of moneys will only lead to their confinement, misery and suffering in cages. “There is nothing fair about sending these sensitive animals to suffer unimaginable physical abuse and psychological trauma in laboratories,” says Dharmesh Solanki, senior vivisection campaign coordinator, PETA.

Farmers faced with the problem of monkey menace have formed the Kheti Bachao Sangharsh Samiti. They have been demanding that besides steps like sterilisation and scientific killing, the Centre should lift the ban on export of monkeys so that farmers in the state can get relief.

They have also been demanding that scientific culling of monkeys should be allowed in the Noradhar area of Rajgarh subdivision on experimental basis. There is demand from other parts of the state as well to allow scientific culling. However, there has been no further headway.

Palampur, April 28
After the government made the registration of migrant labourers mandatory in the state, over 200 migrants are reporting at the local police stations for registration daily.

The SHO, Palampur, said the police was gathering necessary information from them. They were being asked their local and permanent addresses, besides other information. “It is a tedious job, as most of the migrants do not understand Hindi. Moreover, many of them do not know even the name of their home districts and police stations,” he said.

It would take at least 10 days to complete the registration work in Palampur, he said.

The directive as regards registration had come after the brutal murder of a school student by migrant labourers at Nadaun last week. The Home Department had issued instructions to all SPs in that regard. The SSPs had been directed to complete the task in a fixed time.

Secretary (home) P.C. Kapoor was personally monitoring the situation.

Over 2 lakh migrants are working in the state at present and most of them hail from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Special arrangements have been made at all police stations for their registration.

Shimla, April 28
The tighten the noose around the errant private bus operators, the Transport Authority will launch a special drive to check violation of the Motor Vehicles Act, a department spokesman said here today.

The practices, specially overloading, were not only dangerous but also causing an unhealthy competition between the HRTC and private operators, he said.

The private operators were also being cautioned not to undercharge them. The prescribed fares as it was also leading to evasion of tax since no tickets were being issued to passengers, he added.

It was gross violation of the Motor Vehicles Act and fare rates fixed by the government should be adhered to and tickets should also be issued invariably to the passengers by private bus operators failing which their route permits would be cancelled, besides other action prescribed under the rules. — UNI

Chamba, April 28
Former minister and district BJP president Mohan Lal held the UPA government at the Centre responsible for the skyrocketing prices of petrol, diesel and edible commodities in the country.

Addressing workers of the BJP at Chowari, he assailed the UPA government for the price hike and said living of the poor masses had become difficult as a result of rising prices. It was the onus of the government to check the dearness otherwise they had no right to stay in power.

He asked the workers to be prepared for the ensuing general elections of the Lok Sabha in the country and added that a number of active party workers would work for the victory of BJP candidate Anurag Thakur in Hamirpur byelections.