Sundernagar, June 18
Hundreds of fish are dying daily in Rewalsar Lake, which is situated around 30 km from here. The reason: Rising pollution in the lake.

The mortality continued at a rapid rate for the third day today. Employees of the local nagar panchayat were seen dumping the dead fish in a ditch dug on the bank of the lake itself.

About three tonnes fish have died in the past three days. All these had to be buried because fish from the holy lake not consumed by anyone. Rather these are worshipped by devotees.

Such incidents happen almost every year during the monsoon, but it is too early this year. Sources say contaminated water flows from the catchments area directly into the lake during the monsoon and results in fish mortality as there is hardly any drainage system in place.

The phenomena was first noticed around 20 years ago when the Department of Irrigation and Public Health removed vegetation from around the lake in the name of beautifying the area.

The vegetation used to act as natural filter and stopped impurities from flowing into the lake directly.

As people consider this as a holy water body, the fish of this lake are not killed or consumed. This has led to a tremendous increase in their population in the lake.

Devotees generally throw eatables onto the lake to feed the fish, but a major part of these eatables is not consumed by the fish.

The remaining eatables rot in water and contaminate it. The oxygen level also goes down drastically and the fish start dying.

Some of residents and religious institutions have also constructed septic tanks along the lake and the sewage sometimes flows directly into lake. This not only hurts the feeling of devotees, but also causes environmental problem.

Local environmentalists have been raising the issue with various authorities, but not much has been done to redress the problem.

According to Mahesh Kumar, deputy director (fisheries), Mandi, about 1,600 to 1,700 fish have died so far. He said this was due to thick population of fish in the lake.

The Department of Science and Technology has formulated a plan to bring down the population of fish in the lake. Officials of the Fisheries Department had recently shifted around four tonne fish into the Beas.

The situation would improve once the fish density brought within reasonable limits, sources said.

Shimla, June 18
The fear of flash floods with the water level in the Parechu lake once again rising has come to stalk the people residing in the villages along the Sutlej as the administration has sounded an alert in the districts of Lahaul Spiti, Kinnaur, Shimla, Mandi and Bilaspur.

Senior revenue officials have asked the deputy commissioners (DC) of these five districts to sound an alert and keep all arrangements ready in case people have to be shifted to higher areas. The hooter and sound system has been put in place to meet any eventuality.

It is learnt that the water level in the Parechu lake, which has become a cause of worry for the authorities for the past few years, has been rising.

The banks of the Sutlej have been divided into 11 sectors, seven of which fall in Kinnaur and the remaining in the Rampur area of Shimla district.

The sector officers, police personnel and home guards have been asked to be on duty round the clock so that people can be asked to immediately shift to higher areas in case there are floods.

The Parechu lake meets the Spiti river at Samdoh, which later merges into the Sutlej at Khab. It was after the formation of a huge artificial lake at Parechu that India had taken up the matter with China to keep it informed about any rise in the water level there and had installed its own monitoring system at Khab.

Shimla, June 18
With a prolonged spell of rain expected this monsoon, the record of maximum rainfall in the past 40 years in Shimla during the first half of June has already been broken.

There has been 345 mm of rainfall in Shimla till today breaking the record of 286.5 mm of rainfall in between June 1 to 18 in 1971.

According to the Meteorological office, the reason behind the rains in and around Shimla has been due to the frequent arrival of western disturbances in the first
week of June.

Added to this has been the early onset of south-west monsoons in the state, which is causing heavy rains in the hill state. In fact, in the past 24 hours there has been 95 mm of rainfall in Shimla.

The highest rainfall recorded in Shimla during the past 150 years was on June 29, 1906, when there was 122.2 mm of rainfall.

However, the record of maximum rainfall in one day during the past 40 years was on June 8, 2000, when 114.4 mm of rainfall was recorded.

Trees have been uprooted at several places due to heavy rains leading to disruption in traffic as well as power supply in the state capital.

Power supply to many parts of the town, including Chaura Maidan, Mall Road, New Shimla and Khalini remained suspended due to falling of trees.

Landslides and collapsing of retaining walls at many places has posed a threat to several buildings in the town.

Though the main national and state highways in the state remained open, vehicular traffic of several link roads has been affected.

Palampur, June 18
The prices of essential commodities in local markets have touched a new high in the past few days and are moving beyond the reach of common man.

Despite the fact that the Essential Commodities Price Control Act was applicable in the state, the state government agencies have made no efforts to check the rising prices here.

The lukewarm attitude of the state government in enforcing the Act in letter and spirit had further encouraged the hoarding of essential commodities.

Though it was mandatory for every shopkeeper to display the price list of all essential commodities in their shops, hardly there was any agency existing here to check the same.

Earlier the SDM, the DSP along with the inspection staff of Food and Civil Supply Department used to check the business premises in many markets here.

A senior officer of the department said there was acute shortage of inspecting staff in the department.

The present staff available in the department had capacity to check only 10 per cent shops in the region.

The state government was well conversant with the situation but no efforts were made in past four months.

The statements issued by food and civil supply minister Ramesh Dhawala in this regard remained confined to official files and ignored hardships of common man.

Sources said that there was huge difference in the wholesale and retail prices of commodities because of failure of the government to enforce the Price Control Act.

The prices of pulses have registered an increase of 10 to 15 per cent in the fortnight. The prices of mustard oil have shown an increase of 20 per cent.

The ordinary mustard oil was available at Rs 90 per litre whereas branded mustard oil was available for Rs 98 per litre.

The price of ordinary rice had touched Rs 20 per kg whereas last month the same was available at Rs 17 per kg.

It was also learnt that there was no check from the state government on the prices of essential commodities. Every shopkeeper had its own price in the region.

Shimla, June 18
As the country’s largest hydroelectric venture, the Nathpa-Jhakri project, remains shut down for the eighth consecutive day, engineers of the Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) call for revival of the proposal to construct a series of dams upstream to tame the highly turbulent Sutlej and find a permanent solution to the twin problems of excessive silt and flash floods.

Studies conducted by the engineers indicated that the snow-fed Sutlej and Spiti, its main tributary, had been bringing down 16 million cubic metre (MCM) of silt annually at the Nathpa dam.

At Khab, the confluence of the Sutlej and Spiti, the quantum of silt was 12 MCM out of which 6.5 MCM was being contributed by Spiti.

A storage dam at Khab was proposed to help arrest 12 million cubic metre (MCM) of silt to ensure smooth running of six mega projects coming downstream.

The nigam had also proposed three more dams, two on Spiti at Pooh and Rangrik, and one at Powari, downstream Khab, to help solve the problem of silt.

According to H.K.Sharma, CMD of the SJVN, even after being coated with tungsten carbide-based material to provide protection against damage from silt the turbines of the Nathpa-Jhakri Project could withstand only 7.5 MCM of silt annually.

However, the total quantity of silt flowing in the river annually was more than
double the amount.

The proposed Khab Dam would have a capacity of 500 MCM, which would help prolong the life of projects downstream.

As per the project report prepared by the nigam, a 275 metre-high dam with a storage capacity of 95 million cubic metres and life span of 28 years was to be built at a cost of Rs 13,000 crore.

The dam will help combine the Khab-I and Khab-II projects into a single
1020 MW project.

The proposed structure will also help reduce the flow of silt into the Bhakra and Kol dam reservoirs considerably.

The engineers have calculated that the life of the Bhakra reservoir will be increased by nine years and that of Kol dam by 14 years.

Solan, June 18
The Parwanoo police has registered a case of extortion, cheating, criminal intimidation and conspiracy against the additional director-general of police (ADGP) B.S. Thind after a Parwanoo businessman Ashok Mittal furnished an audio CD allegedly having taped evidence of Thind demanding lakhs from him in lieu of getting his shop vacated.

He is presently posted in the State Human Rights Commission. In an FIR registered at the Parwanoo police station on June 15, the ADGP has been booked under Sections 384, 420, 120-B and 506 of the IPC and Sections 9 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Senior police officials said SDPO, Parwanoo, Ramesh Pathania had been entrusted the task of heading the probe. A four-member team headed by Pathania would now inquire into the matter.

The case came to light more than a month ago when Mittal lodged a complaint with the state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau and presented an audio CD containing taped conversation between him and Thind where the latter was allegedly demanding lakhs from him in lieu of getting his shop vacated at Parwanoo.

The bureau referred the case to the state government that directed the DGP to look into the matter. A case has been finally registered on the directions of the DGP.

The 54-minute audio CD contains detailed conversations of the deal and sources revealed that this could bring the role of at least two more SPs under a scanner.

The matter pertains to 2004 when Thind was the ADGP handling crucial departments, including law and order and the CID.

A dispute was reportedly going on between Mittal and his brother regarding vacation of a shop at Parwanoo.

A deal had later taken place between Mittal and Thind wherein the latter had promised to get the said shop vacated provided a sum of Rs 6 lakh was paid to him.

Solan, June 18
With the IPH Department suspending lifting of potable water from the Rs 61.78 crore Giri water scheme for the past three days the residents of Solan town have been left high and dry.

The scheme, which was inaugurated amidst much fanfare in April this year by Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal, was earlier too suspended from June 2 to 10 following excess silt in its Gaura based pumping station.

Officials, however, pleaded that the scheme had been suspended as a precautionary measure as excess silt could damage the machinery.

With no other alternative the residents of Sunny Side, parts of Housing Board and Saproon, Kaleen, Kather, Khundidhar, Police Lines, Chambaghat, etc. have been forced to go without water for as many as four days at a stretch.

The distribution lines were already crying for repair and the water supply was made on alternative days.

Though the IPH minister had announced that funds would be provided for re-laying the distribution lines, its project report was yet to be prepared.

The residents had heaved a sigh of relief when the scheme had been commissioned in April as they had promised end of all water woes but the situation appears to have gone from bad to worse with the scheme frequently breaking down.

Though slated to supply water to 131 villages of Kasauli and Solan constituencies till 2036, the scheme appeared to have hit a spanner at the very beginning.

Interestingly, the politicians had been claiming to supply water from this scheme to even Shimla while the scheme had failed to operate well even in Solan constituency.

Mandi, June 18
Vimla (20), a mother of two children, continues to be in a state of trauma even after six days of her being tortured publicly by some persons, who reportedly enjoyed political patronage.

She was allegedly beaten up by the accused and paraded in her native Haran village with her face blackened and shoes hung around her neck. This was allegedly done by the ward panch and the up-pradhan.

Although Vimla’s husband had lodged a complaint on June 15 at the Baldawara police post, the culprits have not been arrested so far.

Accompanied by some fellow villagers, Vimla and her husband Murari Lal today came here to lodge a complaint with the DC and the SP. However, they had to face disappointment as it was a holiday.

Murari Lal said: “My wife was assaulted, abused and paraded in the village with her face blackened by the ward panch, up-pradhan, Duni Chand and three women of his family on June 13, 14 and 15 for no fault of hers.”

A boy from a remote village made a call on Vimla’s mobile requesting her to allow village girl Rita to talk to him on the phone.

She gave her mobile to the girl, who talked to her “boyfriend” for 20 minutes. The news reached Duni Chand, father of Rita.

He entered Vimla’s house with others and tortured her. Sarkaghat SHO B.S. Negi
said a case was registered against the accused on the same day and the investigation was on.

Mandi SP M. Chandersekhar said, “The suspects in the case were rounded up for interrogation today, but no arrest has been made so far as the police is still
verifying the facts.”

He exhorted farmers of other districts to emulate this example and help themselves in getting good income from their agricultural produce.

Dharamsala, June 18
The Army authorities today dedicated a newly constructed park, near TCP point, on Dharamsala-McLoedganj road to late Brig Sher Jung Thapa.

The park has been named after late Mahavir Chakra awardee Brig Sher Jung Thapa, the hero of Skardu siege. Brig K.B. Chand, station commander 39 Mountain Division, inaugurated the park today.

The soldiers of the said division have brought up the park. The Army authorities here said that Thapa commanded 6 JAK RIF during the epic siege of Skardu in 1948.

The siege lasted over six months from February to August. A small garrison of about 250 men with large number of civilian refugees, including women and children, were surrounded and cut off from all reinforcements and supplies.

The enemy launched repeated attacks to overwhelm the garrison but the indomitable men under the command of Brig Thapa repulsed their attacks.

All efforts to send relief to beleaguered soldiers failed. With no food and 10 rounds of ammunition left for each soldier, the gallant garrison was forced to surrender.

Dharamsala, June 18
Residents of Rakkar village, near Dharamsala, today organised a dharna and blocked traffic near local the police station for about four hours.

The villagers were protesting against alleged police inaction in a suspected murder case. More than 100 villagers gathered in front of the local police station around 12 noon and blocked traffic, raising slogans against the police.

The protesting villagers said Sanjay of Rakkar was going with his friend, Omkar, to Pathari village to meet his father on June 2. After an altercation with some people on the way, he was pushed into a deep ditch.

Sanjay was admitted to Tanda medical college from where he was referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, where he died on June 16.

The villagers alleged that though they lodged a complaint in this connection with the Dharamsala police on June 8, naming the suspects who had pushed the deceased into the ditch. However, the police has not taken any action against the accused.

It was only after the intervention of senior officials that the villagers lifted their dharna around 4.30 pm. The police said the accused would be booked after the complaint was properly investigated.

However, the villagers have threatened to intensify their agitation in case the accused were not arrested.

The cause of the accident had not yet been ascertained. However, a case
has been registered.

Hamirpur, June 18
The police today detained the kingpin of the car thieves’ gang, Rajesh Kumar, a serving army personnel at Chandigarh, after he was directed by his unit to join investigation into the case at Hamirpur.

The police had pinpointed Rajesh Kumar as the kingpin of the inter-state car
thieves’ gang after finding fake RCs and other incriminating material from his residence in a raid yesterday.

Hamirpur SP Asif Jalal said “Rejesh would be taken into police custody for further investigation and many more people are likely to be interrogated in the case since the gang has a long chain.”

Meanwhile, the police has recovered one more stolen vehicle (Bolero) from the Sarkaghat area following information supplied by the accused.