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Homing in on eco-tourism
HOME-STAY scheme
An owner actually residing in the house could get his premises registered as home stay unit which must conform to minimum laid down standards like size of rooms, attached toilets, road connectivity and parking. Such units will not be required to pay any charges for change of land use and also exempted from luxury tax and VAT or sales tax.
Home stay in villages will provide tourists an attractive and affordable alternative to the congested urban destinations.
— Manisha Nanda, secretary, tourism
Shimla, August 19 The hill state has a vast potential for mountain terrain biking (MTB), trekking, river rafting and other adventure activities. The trans-Himalayan terrain with extensive network of natural trails, village back tracks, un-metalled and metalled single-lane roads, presents a stupendous challenge for the adventure lovers. However, not much headway has been made on this front all these years mainly due to the lack of requisite infrastructure for such village-based activities. The scheme will go a long way in overcoming this major hurdle in the growth of rural tourism. Foreign tourists are more interested in eco-friendly activities like mountain biking, nature treks, angling and river rafting and the state has been blessed with all that is required to make an international destination, says Mohit Sood, president of the association. “However, the government will have to adopt a focussed approach to achieve this objective. The sites for such activities should be identified and proper approach paths and other infrastructure should be developed accordingly”. For instance, to make the state an international MTB destination, the existing cycling trials have to be linked to ensure continuity so that cyclists do not have to peddle through large stretches of metalled roads which kill the charm of mountain biking. The state has about 400 km of forest trails in patches that could be connected by developing another 200 km of mountain trail, which will virtually connect the entire state by mountain biking tracks. It will help develop two major MTB circuits, one from Shimla to Manali and the other from Manali to Dharamsala. The association, which has been organising MTB Himachal, a cycling ride and race event since 2005, has carried out a detailed exercise in this regard. He maintains that the new trails could be created by spending just Rs 3 to Rs 4 crore. “It will not only help promote mountain biking but plan but all types of eco-tourism activities,” he asserts. The ultimate objective is to promote responsible tourism by making every village a tourist village in the environmentally fragile hill state, says Manisha Nanda, secretary, tourism. Home stay in villages will provide an attractive and affordable alternative to the congested urban destinations. It will also afford an opportunity to the tourists to enjoy the delightful spectacle of apple orchards in full blossom and verdant tea gardens, have a taste of local cuisine and get familiarised with the rich hill culture. The growth of rural tourism will also generate self-employment opportunities in the villages, she explains.
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Total sanitation status for Mandi district soon
Mandi, August 19 All the 473 gram panchayats in Mandi district are set to achieve a 100 per cent open defecation free (ODF) status by August 2008. The district sanitation mission has covered around 95 per cent of the 1.30 lakh households in the district and hopes to cover the rest within the target date. The secret of success lies in the pro-active approach adopted by the team of officials led by the then deputy commissioner of Mandi Subhasish Panda and DRDA project officer Sandup Tashi, and resource persons from the Mandi Sakasharta and Jan Vikas Samiti (MSJV), an NGO. The success story of Mandi district was also appreciated by the Water and Sanitation Programme (WSP), South Asia, in its recent study. WSP has given all credit for the Mandi success story to the Centrally-sponsored rural sanitation programme launched in the 559 districts in four states of the country — Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh — in November 2005. The study found that there were no toilets in 68 per cent of rural households, 65 per cent government schools, 32 per cent private schools and 64 per cent ‘balwadis’ before the launch of the total sanitation programme in Mandi district. Out of the 22 per cent rural population living below
poverty line, 78 per cent had no access to sanitation. Now three years down the line the sanitation scene has changed dramatically, even in remote landlocked areas like Chauhar valley in Drang block and Gara Gushaini and Thatchi in Seraj block, where villagers hardly knew about toilets earlier, leave alone constructing and using them. “I was hesitant earlier as we never used toilets earlier,” said 80-year-old Sarbu Ram, a resident of village Lachkandi in the remote Chauhar valley. “For women, those ill and with children, the toilets are a blessing. We build it at our own when volunteers convinced us about its benefits,” said Ramkali, a mahila mandal pradhan in the remote Bardhan panchayat in Chauhar. The DC also rewarded the panchayats and villages that achieved the ODF status with funds for development schemes. 17 panchayats received the President of India ‘Nirmal Puraskar’ and four panchayats bagged the state awards for total sanitation in May 2007. DC Mandi Onkar Sharma, who joined earlier this year, said, “We hope to achieve total sanitation in the district by August 15 this year. We are focusing on the few remaining weak pockets. It was possible due to teamwork. Villagers have realised that sanitation is essential for healthy life”. Added Bhupinder Thakur, MSJV chief, “Trained teams motivated villagers to use toilets, which would save them from the unhygienic conditions caused by open defecation. We have just 25 problematic panchayats but we are near to achieving the target.”
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NGO leads I-Day parade in US
Kumarhatti, August 19 The organisers of the parade has asked ‘My Himachal’, an NGO, to represent Himachal Pradesh in the 61st Independence Day parade. Kalotra family from Maryland, Rajiv Kumar from New Jersey along with ‘My Himachal’ members (http://www.myhimachal.com) from New York joined the president of the NGO Avnish Katoch, from Pennsylvania, and brought the unique Himachali culture to the streets of USA. The young Himachalis were the flag-bearers and their enthusiasm was commendable. Khushi R. Kalotra said it was for the first time that he participated in a Himachal contingent, along with 18 family members who came all the way from Potomac region of Maryland. Others who attended the parade included Edison Mayor Jun Choi, Sayreville Mayor Kennedy O’Brien and New Jersey’s Governor Jon S. Corzine. The parade started from the Oak Tree road in Edison and culminated at St. Cecelia’s Church in Iselin with a cultural show. Mauli Dave from ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ TV fame, and Roshni Chopra of ‘Kasam Se’ fame were the celebrity guests.
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Vignettes Most chroniclers date Khajjiar as sixth century territory of the rulers of Chamba. The vanshavali of Chamba rulers, however, shows that a legendry hero, Maru, founded Brahmpura (Bharmour) in the valley of Budhal River to the east of Chamba in A.D. 550. His kingdom was restricted to Bharmour subdivision only. Even his illustrious fifth descendent Meru Varman could spread his kingdom along the valley up to present day Chamba. The local Ranas had control over small principalities, one of which had Khajjiar too. It is believed that Sahila Varman (A.D.920), who established the town of Chamba, brought the local chieftains under one umbrella. Khajjiar, therefore, could be a 10th century addition to the sceptre and crown of Chamba. Again, there is date clash about Khajjinag temple here. It is claimed that it is a 12th century temple. But J. Hutchison writes in History of the Punjab Hill States published in 1933, “The temples of Khajjinag at Khajjiar, Hidimba at Mahla, and Sita Ram at Chamba, are believed to have been erected in this reign (Prtihvi Singh’s reign; 1641-1664) by Batlu, the nurse who was the means for saving Prithvi Singh’s life.” “How could, as chronicled, Raja Balbhadra (1589-1623) erect the idols of five Pandavas in the temple, if it was built in the 17th century?” It is another baffling query. One of the explanations given is that the temple was raised in the 12th century and got rejuvenated in the 17th century by Prithvi Singh at the instance of Batlu. Could Hutchison and Ph Vogel make such slip-up? Then chroniclers including Karl Khandalwala state that Chamba became tributary to the Mughals since the time of Akbar. It is true that the Mughals extended a lose control over Chamba which rarely honoured the sovereign word. Aurangzeb ordered Chattar Singh (1664-1690) to pull down all the temples in Chamba but ignoring the dictate he added gilded crests in all the big temples. Then, in the beginning of the 19th century when Sikhs’ domination started in the hills, Chamba was spared because of the services rendered to Ranjit Singh by Wazir Nathu who once offered his horse to save Maharaja’s life. Despite these facts, Khajjiar is cited as having remained under the command of the Mughals and the Sikhs before going the British way. The British did acquire a piece of land where the Dayan Kund Ridge broke into spurs from Chamba for the construction of a convalescent depot. Chief engineer of Punjab Colonel Napier, in 1851, deputed Dr. Clemenger of the 49th Native Infantry to see its suitability along with the nearby five hills. The piece of land with the surrounding area was found fit and acquired in 1853 and 1866 when Lieutenant Governor of Punjab Sir Donald McLeod, named it Dalhousie after the then Governor General. Dalhousie was made a part of Kangra district (Punjab) first and then of Gurdaspur district in August 1861 and returned to Chamba on November 1, 1966 after the reorganisation of the states. Khajjiar is 1.6 km long and 0.9 km wide enchanting glade and has in its bosom a lake of about 5,000 sq yds. J. Hutchison, writing the first gazetteer of Chamba, gave a depth of 13 ft to it to the disbelief of many who regard it as fathomless. It became the playground of the British with a golf link developed here in 1880s through the services of a British army-man Scott from Manchester, England. The link stood abandoned today but Khajjiar earned limelight on the 7th July, 1992 when Swiss Consul and Head of Chancery Willy P. Blaser, received a stone of Khajjiar from the district administration and sent it to Berne, capital of Switzerland, to form part of a sculpture erected outside the Swiss Federal Houses of Parliament and certified Khajjiar as Switzerland of Himachal Pradesh. The sculpture at Berne has stones from 159 other locations in the world that bore topographical resemblance with Switzerland. Blaser also erected a yellow Swiss hiking footpath, symbolising that country, showing Khajjiar’s distance from Berne – 6,194 km.
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Shimla diary
Shimla, August 19 Despite requests by many residents for the removal of these trees which could collapse and cause damage to life and property all over the town, the forest authorities could do a little with a blanket ban on felling of green trees. In fact, a tree even claimed the life of a woman in the Chotta Shimla area and endangered life of many other residents. With an unusually long monsoon this year, the residents have had a harrowing time struggling with traffic problem, erratic power and water supply and snapped telephone lines. The rains have been so heavy and incessant that hundreds of other trees are on the verge of collapse, posing a threat to several buildings. In fact, the forest department has received more than 50 requests for the removal of these dangerously inclined trees lest they cause damage. The authorities on the other hand express their helplessness by saying that with such stringent laws on tree felling, it is only after approval from cabinet sub-committee that they can remove the trees. Teacher
appreciated
Dr D.D. Gupta from Indira Gandhi Medical College attended the 9th world conference on pharmacology and therapeutics held at Quebec in Canada. His paper on prescription cost reduction was appreciated by delegates. His work was also appreciated by World Health Organisation director Dr H.V. Hogerzeil, who assured him of all possible help in providing cost effective treatment to patients, especially in developing countries.
Tying the knot of friendship
It is on festivals and special occasions that one misses home, family and friends the most. It was for this very reason that the activists of the Delhi Kala Karam led by its general secretary Saroj Vasishth celebrated rakshabandhan with inmates of the Kaithu jail in town. Accompanied by Jainab Chandel, the members celebrated the festival by tying rakhis on the hands of the inmates. Having worked as a storyteller and theatre person at Delhi’s Tihar jail, Saroj took the initiative of doing something similar for the inmates of jails in Himachal. She has been holding story telling sessions, yoga and plays for the inmates at the jail since July 1996. A library has also been set up in the jail. Two boxes full of new books and magazines were donated for the inmates on the occasion. With liberal donations of books from writers and publishers, Saroj has been able to set up a good library there. “Spending some time with the inmates, who have been forced by circumstances to be away from loved ones, on festivals and other special occasions makes them feel wanted and cared,” she explains.
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Infighting mars village uplift scheme
Nurpur, August 19 The foundation stone of the scheme was laid with great fanfare on December 10, 2001, by the then union minister of public distribution and consumer affairs Shanta Kumar. The Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) had sponsored this ambitious project which aimed at benefiting the residents of this remote and backward gram panchayat. However, the project that was to be completed within six months is still not complete, thanks to the infighting of the local panchayat inhabitants. The project had to be executed by the office of the Block Development Officer (BDO), Nurpur. Under the ‘Model Village Scheme’ Rs 70 lakh was to be spent by the HUDCO for the overall development and basic infrastructure in the gram panchayat and Rs 35 lakh had to be shared by the state government. Under the project basic amenities like potable water, electricity, dispensaries, roads, houses and community centres were to be provided to villagers. The HUDCO had released Rs 6.08 lakh as initial installment of its share on the occasion of foundation laying ceremony of the scheme. This amount has been reportedly spent on the construction of a dispensary, a community centre and four houses for the poor families in the panchayat. On the other hand, the state government had released its share of funds by means of earmarking a number of proposed development works in the panchayat. However, the deadlock occurred over selection of the area for undertaking proposed development works in this hapless rural area. Albeit panchayat level committees were constituted to solve differences, nothing has been done so far.
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The Himalayan Adventure Sports and Tourism Promotion Association (HASTPA), which has been striving to promote eco-friendly tourism activities, is upbeat over the scheme that will give a new direction to the development of tourism. It has offered to market home stay units so that villagers who invest in creating proper facilities find it economically rewarding. 
