The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Himachal Pradesh Edition

China not positive on Tibetan autonomy: Envoys of Dalai Lama
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, November 16
The envoys of the Dalai Lama have submitted a memorandum on the proposed autonomy that the Tibetans-in-exile are seeking from China. The memorandum was submitted on November 5 during the recently concluded eighth round of talks.

In a press conference held here today, the envoys, Lodi Gyari and Kelsong Gyaltsen, said, “During the 7th round of talks in July this year, Chinese ministers Du Quinglin and Zhu Weiqun had explicitly stated that they would like to hear our views on the degree of autonomy being sought by the Dalai Lama. As per their wishes, we submitted the memorandum on autonomy this time. However, certain statements issued by the Chinese government officials have misinterpreted the facts. Due to this, we are releasing the memorandum submitted by us to the Chinese government.”

The Chinese government officials had rejected any kind of autonomy or independence for Tibet, they added.

In a memorandum, a copy of which was provided to newsmen, they had dwelt on propositions through which genuine autonomy could be granted to the Tibetan autonomous region under the existing provisions of the constitution of China.

The memorandum states that Tibetans live in a one contiguous area on the Tibetan plateau. They aspire to participate and contribute in development of China without losing their identity, culture and core values.

The basic structure of the self-government that the Tibetans proposed included that the Tibetan language should be respected as the main spoken and written language and should remain the principal language of the proposed Tibetan autonomous region. The cultural heritage of Tibet should be protected.

The Tibetan-in-exile have demanded that they should be given the right to organise their monasteries, enrol any number of monks and nuns of any age group. The state should not interfere in their religious practices and traditions.

The formula also seeks right to develop and administer their own education system in cooperation with the Chinese government. They have also demanded that they should be involved in decision-making on natural resources such as minerals, water, forests, mountains and grasslands of their proposed autonomous region.

It has been also proposed that majority of the security personnel should consist of members of the local nationality who understand and respect local customs. The formula also seeks regulation on population migration. It has been proposed that the Tibetan autonomous region should be under a single administrative entity.

They have also sought right to create their own regional government, government institutions. They have also sought guarantee under the Chinese government or other laws to ensure that the autonomous region once created cannot be legally abrogated or changed.

Tourism Dept puts Kasauli on negative list
Ambika Sharma

Solan, November 16
Facing saturation due to the presence of around 35 small and big hotels and resorts, including those in the public and private sector, Kasauli and its precincts have been placed in the negative list by the Tourism Department.

This will mean that no future tourism projects will be permissible in the region. It has been noticed that the area faces perennial shortage of water. The number of hotels and resorts, majority of which depend on the IPH Department for water requirement, are stated to have reached a point of saturation as far as tourism activity is concerned.

Prompted by this declaration, the Town and Country Planning Department has also made the region out of bounds for those interested in initiating any such venture in their draft development plan for Kasauli.

While this has been welcomed by the local residents, who feel these commercial projects put a drain on their limited water sources, the move has earned the wrath of the well-connected commercial builders.

It is, however, noteworthy to mention that at least 24 big and small tourism ventures were initiated in the area about three years ago where commercial activity was being noticed in every nook and corner. Had it not been for a high court ban in December, 2006, many more such projects would have taken shape. What had, however, become a point of concern was the fact that in the garb of tourism ventures, real estate business had started flourishing. It was a common practice to seek an essentiality certificate (EC) from the Tourism Department for a tourism project and then start a real estate venture. The department had conducted a survey sometime ago after which a number of such ECs were withdrawn.

Local residents point out that the drinking water supply is through the MES in Kasauli cantonment. The sources of water are springs near Manaun and the Gambhar river. The total supply is around 80,000 to 90,000 gallons per day. The officials point out that there is big gap between actual water supply and the overall demand. The water is supplied both to the military as well as the civilian population.

Similar is the situation in an area covering about 35 villages of Kasauli and its precincts.

All roads, including Kimughat-Chakki-ka-Mor, Garkhal-Jagjitnagar, Dharampur-Kasauli, etc., have witnessed mushrooming of such projects putting a huge drain on the limited water resources. With little scope to expand the roads, especially the Garkhal junction, the TCP Department appears to have taken a wise decision, opined environmentalists.

Maan for CBI probe into church fire
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 16
Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Maan has said the incident of fire in the Kasauli church should be viewed seriously in view of the ongoing violence against Chrstians in BJP-ruled states. He has urged the government to order a CBI probe into the incident.

In a statement issued here today, he said the BJP had been ill-disposed towards minorities and Muslims, Christians and other communities were facing problems in states like Orissa and Gujarat where the party was in power. There had also been incidents involving minorities in Punjab and other states.

He also criticised the move of the Dhumal government to reduce grant-in-aid to St Bede’s College.

Expansion of rail network on cards
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 16
The hill state is looking forward to major expansion in the rail network after facing neglect for almost 60 years.

The union ministry of railways has sanctioned a survey to study the feasibility of the Bilaspur-Leh link via Kullu, Manali to provide connectivity to the sensitive border areas of the country. It has also proposed to secure the world heritage site status for the Jogindernagar-Pathankot section on the pattern of the Shimla-Kalka toy train. An amount of Rs 22.68 lakh has been sanctioned by the ministry for carrying out an updating survey at a gradient of 1:60 for gauge conversion of the 189-km track.

The survey of 480-km Bilaspur-Leh rail link may take about two years. The Rs 1,047-crore Bhanupali-Bilaspur line has already been sanctioned and the final localtional survey is being carried out. The Centre and the state will share the cost on 75:25 basis and the Railways has already allotted funds for the purpose.

The rail line will provide all-weather transportation facility to the areas of Lahaul-Spiti that remain cut off for almost six months in a year, besides strengthening the rail network in the Leh area. It will further strengthen the infrastructure development in the strategic border areas of the state that will be a blessing to the people of the area.

The border areas have a vast potential for development of tourism but have largely remained inaccessible due to limited means of transportation. The Bhanupali- Bilaspur-Leh rail line will provide sustainable means of transportation and make these areas accessible.

Paucity of funds hurdle in completion of sewerage scheme
Our Correspondent

Kangra, November 16
Nearly five years back residents of this temple town were obliged by the then Congress government for sanctioning Rs 9.22 crore sewerage scheme project, but for want of funds the work had not even reached halfway and the scheme had been put in the dock and residents left in lurch.

The foundation stone for the sewerage scheme was laid by then Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on January 17, 2004, but nearly five years have passed and the scheme was still in doldrums. The work on this project had been dragged for all these years and some pipes were laid and remaining are rusting at different places of the town.

During this period there was a tussle between the IPH Department, PWD and National Highway Department and the work remained suspended time and again over the issue of payments.

Raghubir Singh executive engineer of the IPH (executing agency for this scheme) said, “So far 40 per cent of the work has been completed.” He further said paucity of funds was a hurdle in this scheme and last year the department had not received even a single penny for the project. This year it had received Rs 20 lakh for this project and it would be utilised for construction of the treatment plant, which costs Rs 2 crore.

Singh said the way things were going on would take years for the completion of the project. When asked why work was suspended halfway, he replied that there was no fun laying the pipes when the department had no funds to complete the project. The pipes lying in different parts of the town were being collected and kept at one place. He, however, denied that the department was planning to shift these pipes to Dharamsala.

The residents here alleged that former MLA Surrender Kaku of Congress failed to deliver the goods and could not manage to pump funds for the scheme during his tenure resulting in leaving the scheme in a lurch.

They further alleged that during the current BJP rule it was a divided house in the town with four leaders fighting for their existence. Thus the party had little time for the developmental works of the town.

The residents expressed resentment for the failure of both Congress and BJP governments for providing necessary funds to complete this scheme that should have been put to use by now. They alleged that they suspect that it was a deliberate move of the government to push the scheme in the dock for want of funds.

Paramour kills man, arrested
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, November 16
An extramarital affair led to the murder of Shamsher Singh of Tiara village by his paramour, who had been arrested by the Jawali police on Friday. A case under Sections 302, 120B and 201 of the IPC has been registered.

According to the police, main accused Dolly Rana, the paramour and resident of Soldha, had allegedly killed Singh by hitting with some hard substance at her residence on November 9 and kept the body on upper floor of the house for two days. Rana with the assistance of other co-accused threw the body in the nearby Niyangle nallah.

The police had recovered the decomposed body on November 12 under mysterious circumstances and started investigations into the case. The police revealed that Savita Devi, wife of the deceased, who married him just eight months back, was very upset over the ongoing extra-marital affair of her husband. She had also lodged her complaint with the Tiara gram panchayat and even managed transfer of her husband (a class four employee of the IPH Department) from Soldha to Bhalli. She had lodged an FIR with the Jawali police after the suspicious murder of the deceased.

Kangra ASP Shubra Tiwari said Dolly Rana, Sanjay, Rakesh and Jarnail were arrested on Friday and Mohan and Jagdish, the other co-accused, were arrested on Saturday. “The accused were produced before the judicial magistrate on Saturday and were sent to two-day police remand to initiate further investigations,” she added.

Govt to ensure pension delivery on doorstep
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, November 16
The state government will ensure that monthly pensions being disbursed under the social welfare programme be delivered at the doorstep of every eligible beneficiary.

Presiding over the fifth annual function of the local unit of an NGO Himotakarsh Sahitya-Sanskriti and Jankalyan Parishad here today, social justice and empowerment minister Sarveen Chowdhary said the government had recently launched a pilot project in Una district, which would cover all districts in future. She claimed that it was only the BJP government led by Shanta Kumar in 1977 which had started disbursal of monthly social pension to the poor and downtrodden section of society and now the Dhumal government had increased pension amount from Rs 200 to 300 and announced further hike of 10 per cent.

She also honoured five persons on behalf of the NGO by awarding SDM Inder Bhardwaj for best administrator and public servant, Dr Sanjay Mahajan for best medicine scientist, Balmukant Sharma for best social work, Gopal Kumar for best entrepreneur and Rai Singh for best government worker.

On this occasion, the parishad also gave scholarship awards to as many as 70 students from different schools of the area, who were adjudged meritorious in a scholarship examination (2007) conducted by the parishad.

Kunwar Hari Singh, central head of the parishad, briefed a number of projects and social welfare programmes undertaken by the parishad during the past few years.

Subscribers suffer as BSNL sleeps
Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 16
The landline subscribers of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) are suffering because of the failure of the public sector tele-services provider to maintain its cable network properly.

While the BSNL authorities invariably blame theft of cable by anti-social elements as the main reason for unreliable landline connectivity, its apathetic attitude towards maintenance of its network is also responsible for the woes of subscribers. The services provided by the BSNL to subscribers have also been far from satisfactory.

Cables can be seen lying on the ground or hanging precariously from tilted poles. Early this week, thieves took away a good length of cable from the lower Bharari road that crippled about 300 telephones in the Bharari, Pagog, Dudhli and Kamiana areas for three days. The Internet users were also a harassed lot.

A month ago, a truck got entangled in cables hanging loosely in the same area. The cables gave way. A woman teacher, who was returning home, was hurt in the incident. Had there been schoolchildren around, a much serious mishap would have occurred. The matter was immediately reported to the BSNL officers. They came, did the superficial make-up and went away.

The condition has worsened thereafter and poles are kissing the ground in Bharari and Dudhli areas with loose cables hanging all around. The situation is bad near the Poabo telephone exchange.

Two years ago, the BSNL had started an exercise to lay better quality cables in the city for landline connectivity. Accordingly cables were laid and news distribution points were also provided on the premises of subscribers. However, the telephone lines have not been shifted to new network laid 18 months ago in many localities like Lower Kaithu. Even the new cable has been damaged at some places and the department is not bothered.

The BSNL seems busy in popularising the broadband facility, but the Internet connectivity on mobile phones provided through GPRS is far from satisfactory. It is difficult to get connected and even if successful, the speed is much less than even the dial-up connection.

Residents to get free CFLs from Nov 23
Our Correspondent

Bilaspur, November 16
Around 92,000 families of Bilaspur district would get CFL bulbs free of cost under the Atal Bijli Bachat Yojna. The HP Electricity Board would start distribution of these CFLs from November 23 through bill cash counters in the district here and this distribution would be complete by December 25 this year.

This was stated by HP Electricity Board superintending engineer (Operations) D.S. Jamwal while addressing mediapersons here last evening.

Jamwal said each household would be provided with four CFLs free of cost while every family must return at least four traditional bulbs. He said these free CFLs would be replaced within 18 months of their issue if any of these are found defective or get fused before this period. The scheme had been launched by the government to save maximum energy. It would benefit the consumers with their reduced bills and the government in conserving power.

Plea to set up Himalayan development authority
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 16
Kangra MP and former minister Chander Kumar has urged the Centre to set up a Himalayan development authority under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister for preserving the fragile hill environment.

He said setting up the Himalayan development authority would also be of great help as all major rivers originated from the lofty mountain ranges.

New policy to rationalise TD allotments
Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 16
Thousands of green trees will be saved from the axe every year with the state government framing a new policy to rationalise allotment of trees to right holders under the timber distribution rules (TD) on the directions of the high court.

Under the new policy, the villagers will not be allotted standing trees in forests. Instead, they will be provided timber at the nearest road head for building new houses and carrying out major repairs to existing houses. For a new house, three cubic metres of converted timber will be provided once in a lifetime or 30 years. Similarly, one cubic metre of converted timber will be provided once in 15 years for carrying out major repairs.

The timber will be supplied at 30 per cent of the prevailing market rates as determined from the sale price of the state forest corporation, which has depots across the state.

Further, timber will be provided to right-holders only if the forest in which they had rights were well stocked and timber was available “silviculturally” for extraction as per the forest working plan. In case a forest has already been overexploited and further fellings were “silviculturally unsustainable”, no timber will be allotted. Converted timber of only those species will be allotted that are available for felling in the forest in which the applicant has the right.

The new policy will be notified after an approval from the high court. The government has already filed an affidavit in that regard. The rationalisation of TD rules had been under the consideration of the government for the past three decades and it had been evading decision fearing adverse political fallout. The high court intervened in the matter after a public interest litigation (PIL) drew its attention to the thinning of the green cover due to “excessive” and “silvicultrally unsustainable” removals from the forests and the misuse of the TD facility under which the best available trees were being virtually allotted free of cost to right holders.

The rates of TD were fixed in 1872 at one-fifth of the market rates which varied from Re 1 and Rs 2 per tree and the same rates were being charged even though the market rate of some of the species like deodar ranged from Rs 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh.

Until the high court imposed a ban on grant of trees under TD rules in June 2006, about 45,000 to 50,000 green trees were being allotted to right holders annually. As per records of the Forest Department 2,10,934 green trees, with a standing volume of 5,49,484 cubic metre and worth over Rs 275 crore, were sanctioned to right holders between the 1994-99 charging a meagre amount of Rs 2.13 lakh. Further, 1,65,890 green trees worth over Rs 550 crore were given to right holders from 2002 onwards till June, 2006.

Fair-price shops short of foodgrains
Our Correspondent

Palampur, November 16
There is an acute shortage of foodgrains in the state-owned fair-price shops in this region of the state. Despite repeated visits to the fair-price shops the consumers had failed to get ration under the PDS programme of the government.

According to information gathered by The Tribune, it was revealed that the Food and Supply Department had not received the supply of rice and wheat from the Food Corporation of India (FCI). The department had managed to meet the shortage of wheat, but rice was not available in any fair-price shops.

In Palampur town and in its adjoining areas there are 24 fair-price shops, but these shops had not received the supply of rice for this month. Long queues of consumers can be seen all time enquiring for the supply of rice. It may be recalled that the state government was supplying subsidised ration to its consumers all over the state for the past four years. The state was spending over Rs 500 crore on this programme.

This district was receiving 3,500 tonne of rice and 2,365 tonne of wheat every month from the FCI and the supply was made before the 15th day of every month. In November the district had received only 1,730 tonne of rice. Though the HP State Civil Supply Corporation had deposited the cost of rice and wheat amounting to Rs 5 crore in advance before the FCI, still it had failed get adequate quota of foodgrains.

On the other hand FCI officials asserted that they were receiving the supplies from Punjab, but for the past two months there was shortage of these commodities in Punjab too, therefore it had caused scarcity of these items in the state. They said by November 20 the FCI would deliver the supplies of rice and wheat in the state government godowns. Meanwhile, senior officials of the HP Food and Supply Department told The Tribune that the department was well conversant with the situation and all efforts were being made to regulate the supplies of foodgrains in the district.

Ancient temples cry for repair
Balkrishan Prashar

Bharmour, November 16
Once called Brahmpura as per chronology founding of the state in 550 AD, the capital of the State of Bharmour, the town still retains its ancient temples and monuments of its one-time glory, some of which date back to the seventh century. The existence of these temples proves that even at that early period the state possessed resources.

Most important of the existing temples are Manimahesh (Suryamukhling temple), Lakshna Devi, Ganesh and Narsingh. These temples are beautifully carved with human figures and floral designs. The Manimahesh Shikhara style temple is one of the most ancient and beautiful temples in the state. Lakshna Devi is represented here as Mahishasuramardini (slayer of buffalo demon). This temple needs special attention for its upkeep.

The Narsingh temple was erected by Queen Tribhuvan Rekha as is evident from an inscription carved on copper. She was wife of Prince Yogkar, son of King Sahil Verma who ruled during the 10th century. The temple was badly damaged by an earthquake on April 4, 1905.

Since six magnificent temples are looked after by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) hardly a little in the name of renovation is done. The work of art on the walls of these temples is decaying due to the vagaries of weather and the temples cry for care. The ASI must take elaborate preventive steps for conservation and preservation of the antique art of these temples.

The state government and the Centre are spending sufficient funds on the repair of slate and concrete flooring of the “Chowrasi” compound; maintains Naresh Kumar Lakh, additional district magistrate of Bharmour tribal subdivision, who is also chairperson of the Manimahesh Trust.

This year too, the Tourism Department had sanctioned a sum of Rs 5 crore for building infrastructure in a big way with a view to conserving and preserving the invaluable religious heritage of the famous ancient temples of Bharmour’s ‘Chowrasi’, including the shrines and tourist spots located in the surrounding areas under the Manimahesh Trust, reveals ADM.

Reckless mining poses threat to bridge
Ravinder Sood

Palampur, November 16
A bridge on the Neugal river at Bundla village, around 3 km from here, is facing danger to its existence because of reckless mining in the riverbed.

The Public Works Department (PWD) had spent over Rs 2 crore on the construction of the bridge and it was opened to traffic around two years ago.

It is a vital link to the upper areas of Palampur that had no proper road link earlier.

Although the PWD, which looks after its maintenance, is well conversant with the situation, no steps had been initiated to check mining. Tractor-trailers can be seen transporting stones and sand from near the bridge. If immediate steps are not taken, the foundation of the bridge will go weak, posing threat to its existence.

Enquiries made by the Tribune revealed that the government had granted permit to a contractor for the extraction of stones and sand from a particular area. But sand and stones are being removed from even very close to the bridge. Area for mining had been earmarked by the government, but there was no official from the Mining Department to monitor
the situation.

A senior officer of the PWD said the junior engineer concerned had been asked to look into the matter and submit a report.

Animal menace threat to farm occupation
Jagmeet Y. Ghuman

Kumarhatti, November 16
Animal menace has emerged as a major threat to farm occupation in this area, opined Pyare Lal Sharma, general secretary of the Solan Kisan Sabha, while talking to this correspondent here yesterday.

For villagers all other issues have turned irrelevant, as they only wanted solution to animal problem, he said. He said we want all political parties to make their stand clear on the issue. The vet facilities should be made available at grassroots level so that farmers could get maximum benefit from it as most of the cattle were abandoned for want of timely vet facilities, he remarked.

He said the successive state governments have failed to understand the problem, hence a large tract of arable land had turned barren. Without agriculture the farmers are left with meagre income avenues to make their both ends meet, he said adding that it was high time for political parties to come on a common platform to save farmers from the problem.

Subsides in cattle fodder should be enhanced on the pattern of European countries, he said. In the lack of this, the farmers were left with no other option than to abandon their cattle. The export of monkeys should be opened again, he maintained.

Ironically, the HP Kisan Sabha monkey culling drive had suffered badly for want of money last year. The drive had failed to achieve the desired result under which around 200 monkeys were culled as again the target list of 1,000. Despite local villagers full support, besides funds, the lethargic attitude of the Forest Department to support the drive was also another reason for its failure, Sharma pointed out. As against the total amount of over Rs 2 lakh required for implementation of the drive the sabha could only manage to collect Rs 20,000 from the villagers.

PCC secy lambasts Dhumal
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 16
Pradesh Congress Committee secretary Rohit Thakur has lambasted Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal for allegedly taking credit for projects initiated by the previous Virbhadra Singh government.

In a statement here today, he said the agreement for the Rs 228-crore Theog-Kotkahi road project was part of the World Bank-aided programme the agreement for which was singed in August, 2007. The fact was that the BJP government had, during its previous term, by a notification dated May 23, 2001, downgraded the state road to a rural road.

Similarly, the Marayu Khad lift irrigation scheme was part of the Rs 50-crore project sanctioned under the accelerated irrigation and water supply programme of the UPA government. The farmers training centre was also completed before elections and Rs 50 lakh sanctioned for construction of a car parking lot at Jubbal and Rs 46 lakh for a similar facility at Kotkhai.

Encourage women to join journalism: MLA
Tribune Reporters

Bilaspur, November 16
Indian Press had played a very vital role during the Emergency for protection and preservation of democracy and freedom in the country. This role had made the people of India proud of the Press.

Forest and Environment Minister JP Nadda said this while addressing the National Press Day Function organised by the District Public Relations Office here today.

Nadda said even today media had been at the vanguard of all campaigns for the welfare of society, including that of women empowerment and amelioration and removal of social evils like corruption, dowry and also atrocities and injustices against women like rape, depriving from property and also domestic violence against them.

Addressing the function, BJP spokesperson and Kot-Kheloor MLA Randhir Sharma urged mediapersons to encourage women to join the field of journalism so that they can also take interest in matters concerning their problems with which our society is afflicted. He said the state is proud of its media, which had been performing its duties with full responsibility and had been playing a great role in the state’s faster progress.

MANDI: Women in rural Himachal are marching ahead, but they need more media attention and role of women activists and NGOs to focus their attention of the areas where they still live in superstitions that still make them second rate members of the society.

Expressing their concerns over women issues at the National Press Day organised by the Pubic Relation Department here, the mediapersons, including writers and poets, raised their concern over crime against women, their portrayal as page 3 sex symbols and glamorisation of cruelties against them.

Chief guest on the occasion, Hindi veteran writer K.K. Nutan said change had come, but women issues need more media exposure to highlight their plight.

IPTA convener Lawan Thakur highlighted statistics pointing out that media needs focus on women issues and need their representation at all top rung of decision making.

CHAMBA: Almost all mediapersons of Chamba district have focused on the media’s significant role in women empowerment and their protection in today’s society while interacting on the theme of ‘women and media’ tabled before the symposium on the occasion of National Press Day organised under the aegis of the Department of Information and Public Relations here.

KULLU: The Press Day was celebrated here at the Circuit House and mediapersons had discussions on the topic: Women and Media. Kullu DC M. Sudha Devi presided over the function. She said the media had played an important role since time immemorial in exhibiting the socio-economic problems and exploitation of women.

She said journalism had become one of the most preferred professions in today’s world and mediapersons have successfully served society as a whole.

UNA: MP Anurag Thakur said media had been bringing in efficiency and transparency in the Executive, Judiciary and Legislature by informing the public. He complimented the Press Council of India for giving the topic Women and Media for discussion and deliberations throughout the country at different media forums.

He said media was the watchdog of the society, which makes their duties more challenging and important. He was speaking at the Press Day function organised at the district headquarters here.

SP N. Venu Gopal advised women journalists to fight for their rights and also against injustice.

Sangeet Sammelan
Plea to promote local artistes
Tribune News Service

Mandi, November 16
Director of the Art, Language and Culture Prem Sharma said today that local artistes should be given preference and funds spent on the artistes invited from outside during cultural functions and festivals in the state should go to local talents.

The artistes should strive to promote their own rich folk and art traditions rather than blindly imitating the outside opt and pop culture, he added.

Addressing the state-level Pahari Sahaitya Sangeet Sammelan organised by the Kailash Sanskriti and Kalapeeth and the Authors Guild of Himachal with help of the department here, Prem Sharma said Pahari folks arts and literature have rich traditions which is getting lost in the wilderness of the modern pop cultural trends. This needs to be reversed in which the role of the writers, poets and artistes was supreme, he added.

Director of the Doordarshan Kuber Dutt, who was the chief guest, said the governments would come and go, but the cultural stage was the venue where artistes, poets and writers continue to take the literary and cultural activity on and on to its posterity. India has cultural diversity and needs to be promoted and protected, he added.

The critics put some of the poems recited at the stage as below average, but Khushal Sharma lyric on female foeticide brought out pangs of the unborn child deep from the heart of the singer and enthralled audience. Dinu Kashayap, Satish Dhar, Mastana and Prabhat Sharma recited some good poems on the occasion.

Ravi objects to Virbhadra’s statement
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 16
Irrigation and public health minister Ravinder Ravi has taken exception to the statement of Virbhadra Singh regarding the change of names of Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College, Tanda, and Ayurvedic College, Paprola, and said the former Chief Minister was trying to mislead people.

In a statement here today, he said the present government had not changed the name of any of the two institutions. It was the previous government that had renamed the college at Paprola as Rajiv Gandhi Ayurvedic College and incurred an expenditure of Rs 50 lakh on the installation of his statue on the premises. The present government had only named the auditorium and some new blocks of the institution.

Rs 145 cr for roads, bridges
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, November 16
The state government has sanctioned Rs 145 crore for the construction of roads and bridges in Kangra district.

PWD minister Thakur Gulab Singh gave this information at Dhira yesterday. He was there to inaugurate the sub-tehsil bhavan brought up at the cost of Rs 36 lakh. At another function at Chadiar village, minister for public health and irrigation Ravinder Ravi claimed that all 14,855 schools in the state would be provided with water purifiers to provide pure drinking water to schoolchildren.

Poppy seized
Our Correspondent

Bilaspur, November 16
The police has arrested Vikram Sud of Dodwa village, Sundernagar-Mandi district, along with 7 kg of poppy powder, near Ghamber bridge, on National Highway No-21.

A case under the NDPS Act has been registered against him and matter is being investigated further.

Driver killed in mishap
Our Correspondent

Nahan, November 16
Truck driver Bal Bahadur (35) was killed on the spot and conductor Karan (22) was injured when a truck fell into a deep gorge around 1 am near Dhaili village about 150 km from here today.

The ill-fated truck was on its way to Rohru from Solan side when this accident took place. Nobody in the nearby Dhaili village knew about the accident till the injured conductor of the truck informed the villagers early this morning. When the villagers reached the spot, the driver had succumbed to injuries.