Dharamsala, October 20
The recent decision of Union Minister for Human Resources Kapil Sibal to increase the eligibility criteria for admissions to IITs from 60 per cent to 80 per cent has come in for criticism from various sections of students.

The students, while talking to The Tribune, said the decision would deprive a large number of students, who had the potential to clear the test, of even appearing in the test for admissions to premium engineering institutions.

Besides students, various educational experts have also condemned the decision. They alleged that class XII examination was just one scale to test the potential of the students. Since each state has its own board examination for class XII besides the two central boards — the CBSE and ICSE, — there are different scales for evaluating students in the country.

While the CBSE and the ICSE boards evaluate students generally on objective scales, the percentage of marks students attained in these boards was relatively higher. However, in state boards, students are evaluated on subjective scales. In the Himachal Pradesh School Education Board (HPSEB) also, a subjective scale is adopted for evaluating the class XII students. In Himachal very few students get more than 80 per cent marks, while the CBSE and the ICSE are slightly liberal in their marking system.

Experts alleged that it was not fair to bar the students from appearing in admission tests to IITs based on results of varied scales adopted by various education boards. By keeping eligibility condition at 60 per cent, more students were given a chance to perform on a uniform scale in the IIT test.

If the eligibility condition is increased to 80 per cent, the competition would be reduced to just a few students who attain more than 80 per cent marks and students of state education boards would become a deprived section, they said.

This is more unfortunate keeping in view the fact that the number of IITs in the country has been increased.

Education boards of various states were already critical of reforms being recommended by the Union Minister. At a convention held at Dharamsala recently, representatives of Education Board of Chhattisgarh and Gujarat had rejected the idea of abolition of board examinations for class X. The representatives of various state education boards were of the view that the Union Minister was trying to change the education system too fast. He should rather concentrate on improving the existing system, they said.

Dharamsala, October 20
Both Congress and BJP nominees for the Jawali Assembly constituency today filed their nomination papers for the forthcoming by-elections. According to affidavits filed along with the nomination papers, it is poor BJP candidate Baldev Raj Chaudhary, belonging to the OBC category, against the multi-millionaire Congress candidate Sujjan Singh Pathania, who belongs to the Rajput community and is married in the royal family of Guler.

According to the affidavits, 66-year-old Sujjan Singh Pathania has Rs 1.5 lakh cash, a bank balance of Rs 2.58 lakh, three vehicles, including an Innova, a Maruti car and a tractor worth Rs 10.90 lakh, 100 gram gold worth Rs 1.6 lakh, a revolver worth Rs 1.25 lakh, a farm house worth Rs 4.50 lakh and agriculture land worth Rs 29 lakh in his name.

The wife of Sujjan Singh Pathania, who belongs to the royal family of Guler, is richer that her husband as she has agriculture land worth Rs 3.92 crore, a residential house worth Rs 15 lakh, 400 gram gold worth Rs 6.40 lakh and Rs 2 lakh cash in her possession.

On the contrary, 51-year-old BJP candidate Baldev Raj Chaudhary has just Rs 50,000 as cash, deposits worth Rs 21,561, LIC policy worth Rs 25,000, gold worth Rs 30,000 and a shop worth Rs 40,000 in his possession. He has no agriculture or other property in his name, according to the filed affidavit. The wife of Baldev Raj Chaudhary has an LIC policy worth Rs 12,000 and gold worth Rs 30,000 in her name.

The BJP candidate, during the filing of nomination papers, was accompanied by former Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha member Shanta Kumar and Vipin Parmar, district president of the BJP.

Besides the Congress and the BJP candidates, two Independent candidates, including Madan Lal Sharma and Ashok Kumar, also filed their nomination papers.

Till date, four candidates, including candidates from the BJP and the Congress, have entered the election fray for the Jawali by-elections.

The Jawali seat fell vacant after Rajan Sushant, who represented the area, got elected to the Lok Sabha from the Kangra Parliamentary constituency.

Shimla, October 20
The Cabinet will take a decision on the request of the local Municipal Corporation for restoration of the 1880 hectares of urban forest, which was transferred to the Forest Department three years back.

Sources said the government had decided to place the case before the Cabinet to settle the issue once and for all. It was almost six months back that the MC had sought restoration of the urban forests in and around Shimla, which had been under its control since British time.

Citing legal wrangles and hurdles being faced in undertaking development works the MC had made a forceful case before the state government seeking restoration of the control over urban forests, which were transferred to the Forest Department in 2006. Unhappy over the move right from the beginning the MC had been resenting it all along but now a fresh request has been made before the state government.

“The area under question is a reserved forest and not a park or just another green area, so it can be managed most scientifically by the forest department,” said a senior officer. He added that the MC had miserably failed to manage the 1880.13 hectares area that was under its control considering the staff and funds shortage.

While staking its claim for getting back control over the forests, the MC has said that it had been pushed into a major financial crisis after transfer of even the revenue earning properties. The councillors had also opposed the very move for giving control of the urban forests to the Forest Department.

The MC while pleading its case has said since the task of urban forestry, protection of environment and promotion of the ecology was entrusted to the Urban Local Bodies under Chapter 20 of the HP Municipal Corporation Act, 1994, forests could have been handed over to the Forest Department only after an amendment in the said Act.

To strengthen its claim for restoration of the forest area back to it the MC has attached views of the Principal Secretary, Urban Development, in this regard. It has been stated that the notification of 2006 giving control of forests to the department was not in conformity with the Municipal Corporation Act, 1994.

Besides this it has also been stated that as per the memorandum of understanding signed between the central government and the urban development, urban forestry work is to be looked after the municipalities.

Shimla, October 20
With the Congress remaining a divided house, the ruling BJP is not only hopeful of wresting the Congress citadel of Rohru, but is also confident of retaining the Jawali seat as efforts have been stepped up to woo the rebels.

With Pratibha Singh being out of the electoral battle, the BJP is putting in its best efforts to ensure victory in Rohru, which was represented by Union Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh for almost two decades. Having reposed confidence in its old warhorse Khushi Ram Balnatah despite opposition from some local party men, the BJP is hopeful of winning the seat.

Taking swift action against those who have tried to question the party wisdom in giving party ticket to Balnatah, two of its local leaders Devender Bushairi and Veena Shukla have been suspended from the party.

In fact Shukla, who wanted a change in the candidate, has decided to jump into the election arena as an Independent candidate.

State party chief Khimi Ram is learnt to be holding talks with Madan Sharma, a BJP rebel, who has filed his nominations as an Independent candidate from Jawali. He was a strong contender for the party ticket and his name even figured in the panel forwarded by the state election committee of the BJP.

“Senior party leaders will try to convince Madan Sharma to come back to the party fold and I am confident they will succeed in their efforts,” said Satya Pal Jain, in charge of BJP affairs in Himachal.

In Rohru, Balnatah is hoping to finally win the election on sympathy votes. “With Pratibha being out of the scene, the picture has totally changed as many of the traditional Congress voters too feel that Balnatah should be given a chance as this would be his last chance,” admitted a senior Congress leader.

Rohru will be a reserved seat during the next Assembly elections so this is the last time Balnatah would be contesting from there.

To ensure that the BJP starts its campaign with a big show, Chief Minister PK Dhumal will be present at the filing of nomination papers by Balnatah in Rohru tomorrow. Balnatah has personally been trying to woo voters, including employees and other sections, especially in the changed scenario where Pratibha Singh is not in the fray.

A lot will, however, depend on Virbhadra. If he decides to work whole-heartedly for Congress candidate Manjit Thakur, then the going could be difficult for the BJP. However, the fact that BJP is in power and Virbhadra does not have any personal stakes in the elections, the voter mood could favour the BJP.

Shimla, October 20
With questions being raised on the reinstatement of tainted officers facing serious corruption charges, the BJP today said there was no question of compromising on the issue of corruption as criminal investigations against them would continue.

Addressing a press conference here today, Satya Pal Jain, in-charge of BJP affairs in Himachal, defended the move of the government to reinstate IAS officer Sanjay Gupta and State Drug Controller Sher Singh.

“Each case is decided on merit and the government exercised the powers vested in it to reinstate Gupta,” he said in reply to a query.

Citing the Supreme Court rulings, Jain said it had been recommended that rather than keeping officers under suspension and giving them 75 per cent salary, it was a better option to reinstate them and take work from them. “There would be no compromise on criminal investigation in the cases registered against these officers and the government will take the final decision on their reinstatement after examining individual cases,” he said.

Jain said the BJP would seek votes from the people of Rohru and Jwali on the issue of development. “The choice to get directly linked with the government by voting for the BJP and benefit in development works lies with the people of the two Assembly segments,” he said.

Having a dig at the Congress, he said the party leaders were busy fighting among themselves rather than taking on the BJP. “There was complete consensus among senior BJP leaders as far as fielding Khushi Ram Balnatah and Baldev Raj Chaudhary was concerned and we are confident of victory,” he asserted.

In reply to a query on dynastic politics, he said it did not behove Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who was himself a fifth generation Gandhi-Nehru, to talk about ending politics of dynasty.

“There could be stray cases of children following the footsteps of their fathers in the BJP. Moreover, all such persons have made it on the basis of their own calibre and ability and not because of their lineage,” he remarked.

He said while Rahul Gandhi was talking about ending politics of dynasty as a mere political slogan, the BJP was serious on the issue.

New Delhi, October 20
The Supreme Court (SC) today asked the Centre to file its response within this week to Himachal Pradesh’s petition seeking a share of 19.19 per cent free power from the Bhakra Nangal and Beas power projects.

A Bench, comprising Justices GS Singhvi and BS Chauhan, issued the order after hearing arguments by senior counsel JS Attri, who appeared for Himachal Pradesh.

Attri contended that Himachal Pradesh was entitled to 7.19 per cent of free power on the basis of population and 12 per cent on the basis of distress, submergence and surrendering of right to generate power in future.

The Bench said the Centre must take a clear stand on whether any final agreement was entered into between various states under Section 78 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, on sharing of natural resources.

Himachal Pradesh has filed the original suit under Article 131 of the Constitution against the Centre, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Chandigarh. The hilly state is getting only 2.5 per cent of free power from the Bhakra Nangal project and 15 MW from the Beas project.

The Centre said it would file its response in two days, following which the Bench said the hearing would resume next week.

Solan, October 20
Bringing much-needed respite to thousands of pharmaceutical units, a recent court order of the Madras High Court has put on hold implementation of orders of the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) which had directed all zonal and sub-zonal offices of the Central Drug Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to issue WHO-GMP Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product (COPP) through their offices.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh industrial area have heaved a sign of relief as they will continue to avail these certificates from their state drug controlling authorities. The earlier orders, which were to be implemented from October 1, had put an undue strain on investors who were required to rush to the CDSCO’s Ghaziabad-based office for these certificates. According to the orders, the DCGI’s office, as well as 12 other offices of the CDSCO at the zonal and sub-zonal level, had been directed to issue COPP certificates to pharmaceutical firms in their respective zones.

Relieved at the stay, RK Arora, chairman, Federation of Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs, said, “The stay has brought the much-needed relief as it was absurd as to how the central authorities were modifying the law on the subject of health which fell in the concurrent list. The central authorities, therefore, had no jurisdiction to modify the Constitution.”

Interestingly, the stay was granted on a writ petition filed by a drug inspector Dileep Kumar, secretary of the Tamil Nadu Drug Inspectors’ Association.

The COPP was availed by a unit which exported its pharmaceutical products and was granted by the State Drug Controller after a dual inspection by an inspector from the office of the CDSCO and another from the state administration.

A recommendation was then forwarded from the office of the CDSCO to the local drug controller who then issued a COPP.

The recent directions had made it mandatory for all units falling in the northern part of the country comprising Himachal, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Eastern Uttar Pradesh to avail this certificate from their Ghaziabad-based office. Prominent units which dealt in exports included Cipla, Cadila, Promed, Alchem, Alembic, Dr Reddy’s, Panacea Biotech, etc.

While there were about 60-70 units dealing in pharmaceutical exports in Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh area, several such units were located in Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir which had seen investment in this sector after the 2003 central industrial package.

Hamirpur, October 20
With the arrest of husband and mother-in-law of Seema Devi (who had reportedly consumed poison on Sunday and still fighting for life at the regional hospital, Hamirpur) for committing atrocities against her, this case has taken a new turn.

Though the victim is still not in a position to give her statement to the police a case against her husband Arun Kumar and her mother-in-law was registered on the complaint made to the police by her father Purshotam Chand of Garli village on Monday.

After this complaint her husband Arun and mother-in-law were arrested under Section 498 of the IPC and sent on two days’ police remand, though initially it was reported that Seema Devi had tried to commit suicide.

Purshotam Chand in his complaint had alleged, ‘his daughter was married to Arun Kumar, son of Jagdish Chand of Dhaned Palasi village a few years back and after the marriage her husband and in-laws started ill-treating her for more dowry.’ Her father further stated, ‘even on Diwali day her husband and other family members picked up a quarrel with his daughter which resulted into a drastic step of taking some poisonous substance by the latter on Sunday.’

Additional SP Hamirpur, Gurudev said ‘the police had booked the husband and the mother-in-law of Seema on the complaint of her father but her statement could not be recorded yet as doctors attending on her have told that she is still not in a position to give any statement.’

Shimla, October 20
The CID wing of the police today seized 13 kg of charas from a grocery shop in Bholad village, near Hatkoti.

It was on the basis of an intelligence tip-off that a team of the CID led by Additional SHO Minakshi and Sub-Inspector Rattan Chand raided the grocery shop owned by Krishan Kumar.

The team seized 13 kg of charas hidden in the shop. The shopkeeper has been arrested and a case under the NDPS Act registered against him at the CID police station.

The CID had received information that Krishan Kumar was dealing with narcotics and was shortly going to deliver a huge consignment to someone to be sent outside.

KULLU: The police here has seized 14.75 kg of charas in a naka at Keltidhar in Lug Valley of the district on Tuesday, but failed to nab the accused as he managed to escape.

SP KK Indoria said the naka was put on a tip-off on Monday night and an Alto car (HP01K-0805) that was on its way to Kullu from Shalang was stopped by the police party. The driver, who was alone in the car, managed to flee by jumping out towards the downhill, however, the contraband was recovered from the car. The SP said the car had been impounded.