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Plan to promote organic farming a non-starter
Reviving Pahari style of painting
A choreographer out to excel
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Kandraur school first to have water-harvesting system
Mountain Terrain Biking zooms off on Oct 22
Himachal diary
US firm to set up solar power plant
India wins kabaddi match, Pak hearts
US Club to be turned into a museum
Man sells land by forging documents
‘Exempt’ teachers from poll duty
Workshop on growth of ruminants
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Plan to promote organic farming a non-starter
Dharamsala, October 12 The university wanted to adopt the Maharashtra model for promoting organic farming in the state. In Maharashtra, farmers carrying out organic farming have formed an organisation. They complement each other not only in technology, but also in marketing of their produce. The farmers of the state, especially in higher reaches, are already practicing organic farming. The basic problem before the state is that it has very few organic farming experts who can guide the farmers. In addition to that, there is no institutional infrastructure available for promoting organic farming practices. As a first step, the Association of Organic Farmers was to provide a platform to the farmers for exchanging their experiences. They were to be given knowledge about soil healthcare required for organic farming and later, about the certification required for selling the produce
as organic. As per international norms, the government cannot form organic produce certification agency, as it is perceived as vested party. It has to be created by third party that can be a university or independent association or an organisation. The certification for forming the organic produce certification agency is given by the Agriculture Produce Export Development Agency that functions under the Ministry of Commerce. Presently, there are only 11 organic produce certifying agencies in the country. Hiring them for getting the produce of the state farmers certified is economically unviable. Farms in Himachal are on a small scale. Organic farming can increase the income of farmers if it is marketed properly. The organic produce from the state is already being marketed at high cost in metros. Presently, the profit margin for the organic produce is being pocketed by middlemen. However, if an association is put in place that provides farmers with platform for marketing, maximum benefit can go to the farmers. The Agriculture University produced organic tea under the brand name Dauladhar tea in the recent past. Tea farms of the university were kept without any chemical fertiliser or pesticide for five years before it was certified as organic by the university. The organic tea got good response from the local markets.
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Reviving Pahari style of painting
Chamba, October 12 Like medieval European knights, Pahari Rajput princes laid great importance to the themes of love and war. That is why a large number of masterpieces of the Kangra art are based on the sentiment of love. Unfortunately, due to lack of patronage, this very form of visual art suffered greatly which compelled traditional painters to adopt other occupations. This art had completely vanished in the 20th century, but thanks to efforts by versatile painter and scholar Vijay Sharma, who has succeeded in restoring the glory of Pahari miniature paintings. Born and brought up in Chamba, Vijay Sharma (48) had mastered the art at a young age. It is difficult to say that how he was drawn to this particular form of visual art since he does not hail from a family of traditional painters. A new inning of his career started in 1980 when he received the State Award. In 1990, he was bestowed with the prestigious National Award. In the same year, Sharma performed demonstrations in Britain and Germany and in 1995, the AIFACS award was conferred on him by the All-India Fine Arts and Craft Society. Vijay Sharma has been demonstrating his art at various prestigious institutions in India and abroad. Being writer of several books and research articles, he is regarded as an expert, art critic and art historian. Lately, he exhibited his works in the famous Prince of Wales Museum in Mumbai, which was inaugurated by noted filmmaker and Oscar winner lyricist Gulzar. During the show, Gulzar was astonished to see some of Vijay's paintings, which were based on Gulzar's songs from films “Bandini” and “Lekin”. The bold and extrovert expression of Basohli style is his forte. Vijay Sharma is a true flag-bearer of the Pahari painting and has transmitted his art to scores of young enthusiasts. For the success Vijay attained in painting as well as in pursuits of art history, he humbly gives credit to his mentor Dr Vishwa Chandra Ohri, scholar of Himalayan arts. Recently, he has written a profusely illustrated book on Kangra valley paintings in Hindi, which will give new dimensions of this great art.
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A choreographer out to excel
by Shriniwas Joshi
Poonam Sharma's passion for dancing made her do Nipun (equivalent to postgraduation) in Kathak from Bhatkhande University, Lucknow, on her own after completing Visharad here. It was in 1990-91 that she joined Sacred Heart as dance teacher when the school was at Tara Hall, Kaithu. The school is now at Dhalli. Here the able and supportive guidance of the Principal, Sister Jaicintha Noronha, helped her in making grades in choreography, a natural gift. Her varied presentations and themes that she chose or were given to her were challenging, Mira Bai being the maiden presentation. The art lovers of Shimla were awed by it. It announced the arrival of a fresh, bright face in the field of theatrics that used dancing to embellish, extend or enlarge upon expressions and emotions. The floodgates were now opened to let pour - Jesus Christ, Origin of Dances in India, Amrapalli, Mother Teresa, Mirza Ghalib, Rani Suhi of Chamba, The Beauty and the Beast, Taj Mahal, Glimpses of Himachal, Romeo and Juliet and Lakshmi Bai- each honing the skills of Poonam from good to better. The most recent one was Gautam Buddha. Poonam was born at Jammu on July 20, 1969, to Vijay Sethi and Prabha. No doubt, she expresses her deepest inner drives through her work like a cancerian. Growing as Poonam Sethi, she studied at Government Senior Secondary School, Portmore, and Rajkiya Kanya Mahavidyalaya from where she graduated in arts. She is happily married to Narendra Sharma and her parents live at Phagli. She says: "I give all the credit to my parents, especially my mother, who not only allowed but also encouraged me to be a classical dancer and perform on stage. When I joined Sacred Heart, it was Sister Jaicintha who gave me free hand and had full faith in my capabilities." I believe that Poonam has learnt from Martha Graham, the great American dancer and teacher. 'The only sin is mediocrity' as she strives for excellence and achieves it. I asked her: "How do you see your future?" She said: "I want to spread the art of dancing and that is why my presentations have a large number of artists. Gautam Buddha has 137 artists drawn from educational institutions. I also run the New Shimla Dance Academy at the YWCA where both children and youth learn dancing. It is satisfying to teach children the classical Indian dances, besides salsa and modern western dances." She has been offered a dance-drama on Urvashi, the magnum-opus by poet Dinkar, by Ramdhari Singh Dinkar Organisation, Delhi. "How do you visualise and choreograph the different themes on which you work?" I asked. She said: "Writing the script and then to conceptualise it is the most difficult task. That done, the battle is almost won." I have witnessed most of her presentations and am impressed by the soft-spoken, self-effacing young woman who sees dance as the language of the soul. Her only award, so far, is the appreciation of the people but, I am sure, many for her are waiting in the wings.
Tailpiece
A dance teacher talked of a dance called politician. "All you have to do," she told her class "is take three steps forward, two steps backward, then sidestep and turn around."
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Kandraur school first to have water-harvesting system
Bilaspur, October 12 She said the situation was alarming and those who would not wake up and take timely suitable steps to save water would do so at their own peril. The system would cost Rs 3.12 lakh and would be complete and operative within the next few weeks. Under the first phase of this ambitious project, 15 schools of the district would have this facility within the next six weeks while remaining 227 government senior secondary and high schools would be covered in phases under a joint financing project between DRDA and the Education Department in ratio of 60:40, she added. She said the system would provide equipment for lift pump, desilting chamber and purification and bleaching arrangements so that water could be safely used even for drinking purposes apart from running school lavatories and urinals and for the maintenance of parks and greenery all around the school. Gupta said the state government had made water harvesting mandatory in all new buildings, including private, and a campaign would be started to provide this system in all old government and private buildings. She urged gram panchayat representatives, teachers and schoolchildren to carry the message of rainwater harvesting to every household and ask every family to install such systems in their homes to get rid of water problems. The DC declared that district administration was considering to “adopt” Kandraur gram punchayat for quick installation of rainwater harvesting system in the district. She said all natural water sources were being revived and renovated under the community participation scheme. HS
Rana, DRDA project officer, and Bir Singh, deputy director (higher education), were also present on the occasion.
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Mountain Terrain Biking zooms off on Oct 22
Shimla, October 12 Unlike the previous editions, which culminated at
Manali, the rally will return to Shimla after covering 540 km over eight days to conclude on October 30. The competitive stretches will cover 320 km and in all the bikers will achieve a big ascent with the Jalori pass (3223
metre) as the highest point. Introduced in 2005, the MTB has been gaining popularity with each year and this year the maximum number of 64 Indian bikers will participate in the event. Besides, 11 foreigners will be taking part in the rally, informs Mohit Sood , president of the Himalayan Adventure Sports and Tourism Promotion Association
(HASTPA), which has been organising the event to promote environment-friendly adventure tourism in the hills. The five years of successful MTB Himachal, which has been billed as the third toughest mountain biking event in the world, next only to the Trans-Alps Challenge (Europe) and Trans Rockies (Canada), has put the hill state firmly on the international mountain terrain biking map. The event will now be eligible for recognition by the United Cyclae Internationale
(UCI). The association has already taken up the matter with the Indian Cycling Federation to recommend its case for UCI recognition, reveals
Mohit. After taking off from Shimla, the participants will peddle through narrow forest pathways in the tough mountain ranges of Shimla , Mandi and Kulu districts. The fourt day will be the longest and most arduous when the bikers will have to cover 90 km distance from Kulu Sarhan to
Bahu. The riders will go through more stages of time trials and very tough hike-and- bike sections. This year the HASTPA has tied up with NGO
"Neive" for spreading awareness about pollution caused by non-biodegradable waste which not only spoils the environment but also causes aesthetic degradation in the scenic hills. Volunteers of the organisation will move along the rally in vehicles and clean the litter in the areas the rally will be passing through with the help of local people. They will also distribute pamphlets and also hold interactive sessions with local people. Mohit Sood maintains that the state could become an ideal international destination for mountain terrain biking if the existing 400 km of forest trails are connected by developing another 200 km of mountain trails to create two MTB circuits, one from Shimla to Manali and the other form Manali to Dharamsala.
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Barista may have to exit Shimla
Area manager of Barista Jayant confirmed that his company was looking for some other premises as it will not be in a position to match the offer of the apparel company as financial viability has to be kept in mind. The company was trying to find suitable premises off The Mall to keep its only outlet in the hill state functioning. Over the past 10 years it has become popular with both tourists and locals. It will be missed, particularly by tourists who throng the hill station round the year, if the company fails to find new premises. Sources revealed that Tommy Hilfiger Apparels is all set to open shop on The Mall, which has the showrooms of all big names in the readymade garment business. The Barista café has virtually become a landmark during its short existence and it had a regular clientele even among locals. The company has so far failed to find a suitable place to shift and with just another month to go the coffee addicts may have to make do without it. North Super 30 to coach
students
The students from the hill state keen to secure admissions in IITs and other prestigious engineering institutions will not have to go to Kota and other far-off places for coaching anymore. The state government has roped in the promoter of North Super 30 Kumarya Manoj to start coaching classes in the state. Coaching of the first batch to be prepared for the 2012 examination will commence by the end of November. The candidates will be selected on the basis of tests to be conducted by the Education Department in collaboration with the North Super 30 after a prolonged screening process. Manoj is currently visiting various schools along with his team and conducting seminars to motivate the students and also identify the bright and most intelligent ones who had the potential to crack the Joint Entrance Examination for admission to IITs. Initially, about 60 to 80 students will be selected on the basis of the test and after coaching them for two to three months the final 30 will be shortlisted for free coaching classes for IITs, says Manoj. As per the past record of the Super 30, a majority of the selected candidates qualify the joint entrance examination to get admission to the IIT's and the rest go to NITs and other top institutions through the All-India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE). The government has agreed to provide grant for paying salaries to the faculty and accommodation for the students. The Education Department has identified the degree college at Arki for running the classes but the final decision is yet to be taken. Kaumarya Manoj, who has won many national awards for his Super 30 initiative, said that in absence of facilities in the state 5,000 students go to Kota, Delhi and Chandigarh for coaching. His effort will be to gradually build up a cadre of well-trained teachers capable of providing good coaching so that the students were not forced to go outside the state.
IIAS fellow remembered
The Indian Institute of Advanced
Study (IIAS) paid tributes to its former fellow, Late Prof Papiya Ghosh, who was brutally murdered at her home in Patna a few years ago. A rare tree, Magnolia grandijlora L, was planted in her memory on the campus of the institute to mark her 56th birth anniversary. The national fellows, fellows, former fellows, associates and officials of the institute participated in the ceremony. A noted historian of Patna University she remained a fellow at the institute from August, 1993, to July, 1996 Dr T Kumar, Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Culture, and sister of late Papiya Ghosh, who was in the town, graced the occasion. Prof Chetan Singh, a former fellow of the institute, said Ghosh was a scholar par excellence and she chose to continue living at Patna instead of seeking opportunities in larger metropolitan cities in India and abroad. Dr Prem Singh suggested that programmes like memorial lectures be organised for Papiya Ghosh who upheld high standards in intellectual and academic endeavours. Dr. Kumkum Yadav recollected the warmth and affection Papiya had for people around her. Besides her status as a scholar, Papiya Ghosh's joy in life was infectious. She had a great sense of humour, was compassionate in a special way and was absolutely fearless. (Contributed by
Rakesh
Lohumi)
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US firm to set up solar power plant
Shimla, October 12 "The company has plans to set up solar power plants up to a total capacity of 1,000 MW across India. Initially, it is going to install a 100-MW solar thermal plant in the Baddi-Barotiwala area," Hillard Herzog, president and chief executive officer of the company, told IANS. The firm has set up a joint venture, Bergamo Harbinson Energy Ltd, with the promoters of Esoft Informatics Pvt Ltd, an Indian software company. Bergamo will have 60 per cent equity and Esoft 40 per cent. Herzog, who is currently touring India, said the company was also setting up a consumer-cum-retail division in technical collaboration with Suntrough Technologies, a division of Bergamo Acquisition Corp, in Solan to market its products. "Solar products like outdoor lights, garden lights and water heaters would be launched by next month," he said. Himachal Pradesh has already decided to make Shimla and Hamirpur solar-powered cities with the central assistance. In both towns, solar panels would be installed in most government buildings for lighting and to heat them up in the winter, a government spokesperson said. The government had also made budgetary provisions to develop two energy parks this fiscal. The parks would be developed at Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Solan and the National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur. The government distributed CFLs to every household free of cost last year. This has resulted in saving of about 270 million units of power worth Rs.100 crore in a year.
— IANS
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India wins kabaddi match, Pak hearts
Hamirpur, October 12 Though the maiden circle kabaddi match played between India and Pakistan at Sujanpur was won by the Indian team by 4 points, which had drawn a large applaud from the crowd, there was no less praise by the sports lovers for the Pakistani players and they enjoyed every bit of the match. The people of Sujanpur had also shown an exemplary spirit in welcoming and extending hospitality to the players. A large number of ex-servicemen made every possible effort to make this event a befitting success. Chief Minister Prem Kumar
Dhumal, his cabinet colleagues Ravinder Ravi, Kishan Kapoor, Shraveen Chaudhary and other dignitaries not only made it a point to enthuse both teams by reaching the spot, but also gave away cash prizes to the players. Elated with the success of the Indo-Pak circle kabaddi match, Rajinder
Rana, state president of the Amateur Circle Kabaddi Federation, while thanking the support extended by various quarters in organising the match, termed this event as historical and assured to organise more such events at
Sujanpur.
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US Club to be turned into a museum
Shimla, October 12 It was two days back that the Chief Minister finally ordered the handing over of the major portion being used by the PWD to the Tourism Department. With most of the PWD offices being shifted to their new office complex, Nirman Bhawan in Nigam Vihar, it had virtually been lying redundant though still under their possession. The US Club during the British Raj was the hub of cultural activities and gala dinners as the membership was generally restricted to civil and military wings of the government. The sprawling precincts of the US Club were used as residences for British officers who were here on a temporary
posting while the place remained abuzz with activity. "To begin
with, we will open the offices of the consultants to be appointed under
the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded tourism projects," said
Arun Sharma, Director, Tourism. He said the ultimate objective was to
set up a museum and promote the place as a centre for intellectuals and
academic activities with public participation. The Tourism Department
had been pleading its case for handing over the prime building to it.
The building has been shorn of its original glory for want of proper use
and maintenance. The Tourism Department is keen not only to convert
the place into a museum but also conserve it so that its original
character and architectural identity remain intact. The place, which had
been a very vibrant and important centre during the British Raj, is
today lying in a state of neglect with poor maintenance. However, a
portion of the building is still with the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH)
Department which too will be finally vacated so that the entire building
can be developed. The historical significance of the building can be
gauged from the fact that when Partition took place and Pakistan was
being chalked out, the Boundary Commission, which was to determine the
borders, held several of its sittings in the US Club buildings. A
draftsman who had been assigned the task of marking the boundaries on
the map was staying in a room in the US Club. The coming up of a museum
at the historical building not only restore its glory but also make it a
nerve centre which will showcase the rich heritage and legacy of the
erstwhile summer capital of the British.
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Man sells land by forging documents
Nurpur, October 12 The local police recently registered a case under sections 420, 467, 468, 470, 471, 120(B) and 34 of the IPC and initiated investigations. According to police, Ashok Kumar, son of Janak Raj (83), a resident of Dhariwal (Punjab), has alleged that Balbir Singh, son of Parshotam of Bhadroya village, got the GPA executed on September 6 at Indora through an unidentified 46-year-old person impersonating his father. The GPA was allegedly executed by producing fake witnesses. Balbir Singh then sold the land measuring over 15 kanal owned by Janak Raj in Gagwal village by executing a sale deed for Rs 6.45 lakh to Surinder Kumar, son of Roop Lal of ward no. 3, Nurpur, and Paramjeet Singh, son of Balwant Singh of Suliali village. Hari Ram, DSP, said after investigations and verification of the documents submitted by the complainant, further action would be taken.
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‘Exempt’ teachers from poll duty
Kangra, October 12 Onkar Rana, secretary general of the Himachal Government Teachers’ Union, in a statement here recently, said the Apex Court verdict had made it clear that teachers should not be deputed to conduct the polls as it was adversely affecting the educational
system. Rana said earlier there was no provision for the employees on poll duty to cast their own vote through postal ballot system or any other mode, thus depriving them of their fundamental right to franchise.
Rana demanded that in the interest of a healthy democratic system as well as to maintain the secrecy of the vote, proxy vote system for the employees on poll duty be adopted.
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Workshop on growth of ruminants
Palampur, October 12 He highlighted the objectives of the scheme viz switching from subsistence rearing to commercial rearing of small ruminants, improving their breed, facilitating marketing for better price and encouraging value addition of the products and urged the bankers, line department, NGOs and other stakeholders to work in closed coordination for effectively implementing the scheme. He said the unit cost had been fixed under different components and capital subsidy ranging from 25 to 33.33 per cent will be provided as financial assistance under the scheme. Deepak
Saini, manager of the HP State Wool Federation, discussed some schemes being implemented in this field.
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Poonam Sharma, an ace choreographer of the state, sees to it that an artist on stage translates vitality, a life force and oomph thus energising into the spectators keener awareness of the
vigour, verve, vim, variety and wonder of life emanating from the artists. I was at The Gaiety recently engrossed in her production Veerangna Lakshmi
Bai. Dances were choreographed on Subhadra Kumari Chauhan's famous poem
'khoob lari mardani woh to Jhansi wali rani thi'. She had chosen a Sanskrit hymn,
'gatistvam gatistvam twameka Bhawani' (O mother of the universe - you are my only
saviour, my eternal refuge) for the combat dances. The choice was appealing because Sanskrit is a commanding language and stirs up the spectators. It was not her first presentation - Poonam is an untiring and dedicated choreographer and like a majority of dancers in Himachal
Pradesh, she had been the disciple of Ila Pande, the fountain that has been flowing for decades and every drop jutting out of it promises eternal passion.
Located opposite Shimla's historic Gaiety theatre on The Mall, the outlet (See photo) of the prestigious Barista chain of café's may be closed down by the end of November.
According to sources the coffee shop came up on a 10-year lease, which is expiring next month. The owner of the property is learnt to have got a much more lucrative offer from an apparel company. The kind of rental the company has offered is beyond the scope of the present incumbent.
