Shimla, October 23
Taking cognisance on the challan filed by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau against Union Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh, the Special Judge (Forest) today issued notices to the former chief minister and his wife to appear in person before it on November 27 in the audio CD case.

While issuing notices, the court observed that there are sufficient grounds to proceed against Virbhadra under Section 120B of the IPC and Section 13(1) and (d) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption (PCA) Act and against Pratibha under Section 120B of the IPC and Sections 8 and 9 of the PCA Act.

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau had put up the challan before Special Judge (Forest) BL Soni on September 30, immediately after the High Court gave its decision on the CD case. The case was listed before the Special Judge (Forest) today for consideration of the challan put up by the vigilance bureau.

The court further observed that it was satisfied that the investigating agency collected material that was possible and there was no ground for ordering any further investigation as material witnesses like Piyush Jain, Suresh Kapoor had died.

Virbhadra had approached the high court for quashing of the FIR registered against him and his wife on August 3, 2009, by the vigilance bureau. However, the HC refused to interfere with the case on the ground that it was not the appropriate stage to deal with the case.

The HC had observed that the trial court should not consider the challan in a mechanical manner. In his petition, Virbhadra had stated that the origin of the CD was unknown and the alleged conversation had taken place in the late eighties. He contested that at that point of time CDs were not in use and it was only the use of audio cassettes that was prevalent.

It was former Congress minister Vijai Singh Mankotia who had released an audio CD, allegedly containing the voices of Virbhadra, Pratibha and a former IAS officer, late Mohinder Lal. It was on the basis of this CD that Mankotia, who at that time was the state chief of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) had demanded the registering of an FIR against Virbhadra.

Based on the conversation in the audio CD, Mankotia had levelled corruption charges against Virbhadra and his wife.

Solan, October 23
The HP Steel and Alloy Association today withdrew their week-long strike and resumed payment of entry tax under protest after receiving an assurance from the state government to reconsider imposition of 4 per cent entry tax.

The decision will, however, be effective till October 27 only as the government has promised to take a suitable decision in the Cabinet meeting on that day.

Talking to The Tribune, association’s chairman JP Jain said they held a meeting today with various officials of the Excise and Taxation Department, including principal secretary Bhim Sen, commissioner Jagdish Sharma and others, and gave a detailed presentation of the lopsided tax structure where steel units were forced to bear the maximum brunt while many other sectors paid even less than one per cent tax.

The association had suggested imposition of one per cent flat rate of tax on turnover for all sectors as it appeared that more and more industrial sectors would be included in the ambit of entry tax. This assertion drew strength from the fact that as against 4 sectors now, as many as 13 industrial sectors have been included in the list of entry tax payers. This flat rate would help generate thrice the revenue as against the Rs 250 crore, which would be otherwise generated through this 4 per cent entry tax on steel tax alone.

Jain added that the officials had agreed that they would reconsider this decision and they had decided to resume production activity after receiving an assurance that their tax would be refunded. He, however, added that in case no amicable decision was made to withdraw this entry tax the industry would proceed on an indefinite strike.

The steel units, in a representation, asserted that the steel industry was paying tax to the tune of Rs 100 crore, which was almost 8 per cent, in various forms while others like the pharmaceutical industry paid as little as 0.03 per cent, despite outnumbering the number of steel units, confided Prem Sharma, president, Nalagarh Industries Association.

They also urged the state government to promote the units established in the state as against the present policy of procuring steel from the public sector enterprises like TATA and SAIL which provided steel at higher costs of Rs 6 per tonne while they were selling it at a lower cost of Rs 5 per tonne as this would enhance the VAT collection.

All eyes were now set on the October 27 cabinet meeting, which would decide the fate of this crucial sector.

Kullu/Manali, October 23
Even as the rescue team under the SDM Manali rescued over 2,000 persons, most of them tourists from Marhi, Rohtang and the Beas nullah stranded in snow since yesterday, but more than 500 persons, including 12 foreigners and 250 BRO labourers, remained stranded at Koksar and Sissu in the Lahaul valley as 13,050-ft-high Rohtang Pass remained blocked due to 3 ft of snow for the second day today.

Over 100 vehicles were stranded on the Manali-Keylong highway as upper Manali, Rohtang and Lahaul received snow ranging from 3 ft at the Rohtang Pass to one ft at Keylong, the district headquarters of Lahaul-Spiti.

Seven tourists were admitted to the Mission Hospital, Manali, after they were rescued from Marhi by the team, led by SDM Manali Rajeshwar Goel. They are out of danger now, doctors said.

Most of the tourists are from West Bengal, who throng Manali during the Durga Puja celebrations, and were on their way to the Rohtang Pass yesterday. “Many were in their sleepers as nobody informed them that they will be stranded there if it snows,” said Amit Biswas, a tourist from Kolkota.

“The rescue team from the police, mountaineering institute, taxi drivers, BRO and others acted swiftly and rescued over 2,000 persons from the area,” said Goel. There are around 80 persons at Marhi as the ambulances and rescue vehicles cannot move on the road blocked by vehicles, he added.

There is no casualty and all people are safe at the Dhabas at Marhi, Goel said, who was monitoring the rescue operation at Chumbhak More, about 8 km short of Marchi.

DC, Lahual-Spiti, Ritesh Chauhan, said over 500 persons, including 250 BRO labourers, 200 tourists and around 12 foreigners, were remained stranded at Koksar and Sissu in the Lahaul valley.

“We have made arrangements for their stay and all of them are safe and waiting for the Rohtang Pass and Keylong-Koksar stretch to be restored for traffic tomorrow,” he added.

Officials said the BRO had pressed into service its machineries from both sides to clear the snow to restore the Manali-Keylong stretch under the BRO and Gramphu-Kaza road under the PWD. The BRO officially closes the pass by October 31.

Kullu, October 23
Chief Minister PK Dhumal today directed the State Art Language and Culture and “kardars” of the devis and devtas to document the history connected with the Kullu valley’s over 360 devis and devtas. He also announced a 20 per cent hike in “nazrana” for devtas.

He said this while addressing the gathering, which gained momentum after weather cleared up at the concluding day of the week-long Dasehra here today.

As demanded by the BJP president-cum-chief of the Dasehra committee, Khimi Ram who spoke before him, Dhumal announced that the Dasehra committee would give 20 per cent more “nazrana” worth Rs 4.36 lakh to devtas from this year.

He said participation of devtas in Dasehra was increasing over the years as their number had increased from 173 devtas in 2000 to 221 devtas this time.

Urging people to take advantage of government’s schemes like “Kisan Baghwan Samridhi Yojna, Doodh Ganga Yojna, Beti Hai Anmol Yojna” that aimed at improving economic condition of people in rural areas, Dhumal said the CM swasthya check-up yojna would be launched in government schools from next month in which students would get free treatment and medicines after medical examination.

“The BPL families will get free medicines and treatment, while expectant mothers will get free delivery ambulance in 75 health centres in the state in the first phase,” he added.

The Chief Minister cautioned villagers against the use of urea in milk by certain outsiders and urged them to promote their own animal husbandry to get pure milk and ghee to ensure better health of their children.

Vice-president of the Dasehra committee-cum-Kullu DC BM Nanta assured the CM that his directions and suggestions to improve Dasehra celebration would be implemented soon. Three foreign troupes from Kazakhstan, Nepal and Botswana gave Kullu Dasehra an international dimension for the first time, he added.

The Chief Minister visited the exhibition venue and chaired the meeting of the kardar sangh. He also gave prizes donated by the Hiralal Trust to the meritorious students.

Meanwhile, the concluding Rath Yatra of the Lord Raghunath, the presiding deity of the week-long international Kullu Dasehra, here today concluded without the participation of the Balu Naag Devta of Kothi Chehni, believed to be an avatar of Laxman, the brother of Lord Raghunath and latter’s guru, Shringa Rishi, thanks to the protracted dispute between the two devtas to occupy the “right side of the Lord Raghunath in the Rath Yatra”.

Both devtas were not invited by the Kullu committee due to their protracted dispute that began in 1978 owning to the “ego hassle and political tussle between the caretakers of both devtas”. The entry of Maheshwar Singh, chief representative of Lord Raghunath, who joined the BJP and became MLA, Banjar, that time created the chasm due to politicking among the followers of both devtas, said the devotees.

Though Balu Nag devta came to Dasehra, the mela committee imposed Section 144 on “karkoons and hariyans” of the devta and kept them confined to their camp at the Dhalpur Maidan.

Balunaag devotees told The Tribune that they were not invited for Dasehra, but their devtas told them that they should participate. They claimed all evidence is in their favour and they occupy the right spot with Lord Raghunath as Rishi had no role to participate in the war as our epic portrays it.

On the other hand, the Shringa Rishi did not come to Dashera, but their devotees claimed that the devtas always walked on the right side of the Lord Raghunath during the yatra. Rishi hold high place with the Lord and always on his right side, they claimed.

However, they admitted that the dispute arose due to petty politicking among politically motivated individuals and their ego hassles. “The devtas never divide, but the caretakers do”, they resented.

Maheshwar Singh said he tried to settle the dispute but caretakers of both devtas refuse to budge from their stand. “There is no written records available as to who occupies the right place”, he claimed.

Dharamsala, October 23
US citizen Marjan Firouzgaf (23), who is daughter of a senior UN official, has allegedly gone missing somewhere in Himachal. Police officials have received fax message from the US Embassy in Delhi in this regard.

As per the fax message received by the police here, Marjan had gone to Leh. She was scheduled to visit Dharamsala later for trekking.

However, the police officials here when contacted said they had no information if Marjan ever reached Dharamsala. All the police stations have been alerted about the missing US citizen. We are inquiring from various sources regarding her, they said.

A large number of foreign tourists visit Dharamsala to trek to Triund and beyond in the Dhauladhar mountains. However, without proper guidance difficult treks in Dhauladhar hills can be dangerous.

Last night Dhauladhar mountains received heavy snow that has finished the trekking season for this year.

Kangra ASP Umapati Jamwal admitted that they had received a message from the US Embassy regarding a missing girl. We are trying to locate her, he said.

Sundernagar, October 23
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said here that the BJP government was committed to provide quality technical education and has opened numerous technical educational institutions in the state.

Dhumal was speaking at the auditorium of Government Polytecnic College, Sundernagar, on the closing ceremony of the three-day-long Technical Festival 2010 (Tech Fest).

He said it was the vision of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to make this state an education hub, as according to him the healthy and peaceful environment of this state was best suited for technical education. So the present BJP government has been working on the motto “Himachal at the top” and was providing best facilities to technical institutions, which was missing during the tenure of the previous government.

Dhumal said by the end of the next year Government Polytechnic colleges would be opened in all districts. At present, five districts were not having any polytechnic colleges.

He said the budget of the technical education was Rs 38 crore in 2006-07 but the present government has at present increased it by 110 per cent and during the present financial year, Rs 82 crore would be spent on it.

Dhumal added that soon Technical University would start functioning and the government was opening new streams in the technical institutions as per requirements of industries.

Narinder Bragta, Minister for Technical Education, said it was due to the efforts of the Chief Minister that the state had turned into an education hub and students from across the country were coming here for education.

Dharamsala, October 23
Himachal Pradesh Governor Urmila Singh inaugurated the Vet Fare 2010 at Dr GC Negi College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSK, HP Agriculture University, Palampur, today.

While addressing scientists, students and farmers, the Governor appreciated the role of farm women in agriculture sector and called upon the university to provide specialised trainings to them so that they may contribute more in the agricultural growth of the state.

The Governor expressed concern about stray cattle and advised that the college should give attention to solve the problem of infertility. As livestock was important part of farming in the state, including tribal areas, so it was imperative to organise more veterinary clinical camps and trainings in such areas for the benefit of livestock- keepers.

The Governor said it was a matter of satisfaction that a super speciality veterinary hospital was coming up in the college.

She also advised field veterinarians to attend to the needy animals on priority in the far-flung areas as such animals cannot be brought to hospitals due to tough geographical conditions.

The Governor recalled her association with farm development activities as the Minister of Dairy and Tribal Development in Madhya Pradesh. She also appreciated students for organising the fare as such programmes bridge the gap between scientists and farmers.

The Governor also visited exhibition stalls organised by different departments of the college. She released some publications and honoured around 12 progressive livestock-keepers.

Dr SK Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, said the livestock sector was contributing Rs 2.5 lakh crore to the national income and in the state 40 per cent farm income was from this sector only. In case the nation wants to gain requisite 4 per cent growth rate in agriculture, then livestock, horticulture and vegetable production could help to attain this target.

He said the college had achieved many milestones in its existence of 24 years. A large number of students and staff had brought laurels by their achievements at the national level. He assured the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of the University, that his university would work with added vigour for the socio-economic uplift of the farming community.

Secretary to Governor Priya Ajeet Singh, statutory officers and heads of departments from the university, officers from local administration and a large number of farmers attended the inaugural ceremony.

Earlier, the Governor also visited the agriculture museum in the university and evinced keen interest in the exhibits of various departments.