Mandi, March 1
Power consumers in this temple town have alleged that the HPSEB has sent hefty bills either to make up for heavy transmission and distribution losses in the winter months or due to some fault in the billing system.

Complaints have poured in from various localities, including Bhiuli, Khaliar, Palace Colony and Tarna. Some consumers have approached the chief engineer, demanding redressal of their grievance.

The consumers resented that the HPSEB had added previous billed amount to the current bills even as they had already paid it. “We have brought it to notice of the board, but they have not initiated any remedial measure so far,” they rued.

Bimla Lohia, a resident of Bhuli, got a shock of her life when she received electricity bill for Rs 2,856 for the period from December 25 to January 25, which is more than seven times her average bill amount. “I stay alone at home and barley use a heater or a geyser”, she rued.

Alok Kapur, BL Lohia and Jagdish Kapur of Bhuili too received ‘inflated’ bills for Rs 1,100, Rs 1,900 and Rs 1,800, respectively, for the same period. Jai Kumar of Palace Colony and Rajesk and KK Kapur of Tarna also have the same grievance.

Even consumers who have paid bills earlier have arrears in the latest bills as if “the HPSEB has started a campaign to extort money from consumers for its transmission and distribution losses”. “We have paid our bills last month, but the HPCEB has added the paid amount to the January-February bills,” rued Rajesh and K Kapur from Tarna hills.

Meanwhile, BC Sharma, SDO, has pleaded innocence, saying that he has not received any complaint so far. “But we will look into the matter,” he added.

MS Rana, CE, operations, said the complaints were dealt with at the executive or SDO levels. “I have received one complaint so far from Bhiuli and we are investigating it and other problems in the billing system”, he quipped. 

He said Rs 2 crore were being spent on schools of the Ghumarwin area, including two schools of Ghumarwin town, and those of Bharadi and Dadhole.

Dr OP Sharma, Director of Education, HP, also spoke while the Education Minister distributed prizes and certificates among students. Earlier, Principal Dr JS Negi gave the details of the achievements of students and also presented problems being faced by the college there.

Solan, March 1
Despite the presence of an online clearance system, the number of pending cases for seeking consent to operate and establish industrial units have been piling up for months together in the State Pollution Control Board.

This has delayed the setting up of new units as clearances failed to come by even after several months. Instead of facilitating the investors after the central industrial package lapsed, the board has failed to adopt a facilitative approach.

Figures procured from the board’s office reveal that Wrigely India Limited, whose case was pending since May 3, 2010, has failed to obtain consent to operate despite settling all queries online. Similarly, Promed Exports has been awaiting clearance since September 4, 2010, despite no pending query.

As many as 100 such cases are pending in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh area while 50 cases each are pending in Sirmaur district and the Parwanoo area. Similarly, 15 cases each are pending in Una and Kangra districts while another 10 cases are pending in Bilaspur district. Besides, hundreds of cases have been sent back to investors owing to some queries. Shushil Kumar Singla, board’s member secretary, said he had directed the officials to clear the pending cases within 15 days. He denied that cases were pending at the office level and asserted that they had been referred back owing to some query.

Investors, however, said the online system devised for clearances was not user-friendly as an individual failed to operate it without official help. Since it is operated through Ahmedabad-based NIC, problems remain unattended for long. Though a meeting was organised in November where NIC officials were apprised of the problems like slow speed, little has been done to rectify them.

With no trained manpower to handle daily changes in the website and the absence of an instruction sheet, the system failed to benefit the users. Each file required uploading of at least 10 pdf documents and it takes a good two hours in processing a single file. Moreover, investors are not quickly able to note the queries as the website is not user-friendly.

Since the NIC, Himachal, has failed to take over the website due to a lack of space, users feel that the online system should have been introduced after taking all aspects into consideration. An aggrieved investor said despite uploading all documents, board officials demanded hard copies from him which defeated the purpose of the online system. Singla, however, said the online system had improved the working and made the system transparent and the few problems which arose were settled from time to time by NIC, Gujarat.

Shimla, March 1
The district committee of the CPM has condemned the autocratic and whimsical attitude of Health Minister Rajiv Bindal and alleged that under his chairmanship, the Rogi Kalyan Samiti (RKS) of Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) was being governed like a private limited company owned by his family.

Extending full support to the demands of staff nurses and other staff appointed through the RKS for increase in wages, the party said discrimination in wages was a clear-cut violation of the principal of equal pay for equal work. The RKS was paying a monthly salary of only Rs 7,500 to nurses, whereas those appointed on a contract basis were getting Rs 13,500. Further, the nurses appointed on a regular basis were being paid Rs 22,000 per month.

The enhancement of wages of nurses was the first item on the agenda of a meeting of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti, but Bindal ignored it and made a statement that it would be decided by the Cabinet. The RKS was an autonomous body registered under the Cooperative Societies Act and had nothing to do with the state government, but the health minister was running it like a branch of a private limited company.

Sanjay Chauhan, general secretary of the district unit of the party, alleged that the Rogi Kalyan Samitis in the state were just extorting money from people in the name of services like tests, X-rays, etc. Even in IGMC Hospital, there was always a shortage of reagents for conducting tests. Nowadays, things like X-ray forms were not available as a result of which patients were forced to go to private laboratories for tests.

He urged the government to increase the Budget for the health sector, immediately scrap the Rogi Kalyan Samitis and appoint regular doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff in all hospitals to provide better health services to the common man.

Solan, March 1
The first annual sports meet of the Baddi University of Emerging Sciences and Technology concluded here recently.Ravinder Goyal, plant head, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, who was the chief guest on the occasion, exhorted the students to participate in sports to ensure their all-round development.

He said besides academics, sports offered innumerable career opportunities to an individual. “Eminent sportsmen are the pride of any institution and such events help recognise talent”. He said participation in such events helped one develop team spirit and gain leadership qualities.

Dr AK Saijhpal, vice-chancellor, said sports played a significant role in the life of students and such activities helped inculcate team spirit among them and played a vital role in their development.

Surinder Pal, HR head, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, gave away prizes to the winners.

Gagan and Swati Sharma were declared best athletes in the boys and girls categories, respectively, while Ankit Dhiman and Swati Sharma were declared the best players of the meet. Sukhdev was declared the “best house” after compilation of the final results of the two-day sports meet.

Kangra, March 1
The Domestic Violence Act, which was implemented in the country nearly five year ago, has failed to improve the lot of rural women in the state mainly on account of ignorance of the law.

Now, an NGO, Chinmaynand Organisation for Rural Development (CORD), has come forward to help victims of domestic violence. The Kangra police received about 225 complaints of domestic violence in 2009 and all these were referred to protection officers. Out of these, 130 cases were sent to the court, which took cognisance of nine cases whereas compromise was reached in 85 cases. CDPOs from the Department of Social Security have been appointed as protection officers, who after receiving complaints forward it to the police or directly to judicial magistrates of the respective areas.

According to the Act, domestic violence includes physical, sexual, verbal and emotional abuse. It also includes insults, ridicules, humiliation and economic abuse leading to deprivation of any economic and financial resources. However, all these provisions can be used only against the husband and not any other relation.

Almost all cases of domestic violence reported in Kangra district were of physical abuse. None of complaints pertains to insults or ridicules that are rampant in the rural areas. The lesser number of complaints are reportedly due to low awareness among people regarding the provisions of the Act. In view of this, the NGO has come forward to reach out to victims of domestic violence. The CORD, has started training village women and village resource persons in this regard.

Recently, a two-day training camp was organised at CORD headquarters at Tapovan in which training was imparted to 37 self volunteers from eight panchayats of this district. The participants were briefed about the Domestic Violence Act and how it could be utilised for seeking justice. Dr Keshma Metri, CORD director, said the volunteers would go to their respective villages and create awareness among women. Dr Khema said CORD would depute trained resource persons in all villages.

She said 160 volunteers from 27 panchayats had already been imparted training. They would undergo further training in four phases to serve the rural populace in right perspective.

I have just completed Zohra Sehgal’s autobiography “Close-up”. She was a member of Prithvi Theatres and used to act in plays. She wrote that her son, Pavan, on growing up would join the crowd scenes of the Theatre’s plays and when Prithivi Raj brought “Pathan” to Shimla in 1958, her son, at the age of five, got his first chance in a speaking role for which he earned Rs 50 as he played boy Vaziriya in the first Act.

Gaiety (See photo) has been the flagship of many an actor who made a mark later. When Manohar Singh was struggling here in the drama unit of the Public Relations Department, he did Bhunku in a folk-play “Sunni-Bhunku”; one among the audience commented Sunni was Kalawati, a popular radio artist, but Bhunku was real Bhunku they could rope in a true tribal from Bharmaur. So original was Manohar.

Recently, I saw a play “Mughle Azam” by the Munir Cultural Forum at Gaiety done in honour of Manohar Singh. The director could make good use of the depth of the stage and the play managed to impress. It has the same old story of Salim-Anarkali love affair although I had wished for something different. What different? History reads that Salim returned to his parents after a long gap. Akbar celebrated it by arranging a mujra at Lahore. A beautiful danseuse, Nadira d/o Noor Khan Argun, charmed Akbar by her beauty and gorgeousness there. He immediately named her Anarkali (blossoming pomegranate). Tanya Hafeez, in her article “Indian Folklore-Anarkali” quoting William Finch and Edward Terry, the earliest writers to unfold love-affair of Salim and Anarkali, says that Akbar’s jealousy for Salim was because he also loved “Anarkali” and believed that he had the first right on her because he was the king and he had bestowed the lofty title on her. She, on the other hand, gave precedent to youth over old age. A few historians say that it was all fiction. But there is a tomb at Lahore, thought to be that of Anarkali, said to be built by Salim. The beautiful woman and the mystery associated with her life are buried there.

I do not want that interesting anecdotes associated with Shimla stage get buried so here I am. Lt-General K. Bahadur Singh was the Lt-Governor here from 1967 to 1971. He was the chief guest for a play. As is customary, the chief guest, after the performance, comes to the stage and pats the actors and directors. The president of the club started his address: “Now I request hon’ble?”. He had not completed the sentence when a bold voice crossed the hall: “I WILL NOT COME.” There was dumb silence all over and the speaker on the stage got frozen. That was the second climax of the evening which surpassed the climax of the play.

Again, Tara Chand was the correspondent of The Tribune who had come to cover our performance of dance and drama. Lt-Gen Harbaksh Singh’s wife was the chief guest. Tara Chand came to me and asked: “What is the name of the chief guest?” I said: “Mrs Harbaksh Singh”. “That is not her name. In future, always get to know the name of the chief guest”, he advised me. The Tribune next day reported: “Sanam Harbaksh Singh attended a soiree. “Kundan Lal Sehgal, before leaving for Kolkata in 1931, used to take part in the plays staged at The Gaiety. He played a eunuch in a play and sang: “Sayian more laaye re bataashe ki jori”. The song was an instant hit and every third man in Lower Bazar used to hum it.

A classical dancer couple from Chandigarh came to perform at Gaiety. The man was performing “Shiv Tandav”. The audience was applauding on each beautifully enacted nuance of the dancer. He got so excited that he forgot that he was performing at Gaiety that has lesser depth as compared to that of Tagore Theatre in Chandigarh. He took a jump and fell into the music pit. Luckily he was not much hurt.

The first play on the opening of Gaiety in 1887 was “Time will Tell” and time has been telling stories to be told that remain untold. 

Palampur, March 1
The state government has initiated various steps for the welfare of Gaddi tribes and to safeguard their livestock. Efforts were being made to educate the young generation to adopt this profession so that valuable livestock being reared by Gaddis is maintained and unemployment is checked.

The government has been organising camps to educate shepherds (Gaddis) and to impart them special training in sheep rearing and ways to save their livestock from dreaded diseases.

Chief Minister Prem Dhumal has deputed Trilok Kapoor, chairman of the HP State Wool Federation, a government undertaking, to look after the welfare of over 20,000 shepherds and 50 per cent of the total livestock of the state.

Eight such camps were held at Nurpur, Dehara Gopipur, Hamirpur, Nalagarh, Dhaula Kuan, Dharamsala and Una, which were presided over by Tirlok Kapoor. Grievances of Gaddis relating to issuing of permits by the forest department, payment of insurance claims, purchase of wool by the wool federation and its timely payment and medical facilities to their herds were discussed and disposed of on the spot.

Kapoor also distributed free medical kits to shepherds. He announced that new varieties of livestock would be given to them free of cost.

Kapoor highlighted various policies and programmes of the government and educated the shepherds about "Kendriya Bhed Bima Yojna". He asked them to take benefit of the scheme. He said with a premium contribution of Rs 18 per animal, an insurance cover of Rs 1,200 would be extended to their livestock.

Kapoor added that the Union Government had also launched another scheme, "Bhed Palak Bima Yojna", which would give benefit to bhed palaks (shepherds) living in the remote areas. He said bhed palaks were leading a tough life as they spend most of their time in forests. Under the scheme, an insurance cover of Rs 60,000 would be given in case of natural death and Rs 1.5 lakh in case of accidental death.

Kangra, March 1
Keeping in view the seriousness of the increasing number of leishmaniasis cases, a skin disease which is spreading fast in the Satluj Valley of the state, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved a project submitted by an investigator Dr NL Sharma, HoD of Dermatology, Dr RP Government Medical College (DRPGMC), Tanda, for the research purpose. The council has also sanctioned Rs 1 crore for the project.

Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease of national priority and the focus was now on a new one, occurring predominantly in a tribal area of the state with a sizeable number of 200 to 300 cases of oriental sore and sporadic cases of Kala-azar occurring annually.

Dr Anil Chauhan, principal, DRPGMC, Tanda, said Dr NL Sharma, professor and HoD of dermatology of his college, had been working on the disease for the past more than two decades and now the council had approved his proposal in this connection.

He said a team of doctors comprising NL Sharma, professor VK Mahajan (skin specialist), Ajeet Negi (skin specialist) from Rampur, Kamlesh (microbiology) and Sunil Arora (molecular biology) from PGI, Chandigarh would carry on this research work.

He said the team would carry out the study of molecular epidemiology of oriental sore (cutaneous) and kala azar (visceral leishmaniasis) in the Valley.

Dr NL Sharma said this merits in-depth investigations using definitive molecular tools as presently neither any investigator was working on the disease nor any interventional measures had been taken to control the disease.

He said he had done the preliminary work on the mapping of the area affected by the disease and identification of the parasite, animal reservoir and the sandflies.

He disclosed that these studies had indicated that probably dogs were the reservoirs and phlebotomus longiductus was the species of the sand fly responsible for the transmission of the disease. He said earlier he was conducting studies in Shimla, but now he had shifted to DRPGMC, Tanda.

He had now proposed to study in detail various strains of the parasite by molecular epidemiology and polymorphism by Polymerised Chain Reaction (PCR) methods of different species involved in the causation of both cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in the Valley which included Kinnaur, Shimla, Kullu and Mandi districts.

With the funds to the tune of Rs 1 crore being sanctioned by the ICMR, a field laboratory would be set up at Rampur and another advanced laboratory would be set up in the Skin Department of DRPGMC, Tanda.

He said in the twin PCR laboratories, detection, diagnosis and treatment of these diseases would be carried out in the interests of patients and the medical science.

For the identification of animal reservoir, screening of blood samples of dogs and other animals like rats, etc., would be done in the field and subsequent confirmation would be carried out by the advanced techniques in DRPGMC. The identification of sandflies would be done by the PCR method.

Dr Sharma said as a clinical help to the patients of both cutaneous and visceral diseases, rapid diagnostic confirmation would be provided in the form of smear examination, rK39 dipstick and some other diagnostic methods and treatment would also be provided to all these patients at Rampur Hospital. Dr Ajeet Negi would take care of the field laboratory at Rampur Hospital.

Dr Chauhan said the team would complete the research work within a particular time frame and help the patients suffering from these diseases in the days to come.

Bilaspur, March 1
The Himachal Pradesh State Legal Aid Services Authority has come out with a book “ Kaanoonii Path” to acquaint common people with the laws concerning them and the book can benefit even students, said District and Sessions Judge Sushil Kukreja while presiding over a “Legal Aid Services Awareness” camp held for the students of Dayanand Model High School here.

He said as common people were found to be unaware of most of the laws of the land, this book was proving very useful to fill this gap. This book would also encourage students to become responsible and law-abiding citizens.

Sushil Kukreja said ragging had been banned and any type of mental or physical torture or teasing or insult etc of a student could attract severe punishment, including a fine up to Rs 50,000 and imprisonment up to three years or both.

Speaking about the ill-effects of smoking and taking of drugs, he said the habit destroyed the health and mental peace of the individual. Smoking, he said, had been banned at the public places and no shopkeeper could sell such goods within 100 yards of any educational institute.

He said rights and responsibilities were two sides of the same coin. He said “we have to be careful to assert our rights under the Indian Constitution in such a way that these do not impinge upon the rights of other citizens”. 

The local Munir Cultural Forum staged Mughal-e-Aazam play (See photo) at Gaiety Theatre in Shimla in memory of famous theatre artist Manohar Singh. The play written and directed by Parvesh Jassal was much different from the hit Bollywood film.

In fact, Parvesh wrote his own different script to send across some social message to the audience on secularism, economic equality and duties towards the nation. Saleem‘s argument to his father only promoted secularism by practising religious equality whereas he wanted to send the message of socio-economic equality by marrying a girl from a poor family. If Akbar was a liberal secular , Saleem wanted to go much further by bridging the divide between the rich and the poor.

Similarly, the argument of Akbar who wanted to dissuade his son from marrying a girl of lower socio-economic status was that as the heir to the throne his first duty was towards the nation. The war scenes were shown on the cyclorama in view of the limitation of stage acts.