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Successor may have less trouble dealing with China
Protest march marks Tibetans’ Uprising Day
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Increase in number of seats in violation of rules
Budget Reaction
Question Hour
Assault Issue
Timber depot at Chamba sought
State seeks exemption from Forest Act
Repair of Road
Superintending engineer transferred
Helipad proposal sent to govt
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Successor may have less trouble dealing with China
New Delhi, March 10 For long, the Dalai Lama has been advocating a “middle-path” solution to the Tibetan issue. He proposed to China that while he was ready to drop his demand for total freedom, in return Beijing should give autonomy to Tibet. He sent several delegations to China and Europe to hold talks with Beijing’s representatives but nothing worked out. The Tibet watchers believe that the Dalai Lama’s decision to leave his political post is a calculated step to help resolve the Tibet issue because no powerful nation, including the US, is ready to back him against China. The younger generation is also quite disillusioned with him for dropping his demand for “total independence” for Tibet. Insiders in the Tibetan administration said the Dalai Lama, after seeing China’s continuous “hostile attitude” to him, had started wondering whether he himself was a stumbling block to the peaceful solution of the Tibet issue. A noted Tibet expert, Vijay Kranti, said “Seeing Beijing’s unreasonable stand against the Dalai Lama, it was evident that the Chinese would not touch the Tibet issue during his life time to prevent him from stepping into Lhasa again.” The Dalai Lama had come to India in 1959 with thousands of refugees after a failed uprising and India gave them political asylum. He said, “My desire to devolve authority has nothing to do with a wish to shirk responsibility. It is to benefit Tibetans in the long run. It is not because I feel disheartened.” Emphasising that he was committed to playing “my part in the just cause of Tibet,” he felt that “Gradually people will come to understand my intention, will support my decision and accordingly let it take effect.” Today, there are three generations of the refugees among the Tibetan diaspora. The first generation walked across the Himalayas in March 1959 to join the Dalai Lama in exile. It was too overwhelmed with the trauma of losing their nation and homes to undertake any enterprise. The refugees survived on doles from across the world, worked at road construction sites and later took up agriculture and handicraft in refugee settlements across India and Nepal. Lack of skills and modern education, alien languages and the trauma of being a refugee presented no big hopes to that generation. The second generation got free from most of these disadvantages. The current young generation is far better equipped to handle their lives in exile. Many of them have also emerged as successful entrepreneurs. But with strong anti-China feelings among young Tibetans, the Dalai Lama’s exit from the political scene is not going to make much difference as far the struggle for a “Free Tibet” is concerned, claimed
Kranti. |
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Protest march marks Tibetans’ Uprising Day
Dharamsala, March 10 They later held a rally at the Kachehri crossing. Many foreigners, who were here, also participated in the protest. Many protesters had their faces painted with messages and the Tibetan flag. While the Dalai Lama was once again reiterated his commitment to middle approach of seeking autonomy under the Chinese sovereignty, the Tibetan parliament-in-exile was more harsher in its criticism of China. The speaker of Tibetan parliament-in-exile Pempa Tsering said adhering to the letter and spirit of the 17-point agreement, the then government of Tibet had explored all possible avenues for a peaceful co-existence between Tibet and China. In contrast to that, Chinese troops stationed in Tibet exposed their colonial designs when they carried out a brutal campaign to sabotage the terms of the agreement. He further said a major cause for concern for the Tibetans was that the Dalai Lama would relinquish his role as the political leader of the Tibetans and transfer his power to the elected leadership. As a result, a number of Tibetans had been supplicating the Dalai Lama against taking such a step. |
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Increase in number of seats in violation of rules
Shimla/Dharamsala, March 10 Superintendent of police R Upasak said an FIR had been registered under Sections 420 and 120 B of the IPC and Section 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act against Ajit Singh of the NCTE and Rajesh Thakur, proprietor on the basis of a complaint. The SP admitted that they had confiscated the records of the college. He said, “We have received the complaints that the NCTE has approved additional B.Ed and other courses to the college in violation of rules. We will be examining the role of the NCTE and the college authorities into the matter.” The college authorities are also facing charges of employing people with fake degrees. The SP, when asked if the aspect of fake degrees would also be investigated, said: “Though we are concentrating on approval for additional seats, the matter of fake degrees might come along in the investigations.” The action was taken after conducting a preliminary inquiry into the allegation that the
institution was allowed to increase the number of seats in violation of regulations in connivance with the NCTE functionary. As per rules, the increase in the number of seats was allowed only after successful completion of three consecutive sessions subject to fulfilment of certain conditions but in the instant case, the institution started with 100 seats in 2007 and the very next session, it was allowed to double the number of seats. |
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Budget Reaction
Shimla, March 10 “It is time that political parties shun the game of competitive populism and evolve a consensus to carry out reforms, particularly on issues like downsizing the government in a phased manner to help reduce the salary burden”, asserts Yogesh Khanna, a former chairman of the State Electricity Regulatory Commission, who had a long stint as finance secretary. The central grants will decline over the next few years and the state must take steps towards economic self-reliance, failing which speedy development will not be possible, he points out. Resource mobilisation is the most important aspect of the budget and by ignoring it, no government could provide the right direction and impetus to the economy. The government must focus on the generation of employment in the rural areas so that the youth did not run after the government jobs, he added. Prof NS Bisht, Department of Economics, Himachal Pradesh University, finds the budget short on employment generation and also maintains that more allocation should have been made for the social sector, particularly the health. The ongoing industrialisation has not helped much in providing jobs to the educated youth. The government should ensure optimum utilisation of the scarce land available for creation of quality jobs. It must strive to promote the IT industry which provided quality employment to the educated youth. The skill development programme was a good initiative but it needed to be implemented on a larger scale in close coordination with the industry. |
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Question Hour
Shimla, March 10 Intervening during the Question Hour in reply to query raised by Mukesh Agnihotri, Kaul Singh Thakur and Kuldeep Pathania of the Congress, the CM said new smart cards would be issued to the left out families once the survey to identify such families was completed. “The facilities which were available to the BPL families prior to the launch of the scheme have not been withdrawn and they can get free treatment,” he clarified. The Congress members expressed concern that in several panchayats smart cards of BPL families had not been made and they too should be covered. Health minister Rajiv Bindal said there was a proposal to cover NREGA and labourers under the health insurance scheme and a final decision in this regard was being awaited from the Centre. Bindal said there were a total of 2.98 lakh BPL families and we had covered 81 per cent of them. He said February 28 was the last date for making smart cards and adequate publicity had been done but if some families were left, they would be covered at the time of renewal of the smart cards of the existing cardholders. “We have received a sum of Rs 10.2 crore from the Centre under this scheme till February 15, this year, and 25 per cent of the cost has been borne by the state government,” he said. In reply to another query by Gangu Ram Musafir about illegal mining being done in the border areas of Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur and the Nurpur area bordering Punjab, Industries Minister Kishan Kapoor said these border areas were vulnerable to illegal mining because of absence of clear demarcated boundaries and its porous nature. Kapoor refuted allegation of the Opposition members that influential people were being allowed to go scot-free. “The department is very vigilant and nobody will be spared be it powerful so that mining which is banned in Himachal does not take place,” he said. Mukesh Agnihotri demanded that the government should register cases against the guilty and make recovery of Rs 9 crore from them as the CAG report had pointed out that the state had lost this much of revenue due to illegal mining. |
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Snow-clearing operation starts on Leh road
Manali, March 10 The Manali-Leh highway played a key role during the Kargil conflict and played a crucial role in carrying arms, ammunition and food for the Army in the border district of Leh. The Manali-Leh highway winds its way through the Rohtang Pass, Baralacha Pass (4,883 m), Lachlungla Pass (5,065 m) and Tanglangla (5,328 m). The Officiating Commander, 38, BRTF, (GREF), Vinay Kr Singh, said efforts were being made to open the 13,050 ft high Rohtang Pass, the gateway to Lahaul-Spiti, by the second week of April, if weather conditions in the region remained dry. He further said massive efforts were also being made to open the Manali-Leh road from other side of the Rohtang Pass in the Lahaul valley. He further added that three independent snow-clearing teams were deployed for the opening of the 222-km long Manali-Sarchu section of the highway with the help of snow-cutter. The first team from Manali was clearing snow on the road from the Gulaba camp today, while the second team is clearing snow between Stingri-Tandi-Kokhsar and the Rohtang Pass. The third team is moving from Stingri-Jespa towards the 4883-m high Baralacha Pass, he added. He said this year the snow-clearing operation was delayed due to bad weather conditions in the region. He further said till last year in the winter season, Manali- Rohtang road was kept open for vehicular traffic up to Palchan village, 9 km from here. But for the first time during the winter months, the snow-clearing operation was continued from the road up to Gulaba, about 21-km from here on the Manali-Rohtang Pass road, he added. The road up to Kothi, 13 km from here, has been opened to vehicular traffic. Hundreds of tourists from all over the country have started moving to Kothi to have a glimpse of the snow-covered peaks. |
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Assault Issue
Mandi, March 10 Though the board has deputed two policemen at each centre, the teachers protest that the security is not adequate for them in the centres and post-examination hours. The lecturers were attacked by miscreants at senior secondary schools in Chopal and Sirmaur two days ago, they stated. Association president Ashwani Sharma and spokesperson Sachin Thakur charged that they were not being provided enough security by the board. “The teachers on duty who take action against students using unfair means in examinations have become soft target of the miscreants in 200 sensitive examination centres across the state,” they said. They claimed that the board had allowed the deputy superintendents of police in the examination halls for checking, which came as a shock to teachers and students. “The teachers should be withdrawn and the police should conduct the examinations,” they resented. They warned that if the board failed to take action against the culprits and do not provide enough security to the lecturers on duty they would boycott the examination duties on Monday. On the other hand, secretary, HP board, Prabhat Sharma said they had written letters to the SPs and concerned SDPOs and culprits had been arrested. “We provide two policemen at each centre. DSPs enter halls when it is a law and order problem, but they are not allowed to check students inside the examination halls,” he added. He said the two students who deserted the examination today at senior secondary school in Rehan had been arrested and were in the police remand for two days. “The school principals are coordinating with the board and can ask for additional police and appoint extra staff on duties as and when there is a need,” he explained. More than 3.5 lakh students are taking up Class X, XI and XII examinations for which the board has set up 1,589 centres in the state. “The board has deputed 230 flaying squads to check use of unfair means in the examinations,” Sharma added. |
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Timber depot at Chamba sought
Chamba, March 10 In information obtained from the Himachal Pradesh State Forest Corporation by association’s president RK Mahajan it was revealed that by opening a separate timber depot at Chamba the state government through the state forest corporation would fetch additional revenue of about Rs 1 crore annually to the state exchequer. At present, Rs 1 crore annually was being spent on the transportation of timber from various roadside places in the district to depots at Nurpur and Bhadroya which comes out to be about 25 per cent of the total cost on the conversion process of timber, the association said. It said timber worth Rs 2 crore which belonged to the forest working division, Chamba, of the state forest corporation was being sold every month from Nurpur and Bhadroya depots. In a memorandum to the Chief Minister, Mahajan suggested that if this sale was conducted from Chamba itself, the Chamba marketing committee would get 1 per cent of the total sale proceeds of the timber which comes out to be more than Rs 30 lakh annually. A net profit of around Rs 67.8 crore (excluding royalty and establishment expenses) had been earned by the Chamba forest working division of the state forest corporation only during the past five years, Mahajan divulged in the memorandum. Divisional manager of the Chamba forest working division Mandla said the matter had already been taken up with the state government. |
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State seeks exemption from Forest Act
Shimla, March 10 Replying to the debate, Chief Minister PK Dhumal said states could carry out development works only in one hectare, provided the number of trees that needed to be felled did not exceed 50. “The Centre should raise the limit to five hectares so that various projects do not get hampered for want of clearance under the FCA,” he said, while moving an amendment in the resolution moved by Roop Singh Thakur of the BJP. He opined that the FCA had proved to be a boon as well as bane as it had helped protect forests but at the same time created hurdles in development works. He said the state had been able to get exemption in 1,246 cases while 500 cases were pending. He also demanded that the cost for diversion of land in the form of Net Present Value (NPV) should be borne by the Centre. “The Union Forest Ministry must open an office in Shimla so that clearance can be expedited,” he said. Supporting the resolution, BJP legislator Randhir Sharma said the Centre must grant relaxation as development works had come to a standstill. “The officials must prepare cases for exemption under the FCA in a manner so that all formalities are completed in one go and the files do not keep shuttling between various departments, resulting in endless delay,” he said. |
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Repair of Road
Solan, March 10 NIA president Prem Sharma said an emergency meeting was held at Nalagarh where members had expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of budget for repair of roads and no rollback of either the entry tax or the power duty on large industries. The association asserted that since their major demands had not been met. The repair of this road without any budgetary provision was eye wash and they would continue their plan of sitting on a fast on March 12. Sharma said the association’s press secretary Anil Sharma would sit on the fast on March 12 and the members would continue their protest till their demands were not met. He said instead of adopting a serious view of their genuine demands, the state government was only indulging in paying lip service. The members including vice-president Karanvir, joint secretaries Sanjiv Kothari, Ravi Kumar and others unanimously decided to continue their protest till all their demands were met. |
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Superintending engineer transferred
Solan, March 10 Saini said Chief Minister PK Dhumal also directed the superintending engineer (PWD) as well as the superintending engineer (NH, PWD) to visit the Nalagarh area in two days and take stock of the poor condition of the various link and main roads. Saini said he was satisfied with this response and since his pending works proposed under the MLA priority schemes had been granted budget in the state budget it would ensure completion of such works on priority. “Since a tender to the Chikni bridge will also be awarded by March 25 it will lead to initiation of this crucial work,” Saini added. He said he was happy that his demands had been met after receiving assurance from the Chief Minister. |
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Helipad proposal sent to govt
Bilaspur, March 10 Deputy Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha Rikhi Ram Kaundal said this while inaugurating a Rs 3.4 lakh gram panchayat ghar at Buhad in the Jhandutta constituency, 80 km from here, recently. Kaundal said the government had enhanced the grant for construction of panchayat ghars from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3.4 lakh each. |
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Born on July 6, 1935, he was the fifth of 16 children to farmer parents. He was educated at a monastery and went on to achieve a doctorate of Buddhist philosophy