Shimla, May 22
The final Census data has brought out an overall improvement in sex ratio in the state from 968 to 972 over a decade, but a declining trend in the rural areas is a cause of concern.

While the sex ratio in urban areas increased from 795 to 853, it came down marginally from 989 to 986 in the rural areas. Thus, the overall improvement has been only because of the leap from 795 to 853 in the urban areas. There is a decline in six of the 12 districts, with Kinnaur registering the maximum decrease from 857 to 819. The other districts with the declining trend are Una (997 to 976), Bilaspur (990 to 981), Mandi (1,013 to 1,007), Hamirpur (1,099 to 1,095) and Kangra (1,025 to 1,012).

However, a redeeming feature is that the child sex ratio has improved significantly in eight of the 12 districts and the decline has been marginal in Chamba (955 to 953), Mandi (918 to 916), Shimla (929 to 925) and Sirmaur (934 to 928). In the border district of Una, it improved from 837 to 875 and Kangra from 836 to 876, which is a positive sign.

The final head count came to 68,64,602 with a decadal growth of 12.9 per cent (2001-11) as against 17.5 per cent during 1991-2001. The final data was released by RK Ram, Joint Director, Census, here today.

The growth rate of females (13.1 per cent) is higher than males (12.8 per cent) in the state which is also a trend at the national level. The density of population has doubled from 62 persons per sq km in 1971 to 123 persons per sq km in 2011. Among the districts, the highest decadal growth in population has been recorded in Una (16.3 per cent) and the lowest in Lahul-Spiti (-5.0 per cent), while districts like Una 16.3 per cent, Solan 15.9 per cent and Sirmaur 15.5 per cent have recorded population growth of above 15 per cent.

More than 90 per cent (61,76,050 ) people live in rural areas in 17,882 inhabited villages out the total 20,690 revenue villages. The rest are uninhabited. Sirmaur district has the highest Scheduled Caste population (30.3 per cent), followed by Mandi (29.4 per cent), Solan (28.4 per cent), Kullu (28 per cent) and Shimla (26.5 per cent).

The literacy rate has shot up from 76.5 in 2001 to 82.8 in 2011 with male literacy rate increasing from 85.3 to 89.5 and female literacy rate from 67.4 to 75.9. 

Manali, May 22
A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice RB Misra today directed the counsel of dhaba owners of Marhi to file an affidavit with all the particulars within a few days. The district administration today stopped its anti-encroachment drive awaiting further directions from the court.

As many as 16 dhaba owners had sought a stay on the removal of their dhabas from the forest land at Marhi and other makeshift structures on the Kothi-Rohtang stretch of the 473-km-long Manali-Leh National Highway.

The dhaba owners are seeking injunction on the ground that they are tribals and have been running their migratory summer residence-cum-small eateries catering to the locals and tourists travelling to Lahaul-Spiti since the 50s.

They said they deserved rehabilitation and regularisation of their premises on this forest land under the Forest Dwellers Rights Act, 2006, which so far had “not been implemented” by the state government in letter and spirit.

Villagers from nine villages of Manali have made a front urging the state government to protect their rights and seek an immediate legal remedy for the present crisis which would spell a doom for their source of livelihood.

However, the district administration team found that the original dhaba owners had sublet their premises to other dhaba owners.

The HP High Court has asked the state government to regulate tourism activity and remove all the encroachments on the forest land and directed it to file an affidavit by June 10. BL Negi, Divisional Forest Officer, Kullu, said the drive had been stopped today as they were awaiting further orders from the court. 

Mandi, May 22
The Congress and the BJP have geared up its party cadres for the coming Mandi Lok Sabha bypoll scheduled for June 23.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had already toured all the three tribal constituencies which fall in the Mandi parliamentary seat last week. The BJP has also covered most of the nine Assembly segments in Mandi and Kullu, however, the party is yet to reach out to tribal voters, who had voted for the Congress in the last Assembly elections.

Virbhadra Singh had already addressed a big public meeting at Kansa chowk, the central point of Balh, Nachan and Sundarnagar constituencies of Mandi district. He had covered Manali and Kullu as well, claimed party workers.

Though the Congress has not officially declared its candidate, indications pointed out that former MP and Virbhadra Singh’s wife Pratibha Singh has already thrown her hat in the ring as she had addressed almost six meetings of the Red Cross Society in Kullu and Mandi districts.

Though anti-Virbhadra detractors within the party were trying to rope in a fresh face, there seemed none competent enough to match Pratibha considering that Virbhadra had vacated the seat and was already active in the field to ensure his wife’s win, party workers said.

The detractors have thrown two names in the ring, Mandi Sadar MLA Anil Sharma, son of former Telecom Minister Sukh Ram, and Sundarnagar MLA Sohan Lal Thakur.

“However, both are unwilling as Anil is the Rural Development and Animal Husbandry Minister, while Thakur has been appointed as the Chief Parliamentary Secretary last week,” party sources said.

Another name doing the round in the party included Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur, an anti-Virbhadra detractor. But the Congress had burnt its finger on him when Maheshwar Singh, the then BJP candidate, trounced him with a huge margin. Virbhadra is in Delhi for the celebration of the completion of nine years of the UPA-II. Congress president Sukhvinder Singh had also gone to Delhi and might finalise the name with the party high command, the sources said.

On the other hand, BJP president accompanied by Jai Ram Thakur, Ram Swarup and Ajay Rana today addressed party workers in the Rampur Bushair constituency.

The BJP’s state election body had authorised Satpal Satti to recommend any one of the three names to the parliamentary board early this week. 

Dharamsala, May 22
Ashwani Sharma, one of the most proactive Pong Dam oustee, alleged that the Rajasthan government had once again shown its intention that it was in no mood to compensate the oustees. While talking to The Tribune he.

While talking to The Tribune, Ashwani alleged that his 242.8 kanal agriculture land was acquired for the construction of the Pong Dam in 1961. Since then his family had been petitioning various authorities in the Rajasthan government for the allotment of land in lieu of their agriculture land acquired for the construction of the dam, he said.

He said when all the channels for communication failed, he filed a civil writ petition in the Himachal High Court in 2007 to get his due from the Rajasthan government.

The high court in a judgement delivered on May 4, 2010, directed the Rajasthan government to allot land to Ashwani Sharma in lieu of his land acquired for the dam. The Rajasthan government offered to allot land to Ashwani in an unreserved area of Jaisalmer district. Since the land was arid and non-irrigated, Ashwani refused to take the land.

He once again moved a petition before the high court maintaining that as per the provisions contained in a Supreme Court judgement issued in the case of Pong Dam oustees in 1996, land should be allotted to him in the area earmarked for Pong Dam oustees in Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan.

The high court directed Ashwani to represent before the Rajasthan government and show that land was available in the reserved area. As per the orders of the high court, Ashwani opted for a land in Anupgarh district. He maintained that the land that he opted for had a clear title and fell in the area reserved by the Rajasthan government for the dam oustees.

The Rajasthan government moved a special leave petition in the Supreme Court against the order of the Himachal Pradesh High Court in Ashwani Sharma’s case. The Supreme Court, however, rejected the plea of the Rajasthan government.

Ashwani alleged that despite clear cut directions of the HP High Court, the Rajasthan government had once again not allotted him land in the area earmarked for the dam oustees. Instead, the Rajasthan government had offered him land on the Indo-Pak border in violation of the court orders, he said.

Ashwani said he had no option but to once again move before the court to get justice.

Due to land acquired for the construction of the Pong Dam, 20,722 land owners residing in 339 villages in Dehra tehsil of Kangra district were uprooted. They were allotted land in Ganganagar district of Rajasthan.

However, since many of them did not move to Rajasthan in the 60s, the land allotted was encroached upon by the locals. There are 200 oustees like Ashwani, who are still awaiting the allotment of land by the Rajasthan government in the reserved area.

Chamba, May 22
With the timely and combined efforts of officials of the Forest Department and the Fire Department in Chamba, a forest fire in the demarcated protected forest Chondi this morning was got controlled by noon today. An area of 4 to 5 hectares has been affected due to the fire.

On receiving information about the fire, ARM Reddy, Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF), Chamba, accompanied by field staff, rushed to the site and got involved in fire-fighting operations. He said it was a ground fire and did not cause much damage. Only non-commercial bushes like lantana, besides dry grass, had been burnt.

The site adjoins the Sui Mata temple located on steep and rocky surface.

The CCF said people's participation in controlling the fire was just nominal as only one youth turned up to help on his request. He said people who came to visit the Sui Mata temple during the three-day fair last month had thrown combustible material like disposable glasses, plates and wrappers of snacks, thereby making it more combustible.

On World Biodiversity Day today, the Forest Department pledged that in the Chamba forest circle, about 400 km of roads and paths would be cleaned of combustible material during the fire season, Reddy said.

In Sarol forest beat, the CCF said apple growers had taken needles of chil trees from the forest floor last month, which was highly beneficial to the department. He asked the staff to motivate more apple growers.

The fire situation this year was under control in Chamba forest circle, as only 18 incidents had been reported so far, affecting 91 hectares of forests and causing a loss of around Rs 1 lakh, Reddy said.

Bilaspur, May 22
The state government has sanctioned Rs 3.08 crore for the repair of roads of the Bilaspur Sadar constituency while Rs 60 lakh has been sanctioned for constructing the building of an alternative disputes resolution centre here.

This was stated by local Bilaspur sadar MLA Bambar Thakur while inaugurating a Rs 28-lakh building of the PWD mechanical wing at Nihal sector today.

He said Rs 1 crore would be spent for constructing a parking area at the Raura sector of the town and steps were afoot to ensure proper upkeep and maintenance of a children's park in every sector of the town.

He said steps would be taken for the plantation of befitting varieties of plants on roadsides with tree guard protection with the help of the ACC cement factory.

Thakur said Rs 4.58 crore were being spent in the district under various NABARD schemes meant for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes this year.

The government has further supplied Rs 25 lakh for the repair of the Deputy Commissioner’s office and Rs 17.39 lakh for the repair of SAI sports hostel building in the town.

The MLA said concrete steps would be taken to redress the grievances of people at the earliest. 

Hamirpur, May 22
Sujanpur MLA Rajender Rana, who had received a huge support from ex-servicemen in winning the last Assembly election, organised an ex-servicemen convention here yesterday.

A large number of ex-servicemen attended the convention, which was organised under the banner of the Sarva Kalyankari Sabha.

Several resolution were passed at the convention which included the demand to establish the Himachal Regiment, 12 per cent quota in Army recruitment from the state, to shift Dogra regiment centre from Faizabad to Himachal and to open a military university in the state.

Addressing the convention, chairman of the Sarva Kalyankari Sabha Rajender Rana said it was the prime duty of the government to solve the problems raised by ex-servicemen and assured to take up their grievances at every level.

Supporting the demand of an increase in the Army recruitment quota from the exiting 6 per cent to 12 per cent, Rana said the demand was genuine since the quota had been reduced from 12 to 6 per cent. Several ex-servicemen were honoured on the occasion. 

Hamirpur, May 22
Newly appointed Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) Inder Dutt Lakhanpal was given a rousing welcome by his supporters and the locals on reaching the Badsar Assembly constituency today. This is his maiden visit to the constituency after the appointment. Lakhanpal, lone Congress MLA in Hamirpur district, was elected from the Badsar Assembly constituency in the last Assembly election. He was recently appointed as the CPS.

Addressing the gathering at Mehre, Lakhanpal said providing employment to unemployed youth would be his top priority. Talking about the agenda of the state government, he said, “Fulfilling promises made to the people by the Congress during the last Assembly elections in a minimum time and ensuring an overall development of the state during the next five years will be the main agenda of the state government”.

He said special emphasis was being laid on the development of the rural areas and an overall development would be ensured by the state government. 

Kangra, May 22
Director-writer Sarika Pandse's play on Swami Vivekananda’s life and teachings was staged in the auditorium of the DRPGMC, Tanda, last night.

The play was staged in connection with the 150th birth centenary celebrations of Swami Vivekananda which was organised by the local unit of the Vivekananda Kendra and the Students of the Central Association (SCA) of the Tanda college. The play was organised by Radhika Creation, Nagpur, for two and half hours.

Artistes Sahil Patwardhan and Anil Palkhar, who played the role of Swami Vivekananda as a youth and an elderly person, respectively, and Jaint Pathak, who played the role of Rama Krishna Parmahans, were praised for their talent.

The play highlighted incidents in Swami Vivekananda's life from his childhood, meeting his guru Rama Krishna, his meditation on the rock at Kanya Kumari on December 25, 26 and 27, 1892, his Chicago address and service to the nation through the Rama Krishna Mission. His call to the youth of the country to "Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached" at the end of the show was appreciated by the young audience.

The play also highlighted the plight of women in India through the eyes of Vivekananda and his oneness with people belonging to the untouchable section of society.

The Swami’s address at the World Religious Conference on September 11,1893, was aptly presented with the words "My brothers and sisters of America".

Director Sarika said it was the 77th presentation of the play at Kangra. She said this play was staged in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam and Kanya Kumari and now in Himachal Pradesh.

Sarika said this drama had a strong message of positivity, strength of character and philosophy of simple living and high thinking.

Students of the DRPGMC, Tanda, CUHP, Nursing College, resident doctors, faculty members and intellectuals of Kangra and Dharamsala witnessed the show.

The artistes and the production team were honoured by Prof Anil Chauhan, Principal, DRPGMC, Tanda, and PR Agnihotri, convenor of Vivekananda Kendra Kangra.

One philanthropist donated Rs 70,000 for facilitating the show here. Dr Rahul Gupta, president, Resident Doctors Association, DRPGMC, Tanda, thanked him for the gesture. 

Nurpur, May 22
After undergoing four-day police remand, Sushil Chowdhary, the then Block Development Officer (BDO), Nurpur, and his Superintendent Inder Singh and accountant Ashwani Kumar were produced in the court today. They have been remanded in 14-day judicial custody.

DSP Rajiv Atre said the trio had been booked under Sections 306 and 34, IPC, in connection with the suicide of Vinod Kumar, a contract office employee in the watershed development project.

The body of the deceased had been found in roadside bushes on the Bodh-Chakki Dhar road on April 17. The police had also recovered a suicide note from his pocket in which he had alleged that he was committing suicide as he was being forced to do so by these culprits, besides one from Palampur subdivision.

The police claimed that during one month's investigations it had found some substantial evidence against the culprits and had arrested them on May 19. — OC

Shimla, May 22
Accusing the Congress regime of allowing purchase of prime land by outsiders, former Chief Minister PK Dhumal today sought details of the permission granted to nine non-Himachali builders for the construction of colonies under the Apartment Act.

In a statement issued her today, Dhumal expressed surprise that despite his regime deciding to scrap the Apartment Act, the Congress government within a short span had granted permission to 12 builders, including nine from outside the state. “The Congress won the election by launching a misinformation campaign that the BJP had allowed the sale of land to outsiders, but the fact is that the Congress is itself the biggest culprit,” he alleged.

“The Congress must clarify its stand on the issue of allowing the purchase of land by outsiders as facts clearly indicate that it is their successive governments, which have granted maximum permissions,” he said. He added that the government must make it clear under whose pressure was these sanctions under the Apartment Act given.

Dhumal accused the Congress of misleading the public by making false accusations against the BJP. “The electorate will give a befitting reply to the Congress in the upcoming Mandi Lok Sabha bypoll and the BJP will expose the misdeeds of the ruling party,” he said.

He said the Congress had on five occasions in the past made amendments in Section 118 of the Tenancy and Land Reforms Act. “The Congress during its five-year-rule from 2003 to 2008 gave permission for the purchase of 18,069 bighas in 2,398 cases, whereas my regime allowed the purchase only in 1,649 cases, involving 14,900 bighas,” he said.

Shimla, May 22
The Himalayan Forest Research Institute (HFRI) celebrated the International Day for Biological Diversity by organising a quiz, painting and slogan-writing competition for schoolchildren here today.

About 30 students from local schools participated in various programmes on “Water and Biodiversity”. Dr RK Verma, organiser, welcomed the students and teachers of participating schools and Dr Vaneet Jishtu, scientist, made a detailed presentation on the importance of water and biodiversity in the present day context.

SS Kataik, Head, HFRI, emphasised that students and teachers were the foremost and important group of society, who could sensitise people towards the conservation of biodiversity, water and other natural resources, which is the need of the hour.

Prizes were given to winners in various categories. 

Bilaspur, May 22
The body of Suresh Kumar of Amarpur village, near here, was found in his house last evening. Reports said other members of the family were not in the house when he died. B

ut when they returned, they had to break open the door of Suresh's room and found him lying dead on the floor. It was said he had consumed some poison. — OC