Nahan, July 22
As many as 1,087 bighas of land have been washed away in torrential rain in the Markandey-Koler area, near here, in the last 48 hours with fields along the Sukker Khad facing maximum damage.

A large portion of the Nahan-Paonta Sahib national highway was damaged due to the heavy rain. The traffic remained suspended from 3:30 pm yesterday to 10 am today.

The national highway authorities, however, created an alternative route on the affected portions of the road and the traffic was restored for small vehicles.

Anil Sharma, Chief Engineer, National Highways Authorities of India, said the loss suffered by this road was colossal which was pegged at Rs 2 crore. He said about 12-km stretch of road had been damaged and the protection wall of the Batta Bridge too had been damaged.

Deputy Commissioner Vikas Labroo, who visited the spot, along with ADM Manmohan Sharma, on a tractor, said tarpaulin had been distributed to the affected families whose houses faced damages.

Solan, July 22
The tribal areas of Chamba, Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur have received deficient rain in July even as the rest of Himachal has received 32 per cent excessive rain.

According to the Met Department, the deficit in Chamba alone has been 94 per cent, while Lahaul-Spiti has received barely 7 mm rain and Kinnaur 12 mm rain in July.

Manmohan Singh, Director, Meteorological Department, said if the tribal areas of Chamba, Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur were excluded, the state had received 32 per cent excessive rain and if all districts were taken together, a deficit of 21 per cent was noticeable.

Even data compiled by the Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, indicates that only 140.5 mm rain was received in the 10 rainy days till July 18 which appeared to be far less than the average rain of 300 mm received in this month.

Dr Satish Bhardwaj, Head, Department of Environment Sciences, said though some more rain was expected in the remaining days of July, the Nauni area might fail to receive the average rainfall of 300 mm usually received in July.

The data said 335 mm rain was received in July in 2010 in the 14 rainy days, while this figure stood at 230.99 mm in the 10 rainy days of 2011 and at 224.2 mm in 2012.

While 70 per cent of the annual rain is reported in July-September, the scientists hoped that the coming days would help cover some deficit.

The lack of rain, however, proved to be beneficial for the maize crop as the late-sown varieties would be free of weed growth and disease infestation in the crops.

Shimla, July 22
Over-dependence on computers may in times to come cripple the faculties of deeper analysis, understanding finer points and deciphering nuances, leading to “artificial intelligence”.

These were the thoughts expressed by All-India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Janardhan Dwivedi, delivering a lecture on “Education, Technology, Language and Mankind” at the inaugural function of the three-day 44th Foundation Day celebrations of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) here today.

Later, Union Surface Transport Minister Oscar Fernandes delivered a lecture on “Indian Democratic Traditions.” Dwivedi, a politician and educationist who has taught in Delhi University, dwelt on the subject of artificial intelligence gradually replacing natural talent and intelligence.

“If one has to treat all new machines, particularly computers as mechanical toys, I will not hesitate to say that it is turning the human brain into a machine,” he remarked.

Quoting Nicholas Carr, he said, "As we come to rely on computers to mediate our understanding of the world, it is our own intelligence that flattens into artificial intelligence". Citing the examples of Bill Gates, he said in his case it was real intelligence creating artificial intelligence, but unfortunately the reverse had started happening now which was worrisome.

He said stories such as the Panchtantra and Hitopadesh made children better human beings.

Governor Urmila Singh said during the last two years, the HPU had achieved many milestones that figured in its Vision- 2020 document. “The future of the country is in the hands of the teachers on whom lay the great responsibility of shaping young minds for a bright future,” she said.

Prof ADN Bajpai, Vice-Chancellor, HPU, also spoke on the occasion. A number of books and publications were released and some teachers and employees also honoured on the occasion.

Shimla, July 22
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today urged the Centre to declare nine new national highways (NHs) with an aggregate length of 1,235.875 km to improve communication in the state.

Stating this during a high-level meeting with Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Oscar Fernandes here, he said of these, the case of five roads was being pursued by the state since long and all the formalities had been completed. Only the final approval was awaited. These included the 59.775-km Hamirpur-Sujanpur-Palampur road, the 111.80-km Brahmpukhar-Bilaspur-Ghumarwin-Sarkaghat-Ladbhadol-Baijnath road, 133-km Bharmour-Chamba-Dalhousie-Pathankot road, the 106.400-km Taradevi-Jubbarhatti-Kunihar-Ramshehar-Nalagarh-Ghanouli (HP boundary) and the 83.90-km Chandigarh-PGI (Baddi) Punjab-Pokharan-Nalagarh-Ramshehar-Arki-Shalaghat road.

The Chief Minister sought the upgrade of four more state roads as national highways namely the 250-km Kiratpur-Nagal-Bhakhara-Bangana-Nadaun-Sandhol-Rewalsar-Nerchowk road, the 115-km Narkanda-Baghi-Khadrala-Sungri-Rohru-Hatkoti road, the 180-km Dhanotu-Jaidevi-Rohanda-Churag-Tatapani-Dhalli road and the 196-km Pathankot-Banikhet-Chamba-Teesa-Mandhal-Killar road.

He said the 197-km NH-88 (Shimla-Kangra) should be made a four-laned road as it traversed through five districts, but provided vertical connectivity to all the districts of the state. He also sought more funds for the repair and maintenance of NH-21 from Gara Moura to Ghaghas and called for an early forest clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forest of various road projects.

Fernandes assured him that approval for five national highways would be accorded shortly and the other four roads for upgradation would also be considered on priority. He said the Nagrota-Ranital-Mubarkpur and Paonta-Shillai-Hatkoti roads would be taken over and adequate funds would be provided for the maintenance and repair of national highways.

Shimla, July 22
The implementation of the Choice-Based Credit System under the Rasthriya Uchttar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) has led to a shift of students from colleges in towns to those located in rural areas.

The admission data of government degree colleges for the 2013-14 session reveals that the number of students in the first year, which has been carried out under the new system, has increased in the science stream (BSc I) from 8,663 last year to 11,204 mainly. However, in the case of the commerce stream (BCom I), the number of students has declined significantly from 6,668 to 4,530, while there has been a marginal increase in enrolment in the humanities stream (BA I) from 15,223 to 15,355.

Overall, there has been an increase of 1,229, from 48,277 to 49,506, despite the fact the 30 per cent failed students, who appeared in the old system, have not been admitted. These students will reappear in the examination under the old system.

The main reason for the decline in the commerce stream is that under the new system, the number of seats in major subjects now has been fixed at 60 per section and colleges cannot admit more students unlike in the past. In the case of science, the number of seats has been increased. The data clearly indicates the need for starting the commerce stream in more colleges.

The limitation of 60 seats in major subjects has led to flight of students from colleges in cities to rural areas where seats are available. For instance, in Government College (GC), Una, the number of students decreased to from 1,005 to 753 last year and in Government College (GC), Amb, from 579 to 479, while in the GC, Bangana, the enrolment shot up from 188 last year to 308 in the new session. In Hamirpur district, the number of students plunged from 1,501 to 976 in GC, Hamirpur, and from 762 to 642 in GC, Nadaun, while it increased from 366 to 528 in GC, Sujanpur, from 240 to 378 in GC, Bhornaj, and from 258 to 429 in GC, Barsar.

Similarly, in GC, Kullu, the number of students declined from 1,464 to 1,215 while it rose in GC, Anni, from 174 to 314 and in GC, Banzar, from 274 to 314. In GC, Mandi, from 1,781 to 1,594, Karsog from 682 to 601 and increase in GC, Bassa, from 293 to 479.

In Kangra district, in GC,Dharamsala, the number of students has declined from 1,557 to 1,440, in GC, Palampur, from 902 to 854 and GC, Baijnath, from 705 to 604, while it has increased in GC, Shahpur, from 168 to 385, GC, Nagrota Bagwan, from 359 to 672, GC, Haripur from 58 to 190 and GC, Dehri, from 905 to 1,047.

Kangra, July 22
Guru Purnima was celebrated with gaiety and religious fervour at the Maharishi Vidya Mandir (MVM) School at Khatehar here today. Floral tributes were paid to Guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and a guru poojan was held. A hawan was organised on the occasion to seek the blessings of great gurus for a peaceful and better future of the country.

The function was started with the lighting of the lamp by the chief guest, Col HS Mankotia. Principal Anita Mankotia threw light on the life and teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and his contribution in blessing his devotees on the educational and spiritual fronts.

Ashok Kumar of Vivekananda Kendra, key speaker on the occasion, spoke on the teacher-student relationship of previous times and cited the example of Swami Rama Krishna Parmahans and his student Swami Vivekananda.

He expressed concern over the deterioration in the student-teacher relationship in the present times and suggested that both the teachers and the students should come closer to the great Indian scriptures for improvement in their relationship. He said the

Vedic teachings being imparted to the younger generation in MVM schools was a ray of hope for a better tomorrow.

The MVM students recited Vedic hymns, verses from the Bhagwat Gita and other Vedic scriptures. A session of meditation was part of today's programme. At the end, a hawan was organised and students, staff and local residents made offerings in the sacred fire.

A newly constructed meditation hall for 250 students was also inaugurated on the occasion of Guru Purnima as a tribute to Guru Mahesh Yogi.

Shimla, July 22
Member of Parliament Pratibha Singh has urged the Centre to set up another Central university in the state on the pattern of Jammu and Kashmir.

She met Union Human Resources Development Minister M Mangapati Pallam Raju in New Delhi today and said a second Central university was needed to provide quality education as the state had many far-flung areas and snow-bound tribal belt of Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, Pangi and Bharmour, besides other precipitous hill terrain in Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmour and Solan districts.

Setting up a university for tribal areas would further fulfil commitment of the UPA government's plan to expand the infrastructure for higher education in remote areas and two separate universities, one each in Kangra and Mandi region, were essential.

She also demanded the setting up of satellite campuses of prestigious fine arts colleges in Kangra, Chamba, Shimla and Kullu districts to promote Kangra, Chamba and tribal paintings.

She demanded that a model school on the analogy of Kendriya Vidyalayas be set up in each district by involving the private sector under the Public Private Partnership mode during the 12th Plan.

Dharamsala, July 22
The decision taken by the previous government to exempt the construction of houses up to 1 kanal in rural areas around cities is leading to haphazard growth of urban areas in the state.

The limits of urban areas in the cities of the state have not been extended for many years. Even though many villages have now become part of cities like Shimla, Dharamsala, Solan and Palampur, the limits of the municipal councils or corporations have not been extended to include these villages.

In Dharamsala, Ram Nagar, Shyam Nagar and Dari are three villages that are a part of Dharamsala town now. About half of the population of Dharamsala now resides in these villages. Since the limits of the Dharamsala Municipal Council have not been extended for long, the said villages, despite being integral part of the town, remain villages.

Earlier, the areas that were located in the vicinity of the cities were covered in the Town and Country Planning Act. People coming up with structures in these areas had to get the maps of their houses approved from the Town and Country Planning Department and were forced to follow the minimum norms for construction. However, since the previous government exempted the areas from the Act, there was no regulation in these regions.

Ram Kumar of Dari village said since the village had been exempted from the Act, people had been encroaching upon streets in old colonies. “It has become impossible to bring cars to the colony. In case the trend continues, we will have to park our vehicles on the main roads and it will add to traffic congestion.”

The Town and Country Planning Department used to approve the constructions in rural areas of towns as per the master plans. However, now these master plans have been rendered useless since the department does not have any regulation of these areas.

Sources told The Tribune that the maximum benefit of the removal of the said regulation was taken by those living around big cities like Shimla, Dharamsala and Solan.

Himachal Pradesh is already facing the problem of unregulated growth of urban areas. It is putting pressure on the basic amenities like drinking water and power.

The state government will have to increase the limits of the urban areas in the state to regulate their growth and decrease the mounting pressure on the cities.

Mandi, July 22
Revenue and Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur today said the Forest Department would plant 15 lakh tree saplings of different species on 1,350 hectares forest area under the Van Mahotsav programme in Mandi forest circle this year. Himri Ganga in Drang would be developed as a pilgrimage tourist spot, he added.

Urging people to plant more trees at the 64th Van Mahotsav programme at Urla, Kaul Singh said the tree cover in the state had increased from 21.16 per cent to 26.37 per cent in the last two decades. More and more fresh areas were being brought under forest in the state as forests facilitated sound development of agriculture and horticulture, he added.

He said the state was a treasure house of medicinal herbs and plants which were being tapped on scientific lines. The forests yielded wood, timber, food and fodder for cattle, water sources and oxygen and maintained ecological balance, he said.

He said the Himri Ganga spot would be developed as a tourist destination for which they had submitted a plan of Rs 38 lakh to set up facilities for pilgrims.

BS Rana, Conservator, Forests, PL Gupta, DFO, Jogindernagar, and other officials were also present there and the minister planted the deodar plant sapling at Urla.

Shimla, July 22
The CPM today demanded the immediate removal of Prof ADN Bajpai, Vice-Chancellor (VC), Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), for violating the Constitution of the country and bringing in a rightward shift in the functioning of a democratic and secular institution.

Dr Onkar Shad, secretary, Shimla unit of the CPM, said in the garb of the 44th foundation day of the HPU, the VC had destroyed the secular and democratic fabric of the institution. "The function started with a recital in Sanskrit, having a Hindutva tone, and the screen had the image of Lord Ganesha, along the emblem of the HPU, which again is in violation of the Constitution which states that the state is secular and will not profess any religion," he said.

"The VC, being an RSS man, is carrying on with him communal agenda even in the Congress regime which too has taken a rightward shift in the recent past," he alleged. He cautioned the Chief Minister not to get hoodwinked with the tactics of the VC which could affect the secular credentials of his government.

Dr Shad said the Vice-Chancellor was indulging in Congress appeasement to secure his term.

The CPM alleged that the university was being converted into a political arena of the Congress and the BJP, where the VC played either way to secure his seat and had no interest in academics.

Kullu, July 22
Villagers of Balh and Mahol gram panchayats recently held a protest on the National Highway against the faulty integrated waste management and treatment plant. They said it had become a health and environmental hazard, spreading stench and noxious gases in surrounding villages on the banks of the Beas.

Led by panchayat pradhan Geeta Thakur, villagers blocked the highway and accused the contractor and the Municipal Council of affecting the health of villagers and schoolchildren. "We have brought it to the notice of the government many times over the years, but all our pleas have fallen on deaf ears," said a protester.

"The solid waste from Kullu and Bhuntar towns and the bio-medical waste generated in Mandi, Kullu and Bilaspur hospitals is brought here for treatment every day. The waste rots on the trail to the plant and the untreated waste emits a foul smell," he said.

Villagers said rain added to the problem as the stink got stronger and made life miserable for people in houses, schools and offices located nearby. They rued that the pollution control officials did not bother to take action against the contractors.

Experts, too, have pointed out faults in the design of the plant. "The cement pits, tin roof and cement base of the plant should be replaced by masonry and stone works and dumps where unused waste is dumped should be covered," said Dr JC Kunial, a senior scientist, GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development.

He said, "The compost needs 40 per cent moisture and 25 degrees temperature for microbes to grow for compost. However, in cement pits and the tin-roofed structure, temperature variations are high, which in turn kills microbes." The waste should be stirred after 15 days for composting, he said.

Dr Kuniyal said the base should have been made of boulder soling and should have had a plastic lining so that it did not leach into the Beas, but these things
were ignored due to which various problems were being witnessed.

"Earlier, an NGO, Himachal Niti Abhiyan (HNA), had lodged a complaint with Hazards Centre and State Pollution Control Board that the waste was not managed properly but action was taken," said Guman Singh, its convenor. "The land has been diverted and the panchayat NOC has not been availed by the Kullu council before leasing the site to the contractor," he said.

Rishab Kalia, president, Kullu Municipal Council, claimed that the solid waste plant was being managed well and the Kullu SDM had inspected the site. "The biomedical plant is run by the contractor, who pays Rs 20,000 per month to the council," he said and termed the protest as politically motivated.

Palampur, July 22
People’s Voice, a voluntary organisation, has demanded the audit of medical prescriptions by doctors at government hospitals in the state to prevent over-medication. The organisation urged Health Minister Kaul Singh to intervene effectively for the social cause and help poor patients. Over-medication can lead to renal failure and liver cancer.

Talking to mediapersons here on Thursday, members of People’s Voice, including KB Rahlan, MS Narang, Subhash Sharma and Neelam Sood, said over-medication posed a serious threat to the health of people, therefore, the government should constitute special teams of senior medical experts to audit the prescription made by doctors.

The members said they had conducted detailed studies in this regard and found that medial officers at various government hospitals were prescribing medicines that were not required. These drugs were being prescribed only to boost the sales of pharma companies.

They said Dr DS Chandel, former Director, Health Services, had also issued directions to this effect to all Chief Medical Officers in the state, but after his retirement, no one obeyed the orders.

The overdose of medicines like painkillers, steroids, strong antibiotics and sleeping pills lead to diseases like renal failure, liver ailments, hearing problems, ulcer, ulcerative colitis and diabetes.

They said since it was a serious matter, the state government should immediately conduct random checking on the prescriptions by medical officers by appointing audit teams. Such a system was already being followed in Europe, they added.

Palampur, July 22
The local unit of the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) today criticised the local administration and the Municipal Council (MC) for reducing the area of the local taxi stand by installing iron poles.

Sanjeev Soni, president, local BJP unit, said taxi operators had been using the taxi stand for the past 15 years. The MC had erected poles without assigning any reason. Despite memorandums, submitted to the local SDM and the president of the MC, by local residents and taxi operators, nothing had been done so far.

He said no officer was ready to disclose on whose directions the area of the taxi stand had been reduced. He said local MLA and Speaker of the Assembly Brij Behari Lal Butail should clarify the position.

He said the BJP would launch an agitation if the administration and the MC failed to remove the encroachments at the taxi stand.

Meanwhile, the Taxi Operators Union has also assailed the MC for erecting poles at the taxi stand. PC Kaundal, president of the union, urged the Deputy Commissioner, Kangra to intervene and settle the dispute.

Shimla, July 22
In a major setback to the Kangra Valley Small Tea Planters Association, the HP High Court has upheld the provisions of the Himachal Pradesh Ceiling on Land Holdings (Amendment) Act.

The Petitioners Association has challenged the amended provisions of the Act which stipulates that if the tea estate is put to use other than the raising or maintenance of tea plantation or a purpose subservient to tea plantation, irrespective of the fact as to whether such land is in excess of the permissible area or otherwise, it is treated as surplus area and deemed to have been acquired by the state government for a public purpose on payment of amount.

The association further challenged Section 7-A introduced by the amendment Act and seeks to impose a complete ban on the transfer of whole or even part of the land under a tea estate by way of contract, agreement, custom or usage. It further provides the transfer in respect of land under a tea estate has been declared to be void ab initio, notwithstanding the fact that the transfer is effected in favour of a third party before coming into force of the amendment Act on March 29, 2000. Apart from this some more provisions of the Act were challenged by the association.

The petitioner have contended that the amended provisions give unbridled and unfettered powers to the authorities in respect of the grant of permission to transfer and change of user of the land. There are no guidelines as to when permission can be granted and in what circumstances the same should be rejected. Similarly, there are no guidelines as to the manner in which, the land, which is vested in the state government, will be used for public purpose.

The state government has contended before the court that these amended provisions are intended not only to preserve the tea estates in the state, but also to promote and encourage tea estate activity in the state, which is on the downhill for quite some time. While upholding the amended provisions of the Act, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice RB Misra observed that “taking an overall view of the matter, we find no merits in the challenge to the validity of the amended provisions”.

Bilaspur, July 22
Vivek Kumar, former state president, National Students Union of India (NSUI), and probationary national secretary, Youth Congress, was unanimously elected Chairman of the District Mandi Board at its first meeting here on Saturday.

Other nine members of the Board present included Prince Gauttam (Barthin), Surjit Kumar (Marottan), Vinod Chandel (Dakkadi Chowk-Ghumarwin), Sumit Chandel (Panol), Vasu Dev (Harlog), Narender Thakur (Maakadi-Bhakra), Daljit Singh (Maakadi-Bhakra) and Kashmir Singh Bhogal (Marottan).

Vivek belongs to the first group of the NSUI state presidents who were selected personally after an interview in Delhi by the Congress national vice-president (then in charge of all youth wings of the party).

Talking to mediapersons after his election in the presence of Congress state general secretary Ram Lal Thakur, Vivek Kumar said he would spare no efforts to prove equal to the responsibility given to him.

He announced that the functioning of the mandi committees in the district would be properly streamlined, CCTV cameras fixed to detect any irregularities, biometric machines installed, Sunday public mandi by farmers introduced, collection centres opened at reasonable distances to collect produce of farmers and all complaints looked into to make all mandis beneficial.

Mandi/Kullu, July 22
Even after three days of the arrest of history-sheeter Vinod Patial, who posed as Army Capt Akshay Rajput and duped a Kullu tea vendor of Rs 40,000, the police has failed to verify his bank account number, three victims he had duped and his father, who, he said, was a serving Army man.

Though the police investigation is still on to unearth the alleged Army recruitment racket being run by Vinod Patial, the police has failed to connect the link in the case, revealed insiders.

But Patial's arrest has come as a reminder of a similar case that rocked the Army recruitment office, Mandi, on September 21, 2000. The Paramdev-Bhaumik case had exposed the recruitment racket in the Army in 2000 in the Mandi Army recruitment branch.

The Patial case has brought a fresh spotlight on this, considering the young age of Vinod Patial (23), sources said. There are speculations that the police is under pressure as it may bring a bad name to the Army as it did in 2000, the sources said.

The state Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau had caught Paramdev, an agent, and Hawaldar Bhaumik, who was posted in the Mandi Army recruitment branch office, red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000 in instalments from complainant Khem Singh, a retired Hawaldar. The duo had promised Khem Singh a job for his son in the Army, the sources said.

The case was handed over to the CBI. But as soon as the CBI was to submit the challan in the court, Bhaumik's case was transferred to the Army for court martial.

On the other hand, Paramdev, a local resident, was convicted by the Sessions Court, Mandi. But he appealed to the high court subsequently and the case was still pending, CBI sources said.

The police has yet to verify whether Patial has actually recruited three persons as he told the police.

But he had cheated a resident at Dehra in Kangra of Rs 2.5 lakh on the pretext of recruiting him in the Army, and Patial was booked, the police said.

SP, Kullu, VK Dhawan said the police was verifying the names and addresses of the victims, as these had turned out to be fake ones.

Palampur, July 22
Baijnath and Paprola towns of the Palampur region plunged into darkness following the disconnection of power supply to street lights of both the towns by HP Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) for the non-payment of electricity bills.

At present, both the towns are governed by the two of the biggest panchayats of the state with 12 wards. Since the panchayats are facing serious financial crises because of the non-release of financial grants by the government, the total liabilities of electricity bills of both the panchyats has crossed Rs 17 lakh.

PC Thakur, Assistant Engineer, HPPCL, Baijnath, said, “The notices for the payments of Rs 6 lakh and Rs 11 lakh to Baijnath and Paprola panchayats, respectively, had already been served long ago. Since the panchayats failed to make the payments, the HPPCL has no alternative but to disconnect the power supply. We are bound to follow the directions of the higher authorities."

Meanwhile, Mukesh Sharma and Lal Chand, panchayat pardhans of Baijnath and Paprola, respectively, said they had no way to pay the power bills. They criticised the state government for not extending financial support to the panchayats. They said the government was extending step-motherly treatment to them. They asked the government to compensate the power bills as was done in the case the municipal councils in the state.

Baijnath SDM OP Thakur said he had asked the representatives of both the panchayats to cooperate with the HPPCL.

Shimla, July 22
Photographer Somesh Goyal is all set to showcase the beauty of tribal areas of Himachal Pradesh at the international level with his exhibition entitled, "Vignettes from beyond the habitable world" to be held at the Nehru Centre in London from August 5 to 8, 2013.

An IPS officer of Himachal cadre, Goyal will display 30 of his photographs covering high-altitude districts of Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur. He said most of the pictures were from beyond Kullu which was referred to in the past as the Kulanthpeetha end of the habitable world.The exhibition is being sponsored by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.

Goyal had held an exhibition on Indian wildlife in Delhi recently, and Union External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid had launched his latest photo book "Stripes in the Wild" at the event.

Some of the images included at the exhibition are the Bheemakali Temple of Sarahan, Tabo monastery, Chandrataal and Sangla valley. Goyal expressed hope that the exhibition would make Europeans aware about the raw charm of the high-altitude areas of Himachal Pradesh and promote tourism in the hill state.

Bilaspur, July 22
The Himachal Pradesh State Journalists Federation has welcomed certain concrete steps taken by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh for soothing frayed tempers of journalists.

A meeting of the federation's state executive committee at the Circuit House here today thanked the Chief Minister for these goodwill gestures, but urged him to order the arrest of those officers and coaches of the state Sports Department against whom arrested journalist Abhishek Mishra had launched an FIR for serious non-bailable offences like dacoity and threat to life.

The meeting adopted a resolution condemning the police for arresting two journalists who were doing their duty of recording a "tantric ritual" and failing to arrest officers and coaches who were involved in assaulting these journalists and snatching their video camera and mobile phones and also a bag containing Rs 35,000.

The meeting also appreciated the Chief Minister's action of transferring Superintendent of Police Anupam and all coaches involved in the incident from here to other districts and handing over the inquiry of the two cross FIRs to the state CID.

The state executive decided to suspend its agitation of "direct action" of dharnas, demonstrations and protests for three weeks.

Shimla, July 22
In a minor reshuffle, the police department today shifted five Superintendents of Police (SPs), including the district police chiefs of Una, Chamba and Hamirpur.

Superintendent of Police, Chamba, BM Sharma, will swap place with Superintendent of Police, Hamirpur, Jagat Ram, while Anupam Sharma, currently Superintendent of Police, Lokayukta, will take over as Superintendent of Police, Una, vice Khushal Sharma who takes over as Superintendent of Police (Vigilance), Shimla.

Shbhra Tiwari, Joint Secretary, Transport, has been posted as Superintendent of Police, Lokayukta.

Bilaspur , July 22
Truck cleaner Kuldip Singh of Mandi district fell from the top of a loaded truck on the road and died
on the spot at Garamoda, about 70 km from here, on National Highway No-21 yesterday.

Reports said as the rain started, the cleaner climbed on the top of the truck to cover the goods with tarpaulin. But suddenly his foot slipped and he fell on the road headlong.

People rushed him to nearby Anandpur Sahib hospital, but he could not be saved 

Hamirpur, July 22
The Badsar police has arrested a man allegedly involved in a case related to the recovery of about Rs 5 crore by the police last week from a car at Deotsidh.

Sahil Singh Chandel was arrested last evening from near Dalchehda.

The accused, who had entered the Himachal border from Punjab, carrying Rs 5 crore of ransom in a car, had absconded leaving behind the money.

SP, Hamirpur, Jagat Ram said Sahil Singh of Ludhiana had been arrested and about Rs 9 lakh was seized from him.

The accused had tried to enter the state with the money collected through ransom in Punjab after his other accomplices were arrested. He hailed from Badsar.

Sahil Singh is one of the seven persons involved in a kidnapping case for which they took Rs 5 crore as ransom money a few days back. The case was registered at Doraha in Khanna district.

Seven other accused are Gurarpan, Deepali, Sonu, Chorasia, Toni, Amit and one employee of Gurarpan. The police was able to crack the case as it was learnt that the gang was using walkie talkie sets in their personnel communication during the crime.

Businessman Munish Barara of Ludhiana was kidnapped by the gang and later released after receiving Rs 5 crore.

Nurpur, July 22
The mysterious death of Sarishta Devi, wife of Onkar Singh of Chhatrolli village, whose body had been found in her room on July 16, took a new turn when the local police registered an FIR of murder and tampering with circumstantial evidences. After preliminary investigations, the police had earlier registered a case under Section 174, CrPC.

A deputation comprising the father and the brother of the deceased, hailing from Lodhwan village, along with some local residents and panchayat members, met DSP Rajiv Atre on July 19 and submitted a memorandum to him. They alleged that Sarishta’s in-laws had been torturing her for dowry and used to beat her. On the night of July 15 she was allegedly beaten by her husband and poisoned to death. They also alleged that the in-laws had tried to hush up the circumstantial evidences after the murder.

The DSP said the police had now registered a case under Sections 302 and 201, IPC, and the case would be investigated impartially.