Shimla, October 1
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today ruled out the possibility of a rollback or reduction in the 30 per cent hike in bus fare. Justifying the hike while talking to mediapersons here, he said it was long overdue as till now the government had been bearing the additional burden due to increase in the prices of diesel.

“No government wishes to burden people, but steep and frequent increase in diesel prices has compelled us to enhance the bus fare,” he said. He rubbished the BJP’s criticism on the issue and said the BJP did not make such a steep hike as the prices of diesel had not increased so steeply at that time.

Virbhadra also expressed satisfaction over the probe being done by the Vigilance Bureau into the allegations contained in the Congress charge sheet. “I have asked them to conduct a thorough probe so that no innocent person is implicated, while those responsible for wrongdoings are spared,” he said.

The Chief Minister said the probe in the benami land deals’ allegations against the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association and other cases were being investigated. He said the government was taking certain austerity measures to check wasteful expenditure. “We want to curb wasteful expenditure but only to the extent that it does not affect the development of the state,” he added.

Virbhadra said shortly relief from the Centre would be received for the damage suffered in Kinnaur and other districts due to rains and flash floods. “The restoration work is in full swing and all roads have been repaired. The power supply too has been made normal in all parts of Kinnaur, which witnessed massive devastation during monsoons,” he said.

On the principle of one-man one-post, he said the principle couldn’t be applied universally as suitability of individual, regional considerations and political compulsions had to be borne in mind while making appointments.

Virbhadra, in an informal talk with mediapersons here today, said his endeavour had always been to accommodate as many people as possible in both the government as well as organisation. It was after the first visit of Ambika Soni, All-India Congress Committee Secretary (AICC) and in-charge of Himachal affairs, in July to Shimla that the question of enforcing the principle of one-man one-post arose.

In fact, Rakesh Kalia, Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS), resigned after he was appointed secretary of the AICC, based on the one-man one-post principle. There are many ministers, the CPS as well as MLAs who are holding posts in the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) as well as in the government. 

Shimla, October 1
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) today protested at all district 
headquarters in the state against the steep hike in bus fares and demanded a review of the decision.

The party accused the government of taking the decision in a hush-hush manner. It pointed out that the hike in the fares was approved by the state Cabinet in its meeting on September 25, but the decision was kept under wraps.

Party secretary Rakesh Singha said there were indications that the issue was not discussed thoroughly in the Cabinet. The party questioned the raise in the minimum fare from Rs 2 to Rs 5 for just 1 km on a local route. The hike was not justifiable by any yardstick. The fare of Rs 1.45 per km for ordinary bus in the hilly terrain made travelling by public transport in the state the most costly in the entire country. The government must provide subsidy to the Himachal Road Transport Corporation to help it absorb the impact of increase in diesel prices instead of hiking bus fares.

Shimla, October 1
Despite damage to maize and paddy crops by heavy rain in some pockets, the state is heading for a record kharif production. It will be the seventh bumper crop in a row.

Reports received from the field by the Agriculture Department indicate that the total kharif production is likely to be 8.70 lakh tonnes as against 8.32 lakh tonnes achieved last season. It will be slightly short of the target of 8.96 lakh tonnes.

The target for paddy will exceed for the first time and in the case of maize, the main kharif crop, it will be missed by a narrow margin.

The total production of paddy is likely to be 1.35 lakh tonnes as against the target of 1.33 lakh tonnes and the last year’s production of 1.31 lakh tonnes. The production of maize is expected to touch 7.20 lakh tonnes, significantly higher than the last year’s output of 6.95 lakh tonnes. However, the target of 7.42 lakh tonnes will be missed mainly due to the damage caused to crop by heavy rain and storm, which hit the lower hill areas of Mandi, Kangra, Bilaspur and Hamirpur last month.

Agriculture Director JC Rana said a good monsoon across the state had ensured a bumper crop. The downpour in the beginning of the season from June 15 to 18 and recent spells of storms had caused damage to the crop in some pockets, otherwise the state would have exceeded the target.

He said the monsoon played an important role in the kharif season. Only 22 per cent of the total cultivated area has the irrigation facility, the rest is dependent on rain. The only worry is the current spell of rains, which could harm the crop ready to be harvested.

The state achieved a record kharif production of 8.32 lakh tonnes and the total foodgrain production in 2012-13 was 15.54 lakh tonnes. In case the weather gods keep smiling on the farmers and oblige with a bumper rabi crop, the state could well achieve the foodgrain production target of 15.80 lakh tonnes for the current financial year.

The total production has been increasing for the past three years. The production almost touched 14.94 lakh tonnes for the first time, surpassing the previous high of 14.40 lakh tonnes achieved in 2007-08. It further increased to 15.10 lakh tonnes in 2011-12 and to 15.54 lakh tonnes last year.

Shimla, October 1
The Delhi High Court today granted a major relief to apple growers from Himachal by rejecting the notification issued by the Delhi government for charging 6 per cent commission from sellers in the Azadpur Mandi.

It is the Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Marketing Board which had moved court against the decision of the Delhi government. The apple growers had got relief from paying the commission when Saheb Singh Verma was the Chief Minister, but later the Delhi government amended its bylaws to make the six per cent commission valid.

Welcoming the court verdict, former Horticulture Minister Narender Bragta today said the growers would get a major relief as the apple growers would not have to pay six per cent extra for selling their produce. This commission would now have to be paid by the buyers or the commission agents.

“We had moved court on the issue after the Delhi government amended its bylaws to make the commission valid as the court had given verdict in our favour,” he said.

Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Marketing Board Chairman Subhash Mangelt, too, welcomed the decision. “On the directions of the Chief Minister, we pursued the matter and finally got relief,” said Manglet.

Nurpur, October 1
A large number of BSNL subscribers did not receive landline as well as postpaid cellphone bills for the month of August, which were to be delivered to them in September. The non-delivery of bills to most of the subscribers of Nurpur and its surrounding areas have irked them as they have to bear the penalty of late fee.

According to information, BSNL used to send landline and postpaid cellphone bills to its subscribers by post, but in September, the subscribers did not receive bills. Therefore, they have demanded waiving off late fee in their next bill.

JC Maneria, General Manager, BSNL, Dharamsala, admitted receiving complaints of the non-delivery of bills from the subscribers in the Nurpur area. “The issue has been taken up with the authorities of the Postal Department, which have been adopting postal route from Dharamsala to Nurpur via Pathankot. This route usually caused the delay in the delivery of postal bills. But now the postal authorities have assured a direct postal route from Dharamsala to Nurpur,” he said. 

Kangra, October 1
The Kangra police yesterday arrested an unemployed youth from Chu Khera village, near Nagrota Bagwan, for impersonation on a complaint lodged by Ajit Bhardwaj, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Kangra.

Bhardwaj said he received a call with the caller posing as Raghubir Singh Bali, son of Transport Minister GS Bali. The caller asked the SDM to accommodate Divender Kumar of Nagrota Bagwan during an interview to be conducted by him for the post of computer operator.

The SDM said he felt suspicious and rang up Raghubir Singh Bali to know about the facts, who denied having made any call. The SDM laid a trap to nab the caller.

Bhardwaj then called up the mobile number and asked him to send the candidate to his office.

Meanwhile, the SDM informed Kangra SDPO Ashok Verma also. However, the candidate did not turn up.

Verma said today again the SDM called the person and asked him to send
the candidate.

Divender Kumar, a postgraduate, arrived in the SDM office for the favour, but was arrested by the police.

The DSP said during questioning, Divender disclosed that it was Parveen Kumar of Chu Khera, who had allegedly posed at Raghubir Singh Bali and asked him to contact the SDM, Kangra, for the appointment.

The DSP said a police party rushed to the village today and arrested Parveen under Sections 420 and 419, IPC.

He said Divender told him that Parveen had allegedly asked him to pay Rs 1.5 lakh after getting the appointment.

The police is verifying the call details to find out if he was involved in such crime earlier also. Parveen will be produced before the court tomorrow.

Mandi, October 1
Leader of the Opposition PK Dhumal said today that the BJP would ride on Prime Ministerial candidate Narender Modi’s wave if the grass-roots workers strengthen each polling booth to translate the wave and issues of corruption, price rise, unemployment and national security into votes.

Addressing three workshops of party workers at Mandi, Balh and Nachan today, Dhumal said they could win the election if the wave and issues of corruption, unemployment and price rise were taken to the people and were translated into votes.

“Today the political situation in the country is fertile favouring Modi like it was in the 1998 Lok Sabha election when AB Vajpayee was the Prime Minister candidate. But it will become a reality when party workers translate this feeling into votes down to the booth level,” he said.

Dhumal said the real electoral battle would be fought at the booth level in the coming Lok Sabha election. “Whatever may be the issue, until party men establish links with the people at the ground level, they cannot win elections,” he added.

He claimed that the Congress was an organisation, not a political party, in which freedom fighters like Dr Hedgewar and Syama Prasad Mukherjee, BJP founder, also participated.

Dhumal said the Congress came back to power because of the “infighting” in the Janata Party in 1980.

“In 1984, the Congress retained power on a sympathy wave after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the party had won 414 seats, the highest-ever number, while the BJP could win just two seats,” he said.

Dhumal claimed the Congress was shown the door due to the Bofors gun deal later. “The UPA government has committed scams worth Rs 5 lakh crores and issues like price rise, national security and unemployment will favour the BJP,” he said.

The workshop was attended by district president Jawahar Thakur, Ram Swarup Sharma, Ajay Rana and others.

Nurpur, October 1
The Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education (HPBSE) has ruled out any paper leak in the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) examination at MCM DAV Public School, Bagni, near Nurpur.

The invigilating staff had reportedly detected a paper leak case on Sunday. A girl candidate was caught red-handed with 60 questions on a paper sheet. The centre coordinator-cum-school principal had informed the board higher-ups in this regard.

S Rakhil Kahlon, board secretary, along with two officials, conducted an inquiry by visiting the examination centre yesterday.

In a press statement here this evening, she claimed that after the preliminary investigation, it was found that it was a case of copying by resorting to unfair means.

She said some invigilating staff member or any other employee was suspected to assist the candidate by supplying copying materials. She said after the completion of the probe, action would be taken against erring persons.

MR Rana, examination centre coordinator-cum-school principal, said it was a serious issue and no invigilating staff had assisted the candidate.

Chamba, October 1
TS Kaisth, Special Judge, Chamba, today awarded rigorous imprisonment (RI) for two years to Rinku, a resident of Gurdaspur, Punjab, for possessing 500 gm of charas. A fine of Rs 20,000 was also imposed on him.

On December 3, 2011, Sub-Inspector Dharam Singh, along with other police officials, was present at Jandreda in connection with a nakabandi and traffic checking.

At 11 am the accused came there with a carry bag. On seeing the police, he tried to run. He was nabbed by the police. A polythene envelope containing 500 gm of charas in the shape of sticks were recovered from his possession. 

Shimla, October 1
The state government today sought a report from the Kangra Deputy Commissioner (DC) on the eviction orders served by the Forest Department to Tibetan refugees in McLeodganj.

Dolma Gyari, Minister for Home in the Tibetan government, today met Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and sought his intervention in the matter. She said eviction notices had been served on 210 Tibetan refugees who had been residing along the road leading from Bhagsunag to the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) in McLeodganj. They had been residing there for almost half a century, she added.

The Tibetan minister and officials, along with the representation for withdrawing the eviction orders, submitted some electricity bills, dating back to 1971 and 1974, to prove that they have been residing here long before the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, came into being.

“We have sought a detailed report from the Kangra Deputy Commissioner so that it can be ascertained on what grounds the notices were issued," confirmed Chief Secretary Sudripta Roy.

"We have urged the government to withdraw these eviction notices as most of these people have been living here for almost four decades on land allotted to them by the state government,” said Gyari. She added that Tibetans were law-abiding people who fully cooperated with the government on environment protection as well as other issues.

It was on September 13 that the Forest Department issued eviction orders to 210 Tibetan refugees, asking them to vacate the land as it was shamlat land (common village land). The Tibetan government had in the past also taken up the issue of regularisation of some of the land deals done by its people, mostly in Kangra. Tibetans, who enjoy refugee status in India, cannot purchase land, but in many cases they had done so in the name of some Buddhist followers hailing from Kinnuar and Lahaul-Spiti.

Shimla, October 1
The weather god played the spoilsport on Day 4 of the Discovery Montra MTB Himalaya-2013 today. Heavy rain forced the organisers to cancel the 14-km Narkanda-Hatu Peak leg.

The 11,250-ft Hatu Peak involves the steepest climb of 2,000 ft from Narkanda. The heavy downpour made it impossible to undertake the climb and the riders covered only 62 km during the day against the average of 76 to 82 km. The competitive stage was reduced to 50 km.

However, the bikers will not be deprived of the thrill of peddling up to the peak, as the organisers have decided to include it in the route on Day 5 of the rally. “Weather permitting, the riders will take off from the Dhomri camp near Narkanda straight to Hatu Peak and then continue on the route Day 5,” said Mohit Sood, president, Himalayan Adventure Sports and Tourism Promotion Association (HASTPA), which is organising the event. Thus, the bikers will have a long day tomorrow with an additional distance to cover.

The inclement weather made little difference to World No. 9 Luis Leas Pinto from Portugal, who further consolidated his lead, and there is little likelihood of his rivals reaching anywhere near him in the last two days of the race. However, the loose gravel and rocky stretch through Pauchi village seemed to have taken the sap out of the race leader, who had to take some rest for the first time since the rally was flagged off four days ago. He is known to finish a day without a break.

However, he could afford to take rest as his nearest rival Surinder Singh of the Indian Army trailed way behind him at the second place.

In the “Team of Two” category, the Army team was leading. The Army team, comprising DB Pradhan and B Devri, was at the first place followed by Naresh and Shishir at the second place. A small contingent of the Indian Air Force was also racing quite fast but it was far behind the Army team.

In the women’s category, Laxmi Magar of Nepal continued to lead the race on Day 4, while in the Master’s category, Louis Van Belle from Belgium was in the lead.