Kullu, October 19
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today inaugurated a Rs 2.85-crore Training Centre-cum-Multipurpose Conference Hall at Shadabai and a tehsil building at Bhuntar. He also threw open the Bhootnath bridge across the Beas built at a cost of Rs 10 crore.

He was here on a two-day visit as the chief guest for the closing ceremony of the week-long international Kullu Dasehra.

The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of a tourist information centre and a tehsil building at Bhuntar and opened a community centre there for the local Khampa community built at the cost of Rs 6 lakh.

Virbhadra was accompanied by his wife and Mandi MP Pratibha Singh, Revenue and Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur, Power Minister Sujan Singh Pathania, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sohan Lal Thakur, Kullu, Banjar and Anni MLAs Maheshwar Singh, Karan Singh and Khub Ram.

While inaugurating the tehsil building at Bhuntar built by a Chandigarh-based company at the cost of Rs 20 lakh, the Chief Minister said, “It is weather, fire and earthquake-proof and a rust-free structure”.

He announced Rs 6 lakh for more facilities at the Khampa community centre and Rs 92 lakh on augmenting the Surad-Khokan drinking water supply scheme. Earlier, Satya Prakash Thakur, Chairman, Kullu District Cooperative Association, presented a cheque of Rs 1.1 lakh to the Chief Minister towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

Apart from the district officials, Kullu Zila Parishad chairperson Hari Chand Sharma, district Congress president and other Congress leaders were also present on the occasion.

Shimla, October 19
The state government is contemplating bringing about a legislation banning the use of chemical sprays used for ripening and advanced colouring of fruits like apple and mango, keeping in view the health hazards associated with its overuse.

Minister for Horticulture, Public Health and Irrigation Vidya Stokes said considering the ill effects of the excessive use of chemicals, the government was considering bringing about a legislation to ban its use in the state. “It has come to our notice that a large number of growers are using these chemicals to ripen and colour their fruit early so that their produce can fetch good prices before the market gets flooded with the fruit,” said Stokes.

She said it was only by way of a legislation that a ban on such chemicals sprayed on fruits could be enforced.

Fruit growers use chemicals, which help in speeding up the ripening process prematurely and at the same time bring in colour so that the produce can be marketed early. Though the use of these spray chemicals, also referred to as plant growth regulators, are recommended internationally, its use above the prescribed limits can cause health hazards and lead to retardation of plant as well.

Though the laboratory report in case of apple stored in cold storage of the HPMC at Parwanoo going bad is yet to be received, it is apprehended that the problem arose as the fruit had been sprayed with chemicals to get colour.

Stokes too admitted that spraying such chemicals would not only reduce the shelf life and storage limit of apples, but also could have serious health issues.

“It is not at all advisable to ban the use of these sprays as it has to be used by growers of low height as the colour does not come naturally. Banning the spray will affect the market value of their produce, so it will not be a wise move,” said Tara Chand Sarkek, a leading apple grower at Dalan village in Kotgarh. Other growers, too, were of the opinion that the ban would hit small growers of the low apple belt whose orchards were below 5,000 ft.

Solan, October 19
A leopard on the prowl in Dagshai and its surrounding areas is creating a scare among students and staff of the Army Public School where a cow was found killed in the school ground this morning.

People residing in the vicinity of the school had seen a leopard, along with two cubs, moving in the area and this had created a palpable fear, especially among school students and the staff.

The leopard had not only killed two goats a few days ago in a nearby forest area of Haripur village, but the killing of a cow in the school compound last night had become a question of concern for people.

The leopard was noticed at Anji village by the staff and students of a government school. It was also noticed near the ATM near the gate of the Army Public School.

DFO Prem Mahajan said they had issued a written alert to the school authorities to take precautions like restricting movement of the staff and students late evening and early morning and a trap would be put up soon on the school campus to catch the leopard.

Shimla, October 19
Parliament Speaker Meira Kumar will address a special session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly here on October 21, as part of the ongoing Golden Jubilee celebrations of the state House.

Addressing a press conference here today, Assembly Speaker Brij Bihari Lal Butail said the special function would be graced by not only Speakers from the adjoining states of Punjab, Haryana and Jammu-Kashmir, but about 130 former legislators of the Assembly would be present. President of India Pranab Mukherjee had addressed a special session of the Assembly on May 24 this year as part of the celebrations.

"It has been a glorious 50 years of existence for us, and on the occasion we would like to honour all the former Speakers and MLAs who have been part of this proud journey," said Butail. He said some of the oldest members of the Assembly in 1952 and 1957 would be attending the function. He added that a coffee table book, detailing the journey and historic moments of the HP Assembly would be released and a short documentary shown on the occasion.

Butail said the Himachal Assembly was known for the high standards of debate, decorum and maintaining democratic traditions. "Till date the HP Assembly has passed 1,125 Bills tabled in the House and never has a no-confidence motion moved here succeeded," he stated. He said the strength of the 43-member Assembly and later territorial Assembly was raised to the present 68 in 1963. 

Shimla, October 19
The efforts of the state government to regulate private educational universities received a big jolt when the state High Court today quashed the Himachal Pradesh Private Education Institution (Regulatory Commission) Act, 2010, and declared it ultra vires and unconstitutional. The court also quashed assessment orders, circulars and notices passed by the Himachal Pradesh Private Education Institution Regulatory Commission by holding that these were issued without an authority of law.

While passing the judgment, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice Kuldip Singh observed, “We have no hesitation in taking the view that the state legislature is incompetent to enact law on the subject which is covered by the field occupied by Entry 66 of the Union List. Accordingly, we may have to declare the Act of 2010 ultra vires and void ab initio”.

The court passed the judgment on a petition filed by the Private Universities Management Association challenging the competence of the state legislature to enact such law on the ground that the field of coordination and determination of standards in institutions for higher education was reserved exclusively for Parliament.

It further contended that the field was occupied by Entry 66 of List I. As a result, Parliament’s power to enact law on that subject was both exclusive and overriding. In any event, the state legislature had no power to prescribe offences and penalties for enforcing the standards laid down by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and other Central authorities.

It further contended that when the Central Acts had not prescribed for offences and penalties, the exclusive power to provide for offences and penalties for non-compliance of directions issued by the Central authorities in exercise of power under Central enactments exclusively vests with the Parliament under the Union List.

It alleged that both Section 8 of the Act providing for fee and penalty payable and Section 11 dealing with penalties leviable were in substance and reality authorising collection of tax intended to exploit private universities for unjust enrichment of the State Education Regulatory Commission. It contended that the rates of fee and penalties prescribed under the Act and Rules were extortionate in nature. The provisions of the Act also suffered from excessive delegation in addition to being arbitrary and violative of Article 14. For, it gave wide discretion to the State Education Regulatory Commission to determine fee payable from Re 1 to 1 per cent of the total amounts paid by all the students of the university, including hostel fee, caution money and penalty ranging from Re 1 to Rs 1 crore without any legislative guidance.

It has also been asserted by the petitioners that the Act was ex facie discriminatory and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. For it lays down standards of education and consequences for non-compliance thereof selectively qua private universities and not to all the institutions of higher education throughout the state. 

Kullu, October 19
The factional fight among kardars of devis and devtas today reached a near flash point here as Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh skipped a function organised by the Kulluvi Kardar Sangh in Dev Sadan.

President of the Kardar Sangh Dhoot Ram and other kardars having alliance to chief kardar of Lord Raghunath Maheshwar Singh, who accompanied Virbhadra to Dev Sadan, suddenly escorted him back while other group of kardars led by Om Parkash waited for the Chief Minister at the conference hall of the sadan.

The factional fight had come to light during a visit by Mandi Lok Sabha MP Pratibha Singh at a function organised by the managing trustee of the Dev Sanskriti Charitable Trust, Om Parkash.

However, later an official spokesperson clarified that the meeting was on schedule as per the Chief Minister’s tour programme. Kardars said it was due to the factional fight between the two groups that the Chief Minister did not attend the function as Virbhadra wanted that the “kardars should present a united face before him”.

According to the kardars, the Om Parkash group waited in the hall, while Maheshwar Singh and Dhoot Ram group escorted the Chief Minister to Dev Sadan. The welcome ceremony reached near the venue, but suddenly they escorted the Chief Minister back to the Circuit House for lunch.

According to kardars, the Om Parkash group remained an isolated group within the Kardar Sangh as they jell well with the former BJP minister Khimi Ram, who hails from Banjar.

“Thanks to the division, a majority of the kardars opposed the trust as small group under its managing trustee Om Parkash Sharma is also being opposed by Maheshwar Singh, chief kardar of Lord Raghunath, who wants to keep the dominance of the Rajputs in running the affairs of devis and devtas,” revealed Kardars.

President of the Kardar Sangh dismissed Om Parkash’s charges alleging that he was defeated during the election of the sangh last year and was using the trust as a platform to project himself as its benefactor.

On the other, Om Parkash claimed that one faction of the Kardar Sangh under Dhoot Ram enjoyed the support of Maheshwar Singh opposing the trust as they were doing petty politics. “We will emerge victorious in elections of the sangh this year,” he claimed.

Shimla, October 19
Notwithstanding his star status and acclaimed position in Bollywood, playback singer Mohit Chauhan charmed one and all as he sang Pahari songs and gave valuable tips on singing to students at Portmore School here today.

Mohit, who hails from Nahan town, arrived at the Government Senior Secondary School, Portmore, as part of a music education campaign launched by the British Council and the NCERT in schools.

Having received two Filmfare awards, Mohit, who is also the Brand Ambassador for the Indian Chapter of the World Voice Programme, stressed the need for giving importance to music and singing right from the primary school level.

“Learning science subjects like physics and chemistry is all right, but singing can make studies all the more interesting,” he remarked. Mohit has given several hits in Bollywood, including "Masakalli", "Tumhi se hai", "Nadaan parinday" and
"Yeh dooriyaan".

During his interaction with the children who sang Hindi, Pahari and English songs, it was a melodious Pahari song "Amma puchdi dhiye meriye" which he enjoyed the most. He has incorporated several Pahari tunes in his compositions that featured in his private albums. Mohit also gave details of some of his songs for movies like "Krrrish-3" and "Ankhon Hi Ankhon Mein".

Speaking on the occasion, Principal Secretary, Education, RD Dhiman said music, besides entertaining, helped in cultural bonding across international borders.

He said the programme was being piloted in 40 schools of Shimla and Solan districts. He said a 10-day workshop was in progress at the state Institute of Educational Management and Training, Shamlaghat, to train master trainers in art education for visual art and performing art. 

Dharamsala, October 19
Tibetans in exile here are organising the McLeodganj International Film Festival in which 19 films from across the world will be screened.

Organiser of the event Lobsang Wangyal, also known as Tibetan showman, while talking to The Tribune said the response to the festival had been overwhelming. The selected 19 films would be screened from October 21 to 23 at the Tibetan Day School at McLeodganj. The films were from Bangladesh, Egypt, France, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, the UK and the US.

Lobsang said directors who were coming to the festival to present their films included Pema Dhondup from California for the film "Arise", Dr Sudeep Ranjan Sarkar from Kolkota for "Neti Neti" (Not This, Not This), Prashant Vanjani from Delhi for "Villari" and Ninad Kulkarni from Pune for "Connection Failed".

Kulkarni (16) will be the youngest among the directors. His first film about farmers' suicide in Maharashtra was produced when he was 12.