Manali, January 6
Snowfall that started this afternoon in Manali town on the last day of the National Winter Carnival brought smiles on the faces of tourists, who enjoyed both snowfall and cultural programmes on the Mall Road.

It has put an extra flavour to the carnival. Thousands of locals from Kullu thronged the town to see the carnival on the last day.

The fifth day of the carnival saw a huge gathering which had come to see selected programmes. Though it was snowing all around the stage while performances were going on, spectators didn’t leave seats and enjoyed the show.

Arrangements for bonfires were made for participants, tourists and locals at Manu Rang Shala, Ram Bagh and the Mall Road.

Thousands of tourists made a beeline to the famous ski slopes of the Solang valley, which also experienced fresh spell of snow today. Tourists enjoyed skiing and other snow-related activities.

The higher reaches of the Manali region experienced a fresh spell of snow, which has caused a sharp decline in temperature in the entire Kullu valley.

Chamba, January 6
A committee, headed by Chamba Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) ARM Reddy, recently inspected seven roads in Chamba, Churah and Bharmour divisions. He said there were about 204 roads pertaining to the Dalhousie PWD Circle and most of these were in Chamba district.

So far, only a few roads could be inspected as further progress could not be achieved due to inclement weather and because user agencies were not getting these regularised, Reddy said.

“We have already circulated the prescribed proforma supplied by the regional office of the Ministry of Environment and Forests to executive engineers. They have been asked to furnish the list of roads in which the violation has taken place so that the required data could be sent to the regional office for according the final approval,” said the CCF.

The CCF said there were 93 cases of diversion of forest land for the construction of roads, buildings, school hostel buildings and ayurveda hospitals. Out of these, 80 were still pending with the user agencies. In all these cases, the mandatory certificate of no claims under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, was yet to be submitted, he further said.

The CCF said he had already issued directions to field staff to compulsorily attend the gram sabha and facilitate the formation of forest rights committees, thereby paving the way for the settlement of rights and issuance of the no-objection certificate.

Shimla, January 6
In a minor reshuffle, the state government today shifted 15 administrative officers, including two IAS and 13 Himachal Administrative Service (HAS) officers and assigned additional charge to three other officers.

Priyanka Basu Ingty, under orders of transfer as CEO, BBNDA, Baddi, has been posted as Director, Information Technology, relieving Priyatu Mandal of the additional charge. Madan Chauhan, Deputy Commissioner, Solan, would hold the additional charge of the Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Development Authority (BBNDA).

Meera Mohanty, Director, Urban Development and Town and Country Planning, has been posted as Special Secretary (Revenue and Disaster Management), relieving Amandeep Garg of the additional charge. She would also hold the additional charge of the Special Secretary (PWD).

Ashwani Raj Shah, Assistant Commissioner to Divisional Commissioner, Kangra, has been posted as ADC (Development-cum-Project Director) (DRDA), Chamba, vice Sandeep Kumar, who replaced Mohanty as Director, Town and Country Planning, with additional charge of Director, Urban Development.

Bhuvneshwari Vohra, District Tourism Development Officer, Chamba, holding additional charge of Land Acquisition Officer, Chamera Project, Chamba, has been posted as Land Acquisition Officer, Chamera Project, while Manohar Lal, Assistant Settlement Officer, Arki, Solan, has been posted as Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil), Bangana, Una, relieving SDO (Civil), Una, of the additional charge.

Malok Singh, Deputy Secretary (Revenue) to the Government goes as Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil), Salooni-Dalhousie, relieving tehsildar, Dalhousie, of the additional charge while posting order of Sanjay Kumar Dhiman will be issued after completion of Settlement Training.

Ashok Chauhan, Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil), Dodra Kwar, Shimla district, has been posted as District Tourism Development Officer, Mandi, relieving RTO, Mandi, of the additional charge.

Des Raj on promotion has been posted as District Tourism Development Officer, Chamba, and Vikas Shukla has been promoted as Assistant Commissioner (LR) to Deputy Commissioner, Shimla.

Anupam Kumar, on promotion goes as Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil), Dodra Kwar, Shimla district, while Pyare Lal, has been promoted and posted as Assistant Settlement Officer, Arki, Solan district.

Narendra Kumar has been posted as Deputy Secretary (Revenue) to the Government on promotion, Naresh Kumar has been promoted as Secretary, Ex-Servicemen Corporation, Hamirpur, while Kewal Sharma, on promotion has been posted as Assistant Commissioner (LR) to Deputy Commissioner, Sirmaur at Nahan, Dr Sunil Kr Chaudhary, Settlement Officer, Shimla, has been given additional charge of Chief Executive Officer, HIMUDA, relieving Subhashish Panda of the additional charge.

Shimla, January 6
Seven officers of the rank of Conservator awaiting promotions have urged the government to grant them their due.

Though a final decision on the possible demotion of 25 Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers is hanging fire, the seven IFS officers have given a representation to the Principal Secretary (Forests) and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) to expedite the process. With a final decision on the impeding demotion of the 25 IFS officers, who got promotions during the BJP regime still awaited, those in line for promotion are getting restless.

In their representation to the government, the IFS officers currently holding the rank of Conservator, have pleaded that they are all eligible for their promotion for the past some time. They said they had completed more than 21 years of service whereas a minimum of 18 years service was mandatory for being promoted as the Chief Conservator.

They have also given the argument that a majority of their batch mates in other states like Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Sikkim and Tripura have been promoted as Chief Conservator Forest (CCF). Some of these IFS officers were due for promotion when 25 of their seniors were given promotions during the BJP tenure, which kept their promotions in abeyance.

The seven IFS officers had been hoping that once the controversy over the earlier promotions was resolved, they would automatically get their due. Though a meeting of the Screening Committee headed by the Chief Secretary was also held twice, no final decision had been taken so far. However, with the issue getting delayed for one or the other reason, they have finally decided to request the government to at least grant them their due.

It was in July-August 2012 that the BJP regime had given promotion to 25 IFS officers in two batches within a span of one month. This had taken the total number of Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) in the department to 32, an all time high for a small state like Himachal.

Some of the officers from the 1984 and 85 batch got two promotions within a span of less than one month. Though all these officers have completed the mandatory 25 years service, since there were not so many posts of APCCF, the move was termed as unjustified. The Screening Committee had asked the principal Secretary to take a final call on the possible demotions of some of the IFS officers. 

Hoshiarpur, January 6
Trouble for Doon MLA Ram Kumar Chaudhary, the prime accused in the Jyoti murder case, seems to be aggravating as the Hoshiarpur police today lodged an FIR against Ram Kumar, his wife and three others named by Buti Ram, the father of the victim.

SSP Narinder Bhargav said the action was taken following the Zero FIR by the Panchkula police and investigations were handed over to the district police after that. Buti Ram had turned hostile during the last hearing of his daughter’s murder case. He had submitted a complaint deposing before the Commissioner of Police, Panchkula, alleging that he was threatened at gunpoint by the MLA's men to state in the court that he did not know Chaudhary.

He had also complained of the MLA’s wife offering him Rs 21 lakh for it. After that the Panchkula police registered a Zero FIR under Sections 195-A (threatening a person to give false evidence), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. The matter was then handed over to the Hoshiarpur police to conduct investigations into the matter.

SSP Bhargav said Buti Ram had complained that he was threatened in his village, at Bhunga, Mohali, and a few other places in Punjab. A Panchkula police personnel, who was deployed to guard Buti Ram from Panchkula to his village, had also intimated the Bhunga police post about Buti Ram being threatened from the accused’s side.

In his complaint, Buti had said Chaudhary's wife come to Bhunga village in Hoshiarpur on December 22, a day before the hearing, and asked him to state in the court that he did not know Chaudhary. Besides the MLA's wife, Buti had named a fellow villager Laddoo, his wife and a Ludhiana resident, Rajender. In his complaint he had said again on the morning of December 23, when he was going to Panchkula, his car was forcibly stopped by four men in Mohali. They thrashed him and taking him at gunpoint asked him to turn hostile. He was then followed by those men to the court as well.

“We have adopted the Zero FIR lodged by the Panchkula police and an FIR has been registered against all the accused, including MLA Ram Kumar and his wife, who were named by Buti Ram,” the SSP said.

Una, January 6
Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur today made a surprise visit to the Una district hospital and reviewed the services being offered at the institution. He directed the medics to treat patients compassionately and took stock of services being offered at the hospital. He also sought opinion of specialists for the procurement of new machinery at the hospital.

The minister earlier deposed before the Una district court in connection with a defamation case filed by former Chairman of the Subordinate Services Selection Board (SSSB) SM Katwal. The latter had claimed that Kaul Singh had defamed him during a public meeting by saying that the SSSB had been a den of corruption during the BJP regime, when Katwal was its chairman.

The court ordered fresh date to the minister for his appearance. Later, the minister paid obeisance at the Mahadev temple in Kotla Kalan village near Una. 

Shimla, January 6
Peeved at allegations of money-laundering levelled by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh against him, former Chief Minister PK Dhumal today hit back demanding answers to 10 questions from the Chief Minister. He has written to the CM and sent copies to AICC chief Sonia Gandhi, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“Your reaction to my press conference is not just disappointing but also laughable,” he wrote in a three-page letter written to the Chief Minister. He accused the Chief Minister of mounting pressure on the officials who were investigating the matters pursued by the Congress regime.

“The money-laundering allegation that you have levelled against us is only a reflection of your own misdeeds. It is very evident that it is people like you who transported apples worth crore of rupees on scooters which are engaged in money-laundering,” he retorted.

Dhumal said the Chief Minister was getting statements issued in the name of ministers and MLAs, without their knowledge. “I had raised some straight questions which you have still not answered. So I again seek a clear-cut response so that the Congress high command also gets to know the factual position,” he said.

He raised questions about the purpose for seeking Rs 3.90 crore loan and the additional amounts that had been deposited in the accounts of his wife, Pratibha Singh and his son Vikramaditya. He sought answers to the amount being spent on purchasing shares in the unlisted Tarini Infrastructure. “When you had Rs 9.5 crore in your various bank accounts, what was the need to take a loan from a company which had defaulted?” he asked.

He said, “You mentioned that you needed money to pay your lawyers who were contesting your case, but the person who loaned you money says you wanted it to undertake the repair work of your palace.” He said the claims by your wife that Rs 60 lakh had been deposited in her account as she had sold her shares was untrue as the shares were still in her name.

He ended his letter by urging Virbhadra to introspect rather than accuse his political detractors. 

Dharamsala, January 6
Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Transport and Technical Education GS Bali has termed the BJP as “anti-women”.

While addressing a press conference here today, Bali said the present Congress government in the state had taken a revolutionary step by naming women as head of families in public distribution ration cards. However, BJP leaders were criticising the government move. “It seems BJP leaders are against the interests of women,” he said.

Bali also defended Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh against corruption allegations being levelled against him. He said the BJP should handover the proof against the Chief Minister to the Lokayukta in case they wanted a fare probe into the allegations. The Chief Minister had already challenged the BJP to submit documents against him to the Lokayukta.

Bali said in case the BJP was confident about its chargesheet against Congress ministers, it should also hand over the proofs to the Lokayukta against them.

When asked as to why the Congress did not hand over its own chargesheet against the BJP to the Lokayukta, Bali said they had enough proofs against BJP leaders and there was no need to go to the Lokayukta.

Solan, January 6
The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has issued a drug alert against three drugs manufactured by various pharmaceutical units of the state after their samples failed to meet the laid standards.

These drugs were among 14 other drugs listed in the monthly list of drug alert whose manufacture, sale and distribution have been put on hold.

These drugs include Ketzy Eye Drops manufactured by Zee Laboratories, Paonta Sahib, and its extractable volume was found to be less vis-à-vis laid standards. Its samples were drawn by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), New Delhi, while it was tested by the Central Drug laboratory, Kolkata.

Another drug Kineto Forte tablets manufactured by Biocon Limited, Baddi, has also been listed in the drug alert and its samples were drawn by the CDSCO, Sub-Zone, Goa. Its assay content was not found to be as per the laid specifications. The drug was tested by the Central Drug Laboratory, Kolkata.

Cefixime Trihydrate, a drug manufactured by Polo Pharmaceuticals, Baddi, lacked uniformity of dispersion and its samples were drawn by the CDSCO, Sub-Zone, Chandigarh, while the drug samples were tested by the Regional Drug Testing Laboratory, Chandigarh.

According to guidelines laid down by the CDSCO after issuance of a drug alert, its recall classification of the product/batch in question shall be done based on the risk assessment of the drug and it shall be the responsibility of the manufacturer and marketing company to inform up to retail level the reason of recall after issuance of a freeze stock notice.

Further, the distributor/marketing company/ retailer has been entrusted the responsibility to inform the stock position of product being recalled to his immediate supplier or manufacturer and also his area drugs inspector.

Drug Controller Navneet Marwaha said action, including cancellation of product approval and suspension of the licence, was taken depending on the level of negligence or substandard drug content detected in such cases.

He said since the drug inspectors concerned had directed the firms to withdraw batches of such substandard drugs from the market, further action like initiating prosecution would be taken if the irregularity was severe. “The monthly drug alerts have helped check further use of drugs found substandard in any state as this information is furnished every month and its compliance is duly noted,” he added. 

Shimla, January 6
The state government can introduce amendment to the Lokayukta Bill in the budget session of the Assembly likely to be held in February.

All-India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi has shot off letters to all state Congress chiefs to ensure that the necessary legislation is brought about before February 28, 2014. The letter has also been received by state Congress president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu.

"Even though Himachal was among the first few states who set up a Lokayukta way back in 1983, certain amendments are likely to be made after the enactment of the legislation in the Centre. “We are examining the legislation done by Parliament and whatever we feel needs to be incorporated into the HP Lokayukta Act will be added and the Bill be introduced in the House during the budget session,” said a senior bureaucrat.

Infact, it was during the BJP regime that the Lokayukta Bill was introduced in the Assembly on April 4, 2012. It was after making certain amendments to the HP Lokayukta Act that the Bill had been sent to the President for assent. However, the Bill was recalled as Chief Minister Virbahdra Singh wanted certain other amendments to make it more effective and strong. The Bill has been sent back and now it is likely to be re-drafted and introduced in the Assembly once again.

The HP Lokayukta Bill, which had been passed by the state Assembly, though in the absence of Opposition Congress legislators who had staged a walkout, had proposed many changes, including the powers to initiate an inquiry against the Chief Minister, ministers, chief parliamentary secretaries, MLAs, officers of the rank of secretary and above and heads of departments.

It had also been proposed to have two Up-Lokayuktas, besides the Lokayukta so that there could be benches of the body. The amendments would give far more powers and independence to the Lokayukta by having its own separate police station, prosecutor, court and prosecuting agency to expedite investigation in complaints received by it.

Shimla, January 6
The HP High Court today directed the state government to file a challan against accused persons in the matter of illegal recruitments/appointments made from December 1993 to February 1998 in various departments/boards/corporations/universities within four weeks.

The Division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Kuldip Singh passed these orders while hearing an application of SM Katwal, former chairman, HP Subordinate Services Selection Board.

He had alleged that despite registering FIR No. 1/2006 at the Vigilance police station, Shimla, on November 7, 2005, on the directions of the court, no investigation has been made in the illegal recruitments case and no progress was made in the case after the High Court stopped monitoring it after having disposed of the writ petition 7/2005 of SM Katwal in May 2008.

The compliance report in the case was filed before the court today, which was directed to be made a part of the file. As per the compliance report, the investigation into the case was completed in December last year.

After conducting an investigation into the matter with respect to 60 departments/boards/corporations/universities, charge- sheets have been prepared against six departments. Action had been recommended in case of six departments. Action cannot be recommended due to retirement/death of officials in cases of 12 departments.

Mandi, January 6
National convener of the Statue of Unity Programme OP Dhankad, accompanied by state convener Jai Ram Thakur, on Saturday started its soil and iron collection campaign in the state from Talhayar village in Mandi district. The programme is launched by the BJP to build a statue of the first Home Minister of Independent India Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel in Gujarat.

Addressing mediapersons here, Dhankad said the main objective of raising the statue was to glorify the role of Sardar Patel in taking up problems of farmers and unification of the country by uniting hundreds of smaller states into modern India after Independence.

He said they would be collecting iron and soil from every panchayat of the country and involve millions of people for building a memorial of Sardar Patel.

Solan, January 6
Poor maintenance of several alternate roads, which have been carved out to ease congestion on the main roads in the district, has not only reduced their utility, but also increased the wear and tear of vehicles.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is keenly pursuing the four-laning of the Kalka-Shimla National Highway (NH-22) from Parwanoo to Shimla, coming up with the plea of increased traffic, while the entire stretch already has alternate routes to channel traffic.

The Parwanoo area offers several such routes and traffic can be bifurcated to Jangeshu for motorists going to Kasauli instead of following NH-22 and a part of the traffic going to Shimla can be diverted through the lesser-used Bhojnagar-Kumarhatti road by maintaining it properly.

Poor upkeep of both the Jangeshu and Bhojnagar roads deters motorists from using these roads. Thus, NH-22 faces the maximum influx of traffic. The presence of a state highway besides the national highway at Kumarhatti leading to Solan can further bifurcate the traffic, thus considerably reducing the influx of traffic on the national highway.

Even commuters going to Baddi can use two roads from Dharampur, including NH-22 and the Band-Haripur road, but poor condition of this ill-maintained potholed road has kept commuters away.

With all alternate routes, including Bhojnagar-Kumarhatti, Jangeshu-Kasauli, Band-Haripur and Dharampur-Sanawar Road lacking proper upkeep and maintenance, NH-22 faces increased pressure of traffic.

This has put a question mark on the very purpose of carving out such roads by spending crores. Though such roads do provide connectivity to rural areas, lack of maintenance has deterred private bus operators from availing route permits for these.

The Public Works Department, which maintains these roads, has adopted a lackadaisical approach towards these roads while putting the end users to hardship.

Instead of four-laning NH-22, the use of these alternate routes can not only ease traffic but also their proper maintenance can reduce the wear and tear for vehicle users.

Mandi, January 6
Members of several Left organisations today held a protest demonstration here to highlight various issues concerning the common man.

Members of CITU, SFI, JMS, DYFI and Kisan Sabha marched through the bazaar raising slogans carrying placards. They also held a dharna before the DC office and also submitted a memorandum to the Mandi Deputy Commissioner.

District CITU secretary Bhupinder Singh said the organisations wanted a solution for issues such as monkey menace, improvement and upgradation of the cremation ground, withdrawal in the LPG refill price hike and local carriage charges for LPG refills, providing parking facilities in town and building a rehri market among other things.

They were also joined in by protesters under the banner of Four-Lane Affected Families, who demanded increase of width of the four-lane highway from Naulakha to Dador from 24 to 45 m or to construct a bypass. 

Bilaspur, January 6
Congress state general secretary Ram Lal Thakur has dared all BJP leaders, including PK Dhumal, Anurag Thakur and Arun Dhumal to come forward to explain their own position with regard to the charges they are currently facing in the state before asking any Congress leader, including Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, to resign on any grounds whatsoever.

Talking to mediapersons at the Circuit House in front of his supporters who had gathered there before a meeting of the Naina Deviji Mandal Congress Committee here on Saturday, Ram Lal also criticised former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar for asking Virbhadra Singh to resign on “moral grounds”. He said the senior leader should give this sermon first to his own party leaders instead of giving this unsolicited advice to a top Congress leader like Virbhadra Singh who has "now become Chief Minister of the state for a record sixth time by dint of his honesty, integrity, hard work and dedication to his people and the state".

He said Anurag Thakur had illegally turned the HPCA Society into a company with only nine persons, mostly from his family, including himself, as its owners. Why he did not enter this fact in his election income affidavit, though he himself had said the HPCA owned assets worth Rs 250 crore, he wondered.

He questioned with what morality Anurag was giving a representation to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) against MP Pratibha Singh and CM Virbhadra Singh, demanding action against them, knowing fully well that the CEC had no such powers to take any action against any MLA or MP in such matters.

Ram Lal said now, scared and confused, the Dhumals were raising a hue and cry because they knew that soon law would be catching up with them due to a number of inquiries.

Mandi, January 6
The Himachal Parivahan Majdoor Sangh has again revived its agitation against the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) management to fulfil its long-pending demands.

HRTC employees affiliated with the sangh are holding gate meetings throughout the state at bus stands and the HRTC head office in Shimla for the past few days.

The agitation, which was launched by a joint action committee (JAC) of the HRTC employees a few months back, has now been started again alone after a section of the employees parted ways with the JAC having difference of opinion on certain issues.

The main demands are the restoration of 48-hour duty roster for the field staff and stopping the policy of combining the overtime period with the next day working hours.

The union is also demanding converting the HRTC into state roadways and promoting conductors as inspectors and bus stand in charges.

Vice-president of the sangh Shankar Singh said, “We have started gate meetings and demonstrations throughout the state from January 2 and will continue our agitation and hold a large rally at Shimla on January 21.” 

Palampur, January 6
Ravinder Thakur, senior BJP leader and former IPH Minister, on Friday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh who was facing corruption charges and the CBI was investigating the matter. He said he had no moral right to continue in the office.

Addressing a press conference here, Ravinder said documentary evidence of money handed over by a power company to the Chief Minister and his MP wife Pratibha Singh had already gone public. Virbhadra Singh had failed to give any satisfactory explanation, so he should quit the office till the probe into the charges was completed, he added.

He said the way over Rs 5 crore was credited to the bank accounts of Virbhadra Singh and his wife, proved that Virbhadra and his family members had direct interest in the company of Vakamulla Chandrasekhar. It became doubtful again when Virbhadra had granted a special extension for the execution of Saikothi Power Project (Chamba).

He said the link of Virbhadra Singh with Vakamulla was established when the Chief Minister and his family members purchased 9.80 lakh shares of his company.

He said the power project was cancelled in November 2013 just before the Assembly session only when the media rocked the issue. He disclosed that in the state Assembly, Virbhadra Singh was answerless when the Opposition BJP raised the issue and demanded his reply.

Shimla, January 6
The skiers will kick up fresh powder in the Auli ski resort of Uttarakhand and the Gulmarg ski resort of Kashmir as Himachal Pradesh has again lost the opportunity to host the National Winter Games in the state.

As per sources, the Winter Games Federation of India (WGFI) has received no bid from the state as its ski resorts at Solang Nullah and Narkanda have no proper equipment.

As a result, the WGFI has decided to host the Junior National Championships at Auli ski resort from February 11-17 in Uttarakhand, while the Gulmarg ski resort will host the winter games for Senior National Championships. The date for which is yet to be finalised.

“We have received no bids for the National Winter Games from Himachal this time,” said Brig SS Patwal, president, WGFI. “The Auli ski resort has put in place proper ski ropeway and snow-beating machines, the prerequisites for skiing, and so is the case with Gulmarg,” he said.

“The winter games promote adventure sports among youngsters and bring in tourists in the lean winters, but it is a pity that none of our ski resorts have proper facilities,” said RS Negi, president, HP Winter Games Association.

Himachal could emerge as a ski hub in the country as it had natural ski slopes in Narkanda, Hattu, Churdhar, Chanshal in Shimla district, Solang and Rohtang in Manali, Lahaul-Spiti, Kalpa in Kinnaur.

The successive governments had not done anything to set up ski lifts, gondolas and snow-beating machines not even in the older ski resorts at Solang Nullah and Narkanda, said Roshan Thakur, secretary general, WGFI.

Former Chief Minister PK Dhumal had announced to set up a snow-beating machine at Solang by a private ropeway operator, but it remained a hollow announcement, rued skiers.

Admitting that Himachal ski resorts lack facilities, Principal Secretary, Youth Services and Sports, VC Pharka said, “We cannot bid for national winter games as we lack facilities in the state. We need snow-beating machines.”