Shimla, July 21
Moderate rain occurred at some parts of Himachal as monsoon remained subdued here today and the day temperature also rose by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius.

However, Director of local Met office, Manmohan Singh, said: “Heavy rainfall will occur at isolated places in mid and lower hills from July 23, while moderate to heavy rain is expected over the next 48 hours. The monsoon rain deficit has come down to 28 per cent and will be further reduced after more rain in the coming days.”

Shimla and its surrounding areas that were lashed by heavy showers this afternoon received 8 mm rain, while Tinder received 21 mm rain, followed by Jubbal and Renuka 20 mm each, Karsog and Rajgarh 18 mm, Khadrala 17 mm, Kotkhai 15 mm, Sunnibajji 14 mm, Sarahan 12 mm, Arki 10 mm, Palampur and Rohru 8 mm.

The day temperature rose by two to three notches and Una recorded a maximum of 36.2°C, while Sundernagar and Bhuntar recorded a high of 33.5°C followed by Dharamsala 28.6°C, Nahan 28.3°C, Manali 25°C, Shimla 23°C and Kalpa 17.8°C.

The minimum temperature remained close to normal, but key tourist resort in Manali was colder than tribal areas with a low of 12°C, while Keylong and Kalpa in tribal areas recorded a minimum temperature of 12.4°C and 13°C. Nahan recorded a low of 17°C, which was 4.7°C below normal, while Shimla and Solan recorded the minimum temperatures at 15.9°C and 18.8°C, followed by Dharamsala 19.2°C, Palampur 19.7°C, Bhuntar 20.3°C, Sundernagar 22°C and Una 22.7°C.

The periodical rain has brought cheer to farmers as it is beneficial for paddy, maize and apple crops. 

Shimla, July 21
Former state Horticulture Minister Narinder Bragta today met Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh along with MP Anurag Thakur, Virender Kashyap, Ram Swaroop Sharma and Vimla Kashyap and appraised him about the horticulture-related issues in the state.

The delegation submitted a memorandum to the minister raising issue of Parala market yard and sought funding for the timely completion of the yard.

He said the state government had no interest in the project and decreased the budget to Rs 12.76 crore.

It was proposed to complete in three steps and nearly 100 bigha of land had been arranged for it.

Bragta sought Rs100 crore grant from the Centre for the Parala market yard, besides demanded assistance for the horticultural activities across the state. 

Chamba, July 21
The HRTC has introduced a superfast bus service from Chamba to Chandigarh, said an official spokesperson of the HRTC here today.

The spokesperson said the new route of Chamba to Chandigarh superfast bus had been plied via Jot-Chowari-Nurpur-Jassur-Talwara-Una.

The bus starts at 3.50 am and will reach Chandigarh at 12 30 pm, he said, adding that the return journey of the bus starts at 12.45 pm the same day.

Dharamsala, July 21
While there has been a worldwide concern regarding the drastic reduction in the population of white-backed vultures (gypes bengalenis), the population of this endangered species in growing in Kangra district.

A study conducted by Devender Singh Dadwal, conservator, Wildlife, and Nodal Officer, Vulture Conservation and Breeding Programme, Himachal Pradesh, has revealed that the population of white-backed vultures in Kangra district has grown from about 64 in 2005 to about 586 in 2014.

The study conducted by Dadwal in Kangra district has recorded 293 nests of white-backed vultures. He has maintained that even if by minimum estimates two birds are associated with each nest, then the population of the species was at least 586 in Kangra district.

The study has also revealed that white-backed vultures are breeding in 35 colonies on old straight pine trees growing on the mild slopes of the Shivalik hills. Old dried trees are also important as these birds are using these for roosting and surveillance. Such breeding sites are under threat due to timber exploitation and resin tapping. It is observed that sometimes the young ones remain unattended during nights as their parents remain out for one reason or the other. The nests are made with needles and branches of pine trees.

In Kangra, white-backed vultures are breeding in colonies of about three to 30 nests per colony. The birds are breeding in the branched mother trees of old cheer pine trees and, therefore, such trees need special care to protect the existing habitat. Each breeding area generally varies from 5 hectare to 20 hectare. Big flocks of birds are common in different parts of Kangra district. Birds in flocks up to 175 have been recorded around dumping sites where locals are involved to skin the caracas of local or stray animals, the study reveals.

The rise in population of white-backed vultures in Kangra district was healthy sign for the survival of species, Dadwal has maintained in his study.

Dramatic decline of two species gypes bengalenis and gypes tenuirostric was first noticed in Nepal in mid-1990s. The rate of decline was estimated at 90-95 per cent. In Bangladesh, the population of gypes bengalenis is threatened and gyps indicus was also very rare.

The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) that is connected with the protection of white-backed vulture species has recorded that in 1980 there were 15 to 17 vultures per sq km in India. However, after the 90s, the use of diclofenac in veterinary treatment caused a drastic fall in the population of white-backed vulture species in India, Pakistan and Nepal. After the study, the use of diclofenac in veterinary treatment has been banned.

The government was supporting various conservation programmes to save the population of white-backed vultures as artificial breeding programmes. However, the thriving population of the endangered scavenger bird species in Kangra district also needs protection for the survival of white-backed vultures in wild.

Shimla, July 21
The state BJP today accused the Congress government of finding new ways to put “Himachal on sale” by making amendments to Section 118 of the HP Tenancy and Land Reform Act to benefit industrialists.

BJP spokesperson Ganesh Dutta said agriculturists and residents of Himachal had been made second citizens by the Congress who was in the process of amending the section for the seventh time. He said it was surprising that Revenue Minister Kaul Singh was silent over the issue while the other Congress ministers were frequently talking about the amendment to Section 118.

He said the BJP wanted to know the objective behind amendment and what benefit would it give to the Himachalis who are compelled to run from pillar to post to buy four biswa of land in their own state.

Una, July 21
Industries minister Mukesh Agnihotri yesterday laid the foundation stone of a tourist information-cum-facility centre at Kangar village in Haroli segment. The centre will be constructed at a cost of Rs 64 lakh.

The site for the centre, the first of its kind in a rural setup in the district, is near a small pond, which was recently rejuvenated by the Swan River Integrated Watershed Management Project at a cost of about Rs 15 lakh.

Speaking on the occasion, Agnihotri said the centre would be known to serve authentic local cuisine. “Local foods like sarson ka saag, makki ki roti and kadhi would be available here in traditional utensils and served by people in customary dresses”, he said.

“The idea was to introduce the visitors to our culture, food and lifestyle”, he added.

The centre would come up on the Tahliwal-Ghaluwal road, which has easy access to people commuting to Hoshiarpur, Una, Garhshankar and Ludhiana. It would have a restaurant, tourist information centre and public conveniences, besides parking space.

The minister said a nearby local village pond, which had recently been given a facelift, would be an added attraction for the tourists.

The water body had been rejuvenated and a 10-foot-wide periphery had been paved around it with inter-locking tiles.

A number of water birds had already made the pond their home and very soon fish would be introduced here, he said.

Kullu, July 21
The body of Chandermohan (20) of Rampur was recovered near Parvati Bagh en route the Shrikhand Yatra in Anni subdivision of Kullu district today. The police said the brother of the deceased had reported yesterday that Chandermohan had fallen into a ditch, but he could not be traced due to bad weather.

Kullu SP Surender Verma said a large number of police personnel and mountaineering teams were deployed to assist the pilgrims and despite orders of the administration to halt the yatra until weather cleared, many pilgrims continued their journey.

He said over 2,500 pilgrims had been rescued in the past two days and moved to safer locations at the base camps at Singhgar, Thachru and Bheemdwar, having hyperbaric chambers, where adequate supply of oxygen and air pressure is maintained for treating breathing disorders at the high altitudes.

The incessant rain and snowfall at many places had dropped the temperature and the yatra had been halted by the district administration, to avoid any mishap, while five persons, including two women, had lost their life. Sources said the yatra might be restored after about two days, if permitted by the weather.

Shimla, July 21
Former Chief Minister PK Dhumal has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to develop an alternate route to Kailash Mansarovar through Kinnaur.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Dhumal said in the present route, the distance from New Delhi to the Lipulekh pass, which connects the Kamaon region of Uttarakhand with Taklakot (Purang) in Tibet, is 865 km and the terrain is risky, while the alternate route through Kinnaur in Himachal is short and more secure.

He said the alternate route would be a boon for pilgrims as there was 25 km vehicular road from Nangiya to Chappan after which the pilgrims could take the pedestrian route of 4.5 km till Shipkila. The Chinese had constructed a road from Shipkila to Mansarovar which measured 91 km. It would take 4 hours to reach Shipkila from Pooh in Kinnaur which is about 625 km from Delhi.

Dhumal said as the Chief Minister of Himachal in 2009, he had taken up the matter with the then foreign minister, in 2012 again, he took up the matter with the tourism minister. The alternate route would also give boost to economic activity in the region, especially tourism, he added.

Dharamsala, July 21
Medical camps in various specialities will mark the birthday celebrations of Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Transport and Technical Education GS Bali. Addressing a press conference here today, Bali said the Nagrota Welfare Society would organise a free medical camp during the two-day Bal Mela to celebrate his birthday on July 26 and 27.

Bali’s birthday falls on July 27.

Bali said senior doctors from top medical institutes, including AIIMS, Fortis Hospital, BL Kapoor Hospital, Delhi, and the PGI, Chandigarh, would organise free medical check-up camps for people of the area.

Bali said diabetes specialist, child specialist, top paediatrician, gastroenterologist from AIIMS would arrive for the camp, while a specialist from the Cardiology and Herpetology Departments of the PGI, Chandigarh, would also attend the camp.

He said Fortis Hospital would organise a separate camp in which bone density test and echocardiography test would be conducted free of cost.

The minister said neurologists and ENT specialist would also provide medical advice to the public.

He said a smart cane developed by IIT-Delhi would also be distributed to visually impaired persons. The smart cane works on ultrasonic waves and alerts the visually impaired person about the obstacle on the path up to knee height.

The Nagrota Welfare Society will also distribute free medicine. Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes will be inaugurating the camp. A blood donation camp will also be organised.

Shimla, July 21
Three major power projects of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), including the 1,478.73 mw Bhakra dam, 990 mw Dehar power house, 396 mw Pong Dam and NHPC’s 520 mw Parbati-III, suffered generation loss in peak generation period, while private power projects in the state, including the 1,500 mw NJPC Project ran on more than their installed capacity period today.

Sources said the 990 mw Dehar power house was shut down from midnight for more than 12.30 hours on the plea of silt discharge and rise in the Sutlej level and due to “some trouble in its three units between midnight and 12.30 pm”.

It resumed production at 140 mw at 12.30 pm today. The BBMB-run power projects continue to trouble Punjab government as all of its three major hydropower projects located in the Beas and the Sutlej rivers gave short shrift to the power board.

The ageing turbines of 990 mw Dehar power house were shut in the midnight and resumed production at 140 mw at 12.30 pm, but its production averaged around just 262 mw, which is almost three-and-a-half time less than its installed capacity, revealed insiders.

The power generation of the BBMB-run Bhakra today averaged around 933 mw, which is less than its installed capacity of 1478.75 mw. The project reached its peak generation of about 1,044 mw between 5.30 am and 8.15am and the rest of time it hovered around 887 mw, revealed sources in the Power Department.

The Pong Dam also suffered generation losses as its production hovered around 120 and 360 mw. It averaged its production at 188.75 mw today, which turned out to be less than its installed capacity of 396 mw, revealed sources.

NHPC’s 520 mw Parbati-III, which has commissioned its two units, ran less than its capacity. Its production averaged around 130 mw today. But NHPC’s three projects, including the 540 mw Chamera-1, 300 mw Chamera-II and 231 mw Chamera III, in the Ravi basin ran on peak generation, averaging their production on 534 mw, 300 mw and 229 mw, respectively, revealed their power production schedule today.

But private projects ran on their peak power production today. The 192 mw Allain-Duhangan averaged its production at 220.39 mw today, which is more than its installed capacity.

The same was true for 1,000 mw JP’s Karcham-Wangtoo project, whose average generation ran at 1,187.92 mw today, which was 15 per cent more than its installed capacity, revealed sources.

The 1,500 mw NJPC Project averaged its production at 1,604 mw, more than its installed capacity as the silt discharge in the Sutlej lowered to the permissible level, revealed NJPC engineers.

On the other hand, HPSEBL-run power projects also ran on peak capacity today, power engineers said.

“The 60-mw Giri project, located on the rain-fed Giri river was operated in shifts due to the increase in silt discharge in the river,” said SS Verma, chief engineer, HPSEBL generation. 

Una, July 21
Dovetailing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) scheme with ecology, the Una Forest Department has raised a nursery of various forest plant species. Around 10 men and women daily wagers have raised 1.3 lakh saplings at the Ghandawal nursery of the Forest Department.

“The process of filling polybags with soil, planting seeds, watering and weeding began about three months ago and the saplings are now ready for plantation,” said Divisional Forest Officer RK Dogra.

One of the MNREGA beneficiaries, Neelam Kumari from Batuhi village said working in the nursery was different from working on construction sites.

“Earlier, I used to cut plants for fodder and fuel. But, the days spent at the nursery have changed my mindset,” said Sansar Chand, another daily wager from Ghandawal village.

Dogra said the MNREGA shelf had provided a budget of Rs 7 lakh for the nursery.

“Under the One-Child, One-Tree scheme of the Judiciary Department, every child from Classes VIII to XII will plant a sapling in a cluster within a 1-km radius of the school and the trees will be named after each child,” he said.

Mandi, July 21
The power generation in the Dehar Power Project, Slappar, was stopped on Sunday to flush out silt from the Pandoh dam by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) authorities.

For flushing out silt from the dam, the water release from the Pandoh dam reservoir to diversion tunnel was stopped on Sunday and all five spill gates of the dam were opened to release water in the Beas. This had resulted in heavy discharge in the Beas, leading to increase in the water level from Pandoh to Mandi by several feet.

The flushing out of silt from the Pandoh dam is undertaken invariably every year during monsoon to clear the dam as the huge amount of silt gets deposited. As per information, the dam had been getting about 1500 cusecs water daily for the past few days due to heavy rain in the catchment area.

The flushing out of silt is important as it affects power generation.

BBMB engineers, stationed at the Pandoh dam, had sought the permission from the Dehar Power Project to stop water from the Pandoh dam through Baggi tunnel to the Sundernagar reservoir, from where water is released for power generation at the Dehar power house.

Before releasing water, the BBMB authorities had also issued an alert and also made an announcement through loud speakers, warning people not to venture near the Beas during this period.

The flushing work continued till this morning and water release had started at 8.30 am after which power generation was resumed at the Dehar power project.

Superintending Engineer, BBMB, Sundernagar, ML Gupta, said, “The flushing out of silt from the Pandoh dam was started on Sunday and continued today and water release to the Dehar power project was resumed this morning.” 

Dalhousie, July 21
The NHPC’s Chamera Power Station-I has set up an excellent record of providing 5,339.91 million units (MUs) of free power to the government of Himachal Pradesh as its 12 per cent share of the total power production since its commissioning in 1994.

Disclosing this to mediapersons here today, Pradeep Johar, general manager, Chamera Power Station-I, said the monetary value of this free power share was estimated at Rs 806 crore so far, during a period of 20 years.

Detailing other landmark achievements, he said 700 persons, of families who had been affected due to the project construction, had been provided permanent employment in the project.

Also, around 283 persons were earning their livelihood through the project indirectly, he informed.

Approximately 132 km road, which includes 61 km Dhaar-Goli road, 20 km Bagdhar-Khairi road, 19 km Khairi-Dam-Taleru road, 11 km Odu-Goli road, 10 Banikhet-Bagdhar road and other link roads, had been constructed by the project administration. Even today, the maintenance of these roads was also being looked after by the NHPC, Johar stated.

He added that through the implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Development (CSR&CD) scheme, the Chamera Power Station-I was also associated with various development activities being undertaken from time to time for the wellbeing of the people, especially the poor and the needy residing in the environs of the project.

Palampur, July 21
Seema Sood, a 43-year-old post graduate engineer (gold medallist) from Birla Institute of Information and Technology (BITS), Pilani, Rajasthan, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has sought permission for mercy killing. She said she was fed up of her life.

In the letter, she has written that she has been confined to a room for the past 21 years. She is totally bed-ridden as all her joints are affected with rheumatoid arthritis. Her knees, hips, shoulders and elbows are almost dead; her wrist, fingers and toes have no movement.

In 2008, Seema had sought permission from the then President of India Pratibha Singh Patil to die, stating that her life had become miserable because of her illness. She no more wanted to be a burden on her aged mother, she had said.

The Tribune had carried the news in these columns prominently and later the state government and other NGOs came to her rescue and provided financial help.

Seema, a resident of Tika Aima village, on the outskirts of this town, belongs to a poor family. In 2008, when she appealed for mercy killing, the then state government shifted her to Chandigarh for treatment. She said after the surgery her condition deteriorated further. Though her hips and knees were replaced, it resulted in shrinking of her muscles, causing severe pains. The multiple surgeries weakened her muscles while the pain continued to disable her more. Therefore she was not willing to live.

There was no hope of recovery in the future, so she had requested the Prime Minister to allow her to die as she could not face the trauma, pains and torture anymore.

Seema said she was not even in a position to jump into a river or before a speeding train. “My father died in the year 2000 and my mother is over 80 years of age. How long can she look after me?”, She said, with tears in her eyes.

Seema is grateful to the BITS Pilani Alumni Association for extending her regular financial assistance, which is the only source of her income.

She added that the Supreme Court had taken serious note of mercy killing petitions and sent notices to all states calling for their versions so that a final decision could be taken. Seema wants mercy killing to be allowed in India, like in other countries of the world.

Panchkula, July 21
In another twist to the Jyoti murder case, a defence witness corroborated Doon MLA Ram Kumar Chaudhary’s statement, stating that driver Satpal handled MLA’s phone calls and on the night of murder, Satpal had said he was busy. Four witnesses deposed before the court today.

The Doon MLA in his statement to the court stated that it was his driver Satpal who handled all his calls and he might be known to Jyoti. He also said on the night of the murder, that is November 21, 2012, Satpal was away to Panchkula with his mobile phone. The prosecution through the mobile location of Chaudhary had proved that it was Chaudhary who was here on the murder spot and killed Jyoti with his aides.

A witness, Majid Khan, who worked at Luxmi Brick-kiln that belonged to MLA in 2010-11, said he knew Satpal. “Khan said he had tea with him on the evening of November 21, 2012, and a dinner was planned with Satpal at his place. However, he waited a lot and when Satpal was called at 12.30 am, he said he was busy,” said defence counsel Amandeep Bindra.

Meanwhile, another defence witness Jaswinder Singh, who is a property dealer, said he mediated a deal between the MLA and vendor Bagga Ram. “On November 21, 2012, a sale deed was executed at the office of sub-registrar at Nalagarh and as the vendor was suffering from blood cancer, he was dropped at Baddi by Satpal. Thereafter, Jaswinder dropped Ram at his residence in his vehicle,” added the counsel.

Kullu July 21
Varinder Thakur, Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Kullu and Chairman, Sub-divisional Legal Services Committee, Kullu, presided over a legal literacy camp at Mandalgarh panchayat of Dobhi village, 16 km from here, yesterday.

He said legal clinics equipped with para-legal volunteers would be opened at all panchayats A para-legal retainer would also be available on Tuesdays at these clinics, he added.

He said free legal aid was available to SCs, STs, and people belonging to other weaker sections of society, such as women, juveniles and differently abled. Also, front offices had been opened at all district courts to provide free legal aid to the applicants.

He said: “An applicant can apply through simple application and by providing the requisite category certificate.”

Advocate Mahender Singh Thakur spoke about the Motor Vehicle Act. Advocate Gobind Thakur spoke about the Domestic Violence Act and Consumer Protection Act. Mandalgarh panchayat president, vice-president and members were present on the occasion.— OC

Shimla/Shakti, July 21
The Unesco’s World Heritage Committee (WHC) has agreed not to take three villages, including Shakti, Maror and Shugaar, out from the 905-sq-km Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) area.

Not only this, it has also agreed to make villagers as stakeholders in the management of the park, which availed the prestigious inscription of the Unesco’s world heritage site recently.

State’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests RK Gupta and Chief Wildlife Warden Dr Lalit Mohan, who had led the team to Doha, said: “No village will be taken out from the GHNP as the WHC has agreed to the demand pleaded before it by the Indian team at Doha meeting held from June 15 to 25.”

Those living in and round the park area and in its eco-zone would continue to enjoy their traditional forest rights, including visits to pilgrimage centres located inside the park, Gupta assured.

“The WHC has agreed that locals have been facilitating conservation down centuries protecting GHNP’s natural wealth,” he said.

But over 2,408 families around the GHNP still take this assurance with a pinch of salt.

Ranjiv Bharti, president, Friends of Tirthan, an NGO, said: “The state government has settled the rights of 311 families on the basis of Anderson Report of 1864 and GHNP has no blueprint to promote ecotourism making them real stakeholders in its management not just as porters for foreign NGOs and the funding agencies.”

The villagers had raised their grouse because the GHNP had included the 61 sq km Tirthan wildlife sanctuary and the 90-sq-km Sainj wildlife sanctuary in the park for inscription without settling their traditional rights.

Naval Thakur, an 88-year-old freedom fighter, said: “They still fear that the GHNP inscription will curtail their rights in the park, as it will be protected under the Wildlife Protection Act.”

Naval Thakur cited the RTI information obtained from GHNP authorities in June, saying: “The GHNP has weeded out records from 1989 to 1994-95 on budgets and park authorities have failed to give meaningful employment to villagers over the years. Just 39 villagers have been employed as casual labourers in the park so far.”

He said no records of protection of forest rights were available with the park authorities.

GHNP PIO had told him that the park was notified in 1999 and the award was declared by the settlement officer in May 1999, which he said was a peanut and clearly shows how villagers’ rights were treated.

“We demanded settlement for our rights as most of the 2,408 families are still poor. The funds meant for development are cornered by fake NGOs operating from outside,” rued Jaisi Ram, Gur of the Bhramrishi devta of Shakti and Maror.

On this Gupta said there would be no disturbance of anybody and the district collector, Kullu, would conduct a public hearing and announce the award in this regard.

Shimla, July 21
Taking a U-turn on opening private universities in the state during the previous BJP regime, the Congress government has decided to reduce the endowment fund for opening new private universities from Rs 5 crore to Rs 3 crore and to further bring it down to Rs 1 crore for private universities in tribal areas.

The endowment fund is deposited at the time of applying for opening a private university to weed out “non-serious and non-professional” promoters and check rat race for opening new universities.

Since 17 private universities have already come up in the small hilly state these are finding it difficult to sustain. Moreover, the decision of the government to further relax norms has raised many eyebrows.

Deputy Mayor Tikender Singh Panwar said: “The Congress party, while in Opposition, had made the opening of private universities and permission granted to these universities to purchase large chunks of land in relaxation to Section 118 of the HP Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, a major issue in the Assembly polls. But now, it is completely towing the line of its previous BJP government.”

The government has not taken any initiative to fix norms for ascertaining land requirement for the upcoming private universities and also not taken any action against the universities which have purchased huge chunks of lands and did not utilise the entire land.

As per the terms and conditions, utilisation certificate has to be given for grant of permission to purchase land by non-agriculturist, giving the details of land used for the purpose for which the land was bought and the excess non-utilised land would vest with the government, free from all incumbencies.

The precious land of the state was being given for private universities, which are catering mainly to outsiders as under the Private Universities Act, only 25 per cent seats would be reserved for bona fide Himachalis.

The total number of students in private universities was about 12,000 and most of the universities were not able to fill even sanctioned seats, while the number of students in government colleges at some places was 7,000 to 8,000.

“The government’s decision to relax norms is a clear indication that it has no intention to rein in private universities and is keen on opening more private universities which will affect the quality of education and run contrary to the professed stand of the government to make Himachal an educational hub,” feel academicians.

Former Himachal Chief Minister PK Dhumal has criticised the government for reducing the endowment fund and dubbed the decision as opportunistic.

“The Congress party has been vehemently criticising the BJP government for allowing opening of private universities, but now it has turned a volte-face and is aggressively promoting private universities for reason best known to it,” he said.

Nurpur, July 21
The agitation of the local unit of Akhil Bharatiya Vidhayarthi Parishad (ABVP), which had started a relay fast on July 17 on the premises of Arya Government College here, intensified today by launching a signature drive to press for its demands. The party today put a sign board on the campus and displayed its demand charter on it. Over 300 students put signatures on it.

Pitamber Thakur, president of the ABVP unit, said the agitation would further be intensified if the college administration and the state government failed to fulfill their demands. The ABVP had also given an ultimatum to the college administration to boycott classes if its demands were not met till Saturday, he said.

Pitamber pointed out that the ABVP was demanding filling of vacant posts of lecturers in various departments, posting of permanent security guards at the college gate, keeping a check on outsiders visiting the campus, procuring more books for the library and making proper arrangement of water and sanitation on the college campus.

Meanwhile, the relay fast entered the fifth day today. Manjit Singh, a student of BA final year and former president of the ABVP unit, sat for the relay fast today. 

Solan, July 21
With no bank having been authorised in the industrial town of Parwanoo to sell stamp papers nor any notary being available to legally validate documents, investors are a harried lot as they have to go to Solan for this purpose.

The oldest industrialist area of the state, Parwanoo houses hundreds of industrial units. It is yet to cater to the small needs of the industry such as the availability of stamp papers, especially of lower denominations.

Since transactions of land and property is a routine process in any industrial area, investors have to visit Solan, a distance of about 45 km, to meet their needs. Though some nationalised banks have been authorised by the government to sell stamp papers in other towns, no such facility is available in the town to facilitate people.

The Parwanoo Industries Association (PIA) has apprised the state government of this problem, but to no avail.

Rakesh Bansal, a senior member of the PIA, said one had to waste the entire day in getting a demand letter in favour of a bank selling stamp papers and then visit Solan for it. The process involved undue wastage of time and it delayed the already cumbersome procedures involved in buying and selling property. Though a majority of the nationalised banks had their branches in the town, none had been authorised to sell stamp papers.

The problem is compounded by the fact that there is no notary in the town and no affidavit can be attested here and no stamp papers procured. Investors also face a shortage of lower denomination stamp papers and buy higher denomination stamp papers to meet their needs.

The association has presented the case before revenue officials in Shimla. Despite the Deputy Secretary’s (Revenue) assurance of doing the needful by directing the district administration to look into the matter, nothing has been done in this regard.

Shimla, July 21
To tackle climate change and restore monkeys and wildlife to the wilds, the state government is implementing a Rs 310-crore afforestation project that aims at growing broad-leafed trees and oak species in Kangra and Chamba districts.

The project will be implemented in collaboration with the German Government and will last six years.

Apart from this, the Centre has increased the mid-Himalayan watershed project grant to Rs 600 crore from Rs 365 crore, which will benefit 710 gram panchayats in 10 districts. It has increased its tenure from 2013 to 2016.

At a press conference yesterday, Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri said the project aimed at reversing the changes in climate in the state. “We will plant oak and broad-leafed trees, not chir trees, under this project”, he added.

On the monkey and wildlife menace, Bharmori claimed the government had asked the Centre to lift the ban on the export of monkeys. Secondly, their number had decreased as 83,000 monkeys had been sterilised at seven centres. The two more centres would be set up and monkeys and wildlife would be retained in the wilds as the department was planning that fruit-bearing and oaks and broad-leaved trees would be planted in the forests, he added.

The government had increased compensation for loss caused by wildlife. As many as 775 villages had been taken out from the wild life sanctuaries, he added.

Bharmouri said farmers could cut and sell Japanese shahtoot trees as the restriction had been lifted. The range officer could give permission for the same.

Himachal Pradesh was the country’s first state which had included payment for environment services in state gross domestic product, he claimed.

The fund for Swan channalistaion project had been increased to Rs 214 crore from Rs 160 crore and the term had been extended till 2016, he added.

The minister said Rs 4 crore had been earmarked for the upkeep of the 256 forest rest houses and 179 inspection huts.

Talking about the de-weeding of lantana bushes, he said the department had removed lantana from 5,000 hectares and had targeted to remove the weed from 10,000 hectares in the current year. This had benefited about 50,000 shepherds in the area.

RK Gupta, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, said the German Technique Institute had allocated Rs 25 crore for training of the forest staff and the local community to facilitate participation in the management of forests. The project would last for three years and encourage stakes in the forests as the department was planting trees to conserve the water sources in the state.

Dalhousie, July 21
After a bid to steal the idol of Goddess Bhadrakali and other valuables from the famous Bhalei Mata Temple of Chamba district, the Bhalei Mata Temple Management Committee has decided to deploy two security guards at the shrine.

This decision was taken in a meeting of the management committee, held on the temple complex, under the chairpersonship of Kamal Thakur, today.

Later, Kamal Thakur told mediapersons that the guards were former servicemen who had earlier served in the paramilitary forces of the country. They had started performing their duties with immediate effect.

In the meeting, it was also decided to add two more CCTV cameras to the already set up six cameras at different locations on the premises of the temple.

Kamal said sirens would also be installed so that alert could be sounded in the event of any emergency.

He said the idol of Bhadrakali Bhalei Mata was 485 years old and visited by over six lakh devotees and pilgrims round the year.

Solan, July 21
Sirmaur DC Vikas Labroo has directed the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) land acquisition officer to ensure that the compensation given in the Renuka Dam Project is handed over to the actual landowners and not to those who had obtained the power of attorney.

Issuing directions to the tehsildars of the Dadahu, Sangrah and Pacchad areas, where the land was slated to be acquired for the project, the DC directed them not to register any GPAs in the names of people who did not own the land. He said any violation would invite action.

Several such cases had come to light where middlemen, who had obtained GPA from landowners, had grabbed the compensation given by HPPCL and the state government had taken a strict note of such cases.

Even cases of landowners being forced to sell their land at lower costs had come to light. The DC said directions had also been issued to the revenue officials to cancel such GPAs where the middlemen had duped innocent landowners to sell their land for a song.

The Rs 3,600-crore project, which will help meet the water requirement of Delhi, has been hanging fire for the past over two decades. As many as 337 families will be affected by the project. 

Chamba, July 21
One person was killed on the spot and another injured when their Alto car veered off the road and rolled down the hillside near Luhna in Bhattiyat subdivision of the district last evening. The occupants of the vehicle were residents of the surrounding area.

SP DK Chaudhary said here today that the deceased had been identified as Udham. The body of the deceased had been handed over to his kin after carrying out an autopsy, he said.

Akush had been rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment, the SP said. A case of rash and negligent driving had been registered at the Chowari police station.

Chamba, July 21
The police have seized charas weighing 1,750 gm from the possession of three persons during traffic checking at two different points for the past 24 hours, Superintendent of Police (SP) DK Chaudhary said here today.

The SP said three accused, identified as Jagdish Chander, Daya Ram and Vinod Kumar, had been arrested and their vehicle impounded.

The separate cases under Section 20 of the NDPS Act had been registered at the police stations of Chowari and Tissa in the district, the SP said adding that further investigation in these cases was underway— OC