The Tribune...Himachal

H I M A C H A L
P R A D E S H

Monday July 6, 1998

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A view of the Bhandal ravine in Chamba district.

Unexploited tourist valley
BHANDAL RAVINE (Chamba): Nestled in the majestic Pir Panjal ranges at an altitude of 2,250 metres in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, the Bhandal valley has until now been overlooked by the state government and its Department of Tourism...

Mass transfers hit staff, burden exchequer
PALAMPUR, July 5 — Large scale transfer of government employees in the Himachal has not only affected smooth functioning of various government department but also put huge financial burden on the state exchequer...

Prosecution decision goes unimplemented
DALHOUSIE, July 5 — Despite the Himachal Government's decision, prosecution of a top Bharatiya Janata Party leader and president, Municipal Council, Dalhousie, Mrs Renu Chadha, in an illicit tree felling scandal has not been started...
Safeguard national interests, Dhumal tells scribes
SHIMLA, July 5 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Himachal Chief Minister, said today that media persons should discharge their duty with a sense of commitment and involvement in the hour of national crisis...
HP to probe charge of favouritism
SHIMLA, July 5 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to order a high-level inquiry into alleged favour shown by the previous Congress regime to a Kala Amb-based katha factory by allotting 25 per cent of the total khair wood, the main raw material, extracted by the state Forest Corporation...
Budget pro-staff, say HP employees
BILASPUR, July 5 — The Himachal Pradesh State Employees Federation has hailed the concessions and facilities announced by the Chief Minister in the Budget proposals for employees, volunteer teachers, Home Guards, policemen, labourers and pensioners and has called it a "pro-staff budget"...
Imbibe habit of thrift: Dhumal
SHIMLA, July 5 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Himachal Chief Minister handed over the keys of a Maruti car to Mrs Resham Kaur, a resident of Dhalli, the winner of the first prize under Small Savings prize scheme started by the government to boost small savings. Speaking on the occasion Mr Dhumal stressed the need for, inculcating a habit of thrift...
Announce poll schedule: students
SHIMLA, July 5 — The district unit of the Students Federation of India has expressed concern over the failure of the Himachal Pradesh University to announce the schedule for successive examinations and elections to the students' central association...

Unexploited tourist valley
From Balkrishan Prashar
BHANDAL RAVINE (Chamba): What make the Bhandal ravine truly a tourist cynosure are the gorgeous glimpses of the enthralling natural beauty, captivating tourism, trekking and mountaineering. The travellers who ever have been to this seductive ravine enjoyed ecstatically the charms of this virgin valley.
Nestled in the majestic Pir Panjal ranges at an altitude of 2,250 metres in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, the Bhandal valley has until now been overlooked by the state government and its Department of Tourism. The secluded vale has remained unexplored and unexploited so far, though the valley is linked by a metalled busable road. It is about 85 km from Dalhousie hill station.
Thanks to the apathy of the Department of Tourism, the valley has not been popularised widely. There is no accommodation facility for the tourists, trekkers and mountaineers. The department has not even provided the guide map of the valley showing trekking routes. These are the obstacles in the inflow of tourist traffic to the Bhandal valley.
However, the local office of the department is conducting a survey to draw a viable plan for the exploitation of tourism potential of the valley.
Tucked in deodar, fur and spruce trees, the lofty mountains encircling the valley of Bhandal are full of wonderful natural panorama, including numerous meadows, glades and glens. Of these, the brilliant green pastures in the salubrious climate also allure visitors and tourists.
Those who find a rare occasion in their life to see the natural scenery of the Bhandal valley in its most glorious settings and to have its unforgettable enchanting view, aspire to visit the valley time and again.
The valley, which has so far remained in limbo, now needs to be popularised and developed for the promotion of tourism in this ravine.

Mass transfers hit staff, burden exchequer
From Our Correspondent
PALAMPUR, July 5 — Large scale transfer of government employees in the Himachal has not only affected smooth functioning of various government department but also put huge financial burden on the state exchequer. It is learnt that due to these transfers government has to pay crore of rupees to its employees by way of transfer allowance. Kangra district alone over 10 thousand employees have been affected by these transfers, including teachers, junior engineers and other clerical staff or class IV employees.
Enquiries reveal that most of the employees including class I officers have been shifted before the completion of their three-year tenure. It is also learnt that 95 per cent transfers were ordered at the behest of MLAs and Ministers. A fitter in the Irrigating and Public Health Department posted at Lambagaon has been shifted alongwith his post to Rohru since he was related to late Rana Man Chand who was minister in the Congress government. Likewise, Mr B.B. Kaushal, Superintendent Engineer in H.P. Public Works Department was shifted within six months of his posting here. Mr Kaushal was on the verge of retirement and only six months service was left. A number of Executive Engineer in PWD were shifted before the completion of their tenure to please the local BJP politicians.
The employees affected by the transfers said that their woes had become more with the change of the government in the state and feeling harassed by untimely transfers. In Palampur town number of newly posted employees have been moving from one school to another for the admission of their children.
Though Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has claimed repeatedly that his government would order minimum transfers of employees but his all announcements remained on files and government had been issuing transfer orders daily. The requests of number of employees who have been shifted before the completion of their three-year tenure, for the cancellation of transfers orders were rejected by the Chief Minister's office.
In Kangra district top brass of the administration has been shifted which include, the Superintendent of Police, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Additional District Magistrate and all eight Sub-Divisional Magistrates posted in sub division.
There are allegations that money is playing a major role in the transfers and adjustments of government employees in the state.

Prosecution decision goes unimplemented
From Balkrishan Prashar
DALHOUSIE, July 5 — Despite the Himachal Government's decision, prosecution of a top Bharatiya Janata Party leader and president, Municipal Council, Dalhousie, Mrs Renu Chadha, in an illicit tree felling scandal has not been started.
The Director, Urban Development, had vide letter dated January 16, 1998, directed the Deputy Commissioner of Chamba to initiate prosecution under Section 263 of the HP Municipal Act.
Mrs Renu Chadha was held guilty by two successive inquiries conducted by the Subdivisional Magistrate, Dalhousie, and the Conservator of Forests, Dharamsala, in which she was indicted for axing 80 green trees on the prime land in the heart of the town which was then sold to a private party which constructed a multi-storeyed hotel there.
The Act provides for three months' imprisonment and a fine of Rs 500 for illicit felling of a tree and the felling of each tree has to be taken as separate offence. Mrs Chadha could land in jail for two years if charges are proved in the court of law.
Mrs Chadha was a close confidante of Mrs Asha Kumari, former Primary Education Minister in the Virbhadra Cabinet and considered very influential during the Virbhadra regime.
The Congress government was forced to constitute a three-member expert committee following protests by local people and environmentalists despite heavy political pressure to close the case.
The scandal was exposed by the media, but efforts were made to hush it up by misrepresenting the facts.
The three-member committee headed by the SDM, Dalhousie, visited the site and confirmed the illicit felling of trees in its report submitted to the Deputy Commissioner.
On the request of Mrs Chadha, the state government again sent an expert committee headed by the Conservator of Forests, Dharamsala, to conduct a detailed investigation. This team too confirmed the illicit felling of trees in its report.
On the basis of the expert committee report, the Deputy Commissioner referred the case to the Dalhousie Municipal Council for taking appropriate action under the law.
Instead of following legal procedure, Mrs Chadha allegedly managed to get a resolution passed by the Municipal Council that no action was required in the case. But the state government suspended the resolution and decided to launch prosecution proceedings against Mrs Chadha.
Mrs Chadha joined the BJP prior to Vidhan Sabha elections and contested the elections unsuccessfully from the Banikhet constituency. The prosecution decision of the state government has not been implemented so far following political pressure.
When contacted over the telephone, Mrs Renu Chadha categorically stated that the case of illicit felling filed against her was false, baseless and fabricated. She clarified that everything was carried out by adopting the right procedure.

Safeguard national interests,
Dhumal tells scribes
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, July 5 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Himachal Chief Minister, said today that media persons should discharge their duty with a sense of commitment and involvement in the hour of national crisis.
Speaking at function to mark the 10th anniversary of Monal Times, a local weekly, here today, he lamented that a section of media failed on this account when the country carried out a series of nuclear tests at Pokhran. It sought to overplay the impact of sanctions on the economy of the country.
It was a sensitive matter concerning the security of the country and media was expected to safeguard the national interests. It was the USA which needed India to tap its vast consumer market. If the countrymen displayed a sense of patriotism and discard consumer goods, it would not require any these. The sanctions would prove counterproductive and hurt America more than India. The media should have highlighted this aspect and prepared the countrymen to neutralise the impact of sanctions.
He decried the tendency of some media persons and proprietors to misuse this powerful medium to achieve personal ends. Only those survived who adhered to ethics and principles of the profession. He said his government would welcome fair criticism and provide all possible help to encourage professional media persons.
On the rationalisation of rules for granting accreditation to journalists, Mr Dhumal said he would try to get the rules finalised by a committee of journalists.
Mr Dhumal also released a special issue of the weekly on the occasion.

HP to probe charge of favouritism
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, July 5 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to order a high-level inquiry into alleged favour shown by the previous Congress regime to a Kala Amb-based katha factory by allotting 25 per cent of the total khair wood, the main raw material, extracted by the state Forest Corporation.
Talking to newsmen here today, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, said that the government had taken the matter seriously as it involved the interests of farmers. Appropriate action would be taken on the basis of the inquiry report.
It may be recalled the previous government had allotted the 25 per cent quota without even completing the formality of taking the matter to the Cabinet. With this decision, 87.5 per cent of the total quantity extracted by the corporation was allotted to factories and only 12.5 per cent was left for open auction on the basis of which the market price to be paid to farmers was determined.
This policy had hurt the interests of farmers as they were getting only Rs 800 per tree in the state against the prevailing price of Rs 2,000 per tree in Punjab.

Budget pro-staff, say HP employees
From Our Correspondent
BILASPUR, July 5 — The Himachal Pradesh State Employees Federation has hailed the concessions and facilities announced by the Chief Minister in the Budget proposals for employees, volunteer teachers, Home Guards, policemen, labourers and pensioners and has called it a "pro-staff budget".
Addressing mediapersons here today along with top NGO leaders, the federation president, Mr Ram Singh, said the release of the dearness allowance instalment from January 1, 1998, and the financial doles for pensioners would go a long way in meeting their long-pending demands.
The leaders appreciated the provision of construction of 400 houses for employees during the current financial year.
The Himachal Pradesh State Beopar Mandal has also welcomed the reduction of sales tax on gur, shakkar and tea. Mandal president Hem Chand Sood said here today that there were at least 24 items on which sales tax was more in Himachal than in the neighbouring states. This deprived state of crores of rupees annually and the anomaly should be ended, he said.

Imbibe habit of thrift: Dhumal
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, July 5 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Himachal Chief Minister handed over the keys of a Maruti car to Mrs Resham Kaur, a resident of Dhalli, the winner of the first prize under Small Savings prize scheme started by the government to boost small savings.
Speaking on the occasion Mr Dhumal stressed the need for, inculcating a habit of thrift amongst the people which would give a boost to small savings collections on the one hand and ensure future security to those investing in the savings.
Mr P.S. Rana, Financial Commissioner (Finance) informed that Rs 64 crore had been collected under the Small Savings Prize scheme. He said as many as 465 prizes were awarded under this scheme including first prize of Maruti car, two second prizes of scooter and third prize of a colour TV set.
Mr Rana said that to motivate fruit growers and farmers to invest in small savings, another small savings scheme had been started in the state from July 1, 1998 which would continue up to December 31, 1998. He said that 1356 prizes amounting to Rs 15.45 lakh had been fixed under the scheme which included one Maruti car, scooters, power sprayers, colour TVs, CD, Music systems, refrigerators, semi auto washing machines, watches and two-in-ones.

Announce poll schedule: students
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, July 5 — The district unit of the Students Federation of India has expressed concern over the failure of the Himachal Pradesh University to announce the schedule for successive examinations and elections to the students' central association.
The federation, which met here today, pointed out that the decision to revert to the system of successive examinations was taken by the Executive Council at its last meeting but no follow-up action had been taken.
It alleged that the university authorities, in collusion with the state government, was trying to avoid the holding of elections to the students' central association and warned that it would launch a stir if the date for the poll was not announced immediately.