Farmers resent low price for seed wheat
NURPUR, April 23 — Farmers of Jawali, Nurpur and Indora areas of Kangra district, who produce a large quantity of seed wheat, are sore over the state government's failure to enhance the support price of the seed.

Ayurvedic doctors resent HMOA stand
JAWALAMUKHI, April 23 — The All-India Indian Medicine Graduate Association has flayed the Himachal Medical Officers Association, for its opposition to the appointment of ayurvedic graduates in primary health centres by the Himachal Government.

HP transfers 10 forest service men
SHIMLA, April 23 — The Himachal Government today transferred 10 Indian Forest Service officers and three state forest service officers.

CM gives Rs 5 cr for hand pumps
SHIMLA, April 23 — The Himachal Government yesterday allocated Rs 5 crore out of the state calamity relief fund for the installation of hand pumps in areas hit by water scarcity.

Forest fire disrupts rail traffic
SHIMLA, April 23 — A big forest fire between Shogi and Tara Devi disrupted rail traffic on the Shimla-Kalka section this afternoon for more than three hours.

Three Himachal ADGPs shifted
SHIMLA, April 23 — In a top level reshuffle the Himachal Government today shifted Additional Directors General of police.

Dry spell causes forest fires
From Our Correspondent

UNA, April 23 — The lone fire brigade station at Rakkar 4 km from Una which caters to whole Una district had a tough time on Wednesday when several places in different parts of Una district reported incidents of fire.

Forest fires pose potential hazard in several parts of Una district especially in Kutlehar, Bharwai and Nakroh, Amlehar forest area during the past few days. Wednesday's forest fire spread to houses of Sohari Takoli and Basoli villagers and 11 houses were gutted and property worth more than Rs 10 lakh was destroyed. In Basoli village water supply was also irregular and people found it difficult to douse the fire before fire engine arrived.

In Gagret 38 km from Una two shops and goods worth lakhs of rupees was reduced to ashes. Mr Arvind Shukla, SDM, Una provided relief to fire victims of Sohari Takoli and Basoli villages while the Tehsildar Amb gave relief to fire victims of Gagret. Badehra village of Haroli subtehsil also witnessed a fire which gutted one house. In this area Baliwal forest is also on fire for the past two three days. Wheat crop was destroyed in fire in Dohar, Talmera Takka and Abhayapur villages in Una district in past three days.

According to information every year the Himachal Forest Department makes plans to prevent fire in forest and is said to have spent crores for digging trenches near village to prevent spread of forest fire to the residential areas. But forest fire breaks out year after year.

Mr D.P Sharma, Superintendent of Police said that he had directed all police stations of Una district to lodge FIRs of all fire incidents so as to probe whether fire incidents were accidental or man-made.

In most of the forests villagers said dry pine needles and dry grass to fire in order to get good grass during rainy season.

People of Una district demand that the Himachal Government should open fire stations at Amb sub-division and at Bangana so that forest fire was controlled and houses near forest saved from forest fire.

In previous government's is term fire victims used to get relief from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund but it is surprising that more than 50 houses have been gutted in Una district and no compensation had been received from the Chief Minister's Fund and Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal Chief Minister, had not visited a single place where fire had destroyed houses and household goods. As many as 15 houses were destroyed in a fire near Lathiani village last week. There too the Chief Minister did not pay a visit to console the fire victims who demand a visit of the Chief Minister.

NAHAN: Forest around Nahan town is under fire. More than12 incidents of big fire have been reported in Nahan tehsil only. It is learnt that many forests in Renuka, Shillai and Rajgarh tehsils are burning. More details regarding these fire incidents are awaited but eyewitnesses confirm major fire incidents which have caused heavy loss to the forest wealth.

As per reports forest officials are facing an uphill task in controlling the forest fires, says a forest officer, actively involved in controlling fire incidents. But around Nahan only Forest Department, Municipal Committee and Fire Brigade officials are engaged in fire fighting operation, the officer added.

As per forest experts increasing early fire incidents are mainly due to long dry spell. Although this year special precautionary measures were taken in the form of control burning and cleaning of fire lines on large scale by the Forest Department, but all these efforts are proving of no use due to intense drought conditions. Leaves of trees like Chir are falling prematurely and in heavy quantity, which is the major cause of fire. Experts feel that if dry spell continued in the northern region it would be very difficult to save the green cover of this hill state from fire despite best efforts.

HP forest cover far below
minimum norm
From Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 23 — Despite spending a whopping Rs 520 crore on the afforestation programme over the past 45 years, the forest cover in Himachal has not exceeded 22.5 per cent of the total geographical area, which was far below the minimum norm of 66 per cent laid down in the national forest policy.

Officially 6,53,764 hectares has been brought under forests over the period but the remote sensing satellite reveals that there has been hardly any increase in the green cover, thanks to the indifferent implementation of afforestation schemes and failure of the Forest Department to check illicit felling, encroachments and other forest offences. The report brought out by the Forest Survey of India indicates that the forest cover in Chamba and Kangra district decreased by 74 sq km between 1993 and 1997. The only district to record a substantial increase was Lahaul and Spiti where 64 sq km of additional area was brought under green cover overall, the forest cover increased by a meagre 19 sq km in the state.

The Forest Department had in recent years completely failed to control forest offences. In fact, officers of the department had been helping offenders by not taking prompt action, particularly in the cases of illicit felling and encroachment. Numerous cases have come to light where the Enforcement Department and the flying squad had seized illicit timber but the territorial staff concerned had not issued even the damage reports. In 98 cases pertaining to 10 forest divisions involving illicit felling of 3,099 conifer and broad-leaved trees during 1992-97 period, no damage reports were issued. In six cases, involving forest wealth worth Rs 9.43 lakh, the staff failed to take note of the offences until these were brought to notice by the public. The issuing of damage reports in these cases was delayed from 15 days to 27 months.

Laxity of the department could be gauged from the fact that in 15 divisions as many as 3,056 of the 52,328 offences became time-barred due to the failure the officers either to compound the cases or take them to court. The Comptroller and Auditor-General of India has taken serious note of the lapse which not only caused a loss of Rs 80.58 lakh to the government but also allowed offenders to go scot free.

There have been instances where cases of illicit felling have been compounded unauthorisedly. As per the instructions of the government, Divisional Forest Officers are not empowered to compound cases of illicit felling of more than one tree of higher class (IIA and above) and more than two trees of lower class (III and below) and these cases are to be registered with the police. However, in Nichar division two cases involving 357 trees were compounded during 1994-96.

The department had not been pursuing cases in the right earnest as evident from the fact that the number of pending cases in 19 divisions increased from 11,437 in 1991 to 17,979 in 1997. Consequently, compensation and value of produce, which worked out to Rs 816.88 lakh, could not be realised.

Intriguingly, instead to taking effective measures to check forest offences the government disbanded the middle-level and field-level committees set up in 1982 to keep a strict vigil on offences. The high-powered committee headed by the Chief Secretary has been generally reviewing only the cases pending with the Enforcement Department which was not enough to exercise strict control over forest offences.

Tibetans hold protest march
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, April 23 — Hundreds of Tibetans, including monks, nuns and school children, today held a procession and staged a dharna in support of the fast by the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) in Geneva.

The Tibetans, carrying placards and posters in support of their demands, raised anti-China slogans, during their 8-km trek from McLeodganj to Dharamsala. The TYC had resumed the hunger strike on April 5 it had temporarily halted last year.Those sitting on the hunger strike include the vice-president, Mr Karma Yeshi, secretary, Mr Pema Lhundop and a former political prisoner, Mr Tempa Tsering Reting.

The protesters were addressed by the organisational secretary, Dolma Choephel. Ms Dolma, said the TYC had been compelled to resume its hunger strike as no positive steps had been taken to resolve the Tibetan issue. The demands made by the TYC include, the adoption of a resolution by the 55th United Nations committee to censure China for the continued human rights violation in Tibet and the appointment of a Special Rapporteur on Tibet, to allow a delegation of the UN committee on the Rights of the Child to visit Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the eleventh Panchen Lama of Tibet. They are also demanding that China should receive a delegation of the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) to visit Tibet to investigate the human rights violation in Tibet.

Ms Dolma said there were reports of demonstrations from all over the world in support of the TYC hunger strike. She said the first formal communication from a government to the TYC came from Germany, on April 17. She informed that the wife of the late President of France, Mitterrand, visited the three hunger strikers outside the UN office in Geneva.

Kangra Congress faction-ridden
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, April 23 — Serving of a show-cause notice, by the All-India Congress Committee (AICC), on a former Minister, Mr Vijay Singh Mankotia, once again has brought to the fore, factionalism in the Kangra district Congress.

According to sources, last month the former Tourism Minister, Mr Mankotia, was issued a show-cause notice by the AICC general secretary, Mr R.K. Dhawan. It is learnt that it was at the behest of the PCC chief, Mr Sat Mahajan, that the notice had been issued. Mr Mankotia, on the basis of a few newspaper clippings, had been accused of trying to create parallel leadership along with a few other Congressmen, to harm the party.

A large number of Congressmen, in the district say that eversince Mr Mahajan, became the party president, he has been adopting path of collision, instead of taking everyone along. A senior Congress leader from Kangra, on condition of anonymity said that to get himself elected as the PCC chief, Mr Mahajan, once again was indulging in faction politics, which was harming the interest of the party.

There is also resentment among Congressmen over the changes, made by the PCC chief in the Congress set up in Kangra district. Political analysts said that all this was being done with an eye on the coming party elections, but at the same it had led to resentment as political lightweights were being given importance.

Congress leaders in the district accuse Mr Mahajan, of making a deliberate effort to sideline and ignore the Rajput leaders of the district.

Despite the highly caste-based politics in the Kangra area, Rajput leaders like Mr Vijai Singh Mankotia, Mr Kewal Singh Pathania, Mr Sujan Singh Pathania, all former ministers and Mr Vikram Katoch are being ignored. The Rajputs constitute a major chunk of electorate in Kangra district, and alienation of this community from the Congress during the Baijnath byelection was one of the major reasons for its defeat.

Political observers point out that a show-cause notice to Mr Vijai Mankotia, was an attempt to sideline and oust him from the party as he had been a bitter critic of Mr Mahajan and a local supporter of Mr Virbhadra Singh. "On the contrary Mr Mahajan, has failed to rejuvenate the party during his one year tenure as PCC chief, and the Congress lost the Baijnath byelection by a huge margin, under his leadership," points out a Congressman from Palampur.

The Congressmen in the district admit that the BJP has succeeded in weaning away the Rajputs, OBCs and the Scheduled Castes from the Congress. "No effort is being made by the party leadership to strengthen its base amongst the Brahmin community, after the demise of Mr Sant Ram, who was a senior leader and the PCC chief before his death," commented one of the youth leaders. The Congress men do not hesitate to admit that eversince the BJP government has been formed, the Congress has failed to play the role of an effective opposition, despite the PCC chief hailing from Kangra district.

Despite the threat of a mid-term poll looming large, the Congressmen are still busy in bickerings and squabbles, as nobody is bothered about strengthening the party.

Farmers resent low price for seed wheat
From Our Correspondent

NURPUR, April 23 — Farmers of Jawali, Nurpur and Indora areas of Kangra district, who produce a large quantity of seed wheat, are sore over the state government's failure to enhance the support price of the seed.

According to an information, about 60,000 to 70,000 quintal of seed wheat is consumed annually in the state. These foothill areas of Kangra district contribute about 15,000 quintal seed of the total demand. The Sidhartha belt of Jawali subdivision alone produces about 8,000 to 10,000 quintal of foundation and certified seed wheat.

It is important to mention here that the certified seed is that which was originally given by the government agencies to the seed growers of identified seed growing areas and procure the same from them. The foundation seed is that which the growers may sell in the open market or keep for their own use. The main grouse of the growers is the low support or procurement price of the seed. The government agencies procure the seed at the rate of Rs 685 per quintal, whereas the farmers are being provided the seed at the rate of Rs 1100 per quintal.

The growers complained that the BJP-HVC combine government in the state had not increased the existing support price declared by the previous Congress government. On the other hand, the seed growers had experienced a lot of hardship to get the seed and fertilisers during the time of sowing their crop.

The Himachal Pradesh Government depends upon Punjab, Haryana and Delhi to meet its requirement of seed. The seed growers of the district can make the state self-reliant to meet the state's demand, provided the government formulates a new strategy to boost seed production. The growers should be granted subsidy in farm inputs and loans on soft terms plus irrigation facilities in the seed-producing identified areas, on a priority basis.

The growers of Sidhartha belt had lost their hundred acres of land before the construction of Pong Dam. The dam water never touched this land. The growers have demanded from the state government to take up the issue with the Bhakhra Beas Management Board for restoring this land to them so that they can grow seed in an adequate quantity to meet the requirement of the state.

Ayurvedic doctors resent HMOA stand
From Our Correspondent

JAWALAMUKHI, April 23 — The All-India Indian Medicine Graduate Association (AIIMGA) has flayed the Himachal Medical Officers Association, (HMOA) for its opposition to the appointment of ayurvedic graduates in primary health centres by the Himachal Government.

Reacting to the reported remarks of Mr S.R. Chauhan of the HMOA, Dr Arun Chandan, general secretary, AIIMGA, said the practitioner of traditional medicine were being discriminated against by allopathic doctors. According to him, practitioners of the Indian System of medicine were dubbed as quacks by doctors, while both possessed equivalent academic qualifications.
Dr Chandan further revealed that ayurvedic doctors were taught integrated medicine which meant the combination of ayurvedic and allopathic systems. They were more suited to the health needs of the Indians.

He thanked the Himachal Government for aggressively encouraging the Indian system of medicine in the state.

He expressed surprise over the ignorance of the HMOA about the relevance of the Indian system of medicine in the primary health care. He cited the acknowledgements of the WHO to the role of traditional system of medicine in the primary health care.

HP transfers 10 forest service men
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 23 — The Himachal Government today transferred 10 Indian Forest Service officers and three state forest service officers.

Mr Prem Thaplial, Conservator of Forests, Nahan, has been posted as Conservator of Forests, Planning, Shimla, vice Mr S.B. Islam who takes his place.

Mr S.K. Sharma on his return from the Government of India, has been posted as Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Solan, vice Mr V.K. Banerji who goes as DFO, Kunihar, vice Mr Rajesh Ekka who takes over as DFO, Working Plan, Seraj, at Kulu. Ms Archana Sharma on return from the Government of India takes over as DFO, Working Plan, Solan, vice Mr Kehar Singh, DFO, who goes as DFO, Chamba.

Mr Hari Singh Dogra, DFO, Kulu, and Mr Rajiv Kumar, DFO, Una, swap places. Mr U.K. Sharma, DFO, Chamba, has been transferred as DFO, Training School, Sundernagar, vice Mr Anil Joshi, who goes on deputation to the Forest Corporation as Divisional Manager, Dhanotu.

Mr M.B. Srivastav, DFO, Jubbal, has been posted as DFO, Headquarters, in the Working Plan circle, Shimla. Mr R.K. Singh, DFO, Spiti, goes as DFO, Working Plan, Suket.

CM gives Rs 5 cr for hand pumps
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 23 — The Himachal Government yesterday allocated Rs 5 crore out of the state calamity relief fund for the installation of hand pumps in areas hit by water scarcity.

Stating this here, Mr P K Dhumal, Chief Minister, said he had directed Deputy Commissioners to accord top priority in allocation of resources for augmentation of water supply from funds at their disposal under various schemes.

He said it was imperative that tankers were deployed for distribution of water in scarcity villages. However, preference should be given to durable strategies for augmentation of water supply. Installation of hand pumps and proper upkeep of natural water sources could go a long way in mitigating the woes of the people.

He said a special drive would be launched for keeping the available water sources disinfected to prevent the outbreak of any water-borne disease.

Forest fire disrupts rail traffic
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 23 — A big forest fire between Shogi and Tara Devi disrupted rail traffic on the Shimla-Kalka section this afternoon for more than three hours.

The fire which started from a "ghasani" (dry pasture) atop the hill overlooking Shogi, soon engulfed the entire hill, including the rail line passing through the area.

Leaping flames made the movement of trains impossible forcing the authorities to suspend the traffic.

The Himalayan Queen which left Shimla at 11.00 a.m. remained stranded near Tara Devi up to 2.40 p.m. The fire was brought under control by the staff of Forest Department with the help of local people. A fire engine was also rushed from Boileau

Three Himachal ADGPs shifted
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 23 — In a top level reshuffle the Himachal Government today shifted Additional Directors General of police.

Mr P.S. Kumar, ADGP Enforcement, has been posted as Managing Director, State Minority Finance and Development Corporation. Mr V.K. Malik, ADGP (Prisons) and Mr I.N.S. Sandhu, ADGP (Vigilance) swap places.

Mr Malik will also hold the additional charge of ADGP (Enforcement).