CM celebrates Divali with lepers' families
SHIMLA, Nov 8 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, celebrated Divali yesterday with families of lepers near the bus stand here where he went in the morning and spent two hours.

Funds hold up rock garden
DALHOUSIE: To open up fresh tourist attractions in scenic but economically backward regions to provide a greater fillip to domestic tourism and to revitalise the economy of the local people, the Himachal Government has undertaken "Himachal’s first" project of developing a rock garden and a cafe at Devi Dehra near Dalhousie in Chamba district.

3 killed as truck falls into khud
MANALI, Nov 8 — Three persons were killed and an other three were seriously injured when a truck carrying six persons fell into a deep khud on the Shirar-Karal road, about 32 km from here, yesterday.

2 die in tractor mishap
SUNDERNAGAR, Nov 8 — Two persons were killed when a tractor skidded off the road on the night of November 6 at Beena village, about 4 km from here.

Australian survey team in HP
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, Nov 8 — A 10-member team of the Australian Agency for International Development is currently on a week-long tour of Himachal Pradesh for conducting a pre-feasibility survey to explore the possibility of launching a forestry project in the catchment area of the Sutlej.

The team, which includes Mr Alex Knox, Second Secretary and Mr Susan Koshy, Senior Programme Officer of the Australian High Commission and Mr I. Ross Brownhall of the International Development Services, comprises seven other forest scientists and experts who have been assigned the pre-feasibility survey to the Australian Government.

The team, which arrived here via Jalori Pass earlier, had interaction with Mr M.P. Singh, Conservator of Forests, Rampur, and the field officers of the circle besides meeting the beneficiaries of forests to assess the pressure on forests of Himachal Pradesh.

A conference was held in Mandi where team members shared their impressions and processed the findings analysing the potential and limitations of the Forest Development in the catchment area of the Sutlej.

The team is particularly taking stock of the impact of other international projects launched in the state. It left for Palampur in Kangra where the Rs 9 crore German aided Dhauladhar Project (1980-89) had produced commendable results. The Rs 120 crore World Bank-aided Social Forestry (Umbrella) project (1985-93) had also proved a blessing for the state as it turned several barren valleys lush green. Another Rs 37 crore World Bank project (Integrated Watershed Hills Kandi Project) also proved a big success. Another Indo-German Changar Project at Palampur is yielding good results in first phase.

The team will go to Shimla from Palampur for detailed deliberations with Chief Conservator of Forests (Projects) and representatives of various organisations connected with forests.

Transfers of HAS officers modified
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 8 — The Himachal Pradesh Government today transferred two IAS officers and made some modifications in the earlier transfers of HAS officers.

Mr Rajneesh, Assistant Commissioner, Salooni, Chamba district, has been appointed as SDO (Civil), Dehra.

Mr Subhasheesh Panda, AC (Development) Sujanpur, goes as SDO (Civil) Baijnath in Kangra district.

Among the HAS officers, the transfer of Mrs Poornima Chauhan as ADM, Bilaspur, has been cancelled and she has been appointed, Secretary, State Election Commission, in place of Mr Man Singh Verma, who has been appointed, Deputy Director, Transport.

Mr Dhruv Vashisht, who was earlier sent as Registrar of Agriculture University, Palampur, has now been appointed Registrar of Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, in place of Mr Rajinder Singh, who has again been appointed Managing Director of Himfed.

Mr Padam Singh Chauhan, MD, Himfed, goes as Additional Director, Secondary Education.

Mr Narendera Ashok, Land Acquisition Officer, Talwara, has been appointed Assistant Settlement Officer, Dharamsala.

Mr Sanjeev Rathore, who was earlier ordered to go as SDO ( Civil), Rajgarh, has now been appointed as Deputy Director, Tourism, Shimla.

Mr Kishori Lal Sharma, Deputy Director, Tourism, has been appointed as Land Acquisition Officer, PWD, Shimla, and also LAO, HPSEB.

Mr Sardari Lal Sharma, DC, Relief and Rehabilitation, Talwara, has been appointed ADM, Bilaspur.

Mr F.N. Nishpakshi, Assistant Settlement Officer, Kulu, will be DC, Relief and Rehabilitation, Talwara.

29 shops gutted in Solan
From Tribune Reporters

SOLAN, Nov 8 — At least 29 shops were gutted and about 39 families were rendered homeless in the Upper Bazaar area of the town when a rocket fire cracker ( hawai) fell in a cloth shop on Divali night.

According to official sources the loss was estimated to be about Rs 5 crore.

Over 125 firemen, Army, police and home guards jawans, aided by some youths waged on 11-hour-long battle with flames that had engulfed five multi-storeyed buildings in the congested Ganj Bazaar here. A total of 11 fire tenders from Shimla, Solan, Dagshai, Kasauli, Parwanoo and Baddi were pressed into service.

The fire was first noticed at about 10.45 p.m. and thick smoke could be seen billowing from the buildings well after 9 a.m. today.

The bazaar was littered with building material and water-soaked fire crackers which seemed to have been stored in some of the affected buildings in spite of a ban imposed by the District Magistrate.

Some traders alleged that incidents of looting took place as the fire ravaged. They were also sore at the dismal show put up by the local fire brigade. Mr Rakesh Mittal, a shopkeeper, whose shop was completely gutted alleged that almost all of the local firemen were drunk and were unable to join the hoses properly.

KULU: Three incidents of fire were reported on Divali night here. The tented shed of the Department of Telecommunications at Mohal was gutted and a loss of Rs 60,000 was reported.
In another incident at Sultanpur, a house was destroyed and loss of Rs 2 lakh was reported. The third fire was in a densely populated area akhara (Ramshila) where a cow shed was gutted.

Shimla: The Chief Minister Mr P.K Dhumal visited the fire site today and announced a grant of Rs 10,000 to the each affected family from his relief fund in addition to Rs 20 lakh being provided by the district.

Meanwhile, the Governor, Mrs V.S Rama Devi, has expressed sympathies with the fire victims.

Sundernagar (FOC):In another incident in the state a house was gutted at Surah Khud on Divali might. According to reports the six-room house was owned by Chet Ram. The exact cause of the fire was however, not known. The Tehsildar, Gohar, disbursed an amount of Rs 5000 to the victim. No FIR has been lodged so far.

Kumarhatti: Inspite of government's assurance to provide 24 hour electricity supply to the state the people here had to celebrate Divali in utter darkness because of disruption in the supply of electricity in the evening hours yesterday.

There was total darkness in Kuttiar valley for more than an hour as electricity supply was disrupted at about 6 p.m.

Lightning strikes IRB post: 1 killed
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, Nov 8 — An Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) constable Om Prakash, was killed when he was struck by lightning while another constable Mast Ram was injured seriously on Saturday when both of them were on duty on a check-point at Oyal in Churah sub-division of the district along the Jammu and Kashmir border.

Giving this information here yesterday, Mr R.M. Sharma, SP, Chamba said Om Prakash fell unconscious and Mast Ram were injured seriously when they were struck by lightning during heavy rain and snowfall in Chamba region yesterday. While Om Prakash died on way to Community Health Centre, Tissa, Mast was admitted to the hospital for medical treatment and was reportedly out of danger.

On receiving the information, senior police officers of the district rushed to the accident site.

He said the deceased belonged to Dharampur in Solan district and his body had been sent to his native village for cremation. The injured constable belonged to Mandi.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner of Chamba, Mr K. Sanjaymurthy, said he had sanctioned a relief of Rs 35,000 for the next of kin of the deceased.

CM celebrates Divali with lepers' families
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 8 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, celebrated Divali yesterday with families of lepers near the bus stand here where he went in the morning and spent two hours. He distributed sweets and crackers among them and listened to their problems.

The Chief Minister said that government was committed for their welfare and would ensure every possible assistance to enable them to live a decent life.

Later, Mr Dhumal went to the Bal Ashram, Tutikandi, where he spent some time with the inmates. He also distributed sweets and crackers to them and exchanged greetings with them.

A cultural programme was also organised on the occasion by the children of the ashram.

As many as 72 students are living in the ashram out of which 29 are Scheduled Castes, 16 Scheduled Tribes and 27 others.

Mr Narinder Bragta, Minister of State for Horticulture, accompanied the Chief Minister.

Various organisations made contributions towards the Chief Minister's Relief Fund on this occasion.

Funds hold up rock garden
From Balkrishan Prashar

DALHOUSIE: To open up fresh tourist attractions in scenic but economically backward regions to provide a greater fillip to domestic tourism and to revitalise the economy of the local people, the Himachal Government has undertaken "Himachal’s first" project of developing a rock garden and a cafe at Devi Dehra near Dalhousie in Chamba district.

But sadly, this ambitious project nowadays is starved of funds and work has been tied up because of paucity of funds.

Located below the Kalatop tourist resort on the Chamba-Pathankot highway, about 15 km from Dalhousie, Devi Dehra has been conceived as the first rock garden of its kind in Himachal Pradesh. The project was undertaken by the state government on May 14, 1997, at a national cost of Rs 30 lakh, but work on this project has been hanging fire for about two and a half years.

The incomplete structure of a cafe raised along the rock garden gives an ugly look to the tourists and passers-by, as a consequence, they return in a despondent mood.

The exposed rocks in the bed of burn (nala) will be suitably utilised to project the place as ‘a rockery’ to market the ambients of Dalhousie as a tourist destination.

The attraction of Devi Dehra are no less important. Set in a wooded valley, the Jalpa Mata temple at Devi Dehra makes the place all the more significant. "Devi" means the goddess and "Dehra" means the temple. Hence Devi Dehra stands for temple of the goddess.

The pleasant summer in the area is conducive to attracting tourists.

There has been a tendency to open hotels, restaurants and cafes in picturesque places like this, but the state government is laying more stress on the development of spots for tourists, trekkers and lovers of nature.

3 killed as truck falls into khud
From Our Correspondent

MANALI, Nov 8 — Three persons were killed and an other three were seriously injured when a truck carrying six persons fell into a deep khud on the Shirar-Karal road, about 32 km from here, yesterday.

According to police sources two of the deceased, Bihari Lal (driver), son of Mr Dhani Ram, and Chitra Singh, son of Kalu Ram, both residents of Faltu Nallah, were killed on the spot while Gulab Ram, son of Mr Bhagu Ram, a resident of Shirar village, died at the zonal hospital, Kulu.

The injured have been identified as Mr Paras Ram, son of Mulu, a resident of Shirar, Soni, son of the deceased, Chitra Singh, and Munish, son of Mr Sangat Ram, also a resident of Shirar. They have been admitted to the zonal hospital, Kulu. Hospital sources said they were out of danger.

Bodies of the deceased have been sent to the zonal hospital at Kulu for a post-mortem examination.

2 die in tractor mishap
From Our Correspondent

SUNDERNAGAR, Nov 8 — Two persons were killed when a tractor skidded off the road on the night of November 6 at Beena village, about 4 km from here.

According to the police, the deceased were identified as Chaman Lal and Bhup Singh of Beena village. The police has registered a case and has impounded the tractor.