Preserve natural systems: VC
HAMIRPUR, Nov 24 — Dr R.P. Awasthy, Vice-Chancellor of Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, has stressed the need for preserving and restoring the integrity of natural systems — soil, water, air and the biological diversity that sustain both economic prosperity and life itself.

SC union: enact law on quota
SHIMLA, Nov 24 — The Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes Employees Welfare Union has urged the Centre to enact an all-India reservation legislation under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.

1 held for storing brown sugar
SOLAN, Nov 24 — Following a tip-off, a party of Barotiwala police, headed by ASI Chaman Lal, arrested a factory worker Teetu Singh, son of Mr Anant Singh, yesterday after a raid conducted at his house in the Baddi industrial area yielded 1.4 kg of brown sugar.

Jawan Ranjit Singh cremated
HAMIRPUR, Nov 24 — Mortal remains of Jawan Ranjit Singh (23) of Nablakh village in Hamirpur district were consigned to flames with full Army and civil honours at his village last evening. He was killed in a road accident, on November 17.

Gang of thieves busted, 3 held
PALAMPUR, Nov 24 — The local police has arrested three members of a gang involved in various thefts in the town. Stating this to newsmen here today, Mr S.R. Rana, Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the police had also recovered stolen goods from them.

• 2 leopard cubs found dead
• Smuggled garments seized

• Journalist dead

Officials can attend RSS functions: Chandel
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 24 — Mr Suresh Chandel, President of the state unit of the BJP, today defended government officers attending the functions of Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (RSS) and asserted that they were free to associate with any social organisation.

Addressing a press conference here he rejected the charge of Mr Virbhadra Singh, a former Chief Minister that the Dhumal Government was saffronising the administration and said the RSS was a social body and its "shakhas" were held in educational institutions even during the Congress rule. In fact Mr Virbhadra Singh himself presided over a RSS function at the local DAV School, when he was a member of Parliament.

He said the Congress Government had also been alloting land and accommodation to social organisations for setting up various institutions. He lamented that even the Sarswati Bal Vidya Sankalp Yozna, under which three rooms were being constructed in each primary school had been termed saffronisation of education. He said such baseless and politically motivated charge did not help any one's cause.

Referring to the party's plan to strengthen the organisational network at the grassroots Mr Chandel said the membership drive would be carried out as Sangthan Parv from January 12 23 and before that about 700 shakti kendras, one for every 10 polling stations, would be set up in the state. Well equipped party offices would be set up in all the districts by March 31. The new state party office, underconstruction here, would be inaugurated in February.

The party had also drawn up a programme to honour old workers, who had been associated with it, since the times of Jan Sangh.

The party would raise Rs 5 lakh to help the Orissa cyclone victims. Each legislator would contribute one month's salary and workers would collect Rs 10,000 from each Assembly segment.

He said the state executive of the party which met here yesterday pledged to make Himachal Pradesh an "energy state" of the country by expeditiously exploiting vast hydel power potential.

It hailed the decision of the Centre to raise the ratio of hydel and thermal power generation, which had dwindled to 25: 75, to 40: 60. This would go a long way in speedy execution of hydel projects as requisite funds would now be available for the purpose.

It complimented the state government for assigning the 1000 MW Karsham Wangtoo project to a private company for execution. The privatisation of hydel power generation was initiated by the BJP Government in 1990 when it handed over the Baspa project to Jaiprakash Industries It had further intensified the process after assuming power 18 months ago.

Forest scandal exposed
From Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 24 — Certain forest contractors in connivance with officials of the state Forest Corporation are using the forest lots of private sale to cover up and carry out illicit fellings in the Thachi range of Mandi circle.

The corporation allotted six lots to four contractors for felling in 1992-93 and the following year. However, the entire converted timber has not reached the depot of the corporation till date. As per the economics worked out by the corporation, the lots, comprising deodar, kail and fir were to yield 17,281 scants. However, over the past six years only 12,539 scants have actually reached the depot. There has been thus a shotfall of 4,742 scants, worth over Rs 50 lakh. The maximum number of 3414 scants were short in the three lots allotted to Shiv Dayal, Lokendra Pal (824 scants), Khem Singh (421 scants) and Raj Kumar (83 scants).

Intriguingly, the corporation has been all this while showing in records that the timber was lying on roadsides. However, the scandal was detected when the Pradhan of Khalwan Panchayat sent a complaint to the flying squad of the Forest Department that illicit felling was being carried out in the area.

The officials found out that the corporation had allowed the felling and transportation of timber, which was to be completed in a year to prolong for six years. Moreover, there was no timber stacked on the roadsides as maintained in the records of the corporation.

Sources in the department reveal, the contractors and officials had worked out a novel way to carry out illicit felling. The corporation had been inflating the yield from such lots while working out the economics of the lot. The timber from trees felled unauthorisedly or allotted to rightholders under the timber distribution (TD) rules was being adjusted against the shortfall as in private sale lots the corporation only got the felling charges and the proceeds from the sale went to the agents of the three owners. The four contractors allotted the felling work also happen to be the agents of the three owners.

The decision to give powers to the divisional managers of the corporation to issue export permit for transporting the extracted timber has become suspect. To check such malpractices the power to issue such permits should be given only to the officers of the Forest Department and not to the corporation which has performing the role of a contractor.

At Haripurdhar in Sirmaur district the government lost over Rs 3 crore in a private sale lot. The contractor was paid extraction charges, but the converted timber did not reach the government.

Another way to check corruption and illict felling in private sale lots was to discontinue the system of working the lots on the basis of economics which provides much scope for malpractices. The corporation should instead pay reasonable royalty to landlords for trees on the basis of their market value.

Preserve natural systems: VC
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Nov 24 — Dr R.P. Awasthy, Vice-Chancellor of Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, has stressed the need for preserving and restoring the integrity of natural systems — soil, water, air and the biological diversity that sustain both economic prosperity and life itself.

Delivering the keynote address at the valedictory session of the two-day national-level seminar on "Environmental hazards and sustainable development" at the local Regional Engineering College last night, he said that economic growth, environmental developmental protection and social equity should be interdependent, mutually reinforcing national goals and policies to achieve these should be integrated.

The mad race among nations all over the world for development had jeopardised the health of man himself. The craze for progress in industry and agriculture had resulted in unlimited exploitation of natural resources. Similarly, the unfavourable conditions created by man had threatened his survival and that of other living organisms.

Dr Awasthy said air, water and ground pollution constituted a growing threat to human environment, primarily due to insufficient awareness and lack of will to make extra effort to care for basic elements that sustained life on earth. The growth of industrial activities with scant attention to environmental safeguards had led to ambient air pollution in metropolitan cities.

In India, out of the total cultivated land of 304 million ha, as much as 175 ha suffered from environmental degradation. He said that Ludhiana distrtict of Punjab, which recorded some of India’s highest yields, now also recorded higher deficiency of plant micronutrients in the soil, the consequences already evident in tampering of productivity.

The green cover of the country was shrinking at an alarming rate and out of India’s 329 million ha geographical area, 75 million ha (23 per cent) was under green cover at the time of independence. However, recent reports indicated that it had come down to 52.24 million ha. He said that the annual shortage of fuelwood was expected to increase to 125 mt.

He said that the National Forest Policy recommended that 32.3 per cent of land should be under forests. However, the forests had been under increasing assault since Independence and land under good forests had shrunk from 46.4 million ha in 1972-75 to 35.87 million ha in 1980-82.

Excessive use of insecticides and pesticides also led to environmental hazards. Though India had made spectacular progress on the food front as the production of cereals had gone up ten-fold and the per capita capability had become double in the past 40 years. The increase was mainly due to high-yielding varieties and use of inputs like fertilisers and pesticides.

He said that in Himachal Pradesh, 1157 samples of fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, honey, milk and milk products were found contaminated and 51 of them exceeded the safe limits, as per tests conducted by the university. This level was however, much lower than what was seen in the rest of India. The main pesticide contaminants were fungicides used for control of apple scab. He said that it was heartening to note that the levels of pesticide residues had started coming down because the hard pesticides had been banned for use in agriculture.

Earlier, Mrs Anuradha Thakur, Deputy Commissioner, who is also the acting Principal of the college, stressed the need for timely efforts by the scientists and the environmentalists to find out ways and means to save the environment from further pollution. She said that the discussions in the seminar would go a long way in this decision.

HP faces financial crunch
From Our Correspondent

PALAMPUR, Nov 24 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has been facing a financial crisis resulting in the suspension of all development activities in the state. In a recent notification the state government has advised all treasuries in the state not to pass the bills except pertaining to salaries of employees, electricity and water charges. In the past two days the treasuries have returned the pending bills to respective departments expressing their inability to clear the same following the direction of the state Finance Department.

The state Public Works Department which is the major agency for the development is the worst hit since the State Bank of India has also refused all government cheques issued after November 6 in the absence of funds. An official of the bank told this correspondent that the bank was receiving dozens of government cheques daily. Since there were no funds therefore the same were refused.

Meanwhile, official sources stated that the crisis in the state would continue for some more time till the state gets a financial package from the centre. The recent visit of the Chief Minister Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, to New Delhi had not yielded any result. The Union Government had expressed its inability to oblige the Chief Minister time and again.

The Finance Minister Mr Yashwant Sinha, advised the Chief Minister to generate its own financial resources and impose a drastic cut on the unwanted expenditure of the government.

The state may reportedly go for another instalment loans of Rs 300 crore from private financial agencies to tide over the present financial crises. In the present circumstances the state government will not be able to release the salaries of its employees for November if no financial assistance is received from the Union Government.

SC union: enact law on quota
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 24 — The Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes Employees Welfare Union has urged the Centre to enact an all-India reservation legislation under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.

In a statement here yesterday, Dr O.S. Bhatia, President of the union, said various government departments had not implemented in letter and spirit the reservation provided to various categories for jobs under Article 16 of the Constitution. As a result of this, over 35 lakh reserved posts were lying vacant in the country. The reserved categories had even been denied promotion on one pretext or the other, he alleged.

He said by enacting a law under the Ninth Schedule, the judiciary would not be able to intervene in the matter.

1 held for storing brown sugar
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, Nov 24 — Following a tip-off, a party of Barotiwala police, headed by ASI Chaman Lal, arrested a factory worker Teetu Singh, son of Mr Anant Singh, yesterday after a raid conducted at his house in the Baddi industrial area yielded 1.4 kg of brown sugar.

The Superintendent of Police, Mr Rakesh Aggarwal, said the seized narcotic was valued at about Rs 60,000 in the market. A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act has been registered against Teetu Singh who originally hails from Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh.

Jawan Ranjit Singh cremated
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Nov 24 — Mortal remains of Jawan Ranjit Singh (23) of Nablakh village in Hamirpur district were consigned to flames with full Army and civil honours at his village last evening. He was killed in a road accident, on November 17. The pyre was lit by his elder brother.

The Education Minister, Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman and the Deputy Commissioner were present at his cremation.

Mr Dhiman said the local school would be named after him.

Gang of thieves busted, 3 held
From Our Correspondent

PALAMPUR, Nov 24 — The local police has arrested three members of a gang involved in various thefts in the town. Stating this to newsmen here today, Mr S.R. Rana, Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the police had also recovered stolen goods from them. He said the gang was active in the town for the past few months and had been committing thefts in and around the town.

Mr Rana said preliminary investigations revealed that there were more than eight members in the gang who were involved in stealing scooter tyres and spare parts, colour television sets and television cable equipment.

A case under Section 411, IPC, has been registered against them.

2 leopard cubs found dead
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Nov 24 — Two leopard cubs were found dead at Dhalot village of Hamirpur district last night. Both became victims to stray dogs roaming in and around the village, according to villagers.

Bodies of both cubs one male and the other female, have been brought here for postmortem, according to an official spokesman.

Meanwhile, the Department of Forests was inquiring into the cause of the death of the cubs.

Smuggled garments seized
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 24 — In a haul of smuggled woollen garments, excise officials seized goods worth about Rs 25 lakh which were brought from Ludhiana here today.

The garments were brought without paying taxes.

The ETO, Mr R.N. Rathore, said sales tax amounting to about Rs 6.25 lakh was payable on the garments which were dumped in a religious place in Middle Bazar.

Mr Ashok Khanna, president of the Beopar Mandal, has demanded stringent action against those involved in the smuggling of garments which was affecting the local trade.

Journalist dead
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 24 — Mr R.R. Pal, Editor of the Himachal Darpan, a local weekly, died of cardiac arrest, here today.

He was 65. He is survived by his wife and a daughter. Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, Leader of the Congress Legislative Party, and several other leaders have expressed sorrow over his demise and conveyed their sympathies to the bereaved family.