Sukh Ram welcomes Shanta's induction
SUNDER NAGAR, Oct 15 — Mr Sukh Ram, president and founder of the Himachal Pradesh Congress said here yesterday that the Lok Sabha poll had shown that no party could come to power without the support of the HVC in Himachal.

Gen Kala takes over as ARTRAC chief
SHIMLA, Oct 15 — Lt-Gen H.B. Kala took over as GOC-in-C of the Army Training Command here today.

Least-cared dept
PALAMPUR: The Public Relations Department, is the least-cared department of the state.

Engg college without Principal
HAMIRPUR, Oct 15 — The state's lone Regional Engineering College is in need of a regular Principal to run its affairs. Presently, Mr Kamlesh Kumar Pant, Deputy Commissioner, has assumed the additional charge.

HPU develops mycorrhizal technology
SHIMLA, Oct 15 — Himachal Pradesh University has developed mycorrhizal technology for faster growth of pines and other conifers. With the help of this technology the problems faced in raising of nurseries and establishment of seedlings in the field are minimised.

Environment studies to be part of syllabi
SOLAN, Oct 15 — Education Minister, I.D. Dhiman said here today that environment studies would be included in school curriculum from the next academic session.

• Mechanic killed

HIPA turns hi-tech
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 15 — The H.P. Institute of Public Administration (HIPA) has turned hi-tech with the installation of an ultra-modern communication centre.

According to Mr S.S. Chandel, director of HIPA, the institute has became a premier information technology (IT) centre in the state.

The Government of Himachal Pradesh has already taken the initiative to set up an independent Department of Information and Technology. HIPA as a result of this government policy has decided to augment the Centre with state-of-art technology infrastructure with an investment of nearly Rs 1 crore mostly funded by the Government of India.

With the installation of the new hardware, including VSAT, the institute has joined the electronic democracy of globe-spanning networks. Local area network (LAN) has been created at the complex of the institute. The trainees can now glean much of information from the documents widely available on Worldwide Web to achieve greater performance. A separate audio-video production centre has been set up which will provide CD-Rom data base, digital filming and video-recordings on various training-related subjects. A number of software like Windows-95, Windows-98, Windows-NT, ACO unit, MS-office-2000, Authorware, Oracle, Foxpro, Autocad, SPSS, Lotus-123, have been made available.

An information technology club has also been set up for in-house trainees and an exclusive library has also been established.

Besides the Officers' Training Institute of Public Administration, the complex also houses the State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD). The new IT system will primarily focus on conducting rural development programmes and undertaking action-oriented researches on various problems of rural development to prepare case studies through the system of CD-Rom. The institute will also serve as a centre to provide consultancy services and disseminate information regarding the rural development administration in the field. Since the state government is likely to provide a computer network facility and connectivity to all 72 development blocks in the state, the augmentation of IT at HIPA will supplement rural needs in a big way.

HIPA is situated near Mashobra.

Sukh Ram welcomes Shanta's induction
From Our Correspondent

SUNDER NAGAR, Oct 15 — Mr Sukh Ram, president and founder of the Himachal Pradesh Congress said here yesterday that the Lok Sabha poll had shown that no party could come to power without the support of the HVC in Himachal.

Talking to newspersons here, he welcomed the induction of Mr Shanta Kumar into the Union Cabinet as he was the first Himachali to hold the portfolio. He further said it would speed up the pace of development in Himachal and the Centre would fulfil hill state long-pending demand for getting its due share in the hydroelectric projects.

Asked whether he was putting pressure on the government to induct his son into the Cabinet, he said he had never put pressure on the government and his support to the BJP was unconditional.

Plan to reshuffle HP Cabinet?
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 15 — Is the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, planning to reshuffle his 18-month-old ministry?

Reports in this regard have not yet been denied by the Chief Minister and it is learnt that an exercise is being done in this direction.

He may have to perform a balancing act while reshuffling the ministry as Mr Shanta Kumar has also become another centre of power in the state after being inducted into the Union Cabinet.

There is likelihood of an expansion of the 21 member ministry and the promotion of some Ministers of State.

Mr Dhumal may also utilise the opportunity to induct one or two loyalists of Mr Shanta Kumar into his Cabinet. He had recently said he was closely watching the performance of his ministers.

There were reports that Mr Narendera Bragta, Minister of State for Horticulture, might be made a Cabinet minister to reward him for the work he did during the recent Lok Sabha elections, particularly in the apple growing areas of Shimla district where the Congress suffered major reverse for the first time.

There has also been resentment among the BJP rank and file against important portfolios having been allocated to the ministers belonging to the Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC). Mr Mohinder Singh of the HVC is having the portfolios of PWD and Excise and Taxation. There is likelihood of the Excise and Taxation portfolio being taken away from him. The portfolio of PWD, which was earlier held by Mr Sukh Ram, was given to Mr Mohinder Singh when the former resigned after the court blamed charges against him in a case.

The names of Mr Rakesh Pathania and Mrs Sarveen Chaudhary are being mentioned as probables for induction.

Initially, there were indications that the reshuffle might take place in a day or two, but sources said the exercise was postponed for the time being as the Chief Minister might consult senior BJP and HVC leaders on the issue.

Mr Dhumal had a meeting today with the Transport Minister, Mr Kishen Kapoor, who is considered to be a Shanta Kumar loyalist. Later, Mr Kapoor left for Kangra.

Mr Kapoor was among the three ministers who had recently expressed annoyance over the style of functioning of certain ministers close to Mr Dhumal.

Gen Kala takes over as ARTRAC chief
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 15 — Lt-Gen H.B. Kala took over as GOC-in-C of the Army Training Command (ARTRAC) here today.

Lt-Gen Kala is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and was commissioned in 6th Battalion the Jat Regiment in 1960. He is presently also holding the prestigious appointment of Colonel of the Jat Regiment.

A decorated soldier, he was awarded the Shaurya Chakra for gallantry in 1961 during his tenure in J. and K, Ati Vishist Seva Medal in 1994 and Param Vishist Seva Medal in 1997 for his long and distinguished service.

The general officer, during his long and illustrious career, has held various staff and command appointments both in the country and abroad. A graduate of the National Defence College, he has attended courses of instruction abroad. Prior to taking over the command of Artrac he was GoC-in-C Western command.

Least-cared dept
From Ravinder Sood

PALAMPUR: The Public Relations Department, is the least-cared department of the state.

Earlier, the Public Relations and the Tourism Departments were under the joint charge of director. In 1966 the department was made independent. The government promised to bring it on a par with Public Relations Departments in Punjab and Haryana. In the past 10 years various posts have been abolished.

For many years the department was looked after by the Chief Minister himself. Many posts of the Assistant Public Relations Officers at all subdivisional headquarters are lying vacant. The post of the Deputy Director was created at Dharamsala keeping in view the importance of the northern headquarters of the state. This regional office of the department is ill-equipped. For number of years officers posted here managed to stay in Shimla.

There is always shortage of funds in the department. In most places the department is housed in hired accommodation or old government buildings. Even at the state headquarters the department functions in a shabby dilapidated building. Practical steps to shift the department into the Armsdale complex have yet to be taken.

Recently at Hamirpur the District Public Relations Officer was forced to vacate the building as the Chief Minister was interested to allocate the complex to some other department. In Mandi, Chamba and Una, the department is housed in a old rented buildings.

The department is top heavy. Dozens of posts of Class IV and III are yet to be filled.

Engg college without Principal
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Oct 15 — The state's lone Regional Engineering College is in need of a regular Principal to run its affairs. Presently, Mr Kamlesh Kumar Pant, Deputy Commissioner, has assumed the additional charge.

He was given this charge after the retirement of Dr C.L. Dhar, the acting Principal of the college. Dr Dhar was, however, given a year's extension as professor in the Civil Engineering Department.

The state government had advertised a post of the Principal and an interview was conducted at New Delhi recently. However, sources in the government say that no one was found suitable to hold the post. The selection committee is reported to have sent its recommendation to the government. The committee has suggested that another advertisement be placed so that a person of repute can be selected.

The failure of the state government and the Union HRD Ministry to select a Principal has created choas in the college. It is divided into various factions as far as the teaching faculty is concerned.

HPU develops mycorrhizal technology
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 15 — Himachal Pradesh University has developed mycorrhizal technology for faster growth of pines and other conifers. With the help of this technology the problems faced in raising of nurseries and establishment of seedlings in the field are minimised.

This technology has reduced the transplanting period in different conifers from four-and-a-half-year to one-and-a-half-year and in case of certain varieties from one-and-a-half-year to six months.

This was stated by Prof S.K. Gupta, Vice-Chancellor, at the concluding function of a week-long national training programme on biology and biotechnology organised by the Department of Bio-Sciences.

Many eminent scientists such as Prof K.G. Mukerji, Prof D.J. Bhagyaraj, Prof C. Manonharachary, Prof K.N. Natrajan and Prof N. Raman participated.

The participants received training in all aspects of mycorrhizal theory and its application. This technique will help not only in faster transplantation of seedlings but also in the elimination of the use of chemical fertilisers which have been a threat to the environment. This technique has also been found useful in reforestation and afforestation of degraded areas of land and thus will come handy in establishing the ecological equilibrium.

Environment studies to be part of syllabi
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, Oct 15 — Education Minister, I.D. Dhiman said here today that environment studies would be included in school curriculum from the next academic session.

Mr Dhiman, who presided over a state-level "Green teachers seminar" at Salogra, 7 km from here, said the increasing threat to environment had necessitated creation of appropriate awareness about the harmful effects of ecological imbalance among the youth.

The President of the local municipal council, Dr Rajeev Bindal, sought the help of the government in selling about 70 tonnes of fertilisers lying at the solid waste disposal plant at Salogra.

Mechanic killed
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, Oct 15 — A mechanic identified as Pappu died on the spot when a Tata Mobile, which he had taken out for testing, fell into a khud near Saproon, 2 km from here, today.