H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal addresses a press conference at New Delhi on Buddhist Kalchakra Ceremony being organised to mark the completion of 1000 years of Key Monastery by the Dalai Lama in Spiti valley.  — photo by Hamid Ali

SSB accepts fee, rejects applications
SUNDERNAGAR, July 16 — The rejection of application forms for the posts of Trained Graduate Teacher (Arts) by the Subordinate Selection Board, Hamirpur, has created a panic among the candidates throughout the state. Due to this decision, about 1000 applicants will not be allowed to appear in the test for 450 posts of T.G.T. (Arts) for no fault of theirs.

Mountain-climbing for a nominal fee
SHIMLA, July 16 — The Himachal Pradesh Directorate of Mountaineering and Allied Sports at Manali, which has produced a mountaineers and skiers of national and international eminence, has emerged as one of the top adventure training institutes in the country.

Home Guard official shoots himself
BILASPUR, July 16 — Manoj Kumar Chandel (28) a Section Commandant in the Home Guards here allegedly committed suicide with his service rifle while on guard duty outside the treasury office in the Deputy Commissioner’s office.

Shravan ashtmi mela from July 31
JAWALAMUKHI, July 16 — The 10-day shravan ashtmi mela will be held from July 31 to August 8 at the Jawalamukhi shrine. The Jawalamukhi Temple Trust authorities are making arrangements for over five lakh pilgrims, who are expected to arrive here from Punjab Chandigarh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

5 dead as car falls into Beas
MANDI, July 16 — Five persons were feared to have been killed as the Maruti car (HP-19-4101) in which they were travelling fell into the swollen Beas today near Khoti nullah on National Highway (No 21), about 25 km from here, on the Mandi-Kulu road.

Opium, liquor seized
NALAGARH, July 16 — The local Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr Prem Thakur, in a raid on the dhabas situated on the Nalagarh-Baddi road on Friday, seized 180 gm of opium and 234 pouches of country liquor from Shiv Shakti dhaba and its adjoining shop. The seized opium is valued at more than Rs 6,000. 

SSB accepts fee, rejects applications
From Our Correspondent

SUNDERNAGAR, July 16 — The rejection of application forms for the posts of Trained Graduate Teacher (Arts) by the Subordinate Selection Board, Hamirpur, has created a panic among the candidates throughout the state. Due to this decision, about 1000 applicants will not be allowed to appear in the test for 450 posts of T.G.T. (Arts) for no fault of theirs.

Last year the SSB had invited applications for 450 posts of T.G.T. (Arts). At least 7000 candidates had applied for these posts which were to be filled through a test for which the applications were invited. All candidates submitted applications in September,1999. When these forms were submitted, no objection was raised by the SSB officials and no rejection of forms communicated to the applicants.

But when a large number of candidates did not receive their roll numbers for the test fixed for July 23, they were told that a large number of forms had been rejected. Interestingly, the board did not refund the examination fee which was submitted with the forms.

Each applicant had attached a fee of Rs 100/- (open category) and Rs 25/- (SC and ST). A source said neither any information was supplied for rejection of forms nor the fee returned to candidates.

According to sources, some of candidates had not filled the name of the post applied for and some had not signed the declaration. So these forms had been rejected as per the orders of the Chairman of Subordinate Selection Board. The sources also said although the duty of the Chairman was to conduct interviews and the Secretary was solely responsible for the conduct of examinations, in the present case the Chairman had "overstepped" his powers.

The board had also rejected 1000 applications for the posts of T.G.T. (non-Medical and Medical) the test for which was held this year. The board had then too not intimated the rejection to the applicants and kept the fee with it for reasons best known to it.

The BJP-HVC government created the board as there was too much workload on the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission.

The Chairman of the board was not available for comments.

Various unemployed youth organisations have urged Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, to issue necessary directions to the board so that all candidates are allowed to appear in the exam or to postpone it.

Mountain-climbing for a nominal fee

SHIMLA, July 16 (UNI) — The Himachal Pradesh Directorate of Mountaineering and Allied Sports at Manali, which has produced a mountaineers and skiers of national and international eminence, has emerged as one of the top adventure training institutes in the country.

The institute organises training courses in mountaineering, skiing, water sports, rock climbing and trekking for sportspersons from the country and abroad.

The directorate has three Everesters — one male and two females — amongst its is instructors. The instructors in mountaineering, skiing and water sports have experience in national and international expeditions.

A spokesman of the institute said the Norwegian ski association had provided ski equipments to the institute and agreed to an exchange of instructors for intensive winter sports training in Norway and India.

A nominal fee is charged for courses. While the institute organises five 26-day-long basic mountaineering courses for 40 trainees each year, basic skiing courses are held four times a year.

The directorate located at a distance of two km from Manali town, on the left bank of the Beas river. It has a sprawling campus on 90 bighas of land at Aleo Bihal.

The directorate is also runs a skiiing centre at Solang nullah which has ski slopes of international standard. A skilift has been installed. The institute also manage the Regional Mountaineering Centre at McLeodganj near Dharamsala, and a regional water sports centre at Pong reservoir with board & lodging facilities. It established a trekking and skiing centre at Narkanda in 1989 and runs trekking sub-centres at Jispa and Bharmour.

The institute, known earlier as Western Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, was first set up at Chadhiari, near the hot springs of Vashisht village in Manali in September, 1961. The institute conducted its first training course in November-December in that year.

The institute was shifted to its present location at Aleo Bihal-Manali in 1976. Since then it is known as the Directorate of Mountaineering and Allied Sports.

Home Guard official shoots himself
From Our Correspondent

BILASPUR, July 16 — Manoj Kumar Chandel (28) a Section Commandant in the Home Guards here allegedly committed suicide with his service rifle while on guard duty outside the treasury office in the Deputy Commissioner’s office.

He allegedly placed the muzzle of his .303 rifle against his neck and pulled the trigger. The bullet blew his head to pieces and pierced the roof of the guard room.

He was said to be depressed of family problems. Ironically Manoj Kumar was put on temporary guard duty only yesterday for just one day.

He took advantage of being alone for a moment when his companion guard left him for a few minutes to go to the toilet.

Tribal status eludes villages
From Balkrishan Prashar

CHAMBA: The government’s lackadaisical approach to the development of nine panchayats falling in the Bharmour tribal assembly constituency in Chamba district has led to suffering and hardship for residents.

The residents have been living in miserable conditions. As this part of the constituency has still not been granted tribal area status, they have been deprived of the benefits given to the tribal areas.

The government included this area in the tribal constituency way back in 1972.

The area under the non-tribal panchayats comprises three segments: Kiri (with the panchayats of Kiri, Sarahan and Guwad; Lihl (with the panchayats of Priyana, Radey, Kulod and Kuned); and Balagh (with the panchayats of Batot and Khundel).

Come elections, says residents, and candidates promise to secure tribal status for the area. However, after the poll politicians turn their back on the residents.

Maize is the staple crop in the area. Land holdings are small with just one crop a year. Basic amenities, including a road network, are lacking. Crops are often harmed by wild animals. Besides, rainfall is heavy during the monsoon which adversely affects the crops. Winters, too, are severe with heavy snowfall.

Children of the area grow up undernourished. Residents have to travel long distances to streams downhill to get maize ground at watermills.

Residents complain they have to trudge miles together to reach the block development and other government offices to get their grievances redressed.

The panchayat leaders have demanded that the government should end this discrimination and give the residents their due.

Shravan ashtmi mela from July 31
From Our Correspondent

JAWALAMUKHI, July 16 — The 10-day shravan ashtmi mela will be held from July 31 to August 8 at the Jawalamukhi shrine. The Jawalamukhi Temple Trust authorities are making arrangements for over five lakh pilgrims, who are expected to arrive here from Punjab Chandigarh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

According to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Ramesh Chander Kapil, elaborate security arrangements have been made to maintain law and order. Special police force and home guards will be put on duty. An Executive Magistrate will be on duty 24 hours. The administration has also banned the carrying of all types of firearms and ammunition inside the territory of Dehra revenue/tehsil of the district with immediate effect.

To maintain sanitation 50 safai sewaks will be recruited besides the regular staff. The medical facilities will also be provided round the clock. Direct buses will ply between Jawalamukhi, Chandigarh and Hoshiarpur. Mr Kapil, who is holding the charge of Temple Commissioner, said, in addition the state public relations department would set up a reception room and an information centre to provide regular information to the devotees. The health department has been asked to ensure potable water supply for the pilgrims.

5 dead as car falls into Beas
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, July 16 — Five persons were feared to have been killed as the Maruti car (HP-19-4101) in which they were travelling fell into the swollen Beas today near Khoti nullah on National Highway (No 21), about 25 km from here, on the Mandi-Kulu road.

The entire family of Mr Sur Chand of Lahul, who was travelling from Amb to Lahul perished, it is feared. He was serving in the LIC at Amb.

Some belongings of the family members were found floating in the Pandoh dam around 6 pm. Mr Sur Chand (40), wife Prem Lala (35), Monika (17), Radhika (12), both daughters, and Rajat (6) son were travelling in the car.

Opium, liquor seized
From Our Correspondent

NALAGARH, July 16 — The local Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr Prem Thakur, in a raid on the dhabas situated on the Nalagarh-Baddi road on Friday, seized 180 gm of opium and 234 pouches of country liquor from Shiv Shakti dhaba and its adjoining shop. The seized opium is valued at more than Rs 6,000. Harish Kumar, a resident of Sundernagar, Mandi, who was working at the dhaba for the past one year, was arrested. The police is searching for the owner of the dhaba.

The police also seized 34 pouches of liquor from the next shop and arrested Pratap Singh, the owner of the shop. A case has been registered under the Excise and Taxation Act. Two youths of Baddi, Mohammad Ashiq alias Nittu and Satpal alias Sattu, were arrested near Nanowal (Khera) and 200 pouches of country liquor were seized. The police has started special drive to check anti-social elements in the area.