H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Duchess of York in McLeodganj
DHARAMSALA, Nov 2 — The cause of the deprived and underprivileged children the world over has brought the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferugson, to McLeodganj.

Soldiers cheated out of land
NURPUR, Nov 2 — Havildar Mohinder Singh of Mehrka village near here who retired from the Army about nine months ago is fighting to get his and his brother’s land back.

First phase of forest project over
MANDI, Nov 2 — The meeting of the Overseas Development Administration held here today expressed satisfaction over the successful completion of the first phase of the Indo-UK forestry project.

HP Cong assures Sonia of support
SHIMLA, Nov 2 — Mr G.S. Bali, General Secretary of the PCC, today said the Congress chief in Himachal Pradesh and the AICC delegates would be unanimously elected in the organisational election on November 12.

Kasauli going Shimla way
KASAULI: Lush green hills enveloped with a canopy of pine trees are a treat for the eyes together with the panoramic view of the town and its surroundings for the visiting tourist.

Heritage buildings to be preserved
SHIMLA, Nov 2 — As many as 113 heritage buildings have been identified on the Mall and its adjoining areas here, which will be preserved for restoring the lost glory of the British regime.

Smoke due to forest fires?
KULU, Nov 2 — The entire Kulu valley is engulfed in a smoke caused by jungle fires. The visibility has been reduced to less than 4 km. The Indian Airlines and other private flights have not been able to land at Bhuntar for the past three days.

Fresh policies must: Tibetan minister
DHARAMSALA, Nov 2 — Terming the continuing repression in Tibet as a “second cultural revolution”, the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, today said that China was pursuing a policy aimed at destroying Tibet’s distinct culture.

Shrine in midst of financial crisis
JAWALAMUKHI, Nov 2 — The famous shrine of Jawalamukhi is passing through a serious financial crisis resulting in the suspension of almost all development activity in the vicinity of shrine. 

• HP teachers’ plea on education policy

• HRTC staff resent courier scheme?

• Lineman dies after fall from tower

• Charas worth 2.5 cr seized, 2 held
  
  
  
  
  

Duchess of York in McLeodganj
From Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Nov 2 — The cause of the deprived and underprivileged children the world over has brought the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferugson, to McLeodganj.

The Duchess after her separation from Prince Andrew, has been working for a number of charitable institutions. She arrived at McLeodganj yesterday. She is on a private visit to raise funds for the Charitable Foundation for Children in Crisis.

“It is my keen desire to visit different places the world over to know and solve the problems being faced by young children which brings me to India too,” she stated.

“It is my endeavour to raise funds for those children who are faced with hunger and disease,” she said during a visit to Tibetan Children Village (TCV) schools run by the exiled Tibetan Government for children of Tibetan refugees. She also paid a visit to a number of other Tibetan institutions, including Norbulingka Cultural Institute in Sidhpur.

The Duchess, who will remain here till November 4, said she had visited Bangalore two years back to provide help to needy children.

The Duchess, accompanied by her press secretary, will leave for Calcutta on November 5. “I have been moved at the plight of the flood-affected children of Calcutta whom I will try help by raising funds to meet their needs,” she remarked.

The Duchess, who is staying in a private lodge, is likely to meet Tibetan spiritual Dalai Lama at a function in Gopalpur near Palampur.

Soldiers cheated out of land
From Our Correspondent

NURPUR, Nov 2 — Havildar Mohinder Singh of Mehrka village near here who retired from the Army about nine months ago is fighting to get his and his brother’s land back. His late father Kamal Singh had reserved about 25 kanals of agricultural land for his three sons serving in the Army through an order of the land reform officer-cum-tehsildar, Nurpur on December 19, 1988.

Mohinder Singh, in a complaint submitted to the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes and Chief Minister prem Kumar Dhumal has stated that his landlord father had reserved the land under khasra numbers 465 and 467 in accordance with the law.

The LRO, Nurpur had passed an order in 1988 under Section 104 of the Tenancy and Land Reform Act (LRA) 1974 in which he had also recorded the statement of the tenant of the land, Parkash Chand, that he had no objection to reserving of the said land for the three brothers, Mohinder Singh, Rajinder Singh and Rameshwar Singh.

It is pertinent to mention here that LRA is very clear in that whenever or whosoever retires from military service on pension shall have land reserved for him restored simply by moving an application with the tehsildar.

The complainant, in his plea before the Defence Minister and the Chief Minister, stated that after coming on pension in February this year he applied to the tehsildar, Nurpur for restoration of his share of the land reserved by his late father.

But to his horror he found that through a revenue entry, allegedly in connivance with the then naib tehsildar. Nurpur and field staff of the Revenue Department the record had been changed and ownership of all of the reserved land had been granted to its tenant, Parkash Chand in their absence.

As per law a naib tehsildar is not empowered to change the ownership of the reserved land. Only civil courts can do this after hearing both parties. Mohinder has also moved court.

First phase of forest project over
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, Nov 2 — The meeting of the Overseas Development Administration (ODA) held here today expressed satisfaction over the successful completion of the first phase of the Indo-UK forestry project.

Dr Cavin Crookford, Rural Development Adviser from the UK, also participated in the meeting besides state forest officials and members of village forest development committees.

The Rs 51-crore Indo-UK Himachal Forestry Project was launched in September, 1994. The three-day pilot phase of the project was confined to the districts of Mandi and Kulu and the impact of the concept of joint forest management periodically monitored by experts, including those from the UK.

Mr Vinay Tandon, Chief Conservator of Forests (Projects), said the role of the Forest Department had undergone a big change from policing to a “friendly facilitator”. The project had left a deep impact on the people of the two districts through the massive work done by the forest field staff, experts and villagers, he said.

With encouraging results of the pilot phase, the ODA is likely to launch the second phase of the project which would extend to the entire Himachal Pradesh.

HP Cong assures Sonia of support
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 2 — Mr G.S. Bali, General Secretary of the PCC, today said the Congress chief in Himachal Pradesh and the AICC delegates would be unanimously elected in the organisational election on November 12.

Mr Bali, who was talking to newsmen here, said all senior party leaders and PCC and DCC delegates had authorised the AICC chief, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, in writing to nominate the new PCC President.

He said Mr Jitendra Prasada would draw a blank in Himachal Pradesh for the post of AICC President as the entire Congress in the state was rallying around Mrs Sonia Gandhi.

He ridiculed the attempts of a section in the party to marginalise the CLP leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh, Those involved in such efforts should keep in mind that Mr Virbhadra Singh was a senior and respected leader of the party and had remained Chief Minister for about 13 years.

Mr Bali said there might be some amendments in the list of PCC delegates within a couple of days as the party high command had appointed a committee to examine the petitions.

Kasauli going Shimla way
From Ambika Sharma

KASAULI: Lush green hills enveloped with a canopy of pine trees are a treat for the eyes together with the panoramic view of the town and its surroundings for the visiting tourist. But the sprawling buildings coming up on every nook and corner of the region appear like eyesores to the on-looker. A number of guest houses and summer cottages are seen springing up to accommodate the ever-increasing influx of visitors to the town.

The commercial constructors are having a boom time with a plethora of palatial hotels coming up all around the town. While on the one hand the government discourages non-Himachalis from having land in the state, relaxation is granted to commercial constructors for building hotels, schools and other ventures. A vast stretch of land is acquired by the non-Himachalis wanting to cash on in this unexploited territory. Many hotels are coming up around the town. In this process a large chunk of the hilly terrain has been cut to pave way for construction and in most of the cases no control measures to check soil erosion and related environmental hazards are initiated.

The havoc caused by the heavy downpour last monsoon triggered a plethora of landslides and also uprooted a large number of trees in the region. A careful study of the landslides reveal that damage had occurred to new constructions raised against hill slopes with faulty alignment. A few engineers when contacted opined that when a hill slope is cut and smoothened for embarking a construction landslide is prone to occur till the slope regains its original angle. Indiscriminate clearing of hills slope results in exposing the roots of trees resulting in consequent soil erosion.

A few roads being built in the region by cutting down hill slopes are left to withstand a few rains so that the more erodable, soil prone to slides gets washed away and the final angle set by the soil is there after being concreted. Such projects require the PWD to undertake plantation according to the conservation act of 1980, say forest officials. But no such compulsory plantations are enforced on commercial constructors no matter how large an area they clear for construction. Though there may not be any clear felling of trees but pursuing construction activity in the most anti-ecological ways without ascertaining basic factors have given rise to a number of problems in this fragile Himalayan tract.

It is not worthy to mention that the region has been placed in the earthquake-prone zone and experts opine that massive degradation owing to cutting of hills for erecting multi-storey buildings is a step contrary to hill architecture. If the fury caused by the flash floods last rainy season is any indication, nature is not just a silent spectator to the environmental disturbance caused by man.

Reduction in the natural flora has resulted in erecting a concrete jungle around the town leading to abnormally high temperature in summers as well as in winter months, feel the locales. If the present trend continues, Kasauli might soon become a place with high commercial activity and less basic amenities to support the increasing population. The IPH officials reveal that the water table has receded by almost 30 ft from the normal. This can be attributed to less rainfall in the past few years. Hand pumps installed by deep boring also results in lowering of the water table. It further suffers heavy depletion in the peak summer season.

Though a number of voluntary organisations, along with the Forest Department, undertake plantations during Vanamahotsava, the exercise remains more of an eyewash with no subsequent follow-up to check the survival rate of the saplings. Studies reveal that survival of plantations is only 20 per cent in hilly areas. If the increasing sale deeds is any indication, the speed with which the region is facing natural degradation at the hands of commercial constructors is enough to set the alarm bells ringing in the minds of the environmentalists. It is time the government did something tangible to put an end to this man-made fury by regulating constructions here or else Kasauli too will turn into a jungle of concrete like other hill stations.

Heritage buildings to be preserved
From S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 2 — As many as 113 heritage buildings have been identified on the Mall and its adjoining areas here, which will be preserved for restoring the lost glory of the British regime.

Twentyseven of these buildings have already been identified under the integrated development plan of the town and 86 buildings have now been earmarked by the Shimla Municipal Corporation in a stretch between the Telegraph Office and the Naaz Restaurant on the Mall.

The municipal corporation has planned to remove all encroachments and get the roofs and woodwork of buildings painted in a single colour to bring uniformity.

The state Cabinet had recently decided to identify the heritage buildings in the town and appoint a heritage advisory committee without whose recommendation no development or construction would take place in the heritage zone which had been earmarked.

Among the 27 buildings which come under the heritage zone are Chalet Day School, Christ Church, Gaiety Theatre, Grindlays Bank, GPO, Evening College, Bantony, Western Command Complex, Railway Board Building, Gorton Castle, Viceregal Lodge, Cedar rest house and the US Club building.

The newly appointed Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, Mr H.N. Kashyap, said here today the buildings had been categorised in three heritage zones. The 54 buildings in the first category were those whose architecture had not been tampered with, 22 fell in the second category and 10 in the third category as alterations had been made in their basic structure.

He said sign boards of the shops in the encroached area would be removed.Some British companies had offered to assist the corporation.

He said the history of Shimla, which was the summer capital of the British India, would be recorded in English and Hindi near the Tourist Information Centre at the Ridge to enable the visitors read it.

Mr Kashyap said in the second phase, restoration of the lower bazar and other areas would be taken up.

Smoke due to forest fires?
From Our Correspondent

KULU, Nov 2 — The entire Kulu valley is engulfed in a smoke caused by jungle fires. The visibility has been reduced to less than 4 km. The Indian Airlines and other private flights have not been able to land at Bhuntar for the past three days.

The Conservator of Forests here denies any incidence of forest fire in this “circle”. However, he says villagers burn the ground grass in the winter months which may have caused the smoke.

The Divisional Forest Officers of Kulu and Parvati Divisions, however, said no fire had been reported in their respective divisions. However, the DFO, Parvati, said a fire was reported in the forests of Kasol between Chanal Behar and Vishnukund on October 22 which had been extinguished.

It is learnt that the fires in the forests of the tribal districts of Lahaul and Spiti and Chamba (Pangi) have destroyed 20 to 30 hectares of forests. This correspondent contacted the Divisional Forest Officer, Keylong, in Lahaul and Spiti district, who confirmed that the fire had destroyed the Dalinghcha forests.

To a question, he said the loss was yet to be assessed. The DFO, Keylong, also said fires had been reported from Pangi.

The Conservator of Forest here said the department had been trying hard through the JFM and the DFID projects to bring awareness among villages so that they adopted scientific methods and shunned the practice of burning the ground grass for better yield the following year. 

Fresh policies must: Tibetan minister
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Nov 2 — Terming the continuing repression in Tibet as a “second cultural revolution”, the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, today said that China was pursuing a policy aimed at destroying Tibet’s distinct culture.

This was stated by the Minister for Information and International Relations in the Tibetan Government, Mr T.C. Tethong, refer the newly-appointed party chief of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Mr Guo Jinlong, said the old policies would be followed for safeguarding social stability, keeping predominance in fighting against Tibet’s split and furthering reforms.

Mr Tethong said the old policies of increased repression were not working in Tibet and would prove counterproductive. “What we look from the new party secretary is a set of fresh policies which are forward looking and will create happiness among Tibetans,” he said.

Expressing regret over the statement of the party secretary, Mr Tethong said the economic development of Tibet in Chinese parlance was synonymous with flooding it with Chinese migrants and unrelenting exploitation of the natural resources and mineral deposits. He said the Central Tibetan Administration had no hopes of reprieve for the people of Tibet from China’s hardline policies. “It is China’s harsh policies which are driving Tibetans to seek freedom and if China respects the culture and belief of the Tibetans and restore freedom, there is no reason for them to work against China,” Mr Tethong added.

Shrine in midst of financial crisis
From Our Correspondent

JAWALAMUKHI, Nov 2 — The famous shrine of Jawalamukhi is passing through a serious financial crisis resulting in the suspension of almost all development activity in the vicinity of shrine. The construction of a number of major buildings has come to a standstill as the temple authority has failed to release the payments of contractors.

The financial crisis has also affected the construction of a satsang bhagwan.

The situation in the construction wing is no better with several contractors coming to the office daily and returning disappointed in the evening. A contractor claims his bills have been pending for several months and he has slowed down work.

The construction wing itself has been without work since last year although its employees continue to be paid their salaries.

Presently, an XEN, three junior engineers a draftsman and many other workers of different grades besides two electricians are on the rolls.

With the temple trust saddled with this huge salary bill. It is compelled to keep in abeyance even important maintenance work. Interestingly all construction work is done through contractors.

The entire expenditure, of the temple authority is met by offerings without state government help in any way. But the board’s appointments are made on political consideration by the government. The temple has been managed by the state government since 1984.

There are allegations of misappropriation of temple funds and instances where contracts were given on higher rates. There are also allegations of sub-standard construction material having been used.

Worried by the rot an NRI donor, Mr ID Sharma from Singapore, ignored the temple administration while constructing the magnificent Tara Devi Temple, besides two majestic gates, at a cost of more than 50 lakhs in the vicinity of the temple.

Last year Delhi’s Sant Nag Paul abruptly stopped financial assistance for the satsang bhawan worth over one crore, as he was dissatisfied with the process and pace of construction work. The temple authority, however, denies any shortage of funds.

HP teachers’ plea on education policy
From Our Correspondent

BILASPUR, Nov 2 — The Himachal Pradesh State Government Teachers Union has demanded a proper education policy for the state. Talking to reporters here yesterday, state union president Roshan Lal Sharma and general secretary Shiv Dayal Chowdhary and Subhash Chandel said the Education Minister had earlier promised to curb the menace of tuitions in schools. But, now he was expressing himself in favour of tuitions. 

They also wondered about the minister’s statement that there should be an “education code” without an elaboration of the concept. They demanded that the code should be first discussed with school teachers before being implemented.

HRTC staff resent courier scheme?
From Our Correspondent

KULU, Nov 2 — Customers here have been put to a great inconvenience by the HRTC authorities because of the latter’s ignorance about the courier service introduced by HRTC from November 1. The regional manager here was not available while the second in command, the works manager confirmed to this correspondent that the service had not yet started. The confusion evident at the HRTC office about the scheme puts a question mark over the service.

It has also been learnt that the crew of HRTC buses have already started mumbling about the additional burden being put on to them by the management. It is alleged that most HRTC buses operating for Delhi, Chandigarh and Shimla have been carrying packets or cartons for the business community and private courier companies in the past, for a fee. Thus the government getting into the act is likely to hit the staff where it hurts most.

Lineman dies after fall from tower
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Nov 2 — One person was killed when he fell from a transmission tower at Chunar Khuran village in the district while laying a high-power transmission line between Pathankot and Jalandhar, the police said here today. The victim has been identified as Munna Rai (33), of Gaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. He was seriously injured and was admitted to the Nurpur Subdivisional Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The deceased was working with a private firm which was laying the transmission line.

Charas worth 2.5 cr seized, 2 held
From Our Correspondent

KULU, Nov 2 — The police seized 20.6 kg of charas in the Manikaran valley today. This was stated by Mr N. Venugopal, Superintendent of Police, in a press note issued here today. He said the value of the seized charas was more than Rs 2.5 crore in the international market. Two persons, Hari Prasad and Ram Singh, both residents of Nepal, were arrested in this connection. Cases under the NDPS Act have been registered.