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| Thursday, January 4, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Tibetans, MC lock horns Better health care in HP by 2020 Move on defunct water schemes Dogra flays Stokes over state tour Himachal may soon have film institute Resentment against lack of bus service |
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| LJP for reinduction of Mohinder Singh Removal of Virbhadra’s portrait resented 1 killed, 4 hurt as jeep overturns One arrested for poaching White-collar cheats active in buses Youth festival begins at Nahan Free eye camps in Mandi dist Drive against drug addiction launched
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| Tibetans, MC lock horns DHARAMSALA, Jan 3 — The Tibetan Government-in-Exile and the local municipal council have locked horns over the issue of renewal of five kanals of prime land in McLeodganj market as pressure is being mounted on the state government to grant lease at the old rate of Rs 1,700 per annum to Tibetans. It was in March last year that the 20-year lease period of the land granted to the Tibetan Government-in-Exile expired. The local municipal committee wanted that the lease amount should be increased as several Tibetan refugees who had set up restaurants, shops and residences on this land were now fairly well off. However, efforts are being made by the Tibetan government to get the lease renewed at the old rate. The municipal council, at one of its meeting, passed a resolution that if the land was to be leased again then the agreement should be with Tibetans and not their government. “When the Tibetan government is itself charging rent from its people who have set up shops and restaurants on this land, then why should the municipal council not get the amount directly”, said one of the officials. The council has decided to take the matter to court if the lease amount is not raised. The state Chief Secretary had directed the Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, to send a report to the government. It is learnt that district officials, too, have favoured the increase in the lease amount. The matter is pending with the state government. The Joint Secretary in the Department of Home of the Tibetan Government, Mr Topgyal, when contacted, said they had already informed the Deputy Commissioner about the case and the matter was pending with the state government. “We have requested the Central Government to treat our case as a special one because once Tibet becomes a free nation we will hand over everything back before leaving,” he stated. Justifying the renewal of the lease at the same rate, Mr Topgyal said as per the directions of the Central Government issued in the seventies various states had been asked to facilitate rehabilitation of the Tibetan refugees. “While some of the southern states have even given agricultural land to the Tibetans, there is no such facility here and the shops are the only means of livelihood for the Tibetans,” he said. Moreover, the shops had not been constructed by the municipal council, but by the Tibetan Government, he added. The stalemate continues as the municipal council favours signing of individual leases so that it can enhance its earnings. The Tibetan officials, however, feel that it is easier for them as well as the municipal council to deal directly with it than involve so many people. The locals in McLeodganj and Dharamsala have always resented the special treatment meted out to the Tibetans. “Most of the Tibetans here are better off than us and despite this we are the ones who face the brunt of the government rules and regulations,” says a shopkeeper in McLeodganj. A majority of the locals say that the state government adopts a double standard in dealing with them and the Tibetans. “The authorities did not hesitate to demolish the illegal shops constructed by Indians. However, the Tibetans continue to encroach upon forest land,” says a shopkeeper in Dharamsala. Although eviction orders were passed on forest encroachments by the Tibetans in McLeodganj in 1992, they still had not been executed. |
| Better health care in HP by 2020 SHIMLA, Jan 3 — The Himachal Government has prepared a comprehensive plan, with clearly defined strategies and goals to contain major diseases, check population growth and provide quality health care to people by 2020. The document entitled “Himachal Health Vision 2020”, released by the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, here today, provides an objective view of the existing health care scenario in the state and outlines the goals to be achieved over the next 20 years by ensuring greater involvement of the non-government organisations (NGOs) and the private sector. The population growth rate is to be brought down from the present 1.48 per cent to less than 1 per cent, infant mortality rate from 64 to 15, crude death rate from 7.7 to 6, child mortality rate from 14.1 to 5, crude birth rate from 22.6 to 15 and total fertility rate from 2.14 to 1.5. Emphasis will be laid on child and maternal care by ensuring cent percent essential ante-natal care and deliveries overseen by trained birth attendants and bringing down the percentage of low birth weight babies from 30 to 10, increasing the percentage institutional deliveries from 29 to 80. Besides incidence of malnutrition among children is to be contained at 5 per cent and anaemia at less than 10 per cent. The main health problems are also to be addressed effectively by reducing the incidence of malaria to 0.5 API (annual parasitic index), water-borne diseases to less than 10 per cent, tuberculosis, diabetes, heart ailments and cancer to 10 per cent of the current level, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to less than 2 per cent of adult population and blindness to less than 0.3 per cent. The overall burden of diseases to be reduced to 25 per cent of the current level. Primary health care has to be provided to 90 per cent of the population through the public sector and to the remaining 10 per cent through the private sector and non-government organisations (NGOs). It also envisages rationalisation and consolidation of the existing health infrastructure, integration of Indian system of medicine, homoeopathy and women and social welfare, development of trauma control centres, convergence of services at the grassroots through inter-sectoral action in health, involvement of the panchayati raj institutions in monitoring and evaluation of health care, adequate potable water supply, improvement of rural sanitation, launching of anti-smoking and anti-narcotics drives, scientific solid waste management and establishment of health clubs to improve the health status of the people and overall quality of life. A legislation will be enacted to regulate private health institutions along with a public health Act. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Dhumal said top priority should be given to population control and called various parties to support such policies rising above narrow political considerations. He said containment of population was a pre-requisite for improving the quality of life. He said no plan could deliver goods unless those involved in its implementation worked with dedication. The doctors were the key to better health care and they must strive to come up to the expectations of the society. He expressed hope that other departments would also come out with similar documents to set longtime goals and outline strategies to achieve them. Mr J.P. Nadda, Health Minister, said, it was a realistic document based on the projections of the present rate of growth of population, diseases and infrastructure. |
| Move on defunct water schemes JAWALAMUKHI, Jan 3 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to draw up an ambitious plan for the scientific exploration of water for drinking and irrigation purposes. Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Minister Ramesh Choudhary told mediapersons today that the irrigation schemes, which had become defunct would be made functional. The manifesto would utilise all available water resources for extending irrigation facilities to the farmers in the middle and lower hills. The minister said he proposed to institute inquiries against officials responsible for the mishandling of water schemes. He said the new action plan formulation would also involve farmers who would be imparted proper training on the scientific use of irrigation methods. The concept of roof-tap water harvesting and the use of perennial water sources would also be promoted, he said. Mr Ramesh Choudhary said the hand-pump scheme, which had helped the state government in meeting water scarcity would be launched on a war footing. The government would conduct a survey of the villages prone to acute water shortage during summer to install hand pumps on a priority bases, he added. He said the government was inviting short-term tenders for the supply of new rigs, and installing the hand pumps. Mr Choudhary said he would also emphasise on training the technical staff of his department. The minister said that government was planning to reopen controversial pipes purchase scandal of previous Congress regime. The government would hold a thorough inquiry. It was found that pipes purchased were sub-standard or not up to the specification. |
| Dogra flays Stokes over state tour KULU, Jan 3 — Ms Renuka Dogra, a former Joint Secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress, said here yesterday that it was absolutely absurd on Ms Vidya Stokes’ part to chalk out a plan for touring the state in connection with the problems of party workers, although all problems have been generated by her.” Ms Dogra was saying this with regard to a few news items published in connection with the statements of Ms Stokes. In her press note, she said Ms Stokes was the “root cause of all rigging in the organisational elections together with Mr Hanumanta Rao and Mr Krishan Dutt Sultanpuri”. She further said the Congress high command had already formed a special committee to look into the matters of rigging in the party elections. She feared that the tour might have been planned to suppress the findings of the special committee. Ms Dogra said Ms Stokes should resign from the party post immediately in the interest of the party and enable the party workers to bridge the gap created by her in the party. |
| Himachal may soon have film institute SHIMLA, Jan 3 — The Himachal Government is keen to set up electronic media and film institute in the state to enable the youth to take advantage of the fast growing entertainment sector. Stating this after laying the foundation stone of the second phase of the State Institute of Hotel Management at Kufri, near here, yesterday Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister said some headway had already been made in this direction and the endeavour would be to make the institute functional at the earliest. He said like tourism, the entertainment sector also had a vast scope of employment. Referring to the efforts of the state to promote tourism he said the government had framed a new policy laying stress on development of infrastructure and providing better amenities to cater to the needs of tourists. He said the scenic grandeur of Himachal Pradesh even surpassed the beauty of Switzerland and all that was required was a concerted effort to exploit it from the tourism point of view. Exhorting the youth to take up self-employment ventures in the state Mr Dhumal said the state would benefit immensely from this institute as there was a good scope for the development of tourism industry in the state. Mr Roop Dass Kashyap, Minister of State for Urban Development, underlined the need to construct the Naldehra-Chhrabara road to provide a direct link between Mashobra-Cragnauno-Naldehra-Chhrabara-Kufri-Chail. Mrs Sarita Prasad Financial Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Tourism), Himachal Pradesh, who is also chairperson of the institute, said the second phase of the institute would have a hostel which would accommodate up to 200 students, including 70 girls besides auditorium and other academic block. |
| Resentment against lack of bus service KUMARHATTI, Jan 3 — The lack of bus service to Dagshai, 3 km from here, has led to resentment among the residents here and in Dagshai. The situation has turned form bad to worse as taxi operators were charging exorbitant charges from the commuters. “I have to carry load on my shoulder daily from Kumarhatti to Dagshai through a steep shortcut although my age does not allow, but to make both ends meet I like others, is forced to trudge a long distance as we can not afford the taxi charges”, rued Lakshmi, a Christian resident of Dagshai, whose husband runs a meat shop here. “The HRTC bus, the only bus service to Dagshai currently, is of no use due to erratic timings,” said Mr Babu Ram Sood, a former elected member of Dagshai Cantonment Board, adding that in the absence of a bus service to Dagshai he had to incur additional costs to bring goods to his shop. For the past one year residents of Dagshai depend on the only bus service available, which is supposed to cater to the needs of around 1,500 civilian population of the cantonment. The private bus service has been discontinued. Despite repeated representations to the authorities concerned to increase the bus service to Dagshai nothing has happened so far. Meanwhile, Mr Raj Kumar Garg, an elected member of the Dagshai Cantonment Board asserted that a private permit in this regard had been sanctioned and soon a bus service to Dagshai would be made operational. |
| LJP for reinduction of Mohinder Singh SHIMLA, Jan 3 — Office-Bearers of the newly set up state unit of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) will soon meet Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee and seek his intervention for the reinstatement of Mr Mohinder Singh in the Dhumal ministry. Mr Rakesh Bharati, Chairman of the Schedule Castes and Scheduled Tribes cell of the party, said the Himachal Vikas Party (HVP) had been merged into the LJP but Mr Mohinder Singh had not been made the president of the state unit. He said all prominent leaders, including Mr O.P. Rattan, Mr Kewal Ram Chauhan and Mr Bhagat Ram Chauhan, had endorsed the decision to merge the party into the LJP. During the last meeting of the party, Mr Mohinder Singh was authorised to take a decision in this regard. Mr Bharati said the LJP would attract the Dalit community, comprising 35 per cent of the electorate, which had been traditionally supporting the Congress. He said Mrs Vinod Chandel had been appointed president of the women cell of the party. |
| Removal of Virbhadra’s portrait resented SOLAN, Jan 3 — Congressmen owing allegiance to Mr Virbhadra Singh have taken strong exception to the reported removal and the subsequent mutilation of a portrait of their leader from the office of the state Congress president at Shimla yesterday. Mr Laiq Ram Sharma and Mr Surinder Sethi, former vice-presidents of the DCC and Mr Arvind Gupta and Mr Ajay Chauhan, general secretaries of the same body, in a joint statement issued here today said the portrait of Mr Virbhadra Singh was installed in the office in 1983 and had remained there along with those of other party leaders ever since. The four Congress leaders in a faxed message to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and General Secretary Moti Lal Vora had demanded an inquiry into the whole episode “so that the guilty could be brought to book.” |
| 1 killed, 4 hurt as jeep overturns CHAMBA, Jan 3 — One person was killed on the spot and four others were wounded when a jeep overturned near Bharmour, 65 km from here, today. Mr T.D. Negi, Deputy Commissioner, said the SDM, Barmour, had been asked to rush to the accident site for overseeing relief operations. The jeep was on its way from Greema to Bharmour. The deceased had been identified as Sarvan Kumar of Baloo village. The injured have been rushed to Bharmour hospital. A case had been registered. |
| One arrested for poaching SOLAN, Jan 3 — The Kandaghat police, following the lodging of an FIR by Forest Range Officer, Mr Shakti Awasthi, arrested one Rajinder Singh of Dhiari village, about 8 km from Kandaghat, for killing two barking deer in the adjoining forests of Koyal Kallah yesterday. The range officer alongwith a few forest guards on a tip-off raided a house in Dhiari village and caught Rajinder Singh red-handed who had finished skinning of one deer and was about to start the same operation another deer. Two of his accomplices, identified as Nindi and Yogesh, however managed to escape. The Divisional Forest Officer. Mr Surinder Sharma, while thanking the anonymous informer, had issued an appeal to other villagers to remain alert to any cases of poaching and help forest officials in checking the menace. White-collar cheats active in buses JAWALAMUKHI, Jan 3 — White-collar cheats are active in buses on the Delhi-Dharamsala route. Their modus operandi is to become friendly with their co-seater and then intoxicate him by offering something to eat or drink. A lecturer at the local Senior Secondary School, Mr Rajesh Choudhary, who had gone to Delhi to meet his father, recollects that immediately after bus left Delhi, a well-dressed young man who occupied the seat next to his, started becoming friendly with him. By the time they reached Ambala, they were close friends, he said, adding that when he was offered something to eat, he obligingly gobbled it down. And after that, he says, he does not remember a thing. Mr Choudhary said when he regained consciousness he found himself at the local bus-stand with his gold chain, two gold rings and a sum of Rs 15000 missing from his person. However, he could not get a case registered due to the disturbed mental condition. A youth from Gahlian was also cheated in the same way. |
| Youth festival begins at Nahan NAHAN, Jan 3 — A three-day state-level Youth Festival commenced here today with more than 300 participants from 10 districts competing in various events. Cultural troupes from various districts participated in the inaugural session of the state. Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner Sirmaur, Mr Rakesh Kaushal, said the energy of youth should be channelised properly and guided in such a way that it accelerates the pace of development in the state. The Deputy Director of Sports, Ms Sashi Ponga said that artists secure positions at national-level would be awarded by the state government. |
| Free eye camps in Mandi dist MANDI, Jan 3 — The District Blindness Eradication Society will be organising six free eye camps in the district where besides general check-up of various eye ailments, eye operations will be performed by a team of eye specialists. According to the Chief Medical Officer, camps would be held at Gopalpur, Sarkaghat, Sundernagar and Baggi. The dates have been intimated to respective Civil Hospitals and primary health centres, he said. |
| Drive against drug addiction launched MANDI, Jan 3 — A non-government organisation engaged in welfare of animals and checking environmental degradation has launched a drive against drug addiction. Bhushan Kumar, spokesman of the NGO, said volunteers of the organisation were impressing upon the youths, who had fallen victim to drugs, about its dreaded consequences through educative and persuasive methods. |
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