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| Sunday, July 1, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Foreign
mafia active in Kulu HP gives
report on jailed Briton
IGMC
patients inconvenienced as docs go on strike |
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Students
hold protests on HPU campus Centre
to spend 30 cr to upgrade HP airports Sapling
plantation drive launched Souvenir
on Kasauli Club released Tibetans
observe fast
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Foreign mafia active in Kulu Shimla, June 30 The conviction of a British national, Ian Stillman, under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) by a Kulu court has been in the news, with certain foreign agencies mounting pressure for his release. Although Stillman is claiming to be innocent, the police says he was shadowed for many days before 20 kg of high-quality charas valued at Rs 2 crore was seized from his possession last year. According to official reports, the involvement of foreigners in the smuggling of the contraband has been increasing. While only nine foreigners were arrested under the NDPS Act in 1998, their number stood at 136 last year. However, the conviction rate is very low under the NDPS Act probably because of lack of evidence. Out of 160 arrested foreigners, only 10 were convicted in the past few years. The sub-jail in Kulu is not big enough to lodge all undertrial foreigners and they are now being shifted to other prisons at Nahan, Kanda (Shimla) and Mandi. The British media has started playing up the conviction of Stillman on the same pattern as it had highlighted the case of some foreigners who had gone missing in Kulu district a few years ago. Figures provided by the police indicate an alarming increase in the seizure of charas and other contraband during the past three years in Kulu. About 36 kg of charas was seized in 1998 and its seizure in 2000 increased to nearly 194 kg. The seizure in the first three months of this year was nearly 79 kg. The shortage of staff with the police and the local office of the Narcotics Control Board is the biggest handicap in nabbing the culprits. Among the foreigners, about 70 per cent of arrested were Europeans. Italians were the single largest nationality involved in the crime in Kulu. However, in the post-1998 era, Israelis have turned out to be the single largest nationality indulging in drug trafficking in Kulu. They are closely followed by Italians, French and Japanese. |
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HP gives report on jailed Briton Shimla, June 30 The Ministry of External Affairs has sought the facts about Stillman’s arrest from the state government earlier in the morning. The state Home Department flashed back the details to the Centre in the afternoon. It is learnt that British authorities were pursuing the case of Stillman following telecast of his interview with some foreign mediapersons in Central Jail at Kanda near here where he has been lodged. Sources said the state government in its report said hashish was seized from his possession while he was travelling in a taxi from Jari to Manali in Kulu district. In his interview with some mediapersons, Stillman claimed innocence and has filed a petition in the high court. He was arrested on August 27 last year and has been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment under the Narcotics Drug and Psychotropic Act
(NDPS) and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. Stillman was reportedly residing in Chennai for the past about 30 years with his South Indian wife. |
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IGMC patients
inconvenienced as docs go on strike Shimla, June 30 The emergency services in the hospital were also badly hit and patients who were prepared for surgery were brought back from operation theatres without operating them. Patients, who had come from far-flung places for treatment, were particularly put to great inconvenience as the working of the hospitals came to a virtual standstill. They came out and squatted on the road outside the two hospitals raising slogans against the state government. They took the step following expiry of seven days’ ultimatum for settlement of their demands, including appointment of bona fide Himachalis as doctors. They said nothing concrete had been done in this direction by the government. Dr Rajeev Chauhan, press secretary of the Resident Doctors Association, accused the BJP government of being a “non-Himachali” set-up. |
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Students
hold protests on
HPU campus Shimla, June 30 It is learnt the executive council meeting has decided plus two students with compartment should not be given admission to BA. The activists submitted their memorandum to members of the executive council. The meeting was held after four months. As per the university law the meeting of the executive council should be held every month and all representatives should be present. There were no representatives from the students, teachers and non-teaching staff of the university. The SFI alleged the university authorities and the state government had callous attitude towards students, teachers and the non-teaching staff. The student organisations held parallel rallies on the campus. The major demand of the organisation was to allow the plus two students with compartment to B.A. but a deaf ear was turned to their demand. The combined demands of the students organisations include allowing plus two students with compartment to B.A. withdrawing the fee hike, plying of more buses for day scholars, allotting the SC/ST hostel to the HPU SC/ST students, starting B.Ed. classes on the campus opening a regional centre at Mandi among others. The student organisations also staged dharna in front of the Vice-Chancellor’s office, demanding their demands should be met. The organisations have threatened to launch an agitation in this regard. |
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Centre to spend 30 cr to upgrade HP airports Shimla, June 30 Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal Himachal Chief Minister, held detailed discussion with regard to the upgradation of the three airports in Himachal with Mr Sharad Yadav, Union Civil Aviation Minister. Mr Yadav assured Mr Dhumal that to facilitate tourists, the Kulu airport would be upgraded soon. He said that the Centre government would spend Rs 30 crore on the upgradation of existing airports in Himachal at Kangra, Kulu-Manali and Shimla. The Union Minister said that flights of ATR-72 aeroplanes would be introduced soon after the upgradation of the Kulu airport. Mr Dhumal said that this airport would go a long way in supplementing the efforts of the state government to exploit vast potential of tourism in the state by strengthening communication infrastructure. He said that upgradation of this airport would benefit tourist keen on to visiting the areas such as Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba, Kulu and Manali valley etc. Mr Yadav, who laid the foundation stone of Rs 34 crore Pathankot civil airport, assured Mr Dhumal that the Kulu airport would be upgraded soon.
UNI |
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Sapling
plantation drive launched Kasauli, June 30 The Station Commander, in his inaugural address, stressed the need to undertake plantations in those areas which were bereft of green cover. One such area around Gilbert Hill had been adopted where 12,000 pine saplings would be planted in an area of about 25 hectares. Wattle saplings would be planted around the paths, Jacaranda and Tuni along the slopes and fruit trees near the habitations to ensure their proper upkeep. He emphasised the need to ensure 100 per cent survival rate of the planted saplings by periodic monitoring and urged the people to adopt plants to ensure their growth. Shrubs will be planted in the fireprone pine zone along the southern and northern slopes of the town. It was decided to make cleanliness campaign a monthly feature of the town to inculcate civic sense in the residents. About 2,000 saplings were distributed to the troops, civilians and schoolchildren by the Station Commander. Many other organisations, like the Society for Preservation of Kasauli and its Environs, and the CRI are also participating in the drive. |
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Souvenir
on Kasauli Club released Kasauli, June 30 Speaking on the occasion, he said after the new executive committee had taken over the reins of the club, several positive changes had been brought about. The present committee, under the aegis of Brig V.S. Tonk was not only capable of restoring the beauty of the club but also of increasing it, he said. He signed the first copy of the souvenir and went around the newly renovated club premises. Earlier, Brigadier Tonk praised the efforts of the club members whose devotion had led to the release of the magazine. The souvenir elucidates the history of the cantonment town. The magazine contains contributions by several club members, including Lt-Gen Kamal Davar, Lt-Gen M.S. Shergill, Khushwant Singh, Bulbul Sharma and many others. The last souvenir was released 50 years ago. In her write-up, Bulbul Sharma throws light on the changing lives of the people of Kasauli. Various facets of Kasauli have been highlighted by writers. Manju Deshbir has edited the magazine. A sketch of the Kasauli Club by Rathin Mitra graces the cover of the souvenir. Various buildings dating back to the Raj days find a mention in the souvenir. |
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Tibetans
observe fast Shimla, June 30 The strike was sponsored by four organisations — the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, the Regional Tibetan Women’s Association, the Regional Cholsum Association and the Tibetan National Democratic Party. The striking Tibetans urged the International Olympic Committee member nations to vote against the Beijing’s move. This was the only way to uphold the grace, dignity and lofty ideals with which the Olympic games had always been associated since its inception, they said. It is for the conscience of the IOC members to decide whether such a repressive regime like China should be given the privilege of hosting the Olympics. It is the time for the nations to demonstrate their firmness in upholding the ideas of justice, they said. |
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