H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Special status for state sought
Solan, November 11
Demanding Himachal Pradesh be given the status of the special category state, the Himachal Jan Morcha has decided to represent the state’s case as identified by the Jan Adhikar Sangharsh Manch.

Residents block traffic
Nahan, November 11
Hundreds of residents of Nahan, Rama Dhaun and the adjoining panchayats staged a dharna on the Nahan-Shimla road and blocked traffic for over two hours today to press their demand for linking Rama village with the Nahan-Dhaun road.

Bus operators’ stir from Nov 15
Paonta Sahib, November 11
The Sirmaur Bus Operators Union has decided to observe an indefinite fast against the “wrong policies” of the Himachal Pradesh Government against the bus operators. Union sources said, in the first phase of the agitation, the general secretaries of the union, Mr Bhajan Chaudhary, and Mr Asgar Ali, observed a day’s fast yesterday.

Scientists develop protein-rich potato
Shimla, November 11
Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) scientists here have used Amaranthus genes, local name Siul or Razdana, to develop a protein-rich potato, which will give vegetarians more proteins as compared to non-vegetarians.

Daily-wage workers from ‘outside’ opposed
Bilaspur, November 11
The “work to rule agitation” started here by workers of the HP State Forest Corporation-controlled rosin and turpentine factory at Raghunathpura, near here, entered into fourth day today. The entire production work has come to a standstill.

Gender sensitisation course for cops
Chandigarh, November 11
Seventeen officers of the police will participate in a three-day programme on gender sensitisation starting tomorrow at Timber Trial Heights, Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh. The programme will assess the capabilities and skills and identify the strengths and weaknesses of participants in handling gender sensitisation cases.

• 3 killed in road mishap

Special status for state sought
Our Correspondent

Solan, November 11
Demanding Himachal Pradesh be given the status of the special category state, the Himachal Jan Morcha has decided to represent the state’s case as identified by the Jan Adhikar Sangharsh Manch.

The steering committee of the morcha, which has finalised its common minimum programme, will hold its meeting in New Delhi tomorrow and on November 13. The chief spokesperson for the morcha, Mr Kul Rakesh Pant, in a press note issue here today said that they had taken up crucial issues concerning the state, including reviewing of all MoUs signed so far in the power sector in order to provide cheaper power to the state with special stress on small-scale industries and agriculture.

He said taking serious note of the recent scrapping of the State Human Rights Commission, the morcha had demanded its reinstatement. The morcha had decided to take up the issue of providing employment to the members of those families, which had no employed member.

He said other demands of the morcha included the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations, introduction of water shed projects througout the state, 85 per cent reservation for the Himachalis in professional institutes in the state, cash subsidy to farmers on various inputs, establishment of two agri-export zones, introduction of Pahari language in schools, allocation of funds to the Panchayati Raj institutes as per the constitutional provisions, diversion of 80 per cent state funds to rural development and speedy repayment of compensation to land holders whose lands were occupied by the government.

Residents block traffic
Our Correspondent

Nahan, November 11
Hundreds of residents of Nahan, Rama Dhaun and the adjoining panchayats staged a dharna on the Nahan-Shimla road and blocked traffic for over two hours today to press their demand for linking Rama village with the Nahan-Dhaun road.

The protesters submitted a memorandum to the Superintending Engineer, PWD, Nahan, and met the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Onkar Sharma, after the dharna.

Mr Suresh Sharma, president of the Shantipuran Sangharsh Samiti, said if their demand was not met, they would again stage a dharna on the Nahan-Shimla road on December 11.

Mr J. C. Chauhan, Superintending Engineer, said the total length of the proposed Nahan-Rama road was 17 km of which 14 km was ready and buses were plying on it. He said the remaining 3-km road could not be constructed since reserve forest area came in its way. He said as soon as the PWD got clearance from the Forest Department, the road would be constructed. He said the metalling of this road was being proposed under Nabard during the financial year.

Bus operators’ stir from Nov 15
Our Correspondent

Paonta Sahib, November 11
The Sirmaur Bus Operators Union has decided to observe an indefinite fast against the “wrong policies” of the Himachal Pradesh Government against the bus operators. Union sources said, in the first phase of the agitation, the general secretaries of the union, Mr Bhajan Chaudhary, and Mr Asgar Ali, observed a day’s fast yesterday.

In a press note, they said the bus operators had been struggling since 2000 for relief in tax structuring, but the government was divising new ways to collect money from them. It had issued fresh orders for collecting taxes from the operators. They alleged that the state government, by adopting such policies, would drive the bus operators out of business. They were, however, determined to struggle hard against the repressive policies of the government.

The president of the union, Mr Madan Sharma, said the agitation would continue till the government accepted their demands. He said they had given an ultimatum to the state government that if their demands were not met by November 14, they would launch an indefinite agitation from the next day.

Scientists develop protein-rich potato
Our Correspondent

Shimla, November 11
Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) scientists here have used Amaranthus genes, local name Siul or Razdana, to develop a protein-rich potato, which will give vegetarians more proteins as compared to non-vegetarians.

CPRI and national Centre for Plant Genetic Research scientists started work on higher protein potato in 1997. These scientists selected the Kufri Chipsona-I, Kufri Chipsona 2, Kufri Bahar, Kufri Pukhraji, Kufri Satluj, and Kufri Ashok potato varieties to increase their protein content. Kufri Chipsona-I and Kufri Chipsona 2 were developed commercially and are used in the production of potato chips.

Dr Parkash S. Naik, Chief Scientist engaged in this research work, said to increase the protein content in potatoes, Amaranthus genes had been used as the protein content in potatoes was low as compared to Amaranthus. Dr Naik said the protein content in potatoes could be increased up to 200 times by using Amaranthus genes. The members of the research team include Dr S. Chakarvarthi, Dr P.C Pandey, and Dr Subha Chakarvarti. The field trials on potatoes are going on in Shimla and Modipuram and in both places potatoes have been grown in 1 acre farms.

CPRI scientists say in field trials the production has increased due to the newly developed seeds and the size of potatoes has also increased.

The CPRI scientists claimed that Amaranthus gene potatoes would have a higher protein content than meat and eggs.

Daily-wage workers from ‘outside’ opposed
Tribune News Service

Bilaspur, November 11
The “work to rule agitation” started here by workers of the HP State Forest Corporation-controlled rosin and turpentine factory at Raghunathpura, near here, entered into fourth day today. The entire production work has come to a standstill. Addressing a largely attended rally of workers at the factory gate, state AITUC secretary Bhagat Singh Verma said the factory management had refused to implement the judgement of the Labour Court dated November 15, asking it to regularise workers.

The management had also refused to implement most of the provisions in the Factories Act. Employees, leaders said they would oppose daily-wage earners from far off places such as Nahan, Baijnath, Fatehpur and Nalagarh as according to government orders no daily-wage earner could be sent more than 8 km away from his home.

They said that the management would not be allowed to retrench local labour.

They charged some officers with swindling lakhs every month thus looting the factory by keeping a large number of posts of mechanics and electricians vacant for years and getting the work done from private firms and workshops at rates several times higher than justified.

The union warned that it would be forced to gherao “corrupt” officers of the factory if their demands were not met.

Gender sensitisation course for cops
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 11
Seventeen officers of the police will participate in a three-day programme on gender sensitisation starting tomorrow at Timber Trial Heights, Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh. The programme will assess the capabilities and skills and identify the strengths and weaknesses of participants in handling gender sensitisation cases.

The programme is the second part, follow-up training of the Training of Trainers Course organised by the local police. The first ToT was conducted for the 17 participants in May. The course is being conducted by Dr Madhurmita Sarkar, Mr Waqar and Ms Aprajita Mukherjee, trainers from Gender Training Institute, New Delhi. The institute is being funded by the UNIFEM.

The Chandigarh police is one of the first civil police force in the region to conduct such training for its officers. The participants have been drawn from Recruit Training Centre (4), Women and Child Support Unit (7) and from various police stations\police posts (6). This was stated by Mr Ajay Kashyap, DIG, Police, Chandigarh.

SOS heritage walk ends today
Our Correspondent

Kumarhatti, November 11
A team of five men from Save Our Shimla (SOS), who were on a heritage walk along the 96.5 km-long Kalka-Shimla narrow gauge rail section to celebrate the 100th year of the track, today crossed from here while heading for their night stay at Sanwara railway station. Last night, the team had reached Barog railway station. The four-day-long walk, which started from Shimla on Saturday, will conclude at Kalka tomorrow.

Talking to The Tribune, Mr Ajit Butail, leader of the team, said the main aim of the walk was to get world heritage status for the track which was laid by the British to smoothen the transport network to their summer capital at Shimla. On November 9, 1903, the first train was flagged off on this track by the then Viceroy, Lord Curzon.

The team had only one young member while others were over 50 years of age. They had been trudging 25 km on an average in a day. “This track is full of natural beauty and has every feature to declare it as a heritage track, Mr Butail (54) said. That would enhance the tourism potential of this track, he added.

The Railway authorities are yet to announce any official programme to mark the event contrary to their earlier plans. Meanwhile, Mr Deepak Krishan, Divisional Railway Manager, Ambala division, has said that the Railway’s has planned to organise three to four programmes to mark the event which would be finalised soon.

Teachers call off stir
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 11
Agitating contract teachers have called off their six-day-old stir following an assurance given by Mr Sudripto Roy, Secretary, Education, that they will not be replaced by JBT teachers.

Mr Roy, during talks with representatives of the agitating teachers, agreed that JBT teachers will be appointed against vacant posts and there will be no retrenchment of contract teachers working against JBT posts. Regarding the demand for the regularisation of services, it was agreed that a policy will be drawn up in due course for absorbing contract teachers in a phased manner.

The government will approach the National Council for Teachers’ education (NCTE) for one-time relaxation in qualifications to facilitate the regularisation of the services of contract teachers against JBT posts. The NCTE has laid down that overqualified teachers cannot be appointed in place of JBT teachers.

Charas worth 1.2 cr seized

Shimla, November 11
The police seized high quality 12 kg charas, worth about Rs 1.2 crore in the international market, from a bag belonging to two persons during a nakabandi near Bashleu Jot under Banjar police station in Kulu district early this morning.

District police chief N Venugopal said the accused, however, escaped towards a forest under the cover of darkness. Efforts are on to arrest them.

A case was registered against the two under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance (NDPS) Act.

He said during a special drive launched against gambling, the police arrested 21 gamblers in the Brow area of the district and seized Rs 14,700 from them. UNI

3 killed in road mishap
Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, November 11
Three persons were killed on the spot when their scooter collided with a private bus near Thera village, 32 km from here, this evening. Those killed were Raj Kumar, his wife Shakuntla Devi and niece Nisha. While Raj Kumar and his wife belonged to Dehra, Nisha was a resident of Bharoli village.