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Wednesday,
July 30, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Excess
rain affects vegetable Govt seeks
Governor’s help in varsity probe Mayawati’s HP
visit from July 31 Order on bus fares modified 3 bodies
taken out of Markanda |
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Staff
stage dharna over arrears Naina
Devi fair begins today
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Excess rain affects vegetable crops in HP Solan, July 29 The worst-hit were capsicum and tomato crops. These crops are farmers’ favourite especially in the lower hills of Himachal. Price of capsicum and tomato has hit the roof in plains especially Chandigarh, Punjab Haryana and Delhi because of a sudden fall in procurement of these crops in the past one week or so in the hill state. Thakur Amar Singh a vegetable grower of Anji village, near here, said that a major part of his tomato and capsicum crops had been destroyed by excess rainfall. “I have not seen such a prolonged spell of rain in Himachal in the past three decades,” he said. Solan, Kulu, Sirmaur, Shimla and Lahaul Spiti were among the main vegetable growing areas of the Himachal. Farmers in hill state had the advantage of growing high-value vegetables in summer, which was otherwise an off-season for these crops in plains. “In winter these vegetable are available in plenty in plains. But there are certain vegetables which can only be grown here and not in plains in summer. That is why these vegetables fetch high price”, said Thakur Amar Singh In fact hotel industry in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Chandigarh depended on Himachal for the supply of capsicum and tomato in summer, he added. When contacted, Director, Agriculture, Himachal, Dr J.C. Rana, said that “It is true the rain has damaged vegetable crops in the state”. He said that his officers in the field were assessing the loss so as to submit the reports to the state government. “Excess rainfall leads to the loosening of soil that results in lodging of vegetable crops. The rain also impedes operations to remove weeds from these crops,” he said. Attack of leaf blight had been also reported on the crops. Rotting of fruits of various vegetable crops had been reported from almost all parts of the state. Vegetable experts of Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni (Solan), also admitted loss to vegetable crops in the state. “But it is not widespread”, said a senior professor of the university. He said that buck-eye-rot, a fungal disease, had been reported from Solan and other parts of the state. Spores of fungal disease stayed in soil for most part of the year. They attacked plants in the rainy season through plant leaves which touched the soil. “Farmers have been advised, as a precautionary measure, to remove leaves from the lower parts of plants so as to avoid their contact with the soil. It helps in minimising the attack of the disease,” said the professor. He said that unabated rain spell had also led to waterlogging in fields. “Vegetable crops such as capsicum start withering because of waterlogging”, he added. Crops of those farmers, who had made proper arrangement to drain out rain water from fields, had suffered less damage, he said. Maize crop had been hit in certain parts of the state. Farmers had suffered a set back earlier also because of a prolonged dry spell in June. Dry spell had affected plum and apricot crop. |
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Govt seeks Governor’s help in varsity probe Shimla, July 29 Highly-placed sources revealed that the questionnaire of the Vigilance Department, which the Vice-Chancellor, Dr S.D. Sharma, had refused to answer was being sent to Mr Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje, Governor, for follow-up action. The move came after a series of meetings between senior government officers and Mr Kokje at which the issue was discussed threadbare. In fact, the Governor had sought information from the government regarding the provisions under which the Vigilance inquiry was being conducted and whether his permission was required or not. The inquiry did not make any progress over the past two months as Dr Sharma refused to provide the relevant record to the investigating agency and even declined to answer its queries. He has all along maintained that the university is an autonomous body and that only the Governor is competent to make such inquiries. The Vigilance Department had sent a 27-point questionnaire to Dr Sharma twice, but he stuck to his stand. |
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Mayawati’s HP
visit from July 31 Shimla, July 29 Although the party has been entering the electoral fray from selected Assembly segments for the past over 15 years but it has failed to find a footing in the state. Its influence has been confined to a few pockets in Una, Hamirpur and Solan districts. In 1993 Assembly elections it polled 2.25 per cent votes. However, its percentage came down to 1.41 per cent in 1998 the Assembly poll. It contested as many as 38 seats in 1990, 49 in 1993 and 28 in 1998 but failed to open its account. Ms Mayawati will hold a meeting of the state party unit on August 1 at which the strategy to expand the base will be discussed. |
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Order on bus fares modified Shimla, July 29 The Akhil Bharatiya Vidayarthi Parishad had filed a complaint before the forum The HRTC authorities had challenged the
above said interim order and the commission modified the order to the effect that the stay order would remain in force for students of Maharishi Vidya Mandir, Chatru, Adhunik Public School, Sidhbari, and Sacred Heart school, Sidhpur, in Kangra district. |
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3 bodies
taken out of Markanda Nahan, July 29 The bodies of two missing brothers Jitender (14) and Dharmender (12), were also found from the river. Their family had lodged a report in this regard at the local police station on Monday. |
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Staff stage dharna over arrears Palampur, July 29 Briefing newspersons, Mr Gurdass Ram, secretary of the local unit of the All Himachal PWD and IPH Workers Association said they had submitted a memorandum of their demands to the officers concerned on July 6 in this regard but nothing had been done so far. |
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Naina Devi fair begins today Bilaspur, July 29 Pilgrims undergo ordeals to please the goddess so that their cherished wishes are fulfilled. Devotees offer cash, gold and silver to the deity. Following the setting up of a temple trust, a part of the money is given to the traditional priests while the rest is spent on public works and facilities for pilgrims. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the IPC, banning the carrying of lethal weapons, arms and ammunition during the fair, have been issued. Offering ‘halwa’ and coconut has been disallowed for security reasons.
— UNI |
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