H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Release grant, HP urges Centre
Shimla, July 31
The fund-starved Himachal Pradesh Government has made a strong plea for delinking of the revenue deficit grant from fiscal reforms even as it is negotiating the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Centre to pursue fiscal reforms in a time-bound manner.

Rs 3.57 lakh looted from bank at gunpoint
Una, July 31
Three robbers struck at the Basal branch of the State Bank of India, 6 km from here, today and looted Rs 3,56,961 at gunpoint. At about 11.45 am, the robbers entered the bank and one of them asked the cashier to hand over the cash and the keys of the strong room.

HC pulls up Himachal Govt on fast-track courts
Shimla, July 31
The Himachal High Court today pulled up the state government and the administrative side of the court for their negligent, callous and irresponsible attitude towards creating nine fast-track courts that were sanctioned by the Central Government for the state.

Marigold boosts farmers’ fortunes in Himachal
NURPUR: Horticultural crops are playing a vital role in bringing farmers with small land holdings in Himachal out of economic distress. The Regional Horticulture Research Station, Jachh, near Nurpur, has persuaded farmers to grow flowers.

Bitumen shortage hits road repair work
Kumarhatti, July 31
The shortage of bitumen in Kasauli PWD division has affected the repair and maintenance of roads. New works are also suffering due to the scarcity of bitumen. Sources in the department said there had been a shortage of bitumen for the past three years and there was no hope of any improvement in the near future.

Row over women’s hostel bills
Solan, July 31
Two inmates of the local women’s hostel being run by the Municipal Committee are not only being charged room rent flouting laid down norms but also the authorities have now issued them bills for the payment of arrears.

5 proclaimed offenders held
Nurpur, July 31
The Nurpur police has arrested five proclaimed offenders facing trial in the local courts under the Excise Act in cases relating to bootlegging and trade of illicit liquor. According to the police, Sham Lal, alias Dhabu, of Kali Mitti, near Bharmar, who was declared a proclaimed offender in 1990, was arrested at Sarna near Pathankot in Punjab.

Husband held for doctor’s death
Kulu, July 31
Monica Sood, an ayurvedic doctor, died here at the Zonal Hospital yesterday under mysterious circumstances. According to the police, she was married to Vineet Sood, son of Banarasi Das Sood of Dhalpur, Kulu, in November, 2000, and had a baby of six months. She was posted at Dehuri village in Banjar subdivision.

Man gets 10 years’ jail for possessing charas
Sundernagar, July 31
The Additional Sessions Judge, Mandi, Mr Sureshwar Thakur, in a judgement passed yesterday convicted Manmohan Singh of Banzar district in Kullu and sentenced him to undergo simple imprisonment for 10 years and imposed fine of Rs 1 lakh.

Varsity urged to review ordinances
Una, July 31
Prof Tara Chand, former member of the Himachal Pradesh University executive council and general secretary, HP Lok Mandal, in a press note issued here said the university had in its statute book certain ordinances which affects students in the state. Giving an example he said an ordinance debars a twice-failed student from seeking admission to the same class.

Upgradation of rural schools sought
Una, July 31
Mr Satpal Singh, local MLA, while addressing mediapersons here today said for the development of Una constituency three irrigation schemes for Bhalatu, Rampur and Malukpur villages, three drinking water supply schemes for Ajnoli, Basoli-Nale-Pirrigaha and Jhandowal village have been given a go ahead.

Involve women in small savings: Virbhadra
Shimla, July 31
Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, has called upon women to play a greater role in the small savings movement. Presiding over the state-level function, “payroll savings day”, here today, he stressed on the employment of women as agents in the state.

• Doctors’ vacancies to be filled
• Murder case handed over to CBI
• Anti-corruption cell set up in HP

Release grant, HP urges Centre
Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 31
The fund-starved Himachal Pradesh Government has made a strong plea for delinking of the revenue deficit grant from fiscal reforms even as it is negotiating the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Centre to pursue fiscal reforms in a time-bound manner.

The state maintains that the decision to link 15 per cent of the revenue deficit grant with fiscal reforms by the 11th Finance Commission is unreasonable. The commission had made its recommendation after making its own assessment of the state’s revenue receipts and expenditure and not on the basis of projections of the state government. The commission was convinced that the revenue gap assessed after the exhaustive exercise was beyond the capacity of the state to bridge. As such, there was no logic in withholding the 15 per cent of revenue deficit grant recommended by it. The state stands to lose about Rs 600 crore on account of this for the period 1999-2000 to 2004-05.

The withholding of the grant, the government has emphasised, will only force the state to raise more loans and make things worse.

Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, has already written to the Union Finance Minister in this regard and urged him to release the withheld grant.

The shortfall in the share of central taxes due to the lack of anticipated buoyancy in tax collections has added to the financial woes of the state. The commission had assessed the share of central taxes for the five-year period at Rs 2,570 crore. However, there has been a shortfall of about Rs 400 crore in the first three years. At the present level of receipts the state is likely to get about Rs 650 crore less than what was anticipated by the commission.

The huge shortfall in central taxes has made the state’s case for the release of the withheld grant stronger. The commission had recommended a total grant of Rs 7,460 crore, including Rs 2,570 crore as share in central taxes and Rs 4,549 crore as revenue deficit grant. As things stand today the state will receive about Rs 1,200 crore less on these two counts than what was recommended by the commission. In fact, the shortfall will come to over 25 per cent of the total revenue deficit grant recommended.

The state government has been raising loans totalling about Rs 2,200 crore annually to make both ends meet. The government has already started negotiations for signing an MoU on fiscal reforms with the Centre and it is hopeful of a positive response.

Rs 3.57 lakh looted from bank at gunpoint
Our Correspondent

Una, July 31
Three robbers struck at the Basal branch of the State Bank of India, 6 km from here, today and looted Rs 3,56,961 at gunpoint.

At about 11.45 am, the robbers entered the bank and one of them asked the cashier to hand over the cash and the keys of the strong room. The other two forced the remaining three members of the bank staff, including the Manager, and 10-old customers to enter a room and locked it.

According to the bank Manager, Mr O.D. Kaushal, the robbers took away the entire amount of Rs 3,56,961 from the bank.

One of the staff members said a Maruti car was waiting outside the door of the bank. All three robbers were clean shaved. They boarded the car and according to eyewitnesses, the car after reaching Jhalera village, 3 km from Una, turned towards the Una-Hoshiarpur road.

The police was informed about the incident. Una SP Satwant Atwal Trivedi said a message was flashed to all border check-posts of the district and to Nangal and Hoshiarpur also. She said there was no security guard in the bank.

HC pulls up Himachal Govt on fast-track courts
Legal Correspondent

Shimla, July 31
The Himachal High Court today pulled up the state government and the administrative side of the court for their negligent, callous and irresponsible attitude towards creating nine fast-track courts that were sanctioned by the Central Government for the state.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vinod Kumar Gupta and Mr Justice Kuldeep Chand Sood observed that the administrative side of the high court failed to nominate an administrative judge. Had such a nomination taken place in time, work on setting up fast-track courts would have gained the desired momentum.

The Bench passed this order on an application filed in a PIL, wherein it was alleged that the state government had failed to establish fast-track courts, despite the fact that the scheme was funded by the Central Government. It was averred that the Central Government had sanctioned nine fast-track courts for the state. Though the state government had notified two fast-track courts in the state on June 3, but no infrastructure had been provided.

Writing for the Bench, the Chief Justice directed that the committee constituted for establishing the fast-track courts would meet everyday from August 4 till the task was accomplished. The Bench directed that the opinion of the Registrar-General (only judicial member) be given full weightage.

The apex court had directed on May 6, 2002, to establish the courts within three months. The Bench observed that though time had lapsed, yet the committee would make efforts to start the courts as soon as possible.

The Bench observed that the committee would decide the date when these courts would be made functional.

It directed the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to file affidavits about the progress in this regard from time to time. It issued notice to the Secretary, Ministry of Law, Government of India, to file a reply within six weeks.

Marigold boosts farmers’ fortunes in Himachal
Rajiv Mahajan

NURPUR: Horticultural crops are playing a vital role in bringing farmers with small land holdings in Himachal out of economic distress. The Regional Horticulture Research Station, Jachh, near Nurpur, has persuaded farmers to grow flowers.

Dr A.K. Sharma, Scientist (Floriculture) at the station, has convinced farmers in the foothills of Kangra district that among the commercially important flowers, marigold is an emerging crop and acceptable to the socio-economic conditions of hill farmers because of its easy cultivation, low inputs, inexpensive packaging and least pest menace.

Dr Sharma claims that the low hills of Himachal Pradesh, where the summer is not very hot and the winter not too severe, offer congenial conditions for the cultivation of marigold round the year. In the low hills, farmers can initiate its cultivation as soon as the rain recedes (mid-August) and produce marigold flowers during autumn (October-November) when these are in great demand,” says Mr Sharma.

Again from April to June these hills are capable of producing a highly remunerative marigold crop provided the farmers ensure irrigational facilities. A team of scientists headed by Dr Sharma has also carried out a survey in fields of the Nurpur area and concluded that each rupee invested in marigold cultivation fetched a return of Rs 3.17 which was more than that given by any food crop and a majority of the vegetables.

Mr Manoj Pathania, of Bassa Waziran village revealed that he had sold marigold flowers worth Rs 10,000 cultivated in 2 kanals of land. He expects to fetch another Rs 2000 to Rs 3000 more before the crop withers.

Mr Ashok Kumar Gupta of Nurpur, who has been running a flower business for the past three years, lauds scientists of the Jachh horticulture research for introducing flower cultivation in the area. Dr Sharma said the research station was all set to introduce more potential flower crops like roses and gladula to boost the economic condition of farmers in the area.

Bitumen shortage hits road repair work
Our Correspondent

Kumarhatti, July 31
The shortage of bitumen in Kasauli PWD division has affected the repair and maintenance of roads. New works are also suffering due to the scarcity of bitumen. Sources in the department said there had been a shortage of bitumen for the past three years and there was no hope of any improvement in the near future. The Kasauli, Subathu and Parwanoo subdivisions were plagued with shortage of bitumen with Subathu being the worst-affected. The shortage had forced the department to carry out select works and most of the important roads were lying unattended.

An SDO on condition of anonymity said as against the total demand of bitumen the supply was nearly half. The gravity of the situation could be gauged from the fact the all important roads falling under Subathu subdivision were crying for repairs. The 56-km long Baddi-Patta-Subathu-Deothi road, the 17-km Banalgi-Chandi-Badhalag road, the 15-km Dharampur -Subathu road and 4-km Gamberpul-Mamleeg road falling under Subathu subdivision had not been repaired for want of bitumen. Meanwhile Mr P.C. Dharoch, Executive Engineer, Kasauli division when contacted denied any shortage of bitumen in the division. He said the division had sufficient stock of bitumen and roads would be repaired after the monsoon. When asked about scarcity in subdivision offices he said he would look into the matter.

Row over women’s hostel bills
Our Correspondent

Solan, July 31
Two inmates of the local women’s hostel being run by the Municipal Committee are not only being charged room rent flouting laid down norms but also the authorities have now issued them bills for the payment of arrears.

The two, Madhu and Sheela, who have been staying in the hostel for the past more than a year-and-a-half have been issued bills pertaining to arrears for the period of the stay.

The bills amounting to Rs 6,547 and Rs 6,875 respectively, also carry a penalty of Rs 655 and Rs 680 if these are not paid by August 10.

The Executive Officer of the Municipal Committee, Mr B.R. Negi, while admitting that the bills for such hostels in Bilaspur and Shimla were for Rs 200 only per month said here these were charged on the basis of 10 per cent of the gross salary.

The clerk, Reeta, while justifying the bills, said the two girls had shown less salaries at the time of admission than verified by their parent organisations.

The bills, thus, pertained to the difference. The inmates, however, stated that the matter had been settled by the SDO last year and it had been raised again to harass them.

The inmates who had lodged a written complaint with the Deputy Commissioner about the SDO’s residence being located within their premises felt the bills had been issued in retaliation.

They lamented that the Deputy Commissioner did not take action on their complaint. When contacted, the Deputy Commissioner said he had sought a report about the SDO from the Executive Officer and only after getting it he could do something about it.

The Executive Officer said the bills were charged as per a government notification.

However, he failed to show the order and only produced a copy of bylaws which were no statutory orders for such hostels. The girls rued that instead of redressing their grievance they were being mocked at by the committee officials.

The girls said while on the one hand the clerk stated that the bills were charged as per rules on the other hand they were asked to talk to the SDO to resolve the issue which clearly indicated that the bills were in retaliation to their complaint.

The hostel does not have a warden and a peon who acts as a clerk also signs the bills on behalf of the warden.

5 proclaimed offenders held
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, July 31
The Nurpur police has arrested five proclaimed offenders facing trial in the local courts under the Excise Act in cases relating to bootlegging and trade of illicit liquor.

According to the police, Sham Lal, alias Dhabu, of Kali Mitti, near Bharmar, who was declared a proclaimed offender in 1990, was arrested at Sarna near Pathankot in Punjab.

Soni Devi of Ganhi Lagor, who was declared a proclaimed offender in 1993, was arrested near Indora on the Himachal and Punjab border. She had been living their after marrying for the third time. Rukmani Devi of Lodwan, who was declared a proclaimed offender in 1989, was arrested in Sabzi Mandi, Delhi.

The three offenders were produced in court last week. The court after taking personal surety bonds and a surety for each gave them bail.

Sham Bahadur of Bhadroya village, who was declared a proclaimed offender in 1999, was arrested in the Bhadroya area.

Similarly, Mehla of Lodwan village, another proclaimed offender, was arrested near Bhadukhar. Both were produced in the court yesterday and remanded in judicial custody at Dharamsala.

Husband held for doctor’s death
Our Correspondent

Kulu, July 31
Monica Sood, an ayurvedic doctor, died here at the Zonal Hospital yesterday under mysterious circumstances. According to the police, she was married to Vineet Sood, son of Banarasi Das Sood of Dhalpur, Kulu, in November, 2000, and had a baby of six months. She was posted at Dehuri village in Banjar subdivision.

According to her brother, Amit Gupta, she was being tortured for dowry soon after the marriage. Amit Gupta stated in an FIR that yesterday morning she spoke to him over the telephone and complained that her in-laws were harassing her.

He said today at about 5 am he was informed by her father-in-law over the telephone that his sister had consumed poison.

By the time he reached hospital, she was already dead. The police has registered a case under Section 304-B. The husband of the victim Vineet Sood, and her father-in-law have been arrested.

The body of the victim was handed over to her parents after a post-mortem. She was cremated later on.

Man gets 10 years’ jail for possessing charas
Our Correspondent

Sundernagar, July 31
The Additional Sessions Judge, Mandi, Mr Sureshwar Thakur, in a judgement passed yesterday convicted Manmohan Singh of Banzar district in Kullu and sentenced him to undergo simple imprisonment for 10 years and imposed fine of Rs 1 lakh.

As per the prosecution, on April 6, 2001, the Mandi police received a tip-off that the occupant of seat number 31 of a tourist bus coming from Manali was carrying charas. Receiving this information, the police stopped the bus outside Mandi. The bus was searched and 7.5 kg of charas was seized from the bag of the accused. A case under Section 20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Act was registered against him.

Varsity urged to review ordinances
Our Correspondent

Una, July 31
Prof Tara Chand, former member of the Himachal Pradesh University executive council and general secretary, HP Lok Mandal, in a press note issued here said the university had in its statute book certain ordinances which affects students in the state. Giving an example he said an ordinance debars a twice-failed student from seeking admission to the same class.

Another ordinance says that a student who improves his/her score after re-evaluation of his/her paper would not be entitled to promotion to the next class.

Thus if a failed student after re-evaluation gets good marks and is declared pass in a subject he still would not be able to get admission to the next class.

He appealed to university to review the ordinances.

Upgradation of rural schools sought
Our Correspondent

Una, July 31
Mr Satpal Singh, local MLA, while addressing mediapersons here today said for the development of Una constituency three irrigation schemes for Bhalatu, Rampur and Malukpur villages, three drinking water supply schemes for Ajnoli, Basoli-Nale-Pirrigaha and Jhandowal village have been given a go ahead. Moreover, certain link roads would also be constructed.

He said he had also sought the upgradation of the government primary schools at Baloh and Khuh villages as middle schools. He added that the upgradation of government middle school, Chatra as a high school and Government High School Mujara as government senior secondary school had also been sought.

Involve women in small savings: Virbhadra
Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 31
Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, has called upon women to play a greater role in the small savings movement.

Presiding over the state-level function, “payroll savings day”, here today, he stressed on the employment of women as agents in the state. He suggested that the 15,000 women self-help groups should be associated with the movement.

Mr Anil Bhattacharya, Joint National Savings Commissioner, said last year Rs 422 crore were deposited under the scheme and this year the deposits were likely to cross the Rs 500-crore mark. As many as 10,000 persons had got employment under the scheme, he added.

Doctors’ vacancies to be filled
Our Correspondent

Chamba, July 31
The Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to fill 100 vacant posts of doctor on a contract basis. Trained nurses will also be appointed in a phased manner to meet the shortage of staff in hospital. During this process, 32 vacant posts of doctor in Chamba district would also be filled, said Mr Harsh Mahajan, Minister for Animal Husbandry, while inaugurating a Rs 15 lakh bridge at Bheod on the Saal rivulet, a tributary of the Ravi, in Chamba district today.

Murder case handed over to CBI
Our Correspondent

Solan, July 31
Himachal Director-General of police A.K. Puri today handed over the Shashi Gupta murder case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for investigation.

Ms Shashi Gupta was a clerk in a school in Oachaghat near here and her partially burnt body was found from a trunk in her house on July 17 where she lived with other members of the family.

Anti-corruption cell set up in HP
Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 31
Close on the heels of the decision to initiate vigilance inquiry into allegations against the Dhumal government, the Himachal Pradesh Government today set up an anti-corruption cell to monitor the progress of corruption cases.

An official spokesman said the cell would function under the direct supervision of the Chief Minister and would be headed by an additional secretary.