Notices issued to Himachal CM, Chief Secretary
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 28
The Chandigarh Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal yesterday issued notices to Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Ms Rajendra Bhattacharya, Chief Secretary, and others on an application filed by Mr Sanjay Gupta, an 1988 batch IAS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre. They were asked to file their replies by November 3.

Mr Gupta had requested in his petition that the chargesheet issued to him by the state government after Mr Virbhadra Singh became the Chief Minister be quashed as it was issued for a charge on which he had been already exonerated by the state government. He had submitted that the charges against him were more than a decade old and revived by the Chief Minister to debar him from getting promotion.

The IAS officer said in his petition that Mr Virbhadra Singh was trying to settle scores with him as he had conducted a probe into the violations of various Land Reform Acts by the erstwhile rulers of the Bushahr state, including Mr Virbhadra Singh.

Mr Gupta, according to the petition, found Mr Virbhadra Singh guilty of committing offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, the IPC and the Indian Forest Act.

Mr Gupta also attached a copy of an affidavit, filed by the Deputy Commissioner of Shimla in the Himachal Pradesh High Court on behalf of Himachal Chief Secretary. He said the irregularities committed by Mr Virbhadra Singh which figured in his report were also pointed out in the affidavit.

The IAS officer had earlier also approached the CAT for expunging adverse observations and downgraded remarks recorded in his ACRs by Mr Virbhadra Singh. The CAT had upheld his petition and the Central Government as well as the state government accepted the CAT decision. However, later, Mr Virbhadra Singh challenged the CAT order which further showed his malafide intention, stated Mr Gupta in his petition.

DNA profiling to help conserve species
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 28
Waking up to the dangers of genetic inbreeding amongst animals in captivity, the state wildlife authorities have decided to use DNA fingerprinting to keep a proper genetic record of the endangered species maintained for conservation.

The large-scale mortality of lions in the Renuka safari due to excessive inbreeding has opened the eyes of the department and forced it to take long-term steps to overcome the problem.

Initially, DNA profiling of species like monal, western tragopan, red jungle fowl and cheer pheasant will be carried out. In the second phase, animals like muskdeer will be covered.

The department has sent a proposal in this regard to the Central Zoo Authority, which has agreed to provide funds for it in principle. In all, DNA fingerprinting of about 60 selected birds will be carried out in the first phase.

These birds will form the breeding stock for the conservation of endangered species like monal cheer pheasant and western tragopan. The breeding will be carried out ex-situ so that the birds can be released in the wild. Under the programme, the chicks bred in captivity will have the benefit of parental rearing in natural surroundings.

The western tragopan will be bred at the Sarahan pheasantry, the monal at the Kufri Nature Park and cheer pheasant at Chail. Big enclosures are being constructed at the three places to provide the required natural environment for ex-situ breeding.

Besides, red jungle fowl will be bred to meet the requirement of medical research. Since there is not much of poultry farming in the state, the possibility of finding pure- blood red jungle fowl, particularly in interior areas, is high.

The red jungle fowl will be trapped from the wild and after DNA profiling, only the birds with pure blood will be retained for breeding. The rest will be released in the wild.

Apple farmers allege shortage of packaging material
Our Correspondent

Kulu, August 28
A shortage of packaging material has created panic among farmers in the Banjar subdivision of this district. The farmers are worried over the shifting of the bumper apple crop. Cartons and trays for apples are being supplied by the HPMC to the different sales centres for further sales to apple growers. The growers have complained that the short supply of packaging material has hit the crop as the fruits have to be sent to the market at the earliest after plucking.

The District Horticulture Officer said the supply of packaging material was on a demand basis and there were sufficient stocks at the regional centre at Bhuntar. He said the growers of the Banjar areas may not have given their demands.

The HPMC sources here denied any shortage of packaging material in the district.

Contrary to the claims of the government departments, the growers said the farmers were being given mere assurances that the supplies would be streamlined. Meanwhile, the apple growers in this district preferred to sell their produce in the local markets rather than transporting it to major markets like Delhi, Kanpur, Nagpur and Mumbai as the price offered by the middlemen was much below the expectations. The farmers of this district and of the adjoining tribal districts of Lahaul and Spiti remained at the mercy of middlemen due to lack of storage facilities, the farmers alleged.

Apple fest begins
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 28
The first apple festival in the state began with a fancy dress parade here today.

Inaugurating the four-day festival, Major Vijay Singh Mankotia, Tourism Minister, said community participation was essential to boost tourism and lauded the effort of Shimla hotels’ and restaurants’ association for organising the festival.

He said the government would take steps to beautify Kufri, and to check environmental pollution.

Governor's letter not included in HPU agenda
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 28
Surprised over the complete omission of the issues raised by the Governor, Mr V.S. Kokje, in his letter to Dr S.D. Sharma, Vice Chancellor of the Himachal Pradesh University, from the agenda for the special meeting of the executive council of the university scheduled for August 30, Mr Sudripto Roy, the Principal Secretary, Education, has taken up the matter with the Raj Bhavan.

In the letter addressed to the secretary of the Governor, Mr Roy is learnt to have pointed out that despite specific directions from the Governor to the Vice-Chancellor that issues concerning various irregularities in the university be considered in the meeting of the executive council, they haven't been included in the agenda. In fact, the letter of the Governor did not find any mention in the agenda and only some issues, which could not be taken up in the last meeting have been included.

He said in the last meeting a decision was taken that the letter of the Governor, which was withheld from the council, would be discussed in the August 30 meeting. However, the university has failed to include the issues raised in the letter in the agenda. Mr Roy requested the Governor to intervene in the matter and direct the Vice-Chancellor to include all the issues in the agenda.

Kol Dam area declared prohibited
Our Correspondent

Bilaspur, August 28
The Himachal Government has declared the Kol Dam Project area as a prohibited area under the Administrative Secrets Act, 1923, in an attempt to foil a strike by the Kol Dam Project Mazdoor Union due to crores of rupees are being lost.

A press note signed by the Kol Dam Project Assistant Public Relations Officer, Mr V.K. Sharma, said that the notification was issued by the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), banning the entry into the project areas of Mohal, Ropa, and Kiyaan where construction work was on.

On Wednesday evening, Labour Commissioner, Himachal Pradesh, also used his special powers to prohibit strike by the labour at the project after talks between the mazdoor union, NTPC management and private contractors companies, employing about 1000 labourers failed.

Confirmed reports from the project site said the union had rejected both orders of the state Labour Commissioner as well as of the government. CITU leader Lakhanpal Sharma, which controls this the union called both the orders unconstitutional, illegal and dictatorial. He asserted that the strike would continue as usual and neither the NTPC nor the government would succeed in intimidating the union.

Protest-against death of woman, son
Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, August 28
At least 60 members of the Himachal Pradesh Janbadi Mahila Morcha took out a procession through the main bazaar here yesterday demanding the registration of a case against the husband of Anjna Devi of Majhog village. The bodies of Anjna Devi and her son, Tinku, were found in a village of Dehra tehsil of Kangra district recently.

The procession was led by Ms Satya Galohda, general secretary of the state unit of the morcha. Addressing the rally at the Gandhi Chowk, she along with other speakers demanded the registration of a criminal case against the husband of Anjna Devi. They said Anjna Devi died due to the alleged torture for bringing insufficient dowry.

An official spokesman said here today that a memorandum in this regard had been handed over to the Kangra police since the crime was committed within the jurisdiction of Kangra district.

LIC staff observe strike
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 28
Employees of the Life Insurance Corporation observed a two-hour strike all over the state in protest against the dilatory tactics being adopted by the management and the government on the issue of wage revision.

Mr Devi Das, divisional secretary of the Northern Zone Insurance Employees Association claimed that the strike was complete in all 25 branches of the corporation in the state. The agitating employees staged dharnas and rallies at which the speakers condemned the management for its negative attitude towards the demand for wage revision.

Mr A.C. Chauhan, divisional president of the association, said the LIC had registered a phenomenal growth during 2002-03 and managed to retain a market share of 95 per cent in first premium and 97 per cent in number of policies sold. On the other hand the cost of wage as a percentage of premium had come down to 5.4 per cent, which was low even in comparison to international stands. The servicing of policies per employees had increased to 1400 policies. These reasons were enough to justify the demand for a handsome pay revision, he added.

Work hit as posts lie vacant
Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, August 28
Work in the office of the Deputy Commissioner here been has paralysed for want of various officers. Posts of Additional Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner, District Revenue Officer and Sub-divisional Magistrate are lying vacant.

The Deputy Commissioner is now assisted by the Additional District Magistrate in disposing off all files and taking all important decisions. People of the district are finding it difficult to meet the senior officers for getting their work done.

People of the district are aggrieved at the failure of the state government to fill vacant posts in time. They have urged the Chief Minister to fill the vacant posts.

Supplementary exams from Sept 4
Our Correspondent

Dharamsala, August 28
Supplementary examinations of the H.P. Board of School Education will start from September 4.

Disclosing this, the Chairman of the Board, Mr B.R. Rahi said in all 63,293 students who had been placed under compartment would appear for VIII, X plus 1 and plus 2 class examinations. The morning session will be for matriculation and plus 2 students while students of class VIII and plus I will write their paper in the evening session.

Mr Rahi said roll numbers of all eligible candidates had been sent. In case any student had any problem, he could contact the board office. The board Chairman said the supplementary examination for JBT Part I class would start from September 16.

Enteritis hits Bilaspur areas

Bilaspur, August 28
Gastroenteritis has broken out in the Fatoh and Bakroa areas of the district. At least eight villages have been affected by the epidemic.

Nikkaram (80), who was admitted to the Regional Hospital here yesterday, died of gastroenteritis last night, while a female child of Bakroa village reportedly died on the way to the hospital. The Chief Medical Officer, Dr B.C. Kapoor, said today that 31 men, 38 women and 17 children were admitted to the hospital and all of them were out of danger. — OC

Panchayat pradhan suspended
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, August 28
The Department of Panchayats and Rural Development on Tuesday suspended Kuldip Singh, pradhan of Lathial gram panchayat of the Fetehpur development block in Jawali subdivision for his alleged involvement in 18 tonnes wheat scam of the panchayat.

3 buried alive

Nahan, August 28
Three labourers were buried alive under debris following a landslide at Friends Mines at Bandala, 80 km from here, in Paonta Sahib subdivision yesterday.

According to the police, the three persons — Prem Chand (38), Bishan Chand (32) and Harak Chand (26) — were extricated. They died before receiving medical aid at hospital. The police handed over their bodies to the next of their kin. — OC