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Monday,
October
6, 2003,
Chandigarh, India  
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Rise in leopard
attacks due to depleting habitat Leopard sighted
again Testing of first
unit of Chamera-II successful Illegal mining in
Neugal river on rise Kulu Dasehra
begins Dasehra
celebrated with fervour |
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Row over
graveyard, cremation ghat Land under
dispute to be demarcated Separate
authority to develop McLeodganj Of bad road and
insanitation Man found dead Rani Kiran
Kumari dead TV channel on
Himachali culture
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Rise in leopard attacks due to depleting habitat Shimla, October 5 Only yesterday two such incidents took place. At Jol village in Dehra subdivision of the Kangra district a six-year-old boy Manish, who was lifted by the spotted animal, virtually returned from the jaws of death. He was seriously injured in the head and back. In the second incident, Promilla, a 42-year-old woman of Bharnot village in Hamirpur, was mauled by the animal. Only a week ago a nine-month-old child was devoured by the big cat in Mandi. The killing of a man-eating leopard in Kariala village of Dehra subdivision in the Kangra district two weeks ago has however, not provided any respite to the villagers. Yesterday’s attacks have made it evident that the man-eater is still active in the area. The leopard, which was killed on September 20, was not the only one to cause panic in the area by killing three children and attacking some others. The Forest Department had granted permission for eliminating the man-eating leopard after it claimed its third victim, a five-year-old girl, in Kariala village. The entire area falling in the Jwalamukhi, Ranital and Dehra triangle is in the grip of panic. The people do not venture out of their homes after the sun set. They are now demanding that the Forest Department should make arrangements to either trap or kill the beast, which is getting more dangerous by the day. A leopard is a highly protected wildlife specie and killing it is an offence under the Wild Life Act, punishable with a minimum of three years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000. Over the past one year about 75 cases of attack on human beings have been reported, in which nine persons lost their lives and 45 sustained grievous injuries. The Forest Department has paid Rs 14.50 lakh as compensation to the victims. Despite being a protected specie, the leopards have been at the receiving end. Over the past six years as many as 59 leopards have been killed by villagers by putting up traps and snares. The protective measures have no doubt yielded the desired results. The population of the leopards have been increasing steadily. There were about 120 leopards as per the 1984 cat Census and the number increased to 1,004 in 1997, including 32 snow leopards which thrive in high altitude areas and hardly come across human beings. The protected areas (sanctuaries and national parks), which account for 12 per cent of the state’s total area, had 193 leopards. The officers of the Wildlife Department, however, maintain that the increase in the leopard population is not the main reason behind the attacks on human beings. It has more to do with the shrinking and fragmentation of their natural habitat due to the construction of roads, shrinking of river course and encroachments. A very few continuous forest areas, which provide the ideal habitat for wildlife, have been left in the state. The fragmentation confines the leopard to a small forest area, which does not have enough prey for it to survive. It has no option but to move to another forest during which is comes across human habitations. With not many prey available in forests, the leopards start preying on domestic cattle and pet dogs. Human beings are not a natural prey, but it kills them by mistake. However, once it becomes a man-eater, it is most difficult to eliminate. The leopards make frequent forays into villages mostly in the areas where the forest had been destroyed. In fact, the wild cats have adapted themselves to living alongside the human beings. |
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Leopard sighted again Hamirpur, October 5 Eyewitnesses said Urmila Devi was going to meet her friend when the leopard appeared. She raised the alarm and was saved by the alert villagers. Earlier, Mangla, a little girl, was also frightened by the leopard. Villagers told The Tribune in the evening that the frequent sighting of the leopard in the village had caused panic in the area and they were compelled to remain indoors even during the day. Earlier, the same leopard had attacked Promila of the same village on Saturday. When contacted, Sudhir Shiwal, Assistant Conservator of Forests (Territorial) who visited the village in the afternoon said efforts would be made to cage the leopard. |
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Testing of first unit of Chamera-II successful
Chamba, October 5 Giving this information here, project General Manager Parminder Singh said the testing on the second and third units of 100 MW each would be carried out soon making the project ready for commissioning soon. He informed that the project with three generating units of 100 MW each was being constructed at an estimated cost of about Rs 1700 crore. He said various works on the project were being executed on a contract basis through a joint venture of Indo-Canadian hydro consortium inclusive of Jai Parkash Industries Limited, SNC Lavalin Inc, SNC, Lavalin Acres Transnational, Canada and GE, Canada. The major works on the project such as 39-metre high concrete gravity dam at Bagga extending its reservoir in 3.6 km stretch on the river Ravi, 8-km long headrace tunnel, 3.5-km long tailrace tunnel and an underground power house near Jarangla Nallah have already been completed.
— UNI |
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Illegal mining in Neugal river on rise Palampur, October 5 A former Union Rural Development Minister and Member Parliament, Mr Shanta Kumar, who had given Rs 50 lakh from his MP constituency development fund to this project, expressed concern over illegal mining in the Neugal river at Bundla which had been banned earlier. Talking to mediapersons here today he said that the state government and district administration were conversant with the situation that large-scale mining could damage the resort but no action had been initiated against the defaulters so far. Mr Shanta Kumar said that he had also written a number of times to the district administration and state government but it had yielded no results so far. Last rainy season a portion of this tourist resort had been washed away because of erosion in this river. The first phase of this project had already been commissioned. The state Forest Department, which had taken up this project three years ago had spent over Rs 1.5 crore till now. The project was being executed in the memory of martyr Captain Sorabh
Kalia, who sacrificed his life in Kargil conflict. The total cost of this project had been estimated at Rs 10 crore when completed. Despite a complete ban by the state government on mining and quarrying in Neugal river adjoining Sorabh Van Vihar illegal mining was on the rise. Large number of tractors-trailers could be seen extracting sand, stone and bajri from the river. The official sources said that no one had the legal rights to extract sand stone from this portion of river since this was a notified prohibited area for mining. The state government had also issued notification to this effect three years ago but it was yet to be implemented by the mining department and local administration. The Palampur Welfare and Environment Protection Forum also expressed concern over increasing illegal mining and quarrying near Sorabh Van Vihar. |
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Kulu Dasehra
begins Kulu, October 5 The atmosphere was filled with rhythmical sound of drums while men, women and children in their traditional folk dresses gathered to watch the spectacular event. Maheshwar Singh, Karan Singh along with their offshoots led the shobha yatra which started from Raghunath mandir at Raghunathpur. The Governor, Mr Vishnu V. Kokje, and the Agriculture Minister, Mr Raj Krishan, were also present on a dais specially erected near the northern end of the ground. Later, the Governor inaugurated the exhibitions of industries and power projects coming up in the state and took special interest in the local handicraft and Kulu shawls. Earlier in the morning, the RSS contingents took out a parade from Akhara Bazar to Dhalpur maidan. |
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Dasehra celebrated with fervour Chamba, October 5 A large crowd attended the Dasehra celebrations here. A shobha yatra was also taken out on the occasion. Earlier, a wrestling contest was also organised. HAMIRPUR:
Thousands of men, women and children took part in the Dasehra celebrations in various parts of the district on Sunday. Effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkarn and Meghnad were burnt at Hamirpur, Nadaun, Sujanpur Tira, Barsar, Jahoo and other interior parts of the district. The main function was held at Pattan Bazaar of the town, where Ramlilas are organised during the day time. Earlier, tableaux of Lord Rama and Sita were also taken out. SUBATHU:
This sleepy cantonment on Sunday came alive with the activities of Napalese on the occasion of Dashain. Dashain, the Dasehra, is one of the main festivals of the Gorkha community. The festival also mark the reunion of family members residing outside. The celebrations started early in the morning with Durga puja. After the puja, the youths smeared mixture of rice and curd on their foreheads, marking vijay tikka as per the Gorkha tradition. The celebrations will continue till the
forthcoming Purnamashi and conclude with the submersion of idols of Durga. Meanwhile, the 10-day-long Dasehra and Durga puja celebrations concluded at the 14 Gorkha Training Centre here with much fanfare and fervour today. The idol of Durga was submerged by dharam guru in the nearby Gumber river. |
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Row over graveyard, cremation ghat Bilaspur, October 5 Reports here today said that Hindus have started cremating their dead on the spot where the highest level of Gobind Sagar stands, and, this has created problems for the residents of the houses living nearby. They have urged the administration to ensure that cremation of dead at the spot built by Nagar Parishad on bank of Gobind Sagar near Vyaas Guffa and near ‘Champawati’. But on losing their graveyard, Muslims have started burying their dead above the cricket stadium along side approach road and behind the Luhanu village where the entire population has opposed the burial. A few days ago when Muslims brought one dead for burial to this spot, villagers opposed a grave yard on back yard of their village. The dead after persuasion could be buried at a distance only at intervention of some senior citizens of the area. Both communities have brought this to the notice of the Deputy Commissioner and demanded that dead of both communities should maintain cordial relations. Senior citizens here urged the administration to order the Nagar Parishad to provide facilities at cremation ghat near Vyaas Guffa and Muslims should be asked to bury their dead at a site allotted to them at Dholera with Diara sector. |
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Land under dispute to be demarcated Hamirpur, October 5 An official spokesman said here today that the police hold talks with both parties till late last evening, but these ended in a deadlock. While the crusher owner claimed that it was his land, the villagers alleged that it was the property of the villagers. According to the villagers, the crusher owner was threatening them as he had proximity with one of the senior police officers posted at Hamirpur. The officer had been pressuring them and the police to allow the construction to continue, alleged one of the villagers. He said the land for the crusher had been given only for a specific period. |
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Separate authority to develop McLeodganj Dharamsala, October 5 Talking to reporters the Tourism Minister said that many international dignitaries might McLeodganj every year. He said due to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, McLeodganj and Dharamsala were on international tourist map and efforts were on to attract more tourists. He regretted that congestion, traffic, parking facilities, cleanliness and landslides were major problems. He said most Tibetans who flee their homeland want to settle in McLeodganj as the Dalai Lama was here but satellite towns around Dharamsala needed to the developed to check this flow. Maj Mankotia said many agencies were ready to development and maintenance of McLeodganj but were not ready to finance the activities if development was to be handed over to government agency like Municipal Council. He said independent
agency was mooted for McLeoganj to beautify it. Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had given his approval and soon would declare the composite plan. The minister said that for the International Himalayan Festival celebrated every year from December 10th cultural troupes from all hill states would be invited. Showing his concern for the absence of jobs for local people in hydel projects, Mr Mankotia said the clause of providing 80 per cent skilled and unskilled jobs to Himachalis was being ignored. |
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Of bad road and insanitation Hamirpur, October 5 No efforts have so for been taken by the Department of Public Works to repair the road and to make it traffic worthy. Those plying their vehicles on this road are the worst hit. They find it difficult to pass the road due to bad condition. They allege that the district authorities have failed to repair the road. The main gate of the newly constructed Housing Board Colony is stinking due to the dumping of garbage there. Though a huge container has been kept there yet it's surrounding is full of garbage and other material. Civic body employees hardly bother to lift the garbage and clean the area. People of the colony are highly upset and annoyed with the local Civic body for not providing them basic amenities as wanted by them. The body charges all taxes from us but in return gives nothing, lamented Rajesh Kumar. A spokesman of the Civic body admitted that garbage was not lifted from the colony area for want of adequate number of safai karamcharis with the body. He, however, said that sweeping work was being done in the area earlier. |
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Man found dead Mandi, October 5 The police has registered a case under Section 174 of the CrPC suspecting that some vehicle might have hit him as evident from the head injury detected during the post-mortem. The body was handed over to his relatives after the post-mortem. Mr Narinder Kumar, SHO, who is investigating the case, said the blood samples recovered from the sight would be sent to the forensic laboratory at Junga in Shimla district. The deceased had deep wounds in head and other parts of the body. |
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Rani Kiran Kumari dead Mandi, October 5 Her death was
condoled at an emergency meeting of the nagar parishad, presided over by Sheela Sonkhla, president the local Beopar Mandal also mourned her death and resolved to close all shops and other business establishments tomorrow as a mark of respect to the departed soul. Rani Kiran Kumari had joined the BJP in 1982. She also contested elections from the Mandi Assembly seat in the last election, but was defeated by Mr Sukh Ram. She was the elder sister of Maheshwar Singh, MP from the Mandi parliamentary constituency and Karan Singh, a former BJP minister. |
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TV channel on Himachali culture Shimla, October 5 A company spokesman said here yesterday, that to start with it would produce a one-hour capsule covering current events, folk culture and health and tourism related topics. The programme would be telecast by various cable TV networks of the state. Thereafter a two-hour capsule would be produced and the final goal was to have full-fledged regional channel for the hill state. He said the company had been formed by some experienced persons keen on promoting the hill culture. He said a studio with facilities for non-linear editing and digital camera had been set up for the first time in the state. It could cater to the needs of commercial channels. The producers would not have to go to Delhi and Mumbai for producing quality software. |
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