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Koksar bridge not repaired Tribune Follow-up
Three arrested for smuggling timber
Project set to usher in white revolution
ABVP’s charge against minister kicks up row
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Hospitals face shortage of rabies vaccines
Identify absentee officers: MLA
CM releases book on journalism
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Koksar bridge not repaired
Mandi, September 8 The Army is yet to press into service its Combat Engineers till the filing of this report today to repair the Koksar bridge across the Chandra river on the Manali-Leh national highway-21, 200 km from this divisional headquarters. With this uncertainty two vehicles took the
Udaipur-Jammu road in frustration as the BRO remains uncertain as to when the bridge would be opened to traffic. The district administration today laid out third “jhula” at Koksar for the movement of the passengers and to take pea bags across the river. But these are insufficient for over 1000 passengers, who cross the river every day, revealed reports here. The manually-operated jhulas take 10-20 minutes for a man to go across the river. There is panic among people to go across. Some people are taking a six-km long trek to go across a local
jhula, said inputs from Keylong. Talking to The Tribune on phone from Lahaul after he supervised work at Koksar Deputy Commissioner
Lahaul-Spiti district R. Selvam said that the administration had asked for the help of Army to expedite work on the bridge as ration and other civil supplies including transportation of peas and seed potato are running out and passengers becoming restive. The Army ensured that they would press into service the Combat Engineers to repair the Koksar bridge,” he informed. Two trucksloads of peas being transported from Leh which were at the bridge for the past five days today got started rotting and traders threw the bags containing peas into the river, said the sources. Even stranded tourists who have taken shelter in the dhabhas are facing hardship as the owners are charging at will. Meanwhile tourists, including foreigners from Europe including cycling expeditionists from Sweden have been stranded both sides of the bridge for the fourth day today. Vehicles have stranded on the highway till Palchan waiting for the highway to be repaired, informed the sources. Mr
Selvam, said that diesel and petrol were being rationed to meet local demands. “There is no shortage of essential commodities”, he said. |
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Private timber depots yet to come under scanner
Kuldeep Chauhan Tribune News Service
Mandi, September 8 The three persons arrested in the 84 dedoar sleepers seizure case by the Mandi police here on Monday have established the nexus involving forest staff, owner of a private timber sale depot and timber transporters. This nexus is clear as three persons arrested were one Surinder Mohan, who runs a timber sale depot in the Katola area, Deepak Sharma, a timber business man and a transport and the forest guard, Duni Chand, who was posted at Utarasal in the Katola range in Drang constituency, an area notorious for deodar timber smuggling. They have been arrested under Section 41-42 of Indian Forest Act and 379 of the IPC, said the police. The SHO, Mandi Sadar, Mr Naresh Sharma, said the police had submitted the report to the Forest Department for action. The police report called for the closure of the saw mill and the timber sale depot, he added. Under the Forest Department norms, the Conservators of Forests have to check that the private sale depots are allowed within a distance of the 15 km and inspect them from time to time, which they rarely do, said insiders. The sources said the main kingpin, Mohan, run the saw mill and a timber sale depot illegally and the Forest Department had shifted the Katindi check post to a spot near his saw mill under the influence of a local MLA to help Mr Mohan. What has aggravated the timber smuggling in the state is due to the fact that state’s Forest Department remained top heavy while the field staff remains inadequate to tackle the timber smuggling and forest fires, which are engineered by the smugglers to wipe out the traces of tree stumps, revealed the sources. Secondly, it is the forest guard who is booked while the high officers who directly or indirectly abet in timber smuggling under the influential minister are never made accountable for, revealed the insiders. Apart from the Katola-Mandi route, the Chuhar-Jogindernagar-Jatingri and the Karsog-Rowanda-Jhenjahli route had become notorious for timber smuggling, said the sources. Commenting on the forest guard, depot-owners’ nexus, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Himachal Pradesh, Mr R.A. Singh, defended the nexus saying that it was a general statement that the private timber sale depots were involved in timber smuggling. “There may be some such cases, but you can not blame all”, he claimed. Mr Singh said the department had asked the conservators of forests of the state to inspect the private timber sale depot.
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Three arrested for smuggling timber
Mandi, September 8 Those trio arrested by the Mandi police have been identified as S Mohan, who runs a timber sale depot in Katola area, Deepak Sharma, who runs the transport business, and the forest guard Duni Chand, who is posted at Utarasal in the Katola range in Drang constituency, which has become notorious for deodar timber smuggling. They have been arrested under Section 41-42 of Indian Forest Act and Section 379 of the IPC after the forest department lodged the FIR against them four days ago after seizing 84 sleepers of deodar. The SHO Mandi Sadar, Mr Nareash Sharma, said they had submitted the report to the Forest Department for action. The police raid revealed that the kingpin, S Mohan, was running the saw mill and timber sale depot illegally. “We have added the Forest Department to close the mill and depot”, the police added. Though the Conservator of Forests, Mandi circle Mr CS Singh, had said that they were reviewing the working of timber sale depots, the depots were doing business mainly in the Katola-Panarsa belt in Drang constituency, revealed the insiders.
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Project set to usher in white revolution
Nurpur, September 8 Under this project, 225 farmer groups have been formed, having 4,500 beneficiaries in both subdivisions. The project has been executed through the Department of Animal Husbandry. The beneficiaries have access to the latest scientific techniques in animal husbandry through a team of veterinary experts. Families below the poverty line are the main beneficiaries under the project. According to Dr V.K. Gupta, Senior Veterinary Officer, Nurpur, the project is all set to usher in a white revolution in Kangra district and will ameliorate the socio-economic condition of BPL families. He said under the project, 651 BPL beneficiaries were given financial assistance for repair of cowsheds while this year the target was 900. “Under the project, the participants are being educated about the importance of management, deworming, feeding, breeding and preparation of cattle feed at home at a cheaper rate,” he added. Groups of farmers (beneficiaries) are also being sent to the NDRI, Karnal, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, and the agriculture university in Palampur for exposure in dairy farming.
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ABVP’s charge against minister kicks up row
Kangra, September 8 Mr Rakesh Sharma, organising secretary, ABVP for Kangra and Chamba districts, said here today that three office-bearers of MCM DAV College — Amitag Sharma, Parvesh Kaundal and Shekhar Seathi — affiliated with the ABVP, who were recently elected to the post of president, vice-president and joint secretary of the SCA, respectively, were last night picked up by the NSUI workers and taken to the local residence, Mazdoor Kuteer, of Mr G.S. Bali. Mr Rakesh Sharma alleged that they were pressurised and threatened there by the minister to join the NSUI. Mr Sharma alleged that they were told by the minister that he would organise their meeting with Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, allegedly for other benefits. Mr Sharma said they did not succumb to his pressure and rejected his offers. Mr Sharma described it as an attempt to destabilise the democratic system by which they were elected to the SCA. He said the entire student community was united under the banner of the ABVP against Mr G.S. Bali for this undemocratic action. He said the Congress party was disturbed because of the overwhelming victory of the ABVP in the state during the recent polls and it was outcome of that. Mr Rakesh Sharma threatened that if Mr Bali continues such actions in future, he would be gheraoed, as the ABVP workers had gheraoed the State Education Board Chairman in Dharamshala. Students affiliated with the ABVP today also held a demonstration in Degree College Dharamshala and burnt an effigy of Mr Bali in front of the Principal’s office and took out a rally on the college campus. Meanwhile, Mr G.S. Bali denied the allegations.
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Hospitals face shortage of rabies vaccines
Dharamsala, September 8 Talking to The Tribune, the Chief Medical Officer, Dr K.L. Gupta, said the shortfall was created after the anti-rabies unit of the Central Government factory in Kasauli, which catered to the demand of this region, stopped production. “To find an alternative, we have sent a requisition to a factory in Tamil Nadu but we are waiting for them to spell out the conditions so that an agreement could be finalised. Till then, the shortfall is likely to persist,” he said. Even though the vaccine available in the market for a higher price is considered more convenient as the shots are not given in the abdomen and the dosage is only one-third, the vaccine in government hospitals is given free of cost. “Since the awareness regarding anti-rabies vaccine in case of a dog bite is nearly cent per cent, both in urban and rural areas of the district, people from economically weaker sections have no option but to buy the costly makes from the market,” said a doctor on the condition of anonymity. Another doctor at the Dr Rajendra Prasad Zonal Hospital in Dharamsala said they got nearly 40 cases of dog bites or monkey bites every months and the lack of medicines in government stocks was forcing patients to buy from outside. “People from economically weaker backgrounds do not mind taking higher dozes of vaccine for a period of 10-14 days if they can have it for free at a government hospital. It is only the more effluent ones who seek prescription and buy the vaccine from outside, which has to be taken for only 5-7 days. One injection costs Rs 250, including the cost of syringes etc,” he added. “The government hospitals have been facing the shortage for nearly two months and efforts are on to find an alternate supplier so that poor people, who get bitten by stray dogs and monkeys, especially in villages, are not affected,” said Dr Gupta.
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Identify absentee officers: MLA
Chamba, September 8 In an official press release issued here today, Mrs Asha Kumari, who is the chairperson of the committee, expressed her astonishment over the way the officers came to attend the meeting without home work while the non-official members came to attend the meeting with their grouses from the far-flung corner of the district. Mrs Asha Kumari emphasised that the figures presented by the departments should be tangible. She added that the statement of the budget expenditure should be presented in such a way as the budget and the achievements attained could be understood
easily. Mrs Asha Kumari also asked the PWD, the IPH, Horticulture and Agriculture Departments to provide utility certificates for the budget allocated to them for various works without delay. |
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CM releases book on journalism
Shimla, September 8 The volume is a handbook of journalism and mass communication which takes care of the practical aspects of journalism, with special focus on the emerging trends. The Chief Minister lauded the efforts of the writer and expressed the hope that the book would be of immense use for students and budding journalists.
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Celebrations put off
Chamba, September 8 Mr Harsh Mahajan, Animal Husbandry and Urban Development Minister said since one month was not enough for the renovation and restoration works of heritage buildings and ancient temples, it was deemed imperative to give sufficient time, thereby giving a new lease of life to the heritage structures and carrying out of various other activities in the town.
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2 youths hurt in mishap Barotiwala, September 8
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