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Tribeswomen adopt family planning
Govt ready to meet drought challenge
Firm assuages public concern on ski project
Nursery student drowns
132 kv substation for Chamba
Move to reserve Solan constituency
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Special Area Development Authorities to be merged with MC
Contempt notices to truck operators
Projects taken up for lower
areas: CM
Winter carnival begins today
Labourer buried alive in tunnel
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Tribeswomen adopt family planning
Reckong Peo, February 10 Having a total population of about 80,000 inhabited in a huge geographical area of 6,401 square kilometres, the population growth rate of Kinnaur is just 1.8 per cent. It has a population density of 14 persons per square kilometre only as against 291 persons per square kilometre for the state of Himachal Pradesh as per the 2001 census. Going by the historical background, polyandry or plurality of husband existed in Kinnaur since ages that blocked the fast growth of population. The common practice of becoming lamas and nuns (jomos) also helped in checking the growth of population. There is a myth among the Kinnauri people that during the Mahabharata age Pandavas once stayed in Kinnaur with their single wife. After studying socio-economic history of this region one can argue that land holdings of the people in Kinnaur were very small and after its division among family members it was quite impossible to survive, which might have forced the people to adopt polyandry to stop division of land holdings for their survival. But, now, with the expansion of media, communication links and modern education the practice of polyandry and becoming lamas or jomos is declining. According to a recent survey carried out in Kinnaur as part of the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) programme by the Indian Institute of Resource Management Research, Jaipur, the knowledge of family planning is quite high in Kinnaur as about 96 per cent of women are aware of at least one modern method. The percentage of women having knowledge of all modern methods of family planning is also fairly good and it stands at 89 per cent — 88 per cent for Scheduled Tribes/Scheduled Castes and over 90 per cent for women from other castes. Specific knowledge on female sterilisation among women in Kinnaur is over 96 per cent, male sterilization 95 per cent, IUD/loop 76 per cent, daily pill 75 per cent, weekly pill over 50 per cent and condoms 88 per cent. The survey has pointed out that over 18 per cent of the women have knowledge of withdrawal method and 23 per cent of rhythm/periodic abstinence methods. As far as the usage of contraceptives is concerned, more than 74 per cent of women use contraceptives to avoid unwanted pregnancy. The contraceptive prevalence rate in the district is over 81 per cent, as per the study.
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Govt ready to meet drought challenge
Kangra, February 10 He said this while addressing a public meeting at Dhaliara in Dehra Subdivision of Kangra district last evening after laying the foundation stone of augmentations of Dhaliara-Harpukhar-Kaswa Kohasan lift water supply scheme at a cost of Rs 132.27 lakh. He said the long dry spell had created drought-like conditions and the farm and horticulture sectors were being affected. If the spell continued for more period, the government would be prepared to provide all possible assistance to the people. There would be no shortage of drinking water at any draught-prone area. He said the official machinery had already initiated effective steps and prepared itself to give immediate relief to the affected areas. The government would soon construct new bridge at the place of Chamba-Pattan over the Beas by spending Rs 5 crore. He said it would fulfil the long-pending demand of the people of the area. He said two other bridges at Baghchhal in Bilaspur district to be constructed at a cost of Rs 22 crore and one more bridge would also be constructed at Lathiani in Una district which was likely to cost over Rs 35 crore. He said his government was committed to remove encroachments on government land so that it could be allotted to the landless and poor. He announced a Science Block for Government Senior Secondary School, Dhaliara, and boundary wall with gate would be constructed to protect the school premises.
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Firm assuages public concern on ski project
Kulu, February 10 Mr Ajay Dabra, director, and Mr Iqbal Sharma, chairman, advisory council of the company, held a media conference at a hotel here today. Mr Dabra said unfortunately some persons were misleading the people as regards the MoU. He said the MoU was tabled in the Vidhan Sabha and all facts were made open. He showed a copy of the MoU to mediapersons, along with the proposed project report (PPR) and the preliminary ecological audit report compiled by The Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal. He said the state government would provide 62-hectare forestland above the tree line to the company and the area had been earmarked between the Alien and Duhangan streams. The company also proposed to buy around 70 hectares from private persons in the area. Statements by a BJP leader that the land between Rohtang Pass and Chanderkhani Pass would be allocated to the company had created anguish among the people of the area. Company officials visited many villages in the area and clarified the facts that led to the isolation of the “misleading leader”. Mr Dabra said more than 4,000 persons would get employment in the project and the company had earmarked at least 70 per cent jobs to the Himachalis in general and Kulu district in particular. The company would also start a vocational training institute to train the local youth for the hospitality business. The negotiations were also in progress with the Apollo group for setting up of a world-class hospital in Kulu-Manali area to cater ultra-modern medical facilities to the visitors, besides the local persons. Meanwhile, a meeting of the executive body of the Kardar Sangh was also held today to discuss the project and its effects on the “dev sanskriti” of the area. Mr Ajay Dabra said they had attended the meeting and presented their submissions. Mr Chander Sen Thakur, a former MLA and state general secretary of the BJP who pioneered the movement against the project, was also present in the meeting. Mr Dabra said he did not reply any of the queries made and said he would give statement only after the “Jagati Puchch” to be held on February 16. |
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Nursery student drowns
Kangra, February 10 According to Mr V.S. Thakur, Sub Divisional Police Officer, Kangra Anshul (5) went to the ‘bowri’ and was drowned in it. When a passerby communicated to the school staff about the accident it was too late. The child was taken to Nagrota Bagwan Hospital by the school management where he was declared brought dead. The police has registered a case under Sections 403-A and 336 of the IPC. According to SHO Kangra, Mr Chouhan, the police has arrested the Principal of the school Mr Vinay Kumar, teacher Ruchi Mahajan and Geeta Devi, an ayah of the school. |
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132 kv substation for Chamba
Chamba, February 10 Giving this information here today, Mr Harsh Mahajan, Animal Husbandry and Urban Development Minister, said land for the substation had been identified and the work on it would start soon. Mr Mahajan said a CT scan unit for Zonal Hospital, Chamba, had also been sanctioned, which would be installed before March. He said the CT scan unit would cost about Rs 1.50 crore, Mr Mahajan added.
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Move to reserve Solan constituency
Shimla, February 10 According to highly placed sources, a decision to reserve Rohru or Chopal segment will be taken after conducting a public hearing. The draft paper finalised today will be published over the next 10 days and the process of the public hearing will be completed by June next. The number of Assembly segments in Kangra district is proposed to be reduced from 16 to 15 by deleting the Thural constituency, while the number of seats in Kulu will go up from three to four with the proposed creation of a new Manali constituency. The resulting imbalance in the parliamentary constituencies is proposed to be corrected by shifting the Rampur segment from Mandi to Shimla, Nalagarh segment from Shimla to Hamirpur and Jwalamukhi segment from Hamirpur to Kangra Parliamentary constituency. The deleted Thural constituency is to be merged in Sulah, Baijnath and Rajgir (to be renamed as Jaisinghpur). Palampur subdivision will thus have four segments instead of five, namely Baijnth, Palampur, Sulah and Jaisinghpur. The number of seats to be reserved for the Scheduled Castes is proposed to be increased from 16 to 17 with Solan to be the additional reserved segment. The number of seats to be reserved for Scheduled Tribes will remain at three as before. A new Shimla (rural) Assembly segment is to be created by merging the Suni tehsil and parts of the Kusumpati segment in Shimla district, while the truncated Kumarsain constituency is proposed be merged in the Theog constituency. Thus, the existing Kumarsain segment will cease to exist. |
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Special Area Development Authorities
Shimla, February 10 According to sources the government intends bringing about amendment in the Municipal Corporation Act so that there can be more than 25 wards. At present there are 24 wards in the local MC and the SADAs cannot be represented by one single ward. Interestingly the population falling under the five SADAs is close to 2.50 lakh whereas the population living within the MC is only about one lakh. As per the proposal the three SADA of New Shimla, Dhalli and Tutu would be merged with the MC while areas falling under Ghannati and Shoghi SADA could be declared as the Notified Area Committee (NAC). Some other areas like Vikasnagar, Kelston, Bharari, Cemetery Road and Bata Kuffar, could also be merged with the MC. It was in the year 2000 that the SADAs had been created. The two SADAs of Kufri and Ghannati and other nearby areas like Shoghi, Tara Devi could be declared NACs. |
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Contempt notices to truck operators
Shimla, February 10 Contempt notices were also issued today to the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police, Solan and the presidents of eight truck unions and Associations operating in Darlaghat. They have violated the consent orders passed on September 27 and January 11 in which the truckers were told to continue to operate and not cause any obstruction in lifting the produce from the plant. Meanwhile, the CPM today warned the government not to use repressive measures against the truck operators at Ambuja Cement, Darlaghat. They demanded that the freight charges be increased if the dispute had to be settled. In a statement here today, state Secretary of the CPM, Rakesh Singha, said that the government move to cancel the permit of 60 operators was illegal and unwarranted. “It is unfortunate that the government is intervening in the matter to favour Ambuja Cement, whereas the interest of 1,500 families who lost their livelihood because of the plant is being ignored,” he remarked. He said that diesel prices had increased by 72 per cent since September, 2002 and as per the agreement between the truck operators and the management no increase has been made in the freight rate. |
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Projects taken up for lower
areas: CM
Palampur, February 10 He said all foundation stones laid by him during the past two months were under a time-bound plan. All these projects would be completed in the next two years. He said necessary instructions to all departments had already been issued so that files dealing with these projects were not delayed at any level. Talking to The Tribune here this evening, he said there would be no shortage of funds for all these projects and government had planned to provide funds regularly for its early completion. In reply to a question, the Chief Minister dismissed the allegations of BJP leaders levelled against him and his government regarding discrimination being done to the lower areas of the state, particularly Kangra district. He said BJP leaders had no other political issue to attack the ruling party in the state. Therefore, it was playing cheap tactics to defame the Congress government. He said the defeat of the BJP in recent elections for panchyats, block development samities and zila parishad in the state had proved that the people of the state had lost faith in the BJP. He said because of the efforts of the Congress, Dharamsala had become the second important town of the state after Shimla and for the first time an Assembly session was held at Dharamsala and in future in would be a regular feature. He said his government was committed to shifting a few more offices to the lower areas to reduce the burden of Shimla. Mr G. S. Bali, Transport Minister, said the Congress was the second name of development in the state. He said whenever the BJP was voted to power in the state, it had suffered major setback in the field of development. |
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Winter carnival begins today
Manali, February 10 The cultural procession by the participating teams from different states will start from Hadimba Devi temple in the morning and terminate at Nehru Park, popularly known as Ram bagh . Mrs Pratibha Singh, Member of Parliament, will inaugurate the carnival. Mr Raj Krishan Gaur, Minister for Agriculture, Labour and Employment, will preside over the concluding function . According to Mr Rameshwar Sharma, Sub Divisional Magistrate, cum-Chairman, winter carnival committee said about 15 teams would take part in the carnival.
Besides cultural troops from different parts of the state are likely to perform at the carnival. He said that the carnival is expected to boost tourism in Kulu- Manali during winter months . The carnival is gaining popularity and local talent is being encouraged .The winter carnival festival has been successful in attracting a large number of domestic and foreign visitors to Kulu-Manali. The carnival has proved a major source of entertainment to the local residents and visitors. The highlights of the carnival will be folk dances, film and folk songs, personality contests, fancy dress competitions, fashion shows, classical dance, rangoli, jhanki (cultural procession ),etc. However, the main attraction of the carnival will be the selection of “winter queen”. |
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Labourer buried alive in tunnel
Reckong Peo, February 10 Identified as Mangal Hemrom (24), a resident of Ranchi, he was an employee of Himalayan Construction Company hired by Sutlej Jal Vidhyut Nigam for digging the tunnel. The police, after recovering the body, has initiated inquest proceedings. |
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