The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	1,482 foreigners visited Kinnaur illegally last year Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service Reckong Peo, May 1 The security of the nation is at stake, if one goes by the findings coming out during the course of investigation in the case of issuance of fake work permits to Nepal migrants. The prime accused, Bhagwan Singh, fraudulently used to issue fake inner-line border permits to foreign nationals, enabling them to visit the border areas of Kinnaur, the remote district that shares its border with Tibet (China). Talking to The Tribune, Mr Vijay Sen, SHO of Reckong Peo police station, under whose supervision the case is being investigated said during the course of investigation the police had arrested another individual, identified as Tarlochan Singh. The arrested man runs a photo studio in the main market here. An associate of Bhagwan Singh, he used to fill out forms on behalf of the applicants and fraudulently arrange fake work and inner-line border permits to foreign nationals through Bhagwan Singh. In lieu of this, he used to charge Rs 200 per permit. This money was shared by both Bhagwan Singh and Tarlochan Singh, said the SHO. Both the prime accused and the co-accused in the case are presently in police custody till Wednesday, he said. They have been booked under Sections 420, 468 and 471, IPC, by the local police. Meanwhile, investigations made by The Tribune revealed that as many as 1,900 foreign nationals visited the border areas beyond the inner-line during the past one year, out of whom, 1,482 foreign nationals visited on fake inner-line border permits. The SDM, Kalpa, based at Reckong Peo, had issued only 418 permits to foreign nationals during that period. Although, the prime accused had been reportedly maintaining that he had stolen blank inner-line border permits from the SDM’s office, his version falls flat as it is next to impossible to steal such confidential documents in large numbers from the office of a magistrate. The nexus among officials/employees of the local administration and culprits seems to be quite evident and needs to be probed by an independent agency, remarked a local resident. The exposure of this practice, which is as an eye-opener for Central intelligence agencies and the internal intelligence networks of both the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Army, has not only shocked the higher authorities but also raised doubts on the performance of the officials posted here in the border district. It has been learned that after the revelation, intelligence agencies have suddenly sprung into action and are exploring the possibility of a spying network operating in the area under foreign hands.
	Constructions to depend on water availability Tribune News Service Shimla, May 1 Apprehending a grave water shortage in summers, the government has made it mandatory for all new constructions in the Planning and Special Areas to obtain a certificate from the Irrigation Department and the local body about the availability of water. With the authorities apprehensive of a grave water shortage in the summer months, the Town and Country Planning Department has issued a notification in this regard to the authorities concerned in all major towns of the state. “Since all the major towns in the state are witnessing unprecedented development activities, it is essential to regulate the construction activity as it will further aggravate the water position,” said a senior official. As per the notification issued on April 28, a certificate will have to be obtained from the Irrigation and Public Health Department and the local bodies or SADAs. In case the water position is very scarce, the authorities can deny giving certificate which will disallow the construction work. The letter from the Director, TCP, to the executive officers of the various municipal corporations, town planners and chairmen of Special Area Development Authorities (SADA) clearly states that before they deal with any case for granting planning permission, the necessary certificates for availability of water supply and sewerage be obtained from the IPH Department and local bodies. This is being done to ensure that no hardship is faced by the applicants later and at the same time the population residing in the area does not face inconvenience on account of the construction activity. The letter also points out that the Planning and Special Areas notified under the HP Town and Country Planning Act, 1977 are witnessing an unprecedented pace of development activities, leading to enormous pressure on urban infrastructure like water supply and sewerage. It is not just Shimla and other tourist destinations like Kulu-Manali, Dalhousie, Kasauli and Dharamshala which face acute water shortage in the summer months but even other parts are hard-pressed for water. In view of the scant winter rainfall, the authorities are taking all precautionary measures. In Shimla, water rationing has already begun and against an increased water requirement of 75 lakh gallons per day, the authorities are able to supply only up to 60 lakh gallons. The increased demand is due to the large number of floating population of tourists. Thought the TCP notification does not specify if the certificate would have to be obtained only during summer months, it is being felt that the condition might continue as it will help prevent further congestion in the already saturated areas.
	Panchayats to run water supply schemes Our Correspondent Nurpur, May 1 In order to implement national policy on strengthening gram panchayats in the state, the state government is all set to hand over drinking water supply schemes to gram panchayats. Inquiries reveal that the Central and the state governments have initially earmarked a budget of Rs 14 crore and Rs 29.50 crores, respectively, in the current fiscal year. As a trial, six such schemes have been identified for handing them over to gram panchayats in Nurpur division of Irrigation-cum-Public Health (IPH) Department. The IPH Department is holding its top brass meeting at Shimla on May 4 to chalk out the strategy to run water supply schemes through gram panchayats in the state. The department is busy in preparing draft proposal to hand over all schemes to gram panchayats after the success of the trial exercise. According to the official information gathered from the IPH division Nurpur the state government will release funds to the gram panchayats to maintain and run rural water supply schemes. The panchayats will engage their own pump operators and pay electricity bills. The department will also impart special training to the gram panchayat’s office-bearers to run the schemes. According to Mr R.K. Gupta, Superintending Engineer, IPH Circle, Nurpur, the department is finalising modalities to hand over the potable water supply schemes in phased manner in the rural areas in two categories. In one category, the panchayats will be entrusted with full responsibility to run water schemes and in the second category the IPH Department will provide water in the water storage tanks which will be distributed by the local panchayats. Gram panchayats are being identified for this purpose, he added. Meanwhile, uncertainty prevails among the local populace in the rural areas here over smooth supply of potable water through local gram panchayats as petty rural politics or personal enmity may hamper proper distribution of water among the consumers.
	500 workers hold protest procession Our Correspondent Palampur, May 1 Over 500 daily wagers and work-charged staff of the HPPWD and the IPH Department held a procession in support of their demand here today. The procession passed through all streets of the town and later submitted a memorandum to the SDM, Palampur, and requested him to forward it to the state government. Later a rally was held in the compound of the SDM office where several union leaders addressed the rally and criticised the state government for adopting anti-labour policies. They said non-cooperative and unhelpful attitude of the state government had forced them to come out in the streets in support of their demands. Addressing the rally, Mr Sita Ram Saini, general secretary, INTUC, said the state government had failed to safeguard the interests of the labourers and they had become victims of bureaucracy. He said last month over 200 daily-wage workers employed in the HP State Highway Divisions and the Indo-German Changar Project were sacked without any notice. He said these labourers had been working for the past 10 to 12 years. Mr Saini said on May Day they had decided to resort to direct action and would fight for justice till the end. He threatened to launch a statewide agitation from May 15 to press their demands, which also include restoration of services of all daily wagers in the state.
	Power generation picks up at Nathpa Tribune News Service Shimla, May 1 With the discharge in the Sutlej reaching 350 cumecs power generation has picked up in the 1500 MW Nathpa Jhakri project. The project has been exceeding generation target for the past one week. As against the target of 22.62 million units, the project generated 31.74 million units yesterday. Out of the total six units, five are operational. The sixth unit is also ready and it will start generation as soon as sufficient discharge, about 400 cumecs, is available in the river. In all, 407 units were generated during April. The annual target was scaled down from 6950 million units to 6400 million units in view of the problems caused by excessive silt last year which led to repeated shutdown of the project. As a result there was a shortfall of about 2900 million units last year. Mr H.K. Sharma, chairperson-cum-managing director of the Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam, said that the sixth unit had also been brought into the generation mode today as against the target date of May 6. The project was now be in a position to inject 1500 MW of peaking power into the northern gird. All the six machines had been coated with tungsten carbide based material to check damage to vulnerable part s like runners, vane guides and labyrinth seat by silt. The protective coating will ensure that the project operated at its full capacity from May 15 to September 15 the peak generation period during which about 60 per cent of the generation is achieved.
	Rise in mercury triggers forest fires Our Correspondent Palampur, May 1 The sudden rise in mercury in the district has triggered forest fires causing widespread damage to forest wealth of the state. Almost every forest in the district is on fire. Despite tall claims made by the state government and plans initiated to check the forest fires, precious forest wealth is going up in flames. Although, before the onset of summer the Forest Department has taken various preventive measures like creation of fire lines, removing of pine needles from road side, restoration of old paths and controlled burning of frosts, these have proved ineffective in the absence of adequate funds, manpower and equipment. A spokesman of the forest department while talking to mediapersons said the forest department needed over Rs 5 crore to check forest fires but the department was getting only Rs 1 crore annually under this head which is inadequate for fighting forest fires all over state. He said most of the fires had been reported from pine forests, as shedding of pine needles was in full swing in these days. These catch fire easily. The chances of fire in other forests are limited.
	Work on Vidhan Sabha building begins Tribune News Service Dharamsala, May 1 With Dharamsala to host the winter sessions of the state Assembly, work on the Vidhan Sabha complex has begun at Tapovan, near here, and it is expected to come up before the coming winter session. Sources in the district administration said that the complex had been divided into two blocks which would be completed in two phases. The first block would include the main Vidhan Sabha hall, besides the opposition and ruling lounges. An attempt would be made to complete at least this block before the winter session. The second block would house the offices of the ministers and conference and seminar halls. The sources said that these would be designed in a way that the block could be used even when the Assembly was not in session here. The space could be utilised by the government departments and the district administration for holding conferences and seminars. An official said the architecture of the building would have features of the Kangra, Mandi and Chamba styles which would give it a unique look.
	24 villages face water shortage Our Correspondent Kumarhatti, May 1 Water supply remained suspended for 11th day today to over 24 villages of Banasar, Pratha and Chammu panchayats. As per claims of public health department the supply was affected for past three days after a pump for lifting water was damaged at second stage of water lifting scheme. Worst affected villages were Shogi, Shewla, Shawnouli, Naya Gram, Banasar, Takrota, Jaathiyan, Sandhog, Lohardee, Mehlon, Dagota, Sheri and Bagh Ka Khach. These villages are located in and around a hill top facing Timber Trail Heights Resort. Over 1000 residents of these villages were facing severe shortage of water since the supply was suspended. To make matters worse water discharge in natural water sources in area was depleting. Villagers were finding hard to get drinking water for cattle. Villagers were unhappy with the functioning of the Irrigation of Public Health Department which had failed to rectify the fault in the pump. The area gets water through a three-stage water-lifting scheme from Kaushalya Khud. Water-lifting motor and pump have been installed at base of scheme along the khud and upstream area of Chambi and Manjhol villages, respectively.
	4 arrested for stealing car Our Correspondent Barotiwala, May 1 The police has arrested four persons for possessing a stolen car at Jharmazri, near here, past midnight. The car was intercepted by a patrol party. It got suspicious after the car occupants failed to give satisfactory answers to queries. On questioning, they said they had stolen the car from Export Park, Jharmazri. Cable wire worth Rs 10,000 was also in the car. It was stolen from a firm at Jharmazri. The accused have been identified as Sunil Chaudhary from Rajasthan, Anuj from Kangra, Deep Singh from Nalagarh and Sunil Kumar from Mandi district. A case under Sections 379 and 34 of the IPC has been registered against them. Meanwhile, another patrol party arrested two persons for trying to break into a provision shop on the Haripur road past midnight. Sanjeev Kaushal from Kharar and Narinder Kumar from Mandi were found attempting to break open a lock of the shop when the police party happened to cross by. A case under Sections 457, 571 and 34 of the IPC has been registered.
	Special lecture series begins at HPU Tribune News Service Shimla, May 1 Participants from over 10 countries are attending the one-week special lecture series for the International Trainees of Human Resource Planning and Development Programme being conducted by Population Research Centre (PRC) of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU). The lecture series, which was inaugurated here today, is being organised by the PRC in collaboration with the Institute of Integrated Himalayan Studies. The participants are from Ghana, Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Afghanistan, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Vanuatu and Sudan. Prof J.R. Gupta, Dean of Studies, HPU, inaugurated the special lecture series. “Development is not a uni-dimensional concept as it includes issues of equity, efficiency and sustainability,” he said. He added that while planning development strategies there was need to take into account the ground realities prevailing in different countries in terms of socio-economic and international equity and sustainable development.
	Squall hits fruit crops Our Correspondent Chamba, May 1 The squall accompanied with sleet for the past three days in Chamba district has caused of extensive damage to the apple, plum and other fruit crops in the high-altitude areas, official sources said here today. The squall also hit the mango fruits at its early stage in the low-lying areas of Bhattiyat. The fierce windstorm also wrecked havoc with the private as well as government structures, especially school buildings as their tin roofs were blown off in various parts of the district. The district administration has directed the official agencies to assess the damage caused by squall.
	Villager ‘killed’ by forest officials Kulu, May 1 One person was allegedly killed by a team of forest officials in the Khokhan area at Ropa Mod, near Bajaura about 20 km from here, on Friday night. Police sources said here today that the matter was reported on Saturday evening and after initial inquiries, a case under Sections 302, 147, 149, 342 and 323, IPC, had been registered against six forest officials. The deceased was identified as Kehar Singh of Sujehani village. — OC