Reckong Peo, August 10
As many as 700 tribal people living at a height of more than 3,700 metres in Kunnu and Charang villages, one of the most remote areas of Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh, have been cut off from the rest of the country as the two foot bridges connecting these villages were washed away by flash floods in Ragunatung and Shurting nullahs, early this week.

Even after 59 years of Independence, these villages have so far not been connected by any road link. Neither, there is any telecommunication line nor any regular power supply line connecting this village.

No matter, the government has made an alternate arrangement of a generator to provide power to these villages but the villagers allege that this generator does not work properly and they are living in dark even after six decades of Independence.

Already living a hard life without any colour, the 700-odd tribal people, cut off from the rest of the country, fear starvation in the near future if the two bridges that are the only lifeline for them are not rebuilt soon.

Mr Sewak Ram, chief of the joint gram panchayat of the villages, said he had brought the problem to the notice of the district administration. However, no official has so far visited the bridge sites or the villages and practically tried to look into the problems of the villagers.

"It has been a step-motherly treatment with us for decades and it is still continuing because no politician or administrative official is willing to trek 32 km in one of the most difficult terrains to visit these remote villages that are crying for development", remarked a villager who came to Reckong Peo, district headquarters of the tribal district.

In the absence of any regular power supply, a road link and a telecommunication link, the tribal people of these villages are almost living a 'primitive life'. Life for them halts in the evening just after sunset.

Most of the people use wood for fuel. Even if few economically well-off families have got gas cylinders/kerosene stoves, they are for namesake and remain unutilized for most part of the year as the villages are cut off for months during the winter season.

People have to carry kerosene cans, cylinders and all other essential commodities on their back and trek for at least 32 km to reach their homes. This is the basic reason that even though some families have kerosene stoves and gas cylinders, they also prefer 'chullahs' and use wood as fuel to cook their meals.

Shimla, August 10
Having won the international contest for planning a colony on the Mars organised by NASA recently, Neeraj Kohli a student of the JP University of Information Technology here has once again brought laurels to his institute as he has been selected to represent India at the International Astronautical Congress-2006 to be held at Spain from October 2 to 6.

Twentyone-year-old Neeraj Kohli, hailing from Solan, is one of the five students who will represent their country at Spain.

It was on August 8 that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Astronautical Society of India organised a national-level competition to select those who would represent India at Spain.

The theme for this year’s congress is “Faster, safe and economical transportation system to reach Moon, Mars and beyond.”

Neeraj is a final-year student of Electronics and Communication at the IT University at Vaknaghat here. He is the topper of his course in the JP University of IT.

It was only last month that Neeraj, technical adviser to a 15-member team from Apeejay School, Jalandhar, won a contest in the USA for planning a colony on the Mars.

Eight teams from various countries had participated in the contest held at Thompson Space Centre, Houston, on July 14.

The competition was organised by NASA and the American Astronautics and Aeronautical Society (AAAS).

Shimla, August 10
The Himachal government has decided to create a separate circle in the Health Department for infrastructure development,

Stating this while presiding over the second meeting of the national rural health mission, here today, Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, said the government would also consider reverting to the old civil dispensary system to strengthen health services in rural areas. He announced that 21 more community health centres and civil hospitals and 50 primary health centres would be upgraded as first referral units (FRUs).

He said that infrastructure building programme was under implementation in the health sector under different schemes. The government would create a separate circle so that works could be completed expeditiously.

He said the identified health institutions would be provided Rs 40 lakh each for strengthening the infrastructure and all the health institutions would be brought under the FRU programme in a phased manner by 2012 so that round-the-clock health services were available to the people.

The Chief Minister directed the authorities to provide suitable residential accommodation to the male and female health workers at their place of work and also provide training under crash programme for delivering emergency medical services.

He said the state had best health indicators and the mission would further help in reduction of the mortality rate to 30 per one thousand births, maternal mortality rate to 100 per one lakh live births, total fertility rate to 1.9 percent and increase utilisation of FRUs from less than 20 to 75 percent.

The Chief Minister said under decentralisation planning, panchayati raj institutions would be authorised to own, control and manage public health services and formulate health plan for every village through village health committees. He said the health sub-centres would be provided an annual grant of Rs 10,000 each for its maintenance and adequate supply of medicines ensured while the local traditional health system would also be revitalised under the mission strategies.

Mandi, August 10
A Central Government team, which visited the state last week under the Joint Secretary, Agriculture and Cooperatives, Mr Satish Chandra, has sanctioned Rs 5.36 crore under the Centrally sponsored “horticulture mission” in the district for the current year.

According to official sources, the Central team sanctioned the grant for Mandi district after the Horticultural Department had submitted a report to the Centre, seeking funds for various small projects as demanded by farmers. “Besides, the district has also demanded Rs 100 crore as drought relief in the district from the Central team”.

The Deputy Director, Horticulture, Dr K.C. Chambial, told The Tribune that they had sought a proposal from the farmers in the district. “The farmers have sought to set up over 161 water tanks and 168 wells in the drought-prone areas where they depend on rain for irrigation”.

The farmers have sought to set up over 400 vermi compost units as they are switching over to the use of the organic fertilisers, whether they grow off season vegetables or fruits, he added.

The polygreen houses are also becoming popular among the floriculturists in the district. “This time, over 28 polygreen houses will be set up under the horticulture mission. Farmers get subsidies up to 50 per cent under the mission for improving horticultural practices”, said Mr Chambial.

The farmers who have flat land now prefer the use of the power tillers and other power-driven implements to speed up the farming operation. “We have received demand for over 121 power-driven agricultural equipment and 62 packaging houses from farmers in the district”, said Mr Chambial.

Earlier, the farmers had complained that the department was not releasing subsidies under the horticulture mission. “The problem has arisen as the Centre has not released funds. But we hope we will meet the demand of the farmers this year”, Mr Chambial said.

Shimla, August 10
With the Central empowered committee asking the state to provide data regarding the availability of timber trees on private land, there is little possibility of the revival of the 450 unregistered sawmills that were closed down following an order of the Supreme Court.

The committee has sought this information after the Forest Department informed it that these sawmills were not located on forest land and these only sawed the trees allotted to the right holders under the timber distribution (TD) rules.

It also pleaded that their case be decided on merit. The affected sawmill owners had also made a plea for lifting the ban. Over 300 of the closed sawmills were located in Hamirpur district where the availability of timber trees was much less.

The Forest Department, however, is not in a position to furnish the information sought by the committee as it does not maintain any data regarding private forests and trees on private land.

It has approached the Forest Survey of India, which has been providing reports about forest cover every two years on the basis of satellite images.

Shimla, August 10
The Director-General of Police, Mr Ashwani Kumar, today said that the police force should be able to build rapport with the public so that they are able to register complaints even on the Internet.

Mr Ashwani Kumar, a 1972 IPS officer, assumed office here today. Prior to this he was posted as Additional Director, CBI, in Delhi. “Even today people are hesitant and apprehensive in approaching the police and as such efforts must be made to build confidence in the mind of the public,” he said.

He said in this modern age people should have so much confidence in the police that they should simply register their complaints on the Internet using computers. “The Himachal police has a clean image but it had failed to keep pace with other states as far as modernisation of the forces is concerned and we need to make special efforts as far as this is concerned,” he said.

He said that rapid industrialisation was taking place in the state and the police would ensure that the life and property of people was secure in the industrial belts.

The DGP said efforts would be made to fill all the vacancies in the Police Department.

Nurpur, August 10
A number of quacks at Jassur, near here, have been carrying out illegal abortions in their ill-equipped hospitals endangering lives of poor rural women of the area. The MTP Act notwithstanding, the illegal abortions are going on with impunity thanks to the apathy of the health and police authorities. The quacks are charging Rs 1000 for one abortion.

Ms Punam Devi (23), wife of Mr Kartar Singh of Jarroli village in the subdivision, has become a victim of illegal abortion. She was admitted to Civil Hospital here on August 6 in a serious condition after an unsuccessful abortion conducted by a private doctor at Jassur on July 30.

The woman having a son hails from a poor family and cannot afford another child due to family circumstances. She revealed that she visited the private hospital known for chandestine abortions on July 30. The doctor demanded Rs 1000 as abortion fees but ultimately, the amount was fixed at Rs 550, which was paid before the abortion. She was discharged the same evening. However, she developed a complication on reaching home.

The victim has decided to move an application for compensation before the Kangra district consumer disputes redressal forum. — OC

Kangra, August 10
Activists of the ABVP today organised a demonstration outside the Himachal Board of School Education at Dharamsala and burnt the effigy of the board Chairman, Mr B.R. Rahi. They raised anti-government and anti-board slogans.

Hundreds of the ABVP activists, including girls of Government Degree College, Dharamsala, and the regional centre boycotted their classes and held a protest march, carrying placards. They submitted a 10-point memorandum to the board Chairman.

A heavy security arrangement had been made at the gate of the board office and the protesting ABVP activists were not allowed to submit their memorandum to Mr Rahi. The students held a demonstration in front of the board. They burnt the effigy of Mr Rahi.

Yog Raj Sharma, joint secretary of the state ABVP, said they later marched to the D C office and submitted the memorandum.