Shimla, October 5
Lt. Gen. Thakur Bhupender Singh (retd) was sworn in Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission here today.

Mr V.S. Kokje, Governor, administered the oath of office and secrecy to Gen. Thakur at a simple ceremony at Raj Bhavan. He is the 12th head of the commission.

Mrs Leena Kokje Governor’s wife, Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, his Cabinet colleagues, Mr Gangu Ram Musafir, Speaker, Mr S.S. Parmar, chief secretary and other senior civil and military officers were present on the occasion.

Born on October 1, 1945 at Chamba Gen. Thakur was commissioned into the Army in June 1965 and retired on September 30, 2005 as vice-chief of the Army staff.

Gen. Thakur had been a career Army officer from the Armoured Corps with distinguished military record spanning over 40 years.

He graduated from the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla and was awarded gold medal for being the best in “Tactics” in the Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun and commissioned into illustrious Cavalry Regiment “The Central India Horse”.

As additional Director-General Military Operations, Army headquarters from March 1998 to August 2000, he executed mobilization of the Indian Army during Kargil conflict as part of “Operation Vijay”.

As the “think tank” of the Army, he constantly carried out security threat assessment and evolved pro-active training methods to combat them. He formed the central evaluation team for all exercises and war games being conducted by field forces.

As General Officer Commanding Strike Corps from January 2002 to September 2003, he commanded the largest mechanised corps (over 50,000 personnel) in the Army which was asked to provide the strategic offensive punch during the critical period of Operation Parakram.

He was the first Army officer to head the Tri Services Command and also nominated vice-chairman of Integrated Relief Command in Andaman and Nicobar Islands by Government of India. He was the overall in charge of recent National tsunami relief operations.

He was honoured with Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Chief of the Army Staff Commendation Card for the distinguished services.

Mandi, October 5
The Himachal Pradesh Police and Delhi Police Special Cell claim to have busted an international gang of idol and antique smugglers. The police hopes that it can lead to the whereabouts of the missing idols, stolen from the state and other places.

The Delhi Police Special Cell and HP Police team, led by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Keylong, Mr Hira Singh, arrested two Delhi-based kingpins of the gang, who have been identified as Satinder Kumar Jain and Dr M.L. Verma, who is a dentist in Delhi, in connection with the theft of two idols of Kunjum Goddess, stolen from the 15,500 ft-high Kunjum Pass in Lahaul-Spiti district on September 22.

The Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Central Range, Mr J.R. Thakur, said the two kingpins had been arrested and medically examined as they had complained of high blood pressure. “Now they are being brought to Keylong for interrogation in a day or two,” he added.

The two idols of the Kunjum Goddess had been found missing on September 22 and the police laid a naka and nabbed four thieves in this connection, who in turn led to the arrest of the Delhi-based kingpins and two of their main agents, one based in Hoshiarpur and another in Rohini, Delhi, Mr Thakur said.

Mr Thakur said priest of the Kunjum Devi temple Chotup had lodged an FIR under Section 380 of the IPC mentioning that a red Tavera (HP-03B-2727) was involved in the theft of the idols.

“The vehicle belongs to Mohit Jain of Nalagarh and we are investigating whether he is involved in the theft or not,” he added.

The vehicle was intercepted on the night of the same day near Ram Shila bridge, near Kulu, by ASI Sant Ram Guleria and head constable Bala Ram of Kulu police station.

The police impounded the vehicle and arrested four persons, who have been identified as Rajesh, Dalip Kumar and Sanjay Kapur of Nalagarh and Mohinder Singh of Tirswin, Badsar, Hamirpur.

“The thieves were supposed to sell the idols through a middleman, Ravi Kumar, resident of Garhshankar, Hoshiarpur, who in turns has another Delhi-based agent Daljeet Singh, a resident of Rohini,” Mr Thakur said.

During interrogation of Rajesh the Keylong police found a key contact named in his phone book as “Murti-chor.”

“We raided the house of Ravi and recovered a stolen idol and deputed the police team for a sting operation. He further helped trapped the kingpins, Jain and Dr Verma, who deal in such stolen idols on a large scale, selling them further in the foreign markets,” Mr Thakur said.

The gang operates with the help of a chain of middlemen like Ravi and Daljeet deploying state-based thieves, who get commission. The agents examine the worth of idols through antique experts and then the kingpins sell them to clients abroad, fetching hefty prices, revealed the investigation.

Idols from monasteries and gompas in Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur, including Kunjum idols and idols of devis and devtas, fetch hefty prices in the international antique market, disclosed police officials.

Palampur, October 5
The State Administrative Tribunal has given a big relief to ex-servicemen by protecting their basic salary on their reappointment in the state services.

The circuit bench of the tribunal passed an order to this effect at Dharamsala on Tuesday in connection with a petition filed by Mr Beli Ram, an ex-serviceman from Khundian village here.

The tribunal said while giving reappointment to an ex-serviceman in the state services he could not be appointed at a basic pay less than his basic pay at the time of his retirement from the Army.

According to Mr Beli Ram, he retired from the armed forces in 1987. His basic pay at that time was Rs 1,100. However, on his reappointment in the state police services, he was given a basic pay of Rs 325 under the pay scale of Rs 325-810. Obviously, the basic pay given to him on his reappointment was much less than the last basic pay that he drew in the armed forces in 1987.

The tribunal observed it was injustice with ex-servicemen in the state and they should be given the pay scale that they were getting at the time of retirement from the armed forces.

This decision would benefit thousand of ex-servicemen in the state.

Ma Vijay Singh Mankotia, president of the HP Servicemen League, has welcomed the decision of the tribunal and urged the state government to implement it in letter and sprit and grant due arrears to the ex-servicemen.

Kangra, October 5
All members of the General Insurance Employee’s Association today observed one-day strike in Himachal in protest against the implementation of the transfer mobility policy (TMP) and demanded scraping of this arbitrary decision of the government.

Mr D.P. Dassi, Joint Secretary of the Association ( GIEA) Northern Zone today told The Tribune here the strike in Himachal was complete and peaceful. He said the most of the places in this hill state and other parts of the northern Zone of India, insurance employees held demonstrations to in protest.

Mr Dassi described the TMP implementation an arbitrary decision of the government and opposed its implementation.

He said that today’s strike was an eye opener for the government and if the demand of scraping the decision was not accepted the GIEA would be forced to resort to stronger steps.

Chamba, October 5
Though, the Army is meeting its present requirements of the prescribed standards of 166-cm height while recruiting Himachali boys in the Army, the case for relaxation in their height has been sent to the Central Headquarters of the Army for review. This was stated by Brig J. S. Mann, Deputy Director-General, Recruiting Zone, Ambala, while talking to mediapersons here yesterday.

Brig Mann said the recruitment male percentage (RMP) of Himachal Pradesh was 0.85 per cent based on 2001 census. Vacancies were less and the response was more. A recruitment rally was going on at the Army cantonment, Bakloh, Chamba district, and it would be on until October 7, Brigadier Mann said.

He warned the youth against touts luring to get them recruited for money. 

Shimla, October 5
Alleging involvement of senior Congress leaders and party workers’ involvement in the HP-CPMT question paper leak, the CPM has demanded the resignation of the Excise and Taxation Minister, Mr Rangila Ram Rao.

Addressing a press conference here yesterday, Member of the State Secretariat of the CPM, Mr Tikender Singh Panwar, said that the government was trying to influence the investigating agencies to protect the kingpin and other accused in the case.

“We have taken serious note of the dilly dallying tactics of the government, but we demand the resignation of Mr Rao from the state cabinet,” he said.

The CPM leader also announced his party’s decision to launch a mass campaign in the state against the dangers of a special economic zone (SEZ).

“The government is hell-bent on selling prime land in Kangra, Una, Manali on throwaway prices to big industrial houses on the pretext of the setting up of a SEZ,” he alleged adding that adequate steps to compensate and rehabilitate the displaced families must be taken if at all the SEZ have to come up.

The CPM also demanded immediate intervention of the government as far as retrenchment of workers at the Chamera-III hydel power project in Chamba.

“Hindustan Construction Company is undertaking retrenchment of workers without the basic laws of the land as they cannot shunt out workers when work has just begun,” he said. The CPM fully supports the agitation of the workers and the government must intervene and order the reinstatement of the workers.

Mr Panwar also lamented that the employment guarantee scheme was not being implemented properly in the state. “The amount of Rs 13,000 crores is being misused and spent through contractors and the government has failed to come up with a creative policy,” he said.

Shimla, October 5
In a significant decision, the Himachal Government today decided to grant ownership rights to residents of five wards of the main Shimla town who have been in possession of government land for the past several decades.

As per the decision taken by the state Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, here today, the residents of five revenue villages of bazar ward of Bara Shimla, Krishna Nagar, Lakkar Bazar, Boileauganj and bazar ward of Chhota Shimla, who were in possession of land within the limits of the municipal corporation, will be granted ownership. As per the old revenue entries, the state government happens to be the owner of the land.

In all 2,354 persons settled on 2,296 khasra numbers, measuring 11.56 hectares, will be benefited. Ownership will be given on payment of 20 per cent of the market value of the land or Rs. 2,000 per square metre, whichever is higher. Those who fail to make the payment will be required to surrender their right of possession to the state government or the municipal corporation on payment of an equivalent charge.

The Cabinet also reviewed the instructions of the Department of Personnel, issued in October 2002, retrospectively, for filling promotional posts on a regular basis, especially where the same practice is being followed for making ad hoc and regular promotions.

It decided to rename the new development authority for the Baddi, Barotiwala and Nalagarh areas as the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Development Authority. The Chief Minister will be the Chairman of the authority, while the ministers in charge of the Town and Country Planning, Urban Development and Industries departments will be its members. It will be under the General Administration Department and the Secretary, GAD, will also be a member of the authority.

Shimla, October 5
The second edition of the MTB Himachal, country’s only mountain cycle racing event, got off to a flying start with 60 bikers ,including 19 foreigners, leaving for the nine-day odyssey.

It will be tougher, longer and pass through higher hill ranges to put the endurance of men and machines to a severe test.

The event called “Hercules Trans Himalayan Challenge”,will pass through the 25 km Jalori pass -Jhanjheli stretch with an altitude of over 10,500-foot providing a panoramic view of Shimla, Kulu and Mandi districts. It is a mule track which will be used for biking for the first time. The participants will cover a total of 656 km compared to 434 km last year. On average the daily coverage will be 85 km compared to 62 km last year.

The daredevils will pass through a varied course ranging from simple footpaths, mule trails and dirt tracks to fast-paced gravel roads. They will encounter winding steep down-hills and gruelling up-hills which will test the skills of the best in the business. During the event they will achieve an aggregate gain of 12,000 m and the highest point on the course will be the 3,600 m Chhatru top.

The number of participants has also shot up from last year’s 36 to 60, which includes 19 foreigners from 13 countries. Last year’s champion Norbert from Hungary is in the fray again. The Indian Army has two teams, representing the adventure cell and the seventh command, while Firefox Bikes, which had introduced state-of-the-art alloy cycles in the country, has also entered a five-member team. The event is being organised by the Himalayan Adventure Sports and Tourism Promotion Association and co-sponsored by the state tourism department and the TI cycles. There are 12 women participants against seven last year.

Shimla, October 5
While the police team investigating the HP-CPMT question paper leak has sought six months time from the High Court for holding a thorough probe, the main accused, Munir Alam was today remanded to 14 days judicial custody.

Munir Alam, resident of Gopalganj who was arrested a few days back was produced in court, here yesterday. To establish his role in the entire case, he was taken by the police to Dehradun.

“The serai where the parents and the students stayed and the place where the coaching class was held was identified and the role of Munir Alam in the case was established,” informed police sources.

He is learnt to have admitted having contacted more than half a dozen parents. He was reportedly working for some medical college students and found interested parents, willing to pay huge sums to guarantee a seat for their children in medical colleges.

The three member police team, headed by a DIG, has sought six months more time from the High Court for holding detailed investigation into the case. The period of two months given earlier to the police by the court was over on September 29.

The police applied for extension of time on September 26 but a decision on this is still awaited. “Since chargesheet against over 65 persons is to be prepared and we have to establish their individual criminality in the case, we need more time,” said an official.

It was on the basis of the report filed by the three member police team that the High Court had cancelled the PMT examination held earlier and directed the police to hold criminal investigation into the matter.