 |
|
|
Kulu Dasehra ends on a bitter note
First case of dengue
fever in state
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Process for selection of IIAS Director to get under way
Himachal emerging as herbal state of country
|
|
Kulu Dasehra ends on a bitter note
Kulu, October 8 The incident renewed bitter memories of the similar clash in 2001, sending shock waves among the devotees of Kulu Dasehra that concluded in a bitter note in Dhalpur Maidan here today. Three policemen, including the DSP, a magistrate and SHO, were admitted to the regional hospital Kulu where they were reported to be out of danger. However, no devotee of the Balu Nag was seriously hurt in the clash. Today’s bloody incident once came as another body blow to the historic Kulu Dasehra that came as a chilling reminder of the starting day of the Rath Yatra in which Lord Raghunath’s Vijay Dashmi yatra in the Dhalpur Maidan commenced without the participation of the Dasehra’s main deities- Balu Nag, believed to be avatar of Lord Laxman, and Shringi Rishi, considered to be the guru of the Lord Raghunath. The Kulu district administration had stopped both the devtas’ participation in the rath yatra because both stuck to their stand claiming their right to occupy the right hand side with the Lord Raghunath Rath for the yatra. Today, the Haryans (devotees in procession) of both wanted to participate in the Lanka Dahan ceremony, but the administration invoked the prohibitory section 144 and stopped the Balu Nag at the camp itself. The Haryans of Balu Nag accused the police of resorting to unprovoked lathicharge on them and denying them the right to participate in the Lanka Dahan ceremony, which again concluded here without the participation of Lord Laxman. “Even women and children who had assembled around the devta’s rath were not spared by the policemen as there were no policewomen around”, rued Ms. Devis Thakur, a girl devotee of Balu Nag. “Over a dozen devotees sustained injuries in the lathi-charge”, alleged the Kardars. The SP Kulu, Mr GD Bahargava, claimed that the devotees pelted stones on the policemen as they had been asked by the district magistrate not to participate in the Lanka Dahan ceremony as long as the dispute between the two devtas was not resolved. “The five policemen, including the DSP, SHO and four constables, sustained injuries in the attack on them by the devotees”, he claimed. The Balunag Kardar claimed that since the order had disallowed both devtas then why Shringa Rishi was allowed to participate in the Lanka Dahan ceremony today. “This is partiality and injustice to us,” alleged Mr Sampooran Thakur, kardar Balunag. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Chamel Singh, who is also chairman, Kulu Dashera Committee, said the Balu Nag was asked not to participate neither in the Lanka Dahan nor in the first day Rath yatra, but they tried to violate the order. “We are examining the dispute and decide the matter in a month’s time. We have already conveyed this to the kardars of the devtas and did not discriminate against the Balu Nag. We have maintained the status quo till it is resolved,” he explained.
|
|
|
Protect unique traditions: CM
Kulu, October 8 Addressing a massive gathering on the concluding day of the week-long international festival of Kulu Dasehra at the Lal Chand Prarthi Kala Kendra here today, Mr Virbhadra Singh said devis and devtas are an inseparable part of the life of the hill people. He said the government had set up a temple trust worth Rs 12.5 crore for the promotion of devis and devtas so that the temple treasuries do not have to go begging for funds for their maintenance. Mr Virbhadra Singh said vested interests had hampered the government decision to fill over 30,000 government jobs, including those of teachers, pharmacists and nurses and other staff, by operating what he termed the “public interest litigation (PIL) mafia” in the state. “We respect judiciary. But the PIL mafia has delayed the appointments. His government has found ways to bail itself out from this situation as well,” he asserted. The focus is on appointing more teachers, adding labs, hostels and other facilities for the staff in schools. The new investment worth Rs 240000 crore in the industry in the state would create 2.70 lakh jobs in the state, which would be ensured to state’s youth through policy of 70 per cent law enacted by the state, he said. IPH minister Kaul Singh Thakur said Rs 16-crore sewerage schemes for the towns of Kulu and Manali were almost complete, while the work on the Rs 3.85-crore Bhuntar sewerage scheme was in progress.
|
|
First case of dengue
fever in state
Dharamsala, October 8 Vikram Mehra, a son of Subhash Mehra, was admitted to the Primary Health Centre at Nagrota Suriyan with high fever. His blood sample was got tested at a private clinic in Pathankot and was found to be positive. Dr Mohan Chowdhary, in charge of the PHC, said that the condition of Vikram, who was working in a private company in Delhi, was improving. Vikram had reached Nagrota on October 2 and was running mild fever but later his condition deteriorated and was admitted to the PHC. Meanwhile, the state government geared up to tackle the spread of dengue fever in the state. The district authorities have been told to keep strict vigil around village ponds and dumping sites to keep mosquito breeding in check.
— PTI |
|
Process for selection of IIAS Director to get under way
Shimla, October 8 The appointment of the new incumbent had been hanging fire as the government had been insisting that the memorandum of association and rules and regulations of the institute be amended to incorporate the new provision for the selection of the director. However, the governing body has been pleading for exemption from the new rule on the ground that the presence of two more representatives in the search committee will undermine the autonomy of the institute. Dr Bhalchandra Mungekar, chairman of the governing body, said existing provision of the three-member search committee, out of which two members were to be appointed by the governing body and the third by the government, was made to ensure autonomy of the institute. His persistence yielded the desired result as the government gave approval to the search committee constituted under the existing rules. He said the committee would meet shortly to carry out the exercise for the selection of the new incumbent. It will recommend a panel of candidates to the government. The final approval will be granted by the Cabinet Committee on Appointments. The entire process would take a few months. The post has been lying vacant since April 14 last when Dr Bhuvan Chandel, completed her three-year term. Dr Mungekar has been holding the additional charge of the post ever since.
|
|
Hydel projects causing interstitial lung diseases Chandigarh, October 8 The hydel projects and slate-mining have been causing silicosis and sarcoilosis, types of ILDs, among employees, especially labourers. The number of patients suffering from these diseases have increased to many folds in the state in the last couple of years, claimed Dr S. Kashyap, Principal of Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMCH), Shimla. Dr Kashyap was in the city to attend the 21st annual Continuing Medical Education Programme organised by the Department of Pulmonary Medicine, of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, on the ILDs, here today. Speaking to The Tribune, Dr Kashyap said the problem of silicosis tuberculosis was much frequent and peculiar among workers of slate-mines in Chamba, Dharamasala and some other districts. Big hydel projects being undertaken in Kullu, Kinnaur, Lauhal Sapiti, Mandi and some other parts of the districts have also been multiplying the diseases among the labour class. “The second much affected category by the ILDs is the farmers who remain exposed to dust particles during threshing of wheat and harvesting of crops. The workers at poultry farms and aviaries also develop the ILDs, because of bird-droppings,” said Dr Kashyap. “Three to five patients suffering from the ILDs are being reported at the IGMCH every week and the hospital has the capability to tackle such diseases,” he claimed. He did not rule out the possibility of spreading the diseases due to the setting up of various industrial units in Baddi and other industrial towns. The Himachal Government should take necessary precautionary measures well in advance to check the diseases, says Dr Kashyap. Medicos were of the view that the cement plants and industrial units emitting hazardous dust-particles and fumes, respectively, were another major source of spreading such diseases in the state.
|
|
|
Himachal emerging as herbal state of country
Shimla, October 8 With a flora consisting of nearly 3,300 plant species, including over 150 of medicinal value, the varied agroclimatic zones of the hill state support a unique assemblage of herbs and aromatic plants. The increasing popularity of the traditional ayurvedic system of medicine has drawn the attention of the government towards this largely unexploited biological wealth. It has launched a number of schemes with the assistance of the Central Government to propagate medicinal and aromatic plants in the state on a commercial scale. So far only about 35 herbs growing naturally in forests are extracted and supplied to various drug manufacturing companies. The government has now decided to take up development of medicinal plants as a major activity. The Herbal Institute at Jogindernagar has been entrusted with the research work. The Ayurveda Department transfers the know how to the different stakeholders. The Government of India is providing financial assistance for carrying out these activities. A state medicinal plants board has been set up to assist farmers for formulation of projects for cultivation of medicinal plants. In the past three years, the board has recommended a number of board. Emphasis is being laid on evolving a mechanism for the marketing and utilisation of the produce in advance so that the farmers get good return for their produce. As per survey of the World Health Organization (WHO) about 80 per cent of the population of developing countries still relies on traditional herbal drugs for primary healthcare needs. Recently the demand for medicinal as well as aromatic plants has increased manifold even in developed countries as herbal drugs being a natural product have no side effect and are easily available at affordable prices. The tribal areas of Pangi, Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur depend on the Indian system of medicines for the basic healthcare facility. The government has persuaded reputed pharmaceutical companies to invest in manufacturing of ayurvedic drugs for meeting the growing demand. It has also initiated efforts to encourage cultivation of wide variety of medicinal and aromatic plants. A large number of farmers are coming forward to take up the cultivation of medicines plants. Plant material are being supplied to the farmers. The research institute of Jogindernagar is organising training programmes for farmers in different parts of the state.
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
