Mandi, October 10
The Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, today kept the option open for opening of a medical college in Mandi stating that the government was not averse to starting the two medical colleges attached to the 300-bed Zonal Hospital — one each in the private and government sectors.

Addressing a public meeting after dedicating the Rs 6.25-crore 102-bed hospital (phase III) of Zonal Hospital and Rs 80-lakh Girls Senior Secondary School here today, Mr Virbhadra Singh said the government had not yet decided the matter as it had received offers from private players to open the medical college in Mandi.

Mr Virbhadra Singh made this statement in reference to earlier speakers after he set off on his five-day-long tour of Mandi district. The IPH Minister, Mr Kaul Singh Thakur, demanded a medical college, but he did not clarify as to in which sector.

Other speakers — Excise and Taxation Minister Rangila Ram Rao and Mandi (Sadar) MLA and former Telecom Minister Sukh Ram, his son and former MP Anil Sharma and District Congress President D.D. Thakur — advocated for staring of the medical college in the government sector. Mandi MP Pratibha Singh also spoke.

Highlighting the achievements, Mr Virbhadra Singh said that per capita income in the state had gone up from a paltry Rs 204 at the time when Himachal was born to Rs 31,000 today. “We have not only been rated first in education, health and social sectors but also in the consumer sector,” Mr Virbhadra Singh said.

Accusing the BJP regime under Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal of turning the government “of the BJP, by the BJP and for the BJP men”, Mr Virbhadra Singh said one of the largest Rs 65-crore Bamsan-Lagavti water scheme in the Bamsan constituency would be founded this week and an international company would construct it within 10 months.

The Chief Minister also addressed a public meeting at Bir in Mandi and laid the foundation stone of an IPH scheme there.

Nurpur, October 10
Villagers of Atahara gram panchayat in this subdivision are up in arms against the Health and Family Welfare Department against the failure of laproscopic tubectomy (LT) on Anita Bibi (27) wife of Mr Sher Khan of Katal village. Villagers yesterday demonstrated against the health authorities before the office of the Block Medical Officer (BMO) at Gangath near here on Monday.

Later a deputation of villagers with family members of the victim met the BMO and apprised him of the failure of the family planning operation and pregnancy of the woman who already is mother of two children. According to the information Sher Khan husband of the victim is poor and forced this Muslim couple to opt for family planning operation. The operation was done on January 31 this year at a camp at Gangath by the family planning wing of the Health Department. The authorities concerned did not issue tubectomy certificate to the couple even after eight months and after several reminders.

Dr Anil Mahajan, BMO, Gangath admitted that the victim had been operated for tubectomy but he clarified that in case of failure of operation the government had earmarked some relief for aspirants. He refused to comment of non-issue of tubectomy certificate to the woman even after eight months as he joined the office recently. Dr Chandel, Chief Medical Officer, Kangra, said only the district planning officer who had conducted tubectomy of the woman could comment on the failure of the tubectomy. He clarified that the victim would not suffer and her grievances would be redressed. Villagers have demanded a probe into the failure of the family planning operation.

Palampur, October 10
The district health authorities have launched a large-scale campaign in lower areas here to treat the 30 persons believed to be infected with rabies.

Twenty of them belong to the family of 60-year-old Giani Devi, who died of rabies yesterday. Dr J.S. Chandel, Kangra CMO, was looking after the campaign and advised the people to get anti-rabies treatment at the nearest health centre.

He said Health Department teams were camping in villages and there was no shortage of anti-rabies vaccine.

Official sources said there were over 10,000 stray dogs in the subdivision, with the number going up after their killing was stopped 10 years back.

In the absence of manpower, the Health Department had discontinued the killing of stray dogs.

A spokesman of the local municipal council said the council had also discontinued the killing of stray dogs.

A resident of Jamula village, where Giani Devi was bitten, said over 100 dogs had been roaming in the village, most of which were bitten by a mad dog and its puppies.

The Palampur Welfare and Environment Protection Forum appealed to the local administration to take measures to kill or capture stray dogs, lest rabies spread here.

Shimla, October 10
A farmers’ rally organised by the Gian Vigyan Samiti under its “kheti bachao abhiyan” here yesterday threatened to take the fight to New Delhi if the state government failed to accept the demand for amending the Wildlife Act so that troublesome animals like monkeys, blue bulls and boars, which were playing havoc with the crops, could be declared as vermin.

In case the government was facing any difficulties in amending the Act because of pressure from international agencies, it should provide a relief package to the farmers who were suffering huge losses because of damage caused to the crops by wild animals. However, if the government failed to accept either of the demands, the farmers would march to Delhi and stage a dharna in front of Parliament.

The samiti submitted two memorandums, one addressed to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and the other to the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, calling for urgent steps to mitigate the increasing human-animal conflict.

Bilaspur, October 10
Have you heard of or seen a farmer earning Rs 5 lakh from a plot measuring only 400 square yards?

Have you met a farmer earning Rs 10 lakh from a small plot of 3,000 square yards?

There are farmers, not one or two, but 250, earning between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 10 lakh from small plots, ranging from 400 square yards to 3,000 square yards.

Humble farmers have lapped up the new greenhouse technology regarding horticulture and floriculture in a manner that their lives are all set to change.

A new green revolution, described as ‘Horti-Flori’ revolution by farmers, is sprouting in the hills.

In a short span, it will make Himachal Pradesh one of the most prosperous states of the country.

Small farmers owning small tracts of land on hills are benefiting from this revolution, supported by the Horticulture Technology Mission, the National Horticulture Board and the Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Department.

Raising of greenhouses is subsidised substantially by the board and the district has emerged as one of the leading flower and coloured capsicum growing areas.

Meet Mr Inder Singh Thakur, perhaps one of the largest growers of carnation and coloured capsicum in greenhouses of the region.

The quality of his red-blood and yellow capsicum is such that it fetches upto Rs 120 per kg in Delhi markets.

He says he has earned Rs 10 lakh from a plot of 3,000 square yards under the carnation crop.

The innocent and down-to-earth farmer has 5,200 square yards under carnation and capsicum crops and he expects to earn in the range of Rs 20 lakh from both crops.

He has tried his hands at capsicum for the first time, but has been planting carnation for the past few years.

He belongs to Panjhol village, a short distance from here, where he had started with growing carnation.

After his money started flowing in, he had bought land at Batoli village, a few miles away from his native place.

He had set up a greenhouse on about 2,200 square yards at Batoli by spending Rs 38 lakh.

He grows both capsicum and carnation in greenhouses made of polythene sheets imported from Israel.

At his new farm, he has a capsicum grading centre and specialised labour to make bunches of carnation flowers.

Both carnation flowers and capsicum sell like hot cakes in Delhi, with a ready market for both.

He sends capsicum and carnation flowers by bus to Delhi, where those are unloaded by agents appointed by him.

He sells his stuff through commission agents and rarely goes to Delhi.

He says all work is done by agents and he has never faced any problem in receiving payment from them.

A bunch of 20 carnation flowers, which do not wither for 15 days, with sticks, sells in Delhi for between Rs 110 and Rs 150, depending on season and flower availability.

The clients are multinational companies, big hotels and rich people.

One plant costs Rs 10 and 11,500 plants are grown on 500 square yards, with the crop flushed four times in an year.

Mr Jagdish Singh Thakur has a small farm near Namhol, at a short distance from here.

He has earned Rs 5 lakh in an year from his plot of 400 square yards.

He has planted lily at his greenhouse and grows four crops of the plant in an year.

A bunch of 10 lily flowers sells for between Rs 700 and Rs 800 in Delhi.

One bulb of lily costs Rs 25 and 12,000 bulbs are required for a field measuring 500 square yards.

His relative, Mr Hari Ram Thakur, has sown carnation at a greenhouse spread over 500 square yards near Namhol.

Mr Daulat Singh Thakur, an advocate by profession, has started capsicum farming at his greenhouse, spread over 1,000 square yards, in Rani Kotla village.

This is his first experience, but he is sure that he will make a fortune out of this crop, he says confidently.

Mr Narinder Shamra has been engaged in carnation farming and for him, it is the biggest happening.

Apple growers, considered to be the richest among the farming community, also make the money that they earn from small pieces of land, he says.

There are several farmers in the state who are following in their footsteps.

To be concluded