R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

Regional Potpourri
Project to enhance trout population
Some relief at last
An evening of ghazals

PUNJAB

Samrala
Vishkarma Day celebrated: Vishkarma Day was celebrated here today with great pomp and show. Carpenters worshiped their tools, machines, etc. Meanwhile, SDM Baldev Singh appealed the area residents to follow the footsteps of Baba Vishkarma.

REGIONAL POTPOURRI

Project to enhance trout population

The government fish farm at Nagni in the Banjar valley in Kulu district that was washed away in the 2005 floods. — Photo by the writer

To enhance the population of the brown trout in the Tirthan river, the Himachal Fishery Department will construct a fish farm at Hamni in the Banjar valley in Kulu district. For this, the department has sanctioned Rs 2.5 crore.

During the floods of 2005, the government fish farm at Nagni, near the proposed farm, was washed away.

Trout is a cold-water fish and found in streams of the Beas, the Tirthan, the Sainj, the Parvati, the Baspa, the Pabar, the Ravi, etc, in the upper Himalayas. Being game fish, it has always attracted the attention of anglers.

The Director, Fisheries, Mr B.D. Sharma, said the ultramodern farm will be set up on 8 acres.

“The department is planning to stock 2.5 lakh fingerlings every year in the river from 2007 onwards. No other commercial activity will be allowed in the farm and this will certainly help in increasing the fish stock in the Tirthan, which is a tributary of the Beas. This stretch has already been declared an angling reserve by the state government,” he added.

Of the 15 species found globally, two trout species — brown and rainbow — are also found in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttaranchal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The British first introduced the trout in Himachal Pradesh in 1909 in order to promote game fishing. At that time the fingerlings, which were brought from Jammu and Kashmir, were released in streams of Chamba, Kangra and Kulu districts. The introduction of the fish was successful as the stocked fish not only thrived but also started propagating.

Some relief at last

King Bruce would have been proud of him. The long struggle of Mr Rakesh Talwar, a Ludhiana- based resident, who had become paralysed after falling in an open manhole, has finally paid some dividends.

The state government has compensated him by giving Rs 1 lakh from the Chief Minister's Welfare Fund. This has been possible only due to his sheer grit and determination. He overcame a number of hurdles to get compensated despite being unable to walk properly.

"After so many years of fighting at my own level, the development has come as a whiff of fresh air. But I am glad that the government helped me, rekindling hopes of many people who have been unsuccessfully fighting for justice," said Mr Talwar.

However, he is disappointed that the Municipal Corporation did not even acknowledge that he was a victim of carelessness of the employees who had left the manhole open. "I want that lessons should be learnt from my accident and nobody should face the same fate as I did."

Mr Talwar had been fighting his case to get compensation from the MC for the past many years.

Even the Punjab State Human Rights Commission had closed the proceedings of the case moved by him, stating that his case was subjudice.

Being a garment designer, Mr Talwar's career ended on the day of the incident in 1998. He was driving his scooter through a flooded street in the Dhobi Ghat area. He was not able to anticipate an open manhole and his scooter got stuck in it.

He fell on the road and the cover of the manhole hit his head. He was injured in his head and the right side of his body was totally paralysed.

Despite this, he decided not to give up. He made himself articulate the limbs rendered immovable by the accident.

After around eight years of struggle, he can walk, but not like a normal man.

The handicap did not deter him to make rounds of various government offices required in his fight for justice.

An evening of ghazals

A galaxy of Urdu poets converged on the ancient town of Sirsa recently, where they mesmerised a sizeable audience with their soulful rendition of ghazals. The occasion was a “mushaira” organised by Pahal, a social organisation, in memory of late litterateur Suganchand Muktesh.

Eminent poet and Bollywood lyricist Nida Fazli, besides noted poets Sardar Panchhi, Shabnam Durrani, Madhav Kaushik, Dr Chander Trikha, Sheen Kaaf Nizam and others from various parts of the country read their ghazals on the occasion.

The changing face of Indian polity, communal disharmony and increasing gap between relations were weaved in the thought-provoking ghazals presented by the maestros. Madhav Kaushik from Chandigarh conducted the stage, while Pahal president Laj Pushp welcomed the guests.

Shabnam Durrani of Muzaffarnagar expressed her feelings thus: "Rooh mein taazgi si lagti hai, Har taraf roshni si lagti hai; Jab tasavvur mein aap hote hain, Zindagi zindagi si lagti hai".

Nida Fazli put forward a kindly advice in a subtle way: "Ghar se masjid hai bahut door to chalo yoon kar lein, Ke kisi rote hue bachhe ko hasaya jaaye". He also touched the Indo-Pakistan ties in his poetry.

Young poet Rajesh Chattha from Akashvaani Suratgarh observed: "Hawaon ko ghar ka pata yoon na bataana, Munderon pe jalta hua diya chhod aana".

The Sirsa Deputy Commissioner, Mr V.Umashankar, was the chief guest, while author Puran Mudgal, Dr G.D.Chaudhary, Prof R.P.Sethi Kamaal and Roop Devgun were guests of honour.

Contributed by Vishal Gulati, Kanchan Vasdev and Sunit Dhawan