Shimla, January 4
Having received over 1,000 cases from all over the state under the latest retention policy, pending before the Himachal High Court, the state government is considering extending time for applying along with some other relaxations.

It is reliably learnt that the matter regarding extending the deadline for applying under the retention policy was discussed at a meeting here yesterday. However, the deadline can be extended only after Cabinet approval. In case, the government decides to go ahead , people would get one month’s time to apply under the retention policy.

With the matter being sub judice and the High Court having directed the government to only process cases and not dispose them, the government is being caution higher than 1.5 mt on the valley side, there could be some concession," informed an official.

In the retention policy, it had been clearly stated that no relaxation would be given as far as the 1.5 mt ban on the valley side was concerned. "With a large number of constructions not qualifying for retention due to this condition, there might be some relaxation in this and all five-storeyed buildings would be regularised," admitted a senior official.

Another addition in the retention policy could be inclusion of the colonies constructed by the HP Urban Development Authority in Shimla.

Though in other parts of the state the Housing Board colonies have not been covered, but since in the 2004 retention policy they were covered in Shimla, they could once again be eligible for retention in the state Capital. 

Kangra, January 4
The DAV Management in New Delhi has, finally, succumbed to the pressure of protesting lecturers of the local MCM DAV College, who had been on dharna for the past 56 days demanding merger of ADA with the basic pay, implementation of senior and selection scales and increment to M.Phil and Ph.D lecturers.

The lecturers have been called for a negotiable settlement across the table.

A spokesman of the Himachal Pradesh Non-Government College Lecturers Association, which was spearheading the agitation for the past nearly two months, today said Mr D.R.Gupta, Director, DAV Colleges, had formally invited the five representatives of teaching and non-teaching staff of MCM DAV College for negotiations in New Delhi on January 11.

The spokesman said the association had decided to send a team comprising four members of the teaching and one-member of the non- teaching staff headed by Dr D.V.Awasthi, president of the local unit of he association, for the negotiations.

The DAV Management has also asked the officiating Principal of the College, Mr R.K.Ohri, to reach Delhi in connection with the negotiations.

The protesting lecturers said they had been protesting for the past 14 months, wearing black badges.

They alleged that an agreement on their demands reached on October 22, 2005, was not implemented by two DAV Colleges of the seven private colleges in the state.

They said the government froze grant and the DAV College here had to generate its own resources. Even then their demands were not accepted.

Mr M.L.Khanna, general secretary, DAV Management, had expressed inability to accept the lecturers’ demands unless the state government provided the 95% grant-in-aid.

The DAV Management had been arguing that the UGC had formulated a commission which had revised the salaries of the lecturers and had given senior grade to those with five years’ service and selection grade to those with six years’ service but the management was not taken into confidence either by the UGC or the government. 

Mandi, January 4
The Himachal Pradesh government senior secondary school lecturers and the Director, Secondary Education, are on a collision course as the lecturers have threatened to launch a statewide protest on January 8 while the Directorate, Education, has refused to budge on the issue of clarifying recruitment and promotion (R&P) rules for them following the separation of the directorates of elementary and secondary education in the state.

The HP Lectures’ Association (HPLA) charged that the Director, Education, had “verbally asked all lecturers to teach 9th and 10th Classes,” for which they were not trained like TGTs, as they had been appointed to teach “specific subjects” to the students of the 11th and 12th standards and not of the 9th and 10th standards as per their letters of appointment.

Meanwhile, directorate officials said the school lecturers were shying away from work as they would now have to take four periods instead of two and 30-36 periods a week instead of 12-18 periods a week.

The Director, Education, Dr Anita Rao, claimed that the R & P rules for lecturers were notified and the notification issued on September 2 that TGTs would teach up to elementary level, while the school lectures would teach the 9th to 12th standards.

But the HPLA demanded that the department should streamline teaching work in the arts, science and commerce streams.

“It has issued verbal instructions to lecturers to teach all subjects to the students of 9th and 10th standards, which has hit the studies of students at all levels in the schools,” charged Mr Vijay Guleria, Mr Ashwani Kumar and Ms Soma Rana, HPLA office-bearers, while talking to reporters on the sidelines of the three-day long HPLA’s workshop on women’s empowerment and participation in organisational leadership here today.

They added that the “verbal orders” had created a lot of confusion among teachers in senior secondary schools as the department was silent on R&P rules for lecturers. “It has changed the service condition, as the syllabus for the 9th and 10th Classes is different from that of higher classes.”

They claimed that the TGTs would be promoted as Headmasters/Principals as 42 per cent quota was reserved for them. “The terms and conditions in the newly created directorate of elementary education have been clarified, but the Director, Secondary Education, has yet to issue the notification in this regard,” they charged.

Dr Anita Rao said the order had been issued through the school Principals to the teachers and they would have to teach students of even the first class, whenever they were asked to do so.

Nurpur, January 4
Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal has chided the statement of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in which he had threatened government employees having affiliation with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Addressing a press conference here last evening, Mr Dhumal said such statement of the Chief Minister that the employees should either serve with the government or have connection with the RSS reflected dictatorial behaviour of the state government. He claimed that the RSS was only inculcating the spirit of moral character, patriotism and social service among the youth.

The former Chief Minister said the state government had failed on all fronts and rising prices of essential commodities, increasing corruption and unemployment had made the life of common man miserable.

Shimla, January 4
Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) here might shortly have the facility of corneal transplant, giving vision to many visually handicapped, as the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is keen on setting up an eye bank in the hill state.

It was only last week that the Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Mr Vineet Chaudhary, asked the IGMC authorities to prepare a proposal for creating the facility at the state medical college. The Rs 1 crore expenditure for the setting up of the eye bank would be borne by the Centre.

The Medical Superintendent, IGMC, Dr Hardyal, said a proposal would be prepared by the Ophthalmology Department at the IGMC for the setting up of the eye bank. The setting up and functioning of the eye bank had to be in strict accordance with the guidelines laid down by the autonomous body, Eye Bank Association of India, in 2001.

In the absence of an eye bank here, there is no scope for pledging and donating eyes, despite the fact that there are many queries by people in this regard. Sources in the Health Department said there was a proposal to set up an eye bank at IGMC almost a decade back but even then the authorities concerned had turned down the proposal stating that it was not required.

The Head of the Ophthalmology Department at IGMC, Dr K.P. Chaudhary, when contacted said the decision for setting up the eye bank had to be taken at the highest level. “Seeing the very limited demand for corneal transplant in the state, it would not be a very cost effective proposition seeing the investment and recurring cost on running the eye bank,” he added.

As per the guidelines laid down by the Eye Bank Association of India, there can be three kinds of setups - eye bank, eye collection centre and an eye donation centre. It is only the Eye Bank Society at the PGI which has been doing a remarkable job. However, with not enough eye donations taking place, there is a long waiting for those wanting corneal transplant.

Another problem is that a large number of people are pledging their eyes but all of these are not being converted into actual donation. One major reason for this is that after the death of a person either the family members are not aware of the fact that eyes have been pledged and in some cases they are reluctant to donate them.

Shimla, January 4
The Himachal government has earmarked 15 per cent of plan outlay for accelerated development of 551 backward panchayats. Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister stated this while addressing MLAs of Kangra, Kulu, Hamirpur, Una, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts at a meeting convened to discuss finalisation of the 11th five-year plan and annual plan for the coming year here today.

The Chief Minister said efforts were on for the development of backward gram panchayats and additional funds provided under the Backward Area Sub-Plan (BASP). He said out of the total 3,243 gram panchayats, 551 were declared backward in terms of development. After the reorganisation of the gram panchayats, 39 more were added to the list which raised the number of such panchayats to 551.

Mr Virbhadra Singh said at a recent meeting of the National Development Council, the Prime Minister had announced special category states would revert to earlier formula of 90 per cent grant in the case of externally aided projects. “The departments need to take benefit of the formula and focus on additional resource moblilisation through externally aided projects concentrate on expanding coverage of centrally sponsored schemes so that additional funds were available for the development over above the state plan,” he said.

The Chief Minister directed the authorities to speed up preparation of project reports so that budgetary provisions were made for implementation. He said if required services of the expert agencies also be requisitioned to achieve the objective.

He also directed the authorities to check mechanised mining in rivers in critical areas. He said only controlled and manual mining was to be permitted and no mining permitted in the areas of bridges, retaining walls, water supply and irrigation schemes. Mr Virbhadra Singh suggested the Rural Sanitation Programme be launched to provide “Sulabh Shouchalaya” to every household for hygiene in rural areas.

He announced a committee of Revenue, Forest, Finance and Planning Secretaries would be constituted to study the nautor cases of tribal people and added MLAs from tribal areas be the members of the committee. The committee would submit its report in a month to decide nautor cases of tribal people.

Sundernagar, January 4
The Consumer Forum, Mandi has penalised the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. Mandi for non attending the complaint of Dandu Ram of Nabahi, Sarkaghat, Mandi district regarding faulty telephone and directed the BSNL to Rs 3,000 as compensation with 9 per cent interest and further directed to pay Rs 2,000 as cost of complaint.

The complainant told the forum his telephone remained out of order for 75 days. He pointed out the defect to the opposite party but his grievances was not redressed.

On the other hand the opposite party took the stand the telephone was in order and further alleged no complaint was lodged by the complainant on Number 198 meant for lodging complaints.

The Forum after hearing the parties allowed the complaint on the plea relevant record with possession of Telephone department was not produced before forum, which could have proved that functioning of the telephone was proper. The forum held the Telephone Department guilty of faulty telephone service and directed it to pay compensation with cost to the complainant.

Chamba, January 4
A couple were crushed to death by a Canter on the Chamba-Satrundi road at Patogan, about 70 km from here, last night when they were going to their home, according to a report received here today.

The deceased had been identified as Bainsu and his wife of a nearby village. The police has registered a case against the driver of the Canter, who was stated to have fled.