|
|
|
|
The old and new combine in good measures at the Menri Bompo Monastery in Sirmour, says Ravi Bali
Himachal Pradesh is a land of gods and deities and its legendary temples are just beautiful. But very few people know that just 14 km. from Solan, and 50 km from Chandigarh is a beautiful temple called the Menri Bompo Monastery near Kalaghat on the Solan-Sirmore border in Sirmour district. This magnificent monastery can easily be called the combination of ancient and modern, because its history dates to ancient times. Interestingly, it was built and established just four decades back in 1965. The history of the Menri Bompo faith is about 1800 years old. Old faith In 1959, when the Chinese came to Tibet, they destroyed most of the monasteries and it was in 1969 the abode his holiness Lung Tok Tanpinyma established this monastery. It is situated in a picturesque location with the lush green Dr. V.S. Parmar University for
Horticulture and Forestry Nauni on one end. On the other side, touching the monastery is the beautiful Dilman Valley, also popular for wild Sambhars. In 1967, a turning point came for this monastery because Mrs. Romila Kapoor elder sister of Mrs. Sheela Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi, came to this place and was so charged and fascinated by this holly land and it’s divine abode that she took an oath to dedicate her life to this monastery. Her marathon effort has shown its results. No wonder today this temple is on the world map. It is also the global headquarter of the Menri Bompo philosophy. Today there are about 300 Menri Bompo monasteries all over the world. Of them, 40 are in Nepal and about half a dozen in India. In India these are in Dehradoon, Sikkim, Ladhak. Some of the monasteries in Europe are in Germany, Italy, Austria, Canada, Mexico and England. The sect has its presence in U.S.A., Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mexico, Russia, and Mongolia also Mission peace The Menri Bompo Monastery is spread in 720 bigas of land in which there are two villages and hamlets, which comprise a population of about 2000. The main deity in this monastery is Lord Budha Tonpasherab and the architecture of this monastery is in the Tibetan style and was made by a monk sculpture called Gentaka. Apart from this there are about 1000 small idols of Lord Budha made of copper. Local monks have specially made these idols and divine mantras have been filled into it. And when his holiness is asked to describe the philosophy, he says: “The philosophy is simply of peace and peace of mind and it also spreads the external peace in the universe, all this cannot be explained in words, it has only to be experienced.” There is a well-stocked library in the monastery, which consists of thousands of books on Lord Budha and other religions. The monastery has a stitching and painting workshop where children are taught the ancient arts and skills. There is also a divine room full of colorful masks. These masks are symbols of local gods and deities and their ministers and religious protectors. The main festival in this monastery is Chum and is celebrated as a new year. This can fall in the month of February or sometimes in March according to the religious calendar. Study centres There is a Student Welfare Centre in which there are about 170 children and also a Boys and Girls home with 275 children. Apart from this there are 45 girls in the Ratna Menring Hostel. Apart from this there are about 200 children in the Tibetan Central School, which is part of the monastery run by the HRD Ministry. The total strength of the school is 450. The students go to the school and before and after the school hours attend the religious classes of the monastery. Children from the adjoining villages are also allowed to study in the school. The monastery also has a Bonn Academy of Philosophy. The pattern of teaching consists of four permanent teachers, out of whom one is designated as the Priest abode. There is also a dialectic school for the monks also in which Tibetan grammar; poetry, astrology, and sutras are also taught.
|
|
Bamboo blossoms
To
lure children out of TV, video games and the Internet, which forcing children to become couch
potatoes, The Tourism Department has conceived an idea to have a Bamboo Children Park on Pathankot-Mandi Highway at Matour, on the bank of Manooni khad.
Choudhary Hari Ram, who will look after the management side, says this unique park will help educating people about the usage of bamboo as a material for construction. The Tourism Department too stands to get benefited from this as it can serve as a tourist attraction mainly for schools. It offers facilities for summer camps. The Himachal Pradesh Minister for Tourism and Transport, Mr G. S. Bali, last month laid the foundation stone of Rs 31 lakh worth children park, first of its kind in the state, to provide facility of learning while playing. They will be using locally available bamboos for the park. Mr Bali said the Department of Tourism would complete this park, named after
Choudhary Hari Ram, within one year on the participatory basis in collaboration with the National Mission on Bamboo application (NMBA), GOI. He said bamboos produced in this district would be used in developing this park, spreading over 40 kanals of land on the bank of Manooni Khad with the Dhauladar mountain range in the back-drop. He said a multifunctional hall for accommodating 50 children would be created along with play-oriented structures. Mr Vikas Labroo, Divisional Tourism Officer, said, “Educative design is a what we have selected for this park.” Mr Labroo said the goal was to design a bamboo-based environment comprising structures, play fields and other facilities that create an experience-based memory in a child’s mind that he nurtures throughout his life. He said following all the constraints that site offered and utilising various properties that bamboo offers, the environment would be an example in itself. Mr Labroo said invariably, safety norms had been taken care of. He said the Himachal Tourism would lead in creating such a facility on the tourism grounds, combining various factors of tourism, learning and usage of suitable construction material and deliver at one point.
|
|
Spring is here and for the people in the cold hilly state of Himachal Pradesh it is time for fun and festivity. This so because the cruel cold of the months of December and January is a thing of the past and it is time to celebrate warm sunny days and pleasant evenings.
Although spring does come with rose in hand yet snow continues to play a major part in February’s festivals and Himachal’s Winter Carnival is also held this month. Gochi in the Bhaga Valley is an unusual festival when the villagers celebrate the birth of male children. However, one hopes here some voluntary agencies will
intervene and celebrate the birth of the female child because sex ratio is in decline in Himachal Pradesh with the female foetuses being aborted in the womb. Token marriages of children below the age of six are also performed - comes when children throw snow balls at each other.
Baba Barbhag Singh Mela is held in Una to honour the sage who was renowned for his magical powers. The magic, of course, is of the changing season and deliverance from the harsh winter. Basant Panchmi ( this time in
January) marks the arrival of spring in the lower areas, and every town seems to keep a reserve of colour for the occasion and the skies are filled with a medley of kites. Ritual dances and an unbelievably rich imagery mark Lossar. This is celebrated in Buddhist areas throughout the state while Lahaul’s monasteries have some of the most spectacular performances. On its eve, the stylized chhaam dance with elaborate costumes and masks, commemorate the assassination of the cruel Tibetan king, Langdarma of the 9th century. Often - though wrongly - called ‘the devil dance’, it symbolises the triumph of good over evil. These are a major tourist attraction so the season is not yet over.
— TNS
|
|
Women pradhans doing better than men: Thakur
The
IPH and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Kaul Singh Thakur, urged writers and poets to raise current social issues like female foeticide and women empowerment in the state. He
honoured four writers for their contribution in the field of literature at Mandi recently.
He said the women
pradhans had turned out to be the better performers as compared to their male counterparts in their panchayats after the one-third seats were reserved for women in the Panchayati Raj institutions in the state. Addressing a gathering of writers and poets at the state-level function organised by the Him Sahitya Parishad to
honour four writers in Hindi and Pahari language, Mr Thakur said, “The misuse of funds in panchayats led by women pardhans has decreased and development has gained more momentum in panchayats reserved for them in the state.” Urging writers to raise voice against social evils like female feoticide, Mr Thakur said the Congress had amended its Constitution to reserve one-third seats to women in its manifesto and party was supporting the Bill reserving one-third seats in the Parliament, but certain parties were opposing the move. “The role of writers and poets in raising issues, including female foeticide was need of hour in the state,” he added. Mr Thakur was the chief guest on occasion to honour four writers for their contribution in the field of literature for the year 2003-04. They include Mr Srinivas Joshi, Mr D.P. Kapur, Mr Onkar Singh Pathania and Mr Narinder Kunwar Arun. The poets also recited poems on the occasion.
|
|
|
vignettes
With Basant Panchami, the common folk of Himachal Pradesh comes out of hibernation and starts singing, dancing and working in the fields and meadows. He sings – sings in gay abandon with cheer up, chin up and never say die spirit. Though Shimla, geographically and politically, joined the rest of Himachal Pradesh in 1966, yet the hilly folks had hitched their wagons to this star-city since long. The folksongs reveal it. ‘Gangi’ is a popular form of folksong here and is counterpart of ‘Tappa’ in Punjab. It is addressed to the beloved and the words are coined to exchange romantic notes between the lovebirds. The second line of a ‘Gangi’ is the actual ‘message carrier’ whereas the first one is sung simply to rhyme with the latter and to give that charmed ‘what comes next’ tinge to the amorous feeling. The beloved waits anxiously for the second line that fondles the cupid in her or him.
“Hundaa laat raa Shimla, ooba samnaa Jakkha, Teri livri aahkeye ghar jogaa ni rakhaa.” (Down below is royal Shimla, Jakhu stands up there, Your ravishing eyes haunt me, and I’m nowhere.) The beloved gives a fitting reply with, “Ambaraa jo chhundiye Shimle riye dhaare, Tudh kane honde mhaare dukh-sukh saare.” (The high hill peaks of Shimla touch the sky blue, My love, I share the sorrows and joys only with you.) There is a popular ‘Nati’ – generic name for yet another form of folksong – known as ‘Daulatramo ri Nati’ in which a truant Daulatram is being persuaded and advised to read and write: “Aandaa bolo Shimla poru bolo Palyaanaa, Thai Thai gaaye schoolon, podheyo hovon kalyaanaa, Daulatrama podhde jaanaa” (Here is Shimla, Palyaana is there, /Schools are here and everywhere, Daulatram! you should also study, / Studies will lead to your welfare.) It was mere coincidence that Daulatram was Himachal’s Education Minister in Shanta Kumar’s first government. When he visited a school as the chief guest, the children performed ‘Nati’ on this song. The teachers were embarrassed but the Education Minister took it sportingly and prophesied that Himachal would, one day, be one of the most literate states in India and then such ‘Natis’ would lose meaning. How true were his words! The villages here used to have unmetalled footpaths and so roads of Shimla had always been a great attraction and object of admiration to the folk who glorified these as ‘chail chabilian sarkan’
(modish and dainty roads) or ‘terhi-merhi moraa aali Shimle ri sarkaan’
(zigzag roads of Shimla with curves and turns). The ultimate desire of any lover in the hills is to take his beloved for an outing to Shimla and show her its charms as is depicted in a very popular folksong of Bimla and Shimla. But there are folklorists that have different ideas. A fellow wants to have the feel of Shimla roads and then would find a shelter in Delhi: “Shimle ri bolu sharke sharke, Chakkaro ra laanaa pheraa, Shoghi statione ticket kataanaa, Dilliyaa laanaa deraa.” (Footing the roads of Shimla, I will have a round of Chakkar locality, But getting a ticket punched at Shoghi station, I dwell in Delhi city.) The people of Chamba find that there is no place like Chamba and that is why Shimla or Sabathu is not their choice for settling down whereas Chamba definitely is: “Shimle ni basnaa, Sabathue ni basnaa, Basi lenaa Chambe jaroor.” Chamba, Mandi, Kangra or Bilaspur may be the places where people want to settle down but all Himachalis admit that Shimla is akin to heart in the body that pumps in and out the energy fluid to keep the body active. That is why the folksingers sing with passion, verve and furore: “Mhare desha ra dil ho Dilliye, ho Dilliye, Mhare pahara ra dil Shimla, ho Shimla.” (The heart of our country is Delhi city, oh Delhi city, But the heart of hills is Shimla pretty, oh Shimla pretty.) Tailpiece Dr Debashsih Chatterjee is a Professor at the IIM, Lucknow. He has devised certain cardinal principles for boss management. All of us, whether we are in private or public sectors, have to deal with indomitable boss. I have dared to modify Dr Chatterjee’s principles and reduced their numbers to two only: Do routine job. If you try to create history by doing something new, the boss will trample on your geography. Work hard for the success of your boss and if you have really achieved something, give all credit to him and make him feel like Albert Einstein, the Promethean of this age.
|
|
|
HAMIRPUR Diary
The
chilly winds sweeping the Hamirpur area have set the alarm bells ringing for farmers as the produce of mango and papaya, besides early-sown tomato, have started showing signs of injury due to the heavy frost that envelopes the region every night.
Agro scientists said it was in 1996 that such extreme conditions were witnessed last time and a drastic fall in night temperature had become a cause for concern for farmers in the area. The advice is to start mild irrigation of the orchards and fields as the surface gravity of water would reduce the impact of frost and do smoking of fields at dusk, as this would bring up the temperature. Dr Sant Prakash, programme co-ordinator at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra of CSK Agricultural University at Hamirpur said tropical plants like mango was already showing signs of burning of leaves and if the It is, therefore, a word of caution for the orchard owners that they should start smoking of the orchards, especially in cases where immediate transplantation has been done. The farmers should also prune the leaves and stems of mango trees and vegetables, which have burnt due to frost as, otherwise, the entire growth would be damaged due to the tie-back effect on the tissues of the plants. Dr Kamal Sharma, an Agro Forestry scientist at the Regional Horticulture and Forestry Research Station, Bhota (Hamirpur), added that besides mango, the produce of papaya and various ornamental plants had already started showing signs of injury and farmers should start taking the precautions. “Such a situation was witnessed in 1996 when whole of mango trees and vegetable crops were damaged by frost. It could be repeated this year in case the unusually cold conditions persist for another week or more. The chilly winds, which are loaded with moisture settle down in the valley areas and don’t have much affect in the adjoining hilly regions of the state,” he said. Mr Rajinder Bansal, who owns a flower nursery in Nadaun, said most of his costly ornamental plants, including the mother plants, had dried up due to the heavy frost. The irrigation water in the flowerbeds can be seen frozen in the morning. The Krishi Vigyan Kendras of the CSK Agricultural University, Palampur, are monitoring the scenario and farmers can approach the farm scientists to get advice on how to save their crops from being damaged by frost. Even though the winter vegetables are well adapted to cold temperatures, in places where the farmers have gone in for early sowing of the summer vegetables like tomatoes, there could be a problem.
Wealthy in their cocoons
With a massive 84 per cent increase in cocoon production this year, rearing silk worms has turned out to be a money-spinner for over 230 families of Hamirpur and an entrepreneur has now come forward to set up a silk reeling unit in Nadaun, which would start production later this month. Ranked as Grade A by the Central Silk Board, the By-Voltine variety of silk being produced in district Hamirpur and Bilaspur, under a special sericulture project of the Government of India, will be sold in the silk markets of
Karnataka and Mysore. Now, a group of 50 farmers have been identified under the Cluster Development Project, who will be given intensive training to turn them into model farmers. If the pilot project shows results, more farmers will be included in it. As per the plan, a weaving centre will soon be added to the reeling unit and the rural population of the area could then be dealing in ready-made garments. Rajni Kumari said she had no fixed source of income when she expressed interest in growing Mulberry plants on her small piece of land. She had little expectations as it normally takes about four years for the plants to grow up before substantial production of cocoons begins. “However, this season itself, I could earn Rs 7,000 after some hybrid varieties of morus plants were introduced. We plan to expand with time by making more investment as and when the returns increase,” she said. Mr Om Swaroop Sharma, Technical Advisor of the project, told the Tribune that usually the main crop is in March-April but this year even the second crop in September-October brought a bumper produce and the total production of cocoons was 21,000 Kg in Hamirpur district. “A total of 1,200 families are benefiting from the main scheme, with over 250 families in each block, besides the special sericulture project, which has transformed the lives of 1,000 families through 100 self-help groups. These families were given training by scientists of the Central Silk Board and two marketing centers have already been set up in Nadaun and Balwan,” he said. Deputy Commissioner Rajneesh Kumar said the project was doing extreme well, especially for the IRDP families and setting up of the Silk reeling unit would take it a step forward. The unit has been given on lease to a private entrepreneur and the silk yarn produced would be sold in
Karnataka, Mysore and Bengal. As part of a cluster development project, 50 farmers have been identified in the district, who would be given intensive training in sericulture programmes to turn them into model farmers. The increase in income of these farmers over five years would be studied so that the project could be replicated in other areas as well. “The terrain of Himachal Pradesh, Uttranchal and Jammu and Kashmir is ideal for silk production and there is great demand of the pure silk yarn produced here,” said Mr Sharma. Another official added that a total of five multi-end reeling units are being set up in Hamirpur, Mandi, Bilaspur and Kangra districts. These have been approved by the Central Silk Board and the Ministry of Textiles.
|
|
|
senior citizen
We the farmers of 15 villages request to draw your kind attention towards the irrigation problem being faced by us on a day to day basis. A large part of the land is dependent on rain only but during off season this water is available on rivers and nullahs but since there being no storage facility or proper irrigation system there is no use of this precious water which is simply wasted. Although one ‘khul’ is present but since it is quite old it is getting eroded and destroyed day by day.
We have earlier approached the previous Irrigation Minister as well had written a letter to Mr Shanta Kumar, former Cabinet Minister. We had also approached our local MLA but no action had been taken so far. We request the authority concerned to take this important issue and sort out this problem before too late.
|
|
shimla Diary
Pilgrims
turned up in large numbers for what could be their ‘last dip’ in Tattapani during the Makar Sankranti fair. The holy place along with its famous hot springs will be submerged due to the construction of Kol Dam, which is fast nearing completion. Once the 163 m-high rock-fill dam is in place the water of the turbulent Sutlej will be impounded to help generate 800 MW of power. The reservoir, thus, formed will extend 28 km upstream right up to the Chaba power-house.
In the process the scared hot water springs, a symbol of people’s faith and devotion will pass into history. The place has been famous for performing special rituals like Tuladaan to propitiate the dreaded Sani (Saturn). Every Saturday pandas could be seen conducting rituals to help out their ‘sani-harassed’ clients on the banks of the river. People from far off places across the country and even non-resident Indians have been utilising their services. An important landmark will rest in watery grave and the banks of Sutlej, considered as sacred as the holy Ganges by the locals, will no longer see the weekly spate of rituals. One wonders what will be impact on the local economy, which thrives on pilgrim tourism, once the holy place is erased from the landscape. Bread for financial health A cooperative body of milk-producers making bread, biscuits and other bakery items may sound a little unusual but that what the Himachal Milk Producers Federation exactly plans to do to improve its financial health. It has decided to set up a bakery and sweets manufacturing unit as part of its diversification programme. The revolution eluded the state and there is not much enough milk for procurement. As a result the federation has been incurring heavy losses year after year. It makes a loss of Rs 5.60 paise on every litre of milk it procures from the farmers mainly because of low capacity utilisation. Last year 91 lakh litre of milk was procured and the total loss amounted to Rs 5.75 lakh. The federation has not been utilising even 40 per cent of its chilling and processing capacity. It has a network of 22 chilling plants and five processing units with a total capacity of 70,000 litre per day. However, it has been procuring only about 23,000 litre to 30,000 litre of milk everyday depending on the season. Adequate quantity of milk is not available for procurement in the state as evident from the fact that about 3 lakh to 3.5 lakh litres of milk is imported from the neighbouring states. The capacity will increase to 80,000 litre with the commissioning of two more processing plants at Kafota and Nahan and a chilling plant at Karsog over the next six months. In such a situation the only way to improve the financial health of the federation is to diversify and increase the scale business activities, says Mr J. R. Katwal, Managing Director of the federation. The experiment to produce traditional sweets during the Divali festival turned out to be a huge success. The federation sold over 350 quintal of sweets to earn a net profit of Rs 11 lakh. It had now decided to have a regular sweets making division to produce about 120 quintals of sweets every month, which would enable it to earn a profit ranging from Rs 35 lakh to Rs 40 lakh annually, he said. Similarly, a bakery unit for making bread and biscuits was also being set up. The federation had entered a tie up with a private party for making sweets and bakery items. The diversification programme would enable it to increase the annual turn over from Rs 22 crore to Rs 27 crore by the end of next year and bring down the loss by Rs 1.50 crore. He insists that the focus will continue to be on dairy activities and that the federation will start a training course in dairy technology in collaboration with the Indira Gandhi National Open University. The rural youth would be provided training to help modernise dairy farming and improve yield. Dry spell spells doom Dry spell has cast as shadow on the national junior and sub-junior skiing championship scheduled to be held at Narkanda on February 13 and 14. The slopes, which are covered with a thick blanket of snow around this period are barren. The state winter game federation is concerned as a national event is being held at Narkanda for the first time. The greater half of the winter has already gone by and the weather god seems to being no mood to oblige the winter sports
enthusiasts. The organisers will have no option but to cancel the tournament if there is not enough snow on the slopes by the second week of February. Skiing was introduced in Narkanda way back during the British rule but not much was done to develop it into a regular venue for the fascinating winter sport.
|
|
|
Cheap liquor flows back
There
is now a reversing the trend in smuggling of cheaper liquor. The number of cases have shown a downward trend this year. According to figures available with the police, as against 264 cases of liquor smuggling registered under the Excise Act in 2005, only 248 have come to the notice in 2006 in the district.
The police officials attribute this reduced number to the change in the liquor policy. With liquor becoming cheaper in the adjoining states, it is cheaper liquor from those states, which is now flowing into Himachal. The officials of the Excise Department, however, rued that the police had made little efforts to contain this new trend and they merely drew satisfaction in the reducing number of cases. The year 2006 had, however, witnessed lesser number of accidents due to highway patrolling introduced this year. The SP, Mr Gianeshwar Singh, attributed this to the police detection in cases of gambling and solving various cases of robberies and other crimes. While the cases related to property had increased the police had successfully managed to solve 34 out of the total 79 cases of robberies and other such crimes had also been solved. As many as 12 gangs were arrested for their involvement in at least 20 cases. The police had successfully solved eight of the ten cases of attempt to murder. The cases of kidnapping had doubled from last year’s 9 to 18 this year while rioting from 62 to 73 while that of rape had decreased from 15 to 9 this year.
|
|
Mixed response to new power policy
The
government officials claim the new power policy is the first of its kind in the country. It seeks to create and ensure 70 per cent employment to Himachalis in each project at all levels. It seeks to revive local ecology and rivers left high, dry and dead by the dams built upstream.
Apart from it, new power policy seeks to be stakeholder in each important project though an equity participation to ‘keep project ownership in state government hands’ after a bitter experience that state had in Bhakra, Pong Dam, Talwara, BSL, Parbati and Kol Dam projects over the years. The state government still is fighting hard both in Supreme Court and with central government, seeking its due share in these projects, reveal officials. The HP Project and Power Engineers’ Associations have welcomed the new power policy, but they comment their suggestions could have been better. The NHPC and NTPC say the new policy applies for future projects, but they claim they will go by its conditions. Independent Power Producers (IPPs) including local entrepreneurs have welcomed it. The state’s new power policy, released by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on January 2, last has evoked a mixed response among those involved in tapping of the state’s 21000 MW hydropower potential. Out of this total potential 6150 MW has been tapped so far, while projects worth 6500 MW power capacity are in different stages of progress under the state, joint and private sectors in the state. Small is beautiful
The small projects are eco-friendly and easy to tap and have a power potential worth 750 MW identified in the state. As per new power policy the mini- micro projects having capacity 1 MW to 5 MW would be given preferably to entrepreneurs from Himachal. “But the problem is how to raise funds as 1 MW costs Rs. 5 to Rs. 6 crore. The bank demands collateral security of 20 percent if you want to raise loan”, comments a local entrepreneur, who is executing two mini projects in Kulu and Kangra -Mandi belt. But most of the mini-micro projects under the Himurja, a state agency, have been already allotted to IPPs, most of them from Hyderabad as early 1999-2000 onwards. As a result, just 94 such projects have been left and should be reserved for the Himachali entrepreneurs, reveal, HP Power and Project engineers. Fresh bids
Even the IPPs from outside are striking underhand deals with the local entrepreneurs to take the remaining projects as Himurja is planning to invite bids soon, reveal entrepreneurs. “They have tie-ups with bonafide Himachalis to get the projects including subsidies provided by the central government under the non-conventional energy department schemes”, they forewarn. Jagmohan, manager, administration, Bhilwara group, which is executing the 192 MW Allian-Duhangan project in Kulu has commissioned 86 MW Malana II, says: “We have employed over 80 per cent people from Himachal. We have invested in the local area development”. Another clause that smacks of manipulation is that the government will allot all projects worth capacity 5 MW to 100 MW each through the MoU route and 100 MW and above through the competitive biddings. “Ideal would have been allot all projects above 5 MW through the competitive biddings as the government would have got the best bidders on tariffs for each project”, comment engineers. Rich power state
Principal Secretary Power JP Negi, who is the main architect of the new power policy says that it has been formulated to safeguards the interest of state and its entrepreneurs and aims to tap power potential in 10 years time to make the
Himachal's as the richest model power state in the country. Though state project engineers have dubbed the new power policy as the ‘most secret document’, as their suggestions or comments were not sought before it was finalised, but they welcome it as it has fulfilled their long pending demand of formation of a ‘single-generation power corporation along the lines of NTPC or NHPC in the state’. The government has formed Himachal Power Corporation
Ltd. (HPCL) which will executive power projects 1500 MW capacity including 700 MW Luri, 402 MW Shongtong –Karcham on the river Satluj in the state. “It is right step provided the HPCL is run by professionals with equal representation to project and power engineers in the Board of Directors”, engineers comment. “The CMD appointed by the government will head HPCL, which will have 60: 40 percent equity participation between state and HPSEB. The bank will finance 70 percent while 30 percent will be invested by the state government,” clarifies Negi He adds that the Pabbar valley and Kinner Kailash corporations will merge with HPCL and its projects will be transferred to HPCL. “It will have nine-member Board of Directors” The HPSEB will be given projects of less than 25 MW capacity, which will be executed under board’s “special purpose vehicles (SPVs)” created for the purpose, he says. Power and ecology
The new power policy claims to have give due importance to ecology and local area development for the first time in the state. It is now mandatory for all projects to release 15 percent of water available in the river/ khuds down stream to keep the river thriving with water-life. This measure has come as breather to the rivers which till recently appeared as good as dead littered with boulders and sand as there was no water due to the construction of the dam upstream. The water is diverted through the tunnels to generate electricity other side of the mountain. The 990 MW BSL project of BBMB at Padoh in Mandi district was good example. Now Beas that flows downstream of Pandoh dam carries water and has revived the river life and ecology of the Mandi town. Employment generation
New policy seeks to employ 70 percent employment to Himachalis in all projects at all levels- from work force to top managers. Though the NHPC and NTPC differ on the issue claiming that the new policy applies to future projects as they have signed MoUs long time ago, when such conditions were not applicable. Claims VK Sharma, General Manager, 500 MW Parbati stage III of the 2051 MW Parbati project in Kulu district: “We are obeying the conditions like 70 percent employment to Himachalis in new power policy. It is good for the state”. But the NTPC’s GM, 800 MW Kol Dam KK Sharma says that they will go by the conditions in the new policy as the NTPC is also a government-run corporation. But the condition like 70 per cent employment to Himachalis at all levels apply to projects in the near future”, he comments. But the engineers claim that that to ensure 70 per cent employment in each project at all levels will be a pipe dream as state lacks trained manpower including hydro engineers. More employment
When asked that how the government will ensure 70 per cent employment in each project, Negi replies that the government has made it clear that that the project will have to seek NOC from the single-window of the Labour Department to know the availability of manpower in the state. “Second, each project ensures that state’s fresh engineering graduates passed out from two engineering colleges at Hamirpur and Sundernagar are taken by the company and then it will train them on the job”.
|
|
Poet of substance
It
is his hard work and interest in creative writing, which has seen R.S. Harnot emerge as a name to reckon with in the field of Hindi literature.
Harnot has been able to make a mark even outside the country as he was honoured with the prestigious international Indu Sharma Katha Samman in London in 2003, for his short story collection Darosh Tatha Anya Kahanian. It still remains his most popular and talked about work and has won him the State Academy Award (2003-04) in the story-novel-play category. Working as Assistant General Manager in the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), practically all reputed magazines and news paper devoted columns to write reviews about his work Darosh…. It was noted critic Dr Namwar Singh who was the first to take note of Darosh… as he talked about it during a literary programme on television. Darsoh.. has been so well received that many of the short stories from this collection have been translated into a number of languages, including English, Marathi, Malyalam, Punjabi and Urdu. “When I was honoured in London with the International Indu Sharma Katha Samman, one of the short story from the collection, Billiyan Batiyati Hain was staged, which in itself was a honour for a writer hailing from a remote village of Himachal,” says the 51-year-old writer. What is really appreciable about Harnot is the fact that he did not let poverty or the remoteness of his native place Chanawag, an interior village in Sunni tehsil, come in the way of his literary dreams. In fact, he started his career in 1973 as a daily wager in the local Municipal Corporation and at the same time continued his studies as he did not wish to financially burden his parents. He was lucky enough to get a clerical job in a government department. It was with his hard work and dedication that he risen to the post he holds in the HPTDC. Some of the short stories written by Harnot this year have been well appreciated. These include Jankathi Aur Sadan, Swaran Devta Dalit Devta, Mobile, Maa Padhti Hai and M Dot Com. While some of works have been translated by renowned writer, Leena Mehndle into Marathi, Dr R.H. Bankar has included his stories in a Gujarati compilation. What I consider the biggest honour is that one of my story Mutthi Ke Gaon is being translated into Gujarati and being, included in the graduation level syllabus, says Mr Harnot. Many M. Phil and Ph.D students have chosen his stories for their research work. Besides devoting time to literary works, Mr Harnot also takes out time for social service. He has been instrumental in getting a number of development projects cleared for his village. He is also a professional photographer who has held exhibitions of his photographs. Unfortunately, the kind of appreciation that Harnot has received outside Himachal has not come in from his home state.
|
|
NAHAN DIARY
The
hanging of the deposed President of Iraq,
Saddam Hussein, was condemned last week by the office bearers and the president of Himachal Lok Jan Shakti. Mr Sada Nand, the local MLA and the president criticised the growing US hegemony and feared the imminent widening gulf between the West and Arab.
Mr Nasir Khan, state president of the Lok Jan Shakti Party, Himachal
Pradesh Minority Cell, eulogised the stature of Sadaam who accepted the gallows proudly with uncovered face. He did not bow before the ruthless and tyranny hands. Mr Bhalinder Paal State General Secretary Lok Jan Shakti Party, deplored the way Sadaam Hussein was hanged. The authorities had rushed up fearing, world-wide agitation and dharna which might provocate the antagonists to their extremes. Ms Gulshan Bhatia, district president of the Women Cell, Lok Jan Shakti said Sadaam Hussein had high profile and whatever he did, was in the interest of his nation. He did not barter and sold the interests of his nation under US pressure. Mr Iskar Ahmad, district president, State Dalit Cell of the party, asked North Korea and Iran not to sacrifice their national interests before the growing ruthless leadership, which might be seeking to crush any competitive power on this earth. He called upon all peace-loving nations to unite and face the tyrannical and ironical hands. BSNL users are harassed lot The local subscribers of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam here are experiencing harrowing time when the network pre-maturedly breaks down, said Mr P.J. Lodha, the General Manager of a spinning and weaving mill located nearby at Kala Amb in Sirmour. The subscribers undergoing the ordeal have to this way pay hefty bills. The channels remain often busy. One has to ring numbers of times to finish the proposed little talk, says Mr P. Katoch, a prominent social worker. He adds that complete network of the BSNL recently broke down, for the entire day just before the Vidhan Sabha session was to commence and the government has not initiated any action. Mr Upender Pathak, the Sub-Divisional Officer in charge, admitted that the high officials were aware of the problems, but they were hapless as transmitting and receiving towers were not enough to endure the workload. Violation of Zoo norms Contrary to the requirements, the authorities are planning the vascotomy by a team of surgeons, envisaging checking the problems of in-breeding and unwanted breeding in captivity. There is tremendous scope for increasing the attraction of Renuka Safari, if the government comes with the right scheme to attract tourists, says another official of the Wild Life Department. “The lake and the Safari are losing the its charm which can be seen the scanty number of tourists visiting this place.” The Additional Deputy Commissioner, Ms Rakhil Kahlon, says she was not aware of the quality and quantity of the meat being fed to the animals. The Range Officer, Mr Satish Sharma, could not be contacted for comment. Workers’ woes It is difficult to realise the sweat and blood one sheds on the coal and wood furnace, used to procure solidified rosin. Most of the workers are said to be suffering from tuberculosis and respiratory ailments. “It has become difficult for us to sustain and match the old and outdated technology in this government-run industrial unit,” pleads Mr Balbir Singh, the General Secretary of the Government Rosin and Turpentine Factory. He claims in private sectors, almost all entrepreneurs have phased out the old machinery, replacing with the state-of-the-art technology that runs on the furnace oil, not on the fuel like coal and wood. The unit was taken over by the Himachal Government in 1949 and its operations were consigned to the State Forest Corporation. The workers are feeling concerned about its fate after the closure of the neighbouring Nahan Foundary as the authorities have not yet introduced computerised system and latest equipments. In this unit 30 truck-load of solidified rosin are sold in the market every alternate month by inviting sealed tenders. “The revenue can be raised many folds if the government introduces innovative technology,” says other union leader. He adds the venue of sale of turpentine oil was shifted from factory site to the head office in Shimla. “There are hardly any medical facilities for the workers. An ESI unit must be provided in conformity with the rules of the Factories Act. Mr Kishan Dass, the Managing Director had announced Rs 200 as festival bonus besides uniform clothes, but so far the workers have no uniform,” adds Mr Balbir Singh. Mr H.V. Kathuria, General Manager, however, says the government was doing its best for the uplift of its employees. He says the innovative machinery would be expensive at this juncture. “We, however, are planning a proposed software in our concern which will facilitate and ease the billing process and will improve the connectivity with our head office,” he says.
|
|
Students learn about AIDS
Waking
up to the hazards of deadly AIDS/HIV for the impressionable students, students of various schools have come forward, quelling their myths or notion about AIDS/HIV.
In a fresh initiative towards spreading awareness about AIDS/HIV among adolescents from class IX to XII in government schools, the State Council for Educational Research and Training(SCERT) has launched the Adolescent Education Programme on HIV/AIDS in schools in each district in the state. In the first batch over 50 students and teachers quelled their myths and notions about AIDS/HIV in Mandi. They have been trained as ‘nodal educators’ in schools to spread awareness about the deadly disease in schools and their neighbourhood. Sponsored by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), the educators would spread awareness about the deadly disease under the programme. Talking to The Tribune on the sidelines of the four-day-long programme, Yashpal Sharma from Senior Secondary Siaklu, Mandi Sadar, said he had feared that AIDS/HIV spreads by touching the HIV-infected person or shaking hands with him
or her. “Today I have learned at the workshop that it is not the case. Now I know it is an unsafe sex that is one of the main reasons,” he said. Similarly, others said they had certain notions and fears about sex and AIDS/ HIV infection, which were later corrected by the experts at the workshop. The former District Nodal Officer for the AIDS/ HIV Dr Hemant Kapur, who answered the queries of the teachers and students at the workshop, said the AIDS/HIV infection was spreading in the adolescent age group, which was being addressed to under the NACO programme. “The awareness can be spread only when the teachers and students are educated about the disease, which has no cure so far.” The District Programme Coordinator, Ms Arti Sharma, said the students and teachers educators would spread awareness among their peer groups, parents and neighbours. “We have covered 25 schools in the first phase and will cover 227 high and senior secondary schools in the district by 2007 under this programme,” she informs.
|
|
Exiled Poet
The
poet and founder president of Panum Kashmir, Mr Agnisekhar, champions the cause of the exiled Kashmiri Pandits, thus giving an impetus to the Kashmiri literature-in-exile. His poems have been born as an emotional reaction to the ‘guns of terrors’ in the trouble-torn Kashmir valley. They portray a poignant saga of over 7 lakh Kashmiri Pandits, more particularly 3.5 lakh Kashmiri refugees, who have been living in exile all over the country, including Himachal Pradesh, for the past 16 years after their exodus from the valley.
The proponents of the literature-in-exile are none other than the exiled Kashmiri Pandit poets and writers, who have gathered under the banner of the Panum Kashmir, seeking their geopolitical space in what they call as their 5000-years-old own homeland. The literature-in-exile registered its presence for the first time at the All-India Shikhar Writers’ Conference held in Mandi town in December lat year. The exiled poet and founder-president of the Panum Kashmir, Mr Agnisekhar brought into focus the trial of tribulations of over 3.5 lakh exiled Kashmiri Pandits through his three collections of poems. The exiled Kashmiri writers, including artistes, musicians and political activists of the Panum Kashmir, are making their “tryst with terrorism to save their traditional folk music, arts and literature. “But sadly neither this literature-in-exile nor their demand for a geopolitical space in the Kashmir valley are yet to be addressed by the government and literary fraternity in the country, leave alone outside it”, said Mr. Agnisekhar. How he turned a poet and writer championing the cause of the exiled Kashmiri? “I was a student at the Degree College Sopore in Kashmir. The atmosphere was changing. Kashmiri Pandits were under the scanner of the fundamentalists. I was thrashed by a few Muslim fundamentalists in the college for writing a poem in reaction to the Indo-Pak war and that was my first experience what it meant to be a minority and a growing hatred for the Pandits in the valley,” recalled Agnisekhar, who in the course of long 30 years today has complied three books— Kisi Bhi Samaya, Mujh Se Cheen Li Meri Nadi and Kaal Briksha Ki Chaya Mein. He said the literature-in-exile is a tribute to over 30,000 martyrs, including 12000 pandits who were mercilessly killed by the militants in the course of terrorism for the past 16 years. “The killings are well-documented with the Amnesty International,” he claimed. The Panum Kashmir faction headed by him blamed the political parties for complicating the Kashmir problem. With this ‘trying situation’, the Kashmiri artistes, writers, poets and musicians are coping up with the terror. They are asserting themselves through the medium of literature-in -exile. But they still await recognition and justice. “We are looking for an autonomous UT like Chandigarh to be set up in the valley within the Indian Union,” said Mr Agnisekhar.
|
|
|
||
| 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 | |
The Wild Life authorities at Renuka Safari have kept lions, leopards and bears in segregated places in utter violation of the prescribed norms, laid by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA). The quidelines seek to abide by the natural law of the land, by keeping the animals in the pairs to avoid the harsh behavioural developments. 
“The unprecedented high mortality rate of lions in recent past must have been due to the isolation and nourishment of poor quality, points out an official of the wild life, on the condition of anonymity. He says even the quality of feed is not checked daily by a team of doctors. The quantity served also needs to be re-verified in the Renuka Safari where variety of other animals are housed.