Shimla, February 3
With the horrors of global warming becoming an internationally-recognised reality; closer home, the gradual melting of Himalayan glaciers and decreasing snowfall in the recent years in the hill state has alarmed climate experts.

Concurring with the latest international report confirming the "unequivocal" nature of global warming, the government is proposing to set up a regional centre for monitoring glacial environment and climate change.

The immediate trigger for such an affirmative action from the government has been the alarming decrease in frequency and intensity of snowfall over the past few years on one hand and the consistent rise in temperatures being witnessed over the years in the hill state.

The scenario has manifested in shrinking glaciers in all four main river basins of the state. Moreover, the more visible impact of climate change is being witnessed on the pattern of crops with the deodar trees getting dried up due to less cold and apple crop suffering a drop in yield in the apple belt due to decreased snowfall.

Interestingly, the shooting up of temperatures in the cold desert regions has started yielding apple crop.

"The retreating glaciers and rising temperatures are a cause of concern for which we need to undertake impact assessment studies so that a policy for adaptation and preparedness can be formulated to atleast prevent its further deterioration," says Mr R.K. Sood, Joint Member Secretary, Himachal Pradesh Council for Science, Technology and Environment.

For the second consecutive year, negligible rain and a decreasing snowfall pattern is being witnessed in the state, impacting not just the flora and fauna but more importantly posing a threat to the very existence of the hydro-power projects that have been set up in the state.

With just 2.2 mm of rain and no snowfall during the month of January this year, there is concern at this unusual trend as it is for the second time after 1998 that there has been a snowless January in Shimla.

The average snowfall in the state has declined from 272.4 cms during 1976-80 to a mere 77.20 cms during 2001-04. As per a study undertaken by the department of Silviculture and Agro-forestry, Horticulture University, Nauni the terminal points of the deodar trees are drying up because of non-fulfillment of their chilling requirement.

According to the Glaciology Division of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) majority of the glaciers in the basins of the four main rivers of Himachal, Ravi, Beas, Satluj and Chenab have shown both vertical as well as horizontal shrinkage with different magnitude.

The Sara Umga glacier in the Beas basin is retreating at an average annual rate of 43.3 m/year while the Tal glacier in Ravi basin is receding at a rate of 39.9 m/year. Other glaciers exhibiting fast recession include bara Shigri in Chenab basin, Man Talai in Beas basin and Manimahseh in Ravi basin.

Shimla, February 3
Himachal Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh said today the government was considering to revive the “Nambardari” system and drafting its Police Act also.

He was presiding over a meeting of the Himachal Pradesh all-ranks police officers here today. Mr Virbhadra Singh said the nambardari system prevalent in the rural areas of the state and a nambardar required to be a respected person of the area and non- political who maintained neutrality.

The Chief Minister said the state had been following the Punjab Police Act for dealing with law and order problems. a few amendments had been incorporated keeping in view circumstances. “The need had emerged to have our own Police Act to ensure best law and order service to people and protect their lives and property in a more effective manner,” he stated. He stressed the need to update research training and development programmes.

Mr Virbhadra Singh said modernisation of the police was in progress with the acquisition of the latest techniques and equipment providing online facilities to the police stations for prompt communication network was created. He added in the age of satellite communication, law and order enforcing agencies also needed to keep pace with the trends. He said efforts were required to train police personnel for discharging duties.

The Chief Minister said the government was concerned about the welfare of the police personnel and was committed to safeguard their interests. He said improved working conditions and congenial environment needed to be provided to the police force for effective functioning. 

Nahan, February 3
The late Y.S. Parmar, the first Chief Minister and architect of Himachal, would always be remembered for his vision and development works, said Mr G.R. Musafir, Speaker of the Himachal Vidhan Sabha, today.

Mr Musafir was addressing a gathering Talli Bhujal Gram Panchayat at Gotari village in Sirmaur district. At Dewthi Majhgaon village Mr Musafir was presented with shawls.

He felicitated social workers and distributed cheques for development works. He handed over a cheque for Rs 90,000 to Ms Kanta Devi for infrastructure development under the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Scheme.

He also inaugurated Sirla irrigation scheme completed at a cost of Rs 12 lakh at another remote place and roads too.

People said no political leader had come to this place in the past 50 years.

Mr Musafir recalled Himachal had only 315 km of roads and Rs 240 per capita income when it came into being.

Today Himachal had Rs 32000 as per capita income and a network of 28000 km of roads, added the Speaker.

Shimla, February 3
Lashing out at the BJP for creating an unnecessary controversy over the holding of a rally at the Ice Skating rink, the Congress today said that this reflects the lethargy of the opposition party.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said that instead of blaming the government, the BJP should have got the Ice Skating rink booked on time. "To cover up their own laid-back attitude and complacency, the BJP has always blamed the government," he said. He added that even during the Assembly electioneering, the BJP had created an unnecessary controversy over the rally venue, when former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was to address it.

State spokesperson of the Congress Kuldeep Rathore said that if the BJP was so keen to hold a rally at the Ice Skating rink, it should have sought permission for holding their rally on time.

Chamba, February 3
The Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to evolve its own "Hydro-Power Policy" in view of the conducive environment provided for investments in generation, transmission and distribution. The power policy envisages ensuring a systematic and scientific development of the hydro-power potential of the state. The power generation potential of the state has been assessed at 21,000 mw, which is about 25 per cent of the total hydel potential of the country, out of which over 6311 mw stands harnessed so far.

According to official sources, small hydroelectric power projects up to 2 mw would be reserved for Himachalis, and the state government would give preference to the developers of hydro-electric projects above 2 mw and up to 5 mw and from 5 mw to 25 mw to Himachalis and cooperatives.

There are many projects which are yet to be identified and the Himachal Power Corporation (HPC)/Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) shall identify such projects.

The government reserves the right either to allot these projects up to 25 mw to HPC and HPSEB or offer these to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and above 25 mw to HPC and IPPs. In case of bonafide Himachalis to whom projects up to 5 mw capacity are allotted, the government would consider the request of promoters to sell equity shares to the bonafide Himachalis who have been living in the state for many generations.

Shimla, February 3
The controversy over the Madhur Bhandarkar-directed film, 'Traffic Signal', has started showing its impact, as the state government has decided to ban it, and theatre owners shying away from screening it if the objectionable use of the word 'Kinner' for eunuchs is not dropped.

Chief Minister Virbhadara Singh today said that the government would ban the screening of the film in the state if the wrong use of the word Kinner is not dropped. "The sentiments of not just the people of Kinnaur, who are referred to as Kinners or Kinnauras, have been hurt but it is an insult to the state," he remarked.

He said the government had serious objection to the use of this word and all necessary steps would be taken to ensure that it was drooped from the movie. While the government is contemplating banning the screening of the film, cinemas hall-owners, too, do not wish to take any risk, which could invite any form of vandalism.

The director of the film Madhur Bhandarkar, on being contacted, said he was not aware of the fact that the word Kinner is used for people belonging to the tribal district of Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh. "I am not aware of any such district or its people and the word Kinner has been used for eunuchs in the media before," he said. When asked if he would consider dropping the word Kinner from his movie, he said there was no such move as of now.

Meanwhile, some writers, intellectuals and people of Kinnaur have decided to knock the doors of court to ensure that the word Kinner is not misused or degraded.