Shimla, March 27
The state mining department is finding it difficult to play its regulatory role effectively due to an acute shortage of technical staff, vehicles and other infrastructure.

The workload has been increasing with each passing day with new roads, bridges and cement plants and other projects coming up across the state. The Centre has made it mandatory to carry out geological stability studies in respect of roads involving forest land as a result of which the department has been flooded with cases of roads being constructed under the pradhan mantri gram sadak yojna. However, the department is not in a position to carry out the task expeditiously due to paucity of manpower and lack of mobility. More than 80 per cent of the senior technical posts are vacant. As many as 15 of the 18 technical posts are vacant. All nine posts of assistant geologist and three of technical assistant are vacant while only three out of the total six geologists are in position. The department has only five vehicles but these also used sparingly as there are only two drivers. Even district mining officers are without vehicles who are supposed to oversee the mining activities in far-flung areas.

Most of the 72 posts of mining guard have been filled by taking timber watchers from the state forest corporation on secondment.

Besides carrying out geological investigations, the department has to regulate mining activities across the state. There are about 300 stone-crushers, about 500 slate quarries and three big cement plants which are involved in large-scale mining.

The government has approved five more mega cement plants which will come into production over the next three to five years which would further add to the workload. The survey to assess the limestone deposits in the Kothi-Baghi belt in Sunni has also been held up due to a shortage of staff.

The department is emerging as a major source of revenue for the government. Each cement plant fetches a royalty of about Rs 15 crore and revenue of about Rs 100 crore by way of sales tax, road tax and other levies.

The total revenue of the department has increased to Rs 42 crore and it will cross the Rs 120-crore mark when all plants come into production. However, the government is still reluctant to provide adequate staff to the department.

Shimla, March 27
With inspection by the Medical Council of India (MCI) team due within the next fortnight, the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) authorities are working overtime to ensure that all shortcomings are removed.

The recent announcement by the government about increasing the number of seats from 60 to 100 at the IGMC is likely to be implemented from the coming academic session. As such, the authorities are keen that the go-ahead from the MCI is obtained during this visit only.

The biggest area of concern for the authorities at the moment is meeting the staff requirement in the non-clinical departments. With shortage of doctors in the non-clinical departments like anatomy, pathology and physiology plaguing many institutions, the IGMC is no different.

The hospital authorities will have to create some extra infrastructure, especially in the laboratories, to accommodate increased number of students.

“In fact, before 1993, the number of seats at the IGMC was 100 which was reduced to 60 when the government opened Tanda Medical College at Kangra, so increase of seats will not make much of a difference,” said a senior doctor. Though the MCI inspection at Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College has already taken place, the possibility of the team going there again cannot be ruled out.

Although the IGMC already has an intensive care unit (ICU), but a state-of-the-art six-bed ICU is likely to be made functional soon. It is on the directions of the high court that a modern ICU is being readied at the IGMC.

Owing to the shortage of staff and inadequate qualification of the teaching faculty, the IGMC has had to face problem from the MCI in the past. In fact, the postgraduate course in orthopaedics was derecognised by the MCI. “The MD course in orthopaedics was recognised by the MCI about a month back and we have also started MD in dermatology,” said Dr Hardyal, medical superintendent.

The MCI team would be visiting the IGMC early next month. It was a routine inspection after five years and as far as increasing the number of seats was concerned, the infrastructure already existed.

Shimla, March 27
The “run-for-fun” organised by the local Army Training Command (ARTRAC) evoked an enthusiastic response with hundreds of people from various sections, including a large number of children and women, taking part in the event.

Governor V.S. Kokje flagged off the participants from the Ridge maidan. He himself participated in the run. Senior Army officers, led by Lieut-Gen Milan Naidu, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, were present on the occasion.

The event was a precursor to the fourth Military World Games to held in Hyderabad and Mumbai from October 14 to 21, 2007. Over 6000 sportspersons from the armed forces of 127 countries will participate in the multi-discipline mega event being held in an Asian country for the first time.

While men covered a distance of 5.7 km, women and schoolchildren ran 4 km. A large number of spectators were present to cheer up the participants. 

Shimla, March 27
The All-Himachal Employees Joint Action Committee will oppose the ruling Congress in the forthcoming elections to the Shimla Municipal Corporation.

President of the 
committee Gopal Das Verma said at a press 
conference that the employees were unhappy with the Congress government as over the past four years it had 
failed to fulfil their demands. The government had only increased the capital allowance by just Rs 75 while the employees were demanding that it should be raised to Rs 350 per month.

Similarly, house rent to both husband and wife and medical allowance of Rs 300 per month had not been granted on the Punjab pattern.

They had also not been granted the timescale benefit with jumps after completing four, nine and 14 years of service.

The government had introduced contributory pension scheme despite stiff opposition from the employees.

The pensioners were being denied the facility of leave travel allowance (LTA), he alleged. He demanded the immediate release of DA instalment that became due in 
January.

He said the Chief Minister was announcing opening of new schools, colleges and other institutions without making any provision for staff. He said over one lakh posts were vacant and the government had abolished 35,000 posts under an MoU singed with the Centre.

He contested the claim of president of the state Non-Government Services Federation L.S. Machhan that the present government had given financial benefits to the tune of Rs 60 crore to the employees.

Shimla, March 27
With the resident doctors still adamant on proceeding on mass casual leave tomorrow, the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) authorities have directed all consultants and para-medical staff to be present in full strength at the OPD to avert inconvenience to the patients.

Demanding an enhancement in their stipend at par with their colleagues in Punjab, the Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) at the IGMC has decided to proceed on mass casual leave tomorrow after holding a pen-down strike for three days. The RDA has threatened to intensify the agitation in case the government does not accept their demand.

Meanwhile, the government has cautioned the RDA to call off its agitation as its demand stands accepted with an enhancement of 20 per cent in the stipend announced earlier.

The IGMC authorities said that in case the RDA decided to go ahead with its proposed strike, the government could take action against the resident doctors who are general duty officers (GDO) and could even ask them to proceed to their places of posting. In the case of the central government nominees doing the MD courses, the government could write to the Centre.

Nahan, March 27
The much-awaited SAARC international car rally reached here today. The rally comprised 28 cars. The participants were accorded a warm welcome at Hotel Black Mango, near Kala Amb.

The rally reached here around 5 pm. The district administration of neighbouring Ambala had been carrying out rehearsal for the past two days and embellished the taxation barrier with flowers on the Himachal territory. A delegation led by Ambala range commissioner Mahaveer Singh, DC R.P. Bhardwaj, SP Amitab Dhillon and SDM Aswhani Kumar, assisted by Sirmaur administration, reached the spot around 10 am to ensure full preparedness for receiving the rally.

Vice-president of the Himachal Congress Committee Kunjana Singh accorded a warm welcome to the participants led by Lieut-Col Kulbeet Singh Chauhan. Kunjans Singh said the rally that commenced from cox Bajar (Bangladesh) on March 15 would cover 8,200 km in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and the Indian territory. It would culminate in New Delhi April 3, where the summit is scheduled to take place.

Sundernagar, March 27
A team of activists of the Pariyavaran Surakha Samiti and the Khatrwari Sangharsh Samiti met MP Pratibha Singh and handed over a memorandum to her against the setting up of a cement plant near Sundernagar.

The memorandum said the site was very close to Sundernagar. Moreover, it was agricultural land (99 per cent) of the oustees of the Beas-Sutlej link project, who were uprooted in early sixties and settled here. The memorandum further alleged that the site of the factory was cleared by the Ministry of Environment and Forest as some top officials had not reported the exact position of site and fabricated the record.

The members of Sangharsh Samiti demanded a high-level inquiry into the matter so that the guilty officials could be punished. They have further demanded that the site of the cement plant be shifted elsewhere.

Earlier the site of the factory was far from Sundernagar, but one of ministers in the previous BJP government got a site close to Sundernagar earmarked for the plant, they alleged. This was done without conducting any fresh public hearing into the case. The distance of the Bandli wildlife sanctuary and the Trambri forest was also mentioned wrongly in the records.

Many Congress workers of Nachan block also come out in support of Khatrawari residents. Nachan MLA advocated the cause of people before the MP.

The MP reportedly assured the members of the samiti that she would look into matter and apprise the Chief Minister about it. Members of the Sangharsh Samiti have started a door-to-door campaign against the setting up of the cement plant, while some persons, not belonging to the area, were favouring the move.

Environmentalists of the area have also supported the cause of resident. Members of the samiti will meet Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh tomorrow, who will be here to attend the concluding function of the Nalwar Fair.

Hamirpur, March 27
A young boy from Kutheda village in Hamirpur district, showing exemplary courage has not only saved his life from the claws of a female leopard but also managed to shoo away the beast.

Fourteen years old Karan had an encounter with the beast near his village while playing cricket with his friends.

This boy showing extreme bravery struggled with the leopard for about five minutes and saved his life using his common sense to act in such a difficult Situation.

Narrating his encounter with the leopard Karan told our correspondent, “I was playing cricket with my friends after my school exams near my village, as I went to collect the ball after a shot was hit in that direction I found a leopard cub sitting near the bushes when suddenly a leopard attacked me from behind and later came in my front.” He added, “not losing my senses I picked up the front legs and tried to push these in her mouth as I had read that this tactics works, it kept on attacking me and inflicted injuries on my legs, arms and back and later left me. Karan said, “I was not scared at all and later shoo away the leopard though none of my friends came to help me. A 9th class student Karan is the only son of an ex-serviceman Raghubir Singh.

The boy is treated for his injuries in zonal hospital Hamirpur. While every body is talking here about the bravery shown by this boy. The villagers and president of local panchayat have also approached the Governor and state government to recommend Karan for the national bravery award.

Kangra March 27
Nearly 1.50 lakh pilgrims visited the local Bajjreshwari temple during the nine-day Navratras,Temple officer R.S.Sharma said today.

Pilgrims from Punjab, Rajasthan, UP, Haryana, Delhi , Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country visited the shrine.

On the occasion of Ramnavmi today, the concluding day of the Navratras, more than 35 thousand pilgrims visited the Bajjreshwari temple. The temple was illuminated for the Navratras.

Offerings comprising Rs 9 lakh in cash, 77 gm of gold and 4.5 kg of silver were made at Bajjreshwari temple during the Navratras.

Chamunda temple officer Harbans Lal Indoria said 1.25 lakh pilgrims visited the Chamunda temple during the Navratras .

CHAMBA: Thousands of devotees thronged the Bhalayee Mata temple, situated at a distance of round 30 km from Chamba, on the occasion of Ramnavmi on Tuesday. The festival was also celebrated at local temples of Chamba town, including Sita-Ram temple. Bhajan and kirtan in adoration of Lord Rama was organised in temples on the occasion.

Bilaspur, March 27
All BSNL V 5.2, WLL, BTS Bandla phone numbers would stand changed to MSC based WLL BTS Bandla from March 27 midnight throughout Bilaspur district. BSNL divisional engineer telecoms K.R. Chauhan said here today that phone numbers in these systems would have their first figure of 2 intact while two next figures would change in to 00 and next 3 figures would also remain the same as earlier. Giving examples he said phone number 289xxx would change to 200XXX and phone numbers 289000, 289101, 289300 would respectively change to 200000, 200101 and 200300.

He said subscribers of Jukhala, Rani Kotla, Suin-Surhard, Chhakoh, Namhole, Brahampukhar, Deoth, Bandla, Chandpur, Kandraur, Harlog, Auhar, Rishikesh, Kothipura, Kallar, Jamli, Jagatkhana and Suharghat areas have been asked to bring their FWTS/WLL telephone equipments to the nearby telephone exchanges at Bilaspur, Kandraur, Jukhala and Namhole before March 30 for programming of their FWTS.

He also said that subscribers for Ghumarwin, Barthin, Jhandutta, Kalol, Kot, Geharwin, Bhadoli Kalan. Marottan, Nakhlehda, Takrehda, Nihari, Badhaghat, Dadhole, Amarpur, Bhager areas should also bring their FWTS telephone sets to the nearby telephone exchanges at Ghumarwin, Barthin and Jhandutta before March 30 for programming of these FWTS telephone instruments. 

Sundernagar, March 27
Pankaj Khullar, principal chief conservator of forests of Himachal Pradesh, chaired a meeting of high-level committee for the implementation of 65.23 crores catchment area treatment (CAT) Plan of 800 MW Kol dam project at Barmana in main office of Kol Dam Project about 25 Km from here. The committee members also inspected the site of Kol Dam yesterday evening for supervising the work undergoing the implementation of CAT Plan.

The meeting was attended by all the divisional forest officers who are implementing the plan in their divisions. Conservators of Mandi, Bilaspur, Shimla, wild life Shimla and conservator (Policy and Law), chief conservator of forest (P&D) along with senior officials of Kol Dam Project, some public representative and environmentalist also attended the meeting.

In the meeting, progress of CAT Plan was reviewed and the majority of members were of the opinion that they were not getting the required budget in time due to some reason or the other.

The Kol Dam officials while putting their version said that out of 65.23 crores they had deposited 50 crores with Govt. but till now only an amount of Rs 12 crores was used for various works.

In earlier meeting the issue of non-availability of funds was raised and the matter was forwarded for consideration of high level meeting to be headed by the principal chief conservator of forests.

Khullar assured that sufficient budget will be provided in future so that the work under CAT Plan is competed in time and it was further stated that for the year of 2007-08 an amount of Rs 25 crores would be provided after receiving annual plans of operations from various divisions.

The committee members toured the site of 800 MW Kol Dam Project. 

Sundernagar, March 27
The five-day Devta Mela concluded here today. Mandi MP Pratibha Singh was the chief guest at the concluding function.

She performed puja at Mahamaya temple. A procession was then taken out from there. It passed through old Suket Estate, where members of the royal family perfumed puja of various deities. The procession then reached Jawahar Park after taking a round of Sundernagar town and ended with the puja of hill gods.

Pratibha Singh was accompanied by Tek Chand Dogra and Sohan Lal, MLAs from Nachan and Sundernagar, on this occasion.

Some foreign dignitaries also participated in the festivities on the invitation of the royal family.

Nahan, March 27
One-and- a-half-month-old leopard cub died at Rajgarh today. The cub was buried by forest officials in presence of DFO and public representatives this afternoon.

Residents of Dilmen village under Rajgarh subdivision had found a leopard cub near the village two days back. It was immediately handed over to the DFO, Rajgarh.

The cub was probably attacked by stray dogs. Despite treatment it could not be saved. — OC