McLeodganj, April 10
The head of the woman who was brutally murdered by two persons with a sharp-edged weapon on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday in a private resort here has been recovered by the police.

Additional superintendent of police of Kangra district Santosh Patial said the head of the woman was recovered in partially mutilated condition.

Earlier, the police had released sketches of the two suspected murderers, who had possibly killed the woman in a hut of the Bhagsu valley resort by chopping off her head. The sharp-edged weapon used in the murder was also recovered by the police.

The murderers had taken away the chopped-off head of the woman from the spot of the crime. They threw away it in Bhagsu khud from where it was recovered by the police late last night with the help of a dog squad.

“Now, it has become easy for us to identify the woman. This will also help us in identifying and arresting the criminals,” Patial said.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that the woman was allegedly murdered by a transporter with the help of one of his employees, probably a cleaner. She was said to be his keep. She had become cause of trouble in the transporter’s marital life and was thus was murdered.

The ASP said police teams had been dispatched to various places in search of the culprits.

Solan, April 10
As many as five villagers, who were in an inebriated state, roughed up a camp of NSS cadets and their accompanying teachers, who were camping at Government Senior Secondary School, Gugaghat, last evening.

Trouble stated when the locals, including Rajinder Kumar, alias Raju, Ajay, alias Ajju, Billu, Annu and Anand came to the site and demanded a matchbox to light a cigarette. They got agitated when the campers refused to oblige them.

This infuriated the locals attached them with bricks and other construction tools that were lying nearby. The police has registered a complaint after a teacher Narender Tyagi lodged a complaint in this regard. 

New Delhi, April 10
The Himachal Pradesh government would provide facilities to register online (through e-mail) complaints in all police stations in the state during current financial year, said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh who called on Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil here today.

Virbhadra Singh informed Patil that the state government had launched an ambitious “common integrated police application plan” under which all police stations in the state will be computerised during the current year.

He said 40 police stations had already been covered under the project and remaining police stations would be covered soon.

The Chief Minister said the state had spent Rs 51.12 crore on modernisation of the police force and a new web portal of the department had been launched for providing all related information to the public.

He said the state had merged the earlier separate directorate of vigilance, enforcement, and created state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau to provide greater synergy to investigations and preventions of corruptions in the state.

The government had taken steps, which included round-the-clock vigil to avert and spill over of terrorist activities from along the Jammu and Kashmir border, he said, adding that 1,408 vacant posts of constable and 167 posts of jail warden would be filled up during the year.

Patil, meanwhile, complimented the state government’s efforts in maintaining law and order in the state. Describing Himachal Pradesh as the most peaceful state in the country, he assured that the Centre would provide all financial assistance to the government in the modernisation of police force and strengthening the police infrastructure.

Palampur, April 10
The local Municipal will setup a solid waste management plant here for the disposal of gradable and degradable waste of the town. Himachal Pradesh government, department of Urban Development had already given its financial approval to this project.

Talking to The Tribune here on Monday, Brij Behari Lal, local MLA and political adviser to the Chief Minister said Rs 90 lakh would be spent on this project. Out of this amount the state government had already released Rs 55 lakh to the Municipal Council so that execution of plant could be taken up at the earliest. He said a seven kanal piece of land had also been transferred to the Municipal Council for this project.

Gurdev International Limited, a private company dealing with the installation of such plants would provide technical know-hows to the municipal council to run the plant. He said this company had already been managing such plants at Chandigarh, Mani Majra, Gurgaon and other cities in North India. He said in western countries such solid waste management plant had proved very successful because of the fact that these plants were totally pollution free. He said the government had top priority to keep this hill town clean and pollution free, which is also a major tourist center.

Chief Minster Virbhadara Singh will soon lay the foundation stone of the plant, he added.

Shimla, April 10
The National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II) will be held on August 19, later this year, an official spokesman today said.

Detailed information of syllabus, schemes, centres of examination and guidelines for filling of applications for the examinations, to be conducted by the Union Public News/ Rozgar Samachar of March 17.

The spokesman said the applications must be sent to the Secretary, Union Public Service Commission, Dholpur House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi-110069 either by hand, post or courier on before April 16.

The candidates residing abroad or in remote localities specified in the notice must send their applications before April 23, he added. — UNI

Kangra, April10
A resident of Kanaid village, Sanjeev Kumar, has lodged a report with the Kangra police that he has been receiving threatening calls from his brother-in-law Raman kumar from Ludhiana, because the former had been alleging that the later had forced his sister Anupama to commit suicide by jumping before the running train in Ludhiana.

Sanjeev Kumar told The Tribune here today that his sister Anupama was married to Raman kumar on November 22, 1999. The torture at the hands of her in-laws began just after three months of her marriage. Then, Anupama stayed with her parents at Kaniad for a year and gave birth to Raman Kumar’s daughter at Dharamshala.

She was asked by her relatives to go back to her in-laws house. He alleged that her mother-in- law beat her up on October 9, 2006 and the members of the Kanaid village Panchayat accompanied her to her in-laws at Lagdadoo village on October 12, 2006 and reached a compromise there.

He alleged that the family was demanding dowry time and again and ultimately Anupama was forced to commit suicide on February 26, this year, along with her three and a half-year-old son Mohit, by jumping before a train at Ludhiana.

Kunica, daughter of Anupama, has confirmed that her mother was tortured, alleged Sanjeev Kumar.

He alleged that the railway police at Ludhiana termed her suicide as an accident. He said he had been fighting and following the police to investigate the case and culprits be brought to the book. Now his brother-in-law allegedly began threatening him of dire consequences if he did not come on the negotiating table. He alleged that two telephone numbers from which his brother-in-law threatened him were 0941754733 and 09417423220.

He demanded a CBI inquiry in the circumstances of the case that led Anupuma to commit suicide along with her son. The Kangra police said they would investigate the matter.

Shimla, April 10
The shrinking green cover of the town could be re-notified by the government after examining the fresh demarcation of the 17 green belts by the Revenue and the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department to remove the existing ambiguities.

It is after undertaking a four-month-long exercise that the two departments have completed the task of transferring the boundaries of the green belts into the revenue record after verification from the physical survey maps. The report has already been submitted to the Director, TCP, and would be approved by a high-level committee.

It is on the directions of the Cabinet that the task of “khasra”-wise identification of the green belts was undertaken. Even though the 17 green belts in the town were notified by the government in 2000 but there were no “khasra” numbers of the area forming part of the green belts, leading to a number of missing links. Now the exact “khasra” numbers would be mentioned in the green belts leaving no scope for ambiguity.

The total area demarcated as green area falling under 17 belts in and around the town is about 414 hectares. In order to ensure that the dwindling green cover in the "Queen of Hills' does not shrink further, the government proposes to increase the number of green belts to almost 100.

The 17 green belts include the forest in Tuti-Kandi, Nabha, Phagli, Lal Pani, Bemloe, Himfed, Khalini, Chotta Shimla I and II, Kasumpti, Charlie Villa, Jakhu, Bharari, Shankali, Ruldu Bhatta, Summer Hill, Boileauganj and Chaura Maidan.

With the complete ban on construction in the green belts in and around the town, the process of transferring the physical maps into revenue records could pave the way for partial lifting of the ban on construction activity even if it is in a small area. It was in December 2000 that the state government had imposed a complete ban on constructions after the green belts were notified.

There is a lot of pressure on the government to give some relaxation in the ban on the construction in the green belts. In fact, the matter has been discussed by the Cabinet on several occasions but so far no decision has been taken on giving partial relaxation in the ban on constructions.

Sources in the Revenue and TCP Department said the exercise was basically aimed at making the 17 green belts more distinct so that there was no ambiguity which could give benefit to some person.

“We have to save the valuable green belts in and around the town as the green cover is constantly shrinking, for which the ‘Queen of Hills’ is known,” he said. 

Nurpur, April 10
The problem of rehabilitation of Pong Dam oustees from Jawali and Dehra subdivision in Kangra district has become a nightmare for them, thanks to helplessness of the Himachal Pradesh government and indifferent attitude of the Rajasthan 
government.

Nearly 20,000 families were displaced following the construction of the Pong Dam three decades ago. As many as 16,352 families were declared eligible for the allotment of land (murrabbas) for their rehabilitation in Rajasthan as per the agreement between the state government and the Government of India.

The Rajasthan Government has left no stone unturned to uproot the oustees from the state. As a sequel, 4,273 eligible oustees are still awaiting the allotment of “murrabbas” in Rajasthan. The state government has failed to rehabilitate these families in Rajasthan.

Himachal Pradesh lost its land, water and displaced its people for the sake of national interest, but it neither got requisite royalty nor the share of power that is being generated on its soil. Apart from this, the displaced families could not be rehabilitated.

In 1972, during the construction of the dam, 12,142 displaced oustees had applied for the allotment of “murrabbas” in Rajasthan, out of which only 9,196 applications were accepted. In 1996, only 2,438 “murrabbas” were allotted and 6,658 applications were rejected.

In 1981, the Chief Ministers of Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh after holding a number of meetings signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). As a result, the rejected applicants were given a chance to re-apply. As many as 4,510 out of the 6,658 oustees again applied for allotments, out of which 4,287 applications were accepted. Some how, 341 oustees out of 4,287 did not get possession of their allotted “murrabbas”.

In 1983-1984 again, the non-allottes got an opportunity and 1,559 applicants submitted their applications for the allotment of “murrabbas”, out of which only 1,385 oustees were allotted “murrabbas” in 2000.

Inquiries reveal that 7,869 out of 12,142 oustees have been allotted “murrabbas” in Rajasthan, while 4,273 oustees are still running from pillar to post for their rehabilitation.

According to official information, the Rajasthan government had earmarked 700 “murrabbas” in Jaisalmer district bordering Pakistan. Following the demand of the allottes, the state government constituted an inspection committee.

The government had dispatched the team, comprising eight members, in Rajasthan in February to find out whether the earmarked land was suitable for rehabilitation or not. The team reportedly found that the allotted land was unfit for cultivation as well as dwelling. No basic amenities were available adjoining the “murrabbas”.

Member of the Pong Dam oustees’ committee Amar Singh, who had been accompanying the panel, to Rajasthan said by earmarking such a piece of land for the oustees the Rajasthan government had played a cruel joke on the hapless oustees who had been awaiting their rehabilitation.

Dharamsala, April 10
Dilly-dallying attitude of the police in registering a case on the complaint of a woman victim of the domestic violence has triggered a protest against the transport minister G.S. Bali whose effigy was burnt by protesters, particularly women, here this morning.

Sharda Devi alleged that she was being repeatedly harassed by her husband for the past six years. Her woes began soon after she got married to him. She claimed that her husband, Vinay Kumar, was alcoholic and subjected her to physical and mental torture.

Her father, Manhor Lal, said Vinay Kumar had forcefully taken her daughter to Dharamsala and compelled her to sign the agreement for seeking a divorce. He said all the family members were surprised when the matter was brought to their notice.

The victim originally hailing from Makdoti village of the Shahpur area was married to Vinay Kumar, a resident of Thanpuri village of the Nagrota Bagwan area. She alleged that two months back she had filed a complaint in the police station of Nagrota, however, the police had refused to registered a case under the political pressure of the transport minister.

“When we contacted the police it maintained that since it is transport minister’s constituency they cannot register such case,” 
she added.

Agitated over the local police and the transport minister, hundreds of villagers from her parental village and adjoining areas protested and raised slogans against both the police and the minister.

The agitated villagers later burnt an effigy of Bali.

McLeodganj, April 10
The Dalai Lama said today that power politics and science posed challenges for all religions in Asia, particularly Buddhism.

He was addressing a gathering of scientists and Buddhist scholars on the inaugural day of the five-day mind and life conference being organised here at the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile.

He said as Tibetan Buddhism was sourced from the Sanskrit-based Nalanda tradition, one of its fundamental standpoints was to appreciate the need for an understanding based on reason and evidence.

The conference will focus on issues and challenges highlighted in the Dalai Lama’s book: “The Universe in a Single Atom: the Convergence of Science and Spirituality”. A team of 12 scientists is participating in the conference.

One of the primary pursuits of scientists will be to study the effect of contemplative practices like meditation and mental training on brain and behaviour of human beings.

Famous Hollywood actor Richard Gere, Robert Thurman, a Buddhist scholar/author and father of Hollywood actress Uma Thurman, the Karmapa and many other Buddhist scholars are also participating in the meet.

Hamirpur, April 10
The move of the Hamirpur Wildlife division to bring two Bengal tigers to attract more visitors to Gopalpur zoo is hanging fire for more than 3 years due to non-appointment of a veterinary doctor reportedly in the zoo.

The Wildlife Department had mooted the idea to bring a pair of Bengal tigers about three years back when a lion named Gopal had died in 2003, and his female partner Kunti had to be sent back to Chhatbir zoo.

Interestingly, the department has spent more than Rs 13 lakh for constructing enclosures in the zoo for housing the Bengal tigers about 3 years back.

Earlier, the zoo authorities had abandoned the move to house lions in the zoo, since the cubs born in the zoo at Gopalpur did not survive.

A tiger named Phatu from Chhatbir zoo was being sent here some time back but the animal became so violent during transportation that it damaged the cage and officials from Gopalpur zoo refused to bring the tiger.

Sources in the department said the whole proposal to bring the Bengal tigers to Gopalpur zoo was hanging in the lurch, as a separate veterinary doctor was required for a regular health checkup of the animals. Lakhs of rupees spent by zoo authorities on enclosures were eating dust.

At present, veterinary doctors at Palmpur charge Rs 500 hundred for each checkup.

State Chief wildlife Warden Vinay Tondon said “ Proposal to bring the Bengal tigers in Gopalpur zoo was mooted by the department but can not tell about the exact details why it is stuck up.”

Mandi, April 10
After launching the programme in Chamba and Sirmaur districts, the government has sanctioned Rs 2-crore each to implement the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGP) that ensures employment of 100 days to each beneficiary in Mandi and Kangra districts in the state.

Talking to The Tribune, Mandi district Deputy Commissioner Subhasish Panda said the panchayats would prepare the job cards of beneficiaries of the programme. The panchayats would be made aware through publicity and awareness workshops and registry was also being prepared. “We expect to start the programme within few weeks time”, he added.

He further said they held training workshop for the BDOs and Zila Parishad members to sensitise them on the programme. “They will get training at HIPA, Shimla, on the programme”.

Under the programme, the beneficiary will have to work for minimum 14 days and will be paid minimum daily wages of Rs 75 per day as decided by the government”, revealed officials.

The NREGP Act, passed in Parliament, in September 2005, provides employment of 100 days and if the applicant does not get work within 15 days of issuance of the job card, the state government will provide him/her unemployment allowance of 50 per cent of the wage rate. To take care of women workers, who carry their kids along with them, the Act provides by deputing a worker to look after their children below the age of six years.

Any worker who gets injured or dies during work hours, he/she is entitled for free treatment and medicines and a compensation of Rs 25, 0000 to the next of kin.

Chamba, April10
In a bid to bring back the lost glory of Chamba town, once considered the cleanest among the merged princely states in Himachal Pradesh, has now become infamous for garbage, dirt and filth scattered here and there.

The Chamba Citizen Progressive Council says that safai workers are either not attending to their duties honestly or perhaps there is a shortage of such personnel due to which most places in the town are going unkempt, causing various diseases.

All five chowgans being under repair are closed for public use. Slates are being fixed on the road to chowgan No 1, which is closed from November to April every year for stroll. Slates are generally used for beautification of temples and other religious places and not on roads meant for the general public.

The main road of the chowgan and the pathways between each chowgan are fully occupied by rehriwalas and tehbazariwalas, endangering the lives of pedestrians.

Palampur, April 10
With the on set of summers, the Himachal Pradesh Government has geared up its machinery to prevent forest fires in the district. In Kangra 5,000 hectare of land was consumed by fire last year.

A spokesman of the state forest department here said today that the Planning Commission in 1998 had approved of a fire-fighting plan, which was already in force in the state. The plan dealt with various preventive measures to check fire. In low altitude areas, where chill trees grow are a major fire hazard. In the district, over 8,300-hectare area is under chill plantation. He said the Forest Department was fully equipped to check forest-fire incidents.

All DFOs had been directed to personally visit the forests and ensure that all pine needles were removed from time to time, since these needles were highly inflammable. All 125 km fire lines falling in the district had been made free from bushes and inflammable material.

Besides, the departmental efforts, the state government had also asked local residents to extend their full cooperation to the Forest Department. All panchyat pardhans and presidents of cooperative societies had been inducted into the fire prevention committees formed by the government.

The department has launched a special programme to educate rural masses about the ill effects of the forest fires and obtain their active participation.

Before the onset of summer, an awareness programme at different fire-prone areas of the district was organised. Officials of the department have also maintained rapport with various schools, so that in case of fire, assistance of schoolchildren could be taken.

Signboards have also been displayed at strategic places, look-out-stations and central points identified by the department. The department has also provided binoculars and wireless sets to its staff so that information can be passed to the fire fighting squadrons at the range and divisional headquarters, the spokesman added.

He further said there would be no shortage of funds for the fire prevention programme launched by the Forest Department. He said the district alone had over 200 firewatchers. These firewatchers have been allotted definite areas for patrolling, cleaning of roads paths and for removing pine needles. They would be available at odd hours. Besides, the Forest Department has also provided equipment to its staff, including darat, ralies, water bottles, first-aid boxes, torches and fire beaters.

He said the government had also announced forest awards for both public and officials engaged in fire prevention.