Shimla, July 31
The government would declare the four British-era cemeteries here as heritage sites along with 55 other structures. The item on declaring these four cemeteries and 55 other century-old buildings as heritage structures would be placed before the Cabinet on August 8. The remaining 38 buildings that fall within the heritage zone extending from the state secretariat, Armsdale up to the Indian Institute of Advanced Study automatically stand declared as heritage structures.

The Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department has identified over 100-year-old 97 buildings. The main objective of declaring them as heritage structures is to ensure that they are preserved and there is no major change in their façade and architecture.

The four cemeteries are located near Nav Bahar, below the Chief Minister’s residence, near Bemloe and in Sanjauli. Some of the landmarks of the town that would now be formally declared as heritage buildings include Auckland House School, Ripon Hospital, residence of Rajkumari Amrit Kaur in Summer Hill which now houses the guesthouse of the AIIMS.

The cemeteries are in a state of neglect as there is no maintenance and the Christian community here has from time to time been raising the issue with the government. “Though we will declare the cemeteries as heritage sites it is for the Tourism Department, Department of Language, Art and Culture and the Municipal Corporation to protect them and ensure their proper maintenance,” said TCP officials.

In fact, the Department of Tourism has chalked out a proposal to maintain the cemeteries as a large number of foreigners, especially British, come here looking for the graves of their patents or grandparents who served here during the colonial era. ‘We intend compiling the graves in all cemeteries in the state so that there is proper record as several graves have since been damaged or vandalised,” said a tourism official.

Even though the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) had identified about 300 buildings in Shimla to be declared as heritage structures, the Department of Town and Country Planning has shortlisted only 97 of them.

The Municipal Corporation has put up plaques outside over 60 of these heritage buildings giving details of the year of construction, style of architecture, architect, cost and other details. The Tourism Department has provided over Rs 6 lakh for putting up plaques.

Keen on protecting the old British-era structures, the government wants to protect the precious heritage at any cost. After a building is declared as a heritage structure, reconstruction only along old lines will be allowed, with no addition or alteration.

Shimla, July 31
Surprising it may sound that HIMURJA, the nodal agency for handling small hydro-projects up to 5-MW capacity, is carrying out evaluation of over 1,600 applications for 168 advertised sites and several self-identified sites without the services of any civil engineer.

As civil works comprise the major component of any hydroelectric projects only civil engineers are competent to make a proper technical and financial evaluation of project proposals, particularly the pre-feasibility reports of the self-identified sites regarding which the agency does not even have the basic data. In the state electricity board the evaluation is carried out by an expert team consisting only of civil engineers. Headed by a chief engineer (civil), the team has three executive engineers, three assistant engineers and two accounts officers.

However, HIMURJA has no civil engineer and the job is being done by team comprising a director, a senior project officer and 15 project officers and electrical engineers all of whom are electrical engineers. The agency had one executive engineer (civil) who had gone back to the state electricity board on promotion and the post has been lying vacant since then.

Interestingly, the agency has refused to take up the task of granting techno-economic clearance to projects on the plea the it did not have the requisite staff and it had urged the board to carry out the job on its behalf. But it is willing to evaluate 1600 applications received for identified projects with an aggregate capacity of 289 MW and also the self identified projects.

Hydropower expert R.L.Justa, who is also a member of the district grievances committee, has urged the government to hand over the task of evaluation of applications to the state electricity board or depute a team of civil engineers from the board to HIMURJA for carrying out the job in a time-bound manner.

He has urged Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh not to allot any self-identified projects which were in upper reaches of the streams close to the glaciers. Massive construction activity in upper reaches would spell doom for the fragile hill environment. These projects should be kept in reserve on the pattern of Sweden and Norway where 20 per cent of the total hydropower potential was permanently protected as an environmental safeguard.

Kangra/ Nagrota Bagwan, July 31
BJP workers today held a demonstration at Nagrota Bagwan, the assembly constituency of former transport and tourism minister G.S.Bali, blocked the Pathankot-Mandi national highway, burnt an effigy of Bali and submitted a memorandum to the Governor through the tehsildar, demanding the dismissal of the Virbhadra government and fresh elections in the state.

Raising anti-Bali and anti-government slogans they took out a protest march through the main market of the town carrying BJP flags and placards. The protest march was led, among others, by district BJP president Vipin Parmar, former transport minister Krishen Kapoor, former IPH minister Ramesh Dhawala and former revenue minister Rajan Shushant.

The protesters burnt an effigy of Bali. They organised "havan" at the venue of protest and sprinkled "Gangajal" in different parts of the town to cleanse it of the impure activities of Bali.

The BJP leadership threatened to launch a statewide agitation for dismissal of the government.

This is for the first time in recent years that any rival political party had held a protest rally against Bali in his hometown

With a view to averting any clash between Congress and BJP workers, the district administration had deployed a magistrate on the spot along with about 200 police personnel led by the ASP. The anti-riot squad equipped with tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons were also especially called to check any untoward incident.

Fortunately, the BJP's protest passed off peacefully even as a few hundred supporters of Bali were ready at a place to disperse BJP men.

BJP spokesman Krishan Kapoor lashed out at the Congress government for shielding Bali by not registering a criminal case against him. 

Palampur, July 31
Former Chief Minister and All-India BJP vice-president Santa Kumar today demanded a CBI probe into G.S. Bali episode, which had rocked the state politics in the past four days. He said only an investigating agency like the CBI could bring out the truth before the public.

Addressing a news conference at his residence here, this morning, Shanta said despite the fact that Bali had been exposed in the sting operation conducted by Star TV in which he was allegedly seen dancing with call girls at a party in a hotel at Dharmsala and later he had to resign from the state Cabinet, still Chief Minister Virbhadara Singh was shielding him.

He further said a statement of the Chief Minister published in news papers today held Bali as one of the most competent ministers of his Cabinet. He remarked that if Bali was so competent, then why did Virbhadra ask him to put in his papers?

Shanta said within 24 hours of the resignation, Virbhadara came out in favour of Bali in the press. It was evident that Bali knew of Virbhadara’s weaknesses and the Chief Minister was being blackmailed by Bali time and again, he said.

On earlier occasions also, when Virbhadara had tried to sidetrack Bali from the state politics, then Bali had threatened to expose him to the high command of the party and Vir Bhadara Singh had to quit his move against him, Shanta said.

He said corruption was rampant in the state administration. Ministers and Congress leaders were openly amassing wealth from the public. The BJP had evidences to this effect and it had already submitted documentary evidences to the Governor in the chargesheet against ministers of Virbhadara’s Cabinet.

Shanta said Virbhadara must tell the public as to how much money was spent on Bali’s birth day and how much was paid to call girls and what were the sources of the expenditure. He criticised the Chief Minister for participating in the birthday function and misusing the government helicopter. He asked that what circumstances had compelled the Chief Minister to fly to Nagrota Bagwan from New Delhi on Bali’s birthday?

Shanta said Bali had brought bad name to Himachal Pradesh by organising moonlight parties, dancing with call girls, openly serving liquor in late night parties, which never happened in the history of the state. He said all such acts of the Congress leaders were against the culture and traditions of the state.

Shanta said Virbhadra being the senior most politician of the state had no courage to speak a word against corruption as he was surrounded by corrupt colleagues and bureaucrats

He said the BJP would launch a state-wide agitation against the Congress and dislodge the Chief Minister from the office soon. He asked the Chief Minister to quit the office honourably, before the people of the state and the BJP force him to quit.

Shimla, July 31
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today announced the upgrading of Rohru nagar panchayat to a municipal council.

He was addressing a public meeting at Rohru after inaugurating a marketing sub-yard constructed at a cost of Rs 1.4 crore. He said municipal bodies should generate resources for development and routine municipal activities.

He advised the local body to formulate a plan for income generation to meet its expenditure. The construction of the Rohru bypass would start soon, he said.

Shimla, July 31
The issue of converting Corner House, a building of British era that was the official residence of the municipal commissioner, into a government circuit house generated a lot of heat during a meeting of the councillors today.

The MC approved the government move to convert the official residence of the municipal commissioner into a circuit house. It was only a fortnight ago that the General Administration Department had issued directions for the takeover of the MC property for setting up a circuit house in the state capital.

The BJP councillors in the House opposed the government move of handing over its prime property to the state government. They were of the opinion that the MC was gradually losing control over its properties and this should be opposed. They cited the example of handing over of the forests within the MC area to the Forest Department in the name of their scientific management.

Unlike all other district headquarters, Shimla does not have a circuit house. It only has a transit accommodation near the Governor House. The proposal was approved by the House amidst uproar. The MC would, however, be compensated by the government by giving market value of the building.

Another issue that came up for discussion was about rehabilitating vendors (tehbazaris). It was decided that the vendors would be accommodated at various places like the sabzi mandi ground, near Padam Dev Complex and in an MC property behind Baljees hotel.

The House also decided to constitute committees in each of the 25 wards to have an exact idea of the population so that the five sewage treatment plants could be linked with the sewerage in various wards.

Kumarhatti, July 31
A war of words have started between the Congress and the BJP over the mysterious death of a farmer, whose body was found lying along the Pinjore- Swarghat National Highway No 21, near Nalagarh on July 21 night. Fhumman Singh who hailed from Gol Jamala village, was first described as a victim of road accident.

The political debate began after Zindo Devi, the deceased wife, along with other villagers handed over a letter to Nalagarh SDM Man Mohan Sharma seeking Chief Minster’s intervention to investigate the case properly today

Zindo Devi said her husband was murdered. on July 21 evening, Lajja Ram, a villager, had come home for some work with him. Fhumman Singh had gone along with Lajja Ram on his motorcycle along with another villager, Amar Chand. At around 8.30 pm, the wife got a call about her husband death.

Nalagarh sitting BJP MLA H.N. Saini said some leaders were trying to hush up the case. The law and order in the state had gone from to bad to worse, he alleged. The security of common man was not secure under the Congress regime. He demanded a probe in the case.

On the other hand, member of the Congress state grievance removal committee Lakhwinder Rana said the party was shocked at the death of its worker, Fhumman Singh. In order to get political mileage, The BJP merely was trying to give unjustified proportion to the case, he maintained.

Meanwhile, the deceased wife in her letter has asked to solve the case within two days, or else the villagers led by her would gherao the Nalagarh police station. Nalagarh DSP Sandeep Dhawal, said the police was trying to nab the people, who were with Fhumman Singh on July 21 evening.

Bilaspur, July 31
CMO Dr Sharda Pandit has said the water-borne disease gastroenteritis is under control in the Chalaihali, Parohi, Brhampukkhar and Bharari areas and there is no need to panic. She said these areas were under close watch of medical teams and full supplies of medicines had been made available to the teams in the field.

BJP leader and former health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda has taken the government, Health Department and the IPH Department to task for failing to prevent the spread of the epidemic in some villages of Rajpura Panchayat here and has also held the government responsible for the death of one village woman Ekadashi Devi at Chalaihali village, who died due to this infection

He said more than 36 other villagers of Chalaihali, Parohi and Brahampukkhar were admitted in the district hospital here with the same infection, after consuming polluted water.

Addressing mediapersons here today, Nadda said during the BJP regime, all concerned departments, including health and IPH and revenue departments were geared up for ensuring regular cleanliness and chlorination of all water sources, including the government drinking water supply schemes and natural water sources much earlier before start of summer and rainy season with view to avoid any such tragedies.

The CMO said only 34 cases of gastroenteritis were presently admitted in Bilaspur district hospital here and a special ward had been allocated for them. Seven cases had been relieved today from the hospital, but nine more cases had been admitted today and all of them were being provided care and treatment and were out of danger.

A team of doctors led by district medical officer Dr. P. S. Bains has visited Rajpura panchayat villages and the Bharari area near Ghumarwin and the infection was now under control. The villagers had been instructed to use boiled water for drinking.

Shimla, July 31
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said today that the vocational education network was being strengthened to equip the youth with skills that could get them suitable employment opportunities.

He was addressing a public meeting at Ranol in the interior of Rohru subdivision in Shimla district today. He also dedicated a 7 km- long Devidhar-Ranol road to the people of the area.

The Chief Minister said the vocational education network had increased substantially during the past four years as a large number of engineering, polytechnic colleges were opened in the public and private sectors which were capable of developing skills among the youth which were in great demand.

“One engineering college in the government sector had been started at Sundernagar while two medical colleges were likely to be set up in Mandi and Hamirpur districts very soon”, he stated. Private participation was being encouraged to impart quality technical education at reasonable fees.

Besides a polytechnic, a B.Pharmacy college had been started in Rohru, adding that an ITI would be made functional at Chirgaon from the current session.

Virbhadra Singh said the Rohru bypass was being constructed on priority to ease the congestion of vehicular traffic in the upcoming township. Work on modern bus stands at Rohru and Chirgaon was in progress.

Kangra, July 31
Ansoli panchayat up-pradhan Rumila Devi, members A.B. Rajbansh, Hem Raj, Ajay Kumar and Kamla Devi have demanded that village panchayat development officer-cum-secretary Jaswant Singh and technical assistant Rajesh (serving in the local BDO office) should be transferred following revelation of misappropriation of development funds by them.

They have faxed letters to the Chief Minister, the panchayti raj minister and deputy commissioner Bharat Khera in this regard. They have decided to boycott proceedings of the panchayat till their demand was accepted.