Shimla, August 8
Claims of the government about giving priority to Himachali doctors in jobs seems to be more of a lip service as the condition imposed on bona fide Himachali doctors keen to join as registrar at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) and Tanda could prove to be a major impediment.

The Health Department has imposed a condition on Himachali doctors, who have done their postgraduation from the state but took up jobs elsewhere without completing three-year service, to deposit the entire stipend money before joining as the registrar. As such, a bona fide Himachali doctor keen to join as a registrar either at the IGMC or Tanda will have to deposit close to Rs 3 lakh, before becoming eligible for the post.

The principal secretary (health) has issued direction that candidates who did their postgraduation from here but did not fulfil the bond condition of serving for three years in the periphery areas will have to deposit the entire stipend before joining as the registrar. “We are already faced with the acute shortage of specialists and this kind of a condition will prove to be a further hindrance in their return to the state,” admit senior health officials.

Already faced with the problem of acute shortage of doctors under the National Rural Health Mission, the government is willing to give the best of salaries and other incentive to specialists from outside but unfortunately a different yardstick is being adopted for bona fide Himachali doctors.

The government has not been able to post specialists at the first referral units (FRU) opened under the National Rural Health Mission so far because of reluctance of specialists to come and serve here as they are getting much more lucrative offers in the corporate hospitals.

Health officials admit that in the past also, the government has not been able to implement the condition of three-years mandatory service after postgraduation and efforts to enforce it now will only add to the existing problem of shortage of specialists.

The government has to fill around 24 posts of registrars at the IGMC and Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College at Kangra. It is reliably learnt that not even a single bona fide doctor, who did his postgraduation from Himachal, has applied for the post in view of this condition.

In fact, there is a requirement of around 12 registrars at the IGMC for the casualty services that have been strengthened. “As compared to outsiders, we would have preferred bona fide Himachali specialists as they are more familiar with the functioning and problems faced by us,” said a senior IGMC doctor.

Chamba, August 8
Himachal has become the first state in the country to stock 10 lakh seed of golden mahseer in its reservoirs across the state. A Rs-5 crore mahseer farm at Machhial in Mandi district, funded by the Government of India, is under execution.

In an official handout released here today, fisheries, animal husbandry and urban development minister Harsh Mahajan said trout farming in the private sector had been introduced for the first time in the country and Rs 3.5 lakh had been provided to the unemployed youth for setting up trout farming units.

He said infrastructure development work at an estimated cost of Rs 2.2 crore had been undertaken at Sultanpur in Chamba, Barot in Mandi and Patlikuhl in Kullu district of the state.

Under the aquaculture programme, new fish ponds had been created in 19.52 hectares and old ponds spread over 8.5 hectares renovated. This lead to increase in fish production in village ponds from 70 tonnes to 892 tonnes last year, he said. Pong reservoir fishermen had been provided the highest price for their fish (Rs 50.83 per kg) as compared to any other reservoir in the country.

He said a Rs 50-lakh fish pathology laboratory had been set up at Patlikuhl in Kullu district. All fishermen in the state had been covered under accidental insurance, saving-cum-relief and risk fund scheme. Besides, Rs 2.12 crore had been earmarked for strengthening cold water fisheries infrastructure, he added.

A sum of Rs 84 lakh, funded by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), was being spent on the expansion of carp farm at Sultanpur in Chamba district.

“The state blessed with vast network of fisheries resources in the form of glacier-fed rivers and steams, besides man-made reservoirs, lakes, check dams, kuhals and village ponds, are acting as a source of livelihood for over 12,000 families in the state,” he claimed.

Dharamsala, August 8
Madan Lal, allegedly involved in the fraudulent sale of land granted to Pong Dam oustees in Rajasthan, was today released on bail by a court of Jawali in Kangra district.

An FIR against him and few others was registered at the Jawali police station in 2005. Local stamp paper vendor Lal Chand Chowdary and Vijay Kumar of Chalwara village were also booked for their alleged involvement in the illegal sale of around 125 kanals of land granted to Amar Singh in Vijay Nagar tehsil of Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan.

He had been evading arrest since then. Many other oustees have also lost their land to this land mafia having roots in Rajasthan.

Kangra, August 8
Resentment prevails among the educationists of the state regarding the alleged defective recruitment policy of the state government, which is further deteriorating the quality of education in the state.

Former deputy director of education and an authority on school education Dr. R.D. Sharma, who is spear heading a campaign against deterioration in quality education in the state due to wrong recruitment policies of the Government said today, “The present educational system of the state is presenting a gloomy picture because the political bosses have been encouraged by vested interests to manipulate the much needed educational reforms simply to hit and fire their political bullets by resorting to the recent defective recruitment policies”.

Sharma suggested Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to scarp the PTA policy immediately and a fool-proof recruitment policy be framed for the appointment of teachers. He asked the Chief Minister, who holds the portfolio of the Education Department, to get a list of all TGTs prepared on batch-wise basis and all postings whether temporary or otherwise and even in the elementary side be offered on the basis of this list.

He said this would not only minimize the resentment amongst the unemployed TGTs but would also be able to improve the quality of education.

He described appointments of teachers as adhoc, temporary, stop gap, tenure, voluntary, vidiaya upasaks, primary assistant teachers, para teachers and PTAs politically aimed at and unfortunate.

He expressed concern that every year thousands of TGTs were being produced through dozens of the B.Ed Colleges in the state and outside to make them to join thousands of already suffering unemployed TGTs in the state.

He suggested that for the improvement in the quality of education in the state better coordination was needed among the Directorate of Education, the State Council of Education, the Research and Trainings (SCERT) and the state Board of School Education and responsibility was directly on the shoulders of the Chief Minister. Presently this coordination was miserably weak and needed an utmost attention, Sharma said.

Solan, August 8
Faced with large-scale unemployment in rural areas, the youths from these pockets turned up in large numbers for the recruitment of constables that was being conducted here. The three-day recruitment programme which drew immense response from all four tehsils of the districts concluded at the police grounds here today.

With fewer public sector jobs available to the youth, these recruitments witnessed a ratio of nearly 1:17 persons per vacancy where nearly 2,100 youths turned up for 128 posts. The ratio, however, had declined with previous recruitments recording a rate of nearly 1:41 persons per vacancy.

South range DIG R.L. Sood, who was supervising the physical tests said the youths from the rural areas dominated the total turnout with women candidates turning up in much larger number. As many as 350 women had appeared as against 13 posts in the district. Many candidates having higher qualifications were also seen appearing for the examination, Sood said.

Driven by penury, a majority of aspirants appeared bare feet for various track and fields tests, including 100, 400 and 800 meters race, shot put, high jump and long jump as they could not afford proper shoes.

Having faced an uneasy position in earlier recruitments where unsuccessful candidates had levelled allegations of favouritism, the department has for the first time video graphed the entire procedure.

Sood explained the details of the system and said various officials from the Health Department and Directorate of Youth Services had been deputed after taking a due undertaking that they did not belong to the district. Since an especially devised software was installed for crediting marks as per their achievements, there was no scope of doubt he stressed.

To add to the precision, the results of each test were compiled and displayed at the end of each day. In case a candidate had any doubts about his or her results it could be clarified through the video footage added Sood.

About three times the total number of candidates would later be called for a written examination.

As a departure from the earlier practice, a single examination would be conducted for all candidates throughout the state. The department has also introduced the first-ever computerised scrutiny system which would obliterate any question of any irregularity, Sood said.

Hamirpur, August 8
With the demand for killing monkeys to check simian menace getting stronger, the culling process may begin in certain areas of the state.

While a few environment activists tried to oppose the killing of monkeys, members of the Khet Bachao Sangharsh Samiti and the Kisan Sabha have become more emboldened as the demand to tackle the simian menace is getting louder.

To take this demand further, both these organisations will hold statewide protest on all district headquarters on August 10. President of the state unit of the Kisan Sabha Tikender Panwar said, “Monkeys cause a damage of Rs 300 to 400 crore annually and people have stopped sowing crops as usually the entire crop is destroyed by simians and other wild animals.

“Our organisations are of the firm opinion that culling of monkeys is the only solution to the problem and we would protest against the environmentalists and even gherao Maneka Gandhi, if she comes to the state,” he said.

Defending the culling of simians on scientific lines, former forest officer and president of the State Gyan Vigyan Samiti Kuldeep Tanwar said, “The problem has really become grave. We are also demand lifting of ban on the export of simians used for scientific research which fetches Rs 2 to 5 lakh for each monkey.”

Principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) Vinay Tondon said, “We have delegated powers to allow culling of the monkeys to each range officer and people can approach them in their area.”

Dharamsala, August 8
The overall sex ratio in Kangra district was 1,025 females per 1,000 males as per the 2001 census. There has been a downward trend thereafter with the figures coming down to 835 females per 1,000 males in the age group of 0 to 6 years.

However, the Kudag village panchayat in the remote area of Lambagaon block of Jai Singhpur tehsil in Kangra district has earned the distinction of improving the sex ratio in 2005.

To encourage other villages to emulate Kudag, the state government has decided to grant an award of Rs 5 lakh to the panchayat.

The sex ratio in this block (between the age group of 0 to 6 years) was 809 females per 1,000 males, even worse than the district’s average of 835 females per 1000 males. However, during 2005, 11 female and one male baby were born in the village, showing an upward trend in improving the sex ratio.

A spokesman of the state government confirmed that an award in the shape of a development grant would be presented to the gram panchayat by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh at a function to be held at Shimla on Friday.

Shimla, August 8
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed the state government to explain its stand on the issue of misuse of official vehicles by the bureaucrats by September 12.

The matter was brought to the notice of the court by one Manish Kumar, who had written a letter to the Chief Justice regarding the misuse of official vehicles by the government officers.

Taking cognizance on the letter, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vinod Kumar Gupta and Mr Justice Rajiv Sharma directed the chief secretary and the secretary-general, Administration, to file their reply before the court.

The petitioner annexed with his letter the news clipping in which the vernacular newspaper had brought to the notice of general public that as to how bureaucrats of the state were misusing government vehicles to take and bring back their children from schools.

The newspaper has also published photographs of vehicles which were being misused by the government officers.

Kangra, August 8
A piquant situation has developed in the local subdivisional office of the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department where two SDOs are attending office despite there being only one post.

The post of the SDO (IPH) reportedly remained vacant for a few months following the promotion of the SDO and additional charge was given to the SDO (IPH), Dharamsala. The work during the period suffered and Dharamsala SDO R.K. Sharma was posted here on April 10 with an additional charge of the Dharamsala sewerage scheme.

R.K. Sharma was transferred to Reckong Peo on July 12 and Neeraj Dogra was posted here in his place. Neeraj Dogra assumed charge on July 18, but R.K. Sharma did not hand over the charge to Dogra. It was on July 21 that the government cancelled the orders of their transfer adding to the mess already created in the office.

Meanwhile, Neeraj Dogra moved the HP Administrative Tribunal and got a stay order on July 23. The secretary, IPH, was directed to decide the case in 42 days. 

Sundernagar, August 8
The local Consumer Forum, Mandi, has ordered ICICI Lombard GIC, Chandigarh, to pay Rs 1.05 Lakh along with interest at 9 per cent per annum alongwith cost of complaint Rs 2,000 to Kuldeep Kumar, resident of Mahadev, here, on account of damage caused to his vehicle.

The complainant had purchased a Scorpio on January 27, 2006 from Darmender Dutt Sharma, resident of Manali. The vehicle was insured with ICICI and was also financed by a concern of ICICI.

The vehicle met with an accident on February 24, 2006, and the loss of damage was assessed as Rs 1.05 lakh. Although all relevant documents were submitted to insurance company but the company did not settle the claim and the complainant had to pay Rs 1.18 lakh for repairs of the 
vehicle.

The insurance company had not settled the claim of the complainant so the complainant preferred to complain before the consumer forum.

The opposite party contested the claim that at the time of accident, the vehicle was not in the name of the complainant, the insurance company had denied the claim of the previous owner on the ground that he had sold the vehicle so he had not got the interest.

The forum held that the insurance company had deliberately held the surveyor report with regards to damage of vehicle for the reason best known to it.

The fact that came before the forum was that the insurance company had denied payment to the previous owner of the vehicle and the complainant on account of damage caused to the vehicle. The forum held that the non settlement of claim amounted to deficiency in service as provided under the Consumer Protection Act.

The forum allowed the compliant and directed the ICICI Lombard GIC, Chandigarh, to pay the complainant Rs 1.05 lakh along with interest 

Shimla, August 8
The failure of the government to transfer the control of six wildlife sanctuaries from the territorial wing to the wildlife wing is costing dearly to the fund-starved Forest Department. It is losing funds to the tune of over Rs 1 crore annually with the Centre refusing to grant funds for the management of wildlife sanctuaries kept under the control of the territorial wing.

The Forest Department has taken up the matter with the government for the transfer of these protected areas to the wildlife wing but to no avail. In the process the department has been denied central assistance amounting to over Rs 20 crore till date. The state has 32 sanctuaries and two national parks out of which six important protected areas are still under the control of the territorial wing. The Tundah, Kugti, Sechu Tuan, Shimla catchment forest, Gobind Sagar and the Dhauladhar sanctuaries together account for over 1500 sq km of protected wildlife area which accounts for 21 per cent of the total protected wildlife area.

The Centre has been insisting that the protected areas must be kept under the wildlife wing for proper management but the state has been reluctant to do so. It is not possible to ensure proper management of wildlife reserves with such a large protected area still under the territorial wing. The Centre has been providing funds for the department for implementation of the management plans for all protected areas under the wildlife wing.

With no proper plans and funds for their management on scientific lines, six of these sanctuaries are suffering neglect. Hardly any works are being undertaken for habitat improvement and conservation of wildlife. The territorial wing is not much concerned about habitat improvement. It has its own schemes of things in which conservation of wildlife is not a priority.

The Wildlife Department has also not found a feasible proposition the proposal of the Centre for creating create conservation reserves adjacent to sanctuaries and national parks in government-owned areas to serve as buffers for protecting the habitat, fauna and flora. The Centre maintains that such reserves were required to be set up in corridors linking two protected wildlife areas.

Additional principal chief conservator (wildlife) Vinay Tandon says that the matter for transfer of sanctuaries to the wildlife wing would be taken up again with the government. He said it was essential for proper management of wildlife reserves.

Shimla, August 8
The all-India federation of senior audit officers and audit officers has expressed resentment over the indifferent attitude of the comptroller and auditor-general of India (CAG) towards its demand for removal of anomalies in the pay scales of audit officers.

The national executive of the federation, which concluded here yesterday, resented the inaction on the part of the CAG and the Government of India and alleged that the delay in the acceptance of pay scales of Rs 10,000-15,000 and Rs 12,000- 16,500 for audit officers and senior audit officers, respectively, was deliberate. — TNS

Dharamsala, August 8
The Kangra District Badminton Association has decided to hold a district-level championship at the local government college from August 19 to August 21.

Senior vice-president of the association R.C. Sehgal said the championship would be held in five categories: under-13 (boys and girls), under-16 (boys and girls), under-19 (boys and girls), age group of 35 years to 45 years (men and women) and veterans 45 years above (men and women).

Entries for the championship could be send to Dr D.S. Katoch, president, at 6- civil lines, Dharamsala. The entries could also be accepted on the spot before 11 am on August 19 at the badminton hall of the college.

On the basis of the performance in this championship, the players falling in the under-13 category would be selected for the state-level championship being held from October 2 to October 4 at Hamirpur.

Similarly, players from all other categories would be selected for participating in the state-level championship that would be held from September 8 onwards at Mandi.

Chamba, August 8
Three shops were gutted at Devidehra village situated on the Chamba-Pathankot highway, about 37 km from here, on Monday. Had the local people not helped in dousing the flames, the entire cluster of shops would have been burnt to ashes. Chuhroo Ram, Naveen Kumar and Ashok Kumar had reportedly suffered a loss of more than Rs 5 lakh. They would be provided relief after the assessment of losses. — OC