Shimla, November 7
The Election Commission of India today ordered the immediate transfer of Savitri Devi, deputy district education officer, Chamba, to any place outside the district.

Savitri Devi happens to be the wife of Congress candidate and sitting Bharmour MLA Thakur Singh Bharmouri. The BJP had complained to the Election Commission that despite being a government employee, she had been openly campaigning for her husband.

The government had been asked to give her any assignment outside Chamba. The commission also ordered the immediate transfer of DC, Una, Rajesh Kumar on health grounds. Onkar Sharma, director, transport, has been posted as the DC, Una.

The commission also directed the DC and the SP, Chamba, to be stationed at Bharmour till the poll was complete. They have been directed to inform the chief electoral officer, HP, in case they have to go to Chamba in connection with poll arrangements for the second phase of polling on December 19.

Meanwhile, the chief electoral officer, Manisha Nanda today reviewed the road clearance position in the tribal areas. At a meeting with the PWD and Project Deepak officials she impressed on the need to keep Rohtang pass and all other roads in the tribal areas open for vehicular movement during the poll period.

Shimla, November 7
Governor V.S. Kokje has stressed the need for restructuring the education system in order to make it more relevant and dynamic so as to ensure optimal utilisation of educated human resource for national development.

Speaking at the 15th convocation of Himachal Pradesh University here today Kokje emphasised the need for developing human capital through advancement of education. “Teachers empowered with new knowledge skills and appropriate conceptions alone can shape academic institutions into vibrant learning and pro-active enterprises,” he said.

He stressed the need for utilisation of innovations occurring in information communication technology for establishing educational institutions and rejuvenation of the open and distance learning system.

The Governor said there was urgent need for developing human capital through advancement of education.

“The need of the hour is to develop interactive relationship among educational institutions, industry, business, government and society,” he remarked. He regretted that in the past few years the growth in higher education institutions has not been backed with recruitment of competent teachers,” he said.

Kokje said there was need for recasting and reengineering the higher education system for realising the vision of a developed India. “This can be achieved to a great extent by linking knowledge with the societal requirements and develop international perspective in its content, methodology and dynamism,” he opined.

Speaking on the occasion, vice-chancellor Anil Wilson said education must cater to the perennial aspirations of the human spirit. “The development of technical education at the cost of liberal arts and science was a matter of grave concern,” he said.

Dharamsala, November 7
A case of negligence in duty has come to light in the office of the district magistrate of Kangra based here. The district ‘nazar’ posted in the DM’s office has allegedly not been putting up the cash book regularly on a daily basis before the office of the assistant commissioner (AC) to the district magistrate for his perusal and signatures for the past few days.

When contacted, AC to DM M.S. Chauhan admitted that the cash book was not being put up to his office for his perusal daily and said that he had sought an explanation from the district ‘nazar’ in this regard.

Although the AC denied that there was any misappropriation of funds but said the duty of the ‘nazar’ was to maintain the cash book properly on a daily basis and get it verified from his office.

“As per the defined rules of the functioning of nazar there is no question of keeping it pending for many days”, he said.

The AC had joined this posting a couple of weeks back after his predecessor was transferred from here as land acquisition officer in the zonal office public works department.

During the new set-up in the AC’s office due to transfer, it was alleged that the ‘nazar’ had allegedly not maintained the cash book properly for the reasons best known to him.

Shimla, November 7
Horticulture experts and scientists from Delhi will examine the climatic and soil suitability of the land bought by Priyanka Gandhi near Charabra here so that cherry, apple and other fruit trees can be planted as permission for house construction is still being awaited from Delhi.

Being located in the vicinity of The Retreat, residence of the President of India, permission for construction at the site bought by Priyanka is still being awaited from Rashtrapati Niwas. While the necessary formalities in this regard have been fulfilled and the papers forwarded to Delhi some more inspections will be undertaken before permission is granted or turned down by the office of the President.

In the meantime some horticulture experts from Delhi will shortly visit the land assess its climatic suitability for various fruit-bearing plants. People helping out Priyanka in managing the land said she was keen that cherry and apple trees were planted on the land at the earliest.

It is learnt that Priyanka is keen that the plantation of deodar and some other fast-growing trees along the road above her land is undertaken. This will not only demarcate her land but also provide the much-needed privacy for a person who already enjoys Z-plus security.

The plantation will be done privately but the forest authorities will be consulted before undertaking the plantation.

The small tank adjoining the old house on the plot has also been broken and filled up with soil so that plantation can be undertaken. The focus till construction permission is received will remain on landscaping and beautification of the plot and the surrounding area.

The road connecting the plot has also been improved with the help of a bulldozer, enabling the high profile family to drive into their house.

Chitkul (Kinnaur), November 7
Like everywhere else in the tribal belt the non-availability of “nautor” land is a major issue in this last village close to the China border.

The remoteness of the village at the far end of the Sangla valley notwithstanding, the people are fully aware of the political developments in the state and the ongoing electoral battle and the issues being raised by the Congress and the BJP, the two main contenders for power. The two other parties in the fray, the BSP and the Lok Janshakti Party, have no presence in the valley. Buntings and party flags fluttering in strong icy winds provide the visual evidence of election activity. Workers of both parties have visited the village to muster support and the common refrain of the tribesmen is that it’s a tough battle this time.

The increasing demand for “nautor” land also reflects the changing face of the tribal society which has all but completely discarded the tradition of polyandry. The practice of brothers sharing a common wife was being followed by the tribesmen since ages just to avoid fragmentation of their small land holdings as agricultural land is scarce in the mountainous terrain. However, with the spread of modern education and opening up of the remote tribal areas to world polyandry is no longer in vogue. Consequently, the number of households is increasing which, in turn, is leading to demand for more land for cultivation and building houses. Clusters of houses have come up in areas which were dotted with solitary houses until recently.

Though a large number of people are in government jobs, agriculture continues to be the mainstay of the local people. In the past the government allotted land under “nautor” scheme which enabled the tribals to make a living. However, with the enforcement of the Forest Conservation Act forest land can no longer be diverted for non-forestry use without permission of the Centre. There is no other government land available for allotment as in Kinnaur the entire wasteland has been classified as forest land. Almost 80 per cent (5,093 sq km) of the total geographical area of 6,401 sq km falls in the forest category.

A large number of people have encroached upon forest land and cultivating crops there. They want the government to allot the land to them under the “nautor” scheme but this is not possible due to the Forest Conservation Act which came into force in 1980. Hundreds of cases for seeking the mandatory approval for diversion of forest land for allotment under the “nautor” scheme have been pending with the Centre.

Solan, November 7
Uncertainty prevailed over the future of the elusive Afghan national Noor Aga, who was nabbed from the Chambaghat area of the town, by the police last evening.

According to the earlier communication received by the police, he was supposed to be handed over to the Ministry of Home Affairs from where he was to be deported to Afghanistan. But when the police team reached the ministry today they were directed to take back the Afghan national to Solan as he would be deported back from here itself revealed SP Diljeet Thakur.

With the police being clueless about the stay of Aga, since the past six months, a notice was issued today to landlord Surinder Thakur by the police. He has been directed to furnish the necessary information to the police about Aga, who was staying with his wife Naazleen and four minor children.

The police was amazed to find that he had learnt Hindi and he could communicate fluently in this language. The sturdy built 33-year-old, 6- feet tall Aga was staying here with his entire family.

The police also recovered a cell phone bearing Tata number 92187-98016 which was originally registered under the name of some taxi driver from Mandi. Aga revealed to the police that this number had been bought by him from a taxi driver. The police was now awaiting the list of calls made within Himachal and abroad from this number. This would help the police establish whether more of his companions were hiding in other parts of the country.

Sources said he was closely linked to the Taliban outfit and with the formation of a democratic government there, he was among the most wanted. A communication in this regard had been flashed from the Afghanistan Embassy to the Ministry of Home Affairs. They had further sent his bio-data to the DGP, Himachal, and this was later sent to the SP Solan.

The police officials added that he was sent regular money from his father through the Western Union Company and he was merely passing time here till he could procure a refugee status. He had also applied for being granted this status at the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and was on the look out for a safe haven till this status was granted.

Sansha(Lahaul), November 7
After reaping good harvests from cultivation of diseases-free seed potatoes and peas down the line, the tribal farmers now have turned to raise “organic apple orchards” in a big way here as the climate is now found to be most suitable for its cultivation in this belt.

Though the first apple orchard was raised in Pattan valley way back in 1970s, but the farmers did not opt for it as its harvesting season stretched till mid-November when the Rohtang Pass was closed. The farmers have started cultivating apple trees in anticipation of opening up of the valley to the outside world throughout the year when the 8.8 km-long Rohtang tunnel, which the Borders Roads Organisation (BRO) expects to be ready by 2014. “Tunnel will cut down on transportation cost to half for potato, peas and apple and will end farmers’ dependence on weather”, the farmers said.

“We face transportation problems as Rohtang is closed due to snow in October-November, said Vinod Kumar, an orchardist at the village, where apple orchards were raised for the first time in the upper Pattan valley.

“Orchards are irrigated and as such there is no problem. The farmers are planting apple trees in several villages as Lahauli apple fetch good price for it has long shelf-life and can be stored for off-season in cold stores”, he added.

Partap Thakur and Satya, the two avid organic farmers from Sansha and Forha village said, “The snowbound mountains disallow any pest in the valley. As such this snowbound valley is most suitable for the organic farming. We make vermin-compost and use it as fertilizer. We do not apply chemical sprays and fertilizers here so far”. The apple cultivation has gained momentum in the Pattan, Tod, Gahr, Gondla valleys along the Chandra-Bhaga that covers over 394 hectares of land under apple.

“Most of the apple areas, about 200 hectares area is in Pattan valley. But recently farmers in Tod and Gahr valleys on a higher altitude towards Keylgn side have also cultivated apple trees, revealed horticulture officials. ‘

Deputy director, horticulture, Lahaul-Spiti DC Sharma said: “The valley produced about 100-metric tonnes of apple this year. We give trees to the farmers. There is no incidence of disease and pest in the valley. Farmers are using sprays and fertilizers sparingly”.

Bilaspur, November 7
Mandi district was declared first in the exhibition, while Bilaspur and Kangra were bracketed second in the state-level scouts and guides rally which concluded here today after a demonstration through town bazaars on the flag-day

In food plaza, Sirmaur district was first, Una second, while in physical demonstration, Shimla was first, Bilaspur second and in skit Bilaspur was first and Shimla and Solan were bracketed second.

In fancy dress, Kangra was first and Kullu was second, in folk dance Shimla first, Mandi and Kangra were second, in folk song Bilaspur first, Shimla second, while in the construction of beautiful welcome gate Solan was first and Bilaspur and Hamirpur second respectively.

Earlier addressing the concluding function chief guest DC Devesh Kumar said that scouts and guides was an organisation which inspired boys and girls from a very early age to develop habits of discipline, punctuality and hard work

Organisation’s chief commissioner Dr. O P Sharma, who is also an adviser on education to Himachal Pradesh Government, said 1,000 boys and girls from schools and colleges of all districts of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab and Haryana had participated in the rally.

Hamirpur, November 7
BJP spokesmen Rajinder Rana has accused the present Congress government for several scandals during its present term.

Talking to mediapersons here today Rana said, “Though many scandals have been exposed during the present regime and recent court direction to register a case against chairman and chief managing director (CMD) of the Ex-servicemen Corporation Mohinder Singh and 6 others in corruption case is a fresh evidence of this.”

He claimed “The district and session court, Bilaspur, has directed the Vigilance Department, Bilaspur, to register a case against Mohinder Singh and 6 others for several alleged corruption charges on the complaint of Ram Singh.”

Rana said “ The court in its direction on October 31 had asked the Vigilance Department to register a case under Section 13(2) of prevention of the Corruption Act and Sections 420, 468, 471, 120 B of the IPC for alleged corruption in the carriage of cement in ACC Barmana and other charges”.

Bilaspur, November 7
Government Boys’ Senior Secondary School, here, lifted the district-level under-15 cricket championship trophy. in a final match at the cricket stadium here today when it defeated Government School, Deoth, by 9 wickets.

Shivam Chadel of Jyoti Public School was declared the man of the series while Ashok of Bilaspur was declared the man of the match. Suneel of Deoth, who took 9 wickets was declared the best bowler and Shashikant the best batsman. He made 126 runs and Nikhil Gautam was declared the best wicketkeeper.

The HP Cricket Association state executive member and convener, Bilaspur, district cricket ad-hoc committee Vishal Jagota said the inter-school district-level cricket championship was organised for the first time and 14 teams participated in it and now this championship would be made an annual feature by the HPCA.

Mandi, November 7
With 72 contenders in fray for the tickets for the 10 Vidhan Sabha seats in the district, the BJP is in for a “bitter power struggle. 

In as many as nine seats, the party is facing a serious challenge to keep “the aspirants party cadre intact” because those candidates who do not get the tickets are looking for other better options in the new entity the BSP, which is waiting in the wings to woo detractors from both the BJP and the Congress.

Party sources told The Tribune that “a large-scale response to the new strategy adopted by the BJP in allotment of tickets in the state for the first time has been viewed both as a “sign of strength” and as a “sign of weakness” as the “rejected candidates” may switch sides and would work against their “inside party rivals” to reinforce their respective claims in the next elections.

Interestingly, most of the ticket contenders are a divided lot in two factions - one led by union consumer minister and national vice-president Shanta Kumar and the other by former Chief Minister, Prem Kumar Dhumal, each prevailing upon the other in allotment of party tickets, revealed party sources. “They are lobbying hard with leaders to ensure tickets”, they added.

Even BJP sitting MLAs and former ministers - Gulab Singh Thakur(Jogindernagar), Rup Singh Thakur(Sundernagar), Mohinder Singh Thakur (Dharampur) - face challenge to their candidatures from their long-time aspirants and detractors-Ramswarup(Jogindernagar), Rakesh Jamwal, Ajay Rana(Suundernagar), Priayavart Sharam(Dharampur) as main close contenders for the tickets.

The largest number of aspirants (16 candidates) come from Mandi Sadar, which is considered to be the weakest BJP segment in the district as it has been dominated by the former telecom minister Sukh Ram, who has now declared to call it a day in favour of is son Anil Sharma.

The district president Col Inder Singh also faces an uphill task as many as nine more aspirants -Saroj Dhumal, Nanak Chand, Raghuraj Sharma, Suresh Kaushal, Sanjay Guleria, Paro Devi, Lalit Jamval, KK Thakur, Rajinder Singh- have stacked their claims for the party ticket from Gopalpur, where the excise and taxation minister Rangila Ram Rao is seeking Congress party ticket.

Even another BJP weakest spot, Drang, where IPH minister Thakur Kaul Singh remained well-entrenched faces factions as Jawahar Thakur and Ramesh Sharma are arch rivals and may work against each other as both are strong contenders for ticket.

In fact there are as many as eight others - Manoj Kumar, Khimi Ram, Hemlata, Dinanath Thakur, Rewat Singh Thakur, Bhupinder Thakur, Balak Ram, Laxman Sashtri staking their claims for the party ticket this time, revealed party Mandal inputs.

Kullu, November 7
Himachal Pradesh BJP president Jai Ram Thakur called upon the workers to be united and expose the corrupt and non-governance of the present government. He was addressing “karyakarta sammelan’ at Dhalpur Maidan here today to prepare them for the ensuing elections.

He alleged that the charges of corruption were being levied on every party leader but this time the allegations were with proofs and evidences. He said the present Congress government had failed in all fields and the levels of corruption were enumerable.