Shimla December 24
Even though Shimla is anything but cold yet the week-long winter carnival celebrations took off with an air of festivity with thousands of tourists thronging the state capital.

The district administration has made elaborate arrangements for the winter carnival till December 31 so that the tourists enjoy Christmas and New Year celebrations fully. Cultural programmes will be held on The Ridge every evening till 10 p.m and on Christmas and New Year these will carry on till midnight. Even the police orchestra will perform at The Ridge daily till December 31.

Deputy commissioner Tarun Kapoor said besides the cultural programmes, several contests for adults as well as children will be held. He added that prizes would be given to the winners by the Hotel Association and the Beopar Mandal. He said all shops will remain open till midnight on December 25 and 31 and till 10 p.m on the remaining days.

The administration has thrown open additional parking space at Boileauganj, BCS, Tara Hall School, Chaura Maidan and Ram Chandra Chowk for the tourists.

An additional police force has been deputed to ensure that there is no law and order problem. 

Shimla, December 24
With the temperature being much higher than normal for this time of the year, there is practically no hope of a white Christmas, with little possibility of rain or snow.

Even as most hotels are already booked to capacity in the ‘Queen of Hills’, Christmas revellers are hoping for a white Christmas. However, with Shimla recording a maximum temperature of 18.1 °C there is little hope of snow.

“The temperature at this time of the year is almost 2 °C higher than normal and as such there is little possibility of snow,” said Manmohan Singh, in charge of the local Met office. He added since there were no western disturbances which could cause rain or snow, the weather is likely to remain clear and bright.

It was on December 10 that the maximum temperature was the lowest at 5.4 °C, leading to snowfall. Eversince the temperature has been on the rise. On December 13 the day temperature was 7.5 °C while it touched 16.8 °C on December 22 and 18.5 °C yesterday.

Even the minimum temperature of the state capital is almost 2 °C higher than normal. The minimum temperature recorded today was 7 °C.

Even the tourists arriving here to celebrate Christmas are surprised at the clear and balmy days. “To our surprise it is much more pleasant here than the plains and the sun really feels nice and warm,” said Sheetal from Delhi.

Similarly, even locals say that it hardly feels that it is December-end, one time of the year when normally the temperature is low and snow-like conditions prevail. 

Shimla, December 24
The local army authorities and the administration today formally launched the “Grand Shimla Initiative”, aimed at keeping the state capital clean and beautiful.

Prominent citizens of the capital, school and college students attended the formal launch of the programme by deputy commissioner Tarun Kapoor.

Speaking on the occasion, Major-Gen G.G. Diwedi said Shimla had great historical importance and the capital had been the venue for several important events and it was important to retain its glory. He said Shimla figured prominently on the international tourist map and people from all over the world visited this hill station.

“It is important that we keep the city clean and beautiful and ensure that we preserve its rich heritage, which is its main attraction,” he remarked. He further said that there was a proposal for further expansion of the grand Shimla initiative.

He said prominent citizens, school and college students will be involved in the project aimed at keeping the capital clean and beautiful.

School children presented a colourful cultural programme on the occasion and distributed pamphlets to create awareness on the issue. 

Kullu, December 24
Although the Assembly election results are yet to come, the main political parties seem to have started penalising leaders for their alleged anti-party activities in the district.

The Block Congress Committee, Kullu, has recommended expulsion of eight senior leaders from the primary membership of the party. These are: state chief of the Mahila Congress Kamla Sharma, chairman of the Zila Parishad Ses Ram, Chairman of the Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti Marketing Board Chander Kiran Prarthi, member of the HRTC Board of Directors Devender Negi, Chander Sen, Budh Ram and Sali Ram.

The Kullu Mandal of the BJP has also recommended expulsion of former MP and state chief of the BJP Maheshwar Singh and former MLA and general secretary of the state unit Chander Sen Thakur.

The leaders of both parties spoke to the mediapersons today and said the action of the constituency-level bodies was an attempt to malign their image in the party.

Kamla Sharma said the allegations were fabricated and result of her being a contender for the Congress ticket from the Kullu constituency. She said she had whole heartedly worked for the party and toured many villages. She challenged if anyone could give a single example of her doing any anti-party work.

Devender Negi said the action of the Congress committee reflected its apprehension of losing the seat.

Ses Ram ridiculed the action of the president of the Constituency Congress Committee in recommending his expulsion. He said he had toured many areas with the constituency president to woo voters in favour of the Congress. He expressed anguish over the alleged mischievous move by some persons within the party who had been weakening the party for the past five years.

Chander Sen Thakur of the BJP said the leaders in Kullu were “power hungry”. “If they get the party ticket, they pose to be staunch party men, but if they are denied the ticket, they fight election as Independent candidates against the party nominee,” he said. Without naming BJP nominee Govind Thakur, he said these leaders were taken back into the BJP fold after they tendered written apology. He wondered how these leaders dared to show “bahar ka rasta” to loyal party workers. 

New Delhi, December 24
A day after the Assembly election results in Gujarat, which saw the Congress faring worse than the predictions made by the exit polls, party leaders were cautious in their assessment of the outcome in Himachal Pradesh.

Though Congress leaders expressed confidence about forming the next government in the state, they were not willing to put a number to the seats they expected the party to win.

“The party is confident of forming the government. We drew a very good response from the people,” said senior party leader R.K. Dhawan, who is in charge of the party affairs in the state.

Dhawan said the elections were fought on the issue of development and the state government had done a lot of work in the state. “We have done our best. The votes are now in the ballot boxes,” he said.

PCC chief Viplove Thakur also said the Congress would get majority. “People are aware that development has taken place,” she said.

Disagreeing with the exit poll results, which showed the Congress slipping down and the BJP coming into a position to form the government, she said workers and leaders of the party had worked hard in the elections.

Some state Congress leaders, who had come to Delhi to meet the party’s central leadership, said a substantial section of voters were silent and it was difficult to predict their preferences. They said there was no wave either in the favour of the government or against it and there was absence of any marked anti-incumbency against the state government. They said elections were fought on local issues and individual performance of incumbent MLAs would matter in deciding the outcome.

Unlike Gujarat, where the ruling BJP denied ticket to nearly 40 of its MLAs, the Congress in Himachal Pradesh has not made major changes among those who won the last elections. However, it is also problem of rebel candidates in around six seats.

While the state leaders were hopeful of reducing losses in the Kangra region, they were apprehensive of the outcome in 14 seats in districts of Hamirpur, Una and Bilaspur due to possible direct impact of the BJP’s decision to project Prem Kumar Dhumal as its chief ministerial candidate. Dhumal is contesting from Bamsan in Hamirpur district. The party leaders were also keeping their fingers crossed about the outcome in Solan and Sirmaur districts. The counting of votes will take place on December 28. 

Mandi, December 24
The state BJP is contemplating strict action against “rebels and dissidents”, who allegedly indulged in anti-party activities in the recently concluded elections. 

The action was, however, likely to come only after the counting of votes and the formation of the new government.

Top leaders of the party today indicated that the party had already got inputs from mandals on anti-party activities by some leaders and activists in Kullu, Mandi and other parts of the state.

The party is reportedly delaying the action as the political situation remains fluid.

Dissidents were mainly from Drang, Mandi (Sadar), Chachiot, Banjar, Karsog, Kullu and other segments in the state.

Certain dissidents from Kullu and Mandi had levelled serious allegations against party office-bearers in connection with the allotment of ticket.

Party president Jai Ram Thakur said the party was getting inputs from mandals and the moment they got evidence of anti-party activities, action would be taken. “We will consult senior leaders on the issue, if necessary,” he said.

“We have not received formal complaints in this regards from the mandals. All cases will be taken up by the disciplinary committee. Even going to the Press is an act of party indiscipline and liable for action,” he said. 

Bilaspur, December 24
A consumer awareness seminar was organised by the Himachal Consumer Protection Council and the district food and supplies controller at government senior secondary school, Kothipura, today.

Justice D.D. Sharma, chairman of the Consumers’ Redressal Forum who is charged with the responsibility of Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Una districts, was the chief guest. He asked consumers to be cautious of their rights. He said citizens and panchayat representatives had a heavy responsibility on them in such matters. They should spread awareness among the masses on these issues.

He said it was 20 years ago that this forum was set up for Bilaspur district and out of total 3,736 cases presented to the forum, 3,585 had been decided till now. A compensation of around Rs 1.67 crore had been provided to the petitioners so far, he said.

Council chairman Shivdutt Bhardwaj said the consumers clubs were being created in schools and colleges. A club was already functioning at Kothipura government senior secondary school, he added.

District food and supplies controller S.S. Thakur, additional district magistrate Hans Raj Chauhan, assistant commissioner Arun Bhardwaj, district public relations officer Anand Sohar and student participants Kanchan, Suraiya, Naseema, Priyanka, Reeta and Rajat Kumar also spoke on the occasion. 

Una, December 24
A populist measure taken by the Congress government has turned nightmarish for the staff of Shri Vishnu Sanatan Dharam (SVSD) College, Bhatoli.

The state government took over the said college on September 14, 2006. The college was earlier covered under the 95 per cent grant-in-aid scheme. The services of staff of college were taken over in January, 2007. However, the employees were taken as fresh recruits. The result was that the salary of most of the lecturers came down by more than half of what they were getting earlier.

The teachers of the college nearing their retirement were getting a basic salary of around Rs 18,000 per month and a gross salary of around Rs 36,000 after putting in 30 years of service in the college. After the takeover, their basic salary came down to just 8,000 and the gross salary to just around Rs 15,000.

Six lecturers and a librarian, who were working in the college for the past 25 years, have been made school lecturers. These lecturers were recruited in the college when there was no condition of having cleared the UGC examination or M.Phil. The lecturers recruited in government colleges along with them also did not have these qualifications.

After the takeover, the government had said that they would be considered eligible for the posts of lecturer in the college as per the present-day rules. Since they did not have the degree, they were made school lecturers.

The employees have also alleged that the college had been taken over in violation of the rules framed in 1994. As per the takeover rules, the management should have moved a resolution with two-third majority gifting the college to the government for takeover.

However, the management of the college had not moved any such resolution. Due to dispute in the management of the college, the deputy commissioner of Una was appointed the administrator of the college in 1990. As per the rules, the administrator could continue for a maximum period of three years only. However, the deputy commissioner continued as the administrator till 2006 in violation of the rules.

To facilitate the political decision to takeover the college, the government amended rules in 2002 with retrospective effect that the administrator could continue for indefinite period. Thereafter, just a request was forwarded from the deputy commissioner-cum-administrator of the college who was a manager of the institute to facilitate the takeover of the college.

The employees have demanded that the government should protect their pay or bring back the college under the 95 per cent grant-in-aid programme.

They alleged the Congress leaders had forced the government to takeover the college as it was perceived by them as a breeding ground for ABVP leaders. The lecturers and other staff considered close to the BJP had been transferred to far-flung areas.

The employees said they would initiate agitation after the new government took over to get the takeover notification cancelled. 

Sundernagar, December 24
A freedom fighter and Congressman Jai Krishan Gaur (85) died at his native village Pungru, near Sundernagar, on Saturday. He had been ill for the past few days.

Gaur was a activist of the Praja Mandal moment and was a true Gandhian, later on he joined the Congress and remained the block president of the Sundernagar Congress and the Mandi district Congress president.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter. A large number of residents attended his funeral. SDM Pardeep Thakur along with a police contingent paid their last respect to the freedom fighter. M.L.A Sohan Lal along with other congreemen attended the funeral.

In the vicinity, Gaur was called netaji and he was known for his active participation in developmental works of the area.  

Bilaspur, December 24
The Department of Health and Family Welfare will organise district-level AIDS awareness camps for panchayat representatives in zila parishad hall from December 26 to January 4.

Chief medical officer (CMO) Sharda Sharma said here today that separate awareness camps would be held for BDC chairmen and vice-chairmen and gram panchayat presidents and vice-presidents so that they could help in preventing the spread of the disease. She said participants would be provided travelling allowance, daily allowance and also lunch during these one-day camps for each category.

District leprosy officer Narender Sankhyan said leprosy was fully curable with help of MDT, which is available free of cost at all government health centres and hospitals. Sankhyan said now no curse remained attached to the disease and more than one crore leprosy patients had been fully treated in country till now. All of them were now living a normal life, he claimed.

Sankhyan said the district leprosy society was constituted in 1996 after a survey identified 208 leprosy patients. Now there were only eight leprosy patient in the district. All others had been fully treated with the help of MDT, he claimed. He said MDT had to be taken regularly from six to 12 months. 

Shimla, December 24
A local district court today convicted three persons, including a woman, to life imprisonment in connection with death of a person in the Theog area last year.

Additional sessions judge (fast-track court) Rajan Gupta convicted Balak Ram, Surinder Kumar and Shanti Devi, all residents of Badhau village (Theog tehsil) under section 302, IPC, and sentenced them to life imprisonment. They were also ordered to pay a fine of Rs 20,000 each. In the case of default of payment of the fine the convicts shall further undergo three years’ imprisonment.

The convicts had attacked Prem Lal with sickle, wooden stick and stones on March 11, 2006, killing him on the spot. A case was registered against them with Theog police station. — PTI 

Bilaspur, December 24
Ambedkar Yuva Club, Marhana, emerged champions both in kabaddi and volleyball, while Baba Club, Marhana, emerged runners-up in both these events in the final matches of the Ghumarwin block-level rural games organised by the district Nehru Yuva Kendra, around 50 km, from here last evening.

District youth coordinator Som Dutt Zard said Pawan Kumar, Arun Kumar and Virender Kumar were declared first, second and third, respectively, in the in 400m event, while Sanjeev Kumar, Pinkle Kumar and Virender Kumar got top positions in hammer throw. In long jump, Arvind Kumar stood first, Sanjeev Kumar second and Manish Kumar third.

Presiding over the concluding function, NYK regional coordinator Anil Kaushik urged the youth, mahila mandals and yuvak mandals to come forward in large numbers to take full advantage of the recently introduced Central Government scheme for development and encouragement of rural sports and also for identifying sports talent among youths in rural areas. He said government was providing sufficient funds, equipment and facilities under the scheme through district NYKs.