Shimla, March 21
The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau will interrogate B.R. Rahi, former chairman of the Himachal Board of School Education, in the forged certificate case, involving the daughter of former minister Singhi Ram.

Sleuths of the Vigilance Bureau today interrogated Singhi Ram, his daughter Upma Kashyap and his former private secretary Joginder Singh. It was during interrogation that Singhi Ram revealed that he had handed over the original certificate with 90 per cent marks to the then school board chairman B.R. Rahi.

Singhi Ram is learnt to have told the police that he had handed over the original certificate to Rahi as he had asked for it, saying that he needed it for some kind of inquiry. He also said that despite his repeated requests to return the certificate, Rahi did not oblige him.

“The fact that the then chairman of the board was allegedly involved with the forged certificate at some level gives us reason enough to look into the fact whether there was nexus in this offence and if a racket of issuing fake certificates operates in the board at Dharamshala,” said sources.

The Vigilance Bureau is likely to demand custodial interrogation of Singhi Ram when hearing on the interim bail granted to him till March 24 is taken up. The Vigilance Bureau now wants to look into the possibility of a racket of fake certificates being run by school board employees.

The police also questioned the minister’s former secretary whether he had seen the original certificate before attesting the xerox copy. He replied in the affirmative. When asked where the original certificate was Joginder Singh said it was with Upma. Upma said she had handed it over to her father who revealed that he had given it to Rahi.

Upma, who had cleared her B.A. (I) from Lady Sri Ram College had to again take admission to Jesus and Mary Convent in the same class as she did not have her original certificate as it had been handed over to Rahi. 

Palampur, March 21
A few IAS and other officers who had amassed huge immovable and moveable assets during the Virbhadra Singh regime disproportionate to their income are under the scanner of vigilance agencies. The vigilance agencies have already registered preliminary complaints under the Prevention of Corruption Act against these officers.

Official sources told The Tribune here today that the vigilance agencies had gathered a lot of evidence against these officers in the past two months pertaining to immoveable wealth purchased by them at Shimla, Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali and New Delhi.

A 20-member team of the Vigilance Department visited various places in India to establish the involvement of these officers in various benami deals. Most properties have been purchased by these officers either in the names of family members or other relatives.

The vigilance agencies have evidence to show that a few officers were receiving a rental income in lakhs from properties given on rent to state government undertakings and pri vate agencies. Various properties have been referred to valuers to know their exact value.

The vigilance agencies had completed the spadework in 12 cases and challans were likely to be placed soon before the special courts formed to try such cases.

It may be recalled that Chief Minsiter Prem Kumar Dhumal had already clarified that the name of these officers had also figured in the chargesheet submitted by the BJP to Governor V.S. Kokjee last year before the assembly elections. The BJP had also placed evidence before the Governor against these officers for their alleged involvement in various corruption cases, land deals and allotment of tenders in the state. But at that time

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh refused to initiate action against these officers as they are close to the Congress.

Only yesterday Prem Kumar Dhumal categorically stated here that there would be zero tolerance for corruption and no corrupt officer would be spared. The Chief Minister has already given free hand to the vigilance agencies in the state to nab the corrupt officers. Last month the vigilance had arrested the state drug controller Sher Singh from whose possession over Rs 20 lakh in cash was recovered. Besides, assets valuing over Rs 4 crore were also unearthed.

Sujanpur Tihra, March 21
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has said that the government would soon introduce a scheme to boost agriculture under which progressive farmers would be given prizes.

Speaking at a kisan mela organised jointly by Dr .Y.S Pramar University, Solan, and the Agriculture and Horticulture Departments during the three-day Holi festival here today he said cash prizes of Rs. 50,000 each would be given to six progressive farmers at the state level, Rs 25,000 each to 28 farmers at the district level and Rs 10000 each to 195 farmers at the block level.

The Chief Minister said the government would take steps to create more employment Opportunities. More avenues for self-employment would be generated for the rural youth to make them self-reliant would be created. Every farmer would be issued a soil health card and the government would share 50 per cent premium of the crop insurance scheme.

Dhumal said a primate park would be developed on the Sujanpur-Nadaun road to check the monkey menace.

The Chief Minister said scientific research should be brought to the fields for practical implementation and the government had decided to carry farm soil tests for 100,000 farmers on the basis of which appropriate crops would be suggested through soil health card scheme. He emphasized that field officers should spend most of their time among farmers to resolve their problems.

Dhumal said diversified farming was the need of the hour and added that varied climatic conditions of the state were conducive to the cultivation of all types of crops like flowers, herbs and medicinal plants. He assured that the government would create infrastructure for agro produce marketing at the district and sub-divisional levels.

He said animal husbandry had been accorded priority and the milk producers had been given an enhanced procurement milk rate of Rs 2 per kg but consumers would continue to get milk at the old rate since the government would provide Rs 9 crore to Milkfed to maintain the old price.

The Chief Minister also gave away prizes to farmers and inaugurated an exhibition held on the occasion of the Holi festival.

Solan, March 21
The transfer of SHO Somdatt from Parwanoo to Solan within barely 45 days of his joining has put a question mark on the intentions of the department. He had joined as the Parwanoo SHO on February 4.

Sources said the SP, Solan, was directed to order the transfer yesterday after Somdatt seized 107 crates of liquor that were being transported without any permit on Wednesday afternoon.

According to the SHO, the driver of the vehicle (a Bolero utility van) could produce documents for only 43 crates while seven crates of IMFL and 100 crates of country liquor were being transported without any permit. The driver was booked and the vehicle impounded.

Sources said soon after the seizure, the liquor trader concerned called up some political people and exerted pressure on the police to release the liquor and the driver. That case proved to be the immediate reason behind the sudden transfer of Somdatt, they added.

SP S.P.S. Verma, however, said it was a routine transfer due to some administrative reasons and not a repercussion of the recent liquor seizure. He denied that he had received any call from any politician to transfer the SHO. He would be more suitable for Solan, he said.

On the other hand, the department was rife with discussions that it would be very difficult to check illegal trade of liquor, if liquor traders were going to rule the roost.

Shimla, March 21
The landing of two Indian Air Force military helicopters at the Bhuntar airport in Kullu last night have raised a number of questions with regard to air safety rules as airport officials had no prior intimation of the flight into their air space.

With the airport at Bhuntar not having any night landing facility, the landing of two choppers at the airport for a brief period after 9 pm took everyone by surprise. With the airport being closed at 2 pm no employee was present at the airport in the evening.

According to eyewitnesses, the two choppers halted at the airport for about 20 minutes before taking off again. SP Kullu Jagat Ram said he too got to know that two choppers had landed at the airport but it was the airport officials concerned who were looking into the incident.

Sources said with no night landing facility at Bhuntar even the Indian Army or Air Force choppers have never landed there at night. “The two Air Force military choppers could have been on some secret training mission but we had no intimation as after 2 pm no staff member is present there,” an official said.

Moreover, the officials said in the past also Indian military and air force choppers have landed here during daytime but with prior intimation. “Whenever a chopper enters into any air space, the concerned air traffic control (ATC) has to be intimated about the flight plan, purpose of visit and prior permission has to be sought for landing and take off,” an official said. The airport officials too got to know of the arrival of the two choppers later.

At present only a single Air Deccan flight operates between Kullu-Delhi daily. As such the arrival of two choppers during the night took everyone by surprise and there was all sort of speculation.

Palampur, March 21
As the next Parliament elections will be held as per the new boundaries fixed by the Delimitation Commission, it had put a question mark on the political future of number of MLAs and ministers in Kangra district.

Though most of the MLAs had managed to reach in the state Assembly, in the elections held in December, but it would be very difficult for them to win the next Assembly elections on new boundaries because of the fact that number of constituencies either had been reduced or reserved in the district. Besides, many constituencies have been reorganised by the commission.

Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that in the next Parliament elections to be held in 2009, the number of total Assembly constituencies will come down to 15 from 16 as the commission had abolished Thural constituency from this district. Now the Joginder Nagar Assembly segment falling in Mandi district was made a part of Kangra-Chamba parliamentary constituency. Earlier, Joginder Nagar was part of Mandi parliamentary constituency.

The new boundaries marked by the commission have adversely affected the political scene in Palampur region too as Assembly segments in this region of the state have come down to four from five. Two young leaders, Ravinder Thakur, irrigation and public health minister in the Dhumal government from Thural and Sudhir Sharma, Congress MLA from Baijnath, have no Assembly segments to contest the elections to be held in 2012, as Thural the stronghold of the BJP had been abolished and Baijnath had come in the list of reserved constituencies.

Both the Congress and the BJP had opposed the new boundaries fixed by the Delimitation Commission but all in vain as the Parliament had already approved it.

They pleaded that the commission should have respected the public sentiments as people of these areas were aligned with particular constituency for the past 30 years and before detaching their areas they should have been taken into confidence.

Mandi, March 21
The NSUI is in the process of getting a complete makeover. All-India general secretary of the union Ragini Nayak was here as part of a countrywide drive to rope in talented students to rejuvenate the NSUI. She said, “The NSUI will reconstitute its state, district and block-level units in which talented students will find place. We will also hold rallies against female foeticide, HIV/AIDS and drug addiction in the state.”

She chaired a meeting of the union here. She said the NSUI would constitute a 20-member committee for motivating students to work for countrywide revival of the union. “The drive is part of Rahul Gandhi’s new political vision that entails three basic principals: Gandhian spirit, country’s political process since the first war of independence in 1857 and the progress made by the country since Independence,” she added. The process would be over by March-April and the new units would come into force in all colleges in the state from June.

Shimla, March 21
Accusing the BJP regime of trying to push the RSS agenda in all its decisions, the CPM today demanded withdraw of the 25 per cent increase in bus fare, which had badly hit the common man.

State secretary of the CPM Rakesh Singha yesterday said a statewide protest would be organised by the party against this un-payable hike on March 26.

“With each passing day it is becoming clear that the Dhumal regime wants to push through the RSS agenda rather than its election manifesto, on the basis of which it came to power,” he said.

He disclosed that with the hike in bus fare, road travel in Himachal was the most expensive as it worked out to be 93 paisa per km. Giving comparative figures it was 40 paisa per km in Jammu and Kashmir, 49 paisa in Uttarakhand and 44 paisa in Assam.

The CPM leader said the mummer in which the BJP regime was functioning; all illusions about good governance had been removed.

“The government must take some steps to check price rise as the prices of essential commodities had shown a steep increase, making it un affordable for the common man to meet his daily needs,” he said.

Singha also lashed out at the Dhumal regime for trying to push the RSS agenda in the Himachal Pradesh University. “The government has forced an academician of high repute, Dr Anil Wilson, to resign so that they can have a pro-RSS man on the vice-chancellor post,” he remarked.

He added in case the government does not bring back Dr Anil, it should appoint a fair person with objectivity as the new head of the HPU.

Singha also sought an explanation from Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal to explain to the people as to under what clause he had allowed the use of school grounds for conducting armed parades.

He also condemned the decision of the government to reduce the subsidy on ration from Rs 100 crore to Rs 90 crore.

He also criticised the decision to reduce the grant-in-aid which is being provided by the government to private colleges from 95 per cent to 45 per cent.

“This will make education costlier and moreover will have an adverse impact on the salaries of the teachers,” he said.

He said the government should fulfil the promises it had made to the people at the time of elections.

Shimla, March 21
The CPM has demanded that the government should come out with a policy on acquiring agricultural land for dams, power projects, airports and cement plants.

In a statement issued , state secretary of CPM Rakesh Singha said the policy of acquiring fertile land for projects like aerodrome was totally wrong. “We support the agitation by residents of Una, who are protesting against acquisition of fertile land for an aerodrome,” he said.

He said a delegation of the party would visit the affected area and join the peasants’ struggle. “Only 10 per cent of the total land in the state is fertile and suitable for agriculture. So, acquiring it for various projects is objectionable,” he said.

Solan, March 21
The recent restructuring of drug inspectors’ duties in the state has turned out to be an exercise in futility with the Health and Family Welfare Department failing to achieve any practical purpose.

As per the March 12 notification (No. B (2) 5/95) issued by the principal secretary (health), Ravinder Chaudhary has been appointed drug inspector for Shimla, Kinnaur and Solan town. He has also been given the responsibility of functioning as the zonal licensing authority for Shimla, Kinnaur, Solan, Sirmaur, Bilaspur and Una districts replacing suspended official Sher Singh Thakur.

The notification further assigns Manish Kapoor, drug inspector, the task of looking after Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti and Mandi districts, while local official Manish Thakur would be looking after Baddi, Barotiwala, Nalagarh and Parwanoo industrial areas of Solan district. He is positioned at Solan.

With Solan district being recognised as the pharmaceutical hub of the country, around 350 units are based in the district. The number is 35 in case of Solan town alone. Keeping in view the workload, this district alone requires at least three drug inspectors. Obviously, the recent move of the department to overburden the licensing authority has failed to cut much ice with officials.

A drug inspector is required to conduct field inspections and also collect periodic samples of drugs from manufacturing units so as to keep a check on quality. A licence is issued on the basis of a report submitted by the drug inspector.

Under the new arrangement, drug inspector Ravinder Chaudhary will conduct field inspection and then sit in judgement on his own report as the licensing authority. This is in stark contrast to the prescribed procedures of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. The Act clearly states that the drug licensing authority can under no circumstances function as a drug inspector.

This fact is further supported by the recommendations of the expert standing committee constituted by the Drugs Consultative Committee, a statutory body constituted by the Central Government to secure uniformity throughout the country in implementing the Act. Moreover, no such provision would stand in the court of law considering the law of natural justice as the same person cannot discharge his duty as an inspector and also as a judge on his own observations, decisions, inspections, etc. The provisions of rule 79, 80 and 81 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rule, 1945, further support this fact.

Further, this lopsided arrangement would barely give any time to the licensing authority to sit in the office or adequate time to inspect all wholesale and retail counters even once in a year. Lacking vision, the exercise appears to have political overtones.

Interestingly, the area is also the home constituency of the health minister, who is in charge of the department.

Principal secretary (health) Deepak Sanan, however, denied that there was any violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. It was an administrative decision and drug inspectors in the state had been working as licensing authorities earlier also, he added. “We are constrained to use whatever manpower was available and the central authorities were seized of the problem faced by us. Right now, there are nine drug inspectors looking after 12 districts out of which two are acting as licensing authorities,” he added.

On the paucity of staff, he said, “Since a new Central legislation was likely to be enacted soon, they will wait for its notification before actually going in for any staff enhancement. Once the new Act is put in place, there will be clarity on work allocation and they can then have a fresh look at the overall scenario.”