Dharamsala, June 24
Shanti Devi, a resident of lower Kaloa village in Dehra subdivision, has alleged that her brother-in-law has taken the name of her husband in revenue documents.

These documents mention Soma Devi, her sister-in-law, as the wife of Balbir Singh (husband of Shanti Devi).

She has filed a complaint with the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau alleging that the real name of the elder brother of her husband was Khushal Singh.

He initially got recruited in the Army in J&K Rifles. However, he was ousted from the Army due to some reasons.

Since he could not join the Army in his own name again, he got recruited in the 13th Dogra regiment on the basis of a certificate of her husband, Balbir Singh, in 1972-73. Khushal Singh served as Balbir Singh in the 13th Dogra regiment and retired.

However, this act of Khushal Singh has led to problems for the family of Shanti Devi. While talking to The Tribune, she said they recently applied for a loan for house under a Union Government scheme for the homeless.

However, since her brother-in-law now has the name ‘Balbir Singh’, they were not sanctioned the loan.

She also alleged that her family has been dispossessed of the ancestral property as the property in the name of Balbir Singh (her husband) has been transferred in the name of Soma Devi (wife of his brother-in-law).

The real Balbir Singh (husband of Shanti Devi) works as a daily wager in the Department of Forest.

Shanti Devi alleges that she now fears that her children will be deprived of their right even in their native property.

Neeraj, son of her brother-in-law, has also got recruited in the Army as the son of Balbir Singh.

Shanti Devi alleged that she had filed complaints with various government and Army authorities regarding the fraud committed by the elder brother of her husband.

A case under Section 420 of the IPC was also registered against him. However, the error has not been rectified so far.

Her husband (real Balbir Singh) is suffering from tuberculosis. So, Shanti Devi has to do all the running around despite being an illiterate.

The vigilance has now decided to conduct an inquiry into the complaint lodged by Shanti Devi.

Shimla, June 24
The PTA Lecturers and Teachers Union today continued its strike on the second day with studies in over 300 government schools in Himachal being affected.

The PTA teachers continued with their relay fast on the second day. They alleged that the police had tried to forcibly stop their strike by asking them to leave the venue near the secretariat where they were sitting peacefully.

“The government cannot use force to stop our agitation as we are peacefully lodging our protest against the injustice being meted out to us,” said Vivek Mehta, president of the association.

The functioning of many schools had been severely affected as a majority of the PTA teachers were on strike.

He also cautioned the government not to use force to crush their agitation. “In case the government tries to use force, we will not be responsible if the situation turns violent on the lines of the Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan,” he said.

Mehta lamented the attitude of the director, stating that he was acting on the directions of the government without bothering to protect interests of PTA teachers.

He added that the government was in no position to appoint regular teachers in place of PTA appointees as it had no money to pay the salary of even the latter.

Meanwhile, a government spokesperson said Rs 13.22 crore had been released as a grant-in-aid to PTAs for disbursement of salaries to the teachers appointed by them.

He said several complaints had been received with regard to the PTA appointments done by the previous regime.

An inquiry was conducted into the complaints and a report was submitted to the government on March 7 which was also presented in the Assembly.

He said committees had been constituted to look into these complaints and it was only after hearing the affected parties that they would forward their recommendations to the PTA and heads of the educational institutions concerned by September 22.

Further grants-in-aid to the PTAs and acceptance of the teachers would be done as per recommendations of the committee.

If the appointments were made as per rules, they should not oppose any probe ordered by the government, he said.

He said members of the association were ready to teach in government schools in their respective areas.

Solan, June 24
At least six youths were injured in a group clash at a roadside restaurant at Dharampur last night.

Counter cases have been registered against members of both groups involved in the incident. The police has arrested two persons in the case.

The incident took place around 11.30 am when a group of youths from Solan reached the restaurant for having dinner.

The group included Vikram Singh, Ankush Oberoi, Rohit Singh, Gaurav Gupta, Saurav, Mukul, Rahul Singh and Rahul Arora.

According to hotel owner Samrat Hundel, the boys were allegedly drunk. They got into a tiff with a couple present in the hotel.

The hotel staff then asked the couple to sit inside while the youth were told to sit outside. This, however, created an unsavoury situation.

Following this there were heated exchanges among the hotel staff and the youth. A clash ensued among members of the hotel staff and the youths.

Vikram Singh, Ankush Oberoi, Rahul Singh, Rahul Arora, Hemant and Manjit were injured in the incident. The police had a difficult time trying to control the situation.

A case was registered under Sections 147, 148, 149, 323, 324 and 506 of the IPC against the hotel owner and his accomplices for rioting, causing injuries and
criminal intimidation.

A cross case was registered under Sections 147 and 323 of the IPC against the youths on the complaint of hotel owner’s father, Col G.S. Hundel (retd).

With the son of a senior BJP leader being also involved in the clash, there was tremendous pressure on the police, sources said.

Shimla, June 24
The state government has urged the Centre to upgrade the Nagrota-Ranital-Dehra-
Mubarikpur and Paonta Sahib-Rajban-Shillai- Hatkoti roads as national highways.

Speaking at the highways ministers conference in New Delhi today public works minister Gulab Singh stressed that the two roads required upgradation in view of their strategic importance.

He said the Planning Commission had already given its sanction for these two new national highways.

He said the state had negligible rail connectivity and a limited road network because of which it attracted little investment in the industrial sector even under the special industrial package.

He also pleaded that the Ropar-Nalagar, Jubarhatti-Shimla and Ghumarwin-
Jogindernagar sections should also be upgraded as national highways.

He said the length under national highways should be doubled over the next five years and at least 250 km of new roads be declared national highways in the state.

The state had long boundaries with China and Jammu and Kashmir and border areas roads should be given top priority keeping in view their strategic importance.

The state government has formulated a plan to set up a training institute for research and development and upgrading the skills of engineers and technicians to help improve quality of road construction.

The minister requested the Centre to provide liberal financial assistance for creating infrastructure for the institute.

He demanded amendment to the Central Road Fund to reduce the state share from present 50 per cent to 10 per cent for hill states on the pattern of North-East areas.

He requested the Centre to abolish toll practices adopted on bridges or bypasses on national highways as these led to traffic jams, creating problems for commuters.

He requested the Centre to review the policy of imposing a toll on bypasses on the national highways.

Shimla, June 24
State election commissioner Rajendara Bhattacharya has notified the election programme for the conduct of byelection to fill the vacant seats in panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) in the state.

The nomination papers will be filed from July 3 to 5 for the office-bearer of the gram panchayat, panchayat samiti and zila parishad. The scrutiny of nomination papers would be on July 7 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature will be July 9.

She said immediately after the time of withdrawal was over, the list of contesting candidates along with the name of symbol allotted to them and the list of polling stations would be published.

Election if necessary would beheld on July 20 and counting of votes for members and pradhans of gram panchayats will be taken up immediately after the close of polling.

The counting of votes for members of panchayat samiti and zila parishad will be conducted on July 22 at respective block headquarters. The process of election will be completed by July 25, she added.

Meanwhile, the state Election Commission has notified the programme for special revision of electoral rolls for the conduct of byelection of ward number six of Jubbal Nagar Panchayat. The qualifying date for inclusion of name of eligible electors would be January 1, 2008.

Shimla, June 24
The carbon credit-financing project being implemented under the World Bank-funded Mid-Himalayan Watershed Development Programme will have provisions to enable the farmers to extend the benefit of carbon credits for plantations raised on private land to the next generation.

As per the project design document (PDD) finalised by the Forest Department, the farmers could claim carbon credits for well-maintained plantations up to 60 years.

Initially, the arrangement for payment of carbon credits will be for 20 years. If the plantations are in good shape, farmers will have the option to extend it for 20 years.

They could exercise a similar option after 40 years to claim carbon credits up to 60 years which effectively means that the benefit will be extended to next generation.

The PDD provides for very strict monitoring and evaluation of all plantations each of which will be assigned a unique code for the purpose.

The plantations will be monitored through the GPS (global positioning system)-based geographical information system.

The survival rate of trees along with the growth of biomass, on which the carbon sequestration efficiency depends, will be evaluated every three years. The farmers will earn carbon credits on its basis.

A normal survival rate of 70 per cent will fetch Rs 4000 per hectare at the rate of $4 per tonne of sequestered carbon.

A higher survival rate and healthy growth will enable the farmers to earn more while lower rates will fetch a less amount. The objective is to encourage farmers to protect the plantations.

The minimum area for raising such plantations will be one hectare. Only the land lying fallow since 1990 can be taken up for plantation.

In all, plantations will be raised over an area of 10,000 hectares spread over 189 panchayats. The first evaluation to ascertain the survival rate and the biomass generated will be carried out after three years and only thereafter the financial benefit of carbon credits will start flowing to the farmers.

India is the first country in Asia and second in the world to have a scheme under which farmers could sell carbon credits directly to the bank.

The money will go to the individuals for plantations raised on private land, while in the case of community land a part of it will go to the panchayat concerned, with the major portion to be divided among the group of people who protect the plantation.

A tripartite agreement involving the panchayats, bank and the project authorities will be signed for the purpose.

The forest department has identified more than 35 species, including fruit and medicinal plants like mango, fig and aonla, which not only have a good capacity of carbon sequestration but also regulate the hydrological cycle. The priority will be for planting socially acceptable species.

Sundernagar, June 24
The Consumer Forum, Mandi, has penalised M/s Lal Chand and Brothers, Rani Ki Baini, Mandi, for supplying defective tiles to Balbir Singh, a resident of Ram Nagar, Mandi.

It has directed the dealer to pay Rs 12,288 (cost of tiles) along with 9 per cent interest per annum, Rs 1,000 as compensation and Rs 500 as costs to the complainant within one month.

The complainant had purchased 35 boxes of floor tiles of Jonsan Company at the rate of Rs 768 per box on December 28, and had paid Rs 19,529 to the opposite party. On next day the complainant engaged a mason and started fixing tiles.

After fixing nine boxes of tiles (one box was containing four tiles) it was noticed that the tiles were defective and were of different shades.

The complainant asked the opposite party to replace the defective tiles but the tiles were not replaced even after the issuance of a legal notice.

So the complainant preferred this complaint and claimed amount paid by him along with compensation.

Dharamsala, June 24
While in opposition, the BJP used to oppose government policy of allowing projects on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis, but it has been following the same policy after coming to power in the state.

This was stated by former transport minister G.S. Bali while addressing a press conference here today.

He said while holding the charge of the Ministry of Tourism, he conceived the idea of giving five tourism projects on a BOT basis in the state.

The BJP had raised a lot hue and cry over the issue. “However, now they are planning to advertise same projects on BOT basis,” he added.

The BJP misled the people against policies of the previous government to gain votes, he alleged.

He said mass transfers being effected by the present government were hitting essential services in the state.

Moreover, the government had not taken even a single measure to control the price rise. The rate of diesel in the state was more than the rates prevailing in the neighbouring states.

Mandi, June 24
Over 300 tourists bounded for New Delhi from Manali today tasted a bitter journey when the Kullu RTO impounded four private buses (one Volvo and three sleeper) in which they were travelling in the HRTC workshop, Kullu, stranding them on the roadsides till the filing of this report.

Talking to The Tribune on phone, narrating their bitter journey, the tourists rued that the buses they were travelling in were impounded with reasons best known to the transport authority.

The tourists said they would never visit the state again as the state government had harassed them, upsetting their further schedule of railways and air journey to their destination.

“Nobody will come to state if this is how the state transport authority torture their guests,” they added.

The operators of private buses said it was with the government policy that they bought Volvo and sleeper buses. And the transport authority did not give us notice to not to ply them.

“When the HRTC can run the sleeper buses then why the government should not allow us as we have spent lakhs of rupees on them and pay the tax to the government,” they contended.

Kullu DC M. Sudha Devi said, “She was not aware whether or not Volvo buses could be run or not. I will find out and the tourists will be send through the HRTC buses if the RTO have impounded the private buses.”

Director state transport authority, Rajinder Thakur, said he was not aware as he was not been able to speak to the RTO as his mobile phone was switched off.

The sleeper buses cannot ply in the hill state as per the provision of the Motor Vehicle Act.

Even if the HRTC buses have sleepers they would be impounded, he claimed. He said he had asked the CGM HRTC to provide tourists with buses to desired destinations.

Nahan, June 24
The Paonta police today arrested 40 striking workers of Clitch factory, a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit situated in the Gond Pur industrial area of Paonta Sahib, for allegedly violating court orders.

The arrested workers said for the past two weeks they were on strike demanding implementation of labour laws in the factory and re-engagement of number of factory workers, who were retrenched from the factory by the management by levelling baseless allegations against them.

They said they were just interacting with their colleague workers in a near factory when the police arrested them.

Paonta DSP V.S. Thakur said striking employees were trying to stop some factory workers outside the factory who were on way to join their duty in the factory.

They had created a law and order problem and the police had to take action to prevent peace in the area.

CITU labour union served a five-day notice on the factory management to resolve the issue with the factory workers by fulfilling their major demands.

They warned that if failed to resolve the issue in the stipulated time, the factory workers of the Paonta area would join hands with the striking workers and would unitedly launch direct action against the factory management and for any consequences the management would be held responsible.

Meanwhile, smelling deterioration in the relationship with management and workers in the industrial area, Sirmaur Truck Operator Union and Paonta Chamber of Commerce had taken initiative to resolve the issue. They had separate meetings with both the parties today.

Shimla, June 24
The state BJP today gave due representation to women in its state executive, keeping in line with the latest amendment in the party constitution where 33 per cent reservation has been made for women.

State BJP chief Jai Ram Thakur said today that besides giving 33 per cent reservation to women, some other minor changes had been effected after the induction of some leaders like Ramesh Dhawala and Rajiv Bindal into the Cabinet.

Sitting MLA from Banikhet Renu Chaddha and former MLA from Jasur Vikram Thakur, who were secretaries have now been promoted and made vice-presidents.

Chander Mohan Thakur from Sirmaur has also been made vice-president. Sheila Kumari from Solan, Rama Verma from Sundernagar, Dr Rajeev Bhardwaj from Jasur and Sudesh Rana have been appointed secretaries.

Other women leaders included in the state executive are Raj Kumari Chauhan from Ghumarwin, Santosh Saini from Una, Pawna Chaudhary from Kangra, Asha Kashyap from Shimla, Ambika Sood from Kullu, Satya Pitan from Rohru, Urmil Bhuria from Kangra and Ajay Baudh from Bhuntar.

Shimla, June 24
With the construction activity in the ‘Queen of Hills’ reaching a saturation point, those keen to raise new structures might have to first look for a dumping site to dispose of the debris and inform the authorities about the exact amount of debris before starting work.

With dumping of debris in and around Shimla becoming a major hassle, the government has constituted a committee headed by the director, environment, Nagin Nanda, which will look for new dumping sites.

The committee will submit its report within a month. The situation is so grave that the Forest Department has gone to the extent of saying that fresh construction should be banned till dumping sites are created.

The three dumping sites for which the state had recently got the Centre’s approval have already been saturated.

The sites were located near BCS-Khalini, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Annadale. The one near Annadale was never put to use as the MC failed to develop it.

In fact, the committee will also ask the TCP and MC authorities to seek details from those keen to undertake construction that what amount of debris would they dump and where.

“Though the TCP and MC are approving building maps they have no idea about the debris dumping requirement of the capital, which needs to be assessed to ensure long-term planning,” said a senior officer. Now details about the dumping of debris will be sought before construction work starts.

Unscientific dumping of debris is posing a lot of problems and has even led to the drying up of century-old deodar tress at many places.

He asked panchayats to dispose of complaints through a system of “toll” and ensure appointment of vigilance samiti and practice of social audit and maintenance of register to monitor implementation of the NREGA in every panchayat.

Chandigarh, June 24
To enhance jointmanship among the three services and discuss common aspects in training, a tri-services training commands conference would be held at the Army Training Command (ARTRAC) Headquarters in Shimla on June 26.

The conference would be attended by General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, ARTRAC, Lt Gen J.K. Mohanty; Vice Admiral Sunil K. Damle; Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, Kochi and Air Marshal V.R. Iyer, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, IAF Training Command, Bangalore.

A large number of senior officers from Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff and the three services would also be attending this conference.

During the conference, officers of the three services will interact with each other and deliberate on various issues to promote jointmanship between the tri-services.

As the three training commands take care of training requirements of their respective services, the conference is expected to generate a healthy discussion among the officers with the objective of promoting integration of training between the three services so as to enhance interoperability, which would be the very essence of any future conflict.