Solan, August 28
The joint secretary(revenue)Rameshwar Sharma who is inquiring into the land deal case of 11.1 bighas of land at Rehun village today visited the site and recorded statements of land sellers.

Talking to The Tribune he said, “ I spoke to the sellers present on the occasion, including some vendors, and recorded statements of patwari Ashok Kumar. The records of the patwari relevant to the site were also inspected. Since other crucial records of the case have been procured from the revenue officials here, I would prepare a report on the basis of this fact finding two-day inquiry and submit a report to the government.”

He was accompanied by naib-tehsildaar Narayan Chauhan and AC Chaman Dilta . Sharma also counted the trees present on the land and recorded the observation in his report. He also sought information from the locals regarding prevailing rates of land in the area so as to ascertain if the land deal had caused any revenue loss to the government.

Sharma also instructed the staff to send records pertaining to verification of addresses of the 18 buyers to tehsildaars of Panchkula, Rewari and Gurgaon as they reportedly hailed from these three districts. Since certain details relating to the addresses were not matching with those on the sale deeds and other papers related to the case while seeking permission under section 118 they needed to be verified confided revenue officials.

Meanwhile, inquires from the revenue department revealed that after a case for section seeking permission to buy land under Section 118 of the H.P Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, papers are sent to the patwari concerned for assessing the value of land as per the prevailing market rate. Since the revenue papers make it mandatory to assess the total land in square metres and not in local parameters of biswa or bigha it was interesting to note that the actual assessment should have emerged at the very beginning and the error pertaining to erroneous counting on the basis of biswa could have been avoided, revealed revenue experts.

Solan, August 28
With huge cracks developing on a 50-m stretch along the Kalka-Shimla railway track, the authorities today sought a field report in this regard.

Taking note of the proximity of these cracks to the railway track, assistant engineer (mechanical) Lalit Sachdeva today visited the site at Kiar village near Kumarhatti and inspected the site.

The villagers brought this fact to the notice of the official. They said cracks had also developed in their houses and a nearby hotel.

Heavy rain that occurred from August 14 to August 23 followed by the sunny days led to the loose soil strata to fall apart after  the landslide.

Officials of the railways said the DRM at Ambala had sought a report, along with pictures of the site. This would enable them to take corrective measures to ensure that the railway track was not damaged.

Villagers, including Prem Singh, Sita Ram, Ram Lal and Mani Ram, said their houses had developed cracks.

There was a threat to their houses and it could prove detrimental to the railway track as well.

Patwari K.K. Sharma said though cracks had developed in a hotel, there was no immediate threat to any house or individual. 

Kumarhatti, August 28
Resentment prevails among residents of Barog, 4 km from here, over non-functioning of water tank supposed to supply drinking water to Barog. The tank was constructed under the Giri water scheme but till date it has not been operational due to delay in laying water pipes.

Hence the residents were reeling under the water crisis. The scheme was supposed to end the water woes, rued Sanjay Thakur, a former pradhan of Barog panchayat. However the water scarcity was same as in the past despite the fact that the scheme has been launched four months back, he pointed out.

The successive state governments have made tall claims that implementation of the scheme would meet the water problem but certainly not in the case of Barog, he maintained.

Meanwhile, according to the IPH, the water tank was lying unused due to non-availability of the water pipes. The water supply through the tank would be started as soon as the department would get the water pipes, asserted Hemant Tanwar, an executive engineer of the IPH, Solan.

Shimla, August 28
The Forest Department will maintain round-the-clock vigil to check illegal dumping of muck, debris and non-biodegradable waste in the state capital. There is a plan to undertake patrolling even during the night.

The Shimla urban and rural forest divisions have constituted special teams to undertake night patrolling. Taking note of the damage being caused to forests due to disposal of such waste here and there at a meeting held here two days ago, forest minister J.P. Nadda has directed the department to launch a drive against defaulters.

DFO (urban), Shimla division, Raman Sharma said the campaign was launched on August 26 and a fine of up to Rs 50,000 imposed within two days. Three trucks were spotted dumping debris illegally in the forest area along the bypass.

Despite three dumping sites having been demarcated by the Forest Department and the municipal corporation (MC) in Shimla, people generally dump debris in forest areas. The demarcated dumping sites are at BCS, near Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) and near Annadale.

The government has constituted a committee to identify more dumping sites keeping in view the requirement of the town in view of lot of construction activity. The committee has short listed about six sites, which can be developed as dumping sites. It is only after seeking permission from the Ministry of Forest and Environment under the Forest Conservation Act that these sites can be earmarked for dumping.

Dharamsala, August 28
Panic prevailed in the girls’ hostel of the government college after two students of the local DIET college allegedly resorted to hooliganism there yesterday night.

Sources said DIET students Kuldeep Kumar and Ramesh Ladh passed some indecent remarks against some girls while passing from in front of the girls’ hostel around 10 pm yesterday.

Warden of the hostel Naresh Sharma came out and tried to stop them.

This infuriated the students and the beat up the warden. Hostel girls informed the college authorities about the incident who reached the spot and informed the police.

The college authorities and student organisations alleged DIET students entered and hostel and beat up the warden. The police did not reach the spot in time, they alleged.

However, the police has denied the charge. ASP (Kangra) Pritam Thakur said he had verified the allegations levelled by the college authorities.

The ASI concerned to whom information was given about the crime responded immediately, he added.

Despite the fact that he did not have any official vehicle, he took out his personal scooter and reached the spot immediately after getting information.

However, the culprits had fled the scene by then.

A case under Sections 341, 504, 353 and 34 of the IPC has been registered against the accused DIET students.

Raids were conducted at their residence in Fatehpur and Nagrota Surian to arrest them.

A constable has been deputed to undertake regular patrolling near the girls’ hostel.

Meanwhile, the DIET authorities have suspended the accused students.

Shimla, August 28
Governor Prabha Rau presented a draft of Rs 3.61 lakh to P.K. Dhumal on behalf of various organisations from Maharashtra as their contribution towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

Rau said the contribution was made by the people to help the bereaved families of the Naina Devi’s mishap.

“The felicitation function held on my recent visit to my home state, Maharashtra, turned into condolence meetings to pay homage to the departed souls,” she said.

She said the people of Maharashtra acceded to her request of not welcoming her with flowers or holding functions in view of the Naina Devi mishap.

“As their goodwill gesture they made donations towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund,” she said.

Shimla, August 28
States must take initiative for registration of traditional crop varieties under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act and carry out the task of filing of applications for registration on a war footing to complete the process within the stipulated timeframe, says R. Saha, adviser to the Union Department of Science and Technology.

It was a vital issue concerning the rights of farmers who had evolved, cultivated and preserved the traditional plant varieties for centuries, making available a vast pool of genetic resources for development of new hybrids. An integrated approach involving agriculture scientists, research institutions, departments concerned and farmers should be adopted to accomplish the task, Saha who was in the city in connection with a workshop, told The Tribune.

Registration required detailed documentation for which necessary data had to be generated by carrying out field trials of the concerned varieties. For instance, there were about 300 local varieties of rice in Jharkhand which took efforts and experience of several generations of farmers to evolve and much scientific data would have to be generated for their registration.

The idea behind the registration of traditional varieties under the act was to respect and recognise the farmers’ contribution for conserving and improving the plant genetic resources for developing new plant varieties and thereby contributing to the agricultural development of the country.

The most important feature of farmer-evolved crop varieties was that they were region specific, suitable for local agro-climatic conditions and disease resistant. So far 18 crops, including four varieties of cotton and two vanities of jute have been identified for registration of local plant varieties under the act. It would enable the farmers to save, use, sow, re-sow, exchange, or share the seeds of protected varieties, besides offering protection on farmers' variety, extant variety and essentially derived variety. 

Manali, August 28
The three-day Himachal Apple Festival, which neither involved apple growers nor showcased the contribution of legendary apple promoters like Satyanand Stokes and Banons of Manali, concluded on a promising note of roping in foreigner and Indian tourists during the off-season, at Nehru Park here today.

There was not even a single picture or the mention of names of persons like Satayand Stokes, an American missionary-turned-Pahari farmer who brought royal delicious apple variety and raised the first orchard at Kotgarh, and Banons, who encouraged apple cultivation in the valley for the first time in the state.

The stalls put up by the Department of Horticulture showcased pictures of politicians like Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, horticulture minister Narinder Bragta and the state’s first CM Y.S. Parmar, but there was no mention of Sataynand Stokes or Banons.

Officials managing various exhibitions alleged they did not get funds from the Tourism Department. Government-run HPTDC put up a good show and served its guests with a mix of music, apple and various dishes.

The festival seemed to have been timed more at the convince of the VVIPs rather than ensuring participation of apple growers, travel agents, hoteliers, local NGOs and trusts.

Appreciating the spirit behind organising the festival, tourists, travel agents and hoteliers said it should have been timed well by involving all stakeholders in the event.

President of the Kullu-Manali Apple Growers Association Prem Chand Sharma said, “We are surprised that the festival was organised without informing the growers or progressive farmers.”

Chairman of the Manali Hoteliers’ Association (MHA) Gautam Nath Thakur said, “We suggest that festival venue should have been in the traffic-free zone of The Mall so that tourists could freely enjoy apple dishes and make purchases.”

President of the Travel Agents Association Iqbal Sharma said although organised at a short notice, the effort was well received by the tourists. “Proper timing and planning can do a lot of good to such events,” he added.

Kullu DC M. Sudha Devi, who is the chairman of District Tourism Development Council, said, “The festival has achieved its objective of attracting tourists during the off-season. The effort will be on a much larger scale next year and involve everybody.”

Deputy director (horticulture) Yashpal said, “We will ensure that apple growers are involved in organising the festival next time.”

Kangra, August 28
Tibetan temporal head and spiritual leader Dalai Lama was today shifted to Leelawati Hospital, Mumbai, for treatment by a special chattered aircraft from the Kangra airport amid tight security.

His motorcade was straightway driven to the aircraft waiting at the runway of the Kangra airport as the spiritual leader looked visibly weak. Dalai Lama, however, moved up the stairs of the aircraft without anyone’s help.

At the airport he was seen off by Prof Samdong Rinpoche, prime minister of Tibetan government-in-exile. Prof Rinpoche told The Tribune at the airport that the health condition of Dalai Lama was fine but he had experienced ' uneasiness' in the abdomen and his personal physician examined him and advised rest and medical check-up at Mumbai.

Prof. Rinpoche said that Dalai Lama had few motions yesterday resulting in his weakness. He felt exhausted following extensive touring and teaching programme he under took during the last few days. He denied that the Dalai Lama had experienced any chest pain.

Tenzin Tekla, personal secretary to Dalai Lama told waiting mediapersons at the Kangra airport that the Dalai Lama had been feeling discomfort for the past few days.

He said that as he had been involved in extensive touring within and outside the country, it resulted in his exertion. He said his visits to Mexico and the Dominica Republic have been put off. 

Solan, August 28
Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal today said Himachal was poised to emerge as a carbon-neutral state by reducing emission of greenhouse gases.

The state was framing a policy on carbon credits and an environmental water plan for the state.

He was addressing a gathering on the occasion of a two-day seminar on global warming and carbon credits at Kishenpura village under Nalagarh tehsil.

In order to achieve this objective, a state-level steering committee had been constituted to monitor the targets and objectives and to achieve them within stipulated period, he added.

There was also a plan to set up a mini hydel project based on wastewater of Shimla. The 500-kw power project would probably be the first of its type in the country and the state was adopting an open-door policy regarding environmental protection of the Himalayan region.

He said the people needed to be educated about global warming.

Forest minister J.P. Nadda said the state had attracted attention of the environmentalists from across the world for earning carbon credits for compensating the damage. He urged the industrial sector to adopt modes to absorb emissions that it released into the environment by planting trees around projects.

Sundernagar, August 28
Vice-president of the state unit of the Congress Mahila Morcha Padama Sharma and her son Vinay Sharma were arrested yesterday for allegedly torturing her daughter-in-law Ritu Sharma.

Ritu was beaten by them and wrongfully confined in a room.

As per the complaint of Ritu Sharma, her mother-in-law and husband used to torture her. But yesterday, she was beaten brutally by them and was locked in a room.

She telephoned her relatives, who released her from the room. She was taken to Sundernagar civil hospital for treatment. As per her medical reports, her one tooth was broken and she had many injuries marks on her body.

The police has registered a case under Sections 498A, 342 and 325 of the Indian Penal Code and arrested the accused yesterday.

Nurpur, August 28
The anganwari workers and helpers of the Nurpur development block today stated a protest demonstration here, raising slogans against the ADM.

They were protesting against the decision of the Kangra ADM to annul as many as 12 anganwari appointments in the first two phases of hearing of the petitions filed by the aggrieved rural women.

They assembled outside the office of the child development project officer and took out a procession.

They raised slogans against the revocation of the appointments made in August 2007.

They submitted a memorandum, signed by 94 anganwari appointees, to the Chief Minister through the local administration demanding re-appointment of the anganwari workers and helpers whose appointments were annulled during the disposal of the petitions filed by the aggrieved candidates.

The protesters have claimed that as per the government’s guidelines, the objectors had to file the petitions within 15 days after the appointments and these were to be disposed of within 15 days, but the same were heard after a year.

They also gave an ultimatum to go for hunger strike, along with their family members, if their demands were not met within 15 days. 

Shimla, August 28
Concerned over the ongoing degeneration of the city as a tourist destination, the Shimla Hotel and Restaurant Association has urged the government to take immediate corrective steps to save the tourism industry.

In a memorandum to Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, the association has pointed out that restrictions on the movement of vehicles on various roads, paucity of parking space and failure to develop places of interests like amusement parks, water bodies and other such projects to attract tourists were stifling the industry as a result of which hoteliers, transporters, tour operators and all other connected with the tourist trade were being affected.

President of the association Harman Kukreja said the restrictions on plying of vehicles on various roads and the movement of tourist buses had virtually rendered the city out of bound for tourists. While the tourists buses were not allowed into the town in the name of traffic regulation, those who came in their own vehicles faced problems due to lack of parking space.

Some of the problems could be solved if the demand of the association for opening the three restricted roads from Cart Road to St Thomas School, Ramchandra Chowk to Jodha Niwas and Kennedy House to the Indian Institute of Advanced Study were opened for general public. Further, the tourist buses should be permitted free entry and exit from the Victory Tunnel towards Lakkar Bazar and bus stand and allowed to stop on the Circular Road at specified points for embarking and disembarking.

There was also a need to construct more parking lots, he said. The other demands of the association included reduction in bar licence fee from Rs 75,000 to Rs 35,000 and resumption of previous procedure for obtaining foreign liquor under LAA-1 licence, extending the period for renewal of various municipal licences and no objection certificates from the exiting one year to five years, direct train to connect Mumbai and Kalka and a sight-seeing local train from Shimla to Kaithlighat.