Shimla, September 15
To check environmental damage being caused due to dumping of garbage and debris in and around the town, the forest authorities have decided to strictly enforce the Non-biodegradable Garbage Control Act, 1995.

Despite the enactment of the Act to prevent damage due to non-degradable garbage, no action has been taken against anyone so far. A high-powered committee constituted by the government to visit the 36 sites in and around Shimla, where garbage has been dumped, will start its work shortly so that further degradation can be prevented and corrective steps taken.

During the last one-week, the forest authorities had undertaken the task of clearing 15 sites in forest areas where garbage had been dumped, but people have again thrown filth at some of these sites. At most of the sites, garbage is being dumped in the open despite the dumpers being placed there by the municipal corporation (MC).

The forest officials have been asked to start taking action under the Act so that damage to forests can be prevented and cleanliness maintained in the town. Most of the forest areas where garbage is being dumped by residents are in Bharari, Kellston, Khalini, Nav Bahar and West End.

“In case any person or vehicle is seen dumping garbage in the forest area, there will be a fine of up to Rs 5,000 and a sentence of one month,” said ACF Raman Sharma. He added that by dumping non-biodegradable garbage into the open and forest areas, environmental damage is being caused.

Although the MC has placed dumpers at several points in the town, people continue to throw garbage in the open, causing unhygienic conditions and damage to the environment. Another problem is that some of these dumpers do not have lids and remain open, resulting in the dogs and monkeys littering the garbage all around.

The home-to-home garbage collection scheme of the MC has failed to take off effectively. Seven NGOs have been assigned the task, but the entire town cannot be covered even now.

The forest authorities have also stepped up the drive to check damage being caused due to dumping of construction debris and muck in forest areas. Its team will ensure that the debris is dumped only at the earmarked sites.

Solan, September 15
Not caring two hoots about the High Court’s ban prohibiting felling of trees in the state, the axing of five trees at the Nalagarh chowk in the garb of widening the chowk has put a question mark over the working of the municipal authorities.

Moreover, none of the officials were even aware about the felling of trees.

As per the Municipal Act, a committee, headed by SDM, grants permission to axe trees. This committee after examining the issue can recommend their case for felling a tree that, too, if it endangers any building or there is any other similar exigency.

Inquires, however, reveal that in this case no such committee was formed and hence, no case for permission to axe the trees was moved.

The executive officer of Nalagarh municipal committee, Sudhir Sharma, said he was not aware of any such felling of trees and was at Baddi.

Hence, he could not even visit the spot.

The administration has taken the issue very lightly even after mediapersons brought it to their notice.

The trees were cut to widen the road as it created a traffic bottleneck. But in the absence of any permission to axe the fully-grown trees that, too, on a busy road has put a question mark over the role of the administration.

The work was, however, being done after the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Industrial Development Authority provided some funds for widening of the road.

Officials of the PWD, who were also members of this committee, denied having information about this issue. The SDM was unavailable for comment.

Nalagarh DFO Anil Joshi, said the land in question belonged to the municipal committee and hence, they had no jurisdiction over it.

Shimla, September15
The high court today directed the state government to consider the matter with regard to increase in the honorarium of anganwari workers. The court also directed the state to take up the matter with the Central Government.

Passing the order, Justice Rajiv Sharma said if the honorarium paid to the anganwari workers could be increased, bring it to a minimum subsisting wage level, at least. “This exercise falls within the ambit of policy. The court will not substitute its wisdom for the wisdom of the state government; …..to what extent the honorarium may be increased,” the court said. It further observed that the makers of the policy had to take into consideration that there was no violation of any Constitutional rights available to the citizens while drawing broader contours or blueprints. “The right to get wage is a human right,” it said.

The court said the state must always strive to ensure a decent living standard for its citizens, taking care of their food, housing, clothing and minimum luxury of basic education to the children. The wages must be fixed according to the consumer index. “It is the duty cast upon the state under the Directive Principles of State Policy to ensure that every citizen gets at least decent living wage for the labour he/she puts in,” the court observed.

The petitioner in the case had said that anganwari workers in the state were getting only Rs 1,200 per month while anganwari helper got Rs 600 as honorarium per month. “These workers have to discharge arduous duties by taking care of infants for four hours daily. An anganwari worker is responsible to perform all duties related to the Integrated Child Development Scheme and women empowerment programmers as per the ICDS manual and instructions issued by the Centre and the state from time to time,” the petition said.

The court directed the state to take up the matter with the Centre and intimate the court in four weeks.

Dharamsala, September 15
The district police has recovered 450 gm poppy husk and Indian and foreign currency from two vehicles intercepted at Kandwal barrier on the Pathankot-
Kangra road.

The Kangra SP Atul Fulzele while talking to The Tribune said the objectionable material was recovered from two Scorpios at the naka. The occupants of the vehicles, including Kishori Lal, a resident of Vijay Nagar in Tutu, Shimla; Mohinder Pal, a resident of Malan village in Nagrota police station, Ajay Verma, a resident of Chaitru village near Dharamsala, Tyagi Ram, a resident of Darati village near Palampur, Subhash Chand,a resident of Bari village, Pardeep Kumar, a resident of Hatwal village, Mahesh, a resident of Tutu Shimla and Ravinder Singh, a resident of Shimla have been booked under NDPS Act and Section 379 of the IPC. The police also recovered Rs 3.30 lakh in Indian currency, $ 2500 and a truck engine and a generator from the vehicles.

The SP said that during interrogation the accused told the police that they purchased American currency from a person in the Kashmir valley. The police is suspecting the accused might be involved in hawala trading. The SP when asked said that the possibility of hawala trading could not be ruled out. 

Shimla, September15
Continuing its success story, the hill state has again done well in road connectivity and social sectors like education and health.

It has been ranked as the best state in the country in terms of investment environment, primary education and health and second in consumer market, macro-economy and infrastructure in a survey conducted by India Today.

Hailing the achievement, public works minister Gulab Singh, transport minister Kishan Kapoor and horticulture minister Narender Bragta said the outcome of the survey reflected the commitment of the state government to ensure all-round development.

Himachal Pradesh was the first state in the country to achieve the target of universalisation of elementary education and 100 per cent literacy, even ahead of Kerala. The state had 20 per cent enrolment in colleges, which was twice the national average.

“Increased awareness and quality health facilities at the doorstep of the people has improved the health indicators of the state, particularly life expectancy, immunisation, infant and maternal mortality. It has been ranked the top state in investment environment in the country mainly because of its investor friendly policy, efficient administration, uninterrupted power supply and peaceful law and order situation. It has already attracted an investment of more than Rs 3,500 crore, creating not only gainful employment to the skilled and educated youth, but also significantly contributed towards state’s economy,” they said.

The survey observed that Himachal Pradesh had become role model for other states when it came to development priorities. It had given top priority to roads, health, education and self-employment, the survey observed.

Dharamsala, September 15
The Tibetan parliament-in-exile has decided to hold a special meeting on Tibet from November 12 to 22. A proposal to this effect was adopted in its ongoing sixth session today. It would now be submitted to the Dalai Lama for authorisation.

Earlier, the Dalai Lama had called for a special meeting as enshrined in article 59 of the Charter of the Tibetans-in-Exile.

The draft proposal was put forward by Kalon Tripa and supported by the deputy speaker.

After an extensive discussion, parliament unanimously approved the proposal. The meeting would be held at Tibetan Children’s Village School at Dharamsala.

The composition of the representatives for the meeting will include members of Tibetan parliament, members of Kashag, former Kalons, CTA officials based at Dharamsala, two envoys of the Dalai Lama, his representatives, settlement or welfare officers, representatives from the local assemblies, four schools of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon religion, heads of the schools, overseas Tibetan associations and representatives from Tibetan non-governmental organisations.

The heads of the three independent bodies of the Central Tibetan Administration will attend the inaugural and the sessions of the meeting.

During the first four days of the meeting, 10 to 15 small committees will be formed to deliberate on the proposal and each committee will submit its recommendations to the general meeting on the fifth day.

Based on these recommendations, a final resolution will be passed.

The meeting is likely to decide the future course of action for Tibetans-in-exile to carry on their struggle against China.

Mandi, September 15
The state Youth Congress chief Manmohan Katoch on Saturday came out with Rahul Gandhi’s ‘talisman’ for party workers. “Our workers will go to each village for social work and come back winning peoples’ confidence,” Katoch said while interacting with mediapersons here today for the first time in this central region after assuming office.

“We need to work a lot and the Youth Congress will leave no stone unturned,” he added. He listed the National Rural Guarantee Programme, RTI Act, Rajiv Gandhi Vidyut Yojna, Rs 70,000 crore loan waiver for farmers and the nuclear deal with the USA as the real achievements of the UPA government.

Quoting Rahul Gandhi, Katoch said enough of dharnas and slogan shouting. “It is now time for some solid social work in the villages, which would also be the criteria for selecting youth Congress leaders and office bearers,” he said.

“We will adopt senior citizens homes at Sundernagar and ensure proper care for the elderly,” he added.

He said youths would stake claims for representation in party tickets only when they have done enough social work. Katoch said he had visited 10 districts in the state and would soon constitute the Youth Congress executive in the state.

Dharamsala, September 15
The state unit of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) seems to be heading for a confrontation with the district administration and the state government.

State general secretary of the sangh Kuldeep Guleria organised a press conference here today and criticised the district administration for calling a joint consultative committee meeting of worker unions on September 17.

He said the meeting had been called for thwarting the state-level maha-panchayat called by the sangh at Shimla on the same day.

“The meeting has been called at the district level to create confusion among the workers so that the sangh fails to put up its show of strength in the proposed rally at Shimla. However, the sangh is fully prepared. It will hold a rally at Shimla and force the government to give due recognition to worker organisations affiliated with the BMS,” he said.

“Certain leaders of the opposition party, who have otherwise lost confidence among workers, are being recognised by the district administration. Such union leaders have also been called for the meeting,” he added.

The BMS leaders threatened to launch an agitation if the government allowed the district administration Kangra to go ahead with the proposed meeting.

Interestingly, though the BMS is considered affiliated with the ruling party, its leaders seem to be peeved with their patron government.

Some of the BMS leaders expressed apprehension that the government might be trying to keep the union in check by splitting workers.

Kuldeep Guleria also said they might have to march to the CM’s office on September 17, if no assurance was received from the government regarding their demands.

Malana (Kullu), September 15
The Himalayan Phyto-Chemical Growers Association (HIMPA), an NGO that came here on Sunday with a proposal to provide a viable economic alternative to cannabis cultivation in the Malana area, faces a huge task as around 2,100 villagers remain a divided house over its proposal. The NGO has proposed to set up self-help groups for “a model demonstration herbal farm”.

Narcotics smugglers remained absent from the seminar on alternative crops that was held here on Sunday. Scientists from the IBHT, Palampur, Palampur Agricultural University, GP Pant Institute of Himalayan Development and Environment, HAREC, Bajaura, Indian Agricultural Vigyan Kendra, Katrain, and HDO and DFO, Kullu, addressed over 150 families of the village.Scientist D.R. Nag advised villagers to grow herbs and ‘divya aushdhi” found in Malana itself. It would give them more income than what they got from cannabis (bhang) at present. “First we will set up a herbal inventory in Malana as future of herbal trade lies in cultivating the endangered species,” he said.

Nag and B. Singh from the IHBT listed several herbal and medicinal plant species best suited for cultivation in Malana. These included sugandhbala, atis, kadu, ban kakri, beri beri, artinesia, chanata, rakhal, maluxis, hathpaja, dhoop, jata and minsa.

O.P. Sharma, who pioneered anti-bhang drives in Malana as the then NCB superintendent, assured villagers that the NGO would provide funds, set up demonstration farm and train them as to how to grow herbs, flowers and market them. President HIMPA and herbal industrialist Surinder Mohan assured villagers that they would buy herbs directly from them. Pardhan of the Malana panchayat Deli Ram, up-pradhan Puni Ram, ward member Budh Ram, kardar Shukru and pujari of Jamdagni Rishi Surjan, who attended the seminar, accepted the HIMPA proposal to grow alternative crops. 

Shimla, September 15
The arrest of two local youth and the possible involvement of some Kashmiri labourers in the counterfeit currency racket within the state have rung alarm bells for the police and the CID who have stepped up vigil against such anti-social elements.

The police today raided the houses of Mahesh alias Nikku and Kishori Lal alias Gogi in the Totu area of the town. Though the police did not find anything incriminating during the raid but the fact that they were involved in such a crime which could have links in the Pulwama area of Jammu and Kashmir, the police is being extra cautious.

The two were arrested today by the Kangra police with Rs 4 lakh currency and $ 2,500 at Kandwal today morning. Both were earlier booked by the police in cases of auto theft and minor offences. The fact that the counterfeit currency was bound for Shimla has caused concern to the police as more local youth could be involved in the crime.

On a tip-off from the CID the local police had questioned a Kashmiri labourer, hailing from Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir three days back.

“Though it is yet to be ascertained if the currency seized is fake but we will take whatever action is needed to keep a check on such elements,” said SP, R.M. Sharma. He added that according to intelligence agencies, the Kashmiri labourer was the main link of the mafia involved in the racket of counterfeit currency. 

Sundernagar, September 15
The recent decision of the Cabinet to reduce the grant-in-aid for private colleges to 50 per cent, and that too subject to the availability of funds, has been giving sleepless nights to hundreds of employees, including teaching and non-teaching staff.

Earlier, these institutions were getting 95 per cent grant-in-aid.

Employees of four private colleges would be adversely affected by the decision. These are: St Bede’s College (more than 100-year-old), Maharaja Laxman Sen Memorial College, Sundernagar, DAV College, Kangra, and DAV College, Kotkhai. Earlier, eight private college were covered under the scheme, but four of them have been already taken over by the government.

Lectures working in these colleges said they had not opted to join the government colleges earlier as 95 per cent of their salary was assured by the government as per the old scheme, but the present move would make their lives miserable. This would escalate the education cost, affecting around 9,000 students.

According to president of HP Non-Government College Lectures Association C.P. Kaushal, the teaching and non-teaching staff in these institutions had been working against the posts duly approved by the state government and the HPU. The government had sanctioned these posts with a commitment that 95 per cent of the salary would be borne by it.

According to some academicians, “These colleges have been contributing significantly towards providing higher education to a large number of students from rural background. The government should provide 95 per cent grain-in-aid to these institution as per its initial commitment.”

The State Lecturers Association has taken up the matter of grant-in-aid with the education minister and the Chief Minister. The association has urged the government to restore 95 per cent grant-in-aid for these colleges. The association also plans to meet the Chief Minister in this connection.

Jawalamukhi (Dharamsala), September 15
Better management at the Jawalaji temple in Kangra district has led to a substantial increase in the temple income and better facilities for pilgrims.

According to sources, the temple income from January to August this year has gone up by Rs 53.35 lakh as compared to last year. Last year, the temple income during the same period was Rs 2.06 crore, whereas it has increased to Rs 2.59 crore this year.

The increase in income is being attributed to temple management’s steps towards curtailing thefts. Close-circuit cameras have been installed in the main hall of the temple. The exit from the temple has been regulated and no person is allowed to enter the temple from there. This step of the administration had evoked protests from barridars (priests of the temple).

Earlier, some unscrupulous elements used to allow entry into to temple through the exit gate by charging money from those desiring to avoid standing in long queues. This not only caused loss of revenue to the temple, but also caused chaos during mela days.

Temple administrator S.K. Nayar, however, declined to comment on the measures taken to control thefts in the temple. He, however, said elaborate arrangements had been made at the temple in view of the security threat.

Metal detectors had been installed at the gates and single-line entry made mandatory to avoid accidents, he added.

Efforts are being made to remove encroachments in and around the temple area. As per the master plan of the temple, an area of about 3 km has been declared no-construction zone. No sale or purchase of land is allowed in the area. However, commercial buildings can be seen coming up in area despite the notification.