Shimla, November 27
High alert has been sounded by the police as surveillance has been stepped up at all interstate borders, including Chamba and places of tourist interest, along with activation of bomb disposal squads at all district headquarters.

DGP G.S. Gill today held a series of meetings with the top brass of the police and intelligence agencies to ensure that the forces were prepared to tackle any eventuality in view of the terrorist attack in Mumbai. With the militants specially tragetting hotels, instructions were issued to all district police chiefs to step up security and surveillance at all hotels, serais and other places of stay of outsiders. Checking of suspected persons and vehicles would be done at all entry places.

“All SPs have been asked to step up surveillance and security to guard against suspected persons, vehicles or objects and especially keep an eye on hotels and serais,” said S.R. Mardi, IG, law and order. He said extra care would be taken at places of tourist interest like McLeodganj, Kullu and Shimla.

The hoteliers would be requested by the police to have adequate security check and keep proper identification of those walking into their hotels. “The district police chiefs have been directed to hold talks with hoteliers so that there is a proper system to check the identity of visitors along with the installation of close-circuit cameras,” said Mardi. Security of foreign tourists would be given priority.

Directions have been issued for formation of quick response teams (QRT) at every district headquarter so that they are on alert round the clock to meet any eventuality. “The preparedness of the bomb disposal squads was also discussed,” said Mardi.

Mandi , November 27
Even as the police sounded a ritualistic high alert in the state in the aftermath of terror attacks in Mumbai last night, the hoteliers, tourist operators and project operators remain negligent in enforcing proper vigilance verifying proper identity proof and documents not only of the domestic tourists, but also of the foreign tourists while they check into hotels.

The Tribune inquiries from hoteliers and travel agents revealed that hoteliers had no security cameras installed at the hotel reception to keep a watch on the anti-social elements who might come in the guise of tourists.

Chairman, Manali hoteliers association, Gautamnath Thakur said, “The time has come that security cameras should be installed at the reception of each hotel in the state.”

Thakur added that the hoteliers informed the police within 24 hours of arrival of each foreign tourist, but there was no proper identification of domestic tourists when they checked into hotels. “Now we sit up and take notice that even domestic tourists should be advised to keep proper identity cards,” he added.

“The police can get deal with any emergency situation and the vigilance ensures security of guests as well,” said Sanjay Thakur, a hotelier in Shimla.

Hoteliers said that there was an urgent need of awareness on vigilance in this direction.

But there was another group of hoteliers which said that the installation of security cameras amounted to upset their guests, but there was no difference of opinion that security cameras and proper identification of visitors was the need of hour. 

Shimla, November 27
The BJP government may have managed to wriggle out of the Brakel controversy, its decision to refuse power and land for the steel plant proposed to be set up at Nahan by the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) has sown the seeds of another controversy.

The government has, through a written communication, informed SAIL that the system for the supply of power was not in place at the proposed location at Dhaulakuan in Sirmaur district. It further pointed out that augmentation of the power transmission system on cost-sharing basis would take “considerably long time” and as such advised the central public undertaking to set up the plant at Kandrori in Kangra district.

It has also turned down the request for allotment of government land to make the project viable on the grounds that land was not available at the proposed site and made it clear that the company would have to purchase land from private owners at mutually negotiated prices. It maintained though the original proposal was for Dhaulakuan, it was mutually agreed to set up the plant at Kandrori.

The refusal to give 4.6 MW power to a central public undertaking will certainly trigger a controversy because four months ago the government had granted permission for setting up mega private steel units in Sirmaur that together required 88 MW of power. The projects were approved although power-intensive units are in the negative list.

The issue also has political overtones as the project was got sanctioned by union minister for steel Ram Bilas Paswan at the behest of national general secretary of the Lok Jan Shakti Party Sadanand Chuhan while he was MLA from Nahan. He is already terming the decision as an act of discrimination against Sirmaur, one of the most backward districts of the state.

The LJSP leader said the government had closed down its Nahan foundry, one of the oldest units of the region, and now that he had been able to secure a central project using his personal influence, it was creating hurdles in its implementation. He said SAIL was prepared to purchase private land and it had already identified some land, but the project could not be set up until power was assured.

He alleged the BJP government was obliging private companies and creating obstacles in the way of projects sanctioned by the Centre for political reason, but ultimately the people of the state would have to pay for its indiscretions.

Shimla, November 27
After successful breeding and conservation of the western tragopan, the state wildlife authorities are now preparing to undertake similar projects for saving the highly endangered Himalayan tahr, chir pheasant, monal and the brown ear.

With the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) approving the starting of these projects, the state wildlife authorities have chosen the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP), Kullu, as the venue for the breeding programme of Himalayan tahr, which is a kind of mountain goat found in the snow-bound areas above 7,000 feet.

The breeding and conservation programme for the monal will be undertaken in Manali. The endangered animal species is found in areas having height between 5,000 to 6,000 feet, especially in areas having thick deodar and oak forests.

“It is after the successful breeding and conservation of the western tragopan that the state has been chosen for undertaking these projects,” said a senior official. The breeding and conservation project for chir pheasant is in the final stage at the Chail sanctuary.

The spadework for preparing the blueprint for brown bear breeding programme had also been initiated. Although brown bear is found in abundance in America, it is a threatened species in the Asian region.

So Himachal has been chosen as the nodal state for undertaking the conservation task.

The moment the detailed project is ready, it will be sent to the CZA for approval.

Though the Kufri nature park is likely to be the venue for this programme, the authorities are in search of a site that is better suited and closer to the rehabilitation areas, located at greater heights.

Solan, November 27
A toll-free number would soon be available in the district for those wanting to get information about the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). This number would act like a helpline to facilitate job-seekers and those wanting to equip themselves with any information relating to the ambitious poverty-alleviation Centre Government’s scheme.

This was stated by DC Amandeep Garg while addressing mediapersons here today. He said the popularity of the scheme had been hit to some extent due to gap in disseminating information about its broader parameters. However, necessary information has now been made available to officials. He said the presence of varied industries and off-season farming in the district was another reason why the rural folks were less enchanted to eke out a living by working as labourers, thus reducing its popularity.

Garg said 1,99,215 man days had been generated under the scheme that was launched in April this year and total of 31,246 job cards had been made which comprised 41 per cent of the targeted 76,000 rural households in the district.

The DC also reiterated the government’s resolve to banish scavenging by 2010 and added that out of the 211 panchayats at least 78 had been made open defecation free.

He said committees comprising health workers, mahila mandals, panchayat representatives and officials had been constituted to sensitise people about the total sanitation campaigns. Periodic monitoring and awareness would help generate more response to the scheme that had hitherto proved to be tough in implementation.

Solan, November 27
Peeved at the resolve of the Himachal Pradesh Petroleum Dealers Association to suspend lifting of supplies from tomorrow, the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) today assured them of addressing their grievances at the earliest.

The association had earlier given a call to suspend lifting of supplies of petrol and diesel for an unlimited period as per the new contract floated by the IOC under which supplies had to be lifted from Ambala. As per the existing arrangement, the supplies are lifted from Parwanoo.

Association president Sukumar Singh said they had decided to postpone their protest after the senior officials at Chandigarh assured them that their senior officials from Mumbai had specially come to Chandigarh to work out a solution. This has come as a relief to the association that had till now been feeling let down by the terms and conditions of the new tender that would become applicable from January 1, 2009.

Shimla, November 27
In a major administrative reshuffle, the government today ordered the transfer and postings of seven IAS and 13 HAS officers with Amar Singh Rathore, Director, Urban Development, as Deputy Commissioner, Bilaspur.

A.J.V. Prasad, presently Director, HIPA, has been posted as Divisional Commissioner, Kangra, relieving Sanjay Gupta of the additional charge. S.K. Baldi, Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, will hold the additional charge of Director, HIPA.

V.C. Katoch, posted as Settlement Officer, Shimla Division as MD, HP Electronics Development Corporation, relieving Subhashish Panda of the additional charge. Panda, Director, Social Justice and Empowerment will now also hold additional charge of MD, HP State Minorities Finance Development Corporation.

Devesh Kumar, DC, Bilaspur, has been posted as Director, IT. He will also hold the additional charge of the post of the post of Director, Town and Country Planning. Mamta, ADC Kangra, will also hold the additional charge of additional registrar, Cooperatives Societies, Kangra, and Settlement Officer, Kangra, has been posted as ADC, Solan. She will also hold additional charge of Chief Executive Officer, Special Area Development Authority for Baddi Barotiwala and Nalagarh.

Among HAS officers, J.C. Chauhan, RTO, Dharamsala, will hold additional charge of Settlement Officer. 

Shimla, November 27
Lack of awareness among the general public about the Copyright Act is depriving the music composers, lyricists and music publishers of their due by way of royalty.

Stating this here today senior general manager of the Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS) Kunal Sarin said in a big country like India where music was an integral part to of life only about 1,700 members have been enrolled as against over 1.60 lakh in the USA and over 1 lakh in the UK where such societies came into existence long ago. Music was being played in restaurants, hotels, bars, departmental stores, banks, shopping plazas, discothèques and even cricket matches and various live public performances, but very few knew that it required a licence from the IPRS. The society was now making efforts to create awareness among the people and persuading them to obtain license.

Last year over 11,000 licenses were issued by the society, which was negligible. The total license fee collected last year was Rs 10 crore as against Rs 7 crore in the previous year. The royalty collected for broadcast of music through radio and other such modes amounted to Rs 650 crore.

In Shimla only seven hotel and restaurant had licenses, mostly chains like Barista and Domino, which had obtained centralised licenses for chain outlets. No composer, song writer and publisher of musical works had enrolled himself with the society from Himachal Pradesh so far. Even the government agencies which organise various festivals in the state, which has live musical performances, were unaware that license had to be obtained from the society for such events under the Copyright on business in musical and literary works.

The money collected by way of license fee, the rates of which differed for various modes of public entertainment for which music was used, was distributed to the members depending upon the volume of their creative works. Recently the State Bank of India, HDFC Bank and some other financial institutions, which play music in their branches for the entertainment of public had obtained centralised license for the purpose. The infringement of the Act was punishable with a fine and imprisonment ranging from six months to three years, but the society was so far mostly using persuasive methods.

Andhretta (Kangra), November 27
There are still rare works of Sobha Singh, the legendary artist, which have not seen the light of the day. This was evident from this reporter’s visit to the Sobha Singh Art Gallery here on November 25, which has become a mecca of art connoisseurs. It is heartening to note that the legacy of the divine painter is well-nourished and well-nurtured by his daughter Gurcharan Kaur and her son Dr Hirdaypal Singh after the artist’s death in 1986.

Oil paintings normally have a life span of 300 years and towards that end the artist’s works are quite secure as the mother-son due is taking all precautions to prevent the paintings from direct light, dust and moisture- normally considered enemy of paintings. It may also be conceded that the greatness of Sobha Singh cannot be fully appreciated and realised without paying a visit to his art house. On display are rare works by the master painter- there is a huge painting of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh in dark green shade. Second painting which captures your attention is that of Guru Gobind Singh, battling single-handedly with a sword in hand with two lions. The details and expressions of the Guru and that of the struggling animal are a study in contrast. This painting in particular has so far remained hidden from the gaze of art collectors and may fetch a huge price if put on auction.

Similarly, there are paintings which the painter had to do three or four times to preserve a particular painting but most were taken away by art lovers. Famous the world over Sohni-Mahiwal painting was done four times by Sobha Singh, then a different painting of Kanwer Naunihal Singh, grandson of Ranjit Singh, also adores the walls of art gallery, like other works, this is also a great piece of art not found in circulation.

But the last painting which Sobha Singh attempted before his death was that of Bhagat Ravi Dass. It lies as an incomplete work. According to Dr Hirdaypal Singh, two parties, one from England and the other from Jalandhar, approached us to buy the painting but with certain modifications. ‘But we refused to touch his work of such a great painter.

After all, it would have been a sacrilege to tamper with the painting of Sobha Singh. So much is he revered that none touches his belongings- they remain as he left- his pallet, brushes,a wrist watch, a Bush radio and his typewriter. None uses his room,’ said Hirdaypal Singh.

But his kith and kin are paying back the debt in the form of various art workshops they keep organising every year for village girls to make them self-reliant. Today, as a tribute, the road in front of the gallery and house is named after Sobha Singh. 

Shimla, November 27
The high court today directed the state government and the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) to file their response within 10 days in connection with a petition challenging the supply order given by the board to HPL Socomec company for providing CFLs.

It has been alleged in the petition that there had been irregularities in the award of contract to the said company. The petitioner has alleged that the CFL bulbs to be supplied by the company are of substandard quality and have been tested for 2,000 hours only.

After the hearing the matter for some time, the Bench comprising Chief Justice Jagdish Bhalla and Mr Justice Kuldip Singh sought response from the board and also from the government and adjourned the matter till December 12.

The board had given a contract to HPL Socomec for supplying of 10 lakh CFLs. The company has to supply CFLs within 75 days from the day of placement of order. The five companies that had qualified the technical bids included Havels India, Surya, Asian, Phoenix and HPL Socomec.

Kangra, November 27
Tension gripped Jawalamukhi this afternoon on the concluding day of the three-day state youth festival following a protest by artistes regarding the alleged biased judgements by the jury.

The artistes and NGOs sponsoring the candidates for the competition resorted to protest and slogan shouting soon after the arrival of chief guest Ramesh Dhawala, Minister for Food Supplies and Consumer Affairs, for the distribution of prizes. The protesters had been raising slogans against the jury and the organisers for their biased judgements.

The police also arrived on the scene to avert further worsening of the situation. Pawan Thakur, state president, Kala Sanskriti Parishad, Himachal Pradesh, told The Tribune that it was unfortunate that the jury was selecting artistes in a biased manner. He said, " A woman jury member and a music lecturer from Hamirpur college, were selecting the artistes while her daughter was also a participant in the lok geet competition." He raised fingers against another member of the jury, an APRO from Shimla, for wrong judgements." He said for them there was no option but to raise voice against the injustice.

DSP, Dehra, Kulwant Singh said that the police was deployed at the scene to avert further deterioration in the situation.

The protesters stopped the demonstration when the organisers held a meeting under the Chairmanship of the Deputy Director of Sports and Youth Welfare Department on the spot and decided to keep the judgements of the jury in abeyance. Ved Prakash Upadiyia, district officer, youth services and sports, Kangra, said, "An inquiry has been ordered and the judgements will be scrutinised". 

Nahan, November 27
Addressing a press conference here today Pushpender Rajput, Deputy Commissioner, Sirmour, said that strict action had been initiated over complaints received regarding the misappropriation of funds under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act [NREGA] scheme. “The progress made under this scheme during the current financial year was very encouraging,” he added.

The deputy commissioner said despite the social audit of the programme in the meetings of gram sabhas of panchayats, a special audit of 12 panchayats was done in the district for the first time to keep maximum transparency and accountability of agencies executing the scheme. Accounts of 10,922 beneficiaries have been opened in different banks and 16188 families have been engaged to execute 5234 development schemes under this programme.

He said under the total sanitation programme 70 gram panchayats would be covered during the current financial year while 18 gram panchayats had been made open defecation-free. 

Shimla, November 27
Accusing the Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) authorities of acting as BJP agents, the state body of the SFI and the Students Central Association (SCA) today submitted a memorandum to Governor Prabha Rau seeking her intervention in the matter.

State and campus leaders of the SFI, accompanied by the SCA members of HPU, sought intervention of Rau, who is also the Chancellor of the university, to put an end to highhandedness of the authorities. “At the behest of the BJP regime, the HPU authorities are preparing to change the recently formulated recruitment policy so that pro-BJP, RSS and ABVP persons can be inducted in HPU bodies,” said Mahender Singh Rana, state secretary of the SFI.

He said the recruitment policy approved during the tenure of former vice-chancellor Anil Wilson had been welcomed and appreciated by all sections, including teachers and students. “The authorities must be stopped from changing the recruitment policy in which 80 per cent marks are for academics and 20 per cent for interview,” he said.

They urged Rau to intervene so that only deserving and meritorious candidates are selected. “The present authorities have set up a three-member committee to look into the issue and the report is likely to be submitted in the meeting of the executive meeting scheduled for November 29,” he said. SFI activists said the HPU authorities were targetting certain sections of students and harassing them unnecessarily.

The SFI leaders, including campus president Jasbir Singh, campus secretary Naresh Sharma, SCA president Shikha Chauhan and SCA joint secretary Surinder urged, the Governor to intervene in the matter and put an end to the attempts by the authorities to push through the BJP agenda compromising with academic standards.

Nurpur, November 27
Up in arms against apathy of the state government to arrange lecturers against vacant posts in the local Arya Government College, the students of the college, who under the leadership of college Students Central Association had locked the premises yesterday, as a token protest continued their stir and abstained from classes today.

They held protest demonstration in the college premises and took out a rally. Later, they sat on a dharna in front of the SDM office and submitted a memorandum to the state government through the SDM, Nurpur.

SCA president Sham Singh and Ajad Chhatar Sangh president Swarn Singh alleged that under planned conspiracy the future of hundreds of students of the college was being played with.

Meanwhile, inquiries made from the state Education Department revealed that the department had initially ordered posting of Mahinder Kumar, lecturer in political science of the Government College at Dharamsala, and Raj Kumar, lecturer in Hindi from B.Ed College at Dharamsala, on deputation to the Arya Government College at Nurpur on October 7 vide office order EDN-H (8)-MIS/2007. However, both did not join here.

Mahinder Singh managed adjustment in the Government College at Nagrota Bhagwan on October 25. The delay in relieving him paved the way to amend department orders.

The Education Department again issued transfer order of Madhu Sharma, lecturer in Hindi, from Government College at Dhaliara to Nurpur on October 21 vide order EDN-A-Kha (6)-1/2003. Intriguingly, the order was stayed till further order on October 27. Again the Education Department ordered posting of three lecturers in Hindi, Sanskrit and political science from the Government College at Dharamsala on deputation with immediate effect to the Arya Government College at Nurpur on November 12, but they did not turn up so far resulting strike in the college here. They were not relieved even after a fortnight by the principal of Government College, Dharamsala.

Meanwhile, local MLA Rakesh Pathania today met Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal at Shimla and apprised him of the ongoing volatile situation in the local Arya Government College in the wake of agitation launched by the college students against the failure to join duty by lecturers who had been posted here on deputation by the state government.

Confirming this Pathania said Dhumal had taken a serious note on the non-compliance of orders of the government and ordered the Education Department to take prompt action in this connection to ensure posting of lecturers in the college against vacant lying posts.

Bilaspur, November 27
The police here has succeeded in arresting Manoj Kumar, alias Jugu, son of Rattan Lal Sandhu of Dadyana village, near here, along with 59 boxes of illegally kept liquor and five bottles of English wine kept in his house.

SP Kuldeep Sharma said the police party of special investigating unit here raided the house after getting information from public. He said the liquor is estimated to cost Rs 2.50 lakh.

The SP said the accused had taken a bank loan worth Rs 2 lakh and is said to have been using this loan for this illegal activity. A case has been registered and the matter was being investigated further for confirming any other links in this illegal trade.

In another sudden swoop the police on Wednesday night near here found 2.5 kg of charas kept on luggage carrier of a Manali to Delhi bound passenger bus (HP34-7169), but nobody claimed this contraband. A case has been registered.

Solan, November 27
Chinder Kaur (45) was found murdered in her jhuggi at Jharmajri this morning. The murder came to light when her husband Ajit Singh, who had gone to Chandigarh the previous evening, returned home in the morning and found her blood-soaked body lying on the bed.

Ajit runs a junk dealer shop at Jharmajri and originally belongs to Lal Bahadur Shastri Colony, Sector 56, Chandigarh. According to SP S.P.S.Verma, the woman had been brutally murdered by being repeatedly hit by an iron hammer that was recovered from the spot.

Interestingly, Hira Lal, a helper employed by the family, has been missing after the murder. Hailing from the Samastipur area of Bihar, Hira Lal telephonically informed Ajit Singh and a nearby dhaba owner that he had done the woman to death by taking help of anther person employed at an adjoining dhaba.

Efforts were on to trace Hira Lal through an acquaintance who worked in the area but was presently away to Delhi. The police had also recovered a blood-soaked dhoti belonging to Hira Lal from the spot that further confirmed that he had committed the crime.

Hira Lal had also taken away a cash amount of Rs 11,000 from there. A case under Section 302 of the IPC has been registered.