Shimla, December 4
Economic adviser to the Prime Minister Suresh D. Tendulkar has asserted that there was no “real” recession in the country and the economy was only going through a “crisis of confidence” created by negative sentiments generated in the wake of global meltdown.

Talking to mediapersons here today, he said the exact impact of the meltdown could not be quantified at the moment as it would largely depend on “how deep” and “how long” it would last in the western countries, some of which were actually slipping into recession.

The negative sentiment had led to an economic slowdown and the sectors dependent on exports had been the worst hit. However, Indian banks have not been affected at all and these had, in fact, emerged stronger and were in a position to provide finance in the time of worldwide liquidity crunch. It was another matter that most industries even within the country were wary of raising loans due lack of demand.

The fundamentals of the Indian economy were still strong at it was growing at 7.6 per cent as against 9.3 per cent last year. “It is a very healthy growth rate in the current crisis situation as until four years ago 5 per cent growth was considered a big achievement,” he added. There was no problem on the payment front and the foreign exchange reserves stood at $ 255 billion.

It was not easy to predict when the situation would improve as the genesis of the crisis in the country was not based on real economic factors but on “negative sentiments” generated by the global slowdown. One could not really forecast when the sentiment would improve.

A team comprising the Prime Minister, the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission and the RBI Governor was closely monitoring the situation and required steps were being taken from time to time. There was no real cause for worry but the lack of demand would certainly have an impact on employment. The country would be less affected by the current crisis as compared with China that had been much more integrated into the global economy.

Shimla, December 4
Recognising the importance of environment statistics as an emerging area, the National Conference of the Central and the State Statistical Organisations (COSCSSO) has underlined the need for generating data on environmental indicators in accordance with the Framework for Development of Environment Statistics (FDES). It was a priority area that required focus to effectively deal with the challenge of climate change.

The national conference of central and state organisations in progress at Shimla on Thursday. A Tribune photo

It was observed that the sheer large number of indicators under different areas of concern like air pollution, water quality, solid and waste water management, land use, deforestation and urbanisation, made it impossible to assess the state of environment at a particular point of time. It was decided that some key indicators be selected under each area that could be collectively used for the purpose.

Inaugurating the conference, chairman of the national statistical commission and economic adviser to the Prime Minister Suresh D. Tendulkar said climatic change had both positive and negative consequences for different countries in varying magnitudes and the challenge was to mitigate the negative fallout while exploiting the favourable impact for the best advantage of the community. Statistics of environment would act as critical input for policy making.

The central and state statistical organisations must gear up and respond by introducing appropriate organisational arrangements for what might be a difficult statistical work to be undertaken in accordance with a tight time schedule.

Union secretary, Ministry of Environment Statistics, Pronab Sen said there was a need to hold discussions among states to deal with the issue of environment on a common platform.

Kangra, December 4
Patients, who have to undergo surgeries in the Dr R.P. Government Medical College, Tanda, have to suffer a lot as the hospital continues to be understaffed in all spheres.

To top it all, the department of anaesthesia is the worst affected.

Following a survey done by this newspaper, it has been found that the department requires at least seven consultants and 16 registrars to carry out safe surgeries in the 500-bedded hospital.

But there are only five consultants and three registrars in the department who work in two shifts.

Moreover, among the three registrars, two are not even properly qualified for the job and their services are being utilised in view of the acute shortage of doctors.

It has also been found that there are only five operation theatres functioning at the moment besides round-the-clock emergency.

Some doctors on the condition of anonymity said the reputation of this medical college was at stake and for this the government should take steps to recruit the required staff, including doctors and other paramedical staff.

Attendants of head injury patients also demanded that the government should admit neurosurgeons with a few registrars of the neurosurgery department in this college so that the cases of head injury could be treated here to save lives.

However, the hospital management has been improved considerably following the posting of the new medical superintendent by the government recently.

Residents of the area urged the Chief Minister for developing a proper mechanism to fill the vacant posts of doctors and other paramedical staff.

New Delhi, December 4
The Supreme Court has found a schoolteacher guilty of outraging the modesty of a girl student and thereafter intimidating her.

A Bench comprising Mr Justice Arijit Pasayat and Mr Justice Mukundakam Sharma, however, acquitted schoolteacher Prem Singh of the charge of rape.

The prosecutrix had alleged that the accused had outraged not only her modesty, but also that of several other girl students. The Mandi trial court had found the accused guilty of rape, outraging the modesty and criminal intimidation and sentenced him to 10-year imprisonment for rape and six months each for the remaining two offences.

The high court, however, acquitted the accused of all charges.

The apex courtnoted, “So far as the delay in lodging the FIR in question is concerned, the delay in a case of sexual assault cannot be equated with the cases involving other offences”.

“'There are several factors, which weigh in the mind of the prosecutrix and her family members before coming to the police station to lodge a complaint. In a tradition-bound society, prevalent in India, more particularly rural areas, it will be quite unsafe to throw out the prosecution case merely on the ground that there is some delay in lodging the FIR,” the court said.

The apex court, however, recorded the finding that the basic ingredients set out in Section 375 of the IPC (defining rape) are missing.

In its judgement, copies of which were made available to the media today, the apex court said since it was stated that the accused had already undergone imprisonment for a period more than the sentence of two-year-and-a-half awarded to him, he need not surrender. — UNI

Solan, December 4
The police today arrested four persons, including a nambardar, for committing forgery, cheating and hatching a conspiracy for executing the sale deed of agricultural land of an old farmer at Dhillon village under Barog Patwar circle falling in Kasauli tehsil. some time back.

The arrests were made after the court refused to grant them anticipatory bail in the case.

Earlier, the police had registered a case against eight people, including field officials of the Revenue Department after a farmer Dhani Ram lodged a complaint in the matter. The complainant residing in the Sultanpur area had stated that eight people — Phool Chand, Mani Ram, Shiv Ram, Padam Singh, Devi Chand, Devender Singh, village nambardar Mohan Singh and Patwari of local patwar circle Kamal Kishore had allegedly sold about 3.15 bighas of agricultural land to some people in July. This sale deed was executed on the basis of a fake general power of attorney prepared by the accused on July 26.

The accused not only used the fake GPA but managed to execute the sale deed of his land in September.

It was the claim of some unknown people who visited the village and said that they had bought that land on November 15 that the entire incident was exposed.

Solan tehsildar Bishambhar Jhagta also lodged a separate complaint in the matter.

DSP Narvir Rathode said since their bail was rejected in the court they were arrested soon afterwards.

Those arrested included Dhani Ram who had allegedly appeared before the tehsildar as owner of the land, Jeevan Singh and witnesses Mohan Singh and Mani Ram had been arrested today.

However, another accused Phool Chand who was instrumental in preparing the fake GPA was yet to be traced. The four arrested would be produced before the court tomorrow.

Mandi, December 4
The police today registered a case against four police officials in the Mandi sadar police station after Judicial Magistrate (first class) Gurmeet Kaur directed the SHO Mandi sadar to register an FIR against the police officials in the case of an “alleged illegal confinement and thrashing of an advocate, Gitanand Thakur, by the police during night patrolling on Saturday.

The complainant has named SP Mandi M. Chander Sekhar, ASP Mandi Abhishek Dulail, SHO Mandi sadar H. Saini and Jaysi Ram, an ASI, as the accused in the case.

Mandi SP M. Chandra Sekhar said he had requested the DIG Central Range to appoint an investigating officer in the case so that a free and fair probe was done.

The police had nothing to hide in the case as the complainant had fabricated the case to implicate the entire police officials, the officials claimed.

Thakur had filed a complaint in the court here on Monday, accusing the police officials under Sections 156-3 of the CrPC and of confining him illegally in the police station that night when he was coming back after attending a wedding party. He alleged that the police neither lodged the complaint nor allowed him to talk to his relatives when he was arrested.

Thakur alleged that he had brought the matter to the notice of the SP that night, but policemen did not register the complaint. “They thrashed me so badly that I have lost my hearing sense”, he claimed.

Dismissing the advocate’s allegation as a pure concoction, the SP Mandi said the police arrested the advocate as he was creating ruckus at the riverbank restaurant that night. “When they tried to stop him, he misbehaved with them”, he added.

He claimed that he was in an inebriated condition and was arrested under preventive Sections of 107 and 151 of the CrPC.

The SP added that he was taken to the zonal hospital for a medical examination, but he also created a scene there and refused to undergo the medical examination.

Shimla, December 4
The much-delayed project of translocation of 12 temples submerged in the waters of Gobind Sagar Lake in Bilaspur district may finally take off as the Union Ministry of Tourism and Culture has agreed to treat it as monuments of national importance.

Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal said a communication in that regard was received from Union Minister of Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni today. He appreciated Soni for asking the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to take up the translocation work as this would help save ancient temples dating back to eighth century. “The sentiments of the people would be honoured as they had been demanding that these temples be saved from being lost completely as these remain submerged in water for almost six months in a year,” he said.

He said the state authorities would extend all possible help to the ASI for undertaking the task. “It was the generosity of the people of Bilaspur that they agreed to the submersion of temples and the town to pave the way for the completion of the first hydroelectric power project of the country in 1963,” he said.

Out of the 28 temples, 12 were of great monumental value and these needed to be saved at all cost. With the Union ministry giving nod to the project, there would now be no dearth of funds as the submerged temples would be treated as monuments of national importance.

Dharamsala, December 4
The district human resource development report that was presented in the district planning board meeting here has brought to fore certain startling facts about Kangra district.

As per the secondary data available in the district, declining sex ratio in the 0 to 6 year age group is an area of major concern for policy makers. Author of the report Varinder Singh, professor in the department of agri-economics at Palampur Agriculture University, said though the health authorities were claiming that the sex ratio had improved over the past few years in the said age group, the data indicated that it was an area of major concern.

As per the report, 50 per cent workers in Kangra district are marginal workers, who get employment for just 183 days in a year. This high percentage, according to the report, is indicative of livelihood insecurity among a majority of the population. Bhawama block ranks at the bottom on the livelihood index, while Paragpur block is at the top.

The report also dwells on staff shortage in health and educational institutions. Seventeen per cent of the primary schools in the district have only one teacher.

On the health front, Indora block ranks the lowest, while Baijnath block is the best. The ranking of other blocks is Nagrota Surian 2, Bhawama 3, Lambagaon 4, Sulah 5, Dehra 6, Nagrota Bagwan 7, Nurpur 8, Paragpur 9, Kangra 10, Panchrukhi 11, Fetehpur 12 and Rait 13.

Shimla, December 4
The government ordered promotions and postings of five Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers here today. A meeting of the screening committee in this regard was held last month.

Three IFS officers of the 1989 batch, Amitabh Gautam, Rajesh J. Ekka and K.S. Thakur, have been promoted from the post of the DFO to conservator. Gautam has been given proforma promotion as he is on a Central deputation. Ekka, forest utilisation officer (FUO), Shimla, has been posted as the conservator (projects) in place of Archana Sharma.

Thakur, who was serving as the DFO, Shimla, has been posted as the conservator (wildlife).

Archana Sharma has been posted as the conservator (CAT plans). Rajesh Sharma, DFO (urban), Shimla, has been posted as the DFO of the Shimla territorial division. He will continue to hold additional charge of the DFO (urban), Shimla, till further orders.

Similarly, Ekka will continue to hold additional charge of the FUO till further orders.

Dharamsala, December 4
The Rising Star Corps organised a khad race competition here in which participants, most of the Army personnel from the formations of the command, ran through a rivulet near here. The event was organised in the area of Nod Khad in Yol.

The preparations for the final event were going on in the area for the past two weeks with troops scanning hills and rivulets in their regimental colours.

Representing all formations of ‘Rising Star Corps,’ including Division and Corps troops, as many as 18 teams participated in it. The teams were selected after having won their respective formation race competitions.

GOC ‘Rising Star Corps’ Lieut-Gen Vinay Sharma gave away prizes to all participants and special awards to individual position holders, winners and runners up teams.

The event was won by 2/1 Gorkha Rifles (GF). Shree Ram Pandey of 2/1 GR won the first position, Tej Bahadur Thapa of 2/1 GR, the second and Mohd Guftar of 1 JAK LI, the third. Shree Ram Pande of 2/1 GR was also nominated by the general officer as the ‘Rising Star Mascot’.