Hamirpur, January 3
Former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam said combating terrorism is a difficult task, but I suggest a unique solution to do it collectively, after discussing the issue with spiritual Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama yesterday at Dharamsala.

Addressing students of the NIT at Hamirpur today in the third convocation Dr Kalam said, “We reached at the conclusion; since terrorism is an act of violent mind of evil people, first we must dispense with our ego which would make our mind free of hatred and if hatred is dispensed than violence would vanish and every man must learn to face this challenge for combating terrorism.”

Talking about the NIT as an institution Dr Kalam said, “I visualise this institute as NIT academy of training teaching to teachers and as a partner in national development.”

Taking this perspective further he said, “First young engineers must learn the art of system integration, system design and system management since it was my personal experience and it is essential for the NIT to bring various groups of all streams on integration panel.”

Exhorting the NIT students and faculty Dr Kalam asked them to participate in the development of the state by adopting a nine-point mission.

He said, “Through this mission the NIT should work for 100 per cent literacy, including women, value addition to agricultural produce, health and basic amenities in rural areas, tapping hydel power, develop IT sector, mechanical and technological advancement for industries, value addition in other products and make NIT as multidisciplinary institution for all technical needs.”

Assuring the young engineers about lot of employment through mission 2020 Dr Kalam said, “If 6,000 villages in India are developed it would give lot of employment to every section and in fact rural prosperity would make India a prosperous nation.”

He said NIT engineers should contribute for Hamirpur district by finding technical support in “agriculture, food processing, providing a knowledge portal, energy security and alternative energy and they should look here for planting Jatrpoha and other diesel plants, supply of safe drinking water, research for pharmaceutical and auto industries and train higher secondary students for admission in NIT”.

Talking about the quality of a leadership of the country Dr Kalam said: “He must have a mission, passion to transform the mission, and action to carry the mission and tread an explored path.”

He also asked the students to work for the national integrity.

Chief Minister PK Dhumal who was guest of honour in this function asked the young engineers to contribute in the developing hydel and other projects in the state. As many as 218 bachelors of engineering and 32 MTech students were conferred degrees in the convocation out of which 171 were present.

Hamirpur, January 3
Former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam in his interaction with schoolchildren of Hamirpur district, before conferring degrees to the NIT passouts in the third convocation, asked them to take an oath that “I would always be righteous in heart, have beauty in character, bring the harmony at home and world and work 
with integrity”.

Dr Kalam also asked the students to “be good citizen, to make good family, a good society, a good nation and a good world.”

In an hour-long interaction with the students Dr Kalam talked about varied subjects like: what is knowledge and what they want to become, who would like to go to
Mars etc?”

He said: “My mission is to ignite the young minds since they are the most powerful tool for future development.”

Dr Kalam also shared his experiences about mission to moon, “I was happy to see jubilant smile on faces of our scientists after its success since it needed tremendous amount of latest and indigenous technology for ISRO scientists.”

He also talked about his sojourn in Greece and great contribution of its philosophers and said we must think how can be help our citizens and stress on everyday greatness.

He also administered them an oath of the year on working for national harmony and asked them to work in the villages.

In the question answer session with the students Dr Kalam said: “To combat terrorism all good people should work together since it is creation of evil mind, national level campaign on the issue and fight this crime with punishment.”

Dr Kalam also replied about “difference between INSAT 1B and INSAT 2B, about his personal life as narrated in his book, difference between PSLV and GSLV, flight to Mars, NPT and about reason for not marrying, to the questions of the students.”

Kangra, January3
Former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam left back for Delhi this evening in a regular flight from here on completion of his two-day tour to the state. He left with a gift of three books, which the Dalai Lama presented to him in his palace yesterday. These include Universe in Single Optom, Ethics in new millennium and Shanti Devi’s Bodhchariya Avtar. Kalam also presented his two latest books to the Dalai Lama.

Prime Minister Tibetan government-in-exile Prof Samdong Rinpoche said here today that the rare gesture of the Dalai Lama to receive Dr Kalam at the Kangra airport yesterday was because both leaders were old and affectionate friends. He said their subject of discussion was ‘Religion and Philosophy’ during their 40 minute travel from the airport to the palace of the Tibetan spiritual leader and also at their 30 minute meeting in the palace yesterday.

Rinpoche said during their half-an-hour meeting neither politics nor the present world scenario was discussed and both leaders exchanged books. He drove here from Hamirpur today to leave by air from here.

Shimla, January 3
The state government will decentralise powers to the urban local bodies and reorient their functioning so that they can play an effective role in urban planning and development.

This was stated by Transport and Urban Development Minister Kishan Kapoor while chairing the review meeting of the Urban Development Department here today. “We are keen that the urban bodies play an important role in urban planning as the urban population has increased by 30 per cent during the past decade,” he remarked.

Kapoor said with the increase in population more and more areas were falling under the definition of ‘town’. “The governemnt is committed to implement the 74th constitutional amendment to empower the urban local bodies with more powers so that they can extend their role beyond managing civic amenities,” he said.

He said delegating more powers to the urban local bodies will also help them generate resources and become financially viable. “The framing of the Model Municipal Law is underway and this will combine the Municipal Act, 1994, the HP Municipal Corporation Act, 1994 and the Service Act into one on the lines of the Model Municipal Act circulated by the central governemnt,” he said.

He said ensuring urban planning was also important from the point of view of preserving the pristine environment and the fragile hill ecology. “Urban development has been priority sector for the governemnt and more than Rs 100 crore have been provided to the urban local bodies during the current financial year,” he stated.

He said the state government was implementing several schemes like the environmental improvement of slums, solid waste management and sanitation improvement. “Under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) the centre has approved projects worth Rs 50.13 crore and a sum of Rs 5.61 crore has already been released,” he said.

Nurpur, January 3
The Department of Information and Public Relations today organised inter-school competitions for slogan writing, declamation and painting in its de-addiction campaign in the local BTC Government Girls Senior Secondary School. Students of six schools took part in the competitions. The winners were given cash prizes by the department. In slogan writing competition (senior) Renuka from GSSS Suliali, Shivani from BTC Nurpur and Vikrant from DAV Public School Bagni, were adjudged, respectively first, second and third positions. In junior category Shashia from DAV Bagni, Hiteshi from NPS Nurpur and Shikha from BTC Nurpur, were declared first, second and third.

In declamation contest (senior), Suman from BTC Nurpur, Ankush from DAV Bagni and Diksha from Public Model School Jassur, were won first, second and third positions. In junior category Nitu from GSSS Kandwal, Astha from DAV Bagni and Vandana from BTC Nurpur, were declared first, second and third, respectively.

In painting competition (senior) Shivali, Garima and Anil won first, second and third positions, whereas in junior category Seema, Sunidhi and Diksha were adjudged first, second and third. The artists of the Pubic Relation Department presented attractive cultural programme to educate students against drug addiction.

Shimla, January 3
The body of forest range officer, Raman Kathlaik, who had been missing from his home here since December 16, was found in the forests below the Dhalli bypass today morning.

It was some passerby who on spotting the body today morning telephonically intimated the family of the missing officer. The family members later informed the police and also identified the body.

District police chief R.M. Sharma said the body had been sent for a post-mortem and a team of forensic experts both from the police and medical side had been asked to visit the spot and ascertain the possibilities, which could have led to his death.

“The cause and timing of his death and the final report will, to a great extent, indicate as to who could be behind the killing,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the three suspects who had been arrested by the police after the family registered a case under Section 364 of the IPC on December 23 were today sent to 14 days’ judicial remand. The police had arrested them after the family alleged that they had kidnapped Raman with the intention of killing him.

Raman had left his home in Dhalli on the evening of December 16 after receiving a call from his relative, Billu of Chopal. Raman along with five others consumed liquor at a workshop near the Sabzi Mandi in Dhalli. His family after searching for him for two days finally lodged a missing report on December 18 at the Dhalli police station.

Even though the matter is still being investigated but the police suspects that he could have died due to accidentally falling from the road as he must have been drunk. However, it is the condition of the body, which will indicate the timing of his death. 

Chamba, January 3
The clandestine poaching in the wooded Sillaghrat valley of Chamba district, which is inhabited by a large number of wildlife, is eating into the thriving habitat though it is not the wildlife sanctuary. The residents living on the fringe of the Sillaghrat valley are worried over the ongoing incidents.

Last evening, a wild beast ‘Marten’, locally called ‘Dhikloo’, was killed with an electric current by some unidentified fishermen who were fishing on the bank of Hul Nala flowing in the vale. The body of martin was recovered by the environment cautious residents of the area.

Accompanied by a noted naturalist of the area comrade Rattan Chand, a deputation of the residents of the valley met with the divisional forest officer (territorial), Chamba, DR Kaushal and brought the incident to notice.

The deputation also handed over the body of Marten for initiating legal action against the culprits. After fulfilling all formalities, the DFO Kaushal accordingly registered the case under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act for the investigation.

Kaushal said a team of forest officials had been directed to rush to the incident site to find out the culprits involved in the killing of the animal.

Talking to the correspondent, Rattan Chand suspected that some outsiders engaged in the construction activities of the hydroelectric projects in the area might be involved in such crimes of poaching wild animals thereby destroying the wild beasts of the forested mountains of the region.

Solan, January 3
Assistant drug controller Navneet Marwaha today sealed samples of an ophthalmic solution, Manrovisc, being manufactured by a Baddi-based pharmaceutical unit, after it was found to have an adverse side effect on the users in the Suratgarh area of Rajasthan.

Information gathered about the case revealed that several people who had come for an eye camp at Suratgarh initially developed an infection and later lost their eyesight. Three drugs have been used at the camp and one of them comprising a pre-operative lubricating solution was manufactured by a Baddi-based pharmaceutical company.

Confirming the development Marwaha said, “Soon after receiving information from the authorities in Rajasthan we have sealed the said eye drops at the unit. Samples have also been drawn and sent for testing at the Composite Testing Laboratory, Kandaghat.”

The drug authorities have been taken aback by the sudden action of the Rajasthan drug authorities. Leaving nothing to chance the officials here have ordered a joint inspection which would be conducted by a team comprising assistant drug controller Ravinder Chowdhary and drug inspector Garima Sharma.

Marwaha added, “The inspection will take into account all aspects involving manufacturing process and the adherence of requisite standards by the unit.”

It is worth mentioning that the Rajasthan government had not only stopped further purchase from this unit, but it had also blacklisted the firm.

The same unit had earlier too been blacklisted by Karnataka after another of its product had failed to be of standard quality. Still worse, its another drug had failed at Gurgaon and the authorities there had initiated prosecution in the case.

The entire string of such cases had put a question mark over the regulatory authorities at Baddi as it was being felt that no remedial measures had yet been taken to correct the lack of manufacturing flaws.

Interestingly, the unit had Good Manufacturing Practices Certification as per the WHO norms, which qualifies for best manufacturing practices.

Shimla, January 3
Health and Family Welfare Minister Rajiv Bindal launched the National Health Insurance scheme where all families living below poverty line (BPL) would be given a medical cover of up to Rs 1.4 lakh.

Launching the scheme from the Indira Gandhi Medical College here today, the minister said all BPL families would get medical claim after paying an amount of Rs 30 only. He added that the scheme had been launched in Shimla and Kangra districts only in the first phase.

“For ordinary medical ailments a BPL family can avail up to Rs 30,000, for serious ailment up to Rs 1 lakh and for maternity care a sum of Rs 10,000 would be given,” he informed. He said so far 23,000 health cards had been distributed in the two districts and by the end of the financial year all BPL families would be covered. A sum of Rs 8 crore would be spent on the scheme in the two districts.

Bindal said under the scheme for above poverty line families the health insurance of only Rs 30,000 would be given after a payment of Rs 825. “We are hopeful that the scheme would further enhance the efforts of the state government in providing quality health services to the people,” he said.

Bindal said under the scheme the Central Government would provide only Rs 30,000 while the state would be providing Rs 1.10 lakh from its kitty. “Himachal has been ranked among the leading states with the best health infrastructure and facilities in the entire country and we want to ensure that we make further improvement emerge as number one,” he stressed.

Tissa (Chamba), January 3
In the wake of beating up of an assistant sub-inspector Bali Bahadur by the security personnel of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB), three security constables have been put under suspension for their undisciplined attitude and further the departmental inquiry has also been ordered to probe into the episode.

According to information, these security constables, who were reportedly found absent, were accordingly marked absent by their ASI Bali Bahadur at Nodal Dhar outer check point (OCP), falling in Tissa sector of Chamba district, on December 23 last when Superintendent of Police Chander Shekhar Pandit was to inspect the OCPs during his surprise visit. But when these security personnel returned to duty they get irritated on being marked absent. Consequently, they had thrashed the ASI for marking them absent.

It is perhaps the first incident reported from the Border Security Forces that indiscipline and lack of punctuality is generating among certain security personnel deployed on the border areas in Chamba district of the state, adjacent to Jammu and Kashmir, which is very unfortunate.

Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police, Chamba, Chander Shekhar Pandit disclosed that there were 19 outer check-posts of the security forces, which included eight in the Tissa border sector, five in the Pangi tribal sector, three in the Khairi sector, two in Telka and one in the Kihar sector of borderland.

At the moment, 475 special police officers recruited from amongst the local people to assist the security forces were guarding the border areas ranging at the timber line of the district adjoining J&K while services of 1,440 Village Defence Committees fully trained with weapons were also being put into taking inputs about the nefarious activities of the anti-national elements thereby thwarting the threat of any militant outfit. This has resulted in maintaining the normalcy on the borderland of Chamba district and inhabitants there were living in harmony and fraternity.

Nurpur, January 3
The state Gramin Vidhya Upasak (GVU) and Primary Sahayak Teachers (PST) association’s local unit has expressed its resentment over the failure of the state government to issue notification for regularisation of the GVU and PST and minor hike in their salaries as promised by the government a few months ago in the wake of agitation launched by the associations.

Shalender Balouria and Vipon Kaushal, president and vice-president of the associations, respectively, in a statement here today said the longstanding demand of the association to impart the JBT basic training and 50 per cent DA had not yet fulfilled as promised by the government.

They rued that these rural teachers were being paid only Rs 3,500 per month whereas daily wage workers in government departments were getting Rs 3,000 salary per month. They urged the Chief Minister to implement seven-year-old policy of regularisation of the GVUs in the state.

Shimla, January 3
The ruling party is likely to decide the names of the candidates for the Lok Sabha elections as the BJP core committee and the State Election Committee (SEC) will take a final decision before theCentral Election Committee (CEC) meeting, to be held on January 16.

The core committee of the BJP is likely to meet before January 10 to hold informal discussions about the probables. However, it is the SEC which will take a formal decision on the candidates before January 16, when the names have to be placed before the CEC at its meeting in New Delhi.

“The core committee will hold informal discussions within the next week to seek opinion of all leaders, but it is the SEC which will take the final decision before the BJP CEC starts its three-day meet on January 16 to decide the Lok Sabha candidates,” confirmed state BJP chief, Jai Ram Thakur.

Barring Hamirpur seat from where the central leadership has already approved the name of sitting MP, Anurag Thakur, candidates for the other seats are yet to be decided. The BJP has already kick started its election campaign at a rally addressed by its Prime Ministerial candidate, LK Advani.

“Advaniji took the feed back about the party’s poll prospects and the probable candidates during his recent visit,” said a senior leader. He said efforts would be made to send single names from each parliamentary seat rather than a panel before the CEC. In case consensus cannot be arrived at one name only then a panel would be sent.

Party leaders also said former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha MP, Shanta Kumar had declined to contest and the candidate for Kangra would be decided in consultation with him. “The party will clearly go by what Shantaji says as no one knows the pulse of Kangra people better than him,” said a minister.

The name of Rajeev Bhardwaj, a close aide of Shanta Kumar, is already doping the rounds but the party could also consider fielding a minister from Kangra. The names of Ramesh Dhawala, Sharveen Chaudhary and Ravinder Singh Ravi, all ministers are also being considered keeping in view caste and other factors even though none of them is keen to leave their ministerial berth.

With the possibility of former Chief Minister and Congress stalwart Virbhadra Singh contesting from Mandi seat, the ruling party is in search of a candidate, who could match up to the “Raja’s” charisma and popularity.

Even in the case of Shimla the BJP is hoping to register victory as names of HN Kashyap, Virender Kashyap and Sheila Devi are under consideration. 

Dharamsala, January 3
The Congress has started an exercise of finalising its candidates for the forth coming parliamentary elections. In this regard Avtar Brar, the observer appointed by party for Kangra and Hamirpur parliamentary constituency, visited Kangra district last week. The party is preparing to declare its candidates by the end of January.

The sources available here said that Brar collected data from the Congress leaders and workers. From Kangra parliamentary constituency Chander Kumar, the sitting MP, was the unanimous choice of the party workers, the sources here said. However, from Hamirpur parliamentary constituency there were many aspiring candidates. The sources available here said that party was considering the candidature of OP Rattan, the HPCC spokesperson who unsuccessfully contested the election against Anurag Thakur just six months ago, Narinder Thakur who has recently joined Congress and five sitting MLAs of the Congress from Hamirpur parliamentary constituency area for the forth coming elections.

Narinder Thakur is being favoured by the HPCC president Kaul Singh. However, the Congress leaders from the constituency are opposing party ticket to Narinder Thakur. The sources available said that the certain Congress leaders gave a memorandum to visiting Congress party observer at Jawalamukhi against giving party ticket to Narinder Thakur. They are alleging that Narinder Thakur has no base in Una, Bilaspur and Dehra areas, so he cannot pose any threat to sitting BJP candidate.

Rattan is staking his claim on the plea that just six months ago when the entire government was concentrating on Hamirpur parliamentary constituency he managed two lakh votes. He is claiming that if he can contest the elections in difficult situation just six months ago then once again chance should be given to him to contest from the constituency.’ Moreover, I did groundwork six months ago and the new candidate would have to start from the scratch. Whenever the Congress has won the Hamirpur constituency, a candidate from Una district was given the party ticket, he is claiming.

The sources available here said that none of sitting MLAs of the party from Hamirpur parliamentary constituency area was keen to contest the Lok Sabha election unless the party forced one to do.

Though the senior Congress leaders also admit while speaking on condition of anonymity that it is very difficult for them to win the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency, the party wants to field a candidate who can at least give tough fight. 

Solan, January 3
Terming the one-year rule of the BJP government in the state as an abject misrule the Congress today demanded a white paper on the abidance of poll promises.

PCC spokesman Kuldeep Rathode while addressing mediapersons after convening a district-level meeting of the Congress workers here today said the BJP spokesmen were merely misleading the masses by advocating that they had fulfilled almost 80 per cent of the poll promises enlisted in their election manifesto while little had been done in this direction.

He said though the BJP professed to have adopted their manifesto as a policy document of the government, issues like hike in bus fares, electricity charges, abolition of the State Administrative Tribunal etc, were issues which were contrary to their poll promises.

Launching a scathing attack on the BJP he said it was unfortunate that schools today were bereft of teachers, health institutions lacked doctors and roads presented a dismal scenario lacking timely repairs. He said the anti-people policies like removal of PTA teachers had an adverse bearing on the rural masses, who suffered the most.

He condemned the December 30 rally organised by the BJP to mark their completion of one year in office and said the manner in which LK Advani showered liberal praises on the PK Dhumal government was far from reality. He said this former Home Minister who was remembered for various failures, including terrorist attack on the Parliament, release of terrorists at Kandahar was remembered for his failures.

Rathode said the Congress was preparing a document about the various achievements and schemes launched by the UPA government for various sections of society and this would expose how the BJP was trying to claim credit for the centrally sponsored works.

The Congress which had lost all five assembly seats in the district in the Vidhan Sabha elections last year was now pondering over the reasons and Rathode said they would endeavour to win three of the four parliamentary seats while a befitting reply would be given for the Hamirpur seat.

Others present on the occasion included DCC president Shiv Kumar, former MLA Lajja Ram, Zila Parishad chairman Ramkumar Chowdhary, PCC secretary Sanjay Awasthi among others.

Shimla, January 3
Cold wave conditions in the state continued to prevail with the higher reaches in the tribal belts of Kinnuar, Lahaul-Spiti, Pangi and Bharmour experiencing snow.

The day temperature in Shimla dipped by 2 degrees Celsius as the maximum temperature was recorded at 10 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature was 5.7 degrees Celsius. The sky remained overcast throughout the day.

The temperatures in other parts of the state have also showed a decline. The minimum temperature recorded at Sundernagar was 4.1, Bhuntar- 3.6, Kalpa- 2.5, Dharamshala- 6.3.

There has been snowfall in the higher reaches with Keylong recording 1 cm snow today morning. According to the local meteorological department there is a possibility of rain or thunder showers at a few places while there could be snow in the higher reaches during the next 24 hours.

Snow has eluded the ‘Queen of Hills’ this winter so far as there was no precipitation on the Christmas nor on New Year.