Shimla, March 31
People living outside the ‘urbanisable’ areas and notified planning areas for which development plans have not been prepared will not have to seek permission from the town and country planning department for carrying out traditional development activities up to prescribed limits.

As per the notification issued in this regard people in 898 villages spread over an area of 834 sq km have been exempted from seeking development permission under the Town and Country Planning Act.

The provisions of the act were in force in an area of 1,196 sq km where permission for development activities was essential. In all, 1,072 villages spread over 1,015 sq km were covered.

Most of the planning and special areas were under agriculture and forests as a result of which the people faced difficulties in getting permission for construction of houses, cowsheds and other required structures. The government had amended the Section 30(A) of the Act to exempt these areas from development permission during the budget session which has now been notified. However, permission will be essential in the rest of the 174 villages having an ‘urbanisable’ area of 181 sq km.

No development permission will be required in rural areas for the construction of buildings like farm houses and residential houses up to three storeys, cattle sheds, toilets, septic tanks, kitchens, store rooms, parking sheds or garages and rain shelters. Structures for basic commercial activities like shops of general merchandise, cobbler, barber, tailoring, fruit and vegetables, tea and sweet, eating places and dhabas, chemists and farm produce sale depots can also be raised without permission.

Similarly, cottage, household and service industries like carpentry, knitting, weaving, blacksmith, goldsmith, atta-chakki, with capacity up to 5 HP, water mills,, agriculture equipment or machinery repair, electrical ,electronic and house-hold appliances have also been exempted.

Structures for public amenities like panchayat offices, schools , mahila mandals, yuvak mandals, community halls, post offices, health and veterinary dispensaries, information technology kiosks, patwar khanas, guard huts, anganwaries, electricity and telephone installations, roads and paths, ropeways, water tanks, rain water harvesting, overhead and underground tanks, pump houses, check dams, temples, churches, mosques, graveyards, cemeteries, cremation grounds, bathing ghats, resting sheds, drainage, urinals, sewerage installations, wells, tubewells and garbage disposal bins have been exempted from development permission. 

Solan, March 31
Lack of communication between the two departments-HP State Electricity Board and Himachal Pradesh Housing and Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA)-has not only left the much-needed electrical works in Bhatoli Kalan industrial area midway, but there was a little will to speed up the works as both departments chose to pass the buck.

About 92 streetlights erected at Bhatoli Kalan, near Baddi, by HIMUDA in 2006, have failed to serve any purpose.

Though HIMUDA officials claimed to have handed over its maintenance to the board but the officials failed to accept the fact leaving the streetlights without power.

The area, which has about 60-68 plots, dons a dark mantle right after the sunset and the industrial workers face maximum difficulties once it gets dark.

Enquires made by The Tribune revealed that HIMUDA had erected these streetlights in 2006. According to HIMUDA’s electrical engineer Sanjay Pandit, an agreement was executed with the board to take over its maintenance.

Later the board raised a demand to put up a transformer at a cost of Rs 6.92 lakh to meet the power needs.

This amount was later deposited with the board in July 2008, but the streetlights have failed to become operational till today.

The delay in carrying out the electrical works was not just limited to the streetlights, but the proposal to install a 20 MVA sub-station too had failed to come through despite HIMUDA depositing almost Rs 7.20 crore, almost a year and a half back.

This sub-station was supposed to ease the power load from the existing feeders, besides reducing transmission and distribution losses.

Its absence had over loaded the existing feeder thereby effecting quality power supply.

The concerned executive engineer of the board, however, said the transformer had been installed but since the maintenance part had not been handed over to them, they had no role to perform in energising the streetlights.

The officials of the transmission wing of the board were not available for comments but it was learnt that the cost of this sub-station had been revised to Rs 10.50 crore and work was underway to float its tenders on a turnkey basis. 

Shimla, March 31
The governemnt will explore the possibility of creation of a separate investigative cadre within the Vigilance and CID wings of the police to keep pace with the modern investigative trends.

This was stated by chief minister P.K. Dhumal while reviewing the functioning of the state Vigilance Department here today. “The Vigilance and the CID are two main channels of the government to keep an eye on the activities going around in the state, so keeping in view the change in investigative methods world over, there is need for a separate investigative cadre,” he said.

Dhumal said the government would explore the possibility of identifying capable police personnel to take over the responsibility of vigilance and CID inquiries and work in a strictly professional manner. He also expressed concern over the fact whenever any case was handed over to the vigilance, the department concerned stopped proceedings at its level which was not right as the procedure must be followed.

The chief minister said that the Finance department must issue instructions to all the departments to avoid any quotations for purchases and procurement during the past two months. “The purchase process must be planned and spread over the entire financial year as purchases made during the fag end in a haste invited suspicion,” he remarked.

He also suggested that all departments must be asked to pay the bills of private parties through electronic mode of banking by transferring money directly into their accounts, thus eliminating chances of commission and corruption. “The private parties while being allotted a project must be asked to mention its bank account number so that all payments are made directly,” he said.

Solan, March 31
Indiscipline among youth activists of the Congress reached its peak today when two groups openly clashed over slogan shouting first at the Kotla Nallah locality of Solan and later outside the venue of a programme being hosted by the ex-servicemen and women cell of the Congress.

Trouble started when CLP leader Vidya Stokes and PCC president Kaul Singh Thakur after receiving a warm welcome at the local circuit house were being accorded a separate welcome at Kotla Nallah by a section of Congress activists. However, separate slogans were being shouted by supporters of the respective leaders. This led to a minor scuffle between the activists right in front of the senior leaders. However, the activists were pacified later by the intervention of the two leaders.

The youths who put up this poor show included activists of the NSUI, Youth Congress and the Independent Students Union of Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni.

After resolving this issue at Kotla Nallah, the entire cavalcade moved towards the venue of the programme and as soon as the two leaders seated themselves trouble again started brewing up between the two groups. Things came to such a pass that another scuffle ensued between the two groups and it was after the intervention by the policemen on duty that the activists could be pacified.

This brazen show of indiscipline on a petty issue of slogan shouting had left the Congress party in poor light, especially on the eve of parliamentary polls when the need of the hour was to put up a show of unity. This was more so since the party had lost all five Assembly seats to the ruling BJP in December 2007, including three, which it had held since the past over a decade.

Shimla, March 31
The BJP said the Congress was in total disarray with the party leaders and workers indulging more in infighting and bickering rather than campaigning for the party candidates for the Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing a press conference here today, state general secretary of the BJP Khushi Ram Balnatah said the Congress leadership was trying to settle the infighting and bickering among the party men.

“The irresponsible statements being made by senior BJP leadership, including former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and CLP leader Vidya Stokes clearly reflects their frustration from the response that the BJP was getting from the public,” he said.

Balnatah said it was justified on the part of Virbhadra Singh to criticise the BJP but at least he should not take a stand, which is, totally opposed to that of Sushil Kumar Shinde, Union Power Minister from his own party at the Centre. “While Shinde lauded the CFL scheme of the Dhumal regime, Virbhadra Singh is demanding an inquiry into it terming it as a major scandal,” he added.

He reminded Stokes, who had termed the BJP as a communal and opportunistic party, that her own party was supporting the National Conference (NC) government in Jammu and Kashmir which was proposing to change the name of Anantnag to Islamabad. “I want to know from her whether the NC regime had taken the so called secular Congress party into confidence even before deliberating on the issue of name change,” he quipped. He said the Congress should do some introspection before levelling charges at others.

Balnatah said the performance and achievements of the Dhumal regime had rattled the Congress, which did not have any issue against the BJP. “The BJP is way ahead of the Congress not just in declaring its candidate and campaigning but also in delivering on all fronts in its 15-month rule which is visible in the kind of acceptability that the BJP candidates were getting from the people all over the state,” he added.

Shimla, March 31
Chief minister P.K. Dhumal today said the silence of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on the issue of Swiss bank accounts points the needle of suspicion towards the Congress.

In a statement issued here today, Dhumal said the NDA on being voted back to power would look into the money stacked in Swiss bank accounts so that the money could be brought back and used on the much needed development works in the country.

“Rajiv Gandhi was dubbed as ‘Mr Clean’ while the infamous Bofors scam took place during his tenure and the situation is no different today,” he remarked.

The chief minister said that Congress was once again using the title of ‘Mr Clean’ while referring to the Prime Minister but the reality was otherwise. “Despite Advani writing to the PM to probe the Swiss bank accounts there has been no headway nor any assurance from the PM which clearly puts the Congress in the dock,” he said.

Dharamsala, March 31
The Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) today declared three candidates in the state for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. They are Brij Lal from Shimla, Pawan Katna from Hamirpur and Capt Joginder Singh from Kangra.

President of the Shiv Sena Himachal Vaidya Neelainder Gautam said we might put a candidate from the Mandi constituency also.

The Shiv Sena leaders today launched an attack on the state BJP leaders for allegedly adopting double standards on the issue of permissions under Section 118 in the state.

Gautam said he had procured information under the RTI regarding the permission granted to president of Raymond Ltd Faiz Ali to buy a large chunk of tea gardens near Palampur in 2002.

The leaders also provided a copy of information procured to The Tribune. It contains a letter written by VH Dalmia, former president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, to PK Dhumal, who was the Chief Minister in 2002 also.

In the letter, the VHP leader has requested the then CM to overrule all objections raised by local people for allowing Faiz Ali to buy tea garden (that is known as Zen Tea Estate now), near Palampur.

The Shiv Sena leaders alleged that many migrants from Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir or from other states have been staying in Himachal for decades. Still they are not being given permission to even buy the urban land for constructing houses. Their children are being denied the bona fide certificates by those in power. However, if the party wings (like VHP) recommend they are allowing permission to buy over 50-acres of land in the state to outsiders.

This is blatant corruption and the Shiv Sena would make it an election issue. The leaders said they would target large numbers of migrants from other Indian states who are settled in Himachal since decades during the election campaign.

When asked about alliance of their party with the BJP in Maharashtra, the Sena leader said it is limited just to that state. We would make our presence felt in Himachal also.

Though the Shiv Sena hardly has any ground in, they might strike chord with the migrants living in the state who have not yet been issued bona fide certificates or allowed to buy land in their own name. During militancy days in Punjab large numbers of families migrated to border towns of Himachal. Many migrants from Kashmir have also settled in the state and are also facing similar problems.

Dharamsala, March 31
The BSP that managed to open its account in the state in the last Assembly elections is harping on candidate from higher castes during the current Lok Sabha elections.

The party is fielding candidates from higher castes from three constituencies in the state, including Kangra, Hamirpur and Mandi. It is fielding candidate from the reserved category only for the reserved Shimla parliamentary constituency.

In charge of the state BSP Bhagwan Singh said the party had already declared Col (retd) NS Pathania as party candidate from the Kangra constituency and Lala Ram Sharma from the Mandi constituency. The remaining two candidates would be declared by party president Mayawati on April 2 at Una.

The party had, however, decided to field a Brahmin candidate from the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency, he said.

The BSP received a boost in the last Assembly elections after former senior Congress leader Vijay Singh Mankotia joined the party. Mankotia remained as the party state convener and under his stewardship the party managed to open its account as its candidate from the Kangra constituency Sanjay Chaudhary won in the Assembly elections.

However, now Mankotia has resigned from the BSP as well as from active politics and the lone BSP MLA, Sanjay Chaudhary, has also joined the BJP.

Bhagwan Singh, however, claimed that the party has strengthened in the state and would bounce back in the current Lok Sabha elections.

The BSP is trying to make a show of strength in the state during the forthcoming Mayawati’s rally in Una on April 2.

Dharamsala, March 31
The Tibetans here today organised “Thank India” programme at the main temple of the Dalai Lama at McLeodganj. It was organised as part of completion of 50 years in-exile by the Dalai Lama and his followers who fled Tibet after Chinese invasion in 1959.

The programme organised here was presided over by the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinlay Dorjee. The Minister for Transport Kishan Kapoor was the guest of honour on the occasion. The function was marked by traditional Tibetans dances and other cultural functions that attracted large numbers of tourists and locals.

The Tibetan authorities here said similar programme was also being organised at the India International Centre at Delhi to express gratitude to the Indian Government and the people of India, for providing refuge the Dalai Lama and his followers who crossed the Indian border on March 31, 1959.

The Dalai Lama will pray at eight different places of worship in New Delhi tomorrow. He will also be joined by representatives from various religious faiths in the prayer for peace in India and happiness of its people.

The 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinlay Dorjee, who is head of Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism while speaking on the occasion, expressed his appreciation for the Indian Government for providing refuge to the Tibetans for 50 years.

He said the Tibetans owe a great deal to India for being able to preserve the rich Tibetan culture and practice one’s own religion in India. The popularity of Tibetan Buddhism in the world was largely because of its strong base in India, he said.

Dalhousie, March 31
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) said here today that a Tibetan monk was beaten to death in Sichuan province in Tibet plateau.

Quoting information received by it, TCHRD spokesperson Tenzin Norgay said a monk, Phuntsok (27) of Drango Monastery, who hailed from Zongpa village, Drango County, Kardze TAP (Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture), was beaten to death by the Chinese Public Security Bureau (PSB) personnel.

He said it was on March 25 when Phuntsok pasted leaflets on the walls of a branch office of the Drango PSB headquarters on Shara Thang-do Bridge and on roadside trees. His campaign was connected with the last years’ unprecedented unrest in Tibet, particularly in Drango County, when hundreds of monks who took part in a peaceful demonstration against the Chinese government on March 25, 2008. The protest was subsequently quelled down with force and resulted in arrests, torture and detention of hundreds of monks.

However, while pasting leaflets on the walls of an automobile service centre in Drango County, he was detected by PSB personnel who came straight to arrest him. Sensing it he fled on a motorbike. The PSB forces pursued him. He was arrested and severely beaten with batons and died.

In an attempt to conceal the incident, the PSB personnel dropped his corpse on the base of a hill. A day later, local Tibetans learnt about his death and found body lying at the bottom of a hill and cremated it. The Chinese authorities adamantly maintained that Phuntsok died after committing suicide while the local Tibetans were not convinced. The TCHRD claimed that there were bruises and cuts on his body, which clearly indicated that the Chinese security police beat him to death.

Shimla, March 31
The executive engineer in the PWD, arrested on charges of alleged corruption was today remanded to police custody till April 4.

The Vigilance Bureau, during a raid at the residence of the engineer OP Shama, has seized currency notes worth Rs 10.07 lakh, jewellery valued at Rs 2.25 lakh and bank accounts having deposits of over Rs 8 lakh. “Since we have already recovered cash and assets worth Rs 22 lakh, we shall look into the details of the engineer’s property to ascertain if it is disproportionate to his known sources of income,” said Hardesh Bisht, SP and in charge of the Special Investigation Unit in the bureau.

He added that the details of his property were being collected and a request to get his lockers and account frozen by the bank had also been initiated to eliminate chances of any withdrawals.

The engineer posted in the electrical division- II of the PWD at Kasumpti, came in the vigilance net after a contractor complained that he had allegedly been demanding a commission in the work for making payment for the works undertaken by him.

“The engineer had allegedly demanding a sum of Rs 1.05 lakh at the rate of five per cent as his commission for the Rs 21 lakh work undertaken and had also accepted a mobile phone worth Rs 30,000 from the contractor,” said Bisht.

The bureau had arrested the contractor yesterday after Rs 25,000 allegedly accepted as bribe was recovered from him. Besides this, the police also recovered Rs 50,000 from his drawer.