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Palampur’s green cover under threat
Excise cut |
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LS polls: Efforts to woo back rebels
Hamirpur, April 14 The ensuing LS polls have created demand for the party rebels in both the ruling BJP and opposition Congress in the state in an effort to improve their prospects.
vignettes
Catchment treatment plan to save Rewalsar Lake
Despite ban, oxytocin sale unchecked
Gorkha regiments celebrate association with Bhagsunag
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Palampur’s green cover under threat
Palampur, April 14 The town is fast losing its greenery, as the concrete jungle is coming up in the town. It is a sad state of affairs that the Forest Department and other local authorities are not concerned with the situation. Once the beauty of the town, the deodar trees are dying day by day. In the past 10 years, over 100 deodar trees have been either axed or dried up. Over 12 trees have dried up in front of the local PWD Rest House. No efforts have been made by the authorities to know the reason behind the sudden collapse of these trees. It is a matter of serious concern that none in the administration is bothered to preserve the greenery. No efforts have been made to plant new trees. Every year the 'van mahotasav' is celebrated in the town, VVIPs are called to plant new trees but after some time no trees are seen on the land. The government departments have taken forest laws lightly and a number of precious deodar trees have either been cut or lopped off without the valid permission from the authorities concerned. In many areas of the town, most of the government buildings have come up by cutting the trees. Recently, many old trees were axed in the town to pave way for the new buildings. Nobody in the administration knew that who granted the permission to cut these trees. There are many other instances where the deodars have been axed without any permission, keeping aside the forest laws made for the purpose. In such cases, it was obligatory on the part of the department concerned or the municipal council to seek prior permission from the Forest Department, which is ultimately granted by the Deputy Commissioner, who is also the district magistrate. Meanwhile, various voluntary organisations and environmentalists have lodged serious complaints with the authorities for the reckless looping of the deodar and other trees, which are the beauty of a hill station. However, the Forest Department said in the municipal areas, only the municipal council is competent to initiate action against the defaulters. It may be recalled that one deodar tree takes 70 years to grow fully. Perhaps, Palampur is the only hill station in the country where deodar tree grow at a height between 3,000 feet to 4,000 feet. And if no efforts were made to save these rare deodar trees, the attraction and charm of this hill town will soon be over and no tourist will come here.
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Excise cut
Solan, April 14 Terming the measure as a dose of oxygen to the ailing auto industry, a top executive of Nalagarh-based TVS Autos said, “This would help provide some succor to the ancillary units which had been starved of adequate work ever since recession hit the global markets. Further, with the price of iron coming down by as much as Rs 600 per MT, these units could expect to gain some margins”. The Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) area, which has seen the emergence of automobile and its ancillary units, has been going through worst times with several ancillary units closing down after the auto units slowed down production due to economic meltdown. Several units like Sundaran Auto Components, M Tech Autos, Harita Seating Systems, etc., were among those which suffered on account of the global recession. However, more is required to be done to relieve this sector from the prolonged recession. The announcement of the parliamentary polls had enforced the model code of conduct and more tax concessions would have to wait till the new government is formed in May. Foreseeing a prolonged recession, senior vice-president of Indo Farm Tractors CN Dhar said, “The 2 per cent excise exemption announced now and the 4 per cent announced in December showed the government’s concern to bail out the industry. But with an overall decline in the demand, the manufacturing capacity wavered between 40 to 70 per cent in the auto industry. This naturally led to lesser work for the ancillary units and hence quite a few had to shut their operations in the past. This fresh cut in excise would provide some relief to this sector though more needed to be done," he stressed. A consultant providing labour to the automobile industry in the BBN area observed that these units had stopped employing casual labour and measures for cost cutting and increasing efficiency were being practiced strictly. According to the results of third quarter for the last financial year, it was observed that the auto companies had reported huge volume decline across all segments nationally. While the total aggregate volumes declined by 10 per cent, the domestic volumes reduced by 16 per cent. Further, the two-wheeler volumes declined by 10 per cent with the domestic volumes declining by as much as 14.6 per cent. Various renowned auto companies faced the maximum impact of recession with TVS Motor reporting as much as 12 per cent lower growth and Bajaj Autos’ two-wheeler volumes declining by as much as 33 per cent. Commercial vehicles segment was the worst hit, with decline of 42 per cent in volumes.
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LS polls: Efforts to woo back rebels
Hamirpur, April 14 Not only the game of enticing the rebels of the other parties into their fold is already on but also the parties are keen to woo back their rebels who had parted ways during the last assembly election or were feeling ignored in the party due to organisational problems. The BJP has already made former Hamirpur MP Suresh Chandel as the election in charge of the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency, since he was talking of contesting the election as an independent few months back after complaining of being ignored in the party for the past some time. Similarly, party has also tried to placate veteran BJP leader from the Bamsan area and former chairman of the Kangra central cooperative bank Prithvi Singh Thakur, who had revolted against the party after denial of the nomination for the directorship of the bank. On the other hand, the Congress has become quite conscious since the BJP leaders have been maintaining secret contact with a few of them. Alarmed at the efforts of the ruling party to roping in of their rebels, now the Congress leaders have speeded up the pending cases of the entry of the rebels back into the party with the Congress high command. HPCC president Kaul Singh Thakur has already clarified that he has taken up afresh the cases of entry of the rebels in the party and party rebels, who were expelled during the last assembly election in the Hamirpur district. In this context, former MLA Manjeet Singh Dogra from Nadaunta and Prem Kaushal from Mewa, who had contested against the official Congress candidate during the last assembly election and few other leaders are likely to be admitted back in the Congress during the next few days. The present election has created great demand of rebels in the party and no party is sparing any effort to woo them back.
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Restored Gaiety Theatre to open
Shimla, April 14 Some portions of the 121-old edifice were dismantled in 1912, as the virtual five-storey high structure was considered unsafe following the 1905 earthquake. It has taken almost a decade to restore it to its original shape and character. Mumbai-based architect Ved Segan, who specialises in restoration work, has ensured adequate reinforcements for structural safety Gothic-style building after raising the height. This has been achieved without putting any extra load on the external walls and additional strength for the new upper floor had been provided using steel rods. Special quality slates were brought form Khaniara in Kangra for the slanted roof. No cement has been used in the building and like original structure stone masonry work has been carried out with lime mortar. Besides the old theatre, the restored structure will have a bigger multipurpose hall on the upper floor with a seating capacity of more than 600, which could be used for cultural performances. A seminar hall has also been added in the space created due to the
restoration of the original height. An audio system is being fitted in the new hall and the building will be reopened as soon as the model code of conduct for election is lifted, says BK Aggrawal, secretary, language, art and culture. He said there was also a plan to set up an international art gallery in the complex along with a city museum to make it a centre of art and culture in true sense. The government had approached the Lalit Kala Academy for the purpose and a final shape would be given to the project soon. The reopening of the theatre will also help revive cultural activities in the state capital. A fine specimen of imperial grandeur, the gothic structure had taken a beating in the absence of proper maintenance, particularly after the Independence. The plans to restore the building, which had started crumbling, were made more than two decades ago. With the slate roof leaking profusely and seepage from all sides, the building was in bad shape. A restoration project was formulated but efforts were started in piecemeal only. The major restoration work was started only about five years ago and it is now complete. The Gaiety Theatre was opened on May 30, 1887, but a formal inauguration of the Shimla ADC (Amateur Dramatic Club) took place in 1888. It remained the hub of cultural activities during the British era and even after the Independence prominent theatre artists of the country continued to perform here. Great film personalities, KL Saigal, Prithvi Raj Kapoor, Madan Puri, Shashi Kapoor, Jennifer Kendall, Raj Babbar, Anupam Kher and Manohar Singh, were among those who frequently performed on the stage of the theatre.
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vignettes
There was a Writers Building in Shimla too. The one in Kolkata, built in the year 1776, for providing temporary accommodation to junior officers, is famous today as the West Bengal government secretariat. It is likely that during to and fro movement of government offices between Kolkata and Shimla in the British Raj, the Writers Building in Shimla, where Jain Dharamsala in the Middle Bazaar is located today, was also used as junior officers’ short-term lodge.
Twenty years after Shimla was declared the summer capital of India, a pastor of the native church, Reverend Thomas Edwards, after getting approval demolished the building and raised a church there in 1884. It was named St. Thomas Church and a reading room was added to it in 1885, but its wall was built two feet in excess of the sanctioned height. Gobind Lallu, iron merchants, and other businessmen questioned the increased height under the right of easement. The MC warned the Reverend, asking him to “put the building into such state as shall bring into conformity with the written sanction of the committee”. The pastor, on the other hand, desired to raise another storey as he complained that Lallu and others threw rubbish on the roof of the reading room. The proposal was rejected in 1886. Tailpiece Distinction between Digambar and Swetambar Jain images is that the former are totally nude and their left palm is on right palm while the latter are covered with loin-cloth and their right palm is on the left. NC Dass, the pastor in 1894, is credited for giving elegant finish to the railings, jafri and latticework of the church. The name of Jain Sabha appears for the first time in 1907, in health officer Major Chesney’s inspection note that “the north side wall of the church was unsafe” and risky to the Jain Sabha building to which Reverend Pepperell had offered its immediate repair. It reflects that the Jain Sabha building and the church were co-existent in 1907. Pamela Kanwar in her “Imperial Simla” writes, “Jain traders constituted a small but active group, who organised the Jain Sabha in 1904, and built a Digambar temple.” The Digambar Jain Sabha, however, claims that it was established in 1887, and gives credit to Lala Mathura Dass Prabhu Dayal Kagzi of Delhi for raising the temple in 1919, which year the idol was also consecrated. The ceiling of the temple is still wooden but its walls have been rejuvenated with ornate pieces of glass and other decorations. The hall of St. Thomas Church was abandoned by 1919, to be occupied by The Army Press, established in 1886, and owned by Taib and Sons, which was publishing The Simla Bulletin; Fauji Akhbar; East and West; On Guard; Al Taib and Army Newspaper. The opening issue of the last named was out on the July 5, 1919. The hall in which the press was functioning was eyed by many to convert it into a cinema hall. Charan Dass of Simla Nickel Electroplating Works, Lower Bazaar, applied for a 150-seat cinema hall in 1920, under the garb that religious plays would also be staged there. Goman Brothers, cinema contractors, tried their luck in 1929, and even Jain Sabha had applied in 1934, to the inspector of cinema, Shimla provincial division, for a licence, but hundreds of residents signing jointly protested against and sabotaged all such moves. Reverend AB Chandu Lall in April 1925, desired to improve the ground floor of the church and that is the last mention of St. Thomas on record. When Hori Lall, house proprietors and commission agent for the disposal of Army surplus stores, took over as the president of the Digambar Jain Sabha, he strived towards enhancing its estate. A piece of adjacent municipal land was purchased in 1928, by the sabha on “mutually settled terms”. Basant Ram and Sons, engineers and contractors, were engaged in 1929, for constructing a dharamsala where existed the church. The sanction for constructing the dharamsala and the assembly hall as per the existing design was given in 1932, and that for the gateway in 1934. KK Jain of Jain Brothers is the current president of the sabha and the dharamsala, which was renovated in 2008, provides a snug and cozy stay in 23 suites (three deluxe) to the visitors and though there are only 20 Jain households in the town, they are ever eager to come forward to boost the activities of the
sabha.
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Catchment treatment plan to save Rewalsar Lake
Rewalsar (Mandi), April 14 As per the department, more than 65 per cent of the catchment area measuring 173 hectare has been degraded due to the construction of roads and houses around the peripheries of the wetland. Garbage thrown by tourists and locals finds its way into the catchments, adding to its degradation. Debris from the construction activity has been dumped in the catchments over the years, which has triggered soil erosion during rains. This, in turn, has added to the problem of silt in the 2.32-hectare holy lake that supports fish life of religious value for people of various faiths, including Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs. The Central Zoo Authority of India has rapped the forest department for its failure in maintaining the mini-zoo and has asked the department to close it down. The zoo is being shifted out from this place as it has added to the problem of soil erosion. After The Tribune highlighted the plight of the wetland, chief secretary Asha Swarup inspected the lake and directed the administration to initiate remedial measures like ensuring inlet and outlet and the supply of fresh water inside the lake and complete ban on feeding the fish in the lake. The Rewalsar Nagar Panchayat is preparing a proposal to put in place sewerage and solid waste management system to save this wetland from further degradation. The panchayat is also constructing a fish tank where pilgrims can feed the fish to fulfill their religious beliefs. In fact, with the concreting of 735-m long shoreline, the lake has become a suffocating dead pond of stale water as it neither has an inlet nor outlet, allowing water to stagnate. As a result, fish whose number swelled due to over-breeding started dying due to the lack of oxygen in the lake. Divisional forest officer Kunal Satyarthi says the Rs 32-lakh catchments treatment plan is underway. The nullahs are being treated by making check dams and planting of herbal plants in the degraded area. Besides, a herbal garden and resting place for tourists will also be built, he says. Kunal says catchments will be fenced with cement poles and soil will be conserved by planting medical plants and bamboo trees and erecting retaining walls in the degraded area.
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Development Projects
Shimla, April 14 People in the hill state are up in arms against the ecological imbalance, loss of livelihood and displacement that is being caused by different projects being pushed indiscriminately in the name of development by the government in every part of the state. Even though environment is yet to emerge as a political issue but gradually an awakening is taking place. Recently, a “Himalaya Bachao Rally” was organised at Bilaspur to send across a strong signal that such an exploitative and devastating development would not be tolerated at any cost against the setting up of the power projects, special economic zones (SEZs), cement plants and ski-villages in various parts of the state. They have joined hands under the banner of Himalaya Niti Abhiyaan to oppose all such projects that cause more loss than benefits especially to the locals. To pledge their support to the activists and social organisations fighting to save the fragile Himalayas was renowned environmentalists Medha Patkar and Sunder Lal Bahuguna. “One thing which every individual and the planners must understand is that by harming the fragile Himalayan ecology we are ensuring that our future generations are doomed,” said leader of the Chipko movement and the Tehri Dam agitation in Uttrakhand Sunder Lal Bahuguna. He said a strong public outcry could force the government to reconsider its decision, as was the case in Uttrakhand, forcing a complete ban on felling of the trees. Patkar, too, cautioned the people to prepare themselves for a long battle the way she fought against the Narmada Dam for 23 long years. “People have to come out on the roads when the government is all out to protect the interests of the industrialists than the local people,” she stressed. “It was in 1953 that our land was acquired in Talwar village under Bilaspur Sadar tehsil to pave way for the Bhakra Dam but it is after an unending legal battle of five decades that the High Court gave a verdict in my favour last year in November,” said 58-year-old Nand Lal. His biggest regret is that his father who started this fight is not alive today. However, everyone does not have the resources and patience to wage such a long battle. “Till people raise their voice we will keep getting duped by the political parties,” said Rashid Ahmad, whose family was displaced when the old Bilaspur town got submerged under the waters of the Bhakra. Foreseeing a similar future, the people of the Renuka area, where a dam is proposed to generate power and provide water to Delhi, are opposing the project under the banner of Renuka Bandh Sangharsh Samiti. “Our fertile lands will be lost forever with no assurance of job for the displaced families. How can we accept such an unfair deal?” said a member of the samiti. Cordinator of the Himalaya Niti Abhiyaan Guman Singh said the government must give a patient hearing to all such action committees that are fighting to protect the livelihood and ensure sustainable development of the people. He said there should be no forcible acquisition of the land till the Gram Sabha agrees to it.
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Despite ban, oxytocin sale unchecked
Palampur, April 14 Sources said the blatant use of oxytocin had become a big environmental and health hazard among human beings and animals. Oxytocin is a synthetic hormone normally used on women during labour pains to ease the muscles, but this hormone is being widely used on milch cattle not only in Kangra district but also other parts of the state. Experts working in the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, HPAU, stated that the use of this injection reportedly minimised the resistance of animal to release milk. Although it was a banned drug and could only be sold on the prescriptions of registered medical or veterinary practitioners, but there was no check, they said. Milk extracted through oxytocin, too, has harmful effects. Its use could result in early menstruation in girls, miscarriages and also cause defects and deformities in infants, they added. Oxytocin also results in infertility among the milch cattle. These days, one can see hundreds of stray animals on roads. It is learnt that owners of these animals have abandoned them after they failed to conceive. The experts have cautioned the cattle breeders to refrain from the indiscriminate use of oxytocin. Those animals who are administered this drug for a long period die prematurely. Villagers said the population of vultures, too, had reduced in past few years. Vultures were seen dying after eating the dead cattle in the area, they added. A senior official of the state health department said that oxytocin was a banned drug for use in milch cattle but at the same time it was used on human beings in emergency.Chemists
had been asked to sell this drug only on prescription . Besides, the drug authorities in all districts had been directed to conduct
raids on those chemist shops, which were engaged in the illegal sale of the drug.
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shimla diary
Even as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) funding for undertaking the restoration of the Town Hall building is still awaiting clearance, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has started minor repair works of the heritage structure from its own coffers.
The MC has proposed the project for restoration of the Town Hall building occupied by it and strengthening of the historic Ridge before the ADB. The ADB team has already agreed to provide about Rs 10 crore for various works but the formal approval is yet to be accorded. The MC has started repair of the roof of the building which was constructed by the British. However, it is after the ADB provides the funds that the heritage structure will be given a facelift so that it is conserved. The British architectural masterpiece was completed during the tenure of Lord Dufferin. The MC authorities also want to spend the funds for protecting the other heritage structures on the Mall. The entire stretch between Chhota Shimla and the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies (IIAS) has been declared as a heritage zone. The authorities are keen that all the structures on the Mall have a uniform facade so that the entire area becomes a heritage zone and has a semblance.
Homage
The Language, Art and Culture Department along with Sankalp and the Shimla Federation for Theatre (SFT) paid homage to talented television and film artist, the late Manohar Singh, who was born here on March 12, 1942. “Atamhatyaa”,a play was staged on the occasion and a photo exhibition was organized in his memory. Manohar Singh took interest in theatre right from his school days. Even though he joined government service for a living but it is performing arts which remained his first love. After passing out from the National School of Drama (NSD) in the year 1968-69, he remained actively associated with theatre. He acted in films, including “Daddy”, “Kissa Kursi Ka”, “Party”, “Damul”, “Main Azaad Hun” and “Tiranga”. He also had some exposure of the Shakespeare Company while he was in England on a British Council scholarship and was part of the International Art Festival at Edinburgh. He was honoured with the Christopher Trust Award and the Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 1983. It was after a prolonged illness that he died in November, 2002.
Electioneering
With the process for filing of nominations for the Lok Sabha polls yet to begin in the state, electioneering is gradually picking up. With polling in the hill state in the last phase, senior leaders of all major political parties, including the Congress, the BJP, the BSP and the CPM are expected to address rallies. National- level leaders, including L.K. Advani and Sonia Gandhi, will be touring the state. The Congress and the BJP are trading charges, especially with regard to corruption. The issue of CDs suddenly assumes significance at the time of polls and this time it is the case of controversial police officer B.S. Thind, who is in the news. The Congress too is all set to come out with its chargesheet against the Dhumal regime. It is expected to contain corruption charges against the chief minister and three of his ministerial
colleagues. — Pratibha Chauhan
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Gorkha regiments celebrate association with Bhagsunag
Dharamsala, April 14 On April 11, all Gorkha regiments of the Indian Army organised a function at the temple to mark their association with Baghsunag, considered by then as their “kul devta”. The function was organised under the aegis of Maj-Gen PCS Khati. The Gorkhas also followed the tradition of sacrificing a goat as an offering to their deity on the occasion. Sources said after performing the “pooja”, the goat was taken away from the temple and sacrificed. They said despite persuasion by officers, the Gorkhas insisted that the sacrificed goat had to be added to the food cooked for the occasion to complete the religious ceremony. The association of Gorkhas with the Bhagsunag temple dates back to 1861. The Gorkha Rifles was raised at Subhathu on April 24, 1815, as a first regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment was raised to check the expansionist designs of the then Nepalese general. The British were impressed by the indomitable valour and spirit of the Gorkhas in the battle of Malaun Fort (near Subhathu) in which they fought under the command of famous Gorkha General Amar Singh Thapa. In 1861, the regiment was moved to Dharamsala, which was later allotted to them in perpetuity.
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