Shimla, May 5
Close on the heels of beating up of some students at Lawrence School, Sanawar, parents and a local guardian of a class seven student at the local Bishop Cotton School (BCS) have lodged a police complaint against class XI seniors for the alleged thrashing of their son.

District police chief R.M. Sharma confirmed that a complaint had been received yesterday in the New Shimla police station from the local guardian of the student. “Since the aggrieved boy is on a trekking tour, we will have to wait for his return on May 10 before any action can be taken in this regard,” he said.

Meanwhile, the SP has spoken to the principal of the school who has assured him that the matter would be settled amicably the moment the boy returns. Taking immediate cognizance of the beating incident principal Roy Christopher Robinson is learnt to have summoned the parents of the five class XI students who have been named by the aggrieved student’s father in his compliant to the school.

The boy’s father Harish Gupta when contacted said he had lodged a complaint with the school principal. “I have full faith in the school administration and I am confident they will take the necessary action,” he said. He, however, added that in case the school did not take appropriate action he would be forced to pursue it with the police. It was yesterday that the police received a complaint from the guardian of the class VII student after which the police spoke to the school authorities. The principal of BCS could not be contacted despite repeated efforts.

Shimla, May 5
The weather god has obliged the forest department with a timely spell of rain to help douse numerous forest fires raging in the hill state.

Widespread light to moderate rain over the past 24 hours has quelled almost all major fires and also cleared the cloud of smoke and dust hanging over the hills which had obscured the skyline. The rain has come in the nick of time for the forest department as sudden and rather abnormal rise in mercury in the region over the past two weeks unleashed a rash of forest fires across the state. In the fire-ravaged lower hill areas Una received the maximum 16 mm, followed by Bilaspur (13.4 mm), Gumbar (13 mm), Dehra ( 10.4 mm) and Tisa (10.3 mm).

Interestingly, the rain-shadowed tribal areas, which are not prone to forest fires, had maximum precipitation with Udaipur recording 19 mm, Keylong 13 mm and Kalpa 8 mm. Wintry conditions were revived in the tribal belt as the mercury plummeted to 2 degree Celsius in Kalpa and 4 degree Celsius in Keylong.

The dry and hot conditions had virtually transformed forests in mid and lower hill areas, particularly the pine forests, into a huge tinder box. An unusually large number of fire incidents were reported from various parts of the state, including Shimla, Bilaspur, Mandi, Kangra, Hamirpur, Una, Sirmour and Solan districts. The forest department started monitoring the fire situation from March 25 and sought daily reports from the field.

Out of the total 209 incidents of forest fires reported till April 30 as many as 146 f have taken place after April 25. The total forest area affected by the blazes is 1856 hectare and the loss has been estimated at Rs 71 lakh. The main reason for the low figures of loss was that there had been only ground fires and no significant crown fires which really caused damage to trees, a senior officer informed.

The rain has brought down the mercury in the state capital which had been shot up to 29.5 degree Celsius, 5 degree C above normal, three days ago. The state capital recorded the highest of 29.5 degree Celsius. The maximum temperature has plunged to 21.4 degree Celsius, about 4 degree Celsius below normal and the minimum to 10.7 degree Celsius, 5 degree below normal. The low temperature coupled with increased soil moisture will help check outbreak of forest fires for at least two weeks.

Shimla, May 5
While Chief Minister PK Dhumal and former union minister Shanta Kumar are flying across the hill state to canvass for BJP candidates, the Congress campaign has been hamstrung due to failure of the party to arrange helicopters for its main campaigners in the first phase of electioneering.

Former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and state party president Kaul Singh have been toiling on bumpy roads for the past one month. The party needed an aircraft to ferry its leaders all the more because the spearhead of its campaign Virbhadra Singh is himself contesting from the Mandi seat and does not have time to undertake arduous road travel to canvass in other constituencies. Being a leader with a mass appeal, he is much in demand in the other three constituencies, but without a helicopter to facilitate his speedy movement across the hill terrain, it will not be possible to utilise his services effectively and efficiently.

The party finally managed to arrange a helicopter today, but inclement weather kept it grounded. If the weather does not clear up tomorrow, the programme of Virbhadra Singh, who is scheduled to address election meetings at Rohru, Nerwa, Shilai, Dadahu and Paonta Sahib, will be hit.

The BJP had never won the Shimla seat, but being in power and having its nominees in eight out of 17 assembly segments, it is making a determined bid to change the history. Virbhadra Singh will campaign in the Kangra constituency on May 7. It remains to be seen if he will be able to campaign in Hamirpur from where Dhumal’s son Anurag Thakur is engaged in an intense battle with Narinder Thakur, son of BJP stalwart late Jagdev Chand.

The party is not bringing many national leaders to the state, except Rahul Gandhi and Anand Sharma. Gandhi will wind up the campaign by addressing election meetings in Kangra, Kullu and Una on May 11. Sharma will devote three days, May 7, 8 and 10, during which he will address meetings at Nurpur, Banikhet, Haroili, Kot Kehloor, Arki, Baddi and Nahan.

Moshina Kidwai and Kaul Singh will campaign in Jubbal-Kotkhai, Tal (Hamirpur) and Haroli (Una). Party Supremo Sonia Gandhi, who addressed a rally here on May 2, is not likely to visit the state again.

For the BJP, LK Advani will address rallies at Solan and Bilaspur on May 10, Narinder Modi at Hamirpur, Mandi ad Kullu on May 11, Rajnath Singh at Shahpur on May 9 and Sushma Swaraj at Kollar in Sirmaur on May 9.

Bilaspur, May 5
The country has been unfortunate since the past five years as it was being headed by “the weakest Prime Minister” in country’s history who had no powers and was being guided, and mostly misguided, by someone else through the remote control.

This was stated by BJP candidate and MP Anurag Thakur while addressing election meetings at various village centres of the Gehadwin reserved constituency, including Barsand, Rishikesh, Dadhi Bhadi, Anand Ghat, Kalol, Jejwin, Silwin, Marottan, Buhad, Gangloh, Naghyar, Tambadi and Kutheda here in the district today.

He pleaded that now is the time to get rid of such a Prime Minister and help nation get a strong Prime Minister in LK Advani, which would enhance the prestige of India in the whole world as was the case when AB Vajpayee of the BJP held this august post.

Anurag said the prices of all essentials have gone sky high and the Congress is crying from house tops that the price index is heading towards becoming zero.

He said prices of sugar have jumped from Rs 12 to Rs 35 and vegetables, fruits and pulses have gone out of reach of the common man due to weak policies of the government.

Local MLA Rikhi Ram Kaundal and BJP Parliamentary constituency in charge Pravin Sharma also addressed the meetings.

Dharamsala, May 5
Students of Him Academy, Hamirpur, have dominated the top 10 positions in the class X board examinations conducted by the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education, results of which were declared here today. Six of the top 10 students belong to Him Academy, a private school in Hamirpur.

Astha Kapil, the topper who scored 96 per cent (673/700 marks), is also from Him Academy. While talking to The Tribune Astha said she was very happy at bagging the top position. I attribute my success to my teachers and parents. I would continue in the same school and want to become a software engineer, she said.

The other toppers include Priyanka Jaswal from Gurukul Public Senior Secondary School, Pakka Paroh in the Amb area of Una district, stood second with 95.71 per cent (670/700). Priyanka Thakur from Him Academy, Hamirpur, third with 669/700, Lalit Thakur from Bharat Bharti School, Dhalpur, Kullu, fourth with 666/700. Vishakha Gupta from SVM Senior Secondary School, Mandi, and Anushruti Mehta of Him Academy were joint fifth scoring 665/700, Kanish Jamwal from Senior Secondary School, M.Bazaar, Mandi, sixth with 664/700, Aditi Thakur of Him Academy seventh scoring 663/700.

The eighth position was once again jointly occupied by three students, including Varun Sharma of DAV Senior Secondary School, Una, and Shakti Bharti and Divya Guleria of Him Academy scoring 662/700.

Ishta Bhardwaj of Springfield Public School, Nabahi, came ninth with 660/700 and Akanksha Gautam of DAV Public School Chamba and Pranshul Saini of SVM Senior Secondary, Mandi, 10th with 659/700 marks.

Chairman of the board CL Gupta said in the matric examinations 90,046 students had appeared. These included 47,773 boys and 42,273 girls and 61.28 per cent students passed the exams.

These included 54,244 who passed directly and 13,098 with compartment in one subject.

Secretary of the board Prabhat Sharma said those students who want to get their papers reevaluated could do so by depositing an amount of Rs 200 per paper with the board till May 25.

The students from Hamirpur had also dominated the top positions in the class XII science examination results declared earlier.

Shimla, May 5
The State Electricity Board Employees Union has rejected the report of the Fifth Punjab Pay Commission as the pay scales recommended for various categories were lower as compared with those given by the central pay commission.

The union maintained that the recommendations of the commission were disadvantageous compared to the last four pay revisions.

There was an average increase of 40 per cent in the last pay revision effected in 1996, whereas the latest commission has recommended an increase of only 27 per cent.

Further, the commission had adopted the pay structures of the central pay commission, but a majority of allowances that were higher in the central pay commission report had not been recommended by the Punjab panel.

The union also pointed out that the average increase was inconsistent in five running pay bands.

In first four pay bands, it ranged between 17 to 32 per cent and in the 5th pay band from 45 to 73 per cent, which was more than double.

Hence, the increase of 27 per cent was not uniform. It was only around 21 per cent for the first pay band in which a majority of employees fell, the union maintained.

As the pay revisions would be applicable for the next 10 years, the increase given was  insufficient.

The government had already granted 20 per cent interim relief and the pay revision would not meet even that increase. Moreover, inclusion of 10 per cent dearness allowance in the basic pay from January 1, 2009, would actually lead to recoveries from employees, the union said.

Kullu, May 5
The higher reaches of Kullu and Manali experienced another spell of snow while the lower region received widespread rain during the past 24 hours.

The 13,050 feet high Rohtang Pass received more than 30 cm of snowfall. The peaks of Mattikochhar, Fungni Dhar and Pir Panjal ranges also received fresh snowfall today.

The incessant rains in the valley, including Manali, Kullu and Bhuntar towns had brought the mercury down by 20°C. The rains would prove blessing to farmers in the region as the dry spell had damaged the fruit and vegetable crops considerably.

Nurpur: People of the lower Kangra district reeling under scorching heat got relief after receiving rainfall last night.

The overcast sky since yesterday had also brought down the day temperature sharply. This rain is considered beneficial for those farmers who have to sow kharif crops but harmful to those harvesting wheat crops.

Shimla, May 5
Reliance Communications today slashed its GSM tariffs for both new and existing subscribers in Himachal Pradesh.

A new subscriber with a first recharge of just Rs 50 will not only get lifetime validity but can now call local Reliance GSM subscribers at a tariff as low as just 8 paise per minute during night and 25 paise per min during day.

All other local calls in the state will be at 60 paise per minute.

Along with these rates, one can now make STD calls anywhere in the country at Re 1 per minute. These tariff rates will be applicable for 90 days.

These benefits will also be available for existing subscribers through a recharge of Rs 45 Special Tariff Voucher.

Regional Hub Head, northern region, Arvind Kumar, said the company endeavoured to give “value for money” to its customers.

Bijhadi (Hamirpur), May 5
While overcast sky and a little drizzle before the BJP’s public meeting in the Badsar assembly segment of the Hamirpur constituency was a good respite from sweltering heat to people leading into a good turnout, Chief Minister PK Dhumal heralded this as a perfect weather to bloom lotus (election symbol of BJP) in this election time.

Addressing an election meeting here today, Dhumal accused UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for allegedly misleading the people of the state on the issue of Central government’s “discrimination” towards it.

He questioned, “Sonia Gandhi in her public address at Shimla had claimed the Central government had not discriminated against Himachal, but is it not true that the state was discriminated in the matter of not extending the industrial package till 2013, by reducing allocation of PDS ration, not providing any financial help to compensate for the losses caused by rains, not starting work on Rohtang tunnel, not extending rail network in the state and not conceding the demand for quota for recruitment in the Army”?

Taking a dig at Sonia Gandhi for the price rise during the UPA regime Dhumal said, “Despite being the chairperson of the UPA she did not even made a mention about price rise in her address at Shimla though this is most pinching issue for the public; the sugar which was sold at Rs 13 per kg is available at Rs 35 per kg today.”

Ridiculing the claim of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about brining down the inflation to zero level he said, “People eat food items and not inflation and prices and the government has failed to control the prices of essential commodities.”

He also criticised the Congress government for failing to check terrorism and corruption and explained about various public welfare measures assured by the BJP in its election manifesto.

He claimed 14,000 unemployed persons have already been given employment till now by the state government and after May 20, 12,000 more would find jobs. Local MLA Baldev Sharma also addressed the meeting.

Shimla, May 5
The irrigation and public health department has taken a serious notice of the use of online pumps to lift water by consumers, particularly in urban areas, which affected water supply to others.

The use of any kind of pumping machinery to lift water from pipeline was banned but still people were using it which was leading to inequitable distribution of water which was already in short supply.

Engineer-in-chief RN Sharma has directed the field staff to take immediate action against offenders and disconnect their water supply without notice.

The people have been advised to inform sub-divisional engineer or executive engineer concerned about unauthorised use of pumps so that appropriate action could be taken.

The department has pressed tankers into service severely affected areas and in all 120 tankers had been deployed. The maximum number of 49 tankers have been deployed in Una, followed by Kangra (31), Bilaspur (21) and Mandi (11).

Sharma said that more tankers would be deployed if required and the department was fully geared up to meet the scarcity situation caused by dry spell and inadequate snow during winter.

Shimla, May 5
The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed the Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) financial services to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation to Raj Kumar Chauhan of Hamirpur for forcefully repossessing his vehicle.

The commission headed by Justice Arun Kumar Goel (retd) also imposed Rs 25,000 as punitive damages and Rs 5,000 as costs upon the company for misusing of its position by using muscle men to take over the vehicle’s possession.

As per the stand of the company, the complainant himself surrendered the vehicle whereas according to the complainant, the vehicle was forcibly repossessed by hired hoodlums of the company.

The complainant further alleged that this is a case of high handedness on part of the company who repossessed the vehicle by employing extra legal means by deputing hoodlums who took forcible possession of the vehicle from him.

As per the facts of the case, the vehicle was got financed by the complainant from the company in the sum of Rs 2 lakh.

While dismissing the appeal of the company the commission observed that the company itself had called upon the complainant to pay Rs 72,000 on or before March 31, 2005, out of which admittedly he had paid Rs 35,000.

The commission further observed that we are unable to understand much less appreciate and why he pays Rs 35,000 and than voluntarily surrender the vehicle.