Hamirpur, June 30
Widespread rain in Hamirpur district on Monday night and today morning brought an end to the long-dry spell in the area, thereby reviving hopes of farmers who can now expect good kharif season.

Pre-monsoon rain in this region has provided much desired water and moisture to standing crops which were almost on the verge of getting destroyed due to lack
of rain.

Farmers of the area were quite worried, fearing loss of their produce, due to drought-like conditions prevailing in the area for the past many weeks.

Some farmers had demanded the government’s help for continuous losses in agriculture and, more so, since about 80 per cent rabi crops, especially wheat, were damaged due to dry spell.

However, showers that lashed almost all parts of the region, came as a welcome relief to them.

Vijay Kumar, a farmer from Kohli area, said, “Though the rain has revived our hopes of getting good kharif crops, still a lot depends on monsoon progression.”

Another farmer Brahm Dass from Nadaun area said, “The long-dry spell had adversely affected growth of our maize crop and even vegetables sown by us were getting affected due to absence of rains. Now, at least there is light at the end
of the tunnel.”

Dr AS Rana, deputy director, Agriculture, while talking to The Tribune said, “Rain has broken the continuing long dry spell and will result in good growth of kharif crop. According to our estimates, now 90 per cent crop will get revived and even other 10 per cent crop, where germination had not taken place, it could be revived by gap-filling.”

It would also see formation of size of mangoes and good growth of vegetables crop, he added.

Shimla, June 30
It’s better to wear half-sleeve shirts, stay indoors in the afternoon and turn on the fan or the air-conditioner. No, you aren’t in some other city but in Shimla.

Architect Bhiwani Sood said the demand for installing fans and air-conditioners had increased over the years. “People are now asking to make provision of fans and air-conditioning ducts in new buildings as the mercury is sizzling above the normal range,” he said.

“Even in Shimla, installing cooling systems is now a must,” Sood told IANS. “Most people in lower areas of Shimla have now started preferring air-conditioners to fans.”

Akash Dubey, a tourist from Delhi, said: “We have come to Shimla to get relief from the scorching heat. But here too, during the day time we prefer to stay indoors, but there is no fan or air-conditioner.”

According to officials, global warming, deforestation and rise in pollution have rendered the Shimla hills remarkably warm.

The meteorological department here said the mean maximum and minimum temperature throughout the year has remained above average.

“In the past few years, the average maximum and minimum temperature have increased alarmingly. So, the hills are warming up fast, resulting in abnormal rise in temperatures,” said Manmohan Singh, director of the Shimla meteorological office.

As per meteorological office data, the average maximum temperature of Shimla has increased from 20 degrees Celsius in May, 2004, to 25 degrees in May this year.

M.R. Kaundal, a retired government employee who has been living in Shimla since 1945, said earlier temperature rarely crossed 25 degrees Celsius during summers.

Himachal Pradesh’s Environment Minister J.P. Nadda told IANS: “There has been a noticeable change in the climatic conditions in the state in the past 10-12 years. It’s a matter of concern. He attributed the rise in temperatures to the use of tin roofs. “A large number of houses across the state now have tin roofs that absorb greater heat as compared to the previously used slate roofs. These too contribute to heat accumulation in the atmosphere,” the minister added. — IANS

Shimla, June 30
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed for hydrological data sharing between the government of Himachal Pradesh and various projects on different river basins in the state here today.

Principal secretary, irrigation and public health, Narinder Chauhan signed the document on behalf of the government and the representatives from the Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVNL), the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board, (HPSEB), Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL), the Yangthang Power Ventures and the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) for their respective organisations.

The Rs 49.50 crore World Bank-funded Hydrology Project-II, being implemented in the state, aims at establishing a hydrological information network comprising stations for monitoring the water quality and quantity of both surface and ground water and record meteorological data.

The main objective of the project is to improve the existing system and to develop an integrated and comprehensive hydrological data collection and information system for effective use by all power projects and those concerned with water resource sector planning and management.

The project proposed to set up a state-level data centre at Mandi, besides eight circle division data centres and 40 sub-divisional centres to house data computing and processing facilities in the state.

Initially valid for five years, the MoU , will pave the way for smooth flow of hydrological data to user agencies and setting up a comprehensive data base for assessing the increasing or receding water level of the rivers.

Dharamsala, June 30
Attitude change among police officials is the key to better public relationship. This was stated by GD Bhargawa, DIG, Police Training College, Himachal Pradesh Police. He was speaking at the valedictory session of the two-day workshop on “Achieving Excellence in Police Services”. The workshop was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at Police Training College, Daroh.

The workshop imparted training to 57 Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and sub-inspectors of the state. Its aim was to bring qualitative changes in the behaviour of police officials and to orient them for better service delivery.

CII spokesperson said the objective of the workshop was to inculcate and assist participants to look at their own attitudes in terms of behaviour and develop interpersonal relations, providing a citizen-focus service and to enhance communication for managing change and coping with stress.

Meanwhile, Bhargawa stressed that change in attitude and behavior would help increasing acceptability of the police amongst people.

Vinod Dhiman, director, CII, Himachal Pradesh, emphasised on the importance of human resource development and cited it as core function of any effective and efficient organisation. 

Dharamsala, June 30
Forest department officials deputed in the Swan River Project in Una have developed cold feet on an inquiry into alleged misappropriation of funds.

Kuber Singh, member of the state-level steering committee of the project, at a meeting held in December last year, had demanded an inquiry into the expenditure incurred for the project during the year 2007-08.

According to information available with The Tribune, during the year 2007-08, material worth about Rs 2 crore was purchased under the Swan river project. As per records, about Rs 1.28 crore was spent on purchase of GI wire, interlink chain, plastic bags, grass seed, fertiliser, wheat seed, maize seed, insecticides, plants tester, sign boards, fence and veterinary medicines etc. Besides, Rs 5.22 lakh was spent on computers and about Rs 16 lakh on furniture.

At a meeting held at Una on December 8, 2008, it was decided that a committee would be constituted to bare facts.

However, it has been more than six months but nothing of that sort has happened. Forest department officials, heading the Swan project, have developed cold feet and not moved even an inch towards the inquiry.

In fact, Una Deputy Commissioner had written twice to the forest officials to constitute the committee and conduct the inquiry. However, nothing has happened as yet.

Kuber Singh said he would write to Chief Minister PK Dhumal regarding the alleged misappropriations in the project. Due to delay in inquiry, some facts may become very difficult to establish, he added.

Kuber Singh said the Swan river project was very vital for farmers of Una district. The amount being spent on the project was causing a dent in the state exchequer. Any misappropriation in it should be checked at the earliest, he said.

Minister for Forest JP Nadda, when contacted, said the matter was not in his notice. He, however, assured that speedy inquiry would be conducted into the matter and in case any misappropriation was found, the guilty would be not be spared.

Dalhousie, June 30
A deputation of the Himachal Pradesh Non-Gazetted Employees’ Federation, led by its district president Brij Mohan Bedi, met Chief Minister PK Dhumal at Dalhousie yesterday.

They urged the Chief Minister to enhance the hill compensatory allowance for employees of Dalhousie and Chamba from Rs 50 to Rs 500, making it at par with other hill stations in the state.

In view of a number of hydroelectric projects coming up in Chamba district, Bedi also demanded “project allowance” for the state government employees posted in Chamba district in his demand charter.

Dalhousie, June 30
The two-day Dalhousie Summer Festival, revived after a gap of 12 years, concluded here yesterday. Chief Minister PK Dhumal presided over the closing ceremony.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Dhumal congratulated the district administration and local organisers for revival of the festival, which had been popular with the tourists visiting the town and boosting tourism activities in the entire district.

The festival also provides local artistes an opportunity to exhibit their cultural heritage and introduce visitors to the legacy being carried by them. Cultural troupes from other parts of the state also participate in such festivals, which present a rainbow of different colours on one stage, he added.

Dhumal said Chamba itself was culturally rich and renowned for its folk culture and such occasions go a long way in preservation of the rich cultural heritage of the state. He hoped that the organisers would continue with the festival activities in future as well so that tourists visiting the town were entertained.

Dalhousie MLA Renu Chadha welcomed Dhumal and thanked him for the patronage extended to revive the old festival of Dalhousie after a gap of 12 years.

Una, June 30
The Una police, with the support of local people, has nabbed the accused of murder-cum-rape which took place on June 24, near here, in the forest of Lal Singi village.

Una SP Santosh Patial said today that on June 25 body of migrant labourer Chandravati (28) was found in the forest at Lal Singi.

According to her neighbour, she had gone to collect fuel wood but did not return. Search was made and her body was found strangled with her dupatta. The police was informed and the body was sent for a post-mortem examination, which revealed that she was raped and then murdered. A large number of migrant labourers were interrogated, but nothing came out of it, the SP added.

The villagers saw a suspicious person moving about near a tube well in the village yesterday. They kept a watch on him and informed the police. The police took the person in custody.

Investigation revealed that the name of person was Mangal, alias Naveen, of Rajia village (Bihar), who already had a criminal record. It was revealed by the accused that he had already committed a murder in Binewal village (Punjab) of one Bhagat Ram. He told his age to be less than 18 and was sent to children home (jail) in Hoshiarpur from where he escaped few days back and came to Lal Singi village.

On seeing Chandravati alone, he followed her and after committing rape murdered her. He also took away the silver ornaments and the cash, which the victim was carrying.