Solan, October 3
Two cases of swine flu were detected here as two sisters have been found positive in the tests conducted at the National Institute of Communicable Disease (NICD), Delhi.

Following this, the whole family, including the girls’ parents and their grandmother, have been put on quarantine, while 19 others, who had come in contact with them, have been given prophylactic treatment.

Confirming this, Solan Chief Medical Officer Dr Ashok Tagra said he had sent a team of physicians from here to take stock of the situation. Since their mother was teaching in a local school, another team of physicians would be sent to the school on Monday to medically examine the children for suspected symptoms of swine flu.

The doctors expressed shock as to why the family had not isolated themselves despite sending the nasal swab samples to the NICD on September 25.

The two girls are daughters of a deputy assistant director working in the Central Research Institute (CRI) who, after suspecting his younger daughter to be suffering from swine flu, had sent her nasal swab to NICD, Delhi, on September 25.

The younger daughter had, supposedly, contracted the flu from Chandigarh where she was pursuing her graduation while the elder daughter was working in the Integrated Disease Surveillance Laboratory of the CRI which was conducting swine flu testing.

Surprisingly, the elder daughter of the official had been working in the laboratory till October 1 where she had come in contact with other CRI colleagues.

The revelation has created a panic among the employees of the institute who are worried at the thought of having come in contact with a swine flu patient.

Doctors at the CRI said this was the first confirmed case of swine flu in the state as the earlier case suspected at Chitkara institute near Baddi had not tested positive.

Mandi/Kullu, October 3
Union Steel Minister and Mandi MP Virbhadra Singh said today that Chief Minster PK Dhumal was “running the state government like a corporation ruled by land mafias” and went on to accuse him of opening private universities like “teaching shops in which certain BJP leaders have their share”.

He charged that the Dhumal government was promoting regionalism while making appointments of staff at the Secretariat.

Winding up his two-day tour of Mandi Parliamentary constituency in Kullu and Mandi, Virbhadra Singh made the scathing attack on the present Dhumal government at a press conference in Mandi.

Virbhadra Singh alleged that certain key BJP leaders and their family members dreamt of making fortunes by buying land in Manali, Seo Bagh, Soja, Palampur and Una.

There is even rumour of a BJP minister buying a key hotel in Solan which speaks volumes about the real agenda of the present BJP government, he added.

“During my last term, we had lifted rice and wheat from open markets and gave subsidised food to people in the state. However, Dhumal is cribbing about cut in central quotas to find a lame excuse for his inefficiency,” he charged.

The clean chit given to the BJP leaders involved in the call-girl racket only proved that the present government had lost its right to govern, he charged.

He asserted that the ESIC Medical College, being opened at Ner Chowk, was no substitute for the government medical college in Mandi. “The next Congress government will fulfill its commitment to open government medical college here,” he promised.

On the controversial Sundernagar cement plant, Virbhadra Singh said he opposed setting up of such plants on fertile land and in populated areas.

He contested Dhumal’s claims for winning top ranking in education, health and other fields as the award was given to the state government for its achievements for the period from 2003-2008, when the Congress ruled the state most of the time.

He inspected the ESIC Medical College site and directed its authorities to give employment to local youth in construction and others works.

He ensured the delegation that the central government would sanction a scheme to revive the “bathing ghats” in Mandi. He also said the Bhanupali-Bilaspur railway line would be extended till Mandi.

Dharamsala, October 3
The small and big hydro projects coming up on various rivers and streams in the state are destroying the fish and other aquatic life. The fish population in the streams has been hit hard due to these projects.

Secretary of the Himachal Angling Association KB Rahlan said the government justified the construction of dams on economic grounds. Still it could enforce measures that protected the fish population.

In foreign countries, the fish ladders have been made mandatory in big dams. The fish that travel upstream for breeding use the fish ladders to cross the barriers created by dam walls. However, in the state, the fisheries department has failed to develop design for fish ladders that can be inculcated in designing big hydro projects. If the present trend continues the population of trout fish, which travels to icy waters upstream for breeding, will vanish within few years.

Ever since its inception in 1978, the Angling Association, a voluntary organisation of conservationists, sport fishing enthusiasts and promoters of tourism, has been engaged in spreading awareness for protection and development of river fish population of the state. It has been regularly organising national-level seminars, angling meets on protection of ecology of rivers, fish biodiversity and promotion of “special interest tourism” through recreational sport fishing. So far, 62 angling contests have been held in snow-fed streams of Kullu, Mandi and Chamba as well as Bhakra and Pong reservoirs of the state for the promotion of angling tourism to contribute towards creating a brand image of the state tourism.

In collaboration with the departments of fisheries and tourism, the association is organising the 63rd Anglers Meet and Trout Angling Contest at Barot on 10th-11th October. Sport anglers, fisheries scientists, river conservationists and people from travel trade, including from foreign high commissions, shall be participating in two-day meet.

Entries for angling event would close on 7th October 2009. The winners of the angling contest will be given attractive prizes and all participants would be given a memento and certificate.

Solan, October 3
Irked at the change of stance by Nalagarh MLA HN Saini in the JP thermal plant case, several panchayat pradhans yesterday said this tactic to first oppose the plant during its public hearing and later furnish a written undertaking, was a betrayal of truth.

Interestingly, while in the Opposition, Saini had opposed this 25 MW thermal plant in its first public hearing held in 2007 and, now, while in the ruling, he had extended support to it surreptitiously via a letter while still opposing it publicly when the capacity of the plant had been enhanced to 30 MW.

The gram panchayat pradhans, including Vijay Thakur representing Baruna, Pawan Kumar representing Karsoli, Roshan from Mastanpura, Manjit Singh from Kashmirpur and Jajtaar Singh from Ghullowaal, while resenting this abrupt change, said it did not behove a public representative to belie his own stand.

The letter, a copy of which was available with The Tribune, stated that since the plant would generate employment, he had decided not to oppose it in public interest. While giving grounds for the support, the MLA mentioned that since the emission level of pollutants was within the limit prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board, he found nothing objectionable with the plant.

Interestingly, the plant had been vehemently opposed by all at its September 7 public hearing. But after the public hearing, which had been conducted by the State Pollution Control Board, a few panchayat pradhans had given their consent for its operations on the plea that they had not been allowed to present their views earlier. The same plea had been adopted by the MLA who had spoken for his stance of opposing the plant vociferously on September 7.

Shimla, October 3
The end of the colonial rule in India forced them to leave Bishop Cotton School (BCS) in 1947 to be back home in England, but when it comes to enjoying India cuisine, humming Bollywood songs or speaking in chaste Hindi, they can beat any Indian hands down.

“My great grandfather, Robert Philip, an engine driver, was sent to India in 1873 to drive the first train of the Indian Railways and my father was born in Lahore,” said 81-year-old John Philip, reminiscing about his association with India. He proudly admits that he is an Indian by birth and loves everything about India even though it was way back in 1944 that he left the country when he completed his senior Cambridge at the BCS.

Most of the British alumni, who are here to attend the BCS sesquicentennial celebrations, are in their seventies but they are nostalgic about the time spent here as young boys. With many in their families having served in India during the British rule, they have strong affinity for India.

All old students, whether it was 92-year-old Narrotam Sehgal, a former ICS officer, or 78-year-old Ken Richards from England, attended the special Chapel Service for the old boys.

“I am overwhelmed to be attending the Chapel Service, the way I did it everyday religiously till I left the school in 1928,” said Sehgal, the oldest student of be part of the celebrations.

Other alumni too visited each and every part of the school they were so closely bonded with. “The dormitory where I was lodged is just the same except that it is bigger,” said actor Kumar Gaurav, who studied here for some time and met his old classmates VK Roach and Sharad Bhasin after 35 years. He has, off late, been acting in some overseas movies, including a recent one “Guiana 1838”, “The Arrival”, a New York production.

“We visited the Indian Coffee House, Christ Church and the Davicos, as these are places I fondly remember since my childhood days,” said Philips, who visited the BCS once earlier in 2000 along with wife Catherine. He is appreciative of the fact that the school still retains the same ambience with, of course, the inevitable expansion.

There are others like Ken Richards, who at 78 was humming a Hindi movie song of his time “Akhiyan mila ke, jiya bharma ke”. Richards, who completed school in 1945 to make a career as professional singer, regaled younger alumni, many of whom keep in touch with him in the UK, with many other Hindi songs. Most of the alumni will attend the five-day celebrations, including cricket and soccer matches between Aitchison College, Lahore and BCS school team, release of a commemorative stamp and a coffee-table book.

Shimla, October 3
The need to protect the snow leopard came into sharp focus with the ceremonial release of three attractive posters of the highly endangered high-altitude animal at the opening function of the wildlife week here yesterday.

The slogan given by the forest department to drive home its message is conserve, protect and celebrate. Chief Minister PK Dhumal presided over the function. He also released the souvenir brought out by the wildlife wing of the department to mark the occasion.

Dhumal said the better management of wildlife would be ensured as the 767 populated villages would be taken out of the protected areas to reduce human interference. The total protected area in the state would be increased from the existing 13 per cent to 15.44 per cent, which would affect 25 wildlife sanctuaries.

Dhumal showed his concern over the increasing impact of the global warming. He stressed upon striking a balance between living habitats and wildlife preservation.

Forest Minister JP Nadda said the government had endeavoured to check monkey menace by setting up of sterilisation centres in three districts and so far 8,500 simians had been operated. The target was to sterilise 25,000 monkeys during the current financial year.

Bilaspur, October 3
The Himachal Pradesh Green Grower Farmers Union, an organisation formed to protect interests of green house produce growers, has drawn attention of the Chief Minister towards an illegal practice of extra charge as “bribe”. It has alleged Rs 10 per packet or “peti” of flowers and other produce is sent by the green house farmers through the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) route buses to the markets outside the state.

Green house farmers urged the Chief Minister to take strict action against the malpractice of bribe. They also asked him to order that only the actual freight amount should be charged from them.

Union’s president Major LR Sharma (retd) said though this illegal practice was brought to the notice of the lower rung officers, no remedial action had been taken yet.

He said conductors refused to load the cartons if this underhand amount was not given. Conductors openly plead that this was the charge for taking care of their cartons on the bus roof top.

Major Sharma said because of this malpractice a farmer of Bilaspur paid Rs 49,000 as freight charges and an addition of Rs 8,000 as bribe to the conductors and booking clerks during last one year. Statewide it would mean a considerable loss to farmers.

The union demanded that the conductors should be ordered to issue goods receipt (GR) invariably to give it to them as a proof that the goods were loaded on the bus.

Kullu, October 3
The Kardars of Balu Nag and Shranga Rishi ‘devtas’, who have been at loggerheads over the issue of the ‘right hand slot’ with Lord Raghunath, presiding deity of Dussehra for the traditional ‘jaleb’ procession, assert that the dispute (dhur vivad) can only be resolved by ‘devniti’(verdict of gods) not by the mela committee and administration.

This long dispute has marred the sanctity of the international festival, they charged. The Kullu Dusehra got the body blow this time as Lord Raghunath Rath rolled out from the historic Dhalpur Maidan without the participation of the major deities, Balu Nag, believed to be an avatar of Laxman, who is Lord Raghunath’s brother and Shringa Rishi, guru of the Lord Raghunath. Dussehra festivities are incomplete without their participation as both are indispensable, their devotees assert.

The mela committee, headed by vice-chairman-cum-DC Kullu banned Balu Nag’s participation in the jaleb by invoking Section 144 and kept its followers confined to its camp at Dhalpur.

On the other hand, Shringa Rishi did not participate in Dussehra as devta went in its temple treasuries due to its sacred pilgrimage.

The devotees of Balu Nag said both devtas should be allowed to participate in the jalebs and to occupy the lot as per the will of devtas.

President of the Kardar Sangh Narotam Negi said it opposed the politicisation of issue related to the deities. “The dispute can be resolved by ‘devniti’ not by the mela committee and district administration. “The Kardar Sangh will try to resolve it sooner than later,” he added.

The DC said they did not invite Balu Nag as had been done in past due to security reasons. But when it came we welcomed him at the camp, but did not allow it to participate in the procession, he added.

Devotees and the Kardar Sangh opined politicians should not be allowed to turn the dispute for settling scores or gain political mileage as it has been happening in the Balu-Rishi dispute case.

Kullu, October 3
The 12th Finance Commission of India had made provisions of Rs 2.5 crore for temples in Himachal Pradesh but Virbhadra Singh had utilised maximum of that for Rohru and Rampur whereas Kullu was allocated only Rs 5 lakh for Bijli Mahadev temple.

This was stated by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal here today while addressing a media conference at the Circuit House. Flaying the union minister, Dhumal said Virbhadra remained busy in distributing funds to Rohru temples or Mahila mandals and did not have time to look after his ministry.

As regards invitation for Dussehra festival, Dhumal again ridiculed the MP and said “jhuth ke paon nahi hote” as they had documentary proofs of delivery of invitation at his Rampur and New Delhi addresses.

Refuting Virbhadra’s charge of Bhanupalli-Barmana railway line, Dhumal said it was the NDA government at the Centre that initiated the construction of the railway project. “We had a budget provision of Rs 37 crore in 2008-09 but had to divert it to the food subsidy due to indifference of the centralgovernment,” he said.

Shimla, October 3
The state has decided not to hold its annual paragliding meet this year as one of the finest aero-sports sites at Bir-Billing in Kangra district is set for a complete makeover.

“Currently, the work to develop Bir-Billing is in progress. It will still take time to bring it up to international standards. For this reason, we are not able to hold the annual paragliding event this time,” said Arun Sharma, Director, Tourism.

The Tourism Department had been holding the pre-world cup paragliding championships every October at Bir-Billing.

“Our aim is to expand its take-off and landing sites so that the international body for the sport can give its affiliation,” Sharma said.

According to him, the take-off site at Billing, situated at a height of 2,290 metres, allows only 30 to 40 gliders to take off at one time.

“As per international standards, a minimum of 100 gliders should take flight simultaneously. We are expanding the take-off site so that at one go more than 100 can fly,” Sharma said. Similarly, the landing site at Bir is not properly developed. — IANS