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Change in rozgar plan adds to khadi board woes
Fest spews fun, frolic at St Bede’s College
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Sanitation a casualty Una MC prefers open drains
Nine years on, Kangra hospital awaits upgrade
Cop recommended for award
Drug peddlers have a field day in Mandi
Police cautions residents against e-mail frauds
Oldest Kasauli church celebrates anniversary
Central schoolteachers showcase Indian culture
Kinnaur apple fetches record price
Rural women benefit from govt schemes
Vignettes
Himachal diary |
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Change in rozgar plan adds to khadi board woes
Shimla, October 6 The decision to involve the District Industries Centres(DICs) in the implementation of the employment-generating scheme and scrapping of the charges for processing of loan cases and registration has deprived the khadi institutions of their much-needed income. Until last year the scheme was being implemented only by the Khadi Commission and the board and they equally shared the funds allocated for providing loans to various categories of eligible persons. However, from the last financial year 40 per cent funds are being allocated to the DICs and 30 per cent each to the khadi commission and board. Further, the board had been earning reasonable revenue by way of processing charges ranging from 0.5 to 1 per cent and registration charges at the rate of 1 per cent, which it can not charge any longer. The income on this account came down from Rs 65 lakh to Rs 23 lakh last year as a result. The financial position of the board has worsened as the quantum of government grant has remained static while the expenditure on salaries and other establishment charges has increased. The total expenditure of the board was Rs 3.12 crore and with the government providing only Rs 2.55 crore as a grant last year, it ended with a deficit of Rs 26 lakh. This year the expenditure was likely to over Rs 4.10 crore and with the government grant pegged at last year’s level of Rs 2.55 crore, the deficit will shoot up. The board has requested the state government to increase the grant to help it tide over the crisis and sought additional funds to the tune of Rs 1.66 crore. It has also urged the government to take up the matter with the Centre regarding the adverse impact of the changes in the scheme on the financial health of the board to find a way out. Adequate financial support was required as the khadi institutions were not commercial entities. They were engaged in promotional activities and generating gainful employment in the tribal and remote areas. Thought the board is mainly dependent on government grants, it is making efforts to augment its income by diversifying its marketing activities. Last year, it started selling a range of organic tea and herbal products like aonla candy, aonla juice, herbal shampoo and soaps, henna and honey through its chain of “Khadi Bhandars” in the state. Even otherwise,diversification has become necessary in view of the declining demand for the traditional khadi items. The board now plans to sell a range of “panch gavya” (cow products-based) items and common ayurvedic products through its outlets to increase revenue. It is entering into an arrangement with the well-known Kanpur-based Goshala Society which manufactures a wide range of cow products. “To begin with the board will focus on products of general use like soaps, detergents, incence, “pooja samagri”, aftershave lotion and various ayurvedic products like alovera juice and anti-diabetic and other formulations which were much in demand”, says Ravinder Bhardwaj, chief executive officer of the board. If the experiments work out well and marketing such products brings additional revenue the board will introduce more “panch gavya” items and organic products. The demand for herbal and organic products has been growing but they were still mostly being used by the elite. The effort of the board will be to bring these products within the reach of the common consumer.
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Fest spews fun, frolic at St Bede’s College
Shimla, October 6 The college campus resonated with music and loud cheers during the two-day festival with stiff competition in every section, including dance, music, debate, street play, creative writing or the tug of war. “We call the fest “Serendipity” as we get to discover different ideas and talents that students have in them,” remarked college Admiral Deepali Kanwar, an avid debater and all-rounder. It’s not just music but also dances that are a big attraction at the festival with latter ranging from Arabian to Hip Hop, folk dances and perfect fusion of Indo-western dance. “The youth are so full of talent, ideas, creativity that it is a pleasure to see vibrant and scintillating performances,” said Neelkamal Singh Bedi, a member of the teaching faculty. To bring out the best and varied in every student there was also “On Air”, a news reading event. Then, there were competitive sections in sketching, still photography and creative writing. The presentations during the two-day festival were par-excellence, unravelling talent and loads of creativity that these ping minds have. A much-awaited event for all colleges, the participating teams included Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Government Dental College, DAV College, Sector 10; and SD College, Chandigarh; JP University of Information Technology, Vaknaghat; Rajkiya Kanya Mahavidyalaya, College of Excellence, Sanjauli; and the local University Institute of Legal Studies. Even though managing the sponsorship for the event was hell of a task for the organizers, the entire team of St Bede’s managed to pull out a good show that was thoroughly enjoyed by youngsters. To live up to a century-old tradition sure is a lot of hard work and labour for the college which has come up to everyone’s expectation.
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Sanitation a casualty Una MC prefers open drains
Una, October 6 A survey in the town revealed that the local Municipal Council Authorities had at some places replaced the underground pipes laid by people on their own with open drains that were seldom cleaned. In ward no. 4, residents on their own had laid underground pipes that used to open in the nearby rivulet. The pipes were functioning smoothly and there was no water stagnation in the area. However, the authorities dug out the pipes and replaced them with open drain. The drain now remains filled with litter and is seldom cleaned. On the old Hoshiarpur road also, instead of laying underground pipes, the council is constructing about 10ft deep drain. As the drain is still being constructed, the incomplete portion remains filled with water. The residents of the area allege that the drain has become a constant nuisance for them as the stagnant water in it is a perennial source of stench and insects. They also allege that the deep drain is a threat to commuters, especially at night when there is no light. The drain being constructed would be connected with the Swan river. The residents of other areas also complained of delay in clearance of dustbins. They alleged that solid waste remained in dustbins for weeks, before it was cleared. Sources said the Una MC does not had its solid waste management plan. The waste collected from the town was dumped in Una Khad (rivulet) where it was generally burned down spreading air pollution in the area. The council authorities blamed the limited budget available with them for all the ills. They, however, added that under the total sanitation mission, they had employed sweepers who now collect solid waste from the doorsteps of the residents. This has reduced the litter in the town, they claimed. However, the survey of the area revealed that the scheme had not improved the situation along the roads. However, the move of the municipal council to replace underground pipes with open drains defies logic, when the government is laying stress on laying sewerage even in villages.
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Nine years on, Kangra hospital awaits upgrade
Kangra, October 6 The people of this town had pinned their hopes on the present BJP government for the implementation of its own order that it had issued on December 20, 2000. However, instead of providing more staff the existing staff was transferred one by one. Inaugurated by Virbhadra Singh on December 3, 1985, this 50-bedded sub-divisional hospital was upgraded by the BJP government headed by Chief Minister PK Dhumal to 100-bedded hospital. An upgrade notification was issued by the government on December 20, 2000, which has been gathering dust in the files even after nearly nine years of its passing. Today, the hospital possesses facilities which might not be better than that of a community health centre (CHC). Residents here feel that political leadership has been an utter failure in Kangra, as neither the district has been promoted as a pilgrimage nor as a historical place. So it doesn’t come as a surprise to them if basic health care to them has been denied to them over the years. Vidiaya Sagar, former agriculture minister, had inaugurated the so-called 100-bedded hospital of his own. Neither the staff nor the equipment was provided for this 100-bedded hospital by the government. Construction of an additional building complex for this 100-bedded hospital, foundation stone for which was laid by PK Dhumal as Chief Minister, remained a distant dream for people here till date. Presently, the hospital has not the staff to cater even a 50-bedded hospital. There were no facilities of a surgeon, a physician, a radiologist, eye specialist, child specialist and other doctors. The number of doctors has been reduced to three only with nearly 500 patients visiting the OPD daily. One doctor joined recently because of public outcry. This so-called 100-bedded hospital had requirement of 17 doctors, but has presently four doctors only. This strength is less than required in a 50-bedded hospital. According to hospital sources, out of four doctors one remains night off, at least one goes for court evidence and 2 doctors manage the show. According to sources, instead of seven pharmacists there were two as one was shifted to Tanda, instead of 14 staff nurses there were only nine and against 20 Class IV there were only five in the hospital. The people here demand that that state government should take all steps to improve the lot of this ailing hospital in the larger interests of the patients visiting this hospital.
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Cop recommended for award
Kangra, October 6 Karamjeet had foiled a bid to kidnap Sudhir Kumar (26), an agent of an advocate, who was attacked by three persons in the court premises on April 2. Recalling the incident, the Kangra SDPO said three persons arrived at the local court and stabbed Sudhir, a resident of Kalaid, in his leg. He said preliminary investigations revealed that the attackers were trying to kidnap him. The SDPO said Karamjeet was there at that time and he managed to nab one of the culprits, identified as Soni, a resident of Nandared, and gave support to the injured Sudhir too. The other two attackers, identified as Goldy of Gaggal and Vijay Kumar of Icchhi, managed to flee. Sudhir was rushed to Kangra Civil Hospital by Karamjeet. Later, the other two accused were also arrested, he added. Karamjeet was earlier awarded with a citation and cash award by DIG (northern range), Dharamshala, for his “anti-terrorist” activities in the area bordering Jammu and Kashmir.
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Drug peddlers have a field day in Mandi
Mandi, October 6 Sonu sustained injuries and received 15 stitches on his head. He has already suffered liver infection and typhoid for which he was hospitalised for 15 days. “Now, my son cannot remember things and suffers seizures and turns violent,” says Puspa Vaidya, a shattered mother, while talking about her drug addict son. Sonu, a class VIII dropout, picked up the habit from his friends in a local government school, adds Pushpa, whose husband died five years ago due to kidney failure. “I do not have any support and my daughter refuses to marry as she cannot leave me alone,” says Puspa, who herself is a patient of high blood pressure and has undergone three surgeries in the past, and is financially unsound. Sarita Handa, Old Mandi counsellor, admits that her 28-year-old son is a drug addict. “My husband is a cancer patient. We have been going to the PGI, Chandigarh, since 1998. But we never knew that somebody in our absence would exploit our son. It was too late when we came to know that my son has become a drug addict,” she says with tears rolling down her eyes. Today, her son turns violent and brings beggars home in full public jeers. “We took him to a private de-addiction centre in Chandigarh, which turns out to be a fraud. He developed a liver infection. We took him to two other centres, Prayas in Kangra and Pandoh, but his condition deteriorated,” she rues. Brinda Sharma’s, a housewife, laments that her son deserted ITI twice as he used to go with his friends for days. “Now, I have put him in a driving school here,” she says. Mandi youths are increasingly becoming prey to drug addition as it has become a favourite destination for drug peddlers. Even schoolgirls of certain “troubled families” have become a soft target as police action remains tardy. Last month, a “well-connected” peddler from Mangwani took two schoolgirls to Pandoh and spent a night there. The police says they took doses of drugs. The girls were later restored to their families. But the accused, who runs a chemist shop in Mandi, was let off due to his political connections, allege drug victims. More than 25 per cent of the families in this town are suffering silently due to drugs-related problems out of the fear of social stigma, reveals an unofficial survey. Their plight is understandable as there is no drug de-addiction centre in the town, leave alone home counsellors. Even worse is the fact that people spurn them and cast aspersions on drug victims, they rue. Their helpless cry is, “Nab offenders and put them behind them bars”. Even the role of the police has come under a cloud. Local youths involved by certain chemists are always on the prowl on motorbikes and supply drugs to innocent victims. These boys earn money and take drugs themselves. Old Mandi, Paddal, Mangwani, Jail Road, Samkhetar and hospital road are popular spots among drug addicts and peddlers, reveal victims. Mandi SP Sonal Agnihotri says complainants do not come forward to give specific information to the police. “We recently seized tablets in large quantities from a watch seller and arrested him. The police nabs peddlers but they generally carry small quantities of drugs and are bailed out under the NDPS Act as it is not a commercial quantity”.
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Police cautions residents against e-mail frauds
Mandi, October 6 The police claims that it has busted a racket, which was being run by Nigerians based in New Delhi, by arresting its mastermind Bob from Hauz Rani, Malviyanagar, New Delhi, last week. The police team zeroed in on Hauz Rani after developing local area intelligence with the use of multimedia technology. According to sources, Bob’s arrest exposed a bigger e-mail fraud, as he was wanted by the Intelligence Bureau and the Delhi police as well. Using the Internet to his advantage by his manipulating skills and nasty intelligence, Bob used to hook his victims through phishing subscribers’ e-mail accounts. He used to get access to credit cards, bank accounts and other secrete private banking information using mobile phones, telephone lines and the Internet by his convincing power, the police informs. Mandi ASP Abhishek Dular, who led the team, says the police has seized some documents and his passports, all of them fictitious and illegal and even his name is fictitious. Meanwhile, the police has warned net users not to fell prey to online allurements as these can lead them to some kind of trouble. The police has also arrested another Nigerian national while he was withdrawing Rs 25,000 from an ICICI Bank ATM in South Extension market in New Delhi. This is the second time that the police has nabbed Nigerians after getting inputs from OP Bhatia, a Jogindernagar-based victim of the e-mail fraud. The Nigerian has been identified as Ageon Benson, who said that he lived in Colaba in Mumbai. Police investigations reveal that the Nigerians have defrauded many people throughout the country. Similar cases have been reported from Nurpur and Kangra where the police has arrested one Nigerian, also named Bob. He has duped two residents there, the police claims. The accused used to offer online allurements through phishing to trap victims. They also operated online lottery and made a kill in the bargain. Bhatia fell into the trap when he came across an officer through e-mail promising him $50,000 about three years ago for which Bhatia paid Rs 20 lakh. The Nigerian also got access to his bank account. Bhatia lodged an FIR at the Jogindernagar police station on October 21, 2008, when he was rendered bankrupt. The mailer had demanded Rs 20 lakh as processing fee before he could pass on the amount to the victim. Mandi SP Sonal Agnihotri said the police laid a trap after getting the complete address and location of the accused and arrested him while he was withdrawing money from the victim’s account.
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Oldest Kasauli church celebrates anniversary
Solan, October 6 Kasauli cantonment was built as a retreat for British army men and their families in 1847. This church was built in the same year through contributions from the East India Company. The church is, however, yet to find any mention in the state’s tourism map and even in the general profile of Kasauli till now. The anniversary presented an occasion to showcase its historic significance. Father Titus, who presently looks after the church, said, “We have approached the HP Tourism Department to put up its profile on their website as the church had a history dating back to the erstwhile British Raj and some of its ensembles in the form of paintings and exquisite furniture are still intact”. This effort would highlight this ancient church on the tourism map of the state and could also bring funding agencies for its upkeep. The church has a glorious history where contributions from Father Candidus of the 32nd Cornwall Regiment and her Majesty’s 61st Regiment (61st foot-Irish regiment) to the tune of Rs 4,500 helped in setting up this Catholic Church. It was maintained by the Kasauli garrison and was run by the Franciscan missionaries of the English province who were mainly serving the Irish soldiers posted in Kasauli at that time. Father Candidus was also the first priest of the church. The church is ideally perched behind the brigade head quarters and above St. Marty’s Convent School in Kasauli cantonment. It is presently looked after by priest of the Shimla-Chandigarh diocese. Located at a height of 5,200 ft, the church overlooks a sprawling lawn where a statue of Mother Mary is placed. It maintains a prehistoric grandeur and is adorned with an equally unique wooden interiors, art and crafts, vintage paintings and murals that depict various aspects of the life of Jesus Christ. The most alluring piece is a picture of Mother Mary pieced together in marble pieces of various hues. Besides, there is a three-piece marble tub used for baptism, a bell tower, all reminiscent of the British times when Christians residing here visited the place for regular service. There is a grotto depicting the appearance of Mother Mary at Lourdes adjoining the church. The sylvan and serene atmosphere at the grotto offers an ideal ambience for prayer and meditation. Beliers gather at the church every Sunday and on other holy occasions like Christmas, Easter etc, which are celebrated with in great earnest. The Holy service is held every morning and on Sundays at 10:30 am. The church is famous for its healings through the intercession of Mother Mary and St. Patrick. A visit to this cathedral enthrals one with spiritual and mental peace which seems to pervade every nook and corner of the church. As the priest exclaims, “The church is a beautiful piece of the 19th century architecture where visitors feel the presence of God everywhere”.
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Central schoolteachers showcase Indian culture
Hamirpur, October 6 From folk dances and folk songs of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttrakkand, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP and the Jammu region these artists presented core classical music and dances. The music teachers of central schools, who reoriented their knowledge of music not only learnt folk music and dances from other regions but also presented these before the audience. Presentation of dances like kathak k, tarang and chaturang, Ganesh vandana and Shri Ram stuti impressed the audience. The folk dances and folk songs from different states also left their mark in this cultural evening. One aspect which stood out was that all artists presented programmes from different regions and states which they learnt during this orientation workshop here, giving a perfect picture of unity in diversity of India. It was very interesting to watch a Delhi teacher presenting Garhwali folk dance, a teacher from UP singing a Dogri song, a teacher from Jammu presenting a folk dance from Bihar and Haryana teacher singing Pahari folk songs. Not lagging behind were students of local central and other schools who also enthralled the audience in this programme. Education minister I.D. Dhiman, who was the chief guest, not only appreciated this programme but also remained present for more than three hours.
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Kinnaur apple fetches record price
Shimla, October 6 "Apple harvesting has picked up in Kinnaur. Every day hundreds of apple cartons of royal delicious, red delicious and golden delicious varieties are reaching Chandigarh, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Lucknow markets," Jagat Negi, horticulture development officer, Kinnaur, told IANS. Apples from Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti districts come when the crop from other districts in the state is almost over. However, the apple crop from Lahaul and Spiti district is yet to start. The total production will be around 16 lakh boxes of 25 kg each, considerably less than last year's 25 lakh boxes, he said. "The crop has been severely hit, particularly in the valleys, due to frequent fluctuations in temperature during the fruit-setting period. The extremely low temperature due to frost was mainly responsible for the poor yield. However, the crop in high-altitude areas has survived," Gurdev Singh added. Confirmed Tejwant Negi, an apple farmer from the Sangla valley: "The overall production has not only declined but also not attained optimum size and true colour." Interestingly, the farmers are getting record prices as the demand has far exceeded the supply. Pardeep Chauhan of Dogra Traders at Narkanda wholesale fruit market said the price of the apple from Kinnaur was ranging between Rs.1,200 and Rs.1,800 per 25-kg box. "When the season started almost 10 days ago, the price was between Rs.2,000 and Rs.2,200. According to him, this season the price is almost Rs.500 per box more than last year’s. — IANS
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Rural women benefit from govt schemes
Hamirpur, October 6 In one such village Lajhiani, which falls under Ludar Mahadev panchayat of Bhoranj block, women have formed a self-help group (SHG) to become self-reliant and contribute in raising the economic condition of their families. Dependent on meagre income of their sole bread earning male members, the women of Lajhiani were living in utter poverty. They blamed their fortune for the sorry plight. But when somebody asked them to seek help from the nearby rural development agency, they approached chief helper and village development coordinator from Bhoranj Block Development Office. The officer visited their village to know their problems and also told them about various social development schemes of the government. He also asked them to start some alternative village-based economic activity to supplement their income and guided them to form a SHG under the Swaran Jayanti Rojgar Yojna being run by the government. After getting inspiration from the people involved in rural development, 10 women of the village came forward to form a SHG named Shivalik Self-help Group. Vimla Devi from the Shivalik group says, “Initially, for six months each member made personal contribution of Rs 200 per month and started pooling in money for members to start activities at their homes like making papad, sauce and pickle, carrying sewing and embroidery work, etc. Later, the group was also provided Rs 10,000 as a revolving fund by the Bhoranj Block Office. Through these activities they increased the capital of the group and afterwards secured loan from UCO Bank for starting a dairy. Today the group members are producing good amount of milk, cheese and ghee and fetching very good income by selling these products in the market. A member of the group tells, “Each member of the group is earning about Rs 4,000 per month now by adopting dairy and supplementing to the income of their families.” While this activity has made these women self-reliant, their families have also left the stigma of leaving below the poverty line.
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Vignettes Edith was one of the 16 children of her parents. Elizabeth (Lizey) was her identical twin. The sisters were so alike that Henry Loch, later Governor of the Isle of Man, wanted to propose to Edith but got engaged and married to Lizey. Edith married Lord Robert Lytton and reached Shimla in April, 1876, when the rhododendrons were in full bloom as rosettes with flame-and-flash on high trees. She fell for Shimla immediately and Peterhoff, where she stayed, looked like an old English rectory to her. "The varieties of effects of light and shade-morning, noon and night-never ceased to give me intense pleasure," she had noted. In the absence of Robert, who was in Kolkata, Edith surveyed the town and found it grown to 400 houses, buildings in Victorian Gothic architecture, shops selling foreign goods, hotels, a library, town hall, a theatre, assembly halls for concerts, a Christ Church cathedral and a hall for Shimla's latest obsession 'rinking' (roller skating). Edith also heard stories about adultery flourishing in Shimla 'as prodigally as rhododendrons' and was apprehensive of the town's effect on Robert. He joined her 10 days later and did indulge in philandering. Edith enjoyed the challenges that her public role demanded. She caringly looked after British residents and their families and she contributed to Shimla's green jungle by raising creepers. She, however, could not give marks to Shimla society after the first Peterhoff ball and complained: "Everyone was so cold, so flat, and dancing so badly, it made me so low." The Lyttons had a cottage 'The Gables' at Mashobra and used to go there often 'to leave the bustle of beehive and rest on a quiet flower'. Edith gave birth to Victor in Shimla and was pleased to have a son though he looked 'rather like an owl and a monkey with long skinny arms'. This owl and monkey later turned out to be a handsome man and the Governor of Bengal. Peterhoff roof leaked and pieces of plaster fell off the bedroom ceiling when Edith was recuperating after the birth of Victor but she was content with her infant son. Meanwhile, typhoid gripped the household servants that made the Lyttons shift temporarily to Inverarm (Sate Museum at present), which was Colonel Colley's house. When the Lyttons went on a tour of Kangra, she was mesmerized by the scenic beauty and wrote: "I don't think we shall ever see anything more grand and beautiful than the scenery of these mountains." The mountains matched the charm and grace of Edith. Lord Lytton's exit from Shimla was unfortunate. Lord Ripon, his successor, arrived in Shimla on June 8, 1880, not knowing that the Lyttons have been directed by Queen Victoria ' not to move a day sooner than is safe for himself and family'. The Lyttons had to abandon Peterhoff to go to General Roberts' house that he had rented from a Maharaja. They left Shimla on June 28 and Edith looked forward to life in England 'with no flies, no glare, no biting things'.
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Himachal diary Irritating traffic jams affecting the movement of vehicles on Circular Road, the lifeline of the state capital, and other main roads have become common these days. Long queues of vehicles could be seen daily as the PWD struggles to complete the tarring of roads before the onset of the winter. (See picture) The problem becomes serious because of narrow roads and the fact that tarring is carried out during busy hours during the day. PWD engineers point out that maintenance of roads, particularly the periodic surface renewal is a major problem in congested cities like Shimla because of a very short working season and low temperature. Unlike the plains, hot mix plants could not be used for tarring during the night as the temperature of the asphalt-aggregate mix falls rapidly below the permissible level, affecting quality. The binding strength reduces considerably at low temperatures which, in turn, reduces durability. Technically temperature of the asphalt-aggregate mix should be at least be 120°C at the time of laying and it should be firmly rolled over before it drops to 105°C. Further, the ambient temperature must be in excess of 21°C, which is the case only during the peak summer. Weather permitting, tarring is also carried out from mid-September to the end of October but in most cases the department has to complete the job manually as the temperature falls below the prescribed level and heavy traffic makes it impossible to use a hot-mix plant. Further, the high level of moisture and heavy dew also affect the quality of tarring. Carrying out the job manually is not only expensive but also time-consuming. While using a hot-mix plant, a kilometre of a road can be metalled in less than three days , manually it takes almost a fortnight. As a result both tourists and local people have to put up with frequent and prolonged traffic jams not only in Shimla but also in other townships. The hot-mix plants are mostly used in the tarring of national highways and state roads, which are quite wide. IGMC to patients' rescue
In a move to cope with the increasing rush of patients requiring surgical intervention, the local Indira Gandhi Medical College has come out with a proposal to run the operation theatre in two shifts. At present, about 1,500 to 2000 patients come to the hospital daily for treatment out which around 70 to 80 need hospitalisation. However, beds are available only for half of them. Operations are delayed as only a limited number of patients could be operated upon every day. The college authorities now propose to make the operation theatre functional for at least 10 hours a day in two shifts as against six hours a day in a single shift at present. However, the government will have to provide additional staff for giving practical shape to the proposal. If approved, the availability of beds will improve significantly and the patients will not have to wait much for operations.
Alluring discounts
The consumer goods manufacturing companies which bore the brunt of the economic slowdown are looking forward to doing brisk business during the festive season. It has virtually become a season for discounts with huge concessions being offered on various products to lure customers. The people usually indulge in heavy purchases during the season and the companies are sparing no efforts to make the best of the festive season. However, these discount offers definitely leave the customers more confused as many companies have come out with schemes offering discounts even up to 90 per cent. While a good majority of the customers are attracted to make purchases with such incentives, others are not convinced that quality products could some so cheap. They wonder how a company can offer its products at 10 per cent of its price. If this is indeed possible then the only conclusion one could draw is that they were fleecing the consumers by selling products at such high prices. Alert consumers want transparency in the system of price fixation and the discount sale offers and other required steps to protect the common gullible people from being fleeced and cheated by crafty marketing experts. (Contributed by Rakesh Lohumi and D.P. Gupta)
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Kangra, October 6
Kangra, October 6
Solan, October 6
Hamirpur, October 6
