Shimla, October 21
The Urban Transport Management of Shimla Town scheme, under which 75 buses are being provided for plying in the state capital, may face rough weather due to failure of the government to carry out the mandatory reforms.

The Centre has released the first instalment of Rs 3.04 crore for the purchase of buses and some buses have already been received. However, the release of the second instalment of equal amount will be subject to the progress made in carrying out reforms.

While the government has given nod for setting up a society to independently manage the fleet, it is yet to initiate the process of reforms to make it a financially self-sustaining entity.

Since the income from bus fare will not be sufficient to meet the operational expenditure and periodical replacement of the fleet, taxes pertaining to vehicles were to be transferred to the fund.

Accordingly, the revenue generated by way of the fee charged for renewal of driving licence, registration of vehicles, token tax and other such taxes in the Shimla urban subdivision are to be transferred to the fund.

The total revenue generated amounts to Rs 1.40 crore annually, almost Rs 1.25 crore of which comes from registration of vehicles and token tax. Similarly, the bus route permit fee and any green tax imposed by the local administration will also have to be deposited in the fund.

Any revenue raised by putting advertisement has also to go to the fund. Further, the local administration is also required to undertake steps to discourage use personal vehicles. This could include raising the parking fee for vehicles, which may not be possible as there are very few such lots and the fee is already very high.

The state road transport corporation has placed an order for 75 buses worth Rs 6.75 crore and, so far, 19 buses have been received.

The state government has released its 10 per cent share of Rs 67 lakh and the corporation has, in all, received Rs 3.71 crore. However, to secure the remaining amount, the state will have to carry out the prescribed reforms the main objective of which was to generate sufficient resources to manage the local bus fleet on sustainable basis to provide a long-term solution to the problem of transportation faced by commuters. 

Solan, October 21
In a bizarre incident, one SDO of the State Pollution Control Board, was not only manhandled by an irate crowd comprising shopkeepers at Sai Road Baddi, but an attempt was made to implicate him in a false case of bribery late this evening today.

SDO Ravinder Kumar, who was part of a team of officials, was challaning shopkeepers for unauthorised use of banned polythene. A number of shopkeepers had been challaned for this reason and a fine worth Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500 had been collected. Peeved at this, a mob of 10 to 15 shopkeepers told the SDO that they would show him an outlet where large-scale polythene had been stacked, when the official, along with Baddi DSP and SP were carrying on the campaign.

The SDO followed the shopkeepers, suspecting little what lay in store for him. He was then manhandled by the group who told him to stay put in a corner of a shop, Rajshree Collections, and stop challaning them.

The SDO said even an attempt was made to stack wards of currency notes into his pocket but he raised his hands and resisted the move. The attempt led to his shirt pocket getting torn in the attempt. Narrating his tale of woes, the SDO said an attempt was made to implicate him in a case of bribery and he unsuccessfully tried to call the SP from his cell but his attempt was thwarted by the group.

The police officials, however, entered the shop after getting a missed call and managed to rescue the SDO.

DSP Bhagmal Thakur confirmed that the crowd tried to obstruct officials who were carrying on their work. He said the SDO had been manhandled by the crowd who were agitated at the challaning. Peace could not be brokered between the beopar mandal and the officials and the former had given a call to close their shops tomorrow.

Baddi SP Chander Shekhar Pandit, when contacted, refused to comment on the incident and even denied having information about the SDO being manhandled.

He, however, said there was some misunderstanding between the beopar mandal and the official which they were trying to diffuse.

It was, however, learnt that the administration was under pressure from the local beopar mandal who were weighing heavy on the officials. No case against the crowd was registered till the filing of this report. 

Dharamsala, October 21
Former minister and Congress MLA from Nagrota Bagwan GS Bali has accused the state government of ignoring his constituency.

While addressing a press conference at Nagrota Bagwan today, Bali alleged that most of the development works initiated in the constituency during the stint of the Congress in power have come to a standstill.

The Congress government issued a notification to give tehsil status to Nagrota Bagwan. However, two years have passed but the present government had not taken any step to implement the notification. A notification was also issued during the Congress government’s tenure to upgrade the status of Nagrota Bagwan from notified area panchayat to nagar parishad or municipal council. The said notification had also not been implemented.

The Tanda medical college that falls in the Nagrota Bagwan constituency was also reeling under acute shortage of doctors. The government had recently declared it as the first referral hospital. As per norms, at least six specialist doctors should always be on duty in a first referral hospital. However, the Tanda medical college, which was facing acute shortage of doctors, cannot afford to put six specialist doctors on duty all time. Due to acute shortage of staff most of the emergency cases here were either referred to Jalandhar or Ludhiana-based private hospitals or the PGI, Chandigarh.

Bali also alleged that officials of various government departments in Nagrota Bagwan were acting as agents of the government. They were not even spending the amount released by him from the MLA discretionary funds as per given advice. Instead of acting on the advice of elected representative of the area, they were acting on the directions of the ruling party workers.

Shimla, October 21
Upbeat over the denial of ticket to Pratibha Singh, the BJP today made clear its intentions to wrest Congress citadel of Rohru by putting up a “show of strength” during filing of nomination papers by its candidate Khushi Ram Balnatah.

Led by Chief Minister PK Dhumal and in charge of state affairs Satya Pal Jain, prominent party leaders were present on the occasion even as Veena Shukla, a rebel who has already been suspended for anti-party activity, queered the pitch somewhat by entering the fray as an Independent. She is an elected member of the zila parishad. It presented a sharp contrast from the Congress show two days ago when not even a single senior party leader accompanied its candidate Manjit Singh for filing nomination papers.

The BJP has been plagued with rebellion in the Jawali constituency too where Madan Sharma, brother of Kangra MP Rajan Sushant, is contesting as Independent. Effort is on to persuade him to withdraw from contest.

Today was the last day for filing nomination papers and in all 11 candidates - seven from Rohru and four from Jawali - have filed nominations for the by-elections to the two Assembly seats.

The denial of tickets to spouses of the sitting MPs by both BJP and the Congress have created an unusual situation. The Congress does not look strong in Rohru that remained a pocket borough of Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh after his wife Pratibha Singh was denied ticket. On the other hand, much sympathy has been generated for Khushi Ram, who has been fighting the might of Virbhadra Singh since 1993, as he will be contesting for the last time. The seat has been reserved for the Scheduled Castes after delimitation.

The BJP finds itself in a similar situation in Jawali with the refusal of ticket to Sudha, wife of Sushant, and the subsequent entry of Madan Sharma in the contest as a rebel. Jawali falls in Kangra constituency, a traditional stronghold of the BJP.

Besides BJP candidate Khushi Ram and rebel Veena Shukla, three other candidates also filed nominations today. They included Shurveer Singh of the Rashtrawadi Sena and Kewal Ram and Mathu Ram Bushehari, both Independents. 

Shimla, October 21
With a formal agreement having been signed between the Shimla Catchment Area Eco-Tourism Society and hotel Wild Flower Hall for allowing its visitors in the catchment area, the Forest Department would now open up all such protected areas for promoting eco-tourism in the state.

So far there are only five eco-tourism societies in the state but the Forest Department is keen to have at least one such society in its 33 divisions. Though so far it is only the Wild Flower Hall resort where the model has been adopted, the government may enter into such agreements in other potential areas as well.

“We are open to having similar agreements through eco-tourism societies in other parts of the state as well so that there can be regulated activities like trekking or biking in the protected areas,” said Additional Chief Secretary (Forest) Avay Shukla. He added that feedback from all the DFO’s had been sought for creation of eco-tourism societies in the potential areas.

The decision to enter into an agreement with Wild Flower Hall, with which the government is entangled in a legal battle, has raised eyebrows but the fact that the resort falls within the 1,015-hectare catchment area makes the place accessible. Moreover, the earlier arrangement of issuing permits at Rs 5 per day would continue to exist.

As per the agreement, a sum of Rs 200 would be charged per person per day for trekking in the catchment area. In case one wants to take a bike or a four-wheeler inside the area, a sum of Rs 100 and Rs 300, respectively, would be charged besides the entry fee of Rs 200.

DFO (Wild Life) Nagesh Guleria said the department was keen to have a similar arrangement with other hoteliers of Shimla so that nature lovers could enjoy the tranquillity and serenity of the catchment area. 

Hamirpur, October 21
Hamirpur district would soon have the first Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in the state. Sharing this information with The Tribune, Nadaun MLA and general secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee Sukhvinder Singh ‘Sukhu’ said, “An assurance to soon start an IIIT in the Hamirpur district was given by UPA chairperson and AICC president Sonia Gandhi to a deputation of Congress men when they called on her at New Delhi recently.”

This will be the first such institute in the state and the district will gain importance at the national level after opening of the IIIT here, he added.

The Congress MLA also came down heavily on Hamirpur DC Abhishek Jain for allegedly discriminating against Nadaun constituency, represented by the Congress MLA, in allocation of funds for development.

“The DC is acting like an agent of the BJP and working against the interests of the people of Nadaun since it is being represented by an opposition MLA,” he said.

The Congress leader also demanded enhancement of income limit for deciding widow and old-age pension in the state as NREGA had raised income level of many families in the state.

The present income limit for granting widow and old-age pension is Rs 6,000 per annum but NREGA has raised the income of thousands of families by providing them employment for 100 days with a daily wage of Rs 100, which has raised the income of many families to at least Rs 11,000 to 12,000 per annum. This would deprive about 50,000 people in the state from getting pension under the social security schemes in the coming days.

Talking about the forthcoming elections, the leader claimed, “Congress candidates will win both the by-elections in Jawali and Rohru due to recent internal wrangling within the BJP and declining graph in the popularity of the state government.”

Mandi, October 21
Vegetable growers and retailers alleged that agricultural marketing committees were hand in glove with the commission agents in charging 7 per cent commission on “bogus bills” from both retailers and growers, making mockery of the Agricultural Marketing Board Act.

After retailers and growers approached the Mandi RTI Bureau, the bureau filed a complaint in this regard to the Chief Secretary and the marketing board managing director, demanding action.

The state government had waived charging of both commission and market fee from growers and had fixed five per cent commission and one per cent market fee for the commission agents to be charged from the retailers under the Marketing Board Act.

However, retailers and growers cited bills issued to them by commission agents as proof as to how commission agents were charging 7 per cent commission from them, violating the Market Board Act.

Even the bills issued to them by the commission agents were bogus as the agents were supposed to give them bills which are issued in format fixed by the respective market committees carrying proper insignias, they further alleged. They charged that middlemen and certain committee officials were hand in glove, making fast bucks in the bargain.

“The marketing board charges market fee of one per cent from commission agents on the basis of bills the board issue to them,” revealed official sources.

The retailers compensate this by adding the cost of vegetables in which consumers end up paying about eight to 10 per cent more on vegetables, inquiries revealed.

Though district officials claimed that they had collected market fee worth Rs. 2.5 crore from Mandi alone during the last season, retailers and growers opined that the board could increase its market fee collection upto Rs 8 crore a year from Mandi alone if the malpractices were plugged.

On the other hand, the commission agents claimed that certain agents charged from growers and retailers as they gave then “bardana” or advance as security.

OC Verma, managing director, marketing board, said the board had received the compliant today and it had sought detailed reports from the marketing committee.

“If any commission agent is found using bogus billing or charging more than five per cent commission from buyers or commission from growers, the board will take action,” he claimed. 

Hamirpur, October 21
A boy and a girl reportedly yesterday committed suicide by consuming poison near the SDM office, Badsar.

According to sources, Sunil Kumar of Samela village and Manju Devi of Sathavein came to the office of SDM Badsar to get married but were stopped by relatives.

It is said the deceased were having an affair but the parents of the girl had engaged her with another boy against her wishes.

The two had come to get married at the SDM office but when they could not do so, they consumed poison. When the residents found them unconscious, the two were taken to a local hospital and later referred to the Regional Hospital, Hamirpur. They died on the way.

DSP Badsar Anjani Kumar Jaswal said: “The boy and the girl were having an affair and ended their lives by consuming poison after their failure to get married. Their viscera have been sent for examination.” 

Sundernagar, October 21
A woman died and four persons, including a newly-wedded couple, were seriously injured when a car in which they were travelling rolled down into a deep gorge near Parchhu bridge, about 8 km from Sarkaghat, this afternoon.

According to information, Mukesh (24) and Kusum (22), who had got married recently, along with three other persons were going to invite Kusum’s parents and family members to the reception (dham) as per local traditions. Prince (21) was driving the car, but could not control it and it fell into the gorge.

Apart from these three, Seema (bride’s sister) and Ramesh (groom’s brother-in-law) were also injured in the incident. All injured have been shifted to the Sarkaghat Civil Hospital.

However, condition of Mukesh and Kusum was stated to be critical. All injured were referred to Zonal Hospital, Mandi.

Meanwhile, Seema succumbed on way to Mandi. A case has been registered.

Mandi, October 21
An unidentified person broke into the science laboratory of Government Senior Secondary School at Sandhole and damaged goods worth Rs 22,000, the police said here today.

According to the police, a case of house breaking, mischief and criminal intimidation under Sections 457, 427, 511 of the IPC has been registered at the Sarkaghat police station on the complaint of Bishan Sawarup Bhandhari, principal of the school. He said the culprit broke into the school on the intervening night of October 19 and 20. He broke the lock of the gate and two cupboards, 20 bottles of chemicals and eight bottles burette.

It is not clear whether the chowkidar was in the school or not at the time of the incident. However, the police is investigating into the case.

Bilaspur, October 21
An unidentified body of a man was found floating in the Gobind Sagar. It was spotted by some villagers under the Kandraur bridge near here today.

Superintendent of Police Kuldip Sharma said the body was fished out of the water by the police with the help of local people and all police stations along side the Sutlej had been informed about the incident.

The SP said the body was found with its hands tied with a rope. It appeared that the man was heavily built and aged between 35 and 40 years, he added.

The police, meanwhile, has registered a case of suspected murder on the basis of the condition in which the body was recovered from the water and is investigating the matter.