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Silver mines found in tribal Kinnaur area
HC seeks report on ‘change’ of land
Cong sweeps zila parishad polls
Rohru debacle may revive factional war
20 still stranded in Keylong area
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Pong Dam Oustees
Ship Hijack
Green champions meet held
Councillors take ABVP head-on
Students buoyed by Khali’s visit
SAARC folk festival opens
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Silver mines found in tribal Kinnaur area
Shimla, November 12 It is the second significant achievement of the trust which had recently located Hul copper mine site in Chamba district. The Rupi mines, which found mention in the district gazetteer, had been traced after using satellite imageries and a lot of legwork in the difficult hill terrain, trustee of the Earthstation Aman Bhalla told The Tribune. According to the recorded history, the silver mines were destroyed in the 1830’s during the reign of the last ruling Raja, Jit Singh (1816-41), after the state documents, which included the secret formulae for extracting silver from ore, were burnt down when keepers of the state archives came under suspicion. Considering the fact that the Rupi silver mines were closed due to factors other than ore extinction and subsequent neglect of the area, lack of roads, inadequate levels of literacy in the populace, the investigators at Earthstation strongly believe that the area offered more than even chance of striking rich deposits of silver and allied metals, Aman explained. The silver mines were located near Gurguri village and the old structure housing the waziri archives, which was burnt down, two ancient related temples amongst others were found within and around the sanctuary. Bhalla has taken up the matter for preservation of the historical sites and possible sustainable extraction of silver from the
mines with Chief Minister PK Dhumal. In a letter to him, he said the conclusion had been reached after extensive scientific research according to which the closed silver mines could have a huge potential for extraction of not only silver, but other allied minerals like gold, tin, zinc and copper. These sites were not in the knowledge of the concerned state or central authorities and his organisation would be most willing to assist the state agencies for verification of the sites which also had the potential for development as a tourism destination, he said. |
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HC seeks report on ‘change’ of land
Shimla, November 12 Justice Deepak Gupta and Justice VK Ahuja after perusal of the record observed that the settlement officer should have issued notice to the Forest Department and other affected parties before changing the nature of the forest land. The order came on a petition filed by the Upper Bakrota Welfare Association, Dalhousie, alleging that the respondent authorities have illegally changed the nature of forest to ‘Jaye Safed’ (vacant open area). It was alleged that trees were standing on the same land that had been erroneously declared as the open vacant area. The petitioner had urged the court to direct the respondent state government to initiate appropriate action in this case. The court on the last date of hearing had summoned the record qua, the process adopted for changing the nature of the land. The court found that the settlement officer on the report of the concerned tehsildar and patwari had changed the nature of the land. The patwari had reported that the land was vacant and trees were standing on the boundary of the land. The court observed that the tehsildar himself had not visited the spot and the photographs annexed with the petition shows that dense forest
exists on the spot. Considering these aspects, the court directed the DC and the DFO to submit report within six weeks. |
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Cong sweeps zila parishad polls
Shimla, November 12 The fresh elections had been necessitated following the removal of earlier chairperson Chander Prabha Negi, after a no-confidence motion was brought against her. The elections could not be held on the earlier date of November 3 due to want of quorum. The result came as a big relief to the Congress who had been apprehensive of the BJP moves to woo its members. Incidentally, Sharma was the vice-chairman of the zila parishad when the no-confidence motion had been brought against earlier chairperson Chander Prabha Negi, also from the Congress. Even when the no-confidence motion had been passed, the members had pointed out that they were not against the vice-chairperson, Sharma, who was today elected to the top post. Even though the Congress managed to retain control over the prestigious Shimla zila parishad, votes polled by the two candidates clearly indicated that some of their members cross-voted. While Sharma polled 11 votes, BJP-backed Narinder Chauhan got 10 votes. Two votes were declared invalid. In case of vice-chairman election, Rathore got 15 votes against seven polled by BJP-backed Lal Chand. One vote was declared invalid. The BJP, in the recent past, had managed to woo some of the Congress zila parishad members whose strength at one point of time was more than 18 in the 24-member parishad. After the demise of a member Samu Ram, there were 23 members left in the parishad. Senior BJP leaders, including ministers and MLAs, had been for quite some time working overtime to woo Congress-backed members so as to gain control over the parishad. The Congress heaved a sigh of relief as it barley managed to retain the seat of the chairperson by a slender margin of only one vote. The election of the vice-chairman for the opposition party was far smoother, as he won comfortably by a margin of eight votes. |
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Rohru debacle may revive factional war
Shimla, November 12 Notices have already been issued to six party leaders and they have been given a week’s time to submit reply. Those in the firing line include Vidya Sagar, president, Shimla (rural) unit, RV Negi, treasurer, PCC, Gita Negi, general secretary, state mahila Congress, Kiran Dutta, president, Rohru mahila Congress and Raj Kumar, block spokesperson. PCC Chief Kaul Singh said the notices had been issued on the complaint of party candidate Manjit Singh who lost by over 8,000 votes. The party had lost its bastion and fingers were being pointed at some leaders. The matter would be referred to the disciplinary committee after receiving the replies. However, supporters of Virbhadra Singh dismissed the charge of undercutting as misplaced and maintained that the party lost only because of wrong choice of candidate. The abject lack of support for the party candidate could be judged from the fact that Manjit Singh could muster a meagre lead of 24 votes from the polling booth of his own Manchhara village and managed to secure only 36 votes in Andriothi, the village of his BJP rival Khushi Ram Balnatah, conceding a lead of over 500 votes. Further, out of the 118 polling stations, he trailed in as many as 85 polling stations. But for the effort put in by Virbhadra Singh, Kaul Singh and the party workers, he would have faired much worse. The huge margin of defeat made it evident that he was nowhere in contention. They also allege that the Rohru debacle was being used to throw out Virbhadra Singh’s loyalists holding positions in the party and install those owing allegiance to the rival camp to weaken him on the eve of organisational polls. Leaders of the rival camp point out that the key role during the organisational polls will be of returning officers and not of the office-bearers and maintain that while Virbhadra Singh did campaign, some of his prominent supporters worked against the party candidate. With the organisational polls round the corner, it will not be surprising if the factional rivalry turns into open hostilities in the aftermath of Rohru disaster, further weakening the party which had already lost much ground in the Shimla region.
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20 still stranded in Keylong area
Mandi, November 12 On the other hand, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has yet to start the clearing of snow from the Koksar and Gulaba side as the Rohtang Pass remained blocked under four feet of snowfall since October 9, stranded passengers rued. Narrating their tale of woes on their mobile phones from
Sissu, the engineers said the BRO team had not started the work from both sides of the Rohtang Pass to rescue the stranded passengers. “The temperature dips to -10°C in the night here,” said Manoj Kumar, a design engineer, who along with the MD, DCM power, executing the Chatru project got struck at
Sissu. “We have gone to survey the project and it snowed here,” they added. The state-run chopper service to the snowbound tribal area has not been requisitioned so far as the contract with the firm starts from November 15, officials said. The worst fear is that it may snow again as the weather forecast is bad for the next two days, feared passengers, demanding expedition of rescue efforts. Those stranded at Sissu and Keylong included five HPSEB engineers and staff, four HPC engineers, four DCM engineers, a forest official and two officials from the Biotechnology Department. They had gone to Lahaul after direction from the government in connection with the field report on projects in the valley, they said. BRO Commander SK Doon said the BRO dozers have got struck at the Rohtang Pass. However, we have started clearing the snow from both Koksar and Marhi side, but it would take a day or two to clear
Rohtang. |
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Ministry to hold meeting over land issue
Lalit Mohan Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, November 12 The Revenue Secretaries of both Rajasthan and Himachal states have also been asked to be present at the meeting. Kangra Deputy Commissioner RS Gupta gathered feedback from the Pong Dam oustees yesterday to present their case. He is also scheduled to participate in the proposed meeting When contacted, Gupta said according to the Supreme Court judgment in 1996, Pong Dam oustees were to be allotted 1,180 murabas land in Ganganagar district of Rajasthan. However, the Rajasthan government failed to provide the land to the oustees. Recently, the Rajasthan government offered 1,180 muraba land to oustees in Jaisalmer district. However, the oustees refused to accept the land in Jaisalmer district. They alleged that the land being offered by the Rajasthan government was arid and not fit for agriculture. They demanded land of Bangar farm, a central government establishment in Ganganagar district of Rajasthan, should be allotted to them. The oustees demanded land in Ganganagar district on the plea that most of the other oustees, who were allotted land earlier by the Rajasthan government, were settled in the same district. Besides, in Ganganagar, canal water was available for irrigation while in Jaisalmer, farmers had to depend on rains. The deputy commissioner also said till date about 3,000 Pong Dam oustees were still unsettled. They had not been provided compensatory lands. When asked, the deputy commissioner also admitted that according to their record, about 401 Pong Dam oustees had still not been issued eligibility certificates. These certificates issued by the Himachal government were mandatory for declaring the people affected due to construction of Pong dam as oustees. “Recently, we had issued an advertisement requesting about 474 oustess to provide documents and collect their eligibility certificates. However, just 50 persons came up in response to the advertisement. Later, it was found 23 persons in the list declared had already been issued the eligibility certificates. Now once again an advertisement is being issued, requesting 401 oustees to provide documents and collect their eligibility certificates,” he said. However, the oustees who are unable to collect their eligibility certificates this time would not be provided any further opportunity, he added.
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Family makes contact with Raghuveer
Lalit Mohan Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, November 12 Pritam Singh, father of Raghuveer Pathania, while talking to The Tribune said they had a brief telephonic conversation with his son on October 29 and November 9. Raghuveer could just convey us that he was well. Conversation with him has kindled some hope in us that the pirates may release them safely, he added. Raghuveer along with other crew members had been under the custody of Somali pirates for the past 27 days. The authorities of Pacific Lines, a Singapore-based shipping company, have informed the kin of Raghuveer that negotiations with pirates are going on. The parents had earlier apprehended that company officials were buying time so that the pirates reduce the ransom amount for releasing the ship and its crew members. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had also written to the Prime Minister and the Minister for External Affairs to step up efforts for the release of Raghuveer Singh Pathania. Meanwhile, sources said director-general of shipping in India Laxmi Venkatachalam had issued an advisory to managers of ships having Indians on board for not moving near the Gulf of Aden without escort from Indian or other coalition navies.
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Green champions meet held
Solan, November 12 The two-day function, which ended last evening, was organised under the aegis of MT-15 IHQ of MOD (Army), in collaboration with WWF-India and the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). Col AS Sidhu, director (Eco) AHQ, Maj T Chakravarthy, GSOII, MT-15, Mita Nangia Goswami, director, environment education WWF-India, Vandana Thapliyal, state director, HP WWF for nature, and CR Naveen, programme officer, graced the occasion. The participating teams included Army School, Yol Cantonment, APS, Dagshai, APS, Kaluchuk, Sainik School, Purulia, RMS, Belgaum, besides the host school. A series of activities was organised which included presentation of models depicting various themes including conservation of nature and energy. A quiz, based on environmental issues, was also conducted. The WWF-India screened a film “Rhino” while the BNHS screened “Planet Earth-Mountains” to inculcate awareness on the subject. With a view to strike a chord with nature, the participants were taken on a nature trail. The host school also organised an impressive heritage cultural programme showcasing dances and a skit that focused on conservation of nature. Army School, Yol Cantonment, was adjudged the winner in the Green Chamipion meet while Army School, Kaluchuk, bagged the second position. The third position was won by RMS,
Chail. |
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Councillors take ABVP head-on
Mandi, November 12 At a meeting chaired by MMC president HR Vaidya here, the councillors discussed the issue of the “DC-ABVP episode” and pledged their support to Onkar Sharma. They rejected the demand of the ABVP as unjustified as it had nothing to do with development activity or other related demand of the college campus, councillors pleaded. The presence of all councillors at the meeting, including the Congress-minded, assumed significance as they all supported a resolution in favour of the DC despite divide within the BJP. The meeting on the issue came close on the heels of senior BJP organisational leaders Mahinder Pande and Kirpal Parmar and others who met ABVP leaders at a blood donation camp at the postgraduate college today, the sources added. Later, the BJP convened a meeting at Sundernagar and expressed concern over the ABVP making open revolt in the presence of the Chief Minister on October 7. On the other hand, ABVP national secretary Umesh Dutt reiterated the party’s stand on the removal of the DC. Meanwhile, Onkar Sharma was not available for his comments.
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Students buoyed by Khali’s visit
Solan, November 12 Buoyed by the visit of Khali, who is in Sirmour to attend the wedding of his younger brother, a huge crowd had gathered to catch a glimpse of the famous wrestler who has been making waves internationally. Institute chairman Rajneesh Bansal said the presence of Khali helped instil confidence in the students. Interacting briefly with the children, Khali said, “The feeling of being in my home district is beyond description. However, it is a wonderful experience to interact with youngsters. I strictly advise them to work hard to achieve success and lead a disciplined life as this alone could fetch them the desired results.” |
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SAARC folk festival opens
Shimla, November 12 Speaking on the occasion, the Governor said Indian culture had a rich tradition which had shown the path of peace, moral values and harmony to the whole world. SAARC had been doing a commendable job in spreading the message of religious and communal harmony, she added. Rau said Sufi music depicted Indian culture in the true sense and the performance by the renowned Sufi singer like Ustad Sardar Ali Kadir during the festival along with other artists was a sincere effort
to highlight the exquisiteness of Indian culture. She also announced Rs 20,000 for artists for the promotion of
cultural activities.
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