Shimla, February 7
The Himachal government will set up a "State Industrial Security Force" on the pattern of the CRPF to exclusively look after the security needs of industrial establishments.

Stating this while speaking at Chief Ministers’ conference on internal security held at New Delhi today, Forest Minister JP Nadda said the state had attracted massive investment in industry, hydel power and tourism sectors in the recent years and their rapid growth had made setting up of an exclusive force for maintaining industrial peace and law and order in industrial townships inevitable.

He requested the Union Government to arrange training of three companies of security forces in commando operations through paramilitary forces and said one commando company had already been trained in Punjab recently. He also urged the Union Government to provide necessary infrastructure and resources to the state for establishing a modern commando training centre in the state.

Nadda informed that the state government had deployed four companies of armed police along the Jammu and Kashmir border to maintain law and order on sensitive border areas and prevent terrorists from entering the state. The expenditure on this account came to Rs 12 crore but the Centre was reimbursing only Rs 3 crore annually.

He thanked the home ministry for sanctioning three additional India Reserve Battalions for the state during last year and said two battalions had already been raised in addition to three existing ones. Recruitment process had been started for raising the 6th battalion. He said the recurring cost of maintaining these battalions was quite high and requested the Centre to bear entire establishment cost for a period of five years instead of one year. He also sought 75 per cent assistance for police modernisation in view of the tough geographical and topographical conditions of the state.

He drew attention to the fact that the Centre had not released the Rs 4.50 crore assistance pertaining to the 3rd battalion and two instalments amounting to Rs 6.38 crore to the 4th and 5th battalions so far. The release of the first instalment pertaining to 6th battalion was also due. He said a company of the the NSG be stationed in the state to enhance quick response capabilities and banks and ATMs be equipped with CCTV cameras and alarm facilities.

Manali, February 7
The five-day winter carnival began here today at Manurangshala, popularly known as Ram Bagh and was inaugurated by Chief Minister PK Dhumal.

He said beautification and development of Manali would be ensured in a systematic manner, keeping in view the place was recognised the world over. He addressed a mammoth gathering after paying obeisance to the presiding deity Hadimba mata and flagged off the inaugural procession of the carnival.

He also inaugurated the National Senior Alpine Skiing Championship to mark the occasion.

Manali would be made more beautiful to uphold the dream visualised by the first Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, he said.

Dhumal said the state government would be awarding special developmental funds of Rs 5 lakh to the gram panchayats which had acquired/registered the highest female birth rate in the state in a year. He said rearing a girl child was the joint responsibility of every awakened citizen and was necessary for retaining the sex ratio in the state.

Dhumal said their was a need to protect the environment as the uncertain weather conditions were resulting in global warming and increase in carbon emission. He appealed to the people to maintain cleanliness which would, in turn, increase the in flow of tourists. He said Manali was an internationally famed destination, which needed to be made more beautiful.

Local MLA Govind Thakur welcomed the Chief Minister and thanked him for liberal developmental funds and also apprised him of various local demands. He said Rs 50 crore tourism circuit had also been sanctioned for Kullu area.

State BJP president Khimi Ram, Nagar Parishad president Naveen Tanvar, MLA Kishori Lal, Deputy Commissioner BM Nanta, SP KK Indioria other prominent persons and senior officers were present on the occasion. 

Shimla, February 7
Landowners will not have to run after elusive patwaris and other revenue officials anymore with computerisation of the land records which will enable people to access all land-related information at the click of a button.

The state government has developed the “Him Bhoomi” software for computerisation of revenue records which will facilitate online mutation, entry and generation of documents like “nakal” and “jamabandi” of land. Every individual, appearing in any capacity in land records, will be assigned a unique code which will help access details of land in possession. The computerised records will also include details of land reforms. Further, “gram nideshika” would help in entering all revenue administration-related information like location codes for patwar circles, kanungo circles and tehsils into the census data.

Out of total 118 tehsils and sub-tehsils in the state, land records of 109 tehsils and sub-tehsils have already been computerised and 95 tehsils and sub-tehsils have been made online where computerised copies of “jamabandi” are being made available to the people.

The data entry work of 20,087 out of the total 21,119 villages has been completed and settlement work of remaining 1,011 villages is in progress. The process of setting up of computer centre in five newly created tehsils and two subdivisions is underway and an amount of Rs 6.47 crore is being spent for the purpose.

Data centres are being established at district headquarters and the work of digitisation of “mussabies” is in progress. The settlement of land in Sirmour district is being undertaken with modernised techniques of land record and measurement under the Rs 9.58 crore National Land Record Modernisation Programme (NLRMP) in Hamirpur, Sirmour and Mandi districts.

Basic infrastructure is being strengthened at village-level “patwarkhanas” and Kanungo bhawans are being constructed under the Revenue Housing Scheme. The government has spent Rs 5.00 crore for construction of 125 patwarkhana and 14 Kanungo bhawans during the year 2008-09 whereas an amount of Rs 5.24 crore is being spent during the current financial year.

The government has decided to install machines in 33 sub-registrar offices on pilot basis to check use of fake stamp papers at a cost of Rs 53 lakh. So far 10 such machines have been installed at Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Nurpur, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Nalagarh, Paonta-Sahib and Una tehsils.

Kangra, February 7
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar arrived here on a two-day tour today and would call on the Tibetan temporal head and spiritual leader the Dalai Lama at his palace at McLeodganj tomorrow.

Nitish arrived at Kangra airport this afternoon by a regular flight and was received by Prof. Samdong Rinpoche, Prime Minister, Tibetan government-in-exile, Kangra Deputy Commissioner RS Gupta and District Police Chief Atul Fulzle.

The Bihar Chief Minister refused to talk to the waiting mediapersons at the airport and drove straight to the Circuit House at Dharamsala.

Samdong Rinpochie told The Tribune at the airport that current visit of the Bihar Chief Minister was purely religious and educational. He said he was here to seek advise and suggestions from the Tibetan spiritual leader in connection with the university to be set up at Nalanda in Bihar on a large scale.

He said both leaders would also discuss how to implement the developmental works regarding the Budha temple at Bodh Gaya to be undertaken shortly.

Discussions were going on between the Bihar government and the Tibetan leadership here for the past seven years regarding Nalanda University and to seek advise from the Dalai Lama, Nitish would call on him at noon tomorrow before he return back to Delhi, he added.

Nitish Kumar later visited Chamunda Devi and Bajjreshwari temple here and paid obeisance there. 

Shimla, February 7
The Himachal government and the Union Railways Ministry will explore the possibility of setting up “Ring-Rail Project” to provide efficient and clean transport service in Shimla town.

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting between Chief Minister PK Dhumal and Union Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee in New Delhi yesterday. Mamata suggested exploring the possibility of a Ring-Rail project for Shimla town, especially in view of the fact that it was a popular tourist destination.

Dhumal said technical and financial feasibility of the project would be explored by conducting a detailed survey through reputed international consultancy service firms.

“Himachal government would provide all logistic, technical and infrastructural support to the Union Railways Ministry for the purpose,” said Dhumal.

He said the project, besides providing clean transport service to the people, would also prove to be an added attraction for the tourists who visit the famous hill station from all over the world throughout the year.

Dhumal said the railways would extend its train services upto Amb in Una district once the entire work is completed. “The Railway Minister has directed the authorities concerned to expedite work so that railway services upto Amb in Una district would start during the next financial year,” he said.

He also requested Mamata to start direct train service from Una to Haridwar so as to facilitate the Himachali pilgrims visiting the holy town.

He also urged for construction of the Bhanuppali-Bilaspur-Beri railway line in a time-bound manner.

He said Rs 45 crore would be spent on this project during the current financial year, out of which Rs 25 crore had been earmarked by the state government while the Rs 20 crore had been allocated by the Ministry of Railways.

Dhumal also pleaded for construction of the Manali-Leh railway line, which he said was important from the defence point and suggested that besides government agencies, reputed international firms should be involved for speedy and timely executions of this prestigious project.

Shimla, February 7
The Forest Department is desperately hoping for a good spell of rain and snow over the next two days to break the persistent dry spell in the hill state which has thrown the winter plantation programme out of gear.

The local met office had forecast heavy rain and snow from February 6 to 9. However, only the tribal areas and some higher reaches of the state have received moderate snow and the lower areas have only been experiencing mild drizzle. The impact of the western disturbance will last for another 24 hours and in case the state does not get extensive adequate rains, the winter plantation programme will be affected. It accounts for almost 35 to 40 per cent of the afforestation programme and so far planting has not been started. In all, about 21,000 hectare area is to be planted out of which over 8,500 hectare is to be planted during the winter.

The state had a virtually dry December and it received little rain and snow during January, which was not enough for planting new saplings. The overall deficiency in precipitation during January was to the extent of 84 per cent. Forest Minister JP Nadda said a major part of winter has gone but there was still hope as adequate rain, which could ensure survival of saplings, could save the situation even now.

The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Vinay Tandon, pointed out that a good spell of rain lasting two to three days was required as moderate rains after a protracted dry spell would not be enough for carrying out plantation.

With dry spell becoming a regular feature, the department has decided to develop “van sarovars” (water bodies) in forests by harvesting rain water. The department was carrying out studies to decide whether to go for contour trenches or lay pipes to tap water. In the first phase, one sarovar would be developed in each of the 180 forest ranges during next monsoon under MNREGA.

The department has set a target of distributing 20 lakh plants under the “Apna Van Apna Dhan” scheme during 2010-11 as compared to 8.43 lakh last year. The farmers have been asked to intimate their choice of species so that nurseries could be raised accordingly by June when the planting season commence.

Shimla, February 7
Education Minister ID Dhiman and Irrigation and Public Health Minister Ravinder Singh Ravi accused state Congress president Kaul Singh Thakur and other leaders of misleading people of the state and launching a vilification campaign against the Dhumal government and said they were making misleading statements to ensure their political survival.

In a joint statement here today, they said Congress leaders were making an issue out of non-issue and spreading canards to drive undue political mileage. On one hand they were accusing the government of compromising with corruption and on the other, asking for withdrawal cases against Congress leaders. They advised Kaul Singh to come out with facts instead of making sweeping statements on corruption.

The government was committed to provide a transparent and responsive administration to the people and it would not allow any corrupt persons to go scot-free. 

Nurpur, February 7
Kangra MP Rajan Sushant and Nurpur MLA Rakesh Pathania, who were at loggerheads during the election campaign of the Jawali Assembly segment, are up in arms again, creating confusion over the proposed block-level vigilance and monitoring meeting being organised by the former.

According to sources, the MP had directed authorities of the Nurpur development block on January 31, without taking the local MLA into confidence, to make arrangements to hold this meeting on February 9 and invite all development heads, employees working at panchayat level, elected representatives of all gram panchayats and mediapersons. At the meeting proposed to be presided over by Rajan Sushant, a number of UPA government’s sponsored rural development schemes would be reviewed.

Sensing tussle between both leaders, the local block development officer suddenly went on a long leave and the Kangra Deputy Commissioner reportedly sought clarification about holding such meeting at the block-level from the secretary, rural development department, Shimla. The latter, vide his letter dated February 6, clearly issued guidelines to the Kangra DC that there was no provision in the guidelines received from the government of India to constitute block-level vigilance and monitoring committee.

The BJP MP took a serious note on getting indication and again wrote a letter on February 6 to the Nurpur BDO, emphasising him to submit him the letter of the local MLA in which he had cited law and order problem in the wake of holding the block level meeting and directed him to make all requisite arrangements for that meeting. In this connection Rakesh Pathania, who is an independent MLA supporting the Dhumal government, said if there was no provision for constituting block-level monitoring committee, a big question mark had been put for holding such a meeting. 

Chamba, February 7
The District Panchayat Officer of Chamba, Prem Tanta, yesterday filed an FIR with the police seeking security cover to his life as he was feeling threat to his life after he was beaten up by some people of Panjoh gram panchayat here at the local circuit house on Friday evening.

Prem Tanta told this reporter over the phone that on Friday’s evening he was called by the sitting Chamba’s BJP MLA, BK Chauhan to the local circuit house to discuss some matters concerning the Panjoh gram panchayat.

“I went to the circuit house and held discussions with Chauhan. Soon after the discussion was over, some people of the Panjoh gram panchayat had heated arguments with me on certain issues. The situation became tense and the people manhandled and beat me,” the DPO said.

He alleged that the windowpanes of his official vehicle were smashed and the driver was also roughed up. 

Hamirpur, February 7
While thousands of candidates today appeared in the written exam in screening test for the posts of school lecturer conducted by the Himachal Pradesh Services Selection Board (HPSSB) at various centres, alleged deployment of a few relatives of the candidates at some centres on the examination duty has raised eyebrows here.

The written tests for the posts of lecturer in chemistry and biology was conducted at Government Senior Secondary School for boys, Postgraduate college at Hamirpur where a large number of students appeared.

However, some of them alleged that relatives of the candidates were deployed as supervisory staff on the examination duty at few centres. In fact, they were teaching chemistry and biology only.

On being contacted, chairman of the HPSSB JK Chauhan said, “We had deputed SDM and principals of the educational institution, where examination centres were set up, to make arrangement for the screening test. We also took undertaking from the supervisory staff that none of their relative is appearing in the exams. However, if any complaint is brought to our notice and charges are proved after an inquiry, we would cancel the test of the candidate concerned.”

Hamirpur SDM Pankaj Rai said, “Our role is limited to oversee law and order arrangement to check copying in such exams. I remained at the examination centres for more than two hours and no case of copying was observed. We have no role in appointment of supervisory staff.”

Mandi, February 7
The Shivratri mela committee’s move to let the controversial Harish Chandra cement company sponsor the cultural nights during the international fair here beginning on February 13 has drawn the ire of residents and farmers who are opposing the company tooth and nail for setting up a cement plant at Chambi-Khatarvari near Sundernagar.

Activists of the Sundernagar Sangharsh Samiti (SSS) alleged that the present government was favouring the cement plant despite the fact that more than 75 per cent of farmers were opposing the plant. Now, the mela committee is hand in glove with the company which is sponsoring the cultural nights during the sacred Shivratri fair, they added.

Though the company had asked for lease of 3,200 bighas of land for the plant site and 7,000 bighas for the mining site, the government gave it the permission to get 300 bighas of land that showed how the government was misusing Section 118 of the Land Ceiling Act, they further added.

It also exposed that the government’s claim that it would protect its environment and ecology at all costs were hollow, the activists pointed out.

The SSS activists accused that the government, including Mandi’s ministers and local MLAs, were playing in the hands of the company. “The plant will ruin the peaceful atmosphere and make hell of the area as cement is one of the worst polluters of environment and ecology,” they said.

Amar Singh Raghva, president, SSS, asserted that more than 75 per cent of farmers opposed the cement plant, still the present government had given a go-ahead to acquire the land. “We have moved the court and will not allow the company to set up the plant near Sundernagar,” he warned.

When Amandeep Garg, DC-cum-president, Shivratri mela committee, was quizzed on this, he said the company in question had been giving donations for the mela in the past as well.

Garg said there was no move to promote the company and the administration would go by the rule of the law as there was no intention to hurt sentiments of the people.

Kangra, February 7
The Kangra Bar Association today raised the demand to set up the proposed central university at Kangra, which was centrally located place of the district and had ample government land available.

Kuldeep Choudary, president of the Bar Association Kangra, today told The Tribune that it was unfortunate that due to tussle between the Congress and the BJP for setting up of the central university at Dharamsala and Dehra, the project was being pushed out of the state. He said there were other central universities announced along with the university at Kangra by the Central government which have even started functioning, whereas the central university for Kangra was caught up in a political mess.

He said Jammu and Kashmir was sanctioned a central university at Jammu, which was shifted to Kashmir by the state government and the J&K political leadership managed to get another central university for Jammu region. On the contrary, Himachal Pradesh was losing the only central university proposed for Kangra due to vested interests of the political parties.

He said the Bar Association Kangra yesterday held a meeting and sought intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the HRD Minister Kapil Sibal to take effective steps for the setting up of the university at Kangra. They said Kangra was a hub of academic and technical education with a medical college at Tanda, National Institute of Fashion Technology, polytechnic college, MCMDAV College, and the educational atmosphere was most suitable for a central university at Kangra.

Kuldeep Choudary said the documents of the government land available at different places had already been acquired and would be submitted to the state and the central government soon.