Shimla, July 1
Maintaining that there was no justification for harnessing water sources from far-off places like Himachal Pradesh to cater to the needs of the national capital, prominent social activists, environmentalists and intellectuals of Delhi have urged Chief Minister Sheila Dixit to withdraw from the Renuka Dam project.

In an open letter to her they have stressed that Delhi must give a lead to the entire country in managing its water resources within available limits rather than poaching on water bodies in far-flung areas, which provided the city dwellers with a false sense of unlimited and plentiful supplies just because Delhi happened to be the nation's capital. Delhi could set an example for other cities in the country to follow by withdrawing from the 148 m high Renuka Dam, proposed to be built on the river Giri, and instead take alternative measures like preventing wastage due to leakage, rain water harvesting and preventing misuse by residents.

A recent study had put water losses in Delhi during transmission and distribution at 35 to 40 per cent, which should be no more than 10-15 per cent. Most of the bulk water meters had not been functioning for many years. The moot question was why was the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) not able to install functioning bulk water meters up to the colony level and not able to reduce the losses? Reduction in the losses from 40 per cent to technically feasible 10 per cent would help save almost the same quantity that Delhi hopes to get from the proposed Renuka Dam at far less costs and impacts.

Delhi was not taking other possible demand side management options to discourage avoidable misuse of water and using its current water supply in a most inequitable way.

Those who endorsed the letter included Vandana Shiva (Research Foundation for Science Technology and Ecology), Manoj Mishra (Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan), Rajendra Singh (Jal Biradari), Vijayan MJ (Delhi Forum), Gopal Krishna (WaterWatch Alliance) and others. 

Shimla, July 1
If tackling social evils like crime against women are important, then dealing with marital discord, family disputes or, for that matter, exam-related stress to improve overall social health of the common man figures high on the priority list of the new Director General of Police (DGP) DS Manhas.

Addressing a press conference, Manhas, who assumed office here today, said while checking drug menace and a huge number of deaths in road accidents would remain a priority area, thrust would be on winning confidence of the public.

“Intervention would be undertaken to ameliorate exam-related stress and crime against women like rape and kidnapping so that we can improve the general scenario, reducing chances of such crime,” he opined.

However, it is not just a responsive and professionally competent force of almost 18,000 that the police chief aspires to have, but also men in uniform who are stress-free and physically fit so as to be able to win trust and confidence of public.

“Studies have indicated that our men are highly stressed. Hence, steps will be taken to ensure that they are physically fit and mentally relaxed to do a better job,” he said.

As far as investigations are concerned, he is keen to fix a time frame so that the probe is not tardy. “A time frame will be put up where there would be a quarterly monitoring for routine investigation and in case of special reported crime, there would be monthly assessment,” he said.

Manhas, while advocating modernisation and training of forces, said liberal use of latest technology in investigations was a must, especially in view of increase in cyber crime. Special efforts will have to be made to check increasing incidents of crime in industrial hubs and sites of power projects because of presence of huge migrant population, he added.

Shimla, July 1
Even as efforts of various agencies to combat drug menace in the Kullu-Manali valley have failed to yield the desired results, taking up destruction of cannabis and poppy plants under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGA) could help tackle the problem at a social level.

Newly appointed Director General of Police (DGP) DS Manhas today admitted that increasing cultivation of narcotics, especially in Kullu-Manali, was an area of concern.

“By taking up destruction of cannabis and poppy cultivation under NREGA, we have been able to involve local panchayats which would definitely help us deal with the problem in a more effective manner,” he said.

Manhas, while admitting that the problem could be tackled only through involvement of communities, said the endeavour was not just confined to destruction campaign, but to get across to international gangs who were supporting illegal activity in the “Valley of Gods.”

“Two important factors of having definite intelligence and penetration into the inner rings of the gangs, who are operating here, could help combat the problem,” he remarked.

He also sounded a warning note to officials of the Agriculture and Forest Department who were either failed in checking illegal cultivation or were conniving with those involved in the illegal act. “Officials of the two departments will be made liable for collusion by seeking departmental action. In case of repetitive deviation, police cases could be registered against them,” he said.

A state-level committee had been constituted and a number of suggestions made to tackle the problem. “Destruction alone cannot solve the problem as alternate cropping options need to be created so that people do not fall prey to the lure of making big bucks overnight,” he said.

Shimla, July 1
The Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS) here has revised fellowship grant to help attract eminent scholars for pursuing research projects.

Scholars have been reluctant to join as fellows of the institute as they end up losing financially because of meagre grant they received as resident fellows. Although the institute protects salary of scholars in service during the term of their fellowship, they lost out as they were not entitled to house rent which was as high as 35 per cent in big cities.

For superannuated persons, the fellowship grant varied from Rs 10,000 and Rs 14,000 a month so that the total amount did not exceed the last pay drawn after adding pensionary benefits. For national fellows, the grant was Rs 22,400 less than pensionary benefit which was too meagre.

Keen to bring in best scholars, Peter d’Souza, director of the institute, took an initiative and constituted the Administrative and Financial Reforms Committee (AFRC) under the chairmanship of Dr KJS Chatrath (a former secretary of the institute) for the purpose and the fellowship has been revised mainly on recommendations of its report.

The institute has now decided to grant 20 per cent of the basic salary more to service fellows who maintained a separate establishment. The grant for independent and superannuated fellows has been raised to Rs 47,000 per month and for national fellows Rs 60,000 per month.

Dehra (Dharamsala), July 1
After taking over as national president of the Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM), Anurag Thakur today confronted youth icon of the Congress Rahul Gandhi. He termed the ways being adopted by Rahul as “gimmick” to get media mileage.

“If poverty in India could be reduced by having food at the house of a Dalit, I can repeat the process daily,” said Anurag.

Meanwhile, he received a tumultuous welcome on his maiden visit to the state after taking over as national president of the BJYM. Many ministers, MLAs and party leaders lined up to welcome him all along from state border at Mehatpur in Una district to Dehra, venue of the rally.

While addressing a large gathering at Dehra today, Anurag also flayed the UPA government for failing to check price rise. “The BJP is the only party that has raised its voice against price rise and the recent hike in oil prices affected by present government,” he said.

He also alleged that the present UPA government had failed to check terrorism and Naxalism in the country. The internal security scenario has deteriorated during the regime of present government, he said.

Anurag, before starting the rally, paid homage to CRPF jawan Pankaj Vadial who was killed in a Naxal attack on July 29. Pankaj belonged to Snot village near Dehra, located at a distance of 2 km from the rally venue.

The BJYM president said he was instrumental in bringing the central university project to Dehra area, getting the Jan Shatabadi train extended up to Una and developing an international cricket stadium at Dharamsala.

“As president of the BJYM, my priority would be to motivate the youth for social service. I would also urge my party to formulate a separate policy for the youth which comprises about 60 per cent of the population in India,” he said.

Appointment of Anurag seemed to have infused great enthusiasm in the youth of his parliamentary constituency as they gathered in a large number to welcome him. IPH Minister Ravinder Ravi, Minister for Social Security Sarween Chaudhary, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Ramesh Dhawala, state president of the BJP Khimi Ram among others were present on the occasion.

Hamirpur, July 1
While exhaustive information sought by Kangra MP Rajan Sushant under the Right to Information (RTI) Act from different departments has created a flutter, this has also raised a debate in political circles.

Sushant, who has always been a flamboyant BJP leader, had sought information about development works undertaken by the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department, besides a few other departments of the state.

In Hamirpur district, the MP had sought information under the RTI about work completed by two IPH divisions---Badsar and Hamirpur---for the period from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2007, and from February 1, 2008, to May 31, 2010.

Similarly, information on expenditure incurred on maintenance works in these divisions during the said period was also demanded.

The information sought by the MP pertains to both previous Congress regime as well as the present BJP government.

The demand for such detailed information is turning out to be a very tedious process since supplying it would be quite a task for employees.

The information sought by Sushant also has political overtones since he had openly targeted a few party leaders and even ministers in the state government during by-election in the Jawali assembly constituency.

Sushant has also adopted aggressive posture in the past few months and raised a few issues, much to the discomfiture of the state government.

Meanwhile, IPH Badsar division has supplied a part of information to him and asked him to write a separate application because according to rule, only one information can be supplied on one application.

The IPH division has demanded Rs 15,000 towards cost of supplying this information.

Meanwhile, Sushant said, “I am in the process of collecting information and would comment once it is over.” 

Palampur, July 1
The alumni association of the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSK HPKV, Palampur, organised a daylong stray dog sterilisation, anti-rabies vaccination and de-worming camp on the college campus today.

The camp was organised in collaboration with the Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology of the college in which 20 stray dogs were surgically sterilised by the faculty and interning students. The stray dogs were caught from the university campus and adjoining villages by dog catchers from the Himalayan Nature Society (HNS), Dharamsala.

The main objective of the programme was to reduce the number of stray dogs in the area. Last year more than 35 persons were injured by the stray dogs in Palampur and its adjoining areas. Since the anti-rabies drug was very costly in the market, it was difficult for poor people to get treatment for dog bites. In Palampur subdivision alone there were 5,000 stray dogs.

Dr AC Varshney, dean of the college, inaugurated the camp.