Kangra, November 20
Close to the old Kangra Fort, Maharaja Sansar Chand Museum owned by the Royal family of Kangra has been opened for the public this month.

A chart showing the complete Katoch dynasty has been displayed with pictures at the entrance of the museum that exhibits the items owned by the royal family like crystal and silver utensils, clothes, coins, a silver bed, swords, telescopes, some written texts and almost everything that could showcase the royal lifestyle. The walls inside the museum were painted by artists especially brought from Rajasthan, disclosed the staff at the museum.

An entry fee of Rs 10 is charged by the visitors and if they want to click pictures, they will have to shell out Rs 25 extra.

The newly built and tastefully done museum would definitely attract lot of Indian and foreign tourists. However, TR Sharma, superintendent, Archaeological Survey of India (Shimla Division), said over phone said the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2010, stipulated that an area of 100 metres in all directions of the protected monuments and sites shall be declared prohibited for construction purposes and no private or public construction in the prohibited area will be allowed except those undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India.

The Bill also says that in addition to the 100 metres of prohibited area around the site, a minimum area of 200 metres in all directions of the protected site will be regulated. No construction will also be allowed on these areas, “except in accordance and permitted by extent of the heritage bylaws” that will have to be approved by the Centre that might extend it more than 200 metres. Sharma further said they had received permission from the ASI (Delhi) but after some objections the matter was pending with the review committee.

Shimla, November 20
Even as the fate of Renuka Dam project hangs in uncertainty, indications by Chief Minister PK Dhumal that Delhi should not expect kind gestures from Himachal when the apple growers were being charged undue commission at Azadpur Mandi could compound the situation further.

On his return from Delhi after meeting Union Minister for Environment and Forest Jairam Ramesh, Dhumal today indicated that it was for the Centre and the Delhi government to decide on the fate of Renuka Dam project. As such strained relations between the Congress government in Delhi and the BJP regime in the state could cast its shadow on the issue, which has so far been held up for environmental clearances but now seems to be acquiring political overtones.

“Seeing Delhi’s discriminatory approach against all hill states on the issue of charging 8 per cent commission from apple growers at Azadpur Mandi, we too will weigh our options as it cannot be one-way traffic,” Dhumal said, adding that the BJP regime had got the commission issue resolved when Sahib Singh Verma was Delhi Chief Minister but the Congress regime did not implement it. He said later the Himachal Pradesh government had moved court on which a favourable decision was given. “The Delhi government made an amendment to the Act to ensure that the 8 per cent commission charged from the growers was illegal and unjustified,” he said.

The Chief Minister clarified that the state would not go out of its way to oblige Delhi as the Capital had not cooperated with the hill state on most issues. The clearance of Renuka Dam project has been held up as the Environment Ministry has asked for fresh remuneration of trees as the number that would have been felled was too huge.

Dhumal said he had discussed two projects - Dam and Renuka Dam - with Jairam Ramesh. “The ministry has asked for submission of a revised plan in which they have been asked to reduce the height of the dam by 2-3 metres that will make it possible to save the wild life sanctuary,” he said.

He said the Environment and Forest Ministry was very appreciative of the manner in which Himachal Pradesh had taken initiatives to protect environment and had also ensured 15 per cent discharge in rivers so that bio-diversity and flora and fauna were not adversely affected.

“In fact the ministry is keen that the state should take the lead in receiving the World Bank assistance under the $250-million development policy loan and after submitting the concept note, DPR is being prepared,” he elaborated.

Solan, November 20
With the truckers failing to accept freight rates announced yesterday by the Deputy Commissioner, the 46-day-old impasse between the four truck societies and the Ambuja Management failed to be resolved and no trucks plied even today.

Arki SDM Balbir Thakur held a joint meeting between the unit management and the four truck unions and tried to diffuse the situation.

Earlier, the four truck unions raised slogans outside the unit gate and held a meeting where they unanimously decided to not to accept the rates put forth by the deputy commissioner till their pending demands were met.

The SDM, however, informed that the management had decided to accept the demands which included inclusion of fuel hike component in the freight hike which would be effected in April and conducting a joint inspection along with the administration to remove the disparity of 7 km distance which the truckers had pointed out and was causing losses.

Rattan Mishra, president of the Solan District Truck Operators Union, said they would hold discussions with all members and then take a decision.

Chamba, November 20
According to a police report received here today, a woman was killed on the spot and seven others were injured when a tractor swerved off the road near Tanoti village in Chamba district on Friday.

The deceased had been identified as Kaushalya Devi. Her body was handed over to the kin after a post-mortem examination while the injured were discharged after the first-aid.

A case of rash and negligent driving had been registered against the tractor driver. — OC

Shimla, November 20
The success and failure of a nation depends on the depth of civic sense and regard towards fundamental duties of its citizens.

These were the views expressed by Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court Kurian Joseph at a seminar - Public Colloquium on Fundamental Duties - organised by the HP State Legal Services Authority in association with Shimla Chapter of the Public Relations Society of India and SEWA Trust here today.

Justice Joseph said every citizen should understand that fundamental rights were given to them at the cost of some fundamental duties and hence they should abide by them.

He said true secularism was to ensure non-discrimination on the grounds of religion and not just to extend support to another religion. He said awareness of law and duty towards the nation was essential for the progress of the country. He said originally when the Constitution was framed, there was no enumeration of fundamental duties that were incorporated in 1976 by inserting Article 51-A.

He said that similar public colloquiums would be held on each third Saturday of every month to educate the people regarding fundamental duties in educational institutions.

Justice RB Misra, chairman, HP Legal Service Authority, dwelt in length on the ideals of Constitution.

BD Sharma, director Public Relation, and chairman, HP Chapter of Public Relation Society; Meenakashi Faith Paul, lecturer, HPU; Prof Vepa Rao, patron-in-chief, SEWA Trust; and Rakesh Kanwar, President, SEWA Trust also spoke on the occasion. An interactive session saw students evincing keen interest on the issue of fundamental rights.

Dharamsala, November 20
The Congress has planned a rally at Nagrota Bagwan for December 4. It will be the first rally of the party in politically significant Kangra district after the last parliamentary elections. The leaders are terming the rally as start of the party’s campaign for local bodies elections in the state scheduled for December end or in the first week of January.

Congress MLA from Nagrota Bagwan GS Bali said this while talking to The Tribune here today. Bali said AICC general secretary Mohsina Kidwai had already given her consent for presiding over the proposed rally. However, sources said factionalism in the state Congress would be at the fore. Bali said he had invited both Union minister’s from the state — Virbhadra Singh and Anand Sharma. However, their presence would depend on their involvement in the ongoing winter session of Parliament.

Though Kaul Singh had been installed as HPCC president, Virbhadra Singh’s loyalists kept a stoic silence over his appointment in Kangra district. Bali, who is organising the rally, said their main objective would be highlighting the failures of the present government. The present government had been a total failure on the health front as a large number of dispensaries in the rural areas were without staff.

“In the Tanda medical college also there is acute shortage of staff and infrastructure. The cost of medical tests in the Tanda medical college is more than the Indira Gandhi Medical College at Shimla despite the fact that the average income of Kangra residents is less than those residing in the state capital,” he added. Bali also alleged that the power policy of the present government had been a failure. During its present stint the state government has failed to allot any major power project.

The rally is set to realign political arrangements within the Congress in Kangra district. The Congress is facing leadership vacuum in Kangra district that has 16 MLA segments, highest in the state, and Bali is trying to emerge as strong man of the party in the district.

Chail, November 20
With acute shortage of officers being faced by the Army being a matter of grave concern, Rashtriya Military School, Chail, considered a nursery for producing ideal officer material, is instilling the right spirit and confidence among cadets to motivate them to join the forces.

Having produced 13 Army officers who rose to the rank of Lt General, two Governors and several other dignitaries who are alumni of the school, the recent years have seen an increase in the number of pass outs who finally join the forces. The school today celebrated 50 years of its existence in Chail where it was relocated from Jalandhar in 1960.

The Chail military school was established on September 15, 1925, at Jalandhar Cantt with its sister institution at Jhelum, now in Pakistan. The school was shifted to Nowgong in 1952 and finally to Chail in 1960. With strength of 306, the school has e-class rooms with digitised material and automated library with thrust on personality development.

Chief Minister PK Dhumal, who was the chief guest at today’s function to mark 50 years of the schools glorious existence in Himachal, said there was a need for having more such schools, especially in a state like Himachal, which was known for producing valiant soldiers. “I have taken up the issue of opening up of more such schools in Himachal with the Defence minister so that our representation in the Army goes up in the category of commissioned officers and not just in the ordinary ranks,” he said.

He said the first Param Vir Chakra (PVC) was won by Major Som Nath Sharma of Himachal in 1948 and later Capt Vikram Batra and Riflemen Sanjay Kumar were accorded the highest gallantry award for the courage shown during the Kargil war.

“We are providing best education and other facilities to students so that they can be motivated to join the forces and as a part of this endeavour we also take them to Kharagwasla, Dehradun, and other major Army establishments to get an exposure to the high disciplined life in the forces,” said principal Lt Col VK Bhat.

Vipin Pubby, Resident Editor, Indian Express, and a former student, spoke about his association with the school and the history it had scripted in its journey, marked with many ups and downs. He said the bonding of old students with the school was so strong that for them even today it was a home away from home.

Hamirpur, November 20
Government employees play an important role in successfully implementing the policies and programmes of the government. This was stated by Chief Minister Prem Kumar at the function organised to mark the 45th foundation day of NGO Federation at NGO Bhawan here today. Dhumal said the government was spending 42 per cent of its annual budget on their salaries and allowances.

Expressing the commitment of the state government towards the welfare of its employees, The CM said financial benefits worth Rs 3,41,945 crore had been disbursed since January 1, 2008.

Dhumal said after emerging leader in major sectors, the state would strive hard to maintain its top position in the country. The CM further stated that the Finance Commission had against the state by undervaluing its liabilities and also restricted borrowing limit to Rs 1,560 crore against its demand of Rs 1,731 crore.— TNS