Dharamsala, February 2
“Our Guru is not a Chinese spy”. This was the message that thousands of Tibetans-in-exile wanted to deliver as they carried out a huge procession in Dharamsala today.

In the procession, they sang hymns “Karmapa Kheno” (Karmapa our god only you know). The placards carried messages “Long live Karmapa”. “We Support You. Let the truth prevail”.

The protest was an act of solidarity that the Tibetans expressed with the beleaguered 17th Karmapa, Uygen Trinley Dorjee, who is facing allegations of having Chinese connection after recovery of 11 lakh yuan from his monastery by the Himachal Police. The procession came a day after the Enforcement Directorate recorded the statement of the Karmapa yesterday regarding the foreign currency recovered from his monastery in Sidhbari.

The Karmapa, in his first address after the controversy broke out, said, “We are facing a situation which has arisen due to misunderstandings and mistakes. It has even concerned The Dalai Lama.”

He said: “India had become a second homeland to the Tibetans. We all have taken refuge and settled here. The country, in contrast to communist China, is a democratic country that is based on the rule of law. Therefore, I trust that things will improve and truth will become clear in time. So please be at ease. There is no need to worry”, Karmapa said in a brief address to his followers who gathered at his monastery today.

The procession was well-organised and also had the support of the Tibetan government-in-exile. The followers of the Karmapa came even from remote Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts of Himachal to participate.

Sources here said 425 followers of the Karmapa were also arriving from Sikkim to express solidarity with him. Some of the followers said the Karmapa was their god and they had come to express their solidarity with him.

The deputy speaker of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile Gyari Dolma and six MPs were also present in the rally. Vehicles of the Gyuto monastery and the Tibetan government-in-exile were used to provide refreshments and mineral water to the participants.

The participants in the procession maintained that it was a religious procession and not a protest against Indian investigating agencies. Tenzin Tsundue, a Tibetan activist and writer who is known by red band on his forehead and was one of main organisers of the procession, said it was a religious ceremony in which the Tibetans offered prayer to ward off calamities that fell on their leader. However, the procession was perceived as protest by locals.

Thousands of Tibetans carrying placards and photos of the Karmapa started their march from McLeodganj this morning. They walked in a line stretching across about 2 kilometres along the road due to the participation of thousands of Tibetans and a few foreign tourists in it.

Shimla, February 2
The Himachal Pradesh Voluntary Health Association (HPVHA) has hailed the decision of the government to increase value-added tax (VAT) on tobacco products, including bidis, to a uniform 16 per cent. It said the step would go a long way in curbing the use of tobacco.

“Despite all steps like ban on smoking in public places and awareness campaigns, the sale of cigarettes, bidis and tobacco products in the state increased from Rs 27 crore in 2008-09 to Rs 32 crore in 2009-10. However, increase in tax, particularly on bidis from 4 to 16 per cent, will yield the desired results,” said SN Joshi, a former IAS officer who has been closely associated with the anti-tobacco campaign of the HPVHA.

He said it had been observed that an increase of 10 per cent in the tax made 3 per cent of cigarette users and 9 per cent of bidi addicts quit smoking. Hitherto, the government avoided increasing tax on bidis as it was used by the poor which led to product substitution with the addicts opting for cheaper bidis. With a uniform tax rate there will be no such problem, he added.

The low rate of VAT on bidis meant a loss of Rs 1.94 crore annually to the state government. The total annual expenditure of the population on bidis was Rs 16.21 crore and the VAT collected at 4 per cent fetched a revenue of Rs 65 lakh only, whereas at 16 per cent the revenue would go up to Rs 2.59 crore.

Bilaspur, February 2
Lekh Ram Rana of Sukadi village of Amarpur gram panchayat, near here, received praise and appreciation as he has set an example of honesty by returning a wallet full of currency notes and some other documents of Subedar Krishnu Ram, a former BDC member from Bakroa gram panchayat.

Krishnu Ram had forgot his wallet in the bathroom of Ghumarwin hospital last night.

Reports here said today that Lekh Ram found a wallet in the bathroom of Ghumarwin hospital and kept it with him after realising that nobody was around.

He tried to search the owner of the wallet, but failed to locate the latter on the spot.

This morning he opened the wallet and found phone number of its owner Krishnu Ram and also his ATM card and some other documents. He contacted Krishnu Ram through his phone number.

The wallet contained currency notes worth Rs 7,000 and other documents.

Shimla, February 2
Over 1,32,000 migratory birds of 95 different species had their winter sojourn at the Pong Dam wetland during the current season. The presence of pied avocet has been noticed for the first time in the sprawling water body.

Last year, 1.45 lakh birds visited the lake. The reduction in the count was mainly due to the high-water level in the reservoir as it reduced the shallow water area preferred by the waterfowls.

The annual waterfowl estimation exercise, carried out on January 30 and 31 to estimate the numerical size of the winged visitors by experts, revealed the predominance of species like common pochard (41,200), bar-headed goose (23,800), northern pintail (13,900), common coot (12,200), great cormorant (9,400) and common teal (6,400).

Common shelduck (25), rarely seen in Indian wetlands, was also observed. Other noticeable species are great crested grebe, black-necked grebe, greylag goose, red-crested pochard, ferruginous pochard, common merganser, eurasian spoonbill, greater white-fronted goose, western reef egret, garganey, black bittern, sarus crane and osprey.

Most of these birds migrate from their breeding places in the trans-Himalaya region in Tibet, Central Asia, Russia and Siberia. Over the last few years, the Pong Dam lake has become an ideal winter destination for many species of migratory birds, principal chief conservator of forests (wild life) A.K.Gulati said here today while giving details of the waterfowl count.

The mega exercise was carried out by involving experts from various the Bombay Natural History Society, the Zoological Survey of India, the WWF, the Delhi Bird Club, the Chandigarh Bird Club and the Pong Birding Society and wildlife enthusiasts, bird watchers, volunteers along with officials of the Forest Department. Principal secretary, forests, Sudripta Roy, also joined the exercise on the first day.

The entire wetland was divided into 20 sections and about 90 persons participated in this exercise. Each section was traversed on land and water by a team of 4 to 6 members headed by an expert. 

Shimla, February 2
A majority of the panchayats covered under the Backward Area Sub Plan have overtaken their developed counterparts but the government is reluctant to review their status because of political reasons.

A recent survey conducted by the economic and statistics department has revealed that almost all 551 panchayats, which have been receiving special funds under the sub-plan for the past 25 years, have moved forward on the development front.

In fact, indicators of 540 of these panchayats have improved to such an extent that they no longer fulfil the criteria on the basis of which they were classified as backward. The matter was put before the Cabinet last month for reviewing their status to ensure equitable distribution of funds but it was turned down for political reasons. As per norms 15 per cent funds are allocated under the sub-plan and in absence of a review, a large number of undeserving panchayats will continue to get a special dispensation.

With the fast expansion of road network into remote pockets, total electrification of villages, a hundred per cent enrolment in schools in the 6 to 14 age group and opening of thousands of health and veterinary institutions across the state, most of the indicators determining backwardness have become irrelevant.

As a result, a number backward panchayats in Chamba, the most underdeveloped district, will come down from 159 to 6. Similarly, Kangra, which had 17 backward panchayats, Kullu (79), Mandi (149), Shimla (83) and Sirmour (26) will have only one backward panchayat each as per the survey. Further, Bilaspur (15), Hamirpur (13), Solan (7) and Una (3) will not have any backward panchayat.

Even on the basis of the revised criteria framed after diluting the indicators, only 129 panchayats qualify for the backward status. In the revised criteria, the indictors like electrification, enrolment in schools (less than 25 per cent schoolchildren in the 6 to 14 age group) and population density (less than 25 persons per sq km) were dropped altogether, while the distance from road head was reduced from 15 km to 5 km.

However, the Cabinet chose to maintain status quo as no politician wants to give up the benefit of special allocation under the sub-plan. There are 3,243 panchayats in the state and last year Rs 65 crore was provided for 551 backward panchayats many of whom are now far better off than the developed ones. 

A number of backward panchayats in Chamba will come down from 159 to 6. Similarly, Kangra, which has 17 backward panchayats, Kullu (79), Mandi (149), Shimla (83) and Sirmour (26) will have only one backward panchayat each as per the survey. Further, Bilaspur (15), Hamirpur (13), Solan (7) and Una (3) will not have any backward panchayat

Dharamsala, February 2
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has adopted a tough stance against the Tibetans who organised a procession here today. The CM, who arrived here on a four-day visit, said since they had been staying here, the Tibetans had to follow the law of land. Anybody who violated the law would not be allowed to stay, he said in a stern voice.

Dhumal said he had requested the Union Government to clarify the status of 27,542 Tibetans staying in Himachal. The Union Government should clarify whether they were guests or refugees.

“The government is paying some amount to the Himachal government for providing security to the Dalai Lama. However, it is not paying anything for the security of the Karmapa Lama. We have allowed the Tibetans in Himachal on the directions of the Union Government. Now it is for the Union Government to see what they want to do about them,” he added.

He said, “As a precaution, we have proposed to establish a cell in the CID wing to monitor the activities of the Tibetans. The cell will be established both at Shimla and Dharamsala.” — TNS

Palampur, February 2
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal appreciated CSK Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University and its staff for taking lead in getting the country’s ‘mobile diagnostic-cum-exhibition unit’ available for the services of farmers at their doorsteps.

The Chief Minister was here today in connection with the flagging off ceremony of the mobile diagnostic vehicle.

He said it was not always possible to carry ailing animals to a veterinary hospital but the ‘mobile diagnostic-cum-exhibition unit’ would be able to treat such animals at their doorsteps.

Vice-Chancellor Dr SK Sharma said the vehicle was equipped with latest diagnostic facilities, LCD, Internet and other audio-video facilities to provide all sort of latest information to the farming community.

He said this modern service of the university would be available to the farmers all over the state, including remote and tribal areas.

He also thanked the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for making available a grant of Rs 40 lakh for the ‘mobile diagnostic-cum-exhibition unit’ and other related expenses.

Solan, February 2
Amit Chandel (19), nephew of Doon MLA Vinod Chandel, was injured when a group of miscreants attacked him at Lehi village, near Sai road, Baddi, last night around 10pm when he was returning home after closing his restaurant. Chandel received some injuries on his right thigh during a scuffle when four youths tried to prevail upon him.

Baddi SP Chander Shekhar Pandit said he was compelled to stop his Innova car (HP-12-B-0023) when a bike obstructed his way from the front and a car, bearing some local number, from the back.

The miscreants then forcibly tried to drag him out of his car. He was overpowered and a scuffle which ensued led to the miscreants firing a shot from their .12 bore pistol, which, however, missed Chandel though he was wounded by the splinter injuries.

The miscreants then fled the scene and the victim sought refuge in the house of Bhag Singh. One of the cell phones being carried by the miscreants was, however, left behind in the melee and they instead took Chandel’s cell phone as both handsets were identical. The police was, now, trying to trace their identity though initial efforts had failed to give any clue. The sim card was in the name of a truck driver, who failed to be linked to the case though efforts were on to trace the miscreants.

Police officials said it could be a case of ransom or some personal enmity. Meanwhile, Chandel was admitted to PGI, Chandigarh. A case under Section 307, IPC, has been registered.

Nurpur, February 2
The police today arrested four persons for allegedly making an objectionable video of a minor college girl and blackmailing her.

According to information, the victim had lodged a complaint with the police yesterday in which she alleged that the accused had taken her in a car to an unknown place and made her objectionable video without her consent. SHO Rajiv Atri said the police had registered a case and arrested Samir Khan, a college student, and his two friends Rohit and Rinku and car driver Rajan.

He added that the police had also taken the laptop of the accused into its possession.