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Dharamsala all set to host IPL matches
Shot in the arm for hotel industry
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Govt ‘biased’ against private colleges
vignettes
Himachal diary
Illegal mining destroys crops in Larji-Banjar villages
Purchase of land
Farmers shift livestock to higher reaches
Living a life of neglect and penury
Young entrepreneurs promote local art
Honour for schools, police officers
Photo exhibition at DGCN college
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Dharamsala all set to host IPL matches
Dharamsala, May 10 Kings XI Punjab will take on Delhi Daredevils on May 15. The next match will be played between Kings XI Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 17 and the last between Kings XI Punjab and Deccan Chargers on May 21. The matches are expected to bring in a huge tourist rush to Dharamsala. Already no rooms are available in the city from next week onwards. All hotels are showing full occupancy. Sources say most of the hotels in lower Dharamsala have been booked in advance by the Himachal Pradesh Cricket association (HPCA). In upper areas like Mcleodganj and Bhagsunag, hotels have either been booked by tourists or hoteliers are holding rooms to sell them at a premium during the IPL matches. Besides, restaurants are also churning up packages for the IPL season. Most restaurants are planning buffets to accommodate the increased inflow of customers. Some restaurants have installed big screens to show the matches live. About 30,000 people are likely to flood the area in the coming days, which is more than half of the population of Dharamsala and its surrounding areas. Such a huge rush is expected as about 20,000 tickets have been sold by the organisers for each match. Most of the low-end tickets have been sold and the sources say a few high-end tickets are available. While the IPL season brings big business to a small hill station like Dharamsala, it also brings to the fore the weaknesses of the area so far as handling huge tourist inflow.
Poor infrastructure a dampner
Narrow roads and lack of parking space are the main problems. As the hill station witnesses frequent traffic jams even in ordinary days, the heavy tourist rush is likely to choke the main roads, especially in the Mcleodganj and Bhagsunag areas. Nevertheless, the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, headed by the Hamirpur MP and son of Chief Minister, Anurag Thakur, is taking steps to avoid the follies committed during the last IPL season when a large numbers of ticket-holders failed to enter the stadium. HPCA spokesperson Sanjay Sharma said this year, arrangements have been made that only people having tickets reach the venue. This would prevent chaos near the gates of the stadium and help genuine spectators enter with ease. The police has also been directed not to allow people gather near the venue. Meanwhile, the BJP that claims the credit for developing Dharamsala as a sports town, is already claiming the credit for bringing IPL matches to this small town. Local Minister Kishan Kapoor has claimed that the matches would bring Dharamsala on the international tourist match for reasons other than the Dalai Lama.
Tight security
in place
Meanwhile, the Police Department has pulled up its socks ahead of the matches. Preparations are in full swing as the department does not want to take any chance. The police has prepared a list of star cricketers, including world cup heroes like Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan and others. “Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the players and dignitaries who are likely to come for the matches. Tight security has also been ensured around the stadium. Proper frisking of the visitors would be done,” said Daljeet Thakur, SP. More than 1,000 police personnel would be deployed for the security and a sufficient number of traffic police would be seen in the town during the matches, he said. The traffic police has already started imposing a fine on vehicles with tinted or dark glasses. Traffic officials are also warning people to remove dark film on the windows of their vehicles before the matches. “We are doing our best to ensure efforts for the smooth flow of traffic. Some routes would be turned into one-way during the matches, but the main roads would not be blocked so as to avoid inconvenience to the public,” said the SP. Foolproof security would be provided to the players throughout their stay, right from their hotel rooms to the stadium. There are chances of world cup players getting mobbed, therefore tight security would be in place for them. Identified parking lots and other important sites will be equipped with CCTV cameras. As many as 95 cameras will keep a close eye on every movement. SAI hostel, police ground, Dari fair ground, Sidhbari and Sakoh have been identified for parking. We are advising locals to use public transport during the match days to help check traffic congestion. Similarly, the entry gates of the stadium would be opened for spectators three hours before the match,” he said. People coming from Palampur will park their vehicles at Dari while those coming from Pathankot and Chandigarh will go to SAI hostel parking and police ground for parking.
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Shot in the arm for hotel industry
Dharamsala, May 10 With people making online bookings, most of the hotels have been booked during the period of IPL matches. While the stadium has the seating capacity of around 20,000, hotels in Dharamshala have limited capacity. Last year during the IPL matches, accommodation remained a big problem which forced people to head towards far-off places like Kangra and Palampur. Quite familiar with the situation, most of the cricket buffs and tourists have already booked rooms in advance a month before the matches are to be played. Kuldeep Patial, president, Hotel Association, Dharamsala, advised the tourists to come to Dharamsala only if they have prior booking of rooms. He said: “In the days to come, it will be impossible for people coming to the town without having prior hotel booking to find a decent place to stay in the town”. He also mentioned that hotels were offering special packages for IPL matches. Raman Gupta, owner of a resort and a guest house at Dharamsala and Mcleodganj, respectively, said: “Both of his properties have been booked in advance for the matches. It’s boom time for us and we’ll do our best to host our guests”.
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Govt ‘biased’ against private colleges
Kangra, May 10 Dr Pardeep Kumar, HoD, Economics Department, MCM DAV College, says on one hand, the government has been opening private universities in the state while on the other the already existing private colleges, which have contributed a lot in improving the standard of education, are suffering due to government apathy. He says, “These colleges have in fact earned a name in imparting education to the younger generation, which is evident from the outstanding results year after year, but even then the state is apathetic towards them, which is evident from the fact that the teaching faculty of these colleges is yet to get new UGC pay scales despite its notification seven months ago”. Meanwhile, the aggrieved teachers have alleged that the revised scales have already been given to the teachers of around 67 government colleges in the state. Teachers of five private colleges in the state have alleged that the quantum of grant-in-aid has been fixed from March 31, 2008, thus depriving them of increments and allowances after March 31, 2008. They allege that 95 per cent grant-in-aid to these colleges is irregular and their salaries are delayed by weeks. They further allege that on the retirement of a teacher, the post remains vacant as no grant-in-aid is being provided for the new appointee, leaving these colleges to sink inch by inch. Dr Pardeep alleges that the government is encouraging private sector by opening universities, but at the same time it is suffocating the already existing private colleges by not releasing grant-in-aid regularly. He suggests that in the age of liberalization, the government should disburse regular 95 per cent grant-in-aid to these colleges and appointment under cover post in place of a retired person and also introduce new courses relating to arts, science, commerce and management, which would prove beneficial for these colleges in general and the students community in particular. This would help the government achieve the goal of making the state a quality education hub in the right perspective, he says.
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From a school to Chief Minister’s residence
by Shriniwas Joshi Holly Lodge at Jakhu (see photo), the present residence in Shimla of Virbhadra Singh, Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, was the most prominent building of Himachal Pradesh during his five stints as the Chief Minister of the state from 1983 to 1990, 1993 to 1998, 2003 to 2007. Quite a few muddle it up with the word “Holy” - the word is Holly, a tree with the botanical name of Ilex aquifolium having glossy, spiny-toothed leaves, small whitish flowers and red berries and is used for decoration, especially during Christmas. The trees are in abundance in the Lodge planted by the Britons who lived here in the 19th century when the building was taking shapes. The earliest reference that one finds about the building is of a girls’ school running here in 1866 with Mrs Mackinnon as headmistress. When the school was shifted to where the present Auckland House functions, the history of the Lodge is in clouds for about the next 20 years. In 1886, Henry Irwin, the gifted architect whose name is associated with most of the buildings of Shimla, including those of Gaiety and the IIAS, writes a letter to the Municipal Committee (MC) for extension of verandah in Holly Lodge on behalf of the owner “General The Hon’ble E Hughes” who was replaced by General AR Babcock in 1890 who lived here for quite long and appointed S. Wilberforce, living in US Club, as its agent. An interesting event took place in 1899 when the MC served a notice on Wilberforce “to remove the present unsatisfactory and unsanitary privy in Holly Lodge and to erect in lieu thereof a new four seat one” as per the design available with the MC. Wilberforce wrote back, “I have, of course, no wish to dispute your authority to order me to erect anything on sanitary grounds. At the same time, I must enter a protest against the great expense (Rs 300) involved. In many of your own latrines there are iron seats with well-fitted brackets. These are considered by you, I believe, to be satisfactory from sanitary point of view. It is, therefore, unfair to expect private persons to spend large sums on such costly latrines as you now order me to erect.” He further added that he could erect the type of latrine that is being used in municipal toilets. The MC agreed on 6.3.1899 to what Wilberforce had said. With the turn of the century, the building became the property of Col GF Wilson, RE whose stay was for improvement of the premises. He, through his agent Khan Sahib Munshi Fukhruddin, got added badminton courts, upper story to the kitchen and caused the bow windows of the dining room converted into the French windows. Lehnu Mal Thakur Dass had, 1928 onwards, signed in “tankri” quite a few letters as proprietor but a letter in the archives dated 8.5.1929 shows Lehnu Mal Thakur Dass as Modi of Bushahar State with reference to Holly Lodge. In 1930, Rai Sahib Lala Anand Sarup and Lala Hans Raj Swarup, proprietor of the adjoining Rothney Cottage complained to the MC against the bad smell emitting from the newly constructed latrines in Holly Lodge and thus annoying their tenant Mrs Gribble. The medical officer inspected the spot and wrote, “Originally, Holly Lodge and Lehnu Bhawan were under one ownership and a common latrine below Lehnu Bhawan (across the road to Jakhu) was there. The estate was subsequently divided and this necessitated a separate latrine.” It shows that Raja of Bushahar had acquired Holly Lodge about the close of the third quarter of the 20th century. Many additions and alterations have been carried out since then but the saving grace is that the old building still retains the features of old English architecture. Holly Lodge, presently, is political hot spot of the state to which many eyes stay glued.
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Bengali dance enthralls audience
Shimla witnessed the traditional Gaudiya Nritya - the mythological dance form from Bengal at the historic Gaiety Theatre early this week (see photo). It was perhaps for the first time that people got an opportunity to enjoy some fascinating dance performances from Bengal. In fact, the word “Gaudiya” refers to the “Bang Pradesh” (old Bengal) and the roots of the fascinating dance date back to the 4th century BC. The performance was refreshing as the dancers were all professors, scholars and students of Vishwa Bharati University. Led by artists like Dr Mahua Mukherjee, who has been playing a key role in the revival of the dance, the performers gave their best before a selected audience. Apart from the dances based on mythological themes pertaining to Shakti, Shiva and Vaishnavite Sevadasis, they also performed on great poetical works like “Geet Gobind” and some poems of Rabindranath Tagore. The event was sponsored by the Language Art and Culture Department. Director of the department Prem Sharma said his efforts had been successful to present the best of Indian art, particularly during the tourist season when a large number of summers revellers throng the Queen of Hills.
Training
workshops by
Forest Dept
The Forest Department has been holding training workshops for its field functionaries to ensure proper implementation of the catchment area treatment (CAT) plans. The last of the seven workshops for capacity build-up was held at the Forest Training Institute at Chail. The focus of the three-day event was on “Integrated Soil and Water Conservation” in which 35 participants from range forest officers to additional principal chief conservator of forests participated. The workshop has been a unique in the way that the field work was done by four groups. The best two groups were given prizes. All four field works would now be compiled to evolve the best actionable plan. The final plan thus evolved for the micro-watershed will be implemented in the field by the concerned forest division out of CAT plan funds after approval from the competent authority.
Poor result
In as many as 17 schools of the state not a single student was successful in the plus two (science stream) examinations the result of which was announced recently by the State Board of School Education. Out of these, 12 were government schools and 5 private schools. Further, 58 schools recorded less than 25 per cent result and the pass percentage was less than 33 in 98 schools, mostly government institutions. The number of schools registering less than 50 per cent result was 175. There are 12,580 plus two schools in the state out of which science stream is available in only 650 institutions. The Education Department has started monitoring the performance of schools since the past two years and it also proposes to hold the heads of the institutions and the concerned teachers, who fail to perform consistently, accountable. (Contributed by
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Illegal mining destroys crops in Larji-Banjar villages
Larji/ Banjar, May 10 As there is none to listen to their miseries, villagers have urged Union Minister of Environment and Forests Jai Ram Ramesh to probe the land lease granted to stone crushers in the Trithan river. Though the government has banned allotment of power projects on the river, illegal mining threatens the trout-life and ecology in the Tirthan. From Larji village, where the Sainj and Tirthan meets, to the Banjar town, the Tirthan riverbed has become a free-for-all. Tractors can be seen extracting boulders and sands from the riverbed illegally in broad daylight. Mining mafias have been active in the river ever since these four stone crushers being run by influential outsiders along the Tirhan river. You see no boulders along the river sides between the Larji and Bali Chowki as these have been plundered by the stone crushers, charged locals. The worst sufferers are Larji, Dhaman and Bali villagers and trout that thrived in the Tirhan. Villagers resented that their crop and fruits have been ruined by dust and blasting. Villagers’ complaints have dumped in the trash bins by officials. Stone crusher owners and mining and forest staff make quick money out of illegal mining in the Tirthan, the villagers charged. “A big boulder hit my house during the night hours after blasting done by stone crusher, which damaged the house,” rued Ved Ram of Dhaman. “We had made complaints to the department but nobody paid any compensation,” he rued. Not only this, children are suffering from bronchial, lung problems and high fever most of the time, villagers said.
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Ray of hope for bonafide non-agriculturists
Vijay Arora
Shimla, May 10 The section debars non-agriculturists from purchasing agriculture land, who have been in the state despite residing from generation-to-generation treated like second grade citizens with no right to purchase land. Almost 25 per cent population of the state is affected by the clause. While hearing a petition on the issue, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice VK Ahuja observed that “the guidelines governing the purchase land for residential, agricultural and industrial purposes, which apparently give unbridled discretionary powers to the officials to take a decision, should be subjected to judicial review in public interest”. The bench also directed the Chief Secretary to file an affidavit explaining what was the principle behind making the distinction between agriculturist, non-agriculturist and bonafide and what was the principle behind restraining the Himachali non-agriculturist from purchasing the land for agriculture purpose. The court further asked what was the yardstick for granting permission for purchase of land and who was to exercise the discretion while granting the permission. This order of the court has brought a sigh of relief for the non-agriculturist Himachali, who are residing here for more then five decades but could not purchase the agriculture land. Their number runs into lakhs and they were living in the state before the draconian law was enacted without any public debate. Further, with more and more rural areas being converted into urban bodies the number of such people is increasing. There was no saving clause in the Act and the affected Himchalis have been demanding that their right should be protected by amendment in the definition of agriculturist. All bonafide residents of the state, when the law was enacted in 1972, should be deemed as agriculturists for the purpose of purchase of land in the state. They should be issued a certificate on the basis of which they could purchase land like agriculturists. The present system was breeding corruption as politicians in power virtually become property dealers and outsiders were allowed to purchase huge chunks of land in the name of setting private universities, building colonies, tourism projects and other ventures. Instead of protecting agriculture land the politicians had converted Section 118 into a convenient instrument for diversion of agriculture land. Further, there was no land use policy and once permission was granted under Section 118 the land use was changed automatically. Even in states like Punjab, where there was no such law huge charges were imposed for conversion of land use. As per the Act a non-agriculturist can purchase only 500 square metres for the construction of a dwelling house and for shop or commercial establishment up to 300 square metres in the urban areas. But there was no limit for the agriculturist Himachali he or she can purchase land without the permission of the state. The court also issued a notice to the Chief Secretary on the petition alleging discrimination by the state authorities between the agriculturist and non- agriculturist Himachalis for purchase of land in the state. The petitioner alleged that non-agriculturist Himachalis cannot purchase land in the state without the permission of the state government but in case of agriculturist Himachalis there is no such bar under the provision of this Act.
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Living a life of neglect and penury
Chamba, May 10 It appears that the benefits of Independence and economic growth have not so far percolated to the outlying rural areas, which remain neglected all these years. One such neglected village is Barehi, which is located on a hill slope in the interior Protha gram panchayat of Chamba district. The village is inhabited by the Scheduled Caste community having a population of about 250. There are about 35 congested and fusty houses. The tale of their woes is pathetic and full of trials and tribulations. Their livelihood is primarily based on agriculture which depends on the time and amount of rainfall. These Dalit families are living in wretched conditions and most of them are suffering from various ailments due to the reason that they sleep with their cattle in the same shack. The villagers cook their meals in the open. No wonder, the general health of the people is poor. There is no proper path in the village and no entrance as well. The entire habitation is in bad shape. These Dalit families are totally ignorant about the welfare schemes launched by the government. The total sanitation campaign is virtually a non-starter here. Meanwhile, in order to ameliorate the plight of these Dalit inhabitants, Chamba deputy commissioner Devesh Kumar has directed the officials to organise a free medical camp, besides awareness camps regarding welfare schemes. He has asked the officials to motivate the residents about the total sanitation campaign. The DC has also asked the officials to encourage these families to submit proposals through their gram panchayat with regard to the schemes launched by the government for their wellbeing and development of villages belonging to the SC community so that their proposals could be considered on a priority.
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Young entrepreneurs promote local art
Dharamsala, May 10 An enterprise called “GreenKrafts” consists a group of artists, artisans and social entrepreneurs. It is a community driven and supported enterprise. Through their social enterprise they are trying to promote affordable handicrafts made out of locally available raw material like bamboo, pine, lantana and congress grass. “A series of product “Rang aur
Roshni”, which are a set of handcrafted 3-T light holders are made of bamboo with exclusive Kangra art-inspired floral paintings on it,” said
Varun, whose brainchild is GreenKrafts. Varun and his wife Shilpla from Delhi and their freind Shwetha from Hyderabad have left their lucrative jobs in cities to revive the local art. One striking feature of the ancient Indian Kangra paintings is the verdant greenery it depicts. The foliage depicted is vast and varied. The Kangra paintings extensively feature flowering plants and creepers. Each piece has different kinds of floral impressions on them, the details of which are specified against the pieces itself. Shilpa said, “The floral impressions used on the products have been an imitation of
Kangra-art patterns used on Raj mahal murals.” The another kind of handcrafted 3-T light holders depict dawn on one side where the cows are just being brought out and on the other is a portrayal of dusk where the cows are taken back to their shed. This is strongly inspired from the Bhagavata Purana series, which is a common theme of Kangra paintings. The Bhagavat Purana is an important classic describing the life and times of Lord Krishna. Paintings with this theme generally describe the lifestyle of the society during that period. The main challenge, the enterprise is facing is manpower crunch. “Youngsters (rural or urban) are not interested in learning their age-old traditional art. They are moving to cities for work and the skilled or unskilled labour in villages prefers to work under MNREGA scheme,” said
Varun. “MNREGA is killing skilled labour in rural India like a slow poison,” echoed
Shilpa. The workshop is situated in Rajol near Gaggal, which is surrounded by villages and to attract villagers to work for local art and earn livelihood, shared
Varun. “Right now we are focusing on bamboo products as we want to take up one product at a time. We are in a competition with Northeast, which is far ahead from us. Also because we have ample of bamboo available here and we want get expertise in this,” said
Varun. The self-financed enterprise has been in contact with NIFT,
Kangra, NID, and other local NGOs for contributing in promoting local art and generating rural livelihood.
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Honour for schools, police officers
Bilaspur, May 10 The minister also praised valour of the Victoria Cross winner late Captain Vir Bhandari Ram Sharma , George Cross winner late Naik Kirpa Ram both of World War II and now living legend Param Vir Chakra winner Havildar Sanjay Kumar, all of this district, who earned laurels for their district and state and made us all proud. He said since its formation, the state had made tremendous progress and now since more than last three years, it had set up great records in all fields by winning national awards one after the other, excelling even those states which once were far ahead of us. He said the government had given sanction to industrial investment of Rs 42,250 crore, which would provide employment to 36,000 youths in the state. Up till now industries have invested Rs 6,594 crore during last three years. He said in district here 1,709 industrial units under small and medium heads were functioning, which were providing employment to 4,161 youths. He said the government was ensuring 70 per cent employment to Himachali youths in all these industries. The minister had a special word of praise for Bilaspur district, which is the first district in the state to achieve distinction of becoming “Total Defecation Free district”. In the state under the “Total Sanitation Programme”. He also gave cash prizes of Rs 50,000 each to Government Middle School, Jeora, and Government Primary School, Karloti, for being the “cleanest schools” in district. Cash prizes of Rs 20,000 was also given to the following schools for being declared cleanest schools at block levels under the “School Sanitation Reward Scheme”- Government Middle School Sungal, Government Primary School, Ree Khas (Sadar Block), GMS, Jol Palakhin, and GPS, Luhnu ( Ghumarwin Block), and GMS, Behran, and GPS, Malangan (Jhandutta Block). The following schools were declared second in this category and got Rs 10,000 each- GMS, Lakhanpur, GPS, Bakhail Saryali( Sadar Block, GMS, Jablayana, GPS, Mehran ( Ghumarwin Block), and GMS, Ralliey, GPS, Barad (Jhandutta Block). The minister honoured Sub-Inspector Arjun Dass for best recovery of stolen property, ASI Gandhi Ram for best detection work and ASI Hira Singh for best traffic management here in district for last year under District-Level Award Scheme. Each of them was given class one certificate and cash prize of Rs 1,000 and a souvenir. Former MP Suresh Chandel and MLA Randhir Sharma were also present.
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Photo exhibition at DGCN college
Palampur, May 10 In this exhibition one collection depicted the myriads of Mother Nature while on the other side there was a collection of animals and birds shot in their habitat. The photographs of temples clicked in various parts of the state emphasised, why the Himachal is called “Dev Bhumi”. There were other rare collections like changing colours of sky.
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Dharamsala is gearing up for its second IPL season starting next week. This time, three matches would be organised here starting from May 15.
present residence in Shimla of Virbhadra Singh, Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, was the most prominent building of Himachal Pradesh during his five stints as the Chief Minister of the state from 1983 to 1990, 1993 to 1998, 2003 to 2007. Quite a few muddle it up with the word “Holy” - the word is Holly, a tree with the botanical name of Ilex aquifolium having glossy, spiny-toothed leaves, small whitish flowers and red berries and is used for decoration, especially during Christmas.
Mining mafias under the cover of stone crushers have turned the Larji-Banjar river stretch of the Tirthan into a free-for-all to plunder its minerals under the nose of the Mining and Forest Departments. Illegal mining has destroyed trout habitats mainly between Shai Ropa and Larji and damaged fruits and other cereals in the neighbouring villages by dust and blasting.
Come summer and farmers of Mandi, Kangra and parts of Kullu shift their livestock of sheep and goat to higher reaches for better growth of wool and better fodder. Thousands of sheep and goats are shifted to the high mountains of Kullu and Lahaul and Spiti districts where the farmers have grazing rights since the British period. —
OC
In a country which saw leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and BR Ambedkar, who championed the cause of the downtrodden, there are people who are still forced to live under inhuman conditions.
It appears that the benefits of Independence and economic growth have not so far percolated to the outlying rural areas, which remain neglected all these years.
Dharamsala,
May 10
