Shimla, August 19
Keen to make the booming tourism industry an engine to propel economic growth in rural areas, the Himachal Government today launched a new initiative “Har Gaon Ki Kahani” to help exploit the tourism potential of selected villages with historical significance.

In the first phase, 12 villages -- one form each district -- have been taken up for integrated development with focus on tourism and with the objective to divert the rush of tourists from the over-saturated destinations like Shimla, Manali and Dharamasala to lesser-known places so that the villages also reap benefits of the tourism industry.

The selected villages are Saho in Chamba, Nerti in Kangra, Nari in Una, Baniya Devi in Solan, Udaipur in Lahaul and Spiti, Sangrah in Sirmaur, Bela in Hamirpur, Bruva in Kinnaur, Shamshar in Kullu, Baghi in Mandi, Hiyun in Shimla and Slasi in Bilaspur.

The launch was preceded by painstaking effort in compiling the history of the villages and the legends which have been published in the form a story book. Further, the selected villages have been made part of the existing tourist circuits and various concerned departments are working in close coordination with the tourism department to create the necessary infrastructure facilities.

Formally launching the scheme, Chief Minister P K Dhumal said the hill state was a treasure house of culture and history with innumerable places of immense tourism potential. They were hidden raw jewels wanting to be transformed into magnets for attracting tourists and the scheme was the first step in the direction. The focus would be on promoting the local culture, cuisine and services so that villagers get gainful employment and have an additional income.

As per the latest survey, an investment of Rs 10 lakh in tourism generates employment for 78 persons, which is much higher than agriculture which provides work only to 45 persons.

In the second phase, historical facts of 102 more villages would be compiled to bring out a second volume of interesting stories under “Har Gaon Ki Kahani” and these villages would be promoted as tourist places. An amount of Rs 13 crore would be spent on these villages for providing basic amenities and other required infrastructure. Earlier, the government had introduced the “Home Stay” scheme under which 353 units have been registered so far.

Dharamsala, August 19
Heavy rains since last month have taken a heavy toll on the basic infrastructure in Dharamsala. Most of the roads have developed huge pits and some roads have been totally washed away. In Dharamsala town, the main road towards the bus stand has developed huge pits near the municipal council office. The road was recently metalled by the PWD. However, due to heavy rains since last month, the road has now been peeled off and has developed huge pits.

The 10-km-Dharamsala-Mcleodganj road has also peeled off at many places and has become a nightmare for commuters.

The 2-km-Mcleodganj-Dharamkot road has received maximum damage. The road has been washed away at the start.

The initial about half-km road has been converted into a heap of stones. The road was also metalled a few months ago. Encroachments on the road mostly by Tibetans, who have developed hotels, Internet cafes and guest houses along the road, are the basic reason for the damage to the said section of the road.

The Mcleodganj-Bahgsunag and Mcleodganj-Naddi roads have also been damaged badly.

Sources here told the Tribune that the damage to roads in the current monsoon session might run into crores.

The sources attributed the damage to road infrastructure to poor construction or encroachments. It was alleged that at places, where there was proper drainage and the construction of roads was good, there has hardly been any damage due to the recent rains.

The sources further said a few road contractors monopolise the road construction work in the region.

They do not allow any other person to enter the area of road construction and are also responsible for the poor construction.

The department fails to take action against such contractors due to their muscle power and political patronage.

Due to heavy rains an idea was earlier mooted that concrete roads should be constructed.

Concrete roads are, however, about three times costlier than the blacktop coal tar roads. Since they would not be damaged by rains, concrete road can prove cost- effective in the long run.

Shimla, August 19
The red sander wood smuggling across the international border into Tibet last year is casting its shadow on the India-China trade across Shipki La as not a single permit has been issued to the traders so far as the clearance from the intelligence agencies is still awaited.

The trade, even though negligible along the ancient Silk route on the Hindustan-Tibet road, is allowed between April and September but with the grant of trade permits to the 35 applicants from Kinnaur being held up for verification by the intelligence agencies, the barter business is yet to take off this year. Shipki La in Kinnaur district is one of the three routes from where trade with China is undertaken.

This is for the first time that the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Pooh, was directed by the Union Home Ministry not to issue any permits till the verification of all applicants was done by it. The new system of scrutiny by the Intelligence Bureau and other agencies has been put in place following the seizure of red sander wood being smuggled illegally into China across the Lepcha sector in Kinnaur.

“We have forwarded all 35 applications received so far to the agency concerned in Shimla but we have yet to hear from them even though we have sent them reminders,” informed Sanjay Sharma, SDM, Pooh. He said prior to this the applications were processed in his office and trade permits issued but this year they had to send them for verification.

“The trade this year has been delayed as we have not been granted permits. Otherwise, by now we would have made one trip to Shipki (in China) to assess the demand and then made a second jaunt,” says Pasang Chering of Dubling village who has been visiting China regularly since trade was resumed in 2004. He is clueless about the reason for the delay and says that last year 23 traders had gone to China to undertake trade.

Police agencies too admit that Indians often cross over illegally into China with goodies, including spices, oil, utensils, tea and dry fruits, from routes other than Shipki La. During the last decade, the trade between the two neighbours was the highest in 2005. Since then the trade declined and it is only in 2010 that it registered a significant increase.

The total value of items exported last year was Rs 7.86 lakh as compared to 5.99 lakh in 2009. Similarly, the value of items imported from China last year was Rs 10.62 lakh as compared to Rs 5.89 lakh in 2009. It was in 2005 that the trade was the maximum with the total exports valued at Rs 1.23 crore and the imports touching an all-time high of Rs 3.63 crore.

Shimla, August 19
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed the state to conduct election to eight vacant seats in the Kaza Panchayat Samiti in Lahaul-Spiti district within 60 days.

These newly elected members shall be administered an oath of office within seven days and thereafter the election to the post of chairman and vice-chairman shall be held.

This order was passed by a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice VK Sharma on the petition of seven members of the samiti. According to petitioners, election to the 15 wards of the samiti was held on January 4, 2011, but only seven members of the newly elected members took the oath on January 10, the date fixed for oath by the authorised officer. On January 12, the authorised officer fixed January 20 as the date for administering oath to the remaining members and for election to the post of chairman and vice-chairman.

Except the seven members who had already taken oath, nobody else turned up and hence the meeting was adjourned to January 28 then on February 4 and thereafter to February 14. The remaining eight elected members cited bad weather conditions, blockade of road, disruption of communication system and personal difficulties for their inability to take oath on stipulated dates.

At last on February 14, the authorised officer administered the oath to six more members. The petitioners alleged that the remaining eight members were failed to take oath in the stipulated period hence their election may be declared disqualified and fresh election be ordered.

While passing this order, the Bench observed “that as per constitutional mandate, the democratic institution is to be made functional within a prescribed period as according to Section 127 (2) of the Constitution the election of a member who has not entered office within the prescribed period shall be deemed to be invalid and in consequence thereof, a fresh election should take place. Since the eight elected members did not take oath within seven days as prescribed, fresh elections will be held.

The quorum for electing the chairman and the vice-chairman of the samiti is 2/3rd of the membership and the chairperson of a panchayat at the intermediate level shall be elected by and from amongst the elected members, who are the representatives of the people of the respective ward.

Since the membership in the samiti having right to vote is 15, therefore the quorum is 10. Until and unless, such quorum is constituted, there cannot be an election of chairman and vice-chairman.”

Shimla, August 19
All arrangement for the smooth conduct of student elections in the Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) and 97 other colleges in the state have been completed with polling scheduled to take place tomorrow.

The polling will take place from 9 am to 2.30 pm in HPU and 97 other colleges all over the state for a total of 388 seats. A total of 27 booths have been set up in HPU to ensure the smooth conduct of polling in which a total of 2,808 students will exercise their right to vote. This includes 1,553 girl students and 1,255 boys.

The police and university authorities have taken all precautionary measures to ensure that there is no violence. Police personnel have been deployed in every department to ensure a free and fair poll. The counting of votes too will take place tomorrow and the results would be declared late in the evening.

Meanwhile, the SFI today alleged that ABVP activists were distributing liquor to woo students. The police is maintaining a strict vigil, especially in the hostels. — TNS

Shimla, August 19
Chief Minister P K Dhumal today called upon officials to adopt a citizen-friendly approach and ensure a prompt delivery of public services.

Addressing a high-level meeting of administrative secretaries, heads of the departments, deputy commissioners and senior officials of various departments, boards and corporations, here today, he reiterated the government’s resolve to provide transparent and responsive governance.

He expressed concern over unnecessary delays in delivery of public services, which created a wrong impression regarding the functioning of the government. He laid stress on reducing discretion in taking decisions and make optimum use of information technology to deliver documents and sanctions electronically. He said all applications, complaints and representations by general public should to be monitored by the heads of the departments to ensure timely delivery of services to the general public.

Dhumal directed that no payments be made through cheques and instead use of Core Banking System be made for financial transactions. He said in future it would be ensured that that no payment above the amount of Rs 10,000 would be made in cash by any department.

He also directed the district-level officers, deputy commissioners, additional deputy commissioners, additional district magistrates and sub-divisional magistrates to carry out surprise inspections of their offices.

Shimla, August 19
Taking a serious view of the inordinate delay on part of the state government for obtaining prosecution sanctions from the Centre against the government officers who are facing corruption charges, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed the Chief Secretary to depute a competent officer not below the rank of under Secretary with all the files pertaining to sanction for prosecution of tainted government officers pending before the state government for necessary action.

The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Rajiv Sharma passed these orders after the Centre informed the court that the delay in prosecution sanction is not on part of the Central government, but on part of the state government. The court also observed that at two times, the state government took inordinate time for offering the clarification sought by the Centre in such type of cases where prosecution sanction was required.

The court had directed the Ministry of Personnel Affairs to explain as to why there was an inordinate delay of over a year in taking the final decision with regard to the prosecution sanction even as the apex court had directed that prosecution shall not be delayed beyond three months.

In its reply, the Centre had pointed out that the response of the state government was received after around seven months at one time and after nearly three months on another instance.

Bilaspur, August 19
A police team led by ASI Karam Singh has arrested Suresh Chand of Solag village under Barmana police station near here red-handed with 100 gm of charas today.

SP Santosh Patial said the police party was on routine rounds when it noticed that Suresh was trying to run away from the spot after seeing the police. The police surrounded him and found the contraband in his possession. — OC