Solan, August 22
The Congress today kickstarted its campaign against the ruling BJP under which its senior leaders, including AICC in charge for Himachal affairs Birender Singh and PCC president Kaul Singh, led a “padyatra” from Solan this afternoon.

All 23 MLAs from across the state, Leader of the Opposition Vidya Stokes, PCC office-bearers and members of various front organisations arrived here this morning to participate in the padyatra, which reached Kandaghat around 4.30 pm.

Addressing the party workers, Birender said the padyatra was the beginning of their campaign against the BJP, which was steeped in corruption. Nearly 1,000 party workers were present on the occasion and raised slogans like “BJP hatao, desh bachao”.

Criticising local BJP leaders, Birender said the BJP failed to practise what it professed. While BJP leaders talked of transparency and corruption-free governance, a local MLA, who was also a minister, was embroiled in a criminal case, but the state government refused to accord permission for his trial.

He said the party would highlight this before the BJP government on August 24 while protesting outside the Vidhan Sabha.

He alleged that the BJP government was conspiring to sell the state’s prime land worth crores for a song. He alleged that large chunks of land had been given to private universities whose owners would close these after a few years and construct flats, which would be sold for crores. He said BJP leaders were acting like middlemen, who facilitated these land deals by relaxing the provisions of Section 118 of the HP Land Reforms and Tenancy Act.

Poor farmers suffered as their interests were not protected by the land mafia who were operating fearlessly.

He said the BJP instigated the public by harping on corruption to capture power and once in power it become non-democratic and blatantly indulged in corruption.

He said the mining mafia was also active in the state and a key cement unit, which had committed several violations, had been regulasized after taking Rs 5 crore. He urged the party workers to expose the BJP before the masses so that the Congress could come back to power.

Others who spoke on the occasion included AICC secretary Anees Ahmed, Kaul Singh, Vidya Stokes and CWC member DR Shandil.

Shimla, August 22
State BJP chief Khimi Ram today termed the Congress padyatra as a political gimmick and said if the party was so concerned for the state, they should undertake a march to Delhi to get Himachal its due from the Centre, which had been discriminating with the hill state in all spheres.

Addressing a press conference here today, the BJP chief said if HPCC chief Kaul Singh Thakur’s concern for Himachal was so genuine, he should undertake a padyatra to Delhi and get the hill state its due. “He should get the special industrial package, sugar and kerosene and special recruitment quota in the army for Himachal rather than undertaking such padyatras which were nothing more than political gimmicks,” he remarked.

Khimi Ram also lashed out at Kaul Singh for accusing the BJP regime of putting Himachal on sale. “The facts are contrary to the claims of the Congress as during their regime, they gave 1,090 permissions for land purchase in Solan district out of a total of 2,088 cases under Section 118 of the Tenancy and Land Reforms Act as compared to 515 in Solan out of a total of 1,337 cases done during our rule so far,” he stated.

He said it was the foremost duty of Kaul Singh, who had demanded the constitution of a commission to probe these land deals in the Assembly to make all such complaints before Justice DP Sood (retd) so that they could be probed.

He said starting the padyatra from Solan by terming it as the worst-affected district was nothing more than a stunt, he added.

The BJP chief said the BJP was always for zero tolerance against corruption and his party fully supported the campaign launched by Anna Hazare against corruption.

“We have a strong Lokayukta, but if need be the BJP regime in Himachal will take all possible steps to further strengthen it so that all cases of corruption can be dealt with strictly,” he said.

Shimla, August 22
The issue of taking back valuable land given to Indage India Ltd for setting up two wineries at Pragatinagar in Shimla and Nagwain in Mandi district will be placed before the Cabinet as it not only failed to set up the wineries but also faltered in making payments towards the land lease given to it.

Having given an opportunity for personal hearing to the company on April 6, the government has now referred its case to the Law Department to seek its opinion. Since the land was allotted to the company for setting up the wineries with Cabinet approval, it is felt that the decision in this regard will have to be taken by it only.

“The matter is under the active consideration of the government and an appropriate decision will be taken after seeking the opinion of the Law Department,” said VC Pharka, Principal Secretary, Horticulture. He admitted that a final decision with regard to the cancellation of the land lease could only be taken by the Cabinet.

It was with much fanfare that the previous regime had signed an MoU with Indage India for setting up two fruit wineries so that the produce of fruit growers could be used locally and they did not have to transport it all the way to Delhi and other markets. The company was given 14 bighas in Pragatinagar near Kotkhai and 55 bighas in Nagwain for setting up the unit.

Sources said the initial agreement signed by the BJP regime was changed by the Congress government which favoured the company more. The only saving grace for the government now is that Indage has not been able to honour its commitment with regard to the payment of the money that it had to pay in regular instalments to the government.

It is reliably learnt that company representatives have sought 180 days’ time to be able to resume work at the site and sort out the mess. However, the government does not seem to be in a mood to give it a further chance as chances of its starting operations at the two places are bleak. It is being felt that since the winery projects did not come up, at least the government must take back the prime land that was given to the company.

Now it remains to be seen if the government will be able to take back the land that is still in the possession of the company, which could not set up the wineries and only undertook some bottling work at Pragatinagar.

Shimla, August 22
A lean apple crop and high inflation is giving rise to a new phenomenon of direct purchase by “ladanis” (wholesalers) and retailers from growers, eliminating arhtiyas (commission agents) and the market fee.

A farmer with his produce. Photo: Amit Kanwar

Ladanis from far-off states like Maharashtra and Gujarat are making a beeline for the upper Shimla area, which accounts for 75 per cent of the state’s apple production, and purchasing truckloads of fruit, directly from the growers on cash payment. They have also made their own arrangements for transportation of apple to the consumer market. As a result the growers are getting up to Rs 200 per standard box more and have also been saved the botheration of carrying the produce to the Delhi market where they have to pay 6 per cent market fee also. The total benefit comes to around Rs 300 per box. Similarly, retailers, mostly from Uttar Pradesh, are also making direct procurement from small growers and the fruit is being carried in pick-ups.

The wholesalers are also earning more as one of the middlemen (arhtiya) in the value chain has been eliminated and, moreover, they are supplying fresh fruit.

The biggest advantage to the growers is that they are able to sell the produce on their own terms, whereas once they take it to Delhi they are at the mercy of the arhtiyas and they have no control over the sale rate, points out Rajeev Chauhan, a leading grower and Chairman of the Himalayan Apple Growers Society. Not only that the consumers also stand to gain as they get fresh fruit at a reasonable price.

The overall impact of the direct purchase is that the quantity of fruit being sent to the Delhi market is declining. The average prices have been maintained at a higher level all through and over the last week they hovered around Rs 1,300 to Rs 1,400 per box compared to Rs 1,050 per box last year. The superior grade royal delicious variety is fetching up to Rs 2,500 per box as compared to Rs 2,200 per box for the famous Washington apple from the USA. The Chinese apple is available at Rs 1,500 per box but it is of a much inferior quality compared to the Himachal apple.

With the region getting some respite from incessant rain, harvesting is picking up again and on an average over 350 trucks of apple are being sent to various markets. In all 42 lakh boxes have been marketed so far and with the market “on a high”, few growers are coming forward to sell their produce under the market intervention scheme (MIS). So far only 26 tonnes have been procured under the scheme.

Chamba, August 22
Over one lakh pilgrims and devotees of Lord Shiva hailing from within and outside the state took a dip in the Manimahesh Lake at an altitude of 4,170 m nestled down below the Kailash Mount (5,858 m), the abode of Lord Shiva, till today on the occasion of Janmashtami as pilgrims have been continuously thronging the lake for the past one month.

Pilgrim Munish of Punjab was reported to have died en route Manimahesh during the pilgrimage, according to official reports at the district headquarters this evening.

Official reports revealed that a huge crowd of pilgrims had been making a beeline en route Manimahesh for taking a holy bath as the fortnight Manimahesh pilgrimage, which officially commenced today, would conclude on September 5, on the occasion of Radhashtami.

The number of pilgrims from Himachal Pradesh and neighbouring states was expected to go up in lakhs.

The reports said security personnel were working day and night to provide facilities to pilgrims and helping tourists for the regulation of the vehicular traffic from Bharmour to Hadsar.

Officials have appealed to the pilgrims to help keep the environment clean on the virgin hill slopes of the Manimahesh Lake so that the Manimahesh Nullah and the Budhil river, tributary of the Ravi, might not be contaminated.

The officials of the state government were on their toes to provide help and facilities to the pilgrims and tourists visiting the Manimahesh Lake, the reports said, adding that the langar organisers who were not adhering to the norms of cleanliness had been advised to take care of the sanitation so that the environment on the itinerary of Manimahesh could remain pollution-free.

Chamba, August 22
With a view to wiping out illiteracy in Chamba district under the Saakshar Bharat Mission-2012, literacy classes will commence on Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) relating to which an action plan has been prepared. Giving this information here, Zila Saaksharta Samiti district coordinator Suman Minhas said under the mission a basic literacy exam would be conducted.

The state government had directed the authorities to implement the Right to Education in the right perspective and asked officers to implement the programme with corrective measures by giving it a practical shape, Minhas said.

Under the centrally-funded Saakshar Bharat Mission, a sum of Rs 6.50 crore, which included Rs 4.87 crore Central assistance and Rs 1.62 crore state share, would be spent in far-flung Chamba district, Minhas said adding that the mission was to impart functional education to the illiterate in the age group of 15 and above with a primary focus on women. The project is likely to be completed by March 31 next year.

The State Literacy Mission Authority had fixed a target of covering 54,075 illiterates, including 42,000 women in the district under the project, Minhas revealed, adding that 283 lok siksha kendras one in each panchayat of the district had been set up where 7,000 volunteer teachers had been deputed to teach the illiterate.

Minhas revealed that there were 5,570 employees serving on low-paid positions like peons, beldars, labourers etc in different departments in the district who were still illiterate.

Minhas said the mission also envisaged enabling neo-literates numbering to about 6,613 to continue their learning beyond basic literacy and be on a par with the formal education system, including vocational education, providing them opportunities for lifelong education.

The state government had made concerted efforts to ensure quality education to students in the state. HP had already been ranked No. 1 in the education sector in the survey conducted by various national magazines and electronic channels throughout the country, Minhas said.

Palampur, August 22
An embezzlement of Rs 15.65 lakh has been detected in the office of the Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner (DETC), Flying Squad (NZ), Palampur. A clerk of the DETC office is reported to be involved in the scam.

A senior police officer told The Tribune yesterday that as per the FIR lodged by Rohit Chauhan DETC, Flying Squad, Sangat Ram, a clerk of his office, had allegedly embezzled Rs 15.65 lakh of government revenue. Sangat Ram was dealing with daily cash receipts of the tax for the past year and supposed to deposit the total cash in the state exchequer daily, but on a number of occasions he deposited a part of the receipts and pocketed the balance amount by preparing forged documents.

Meanwhile, the police has registered an FIR under Sections 468, 471, 420 and 218, IPC, against the accused. However, no arrest has been made so far. The police has asked the department to provide the entire records so that investigations can be started.

Inquiries made by The Tribune revealed that the scam was first noticed in January 2011. Thereafter, efforts were made to settle the matter at the departmental level and no complaint was made to the police. The clerk concerned was allowed to continue in the office by the higher authorities. He was neither suspended nor departmental action was initiated against him.

An FIR was lodged after the expiry of eight months.

Bilaspur, August 22
International Youth Day was celebrated at the Kol Valley Nursing Institute in Nehar Harnoda, 35 km from here, this morning. It was inaugurated by Subha Bhardwaj, Principal of the institute.

She declared that girls trainees of the institute would tour the adjoining villages and spread awareness among villagers regarding HIV/AIDS.

She said the event would be celebrated till August 31.

Led by teachers Bandana Sharma, Nisha Chandel and Bhawana Sharma, students took out a rally from the institute to Government Senior Secondary School, Sedpa, in village areas carrying placards and raising slogans regarding precautions for protection against the disease.

The teachers and students also informed villagers en route in every village regarding risks involved in the disease.

Bilaspur, August 22
Dr Mallika Nadda, general secretary of Chetna, an NGO with its headquarters here in town, has been conferred with the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award for 2010.

The award was announced by the National Selection Committee of Illustrious Persons and two more personalities working in the field of child welfare and development have also been given the award.

Dr Nadda has been working selflessly for the welfare and rehabilitation of mentally and physically challenged children since she first set up Chetna here in 1990. She has made a lot of such children confident to face challenges of life.

The award was instituted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development on August 20, 1994, on the 50th birth anniversary of former PM Rajiv Gandhi. Only three personalities working in the field of child welfare are selected across the country every year for the award.

Another social activist selected for this award this year is Mira Kagti of Assam, who set up Shishu Sarothi in 1987 for the rehabilitation of children suffering from cerebral palsy and disability.

Dr SA Thasleema Sulthana of Andhra Pradesh, who is working for orphaned and mentally challenged children, is the third person selected for the award.

The award carries a prize of Rs 1 lakh and a citation and will be presented by the President on November 14 on the occasion of Children’s Day.

Kangra, August 22
More than a 100 patients were examined and some of them selected for plastic surgery during a plastic surgery camp organised at the DRPGMC Tanda today by the Confederation of International Plastic Reconstruction and Aesthetic Surgeons in association with the Lions Club, Dharamsala.

The camp was inaugurated by Dr Anil Chauhan, Principal, DRPGMC Tanda, by the lighting of the lamp which was followed by Saraswati Vandana by students of the 2010 batch of medical students.

Surgeons of international repute like Dr Fong Poh Him, Chairman, Institute of Plastic Surgery, Singapore, and Dr Apirag, president, Plastic Surgery Society, Thailand, along with their teams, will perform complicated surgeries like reconstruction of the cleft lip and palate, besides other things during the camp. Dr Parveen Sharma said the week-long camp would conclude on August 28.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Principal Chauhan thanked the confederation members and the Lions Club for this act of humanity and informed the audience that this was a camp first of its kind in the area and assured them that in future too the DRPGMC would continue organising such camps.

Dr PC Dhiman, president, Lions Club, Dharamsala, informed the audience about various humanitarian activities carried out by the club.

Dr Rajeev B Ahuja, HOD, Lokmanya Hospital and secretary general, IPRAS, Asia Pacific Region, in his address said all the surgeons from India and abroad had reached here spending money from their own pocket. The gesture was appreciated by the crowd of around 300 persons present on the occasion.