H I M A C H A L    P R A D E S H    E D I T I O N

State to conduct caste Census
Shimla, September 24
The operation of 2,322 rural water supply schemes in villages has been handed over to the local panchayats, authorising them to engage jal rakshaks (water guards) to undertake smooth functioning of the schemes falling under their jurisdiction.

Bats wreak havoc in apple belt of Mandi-Kullu-Shimla
Mandi/Nandpur, September 24
A heavy bats invasion at night time and wild parrots and monkeys menace in the daytime have wreaked havoc in the apple belt of Mandi-Kullu -Shimla as the wildlife wing of the Forest Department remains a fence sitter.

A bat trapped by a farmer in an apple orchard. Photo by writer

Dalai Lama to draw up guidelines to recognise his reincarnation
Dharamsala, September 24
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, will draw up clear guidelines to recognise the next Dalai Lama.

Cultivation of Fruits
State may collaborate with NZ firms
Shimla, September 24
In order to usher in the latest technology and provide superior plant material to fruit growers, the Horticulture Department is exploring the possibility of collaborating with New Zealand firms so that the produce from the hill state can compete in the international market.

Anita to contest poll against Dhumal
Hamirpur, September 24
National president of the All-India Mahila Congress Anita Verma said today she would contest the next Assembly election from the Sujanpur constituency.

24 pc of youth opting for higher education in HP
Solan, September 24
With 24 per cent of the youth opting for higher education in Himachal, private universities were playing a key role in imparting quality education.

State to conduct caste Census
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 24
The operation of 2,322 rural water supply schemes in villages has been handed over to the local panchayats, authorising them to engage jal rakshaks (water guards) to undertake smooth functioning of the schemes falling under their jurisdiction.

The decision was taken at the meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister PK Dhumal here today. The move will ensure smooth functioning of schemes, along with the operational tasks, expenditure for which would be borne by the national rural drinking water project along with the state funds.

The Cabinet also decided to conduct a socio-economic and caste Census for 2011 in the state in two phases from October 12 to November 17, 2011, in tribal areas and from November 14 to December 19, 2011, in non-tribal areas of the state. The Census would help in formulation of policies and programmes for the benefit of the weaker sections of society.

A decision was also taken to discontinue the board examinations for Class XI in the state as these would now be conducted by the Education Department.

It also decided to renew the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) for the next three years from March 1, 2012, to February 28, 2015, besides bringing other eligible categories under the insurance fold.

The Cabinet granted approval to the signing of an MoU between the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department and the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation to provide quality catering services in the newly opened Tourist Information Centres at Shimla (Bypass), Solan, Nahan and Suketi.

It approved the amendment in the Himachal Pradesh River Rafting Rules, 2005, to adopt the new Himachal Pradesh River Rafting (Amendment) Rules, 2011, and open the Lahaul and Spiti area for river rafting water sports, which till date are being organised only in Kullu-Manali on the Beas and Tattapani on the Sutlej.

It also approved the construction of bus stands at Parwanoo, Hamirpur and Una, and extend construction period from 12 to 18 months in the state on the Public Private Participation (PPP) mode and extend the concession period to 40 years, to all future projects, including bus stands under construction at Rohru and Palampur.

It also granted approval for filling and upgrade of certain posts.

Bats wreak havoc in apple belt of Mandi-Kullu-Shimla
Kuldeep Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Mandi/Nandpur, September 24
A heavy bats invasion at night time and wild parrots and monkeys menace in the daytime have wreaked havoc in the apple belt of Mandi-Kullu-Shimla as the wildlife wing of the Forest Department remains a fence sitter.

As a result, resentment is simmering among farmers who are suffering huge losses to crops every day. They get no compensation for crop losses as the Forest Department has no concrete strategy to deal with the wildlife menace.

“The bats in thousands have been invading apple orchards at around 8 pm every night for the past week. They plunder the fruits that results in heavy dropping of fruits the next morning,” says Laxman Thakur, Chairman, Himalayan Eco-horticultural Society, Nandpur. “The bats disappear at around 4 am in the wee hours,” he rues.

Farmers have put flood lights in several orchards to keep bats at bay, but the bats have become smarter and invade the darker portion of the orchards.

“The maximum damage to fruit is done as they fight, mate in the trees that result in fruit dropping,” says Balbir Chajta, an orchardist.

The bats menace has spread from Nandpur, Ruildhar, Chajpur, Bharal, Kayana, the Spail valley to Chuhara in Rohru sub-division along the Pabbar river.

They darken the sky when they take off from their roosting sites in Kuish trees in Rohru and Tuini in Uttarakhand, farmers say.

President, Kullu Valley Apple Growers Association, Prem Sharma says bats hang from trees at Shamshi in Kullu during summers and prey in apple orchards as far as Katrain, Beasar, Nagar in the valley. The bats number is also increasing at Karsog in Mandi and after monkeys, they pose a big problem for apple farmers, adds Sant Ram Sharma, a Karsog farmer.

The farmers have trapped bats after they were killed in live transmission lines running across the orchards. Some of them measure over a 1.5 ft or more.

“It is now a question of survival for farmers as the government has no policy to deal with the wildlife menace,” Thakur says. “We are exhausted guarding crops from massive armies of monkeys and wild parrots in the daytime and from bats at night, he adds.

Even after one year since The Tribune had reported how the bats had become a major night-time hazard for farmers in the apple belt, the bats continue to play havoc in orchards.

Conservator of wildlife Ajay Srivastav says that they have no idea about the migratory routes of the bats as they take long journeys from the plains uphill in search of food like fruits. “It needs a specialised agency to track them through the radio-collaring method,” he adds.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests RK Gupta too passed buck on Wildlife Chief Warden AK Gulati. But Gulati said he did not have facts and figures with him, but they had done a lot on controlling wildlife menace.

Dalai Lama to draw up guidelines to recognise his reincarnation
Lalit Mohan
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, September 24
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, will draw up clear guidelines to recognise the next Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama stated this after the conclusion of the 11th conference of the heads of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon religions.

The Dalai Lama said: “I made it clear in 1969 that the people concerned should decide whether the Dalai Lama reincarnations should continue in the future or not.

However, in the absence of clear guidelines, in case the people want the institution of the Dalai Lama to continue, there is an obvious risk that vested political interests will misuse the reincarnation system to fulfil their political agenda”.

He said: “The reincarnation is a phenomenon, which should take place either through voluntary choice of the person concerned or at least on the strength of his or her karma, merit and prayers. Therefore, the person who reincarnates has sole legitimate authority over where and how he or she takes rebirth and how that reincarnation is to be recognised. It is a reality that no one else can force the person concerned or manipulate him or her.”

The Dalai Lama further said it was particularly inappropriate for Chinese communists, who explicitly rejected even the idea of past and future lives, let alone the concept of reincarnate Lamas, to meddle in the system of reincarnation, especially the reincarnations of the Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas.

“When I am about 90, I will consult the high Lamas of Tibetan Buddhist traditions, the Tibetan public and other people who follow Tibetan Buddhism, and re-evaluate whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue or not. On that basis we will take a decision. If it is decided that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama should continue and there is a need for the 15th Dalai Lama to be recognised, the responsibility for doing so will primarily rest on the officers of the Dalai Lama’s Gaden Phodrang Trust (the institution of the Dalai Lama),” he said.

“I shall leave clear written instructions about this. Bear in mind that, apart from the reincarnation recognised through such legitimate methods, no recognition or acceptance should be given to a candidate chosen for political ends by anyone, including those in the People’s Republic of China,” the Dalai Lama said.

The History

The tradition of reincarnations began in Tibet when Gedun Gyatso was recognised and confirmed as the reincarnation of Gedun Durb in the 15th century and Gaden Phodrang Labrang, the institution of the Dalai Lama, was established.

The third reincarnated Lama was given the title of the Dalai Lama. The fifth Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lob Sang Gyatso, established the Gaden Phodrang government in 1642, becoming the spiritual and political head of Tibet.

The tradition has been continuing for the past 600 years.

Cultivation of Fruits
State may collaborate with NZ firms
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Anita to contest poll against Dhumal
Tribune News Service

24 pc of youth opting for higher education in HP