Dharamsala, October 14
The CJM, Kangra, Ajay Mehta, today sentenced six Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) officials to six months’ imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1,100 on each of them for allegedly damaging the property of the cricket stadium, Dharamsala, and illegally confining the complainant.

The officials who have been convicted in the case are Sanjay Sharma, spokesperson for the HPCA, Gautam Thakur, general secretary, Aseem Aggarwal, joint secretary, Yudishtar Katoch, member, Vipin Mehra, member of the Kangra Cricket Association and Ashok Kumar, groundsman.

The accused have been convicted under Section 147 of the IPC for rioting, Section 341 for wrongful confinement and Section 427 for loss to property. They have been sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and fine of Rs 500 each under Section 147 and Section 427 of the IPC and a sentence of one month and a fine of Rs 100 under Section 341 of the IPC. All sentences will run concurrently. The accused were also released on bail and given one month to approach the higher court against their conviction.

The case pertains to an incident that took place in 2005. The Congress allegedly tried to wrest the control of the Dharamsala cricket stadium from BJP ledader Anurag Thakur who was the HPCA president.

Allegedly at the behest of certain Congress-backed HPCA members, a Ranji cricket match was hosted at the Dharamsala cricket stadium between Himachal and Tripura. However, the accused, who were supporters of Anurag Thakur, allegedly filled the pitch with water and did not allow the match.

The match referee of the BCCI, Narinder Menon, had lodged a police complaint against the accused for damaging the pitch and illegally confining those who had come to organise the match.

Sanjay Sharma, who has been mysteriously staying away from the activities of the organization since the last IPL season, said they would move in appeal against their conviction.

All accused were present in the court today when the sentence was announced.

Dharamsala, October 14
Members of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) today organised a rally in Dharamsala to protest against the alleged Chinese oppression that led to self- immolations by seven Tibetan youth in Tibet this year.

Hundreds of members of the TYC carrying banners and placards displaying messages against the Chinese authorities started procession from McLeodganj this morning.

The procession concluded at Kachehri crossing in the lower Dharamsala where they conducted a rally.

Tibetan speakers while speaking on the occasion alleged that the Tibetan youth in Tibet were being forced to commit self-immolation allegedly due to the Chinese oppression. This year seven Tibetans have committed self-immolation while the Chinese authorities have been maintaining that they were carrying development in Tibet, they said.

The Tibetan exiles here have intensified their protest procession against China in the recent past after self-immolations by two Kirti monastery monks.

The Tibetan government-in-exile has also given a call to Tibetans living across the world to organise protests in a peaceful manner.

Tibetans want to carry out a massive protest in Paris on November 2, just a day before the G-20 nation meet that would also be attended by Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Nahan, October 14
With the byelection to the Renuka Vidhan Sabha seat on the anvil, Chief Minister PK Dhumal today announced development schemes for various sections of society, besides dedicating several others to the people on their completion.

The Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of a lift drinking water scheme for Nahan town.

He said the Giri river would be the source for the proposed drinking water supply scheme and it would ensure regular supply of 135 litres per day to as many as 31,000 persons for 20 years.

Dhumal said it was in 1911 that a provision of drinking water supply was made for the population of 5,000. Later, in 1962 and 1995-96, it was further augmented.

Now keeping in view the rising population of the area, it was the need of the hour to initiate a scheme fulfilling the water woes of the people.

He said the state government had approved this Rs 53-crore scheme for the purpose. He directed the officials to ensure its early completion.

The Chief Minister while addressing a public meeting later said 531-km roads were constructed in Sirmaur district during the past over three years and 715 villages were provided road connectivity and 220 road projects were implemented in 228 panchayats.

The CM said the construction work of Sangrah, Rajgarh, Nahan colleges would be completed within the stipulated time and the work on Rs 2.5-crore Paonta Sahib Polytechnic would be completed soon. The first private university, Eternal University, had been opened in Baru Sahib and soon a medical college would also be opened.

Dhumal said the BJP government had got Poanta Sahib-Kala Amb and Lal Dhank-Hatkoti national highways sanctioned for the state.

Since the notification about the byelection was expected soon, he chose the opportunity to address the concerns of various sections, especially women and students.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister today announced a Diwali bonanza for employees of the HP State Cooperative Bank by announcing a bonus for the staff and regularisation of 277 contractual employees.

Dhumal said a new scheme worth Rs 9.64 crore had been sanctioned for Sirmaur and Hamirpur districts, which would be implemented through the Cooperative Department. State Cooperative Bank had earned a profit of Rs 82 crore and was providing liberal loans to farmers. The bank would open its branches and extension counters at Gattadhar and Nainidhar soon.

He also laid the foundation stones of cooperative bank building and Government College building to be constructed at a cost of Rs 97.71 lakh and Rs 7.24 crore, respectively. He also dedicated a new SP office building to the people.

Shimla, October 14
The Nepalese population in the hill state has sought the grant of subsidised ration on the analogy of the refugee Tibetans, who are receiving ration from fair price shops on the basis of permits issued to them, even as the Food and Supplies Department is trying to plug the bogus six lakh excess population which is receiving cheap ration according to the records.

The Nepalese recently gave a representation to the government, seeking the grant of ration cards to them so that they too could make purchases from the fair price shops. In their representation, they have clearly mentioned that when Tibetans, who enjoy a refugee status, can be given subsidised ration, they too should be entitled to such a privilege.

The representation has been given by the Mool Prabha Akhil Bharat Nepali Ekta Samaj, making reference of the pact signed between India and Nepal in July 1950, which entitles them to all facilities on a par with Indian citizens. According to the record available with the Home Department, the number of Nepalese in Himachal is 36,312 and that of Tibetans is 33,878 but it is a known fact that their number would be far higher as it keeps fluctuating.

Interestingly, the plea from the Nepalese comes at a time when the Food and Supplies Department is trying to detect the bogus ration cards as against a population of 68.56 lakh as per the 2011 census, there are 74.53 lakh people receiving subsidised ration. In fact, the department had issued a public notice, urging people to surrender any bogus or duplicate ration cards, failing which a police case would be registered against them.

“So far, barely 1,000 people have surrendered their ration cards but the major gap of six lakh excess population getting ration is mainly on account of the Tibetans, Nepalese and some migrant population from other states holding ration cards,” admitted a senior official of the Food and Supplies Department. In some cases people have got ration cards made at two places and even cards of people who have moved out of the state are still in circulation.

Though the official figure of the Tibetan refugees according to the Home Department in Himachal is merely 33,878, the fact remains that their number is far more than this. The Tibetans who were earlier ration card holders, were issued renewable annual permits in February 2004, so that they could get cheap foodgrains but not be ration card holders. “We are still compiling the exact number of Tibetan permit holders but their number is close to two lakh,” admitted an official.

Shimla, October 14
In case the trials on the latest battery-operated smart canes to be used by visually impaired persons succeed, the life of people suffering from this disability could improve considerably, especially in the difficult hill terrain.

Developed by a Delhi-based NGO, Saksham, and Phoenix Medical System, the trials on the new smart cane have begun as six students of the town have been provided with these to check their effectiveness. After its successful trails in the plains, the battery-operated smart cane could change the life of the visually impaired in the hills.

Interacting with mediapersons here today, a social activist and software professional, Madan Verma, said the smart cane, which would replace the white cane, was equipped with sensors so as to give a warning about any object even above knee height to the visually impaired. “It has been very successful in the plains; now we want to see and get a feedback about its use in the hills,” said Verma.

Verma said the white cane was being used across the world but now the IIT, Delhi, in association with Saksham, had developed a smart cane which was battery-operated and would give signals whenever any object came before the user. He added that since visually challenged people faced greater difficulties in the hills, trials would be conducted and, if need be, changes made to make it more effective.

Some of the inmates of the Dhalli and Portmore school who are using the smart cane said it would have been better if it had been equipped with talking software and could give warning about a trench, puddle or deep gorge in the hills for their safety. Saksham is working on the trials in Himachal jointly with the Umaang Foundation.

Shimla, October 14
Expressing solidarity with Union Minister Virbhadra Singh, 17 Congress legislators today launched frontal attack on DGP DS Manhas for making false and fabricated case against the veteran leader just to please Chief Minister PK Dhumal. In a joint statement here today, they alleged that the DGP had tried to twist the facts and said it was incorrect to suggest that an FIR was recommended by AP Singh, the then SP Vigilance.

The matter was referred to the Home and Law departments for further instructions in August 2008, however, both departments did not offer any opinion. The FIR was registered against Virbhadra in August 2009 after Manhas took over as the ADGP (Vigilance), and wrote “Let an FIR be registered and investigated by the SP, Special Investigating Unit,” one year after the inquiry report was sent.

Thereafter, Manhas, who was number five in seniority, was rewarded and made DGP, superseding four other IPS officers. It was unprecedented in the state and against the Police Act, which allowed the Chief Minister to consider only one of the three seniormost officers for the top post.

In fact, two other things had happened between August 2008 and August 2009 - Virbhadra Singh became a Union Cabinet Minister and the main witness Mohinder Lal had died.

The MLAs further pointed out that the assertion of Manhas that court had taken cognisance of the matter was factually incorrect. The court was deemed to have taken cognisance when charges were framed to start the trial. This had not happened till date and Manhas was trying to misguide the media and the people. The DGP’s charge that Virbhadra was trying to influence the witnesses was totally false and he knew well that these witnesses had sued the state government and him in the HC for writing false and fabricated evidence.

They advised Manhas to desist from indulging is such nefarious activities, which lowered the prestige of high office of the DGP in the larger interest of the state.

The signatories included Gangu Ram Mussafir, Sujan Singh Pathania, Anil Sharma, Harshwardhan Chauhan, Mukesh Agnihotri, Prakash Choudhary, Sudhir Sharma, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, Subhash Manglate, Kush Parmar, Yog Raj, Sohan Lal, Rakesh Kalia, Surinder Bhardwaj, Nikhil Rajour, Neeraj Bharti and Nand Lal.

Shimla, October 14
The double dip in power output due to a steep decline in thermal generation has led to a shortfall in October itself, forcing the state electricity board to impose power cuts in industrial areas.

The state faces power shortage during the peak winter months when the hydroelectric generation dips due to a decline in discharge in various rivers and streams. However, this season the problem has compounded as depleting supply of coal across the country has severely hit thermal generation. Consequently, the state is daily getting only 118 lakh units as central share, about 40 lakh units less than the normal quantum.

The board’s own generation from all projects has come down by 50 per cent from 110 lakh units to 53 lakh units and the availability from the 300 MW Baspa project has declined to 28 lakh units from 78 lakh units. Similarly, the generation in the 1500 MW Nathpa Jhakri, from which the state is entitled to 543 MW of power, has plunged from 38 million units to 17 million units with discharge in the Sutlej falling to 180 cumecs. The shortfall has left the board with no alternative but to impose power cuts from 9 am to 6.30 pm in the industrial areas on a rotational basis.

The situation would have been worse but for the power available through the banking arrangement under which Haryana is returning 60 MW supplied by the board to it during summer. The situation will improve from October 16 when Punjab will start returning 60 MW. Further, Delhi will return the banked power from October 20, making available another 80 MW which will take care of the shortage provided there is no incremental shortfall on account of decline in generation.

The board had provided 500 million units to Punjab and Haryana under the banking arrangement during summer and it plans to secure another 500 million units through contra-banking, which it will return during summer as the peak winter demand is projected to cross the 250 lakh unit mark.

The winter shortfall has been estimated at 1,500 million units, 300 million units more than last year.