Shimla, November 26
Apprehending the use of money and muscle power by the ruling BJP, the Congress today demanded the deployment of para-military forces in the Renuka and Nalagarh Assembly constituencies where by-pools will be held on November 30.

Addressing a press conference here today, HPCC General Secretary and spokesperson Kuldeep Rathore said some senior Congress leaders had today sent a memorandum to the Election Commission of India and the Chief Electoral Officer, urging them to deploy Central forces to prevent the BJP from using its authority to influence voters in the two constituencies and resort to booth capturing.

“Since all senior police officers are under tremendous duress from the ministers and BJP leaders, it is not possible to expect free and fair polls in the presence of the HP police,” said Rathore. He added that a list of government employees, including some officers who were working on the directions of the ministers, had also been handed over to the CEO.

“The incident where money has been recovered from a close associate of Transport Minister Mahinder Singh in Renuka clearly reflects the motives of the BJP regime to win over the electorate through monetary power,” he said. He added that people of Renuka were too self-respecting to fall prey to such allurements and would vote for the Congress.

He said the manner in which senior BJP ministers and MLAs were camping in Renuka clearly reflected their frustration and insecurity. “People are fed up with the BJP’s dismal performance and the Congress will register victory in both the Assembly segments,” he said.

The Congress leader said the manner in which conflicting statements over the recovery of money had come from Mahineder Singh, state BJP chief Khimi Ram and spokesperson Ganesh Dutt clearly reflected the wrongdoings of the BJP which they were trying to hush up by using authority. 

Nalagarh, November 26
Congress stepped up its campaign in the Nalagarh constituency with its candidate Lakhwinder Rana pleading before voters to give him one chance to represent them.

He addressed public meetings at Tirla Mahua, Goyla, Allyon, Bariyan, Khera , Salerah and Tikar where PCC chief Kaul Singh Thakur also campaigned in his favour.

Rana said the BJP government had failed to undertake development activities in this constituency. With neither any college nor polytechnic in the Ramshehar area, the youth had no opportunities for employment.

He stressed that all development works had come to a standstill and even a bus stand was not available in Nalagarh town.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition, Vidya Stokes, also campaigned in Mittiyan, Dhroli and Khala in favour of the Congress candidate.

Other Congress leaders, including MLA Nadaun Sukhwinder Sukku and Arki BCC president Sanjay Awasthi, carried out door-to-door campaigning in Bhunyari and Lagdaghat panchayats of the far-flung Pargana Malaun, where the people complained about the unavailability of basic amenities, Congress leaders said.

Kumarhatti (Nalagarh), November 26
Chief Minister PK Dhumal said today that the weak economic policies of the Congress-led UPA government had led to the devaluation of the rupee against the dollar in the international market and this would adversely affect the common man.

Addressing an election rally at Kumarhatti in favour of BJP candidate Gurnam Kaur, the Chief Minister said the Congress claim of being with the common man had reversed itself as their anti-people policies were now threatening even self-employment ventures of small shopkeepers.

He said the sharp devaluation of the rupee against the dollar would further affect the rising prices.

Dhumal said the liberal attitude of the Congress to allow FDIs was sharply reducing employment opportunities and little was being done to provide employment opportunities to youth.

He said this was illustrated by the withdrawal of the Central industrial package, which had sharply hit the employment generation in the state.

The Chief Minister said though the state was making efforts to provide respite to people from the price rise by providing subsidised essential commodities through the public distribution network, but the Centre had even failed to provide adequate quota of commodities.

He said they were making efforts from time to time to enhance the purchasing power of the people through various means.

Dhumal appealed to a large number of women to vote for Gurnam Kaur, whose family had toiled hard for the development of the area.

The Chief Minister said people had rejected the Congress in four parliamentary seats where byelections had taken place and the Congress candidate had also forfeited his security in one place.

Gurnam Kaur urged voters to vote in her favour and give her an opportunity to realise her husband HN Saini’s dream.

Meanwhile, BJP’s national vice-president and Rajya Sabha MP Shanta Kumar while addressing rallies at Gullerwala, Basot and Nalagarh said today that corruption by the Union Government was the main cause of poverty in the nation and though 26 nations had expressed their willingness to bring back black money, the Congress-led UPA was making no efforts to get back Rs 300 lakh crore of black money stacked abroad.

Solan, Novenber 26
The BJP today organised a road show in the Nalagarh constituency to woo the electorate. The show was led by President of the Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha and MP Anurag Thakur.

Addressing people, Anurag said the inimical policies of the Congress-led UPA had affected the nation’s youth who were facing unemployment. He said the move to permit Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail was another blow to the unemployed as even their self-employment avenues would face the impact.

He appealed to the people to vote for Gurnam Kaur and said the BJP had undertaken development of the state where every section of the society would benefit from its liberal policies.

Anurag said while the Congress had failed to take any measures to curtail price rise and bring back the ill-gotten black money, the dismal state of affairs was visible from the fact their own ministers were languishing in the Tihar Jail one after the other.

Earlier, he addressed rallies at Rajpura, Saner, Bhatiyan, Shobanmajra, Nangal and Nalagarh where he gave figurative details of developmental works undertaken by the BJP government in the area.

Hamirpur, November 26
Routine meetings of the Hamirpur Nagar Parishad are turning into a formality as lack of budget for new development schemes is a major hindrance in giving a practical shape to these projects.

Elected members of the parishad in these meetings are discussing routine matters and no new development scheme is being undertaken.

As there is a little scope to take up new development works from the existing grant, which the parishad had been getting from the state, no new scheme has been taken up by parishad members.

At present, the parishad is getting a grant from the state government in four quarterly instalments with a total annual allocation of about Rs 1.10 crore.

A major portion of the grant is spent in meeting establishment expenditures like paying salaries, pension and other emoluments to its employees and paying water and electricity bills.

The parishad also owes about Rs 1 crore to Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) as payment towards its outstanding electricity bills.

While the parishad authorities have been urging the government to give a special grant for clearing the outstanding bills, the HPSEBL authorities have been serving disconnection notice on the parishad.

A major portion of the grant from the state government is being spent on meeting the recurrent expenses by the parishad and ongoing routine works are carried out from the grant or from meagre collection through taxes and other accruals.

The last major development works like improving drains, roads and constructing culverts were undertaken by the parishad from the funds received as a special grant from the Central Ministry of Urban Development, a few years ago.

Though elected members have been raising a demand for setting up a park, constructing parking and other beautification measures for Hamirpur, these have not been given a practical shape for want of funds.

Elected members of the parishad have been urging the state to give it an additional grant so that new development works can be taken up.

Deep Kumar, president of the parishad, said: “We have been requesting the state for a special grant for the Hamirpur Nagar Parishad to take up new development schemes and have even met Chief Minister PK Dhumal in this regard.”

Shimla, November 26
The CBI, enquiring into the suicide by a young girl Ritu Kalmotia, has asked the government to initiate departmental action against Pradeep Kumar, a senior IPS officer, for misconduct on his part in the case.

The case where the girl, a teacher in a local BEd college, had committed suicide on March 28 last year following the failure of her relationship with the IG’s son culminating into marriage, had been handed over to the CBI by the state high court on the request of the girl’s family.

“We have received a letter from the CBI and the matter is under examination,” confirmed PC Dhiman, Principal Secretary, Home.

While refusing to divulge further details, he said a decision would be taken in the matter after looking into all the aspects.

Sources confirmed that the CBI had written to the Home Department to take departmental action against Pradeep Kumar, at present serving as the Inspector General of Police (IG), Railway and Traffic.

Though the CBI directive is still being examined and various options being weighed by the Home Department in consultation with law, he could be issued a charge sheet.

The IPS officer was a co-accused in the case, which was handled by the Central investigating agency and the matter is now pending in the court.

His son, a judicial officer, was granted bail by the court only two days ago.

The CBI in its letter has mentioned that there is not enough evidence against Pradeep Kumar to proceed against him in the court, but all the same, departmental action would be taken against him for unbecoming behaviour.

Pradeep Kumar had visited the girl’s house immediately after it was learnt that she had committed suicide. Even though he asserted that it was solely on humanitarian grounds to save the girl, if possible, that he had visited her house, the girl’s family had demanded action against him for allegedly trying to destroy evidence.

Ritu had committed suicide on March 28, 2010, and a case had been registered against the IG, his wife and son under Sections 306 and 201, IPC, for abetting the victim to commit suicide and causing destruction to evidence. The girl’s family had sought the handing over of the case to the CBI as they did not have faith in the state police.

Shimla, November 26
The controversy over the acquisition of the heritage building Bantony here on the Mall has now landed up in the state high court with London-based businessman Ranjay Trehan, who had sought permission to set up a resort, seeking the intervention of the HC to quash rejection of his case in an unfair manner.

The petition filed by Trehan came up for hearing in the court yesterday and the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice VK Ahuja directed the agencies concerned, including the Municipal Corporation (MC) and the Tourism Department, to file their reply by December 30.

With the issue of acquisition of the Bantony already having assumed political overtones, Trehan’s move to drag the matter to the court is being viewed as an interesting development.

Trehan, who had entered an agreement to sell the property with the owners of the property spread over 18,000 sq m, has termed the rejection of his case by the MC for grant of a no objection certificate (NOC) as illegal and arbitrary and in violation of law.

The entrepreneur had submitted a proposal for the setting up of a resort on the prime property on the Mall, which was the summer palace of the Maharaja of Sirmaur, to the MC and Tourism Department in July 2011.

In his petition, he has contested against the rejection of his request by the MC for a NOC on the grounds that the building was under process of acquisition.

He said so far no proceedings had been initiated under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, by the government and, hence, the rejection of his plea by the MC and the Tourism Department smelt of high-handedness.

He added that the government agencies concerned kept sleeping over the matter despite his repeated reminders and it was only on September 15 that he received a letter from the MC, that the NOC could not be given.

In his petition, Trehan has assured the court that the heritage of the building will be protected and reconstructed along the old lines as it was in a dilapidated condition.

The issue of acquisition of the Bantony has become a major issue with the Congress accusing the BJP of not being serious about the acquisition of the building, which is a heritage structure.

The Congress said despite the government assurance that it would be acquired and protected, no notification had so far been issued to enable its acquisition.

Shimla, November 26
The Constitution of India is a way of life, said the Chief Justice of the state high court and told lawyers that the conduct of the lawman was not only to live in order, but also to prevent disorder by every act.

Addressing the Adhivakta Parishad Conference held in the HC auditorium, he stressed upon the lawyers to uphold the Constitution at every cost.

The Chief Justice added that more public participation was required in the law-making process.

Advocate Lokinder Thakur, president of the court unit of the Adhivakta Parishad, said the purpose of such conference was to make lawyers and the public aware about their duties and rights.

He said: “We as lawmen must set an example for the implementation of fundamental duties.”

He added that the parishad would organise such conferences at the district and the block levels to make citizens aware about their duties and strict implementation thereof.

Advocate-general RK Baba, additional advocate-general Vivek Thakur and advocate Reeta Goswami were among those who addressed various sessions.

Sundernagar, November 26
A six-day training programme for mediators of Mandi and Kullu districts concluded on Thursday in the Conference Hall at the District Court Complex in Mandi.

In the programme, organised by the state high court, 30 advocates of Mandi and Kullu districts were given 40-hour training and taught different techniques of mediation. The programme was conducted by Advocates Nagina Jain and Poonam, two trainers who have come here from Delhi.

On the concluding day of the training, members of the District Bar Association were apprised about the mediation process. CB Barowalia, Registrar, Subordinate Judiciary, HP High Court, and coordinator of the programme, while addressing the members of the association said the mediation would prove an alternate and effective tool for bringing down litigation and would become popular.

He said different training programmes would be conducted at the district level soon.

Sessions Judge (Mandi) Virender Singh, judicial officers, president of the Mandi District Bar Association, and DC Guleria were among those who were present.

Nagina and Poonam also apprised bar members about the details of the mediation programme.

Many cases were also assigned by regular courts to the mediation centre and the newly trained mediators made the parties understand about the mediation process and successfully drafted the settlement agreement that was sent to court and ultimately the disputes were got compromised.

Kangra, November 26
Teachers should be the role model for students and the teaching community should impart quality education to students besides infusing in them values of life.

This was stated by Prof Furqan Qamar, Vice-Chancellor (VC), Central University, HP, at the valedictory function of the three-day annual fest Navrang 2011, which was organised at the Dronacharya College of Education, Rait, near here, today.

Ganderv Singh Pathania, Managing Director, Dronacharya College of Education, Rait, on the occasion said during the fest 25 colleges from the state participated in seminars, quiz competition, solo song and dance, group dance, skit competition, ad show, modelling and sports.

Host college bagged the basketball championship, Gian Joyti College of Education, Rajol, the volleyball championship and Minerva College, Indore, the chess competition. 

Mandi, November 26
Bird watchers have something to cheer as the cheer pheasant, a rare bird of beauty, has entered the Red Data Book of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The high-piercing “chewewoo” notes of the grey brown puff-tailed chir are alive and kicking in the Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandi district.

The news of the cheer pheasants, now found in good number in the Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary, has come as a shot in the arms for environmentalists and bird watchers at a time when residents in Sundernagar are opposing a controversial cement plant being set up just 5 km away from this sanctuary.

Three wildlife teams, under Divisional Forest Officer, Wildlife, BS Rana, found that the cheer pheasants are evenly distributed in the Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary’s thick grooves of grassland and cover of shrubs, bushes and herbs have given a home to the pheasants, located just 7 km from Sundernagar town.

Rana said, “We have three teams. The cheer pheasants are found at every 2 sq km in the sanctuary area. Its density is about 10 sq km per pair in the sanctuary that spreads over 41.32 sq km. We employed the count calls method of counting and visited the sanctuary area on November 17-18.”

Apart from conserving cheer pheasants, this sanctuary has been a home to the Himalayan black bear, common palm civet, barking deer, goral, Indian hare and Rhesus macaqu, but it has also become a free hunting ground for poachers and peasants as it is one of the most disturbed sanctuaries in the state ever since it was notified in 1974, revealed sources.

Wildlife officials said cheer pheasants were found with a density of 24 pairs in and around the Majathal Wildlife Sanctuary in 1983, another reserve known for cheer pheasants in the state.

The World Pheasant Association and the Bird Conservation have been gaining support for the protection of this pheasant. It is killed for its beautiful hide and meat delicacy, said bird watchers.

Rana said the cheer pheasants were found from Kashmir, Himachal and Uttarakhand to Nepal. The species had entered the IUCN Red Data Book and, hence, it was being protected and all hunting was banned in the state,” he added.