Shimla, December 18
The five-day winter session of the Assembly starting in Dharamsala tomorrow is likely to be stormy with the Congress expected to corner the government over the “misuse” of official machinery, liquor and money to win the Renuka bypoll and the alleged involvement of a ruling party leader in the recruitment scam.

In the absence of the state Congress chief, Kaul Singh Thakur, who has been hospitalised after a road accident, it remains to be seen how convincingly Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Vidya Stokes along with other senior leaders is able to take on the government on the issue of misuse of power by the ruling party.

The Congress during the campaign had accused the BJP of distributing money and liquor to woo voters, deployment of JCBs during election time to make roads and its ministers and MLAs making promises to people in violation of the code of conduct. The issue could now echo in the Assembly, with both parties having levelled by winning one seat each.

The CLP meeting is scheduled to be held in Dharamsala tomorrow at 11 am. The Opposition leaders will draw up their strategy to pin down the government on some core issues and make the brief session a lively one. With both parties being on the same footing after having won one byelection each, efforts will be made to outsmart the other.

Some of the issues that have been raised by the Congress by seeking discussion and in the form of questions are corruption, the deteriorating law and order situation, damage to crops and fruits because of wild animals, including monkeys and wild boar, the monkey menace and rationalisation of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks.

The BJP will take on the Congress by raising corruption charges against UPA ministers, the discriminatory attitude of the Centre and the failure of Virbhadra Singh and Anand Sharma in protecting the interests of Himachal.

The other highlight of the session will be the gherao of the Vidhan Sabha by the Congress on December 22, in the presence of AICC General Secretary and in charge of party affairs, Birender Singh. With Union Minister Virbhadra Singh as well as HPCC chief Kaul Singh Thakur likely to be absent, it will be the AICC General Secretary and CLP leader who will take on the Dhumal regime.

However, it is the issue of the alleged involvement of a BJP leader from Kangra, Anita Sandal, in an Army recruitment scam which could put the BJP on the back foot.

Una, December 18
Workers of the Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM) today disrupted the function organised by the Bharashtachar Mukti Morcha formed by BJP dissidents led by Maheshwar Singh, the BJP leader from Mandi.

The sources available here told The Tribune that leaders of the Bharashtachar Mukti Morcha had organised a meeting and press conference in Natraj Hotel, Una. By the time they finished the press conference and were holding a meeting when a group of BJYM workers entered the hotel and started raising slogans against the morcha leaders.

The BJYM workers alleged that the morcha leaders were defaming the state government. Sumit Sharma, spokesperson of the BJYM, who was among the protestors, alleged that the morcha leaders were hand in glove with the Congress and were carrying out sustained campaign against the BJP.

“The present state government has carried out exemplary development work in the state. However, the campaign being carried out by the morcha leaders was creating doubts in the minds of general public. The morcha leaders never talk about the development being carried out in the state,” he alleged.

He said the BJYM would not tolerate malicious campaign against the party and the government.

Dinesh Lath, another BJYM leader, said they would expose the leaders on the issue of corruption. He alleged that many people close to morcha leader Maheshwar Singh were involved in corrupt practices. Sources said the agitated BJYM workers went on the stage of morcha leaders and raised slogans.

Maheshwar Singh said a few youths, who called themselves BJYM leaders, tried to disrupt their meeting. He said, “We protestors alleged that we were defaming the state government. However, we have not spoken against the state government or the party. We are just raising the issue of corruption in the state.”

Though Maheshwar Singh evaded speaking against the state government, the other morcha leaders, including Shayma Sharma, Radha Raman and Naveen Dhiman indirectly targeted the present BJP government by raising the issue of Anita Sandal, a former BJP leader from the Jawalamukhi area, who was arrested in the recruitment scam.

Meheshwar Singh, when asked if they would boycott the state-level rally planned on December 30 to mark the successful completion of four years of the BJP government that would also be attended by Nitin Gadkari, said that they would welcome the national president of party.

The BJYM workers also alleged that morcha leaders did not inform the local unit of the BJP regarding their programme today.

Dharamsala, December 18
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today launched a mobile-based reporting system for tracking pregnancies in the state.

Sources here told The Tribune that under the system each pregnancy in the state would be registered. Health workers would keep contact information, including the mobile numbers, of pregnant women who report in government hospitals.

They would keep track of the medication being given to pregnant women at each prescribed interval. This would also help them keep a check on female foeticide.

The Chief Minister said Himachal had improved its sex ratio. However, the new system would help tighten the noose around those involved in the illegal practice of female foeticide.

He also launched the Health Management Information System from Dharamsala. Under the system the records of patients who register in government hospitals would be available in all public health institutions online. This would help in the emergency treatment of patients in trauma cases, he said.

The Chief Minister also launched an insurance scheme for MNREGA and construction workers and domestic servants. Labourers who had worked for at least 15 days under the MNREGA and other specified categories of labourers could benefit from the health insurance scheme by paying a premium of just Rs 30 per annum. Under the scheme the labourers could enjoy health benefits free of cost in government hospitals, he said.

The Chief Minister said the first phase of the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (National Health Insurance Scheme) was launched in the districts of Shimla and Kangra in 2008-09 to issue smart health cards to BPL families. Till date 80,242 smart cards had been issued. The state ranked first in the country for the issuance of smart cards and won the National Award.

Against the national average of 47.43 per cent of issuing smart cards, the state issued smart cards to 2,35,131 out of the 2,90,986 BPL families in the state, which amounted to 81 per cent of the targeted population, the highest in the country.

Dhumal said the state government was providing a cash prize of Rs 50,000 to the panchayat that achieved 100 per cent target of issuing smart cards.

As many as 134 panchayats had achieved the target and would be getting the prize, he said.

Dhumal sanctioned Rs 3.20 crore for the completion of the mini secretariats at Baijnath, Dehra and Kangra in Kangra district, Rohru in Shimla district and Sundernagar in Mandi district. Construction work on these would be completed by March 31, 2012, he said.

Later in the evening the Chief Minister inaugurated the building of a vegetable market in Dharamsala.

He also presented awards to panchayats that had achieved 100 per cent target in issuing smart cards to BPL families.

Mandi/Bilaspur, December 18
Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) national chief Dr Mohanrao Bhagwat today declined to meet Health Minister Rajiv Bindal and Deputy Speaker of Vidhan Sabha Rikhi Ram Kaundal in Bilaspur.

All is not well within the sangh parivar as Shanta Kumar, one of most revered former RSS ‘pracharak’, absented himself from a meeting where he was supposed to meet Bhagwat during his six-day long camp in the state that ended today at Hamirpur.

No BJP politician except for Chief Minister PK Dhumal could meet the RSS Chief during its rally in Bilaspur on December 14 and thereafter during his camp in Bilaspur and Hamirpur, sangh parivar sources said.

Bhagwat and Dhumal sat together just for 10 minutes after the RSS rally in Bilaspur in the evening. The meeting has given rise to the speculation that “Dhumal enjoys RSS blessing at a time when BJP detractors, united under the banner of Bhrashtachar Mukti Morcha (BMM), are making the ruling-BJP embarrassed,” revealed insiders.

But what is more significant in the sangh parivar is the absence of Shanta Kumar during the series of meetings of RSS ‘pracharaks’ chaired by Bhagwat, said RSS insiders. He was in Bilaspur for four days and moved to Hamirpur, but Shanta Kumar did not turn up to meet him, they added.

“BJP general secretary JP Nadda could not come as he was busy in Punjab, but Shantaji, being the most senior pracharak of the RSS did not make a point to meet Bhagwat is a point of debate in the sangh parivar in the state,” said the sources.

State BJP’s rank and file is on the boil over the recent developments in the BJP, following the BMM declaring a war against corruption in the state. Incidentally, most of the BMM leaders have their alliance with the Shanta Kumar faction.

But there were RSS workers who said, “Bhagwat gives more importance to the RSS workers and keep politicians at bay as it is a part of the RSS ideology.”

Bindal, Kaundal and Dr Malvika Nadda, Nadda’s wife, who is a BJP Bilaspur sadar MLA, tried their best to meet Bhagwat, but they got a “no”, revealed members of the RSS.

Sources close to Shanta Kumar said he could not meet Bhagwat as he was busy in the winter session of Parliament in New Delhi.

Chandigarh, December 18
The setting up of the much-sought-after Canteen Stores Department (CSD) depot in Himachal Pradesh has been delayed as the land offered by the state government to the Ministry of Defence for the purpose has been found to be unsuitable.

The state government had offered 188 kanals near Una to the defence authorities. The land, however, did not meet the ministry’s requirements since it was uneven and included nullahs and riverines, which were prone to floods during rain.

Since the state government is yet to identify another piece of land, the project has been delayed indefinitely and under the circumstances, the Defence Ministry has maintained that no time frame for establishing the depot can be defined.

Besides a large number of military establishments, Himachal, which has a deep-rooted martial tradition and shares the international border with China, has a large number of serving as well as retired armed forces personnel. Besides other Arms and Services, two reputed infantry regiments, the Dogra Regiment and the Punjab Regiment, have a large component of Himachali people.

A CSD depot in Himachal is being sought for a long time as it would have implications on tax and excise levied on goods sold through CSD outlets. These goods are at present transported from CSD depots located in other states.

The CSD has 34 depots in the country, which supply goods ranging from groceries and cosmetics to high-end consumer items to over 3,600 canteens, some of which are located in remote areas. Over 3,000 items with a gross annual turnover of Rs 6,900 crore, are sold through these canteens at concessional rates, benefitting nearly 44 lakh people.

Kangra, December 18
Dr RP Government Medical College, Tanda, has become the first medical college in the state to increase its working hours by one and a half hours in order to benefit graduate and postgraduate students and provide better services to indoor and OPD patients.

The college, which was working from 9.30 am to 4 pm, will now function from 8 am till 4 pm.

Stating this here today, Dr Anil Chauhan, Principal of DRPGMC, said the move was initiated voluntarily by the Academic Committee and approved by the college Council.

Dr Chauhan said it was a welcome gesture by the faculty members who now would complete their rounds of the wards between 8 am and 9.30 am. Doctors would be now available in the OPD from 9.30 am till 4 pm with a lunch break.

He said earlier nurses were coming at 8 am but doctors reached the operating theatres at 9.30 am. Thus, surgeries were getting delayed.

By adopting the new schedule, the college would come on a par with other PGI institutes in the country, he added.

Shimla, December 18
With no data pertaining to the population of the migrants residing in the state having been compiled till date, it is for the first time that the state Economics and Statistics Department is undertaking a sample survey to assess the number of people coming here from Bihar, Orissa, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and other states in search of livelihood.

Interestingly, the state does not have migrants only from the country. A sizeable population of international migrants like Tibetans and Nepalese are also residing here in various pockets scattered all over the state. Though the number of Nepalese as per the record of the Home Department is 36,312 and that of Tibetans, 33,878, but officials admit that the number could be much higher.

During the exhaustive census operation this year, the exact number of Tibetans residing at various settlements in India was taken into account to have an exact picture of their population in the country. “It is for the first time that we are undertaking a sample survey to assess the scenario with regards to in-migration as well as out-migration, though the number coming here would be far higher than those venturing out in search of livelihood,” said Pradeep Chauhan, Economic Advisor, Economics and Statistics Department.

He said the sample survey figures would give some idea about those who are engaged in various jobs from outside the state. He further said as far as out-migration was concerned, it was quite high in Hamirpur district, which has the highest population density. “A large number of people from here work as taxi drivers and are engaged in other such jobs in Mumbai and Delhi,” he stated.

The apple economy of the state is totally dependent on Nepalese labour, which manages majority of the apple orchards in Shimla district, Kullu, Solan and Sirmour. Tough and enduring Kashmiris on the other hand can work even during the winter season and keep the economy running.

With industrial estates in Baddi-Barotiwala in Solan, Kala Amb in Sirmaur and Mehatpur in Una coming up, the number of migrant labour has increased manifold. A spurt in construction activity at major urban centres in the state has also brought in a lot of migrant labour into the state. This has also led to an increase in crime rate, especially in the border industrial areas and districts.

Solan, December 18
The state government has failed to pay any remuneration to the krishak mitras who were appointed in October 2010 on a promise of being given Rs 4,400 on an annual basis.

As per the state government’s policy, each panchayat had appointed the krishak mitars to ensure that the government schemes, related to agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry percolates to the masses and optimum benefits could be availed.

These krishak mitras have now organised themselves into a union to take up their case with the state government during the ensuing winter session of the Vidhan Sabha, which will begin at Dharamsala.

At a meeting held here, Chander Kant Sharma, state president, stated that they would meet the Chief Minister on December 20 to present their stand and demand their due.

Shushila, who was nominated as the district general secretary, told The Tribune that though they had been performing various duties of providing information relating to various government schemes to the farmers but the state government had failed to recognise their services, which was lamentable.

She said though various public announcements made by the ministers had stated that they would be given Rs 4,400 on a monthly basis but even their promise of making annual payment has not been fulfiled.

They were, on the contrary, informed that the remuneration promised to them had been utilised in the training imparted for 3 to 5 days and no other allowance would be granted to them.

The state government had appointed 3,243 krishak mitras across the state in many panchayats so that the agrarian community could benefit from the policies and grants available under various state and the central government schemes.

It was worth mentioning that about 92 per cent of the state’s population resided in the villages and their contribution to the state’s GDP was sizeable. Since in the absence of proper information various schemes failed to benefit the farmers, the state government had appointed these krishak mitras to help bridge the gap.

Kullu, December 18
The Rs 3,000 crore apple industry in the state is ageing as over 48 per cent apple orchards in the Kullu, Mandi and Shimla apple belts have aged and need urgent rejuvenation or re-plantation to save the apple economy, say scientists.

Though the state government has launched a Rs 83 crore apple rejuvenation scheme, the scientists have called for proactive multi-pronged efforts to keep the sagging fruit bowl of the state going before it is too late.

The scientists say progressive farmers are now aware that orchards need more than 25 per cent pollination and judicious use of pesticides and organic and chemical fertilisers.

However, a majority of the farmers need more focus in the face of devastating hailstorms, crop failure, drought, heavy rain, fungal and mite attacks and poor road connectivity for transportation.

Referring to a recent survey in 2009 which found over 50 per cent of the apple orchards ageing (55 per cent in Kullu and 44 per cent in Shimla), Dr Vijay Thakur, Associate Director, horticulture university fruit research station, Mashobra, says, “No doubt 48 per cent orchards in the state need rejuvenation or replanting. However, over 25 per cent new area under apple is not at a fruit-bearing stage in the apple belt which can make up for the loss in production once the trees start bearing fruit,” he said.

The apple production varies from year to year, says Dr Vijay Thakur, adding that any quantitative study is no measure of the health of the apple industry as last year the production hit an all-time record of over 4.15 crore apple boxes, but this time it is not even half of that.

More than 44 per cent orchards in Shimla district and 55 per cent in Kullu district, which account for over 81.2 per cent of the apple production, have attained their peak and are ageing.

The scientists agree with the study which states that pollination remains poor in most orchards (9 per cent in Kullu and 4 per cent in Shimla) that affects production.

The Associate Director of the fruit research station, Bajaura, Dr Shakti Bhardwaj, says the apple belt has shifted to a higher altitude and apple orchards planted in 1960-70 period are ageing in Kullu district.

He says farmers are switching over to new methods and have responding to the apple rejuvenation scheme.