SPECIAL COVERAGE
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THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS
50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

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

Heavy turnout in Shimla MC poll
Shimla, May 27
As many as 51,235 out of the total 79,956 strong electorate exercised their franchise in the Shimla Municipal Corporation (MC) election, polling for which was conducted peacefully today.

People stand in a long queue to cast their votes for the MC poll at Kamna Nagar in Shimla. People stand in a long queue to cast their votes for the MC poll at Kamna Nagar in Shimla on Sunday. Photo: Amit Kanwar

Move to de-notify Bhagsunag temple draws flak
Dharamsala, May 27
The government decision to de-notify the Bhagsunag temple has drawn flak from local residents. The state government in a notification issued recently had deleted names of 13 temples taken over earlier under the Schedule-I of the Himachal Pradesh Hindu Public Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1984.

Revenue from power to take further hit
Shimla, May 27
State’s revenue from the power sector is set to take further hit with the cash-starved distribution companies preferring to impose power cuts rather than procuring power.



YOUR TOWN
Dharamsala
Shimla


EARLIER STORIES



17 bags of nag chhatri seized at Bindrabani barrier
Tosh/Gushaini (Kullu), May 27
The Forest and Wildlife Department has given a virtual free run to thousands of nag chhatri collectors in jungles across the state, including the Great Himalayan National Park.

A toy train passes near a forest fire on the Kalka-Shimla railway track in Shimla on Sunday.
A toy train passes near a forest fire on the Kalka-Shimla railway track in Shimla on Sunday. Photo: Amit Kanwar

Failing to Comply With EIA Clearance
Power supply of 25 mining units to be disconnected
Solan, May 27
Mining units in the state are finally facing action for failing to comply with the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) clearance with the Mining Department issuing directions to the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) to disconnect power supply of nearly 25 such units in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh industrial area.

Kasauli residents face water crunch
Kasauli, May 27
Lack of planning for meeting water requirements by granting scores of permissions to several resorts, hotels and flats in Kasauli tehsil is gradually reflecting on the local population.

Converting HRTC into HP Roadways
HRTC buses to be off roads, employees to go on one-day strike on June 5
Nurpur, May 27
The agitation launched by employees of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) for converting it into the state roadways has started picking up as employees of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) spearheading the stir has declared to go on a one-day strike on June 5.

27 schoolkids down with gastroenteritis
Hamirpur, May 27
Three more children were brought to the Government Civil Hospital, Toani Devi, today complaining of stomach ache and nausea taking the figure of schoolchildren suffering from gastroenteritis to 27.

Forest Dept to grow 45 lakh medicinal plants
Shimla, May 27
The state Forest Department will encourage planting of Salix (English willow) species in view of increasing demand of cricket bats and raise 45 lakh medicinal plants under the Sanjivani Van Scheme. Addressing the two-day conference of Forest Conservators, which concluded here on Friday, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests RK Gupta said the Salix species was being raised only in neighbouring state of Jammu and Kashmir and it could be grown in Himachal, which also had conducive agro-climatic conditions for growing it.

New technique to detect TB by using breath sample
Kangra, May 27
Dr Ram P Sharma, who is settled in England, visited the DRPGMC Tanda recently and delivered a talk on “Peptides as future drugs for diabetes” to the faculty and students of the college.

117 cases settled at Janata Ke Dwar camp
Bilaspur, May 27
A total of 117 cases were settled on the spot out of 137 cases of grievances and difficulties presented by villagers at the Prashashan Janata Ke Dwar camp held at Malagan in Ghumarwin subdivision. The day-long camp was attended by a large number of officers and villagers and presided over by Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Mansi Sahay Thakur yesterday.

Junior engineers threaten statewide stir
Sundernagar, May 27
The HP State Electricity Board Limited Junior Engineers’ Association, annoyed over the non-implementation of long-pending demands of the association by the board management, has given a 42-day notice to settle the demands failing which it will start a statewide agitation in a phased manner.

Employees’ union rues govt apathy
Shimla, May 27
The Himachal Pradesh Sarva Karamchari Sangh has expressed resentment over the indifferent attitude of the government towards its demands. The sangh convened a special meeting to mark its first anniversary at which the demands were discussed and its leaders lamented that employees were not being given their due.

Dhumal misleading people on lowering VAT on petrol: Cong
Chamba, May 27
The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) has flayed Chief Minister PK Dhumal for misleading people of the state regarding the lowering of VAT on petrol from 27 to 20 per cent. It said he did not know that VAT charged by the Himachal Pradesh Government on petrol was 25 per cent which was still being charged and had not been decreased from 25 to 20 per cent.

Bhakra Beas employees’ chain fast enters 25th day
Sundernagar, May 27
The chain hunger strike of the Bhakra Beas Employees Union by the Slapper unit (affiliated with AITUC) in support of employees demands has entered the 25th day today.

PWD, IPH Dept at loggerheads over road damage
Kangra, May 27
Two state government departments are at loggerheads following damage caused to the recently constructed concrete Gupta Ganga road from the tehsil chowk here towards the DRPGMC Tanda. The PWD issued a notice to the IPH Department on Thursday in this connection.

2 employees killed repairing power pole
Bilaspur, May 27
Two Ghumarwin-based Electricity Board employees Jagar Nath of Kasohal village of Bilaspur district and Bhup Singh of Karsog of Mandi district were seriously injured when they fell from a power pole they had climbed for repair work. They were badly burnt as someone is said to have switched on the lines on which they were working at Ghumarwin. They died on way to the PGI, Chandigarh, last night.

Computer operators to wear black badges today
Shimla, May 27
Computer operators of the state Rural Development Department will wear black badges from May 28 in protest against the failure of the authorities to implement the recruitment rules and policy framed by the government of their cadre and enhance their salary.

Thieves decamp with jewellery, cash worth lakhs
Bilaspur, May 27
Two employees Ashok Kumar and Mahender Singh of Government Post-Graduate College here were deprived of jewellery and cash worth lakhs of rupees when thieves broke into their houses during the day and decamped with the booty.

11 khair trees felled
Nurpur, May 27
A case of illicit felling of khair trees from Atahara forest under Nurpur forest division came to light today. Unidentified culprits reportedly fell as many as 11 khair trees and stole these from this forest last night.

Minjar Fair from July 29
Chamba, May 27
This year the annual Minjar Fair of Chamba will be celebrated from July 29 to August 5.

 

 





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Heavy turnout in Shimla MC poll
Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 27
As many as 51,235 out of the total 79,956 strong electorate exercised their franchise in the Shimla Municipal Corporation (MC) election, polling for which was conducted peacefully today.

The Tutikandi ward recorded the highest turnout of 74.71 per cent and the Tutu ward the lowest of 50.83 per cent. The average polling for 25 wards came to 64 per cent.

The polling started on a brisk note in the peripheral areas and picked up in the main city only towards afternoon.

While no untoward incident was reported from anywhere, polling was disrupted for some time at four booths due to malfunctioning of electronic voting machines.

The longest interruption, about an hour, was at the Regional Transport Office, whereas normal polling was resumed at St Edwards School, Boileauganj, and Annandale after about 20 minutes.

Nabha (71.98), Summer Hill (70.67), Chamiana (70.99), Krishna Nagar (69.17), Kaithu (68.76), Dhalli (68.66), Boileauganj (68.61), Bharari (67.84), Annandale (67.53), Khalini (67.37) and Kanlog (67.03) were the other wards, which recorded high polling. Chhota Shimla (54.16), Kusumpti (55.98) and Patyog (58.03) were among the wards which registered a low turn out.

There are 95 candidates in the field, 83 for the 25 wards, seven for the post of Mayor and five for that of the Deputy Mayor.

As many as 13 wards have been reserved for women and a direct election to two top posts is being held for the first time.

Hitherto, the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor were elected by the 25 councillors. There are 43 women and 40 men in fray from the 25 wards.

Madhu Sood (Congress), SS Minhas (BJP) and Sanjay Chauhan (CPM) are locked in a fierce triangular contest for the post of Mayor, though there are four more candidates in the field.

The main contest for the post of the Deputy Mayor is also triangular involving Devinder Chauhan (Congress), Digvjay Singh Chauhan (BJP) and Tikender Panwar (CPM).

The Congress has the highest number of 15 members, followed by BJP (8) and CPM (2) in the outgoing House.

The BJP is making an all-out bid to dislodge Congress, which has been at the helm ever since the corporation came into being in 1985.

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Move to de-notify Bhagsunag temple draws flak
Lalit Mohan
Tribune News Service

The Bhagsunag temple in McLeodganj.
The Bhagsunag temple in McLeodganj. Photo: Kamaljeet

Dharamsala, May 27
The government decision to de-notify the Bhagsunag temple has drawn flak from local residents. The state government in a notification issued recently had deleted names of 13 temples taken over earlier under the Schedule-I of the Himachal Pradesh Hindu Public Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1984.

Out of the 13 de-notified temples, five are from Kangra district, including the Bhagsunag temple, Shree Nar Singh temple at Nagrota Surian, Shree Badri Vishal temple at Atarian, Shree Ashtbhuja temple at Jwalamukhi and Durvaseshwar temple at Damtal in Kangra district.

After de-notification, the government would have no control in the management of temples that would be either taken over by local committees or religious bodies headed by private persons.

Though there is not much resistance regarding de-notification of other temples, the move to hand over the Bhagsunag temple into private hands has invited ire of local residents and the district temple trust. The temple trust authorities have also written to the government against the de-notification of the temple. The Bhagsunag temple was brought under government control in 2006.

Sources here said at the time of the take over, the then local management committee had a sum of Rs 64,578 as balance in the account of the temple. The temple had scant facilities for pilgrims.

However, since the take over by the government there has been tremendous increase in the income of the temple.

In the last financial year, the income of the temple was Rs 25,25,764.

At present, the temple has a balance of Rs 44,02,738 in the accounts of temple in nationalised banks, in shape of fixed deposits.

The local administration through the Tourism Department has spent about Rs 30 lakh on the upgrade of facilities in the temple, including beautification of the sanctum sanctorum and construction of a waiting room for devotees.

The work for the construction of 38 shops for vendors situated on the approach of the temple is in an advanced stage and is likely to be completed in the near future. This would add Rs 38,000 per month to the nearly Rs 2 lakh per month income of the temple.

The land of the temple is valuable as it is located in the hub of the tourist place, Bhagsunag. The land of the temple is valued at about Rs 4 lakh per sq m.

The sources believe that in case the control of temple goes into private hands some unscrupulous elements might try to encroach upon the land of the temple. Besides, since the temple is located in a busy tourist place handing over of its land to private people might compromise the administration and governance of the area.

The said temples have been de-notified by the government on the basis of the report of the KC Sharma Committee on temples.

The sources added that the district authorities were also opposed to the de-notification of the Durvaseshwar temple at Damtal as it has about 250 kanal land attached to it.

The land of temples being controlled by private bodies is prone to encroachments.

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Revenue from power to take further hit
Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 27
State’s revenue from the power sector is set to take further hit with the cash-starved distribution companies preferring to impose power cuts rather than procuring power.

With the commissioning of more hydropower projects in the private sector, the quantum of free power available to the government as royalty has gone up substantially. These include the 1,000-MW Karcham Wangtu project and 192-MW Allain Duhungan project, which were commissioned last year.

As a result, 810 MW of power is available for sale from April to October as against 630 MW last year. Tenders floated for sale of power by the government last month failed to evoke any response. With distribution companies reluctant to have long-term purchase agreements, the government has been forced to dispose of all the power in the open market through the national power exchange.

However, the market price has been hovering around Rs 3 per unit most of the time and it crossed Rs 4 only last week as the mercury rose sharply.

This is despite the fcat that generation from thermal plants has been declined due to shortage of coal. Last year, the state sold power in bulk at Rs 4.30 per unit to Uttar Pradesh but it failed to pay about Rs 190 crore.

In the preceding two years, the state reaped windfall returns by selling power at rates ranging from Rs 5.23 to Rs 7.21 per unit. The downturn in market brought down the revenue by about Rs 150 crore.

If the current trend continues, the state’s revenue could take a further hit, though the increased quantum of free power will to a large extent make up for the fall in market price.

Some hope has been raised as the demand has increased with the mercury shooting up and Haryana has invited bids for purchase of 300 MW to 500 MW of power to be supplied during June mainly for the paddy season.

Principal Secretary, Power, Deepak Sanan said the government was negotiating with Punjab for sale of the entire equity power of 330 MW available from the Nathpa Jhakri Project. The state hopes to secure rate of about Rs 3.80 per unit, about Rs 50 paise less than last year.

Further, the government supplies all the free power available to it to the state electricity board from October to March to help meet the winter shortfall. The State Electricity Regulatory Commission has reduced its rate from Rs 2.96 to Rs 2.90 per unit, which will also affect the revenue.

Power has emerged as a major source of income for the state with revenue taking a quantum leap from Rs 29.60 crore in 2003-04 to a whopping Rs 1,255 crore in 2008-09, is going down. It came down to Rs 1,150 crore in 2010-11 and further to Rs 1,050 crore last financial year.

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17 bags of nag chhatri seized at Bindrabani barrier
Kuldeep Chauhan/TNS

Tosh/Gushaini (Kullu), May 27
The Forest and Wildlife Department has given a virtual free run to thousands of nag chhatri collectors in jungles across the state, including the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP).

It is being sold at Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 in the underground herbal markets as “its demand has shot up in China, where it is used in steroids”.

Found around the timber-line at an altitude ranging from 2,500 m to 3,000 m, the illicit trade of nag chhatri, a herb of medicinal value, is in full swing these days in the Kullu-Shimla-Chamba and lower Kinnaur belt.

The Mandi police and a forest team seized 17 bags of nag chhatri, worth Rs 1.4 crore in the international market, at Bindrabani barrier today. The smuggling racket was using premium Volvo buses as a safe conduit to smuggle these herbs. The police is yet to nab the driver and the conductor, including the owner of the Volvo bus, who has been using the tourist bus to smuggle the herb, which is selling up to Rs 20,000 per kg in Chinese markets. It was being smuggled in the private Volvo tourist bus from Manali to Delhi in night hours. The role of the Forest Department is also under scanner.

While the GHNP team seized 250 kg of the herbs at its barriers at Sai Ropa and Sainj, 10 bags at Salooni in Chamba and a couple of bags at Rampur Bushair in the past one week. This correspondent spotted nag chhatri extractors in Tosh, Bhun-Bhuni jungles in the Parbati valley.

As per a conservative estimate, there are over 30,000 women, schoolchildren, most of them poor, and Nepalese, doing only one thing these days in the higher reaches: Digging up roots of nag chhatri and come back home with bags full of the herb.

The large-scale extraction of nag chhatri has soared in the Parbati, Sainj, Tirthan and Kullu valleys. Local collectors are camping in tents in jungles extracting its roots.

“We can dig up and collect 3 to 4 kg per person in a day and get Rs 400-600 a kg, said local women at Tosh.

“We used to sell it to some local traders, who further sell it to three top herb traders at Bhuntar connected to a Kullu minister,” locals said in a hush-hush tone.

As the extraction has picked up alarmingly, nag chatri has been pushed to the brink as the Forest Department has no regulation over the herb.

It has hit local markets as the local price of the herb has plunged from Rs 2,000 a kg in April to Rs 400 a kg now.

“We are not getting labourers these days as nag chhatri has become a major money-spinner for them,” rues Raju Bharti, a hotelier from Gushaini in the eco-zone of the GHNP.

Forest and Wildlife officials remain clueless about the scientific value of the herb, but ayurvedic researchers say it is being exported to China where it is used in steroids and other medicines. Under the forest policy, jungles, including the eco-zone of the GHNP, are opened for herb collection once in four years. The department allows local panchayats to issue permits to villagers to collect forest produce.

Conservator, Wildlife and Director, GHNP, Ajay Srivastva said it had become difficult to control extraction of nag chhatri as they have just 10 odd forest guards. No case has come to light in GHNP so far and they are involving locals stepping up vigil on herb collectors, he adds.

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Failing to Comply With EIA Clearance
Power supply of 25 mining units to be disconnected
Ambika Sharma

Solan, May 27
Mining units in the state are finally facing action for failing to comply with the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) clearance with the Mining Department issuing directions to the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) to disconnect power supply of nearly 25 such units in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh industrial area.

A letter, a copy of which was available with The Tribune, to this effect was forwarded to the board’s Baddi office by the mining official on May 4 citing violations of the Minor Mineral Act where these units were found operating without the mandatory EIA clearance.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests had made it mandatory in February for all mining units to seek EIA clearance irrespective of the area they were operating in, following an apex court direction.

Mining officials had, thereafter, reviewed each case and 25 units were found operating without the mandatory EIA in the BBN area. Though lease holders had been directed to seek this environmental clearance and they had even given affidavits stating that they would not indulge in any mining activity till they obtained the environmental clearance, mining officials said they could not ensure its compliance. With reports of surreptitious mining activities taking place at night, officials had decided to disconnection power supply to ensure compliance of the apex court directions.

Board officials were, however, yet to order power disconnection. Though the letter from the district mining officer had been received by the board’s Baddi office on May 14, its compliance was yet awaited.

Expressing surprise at the lack of inaction by board officials, district mining officer Suresh Bhardwaj said a letter was sent to the board’s Baddi office on May 4 and a reminder would be sent soon for ensuring compliance.

Even a letter written by the board’s Baddi-based regional officer recommending power disconnection in 25 cases written on May 11 to its head office had not been approved till today, sources in the board said.

Board’s member Secretary Sanjay Sood when quizzed expressed ignorance about any such recommendation having been sent by the Baddi office and added that no such letter had been received. 

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Kasauli residents face water crunch
Ambika Sharma

Kasauli, May 27
Lack of planning for meeting water requirements by granting scores of permissions to several resorts, hotels and flats in Kasauli tehsil is gradually reflecting on the local population.

The IPH Department that caters to the needs of people here is finding it difficult to supply ample water even once in five days as the water availability had declined abysmally due to the high temperatures.

Though these new buildings had been denied water by the department, they were applying for permissions to use groundwater after applying under the HP Ground Water (Regulation and Control of Development and Management) Act, 2005.

A large section of the population depends on cash crops here, hence, the availability of ample water was a crucial requirement for local residents.

The agrarian community has been facing shortage of water and there have been cases of conflict between agrarian communities and others over the same. Since water was linked to livelihood of residents, emergence of scores of resorts would aggravate the situation further in the near future.

A number of such applications were being processed by the IPH Department and since there was little public awareness about this act or its implications, villagers failed to register objections and permissions were being granted for allowing use of groundwater for commercial purposes.

Large-scale withdrawals of water by these resorts and flats would adversely affect the groundwater level further reducing the availability of water to the local population.

This condition was amply illustrated by the case of a major real estate player who was constructing a major housing project in Banelgi and was withdrawing large amount of water from the ground.

While this would deplete the groundwater level, it would also cause drying up of nearby irrigation and potable water schemes.

Officials of the IPH Department were not available to confirm if any permission was sought for such large-scale water withdrawals and if the fund-starved department was receiving any charges for the water.

With the department on one hand denying permission for a regular water connection and yet giving permissions for use of groundwater to commercial ventures, water availability was sure to suffer more in the near future.

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Converting HRTC into HP Roadways
HRTC buses to be off roads, employees to go on one-day strike on June 5
Tribune Reporters

Nurpur, May 27
The agitation launched by employees of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) for converting it into the state roadways has started picking up as employees of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) spearheading the stir has declared to go on a one-day strike on June 5. The JAC has launched a statewide awareness campaign to mobilise HRTC employees for its demands. HRTC employees, including crew members, will resort to work-to-rule from May 29 onwards.

Shanker Singh Thakur, president, JAC, who was here recently to convene a meeting of the employees at the HRTC workshop in Jassur, near here, said HRTC buses would remain off the roads throughout the state following the one-day strike call of the JAC. “The longstanding and genuine demands of the transport corporation employees will automatically be met if the state government transforms the corporation into roadways. The government has failed to check the plying of private buses on those routes for which no route permits were given to them. The JAC has been demanding filling of around 3,000 vacant posts in the HRTC, including 1,700 posts of drivers and conductors, for long, but the management has failed to raise requisite funds from the state government to strengthen the HRTC,” he lamented.

He also opposed the proposed new routes to be handed over to private bus operators. He said the HRTC management had notified the pension scheme to its employees in June 1995, but failed to raise funds for it, and it was not disbursing pension to pensioners and other monetary benefits due to working employees in the corporation.

Thakur said the JAC had submitted a charter of six demands to the HRTC management, the Chief Minister and the Transport Minister on May 9, but the government had forced employees to resort to agitation.

Hamirpur: The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) Employees Unions held a dharna at the Hamirpur bus stand on Thursday to highlight their demand of converting HRTC into Himachal Roadways and providing them other benefits.

A large number of HRTC employees joined the dharna and raised slogans against the HRTC management.

The JAC is demanding the formation of Himachal Roadways on the pattern of Haryana, Punjab and other roadways to bail out the corporation from the present financial crisis and the formation of a long-term policy for employees. The main argument of the committee leaders is that accumulated financial loss of the HRTC has resulted due to free travel provided to 12 categories in HRTC buses by the state government.

They are also blaming the cancellation and changing of routes of buses to “appease local leaders and private operators”. The committee is also demanding regularisation of all employees working on contract basis for three years, appointment of staff to ease pressure on drivers and conductors and payment of new scales to them.

The employees bodies of the HRTC i.e. Himachal Parivahan Majdoor Sangh, INTUC, AITUC and Drivers and Conductors Union have joined hands to launch an agitation on this issue.

State spokesman, Himachal Parivahan Majdoor Sangh, Jitender Kumar said, “The joint action committee is organising a mass awareness campaign and holding dharnas on June 5 and 24-hour statewide chakka-jam to press their demands.”

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27 schoolkids down with gastroenteritis
Dharam Prakash Gupta

Tribune News Service

Hamirpur, May 27
Three more children were brought to the Government Civil Hospital, Toani Devi, today complaining of stomach ache and nausea taking the figure of schoolchildren suffering from gastroenteritis to 27.

Twenty schoolchildren of Government School, Patnon, were admitted to the Civil Hospital, Toani Dev, yesterday with complaints of stomach ache, vomiting and nausea.

The doctors attending the children had termed it a case of gastroenteritis caused due to drinking contaminated water or eating some wrong food.

Parents of the children feared that their wards were taken ill after being given iron supplements by the Health Department a few days back.

Students of Patnon School were given iron and folic acid supplements by health workers on May 24 as part of a government scheme.

Headmaster of the school Pritam Chand vouched that the drinking water in the school was clean and there was a remote chance of water contamination.

The Health Department too has ruled out any possibility of iron supplements given to school students as the reason for the disease.

They said, “Health workers have given iron and folic acid supplements to more than 50,000 schoolchildren to improve their health and these supplements can’t be blamed for the problem among the students, and even in this school 72 students were given supplements.”

Chief Medical Officer, Hamirpur, SK Soni said, “I have visited the schoolchildren at the Toani Devi hospital and most probably gastroenteritis has spread after drinking contaminated water or eating some wrong food. However, all of them are fine now.”

He said, “We have invited a team of epidemiologists from Tanda Medical College which will reach here tomorrow to identify the real cause of gastroenteritis among schoolchildren.”

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Forest Dept to grow 45 lakh medicinal plants
Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 27
The state Forest Department will encourage planting of Salix (English willow) species in view of increasing demand of cricket bats and raise 45 lakh medicinal plants under the Sanjivani Van Scheme. Addressing the two-day conference of Forest Conservators, which concluded here on Friday, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests RK Gupta said the Salix species was being raised only in neighbouring state of Jammu and Kashmir and it could be grown in Himachal, which also had conducive agro-climatic conditions for growing it.

Initially, 500 willow plants would be planted in Jogindernagar and Palampur forest divisions.

Similarly, trials for propagation of sandalwood in the Jwalamuki and Dehra areas would be taken up and planting of bamboo species would be grown in Nahan, Bilaspur, Mandi, Hamirpur and Kangra districts under the Rs 1.49 crore plan approved under the National Bamboo Mission.

Issue of pendency of encroachment cases pertaining to forest land was discussed in the conference and it was suggested that ACF of the Division should be empowered to share the burden of deciding such cases.

It was informed that a new five year project for promoting the cultivation of medicinal plants in Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts had been approved by the National Medicinal Plants Board against for which the first instalment of Rs 1.89 crore had already been received. Under the project, medicinal plants will be raised with community involvement over 600 hectares.

During the conference PCCF (Wildlife), RK Sud said rationalisation of boundaries of protected areas of the state was in the final stage of approval from the apex court.

Presiding over the concluding session of the conference, Principal Secretary (Forests) Bharti Sehag reviewed the progress of various schemes and programmes of the department.

She called for strengthening the electronic delivery system in the department by effectively using the present day Information and Technology tools.

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New technique to detect TB by using breath sample
Our Correspondent

Kangra, May 27
Dr Ram P Sharma, who is settled in England, visited the DRPGMC Tanda recently and delivered a talk on “Peptides as future drugs for diabetes” to the faculty and students of the college.

Dr Ram, who belongs to Palampur, had done his basic work on peptides which were building blocks of proteins. He had more than 90 patents and publications in his name and retired in 2007 from the School of Biological Sciences, University of South-hampton, UK.

Dr Ram, who is a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK, Ministry of Defence, UK, Independent Member of Defence Scientific Advisory Council (DSAC) and Editorial Advisory Board of three international journals, also devised a technique by which tuberculosis (TB) could be detected accurately within three minutes by using a breath sample only. The device had been tested in Gujarat and yielded cent percent results, he told the TMC faculty.

He said the device was expected to be in the market by the end of next year. He said in India 1.9 million new TB cases were annually detected with more incidences in the northern and urban areas of India.

Dr Ram said the World Health Organisation (WHO) had identified 22 high-burden TB countries which collectively contributed 80 per cent of the global burden of TB.

Principal Anil Chauhan said his talk was a very enlightening experience for budding doctors and faculty. Those who were interested in research and some joint research projects with Dr Ram would be proposed.

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117 cases settled at Janata Ke Dwar camp
Our Correspondent

Bilaspur, May 27
A total of 117 cases were settled on the spot out of 137 cases of grievances and difficulties presented by villagers at the Prashashan Janata Ke Dwar camp held at Malagan in Ghumarwin subdivision. The day-long camp was attended by a large number of officers and villagers and presided over by Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Mansi Sahay Thakur yesterday.

Mansi said such camps had been introduced since last year by the government with a view to solve villagers’ difficulties near their villages and save them from various hassles of repeated time, money and effort-consuming attempts. He said these camps were being appreciated everywhere as farmers were happy due to the immediate solution of their problems.

She said the remaining 20 complicated cases were handed over to officers concerned to be settled and disposed of within four weeks with proper reply to the petitioners and information to her office.

She said in addition to this, 48 certificates were issued, 14 land ownership cases registered, 31 wills attested and four old-age pension cases decided on the spot. The SDM also provided financial help worth Rs 1 lakh to a number of poor and hapless families on genuine grounds.

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Junior engineers threaten statewide stir
Mahesh Chander Sharma

Sundernagar, May 27
The HP State Electricity Board Limited Junior Engineers’ Association, annoyed over the non-implementation of long-pending demands of the association by the board management, has given a 42-day notice to settle the demands failing which it will start a statewide agitation in a phased manner.

These demands were publicly announced by the Chief Minister during the 10th General Conference of the association at Una on February 4, 2012, and he has directed the board management to except the demands, which were pertaining to increasing promotion quota, removing disparity in scales and filling vacant posts of assistant engineer by promoting junior engineers.

RD Agnihotri, president of the association, while addressing a conference of delegates from the Mandi zone here said due to the non-implementation of their demands unrest was prevailing among the 1,600 members of the association.

Engineer RD Agnihotri, state president, along with engineer DS Dhatwalia, general Secretary, and Budhi Singh Thakur, senior vice-president of the association accused the management and officials for not providing adequate inputs and resources in the field due to which the implementation of best policies and schemes of the government were adversely affected.

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Employees’ union rues govt apathy

Shimla, May 27
The Himachal Pradesh Sarva Karamchari Sangh has expressed resentment over the indifferent attitude of the government towards its demands. The sangh convened a special meeting to mark its first anniversary at which the demands were discussed and its leaders lamented that employees were not being given their due.

The main demand include grant of house rent allowance at the rate of 10 per cent, fixed medical house of Rs 500 per month, conveyance allowance of Rs 500 per month and 6 per cent education allowance.

The sangh also demanded time-bound promotions after the completion of four, nine and 14 years of service under the Career Progression Scheme and raising of ex-gratia for the family of employees who die in harness from Rs 50,000 to Rs 3 lakh.

It demanded a uniform pension scheme for employees of all public sector undertakings and a uniform policy for regularisation of employees recruited on the basis of contract, tenure, ad hoc and daily wage and PTA teachers, computer teachers and assistant primary teachers. — TNS

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Dhumal misleading people on lowering VAT on petrol: Cong
Our Correspondent

Chamba, May 27
The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) has flayed Chief Minister PK Dhumal for misleading people of the state regarding the lowering of VAT on petrol from 27 to 20 per cent. It said he did not know that VAT charged by the Himachal Pradesh Government on petrol was 25 per cent which was still being charged and had not been decreased from 25 to 20 per cent.

In a handout released here today, district spokesperson of the HPCC Dharam Malhotra described the Chief Minister’s statement of as a “blatant lie”. He stated that the BJP government in the state was responsible for the price hike as it could not give relief to people by lowering VAT on petroleum products as was being proposed in Congress-ruled states.

Malhotra further stated that the BJP regime, its MLAs and the administration of Chamba were responsible for not making any effort to improve the developmental work of the district to get it relieved from the stigma of being one of the 150 most backward districts of India.

Malhotra further stated that the Congress on coming back to power in the forthcoming Assembly elections would do developmental works with regard to education, road, health, employment etc in the district by implementing its policies and programmes.

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Bhakra Beas employees’ chain fast enters 25th day
Mahesh Chander Sharma

Sundernagar, May 27
The chain hunger strike of the Bhakra Beas Employees Union by the Slapper unit (affiliated with AITUC) in support of employees demands has entered the 25th day today.

While addressing employees, unit president of the union said the BBMB administration was not accepting their genuine long-pending demands. If these demands were not accepted by tomorrow, the union would start an indefinite hunger strike at Chandigarh.

The union has been demanding the filling up of vacant posts immediately. It has asked the BBMB administration to stop assigning work on contract basis and demanded improving work culture in the organisation. It has demanded the removal various pay anomalies among the employees.

The union has demanded the immediate appointment of wards of those employees who have lost their lives while serving the organisation. The union has demanded the restoration of appointment on compassionate basis.

General secretary of the unit Roshan Lal and executive member Dina Nath Sharma also addressed the gathering.

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PWD, IPH Dept at loggerheads over road damage
Ashok Raina

Kangra, May 27
Two state government departments are at loggerheads following damage caused to the recently constructed concrete Gupta Ganga road from the tehsil chowk here towards the DRPGMC Tanda. The PWD issued a notice to the IPH Department on Thursday in this connection.

Vijay Kumar, Assistant Engineer, PWD Subdivision, Kangra, who is holding the charge of Tanda PWD Subdivison, under which the road falls, said the IPH Department had damaged the road on which Rs 10 lakh was spent by the PWD. He said the department came to know that the road was damaged by IPH Department officials without seeking permission from the PWD which was a pre-requisite condition.

He said under the Roadside Infrastructure Protection Act he had issued a notice to the IPH authorities yesterday and asked them to pay the cost of the damages immediately.

The IPH authorities told the PWD that as the pipelines under the new road meant for water supply to Kangra were leaking, there was need to repair these.

This road is a link between the Bajeshwari temple and Gupta Ganga and Banganga, two religious shrines, which remain major attraction for pilgrims.

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2 employees killed repairing power pole
Our Correspondent

Bilaspur, May 27
Two Ghumarwin-based Electricity Board employees Jagar Nath of Kasohal village of Bilaspur district and Bhup Singh of Karsog of Mandi district were seriously injured when they fell from a power pole they had climbed for repair work. They were badly burnt as someone is said to have switched on the lines on which they were working at Ghumarwin. They died on way to the PGI, Chandigarh, last night.

They were immediately rushed to the local Civil Hospital, then to the Regional Hospital here and then to the PGI Chandigarh, but succumbed to their injuries before reaching the PGI late in the evening.

Local MLA Rajesh Dharmani has demanded an immediate high-level enquiry into the accident and full financial support to both the bereaved families.

The police has registered a case and is investigating the matter. The bodies of the deceased were handed over to the families after postmortem examinations.

Executive Engineer, Ghumarwin, BR Sharma said an immediate grant of Rs 5,000 had been given to each family while the remaining financial rights would follow soon. He said a team of technical staff was being organised to probe the cause of the accident.

HP Electricity Board Technical Employees Union state vice-president Hoshiar Singh Chandel expressed shock on this accident and demanded action against culprits and all financial benefits to the bereaved families.

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Computer operators to wear black badges today
Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 27
Computer operators of the state Rural Development Department will wear black badges from May 28 in protest against the failure of the authorities to implement the recruitment rules and policy framed by the government of their cadre and enhance their salary.

President, Himachal Pradesh Computer Operators Association, Diler Singh Saini said despite several representations to the department no action had been taken in the matter. The decision to enhance salary from Rs 8,000 to Rs 13,500 had not been implemented and computer operators were also not being given other benefits.

The association warned that it would resort to other measures in case no action was taken on its demands by June 5.

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Thieves decamp with jewellery, cash worth lakhs
Our Correspondent

Bilaspur, May 27
Two employees Ashok Kumar and Mahender Singh of Government Post-Graduate College here were deprived of jewellery and cash worth lakhs of rupees when thieves broke into their houses during the day and decamped with the booty.

The employees live in government quarters in the College Colony behind the college and no one was home when the thieves broke in.

Ashok is said to have lost 6 tolas of gold ornaments and some other ornaments of silver and Rs 6,000 cash, and the other family jewellery and Rs 2,500 cash.

The police immediately visited the spot and also brought a dog squad to the site, but no trace of the thieves could be ascertained.

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11 khair trees felled

Nurpur, May 27
A case of illicit felling of khair trees from Atahara forest under Nurpur forest division came to light today. Unidentified culprits reportedly fell as many as 11 khair trees and stole these from this forest last night.

Following a complaint of forest guard Jeet Singh of Gangath block, the local police has registered an FIR under Section 379, IPC, and Sections 32 and 33, Forest Act.

According to information, the culprits used a power cutter in felling the khair trees. DSP Rajinder Jaswal said after registering a case investigations had started. — OC

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Minjar Fair from July 29

Chamba, May 27
This year the annual Minjar Fair of Chamba will be celebrated from July 29 to August 5.

In an official communiqué here recently, Deputy Commissioner Sunil Choudhary said since the fair was an inseparable part of the cultural heritage of the Chamba region, all-out efforts would be made to organise the fair.

A meeting to thrash out a tangible strategy about celebrating the fair had been convened on June 2 at the local Bachat Bhawan, the DC informed. — OC

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