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

UK-based Himachali lawyer offers to fight for medal
Shimla, June 16
The legal battle for George Cross which was awarded posthumously to Naik Kirpa Ram of the 8th Battalion Frontier Force Rifles in 1946 will be fought in a London court as Vijay Sharma, a UK-based lawyer hailing from the state, has offered to pursue the case on behalf of the martyr’s widow Brahmi Devi.

Herbal plunder goes on unabated in wildlife sanctuaries
Kullu, June 16
As many as 47 species of rare high-valued herbs and medicinal plants have been pushed to brink as the herbal mafia is ruling the roost in the herb-rich Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) and other wildlife sanctuaries as the state Forest Department has no institutional mechanism to regulate its trade in the state.

Not a victim of bickering in party: Bindal
Shimla, June 16
Refuting reports that he had become a victim of factionalism plaguing the BJP, Health Minister Rajeev Bindal said today that in fact it was in view of his excellent track record in organisational matters that he had been entrusted the task of working for the organisation.

Govt failure to announce fertiliser policy deprives farmers of subsidy
Solan, June 16
The failure of the state government to announce its fertiliser policy before the onset of the kharif season has forced the farmers to make purchases at higher costs without availing the subsidy. This has defeated the very purpose of extending subsidies on fertilisers to the farmers as it has not been made available at the appropriate time.

Rinpoche Gangkar remanded till June 19
Jogindernagar (Mandi), June 16
Rinpoche Gangkar (31) was sent to police remand till June 19 after he was produced before the judge here today. But he also faces fresh trouble for transporting two rare grey African parrots that the police recovered from his benami multi-crore palatial house at Chauntra during Tuesday night raids.

Shift mentally-challenged from Old Age Home: HC
Shimla, June 16
Expressing concern on the issue of non-implementation of Mental Health Act in the state, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed the Secretary (Health) to shift the mentally-challenged persons from the Old Age Home, Basantpur in Shimla to the Mental Health and Rehabilitation Center, Boileauganj, for treatment. The court also ordered that they should be taken again to the Old Age Home once they were fully cured.

Low voltage hits water schemes in 5 panchayats
Nurpur, June 16
A low electricity voltage for the last three days has hit three potable water supply schemes (WSS) in Nurpur area depriving six gram panchayats of potable water supply.

Cops find nothing ‘fishy’ against 8 Taiwanese
Jogindernagar, June 16
The investigating agencies have virtually given a ‘clean chit’ to the eight Taiwanese nationals who were booked under the Foreigners Act after a police raid on June 12. However, the judge hearing the case has sent them to judicial custody till June 19.

The eight Taiwanese who were arrested at Chauntra in Mandi. A Tribune photograph

IGP told to oversee law and order on HPU campus
Shimla, June 16
Taking serious note of the students’ clash on the HP University campus, the Himachal Pradesh High Court today directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to oversee the law and order situation in the varsity and submit report in this regard.

Three tourists killed, six injured as taxi skids off road
Manali, June 16
Three tourists were killed and six others were injured when a taxi going to Rohtang Pass for sight-seeing rolled down at Rahla fall, about 26 km from here.

NABARD clears loan for road projects
Shimla, June 16
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned a loan of Rs 88.96 crore from its Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) to the state government for the construction of 22 rural roads and bridge projects and 12 minor irrigation schemes.

2 killed, one injured in road mishap
Kangra, June 16
Two PWD labourers were killed and one was seriously injured when a speedy truck coming from Baijnath side hit them at Mangarh on Kangra-Hoshiarpur road while they were doing work.

Cong to put up united face at ‘parivartan rally’ today
Mandi, June 16
State Congress president Kaul Singh Thakur today claimed that the Congress would put up a united front against the “oust-BJP” parivartan rally tomorrow at Nahan in which two Union Ministers, Virbhadra Singh and Anand Sharma, would participate.

Kisan Union ends 5-day fast
Bilaspur, June 16
The HP State Green Growers Kisan Union ended its five-day long relay fast yesterday evening at the deputy commissioner’s office after receiving an assurance from CM PK Dhumal that the government would look into their demands soon.

Organic fair from June 28
Shimla, June 16
The Agriculture Department will be organising an organic fair and a food festival from June 28 to June 30 at the local Indira Gandhi Sports Complex. The fair will be held in collaboration with the International Centre for Organic Agriculture and the HP Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC).

UK-based Himachali lawyer offers to fight for medal
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 16
The legal battle for George Cross which was awarded posthumously to Naik Kirpa Ram of the 8th Battalion Frontier Force Rifles in 1946 will be fought in a London court as Vijay Sharma, a UK-based lawyer hailing from the state, has offered to pursue the case on behalf of the martyr’s widow Brahmi Devi.

Brahmi Devi’s lawyer yesterday sent the power of attorney authorising Sharma to fight the case in Queen’s Bench on her behalf. Sharma contacted the High Commissioner of India in UK and Himachal Pradesh police last week after getting to know about the case and offered to engage the best lawyers so the medal could be returned to Brahmi Devi.

Meanwhile, London Metropolitan Police (LMP) has decided to return the George Cross to London-based Ashok Nath, as they failed to establish any criminal offence against him. It was Nath who had managed to take the medal out of India and then put it up for auction at Dix Noonan Webb in London.

Amitabh Mathur, Minister in the Indian High Commission in UK, had advised Ministry of External Affairs to either send a Himachal police officer to London to pursue the case or engage a lawyer on behalf of Brahmi Devi to stall the return of the medal.

The offer from Vijay Sharma to pursue the case has kept alive the hopes of getting the George Cross back to India. “The Himachal Pradesh police has written to Sharma yesterday, authorising him to pursue the case on Brahmi Devi’s behalf so that the medal could be restored back to her,” said ID Bhandari, ADGP, Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The Himachal Pradesh police had been pursuing the case with the help of International Cooperation Cell in the CBI so the medal is not returned by LMP to Ashok Nath. “I have sent all the relevant documents to Vijay Sharma,” said SS Thakur, Brahmi Devi’s lawyer.

It was with the efforts of the state CID that the auction of the medal, which was to take place in December 2009, was stalled. A case was then registered by Bilapsur police against Ashok Nath, SL Jain and Kripal Singh of Moga for acquiring the medal illegally.

In a letter shot by the Antiquity Unit of the LMP both to Himachal Pradesh police and the lawyers of Brahmi Devi, it had given a clean chit to Ashok Nath.

Herbal plunder goes on unabated in wildlife sanctuaries
Kuldeep Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Kullu, June 16
As many as 47 species of rare high-valued herbs and medicinal plants have been pushed to brink as the herbal mafia is ruling the roost in the herb-rich Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) and other wildlife sanctuaries as the state Forest Department has no institutional mechanism to regulate its trade in the state.

Though no one knows the exact dimension of this trade, experts suspect that the herbal mafia trade involves over 5,000 quintals of herbs worth crores every year.

The main underground markets are Delhi and Amritsar and the mafia gets export permits in connivance with officials as annual business runs into multi-crores, said sources.

The Forest Department has failed to protect the GHNP and dozens of wildlife sanctuaries from herbal plunder. These protected areas are forbidden for trade under the Wildlife Protection Act.

But national parks and wildlife sanctuaries have become hot targets of the herbal mafia, who operate through its network of local seasonal collectors.

The department claims that they have decontrolled the trade of 38 species of herbs in 2003 and empowered panchayat pradhans to issue permits to traders. The department has listed 57 species of herbs and plants out of which 47 species are listed as threatened ones.

From the Rupi Bhawa Wildlife Sanctuary in Kinnaur to Churdhar in Shimla and Shikari Devi sanctuaries in Mandi and Churah in Chamba to Mashiar in the GHNP in Kullu, the herbal premature extraction is going on unchecked.

Panchayats of Kalvari, Srikot, Toong, Sarchi, Mashiar, Shili, Kohti Chehni, Hara Gaad, Tandi, Seraj, Shangar, Gada Parli and Deoridhar are located in the GHNP and its eco zone produce most of the herbs in Kullu district.

Pradhans told The Tribune that they have no control over traders, who get permits every year saying that they have old stocks to dispose of.

The royalty for permits was not over Rs 7,000 or so when the range was opened once in four years by the Forest Department, they added.

But nine years after the state government decontrolled the trade of highly traded and valued herbs and medicinal plants species, the department has yet to put in place an institutional mechanism to compile the data on the status of herbs in the state.

Conservator of forest, Kullu, Dr PK Sharma said the department had no role in trade and collection of royalty as pradhans issue permits.

“We check illegal extraction through a network of forest guards who report to the DFOs concerned”, he added.

Chief Conservator, Research, GS Goraya said it was difficult to assess the trade volume as they lack data on the ground.

Not a victim of bickering in party: Bindal
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 16
Refuting reports that he had become a victim of factionalism plaguing the BJP, Health Minister Rajeev Bindal said today that in fact it was in view of his excellent track record in organisational matters that he had been entrusted the task of working for the organisation.

Bindal before relinquishing charge as the minister today virtually presented his report card for his four-and-a-half year performance in the Health Department.

Addressing a press conference here today, he declined to make any comment on the dissidence and infighting plaguing the party or the conduct of Shanta loyalists.

“Good people are in demand everywhere be it the government or the party so I feel honoured that I have been chosen for taking up organisational responsibility so that BJP returns to power in the state,” he said while downplaying the fact that the Shanta faction had been gunning for him, seeking his exit from the Cabinet. Bindal had a long list of achievements in the health sector during his tenure.

“Within over a year of its launch, the services of 108 ambulance scheme were availed by 1.45 lakh persons to seek medical help in hospitals,” he said. He added that the infant mortality rate had declined by 15 per cent and the institutional delivery percentage too had registered a jump from 49 to 71 per cent.

“The launch of “Beti Anmol Hai” and Mother and Child Tracking programme has started showing results as the sex ratio has improved by 10 points, at a time when in other states the situation has gone from bad to worse,” he said.

He said under school health programme, 10 lakh students had been checked for dental, anaemia and other ailments, with 800 students being diagnosed for cardiac-related problems. The minister said 850 MBBS doctors had been appointed to ensure that people get improved medical services closer home.

“Today there are only 19 primary health centres as compared to 572 health institutions which do not have a doctor as both MBBS and ayurveda doctors have been appointed along with specialists,” he said.

Bindal said he would shortly be resigning from the Cabinet as he would work in the organisation.

Govt failure to announce fertiliser policy deprives farmers of subsidy
Ambika Sharma

Solan, June 16
The failure of the state government to announce its fertiliser policy before the onset of the kharif season has forced the farmers to make purchases at higher costs without availing the subsidy. This has defeated the very purpose of extending subsidies on fertilisers to the farmers as it has not been made available at the appropriate time.

Though the state government avails a subsidy of Rs 25 per 50 kg bag on various complex fertilisers and Rs 10 per 50 kg on other nitrogen-based fertilisers besides granting freight subsidy and loading and unloading charges but since no policy has been announced for the current year, the depot holders and cooperative societies are selling fertilisers at non-subsidised prices and even charging the freight charges from the farmers.

Director, Agriculture, JC Rana, confirmed the policy had been delayed adding that it was pending with the Finance Department and as soon as it was cleared it would be put up before the Cabinet for final approval.

There were 2,007 dealers in the state who distributed fertilisers to the farmers. With almost 99 per cent of the landholdings being rainfed the farmers had begun purchasing the fertilizers at higher costs as they were in the process of sowing. The farmers had already applied fertilizers on landholdings which were self-irrigated by purchasing them on higher costs.

The depot holders and cooperative societies who were awaiting this policy were bearing the loading and unloading charges and passing it to the farmers thus making fertilizer availability an exorbitant purchase for the state’s farmers.

Interestingly, the central government has begun a mobile-based fertilizer distribution to ensure that fertilizer was made available at actual purchase price to the farmers and though this had begun as a pilot project in the state but the failure to draft its own fertilizer policy in time was costing the farmers dear.

Rinpoche Gangkar remanded till June 19
Kuldeep Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Jogindernagar (Mandi), June 16
Rinpoche Gangkar (31) was sent to police remand till June 19 after he was produced before the judge here today. But he also faces fresh trouble for transporting two rare grey African parrots that the police recovered from his benami multi-crore palatial house at Chauntra during Tuesday night raids.

Rinpoche can be booked under the TRAFFIC rules as grey African parrots comes under the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The state Forest and Wildlife Department has forwarded a complaint to investigating agencies and Customs Department to take action against Rinpoche, Tschatin, the caretaker of the palatial house, and Paliki Dolma, who so far has evaded the arrest as her name also figure in the FIR.

Rinpoche and Tschatin have been booked under Sections 379 and 411 of the Essential Commodity Act, 61(1) Excise Act, 69/Income Tax Act. Both were produced before the judicial magistrate here. Rinpoche was remanded to police custody till June 19, while Tschatin was sent to judicial remand till June 19.

Rinpoche has been identified as son of Chewang Rengzin, a resident of Sikkim. He himself has been traveling to Taiwan, Nepal and even China as investigating agencies are scrutinising his documents.

Rinphoche can be booked under the TRAFFIC rules for smuggling two grey African parrots. These parrots are in the custody of the Wildlife Department.

DFO, Jogindernagar, PL Gupta, said they have verified that the “eagle-like” birds are African parrots, which are not found in India. “We cannot take action against the person as it does not come under purview of the Wildlife Protection Act as it is not found in India,” he added.

He said they were forwarding the complaint to investigating agencies to take action under the provisions of the Customs Act and international law of CITES countries of which India is also a signatory country.

The investigators from the police, intelligence and enforcement will interrogate Rinpoche probing his Taiwan, China or other links and his sources of funds.

The police is investigating his links with Tai Setu, the controversial guru of the 17th Karampa, Trinley Ogyen Dorjee, sources said.

While Tschatin terms Dolma as his “Amma” but her husband, in whose name the electricity board had installed three electricity meters, is believed to be a resident of Sikkim.

The police is also finding out the whereabouts of VVIP visitors who come in premium vehicles, including Lama Sonam from Kathmandu, who had stayed in the benami house for over a week.

SP, Mandi, Abhishek Dular said the search for Dolma was on. “We are probing all links in the case,” he added.

Shift mentally-challenged from Old Age Home: HC
Vijay Arora

Shimla, June 16
Expressing concern on the issue of non-implementation of Mental Health Act in the state, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed the Secretary (Health) to shift the mentally-challenged persons from the Old Age Home, Basantpur in Shimla to the Mental Health and Rehabilitation Center, Boileauganj, for treatment. The court also ordered that they should be taken again to the Old Age Home once they were fully cured.

The court further directed the Secretary (Health) to file an affidavit on other mentally-challenged persons at the Old Age Home and the kind of treatment they were receiving there.

The bench of Justice Surinder Singh Thakur passed the order on suo moto basis in response to a letter to the court by one Subhash Kumar from Shimla to the Chief Justice highlighting the plight of mentally-challenged persons in the state.

The court had earlier directed the Secretary (Health) to depute some medical officer for the treatment of the five persons lodged at Old Age Home, Basantpur, who were stated to be mentally challenged. The court took serious note on the issue and observed that no laxity will be tolerated while dealing with these people when it comes to their rehabilitation.

In reply, the Joint Secretary (Health) filed an affidavit saying that there were three mentally-challenged persons at the Old Age Home who were referred to other institution for treatment and now they were receiving treatment at IGMC Shimla. During hearing of the petition, the court observed that it can pose problem if mentally-challenged people are lodged with the aged persons who are normal. Therefore, the court said, the mentally-challenged persons must be shifted from there.

The matter will be taken up for further hearing on June , 27.

Low voltage hits water schemes in 5 panchayats
Rajiv Mahajan

Nurpur, June 16
A low electricity voltage for the last three days has hit three potable water supply schemes (WSS) in Nurpur area depriving six gram panchayats of potable water supply.

According to sources, Mamooh-Gurchal-Niar, Hatli-Ther-Danni and Kumbani WWSs have been completely paralysed due to a low electricity voltage.

The Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) department, which launched the scheme, has installed independent electricity transformers by depositing huge security amounts to the HP State Electricity Board for a trouble-free power supply to run its WSSs.

Assistant Engineer, IPH sub division Nurpur, Neeraj Bhogal, confirmed that these WSSs were badly affected due to low electricity voltage.

“In order to run WSSs, an electricity voltage of 380 to 400 watt is required but we have been getting only 310 to 320 watt for the past three days. The department has lodged a complaint with the HPSEB in this connection but the power supply has not been normalised so far,” Bhogal said.

When contacted, Assistant Engineer, HPSEB Suliali sub division, Bhushan Kumar, said the problem of low voltage was arising from their 220 power sub-station.

People in these affected villages are facing problems due to a poor co-ordination between the IPH department and HPSEB authorities.

Cops find nothing ‘fishy’ against 8 Taiwanese

Jogindernagar, June 16
The investigating agencies have virtually given a ‘clean chit’ to the eight Taiwanese nationals who were booked under the Foreigners Act after a police raid on June 12. However, the judge hearing the case has sent them to judicial custody till June 19.

The police have put the challan under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act in the court. The police and other intelligence agencies have failed to come out with anything substantial against them regarding their links with China as spies or informers.

They were arrested from a house on June 12-13 in a police raid. They were reportedly hired as painters, designers or dog trainers or dog trainers by Rimpoche Gangkar as he is believed to have his disciples and fundraisers in Taiwan, sources said. The police examined their iPhones, SIM cards, laptops and other documents but they could not find any substantial proof of their being acting as spies.

They were booked under the Foreigners Act as they had not registered with the Foreign Registration Office when they had arrived in India in early May. Their documents were verified by the investigating agencies and were found to be ‘authentic’, said the investigators. — TNS

IGP told to oversee law and order on HPU campus
Legal Correspondent

Shimla, June 16
Taking serious note of the students’ clash on the HP University campus, the Himachal Pradesh High Court today directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to oversee the law and order situation in the varsity and submit report in this regard.

The court also directed the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar, HPU, to file an affidavit within three days asking as to whether there have been non-students staying in the hostel and if it was so, why they were permitted to occupy the hostel rooms. It should also be clarified in the affidavit as to what action had been taken against the hostel wardens in this regard, the court ordered.

The court further directed the HPU Registrar, IGP, Shimla SP, Shimla Deputy Commissioner, Deans of Students and all the wardens including the chief warden to be present on the next date of hearing on June 20. The division bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice DC Chaudhary passed these orders on the petition filed by one Dr Lallan Rai against the order of the HPU to close all the boys’ hostel for an indefinite period.

The petitioner said that since final examinations were still going on, the orders to close the boys’ hostels would hassle the students who would be appearing in the examinations.

Three tourists killed, six injured as taxi skids off road
Our Correspondent

Manali, June 16
Three tourists were killed and six others were injured when a taxi going to Rohtang Pass for sight-seeing rolled down at Rahla fall, about 26 km from here.

The ill-fated taxi was carrying nine persons, including the driver and the guide. The three victims were identified as Sikander (26), Mohmad Afif (30), and Rihan (5). The injured are Beena (23), Juned (5), Umesh (7), Aflin (26), driver Bablu (25) and guide Rakesh (18). All the six seriously injured were admitted to the Lady Willingdon hospital in Manali. Balbir Thakur, Manali SDM, said the incident occurred about 6:30 am when the taxi carrying two families of tourists rolled down at Rahla fall on the Manali- Rohtang Pass road.

He said that all the seven tourists were from Khandwa district of Madaya Pradesh. The SDM also visited the patients at Lady Willingdon Hospital and enquired about their health.

NABARD clears loan for road projects
Tribune News Service

2 killed, one injured in road mishap
Our Correspondent

Kangra, June 16
Two PWD labourers were killed and one was seriously injured when a speedy truck coming from Baijnath side hit them at Mangarh on Kangra-Hoshiarpur road while they were doing work.

Kangra SSP Diljeet Singh Thakur said that three PWD workers were busy pushing a coal tar drum when a Tata 207 hit then from behind killing two of them on the spot and leaving one seriously injured.

The SSP said the deceased were identified as Durga Das, 59, a resident of Mangarh and Ravinder Kumar, 53, a resident of Kherian village. He said that Trilok Singh, 27, a resident of Madeer Bankhandi, was injured and was rushed to Dehra Civil Hospital from where he was referred to Dr RPG Medical College Tanda for treatment.

The speedy Tata 207 was on way from Baijnath to Gagraath when the accident took place. The driver Pardeep Kumar has been arrested under Section 279,337,338, 201 and 304 A of the IPC.

Cong to put up united face at ‘parivartan rally’ today

Kisan Union ends 5-day fast
Our Correspondent

Bilaspur, June 16
The HP State Green Growers Kisan Union ended its five-day long relay fast yesterday evening at the deputy commissioner’s office after receiving an assurance from CM PK Dhumal that the government would look into their demands soon.

Chuni Lal Sharma (84), the winner of ‘Best Kisan Award’, offered fruit juice to fasting kisan leaders.

The union has been demanding that the loans under the National Horticulture Mission Scheme which they had taken for setting up poly houses on their land for growing off-season vegetables and exotic flowers years back should be waived off.

Baldev Thakur, president of the union, said they had presented an MoU to the CM in this regard earlier.

Organic fair from June 28
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 16
The Agriculture Department will be organising an organic fair and a food festival from June 28 to June 30 at the local Indira Gandhi Sports Complex. The fair will be held in collaboration with the International Centre for Organic Agriculture and the HP Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC).

Chief Minister PK Dhumal will inaugurate the event. The main attractions of the event would include an organic food court by the HPTDC in which Himachal organic dishes would be served.