Shimla, September 18
The water levels in Bhakra and Pong dams of Himachal Pradesh have not reached the maximum limit this year owing to the deficit monsoon in the state, officials said here on Monday.

Both the dams serve the irrigation requirements of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. “The water level in the Bhakra dam's Gobind Sagar reservoir and the Pong dam reservoir was 1,650 feet and 1,378 feet,” said an official from the Bhakra Beas Management Board.

He said water levels in Bhakra dam and Pong dam were 1,680 feet and 1,388 feet, respectively, the same day last year.This means that the water level in Bhakra dam was still 30 feet below the maximum capacity, while it was 12 feet less than the upper limit in Pong dam reservoir.

Authorities said the water level was even lower compared to the previous year, but the situation improved as the southwest monsoon intensified over the state and now the water is at a comfortable level.

The weather office in Shimla said the monsoon this time in the state was 19 per cent deficient.

“The state has experienced 610 mm rainfall against the normal of 751 mm,” said state's met office director Manmohan Singh

He said monsoon is likely to withdraw from the region by the last week of this monthWhile the Bhakra Dam is built on the Sutlej river, the Pong Dam is on the Beas. — IANS

The water level in Bhakra dam was recorded at 1,537 feet July 4 while in Pong it stood at 1,289 feet

The water level in both the dams on that day was over 60 feet lower than what it was on the same day last year

Shimla, September 18
The day temperatures dropped by two to four degree Celsius in Himachal Pradesh yesterday as monsoon remained active in the state.

The maximum temperature dropped to 30 degree Celsius from 34.2 degree Celsius while minimum temperatures also dipped by two degrees to stay at 21.2 degree Celsius in Una which received 56 mm of rain. The state capital Shimla recorded 14 mm of rains till this evening, causing a fall of three degrees in maximum temperature which stayed at 21.2 degree Celsius.

The minimum and maximum temperatures dropped to 25.6 degree Celsius and 15.8 degree Celsius in Nahan. This recorded 35 mm of rains while Renuka and Paonta Sahib recorded 44 mm and 35 mm of rains.

Kheri recorded 42 mm of rains while Dalhousie received 37 mm of rains, followed by Dharamsala 33 mm, Nurpur 32 mm, Bilaspur 29 mm, Bajora 28 mm, Pandoh 24 mm, Bhuntar and Saloni 23 mm, Palampur 22 mm.

Sundernagar recorded maximum temperature at 29.6 degree Celsius, followed by Bhuntar 28 degree Celsius, Solan, Dharamsala and Nahan 27.4 degree Celsius and Kalpa 18 degree Celsius.

Keylong and Kalpa in the tribal districts of Lahaul and Spiti recorded minimum temperatures of 11.8 and 12 degree Celsius while Manali recorded a low of 13.2 degree Celsius.

Shimla and Palampur recorded minimum temperatures at 15.2 degree Celsius and 16.5 degree Celsius, respectively. — PTI

Chamba, September 18
It is a paradox that the state acclaimed as one of the most developed ones has no art college of its own. Himachal Pradesh in the recent years has emerged on the national scenario as an educational hub but has no art college.

The magnificent Akhand Chandi Palace of Chamba is the most suitable and will be put to better use by setting up the much-needed art college, including the shifting of the Bhuri Singh Museum, Chamba. This will also be helpful in the preservation of this ancient building as part of the national heritage.

The historic palace, housing the government post-graduate college, will soon be vacated and placed at the disposal of local administration for further usage. In the year 1952, the state government had acquired the colossal structure from the rajas of the erstwhile Chamba state to set up the government degree college.

The building, overlooking the ‘chowgan maidan’, continued to its purpose but with the passage of time and the introduction of new vocational programmes, the unsuitability of the present building to function as a college came to the forefront.

Moreover, the number of students has increased manifolds during the years. A new building, which was under construction for many years in downtown Chamba, has now been completed and the college will soon be shifted there.

The district administration in the recent past has convened meetings to chalk out plans for judicious use of the vacant lot and has been inviting opinions from various organisations.

The palace is one of the finest specimens of architecture in the whole of northwestern Himalaya, presenting a blend of princely structural design with its projected bay windows, the British rectangular doorways and windows as well as helical columns.

This historic town has remained a nucleus of artistic activity for centuries and is well known for its specimens of temple architecture, sculptures of various gods and goddesses, miniature paintings, Chamba rumal embroidery and craft of woodcarving.

Nine craftspersons of Chamba had the honour to receive the National Award of Master Craftsman in various fields of fine arts. A famous Chamba artist, Vijay Sharma, was conferred the Padma Shri for his lifetime contribution and dedication to ‘pahari’ miniature painting.

Recently, the HP University had announced that it will introduce pahari painting as one of its subjects. Considering the artistic needs of the people of the state, the HP government should set up an art institution including other domains like classical music, sculpture, theatre and other art forms on the premises of the palace at Chamba

Kangra, September 18
Medicos of this hill state have expressed their strong resentment against the state government for the hike in the fee of medical students in the IGMC, Shimla, and Dr RP Government Medical College, Tanda, from Rs 18,000 to Rs 45,000 as tuition fee for MBBS course and hostel fee from Rs 12,000 to Rs 28,000. As students from poor communities were admitted into Government Medical College and they were unable to bear high expenses.

A spokesman of Himachal Medical Officers Association (HMOA), Dr Susheel Sharma, said the hike was stiff and the need was to roll back the decision. He strongly criticised the state government for not regularising BMOs who were promoted on an ad hoc basis last year. The high court, Himachal Pradesh, had already directed that no ad hoc promotions should be made as already regular posts existed in the department.

The HMOA demanded that sealing limit of pay for senior doctors should be increased from Rs 79,000 to Rs 85,000 as a majority of doctors crossed the limit after putting in 25 years of service and there was no charm left in the remaining service.

He said the medicos were strongly resenting the State Government Notification of Time Scale of 04-09-2014 in which the state government had stated that no arrears would be paid with effect from January 2006 which, he claimed, was a retrograde step and would harm the interests of serving doctors and it would prove a demoralising factor on the services of the medicos.

The HMOA also resented the recent decision of the state government regarding withdrawing the incentives of medical officers working in rural areas under the NRHM Scheme. It was again a retrograde step, Susheel added.

He said instead of increasing the incentive, the state government had withdrawn it, which would again demoralise the services. The HMOA urged the state government to restore the incentives.

It further urged the government to release the seniority list of doctors according to the service commission at the earliest and fill all vacant posts of Joint Director, Deputy Director and BMO at the earliest. 

Palampur, September 18
The Himachal Pradesh Government has failed to initiate steps for safe handling of the waste generated from hospitals, medical health institutions, colleges and university labs. The waste generated from these institutions has become a major environmental and public health problem in this largest district of the state.

In the absence of any treatment plant, the liquid waste from the hospitals finds its way to drains which ultimately flow to the streams and the solid wastes are disposed of in municipal dumps. The indiscriminate disposal of waste generated from government medical institutions in the district has become a major health hazard and health risk to human population.

Most of the private health institutions here have already made arrangements with a private company of Pathankot for the collection and disposal of medical waste at their own level but government has so far initiated no steps in this regard.

Despite the fact that Kangra is the biggest district of the state where there are large number of private and public health institutions. But there is no provision for the scientific handling of Bio Medical waste.

It may be recalled that most of khuds and water streams of the valley have been badly polluted by the dumping of medical waste. These streams are the major source of drinking water for the people living in lower areas as Irrigation and Public Health Department itself has tapped water from these streams for their water supply schemes.

HIV, hepatitis, jaundice, typhoid and other epidemics spread through contamination of water and hospital wastes are potential source for spreading such disease. The death toll because of this disease has also gone up in this district. Official sources reveal that water born disease has become common here as every fifth person is suffering from the same.

In view of the indiscriminate disposal of bio-medical wastes and increasing concern on the health and environment, the Government of India has already taken steps to regulate the wastes generated in the medical and health institutions. Necessary amendments have been made in Environment and Forest Protection Act.

The notifications to this effect have been circulated to the states. Subsequently, Bio- Medical Waste Management and Handling Rules were also forwarded to the states by the union government. These Rules provide for a control on the generation and handling of biological and medical waste, the hospital waste being in the major waste categories. However, it looks state government is yet to implement these rules and notifications in the state.

The Municipal Councils and Panchyats adjoining the towns in the absence of any treatment plant are flouting these rules by dumping the entire medical waste in a stream near the towns, which are the major sources of drinking water. The District administration is well conversant with the prevailing situation but has become a silent spectator. 

When I was passing through Drang falling on the Mandi-Palampur road, I found that there was no activity in the salt mine this time. Later I came to know that the Government of Himachal Pradesh has completely barred M/s Hindustan Salt Limited (HSL) from carrying on the activity from January 15, 2011, because of the complaints of illegal mining received by the government. There was a huge amount of royalty pending on the firm to be paid to the government for 480.20 mt of salt extracted from the mine between April 2008 and January 2011. Then I also heard a favourable news that Mahinder Kumar Rao, Manager HSL at Mandi, said that the salt mine may start its production soon as HSL had agreed to pay a royalty of Rs 31 lakh to the state government out of which an initial payment of Rs 9 lakh had already been made. The workers in the mine are eagerly waiting for the green flag from the head office of HSL in Rajasthan to start the work.

The offices of HSL are, however, in a shambles (see photos). I may tell those for whom the subject is new that HSL has been doing dry mining at Drang for rock salt that is used as animal lick. It is being done through a procedure of ‘solution mining’ and there are proven rock deposits of 116 million tonnes there. HSL was incorporated on April 12, 1958, as a company fully owned by the Government of India to take over the salt sources in Gujarat, Rajasthan and other states of India, including Himachal Pradesh. This is the only Central Government public sector undertaking engaged in the manufacture of salt. It started its business in January 1959.

It was in 1873, during the reign of Raja Bijai Sen, that Dr Warth, an eminent geologist, surveyed the region and found that the state of Mandi possessed valuable and large resources of salt in Ghoghur-ki-Dhar range by the side of the Mandi-Palampur road. The next person to visit Mandi in May 1915 was A. English who visited the quarries and compiled a useful report on their working. I reproduce a few lines contained in Punjab Gazetteers, Mandi State published in 1920: “The history of salt is obscure and different views prevail as to its geological origin, the most probable being regarded as contemporaneous decompositions. A peculiar form of earth, known locally as lokhan, generally pink in colour and varying from ashy white to purple and red, is an index of rock salt, from which the sodium chloride has been washed out.”

I was surprised as well as pleased to know that in the beginning of the 20th century, the people of Himachal Pradesh preferred taking the salt extracted from Gumma and Drang. Though salt from Khewra salt mine, now in Pakistan, was selling at much lower rates then, yet the hill people preferred the salt from Drang. They believed that the Khewra salt gave them itch and that their cattle die for want of Mandi salt. The gazetteer reads: “This may be prejudice, but the suggestion of A. English is not improbable, that the local product contains an impurity of medicinal value. It is known to contain iron pyrites and these may furnish a tonic suitable to the local conditions of climate, diet and grazing. It would therefore probably be a mistake to attempt refining.”

The richness of our local dialects can be gauged from the names of the workers working in the salt mines. Dani used to be the head officer at the quarries; Dhori was the person under which the quarry labourers worked; Daldu was his assistant; Bhatungru kept the attendance registers; Godami kept the tools; Batwal placed the weights in the scale; Jakhwala would weigh the salt. I wish HSL opens again and the public says: “The Company is worth its salt.”

Mandi, September 18
The BJP, the Congress and the CPM are out to woo the daily wagers and the unorganised labour force ahead of the state Assembly poll, portraying themselves as the real champions of underdogs in the state.

Though there is no exact data available on the unorganised labour sector, trade unions estimate it runs in excess of three lakh in the state. Besides, there are over 15,000 daily wagers working in government sectors and 24,000 mid-day meal workers working in schools under the Centrally sponsored Mid-Day Meal Scheme.

But the mid-day meal workers resent that they get just Rs 1,000 per month that, too, after six months. “Though we work the whole day in schools, we have no social security. The daily wages hike has not benefited us,” said Jhabe Ram, a mid-day meal leader from Mandi. The government retrenched 3,500 workers in the past four years on the ground that there were fewer schoolchildren and some of the schools were closed across the state, said Kushal Bhardwaj, a CITU leader.

The CPM said the BJP and the Congress were no ‘well-wishers’ of the poor and daily wagers as the successive governments had not linked the wages to the price index and strict enforcement of labour laws in both private and government sectors.

“We have been demanding daily wages of Rs 200 to make their survival possible in the face of price rise and higher cost of living,” said Rakesh Singha, state CPM general secretary. The government has not even implemented the wage hike from Rs 120 to Rs 130 so far, what to talk of the recent announcement of Rs 150, said Bhardwaj.

“The daily wagers are still getting Rs 120 as Rs 130 daily wages notification has not been issued so far,” he added.

But it would take another three months as the recent hike of Rs 30 was yet to be approved by the State Wage Board, said officials.

Hem Chand Pathania, general secretary, BJP Labour Cell, said Chief Minister PK Dhumal had doubled the daily wages from Rs 75 during the Congress time to Rs 150 now.

“The government has launched the HP Shram Bhawan and Kalayan Board Scheme for the labourers under which accidental deaths and injuries have been insured to the tune of Rs 1 lakh and their children get good education,” he said.

The Congress claimed that the UPA government started the MNREGA scheme, which guaranteed 100 days work under the programme. 

Dalhousie, September 18
Established in 2001 as an NGO, in the serene setting of Banikhet Township near Dalhousie hill station, the Yog Manav Vikas Trust has recently ventured in the field of spirituality by holding weekly communion under the aegis of Brahmrishi Kumar Swami Ji. It has constructed a new complex named “Antarnirmaan” at Sukrain Bain near Banikhet, scheduled to be inaugurated on October 6.

This complex of a unique composition and a large dome set in the salubrious climate would also become a point of attraction for tourists besides spiritual aspirants flocking from all around the country to Dalhousie and Chamba regions.

The complex has been erected to become a landmark in the years to come as it is having spiritual art galleries, semi-underground octagonal auditorium with capacity of 300 persons for conferences, workshops, spiritual congregations and octagonal meditation centres with the facility of living accommodation for devotees. The art galleries are one of its own kinds, not only in the state but in the country as well.

The edifice also has a 13-metre diametre dome, reported to be the largest dome in Himachal Pradesh. The complex shall also house a shelter home for orphans, being presently run in a rented building at Devidehra near here.

The spiritual art galleries depict the evolution of universe and humans and the basic philosophy behind the purpose of the human body.

Awareness about “I” and “Self” is also displayed descriptively and visually in an attractive manner. The path to achieve the higher purpose has also been clarified through visuals and descriptions suitable for devotees willing to tread on such a path.

The Antarnirmaan would eventually conduct short and long-term meditation, health and personality development programmes for locals, tourists and others. The Art galleries have been created in rhythm, flow and manner to make the common man and others aware of the specific purpose of being human and the path to be tread to attain inner peace, alongwith the facilities for doing sadhna and meditation with audio-video and library in peaceful location including underground meditation hall. The teachings of various saints and gurus are also part of the galleries.

Although much has been accomplished, much more is being added to this complex, yet the credit for this goes entirely to the trust and its founders, former Director (Projects) of the NHPC SK Dodeja and his wife Kiran Dodeja who is also the chairperson of the trust.

Kangra, September 18
Many interesting places and monuments are in and around the scenic town of Dharamsala. St John’s Church is one such magnificent monument. Fondly known as 'St John's in Wilderness', it reflects colonial architecture and its alluring aura is testified by the hordes of tourists visiting it daily.

‘St John’s in Wilderness’ is an Anglican church dedicated to John the Baptist, built in 1852, at Forsyth Gunj, located 7 km from Dharamshala, near McLeodganj at an altitude of 1,750 mt from the sea level. Set amidst deodar forests and built in Neo-Gothic architecture, the church is known for its Belgian stained-glass windows, donated by Lady Elgin, wife of Lord Elgin, the Governor-General and Viceroy of India.

Though the church structure survived the 1905 Kargra Earthquake, which killed nearly 19,800 people, injured thousands in the area, and destroyed most of the buildings in the towns of Kangra, McLeodganj and Dharamsala, but the bell tower, was destroyed.

Later, a new eight-quintal bell of the ‘ashtadhatu’, made in 1915 by Mears and Stainbank, was brought from England and installed in the church. It has 160-year-old hanging kerosene lamps and benches. The lamps have now been converted to power lamps.

The churchyard here was the final resting place of Lord Elgin, Governor General of Canada, who oversaw the Creation of Responsible Government in Canada, and later, while in China, ordered the complete destruction of the Old Summer Palace.

He became Governor General and Viceroy of India in 1861 during the British rule, though he soon breathed his last at Chauntra, in the then district Kangra on November 20, 1863, and was buried in the courtyard of the Church. A statuette in the church was built in his honour. Scores of tourists visit this elegant Church, renowned for its architecture, designing and solemn atmosphere.

There is a church by the same name in Nainital as well, built in 1844, eight years before this Church was constructed at McLeodganj.

The decorated glass windows add to the beauty of the church, are covered with a fine mosaic of patterns and are a delight to the eyes. It brings one closer to serenity, and a pure feel spreads across one’s heart. The graveyard in the vicinity of the church is typically of the Christian style.

Prem David, Secretary, the Church Management committee said the church, despite being a national monument, is neglected due to the government’s apathy. He said there was leakage in the Church for which more than a decade ago, the state government provided Rs 1.50 lakh and the management also contributed an equal amount and work was executed through government agency but the leakage continued.

David said there were only eight Christian families so it was difficult for them to maintain it. He said that the eight-quintal antique bell of the Church was stolen but the thieves failed to take it away and police recovered it 300 mt away from the church but the culprits could not be arrested. He said the

Church witnessed thefts six times and the burglars decamped with cash from the collection box.

David added that three months back, thieves broke in to the church again after breaking the stained glass which he described as most painful and disturbing. He sought the intervention of the government to provide security to the Church and funds to maintain the national monument.

Bilaspur, September 18
The local unit of the District Congress Committee (DCC) has condemned the state government for its failure to fulfil the basic needs of people of the district as well as for neglecting the area due to political reasons.

Talking to mediapersons here recently, DCC and Nagar Parishad vice-president Kamlender Kashyap, accompanied by DCC general secretary Rakesh Raku and Nagar Parishad members Sonika Sharma, Soma Devi, Beer Deen and former member Navin Verma, said the BJP rule would be known as “black tenure” as it could not solve any problem of lakhs of Bhakra Dam oustees of the district, though it had demanded votes in the last elections on the assurance of solving their problems.

Kashyap said instead of bringing government offices here, several offices established here during earlier Congress rule had been shifted out. He said even under-construction schemes like athletics synthetic track and astroturf hockey ground had been shifted and the allotment of rehabilitation plots to families of the remaining Bhakra Dam oustess at the land earmarked near the transport workshop had not been allotted to them.

He said the government must answer on the charges regarding the “sell out” of 4,000 metre and Rs 50 crore commercial land in the main market to a “favoured” contractor at throwaway prices, though this scheme was reserved for the economic rehabilitation of 100 oustees families by allotting stalls to them on “hire-purchase system”.

Kamlender said the Regional Hospital here had been turned into a mere referral hospital and 95 per cent of the patients were being referred to either the PGI, Chandigarh, or the IGMC, Shimla. He held the BJP responsible for the deaths of patients, most of whom were victims of road accidents, on way to these hospitals.

Bilaspur, September 18
Bilaspur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ritesh Chauhan has fixed the maximum price of a number of eatables in the district. He has ordered that the list be displayed prominently at dhabas, hotels and meat shops. In case of non-compliance, action will be taken against defaulters.

The order says goat and sheep meat cannot not be sold at more than Rs 200 per kg, while dressed a broiler chicken and an alive chicken cannot be sold at more than Rs140 and Rs 90, respectively.

Similarly, non-fried raw fish Grade-A will be sold at Rs 80 per kg, Grade-B at Rs 70 and full fried fish at Rs 130.

Full diet food at dhabas, including rice, dal, vegetable, chapattis and curry, will not be sold at more than Rs 35 and special plate of sabzi, dal, rajmah, chana, mutter, potato, ladyfinger and cauliflower etc at Rs 25 per plate; palak paneer, mutter paneer at Rs 30 per plate which must contain at least 100 gm paneer. Tawa chapatti will be sold at Rs 2, tandoori chapatti at Rs 3, fried dal at Rs 18 per plate.

Two puris with sabzi and dal at will be sold at Rs 15 per plate, chana bhatura at Rs15 and stuffed parantha at Rs 10. Meat will be sold at Rs 45 per plate and chicken at Rs 40.

Milk at sweetmeat shops will not be sold at more than Rs 24 per litre, while all types of toned and double-toned milk prices must be written on packets. Paneer will be sold at Rs 170 per kg, curd at Rs 30 per kg and cold drinks at prices written on bottles.

The monsoon is yet not over but the historic Naldehra Golf Course near the state capital has come alive with some competitive sporting action. The Chalets Naldehra Golf Tournament was held early this week and the Koti Golf Cup is scheduled for the next week.

The new season began with the Chalets Naldehra Golf Tournament on a high note with more than 100 golfers, including some from Delhi, Gurgaon and Chandigarh, participating. Top players from ITC Classic Golf Club, Gurgaon, Army Training Command (ARTRAC), Himachal bureaucrats and members of the local golfing community participated in the event.

“The success of last year's tournament encouraged us to organise another tournament this year. It was a wonderful experience and the huge response from golf lovers has spurred us to make it an annual event on a par with the best golf tournaments in the country,” said Amish Sud, the Director of The Chalets, Naldehra, which sponsored it.

Chief Secretary Sudripta Roy gave away prizes to the winners of the tournament held on Stableford format.

In the 0-9 Handicap category Arjun Sood and Vidya Farka were the winners and Ankush Dass, Prithvi Sen, the runners-up while in 10-13 Handicap, Dinesh Kapoor and Brig Rajeev Sharma and Col Sachdeva and Col Bhalla bagged the first two places.

In the Senior Citizen category, BS Thakur was the winner and Dr KD Verma and Brig Kanwar the runners-up. The other winners were Col Bhalla and Ajay Vij (Lucky Double), Anil Singha (Longest Drive), Arun Sarkek (Close to Pin), Arjun Sood, Ankush Das, Brig Pawan, Maj Arjun Ganpati (Best 4 Balls), Satish Anand (Best Dressed Golfer).

Hamirpur, September 18
The National Disaster Management Organisation organised awareness and training programme for the school students of Hamirpur district on various aspects of disaster management.

A 27-member team from National Disaster Management Force, Bhatinda, headed by inspector Suresh Kumar, organised basic training sessions for the students from September 6-12.

During the awareness and training sessions the team members gave practical training to students, besides providing basic information on the subject.

Head of the National Disaster Management Force Inspector Suresh Kumar said, “Our team is giving basic training to students on how to boldly face the natural calamities and other disasters.”

He said, “We trained them on the topics like how to evict people from floods, from buildings on fire and how to act in the earth quakes.”

The students were also given basic information about giving first aid and making use of household and other handy articles to save themselves and other victims.