Nagrota Bagwan, September 27
Congress MLA from Nagrota Bagwan GS Bali today displayed his strength in his home constituency by holding a rally of the youth. Attended by over 1,000 youth, it was held by Bali with the aim to silence his critics.

Addressing the rally, Bali said the state government had failed to provide employment to the youth. The number of unemployed in the state had risen to 10 lakh, amounting to about 10 per cent of the population, he said.

He said the state government had no policy for creating job avenues for the youth. The industry that had come up in the state had not been forced to employ 70 per cent Himachal residents, he said. There was hardly any presence of Himachal residents in higher managerial posts, he added.

If the Congress was voted to power, it would ensure that qualified engineers and management professionals from the state were given preference in the private sector, he said. The state government should concentrate on bringing in job-intensive BPO or IT industry in the state instead of allowing cement plants, he said.

A race was on among leaders for organising rallies to prove their mettle before the Assembly elections. GS Bali had organised a rally, followed by his supporter-turned-opponent Kuka.

Many had been claiming that Bali had lost the support of the youth after the NSUI lost college elections. With today’s rally, Bali tried to show his strength among the youth in his constituency.

Palampur, September 27
Congress leader and former minister Brij Behari Lal Butail yesterday criticised the state government for neglecting Palampur town in terms of development during its current tenure.

He said Chief Minister PK Dhumal had laid foundation stones of a dozen development projects in Palampur, but construction was not taken up and residents of the areas were fooled.

Addressing mediapersons at his residence, Butail said development and expansion of the town suffered a lot as the BJP leadership gave stepmotherly treatment to it.

He said he had got funds sanctioned for a multi-storey parking, a residence complex for doctors, a solid waste disposal plant and a sewerage system when he was MLA.

After that, the BJP was voted to power and the Chief Minister laid foundation stones for these projects, but the government failed to take up construction, he added.

He regretted that no new project was sanctioned for Palampur during the BJP regime and it inaugurated only those projects which were initiated by him.

These included Vikram Batra Degree College building, the fire station complex, the Mini-Secretariat and the new block of the Civil Hospital, he said.

He expressed concern over the rise in ‘benami’ land deals in Palampur, causing a big loss to the state exchequer. He alleged that high-ups of the BJP were involved in illegal sale and purchase of land in Palampur.

He said though the monsoon was over, the government had failed to get damaged roads in Palampur repaired. Most roads were still full of potholes, he added.

He said the power supply system in the town had broken down and people were facing unannounced power cuts, with rural areas the worst hit, as the government had failed to expand the capacity of power stations.

Mandi, September 27
With his son Hiteshwar Singh tipped to get the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket from Kullu for the Assembly elections, Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) convener Maheshwar Singh yesterday categorically said rejoining the BJP would be nothing short of political suicide for him.

He said he had never contemplated the move as the BJP was ‘steeped in corruption’ and had ‘lost party democracy within’. He made these remarks in reply to a question during a press conference. He was talking about the HLP’s preparedness for the Assembly elections and the release of its election manifesto.

Without elaborating, Maheshwar Singh said the words of BJP president Nitin Gadkari still echoed in his ears. Chief Minister PK Dhumal had compromised on the issue of a ski village in Kullu even though he had opposed the project on the floor of the House, he alleged.

The names of Hiteshwar Singh as the BJP candidate from Kullu and estranged Kangra BJP MP Rajan Sushant’s wife and son from Kangra district had been doing the rounds. Maheshwar Singh ruled out rejoining the BJP, a party dominated by ‘certain corrupt persons’ which had ‘lost inner party democracy’.

Shimla, September 27
With no let-up in the increasing number of scrub typhus cases pouring in at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) every day, the state government today decided to make all tests for confirmation of the infection free both at the district and state levels.

A four-year-child from Sundernagar in Mandi, who had been admitted to the IGMC, died due to scrub typhus today. With this, the number of deaths due to scrub typhus rose to 16.

Of the 46 tests of suspected patients undertaken at the IGMC, 23 tested positive. Till now, 243 of the 825 persons who had undergone the tests were positive.

Horticulture and Health Minister Narender Bragta today held a review meeting of the Health Department. “The Weil Felix test, costing about Rs 60, in district hospitals and the confirmatory Elisa test, costing Rs 600, at the IGMC will now be done free of cost to make treatment more affordable to patients,” he said. He added that medicines were being provided free to those who contracted the infection.

He directed all Chief Medical Officers to undertake publicity information and education campaigns to increase the level of awareness among the public. He also asked officials to launch an aggressive publicity campaign through radio, television, newspapers and pamphlets.

“We have asked health officials to discuss the issue at all gram sabhas, scheduled to be held on October 2, so that a message of remaining alert goes to all,” he said.

Doctors pointed out that there should not be any delay in treatment of scrub typhus as treating was difficult in case the infection spread. As such, the moment a person got high fever, headache and body rashes, a test for scrub typhus must be conducted, they asserted.

Solan, September 27
The prolonged rain has proved to be a blessing in disguise for various kharif crops that were sown late as the presence of adequate moisture has benefitted the filling of grains in various crops.

The situation will also help in early sowing of various crops for the rabi season, which starts in October as moisture content in the atmosphere will facilitate sowing.

Dr Satish Bhardwaj, Head of the Department of Environment, said the current rainy season had registered 717.6 mm of rain that accounted for 65.2 per cent of rain as against the annual average of 1,100 mm recorded since the past several years in Solan.

Since June, July, August and September account for 70 per cent of the annual rain, the season had managed to provide 65.2 per cent that was considered normal.

These four months have been registering nearly 1,100 mm of rain since the past several years with the 2008 recording 1,003 mm, 2009 having 695.9 mm, 2010 registering 1175.1 mm and 2011 witnessing 661.1 mm of rain.

Though June had recorded barely 19.3 mm rain as against the 261.5 mm recorded in 2008, the prolonged rain that continued even after September 15 have helped meet out the deficit in the current season.

The season was, however, witnessing abnormally low minimum temperature of 12.4°C today as against the usual 15 to 16°C witnessed at this time of the year. The maximum temperature was however normal at 28°C.

Shimla, September 27
The Raid De Himalaya rally, which will be flagged off from here on October 7, will conclude at Leh on October 12.

Stating this here on Tuesday, RS Gupta, Director, Youth Services and Sports, said Chief Minister PK Dhumal would flag off the rally. “It is for the first time this year that the organisers of the rally will be using a dedicated helicopter to evacuate injured persons in any emergency situation,” he disclosed.

He said 165 teams would participate in three categories of the event in which the first leg would traverse through Matiayana-Nag Jubbar-Kotighat-Kangal-Jhanjeli-Chamola-Luhri-Jameri-Panjvi -Karki-Koti-Batore-Shush-Khanag and halt at Manali.

In the second leg, starting on October 8, the vehicles would pass through Palchan-Marhi-Rohtang Pass-Gramphoo-Chattru-Chotta Darra-Batal-Chandartal-Kunzumla-Takcha-Losar with a halt at Kaza.

In the third leg, the rally would move through Hikim-Langja-Komik-Demul-Lidang-Atargo-Lingti-Dhankar-Sichiling and back to Kaza.

In the fourth leg on October 10, the rally would move through Keylong-Sarchu and rest at Pang in Jammu and Kashmir. On October 11 from Pang the rally would traverse through Tanglangla with a halt at Leh, while on October 12 in the sixth leg the rally would go to Wari La-Khalsar and back to Leh. — TNS

Shimla, September 27
Once the proceedings have been initiated under the HP Land Revenue Act and for that matter under any special Act, the same are required to be taken to a logical end. The parties may not be permitted to assail the orders that have been passed by the revenue court in the civil court in view of the specific ouster clause.

This was held by the state high court in a matter pertaining to unauthorised encroachment by Pyare Lal of Shimla on government land.

The court has set an example for other encroachers and dealt the encroacher on government land with a heavy hand and directed him to pay Rs 5 lakh as mesne profits and exemplary/penal costs to the state government within six weeks.

While passing this order, Justice Rajiv Sharma observed that in case the amount was not deposited, the Deputy Commissioner, Shimla, was to recover the same by way of arrears of land revenue.

The court directed all revenue officers in the state that while passing the orders of eviction, they must take steps for neutralising interim orders by awarding compensation, mesne profits and exemplary/penal costs.

It further directed them to send a copy of the judgment to the Financial Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Revenue), HP, for its due compliance.

This order came on a appeal filed by Pyare Lal of Rohroo, Shimla, against the state government claiming to be owner of the land by way of adverse possession.

He claimed that he was in possession of land since the time of his ancestors and had also raised an apple orchard on the suit land.

The state government contended that on receipt of information that he had encroached upon the suit land, the Assistant Collector (first grade) proceeded with under Section 163 of the HP Land Revenue Act and found that the encroachment was fresh and no title by way of adverse possession had been acquired by Pyare Lal.

Shimla , September 27
The HP State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed the tehsildar (Sadar), Mandi, to pay Rs 8,000 to complainant Bhagi of Mandi for not supplying records in time for preparing the certified copy.

According to the complainant, a demarcation was carried out in December 2009 by the tehsildar pertaining to a piece of land he was interested in. He applied to an agency for the supply of the certified copies of the report and the documents forming part of the report. An application was moved on Decemeber 17, 2009, and he was given a chit stating he could collect the certified copies on January 7, 2010. He visited the agency on that day, but was told that the records had not been received from the office of the tehsildar and hence the copies were not ready. Even after 45 days he was told that the records had not been received from the tehsildar.

So, he filed a complaint against the state of Himachal Pradesh through the Collector, Mandi, in charge, copying agency, and the tehsildar before the District Consumer Forum, Mandi, alleging deficiency in service by them.

The forum then directed the three to pay Rs 8,000 to the complainant on account of deficiency in service.

Feeling dissatisfied by this order, the appeal was filed by them before the State Consumer Commission. During the hearing of the appeal it was revealed that delay in preparation and supply of copies took place because of the tehsildar not having sent the records on time. The commission headed by Justice Surjit Singh (retd) observed that it was clear that in charge of the copying agency was in no way responsible for the delay caused in preparation and supply of the copies. Hence, the order of the district forum directing the state and in charge of the agency to pay compensation and costs was set aside.

However, the same against the tehsildar was upheld and he would exclusively pay the compensation and costs awarded by the forum.

Hamirpur, September 27
The state government’s efforts to make Himachal an education hub does not seem to be getting materialised - at least in technical education as there are a few takers for majority of engineering courses this year.

Despite HP Technical University (HPTU), Hamirpur, allowing private engineering colleges to admit students without appearing in the All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE), there have been a few takers for engin-eering courses.

After the first round of counselling conducted through the HPTU, only 1,217 seats were filled in 17 government and private engineering colleges in the state out of the nearly 6,000 seats. All seats in only government-run colleges were filled.

Private engineering colleges got poor response and even after relaxation of the norms by the HPTU about 60 per cent seats had been left vacant.

The state of admission is even worse in polytechnic institutions as even 50 per cent seats have not been filled out of the about 8,000 seats this year.

While owners of engineering colleges are blaming politicians and certain vested groups for carrying out a “slander campaigns against institutions”, poor infrastructure, lack of qualified faculty, admitting students without taking their aptitude into consideration, overall decline towards engineering courses and poor placements are being attributed for the poor response.

An owner said: “There had been poor results last year as about 14 per cent in the first semester last year and many colleges are not maintaining education standards.”

While the HPTU is under the scanner of the state government for allowing admissions without appearing in AIEEE, even few colleges had enrolled students to BTech courses on the basis of matriculation rendering their degrees unrecognised.

However, registrar of the HPTU Manoj Kumar said: “We are making efforts to improve quality of education in engineering colleges to attract more students.”

Shimla, September 27
The Himachal Pradesh State Co-operative Bank (HPSCB) has achieved the distinction of becoming the first state co-operative bank in the country to launch nationwide ATM services by acquiring the membership of the National Financial Switch (NFS).

With this, more than 14 lakh customers of the bank will have access to over one lakh ATMs of all member banks across India. Besides, the customers of other banks will also be able to access the bank’s network of 27 ATMs located at strategic places in the state which is proposed to be increased to 60.

Governor, Reserve Bank of India, D Subbarao, who formally launched the facility in Una, appreciated the endeavour of the bank in understanding the importance of information technology and utilising it as a tool for providing services to customers.

Managing director of the bank, Amit Kashyap, said it was one of many customer-friendly initiatives taken by the bank which had been keeping pace with the customers’ expectations. It will also help boost business of the bank which has a network of 184 branches and 18 extension counters, he said. The bank made an operating profit which was Rs 82 crore in 2011-12 and its deposits stood at Rs 5,400 crore and credit at Rs 2,860 crore. 

Shimla, September 27
The global economic recession seems to have cast its shadow on the Hercules MTB Himachal-2012. This was apparent from the significant decline in the number of participants for the eight-day event, to be flagged off here on Saturday.

Having restructured the route to make the event tougher and more challenging by including stretches of mule trails in uncharted interiors with several gruelling hike and bike sections, organisers expected greater participation than last year.

However, the number of participants in the eighth edition has gone down from 104 last year to 75 and there will be only 13 foreign bikers compared to 17.

Besides bikers from India and Nepal, those from Uzbekistan, the USA, Canada, Belgium, Portugal, the UK and Ireland will participate. The presence of actress Preeti Jhangiani will add glamour to the flag-off ceremony.

“There were a large number of queries, but many riders who were keen to participate could not make it because they were mostly denied leave by companies reeling under recession,” said Mohit Sood, president of the Himalayan Adventure Sports and Tourism Promotion Association (HASTPA) which is organising the event in collaboration with the Tourism Department.

After restructuring, the length of the route has been reduced from 503 km last year to 438 km, but pedalling on treacherous mule tracks through thickly forested mountains will put the endurance and skills of bikers to a severe test.

The average altitude of the trail following the ridge is 2,450m. However, the highest point of the race will be the 3,250m Jalori Pass. The competitive section will account for about 300 km.

After the flag-off from the Ridge, bikers will pass through Mashobra, Bakhelti, Kathot and Sarog to halt at Gada Guffar for the night. On the second day, the rally will traverse through Matiana and Narkanda to reach Tanni Jubbar. On the third day, they will cross the Sutlej to enter Kullu district.

The fifth and the sixth days will be the most exciting, when bikers will encounter long stretches of mule trails in the picturesque mountain ranges in the interior of Kullu, passing through Tarala, Chhawad, Jalori, Jibhi, Gada Gushaini, Billagard and Kello Dhar. On the return journey, the rally will pass through Chindi, Karsog and Craignano and culminate at the Ridge.

Dharamsala, September 27
Tibetans deported from Kinnaur district are being released in the wilderness of the high Himalayan mountains.

In the recent past, the Kangra court situated at Dharamsala ordered the deportation of two Tibetans. The Tibetans had been arrested by the local police for not having valid documents.

Sonam Gyal of Tsolho area of Tibet was arrested in 2012, under Section 14, Foreigners Act. Later, the Judicial Magistrate 1st Class, Kangra, ordered his deportation.

Last month, Sonam was left across the Indian border from Shipkila border post of the Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP) in Kinnaur district.

SP Diljeet Singh Thakur admitted that as per the information available with them Sonam had been deported back into Tibet from Shipkila border post. He said, “Once the court orders deportation, we have a set procedure to follow in the case of Tibetans. We hand over the accused to ITBP personnel. They then take the accused to Shipkila border post and release him across the border.”

The SP said besides Sonam another Tibetan Ven Cheoyong had been deported in a similar manner. Sources here said most of the Tibetans who illegally entered India were nomads who migrated in the Himalaya areas.

Once they were deported across the Indian border, they had two alternatives. Either they would have get themselves arrested by Chinese troops or trek high snowladen mountains to reach their villages. The sources said the Central Tibetan Administration had also taken up the matter of granting refugee status to such Tibetans with the Union Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Shimla, September 27
Members of the State Electricity Board Employees Union observed a black day today across the state to express resentment over faulty government policies that had plunged the state power utility into deep financial and organisational crises.

Wearing black badges, they held protest rallies during which speakers criticised the government and the board management for ignoring the interest of employees and consumers.

The union alleged though the power portfolio was with the Chief Minister, the condition of the board had become pathetic over the past two years. Its cumulative losses had crossed Rs 1,500 crore and its financial position was deteriorating day by day despite reduction in staff.

It demanded immediate release of Rs 295 crore as a special grant to the board as per the directions of the Electricity Regulatory Commission and steps be taken to recover Rs 468 crore due from power companies on account of expenditure incurred on survey and investigation of projects.

Further, the BBMB share should be provided to the board on bus bar rates and royalty being charged on projects of the board be waived. The government must evolve a mechanism for continuous disbursal of pension, gratuity and other social security to the superannuated employees and this could be achieved by setting a corpus with the arrears on account of enhancement share in BBMB projects.

It also demanded that recruitment of employees at the lower induction level posts of technical and commercial staff be carried out without delay in view of drastic decline in the staff and multi-fold increase in the number of consumers and power infrastructure. Besides, power projects should be allotted to the board for execution to reduce the existing employees’ cost.

Shimla, September 27
Aimed at high-end tourists visiting the main shrines in Himachal Pradesh, more than half a dozen air operators have approached the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department to allow helicopter services linking the main temples.

The department has asked the operators interested to undertake a recce of the routes or circuits that they are keen to take up for plying helicopter services. As soon as the formalities are completed, the department may give the go-ahead.

The successful run of the helicopter service for Manimahesh in Chamba recently has made various air operators keen to press their choppers into service in other pilgrim centres in the state.

“More than six air operators have approached the department to grant permission to them run helicopter service on various circuits linking the Sahktipeeths, mainly in Una, Kangra, Chamba, Hamirpur and Bilaspur,” said Arun Sharma, Director, Tourism and Civil Aviation.

The companies that have expressed keenness to press their choppers into service for ferrying pilgrims include Sim Sam, Trans Bharat, Virat and Deccan.

They have been asked to provide workable solutions and offer their services on circuits which can link shrines like Jwalamukhi and Brajeshwari Devi in Kangra, Chamunda Devi and Chintpurni in Una, Naina Devi in Bilaspur and Baba Deodh Sidh in Hamirpur.

Most of these flights will operate from Chandigarh. Other temples which may be linked through chopper service include Bhimakali in Sarahan, near Rampur, and Hatkoti in Jubbal.

“The one major hindrance being faced in the launch of this scheme is lack of parking space for choppers at the places. We will have to develop adequate parking and landing space first for the smooth operation of the facility,” Sharma said.

The department has asked all District Tourism Officers to identify sites so that the chopper service can run smoothly. Once this task is accomplished, proper helipads will be created wherever they have not been developed so far.

There are a total of 58 helipads in Himachal Pradesh, which were offered for the heli-taxi service, which proved a non-starter. With exceptionally high fares, practically nobody availed it.

The state government has been pressing for subsidised air service to the state on the pattern of the North-East and Jammu and Kashmir as it is essential for tourism promotion.

Dharamsala, September 27
Satish Kumar of Nalagarh was arrested here today for posing as an IAS officer to get his wife transferred. His wife is working at the CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University in Palampur.

Sources told The Tribune that Satish Kumar approached the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the university in Palampur on September 11, posing as a 2011-batch IAS officer.

He told the VC that he was undergoing training in Chamba district and requested him to get a relative working at the university transferred to a favoured location. The VC asked him to submit his request to the Registrar.

Satish Kumar then approached the Registrar. The Registrar, an HAS officer, listened to his request, but got suspicious about him after hearing certain abbreviations. He left that day and the university authorities did not take any action.

On September 25, he again met the Registrar with the same request. The Registrar lodged a complaint with the police. Satish Kumar was arrested and booked. During investigations, it was found that he was trying to get his wife transferred.

Kangra, September 27
The Students Federation of India (SFI) today condemned the murder of Rohit at Chakmoh in Hamirpur district yesterday. It demanded that Chief Minister PK Dhumal and Education Minister ID Dhiman step down on moral grounds for their failure to maintain peace and an academic atmosphere in government educational institutions.

SFI’s district secretary and state secretariat member Vishal Deep today said the SFI organised demonstrations against the killing throughout the state. The SFI expressed shock over the failure of the police to nab the culprits.

Vishal said ‘goondaism’ had gone up in the last five years and the SFI was the first target. He charged the administration and the police with protecting such elements under the direction of the BJP leadership.

He alleged that many SFI activists were booked in false cases and tortured. The SFI demanded Rs 25 lakh as relief to the next of kin of the deceased and the immediate arrest of the culprits.