Dharamsala, October 5
Anything is possible in politics. The saying has come true with the coming together of Congress stalwarts Virbhadra Singh and Vijay Singh Mankotia, who left no stone unturned to destroy each other’s political careers. Some political observers are seeing it as an alliance guided by political compulsions.

Sources here said while Mankotia compromised to save his political career, Virbhadra Singh accepted him with an eye on the Rajput vote bank in Kangra and as a potential rival to GS Bali, who had become strong in Kangra district.

A maverick leader of Kangra district, Mankotia is known more for the stance taken by him against former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh rather than his political achievements.

Virbhadra Singh had to dump his loyalist Kewal Singh Pathania, who was a hot contender for the Congress ticket from Shahpur, to accommodate Mankotia.

The going is not going to be smooth for Mankotia. He is also having a hard time to explain to his supporters in Shahpur, who stood by him while Virbhadra Singh was out to destroy his political career, about the sudden change in his stance.

The sources said Mankotia’s political managers had a hard time today in pacifying his supporters, who were peeved at reports of his patch-up with Virbhadra Singh. The press briefing by Mankotia’d supporters in Shahpur was postponed twice today due to the peeved supporters.

Mankotia’s political career started in 1982 when he contested as an Independent from Shahpur against Congress candidate Ajit Mahajan and won. After that, he was instrumental in carrying out a campaign against then Congress Chief Minister Thakur Ram Lal.

Thakur was dropped in 1983 and Virbhadra Singh took over as Chief Minister for the first time. Mankotia joined the Congress and had the confidence of Virbhadra Singh.

Mankotia won as the Congress candidate from Shahpur in 1985. During this stint as legislator, he developed differences with Virbhadra Singh.

In the 1990 Assembly elections, Mankotia left the Congress and joined the Janta Dal. He contested from Shahpur as the Janta Dal candidate and won again.

In 1993, the BJP government in Himachal Pradesh was dismissed and the Assembly dissolved. Mankotia again joined the Congress and won as the party candidate from Shahpur.

He lost from Shahpur to Sarveen Chaudhary of the BJP in 1998. In 2003, he again won from Shahpur on the Congress ticket. During this stint, Mankotia became Minister for Tourism with Virbhadra Singh as Chief Minister.

Mankotia was dropped after Parliament decided to put a cap on the number of ministers. After being dropped, Mankotia started a campaign against Virbhadra Singh.

Mankotia raked up the issue of lower versus upper Himachal Pradesh and launched the Kangra cap to counter the green cap associated with Virbhadra Singh.

Just six months before the Assembly elections in 2007, Mankotia released an audio compact disc allegedly carrying the voice of Virbhadra Singh and his wife.

The audio compact disc was the main rallying point for the BJP in the 2007 elections and became the basis of the registration of a criminal case against Virbhadra Singh.

In 2007, Mankotia joined the BSP and contested as the BSP candidate from Dharamsala. He lost to Kishan Kapoor of the BJP. About two years back, Mankotia announced his retirement from active politics.

He launched the NGO Adalat-e-Awam to fight against corruption. During the last five years, Virbhadra Singh remained his main target. Mankotia kept saying he could not join the Congress till Virbhadra Singh was at the helm of affairs.

Back in the Congress now, reportedly with the blessings of Virbhadra Singh, Mankotia will have to convince many regarding the logic of this move.

New Delhi, October 5
Vijay Singh Mankotia has returned to the Congress, a move expected to provide a boost to the party in Himachal Pradesh.

Party sources said the issue of readmission was cleared by the Disciplinary Action Committee headed by AK Antony and sent to Sonia Gandhi for approval.

The Congress is set to field Mankotia. The decision came on the eve of the Central Election Committee meeting, to be held on Saturday.

The sources said nearly 80 per cent of the list of candidates was ready. — TNS

Dharamsala, October 5
Shanta Kumar, national vice-president of the BJP, has once again hit out at certain detractors within the party who are targeting him.

In a press note issued here today, Shanta Kumar alleged that a leader who remained MLA and minister for the last 20 years was upset at the prospect of being denied the party ticket during the forthcoming Assembly elections.

He alleged that the said leader had got a case filed against him in the High Court. The person who filed the case against him was facing charges of moral turpitude and he was currently out on bail. “I do not know what has been offered to the person to file a case against me,” Shanta Kumar alleged.

Shanta Kumar alleged that it was strange that even after enjoying power for the last 20 years, certain leaders still did not want to give up party seats for the younger generation.

He urged Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal to exercise caution while allotting the party ticket as the prospects of the BJP coming back to power were bright. People with a clean image should be given the ticket, Shanta Kumar said.

Though Shanta Kumar had not named anyone in the press note, it was targeted at Irrigation and Public Health Minister Ravinder Ravi. Shanta Kumar confidant and Industries Minister Kishan Kapoor had levelled similar charges.

Ravi had been pressing for the party ticket from Jwalamukhi , currently represented by Food and Civil Supplies Minister Ramesh Dhawala, a Shanta Kumar loyalist.

Ravi had been demanding the party ticket on the grounds that many panchayats from his constituency Thural, that had now been scrapped, were merged in Jwalamukhi constituency.

Dhawala was adamant on contesting from Jwalamukhi on the grounds that he won from the constituency for the last three terms. Dhumal tried to persuade Dhawala to shift to Dehra. Dhawala, however, remained adamant.

Sources here said Ravi had been asked to shift to Dehra. He was not keen to shift there. The matter was before the parliamentary board of the BJP, that would take the final call on the matter.

Shimla, October 5
The Media Certification and Monitoring Committees (MCMCs) set up in every district for scrutinising and verifying all the poll-related advertisements by contesting candidates or political parties will also monitor paid news.

Chief Electoral Officer Narinder Chauhan said strict measures had been taken by Election Commission (EC) to check paid news in the garb of news in the media and related matters during Assembly elections in the state.

He said the members of the MCMCs included Returning Officer of the parliamentary constituency, District Election Officer and Assistant Returning Officer (not below SDM) for the discharging the functions of certification.

The committee would also assist in enforcement of media-related regulations under the Representation of the People Act, 1951. He said the committee would scan all media, print media, electronic media, cable network, Internet and mobile network for suspected cases of paid news.

It would monitor political advertisements in relation to candidates, either overt or covert, from expenditure monitoring angle. It would check whether the name and address of the publisher and the printer was carried on any election pamphlet, poster, handbill and other document as required under the law.

He said the committee would report daily to the accounting team in respect of each candidate with respect to expenditure incurred by the candidate on election advertising or actual expenditure incurred for publishing news in the assessed cases of paid news.

The state-level MCMC set up under the chairmanship of the Chief Electoral Officer comprised an observer appointed by the EC, one expert co-opted by the committee, an officer of the Indian Information Service, representing a media department of the GoI and an independent citizen or journalist as nominated by the PCI.

Besides acting on complaints, the committee could also take suo motu action in which case it would direct the Returning Officer concerned to issue notices to the candidates. If the suspected cases of paid news were decided as paid news, either the actual or notional expenditure would be treated as part of election expenses. The Chief Electoral Officer also directed officers to take proper measures for controlling vehicle and noise pollution during election campaigns by enforcing instructions regarding use of vehicles and loudspeakers. He asked them to check pollution certificates of vehicles and take action against such vehicle users as per rules.

Shimla, October 5
Any person carrying undisclosed cash will be kept under close surveillance and necessary action will be taken under provisions of Income Tax Act, 1961, as per instructions of the Election Commission.

Chief Electoral Officer Narinder Chauhan said here today that anyone carrying cash in excess of Rs 2.5 lakh must have documentary evidence in support. For example, an agriculturist carrying proceeds from sale of apple should carry proof of agricultural land holding and sale receipt.

A person carrying cash received fro sale of property should carry copy of agreement or registered deed. A businessman withdrawing cash from a bank should produce bank statement.

Any cash carried to be deposited in a bank should be accompanied with a copy of the cashbook of the business concern. Unexplained cash reported by static and mobile surveillance teams would be seized.

He said wherever large-scale availability of cash was suspected or information received during the election process and the person concerned could not explain the possession of cash, the Income Tax Department could search the office and residential premises of such a person.

The Income Tax Department would also keep a vigil over all hotels and farmhouses and collect daily information from managements or owners regarding any suspicious movement of cash or gifts.

Shimla, October 5
The 14th edition of the world's highest and one of the toughest motor rallies, Raid de Himalaya, will be shorter compared to last year and the focus will be on safety.

The overall distance to be covered by the participants during the six-day event commencing from here tomorrow will be about 1,800 km compared to 2,300 km last year.

It will not provide any comfort to the competitors as 11 competitive stages, totalling over 600 km, will put both driving skills and endurance of men at the wheel to a severe test. The event will be formally flagged off tomorrow, but the actual rally will commence early on Sunday morning.

“The death of two participants in the Mughal Rally in Jammu and Kashmir two months ago has raised safety concerns. We are taking extra care to ensure that only Federation Internationale Motorcyclisme approved equipment is used as far as possible,” says Manjiv Bhalla, vice-president of Himalayan Motorsport, which is organising the event.

The safety equipment include helmet, seat, hans and seatbelt. As there is not much time for participants to acquire all the approved equipment, it has not been made mandatory this time.

More than 50 per cent participants have got it. It will be mandatory from next year. A private helicopter and eight ambulances will be a part of the rescue and relief team. The continuing economic slowdown in Europe has cast a shadow on the event, much like the Hercules Mountain Biking rally. There are only two foreign participants, who are in the two-wheeler category.

There are 84 participants, including 34 in the motorbike category. Last year’s winners Suresh Rana (four-wheeler category) and Helly Frauweller of Austria (motorbike category) are among the participants.

On the first day, the rally will pass through Matiana, Baragaon, Luri and Dalash. It will cross into the Kullu valley from the 10,200-ft Jalori Pass to end in Manali.

On the following day, it will cross the 13,000-ft Rohtang Pass and the 15,000-ft Kunjum Pass to reach Kaza. The participants will encounter the longest competitive stretch of 72 km from Gramphu to Losar that day.

On the third day, the rally will be confined in the cold desert of Spiti. It will go up to Demul via Langje and return to Kaza. It will negotiate the competitive stretch of 40 km twice in the day. The rally will again move to the Lahaul valley after crossing the Kunjum pass on the fourth day. Moving through Lingti and Sichling, it will end at Pang.

It will move to Leh on the penultimate day, encountering the competitive Debring and Daat stretch. On the last day, the rally will move around Leh. The route will include a competitive stretch from Shakti to Khalsar via Wari La.

Gushaini (Kullu), October 5
Eco-tourism entrepreneurs and local NGOs hailed International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) experts conducting an inspection of Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) to declare it a UNESCO world heritage site and said the decision would be a landmark event, which would trigger a quality eco-tourism boom in the Tirthan and Jhibhi-Soja valleys.

The GHNP as the proposed UNESCO world heritage site has also come as a shot in the arm for local entrepreneurs, who are protecting Tirthan and its tributaries as an exclusive habitat for trout.

From Soja in the Jhibhi valley to Gushaini in Tirthan valley, local youth have set up camping sites, small home-stay units and guest houses. The GHNP has not been popularised among quality tourists and nature lovers across the world.

“We welcome a UNESCO team, led by vice-chairman, World Congress on Protected Areas (WCPA) of the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Dr Graeme L Worboys for his official visit, says Raju Bharti, who pioneered home-stay unit in the valley and runs a NGO for protection of trout, Indian Fish and Wildlife Conservancy, in the valley here.

People of Tirthan and Seraj also hailed the move to declare GHNP as a UNESCO heritage site.

“It will protect rich biodiversity and gene poll in the park area and boost eco-tourism roping in quality tourists who love nature and clean climate,” he said.

The state government has also banned hydropower projects in Tirthan in 2005-06 in its bid to preserve the Tirthan river as a destination for trout angling.

Rajinder Chauhan, who runs another NGO of self-help groups, Sahara, for village women in the eco-zone of the GHNP said the move would preserve and protect local flora and fauna.

President, Seraj Valley Guest House Owners Association M Rathaur said the GHNP would be popular across the world and so would be the entire Kullu and Tirthan valleys.

“It will promote eco-tourism and protect nature and wildlife,” he added.

Hamni (Kullu), October 5
Almost 20 per cent of the 25,000 trout fingerlings died here today as water tanks in the newly built Rs 2.33-crore trout fish seed farm ran out of water after water intake from the Tirthan river ran dry. As a result, the trout fish seed farm was shut down indefinitely.

There were only two staff members at the farm. Raju Bahrti and his son, running a trout fish NGO in the valley, came to the rescue of the fish and salvaged them. The fish farm had chinks in design, rued local trout farmers.

There were 10,000 rainbow and 15,000 brown trout fingerlings in the farm when the water pipes ran dry this morning. Water pipes were jammed and there was sand in the pipes, said fisheries officials.

“We saved most fingerlings,” they claimed. There was only one fisheries officer, Vivek Sharma, and a chowkidar at the farm when the water supply ran dry.

Kullu Deputy Director for Fisheries Satpal Mehta said the water intake had become a problem. They had to stock fish and release those in the river. Fisheries officials said they had no option but to shut down the farm. “We have reported the matter to the higher authorities,” they added.

Kangra, October 5
The Department of MBA, Government Postgraduate College, Dharamsala, today organised a seminar on ‘Career opportunities in banking and finance sector in India and abroad’.

Satish Mehta, financial and banking sector expert, delivered a detailed talk on various career opportunities available for MBA students. He stressed on the role of CIBIL in credit creation, expansion, diversification and NPA reduction.

Mehta shared his views on job opportunities in the financial sector and interacted with students keeping in view their goals and objectives.

He was of the opinion that Himachal students had enough potential to grow in the business field, but right initiatives at the right time were required. He stressed on taking any profession with passion and creative and positive attitude.

Dr NN Sharma, coordinator, MBA, welcomed the guests and professionals from Athena Advisors. He said the college had started the MBA course a year back and had established milestones in professional education.

Jaina, co-founder, Athena Advisors, focused on the role of CIBIL in the field of growing banking sector. Varun, Managing Director, Srijjan, shared his views. Professors Sunil, Akhil, Sahil, Rakesh and Shweta were present.

Shimla, October 5
Governor Urmila Singh today said conservation and protection of the environmental wealth was a big challenge in the face of increasing materialistic attitude of the mankind the world over.

Inaugurating an International seminar on ‘Economic, social and environmental challenges of globalisation’ organised by St Bede’s College in collaboration with the Indian Economic Association here, she said it was time to think how to carry out the development activities without causing any harm to the fragile environment.

Globalisation had come with so many social and economic changes in the world which were putting pressure on the environmental resources, she said.

Urmila Singh hoped that the deliberations would focus on theformulation of sound policies to promote a free, equitable and productive global environment and seek to provide some theoretical and empirical answers to the question of whether globalisation was beneficial for employment, poverty alleviation and income redistribution, especially in developing countries.

Dr Beena John, college Principal, welcomed the Governor. Prof Balchander Mungekar, Rajya Sabha MP and Indian Economic Association Chairman, Prof ADN Bajpai, Vice-Chancellor, HP University, Dr Tapan Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, Bhagalpur University, and Anil Thakur, Indian Economic Association Secretary, attended the inaugural session.

Kangra, October 5
The Kangra valley was rocked again last evening, taking the number of earthquakes here to nine in the last three days. The mild-intensity earthquake had its epicentre in the Dhauladhar ranges. People rushed out of their houses in panic.

Dr Susheel Kumar, scientist in the Seismology Centre in Dehradun, said today that the valley was rocked at 8:15 pm and the magnitude of the earhquake was 3 on the Richter scale.

He said it was the ninth earthquake in the Kangra valley in the last three days, with no loss to life and property. He said the epicentre was in the Mandi-Jogindernagar-Palampur area.

Dr Kumar said the Tapovan Garhwal region in Uttarakhand had such earthquakes five years back. He said 40 earthquakes took place in the area in one week.

He said a team of scientists at the Seismological Centre were observing the developments. In reply to a question, he said predictions on new tremors could not be made.

He said there were two earthquakes on Tuesday, two on Wednesday and five yesterday. He said the highest magnitude recorded was 4.5 and the lowest 2.5 on the Richter scale.

Kangra Deputy Commissioner KR Bharti said there was no loss to life or property reported from any part of the district following the earthquakes in the last three days.

Nurpur, October 5
Supporters of Indora MLA Des Raj of the BJP took out a protest rally at Dahkulara yesterday to secure the party ticket for his son Nirmal Prashad.

Supporters of the MLA, pradhans of local gram panchayats and BDC, Zila Parishad and BJP yuva morcha members were led Roop Lal, state vice-president of the BJP beopar mandal cell, and Narinder Sharma, Kangra district mandi board chairman.

They raised slogans in support of the MLA’s son and demanded that he be declared the party candidate from Indora without any further delay. They protested against the delay in announcing his name.

They demanded that the party ticket be given with the consensus of sitting and four-time MLA Des Raj. If the party high command denied the ticket to his son, it would be responsible for the rout in this constituency, they warned.

Des Raj later pacified the protesters. He assured them that he was confident that the party high command would do justice to them and honour the feelings of the party’s rank and file.

Chamba, October 5
Chief Judicial Magistrate Jaswant Singh yesterday sentenced Fisar and Bhagat Ram, both of Fulra village, Chamba district, to undergo rigorous imprisonment (RI) for seven years and pay a fine of Rs 10,000 each for an unnatural offence under Section 377, IPC.

In default of the payment of the fine, they would further undergo imprisonment for six months.

The judgment revealed that on January 17, 2003, complainant Ramesh Kumar of Dalog, Chamba, stated at Tissa police station that he had passed Class V and come to his maternal house at Fulra village for holidays.

On January 16, 2003, he had gone to graze cattle when the two accused came there and forcibly took him to an old dilapidated building and had sexual intercourse with him.

Dharamsala, October 5
The Kangra District Badminton Association will host the state championship from October 7 to 9.

Players will be divided into three categories, under-13, under-15 and veteran. Around 120 players and officials are expected to take part in the tournament. The association also plans to come up with an indoor badminton stadium with all facilities to train players.