Shimla, December 6
It seems that tourism in Himachal Pradesh is paying the price of the tussle between the Air India management and its pilots, who have declined to fly to the hill state unless they are paid a special landing fee which the management is unwilling to pay.

Air India is willing to operate flights in the state, but pilots are seeking the fee for the tedious task of manoeuvring on short runways and the management has declined to accept the demand.

Pilots are reportedly seeking it as they feel that landing on 3,900-foot runways is complicated and difficult. As such, the state has had no air connectivity in the last four months after Kingfisher stopped operations due to financial woes.

With the tourism sector greatly affected due to the absence of air connectivity, the state government has raised the issue with the Civil Aviation Ministry on several occasions, but without success.

“We are suffering even though the problem lies with Air India,” said Chief Secretary Sudripta Roy, also holding charge of Tourism and Civil Aviation.

He said Himachal Pradesh was willing to pay the fee, but Air India declined the offer as it did not want to set a precedent which could lead to pilots seeking such fee in other places as well.

“I will meet the Civil Aviation Secretary again in New Delhi on December 14 to raise the issue of providing air services to Himachal Pradesh,” he stated.

“There is a proposal to widen and extend the Bhuntar airport, which is welcome, but having regular flights is of immediate concern,” he remarked.

The absence of flights is affecting the flow of high-end tourists to the state. Hoteliers and others associated with tourism have also made a plea to the Civil Aviation Ministry to bail out the state by providing regular flights.

With limited rail and air connectivity, Himachal Pradesh would have to strengthen its road network so that it was convenient for tourists to travel, Roy admitted. “All possible efforts are made to maintain roads, but it is tough due to the difficult topography and the vagaries of nature even though it is a prerequisite for tourism promotion,” he added.

Hamni (Kullu), December 6
The government-run HIMURJA has rejected the Rs 37-lakh weir proposed by HIMUDA on the Tirthan to provide regular water supply to the Rs 2.33-crore trout seed farm here on the grounds that the faulty design cannot withstand floods.

As a result, there is uncertainty about the farm again as plans to replenish the depleted trout habitats in the Tirthan have been put on hold.

It has also dashed fish farmers’ hopes of reviving trout farming.

The farm has turned out to be a white elephant as the Fisheries Department and HIMUDA have failed to provide regular water supply from the Tirthan. The project has not seen the light of the day even after six years.

The fault in the design is that the water level of the river lies below the intake channel of the farm. The department and HIMUDA has justified the faulty design on the grounds that the level of the river has gone down since October.

Acting Fisheries Director Gurcharan Singh has said they will seek a fresh deign from the NIIT in Hamirpur or some other agency. He has added that the government has yet to decide on this and the farm will be operational as soon as regular water supply is ensured.

The department had sought expert opinion on the HIMUDA design from the Himachal Power Corporation Limited, but it referred the case to HIMURJA, looking after small projects.

After a trial run, the farm was shut after it ran short of regular water supply on October 5.

More than 20 per cent of the 25,000 fingerlings perished after water shortage and during emergency transportation from tanks to the river.

Kangra, December 6
Nearly 50 students of first year studying in the Government Polytechnic here held a protest at the gate of the institute on the second day today against their detention from appearing in the final examination and demanded revocation of the detention order.

They were demanding that their detention from appearing in the final examination be revoked.

The protesting students carrying placards started their protest against the college management yesterday.

The polytechnic authorities have detained 48 first-year students declaring them ineligible to appear in the final examination to be conducted by the board next year as they could not pass the sessional examinations conducted by the college authorities.

Officiating Principal Anil Sood said during the sessional examinations these students did not fare well, but the Principal gave them a special chance on Saturday and Monday last. He said some of the students availed this chance, but still could not pass the special test. He said others did not even avail this special chance.

He said these students did not secure minimum marks required under the HP Board of Technical Education rules during their sessional examinations.

He added that there were 60 students each in electronics and computer branches in this polytechnic and 40 each in instrumentation and mechanical trades, and out of the 200 students 48 had been detained.

Shimla, December 6
Taking a tough stand on the issue of senior government functionaries not giving in time prosecution sanction in corruption-related cases, the High Court today summoned 10 senior officers, including Additional Chief Secretary for Cooperatives and the Principal Secretaries for Personnel, Vigilance, Irrigation and Public Health, Revenue, Public Works Department, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, directing them to appear in court on December 14.

Passing the order, a division Bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Rajiv Sharma issued show-cause notices to these officers as to why action for contempt of court not be initiated against them for not having completed the process of prosecution sanction in cases in which Vigilance had completed the investigation and cases were pending only for want of prosecution sanction.

The Bench passed the order on an affidavit filed by the Inspector-General of Police (Vigilance) in which he informed the court that 20 cases wherein the investigation had been concluded were pending for want of prosecution sanction.

Shimla, December 6
Four persons died and two children were seriously injured in a car accident on the Majhewali link road near Koshgar under the Jhakri police station in Rampur last night.

The police said four occupants of the Maruti car - Sant Ram (35), Anil Kumar (28), Sidhu Ram (45) and the driver, Chauhan Singh, - died on the spot. Meanwhile, two minor children of the driver, Harmit and Samola, sustained serious injuries. Rash driving by the driver was the cause of the accident, it said. — TNS

Dharamsala, December 6
The Central University of Himachal Pradesh will establish a research chair on tribal studies at its temporary campus in Shahpur.

Vice-chancellor Furqan Qumar said this while talking to The Tribune.

He said the Union Ministry for Social Justice and Tribal Affairs had already given its consent for establishing the research chair on tribes. Primarily, the research chair would dedicate its research on tribes of Himachal.

This would help document information regarding the culture, dying practices and changing lifestyles of tribes of Himachal and its impact on them.

The entire funding for the research would come from the Union Ministry for Social Justice and Tribal Affairs.

The VC said he would meet Union Minister for Culture Chandresh Kumari, who belongs to Dharamsala, and request her to establish a research chair on culture also in the central university. The research on culture could help in documenting and conserving the information regarding dying arts and culture of the state.

The VC said the university was finding it hard to find students in the Hindi and fine arts subjects. Though both subjects are being offered by the university as a statutory requirement in the past two years, no student has opted for the same.

In order to make these subjects more employable for students opting for them, the university has decided to change their curriculum and linking them with journalism, creative writing and translation, he said.

In the Education Department also, the university has decided to offer integrated courses.

This would include joint BEd and MEd courses. Students would also have an option to exit after doing the BEd course after one year or stay in the institution and pursue MEd course for another year.

He said the first convocation of the university was likely to be held this month. The university had requested the Dalai Lama to preside over the function. However, confirmation from his side was yet to be received for the same.

The central university that started functioning about two years ago is still without a permanent campus. The forest land allotted by the state for the university is still awaiting permission from the Union Ministry for Environment And Forests.

The university was also finding it hard to find senior faculty in the ranks of associate professors and professors.

Though the university advertised the posts of associate professors and professors, it has not been able to find suitable candidates.

The VC attributed the trend to shortage of personnel at the said ranks and unwillingness of the said rank personnel to shift from other institutions they are serving to the pension issue.

Under the prevailing rules employees were allowed to transfer their pension in case they shift to another government institution and nobody wants to leave the pension benefit, the VC said.

However, the sources in the university said the lack of basic facilities in Dehra where the university campus would be set up was also discouraging senior rank academicians from joining the university.

Shimla, December 6
Governor Urmila Singh presided over the golden jubilee Raising Day function of the Himachal Pradesh Home Guards and Civil Defence at the Raj Bhavan here today. Chief Minister PK Dhumal was also present.

They released ‘News Digest’, an in-house journal of the Himachal Pradesh Home Guards and Civil Defence. The Governor unveiled hoardings displaying rescue and firefighting operations.

She awarded the Governor’s Golden Jubilee Trophy to the 6th Battalion in Mandi. It was received by Maj (retd) Khem Singh, Commandant of the battalion.

A memento was presented to the Governor and the Chief Minister. B Kamal Kumar, Home Guards DGP, welcomed the Governor and the Chief Minister earlier.

Nurpur, December 6
Ever heard of school students getting promoted to the next class without grading or evaluation of their answer sheets? This is what has happened at a primary school at Malkana in remote Mand area of Indora tehsil.

Students of Class V of the school were allegedly promoted to Class VI in the current academic session without evaluating answer sheets.

On a petition, legal notices were served upon the Secretary, Education, Shimla, Deputy Director, Elementary Education, Kangra, in-charge, Sarv Siksha Abhiyan, Indora, and the Central Head Teacher, Indora.

Deputy Director, Elementary Education, Kangra, Bhajan Singh, said he had directed the Block Primary Education Officer, Indora, to conduct a probe.

Hamirpur, December 6
To inculcate human values and professional ethics, the Himachal Pradesh Technical University (HPTU) here has introduced a paper on ‘human values and professional ethics’.

All students pursuing engineering, pharmaceutical and management courses in colleges and institutions affiliated with the HPTU will have to appear in the paper during the third semester examination from July next.

The main objective of introducing it is to help students understand the link between values and skills for sustained happiness, to help develop a holistic perspective to life and professions and to achieve perfection in human and professional skills.

Carrying 100 marks, the paper will comprise continuous assessment based on session tests, tutorial classes, assignments, quiz, seminars and classroom attendance.

The methodology to be applied in teaching it will include a systematic and rational study of human beings, self-introspection and self-evaluation.

In preparation of introducing the paper, the HPTU Vice-Chancellor, the Chairman and principals of many institutions recently attended a three-day workshop in Chandigarh.

Vice-Chancellor SK Dhiman said, “This paper is being introduced to inculcate human and professional values so that students achieve happiness and fare better in life and their professions.”

Dharamsala, December 6
Followers of Dorje Shugden, a controversial Tibetan sect opposed to the Dalai Lama, have written a letter to the Kangra police challenging methods and beliefs of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).

The police received a letter and a CD from the followers of Dorje Shugden on Tuesday.

The letter is anonymous and the CD contains a video footage of a programme broadcasted in a French channel in 2009.

In the letter it has been stated that members of the CTA are taking guidance from spirits like “Nechung Oracle”.

“Nechung Oracle” had predicted that the Dalai Lama and Tibetan exiles would go back to Tibet in 2012. However, nothing of this sort had happened as yet, the letter stated.

The letter has stated that the CTA should not follow the prophecies of spirits and instead should only worship the embodiment of the Buddha as the Dalai Lama.

The letter also criticises the CTA for not allowing the worship of Dorje Shugden, who they consider as an embodiment of the Buddha.

The CD sent to the police also contains a video footage that supports the message given in the letter.

SP, Kangra, Diljeet Thakur said: “We are looking into the source of the letter. It seems that the author of the letter has tried to challenge the ways and means of the CTA. The development has been reported to a contingent of the Himachal Police providing security to the Dalai Lama and they have asked to take necessary steps in this regard.”

Dorje Shugden is considered to be a wrathful spirit of a deceased Lama now working as “the worldly protector”. Shugden is believed to be a spirit of murdered Gelukpa Lama, who had opposed the 5th Dalai Lama both in debate and politics. He was found dead under mysterious circumstances.

There are about one million Dorje Shugden followers worldwide. The trouble between the followers of this sect and the present Dalai Lama began in 1975 when the yellow book was published.

In this book a message was given to Ge-Luk Lamas that they should not practice teaching of other schools or otherwise they would incur Shugden’s wrath and die prematurely.

After the publication of this book that was perceived as a direct challenge to the authority of the Dalai Lama, he banned the Shugden practices.

Reports said in the recent past the Chinese government had started promoting followers of Dorje Shugden to counter the influence of the Dalai Lama.