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Seven-a-side football catches fancy of youth
Nurpur MC removes roadside encroachments
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Tanda medical college ICU remains non-functional
CUHP's annual function 'Udaan 2013' organised
Residents for improvement of Bilaspur park
vignettes
Centre to give Rs 10 cr to boost nursing education
Utilise subsidies, CPS tells farmers
Two-day free ENT camp concludes
Himachal diary
Rs 29-crore water augmentation project cleared for Dharamsala
IT parks to be set up at Jadrangal, Amb
Home Guards bring kudos to Himachal
Correction
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Seven-a-side football catches fancy of youth
Dharamsala, May 21 The young professionals without any commercial support started organising seven-a-side football tournament in the country a few years ago. It started as a small club, ‘We and Football’, of young professionals who used to play seven-a-side short football matches in different parts of the country. For the last two years, the tournament was also being organised at Dharamsala. This year the tournament concluded at Dharamsala this week evoking an impressive response from the locals. Prayank Mahajan, the president of the club, while talking to The Tribune said that after a successful mini football tournament in 2012, “We and Football” association came back to Dharamsala this year with another edition of seven-a-side mini football tournament that was held at Government College ground here on May 11 and May 12, 2013. The tournament held here received a whopping response with more than 40 teams participating in open as well as under-19 category. He further said that proving its name's worth, 'We and Football' was working to deliver the best of football experience, providing a platform to performers, enriching talent and entertaining supporters. Football fever, a global phenomenon, has great following in India though underestimated. This becomes more apparent when witnessing urban children wearing stars' names, lounges and restaurants dressed up on football theme or dedicated national media during the World Cup, he said. With an idea of spreading and empowering football in India through events, gatherings and competitions, 'We And Football' kicked off with its first tournament at the premium location of the capital's Vasant Kunj, Delhi Development Authority, mini football ground on December 5, 2010. Being the only tournament of its kind, truly caged, a non-stop real festival and drama for a whole day, we were blessed with overwhelming response of players. Around 16 teams from different corners of NCR played with 200 eyes watching them, experiencing real football fun. A successful story was repeated again the following month when 'We and Football' came up with their January episode on January 30, 2011. 'We And Football' banged Bangalore on February 6, 2011, with its first tournament. A flock of more than 400 people enjoyed and witnessed 20 teams in a fight for ultimate football fanatics. Simultaneously increasing its reach and presence WAF has active and growing social pages where followers from all over the world discuss and comment, said Prayank Mahajan. He further said that with a vision to establish a nationwide presence, 'We and Football' was launching its Chandigarh, Jaipur and Kolkata chapters in the coming months. The highlight of this year’s tournament at Dharamsala was the exciting atmosphere created by live music, meals for players and also freestyle football performance. 'We and Football' also organised India’s first national freestyle championship in Goa in 2012 which was judged by the football legend, Luis Figo himself. The association has grown in the past one year and has been successful in its motto to promote football in the country. Mahajan said he was lucky enough to meet Lionel Messi last year in Miami, USA, and exchanged views regarding the structuring of seven-a-side football in India.
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Nurpur MC removes roadside encroachments
Nurpur, May 21 Verma said the Street Vending Committee of the MC had convened a meeting on April 11 and given a week’s ultimatum to local vendors and shopkeepers to remove their encroachments. He said the campaign would continue in future too.
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Tanda medical college ICU remains non-functional
Kangra, May 21 Patients who require intensive care are being referred to other medical institutes. The machinery and other equipment bought for around Rs 1 crore are lying unused since October last year. Ali Raza Rizvi, Principal Secretary, Health, had visited the hospital in January and expressed concern over the non-functional ICU. Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur visited the hospital in March and had directed the authorities to make the ICU functional as soon as possible. A committee headed by Dr RK Verma, Associate Professor of the Anaesthesia Department, was also constituted to make the ICU functional, but to no avail. Dr Sudhrashan, Head of the Anaesthesia Department, has refused to comment on the issue. Dr Dinesh Sood, Medical Superintendent, was on the leave and was not available for comments. Dr Deepali, Officiating Medical Superintendent, said she did not know anything about the issue. A number of postgraduate students said their three-year training was about to complete and they would appear for the examination next month. They rued that they would complete their course without getting training at the ICU. Meanwhile, the residents has sought the intervention of the Chief Minister to make the ICU functional.
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CUHP's annual function 'Udaan 2013' organised
Kangra, May 21 Abbi emphasised that Himachal had a great biodiversity not only in terms of flora and fauna but also in terms of culture, language, art and history. He said now it was the responsibility of the young scholars who were graduating from this university to explore and restore these traditional languages and culture which had great value. As the chief guest on the occasion, Satish Chand Abbi, Professor Emeritus from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, appreciated the performances of the students and said it was a great pleasure to see the university developing so fast both academically and culturally within a short span of time. Furqan Qamar, Vice-Chancellor, said now it was the right time for the students to play important roles in society. He said the approach should be for holistic development. Cultural and ethical values should be the core of higher education, he added. The winners of different sports and cultural activities held during the academic session 2012-13 were given prizes.
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Residents for improvement of Bilaspur park
Bilaspur, May 21 The Peer Lakhdata Akhada committee leaders stressed that an annual “dangal” attended by thousands, which has been one of main attractions besides being a popular traditional sport here, was being held in the park every year for the past several years. Prominent wrestlers from several states participated in the even and showed their skill and prowess in the sport which was a big draw here. The committee said the park lay neglected and there were no seating arrangements here. There was also no proper arrangement for drinking water. It demanded that apart from constructing a main gate to the park, it must have a railing and a stadium for spectators. Flower beds, greenery and suitable grass should be grown here for the benefit of seniors and children alike. Both leaders assured the deputation that suitable action would be taken to redress their complaints.
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Theatre is the stepchild of Indian art
by Shriniwas Joshi
A three-day workshop on "methodology of theatre training in India" was held recently in the Indian Institute of Advanced Study. About 40 theatre artistes, directors and trainers from all over India had participated in it. I had believed that it was in the Hindi belt that the drama got the boot but, after attending the workshop, it dawned on me that in almost all the states of India, theatre was not the blue-eyed baby of Indian art. It is surviving because some dedicated and committed people like Bansi Kaul, Prasanna and Kirti Jain (see photo) are constantly breathing life into it and artistes like MK Raina (see white-bearded in the photo) with immense creative credibility are nourishing it. Their assemblage here for the workshop was a great opportunity for Shimla artistes to learn the nuances of the theatre milieu from these luminaries. Bansi Kaul was born in Srinagar (J&K) in 1949. His 'karmabhumi' has, however, been Bhopal where he has established a theatre group, "Rang Vidushak", known for revitalising the silenced laugher in extraordinary clown performances. He has given a new dimension to the stage metaphor by interweaving the performing and non-performing art forms. His creativity as designer of space is duly recognised. I had first met him in Paris and had appreciated the designing of vast spaces around Eiffel Tower for the Festival of India. Prasanna is the "stormy petrel of the Indian theatre" who had gone on a five-day fast in 2007 demanding national theatre status for all the 18 scheduled languages. The Central Government had acceded to his demand. He has directed several plays but I mention "Tughlaq" here because Tughlaq in it was played by our state's pride Manohar Singh. Prasanna is a Kannada playwright, novelist and poet. He is an able organiser, the traces of which were visible in the workshop where he was the chief whip. He, at present, is a fellow of IIAS, so Shimla theatre artistes can make hay while the sun shines in their town. Kirti Jain had been earlier to Shimla with her illustrious father Nemi Chand Jain who edited the popular theatre magazine "Natrang" in 1960s. She told me that she had come to IIAS on her previous visit, too, but this time it looked different to her -- "ekdam badla badla sa". She introduced quite a few schemes as the Director (1988-95) of National School of Drama. Theatre in Education Company, the documentation and publication programme and Regional Resource Centre of the school are all her babies. MK Raina was born in Srinagar in 1948 but theatre in Delhi gave him name and fame. He has developed a unique style of mixing the urban and the rural theatre and digging out contemporary meaning from it. He is an actor who, till date, has portrayed 100 plus characters in different plays. I had the occasion of seeing his directorial masterpieces in "Kabira Khada Bazaar Mein" and "Karmawali." He has, so far, worked in 14 films including superhit "Tare Zamin Par". The three-day workshop discussed many important topics including formal and non-formal methods of Theatre Training -- the role played by the University Drama Departments and the National School of Drama; the challenges of media and entertainment industry; activist theatre; Future Course and many more. I explain the last two of these topics. Activist theatre means to use drama as a tool in social protest and if a Himachali probes into his folk-theatre, Karyala and Banthra, he finds that it was used by the folk-artistes as platform to make the princes of erstwhile states aware as to where the "king's orders" pinch. The future of theatre appears blacker than it actually is. Are the children not attending the theatre training workshops being organised every winter in the Gaiety? Parents see it as a medium of effective cultural upbringing. Dalits and women have found it as a space suitable to agitate the people with their view-point, so in unison it was decreed that we, the theatre-lovers of India, would keep the theatre alive with a wash here and a swab there.
Tailpiece
The best period for theatre activities in British Shimla was known as "Riddell and Liddell Time" because these were the two officers detailed by Viceroy Lord Lytton (1876-80) to "support dramatics" here.
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Centre to give Rs 10 cr to boost nursing education
Shimla, May 21 Stating this while presiding over the concluding function of the Nursing Week here on Friday, Health and Family Welfare Minister Kaul Singh Thakur said besides establishing a new GNM school in Chamba district, the funds would be utilised for strengthening the infrastructure in the existing schools at Bilaspur, Mandi, Nahan, Tanda medical college and Rampur. He said the Union Ministry of Health had also provided Rs 520.50 lakh for the upgrade of a nursing school at the IGMC. He directed the management of private nursing colleges to fill up all the vacant posts of teaching and non-teaching staff before the commencement of academic session 2013-14. The government had approved a plan to develop a “centre of excellence of nursing education” at the Tanda medical college and there was a proposal to start BSc, MSc and PhD in nursing and the Centre would provide Rs 20 crore for the purpose, he said. He said to meet the shortage of nursing personnel, the government was opening an ANM school in Kullu district, adding that the process to fill the vacant post of the principal nursing officer and sister tutor was in progress. He said no tuition fee would be charged from trainees belonging to the IRDP and BPL families in government GNM schools and no fee would be charged by private nursing institutions for hospital attachment from candidates belonging to such families. The minister asked the IGMC to ensure that patients referred from various hospitals across the state should be treated by senior medical specialists as far as possible. He said the government had decided to fill 200 vacant posts of doctor out of which 100 posts would be filled in the current year. Jaishri Sharma, Director, Medical Education, and KK Kaushal, Principal, IGMC, also spoke on the occasion.
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State identifies sites for sterilised monkeys
Chamba, May 21 If that is the case, then there was no need to trap monkeys as early as in 1937, as is evident from the correspondence exchanged between the Superintendent, Revenue Forest Department, and the President, Council of Administration of the erstwhile Chamba State, where the Superintendent wrote, “I have the honour to state that so far only 13 monkeys have been transported from the town. I therefore request your sanction for making payments on this account.” “The original document is with me, and if there was no issues from these animals almost 76 years ago, then where was the need to transport monkeys,” reveals Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Chamba, ARM Reddy. He said the monkey issue was historic and old and it was required to be tackled from time to time. If one travels to the forests adjoining Khajjiar near Gajnoi on the road from Chamba, you will find langurs in groups browsing on fresh leaves and flowers coming up in the spring and early summer. It also gives us the solution that where langurs are present monkeys leave the forest and invade agriculture crops. Thus, the CCF said over a period of time these animals have changed their food habits and instead of collecting food from the wild, these have started invading the agricultural fields and started damaging maize and other food crops. So far, 787 monkeys have been trapped and transported to the monkey sterilisation centre (MSC) at the Gopalpur zoo in Kangra district for sterilization by spending about Rs 5.30 lakh. A new sterilisation centre is in offing at Sarol in Chamba district, the CCF added. Now, the state government is identifying sites for harbouring of monkeys after their return from the MSC and put them in primate parks and provide them food in the park itself either departmentally or through voluntary organisations. Three such sites have been identified at Haripur, Salodi and Bangaru in Chamba district so far, whereas there are no monkeys in Pangi and Bharmour divisions probably due to harsh climatic conditions and non-availability of food during winters.
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Utilise subsidies, CPS tells farmers
Bilaspur, May 21 Dharmani praised the efforts of local farmer Subedar Jagdish Singh Chandel who has developed a flourishing poly house growing off-season, costly vegetables with the help of the Agriculture Department. The department provided him 80 per cent financial subsidy and an additional facility of free "wormy compost beds" for use in this poly house. He said farmers could get subsidy of Rs 75,000 for constructing a shed for silk production project from the department. Dharmani said some areas of this Dhar had been found good for vegetable production and farmers should go in for growing vegetables and fruit plants to improve their financial position. He said the Agriculture and Horticulture departments were providing a financial subsidy of Rs 71,000 for constructing a 50,000-litre capacity water tank and Rs 39,000 for constructing a 20,000-litre water capacity tank. — OC
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Two-day free ENT camp concludes
Kangra, May 21 The surgeries were performed by Dr Sanjay Sachdeva, Director, ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, Max Group of Hospitals. He was accompanied by Dr Chakervarty and Dr Bindoo Sood during the surgeries. PR Agnihotri, convener of the kendra, said in view of the increasing hearing impairments in the state, particularly among women and children, the kendra had been holding such camps here every month. He said Dr Sachdeva treated 198 patients in the free OPD camp at Gopal Bagh, on the outskirts of the town, yesterday. He said 53 free audiometry tests were performed in collaboration with the Chinmayanand Organisation for Rural Development (CORD) during the camp. Dr Sachdeva said 22 persons among the 198, who visited the OPD of the free ENT camp, were detected to be born with congenital hearing loss. He said such persons should be helped by implanting cochlear implant and urged the state government to help such patients. He said a few states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, were providing financial help to women and children who needed cochlear implant. He said deafness was prevalent in 7 to 10 per cent of the population of the state above the age of 50 years. In major cities, hearing disability was seen in people in the age group of 65 to 70 years. This nerve-related deafness was more prevalent among men than women, he added.
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Master artist Bhogal's art works displayed at Gaiety Theatre
Friends and relatives of Cheenu MJS Bhogal, a self-taught artist from Shimla who passed away last year, organised an exhibition of his works at the Gaiety Theatre in his memory.
His works stood out for the minute line work and the manner in which he focussed on the details helped him to bring out the architectural magnificence and produce virtual replicas of the historical structures of the British era. Though pencil sketches were his forte, he also painted in acrylic and had produced a series featuring gorgeous Himalayan birds. He also produced some enchanting landscapes. He has also been experimenting with charcoal, pen, chalk, pastels, crayons and water colours. It was indeed a good gesture and most appropriate way to pay homage to the artist who left for his heavenly abode at the peak of his artistic career. Rapid diagnosis of MDR-TB
The facility for rapid diagnosis of MDR-TB (Multi Drug Resistant Tuberculosis) has been started at Intermediate Reference Laboratory (IRL) in Dharampur's Government TB Sanatorium. It has been made possible with support of partner non-government organisations, PATH (Program for Appropriate Technology in Health) and FIND India (Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics), which provided their highly professional and technical inputs for the upgradation of civil work infrastructure, equipment supply, installation and training to human resources. The rapid diagnosis of MDR- TB is done by the Line Probe Assay (LPA) technique, for which the lab has been certified recently by the Central TB Division (CTD), New Delhi. This facility is available only at IRL Dharampur in the hill state. Earlier the sputum samples of TB patients from the state were sent to the National Reference Lab, Agra, and tested by the conventional method which on an average took three months to produce results. Now, with the facility of the LPA at Dharampur, the results of the tested samples are being mailed to the District TB Officers concerned within five days from the date of receipt of the sample. Microbiologist and Lab in charge of the the IRL, Dharampur, Chaman Thakur, said with the availability of the new facility, the lab would be able to serve TB patients better and gave credit to the staff for the appreciable work done by them.
Bank schemes for jobless youth
Kangra Central Cooperative Bank ( KCCB) has launched special schemes to attract unemployed youths for giving them loans to start ventures for self-employment. The bank is publicising these schemes through different means and it has also been holding financial literacy and awareness camps in rural areas for the purpose. One such camp was recently organised at Barin under Toani Devi block of Hamirpur district in which the chairman of the bank also elaborated the bank’s initiative to create employment opportunities through self-employment. He said the bank was laying a special emphasis on giving loans to unemployed youths to start their own ventures. It would not only help them earn their own livelihood but they could also provide employment to others and contribute to the state’s economy. In this regard the KCCB had also started a drive to open separate accounts of women in rural areas. A women's branch at the district headquarters would be opened soon. Women constitute almost half of the population and rapid economic growth would not be possible if they were left out, he added. (Contributed by Rakesh Lohumi and DP Gupta)
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Rs 29-crore water augmentation project cleared for Dharamsala
Dharamsala, May 21 It will be after about three decades that a sufficient amount of money has been sanctioned for water augmentation of Dharamsala town. The newly elected MLA of Dharamsala and Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Sudhir Sharma, played a pivotal role in getting the project cleared for the area, the sources here said. The clearance of the project will prove as major achievement for Sharma who was elected from Dharamsala for the first time in the last Assembly elections. The IPH officials said that under the new project, water would be sourced from Gajj river for Dharamsala. Twelve new water tanks will be constructed to store and treat water sourced from Gajj river. Besides, 30 points to supply water in various areas of the town in case of a fire emergency would also be constructed. The IPH officials said that presently disputes arose as some residents of the town alleged misuse of drinking water for commercial use by hoteliers. Under the new project, separate lines would be laid for commercial and domestic water connections. The PWD would be asked to build trenches along the main road and streets in the town. All the water pipes would be carried underground under the new project. Presently water pipes carrying drinking water lay in open along the road sides. There were complaints that open pipes often led to contamination of drinking water. The officials further said that presently drinking water supply in Dharamsala was 65 litres per capita per day. The people got just two hours' water supply in one day. However, after the new project was implemented, the per capita water supply in Dharamsala would increase to 135 litres per day. The officials claimed that after the new scheme was implemented, each household would get water for six hours a day. This would generally remove the water shortage in Dharamsala town. The project would benefit a population of 38,000 in Dharamsala and its surrounding areas. It is expected to be finished within three years. The officials said in case the work started soon, it would be completed till 2016. Sources here said the project was cleared by the Union Ministry for Urban Development after it was submitted to the ministry by the state IPH Department. The project had now been sent to the Ministry of Finance for release of funds. The municipal councils in the state had been lagging in submitting projects for augmentation of basic facilities to the Union Government. Due to failure of the state departments in submitting timely projects, the funds for urban development in the state were not coming.
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IT parks to be set up at Jadrangal, Amb
Kangra, May 21 Stating this here recently, Housing and Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma said both the IT parks would generate employment opportunities for the youth of the state. He said both the parks would be pollution-free and have no adverse impact on the environment. He was here to listen to the grievances of people of Passu and Bagli villages. Sharma said a Rs 4-crore water supply scheme would be set up for the permanent redressal of drinking water problems of Passu, Daggwar and Bagli villages near here. The scheme would provide drinking water to inhabitants of 10 other villages also. He announced different projects for Passu village, costing Rs 70 lakh. A veterinary hospital at Rs 8 lakh and a building for health sub-centre at Rs 15 lakh would be constructed here. Besides, Rs 20 lakh would be spent on a tubewell at Passu village, Sharma added. He said a foot bridge costing Rs 12 lakh would be constructed on Manji Khad at Mardhana Daa Baida and a 100-KW transformer costing Rs 10 lakh would be installed in the village. He directed officers to start work on the projects at the earliest for which funds had been sanctioned. He also directed them to submit a project report for the improvement of a playground of the local school. He said steps would be taken to exploit the natural beauty of Passu village. Water of the Manji river would be blocked and a lake would be constructed. Water sports would be introduced to attract tourists and generate more employment avenues for the local youth, he added. He said a park would also be constructed with an eye on the tourism potential of the area. On the occasion, village pradhan Kavita Choudhary welcomed Sharma and thanked him for announcing the projects. SDM, Director, HIMUDA, Suresh Papi, Zila Parishad Member Harbajhan Singh, senior Congress leader Ram Swroop, other officers and senior citizens were present on the occasion.
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Home Guards bring kudos to Himachal
Chamba, May 21 The Home Guards performed various duties in the coastal districts of Karnataka which included duties on barriers, polling booths, staging a flag march and maintaining law and order. The terrain was alien, sandy and there was sultry weather but the performance of the jawans was adjudged the best in every sphere, Sharma said. The Director-General of Himachal Home Guards, ID Bhandari, took special interest in ensuring the welfare of jawans. The daily wages which were previously Rs 75 out of state were raised to Rs 200 per head. Hence, the wages outside the state were raised from Rs.300 to 425, besides other dwelling and transportation facilities were also taken care of. This is not the first time that the services of jawans were required outside the state. Previously, too, in 2002, 2007 and 2012, the jawans discharged election duties in Uttarakhand and in the Mahakumbh mela.
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Athletics meet concludes
Kangra, May 21 Host Government Polytechnic, Kangra, bagged the gold in the triple jump (men) and Government Polytechnic at Ambota and Pragati Nagar bagged the silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the event on the third day on Saturday. Arun Bharti, spokesman of the meet, said five events in athletics and two in cultural competition were held. In triple jump (men) Prashant Rana (Kangra), Kamlesh Kumar (Ambota) and Bhushan (Pragatinagar) won the first, second and third positions, respectively. In 400-m race (men) Mohit Rana (Ambota), Rajit (Sundernagar) and Raghav (Hamirpur) were first, second and third, respectively. In 4x400-m relay race (men) Karam, Vishal, Sen, Vishal Sharma and Rajit (all of Sundernagar) were first, Mohit, Maninder, Subham and Ravi Kanwar (all of Ambota) second and Narender Ajay, Vipul, Safal (all of Hamirpur) third. In javelin throw (men) Kiran Gaur and Chaman Lal (both of Banikhet) were first and second, respectively, and Vinod Kumar (Pragati Nagar) third. In javelin throw (women) Sapna (Ambota) was first and Romika and Shamma Tomar (both of Kandaghat) second and third, respectively. In solo song (Pahari) Ruchika (Kangra), Rajat (Chamba) and Rishav (Sundernagar) were first, second and third positions, respectively.
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Nurpur, May 21
Kangra, May 21
During his lifetime the master artist produced over 500 pieces of art, mostly pen drawings, and about 250 of his works were on display. He developed his own unique style while capturing on the canvas the landmark buildings of Shimla one after the other. He also sketched the trans-Himalayan wildlife, flowers and heritage temples of the region.