Shimla, June 2
A three-member Central team will be on a two-day visit to Dharamsala from June 12 and 13 to reassess the requirement of land for setting up a Central University campus.

The site selection committee will also inspect 67 hectares additional land identified by the district authorities at the Indru Nag site. Another patch of 120 hectares has been identified in its vicinity which can be provided for the campus. The Centre is insisting on around 500 acres of land and the final decision is taken by the site approval committee.

The university has been functioning from make-shift temporary premises in Shahpur, 21 km from Dharamsala, since January 2010. A campus cannot be built due to unavailability of land at one place. The previous BJP regime decided to have two campuses, one at Dharamsala and the other at Dehra.

Vice-Chancellor of the university Furqan Qumar said the entire land at Dharamsala was forest land. The case for the diversion of 67 hectares for non-forestry use was pending with the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest. The 600 acres approved at Dehra was also forest land.

The issue has been hanging fire for the past more than five years. The announcement of setting up a Central University was made in October 2007 by Finance Minister P Chidambaram. However, it became a bone of contention between the Congress and the BJP, which came to power subsequently.

The land at Dehra faced a major hurdle in clearance as it had over 90,000 trees. The land at Dharmasala had about 9,000 trees. It will take much time to start work on the campus even if the site selection committee approves the additional land at Dharamsala. A fresh case for forest clearance after enumeration of trees, the number of which is bound to go up, will have to be submitted for clearance to the Centre.

The state government is keen to have a major campus of the university at Dharamsala and the Urban Development Minister, who now represents the Dharmasala Assembly segment, is vigorously pursing the matter.

Bilaspur, June 2
Led by BJP state general secretary and local Naina Deviji MLA Randhir Sharma, scores of BJP leaders and activists held a noisy demonstration and gheraoed the office of IPH assistant engineer at Suharghat, 42 km from here, on Friday as a mark of protest against the alleged partial behaviour of IPH officials in supplying drinking water to villagers in this constituency.

Addressing protesters, the MLA alleged that the IPH Department was “dancing to the tune of Congress politicians” and was selective in denying water only to BJP-affiliated families. He warned that if this “pick and choose” policy was not abandoned, the BJP would be forced to launch a regular mass agitation.

Earlier, the local BJP unit held a meeting on the rest house premises and held the government responsible for stopping all development works started during the former BJP regime.

The meeting said several projects and welfare schemes of villagers that were provided started by the BJP government were being ignored and abandoned. — OC

Kullu, June 2
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said BJP leader and former Chief Minister PK Dhumal had misused telecom technology and used then DGP DS Minhas as an agent to settle political scores, undermining the institution of democracy in the state.

Addressing public meetings in Jari and Shamshi in the Kullu constituency in support of party candidate Pratibha Singh, Virbhadra Singh said a large number of calls were intercepted illegally which amounted to invasion of individual privacy and human rights. They were treated as if they were criminals, which was unthinkable in a democracy, he said.

“Even if the calls of criminals or suspected persons were to be put on surveillance, there was a legal procedure, but the Dhumal regime surpassed all limits and turned the police as his private agency to annihilate his adversaries”, he added.

He said the Mandi parliamentary constituency was his “karmabhumi” and he was seized of the problems of the people.

“The Congress never indulged in propagandas, which is left out to the BJP. Our main agenda is development, which has no limits”, he added. He said the Dhumal regime had also misused Section 118 for the shady land deals, including the HP Cricket Association, which was given land for the five-star hotel in Dharamsala. “Those who are involved in the land deals and phonetapping case will be brought to justice”, he said.

Virbhadra Singh said the skill development allowance, free travel for schoolchildren, 80 per cent subsidies on anti-hail nets, subsidised ‘dals’ and ‘atta’ scheme were some of the initiatives the government had taken.

Banjar MLA Karan Singh, state vice-president Harsh Mahajan, district Kullu president Budhi Singh Thakur, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Inderdut Lakhan Pal, Sundar Thakur, Uttam Sharma, Mahila Congress chief Mamta Sharma were also present. Expelled Congress leader Satya Parkash Thakur also welcomed Virbhadra Singh at Bhuttico colony.

Bilaspur, June 2
The Himachal Pradesh State Employees, Pensioners, Shramik, Berozgaar Sanyukta Morcha will support Congress candidate and former MP Pratibha Singh in the Mandi Parliamentary election.

This was stated by morcha state president Gopal Dass Varma and morcha state chairman MR Sangroli while talking to mediapersons at Circuit House while on their way to Mandi here today.

Varma said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had always been sympathetic and considerate towards difficulties being faced by employees, labourers and pensioners.

The morcha state president said the morcha would ensure that all the major demands of these sections like implementation of 4, 9 and 14 benefits on Punjab pattern, enforcing all the financial benefits to pensioners on Punjab pattern and bringing unemployed persons between the age group of 18 to 45 years under the “Berozgaar Kaushal Bhatta” were implemented in the state after the bypoll.

Sangroli took BJP party in charge Balbir Punj to task for criticising the Chief Minister.

The morcha state chairman said Punj should have judged Virbhadra Singh’s popularity among the masses only by the fact that he was made the Chief Minister for the sixth time. 

Shimla, June 2
Criticising the statement of three Congress leaders, who had termed the five months of Virbhadra Singh government as better than five years of the BJP rule, party spokesperson Ganesh Dutt said the people had been thoroughly “disillusioned” with the party in such as short period.

The people had been at the receiving end of the disastrous policies being pursued by the Congress governments at the Centre and in the state. The economic growth rate had slipped from 8.5 per cent to the decades lowest at 4.5 per cent even as an economist Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister, he alleged.

The economy of the country was doing much better during the NDA regime under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Dutt said.

The state government was busy wreaking political vendetta on employees and it had ordered over 45,000 transfers in five months. The employees were living in a state of fear and their large-scale shuffling had crippled the administration, he alleged.

He claimed that the people would teach a lesson to the Congress in the Mandi bypoll and the factional fight between the groups headed by Transport Minister GS Bali in the Virbhadra Singh camp would help the BJP to win the byelection.

Palampur, June 2
Prashant Bhushan, a senior lawyer, social activist and founder-member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has said the AAP will focus only on the Delhi Assembly elections due in November this year. If the party performs well, it will take a decision to field its candidates in Rajasthan and other states.

He said in the present political scenario, the AAP had emerged as a strong contender for power in Delhi. In the past one year, the party had raised a number of issues of public interest directly related to Delhi residents and the common man, he added.

Talking to this correspondent on the premises of the Kumud Bhushan Education Society at Kandwari near here on Friday, Bhushan said the outcome of the May 2014 General Election would be a turning point in Indian politics. It was evident that the UPA would not be able to retain power at the Centre. He said the middle class, a major vote bank of the Congress and the UPA, had already slipped from its grasp since the UPA had failed to check the rising prices which had hit the middle class.

Bhushan said the second tenure of the UPA was marked with various scams which had eroded its credibility. The judgements delivered by the apex court in various cases like quashing of the appointment of the Central Vigilance Commissioner and constitution of SITs in 2G, CWG and Coalgate scams were a major setback for the UPA. These would be the major election issues for which the UPA government had no answer, he added.

He said the UPA had failed on the economic front miserably. The value of the rupee was at the lowest compared to the US dollar. 

Nurpur, June 2
The Pathankot-Mandi National Highway (NH) right from Kandwal, the gateway of the Kangra valley to Chogan (Nurpur), has become an accident-prone stretch as herds of cattle pose a threat to the smooth flow of the traffic. The abandoned cows and oxen have become a traffic hazard on the NH, especially from Jassur to Chogan (Nurpur).

A number of road accidents have taken place during the past few months. The NH authorities and the local civic administration seem to be reluctant towards this burgeoning road menace.

Local vehicle owners are familiar with the traffic hazard of stray cattle and are careful, but outsiders, especially tourists are scared of night driving on this NH stretch.

Local residents have alleged that truck loads of stray and abandoned cattle from neighbouring Punjab were left in bordering Nurpur areas a few months ago.

SDM Ashwani Sood admitted that this was a serious problem in the area. He said he would hold a meeting with officials from the NH, Animal Husbandry Department and local non-government organisations within a week to solve this problem. 

Palampur, June 2
State Assembly Speaker Brij Behari Lal Butail said yesterday that the state government would set up six monkey sterilisation centres.

He said these centers would be opened in Kangra, Mandi, Chamba, Sirmaur, Solan and Bilaspur districts.

Butail was addressing a delegation of farmers here.

He said the monkey menace was a statewide issue and the government was making every effort to tackle the same.

Farmers urged the Speaker to allow the culling of monkeys that had been destroying their crops worth lakhs every year.

Shimla, June 2
Terming the exercise to remove Srinivasan as BCCI chief as an eyewash, the state secretariat of the CPM has demanded dissolution of the apex cricket body to save the game.

Member of the secretariat Tikender Panwar said the real issue that required immediate intervention was to “salvage” the sport from the clutches of the IPL brand of cricket controllers. He said the only option left was to dissolve the 
BCCI to pave way for a more democratic cricket control body.

The CPM also questioned the connection between India Cements and the main facilitators, the successive Congress and BJP governments in the state, especially the state president of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, who enjoyed cordial relations with the owner of India Cements Srinivasan. — TNS

Hamirpur, June 2
Leftist organisations held a protest here on Thursday on a call of the joint front of mass organisations to highlight various demands.

Hundreds of activists of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the Student Federation of India (SFI), the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the Janwadi Mahila Samiti (JMS) marched through the bazaar of Hamirpur carrying flags, banners while raising slogans. Later, they held a rally before the DC’s office.

The rally was addressed by CITU state secretary Kashmir Singh Thakur, CITU leaders Joginder Kumar and Pratap Rana, DYFI leader Anil Mankotia, SFI district secretary Jasbir Singh and JMS leader Satya Galoda.

The leaders demanded minimum wages to be raised to Rs 10,000, filling up all vacant posts, Rs 150 as minimum wage under MGNREGA schemes, withdrawal of fee hike in educational institutions and a ban on forward trading in grains to check price rise.

Bharmour, June 2
Prior to the general elections of the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha held last year, the Akhil Bharatiya Gaddi Janjatiya Vikas Samiti had apprised the state and the Central governments that a"step-motherly" treatment was being meted out to the 21 non-tribal panchayats of the Bharmour tribal Assembly constituency in Chamba district.

The long-pending demands of the tribal constituency include opening of a judicial court in the tribal area and a transport depot of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) at Bharmour.

The tribals of these areas have also been pressing for the construction of a tunnel from Kugti to Lahaul, which would link the Chamba and Lahaul regions with each other, besides a traffic tunnel beneath the Chenni Pass.

They have also been demanding the opening of health institutions in all the non-tribal panchayats and science blocks in all the senior secondary schools.

Kangra, June 2
Lt-Gen Anil Bhalla, who is heading the 9 Corps at Yol, visited Central University of Himachal Pradesh (CUHP) campus at Shahpur on Friday and held discussions with the university authorities about possibilities of collaboration.

Interacting with Vice-Chancellor Furqan Qamar and Deans, he said possibilities of collaboration should be explored in such a way that both collaborators benefited.

“The collaboration may help us share resources in training, academics and expertise,” the CUHP Vice-Chancellor said. Officials considered the chances of starting a centre for defence and strategic studies.

University sources said further discussions would be held in the future after examining modalities and official procedures needed for collaboration.

Kangra June 2
Lecturers of MCM DAV College here today said the DAV College Management was planning to close the college with four departments had without regular faculty.

Dr Kapil Vaid, president of the HP Non-Govt College Lecturers Association, Kangra unit, said the number of students in the graduation classes had reduced by 25 per cent. He said earlier there was 2,400 students which last year had reduced to 1,800 and this year it was expected to reduce further.

He said in the department of Hindi, history, political science and zoology, the regular faculty members had retired and no fresh regular staff was recruited.

He said the crisis deepened following freezing of the grant-in-aid by the state government on March 31, 2008. He said that except the Principal Dr V K Bhatia, who was allegedly being paid monthly salary of Rs1.03 lakh from the college resources, no other regular staff member was paid from the college resources. He said ad hoc appointments were made in the college and were paid less than even Rs 8,000 a month.

He said the lecturers had been protesting for the past nearly three months without any response from the Principal and the management committee.

Kangra, June 2
Hannah Stewart and Mischell Charlesworth, two teachers from Farsley Fair Field School, Leeds, UK, visited Alpine Public School, Sukhabagh, Kangra, to learn and teach about the education system prevalent in India and Britain.

Meena Sharma, Principal, Alpine Public School, said on Friday that the teachers were here on a reciprocal visit under the Global Education Partnership Programme of the British Council.

Students were also involved in the whole process.

Hannah and Mischell were impressed with the Indian hospitality and the management of school.

The duo praised the school Principal and Chairman Sukhvinder Singh for providing quality education to students.

Two teachers from Alpine school will also visit Farsley Fair Field School, UK, in this session.

Shimla, June 2
It was an incredible experience for the onlookers who watched renowned magician Samrat Shankar riding on a bike through crowds blind-folded.

Superintending Police Abhishek Dullar flagged off Samrat Shankar’s blindfold bike ride from Gaiety Theatre.

Shankar not only safely rode through the busy streets but also stopped to shake hands with those who passed him on the way.

Later in the evening, he performed his inaugural show in Gaiety Theatre which was inaugurated by Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu.

He left the crowd amazed by reading a newspaper blindfold. Deputy Mayor, Shimla, Tikendra Singh Panwar, removed Shankar’s blindfold. 

Shimla, June 2
The International Shimla Summer Festival began here last evening on a musical note with upcoming singers regaling the audience with popular old and new Bollywood numbers.

Aishwarya Nigam, Priyani Vani, Purnima, Yash Raj, Shruti Pathak and Indian Idol-fame Anuj Sharma churned out a series of hit songs to the accompaniment of Symphony Orchestra from Mumbai. Nigam came out with a medley of old songs at the peak of the programme, including hits like “Raat Ke Humsafar”, “Ye Raat Bhigi Bhigi”, “Pukarata Chala Hun Mein”, “Bekrar Dil Tu Gaye Ja” and “Jaiye Aap Kahan Jayenge”. He also sang Mohammed Rafi’s famous number “Meri Aawaj Suno” and some recent hits like “Tere Bin Naui Lagada Dil Mera”, “Chhand Sifarish Karta” and “Jhoom Barabr Jhoom”.

Yash Raj rendered “Hum Tere Bin Ab Rahi Nayi Sakte” from film “Ashiqui-II” and “Dil Sambhal Ja Jara” and “Haale Dil Tumko” from the film “Murder-II”, while Priyani Vani sang “Sun Sahiba Sun” and “Sawan Ka Mahina”. She churned out a medley of RD Burman hits like “Dum Maro Dum” and “Duniya Mein Logon Ko” in the final phase of the programme, which concluded with latest hit “Chintata Chita Chita”.

Earlier, pahadi singers Vimla and Birbal Sharma entertained the audience with folk songs. Troupes from the Pooja Kala Manch and the Keshav Musical Group also performed.

The programme was inaugurated by Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes.

Dalhousie, June 2
A six-day international students’ summer camp, organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations of the Union Ministry of External Affairs, commenced here yesterday at the youth hostel, Dalhousie.

A group of 35 students from 12 countries including Afghanistan, Cambodia, Djibouti, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Nepal, Yemen, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, and Ethiopia, is participating in the camp.

The camp was inaugurated by a former member of the Board of Directors of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation, Ashish Chadha.

While addressing participants, Chadha said it was a big boost to the hill station that students from various countries were coming to this place. “Such camps will go a long way in motivating tourists from abroad to visit Dalhousie,” he said.

Capt RS Rana (retd), manager of the hostel, said students would be visiting Chamba, Kalatop, Dainkund, Khajjiar hill resorts, NHPC power project at Chamera-1 during the camp.

Nahan, June 2
The Nahan police today registered a case of cheating against Surjeet Kumar of Kollar village and his accomplice for cheating, impersonation and criminal conspiracy after another youth appeared on his behalf for a field event in the recruitment of forest guards which is under way here today.

Surjeet Kumar, his brother and father, however, disappeared from the Chowgan Ground as soon as forest officials identified that someone had impersonated as Surjeet Kumar.

Additional SP Bhagat Singh said a case had been registered against Surjeet Kumar and his accomplice whose identity was yet to be established and further investigations were underway.

Since the field events were being videograped, the police was trying to identify the youth through the video footage.

Conservator RK Gupta, who was supervising the entire recruitment process, said the case came to light after the 100 m race when neither the youth’s picture nor his signatures matched with Surjeet and it became clear that he had impersonated as the candidate.

The Forest Department had been conducting recruitments for 21 forest guards since May 15 and thousands of youths were appearing or various tests everyday.

Chamba, June 2
Three persons died and 29 others were injured when a pick-up van met with an accident at Bholag near Trimath in a far-flung Bhattiyat sub-division of Chamba district today, Superintendent of Police Chamba BM Sharma said here today.

The accident occurred when 32 occupants, mostly women, all residents of the local area, were on board the ill-fated vehicle which was on its way from Bharari to Bholag for a pilgrimage, called “jatar”.

On receiving information, officials of the local administration and the police with the help of the local people carried out a relief and rescue operation and extricated the bodies of the deceased, the SP said, adding that the injured had been rushed to the nearby Civil Hospital.

The SP said two persons died on the spot while one succumbed to his injuries on the way to Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda (Kangra), adding that the deceased had been identified as Varender Kumar, Rekha Devi, wife of Gandhi, and Rekha, wife of Tilak Raj.

The injured were Asha Devi, Kashlo Devi, Pinki Devi, Vandna Devi, Harso Devi, Nirmala Devi, Komal, Urmila Devi, Sodha Devi, Godo Devi, Radhu, Rano, Shilpa, Bimla Devi, Sapna Devi, Brahmo Devi, Vicky, Kartar Singh, Lucky, Vipan Kumar, Nagesh Kumar, Rahul Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Sunil Kumar, Chaman Lal, Sanjay Kumar, the SP said.

The condition of the two injured was stated to be critical and they had been referred to the Tanda medical college, the SP said. A case has been registered at the Chowari police station.

Bilaspur, June 2
Local MLA Bambar Thakur raided the Government Sports Hostel at the Luhnu Sports Complex here yesterday and found several anomalies in its functioning.

Reports said the MLA went straight into the hostel in charge's room and took details of the daily routine of training programme of inmates.

When he rang up the District Sports Officer, he did not take the phone call.

He asked the hostel in charge to call him, but again he failed to take the call.

Later, Bambar said if there was an emergency and someone, even the hostel in charge or inmates, wanted to inform him about the same, how would they inform him as the officer did not bother to respond.

When all trainees gathered in the ground for the daily programme, several trainees were found absent. One out of four coaches was also found absent for a long time.

Earlier, the MLA visited the hostel mess and interacted with trainees.

He also rang up the HP state Director of Sports and Youth Services informing about his visit and the conditions prevailing there.

Bambar said this hostel, where talented girls and boys from across the state were taking sports training for which the government was spending a huge amount of money every month, was important and no lapses could be tolerated there.

He urged the Sports Director to take suitable action on his report.