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Baddi to be linked by train: CM
Maheshwar rules out return to BJP fold
Himachali artiste showcases skills in London
110 posts of fireman lie vacant
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Tenders invited for Shimla’s beautification
VIGNETTES
Andretta Village
‘Don’t bring Naina Devi under Town & Country Planning Act’
More winged guests at Pong this year: Census
Bar-headed geese take flight over the Pong Dam Lake area of Dharamsala. Photo by writer
Bilaspur dentist gets Padma Shri
250 saplings planted at Sahoo
Cong minister starts campaign from Una
Muslims oppose quota policy
HP front runner in health, education
Govt patronising forest mafia in Bilaspur: Former MP
Oustees threaten to disrupt road work
Assn urges CM to take action on pensions
HRTC bus service to Jammu, Chd sought
Kisan sabha welcomes opening of college
Varsity flayed for delay in releasing pension
Illegal mining detected, 1 fined Rs 1.21 lakh
People supporting Modi: Dhumal
BJP: Rebels’ return to help party Decision on LPG cylinders cap hailed Internet connectivity for panchayats Call to extend Palampur MC limits Rs 60 lakh for new sabzi mandi at Guler
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Baddi to be linked by train: CM
Baddi, February 2 He said the Sarv Kalyankari Sanstha was rendering service to society. Virbhadra said the misdeeds of the previous BJP government were being probed on the basis of a chargesheet filed by the Congress. Earlier, Chief Minister inaugurated a blood donation camp organised by the sanstha. He also distributed prizes to meritorious students, besides providing wheel chairs and financial assistance to the needy. Rajinder Rana, MLA and president, Sarv Kalyankari Sanstha, welcoming the CM, said the organisation had provided marriage assistance to about 5,000 poor girls. Others present were Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri, Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Chief Parliamentary Secretary ID Lakhanpal, president, State Youth Congress, Vikramaditya Singh, chairman, HP Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, Bawa Hardeep Singh and others. |
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Maheshwar rules out return to BJP fold
Kullu, February 2 The HLP and AAP leaders had met in Mandi recently to discuss the seat sharing or the merger of the two parties before the coming parliamentary elections. AAP had turned down the proposal citing there was no provision of seat sharing in the party’s constitution. As AAP failed to respond, the HLP core committee discussed various options available before them. Party’s state convener Maheshwar Singh said: “The division of votes needs to be checked among like-minded parties to defeat the Congress and the BJP. Hence, we have put forth our proposals in this context and it is the AAP high command which has to take a decision now.” He said: “The HLP has set its eye on the 2017 Assembly elections in the state and we have formulated our strategy. The coming election is one such step to achieve this goal.” Reacting to BJP leader Shanta Kumar’s invitation, he said: “We had quit the BJP on certain issues demanding action against a few corrupt leaders in the party. Before inviting us, Shanta Kumar should explain whether the BJP has taken action against them or not?” “He should not equate us with those leaders who left the party after they were denied ticket during the last Assembly elections. We left the party for certain principles, not for a sojourn to join back,” he added. Senior HLP leaders, including state HLP spokesperson Khushi Ram Balnatah, Shyama Sharma, Dulo Ram, were also present on the occasion. |
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Himachali artiste showcases skills in London
Kavita re-discovered her passion and after a successful solo exhibition in London and a few niche exhibitions with the Ealing Art Group, she has now brought her work to a wider audience. In her exhibition "Moments of Life" at the Menier Gallery in London, she exhibited some of her best collections from the past 12 years and also included her recent and successful collection "Snowflakes" in it. Talking over the phone from London, she said: “My roots are firmly ingrained here. I have an emotional connect with Himachal. It is in my soul and I am who I am because of it.” She makes sure she comes home at least once a year. In her painting, hidden stories in everyday mundane tasks fascinate her. “Scratch beneath the surface and there are torrents raging, people coping up with everyday affairs. But there are those hidden moments in between which arouse my interest,” she said. Kavita is also exhibiting a few selected pieces of her pottery work. Her favourite media are oil and acrylic on canvas. She paints in pastels on paper as well and enjoys sketching people, horses and still life. Kavita is now working on a collection for solo exhibitions that she intends to put up in London and India this year. Her instinct is to paint in the impressionistic style as well as use simple folk style of representing a scene. She has exhibited her work in Mumbai with famous artistes like Gieve Patel, Satish Gujral and Jamini Roy, among others. One such memorable exhibition was entitled "Have a Heart" in aid of children’s charity DEEDS. Kavita has also exhibited in London at the Pitshanger Manor Gallery in Ealing at the annual EAG exhibition. She had a recent solo exhibition at the Central Library at Ealing Broadway in London. Her studio pottery work has been exhibited at the Ealing, gallery. Kavita is also a member of the Ealing Art Group in London. |
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110 posts of fireman lie vacant
Shimla, February 2 The state needs 101 more firemen and 27 fire officers to run the fire stations as 110 posts of fireman out of 339 are vacant. The Fire Department needs a regular Chief Fire Officer. As of now, the post is with the commandant Home Guard. The Fire Department had sent a Rs 21-crore project to modernise the fire services to the Ministry of Home Affairs on April 8, 2013, and its sanction is awaited. Fire stations need a rescue van, a water mist and compressed air foam fire-fighting system, a mobilisation bus, 150 fire entry suits, 100 breathing apparatus, 25 full-body harnesses, two life-guard human life-detectors, each costing Rs 25 lakh, two victim location search cameras of Rs 8 lakh each and 20 petrol-driven chain saws, said the fire officials. The department has also sent a Rs 24-crore proposal to the state government to modernise its stations. Similarly, three posts of divisional fire officers in Shimla and Baldein fire training centres, four posts out of 10 of fire officers at Nahan, Kullu, Chamba and Dharamsala, six posts out of those of 32 sub-fire officers at Rohru, Una, Kinnaur, Rampur, Manali and the industrial hub of Parwanoo, and 18 out of the 74 sanctioned posts of leading firemen and shift in charge have been vacant for the last two-three years, revealed insiders. The major roadblock is the MHA’s criteria of 50,000 population for a town to get a fire station and modern equipment. None of the smaller towns meets the criteria as the population in a majority of the hill towns is less. Fire fury continues to consume historic buildings, thickly populated wood-built villages and shopping hubs, causing losses worth crores of rupees to the state every year. The Gorton Castle, Lower Bazaar and Badaon village in Kotkhai faced fire fury, suffering losses worth several crores of rupees in a span of three days this week alone. Twentytwo fire stations and six fire posts recently opened in Theog, Nurpur, Jwalaji, Sujanpur, Jogindernagar, Keylong and Banikhet, need firemen for fire-fighting operations. Two more posts at Kala Amb and Naina Devi are facing accommodation problems, said the firemen. “We have put trained home guards to meet the fire and other emergency situations at fire stations and posts,” said ID Bhandari, state Director-cum-Additional Director-General fire services. The firemen are using long pipes and small motorcycles fitted with equipment to douse the fire in areas where big tenders cannot go, he added. “We have less staff conducting drills for safety and rescue operations,” he added. |
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Tenders invited for Shimla’s beautification
Shimla, February 2 The old-colonial look of Shimla will be restored with the beautification plan covering The Mall from the Central Telegraph Office (CTO) to the Shimla Club and the Ridge to restore the old look of the city. It will ensure that the facade of heritage buildings remains unscathed. Illuminated heritage buildings, ornamental LED streetlights at every 50 metres, fountains, escalators connecting the Lower Bazaar with The Mall, hi-tech toilets, restructuring of old Combermere Bridge to restore the original look and symmetry in signboards on the shops are on the anvil. The restoration works in the first phase include the construction of retaining walls, proper drainage system, hi-tech toilets and high-class tarring of roads. Installation of three ornamental fountains at the Scandal Point, Rotary Club and Ladies Park are part of the plan. Three escalators connecting Lower Bazar with The Mall will also be provided. A proposal in 2011 to cover The Mall with cobbled stones had not been approved. Now, there will be black top coating on the road, said Director, Tourism, Mohan Chauhan, adding that a huge arch of the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex would be truncated to pave the way for refurbishing the original look of the Combermere Bridge. About 15 heritage buildings, including the Telegraph office, Town Hall, Gaiety Theatre, Christ Church, General Post Office, Ashiana (old band stand) and State Library on the Ridge, would be given a facelift and illuminated with LED lights and ornamental streetlights at every 50-m distance. The Municipal Corporation hadgiven the go-ahead to the project and talks were on with the Mall Road Market Association for putting symmetrical boards on the shops to ensure uniformity, Chauhan disclosed. The Rs 8-crore project for the restoration of Town Hall housing the MC office will run parallel to the beautification project and decks have been cleared for handing over the majestic building to the Tourism Department. Both plans are part of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) projects. "The restoration works will be taken up after carrying out structural safety tests of heritage buildings. The restoration in the second phase will be carried out from Viceregal Lodge, housing the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS) via Lakkar Bazaar to Sanjauli and the Shimla Club to Chhota Shimla. The move has evoked a mixed response from residents. Shimla-born Lt Gen Hardev Singh Lidder (retd) said the old decorum and discipline should be restored. The march of time could not be stopped and history couldn’t be re-lived. However, another resident Vijay said the initiative would bring back the old memories and be a treat for tourists. Restoring glory
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Goodbye, Gorton Castle
Shriniwas Joshi
The “Castle” , that had withstood 110 years, took only a few hours to transform into a blackened wreck. A private home - the original Gorton Castle -- had stood on the site since the 1850s and then changed hands several times. One buyer wanted to build a chapel, another planned a hospital. Neither of these projects took off. Finally, around 1900, the Imperial Government bought the place and work began on a building for the Civil Secretariat. The new building was constructed on 12,500 square metre. Colonel Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob, who designed it, was the choice of the then Viceroy, Lord Curzon,and for more than 40 years had served as consulting engineer to Jaipur State, and brought a Rajasthani touch to the otherwise Gothic building -- that explains the red-sandstone jaali-work, bosses (raised pieces of ornamentation) and Rajasthani-style brackets. The stone was quarried in Sanjauli. Despite the government paying close attention to the design and construction of the building, its railings could not stand the test of strength. ‘The Simla Times’ dated September 6, 1917, publishes: “One of the servants met with a serious accident the other day. After sweeping out the room of Honorable Howard, he went out on the adjoining balcony in order to pour out a bucket of water when the railing gave way precipitating him on the stone pavement below.” On its completion in 1904, the building housed the departments of home, legislature, health, finance, education and lands. In 1984, the building was taken over by the Accountant General’s office. It was faithfully rejuvenated in the original Indo-Gothic style in 2001-03 when Gorton Castle did not know that it would live for another 11 years only after its re-birth. When I saw the wreckage a few days ago, my heart bled and I quoted Richard Nickel: "Great architecture has only two natural enemies: water and stupid men." I think all of Shimla shares my feelings. Whose stupidity robbed us of the most magnificent building of Shimla? A probe will tell. TAILPIECE “A country without a past has the emptiness of a barren continent; and a city without old buildings is like a man without a memory.” — Graeme Shankland
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Women spearhead campaign against liquor, drug abuse Ravinder Sood
Andretta
(Palampur), February 2 These women have not allowed the administration to open a liquor vend in the village. Efforts of the Excise Department to set up a liquor shop in the village have apparently yielded no results in the past five years, thanks to stiff opposition of village women, committed as they are to making this village liquor and drug-free. They have also banned the entry of male members of their households into their homes if they come drunk. Village women received a piece of information yesterday that liquor was being sold illegally in one of the shops. A group of women immediately raided the shop and seized the illicit liquor. Later they informed the police about it. The police reached the spot, impounded the liquor bottles and registered cases under different provisions of the HP Excise Act against the culprits. Village women, while briefing visiting mediapersons, said they would continue their fight to end this social evil and make the village population prosperous. They said earlier, male members of their households had been spending most of their earnings on liquor, affecting their family lives and engaging in domestic violence. Recently, Dhani Ram Shandil, Social Welfare Minister, also visited the village and lauded the efforts of the village women towards making their village liquor-free. He assured full cooperation to them. He directed the local administration to provide them assistance.
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‘Don’t bring Naina Devi under Town & Country Planning Act’
Bilaspur, February 2 Addressing representatives who had come to meet him from these areas and were opposing this proposal, Randhir Sharma said villagers of the Naina Deviji area are already victimised due to dozens of villages having witnessed serious damage to their interests after these were included in wildlife sanctuary area and these villagers have not yet got any relief in this matter despite Supreme Court orders over a year ago. He expressed surprise that now, the Congress government had come out with another plan to harass them and torment them under the cover of so-called “planned expansion and development". He said now, everybody knows that application of this Act is nothing but another government attempt to loot villagers under various conditions and taxes. This, he said, is another route for official interference in routine affairs of the villages. Sharma said that earlier too, the Congress government had come out with this proposal, but then it had to be dropped due to strong opposition by people and even now, it would be strongly opposed, even if that means villagers would have to launch an agitation. He said he would raise this issue in the HP Assembly too and try to get this decision reversed as not only is it a retrograde step, but also it is against the interests of farmers of this area. Present on the occasion were Nagar Parishad president (Naina Deviji) Manish Sharma, vice-president Santosh Kumar, Parishad member Udarta Sharma, Mandhyali gram panchayat president Ram Krishan, Ghwandal panchayat vice-president Mast Ram and village representatives Kishan Kumar, Kanta Devi, Kamlesh Kumar, Gurbachan Singh, Chain Singh, Alkender Bhushan, Sita Ram, Suresh Kumar, Neelam and Mukesh Kumari among others. |
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More winged guests at Pong this year: Census
Dharamsala, February 2 Assistant Conservator, Wildlife, Dharamsala, DS Dadwal said the lake received 43,000 bar-headed geese this year. They migrate to India during the winter season from the cold deserts in Tibet. The Pong Dam Lake receives the highest population of the bar-headed geese in the entire country. The state wildlife authorities and Bombay Natural History Society had tagged some of them at the lake to track their migratory routes. DFO, Wildlife, Hamirpur, Subhash Prashar, who is the in charge of the Pong Dam Wildlife Sanctuary, said this year more birds had come to the lake. “This shows that the Wildlife Department has done a good job in securing a habitat for migratory birds,” he said. Over the years, the Pong Dam Lake has become an ideal haunt for migratory birds. Several birds have even made it their permanent habitat. But the encroachments along the lake pose a grave threat to the migratory guests. Locals grow crops near the lake, when the water recedes during the winter season, following which the birds feed on them. Sometimes farmers reportedly poison them to save their crops. The wildlife authorities and the Fisheries Department have also remained at loggerheads over fishing at the lake. While the wildlife authorities maintain that fishing should not be allowed at the lake, the Fisheries Department auctions the fish wealth every year and gives licence to locals to do fishing at the lake. |
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Bilaspur dentist gets Padma Shri
Shimla, February 2 Professor Verma did his early education from Government Middle School, Zakatkhana, a remote village in Bilaspur. He did his BDS from Trivandrum and MDS from the same institute. Dr Verma is vice-president of the Dental Council of India as well as president (elect) of the India Dental Association which has over 60,000 members. He is also recipient of the Dr BC Roy National Medical Award by the President of India. Dr Verma wants the Central and state governments to give priority to oral health schemes. He stressed on the need for a comprehensive national oral health care programmes all over the country. |
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250 saplings planted at Sahoo
Chamba, February 2 As many as 250 saplings of ban oak, ailanthus and acacia on the roadside at the entrance to Sahoo town were planted. Officials of the Chamba forest circle, including the Chief Conservator of Forests
(CCF) and the DFO, PWD officials, local residents and NSS volunteers were present. Speaking on the importance of environment conservation in the present-day context, CCF ARM Reddy appealed to volunteers to raise public awareness of the conservation of natural resources such as water flowing in the Ravi and protect the river from being turned into a drain and dumping ground. Talking to the media, Reddy said various agencies and individuals were dumping muck and solid waste into the
Ravi. “If steps are not taken to prevent the dumping of non-biodegradable solid waste into the river, the biological oxygen demand amount of the river waters are likely to be adversely affected, leading to the extinction of aqua flora and fauna,” the CCF said. Reddy appealed to NSS unit coordinators Mohinder Salaria and Prof Poonam to chalk out a programme with forest officials and take over a forest area during the coming summer months to protect it from forest fires. He urged the team to take up programmes such as eradication of cannabis from Chamba town on the banks of the
Ravi. Later, NSS volunteers collected polythene waste from beneath the forest block office at
Sahoo. |
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Cong minister starts campaign from Una
Una, February 2 Addressing party leaders, Agnihotri counted all sanctioned and coming projects initiated for Haroli during the present Congress regime, including the Rs 922-crore Swan river tributaries embankment project, the Rs 200-crore food park which was to come up at Singan, Rs 122-crore Central project to set up an Indian Institute of Information Technology at Saloh and the Pandoga industrial area, funds for which had been sanctioned. The minister told his supporters to work for the economically weaker sections in their areas. He said Rs 2 crore had been spent during the last one year in Haroli for medical relief of the poor. Agnihotri said while there was adequate scope of tourism in Haroli, the segment had been ignored during the BJP tenure. He said a Tourist Information Centre had been sanctioned and the area around religious places and natural water sources was being beautified. |
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Muslims oppose quota policy
Bilaspur, February 2 Led by Arshaad Mohammed Sheikh, president, Diara Islamic Committee, here several leaders have said the Constitution makers had extended the provision of reservation only for 10 years after freedom so that those left behind in society could cover ground. But then, political parties developed vested interest of votebank politics in this provision. The system was still being implemented even after 65 years
of freedom. The Islamic Committee is of the opinion that reservation should not be based on any caste or religion, but on economic status of the family, and its benefit should be given only once to a family. The committee said the present policy was benefiting repeatedly only a select section of targeted castes. It was causing serious divisions and differences among those who were
better qualified and brilliant, but denied their justified place in admissions, services, postings and promotions. They said even a large chunk of targeted castes were being denied this benefit due to the faulty implementation and their economic condition and socials status was no better today than it was 65 years ago. |
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HP front runner in health, education
Shimla, February 2 He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had been considerate towards the developmental needs of the state. He said when he contested the election from Mahasu for the first time, he had to travel over 1,350 km on foot for campaigning as road connectivity was negligible. Today there was over 34,000-km road network and 100 per cent villages had electricity and potable water. The industrial package announced for Himachal was terminated midway due to pressure by neighbouring states but now this package had been extended till 2017 which would give boost to industrialisation, he added. The CM also honoured Professor and Head, Ortho, PGI, Dr Raj Bahadur, Professor and Head Cardiology, Dr Yashpal Sharma, Professor of the Eye Department, Dr MR Dogra, Executive Magistrate, DS Beloria and other dignitaries. Earlier, the CM inaugurated a blood donation camp and also released a souvenir. |
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Govt patronising forest mafia in Bilaspur: Former MP
Bilaspur, February 2 Talking to mediapersons, Chandel said the Congress leader was being protected by top Congress leaders in Shimla. He added that Bamber Thakur was threatening honest district officers that in case they failed to give contracts to his relatives, he would get them transferred to distant places. Chandel said, “Bamber Thakur has floated several fake benami agencies and is getting remunerative government contracts and jobs to these.” He further said one of his relatives was involved in illegal felling of costly Khair trees at Juwaah and Ganeer forest areas. The villagers helped in detecting this mass-scale destruction and smuggling of government property worth several crores, but the forest department only took action against a forest guard and four other contractors.
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Oustees threaten to disrupt road work
Bilaspur, February 2 The construction company had recently signed a written agreement with the action committee under the chairmanship of the DC, some of which were accepted. Those addressing the rally at Shaheed Kumari Champa Park threatened to disrupt the road-construction work unless all points of the agreement were implemented by the contractor and the district administration. They said the land taken over from the oustees must be clearly marked and every family should be given a field book indicating what land would remain with them. They said all families should be rehabilitated, and local oustees and labour must be employed for the work.
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Assn urges CM to take action on pensions
Bilaspur, February 2 The meeting urged the CM to give them financial benefits on the Punjab pattern. The demands included an increase in pension by 5 per cent, 10 per cent and 15 per cent on attaining age of 65, 70 and 75 years, while anomalies in pension of those who retired before 2006 be removed. The resolution said the state JCC be formed, 10 per cent DA be released, those completing 70 years be allowed free treatment at hospitals, all pensioners be given income tax free holiday up to Rs 5 lakh and pilgrimage allowance equal to one-month pension every two years. The meeting said the district administration had even failed to accept the demand of starting a bus service for the elderly and children. |
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HRTC bus service to Jammu, Chd sought
Kangra, February 2 PR
Agnihotri, committee president, said here yesterday that a resolution was passed by the committee in the interest of pilgrims and patients. He said there was no direct HRTC bus service connecting Kangra with Jammu after 12.30 pm till 10.30
pm. Agnihotri expressed concern over the 10-hour gap in the bus service on this route and demanded a direct HRTC bus service to facilitate pilgrims visiting Kangra and patients seeking treatment at the
PGI, Chandigarh. Satish Gupta, a senior citizen, said an HRTC bus service to Chandigarh should be started soon so that patients reached the PGI in time. The resolution demanded that Transport Minister GS Bali take action in this direction at the earliest. |
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Kisan sabha welcomes opening of college
Shimla, February 2 Addressing the rally, HKS president Dr Kuldip Tanvar said the credit went to the sabha members and villagers who struggled for over a decade before their demand was accepted. “We welcome the decision and the college should start science and arts classes from the coming session so that students of a dozen panchayats get benefit,” he added. He said the Kasumpti Assembly segment was the most backward area as no development was done here for the last 66 years. An ITI should be opened here so that local students got skill training, he added.
Zila Parishad member Niranjan Verma said it was a long-pending demand of the people. Koti panchayat pradhan Sevak Ram also hailed the decision and thanked the local MLA. |
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Varsity flayed for delay in releasing pension
Palampur, February 2 Dr Phull said earlier too they were paid pension arrears only after court orders. He said the university authorities were again adopting delaying tactics on the pretext of financial crisis. However, the university was releasing all benefits to its serving employees regularly. Dr Phull said the pension for January was due and if the university failed to release it, they would file a contempt petition against the management. Earlier, the HP High Court had withheld the salary of the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar for not releasing the pension of retired employees.
— OC |
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Illegal mining detected, 1 fined Rs 1.21 lakh
Nurpur, February 2 As per the information, on spotting the raiding team the drivers of two tippers and four JCBs fled from the scene leaving behind their machinery being used in the riverbed. Later, the owner of the tippers and JCBs, hailing from Punjab, met the Mining Department team. He was fined Rs 1.21 lakh on the spot. Puri said the department would continue its drive to curb the menace of illegal mining in riverbeds. |
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People supporting Modi: Dhumal
Hamirpur, February 2 Dhumal said the authenticity of the poll surveys would be judged after the outcome of the elections as people were extending overwhelming support to Narendra Modi. He termed the reaction of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on the poll survey an “act of frustration”. Dhumal said, “The Chief Minister is acting in a strange manner and is reacting against his
own party colleagues in petty matters.”
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The Baddi-Barotiwala- Nalagarh area will soon be connected with train and an agreement has been signed with the Railways.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said this here today while presiding over a function of the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh unit of the Sarv Kalyankari
Sanstha.
The Pong Dam Lake received more winged guests this year as compared to last year, reveals the census conducted by Wildlife Department.
The international wetland received 1, 28, 200 birds of 119 species this year, as compared to 1, 23, 000 birds last year.
Shimla, February 2
Shimla, February 2
When I got up early in the morning of January 29, from my house, I saw the billows of black smoke rising from the southern range and later found out that 62 rooms out of a total of 125 of the five-storey Gorton Castle had been gutted.