Shimla, March 6
With 22.45 lakh voters below 40 years, the Youth Congress will contact 8,000 Yuvak Mandals, besides using the social media to get across its viewpoint.

Equipped with an exhaustive data bank, the Youth Congress is hoping to play a crucial role in the Lok Sabha poll as 45.86 per cent voters are below 40 years. To drive home its point, the Youth Congress intends holding conventions and campus interactions to take feedback from the youth on issues related to policy formulation.

"I will shortly launch the Youth Congress interaction programme with the Yuvak Mandals from Hamirpur district so that the voice of the youth is heard and their opinion can be reflected in the policy formulation," said Vikramaditya Singh, state Youth Congress president and son of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

He asserts that there can be no better platform than the Yuvak Mandals, which are non-political to get to know the issues concerning the youth. "No party can afford to ignore the youth, so it is imperative that we lend them ear and involve them in policy formulation," he said.

He said Yuvak Mandals that existed in every panchayat of the state were pro-active, but did not get any funding from any agency to undertake their activities.

Taking a cue from Rahul Gandhi, the Youth Congress also intends holding campus interaction at various educational institutes such as Central University, IIT, the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIIFT), HP University and other such places.

He said the Youth Congress would also try and get across its viewpoint to the youth on Twitter. "The Congress has tried to bring about transparency with the Right to Information Act and the Lokpal Bill, which is an achievement," he says.

He said the Congress regime in Himachal had started Skill Allowance where financial assistance was being given to the educated youth to acquire skills. He said there was need to create more employment avenues for the youth by promoting Himachal as an IT hub.

Palampur, March 6
The Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) today suffered a major setback when its vice-president Dulo Ram left the party along with hundreds of party workers and joined the BJP.

Dulo Ram belonged to the tribal Gaddi community and had its stronghold in six Assembly segments of Kangra district. He had also represented Baijnath twice in Assembly.

Dulo Ram reached the residence of Shanta Kumar this morning and filled the membership form of the BJP. He said he was a true soldier of the BJP, but because of certain political compulsions, he had left the party in 2010 and joined the HLP.

However, because of changed political scenario, he had decided to rejoin the BJP which was his parent organisation. He announced that he would work sincerely for the victory of Shanta, who was contesting from Kangra.

Later, a function was also held where hundreds of BJP workers, including senior BJP leaders Shanta Kumar, Jai Ram Thakur, MLA from Mandi, former MLAs Bipan Singh Parmar, Parveen Sharma, Capt Atma Ram and Krishan Kapoor, were present to witness the re-entry ceremony of Dulo Ram.

Addressing party workers, Shanta said like other states, the Modi wave was also seen in Himachal Pradesh. He said during his visit to Kangra and Chamba districts, he had witnessed that the morale of party workers was high. He stated that the NDA would form the government at the Centre and Modi would be the next Prime Minister.

He appealed to people to beware of those who were only vote spoilers. He particularly referred the names of the third front and the Aam Aadmi Party. He said vote given to these party would go waste as there was no scope for them. 

Shimla, March 6
After failing to woo Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) chief Maheshwar Singh to rejoin the BJP, the party is left with no option but to pick its candidate from four-member panel submitted by the state unit.

The Central Election Committee (CEC) of the party had already cleared the names of former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar from Kangra and re-nominate the sitting MPs Anurag Thakur and Virender Kashyap from Hamirpur and Shimla (Reserve) constituencies at its meeting on February 27. It did not find a suitable candidate to take on sitting Congress MP Pratibha Singh, wife of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, and deferred the decision.

The party tried to woo Maheshwar, but he remained adamant. The CEC meeting on March 8 will decide the name from four-member panel comprising Ajay Rana, Kargil hero Brig Khushal Thakur (retd), sitting MLA from Manali Gobind Thakur and senior party leader Ram Swaroop Sharma.

Ajay Rana and Khushal Thakur have emerged front runners and Khushal stands a better chance if the party opts for an ex-serviceman. If the preference is for some leader from the organisation, Ajay, who has a good rapport with former Chief Minister PK Dhumal, will be the choice, senior party leaders have indicated.

The BJP had won the Mandi seat in 1989, 1998 and 1999, but lost it in 2004 and 2009 and in all elections, Maheshwar Singh was the party candidate. However, in the by-election held in June 2013, Maheshwar opposed the BJP and the Congress won by a huge margin of 1.34 lakh votes.

The entire focus of the BJP is on winning the Mandi seat as it has made Virbhadra and Pratibha the target and defeat in this seat will have far reaching repercussions in state politics.

Maheshwar had defeated Congress candidate Sukh Ram in 1989, but lost to him in 1991. He defeated Pratibha Singh in 1998 and Kaul Singh in 1999, but Pratibha Singh defeated him in 2004. However, in the 2009 Lok Sabha poll, Maheshwar lost to Virbhadra by a narrow marging of over 10,000 votes, but in the subsequent byelection, Pratibha defeated Jairam Thakur by 1.34 lakh votes.

Maheshwar has turned down the offer of both the BJP and AAP to contest from Mandi and his "direct or indirect" support to the Congress will be crucial in the Mandi seat.

Shimla, March 6
Taking exception to the violations of the poll code by leaders of the ruling Congress, the BJP today sent a letter addressed to the Election Commission, Himachal Pradesh, to apprise it about of the facts and sought action.

BJP state secretary Trilok Jamval stated that the incomplete ESI medical college at Ner Chowk, Mandi, was inaugurated by Union Labour and Employment Minister Oscar Fernandes and Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh yesterday after implementation of the code of conduct.

Moreover, red beacons were not removed from the government vehicles and the DC, Mandi, who is also the election officer of Mandi, was accompanying the Chief Minister in the inaugural function till 12 noon, he added.

Even after the inauguration of the medical college, the government helicopter was used by the Chief Minister and the Union minister.

Jamval pointed out that even after the code of conduct came into existence, a large number of officers were transferred which was against the norms. Similarly, Nadaun Spice Park was inaugurated by Union Minister Anand Sharma through video-conferencing.

The state BJP demanded a time-bound probe into all allegations and also sought action against the erring officials and leaders. All transfer orders issued on March 5 should be cancelled.

Against EC norms

* ESI medical college in Mandi was inaugurated after implementation of the code of conduct.

* CM, Union minister used government helicopter

* Officers were transferred in the state

Shimla, March 6
Political parties are reaching out to voters on Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp. AAP has already enrolled 2 lakh members, claim AAP leaders in Himachal. Capt Vikram Batra's mother of the 1999 Kargil war hero, Kamal Kanta Batra, who is the likely candidate of AAP from Hamirpur is available on WhatsApp and Facebook. She is reaching out to her fans and friends and admirers.

AAP volunteers claimed that they had made two lakh members both online and through office registration. “We are reaching out to people in snowbound areas of the state and will tour the area once weather warms up, said state AAP convener Des Raj.

AAP volunteers condemned the BJP’s attack on its protesters in Delhi, Lucknow and Gujarat. Yesterday's attack on AAP volunteers in Delhi, who were protesting against the detention of Arvind Kejriwal in Gujarat, was done allegedly on the behest of the BJP, charged AAP leaders.

The protest was peaceful. “The volunteers from Himachal also participated in the protest. The BJP has lost its ground in Delhi and the attack was motivated”, charged Des Raj.

However, BJP spokesman Ganesh Dutt denied AAP leader's charges.

The AAP has already launched its Jhadu campaign in Mandi, Hamirpur, Kangra and Shimla reaching out to the common voters. “It is catching up among the younger voters who use the social media”, claimed Chaman Rakesh Azta, an AAP volunteer in Shimla.

Similarly, the HLP has launched its website and enrolling members online and reaching out to the people, said Tikku Thakur, HLP spokesperson.

Una, March 6
Anurag Thakur, sitting BJP MP from Hamirpur, today began his campaign in Una district by addressing public meetings in Arniala, Kuthar Khurd, Behdala, Dehlan and Raipur Sahoran panchayats. BJP state president and local MLA Satpal Singh Satti accompanied him.

Anurag said inflation, unemployment and corruption remained the hallmark of the UPA government during its 10-year tenure. He appealed to people to give a chance to the BJP that promised to usher in development, check unemployment, inflation and corruption. He said the rates of LPG, petrol and diesel had increased manifold during the UPA regime, making life difficult for the common man.

The BJP candidate also took a dig at the Chief Minister, alleging that he had failed to respond to the charges of corruption against him and his family members. He said the state government too had failed to get the state’s dues from the Centre.

Earlier, at the Indira Gandhi stadium, Anurag flagged off a truck carrying farm implements, mud and water from villages of Una to Gujarat for the use in the proposed statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He also inaugurated a T-20 cricket tournament organised by the Youth Cricket Promoter and Cultural Club at the stadium. 

Shimla, March 6
The entire process of acquisition of the heritage property, Bantony, on the Mall is likely to be undertaken again as owners are raising objection to the proceedings being undertaken under the old Land Acquisition Act. The process was initiated in November last year.

Confronted with the legal objection filed by one of the owners, Vishwanath Sood, the Language, Art and Culture Department has sought the opinion of the Revenue Department to find out whether the acquisition notice issued in November 2013 will be applicable or a fresh one be issued.

Sources said the formal notice for acquisition of the Bantony would have to be followed all over again under the new Land Acquisition Act.

“The law is very clear that in case the award has not been announced, the notice for the acquisition will have to be issued all over again under the new Act,” said an official.

The Language, Art and Culture Department has sought clarification from the Revenue and Law Departments.

The acquisition of the Bantony, where a dilapidated wooden structure, once the summer palace of the Maharaja of Sirmaur, had figured prominently in the Congress "chargesheet" against the BJP regime.

While accusing the BJP of failing to conserve it, it was mentioned in the "chargesheet" that when voted to power, the Congress would acquire and conserve this as a heritage property.

“I am still awaiting the response of the government on the legal objections filed by me after which I will decide the future course of action,” said Sood, one of the 10 co-owners of the prime property spread over 22 bighas.

He said he had sought to take up the acquisition proceedings all over again under the new land Acquisition Act after the repealment of the earlier Land Acquisition Act, 1894.

Another major grouse that he holds is that the land acquisition collector has issued notice for acquiring only the top portion of 5 bighas and 3 biswas of land out of the total of about 22 bighas.

"The value of the remaining land will be reduced to nil as I will be left with no access to the remaining portion. So I want that one corner of the top portion where the heritage structure stands be given to me,” he asserts.

In 2011, Ranjay Trehan, a London-based businessman, had submitted a proposal to the State Tourism Department for setting up a resort and a spa at the Bantony.

He had sought essentiality certificate from the authorities concerned on the ground that he had entered into a sale agreement with the owners of the property in November 2011.

Shimla, March 6
Chandni Sharma, winner of Indian Princess, 2014, today said her next port of call was Bollywood. Talking to mediapersons here, Chandni, a small town girl of non-descript Gohar, said she would support the cause of poor children and education of the girl child in the country.

Chandni is an electronic engineer and settled in Mumbai with her parents. She pursued her education from St Mary School, Sundernagar. She was accompanied by Indian Princess International vice-president Varsha Rane to promote the Atharva Education Trust of Mumbai.

Rane informed that the grand finale of Indian Princess, 2014, was held in Mumbai on February 18 where Chandni was adjudged the winner by the panel, led by Govinda, Juhi Chawla, Krishika Lulla, Lesli Luisce and Varsha Rane.

Dalhousie, March 6
The Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) Pensioners Union on Tuesday said the government and the corporation were meting out a stepmotherly treatment to its pensioners.

Office-bearers of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation Pensioners Union said their pension had not been released for the past two months.

They demanded that the payment should be made on the first date of every month regularly and be transferred to their bank accounts like other pensioners.

New Delhi, March 6
The Himachal Pradesh Government in its plea to the Supreme Court (SC) has sought not to make Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh a party to the case relating to the controversy over the Dharamsala Cricket Stadium and other properties of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA).

“It is absolutely unnecessary to personally implead the Chief Minister or any other person. The Chief Minister will be in no position personally to justify the correctness or propriety” of an order passed by the Registrar of Societies on October 28, 2013, on the issue, the state government said in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court.

The state government has filed the affidavit in response to a notice issued by the SC on February 7 on a petition by the HPCA, challenging the Himachal Pradesh High Court order of January 8, 2014, refusing to make Singh a party to the case.

On October 26, 2013, the state government had taken over the stadium and other properties of the HPCA, headed by BJP MP Anurag Thakur, son of former Chief Minister PK Dhumal, but the HP High Court undid this on November 26 last year by ordering status ‘quo ante’.

In its reply filed in the Supreme Court, the state government said the plea for Singh’s impleadment in the case was only aimed at harassing him.

A bare perusal of the Registrar’s order would show that it was not passed “under the dictate of any outside authority or person. It speaks for itself and there is absolutely no question of the Chief Minister having acted in personal malice in the passing of the said order.”

“There is not even a prima facie case to relate the Chief Minister to the order dated 28.10.2013. The petitioner’s grievance in this regard is completely imaginary. This is the reason why the HC declined to implead the Chief Minister personally, merely on the fanciful allegations of the petitioner,” the state government said. 

Shimla, March 6
Resident doctors at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) staged a silent protest in support of their agitating counterparts in Uttar Pradesh here today. They condemned the attack on doctors and faculty members of the Kanpur medical college by hired goons.

Besides the HP Medical College Officers Association (HPMCOA), State Association of Medical and Dental College of Teachers (SAMDCOT) also joined the Indira Gandhi Medical College protesters.

HPMCOA general secretary JN Chauhan, SAMDCOT president Arvind Kandoria and social secretary Yuv Raj Singh demanded a probe into the incident and strict action against the erring MLA and the goons. 

Shimla, March 6
Work on the 100-bed military hospital, known as Walker Hospital, which is already more than five years behind schedule, has come to a halt. This has evoked the ire of ex-servicemen and serving soldiers in the state capital.

Insiders in the Military Engineering Services cite contractual hassles and slow pace of work as reasons for a delay in completion of the work. The Army authorities have cancelled the contract and decided to re-tender the remainder of the work, they said.

The delay has pushed the military hospital constriction five years behind schedule. Ex-servicemen and serving soldiers find themselves at the receiving end. As of now, they go to Jatog cantonment ECHS polyclinics for treatment.

“Ex-servicemen coming from around the district including snow-bound areas of Kinnaur are suffering. They have to go all the way to Jatog,” said Brig (retd) Dr DS Chajta.

“We had expected the military hospital to start functioning in 2010. It is a pity that the construction has come to a standstill here,” he said.

Ex-servicemen and serving soldiers rued lack of a full-fledged military hospital in the capital. “I and my wife come from remote areas for treatment. We switch over three buses from Sanjauli on way to Jatog, where there is a polyclinic, no full-fledged hospital,” says Lt BM Dogra, an Indian Navy retiree.

Work on the Walker Hospital was allotted to a private contractor way back in 2006, about eight years after it was burnt down by a midnight fire on December 22, 1998, said sources.

The cost of the hospital has been revised from about Rs 25 crore as estimated earlier to about Rs 40 crore, sources further said. "The work has been suffering since 2008 as the contractor failed to meet the targets," it has been stated.

Named after JL Walker, a banker, who had donated the building raised in 1902, it was converted into a military hospital in 1954. The hospital caters to troops deployed in cantonments from Subathu to the border with China in Kaurik, Kinnaur.

Superintending engineer, Commander Works Engineer, Jatog cantonment, DC Japlot, said the authorities were seized of matter and work was being re-tendered soon.

“We are simply the executing agency and await direction from the Chandimandir authorities,” he added.

Shimla, March 6
Residents in snow-bound tribal areas have upped the ante against political parties. They have cited their failure to declare Kinnaur disaster-hit and protect tribal land rights in the recent sellout of two hydro-power projects.

They have also raised the issue pertaining to pathetic conditions of border roads and threat to national security in areas on the India-China border as major issues for Lok Sabha poll contestants.

Hailing the Election Commission of India's May 7 poll date for the state, residents say the voters will cast their votes as the 13,050-foot-high Rohtang Pass to the Lahaul-Spiti and other border roads in Kinnaur are open due to the melting of snow. Major issues would be the government's failure to declare Kinnaur a calamity-hit district as the flash floods and snowfall had brought about disaster in the area as was the case in Kedarnath, said Ranjit Negi, convener, Himlok Sanskriti Jagriti Manch Kinnaur.

The residents accused JP Venture Energy Limited of violating the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996 and tribal laws by selling the two hydro-power projects, 1,200-MW Karcham-Wangtoo and 300 MW Baspa project, to an Abhu Dhabi company without taking the NoC of the gram sabha which is mandatory under the Forest Rights Act 2006.

“We have raised the issue with the Government of India and Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh for action against JP Venture Energy," said Negi. Kinnaur, upon being declared disaster-hit, stood to receive more financial help while loan waiver and immediate disbursal of claims to victims were other possibilities, he said.

“The government has sought Rs 1,100 crore relief from the Centre, but Kinnaur got Rs 26 crore,” said Ranjit, citing information he received under the RTI Act.

Not only this, residents in Pangi in Bharmour, Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur and Dodra Kwaar in Rohroo still live like their ancestors used to in the middle ages during the six winter months. The border national highways -- Manali-Keylong, Keylong-Pangi, Kinnaur-Kaurik and Spiti remained blocked for almost six months as the roads were not maintained properly by the Border Roads Organisation, said Chering Dorje, vice-chairman, Richen Zangpo Cultural Society, Lahaul-Spiti.

Residents resent that successive state governments have failed to implement the Forest Rights Act and settle people's claims in Scheduled Tribe areas.aThey welcome the Centre’s move to declare border roads, Manali-Leh and Kinnaur-Kauirk and other roads, as strategic recently after the issue was raised time and again in these columns.

Shimla, March 6
Disclosure of annual confidential reports (ACR) cannot be denied in the working of public authorities. This was informed by the HP High Court while dealing with an issue wherein the applicant had sought information regarding disclosures of names of the reporting officer, first and second review/accepting authority and authors of the annual confidential reports.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice VK Sharma observed, “We are of a considered view that not only an employee has constitutional and statutory right to obtain the information, but also the employers have a corresponding legal duty to disclose the same.”

The Bench further observed that “the object of the Right to Information Act is to bring transparency and accountability in the working of public authorities. The Act confers a right on the citizens to access information from the public authority, which is obliged to facilitate this right. It is a constitutional right. All entries in the ACRs of a civil public servant must be communicated”.

It said, “Information supplied would only be conducive for fairness and transparency in the public administration. If transparency is to be brought in and public servants are to be held accountable, disclosure of ACRs to the concerned employee cannot be denied”.

In the instant case, the applicant had sought information with reference to his ACRs, pertaining to different periods, but the employer refused to furnish the same on the ground that that there was fiduciary relationship between the employer and the reporting/reviewing authority and as such their particulars could not be disclosed.

Aggrieved from this, he preferred an appeal, which stood rejected by the appellate authority. Relentlessly, he pursued the matter before the Central Information Commission (CIC) and it directed the employer, State Bank of India, to furnish information to the applicant. Aggrieved from the order of the Central Information Commission, the bank filed a petition before the court. The court dismissed the petitions with the observations that not only an employee has constitutional and statutory right to obtain information sought for, but also the employers have a corresponding legal duty to disclose the same. 

Dharamsala, March 6
The allotment of about 10 kanals on lease near the Bhagsunag temple area has kicked up a controversy as Bhagsu, a pristine tourist location in the Dharamsala Municipal Council, will soon turn into a concrete jungle.

The district administration has leased the remaining land for the construction of a multi-storey hotel and a mall. Sources said even the Bhagsu swimming pool that was open to tourists would now be the property of a person who has given about 10 kanals around Bhagsu temple on lease.

Bhagsu residents are contemplating an agitation against the district administration’s decision to allot the prime open area of the Bhagsunag temple for the construction of a multi-storey hotel and a mall.

Bhagsunag temple trustee and Dharamsala Municipal Council vice-president Omkar Nehria while talking to The Tribune said earlier also the state government had given the prime land near the temple for the construction of a mall. Now almost the entire land of Bhagsunag temple has been given on lease for Rs 60,000 per month.

Tourists coming to Bhagsunag look for some open land to cherish nature. However, the district administration was converting the pristine location of the Bhagsunag temple into a concrete jungle, he said.

Local Congressmen, including senior leaders from Dharamsala, allege that the prime land has been leased out to a Batala resident from Punjab.

The Congressmen have complained to the Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Sudhir Sharma, alleging that the prime land in Bhagsunag has been leased to a Punjab resident.

While the minister was not available for comments, sources close to him said he had not taken kindly to the allotment.

Kangra DC Paul Rasu justified the allotment of land to the Batala resident. He said a transparent method had been adopted. He said open bids were called for the allotment of land on lease.

Three parties, two from Himachal and one from Punjab, had applied for the land. The highest bidder was allotted the land.

Earlier, the land was given on lease for Rs 15,000 per month. After transparent bidding, the government would earn a rent of Rs 60,000 per month from the land, he said.

The Congressmen are alleging that their party had been campaigning against the allotment of land to outsiders by the previous BJP government. Now, the land was being allotted to outsiders in their own government. They also alleged that permission under Section 118, Land Tenancy Act, should have been taken before allotting the land on lease to outsiders.

The DC said there was no need for permission under Section 118, Land Tenancy Act. The ownership of land was still with the government and it had just been given on lease.

Sources told The Tribune that certain politically influential people from Dharamsala were also keen on getting the land on lease. However, since the highest bidder turned out to be an outsider, they had failed to get it.

The issue is likely to generate political heat in the coming days as some Congressmen are planning to take up the issue with the Chief Minister.

Residents, including the temple trustee, however, alleged that advertisements for the land allotment were deliberately given in lesser circulated newspapers.

How was it possible that just quotations were received for such a prime property by the district administration if proper procedure was followed, they quipped.

About Bhagsunag

* Legend has it that King Bhagsu had a war with the Snake God as he had taken water from the sacred Nag Dal Lake. The king was vanquished and forgiven by the Snake God, and the site consecrated as Bhagsunag

* Legend also says that in the beginning of Kalyug, Raja Dharamchand dreamt that Lord Shiva asked him to build a temple here to bring prosperity to the area. The temple is believed to be 5,100 years old

Dharamsala, March 6
Lesser white-fronted goose, an endangered migratory bird from Scandinavia and Arctic Russia, has been recorded for the first time in the region. It was recorded at the Pong Dam wetland at Nagrota Surian by Devinder Singh Dhadwal, Assistant Conservator of Forests. The bird has been listed as endangered on the IUCN list.

Talking to The Tribune, Dadwal said it had been recorded for the first time in the entire region. It is the 422nd species of birds recorded in the lake.

More than 70 per cent of the bird species, including migratory words that have been found in the entire region, have been recorded at the Pong Dam lake. This is an indicator of the varied habitat, including much-needed shelter and food that the Pong Dam wetland provides to bird species, he said.

The lesser white-fronted goose (anser erythropus) is a goose closely related to the larger white-fronted goose (a albifrons).

Both white-front species have a conspicuous white face and broad black bars which cross the belly.

The adult lesser white-fronted goose is smaller than white-fronted goose and has an obvious yellow eye-ring and a white facial blaze that goes up to the crown.

The species departs from its breeding grounds in northern Scandinavia and Arctic Russia in late August up to early September.

This species breeds in low-lying bogs, scrub-covered Tundra and Taiga-forest edges close to wetlands, up to 700 m above sea level. It can also be found on the slopes along lower parts of mountain streams, on mountain foothills, mountain lakes and on alpine precipices, often in thawing boggy areas or on stone fields.

Adults of this species undergo a post-breeding flightless summer mould while still in their breeding range that is in Siberia and Scandinavia. During winter and on migration, this species frequents open short grassland in the steppe and semi-arid zones, particularly in sodic (eg seashore) pastures, arable farmland, pastures.

This species is herbivorous feeding on grasses, roots, stems, leaves, fruits and green parts of aquatic and terrestrial plants along lake shores, rivers and marshes. Last year, hopper swan, another species in the league, was recorded at the Pong Dam wetland.

This year, the Pong Dam International Wetland received 1,28,200 birds of 119 species during winter season.

The data has come to the fore during a census of birds conducted by the Wildlife Department at the Pong Dam lake on January 29.

Sundernagar, March 6
Those who are part of a new batch of forest guards getting six-month training at the Forest Training Institute and Rangers College, Sundernagar, are nowadays undergoing compulsory karate training.

From last year, authorities at the institute and college have included a crash course in karate in the training.

According to Rajeev Sharma, course co-coordinator for forest guards' training, a batch of 48 forest guards (34 males and 14 females) from across the state are undergoing a six-month training at the institute before they are posted in the field.

To provide training in self-defence, the institute organised a crash course in the martial art. The course, that featured traditional training, concluded in two weeks.

The training was provided by a panel of black belts from the Academy of Martial Arts, Sundernagar. The academy has been giving training in martial arts for the last more than two decades. According to a spokesman of the academy, in the past it has imparted training in karate to three batches of forest guards and one of range officers that passed out recently.

As per feedback received by authorities at the training institutes from forest guard trainees, they took a keen interest in learning karate. According to forest trainees, the training will be useful for them as most of the time they have to live in forests, that too without arms.

They feel the training adds to their endurance and confidence. They say the training in martial arts should be made a regular feature of the training.

Solan, March 6
The much-hyped move of the state government to develop industrial areas and ensure ready land availability has failed to draw investors. A large number of plots thus allotted are lying unused.

According to a status report of the Industries Department on Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN), which accounts for 79 per cent of the total investment in the state, out of the 1,090 units set up on various government-allotted plots, 779 are operational.

The Department of Industries, Himachal Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (HPSIDC) and the Himachal Housing and Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) had developed nine industrial areas, including two Export Promotion Industrial Parks in the BBN where 1,279 plots were allotted after carving out 1,322 plots.

The industrial areas developed after grant of the central industrial package in 2003 have not attracted adequate investors. The state government is developing new industrial areas.

The worst sufferer is the HPSIDC which had carved out 122 plots on an area of 601 bighas at Davni in the BBN area and had allotted 88 plots to as many industrial units in 2007-08, but only 14 industrial units are now operating from these plots.

HIMUDA had likewise developed 81 plots on an area of 340 bighas at the peak of industrialisation in 2004-05. These were allotted to 81 industrial units and 65 units are operating on these plots while 16 are lying unused.

Not only this, 50 plots were carved out in an apparel park-cum-industrial area developed by the Industries department in 2005-06 on an area of 375-12 bighas to attract textile and related investment in Katha.

Only 28 investors out of the allotted 31 are now operating here, leaving the rest of the plots vacant. An industrial area was developed at Lodhi Majra in 2008-09 over 571-01 bighas where 151 plots were carved out and 131 industrial units were allotted land. Only 37 units are operational now on these plots, leaving a vast majority of the plots unused.

Though Industries Department has no concrete figures of how many investors have wound up operations, the number of unused plots where no industrial activity is underway is an indicator of how investors have closed their operations after lapse of major incentives like the central excise and income tax exemption available under the Central industrial package in March 2010.

Mandi, March 6
Governor Urmila Singh, chief guest at the closing ceremony of the week-long international Shivratri festival of Mandi, participated in the last colourful procession (jaleb) today.

Devotees, marching contingents of police, Home Guards, officials of the district administration and prominent citizens participated in the procession.

After reaching there, the Governor paid obeisance at the Raj Madhav Rai temple.

Addressing the public, the Governor said fairs and festivals were a true depiction of our cultural heritage and traditions, and every effort should be made to preserve their original character.

She said youth were becoming modern in every sphere of life today, but maintaining a balance between modernity and old traditions was important. The Governor lauded efforts of the Shivratri Committee for inviting the deities as people got a chance to pay obeisance.

Chamba, March 6
Deputy Commissioner Kadam Sandeep Vasant has directed officials to make a provision for setting up a record room at the Salooni SDM's office forthwith. This will maintain revenue records and other official documents in an organised way at this newly commissioned office.

Addressing a meeting of Revenue Department officials here yesterday, the DC said all-out efforts should be made to transfer the records from Churah revenue subdivision as, earlier, the Salooni area was under the control of Churah subdivision.

Vasant asked the officials to resolve land lease cases of the hydropower projects and other issues like the formation of forest rights committees and sporadic inspection of fair price shops across the district.

He said all tehsil offices in the district would be computerised to keep pace with the cutting-edge technology for the speedy disposal of official works and convenience of the public.

Dalhousie, March 6
A bike rider was killed and another person travelling with him was injured when their motorcycle swerved off the road and rolled down into a khad near Khundi in Salooni subdivision of Chamba district yesterday, a police report said here today.

The report said the deceased had been identified as Anil Kumar and the injured as Ramesh Kumar. Both residents hail from Kasni village in the Salooni area.

A case of rash and negligent driving had been registered at the Kihar police station. Further investigation was on.

Chamba, March 6
The police has arrested one person for possessing charas weighing 404 gm and registered a case against him under Section 20 of the NDPS Act at the Chamba police station.

In a press statement issued here today, a police patrolling party intercepted a Scooty rider on his way to Chamba town near the Mukrethi nullah last night.

On checking, the police recovered the charas from him.