Shimla, March 25
The Home Department has directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to register an FIR against former Director General of Police DS Manhas (retd) for alleged violations in the construction of his house located on the Forest road near St Bede’s College.

Additional Chief Secretary (Vigilance and Home) P Mitra, in a letter written to the Additional Director General of Police (Vigilance) yesterday, has recommended that an FIR be registered against Manhas and his wife, who are the joint owners of the house.

Incidentally, Manhas on three different occasions also remained MC Commissioner.

The inquiry against Manhas, who remained the DGP of the state during the BJP regime, was ordered on the basis of a complaint filed in September last year.

In the complaint, based on information gathered through RTI, the IPS officer had been accused of making serious violations, including construction of an additional storey, basement and wrongfully obtaining the completion report.

The letter by the Home Department dated March 24, 2014, specifically states that the FIR be registered against the couple along with other Municipal Corporation (MC) officials under Section 154 of the CrPC as charges against them need to be investigated under Section 157 of the CrPC.

It is after the detailed examination of the inquiry report submitted by the architect planner and advice of other officials of the MC that the Home had recommended an action against the former DGP.

The report also accuses Manhas of allegedly removing one of the three trees that find mention in the maps that had been submitted to the MC for approval at the time of construction.

During a visit to the spot on January 3, 2014, instead of three trees, only two trees were found, which violated various Sections of the Forest Act.

The main accusation against Manhas is that he got the building plan of his house approved for five storeys in violation of the norms. With his house being located in the Central area, not more than four storeys can be allowed as per Clause seven of the Interim Development Plan. It is alleged that he later got this floor compounded without even submitting its proposal. The MC had issued notice to Manhas under Sections 253, 242 and 248 of the CrPC in September 2013.

He appeared before officials of the MC once during the course of inquiry. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, while in the Opposition, had accused Manhas of acting in a biased manner owning to his proximity to the BJP regime. He has been accused of allegedly concealing the forensic report in the CD case against Virbhadra in which the Congress leader had already got a clean chit from the court on December 24, 2012.

Meanwhile, Manhas who after his retirement in 2012 is serving as the Chief Security Advisor at a religious sector in Amritsar could not be contacted after repeated attempts.

Construction norms violation Based on the inquiry report, Home asks Vigilance to file FIR against former DGP and his wife Inquiry against Manhas on the basis of a complaint filed in September 2013 He is accused of violations in constructing an additional storey and compounding it without submitting proposal

Dehra (Dharamsala), Mar 25
Former MLA and general secretary of the Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP), Naveen Dhiman, today joined the BJP at Dehra in the presence of former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and hundreds of supporters.

Naveen Dhiman, while speaking on the occasion, said HLP was supposed to be an alternative to the Congress and the BJP. However, now it just a poor subordinate to the state government. “Moreover, the country needs a strong personality like Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of the country. Due to it, I have sunk all differences and joined the BJP,” he said.

Dhiman had contested the last election from Jaswan Pragpur as an HLP candidate and polled 6,982 votes. His entry into the BJP is going to boost the party from the Jaswan Pragpur Assembly constituency which is a part of the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency.

Dhumal, while speaking on the occasion, said the wave of change was flowing in the country. People were dejected by rampant corruption and rising prices in the country caused by the policies of the present UPA Government.

The situation is such that senior leaders of the Congress, including Cabinet Ministers, are shirking from contesting the elections and feigning ill health. Leaders of the Congress should enter the election arena for their respective states, Dhumal said.

He said the Congress had grown so weak in the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency that it feared to put a person of its own party as the candidate during the forthcoming elections.

Some of the Congress leaders had even threatened to resign in case they were fielded from Hamirpur, Dhumal alleged.

The former Chief Minister also alleged that people of the state were fed up with the present Congress government.

The state government did not do anything productive during the past one year, rather they were busy registering cases against leaders of the Opposition, Dhumal alleged.

Even Congress leaders were raising their voice against the present government, Dhumal said.

He further alleged that the present UPA government had done the biggest injustice with the Himachal Government by abolishing the industrial package in the state.

The industrial package to Himachal that was given by the NDA government-led Atal Bihari Vajpayee had given a major boost to the economy of the state. However, the UPA government had abolished the industrial package and Congress leaders in the Himachal Assembly had even declined to pass a resolution for reviving the industrial package.

Dhumal said the Congress had been blaming the previous BJP government for selling state lands. However, the fact was that it was the present Congress government that had relaxed the lease rules in the state. The previous BJP government had fixed lease rates for government land at 18 per cent of the market price, but the present government had reduced it to just 10 per cent of the market price.

Arun Mehra (Kukka) with former CM Shanta Kumar after joining the BJP at Nagrota Bagwan on Tuesday. Photo: Kamaljeet

Dharamsala, March 25
Shanta Kumar, former Chief Minister and BJP candidate from the Kangra parliamentary seat, today got a short in the arm when Congress rebel Arun Mehra (Kukka) joined the party along with hundreds of supporters.

Arun Mehra joined the BJP at a function held at Nagrota Bagwan, the Assembly constituency represented by Transport Minister GS Bali.

Mehra alleged that he was feeling suffocated in the Congress. He said, “A common worker has no say in the Congress. I had been ignored and ousted from the Congress without any hearing.”

Besides Mehra, HLP district president Vikram Chaudhary, son of former Speaker of the Himachal Assembly, Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar, also joined the BJP. Almost the entire HLP leadership in Kangra, including HLP vice-president Dullo Ram, joined the BJP.

Mehra had contested the last Assembly election as an Independent. He polled about 23,000 votes and finished second to GS Bali. After elections, he tried to gain re-entry into the Congress but the moves were stalled by GS Bali camp. Shanta Kumar, while speaking on the occasion, said a large number of leaders and people were joining the BJP. The Modi wave was sweeping the nation.

During the past 10 years, price rise and corruption had tormented the common man in the country. On international parameters, the position of India had deteriorated, he said.

The internal and external security situation in the country had deteriorated, Shanta alleged.

Shanta Kumar, who had been very strict on accepting rebels into the party, has gone very flexible over the issue now. Most of the BJP rebels, including Rakesh Pathania from Nurpur and Dullo Ram, were kept out of the party due to strict stance taken by Shanta Kumar against them during the last Assembly elections. However, now all these rebels have been welcomed back into the party.

BJP leaders, including former minister Kishan Kapoor and BJP general secretary Vipin Parmar attended the function.

Mandi, March 25
In yet another desertion from the Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP), Nand Lal, party's candidate from the Ani Assembly constituency during the last Assembly elections, joined the BJP here today.

Nand Lal formally made the announcement to join the BJP at the party election office in the presence of state vice-president of BJP Ram Swaroop Sharma and other leaders.

He was a close associate of state HLP convener Maheshwar Singh and had contested Ani (reserve) Assembly seat securing over 9,000 votes.

The desertion of Nand Lal is being considered a personal jolt to Maheshwar Singh since he had campaigned extensively in the constituency to garner votes for the latter as he enjoys good support being an erstwhile ruler of Kullu.

Nand Lal was also one of the few HLP candidates who had secured respectable votes in the last Assembly election.

Dhyan Verma, general secretary of Ani Mandal, Ram Lal, Shakt Kendra president, Prem Pal, youth leader and Lal Chand, Nirmand zone general secretary, also joined the BJP along with Nand Lal.

Nand Lal said, "I have been associated with the BJP for long, but had left the party and joined the HLP due to some differences and now have returned to my parent party."

"My supporters and I will now work for the success of BJP candidate from Mandi parliamentary constituency in the forthcoming elections," he added.

Solan, March 25
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said a pick-and-choose policy should not be adopted in taking back rebels into the party fold as there was a need to strengthen the party at this juncture.

Addressing a public meeting at Chandi where Bhagat Singh Bahlwal, who had contested from the Nationalist Congress Party and had polled 7,515 votes, joined the Congress. He said the party should be strengthened by allowing more rebels to join like the BJP was doing and the existing pick-and-choose policy should not be adopted.

The Chief Minister said media and a group of investors were creating hype in favour of the BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi which would fall flat as this was far from reality.

He said the BJP government led by PK Dhumal had registered false cases against him during their tenure, but he came out clean. He addressed public meetings at Chandi, Diggal, Arki and Kunihar during his two-day tour to the district.

Earlier, addressing mediapersons at Barog today, Virbhadra said former Congress minister Vijai Singh Mankotia was a man of character and principles who would not switch loyalties. He said the party had always accorded him due respect. He said the performance of all leaders who had been given plum posts in the party organisation and within the government would be assessed in the upcoming poll.

He alleged that whenever the BJP came to power, he was involved in false cases. He said he had never practiced politics of vendetta. He said cases which were being probed by the state’s Vigilance and anti-corruption bureau were part of the ‘chargesheet’ prepared by the Congress when it was in the Opposition.

Chandigarh, March 25
Former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, who has his roots in Pathankot, had said he expected a tough fight in Punjab, now that the party high command had asked senior leaders to contest the elections.

In an interview to The Tribune, the former Law Minister said, “A clear signal has been sent out that the Congress must fight collectively for political gains. There is a huge anti-incumbency in Punjab against the SAD-BJP government and we hope to take our message to the people.”

Also, he has blamed his “friends” (read detractors) within the Congress for having remained hyperactive against him, resulting in his ouster from the Union Cabinet.

Dubbing his ouster as an “occupational hazard”, he said he still considered himself “privileged” as he had to pay a price in the line of duty.

Breaking his silence on the coal block allocation scam, which ultimately led to his resignation as the Union Law Minister in May last year, Ashwani Kumar, admitted that his “own partymen conspired against him and that he was sacrificed because of his perceived proximity to the Prime Minister”.

Ashwani Kumar had resigned after the Opposition made a political issue of the Supreme Court coming down heavily on the CBI for allowing the Law Ministry to vet the draft of a CBI probe report on the issue. The apex court had questioned the credibility of the investogation by the country’s premier agency.

“On the coal issue, I walked with head high as not a word has been said by the court against me nor did I, at any stage, had to do anything with the allocation of coal blocks. In the current transaction of business rules of the government, the CBI is mandated to consult the Law Ministry on legal issues.” The CBI had since stated on affidavit that consultations (with the Ministry) did not affect the central theme of investigations nor was any individual let off in the inquiry, he said.

The Congress leader said, “As for being sacrificed, let me only say that these are occupational hazards. I had to pay a price in the line of duty and I consider myself privileged for that. As for my proximity to the Prime Minister, I feel honoured if it is so perceived. Till now, I have also received the support of the Congress president at all critical stages. I cannot dispute that my ‘friends’ within the party have always remained hyperactive but I am determined to do what I must,” he said. 

Dharamsala, March 25
Shanta Kumar, former Chief Minister and BJP candidate for the Kangra parliamentary constituency, said he met Vijai Singh Mankotia to solicit his support for the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll.

He was responding to queries regarding his meeting with Vijai Singh Mankotia last evening.

However, Mankotia was not ready to open his cards for the time being. When asked specifically if he was contemplating joining the BJP, Mankotia said he would take any further decision after consulting his supporters.

Shanta showered praise on Mankotia by stating that he was a leader with principles and had always fought for the rights of people of the state.

“Mankotia is a respectable leader. He has done politics of values and always stood against corruption,” Shanta said.

“Mankotia has a different stature and repute. He has never hesitated from speaking the truth,” he added.

When asked whether he had invited Mankotia to join the BJP, Shanta said he had gone to meet Mankotia just as a candidate.

On the other hand, Mankotia, when contacted, also showered praise on Shanta Kumar and said he was a senior and respected leader with principles.

He said earlier, AAP candidate Rajan Sushant had come to solicit his support for the elections.

Mankotia, however, explicitly expressed his resentment against Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Congress candidate from Kangra, Chander Kumar.

He said, “My supporters were extremely peeved at the treatment meted to me by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.” He said Congressmen from the district were not happy at the selection of Chander Kumar as the party candidate from Kangra.

Since his re-entry into the Congress during the last Assembly elections, Vijai Singh Mankotia, had been expecting that he would be suitably adjusted in the government. However, he was marginalised within his own constituency, Shahpur, where Virbhadra Singh loyalist Kewal Singh Pathania, vice-chairman of the Forest Corporation, was given prominence.

In the recent past, Mankotia did not attend the programmes organised by the Congress on the arrival of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi alleging that he was not being given due respect.

Kullu, March 25
Pratibha Singh, Congress candidate from the Mandi constituency and wife of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, will formally launch her election campaign by addressing a rally at Deori village of the Ani Assembly constituency of this district on March 26.

Ani MLA Khub Ram Anand said a warm welcome would be organised for her at Luhri. The MP would address a rally at Deori after paying obeisance to devta Khudijal.

Uttam Thakur, president of the Congress Committee, Ani Block, said the MP would visit Behna, Shuaad, Kothi, Deori, Lohal and Kohila villages on March 26 and Ladhagi, Chavai, Dalash, Kathed and Nitthar villages on March 27 to apprise voters of development works carried out by the Congress party.

Sundernagar, March 25
A Tata Ace tempo fell into a BBMB canal last night around 10.30 pm. One of the vehicle passengers has been found dead while two others are feared dead. According to the police, a vehicle reportedly fell into the canal late last night, as residents nearby heard the sound of an impact.

The security staff posted at control gates of the BBMB canal spotted two persons in the canal. They threw a rope into it to save them, but they soon disappeared in the fast-flowing water.

The police reached the spot, but were not able to do much. They were earlier told that a jeep had fallen into the canal. The vehicle was carrying at least four to six persons.

Today, an operation was started with the help of local divers to find the bodies. A BBMB crane was pressed into service and the vehicle was taken out from the canal. A body was found in the vehicle.

According to DSP, Sundernagar, Kulbhushan Verma, the dead person was identified as Ishwar Dass (21), a resident of Maloh village. Two other persons were apparently spotted by the security staff after the accident. The vehicle is thus thought to have been carrying at least three persons. Further search is said to be going on.

It was further stated that the police had registered a case under Sections 279 and 304-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Local residents were present at the spot when the vehicle was taken out from the canal today.

Shimla, March 25
Many senior leaders both in the Congress as well as the BJP are keen contenders for the ticket from the Sujanpur Assembly segment, vacated by Rajinder Rana, to contest the Lok Sabha poll even though it is still uncertain whether it will be held along with the parliamentary elections on May 7 or later.

The Congress and the BJP are anxiously awaiting the verdict of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in this respect. The timing of the election will also be a major determining factor in deciding who the two parties will field. The timing of the by-poll will be clear once the notification for the Himachal elections is issued on April 12.

While some leaders like Rajinder Rana, who is the Congress candidate from the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat, would want the elections to be held later as he would be a possible candidate, there are many others who feel the bypoll must be held simultaneously. The BJP has even shot-off a letter to the ECI, seeking holding of the bypoll along with the Lok Sabha poll.

The return of Narinder Thakur, a BJP leader who had joined the Congress and contested the last Lok Sabha poll from Hamirpur on the Congress ticket, has also sparked off the speculation that he could have joined the saffron party to be able to contest the bypoll and make it to the Assembly.

However, it was his sister-in-law and former MLA Urmil Thakur who had unsuccessfully contested as the BJP nominee from Sujanpur. So it remains to be seen who gets preference in the ticket allotment during the bypoll. Narinder's father, late Thakur Jagdev Chand, was a senior BJP leader who was very well respected by people in Hamirpur.

Another prominent name doing the rounds is that of Arun Dhumal, younger son of former Chief Minister PK Dhumal. Though he has worked for his father in the elections, Dhumal’s junior shot is into the limelight ever since he led his family’s fight against the Vigilance inquiries initiated against his family members.

“Just like Rana, Arun too will be praying that the bypoll is held later as it is unlikely that the party will have both the brothers contesting, as his elder brother Anurag Thakur is the party nominee from Hamirpur,” said a senior BJP leader. He still stands a chance if the bypoll is held anytime later.

In Rana’s case, though there is no bar on his contesting the Assembly elections, along with the Lok Sabha poll, chances of this happening are remote as it will send a wrong signal. “Giving him the Assembly segment will amount to the Congress conceding defeat in the Lok Sabha. So chances of this happening are remote," admitted a senior Congress functionary.

Senior leader and former minister Anita Verma, who had lost the 2012 Assembly poll from Sujanpur, is a natural claimant for the Congress ticket even though Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said Rana would be the obvious choice of the party from Sujanpur in case he loses the parliamentary elections.

In case, the bypoll is held with the Lok Sabha poll, it is Rana who will be the biggest loser. More so if he loses the parliamentary poll as well. The risk of giving up his Assembly membership could boomerang as he could be left high and dry if simultaneous polls are held.

Tug of war The ECI will take a call on holding simultaneous elections Contenders in the BJP include Narinder Thakur, Arun Dhumal and Urmil Thakur Contenders in the Congress include Rajinder Rana and Anita Verma

Shimla, March 25
There has been an appreciable increase in the temperature in most places in the state following a fresh spell of snow in the higher reaches and rain in the lower parts during the last three days.

With local residents as well as tourists being greeted by bright sunshine, the maximum temperature in most parts of the state registered an increase of almost 10 degree Celsius. The day temperature in Shimla shot up from 10° C to 19.1°C today.

The maximum temperature in Sundernagar also touched 27°C, Bhuntar 25.4°C, Kalpa 13.8°C, Dharamsala 23.2°C, Una 31.7°C, Nahan 26°C, Solan 23.5°C, Manali 16.8°C and Kangra 26.8°C.

However, there has not been much improvement in the minimum temperatures, with Shimla recording 6.2°C, Sundernagar 8.1°C, Bhuntar 7°C, Kalpa 0.4°C, Dharamsala 9.2°C, Una 10°C, Nahan 8.2°C, Keylong - minus 0.7°C, Palampur 9°C, Dalhousie 2°C, Solan 7.5°C, Manali 0.8°C, Kangra 11.6°C, Bilapsur 10.4°C, Mahirpur 9.4°C and Mandi 9.7°C.

According to the forecast by the local Meteorological centre, the weather will remain dry during the next two days, before more rain and snow for two more days on March 27 on account of a fresh Western disturbance.

Mandi, March 25
The incessant rain during the last two days in the region has caused extensive damage to crops. While hailstorm has damaged peas, tomatoes, cauliflower and other vegetables, excessive moisture in the fields has damaged standing crops of wheat, grams and pulses.

Crops of wheat and peas have suffered the most, leading to flattening of plants in large areas and causing huge financial losses to farmers in Gohar, Padhar and Balh.

Toyad Kant, a farmer from Kummi panchayat of the Balh area, said “The continuous rain and hailstorm has damaged our crops, leading to financial losses.”

“The recently planted tomato plants have also been damaged,” he added.

High-velocity winds and hailstorm have also damaged flowers on apple, apricot and plum plants in.

As per an estimate of the Agriculture Department, wheat and other rabi crops in 495 hectares have been damaged in Mandi district and vegetable crop in 895 hectares has been damaged.

Harish Jamwal, Deputy Director, Agriculture Department, said, “Damage to crops of wheat, pulses, peas, tomato, cauliflower, cabbage etc have been reported and an estimated loss of Rs 1.86 crore has been assessed - Rs 1.67 crore loss for vegetables and Rs 20.14 lakh loss for grains.”

“We have sent a report regarding the losses to the state government,” he added.

Nurpur, March 25
The untimely rain during February-March has hiked the price of dry fodder in the area, thus burdening cattle keepers and farmers. Fodder which was available for just Rs 6 to 7 per kg two months ago is now being sold at Rs 12 per kg.

Nek Ram and Bishamber Singh of Kherian, Subash Singh, Babu Ram, Diwan Singh and Ajit Singh of Kopra and Kartar Singh and Mehar Singh of Hatli Jawalan said the sudden hike, almost doubling the existing rates of fodder, had made rearing of cattle very difficult. They said farmers and cattle keepers were buying dry fodder from the private outlets at Nagabari, Jassur, Raja ka Talab, Bodh, Bassa-Waziran and Khazan.

Meanwhile, Kangra district Bharatiya Kissan Union (BKU) vice-president Suresh Pathania urged the state government to provide financial relief to the farmers in the district. He also demanded fodder at subsidised rates for the farmers.

Shimla, March 25
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has restored Udaipur-Keylong and Sissu-Keylong stretches of the Manali-Leh highway and the Shimla-Kaurik National Highway-22 in the cold desert of Spiti.

The BRO continues to deal with a series of avalanches that have buried its machineries in debris near Kuth Bihal in the Chandra valley, which still has about 6 foot snow, said inputs here today.

The BRO cleared the rockslide today that had blocked the NH-22 at Paang Nalla near Reckong Peo yesterday, restoring the Shimla-Kaurik highway till the border. The road till Kaza has been opened for traffic, said AK Singh, BRO in charge at Jeori.

The BRO team working under SK Nagwal, commander in Udaipur, worked round the clock, mobilising BRO men and machineries and restoring the Keylong-Udaipur and Keylong-Sissu stretches of the highway for traffic today, said DC Lahaul-Spiti BS Thakur.

The BRO continues to scout for damaged or missing machineries near Kuth Bihal in Chandra river, which still has 6-ft snow, said locals.

The search operation was hampered by fresh snow yesterday. The BSNL connectivity to Sissu-Koksar and Rohtang north portal remained snapped for the last one week due to some snag in the optical fibre cable there, said officials.

Locals claimed that the BRO never took local advice as the machineries got stuck in the area between Gramphu-Kuth Bihal and Paagal Nullah.

“We are working in sub-zero temperatures in Lahaul which received heavy spells of snowfall in March and earlier,” said BRO commander, Manali, Yogesh Nair.

"The avalanche can strike anywhere. One cannot wait for it to be cleared on its own. An element of risk to men and machineries is always there in regions such as Lahaul," he added.

Nair said the avalanches in Lahaul were unpredictable and the bridge at Gramphu-II was not a bailey bridge, but an under-construction bridge which was damaged by an avalanche about three years ago.

“The court of inquiry has cleared it and the BRO would construct the new bridge,” he added.

He said they went by the scientific map prepared by SASE, not by local wisdom.

DC, Lahaul-Spiti, BS Thakur said they would hold an interactive session between the BRO and locals to deal with the emergency to avoid loss to men and machineries. Lahaul had been inhabited over the centuries and locals knew about the movement of glaciers and avalanches, he added.

Nahan, March 25
Unscheduled power cuts in the eight panchayats of the Timmbi area in the Shillai tehsil today led an irate mob to raise slogans and lock the office of a Junior Engineer.

The villagers, who protested under the banner of the Jai Prakash Jansewa Sangathan, said they had been facing unscheduled power cuts over the past more than three months and this had increased their hardships.

With no JE having been posted in the area for months now, they only had a linesman to attend to their complaints. Baldev Tomar, MLA, Shillai, echoing the sentiment, said the power scenario was dismal in this remote area which comprised various villages like Shayari, Kiari Gunas and Bakrar. Rains and windy weather led to snapping of power, thus plunging the area into hours of darkness. Locals said they would take up the matter with the higher authorities. He said the winter season accompanied by rain and winds had been particularly harsh on people, who faced unscheduled power cuts over the past nearly three months.

He said the state government had failed to place adequate field staff. The power infrastructure had thus been going from bad to worse.

RK Dhiman, Executive Engineer, Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited, said all four posts of junior engineers in Paonta Sahib division were lying vacant over the past several months. The situation had worsened after the lone JE had retired a few months ago though an SDO had recently joined.

He said the inclement weather prevailing in the region over the past fortnight had aggravated the problem.

There had been frequent power disruptions. He added that they were trying their best to repair the faults. He admitted that staff shortage was an impediment. He said lengthy power lines required more staff for maintenance and routine handling.

Nurpur, March 25
Inhabitants of Damoh village of Minjgrah gram panchayat under the Nurpur development block have given an ultimatum to the state government to boycott the Lok Sabha poll if their demands were not met.

Residents rue lack of road connectivity to their remote village. Surrounded by small khuds and rivulets, the village does not even have a kutcha road.

It is pertinent to mention here that the village has around 150 voters and an independent polling station.

Villagers alleged that the Congress and the BJP had used their long-standing demand as a vote bank, but now they had made up their minds to stay away from the Lok Sabha poll provided the contesting candidates themselves visit the village to assure construction of the road. Karnail Singh, Makhandeen, Ali Mohammad, Kaku Deen, Vashir Ahamad, Joginder Singh, Shiv Ram, Ghian Singh and Anjana Devi, residents of the village, said every monsoons, the village remained cut-off from the Nurpur sub-divisional headquarters.

Meanwhile, Kuldeep Pathak, pradhan of the Minjgrah gram panchayat, said a detailed project report for the construction of the village road had been prepared during the previous Dhumal government following the initiative of the then MLA Rakesh Pathania, but the construction could not begin for the want of forest and environment clearance.

Authorities of the Public Works Department claimed that the department had applied for a no-objection certificate for the conversion of forest land into road construction and the file had been submitted to the Union forest and Environment Ministry.

Kangra, March 25
"The mass media needs to increase its reach through its accessibility" is a thought behind a two-day orientation-cum-training programme on "Media and Accessibility" for mass communication students and professionals to be conducted at the Central University of Himachal Pradesh (CUHP), Shahpur, starting tomorrow.

Dr Rabindranath, Dean, School of Journalism, said the programme would be organised by the AYJ National Institute of the Hearing Handicapped (AYJNIHH), Mumbai, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, in collaboration with the School of Journalism, Mass Communication, and the New Media of CUHP.

He said the programme would have dignitaries and participation from the digital and print media and information and communication science sectors working towards broadening the spectrum of media accessibility to persons with disabilities.

Dr Rabindranath said Prof Furqan Qamar, Vice-Chancellor, CUHP, would inaugurate the programme tomorrow. The inaugural session would be chaired by Prof Sanjay V Ranade, Director, School of Media and Communication, Jagran Lakecity University, Bhopal. He said resource persons from various parts of the country, with expertise in making digital media accessible to persons with disabilities, would handle different sessions in the two-day programme.

It is expected that over 60 professionals and students from the field of mass communication and journalism will participate in the event which will be a first of its kind in the state, added Rabindranath.

He said the objective of the programme was to provide an opportunity for media professionals and students to learn specific skills in making digital media accessible to all, to enrich their knowledge on media and accessible communication, identify emerging issues, trends and creative strategies for promoting the concept of inclusive society in the area of disability and human development through journalism and mass communication.

He said the programme was aimed at providing insight and opportunity in the requisite skills for practicing communication in the new era of digital Information Technology.

He added that another objective was to raise awareness about the use of available accessibility tools and techniques for professional productivity in the light of the guidelines in Articles 8, 9, 21 and 30 of the United Nations Conventions of Rights of Persons with Disabilities, on awareness, accessibility and access to information and entertainment.

The programme is aimed at orienting students and professionals of journalism and mass communication to be resourceful and useful to media houses and organisations in dealing with disability issues. There is a perspective for disability rehabilitation in the country in the light of the Persons With Disabilities (PWD) Equal Opportunities Act, he added.

Una, March 25
More than 500 hectares of land, situated in two micro-watersheds of Una district, have been selected under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture programme of the Government of India.

According to an Agriculture Department report, the innovative programme includes spending a sum of Rs 1.46 crore on boosting various existing farming sectors.

HS Rana, Deputy Director, District Agriculture Department, said the programme focused on soil health management, value addition of the land, soil conservation and improvement in integrated farming systems, besides livestock and fisheries development.

He said farmers would be given subsidies for the construction of check dams, water tanks, drip irrigation systems, chaff cutters, vermin composting pits, silage pits, afforestation, procurement of seeds, plant protection chemicals and land preparation.

Rana said the two watersheds selected by the Union Ministry included 233 hectares in 13 panchayats of the Humman-wali-khad and 275 hectares in three panchayats of the Nandpur-Thathal watersheds.

He said a need-based detailed action plan would be formulated with the participation of the locals before implementation of the programme, which will be the first of its kind in the district.

Shimla, March 25
Taking a serious note of the filing of a false and misleading reply affidavit before it, the HP High Court has imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 on the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Panchayat Samiti, Nurpur (Kangra).

Justice Rajiv Sharma directed the state government to recover this amount from the salary of the CEO.

The court passed this order on a petition filed by two ex-servicemen, Sushil Kumar and Ved Parkash, alleging that the Panchayat Samiti, Nurpur, had advertised nine posts of Panchayat Sahayak. Three posts were reserved for ex-servicemen.

The petitioners had applied for the posts in question.

The petitioners were interviewed by the Ex-servicemen Recruitment Cell and the names of petitioners were recommended for the appointment to the CEO Panchayat Samiti, Nurpur.

The petitioners added that the CEO declined to offer appointment letters to the petitioners. He instead interviewed other persons in violation of rules and appointed them against posts reserved for ex-servicemen.

Perusal of the record revealed that the averments made by the CEO in its affidavit were factually incorrect.

The CEO had told the court that the Panchayat Samiti had never asked the Ex-servicemen Recruitment Cell, Hamirpur, to forward the names of ex-servicemen for the post of Panchayat Sahayak. This averment was found incorrect on the verification of record.

The record further revealed that requisition was made and the Ex-servicemen Recruitment Cell had sponsored the names of the petitioners for appointment. The court further directed the CEO to issue appointment letters to the petitioners immediately.

Chamba, March 25
To keep a vigil on distribution of cash, liquor and other items in the district, flying squads and static surveillance teams have been formed, Chamba Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kadam Sandeep Vasant said here today.

The DC said any person carrying huge amount should have necessary documents for proving the reason for carrying it, especially where the amount is over Rs 10 lakh. He added that evidence in support of genuineness of the source and end use of the money would have to be produced to avoid seizure of the money.

"The distribution of cash, liquor or any other item for gratification of voters is bribery. Giving and taking bribe is a punishable offence with imprisonment up to one year and fine," the DC stated.