Renukaji Dam hiccups

The state has demanded Rs 1,981.35 crore as immediate assistance to expedite the project. The state has just received Rs 200 crore so far

The MoU is silent on who will bear the recurring cost of the project

HP wants the total cost to be borne by the Centre

Centre wants cost sharing in the ratio of 90:10 between the Centre and five partner states for share in water

Una, July 6
State BJP president and Una MLA Satpal Singh Satti today said lawlessness prevailed in the state and the Congress government had failed on all fronts. Speaking at a block-level meeting of party workers at the PWD rest house, he said mining, drug and forest mafias were rampant, while law-enforcement agencies were visibly ineffective.

Satti said the relationship between the Congress state organisation and the government had turned so bitter that it was adversely affecting the development works. Admitting that this was an internal matter of the Congress party, he said no party leader was ready to take the responsibility of the party’s total rout in the General Election and there was none to speak on the agenda of development.

The Virbhadra Singh government was victimising political opponents and his main game plan these days was to save his chair. People owing allegiance to the BJP were being victimised, he alleged.

Satti lauded the efforts of the Foreign Ministry in bringing back 46 Indian nurses from captivity in Iraq.

Satpal Singh Satti said the Narendra Modi-led government was monitoring the issue of inflation very seriously. The interests of the state were also being taken up by the four elected MPs in the quarters concerned, he added. 

Shimla, July 6
Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) Rohit Thakur today lashed out at the BJP for politicising the issue of a delay in the completion of the World Bank-funded Theog-Hatkoti-Rohru road.

Addressing a press conference here, Rohit said there had been a delay in starting the work due to the election code of conduct being in effect which lasted for almost two months. “The state government has already issued a notice to the CNC company for the slow pace of work, but they have assured that the work will be expedited shortly,” he said.

Rohit said the work got delayed as the permission for putting up a crusher could not be given to the company due to the code of conduct during the 
Lok Sabha elections. “They have now been given permission and the work is likely to be completed in a time-bound manner,” he said.

The CPS said the BJP had no moral right to criticise the Congress for the slow pace of the work as during their entire five-year tenure only 18 per cent of the work was completed. “Rather I can say that Narinder Bragta, the then MLA from Jubbal-Kotkhai, not only misled PK Dhumal on the issue, but remained engrossed more in his birthday celebrations than getting developmental works done,” he said.

He said the contract for the road was given to a Chinese company through global tendering and the Congress regime could not be blamed for the delay. “When the BJP was in power, they not only defended the Chinese company, but also awarded the work to them. Now they are criticising the same company,” he said.

He said now the BJP was in power at the Centre, they should get the import duty on apples hiked.

He also dismissed the BJP charge that the wall of the engineering college at Gumma had been pulled down. “I myself demand action against the guilty,” he added. 

Shimla, July 6
The clean chit given by the government to the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC) of HP State Electricity Board Ltd (HPSEBL) has been termed as a “cover-up exercise”. The inquiry has raised more questions than it has answered on the “selective shutdown” ordered by the SLDC to its three major power projects while private power projects were allowed to run on more than their installed capacity on June 8.

The secretariat of the CPM termed the report prepared by Neeraj Kapur, Chief Engineer, Directorate of Energy (DoE), an inquiry officer, along the expected line as the DoE engineers allegedly indulged in a cover-up exercise to ascertain the SLDC role on shutdown of the Larji power project that day.

The inquiry should be done by technical experts of some independent agency as the SLDC and the Northern Regional Load Dispatch centre (NRLDC) act in nexus with the private power companies, the CPM alleged.

As many as 24 students and their tour operator were washed away in 
the strong current of the Beas when the Larji barrage released additional 450 cumecs of water at 7 pm, as a result of load-shedding ordered by SLDC on the 126-MW Larji Power Project.

The SLDC staff was hand-in-glove with the private power producers, charged Tikender Pawar, state secretariat member. “We request the High Court to intervene and ensure that this nexus is thoroughly exposed and brought before the people”, he demanded.

As per the SLDC’s power controller report of June 8, submitted to the HPSEBL on June 9, the SLDC allowed the 300 MW Baspa-II power project of JP company to run at peak 300 MW-330 MW capacity and the 86 MW Malana power of the Malana Power Company Ltd up to 90 MW on June 8. But HPSEBL-run Larji, Bhaba, Bassi and Giri power projects shed 172 MW load.

As per the SLDC’s report, the 126-MW Larji project scaled down its production from 138 MW to 96 MW at 5.45 pm to 64 MW at 6 pm and then to 32 MW at 7 pm. As a result of this load-shedding, Larji power released 50 cumecs of water at 6.30 pm, 50 cumecs at 6.40 pm, 150 cumecs at 6.45 pm, 450 cumecs at 7 pm and 100 cumecs at 8 pm and the barrage also received additional 80 cumecs of water from the 520 MW Parbati-III.

Bhaba scaled down its production by 120 MW to 40 mw between 6 pm to 7.15 pm while 60 MW Giri was completely shut down four times on the day. 
Giri in Sirmaur was shut down between 5 pm and 7.15 pm and Bassi scaled down its production from 66 MW to 32 MW between 6 pm and 7.15 pm, revealed the report.

Even if SLDC acted on NRLDC’s message, as the inquiry pointed out, to save the northern grid from collapse, the inquiry did not address as to why NRLDC did not ask the JP company’s 1,000 MW Karcham-Wangtoo to scale down. It was allowed to operate at 1,187 MW from 5 pm to 11.45 pm, more than 16 per cent than its installed capacity.

Similarly, 192 MW Allain and Duhangan of AD Hydro Pvt Ltd generated 213 MW-219 MW from 1 am to 11.45 PM on June 8. 

Dharamsala, July 6
The Masrur temple, located in the small and remote hamlet of Masrur in Kangra district, is among the four monolithic rock temples in the country. Some experts are of the opinion that it has a similarity with the Angkor temples of Cambodia.

However, the Department of Tourism in Himachal Pradesh has not been able exploit the full tourism potential of the temple, which some say can be registered as a world heritage site if proper research regarding its origin is carried out.

The previous BJP government had organised a cultural event at the Masrur temple in 2011. It planned to hold a cultural event at Masrur every year for its promotion. However, the move has now been put on the back burner and no such activity is being carried out.

The rock-cut temple has been an enigma for historians and archeologists. Even the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) officials, who are maintaining the site, are not sure about the history of the temple.

Two rock-cut temples, including Kailash of Ellora and Mamlapuram in the Deccan, are famous across the world. The third is at Dhamnar in Rajasthan and the fourth is the Masrur temple here.

While the other three temples are in a pit or on the ground, the one at Masrur is unique and located on a hilltop, 2,500 ft above the sea level.

As per local mythology, like many other temples in the region, the Masrur temple was also built by the Pandavas.

However, Prof NK Singh’s book “Coronation of Shiva-Rediscovering Masrur Temple” has tried to resolve the mystery. He has opined that the temple was perhaps built during the sixth and the eighth century AD. He has based his opinion on the fact that before this period, there was no evidence of rock-cut temples in the country.

Most of the rock-cut temples were built during this period. After the eighth century, there was chaos in the region and the rulers did not have resources or time to take up such huge projects, he has written.

He studied various kings who ruled the area during the time period, including Harshvardhan, who ruled Jalandhar state during the sixth century, Yashoverdhan Lalitaditya, ruler of Kashmir, Jayapal and Prithvi Chand.

By deliberating on the fact that the king who built the temple was a Lord Shiva devotee and had huge resources, NK Singh has concluded that most likely it was Yashoverdhan who got the Masrur temple built. He has, however, said the issue is still open for research by historians and archeologists.

The Masrur temple is believed to have been cut out of a single rock measuring 160 ft in length and 105 ft in width. Shuttleworth was the first British civil servant who mentioned about the rock-cut structure of the Masrur temple. The large water tank facing the main temple is also cut out of a rock and has regular water supply from a spring.

The temple was dedicated to Lord Shiva as is indicated by his image on the doorway. The entire theme of carvings revolves around festivity and coronation of Lord Shiva who is at the centre of all gods and goddesses.

Shimla, July 6
Reiterating their demands to fill the vacant posts of teaching and non-teaching employees, strengthen Pension Corpus Fund, form a uniform transfer policy, revive the UGC pay structure and scrap the outsourcing system, the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) yesterday decided to take out a rally on July 8, 9 and 10 in case their demands were not met.

Hitender Singh Thakur, president of the Joint Coordination Committee of Non-Teaching Employees Union, said the future course of action would be decided on July 10, the last day of the protests.

However, he did not rule out the possibility of an indefinite strike. 

Mandi, July 6
The Mandi Nagar Parishad has come under the scanner of the Vigilance Bureau (VB) in the ongoing probe into subletting of shops in the Indira Market in the town.

The issue of subletting of shops in the market is being probed to ascertain the role of different agencies in allowing illegal transfer of shops by original owners.

The government had constructed more than 200 shops around the Sunken garden, in the middle of the Mandi town, later named as Indira Market, to rehabilitate shopkeepers.

The district had allotted these shops to shopkeepers and vendors earning their livelihood at the place before the construction of the market on a monthly rent.

As the market later became the main shopping hub of the town and the shops attained rental value, many original owners sublet the shops allotted to them.

Many shops in the market have now been altered and joined by removing walls to convert these into big showrooms.

Later, the district administration entrusted the maintenance and job of rent collection from the shopkeepers to the Municipal Council.

The MC, being an elected body, was most vulnerable to public pressure and a large number of shopkeepers became rent defaulters.

As a large number of shops changed hands through subletting, the MC legalised it by giving approvals and renewing the licenses.

It stopped allowing the transfer of shops by the original allottees after 2012.

But subletting the shops in the market continued and since a large number of original allottees have transferred their shops illegally, the VB has been asked to probe the issue.

The VB is looking into the records pertaining to the allotment of shops and their present status.

Sanjeev Gandhi, SP Vigilance, said “We have obtained the entire record related to subletting in the Indira Market from Mandi Municipal Council and are investigating the record.” 

Una, July 6
Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri launched a new brand of country liquor, named Saunfia, here today. The liquor has been manufactured at the country liquor manufacturing plant owned by the General Industries Corporation (GIC) at the Mehatpur Industrial area.

The plant also manufactures the Una No. 1 country liquor brand.

Agnihotri said mineral water and soda manufacturing plants would be added to the unit soon.

He said with growing consumerism, efforts were being made to provide better and attractive packaging to the products manufactured by the GIC.

He said the GIC had incurred huge losses during the BJP regime.

“As the chairman of the GIC, I have taken steps to revive the corporation. The GIC registered a profit of Rs 9 crore last year,” said Agnihotri.

BR Verma, Managing Director, GIC, said the country liquor manufacturing unit at Mehatpur was started 40 years ago and the Una No. 1 liquor was its well established brand.

He said sugar contents in Saunfia brand was less in comparison to the other brands.

Nurpur, July 6
The Himachal Pradesh Government Employees’ Confederation has termed the denial of service pension to around 6,000 employees of the state boards and corporations despite the High Court’s order as anti-employee attitude of the government.

In a statement here yesterday, Vinod Kumar, president of the confederation, said the employees had been demanding service pension for the past 13 years.

He said due to the apathy of the government, the employees had now been forced to fight a legal battle.

“The then state government had issued a notification in 1999 for disbursing service pensions to the employees after their retirement. But, in 2004 the successive government revoked the notification and deprived around 6,000 employees of their pension benefit. To seek justice, the employees have now filed a petition in the High Court, which ordered the state government to render service pension to the employees,” said Vinod.

He also appealed to the Chief Minister to render justice to employees.

Kullu, July 5
The data on domestic and foreign tourist visits to various states and union territories (UTs) in 2013, by the Market Research Division of Ministry of Tourism, reveals that Himachal Pradesh has slid down to the 11th position in terms of foreign tourist visits.

The top 10 states in terms of the number of foreign tourist visits (in millions) during 2013 are Maharashtra (4.16), Tamil Nadu (3.99), Delhi (2.30), Uttar Pradesh (2.05), Rajasthan (1.44), West Bengal (1.25), Kerala (0.86), Bihar (0.77), Karnataka (0.64) and Goa (0.49).

Goa managed to grab the 10th position, held by Himachal in 2012, while the other states remained the same as those in 2012. The contribution of top 10 states is about 89.9 per cent of the total number of foreign tourist visits in the country.

While the number of foreign tourist visits to states and UTs registered a growth of 9.24 per cent over 2012, Himachal registered a negative growth of 17.2 per cent. The tourism industry is a major source of foreign income for the state and the depleting number of foreign tourists is a cause of concern for the stake holders.

While the number of domestic tourist visits to the states and UTs during 2013 registered a growth of 9.59 per cent over 2012, Himachal Pradesh registered a negative growth of 5.95 per cent during the same period.

The top 10 states in terms of number of domestic tourist visits (in millions), during 2013, were Tamil Nadu (244.2), Uttar Pradesh (226.5), Andhra Pradesh (152.1), Karnataka (98.0), Maharashtra (82.7), Madhya Pradesh (63.1), Rajasthan (30.3), Gujarat (27.4), West Bengal (25.5) and Chhattisgarh (22.8), contributing about 84.9 per cent to the total number of domestic tourist visits. Tamil Nadu has occupied the first rank in terms of domestic tourist visits in 2013, rising from the second rank in 2012, whereas Andhra Pradesh, which was at the first rank in 2012 had dropped down to the third rank.

Uttar Pradesh, which was at the third rank in 2012, had moved up to the second place. The top 10 states in terms of domestic tourist visits in 2013 remained almost the same as those in 2012, except for the state of Chhattisgarh, which earlier held the 16th position, was elevated to the 10th position. Uttarakhand which was at the eighth position in 2013, could not clinch a position among the top 10 states because of the mid-June flash floods.

Though Himachal is a major tourist destination on the world map, the slow pace of development of infrastructure such as road, rail and air connectivity are major drawbacks. The need of the hour is to engage in massive tourism promotion and develop the required infrastructure to cater to the needs of the visitors and attract them repeatedly towards the charm of the Himalayas. 

Solan, July 6
Reacting to the draft notification issued by the state government to simplify the procedures of seeking the mandatory clearance under Section 118 of the HP Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, for industrial purposes, the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Industries Association (BBNIA) has demanded that the no-objection certificate (NOC) issued by the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department for the purchase of land should be a part of the single-window approval granted for industries.

BBNIA president Rajinder Guleria and vice-president Sanjay Khurana said the building plan and drawing could be approved by the TCP later.

The association said as the present system of direct allotment of industrial plots by the HP State Industrial Development Corporation (HPSIDC) was complicated, they should take one-time permission to develop industrial areas and subsequent allotment should not be subjected to the stipulations of Section 118.

Since the industrial plots did not have khasra numbers, the provisions of this section should be relaxed for plots owned by the HPSIDC or Department of Industries.

They also demanded the opening of a single-window clearance agency at the field level for small enterprises to avoid delay and ensure quicker setting up of industries. 

Shimla, July 6
The state BJP unit today questioned the Virbhadra Singh-led Congress government as to why were they adamant on the proposal of the Pabbar gravity water supply project, even after being rejected twice by the World Bank.

BJP spokesperson Ganesh Dutt said it was strange that even after being rejected, the state government was still pressing for the Pabber project. He said the government should constitute a committee of experts to look into the matter.

He said the Central Government had rejected the Rs 1,307-crore Pabbar project as it was too costly and the area did not have a perennial snow cover. Apart from this, large forest areas were involved and the pipeline to bring water to Shimla was too long i.e. about 45 km.

Claiming the difference of opinion between the Chief Minister and the Irrigation and Public Health Minister over the issue, the BJP has asked the Congress government to clear its stand on water scheme for Shimla. 

Reckong Peo/ Shimla, July 6
Ahead of a crucial meeting to chalk out disaster management plans, slated to be held on July 11, victims of “unseasonal and excessive” rain, that caused massive devastation in tribal Kinnaur in June 2013, have demanded a ban on hydro power projects in the cold and semi-cold deserts of Kinnaur as areas above 7,000 ft are fragile and vulnerable to landslides and floods.

The rain-affected people, who are yet to get adequate relief and proper rehabilitation, blame the authorities for formulating “plans and policies without any realisation of ground realities”.

RS Negi, convener of the Him Lok Jagriti Manch, fighting for the rights of people and environment protection, said commoners suffered due to unrealistic plans prepared by the authorities as these were formed without keeping in mind the perspective, problems and needs of the people. The meagre relief given to Kinnaur rain victims was a living example of the government apathy.

The affected people have suggested that training and mock drill exercises be conducted regularly at all levels, early warning system be developed for all kinds of calamities, disaster management authorities be provided sufficient funds, weather observatories be established at strategic points, deputy commissioners be given emergency powers to deal with disasters and Kinnaur district be divided in high risk and low risk areas for controlling development activities.

Kinnaur recorded 368 mm rain between June 15 and 17 last year and the havoc caused by the rains was unparalleled in its magnitude and history and certainly no less then the Uttarakhand tragedy during the same period. However, the relief and rehabilitation grants to Uttarakhand were massive as compared to the state, which got a meagre relief in spite of the fact the loss estimated by the government was Rs 1,137 crore and 22 persons lost their lives.

“We apprehend that like the Uttarakhand Government, the state government did not declare the Kinnaur tragedy as a national disaster as it would have raised a question mark on the mushroom growth of mega hydro power projects coming up in the fragile hills,” Negi alleged.

The relief, as per the relief manual, was too less. Moratorium on the recovery of bank loans hardly helped the farmers and no lands were allotted to the sufferers whose lands and fields had been swallowed by the flash floods caused by rains, he added.

The manch members added that helipads should be constructed in central as well as inaccessible areas and facilities like stocking of medicines, essential commodities, fuel and perishable items be provided, besides the incorporation of earthquake-proof features in building be made mandatory.

Further, the construction of sewerage and drainage system on priority in villages to protect them against landslides, embankment of all rivers bodies vulnerable to landslides and erosion and RCC culverts and causeway be built on national highways and link roads where nullahs and drains are present. As Kinnaur was area under the fifth schedule of the Constitution, the funds required for infrastructural development be obtained under Article 275 of the Constitution as a special case, the members added.

Measures and solutions

* Ban on hydro power projects in cold and semi-cold deserts as the areas were fragile and vulnerable to landslides and floods

* Early warning system be developed for all kinds of calamities

* Deputy Commissioners should be given emergency powers to deal with disasters

* Kinnaur district be divided in high and low-risk areas for controlling development activities

* Helipads be constructed in central as well as inaccessible areas

* Facilities like stocking of medicines, essential commodities, fuel and perishable items be provided

* Incorporation of earthquake-proof features in building be made mandatory

* Construction of sewerage and drainage system in villages to protect them against landslides

* Embankment of all rivers bodies vulnerable to landslides and erosion

Shimla, July 6
The International Centre of the Roerichs (ICR), Moscow, is organising an exhibition on “The Roerich Pact: Past and Modernity” in collaboration with the Lalit Kala Akademi and the International Roerich Memorial Trust here tomorrow.

The exhibition, which will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, marks the 80th anniversary of signing the international “Treaty on the Protection of Artistic and Scientific Institutions and Historic Monuments” that went down in history as the Roerich Pact.

“The exhibition will be on view till July 17 and former Deputy Minister of Russia’s Foreign Affairs Alexander P Losyukov is leading the Russian team,” informed SS Chandel, a former bureaucrat who is closely associated with the event.

Chandel said such an exhibition had already been held in the UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris, UN headquarters in Geneva, Berlin, the Netherlands and many other cities of Latin America as a tribute to the Russian artist.

He said the Roerich Pact was signed at the White House in Washington on April 15, 1935, with participation of US President Franlin D Roosevelt. It was in 1929 that Nicholas Roerich prepared the Roerich Pact.

The idea of the pact was also welcomed by R Rolland, Bernard Shaw, Rabindranath Tagore, A Einstein, HG Wells, et al. Roerich was nominated for the Nobel prize in 1929 for his international cultural activity and the pact initiative.

The National Book Trust (NBT), India, is an apex body established by the Government of India (Ministry of Human Resource Development) in 1957. The objectives of the NBT are to produce and encourage the production of good literature, to make such literature available at moderate prices to the public and bring out book catalogues, arrange book fairs/exhibitions and seminars and make people book minded.

As per its mandate, the NBT had arranged a book fair on the Gaiety Theatre complex, Shimla, recently in collaboration with the State Academy of Arts, Languages and Culture (see photo). As many as 32 publishers had put up their stalls here with a target of selling about 30,000 books. MA Sikandar, historian director of the NBT, quoted in his address that a book was the quietest and most constant friend of a human being.

It was a pleasure to witness the honouring of Raji Seth, the known litterateur, on the occasion. She has not written on Shimla, but has written in Shimla while staying at the Writer’s Home.

Shimla is not new to book fairs. The first fair was organised by the NBT here at The Grand Hotel Complex in 1986, in collaboration with the Department of Languages and Culture. Arvind Kumar was then the Director of the NBT and had served this organisation in this capacity for 11 years. He is known for his book-promotional activities. He loved classical music, both Indian and Western, and also the mountains. This love, probably, made him decide that a book fair could be organised in a small town like Shimla.

The only large hall in the heart of the town in 1986 was the dining hall of the Grand Hotel. It was with great difficulty that they could get this hall for arranging the book fair. It was a bigger fair than the one recently held. More than 50 publishers had participated. Vidya Stokes, the then Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha, had inaugurated it and had said, “It is a revelation to me that so many titles in Hindi are published in India”.

The next two fairs organised by the NBT, in 2002 and 2010, were held at the Sports Complex near the Combermere Bridge. The present book fair was inaugurated by our book-lover Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. He announced that the Department of Education would purchase books worth Rs 10 lakh from the book fair for school and public libraries. He also released two books, one of Hindi poems by Neeta Aggarwal and the other “Flowerwoods Hotel”, a compendium of five short stories in English by Raaja Bhasin. Raaja (see photo) is a historian and his magnum opus is, “Simla-The Summer Capital of British India.”

I was eager to unfold the name of the book so the first story that I read was one with the same title. He writes: “What really concerns us began that dry June, at a time before the monsoon finally broke. This was when Colonel Brij Mohan’s daughter became the Flowerwoods’ Summer Princess at the Flowerwoods Hotel in that small town in the hills. She underwent the expected transformations. Her eyes became bigger, her smile became toothier and under her mother’s careful supervision, a healthy cleavage was encouraged to display its wellbeing a little more.”

Though Raaja has a good equation with the bureaucrats here, yet his pen dithers not in writing: “If things were handled sensibly, Colonel Brij Mohan’s daughter could marry an industrialist, a civil servant; the one who had to take bribes and the other who had to give them.”

Raaja pens the language of a haughty Army officer addressed to one Professor Massih: “You? A You? My daughter marry A You? The son of an un-feathered person? A cutlet? Out, out a full bloody out, before the gun and bullets arrive.” These are the few excerpts that I enjoyed reading. The review of the book needs digesting it. Published by the NBT in paperback, it has 138 pages and costs Rs 135 only.

TAILPIECE

I asked a bookseller to recommend a book that I wanted to gift to a teacher. He recommended the name and added, “Give him an umbrella too.” “Why?” I asked. He said, “That will open sometime or the other.”

Kangra, July 6
The Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (DRPGMC) at Tanda is ranked 21st among the top 25 medical colleges, including private and government medical colleges in India, for the first time.

Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur today said the Outlook magazine and the Drshti Strategic Research Service conducted the survey.

He said the Tanda medical college was ranked first among medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

He said it ranked 14th among the top government medical colleges in the country. The survey result was declared today. It was a matter of pride for the college as well the state. He said it was encouraging that the college jumped to the 21st rank from its earlier 28th position.

He said the survey included the average total tuition fee of the MBBS programme, which was Rs 75,785 excluding the hostel charges.

He said 50 per cent students completed MBBS and qualified for post-graduation from the college.

“The survey revealed that 49 per cent junior residents and 46 per cent senior residents are from the Tanda medical college,” he added.

He said the college scored 650 out of 1,000, which was satisfactory. AIIMS, Delhi, ranked first and Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, ranked 25th in the list of top medical colleges of the country.

Principal Anil Chauhan said it was with the effort of the entire faculty that the college was pushed from rank 28 to 21 in one year. He hoped that by next year the DRPGMC, Tanda, will figure among the top 20 medical colleges of the country.

Palampur, July 6
Sri Sai University (SSU) organised a two-day multidisciplinary national conference on “Innovative Trends in Science, Technology and Management”, here today.

Dr KK Katoch, farm scientist and Vice-Chancellor of CSK HP Agricultural University, Palampur, inaugurated the conference. More than 30 scientists and researchers from all over India are participating in the conference.

Dr Katoch highlighted the role of science and technology in improving the life of the common man. He appealed to the scientists, scholars and researchers to focus on environmental issues and welfare of society.

The main purpose of the conference was to bring together academicians, scientists, scholars and researchers from different fields to share views and ideas in the modern age of science and technology.

Dr Balram Dogra, Vice-Chancellor of SSU, motivated students, researchers and delegates to conduct research in interdisciplinary fields for the welfare of society.

“Scientists, technocrats and managers need to join hands to provide affordable food, housing, clothing, clean drinking water, safe environment and products to improve the quality of life of the common man,” said Dr Dogra.

Prof Ravi Kumar, Director-Principal of the Beant College of Engineering and Technology, Gurdaspur, discussed innovations in material science in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Various issues relating to advantages and disadvantages of technologies were also discussed at the conference.

Principals of various schools and colleges were also present on the inaugural day of the conference. Students from different schools and colleges visited the university and met scientists, scholars and teachers.

Kullu, July 6
Rakesh Kanwar, Deputy Commissioner, Kullu, presided over a meeting to analyse and boost the efficiency of various government departments at the Bachat Bhawan here on Friday.

With the rainy season having set in, preparations for disaster management were reviewed and the DC gave directions to the departments concerned. He advised the Public Works Department to maintain the roads of rural areas so that apple growers could transport their produce well in time.

He directed officials of the Municipal Committee, Kullu, to enhance the door-to-door garbage collection scheme, so that cleanliness of the town is maintained. The encroachments on the government land were also discussed during meeting.

Guman Singh, president of the Himalaya Niti Abhiyan Trust, presented a detailed report regarding the Forest Rights Act, 2006, and urged the government to ensure quick implementation of the same.

Kullu ADM Vinay Singh Thakur, ADC, Kumud Singh, SDM, Dr Suresh Jaswal, SDM, Manali, Viney Dhiman and officers of various departments were present. 

Pangi (Chamba), July 6
Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri took a serious note of the defective power generating machine of the 50- kw Purthi micro-hydropower project at Pangi tribal subdivision in Chamba district, which has been lying out of order for a long time.

The residents of the area have been facing inconvenience. Listening to their grievances, Bharmouri asked the authorities of the Himachal Pradesh Energy Development Agency (Him Urja) to repair the power generating machine, so that generation of electricity could be resumed at the earliest.

On the seventh day of his tour to the Pangi tribal valley yesterday, Bharmouri announced a 4-km Purthi-Bhandal jeepable road, to be constructed at a cost of Rs1.16 crore.

He said a sum of Rs 8.67 crore was being spent on the construction of roads and bridges, so that the interior belts of the mountainous tribal valley could be linked to the sub-divisional headquarters.

Chamba, July 6
The historic Chowgan of Chamba has been let out to the successful bidder for erecting the dome for a shopping plaza. The district administration has directed the bidder to stick to the prescribed guidelines of keeping the existence of the Chowgan intact during the Minjar fair.

The letting out of Chowgan number one and two to the bidder was processed through e-tendering, revealed Bachan Singh, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), who is also the convener of the Minjar Mela committee.

“There shall be no digging and excavation in the Chowgan of Chamba for the erection of any kind of structures during the fair,” the SDM directed the winning bidder.

This time, the bids for Chowgan number one and two had fetched a revenue of Rs 67 lakh, which was Rs 62 lakh last year. It was the highest share of income accrued from other sources of the fair, Bachan Singh said.

The SDM said the bidder had been directed to restore the space let out to him to its original condition by August 10, failing which he would have to pay Rs 10,000 per day and it would be deducted from the security deposit paid by him. The eight-day historic Minjar Fair of Chamba is being celebrated at the district headquarters town from July 27 to August 3. — OC

Kullu, July 6
A one-day seminar on constitutional duties was organised for school teachers by the Manali Legal Services Committee at the conference hall of the Mini Secretariat in Manali, 42 km from here, yesterday.

About 134 teachers from government and private schools attended the seminar. Sandeep Singh Sihag, Chairman, Manali Sub-Division Legal Service Committee, who is also Civil Judge, said teachers performed a key role in nation building by imparting basic education to students.

He said disrespect towards the National Anthem or the National Flag invited stringent legal action. He also highlighted the necessity and procedure to file a PIL.

The Civil Judge also addressed various queries of teachers on constitutional duties. Ghanshyam Kapoor, Principal, Government Senior Secondary School, Katrain, spoke on the constitutional duty of conserving and boosting the composite culture of the country.

Senior lawyer KR Thakur said citizens must refrain from damaging the public property as it was a crime. CS Thakur, senior advocate and senior vice-president of the State Adhivakta Parishad, said with the keen efforts of Dr BR Ambedkar, the Constitution was brought into existence to ensure the prevalence of law in the country. 

Shimla, July 6
Spreading the message of “Know AIDS, No AIDS” to create awareness among Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) men posted in border areas, four workshops on HIV/AIDS were organised under the command of Commandant, Sound 17 BN, Reckong Peo, RK Verma.

Narinder Kumar, community AIDS educator from Bathinda, said it was an adventurous and interactive programme to make jawans as well as local residents aware of the dreaded diseases and take precautions to lead a healthy life.

Out of the four workshops, two were held in far-flung border areas, while one was organised at Shalabagh in Jeori and one at a school to educate teachers as well as Class XII students. The workshop sessions concluded on July 2.

The workshops proved to be useful for all ranks as a large number of questions put up by jawans were answered and the participants also took an oath to share the knowledge with others.

Dalhousie, July 6
The driver of a pickup van was killed when the vehicle went off the road and rolled down a hillside on the Chanju road, near a hydropower project, in Churah subdivision here last night.

Chamba SP DK Chaudhary today said the deceased had been identified as Sardar Mohd. He was a resident of Lalhettar village.

The body had been handed over to kin after postmortem. The police have registered a case of rash and negligent driving against the driver at the Tissa police station for further investigation. 

Nurpur, July 6
A team of the Excise and Taxation Department, led by Jawali Excise and Taxation Officer Arun Jassal, caught two tempos ( PB-10 EG-3348 and PB10-10DZ-2831) during night patrolling at Khatiyar here yesterday.

The vehicles, on way from Panipat (Haryana) to Chamba, were carrying readymade garments and carpets without bills. The drivers of the vehicles were using a hidden link road through Sthana despite there being no inter-state barrier.

According to Excise Inspector Arun Dhiman, the teams have been resorting to night patrolling in border areas to check smuggling of taxable items into the state. He said the department after preliminary inquiry and evaluation of the consignment had worked out VAT evasion and released the seized consignment after recovering a penalty and VAT to the tune of Rs 1.05 lakh from the owners. He asserted that the department would continue night patrolling in future to check tax evaders.

Chamba, July 6
Special Judge, Chamba, RK Sharma yesterday sentenced Ashwani Sharma of Baikunth Nagar village in Chamba district to three-year imprisonment and fined him Rs 25,000 for the criminal breach of trust by misappropriating ration articles and cash from wholesale supply depots.

In default of payment of the fine, the convict will further undergo imprisonment for a period of three months.

District Attorney HS Dhiman said Ashwani was working as a public distribution clerk in the office of the HP Civil Supplies Corporation at Sach in Pangi tehsil of Chamba district. He was having charge over the wholesale supply depots of Sach, Sahli, Sechu and Kumar.

On July 7, 2011, the inspection of these wholesale depots was conducted by a committee constituted by the Divisional 
Manager of the corporation, Dharamsala.

During the inspection, it was found that he misappropriated ration articles amounting to Rs 11,58,604 and cash Rs 9,46,310 collected from the sale of ration articles.

An FIR was registered at the Pangi police station under Sections 408 and 468 of the IPC and Section 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and he was arrested on August 31.

Kullu, July 6
A minor girl was arrested for carrying charas weighing 240 gm near Sarsadi on the Bhuntar-Manikaran road, 18 km from here, today. SP Surender Verma said the accused, Pratibha (17) of Belagaon village in Hamirpur, was coming on foot from the Kasol side when she was stopped by a police party at a naka. 

The police said the charas was kept in the bag she was carrying. The SP said a case had been registered under the NDPS Act and further investigation was on. 

Palampur, July 6
Tension prevailed at Ladoh village following the death of a newly-wed girl, Madhubala. Police sources said Madhubala, daughter of Chuni Lal of Ladoh village, had allegedly consumed poison late Saturday night. She was rushed to the Civil Hospital, Palampur, where she was declared brought dead.

Parents and family members of Madhubala alleged that their daughter had not taken poison, but was murdered by her in-laws. Residents of Ladon village were also present.

They said she was being tortured by her in-laws since she was married.

“My daughter was a victim of domestic violence because of inadequate dowry. I made all efforts to settle the issue, but she continued to face violence at the hands of her husband Parvinder and his father Purshotam,” said Chuni Lal. He said his daughter was beaten up by her husband and she suffered serious injuries.

The agitated villagers did not allow the completion of the cremation ceremonies of the deceased and demanded the immediate arrest of Madhubala’s husband and father-in-law.

DSP Navdeep Singh said the police had arrested Parvinder and his father and also registered a case under Sections 498-A, 34 and 306 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on the complaint of Chuni Lal.

He said after the registration of the case, the villagers agreed to complete the cremation ceremony of Madhubala, which was done under tight police security.

The police produced both the accused in the court of the local Judicial Magistrate, who remanded them to police custody. More arrests are likely to be made.