Shimla, September 26
The High Court today rejected the review petition on animal sacrifice and said no person would sacrifice any animal or bird in any place of religious worship or with any congregation or procession connected with religious worship.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Sureshwar Thakur imposed a ban on animal and bird sacrifice and directed the state government to strictly enforce it.

The core issue raised in the petition was the slaughtering of thousands of animals in the name of religious sacrifice made by devotees throughout the state.

The court directed the state government to publish and circulate pamphlets immediately to create awareness among the people about the ban on animal and bird sacrifice in places of worship.

The court further observed that the expression “temple” would mean a place of public worship dedicated for the benefit or used as a right by the Hindu community. The court further clarified that the temple premises would also include building and land attached to the temple complex.

Passing the judgment, the Bench observed that the “Jagati” or Dev Samaj were free to discuss the issue of animal sacrifice. However, their actions could not be in negation of rule of law. “The prominence of values enshrined in the Constitution is above any religious values but they have no right to issue any directions or opinion in violation of basic human rights as well as animal rights,” the judgment said.

“Religion cannot be allowed to become a tool for perpetuating untold miseries on animals and if anybody tries to impose its direction on the followers in violation of the Constitution or validly enacted law, it will amount to an illegal act,” the judgment read.

The extra-constitutional bodies have no role and cannot issue directives to the followers to not obey the command of law. They cannot be permitted to sit in appeal over the judgments of the court.

The court said whether a particular practice was an essential or integral part of religion, it could only be decided by the court of law and any religion congregation could not become law unto themselves. The court made it clear that the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of all districts will be responsible to prevent and prohibit animal and bird sacrifice throughout the state. 

Naggar (Kullu), September 26
Deities have unanimously said they are against any kind of interference in their age-old traditions. They were expressing views on the ban on animal sacrifice at religious places.

Representatives of more than 270 deities attended the Dev Sansad organised by the Kardar Sangh at the Jagti Patt temple here today to discuss the ban imposed by the High Court on animal sacrifice at religious places.

After the meeting, Kullu MLA and representative of the chief deity Maheshwar Singh said, “All representatives have said there should not be any interference in the centuries-old traditions.”

“Orders of the deities are binding on us and we hope that the final verdict will be in our favour, he said.

The MLA said it was the largest gathering of the deities he had seen in his lifetime. Deities came not only from the Kullu region, but also from Lahaul and Drang areas in Mandi district.

Giving example of the Ski Village, he said the entire state machinery was in favour of the village, but the deities had opposed it and now the result was before them.

Kullu Kardar Sangh president Dot Ram said, “We will file an appeal in the Supreme Court if our review petition is rejected.”

The Dev Sansad was attended by a large number of locals and people from far-flung areas.

Shimla, September 26
The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Shimla, has issued notice to former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and his sons, BJP MP Anurag Thakur and Arun Dhumal, in a defamation case filed against them by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

Passing this order, the court listed the matter for further hearing on November 1, 2014.

Virbhadra Singh had filed a defamation case against Dhumal and his sons, alleging that they had been raising insignificant personal issues relating to his income tax returns and loans in the media since the Assembly elections in October-November 2012 with cheap political motive.

He further alleged that Dhumal, his sons and other BJP leaders were back to their old political tactics and were indulging in mudslinging and malicious propaganda against him through the media. He charged the leaders saying that they had tried to tarnish his image by making false allegations of corruption against him.

Solan, September 26
A committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) today completed its two-day inspection in the state’s industrial hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh. Several units falling in the Nalagarh industrial area were inspected.

The team, comprising member secretaries of Centre and state pollution control boards, chief engineer, Irrigation and Public Health Department, and deputy commissioner, Solan, would prepare a report on the basis of their observations, which is to be submitted to the NGT.

Various industrial units, including a cement plant, a chemical-manufacturing unit, a plastic-fibre manufacturing unit and a textile unit were inspected on various parameters cited in the NGT’s order, following a petition alleging non-compliance of the pollution control norms.

Meanwhile, officials of the State Pollution Control Board stumbled upon at least eight units having no permission to operate. The board officials have ordered disconnection of their power connections.

The presence of units operating without consent but having power connections has put a question mark over the working of HP State Electricity Board Limited, as according to the norms, a power connection cannot be issued till the State Pollution Control Board grants consent to operate to an industrial unit.

Solan, September 26
Even after a spate of accidents hitting the state and several lives having been lost in the recent past, apparently no lesson has been learnt.

Magisterial inquires ordered into several accidents that took place in Sirmaur district in the recent past have pointed to human error and overloading of buses as the main reason for the mishaps while mechanical errors account for much lesser accidents, revealed an SDM who conducted one such probe.

Road accidents account for maximum number of lives lost in the state in any year, far surpassing the number of lives lost in heinous crimes like murders.

With touts making driving licenses available to ineligible drivers, number of drivers lacking the necessary skills is rising. Reports also showed that at least 20 per cent of the offenders either lacked valid licenses or had procured fake ones.

Though the state government had constituted permanent road accident committees in each district in January 2010 to ensure prompt delivery of relief to aggrieved parties and find out the cause of mishaps expeditiously as part of its ‘Himachal Pradesh In-depth Study of Road Accident Scheme, 2009’, the findings of the reports fail to find any practical application. The committees are being headed by the Sub-Divisional Magistrates concerned in whose jurisdiction accident takes place, and its other members comprise assistant engineer (mechanical) and an inspector or sub-inspector.

The committees are supposed to conduct an in-depth inquiry of the accident and submit report to the Regional Transport Officer concerned within a fortnight for taking action in accordance with the Central Motor Vehicle Act.

The committees were to devise measures to check the rising number of accidents but little success has been achieved in disciplining the erring drivers. The only visible action taken by the Police Department was erecting boards signaling people about vulnerable spots on various roads.

It was also known that lacking necessary skills to drive through narrow serpentine roads, the inexperienced drivers often led to mishaps, causing loss of several lives.

Though the police and officials of the Transport Department did challan the erring drivers, this had a limited effect due to the shortage of staff in these departments.

Shimla, September 26
To create awareness about traffic safety, the Himachal Pradesh Police have coined a new slogan “surakshit padharein, surakshit lautein”, (arrive safe and return safe) and launched a campaign to spread the message through safety pamphlets.

The pamphlet, which was released by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today, provides information about traffic safety regulations and displays the do’s and dont’s through signs.

Releasing the pamphlet, the Chief Minister said “It should be ensured that these pamphlets are distributed to the visitors at all entry points of the districts and the state so that the motorists can be made aware of the precautions needed to be taken while driving in the hills”.

The distribution of these pamphlets should start during the ongoing Navratri when lakhs of devotees visit famous temples and shakti peeths in the state, he said. This would help in reducing road accidents in the state, he added.

Emphasising that the police could contribute a lot in reducing the road mishaps and put an end to drunken driving, Virbhadra Singh said maximum accidents took place due to negligent and drunken driving or use of mobile phones while driving. He directed the police to bring such traffic violators to book to set an example for others.

“The state government is serious about enforcing the traffic rules stringently to reduce road accidents,” he said during an interaction with senior police officers. He also appreciated the efforts of the police department to carry out the state-wide survey in all districts covering all roads, including national highways.

Stressing that all black spots should be identified, the CM said the improvement and widening of roads should be done wherever possible and appropriate signages with speed limits should be displayed prominently. “A small measure can save many precious lives and the police and other departments must ensure that overcrowding and over-speeding are regularly monitored,” he said.

Director General of Police (DGP) Sanjay Kumar informed Virbhadra Singh about various measures being adopted by the department to reduce road accidents and said in order to scientifically collect and compile the data about road accidents, an elaborate ‘road accident data management system’ was likely to be introduced soon with the assistance of the World Bank, alongwith PWD, Transport and Health Departments.

He said sophisticated tablets would be provided to the police stations and all police posts to handle mishap cases effectively and immediately. An Accident Data Management Cell would also be made operational from the next week at Police Headquarters, Shimla, which would also be linked with all police posts and police stations so that corrective measure could be taken for prevention of accidents, the DGP added.

Shimla, September 26
Yashwardhan Singh Chauhan was today elected as the president of the HP High Court Bar Association.

In a direct fight, Chauhan defeated his nearest opponent Dalip Sharma by a margin of 207 votes. He polled 444 votes, while Sharma secured 237 votes.

In the triangular fight for the post of vice-president, Virender Rathore defeated his nearest opponent Naveen Bhardwaj by a margin of 97 votes.

Naresh Sharma emerged victorious for the post of general secretary in a close contest. He defeated Praveen Chandel by a slender margin of seven votes.

The elections were held under the chairmanship of Ramakant Sharma. — OC

Shimla, September 26
The government is contemplating auctioning portions on the banks of the Yamuna after examining the mining system being followed by its neighbour Uttarakhand.

With a ban being imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on mining, the state is facing shortage of sand and gravel which is even beginning to impact the pace of development works. Himachal shares a boundary of about 31 km with Uttarakhand where riverbed mining is being undertaken along the banks of the Yamuna, which flows through the two states.

“We are planning to auction some portions for mining so that the basic requirement for sand and gravel can be met. A team of officials from the Mining Department visited Uttarakhand to see how they were dealing with the situation,” said Mukesh Agnihotri, Industries Minister.

It was only in 2003 that a portion of the area along the Yamuna was auctioned at ~33 lakh per annum. The department is also exploring the possibility of auctioning land 
in other border districts such as Una so that the problem being faced in getting sand and gravel can be eased.

There are hardly a handful of mining leases in the state that are functional as 155 cases are pending before the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest for clearance. Similarly, 85 cases are pending before the state committee which lapsed in April, earlier this year. “We have written to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest to reconstitute the two committees of State-Level Environment Impact Assessment Committee and the State Appraisal Committee, whose term ended almost six months back,” said Agnihotri.

It is reliably learnt that the Centre had objected to some of the earlier names of members recommended by the state so now new names have been sent to be included in the panels. The state government is awaiting the constitution of the two committees so that clearances to the pending cases of lease can be given.

“The earlier two committees cleared only 16 cases during five years which led to a problem and acute scarcity,” he said.

With the state facing a grave financial crisis, the government is keen that mining operations starts at the earliest so that revenue starts coming. The government is getting a revenue of almost Rs 150 crore annually from mining and with approving of more leases, the revenue will further go up.

Shimla, September 26
The two-day apple festival which concluded here today was a low-key affair, as most apple associations feigned ignorance about it, while those who participated too seemed unhappy.

Apple farmers in major apple belts of Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti were angry as they said they had no information about it.

Progressive growers who participated in the fest also slammed the Department of Tourism and Civil Association (DoTCA) and the Directorate of Horticulture for not allotting a suitable space on The Ridge, where tourists and other visitors could have caught an easy glimpse of the exhibition.

“The exhibition was relegated to a corner in a small hall, where song and dance parties caught people’s eye,” said Ashutosh Chauhan, who displayed his best variety of gale gala, Chinese golden varieties in the exhibition.

“The Ridge would have been an apt place, where tourists could have come and seen and even bought apples directly from farmers, as is the case with the mongo festival held elsewhere in the country,” Satish Bhalaik, president of the Bahli Apple Growers’ Society, Kotgarh, said.

On the other hand, apple growers in Jubbal-Kotkhai, Chopal and Kullu and the state’s tribal belt complained that organisers did not invite them for the festival.

“The idea of holding an apple festival is in the right spirit, but was badly executed. We were not even aware that an apple festival is being organised. Neither the Horticulture Department nor the Tourism Department invited us for the festival,” said Laxman Thakur, chairman, Ecohorts, Nandpur.

Farmers resented that the Horticulture Department failed to perform its duty properly, as they intimated only a few farmers and ignored the rest.

“We came to know about the apple festival in Shimla through newspapers as no government officials invited us for the festival,” said Mahender Upadhayay, president, Kullu Valley Fruit Growers’ Association, which has 2,000 members.

“Farmers should have been invited from different apple belts as the festival was a venue to exchange latest technology in producing best apple varieties of global competence,” said Prem Chauhan, a progressive farmer from Jhaltar, Kotkhai, whose new fancy varieties of red velox and super chief became the centre of attraction and won him the first prize at the exhibition.

“The apple festival was a good attraction, but we faced difficulty in locating the hall and could not buy apples from farmers as there was no sale facility,” rued Bishwajeet a tourist from Kolkata.

The apple festival has been organised twice in the past. Firstly it was held when Maj VS Mankotia was the Tourism Minister in 2002 and 2004 in Shimla and for the second time in Manali in 2008 and 10, when Narender Bragta was the Horticulture Minister. But organisers did not involve both growers’ associations and societies as a result, the festival lost its appeal among farmers and tourists.

Director, tourism, Mohan Chauhan said: “Apple is a strong brand of Himachal that reminds tourists of what Himachal offers them. The Horticulture Department has direct contact with farmers. But it is just the beginning, we will make necessary improvements the next time as it will be made an annual feature.”

SK Sharma, deputy director, horticulture and in charge of the apple exhibition, said though they intimated farmers in a short notice, they received 210 entries.

“We will invite all associations the next time to make it a big event,” he added.

The apple festival was a good attraction, but we faced difficulty in locating the hall and could not buy apples from farmers as there was no sale facility. — Bishwajeet, a tourist from Kolkata

Shimla, September 26
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said more avenues would be explored to construct parking slots in Shimla so as to provide adequate parking space to the residents.

Presiding over a meeting pertaining to the status of parking on design, built, operate and transfer mode, he said all the parking lots in the city should have a gable-shaped roof in the Gothic style of architecture so that the multi-storey complexes face no problem of leakages during rain and snow and would be safe for vehicles.

The Chief Minster reviewed the status of the four major parking complexes being constructed at Sanjauli, Chotta Shimla, Vikas Nagar and near Lift and directed officials to complete these soon.

There are many open areas in and around Shimla which could be developed into parking lots, he said, directing authorities to explore such places in and around Cemetery tunnel area and on the Jakhu road.

He said Titla Hotel building near Jakhu was dilapidated and unsafe for its occupants. It should be acquired and a parking space could be managed there for around 100 vehicles.

The PWD sheds and a building on the way to the Cemetery, near Dhalli tunnel, was also an obstruction for ambulance and other medium vehicles and possibilities may be explored to dismantle the same and a proper parking be constructed there, he added.

“I am pained to see that there is no green cover and concrete structures are coming up in a haphazard manner in lower Sanjauli area,” Virbhadra Singh said.

Steps should be taken for plantation in open areas and prospects of constructing parking somewhere near Saint Xavier School should be explored to ease traffic load on the roads, he added.

Amarjeet Singh, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Shimla, said all the four parking compounds, at Sanjauli, Chotta Shimla, Vikas Nagar and near Lift, would provide parking facilities for 2,000 or more vehicles. The six-floor Sanjauli parking lot will be completed by December end and would be open soon, he added. 

Chamba, September 26
Officials of the Revenue Department of Chamba district have sought an unbiased and speedy probe into the death of Navjeevan Mankotia, election tehsildar, Chamba. His body was found behind a restaurant near Sidhbari village in Dharamsala tehsil of Kangra district recently.

The officials released a memorandum to this effect, signed by about a dozen revenue officials, a copy of which was submitted to the Chief Minister as well.

They demanded that the reason behind the death be ascertained and justice given to the bereaved family. An FIR in this connection had already been registered with the police, they said.

“The place of recovery of the tehsildar’s body gives a clear indication that rumours of suicide by the officer or accidental death are baseless,” the memorandum said.

Shimla, September 26
Hundreds of students marched peacefully to the state Secretariat on a call given by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) comprising members of the Students Federation of India (SFI) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) here today.

They raised slogans demanding the rollback of fee hike and increase in budgetary support to the university.

A large number of students gathered at the Secretariat and protested the adamant attitude of the government. They vowed to intensify the agitation if their demands were not met.

JAC leaders said the government did everything to sabotage the rally. They said buses ferrying students to Shimla from various districts were intercepted and stopped from proceeding further in Sirmaur, Solan, Hamirpur and Chamakdi pul and many of them were rounded up by the police.

SFI state secretary, Manish Sharma said: “Students fighting for their rights are being treated as criminals by the government and even today students coming from across the state to join the massive rally were rounded up. Their buses and vehicles were stopped and challaned. They were told that these repressive measures won’t work.”

Appealing to all political parties to support the demands of students, ABVP state secretary Ashish Siktha said the government was adopting a confrontationist attitude. “We will intensify our agitation and resort to jail bharo andolan, road blockade and Himachal Bandh in the coming days.”

On the other hand, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today dubbed the agitation as uncalled for and asked students to wait for recommendations of the high-level committee appointed by the government to take a holistic view of fee structure and other related issues.

“If such an atmosphere prevails on the university campus, elections cannot be held. The government will not tolerate violence. Instead of holding rallies and dharnas, the matter can be solved amicably through talks,” he said while talking to mediapersons.

Alleging that it was a handiwork of a few political parties and unions who were inciting students, vitiating the academic atmosphere in the educational institutions, the CM said it was wrong to infer that all colleges were closed throughout the state.

He asked students to wait for the report of the committee and not get swayed away by certain anti-social elements, creating furore in the name of fee-hike. 

Shimla, September 26
Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited(SJVNL) has paid a dividend of Rs 261.48 crore to the Government of India, which has a 64.5 per cent holding in the public sector company. SJVNL had declared a total dividend of Rs 405.39 crore for 2013-14, the highest paid so far, a company note said.

The dividend cheque was handed over to Union Minister of State for Power Piyush Goel by RP Singh, CMD, SJVNL, today in New Delhi in the presence of Pradeep Kumar Sinha, Secretary (Power), and other senior officials. AS Bindra, Director (Finance), NL Sharma, Director (Personnel), and senior officials of the company were also present on the occasion.

RP Singh said SJVNL had earned a net profit of Rs 1,114.63 crore during the financial year 2013-14, which was 6 per cent higher than the net profit of last year. The company earned a total revenue of Rs 2,110.72 crore as against Rs 1,927.36 crore last year.

Kangra, September 26
A 47-year-old woman of Maniyara village received 80 per cent burn injuries when her clothes caught fire from the flames of a kerosene oil stove at her home.

Additional Station House Officer (SHO) Kuldeep Sharma said Janki Devi, wife of Ramesh Chand, was trying to light the stove at her home to prepare tea when her clothes caught fire.

After dousing the flames, she was rushed to the Civil Hospital, Palampur, from where she was referred to the Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (DRPGMC) at Tanda here, where she is still battling for life.

The police said the doctors attending on Janki Devi at the DRPGMC said she had received 80 per cent burn injuries.