Campaign against Cannabis

Alternative farming is the only way of controlling cannabis cultivation but it is not an easy task within the given infrastructure, reports Kuldeep Chauhan from the drug haven of Kulu and Mandi

Although no one knows the exact dimension of the poppy and cannabis contraband trade in the state, but experts suspect that it runs into a multimillion illicit industry.

The big smugglers, who are rarely caught by the enforcement agencies, corner the major chunk of the money from the hashish and opium smuggling. On the other, ‘couriers’ carrying the charas and opium consignments to the metros and outside the country and the ‘cultivators’ of the crops get peanuts, but face the wrath of the law, experts reveal.

Curbing cannabis cultivation is not an easy task. Poppy and charas on an average give a cultivator an income of Rs. 5,000 to Rs.10,000 a year. Second, the poppy and cannabis seeds are sources of dishes for them. The cannabis fiber is used for making pulas, a good handicraft in the Seraj and Banjar valleys in Mandi-Kulu region. As such, the villagers have no other suitable equal economic alternative for the crops.

Villagers in the drug haven of Mandi-Kulu cry for alternative crops. The anti-drug drives have destroyed the both poppy and cannabis contraband crops. Besides, they have no high school and no health centre in the villages. Even anganwadis do not have basic medicines.

But today more dangerous trend in the drug haven is the youth are falling into the drug trap. In each village, a youth or two are drug addicts. The villagers are worried, but nobody lead them. “Our ancestors grew cannabis and poppy as a tradition. Today youth have been lured into the trade as they find the poppy and cannabis, much more money-spanning than what agriculture gives them. We have planted trees and want to grow vegetables. But the big problem is marketing as most the villages do not have roads”, says Shanu Ram in Glingcha village,

The anti-drug drives have turned out to be an annual ritual as cultivation continues in face of an alternative. Because of political apathy he well-entrenched drug mafia has changed its game plan. They are encouraging e villagers to cultivate both hybrid cannabis and poppy in new areas in hidden and remote areas on the forestland to avoid detection. The NCB and Police cannot book cases as the cultivation has shifted to the forest areas.

The alternative farming project launched by the home department to encourage villagers to switch over from cultivation of contraband crops remains as good as non-existent. The villagers have planted apples and other fruits and even vegetables, where water is ufficient, but they rued they have no roads connecting the remote villages.As villagers have no alternative, the poppy and cannabis are easy best bet with them to make fast cash. “Local politicians have done nothing to promote the alternative farming and link them with roads”, complain villagers. Alternative farming should be pursued with a vigour to discourage farmers to cultivate the contraband crops”, he adds.

Schooldays are forever

Sanjeev Singh Bariana looks back fondly at the days well spent in learning at the Dalhousie Public School

I rubbed my eyes and pulled myself out of the bed following a shrill whistle on a cool early morning in July 1980. It was still dark outside and the watch read 5 a.m. "What's it?" I asked my neighbour. He was already changing into his sports attire. "Time for the morning jog", he said and ran out of the room.

(The writer is a Senior Staff Correspondent with The Tribune.)

Founder's Day
Balkrishan Prashar

The flow of events at the annual day function of the Dalhousie Public School appeared like pearls assembled in a necklace held together with rhythm and corresponding body movement of hundreds of students. The highlight of the function was participation by every kid in the school including the tiny tots. Meticulous care in designing the stage setting and extreme discipline in weaving the entire show into a comprehensive whole was indeed commendable.

A welcome dance on 'Kisna' beats and an Arabian dance by tiny tots were very well appreciated by the audience as was evident from the tremendous response through clapping that echoed in the serene sylvan setting of the mountain woods. The show also included a show of Taekwondo by Junior Boys (Martial Arts) and Aerobics to show the importance of the school on physical exercise curriculum. The Bhangra item requires a special mention.

Lt Gen Nirbhay Sharma, a veteran soldier and a specialist in counter Terrorism operations presided over the Founder's Day function. The General while complimenting the staff and students for a great show goaded the youngsters to work hard and ordain the attire of the defence forces. "Besides a glorious profession, the line offers a comprehensive package for an adventurous and a fulfilling life, professionally and personally. Coincidently, the Director Principal Capt (Dr) G.S. Dhillon's association with the general goes back to more than 25 years while serving with 2 PARA (Special Forces). Dr Dhillon in his report highlighted the achievements of the school in various fields and the new facilities being continuously added.

Manoj Chadha, president Municipal Council, Dalhousie said "I will like to make a special mention about the contribution made by the school in preserving the natural surroundings and decking up the entire road side with the beauty of flowers. It reflects a high sense of social responsibility and sets a great precedence for others to emulate. 

HIllside view
Images of another kind…
by Vepa Rao

During my travels, I receive special attention when I tell people that I live in Shimla. It’s the same whether in buses, trains, planes or gatherings in big cities. First a curious glance, then questions about ‘ice’. Hindi movies have obviously contributed a lot to people’s warped image of Shimla.

A touch of envy in their eyes tells you that they are probably thinking of Shimla as a heavenly centre for romance round the clock. A place meant only for mating couples jumping around bushes, making funny faces to filmy tunes!

At a wedding in Hyderabad recently, my long kurta, pyjama and whitish beard were at once linked to my life in Shimla. “I believe most sadhus, and sanyasis live there. Do you do yoga and meditation?” Another gentleman said he had heard it was somewhere in the Himalaya mountains of the Shiv-Parvathi fame. Arunachal, Uttaranchal, Meghalaya, and Himachal meant the same thing to most of them.

This was followed by an old man’s eager inquiry whether I had ‘visited the Kailash Parvat’, and how far it was from my place.

I do not eat mirich-masaala at all. That makes my traveling in the South quite difficult. So at lunch when bland food came for me specially, I spent more time fielding questions about food and spiritualism than actually eating. My bachelor status convinced them that I had chosen the path of vairagya and renunciation.

An ancient aunt I had never met before, summoned me. After a brief prologue, she mentioned the sanjivani-type magical herbs famed to be available in the Himalayas. “I suffer from these terrible pains in the joints,” she wailed, “can you help me with some moolika (medicinal herbs) or mantra? “

My feeble protests that I was just an ordinary fellow were at once dubbed as my modesty, a philosophy that shunned any praise! No one there would believe that I had found the rat-race revolting and decided to run away from the big city life and active journalism into the docile existence and easy livelihood in the hills.

Incidentally, I have also met countless number of people in Andhra who regarded only those with a beard and turban as the Punjabis. The Sikhs also command a lot of goodwill there — as great friends, strong people full of humour and zest for life. A very common question is: “Have you visited the Golden Temple?”

But, you will be disappointed if you ask them about the cultural and socio-political matters in the northern states. Answers will be sketchy, impressionistic — culled mainly from heresy and Hindi movies. A bit above gossip. Though, in recent years, the electronic media’s dramatized news, tele-serials, and other programmes have whetted their appetite for knowing about the life in this region.

A lady wearing a salwar-kameez (generally called “punjabi dress”) is still regarded as a bit too “modern and forward”. She must wear a saree for performing religious ceremonies, marriages etc. It applies generally to all castes, religions, economic classes. National integration is a slow, long process indeed!

Kya fayada!

Vikram’s sister is getting married next week. “So, how many days leave are you taking?” I asked his buddy Suresh. “Just one day”, he said.

“But Suresh, won’t he need your help?”

“Not quite, sir. The contractor will provide every thing, A to Z. Besides, I am very busy at office these days.”

“But what about the moral support and all that. His family is very fond of you, I thought. And you once said his father was trying for a good job for you in his office…”

Suresh laughed. “He left that company two months ago, sir. Who will listen to him now! Ab kya fayada!”

That’s it. We need not be shocked by such an attitude these days. There was a time when a dozen friends would turn up during events like marriage, hospitalization etc. Just like that, as soon as word went around. They would hang around patiently, and help you with planning and organizing. Exactly like members of the concerned family. The friend’s parents treated you like their own offspring, giving you even menial tasks and petty errands without hesitation. You considered it a privilege to be so treated by the elders.

Himachal is still better off than most other states in this respect. Family and social ties are stronger. Friends do arrive in times of need. Of course, not so spontaneously, or in such large numbers as, say, 10 years ago. I also notice they prefer lighter tasks, more symbolic than substantial. They can give you much less time these days. A cricket match or a tele-serial becomes equally compelling.

As the Suresh episode shows, things have begun to change. The fayada element has started creeping into relationships in a very big way.

But the saving grace is— conscience is still there, so is the guilt. People still blush a bit while fibbing and cooking up excuses. Small mercies, they say!

Shivji bihane chale…

The mythical saga of Shiv and Parvati is very much a part of the marriage ceremonies of the Gaddi community, says Vibhor Mohan

Recall the old song describing the marriage of Lord Shiva: Shivji bihane chale, palaki sajayi ke, babhuti lagai ke… Well, something of that order is still practiced in the hills of Himachal Pradesh. Inspired by the most celebrated couple of Hindu mythology, the love saga of Shiv-Parvati forms a part and parcel of the marriages in the Gaddi community, popular as ‘Shiv Vivahs’.

Welcome to Kangra-Bharmour, where lines between mythology and traditions get blurred and marriage becomes an elaborate affair. Whenever there is a marriage, the groom has to take a matrimonial test, wherein he takes the guise of Lord Shiva by rubbing ash all over his body.

His sisters, brothers and sister-in-laws try to convince him by highlighting the benefits of a marriage so that he gives up his ascetic lifestyle he plans to lead like that of Lord Shiva.“The boy says that he am a yogi, who lives in the Himalyas and cannot get married. His family and relatives beat him with plants even as he makes circles in the backyard. The third round is the most crucial. If the spirit of lord Shiva persists, the boys runs to a Shiv temple, choosing to become a jogi and it is believed that Shiv’s will has taken over him,” says Joginder Charak, a resident of Nagri in Palampur.

This year itself, there were reports of two such cases _ in Jia and Khamiwal _ where the would-be-grooms fled from the ceremony, rejecting the institution of marriage. If the comes out of Shivji’s ‘awe’ he gets ready to take a barat to the girl’s house and the marriage is officially on. If due to any eventuality, the groom is unable to accompany the barat, a katara (sharp-edged weapon) is sent as his representative and the bride takes pheras with it and stays with it till she is handed over to the groom, says Kul Prakash, a resident of Chamba district.

“For the gaddi community, Shiv-Parvati are the ideal couple personified and that is why the entire marriage ceremony is performed the way Lord Shiva is known to have gone about his marriage in the Vedas,’ he adds. In the olden times the marriage used to go on for days and the baraat is served with meat and hooch. There was also a practice to marry off two sisters on the same day. But with life becoming much faster, many practices have been done away with. “Earlier, the boy and girls were married in their teens and the marriage ceremony was virtually performed all over again when they were brought together on attaining adulthood. But this has stopped now,’ adds M.R.Dalel, a resident of Bharmour.

When the barat finally comes back, a ‘nuwala’, Lord Shiva’s worship is organised by the groom’s family and relatives and friends converge to have another round of festivities. A large section of the gaddi community continue to be deep rooted in their age-old traditions and this form of elaborate ‘Shiv Vivah’ or ‘Gaddi Vivah’ is still prevalent in district Kangra and Chamba, especially bharmour, Banikhet, Tisa and Dalhousie.

SHIMLA Diary
Sweat and ‘toll’
Rakesh Lohumi

The Himachal Government's no to the four-laning of the Shimla-Chandigarh national highway beyond Solan has raised many an eyebrow. The plea that it did not want the people to be burdened with 'toll' has no takers. If this is indeed the case than it will not be able to implement any of the project being planned under the private-pubic partnership, which is the order of the day. It is surprising that such a logic is being extended to justify a patently wrong decision when people were being charged Rs 7 for using a government lift connecting the Cart Road and the Mall and Rs 50 for parking vehicles.

Moreover, the highway up to Solan will not be toll-free and if the people could pay for four-laning the 85-km Zirakpur-Solan stretch, they will not mind doing so for another 45 km. Further, the motorists were already being charged Rs 30 as entry fee without providing any facility. Various tourism-related organisations, which are sore over the decision, have already made a demand for scrapping the entry fee.

Interestingly, when the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) initially came up with the four-laning proposal, the government wanted it to build an express highway which could reduce the travel time between Chnadigarh and Shimla to just an hour. Only last year it engaged a consultant to revise the Rs 867 crore four-laning proposal for the purpose. It wanted the NHAI to build more tunnels to achieve this even if it increased the cost of the project. What happened over the past one year that made the government suddenly consider even a four-lane road a luxury which the people could ill-afford where an express highway was justified only those scuttling the move could explain.

The decision also did not fit in well in the overall scheme of the government to set up a special economic zone, an Information Technology Park and a township near Waknaghat, midway between Solan and Shimla.

It is being alleged that the four-laning project was being culminated at Solan only to save the land of some politically influential persons. The government will have a lot to answer as it will become a major political issue during the assembly poll, which is months away.

Rising up to glory

Week-long festivities marked the 16th Raising Day of the Army Training Command (ARTRAC). The raising day falls on October1 but celebrations commenced on September 22.

The programme began on a sombre note with the 'veer nari meet' during which a large number of war widows from Shimla and the adjoining areas were honoured. The local chapter of the Army Wives Welfare Association(AWWA) was in the forefront of the event. Ms Mala Jamwal, chairperson of the association, urged the "veer naris" to be bold and progressive I their outlook. She assured them that no effort would be spared to ensure their welfare and resolve problems.

A large number of retired soldiers were also invited for the celebrations which included a series variety entertainment programmes and 'barakhanas'. Officers of the command also hosted dinner in honour of the civilian dignitaries and retired service officers, which was attended by the Governor, Mr V.S. Kokje, and the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, who also visited the newly built Army Museum at the Annandale ground.

The celebrations concluded with a special "sainik sammelan" which was addressed by Lt Gen K. S. Jamwal, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the ARTRAC.

Cementing the wrong elements
Rakesh Lohumi

The eco-friendly tourism industry and cement plants, which cause damage to the environment, ill go together. However, the Himachal Government sees ‘grey gold’ in the limestone deposits, which the state has in abundance. It is keen to make the hill state, known for its delicious apples and enchanting landscape, the ‘cement bowl’ of the country. However, the conservationists fear that the state’s endeavour to strike gold could take a toll of the fragile hill environment and in turn hit the tourism industry.

The state already has three big cement plants at Barmana, Darlaghat and Rajban with aggregate capacity of 4.5 million tonne, while two more such projects, each of two million capacity are under implementation at Bagha and Nalini. Recently, the government allotted three more big plants to private companies to be set up at Al Sindi, Broh-Shind and Chopal. When the plants will come into production over the next four years the total cement production will shoot up to about 15 million tonnes.

In fact, all identified limestone deposits have been allotted for exploitation. Survey is on to assess the deposits in the Sunni area and once the exercise is completed offers will be invited for setting up another plant.

The government asserts that industry will not be allowed to come up at the cost of environment and that cement plants have virtually been made a non-polluting industry with the advent of the modern glass bag filter technology for containing emissions. True, the dust and smoke emissions could be effectively controlled but it is the unscientific and large-scale mining along with the heavy load of vehicular traffic, which is a matter of concern.

A plant of two million tonne capacity generates transport work for about 2,000 trucks, which only serve as mobile polluters. The air quality in the Darlaghat and Barmana area has already deteriorated due to the increasing vehicular traffic, which also causes noise pollution. The five new cement plants will require about 10,000 trucks, which will choke the narrow hill roads. The area falling between Darlaghat, Bilaspur and Karsog, where the existing two plants are located and three more are coming up, will be the worst affected.

The problem could be solved if the Rs 1,400 crore Bhanupali-Bilaspur rail project, which is hanging fire for the past 15 years, is implemented on priority. The Railways is not keen on the project and the state government is now trying to get it executed under the private-public partnership by involving the cement companies. Mr VIrbhadra Singh, the Chief Minister, has already held meetings with the representatives of the companies in this regard. A programme for up-gradation and widening of state roads and double-laning of national highways is also underway.

Besides vehicular emissions large-scale mining is a serious environmental hazard. Vast stretches are shorn of the green cover, which not only renders the geologically unstable hills prone to soil erosion but also deface the beautiful landscape. More importantly deforestation, blasting hills and increasing human activity disturbs the serenity of hills and the natural habitat of wildlife. The erosion of precious soil, which takes thousands of years to form affects fertility and also pollutes rivers and reservoirs.

The only way to save the hills from being scarred is to strictly regulate mining and ensure proper rehabilitation of the mined area. But the mining department is ill-equipped to properly supervise the operations across the state. It neither has the required manpower nor vehicles and other logical support to discharge its responsibilities effectively.

Most of the posts of geologists, technical assistant and mining guards are vacant and the field functionaries were virtually immobile with no transport at their disposal. The field functionaries were virtually immobile with no transport at their disposal. The government annually earns revenue of over Rs 40 crore from mining and even if one per cent of it is placed at the disposal of the department it would be in a much better position to perform its regulatory role.