Fire in Kasauli hills
KASAULI, April 28 — The Shivalik hills in and around this cantonment are on fire. Fuelled by dry pine needles, the fire almost cut off this entire Cantonment from the rest of the country this morning.

Shimla heading for water crisis
SHIMLA, April 28 — This capital town of Himachal Pradesh is heading for an acute water crisis this summer because of an unprecedented drought. Many natural water sources have already dried up in various parts of the state.

Stress on review of tribal area policies
SHIMLA, April 28 — Mrs V.S. Rama Devi, Governor, today released a book, "Tribal Development Appraisal and Alternatives" brought out by the Institute of Tribal Studies of HP University. She also inaugurated Art Exhibition-99.

NGO threatens agitation
DHARAMSALA, April 28 — A local NGO, Jan Chetna, has threatened to launch an agitation if the health authorities fail to improve the services at the Zonal Hospital here within a period of 15 days.

Mahajan decried for seeking poll
UNA, April 28 — The state general secretary of the Himachal Vikas Congress Mr O.P. Rattan criticised Mr Sat Mahajan, PCC Himachal chief for demanding assembly elections in Himachal alongwith those to the Lok Sabha.

Govt move on daily wage workers hailed
HAMIRPUR, April 28 — The Himachal Pradesh Non-Gazetted Services Federation has welcomed the decision of the state government to regularise the services of 2,964 daily wager workers of the Department of Public Works.

• Ex-minister's plea to CM on water supply
• Plea to curb tree smuggling
• Forest fires rage near Una

Fire in Kasauli hills
From Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

KASAULI, April 28 — The Shivalik hills in and around this cantonment are on fire.

Fuelled by dry pine needles, the fire almost cut off this entire Cantonment from the rest of the country this morning. Fortunately, for this calm and clean township of nearly 5,000, timely action by men from the defence forces, employees of the Cantonment Board and even the residents, the fire was cut off from both residential and commercial areas.

Also caught in the fires are noted Bollywood couple Pankaj Kapoor and Supriya Pathak. "We were really upset in the morning as there was fire on every side," remarked Pankaj Kapoor.

"Ever since I saw the fire I have been thinking that something must be done to tackle the problem of dry pine needles. We must think of some method of collecting and using them", he added.

"I wish a couple of scientists are invited here and asked to suggest some way of putting this organic waste to use. The local population can be employed in collecting these dry needles from forest areas. They will get some money and these highly combustible needles can be utilised in a gainful manner. Once they decide about the method, some units can be set up here," Pankaj Kapoor, popular among TV viewers as Karam Chand and Mohan Dass, BA, LL.B., said.

His wife, Supriya Pathak of "Bazaar" fame, also wants something to be done about the water scarcity."Arrangement for storage of water to meet emergencies like today's fires must be made. Even otherwise, water supply to the town needs to be augmented. The possibility of deep bore tubewell can also be explored," she suggested.

Three fire engines from Parwanoo and Solan fought the ravaging fires all around the town throughout the day, but once they left, flames were again leaping skywards a little away from this town. They were visible until Jabli as thick billows of smoke were seen coming out from otherwise cool, calm and environment-friendly hills.

The fire, says Mr Devinder Gupta, an elected member of the Kasauli Cantonment Board, has been the worst ever in the recent history of the town. He claims that the fire actually started last night from two different sources. Strong winds fanned it towards the town. This morning, it almost reached the town. The worst hit were the Lower Mall and Upper Mall areas.

The defence and other civilian installations, including the TV transmission tower, escaped the fury of the flames.

Residents told The Tribune that one of the reasons for the fire could be a prolonged and dry summer. There has been hardly any rain since October last year. As a result, the dry pine needles, whom they address as "barood", acts as catalysts for spreading the flames.

"It has been the worst fire I have seen in my life," complained a middle-aged local resident.

Soon after the town was surrounded by high rising flames, an emergency meeting was held where the local Tehsildar Mr Sharma, Mr Devinder Gupta, Station Staff Officer, Major Sharma; Garrison Engineer G. Sommaya; and Commanding Officer of Military Hospital, Col P.K. Bhuian, besides Mr B.K. Nehru, a former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and President of The Tribune Trust were present. The meeting reviewed the situation.

Three fire engines were requisitioned. It was decided that one of the engines would be stationed in the town for the time being. But the main problem was of water shortage. There is no facility of storage of water in the town. Even otherwise, the residents have been facing a water shortage.

The Subdivisional Engineer (Telephones) said the damage was mainly to the cable in some areas where telephones went dead. The total loss to the cable was, according to initial estimates, around Rs 25,000. The phones would be put in order only after the fire is completely put out.

A visit to the town in the afternoon revealed that some pine trees were still smouldering. The forest area wore a black look. As The Tribune team started its return journey, the flames were visible deep in the forest from a distance. With strong winds fanning the flames, the fire had spread to more areas . The flames were visible until Jubli. After it becomes dark, even the fire fighting operations are given up because of difficult terrain.

Shimla heading for water crisis
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 28 — This capital town of Himachal Pradesh is heading for an acute water crisis this summer because of an unprecedented drought.

Many natural water sources have already dried up in various parts of the state.

The Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department is anticipating a "grave situation" in the days to come.

Rationing of water supply has already been resorted to in certain areas of the state. Water is being supplied on alternate days in certain areas of the town.

The Engineer-in-Chief of the IPH Department, Mr K.L. Handa, anticipates the worst situation in Bilaspur and Hamirpur districts where steps have been taken on "war footing" to tackle the situation.

Engineers say that they were handling the water crisis which normally they faced in June.

Twentyfive handpumps have been provided for Una district.

The Commissioner of the Shimla Municipal Corporation, Mr Manoj Kumar, however, says that the situation was not alarming. The IPH Department was supplying about 50 lakh gallons of water from various sources against the daily demand of about 65 lakh gallons.

He said the situation was being constantly monitored and additional water was being supplied through tankers to hospitals and schools.

The water supply to the town is maintained from five major sources that are located in the peripheral villages of Shimla.

There are reports that out of the nearly 200 hotels in the town, some of them have installed water pumps on the main supply lines, resulting in scarcity in the adjoining residential areas.

'No Cong role' in govt's fall
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 28 — Mr Harsh Mahajan, a sitting Congress MLA and vice-president of the PCC, has said the BJP-led government at the Centre collapsed due to the withdrawal of support by its coalition partner and the Congress had nothing to do with its fall.

In a statement here today, Mr Mahajan criticised the BJP for having launched a tirade that the Vajpayee Government had collapsed due to manipulations of the Congress.

He said an attempt was being made to divert attention from its failures. He said it was clear from the start that the unholy alliance of the BJP and other parties was an illogically forged opportunistic arrangement which was self-defeating and self-devouring.

Its collapse under the pressures of its own internal contradiction was a foregone conclusion.

He said the Congress had always played the role of a responsible Opposition during the past 13 months and had made it clear from the beginning that it would not indulge in any toppling game.

Mrs Sonia Gandhi had clearly maintained that she would not succumb to pressure from other parties to encourage the formation of an alternative government but would discharge the constitutional duties of a responsible Opposition. The party's decision not to support a third front government was taken in view of the failures of such governments in 1996 and 1997. This stand was vindicated by the decision taken by the CPM Politburo a major component of the third front, which admitted that a third front government was unviable and felt that a Congress-led government was the only alternative.

The past 13 months was a period of non-governance, he said and added that it was marked by economic disaster with inflation touching an all-time high.

In Himachal the BJP's alliance with the HVC was equally opportunistic and fragile and was destined to meet the same fate that the party had met at the Centre.

The government had failed to provide relief to drought-hit farmers, contain forest fires and manage the water and the financial crises in the state, Mr Mahajan said.

Snow leopard may die in Kufri park

KUFRI (H.P), April 28 (ANI) — In the Himalayan Nature Park at Kufri, snow leopard, a rare breed of leopard living in captivity, is in grave danger due to rising temperature.

The Kufri Nature Park, 16 km from Shimla, is the second place in India plays host to a snow leopard, which lives above height of 13,000 feet amidst the snow-clad higher reaches of The Himalayas.

This year the snow leopard which has been named Rosy is finding its man-made nature park uninhabitable. During day now when the temperature ranges between 20 degree Celsius and 30 degree Celsius, this snow leopard becomes restless as it cannot survive below the snow line.

Environmentalists across the country are much concerned about this rare and wonderful animal as natural conditions prevailing at Kufri are not congenial to the needs of this animal. The Kufri Nature Park is not equipped to provide natural habitat to the animal.In the cage there is no provision to condition the temperature which is required to make snow leopard live comfortably.The staff has provision to sprinkle water over the roof of the cage which does not affect the temperature inside

To look after this snow leopard there is a veterinary doctor. Due to lack of proper health facility and congenial nature-like environment, a rare animal marmot also died last year. If the temperature goes up then this animal might die due to heat.

This animal was brought here from Lahaul Spiti where it was captured from the wild by the local people.

There are about 400 to 600 snow leopards in our country. Though the Himachal Government claims to have a population of 33 snow leopards, some Forest officers call this figure inauthentic.

Stress on review of tribal area policies
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 28 — Mrs V.S. Rama Devi, Governor, today released a book, "Tribal Development Appraisal and Alternatives" brought out by the Institute of Tribal Studies of HP University. She also inaugurated Art Exhibition-99.

The book is edited by Prof S.K. Gupta, Prof V.P. Sharma and Prof N.K. Sharda and contains 36 papers contributed by scholars from different disciplines.

Prof S.K. Gupta, Vice-Chancellor, HP University, detailed the endeavours and achievements of the institute in giving direction to tribal development in the state.

He said a socio-economic transformation had taken place in the tribal areas raising various issues relating to tribal identity, self-governance, customary laws and practices. He laid stress on empirical research and a periodic review of the ongoing policies and strategies along with an area specific approach in tune with geo-physical conditions, resource base and the socio-cultural ethos.

He said a PG diploma in tribal studies was being started from the academic session 1999-2000.

Prof L.R. Sharma said the book gave a lucid account of how modernisation and the process of development under the Five-Year-Plan and the tribal sub-plan had influenced tribal life bringing about a change in the lifestyle, occupational pattern and social behaviour in the past five decades. He said the approach had been a multi-disciplinary analysis of development in tribal areas, critically appraising the strategies adopted and suggesting options.

Later, the Governor inaugurated an art-exhibition. It was a group show of students of the Department of Visual Arts, HP University. She evinced keen interest in the paintings of 14 young artists.

NGO threatens agitation
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, April 28 — A local NGO, Jan Chetna, has threatened to launch an agitation if the health authorities fail to improve the services at the Zonal Hospital here within a period of 15 days.

The convener of Jan Chetna, Kanwar M.P. Singh, said people coming from remote villages were facing a lot of inconvenience. He said to bring about an improvement in the services, no doctor should be allowed to stay in the hospital for more than five years.

He regretted that despite installing of the CT scan in the hospital, it remained out of order most of the time, as a result of which poor patients had to pay a huge amount for the facility in private laboratories. In the absence of a technician for the ECG machine, it was handled by a class IV employee, who was not trained for the job.

Members of Jan Chetna said people coming from remote areas faced great inconvenience when they wanted tests done in the laboratory after 2 p.m. Since there were seven posts of pathologist in the hospital, the laboratory facility should be open all 24 hours. They demanded that the CT scan and X-ray felicities should also be available all 24 hours.

They said doctors who were on emergency duty do not stay in the hospital and had to be summoned from their homes leading to the loss of precious time.

Mahajan decried for seeking poll
From Our Correspondent

UNA, April 28 — The state general secretary of the Himachal Vikas Congress Mr O.P. Rattan criticised Mr Sat Mahajan, PCC Himachal chief for demanding assembly elections in Himachal alongwith those to the Lok Sabha. Mr Rattan said that for the past few months Mr Mahajan was waiting for Mrs Sonia Gandhi's nod to form Congress government in Himachal. The Congress tried its best to form Congress government at Centre, but failed.

Mr Rattan said that the BJP-HVC government was stable in Himachal and Mr Sat Mahajan should wait till the completion of present term of the Vidhan Sabha to try the Congress their luck.

Mr Rattan held the Congress responsible party could not run away for forcing Lok Sabha poll on the nation for its greed for power.

Mr Rattan added BJP-HVC government would complete its term and fight forthcoming Lok Sabha election jointly.

Govt move on daily wage workers hailed
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, April 28 — The Himachal Pradesh Non-Gazetted Services Federation has welcomed the decision of the state government to regularise the services of 2,964 daily wager workers of the Department of Public Works. This step of the government will create an environment of goodwill between the employees and the government, Mr Prem Singh Bharmauria, General Secretary of the state federation, said.

In a statement here today, he urged the Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, to initiate steps to regularise the services of daily wage workers in other government departments and Regional Engineering College at Hamirpur.

He also announced more nominations to the state body of the federation as recommended by the state president.

Forest fires rage near Una
From Our Correspondent

UNA, April 28 — Fires were reported today in the forest area near Pubowal village in Santohgarh constituency and Jol forest in Kutlehar area. The fire brigade at Rakkar, 3 km from here, was engaged in putting out the fire.

In another incident, one house in Ispur village, 8 km from here, on Una-Hoshiarpur Road, also caught fire today and the fire brigade had a tough time in controlling it as most of the fire fighting vehicles were engaged in putting out a forest fire somewhere else.

Ex-minister's plea to CM on
water supply
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 28 — Kanwar Durga Chand, a former Himachal Minister, has urged the government to take effective steps to meet the scarcity of drinking water in the Jaisinghpur and Palampur sub-divisions of the Kangra district.

He said that there was an acute shortage of water in several villages of Lambagaon, Dehra and Bhawarna blocks. He toured these areas recently.

Kanwar Durga Chand asked the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, to order the district authorities to provide drinking water through tankers and mules without delay.

Meanwhile, reports have been received that the Andrana Bandhan Water Supply Scheme has almost dried and several villages were affected. Residents of the area have demanded immediate steps to provide adequate water supply by lifting water from the nearby rivers.

Plea to curb tree smuggling
From Our Correspondent

BILASPUR, April 28 — Mr Kansi Ram, President, gram panchayat, Salwaad, submitted a memorandum to the Superintendent of Police, Mr Anurag Garg, here yesterday seeking action against some contractors, ant-social elements and lower forest field staff involved in illegal felling and smuggling of trees.

He said government forests at Jhangrote, Behal, Chalog, Narli, Sher, Marottan, Katheran, Suh, Daribhadi, Harsera, Samletu, Panjeen, Sihra, Ghaniri Beat and Thuran had been burnt down recently by some persons who were engaged in the illegal felling of khair and other trees from these forests.

He added that the police stations, under whose jurisdiction these jungles fell, should be ordered to identify persons involved and register cases against them.