J&K militants "enter Pangi area of HP"
CHAMBA, July 31 — With pressure mounting on the Pakistani militants prowling around in the high altitude alpine regions of Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir, because of the combing operation of Indian Army and paramilitary forces, they (the militants) now are trying to sneak into the hilly terrains of the Pangi valley in Chamba district of Himachal which is adjacent to Doda district.

Farmers in crisis as tomato crop fails
SOLAN, July 31 — Farmers of Solan, Sirmaur and parts of Bilaspur district, a majority of whom had planted a newly-introduced hybrid variety of tomato, marketed by a multinational company, have reported "near-total failure" of the crop causing them losses. These have been unofficially estimated at Rs 10 crore this season.

HPPS officers demand regular DPC meetings
SHIMLA, July 31 — Himachal Pradesh Police Service Officers Association president Sunder Lal and general secretary Diljeet Thakur said today that at present a number of DSPs had been deprived of their service benefits for the reasons that their appointments were still continuing on an ad hoc basis.

HPCC for ‘white paper’ on Kargil
CHAMBA, July 31 — The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee has demanded the BJP-led government at the Centre should issue a "white paper" on the Kargil conflict during which more than 500 jawans had been killed while several were missing.

IAF's recruitment rally at Kulu
SHIMLA, July 31 — The Indian Air Force proposes to hold recruitment rallies at Kulu on August 24 and August 25 and at Nurpur in Kangra district on September 2 and September 3, 1999.

Programme to tone up investigative system
MANDI, July 31 — The central police range here has embarked upon a training programme to improve and modify the current investigative system.

J&K militants "enter Pangi area of HP"
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, July 31 — With pressure mounting on the Pakistani militants prowling around in the high altitude alpine regions of Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir, because of the combing operation of Indian Army and paramilitary forces, they (the militants) now are trying to sneak into the hilly terrains of the Pangi valley in Chamba district of Himachal which is adjacent to Doda district.

According to reports reaching district headquarter town of Chamba, two suspected terrorists have been reported in the Lahaul valley on July 26 by residents of the Gandhari Dhar area belt of the Pangi valley.

Residents reported the incident to the Resident Commissioner of Pangi who rushed to the site to assess the situation.

Residents also reported to the Resident Commissioner that these two terrorists had reportedly made enquiries about police and security forces’ strength and check-points, whereabouts. These suspects have threatened the border villagers not to disclose anything about all this otherwise they would be gunned down. These two Urdu speaking militants were bearded and wearing Pakistani dresses.

This has created panic among the border residents of Pangi in Chamba district adjoining Doda district of J&K.

When asked about the incident over the phone, the district police chief Mr R.M. Sharma admitted that the incident occurred at Gandhari Dhar where two militants were spotted by the border residents. Similar incidents were also witnessed by the officials of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) occasionally in the tribal valley.

The District Police Chief Mr Sharma informed that round-the-clock surveillance and patrolling had been intensified by the security forces at their check-points already set up at Luj, Sural, Bhatori sensitive belts and keeping close watch on the suspected militants and their infiltration into the tribal region of Chamba district in coordination with 18 village defence committees (VDCs) functioning on the border area of Pangi valley besides a massive combing operation had been launched by the security forces to thwart the infiltration.

Farmers in crisis as tomato crop fails
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, July 31 — Farmers of Solan, Sirmaur and parts of Bilaspur district, a majority of whom had planted a newly-introduced hybrid variety of tomato, marketed by a multinational company, have reported "near-total failure" of the crop causing them losses. These have been unofficially estimated at Rs 10 crore this season.

Plants of this particular variety ranged between 40 and 60 cm in height against the usual height of up to 5 ft. Also, the average weight of the fruit was 45 gm instead of 100 to 150 gm as in case of other varieties. In addition, the plant bore 20-25 fruit on an average.

Anticipating heavy losses, several delegations of farmers from the tomato growing areas lodged com- plaints with the Deputy Commissioner, demanding stern action against the multinational company.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr R.D. Dhiman, after making inquiries directed the Department of Agriculture and Y.S. Parmar University to as- certain the nature and cause of the crop failure.

While the report of the Deputy Director, Agriculture, could not be obtained, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, who deputed a team of scientists to visit the fields of the complainants, confirmed that the yield of the new variety was poor. He, however, expressed the view that it was not possible to give any view on the genetic purity of the particular seed variety.

Inquiries made with growers revealed that most of them had bought the seeds from private sources at fancy prices. The company which produced these seeds enjoyed considerable reputation as producer of quality seeds. Three of their earlier varieties had done well in the past.

Mr Ramesh Mehta, a progressive grower of Ghatti, regretted that neither the State Agriculture Department nor the university ever held a seminar or a workshop aimed at educating the farmers about the newly-introduced varieties. The farmers were dependent on the assurances of the seed sellers.

Another farmer, who preferred anonymity, said the Agriculture Department knew that the average life of a hybrid variety seed was a maximum of three years. The seed producers usually introduced newer varieties within this time span. The department, in his view, should have remained alert to new introductions and evaluated these in time.

Most growers feel that the company which introduced the loss-inducing "dwarf" variety should have known that in the mountainous terrains of Solan, no dwarf variety had ever succeeded. Fruits of dwarf plants tended to rot during rains.

Martyrs cremated with military honours
From Our Correspondent

NURPUR, July 31 — Havildar Tarsem Lal of the 104 Battalion of the BSF who died fighting terrorists in Tripura on July 28, was cremated at his native village, Dhamal, yesterday. Thousands of villagers thronged the soldier's house to pay their last respects. Tarsem Lal (29), married six years ago, is survived by his wife, parents, and a son and daughter. Senior officials of the administration and the police and leaders of various political parties attended the cremation.

UNA: Students and staff of Mount Carmel School, Rakkar Colony, on Saturday took out a march from Indira Ground to the Deputy Commissioner's office to express solidarity with the Kargil heroes. Carrying placards and national flags , they raised slogans,` Amol Kalia amar rahe '.

SUNDERNAGAR: The mortal remains of Puran Chand (22) of the 16 Grenadier, who died fighting intruders in the Dras sector on July 25, were cremated at Baran village in Gohar subdivision with full military honours on Saturday. He is the ninth martyr from the district.

Thousands of residents of gram panchayat, Nandi, and adjoining panchayats paid their last respects to the jawan.

Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Probodh Saxena , Mr Jai Ram Thakur, MLA, Chachoit, placed wreaths on the martyr's body on behalf of the Governor and Chief Minister. Mr Dile Ram, a former BJP minister, SP Mandi, SDM Gohar, along with other officers paid homage to the martyr.

JAWALAMUKHI: Thousands of people gathered here to pay their last respects to Surjit Dadhwal (22) who died fighting intruders in the Dras sector on July 25. The body of the martyr was taken to the bank of the Beas for cremation with full military honours.

Wreaths were placed on the coffin by senior military officers and state administrative officials. The Agriculture Minister, Mr Vidyasagar, the IPH Minister, Mr Ramesh Choudhary and Ms Nirmla Devi, MLA, visited the jawan's family.

HPPS officers demand regular DPC meetings

SHIMLA, July 31 (UNI) — Himachal Pradesh Police Service Officers Association president Sunder Lal and general secretary Diljeet Thakur said today that at present a number of DSPs had been deprived of their service benefits for the reasons that their appointments were still continuing on an ad hoc basis.

This had tendency to erode morale and affect the efficiency of officers, they said in a statement and demanded that regular departmental promotion committee (DPC) meetings should be held annually so that Himachal Pradesh Police Service (HPPS) officers, who were on an ad hoc basis were regularised.

Mr Sunder Lal and Mr Diljeet Thakur, both ASPs, said a deputation of officers met Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal here and submitted him a charter of demands.

They said promotional avenues should be created for HPPS officers in the rank of SPs and additional SPs to remove stagnation. This could done without incurring any extra expenditure.

The police officers demanded that the pay scales of HPPS officers as recommended by the Fourth Pay Commission of Punjab should be released immediately. Promotional rules of HPPS officers should be framed immediately and powers and functions of these officers clearly defined.

The intake of direct IPS officers should not exceed the cadre strength for them in Himachal. At present the quota for direct IPS officers in the state was 50, whereas at present, 54 such officers were allotted to Himachal.

Mr Sunder Lal and Mr Thakur said the central deputation quota should be filled. At any given time, 16 IPS officers should be on central deputation, whereas only 14 IPS officers were on central deputation, at present.

HPCC for ‘white paper’ on Kargil
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, July 31 — The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) has demanded the BJP-led government at the Centre should issue a "white paper" on the Kargil conflict during which more than 500 jawans had been killed while several were missing.

Speaking to mediapersons here today, Mr Harsh Mahajan, vice-president of the HPCC and Whip of the Congress Legislative Party, asked the BJP-led government to dismiss the inquiry committee appointed to investigate into the conflict as it would submit a "whitewashed" report.

Mr Mahajan demanded convening of a Rajya Sabha session for a debate on Kargil. He said the government could not evade accountability and eventually would have to reply to the nation and the House.

Mr Mahajan slammed the government for trying to draw political mileage out of the Kargil episode in the ensuing elections.

IAF's recruitment rally at Kulu

SHIMLA, July 31 (PTI) — The Indian Air Force proposes to hold recruitment rallies at Kulu on August 24 and August 25 and at Nurpur in Kangra district on September 2 and September 3, 1999.

For Kulu rally, selection test will be conducted at Kala Kendra, Dhalpur and Kulu while for Nurpur the test will be conducted at Bachat Bhawan, Nurpur, official release said here today.

For Kulu rally, the candidates should have been born between February 1, 1981 and February 1, 1984 while for Nurpur rally the candidates should have been born between March 1, 1981 and March 1, 1984 and should have passed matriculation and equivalent examination with a minimum of 45 per cent marks.

Programme to tone up investigative system
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, July 31 — The central police range here has embarked upon a training programme to improve and modify the current investigative system.

Mr Sumesh Goyal, DIG (central range), said here yesterday that this was the first programme in a series of "specialised training programmes" to be conducted at the range level.

Investigating officers from Mandi Kulu, Bilaspur and Hamirpur participated in the workshop.

The unique feature was the holding of "rock trials" where the investigating officers presented their cases and legal experts pointed the flaws which resulted in acquittals.

Mr Goyal said in the changed scenario, the investigating agencies had to keep pace with modern times and equip themselves with the latest technology.