Project to save alpine hills
CHAMBA, Nov 10 — The Centre has put into operation an ambitious project called the "Integrated watershed development project" (IWDP) in the Bharmour tribal area of Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh.

Ray of hope for disabled
KANGRA, Nov 10 — "Assistance to the physically handicapped", a new project under way in this district, has brought a ray of hope for those who have lost one or more limbs.

CBI probe sought into selection of school teachers
KANGRA, Nov 10 — The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary and sitting MLA from Nagrota Bagwan, Mr G.S. Bali, today warned those government officials who were allegedly violating the norms and going out of their way to oblige ruling party ministers and leaders while carrying out their official duties.

Corpn staff's plea to review decision
SHIMLA, Nov 10 — The officers and employees of the five out of six corporations and boards whose headquarters are being shifted out of the state capital have urged the government to review its decision.

Plea to construct water tanks
SHIMLA, Nov 10 — Mr Gopal Das Verma, Chairman, Himachal Non-gazetted Services Employees Action Committee, has urged the government to construct big water tanks at all the district, tehsil and block headquarters specifically for the purpose of fire fighting.

Shanta reiterates resolve on PDS
PALAMPUR, Nov 10 — Mr Shanta Kumar, Union Minister for Civil Supplies and Consumers Affairs, said here today that his ministry would ensure that subsidised essential commodities reach the poor.

• BSP to contest Solan seat
• One dead as car falls into gorge

HP adjudged second in leprosy control drive
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, Nov 10 — HP Health Minister J.P. Nadda said today that the Union Ministry of Health had adjudged Himachal Pradesh as having the second best performance in the field of leprosy control and eradication in the country.

Mr Nadda, who inaugurated a screening camp for reconstructive surgery organised by the District Leprosy Society at the Zonal Leprosy Hospital at Mandudhar, 20 km from here today, said the state had exceeded the target of not more than one leprosy patient in every 10,000 of population, set by the World Health Organisation. Presently there were only 505 known leprosy cases in the state. This meant that there were statistically speaking, only 0.7 such cases per 10,000 of population.

It was largely to the dedicated work put in by the officers and staff of the leprosy control programme, that 14,000 suspected cases of leprosy were detected and examined in various hospitals during two door-to-door surveys in March and May last. Only 155 were found to be leprosy bacillus positive. All of these were being treated under the modern multi drug regime and were expected to be fully cured and lead normal lives.

The minister said the government planned to set up a state level hospital for diseases at Mandudhar.

Deputy Commissioner R.D. Dhiman who is also the Chairman of the District Leprosy Society, emphasised the need of creating an awareness about the leprosy now being a curable disease.

Dr P.K. Gupta, Joint Director, Health in charge of leprosy programme, said that Dr Samuel Samnol, a surgeon specialising in reconstructive surgery from the Sheffling Training Research Institute, Karigiri, Vellore, who had been specially invited for the camp.

Dr Samnol said that modern surgical treatment could help all those leprosy patients who had suffered sensory loss to regain normal functioning of their affected limbs.

A former MLA, Mr Sat Pal Kamboj, President , Municipal Council, Solan, Dr Rajiv Bindal, vice-chairman, business cell, HP, BJP, Mr Kushal Jethi, also spoke. The Chief Medical Officer, Dr L.B. Purohit, read the motion of thanks. Rotary Club, Solan donated 30 bed sheets and pollows for the inmates of the leprosy hospital, the Inner Wheel Club donated 30 sweaters and fruits and the Lion Club some blankets. Dr P.K. Gupta donated Rs 5,000 to the District Leprosy Society.

4 tourism complexes to be privatised
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 10 — The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation has decided give 25 per cent concession on eatables to all accredited journalists in its units throughout the state.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the board of directors of the corporation held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, here today.

The board approved the proposal to privatise tourism complexes at Jhatingri, Kulu, Sojha and Chakki to ensure their speedy development.

It also decided to construct the Shimla commercial complex and car parking speedily.

The Chief Minister directed that more parking places should be developed in Shimla and its suburbs to cope with the increasing traffic.

The board of directors reviewed the progress of various under construction projects of the corporation.

The Chief Minister said that effort should be made to ensure that all the units in the state make profit and explore the possibility of privatising the loss-making ones in the larger interests of the corporation.

He said that package tour by helicopter should be organised to such places of tourists importance which take more time by road.

The corporation and Tourism Department should lay more emphasis on promotional tourism instead of developing commercial complexes to expose Himachal Pradesh from the tourism point of view at the national and international levels. The development of Ranjit Sagar should get more attention and package tour to this tourists place be organised from Pathankot, Chandigarh and other nearby places.

Manali-Leh road to close on Nov 15
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 10 — The 421 Km-long Manali-Leh road will be closed from November 15 for traffic for the winters. The road was the only link with Kargil during the recent Indo-Pakistan conflict in the area.

Brigadier B.M. Bakshi, Chief Engineer of Project Deepak of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which is maintaining the road, told TNS here today that the decision to close the road has been taken because of skeletal traffic on the stretch during past few days.

The BRO had earlier planned to keep the road open till December 31 to enable the Army to carry its winter supplies to Ladakh. The road is normally closed in the first week of October.

Brig Bakshi said the Army will not send its convoys on the road. Hardly five to six vehicles ply daily on the road.

He said the Rohtang Pass (13,700 ft) and Baralacha-Lia (16,500 ft) had 5 to 8 ft of snow on October 30 and November 6 which was immediately cleared by men of the BRO. However, there was no justification of keeping the workforce deployed during the winters as there was hardly any traffic.

He said the bailey bridges at Koksar and Darcha will be removed before the next snowfall to avoid damage like last year. However, traffic would be permitted to go to Lahaul-Spiti till the Rohtang was covered by snow.

Brig Bakshi said it was not worthwhile to keep the 14 bulldozers deployed for keeping the 222-Km road between Manali and Sarchu open.

The BRO had deployed about 3,000 labourers to keep the road fit for Army convoys.

The men of Deepak Project had a testing time in keeping the road open till now as the road has had as many as 172 landslides and five major avalanches near Marhi. The Himank project of the BRO, which maintains the road beyond Sarchu, has to take care of only about 18 slides.

Need to check bogus ration cards: Shanta
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Nov 10 — The Union Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution System, Mr Shanta Kumar, today said there was need to curb diversion of essential foodgrains and bogus ration cards so that the benefit reached the poorest of the poor.

Addressing a press conference here today, he said reports indicated that there was 35 to 40 per cent of diversion in foodgrains and sugar as a result of which the benefit did not reach the ones for whom it was actually meant. "Out of the Rs 10,000 crore subsidy, Rs 4,000 crore gets diverted and there is need to put a check on this. A decision on this will be taken at the earliest," he stated.

Mr Shanta Kumar said that as per the election manifesto of the National Democratic Alliance the top priority of the department was to provide food security and price stability to the consumers. He said the public distribution system would be improved and strengthened so that a hunger-free India could be created during the next five years. He also hinted that if the need arose the government would undertake amendment to the Consumer Protection Act and the Essential Commodities Act, to protect the interests of the consumers.

The minister said another big challenge before his ministry was to provide more ration to those living below the poverty line as 10kg of foodgrains for an individual was not sufficient. "I strongly feel that there are a large number of people who are still depending on the government for subsidised foodgrains whereas they no longer require it as a result of which those who are in dire need are being deprived of it," he stated. He informed that 30 crore people in the country were still living below the poverty line and were being provided subsidised foodgrains through 4.5 lakh fair price shops.

Expressing concern over the large number of bogus ration cards in the country, he said the state government would have to put a check on it or else his department would put a limit on the ration cards in proportion to the population. He disclosed that instead of having 25,000 ration cards on a population of one lakh people there were two lakh ration cards in our country.

Mr Shanta Kumar said despite having sufficient stock of wheat and sugar in the godowns it was being imported from other nations. He said, "No doubt we are bound by the World Trade Organisation but all the same we can check it by increasing duty as we should not be importing when we have enough stocks in our own country". He said the opinion of experts would be sought in the matter as this could be one of the means to stabilise prices, which could shoot up if the imports were stopped.
Regarding the situation in the cyclone-hit areas of Orissa, he said the eight worst affected districts had been provided with ample food stocks and as per the requirement of the state government the supplies would be sent immediately. He said the FCI had been very prompt in sending the food stocks and two lakh food packets had been air dropped within four days.

Mr Shanta Kumar said that consultations with the Himachal Government were being held about their food requirement and improving their storing capacity. He added that the requirement of snow-bound areas of the state would be given special preference.

Mr Shanta Kumar was of the firm opinion that being a stable government the NDA would take concrete steps in the large interests of the nation rather than indulging in populist measures.

Project to save alpine hills
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, Nov 10 — The Centre has put into operation an ambitious project called the "Integrated watershed development project" (IWDP) in the Bharmour tribal area of Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh.

Giving this information here today, the Deputy Commissioner of Chamba, Mr K. Sanjaymurthy, who is also Resident Commissioner of Bharmour tribal subdivision, said it was a project of its kind designed for the conservation of alpine hill slopes by way of undertaking works like soil conservation.

The DC said the project would go a long way in improving wasteland for the economic benefit of the community. The project would also help prevent further degradation of forests and degeneration of agro-horticulture land, grassland and grazing land in the mountainous belts of the Bharmour tribal subdivision.

The DC said the project was being executed through project implementing agencies (PIA).

Under the four-year IWDP, the Central Government had sanctioned 10 watershed schemes and work on these would be undertaken with the participation of people of the watershed areas.

For effective implementation of this project, the DC said, 10 watershed committees had been formed for one watershed scheme each. These committees would further constitute self-help groups which would be advanced loans for economic activities with a view to generating self-employment.

The DC further informed that under the project 1000 hectare would be covered in four years.

Ray of hope for disabled
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Nov 10 — "Assistance to the physically handicapped", a new project under way in this district, has brought a ray of hope for those who have lost one or more limbs. This project was sanctioned and sponsored by the Government of India following the sustained efforts of the district administration.

Mr B.K. Agrawal, Deputy Commissioner, said here today the project was being launched in all 13 blocks of Kangra district in a phased manner. He said 3,000 persons had been identified as beneficiaries during a door-to-door survey conducted by the anganwari workers in all 13 blocks of this district. He said these 3,000 beneficiaries would be provided with artificial limbs. Mr Agrawal said 18 handicapped persons were provided artificial limbs on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary on October 2 this year at Dharamsala.

He said the government had initially sanctioned Rs 10 lakh for providing aid to the physically handicapped in this district. The prime objective of the project is to assist the needy physically handicapped persons in procuring durable, sophisticated and scientifically manufactured modern standard aids and appliances to promote physical, social and psychological rehabilitation.

Those persons whose monthly income from all sources does not come to more than Rs 2500 would be provided with these limbs under this project, Mr Agrawal disclosed. He said the handicapped persons whose monthly income was below Rs 1200 would be provided with artificial limbs free of cost and those whose income ranged between Rs 1200 and Rs 2500 per month would get 50 per cent concession on the total cost of each limb or appliance.

This programme was being implemented through the District Rural Development Agency and the District Red Cross Society.

Mr Agrawal said so far three camps had been organised in the district for the physically handicapped persons which were attended by orthopaedicians and doctors from the zonal hospital at Dharamsala and Chinmaya Tapovan Ashram. As many as 603 handicapped persons were examined at these camps at Baijnath, Fathepur and Dharamsala. A total number of 138 persons were recommended for providing aids and appliances for their rehabilitation. So far, 24 persons have been provided with artificial limbs under this programme.

CBI probe sought into selection of school teachers
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Nov 10 — The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary and sitting MLA from Nagrota Bagwan, Mr G.S. Bali, today warned those government officials who were allegedly violating the norms and going out of their way to oblige ruling party ministers and leaders while carrying out their official duties.

Mr Bali, while talking to the mediapersons warned such officers would be taken to task when the Congress came to power. He said that these officers were being watched who under, the directions of BJP and HVC leaders, were creating stumbling blocks in the developmental works in the constituencies represented by opposition MLAs.

Mr Bali demanded a CBI inquiry into the recent selections in the cadre of the school lecturers for mathematics made by the Public Service Commission early this month in which some candidates were selected who had reportedly neither passed their qualifying examinations nor had appeared in the interview before the commission. He alleged that two such candidates with roll no 300002 and 300043, who had not even passed the qualifying examinations for these posts conducted by the commission were selected due to political considerations.

Corpn staff's plea to review decision
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 10 — The officers and employees of the five out of six corporations and boards whose headquarters are being shifted out of the state capital have urged the government to review its decision. They also decided to go on casual leave en masse on November 12 to protest against the decision.

The officers and employees held a joint meeting here yesterday under the chairmanship of Mr Devi Lal Thakur, president of the state corporate sector co-ordination committee. Underlined that the decision to shift the head offices of these public undertaking was neither in the interest of the public nor the employees.

The ill-conceived decision, the meeting pointed out, would not only further burden the state exchequer but also cause financial problems to employees whose families would be disturbed. Some of these undertakings would lose business.

A 10-member committee was constituted to pursue the demand for a review of decision and decide the future course of action.

Plea to construct water tanks
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 10 — Mr Gopal Das Verma, Chairman, Himachal Non-gazetted Services Employees Action Committee, has urged the government to construct big water tanks at all the district, tehsil and block headquarters specifically for the purpose of fire fighting.

He said non-availability of water had been the main reason for the huge loss of property in fires in the state. Even in the fire which broke out in Solan on Divali could not be controlled early as there was no water in the hydrants. Finally when water was released the pressure was low.

He said the government should convene a joint meeting of the fire fighting department, Public Health Department, state power board and the police to lay down a set procedure and define the responsibilities of each department during fire fighting operations.

At present there were no set rules and different departments lacked coordination.

BSP to contest Solan seat
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Nov 10 — The Himachal unit of the Bahujan Samaj Party has decided to field its candidate from the Solan Vidhan Sabha constituency, Mr P.C. Azad, general-secretary of the state unit of the party said this here today.

In a statement, he said Mr Kanshi Ram Himachali, a senior state-level leader of the party had been asked to visit Solan and submit his report to the party at its state executive committee meeting slated for November 14 at Hamirpur.

He claimed that the party had improved its position in recent Lok Sabha elections and it was poised to create its dent in Himachal Pradesh.

Shanta reiterates resolve on PDS
From Our Correspondent

PALAMPUR, Nov 10 — Mr Shanta Kumar, Union Minister for Civil Supplies and Consumers Affairs, said here today that his ministry would ensure that subsidised essential commodities reach the poor.

Addressing a news conference here this afternoon, he said the Centre was spending Rs 10,000 crore per year for providing subsidised essential commodities to the poor families covered under the IRDP.

He said his ministry had received reports from a few states that subsidised rice, wheat and sugar was being sold in open market. Such loopholes would be plugged soon. Action would be initiated against the defaulters, he emphasised.

One dead as car falls into gorge

SHIMLA, Nov 10 (PTI) — One person was killed when his Maruti car, which was coming from Chandigarh to Shimla, fell into a gorge near Taradevi, 7 km from here, today, police sources said.

The dead has been identified as Gursevak Singh.