Soldier's skeletal remains (Aug.15, 2003)

Anchor

Sepoy Beli Ram cremated after 35 years
S. P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Devipur (Akhnoor), August 14
Eightytwo-year-old Tando Devi stood numb in the Devipur migrant camp as the skeletal remains of her soldier son, Beli Ram, were handed over to her by the Army. The remains were flown in today from the Dacca glacier in Himachal Pradesh, where these had been lying for the past 35 years.

It was an unprecedented cremation of a soldier in the history of the armed forces as he was cremated 35 years after death. It was a sheer chance that remains of Beli Ram, who had died in an air crash in February, 1968, were recovered.

Beli Ram's wife Giano Devi sat with folded hands besides the remains, wrapped in the Tricolour, as a sea of humanity turned up at their mud house in the village to pay last respects.

The body was flown to Pathankot from Manali in an IAF aircraft this morning and brought here in a Chetak helicopter of the Army in the afternoon.

He was cremated with full military honours and given a gun salute by jawans of the Assam Rifles, when the pyre was lit by his nephew. Besides a large number of people, senior Army officers were also present at the cremation.

The people lined up on both sides of the road as the remains were brought here from Akhnoor, where the GOC of the 10th Infantry Div, Maj-GenTej Sapru, laid a wreath on the body.

Ms Tando Devi several times tried to have a glimpse of her son's remains by lifting the plastic sheet in which these were wrapped. Beli Ram's sisters wept bitterly and placed a rakhi on his body, wrapped in bandages when it was brought out of the plastic sheet.

A village elder, Mr Baldev Singh, said no one had ever thought that the body of Beli Ram would be recovered, 35 years after the crash. "It is a miracle for all of us." he said.

He was thankful to the Army, which gave respect to the dead soldier and brought his body home from an inaccessible mountain glacier.

The remains were scheduled to reach here at 11 am, but the helicopter landed about 1 pm as it could not take off from Manali due to bad weather.

Beli Ram had died when the AN-12, in which he was flying from Leh to Chandigarh, crashed on February 7, 1968, on the south Dakka glacier in Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh.

There were 102 soldiers and crew members on the flight. So far only the skeletal remains of Beli Ram have been found by trekkers of the Mountaineering Institute at Manali.

Pratibha Chauhan adds from Manali: "Except for Beli Ram's body, we could not identify any other person as only pieces of bones and flesh, which have become leathery and bloated after remaining buried under snow for years, could be recovered," said Colonel Chauhan, Director of the Mountaineering Institute.

"Though Army personnel in the search team have returned, the Air Force personnel are expected back here tomorrow," said Colonel Chauhan, who has been assisting in the search operation. He added that Dogra Scouts from the Sumdo battalion have returned to their location in Kinnaur.

He said the presence of Lance Naik Kamal Singh Bhandari in the aircraft could be established as his bed holding was found intact.

"Though the Army is trying to verify if the name of Lance Naik Bhandari figures in the manifest of the persons on board the aircraft, but from the documents found, he hails from Chamoli district in Garhwal and was in the Army Ordinance Corps.

A joint team of the Army and the Air Force had for the past three days been undertaking Operation Salvage at the 16,500 feet high Dacca glacier to search for the remains of persons on board the aircraft. The Army, after searching for the missing aircraft, had suspended the operation six months after the crash, said Army sources.

The recent search was carried out at the Dacca glacier, as the aircraft had crashed after hitting the Chander Bhaga-13 peak. The operation was undertaken after a team of climbers from the Mountaineering Institute chanced upon the remains of Beli Ram, whose identity could be established from his service documents.

Following this, the Army decided to launch an operation to search for the remains of others and extricate the body of Beli Ram.

It is, however, not certain whether the search operation would be wound up, as the defence authorities might wish to lift the wreckage of the aircraft from the glacier.

Watermills generate electricity (Sept.27,2006)

OPED

Lighting up the hills
by S.P. Sharma

IT is a dream come true for residents of at least 420 remote and mountainous villages in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir, where the traditional watermills (gharats) have started generating electricity to light bulbs in the households.

The task has been accomplished by the Army under its Operation Sadbhavana. The army has identified 1000 watermills in far-flung and inaccessible areas for being converted into micro-power houses. Just a few, minor, mechanical modifications are required in these traditional mills for this purpose, that have so far only been grinding corn.

Residents of the villages where each watermill has started generating 2 to 3 kws of electricity are full of joy as they never imagined that they could have a bulb in their house. Every household was allowed to install one bulb and in certain villages the streets have also been lit.

The Hillkaka village in the forward area of the Poonch district, which was three years ago under the virtual captivity of terrorists, now has its own electricity generating watermill. Residents of the Nilgrar, Barsada and Kolale villages were thrilled to see the bulbs light up their houses.

The army had started converting these watermills into power houses just a year ago and as many as 420 villages and hamlets have been lit. The financial back up is also provided by the ministry of non-conventional energy sources (MNES) and under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP).

Of the 420 projects commissioned so far, 289 were under Operation Sadbhavana, 95 under the BADP and 52 supported by the MNES. The highest number of 435 projects was being supported by the MNES which has already provided a grant of Rs.8.70 crores for the purpose.

According to sources in the MNES, 100 villages in Ladakh, 550 in Kashmir and 350 in Jammu will be lit by constructing micro-power projects. The project has been taken in hand under the prime minister's reconstruction plan that provides for constructing 1000 such power houses in the remote areas of the state.

The government has now realized that the mini and micro power projects were the answer to remove darkness from the far-flung villages. The big power projects were not only time consuming, but have also failed to supply electricity to the border areas in the past 60 years.

However, red-tape in the bureaucracy continues to delay execution of the 10 mini-power projects that chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had himself cleared eight months ago.

According to a spokesman of the army, the technology kit for upgrading the watermills to perform multi-utility functions have been devised in consultation with a Dehradun based NGO. Apart from performing the traditional function of corn grinding and cotton combing, the watermill would generate 1 to 8 kilowatts of electricity and also run the lathe machine.

Flashback (Dec.25, 2005)

 

 

FLASHBACK 2005
A historic year
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

JAMMU: Restoration of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road, opening of the LoC at five places 57 years after Partition, and return of the Congress to power after 30 years in the state, are among the events that made the year historic in Jammu and Kashmir.

It was a historic occasion when the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, flagged off the bus to Muzaffarabad PoK in April. The bus service has provided an opportunity to divided families to meet again.

The bus service, however, had to be suspended in October because of the devastation caused by the earthquake. The road link was recently restored when Army engineers rebuilt the Aman Setu connecting both sides of Kashmir.

The earthquake made India and Pakistan soften their stand on the Kashmir issue and open the LoC at five places to enable the exchange fo relief material for victims. Rotational opening of these points has now become an ongoing process as victims on both sides are being allowed to cross-over to meet their relatives.

The year brought cheers for the Congress that returned to power in Jammu and Kashmir after 30 years. This was one of the most significant political events of the year that also witnessed the breaking of ice between the Prime Minister and the APHC.

Amid uncertainty over the change of guard in the state, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, resigned from the Union Cabinet and became Chief Minister of the Congress-led coalition on November 2. Throughout the year speculations were rife whether PDP leader Mufti Sayeed would step down to pave the way for a smooth transfer of power on the completion of his three-year term as was provided in an agreement between the two parties.

Initially, there were reports of Mr Azad being reluctant to shift here but he was asked by the Congress leadership to take over the reins of the state.

However, the changeover left some ministers high and dry as they could not get a berth. The Panthers Party was on the verge of a split on the issue of its chairman, Mr Bhim Singh, deciding to support the Azad government from outside. But damage control is being undertaken.

It was a set-back for the APHC that suffered a split with Syed Ali Shah Geelani parting ways. The Hurriyat leadership held a successful round of talks with the Prime Minister.

The Hurriyat leaders were given the green light to visit Pakistan and other countries without any precondition by the Centre.

The BJP saw a split with the breakaway group reviving the Praja Parishad.

The National Conference also did not remain immune to dissidence as its two senior MLAs, Moulvi Iftikhar Ansari and Mr Dillawar Mir, left the party to join the PDP.

The PDP also faced dissidence with one of its senior leaders, Mr Ghulam Hassan Mir, having differences with party chief Mehbooba Mufti.

Because of security threat, the state government could not filfil its commitment of shifting back the first batch of Kashmiri Pandis to Kashmir where flats have been built for them.

J&K CM Azad (Dec.15,2005)

Azad inaccessible to party leaders
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 15
The inaccessibility to Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is causing anxiety among senior leaders of the ruling Congress in Jammu and Kashmir.

It has been one and a half month now since Mr Azad replaced PDP leader Mufti Sayeed, but top leaders of the Congress were cooling their heels to have a glimpse of the Chief Minister belonging to their own party. The Congress has returned to power in the state after a gap of about 30 years.

The rank and file of the party has now started discussing in open the issue of inaccessibility of Mr Azad. It is being pointed out that certain top leaders of the party have repeatedly put in their request for an audience with the Chief Minister, but are still waiting for a word from his secretariat. They cry that Mr Azad should now shun his Delhi tag and acclimatise with the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

A number of Congress activists said there had been no problem in meeting Chief Ministers in the past, including Mufti Sayeed, Dr Farooq Abdullah and even Sheikh Abdullah. But, now when their own party was in power the Chief Minister's Office and residence have been virtually declared out of bounds for them.

The doors of the Chief Ministers during the previous Congress regimes, when Mr G.M. Sadiq and Syed Mir Qasim ruled the state, had been always open for the workers who were considered the best source of feedback from the grass-roots level.

Although Dr Farooq Abdullah was accused of having been surrounded by a coterie of bureaucrats, he never closed his doors to the National Conference activists and for others too.

However, senior Congressmen here, who did not want to be quoted, are surprised over the indifferent attitude of Mr Azad. They appreciate the crusade of Mr Azad against corruption, but fear that the party would be the ultimate loser in case he did not immediately shun his Delhi tag. Things here are totally different and unlike a Central minister, the Chief Minister, particularly that of Jammu and Kashmir, has to make himself available to the common people who that have faced the brunt of terrorism for the past 16 years.

A senior leader of the Congress pointed out that Mr Azad might be trying to copy the functioning of the former Governor, Mr Jagmohan, who became very popular in the state by taking action against corrupt officials. But Mr Jagmohan was at the same time the most easily accessible to the common man.

The only occasion when Mr Azad met the party legislators and councillors here was during a dinner he hosted for them recently. A senior party functionary said during the dinner party Mr Azad said he would take another month to open his doors to them. Another leader said he got an opportunity to have a glimpse of Mr Azad last week when Mrs Sonia Gandhi landed at the airport here to catch a helicopter to the earthquake-hit areas of the state.

Not many Congress leaders were allowed to enter the airport as Mr Azad himself approved the list of the invitees, he claimed.

As a Central minister Mr Azad was a regular visitor to the PCC Headquarters just near the Chief Minister's official residence, but has not gone there once after taking over the reins of the state.

A former MP drew parallel between the present scenario here and that in Madhya Pradesh during the regime of Mr Digvijay Singh when the Congress lost its mass base, as the Mr Singh remained confined to the secretariat.

However, the senior party leaders are keeping mum at the moment because Mr Azad enjoys the blessings of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Moreover, he has yet to expand his ministry and no one want to lose the opportunity by opening his mouth against the style of Mr Azad's functioning.

Mr Azad had recently said that he did not want to waste time in gossip as he had in hand the important job of putting back on the rails the systematic functioning of government offices and removing the ills that had over the years crept into the system.

His supporters claim that the Chief Minister was himself occasionally flying to the remote areas of the state to have a firsthand information about the wellbeing of the people, so there was no point accusing him of keeping the common people away.

On the other hand, the legislators were eagerly waiting for the special session of the legislature to begin when, they hope, they would be in a position to meet the Chief Minister frequently.

Changing weather in cold deserts of Himachal and J&K (Aug.18, 2006)

OPED

Cold desert and pouring rain
by S.P. Sharma

THE new phenomenon of incessant rains in the cold desert stretching between Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir and Lahaul-Spiti of the neighboring Himachal Pradesh is worrying residents of these areas.

Heavy rains and cloud-bursts have triggered floods in Ladakh and caused widespread damage to buildings and crops. Many lives have also been lost. Residents of the cold desert have never before seen so much rain. These areas had, so far, mostly remained dry and the people were dependant on the water sources fed by the glaciers.

An elderly Tsring Dorje, resident of the Nubra valley near Leh, said that rain was a rare sight in the area, "but now we have had enough of it." He attributed the unprecedented phenomenon to the cold desert being converted into greenery. He blamed the desert development programme for the change in climatic conditions of the area.

Dorje said that the traditional clay houses in Ladakh will not withstand the rains and now the people will have to go in for cement structures. Floods have washed away several houses, roads and bridges in the Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh.

The clay houses in Lahaul-Spiti area were also threatened due to rains. Monks in the Tabo Monastery, which is more than 1000 years old, were worried that the wall paintings were getting damaged due to seepage of rain water. The Archaeological Survey of India was taking special measures to protect these paintings from further damage.

Mr. P. Namgial, a former MP and a sitting MLC, said that never before had he seen continuous rain for about one week in Ladakh. Cloud-bursts, like those in Himachal Pradesh, were a new phenomenon here.

Much damage has also been caused due to climatic variations that have led to melting of the high altitude glaciers. The only two power projects Stakna and Marchelang in Leh, have been badly damaged due to flash-floods.

Mr. Namgial said that Ladakh used to register a below freezing temperature of -30 degrees c during winters till the past few years, but now the temperature during the peak winter hovers around -18 degrees c.

He said that the snow line of the Stok glacier just opposite the Leh town has receded upwards and many smaller glaciers have vanished. The situation has become alarming with the Gompa locality within the Leh town littered with boulders that were carried by a flash flood. All bridges and culverts in the nearby Phyang village have been washed away.

Mr.Pinto Nurboo, a MLA and hotelier, attributed the change in the climate of the cold desert to the global warming.

Pilots of the army and IAF point out that a number of artificial lakes have developed on the mountain tops in the far-flung areas due to melting of glaciers. The Shyok river that crosses through Ladakh and later joins the Indus, was overflowing this summer mainly because of melting of the Chong Kamdan, Gasherbrum and Nubra glaciers. Scientific data points out that almost all 335 glaciers in the Sutlej, Beas and Spiti basins were receding.

Theft of antiques from tribal area (Dec 7, 1998)

HP documentation project at standstill
From S.P.Sharma
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 6 — The first-ever move of documentation of antiques in the tribal areas of Himachal Pradesh has virtually failed to take off with almost all ancient monasteries refusing to allow photography of their precious possessions.

The archaeological wing of the Culture Department had taken up the documentation of antiques in the possession of monasteries and individuals in 1992 when a number of thefts of such items were reported in the tribal belt.The theft of 12 antique idols from the Kamroo temple in Kinnaur district had also made it necessary to document such articles.

It is learnt that important monasteries, including Key, Hansa, Losar, Chicham, Kibar, Kungri and Kamroo, have not allowed photography of their possessions. Many of these areas were opened to tourists without obtaining any inner line permit.

The tribal areas are a treasure trove of antiques which have a very high value in the market.

Individual lamas residing in villages falling under these monasteries have also not allowed officials to see their rare possessions despite efforts of the local authorities.

A house-to-house survey was done in Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur districts to photograph and register rare articles.

The archaeological wing has been able to photograph only about 1,400 antiques during the last six years.It is learnt that the documentation project has been at a standstill since 1994. Officials have been visiting the tribal areas every summer but their efforts to persuade the heads of monasteries to allow photography of their possessions have been vain.

They have so far been able to photograph mostly thankas and stucos. Residents of the tribal villages are reported to be in possession of antiques, but will allow their photography only after their respective monasteries have got the documentation done.

Officials saw a ray of hope when the head lama of the Key monastery, Guru Rinpoche, returned to his native place in Spiti from abroad for a few days.However, he asked for a copy of the act under which the documentation was being done and later did not say anything about permitting photography.

They camped for two days in the Kungri monastery to get permission for photography. However, the quorum of the lamas to discuss the issue was not complete both days and the officials returned.

For documenting the precious possessions of the Kamroo fort, permission has to be obtained from the local "devta".

Sources say the monastery at Pooh has also not responded to the request for taking photographs of its antiques.

The Hindu temples at Kalpa, Chitkul and Sangra in Kinnaur district have also not allowed photography of their rare articles.

The areas so far covered by the photography project are Tabo, Lari, the Sangla valley and parts of Lahaul.

It is learnt that the head lama of the 996 AD Tabo monastery,Sonam Wangdue,was in possession of eight precious bronze idols dating back to the 11th century.

A thanka in possession of Dorjee Chhering of Losar village is said to be rare in its theme. It depicts "Tshogshing", an assemblage of divinities of the pantheon,probably arranged according to rank,often called an assembly of gods.

 

Himachal Stamps

Sunday, May 20, 2007

The stamp of Himachal
S.P. Sharma on the many colourful stamps and first-day covers on Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh is one of the few states in the country that has remained the favourite choice of the Postal Department while choosing different themes for issuing first day covers and stamps.

Two stamps on the Kalka-Shimla railway line along with first-day covers have been issued by the Department of Posts in the past few years

The writer's collection of first-day covers and stamps on different themes pertaining to Himachal Pradesh. — Tribune photo by Anand Sharma

Not less than a dozen colourful stamps relating to Himachal Pradesh have been issued in the past few years. The themes vary from the Shimla-Kalka railway to adventure sports, Tabo monastery, tribal dance, adventure sports, mountain lakes, and what not.

These stamps are a delight to see as these speak of the developments in the state and the potential that it holds. In contrast, the neighbouring states of Jammu and Kashmir and Uttrakhand that have a similar topography have not received much attention.

It will not be out of place to mention the name of Vijay Bhushan, former secretary and director-general, Posts and Telegraphs, who has great love for Himachal. He remained Chief Post Master General, Himachal circle, for several years and was a familiar face on the Mall. Many stamps and first day covers were issued during his tenure.

The Shimla-Kalka railway has always been in focus because of the unique scenic beauty that one comes across while travelling on this route. The train passes through as many as 102 tunnels on its way to Shimla. It covers a distance of 96 km.

The Railways have found place in two first day covers — first when a set of four stamps on mountain railways was released in April 1993, and again when they completed 100 years in 2003. The Kalka-Shimla section was opened to traffic in 1903 during the British regime.

The earlier set of four stamps on mountain railways includes the Matheran Railway that begins its upward journey at Neral, a station 97 km away from Mumbai. The line was constructed in 1907. It also has a stamp on the Nilgiri Railway that runs 52 km between Mettupalyam and Ooty. The set would not have been complete without the stamp on the famous Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

Himachal's Chandratal (4300 metre high) has found place in the most colourful and attractive set of five stamps on the Himalayan lakes. The deep blue Chandratal in the tribal region of Lahaul-Spiti is surrounded by snow-covered mountains. The set also includes a stamp depicting the Tsomoriri lake at an altitude of 4267 m in the mountainous region of Ladakh. It is home to many rare species of migratory birds.

A set of two stamps depicting the sketch of the Tabo monastery, more than 1000 years old in the tribal region of Lahaul-Spiti, was released in December 1999, on a first day cover depicting the famous lotus-shaped Baha'i temple with the theme: "Millennium issue — Unity in diversity, respect for all religions".

A set of four stamps on tribal dances includes one on Kayang, which is a popular dance form of Kinnaur. It is a dance in which the artistes hold hands in a cross form that look like the beads of a rosary.

The stamps in the set released in April 1991 also represent dance forms of Valar of Garsais in Rajasthan, Velakali of Kerala and Hozagiri of Tripura.

The set of stamps on adventure sports released in April 1992 carries the message of hang gliding at Billing in Kangra district, which remains the most famous gliding spot in India. It also includes a stamp on river rafting and skiing — sports that attract a large number of adventurists to Himachal, Kashmir and Uttarakhand. A stamp representing wind surfing has also found place on a first day cover.

To honour the world famous Sobha Singh, who established a gallery at Andretta in Kangra in 1950, a first day cover along with a postal stamp carrying his portrait was released in November 2001.

Besides this, stamps on many writers, mountain birds and flowers have also been issued.

Shimla

Saturday, March 25, 2000

M A I N   F E A T U R E

Mindless growth By S. P. Sharma "Govt to come down heavily on land mafia" THE green area along the three national highways in Himachal Pradesh is being replaced by multi-storey buildings and all sort of illegal construction activity while the authorities are doing little to check the lapses. This dismal scenario can be seen on the nearly 90-km stretch of the Kalka-Shimla and the Kulu-Manali highways. Construction activity is also going on along the Pathankot-Mandi highway. The authorities express their helplessness in checking the builders as most of these areas are not covered under the Town and Country Planning Act and the local officials are not armed with effective laws. Successive governments in the state have failed to amend the law to check defacement of the green forests although time and again each party in power has expressed concern over the unchecked growth of the concrete jungle.

Landslides occur at many places because of the soil erosion and deforestation . The Kalka-Shimla highway gets blocked near Barog in Solan district many times during the rainy season as debris flows down from the hills where huge concrete buildings are coming up. The Kiratpur-Manali highway witnesses landslides in the Pandoh area where slate quarrying is in full swing. The Pathankot-Mandi highway also gets affected near Jogindernagar. One can well imagine the number of unplanned and illegal constructions in the state where even the headquarters of the Town and Country Planning, which is responsible for checking such constructions, has been declared an unauthorised building. The building has been constructed on the bypass in Shimla. Nearly 11,000 buildings in the state have so for been declared unauthorised. The state capital of Shimla tops the list with as many as 3949 such buildings, followed by Solan where the number is about 3200. Only eight unauthorised buildings have so far been demolished. The authorities generally take action after the unauthorised building has been completed. At least a dozen government buildings are being constructed in Shimla without the requisite approval. The Town and Country Planning Department has repeatedly sent circulars to the government agencies to remind them that they have to seek prior approval of the department for constructing any building. But all this appears to have fallen on deaf ears. Among the unauthorised constructions detected in Shimla are the additions and alterations in the Raj Bhavan, the minister's house near the H.P. Bhavan, High Court building, house of the Sessions Judge at Kaithu, police head-quarters at Khalini and the PWD head-quarters near Chhota Shimla. The Town and Country Planning Department does not have a full-time Director. The department has had at least seven directors since the past five years. About 70 posts in the department have been lying vacant. The officials of the department say that they do not have any authority to check illegal constructions. The decision of the government to regularise the illegal constructions on payment of a small penalty has come as a bonanza for the offenders. The interim development plan for Shimla has just remained on the papers as not even the government agencies are adhering to it. The Kasumpti area earmarked for construction of government offices has been witnessing all kinds of residential and commercial constructions. A tourist information cell has been constructed right on the national highway near Shimla without any parking facility. The New Shimla Colony developed by the Shimla Development Authority has virtually turned into a concrete jungle with most of the green patches swallowed by influential persons. The colony is being stretched further into the forest area. The development plan for the Kasauli area, prepared two years ago, has also not been implemented. Large-scale construction activity was going on along the Kasauli-Parwanoo road although there was acute scarcity of water. Tankers were being used by the builders to fetch water from the nearby natural sources and streams. The authorities have been going slow on the benami land transactions identified by the Justice Roop Singh Commission. The scenic beauty along the highways is also being destroyed by the huge publicity hoardings which have been installed on both sides of the roads. Many hoardings have even been placed on hill tops and on the curves to attract public attention. These hoardings block the view towards the valley side at many places along the highway. It appears as if the publicity agencies have targeted these areas after a ban on hoardings in Delhi. Moreover, the town area committees and panchayats in the state have been earning revenue by leasing land for these hoardings. Jumbo-sized hoardings have come up on the Shimla-Kalka highway and on the Kiratpur-Manali highway. There are a fewer number of hoardings on the Pathankot-Mandi highway because of the comparatively lesser flow of vehicular traffic there. The influential mining lobby is also playing havoc with the fragile environment of the state. The recent death of two persons in the slate quarries at Khaniyara in Kangra district indicates that mining was continuing there in violation of court orders. At least 20 villages in the interior of Chamba district are sinking because of illegal slate mining. These villages with a population of about 18,000 are situated in the Bakan, Bassu and Samra areas.

"Govt to come down heavily on land mafia" CHIEF Minister P.K. Dhumal has assured that his government would come down heavily on the land mafia which was scarring the beauty of the hill state. The Town and Country Planning Department had been ordered to take strict action against those violating the building laws. The Chief Minister said the building laws would be amended to arm the authorities concerned to be able to take stringent action against the offenders. People would be persuaded to construct only eco-friendly buildings which did not destroy the scenic beauty. He said buildings should not be allowed to be constructed on the highways as they obstructed the flow of traffic. The Deputy Commissioners had been asked to identify land for the setting up of automobile workshops and dhabas. His government had taken strict action against the violators of the Section 118 of the Land Reforms Act who acquired land on benami basis, the Chief Minister said, adding that the constructions in Kasauli and Barog too would be regulated. Director of the Town and Country Planning Department ,Tarun Kapoor, remarked the building law was defective as it was restricted to only 22 planning areas of the state. In the Barog area of Solan district , action could be taken only under the Roadside Control Act. Kapoor agreed that with the coming up of two big cement manufacturing units between Shimla and Mandi, the road had become a virtual corridor of automobile workshops. He informed that development plans were being prepared for Kulu and Palampur with satellite images. The schools of architecture, Delhi and Norway, were assisting in formulating these plans.

Punjab

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Cotton bounty

A good yield from the first picking has given a boost to the morale of farmers
in the Malwa belt, writes S.P. Sharma

WHITE GOLD: Farmers in the Malwa belt are set to make a huge profit even though the area under cotton cultivation has declined Photo:Kulbir Beera/The Tribune SITTING PRETTY: Farmers camp at a cotton mandi in Bathinda with their high-quality yield Photo: Malkiat Singh/ The Tribune

FARMERS in the Malwa belt of Punjab are harvesting a bumper cotton crop this time although the acreage under its cultivation has declined due to the fear of mealy bug that caused huge loss to their produce last year.

The mealy bug was the topic of discussion throughout the Malwa belt during and after last year's cotton season when the farmers cursed the government for failing to come to their rescue. But this year they are hopeful of making up the loss as the crop is fetching good price in the market.

Keeping in view the high yield from the first picking, farm scientists expect that the cotton yield would be higher than last year in spite of the fact that many farmers had opted to cultivate other crops. Two more pickings have to be made by the cotton growers. This was because of good crop due to favourable weather conditions and also growing awareness among farmers against sub-standard seeds.

Moreover, Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Markfed and the Agriculture Department also put in efforts to educate the cotton growers about the ways to fight the mealy bug. The three organisations adopted villages in the Malwa belt, where they appointed scouts to keep a watch on the crop and maintain a constant contact with the farmers. A series of awareness camps were organised in the villages throughout the cotton season.

Dr Amritpal Singh, associate professor (Agronomy) at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) of PAU in Bathinda, said this year right the weather had remained favourable for the cotton crop. The long spell of frost in December last and January this year had played a vital role in destroying the bug.

Dr Tehal Singh Sidhu, a retired farm management specialist of PAU, who has been engaged by Markfed in its cotton operations here, said frequent rains did not let the bug breed. Although the area under cotton cultivation has reduced by about 75 lakh hectares this season, the yield, if not more, would be at par with that of the last year.

The three blocks of the Malwa heartland — Sangat, Mour and Talwandi — witnessed reduction of 16,077 acres under cotton cultivation this time.

The farmers restricted to not more than three sprays of pesticides this season against six to seven last year that had badly upset their budget.

Cotton price is fluctuating between Rs 2,650 and Rs 3300 per quintal depending on its quality. Remunerative income to the growers has been ensured with the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) announcing Rs 2,800 as the minimum support price (MSP) per quintal against Rs 1,950 last year. During the corresponding period last year the market rate was between Rs 2,050 and Rs 2,450 per quintal.

Ashok Kapoor, an expert in cotton trade, appreciated the Centre for announcing a massive increase in the MSP that had helped farmers get a good price for their produce.

Referring to the overall 12.5 cess imposed by the Punjab Government on cotton trading, Kapoor wondered how the present Akali-BJP coalition claim itself to be a sympathiser of farmers when it had overburdened them with taxes? The cess in Punjab was the highest among the other neighbouring cotton-growing states like Haryana and Rajasthan. The ultimate loser in this scenario is the farmer.

The 2 per cent cess for infrastructure development was an irritant for the farmers. The cess in Haryana and Rajasthan was 10 per cent and 7.5 per cent, respectively. The private factories engaged in cotton procurement were also finally shifting the tax burden to the growers.

Kapoor pointed out that as a result of the cess, the cotton growers in the areas of Punjab bordering Haryana and Rajasthan were selling their produce in those states. The Punjab Government should reduce these taxes, as higher volume of trading would generate more revenue.

PAU, Markfed and the Agriculture Department systematically chalked out a strategy to fight the bug and adopted at least three blocks each to disseminate the latest cotton production technology among the farmers so that they got higher yields of good quality seed cotton.

PAU was taking care of the Bathinda and Muktsar blocks and some villages in Faridkot and Ferozepore, while Markfed adopted the Sangat, Mour and Talwandi blocks and the Agriculture Department looked after the Rampura, Nathana and Phul blocks.

A study conducted by experts of Markfed in the Sangat, Mour and Talwandi blocks revealed that against sub-standard cotton seeds sown on 25,615 acres in the Sangat block last year, the acreage under spurious seeds this time remained only 10,434.

In the Mour block the acreage under spurious seeds substantially reduced to 7,860 this time against that of 20,890 last year. Farmers in the Talwandi block also responded positively by shunning spurious seeds that were prone to pest attacks, and the area under such seeds decreased this time to 43,409 acres against 64,007 acres last year.

Cancer in Punjab

Sunday, March 9, 2008

SOCIETY
Cancer belt of Punjab

The number of cancer patients has grown manifold in the recent years in the Malwa area. Local people feel excessive use of pesticides has contaminated the ground water. The pollutants are also found in the vegetables grown in the area, reports S. P. Sharma from Bathinda

Diwan Chand, a cancer patient, and two other women patients wrapped in blankets wait for a train at the Bathinda railway station to go to Bikaner for treatment — Tribune photos by Kulbir Beera

Wrapped in blankets, a number of ailing men and women steadily head towards platform number 2, Bathinda railway station, at 9 pm to catch the train for Bikaner for treatment of cancer. Over the years, this particular train has come to be known as the "cancer train" (marizon ki train).

The scene gets repeated every night for the past few years when it is the time for the Abohar-Bikaner passenger train to reach here and carry them to their destination. Cancer patients and their attendants outnumber other passengers on the platform by the time the train arrives.

This particular train has virtually become the hope for the cancer patients of the cotton growing Malwa belt consisting of the districts of Bathinda, Mukatsar, Mansa, Ferozepore, Moga, Barnala, Faridkot and Sangrur as it carries them to the place of their treatment. The fare is affordable for the patients who belong to small and marginal farmers' category. Those who are in a position to pay a little more fare opt to catch the Jammu Mail or the other two Abohar-Barmer trains.

A debt-ridden Soma Rani, cancer patient of Jajjal village, whose husband died due to the disease, narrates her woes

Most of these patients were receiving treatment in the Rajasthan Government-owned cancer hospital of the medical college at Bikaner. The increasing incidence of cancer in the cotton growing Malwa belt has created fear among residents of the area. Many cases of more than one member of a family suffering from cancer have come to light.

Thirtyfive-year-old Sarbjeet Kaur, a resident of Badiala, suffering from breast cancer, has made several trips to Bikaner during the past one year for treatment. Her husband, Ansa Singh, accompanying her, said that initially she was under treatment in a private clinic at Faridkot where he spent more than Rs15,000. However, the doctor later asked him to take his wife to Bikaner for treatment of cancer.

Most of the Bikaner-bound patients said that the treatment there was affordable and hospitalisation was cheap as compared to Ludhiana, Chandigarh and Delhi. Moreover, the attendants find boarding and lodging within their reach in a number of dharamshalas and serais in Bikaner.

Dewan Chand (62), who had come from Mukatsar to catch the train, said that he was undergoing cancer treatment for the past two years for which he has so far spent not less than Rs 1 lakh. He travels to Bikaner every month for follow-up treatment after a surgery. He had no one to accompany him as his two sons were fed up of making frequent trips with him to Bikaner.

Mukhtiar Kaur (65), a resident of Mansa, wrapped in a blanket lay on the platform waiting for the train that was late by about 30 minutes. She was undergoing treatment for the past one-and-a-half- years.

Balbir Kaur (58), a resident of Sangrur, also had the same woeful experience to narrate. Her relative, Om Parkash, said that a sum of Rs.60,000 has so far been spent on treatment.

Sawan Singh (60), whose cancer was recently detected, had come from Mukatsar to board the Bikaner train for the first time with his brother Baldev Singh.

The common grouse of these poor patients was that the Punjab Government continues to ignore them without providing financial relief. Many of them had mortgaged their small land holdings to raise money for the expensive treatment.

The number of cancer patients has steeply multiplied during the past couple of years in the Malwa belt and the common people attribute it to excessive use of pesticides that has contaminated the underground water that they consume. The cotton belt has now come to be known as the cancer belt of Punjab.

Traces of DDT and Benzene Hexachloride (BHC) were found in the canal-based drinking water supply some time ago when the Pollution Control Board conducted test of water samples.

Successive governments in the state promised to set up a cancer hospital near here but nothing has been done so far. The present SAD-BJP Government has now reportedly decided to grant permission to a private group for opening a cancer hospital here. It is to be seen whether the private hospital would be within the reach of the common patients.

The worst affected villages of the Talwandi Sabo block in the Bathinda district were Giana, Jajjal, Malkana and Laleana where the fear of cancer looms large among the residents. As many as 887 applications of cancer patients for financial relief were received in the office of the Deputy Commissioner during the past few months. Most of these were referred to the health authorities for their report or forwarded to the Chief Minister. Deputy Commissioner Rahul Tiwari said that 177 applications were pending disposal in the concerned section.

During a visit to Jajjal, I faced angry residents who blamed the media for attaching the stigma of cancer to the village. Darshan Singh said that "our" relatives have stopped visiting us out of fear of contracting cancer and in case someone gathers the courage to come to us, he refuses to accept the hospitality of sipping a cup of tea.

Hardev Singh said that people elsewhere were reluctant to accept matrimonial proposals of the boys and girls belonging to the village that hit headlines because of widespread cancer.

He said that residents of the four villages hesitate to drink water from the local sources and they prefer to buy drinking water from tanker owners who bring it from the nearby Haryana.

Soma Rani (55) was in tears as she narrated about the death of her husband, Jeet Singh, because of cancer six months ago. She herself was suffering from cancer but was now feeling better after treatment at Bikaner. She said that they got cash relief of Rs.12,000 from the government but had to raise about Rs 80,000 for treatment by mortgaging their agricultural land.

She said it was now uncertain whether she would be in a position to repay the debt and get released the land as her three sons have deserted her.

There were sad tales of cancer deaths in the village. A group of elderly persons sitting in the dera in the heart of the village had lost their near and dear ones during the past some time. Dev Singh said that his three younger brothers, Balbir Singh, Chottu Singh and Zilawar Singh died due to cancer.

Baldev Singh said that he lost his brother Amarjeet Singh who was suffering from the dreaded disease. Master Bhola and his three other family members died due to cancer, a village elder said.

It is a common belief that cancer struck the Malwa region soon after cotton cultivation was introduced here. This resulted in reckless spraying of pesticides to save the cotton crop. The underground water has now got contaminated to an alarming level.

The state government from time to time appointed different committees to study prevalence of cancer in these areas but no concrete results have so far come. A study of cancer cases in the Talwandi Sabo block was conducted some time ago by the Department of Community Medicine of the PGI. The study revealed that there were 107 confirmed cancer patients at Talwandi Sabo at that time, out of which 27 were male and 80 were females. There were 71 confirmed cases of cancer in the Chamkur Sahib block, out of which 25 were male and 46 were females.

Insecticides and pesticides like aldrin, heptachlor and endosulfan were detected from blood samples in Talwandi Sabo. Presence of such harmful pesticides was also found in the vegetables grown in the area.

Shimla

Saturday, September 8, 2001

F E A T U R E

Queen of hills loses grip... ...in the wake of landslips S.P. Sharma SHIMLA, the queen of hills, is sinking at several places due to indiscriminate digging of hill slopes for construction of multi-storey buildings and also because of weathering of rocks. The road near the State Assembly on The Mall has caved in due to erratic digging for constructions on the Cart Road below Several landslides have occurred in the town and there are frequent reports of landslips at one place or another. The first major landslide in Shimla occurred in 1971 when a large portion of the northern part of the Ridge, which is the centre of activity in the town, slumped down. This posed a threat to the reservoirs below the Ridge which were the main source of water in the town. Since then many areas of the town have become prone to landslides and the situation worsens during the rain. Roads are also washed away at many places and these have to be reconstructed.

Experts point out that unplanned expansion of the town is overloading and destabilising the slopes. Overloaded slopes may initially cause minor landslides, but later these could trigger larger landslips. Corrective measures can stabilise the slopes and stem further damaged. Recent landslides below the Baljee's Flats, Dayanand Public School and near IGMC caused a lot of damage and it took quite a long time to repair these roads. Although the area between the Central School and the Grand Hotel has been declared slide-prone, constructions are still being undertaken in the area despite a ban by the government. The Lakkar Bazaar road has sunk to such an extent that shopkeepers have to use iron steps to reach their establishments  The road in Lakkar Bazaar has sunk about 2 ft in the past few years and shopkeepers in the Regal building have got iron ladders fabricated to reach their establishments. The area is the worst-affected and the road is still sinking at several places. The hillside of the busy Cart Road below the High Court recently collapsed because of the construction of a multi-storey parking. The Forest Road below the Baljee's Flats collapsed completely and it took several months to construct a new road. Many landslides have occurred on The Mall, the latest one near the Accountant General's office which was the result of haphazard digging of the hill slope below the road for the construction of a building. Sometime ago, a major portion of The Mall sank near the State Bank of India. A major portion of the road leading to the Central School has collapsed because of the construction of a house adjoining it. Ironically, authorities are sleeping over this damage and are trying to push these incidents under the carpet because of political pressure. The Academy for Mountain Environs at Dehradun, has in its report stressed that slide-prone areas need to be identified with the assistance of state geologists and any construction in these areas should be permitted on the basis of a detailed survey. The Journal of Engineering Geology has pointed out that the sinking of a part of Shimla in 1971 gave rise to speculations about the stability and geo-environmental balance of the city. It said that large scale creeps (the slow, imperceptible downslope movement of mineral, rock and soil particles under gravity) were observed below the Circular Road between the Rivoli bus stand, State Bank of India and Elysium hill on the northern slopes of the town in the vicinity of the thrust zone of Lakkar Bazaar. The Forest Road below Baljee's Flats was washed away recently as a result of a landslide  A chapter on the geo-environmental degradation of Shimla in the journal pointed out that downward movement of slopes was indicated in Lakkar Bazaar and Rivoli due to weathering of rocks. Most of the slopes below Lakkar Bazaar are covered with drifted debris which in due course of time has attained an apparent compaction (reduction in pore space between individual grains from pressure of overlying sediment or earth movement). A huge concrete retaining structure has been erected, yet the possibility of slides in the future cannot be ruled out. Creep movement has been witnessed in Sankli from the Summer Hill post office to Boileauganj and some other areas. A planar slide on the right side of the Victory Tunnel and the path joining the Cart Road from the accountant general office is dangerous. Wedge failures were observed on the slopes east of the Himland Hotel on which the forest office is located. A planar failure was also observed near tunnel number 103.

Waiting for reincarnation of Kushok Bakula

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Waiting for the spiritual heir
More than three years after Kushok Bakula's death, there is tremendous enthusiasm among the Ladakhis on the issue of spotting the new spiritual leader, and special prayers are being offered in the four monasteries for his rebirth in Ladakh, reports S.P. Sharma from Jammu

The lineage of reincarnations (Tulku) in Tibetan Buddhism include: + The Dalai Lamas + The Karmapas + The Zurmang Gharwangs + The Panchen Lamas + The Shabdrungs + The Shampras + The Tai Situpas + The Trungpas Buddhist monks praying. — Photo by the writer

The Kushok Bakula is the head of the four main monasteries of Ladakh—Spituk, Saboo, Stok and Sankar. He passed away in Delhi on November 4, 2003. His followers in the frontier region of Ladakh are now looking towards the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama and high lama Sras Rinpoche to identify his reincarnation. The Kushok Bakula is worshipped like a god not only in Ladakh, but in various other parts of the world.

Dr.Nawang Tsering, Principal of the Leh-based Central Institute of Buddhist Studies, says that the Ladakhis might have to wait for about one year more before the reincarnation of Kushok Bakula is identified by the Dalai Lama and Sras Rinpoche.

A section of his followers believe that the reincarnate might have taken birth in Mongolia, the place Kushok Bakula loved most. He was ambassador of India to Mongolia for more than a decade. However, most of the Ladakhis dismiss the claim and believe that he must have reborn in Ladakh itself as the system of reincarnation was not encouraged in Mongolia.

The last Kushok Bakula was born in Ladakh on May 21, 1917 and he died at the age of 86. He was recognised by the 13th Dalai Lama as a reincarnation of Bakula Arhat—one of the 16 Arhats (direct disciples of the Shakyamuni Buddha). Dr.Tsering said it is not a difficult task to spot the reincarnation by the Dalai Lama and Sras Rinpoche in whom the Ladakhis have great faith. The reincarnation has power to take rebirth anywhere, but the belief is that the Kushok Bakula must have reborn in Ladakh where he worked for uplift of the downtrodden people.

In Kushok Bakula's absence, Sras Rinpoche, head lama of the Riszong and Samstanling monasteries is officiating as head of the four monasteries of Bakula. It is pertinent to mention here that the Sras Rinpoche holds number two position after the Dalai Lama in the hierarchy. He is the first Ladakhi to reach that position, says Dr.Tsering.

Bakula enjoyed added respect in the Ladakh region as he did not confine his role to conventional spiritual leader, but he actively involved himself in social, political and economic reforms in Ladakh. As a skilled administrator and Member Parliament, he held ministerial posts at the centre and also headed the Minorities Commission.

The late Kushok Bakula. — Photo by A.J. Philip

He was awarded the highest civilian honour of Padma Bhushan in recognition of his distinguished service by the President of India.

During his diplomatic assignment in Mongolia, the Kushok Bakula helped reopen the ancient monasteries and organise Buddhist conferences. The ancient Pethub Stangey Choinkhorling monastery and Dechen Ling Nunnery in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar developed into important centres of learning for the Mongolian Buddhists.

The Mongolian government conferred a civilian award "Polar Star" on Kushok Bakula for his contribution to strengthening bilateral ties and promoting Buddhism in the country. The Polar Star is the third-highest state order conferred on civilians and is rarely given to foreigners. The airport at Leh has been named after the Kushok Bakula.

Succession process

The reincarnation system (Tulku) is based on the theory that Buddha's soul never vanishes, but reincarnates in succession to lead his followers and to accomplish his mission.

According to Buddhist scholars, religious methods and rituals are used to identify the reincarnation of a late high lama. A search party headed by another high lama begins the search.

After a religious retreat, lamas, dispatched in disguise, scour Tibet for special signs : New mothers who have unusual dreams, children who have special knowledge without being taught and special physical traits, such as big ear lobes.

The lamas refer to oracles, portents, dreams and the late lama's prophesy in order to aid them in their search. At times some lamas are sent to Lhamo Latso, the oracle lake, to look for prophetic visions to help locate the reincarnation. Usually dozens of candidates are sought. They are tested with the late lama's possessions; those who have amazing knowledge in identifying their predecessor's belongings win and become the final candidates.

In case of any dispute, the choice is made through a golden urn.

It is worth mentioning that China created a controversy by installing a rival Panchen Lama in 1995. The Tibetans were worried as the Chinese authorities removed the rightful Panchen Lama, Gendun Choeky Nyima (a six-year-old boy) to some undisclosed place.

The Dalai Lama had recently said that his reincarnation will not appear in the Chinese part of Tibet.