Jawalamukhi

By Bijender Sharma

DHARMSHALA, April 1, 2008 --The Tibetan government in exile strongly refuted the allegations that the Tibetan spritiual leader Dalai Lama ana security department of C T A for string up violence and demonstrations in Tibet. Spokesman of Central Tibetan Administration said here today that the state-controlled mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China, Xinhua News Agency, ran a story on the "involvement of the Tibetan Government in exile and the Dalai Lama in the recent demonstrations in Lhasa and other parts of Tibet." The story, accused His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Department of Security of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) for stirring up violence and disturbance in Tibet.The Central Tibetan Administration (TGiE) strongly refutes the charges. He said these charges are concocted and premeditated with no inkling of a truth in it. China has since the beginning of the incident in Lhasa on March 10 started to blame it on His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the CTA, without any conclusive proof, and this article is the same. Therefore, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and TGiE has from the very beginning urged for an immediate and independent inquiry into the Tibetan demonstrations from an international organization. Central Tibetan Administration repeats its request for an independent inquiry to ascertain the truth.This is not the first time that China has blamed His Holiness the Dalai Lama or the Tibetan exiles for the troubles in Tibet that stems from China's own flawed policies and repressive political rule,he said.

By Bijender Sharma

Jawalamukhi, April 1---The Rajasthan Police on achieved a breakthrough in a forgery case booked two years ago by two Pong Dam oustees. The complainants had alleged that their allotted land was allegedly grabbed and sold by Vijay Kumar, a resident of Chalwara village in Jawali subdivision of Kangra District in Himachal Pardesh, by executing forged deeds. A case has been lodged at the Vijaynagar police station in Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan. The complainants, Bishamber and Parkash of Bhaglar village in Jawali subdivision, had lodged a case against Vijay Kumar and his Rajasthan-based accomplice Madan Vishnoi. The Vijaynagar police official, who arrested the accused, said he would be produced in a court for seeking police remand.
By Bijender sharma
Dharamshala,April 1.- The Department of Education conducted an eight-day workshop for Physical Education Teachers at Centre for Higher Tibetan Studies.The workshop mainly focused on physical exercises as enshrined in the Basic Education Policy which states that "Training in various forms of Tibetan traditional physical exercise; physical training of yoga; breathing exercises of pranayam and so forth should be given. Additionally, natural health treatments such as baths, massage, lotion application and so forth should be introduced from the primary school level." Teachers from 21 schools under Tibetan Children's Villages, Sambhota Tibetan Schools Society, Tibetan Homes Foundation, Snow Lion Foundation, Tibetan Nehru Memorial Foundation School, Ngoenga School for Tibetans with Special Needs and CHTS attended thetraining.Resource persons from Patanjali Yog Samiti of Kangra district gave yoga and pranayam training daily for 3 hours in the early mornings. Medical doctors from Tibetan Medical & Astro Institute, Dharamsala impart theory and practical course on traditional natural health treatments and proper hygiene. Resource persons from Tibetan Delek Hospital gave several sessions on First Aid. All the participants appreciated much on the training given to them.Education Secretary Ven Karma Gelek Yuthok was the chief guest both during the inaugural and valedictory functions.
By Bijender Sharma
SHIMLA , April 1 2008--- Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister today launched the National Rural Employment Guarantee Assurance Scheme (NREGA) in remaining eight districts of the State from gram panchayat Chamiana in Mashobra developmental block of district Shimla today.Addressing the launching ceremony at Bhatha Kuffar, near Shimla, Chief Minister said that the State would consider making adequate provisions of legislation to hold direct elections to the office bearers of Zila Parishad, Panchayat Samiti, Gram Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies with a view to provide stability to the grass level units of democracy and help them function in a more democratic manner for the development of respective areas for their full term. He said that all related aspects would be examined and possibilities would be explored to conduct direct elections to the various positions which were presently being elected by indirect elections.Dhumal said that the State Government had decided to appoint 1,181 Gram Rojgar Prerak under the NREGA to create awareness amongst the people about the benefits of the scheme so that maximum people were brought under the fold of the scheme and hundred days assured employment provided to the job card holders. He said that each Gram Rojgar Prerak would look after three gram panchayats of the area thereby covering all 3,243 gram panchayats of the State. He said that 1,181 rural youth would get benefited with the employment in their respective areas. He added that the Takniki Sahayaks had been made joint signatory alongwith the Pradhan of the respective gram panchayat to assess and complete the codal formalities for clearance of payments for various developmental projects worth Rs. 1.5 lakh. He said that the service fee to Takniki Sahayaks had also been fixed at 2 percent for works upto Rs. 50,000 and 1.5 percent for projects valued between Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 1.5 lakh. He said that the Government was committed to empower the gram panchayats with more powers so that they could function more effectively and independently for speedy development of their respective areas.Chief Minister said that the State Government had decided to provide 50 percent reservation to the women in all the panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies with a view to provide them fair representation in the democratic system and to take benefit of their progressive attitude towards the speedy development of respective areas. He said that the earlier experience of providing 33 percent reservation to women in all such institutions had been successful and women had been contributing significantly towards the development and welfare of the people of the area they represented. He said that the budgetary provisions for the current financial year to Panchayati Raj Institutions had been enhanced from Rs. 87 crore during previous financial year to Rs. 121 crore, registering an increase of about 50 percent. He said that the State Government had also enhanced the honorarium of all the members of the Panchayati Raj Institutions soon after coming to power in the State.Dhumal said that the NREGA was launched in districts of Chamba and Sirmaur of the State initially later two districts of Kangra and Mandi were added to the list which had now been extended to the entire State by covering all the 12 districts for implementation of the scheme. He said that people got benefitted immensely under the provisions of the scheme and mass awareness was required to be created in the interiors of the State so that maximum people were benefitted by the programme. He appealed to the representatives of the panchayati raj institutions and local urban bodies to educate people about the programme which aimed at providing employment to the rural people within the radius of five kilometers wherein women were eligible for additional benefits. He also appealed to the rural youth to take benefit of the scheme and get them registered by obtaining the job cards from the competent authorities. He directed the authorities responsible for implementation of the NREGA to work more dedicatedly and publicize the scheme amongst the people for its wider coverage so that every eligible person was brought under the fold of the programme.Chief Minister distributed job guarantee cards to the eligible persons of Mashobra Development Block and unveiled the stone at Chamiana village. He announced Rs. 5 lakh for the Government Senior Secondary School building, Bhatha Kuffar and Rs. 3 lakh for the completion of Chamiana irrigation scheme
--SHIMLA, April 1,2008---A Spokesman of the State Government said here today that State Government had constituted a Committee to consider rationalization of existing administrative units including need for creation of new units taking into account the existing sub divisions, tehsils and blocks in the State. Chief Secretary would be the Chairman of the Committee, he added. He said that Principal Secretaries, Revenue, Rural Development and GAD would be the Members of the Committee and added that all the Divisional Commissioners would be the special invitees. He said that Secretary, Revenue would be the Member Secretary of the Committee.
SHIMLA , April 1,2008--Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister urged the Asian Development Bank to provide liberal funds for various developmental projects of the State and be a partner in the progress of hilly State. He was talking to the delegation of Asian Development Bank Appraisal Mission headed by its Mission Leader Shri Andrew Jeffries accompanied by Shri Thevakumar Kandiah, Director Energy, South Asia Regional Department, Ms. Neside Tas Anvaripour, Senior Finance Specialist, Shri Hirok Kobayashi, Energy Specialist and Shri Clifford Brown and other members who were visiting the State under Himachal Pradesh Clean Energy Development Investment Programme and called on him here today to apprise of the latest developments in ADB funding to the State. Chief Minister said that the State would welcome active participation of the ADB in all developmental projects, especially in exploitation of the identified hydel potential with ecological safeguards. He said that State was taking extra care in protecting its environment and maintaining the ecological balance. He said that all anti environment and polluting activities had been banned and effective steps initiated to preserve the ecology of the State. He informed the ADB delegation that the State was not permitting any anti environment activity. He said that State had most valuable forest wealth estimated at Rs. 1.5 lakh crore which was helping in maintaining ecological balance in the States of North India. He said that with the ban on green felling, the green cover had increased substantially registering an increase in hundreds of kilometers of new forests. Dhumal thanked the ADB authorities for sanctioning Rs. 800 crore to the State for undertaking execution of the Kashang and Sawra Kuddu hydro electric projects. He said that the State was keen to exploit the entire identified hydel potential expeditiously so that the natural potential available in the State could generate revenue to the State exchequer and help the State carry forward its developmental activities. He said that State would explore possibilities of more cooperation with the Asian Development Bank for its developmental endeavours. He said that limited sources of income and its entire economy was based on the hydro potential like natural sources which needed to be exploited to the optimum to benefit the State generate revenue. He said that the agencies like ADB could be helpful to the State in harnessing the same. He added that State had experienced engineers who had contributed significantly in construction of a number of major hydel projects in the State and Joint sectors and their services were of vital importance for harnessing the remaining hydel potential. He requested the ABD Mission to complete its codal formalities to release the fund of Rs. 800 crore for the execution of the Kashang and Sawra Kuddu hydro electric projects in the State sector. He assured the Mission of full cooperation of the State Government in finalization of the agreement required to release the amount. Tarun Kapoor, Managing Director, Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited introduced the Mission to the Chief Minister and purpose of its visit to the State. He said that the modalities to sign the agreement with the ADB authorities were being finalized and discussions with various concerned authorities of the State Government were being held to derive positive conclusions. Mission Leader Andrew Jeffries discussed various issues relating to the ADB funding with the Chief Minister and assured him of early completion of codal formalities. He also apprised the Chief Minister of the conditions of the funding and benefits to be delivered to the State. He emphasized the need for protection of the environment, which was the most valuable property of the State.
By Bijender sharma
DHARMSHALA----From credible information received from multiple sources in Tibet by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), a total of 572 monks from Ngaba Kirti Monastery were arrested by the Chinese People's Armed Police (PAP) and Public Security Bureau (PSB) following a two day raid in monks' residence.As reported earlier by the Centre, a spokesman of the centre today said,more information on the number of monks arrested following two days of raids in Ngaba Kirti Monastery in Ngaba County (Ch:Aba Xian), Ngaba " Tibet Autonomous Prefecture" ('TAP'), Sichuan Province, is surfacing from the area. According to several credible sources, a total of 572 monks including novice as young as ten years old from Kirti Monastery were known to have been arrested in two days' raid at the monastery by PAP and PSB officials. Before the launch of raids in the monastery on 28 March, hundreds of PAP and PSB reached the monastery, dispersed people, mostly devotees and visitors gathered around the monastery compound, and ordered surrounding shops to be shut down. During the sudden and thorough raid, monks with modern communication gadgets such as mobile phones, cameras, computers or MP3 players in their residences were known to have been arrested under suspicion of having communicated with the exile Tibetan communities. The PAP and PSB ransacked every room of the monastery, baring every box and cupboard with rifle butts. There were even reports of security forces taking advantage by taking away valuable items from monks' residences. The sources also confirmed that in an attempt to hurt the religious sentiment of the Buddhist monks, the PAP and PSB officials forced monks to step over the portraits of the Dalai Lama found in monks' residences. The security forces even took photographs of monks who were coerced to hold the banned Tibetan national flag and portrait of the Dalai Lama to use as evidence of their crimes. The sources confirmed that symbolic ceremonial weapons hung on the statues of protecting deities inside the monastery altar were also reported to have been confiscated, and were accused of being weapons used by the protesters.
At least 23 Tibetans including a 16 year old school girl Lhundup Tso, have been reportedly killed, hundreds critically injured, and many more arrested, as Chinese authorities resorted to violent crackdowns to quell the peaceful Tibetan demonstrators demanding independence for Tibet in Ngaba protest on 16 March 2008.TCHRD condemns in strongest terms the acts of Chinese security forces' in dealing with monks by ransacking monastic institution at will and arbitrarily arresting monks without formal charges. TCHRD strongly believes that all Tibetan people inside Tibet have equal rights to freedom of expression, assembly, movement and other basic fundamental rights enshrined in various international covenants that China is party to and has clearly promulgated in her own constitution.