New project to save western tragopan
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, May 6
The endangered western Tragopan is likely to get a new lease of life
with the union government having decided to help the state government
make new cages for pheasant breeding. A sum of Rs 4.93 crore had been
sanctioned for this purpose for five years.

A senior official of the Forest Department (wildlife wing) said that
the project was aimed at protecting the Himalayan bird that had
successfully been bred in captivity.

During the current year, two cages had been designed to resemble the
natural habitat of the rare bird. Seven more cages were being made in
the bird sanctuary at Sarahan.

The successful hatching of the endangered bird took place for the
first time in captivity at Sarahan in 2005 with the assistance of
John Corder, a conservation and breeding expert associated with the
World Pheasant Association.

After Corder's departure, three of the four chicks bred in 2005 died.
There was no breeding in 2006 as none of the eggs laid in two
clutches were hatched.

It may be mentioned that these birds are found only in Himachal
Pradesh, hilly areas of Pakistan and parts of Kashmir at a height of
above 2,600 metres.

Project to save snow leopard
Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 6
The Forest Department is pinning hopes on the proposed national
project for the conservation of the highly endangered snow leopard.

The integrated project formulated by the Mysore-based Nature
Conservation Foundation is to be implemented in the 11th plan in the
five trans-Himalayan states, where the animal is found.

The Union Ministry of Forest and Environment has convened a meeting
next week to discuss modalities for the project before giving its
final nod.

A comprehensive survey will be conducted to ascertain the status of
the animal in its natural habitat. At present, there was no authentic
base-line data to plan the strategy for its conservation. The project
will involve local communities in monitoring and conservation to help
reduce the snow leopard-migratory grazier conflict which has taken a
heavy toll on the animal.

Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Vinay Tandon said a
national project would ensure regular flow of funds and help the
department build capacity for monitoring, conservation, research and
have a better understanding of the animal and its natural habitat.
Besides, it will also enable the department to create the necessary
infrastructure. All this would enable it to closely monitor the other
high altitude Himalayan species like ibex, blue sheep, snow cock,
Himalayan thar, Tibetan wolf and brown bear.

The main priority was to resolve the conflict of the animal with
nomadic graziers.

Dharamkot — Tel Aviv of India
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Dharamkot, May 6
In the rough terrain of Dharamkot village near McLeodganj, one can
see hordes of Israeli holiday-seekers.

Surprisingly, their presence is so strong that Israelis almost
throughout the year constitute more than half of the 1200-strong
population of the village. The villagers rent out accommodation to
Israelisa on a monthly basis.

There is a popular joke among Israeli tourists living here. If an
Indian asks an Israeli tourist "How many Israelis are here?" The
tourist answers

"Five million" and the local then asks "And how many are in Israel?"
In fact, western tourists have named this village as Tel Aviv of
India. The total number of Israelis presently staying in and around
McLeodganj is approximately more than 2000.

In the past few years, they've turned this village into an Israeli
enclave thousands of Israeli tourists flood it during the peak
season. Some of them stay for long periods, even years. Most of them
stay a few weeks or months but when they leave, other Israelis take
their place.

They regard Israeli enclaves as playgrounds where they can do almost
anything. Uninhibited drug use is common in this village.

But for the Indian backdrop, everything here is Israeli. The menu
cards are in Hebrew in restaurants that serve Israeli food. Many
Indians who work with Israeli tourists can now speak Hebrew, some of
them quite fluently.

Drugs and loud music mark parties that go on till the early hours of
the morning.

The low cost of living is the major reason that beckons most of the
long-term Israeli traveller. Cheap drugs is another major attraction.

Tourism website to go multilingual

Shimla, May 6
The state government is planning to attract foreign tourists by placing
information in different foreign languages on the tourism department's
website giving details about various tourist destinations in the state.

The order on providing tourism-related information in Chinese on the
official website had already been passed, tourism minister G.S. Bali
said today.

Later on, the website would also have information in Japanese, French,
Spanish and other languages to enhance flow of tourists speaking these
languages, he said. It was part of the strategy to tap global tourism
potential, he added.

The multimedia files on our website would help foreign tourists to know
about the state and plan their journeys in a better way, he added. — PTI

Hi All,

Nice to hear from you.

Name: Ranjan Rana
Present Location: Melbourne Australia
Originally from UNA Himachal Pradesh
Profession: Account Manager (Currently undertaking MBA from Melbourne Business School - ranked amongst top 100 in the world)
Hobbies: Driving. Watching Movies all types, languages)
Suggestions: I have not really got myself familiar with your site yet. So will tell as soon as I do so.


Regards,

Ranjan RANA

Indian tourists can't afford `Hill Puffer'
Pratibha Chauhan/Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 30
Having remained off the track for almost three decades, the century
old vintage steam engine called the `Hill Puffer' reintroduced in
2001 is undoubtedly a major attraction for foreign visitors but with
an exorbitant fare it is beyond the reach of majority of domestic
tourists.

Today was one rare occasion when the steam charter puffed its way on
the serpentine narrow-gauge rail track from the once summer capital
of the British till Kano, near Kandaghat, a stretch of almost 56 km.
It was a group of 10 Japanese tourists who hired the steam charter to
enjoy the panoramic view along the route.

Due to high fare for chartering the steam engine which has a capacity
for ferrying 22 passengers, it has never had the opportunity of
having more than three runs in a year since it was reintroduced in
2001 by the Indian Railways. Last year also it was only in January,
April and December that it was hired by foreign tourists. This year
this is the second run that the steam engine has had with the earlier
one being on January 1. Even though the Railways reduced the tariff
of the steam engine to make it more affordable and to promote tourism
in the hill state but it seems beyond the pocket of the Indian
tourists.

Infact, the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation was
proposing to have collaboration with the state tourism department for
having special packages for tourists so that it could be popularised.

The steam engine, inaugurated by British Viceroy, Lord Curzon in
1903, now runs on a much reduced stretch of 31 km between
Kaithalighat and Shimla. It was reintroduced in 2001, hoping to save
the famous Himalayan toy train from extinction, a proposal has been
sent to UNESCO by the Indian Railways to grant it a world heritage
status.

HI friends,

I,m looking for a land around 10 marlas near shimla not in the town
but upperside towards kufari,to build a cottege, can anyone give me
some contacts or help, if someone here has land in this area ,

thanks

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Dear friends

I have moved to Delhi from Anand (Gujarat). Kindly update my contact
details at your end. Here I can be contacted at

+91 98711 26155

Office address is

Community Friendly Movement (CFM)
K-19, IInd Floor,
Lajpat Nagar-3rd
New Delhi 110 024
Tel : +91-11-4657 4160, 2983 0179
INDIA

http://www.whycfm.org

with regards
Varun

Dear Members,

It is long time the group has become less active as compared to
earlier days.

I request the members to actively participate and raise new queries
and discussions,

I have been to Himachal regions several times. Anyone having query
regarding anything may please post in the group. Possibly I or anyone
else will definitely answer to your query.

Other suggestions are also welcome for making it more innovative and
interesting.

Rajesh Chandwani
Moderator

Panel to review greenbelt area
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 27
The government has constituted a committee to re-examine the 17
greenbelts in the state capital in view of the existing ambiguities.
The committee has also been asked to identify khasra numbers so that
there can be a clear demarcation of the highly protected green areas
in and around the town.

The committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of the
director, Town and Country Planning (TCP), with the MC commissioner,
the additional district magistrate (ADM), the additional deputy
commissioner (ADC), the DFO (Shimla division) as its members and the
town planner as its member secretary.

A notification in this regard was issued by the government on April
19, in which the committee has been directed to submit its report
within two months.

It is for the first time after the 17 greenbelts were identified and
notified by the government on December 7, 2000, that an exercise has
been undertaken to identify khasra numbers so that there are no
ambiguities in the revenue record and the physical survey maps.

As such, the shrinking green cover of the town could be re-notified
by the government after examining fresh demarcation of the
greenbelts in and around the town by the Revenue and the Town and
Country Planning (TCP) Department to remove the existing ambiguities.

It is on the directions of the Cabinet that the task of khasra-wise
identification of the greenbelts is being undertaken. Although the
greenbelts in the town were notified by the government in 2000,
there were no khasra numbers of the area forming part of these
greenbelts, leading to a number of missing links. Now, the exact
khasra numbers would be mentioned in the records.

The total demarcated green area in and around the town is around 414
hectare. The 17 greenbelts include the forest in Tuti-Kandi, Nabha,
Phagli, Lal Pani, Bemloe, Himfed, Khalini, Chotta Shimla I and II,
Kasumpti, Charlie Villa, Jakhu, Bharari, Shankali, Ruldu Bhatta,
Summer Hill, Boileauganj and Chaura Maidan.

With a complete ban on construction in the greenbelts in and around
the town, the process of transferring the physical maps into revenue
records could pave the way for partial lifting of the ban on
construction activity even if it is in a very small area. It was in
December, 2000, that the state government had imposed a complete ban
on constructions after the greenbelts were notified.

New townships to decongest Shimla
Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 19
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said today the government proposed to
impose a complete ban on construction in old Shimla and develop new
townships in peripheral areas to save the "Queen of Hills" from
further degeneration. The possibility of developing a new hill
station would also be explored.

Talking to mediapersons after inaugurating a call centre here, he
said all hill stations in the state were developed during British
rule and the basic amenities there were already stretched to the
limit. There was urged need to disperse development to the
periphery.

The capital was already bursting at the seams and the government was
already working on a plan to decongest it. Initially, construction
would be banned in the old Shimla areas. Once the third phase of New
Shimla was completed, no more construction would be allowed in the
area.

He said satellite townships would be developed around the existing
ones like Dharamsala, Chamba, Una, Kulu, Solan and Nahan. They would
be self-contained with all amenities and capable of catering to the
requirements of inhabitants for a long time to come. Reputed
architects would be requisitioned to plan the new townships.

Referring to the water problem in Shimla, he said there was no
shortage. The municipal corporation had not rationed water supply,
it had only rationalised the distribution to ensure equitable
distribution. Leakages in the distribution system were being plugged
to make more water available to the people.

A Rs 400-crore scheme to bring water from the Pabbar river was being
planned which would solve the water problem of Shimla for the next
100 years. In the meantime, another scheme was being implemented to
augment the supply which would be completed within a year.

Dear friends

I have moved to Delhi from Anand (Gujarat). Kindly update my contact
details at your end. Here I can be contacted at

+91 98711 26155

Office address is

Community Friendly Movement (CFM)
K-19, IInd Floor,
Lajpat Nagar-3rd
New Delhi 110 024
Tel : +91-11-4657 4160, 2983 0179
INDIA

http://www.whycfm.org

with regards
Varun

Rs.20 bn World Bank loan for Himachal hydel project
Calcutta News.Net
Thursday 12th April, 2007 (IANS)

The World Bank has agreed to provide a loan of Rs.20 billion for a
major hydel project on the Sutlej River in Himachal Pradesh,
officials said.

The World Bank loan will aid the construction of the 412 MW Rampur
project at an interest rate of 8 percent, an official of the public
sector run Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (SJVNL) told IANS here
Wednesday.

Apart from the loan, the remaining Rs.13.5 billion will be funded by
the central and state governments as both have equity participation
in the project, which is being built near Rampur Bushahr town, some
140 km from here, the official said.

'The World Bank has many stringent conditions which we have agreed
to meet. This includes rehabilitation of some villagers as well. Out
of all options, we thought the World Bank's rate of interest was the
lowest,' he added.

The Rampur project is scheduled to be completed by 2012. The site is
close to the mammoth 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri project, the country's
largest hydel project.

The filtered waters of the Nathpa project will be diverted to the
Rampur one thereby reducing the upcoming project's cost
considerably, the official said.

The Nathpa project, which cost a whopping Rs.86 billion, was also
largely funded by the World Bank. It came into operation three years
ago.

http://www.calcuttanews.net/story/241068

hye ashish,
In manali prefer log huts (Himachal Tourism) for safe
stay. Its very good accomodation for family rest u can
see on himachal tourism web site
regds,
Tarish
--- scorp3175 <ashish.goyal@...> wrote:

> Hi Everyone,
> We are visiting Kulu and Manali in the beginning of
> June. Can you guys
> recommend a rest house or cottage kind of place
> where our family of 7
> people can stay? I don't want hotel rooms since it
> requires everyone
> to stay separate.
>
> Also, if you know please email me about the weather
> conditions during
> that time.
>
> Thanks
> -Ashish
>
>
>




________________________________________________________________________________\
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Actually, instead of going to Manali we might go to Shimla since 14-15 hours of bus route doesn't suit to some of my family members. We are still deciding.

Let me know if you have any recommendation for a cottage/rest house in Shimla/kufri or kulu-Manali?

Also, I heard that Shimla gets hot during June, so please let me know how would be weather during beginning of June?

-----Original Message-----
From: Ashish Goyal
To: apnahimachal@...
Sent: 3/23/2007 1:29 PM
Subject: [apnahimachal] Any recommendations for the cottages in Kulu-Manali

Hi Everyone,
We are visiting Kulu and Manali in the beginning of June. Can you guys
recommend a rest house or cottage kind of place where our family of 7
people can stay? I don't want hotel rooms since it requires everyone
to stay separate.

Also, if you know please email me about the weather conditions during
that time.

Thanks
-Ashish

Hi Everyone,
We are visiting Kulu and Manali in the beginning of June. Can you guys
recommend a rest house or cottage kind of place where our family of 7
people can stay? I don't want hotel rooms since it requires everyone
to stay separate.

Also, if you know please email me about the weather conditions during
that time.

Thanks
-Ashish

 

---

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hi babu i m Ajay kumar , my birth place is delhi but my father& mother home town is himachal. aap kahan ke rahni wale ho himachal me kya aap delhi me rahte ho.

---

Here’s a new way to find what you're looking for - Yahoo! Answers

--- In apnahimachal@..., ravinder kumar
<ravinder_verma26@...> wrote:
>
> hi
>
>     how are you
>
        i am also belong to himachal pradesh DISTRICT Bilaspur but now
iam in delhi in samsung telcuminication in quality .plese tell about
your self because you and me one side person iam waite your
response  ,./   iam very happy you contect with me

IAM BABU RAM MY HOME TOWN IN HIMACHAL PRADESH BUT CURUNT IAM NOW IN DELHI  I LIKE SHIMLA HILL AND SNOW AND OTHER ACTIVITY BECAUSE I LOVE MY HIMACHAL PRADES

---

Here’s a new way to find what you're looking for - Yahoo! Answers

Hi,

                    Vikrant guppta

 

            Bascally I am belong to himachal prades district bilaspur and presenntly i living in delhi mayur vihar.  Please reply me where your  particular from and what are u doing at this time.

 

Ok by

 

Thanks & Regards

 

Balbir Singh 

vikrant gupta <vikrant_gupta_420@yahoo.com> wrote:

actually i'm also also at mhow only

may i plz know where r u in mhow exactly?
vikrant gupta

---

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---

Here’s a new way to find what you're looking for - Yahoo! Answers

actually i'm also also at mhow only

may i plz know where r u in mhow exactly?
vikrant gupta

---

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Dear ALL,

 

I wants to wish all of you and your family members  a colourful and Happy Holi

 

Regards,

Sanjeev Kr. Rana

---

Here’s a new way to find what you're looking for - Yahoo! Answers

happy holi to the group members.

with regards
Varun

Dear all members,

Wish you all a very happy, prosperous and vibrant holi.

Vivek

HAPPY HOLI

 

"RANG BARSE & KUSHIAN BARSE" TILL NEXT YEARS HOLI

when i'll wish the same again then

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