Himachal Confidential

Bureaucratic highs & lows
Bureaucratic reshuffle has always been a matter of public attention. The last one has particularly become a topic of discussion. Arun Sharma’s sudden comeback as Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal’s Private Secretary to replace Vijay Chandan within a few months of his transfer may be a surprise,but it is Diljeet Dogra,Secretary (Personnel),whose unceremonious exit from the Secretariat as Managing Director of the HP Civil Supplies Corporation that has left his colleagues stunned. Dogra was one of the trusted officers handpicked by Dhumal after he returned to power. Dogra was last year stripped of his general administration department charge. Dogra is,however,not the first,or the last officer,to get dumped after being in Team A.

Not truly international
The International Summer Festival — an annual cultural event and tourism promotion activity in Shimla — has never been truly an “international” event,though it has been popular since the sixties. Celebrated artistes,such as Lata Mangeshkar and Pakistani Ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali have graced the festival in the past. Paucity of funds,however,compelled the district administration to join hand with Shimla Doordarshan (DD) this time and invite only local artistes,Punjabi singers and a few budding Bollywood talent. Though these artistes did not disappoint,many were heard complaining that the age-old event was not living up to its name of ‘international festival’. Maybe,it’s time the state government provided a special funding,or collaborate with the Union Ministry of Tourism to restore the glory of the tourism festival.

Virbhadra unbeaten
Veteran Congress politician Virbhadra Singh has no parallel when he chooses to beat his BJP rivals to hog media glare. Before Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal could do so,the Union steel minister reached out to the media last week with the announcement that Sonia Gandhi would lay the foundation stone for the Rs 1,495-crore Rohtang Tunnel project on June 28. Being a sitting MP and Union minister,Virbhadra was of course among the first ones to be contacted by Defence Minister A K Antony on the matter. By the time Dhumal’s office broke the news to the media,Virbhadra had already done the honours.