Shimla, April 2 (IANS) A proposal sent nearly eight years ago to the central government to declare certain Himachal Pradesh areas 'scheduled' and some communities Scheduled Tribes is yet to get a nod, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has said.The state government sent a proposal to the ministry of tribal affairs May 4, 2005, for declaring some areas, including trans-Giri areas in Sirmaur district, as scheduled areas, the chief minister said in a written reply to the assembly Monday.
Amongst the areas listed in the state government's proposal are Chhota and Bara Bangal villages in Kangra district, Chohar Valley in Mandi district, Churah in Chamba district, Malana in Kullu district and Dodra Kwar and Rampur Bushahr, both in Shimla district.
Similarly, the state pleaded that the Barad, Bangala, Labana, Hattee and Dudra Kawaru communities living in these areas as Scheduled Tribes.
Former legislator Jagat Singh Negi told IANS that the Hattee community settled in three assembly constituencies -- Shillai, Renuka and Pachhad in Sirmaur district -- has been fighting for decades to get the status of a Scheduled Tribe.
A select assembly committee comprising three local legislators recommended to Speaker T.S. Negi Dec 16, 1993, to initiate steps to declare the Hattee community a Scheduled Tribe, he said.
The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Commission in its 1979-80 report had recommended the same.
--Indo-Asian News Service