tribuneindia... Himachal

H I M A C H A L
P R A D E S H

Tuesday, July 28, 1998

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Raising of loans by electricity board
SHIMLA, July 27 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, today assured the House that his government would ensure complete transparency and total accountability in raising of loans by the state electricity board.
J&K militants foray Chamba
DHARAMSALA, July 27 — Reports of Jammu and Kashmir militants, infiltrating into the Kehar area of Chamba, adjoining Doda district and extorting money and ration from the local people have alarmed security agencies.

River pollution on the rise

Law and order in HP 'bad'
SHIMLA, July 27 — The Leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), Mr Virbhadra Singh, today alleged that the law and order machinery had collapsed in the state and he demanded a discussion on the issue in the Vidhan Sabha.

Decomposed body found
Fake certificate racket busted

Raising of loans by electricity board
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, July 27 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, today assured the House that his government would ensure complete transparency and total accountability in raising of loans by the state electricity board.
Replying to the debate on resolution to enhance the borrowing limit of the board from the Rs 900 crore to Rs 1500 crore. He said the manner in which previous government raised loans through the board created doubts as there was no transparency in the process. However, his government would place every thing before the House and leave no room for suspicion in loan deals.
Noisy scenes followed when Mr Virbhadra Singh, the Leader of the Congress group, sought a categorical assurance from the government that it would not pay any service charges or commission in arranging loans and that the board would utilise the funds for its own purpose. He said he was not opposed to raising the limit but wanted an assurance on this account because the BJP while in Opposition had been averse to the very concept of paying commission or service charges and it had been criticising the previous Congress government on this issue.
Intervening in the debate, Mr J.P. Nadda, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, said as the Leader of the Opposition in the previous Vidhan Sabha, the issues raised by him regarding loans were that the funds would be used not for any purpose of the board but for the day-to-day running of the government. Besides, the Congress government did not maintain transparency in the matter and some facts were placed before the House only after his party raised the issue.
Mr Dhumal alleged that the dealings of the Congress government were suspicious and Eider Services, one of the company which was paid commissions for arranging loans, was also given permission to set up an engineering college in the state.
Participating in the debate, Mr Ram Lal said the Congress government had placed full facts before the House regarding loans and there was nothing surprising in the revelation that Rs 7.30 crore was paid as commission and service charges. He said the BJP government had virtually rendered the board defunct during its 33 months rule.
Mr G.S. Bali said fresh loans should not be used for paying salaries or servicing of old loans.
Mr Ravinder Ravi said that the Congress government had plunged the board into a debt trap by raising loans indiscriminately.
The House also discussed the Budget proposals of the board for 1998-99.
Highlighting the features of the Budget proposals, Mr Dhumal said the estimated revenue receipts for 1997-98 had been revised to Rs 447.95 crore for 1998-99 an increase of 21.18 per cent over the actual revenue receipts of the previous year. The revenue receipts for 1998-99 were estimated at Rs 500.69 crore.
The net revised revenue expenditure for 1997-98 and the estimated net revenue expenditure for 1998-99 after capitalisation had been kept at Rs 355.25 crore and Rs 403.45 crore, respectively. Thus, there would be a gross operating surplus of Rs 92.70 crore during 1997-98 as per revised estimated while for 1998-99 it was anticipated to be Rs 97.24 crore. After allowing for interest payment to institutional creditors, state government interstate transmission lines loan (ISTLL) and depreciation, the net revised surplus for 1997-98 was estimated at Rs 18.47 crore whereas for 1998-99 the net surplus was expected to be Rs 8.60 crore.
He said the drop in net surplus in the revised estimate for 1997-98 compared to the original estimate was primarily on account of heavy losses suffered by the board in two power stations — Andhra and Nogli — during floods in August 1997.
The budget proposals provided for a plan expenditure of Rs 143.29 crore during 1998-99 against the revised estimates of Rs 115.20 crore for 1997-98. Capital expenditure on projects outside the plan, expenditure on joint sector projects and other capital expenditures together were estimated to be Rs 156.16 crore during 1998-99 including repayment of loans.
A sum of Rs 89 crore had been set aside for the 126 mw Larji project and all efforts were being made to ensure the completion of this project, which was likely to cost Rs 667 crore, by 2002-03. The 22.5 mw Ghanvi hydel project being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 95 crore was targeted for completion in the next financial year. A sum of Rs 55.20 crore was allocated for it.
His government had adopted a policy of selective privatisation both through the joint venture route as well as 100 per cent private participation. Implementation agreements had already been signed for Dhamwari, Sunda (70mw) Malana (86 mw), UHL stage III (100 mw) and Neogal project (15 mw).
The state government was now considering implementation of Parbati stage-II (800 mw) through a central public sector undertaking, he said.
A sum of Rs 2.90 crore has been budgeted for Bassi, Chaba and Nogli power houses.
The transmission and distribution losses in state currently ranged between 17 to 18 per cent and the board has drawn up a phased programme to reduce these to 15 per cent by the 2000-01. A provision of Rs 5.35 crore for system improvement schemes and Rs 47.40 crore for transmission and distribution scheme had been made.
The board has already introduced the system of bijli adalats for redressal of grievances of consumers on the spot and to settle the disputes arising out of complaints regarding wrong billing.
Mr Virbhadra Singh said government should not cancel the tenders for the 800 mw Kol dam as inviting fresh global bids would require a lot of time and delay the execution of project further. He said his government was planning to hand over the project to the NHPC but the state had a bad experience with this central agency in the past.
Mr Kaul Singh expressed concern over the massive lost over runs in execution of projects and urged the government give priority to the UHL-III stage project.
Dr Rajan Sushant cautioned the government against raising loans indiscriminately. He said the fact that the state would have to pay an interest of Rs 990 crore upto 2005 on loans of Rs 914 crore raised by previous government should serve as an eye opener. The annual interest liability had increased from Rs 180 crore in 1992-93 to Rs 640 crore in 1998-99 and it would be more than Rs 1000 crore after the repayment of principal amount commenced.

J&K militants foray Chamba
Tribune News Service
DHARAMSALA, July 27 — Reports of Jammu and Kashmir militants, infiltrating into the Kehar area of Chamba, adjoining Doda district and extorting money and ration from the local people have alarmed security agencies.
According to reliable sources, some J and K militants, on the run due to pressure from security forces in the trouble-torn state, entered the Kehar area on July 20, and took away the ration from the house of a Gujjar in Khundi Mural area. It is learnt that the militants, who had entered the Himachal territory, following pressure mounted by the army in Doda, took away the ration on gun point. The Gujjar from whose house the ration was taken away, feigned ignorance about the identity of the intruders, on the pretext that this happened in his absence. It is apprehended that he was not willing to divulge the details for fear of being eliminated by the militants, later on.
In the past also it was at gun point, that militants extorted money from 23 villagers of Kehar last year, when they had gone to collect herbs in the Baju Ka Bag forest in the J and K area. It was only a few days back that four residents of Kehar area were killed by militants as they had gone to collect herbs.
All these incidents have created fear psychosis among residents of the area, who, these days, have almost stopped entering the J and K area, for collecting herbs. Forced by abject poverty and tough living conditions, they have no choice but to risk their lives for collecting herbs, which fetch good amount in markets of Amritsar. The data available reveals that till the first week of July about 400 people had gone to collect herbs, while the number of such persons last year stood at 740.
Recent incidents of killing and extortion by militants have scared the people of the area, who are just not willing to give any details, to those investigating the problem. Army personnel, launched an extensive combing of the area, after reports of militants' presence in the area were received.
Various intelligence agencies operating in the area feel that the police will have to step up vigil, to monitor entry of militants into Himachal. Presently, the police post is located at Langera whereas the last inhabited village on the border is Khundi Mural. There are a total of 250 Gujjars, who roam around in the area between Kehar and Doda, with their buffaloes. They have about 30 "deras" between this area, including the ones at Khundi Mural, Sappa Chalo, Siplo, Oolu Ki Mandi, Udak and Kaloethu. It is only during the summer months that these Gujjars come up to the higher reaches, with their animals and stay in their houses. Earlier there have been incidents, when militants used these abandoned houses during winters, as safe hideouts.
With frequency of militant-related incidents being on the rise in border areas of Chamba, the state police will have to be on the alert, to prevent militancy from spilling over to Himachal Pradesh. The Deputy Commissioner, Chamba, issues passes to the Gujjars going to the border areas. It is being suggested that permanent identity cards be issued to them so that a record of their number and frequency of visits can be maintained.
The DIG (Northern Range), Mr I.D. Bhandari, when contacted said that the police was still investigating the matter. He refuted reports that a regular supply of ration was being maintained for militants by Gujjars from Chamba.

River pollution on the rise
From Manjit Singh Warrior
KAWAL KHUD (Solan) : Rivers, their tributaries and nullahs in Solan district are being polluted by the waste being shed by different towns and industries.
A major pollutant in the river water is the synthetic waste. The Kawal river close to the campus of the Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry is the glaring example how synthetic waste is choking up the water sources in the state. Though the river is yet to receive its full water load, the recession in last year's water level has left scars of polythene waste on its banks. Shrubs, trees and sand on the banks is replete with pieces of polythene bags, pouches and other synthetic packaging material. One can also find empties of mineral water and medicines made from non-bio degradable plastic material.
The condition of major rivers like the Gumbher, the Kuni, the Kaushalya, the Asni and the Sarsa is also no different which, in addition to the city waste, also get industrial waste. The nullahs, which originate from various towns, carry filth and non-bio degradable waste to the tributaries of major rivers. The Kotla nullah, the Shakti Nagar nullah and the one which originates from Chowk Bazar of Solan town alone carry quintals of synthetic waste to the Asni and Nagli khuds.
Loopholes in the working of the State Pollution Control Board have also added to the industrial pollution. The Kaushalya and other khuds in and around the Parwanoo industrial hub are being polluted by the units close to them.
"The previous government though advocated setting up of environment-friendly industrial units in the state yet it allowed non-eco-friendly units such as cement plants and stone crushers. The non-recycling of the synthetic waste has only added salt to the wounds of the hills already facing a number of threats," says a Parwanoo-based industrialist.
Hopes are high from the recently commissioned NORAD-funded waste management plant at Salogra, near Solan. But this can only manage the waste which reaches the dumping places. The Municipal Council so far has not formulated a concrete plan to rid the nullahs of the synthetic waste.
"The Municipal Council along with an NGO collects and segregates the wet and dry waste. Adequate number of dumpers and bins have been placed in all parts of the town. If the waste reaches the bins and dumpers the nullahs will automatically be free from pollution," says Dr Rajiv Bindal, president, Municipal Council.

Law and order in HP 'bad'
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, July 27 — The Leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), Mr Virbhadra Singh, today alleged that the law and order machinery had collapsed in the state and he demanded a discussion on the issue in the Vidhan Sabha.
He raised a point of order in the House over the rejection of a notice for discussion on the issue which was moved by certain Congress legislators.
The Speaker said the grounds on which debate was sought by members were not sufficient. Fresh notice should be moved under rules.
Mr Virbhadra Singh said the law and order situation was deteriorating in the state day by day. The district authorities of Shimla were trying to hush up the incident of attack on a college student here on July 25, he alleged.
He also took exception to the BJP holding the first meeting of its executive here yesterday in Bachat Bhavan in the office complex of the Deputy Commissioner.
The CLP leader alleged that the BJP was politicising government institutions. This was for the first time in the state that meeting of any political party was held within the office complex of the Deputy Commissioner. The Bachat Bhavan was meant only for official meetings.
He said the ruling BJP had set a very bad precedent by holding its meeting in Bachat Bhavan.
Mr Virbhadra Singh criticised the BJP government for having allowed its student wing the ABVP to hold its convention in the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex on The Mall which was meant only for sports activities. The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, himself addressed the convention.
Mr Dhumal told Mr Virbhadra Singh not to politicise these issues. He said a rent of Rs 1500 was paid by the party for hiring Bachat Bhavan for holding the meeting of the executive.
He said the police had been asked to take stern action against those involved in the clash between students. Two persons have been arrested and there was no question of letting any culprit go scot-free.
The Chief Minister clarified that the clash began following to a ragging incident in the college at Chaura Maidan. Three injured students were admitted to the medical college hospital.
He said he had asked the college and the district authorities to remain alert and keep the atmosphere in educational institutions peaceful.
Decomposed body found
Tribune News Service
DHARAMSALA, July 27 — The decomposed body of an architect, Madan Lal (57), was recovered by the police from his house here today.
According to the Superintendent of Police, Mr K.C. Sadyal, the police broke open the house when the neighbours found a foul smell emanating from the house. The father of the deceased said that his son was an alcoholic and had been staying separately from his family. A case has been registered under Section 174 of the Cr PC and the body sent for a postmortem.
In another incident, 28-year-old Jamana Devi of Hatwas attempted to commit suicide by consuming poison. Her parents have been summoned by the police as she has been admitted to the hospital in a critical condition.
Fake certificate racket busted
Tribune News Service
DHARAMSALA, July 27 — The police has busted a gang which was allegedly involved in printing fake matriculation certificates, at Shahpur near here.
According to the SP, Mr K.C. Sadyal, the matter came to the notice of the police when about eight youth were arrested last year for submitting fake certificates, at the time of recruitment of policemen.
The police today arrested the mastermind behind the racket, Hoshiar Singh, who was running a printing press at Shahpur. During the raid the police recovered fake blank certificates, stamps and hollogram of the State Education Board. A case has been registered against him under Sections 420, 467, 468 and 120-B of the IPC.