P R A D E S H
Monday, September 28, 1998
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H I M A C H A L P R A D E S H |
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Monday, September 28, 1998 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Bridge completed Mahajan
‘not heading’ anti-Virbhadra camp |
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Stone of 86-MW Malana hydel
project laid Wreckage
of bus fished out HP
to encourage job-oriented units
No directive issued, clarifies
Thakur TYC
appeal for UN intervention "Check
toxicity of pesticides on crops" |
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Bridge completed in record time SHIMLA, Sept 27 — The construction of a bailey suspension bridge over the Sutlej at Wangtoo in record time by Army engineers has provided much relief to the people of Kinnaur which remained cut off from the rest of the state for almost a year. The bridge was washed away in flash floods in August last year causing great hardships to the tribals who could not transport their apples and other produce. This season they will not face any such problem. Thanks to "Shatrujeet" 107 Engineering Regiment which accomplished the most difficult task by successfully launching the country's longest bailey bridge, exactly 400 ft, in just 28 days. The engineers of the Bailey Foundation from the UK will be visiting the site to see this bridge which was likely to emerge as a major tourist attraction in the years to come. The Army also helped in the construction of a circuit road and assisted in positioning 15 boats and two 18-tonne floating rafts in the lake to carry people, essential commodities and apple boxes along with the vehicles across the Sultej, between September, 1997, and May 1998. The construction work on this bridge was taken up in most unfavourable conditions and technical constraints, says Major M.J. Kumar, officer in charge. Besides being the longest possible bailey suspension bridge having the highest tower at 55 feet, the most important fact was that it was constructed with only 6.9 and 7.9 metres of back space available at both ends of the bridge as against the normal requirement of 45 metres and for this reason alone it could find a place in the Guinness Book of World Records, he observed. No vehicle-bearing suspension bridge has ever been built with so much constraints anywhere in the world", he points out. The Border Roads Organisation constructed the 1.57 km approach roads beyond Wangtoo on a challenging terrain where hill slope varied from 60 to 75 degree, while the Public Works Department (national highway) constructed the 1 km approach road towards the Rampur end. In all 12 labourers, including two Army personnel, lost their lives in the course of the construction of the approach roads. The continuous falling
boulders and rocks on the edge of the Sutlej claimed the
lives of Mr B.K. Sharma, Superintending Engineer of the
NJPC, and two sepoys of the Army. |
Mahajan ‘not heading’
anti-Virbhadra camp DHARMASALA, Sept 27 — A former union minister and Congress leader, Mr Vikram Mahajan, today said that the PCC president, Mr Sat Mahajan, was not heading the anti-Virbhadra Singh lobby, as his only effort was to bring all partymen together. Talking to newspersons here today, he said that though some people would like to create this impression, but this was not true. He refused to agree that factionalism within the Congress had intensified since Mr Sat Mahajan took over as the party chief. "Factionalism, as it is, has been part of the Congress culture, which will in no way affect the party's prospects in the elections", he commented. "Had Mr Sat Mahajan been opposed to Mr Virbhadra Singh, Mr B.B.L. Butail could never have become the Kangra Congress district president, as he too is considered to be in the former Chief Minister's camp", he observed. He added that a large number of Virbhadra supporters had been included in the PCC by Mr Mahajan. In reply to a question whether the Congress should take back Mr Sukh Ram or take the support of his party, the HVC, Mr Mahajan said that one could not rule out the possibility of anything in future. In reply to a query about the Congress move to topple the Dhumal government, he said that there was nothing immoral in it. He felt that the main reason for the party's poor performance in the last assembly elections in Kangra were the late selection of candidates by the party and the damage caused by the party floated by Sukh Ram. "Had Mr Sat Mahajan been fielded from the Nurpur Assembly Constituency, Mr Virbhadra Singh would have been Chief Minister", said Mr Vikram Mahajan, who has been made a PCC member by Mr Sat Mahajan. He said that Mr Sat Mahajan was a mass base leader. Mr Mahajan, who is a senior Supreme Court lawyer, said that the decision of the President to send back the government's recommendation regarding the imposition of President's rule in Bihar, was a "slap" on the face of the BJP government. He added that the Congress
along with a number of Opposition parties had been
strictly opposed to the imposition of President's rule in
Bihar, especially when the Rabri government had proved
its majority in the House. He observed that the
performance of the BJP Government in the Centre was
dismal, as they had failed to control the rise in prices. |
An off-and-on bridge PALAMPUR: A retaining structure supports a pillar of a bridge. Sounds strange. This over 100-foot bridge over the rainfed Mandh khad near Lambagaon in Jaisinghpur tehsil of Kangra district gives way almost every year during the rainy season, cutting off over 50 villages towards the Harsipattan side. Whenever the strong water currents wash away any supporting pillar of the bridge, the traffic link is snapped and it is diverted through the river bed. But if the Mandh khad is in spate, which is quite often the case, the road link gets snapped. Even when the traffic is diverted big vehicles like buses and trucks manage to wade through the bumpy river bed but small vehicles get stuck and suffer damage. And the government's response to such a situation is to make stop-gap arrangements which do not last long. The importance of this bridge can be gauged from the fact that when the bridge gives in, one has to take a detour via Palampur covering about 80 km to reach Jaisinghpur, which is hardly 10 km from this bridge. The passengers' problems get compounded if one is on annual leave and is carrying enough luggage. Harassed the most are daily commuters, most of them employees and college students. The nearest college for students from the Jaisinghpur-Harsipattan area is at Sujanpur Tihra or Thural. A foolproof all-weather bridge is the need of the hour. The problem was also brought to the notice of Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal when he visited the Chandigarh Press Club recently. And he promised to look into the problem. Residents of the area
plead that it is high time a new bridge is constructed
here so that the people sufferings are redressed once and
for all. Besides, the condition of the
Alampur-Harsipattan is bad. Even though a major portion
of the road is metalled, there are certain
"kutcha" patches that make the journey bumpy
and risky. |
Stone of 86-MW Malana hydel
project laid SHIMLA, Sept 27 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, laid the foundation stone of the 86-MW Malana hydel project at Chowki on the right bank of the Parvati river in Kulu district today. Mr Dhumal said the state government would involve the private sector in a big way to harness the identified hydel potential of 20,000 MW expeditiously and make the state self-reliant. He announced the opening of a circle of the state electricity board in Kulu to expedite work on the projects already taken in hand in the area. The Chief Minister said that the work on the 2051-MW Parvati hydel project would also be taken up soon by the National Hydro Power Corporation the mega-project would generate income worth crores of rupees to the state, besides providing employment to local people. The 800-MW Kol dam project would also be entrusted to a central agency. About 400 mini and micro hydel projects had been identified in the state which would also be executed in government, private and joint sectors. He said that the work on the 12-MW Khauli and 10.5-MW Neogal projects in Kangra district and the 3-MW Lingti hydel project in Spiti would commence soon. He hoped that work on the Malana hydel project which is being executed by a private company would bring Rs 30 crore to the state exchequer annually. The Chief Minister said that the government would take up the widening and metalling of the Bhuntar-Manikaran road on a priority basis which would help in the transportation of machinery. Mr Maheshwar Singh urged for providing employment to one member of each family whose land would be acquired for the project. Mr Ravi Jhujanwala,
Chairman of Malana Power Corporation, said that the
company had engaged a reputed consultancy firm from
Canada for the project. He said that the Shilwara group
would utilise the power generated in this project for its
own use, besides giving 15 per cent power free of cost to
the state government. |
Wreckage of bus fished out MANDI, Sept 27 — Wreckage of the ill-fated bus which fell into Beas on Friday at a point 9 km from here towards Pandoh in which 15 persons were killed was fished out this evening with the help of heavy cranes of the Bhakhra Beas Management Board. A bag containing a purse found in the wreckage of the bus revealed the identity of Prem Bahadur Gurkha of Akhara Bazar, Kulu. It is not known yet whether he was travelling alone or with other members of family. Anant Ram, conductor of the ill-fated bus and the only survivor, says that there were no children or women travelling in the bus. The bus was spotted when the gates of the Pandoh Dam were closed to locate the bodies. The strong current of the river had drifted it a few thousand metres downstream. The operation "lift-out" lasted for about two hours when the traffic on the National Highway No. 21 remained jammed, stranding hundreds of vehicles on both sides, as the crane had blocked the road. Only two of the 15 bodies were recovered from the scene of accident on Friday. No other body has been traced, though a large number of Home Guards are searching. The identity of seven persons feared dead has been established so far. They are — Madhukar, state general secretary, HVC, driver Murari Lal, HRTC conductor Kishan Chand, Milkhi Ram of Sangrahan village, Lila Singh, bus owner's son, Rewati Ram, veterinary peon, and Prem Bahadur Gurkha of Akhara Bazar, Kulu. It is alleged that the ill-fated bus had been purchased during the auction of the condemned buses of HRTC. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Prabodh Saxena, says the magisterial enquiry would also probe this aspect. Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal,
Chief Minister, who visited the site of accident last
night announced Rs 1 lakh ex-gratia to the next of the
kin killed in accident and directed the D.C. to intensify
the search of bodies. |
HP to encourage job-oriented units BILASPUR, Sept 27 — The Himachal Government encourages industries which provide priority employment to Himachali youth and are prepared to invest a fraction of their profit in local projects. This was stated by Himachal Chief Minister Professor Prem Kumar Dhumal while inaugurating the Rs 5.75 crore "Swami Vivekananda Government Degree College" building constructed by the ACC Cement factory (Barmana) with its own funds at Kallari, near Ghumarwin, 33 km from here last evening. Appreciating ACC for associating itself with the progress of the state, the Chief Minister said that it is praiseworthy that ACC sees itself as a "partner in the progress of the state and urged other industries to find suitable avenues for social investment. The Chief Minister however lashed out at the factory for failing to control dust and air pollution. He said the government was responsible for the lakhs of people living around the factory and present-day technology was so advanced that it was possible to control dust and poisonous gas emissions from cement factories. The ACC management should look into this aspect. He lambasted the government of Virbhadra Singh for shameless discrimination with some areas in the matter of development and employment and even in providing relief from natural calamities. Citing an instance of flagrant discrimination between areas, Mr Dhumal said the Congress government got Rs 112.81 crore as financial aid from NABARD for construction of roads and bridges in state. Of it only Rs 2.18 crore the was given to Bilaspur, Rs 89 lakh to Hamirpur and Rs 70 lakh to Chamba and Rs 42.81 crore to Shimla district. He said the new government has got financial help worth Rs 42.82 crore for this purpose from "NABARD" and 6.15 crore has been allocated to Bilaspur district. He said science classes
would be started in this college from the next session
while another Rs 19 lakh would be provided for provision
of drinking water in college premises. Steps would be
taken to construct staff quarters on the premises as
well. |
No directive issued, clarifies Thakur SHIMLA, Sept 27 — Mr Ram Lal Thakur, former Chief Minister said here today that the Pradesh Congress Committee had not issued any directive asking the party legislators not to meet Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, without informing the Leader of the Congress legislative group. In an informal chat with newsmen here today, he said no such decision was taken at the meeting of the state executive of the party held in the presence of Mr R.K. Dhawan, general secretary of the AICC, last week. He said that matter did come up during the meeting, but Mr Dhawan observed that only the Central Working Committee of the AICC was competent to take decisions on such policy matters which were to be applied in all states. The issue could be placed before the CWC if the members so desired. Mr Thakur said, similarly no directive was issued to legislators that they should not accompany the Chief Minister during tours of their constituencies without the prior permission of the CLP leader and the PCC chief. His view was that if the legislators were honorably invited, they should attend the official functions of the Chief Minister as it provided them an opportunity to raise the problems of the people. Replying to a question, he said leadership issue was neither on the agenda of the meeting nor was it discussed. Mr Dhawan himself made it very clear when a member tried to raise this issue. The purpose of his visit was to strengthen the party organisation and chalk out a strategy to win the Baijnath byelection. When asked how Mr Sat Mahajan, PCC chief, would topple the coalition government without the support of Mr Sukh Ram, he said the question should be addressed to Mr Mahajan. Mr Thakur had, it may be
recalled, created ripples in the party by accompanying
the Chief Minister and sharing a common platform with him
during his visit to the Kotkhai area last month. |
TYC appeal for UN intervention DHARAMSALA, Sept 27 — The Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), today made an appeal to the Secretary General of the UN General Assembly and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, to resolve the Tibetan issue by finding an amicable solution acceptable to the Tibetan people. In an appeal addressed to the Secretary General of the UN, Mr Kofi Annan and the Commissioner for High Commission on Human Rights, Ms Mary Robinson, the TYC warned that in case the UN does not take any concrete step to tackle the Tibetan issue, they will resume the hunger strike, they had temporarily suspended some time back. The General Secretary of the TYC, Mr Pema Lhundop, said that if the General Assembly of the UN does not fulfil the demands of the TYC, then the agitation will be resumed, which can go out of control. It may be recalled that during the hunger strike launched by the TYC, in Delhi, one Tibetan had resorted to self immolation, and the hunger strikers had to be forcefully removed by the police. It was on the request of some nations that the TYC, finally decided to halt its hunger strike temporarily. Today's appeal to the two bodies comes as a warning that it could be resume its strike if the UN General Assembly does not accept its demands. "Since the demands of
the TYC are very much in-line with the international
norms and laws, the UN, which is in session these days,
must take up the Tibetan issue", commented Pema
Lhundup. In its appeal to Ms Mary Robinson, the TYC said
that had she visited some of the places without a Chinese
guide the true picture of Tibet's misery would have come
forward. They pointed out that she was able to visit only
places arranged by the Chinese, presenting a false and
fascinating propaganda for the Chinese government. |
School with two principals NURPUR, Sept 27 — The post of principal in a local government senior secondary school has become a bone of contention between the two principals posted here simultaneously allegedly due to the negligence of the state Education Department. School staff as well as students are in dilemma on whom to consider their principal. The day the school reopened after vacation of rainy season the school organised morning assembly prayers at different times. According to information the school principal posted about two months ago organised morning prayer of the students at 8 a.m. while the already posted principal organised the same at 10 a.m. as per the new time scheduled by the HP Board of School Education before closing of schools for rainy season's vacation. School authorities, however, clarified this lapse of two morning prayers merely as a "communication gap". But it made a mockery of
the school administration. According to sources the new
principal Mr Surinder Singh transferred from district
Hamirpur to here by the department but Mr J.C. Bharti the
already posted principal cum Deputy District Education
Officer received no transfer or adjustment order. As a
sequel in accordance with the department rules he did not
relinquish charge and claimed to be the principal in the
office whereas the newcomer has also been claiming to be
appointee to the same post. |
"Check toxicity of pesticides on
crops" DHARAMSALA, Sept 27 — The Vice-Chancellor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Prof Asis Datta, yesterday said genetic engineering could be very beneficial in improving plant breeding and weed management, apart from improving the post harvest quality of crops. Speaking on the occasion of the foundation day of the ICAR at Palampur yesterday, he said crops worth billions of rupees were being wasted due to toxic effect of pesticides and herbicides. There can be immense enhancement of agricultural production if we can genetically control the toxic effect, he observed. He added that in future it would be possible to control diseases in human beings by genetically developing such fruits and vegetables, which built resistance against various diseases in the human body. Professor Datta delivered the foundation day lecture on Current Status of Plant Biotechnology — a journey from laboratory to commercialisation. He emphasised that to achieve the mission of lab to land and finally to the market, joint efforts of microbiologists, plant breeders, agriculturalists, farmers and traders were required. The former Director of the ICAR, Prof Akshey Gupta, who was the guest of honour on the occasion, said that wasteful science experiments should be avoided. He added that high quality of basic research would help in improving quality of life. The institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), released its annual report and folders on bamboo and gladiolus. The IHBT also conferred the technology adoption award to the progressive farmer Onkar Singh of Khanora village in Chamba for planting tea in the non-traditional areas. Achievements of the
institute like mechanised tea plucking in Kangra valley
and extension of Damask rose cultivation and floriculture
in Himachal were highlighted. |
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