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| Saturday,
July 28, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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SC
dismisses SLP of HP board, Centre Move to
privatise HP Tourism opposed Faridkot
Maharaja’s daughter found dead HRD
Ministry unlikely to shift institute |
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4,000 HIV
cases in Himachal Villagers
to get water supply by 2005 Roads in
poor shape Steps to
check enteritis reviewed Students
resent lack of infrastructure 31 yrs
gone but road yet to be metalled Dash’s
assurance to power producers 6
Tibetans jailed for collusion Heavy
rush at Chintpurni temple Red Cross
training camp ends MCI team
in Dharamsala to inspect college Meeting
on portrait row not held Dalit
postpones immolation 
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SC dismisses SLP of HP board, Centre Chandigarh, July 27 The apex court verdict also comes as a relief to both Haryana and Rajasthan who had been ordered to pay huge amounts as water pollution cess since 1993. A Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Mr B.G. Kirpal rejected the argument of the Central Government that it was only required to lay before Parliament the notification about the inclusion of the “hydel generating industry” in the list of polluting industries on which a cess was leviable under Schedule 1 of the Water Cess Act. The Central Government was unable to show that it had even moved a resolution seeking Parliament’s approval of its notification dated April 16, 1993,
under which hydel generation was included in Schedule 1. The Advocate-General of Punjab, who argued the case, held that there were certain procedural requirements which had to be satisfied before the Central Government could include new industries in Schedule 1. The apex court upheld this argument and accordingly dismissed the civil appeals of the Union of India and the two state pollution control boards, thus upholding the judgement of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh that these boards could not levy a water pollution cess on the hydel generating industry under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977. The Central Government had included the hydel generating industry in the list of polluting industries by a gazette notification of April 16, 1993. As a result, water pollution cess would have been leviable on the water consumed and polluted by the hydro projects. In the case of Punjab, the cess was worked out to be Rs 800 crore. Similarly, both Haryana and Rajasthan also had to pay huge amounts as water pollution cess. Pursuant to the Central Government notification, the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board levied a cess on all hydel generating companies by its assessment order of October 8, 1993. The hydel projects in which the Punjab State Electricity Board is involve include Bhakra, Pandoh, Pong and Dehar which are under the BBMB. Punjab first approached the Appellate Authority against the orders of the Himachal pollution control board. On getting only limited relief, the Punjab Government filed writ petitions in the High Court of Himachal in Shimla challenging the assessment of cess. The Himachal Pradesh High Court had held that the Central Government had failed to satisfy the procedural requirements of Section 16(2) of the Water Cess Act for amending Schedule 1 to add new industries . Section 16(2) requires that the Central Government must move a resolution seeking the approval of Parliament as soon as possible and if Parliament was not in session, within 15 days of its reassembly. Since the Central Government had not even tried to satisfy this requirement of Section 16(2), the high court held that the Central Government’s notification of April 16, 1993, had lapsed and could not be enforced. As such, the assessment orders of the Himachal board were without jurisdiction. The Union of India and the Himachal pollution control board filed the special leave petition. Two appeals were also filed in similar cases against a judgement of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh striking down assessment orders of the Madhya Pradesh State Pollution Control Board. So all four SLPs were disposed of with this order. |
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Move to privatise HP Tourism opposed Shimla, July 27 In its emergency meeting held here today the association expressed concern that even profit making units like Shivalik Hotel (Parwanoo) and Hotel Bhagsu (Dharamsala) were being considered for outright sale. The government was bent upon selling the units which were still under the construction. How can a unit, which had not become even operational, could be considered as unviable? they asked. The decision of the government to engage a private evaluator to assess the worth of the properties was most intriguing. Moreover, the government was silent over the future of the employees who would be rendered surplus after the disposal of 23 properties. At present, as many as 256 employees are working in these units. The government will have to shell out Rs 60 lakh to the private evaluator for the job. It urged the government to reconsider the decision as the corporation was set up to promote tourism and not for earning profits. |
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Faridkot
Maharaja’s daughter found dead Shimla, July 27 She was found dead in her bedroom in the “Kennilworth” bungalow in the Faridkot complex at Mashobra near here yesterday morning. A post-mortem was conducted at the local medical college here this afternoon. Later, the body was taken to Faridkot for cremation. She was 57 and the youngest of the three daughters of Sir Barar. Conflicting versions relating to her death were being received. According to a communication received here from the Chandigarh police control room, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, the eldest daughter of Sir Barar had informed the police about her youngest sister’s death on telephone and suspected a foul play in it. She wanted the local police to be alerted over the death of her sister. On the other hand, Col J.S. Dhillon (retd), General Manager, Maraval Khewaji Trust, who is looking after the ‘disputed’ property of the erstwhile Maharaja, denied any foul play in her death. He had come here from Faridkot to take the body for cremation. After conducting the post-mortem, the doctor said the death was due to a massive heart attack. She was also suffering from deep veins thrombosis, he added. The police has sealed the complex at Mashobra where Ms Mahip Inder Kaur was residing all alone. She was the vice-chairperson of the Trust which was facing a series of litigations over their share in its properties at Faridkot, Manimajra, Delhi and Shimla by some family members. Mrs Depinder Kaur Mehtab, second daughter of the Maharaja, who lives in Kolkota and is also the chairperson of the Trust, has reportedly reached Faridkot. Colonel Dhillon said Ms Mahip Inder Kaur was unwell for the past several days and had remained hospitalised from June 23 to July 8. She was also a chronic patient of asthma. The Maharaja had reportedly created the Trust following the death of his only son. However, it was being disputed by some family members whether the will for transferring the assets to the Trust was genuine or not. Only recently the “Sherwood House” in the Faridkot complex at Mashobra was reduced to ashes in a fire. |
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HRD Ministry unlikely to shift institute Shimla, July 27 The institute has been dogged with uncertainty eversince, the Centre decided to relocate the institute, preferably in Shimla, and hand over the majestic Vice-Regal Lodge complex to the Tourism Department to set up a five-star hotel about two decades ago. However, the plans went haywire when conservationists moved the Supreme Court to prevent a five-star hotel. After a protracted legal battle, the apex court, while restraining the government from opening a hotel in the complex, passed an order in March, 1997, that the complex be handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India for preservation as and when the institute vacated it. The court did not fix any deadline. Thereafter efforts were made to find an alternative site. The governing body of the institute wrote to all state governments for providing suitable premises or land but none, except the Himachal Government, responded. It offered the Mandi House building at Mashobra, near here, which was not found suitable for housing the institute. Subsequently, it agreed to allot land within the campus of Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, or the Agriculture University, Palampur. However, an expert committee set up by the Centre did not approve of the idea of locating a prestigious institute of higher learning within a university. Despite uncertainty regarding its continuation in the Viceregal Lodge, the institution has been able to do some good work over the past three years. In fact this has been a main factor behind the latest move to retain the institute in the present premises. The new governing body headed by Dr G.C. Pande, constituted by the BJP-led government had over the past three years tried to give an “Indian identity” to the institute by focusing research efforts on Indian civilisation. This has obviously pleased the political leadership at Delhi, which has been making all efforts to encourage studies in areas of traditional knowledge like astrology. Appreciating the performance of the institute, the Ministry of Human Resource Development has sanctioned a centre for the study of Indian civilisation to give further impetus to research on various religious, literary, philosophical and artistic traditions of India. This will go a long way in promoting systematic study of Indian civilisation. It has also asked the institute to formulate a 10 year plan. The HRD Ministry will, however, have to seek the approval of the apex court for retaining the institute. Senior officers feel the court would have no objection to the proposal for maintaining the heritage complex as living monument. In fact, the judges have in their order cited the example of the USA which has preserved Williamsburg, the first British settlement, as a heritage resort. Similar efforts, they stress, should be made by the government to preserve and maintain important places as manifestation of “our rich cultural heritage or historical evidence.” Since the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is already maintaining the building, handing over the complex to it would not serve any purpose. In fact, continuation of the institute will ensure gainful utilisation of the sprawling premises. Moreover, the ASI is not in a position to maintain big complexes like the Viceregal Lodge. It neither has the requisite funds nor the manpower to do the job. In fact, it was toying with the idea of handing over the Taj Mahal for upkeep tot the Tata’s. The institute gave Rs 3.5 crore to the ASI last year for major restoration and repair works out of which about Rs 70 lakh was spent. The ASI may not be in a position to spare such huge funds if the complex is handed over to it. As such its continuation in the Viceregal Lodge will only serve the cause of the preservation of the heritage complex, officers maintain. |
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4,000 HIV
cases in Himachal Kangra, July 27 According to the sources, in Himachal Pradesh 304 HIV positive cases were confirmed and 89 full-blown AIDS cases identified. The patients ranged in the age between 15 and 35. Ninty per cent of these confirmed HIV positive and AIDS cases had received the infection through sexual contact. Of these, 80 per cent cases were from Hamirpur, Kangra, Bilaspur, Shimla and Mandi districts and the remaining belonged to the other seven districts. The highest number of HIV positive cases were from Hamirpur and then Kangra. Some children too were HIV positive. These cases have been identified during random blood testing in government laboratories, checking of pregnant women in the sexually transmitted disease clinics and during checking of clinical suspicious cases. As there is a 100 per cent chance of getting infected with HIV through HIV-infected blood tranfusion, so in all the blood banks, blood was being tested for malaria, siplis, Hepatitis-B and HIV before being supplied for transfusion. Dr
T.D. Sharama, Principal, Family Welfare Training Centre, Kangra, said that HIV awareness campaign and condom popularisation programme was in full swing in the state under this programme, 500 teachers of senior secondary schools had been imparted training.
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Villagers
to get water supply by 2005 Shimla, July 27 Stating this here today, the Minister for Irrigation and Public Health, Mr Ramesh Dhwala, said 1502 of these villages were not so far covered under the drinking water supply scheme. The rest 11443 were partially covered. Out of 45367 habitations in the state, 32422 had been fully covered under various schemes. During the current year, 1450 habitations would be covered for which a budgetary provision of Rs 55.52 crore under the Central sector had been made. A sum of Rs 8.50 crore had been earmarked under the state sector to cover 400 habitations. A provision of Rs 39 crore had been made under various other schemes. He said 200 tonnes of bleaching powder was made available to the districts for chlorination so that safe drinking water was provided to the people. As many as 9874 handpumps had been installed in the state up to June. The towns of Sujanpur, Ghumarwin, Chopal and Suni would be covered under the urban water supply scheme this year at a cost of Rs 2.96 crore and Rs 27.12 crore were being spent on sewerage network in Shimla and Rampur. The Finance Commission had allocated a Rs 6 crore for the sewerage systems in Dharamsala, Hamirpur and Jawalamukhi. The Rs 54.80 OPEC-sponsored sewerage scheme for Shimla town was expected to be completed by December, 2002. Mr Dhwala said a sum of Rs 11.15 crore would be spent on major and medium irrigation schemes this year. |
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Roads in poor shape Kasauli It is ironical that while the Cantonment Board has decided to disconnect the water supply of those living outside the cantonment area, it took the authorities more than 10 days to repair a big leak in an MES water pipe at Garkhal. This led to a wastage of precious water and inconvenience to residents. Besides, people have been burdened with heavy bills and asked to secure connections from the Irrigation and Public Health Department in Kasauli town on the plea that there is a shortage of water. According to the MES authorities, repair of the water pipe required permission to block the road, leading to the delay. Roads, too are in poor shape. Frequent digging for the laying of Telecom Department cables or repairing of leaking water pipes has led to further damage to roads. The ongoing
monsoon, too, has taken its toll on the roads. The PWD often takes months to initiate the repair of roads. Despite the monsoon, it has decided to start repair work on roads at Garkhal. The daily showers undo whatever little repair is undertaken by labourers. Every time PWD officials are contacted by residents in connection with the state of the roads, they express their willingness to repair these, but such promises have been made since March this year. The only repair work undertaken so far is on roads dug up to lay cables. Drains which were dug about a year ago are yet to be completed with the result that these overflow, leading to inconvenience to residents. |
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Steps to check enteritis reviewed Shimla, July 27 It was informed at the meeting that chlorination of all water supply schemes was being done by adding the required dose of bleaching powder. For close monitoring of the chlorination programme, a nodal officer had been appointed at the circle and zonal level, who would submit fortnighly reports to the state headquarters. The Chief Minister directed regular testing of water samples besides deploying the mobile testing laboratory in different parts of the state. He said close co-ordination be maintained regarding steps being taken among the Deputy Commissioners, Medical Officers and officials of the Irrigation and Public Health Department. The Chief Minister directed that people be educated to take water from appropriate sources, besides taking boiled drinking water on special occasions like marriages.
PTI |
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Students
resent lack of infrastructure Shimla, July 27 At present there are 18 students and one lecturer in the faculty. There is one single room for holding the class and the office. Many students have to sit outside the room along with their material. Paintings have not been exhibited properly and are lying in a corner. Students allege that the Vice-Chancellor has not visited the faculty to see the plight of the students. They allege that they have urged the university authorities to give them the basic facilities but to no avail. “Other universities have six to seven rooms and five-six lecturers in the department. But here we are being deprived of the basic facilities. How can one lecturer teach practical subject to 18 students”, say the students. Even no painting material has been provided to the students due to which many students have left the department. Students say that at least colour and canvas should be given by the department. One painting costs Rs 500 and at least five paintings are required for one semester. There are eight posts lying vacant in the department. The department has one lecturer, one assistant, one clerk and a peon. The faculty was started in 1993 as a certificate course but was converted to PG degree in 1996. The state have just three colleges the RKMV, Dharamshala College and Kotshera where the subject is being taught. The previous Congress government had created 68 posts in the state but the current government seems to have turned a blind eye leaving the future of these students at stake. Moreover, the students allege that no proper facility has been provided for Ph.D degree course here and the students have no alternative but to move to other universities. |
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31 yrs
gone but road yet to be metalled Shimla, July 27 Political leaders of various parties have over the past 31 years only made promises that the road will be metalled and improved, but nothing has been done. In fact, on papers a 7-km stretch of the road has been metalled. The proposal to metal the road was approved in 1974 and an amount of Rs 26.60 lakh sanctioned for metalling of a 19-km stretch of the road, says Mr Rajpal Chauhan, president of the Shimla district unit of the Himachal Vikas Congress. However, only 2 km portion was actually metalled. He said Horticulture Minister Narinder Bragta, who hails from the area, had announced that the road would be brought under a Nabard scheme. A announcement to this effect was made in the presence of former Chief Minister Ram Lal at a public function. Subsequently, a Rs 324-lakh proposal was made by the government for metalling the road. Thereafter, Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, gave an assurance in the Vidhan Sabha that Rs 1 crore would be released so that work on the road could be completed. However, the government had now submitted a Rs 145-lakh proposal to the Nabard for approval instead of Rs 345 lakh, the estimated cost. He alleged that the present government was also not sincere on improvement of roads in the apple belt. |
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Dash’s assurance to
power producers Shimla, July 27 Presiding over a meeting regarding forest clearances and land acquisition for small hydro projects up to 5 mw here today, Mr S.K. Dash, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Power, assured full cooperation in sorting out bottlenecks in the development of small hydro projects at the highest level. The meeting was attended by representatives of various companies who had signed small hydel power implementation agreements and officers of the Forest, Revenue and HIMURJA, the nodal agency of the state for implementation of small hydro projects. |
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6 Tibetans
jailed for collusion Dharamsala, July 27 According to the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, the six Tibetans — Sey Khedup (27), Tarkru Yeshi (45), Tenzin Chiewang (54), Tsering Lhagon (41), Yeshi Tenzin (33), Gyurmey (29) — were arrested in March, last year, from different places. “Nearly nine months later, the detainees were brought for public trial at Nagchu Intermediate People’s Court and sentenced for indulging in political activities,” said a spokesperson for the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy. The court produced independence posters, wooden block prints and cassettes containing speeches of Dalai Lama, as evidence against the six Tibetans. Out of the six Tibetans, Sey Khedup, received the harshest sentence of a life term for his attempt to claim sole responsibility of the entire charge brought against them all. Tsering Lhagon, who was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment, had carved the wooden blocks confiscated by the Nagchu police from his house. The wooden blocks had slogans like “Free Tibet”, “Long Live his Holiness the Dalai Lama”, Tibet belongs to the Tibetans”, and “China quit Tibet”. Tibetan officials said the systematics fashion in which the detainees were arrested was a clear indication that authorities had kept a close vigil on their movements and activities with the tacit cooperation of one of the insiders of Sog Monastery. |
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Heavy rush at Chintpurni temple Una, July 27 He said till last evening, pilgrims had offered over Rs 22 lakh, besides 12 kg of silver and 800 gm of gold at the temple. Mr Triwedi said constables, including women, had been deployed in plain clothes to keep tabs on pickpockets which had resulted in the arrest of 22 pickpockets. He said due to heavy rush of pilgrims yesterday and today, some VIPs, including MLAs from other states and senior officials, had to wait for around four hours to have darshan at the temple. |
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Red Cross training camp ends Shimla, July 27 Speaking at the valedictory function of the Inter-state Junior Red Cross Training and Study Camp here today, he said the Red Cross represented movement of unity in diversity. He underlined the need for planting trees to protect the environment. His wife, Sudesh Kumari, distributed prizes to the participants who excelled in various games and activities. The first position was won by junior counsellors of Orissa, the second by Nagaland and third by Bihar. The best social worker award was given to Shakti Singh and best junior award to Pawan of Sirsa and Jai Kishan of Maharashtra. Salochna from Solan (HP) won the award in extempore speech competition. There were 15 events, including martial arts and yoga. |
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MCI team in Dharamsala to
inspect college Dharamsala, July 27 The college authorities had reportedly summoned doctors from all over Himachal to fulfil the faculty requirement at the medical college, atleast till the presence of the MCI team in Kangra. Other para medical staff, including nurses and peons, have also reached here from Shimla. The college today issued identity cards to the doctors arriving here in retrospective from July 1 to December 2000. During the past few days, the college authorities had recruited 40 new doctors on the faculty of various departments of the medical college. |
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Meeting
on portrait row not held Shimla, July 27 Mr
J.B.L. Khachi MLA and Senior Congress leader, who was recently nominated as member of the committee in place of the CLP leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh, resigned from the committee today and has demanded that the portrait of Mrs Gandhi should be reinstalled at its original place. The chairman of the committee, Thakur Gulab Singh, who is the Speaker of the Assembly and the Industries Minister, Mr Kishori Lal Vidya, were the only one who came for the meeting. The state BJP chief, Mr Jaikishen Sharma, another member, was in Delhi to attend the meeting of the national executive of the BJP. The PCC chief, Mrs Vidya Stokes, and Mr Virbhadra Singh had resigned from the committee earlier. |
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Dalit postpones immolation Hamirpur, July 27 He said he took this decision following his talks with the Governor, Mr Suraj Bhan, on phone today. The Governor assured him of justice. He however, said if no action was taken by the district administration to solve his problem, he would burn himself at Hamirpur on August 7. Mr Shukla had charged the district administration of harassing him unnecessarily and taking no cognizance of his complaints against two senior police officers. |
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House session from Aug 21 Shimla, July 27 |
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Man gets 1-yr term for
rash driving Una, July 27 He has also been sentenced to imprisonment three months for injuring some cyclists in the same accident. |
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