H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Doubts over enforcement of building laws
Shimla, January 31

Doubts are being expressed whether the authorities will be in a position to strictly enforce earthquake-resistant measures once the construction of five-storeyed buildings begins. The general feeling is that so far neither the Town and Country Planning Department nor any other agency has succeeded in checking construction violations.
Are these haphazardly constructed multi-storeyed buildings in a suburb of Shimla strong enough to withstand an earthquake of high intensity?

Govt appeasing builders’ lobby?
Kasauli, January 31
The state government’s recent decision to allow the construction of five-storeyed buildings in this seismic-prone state has come in for severe criticism from the environmentalists even as government officials chose to remain tight-lipped about the issue.

Succession issue haunts Tibetans
Dharamsala, January 31
With the failing health of the Dalai Lama compelling him to cancel the Kalchakra teachings, the crucial question of succession to the spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetans has started to haunt the Tibetans.

Bush urged to take up Tibet issue
Dharamsala, January, 31
The Tibetan Youth Congress has urged US President George Bush to take up the issue of Tibet with China, during his proposed visit to Beijing.

Rs 3.28 cr water augmentation scheme for Nurpur approved
Nurpur, January 31
The Union Urban Development, Ministry recently approved Rs 3.28 crore for augmentation of water supply scheme for this town. The Union Ministry, however, could not approved the scheme under the Centrally sponsored ‘Accelerated Urban Water Supply Scheme’.

Polythene waste mars beauty of hills
Kumarhatti, January 31
Himachal Government’s appeals to people to discard the use of polythene, make hills polythene-free seems to have been fruitless as the hills along the Kalka-Shimla national highway, particularly near residential areas were littered with polythene.

Govt to strengthen panchayats: Dhumal
Dharamsala, January 31
The Chief Minister, Mr P. K. Dhumal, today said the government was committed to give more powers to the panchayati raj institutions to increase their involvement in framing and implementation of various schemes.

Virbhadra misleading people: BJP
Shimla, January 31
The state unit of the BJP has alleged that Mr Virbhadra Singh, the Congress Legislative Party leader, was trying to mislead the people by giving false statement regarding the transfer of the land in the name of his daughter.

Virbhadra Singh should apologise: BJP
Kangra, January 31
The state BJP has demanded that the former Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, should accept gracefully the offer of Himachal Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, to offer an apology to the people of the state for his indictment by the Kainthla Commission for March 5-6, 1998, incidents in Shimla.

DM orders probe into IWDP irregularities
Chamba, January 31
The District Magistrate here, Mr S.C. Mehta, has asked the authorities concerned to submit their inquiry report with regard to the alleged irregularities in the misuse of funds of the Integrated Wasteland Development Project in the Bharmour tribal area in the district.

HP leaders in demand for campaigning
Shimla, January 31
Ruling BJP and Congress leaders of Himachal Pradesh are in demand for campaigning in Punjab and Uttaranchal. Many of them are also going to Jammu for the Lok Sabha election.

HP BJP dissidents to meet on Feb 3
Hamirpur, January 31
All eyes are set on the February 3 meeting of the BJP dissidents of this district. The meeting will be held at the residence of Mr Narendra Thakur, former district BJP chief.

Workshop on technologies in milk collection

Parwanoo, January 31 A workshop on “modern technologies in milk collection and testing for clean milk production” for officials of Punjab dairies and village milk cooperative societies was inaugurated by the Managing Director of Milkfed, Punjab, Dr B.M. Mahajan, at Hotel Timber Trail, Parwanoo today. The Managing Director of Milkfed, Punjab, Dr B. M. Mahajan, lights a lamp to inaugurate a workshop at Parwanoo on Thursday. — Photo Madan Mehra

• Sat Mahajan Cong Jammu observer

• Villagers stage dharna, block traffic

Doubts over enforcement of building laws
S. P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 31
Doubts are being expressed whether the authorities will be in a position to strictly enforce earthquake-resistant measures once the construction of five-storeyed buildings begins.

The general feeling is that so far neither the Town and Country Planning Department nor any other agency has succeeded in checking construction violations.

The departments which are supposed to check such constructions do not have adequate staff. Many posts are lying vacant in the Town and Country Planning Department.

Some constructions here are taller than deodars and the municipal corporation has done nothing about it. It is being pointed out that the government should have first appointed some engineers to study earthquake-resistant technology before removing restrictions on the height of buildings. Environmentalists are also against the recent decision. Kachhi Ghati, Dhalli and Sanjauli are the worst examples of haphazard construction where the authorities have failed to enforce building laws.

A study on the effects of a possible earthquake by a locally stationed Army officer warned that hilly areas were more vulnerable to disasters due to the instability of construction. The town has grown to “disastrous proportions” not only because of the population, but also because of unplanned constructions.

Meanwhile, a government spokesman today claimed that the decision to allow the construction of five floors had nothing to do with the coming elections. The decision had been taken in the larger interest of people.

He said relaxation did not mean that any laxity would be allowed in constructions. It would be ensured that earthquake-resistant technology and material was used.

The spokesman said increase in population and escalation in the prices of land had made it difficult for the common man to even dream of owning a house.

Dr Ashok Kapahtia, Director of the HP Tourism Development Corporation, said it would help arrest the horizontal expansion of towns and reduce pressure on adjoining villages and ecology.

Govt appeasing builders’ lobby?
Ambika Sharma

Kasauli, January 31
The state government’s recent decision to allow the construction of five-storeyed buildings in this seismic-prone state has come in for severe criticism from the environmentalists even as government officials chose to remain tight-lipped about the issue.

Disregarding its earlier decision of restricting the construction to three-storey taken in the wake of Bhuj earthquake last year the move is aimed at appeasing the strong builders’ lobby who reportedly wield a lot of influence in the region.

With Assembly elections just a year away the government is in no mood to annoy the builders who have expressed their displeasure over the earlier decision of restricting the number of storeys.

In Solan town alone as many as 30 buildings flouting building laws were detected by the municipal council where the height was found to be more than the permissible three storeys.

A number of multi-storey buildings often collapse for lack of structural designing every year in the rains though getting the building design approved from a structural Engineer was made a mandatory after the Gujarat earthquake last year.

It is ironical that the state government, which had been vehemently advocating its willingness to design environment friendly buildings a year ago, has suddenly given a go-ahead to the builders to construct five-stored buildings.

Even when the height of the buildings was restricted to three-storey there was hardly any adherence to the rules.

The most flagrant violations were seen on the stretch of National Highway 22 between Kumarhatti and Barog where a number of multi-storey constructions have been going on for the past few years. The plea then put forth by the Town and Country Planning Department was that the constructions were going on according to the old approved building plans.

When the development plan for Kasauli and its surrounding areas was formulated some years ago it had incorporated the area of Jagjitnagar also where large scale construction activity was going on.

But since the builders involved influential politicians from the Centre and bureaucrats from Punjab and its surrounding areas the area was taken out of the purview of Town and Country Planning Department’s restriction.

This has resulted in the proliferation of building activity here where multi-storey apartments and palatial buildings are coming up at a rate faster than elsewhere in the region.

This not only indicates how the rules can be bent but altogether scrapped to suit the interests of powerful builders’ lobby and the recent decision of the state government has proved it again. Officials when asked about the move refused to comment terming it as a government policy.

SHIMLA: The Congress has said the decision of the BJP government to allow the construction of five-storeyed buildings was motivated due to the coming Assembly and the Shimla Municipal Corporation elections.

A spokesman for the PCC, Mr Kuldip Singh Rathore, said the government should have kept in mind the fact that Himachal Pradesh was in an earthquake-prone zone and high structures were not suitable here.

He said the government should seek the expertise of the earthquake engineers before approving the plans of high rise buildings.

Succession issue haunts Tibetans
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, January 31
With the failing health of the Dalai Lama compelling him to cancel the Kalchakra teachings, the crucial question of succession to the spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetans has started to haunt the Tibetans.

The fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, who is heading the freedom movement of the Tibetans, is receiving medical treatment in Mumbai after he was forced to cancel the Kalchakra teachings at Bodh Gaya, due to ill health. “As per the directions of the doctors attending on him, the Dalai Lama will remain in Mumbai for some more tests,” the Tibetan Prime Minister, Prof Samdhong Rinpoche, who is also in Mumbai, said.

Though, Professor Rinpoche and other Tibetan officials have been maintaining that the Dalai Lama was suffering from a stomach infection and there was no cause for concern, but the inevitable question of finding a successor to the Buddhist monk was haunting every Tibetan’s mind.

Ever since the Dalai Lama fell ill the Tibetans residing here and in McLeodganj are a worried lot, praying for the good health and long life of their spiritual and temporal head.

“Every nation or community has been confronted with the issue of succession, but for we Tibetans, there is no immediate need to worry as to who would lead us after the Dalai Lama,” Prof Rinpoche reassures. He added that even a country like India was faced with the question as to who would lead after Gandhi or Nehru.

The Tibetans themselves feel that the Dalai Lama’s absence could affect the international attention that the Tibetan issue was attracting due to the great reverence that people world-over had for him. “Of course the Dalia Lama’s absence will be a setback to our freedom movement, but since it is a fight for truth and justice, it cannot die with an individual, remarked the Tibetan Prime Minister.

On the vexed issue of the continuation of the institution of the Dalai Lama, Prof Rinpoche said, “Irrespective of the wishes of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetans want it to remain intact as they have great faith and reverence in it.”

With the 66-year-old Dalai Lama facing health problems and the Panchen Lama, chosen by him, still in the Chinese custody, the question of finding a successor has started bothering the Tibetan community.

Bush urged to take up Tibet issue
Tribune News service

Dharamsala, January, 31
The Tibetan Youth Congress has urged US President George Bush to take up the issue of Tibet with China, during his proposed visit to Beijing.

In a letter addressed to George Bush, the President of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, said that the Tibetans were hopeful that he would take up the issue of Tibet with China, so that their identity, culture and religion could be preserved. “We Tibetans are grateful to the USA for supporting truth and standing for justice, equality and freedom of all human beings in this world,” said Mr Ngawang Paljor.

He said that it was due to his proposed visit to Beijing that China had released Tibetan musician Ngawang Choephel. “We Tibetans are passing through a difficult period but will continue our struggle for freedom and the release of Panchen Lama and other political prisoners, in Chinese jails,” he said.

Mr Paljor, said that the Tibetans were hopeful that if President Bush initiated a friendly negotiation with the Chinese authorities, an amicable solution could be found to the issue of Tibet.

Rs 3.28 cr water augmentation scheme for Nurpur approved
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, January 31
The Union Urban Development, Ministry recently approved Rs 3.28 crore for augmentation of water supply scheme for this town. The Union Ministry, however, could not approved the scheme under the Centrally sponsored ‘Accelerated Urban Water Supply Scheme’ (AUWSS). Mr Shanta Kumar, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, got this project cleared from the Urban Development Ministry. The local Town Welfare Committee had approached Mr Shanta Kumar in June last year urging him to get the scheme approved under the AUWSS.

According to information, the then Union Urban Development Minister, Mr Jagmohan had expressed inability twice to approve the scheme as it was at a lower priority compared than Hamirpur ‘town as per the list submitted by the State Government to the Urban Development Ministry. But Mr Shanta Kumar, an MP from Kangra parliamentary constituency, persuaded the ministry to approve the scheme under AUWSS. According to the information, Mr Ananth Kumar, the new Union Urban Development Minister was impressed upon by Mr Shanta Kumar to approve the scheme. Mr Ananth Kumar, in his letter on January 22, addressed to Mr Shanta Kumar, informed that the scheme had been sanctioned under AUWSS as a special case in the current year.

The Town Welfare Committee, Nurpur have thanked Union Minister, Shanta Kumar for getting the scheme approved and Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal to start execution of work at the earliest.

Polythene waste mars beauty of hills
Our Correspondent

Kumarhatti, January 31
Himachal Government’s appeals to people to discard the use of polythene, make hills polythene-free seems to have been fruitless as the hills along the Kalka-Shimla national highway, particularly near residential areas were littered with polythene. Absence of the proper waste disposal system and lack of awareness about the menace of polythene have made residents indifferent towards proper disposal of the polythene waste. Tourists visits were also responsible for littering hills with polythene and other waste. The failure of local civic bodies to initiate concrete plans to make hill polythene waste free has also led to present situation. At Jabli shopkeepers often dump waste along the highway, where it remains by the side of the highway for days together presenting an ugly picture and emitting foul smell.

The waste dump is just near bus stop. The polythene waste has become a nuisance in Dharampur town. Town’s garbage is dumped on a valley side hill as the town lacks disposal system. When it rains garbage flows down the hill creating problem for residents of Batol, a downstream village. Residents of this village have complained several times to the Dharampur Panchayat to change the garbage disposal site but so far nothing has been done.

Natural water sources of the village have been contaminated due to the flow of the garbage during rains. Besides flow of garbage downhill played havoc with the fertility of the land of this village. At Barog, hills were littered with polythene, courtesy the tourists. Due to absence of proper garbage disposal the polythene and other waste could be seen dumped on hills in this town also.

Govt to strengthen panchayats: Dhumal
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, January 31
The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, today said the government was committed to give more powers to the panchayati raj institutions to increase their involvement in framing and implementation of various schemes.

Mr Dhumal was addressing representatives of panchayats from the Guler Assembly segments, during a “Khula Darbar”. “We have delegated more powers to the panchayats so that they can supervise the functioning of various government institutions and carry out small development projects at their own level”, he stated.

Mr Dhumal said the government had provided reservation for women in the panchayati raj institutions. He said the schemes planned by the panchayats were more successful.

Mr Dhumal said a sum of Rs 5 crore had already been spent on tubewells in the Guler Assembly segment. A sum of Rs 75 lakh had been spent under the Prime Minister Gramodya Yojna to provide the people with drinking water facility.

The Chief Minister said the government had taken all steps to rehabilitate the Pong Dam oustees and settle their cases on priority basis. The office of the Deputy Commissioner, Relief and Rehabilitation was shifted from Talwara in Punjab to Raja-Ka-Bag in Kangra, to expedite the rehabilitation programme.

The Chief Minister, who later left for Shimla, assured the people that all the development needs of the people of Kangra, would be taken care of, as the government wanted to bridge the gap between old and new Himachal. He listened to grievances of people and assured them that of an early solution.

Virbhadra misleading people: BJP
Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 31
The state unit of the BJP has alleged that Mr Virbhadra Singh, the Congress Legislative Party leader, was trying to mislead the people by giving false statement regarding the transfer of the land in the name of his daughter.

Mr Khushi Ram Balnatah, the spokesperson for the party, said here today that the contention of Mr Virbhadra Singh was totally false and incorrect as application under the Land Ceiling Act was decided on October 7,1994, and at that time he was not only the head of state fully conversant with the law but had also applied it in the cases of Mrs Yadunandau Kumari and others which had attained finality by the judgement of the high court.

Giving details, he said the application was filed by Mr Virbhadra Singh on August 3,1994, whereas the amendment in the Land Ceiling Act was effected as early as 1974. Mr Virbhadra Singh was trying to give an impression that the amendment was subsequent to the institution of application. As the custodian of the interests of the state he was duty bound to comply with the laws. He alleged that Mr Virbhadra Singh had derived various advantages out of the land which had been wrongly transferred in the name of his daughter, Anuradha Kumari, thereby causing not only loss to the state but also jeopardising the interests of the state and its people, especially the landless, who otherwise would have benefited from it.

Mr Balnatah alleged that an attempt had been made by Mr Virbhadra Singh to mislead the authorities and the public using the expression “subsequent amendment” whereas the amendment was preceded the date of the application. He said by claiming one-fifth unit each for his two minor children under section 4 of the ceiling Act was also wrong as according to this section husband, wife and three minor children were included in the family which was entitled for one unit only. Only additional minor children to that family were entitled to one-fifth unit each subject to maximum limit of two units.

Virbhadra Singh should apologise: BJP
Our Correspondent

Kangra, January 31
The state BJP has demanded that the former Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, should accept gracefully the offer of Himachal Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, to offer an apology to the people of the state for his indictment by the Kainthla Commission for March 5-6, 1998, incidents in Shimla.

Mr Ashwani Sharma, vice-president of the state BJP media cell, in a statement said this here today that no follow-up action on the Kainthala Commission report had proved that Professor Dhumal had no vendetta against Mr Virbhadra Singh.

He asked the former Chief Minister why he and his supporters had filed affidavits and participated in the proceedings when he had doubts about the impartiality of the commission.

DM orders probe into IWDP irregularities
Our Correspondent

Chamba, January 31
The District Magistrate here, Mr S.C. Mehta, has asked the authorities concerned to submit their inquiry report with regard to the alleged irregularities in the misuse of funds of the Integrated Wasteland Development Project (IWDP) in the Bharmour tribal area in the district.

Addressing a news conference here today, the District Magistrate said he had already directed the inquiry officer to expedite the report into the irregularities so that action could be initiated against the guilty as per law. He said the district had received 3,800 metric tonnes of food for drought-hit areas from the Union Government.

The District Magistrate said Rs 7.19-crore IWDP plan had been approved by the Central Government for Bhattiyat area of the district, which was recently put into operation, and in the first phase Rs 53 lakh had been released for taking up various development works under the IWDP. He said the project would be completed in four years.

He further said the Sheetla bridge on the Chamba-Pathankot highway having a span of 122-m double lane, which was constructed by the national Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) at a cost of Rs 6 crore, had been completed. He said the bridge would be commissioned within next few months. The decks had been cleared for the construction of a local zonal hospital, which would be constructed by the NHPC, he added. The District Magistrate said the sub-committee constituted by the district administration had identified 192 ousted families whose land had been submerged under the dam waters of the Chamera Hydroelectric Project (stage-I).

HP leaders in demand for campaigning
Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 31
Ruling BJP and Congress leaders of Himachal Pradesh are in demand for campaigning in Punjab and Uttaranchal. Many of them are also going to Jammu for the Lok Sabha election.

The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, his ministerial colleagues, CLP leader Virbhadra Singh and PCC chief, Vidya Stokes, are also joining the campaign for the candidates of their respective parties.

The demand for these leaders is more in Uttaranchal where Himachal Pradesh is considered as a model hill state and people, particularly in the adjoining constituencies, are influenced by the development here.

They also have connections, particularly in Punjab areas, which are in the neighbourhood of Himachal Pradesh. Moreover, the leaders of various parties have time as the elections here will be held next year.

Prof Dhumal has already finalised his electioneering in Punjab for three days from February 4 and two days each in Uttaranchal, Jammu and Uttar Pradesh. He will be in Uttaranchal on February 10 and 11, Uttar Pradesh on February 12 and 13 and Jammu on February 16 and 17.

Mr Virbhadra Singh and Ms Stokes will campaign in Punjab and other states where the elections are being held.

Mr Kuldip Singh Rathore, PCC spokesman, said Mr Sat Mahajan, a former PCC chief, had been made party observer for the byelection to the Jammu Lok Sabha seat. Congress observers have been appointed for 13 districts of Punjab from Himachal Pradesh.

Many ministers of the BJP government are already campaigning in Uttaranchal and Punjab. Mr J.P. Nadda, Health Minister, will concentrate on Jammu.

HP BJP dissidents to meet on Feb 3
Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, January 31
All eyes are set on the February 3 meeting of the BJP dissidents of this district. The meeting will be held at the residence of Mr Narendra Thakur, former district BJP chief.

Originally, this meeting was planned for the dissidents of the Hamirpur Assembly constituency but keeping in view the developments taking place in the Nadaunta area of the district, the dissidents from all over the district have decided to come together to finalise a strategy.

Mr Thakur was removed from the district presidentship of the party after the 1998 elections. He was denied ticket which was given to his elder brother’s wife, Ms Urmila Thakur, who is the HP parliamentary secretary.

Insiders in the dissident camp told The Tribune here today that those who were sidelined by the party after the 1998 elections would hold a meeting.

Workshop on technologies in milk collection
Our Correspondent

Parwanoo, January 31
A workshop on “modern technologies in milk collection and testing for clean milk production” for officials of Punjab dairies and village milk cooperative societies was inaugurated by the Managing Director of Milkfed, Punjab, Dr B.M. Mahajan, at Hotel Timber Trail, Parwanoo today. The workshop was organised by the Jaipur-based public sector enterprise, Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments Limited, a company actively involved in shaping rural India through electronics renewable energy and information technology.

Dr Mahajan emphasised the need for introducing electronic milk testers at all village milk cooperative societies of Punjab at economical rates. He shared the plans of Milkfed under Vision-2004.

Delivering the keynote address, Mr M. M. Bhardwaj, Managing Director, REIL, briefed about the cost effective, reliable, rugged and user-friendly products developed by the company for the dairy sector. He also launched the low-cost SNF tester, developed by the REIL. The company is also dealing in the areas of solar photo-voltics, industrial electronics and information technology.

Sat Mahajan Cong Jammu observer
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, January 31
The Congress, yesterday appointed Mr Sat Mahajan, former PCC chief and senior Congress leader, as party observer for the Lok Sabha by-election in Jammu. According to Mr Mahajan, he received a fax message, appointing him observer.

He has been assigned party’s campaign charge for all Assembly segments of Hoshiarpur district in Punjab.

Villagers stage dharna, block traffic
Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 31
Life was paraylsed in the Sunni area today as the local residents observed a complete bandh in protest against the failure of the government to provide adequate staff and facilities at the local community health centre.

Villagers from 26 panchayats staged dharna and blocked traffic on the Shimla-Karsog highway. The blockade was lifted in the evening following talks with administration in which Mr Ashok Sharma, Joint Secretary, Health also, participated.

The villagers gave 20 days time to the Health Department to upgrade the facilities at the centre, failing which they would resume their "rasta roko" stir.