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Monday,
April 28, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Timber glut boon in disguise Develop villages, says minister CM seeks NGOs’ help for uplift of poor Misuse of industrial plots to be checked Notification revocation resented |
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Govt to screen land purchase permissions Minister’s plea to Centre on foodgrains Poppy crop destroyed in Chuhar valley ‘Curb education commercialisation’ Furniture shop gutted Glacier to be removed Bus overturns, 2 injured
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Timber glut boon in disguise Shimla, April 27 With the prices of various species of timber coming down by 20 to 25 per cent over the past two years and the State Forest Corporation finding it increasingly difficult to dispose of the produce, the government is having second thoughts on its proposal to go for felling of trees to raise additional revenue to fill empty coffers. The fund-starved state had drawn up a plan to raise Rs 100 crore annually by felling mature green trees under silvicultural operations. In all, 2.25 lakh cubic metre of standing volume of trees was to be removed every year from the state forests. This was in addition to the 1.25 cubic metre allotted to rights holders under the timber distribution (TD) rules and 2.50 lakh cubic metre being exploited under salvage markings. The Forest Department would have earned Rs 75 crore as royalty for the felled trees, while another Rs 24 crore would have gone into the state exchequer in the shape of sales tax. However, with few takers for domestic timber, which cannot compete with the imported timber in price or quality, the corporation will find it hard to dispose of the produce. Moreover, the declining trend in the market makes it evident that the state will not be able to earn the projected revenue of Rs 100 crore. In fact, unsold stocks are piling up and the corporation already has timber worth over Rs 20 crore awaiting disposal in its various depots. This is despite the fact that it is only working the salvage lots with a total standing volume of trees of 2.25 lakh annually. In case the state goes ahead with the silvicultural feelings, its timber out-turn will be more than doubled, adding to the glut caused by the unrestricted imports of timber. It will find all the more difficult to sell off the produce. Instead of axing the green trees and then allowing the timber to rot in depots of the corporation, it is better not to go for silvicultural removals at all, says Mr Chander Kumar, Forest Minister. The standing trees, even if mature for felling, will help maintain the fast-shrinking green cover over the hills. There is, thus, no point in pursuing the proposal further, he explains. The Supreme Court had agreed to grant permission to the state for silvicultural removals on the condition that the felling would be carried out in accordance with the forest working plans, duly approved by the Centre. Besides, the state was required to plough back at least 20 per cent of the earnings for replanting of felled areas. A separate provision, over and above the normal allocation for the afforestation programme, was to be made in the Budget. The government was asked to provide Rs 22 crore accordingly. The proposal could not be cleared as the previous government failed to make the necessary allocation. The imported timber, which has flooded the domestic market, is, indeed, affecting the state’s forest revenue. However, it will help save lakhs of trees from the axe if the government finally decides to drop the proposals to carry out green fellings, as indicated by the Forest Minister. |
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Develop villages, says minister Palampur, April 27 Mr Gaud was addressing scientists of H.P. Agricultural University and officers of the state Agricultural Department after inaugurating a two-day workshop here yesterday. The minister said efforts should be made to help small and poor farmers with specific plans for them. He said it was a matter of surprise that till date research work of scientists had remained confined to labs and their offices and could not reach the fields. He said research effort should be directed towards bountiful harvest and more income from small-holdings. Changing climate, imbalanced use of fertilisers, rain-fed farming and marketing of farm produce were some of the challenges which warranted immediate attention of the scientist community and planners. Specific efforts in collaboration with all departments concerned at the block level must be made to percolate the latest farm technology to the fields. He said the state government would lay due emphasis on strengthening the irrigation network and popularising cash crops. Presiding over the workshop, Dr Tej Partap, Vice-Chancellor, said there was an urgent need for reframing the farm policies in our country, keeping in view the fast-changing world scenario and implication of the WTO. Diversification and growing of crops like aromatic plants could be helpful to boost the income of said farmers. Dr J.C. Rana, Director, Agriculture, said only 20 per cent area of the state was utilised for farming and farm land in the state was under tremendous pressure for non-farming purposes. He said earnest efforts were needed to bring more land under agriculture in the state and all sections should come forward in this regard. |
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CM seeks NGOs’ help for uplift of poor Shimla, April 27 Addressing delegates of Rotary Clubs of Himachal, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir on the concluding day of the three-day function of the club here today, he said that social equality could be brought about by removing economic disparities from amongst different sections of the society. He said the NGOs could play a vital role in ensuring social and economic equality in the society. He said that this would help strengthen the democratic system and also provide socio-economic justice to all. He said that such services needed to the extended to the rural areas to benefit people living there. Mr Virbhadra Singh said that the government had been spending major part of Budget on social services sector. He said that nearly 1.70 lakh old, widows and handicapped persons were being provided social security pension in the state. He also reiterated his government’s resolve of uniform and balanced development of the state. The Chief Minister said that corruption would not be tolerated in any form. The Chief Minister also released a souvenir brought out by the organisers on the occasion. Mr Mohan Singh
Sachdeva, District Governor of Rotary Club, Phagwara welcomed the Chief Minister. Mr Harminder Singh, former district governor presented the vote of thanks. Mr
S.P. Sethi, assembly chairman and Mr Avinash Mahendru former district governor also spoke on the occasion. Mr Kuldeep Kumar, Himachal Cooperation Minister was also present on the occasion. |
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Misuse of industrial plots to be checked Solan, April 27 A committee has been formed to look into the violations regarding industrial plots and sheds in Parwanoo. The department has already de-registered 20 such plots where shops were constructed. Information available from the Industries Department revealed that while there were 242 developing industrial plots in Parwanoo, only 139 had registered industrial activity with 120 working units. Officials of the Industries Department said that their department was only concerned with leasing these sites and the housing board was the owner of this land. Hence these cases have been recommended to the board for resumption. Violations have also been found in Solan town, where two cases have been referred for resumption. Show-cause notices have already been issued to these units for violations. In one case, it was found that the plot was sub-let to another unit, while in other cases, two electronics units violated norms. Such diversion has not only caused revenue loss worth crores to the state exchequer but has also deprived genuine entrepreneurs from utilising the areas. It is interesting to note that many such sheds and plots have been converted into palatial buildings right under the nose of the department in Chambaghat. A number of such plots have either been closed down or are operating from a single room. Cases have also come to light whereby houses constructed here were sold to outsiders. The government, which had leased out these plots and sheds for 99 and 95 years, can either finish their lease or resume such plots from the owners. |
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Notification revocation resented Nurpur, April 27 Government High Schools Ganoh (in Panchara gram panchayat) and Baranda had been upgraded to senior secondary school after a gap of over three decades. The residents have taken strong exception to the revocation of the notification. Government High School Ganoh caters to residents of Panjara and its surrounding gram panchayats Sukhar, Charur, Talara, Kamnala, Bhatolli and Bhaleta, where wards have to go to far-flung government senior secondary schools at Nurpur, Raja Ka Talab and Gangath. Similarly, Government High School at Baranda in the Gangath assembly segment of this subdivision had been upgraded to high school in 1968, and now after a gap of about 35 years, it was declared a senior secondary school. The upgraded school had to benefit residents of Jamera, Kandwal, Barsa, Rit and Naglar villages. Students, especially girls, will face a lot of inconvenience as they will have to travel about 15 km to reach the nearest government senior secondary school at Nurpur. Meanwhile, residents of the area have condemned this move of the government and appealed to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to reconsider the decision. Mr Surjeet Sharma and Mr Ranjit Pathania, presidents of the BJP mandals at Nurpur and Gangath, respectively, have termed the decision of the revocation of the notification as anti-people. |
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Govt to screen land purchase permissions
Shimla, April 27 Stating this here today, the state Revenue Minister Brij Bihari Lal Butail said the government was empowered to give permission for the purchase of land for setting up industrial units, projects and other bonafide purposes, and it would look into these cases to ensure that the land had been used for the purpose for which it was purchased. In case the land was used for some other purpose in violation of the terms and conditions for setting up industrial units or other projects, appropriate action would be taken, he added. He said that all Deputy Commissioners had been asked to furnish details about the land purchased in relaxation of Section 118 and their use. Mr Butail said that the government would review the Land Reform Policy of the previous government keeping in view the interests of the state and the people, and if need be, the Land Reform Act would be suitably amended. PTI |
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Minister’s plea to Centre on foodgrains Shimla, April 27 Mr Singhi Ram, State Civil Supplies Minister, said here yesterday that 70 per cent APL ration card-holders were not lifting the rice and wheat being distributed through the public distribution system as there was not much difference in the market price and APL rates. As a result, the state was not in a position to lift its quota of foodgrains. There were over 10 lakh APL families and 2.19 BPL families, while another 78,000 families were being covered under the “antodaya” programme. Mr Singhi Ram said the government had issued directions to the Civil Supplies Department to ensure that the price list was displayed by all shopkeepers. Stringent action would be taken against errant shopkeepers, he added. |
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Poppy crop destroyed in Chuhar valley Chuhar Valley (Mandi), April 27 The operation was conducted by the Commissioner, Customs, Amritsar. The Assistant Commissioner, Customs, Ferozepore, Mr K.R. Verma, the Superintendent Customs, Kulu, Mr K.N. Bhardwaj, and the Superintendent, Customs, Pathankot, Mr Jaswant Singh, assisted by eight Inspectors led the raid. A control room has been set up at the Jhatingri forest rest camp located at the height of 6,000 ft. A group of mediapersons visited fields destroyed by them. During a 40-km drive on the Jhantingri-Shilbhadani road, almost in every village fields were blooming with white poppy flowers. Members of the party were seen destroying the fields. However, no resistance was displayed by villagers when their crops were destroyed. Officials, however, said at the initial stage their main objective was to destroy the crop and educate the people that its culivation could spell disaster, particularly for the younger generation. An official said the valley was having the largest poppy cultivation in the country and this had been detected by satellite picture. Farmers of the valley used to grow poppy on a small scale about two years back for their own consumption. In the meantime, the opium mafia found the valley a safe haven. The mafia reportedly goaded on farmers to produce poppy on a large scale and assured them to get the produce. They also financed them and supplied hybrid seeds. |
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‘Curb education commercialisation’ Nurpur, April 27 He said there were widespread doubts and apprehensions in the field of professional educational institutions as the judgment could be misinterpreted by commercialised institutions. The state government as well as the Government of India must ensure merit-based admissions in professional colleges, transparency in admission process and appropriate fee structure. Mr Pappa said the ABVP had welcomed the recent constitution of the 10-member task force by the Union Ministry for Human Resources Development (HRD). The ABVP general secretary was here to preside over the two-day state-level “Review seminar” organised by the
ABVP’s state unit. |
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Furniture shop gutted Hamirpur, April 27 All furniture and implements were burnt. A neighbour, Mr Purshottam Dass, said he was woken up by his dog. When he came out, he found that the shop was on fire. He raised an alarm and people from the nearby villages of Mandyani, Tuni and Sadoh reached the spot to help extinguish the fire. Local villagers said the shortage of water led to the total loss of the belongings. According to them, the cause of the fire was a short circuit. The Nadaun police registered a case. The people of the Dhaneta area demanded immediate financial help for the owner of the shop. |
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Glacier to be removed Dalhousie, April 27 Langera village has been cut off from the rest of the state for the past two months following heavy snowfall. Langera is the last village situated in Salooni tehsil of Chamba district. The blockade has hampered the movement of traffic and residents of Langera are facing hardship. Apart from this problem, Langera and adjoining areas of Kihar and Bhandal are facing telecommunication problems for the past several days. The minister has directed the BSNL to restore the services. |
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Bus overturns, 2 injured Hamirpur, April 27 The driver has been admitted to hospital and was stated to be out of danger. The police has registered a case and further investigations in the case are on. |
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