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Experts advise in-house facilities for turbine repairs
Rural women breaking shackles of poverty
2 kids burnt to death, 1 injured
Injured British paraglider
airlifted to Delhi
School holds annual day function
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CM reviews security arrangements
CPI flays hike
in fuel prices
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Experts advise in-house facilities for turbine repairs
Shimla, November 8 A three-member team of experts from General Electric Hydro, the company which supplied Francis turbines for the project, visited the power house at Jhakri to suggest ways and means for the smooth operation of the country’s largest hydro venture. As the quantum of silt cannot be reduced, the project will have to live with the problem. The silt-laden water has been causing extensive damage to runners, guide vanes, labyrinth seats and cheek plates and other parts of the turbines. Four out of six 250 MW units broke down during the very first monsoon after the commissioning of the project. As these parts are getting damaged within months, the nigam will have no option but to have in-house facilities for repairs. The engineers of the nigam repaired one of the units by replacing the damaged parts with the spares supplied along with the turbines. However, in case of the three other damaged units, repairs was the only option. It is not an easy proposition as repairs require special equipment like robotic arm and trained manpower. The nigam has decided to get the damaged parts repaired under the supervision of the Norwegian experts so that they can carry out the job on their own in due course. A hi-tech coating equipment is being imported from Norway and it will be in place by April, next year. The repair will involve two stages. First, the deep cavities formed due to continuous bombardment of high-velocity fine silt particles will be filled by welding additional metal. After machining the parts into proper shapes, a robotic arm will be used to coat the parts with tungsten carbide, a tougher material that is expected to enhance the life of parts by another year. According to engineers of the nigam, part of only one or at the most two turbines will be coated till the outset of next monsoon, as dismantling and reassembling of turbines alone takes up to a month. After dismantling, the damaged parts will be taken to Delhi or Bangalore where facilities for specialised welding are available. As per the Norwegian experts, this is the only workable solution at the moment. Things can improve over the next two years as research is on to develop better coating techniques and tougher material. |
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Rural women breaking shackles of poverty
Mandi, November 8 More than 3,000 women in the district, who once used to live below the poverty line, today stand out on their own feet after they have charted an independent economic space for themselves with the help of the SHGs funded by the banks. With funds provided by the SHGs on easy instalments, the rural women are not only contributing to the family income but they also stand more self-confident, narrating their success story. “We make paneer, mushroom, sweets and dairy products at homes after we learn them at workshops and factory outlets”, said Mala Devi, a member of the SHG, Saraich village, Mandi Sadar, who sell her products at Takoli township and earns Rs 2,000 a month. “We grow off-season vegetables like cabbage, broccoli and chillies, package them and sell them in the local markets”, added Krishna from Sadar, which has over 45 SHGs consisting of 10 to 12 women members each. Talking to The Tribune at the week-long Red Cross mela where they have showcased their products, the SHGs Mahila leaders revealed that each woman, who had availed the SHG assistance, earned anything from Rs 500 to Rs 2,000 a month. “We sell the home-made products like paneer, sweets, baris, red chillies, rajmah, candles, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and sweaters and other products, in addition to the dairy work, in dozens of small townships that have come up in Mandi’s four subdivisions, said Sneh from Balh, which has 64 SHGs, and Uma from Karsog, which has 57 SHGs. “Even we sell shuttering materials and deal in sericulture and floriculture”, added Suman from Sundernagar, which has over 66 SHGs. Though the DRDA is evaluating the success story of the SHGs in the district, the district administration officials are upbeat as the SHGs have raised over 3,000 families above the poverty line, empowering over 6,000 women, who have benefitted under the project. Deputy Commissioner Ali Raza Rizvi said that the SHGs had been linked to the banks that had powered them with funds. “We are helping them by providing infrastructure, giving them space for marketing their produce in the district”. About 50 per cent of the products that rural women sell in the markets are the dairy products that have made the animal husbandry a major bread winner for them. “What is significant is that though there are over 600 SHGs in the district, no groups is a defaulter,” said Ms Sarojini Thakur, Assistant Project Officer, District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), which has been running the SHG project under the Swaran Jayanti Swarojgar Yojna (SJSY) in the district since 1999.
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2 kids burnt to death, 1 injured Una, November 8 SP
D.K. Yadav said today that the hutments belonged to Nepalese labours, most of whom were inside their huts when the incident occurred. A kerosene lamp was believed to be the cause of the fire, which soon engulfed seven thatched roofs. The SP said Kalpana (7), daughter of Dalbir Singh and Sunti (5), daughter of Dhan Bahadur died in their huts, while 10-year-old Santosh Kumar, son of Ram Pal received 30 per cent burnt injuries. He was shifted to a Una hospital for treatment, where his condition was said to be stable. Locals gathered at the scene and helped in bringing the fire under control. The residents of the area are sore over the fact that repeated requests to the government for setting up a fire station in Amb sub-division has fallen on deaf ears. |
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Injured British paraglider
airlifted to Delhi
Kangra, November 8 Mr Paul had suffered injuries while landing in the dense forests. He was a free-flier. Mr G.S. Bali, State Tourism Minister, described the accident as unfortunate and said efforts were being taken by the Government to provide medical assistance to paragliders. He made it clear that the government would not allow the paragliders to fly if they were not insured. Before being airlifted to Delhi, Mr Paul expressed satisfaction over the treatment provided to him. Meanwhile, all 71 paragliders who participated in the 76 km race to goal task landed safely at Bir this evening. On the second day of the competition, Shorokhov Nakilay, the world’s number one paraglider, again topped by securing 1,000 points. He had also secured 1,000 points on the first day of the event. Messenger Jamie (England) and Brett Zaenglein (USA) bagged the second and the third positions, respectively. |
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School holds annual day function
Kumarhatti, November 8 School students put up a display of karate, gymnastics, brassband, mass PT, dance, music and other cultural items. A bhangra was also performed. Gold and silver medals were given to those students who had scored more than 80 per cent and 75 per cent marks, respectively, in the examinations.
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CM reviews security arrangements
Shimla, November 8 The Chief Minister accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues, senior civil and police officers, went to The Ridge to review the arrangements for Mrs Gandhi’s public meeting. He held discussions with officers and senior party office-bearers and directed them to make a foolproof arrangement. He underlined the need for proper regulation of the vehicular traffic to Shimla so that no inconvenience was caused to the people. The Chief Minister also visited the site near the Lift where the foundation stone for Congress Bhavan is to be laid by Mrs Gandhi.
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CPI flays hike
in fuel prices
Kumarhatti, November 8 In a press note issued here yesterday by the unit secretary, Mr Gurdev Singh, the party has termed the hike illogical and anti-people. He said the party was in consultation with the other Left parties to oppose the decision. |
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