H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Team visits flood-hit villages to assess damage
Mandi, July 10
To take stock of the damage in the flood-ravaged villages of Gushaini and Bathar in Banjar Subdivision, a high-level official team led by the Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Teg Chand Dogra, visited the flood-hit villages. It directed all officials to restore power, telecommunications, transport and roads services in the Sainj and Tirthan valleys, which had remained cut off from mainstream for the last five days.

Hundreds of sheep, goats feared dead in Lahaul
Mandi, July 10
Though the Manali-Leh National Highway-21 was opened for traffic, but poor nomadic Gaddi shepherds along with their stocks have been feared trapped in the snowbound areas in Chandra Tal, Chotadhara, Bara La Cha pass and Serchu in Lahaul valley for the past four days.

BRO plan to secure National Highway-22
Shimla, July 10
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has come out with a two-pronged strategy to secure the National Highway-22 which has been repeatedly ravaged by the turbulent Sutlej. It plans to bore tunnels across the unstable hill strata and replace all bailey bridges with permanent RCC (reinforced cement concrete) structures as part of long-term measures to find an enduring solution to the problem of flash floods.

Construction material poses threat on highway
Nurpur, July 10
The big heaps of construction material stacked on the Pathankot-Mandi national highway (NH) near the Brijraj Swami temple road have turned it into an accident-prone zone.

Petrol dealers threaten strike from July 18
Shimla, July 10
Petrol dealers have threatened an indefinite strike from July 18 if their commission in the sale of petrol and diesel was not increased to five per cent, a spokesman for the Federation of All-India Petroleum Traders (FAIPT) said here today.

From America to wed
Shimla, July 10
It was an exciting and a learning experience for Adriane and Eskla who had come from California to solemnise their marriage in accordance with the Hindu rites.

Akashvani to set up 128 FM band transmitters
Shimla, July 10
As many as 128 FM band transmitters will be installed across the country to bring 50 per cent of the population under FM coverage by the end of the 10th plan.

HP to start counselling for vocational courses
Shimla, July 10
The Himachal Government is thinking of introducing the system of counselling in senior secondary schools in the state to enable the students to choose employment-oriented courses.

Sikridhar cement plant in doldrums
Chamba, July 10
No one at the helm of the state whether it is the Congress or the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), has so far succeeded in setting up of a much publicised cement plant at Sikridhar in Chamba district despite cashing on it during every election season for the past 28 years.

Team visits flood-hit villages to assess damage
Tribune News Service

Mandi, July 10
To take stock of the damage in the flood-ravaged villages of Gushaini and Bathar in Banjar Subdivision, a high-level official team led by the Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Teg Chand Dogra, visited the flood-hit villages. It directed all officials to restore power, telecommunications, transport and roads services in the Sainj and Tirthan valleys, which had remained cut off from mainstream for the last five days.

Though the link road had been restored till Gushaini village today for light vehicles, but the villages beyond Sainj till Neoli still remained cut from the subdivisional headquarters since the last five days.

Mr Dogra took stock of the damage in the flood-ravaged villages and directed the high-level team of chief engineers from the PWD, IPH and other government departments to restore the road links on a war footing.

The team directed the field staff to treat the water sources which had been washed away or damaged by the flood and heavy rains, prevent the risk of breaking-out of the water borne diseases as highlighted by a report published by The Tribune today.

Though the roads had been restored till Sainj town and Gushaini village, but the electricity, telecommunication and HRTC bus services continued to be snapped for the fifth day in these flood-ravaged today, send officials reports at this divisional headquarters.

The PWD engineers said that the road beyond Neoli in Sainj valley remained breached at a 10 km-stretch adding to the woes of the villagers. Most telephone lines were dead for the last five days, reports added.

The team found that the 15 kiosks that had been washed away in the flood in the Sainj river were unauthorised ones, said an official. “There was no question of compensating them”, he added, informing that there was no risk of breaking-out of any diseases as the IPH and health department had been alerted to take precautionary measures.

Even the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), which was executing the 2051 Parbati project, started its work to restore the haul roads and desilt head race tunnel at Pulga in Barshani, power house sites at Sainj, said reports here.

The Jigrai nallah that fed Parbati river at the Pulga dam of the stage II of the Parbati project, had wiped away over 60 big deodar trees and pumped silt in the head race tunnel. A Pulga villager was also washed away in the flood last week.

The SDO (Civil) Banjar, Mr Rohit Jamval said that the all departments had been directed to restore the services in the flood-hit villages. “The HRTC is expected to start its services till Gushaini by today evening or tomorrow. The rivers have receded to its normal levels as the rains had stopped for the last two days”, he added.

Hundreds of sheep, goats feared dead in Lahaul
Tribune News Service

Mandi, July 10
Though the Manali-Leh National Highway-21 was opened for traffic, but poor nomadic Gaddi shepherds along with their stocks have been feared trapped in the snowbound areas in Chandra Tal, Chotadhara, Bara La Cha pass and Serchu in Lahaul valley for the past four days.

The shepherds travelled through the Rohtang, Bara La Cha and Kunjam passes grazing their herd of sheep and goats after they come all the way from the Bara Banghal, Chamba and Palampur areas during the summertime.

Officials in Lahaul-Spiti district told The Tribune on phone from Keylong that they feared that over 600-800 head of sheep and goats had been killed by the untimely snow in the district.

Mr Shiv Singh, president, Tribal Welfare Association, who runs an NGO in the district and Manali, said the state government rescued tourists whenever they got stranded on the highways, but the poor nomadic shepherds had to fend for themselves.

The untimely snow has hit the Gaddi shepherds for the second time. “In mid 1990s over 8000-10,000 head of sheep and goats were perished in snow in Chandra Tal region, but the shepherds got just Rs 500 as relief for them, making the mockery of their simple life”, said Deepak Kapur, a Gaddi shepherd from the Palampur area.

Meanwhile, GREF engineers said landside had blocked the highway at Stingri, 5 km from Rohtang pass near Koksar in Lahaul for few hours today, but the GREF managed to restore the breach, revealed an official from Keylong, district headquaters of Lahaul-Spiti.

But the Koksar-Spiti road remained breached near Chota Dhara along the Chandra river, about 8 km short of the 15000-ft high Kunjam Pass, that separates Spiti from Lahaul valley.

SDO (Civil), Lahaul-Spiti, Vinay Thakur said they had located the shepherds and would be sending teams to trace them out. “Over 600 head of sheep and goats are reported killed in the snow. But we have yet to know the exact number”, he said.

“The Manali-Leh road has been opened and the telephone lines and power supply has been restored after the untimely snowfall disrupted life in the valley for four days”, he added.

BRO plan to secure National Highway-22
Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 10
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has come out with a two-pronged strategy to secure the National Highway-22 which has been repeatedly ravaged by the turbulent Sutlej. It plans to bore tunnels across the unstable hill strata and replace all bailey bridges with permanent RCC (reinforced cement concrete) structures as part of long-term measures to find an enduring solution to the problem of flash floods.

The organisation is looking for a permanent solution with a sense of urgency following the devastation caused by the recent Parechu floods. After a quick survey, engineers have identified the treacherous terrain at the Malling nullah and the Khadra Dhank for boring tunnels. The hill around Malling nullah has been constantly on the slide for the past nine years as a result of which the road remains closed for long periods. The BRO has changed the alignment and tried to circumvent the sliding portion by constructing the road through a higher elevation but it still falls in the unstable zone.

Similarly, a tunnel from Kharo to Akpa will provide a secure road through the highly unstable Khara Dhank hill. Brig K.P. Singh, Chief Engineer of the BRO, said that geological studies would have to be carried out to ascertain feasibility of tunnels and giving final shape to the proposal.

The engineers are convinced that given the high level of floods in August 2000 and June 2005, bailey bridges will no longer serve the purpose. On both occasions all bailey bridges across the Sutlej were washed away. Such bridges will be provided only as a temporary measure and work on permanent bridges will be taken up simultaneously. In fact, plan for permanent bridges had been afoot since the August 2000 disaster but it would be implemented on a priority basis, Brig Singh said.

As the JP Industries, which is executing the 1000 mw Karcham-Wangtu Hydroelectric Project, has already completed a bridge at Karcham, the BRO will be required to construct only four more bridges. These are proposed at Khaba, Shongtong, Akpa and Kharo at the sites where bailey bridges have been washed away for the second time.

As the permanent bridges will have to be constructed above the highest flood level of August 2000, the road will have to be realigned on a higher contour. The permanent measures will involve an expenditure of about Rs 150 crore. The immediate measures to restore the road will cost about Rs 15 crore.

Construction material poses threat on highway
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, July 10
The big heaps of construction material stacked on the Pathankot-Mandi national highway (NH) near the Brijraj Swami temple road have turned it into an accident-prone zone.

The authorities of the NH have not displayed caution flags or fixed signboard on the affected portions of the highway where the construction of protection walls is in progress.

A number of accidents have occurred in the past few days on the stretch. A deep ditch dug on the highway near the Niazpur bus-stand has also become dangerous at night for the vehicles plying on the Pathankot-Mandi NH-20.

The Sub Divisional Magistrate, Dr N.K. Lath, said that in case of any complaint, the administration would take action under the Public Nuisance Act 133.

Petrol dealers threaten strike from July 18

Shimla, July 10
Petrol dealers have threatened an indefinite strike from July 18 if their commission in the sale of petrol and diesel was not increased to five per cent, a spokesman for the Federation of All-India Petroleum Traders (FAIPT) said here today.

“All petrol stations in the country will remain close on July 18 unless the government agrees to our demands,” All-India Secretary of FAIPT Sukumar Singh told UNI here.

The federation is demanding an increase in the commission to five per cent of the sales from the existing 1.59 per cent on petrol and 1.27 per cent on diesel.

Petroleum dealers had observed a one-day token strikes across the country on April 18 and June 20 to press for their demands.

Mr Singh said the dealers’ commission had not increased over the years with the escalation in the prices of other commodities and services.

“Our commission on the sale of petrol and diesel has remained what it was four years ago.”

He said dealers were being given a commission of 70 paise per litre only even after the cost of petrol jumped from Rs 23 in 2002 to Rs 42 now.

The federation is also demanding an increase in the permissible evaporation loss from 0.6 per cent per litre to 1.4 per cent for petrol and from 0.2 per cent per litre to 0.8 per cent for diesel, payments of hill area shrinkage allowance arrears and uniform tax structures across the country. — UNI 

From America to wed
Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 10
It was an exciting and a learning experience for Adriane and Eskla who had come from California to solemnise their marriage in accordance with the Hindu rites.

The couple went through all rituals, right from “jaimala” to applying “sindoor”, and taking ‘pheras’ religiously during the three-hour ceremony held at a private hotel, here today. They had arrived here along with friends and relatives a week in advance to ensure that proper arrangements would be made solemnise the marriage.

The hotel management had arranged a priest and an interpreter who explained the meaning all “mantras” and ritual to them. The ceremony, thus, turned out to be a learning experience for everyone present. The bride and the bridegroom were thrilled to know during the course of ceremony that gods had been invited to bless them and that the nuptial knot was being tied not only for this life but for many more births. The two had dressed in traditional Hindu marriage costumes complete with a “sehra” and “paranda”

It was a dream come true for the 40-year old Adriane who had been impressed with the Indian culture and traditions during his visits to the country as tour leader. Working for a travel agency he had been regularly visiting India. He had a chance to see a Hindu marriage in Rajasthan and was fascinated to such an extent the he decided to solemnise his own marriage in the same style. Eskla is a medical technologist, from east Africa now settled in California. She was more excited and found the ceremony a lifetime experience.

Adriane chose Himachal Pradesh for the ceremony as it was known as the land of gods and Shimla specifically for its scenic splendour. The friends and relatives ,who came from the USA and England, not only enjoyed the event but also found it quite educative. In fact, Ms Lydia Kelly, a friend of Eskla, is keen to write a book on her visit to India in which the Indian culture, particularly the marriage she witnessed today, would find elaborate mention.

Akashvani to set up 128 FM band transmitters
Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 10
As many as 128 FM band transmitters will be installed across the country to bring 50 per cent of the population under FM coverage by the end of the 10th plan.

Stating this here today Mr K.M. Pal, Chief Engineer of the Akashvani, said that at present there were 140 FM transmitters which covered only 30 per cent of the population. While 100 new transmitters would be installed , 28 existing ones would be upgraded and converted to FM stations. Besides 150 low power transmitters would be set up to ensure quality reception in shadowed areas.

In Himachal Pradesh 10 FM transmitters would be installed at Bilaspur, Berthin, Bharmour, Bhabha Nagar, Chamba, Mandi, Sundernagar, Keylong, Tisa and Chaura Khasa. The FM transmitter at Shimla would be upgraded from the existing 1 kw to 10 kw.

He said that there was an acute shortage of staff due to ban on fresh recruitment and the new radio stations were being made functional through stop-gap arrangement.

HP to start counselling for vocational courses
Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 10
The Himachal Government is thinking of introducing the system of counselling in senior secondary schools in the state to enable the students to choose employment-oriented courses.

While presiding over the closing ceremony of three-day tournament organised by the Hill Young Sports Club at Narain in Shimla district today. Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, said that career counselling had become important in the present era of specialisation and the students must be provided proper guidance for pursuing higher education.

He said that emphasis was being laid on consolidation of basic infrastructure in the existing institutions in the state to ensure quality education. The government had decided that in future only need-based expansion would be carried out. There had been tremendous expansion in the field of education in the state over the past four decades and at present over 15,000 educational institutions were functioning in government sector alone.

The Chief Minister said that the government was seized of the unemployment problem and efforts were being made to create maximum job opportunities. In industrial sector about 1.77 lakh job opportunities had been created during last two years. The youth were also being encouraged to take up self-employment ventures for which government was giving liberal financial assistance. He said that two pharmacy colleges, one at Kandaghat and another in Rohru, had been opened as there was a vast scope for employment in the pharmaceutical companies which were setting up units in the state.

The Chief Minster said that boundary wall of school and the local Panchayat Bhawan would be completed at the earliest and also announced funds for the purpose. He announced upgradation of government primary school, Brandu, to middle school, besides opening of Primary Health Centre at Bagi. 

Sikridhar cement plant in doldrums
Our Correspondent

Chamba, July 10
No one at the helm of the state whether it is the Congress or the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), has so far succeeded in setting up of a much publicised cement plant at Sikridhar in Chamba district despite cashing on it during every election season for the past 28 years. The inordinate delay in the commencement of the plant has caused disappointment among the local people.

The plan for the cement plant was conceived by BJP leader and former Industries Minister Kishori Lal way back in 1977 when he was state Public Works Minister during the Janta Party regime. A period of about 28 years has elapsed, but the proposed plant could not be set up due to final environment clearance by the Central Government, which appears to have been shelved, thereby shattering the hopes of unemployed residents of the area.

In 2002, Mr Shanta Kumar, former Union Minister for Rural Development, had taken an initiative and got the cement plant proposal cleared from the state government for final clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. He had also announced to undertake the work declaring June 30, 2002, as a deadline.

Many Congress leaders had also made promises to start the work during the Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections.

According to official sources, the plant was proposed to be set up with an outlay of Rs 650 crore in the area which has 70 years’ deposits of limestone. The per day limestone extraction would be about 6,000 truckloads daily with an annual production of 1.5 million tonnes of cement from the plant, the sources revealed.

The plant was expected to give employment to nearly 15,000 persons.