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7,000 Tibetans cast votes
Rs 1,600-crore tourism project in final stage
Nathpa flooding: govt orders inquiry
Illegal mining endangers bridges, roads
Himachal to promote cultivation of herbs
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Fake medical institutes under watch
Swami Vivekananda’s speech commemorated
Inculcate spirit of social service: Kokje
Workshop of farm scientists
begins
Three judicial complexes
on anvil
‘Embargo’ on new LPG connections
Lakhs take dip in Manimahesh
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7,000 Tibetans cast votes
Dharamsala, September 11 The Tibetan election process is divided into two rounds and voting was done for the preliminary round today. Since there are no political parties and any Tibetan can contest, only those candidates who manage to get at least 33 per cent of votes would go through to the second and final round. The voting for the final round has been scheduled for March 18, 2006. The total voting is reported to be nearly 80 per cent today at the 10 polling booths set up in McLeodganj, which is more than the previous elections in 2001 when only 60 per cent Tibetan cast their votes. Indirect campaigning by a group called the Youth for better MPs added a new colour to the elections. Mr Tenzin Tsundue, its spokesman, said the orthodox and existing MPs had got involved in petty politics, neglecting the basic issue of Tibet. Rejecting the argument of the sitting MPs that since they were towing the middle-path approach of the Dalai Lama, a policy many young candidates would not approve of, the election of new faces would only lead to unnecessary friction in Parliament, Mr Tsundue said the Dalai Lama had himself sought the democratisation of the Tibetan society. “It is important that all viewpoints are expressed in the Assembly,” he said. There is, however, a section of Tibetan population, which does not want to elect candidates who take exception to the policies of the Dalai Lama. |
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Rs 1,600-crore tourism project in final stage
Nurpur, September 11 He asserted that after getting financial nod, this ambitious project would give a fillip to the tourism industry in Kangra and Chamba districts. “The Department of Tourism, Fisheries and Wildlife have been incorporated in the project,” he added. Mr Kumar also informed that he recently met the Union Railway Minister, Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav, and drew his attention towards the dilapidated condition of outlived train engines and bogies being used on the Pathankot-Jogindernagar (Kangra valley) narrow rail line. He said he urged the union minister to replace these and provide better rail service in the hill state, keeping in view the importance of the region in the field of tourism, hydro-power projects and ongoing industrialisation in the state. He said he had also taken up the longstanding demand of converting narrow gauge into broad gauge by ignoring cost benefit ratio (CBR) worked out by the Union Railway Ministry in its preliminary survey. “Mr Yadav has been urged not to consider CBR before taking any step in this direction as CBR in Haryana is less than hill state like Himachal Pradesh,” he disclosed. He informed that the Union Railway Minister who had earmarked budget for the updating of the narrow gauge had given an assurance to submit the proposed project report of the Kangra valley railway line for clearance. Mr Chander Kumar informed that the UPA government had also approved a World Bank-funded Rs 540 crore integrated forestry project for the Shivalik hills covering all 12 districts of the state. “Under the project rain, water harvesting, conservation of agriculture land, dry land farming and afforestation have been planned on the pattern of World Bank-funded Kandi development project,” he added. |
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Nathpa flooding: govt orders inquiry
Shimla, September 11 The inquiry will be conducted by a five-member committee of experts headed by the Chairman of the Central Electricity Authority. The committee will ascertain the causes responsible for the bursting of the pipe of the fourth generating unit, which led to backflow of water from tail pool into the power house on September 4. It will also pinpoint lapses, if any, and suggest corrective measures. The committee has been asked to submit its report within a month. Mr D.N. Padhy, Special Secretary, Union Ministry of Power, who has been camping at Jhakri for the past three days, held detailed talks with the management of the Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam. He underlined the need to bring the project back on the rails and resuming generation at the earliest. However, sources in the nigam said that the project could remain shut down for the next two months. The power house was still under 13 m of water and so far even the extent of damage to machinery could not be ascertained. The exact position would be known only after dewatering of the power house. The power supply unit, the battery unit and the control panel would have to be put in place again. The damaged labyrinth pipe and other damaged parts of turbines would also have to be replaced. All this would require time. The loss on account of loss of generation during the current financial year had touched Rs 450 crore till yesterday. As things stand at the moment, the project may not achieve even 50 per cent of the annual target of generating 6,950 million units and the total loss could touch Rs 800 crore. Meanwhile, the dewatering gained some momentum with the nigam pressing seven pumps, four in the tail pool and three inside the power house, to speed up operation. Water was being pumped out at 250 litres per second and more pumps were being deployed to achieve a pumping rate of 500 litres per second to complete the dewatering in the next six days. The nigam is in touch with Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL), which supplied the generating units, so that repairs could be undertaken as soon as water is pumped out. Any delay could lead to rusting of machinery and it could be rendered irreparable. |
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Illegal mining endangers bridges, roads and land
Mandi, September 11 In the Gorha Gagarh, Chadiyal, Gomi, Dadhor and Sandhera panchayats, the writ of the mining mafia runs as they are plundering the embankments of the Sekhal nullah and Saketi khud with impunity. In some cases local panchayat pradhans have also become “thekedars” and middlemen of the contractors, reveal villagers in the Balh valley. The mining mafia has also been operating along the Chadiyal-Chaproh and Mandi-Nalsar roads for the past four to five years. The mining has endangered the local foot bridges, villagers say. “We have requested the pradhan and the district administration to check the illegal mining along the khuds and near the bridges, but nobody is bothered,” rues Mr Het Ram Sharma, a retired gram sevak at
Gagal village. In fact, the illegal mining has been encouraged by government contractors and private builders by luring unemployed youths. Now the tractors and trolleys, that have flooded the Mandi-Sundernagar-Balh-Ner Chowk-Chail Chowk belt, owe this boom to the illegal mining in the district. The pradhan of the Khadiyal panchayat, Ms Nirmala Devi, said they had brought the menace of illegal mining to the notice of the district authorities, but their pleas had fallen on deaf ears. “When it rains the nullahs and khuds get in spate and wash away fertile land in the mined areas, villagers complain. Last year, the flooded Sekhal nullah washed away over 10 bighas of fertile land, villagers point out. The illegal mining has spanned a big business in the district. The demand for “Balh sand” has shot up. “The mafia sells a tractor-trailer full of sand for Rs 600 to middlemen and contractors working in the Parbati project in Kulu district and the Larji project in Mandi district. District mining officials claimed they challaned a tractor owner today carrying sand from Khadiyal in the Balh valley. “But the workers disappeared from the spot whenever the team of officials raided the spot,” they added. |
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Himachal to promote cultivation of herbs
Chamba, September 11 This was stated by Mr S.R. Thakur, Resident Commissioner of the Pangi tribal valley in Chamba district, while presiding over a seminar organised by the Himachal Pradesh State Medicinal Plants Board at Killar, the subdivisional headquarters of Pangi on Friday. The seminar was attended by the local officers, experts from the Jogindernagar herbal garden and paradhans of all the gram panchayats of the tribal valley, including farmers. Speaking about the cultivation of medicinal plants, Dr Dinesh Kumar, Nodal Officer of the state medicinal plants board, said that the climate of snow-capped Pangi valley was best-suited to the cultivation of various species of herbs. “The main species of medicinal plants to be cultivated in the valley are Patrish (Aconitum Chasmanthus), Kaur (Picrorhiza Kurroa), Dhoop (Jurnea Macrocopiza), Patlain (Heracleum Candicans), Bhutkeshi (Sehum Veginatum), Mushakbala (Valeriana Wallichii), Ban Kakri (Podoplyllura Emodi), Salam Panja (Orchis Lotfolia), Kuth (Saussarea Leppa), Guchhi (Morchella Excupenta), Chukri (Riteum Emodi), Taxces Baceala (Barmi) and Abies (Spectaleiis)”, Dr Dinesh informed. Dr Dinesh asked the farmers to prepare projects on different species of herbs so that their project reports could be submitted to the government for immediate clearance. He pointed out that endeavours were being made on a large scale for conservation and development of medicinal plants in the high-altitude areas like Pangi valley, which had been identified for conservation and propagation of medicinal plants. This would provide very lucrative livelihood option to the people of this tough, rugged and mountainous valley, Dr Dinesh added. |
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Fake medical institutes under watch
Chamba, September 11 According to the orders, the police authorities have also been asked to carry out search and take action under appropriate law against such unrecognised medical institutions and unregistered medical quacks, which are running their practice in the far-flung corners of the state. In the orders it was pinpointed that such self-styled medical institutions and shops were being run in different remote areas where many students were taking admission under some erroneous impression about their recognition. The orders further revealed that the Central Government, Himachal Pradesh Government or homoeopathic council did not recognise any such institution. In the orders, the authorities had been asked to bring these facts to the notice of the public in general and the students seeking admission in such institutions in particular. It was also appealed to beware of such quacks, the orders stated. |
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Swami Vivekananda’s speech commemorated
Kangra, September 11 Deputy Commissioner Kangra Bharat Khera was the Chief Guest. He said need of the hour was to look back and seek the guidance from the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, a great patriotic monk, which were truly relevant in present times. Mr S.P. Singh district police chief, presided over the function. A large number of youths who attended the event in the local Polytechnic College, organised by Vivekananda Kendra, a spiritually
oriented service mission. Dr Sunil Chaudhary, Secretary HP Board of School Education also addressed the gathering. A declamation contest was also organised on the occasion in which seven professional and degree colleges of the district participated. Ms Nidhi Sharma of GGDSD College Nagrota Bagwan bagged the first prize, Ms Mrinal Mallial of Govt. Degree College Dharamsala got the second
position and Pooja Chattani of MCM DAV College Kangra bagged the third prize. Local MCM DAV College Kangra bagged the funning trophy. Mr Khera gave away prize to the winners. Three eminent educationists, Dr Vasudev, Dr J.P. Sachdeva and Prof Sudhir Mahajan were also honoured by the kendra. |
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Inculcate spirit of social service: Kokje
Shimla, September 11 He was speaking at a function organised by the Kasturba Gandhi National Monument Trust at Sarvodaya Bal Asharam here today. The Governor also paid tributes to Acharya Vinoba Bhave on his birth anniversary and said the present generation should draw inspiration from his life and philosophy. He lauded the efforts of the trust in keeping alive the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, besides undertaking various social activities for the benefit of the poor and downtrodden. He said the contribution of Gaura Mata in the field of social service was immense and the ashram which was established by her was still serving the needy persons. He also unveiled the statue of famous social worker, Gaura Mata on the occasion. Mr Dheeru Bhai Mehta, Chairman, of the trust, said the trust was operating through 23 branches all over the country and carryout social welfare activities in rural areas. Ms Radha Bhatt, secretary of the trust, thanked the Governor for evincing keen interest and extending cooperation for the cause of the needy children. Dr Prem Lata, representative of the ashram, detailed the activities the ashram. Mr Kokje honoured Naveenta Bhahan for her contribution in the field of social service on the occasion. |
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Workshop of farm scientists
begins
Palampur, September 11 Addressing over 150 extension specialists, scientists and senior officials, Dr D.S.Rathore, Vice-Chancellor, underlined the need for proper water management strategies as most of the farming in the country was rainfed. He said as per the 2001 census, 64 per cent population in the country continued to be dependent on agriculture and there was a need for technological innovations so that farmers could bring about a change in their farming methods. Dr H.B.Singh, director of extension education, highlighted the future strategies of farm science centres. Dr A.K. Mehta, zonal co-ordinator of the centres, spoke about the achievements of the centres. He said around 4,200 training sessions for farmers, farm women and rural youth had been organised in addition to farm fairs and demonstrations on crops. |
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Three judicial complexes
on anvil
Palampur, September 11 Mr Justice Sood said adequate funds of Rs 38.50 lakh had been made available for this project from the HUDCO. He said, besides housing a sessions house and court there would also be provision for the stay of judicial officers in the complex. |
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‘Embargo’ on new LPG connections
Mandi, September 11 LPG dealers told The Tribune that the corporation had imposed a restriction on issuing fresh domestic connections as the government sought to cover the subsidies on the domestic consumers. Dealers said they were receiving around five applications for new connections every day, but could not help. The IOC incharge, Himachal Pradesh, Mr Sunil Negi, said they were issuing the domestic LPG connections. |
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Lakhs take dip in Manimahesh
Chamba, September 11 According to an official information, the fortnight-long Manimahesh pilgrimage commenced on the occasion of Sri Krishna Janmashtami and concluded on Sri Radhashtami today. So far about two lakh pilgrims and devotees had taken bath in lake. This is the record number of pilgrims ever in the history of Manimahesh pilgrimage. |
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