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Govt to expand, upgrade road network
Cong accused of misusing official machinery
Finally, Rohtang Tunnel to become a reality
Dam oustees threaten protest
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SHO booked for forcing man to commit suicide
60 pc water sources contaminated in Mandi district, says report
Over 70 pc targets of horticulture mission met
Forum for social justice mooted
CPI honours 30 persons
Palampur to get 115 new anganwadi kendras
Stir threat by union
Parking charges for pilgrims
Lecturers’ appointment on contract basis opposed
One killed in road mishap
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Govt to expand, upgrade road network
Shimla, August 13 Outlining the priorities of his government on the eve of Independence Day, Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, said the state had taken rapid strides in various spheres over the past 58 years and it was already being cited as model for hill development, but the quest for making it an ideal state must be continued. With no broad gauge rail links and poor air connectivity, the economy of the state was entirely dependent on the road network. The roads to be widened under the Rs 1,100-crore World Bank-funded project included the Mehatpur-Una-Amb, Una-Agahar-Barsar-Jahu-Rewalsar-Mandi, Ghumarwin-Sarkaghat-Jogindernagar, Theog-Kotkhai-Rohru and Kumarhatti-Sarahan-Nahan roads. Efforts were afoot to connect all the 3,243 panchayats by motorable roads by 2008. The state had already obtained sanction of Rs 1,294 crore under the Prime Minister Grameen Sadak Yojana for execution of 1,340 road projects. Besides, the Central Government has approved the four-laning of the Zirakpur-Pinjore-Parwanoo-Shimla national highway during the current financial year. The special industrial package, which had been extended to 2010, had over the past year enabled the state attract an investment of over Rs 19,000 crore which would create job opportunities for 2.65 lakh persons. In addition, special economic zones (SEZs) were also being set up in Kangra, Una and other districts of the state at an estimated cost of over Rs 5,047 crore which would further accelerate the pace of industrialisation. The government had framed a four-pronged strategy to harness the huge hydroelectric potential under which projects were to be executed in various management modules, including the state sector, joint sector, private sector and the Central power sector agencies. The projects with gross potential of 7,602 MW are under way. A new state power policy had been implemented for allotment of projects to independent power producers. The projects with an aggregating capacity of 100 MW or above would be allotted through international bidding, from 5 to 100 MW capacity through MoU (memorandum of understanding) and up to 5 MW would be executed through HIMURJA. Himachal Pradesh had been adjudged as the top state in the country in the field of primary education in a countrywide survey conducted by a leading weekly. The literacy rate in the state stands at 86.02 per cent in case of males and 68.08 per cent in respect of female, both are above the national average. Taking into consideration tourism as another pillar of hill economy, the new policy 2005 has been framed to make tourism the prime engine of economic growth by positioning it as a leading global destination by the year 2020. Infrastructure is being developed to spread tourism to the countryside and to lesser-known areas on the pattern of other countries in the world. Improvement of infrastructure, tribal tourism, eco-tourism, health tourism, adventure tourism, wildlife tourism and cultural tourism are the other features, the government is trying to boost. Himachal Pradesh is studded with places of pilgrimage and anthropological importance, an added attraction to the tourists visiting this land of gods and unparallel natural beauty. In order to raise the economic status of the farmers, diversification of the cropping pattern has been given big boost.
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Cong accused of misusing official machinery
Shimla, August 13 Addressing mediapersons here, he said the authorities concerned were adopting double standards in dealing with election petitions pertaining to the Panchayati Raj Institutions. He said the manner in which the cases of chairpersons of Una and Kinnaur were being handled provided a clear indication of how far the government could go to achieve its political objective. The Financial Commissioner stayed the order that the Divisional Commissioner, Kangra, had set aside the election of Ms Praveen Sahota as chairperson of the Una Zila Parishad. The order was passed on August 7 and the appeal was filed on August 11. The stay order was passed on the same day even though a caveat had been filed. In contrast, no decision had been taken on the appeal filed by BJP-supported Mr Baldev Singh, whose election as chairperson of the Kinnaur Zila Parishad was set aside on July 17. The ruling party had been upset that it had not been able to win majority despite misuse of official machinery and now it was resorting to such devious means to install its supporters at key positions. Mr Sharma claimed that the Supreme Court verdict on the CPMT question paper leakage scam had vindicated the party’s stand that the Chief Minister was shielding the corrupt. He had gone out of the way to give a clean chit to Dr L.R. Verma of the Himachal Pradesh University. The Chief Minister had also been shielding Mr B.R. Rahi, chairperson of the state board of school education, against whom an FIR had been registered, he added.
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Finally, Rohtang Tunnel to become a reality
Chandigarh, August 13 Negotiations for the construction of the tunnel, worth nearly Rs 2000 crore, with an Australian civil engineering company, SMEC, based in Melbourne, were completed in July, this year. The construction of the tunnel, at an altitude of 3100 m with winter temperatures as low as -25 degrees, was likely to begin early next year, an officer with the Border Roads Organisation, BRO RCC, a part of the Indian Army, informed. Interestingly, the project, envisaging a 9-km-long tunnel to connect Lahaul-Spiti areas with Manali round the year, was conceived as far back as 1983. After usual bureaucratic dilly dallying leading to around two-decade delay, it was finally inaugurated by the former Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, about four years back. But even after the high-profile inauguration, the work on the project remained stuck for want of clearance by the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment and also by the Cabinet Committee on Security. Now, when the green signal has been finally given by the Centre, the work is going on full steam with the BRO engineers on the verge of completing ‘approach’ roads leading up to the tunnel-site. These roads were required to connect the tunnel with the Manali-Leh road and also to mobilise resources for the construction of tunnel. The officer said the BRO would also finish constructing a 180-feet-long valley bridge over the Chandra river, with in a week, to connect Lahaul to the tunnel site. Later, the bridge would be increased in length to 350-feet. The
feasibility report by the Australian company is being eagerly awaited so that boring on the site can start. A dumping site too has been earmarked and land taken in possession along both sides of the tunnel-site. The tunnel, in all likelihood to be horse-shoe shaped and claimed to be the highest in the world, will be an engineering marvel equipped with close-circuit TVs and modern security gadgetry. The project will be completed by 2014. Once completed, the tunnel will ensure round-the-year connectivity with militarily and strategically important regions bordering China. Also, it will come as a huge respite to residents of the Lahaul-Spiti region who are so far used to months of isolation during winters.
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Dam oustees threaten protest
Dalhousie, August 13 Stating this in a press release here today, Mr P.C. Oberoy, chairman of the association, urged the Himachal Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, to ask the Punjab Government to implement this decision by providing employment to 215 left-out members of the ousted families. A communique to this effect had also been conveyed to the Punjab Government by the association, Mr Oberoy confirmed. An agreement was reached between the Chief Secretaries of the two states on July 13, 1998, and the Punjab Government had agreed to provide job to one member of each affected family. In this regard, the General Manager of the Ranjit Sagar Dam was asked to provide job to one member of each ousted family out of the list submitted by the Deputy Commissioner of Chamba. Various communications were also exchanged between the authorities of the two states.
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SHO booked for forcing man to commit suicide
Palampur, August 13 On Friday Mr Shambu Ram, a former engineer of the IPH Department, committed suicide by jumping into the Binwa river. The police had called Mr Shambu Ram to the Baijnath police station in connection with a murder case. A day before the incident Mrs Thakur had gone to the house of Mr Shambu Ram in Khara Nal panchayat but Mr Shambu Ram was not present in the house. Then the SHO told his wife to ask him to report in the police station on Friday for investigation. When Mr Shambu Ram came to know that a police team was searching for him and had asked him to report to the police station, to save himself from police harassment Mr Shambu Ram came to Paprola town and jumped into the Binwa river leaving a suicide note stating that the police was harassing him and trying to implicate him in a murder case which he had not committed. Later thousands of residents demanded action against the erring police men who had forced Mr Shambu Ram to commit suicide. To pacify the crowd senior police officers registered a case against the SHO investigating the case and who had called Mr Shambu Ram to the police station. A case has been registered against the SHO but no departmental action had been taken against her. A senior police officer said today the police was waiting for the post-mortem examination report; thereafter departmental action would be taken against her. Last month a court framed criminal charges against four police officials, including a former SHO of Palampur police station, allegedly for harassing an advocate and framing him in a case.
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60 pc water sources contaminated in Mandi district, says report
Mandi, August 13 According to a report on water samples collected from villages in Mandi Sadar by a team of the World Bank-aided Water and Sanitation Programme, South Asia, over 60 per cent of the water sources have been contaminated. This is because the villagers continue to defecate in the open. The pardhan of the Kiling panchayat, Mr Tek Chand, said: “Till 2004, most of the villages used to defecate in the open. We teamed up with mahila mandals, yuvak mandals and students to make the area total sanitation.” Mr Kamal Kar, consultant, Water and Sanitation Programme, said: “A programme has been launched in five blocks in Solan district and three in Mandi district to make the villagers aware in this regard.” The Deputy Commissioner, Mandi, said 20 panchayats — five in the Seraj block, three each in the Dharampur and Sadar blocks, two each in the Balh and Gohar blocks, and one each in the Chauntra and Drang blocks — have achieved the status of total sanitation in the district under the Water and Sanitation Programme. “By 2008, the plan is to make all 473 panchayats in the district as total sanitation panchayats,” he claimed. The Project Coordinate, Total Sanitation Mission, Mandi, Mr Bhupinder Singh, said over 60 resource persons trained during the workshop would further sensitise panchayat pardhans, yuvak mandals, etc, regarding sanitation.
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Over 70 pc targets of horticulture mission met
Mandi, August 13 Talking to The Tribune after chairing the state-level review meeting of the HTM attended by the deputy directors from 12 districts here yesterday, the HTM Commissioner, Government of India, Dr M.L. Chaudhary, said he was satisfied with the progress being made under the HTM in the state. “The state has achieved over 70- 80 per cent targets under the mission and certain loopholes needed to be plugged,” he added. He said the farmers were switching over to the technology-driven horticultural practices in the state. “An apple farmer has set up a nursery of over 40 new varieties in Shimla district under the HTM. Today, he is earning Rs 5 lakh a year by selling the plants to other farmers,” he added. Dr Chaudhary said the HTM’s prime focus was on area expansion and technology-driven production of apple in the higher belt and mango, litchi and citrous fruits in the lower belt in the state. “We are encouraging high-density plantation and drip irrigation of apple and use of organic or bio-fertilisers to increase productivity among farmers,” he said. When asked how the government was checking the use of fake organic fertilisers in the country, Dr Chaudhary said the department was encouraging farmers to set up their vermicompost units and bio-labs. The Director, Horticulture, Himachal Pradesh Dr C.R. Sharma, said organic fertilisers had been brought under the preview of the Fertiliser Control Order. “The bio-fertiliser and organic fertiliser units are being registered to check the fakes in the market.” Dr Sharma said the area under apple cultivation had increased by 5,800 hectares and under vegetables by 1,565 hectares in the state under the mission. But farmers from Riwalsar and Mandi complained to the HTM Commissioner that over 15 farmers had not got subsidies from the department even after two years. “The lists are manipulated by the department due to political pressure,” they rued. Dr Chaudhary said he had directed the deputy directors to consider the genuine cases on a priority basis. “The government has already sanctioned Rs 40 crore to the state and Rs 20 crore has been released,” he said. When asked whether the HTM would be extended, Dr Chaudhary said the mission was launched in 2003 for three years till 2006-07. The government might extend it if it is satisfied with its progress. But it is a matter that would be decided by the government,” he clarified. On the farmers’ problem that they could not invest Rs 3 lakh to set up a polyhouse to get subsides under the HTM, Dr Chauhdary said the District Horticulture Officer (DHO) would issue the letter stating that farmers were the HTM beneficiary and entitled for loans. “The farmers can take loans from the banks to set up the polyhouses, greenhouses and other small projects. Once these are set up, farmers get subsides up to 50 per cent under the HTM,” he said.
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Forum for social justice mooted
Shimla, August 13 Addressing a press conference here yesterday, Mr Kuldip Singh
Tanwar, chairperson of the committee, said they had been approached by a large number of people to form a forum or a citizens’ committee which could from time to time fight for social justice. “The job of this body will be to fight against social evils and malpractices and get justice for the aggrieved party,” he remarked. “We would want to associate with Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), for coming up with a foolproof mechanism so that there is no leak of question papers or any irregularity in the future,” he said. The high court has directed HPU to come up with such a proposal within three months. Mr Tanwar said HPU must maintain vigil to ensure that there is no kind of irregularity in the PMT examination, scheduled for August 20. “The reason for this kind of menace and malpractice is privatisation and commercialisation of education in the name of quality education,” he remarked. He said when education becomes a commodity, then those having money power are able to have their way, denying the deserving and capable their due. “We will shortly organise a seminar in which various issues concerning society will be taken up and a large number of people will be involved,” he said. Mr Tanwar expressed concern over the exploitation in the education sector where huge sums are demanded from the parents of students in the name of donations. “The 38 students who have been identified by the police, who could have benefited from the question paper leak, are not be blamed as they are part of the spoilt system, where the real fault lies,” he said.
— TNS
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CPI honours 30 persons
Mandi, August 13 The CPI state national council member, Mr Des Raj Sharma, said the party honoured Ms Radha Pandit, widow of Kameshwar Pandit, founder-leader of the CPI, who started the land- lto-tiller movement in the state. The others included Ms Vimla Kapata, widow of Parkash Kapatia, founder of the trade union movement, Mr Suram Singh and Biddhi Chand, pioneers of the kisan movement, and Mr Shanker Singh Chandel, founder of the cooperative movement in the state.
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Palampur to get 115 new anganwadi kendras
Palampur, August 13 Talking to newspersons here this afternoon, Mr Brij Behari Lal Butail, local MLA and Political Adviser to Chief Minister Virbhadara Singh, said the anganwadi kendras functioning in rural areas had proved a boon to small children who could not afford to go to the costly educational institutions. He said keeping in view the problem being faced by the people in rural and far-flung areas the state government had sanctioned 115 new kendras in this constituency. Mr Butail said in the past three years over Rs 150 crore was spent on development in Palampur, besides development works of over Rs 3 crore were in progress. He said a new civil hospital and government degree college complexes would be ready in the next six months. Likewise, a mini- secretariat complex would be ready in the next one year.
— OC
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Stir threat by union
Chamba, August 13 The union has called for intervention of the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, for the resumption of work, which had been stopped due to killing of three workers in June. The union has called for creating a congenial work atmosphere to save the workers who were on verge of starvation in the absence of work.
— OC
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Parking charges for pilgrims
Chamba, August 13 According to the Resident Commissioner, Bharmour, Mr Chaman Singh, charges have been fixed not only for the parking of vehicles but also for ponies carrying luggage. For 24-hour parking pilgrims will be charged Rs 60 for heavy vehicles, Rs 50 for small vehicles, Rs 40 for cars and vans while Rs 20 will be charged for parking a scoter or a motorcycle. Similarly, Rs 370 will be charged for a pony to carry upto 80 kg from Hadsar to Manimahesh and Rs 175 from Hadsar to Dhanchho. The shopkeepers have also been directed to display officially fixed rates for commodities sold by them. In case of overcharging the pilgrims can report to the authorities.
— OC
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Lecturers’ appointment on contract basis opposed
Chamba, August 13 In a statement issued here yesterday, R.K. Kaisth, state general secretary of the association, said the state government should review the decision and demanded that the appointment of lecturers should made on a regular basis through the HP Public Service Commission duly following the University Grants Commission (UGC) norms. Mr Kaisth described the transfers of lecturers to the newly opened 10 degree colleges in the state where the classes were still proposed to be started as “illogical”.
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One killed in road mishap
Kumarhatti, August 13 |
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