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LPG consumers suffer as IOC dithers
Economy revival boosts tourist inflow
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Two years on, online FIR registration yet to pick up
Shimla gears up for New Year bash
Experts for using GI to promote Kangra tea
Himachal diary
Mandi coolies struggle to make both ends meet
Runway recarpeting at Bhuntar hits flights
vignettes
Hamirpur to promote aloe vera cultivation
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Target: Saving Trees
Shimla, December 29 The laying of transmission lines and erecting of massive towers for evacuating power from the generation point is also emerging as a major reason for thousands of trees being felled. No doubt Himachal is emerging as a major power state with over 20,000 MW power potential in its rivers but on the flip side the damage being caused to trees and forests is irreparable. “We have made it amply clear that we will now allow any new transmission network except the one being put up by the JP group for evacuation of power from their Karcham-Wangtoo project in the Sutlej basin with a carrying capacity of over 2,000 MW to cater to the requirements of all other projects being proposed upstream,” said a senior bureaucrat. He added that the requirement of the JP group would be about 1,000 MW and the remaining carrying capacity of the transmission network can be used for other projects. He says instead of having 220-KV transmission lines power producers can now install 800-KV lines as the latest technology has come to India now. The HP Power Transmission Corporation has already prepared the master plan for various transmission networks in river basins. Thrust is on having a common evacuation corridor so that instead of having individual transmission lines a group of power producers can use a common line and thus save thousands of trees from being axed. Environmentalists say that the damage already caused to the Sutlej and Beas basins is beyond redemption but at least the less plundered Ravi and Chenab basins must be prevented from indiscriminate damage to trees and environment. With environmentalists and farmers also opposing the vast network of transmission lines virtually rendering their fertile agricultural land non-tillable, villagers too are raising their voice against indiscriminate harnessing of power in one area as has been the case in Kinnaur. “Farmers in districts like Mandi, Bilspaur and Kullu too are up in arms against the coming up of transmission lines, having harmful effects on health and being a major threat to their safety while working in the fields under these transmission lines,” said Guman Singh, convener of the Himalaya Niti Abhiyaan. The latest forest survey report has already rung alarm bells for the state government as the increase in forest cover is nominal at a mere one square kilometre. “It has been established that we are on a declining path and unless we try to save each and every tree which could fall victim during road construction or coming up of cement and power projects, we will have to face serious consequences in the years to come,” says Guman Singh.
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LPG consumers suffer as IOC dithers
Palampur, December 29 LPG supply in the town had gone worse after the suspension of dealership of Palam Gas service, the main supplier of LPG, who had been feeding over 12000 LPG consumers of Palampur town and its adjoining areas. Though the IOC had made alternative arrangements of LPG supply by extending the limits of two adjoining gas agencies but this arrangement too had failed to meet the shortage. Long queues of LPG consumers can be seen on the roadside almost daily. In many parts of the town people keep waiting for LPG supply throughout the day but have to go back disappointed in the evening. The home delivery of LPG has virtually been discontinued as most of the time LPG cylinders are delivered on the road side. Though IOC officials were well-conversant with the situation, no efforts had been made to solve the problem. Official sources said the Himachal Pradesh High Court had in September revoked the suspension of Palam Gas Service and directed the IOC to maintain the status quo as on April 25,2009, so that LPG consumers were not affected. Despite the specific HC order supply of LPG has not yet been restored to Palam Gas. A senior IOC officer said the matter of restoration of LPG supply to Palam Gas was pending with the higher authorities. Pritam Chand, owner of Palam Gas Service, said despite his repeated visits to various officials of the IOC, the HC order had not been implemented on one pretext or the other, inconveniencing over 12000 LPG consumers in Palampur.
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Economy revival boosts tourist inflow
Shimla, December 29 On the basis of booking of hotel rooms it can be said there has been around 15 per cent increase in arrival of tourists to the state in winter for Christmas and New Year this year, said Arun Sharma, director, state Tourism Department. Sharma attributed the rush to the revival of the Indian economy from global recession and tourism-friendly policy of the state government. Report gathered from marketing offices of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), which runs a chain of its hotels across the state, says there is about 90 per cent occupancy of rooms in its 57 hotels. "While HPTDC hotels in tourists hotspots of Shimla and Kullu-Manali are packed till the New Year, occupancy in other hotels at different locations are over 90 per cent,” Subhashish Panda, managing director, HPTDC, said. Officials of the tourism department said nearly 50,000 visitors had made to the picturesque hill state last year and the figure was expected to rise substantially this year. The tourists overflow to the state is there despite the fact that snowfall has deluded Shimla and other places of the state around this time. Basu Chakravorty, manager, HPTDC marketing office in Kolkata, said agitation in Darjeeling for a separate Gorkhaland had helped divert a large number of tourists to fascinating hill stations of Himachal. There has been almost 35 per cent more bookings for Kullu-Manali, Shimla and Dalhousie during winter this year in comparison to last year, he added. HPTDC office in Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore also confirmed good response of tourists to the hill state. Varun Sharma, deputy general manager, HPTDC marketing office at Scandal point in Shimla, said the office was still flooded with queries and a large number of people were contacting them to book rooms for New Year. Ashok Gupta, senior manager, Hotel Holiday Home in Shimla, said there was 100 per cent room occupancy for New Year. The state for which tourism is the biggest source of revenue has made elaborate arrangements to facilitate happy stay of visitors. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal held a meeting with top officials of the state, including chief secretary Asha Swaroop and DGP GS Gill early this week and directed them to make full-proof security and traffic arrangements during the period. State health department also held workshops with hoteliers in Shimla and Manali and told them to display toll free number for help against swine flu. — PTI
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Two years on, online FIR registration yet to pick up
Shimla, December 29 Even though connectivity remains a problem in certain parts of the state, the complete switchover to the latest Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS) will overcome this hurdle and pave the way for total online communication. The CCTNS to be adopted under the modernisation campaign will enable data transfer and help ensure effective policing and check crime. However not a single FIR has so far been registered through the Internet though a couple of complaints of which entry is made in the daily diary (roznamcha) have been received. Out of the total 114 police stations in the state all are covered under Common Integrated Police Applications (CIPA) barring the three at Sangrah (Sirmour), Bharmour (Chamba) and the newly setup CID police office in the state capital. Despite 68 police stations being linked through broadband, not even a single FIR has been registered since 2007, indicating that people have yet to become computer savvy. Even though Himachal has the highest literacy rate in the country the response to online registration of FIRs has been extremely poor. To ensure that there is complete connectivity, the police will also rely on optical fibre, besides Himachal State Wide Area Network (HIMSWAN) and broadband that are in use. "At present we are relying on HIMSWAN and in places where it is not feasible we are relying on broadband and, if need be, optical fibre will also be relied upon in places with poor connectivity," said DGP G.S. Gill. He said there would be a complete switchover to the latest CCTNS system under the modernisation campaign. "The fact that we have so far not been able to go completely online is due to problem of connectivity we hope to overcome through installation of the CCTNS. The police complaints received on the Internet at the police headquarters in Shimla are transferred to the police station concerned. So strictly speaking the online facility has only limited application. To ensure that police personnel are conversant in using modern technology, including the CCTNS, they are being made to undergo training at the Police Training College (PTC), Daroh, near Palampur, in batches. The state police is getting help from the Centre for capacity development and manpower training under the modernisation campaign. Besides, classrooms will be set in every district to impart training to police personnel.
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Shimla gears up for New Year bash
Shimla, December 29 Tourists here said they were enjoying the beauty of nature. “Looking at the crowd and people surrounding here, that are coming...the hope of a New Year, the fantastic and the bright future of the whole country and we, the people. I think that is great,” said Sandeep Aggarwal, a tourist from Kolkata. The Christmas and New Year season is a boon for the travel and tourism industry. — PTI
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Experts for using GI to promote Kangra tea
Dharamsala, December 29 The experts deliberated on various challenges being faced by Kangra tea. The low production of Kangra tea emerged as the biggest bottleneck in its commercial exploitation in the deliberations. According to experts, the production of Kangra tea has this year fallen to just 8 lakh kg per annum against 17 lakh kg per annum recorded in 1998. The said production is just .01 per cent of the total production (90 million kg) of tea in the country. With just 8 lakh kg of production Kangra tea cannot be promoted on a commercial scale. The area under tea plantation in Kangra district has fallen to just about 2000 hectares as compared to 4000 hectares at one time. The low yield and lack of initiative among local tea farmers was primary responsible for the low production of Kangra tea, according to experts. The average yield of tea in Kangra is 230 kg per hectare as against 1800 kg per hectare at the national level. Jairam Ramesh rued that not even a single tea farmer from Kangra has applied for the scheme launched by the Tea Board of India for re-planting old tea orchards. Most of the tea plants in Kangra are 100 years old. The age reduces their production. So the government has launched a scheme under which a 25 per cent subsidy is being given to farmers for tea re-planting in orchards and Kangra tea growers should derive benefit from it. Kunj Behari Butail, a former president of the Kangra Valley Small Tea Planters Association, however, maintained that the age of plantation has not deteriorated their quality and quantity of production. He said small and scattered holdings, absentee planters, abandoned gardens, non-availability of skilled labourers and distant tea auction centres are the basic problems afflicting Kangra tea. He said that the central government was giving long-term financial support for the Horticulture Development. Similar support to provide loans at an interest rate of 4 per cent should also be provided for Kangra tea. Butail said Kangra tea industry was paying just Rs 2 lakh as an annual cess to Centre for producing black tea. However, it leads to a lot of paper work. If the cess was done away with it would be a big relief for illiterate tea planters of Kangra. Kangra farmers here also alleged that the only sale centre for Kangra tea planters is at Kolkata. Taking their produce adds to the transportation cost lowering the farmers' profit margin. Prominent agriculture experts from the region said since the government was not allowing tea farmers of Kangra to divert their land to other agriculture purpose, it should also compensate them. Tea Board of India experts said geographical indicator(GI) granted to Kangra tea could serve as its unique selling point (USP). Currently Darjeeling was the only other area, besides Kangra, with geographical indicator. This helps the buyer indentify the produce with a specific area. The indicator also establishes the unique properties of produce, they said. The experts also said Kashmir used to be good market for Kangra green tea. However, now Kangra tea has lost its market in Kashmir to Assam tea. Efforts should be made to revive the fortunes of Kangra tea in Kashmir market. The experts stressed if the tea planters of Kangra shift to organic farming, Kangra tea can be sold as orthodox organic green Kangra tea in the international market.
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Himachal diary It is probably the threat of swine flu, which claimed close to 10 deaths in Himachal which this time affected the inflow of tourists in the “Queen of Hills” during Christmas. Despite the long weekend on account of government holidays, the rush of tourists was less than that in previous years. As compared to previous years when all hotels were booked to capacity and it was difficult finding a place to stay, the occupancy this year hovered around 75 per cent. The absence of cars parked along all roads in Shimla and the resultant traffic jams for hours together was an indication of the reduced number of visitors. “It is probably the fear of swine flu and the impact of recession that this year we had good crowds but not exceptionally great,” said Ashok Kumar, a garments shop owner. Media reports that swine flu had claimed close to 10 lives and the fact that the infection spreads faster in cold climes impacted the tourist rush in the town. Despite the cultural programmes and other activities organised by the Tourism Department the festive fervour was not all that palpable. To add to the misery of those associated with the tourism industry, there was no white Christmas and the Metrological Department has forecast dry weather till December 29. Centre ‘ignores’ state Notwithstanding the fact that practically all mega projects, including the central university, ESI hospital, IIT and the Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), have been granted by the Centre, the BJP regime has been harping about the Congress-led UPA regime ignoring its claims. Even as the government completed its two-year tenure, Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal poured out his heart how the Centre was not only ignoring Himachal’s claims but also not giving what was due to the hill state under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966. The fact remains whether it is the BJP or the Congress in power in the state, the Centre has invariably ignored Himachal simply for the fact that it is a small state with only four Lok Sabha MPs and as such cannot create political pressure like other bigger states like UP and Maharashtra or those affected by militancy. Plan appraisal An NGO, SAHI, organised a two-day workshop on people’s mid-term appraisal of the 11th Five-Year Plan. SAHI is undertaking the campaign in Himachal and Uttarakhand, mainly Himalayan issues. The focus during the deliberations was on issues pertaining to women and child development, health, rural development, including livelihood, employment and governance. This appraisal was conceptualised by the Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA), Wada Na Todo Abhiyaan, and the National Social Watch Coalition primarily to ensure people’s participation in the mid-term appraisal of the 11th Plan. Of the many strategies involved in assessing the progress of the 11th plan like research and other data-gathering tools, regional-level consultations have also been taken. “The purpose of regional consultations was to represent concerns of different regions and states and to build a collaborative space to strengthen the initiative of involving people in the appraisal,” said Madan Dutt Sharma, Secretary, SAHI. (Contributed by Pratibha Chauhan)
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Mandi coolies struggle to make both ends meet
Mandi, December 29
They faced an extra crisis in 2009 as rising prices have made their life more difficult. The coolies in this town are subject of nobody’s attention despite they are the one who sweat out in the open carrying luggage from one corner of the town to the other. Armed with ropes donning shaggy clothes, coolies are conspicuous by their presence on the roadside. They can be seen dragging their rehris load with goods of traders through the hazardous stream of traffic on sloppy roads in Chobata, Mahanjan and School Bazaars with sweat rolling down their faces. The Market Committee makes posh offices for its officials in the new market complex, but there is not even a shelter for labourers who are the basic human strength of market yards carrying goods and loading and unloading them. This is not true in Mandi town, but it is true in Kullu, Takoli, Bandrol and other market yards in the state, labourers rued. Nobody plans for them because they have no voice. New Year carries no meaning for them as their only target is the next consignment to be dispatched from one trader to the other. “It is extremely difficult to make a living in this town as prices of food items have gone up to new heights,” said Habib, a coolie from Kashmir, who has been dragging his rehri for the past 15 years. Sometimes we make Rs 150 to Rs 300 a day, and at times it is nothing and this has been a routine for years here,” added Ali Khan and Mansa Ram who came from Sarkaghat. Habib and Ali Khan are not only two coolies from Kashmir who work here. There are in fact over 70 such coolies from the Kashmir and Jammu areas who have been working here over the decades. Others come from different areas of Mandi district and outside, as Mandi caters to traders in Kullu-Manali and other surrounding areas. In fact, Mandi has been on the ancient trade route to Lahaul-Ladakh. “We have been working here over the years as our parents and relatives also used to come for work here in the past,” they informed. The coolies rued that they do not have a place to park their rehris in the town. Vegetable vendors have encroached upon their slot provided to them by the council. They have no shelter to protect themselves from rain. “We run for cover whenever it rains in the town,” rued coolies. They do not have their own union. Besides, no trade union has ever approached them to take up their problems. The traders depend upon them for transportation, loading and unloading goods in the town. “We share rooms and pay Rs 800 as rent. If we get a hostel, we will be able to save extra money,” said Khan and Dola Ram. The local administration and the municipal council have no answers for the utter disregard shown to these coolies.
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Runway recarpeting at Bhuntar hits flights
Mandi/Kullu, December 29 The woes of passengers heaped after Kingfisher reduced its flights for four days in a week and Air India only twice a week. Kingfisher has expressed its concern over the DGCA’s decision as the airline has no CAT system in its planes, forcing it to reschedule flights, Prakash Mirpuri, spokesperson for Kingfisher Airlines. He said the changed schedule was not feasible due to the DGCA’s decision of not allowing flights in the morning hours before 10 am with aircraft that were not equipped with CAT-3 systems. “Small aircraft operating on this sector are not equipped with the CAT-3 system and CAT-3 trained pilots”, he said. KM Nehra, Airport Authority of India’s (AAI) controller at Bhuntar, said work at the airport was in progress and the airport would remain closed for any operation from 10 am to 5 pm everyday till December 31. “We are not aware of Kingfisher’s changed flight schedule as these matters are sorted out at the corporate office in New Delhi and we have not received any communication from the head office,” he added. Meanwhile, travel agents and hoteliers in Kullu and Manali have urged the AAI to adjust the timings so that the tourist arrival in the valley is not hit by this development. Experts also opined that tarring (re-carpeting) during winters in the subzero temperatures might not sustain as it needed to have a minimum temperature above 16 degree Celsius.
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vignettes Immediately after an article on the YMCA was published in these columns, I received a few calls enquiring whether the YMCA functioned at St. Mark's till 1930, the year when its new building came up, or was shifted elsewhere. I studied the old files and took help from Naresh Scott, secretary of the YMCA, and found that the YMCA started functioning at St. Mark's in 1877 because a note on a file reads "40th birthday of the YMCA was celebrated in 1917". There was a building called River View, at the present site of the YMCA, occupied by offices of the Punjab Government in 1877. When Ellerslie (the present Secretariat) was under construction from 1899 to 1902 to accommodate the Punjab Government offices, River View, owned by Mrs. and Rev. JG Potter, was sold to the YMCA and the sale was completed on April 14, 1901. Potters then lived in an adjacent River View cottage, which has retained the glory of old architecture through all these years and, at present, is the residence of the Secretary (See photograph). The YMCA, therefore, functioned at St. Mark's for about 30 years and then shifted to River View in 1908. I was wrong in my assessment that it started at St. Mark's in 1908. River View then consisted of 'a large main building of two storeys with an open-arched basement and an adjoining cottage. The hostel department was able to accommodate 22 residents.' It also had the required space for various activities of the YMCA. The dismantling of River View started in 1920 and the foundation of the new building was laid in 1922. It was completed in 1930 and during the decade, Scott believes, the YMCA functioned from River View Cottage. The YMCA then was a sports-feeder to the town. It had the distinction of managing two tennis courts at Viceregal Lodge and one at Oakwood Jakhu. The YMCA had its own tennis team often playing against the Viceroy's team. It would have run the Blessington Tennis Courts too had the negotiations for that in 1916 with the Raja of Sirmaur fructified. It was decided in 1920 that the famous Durand Football Tournament would be managed by the YMCA and it would open a temporary branch at Annandale during the tournament period. Billiards and table tennis, of course, were YMCA's forte. I had earned my first credit in badminton here in the Birdwood Hall. How many of us know that basketball and volleyball are patented and kho-kho for women was started by the YMCA? Magic lantern lectures were held on important topics like health culture, women's suffrage, Oliver Cromwell, books- their origin and evaluation etc. then There was one Capt FC Moleworth who specialised in delivering lectures on astronomical objects like Mars and Hailey's comet. The venue for these was either the Town Hall or the Kirk adjoining the YWCA. The magic lantern or Lanterna Magica was the ancestor of the modern slide projector invented in the second quarter of the 17th century. French classes were run here 1910 onwards for quite sometime on nominal charges. Classes in Hindustani were taken by one Brooks considered to be a linguist. The YMCA, Shimla, was so efficiently run that the Delhi YMCA agreed to have a joint Board of Directors with a general secretary who would stay in Shimla and Delhi alternately for six months. The Shimla YMCA then had its branches at Summer Hill, Jatogh and Kasumpti. It still is spreading its wings. Besides the Mashobra branch and an orphans' home at Barang in Kinnaur, it runs the YMCA at Batala in Bhandari Mohalla and at Alexandra School in Jammu. The Chandigarh YMCA too was managed by Shimla from 1958 to 1968, the year when the former became autonomous. We feel proud that the Shimla YMCA has a rich history of being creditworthy and was reputed as a troubleshooter. It still is.
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Hamirpur to promote aloe vera cultivation
Hamirpur, December 29 In the first phase, the cultivation of aloe vera would be taken up in Toani Devi block of the district, which would later be extended to the entire district. Since aloe vera can be cultivated without irrigation facilities, fertilisers or any other technical knowhow required for cultivation of other commercial crops, experts have found the climate and terrain of Hamirpur district most suitable for its commercial cultivation. Dr Kamal, associate professor at horticulture university and an expert on aloe vera plant, suggests that this can be grown in a natural way and wild animals, which had become a nuisance to standing crops in many parts of the state, also do not damage the aloe vera crop. Raseel Singh Mankotia, chairman of Kangra Central Cooperative Bank (KCCB), who himself is cultivating aloe vera commercially in Toani Devi, has taken the initiative to motivate farmers of the area for taking up its cultivation on a large scale. To motivate farmers for growing aloe vera, a district herbal cooperative federation has been formed while cooperative societies are being registered at the lower level for taking its cultivation through cooperative societies. Telling about the benefits of commercial cultivation of aloe vera, Mankotia said: “As many as 2000 plants can be grown in one kanal which would give 80000 new plants in a year with a handsome return as one plant can fetch 4 to 10 kg leaves in a year sold at a minimum Rs 5 per kg.” Since aloe vera is in great demand for use in cosmetics and food products the state government has signed an MoU with the Patanjali Yog Centre, Haridwar, which requires 500 tonnes of aloe vera for use in medicines on a daily basis. The state government is also planning to provide marketing support and trying to establish processing plants to manufacture its juice.
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Shimla, December 29
Dharamsala, December 29
Immediately after an article on the YMCA was published in these columns, I received a few calls enquiring whether the YMCA functioned at St. Mark's till 1930, the year when its new building came up, or was shifted elsewhere. I studied the old files and took help from Naresh Scott, secretary of the YMCA, and found that the YMCA started functioning at St. Mark's in 1877 because a note on a file reads "40th birthday of the YMCA was celebrated in 1917". There was a building called River View, at the present site of the YMCA, occupied by offices of the Punjab Government in 1877.
