Shimla, March 7
Underlining the need for greater transparency in public life, Congress general secretary Sukhwinder Singh today asserted that elected representatives should not only declare their assets but also make public their sources of income.

Sukhwinder, who represents the Naduan Assembly constituency, made a beginning in this regard by releasing to the media details of his assets and sources of income. He said he wanted the assets and sources of income of all members of the Vidhan Sabha, including ministers, be put on the website for the knowledge of public. In fact, he had taken the lead in this regard and submitted these details to the Vidhan Sabha Secretariat on October 2, 2009. However, he was informed by the secretary that there was no provision to put such information on the website.

He has now decided to go public in the hope that others would follow suit. He said he would, after consulting like-minded MLAs irrespective of party affiliations, bring a private member resolution calling for display of assets and sources of income of members on the website. It had become essential to credibility of public representatives in the present vitiated political environment where all sorts of charges were levelled against them. The MLAs and MPs, while filing nominations, only give details of assets and liabilities, not the sources of income.

The young MLAs’ forum, of which he was the founder member, had been broad-based and transformed into MLAs forum to include even ex-members of the House so that their problems could also be taken up effectively.

BJP MLA Suresh Bhardwaj has been made convenor of the forum. His assets, comprising a building at Knowlswood (Rs 70 lakh) and a flat at Strawberry Hill (Rs 15 lakh) in Shimla, housing board plot (Rs 20 lakh) at Baddi, ancestral and personal land (Rs 30 lakh) at Nadaun, Alto car and Scorpio (Rs 10 lakh), bank FDRs and shares (Rs 12 lakh) amount to Rs 1.57 crore.

Sources income include Rs 10,000 from LIC commission, Rs 4.80 lakh as salary from Vidhan Sabha and Rs 8 lakh as rent from property.

The liabilities consist of loans, Rs 19 lakh from the PNB, Rs 8 lakh from UCO bank, Rs 4 lakh from KCCB, Rs 2.20 lakh from the SBI and an unsecured loan of Rs 29 lakh from the elder brother who is a private contractor.

Hamirpur, March 7
Education Minister ID Dhiman has expressed unhappiness over the slow pace of works being undertaken by different departments under the SC/ST sub-plan in the district and asked them to achieve the remaining targets by March 31.

Addressing a review meeting of the 20 point programme and monitoring committee of the SC sub-plan here yesterday, he said during the current financial year a sum of Rs 3,095.21 lakh was allocated in the state planning head and Rs 9.8 lakh in the special central planning head, out of which only Rs 1,002.25 lakh under the state head and Rs 5.16 lakh under the Centre head were spent.

As per the norms fixed for making such expenditure minimum 75 per cent of the allocated funds should have been spent, he added. The minister asked the district and other officers to disseminate all information related to various welfare programmes and policies being executed by the state government for the welfare of members of the Scheduled Caste community under the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan to achieve the targets and benefit the people.

He also asked non-official members to ensure their presence in the district planning development and 20-point programme monitoring committee meeting so that complaints and suggestions could be presented in the forum.

Shimla, March 7
The state committee of the CPM has condemned the decision of the BJP government to hike bus fares by a whopping 30 per cent from April 1. It has threatened to launch a state-wide stir if the hike is not rolled back. The impact of the decision will hit the common man, already reeling under unprecedented price rise. The fares, which were on the higher side at 90 paise per km, will shoot up to Rs 1.25 per km.

The assertions of the government that hike was necessitated by the increase in fuel prices did not hold as the state already charged the highest fares in the country. The argument advanced by the successive governments that being a hilly state, the fuel efficiency was low also did not pass the test as in certain predominantly hilly neighbouring states like Uttarakhand, the fares were nearly 50 paise per km.

KANGRA: Former Transport Minister and sitting MLA from Nagrota Bagwan GS Bali lambasted the Dhumal government over 30 per cent hike in the bus fares describing it as unjustified, unwarranted and anti-people.

Bali was addressing a press conference at his residence here on Sunday. He said during the last one year there was 45 per cent hike in bus fares and by the present hike of 30 per cent the fate of the HRTC could not be shaped which was facing Rs 500 crore loss.

He demanded that an expert committee be formed to suggest ways and means to bail out the sinking HRTC without a fare hike. He said the HRTC had a dedicated and hard working force to run it and the state government must provide grant-in-aid to protect their interests.

He said the state was banking on road transport only as there were minimum air and negligible rail transportation facilities. He suggested to make power and tourism projects time bound to generate more income in order to strengthen the social system without over burdening common people.

Shimla, March 7
The report of the 13th Finance Commission has brought to fore a harsh reality that Himachal Pradesh has been lagging far behind in protecting green cover in comparison to other Himalayan states. It is quite embarrassing that the state, which has been projecting itself as a leader in preserving the forests and environment, has got the least “green bonus” awarded on the basis of the existing green cover.

The commission based its recommendation on the latest “India State of Forest Report (SFR)-2009” of Forest Survey of India (FSI) and accordingly Himachal got only Rs 100.6 crore as against Rs 205.40 crore recommended for Uttarakhand. The reasons are not far to seek. The state with a geographical area of 55,673 sq km has only 14,668 sq km (26.35 per cent) of forests whereas neighbouring Uttarakhand spread over 53,483 sq km and having a much higher population, has 24,495 sq km (45.80 per cent) under forests.

Similarly, Arunachal Pradesh with 67,353 sq km forest cover (80.43 per cent) has been recommended the highest amount of Rs 727 crore. Even a small state like Mizoram has been rewarded with Rs 171 crore for maintaining a good forest cover (91.27 per cent). Nagaland got Rs 331 crore (81.12 per cent), Meghalaya Rs168 crore (77.23 per cent) and Manipur Rs 150 crore (77.40 per cent) have also gained. Even Jammu and Kashmir, with a large plain area, was better off with Rs 133 crore.

Worse, in Himachal open forests (density between 10 to 40 per cent), accounted for over 34 per cent of the total forest area as compared to just 24 per cent in Uttarakhand, indicating the extent of degradation. If the state had maintained its forest cover like Uttarakhand the quantum of devolution would have been in excess of Rs 220 crore.

It is time the state gives up its self-assumed leadership of hill states and learns a few lessons from the neighbouring state, which is doing far ahead in protecting the green cover and the environment.

Forest wealth is not being managed on sustainable basis and the latest data reveals that despite the Forest Conservation Act 8,890 hectares of forest has been diverted and another 600 hectares is in the pipeline. As a result dense forests (over 40 per cent canopy cover) are fast degenerating into open forests. In fact, very dense forest (over 70 per cent density) account for only 3,224 sq km and moderately dense forest (40 to 70 per cent density) for 6,383 sq km.

Dharamsala, March 7
The recent decision of the state government to allow hunting of blue bull, commonly known as nilgai, can spell disaster for the population of Asian antelope that is found only in northern India and Pakistan.

The blue bull is an antelope species. The state government took decision to allow killing of blue bull after some farmers from Una and adjoining areas reported regarding destruction of their crops by the species.

However, animal activists are of the view that the government should not take decision regarding allowing hunting of rare species just on simple applications of farmers. Since the animal is rare, it has been protected under schedule 3 of the Wildlife Act.

Inquiries by The Tribune from the Department of Forest have revealed that no survey has been done by the department to estimate the population of blue bull in the state. Since no survey or census has been conducted it is inappropriate to allow killing of the rare species just on simple application of a section of farmers.

In addition to that, the unscientific killing by farmers and laymen can disturb the population balance of blue bull and thus spell disaster for the species. In the recent decision the government has authorised the DFOs to issue licences for killing the blue bull. However, nobody is clear which animals will be killed under the guise of licences. The amateur hunters might kill healthy animals among the blue bull herds thus creating an imbalance in population surviving in the wild. A senior forest official on anonymity said unscientific killing of wild animal could create problems. He said earlier we were not concerned about the vultures. However, now vulture-breeding centres were being opened to protect the species. Similar scenario might appear in the case of blue bulls also, he said.

The animal activists were of the view that in case the government feels that the population of blue bull had increased in the state, it should initially conduct a survey to establish the fact. Then if necessary scientific culling should be allowed in which old and wounded animals could be eliminated. This would not disturb the population balance of rare species in the area. 

Hamirpur, March 7
While the state government has failed to appoint physiotherapists in majority of the government hospitals, only three physiotherapists continue to work in government hospitals of Himachal Pradesh for more than seven years, catering to the population of about 70 lakh.

This despite the fact that providing good medical facilities in the state have been set as one of the top priorities by the present government.

At present, only three physiotherapists are working for the entire state at Shimla, Mandi and Hamirpur government hospitals. In fact, even the state-run Dr Rajinder Prasad Medical College, Tanda, does not have a physiotherapist.

Appointments of physiotherapists, who play an important role in the treatment of patients through physical exercises, are essential as per medical norms.

Experts in the field say, “Physiotherapy is important for the treatment of patients suffering from spondylitis, knee ailments and patients seeking treatment in medicine, surgery and orthopaedic departments are referred to this department for the same.”

With the increase in number of patients suffering from disc, spinal cord and other orthopaedic problems, the demand for physiotherapy has increased manifold and physiotherapists are highly over burdened, they added.

More so, since a large number of patients have to go out of the state for this treatment when hundreds of qualified physiotherapists holding degrees and diplomas in this field are sitting idle.

In August last year, the state government had taken a decision to appoint physiotherapists in nine government hospitals but the matter is still pending.

On the issue of appointment of physiotherapists, Dr Nagesh Verma, director, health services, said, “The department is finalising recruitment rules for appointing physiotherapists and soon they would be appointed in every district of the state.”

Shimla, March 7
Despite being a major food producer India is lagging far behind in food processing with a global share of just 1.3 per cent, according to JP Maurya, industrial adviser to the union ministry of food processing.

“At present only about 6 per cent of the total produce was being processed as against 25 to 30 per cent at the global level,” said Maurya who was in the city in connection with a seminar-cum-workshop organised by the CII in collaboration with the union ministry of food processing industries.

Spelling out reasons for sluggish growth he said shortage of trained manpower, lack of adequate infrastructure, high cost of processed food products and eating habits were the main factors holding back the processing industry. The government has over the past five years taken a number of steps to address these issues and launched various incentive schemes to encourage processing industry. The objective was to increase the global share of the industry from 1.3 to 3 per cent by 2015 and value addition from 20 to 35 per cent. The long term aim was to ensure that at least 20 per cent of the produce was processed.

The world class national institute of food technology entrepreneurship and management being set up at Kundli in Haryana over 100 acres at a cost of Rs 244 crore would be an important milestone in the growth story of food processing industry in the country. It will be a one-stop centre catering to the education, research, training, introduction and transfer of new technology and other needs of the industry. It would have a lean structure with option to outsource non-core functions.

Maurya said the high cost of processed food was also a factor and unlike the developed countries, such products did not figure in the regular diet of the people. They consumed it only for fun. Further, medical experts stressed more on fresh food and termed processed food as unhealthy, whereas food technologists thought otherwise. There was need to educate the people so that they could take their own decisions. 

Mandi, March 7
As law enforcement remains weak on checking violations of traffic rules mainly wearing of helmets by motorcyclists, the road fatalities involving youths riding motorbikes has shot up in January and February raising an alarm in the Mandi region.

With the rise in figures, the DIG central Mandi range has directed the SPs in all five districts to launch an awareness campaign to enforce law in each district ensuring that motorcyclists wear helmets and avoid over-speeding.

According to the latest figure available on road accidents in the district, as many as 44 accidents have been reported in the first two months of 2010, as against 61 road accidents reported in the same period earlier. But the cause for concern was the fact that out of 44 accidents 20 accidents involved young motorcycle riders.

In 20 road fatalities, as many as eight motor bikers and a pillion rider were killed while six motor bikers and five pillion riders were injured.

Another dangerous trend among young bikers was hitting roadside pedestrians in eight cases and roadside objects in two cases. However, the bikers collided head-on with vehicles coming from the opposite direction in nine cases.

DIG central range Anurag Garg said, “Most casualties resulted because the bikers were not wearing helmets. A study observes that wearing helmets decreases the fatality by 72 per cent and chances of death by over 39 per cent.”

Though Section 129 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, mandates that every person driving or riding a motorcycle shall wear helmet, motorcyclists and pillion rider rarely wear them in the town because law enforcement remains weak.

It had also been observed that even those who wear helmet rarely bother to tie it properly as it goes off during an accident. Another major factor is over speeding.