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Govt steps in to facilitate apple growers
Chamba village faces threat from J&K ultras
The Sappa Choli pass visible from Langera village. A Tribune photograph |
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Power company workers pollute potable
water
Monsanto’s maize seeds under scanner
Himachal diary
Women, kids suffer more hearing impairment
Dr. Sanjay Sachedeva examines a patient during a two-day free ENT camp, a monthly feature, organised by the Vivekananda Kendra
at Kangra. A Tribune photograph
Experts survey rivulets in Nurpur subdivision
Amul told to pay compensation
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Govt steps in to facilitate apple growers
Shimla, June 1 With apple production this year expected to cross 2.50 crore boxes, efforts are afoot to avoid a glut-like situation and evade exploitation at the hands of millers and transporters. Chances of production of over three crore apple boxes, including the fruit sold under the market intervention scheme (MIS), are very high with the 2007-08 production of six lakh tonnes likely to be surpassed. Growers pointed out that though the chances of June dropping due to less moisture and other climatic factors, including damage by hailstorms, could reduce the produce by 10 per cent, the apple production could touch an all-time high. Even under the MIS it is expected that almost 50,000 tonnes would be procured this year against barely 1,000 tonnes last year. The season this year is likely to start a bit early. "We have urged the growers to sell their produce locally as far as possible in case they get good rates to avoid heavy transportation charges and commission by middlemen at Azadpur Mandi in Delhi," said Horticulture Minister Narender Bragta. The HPMC, HIMFED and the Agro-Industries Corporation would be assigned the task to make MIS procurement more transparent. As a major step towards reducing the burden on the Parwanoo yard and along the route from Kinnaur-Shimla-Solan-Parwanoo, a yard will be readied at Bandradu on the Himachal-Uttarakhand border. "With the setting up of this yard, growers from Rohru and Jubbal will have to ferry their produce barely 25 km from where it can be taken to markets at Saharanpur, Lucknow or other places," said Bragta. Similar yards were also proposed in the apple heartland at Khara Pathar, Rohru and Batta Kuffar to avoid transportation hassles. Bragta said that the PWD and National Highways Authority had been instructed to ensure that road conditions are good so that there are no hurdles in transportation. The Deputy Commissioners of all apple-growing districts have been asked to maintain close coordination with the PWD and other agencies so that apple reaches the market in a good condition and fetches handsome prices. In case there was a shortfall in the availability of trucks for transporting the produce to the market, vehicles would be arranged from the adjoining states of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi and UP. The Chinese company undertaking construction of the Theog-Hatkoti-Jubbal road has been directed to ensure that 3 mts road is in a good condition as even work in under way so that uninhibited transportation of apples is possible. The government has also held talks with carton dealers so that the growers do not face any problem. Since most of the carton units are located outside the state, the government has held talks with the governments concerned to ensure that the growers get good-quality cartons and other packaging material on time.
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Chamba village faces threat from J&K ultras
Langera (Chamba), June 1 A trip from Chamba to the border village of Langera though pleasant is tense from the security point of view. The inhabitants along the border area are living under the constant fear of militants. In the event of any attack by ultra outfits, the timberline, which is the high-altitude borderline between Chamba and Doda, is an advantage for militants to fail the strategy of security forces on the Himachal side. The timberline of the hill ranges at an altitude of above 3,200 m while the checkpoints of Langera and Khundi Mural are positioned at an altitude of 2,140 m. The road from Chamba via Langera crossing over Padhari Pass links Bhaderwah and Kistwar in J&K. Sappa Choli, an easy but notorious pass to cross over from the J&K side, can easily be seen by keeping the neck upright. Other ranges of the hillside are also the same. So one can very well imagine the possibility of any untoward incident arising out of any mischief by ultras at any moment. Madhu Sudan, Chamba SP, however, maintains that security personnel deployed at the checkpoints set up by the Indian Reserve Battalion and the Indo-Tibet Border Police at Langera are keeping a strict surveillance on the high-altitude timberline passes round the clock and they are alert enough to thwart any nefarious design of anti-national elements.
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Power company workers pollute potable
water
Palampur, June 1 Om Power Corporation had built over 50 huts to house about 100 labourers on the banks of Neugal river but forgot to provide toilets. Consequently, labourers defecate in the river and also throw other waste into its. When The Tribune cameraman tried to take photos of the contamination and sheds constructed along the river bank, company officials stopped him and threatened to snatch his camera. Surprisingly, IPH Department officials are aware of labourers polluting the water but no steps were being taken. A senior officer said the department had slapped damages of Rs 1 crore on Om Power Corporation for loss to property, including damages to drinking water system, but the company failed to deposit the money. It has also not deposited its mandatory contribution to the local area development programme. How the company got the no-objection certificate to execute the project is anybody’s guess. Earlier, IPH Minister Ravinder Thakur had also met the company’s general manager.
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Monsanto’s maize seeds under scanner
Hamirpur, June 1 The yield test of PMZ4 (double) variety was undertaken by experts from Palampur Agriculture University in 2002, (which is valid for 10 years), and this yield test is being pushed as the merit of these seeds. Experts say, “The company had not sent this variety of seeds for yield testing as single-cross and moreover, the yield test report (copy of which is available with the Tribune) no way proves this variety is better then the double-cross varieties”. Sources say, “Even the Agriculture Department had sought clarification from the company for the seeds being of single-cross but the name of the seed and details mentioned on its packet clearly mentioned it as Dekalb (double)”. While these seeds are sold as single-cross almost on twice the rate of double-cross variety at Rs 91 for 5 kg, the company has not even submitted the authentic certificate (breeder certificate) to the department for its being a single-cross variety. It has been learnt that even a circular from the directorate's office sent to deputy director offices had not mentioned these seeds as single-cross maize seeds with rate card. The crops of onion, maize, and cabbage from few verities of seeds supplied by Monsanto had failed in different parts of the country, with the central government seeking report on the supply of seeds after the issue was raised in Parliament. Minister of State for Agriculture KV Thomas had also made a categorical statement on this issue. An officer of the company said, “The name of this verity of maize seeds has been named as PMZ4 (double) by a scientist and even the director of agriculture had sought clarification on
this issue”. Meanwhile, the state government has asked the Agriculture Department to closely monitor the crop of maize where these seeds have been sown by farmers.
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Pencil drawings of heritage structures
Art lovers were pleasantly surprised to see the works of a local amateur artist MS Bhogal whose pencil drawings of capturing the beauty of heritage structures of the British era were on display (See photo) at Shimla’s Gaiety Theatre early this week. The construction contractor-turned- sketch artist was a revelation. The line drawings of almost every historic building of the city were on display. These included the imposing Viceregal Lodge, Town Hall, Gaiety Theatre, Gorton Castle, GPO, Green Gate, Corner House and many other prominent structures. Besides, the drawings of the famous Golden Temple, the Bhima Kali Temple of Sarhan, Hatkoti Temple and Nag Devta Temple of Kotkhai were also among the 100 exhibits. The original drawing of the Golden Temple fetched Rs 70,000 to the artist and the prints of the drawing of various structures were sold for Rs 500 apiece. Bhogal loved to draw sketches since childhood but found no opening. He went on to pursue the family vocation of construction after graduation. It took him eight years to give it up so that he could devote all his time and energy to his first love, pencil drawing. Besides making pencil drawings of buildings, Bhogal also draws sketches of birds and animals. He has already made a large number of drawings and now plans to bring two books of his works--one devoted to buildings and the other to bird and animals. Free medical check-up
Hotel Radisson, Shimla, organised a free medical check up at Kasturba Gandhi Balika Ashram, Durgapur, on the occasion of “International Day of Action for Women’s Health” early this week. A team of doctors specialising in pediatrics and medicine--Dr L.S. Chaudhry, Dr Vishal Thakur, Dr Subash Chauhan and Dr. Umbika Sood---examined girls at the ashram. The objective of this health camp was to encourage individuals and society as a whole to shoulder the enormous responsibility of ensuring a dignified life to the abandoned girls living in the orphanages. The camp left the girls with beaming eyes and hopes for future. “A little amount of care, a handful of warmth and a heart full of love for girls can make a big difference to their lives” said Dr. Prem Lala Gandhi, head of the ashram Apart from this, the Radisson team has been a good friend to the old age home at Basantpur where the members spend time with inmates to bring smiles on their faces.
Social awareness campaign
Students of the International Institute of Fashion Design (INFID), Hamirpur, have taken an initiative to create awareness among rural women. The students are now trudging rugged terrains to interact with local people. The students of the institute, who undertake a social awareness campaign every year, especially on issues relevant to young girls and women. This time they are focusing attention on environment conservation and educating people how to make optimum use of energy and water and saving water. The students are laying special emphasis on maintaining cleanliness in and around villages. The students have so far covered Chamned, Lamblu, Jaisinghpur, Sujnapur Tihra, Badsar, Patta, Ladror, Hareta and a few other villages under the campaign. (Contributed by
Rakesh Lohumi and DP Gupta)
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Women, kids suffer more hearing impairment
Kangra, June 1 He said that 95 per cent of such patients could be treated at the district level. Women were being ignored here resulting in their hearing impairment. He was here in connection with a two-day free ENT camp organised by the local unit of the Vivekananda Kendra as a monthly feature. He suggested that the ear discharge should be treated well in time as it was resulting in the perforation of eardrums, resulting in hearing impairment. Dr Sachedeva said that neo-natal screening for hearing impairment was extremely essential followed by ENT check-up for school children as hearing loss not detected at an early stage affects both speech and education of a child. He said technology had gone so advanced that deafness could be wiped out if proper infrastructure was developed by the state government. Dr Sachdeva examined nearly 100 patients at Gopal Bagh here on the first day of the ENT OPD. As many as 40 audiometery tests were also carried out with the help of Chinmaya Organisation for Rural Development (CORD) Dr. Sachdeva conduct seven free endoscopic ENT surgeries in the Civil Hospital on Monday and new eardrums were reconstructed in five cases. The Senior Citizens Forum and Pensioners Association has urged Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal for allowing the kendra to hold the surgical camp in Tanda hospital.
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Experts survey rivulets in Nurpur subdivision
Nurpur, June 1 The team led by senior research officer Neena Isaaq conducted recce of these rivulets and also noted their physical
behaviour. According to information gathered from Irrigation-cum-Public Health
(IPH) Department, the floods in these rivulets were causing huge losses every year and eroding the fertile soil in the area. Keeping in view the irreparable losses, the government has been formulating a strategy to adopt flood-control measures. For this purpose, consultancy of the CWPRS under the Union Ministry of Water Resources had been requisitioned. According to information, the state IPH Department has provided hydrology data to the expert team. The CWPRC would likely submit its detailed report suggesting measures of the flood control in these rivulets to the state government within next three months. A technical field team of the IPH Department also accompanied the team and assisted it to undertake mathematical model study of
the rivulets.
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Amul told to pay compensation
Nurpur, June 1 Last week, RK Mittal, chairman of the forum, also directed the company to pay the actual cost of the commodity paid by the consumers. According to sources, both consumers had filed complaints before the forum that the weights of the ghee printed on the containers were 905 gm each, but were found underweight, with 690 and 624 gm. However, the forum weighed both containers and found the allegation to be true.
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To ensure that growers reap the full returns of a bumper apple crop, the government has swung into action to streamline procurement, transportation, packaging and other arrangements for hurdle-free movement of the produce to the market, with thrust on developing yards at several places within the state.
In the wake of sporadic incidents of militancy-related violence in Jammu and Kashmir, the border village of Langera, 85 km from Chamba, is also facing the threat of militancy.
Kangra, June 1
