Shimla, July 9
The State Cabinet today approved various amendments to make the Himachal Pradesh Lease Rules more stringent and provide relief in genuine cases.

It has been decided not to allot government land where suitable private land is available and a provision has been made for allotting government land only for government universities. Private universities will not be eligible for it. Further, it has been decided to grant lease for purposes recognised by the state government as developmental activity only. Earlier, land to companies was allotted at 18 per cent of the highest market value or double the five-year average (whichever is less) but henceforth, it will be chargeable on the amount, whichever will be higher. The provision will also be applicable to petrol pumps and godowns.

In case the leased land is not put to use within two years of allotment, the same will be resumed by the government and an amount 10 times of the lease money will be charged as penalty. Similarly, for the private educational institutions, other than primary and middle schools, in the earlier provision of 5 per cent of the latest highest market value or double the average of market value of the last five years, ‘whichever is less’ has also been replaced by ‘whichever is high.’ Procedure for applying, processing and granting the lease has also been rationalised and made clearer.

The Cabinet which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal decided to request the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) to issue ‘no-objection certificate’ in favour of private JBT institutes which fulfilled the prescribed norms until the number of trainees reaches 4,000, so that adequate number of trained teachers were available for government educational institutions in the state. It decided to pay handling charges at the rate of Rs 1.95 per kg to the designated agencies for the procurement of apple under the Market Intervention Scheme during 2010 season and to provide 10,000 MT of procured apple to the HPMC for processing purposes free of cost.

It granted sanction for setting up of four industrial training institutes at Sandhol and Bhadrota in Mandi, Tikkar in Shimla and Ghumarwin in Bilaspur. It granted approval for providing state guarantee for borrowing of Rs 16.05 crore by the HP Financial Corporation through non-SLR bonds. It authorised the Department of Animal Husbandry to start the process for selection of 900 veterinary pharmacists to be trained under ‘Arogya Pashudhan Programme’ as per the prescribed norms.

Shimla, July 9
Even as calm prevailed in Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) following two days of violence, a clash between SFI and ABVP activists from Court Shera College took place in Chaura Maidan, injuring five students.

The spill over of the violence resulted in fresh cases being registered by the police on the complaint of the SFI and the ABVP. Five students from Court Shera College have been arrested for injuring each other, said SSP R.M. Sharma.

He said while all 57 students, both from the ABVP and the SFI arrested yesterday, were released on bail, 13 of them had been re-arrested today. These 13 students, all from the SFI, were facing non-bailable charges, including beating up of a teacher and damage to public property for which they had to be arrested, he said.

There was heavy police deployment in the university and the police had been searching for outsiders staying in the hostels, said Sharma.

Meanwhile, Principal Secretary (Education) Shrikant Baldi today urged students to maintain calm. The government in order to ensure democratic rights of students allowed holding of elections but unfortunately a section of the students were misusing it to vitiate the academic atmosphere, he regretted. He warned that serious action would be taken against those resorting to unlawful activities.

The Himachal Pradesh University Teachers Welfare Association (HPUWTA) assembled outside the office of the Vice-Chancellor to register its protest against the attack on a teacher. Teachers decided to wear black badges till strict action is not taken against those involved in the attack.

Shimla, July 9
Aimed at bridging the gap between the organisation and the government, the ruling party is planning to resort to dinner diplomacy so that frequent informal interaction between ministers and party functionaries can keep the going smooth for the BJP regime, halfway through its term.

All senior state party functionaries will dine with Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal and his ministerial colleagues on the 9th of every month at the residence of a minister. To keep the party functionaries at the constituency level happy, party men from five mandals from anywhere in the state will have tea with the Chief Minister at his residence here at Oak Over once a month on any given date, suiting the convenience of the Chief Minister.

Not only has the party been tactical in choosing the date, which incidentally is Dhumal’s lucky number, but the beginning also is being made today from the house of Food and Supplies Minister Ramesh Dhawala, a loyalist of Shanta Kumar, MP and arch rival of the Chief Minister. Considering the harsh utterances and belligerent mood of Kangra MP Rajan Sushant in the recent past, the senior leaders are probably thinking of maintaining closer ties with the party men.

“We have decided to have informal meetings over dinner and tea from today so that there is better coordination between the party and government,” said state BJP chief Khimi Ram. He added this would bring the party men closer to those occupying important positions in the government so that they could give feedback about the functioning of the government and reaction of the public to its welfare schemes.

Going a step ahead, senior party leaders have decided to depute one minister and senior state party functionary to visit any district headquarter on a given date and sit throughout the day in the party office to interact with the party men.

“This will provide an opportunity to party workers to bring to the notice of the government any shortcomings or other works of the area.

Khimi Ram said Himachal would also be a venue for one of the national-level training workshops for senior party leaders and Chief Ministers of the BJP-ruled states in the series that has been launched from Mumbai.

“The next workshop is scheduled to be held at Delhi and Kripal Parmar will represent Himachal,” he added.

Shimla, July 9
Shimla may have inched closer in its mission of becoming the second smoke-free city after Chandigarh but the alarming fact that 40 per cent of the schoolchildren are hooked to smoking is a matter of grave concern.

It is a survey conducted by the Himachal Pradesh Voulntary Health Association (HPVHA) in which this startling revelation was made. The only solace being that 84 per cent public places in the “Queen of Hills” are free from smoke saving majority of the population from the ill- effects of passive smoking.

The fact that 40 per cent schoolchildren are into smoking and other forms of addiction is a serious issue which needs greater consideration, said Narender Sharma, executive director of HPVHA. Seeking stricter action, he said even now cigarettes were being sold blatantly outside schools despite being banned under the law.

As per data compiled by the HPVHA, the state government is earning a revenue of Rs 32 crore from sale of tobacco products and spending Rs 132 crore on providing treatment for tobacco-related diseases, including cancer and chest ailments. During the last one-year, 2,000 violators were challaned for smoking-related issues with a fine of Rs 3.46 lakh being collected.

Citing a report compiled by Union South East Asia, Sharma said, “Almost 80 per cent of the places in the town have display boards, highlighting the provisions under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Prevention Act (COTPA),” said Sharma.

Dr Gopal Chauhan, State Nodal Officer, Tobacco Control, said efforts were on to discourage people to take tobacco products. To ensure strict compliance on ban on smoking in public, even transport officials had been authorised to challan under COTPA. Anuradha Panda, consultant with the HPVHA, said intensive advocacy campaigns had been launched throughout the state to achieve a smoke-free Himachal.

Gramphu (Lahaul-Spiti), July 9
More than 70 tourists, both Indians and foreigners, have been stranded at Chatru and Gramphu here for the past two days as the 137-km-long Gramphu-Chatru-Kaza road to Spiti remained breached at three places due to landslides in nullahs.

This correspondent met three tourists, a Swedish couple Juou Holmberg and his wife Baita Holmberg and an HR manager, Lufthansa Airways, Deepak Seth.

“We hired two ponies to carry Baita as she fell sick and reached here after staying at Chatru for two days”, they said, while narrating their tale.

There were more than 70 tourists, including seven of a family from Kolkata, who were still stranded at Chatru and over 30, most of them foreigners, stranded at Gramphu on Thursday. “There was no worker or machinery for two days to clear the three landslides near Chatru and we hired two ponies as my wife had fever and she survived on liquid”, said Juon.

Seth, while writhing in pain after he sustained sprain while crossing a nullah, said: “There is no assistance if something happens. We lifted boulders on the road all the way from Kunjam, Batal, Chota Dhara and Chatru where we got struck for two days and spent two nights in vehicles”, he said.

He said he spent two days at Kaza in HPTDC hotel without electricity. The roads, including Marhi-Rohtang-Koksar stretch of the highway, were dangerous and he is lucky that he has reached Manali”, said Seth.

SE PWD RC Verma claimed that they had sent machine and cleared the landside around 9 pm last night for light vehicle.

SP Lahaul-Spiti, SR Rana said the road was cleared for the light vehicles from Chatru and they were not aware that tourists were stranded at Chatru and Gramphu so far. 

Shimla, July 9
Irked over the failure of the incumbent body of the State Power Engineers Association to hold elections despite expiry of its two-year term, the members of the association today constituted an ad hoc steering committee to run its affairs.

SPS Khatta, president of the committee, said the elected body had lost the constitutional right and it had extended the term beyond three years on one pretext or the other. The members had repeatedly urged general secretary Suneel Grover to convene the annual general body meeting and hold fresh elections but he had been evading it.

He fixed May 23 as the date for the meeting when the members threatened to constitute an ad hoc committee. However, no meeting was convened and the power engineers, whose interests had been severely undermined over the past two years, were left with no alternative but to set up an ad hoc steering committee.

He said the committee would soon convene the annual meeting of the general house and hold elections to have a regular body in place so that issues pertaining to the power engineers could be taken up effectively. They have already met the chairman-cum-managing director of the HPSEB, Subhash Negi, in this regard.

Kangra, July 9
The medical authorities raided a private hospital at Sadarpur on the outskirts of this town today and sealed it for want of a qualified staff and proper post-operative care of surgery patients and recommended action against a team of doctors headed by Dr Raj Kumar, associate professor, Department of Surgery of Dr R.P.Govt. Medical College, Tanda, for allegedly carrying out surgeries there, violating the law of the land.

Chief medical officer Dr K.S.Dogra told The Tribune that a team of doctors headed by him and accompanied by Dr G.R.Kaushal, district health officer, today raided Bajjreshwari hospital at Tanda and found 10 patients admitted, who had undergone major surgeries there. He alleged that post-operative care was absent in the hospital thus the patients were at risk. He said the hospital was sealed and patients were asked to vacate within two days.

He said there was unqualified staff to take care of such patients which included Dr Ghautam, a GAMS doctor, an unqualified ANM and a laboratory technician. Dr Dogra said during inquiries, it was revealed that Dr Raj Kumar had performed these surgeries violating the law. He said Dr Kumar getting 25 per cent NPA and private practice was banned in the state.

The CMO said the treatment sheets of the patients were incomplete. He said huge amounts were charged from the patients. Dr Dogra said a CT scan machine without lead lining, which was mandatory for such equipment, was sealed. The CMO said he had recommended to the Secretary, Health, for action against the doctors involved in this illegal activity.

Dr. Anil Chouhan, principal, Dr.R.P.Govt. Medical College, said the state government was aware of these activities for which the Secretary Health had already issued a show-cause notice to three doctors, Dr Kumar, Dr R.K.Verma and Dr Jai Singh a month back. The sources close to the Secretary, Health, said an inquiry had been ordered and J.C. Katoch, Additional Director, Administration, was assigned the job.

Shimla, July 9
The state government today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hyderabad-based GVK EMRI (Emergency Management and Research Institute) to pave way for the launching of “Atal Swasthya Seva” in the public-private partnership mode from October 2.

The MoU, under which the company will provide 100 well-equipped ambulances in different parts of the state, was signed in presence of Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. He said in the first phase, 25 ambulances would be made operational covering Sirmour, Solan, Una and Hamirpur districts. It would be followed by two more phases to cover all 12 districts by December 25, 2010, the birthday of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

He said the ambulance services would entail a cost of Rs 18 crore and a recurring expenditure of Rs 14.39 crore per annum. He said a strong fleet of 100 ambulances would transport patients to the nearest hospital and in critical cases to the nearest specialised hospitals so that emergency medical services were made available to them without any loss of time.

The service could be availed by dialling telephone number 108. Chief executive officer of EMRI Venket Chengavalli said it was a “Not for profit” venture and Himachal was the tenth state to run ambulance services in collaboration with EMRI. The scheme launched on August 15, 2005, from Andhra Pradesh and during past five years 81 lakh emergency victims had been lifted, 2.10 lakh lives saved and 2,600 ambulances were making 4.5 emergency trips daily.

Over 15,600 people had been provided employment, 30,000 people had been imparted two-month training and 6,000 children had been delivered in ambulances, which were treated as “Institutional delivery” in some states. He said 100 ambulances would cover the 10 non-tribal districts.

As many as 600 persons would be employed to run the services in Himachal out of which 95 per cent would be from the state. The main service centre would be located at Dharampur.

The MoU was signed by Principal Secretary, Health, P.C.Dhiman on behalf of the state and Venkat Chengavalli for GVK EMRI.

Solan, July 9
With the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board failing to grant uninterrupted power, several paper mills are facing production losses ranging from 50 to 90 per cent every month.

Frequent trippings ranging from five to 40 minutes are a routine. As if this was not enough, the investors rued that fresh load restriction schedules have been imposed.

Ruing deteriorating power scenario, Rajesh Aggrawal of Rupana Paper Mill at Nalagarh said, “The board has now directed to impose 60 per cent load restriction every eighth day. Every tripping of five minutes costs us production loss of at least two hours and we have suffered as much as 50 per cent production loss since April due to erratic power supply.”

Facing the worst power crisis was the case of two paper mills at Tahliwaal - Sainsons Paper and Pulp Limited and Saber Paper Mills - where the two investors who had initiated operations in February with partial loads of less than 50 per cent and incurring Rs 2 crore for laying a 14-km line, Rs 2 crore for purchasing a transformer and another Rs 1.22 crore as infrastructural charges each failed to get even 50 per cent of the load even after a gap of three months now.

Ramesh Saini of Sainsons Paper and Pulp Limited, said, “We have failed to run the unit for even five hours since the past three months in the absence of even 4-MW load as against the full load of 7.5 MW. It has become difficult to bear the overhead monthly expenditures after investing Rs 100 crore. Though we have been assured time and again that a bay required to streamline the system will soon be put in place, it has been delayed inordinately making it difficult to even initiate proper production.”

Similar situation is being faced by Ruchira Paper Mill at Kala Amb where frequent tripping caused production losses of 20-25 per cent per month, opined JM Singh.

Director, Power Regulation, Suneel Grover said there was no shortage of power but the heavy reactive load drawn from the northern grid owing to the paddy season by farmers to run their tubewells in other states was causing low voltage which was a matter of concern.