Dharamsala, February 6
The plan of the state government to open Lok Mitra Kendras to help villagers depositing electricity bills, getting revenue records of their lands and providing other governments forms at their doorsteps is still a non-starter. Another motive of the scheme was to provide employment to the rural youth.

However, the scheme has failed to take off even after two years since it was launched. It is, in fact, turning out into a scam in which the poor rural youth of the state seem to have been taken for a ride.

Inquiries by The Tribune revealed that Zoom Developer, a company, was shortlisted by the Finance Department to help open the Lok Mitra Kendras in Kangra district. It was among the two firms which were given the charge of opening the kendras in the state.

The idea of such kendras was to open shops in all villages where the people could deposit their electricity and water bills, get revenue papers (farads) of their lands and other government-related forms. The village youth were to be encouraged for opening the shops. They were to install computer, printer, Internet service and web camera’s in the shops. In return, they were to get 2.5 per cent of the entire bills or forms routed through them.

The company collected Rs 11,000 from every panchayat of the lower areas and Rs 17,000 from the panchayat of the hilly areas for providing the service and software for the purpose to the Lok Mitra Kendras. The youth in almost all panchayats deposited the money with the company.

By a rough estimate, companies, given the approval in various districts, collected amounts ranging from Rs 37 crore to Rs 45 crore for providing the service. However, till date no Lok Mitra Kendra has been made functional, at least in Kangra district.

The poor youth have invested up to Rs 1 lakh from their pockets to establish the kendra but nothing has come out of it as yet.

The youth, who have opened the kendras in Kangra, alleged that the company had closed its office in the district.

The Chief Minister, Prem Kumar Dhumal, who is here in Kangra, has asked officials of the Finance Department to forfeit the bank guarantee of the companies that were providing services in the state and get a case of cheating registered against them.

While talking to The Tribune, he said: “The facts have been brought to his notice recently and I have ordered registration of a cheating case in the matter. I have asked principal secretary, Finance and IT, Ajay Tyagi, to get the case registered”, he said.

The deputy commissioner, Kangra, RS Gupta, said ideally, the companies should have approached him before opening the centres. The coordination among different departments was only possible through the office of the deputy commissioner. However, the company concerned did not approach his office for the purpose.

The deputy commissioner also said he did not have contact numbers of the company that was to facilitate opening of the Lok Mitra Kendras.

Palampur, February 6
Twelve trusts being run by Tibetans are under the scanner as the Income tax Department is likely to reopen and reinvestigate the cases of charitable trusts, which have availed the exemption from income tax under Section 12 of the Income Tax Act 1961.

Senior officials of the Income Tax Department have been examining the returns of income filed by the trusts in the past four years.

Most of the charitable trust are located in Palampur, Dharmsala, Bir and Baijnath which have been granted income tax exemption by the department.

This decision was taken following police and Enforcement Directorate raids on the premises of the Karmapa, a religious guru of the Tibetans, at Dharmsala last week, where foreign currency in crores was recovered.

Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that the ED and the police have detected transactions worth crores of rupees in the various bank accounts of the trusts which were not correctly disclosed in the account statements submitted before the Income Tax authorities while claiming tax exemption.

It was also learnt that only in one of the bank accounts of the trust, huge transactions were detected which did not figure in the income tax returns of the trust.

A senior police officer said these trusts had received foreign offerings without any permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs, which was mandatory under law. Many trusts had not disclosed such offerings before the I-T authorities.

However, a spokesman of a Tibetan trust told The Tribune that the Tibetans were law-abiding citizens. They had applied for permission from the Government of India to receive and account for foreign offerings and also for the treatment of those foreign offerings which they had already received between year 2003 and 2010.

He said all the trusts were regularly filing their tax returns before the authorities and assessments were completed up to date, therefore, there was no possibility of concealing any receipts from the Income Tax authorities.

He clarified that the trusts had never received bulk offerings, all offerings came from individuals. Since the matter was pending before the Government of India, such offerings remained lying with the trusts. He said such officering could not be treated as black money. He admitted that there could be some irregularities in keeping such funds in the banks, but it was never intentional or deliberate. Lack of law and knowledge had resulted in such irregularities, he added. 

Nurpur, February 6
Union Small, Micro and Medium Industry Minister Virbhadra Singh, while addressing a press conference here today before leaving for Delhi, said stalling of proceedings of the winter session of Parliament on the 2G spectrum issue by the Opposition was an atrocious and childish act.

“The Opposition has every right to keep its view point in Parliament within some limit but it should also respect the majority and debate the demand of a JPC probe in the Parliament notwithstanding stalling proceedings of Parliament,” he asserted. Virbhadra dared the Opposition to bring non-confidence motion in the Parliament on this issue in spite of making it a battlefield of politics in such way.

Taking a u-turn on his reported statement that the state government should regularise benami land deals of Tibetans in the state, the Union Minister clarified that only those benami lands should be regularised, which were recommended by the Tibetan administration for various schools or other community welfare institutions.

He alleged that during the BJP regime in the state, numerous benami land deals had been struck across the state and underlined the need to adopt equal yardstick to check this menace.

He claimed that his new ministry was directly linked for setting up about 80 per cent of the total industries in the country and this sector was next to the agriculture sector in generating employment opportunities.

“I will do my best in setting up micro, small and medium industries in my native state,” he committed.

Expressing his desire to keep himself away from electoral politics in the future, Virbhadra said he was reluctant to be a candidate for the post on the next state Chief Minister and added that he was not desirous for contesting next parliamentary or Assembly elections but in the same voice he added that he was a dedicated and loyalist Congressman having a track record of five- decade active politics.

Shimla, February 6
The hill state will showcase its folk arts and culture at the Mahabharat Utsav being held at New Delhi from February 10 to 25.

Principal Secretary (Language, Art and Culture) Manisha Nanda said here today that as many as 80 folk artists would participate in the festival. The “thoda” dance of Shimla and “pandvayan” singing of Sirmour associated with the tradition of Kaurav-Pandav war would be the main attractions of the programme. Besides, the famous Chamaba Rumal and pahari miniature paintings would also be displayed during the festival. During the seven-day seminar to be held simultaneously, research papers would be presented on “thoda” and “pandvayan” tractions.

Secretary of the state Academy of Language, Art and Culture Tulsi Raman said the Indira Gandhi National Art Centre, which is organising the festival, had stated that only “thoda” troupes still active would be allowed to participate. The academy had selected “Shathi” of Rajana and “Pashi” of Shilaghund, which had carried forward the ancient tradition of Kaurav-Pandav over the centuries. Normally, the duration of the “thoda” is three days but the ones to be enacted in Delhi will continue for seven days. The “thoda” performers would be accompanied by folk musicians and dancers.

The pictures of idols of various temples of Pandvas in Rohru, Solan, Kulu and Bilaspur would also be displayed. It would be for the first time that so many facets of the hill arts would be showcased at the national level during one event.

Meanwhile, a state-wide folk media campaign on the theme of ‘Beti hai anmol’ was launched today by the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in collaboration with the Department of Information and Public Relations.

On the occasion, NRHM director Rakesh Kanwar said 300 artists of 22 cultural troupes had been trained by the department to sensitise people about skewed sex ratio in 44 development blocks through street plays, folk plays and songs.

In the first phase that would continue till February 20, 440 folk media programmes would be organised in Kangra, Una, Solan, Sirmaur, Shimla, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Mandi districts. While these programmes would continue in a phased manner throughout the year, a special programme would be organised on the state level at Women's Day function on March 8, Kanwar added. 

Manali, February 6
The entire upper Manali region experienced a fresh spell of snowfall while the lower parts of the areas were lashed by rain today, resulting in considerable fall in the day temperature.

The tourist town of Manali also experienced a fresh spell of snowfall this afternoon. The snowfall in Manali and its lower areas was mild. The entire upper Manali region was enveloped with fresh snowfall this afternoon. Tourists were thrilled to see the upper areas of Manali region covered with snow.

They were in for a surprise today to see the upper areas of the Manali covered with white blanket of snow. They rushed to the Solang valley and Kothi to see the fresh snowfall. They were also seen enjoying different snow-related activities and having photo sessions. A thin layer of fresh snow also covered the Manali-Rohtang road near Kulang to the Solang valley and Kothi.

The famous ski slopes of the Solang valley, which were used for skiing courses, also experienced a fresh spell of snowfall. The snowfall on the Solang ski slopes brought cheers on the faces of winter sport lovers as now the slopes had enough snow for their skiing courses.

Meanwhile, the people in the tourism industry were happy with the fresh snowfall. They felt that it would boost winter tourism in the Manali region and expected more tourists in the Kullu valley.

Due to moderate and heavy snowfall in the entire higher reaches, the Manali region was in the grip of severe cold wave conditions and icy winds, which lashed the areas throughout the day, further declining the temperature. The severe cold wave forced the local residents to remain indoors.

Hamirpur, February 6
The Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department will soon become the first government department not only in the state but perhaps in the country to introduce online tendering system in all its four zones from the April 1.

All IPH offices from the Junior Engineer (JE) level to the circle office would be linked with state headquarters online to bring transparency and fix accountability of the staff.

In future, all bids for tenders to carry different works through contractors would be accepted online to bring an end to break monopoly and put a stop to the use of “strong-arm tactics” by some contractors. The IPH Department will also introduce online maintaining of measurement books by the JEs.

This system would revolutionise the system of preparing running bill for any work as the JEs and accounts staff is often accused of doing this work at their wishes causing harassment to the contractors.

The department would also have ready information of all registered contractors, including blacklisted ones, through their digital signatures and IDs and their registration would also be made online.

The software developed by the state unit of the NIC would also have ready information about budget allocation to different works, status of schemes recommended by the MLAs and MPs in their constituencies, maintaining service books and transferring these online, material inventory management and all information about pending court cases of the department.

Director (technical), NIC state unit, Dharmesh Sharma, said: “The working of the IPH Department is being brought online initially in 16 divisions in the first phase and sensitisation work is on. By the end of the year, all 52 divisions and 14 circles would be brought online,” he added.

Hamirpur, February 6
The town is soon going to be dustbin-free as the nagar parishad is planning to introduce house-to-house garbage collection from every household and business establishment.

The nagar parishad authorities have already started a process to work out modalities of implementing this scheme in the town. Through this scheme, the nagar parishad will arrange collection of garbage from every doorstep on payment of nominal charges.

While the nagar parishad will engage its existing sanitation staff for this purpose, it will also employ an additional staff and their salaries will be met from the charges collected from the public.

For covering about 3,400 households in the town, about 34 employees will be deployed and one employee collect the garbage from about 100 families.

The nagar parishad is also deploying a few three-wheelers for the collection of the garbage and narrow lanes will also be widened for passing through the three wheelers.

After implementation of this scheme, all dumpers fixed by the nagar parishad for the garbage collection will be removed from the town and the garbage be taken straight for the disposal. The sanitation staff will be collecting the garbage from every house twice during a day.

Executive Officer of Hamirpur nagar parishad Vijay Sharma said, “We are preparing a plan to make Hamirpur town dustbin-free and negotiating to purchase the three-wheelers.”

Dharamsala, February 6
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today announced sops for Khundian, a remote area of Kangra district near Jawalamukhi. He also sanctioned a science block and an amount of Rs 3 lakh for examination hall at government senior secondary school, Khundian, one ambulance for Khundian, Rs 12.36 crore for lift drinking supply scheme and Rs 1.19 crore for metalling of Khundian-Airla road.

The Chief Minister also announced opening of an ITI in Khundian on priority basis to provide local youth skilled and vocational trades training at their door step.

Earlier, Dhumal listened to the grievances of the residents in “Prashashan janta ke dwar” programme, an endeavour to bring administration at the doorsteps of the people, at Khundian. In the program, about 365 applications were registered by the authorities out of which 120 were disposed off instantly by passing necessary directions to the authorities concerned. Majority of applications related to funds for local developmental activities, social welfare, drinking water problems, irrigation facilities, employment to the youth, revenue related cases, road connectivity and provision of staff in education and health institutions.

The Chief Minister said such programs were aimed at providing relief to people at their doorsteps. He underlined the need for construction of check dams over local rivulets to re-energise the irrigation schemes. He, however, said it was an ambitious project and could take time.

He also said the state government had passed directions to the secretaries and panchayat sahayaks to make themselves available to the public during working hours of the week days. The patwaris have also been directed to listen to public grievances relating to the revenue work on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday of the week. 

Shimla, February 6
The state government will make a detailed presentation on the upcoming hydropower projects in the state before the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to have a definite word on the new conditions of the minimum riparian distance and cumulative environment impact assessment (EIA) for the entire river basin to end uncertainty over environment clearance.

While assuring the ministry that studies for cumulative EIA will be undertaken for all river basins on which projects are coming up or planned, it stressed that environment clearance to any project should not be withhold on this count. The required mitigation measures on the basis of the study will be made part of the environment management plan and implemented in toto.

A large number of projects have been allotted by the government and most of these are yet to get environment clearance. If the ministry insists on enforcing the condition of the minimum riparian distance of 1 to 2 km between two projects and cumulative EIA study for the concentred river basin, most of the projects will face problems in securing the clearance.

The issue was taken by principal secretary, Power, Deepak Sanan, with the ministry and it was agreed that a presentation will be made on February 19 regarding the upcoming projects, specific focus on term of reference for carrying out the cumulative EIA studies. The study for the Sutlej basin will be conducted by the Forum of Hydropower Producers so that the cost could be shared proportionately by public sector undertakings and independent power producers executing projects.

Sanan said the exercise was being undertaken to expedite the environment clearance and ensure that the projects were not delayed unnecessarily. The presentation would also help finalise terms of reference for the cumulative EIA study in respect of the Sutlej basin in consultation with the ministry so that all its concerns were addressed.

Thereafter, EIA studies will be assigned for the Ravi, the Pabbar, the Beas and the Chenab basins on the same agreed format.

The exercise will be completed by the time the projects reach the implementation stage and there will be no problem in incorporating the mitigation measures. The environmental concerns would be taken care of without delaying projects.

Shimla, February 6
The state unit of the CPM is holding state-wide protests against rising prices. The party will organise rallies, dharnas and demonstrations at all districts, block and tehsil headquarters. Secretary of the Shimla district unit of the party Sanjay Chauhan said the campaign would be launched from the Shimla.

The CPM has held both the UPA regime at the Centre and the BJP government in the state responsible for price rise. It would also seek the non-BJP and non-Congress parties to highlight the issue. The general inflation had reached of 8.5 per cent and people were reeling under price rise. Rampant corruption and plunder of resources by the influential had made the life of common man miserable, party sources said.

They also alleged that the ministers in the UPA government were speaking in different voices and giving contradictory statements on the issue. The government had not taken any effective measures to curb price rise and instead it had been taking decisions which will further fuel inflation. 

Bilaspur, February 6
The Himachal Government will sympathetically consider the proposals given to it by the All-Party Bhakra Oustees Rights Protection Committee for framing a policy for regularisation of encroachments done by oustees on the government land here.

This assurance was given by Revenue and PWD Minister Gulab Singh Thakur, who presided over the state-level high-powered Bhakra Dam Oustees Rehabilitation and Advisory Committee (BORAC) meeting here yesterday.

Earlier, the committee presented a detailed memorandum to the Revenue Minister and urged him to decide this issue at the earliest to save them from facing the wrath of the administration for vacation of this encroachment which they were “forced” to do due to their increasing families in these 50 years as they were only given a plot of 1,800 sq ft in lieu of their entire housing and landed property they owned in bighas in Bilaspur from which they were uprooted due to the formation of Gobind Sagar lake in the beginning of 1960.

Thakur reviewed the progress in the decisions and orders given by Chief Minister PK Dhumal to various departments in earlier meeting of BORAC.

Thakur wanted all departments concerned to expedite the matter and present the reports of implementation so that the next suitable steps are ensured by the state government with a view to providing relief to the oustees.

These issues included suitable steps for construction of the Berry Dadollan to Khairiyan bridge and Bhajwani (Auhar) bridge, sewerage treatment and garbage disposal plants, development of Bilaspur town and Gobind Sagar into tourist centres, relocation of the 13 centuries old temples of old town to new town at suitable places, construction of Nauni to Banola bypass to Bilaspur town to avoid heavy vehicles from three cement factories through the town and the formation of an HRTC like corporation to streamline the functioning of motor boats network in the Gobind Sagar.

Bilaspur, February 6
The government is holding a poster painting competition being organised by the Department of Information and Public Relations on subject of ‘Addiction is a social evil’. The students in the age group of 14-18 years can compete and send their entries.

District Information and Public Relations Officer Amar Singh Thakur said here today that any slogans on these posters should be in Hindi and these entries should be sent through the principal of the school to Director, Himachal Pradesh State Information and Public Relations, Shimla. Last date to submit the entries is February 15. — OC