Shimla, September 1
The Himachal Pradesh Housing and Urban Development Authority (Himuda) will make an amendment to its regulations to reserve plots and flats for bona fide Himachalis so that their housing needs are met first and only a small percentage of its structures are offered to outsiders.

Despite a survey undertaken by Himuda indicating that there is a demand for about 70,000 houses, the agency is finding it tough to meet the demand in view of scarce land in the hill state.

As such another important decision that has been taken by Himuda is to only make flats and not offer plots so that the needs of a majority are met since sufficient land is not available.

“No doubt anyone is welcome to buy a house in the state but we have a greater responsibility towards meeting the housing needs of bona fide Himachalis; so we will make an amendment to the regulations to reserve a high percentage for them,” said Ganesh Dutt, vice-chairman, Himuda. He said the matter would be placed before the board of directors at its next meeting.

A large number of outsiders from all over India are keen on acquiring houses in popular tourist destinations like Shimla, Kasauli, Solan, Kullu-Manali and Solan. Though Himuda has no exact data about the number of outsiders who have applied for a house with it, the number seems to be sizeable.

As a step towards constructing houses at the earliest, the board of directors has allowed Himuda to raise a loan of Rs 100 crore. “The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Himuda has been authorised to raise the loan from any nationalised bank at the lowest rate of interest so that more land can be acquired and planning of houses can begin at the earliest,” said Dutt.

During the past few months, Himuda has acquired land near Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur where the demand for houses is very high. About 125 bighas are being acquired near Mehli on the outskirts of the state capital, about 155 bighas at three places - Moginanad, Trilokpur and Jarja in Sirmaur district and 115 bighas near Seel-Raho near Solan.

The maximum demand for houses is in Shimla with 11,000 applying to Himuda followed by 8,000 for Hamirpur.

The demand is also quite high in the Kasauli, Manali and Sirmaur areas bordering Haryana and Chandigarh.

However, keeping in view the unavailability of sufficient land, Himuda for the time being will not carve out too many plots and thrust would be on making flats so that the maximum possible people can be accommodated.

Shimla, September 1
It is difficult to fix responsibility for cloudbursts and other such natural disasters.

This was stated by the Chief Secretary of the state in her affidavit filed before the high court in a matter pertaining to the recent deaths of labourers in a cloudburst at Dhoondi, near Manali.

However, she further stated that the state had directed the Kullu Deputy Commissioner to enquire into the matter and give his report. It was also said on behalf of the state that the directions had been issued to all the Deputy Commissioners to take immediate steps to remove labour colonies from hazardous locations to safer places.

She further said the Meteorological Department sent a proposal for the installation of Weather Doppler Radars at Shimla in the first phase and in Chamba or Dharamsala in the second phase.

After perusing the affidavit of the Chief Secretary, the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Rajiv Sharma today adjourned the case for October 18.

In its earlier order expressing serious concern on the recent deaths of labourers in a cloudburst at Dhoondi, the state high court had sought a reply from the state government; the Border Roads Organisation, Manali; Garg and Garg Construction Company, the contractor for the Rohtang Tunnel Project.

The Bench passed this order on the petition filed by Jagdish Vats alleging that the lives of labourers could have been saved had the administrative machinery been alert and prepared to provide necessary relief and rescue equipment and manpower and if the state government had implemented the proposal of the Met Department to install Doppler Radars.

The petitioner submitted that flash floods had struck a construction site where makeshift sheds and tents were provided by the contractor, Garg & Garg Construction Company, to accommodate labourers engaged in the construction of a snow gallery to connect the Rohtang tunnel from the road leading to it.

He said most projects in the state were vulnerable to natural calamities, but the authorities concerned rose from deep slumber only when a disaster occurred and then again went back into slumber.

He also submitted that the Met Department had advised the state to install Doppler Radars, which could detect various parameters of weather change up to aerial distance of 150 km, but due to red-tapism, the project had not seen the light of day even after six years of the proposal.

The petitioner prayed that immediate steps be taken to remove labour colonies in hazardous locations across the state and shift such colonies to safer locations and ensure strict implementation of the labour laws.

Shimla, September 1
Above normal precipitation due to a vigorous monsoon during August almost made up for the deficient rains in the preceding months of the current season.

The state received 321 mm of rainfall in August as against the normal precipitation of 273 mm, which is 18 per cent higher than normal. In contrast, in July the monsoon weakened considerably after good spells of rain in June and as a result the state received 45 per cent less rainfall than normal. The total rainfall for the monsoon season from June 1 stood at 305.1 mm; accordingly the overall deficiency in precipitation was 22 per cent at the end of July. Last year the state had 372.9 mm of rainfall over the same period, which was 7 per cent more than normal.

However, after August the situation has improved and the total rainfall during the season up to September 1 is 627 mm against the normal precipitation of 665.5 mm and the overall deficiency has come down to 6 per cent which is as good as normal as meteorologically deficient or excess precipitation to the extent of 19 per cent is considered normal.

In July all districts except Kinnaur had deficient rain, whereas in August only Lahaul and Spiti (-26%), Chamba (-8%) and Sirmaur (-23%) recorded below normal precipitation. Overall only three districts, Chamba (-16%), Solan (-19%), Shimla (-8%) and Lahaul and Spiti (-62%) are still significantly deficient. However, the tribal Kinnaur, which received 215 mm rainfall against the normal of 126.7 mm, has recorded 70 per cent excess rainfall so far. Kulu (+26%) and Una (+16%) are the other districts which have experienced excess rain.

Last year excess rain during July and August helped in improving the size of fruit and a bumper crop turned out to be super-bumper harvest with the total production jumping to a record 4.46 crore boxes up from the previous highest of 2.97 crore boxes. This year the crop has been lean and with Shimla district, which accounts for 80 per cent of the production, having deficient rain, the fruit size has not increased much. As a result, the production may not cross the 2 crore boxes and so far only 62.23 lakh boxes have been sent to various markets as against 1.75 crore last year.

Although the main monsoon season is over, the hill state is likely to have some rain in September too, says Manmohan Singh, in charge of the local Met office. However, the September rain will not help the growers much.

Hamirpur, September 1
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today ordered the suspension of Pankaj Singhal, Hamirpur Divisional Manager of the Himachal Roadways Transport Corporation (HRTC), for not remaining present at the headquarters during his tour to the district.

The matter was brought to the notice of the Chief Minister by residents who met him in connection with some complaints related to the HRTC.

On learning that the DM was absent despite strict orders of the government to all officers to remain present during the tour of the Chief Minister in their areas, the Chief Minister got annoyed and asked the HRTC authorities to suspend the officer.

However, Managing Director of the HRTC Bharat Khera said, “I have not received any such orders yet and will take appropriate action after getting the orders.”

The DM, Hamirpur, said, “I had gone out in connection with some important official work and will meet the Chief Minister to explain my position.”

Matahni (Hamirpur), September 1
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has lashed out at Congress leaders for opposing private universities in the state and took them to task for their propaganda of “Himachal on sale”.

He said this while addressing a public meeting here today after laying the foundation stone of the administrative block building of Himachal Pradesh Technical University (HPTU) at Dahudi village.

The Chief Minister said: “Though Congress leaders have been opposing the opening of private universities, one Congress MLA had pleaded in the Assembly to open one such university in his area.”

Questioning the Congress leader’s motive in opposing private universities, he said when a lot of private universities had been opened in the neighbouring states of Haryana, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu, why were they opposing it here. He asked, “Are they acting as agents of outside universities and want to deprive students of the state from higher education?”

Dhumal said: “One private university in Solan district had been adjudged as a top university of the country and another university from the same district had got the sixth position.”

Earlier, the CM also inaugurated the State Institute of Hotel Management and Food Technology at Jhaniari and laid the foundation stone of a girls’ hostel of the extension centre of Horticulture University, Solan, at Neri.

Horticulture Minister Narender Bragta and MLA Urmil Thakur also addressed the meeting.

Bilaspur, September 1
Congress president Kaul Singh Thakur has criticised the state government for its alleged failure to fulfil its election promises and having betrayed farmers.

Addressing mediapersons at the Circuit House here today, Kaul Singh said the BJP election manifesto gave top priority to providing some essential relief to farmers and orchardists of the state by controlling the ever-spreading menace of monkeys, wild animals and stray cattle to their crops, but having spent about four years in power in the state, the government had never bothered to look into the issue, which now had become a headache for them. They had lost over 50 per cent of their crops due to these animals.

Thakur said but for some announcements regarding controlling stray cattle by opening gau sadans, sterilisation of monkeys and allowing farmers to kill wild animals, nothing concrete had been done, resulting in frustration among this vast section of population of state.

He said it looked as if the government had not only failed to govern, but it had also lost the will to govern “as it now had clearly seen its doom written on the wall in the coming Assembly elections”.

Kaul Singh was also critical of the attitude of the government towards the destruction of crops of farmers due to heavy rains and storms as large tracts of lands with standing crops had been flattened by natural calamities, but the government had not even asked its revenue staff to visit villages and assess the losses and compensate the affected farmers.

Bad roads, non-release of pending arrears of employees and pensioners, including medical bills and of Punjab pay scales, and victimisation of Congress party leaders and activists to harass them were some other subjects on which Kaul Singh made repeated digs on the government saying that the BJP would soon see the results of the “vindictive political crop” they were sowing, as they must themselves reap this poisonous weed one day in the near future.

A large number of Congress party leaders, including MLA Rajesh Dharmani, District Congress president Santosh Dhiman, former MLA Dr Babu Ram Gauttam, District Congress senior general secretary Gopal Sharma, nagar parishad vice-president Kamlender Kashyap, District Mahila Congress president Narendra Billoria, zila parishad members Hoshiar Singh Thakur and Basant Ram Sandhu and state member Jitender Chandel were among those who were present.

Kangra, September 1
A Ganesha procession was taken out from Ujjain, on the outskirts of the town, to the Donga Bazaar locality here today for the instalation of the idol there in connection with the week-long Ganesh festival.

The idol of Lord Ganesha has been made by artists from outside the state.

The procession passed through the new general bus stand, Dharamsala road and main bazaar of the town before it was installed at Donga Bazaar in the vicinity of the Bajjreshwari temple.

The Bajjreshwari temple is one of the 52 Shakti peeths where the left breast of Goddess Sati had fallen when her husband Lord Shiva took her consigned body to the Himalayas. The Goddess is the mother of Lord Ganesha.

Devotees of the Lord Ganesha were reciting Vedic hymns and shouting slogans “Ganpati Bapa Morya”. Prasad was distributed all along the route of the procession to devotees.

The Ganesha festival has been celebrated in this town for the past 22 years.

KK Malhotra, chief organiser of the Ganesha Poojan, said besides Ganesha poojan a jagrata of Mata Bajjreshwari too would be organised near the pandal during the Ganesha festival. He said a bandara would be organised on September 5.

Palampur, September 1
The local administration has launched a special drive here to check the illegal sale of polythene, expired medicines, encroachments on the roadside and traffic violations in Palampur town and its adjoining areas.

A team comprising officials of the Police, Excise and Taxation, Food and Supply, Weight and Measures and Health Departments headed by Asish Singhmar, SDM, Palampur, inspected over 100 business premises in Palampur and its adjoining areas and challaned 24 shopkeepers for violations under different provisions of the law.

A number of persons were fined under the Motor Vehicle Act for wrong parking and offences were compounded on the spot after the recoveries of fine.

Briefing mediapersons here on Wednesday, Singhmar said during the raid the officials recovered 140 kg of polythene illegally kept for sale.

The sale of polythene is a serious offence in the state as it had been banned a year ago.

The police had impounded the polythene and its owners were challaned. Likewise, a number of shopkeepers were found selling goods without issuing the Bills.

The Excise authorities issued them notices and asked them to explain their conduct. However, no expired medicines were recovered from chemists.

Singhmar said the drive would continue in the town.

He asked shopkeepers to remove encroachments made by them on the roadside within two days, otherwise they would be fined.

He added that fruit and vegetable vendors had also been told to remove their goods from the roadside.

Solan, August 29
With the contractor failing to deposit the licence fee for collecting entry tax within the prescribed period, the Subathu Cantonment Board has failed to earn from this venture.

Though the entry tax barrier was supposed to enhance the board’s revenue, non-deposit of the dues in time has defeated its very purpose.

According to a resolution passed by the board, a copy of which is available with The Tribune, the contract was awarded to M/s BMG Agrotech Private Limited for the current financial year.

The contractor was supposed to deposit 10 per cent of the bid amount of Rs 4,66,000 as security at the time of the auction but he failed to do so and sought more time to deposit it before the commencement of the contract. However, he failed to deposit it even before commencing the contract. Though later he deposited the security in the form of FDR/TDR of Rs 4,25,000 and Rs 35,000, these were taken away on the pretext of pledging these in favour of the CEO, cantonment board. However, later this was also not done. He also failed to deposit the second instalment of Rs 7,66,000 in time and the post-dated cheque given by him for Rs 6,70,000 was not honoured by Punjab National Bank, Subathu, for lack of sufficient funds. A legal notice was thereafter slapped on the contractor.

The third instalment of Rs 7,66,000 has now been deposited by the contractor on August 22 in the form of a post-dated cheque of September 30.

The cantonment board later slapped a notice on the contractor on August 19 asking him to deposit the pending dues along with the penalty within 15 days failing which his contract would be terminated.

Executive Officer of the cantonment GN Mathur said they would take action according to the norms after the expiry of 15 days.

Bilaspur, September 1
At least two leopards are said to be on the prowl in several villages, including Tihri, Ghumarda, Jol Palakhuin etc of Kutheda gram panchayat near Ghumarwin, near here, which has created a scare among villagers in the area.

Reports said a leopard killed farmer Ram Lal’s two goats at Jol Palakhin village. They were tied in his cow shed during day time. Another goat of Inder Singh of Tihri village was also believed to have been killed by a leopard.

Several pets of villagers are vanishing one after another for some time in these villages.

Kutheda gram panchayat vice-president Rakesh Kumar, accompanied by village elders Daljit, Lekh Ram, Pinki Devi, Dalip Singh and Krishnu Ram, said they were living in panic and were worried about the safety of their children who had to go to school and return late in the evening.

They said their daily schedule had also been seriously affected as they could not send women out of the house after dusk and before dawn when leopards were mostly active.

They urged the government, district administration and Forest Department to immediately make arrangements for catching these leopards and taking them away to some zoo.

Nurpur, September 1
Timely financial help rendered by local MLA Rakesh Pathania helped save the live of Mamta (13), a Dalit girl of Nagabari, near here.

Mamta, daughter of Prem Chand, was bitten by a poisonous snake on August 13 while she was asleep. She survived after battling for life for 15 days in a private hospital in Pathankot.

Her parents had lost all hope of saving her as they did not have the wherewithal to get her treated in a good hospital. It was then that the MLA came to their rescue. He arranged costly anti-venom injections, anti-biotics and other life-saving medicines required for her treatment.

Mamta was administered 32 anti-venom injections per day and remained in the ICU on ventilator for 10 days.

The hospital bill was Rs 1.92 lakh and the family was not in a position to pay it. Pathania got Rs 1.25 lakh immediately sanctioned from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The remaining amount is being arranged.

After Mamta was discharged from the hospital, she, along with her parents and a large number of villagers, today went to the MLA’s residence near here to express their gratitude for the timely help rendered by him.

Addressing the villagers, the MLA said he had extended help purely on humanitarian grounds. He exhorted people to assist those who were in trouble. He also announced to bear the expenses on the education of Mamta and extend all possible help to her for her marriage.