Chandigarh, March 10
Himachal Pradesh Minister for Justice, Empowerment and Sainik Welfare Dhani Ram Shandil said today that the state government would consider various demands and issues raised by gallantry awardees.

Addressing the triennial convention-cum-reunion of the War Decorated India, an association of Param Vir Chakra (PVC), Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) and Vir Chakra (VrC) recipients here today, he assured them that he would take up their demand that gallantry awardees should be exempted from the provisions that restrict non-Himachal people from purchasing agricultural land in the state, with the Chief Minister as well as his colleagues.

Gallantry awardees from Himachal had also sought that their allowances and other benefits should be brought on par with Punjab.

They said despite the large contribution of the state in the armed forces, the state lags considerably behind its neighbouring state in extending benefits and other facilities to them. This issue would also be taken up with the Chief Minister, Shandil said.

He added that Himachal would also be raising two or three ecological battalions, which would not only help in environment rejuvenation and preservation, but also provide reemployment to ex-servicemen.

Shimla, March 10
In a last-ditch effort to pull the Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Produce, Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC), a public sector unit, out of the red the government has decided to outsource its facilities, tie up with private parties for marketing and diversify processing activities.

While processing and marketing of apple will continue to be the mainstay, the loss-making HPMC will diversify to process vegetables and produce lemon juice, ice-cream, carbonated apple juice and other fruit-based drinks. An ambitious target of over 1,000 tonne of apple juice concentrate has been set for 2013-14 compared to 418 tonne produced this financial year.

The turnover is planned to be over double, from Rs 35 crore to over Rs 86 crore, with large-scale production and marketing of mango, guava and litchi juices in other states in partnership with private companies.

Grading and packaging houses and cold stores at Gumma, Jarol, Oddi and Patlikuhl will be given on lease to generate financial resources.

New processing units for vegetable-based products will be established at Ghumarwin and Nadaun. A professional marketing agency will be hired for nationwide operations.

The processing capacity of apple juice concentrate plants will be enhanced. New apple juice extraction units will be set up at Rampur Bushahr, Chopal, Rohru, Patlikuhl, Chamba and Bharmour with a crushing capacity of 5,000 tonne.

The objective is to increase processing capacity to 55,000 tonne. New controlled atmosphere stores will be set up at Baghi, Anu, Churah, Bharmour and Kullu.

Fruits will be procured from other states, if required, to ensure optimum utilisation of processing facilities. At present, plants are functional for around three months for apple processing.

Cold stores in New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai will be revamped and modernised so that large quantities of fresh fruit can be stored. This will prevent a glut during the peak season.

Arrangements will be made with private companies to produce nationwide juice from pulp and market it as an HPMC brand. Efforts will be made to establish it nationwide as a quality fruit and vegetable product brand the year round.

Efforts will also be made to set up an apple juice concentrate plant in the apple belt of Shimla district to save the cost of transportation. At present, fruit has to be carried in trucks up to 200 km for processing at Parwanoo.

HPMC Managing Director Jagdish Sharma says over 150 employees will retire in the next one-and-a-half years and outsourcing will help expand business without recruiting staff.

Palampur, March 10
Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma said here today that four-laning of the Pathankot-Mandi National Highway (NH) would be taken up in the next financial year. He said the five MLAs from the area met Union Minister for Road and Shipping CP Joshi recently who assured them of early four-laning of this highway.

Addressing mediapersons at Baijnath, the minister said Virbhadra Singh had written to the Centre for conversion of NH-20 at the earliest since it was an important highway and was used by the Army.

He said 210 km of this highway passed through Himachal Pradesh and 10 km fell in Punjab. He said the state government had recommended to the Centre to take up four-laning on priority. He blamed the previous BJP government for failing to take up the case with the Centre.

Sudhir said the state government had requested the Centre for the construction of bypasses at Baijnath, Paprola, Nurpur, Nagrota Bagwan, Gaggal, Jogindernagar and Shahpur where the road was narrow and prone to accidents.

He said widening of the Palampur-Hamirpur NH would also be taken up.

Dharamsala, March 10
Tibetans-in-exile today observed the 54 Tibetan National Uprising Day against China. The elected leader of Tibetan people in exile, Lobsang Sangay, addressed the people on the occasion.

However, it was for the second consecutive year that the Dalai Lama, honouring his retirement as political head of Tibetans, kept himself away from the event and did not even issue a political statement.

While speaking on the occasion, Sangay said the policies that were being followed could easily lead one to suspect that China wanted Tibet but not the Tibetans.

He alleged that since 2009, 107 Tibetans had self-immolated, including 28 in November 2012. “Sadly, 90 of them have died. Such a high toll is perhaps unprecedented in the recent world history. Though most of the self-immolators are monks, their ranks include the full spectrum of Tibetans - nomads, farmers and students, from all the three Tibetan regions of U-Tsang, Kham and Amdo, 
including the capital city of Lhasa,” he said.

Sangay said the occupation and repression in Tibet by the government of China were the primary conditions driving Tibetans to self-immolation. “Tibetans witness and experience China's constant assault on Tibetan Buddhist civilisation, their very identity and dignity. They oppose the forced removal of thousands of nomads from the grasslands to permanent ghettos, reducing formerly self-sufficient families to impoverishment. They see colonial-like development activities cart away billions of dollars worth of Tibetan natural resources to a resource-hungry China,” Sangay alleged.

Through various media sources, the Kashag has consistently appealed and categorically discouraged Tibetans in Tibet from self-immolating as a form of protest. “The only way to end this brutal and grave situation is for China to change its current hardline Tibet policy by respecting the aspirations of the Tibetans,” he said.

The Kashag is fully committed to the ‘Middle Way Approach’, which seeks genuine autonomy for Tibetans to solve the issue of Tibet. The Dalai Lama has shown this to be the most viable and enduring approach.

At this time, the Kashag hopes that the new Chinese leadership will view this pragmatic political approach, which bridges both Tibetan and Chinese interests, as a win-win solution.

In 2002, the resumption of dialogue gave hope to Tibetans for a peaceful resolution of the issue of Tibet. Unfortunately, this hope was shaken by the present stalemate in the dialogue process.

Finding a just and lasting solution to the issue of Tibet is also in the interest of the world at large.

DALHOUSIE: The Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RTYC) from Dalhousie organised a protest rally in the hill town here today to show their solidarity to all the brave men and women for their immeasurable sacrifices towards safeguarding Tibetan sovereignty and the restoration of Tibet independence. It was also to show the world the ‘brutality’ of the Chinese government against the Tibetan people in Tibet.

The peaceful protest rally against the Chinese government, led by the RTYC, started from Bakrota to the main GPO Chowk and then culminated at the Sadar bazaar.

Addressing the rally on the occasion, RTYC president Tenzin Jamchen urged the world leaders and the global media to help and support the Tibet issue.

“As many as 107 Tibetans have so far self-immolated in direct resistance to China’s occupation and its repression since 2009. The words fall insufficient to honour their valour and sacrifices,” Jamchen said.

Dharamsala, March 10
A Tibetan youth, Dawa Dhondup, today attempted self-immolation at McLeodganj on the eve of the 54th Tibetan Uprising Day today.

Dawa Dhondup, who is a street vendor at McLeodganj, was participating in a protest march organised by various Tibetan organisations, including the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC). He tried to set himself on fire. However, he was overpowered by other people participating in the protest and the police.

The incident occurred at 12.15 pm when the protest rally was about to conclude.

He was rushed to the local hospital at Dharamsala. Balbir Thakur, SP, Kangra, confirmed the self- immolation bid.

“A Tibetan, known as Dhundup, attempted self-immolation that was foiled by the police. An attempt to suicide case has been registered against him,” the SP said.

He said after first aid, Dhondup was referred from civil hospital, Dharamsala, to Dr Rajendera Prasad Medical College, Tanda. 

Palampur, March 10
Plan to create new districts in the state has come to an end in the present political scenario as the new Congress government had almost closed this chapter. Since the state government had failed to develop a consensus on this issue within the party, it had decided to defer the move. However, it can take up the issue again after the parliament elections. 

Meanwhile, Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma said here today that the government would constitute a commission for the reorganisation of districts, subdivisions, tehsil and blocks in the state. He said after delimitation of Assembly segments, demands for reorganisation of these units had come from MLAs and ministers, and the government in principal had agreed for this exercise. Jagmel Katoch, president, Palampur Zila Banao Samiti, also met the Urban Development Minister here last evening and urged him for setting up of the commission as soon as possible. He told the minister that on merit basis, Palampur had a strong case for getting a district status as its population was over seven lakh, which was much more than districts like Hamirpur, Una, Kullu and Bilaspur.

Katoch told the minister that Palampur had ‘suffered’ a lot in the field of development as it could not get any major development projects from the Centre because it lacked the district status.

The minister said the final decision on the issue would be taken by the state Cabinet after getting the report of the commission. 

Shimla, March 10
The joint action committee of the non-teaching employees of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) has sought the intervention of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to bail out the university reeling under a severe financial crisis.

Waryam Singh Bains, spokesperson of the committee, said the crisis could be overcome if the annual grant-in-aid to the university was increased from the existing Rs 63 crore to Rs 90 crore. Besides, to clear the pending liability of arrears of pay revision and retirement benefits of the superannuated employees, another Rs 23 crore would be required.

He also urged the Chief Minister to follow pay structure of the state Secretariat to resolve unnecessary controversy among employees. He said clear-cut directions should be issued to the Local Audit Department not to raise the issue over Secretariat pay due to which pension payment order of retirees had been withheld. Bains also urged the university authorities to release pension of retirees on time and ensure that their medical bills were cleared on a priority basis within seven days of the submission of bills.

He urged the Chief Minister to provide more land for the expansion of the university campus. 

Palampur, March 10
The Public Works Department (PWD) has decided to resume the construction of a flyover, which was under construction on the Pathankot-Mandi National Highway in the town.

The collapsed part of a flyover. The PWD will construct the flyover with a new design. Photo: Ravinder Sood

Earlier, the construction of the flyover was suspended following a collapse of its span twice causing the death of three persons, including its official.

Brij Behari Lal Butail, Speaker of the Assembly, said the PWD had decided to change the design of the flyover and go ahead with the construction so that the flyover was completed at earliest.

An official source said the previous design of the flyover approved by the Ministry of Shipping and Transport had been found defective, it had a number of shortcomings therefore one of spans of the bridge collapsed twice in the past five years. Because of defective design contractor suffered losses in crores and completion of the flyover was also delayed by three years.

The first accident took place in December 2009, when a work inspector of the PWD on duty was buried alive while he was supervising the construction work. Thereafter, the contractor expressed his inability to resume the construction and complained that the design was defective.

Later, senior officers of the PWD forced the contractor to resume the construction otherwise heavy penalties would be levied. The contractor was left with no alternative except to follow the directions of the PWD. After a gap of one-and-a-half year in 2011, the contractor resumed the construction.

After three months, on December 24, 2011, another mishap took place when the same span of the flyover again crashed and entire steel structures came down killing two labourers. Recently on the directions of the government, the PWD agree to change the design and speed up the construction.

Hamirpur, March 10
Pursuing its goal to facilitate patients and their attendants, the Senior Citizens Council, Hamirpur, has mooted a proposal to construct a multi-storeyed sarai in the Regional Government Hospital, Hamirpur.

Members of the council recently met the Deputy Commissioner (DC), Hamirpur, and submitted a proposal for constructing a modern sarai in the hospital complex.

The council urged the Deputy Commissioner, who is also Chairman of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti (RKS) of the hospital, to take up this matter with the health authorities.

The proposed sarai, which will be utilised for housing attendants of patients admitted to the hospital, will have all the modern facilities to accommodate approximately 200 attendants at a time.

President of the Senior Citizens Council GC Sharma said, “Our organisation is involved in the service of patients for about a decade. We have been providing three meals daily free of cost to indoor patients and their one attendant since 2001, giving free medicines to poor patients, besides organising free eye camps”.

“Since there is no place to accommodate the attendants of indoor patients, who either have to sleep in galleries of the hospital or under beds of patients, the council has proposed to build a sarai. It will have a reading room, a Sarva Dharam temple, a recreation room and all the modern facilities,” he added.

The council has urged the Health Department to allow raising the sarai on the land having an existing sarai built in 1962 in the memory of late Pandit Sukh Dev.

Hamirpur DC Ashish Singhmar said, “This is a very good proposal and I have assured the members of the council to pursue this matter in all earnestness by taking up the issue with the Chief Medical Officer”.

Shimla, March 10
A Shimla-based NGO, Ashadeep, yesterday organised a stress management workshop for police personnel.

Dr Rakesh Sehgal, a health consultant, apprised the participants of factors relating to stress and gave stress management tips. He said positive thinking, healthy lifestyle, meditation, spirituality and social support were some of the important stress busters.

He said sound sleep, exercise and nutrition were requisites of a healthy lifestyle. He introduced the police personnel to music therapy also.

The Head of Cardiology Department at Indira Gandhi Medical College, Dr Prakash Negi, shared his knowledge about stress management and gave tips for a healthy lifestyle. He expressed concern over youngsters falling prey to lifestyle changes, which leads to cardiac diseases.

He said tobacco products were one of the leading contributors of cardiac diseases. He advised against consumption of fast food and underlined its negative impact on one’s health in the long run. He said mustard oil and soybean oil were better cooking oils than refined oil.

Shimla, March 10
The Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN), a joint venture of the Centre and the state government, has bagged the achievement award for “Social Development and Impact” by the Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC), a body established by the Planning Commission in partnership with the construction industry.

The Rampur Hydroelectric Project of the SJVN has won the achievement award for construction, health, safety and environment. The awards have been instituted to honour the valuable contributions and work of the Indian construction fraternity that has significantly enriched the domain and facilitated a positive change in construction practices.

The awards were presented by the Chairman of the National Statistical Organisation (NSO), Dr Pranav Sen.

Nand Lal Sharma, Director (Personnel), SJVN, who is also Chairman of the SJVN Foundation (a trust implementing CSR activities of the SJVN), said the company had adopted its corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy on the basis of guidelines of the Union Department of Public Enterprises. The main focus was on education, health care and skill upgrade of youth, women empowerment, community facilities, infrastructural development and assistance during natural disasters. The SJVN had already spent more than Rs 100 crore on various CSR activities, while more than Rs 16 crore was being spent in 2012-13. The Rampur project, which was scheduled to be commissioned later this year, had been setting benchmarks for health, safety and environment.

Shimla, March 10
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh inaugurated the fifth national symposium on oral and maxillofacial surgery jointly organised by the Indian Academy of Maxillofacial Surgery and the Indian Dental Association here recently.

He said the government had accorded top priority to the health sector in the state along with dental care and priority was being given to provide best health care facilities in the rural and far-flung areas. He said efforts were being made to provide free health care facilities and medicines to the people in all public health institutions in the state.

He said steps were being taken to fill all vacant posts of medical and dental doctors, nurses and paramedical staff, which were lying vacant since long. Besides, efforts were being made to upgrade the facilities available in all medical institutions of the state, IGMC, Himachal Pradesh Government Dental College, Shimla, and Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College and Hospital, Kangra in Tanda.

He appreciated the efforts of the academy in organising the event in which a large number of specialists and postgraduate students of the country gathered. The symposium was first-of-its kind held in the state. He said specialists from Tata Memorial Hospital, Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai, PGI, Chandigarh, Government Dental Colleges, Amritsar and Shimla, along with other dental institutions, would deliberate on various aspects of maxillofacial trauma, maxillofacial pathology and basic sciences.

He said interactive sessions, videos of surgeries and case discussions were integral part of the symposium, which would make it more interesting.

Guest of honour Brig Anil Kohli said Virbhadra Singh was a political legend and tallest leader of not only the state, but in the country under whose vision and efforts, the health and dental services expanded manifold. He said there was only one dental college in Shimla, but now the state had three private dental colleges and more than 240 dentists were employed in the government institutions only.