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At Rahul’s meet, state’s growth agenda takes centre stage
Stress on regular PCC meetings
Food courts, parking lots to decongest Rohtang
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Manimahesh pilgrimage ends
Dhumal hails Modi’s candidature for PM
State govt plans to revive heli-taxi service
Awareness drive on new land acquisition law
Policy on liquor vends on national highways soon
Nine injured in car accident
Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam in line for Navratna status
Cong blows poll bugle in Hamirpur
Chamba police organises van mahotsava
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At Rahul’s meet, state’s growth agenda takes centre stage
New Delhi, September 13 Rahul asked Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to expedite the fulfillment of poll promises as Congress President Sonia Gandhi recently formed the UPA election manifesto committee in the state. The points of discussion at the meeting included Rs 1,000-crore Horticulture Master Plan to boost the apple production in the state. The horticulture vision document was shared with Rahul and his help sought in its realisation. State Congress chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu was also present at the meeting. The Chief Minister also raised the issue of uneven Centre-state share in some-centrally sponsored schemes and sought help from the Congress Vice-President in forging uniformity in the same. In all education-related centrally sponsored schemes, such as the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Rashtriya Uchchtar Shiksha Abhiyan, Himachal has been demanding the Centre-state share of 90:10 on the lines of the northeastern states. “We are a special category state but are not treated as such. We need to be treated on a par with the northeast,” a senior state Congress leader said. The CM is also learnt to have talked about Rs 75-crore grant each HP University Shimla, HP Agricultural University, Palampur, and Horticulture University, Solan, to strengthen them. Besides, the issues of flood relief funds, the deducted special component plan and special plan assistance for the state and pending railway lines were also taken up at the meeting, eyeing the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. In the next 90 days, the Chief Minister is learnt to have promised to present before Rahul Gandhi three vision documents for the state on the subjects of industry, railways and tourism. Today’s meeting was the next in the series of state Congress meetings which Rahul started taking after becoming vice-president. He meets state Congress leaders every 90 days to review progress on the organisation and development fronts. The meeting was also attended by Ambika Soni, general secretary in charge of Himachal. on agenda
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Stress on regular PCC meetings
Shimla, September 13
It was observed that coordination between the party and the government should be maintained.
Ahmad Patel, political secretary to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, AICC General Secretaries Ambika Soni and Janardhan Diwedi attended the meeting, besides CM Virbhadra Singh and PCC Chief Sukhwinder Singh.
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Food courts, parking lots to decongest Rohtang
Rohtang Pass, September 13 Appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Shimla circuit bench, the five-member high-powered committee has proposed to divert 25 bighas at Rohtang and 10 bighas at Gulaba to create parking lots for 150 to 200 vehicles each, and about 25 bighas at Marhi and Beas nala to create parking for 100 vehicles each. It has also proposed to use 10 bighas already diverted for road by Border Roads Organisation and the Beas nala project for the purpose. The committee inspected the Vashisht-Kothi-Gulaba-Beas Nalla-Marhi-Rohtang tourist circuit and proposed the measures as directed by the tribunal. The committee comprises HPTDC managing director-cum- secretary tourism Subhashish Panda, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests RK Gupta, Kullu Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kanwar, Manali SDM Vinay Dhiman, Kullu Divisional Forest Officer HL Negi and officials from the Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board. Panda said the things had improved in the tourist circuit area and as of now the government would set up 12 portable tents worth Rs 36 lakh each at Marhi. “We have requested the tribunal to allow the right holders to use the space. But we are waiting for the direction from NGT and Supreme Court on the petition filed by dhaba owners.” The collection of trash and junk has been tendered to a private contractor, who disposes it off at the waste treatment plant at Manali, said the SDM. The traffic regulation and pollution check would be checked at Kothi barrier with the help of police, he added. The Rohtang Pass now looks cleaner as the tourist traffic here has dropped by more than 90 per cent, but trash and dung and urine stench left behind by over 100 horses have eroded the green surface of the Pass. The High Court’s green bench ban on makeshift stalls and snow scooters has turned out to be a boon for Rohtang, Marhi and the Beas nala tourist spots. At Marhi, about 25 illegal structures still stand. The “dhabha-cum-dogri” owners have moved the Supreme Court against the demolition drive ordered by the High Court. The Kullu District Forest officer has filed a reply to the Supreme Court and the next hearing is on September 20. They dhaba owners have pleaded that the dhabas be regularised under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, as they have been using them as summer dogris-dhabas (makeshift homes) to make their living long before the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, came into effect in the state. At Rohtang Pass, right holders from Manali’s Nau Gaon (nine villages) still operate “mobile stalls in vehicles, saying they have to feed their families, tourists are sources of their bread and butter.”
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Manimahesh pilgrimage ends
Chamba, September 13 Pilgrims also saw the Mt Kailash (the abode of Lord Shiva) situated at an altitude of 5,656 m on the auspicious occasion of Radhashtami, the concluding day of the Manimahesh pilgrimage. The ADC said this year, special registration centres had been set up at Kalsuin and Hadsar en route the Manimahesh shrine for the first time. He said pilgrims from the Bhaderwah region of Jammu and Kashmir also visited the pilgrimage centre and took a holy bath. Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh Sri Sanatan Dharma Math Mandir Suraksha Samiti president Mahant Swami Virendrananda Giri expressed happiness over the preparedness and measures taken regarding the pilgrimage and regulation of traffic by the district administration.
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Dhumal hails Modi’s candidature for PM
Shimla, September 13 He extended congratulated Modi on the occasion. He also congratulated the BJP leadership for taking the decision, which he said was in response to the expectations of the masses and the party workers. He said the decision would be remembered as a decisive step towards corruption-free India. He termed Modi as a synonym of development and said he was an efficient administrator under whose leadership the country could hope to have a bright future. “This decision by the BJP is in line with the highest democratic traditions and will strengthen the organisation and lead the nation into an era of development and prosperity,” he said. Mandi: Mandi BJP leaders also hailed the decision. In a statement issued here today, BJP leader Jai Ram Thakur said Modi’s elevation had given a new lease of life to the party’s mindset and it would strengthen the BJP in the country. Mandi BJP president Jawahar Thakur, Sundernagar president Rakesh Jamval and other leaders also hailed the decision.
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State govt plans to revive heli-taxi service
Shimla, September 13 The State Tourism Department has convened a meeting of heli-taxi operators here in the state capital on September 25 in a bid to revive the service. The service had been launched with much fanfare during the BJP regime but barring the inaugural flight, there were no takers for the service, priced rather exorbitantly. In fact, Himachal has time and again been seeking subsidised heli-taxi service from the Centre on the pattern of north-eastern states. Besides the three air operators with whom the state government had signed an agreement to provide air connectivity, some other operators too have been invited. “We have approached the Union Civil Aviation Ministry to provide us a list of operators who could provide heli-taxi services in Himachal,” an official said. He added that depending on the input from operators, packages would be offered, specifically targeting high-end tourists. Besides providing connectivity between Delhi-Shimla, Shimla-Chandigarh and within the state, the Tourism Department is proposing to include aerial city tours of Shimla, Manali and Dharamsala. The city tours are specifically targeted at foreign and other high-end tourists, who would want to see the city and other important destinations within the vicinity. “Since good air-connectivity is a prerequisite to promote tourism, we are exploring the possibility of reviving the heli-taxi service so that there is good air connectivity between various destinations within the state,” the official said. Though the heli-taxi service had proved to be a non-starter, considering the fact that there are no flights operating from Kullu and Shimla airports, the need for aerial connectivity is being felt more than ever before. At present flights are available only between Dharamsala and Delhi. With a view to providing heli-taxi services to high-end tourists in the state, an agreement had been reached between the Department of Tourism and the Civil Aviation and three heli taxi providers, Simm Samm Airways Private Limited, Shiva Heli Services and Mesco Airlines Limited. With there being no takers, the heli-taxi service failed to take off. While Simm Samm Airways Private Limited had proposed to operate between Kullu-Manali-Koksar, Manali-Sissu-Manali-Tandi(DIET), Tandi-Udaipur, Udaipur-Killar, Shiva heli services was to primarily operate in the Kullu-Manali-Rohtang area. Mesco was to provide link between Chandigarh-Shimla-Dharamsala and the two tribal districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti.
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Awareness drive on new land acquisition law
Shimla, September 13
He said replacing the 119-year-old archaic law framed by the British for its own ends was indeed a big achievement. It was a long-drawn process as all the stakeholders, political parties and even organisations representing the civic societies were consulted. The new law would ensure that there was no forcible acquisition of land. The owners whose land was taken over would get four-fold compensation in the rural areas and two-fold in the urban areas. The land would be acquired only if 70 per cent of the land owners agree to it. In case of land pertaining to weaker sections, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, a resolution by the gram sabha and panchayat concerned would be essential. The resettlement and rehabilitation of the persons whose land was acquired had been made a part of the law enforceable through courts. Mishra emphasised that the states could enact their own laws but they would have to provide for compensation on a par with the central law and not less than it. They could, of course, grant a higher quantum. The government would acquire land only for construction of national highways, railways, defence units and other such development projects of national importance. The private parties would have to acquire land as per the new law. |
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Policy on liquor vends on national highways soon
Shimla, September 13 On the request made by the state government, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice Kuldip Singh adjourned the hearing of this case till October 24. This order was passed by the court on a PIL wherein the issue of the issue of the location of the liquor vends was raised by the petitioner. In its earlier order, the court had directed the state to frame a new excise policy by incorporating that there would be no surrogate advertisements and liquor vends should not be visible from the national highways/state highways and other important roads. The signboards should be strictly as per norms prescribed. |
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Chamba, September 13 The injured had been admitted in different hospitals. The investigation was on in the cases. — OC
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Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam in line for Navratna status
Shimla, September 13 The company which owns and operates the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri Hydroelectric Project, which was conferred the status of a “Mini Navratna” company in 2007, has performed well over the past five years to fulfil the criteria laid down by the Centre for upgrade to a “Navartna” company. It will provide greater autonomy to the company and enable it to invest up to Rs 1,000 crore, besides entering into joint ventures. Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Nigam RP Singh, while declaring the financial results after the annual general meeting of shareholders, said the highest ever dividend of Rs 0.96 per share (Rs 397.12 crore) had been approved. Last year, the dividend was of Rs 0.94 per share (Rs 388.84 crore), he said. The dividend had increased by 25 per cent over the last five years. The major equity holder, Government of India, will get a dividend of Rs 256.02 crore (64.47 per cent), the state Rs 101.27 crore (25.50 per cent) and the public shareholders Rs 39.83 crore (10.3 per cent). The SJVN earned a total revenue of Rs 1,916.62 crore profit before tax of Rs 1,184.58 crore and a net profit of Rs 1,052.34 crore during 2012-13. The dividend yield on the company's shares was of the best in the power sector and it had achieved the parameters to earn “navratna” status. During 2012-13, the company’s flagship Nathpa Jhakri project generated 6,777.77 million units energy against the target of 6,612 million units and achieved a record normative plant availability factor of 105.15 per cent, up from 104.26 per cent last year. The power station also established a record by generating 1,186 million units of electricity in a single month during July 2012 and the highest single day generation of 39.015 million units on July 27, 2012. Regarding the reports that 1,000 MW Karcham Wangtu project was on sale, he said since it was located upstream the Nathpa Jhakri project, the company would like to have it but everything depended on the Centre. The company had prepared a blueprint to have an installed capacity of 30,000 MW by 2030. It had diversified into wind and solar energy and it had also entered the thermal sector with a 1,320-MW plant at Buxar in Bihar for which a subsidiary had been floated. During the current year, the 47.6-MW Khirvire Wind Power Project in Maharashtra and 412-MW Rampur hydropower project in Himachal would be commissioned. The company had 12 hydropower projects in hand but they have a long gestation period. The next plant to be commissioned would be the Buxar thermal slated for completion over a period of five years.
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Cong blows poll bugle in Hamirpur
Hamirpur, September 13 “This time the Congress would make a determined bid to win the Hamirpur parliament seat and party workers should work with vigour and zeal and approach the voters on the good work done by the UPA government in the last 10 years,” Kumar said. Earlier, he said the meetings of the Congress workers are being held as per the road map prepared by the high command for the General Elections in 2014. He said “Various welfare schemes launched by the UPA government like MNREGA, Direct Bank Transfer, Food Security Act, Land Acquisition Bill, RTI, RTE, etc, would be the main plank of the Congress party during the elections. Refuting the BJP’s claim on development of Hamirpur, he said, “All major institutions in Hamirpur have been opened during the Congress regime.” Attacking the previous BJP government, Thakur said, “Inquiries on several charges against the misdeeds of the BJP government is on and several irregularities have come to fore in the functioning of HPCA.” |
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Idols of Ganesha immersed
Kangra, September 13 The 'pandals' were set up at Baba Balak Nath temple and the Donga Bazar locality for the Ganesha Chuterdeshi festival. After the Ganesha poojan, a 'hawan' was also performed in the temple premises and a 'langer' was organised on the occasion. Swami Ram Das of Baba Balak Nath temple said a large number of people visited the temple today and paid their obeisance before the idol of Ganesha. The devotees sang hymns of ‘Ganpati Bapa Moryia’ and took the Ganesh Another idol from the Donga Bazar was also immersed in the Banner river with religious gaiety and fervour.
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Chamba police organises van mahotsava
Chamba, September 13 Jagat Ram, SP, Chamba, said 200 fruit saplings of different species were planted in and around the police barracks. — OC
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The snowy tourist hotspot here is all set to get a breather from trash and vehicular pollution.
Chamba, September 13
The All-India Congress Committee (AICC) has launched a campaign to educate people about the new land acquisition law to derive full electoral advantage from it.
One of the seven leaders deputed by the AICC to tour the entire country for the campaign, Prem Chand Mishra was in the city today.
