Housing board to borrow Rs 36 cr
SHIMLA, Aug 12 — The Himachal Pradesh Housing Board will raise a loan of Rs 36 crore for constructing houses in the state during the current financial year from the Housing and Urban Development Corporation.
Bus operators against modifying permits
SHIMLA, Aug 12 — The Transport Minister, Mr Kishan Kapoor, has said that private bus operators will be consulted before finalising the transport policy.
Minister, residents plant 2500 saplings
SUNDERNAGAR, Aug 12 — Thirtyfive lakh saplings will be planted over 4000 hectares this year, Mr Rup Singh, forest Minister, said addressing a public meeting at Slapper village, 18 km from here, yesterday.
Trucks of apple leave Himachal
SHIMLA, Aug 12 — Over 8905 apple-laden trucks have so far left Himachal Pradesh for various terminal markets during the current fruit season.
AITUC campaign from Aug 15
SHIMLA, Aug 12 — The state unit of the All-India Trade Union Congress has decided to launch an intensive campaign to organise workers in unorganised sector from August 15.

Project to green bald patches
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Aug 12 — Encouraged by the successful application of geotextiles in rehabilitation of mine-spoil areas of Dehra Dun, the Himachal Pollution Control Board has launched a pilot project for the treatment of hill slopes degraded by unscientific limestone mining in Sirmaur district.

Initially eco-restoration of five hectares in Bharli and Kamrau has been taken up under the technical guidance of the Central Soil and Water Conservation Research and Training Institute. While the Indian Jute Industries Research Association, Calcutta, is providing 5000 sq metre of geo-textiles free of cost, the mine lessees will bear the cost of labour, planting material, check dams and other measures.

The first demonstration scheme is being implemented in the Shiva Rudana Limestone Mine in Bharali when 2000 sq metre of geotextile had been used for planting. Binders like Bhugamber (Eupatoruim glaudulosum) Shimalu (vitex negundo) ramban (agave) and babbar grass are being used. The geotextile holds back the creep movement of soil on steep slopes and helps retain moisture required for the proper growth of vegetation. Being biodegradable, the geotextile material decomposes over a period of two to three years and by that time the slope is covered with vegetation. The success of the pilot scheme will be known by the next monsoon.

Another demonstration scheme has been taken up in Kamrau. The eco-restoration cost, including plantation, geotextile, labour and engineering works, comes to Rs 50,0000 per hectare.

The project will be extended to other degraded areas in the second phase. The board has already identified about a dozen sites in Solan, Sirmaur and Bilaspur districts where largescale mining is carried out.

On an average about one million tonne of lime stone is mined annually by the private lessees in Sirmaur district alone. There is only one captive mine of the Cement Corporation of India which feeds 600 tonne per day to its cement plant at Rajban.

There are about 60 limestone mines which had been leased out to private parties for five to 20 years. Keeping in view their adverse impact on environment, the board has made environment management plans mandatory. The plans, which approved by the Indian Bureau of Mines, will go a long way in ensuring scientific mining and proper rehabilitation of the mined spoil area.

Mr Nagin Nanda, the secretary of the board, feels the availability of this low cost-geotextile technique will encourage private miners to take proper rehabilitation measures and make mining an environment-friendly industry.

Besides, checking soil erosion, the eco-restoration measures also help cover the bald patches of the hills.

Housing board to borrow Rs 36 cr
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Aug 12 — The Himachal Pradesh Housing Board will raise a loan of Rs 36 crore for constructing houses in the state during the current financial year from the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO).

This was decided at the meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Housing Board here today. The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, presided over the meeting.

It was also decided to carry out feasibility studies for managing liquid and solid wastes in industrial township of Baddi and carry out studies on environmental impact in the industrial township of Parwanoo.

The board also approved the construction programme of Rs 40 crore for the current financial year which is 30 per cent higher than the last year.

The Chief Minister said the government would pay special attention to housing schemes for weaker sections of society.

Mr S.S. Juneja, Chief Engineer, HP Housing Borad, said the housing complexes under construction at Baddi in Solan district, Shogi and Strawberry in Shimla would be completed during the current financial year.

Bus operators against modifying permits
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Aug 12 — The Transport Minister, Mr Kishan Kapoor, has said that private bus operators will be consulted before finalising the transport policy.

The minister convened a meeting of private transporters here today in which it was demanded that single window system for passenger tax should be introduced.

The bus operators also suggested that their permits should not be modified as it affected the other route holders.

The minister said steps would be taken to remove traffic congestion here.

Minister, residents plant 2500 saplings
From Our Correspondent

SUNDERNAGAR, Aug 12 — Thirtyfive lakh saplings will be planted over 4000 hectares this year, Mr Rup Singh, forest Minister, said addressing a public meeting at Slapper village, 18 km from here, yesterday.

He said this year the budget of the department has been increased by 45 per cent. In the Mandi forest circle alone Rs 6 crore would be spent on forestry.

Earlier, Mr Roop Singh, Mr Maheshwar Singh MP along with local residents and forest officials planted 2500 saplings.

The Forest Minister said Rs 10 crore would be spent under the Joint Forest Management scheme. The department would ensure survival of plants.

He accorded sanction for constriction of two rooms to the building of Senior Secondary School, Slapper. This demand was made by local residents.

Mr Maheshwar Singh called for simplifying the procedure of disbursing compensation in case of damage caused by wild animals to property and life. He sanctioned an amount of Rs 1.5 lakh for the construction of a road from the national highway here up to S.S.S, Slapper.

Trucks of apple leave Himachal
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Aug 12 — Over 8905 apple-laden trucks have so far left Himachal Pradesh for various terminal markets during the current fruit season.

Disclosing this here today, the Horticulture Minister, Mr Narendra Bragta, said that 1200 trucks were being made available for carting apple.

Fortyfour collection centres had been set up at Una, Hamirpur, Kanrga, Bilaspur, Mandi, Solan and Sirmaur districts.

AITUC campaign from Aug 15
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Aug 12 — The state unit of the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) has decided to launch an intensive campaign to organise workers in unorganised sector from August 15.

According to Mr Kameshwar Pandit, general secretary of AITUC, the objective of the campaign, which would commence with a state-level conference at Nalagarh, was to end the exploitation those working in unorganised sector like the anganwadi workers, agriculture labour, water carriers, revenue chowkidars and other categories, who were working full time on paltry wages ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 600 per month.

The Supreme Court, he said, had directed the government to take steps to end the contract labour system but no action had been taken in the state on the matter. Similarly, amendments suggested in the Inter-State Migrant Labour Act from time to time had also not been carried out. The campaign would be followed by an agitation to force the government to take the necessary remedial steps.