P R A D E S H
Sunday, August 23, 1998
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H I M A C H A L P R A D E S H |
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Sunday, August 23, 1998 |
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HP to seek pvt sector help for hydel
projects JAIPUR, Aug 22 — The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, said here today that the state government would invite public-sector participation for hydel, tourism and industry. Doubts about utility of
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Retired Colonel, 3 others
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HP to seek pvt sector help
for hydel projects JAIPUR, Aug 22 — The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, said here today that the state government would invite public-sector participation for hydel, tourism and industry. Mr Dhumal, who is here to attend the meeting of the BJP National Executive, said the state had identified 21,000 MW of hydel potential out of which only 4,000 MW had been harnessed. The work on hydel projects having a generation capacity of about 4,000 MW was in progress and the government planned to exploit the remaining potential expeditiously by entrusting some projects to private investors. A State Electricity Regulatory Commission would be set up to rationalise power tariff to facilitate the entrepreneurs. He said entrepreneurs could also invest in industry which was being given a boost with special emphasis on pollution-free and eco-friendly units, like electronics, agro-and-fruit based ones. The central government has allowed tax holidays for new industrial units in Himachal Pradesh for three years. Besides, industrial peace and abundant and cheap supply of electricity were added advantages. About 160 medium-and large-scale and 26,000 small-scale industrial units had already been set up with an investment of over Rs 2,500 crore. He said various industrial estates were coming up in the state. Basic amenities like education, health and roads were being created by the government in these estates. A Rs 20-crore Industrial Promotion Park was being set up at Baddi in Solan district. The Chief Minister said that the package of incentives that Himachal Pradesh offered to the entrepreneurs was the best in the country. The procedure for clearance of various sanctions required, including transfer of land, had been simplified for convenience in setting up industries. Mr Dhumal said that Himachal Pradesh also had an enormous potential for tourism development in which the private sector was also being involved in a big way. To attract tourists, adventure sports like hang-gliding, para-gliding, skiing, heli-skiing, river rafting, mountaineering and trekking were being developed. Water sports are being developed in Gobindsagar, Pong Dam and Chamera Dam. Mr Dhumal said efforts were afoot to connect various parts of the state by air, train and other modes of communication. The state government had taken up the matter with the Centre to subsidise air travel to Himachal Pradesh on the pattern of the north-eastern states and start a direct train to Himachal for southern and western parts of the country. “I have proposed that the northern states, including Rajasthan, should form a regional airlines to cater to the needs of the region which would go a long way in the growth of tourism in north zone,” he said. Mr Dhumal said that Himachal received about 50 lakh domestic and 50,000 foreign tourists every year and the traffic which was increasing. Detailing the achievements of his five month old government, the Chief Minister said the social services sector had been accorded topmost priority. Mr Dhumal said that social security pension in the state had been enhanced from Rs 100 to Rs 150 per month to benefit the old, widows and handicapped and rehabilitation allowance of lepers raised from Rs 120 to Rs 170 per month. The state government has introduced the Ambedkar Medhavi Chhatra Yojana under which 1,000 meritorius students of poor, Scheduled Caste families are being imparted free education in ten plus one and ten plus two classes. Separate tribal sub-plan and special Scheduled Caste component plans were being implemented for their speedy uplift. To ensure that benefits of various poverty alleviation programmes percolated through the deserving, the state government had ordered a fresh survey of poor families to be included in the IRDP families. Mr Dhumal said that the state government had enhanced daily wages of a worker to Rs 51 and the services of daily wage workers were being regularised in a phased manner. To ensure that fruit growers and farmers got remunerative prices for their produce, support price was being given to various fruits in the state under the Market Intervention Scheme besides giving them fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides on subsidised rates. The state government had introduced a special crop insurance scheme for the farmers under which various crops had been covered and farmers did not have to pay any premium for it. Youth welfare is another area which was getting a special attention of the government. The maximum age to enter the government services had been raised from 35 to 38. Also, 50 per cent professional posts were being filled on a batchwise seniority basis. The government planned to create employment opportunities to about three lakh persons in the state during the next three years. He said 1,150 habitations were being provided potable water and 3,200 hectares brought under irrigation during current year. As many as 35,000 “Sulabh shochalyas” were being constructed during the year in the state under the Rural Sanitation Programme, he added. The government had also enhanced the pension of freedom fighters from Rs 500 to Rs 750 per month recently. It had enhanced the insurance cover to Rs 1 lakh under the “Passenger Insurance Scheme” in case of death due to accident in HRTC buses. Mr Dhumal said that one of the main achievements of the BJP-HVC government during this short period was that it had settled various long pending inter-state issues with the Punjab Government through negotiations. To bridge the gap between
the people and the government a Prashasan Janata Ke Dwar
had been started under which ministers and district
officers sit together on a particular day in the field
and listen to the grievances of the people and solve most
of these on the spot. |
Doubts about utility of VDCs SHIMLA, Aug 22 — The Village Defence Committee (VDC) scheme to fight the Kashmiri terrorists in the Chamba district is likely to remain a paper tiger as the Himachal government does not propose to equip the volunteers with arms and ammunition. A fortnight long training of VDC volunteers of the three sectors of Tissa, Kihar and Pangi has been started by the Special Security Bureau (SSB) which will train them in the handling of arms. However, doubts are being expressed about the utility of the VDCs which will remain ineffective without being armed with weapons. This would not yield the desired results. A highly placed source told the Tribune that the volunteers would be issued only arms licences after completion of their training. However, not many volunteers might be able to purchase the weapon from their own pocket because of extreme poverty in these areas. Sources said that 50 to 70 volunteers from each of the 20 panchayats in the Tissa and Kihar sectors bordering the terrorist-infested Doda district of Jammu were being trained by the SSB. As many as 26 volunteers of the Pangi and Kairi areas have also been selected for the training. The repeated killings by terrorists have created a scare among the residents of the area and most of the Gaddis (shepherds) along with their flocks have already returned to the lower belts from the high pastures a month early than the normal routine. The Deputy Commissioner, Chamba, Mr Tarun Kapoor, said that the authorities had themselves asked the shepherds to come down as the pastures were very close to the borders. It is learnt that the security forces have launched a massive combing both from Doda and Chamba sides to flush out the terrorists. ITBP personnel on both sides were carrying out the operation. The state government is learnt to have sought four battalions of paramilitary forces from the centre for being deployed on the borders of Chamba. Reports said that not many pilgrims came to Manimahesh in the Chamba district from Bhaderwah this time because of the fear of terrorists.Those who came were escorted by security personnel. Sources said that evidence pointed that foreign mercenaries were involved in the killing of innocent people in the Chamba area. A 50-year-old, Kanth,who was spared by the terrorists after killing 3 shepherds in the Sippa Chauli area,is learnt to have described the armed men as Afghans. The three shepherds were apparently killed because the terrorists suspected them of having informed the police about the hidden ammunition. Their killing took place within six days of the seizure. It is suspected that the terrorists have made a permanent base in certain forward areas of Chamba as was evident from the arrest of Biloo Gujjar at Pathankot. The terrorists were also
using certain areas in Langhera as the dumping ground for
their arms and ammunition. The paramilitary forces are
learnt to have come across a huge fox hole in which some
ammunition was hidden. 120 VDCs set up in Chamba CHAMBA, Aug 22 — To combat terrorist activities on the borders of Chamba district, 120 village defence committees (VDCs) have been set up in the first phase. Stating this here today, Mr Tarun Kapoor, Deputy Commissioner, said so far under the VDCs, 26 panchayats of Salooni, Churah and Pangi tehsils of Chamba, bordering Jammu and Kashmir, had been covered. He said each VDC comprised eight to 10 members who would plan strategies and fight militants. He said special police officers (SPOs) were also being appointed. Licences for arms were also being issued to residents as per the order of the state government, he added. |
Potable water Kasauli's nagging
problem KASAULI: Established in 1842 and spread over an area of 658 acres, this cantonment today lacks basic amenities like potable water, sanitation and health. Scarcity of potable water, if one lists the problems being confronted by the residents of this cantonment, figures on the top. The present water supply i.e. 1,00,000 gallons per day is not sufficient for the present population which has now crossed the 6,000-mark. Sadly, the supply is at the mercy of the MES, which can reduce it to 50,000 gallons. The residents fear as the agreement signed between the cantonment board and the MES 40 years ago has not been revised from 50,000 gallons to 1,00,000 gallons. They say that the present supply, available for just 20 minutes, is not adequate to serve even drinking purposes. People are now fed up with the working of the cantonment board. More than 50 applications for fresh water connections are gathering dust in the MES record room. Though the population of this cantonment has increased six times of what it was 40 years ago, notwithstanding the quantity of drinking water has not increased. When contacted, MES officials told that the water reservoir of this cantonment was inadequate to store the required quantity of potable water. The cantonment now requires at least a reservoir of 1 lakh gallon capacity, which will cost around Rs 25 lakh. Spending this huge amount on just a reservoir means a jolt to all development activities. The residents even approached state IPH department for additional water but were disappointed when the department expressed its inability saying that it was the central government's responsibility. Health amenities in this town are also in a poor state. The residents of this cantonment, including inhabitants of more than 30 nearby villages, largely depend on the Cantonment Board hospital which is inadequate to cater to the growing population. The civil dispensary has been housed at an inconvenient place and is being run by a compounder. Posts of male and female doctors have been lying vacant from last one year. The primary school, having a strength of 500 students, is being run in a hired building which is in bad shape. The roof is open at some places which creates inconvenience to students. The Sub Judicial Magistrate's office has been transferred to Parwanoo. Local businessmen are unhappy over the misuse of the Army canteens. "The Army canteens, meant for jawans and ex-servicemen also supply goods to common citizens which affects our business, laments a businessman. A majority of the people feel that the Cantonment Board Act, 1924, should be amended in the larger interest of residents as they are now facing a housing problem. They say that their families have grown manifold but the accommodation remains the same. Sanitation is also in a poor state. Synthetic pollution is on rise. Non-biodegradable polythene bags are choking small sewers of this town, designed for a population of 1000. As residential areas lack dumpers, the residents are forced to throw garbage into sewers. Thus the only gutter of this area remains blocked. The residents have been demanding a new sewerage system. Sewer pipes at some places have not been repaired which causes the slush to spill over on to the footpath. The cantonment area lacks
entertainment. The only cinema theatre being managed by
the cantonment authorities has been converted into a wet
canteen. The locals have demanded the restoration of the
theatre. |
Retired Colonel, 3 others held for
cheating SOLAN, Aug 22 — The police arrested four persons, including a retired Army officer, on charges of cheating and impersonation under Section 420, 467, 468 of the I.P.C. in a case of fraudulently grabbing land in Jagjit Nagar falling under Kuthar police post yesterday. The arrests were made on a complaint lodged by Naib-Tehsildar, Sub-Tehsil Kishangarh of this district. The revenue officer in his F.I.R. had informed that land measuring one bigha eight biswa (about 1400 square yards) in Jagjit Nagar and owned by late Mr Charan Inder Singh of Jalandhar had been fraudulently transferred in the name of Mr Kamal Nain, of Delhi for a consideration of Rs 1.30 lakh on August 4. He said that somebody, later identified as Ram Gopal of Solan, had appeared before him declaring himself to be the Charan Inder Singh, owner of the piece of land. Two persons, Dhani Ram of Sheel village near Jagjit Nagar and one Colonel Charanjit Singh, resident of Patiala and having his residence at nearby Garkhal also, had identified as alleged impersonator as Charan Inder Singh. Accordingly, the Naib-Tehsildar after verifying the requisite mandatory verifications registered the sale deed in favour of Kamal Nain. However sometimes before the mutation of land "sold off" by the impersonator, the heirs of Charan Inder Singh, who had died in 1995, appeared in his court and produced the death certificate relating to the demise of Charan Inder Singh. They submitted before the Naib-Tehsildar, that they had somehow failed to inform his office about the death of the original owner as they were not conversant with the revenue procedures. After satisfying himself about the bona fides of the heirs of Charan Inder Singh, the Naib-Tehsildar, informed the police. Investigations led to the
arrest of Ram Gopal of Solan, Dhani Ram, of village
Sheel, near Jagjit Nagar, Tula Ram, an ex-member of the
local panchayat and Colonel Charanjit Singh. Two more
persons wanted in the case would not be arrested till the
filing of this report. |
HPSEB staff at Nahan suspended NAHAN, Aug 22 — The Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) has suspended the entire staff, including the SDO, clerks and meter readers working in Nahan sub-division on the alleged charges of misappropriation, tampering with and burning of the official record. The staff was asked to report at the Solan office of the Superintending Engineer. It was alleged that the meter readers stole books and issued receipts of bills to those consumers who requested them to deposit their bills on their behalf. The meter readers did not deposit the cash with the office and kept it with them. They issued receipts from the stolen books to consumers. The consumers who came to know about it later reported the matter to the SDO concerned, but no action was taken. A complaint regarding the theft of receipt books was lodged with the police after one and a half years. When the matter came to the notice of the higher authorities at Shimla, they sent a team of auditors to check the records, but the staff did not cooperate with them and they left without any audit. After this a fire broke
out in which the relevant record was destroyed. |
Resignation of HP govt sought SHIMLA, Aug 22 — The general secretary of the Youth Congress, Ms Indu Bala, has demanded that the BJP-HVC combine Government headed by Mr P.K. Dhumal, should resign for its "failure" on all fronts. In a statement here today, she said that the law and order situation in the state had deteriorated and several persons had been killed by militants in Chamba. The government had failed to check the price rise. She alleged that mass
transfers were ordered by the state government on
political considerations. |
Plea to release new pay scales MANDI, Aug 22 — The local unit of the Himachal Pradesh Medical Officers Association today demanded that new pay scales be released without further delay. Mr H.K. Sharma, president, said while the Punjab Government had already notified the revised pay scales on May 19, 1998, the Himachal Pradesh Government had done nothing in this regard. He said the non-practising
allowance should be released with effect from January 1,
1996, instead of July 28, 1998, as "wrongly and
illegally" notified by the state government. |
30 lakh saplings to be
planted SHIMLA, Aug 22 — The forest Department has fixed a target of planting 30 lakh saplings in Shimla circle this year. This was announced by the Horticulture Minister, Mr Narendera Bragta, here today while speaking at a function at Annandale. An area of 2600 hectares
will be covered under afforestation. An amount of Rs 10
crore will be spent on the scheme. |
No water supply for 4 days SHIMLA, Aug 22 — Residents of Vikas Nagar have not received any water supply for the past four days. In a statement here today, the president of the Residents' Welfare Society, Mr A.K. Batish, said the authorities had failed to take steps to rectify the situation. He said that they also met
the Commissioner of the Shimla Municipal Corporation, but
no action was taken. |
Tarna hill 'unsafe' MANDI, Aug 22 — Tarna hill here has started sinking again. Several houses have developed cracks in them. A big boulder fell on the garage of the Session House today. The residence of the SP, the HPSEB rest house and Circuit House are also located on this hill. Police House was declared unsafe years ago. However, the SP continues to reside there. Telecommunications from
here to Jogindernagar and Sarkaghat have been disrupted
for the past four days due to heavy rain. |
"No HVC-BJP rift over
byelection" HAMIRPUR, Aug 22 — Mr Anil Sharma, MP and HVC leader, has said that there is no rift between the HVC and the BJP over the Baijnath Assembly byelection. He clarified that the matter would be sorted out by senior leaders of the two parties, Mr Sukh Ram and Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal. Speaking to this reporter on the phone from Delhi today, he said the main purpose of the two parties was to defeat the Congress. He said the Congress was
anti-people and would again be defeated in the
byelection. |
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