P R A D E S H
Wednesday, December 9, 1998
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H I M A C H A L P R A D E S H |
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Wednesday, December 9, 1998 |
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Congress MLAs stage walkout
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 New HP industrial policy by year-end JWALAMUKHI, Dec 8 — The Himachal Pradesh Government will introduce a new industrial policy aimed at exploiting local resources, generating intensive employment opportunities and making the state financially self-reliant by generating additional revenues. |
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173 unauthorised govt
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Congress MLAs stage walkout SHIMLA, Dec 8 — The entire Congress legislative group today staged a walkout in the state assembly, expressing dissatisfaction over the reply of the Chief Minister to the debate on law and order. Mr Virbhadra Singh, leader of the group, was on his legs as soon as Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, completed his reply. He said the reply did not focus on the grim law and order situation. He also protested against the alleged lathi-charge on members of the NSUI and the Youth Congress who were staging a peaceful demonstration outside the Vidhan Sabha to highlight the government's failure to contain prices. The Congress legislators, led by Mr Virbhadra Singh, then staged a walkout. Mr Dhumal, condemned the walkout and said it was a Congress ploy to cover up its dismal performance inside the House and gain cheap publicity. The party could not raise any potent issue and even the issues it took up boomeranged on it. Mr J.P. Nadda, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, said the Congress which criticised a teacher in Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture Forestry associated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, a non-political body, for indulging in politics, had, in fact, a regular Congress teacher's cell in Himachal Pradesh University. He said the Congress was not bothered about law and order situation and "unjustified" walkouts by it only reflected its discomfiture over the fact the BJP-HVC combine was in power and going strong. Earlier, Mr Dhumal in his reply refuted the charge that the law and order situation had deteriorated over the past eight months. Quoting figures, he said there were only 13,310 cases of crime during the current year so far as against 15,230 in 1997, 16,162 in 1996, 16,466 in 1995 and 16,221 in 1994. These figures, he said, made it clear that law and order had in fact, improved. He said the government had not withdrawn any criminal case and all cases referred to by the Opposition were either under investigation or challans had been put up in the court. Regarding the specific case in which some journalists were booked for extorting money from officers in Solan district, he said the case was under investigation and there was no pressure from any quarter to hush up the matter. Similarly, in the case pertaining to the alleged murder of a voluntary teacher in Thural, the post-mortem report had revealed that the injuries on the body could have been sustained due to a fall. There had been cases where criminals had committed murder elsewhere and dumped the body in the state. The Delhi police was investigating one such murder of Kamlesh Gupta whose body was found in Solan district. He refuted the charge of political interference in the functioning of the police and said it was the previous Congress government which used the police against its opponents. He recalled the Parwanoo incident in which former Chief Minister Ram Lal and some legislators were roughed up. Mr Dhumal admitted that the strength of the police was not adequate. He said his government had decided to recruit 400 constables immediately and from the following year it would recruit 200 constables annually to ensure that vacancies created due to retirement were filled immediately. Initiating the discussion, Mr Kaul Singh alleged that law and order had deteriorated due to increased political interference in its functioning. Those involved in crimes were being given shelter. The atrocities on Dalits had increased. He cited the case in which a woman was burnt in Kangra. Even senior officers like Deputy Commissioners and Judges were not safe. There had been a theft in the house of the Deputy Commissioner, Kulu. The residence of the Sub-Judicial Magistrate, Manali, had been attacked by miscreants. These incidents reflected the gravity of the situation. He said the police lacked in modern weapons and communication facilities which were essential for its efficient functioning. Mr G.S. Bali alleged that Himachal had become a haven for criminals and bodies of persons kidnapped from Delhi were being recovered from the state. Policemen were busy collecting money from pilgrims and tourists who visited the state. Hardly any theft case had been traced. He alleged that the extortion case involving journalists was being hushed up. Mr Rakesh Pathania, Mr
Ishwar Das, Mr Kuldeep Kumar and Mr Ravinder Thakur also
participated in the debate. |
Protest outside Vidhan Sabha SHIMLA, Dec 8 — Mr Sukhwinder Singh, president of the state Youth Congress, Mr Atul Sharma, president of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), and several other activists were taken into custody by the police when they squatted outside the Vidhan Sabha complex here today in protest against the "deteriorating" law and order in the state and "saffaronisation of educational institutions" by the BJP government. They were the "failure" of the government to control prices, corruption and nepotism. Activists of the Youth Congress and the NSUI blocked traffic on the Cart Road and on The Mall towards the new legislators' flats. There was a skirmish between the police and activists when they tried to force their entry into the Vidhan Sabha. They raised slogans against the BJP-HVC combine government and demanded its ouster. They were addressed by the CLP leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh, Mr Ram Lal Thakur, former minister, and Mr Harsh Mahajan (both Congress legislators), and Mr Harbhajan Singh Bhajee, PCC leader. The Congress leaders said the BJP government had no right to continue in office because of its "failure" to control law and order and rising prices in the state. Activists of the Youth Congress initially sat on a dharna outside the entry to the Vidhan Sabha complex. They later moved to the Cart Road when joined by NSUI activists from Himachal Pradesh University. The NSUI had given a separate call for a march to the Vidhan Sabha. Mr Atul Sharma alleged that the NSUI activists were lathi-charged by the police while they were peacefully demonstrating on the road. Six activists were injured in the police action, he claimed. He said the NSUI protest was primarily against the "saffaronisation of educational institutions" where, he alleged, the BJP government was appointing its own activists. Mr A N Bazwaria, permanent
secretary, and Mr Vineet Gautam, political secretary of
the PCC, have condemned the "lathi-charge". |
173 unauthorised govt
buildings SHIMLA, Dec 8 — As many as 173 government buildings had been constructed in the state without the mandatory approval of the Town and Country Planning Department. Stating this in a written reply the Minister for Town and Country Planning said that these included 63 building of various public undertakings. The maximum number of 44 unauthorised buildings had come up in Mandi district followed by 31 each in Shimla and Chamba and 24 in Kangra. In another written reply the Forest Minister told Mr Kaul Singh that as many as 66 deodar trees had dried up on a five hectare patch in the Chail area. The trees had been afflicted by phytophthora cinnamomi fungus which caused the root rot disease. Mr Karam Singh informed the house that as many as 3309 posts of JBT teacher, head teacher and central head teacher were vacant in various primary schools in the state. The government had decided to regularise the services of 4159 voluntary teachers and as many as 3284 posts had been created for the purpose. The 1444 JBT teachers who would complete training by the end of this month, would also be appointed immediately. Mr Roop Singh, Forest Minister, told Mr Ishwar Das that the government was considering to formulate a plan for taking soil conservation measures in the Sutlej valley. A survey had been conducted but things were at a preliminary stage. So far no comprehensive scheme to check soil erosion in the state had been prepared. In a written reply the
Minister for Ayurveda informed the House that as many as
1110 posts, including 169 of ayurvedic chikitsa adhikari,
412 of pharmacists and 140 of health worker were vacant
in the Ayurvedic Department. |
New HP industrial policy by
year-end JWALAMUKHI, Dec 8 — The Himachal Pradesh Government will introduce a new industrial policy aimed at exploiting local resources, generating intensive employment opportunities and making the state financially self-reliant by generating additional revenues. Addressing mediapersons here yesterday, the Industries Minister, Mr Kishori Lal, said a task force, which was formed a few months back for preparing the draft plan, had completed the basic framework. He said a series of interactive meetings were being held with industrial associations, labour organisations and other allied interests. The recent meeting at Parwanoo with industrialists was the first step in this context and after incorporating the valid suggestions emerging from these meetings, the proposed industrial policy would be announced before the end of the year, he added. The minister said the new industrial policy would lay stress on increasing job opportunities and revenue receipts while recognising the role of industries in the development of the state's economy. He said the government planned to provide incentives like subsidies and soft loans to rural people living on the peripheries of industrial estates for creating housing facilities needed by industrial workers. This would help in the absorption of local people in industrial units, particularly those living in far-flung areas. He criticised those
opposing the state government's decision to approve
setting up of three cement plants at Chamba, Sundernagar
and Karsog in Mandi district and said there was no change
in the cement policy. He also deplored the so-called
environmentalists, who feared that these cement plants
would damage the ecology and the environment. |
Motion seeking Central aid passed SHIMLA, Dec 8 — The Himachal Assembly today unanimously adopted a government motion urging the Centre to grant special assistance to the state to the tune of Rs 266 crore for undertaking relief and restoration measures in areas devastated by heavy rain and floods from July to October. Moving the resolution, Dr Rajan Sushant, Revenue Minister, said heavy rain and floods played a havoc with life and property during the rainy season, particularly in October, causing a total loss of Rs 332 crore. In all, 71 person were killed and 221 heads of cattle, perished during this period, while over 5,000 houses either collapsed or suffered partial damage. Crops were damaged in 9221 villages. The total loss on this account was assessed at Rs 106 crore. Fertile land was washed away causing a loss of over Rs 115.50 crore and the damage to bridges, roads, water supply schemes and other amenities was estimated at Rs 110.16 crore. Shimla district where 21 persons were killed was the worst hit. The total loss of property and crops had been assessed at Rs 47 crore. So far Rs 2.30 crore had been released for relief and rehabilitation measures. Even tribal areas were
affected where unseasonal snowfall claimed the lives of
four persons. The total loss on account of damage to
crops and property had been put at Rs 6.90 crore in
Kinnaur district. |
60 pc of Dulhasti project work over DULHASTI: The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) has a track record of pursuing hydro-power development in disturbed areas like Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir. The work on the 390-MW Dulhasti hydroelectric project (stage I) is going full-steam ahead, though killings in its surrounding areas by militants are still there. The Dulhasti project, in fact, got stalled due to abduction of French engineers in 1992 when the situation in J&K deteriorated. This led to the French consortium, engaged in civil construction works of the project, abandoning the site bringing the project to a standstill for over three years from 1992 to 1995. The French engineers were unwilling to return to the site. It was appearing imminent that the project itself would be abandoned, causing Rs 700 crore invested in the project to go down the drain. However, after prolonged deliberations between the Central Government and the French consortium for execution of the project through alternate means, the government decided to provide full budgetary support to the Dulhasti project despite militancy threats. Dulhasti project is located at Kistwar in Doda district of J&K adjacent to the border of Himachal's Chamba district. It is a second project on the Chenab river executed by the NHPC after completion of two stages of Salal project of 345 MW each. This is run-off-the-river scheme, envisaging generation of 390 MW in the first stage and an additional 390 on the completion of stage II. According to an official spokesman, the project comprises a 65-metre-high concrete gravity dam being constructed across the river at Dul; a 10.6km long 7.7-m diameter head race tunnel; 18.25-m dia, 95-m high surge shaft, 277-m long 7.7-m dia partly steel lined pressure shaft, three penstocks of 3.46-m dia and an underground power house to install three generating units of 130 MW each. The construction of a headrace tunnel is being taken up from both ends with different technology. From one end, a tunnel boring machine has been deployed for the first time in the country for construction of only hydroelectric project. From the other side, hydraulic jumbo drills have been deployed for digging the tunnel. The upstream portion of the tunnel has a upward gradient and the downstream portion of the tunnel has unique features of a loop alignment (to avoid fossil valley), siphon type depression for proper rock cover under Shalimar nullah) and different gradients in various reaches to match the geology encountered with the aim of expediting excavation of the tunnel. So far over 50 p.c. of its length has been completed. The construction of the dam has been taken up with Rotec conveyer belt tower crane system for concreting. The French consortium could complete 30 per cent of dam construction while another 30 p.c. had been completed by a joint venture over the past 18 months. Erection of hydromechanical components of dam is also in progress. A power-house cavern has already been dug and erection of a casing machine is in progress. The 400-kv single circuit
Kistwar-Kishenpur and Kishenpur-Srinagar transmission
lines are under construction by the Power Grid
Corporation of India. The project is now poised for
completion in 2001 which would feed 390 MW into the grid
for development of whole northern region, would thereby
generating about 2000 million units annually. |
Himalayan Festival from Dec 10 DHARAMSALA, Dec 8 — The fourth International Himalayan Festival, will be organised at McLeodganj, on December 10. The three-day festival is organised every year to commemorate the conferment of the Nobel Peace Prize on the Tibetan spiritual leader, The Dalai Lama. The Indo-Tibetan Friendship Association, along with the Tibetan Administration and the Department of Tourism is organising the festival. Cultural groups from Nepal, Jammu and Kashmir, Kulu and Sirmaur will perform during the festival at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts. The Tibetan Medical Centre and the Delek Hospital, will also hold a free medical camp during the festival. The festival will also
give a boost to winter tourism in Dharamsala and the
adjoining areas. The Transport Minister, Mr Krishan
Kapoor, will inaugurate the festival. |
Leopard creates panic NURPUR, Dec 8 — Panic has gripped Chinva village of Ganhi Lagor gram panchayat in this subdivision following the attacks of a leopard. According to the information, the leopard enters cowsheds of the village and kills farm animals. Villagers lamented that as
many as 40 cows, 80 goats and sheep and 14 dogs had been
killed by the leopard so far. |
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