CM to order probe into khair deal
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, July 23 — Himachal Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today informed the Vidhan Sabha, former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had allocated 25 per cent quota of khair wood to the Sagar Katha factory at Kala Amb without taking the matter to the Cabinet and announced he would order an inquiry into this "shady deal" signed just a day before his government assumed office on March 24.
Intervening during question hour, he said the official record pertaining to the allotment of khair wood created serious doubts regarding the intentions of the previous government. He said unlike other industries and katha bhattis which were being supplied khair wood at the auction price this particular factory was allotted the same at 94 per cent of the auction price for considerations better known to the then government.
Giving details of the case, he said the department had initially recommended 30 per cent quota for the factory by the Forest Department on September 26, 1997, Mr Virbhadra Singh recorded certain observation on the file raising doubts whether a meagre 12.5 per cent of khair wood left for open auction after the allotment would be adequate to determine the market price. Mr Sant Ram, the then Forest Minister, wrote to say the matter should be put up before the Cabinet, which was also endorsed by Mr Virbhadra Singh.
However, on March 7, 1998, Mr Virbhadra Singh decided to allot 25 per cent quota to the factory without taking the matter to the Cabinet. The final agreement was signed on March 23, the last day of the Virbhadra Singh Government in office.
Mr Virbhadra Singh, who was present in the House, clarified that the decision to allot 25 per cent quota was conveyed to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests on November 24, 1997, and the subsequent action was only a reiteration of it.
However, Mr Dhumal immediately refuted his plea by pointing out the subsequent observation of the Forest Minister that the matter should be placed before the Cabinet.
Mr Dhumal was repeatedly interrupted by Congress members which led to angry exchanges with the Treasury Benches.
Earlier, answering the question of Mr Rikhi Ram Kaundal and Mr Praveen Sharma, Mr Roop Singh, Forest Minister, said besides the two big industries about 150 to 200 katha bhattis were also allotted quota of khair wood.
Answering another question on the same issue, Mr Dhumal said the government would review the existing policy regarding private sale of khair trees and resin to ensure remunerative returns to the farmers.
Mr Jagat Prakash Nadda, Health Minister, told Mr Kaundal as many as 1,644 posts in various categories were lying vacant in the Health Department. These included 169 posts of doctor, 199 of staff nurse, 460 of male health worker, 235 of female health worker and 110 of pharmacist.
He said efforts were on to fill these posts. The process of filling the posts both through promotions and direct recruitment had been initiated. Requisition had been sent to the Public Service Commission for certain categories of posts.
Mr Mohinder Singh, Rural Development Minister, told Mr Kaul Singh the government would take up the issue of opium cultivation in the state with the Centre. He said the cultivation of opium could be allowed only by the Centre as the matter fell under its jurisdiction. At present, only three states had been granted permission for opium cultivation.
The Centre had initially allowed the state Agriculture Department to cultivate opium. However, since the results were not encouraging it was discontinued.
The House passed demands for grants pertaining to various departments. While the demands for Public Health and Education Departments were passed after discussion, but the remaining demands were guillotined. Speaking on demands for public health, Mrs Asha Kumari underlined the need for installing more hand pumps in Chamba district which, she held, had been neglected.
Mrs Viplove Thakur said better maintenance of pumping stations was essential to ensure regular water supply. Mr Kaul Singh and Mr Rangila Ram Rao said grant of private connections in excess was mainly responsible for taps remaining dry in many villages. They said the situation could be remedied only by remodelling the schemes.
Replying to the debate, Mr Ramesh Dhawala, Irrigation and Public Health Minister, said the government had allotted 8.3 per cent more budget than the previous year. As against 1,100 hamlets which were provided drinking water last year, the target this year was of 1,200 hamlets. Besides, 650 handpumps would be installed.

A cruel joke on flower growers
From Ravinder Sood
PALAMPUR: Floriculture, a much publicised cash crop suitable for the lower hills of Himachal Pradesh, has proved a cruel joke to hundreds of floriculturists, who have suffered huge losses in the past two years. The prestigious Rs 3-crore "Kangra for self-reliance by 2000" project has failed to take off.
This floriculture project was launched with much pomp and show by former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh here and it was surmised that the project would bring revolutionary changes in agriculture in the Kangra valley and other adjoining areas. The state government even offered a subsidy on plant materials and buy-back arrangements of produce were also made to help growers.
Mrs Manisha Shreedhar, the then Deputy Commissioner Kangra, was responsible for setting up this project and getting funds from the Union Government. Hundreds of agriculturists and non-agriculturists including a number of tea planters switched over to plantation of flowers in the valley in a big way. Mrs Shreedhar, who was also the chairman of District Rural Development Authority entered into an agreement with a Bombay-based company, Fresh Floritech Pvt Ltd for the supply of plant material and buying of flowers at pre-determined rates.
At the outset the growers had been complaining about the high-handed approach of this company, which was unnecessarily harassing growers and supplying poor plant material. The price of flowers being paid to growers was also low as compared to rates agreed by this company. There had been regular complaints of delay in the supply of seeds, norms and the grading of flowers left growers dissatisfied. There were allegations that sub-standard diseased bulbs were supplied to growers. Most growers also claimed that prices paid to them were less than half the prices prevailing in Delhi at that time.
However, in the absence of any alternative, they had to deal with the company. It was surprising that the Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chairperson of DRDA never told the public the terms and conditions of agreement with the company. Under such circumstances the growers had to bear whatever treatment was meted out to them and had to accept whatever material was supplied as well as the prices paid to them.
In the utter helpness and frustration the planters time and again approached the Deputy Commissioner for help and guidance, but none came to their rescue. It is alleged that even the written complaints made against the functioning of "Fresh Floritech Pvt Ltd" were not entertained and all the time the DRDA Chairperson held the growers at fault and defended the company.
Then the ground fell from under the feet of the floriculturists when the flower crop in the valley was in full swing. Fresh Floritech closed their purchase centres and refused to buy the flowers. To say that growers panicked would be an understatement, they were stunned. They suddenly discovered that there were no takers for their flowers, not even for a rupee per stick. Flowers worth Rs 15 lakh were destroyed.
Later the company fled from the scene. The cheques issued by the company to growers bounced.
A number of flower growers, who called on the Chief Minister last week alleged that the district administration as well as DRDA had been giving shelter to the company and despite repeated complaints by flower growers the district administration had failed to take any action against the company. The growers told the Chief Minister that the then Deputy Commissioner launched this project in haste without studying the market. They alleged that DRDA only wanted to please the then Chief Minister by taking up this project.
The growers, who lost lakhs of rupees, alleged that the DRDA encouraged them to take up flower cultivation, provided inputs including plant material, and also assured them of marketing their produce, but when the crop was ready, they were left in lurch causing them to incur huge losses.
Mr Dhumal assured the flower growers that he would personally look into the matter and direct the enforcement wing of the police to conduct a probe so that guilty officials could be punished. He also promised to compensate the affected flower growers.
Though the DRDA has moved the court against the company but no progress has been made in this case.

Move to set up corpn for ropeways
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, July 23 — The tourism committee of the Himachal Vidhan Sabha has recommended setting up of an aerial ropeways corporation to ensure expeditious implementation of the plans to construct ropeways in the state.
The committee headed by Mr Rikhi Ram Kaundal, pointed out in its report presented in the House today that although the Ropeways Act was enforced in the state as early as 1972 no real effort was made to promote ropeways as a mode for connecting remote areas or for tourism purposes all these years.
Ropeways would not only go a long way in promoting tourism but also help in providing means of communication to remote areas.
The committee felt since construction of roads in many difficult areas was either not feasible or was a costly proposition ropeways should be installed to connect these places.
Besides, a adequate number of ropeways was also required for carrying goods in the state.
The state Public Works Department was in no position to carry out the job and a separate corporation must be constituted without any further delay to achieve the objective.