Delay in decision irks HP power engineers
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Feb 15 — The Himachal Power Engineers Association has expressed concern over the inordinate delay by the state electricity board management in deciding vigilance cases, because of which the careers of as many as 24 engineers had been marred.

The association had time and again urged the management to take decision, but to no avail.

It pointed out that most of these vigilance cases were framed on flimsy grounds during 1990-91.

Citing examples, the association explained that more than 10 engineers allegedly involved in two cases pertaining to the purchase of poles and conductor during the 1985-90 period had not been served even a formal charge sheet which was supposed to be handed over to them within 3 months. Moreover, the engineers against whom these cases were registered were not responsible for the purchases as the decision was taken by the board, including the Chairman.

In the purchase of conductor, an assistant engineer and a junior engineer was served a show-cause notice in 1991, though the case of purchase was decided by the board.

In this case too special audit was conducted twice and when the board failed to substantiate the facts of the show-cause notice, a third inquiry was ordered to be conducted through a committee comprising Chief Engineer and I.G. (Vigilance). This committee submitted its report about six months back, but the board was yet to take a decision.

In another case an officer was acquitted by the Sessions Court but still the vigilance case against him was not withdrawn even after a period of two years and consequently he was denied all promotional benefits. In yet another case an officer was punished for a lapse which he had not committed as he was on leave on that particular day.

The association alleged that the decision on the vigilance cases had been delayed deliberately and every time the matter was put up to the board it was deferred on one pretext or the other by the Chairman.

One of the engineers had expired while waiting for a decision while six to eight engineers had retired.

The association has appealed to Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, to look into the matter so that the engineers were saved from unnecessary harassment and mental torture.

BJP asks Mahajan to substantiate charge
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Feb 15 — Mr Kishori Lal, Industries Minister, has denounced the statement of Mr Sat Mahajan, President of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee, in which he had reportedly accused the BJP of sheltering terrorists in Chamba and challenged him to come out with facts and evidence to substantiate his charge.

Reacting to the allegation, Mr Kishori Lal said the cases of kidnapping pertained to Jammu and Kashmir and the state police had taken up the matter with the Superintendent of Police of Doda district. He said as per information available, the kidnapped persons were alive and the police was in constant touch with paramilitary forces and the Army to trace them. The government had already granted a compensation of Rs 1.25 lakh to the family of each person, he said.

Regarding the Gehra bridge, he said work was nearing completion and the bailey bridge would be ready by the end of this month. He said the bridge would have been completed earlier, had there been no land slide in the vicinity. The landslide had swept the entire work and it had to be started all over again.

The Administration had disbursed Rs 23 lakh to fire victims of Chamba in accordance with the provisions of the relief manual. Besides, blankets and subsidised timber for house construction had also been provided to the affected families, he said.

He said it was wrong to say that ration was not available in shops and asserted that the District Administration had made elaborate arrangements to ensure availability of food stuff in the entire district, especially the tribal belt.

CM’s incentives for fruit-processing units
From Our Correspondent

UNA, Feb 15 — Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, said here today that the state government would provide land on lease at very nominal rates and tax holiday for five years of entrepreneurs installing fruit-processing units in the state.

Mr Dhumal was addressing a public rally at Haroli, about 16 km from here. He said unemployed youth of the state should take to horticulture and fruit processing as an alternative to government jobs as there was good potential for horticultural activities in lower Himachal. He assured electricity on demand to industrialists willing to set up units in the state. He ordered the upgradation of Haroli electrical sub-division.

Mr Dhumal appealed to the people of the state to donate liberally towards the Chief Minister's Relief Fund and assured the people that the funds would be used to provide medical relief to the poor and needy.

Mr Dhumal said Santoshgarh and its surroundings areas had a potential for the production of sugarcane and groundnut and modalities were being worked out to set up a cane-processing unit. He said the government would provide irrigation facilities to farmers of Beet area and ordered drilling of at least 10 deep tubewells for the purpose.

He announced the opening of a veterinary dispensary at Saloh village. Earlier, Mr Dhumal laid the foundation stone of a bridge on Kangar Khud and a three-suite rest house at Haroli.

Shivaratri fair inaugurated
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, Feb 15 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, here today inaugurated the eight-day international Shivaratri fair.

After performing "pooja" at the temple of Madho Rai, Mr Dhumal marched with a shobha yatra towards the Padal ground, the venue of the fair.

Mr Dhumal visited 50 stalls erected by the Gramshree displaying handicrafts of the North-East and South.

Mr Dhumal dedicated a building here for students, built by the PWD at a cost of Rs 2.08 crore and completed in a record time of 94 days.

Mr Dhumal said the management of the 86-MW Malana hydel project, the foundation stone of which was laid by him recently, had categorically assured that the project would be completed within two and a half years against the stipulated period of 5 years.

He declared that engineers of the HPSEB would be given special bonus for early completion of projects in their hands.

Mr Dhumal admitted that the structure of primary education in the state was fragile and of the 10,484 primary schools, 1964 did not have a single room. The government had, therefore, decided to build at least one room for each primary school by 2002 by spending Rs 132 crore and 13612 rooms would be constructed, he said.

He declared that law classes would be started in Mandi and more funds would be given for the development of college and library.

Waning charm of Bharmour
From Balkrishan Prashar

CHAMBA: Shabby khokhas (wooden structures) and haphazard constructions that have cropped up in and around the historic township of Bharmour, in Chamba district, have stolen the charm and magic of the hill town.

This can perhaps be attributed either to the lack of political will or the laxity of the local administration. There is an urgent need of extending the Himachal Pradesh Town and Country Planning Act to this township to curb unwarranted and unruly developments thereby conserving and preserving the township's natural beauty.

The alleys are miserably narrow and congested and the access to the main plaza has been blocked at many points through illegal encroachments which obstruct the free movement towards the seventh century 'Chowrasi temples' of Bharmour.

The indiscriminate and thoughtless construction work without leaving any space around buildings is the biggest drawback which at times becomes hazardous.

Many unauthorised hotels are coming up in and around Bharmour under the administration's nose. These ugly structures are also spoiling the landscape's beauty and magical charm. Nothing has so far been done in the name of planning in this holy and historic township.

Situated in the lap of the snowy hills, Bharmour township is a tribal subdivisional headquarter with a population of about 3,000 about 65 km from the district headquarter town of Chamba. Not only private constructions, but also government housing works are speeding up in the township. The offices of certain government departments are housed in private rented buildings. Even the government staff of some departments does not have residential accommodation.

There is no public toilet in Bharmour township which has a number of influxes of pilgrims and tourists.

Recently a sewerage scheme for Bharmour township was proposed by the state government which is under investigation. Under the scheme, the township has been divided into four zones. A comprehensive report on the sewerage scheme after proper investigation is expected to be submitted to the state government shortly.

Meanwhile, the Resident Commissioner of Bharmour, Mr K. Sanjaymurti, has directed the local authorities of Bharmour to bring the defaulters to book for encroachments and unauthorised constructions and deal with them drastically as required under the law.

* * *

The inhabitants of Chamba town are angered over the forest rights enforced by the Forest Department in the town some years ago.

Though, it is alright for pre-1939 settlers, but it is a raw deal for those who settled in Chamba town after 1939.

There is a need to rectify the double standard of forest rights in the light of desperate straits of post-1939 settlers. It is also indispensably to promulgate a new policy on timber distribution so that the post-1939 settlers may be provided timber at the same rate. Otherwise, deprivation of their right will obviously give rise to smuggling to timber for the construction of their houses. Moreover, they (post-1939 settlers) will curse the helm of state for playing havoc with their legitimate rights.

According to officials of the Forest Department, in 1939 the then Raja of erstwhile State of Chamba had decided to formalise the entitlement of forest rights. Ironically, the decision of the Raja was enforced by the Forest Department after 54 years, even though a new Constitution of India was adopted and implemented in 1950.

During the period nearly 75 per cent of the population of the town from outside settled here. Now after a long time, in spite of their being bona fide residents of Chamba town, they have been outrightly debarred from timber facility which was prevalent for over five decades.