 |
| Monday, April 10, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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Timber worth Rs 275 cr given for
Rs 2.13 lakh HP’s gateway suffers in
neglect
Forest Dept gears up to face
forest fires ST status for Gujjars, Gaddis
promised Seizure of liquor raises
controversy |
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500 IYC men to attend
rally Revenue officials' visit causes
panic Plea to introduce environment
course Artiste body to hold competition Governor visits vidya niketan Govt giving ‘raw deal to
staff’ NSUI celebrates foundation day
|
Timber worth Rs 275 cr given
for Rs 2.13 lakh SHIMLA, April 9 — Over 2.10 lakh green trees worth about Rs 275 crore have been cut by right holders under the timber distribution (TD) system during the past five years in Himachal. Interestingly, the government realised only about Rs 2.13 lakh as the value of these trees from the right holders who were entitled to cut them at a highly subsidised rate. According to forest officials while a cubic meter of deodar timber is available for about Rs 25,000 in the open market, the right holders enjoy the privilege of having it for merely 64 paise. According to official figures, 2.10.934 green trees with a volume of 5,49,484 cubic metres were sanctioned for being cut by the right holders between 1994-1999. It is learnt that the average market rate for various varieties of timber, including deodar, fir, spruce, chil, kail and broad-leaf trees is estimated to be around Rs 5000, but the right holders have to pay just 37 paise for per cubic meter of timber. The TD system has become so much politicised over the years that successive governments have not dared either to scrap it or enhance the rates of timber that were fixed way back in 1873. As many as 46,995 trees were allowed to be cut in 1997-98, while 42,530 were axed in 1998-99. The highest number of 49,469 trees had been sanctioned to the right holders in Shimla forest circle during the past five years. These contained a volume of 1,11,351 cubic metres. The districts mostly has deodar forests. This was followed by Mandi circle where 40,397 trees were axed. In the fragile hills of Chamba circle, 28,051 trees with a volume of 83,897 cubic metres were cut by the right holders during five years. The number of trees allowed to be cut came down to 30,957 during 1994-95 in the state when the sanctioning officers tightened control because of environmental awareness. Thereafter, the number has hovered around 45,000 trees per annum. Besides the TD system the increasing number of fire incidents are also swallowing forests every year. A forest area of 41105 hectares was burnt in fires during 1999-2000 against 6902 hectares during 1998-99. In 1997-98 301 hectares forests were destroyed in fire. Snow in the winter too had damaged forest timber totalling over 2 lakh cubic metres. The Forest Department has prepared a Rs 5 crore plan for protecting forests from fire. However, the budget is earmarked for the purpose not sufficient for the purpose. Record indicates that hardly have any inspection paths been constructed in forests during the past three years when the incidents of forest fire started rising. It is pointed out that
fresh plantations are for less than the loss of timber
taking place every year. Even the survival rate of fresh
transplantation was not encouraging. |
HP’s gateway suffers in
neglect PARWANOO, April 9 — Even after about 25 years of its existence, this industrial town at the gateway to Himachal Pradesh, still lacks basic amenities. Earlier, called Baroti village, it was renamed Parwanoo by the Himachal Pradesh Government. The town does not have a proper bus stand. All buses on the way to Shimla, stop on the national highway and passengers disembark there causing a traffic hazard and sometimes accidents. Most long-route buses do not allow Parwanoo-bound passengers from Chandigarh to board the bus and do not even stop at Parwanoo causing hardship to commuters from Chandigarh, Pinjore and Kalka. The local bus service is far from satisfactory. There is no proper parking lot for trucks here, though there are two truck unions here which have almost about 400 trucks registered in the union. The drivers park their trucks on the national highway and on the inner roads of the town causing inconvenience to the residents, sometimes causing accidents as well. The truck repair work is very common on the roadside specially on the national highway which also adds to the traffic hazards. The government school is situated on the national highway. A majority of the town’s residents and social organisations of this town have been demanding shifting of this school from the national highway to some other place because a lot of accidents involving school children take place at this stretch of the highway. This school now has been upgraded to plus two but the school building is inadequate to accommodate 12 classes having about 1200 students. A portion of the building is unsafe. Local industrialists and residents complain about erratic power supply, unscheduled power cuts and voltage fluctuations which cause incalculable loss to the industry. The residents also say that they have to suffer heavy losses due to voltage fluctuations which damages costly gadgets like refrigerators, TVs, geysers. The industrialists say that the Himachal Pradesh government always claimed that the state was surplus in electricity but there is always a shortage of electricity, especially in winter. The industrial workers are not satisfied with the service provided by the ESI Hospital here. The staff of the hospital is inadequate and re-imbursement of medical bills of workers have been pending for up to four years. The stock of medicines too is inadequate. There is no hospital of dispensary for the general public not covered by the ESI scheme. Children’s parks in this town are in neglect. Youth and children are forced to play on the roads as there is no playground in this town. Residents and senior citizens of this town have been demanding a stadium, auditorium. The residents also want a subzi mandi here so that they get vegetables, fruits and other items at cheap rates as shopekeepers here charge high rates. While some roads are unmetalled, others are in a poor state. Drains along the roads are not proper and most roads are without drains. Open garbage on the roads is a common sight. Stray cattle and pigs move about without let-up. According to
industrialists and residents, neglect is due to
multiplicity of development agencies operating in this
town. It has been suggested that an apex industrial
development agency be formed to take care of the
town’s development and maintenance. |
Forest Dept gears up to face
forest fires SHIMLA, April 9 — The sudden rise in mercury over the past one week has alerted the Forest Department of the danger of forest fires in the state. The Principal Chief Conservator, Mr S.K. Pande, has issued instructions to the field staff to ensure that necessary prophylactic arrangements, rehearsals carried out and the staff put on a constant prowl so that the forest fires, which could start breaking out any time, were nipped in the bud. He has also asked the staff to strictly implement the new rule under which burning of private grasslands and other fires adjoining forest areas without permission had been banned. The watch and ward staff as well as officers posted in fire-prone areas had been asked to take special care that the extended vacation during second week of April did not affect the preparedness of the department. He has also asked the Divisional Forest Officers not to be lax in checking smuggling of timber and illicit felling by ensuring that vulnerable points did not become deserted outposts, allowing forest mafia to have a field day. Obviously, last year’s experience when unusual weather conditions led to highest ever number of forest fires, even though frequent rains during the second half of summer saved the forests from colossal damage. Normally sporadic incidents of fires are reported up to May 15 and maximum fires occur in June when the summer is at its peak. However, last year prolonged drought during winter and sudden risen in temperature in March created June like conditions in April. The first fire was reported as early as March 18 and by the first week of April forests were burning all around. In all 1966 incidents were reported and the total forest area burnt was 41105 hectare. This year the situation Mr Pande says may not be as bad. Good snow and rain during winter and low temperatures during March have ensured a high level of humidity. Besides, the quantity inflammable material was also much less. In such conditions, even if there are incidents, their intensity and duration will be much less. The fire danger rating has indeed increased with the rise in temperature and the department was taking all preventive steps. However, there was no substitute for occasional spells of rain, the natural and most effective fire extinguisher during summer. The department has also decided to launch a mass awareness campaign to sensitise the people to the need of prevention of forest fires. It has prepared fire jingles which would aired from the local stations. Besides, the officers who had undergone special training in fire safety in Australia would impart training to school and panchayats will also be covered under the training programme. The incidents of fire have been on the rise over the past few years due to laxity in implementation of fire safety measures. The worst year was 1995, when large-scale forest fires led to a public interest litigation in the state high court, which directed the government to prepare long and short-term plans to find a permanent solution to the problem. The department admitted
in the court that it had been neglecting fire safety
measures like controlled burning and making of fire lines
as it did not have funds for it. The state government
thereafter prepared a Rs 5 crore plan out which Rs 3
crore had already been received from the Centre. |
ST status for Gujjars,
Gaddis promised DHARAMSALA, April 9 — The newly elected Rajya Sabha member, Mr Kripal Parmer, today assured that he would try and get Scheduled Tribe status for the Gaddis and Gujjars of the merged areas of the state. Mr Parmer, who was given a rousing welcome on his arrival to Kangra district, said the Congress party had always ignored the interest of this community in Una, Hamirpur and Kangra. "At the time of reorganisation of the state in 1966, the Gaddis and Gujjars of old Himachal were given the Scheduled Tribe status, but people of this community in the merged areas were denied the benefit," he regretted. He further said the demand of one rank one pension for the ex-servicemen was another issue which affected thousands of retired Army personnel of Himachal. He added that in order to help Himachal become self-sufficient by trapping its immense hydro-electric potential, he would try to arrange funds at the Central level. Mr Kishan Kapoor, Mr
Rajan Sushant, Mr Praveen Sharma, Ministers, and Mr Des
Raj, Mr Rajeev Bindal, and Mr Jai Ram, all MLAs were also
present. |
Seizure of liquor raises
controversy KANGRA, April 8 — A controversy has cropped up between the Excise and the Police departments here over the seizure of more than two truck loads of liquor from a shed in the industrial area in the town during a police raid. According to the district police chief, Mr K.C. Sadiyal, the police raided shed number 17 on Thursday and seized a consignment consisting of 1,380 boxes of allegedly illegal liquor and sealed the shed. He said the police registered a case under the Excise Act. Deputy Superintendent of Police P.S. Thakur said no arrests had been made so far as the investigation was in progress. Meanwhile, the wine contractor, Mr Kapil Sood, who is the owner of the seized boxes of liquor, in a press conference here yesterday described the police action as a means to harass and humiliate him despite having valid documents for the seized liquor. He said he received six truck loads of rum on March 31 under valid passes and bills from IMFL Sansarpur Terrace. He said he approached the Excise Department on April 1 for seeking permission to keep two truck loads of the stuff in a temporary shed in the industrial area. The permission was granted by the Excise Collector, Palampur, on Thursday, he said. He alleged that the police had inspected and sealed the shed despite the clearance from the Excise Department. Mr Sadiyal denied the
charges of harassment and said: "I don’t rely
on the documents issued on Thursday by the Excise
Department when the police had already seized the illegal
stock". |
500 IYC men to attend rally HAMIRPUR, April 9 — Nearly 500 activists of the Indian Youth Congress from Himachal Pradesh will take part in a rally at New Delhi on Mary 2, Mr Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, state President of the Youth Congress, said this here today. He said the Youth Congress was devoted to the cause of poor and downtrodden sections of society. It would go to masses and expose the real face of the BJP Government in the state and the Centre, Mr Sukhu added. He blasted the BJP government for sharp rise in prices of foodgrains and other articles. The Youth Congress had started a state-wide campaign against the government and would continue to go ahead with this till price rise was curbed, he added. He alleged that the BJP had failed to fulfil its election and other promises made to the people of the state from time to time. He expressed concern
over the rise of unemployment in the state. He said the
figure was crossing 1 lakh mark every year. Mr Sukhu hit
out at the government for giving various power contracts
to private parties without safeguarding the interests of
the state. These private parties were giving employment
to people from outside the state. He asked the state
government to ensure that youth of the state was given
its due share in all power and other projects coming to
state with the help of the state government. |
Revenue officials' visit causes
panic KUMARHATTI, April 9 — The visit of Revenue officials in Barog and Chewa panchayats areas has caused panic among residents. Everybody seems to be talking about the Section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Land Reforms and Land Tenancy Act, 1972. An old man sitting among his fellows tucking bidi in his finger says at last someone has dared to stop the auction of their land to outsiders. But on the other side a recently employed youth thanks the outsiders for bringing commercial activities in the area. The new millennium has come as a bolt from the blue for those who have invested their life-long savings in property at Barog just to spend a cool retired life there. In the past three months the Revenue Department has registered 56 cases or benami land transactions in Barog and Chewa panchayats in Solan district, comprising 27 villages. It is learnt that show cause notices have been issued in many cases. Revenue officials are likely to visit the area next month. Inquiries reveal that
there isn’t enough staff to check the unplanned and
illegal constructions. According to the Himachal Pradesh
Land Record Manual Act, there should be one kanungo over
the four patwaris. But the situation is such that there
is only one kanungo over the eight patwaris of Barog,
Bohli, Bhojnagar, Subhathu, Haripur, Gumzoon, Ranow and
Deothi. |
Plea to introduce environment
course DHARAMSALA, April 9 — Students doing postgraduation in geology have demanded the introduction of environmental subjects at the school level so as to achieve the goal of sustainable development and check environmental degradation. Presently, postgraduation in geology is offered only at the Regional Centre of Himachal Pradesh University at Dharamsala and three colleges at Nahan, Shimla and the local college. "In the absence of a research centre here most of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) projects for Himachal are taken by students from other states like Punjab, Haryana and J&K, "lamented one of the students. The students said that it was a pity that most of the geology students from outside come here for research, whereas the subject has not been introduced at the school or college level in Himachal. They said for doing doctorate in geology the students had to go to other universities as the facility was not available in Himachal Pradesh University. The students demanded
the introduction of environmental education at the
college and secondary level education. |
Artiste body to hold competition SHIMLA, April 9 — The 45th annual All India Folk, Music, Dance and Drama competition will be held here from June 20. Stating this here today,
Mr Sudershan Gaur, president of the All India Artistes
Association said that one act plays in Hindi, English,
Urdu and Punjabi languages and folk and classical dances
from all over the country would be staged during the
week-long competition. |
Governor visits vidya niketan SHIMLA, April 9 — The Himachal Governor, Mr Vishnu Kant Shastri, urged the people to come forward and extend their cooperation for executing public welfare works. The Governor was
speaking at a function of D.A.V. Ambuja Vidya Niketan of
Gujarat Ambuja Cement at Dadlaghat in Solan district
yesterday. |
Govt giving ‘raw deal to
staff’ SHIMLA, April 9 — The state unit of the Congress has charged the BJP-led government at the Centre and in the state with handing out a raw deal to employees. In a joint statement here today, Mr Joginder Chand, the party spokesperson and Mr Vineet Gautam, secretary, PCC, said instead of raising the income tax limit to Rs 1 lakh as promised, the government reduced the rate of interest on the general provident fund. The state government was not paying the DA instalments in time and the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission were not been implemented by the Virbhadra Singh government. Over the past two years the government ordered the transfers of over two lakh employees, thus putting a great burden on the state exchequer. By shifting various offices and also by doing away with posts of three divisional commissioners, hundreds of employees had been put to great inconvenience. The Home Guards had
filed a case in the courts with respect to their demands,
which was withdrawn on the assurance of the Chief
Secretary but instead of giving them any benefit as
promised, the state government had retrenched 2000 Home
Guards jawans and deprived them of their livelihood. |
NSUI celebrates foundation
day SHIMLA, April 9 — The state unit of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) celebrated its 31st foundation day here today. Senior Congress leaders
Mrs Vidya Stokes, Mrs Asha Kumari, Mrs Viplove Thakur and
Mr Harbhajan Singh addressed the gathering. Mr Kewal
Pathania, president of the union, exhorted workers to
work earnestly to bring social change and engage in
constructive activities. |
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