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| Sunday, May 14, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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HP police fears militants’
attack 2074 cr for HP hydel projects
Parents seek action against DAV
school |
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Water sources
contaminated Seven students hurt in clash Mahila Congress flays BJP Additional parking for summer Inquiry ordered Volunteers clear polythene bags Kee Monastery to get facelift
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HP police fears
militants’ attack DHARAMSALA, May 13 — With frequent spotting of militants and seizure of a huge cache of sophisticated ammunition along the border between Chamba and Jammu and Kashmir, during the past two months, the probability of a strike by terrorists in Himachal Pradesh is giving the police sleepless nights. What is most alarming is the fact that the militants were spotted at Gujjar kotha, in the Baju Bag area of Himachal, where they had taken refuge during winter. The Jammu and Kashmir police too confirmed the spotting of 10 militants moving towards the Himachal area. However, an aerial recce of the area by the SP of Chamba and the Commandant of the ITBP could not ascertain the presence of the militants due to heavy snowfall. The seizure of a huge cache of ammunition of 11 different kinds from the Shivaz forests, close to the Baju Bag area of Chamba district, is also causing concern to the police. The police had laid its hands on a similar ammunition stock at the Sappa Cholu nullah in the Kehar area, a week after the gunning down of 35 labourers by militants on August 2, 1998, at Kala Ban and Satrundi. The alert sounded by the Jammu and Kashmir police, that after killing three persons in the Jhijjar forests under the Gandoh police station on April 25 the movement of militants towards the Himachal territory could not be ruled out, is only adding to the worry of the Himachal police. The DIG (Northern Range), Mr I.D. Bhandari, while confirming the presence of militants in the J and K territory adjoining Chamba, said they had specific information that the ISI had given directions to the militants to stay put in these high-altitude areas, even during the harsh winter months. "Our counterparts in J and K have confirmed that with the functioning of about 250 wireless sets being detected, there could be quite a few militants in the region," he stated. Following reports that the militant outfit, Lashkar-e-Toiba, had appointed a foreign mercenary, Noorani, as the new commander of the Doda area, the probability of the militants’ presence in the higher reaches of J and K, adjoining Chamba, was pretty high. In fact the J and K police too has indicated that Noorani was likely to visit the Gandoh area as the Bhaderwah and Kishtwar region, close to Chamba, was under him. Mr Bhandari disclosed that as a precautionary measure the government had once again decided to ban the entry of the Gujjars to the higher reaches close to the J and K boundary. It was for the first time last year that the government had prevented the Gujjars by cancelling their grazing permits from entering the higher reaches where they have their kothas. The step was taken to prevent any local help in the form of money or ration supply to the militants foraying into the area. "As it is, the decision has a very limited impact, as only a few families are affected by it," said Mr Bhandari. Mr Bandari disclosed
that there was also a complete ban on the entry of
villagers from both Himachal as well as J and K into the
forests to collect herbs, as apart from being an illegal
activity it used to pose a threat to their lives by the
militants.Two years back, militants had taken 23 persons
as hostages when they had gone to the forests to collect
herbs, which fetch them handsome money. |
2074 cr for HP hydel projects SHIMLA, May 13 — The Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has sanctioned loans of Rs 2074 crore for various hydroelectric projects in Himachal Pradesh. Disclosing this chairman cum managing director of PFC, Mr Uddesh Kohli, who is here in connection with the seventh meeting of the PFC with the chiefs of state power utilities and senior officers of central and state power sector said the amount includes a loan of Rs 1100 crore for the Nathpa Jhakri Power Project.The PFC has also sanctioned a loan of Rs 461 crore for the Ghanvi and Larji hydel projects. This includes a loan of Rs 400 crore for the Larji project, for which Rs 78 crore have already been disbursed. Mr Kohli said that a high level committee has been set up to suggest lowering of the interest rates for loans of the PFC to make these competitive with bank rates which have recently been lowered. He said that the PFC will provide Rs 600 crore to the Himachal Pradesh government to enable it to pay its share of 25 per cent in NJPC. PFC was also funding private power projects so that the electricity requirement of the country was enhanced. Loans of Rs 3978 crore have so far been sanctioned for 19 independent power producers (IPPs) to generate 5073 MWs. Mr.J.Vasudevan, additional secretary in the Ministry of power, said to increase the share of hydroelectric power from 51 per cent in 1963 to 25 per cent in 1998, the Centre has formulated a policy of basin wise development. This would initially include the basins of Parbati (HP), Teesta (Sikkim) and Dehang and Subansari (Arunachal Pradesh). These basins have a total potential of 21,000 mw and budgetary support has been earmarked for the projects. Despite these, the share of hydel power will remain at 25 per cent for the time being as these projects will add only 25,000 mw till 2012, when actual requirement will shoot up by about one lakh mw. The Centre was also planning to impose a cess on hydel generation to finance various projects in Himachal, J&K and the North-East. Mr Vasudevan said that the Centre has already sanctioned the Chamera II, Loktak (Manipur), Teesta (Sikkim) and Boteshwar (UP) projects and was likely to clear some other major projects during the 10th plan. He stressed the need for bringing down power losses and cent per cent metering, for which about Rs 6000 crore were required. In his inaugural address, Mr Dhumal urged the Centre to review the policy to include power projects upto 300 mws capacity in the MOU route as the competitive bidding route had not been found successful. He hoped that hydel generation would receive a boost due to participation of the private sector.Himachal has taken a leading role in the sphere and has so far assigned 1917 mw to IPPs. The Chief Minister
suggested that the repayment schedule of PFC loans be
enhanced to 20 years from the existing 10 years. Needy
states like Himachal could take up more projects if the
repayment schedule was increased to 20 years, he said. |
Parents seek action against DAV
school SUNDERNAGAR, May 13 — Parents of more than 600 students of DAV Public School here are worried over the fate of their children as the DAV management is not taking any step to get the school affiliated with the CBSE. The parents’ Association has demanded legal action against the DAV management and the arrest of officials of the management who have allegedly cheated the students and their parents. The school has been running here for the past more than 13 years and the DAV management committee had said the school was affiliated with the CBSE, but last year the school denied its affiliation with the CBSE. On this the parents’ association wrote many letters to the DAV management but it did not get any response. In protest against this attitude the parents’ association started an agitation and locked the school premises.The agitation was suspended on the intervention of the SDM, who assured them that the management would take steps for the school’s affiliation. Moreover, residents are ready to transfer the land to the school but none of the management members have taken any step. At the last meeting the SDM asked the DAV representative that a person who is competent to sign the land transfer paper should visit Sundernagar within 15 days but no one has visited him till now. The parents have again
started the agitation and demanded legal action against
the DAV management committee. According to them the DAV
management has opened many institutions in the state
which are not recognised by the CBSE. |
Water sources contaminated DALHOUSIE: Dalhousie, one of the most picturesque and attractive tourist resorts of the country, has suffered tremendous harm due to an increase in population, faulty garbage management, improper sewerage resulting in degradation of the situation. The state of affairs at the hill station because of its location amidst pine and silver oak forests has led to the piling up of garbage and sewage. Dalhousie town,which houses various important government offices, educational institutions, hospitals, hotels, colonies and markets, has no sewage disposal system. Garbage, in plastic bags can be seen strewn all around this town. The open spaces in forests are used as dumping grounds. Untreated liquid and solid wastes cause enormous damage to the environment. After a short spell of rain, nullahs are filled with garbage. Drinking water sources at the lower level get contaminated. Residents living below the hill town have made complaints several times. Besides, tourist attractions of the town have been increasing at an amazing intensity, which needs a matching infrastructure. To save the town and the villages down below from contamination and to contain the danger to the environment and ecology, it is indispensable to treat, dispose or recycle the solid and liquid wastes. For this, the Himachal Pradesh Government approved Rs 8.5 crore sewerage scheme for the town in March 1996. At the lower elevation, the Army cantonment and Rulyani, Bathri, Osal, Juinta and Banikhet gram panchayats are located . The areas cater to the drinking water needs of these villages. Efforts are made to have treatment units at one place but it is not possible due to topographical conditions of the town as it would disturb the existing monuments. Therefore, sewerage points have been divided into five zones where sullage is treated. But, before work on the
sewerage scheme is undertaken, supply of sufficient water
is essential to drain out sewage. Hence the existing
water supply scheme for the town requires to be augmented
and work which has started of late needs to be speeded
up. |
Seven students hurt in clash PALAMPUR, May 13 — At least seven students were injured, two of them seriously, when two groups of students clashed on the campus of Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University here yesterday. According to reports available here there was some dispute between students of veterinary college and the agricultural college, which culminated into this incident. Both groups used iron rods and sharpedged weapons. Dr Sanjiv Kumari, a teacher in the veterinary college, was seriously injured when she was caught in stone pelting while passing on a scooter. Another student Subhash Sharma received serious head injury when he was hit by an iron rod. Mr Hans Raj Sharma, SDM,
Palampur, told newspersons that the police had registered
a case. He claimed that situation on the campus was under
control and district administration was in touch with the
university authorities. |
Mahila Congress flays BJP SHIMLA, May 13 — The Mahila Congress has criticised the BJP government for not rolling back the prices of essential commodities and has threatened to launch an agitation against the adamant attitude of the government on the issue. This was decided in a meeting of the office-bearers of the Mahila Congress which was held here today under the chairmanship of Ms Krishna Mohini, state president of the party. Ms Mohini accused the government of having badly hit the poor and the middle class by sharply increasing the prices of PDS items, cooking gas, kerosene and electricity, besides other things. The Mahila Congress will send a memorandum to the president against the "anti-people" policies of the Vajpayee government at the Centre and the Dhumal government in the state. She demanded that 33 per
cent quota should be reserved for women. |
Additional parking for summer SHIMLA, May 13 — In a bid to regulate vehicular traffic here during the tourist season, the state government has decided to construct additional parking places in various parts of the town. A high-level meeting was held here last evening under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, to take steps for solving the traffic chaos in the state capital. The Chief Minister asked the concerned officers to identify traffic bottlenecks and regulate one-way traffic to prevent traffic jams. To avoid overcrowding in buses, it was decided to ply some buses with a fixed number of seats on higher tariff. The Chief Minister ordered that all new houses should have parking place. Immediate steps should be taken for construction of the inter-state bus stand at Tutikandi near here to reduce the heavy traffic in the town. He also asked the
officers for speedy construction of the byepass at
Sanjauli. |
Inquiry ordered DHARAMSALA, May 13 — The state government has ordered an inquiry into the death of Nirupma Khanka, due to the alleged negligence on the part of the medical staff of Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College on May 7. The Financial Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Health, Mr S.S. Parmar, has ordered the inquiry on the recommendation of the Deputy Commissioner, Mr R.C. Kapil. The Additional Deputy
Commissioner, Mr Onkar Sharma, will hold the inquiry, the
first sitting for which has been fixed for May 15. |
Volunteers clear polythene bags SHIMLA, May 13 — About 150 volunteers of the "Art of Living", a voluntary organisation, today began clearing polythene bags from the hill slopes here to restore their beauty. The work marked the birthday of the legendary founder of the Vyakti Vikas Kendera, Mr Ravi Shankar, who launched "the Art of Living". The "polythene-free Shimla" campaign has brought to focus pollution in the town were the hills were littered with polythene bags and junk of all sorts. A spokesman of the
organisation said that the campaign will continue until
the town says "no" to polythene bags. |
Kee Monastery to get
facelift SHIMLA, May 13 — Kee Monastery in the tribal area of Spiti is being given a facelift for the traditional Kalchakara ceremony which will be held in August. Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is expected to participate in the ceremony. Mr Subhash Negi, Secretary, Personnel and Tribal Development, yesterday visited the monastery and reviewed arrangements being made for the ceremony in which a large number of Buddhists from various parts of the world will participate. Mr Negi asked various departments to complete the development works within the stipulated time. He also reviewed
implementation of the tribal sub-plan. |
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