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| Monday, August 7, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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302 evacuated from
Kinnaur
Send Jagmohan to J&K:
VHP
Road repairs on
war footing |
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Steps to develop dam
into tourist spot Shastri inaugurates
refresher course
Fishermen face bleak
future NHPC to build 2nd
phase of hydel project HP to revive tea
gardens Free legal aid campaign Small Savings agents
honoured Peak scaled in
Spiti valley
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302 evacuated from Kinnaur SHIMLA, Aug 6 (PTI) — Indian Air Force helicopters evacuated 302 persons in Kinnaur district to safer places and dropped 48 tonnes of relief material while the state Public Works Department opened the Hindustan-Tibet national highway up to Wangtoo for vehicular traffic. While four helicopters undertook 27 sorties covering a total flying time of 57 hours, the state government sought Army’s help in erecting bailey bridges at Tapri and Wazir Bawali where the span of the khud had nearly doubled due to massive erosion of banks, an official spokesman said. The bridges at Neogali and Pawari had also been washed away and the span of the river had increased to nearly 200 metres ruling out the possibility of constructing rope bridges for pedestrian and light vehicular traffic. The Public Works Department succeeded in erecting rope bridges at Ramni, Tapri, Khaneri, Suni, and Chaba and repaired the Basdroh bridge near Ghanvi and the Luri bridge to enable vehicular movement. Work on the Luri-Burtek road whose 5-km stretch had been washed away had been started and the Hindustan-Tibet road had been repaired at Nogli, near Rampur, for heavy vehicular traffic. The National Highway No 22 was open for traffic up to Wangtoo, 210 km from here, while a rope bridge was being constructed to link the old bridge with a new bridge at Bhabha for pedestrian movement. The mule path from Wangtoo to Tapri had been repaired while the pedestrian path between Tongling bridge and Purbani was being repaired. The 12-km stretch of the old Hindustan-Tibet road between Orni and Roghi was also being repaired for pedestrian movement. Anchorages had been constructed at 20 places and 22 trolleys had been made for launching the construction of suspension bridges. Meanwhile, 18 bodies had been recovered from the Govind Sagar Dam at
Bilaspur. Dead horses, yaks and cattle were seen floating in the Gobind Sagar and several bodies were feared trapped along the banks from Rampur to
Bilaspur. |
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Send Jagmohan to J&K:
VHP SOLAN, Aug 6 — The central secretary of the All-India Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Mr Hukam Chand Samla, addressing a press conference here last evening, demanded the immediate sack of the Farooq Abdullah government and imposition of President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir. He said “the present J and K government had miserably failed to curb the activities of Pakistan-inspired insurgency and had to was utterly incapable of protecting the lives of the common man in the troubled state”. He demanded that Mr Jagmohan be re-appointed as Governor of the state as he had proved to be immensely successful in restoring near-normalcy in the valley during his stint as the head of the state there. Mr Samla criticised the Atal Behari Vajpayee government at the Centre describing it as a government of handicapped persons. He alleged the government had failed to protect the interests of Hindus and Hinduism. The VHP leader maintained that cow slaughter and the export of beef, which were highly sensitive issues for the devout Hindus, continued in the country. There were 268 slaughter houses in the country in 1948. The number had now grown to 36,000. Against the export of 500 tonnes of beef in 1950, 13.97 lakh tonnes were exported from the country last year. He warned that the Union Government against giving its nod to the proposal of allowing a multi-national company to introduce two per cent meat flavour in tea — the common man’s drink. Mr Samla demanded a ban on cow slaughter and urged upon the government to include the right to protection of the cow in the list of fundamental rights after placing it on the concurrent list of the Constitution. He said the VHP would continue to oppose the “anti-national activities of Christian missionaries and demanded that conversion of Hindus to other religions be viewed as an act of treason. The VHP, he said, was firm in its decision to construct Ram Temple at Ayodhya. In fact, 80 of the proposed 105 pillars of the proposed temple were nearing completion. However, the decision on when to start the construction of the temple would be taken at a meeting of the All-India Dharm Sansad Religious Parliament to be held at Prayag, Allahabad, in January, 2001. Mr Samla lashed out at the Union Government over its failure to protect the interests of agriculturists. He said the national agriculture policy should be revised to safeguard the interests of farmers vis-a-vis the entry of multi-national companies in the agricultural sector. |
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Dispensary turns health
hazard KASAULI: In the absence of any specialised hospital and improper utilisation of the facilities available, people here have little to rely upon during medical emergencies, especially at night. Caught in the mesh of local politics and bound by cantonment limitations, the Government Civil Dispensary at Kasauli has its own tale of woe. Ever since its inception, the availability of an appropriate site has been the main problem hampering its work in serving the ailing in Kasauli and its vicinity. In the early eighties it was housed in a dingy one room which was fragmented into two miniscule rooms in the populated Arhat Bazaar. In spite of space constraints the dispensary managed to draw a fair number of patients. About two years back it was shifted to a building of the Sai Baba Temple Trust at Garkhal, some distance away. The trust also provided a donation of Rs 500 per month. However, owing to pressure from town residents, it had to be shifted back. In the absence of any appropriate building in Kasauli, the dispensary was temporarily shifted to a private building, already in shambles. Even though it has been declared unsafe, it continues to function from this rickety building, endangering the staff and patients. Located on the outskirts of the town, the dispensary is visited by just 20 to 25 patients daily. Most of the patients, including a large influx from the nearby villages, prefer to visit the better equipped, Cantonment Hospital.
Consequently, the monthly expenditure of Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 is not being utilised adequately. The dispensary is also unable to use the entire quota of medicines due to lack of patients, says the only doctor there. Ironically, the state Health Department is willing to construct a dispensary on the recommendations of the Director, Health Services, but no land adhering to requirements of a dispensary is available here, points out Dr LB Purohit, Chief Medical Officer, Solan. Being a cantonment area, the availability of land is bound by restrictions leaving the Health Department in a sorry state with a Hobson’s choice to let the dispensary continue functioning from its present rickety structure. Considering its plight, the CMO along with the Block Medical Officer, Dr AK Singh, inspected a site suggested by local citizens to construct a dispensary. He has promised to verify the feasibility of the site from the PWD and then send its recommendation to the Director, Health Services, if found appropriate. Meanwhile, residents of the oldest tehsil in the region continue to suffer at the pitiable healthcare. It is high time the cantonment authorities woke up to the genuine needs of the residents and provide an appropriate site for a dispensary without further delay. |
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Steps to develop dam
into tourist spot DHARAMSALA, Aug 6 — To give a fillip to tourism in the region, the government is making efforts to promote the Maharana Pratap Sagar sanctuary as a new tourist paradise in the scenic Kangra valley. Pong Dam christened as Maharana Partap Sarovar was constructed in 1960 across the Beas on the Himachal and Punjab border. Its reservoir is about 310 sq km and was developed for hydel generation apart from creating infrastructure for irrigation. To encourage water sports, the Regional Water Sports Centre was created at the lake site. The centre offers training in canoeing, kayaking, water-skiing, surfing, rowing and motor racing. The Department of Tourism is imparting training in various water spots activities at the Pong Dam lake with the help of the centre. The state government is planning to start water sports at the dam on a commercial basis to attract tourists. Apart from this, the department has proposed to undertake the construction of a platform for tents with toilets at Ransar Ki-Garhi island. The department has also selected a few sites in and around the lake to promote water sports. Angling and Birdwatching towers will be developed in due course of time. The BBMB authorities have been asked to grant permission for the use of the new sites. A high-level meeting between the BBMB authorities and Himachal Government officials was recently held after which the survey of new areas was undertaken. Services of an expert from the World Tourism Organisation, Mr Hans Carl Jacobson, were hired to survey the area in order to explore the potential for promoting tourism. The report submitted by him is being considered by the government. The state government is also planning to invite private parties for setting up tourist resorts along the banks of the dam. More than 200 species of birds can be seen around the lake. These migratory birds visit the lake from Siberia and China. The State government has also decided to set up a handicrafts emporium. |
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Shastri inaugurates refresher course SHIMLA, Aug 6 (PTI) — The Himachal Pradesh Governor, Mr Vishnu Kant Shastri, and Chancellor of Himachal Pradesh University today mentioned three kinds of teachers in this world one who are learned but fail to transmit knowledge to their pupils, two those have comparatively a little knowledge but possess the art of communication and the third are those who are well conversant with the subject and are also good at communication. The image of a teacher and quality of his teaching has gone down mainly because teachers have stopped learning and updating their knowledge. The scheme of refresher courses is coming handy to the teachers in helping them to refurbish their knowledge, skills and strategies of teaching, he added. Mr Shastri was speaking as the chief guest at the valedictory function of the three-week refresher course in Sanskrit organised by the Academic Staff College of the university. In this programme 62 university, college teachers coming from the states of Andhra Pradesh Karnataka, Orissa, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab participated. While presiding over the function Mr S.K. Gupta, Vice-Chancellor, said the neglect of Sanskrit language and literature in the past was unfortunate. Sanskrit was the only language, which can help us to understand our rich heritage in its right perspective. It is not only the most computer compatible language but also the mother of many languages in the world. Sanskrit literature is rich source of scientific knowledge and wisdom and can contribute in our march to progress in science and technology. The Academic Staff College of the university is emerging as the leading centre in teachers training in India. Mr Yoginder Verma, Director, ASC, Mr Rajinder Mishra, Chairman, Sanskrit Department, and Dr V.K. Mishra, Coordinator of the programme also spoke on the occasion, also present were Prof K.C. Sharma, Dean of Studies, Prof Suresh Kapoor, Chief Warden and Prof Kumar
Krishan, DSW. |
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16 bodies retrieved
from Gobind Sagar BILASPUR, Aug 6 — Sixteen bodies of
Sutlej flashflood victims were retrieved from Gobind Sagar at Jeoripattan Ghat, 45 km from here, near Jagatkhana till last evening. The area has a dense growth of “Kasehar”, a fuelwood which makes extrication of bodies difficult. Addressing media persons here today, the Health and Family Welfare Minister, Mr Jagatprakash Nadda, said teams of specialists had been dispatched to Gobind Sagar to ensure proper chlorination of drinking water. He thanked villagers, led by five youths — Sharvan Kumar (Jeoripattan), Bhupinder Singh (Tikker), Sukhvinder Singh (Jabblu), Jagatram Mehta (Fisheries Department) and Kashmiri Lal (boatman number — 163) — who helped in locating and extricating the bodies. He said he also located and brought two bodies to the shore. Mr Nadda declared a prize of Rs 100 for bringing a body to the shore. |
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Road repairs on
war footing MANDI, Aug 6 — Himachal Pradesh PWD Minister Mohinder Singh today assured apple growers and farmers that repair of roads was being done on a war footing. Addressing a press conference at the Circuit House, he said he had met the Union Surface Transport Minister, Mr Rajnath Singh, who had assured him of full co-operation and help to the state in the gigantic task of repairing the highways. He said bailey bridges were being erected as an emergency measure for the carriage of fruits and vegetables to markets across the country well in time. The Engineer-in-Chief and the three Chief Engineers were camping in Kinnaur, Shimla, Kulu and Mandi districts where flash floods in the Sutlej had played a havoc in an over 200-km from Namgaya to Dehar. He said the Congress was trying to cash in on even natural calamities. He said the unusually heavy rains this year had caused widespread damage to roads, bridges and buildings throughout the state. Landslides had fractured the road network at several places. The loss estimated at Rs 500 crore could be much more. He said the people of Himachal were grateful to the Prime Minister for a grant of Rs 100 crore to the state. He said the Prime Minister was expected to visit flood-ravaged areas shortly. |
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Fishermen face bleak
future NURPUR, Aug 6 — As many as 200 fishermen attached with the Fisheries Cooperative Society, Nagrota Surian in Jawali subdivision, face a bleak future due to infighting among office-bearers of the society. As a result the Fisheries Department has disbanded the society and appointed an administrator. According to sources the Fisheries Cooperative Society had auctioned the pond reservoir on July 12. The tender to catch fish from the reservoir which falls under the jurisdiction of the society, was awarded to a Delhi-based fish contractor who had to buy fish from the fishermen at the rate of Rs 37.25 and Rs. 53.25 per kg, respectively, in summer and winter season. But his tender was repealed on the ground that he failed to deposit the auction money with the society. The tender was then awarded to some other contractor. The president of the society claimed that the contractor had deposited auction money in time, but the secretary had not recorded it in the account ledger. It is alleged that the president and the secretary of the society have been maintaining separate proceedings registers. In the meanwhile, the Fisheries Officer has fixed August 9 for inviting fresh tender. But the fishermen who have already suffered in two-month
off season are still uncertain about their future. |
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HP to revive tea gardens SHIMLA, Aug 6 (PTI) — The Himachal Pradesh Government is preparing a “work plan” for tea plantation in Mandi and Chamba districts and also in the Kangra valley as part of its efforts to revive abandoned tea gardens and strengthen the state’s tea industry. The government had established tea plant nurseries with an annual capacity of two lakh plants, an official spokesman said here today. Fifty demonstration plots had been set up in the traditional tea-producing areas and eight plots in the non-traditional areas of Chamba, Mandi and Kangra districts. The government was also making efforts to ensure qualitative and quantitative standard in the tea production in the state, he said. With this, Himachal Pradesh tea industry would be all set to compete with other qualitative tea industry of the country. Of the total 2,312 hectares of tea plantations in the state, 470 hectares were neglected plantations and 626 hectare abandoned. The remaining 1,216 hectares were well developed, the spokesman said. Tea production in the state was steadily gaining momentum. The total production in 1998-99 was 1,711 tonnes against 1,358 tonnes in 1995-96. The target was to increase tea production to 3,500 tonnes in the next 10 years, he said. Planters were being educated on the latest methods of tea plantation. The government had identified 1,100 hectares in Chamba and 759 hectares in Kangra for tea cultivation. The government would soon finalise its tea policy, he said. |
| NHPC to build 2nd
phase of hydel project DALHOUSIE, Aug 6 — The NHPC has undertaken the construction work of a 120 mw Sewa Hydroelectric Project (stage-II) in Jammu and Kashmir with its headquarters at Khairi in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh early this week. Giving this information here today, Mr S.K. Dodeja, Executive Director, (region-II of the N.H.P.C.), said project was located in Kathua district of Jammu and
Kashmir. Mr Dodeja said Mr O.P. Thakur, Chief Engineer, along with 200 workers had already been posted on the site to carry out various infrastructural activities. The Executive Director said it was for the first time since the commissioning of the Chamera project in 1994, that it had generated over 300 million units of electricity consecutively in May, June and July with total power generation of 1,235 million units in this fiscal year as against a target of 891 million units. He said the restoration of 400-kv class single phase transformer located on the Chamera Project (stage-I) was undertaken last year. |
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Free legal aid campaign BILASPUR, Aug 6 — A vigorous campaign has been launched in the district to educate people on the benefits of free legal aid provided to poor litigants under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. As many as eight camps have been held at different places. The largest distinguished gathering was at Ghumarwin. The participants at these camps were leaders of zila parishads and panchayat samities and presidents and vice-presidents of gram panchayats, mahila mandals and yuvak mandals. The camps were held under the chairmanship of Mr B.S. Chauhan, District and Sessions Judge, who is also chairman of the District Legal Services Authorities. Addressing the camps, Mr Chauhan pointed out that the fundamental right of equality could be meaningful only if all persons had equal access to justice. He stressed on the need to educate the poor regarding free legal aid benefits. Under the free legal aid is given to those weaker sections with an annual income less than Rs 25,000. |
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Small Savings agents
honoured NAHAN, August 6 — Mr Randhir Sharma, vice-chairman, Small Savings Scheme, has stressed the need for mobilising small savings in the rural areas to strengthen the economy of the state. He was addressing a meeting of village pradhans, mahila mandals and small savings agents. He honoured Mr Pawan Kumar Aggarwal of Paonta , Mrs Sudesh Sharma of Rajban and Mrs Nirmal Desai of Shillai for rendering distinguishing services in the small savings sector. |
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Peak scaled in
Spiti valley
CHAMBA, Aug 6 (PTI) — Nalin Gautam, a mountaineer of Chamba, Nalin Gautam, liaison officer with the Japanese expedition in Spiti valley has scaled an unnamed peak at a height of 20,000 feet with the Japanese team near the Kunjam Pass in the Spiti valley yesterday. According to official sources, it was a Japanese expedition approved by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation from July 18 to August 18. It was for the first time that this unnamed summit at an altitude of 20,000 feet was climbed by Nalin Gautam along with seven members of the expedition team. |
Posts not filled at hospital NURPUR: The Chogan locality is considered a haven for land grabbers and encroachers. Encroachments have assumed alarming proportions in the area. Unauthorised structures on the highway have not only created traffic hazards but also spoiled the beauty of the vast ground at Chogan where the state government proposed to construct a stadium (Brij Raj Stadium) around 10 years ago. The former Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, had laid its foundation stone twice. Prime land around the proposed stadium has either been grabbed or encroached upon with impunity. Roadside temporary kiosks came up during election time. Even these are turning into pucca structures. The civic body, the administration and the National Highway authorities have failed to curb the activities of the offenders. Notices issued to encroachers by the authorities have been ignored. «««
The 100-bedded Government Civil Hospital here caters to the needs of not only residents of Nurpur but also of Jawali and the neighbouring Bhatiyat area. The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, had inaugurated a new ultrasound machine at the hospital in February, 1999. It was installed by the Kangra District Red Cross Society. However, the Health Department has failed to appoint a radiologist at the hospital. Earlier a radiologist from the Zonal Hospital, Dharamsala, used to come to the hospital once a week, but his visits have now stopped, causing a lot of inconvenience to patients. The patients are being forced to pay hefty amounts at private set-ups for ultrasound tests. The post of x-ray technician has also been lying vacant for the past one and a half years. Earlier a technician from the Community Health Centre, Gangath, used to visit the hospital twice a week. Similarly, posts of surgeon, gynaecologist and orthopaedic surgeon are vacant. The local MLA, Mr Rakesh Pathania, had declared that strengthening of the services at the local Civil Hospital was his top priority. The MLA had announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh for the construction of a mortuary on the hospital premises. However, there is no sign of construction work so far. The mortuary at present is in a dilapidated room about 2 km from the hospital and lacks water and light arrangements.
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The failure of the police to find clues to the alleged murder of two persons in the Rehan area has created panic. On July 5 Deepak Sharma (26), a daily wage employee working at the Telephone Exchange, Rehan, died under mysterious circumstances. His body was found in a forest near his village of Chhattar Bassa. Earlier on May 18 the body of Onkar Singh, a daily wage pump operator of the Irrigation and Public Health Department and resident of Nanooh village, was found near the Nanooh rivulet. Villagers and daily wage workers of the department held a demonstration and blocked traffic in protest against the failure of the police to nab those behind the crime.
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Makeshift workshops on the GT Road, Jassur, the key business centre of Kangra district, are creating traffic hazards on the National Highway. Unauthorised parking of heavy vehicles on the road has led to a number of accidents. The administration has done little to end the nuisance. Residents have demanded the removal of the roadside encroachments. |
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