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| Friday,
October 13, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Govt hands
over land for Tanda college HP hills turn green
again HP Govt seeks help of
Indian embassies New ISBT for
Shimla Tribesmen block
traffic |
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Kangra DCC
poll stayed Students seek
probe into exam Foreign currency worth Rs 8
lakh seized DCC
office-bearers elected
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Govt
hands over land for Tanda college DHARAMSALA, Oct 12 — In a bid to expedite work at the Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College at Tanda, the Himachal Pradesh Government today handed over the land and the seed money to the Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation, with whom an MoU had been signed. A high-level meeting was held here today to work out the modalities regarding the management and administration before the arrival of the Medical Council of India (MCI) team in December. The Health Minister, Mr J.P. Nadda, chaired the meeting, which was attended by the Health Secretary, Mr S. Roy, Director, Medical Education, Mr Nath, Principal of the college, Dr R.L. Gupta and representatives of the Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation. In a shift from the earlier policy of the government, the services of the corporation are being sought so that the work can be done by experts in the minimum possible period. Mr Nadda said as per the MoU a seed money of Rs 1 crore had been handed over to the public-sector undertaking. The entire expenditure to be incurred is about Rs 60 crore, of which Rs 5 crore will be given during the current financial year. “Tentatively the work will be completed within three years and depending upon the services rendered by the corporation, they may be entrusted with more work at various zonal hospitals,” Mr Nadda stated. Sounding optimistic about the availability of funds, the Health Secretary, Mr Roy, said after the creation of the corporation, finances should not be an impediment and hoped that funds to the tune of Rs 150 crore would be raised easily. After the submission of the conceptual plans, the exact land to be brought under construction would also be decided, he said. The project Engineer, Mr Swaroop, and the Chief Architect, Mr Sood, from the corporation, Noida, were present on the occasion. Mr Nadda said keeping in view the tremendous increase in the number of outdoor patients, efforts were being made to streamline the administration so that there was more coordination between the hospital and the college. “With the MCI giving relaxation regarding the joint cadre of the Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, and the Tanda Medical College, the problem of faculty had been solved,” he stated. He added that the process of filling up of all other posts was underway. Five professors had been granted extension, while 25 demonstrators and registrars had been recruited. |
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HP hills turn green
again SHIMLA, Oct 12 — After decades of decline, the green cover over the hills of Himachal Pradesh has started increasing. The state, which earned a bad name for largescale denudation of hills over the years, finally turned the corner. The latest biennial report of the Forest Survey of India indicated that forest cover in the state increased from 12,521 sq km in November, 1995, to 13,082 sq km in December, 1998. The increase of 4.48 per cent over a period of three years was the highest among the state considered from the point of view of forest resources. Forest cover in some other states like Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat also registered a marginal increase. In Andhra Pradesh the increase was 939 sq km (2.16 per cent) over a five year period, and in case of Madhya Pradesh it was 635 sq km (0.48 per cent) over a two-year period. At the national level the forest cover increased by a meagre 0.62 per cent over the three-year period. The forest cover in the Northeastern states, except Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar and Kerala further declined, as per the report. Himachal’s achievement had been all the more significant considering the fact that there had been only a marginal increase of 600 sq km in forest cover in the 95 hill districts (500 m above mean sea level) of the country. The total forest cover in these districts had been assessed at 251, 219 sq km, about 37 per cent of their total geographic area, as against 66 per cent laid down on the National Forest Policy. The recorded forest area in the state was 35,407 sq km but the forest cover actually extended over an area of 13,082 sq km, which constituted just 23.50 per cent of the state’s geographic area of 55,673 sq km. Dense forest with over 40 per cent canopy cover stood over 9,120 sq km and open forest accounted for 3,962 sq km out of the total 35,407 sq km recorded forest area, 1,896 sq km was notified as reserved, 31,473 sq km as protected and 2,038 sq km fell in the unclassed category. The maximum increase of 240 sq km in forest cover was registered in Chamba, followed by Mandi (224 sq km), Sirmaur (84 sq km), Bilaspur (77 sq km) and Lahul and Spiti (67 sq km). There was, however, a decrease of 105 sq km in Kangra and 35 sq km each in Hamirpur and Shimla districts. Forests in the vicinity of villages have been degrading faster due to collection of fuel wood, cattle grazing and extraction of timber. In Himachal out of the total 16,997 villages as many as 5,994 (38 per cent) were close to forests and were using forest as land. Out of these 4,850 (76 per cent) were having less than 100 HA of forest area, 1,051 (21 per cent) between 100 HA and 500 HA and 93 (3 per cent) more than 500 HA Pine accounted for 32 per cent of the forests, Khair (acacia catechu) for 18.20 per cent, deodar (cedrus deodara) for 12.1 per cent, robinia for 4.8 per cent and eucalyptus for 4 per cent. Wild life sanctuaries and national parks covered 12.8 per cent of the state geographic area as against 4.75 per cent for the entire country. The total forest cover in the country has been assessed at 637,293 sq km, constituting 19.39 per cent of the geographic area. Over the 1951-99 period forest plantation was raised over 31.20 million hectare. The percentage of forest cover to land was 15.7 for the country as against 26.6 for the world. Similarly, the per capita forest was as low as 0.06 HA as against the global average of 0.64 HA. |
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HP Govt seeks help of
Indian embassies SHIMLA, Oct 12 — Help of the Indian embassies abroad has been sought by the Himachal Pradesh Government in dispelling the adverse publicity that was being done in the European media following a series of attacks on foreign tourists in the Kulu area. Three foreign tourists were recently killed in two separate incidents in Manali and Manikaran. They belonged to Germany and Spain. The Home Secretary, Mr Ajay Prasad, who is also looking after tourism, told TNS here today complete facts about these incidents had been sent to the Tourism Secretary of the Centre for clarifying the position. The Indian embassies in Europe and various travel and tourism agencies will be made aware of the circumstances in which these murderous attacks took place and the precautionary measures which have been taken to prevent similar occurrences in future. Mr Prasad said at least 50.000 foreign tourists visit the Kulu valley every year. The authorities held a series of meetings with the local hoteliers and travel agents to find ways for preventing such incidents which had spoiled the image of the state because of adverse publicity in the European media. He said the foreigners were being advised to undertake trekking in the deep mountains only in the company of local guides or registered porters. They should travel in groups in the remote areas. The Kulu valley has come into limelight following the disappearance of at least 16 foreign tourists since the past about seven years. Eight of them were reported missing in the Manikaran valley. Besides, nine tourists died while trekking in the interior
areas. |
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New ISBT for
Shimla CHANDIGARH, Oct 12—Shimla will soon have a new inter-state bus terminus (ISBT) with the Ministry of Forests and Environment finally giving its nod to its construction in the Tuti Kandi area. The clearance follows a request made by the Himachal Pradesh Government way back in 1997. A forest area of 0.58 hectares has been allotted to the Transport Department for the bus terminus against the original demand of 7.29 hectares. According to the Conservator of Forests, Northern Region, Mr Dinesh K.Sharma, the issue had been pending with the department for the past three years. "The Government of India decided to grant permission keeping in view the congestion caused by traffic due to a high tourist influx in the city. There is no place in the existing bus stand to park buses. A state capital needs an ISBT and the problem of traffic jams in the city will be solved after the construction of a new bus stand." says Mr Sharma. For the construction of the new ISBT, 77 chir trees will be felled. With the department curtailing its demand from 7.29 hectares to 0.58 hectares, 407 trees will be saved.The demand was to remove 584 trees from the area. The project authority will be providing double the area as compensatory land to the Forest Department. As many as 1,160 saplings will be planted by the user agency on 1.16 hectares of degraded forest area as no tree cover exists on the land. "The project is very important keeping in view the space requirements. Delhi has three ISBTs and another one is on the cards for Chandigarh. We thought that Shimla also needed a proper ISBT",says Mr Sharma. "The user agency that will be funding the plantation on the land will be required to get the work done within the next plantation season. If it does not comply with the rules, we can cancel the order anytime," adds Mr Sharma. |
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Tribesmen block
traffic SHIMLA, Oct 12 — Tribesmen of the flood-ravaged Kinnaur district today blocked traffic at Malling in protest against the failure of the administration to provide trucks for the transportation of apples. The tribesmen, mostly from the Pooh subdivision, had managed to carry over 40,000 apples boxes across the Malling landslip but they could not get transport to market their produce via Kunjum pass due to non-availability of trucks. A spokesman of the agitating growers said at least 100 trucks were required to transport the produce but none was available. The growers threatened to intensify their stir if the administration failed to arrange trucks within the next two days. Meanwhile, the flood-hit people of Jagatkhana and Brow have threatened to block traffic on the Hindustan-Tibet road on October 14 in protest against the failure of the government to restore the bridges which were washed away in flashfloods recently. |
Kangra DCC
poll stayed DHARAMSALA, Oct 12 — The elections of the Kangra District Congress Committee (DCC), scheduled for tomorrow, have been stayed by the court, which had been approached by some aggrieved party workers. With a dispute regarding the holding of elections of the block level at a number of places like Jwali, Jwalamukhi, Kangra and Rajgir, in the district, there had been resentment among the party workers. The Congress workers, who had approached the Sub Judge-II Court, here were granted a stay, on the holding of the DCC elections. Hectic lobbying had been going on among the party leaders and delegates for electing the Kangra District Congress President, which was scheduled for tomorrow. |
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Students seek
probe into exam CHAMBA, Oct 12 — Resentment prevails among candidates, who appeared in the exam for the posts of excise and taxation inspector at Hamirpur on October 8, against the HP Subordinate Selection Board as the question papers were out of syllabus prescribed by the board. According to candidates, it was laid down in the guidelines of the board that the papers of English, everyday science and current general knowledge would be up to graduation-level, but the question papers were not according to the guidelines. They demanded an inquiry into the irregularity committed by the board authorities and requested the government to conduct the test again. |
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Foreign currency worth Rs 8
lakh seized DHARAMSALA, Oct 12 — The Kangra police has arrested Mahender Singh, a travel agent of McLeodganj, for possessing foreign currency worth over Rs 8 lakh, apart from a few fake currency notes. Simultaneous raids at the residence and shop of Mahender Singh at Yol and McLeodganj, respectively, last evening which led to the seizure of the foreign currency. The currency seized included dollars, pounds, francs, lira and US and German travellers cheques. On a tip-off the police conducted the raids, which led to the catch. the DSP, Mr Ram Lal, said that apart from the foreign currency, some fake notes, bearing the same numbers had also been seized. Apart from this Indian rupees worth Rs 1.60 lakh had also been seized from Mahender Singh. A case had been registered against the suspect. He was released on bail yesterday. There have been reports of illegal foreign currency trade in the McLeodganj area, due to a large number of foreigners visiting the place, which is the headquarters of the Tibetan Government-in-exile. |
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DCC
office-bearers elected KULU, Oct 12 — The District Congress Committee (DCC) elections were held here yesterday and the district body was elected unanimously. Ms Anita Verma, election officer, said the elections here were the proof of solidarity in the party. The following were elected: president — Mr Ishar Dass; a former minister and MLA; vice-presidents — Mr Devi Singh Pal; Chandra Abha and Naresh Sood; and treasurer — Mr Tashi Norbu Negi. The 18-member executive committee of the DCC would be nominated by the new president after consultation with the district leaders. Mr Satya Prakash Thakur, Chairman of the HP unit of the Congress Seva Dal, said the party was united and all Congressmen of the district had faith in Mr Virbhadra Singh. Ms Anita Verma also denied of any differences in the state unit of the party. |
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