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| Tuesday, December 19, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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No trifurcation of HPSEB Show-cause notice to HPU VC,
Registrar Drug smuggling rises in Kulu A valley cries for development 26 in fray for Kangra MC
elections HP BJP’s claim on
panchayat poll Cops fire in air to quell
poll violence |
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Cold wave
tightens grip on HP areas
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No trifurcation of HPSEB SHIMLA, Dec 18 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to appoint a single-member HP State Electricity Regulatory Commission and not trifurcate the HPSEB. This decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet here today which was presided over by the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal. Briefing newspersons about the Cabinet decision, Mr Dhumal said being a small state there was no need for a three-member electricity regulatory commission in Himachal Pradesh. He had obtained permission from the Centre for appointing a single-member commission. The commission will recommend the electricity tariff from time to time. The Chief Minister said the Cabinet decided to transfer 40 acres of land on lease at Holta near Palampur to the Vivekanand Medical Research Institute for setting up a medical college and multi-specialities hospital. The Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Mr Shanta Kumar, is Chairman of the trust. He said the hospital will be of the level of the PGI, Chandigarh. The Cabinet decided to change the pattern of examination for HAS and allied services being conducted by the HP Public Service Commission. The new pattern would comprise preliminary examination held before the main examination and would consist of two papers. One paper would be for general studies, carrying 150 marks and the second one for an optional subject out of 22 subjects carrying 300 marks. Out of 30 optional subjects prescribed for the main examination only 22 optional subjects have been retained for preliminary examination. The Cabinet changed the nomenclature of the HP Pollution Controlled Board to Himachal Pradesh State Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board to widen its functions. The Cabinet decided that 88 posts should be created for the newly upgraded senior secondary schools in the state. The Polytechnic Institute, Talwar, in Kangra district has been re-named as Kanwar Durga Chand Government Polytechnic Institute in memory of the departed leader. The Cabinet decided to extend the incentives being given to mini micro hydel projects up to 3 MWS to those up to 5 MWS. It was also decidd that all DPRs of projects up to 25 MW would be prepared by the HPSEB and Himurja and clearance obtained by them to benefit private entrepreneurs. The Cabinet approved the draft of the Bills, the ordinances for which already stand issued, namely HP Panchayati Raj Act. These Bills provide that gram sabha meetings would be held four times in a year on every first Sunday of January, April, July and October so that the members were well aware of the dates of the meetings. The panchayats have also been empowered with protecting public properties, including signboards, mile stones, paths, irrigation and water supply schemes and pumps, community centres, school buildings, health and veterinary institutions etc. The panchayats need not take previous sanction of the state government for raising loans if the projects are assessed to be viable by lending institutions. The Cabinet approved government guarantee for a loan of Rs 45.50 crore for laying the
Nalagarh-Kunihar power line and the 132 KVA sub-station at Kunihar. |
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Show-cause notice to HPU VC,
Registrar CHANDIGARH, Dec 18 — The New Delhi High Court has issued a show cause notice to Himachal Pradesh University Vice-Chancellor, S. K. Gupta and Registrar Dhruv Vashist as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them for alleged non compliance of an earlier order dated July 28, 2000, regarding admissions to the IT course at the IITT college, Kala Amb. Earlier, the Shimla High Court had, while admitting the petition of the college management, directed the HPU and Director, Technical Education, HP, to file a reply and the case is listed for a final hearing on December 19. Information technology students of the College of Engineering, Kala Amb, had been on strike as Himachal Pradesh University is refusing to issue these students roll numbers for their first and third semester examinations which were to start from December 2. While the university authorities claim that the college had not applied for an extension of affiliation when this course was started and thus it is not recognised by the university, the college claims that admissions to this course was done on the basis of the Delhi High Court decision, a copy of which was also sent to the university and the university is refusing to allot these roll numbers in violation of the high court’s decision. The course was recommended by the then Vice-Chancellor, Himachal University, Prof. Kundu, to the All-India Council of Technical Education for approval in 1997. The AICTE after due inspection gave approval to this course on July 27,1999. But the Director, Technical Education, refused to start the process of admissions as the letter from the AICTE reached late by a day. The college moved to the court in Delhi and a decision was taken in their favour. The DTE issued an advertisement for admission to 40 seats in the course which were approved by the AICTE. The students were admitted and classes started. But now since the university is the examining authority for these courses, it has rejected the examination forms of these students as invalid and has refused to give roll numbers to these students. The college authorities state that the university had been in the knowledge of its starting this course as they received the order of the court. Moreover the university’s Academic Council had also approved the course’s syllabus “to be implemented with effect from the academic session 1998-1999”. The university had issued a public notice twice in the press that the college has not taken an extension in affiliation for the course and all those who take admission in the course will be doing it at their own risk. The college had replied stating that according to the university ordnance, extension to affiliation is required only after three years which meant that extension was due in 2001-2002. The college also claims that according to a Supreme Court judgement the decision of the AICTE is mandatory as regards to admission of its approved courses. While the university has withdrawn the date-sheet for examinations which included the dates of examination of the IT course students, the college authorities have assured the students that their future is safe with the college. |
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Drug smuggling rises in Kulu SHIMLA, Dec 18 — Smuggling and consumption of charas and other contrabands is fast increasing in Kulu and Mandi districts despite the efforts of the police and the Central Narcotics Control Board to curb the menace. The Kulu and Manali areas, particularly known as the valley of gods, have now become the haven for smugglers of charas, brown sugar, opium and ganja. Efforts of the authorities to check this menace have hardly borne any fruits because of political interference.The charas lobby in the Kulu area wields influence on certain local politicians. Although the police launched an offensive on the charas mafia this year, but its smuggling has been increasing sharply. Of the nearly 216 kg of charas seized this year till last month by the Central police range covering the districts of Kulu, Mandi, Lahaul-Spiti and Bilaspur, about 180 kg was confiscated in the Kulu district alone. The value of the 235 kg seized contrabands in the open market has been assessed to the tune of Rs 100 crores. According to the DIG(central range), Mr Somesh Goyal, the haul was highest in July when about 74 kg of charas was seized, followed by about 54 kg in November, 24 kg in August, 17 kg in May and 13 kg in October. In all, 100 persons, including 12 foreigners, have been arrested in the 80 cases which were registered in 11 months. At least 54 of these cases relating to contrabands have been registered in the Kulu district alone. The efforts of the police to curb the menace through persuation appear to have miserably failed as there were reports of even schoolchildren being involved in the lucrative trade of peddling. The figure is alarming as compared to the previous year when the police was able to nab peddlars only in 36 cases last year, 40 in 1998, 41 in 1997 and 44 cases in 1996. Manali in the Kulu district has become an important destination of drug peddlers as a lot of foreigners visit this area every year. Over 100 foreigners have been arrested in drug related crimes during the past 10 years. Mr Goyal says that about 70 per cent of the arrested persons were Europeans. The Italians were the single largest nationality involved in the crime. However, in the post-1998 era, Israelis have turned to be the single largest nationality indulging in the crime in Kulu. They are closely followed by Italians, French and Japanese. Repeated efforts to destroy the cannabis plants in the area have been futile as there was shortage of manpower in police stations particularly in the interior areas of Kulu. Cannabis plants in an area of about 1,200 bhigas in and around the villages of Meha, Faizal, Garhiyal, Glincha, Kandi,Bali,Kathyari, Dharapari, Khannala, Tilapul, Tuncha, Chanur, Ghrincha and Bathad in the Banjar area were destroyed. Mr Goyal said steps were being taken to curb the menace in the Malana area which had so far remained isolated and was maintaining its own democratic and legal system. There were reports that the police has failed to identify the foreigners who have permanently settled in the interior villages over the years without valid documents. Some of them are alleged to have imported hybrid quality seeds of cannabis. |
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A valley cries for development KULU: On the eastern side of Kulu town, across the Beas river, lies the Kharahal valley. Since Independence, this 100 sq km area from Talogi village in the south to the Horticulture Station in the north, has remained ignored in the matter of development due to the whims and fancies of political leaders of the district, alleges a resident. Mr Jhabe Ram, a leader of the Puid panchayat, said no major drinking water scheme had been sanctioned for the rainfed area. A minor scheme was initiated in the eighties but it could not meet the requirements of the residents. He said the area had also been neglected in the sphere of irrigation. A lift irrigation scheme from Juani Ropa was planned with the help of World Bank. A pipeline was laid but the project proved ineffective. During the 1995 floods in the Beas a government pump-house and machinery installed on a bank of the river were washed away. He said farmers of this area depended on rainfed sources even for spraying work in their apple orchards. Mr Jhabe Ram said there were more than 7,000 voters in the panchayats of Neoli, Puid and Seogi. He said only one patwari had been posted in the area.There was only one civil dispensary,which was located in Kinja village, and that, too, remained without a doctor. There was also only one senior secondary school, also in Kinja. The setting up of industries was not possible due to power shortage. The area was connected to single-phase power lines. Mr Jhabe Ram alleged that four or five transformers were sanctioned for the Gharakar village area but were not installed. Major R.C. Sharma (retd), president of the Ex-Servicemen and War Widows League of this district, said there was no bridge for heavy vehicles from Patlikuhal to Kulu, a stretch of 25 km. The Kharahal area was one of the biggest producers of fruit besides being a vegetable and cereal bowl. However, the produce was carried via Patlikuhal, putting a financial burden, in the form of transportation costs, on farmers. There was also a delay of one day in produce reaching the market. He wondered where the Rs 2 crore announced by Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, Prime Minister, for a drinking water scheme in the valley had gone. Major Sharma said the Block Development Office was at Patlikuhal, which was too far for the residents of certain areas and caused a lot of inconvenience to them. To add to the woes of the residents of Kharahal, the Subdivisional Magistrate’s office, to which the area had been attached, was at Manali, 50 km away. Residents say politicians, both of the BJP and the Congress, had been giving assurances after the 1995 floods in which the Tapu bridge was washed away, that it would be reconstructed. However, no action had been taken. Mr Sumer Nath Awasthi, president, Municipal Council, Kulu, said the construction of a small barrage on the western side of the Beas was feasible. A road on the barrage could connect the remaining part of the bridge to the Kharahal valley. Major Sharma said the Ramshila-Bijlimahade road had become narrow at various places due to alleged encroachments. The PWD authorities should look into this. He said bus services on this route never stuck to the schedule. The inadequate services had led to the overloading of buses. Mr Jhabe Ram said roads should be constructed to link villages to the main road and the National Highway 21 bypass.
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26 in fray for Kangra MC
elections KANGRA, Dec 18 — Twentysix candidates are in the fray for the municipal council elections in the nine wards of Kangra scheduled to go to the polls on December 20 when 6580 voters will exercise their franchise. From Ward No 7, a former municipal council chief, Ms Urmila Sharma, has been declared elected unopposed following the withdrawal of the nomination by Asha. All eyes are on the Ward No 9 contest where two brothers Mr Bal Krishen Sharma, Vice-President of the council is opposed by his younger brother, Mr Ved Prakash Sharma. Ward No. 8 is witnessing an interesting contest where Mr Ashok Kumar, nephew of Mr Bal Krishen Sharma, is in a direct contest with Mr Kishore Chand, alias Chachu. Two sitting ward members — Mr R.P. Sharma and Ms Vijay Chadda — are contesting against each other in a five-cornered contest from Ward No 6. In Ward No 4, which is reserved for women, Ms Lama Devi, Ms Tripta Devi, Ms Ram Rani and Ms Shasi Kanta are in the fray. The city BJP chief, Mr Ramesh, alias Amheshi, is caught in a three-cornered contest from Ward No. 5. Two sitting council members — Ms Suman Verma and Mr Gian Chand — are in the fray from Ward No 2 where Mr Prem Sagar, a staunch supporter of the Agriculture Minister, Mr Vidaya Sagar, is locked in a three-cornered contest. |
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HP BJP’s claim on
panchayat poll CHAMBA, Dec 18 — The Himachal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed that nearly 80 per cent representatives allied to BJP have won their posts of the three tier Panchayati Raj institutions, the elections to which concluded in three phases smoothly in the state, though elections were not contested on party politics. Addressing a news conference in Chamba today, Mr Ganesh Dutt, state media in charge of the Himachal BJP, said that this mandate had shown confidence and faith in the policies of the leadership of the Himachal Chief Minister. He also expressed the hope that the trend was expected to become clear in the ensuing municipal and nagar panchayat poll scheduled for December 20 to the 20 municipal councils and 27 nagar panchayats. |
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Cops fire in air to quell
poll violence NURPUR, Dec 18 — A tie between two candidates for the post of pradhan of the Rapper Gram Panchayat in the subdivision yesterday led to a tense situation in which the SHO, Mr Nathu Ram Minhas, and two constables were injured. According to the police, the candidates, Mr Sadhu Ram and Mr Pyaru Ram, polled an equal number of votes. Mr Sadhu Ram was declared the winner following a toss by the poll observer. The toss result sparked off tension. Irate supporters of the loser shouted slogans and pelted the police with stones. The police fired in the air in self defence. A case under Sections 147, 148, 149, 353 and 332 of the IPC has been registered.
Cold wave
tightens grip on HP areas SHIMLA,
Dec 18 (PTI) — the biting cold wave sweeping most parts of Himachal further tightened its grip on the tribal belt and other higher reaches had another spell of moderate snowfall. The tribal valleys of Lahaul, Spiti and Pangi had fresh snowfall, causing sharp fall in the temperature. The tribal valley groaned under piercing cold wave conditions with minimum temperature ranging between minus 10 and minus 18 degrees celcius. The mighty Rohtang pass, Kunzam pass and Such pass, Dhauladhar and Churdhar ranges and other high altitude areas in tribal areas also experienced fresh snowfall, a report reaching here said. Shimla and the surrounding areas reeled under freezing cold wave conditions as the temperature dipped to freezing point following fresh snowfall in the higher hills in adjoining areas. The Kullu, Manali, Chamba and Kangra valleys continued to reel under biting cold wave conditions and the entire region was swept by strong velocity icy winds. |
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