H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

1-km tunnel lining in a month!
Shimla, January 4
A milestone has been created in the history of civil works with Continental Constructions achieving a progress of a 1-km tunnel lining during a period of one month in Head Race Tunnel having a 10.15 metre diameter at the 1500 MW Nathpa Jhakri Project in Himachal Pradesh.

No aerial surveillance due to lack of choppers
Dharamsala, January 4
The proposed aerial surveillance of the Bhaderoah forest near Damtal, could not take place today due to the non-availability of choppers. The Kangra police had proposed to get a thorough aerial surveillance of the entire Bhaderoah forest, next to the Army firing range near Damtal, today. 

Striking bank employees hold a rally at Shimla on Friday. — Photo Anil Dayal

Congress suffers setback
Nahan, January 4
The Congress in Sirmaur district today received a big jolt when one of its prominent leaders, a former Chairman of the Zila Parishad, Sirmaur, Mr Sannu Ram Chauhan, resigned from the primary membership of the party. When asked, senior leaders of the Congress declined to comment on the issue but they termed it "as most unfortunate".

Traffic hold-ups a common sight
Palampur
The traffic situation in this important town of Himachal Pradesh has gone from bad to worse over the past few months. The local administration has failed to divert traffic passing through the Holta bypass even though the Kalu di Hatti-Holta bypass is fully operational and is being widely used. 

Kellar watershed scheme stayed
Shimla, January 4
The Himachal Pradesh High Court today in an interim order stayed the further proceedings in the Kellar watershed scheme case in Bilaspur district. 

Mahasabha men hold demonstration
Kangra, January 4
Hundreds of the All India Hindu Mahasabha workers today held a demonstration at Tehsil Chowk here. They burnt the effigies of the Central Government, Chief Minister Mr P.K. Dhumal, for not taking effective steps to contain militancy.

Procurement centres for maize opened

1-km tunnel lining in a month!
Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 4
A milestone has been created in the history of civil works with Continental Constructions achieving a progress of a 1-km tunnel lining during a period of one month in Head Race Tunnel having a 10.15 metre diameter at the 1500 MW Nathpa Jhakri Project in Himachal Pradesh.

Mr Mohinder Verma, Deputy Project Manager of the Continental Foundation Joint Venture, said today. The company was the first in the country to achieve the progress despite poor geological conditions in the Himalayan terrain.

He said from the very inception of the project the company had faced gruelling times and the progress during excavation of the tunnel was affected by poor geological conditions. The presence of hot water (with temperatures up to 65°C) mostly between Nathpa-Sholding and the Wadhal downstream reach also affected the progress.

Mr Verma said every year since the start of the project some or the other natural calamity, besides the the lack of infrastructure such as roads and communication had hindered the progress. In 1993, there was a heavy landslide at the Nathpa area which brought a million cubic metres of boulders and blocked the river course that subsequently resulted in delay for nearly 12 months. The work was again affected by a major cloudburst in August, 1997, which extensively damaged the infrastructure at the Nugulsari and Sholding units.

In 2000, another major flash-flood affected the scheduled completion of the project and inflicted the company with huge financial losses amounting to approximately Rs 100 crore and resulted in the death of 18 personnel. As a consequence of this catastrophe, the work came to a standstill for more than six months as all connecting bridges on the National Highway Number — 22 were washed away cutting the source of materials like cement, steel, etc required for construction works.

Mr Verma said even though the company “had a vast experience in the region from the Shanan Power Project, the Chamera Hydel Project, the Sanjay Vidyut Pariyojna and the ongoing Larji Hydro-electric Project, these catastrophes had initially shattered our confidence but subsequently helped the company a long way to emerge more stronger.” 

No aerial surveillance due to lack of choppers
Our Correspondent

Dharamsala, January 4
The proposed aerial surveillance of the Bhaderoah forest near Damtal, could not take place today due to the non-availability of choppers.

The Kangra police had proposed to get a thorough aerial surveillance of the entire Bhaderoah forest, next to the Army firing range near Damtal, today. The Additional SP, Mr N.D. Sareen, said efforts were being made to get the services of the IAF choppers, which would now recce the area in the next two days.

Meanwhile, the IG (Law and Order), Mr Kashmir Singh Rana, today visited the site of militants attack at the Army firing range.

No formal arrests have so far been made in connection with the militants attack on Tuesday, but it is learnt that the police has picked up one person, suspected to be directly linked with the firing. It is also learnt that he has been handed over to the Army for interrogation. But police officials, however, refused to comment over the reported arrest. The police is keeping secret the details of the investigations which are being conducted by the Army, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab police together.

The police is interrogating about 30 persons, including Kashmiris, at Nurpur and Indora police stations. Their antecedents are being verified from the Jammu and Kashmir police. Strict directions have been issued to all Kashmiri shawl vendors and labourers to get themselves registered at the respective police stations.

Congress suffers setback
Our Correspondent

Nahan, January 4
The Congress in Sirmaur district today received a big jolt when one of its prominent leaders, a former Chairman of the Zila Parishad, Sirmaur, Mr Sannu Ram Chauhan, resigned from the primary membership of the party.

When asked, senior leaders of the Congress declined to comment on the issue but they termed it "as most unfortunate".

The resignation letter has been addressed to the State President of the Congress committee.

In his resignation letter Mr Sannu Ram has expressed deep concern over the on-going groupism and internal fight between the rival groups of the party. He alleged that the Congress leadership in Sirmaur had become directionless and had failed to remove public grievances.

Traffic hold-ups a common sight
Ravinder Sood

Palampur
The traffic situation in this important town of Himachal Pradesh has gone from bad to worse over the past few months. The local administration has failed to divert traffic passing through the Holta bypass even though the Kalu di Hatti-Holta bypass is fully operational and is being widely used. The bulk of the traffic comes via Palampur town, where the narrow Pathankot-Mandi national highway has become a major traffic hazard. There has been a manifold increase in the number of heavy and light vehicles in the town but the width of most of roads remains the same as was 25 years ago. Traffic jams in the town have become a regular feature and the traffic police is finding it difficult to handle the situation. During peak hours, particularly in the morning and evening, vehicular owners have to wait for long time as there are traffic jams at one place or the other. Political interference in the functioning of the police has made matters worse.

Palampur town has witnessed all-round development. In the past 10 years, its population has increased from 5,000 to 35,000. A number of new housing colonies have come up in and outside the town but no new roads or bypass has been built. Besides, no new plans have been initiated for development. Though proposals were made many times for widening roads, these remained on paper.

The local Municipal Council, which could have played constructive role in the town’s development, has failed to come up to expectations of the local residents. Instead of constructing new parking places in the town, the council has converted many parking places into small markets causing great inconvenience to the common man. At present it has become quite difficult to move in the town’s narrow markets. Many a time pedestrians are hit by vehicles. If no serious efforts are made soon the town will become an overgrown slum.

Despite the fact that crores of rupees has been incurred on bypasses, still these roads are not fit for regular traffic. At one bypass a major portion of road has been encroached upon and the PWD is helpless to make it fully operational. No efforts have been made in the past five years to remove encroachments as most offenders enjoy political patronage.

In the absence of parking lots, tourists are the biggest victims as many a time their vehicles are challaned or impounded by the police for improper. In such situation the traffic police gets a free hand to harass vehicle owners.

Over 200 vehicles are added to the town every month. If no serious measure is adopted, it would become difficult even to walk on the town’s streets!

Kellar watershed scheme stayed
Legal Correspondent

Shimla, January 4
The Himachal Pradesh High Court today in an interim order stayed the further proceedings in the Kellar watershed scheme case in Bilaspur district. The stay was granted by a Division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice Kamlesh Sharma and Mr Justice M.R.Verma on a petition filed by Ram Saran in which he alleged that District Rural Development Agency illegally snatched the water shed scheme, which was sanctioned in favour of Kellar Gram Panchayat. It was alleged that the project was illegally given to the Mahila Mandal Raghunathpura, as the Mahila Mandal does not belong to Kellar panchayat even this Mandal also does not fall with in the Bilaspur Sadar Legislative Assembly.

Petitioner further alleged that a water shed scheme for the drought prone area was sanctioned for Kellar panchayat and a meeting was who called up by the BDO Bilaspur sadar on 25 October, 2000 but due to some reasons it was not held at that time and it was held on December 4, 2000. And a committee under the chairmanship of petitioner was constituted for the further progress.

Mahasabha men hold demonstration
Our Correspondent

Kangra, January 4
Hundreds of the All India Hindu Mahasabha workers today held a demonstration at Tehsil Chowk here. They burnt the effigies of the Central Government, Chief Minister Mr P.K. Dhumal, for not taking effective steps to contain militancy.

The demonstrators were led by the state chief of All India Hindu Mahasabha, Mr Nalinder Ghautam, he set the effigies on fire.

Mr Ghautam demanded that people, particularly ex-servicemen should be provided with arms to face militants. He demanded that all Muslims visiting Himachal from Jammu and Kashmir and UP and Bihar should be scrutinised.

Two girls Kaitki and Juhi Kulkarni, both Hyderabad, who were in the town to pay obeisance to the Bajreshwari temple, presented glass bangles and ribbons to Mr Ghautam to be sent to the Prime Minister.

Procurement centres for maize opened
Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 4
The Food Corporation of India has opened four collection centres for procurement of maize at Ner Chowk in Mandi district, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Nagrota Bhagwan in Kangra district. The maize will be procured at the rate of Rs 485 per quintal according to the norms fixed by the Food Corporation of India.