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Wednesday,
April 17, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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HP Annual
Plan fixed at Rs 1900 crore No
regulatory body for adventure sports Shortage of funds hits water schemes Ban on running of vintage steam engine Riots
exposed BJP: Congress |
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Tibetan
leader’s arrest flayed Accept
teachers’ demand: CPI Zoravar’s birth anniversary celebrated 
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HP Annual
Plan fixed
at Rs 1900 crore New Delhi, April 16 The Plan size was finalised at a meeting between the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, and the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, Mr K.C. Pant, here today. Professor Dhumal said the social services sector had been accorded the highest priority by allocating Rs 820 crore. He said the Tenth Five Year Plan size had been projected for Rs 10,750 crore and added that the approved Ninth Plan outlay at 1996-97 prices was Rs 5,700 crore. The sum of the revised Annual Plan comes to Rs 7729.72 crore against which the expenditure level is anticipated at Rs 7938.35 crore. He said that revised aggregate outlay, as also the expenditure for the Ninth Plan in real terms, works out to about Rs 6,720 crore and Rs 6,900 crore, respectively. He said that the state had been able to achieve the Ninth Plan in more than full measures, despite difficult resource environment. The Chief Minister said that special emphasis had been laid on production of off-season vegetables through timely and adequate supply of inputs, expanding irrigation facilities, watershed development and improved technology and added that a target of 10 lakh tonnes vegetable production had been set for the Tenth Plan as against the Ninth Plan end level of 5.80 lakh tonnes. He said that food grain production of 18.75 lakh tonnes was expected by the end of the Tenth Plan, as against 12.08 lakh tonnes by the end of the Ninth
Plan. |
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No regulatory body for adventure sports Dharamsala, April, 16 With a major shift towards adventure tourism in recent years, not just foreigners but even domestic tourists are evincing a keen interest in aerosports, heliskiing and mountaineering. These sports are still in their infancy and the element of risk is so high that the observance of safety guidelines and the acquisition of professional skills are a must. The recent mishap, involving a British paraglider, Joel Kitchen, who has been missing since April 7 from Billing in Baijnath, indicates that all adventure sports activities are being undertaken in a haphazard manner, as there is no government agency to regulate it. Though a number of mishaps have taken place in recent years where people have been killed doing aerosports, trekking and river rafting, even now there is no agency or department where it is mandatory for people to register themselves or at least give information about their activity in a particular area. Even in the case of Joel, it was after four days that the police was intimated about the mishap. Though a number of people in Himachal Pradesh have received training in paragliding and are running their business, there is no international licensed pilot. The foreigners who undertake paragliding at Slonag nullah in Kulu, Billing near Baijnath, Jogindernagar and around McLeodganj are trained pilots but no government agency is aware of the number of people and the area in which they undertake these high-risk adventure sports. “A lot of hue and cry is made whenever there is a mishap but no measures are taken to ensure that all this is regulated in a proper manner,” a government official said. After the mishap involving the death of four persons involved in river rafting in Kulu three years ago, all that the government did was to constitute a committee to look into the cause leading to the accident. The Tourism Department, which used to organise national paragliding events at Billing, discontinued the practice as it could not fulfil the international safety guidelines that are to be adhered to. Instead of raising the requisite infrastructure, including helicopters for rescue in case of mishap and a reliable communication network, the department decided not to hold the event, which was a major attraction for tourists. Though the government played safe by not holding the event, it has failed to keep a check on people undertaking these adventure sports without acquiring professional skills, leading to a number of mishaps. Even though the Directorate of Mountaineering and Allied Sports has its centres all over the state, its staff is only consulted whenever rescue operations are to be undertaken. It is high time that the state government constitutes a body to promote and regulate adventure sports in the state to minimise the chances of mishap. |
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Shortage
of funds hits water schemes Mandi, April 16 Presently, the town is getting only 54 lakh litres of water daily from different sources as against the requirement of 114 litres. The fear of water shortage in the peak summer is looming large if the funds are not released at the earliest. Many sectors of the town, including Bhiuli and Jail Road areas, are facing scarcity of water. When contacted the Executive Engineer, Mr
D.K. Gupta, said he visited the water source of the Bhiuli gravity mainline yesterday and work had been initiated to supplement additional water from the adjoining source. With this the problem in the Bhiuli area would be solved to a great extent. He said other water sources were also being augmented. He said in the Purani Mandi area some problem had been caused due to a leakage in the storage tank which was being repaired on a war-footing. Replying to a question, he said all formalities had been completed for the grant of a loan of Rs 2.5 crore from HUDCO and added that as soon as the funds were released the left over work of the augmentation would be accomplished. A Rs 9.41 crore drinking water augmentation scheme had been sanctioned in December 2000. Major work has already been done. For reasons best known to the government no funds were given during the last one year as a result of which the work came to a halt at a completion stage. Of the 17 storage tanks 14 have already been completed. A sum of Rs 16 lakh was required to complete the remaining three tanks. Similarly, a sum of Rs 57 lakh was required for the completion of the treatment plant. Another sum of Rs 12.50 lakh was needed for laying the pipe lines. Various augmentation schemes launched during the past 50 years had proved ineffective due to rapid growth of population. The introduction of the sewerage system has further multiplied the demand for water. The age-old distribution network has worn out and rusted resulting in large-scale leakage of water. Its replacement is being done in a phased manner. Meanwhile, the Himachal Pradesh Health Minister, Mr J.P.
Nadda, today claimed that health services in the state were refurbished by the government. The minister who was addressing a public meeting at Tihra in Sarkaghat subdivision of this district after laying the foundation stone of a primary health centre building said 187 new health institutions had been opened during the four years and seven district hospitals had been elevated to regional hospitals. He said to tide over the shortage of doctors and other staff 829 new doctors and 700 paramedical staff were appointed in different hospitals in the state. Besides this over 1800 vacant posts in the ayurvedic hospitals had been filled. |
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Ban on running of vintage steam engine Shimla, April 16 However, the engine chugged along following a special permission of the government today to commemorate 150 years of the Indian Railways. The nearly a century-old steam engine pulling four bogies went upto Kaithlighat and returned here. Railway officials said the ban on running the steam engine came following an incident of fire in the Kandaghat forest area during the shooting of a Hollywood film. The engine was launched last year to promote tourism on this section which was incurring an annual loss of about Rs 3 crore, but was being kept operational because of its heritage status. So far, the vintage train has been hired only for the shooting of a film and then by a group of 20 foreign tourists. Its fare has been fixed at Rs 1 lakh for a run of two hours. Mr Surinder Kumar, Senior Divisional Manager (Operations), who was here in connection with the 150 years celebrations, told mediapersons that this was the oldest steam engine on the narrow gauge in the country. He said a Janshatabdi train with only 20 per cent higher fare than the ordinary trains would be introduced between Delhi and Chandigarh on July 1. The train will leave Chandigarh at 10.30 a.m. and return at 9.30 pm. Its one-way fare will be Rs 125 against over Rs 465 of the Shatabadi. Mr Surinder Kumar said the Sadhbhavana Express, which was at present running between Lucknow and Saharanpur, was also being extended up to Chandigarh from July 1. |
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Riots exposed BJP: Congress Chamba, April 16 Addressing a news conference at his residence here today, Mr Harsh Mahajan, General Secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) and a whip of the party in the state Assembly, slammed the BJP for its greed of power. He said the BJP was taking a political mileage by cashing in on the ‘Hindutva’ in Gujarat where a number of people were killed. He said the real communal aspect of the BJP had now come to the fore. Mr Mahajan alleged that certain speeches of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had hurt the feelings of the minorities. He advised allies of the National Democratic Alliance to quit the government if they wanted a ‘clean image’ and were not a party to the communal riots. Mr Mahajan said all human rights organisations had held the Narender Modi government in Gujarat accountable for the communal riots, and for flaring up the bloodshed in the state. He demanded the suspension of the Gujarat Assembly and imposition of the Governor’s rule in the state. Mr Mahajan claimed that the Congress governments were giving the best governance and delivering the goods adding that the Assam was now peaceful and normalcy had been restored in the eastern region. Mr Mahajan claimed that in the Shimla Municipal Corporation elections, the Congress would get a thumping majority as it was a straight fight between the Congress and the BJP. He denied media reports that there were rebels in the Congress. |
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Tibetan
leader’s arrest flayed Dharamsala, April, 16 In a statement issued here, the Prime Minister said the spiritual leader, a greatly respected and popular figure in Tibet, had been responsible for bringing about a spiritual renaissance. Tenzin Delek Rinpoche of Lithang in the Kham region was arrested along with his followers from his monastery in Nyachu county, Karze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture on the night of April 7. His four followers arrested were Tsultrim Dhargye, Tamdin Tsering, Asher Dhargye and Thondup. The spiritual master had been accused of masterminding last year’s bomb blast in Chengdu. Tibetan officials said according to their sources in Tibet, the charges were fabricated and the reason was Rinpoche’s growing popularity and his loyalty to the Dalai Lama. |
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Accept teachers’
demand: CPI Bilaspur, April 16 The district unit CPI Secretary, Mr Diwanaram Chaudhary, said here after the meeting that senior party leader Shankar Singh Chandel attended the meeting, gave a call to party men to force the government to accept their Kerala resolutions. The meeting adopted resolutions demanding free water and electricity to farming community in Himachal Pradesh on the pattern of Punjab and also demanded that cement should be made available in Himachal at cheaper rates than in Punjab. It was decided to field CPI candidates in the three Assembly seats out of total four Assembly constituencies in the district. |
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Zoravar’s birth
anniversary celebrated Nadaun, April 16 This was stated by Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal while speaking at a function organised by the General Zoravar Singh Trust to mark the birth anniversary of the late Gen Zoravar Singh here yesterday. Paying tributes to Gen Zoravar Singh, he said he was a great warrior who brought laurels to the state and the country. Professor Dhumal said the state was giving due honours to the martyrs who died while defending national borders. The Chief Minister appreciated the efforts of the trust for organising such memorial celebrations. Mr Babu Ram Mandyal, local MLA, and Brig Lal Chand Jaswal, Chairman of the trust, also spoke. Among others who were present on the occasion were Mr Ramesh Chand Chaudhary, Irrigation and Public Health Minister, Mr Baldev Sharma, MLA, Ms Nirmla Devi, MLA, Mr Rattan Jagdamba, Chairman, Kangra Zila Parishad, and Mr K.S. Rana, I.G. (Law and Order). Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated a police station building here constructed at a cost of Rs 42.5 lakh. |
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Date for
B.Ed. forms extended Shimla, April 16 Professor Kapoor said the prospectus would be available only in the office of the Dean of Studies, Himachal Pradesh University campus. |
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HC sets aside man’s conviction Shimla,
April 16 According to
the prosecution story, on March 15, 2000 Sub-Inspector Ranjeet Singh
was on patrolling duty and got information from a person that the
accused was standing outside a shop to sell “charas”. When he was
arrested the police reportedly seized 40 gm charas packed in plastic
envelope. |
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