 |
Monday,
July 1, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
|
Move on new dists politically motivated Ten engg colleges to
be upgraded Field day for encroachers Much repaired generator blows up at Shanan |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Gobindsagar’s fish yield ‘highest’ Bio-conversion plant suffers damage Entrepreneurs pool efforts to save units Families of 32 martyrs honoured
HVC to fight for hydel generation tax Workers protest over wage issue Chamba cement plant deadline lapses
|
|
Move on new dists politically motivated Mandi, June 30 He regretted that by imposing taxes, increasing school fee, power tariff, bus fare and levying user charges in hospitals the government had made life of the people difficult. Former Chief Minister claimed that the people had been disillusioned totally with the present government and wanted to throw it out of power in the elections to be held in February, 2003. He predicted that the BJP-HVC alliance would not be able to get more than nine seats in the Assembly of 68 members. He described the proposal of the government to make new districts a ‘political stunt’ and motivated politically with an eye on the coming elections and added that the very suggestion of adding districts was “preposterous” as the state was already reeling under financial crisis. He expressed surprise that the very government which abolished the posts of Divisional Commissioners at Mandi and Dharamsala and virtually demolished the concept of zonal system was now taking of creating more districts. The Congress leader lamented that this government was now proposing to regularise the encroachments for the sake of votes. He warned that such a move would not succeed. The proposal had, earlier, been
frustrated by the courts. He said forest mafia had become active during the BJP rule and illicit feeling and smuggling had assumed alarming proportions. He wondered why action was not being taken against Hamirpur-based mafia dons indulged in doing large scale smuggling in Nachan and Kasrsog forest division as reported in a section of the Press. Former Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Thakur Kaul Singh, charged the BJP with spreading corruption in all departments and added that no appointment was being made without a consideration. He alleged that the Subordinate Selection Board at Hamirpur had become a “den of corruption”. A large number of Congress leaders from all parts of the district including former and present MLAs participated in the rally. |
|
Virbhadra misleading people: Karan Singh Shimla, June 30 He said the Congress leader should be aware of the fact that the process of universalisation of elementary education, which aimed at providing free education upto eighth standard, had already started all over the country. He said steps had been initiated to provide free education upto eighth standard in the state and eight districts had been selected in this regard. He said in other four districts where the district primary education programme (DPEP) was being implemented this programme would be taken up after the current programme was over. |
|
Ten engg colleges to
be upgraded Hamirpur, June 30 Hamirpur REC will be one of the 10 colleges that will be upgraded in this process. The National Institutes of Technology will fundamentally change the old Regional Engineering Colleges, as professionals like educationists; technologists and industrialists will now lead them. The idea being that the quality of education will improve. The upgraded RECs will now be able to take 7,000 more students. To make these more attractive, the NITs will be deemed universities and crucially, all their finances will now come from the Centre. The overall idea is to increase India’s scientific and technological manpower. To this end, Joshi wants the new NITs to learn from the best and pass on the know-how to others. “We shall get the status of deemed university which is at par with the NIT. It will be just like the IITs, which are also the deemed universities. So we will have our academic autonomy, financial autonomy and at the same time, we will be having our own convocation to give the degrees,” said a spokesman of the Hamirpur college. According to the government, the facilities of these institutes will be upgraded, but over all there will be no additional burden on the exchequer. The government is determined to upgrade the remaining seven RECs as soon as possible. |
|
|
Field day for encroachers Shimla A similar policy of the previous Congress regime was quashed by the state High Court in 1999 on the grounds that it was arbitrary, not supported by law and against public interest. It had also observed that it was a sign of “bad governance” and would encourage encroachers at the cost of law-abiding citizens. The policy also goes against the ruling of the Supreme Court which has urged the states to take prompt action on the removal of encroachments and warned that the more they delayed clearing these, the more would be the need to follow tedious and time-consuming procedures for eviction. Obviously, the policy had been announced with an eye on the ensuing assembly election, in the state. It hardly matters if it amounted to putting premium on encroaching upon government land. In all previous policies, none of which could be implemented, the ostensible reason for regularisations was to provide reprieve to the poorest of the poor and to condone bonafide minor deviations in construction of buildings. Accordingly the extent to which encroached land could be regularised never exceeded 25 sq m. However, the latest policy provides for regularisation of encroached land upto 200 sq m, which is ridiculous, as it required only 150 sq m to built a new house under the town and country planning rules. The objective, it is quite clear, is not to help the poor but to reward the influential big offenders who had built palatial buildings or unauthorisedly occupied huge chunk of government land. Not only that the compounding fee for regularisation has been reduced by half. Further, the waiving of the condition of contiguity of encroached land with the land owned by the encroacher for regularisation only indicates that the policy had been specially framed to benefit influential individuals. Otherwise there is no rationale in regularising encroached land located far away. Intriguingly, no distinction has been made between agriculturist and non-agriculturist which are governed by different land laws in the state. Under the State Land Reforms and Tenancy Act non-agriculturist Himachalis are barred from acquiring land in the state without the prior permission of the government. It is not understood how the government will regularise the
encroachments of non-agriculturists when it is averse to granting permission to bonafide
Himachalis for purchasing land for building a house. Finally, the government did not consider it proper to bring a legislation for framing a policy on such an important issue despite the fact that court had quashed the previous policies on this ground. Instead, it acquired sweeping powers by incorporating a provision, while amending revenue laws, that rules will be framed for regularisation of encroachments. |
|
Much repaired generator blows up at Shanan Mandi, June 30 When contacted on phone, an engineer of the PSEB told this reporter from the power house that the 15-MW generator No. II was totally damaged following a blast which was so powerful that its cover rammed against one of the walls of the power house making a big hole. It was a providential coincidence that at the time of the blast no one was near the generator and there was no loss of life. This generator had been repaired thrice by BHEL. Engineers and workers allege that it is hazardous to work in the powerhouse as the entire machinery has outlived its life and the PSEB has been evading its overhauling. The functioning of the second 15-MW generator No. I also came to a halt following the breakdown of its fan two weeks ago. With the loss of 30-MW power generation, the PSEB is suffering an estimated loss of Rs 7 to Rs 8 lakh daily. Engineers say it is not possible to restore generator No. II which has been damaged beyond repair. It will take some time as tenders will be issued to replace it. Insiders say that breakdowns have become a regular feature in the oldest power house of north India, constructed in 1936, due to lack of proper maintenance. The condition of the ropeway trolley rail-line is also deteriorating. The practice of proper regular oiling of ropes and pulleys seems to have been abandoned, which can cause a mishap. The power house has four generators of 15-MW each and one of 50-MW which was added during Shanan Augmentation stage II. As a result of the closure of two generators water supply to the Bassi power house of the HPSEB which is fed by the tail-end water of Shanan has also been reduced, resulting in a huge loss to Himachal also. |
|
Gobindsagar’s fish yield ‘highest’ Shimla, June 30 Over the past three years alone the production of fish in the man-made water body has increased by 22 per cent. It achieved a record production of 1,174 tonnes, valued at Rs 250 lakh during 2001-02. Besides, fishing activities in the reservoir provides direct and indirect employment to about 4,000 Bhakra Dam oustees. Similarly, the Pong dam reservoir produced 391 tonnes of fish, worth Rs 182 lakh. A working group of the Planning Commission has appreciated the management practices being followed by the state for the sustained development of fisheries, particularly the intensive initiative taken in the field of pisciculture. It has even observed that the success achieved in the Gobindsagar should be replicated in other reservoirs. The Fisheries Department now has plans to harness the fisheries potential of the Chamera reservoir built on the Ravi. It will help about 250 unskilled youth earn their livelihood by taking up fishing activities in the reservoir. The state government has also embarked on some innovative schemes to improve the lot of 10,000 families of fishermen as most of them belong to the weaker section of the society. During the 10th Five-Year Plan, fish seed production will be boosted by the remodeling and expansion of existing carp and trout farms for intensive stocking of rivers and reservoirs. Under an incentive-oriented scheme the promoting of trout fish farming in the state is being done and the extension and training activities of the department have also been strengthened. The government has taken steps to provide more teeth to the laws governing fishery in the state. The wanton and destructive methods of fishing now carry stringent and deterrent punishments. Over 25,000 tonnes of fish have been harvested from state’s water resources during the past four years and 3804 new employment opportunities generated under various schemes. The fishermen organised under 28 cooperative societies, harvested 5,338 tonnes of fish valued at Rs 1449 lakh from the reservoirs. An ambitious Rs 1-crore Cold Water Aquaculture Project has been approved and liberal subsidy up to Rs 37,500 is being given for setting up trout units and Rs 20,000 for carp farming units. An institutional cooperative project on “fish diseases” has been approved for implementation in the state by the Norwegian Government. It will help in controlling fish diseases in trout farmers. Besides, a project of Rs 6 lakh on habitat improvement of trout stream has also been sanctioned for the first time by the Central Government. A special grant of Rs 2 crore has been given by the Central Government for the construction of first-ever mahseer farm of the country at Sidhpur in Mandi district. Pond fish farming has been identified as the thrust area for fisheries development by the present government and subsidy for the construction of ponds has been increased up to Rs 60,000 per hectare from Rs 20,000. The assistance under the contributory close season schemes has been raised to Rs 1,025 per fisherman from Rs 600. In order to provide financial security to the fishermen’s families in case of any accident resulting in death or disability, a scheme for accidental insurance has been implemented. A risk fund has been created in the department in which contributions are being made by the state government as well as fisheries co-operative societies. Closed season is observed in the state from June 16 to August 15 during which fishing in the reservoirs and other water bodies is completely stopped. The imposition of closed season has greatly helped in increasing the yield from the reservoirs. To provide relief to fishermen during the closed season the department has initiated relief-cum-saving scheme. |
|
|
Bio-conversion plant suffers damage Shimla, June 30 The hume pipes laid underneath the plant to carry the storm water of the nullah have burst due to heavy rain as these proved inadequate. Consequently, several parts of the project have developed wide cracks and the main supporting masonary wall and the embankment along the nullah have also started caving in. The maturation yard has also started sinking and the garbage platform is facing collapse. If immediate protective measures are not taken, the entire project, along with machinery worth Rs 1.5 crore, may be washed away. Mr A.N. Sharma, Municipal Commissioner, inspected the damaged project along with other officers. He has written a letter to the management of Larsen and Tubro Company, which executed the project, that it had failed to carry out work in accordance with the terms and conditions of the agreement. He has also informed the government about the damage suffered by the project. Wrong site selection, faulty design and substandard construction work have been mainly responsible for the virtual collapse of the project. Sources point out that the corporation authorities were as much responsible for the faulty execution of the project as the company. It was the responsibility of the corporation to ensure that the project was properly designed and executed. Moreover, officers of the corporation have been regularly inspecting works during the execution of the project. The shortcomings in the project came to light only when the trial run started in December 2001. The corporation has delivered over 3,500 tonnes of garbage since but hardly any organic manure has been produced. As per the design of the plant, it was sufficient to produce 700 tonnes of manure. However, only about five tonnes finished and 50 tonnes of semi-finished manure has been produced. Thus, against the designed recovery rate of 20 per cent, the actual recovery of manure was only 1.5 per cent. Moreover, the unprocessed garbage is not being sprayed with sanitiser and no effort is being made to aerate the waste as required under the process. Experts suggest that the effort now should be to save the costly machinery and action should be taken not only against the company but all those officers entrusted with the responsibility of execution of the project. |
|
|
Entrepreneurs pool efforts to save units Dharamsala, June 30 Vice-president of the Association, Jatinder Sodhi said that Kangra had may small industrial units and it was regrettable that many of these had failed. He said that most of the units could be revived with small financial help. The Kangra Regional Udyog Association at a meeting recently decided to raise corpus fund of Rs 51 lakh for giving aid to the faltering units without long bureaucratic hassles he said. To raise the funds, the Association has decided to hold a three-day industrial fair-cum sale at Kangra in which all small and cottage units would be provided a forum to display their goods and sell them direct to the buyers. He said nominal charges for the space would be collected from the stall-holders and this money added to the corpus fund which received help from two units of the area which had donated Rs 51000 each so that expenses for organising the fair were met. Mr Sodhi said that small units facing financial ruin would be provided help up to Rs 5000 and interest-free loan up to Rs 25000. He said that in many cases women entrusted with the management of the industrial units set up by their husbands or sons and had to take over the management following sudden demise, were the worst sufferers because they have no idea about the management of these unit. He said special aid would be provided to these women and also to those earning their livelihood by producing traditional handicrafts at home but have no regular market and left at the mercy of middlemen. He said in addition to financial help, the association would arrange for training and marketing also. According to Mr Sodhi, after assessing the impact of three-day Kangra industrial fair, a similar fair would be organised at Delhi and other metropolitan cities and sale counter at international and national exhibitions at Pragati Maidan. He said artisans and industrial unit owners of Kangra and Chamba would be covered under the proposed scheme. |
|
|
Families of 32 martyrs honoured Hamirpur, June 30 Mr Vijay Kumar Chopra, Chief Editor of the group, was the chief guest on the occasion. Prof Dhumal and Mr Chopra honoured 32 families of the soldiers who died during the Kargil and other wars. Prof Dhumal paid rich tributes to those who laid down their lives for the nation from time to time while fighting foreign forces and mercenaries. He announced that the families of all those para-military persons who laid down their lives during any operation in the country would also get Rs 1 lakh from the state government. He said the government had formed a committee under the chairmanship of a war widow to examine the entire accounts of the Kargil relief fund and the committee was doing its job well. Mr Chopra praised the role of the jawans in the service of the nation. Mr Rajender Rana, the organiser of the function gave complete details of the sabha and said that it was working for the self less cause of the poor and needy persons. |
|
|
HVC to fight for hydel generation tax Shimla, June 30 Mr S.L.Verma, spokesperson for the party, said here today that the HVC would kick off its poll campaign by organising a huge rally at Ghumarvin on July 6 to mark its foundation day. An important political and economic resolution highlighting the failure of the successive governments in the state and the party’s plan to make the state self-reliant would be adopted during the rally-cum-workers’ conference. The party was opposed to setting up of more cement plants in the state as these caused pollution and destroyed the ecology of the hills. Moreover, cement plants and tourism for which a clean and salubrious environment was a pre-requisite could not go together. |
|
|
Workers protest over wage issue Parwanoo, June 30 Mr Om Datt Sharma, president of CITU of District Solan Unit, said the management and representatives of workers union of the factory had entered into an agreement last month where the management had agreed that one-month wages will be paid to the employees on June 25, but when the workers approached the management on June 25 for the payment of wages, the management started asking for more time for the payment. Mr Sharma added that on this, the workers became furious and gheraoed the management for six hours, and the police picked up three leaders of the union at about 9 p.m. and took them to the police station. The police left the leaders at about 9.30 p.m. Mr Sharma said that the management had declared an indefinite paid-off in the factory next day, which is illegal and an unfair labour practice. He said that the labour officer from Solan had also visited the factory. Mr Rakesh Singha, state president of CITU, also addressed the agitating workmen and said that it is the duty of the Labour Department to implement the agreement. He said that if the management does not pay the wages, CITU will be forced to launch a state-wide agitation. Meanwhile, the management of the company said that the company could not pay the wages to the employees because the banks have not released the working capital to the company. The management added that it is the right of the management to declare a paid-off to the employees and it is not a unfair labour practice as it will not have any effect on the service conditions of the employees. |
|
Chamba cement plant deadline lapses Chamba, June 30 At a press conference convened here in April Mr Shanta Kumar had claimed that all requisite formalities had been completed and the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests had cleared decks for giving an approval to the plant and the state government was waiting for the environment clearance certificate from the Centre. The Industries Minister, Mr Kishori Lal, had planned to set up the plant way back in 1977 when he was the Public Works Minister in the state government. Inordinate delay in giving clearance to the plant had shattered the hopes of the people living in this area. |
|
|
Media exhorted to
fulfil duty Dharamsala, June 30 Speaking on the foundation day celebrations of a local weekly here today, Thakur Kaul Singh said the press was the fourth pillar of democracy, and asked newspersons not to fall prey to yellow journalism but follow ethics of journalism. He lamented that a section of the press was indulging in politics and getting a false sense that they could make or break governments. Thakur Kaul Singh presented mementos to 15 persons and organisations for their outstanding contributions in various fields, including education, journalism, sports, social work and administration. |
|
|
Cops boycott mess meal Dharamsala, June 30 Earlier, Mr Peter David, an advocate, was arrested under Section 212 of the IPC for helping in the escape of undertrial Pradeep Kumar from the Palampur court complex. Blaming SI Joginder Singh and Head constable Vijay Kumar for implicating him in the case, he got the FIR registered against them. |
|
|
Anahat is “Kasauli
Queen” Kasauli, June 30 It was the first major function of the club after the devastating fire in January which had gutted a major portion of the club. The members came to the century-old club from all over Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. The show was organised under the stewardship of Col Karnail Singh, Honorary Secretary of the club. The most captivating event of the evening was the contest of “Kasauli Queen” which ease bagged by Ms Anahat Dhaliwal. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 122 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
