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Saturday,
August 3, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Cong for
all-party meeting on drought Driest
monsoon in 30 years Water
crisis in Shimla Returns
cheer up apple growers |
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No trace
of six labourers DISTRICT DIARY Notices
to 4 officials in double murder case Parishad
finds flaws in encroachment policy ST
status for tehsil residents sought BSF
jawan cremated with honours Cashier
robbed of Rs 6 lakh
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Cong for all-party meeting on drought Nurpur, August 2 Talking to mediapersons here yesterday, Mr Mahajan said all district of the state had been reeling under drought and the farmers had failed to transplant paddy crops. “The government should declare Himachal Pradesh as drought-hit and suspend the recovery of loans forthwith from the farming community”, Mr Mahajan demanded. He said the drought had not only damaged kharif crops but also created drinking water crisis and shortage of fodder. He said the state government should request the Centre to send a study team to the state to make an on-the-spot assessment of the situation, Mr Mahajan opined that all district collectors should be directed to start relief works in affected areas. He said special calamity relief fund should be set up to cope with the drought situation in the state. |
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Driest monsoon in 30 years Shimla, August 2 The rainfall data available at the Mashobra research station of the Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, near here, shows that only 140.9 mm of rain has been recorded from June 1 to July 31 as against the normal precipitation of 250 mm. The second lowest rainfall of 204.2 mm during these two months was recorded in 1991. The normal date for the onset of the monsoon has been June 29 for the region. However, this year there were a few pre-monsoon showers in June but the monsoon did not arrive. In June only 68.9 mm of rain was received which was second lowest after the 32.2 mm recorded in 1980. July has been the driest with 72 mm rain. The earlier lowest was of 145.6 mm in 1999. The maximum rainfall of 696.8 mm was recorded in 1988 when during July alone an all-time high 578 mm of rain was received. Dr S.P. Bhardwaj, Associate Director in charge of the station, said whatever rain there had been was not of much consequence. The rains were nothing more than brisk showers and there was hardly any occasion when the precipitation exceeded 20 mm. Any spell of rain with total precipitation less than 20 mm did not help crops or in recharging of water sources as the water quickly evaporated and there was no absorption in the earth. It was for this reason that weather had been unusually hot and humid. The average temperature for the two months had been 24.60° C — more than two degree higher than normal. |
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Water crisis in Shimla Shimla, August 2 The water level at the Ridge underground storage reservoir was a bare 1 ft as against the normal 10 ft required to maintain regular supply to the town. The level at the other reservoir stood at Sanjauli 2 ft 8 inches, more than 10 ft below the normal. The discharge in all water sources catering to the town have come down drastically due to the failure of monsoon. As against the normal requirement of 66 lakh gallons per day only 47.59 lakh gallons of water was pumped to the town today. The Gumma pumping station supplied 25.98 lakh gallons as against the normal 39 lakh gallons per day. The availability from Churat Khad had declined to 4.02 lakh gallons per day from 7.82 lakh gallons per day and Chehar khad to 2.16 lakh gallons per day from 3.93 lakh gallons per day. Consequently, the municipal corporation has been finding it difficult to supply water even on alternate days. The supply had been affected in areas like Boileauganj, Tutikandi, Chakkar, parts of Kasumpti, due to low pressure in the mains storage tanks. In certain areas the problem had been compounded because of uneven distribution. For instance, those residing in the Indian Institute of Advanced Study have been facing serious water problem while the CPWD quarters located within its campus are not facing any such problem. The distribution within the sprawling campus is controlled by the CPWD, which maintains it. The research fellows who reside in the premises, are the worst affected. This is despite the fact that the institute has a 75,000 litre capacity storage tank. The Director and the Secretary of the institute have taken up the matter with the CPWD authorities but to no avail. It is alleged that water connection to the institute has been given from the top half of the tank and to the CPWD quarters from the base of the tank, which results in unequitable supply. Mr A.N. Sharma, Municipal Commissioner, said the corporation was trying its best to maintain supply in adverse circumstances. It had deployed seven tankers to supply water to tail end areas, which were deprived of water because of low pressure. He said possibilities were being explored to install more hand pumps at various places in the town. Efforts were afoot to install more tubewells downstream Ashwani khud, besides exploring the possibility to sink tubewells in Gumma khud to tap ground water. The Chief Minister, Professor Prem Kumar Dhumal, has directed the officers concerned to make arrangements for the augmentation of water supply and tapping new sources. He asked them to ensure that the leakage of water was plugged immediately. |
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Returns
cheer up apple growers Shimla, August 2 Quality apple is fetching almost the same price as last year when the state had lean crop. Till yesterday, as many as 4.53 lakh boxes of apple had been transported out of the state as compared to 3.35 lakh boxes last year and 9.63 lakh boxes during the bumper crop in 2000. The average price for the royal delicious variety which accounted for 80 per cent of the sale, ranged between Rs 550 and Rs 625 per box. Last year the rates varied from Rs 600 to Rs 650 per box. The growers could not take advantage of the upward trend in the market last year because there was hardly any crop. As against 2.07 crore boxes produced in 2000, only 75 lakh boxes were exported last year. This year, despite the drought, over 1.6 crore boxes of apples are likely to be produced. As such the growers will have good returns, more so, because the dry spell has damaged the crop in mid-hills which account for more than 50 per cent of the produce. Normally, harvest in mid-hills, which starts from mid-August, leads to a glut in the market. This year there was little possibility of a fruit glut because of less crop. As such the prices are likely to be maintained at a reasonable level all through the season. The dry spell affects the size and colour of the fruit but the overall impact is much less compared to agricultural crops. Fruit plants have deep roots, which enable them to sustain prolonged dry spells. However, if the monsoon fails, it could have an
impact on the next crop season. Even otherwise, a bumper crop is usually followed by a lean one. Unfavourable weather conditions during bumper crop season bring down the production but do not always result in monetary losses as the prices remain stable. In a bumper crop year, there is glut in the market, prices crash and the growers do not get much as far as the net returns are concerned. Harvest is in full swing in the lower belt and various government agencies have already supplied 55 lakh cartons to the growers. As many as 167 apple-loaded trucks have left for Delhi from Shimla district, while 166 trucks moved into the area yesterday. So far, only 73 tonnes of apples have been procured under the market intervention scheme despite the increase in the support price from Rs 3.75 to Rs 4 per kg. |
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No trace of six labourers Dharamsala, August 2 According to Mr K.C. Sadyal, DIG North Range, who is responsible for Chamba borders, all the militants were able to escape as they had guides and familiar with the terrain. He said that the Himachal Police and J&K Police along with ITBP jawans had combed the area adjoining Doda district but could not trace the six labourers. It may be recalled that all six were Hindus while two were Muslim labourers taken away by the militants returned home claiming that they had escaped. Mr Sadyal said that due to constant interaction, the police was able to identify the foreign militants and their accomplices. Some of them are reported to have been killed in combing operations in Jammu and Kashmir. Deputy Commissioner Chamba, Rahul Anand said that according to law unless a person was missing for more than seven years, he could not be declared dead. The government has given arrears of the salary of Dewan Chand to his wife Ms Ram Dei who also has been given job while the families of other five were given Rs 25,000 each from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund while Ayurveda Minister Mohan Lal gave Rs 5,000 each to the families of Dev Raj, Jai Ram and Alam Chand. The Hind Samachar group of newspapers is giving financial aid to the kin of all 35 deceased and a function is organised on August 4 while Himachal Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal will preside over. As per sources, the Hind Samachar group is also planning to give financial aid to the families of those missing since August 2, 1998. |
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DISTRICT DIARY Kangra The Minister of State for PWD, Dr Ram Lal Markanday, pointed out that roads would connect every village in the state by 2005. Kangra, the biggest district of the state, would benefit the most through the yojana. The state government last year had received Rs 118 crore in grants for carrying out repair and tarring of roads passing through this district. The government spent Rs 80 crore on construction work on national highways in the past one year and all efforts were being made to provide better roads. Dr Markanday said the Matour-Shimla highway connecting Kangra district with the state capital would be completed by the end of current financial year. *** All branches of the State Bank of Patiala in this district would be computerised by the end of current financial year and automatic teller machine (ATM) facilities at five branches of the bank in Himachal Pradesh would be operational shortly. Mr V.A. Ghai, SBOP Assistant General Manager, Himachal Zone, said ATM facilities would be provided at Dharamshala, Mandi, Sundernagar, Bilaspur and Hamirpur in a few weeks. On the occasion of the inaugural ceremony of the ATM — first in this district — at the local branch, he said ATM would be connected with ‘Anywhere banking’ shortly. The Kangra branch of SBOP is the first branch in the rural India which has a ‘single window system’. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Prabhood Saxena, lauded the role of nationalised banks which were trying to improve their quality of working and were providing facilities to customers and combatting the invasion of foreign banks in the country. Mr M.L. Sharma, branch manager, said a special housing cell had been set up recently in the local branch for quick disposal of housing loans. *** Vivekananda Kendra, a spiritually oriented service mission with headquarters at Kanyakumari, celebrated Gurupoornima here and a programme “call of the millennium was launched on the eve of the Swami Vivekananda’s death centenary. Starting from July 24, Vivekananda Kendra launched the Swami Vivekananda Mahasamadhi Shatabdi, which ends on January 12, 2003, on the eve of Vivekananda jayanti, with a theme “Am I one in his lakh”. The lakh men and women whom Swami Vivekananda wanted to go all over the country to bring about a mass awakening. In connection with this programme, Swami Sabodhanand, Regional Head of Northern Zone of Chinmaya Mission, in a speech asked countrymen to fulfil Swami Vivekananda’s dream of prosperous nation that alone would be the befitting tribute to this great sage.
*** The residents of Tiara, Bardiard, Baidhi, Rishihaloo, Mehairna, Sameerpur and Bhaloo villages have deplored the government’s decision to leave half-done a lift irrigation project, started on March 11, 1969, to irrigate 3200 acres of land spread over 16 villages in the area. In letters written to the Chief Ministers of different regimes, MPs and central leaders stated that the project had not been completed even after 33 years. They demanded that the Chief Minister should intervene and get the project completed. Mr Himal Singh Rana, a social activist of Tiara, in letter to the BJP national president sought his intervention for upgrading the local primary health centre to a community health centre for which the required infrastructure was available. The PHC at Tiara was in a huge area (100 kanals), it had 16 quarters, doctors’ bunglows, hospital building, and X-ray room. But there was only one doctor to treat patients. Earlier a block medical officer was stationed there but after his premature retirement, the post has been lying vacant. The hospital serves the interests of the people in thousands of nearby areas but does not have a female doctor to treat women patients. Mr Rana also wanted an ultrasound machine be installed at the centre. |
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Notices
to 4 officials in double murder case Shimla, August 2 The petitioner had in his petition alleged that an FIR registered on November 15, 2001 under Sections 302, 379, 397 and 342 of the IPC against Shyamal Rao Reddy and Deep Ram for murder in the petitioner’s mother, Pushpa Sood, and his younger brother, Sandeep Sood, in the Oaks Land Hotel situated in the Lakkar Bazar area. Taking serious note of the case the Session Judge, Shimla, passed the order on May 29, 2002, that the accused be handcuffed while being taken out of the jail. But the accused Shyamal Rao Reddy, was taken out without handcuffs from the sub-jail to IGMC, Shimla and he later escaped from there on May 30. He further alleged that the accused had neither been apprehended by the police till date nor any efforts made to nab him. While issuing notice to the Police Department a Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice W.A. Shishak and Mr Justice Arun Kumar Goel, further directed them to file their detailed reply on or before September 2. |
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Parishad
finds flaws in encroachment policy Shimla, August 2 Mr Rajeshwar Negi, President of the parishad, said the policy was vague and the market rate being charged was too high and even beyond the reach of the middle class. The inherent flaws had discouraged people, particularly those living in the vicinity of major towns, from applying for the regularisation of encroached land. He said if the government was sincere about the regularisation of encroachment it should enact a comprehensive law to remove the legal infirmities in the policy and if need be an ordinance be promulgated to ensure that the ongoing process of regularisation already underway was not disrupted. It should be ensured that only bonafide Himachalis were covered under the policy and the cut off date should be on or before 1985 as per earlier notification issued in 1993 or a minimum of 10 years of continuous possession to be eligible for regularisation. The encroachments should be regularised on at rate of Rs 100 per biswa in rural areas and Rs 100 per sqm in urban areas. The amount should be half of it in case of persons from the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. In all other cases encroached land should be put to sale and encroacher be given the first preference. He also demanded the lifting of ban on the allotment of land under nautor rules so that maximum land would be used for agricultural purposes. |
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ST status for tehsil residents sought Shimla, August 2 Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, had written to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Mr Jual Oram, in this regard and pointed out the communities, living in the Jaunsar Bawar area had since been accorded tribal status but the adjoining territories of the erstwhile Sirmaur estate, which were more backward and orthodox and shared common customs, dialects and culture had been denied this benefit. He further said the Jaunsar Bawar region was part of the erstwhile Sirmaur estate. Professor Dhumal said despite similarity in culture, the people living within the boundary of Himachal Pradesh region had been deprived of the tribal status while those living in adjacent houses in Uttar Pradesh (now Uttaranchal) were enjoying this
benefit. Similarly, the Chauhar Ghati area in Mandi district also needed to be declared as tribal area, being socially and economically backward, he added. The Labanas in Himachal Pradesh were nomadic people. Their population was approximately 2 lakh. The Labanas, though linguistically and culturally distinct, were akin to the Gujar in the state and Banjaras elsewhere. He said the Malana area in Kulu district, with its own culture, tradition and with a very old democratic set up this area also deserved tribal status. |
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BSF jawan cremated with honours Shimla, August 2 Kishan Chand of 51 BSF Battalion was seriously injured in an encounter on July 24 and was admitted to an Army Hospital where he breathed his last. He is survived by his wife, mother, a son and a daughter. Industry Minister Kishori Lal Vadiya and Minister of State for Ayurveda Mohan Lal paid rich tributes to him and expressed their condolence to the bereaved family.
UNI |
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Cashier
robbed of Rs 6 lakh Solan, August 2 The cashier had withdrawn the money from the Baddi branch of Punjab National Bank and was returning to his company’s works in a Tata Sumo. As soon as the vehicle slowed down on a stretch of road near Himalayan Communications Limited, three scooter-borne youths, wearing masks, drew abreast of the vehicle. The three, then, forced the driver to halt with one of them brandishing an iron rod. Another youth jumped into the vehicle and removed the briefcase containing the cash. Thereafter the three fled towards the Nalagarh-Pinjore road. The SP, Mr S.Z.H. Zaidi, rushed to Baddi soon after receiving the report. |
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Vaishno
Devi’s idols excavated
Shimla, August 2 |
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