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Saturday,
April 12, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Import
duty cut to hit resin industry Mann backs
Shanta, writes to PM Security
stepped up in Chamba Reckon
cost of plots, forum tells board Himachal
lifts ban on transfers |
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Independent
retires for Cong nominee Devta Mela
concludes Hamirpur
truckers not to join stir 
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Import duty cut to hit resin industry Shimla, April 11 The prices of rosin (processed resin) have been falling since restrictions on imports were lifted under the WTO agreement. The domestic market has been flooded with imported resin from China, Indonesia, Vietnam and other countries and it is cheaper. Slump in the market is affecting farmers of Uttaranchal and Jammu and Kashmir, besides Himachal Pradesh. The three northern hill states together produce around 22000 tonnes to 24000 tonnes of rosin year. The units which require Rosin in bulk are concentrated in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Landed cost of rosin in these coastal states comes to around Rs 36 per Kg whereas the high cost of transportation from the hills of Himachal to these far-off states makes the produce costlier. Till 1996-97 when the import was not allowed the two turpentine factories of the state Forest Corporation, which process about 1,11,000 quintals of resin annually, were able to sell off Rosin at rates ranging from Rs 46 to Rs 48 per kg. The rates have crashed by 25 per cent over the past five years. The factories which are operating at the breakeven will state go into the red as the government proposed to further reduce the import duty to 20 per cent next year. In fact, farmers have not been interested in tapping their pine trees as they do not find the returns remunerative like before. Till a decade ago the private trees accounted almost half of the over 30 lakh trees tapped every year. Their number came down to three lakh two years ago as the factories were forced to reduce procurement price for resin from Rs 2450 to Rs 1500 per quintal. As the factories fell short of resin, the number of trees to be tapped from government forests was raised from 16 lakh to over 20 lakh. Not only that the procurement price was also increased to Rs 1850 per quintal. This did not satisfy the farmers. They demanded lifting of ban on the export of resin from the state. The government conceded the demand last year but even that did not help as the slashing of Import Duty made the imported resin more attractive to the industry and even the units located in this part of the country started using it. For instance a fortified rosin-manufacturing unit at Baddi, which lifted 1200 tonnes of rosin annually from the corporation, procured only 500 tonnes last year. Mr O.P. Sharma, Managing Director of the State Forest Corporation, says that there was a strong case for the imposition of anti-dumping duty on rosin as countries like China were producing up to 4 lakh tonnes of it annually. The requirement of the country ranged from 45,000 to 50,000 tonnes and the level of imports had already surpassed it. He said the three northern hill states should jointly pursue the matter with the Centre to safeguard the interests of resin producers. |
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Mann backs Shanta, writes to PM Shimla, April 11 In a strongly worded letter, a copy of which was faxed to The Tribune, he lamented that an upright and competent minister like Mr Shanta Kumar had been made a scapegoat for the BJP’s electoral debacle in Himachal Pradesh. He said Mr Shanta Kumar came well-prepared to Parliament to face tough questions by members and was ready with facts and figures to substantiate his answers. Besides, he was amongst the few who enjoyed secular credentials in the party. Appreciating his performance as a minister, Mr Mann said Mr Shanta Kumar had spread the goodwill of the NDA government to every nook and corner of the country and even the poor had been familiarised with the welfare programmes initiated by the Union Rural Development Ministry. Mr Mann pointed out that the Prime Minister as well as the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, had canvassed for the BJP candidates, but the efforts failed to halt the Congress. He said with the exit of Mr Shanta Kumar, the Cabinet, had lost a good administrator and minister. |
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Security
stepped up in Chamba Chamba, April 11 The Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Chamba, Mr N.D. Sharma, said here today the battalions of the Himachal Armed Police, Indian Reserve Battalion and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force been instructed to deal with anti-national elements. The ASP said the security forces had been asked to continue their combing operations and day-and-night patrolling. He praised the security forces for maintaining normalcy and infusing confidence among residents of the border villages adjacent to Jammu and Kashmir. He said security forces were on the lookout for anti-national elements trying to enter the district, adding that the security personnel were combing the 265 km border round the clock. |
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Reckon cost of plots, forum tells board Shimla, April 11 The board has been directed to complete the calculation of cost in 45 days. Fifteen buyers of flats/plots in the Straberry Hill Colony of Chhotta Shimla filed the complaint alleging that the housing board had not calculated the actual cost of the flats/plots and as per the convened deed and they had to pay Stamp Duty and
registration free on the property which belonged to the board. It was further alleged that the land kept vacant for the use of general public, roads etc. had been included in the conveyance deed. |
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Himachal
lifts ban on transfers Shimla, April 11 All cases where relaxation in the short stay of three years or any other deviation from the policy was involved the approval of the Chief Minister would be required. Cases involving transfers within 25 km distance within the same district would also be sent to the Chief Minister for approval, the sources said.
PTI |
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Independent
retires for Cong nominee Shimla, April 11 He took the decision after meeting Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, here today. He said he had taken this decision as he was of the view that the development of the state was possible only under the dynamic leadership of Mr Virbhadra Singh. |
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Devta Mela
concludes Sundernagar, April 11 The devtas were first assembled in Mahamaya Temple for puja of the goddess was performed. Later, a procession was taken out through the town and the Royal Palace, where the members of the Roya family perform
pooja. |
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Hamirpur
truckers not to join stir Hamirpur, April 11 Presiding over a meeting of district officers and members of the local Truck Operators Union here today, he said that a nodal agency under the chairmanship of ADM, Hamirpur, had been constituted to monitor the situation. Meanwhile, the local truck operators present at the meeting said they would not go on strike and help the district administration |
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Protest
over status of schools Bilaspur, April 11 They presented a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr P.C.
Jassal. |
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Shimla, April 11 Reports of celebrations were also received from Mandi, Kulu, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Solan, and Kangra. |
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