 |
|
Wednesday,
April 23, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
|
Aberrations in Annual Plan to be removed BPL survey
begins in May BDC chairman
voted out New samiti chief, vice-chief elected MoUs on hydel units
to be reviewed SARS gives hoteliers sleepless nights |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Water scarcity in Changar Ailing
lion cub struggles for life Govt plans uplift of rural women Interactive session of Army begins Farmers seek VB probe into potato seed scam Farmers happy with truckers’ stir 3
baraatis die in accident HP
varsity Pro VC resigns
|
||
|
Aberrations
in Annual Plan to be removed Shimla, April 22 Talking to newsmen here today, he said it was high time to take corrective measures and remove the aberrations that had crept in as the 12th Finance Commission, which took care of the non-plan expenditure, had already been set up. It would be in the interest of the state to present a true picture before the commission. He said the government would formulate a “realistic” plan and it was obvious that the size would be reduced. However, that did not mean that less funds would be available for development. In fact, it would be ensured that government spending on development increased. He said the government would again pursue the proposal to extend the broad gauge line from Bhanupali to Bilaspur. He said the previous Dhumal government did not take interest in the project which was essential to boost the economy of the state. RITES, the technical and economic service organisation of the Railways, had conducted a survey and found the project viable. It would not only enable plants to transport out their produce but also bring the broad gauge line to the interior of the state. He said the government would not only explore the possibility of raising funds for the project from financial institutions but also make efforts to attract foreign investment for it. Mr Virbhadra Singh categorically stated that there was no ban on recruitment at the moment and the government was not contemplating any such move at present. There was also no proposal to introduce a voluntary retirement scheme for government employees. The Chief Minister said a comprehensive policy would be formulated to ensure speedy economic growth. Steps to boost industrialisation, ensuring maximum spending on the hydel and farm sectors, would be the main objective of the policy.
|
|
BPL survey
begins in May Nurpur, April 22 To strengthen the Panchayati Raj system, an internal department vigilance cell was being set up. The cell will probe the complaints of irregularities in the Panchayati Raj system and submit its report to the state government. The minister informed that the zila parishads would be given more financial and other powers. No payment under the Prime Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojna would be released by the department concerned until the work done was approved by the zila parishad, he added.
|
|
|
BDC chairman
voted out Nurpur, April 22 Commenting on the no-confidence motion, Mr Achhar Singh, the outgoing chairman, alleged that the Congress had started a new practice in the area to uproot the elected body of the Panchayati Raj system. Refuting the charge, Mr Karan Oberoi, president of the local unit of the Congress committee, said the members had extended their support to the Congress on their own and not under any political pressure.
|
|
|
New samiti chief, vice-chief elected Nahan, April 22 A no-confidence motion was passed on April 3 to remove BJP-supported president Uma Rani and vice-president Hemchandra, the Congress-supported members.
|
|
|
MoUs on hydel units
to be reviewed Shimla, April 22 The issue will be taken up by the Cabinet at its meeting scheduled for May 5. Besides, 158 mini and micro projects, two dozen big projects, including the 1,000 MW Karcham Wangtu project, will come under scrutiny. Even the power purchase agreement signed during the period will be reviewed. The Cabinet will formally take a decision to review the MoUs and set up a committee of officers to carry out the exercise. At its last meeting the Cabinet had deferred the signing of implementation agreements in respect of 26 mini and micro projects and asked
HIMURJA, the nodal agency for the implementation of such projects, to prepare a report for all 222 mini and micro projects which had been assigned to private parties. So far, implementation agreements have been signed in respect of 44 projects. Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, said the committee would review the projects as per the guidelines given by the government. The main concern of the government was to ensure that the projects were executed expeditiously and the interests of the state were fully protected. The main parameters for review would be whether the MoUs ensured employment to the local people. The technical and financial capability of the companies assigned the projects would also be ascertained. There was no point in allotting projects to undeserving parties as they left the projects midway which then had to be given to other parties. Already some of the projects had been allotted two or three times without making any progress. Finally, it would also be seen if transparency was maintained and norms were not flouted while allotting the project.
|
|
|
SARS gives hoteliers sleepless nights Shimla, April 22 Reports regarding SARS cases in the country and its spread in the nearby countries are giving sleepless nights to hoteliers and others connected with the tourist trade. They are fervently hoping that the disease is contained in time, lest it ruins the season. While the inflow of domestic tourists may not be affected much, there could certainly be a decline in the number of foreign tourists. The impact will be severe if the disease is not controlled by June as the maximum number of foreign tourists visit the state during July and August. Last year, about 48 lakh tourists visited the state of which 1.15 lakh were foreigners. This year the figure was expected to increase significantly. The flood of tourists which the state has witnessed in April provides a fair indication of the impending boom, says Mr Umesh
Akre, vice-president of the Himachal Hotel Association. But for the fear of SARS all positive factors are there. The mercury is soaring in the plains and the hills are quite cool for this time of the year. The region has been receiving regular rain and as such there is no shortage of water in places like Shimla, he adds. Mr
T.R. Verma, Deputy General Manager of the state tourism corporation, agrees with him and informs that all hotels of the corporation recorded a higher occupancy in April this season as compared to last year. On an average, 100 additional rooms were booked daily during the first 20 days of the month compared to last year. As against 5,270 rooms hired out last year, as many as 7,298 rooms were occupied this season. The percentage occupancy increased from 29 to over 40. Normally the season starts picking up towards the end of April when tourists from Gujarat and Maharashtra start arriving. This year a large number of summer visitors descended on the hills in April itself because the holidays. The level of advance bookings for May and June indicate that the tourist influx could be higher by 15 to 20 per cent. Besides favourable weather conditions, the restoration of the LTC facility in some states has also provided a fillip to tourist traffic, points out Mr
R.K. Sharma, Deputy General Manager of the corporation, at Manali, which attracts the highest number of summer visitors in the state. He said keeping in view that a large number of foreign tourists thronged the Kulu valley, instructions had been issued to the staff in all hotels of the corporation to immediately contact the medical authorities in case any visitor reported a high fever or respiratory problem. The tourist industry in the state has picked up rather well in recent years. In 1990, the state played host to just 10.23 lakh domestic tourists and 19,000 foreign tourists. The number has increased almost fivefold over the past 12 years. The tourist boom has led to rapid expansion of the hotel industry and the state has over 1,450 hotels with a bed capacity in excess of 32,000. Manali alone has about 500 hotels and a bed capacity of over 13,000.
|
|
|
Water scarcity in Changar Palampur, April 22 Chadiar, Sansai, Ashapuri, Draman, Bachhwai and Lambagaon are worst effected where residents have been receiving drinking water only once a day. Official sources disclosed that the water level in the area has gone low, therefore the gravity or lift drinking water supply schemes are not functioning to their capacity. Another reason for the water shortage in the area is attributed to the frequent power failures adversely affecting the lift drinking water supply schemes. Jaisingpur, a subdivisional town is also facing acute shortage of drinking water. It is learnt that the existing water supply schemes to this town have failed to meet the requirement of the town and construction work on the new scheme is going on at a snail’s pace and it may take another three years for completion. Long queues of men, women and children can be seen in this small town in front of various hand pumps to fetch water. Meanwhile, the district administration has made elaborate arrangements to meet the drinking water shortage. It has identified the water shortage prone areas. Official sources said here today that drinking water tankers would be provided in all affected areas. The Sub-Divisional Magistrates have been asked to submit their requirements of water tankers to the government, so that necessary funds are sanctioned for their requisition, particularly in Changer belt of the district. The panchayat pardhans have also been asked to be in touch with the Irrigation and Public Health Department or SDMs of the area so that their complaints are looked into immediately. |
|
Ailing lion
cub struggles for life Kangra, April 22 During a visit to the zoo, this correspondent saw the mother, Kunti, trying to protect Raju. It took veterinary experts and forest officials nearly two hours to separate Kunti from her cub before Raju could be given medical treatment. Mr B.S. Rana, DFO, Wildlife, who was in the zoo to take stock of the situation following the inbreeding problem the lions were facing told this correspondent that Gopal and Kunti were from the same offspring and were brought to Gopalpura Zoo from Renuka lion safari. They had six issues. Five of these had died because of the genetic inbreeding disorder and Raju was fighting for life. Mr Rana agreed that zoo’s infrastructure was not sufficient to cater to the need of seven districts. He said two leopards had died fighting in the enclosures last year and another leopard which was brought to the park from Mandi succumbed to his injuries on arrival here. He said a samber too was killed in a fight last year and a black bear had died a natural death. The zoo had not treatment room and no provision of a veterinary doctor and para veterinary staff to provide immediate medical care to the wild animals there. When the need arose services of doctors from Palampur Veterinary College were sought by the authorities. Mr Rana said the treatment room in the zoo was under construction. He said a rescue room was also planned to be constructed. Dr R.S. Kishtewaria, wildlife health specialist, said that Gopal and Mani were born in the park six months ago. Mani died last week due to paralysis and lung swelling because of the genetic disorder. He said breeding within the family was responsible for inbreeding and genetic depression. Dr Kishtewaria had little hope that Raju would respond to treatment and survive. The park was established in 1992 by the then Chief Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, to boost tourism in this area of Palampur subdivision and to provide protection and better care to the wildlife. |
|
Govt plans uplift of rural women Shimla, April 22 The minister disclosed this while inaugurating a national seminar on integrating gender into poverty alleviation and national resource management, organised by the UGC Centre of Excellence, Institute of Integrated Himalayan Studies, Himachal Pradesh University. Earlier, Prof S.D. Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, in his welcome address, said the UGC had made an increase of Rs 1.35 crore in the 10th Plan budget for the university. Prof L.R. Verma, Director, Integrated Institute of Himalayan Studies, presented a detailed report of the activities of the institute. The participants included Mrs Manisha Nanda, Chief Election Commissioner, Prof S.K. Sharma, Prof I.P. Massey, former adviser, human rights commission, Mr P.R. Ramesh, Prof V. K. Sharma, Dr Y.S. Negi, Dr A.K. Randev, Mr N.S. Bisht and Dr Shyama Prasad. |
|
Interactive
session of Army begins Shimla, April 22 Inaugurating the session, Lt- Gen.
J.J. Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Artrac, said the effectiveness of training could only be ascertained by relating it to the actual performance of the officers and men in operations. The training requirements of an organisation as large as the Army were very complex and covered a variety of facets. He said Artrac was the nodal agency for doctrinal and conceptual development at the operation and strategic levels. A study was under way to draw out a doctrine for the Army in consultation with the regional commands. He said training should aim at developing creative thinking and initiative among all ranks especially at the junior leaders’ level. Commandants of various Army training institutions are attending the session.
|
|
|
Farmers
seek VB probe into potato seed scam Una, April 22 In the memorandum the farmers have complained that the Deputy Director, Agriculture, instead of giving them Kufri Jyoti seed gave them seed mixed with Kufri Chander Mukhi variety. The memorandum stated that the farmers of the region who purchased potato seeds suffered a loss of yield between Rs 1 and Rs 3 lakh. The farmers have demanded an inquiry into the bungling and compensation for farmers. Talking to mediapersons, the delegation of farmers today said that though after the news item regarding the wrong supply of potato seed appeared in the Press the Agriculture Minister ordered an inquiry. They were not satisfied with this inquiry because most of the members said that government might not be in a position to pay any compensation to the farmers. The farmers demanded a thorough probe by the Vigilance Bureau. |
|
Farmers
happy with truckers’ stir Kumarhatti, April 22 The non-arrival of vegetables from plains due to strike has resulted in great demand for local produce like pea and cabbage. Though the vegetable season in the region starts after June when tomato and capsicum and other off-season cash crops arrive in bulk in the local markets but growers who have sown pea on the large scale have benefited from the strike. A random survey of markets at Solan and Dharampur today showed that the prices of seasonal local vegetables had registered an increase ranging between Rs 4 and Rs 6 based upon the quality of produce. |
|
|
3 baraatis die in accident Bilaspur, April 22 Twenty other persons were injured, five of them seriously, and all of them were rushed to hospital. Industries Minister Ramlal Thakur also went to the accident site and helped in the rescue operations. One of the injured had been referred to the PGI, Chandigarh. Mr Thakur gave a grant-in-aid of Rs 10,000 each to the bereaved families and Rs 2,000 each to the seriously injured and Rs 500 each to the others. OC
|
|
|
HP varsity
Pro VC resigns Shimla, April 22 Dr Sharda met the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, after submitting the resignation. Mr
Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, had earlier announced that the
government would review the post of Pro-Vice-Chancellor. The state
unit of the National Students Union of India had been demanding the
scrapping of the post to cut down non-productive expenditure.
|
|
|
Tibetan
Deputies to meet MPs Dharamsala, April 22 When contacted, a spokesman for the Tibetan Government in-exile, said here today that the delegation led by Ms Gyari Dolma would comprise of Gyring Dawa
Tsering, Geshe Thupten Phelgye, Nawang Tempa and Dawa Tsering.
|
|
WB to give 300 cr more for road scheme Shimla, April 22 This was stated by the World Bank representative at the concluding session of a two-day state-level workshop on rural roads in Himachal organised by the PWD in association with the bank and the ministry. |
|
2 labourers
fall to death Bilaspur, April 22 Those killed have been identified as Puranwasi of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh and Sampat Singh of Satna in Madhya Pradesh. Sukhchain Singh was seriously injured and rushed to the PGI, Chandigarh. |
|
|
Entrance
test postponed Shimla, April 22
|
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 123 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
