H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Chuhar valley farmers may get nod to cultivate poppy, says CM
Mandi, October 31
Himachal Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh yesterday assured the people of Chuhar valley that the government would ake up with the Centre the matter of cultivation of poppy as allowed in some other states.

• Cannabis plantation in 20 acres destroyed

Board pulled up for ignoring directive
Shimla, October 31
The state Electricity Regulatory Commission has pulled up the state Electricity Board for not complying with the order in letter and spirit and instead coming out with own concept of contract demand which negated the very purpose of the new Kvah (Kilo volt ampere hour)-based tariff for industrial power which was introduced to encourage efficient use of energy. 

MC plea to govt on water tariff
Shimla, October 31
The general house of the Shimla Municipal Corporation today passed a resolution urging the state government to reconsider the decision to increase water tariff.

Paragliding events conclude
Dharamsala, October 31
The four-day international Paragliding Pre-World Cup 2003 events ended today without any serious mishap, twenty-six paragliders from India and abroad were participating in the competition at Billing, 75 km from here.

Cricket body to close account with bank
Dharamsala, October 31
To protest against The Kangra Central Co-operative Bank stopping transactions of the accounts of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, the association has decided to close accounts with the bank.

Indira’s martyrdom day observed
HAMIRPUR: Rich tributes were paid to Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary at a meeting of the District Congress Committee held here today. Mr Balak Ram Sharma, the DCC chief, chaired the meeting, which was also attended to Mrs Anita Verma, the national secretary of the Congress.

• Protest rally by students
• Leh-Manali road to remain open till Nov 15
• Handicrafts sale  stopped forcibly

Chuhar valley farmers may get nod to 
cultivate poppy, says CM
Our Correspondent

Mandi, October 31
Himachal Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh yesterday assured the people of Chuhar valley that the government would ake up with the Centre the matter of cultivation of poppy as allowed in some other states.

The police and the customs recently destroyed poppy cultivation on thousand of acres in Mandi and Kulu districts. He was speaking after dedicating a Rs 25.50 lakh lift drinking water supply scheme at Sudhar, a high-altitude village in the remote Chuhar valley of this district.

Mr Virbhadra Singh advised the farmers to switch over from traditional crops to off-season vegetables, floriculture and herbs for higher income. Chief Minister assured incentives to the farmers whose poppy crop was destroyed in the state.

He said Rs 52.50 crore was being spent under APDRP in Mandi district of which Rs 13.12 crore would be utilised in backward Darang constituency of which Chuhar valley was a part. Another Rs 1.70 crore was being spent on rural electrification and voltage improvement.

The Chief Minister said a primary school was being opened within the radius of 2 km and funds for education had been enhanced to Rs 1011 crore in the current year. He announced special grant of Rs 6.31 crore for the completion of seven link roads in Chuhar valley besides Rs 10 lakh for the construction of rooms in some schools.

Cannabis plantation in 20 acres destroyed

Shimla, October 31
The anti-narcotics task force of the Narcotics Control Bureau, Chandigarh and the Mandi police destroyed illicitly cultivated cannabis plantations on 20 acres in various parts of Mandi district in the last leg of operation “mission malana-11”, conducted between October 26 and October 30.

Board pulled up for ignoring directive
Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 31
The state Electricity Regulatory Commission has pulled up the state Electricity Board for not complying with the order in letter and spirit and instead coming out with own concept of contract demand which negated the very purpose of the new Kvah (Kilo volt ampere hour)-based tariff for industrial power which was introduced to encourage efficient use of energy. The commission while deciding petitions filed by the Parwanoo Industries Association and the Baddi-Barotiwala Industries Association held that the board had contravened its order and was liable for penalty. The decision of the board to link the contract demand for power with working shifts in a industrial unit was absurd and went against the very philosophy of the commission to bring down the energy losses by introducing a tariff system which automatically took care of the power factor.

The objective of fixing a higher tariff for lower power factor, which meant more energy losses, and a lower tariff for a higher power factor was to encourage efficient use of energy by industries. The commission had also asked the board give a fresh option to industries to sign up the contract demand after November 1,2001 when the new tariff became effective.

The commission took a serious view of the fact that the board, instead of implementing the tariff order, issued a circular linking the contract demand with working shifts. It was fixed at 50 per cent of the connected load for single shift, 60 per cent for two shifts and 80 per cent for three shifts for a connected load upto 500 KW and 85 per cent beyond it.

The defiant attitude of the board derailed the new tariff system which would not have only helped bring down power losses but also enabled the release of locked up capacity. It found the board liable for imposition of penalty for the contravention of its order. The board could be fined up to Rs one lakh for the contravention and Rs 6000 per day for continuing contravention under the Electricity Act-2003. The quantum of penalty will be announced on November 11 after hearing the board.

MC plea to govt on water tariff
Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 31
The general house of the Shimla Municipal Corporation today passed a resolution urging the state government to reconsider the decision to increase water tariff.

The government had notified to increase water charges last week, which were to come into force from October 6, 2003. The House was expected to give its formal approval to the revised charges at today’s meeting. However, reluctant to take any harsh measure, the councillors opposed the hike. Municipal Commissioner Mohan Chauhan explained the background, which made the hike imperative, told that the corporation had also filed an affidavit before the high court in connection with a public interest litigation in this regard.

All this failed to convince the members who resolved that the government should reconsider the matter.

By another important resolution the House proposed to re-merge the Nagar Panchayats of Dhalli, Kasumpati and Tutu into the corporation. These areas were excluded by the Dhumal Government.

Paragliding events conclude
Our Correspondent

Dharamsala, October 31
The four-day international Paragliding Pre-World Cup 2003 events ended today without any serious mishap, twenty-six paragliders from India and abroad were participating in the competition at Billing, 75 km from here.

According to the organising committee, Hiraki of Japan received minor sprain while landing today at Bir while Manali-based pilot Vinay strayed and landed away from the landing site. Today 13 foreign and 12 Indian paragliders participated in 74 km Billing-Jogindernagar-Uttrala-Jhatingari-Tower-Bir cross country race. Mr Vijay Soni who fractured his hand yesterday opted out of the competition. Though final results are yet to be announced Mr Shorehov Nikolay of Russia was leading and was sure to emerge the champion. Xavier of France, who is also one of the organisers was second in the three events till yesterday. Anja of Germany is leading in the women’s section followed by Louis Burnhum of Britain.

The national championship events started today with 26 paragliders and co-pilots taking part in tandem flight. All landed safely at Bir. Tomorrow there will be solo competition for national championship. The Himachal Chief Minister will announce the conclusion of five-day Pre-World Cup 2003 and also gave away the prizes to the winners at Bir, the landing site. The daredevils of the Indian Air Force presented a show of sky diving at Bir which was witnessed by hundreds of locals and outsiders gathered there. Twelve sky divers jumped off the IAF helicopter and made precise landing.

Varsity sets up panel on budget deficit
Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 31
Dr L.R. Verma, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Himachal Pradesh University, today set up an advisory committee to suggest ways and means to bridge the huge budget deficit. With the government grants pegged at Rs 19 crore and the university’s own resources totalling just about Rs 12 crore, the deficit during the current year is likely to be about Rs 14 crore. The committee will suggest steps to cut the expenditure and mobilise additional financial resources.

Dr Verma will himself head the committee, which will have elected representatives of employees and teachers’ bodies as members.

Dr Verma appointed Mr K.S. Dogar Controller of Examinations in place of Mr B.R. Kaushal, who has been appointed Planning and Development Officer.

Cricket body to close account with bank
Our Correspondent

Dharamsala, October 31
To protest against The Kangra Central Co-operative Bank stopping transactions of the accounts of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, the association has decided to close accounts with the bank.

A spokesman of the HPCA, Mr Sanjay Sharma said here today that the bank had taken this step under pressure of the state government which had been harassing the association for the political reasons. Blaming the State Youth Services and Sports Minister Ram Lal Thakur for vindictiveness against the HPCA due to political reasons, Mr Sharma said that the minister was demoralising genuine sports activities.

Mr Sanjay Sharma defended the decision to induct players from outside the state claiming that they were Himachalis and included in the team as per BCCI guidelines.

Indira’s martyrdom day observed
Tribune Reporters

HAMIRPUR: Rich tributes were paid to Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary at a meeting of the District Congress Committee held here today. Mr Balak Ram Sharma, the DCC chief, chaired the meeting, which was also attended to Mrs Anita Verma, the national secretary of the Congress.

Ms Jaiwanti Devi, wife of late Comrade Amin Chand, a veteran freedom fighter of the district, was also honoured on the occasion.

BILASPUR: A district-level “sankalp divas” was organised here today under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Subhasheesh Panda in memory of Indira Gandhi “sankalp divas” functions were also held at Subdivisional headquarters at Ghumarwin and Tehsil Headquarters at Jhandutta.

SHIMLA: Glowing tributes were today paid to late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary which was observed as “sankalap divas” throughout the state. Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh, garlanded a statue of Indira Gandhi at the Ridge. Mr Gangu Ram Musafir, Speaker, Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, Mrs Vidya Stokes, Power Minister, Mr Kaul Singh Thakur, Irrigation and Public Health Minister, Mr Chander Kumar, Forest Minister, Mr Kuldeep Kumar, Cooperation Minister, Mr Singhi Ram, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer affairs Minister, and Mr Mukesh Agnihotri, Chief Parliamentary Secretary , also paid floral tributes to the leader.

Protest rally by students
Our Correspondent

Solan, October 31
The future of at least 250 students of the local Himachal Institute of Paramedical Technology is uncertain, with the failure of the authorities to procure the mandatory no-objection certificate from the state Education Department. The students, who have boycotted classes and refused to pay the fee for the second year, have launched an agitation and sat on indefinite fast. The agitation was deferred after the institute authorities gave a written undertaking to the district administration to procure the certificate by October 31. A protest rally was taken out here today in protest against the failure of the institute authorities to procure the certificate.

Leh-Manali road to remain open till Nov 15

Shimla, October 31
The Manali-Leh road would remain open to vehicular traffic till November 15 to facilitate the movement of food and essential supplies needed in the snow-bound areas of Lahaul and Spiti that remain cut off in winter.

An offical release here today said that the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) that looks after the maintenance of this particular road had agreed to the request of the Himachal government to keep the Manali-Leh road open till the middle of November. — UNI

Handicrafts sale stopped forcibly
Our Correspondent

Nahan, October 31
At least 200 members of the local Beopar Mandal today forcibly stopped the handicrafts sale at a hotel here.

Substandard articles were being sold on high prices, they alleged. They took out a procession and then reached the hotel, forcing the sellers to stop the sale.