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Dhumal cries foul over govt tenders Tourists
ruin Rohtang environment Vajpayee’s
project in rough weather Mining
a threat to historic gurdwara |
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Link
Paonta Sahib by rail: gurdwara delegation Human
error led to mishaps: minister Cut use of chemicals in farms: Dutch expert Pratibha
promises to generate jobs Potato
farmers seek better price Chamba
association seeks fixing of cable rates ‘Geographical indications vital for products’ Research scholars decry MoU 150
alcoholics benefit from workshop Panchayat
leader hurt in attack Paswan’s
assurance on NFL depot Failed
students want ‘golden chance’ 2
killed, 1 hurt in mishaps Rare snake draws big crowd Man
beats wife to death Rain,
storm lash Mandi
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Dhumal cries foul over govt tenders Shimla, June 20 In a letter to the Chief Minister, he pointed out that as many as 60 packages in 15 divisions were published only in the government weekly “Giriraj” with the intention to invite limited competitors. Normally, tenders are invited by the executive engineers and given wide publicity in leading newspapers. In the said case, the tenders were invited by the Chief Engineer, which needed to be looked into. The most intriguing part was that the essential information like earnest money and estimated cost for the tenders was not mentioned and tenders were sold without any pre-qualification conditions. Further, a reasonable gap had not been given between the sale of tenders and the opening of the same. The last date for the sale of tender documents was June 4 and the date of opening was June 7. There were reports that tender documents were issued on June 5 also. The pre-qualification conditions were reported to have been supplied on Saturday and with the next day being Sunday, no body could fulfil the conditions. Some bidders had to withdraw their applications. It seemed that the competition had been avoided by the department as a contractor could not reach 15 divisions on the same day. He said fresh tenders should be invited by giving wider publicity in the print media to ensure a healthy competition. |
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Tourists ruin Rohtang environment Rohtang Top, June 20 Besides, 1000 ponies, their caretakers and makeshift stalls also ruin the look and environment of the place. Right from the Beas kund, the Beas stream is littered with the junk that flows down through the Beas nallah, a stopover where tourists break their uphill journey. The vehicles are also washed here. Even tourists can be seen drinking the same water. There is total chaos at the Rohtang top as Manali policemen often have tiffs with tourists, who demand to drive through the Pass, if possible even driving through the mountain top. The local ponywallas are making quick a buck as they charge between Rs 100 and Rs 500 depending on how much they can bargain. The three toilets raised by the HP Tourism Department at a cost of several lakhs stink as the authorities have never bothered to maintain them properly. Tourists as well as local people defecate in the open. The same
night soil is washed down with the water through the mountain slopes in the Beas whenever it snows and rains. There is no sanitary inspector to monitor hygienic conditions. The tourists are charged between Rs 20 and Rs 50 for every photo they take at the self-designated tourist stops-Kothi chopper site, Raninalla, Beas nallah, Rani nallah, Beas kund and Rohtang top. Though the district administration has created a Special Area Development Authority (SADA) to ensure so-called ‘clean and green Manali’, but the Rohtang is yet to be cleared of garbage. SADA barrier at the Nehru kund and at Marhi collects Rs 10 and Rs 20, respectively, from each vehicle, but the place remains littered with every kind of leftover. Under SADA, tourists are given bags to bring back the rubbish with them and charge Rs 10 per vehicle, but most of the tourists bring the empty bags. “We tell tourists to bring back rubbish. Some of them bring back, but others do not”. |
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Vajpayee’s project in rough weather Shimla, June 20 The fund-starved hill states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal consider hydroelectric projects as their main resource, which could not be allotted by the Centre unilaterally. In fact, the Government of Uttaranchal has written a letter to the Centre taking strong exception to the manner in which 39 projects had been assigned to various agencies for preparing detailed project reports
(DPRs). The Uttaranchal Government has also communicated its inability to allow the Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam
(SJVN) to prepare DPRs for the two projects assigned to it under the hydropower initiative. It has decided to go for international bidding in case of the 230-MW Sela Urthing project and informed that it had no plans to award the 70-MW Bogdiar Sirkari project as of now. It has, however, informed the SJVN that it could consider assigning of some other project if it came up with a concrete proposal on the pattern of Himachal Pradesh. The Himachal Government has also taken a similar line. It has written to the SJVN not to go ahead with the work of preparing DPR for Jangi
Thopan, allotted to it by the Centre, as it will lead to unnecessary duplication. The state electricity board had started working on the DPR much earlier and it was nearing completion. The SJVN had been assigned two projects in the state. Sources in the government said the issue had been taken up with the Centre at the officer level. The government maintains that the hydroelectric projects are precious assets of the state and it reserves the right to assign them on its own terms and conditions in its best interests. In all, 162 hydroelectric projects with an aggressive generation capacity of 50,560 MW were assigned under the initiative. The pre-feasibility studies for which funds were granted by the Centre were completed but problems arose when the task of preparing DPR was allotted with an understanding that various state electricity boards and central executing agencies, will also implement the assigned project. Senior officers maintain that the initiative was launched in undue haste and it was patently wrong on the part of the Centre to launch such an ambitious programme without taking the states where the projects were located into confidence. With the change of government at the Centre the whole policy might be reviewed to protect the interest of state. |
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Mining a threat to historic gurdwara HAMIRPUR: Despite strict instructions by the HP High Court and the HP Government, unscientific and haphazard mining of sand, bajri and stones has been going on in various khuds and the Beas river in Hamirpur district these days. This has even endangered the historic Gurdwara Daswin Patshahi located on the left bank of the Beas river. Mr Paramjit Singh, Granthi of the gurdwara, told this reporter that he had advised the contractor concerned try not to resort to mining towards the gurdwara side but to no avail. The granthi said he would now seek intervention of the SDM, Nadaun. The water table in various “khuds” has started falling due to their exploitation by the construction mafia with the help of JCV machines and other modern equipment. The mining wing of the Department of Industries has done little to mitigate the situation despite strong protests by the people. The department auctions the “khuds” every year for the mining of “khaddoo” stones, sand and bajri. There are a number of “khuds” in the district that are auctioned in parts every year. Prominent among those are Kunah, Maan, Poong, Sunaihal, Shukker and beds of the Beas adjoining the boundaries of Hamirpur district. Mr Rakesh Dhiman, SDM, Nadaun said that he was seized of the situation and appropriate action would be taken against the defaulters. He said the state government had already notified the rules for river-bed mining under which no quarrying would be allowed up to 200 metres from water supply and irrigation works. The fine for illegal mining had been increased to Rs 25,000 besides imprisonment for two years. The minimum fine had been increased to Rs 5,000. The contractors had been barred from using heavy machinery even manual quarrying would be restricted to a depth of three metres. Heavy boulders would not be allowed to be extracted. The District Mining Officer was not available for comments. |
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Link Paonta Sahib by rail: gurdwara delegation Chandigarh, June 20 A delegation of the committee led by its Vice-President, Mr Rattan Singh, met the Prime Minister in New Delhi yesterday and urged him to issue directions to the Ministry of Railways to undertake the work on the project which otherwise stands approved in the files. Talking to The Tribune, Mr Rattan Singh, a former Parliamentary Secretary in the previous Congress government headed by Mr Virbhadra Singh, said that the engineering wing of Northern Railway had conducted three surveys of linking Paona Sahib with Yamunanagar. "One of the survey reports met the technical approval of the Railways. But in the absence of any financial sanction, the project has not progressed any further," says Mr Rattan Singh, holding that in the absence of a rail link," this historic town -- where Guru Gobind Singh during his sojourn on the banks of Yamuna river, wrote verses, including poetry - has remained backward and neglected. It may be pertinent to mention here that during the last Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh in February, 2003, Dr Manmohan Singh, had come to campaign for Mr Rattan Singh, a Congress candidate. Mr Rattan Singh, however, lost the election. Mr Rattan Singh said that the government could also explore the possibility of linking Paona Sahib with Dehradun by rail. Dr Manmohan Singh, he said, assured the delegation that he would get the feasibility report re-examined to get the work started on the project. The delegation also sought Prime Minister and Union Government's help in the release of funds for taming of the Bata river, which during monsoon wreaks havoc in the area by land erosion. The Paonta Sahib area has already lost a major chunk of its cultivable and fertile land in soil erosion. Only a central project, delegation felt, could help. Other members of the delegation were Mr Kanwaljit Singh Chadha, Director-General, Industries Corporation and Mr Harpreet Singh, a member of the Himachal Pradesh State Youth Board. Amolak Singh, an artist, and Mr Arvind Aggarwal were also part of the delegation. Mr Rattan Singh said since Dr Manmohan Singh had special attachment with Paonta Sahib, a portrait of Guru Gobind Singh, was presented to him by the delegation after congratulating him on his elevation as the Prime Minister. |
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Human error led to mishaps: minister Sundernagar, June 20 Addressing mediapersons at Dehar village he said he had called for a report on both the accidents and also ordered an inquiry, with in 72 hours, to ascertain the cause behind the accidents. The report was faxed to him yesterday. He said he has ordered compulsory medical check-up of the drivers of passenger-vehicles and ordered that the permit of those private operators should be cancelled against whom there were genuine complaints of negligent driving. When asked about the allegations made by the HRTC union regarding the spurious parts being used by HRTC, the minister said that when these allegations were levelled, he immediately ordered an inquiry. He said appropriate action against the driver would be initiated soon. He said that Rs 20,000 would be given to the kin of the deceased and Rs one lakh would be given later. Further, free treatment would be given by the government to each of the injured. He said the HRTC will start Mandi-Chandigarh-Mandi super fast bus soon. This bus would facilitate the to and fro journey to Chandigarh the same day. He said Rs one crore would be spent on the development of Sundernagar bus stand. He said infrastructure of the HRTC workshop has been improved and the HRTC workshops were building bodies of 100 buses on the orders of neighboring states. Acknowledging the public demand, the minister has ordered that a mini bus from Sundernagar to Dehar be plied. He was accompanied by local MLA Sohan Lal. |
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Cut use of chemicals in farms: Dutch expert Shimla, June 20 The trend in the European Union and other advanced countries was to reduce the use of chemicals by switching over to biological control and deploying better spraying techniques. In Holland, the use of chemicals had come down by as much as 27 per cent and about 3 per cent farmers had totally switched over to biological control. Intensive research was on to develop wide-spectrum chemicals, which could help eliminate the harmful insects and pests, but allowed their predators to stay, he said while talking about the advances in farm technology. In Himachal Pradesh, the orchards were not being managed scientifically, particularly as far as the use of chemicals and spray schedule was concerned. The growers should not be made to follow the fixed schedule blindly. Scientific monitoring techniques should be used to ascertain the presence of pests and insects before resorting to spraying. The intensity and frequency of spray would be determined by the concentration of pests and insects, he observed. Pheromone traps should be used to identify the insects and the chemical, which could be used for its elimination, he said. Using chemicals indiscriminately led to overuse without the desired result. Similarly, the plants were virtually splashed with chemical sprays, resulting in high drip-offs, which ultimately contaminated the soil. Efforts should be to create a mist around the plant using proper spraying machine. In Holland, the farmers were using only 10 per cent of water in sprays. The plantations were more than 50 years old and needed replacement with new rootstock. He said since the soil in the old orchard was saturated with all sorts of infections, the new plantations were not easy to raise. The best way was to fumigate the soil using chemicals like methyl bromide or formalene before planting new rootstock. The visit of Mr Rip was orgainsed by the Himalayan eco-horticultural society. Mr Laxman Singh Thakur, president of the society, said Mr Rip was the fourth expert to visit the state under the programme. |
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Pratibha promises to generate jobs Mandi, June 20 She said the Congress government had approved about 1,700 small and medium industrial units with total investment of Rs 34.23 crore after assuming power in the state with the view to generating employment to as many as 70,000 persons. She said, “Our objective is to provide people-friendly, transparent and development oriented government. We do not exploit the communal and religious sentiments for narrow political ends” She said the state government was paying special attention to the development of the backward area like Chachiot Valley and added that for this special provision had been made in the budget under the Backward Areas Development sub-Plan (BADSP). Ms Pratibha Singh gave Rs 4.50 lakh for the construction of three link roads in the valley from her discretionary fund. Mrs Pratibha Singh today said the Pathankot-Jogindernagar rail link would be extended up to Mandi. It would boost tourism and other economic activity in the region. Addressing a meeting of the Congress workers at Drang, near here today, she said she would take up the matter with Union Railways Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav. After her tour of Sainj, Banjar and other areas, Mrs Pratibha Singh added that unemployment was the biggest problem in the state and she would try to solve it. Addressing the workers on the occasion, the IPH minister, Thakur Kaul Singh, who represents the Drang constituency, said the Congress had raised the status of women in the state by giving ticket to Mrs Pratibha Singh. |
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Potato farmers seek better price Palampur, June 20 Talking to newsmen here this afternoon, the members of association, Mr Joga Ram, Mr Ravinder Singh and Mr Deep Kumar, said there was a bumper crop of potatoes in this region of the state this year. If the government came out with a new policy and announced a support price for potatoes only then would the growers get a remunerative price for their produce. They said today the middlemen were active in the area and buying their produce at throwaway price, causing a loss to hundreds of growers. They said in the absence of any cooperation from the government, the growers were left with no alternative but to sell their produce to arhtiyas or middlemen. They said a number of registered and unregistered arhtiyas had been buying their produce at rates less than the market price. There was none in the government to check these malpractices. They said though there was a huge demand for Kangra potatoes in the market, the monopoly of the middlemen had forced them to sell their produce at lower rates. Two days ago, when the growers in a village refused to sell their produce at lower rates, the union of the middlemen unanimously decided not to go to the village to buy their potatoes. They said the potato growers had been facing huge losses for the past three years. They could not repay the loans raised from the banks and cooperative societies. If this year again they failed to get the due price of their produce, they would be forced to sell their lands to repay the loans as they are under great stress from banks and private borrowers. The major potato-growing areas of the district are Palampur and Nagrota Bagwan which are represented by Mr Brij Butail, Revenue Minister, and Mr G.S. Bali, Transport Minister, in the state Cabinet. But the two have failed to take up this issue with the government and growers had been left at the mercy of middlemen who had been exploiting them, they rued. |
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Chamba association seeks fixing
of cable rates Chamba, June 20 In a press note issued here today, Mr M.C. Marwaha, president of the association, demanded the opening of a waiting room in the Deputy Commissioner’s office for the people coming from remote places of the district for official work. Mr Marwaha pleaded that government land be transferred for a polyclinic to be set up for
ex-servicemen. The association demanded that waste material and debris be dumped outside the town. It also sought regulation of traffic and repair of link roads. Regarding the ensuing week-long Minjar fair, the association suggested that fair’s duration should not be extended and sought representation in various committees. It urged to bring out artistic invitation cards and souvenir for the fair, Mr Marwaha added. |
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‘Geographical indications vital for products’ Shimla, June 20 The case for the patenting of basmati rice and several other items produced in the country would have been much stronger if these products had been protected under the GIs Act in the country. Mr Saha, who was here in connection with a workshop, told TNS. In European countries, legislations had been enacted to protect the rights of the producing communities under the GIs. The famous Champagne France had been one of the products, which was protected quite early under the GIs. The first conference in this regard was held at Lisbon in 1953, in which 17 countries participated and 197 items were protected under the GIs. However, the GIs Act was passed in the country as late as 1999, only after the WTO regime came into force. the law actually came into force only from September 15, 2002. So far, no item had been registered and only 12 applications had been received, which were being processed by the Registrar of Geographical Indications. The items for which applications had been received included the “Chanderi Sari”, Arumula metal mirror, Sholapur towels, Salem fabric and Darjeeling tea. The abject lack of awareness about the GIs Act was one of the main reasons for this. He said for the registration of an item under the GIs Act, a lot of data was required to be generated and a well-documented case prepared and presented before the Registrar. It could take up to a year for registration in case an item qualified for it. |
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Research scholars decry MoU Solan, June 20 Flaying the state government for signing the MoU, as it had limited their prospects of getting gainfully employed, the scholars said despite acquiring Ph.D-level qualifications, they were left jobless. The few who had acquired jobs in National Agriculture Technology Projects had also been left to fend for themselves with the expiry of these projects in March this year. Expressing concern at the government policy, they demanded that the university should be handed over to the Indian Council of Agriculture and Research if the state could not bear its expenses. A total of 21 posts in various categories are lying vacant at regional horticulture research stations of Mashobra, Sharbo, Jacch, Bajaura and Bhota and eight in the research stations at Tabo, Kalpa and Dhalakuan. In addition, 25 posts of Assistant Professors are lying vacant since 2000 in the departments of plant pathology, entomology, post-harvest technology, vegetable crops, fruit breeding, pomology and forestry. This had adversely affected research, extension activity and quality in the university, they said. Expressing concern at the shrinking job opportunities, the scholars said the government should enforce a ban on postgraduate classes being run by the university for the next few years, as subsequent batches would only add to the number of unemployed. The scholars rued that not a single politician of the Congress party had raised the issue of their unemployment in the Vidhan Sabha session although they had promised them jobs before the elections. |
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150 alcoholics benefit from workshop Dharamsala, June 20 The Secretary of Health of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, Mr Tenpa Samkhar, was also invited at the convention. “It was three days of intensive workshops, fun, food and fellowship. AA is a voluntary, worldwide organisation of men and women from all walks of life who come together to attain and maintain sobriety. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking,” said a member. The initiative to organise the convention was taken by a local member, Todd M, who had himself recovered in America. During the convention, panel discussions in different topics focussing on why one should quit drinking. Yoga and exercise sessions were organised and video films screened. |
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Panchayat leader
hurt in attack Palampur, June 20 An eyewitness said four persons carrying lathis, iron rods and swords entered his shop and attacked him without specifying any reason. Mr Surjit Kumar was opposed to reckless mining going on in the nearby khuds. Mr Sanjiv Gandhi, DSP, said an FIR had been registered against the four persons under Sections 452 and 149 of the IPC. Mr Gandhi said the accused had moved an application in the district court for anticipatory bail. The hearing is on June 21. |
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Paswan’s assurance on NFL depot Mandi, June 20 Informing this here today, Mr Chaman Rahi, coordinator, Dalit Varg and Atyachar Nivaran Samiti, Mandi stated that the farmers’ delegation under his leadership had met the minister and apprised him of farmers’ problems. “Most farmers use NFL fertilisers, but they do not have any outlet here”. Mr Rahi said the minister assured them that he would look into the matter and asked the NFL to open the depot at Sundernagar before the next sowing season. “He also assured that he would take up the matter of the discovery of coal mines in the areas with the coal authorities. The Bharatiya Balmiki Dham and the SCST (Congress wing) leaders also met the minister to press their demands”. Mr Paswan was here yesterday to inaugurate a private institute at Sundernagar. |
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Failed students want ‘golden chance’ Kangra, June 20 In a statement here today, the parents of these students said as the careers of their wards were at stake, the Chairman, Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education, should grant them a ‘golden chance’. They said they had approached the board authorities and hoped for a favourable action. Meanwhile, Board chairman B.R. Rahi said the board was yet to take a decision in this regard. |
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2 killed, 1 hurt in mishaps Mandi, June 20 In another accident, a motorcycle collided with a Canter (mini-truck) near gurdwara here yesterday. Both the persons travelling on the scooter were seriously injured and were rushed to the local Regional Hospital here where doctors referred Santosh Kumar to the PGI, Chandigarh, but he succumbed to injuries on the way. The other injured person, Ritesh Handh of Purani Mandi, is said to be out of danger. |
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Rare snake draws big crowd Kumarhatti, June 20 The two-foot long snake was caught by motor mechanics around 10 am after the creature was noticed making its way into the bushes along the Kalka-Shimla national highway near Modern Dhabha. The snake was put in a mineral water bottle as a the crowd gathered at the spot to see the reptile. With a flat head and a long thin neck, the snake became a centre of attraction for people who gazed at the creature with amazed eyes. Hole were made in the cover of bottle. as also on the upper portion of bottle. After a few hours of display for public, the mechanics took the snake into the nearby forest area and freed. Within seconds, the snake disappeared into the bushes. |
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Man beats wife to death Hamirpur, June 20 The incident took place when Surinder’s wife demanded money from him to go to her parents’ place. However, he took out an iron rod and beat up his wife severely. He then hit himself with the same rod and was injured seriously. They were taken to a hospital, where the woman succumbed to her injuries. Surinder is stated to be in a critical condition. Surinder is being treated in the hospital under police custody. A case has been registered. |
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Rain, storm lash Mandi Mandi, June 20 The rainy season this year set in about two weeks earlier. The windstorms this season are an unusual feature accompanying rains which have caused widespread damage to fruit crops. The early rains have eased the problem of scarcity of water
and IPH officials have heaved a sigh of relief. |
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Potable water promised Dharamsala, June 20 This follows a series of steps like putting net on pipes used to supply water and on the sedimentation tanks of the department so that garbage is not allowed to mix with water. A spokesman of the department said even in rural areas, drinking water is being supplied after purification and chlorination. |
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Law
likely on assets got by unfair means Shimla, June 20 This was announced by Mr Virbahadra Singh, Chief Minister, while addressing a public meeting at Rahli in Rampur subdivision yesterday after laying the foundation stone of the building of Government Senior Secondary School. He said the government was determined to root out corruption from all walks of life. He said public money should be well utilised and projects should be completed within the stipulated time. He said, there must be effective checks to ensure quality in construction work. |
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350 examined at medical camp
in Nalagarh Nalagarh, June 20 Apart from getting free consultation from expert cardiologists, the patients also avail themselves of test facilities like ECG, ECHO, flood sugar etc. which were done free of cost. A core cardiac team of the hospital was in Nalagarh to provide consultation and attend to the needs of the patients. Through these camps, the hospital aims at spreading awareness among the masses about heart diseases, which has affected over 3 per cent (3 million) of the Indian population and Himachal Pradesh is one area where the incidence of the disease is the highest in the country, according to Dr R. K. Jaswal Senior, Consultant of the hospital. He said “There is an alarming increase in the incidence of heart related ailments in the country. The world average of the incidence of heart diseases is 1.5 per cent whereas in India the average doubles to 3 per cent.
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Kawar-Kimbari road inaugurated Shimla, June 20 Inaugurating the 11-km stretch of road today, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said the valley would be connected by road by the end of this year. He said work was in progress on both sides of the Chanshal mountain range. |
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