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Dalhousie airport project to be re-examined: CM
Govt may move HC on power tariff
Power board irked at delayed operations of units
Corrosion of turbines common: Nathpa spokesman
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Sutlej flow diverted through tunnels
Indira Gandhi remembered
Khurana VC of Jabalpur varsity
Sirmaur Utsav concludes
Child artiste honoured
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Dalhousie airport project to be re-examined: CM
Dalhousie, October 31 The airport was proposed to be constructed at Banikhet in the suburbs of Dalhousie town. The airport project will bring Dalhousie, the famous wonderland of Himachal Pradesh, on the international map of tourism and will boost tourism industry in a big way. Addressing a press conference here last night, the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, said since tourism was the major employment generating and revenue fetching industry in the state, the government was also keen to formulate a master plan for the promotion of tourism in Dalhousie and Khajjar area. The Chief Minister said there was a need to make a serious effort for the development of Dalhousie and to preserve the national beauty of the hills. Expressing concern over unplanned constructions in the
town, the Chief Minister said new structures were flouting the building bylaws and were a blot on the beauty of Dalhousie. Authorities have already been issued directives to remove encroachments in Dalhousie and its surrounding areas the Chief Minister emphasised. The Chief Minister announced that a museum will be set up near the statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at Subhash Chowk. He said
an architect would be assigned the job to design the proposed canopy for a museum identical to that at the India Gate in New Delhi. Mr Virbhadra Singh also said a ropeway project will be set up in a phased manner to connect hills around Dalhousie. The overhead electricity cables would be laid
underground and a spacious bus terminus would also be constructed. The Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) will introduce bus service link prominent towns with Dalhousie for the convenience of tourists. In reply to a query, the Chief Minster stated that the forest authorities had been directed to remove encroachments on forestland. Earlier, the Chief
Minister visited the local civil hospital and announced the construction of a centrally heated additional 50-bedded block and residential quarters for the hospital staff. Later, while releasing the souvenir of Dalhousie’s sesquicentennial celebrations at a valedictory function last night, the Chief Minister announced a grant of Rs 1.5 crore for
various developmental works in Dalhousie. Ms Asha Kumari, Education Minister, Mr Harsh Mahajan, Housing and Animal Husbandry
Minister, were also present on the occasion. |
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Govt may move HC on power tariff
Shimla, October 31 The SERC had during the last review hearing taken a serious view of the failure of the board to comply with its tariff order passed on July 5, 2004. It had also directed the board to bill the domestic consumers from October 2004 at the rates approved (unsubsidised) by it as the government had failed to release the subsidy as agreed. As per the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003, the board can only charge the tariffs approved by the commission for various categories of consumers. A petition filed by the government to get the order reviewed was rejected by the commission last week. In case the government failed to get the tariff order stayed, the board will have no option but to bill the consumers at the unsubsidised rates. Consequently, the electricity charges for various categories of domestic consumers will go up by 25-40 per cent. A final decision regarding moving the High Court will be taken next week after the return of Mr J.P. Negi, Principal Secretary, Power, who is away for training. The total amount of subsidy works out to Rs 3.26 crore per month. The government made it clear that the amount would be paid by opening a revolving letter of credit in favour of the board. The government had so far failed to open the letter of credit, as a result of which the board had not received any subsidy. The government has all along been maintaining that the amount collected as electricity duty by the board from the consumers is more than the amount it is supposed to pay as subsidy and as such there is no need for opening a letter of credit. However, the facts are otherwise. The total receivables from the government, including the outstanding electricity charges of the Irrigation and Public Health Department, stand at Rs 158 crore as against Rs 101 crore payable by the board. The total arrears on account of subsidy to the domestic consumers, including the Rs 22 crore due to illegal rolling back of tariff for domestic consumers by the previous Dhumal government, alone amount to Rs 35.50 crore, whereas the electricity duty payable by the board is only Rs 9.50 crore. Thus, the government has to pay a net amount of Rs 57 crore to the board. Mr S.S. Parmar, Chief Secretary, when contacted, said he believed in keeping the accounts updated and the outstanding dues should be settled on a monthly basis. He was unaware of the actual amount due to the board. Only last week the board had written to the government that it was being denied the cash incentive under the accelerated power development and reform programme because of its failure to clear the dues. |
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Power board irked at delayed operations of units
Solan, October 31 Highly places officials in the state electricity board while expressing concern at the trend said only about 30 per cent of the total units registered in the state had started production. Out of this only 15 per cent had started utilising power as demanded by them. The trend, added officials, adversely held back initiation of new units as the board could not meet their availability despite having unutilized power. With a view to check this trend the board is issuing only quarterly load retention charges, which is 15 per cent of the total power projected in the PACs , at the rate of Rs 20 per kw to the units. The PAC of at least two units which failed to utilise the power made available to them despite a lapse of one year were cancelled. The PAC is restored after payment of a reasonable penalty. Though a period of 7-8 months is genuinely required for setting up the infrastructure but majority of the units have shown little interest in setting up the infrastructure after obtaining the PACs. The board is now issuing PACs for a period of one year after which it is required to be renewed. While induction furnaces have become major revenue earners for the board an estimated revenue of Rs 350 crore is projected to be earned by the board from the industrial ventures alone. The revenue which stood at Rs 280-290 crore has registered an increase of about Rs 50-60 crore by the mere 15 per cent units which have commenced production. The figure is slated to rise by another Rs 50 crore if the remaining 15 per cent units commence their production. Officials in the board opined that a proposal to augment power supply in the major industrial areas of the state has been chalked out. With the current pace of investment in the state the Industries Department has projected power requirement of 300-400 kw for the next four years. The board is also charging Rs 100 per kw as infrastructure charges from the units to ensure that they begin their operations without delay. Officials opined that more steps needed to be taken by the Industries Department to ensure that the units once registered did not delay setting up the units.
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Corrosion of turbines common: Nathpa spokesman
Shimla, October 31 A spokesperson of the nigam said damage to metal parts due to silt was a common feature of hydroelectric projects not only in India but in many other countries. Such problems were required to be dealt with over a period of time till optimum solutions were found. The extent of corrosion depended upon silt contents like hardness and size of particles, wear resistance of material and velocity of water at a particular location. The suppliers of turbines were asked to critically study the silt data and carry out chemical analysis of water and take the same into account while designing the turbines and other auxiliary parts susceptible to abrasion effects of the silt. The material used for the turbines was the best for such applications. Further, the desilting chambers were designed for 90 per cent efficiency, for removal of large sized silt particles, but were actually functioning with 92 per cent efficiency. Damages of underwater parts due to corrosion were not guaranteed by any supplier. They normally provided the estimated losses due to corrosion based on which spare parts were ordered. The entire process of estimation of corrosion by silt, identification of coating and its application, solution to the resulting problems would all get optimised over a period of time. |
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Sutlej flow diverted through tunnels
Sundernagar, October 31 the foundation stone of the Rs 5000-crore project being executed by the NTPC was laid by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on June 5, 2000. Mr C.P. Jain, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the NTPC, had specially come here to witness the river diversion as the chief guest. The length of these two horse shoe-shaped tunnels is 934 metres and 900 metres, respectively. These tunnels with the biggest diameter in Asia are named Luv and Kush. The slopes of these tunnels between both ends is seven metres with a discharge capacity of 6500 cumecs (cubic meters per second). The lower level of the inlet tunnels was kept at 510 metres and the upper level at 524 metres. At the outlet where the water will again fall into the Sutlej the lower-end level was kept at 503 metres and the upper level at 517 metres. After the diversion, the river will not be visible for 2 km between the inlet and outlet points. Earlier, Mr Jain opened the four gates of two diversion tunnels by pushing buttons. People had gathered here on both sides of the river to witness this historical moment. |
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Indira Gandhi remembered
Shimla, October 31 Mr V.S. Kokje, Governor, and Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, were among those who laid wreaths at the statute of Indira Gandhi on the Ridge. Mr Kokje administered the oath of national integration to the gathering. The Chief Minister inaugurated a blood donation camp organised by the National Students Union of India to mark the anniversary. A function was also held at the Pradesh Congress Committee office where the Chief Minister, his Cabinet colleagues, party functionaries and prominent persons of the town paid tributes. Mr Virbhadra Singh recalled the contribution of Indira Gandhi in particular and the Nehru family in general in shaping the destiny of the hill state. He called upon the partymen to work for the uplift of the weaker and the underprivileged sections of society and fulfil the objective of “Garibi Hatao” campaign launched by the great leader. |
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Khurana VC of Jabalpur varsity
Shimla, October 31 Besides the release of various improved varieties of potato,
Dr Khurana has been credited with standardisation of aphid forecasting
model and detection of potato viruses. He was also conferred the Best
Scientist award for 2000 by the National Environmental Sciences
Academy. He also bagged the Dr Swaminathan Memorial award in 2003 for
contribution in potato research and development.
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Sirmaur Utsav concludes
Nahan, October 31 Mr Musafir appreciated the efforts to revive the utsav after a gap of seven years. Mr Musafir announced a grant of Rs 10,000 to the utsav committee. The DRDA, Sirmaur, got the first prize for best
exhibition.
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Child artiste honoured
Nurpur, October 31 Shriya was honoured with the award of “Pride of Himachal”. The little artist, who has acted in film “Benam” with Ajay Devgan and Bhumika Chawla, is also the winner of the Best Child Artists Star Parivar award. |
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