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No power cut this winter
Govt fails to provide ploughs
Officers told of bio-medical waste disposal
Govt to give dearness relief
to pensioners
80 contestants for paragliding event
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Divali fair begins
118 enrolled into Army
Three held in dowry
case
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No power cut this winter
Shimla, November 6 Though overall a surplus state, Himachal Pradesh has been for the past several decades facing an acute shortage of power during the winters. While the requirement shoots up, the availability plunges sharply from November to March as the discharge in various rivers comes down to a trickle, bringing down the hydel generation to just 20 per cent of the normal. However, the situation has started improving since last year due to commissioning of the 300 MW Baspa, the 300 MW Chamera II and the 1500 MW Nathpa-Jhakri projects. The total shortfall during the last season from November 2003 to March 2004 was 283 million units as against over 460 million units in 2002-03 winter. This year the total shortfall will be 183 million units. It will be 21 million units in November and increase to 46 million units during the months of December and January. In February and March the gap between demand and availability will be 35 million units. The daily requirement will increase from the normal 85 lakh units during summers to 108 lakh in November. It will go up to 118 lakh units during the peak winter season. On the other hand generation from state’s own hydroelectric projects will decline from 72 lakh units per day during the peak summer to 25 lakh units in November and further down to 18 lakh units per day in January. The power situation will, however, remain comfortable as the state electricity board will get a 37 per cent share from the Nathpa-Jhakri project and up to 10 per cent from the unallocated central pool. Accordingly, the daily availability from Nathpa-Jhakri will be about 25 lakh units and on account of central allocation about 14 lakh units. Further, the state supplied 210 million units more to Punjab this summer under the banking system. As such it is in a position to draw more of the banked power during winter. The Baspa project has increased the daily availability from 13 to 15 lakh units. The state will also get its share in the central sector Chamera II project. Punjab has surplus power during the winter and as such the state will not have any problem in drawing the ‘banked’ power in December and January during the leanest months. The total daily availability during the peak winter will be about 120 lakh units as against the peak requirement of 118 lakh units. In view of the increased availability, the board does not propose to impose any peak hour restrictions or power cuts on any category of consumers. |
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Govt fails to provide ploughs
Dharamsala, November 6 It has been a regular practice to provide iron ploughs to farmers at subsidised rates twice a year. But the supply, which should have ideally come in by early September, is still awaited by scores of hapless farmers in the state. Requesting anonymity, a local official of the Agriculture Department said a hitch in finalisation of the rate contract of the ploughs due to increase in metal prices was the primary reason for the delay. “But we have received reports that orders have now been placed,” he said. “The department sells up to 50,000 ploughs to small-time farmers during the season every year. The amount of subsidy depends on the different budgetary schemes of the government. In tribal areas it could vary from 33 per cent to as high as 50 per cent. Otherwise, one unit costs around Rs 180,” he said. Experts at the Agriculture University, Palampur, say most farmers in the area had started sowing operations following rains last month. “Even wooden ploughs are not made in the villages these days and the farmers are left with no alternative but to wait for the Agriculture Department to solve the crisis,” said a professor. The chief of a panchayat in Palampur said farmers of his village had spent the entire last month making repeated rounds of the block office of the Agriculture Department, but availability of ploughs was still not in sight. “We have also contacted subject matter specialists but they have no clear idea of when the supply will come,” he said. Salil Chand, a farmer in Changer area said: “Sowing is in full swing in our belt and non-availability of ploughs has come as a bolt from the blue for us. Last season also there was some problem but this year the situation has worsened. |
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Officers told of bio-medical waste disposal
Kangra, November 6 Dr S.S. Negi, member secretary of the pollution central board, who chaired the workshop, said the workshop was the second of the kind, in the state. It was aimed as spreading awareness among the medical officers and allied staff on proper disposal of bio-medical waste. Dr Negi said the waste generated during diagnosis or treatment or immunisation, needed to be treated. The persons concerned ought to have facilities such as incinerator, autoclaving, microwaving and shredding for the treatment of this waste. He said private or government hospital without bio-medical waste management facilities had been issued notices. As many as 70 medical officers and allied staff from seven districts Kangra, Una, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kulu, Mandi and Lahul and Spiti — attended the workshop. Dr Minoo Sood, Deputy Director, Health Department, and Dr T.D. Sharma, Principal, Health and Family Welfare Centre, talked of problems the health authorities faced in this connection. Mrs Daksha Gupta, Senior Technical Officer, and Ms Anjali Jain also spoke. Mr Vishwamitra, resource person, briefed the medical officers on different techniques of segregation, packing, transportation and treatment of waste. Asked about the crisis in Palampur regarding the disposal of bio-medical waste and other garbage, which had endangered the environment, Dr Negi said the matter would be taken up with the Forest Department to provide a dumping site for the purpose. He said the Municipal Committee must also take steps to see that septic tanks were constructed as per the norms. |
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Govt to give dearness relief
to pensioners
Shimla, November 6 The pensioners of All- India Services who have retired from the service of HP cadre of these services, will also be entitled for dearness relief at the rate of 61 per cent. An official spokesperson said today that since dearness relief would now be at a uniform rate of 61 per cent, it had been decided to dispense with the issue of enclosing ready reckoner along with the dearness relief orders. It would now be the responsibility of the pension disbursing authority, including the nationalised banks, to calculate the quantum of dearness relief payable in each case. The dearness relief on pension and family pension at the rate of 61 per cent will be paid with effect from October 1, 2004. |
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80 contestants for paragliding event
Dharamsala, November 6 The opening ceremony was presided over by Mr Ashok Thakur, Principal Secretary, Tourism and Civil Aviation. He said the state government had initiated various steps to promote the paragliding event at Bir-Billing. During the past three years, Bir-Billing had emerged as an international destination for paragliding. In 2005, he said, the government would organise a paragliding festival for a month and a half. "The purpose is to link paragliding with tourism and provide a boost to the local economy. The approach road to Bir-Billing has been carpeted. Land is being acquired for landing and take-off and a restaurant is also on the cards," he said. He said more than 300 persons from Bir, Bilaspur, Kulu and Manali had taken up paragliding on a commercial basis. |
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Divali fair begins
Solan, November 6 While speaking on the occasion, Ms Pratibha Singh urged the need to extend wholehearted cooperation to the under privileged sections of the society.
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118 enrolled into Army
Kumarhatti, November 6 They were enrolled in 1 Gorkha Rifles, 4 Gorkha Rifles and Assam Rifles after an oath-taking ceremony held on the centre premises. The Commanding Officer of Training Battalion, 14 GTC, Col S.S. Visht, reviewed the parade. Refilin Nongsiej was declared the best recruit of the batch. The CO awarded him a silver khukri for his achievement.
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Three held in dowry
case
Nurpur, November 6 Renu Devi (24) of Batka village, under Kopra panchayat, was married to Rakesh Kumar two years ago. She allegedly committed suicide by consuming some poisonous substance. Ms Kushla Devi, mother of the victim, has alleged that the accused were harassing her daughter for dowry. She suspected her daughter had been murdered.
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