H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

CM talks of power at water scheme function
Kangra, February 11
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has said a Rs 323 crore Accelerated Power Distribution and Reform Programme is being implemented to improve the power supply in the state, especially in rural areas.

Parbati Project oustees resent NHPC, govt apathy
Sainj, (Kulu) February 11
Over 2144 oustees of the 800 MW Parbati Project stage II and the 600 MW stage III are an agitated lot as the joint resettlement and rehabilitation plan of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation(NHPC) and the state government remain on paper only even after three years.

Joint Forum against signing of MoU
Shimla, February 11
Opposed to the proposed MoU to be signed between the three universities and the government, various organisations in Himachal Pradesh University have joined hands to oppose the move.

Ban orders in Darla Ghat
Solan, February 11
With no end in sight to the 13-day-old truckers’ strike at Darla Ghat, Section 144, CrPC, was imposed in the Darla police station area by the SDM, Arki, Mr Rohit Jamwal, prohibiting assembly of more than five persons, carrying of arms by the common people from 6 pm today. The ban would remain in force till further orders, said a spokesman of the District Administration.

CM talks of power at water scheme function
Tribune Reporters

Kangra, February 11
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has said a Rs 323 crore Accelerated Power Distribution and Reform Programme is being implemented to improve the power supply in the state, especially in rural areas.

He was addressing a public meeting at Ghar last evening after dedicating a Rs 48-lakh augumented Ghar-Bodhal water supply scheme to the people of the area. The Chief Minister said Himachal Pradesh was one of the few states, which had electrified all its villages in 1987-88.

He said the Accelerated Power Distribution and Reform Programme (APDRP) was being executed with a view to strengthening the existing power supply system in the state. Mr Singh said the new hamlets, which had emerged, recently would also be provided electricity on priority.

He said with the strengthening of the power supply system, the pilferage and power losses would also be checked and the power theft cases minimised since effective steps were already under way to achieve the objective.

The Chief Minister said the state had been adjudged number three in the country in overall development. He said the state was declared first in social welfare in 2004 and first in education in 2005, in the country and had surpassed the all other records.

The Chief Minister also announced upgradation of the Government High School, Ghar, to Senior Secondary School and also announced the construction of new block for the upgraded school.

NURPUR: Mr Virbhadra Singh has clarified that no more private land will be acquired for developing a bird sanctuary on the Pong Dam reservoir wetland.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, denied any move of displacement of the people and added that the government would develop sanctuary on the existing acquired land of the wetland.

He said the state government was aware of the drought-like conditions prevailing in the state due to prolonged dry spell and assured them that the government would render relief in drought-affected areas if situation arose. “The government will also seek assistance of the Government of India to face drought situation in the state,” he added.

The Chief Minister said the government’s new anti-encroachment policy in the offing was pro-poor in which the Revenue Department would remove the poor and landless people in rural as well as urban areas. The Deputy Commissioners have been delegated powers to make allotments to the beneficiaries,” he added.

He said to remove encroachments on forest and Public Works Department (PWD) lands, the Divisional Forest Officers and Executive Engineers, respectively, had been delegated executive magistrate’s power.

Parbati Project oustees resent NHPC, govt apathy
Tribune News Service

Sainj, (Kulu) February 11
Over 2144 oustees of the 800 MW Parbati Project stage II and the 600 MW stage III are an agitated lot as the joint resettlement and rehabilitation plan of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation(NHPC) and the state government remain on paper only even after three years.

The oustees yesterday aired their grievances at the public hearing meeting with the Land Acquisition Officer(LAO), Kulu, the ADM, Kulu district and the NHPC officials and told the officials that they would not allow the construction work on stage III till their grievances were redressed.

Not a single member of the oustees had been employed by the NHPC, which is executing the project, rued the villagers, who have united under the banner of the Vishthapith and Prabhavit Sangh(VPS) Sainj Valley, where the villagers have lost over 1024 bighas of cultivable land in over eight panchayats to the NHPC project.

The water sources had dried up, two houses had been damaged at Jiva village due to blasting and over 20 gharats, the water-run flour mills had been wiped out due to the flood and construction of the power house for the stage II, but no compensation had been paid to the villagers said Mr. Pritam Singh, president, VPS, Sainj Valley. “There is no hospital, no street lights, no public toilets and thousands of labourers and workers coming from outside add to the burden in this town, which has no basic civic amenities”, he added.

The contractors of the NHPC have sub-let the work to outsiders while local youth have been rendered unemployed as they have no land to work on.

The LAO, Mr. J R Katwal, said the RR plan had been sent to the NHPC. “Two oustees have been employed while two others are in the pipeline. We are examining the case of 40 persons who claim that they have been rendered landless due to the land acquired for the stage II and the stage III”, he added.

The General Manager, Stage II, Mr. AK Mishra, claimed that the affected villagers had been suitably rewarded.

Joint Forum against signing of MoU
Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 11
Opposed to the proposed MoU to be signed between the three universities and the government, various organisations in Himachal Pradesh University have joined hands to oppose the move.

The Students Central Association (SCA), University Officer’s Association, Non Teaching Employees’ Association, Class IV Employees’ Association and Steno and Laboratory Technicians Employees’ Union yesterday formed the Save Autonomy Forum.

The Vice-Chancellors of the three universities are likely to sign an MoU with the Principal Adviser, Planning, which could lead to government’s interference in the university affairs.

The forum has a total of 15 members from various associations. The forum will meet again on February 16 and held a protest march for the next two days. The forum members will stage a demonstration outside the office of the Vice-Chancellor on February 28, when the meeting of Academic Council is due.

Representatives from Agriculture University, Palampur and Horticulture University, Nauni, are also likely to be present on February 28.

Teachers, employees and students associations have been expressing their apprehension about the MoU, which according to them would erode the autonomy of an autonomous body like HPU. According to them the university will have to seek permission from the government for everything and vacancies in HPU will not be allowed to be filled.

Ban orders in Darla Ghat
Our Correspondent

Solan, February 11
With no end in sight to the 13-day-old truckers’ strike at Darla Ghat, Section 144, CrPC, was imposed in the Darla police station area by the SDM, Arki, Mr Rohit Jamwal, prohibiting assembly of more than five persons, carrying of arms by the common people from 6 pm today. The ban would remain in force till further orders, said a spokesman of the District Administration.