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Govt at loggerheads with JAL over power tariff
CM’s assurance on exam centres
Cut-off scores for BPL survey still not final
Pepsi Ltd told to pay Rs 25,000
Bus driver gets jail term
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Kangra girl tops HAS exam
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Govt at loggerheads with JAL over power tariff
Reckong Peo, August 26 The government had recently set-up a committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary to look into the demand of the Jaiprakash Hydro-Power Ltd (JHPL), a subsidiary of the JAL, to settle the final tariff. The final tariff has not been settled yet even though the project began generating power in 2003. The JAL has taken the plea that the total cost of the project has escalated by over 100 per cent — from the initial estimates of Rs 750 crore to over Rs 1,550 crore — due to cost overruns. Therefore, they have sought the purchase rates of power revised in accordance with the total cost incurred on the project. The JAL had signed the MoU for Baspa Stage-II project in November, 1991 and submitted the detailed project report (DPR) in May, 1992. Based on the criteria determined by the state government, the JAL was granted approval to develop Baspa-II project in private sector on “build, own and operate” basis for which an implementation agreement was signed with the state government in October, 1992. Sources in the company say the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (HPERC) is still to determine the final tariff for the purchase of power from the project. The project was commissioned on May 27, 2003 and the power buyer was the state utility, Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB). However, the HPERC had suo motu challenged the supplementary agreement of February, 2003 between the JHPL and the HPSEB, an agreement wherein the HPSEB had agreed to approve the capital cost of Baspa-II at Rs 1,550 crore. In the ongoing row, the experts had raised serious questions on the long-term viability of the project itself, given that the state’s regulatory commission had disputed the costing and had partly in line with that, not determined a final tariff. The company claims that the financial benefits from the project are immense for the state as it is entitled to 12 per cent free power generated from the project apart from additional revenue earnings by way of direct and indirect taxes from the sale of electricity.
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CM’s assurance on exam centres
Shimla, August 26 Replying to a question of Maj Vijay Singh Mankotia (Congress), he said the sanctity of examinations had to be maintained at all costs. He said he would issue instructions to the board to withdraw the examination centres allotted to private institutions. Answering another question, he said that under the National Rural Health Mission, 15 community health centres were selected for upgradation as First Referal Units each of which would have six medical specialists, 22 para-medicals and machinery and equipment required for emergency services in maternal health and other surgical interventions. Besides, 45 primary health centres were selected each of which would have two medical officers, eight para-medicals and other staff. A sum of Rs 53 crore was allocated under the mission for 2005-06 out of which Rs 34 crore had been spent. Mr Kaul Singh, the Irrigation and Public Health Minister, told Mr Ravinder Ravi( BJP) that three engineers had been suspended and 13 other officers and employees had been charge-sheeted in connection with the irregularities in the construction of the Sahol-Drambla road. A vigilance inquiry had been ordered and action would be taken against the contractor after completion of the enquiry. He said the amount paid in excess would also be recovered.
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Cut-off scores for BPL survey still not final
Solan, August 26 This delay has further deprived the beneficiaries of its benefit as the Tenth Five-Year Plan would come to an end in March 2007. The decision regarding the cut-off scores could not be finalised even in the last Cabinet meeting. The Director, Rural Development, Mr Rakesh Kaushal, while agreeing that this had impeded the completion of the survey said it was a long drawn process and discussions to finalise it were underway.
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Pepsi Ltd told to pay Rs 25,000
Shimla, August 26 While allowing the complaint, Mr V.K. Sharma, President of the forum held Pepsi Food Limited and Dhillon Kool Drinks and Beverages liable for the sale of defective goods. As per allegations, the complainant had purchased one crate of Pepsi cold drinks in 2002. Some glass pieces were found in one of the bottles. However, the defendants stated in their replies that they had not indulged in any kind of unfair trade practices. While rejecting their defence, the forum observed that the soft drink was unacceptable for human consumption due to the presence of a piece of glass.
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Bus driver gets jail term
Reckong Peo, August 26 Mr Virender Sharma, CJM of Kinnaur based at Reckong, after hearing the final arguments between the assistant public prosecutor and the defence counsel, found Vijay Singh, driver of the bus, guilty of carelessness and rash driving, and sentenced him to simple imprisonment of one-year.
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Kangra girl tops HAS exam
Kangra, August 26 Madhu Choudary, whose parents have retired from the Education Department, had a dream to be in the administrative service. She is pursuing Ph.D. in vegetable science. She bagged the first position in the examination in which 26,000 candidates had appeared for the preliminaries, 190 in the mains and 27 appeared for the interviews, and only nine were selected.
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