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Valley of gods becomes warmer
Cold wave relents in Himachal
Delay in fixation of land prices
‘Hotel’ being constructed on forest land
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SJVN to bid for projects outside India
BJP has lost confidence of people:CM
DNA fingerprinting to check patent litigations
Tackling HIV: Stress on
industry support laid
Bank releases money to ex-MLA’s family
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Valley of gods becomes warmer
Kulu, January 24 Global warming triggered by the rising tourist traffic and tin-roofed hotels and houses has pushed up the average temperature in this valley by 0.9° Centigrade in the past 33 years. This rise in the temperature, in turn, has pushed up the apple belt from the lower altitude to higher hills, hitting both fruit productivity and production in the valley. Scientists at the GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (GBPIHED), Kulu, have sifted through the data procured from the various government agencies and institutes and concluded that the average temperature in the Kulu valley has registered an increase of 0.9° Centigrade in 33 years - between 1965 and 1998. "We have set our own Met office here to monitor data now. But we need a data of over 65 years to ascertain the exact nature of the rise in the average temperature", they say. Talking to The Tribune, Dr J.C. Kuniyal, in charge of GBPIHED, said the rise of 0.9° Centigrade could be attributed to various factors triggered by the mass movement of tourist traffic, tin-roofed houses, hotels and global warming experienced in general. The tin-roofed hotels, roads, concrete buildings and other materials and the increasing rate of emissions from the stream of traffic reflect extreme heat, have pushed up the local temperature. "Thousands of such structures have come up in the valley. The traffic has multiplied by over a hundred times in the valley, contributing to the rise in its temperature," Dr Kuniyal explained. The rise in the temperature has led to the shifting of seasonal cycles as well. "Both snowfall and rainfall have experienced a shifting pattern," said Dr Kuniyal. "The valley is experiencing wild weather. In winter, snowfall is delayed. If it falls, snow melts at a faster rate as the sunrays shift at this time". The rise in the temperature has even pushed up the snowline, causing the glaciers to recede. "The Parbati glacier that feeds the Parbati river and the Dhundi glacier that feeds the Solang river, both tributaries of the Beas, have receded by about 30 metres or so in that period," said the scientists, underscoring a need for conserving rain water, and using local building materials. The rise in temperature has hit both productivity and production in the Kulu valley. "The valley once used to produce good quality apples even at lower altitudes like Bajaura, but no more. In fact, the apple belt is receding uphill. Apple is now also produced in Lahaul and Spiti, reflecting a change in climate in the entire state," said Dr Kunyal. The Deputy Director, Horticulture, Mr B.L. Sharma, said the lower valley was not fulfilling the required 1208 "chilling hours" needed for the apple trees to bear a good crop. "Farmers are cultivating apples trees in the higher altitudes. But they are diversifying into other crops like pomegranate, peaches and other fruits in lower areas as apple cultivation has become a losing enterprise there," he added. |
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Cold wave relents in Himachal
Shimla, January 24 The minimum and maximum temperatures in several places of the state were registering an upward trend with Nahan in Sirmaur district recording a high of nine degrees as compared to 7.8 degrees recorded yesterday. Shimla Weather Office Director Manmohan Singh said the western disturbance, which was over Afghanistan, travelling northwards was behind rising night temperatures, which were likely to fall after January 27 when its over Himachal. Temperatures in the high altitude areas of tribal districts of Kinnaur, Lahaul Spiti, Chamba and Kulu were also rising and were staying between minus 10 and minus 18 degrees, against minus 15 to minus 25 degree celsius being recorded a few days ago. Sundernagar and Bhuntar recorded minimum temperatures of point three and zero degrees as compared to point three degrees each recorded yesterday, the weather office said. It said Nauni in Solan district and the tourist resort of Mashobra, near here, also recorded marginal increase in the day temperatures, which stood at 1.5 and 4.9 degree celsius, respectively, while Dharamsala in Kangra district and Kalpa in Kinnaur district recorded marginal decrease at minus 2.4 and 6.3 degrees. Similarly, the day temperatures also continue to rise, with Kalpa and Shimla registering maximum of 12.4 and 16.7 degree
celsius, respectively.
— UNI |
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Delay in fixation of land prices
Solan, January 24 The Revenue Department, which has given several reminders to the Deputy Commissioners to complete this task, is now issuing fresh reminders, confided a senior official of the Revenue Department. The adverse trend of stamp duty evasion was noticed in the state with major evasion being underway in the industrial areas. The Revenue Department had constituted a committee, headed by Deputy Commissioners in each district. Further the SDMs and tehsildars were directed to access the rates of their respective areas. Rates of land along the national and state highways, 100 meters distance from the main roads, etc., was to be estimated as per the market rate. The officials would ensure that in case a single land deal was made at a higher rate than the prevailing government rate the higher rate would be fixed. Officials, however, said the delay was on account of detailed guidelines which were received barely a few months ago. Since the land values had to be fixed on rationale reasoning and valid factors taking into account every revenue village it was a detailed exercise which would take time, they added. This evasion had been prompted by the fact that Himachal Pradesh had the highest stamp duty as compared to the neighbouring Panchkula (Haryana) and Chandigarh. The Haryana Government had fixed the stamp duty at 8 per cent for males, 6 per cent for females and 7 per cent if the land was bought in partnership by a male and female. In Chandigarh this rate was as low as 6 per cent while in Punjab it was 9 per cent. Himachal, on the other hand, had a stamp duty of 10 per cent. This, too, was reduced about a year back from earlier 12 per cent. A Nalagarh-based property dealer said, “This high rate encourages realtors to make land deals at lower prices. At times the difference is so striking that a land deal is registered for as less as one-third its sold value.”
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‘Hotel’ being constructed on forest land
McLeodgang, January 24 As per the details available from the local office of the Forest Department, a 0.48-hectare land was diverted by the Forest Department for constructing a bus stand, the permission of which was given by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2001 vide letter no. 9-559-ROC/295, dated March 1, 2001. Another piece of land measuring 0.093 hectare was also reserved in the year 1997 for constructing a parking space, the permission of which was also given by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. The entire project is being undertaken by the state Transport Department under the Built-Operate-Transfer (BOT) scheme through M/s Prashanti Surya Constructions, a local company. The company instead of sticking to the construction work of the bus stand and the parking space has also raised a multi-storey building above the parking space without any permission from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests for the change of land use. Mr Ram Lal Thakur, state Forest Minister, has denied “any violation of land use in spirit.” However, he said the state government had forwarded another request to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to grant permission for constructing a commercial complex above the parking place so as to make the whole project economically viable, the approval of which was awaited. It clearly indicates that the construction work of the commercial complex that is already going on unabated is illegal and in gross violation of the land use. The district administration of Kangra has also become a mute spectator to the illegal construction work. A senior official of the district administration on the condition of anonymity revealed that they were not in a position to take any action against the construction company because of the political pressure from the high-ups. It is also learnt that a Cabinet minister, considered to be close to the Chief Minister, is also indirectly associated with the project, due to which no official is taking the risk to stop the construction work. |
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SJVN to bid for projects outside India
Shimla, January 24 The Government of India, which has 75 per cent equity in the SJVN, has given the go ahead for participating in tenders for projects in these countries. It will submit bids for the 400 MW Arun-III projects and 300 MW upper Karnali project in Nepal. Mr H.K.Sharma, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam, said having executed and efficiently managed the country’s largest and most difficult 1500 MW Nathpa-Jhakri project, the SJVN had gained expertise to take up mega hydro-ventures anywhere in the world. A team of experts from Bhutan, which visited the Nathpa-Jhakri project site recently, was impressed and indicated willingness to assign projects in their country. The company had plans to take up project in Arunachal Pradesh for which talks had already been held with the Chief Minister. A firm proposal concerning terms and conditions would be submitted shortly. It would also bid for projects for which the state had invited tenders. Mr Sharma revealed that the company had decided to redesign the 300 MW Devsari project in Uttrakhand in view of the objections being raised by the locals to the construction of big storage dam. It would now be a two-stage run-of-the-river project with a small diversion dam. The first stage would be of 300 MW and the second 245 MW. Work on Naitwar Mori and Jakhol, each of 33 MW, was also progressing well. After three years of experimentation the SJVN had been able to tackle the problem of excessive silt, which repeatedly used to shut down the project. The tungsten-carbide based material protective coatings had significantly reduced the damage to underwater parts of the turbines. |
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BJP has lost confidence of people: CM
Bilaspur, January 24 Addressing a public meeting organised by the Congress at Jukhala near here today, the Chief Minister expressed surprise that the leaders of the BJP who were themselves buried neck deep in corruption during their party’s rule, were now declaring that the so called corruption of the Congress Government would be an issue in the next elections. He said now hardly anybody was going to believe these leaders as they had been exposed. The Chief Minister said the BJP was on the verge of division and added that the party would not be able to fool people over Ram Temple issue now. He criticised the party for politicising religious sentiments and said he was no less Hindu than any BJP leader but he and his party did not believe in exploiting religion for political gains. Mr Virbhadra Singh said only Congress could lead Himachal Pradesh and its people to greater heights of development and progress. He said out of a total of 63 degree colleges in the state, he had opened 16 colleges during the current financial year alone. He said Himachal had only six electrified villages in 1947 but now all its 16,916 revenue villages were electrified and government was spending Rs 364 crore for solving voltage problem in some areas and providing better facilities in others. Earlier, while addressing a public meeting local MLA and Forest Minister Ram Lal Thakur demanded the upgradation of Naina Devi Sub Tehsil to Tehsil and also demanded the upgradation of some middle schools to high schools. Chief Minister readily agreed to all these demands and declared the upgradation of Naina Devi Sub Tehsil to Tehsil. He also laid foundation stones of Rs 87.65 lakh Doba Karot-Rani Kotla lift drinking water scheme which would benefit 25 villages and also inaugurated Panjaitan-Kalnu-Asa Majhari lift drinking water scheme made operational at a cost of Rs 42.67 lakh. The scheme would benefit 10 villages. He also laid foundation stone of Rs 1.15 crore Dhar Tatoh-Solag Jurashi lift drinking water scheme which would benefit 12 villages. |
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DNA fingerprinting to check patent litigations
Palampur, January 24 The Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology situated here is coordinating this national project on DNA fingerprinting of tea. This project is being sponsored by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. Talking to The Tribune, Dr Paramvir Singh Ahuja, Director, Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology, who is also the National Coordinator of this project, said that India topped the world with regard to both production and consumption of tea. He said that most of the important tea clones available in these three geographical regions of the country have been collected, maintained and preserved in the Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology. The rest are being collected, maintained and preserved in the Tea Research Association- Tocklai, Jorhat (Assam) and UPASI Tea Research Foundation- Valparai (Coimbatore). Under this project, 2000 tea clones, available at these three institutes representing the Indian tea germplasm, are being characterised by AFLP DNA fingerprinting. Dr Ahuja further said that the fingerprinting of tea germplasm was also important because the introduction of tea germplasm from China and its spontaneous large-scale hybridisation with indigenous tea germplasm in the recent past had supplemented in taking over a large geographical area of tea cultivation in the country. It had led to hybrid swarms with tremendous variability, he added. Therefore, characterisation of highly heterogeneous tea germplasm at DNA level through fingerprinting was important for proper inventorisation, utilisation, management and improvement of tea in the country, said the institute director. Dr RK Sharma, an expert in plant molecular biology, closely associated with this project, said that this exercise was more important due to the fact that currently old seed stocks and selections were being uprooted and replaced by few popular tea clones with a narrow genetic base. If the genetic variability from such areas was not documented now, it would be lost forever, he said. |
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Tackling HIV: Stress on
industry support laid
Shimla, January 24 The programme was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Northern Region. The CII has taken on the mandate of catalysing industries’ involvement in India’s social development agenda, particularly HIV/AIDS. The CII is implementing the workplace intervention programme, wherein the entire workforce, including senior management like CEOs, are being sensitised on the issue. The Australian faculty highlighted that HIV/AIDS is no longer merely a health issue but has socio-economic ramifications as well. The faculty included Ms Alison Duncan, Ms Christine Bowtell Harris and Ms Lisa Morris. They deliberated on such topics as HIV epidemic in India, epidemiology and pathogenesis of HIV, anti-retroviral drugs, major opportunistic infections, overview of CD4 count and psycho social issues. The Principal-cum-Dean, IGMC, Dr Surinder Kashyap, highlighted the urgent need to focus on dissemination of information pertaining to HIV/AIDS in order to prevent its further spread.
— TNS |
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Bank releases money to ex-MLA’s family
Khundian (Kangra), January 24 The bed-ridden 68-year-old veteran politician was member of the state Assembly for three terms. Till Sunday he was struggling for survival as he was short of cash for proper treatment even though he had enough balance in his bank account. The authorities of the UCO Bank, where he has an account, had earlier refused to release the money to his family, even on medical grounds, on the pretext that he was not in a conscious state to put his signatures on the withdrawal form. After hearing the plea of Shanti Devi, wife of the veteran leader, the Dehra sub-judge Monday ordered the bank authorities to include the wife’s name in the bank account of Rana, consider it as a joint account and immediately release the required money for the treatment of the former MLA. Immediately after the court passed these orders, the bank authorities rushed to Rana’s house with Rs 1 lakh and handed over the money to Shanti Devi. All formalities, including her name in the bank account of Rana for a joint account, were completed at the former MLA’s residence. Meanwhile, representatives of 68 cooperative societies and the local unit of the traders’ association had demanded from the authorities of the UCO Bank to take action against Ajay Mahajan, manager of the local branch of the bank, and immediately transfer him. |
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Holiday on Feb 12
Shimla, January 24 These holidays will not be applicable to the daily wage employees. |
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Stay on jobs
Shimla, January 24
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