Shimla, February 4
The new hydro-power policy, which blatantly contravenes the provisions of the Electricity Act 2003, could lead to a fresh round of confrontation between the state government and the Himachal Electricity Regulatory Commission.

In fact, the policy has addressed issues concerning power tariff like the purchase of power from generating companies, wheeling charges and open access system, which only the commission is empowered to decide as per the Act. It clearly states that the commission will regulate power purchase and procurement process of the transmission and distribution utilities and also determine the price at which power will be procured from generating companies or other sources for supply within the state. The policy transgresses the jurisdiction of the commission.

However, Section 3.1 of the policy lays down that the state electricity board will purchase power from private parties and joint sector companies, which set up small hydropower projects in the state, at the rate of Rs 2.50 per unit. Not only that it has also fixed the wheeling charges for captive use of power within the state as well as its sale outside. It says that wheeling within the state will be allowed by the board at a fee of 2 per cent, including system losses and for sale outside it will levy wheeling charges at rate of 10 per cent of energy received at the interconnection point to the mutually agreed interstate point.

More importantly, while the act allows open access to independent power producers (IPP’s) for evacuation of power to encourage competition, the policy has outrightly banned third-party sale of power within the state in total contravention. It even ignored the fact that the commission had already framed the regulations for open access. Other connected issues which have a direct bearing on power tariff like the cost of augmentation of the transmission system for evacuation of power had also been taken care of in the policy. The board proposes to recover the cost of augmentation of the system even beyond the interconnection point from the IPPs.

It is the responsibility of the commission to ensure transparency in procurement process and see to it that power was generated and supplied in a cost efficient manner to the consumers. Bypassing the commission will not only trigger off legal battles but also have serious implications for the three state holders, the board, the IPPs and the consumers. The commission has been specifically set up to decide such issue objectively by balancing out the conflicting interests of the stakeholders. Since the commission is obliged to go by the provision of the Act and no bound by the state policy confrontation with the government is inevitable.

Palampur, February 4
Members of the National Integrated Medical Association (NIMA-Kangra zone) have assailed the recent decision of the Chief Medical Officer Kangra for closing all ultrasound scanning Units installed in the clinics of ayurvedic medical practitioners in Kangra district. In a press statement issued here today Dr Surjit Singh Gulati, president of NIMA, Kangra zone, said that the order of CMO Kangra in this regard was illegal and uncalled for. He dubbed it as injustice and discrimination against the ayurvedic medical practitioners in Kangra.

Dr Gulati said the CMO should adopt a uniform approach in this regard. He said at present over 105 ultrasound scanning units were functioning in Kangra district and there were only two qualified radiologists in whole of the district while remaining 103 units were being run by the unqualified doctors such as GAMS, MBBS and surgeons.

He said it was a matter of concern that CMO Kanga had singled out GAMS doctors, who were from Indian system of medicines, whereas the MBBS doctors, gynaecologists and surgeon running ultrasound scanning units had not been warned by the CMO.

Dr Gulati said the ultrasound scanning units installed by the GAMS doctors were duly registered with the state health department and they were also granted renewal from time to time.

He said GAMS doctors were from the Indian system of medicines controlled by the Central Council of Indian Medicines under department of AYUSH, governed by the Ministry of Health, Government of India and these doctors were also registered with the state Registrar Board of Ayurvedic and Unani System of Medicines.

Dharamsala, February 4
It was a hope of a life of independence when 97-year-old Shakuntala Devi underwent a hip replacement surgery in the zonal hospital here, yesterday.

Today, 24 hours after the surgery, she was made to sit in the bed and tomorrow 48 hours after the surgery she would be helped by the doctors to stand up with the help of a walker.

And, after a week’s time, she would be walking without help, hopes Dr S.M. Mehta, Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics at Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College, Tanda, who conducted this surgery in the zonal hospital here.

Shakuntala Devi fell down in her house at Barol village near here on January 25 and broke her left hip. Her son was told by a few doctors that hip replacement was not advisable at this age.

For this nonagenarian woman, the pain was unbearable and it was difficult for her to move about. The injuries had rendered her dependent on others.

It was frustrating and embarrassing for her to ask others for assistance. She struggled against a sense of helplessness for a week and finally expressed her courage to the family members saying that she wanted to undergo the hip replacement surgery. She wanted to live more without dependency on others.

Dr Mehta also wanted her to undergo hip replacement as he was confident of success. I have operated upon several old patients, so I knew to handle the situation, he added.

The job was a bit complicated as it took about one-and-half hours to replace the ball and cap of the hip with bipolar technique. Talking of the success, the doctor said it was a combination of immediate mobilisation, good back-up from his juniors, anaesthesia specialist and other hospital staff. 

Sujanpur (Hamirpur), February 4
A drastic cut in the annual grant-in-aid to sainik school, Sujanpur, given by the state government has been affecting smooth functioning of the institution. There are no funds for the repair of the school building and new projects, like providing e-learning to students, have been shelved.

Financial aid has been brought down from Rs 41 lakh in 2004-05 to a meagre Rs 1.80 lakhs this year by the state government.

Roof of the main building leaks during rain at different places, but the small amount of this year’s financial aid also has not been released. The authorities are finding it difficult to go-ahead with the maintenance work.

Besides, there are no funds for expansion like the construction of additional rooms for laboratories, construction of Type-I quarters for the staff and setting up of infrastructure for providing e-learning to students.

The school authorities did not object when the grant-in-aid was reduced from Rs 53 lakh in 2000-2001 to Rs 41 lakh in 2004-05 as they thought the government must have been imposing a 10 per cent cut every year. But when it received Rs 2 lakh as aid for the 2005-06 year, it came as a shock.

Wg Cdr Sandeep Mohan, headmaster of the school said the issue had been taken up with the state government several times but to no avail.

Kangra, February 4
Sunity Kumar (33) of Gadiyara village of this subdivision committed suicide by jumping before a running train at Badayee village last evening. Poverty seems to be reason behind the suicide, Mr Sataya Prakash, in charge, GRP Police Post, said here today.

The train was on way to Paprola from Pathankot.

He said that the drivers of the train told GRP that the victim jumped before the train abruptly and died on the spot.

Mr Prakash said that the victim had a three-year-old son and his wife was to deliver another child within few days. He was feeling disturbed due to his poverty. The victim was a labourer on a daily-wage basis.

Shimla, February 4
All three occupants were killed when their utility vehicle (HP-26A-0260) fell into a khud near Polling on the Sila-Karcham road in Kinnaur last night. The ill-fated vehicle plunged about 300 feet into the khud. The deceased have been identified as Jagdish Chand (49), a resident of Sujanpur in Hamirpur, Ashwini Kumar (33) of Sangla and Vijendra (36) of Gohar in Mandi.

In another accident Ajay Kumar of Palampur died on the spot when his motor cycle collided with a truck near Shoghi, 16 km from here.

In another accident Kirti Kainthla, a 17-year-old local girl died on the spot, while her uncle was injured in a bizarre road accident near the Sankat Mochan Temple, here today.

Kirti was returning from the temple on a motor cycle when her "dupatta" was entangled in a bolt of a Punjab Roadways bus moving in the same direction. As a result she fell off and got dragged for some distance. She suffered a fatal head injury. Her uncle, Bupinder, has been admitted to the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital for treatment. The police has registered a case and arrested the driver and conductor of the bus. — TNS

Palampur, February 4
Green cover in this picturesque town of Himachal Pradesh is under serious threat, especially within Municipal limits and adjoining panchayat areas, where there is no check on felling and lopping of trees. Deodar trees, the beauty of the town are dying day by day. In the past 10 year over 100 deodar trees have either dried up or axed. There were dozens of deodar trees near the old bus stand and Pargati Maidan today no deodar is seen there.

None in the administration is bothered to preserve greenery of the town. No efforts have been made to plant new trees in the town. Every year the Vanamahottsava is celebrated in the town, VVIPs are called to plant the new trees, big functions are held, lunch and dinners are hosted but after some time no trees are seen on the land. There is no post-plantation care. A few years ago the H.P. Forest Minister planted trees near PWD Rest House but today no trees are available on the land, which is covered with thick lantana bushes. If no serious efforts are made Palampur will soon lose its charm and there will be no green tree in the town.

For the past few years various government and semi government departments have taken forest laws casually and number of precious deodar trees have either been cut or lopped off without the valid permission from the authorities concerned. In many areas of the town government buildings have come up by cutting trees. Recently two 70-year-old trees were axed in the town. No body in the administration knew who granted permission to fell these trees. The Tribune made efforts to see the documents granting permission to fell these trees but all in vein.

There are many other such instances where the deodars have been axed over night without permission keeping aside forest laws made for this purpose. As provision of law in such cases it was mandatory the part of departments concerned or municipal council to seek prior permission from the Forest Department, which ultimately approved by the Deputy Commissioner who is also a District Magistrate. But many government departments preferred to axe these trees by bye passing the all rules and regulations.

Meanwhile various voluntary organizations and environmentalists have protested with the authorities for felling and lopping of the deodar and other trees which is a beauty of this hill station. Save Palampur a voluntary organization of the town have urged the state government for the registration of cases under the H.P. Forest Act against the culprits. 

Shimla, February 4
Until recently a remote land-locked pocket, the tribal Pangi valley in Chamba district is poised to achieve the target of 100 per cent road connectivity.

The construction of road through the 14,500-foot Saach pass from Chamba to Killar last year has speeded up development activity in the area. The turnaround started when a road was constructed through Manali four years ago. However, it was a long route which served little purpose. However, the 170-km Chamba-Tissa-Alwas-Killar road link through the Saach pass has thrown open the valley. Earlier, the people were required to undergo a journey of 800 km to reach Killar from Chamba via Kullu and Manali.

The construction of the road is also important from the defence point of view. The distance from Pathankot cantonment via Manali to Killar is more than 680 km and Pathankot to Leh via Jammu and Kashmir is about 920 km. With the new road link the distance from Pathankot to Leh via Saach pass has been reduced to 670 km. The Saach pass remains open for vehicular traffic from mid-June to October during which all the essential supplies could be transported.

There are 106 revenue villages in Pangi out of which only 54 villages are inhabited. Of these 30 have been connected with road and the remaining 24 villages are likely to be connected within the next two to three years.

The entire area of Pangi is divided in three segments, the Saichu, Hudan Bhatori and Sural Bhatori valleys. The Saichu valley road is 22 km from Killar and it connects Dharwas, Sural, Rus Unu, Tai Sural and Sural Bhaturi. Already 19-km road length stands completed. The major road link in Pangi valley is the 14.6 km Killar-Hudan Bhatori link which has been completed up to 13 km.

All new roads have given a boost to cash crops in all the areas and the tribal people had taken to peas cultivation in a big way. It is an off-season vegetable for the area as it is cultivated during September and October. The peas grown in the Pangi valley fetch remunerative returns of Rs 20 to Rs 25 per kg and the entire crop is purchased by the contractors from Jammu and Pathankot areas. Apple plantations are also coming up and once the orchards start bearing fruit, the economy of the valley witnesses an economic revolution.

Chandigarh, February 4
Scanty rainfall and drought-like situation prevailing in the apple growing belt of Himachal Pradesh is likely to hit the apple crop production during this year.

If the rain gods fail to comply in the coming fortnight, the apple crop in Himachal Pradesh - the largest apple growing state in the country - could fall by almost 50 per cent. Even last year, scanty rainfall in the hill state had led to a sharp fall in production (2.70 lakh tonnes or 1.5 crore boxes), as compared to 2005, when the production was 5. 4 lakh tonnes (2.4 crore boxes).

This year, too, the signs are not too heartening. Kotkhai- based orchardist, Mr R S Chauhan, who is also President of the Apple Growers Association of India and Vice-President of the Confederation of Indian Horticulturists, told TNS: “A drought-like situation prevails in the apple growing belt of the state. As a result, buds of the apple trees (which bear fruit) have been damaged, which is likely to affect the total production. The vegetative growth will be less because of water stress in the apple trees”.

Mr Chauhan pointed out that after the crop harvest in September, they shed their leaves and remain dormant till the spring season. During this period, chilling of inside of the soil is required (through snowfall) because it is a period of replenishment. “This year, we have witnessed a minimal rainfall of seven cm. Thus, there was sparse precipitation and the crop did not get the right chilling. But if there is sufficient rainfall by February 20, we could still manage to have a decent crop,” he said. Last year, the winter drought was followed by unexpected hailstorm in the spring season, which ruined large tracts of apple orchards.

Though the apple production was down last year, the apple growers made a good profit because of the gap in demand and supply. Initially apples sold for Rs 1400 per box, giving good returns to the growers. But because of poor marketing and poor supply chain facilities, apple prices crashed to as low as Rs 500- Rs 600 per box.

Last year, major corporates like Reliance Fresh, Adani Exports and ITC picked up the best quality crop for their own retail operations and paid the apple growers good prices.

Orchardists are now scared that a poor crop could actually ward off these retail majors. “The big companies would come here depending on the quantum and quality of the crop. Other than the corporates who came here last year, other retail majors are expected to join the fray, but only if the apple crop is good this year,” said Mr Chauhan.