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Misuse of tractors for quarrying continues
Development of villages
top priority: CM
Centre’s industrial package
not capitalised: Rana
Ex-MLA speaks against BJP leadership
BJP seeks probe against illegal furnaces
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Get survey of crop damage done: Dhumal
Zoo closure: Fate of 80 animals uncertain
Doctors observe strike
Jats demand due share in politics
Recruitment of
anganwari workers affected
More BPL families to get subsidised ration
Govt likely to approve 7 hydel projects
One arrested with smack
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Misuse of tractors for quarrying continues
Palampur, February 5 According to information gathered by The Tribune, there are over 750 tractors registered in Palampur, Baijnath, Dehara and Jaisinghpur sub divisions of this region for agricultural purposes, but all are being used for commercial purposes such as the transportation of material, stones, gravel and clay from riverbeds to the towns. It may be mentioned that a majority of the tractors do not carry any documents such as a driving licence and registrations certificates and even if they are caught red handed the Mining Department can do little to take punitive action against them. Many times the drivers desert their vehicles and flee. The state government in its latest notification has stated that if a tractor registered for agricultural purpose is found being used for commercial purposes, the authorities can collect taxes from its owner with retrospective effect, besides impound the vehicle. But there is none in the administration to implement the orders of the government. A majority of the tractors in the area have been registered for agricultural purposes. The tractor-owners often indulge in indiscriminate quarrying and dig up stones from riverbeds, which has greatly widened the riverbeds at certain points. In Bundla village, near Palampur, the government has prohibited quarrying in the bed of the Neugal river, still it is going on unchecked. Several tractors can be seen removing stones and sand from the river. No officer, including the local SDM or DSP, ever bothered to the check the illegal mining resulting in a large scale damage to 12 drinking water supply schemes getting water from this river. Save Palampur, a social organisation of the region, has expressed serious concern over the misuse of tractors in the region. Mrs Neelam Sood, president of the organisation, while talking to mediapersons said frequent entry of tractors into the town had become a major traffic hazard. During peak hours it became difficult for small children to move on the roads. On a few occasions schoolchildren had been hit by tractors resulting in serious accidents. Besides, these tractors also caused noise pollution. She said the government should fix the entry hours for these tractors into the town. Mrs Sood regretted that time and again the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, had assured that the government would come out with a legislation to check mining, quarrying and also to restrict the misuse of tractors, but in the past four years nothing had been done. She said the Chief Minster was well aware of the situation that the existence of over 100 drinking waster supply schemes, which get water from small rivers in Kangra district, are in danger. |
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Development of villages
top priority: CM
Bilaspur, February 5 Addressing a public meeting at Talai, 60 km from here, yesterday, the Chief Minister said Himachal's economy was growing at a fast rate and it was due to the efforts of the peasantry that the per capita income has now gone up to Rs 34,000. He said while the state was earning Rs 1,500 crore every year from fruits, it had now started earning money from floriculture. He said that a backward hilly area like Tissa in Chamba district had also now adopted to green houses and was growing flowers and a small cooperative society of villagers there had earned a profit of Rs 9 crore in a single year from floriculture only. The Chief Minister declared that the government would fill 60,000 posts during the current financial year. While the poorest of the poor would be given 22,000 jobs in 11,000 anganwaris, the government would also fill posts of safai karamcharis in all the health centres and schools. The Chief Minister declared that sewerage system would be set up at Talai town. He would consider the demand of local MLA Biru Ram Kishore for setting up a sub-tehsil at Talai after he would receive a detailed report from the Deputy Commissioner of Bilaspur.The Chief Minister announced upgradation of Naghyar, Bhadoli Kalan and Sunahani middle schools to high schools and upgradation of Jaddu Guljar, Malraon and Deslehra high schools to senior secondary schools and upgradation of Silwin, Bagdu, Khaal and Mallari primary schools to middle schools. |
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Centre’s industrial package not
captilised: Rana Hamirpur, February 5 Mr Rana said though as per government records, 3,000 units had got registered in Baddi, Barotiwala and Nalagarh, only 60 per cent of the big projects and 30 per cent of the small-scale units were under process. He alleged that the state government had failed to provide the basic infrastructure, which resulted in the disinterest of industrial houses in these areas. Rana also questioned the role of the Development Authority, constituted by the Congress government for these areas and which is headed by the Chief Minister, and demanded that it should list the achievements made by it so far. He said though the government claimed to have got investment worth Rs 22,000 crore through these 3,000 units, the fact was that it was not more than Rs 12,000 crore. He said as per the initial proposal,when the industrial package was sanctioned during the tenure of Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal as Chief Minister, a lot more investment was to be attracted and as per rough estimates, the present government's inefficiency had resulted in the loss of Rs 75,000 crore to the state. He also pointed out that widening work on the Pinjore-Nalagarh road was yet to start and four-laning of the Kalka-Shimla road was stopped at Solan, without any logical explanation.
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Ex-MLA speaks against BJP leadership Mandi, February 5 He had served the party for long and taken up the issues of villagers and youth, but the party had punished him for this, he rued. Mr Shastri termed his suspension from the BJP on the ground of indiscipline as "baseless and frivolous" and accused the BJP leaders of hatching a conspiracy against him at the time of the Assembly elections. He stated the "BJP's move is once again aimed at denying him the party ticket from Drang as the party has been doing for the past 15 years". When the Assembly elections were due, the party “expels me and when the Lok Sabha elections approach the party revokes my suspension”, he said. He claimed that it was he who had won the Drang seat for the BJP and what could be more ridiculous for the BJP as it had hired a former Congress man to contest against the IPH Minister, Mr Kaul Singh. “Is this the price that a honest and simple man like me has to pay to the party,” he lamented, warning that the BJP would have to face the consequences in the near future.
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BJP seeks probe against illegal furnaces
Shimla, February 5 Addressing a press conference here today, state BJP spokesperson, Mr Randhir Sharma, said what was most surprising was the fact that the Forest Minister, Mr Ram Lal Thakur, was inaugurating such illegally operating katha furnaces. He added that the mandatory registration with the Industries Department was not being done by such katha furnaces. “The BJP demands that a high level inquiry into the operations of the khair mafia so that the guilty can be punished and illegal felling of khair can be stopped,” he said. He said the presence of some of these furnaces close to the DMF was leading to illegal felling of
khair. Giving reference of a letter written by the Director, Industries, to the Principal Chief Conservator Forest
(PCCF) in December 2006, he said so far owners of only 14 katha furnaces with boilers had got the necessary registration done. “All other furnaces running in Una, Kangra, Bilaspur, Nahan and Solan districts with the permission of the Forest Department do not have the statutory permission for running the boilers under the Indian Boiler Act 1923 and Indian Boiler Regulation 1950,” he said. He added that rather than withdrawing the permission given by the Forest Department to such furnaces with boilers, the Forest Minister was inaugurating such illegally running units. “Besides tax evasion, the technical fitness of such illegally operating furnaces cannot be ascertained, which poses a risk to the lives of the workers employed there,” he said. Terming the winter sojourn of the Chief Minister a political stunt, he said the government functions were more of an election campaign. “We have serious objection to the unparliamentary language being used by Mr Virbhadra Singh against BJP leaders and former chief ministers,” he said. He said the Congress had failed to fulfil the promises made in its election manifesto. “The latest announcement by the Chief Minister that 60,000 government posts will be filled also appears to be more of a stunt as no break up of the jobs have been given,” he said. |
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Get survey of crop damage done: Dhumal
Shimla, February 5 In a statement issued here today, he demanded that the government must provide immediate relief to the farmers and fruit growers and get a special girdawri of the crops which had suffered damage. "In order to provide some relief to the farmers the government must extend help from the Calamities Relief Fund," he demanded. Mr Dhumal said the state must prepare a detailed report and seek special relief from the Centre. "The farmers of the lower region of the state who had this time planted mango and lemon trees are devastated. The other traditional crops like wheat and mustard have also suffered extensive damage," he claimed.
— TNS |
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Invoking Shiva for rain
Nadaun (Hamirpur), February 5 The delay in rainfall has come as a setback for the standing wheat crops, oil seeds like sarson and pulses like gram. More so because 95 per cent of the area in Hamirpur district is rain-fed. Locals said they had a strong belief that when water offered at the temple flowed back into the water stream, it would multiply and cover the whole area in the form of rainfall, bringing an end to their woes. Many old people also converged on the scene from adjoining areas to make their symbolic contribution and offer a bucket or two at the temple to seek an end to the drought-like conditions. “Such special prayers have been held twice in the temple before. The same tradition is followed at other temples of Lord Shiva located close to the rivers or other water features,” says the temple priest. Dr Sant Prakash, programme coordinator of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra of CSK Agriculture University in Hamirpur, said, “It is a critical stage for wheat crops and any further delay in rainfall will result in massive losses to farmers”. After a dry spell of two months in October and November, the area usually gets rainfall in December, which continues in January. However, this year, December and January have been completely dry and even the alternate sources of irrigation from khuds are drying up. For the last one month, the area also gets enveloped in thick frost, which is also proving harmful for crops. Such adverse weather conditions were witnessed in 1996 last time. “The concern of the farmers is understandable. If the dry spell continues, even the yield of food crops and vegetables could be affected,” he said. |
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Zoo closure: Fate of 80 animals uncertain
Riwalsar, February 5 The visitors are a disappointed lot over the move as the pilgrimage centre will lose this extra tourist attraction. The zoo presents a picture of neglect and mismanagement as wild animals are kept in the CG sheet shelters which heat up in summer and are cold in winter making the shelter inhospitable for bears, ‘sambar’, spotted deer, ‘ghoral’, and birds like geese and ‘kaleej’ pheasants kept in the zoo. Wildlife lovers and tourists who visit this pilgrimage centre known for Guru Padamsambhav monastery, Lord Shiva temple, Lomas Rishi caves and Guru Teg Bahadur gurdwara here every day are a disappointed to see poor management of the wildlife Department. Animals raise dust whenever those run across as zoo area has been eroded. Animals though look healthy, yet skin of ‘sambar’ has been withering as they sleep on the “wet or dirty surface”, revealed inquiries. Spread over 41 hectares since 1983, the zoo has been fenced from all sides and is home to 40 ‘sambars’, 16 spotted deer, five black bears, nine ‘kakar’(deer), seven ‘ghorals’ and two porcupines. Even the shelter for the birds presents a shabby picture. There are seven ‘kaleej’ pheasants, nine Indian gees in the zoo. In all, zoo animals consume 4.5 ‘quintals’ of food stuff every month, informed the field staff. The fence raised to house lions has collapsed. Even monkey menace is a problem in the zoo. Visitors and pilgrims rued that the Central Zoo authority instead of closing it down should upgrade and maintain it properly as the zoo is an extra attraction to sacred Riwalsar lake known for fish life in the lake. Chief Wildlife Warden Vinay Tandon said the department was trying to find a place for the animals. The animals will be shifted when a suitable place was found, he added. |
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Doctors observe strike
Shimla, February 5 The Resident Doctors Association (RDA) is up in arms against the decision of the authorities to deny them the winter vacation for the first time this year.The authorities have taken the plea that since the post of Registrar is a tenure post, they are not entitled to the winter vacation. With the RDA observing a strike from 9.30 am to 11.30 am, the OPD and laboratory services were badly hit, causing inconvenience to patients.However, the resident doctors ensured their presence at the casualty department so that emergency services functioned normally. During winters, the doctors are entitled to almost a month-and-a-half vacation, which is given in two halves. Even though the first half vacation is over, the RDA is demanding that they should be given holidays as had been the practice in the past. The RDA has decided to observe a two-hour pen-down strike on February 6 too. |
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Jats demand due share in politics
Dharamsala, February 5 Talking to the media persons, Mr Harnam Singh Gill, president of the parishad, said the Jat community was mostly neglected by all the major political parties in the state. However, after the government's decision to include the Jats in the other backward categories, there was a ray of hope for getting more jobs and due political share in the decision-making process of the state, he said. He said the Jats were in considerable numbers in many constituencies of Una, Hamirpur, Kangra, Bilaspur and Mandi districts and they played an important role in the victory of candidates. "Therefore, our demand to get party ticket for a few Jats is justified," he lamented. |
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Recruitment of
anganwari workers affected
Shimla, February 5 The commission has asked to the Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment, to file his reply within a fortnight. It is worth mentioning that the state administrative services tribunal has already passed an interim order to stay the recruitment process. The matter was brought to the notice of the commission by Mr Karm Chand Bhatia, Shimla district general secretary of the Lok Jan Shakti Party, who filed a complaint with the commission in this regard. He had alleged that recruitment of 22,000 anganwari workers and helpers was being carried out in a highly irregular manner with a motive to deny benefit of reservation to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other categories. Interviews were being conducted to fill the posts without following the reservation roster. He pointed out that the government had earlier recruited JBT, school and college teachers through parent teachers associations and other categories of staff on contract basis without making any provision for reservation. He has requested the commission that the government should not be allowed to declare the results of the interviews until the reserved categories were given their due. |
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More BPL families to get subsidised ration
Nurpur, February 5 Talking to media persons here last evening, the Revenue and Panchayati Raj Minister, Mr Sat Mahajan, said the process to identify BPL beneficiaries was going to start soon. There were 2.85 lakh Antodya families in the state which were being supplied subsidised foodgrains through fair price shops. He said the eligible BPL families under the new scheme would be enlisted following their identification at the meetings of gram sabhas being held throughout the state on February 18. |
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Govt likely to approve 7 hydel projects
Shimla, February 5 Besides taking up the grant of approval to these seven power projects, the Cabinet, which will meet here tomorrow, will give its approval to the allotment of staff for the Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPS) and Parliamentary Secretaries (PS). Sources said the Cabinet would give its approval to the seven power projects for which global tenders had been invited in October 2005. These include the 90-MW Koksar project in Lahaul and Spiti and the 60-MW power project in Kinnaur district. The government is keen that all the seven projects must start generation by 2010. These projects are in the districts of Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti, Kangra and Chamba. The government is keen to harness the over 21,000 MW of hydel power through the Central, joint sector or the private sector by inviting independent power producers. |
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One arrested with smack
Kangra, February 5 Mr Manhas said the Chief Judicial Magistrate today remanded him in police custody for three days. |
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