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Correction plan to tone up fiscal muscles
State misses ‘Buddhist tourist bus’
Rewalsar zoo to be closed down
Nathpa-Jhakri project records highest generation
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Hand over Jogindernagar power project to HP: CPI
Unsafe water ‘causing’ diseases
Cong gears up for Hamirpur byelection
JBT Posts
Ex-servicemen rue delay in appointment
Despite
shortage, LPG misuse goes on
At 90, widow battles to get combatant status for husband
116-year-old woman sees 6th generation
Enjoying marital bliss for 83 yrs
Disabled seek additional privileges
Sirmaur police faces manpower crisis
Nahan exults over resident’s appointment
BJYM demands white paper on jobs
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Correction plan to tone up fiscal muscles
Shimla, April 1 The plan to be implemented with the assistance of the World Bank will enable the state to bring down its debt liability within manageable limits. The state will receive 90 per cent of the Rs 900-crore development policy assistance from the bank as outright grant. The debt liability, which has been growing at a much higher rate than the gross state domestic product
(GSDP), has become a matter of concern. The outstanding loans doubled from Rs 7,221 crore in 1999-00 to Rs 14,437 crore in 2003-04. The total debt came to over 65 per cent of the
GSDP. As per norms, debt in excess of 40 per cent of the GSDP is unsustainable. The bank had asked the state to come out with a plan to indicate the fiscal path to be adopted to achieve the turnaround. The fiscal forecast for 2007-2012 has been based on the presumption that the state’s economy will continue to grow around 9 per cent and the rate of inflation will be around 5 per cent. The GSDP will increase from Rs 33,100 crore to Rs 56,300 crore over the period. With some compression of expenditure, the net loans to be raised annually will be pegged around Rs 1,000 crore. As such, the loan liability will increase by Rs 1,126 crore in 2007-08 and Rs 1,239 crore in 2011-12. The opening of new schools colleges and other educational institution will not be affected by the economic measures. The government has convinced the bank that it is a capital investment on human resource development and not an unproductive expenditure. The total outstanding debt will be around Rs 24,000 crore. As a result, the debt liability will increase marginally from Rs 19,000 crore to about 24,000 crore. The plan will see the ratio of fiscal deficit to the GSDP improve from -3.4 per cent to -2.2 per cent over the five-year period. However, much will depend on the report of the Sixth Pay Commission. Simultaneously, the plan will create fiscal space to help develop long-term resources for revenue generation. It will invest in the power sector with 60 per cent equity participation in the newly set up Himachal Power Corporation and 40 per cent in the projects to be executed by the state electricity board. |
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State misses ‘Buddhist tourist bus’
Mandi, April 1 The calendar of events released by the ICCR, revealed top sources, finds no mention of any event from Himachal to be showcased in Food festival and World Travel fair in Japan to market Himachal's Buddhist tourist circuit in Japan. Ladakh's Cham and monastery dances, Punjab's Bhangra, Uttar Pradesh's Chavkula, Rajsthani folk groups and other states figure in the calendar of events billed for Osaka festival in Japan this year. Not only this, Japan will participate in the SATTE travel fair in India, while India will participate in the JATA World Travel fair in Japan this year. The events aim at doubling the tourist exchange between India and Japan to 3 lakh tourists by 2010, revealed sources. Sadly, Himachal, which boasts off a Buddhist treasure trove of many gompas and monasteries including one of the oldest monasteries, Tabo in the cold desert of Spiti, which is known as the Bodh Gaya of Himalayas, has no plan to lure Japan's high-paying Buddhist tourists. Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Mayanmar, have more than 90 per cent Buddhist population, but not more than two lakh tourists come to India and a few come to Himachal in a year, revealed sources. The India-Japan tourism friendship year 2007, flowered following the formation of the Joint Task Force after the dialogue between Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, during former's visit to Japan from December 13-16 last year. Himachal has a rich array of age-old Buddhist monasteries and sites from Riwalsar at 1500 ft in Mandi to Tabo in the snow fortress of Spiti at a dizzying height of 3200 mtrs offering rich traveling experience to Buddhist tourists who come winding from visiting sun-scorched lord Buddha's places of pilgrimage like Sarnath, Rajgir, Vaishali, and Kapilvastu in Bihar. The Buddhist associations in the state has prepared celebration of Lord Buddha's Mahaparinirvana this year in different monasteries in Riwalsar in Mandi, Katarian in Kulu, Tabo, Dhankar and Kee gompas in Spiti, Sasur and Kardang in Lahaul and other gompas in Kinnaur. HP commissioner, Tourism, Tarun Shridhar, said that the department has no participation in the food festival and travel fair being organised by the ICCR-Japan Foundation this year in Japan, as it is not aware about the events. "But we are marketing gompas and monasteries in Europe and China to rope in high-end tourists". |
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Rewalsar zoo to be closed down
Sundernagar, April 1 The department has decided to close down the zoo as per directions of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA). The CZA has found several shortcomings in the functioning and maintenance of the zoo. The area of the zoo is very small for keeping such a large number of animals in captivity. Moreover, it does not have adequate staff to properly manage the zoo. There are about 100 animals and birds in the zoo built in an area of just 5 hectare. Moreover, the enclosures are not up to the mark and there is no boundary wall. Hundreds of monkeys enter the zoo and disturb the animals. It requires more than Rs 1 crore to manage the zoo properly, but due to shortage of funds its position could not be improved. The CZA is against ill-maintained small zoos. It passed the order of its closer in 2002. It wanted that animals be kept in captivity at a few places only keeping in view the larger objective of conservation of endangered species. Proper veterinary services should be provided to the animals and emphasis should be on developing centres for breeding of endangered species. Set up in 1983, the Rewalsar zoo has sambars, barking deer, cheetals and some hog deer and bears. The department plans to shift these animals to the Gopalpur zoo in Kangra district, the Trambri Nature Awareness Centre and the Bandli wildlife sanctuary near Sundernagar and Silangalware in Sirmour district. The move to close down the zoo was initiated in 2002, but had to be abandoned under public pressure. However, the wing did not improve the condition of the zoo and once again decided to close it down. Sources said the animals could be shifted anytime. MLA of Balh Damodar Dass has criticised the move. He has appealed to the government to release funds so that the zoo could fulfil the requirements of the Cental Zoo Authority. President of the Rewalsar Sudhar Samiti Chet Ram has threatened that the residents would not allow the officials to shift the animals. He also threatened to launch an agitation on the issue. According to a spokesman of the Wildlife Department, all this is being done as per the directions of the Central Zoo Authority of India. |
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Nathpa-Jhakri project records highest generation
Shimla, April 1 In all, 5,947 million units have been generated during the year. It will ensure that the turnover of the Nigam crosses the 1,500-crore mark. It was likely to earn a profit of Rs 600 crore as against Rs 498 crore during the last year. The previous highest generation, since its commissioning in 2003, was in 2004-05 when 5,108 million units were produced. However, the project was still short of the revised target for the year by 153 million units. The Union Ministry of Power had fixed a target of 6,320 million units for the year, which was reduced to 6,100 million units as excessive silt in the Sutlej during the monsoon season forced repeated shutdowns of the project. The project authorities had to a large extent succeeded in tackling the problem but severe cold conditions coupled with the lack of adequate snow during winters affected the generation. As against the target of 270 million units, only 209 million units were produced in December, resulting in a shortfall of 61 million units. Similarly, there was a shortfall of 60 million units in January. Besides severe cold conditions, which slowed down the melting of glaciers, the lack of normal precipitation during the first half of the winter also affected discharge in the river. The belated spell of snow in the region will help improve generation only during the ensuing summer. The project is designed to generate 6,950 million units with maximum permissible level of silt pegged at 5,000 ppm (parts per million). However, to save the turbines from getting damaged, the ministry reduced the maximum level of silt to 4,000 ppm and the target was reduced to 6,400 million units. |
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Hand over Jogindernagar power project to HP: CPI
Kangra, April 1 Member of the party’s state secretariat and former member of the national council of the party Himal Chand told The Tribune that according to the Indo-Pakistan water treaty, water of the Ravi, the Beas and the Sutlej was meant for India and that of the Sind and the Jehlam for Pakistan. He said India claimed water for Punjab that included present Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and eight districts of Himachal Pradesh and the claim of the Punjab Government that only Punjab was a riparian state was wrong. The CPI leader said following reorganisation, only Himachal Pradesh was riparian state and three dams Govind Sagar, Ranjeet Sagar and Pong were constructed in the state and 95 per cent fertile area of the state was submerged due to the formation of these dams and lakhs of people had to be uprooted. He said oustees of the Govind Sagar and the Pong Dam were allotted land in Haryana and Rajasthan, respectively, but their claims remained unsettled till date. He said Badal was forgetting the past when he, along with Devi Lal, attended the SYL canal inauguration ceremony but now was challenging Section 5 of water sharing Act and Section 78-80 of the Reorganisation Act. He urged Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and opposition parties of the state to jointly exert that Himachal was a riparian state and should be compensated by the Centre and users and would-be users of the water flowing from the state. He threatened if the state claims were not accepted, the CPI would be forced to resort to an agitation. |
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Unsafe water ‘causing’ diseases
Kangra, April 1 The report quoting WHO said more people, in fact would die from consuming unsafe drinking water and insanitary conditions by the year 2020 than from AIDS, if steps to improve water quality were not taken on war footing. Under the Swajaldhara Yojna under the Rajeev Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission Sanitation campaign and Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance was being carried out in the state. Anil Sharma, Nikhil Sharma and Vijay Kumar, lecturers in DIET, who carry out the mission work here, said today that only 0.24 per cent water was worth drinking. The water was getting contaminated due to negligence of people. They said in the state, level of underground water was reducing due to global warming. They further said common people should realize the grave situation and should help themselves and adhere to the ethics of proper sanitation. 4,080 villages are facing scarcity of water in the state, but the IPH authorities claim that by the end of 2007 the entire village will get sufficient water. IPH sources said now the department would stress on the quality of drinking water in future. But the consumers will have to pay for that. |
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Mining threatens ancient Baijnath temple
Palampur, April 1 It is said that the temple was built by two merchant brothers, Ahuka and Manyuka. It is situated alongside the Kullu-Lahual Spiti road, the centuries old route to central Asia. The temple is under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India. It has spent lakhs on the maintenance and development of its surroundings over the past 10 years. Thousands of domestic and foreign tourists visit this temple every year. The state government has constituted a trust to manage the affairs of the temple. The SDM, Baijnath, is the president of the trust. The retaining wall of the temple is on the verge of collapse. One portion of the temple has developed cracks because of reckless mining in the riverbed. The temple that remained intact during the major earthquake of Kangra in 1905 has got badly damaged due to unscientific mining over the past 15 years. The level of water in the Binwa has gone down because of mining and it is affecting the stability of the temple compound. The continuous land erosion can cause a big damage to the monument at any moment, if serious efforts are not made to stop mining in at least two km radius of the temple. The State Mining Department is ignoring the issue. The mining officer expressed ignorance on the issue and said the matter would be looked into. Residents said the situation had come such a pass because the Mining Department had failed to regulate the mining activities in the area. No effort was made to check mining in the area despite court orders, they said. |
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Cong gears up for Hamirpur byelection
Una, April 1 The Chief Minister said a meeting of the general house of the PCC was called at Mehatpur in this district to discuss mainly the programme and arrangements for the rally to be held here on April 6 to highlight the achievements of four-year Congress rule in Himachal. Such rallies would be held regularly in all districts of Himachal. The government had decided to provide subsidy on foodgrains sold at ration shops and for which a budget of Rs 100 crore had been made. If need be, more funds for food subsidy would be provided. Viplove Thakur. state Congress president, said people of Himachal were well aware of the development during Congress rule. The party had decided to arrange party rallies in all districts of Himachal Pradesh to highlight the achievements of the party. |
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Dejected ex-servicemen plan protest
Dharam Prakash Gupta Tribune News Service
Hamirpur, April 1 The ex-servicemen who got JBT training during their services in the defence forces have become so dejected now that they are thinking of launching a protest on the issue of getting employment. They have already met the state Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, last year who had assured them to fill 15 per cent seats of ex-serviceman quota but they are still waiting for the appointment even now. Even the Governor had written to Chief Minister's office when ex-servicemen had approached him in January. Bishan Singh, a JBT trained ex-serviceman told The Tribune, "we have taken up this matter at different levels with the government since 2002 but still waiting for our quota posts and have now decided to launch an agitation after forming a state body. Director of Primary Education, B.M. Nainta, when contacted by The Tribune, to verify the facts told, "It is true that 2000 post of JBT are lying vacant in different schools of the state and we have filled up some posts under ex-servicemen quota sometime back in Kangra and Una districts as permitted by state government." He said, "next year the present batch of 1800 JBT trainees would complete their training and get employed, then we will fill the entire ex-servicemen quota."
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Ex-servicemen rue delay in appointment
Hamirpur, April 1 The ex-servicemen who got JBT training during their services in the defence forces have become so dejected now that they are thinking of launching a protest on the issue of getting employment. They have already met the state Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, last year who had assured them to fill 15 per cent seats of ex-serviceman quota but they are still waiting for the appointment even now. Not only this even Governor of Himachal Pradesh had written to Chief Minister's office when ex-servicemen had approached the Governor in January. Bishan Singh, a JBT trained ex-serviceman told The Tribune, "we have taken up this matter at different levels with the government since 2002 but still waiting for our quota posts and have now decided to launch an agitation after forming a state body. Director of Primary Education, B.M. Nainta, when contacted by The Tribune, to verify the facts told, "It is true that 2000 post of JBT are lying vacant in different schools of the state and we have filled up some posts under ex-servicemen quota sometime back in Kangra and Una districts as permitted by state government." He said, "next year the present batch of 1800 JBT trainees would complete their training and get employed, then we will fill the entire ex-servicemen quota." |
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Despite shortage, LPG misuse goes on Kumarhatti, April 1 According to the norms, a domestic subscriber is supposed to get an LPG cylinder within a week’s time after getting booking receipt from the agency. A large-scale mushrooming of roadside dhabas, eating joints and hotels on the Kalka-Shimla national highway, particularly in and around Dharampur, has increased the LPG demand manifold. In most of commercial places the cylinders meant for domestic supply are being allegedly used. They were getting domestic supply cylinders at a Rs 50 premium. A commercial cylinder costs around Rs 850. The bulk of the domestic LPG supply is consumed for commercial purposes, said certain domestic LPG subscribers at Dharampur. “The agencies are supposed to deliver cylinders at home. However, they create panic of LPG shortage, forcing domestic subscribers to visit agency offices to take the delivery. They have to pay for cartage from their own pockets”, the subscribers said. The delay in action in the cases of LPG misuse by the authorities concerned has led to the problem blowing out of proportions, rued a top-most official of Solan district food and civil supplies. However, for an effective management of cylinder distribution, the department
is launching a plan very shortly, he added. The official said the closing of the gas plant at Baddi has affected the LPG supply in the region. It used to supply 13,000 cylinders to private agencies based at Baddi,
Parwanoo, Dharampur and Solan monthly on an average.
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At 90, widow battles to get combatant status for husband
Solan, April 1 Widowed in 1977, she has been getting Rs 605 per month with effect from November 1997, that too after a series of representations to senior officials. She was married to Jagdish Chander, a soldier of the Electrical Mechanical Engineers (EME) Corps, who served the Army from 1940 to 1956. The family was denied pension on the plea that he was a non-combatant and hence a civilian not entitled to pension or provident fund benefits. His son, B.M. Maini, a retired assistant public relations officer, however, contends if this was the yardstick, the entire EME Corps, comprising mechanics and engineers, should be denied these benefits. He questions why only his father has been singled out. Enrolled in the Army on August 4, 1940, Jagdish Chander served in the World War-II and went to countries like Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan, where many of his colleagues lost their lives. He was awarded several medals for his participation in various battles. These medals now seem to be trivial pieces of scrap to the family as these, too, have failed to affirm his combatant status. The family is unable to understand why he has been considered a civilian when he wore the Army uniform throughout his career, was involved in all combatant activities, including PT, parade, mass and guard duties as well as firing and fighting exercises. Even after a series of representations to various officials, little has been achieved so far. Adding insult to injury, a paltry sum of 150 per month was affixed as ex gratia pension from January 1992 which was later raised to Rs 605 from November 1997. Vidya Wanti contends that she should have been given ex gratia pension from February 21, 1977, when her husband died. Citing an apex court ruling, Maini observes that under liberalised family pension rules, applicable from January, 1996, as announced by former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee, minimum pension was fixed at Rs 1,275. Even this has not been adhered to. All representations sent to senior dignitaries have ended in a one-line terse reply stating there are no rules for this. Unfazed by the lack of success, Vidya Wanti has again written to the defence secretary, now hoping once again that this time she will get some favourable response. |
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116-year-old woman sees 6th generation
Nurpur, April 1 Born in 1890, Sevati has been infected by many old age diseases and is almost on the bed battling between life and death. She belongs to a scheduled tribe community, 'Gaddi'. Her family had migrated from the far-flung remote area of Bhatiyat sub-division of Chamba district about two decades ago. Until the beginning of the winters last year, even in this age she was cooking food, cleaning house and moving with a stick. But now, she is confined to her bed and suffering from poor vision, hearing and multiple health problems due to her old age. She has three sons and five daughters. Her husband Julfi Ram left her and died forty years back. At the time of death, he was also 100 years of age. Her two sons Hazri Ram and Paras Ram had died at the age of 75 and 70, respectively and now she is living with her lone eldest son Nand Kishore who is 85 years old. He is looking after her mother and trying to save her mother's life so that she could survive few more years. Her four out of five daughters had died and the eldest daughter Hilyan Devi, who is in her early nineties, is also fighting with her old age. Nand Kishore, her eldest son says that his mother until last year used to tell her experiences of life to the family members. He says that she also remembered the devastating earthquake that had struck Kangra district in the year 1905 claiming thousands of lives. She no more recognises her family members being on bed. Had she been in her senses, she would have definitely felt pride in catching the glimpse of her sixth generation. |
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Enjoying marital bliss for 83 yrs
Dharamsala, April 1 The 103-year-old retired Army jawan Thakur Pyara Singh and his 101-year-old wife Hansa Devi, who tied the knot in 1924, recently completed 83 years of conjugal life. Born on January 5, 1904, at Court Patiala in Una tehsil of Kangra district, Thakur Pyara Singh joined the Army in 1930. While fighting the Germany Army as part of the British Army in 1942 in Sudan during World War II Pyara Singh received seven bullet injuries. He had been receiving pension from the Army for the past 65 years. Disciplined life, hard work and honesty have been keys to our long life, Pyara Singh told journalists. “There have been more of pleasant memories for us than sad ones...we thank God for being kind on us,” he added. Free from any major ailment, Pyara Singh, the centurian, desired to live for many more years to serve mankind. Blessed with three sons and two daughters, the family strength at present is 81. The couple used to do social service. The Kangra District Red Cross Society honoured the couple in 2004 for sincere social work.
— PTI |
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Disabled seek additional privileges
Bilaspur, April 1 A meeting of state executive committee of sangh here, presided over by its president and attended by representatives from districts of Mandi, Kullu, Kangra, Hamirpur, Solan, Shimla, Una, Sirmaur and Bilaspur, also pleaded that handicapped persons should be given preference in employment on basis of 3 per cent reservation quota in all government and semi-government organisations and they should be given atleast monthly pension of rupees 500. Meeting also demanded that handicapped persons without any financial income should also be given free medical aid in all government hospitals and health centres and they should also be provided financial help for their treatment outside government health institutions. A resolution stressed that their free travel facility in HRTC buses throughout state should be extended to outside the state, as was earlier granted to them. Meeting thanked Chief Minister for enhancing marriage grants to rupees 15,000 and rupees 25,000 for marriage of handicapped boys and girls, respectively. |
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Sirmaur police faces manpower crisis
Nahan, April 1 Investigations made by the Tribune, revealed that other infrastructural deficiencies too have crippled the smooth functioning of the Home Department as the DSP posted at Paonta Sahib is devoid of vehicle that would be needed in times of urgency. Though police officials remained tightlipped, yet the ground reality was that, for a month only 50 litre of fuel (petrol) was sanctioned for the force deployed at ‘Thana’ who was on 24 hours duties. Reluctant to talk, an official in khaki, however, said a van was not sturdy and were vulnerable in tough terrains. With regard to heavy migration from other states like Bihar, Orissa, the police has intensified their campaign on checking the antecedents of domestic servants. The crimes include murder, rape abduction, rioting, burglary, and gambling. The bottlenecks, however, in accomplishing the job comes from plummeting manpower. At the helm of affairs, the district needs 3 sub-inspectors who could be handed over with assignments. The morale of police force needs a boost While the force has to carryout inter-state visits for investigations and arrest the accused, no provision of facilities like travelling, advance monetary assistance has been made. The government should pave out a way and determine viable rules, which will escalate the morale of the police force. |
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Nahan exults over resident’s appointment
Nahan, April 1 Sizeable number of practicing advocates from Nahan overwhelmingly assembled today in the district court premises and decided to go to Simla on oath taking ceremony day which is scheduled to take place within couple of days, said V.R. Chouhan, spokesman of the local legal fraternity. Chouhan added that Kunwar Dalip Singh, father of designate judge Kuldeep Singh, had once practiced his law with many distinctions at Nahan. At present with the full strength of judges at high court and fast track court, speedy disposal of the long pending cases could be expected said Chouhan. |
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BJYM demands white paper on jobs
Chamba, April 1 Addressing mediapersons at the Circuit House , Rakesh Jamwal and Himanshu Mishra, state president and state general secretary of the BJYM, respectively, asked the government to tell the people how many persons had been given employment through the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission and the Himachal Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Board during its four-year tenure.
— OC |
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8 dy district attorneys promoted
Sundernagar, April 1 They are: Anil Sood, Posted as district attorney, Legal Cell, New Delhi; Sansar Chand, Fast Track Court, Ghumarwin, Bilaspur; R.P. Kasav, PWD Mandi, is district attorney, Bilaspur; P.K. Hazari is district attorney, Education (Higher), Shimla; V.K. Behl, F.T.C Dharamsala, is district attorney, Solan; L.S. Negi, is in Vigilance, Mandi Directorate of Prosecution, Shimla; C.B. Acharya, deputy district attorney, Rampur, is district attorney, Rampur; Rattan Lal, district attorney, Education (Elementary), Shimla, is District attorney (Revenue), Shimla. |
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Women oppose liquor vend
Nahan, April 1 Over 60 members of the Mahila Mandal, Kunthal Pashog, started their dharna at Neri Pul yesterday against the opening of a liquor vend there. A large number of village youths joined the protest dharna today. |
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