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WB to extend carbon credits to raise forest cover
Tourism promotion on paper only
Tourism website to go multilingual
Shimla MC poll |
Phone
Woes
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Steep rise in ration cards; shops face problems
Milk production
Pensioners’ body decries delay in JCC meeting
Project to save snow leopard
New project to save western tragopan
From Nauni Varsity Campus
Job Mela
Award for Parmar varsity alumnus
Schools sans principals
Ex-MLA seeks Cong ticket
Wheat crop worth lakhs burnt
Body of youth found
Complaint panel set up
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WB to extend carbon credits to raise forest cover
Shimla, May 6 New plantations will be raised over 12,000 hectares of degraded and fallow land under the scheme in a phased manner. Only fallow land since 1990 can be taken up for plantation. The growers will be paid Rs 25,000 per hectare for raising the plantation and Rs 3.500 to 5,000 per hectare annually for 10 years depending on the carbon sequestration efficiency of the species for protecting and maintaining it. The minimum area for raising plantation will be 500 square metres and the species planted must attain a height of five metres. The money will go to the individual in the case of private plantation and in the case of community land, a part of it will go to the panchayat concerned and the major portion will be divided among the group of people who protect the plantation. The purchase of carbon credits will be in addition to Rs 365 crore which the World Bank is providing for the project. The Forest department has identified 25 species, including fruit and medicinal plants like mango, fig and aonla, which not only have a good capacity of carbon sequestration but also help regulate the hydrological cycle. Principal chief conservator of forests Pankaj Khullar said the scheme would add a new dimension to social forestry in the country. Apart from carbon credits, fruit and medicinal species had been included in forestry which the growers would find worthwhile. It would pave the way for transition from commercial to social forestry. The World Bank has selected Himachal Pradesh for introducing carbon credit financing because of its excellent performance in the kandi project. |
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Tourism promotion on paper only
Palampur, May 6 Haphazard construction of hotels, dhabas and log huts has become quite common in the state. It seems there is no one to check unplanned construction. Most of the favourite tourist destinations like Palampur, McLoedgunj and Dharmsala have already turned into slums. There are problems like disposal of garbage, contamination of water and large-scale soil erosion because of unplanned construction of hotels and other buildings. Although the state government has time again announced to come out with a master plan for the promotion of tourism, it remains confined to files only. It is a sad state of affairs that nothing worthwhile has been done for the planned promotion of tourism. The government stresses on building hotels in Shimla, Manali and other places only, creating concrete jungles there. The HP State Tourism Department, which plays a vital role in the expansion and development of tourism in the state, has failed to deliver goods. Tall promises were made to provide better amenities to the tourists visiting the state are only on papers. Tourists have to bear with bumpy and narrow roads, costly hotels, poor parking facilities and heavy taxes (entry and toll taxes). Tourism in the state still has to go a long way to catch up with front-ranking states like Goa, Rajasthan, Kerala etc. Promotion of tourism is essential for faster development of the state. The state matches Switzerland in its scenic beauty and climate. Snowcapped peaks of majestic Himalayan ranges are a visual treat. |
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Dharamkot — Tel Aviv of India
Dharamkot, May 6 Surprisingly, their presence is so strong that Israelis almost throughout the year constitute more than half of the 1200-strong population of the village. The villagers rent out accommodation to Israelisa on a monthly basis. There is a popular joke among Israeli tourists living here. If an Indian asks an Israeli tourist “How many Israelis are here?” The tourist answers “Five million” and the local then asks “And how many are in Israel?” In fact, western tourists have named this village as Tel Aviv of India. The total number of Israelis presently staying in and around McLeodganj is approximately more than 2000. In the past few years, they’ve turned this village into an Israeli enclave thousands of Israeli tourists flood it during the peak season. Some of them stay for long periods, even years. Most of them stay a few weeks or months but when they leave, other Israelis take their place. They regard Israeli enclaves as playgrounds where they can do almost anything. Uninhibited drug use is common in this village. But for the Indian backdrop, everything here is Israeli. The menu cards are in Hebrew in restaurants that serve Israeli food. Many Indians who work with Israeli tourists can now speak Hebrew, some of them quite fluently. Drugs and loud music mark parties that go on till the early hours of the morning. The low cost of living is the major reason that beckons most of the long-term Israeli traveller. Cheap drugs is another major attraction. |
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Tourism website to go multilingual
Shimla, May 6 The order on providing tourism-related information in Chinese on the official website had already been passed, tourism minister G.S. Bali said today. Later on, the website would also have information in Japanese, French, Spanish and other languages to enhance flow of tourists speaking these languages, he said. It was part of the strategy to tap global tourism potential, he added. The multimedia files on our website would help foreign tourists to know about the state and plan their journeys in a better way, he added.
— PTI |
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Shimla MC poll
Shimla, May 6 State BJP president Jai Ram Thakur formally launched the party’s campaign by inaugurating the election office in the Patyog ward from where the party had fielded Poonam Sharma, who deserted Congress on the poll-eve. He said it was an opportunity for residents of the state’s only municipal corporation to end the two decades of Congress misrule. He said winning the MC elections was important as it would set the tempo for the Hamirpur by-election and create a favourable political environment to install a BJP government in the state as the vidhan sabha elections were some months away. Former state party chief and convener of the election committee Suresh Bhardwaj inaugurated the election office in the Chhota Shimla ward. He urged the workers to wage a united battle to dislodge the Congress from office. The main contenders, the Congress and the BJP, have fielded candidates from all 25 wards, while the CPM has put up 12 candidates. The Lok Janshakti Party and the NCP are contesting five and three seats, respectively. |
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Steep rise in ration cards; shops face problems
Solan, May 6 The government had fixed a maximum quota of food grains and other items for each family. Since the quota fixed for each family is quite less, the people have bifurcated their families into two to avail double benefits. A senior official from the Arki sub-division said an estimated 30 per cent hike has been noticed in the number of fresh ration cards ever since the subsided ration scheme was announced last month. As per the government decision, each above poverty line (APL) family is entitled to 15 kg wheat, 20 kg rice, one kg edible oil priced at Rs 50, one kg of three pulses priced at Rs 20 and one kg of salt priced at Rs 4. Since each family consists of at least six to eight members, this amount is too meagre. A panchayat pradhan said there was little option but to bifurcate large families so as to procure adequate ration. Earlier, the family division was possible after following a long process. Each application was presented before a SDM, who in turn sent it to the BDO, who further sought a field report from the field officials and then the SDM finally gave permission to bifurcate families. Now, this power has been delegated to the gram sabhas, making the process simpler. An official said the gram panchayats were increasingly recommending such cases as each family meant a number of votes. |
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Milk production
Nurpur, May 6 In order to achieve the targeted goal, the department has been organising extension and training camps, assisting beneficiaries to improve fodder production, emphasising on milch cattle development, calf-rearing and management, and improvement in breeding efficiency. Apart from this, the cattle owners are also guided in the marketing of milk and milk products. In lower Kangra district, the Nurpur sub-division, comprising of Nurpur,
Indora, Fatehpur, and Nagrota, this project is being implemented through 16 veterinary hospitals and 76 veterinary dispensaries covering 4,506 milch cattle owners. Here, the beneficiaries have been constituted into groups. According to official information, the veterinary department had organised 203 workshops, 209 sexual-health camps and 203 fodder-enrichment demonstrations by March 31, this year. Apart from this, 2,416 milch cattle sheds have also been renovated. |
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Pensioners’ body decries delay in JCC meeting
Chamba, May 6 The meeting was to be presided over by the chief secretary of Himachal Pradesh. The previous six-monthly meeting was held on October 6 last year and the next meeting was scheduled for March 6 this year.
Expressing disappointment over the inordinate delay in calling the JCC meeting of state pensioners, district president P. C. Oberoy said many items on the agenda of the last meting could not been implemented despite the fact that clearance had been given. Not only this, even some of the demands had been announced by the state Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on the occasion of the All-India Pensioners’ Day celebration held in Kangra on December 17 last year, Oberoy stated. Oberoy sought forthwith release of 5 per cent interim relief with effect from November, 2005, dearness relief at the rate of 6 per cent from January this year, one month travel concession equal to one month pension, besides fixed medial allowance to retirees at the rate of Rs 360 per month on the Punjab pattern. Oberoy urged the government to release a budget for the clearance of all pending claims of medical bills of the retirees of the revenue, public works and irrigation and public health departments. |
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Project to save snow leopard
Shimla, May 6 The integrated project formulated by the Mysore-based Nature Conservation Foundation is to be implemented in the 11th plan in the five trans-Himalayan states, where the animal is found. The Union Ministry of Forest and Environment has convened a meeting next week to discuss modalities for the project before giving its final nod. A comprehensive survey will be conducted to ascertain the status of the animal in its natural habitat. At present, there was no authentic base-line data to plan the strategy for its conservation. The project will involve local communities in monitoring and conservation to help reduce the snow leopard-migratory grazier conflict which has taken a heavy toll on the animal. Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Vinay Tandon said a national project would ensure regular flow of funds and help the department build capacity for monitoring, conservation, research and have a better understanding of the animal and its natural habitat. Besides, it will also enable the department to create the necessary infrastructure. All this would enable it to closely monitor the other high altitude Himalayan species like ibex, blue sheep, snow cock, Himalayan thar, Tibetan wolf and brown bear. The main priority was to resolve the conflict of the animal with nomadic graziers. |
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New project to save western tragopan
Dharamsala, May 6 A senior official of the Forest Department (wildlife wing) said that the project was aimed at protecting the Himalayan bird that had successfully been bred in captivity. During the current year, two cages had been designed to resemble the natural habitat of the rare bird. Seven more cages were being made in the bird sanctuary at Sarahan. The successful hatching of the endangered bird took place for the first time in captivity at Sarahan in 2005 with the assistance of John Corder, a conservation and breeding expert associated with the World Pheasant Association. After Corder’s departure, three of the four chicks bred in 2005 died. There was no breeding in 2006 as none of the eggs laid in two clutches were hatched. It may be mentioned that these birds are found only in Himachal Pradesh, hilly areas of Pakistan and parts of Kashmir at a height of above 2,600 metres. |
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From Nauni Varsity Campus
Nauni (Solan), May 6 Raita is a permanent employee of the Finance Department. He will benefit immensely if he is absorbed permanently. This has, however, kicked up a row with the State Accounts Services Employees Association that feels this opportunity would help promote a junior official to a very senior grade. As per the university mandate, a controller is granted a basic pay of Rs 16,000, while Raita at present draws a basic pay of around Rs 13,500. His permanent absorption in the university will perk up his monthly salary by a straight Rs 8,000. Lacking the requisite seniority, he has been placed in the pay scale of joint controller. His parent association, while opposing this enhancement, has asserted that there are hundreds of such employees in various corporations of the state government and they cannot be bypassed. The case came up for discussion at a recent meeting of the
BoM. However, as there was no unanimity, the case was rejected. Services regularised
The university has regularised the services of 90 daily-wager earners employed on the main campus and various research centres. Appointed to tend to the field work like looking after plantation, nurseries and other research work in the field, a vast majority of them have found their way into the offices as peons and library attendants. This has reduced the number of men available in the field for attending to various agricultural works, maintains a section of the scientist community. Vice-chancellor Jagmohan Chauhan, however, defended these postings and said the peons have been adjusted against beldars as there was an acute shortage in various departments. Since there is no provision of appointing daily wagers on muster rolls, due to government directions, there is little option but to divert these daily wagers as peons and library attendants. He said there was no violation of norms as this arrangement was permissible under the university norms. 48 posts get approval
With a view to meet the shortage in teaching and research, the Finance Department has approved filling of 40 posts of assistant professors and associate scientists. The university faced a severe shortage of staff with as many as 127 vacancies existing in its 16 departments. This had adversely affected teaching as well as research work. Since all these posts could not be filled in one go the university had sent a proposal to fill at least one-third of the vacant posts. This proposal has now found the requisite approval of the Finance Department. VC Jagmohan Chauhan said, “We are endeavouring to make available at least two to three faculty members in each subject. Since no vacancies had been filled for the past several years, as many as 127 posts had fallen vacant due to superannuation. The recruitment process would begin soon.” The staff shortage had forced the university to divert staff on temporary basis to its various research stations and krishi vigyan kendras for research projects. This would also open employment opportunities for scores of university pass-outs. The university has till now produced 528 BSc, 607 MSc and 313 PhDs from the Department of Horticulture alone. |
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Job Mela
Mandi, May 6 At the job melas that concluded here today, captains of industries said they could not get the required technical persons, including machinists, instrumentalists and textile engineers. As many as 50 girls have been selected as many companies need more girls who are technically qualified. Manger (H-R) Proctor and Gambler, Baddi, Vinod Rai said the company could not recruit the needed 40 persons as the company had a global recruitment test for each candidate seeking job. The government officials said ITIs were being asked to tailor the trades as per the needs of the industries to bridge the gap in the demand and supply. “New trades of textile technicians, instrumentalists, machinists and others as per the need will be introduced,” they said.
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Award for Parmar varsity alumnus
Solan, May 5 The award would be conferred at the inaugural session of the all-India coordinated research projects workshop held at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, tomorrow. Instituted by the Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), Varanasi, the award consists of a gold medal and a certificate. Dr Joshi is the only Himachali to have received this award. His research paper titled, “Genetics of polygalacturonase activity in relation to shelf life in tomato” which was published in the 32nd volume of Vegetable Science for the year 2005 has been chosen for this award.
— OC |
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Schools sans principals
Nahan, May 6 Seventyfive posts of TGT and 113 that of C&V teacher in government senior secondary schools at Banaur, Jarva, Junauli, Gagal Shika and Sangna Satahan are lying vacant. There is reportedly not a single regular teacher in four senior secondary schools in the district. Teachers appointed by parent-teacher associations (PTAs) and other such staff are reportedly controlling the day-to-day administration in such schools. Deputy director (education) Paramjit Singh said the directorate had been informed about the vacancies time and again. |
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Ex-MLA seeks Cong ticket
Hamirpur, May 6 Dogra said he was the most suitable candidate as not only was he a two- time MLA but also belonged to other backward classes. He said he also represented ex-servicemen as his father was an army soldier. He criticised the BJP for making cheap remarks against Congress leaders. He felt though good development had taken place during Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh’s rule the party had failed to take his policies to the grassroots level. |
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Wheat crop worth lakhs burnt
Mandi, May 6 Fire tenders from Mandi managed to control the fire with the help of villagers. Though the revenue department is yet to assess the loss, it is estimated that the wheat destroyed in the fire was worth several lakhs. Strong winds in the afternoon tilted an electric pole that resulted in sparks in the transmission line, which fell on dry wheat bundles stacked in the fields. |
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Body of youth found
Bilaspur, May 6 The body was in a bad state and was taken into police custody. A post-mortem examination was conducted to ascertain the real cause of the death. Police sources said Sandip had been missing since April 30. A report about Sandeep going missing was registered at Sadar police station on May 1 following which a massive hunt was launched to trace him. |
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Complaint panel set up
Bilaspur, May 6 Complaints to the panel can be made on 01978-224763. Meanwhile, district election officer has also set up a media centre. It would provide election related information from May 8, till the completion of election. Complaints can be made on 01978-223583. — OC |
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