Nagri (Kangra), July 3
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has announced to establish a Bench of the state administrative tribunal and a forensic laboratory at Dharamsala. He was talking to the mediapersons after laying the foundation stone of a power station here today.

He said thousands of cases pertaining to state government employees of the lower hill areas were piling up in the state administrative tribunal at Shimla, therefore, it had become necessary to divide the work, he said.

Since the state forensic laboratory at Shimla was also overburdened, it had been decided to establish forensic laboratories at Mandi and Dharamsala, he said.

Addressing public meetings here, he said the government would spend Rs 42 crore on the construction of 70 modern science laboratories in senior secondary schools of the state in a phased manner to raise the standards of science education.

He said his government was considering making the knowledge of the constitutional provisions and preamble of the constitution of the country a compulsory part of the educational curriculum so that the youth could be proud of their constitution and uphold the same in spirit and perspective.

He said displaying the charter of preamble in every educational, health, government offices and panchayati raj institutions would be made compulsory with a view to inculcate respect and honour for the constitution.

He also dedicated the system improvement scheme of the state electricity board for Palampur town, executed at a cost of Rs 166.18 lakh, a bridge over Lingti Khad on the Niyadh-Latwala road, laid the foundation stone of a science block to be constructed at a cost of Rs 60.15 lakh in Brindavan government senior secondary school besides a 33-KV substation at Nagri to be constructed at a cost of Rs 3.14 crore.

He said the state was benefiting 2,12,250 old age, widows and handicapped persons with social security pension and was spending Rs 54 crore annually on this vital social welfare programme. He said 25,000 more eligible persons would be added to the list during the current financial year increasing the expenditure to Rs 60 crore per annum. He asked the gram panchayat pradhans to recommend names of deserving persons without any bias.

Earlier, BBL Butail, political adviser to the CM and local MLA, welcomed the CM.

Transport minister G.S. Bali, MLAs Surender Kaku, Jagjivan Paul and Sudhir Sharma, former MLAs Yog Raj and M.R. Goma, district magistrate Bharat Khera, SP Gyneshwar Singh were also present on the occasion.

Shimla, July 3
With the level of silt remaining within manageable limits, the Nathpa Jhakri project has overshot the target of power generation in the first quarter by 42 million units.

As against the target of 2,250 million units, the 1,500-MW project has generated 2,267 million units. The project that was commissioned in 2003 has so far generated 18,525 million units of electricity. It generated a record 5,941 million units last year.

Over the past three year, the project had faced problems during the monsoon due to high level of silt. The trouble usually started towards end of June when the discharge in the Sutlej exceeded 700 cumecs. The discharge shot up to 812 cumecs on June 28, but the level of silt remained well below the maximum permissible level.

Engineers expect fewer problems this season as the increase in the crest level of the dam at Nathpa from 1,485 m to 1,492 m has more than doubled the capacity of the reservoir and increased its length from 1.2 km to 2.8 km which will certainly help in silt to settle down.

Shimla, July 3
Not satisfied with its existing 25 per cent equity in Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN), a joint venture of the state and the centre, the Himachal government has proposed setting up of a new special purpose vehicle(SPV) to help increase its share in future hydro-electric projects to 49 per cent.

The SPV will be a joint-venture company of SJVN and the state with the former having the major holding of 51 per cent. The state, which has 25 per cent share in the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri project and 30 per cent in the 412 MW Rampur project, is keen to have at least 49 per cent share in the 775 MW Luhri project and the 960 MW Khab project.

The proposal has already been discussed with the union ministry of power and its response is positive. The state government had allotted the Luhri and Khab projects to SJVN after the completion of the Nathpa Jhakri project. Later, it laid down a condition that projects will be assigned only if its share was raised to 30 per cent. It even withdrew the Luhri project to put pressure on the centre, which acceded to the state’s request. However, the state government has again agreed to allot the project to SJVN, but wants its share to be enhanced to 49 per cent in accordance with the new power policy of the state.

In fact, the state government has also been demanding a review of the agreements signed by the Dhumal government for the execution of the Parbati project and the Kol Dam project, in which it had no share. The state wanted a minimum of 30 per cent share in these projects. However, the centre expressed its helplessness in reviewing the agreements for projects already under execution, but agreed to increase the state a higher share in future projects.

As the state has only 25 per cent equity in SJVN, the only way its share could be raised in future projects is by setting up a new special purpose vehicle (SPV). Once the new SPV is set up, it will not only pave the way for the execution of the Luhri project, which has been hanging fire for the past five years, but also open the doors for the implementation of more projects in partnership with the centre.

The government has also urged the centre to provide funds for the execution of hydro-electric projects in the state sector on 90 per cent outright grant basis as Himachal was a special category state. 

Shimla, July 3
Taking cue from the cellphone calls made by the youth from Punjab to a local contact after crushing 25-year-old Vikas Verma to death at the Kalyani helipad in Charabra, the police has been able to identify two persons from Chandigarh, who are allegedly involved in the crime.

A police team from Shimla is already camping in Chandigarh, where two youths have been identified and questioned. Having started investigations in the case with no clue whatsoever the police collected records of all mobile phones which were in roaming and the subsequent calls made from these outside numbers after 9 p.m. on Sunday night.

“It was with the help of a call made by these youths hailing from Chandigarh and other towns of Punjab to a local person, which helped us trace them,” informed police sources. Following the identification of their local acquaintance, the police was able to get some information about these youths and the hotels they were staying in. The police is keeping secret the identity of these youths as their arrests are yet to be made.

It is learnt that these youths immediately drove out of Shimla after beating up 25-year-old Vikas Verma around 9 p.m. Vikas, a medical representative along with four other friends had gone to Kalyani helipad near Rashtrapati Niwas in Charabra when the mishap took place. “The altercation took place so suddenly that Vikas’s friends did no know what happened and moreover they were so badly sozzled that they did not even remember the exact number of youths or their vehicles,” said police sources.

With the two youths from Chandigarh having been identified, the police is hopeful of getting to all boys who were present at the time of the crime. According to the police, about 10 youths from Punjab who too were singing and dancing in another corner of the helipad thrashed Vikas and later crushed him as they drove away.

His friends told the police that Vikas went across and started dancing with the Punjabi youths while his friends continued drinking in the other corner but all of a sudden they started beating him and by the time his companions could come to his rescue, they fled in their vehicles.

Vikas, hailing from Theog, died while being taken to hospital while his friend, Virender Negi, who sustained serious injuries has been admitted to Indira Gandhi Medical College.

Baddi, July 3
A sanitation management and garbage disposal project of the Baddi, Barotiwala and Nalagarh Development Authority (BBNDA) has failed to start following objections by villagers to the digging of a pit to dump wastage at Kainduwala village, near here. The project was scheduled to start by July 1.

The ambitious project was aimed at improving garbage disposal in the Baddi belt.

Residents of Kainduwala, Malpur, Sandhouli, Guleriana and Aheer Basti villages led by Darshan Singh Saini, president of the Baddi, Barotiwala and Nalagarh BJP Kisan Morcha, have opposed the digging of the pit.

The villagers fear industrial waste dumped into the pit could endanger their health. They have threatened to launch an agitation in case the pit site was not replaced.

Meanwhile, the case has been referred to the DC, Solan.

Shimla, July 3
Even as the standoff between the government and the taxi owners over the implementation of the metered taxi scheme remains unresolved, it is the private bus operators who have virtually revolted against the government.

The Himachal Pradesh Private Bus Operators Union said today that it would not allow route-permit buses being operated by the HRTC in the state capital. “The HRTC is running 69 of these buses in the town which is resulting in huge losses to the private operators,” said Jaisi Ram Sharma, president of the Himachal Pradesh Private Bus Operators Union.

With local bus service, including HRTC buses, being the main mode of transportation in the state capital, any kind of direct action by the private bus operators could lead to a lot of problem for the commuters, mostly office-goers and schoolchildren.

He said the HRTC was plying 10 contract carrier buses on one single route permit, which was adversely affecting the private bus operators. “We have decided to not allow these private buses, which have been taken on lease by the HRTC to operate within the capital town,” he said. He was accompanied by president of the Shimla Private Bus Operators Union Kamal Kumar.

Jaisi Ram said the strength of private bus operators was far more than the HRTC which had a fleet of only 1,600 buses as compared to 2700 owned by them. “It is unfortunate that while we are challaned over trivial issues, the HRTC is plying 69 of its buses without permits, which we will no longer tolerate,” he said.

He said over 400 buses plying on the non-profitable routes had come to a halt due to non-payment of taxes. “Since it is the private bus operators who are plying their vehicles on the loss-making routes, the government should waive their accumulated taxes and fix a nominal tax,” he demanded. He said the financial position of private bus operators was bad as they paying a heavy road and token tax.

He also opposed the government move directing drivers and conductors to wear uniforms. He said since they keep changing jobs too often they should be asked to wear badges bearing their names.

Shimla\Kumarhatti, July 3
Three persons, including a former leader of the Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC), died in separate road accidents today.

Anand Bhanwal, who contested election as the HVC candidate from the Baijnath constituency against Congress veteran Sant Ram in 1998, was killed on the spot after the car that he was driving fell into a khad near Holiday Home hotel here today. He was 50.

In another accident, Jyoti (60) of Morang village in Kinnaur, was killed and 10 others injured when a Tata Sumo met with an accident at Khaneri in Rampur. The vehicle skidded and fell into a nullah as the driver tried to circumvent debris brought down by rain.

While eight injured were hospitalised at Rampur, two were referred to Indira Gandhi Medical College Hospital, here.

A motorcycle-borne youth was killed while another riding pillion got injured when their vehicle collided with a Swaraj Mazda (HP-64- 0599) at Gumberpul, near Subathu, today. Deceased Rajesh hailed from Pinjore. The duo was going towards Kunihar on motorcycle (HR-49-A 9355) when the Swaraj Mazda coming from the opposite direction hit their vehicle head on.

Swaraj Mazda driver rushed Rajesh to Cantonment Hospital, Subathu, from where he was rushed to Zonal Hospital, Solan. He was declared brought dead there. According to the police, Swaraj Mazda driver was driving the vehicle at a high speed. A case has been registered.

Kullu, July 3
Although the police has identified the spot and the accused involved in the rape of a 28-year-old South Korean woman tourist, it has failed to arrest the accused even after four days of the incident.

Kullu ASP Hardesh Bisht said the youth belonged to a place outside Kullu district. “We cannot disclose his identity at this point, but we have dispatched police teams to arrest him,” he added.

Palampur, July 3
The clogged drainage channels on both sides of the HPPWD road near the Radha Krishan temple in the Aima locality here led to flood waters entering many houses this morning after it rained heavily. The road had been badly damaged because of the flooding of drains in the first pre-monsoon showers, though the monsoon is yet to arrive.

The waterlogged road not only caused inconvenience to hundreds of pedestrians, particularly school-going children but water also entered many houses damaging valuable items.

Local residents had contacted PWD and IPH Department officials many times about this problem but nothing was done.

Residents of Aima held a meeting at Radha Krishan temple today to discuss the problem. They demanded a permanent solution to the problem, including the removal of drinking water pipes from narrow water channels filled with debris, regular cleaning of the road-side drains and immediate closure of the Kirpal Chand kuhal at the source to avoid further damage till the restoration work is carried out. The delegation of village residents and panchayat representatives will call on the IPH authorities and political leaders to seek urgent action in the matter.

Chamba, July 3
The Himachal Pradesh State Pensioners Welfare Association has sought reservation of two seats for pensioners’ families in all Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses plying in and outside the state.

Addressing a meeting of pensioners here today, P.C. Oberoy demanded reduction in enhanced rates of Rs 180 and Rs 80 per smart cart issued by the HRTC. He also urged the state government to allow one-month basic pension every two years as travel concession to the pensioners. He also demanded 5 and 10 per cent increase in the basic pension of retirees on attaining the age of 65 and 75 years, respectively.

He said he had asked state president of the pensioners’ welfare association Jiwanand Jiwan to get the date of joint consultative committee (JCC) meeting fixed with chief secretary Ravi Dhingra so that various demands and other difficulties of pensioners could be discussed and the demands already accepted implemented.

Solan, July 3
With television and Internet emerging as the popular entertainment mediums the age-old habit of reading books has taken a backseat. This trend was reflected in the Solan book fair where a stall put up by a Delhi-based publication house failed to elicit the desired response.A salesman at the book stall said only a few copies of some Hindi books on motivation were sold. The stall showcased a good variety of books on a variety of subjects, including photography, religion, home plans, interior decoration, IQ etc. The fair, however, was a big draw with women

Organised by Consumex, a Delhi-based organisation, it exhibited a variety of items including electronic gadgets, computers, leather goods, crockery, furniture, books, artificial jewellery, kitchen wares, etc. The focus of women’s attraction were the stalls displaying kitchen items like various cutters, cookers, multipurpose geyser, face packs, artificial jewellery, phulkari suits and Lucknow’s famous embroidery kurtas.

Mandi, July 3
Eight home guards have been deputed in the Kataula-Panarsa forest range while two more forest "checkposts" would be set up in the area to rein in the forest mafia.

Mandi DFO PL Chauhan, who joined here recently, said the two private sale depots had been instructed to sell timber only locally and not outside the range to check smuggling.They had been asked to maintain proper records of sale and purchase of timber.

These measures had been initiated following a series of stories published in The Tribune on illegal felling in the Panarsa range, making the government transfer the entire top forest staff in Mandi. — TNS