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Rift between departments blurs career prospects
Fish
Mortality Issue
WB to help state strengthen financial base
Parents of martyrs rue government apathy
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CM assures employment to JBT trainees
7 Montessori schools for state
SFI agitation
Rohtang tunnel issue to be taken up with PM
State to seek 49 pc equity in power projects
Big players in race
And now an ‘apple plantation scam’ !
Hike
support price
‘Include locals in task force’
Helipad services for Manimahesh
80-yr held for attempt to rape minor
CM’s
Cavalcade
Snakebite claims 2 lives
Patent for chapatti roller
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Rift between departments blurs career prospects
Kangra, July 5 Resentment prevails among the 2,300 students of the ayurvedic pharmacists who alleged that they had completed their two-year course through SCVT institutes and had to under go three-month internship in the ayurvedic hospitals and ayurvedic pharmacies immediately after the completion of the course. They alleged that they completed the course on May 14, this year and because of lack of coordination between the Directorate of Ayurveda and Directorate of Technical Education the three-month internship could not be started. Nearly two months have passed, the students have been moving from pillar to post without any result but the two directorates are still playing the blame game. Director, additional director and assistant director of the Ayurveda Department were not available in their offices for their comments today. However, according to the director of the ayurveda office sources, the lists of the ayurvedic hospitals and ayurvedic pharmacies have been sent to the director, Technical Education, 10 days back for deputing students for internship and it was the responsibility of the director, Technical Education, to do the job. Technical Education Director K.R.Bharti told The Tribune today that in the beginning we requested the director of Directorate of Ayurveda to send the 2,300 students to different hospitals and dispensaries for internship but the director asked us to send them the list of the students. Bharti said it took us time to procure the lists from the concerned 57 SCVT institutes and submitted it to the director. Bharti said surprisingly the director in the Directorate of Ayurveda pushed the matter back to the directorate of Technical Education along with a list of 280 dispensaries and 20 ayurvedic hospitals suggesting to depute the students to these hospitals and dispensaries from Sundernagar. He said, “It is on our initiative that the things have started rolling”. He said now we were at the job and we were making batch-wise lists and hopefully by July 15, all 57 institutes would receive the lists of students as well as hospitals and dispensaries where they would do their internship. He said he was concerned about the developments and was eager to sort out the issue expeditiously. Some students, out of these, in the last one-and-half-month had joined other colleges or institutes for other courses, were finding it difficult to leave the courses half way for internship. They alleged that they were forced to join different courses because of the delay that was caused due to the tussle between the two directorates and alleged sluggish attitude of the Directorate of Ayurveda made the situation ugly.
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Erring units face power disconnection
Our Correspondent
Solan, July 5 The Department of Environment swung into action after the issue was highlighted prominently by The Tribune on June 16. A high-powered committee constituted by the board was instructed to visit the affected site the same day. The report submitted by the team had found that toxic effluents discharged by certain units had led to a decrease in the level of dissolved oxygen in the water. This proved to be the ultimate cause of fish mortality. Principal secretary J.P.Negi said industrial units found ignoring pollution control norms would be taken to task. Any laxity would be dealt with sternly. Officials of the board said the step had been taken after receiving a report by a high -powered team of officials which had visited the affected area on June 15. The team had drawn samples from various industrial units lying in proximity of the water bodies and had found that some units were discharging effluents carrying heavy pollution load than the standard norms. These units included paper units, leading textile units, pesticide manufacturing units and some pharmaceutical units. The 122 other units which had been served show-cause notices were found wanting in their tertiary treatment systems. They have been directed to upgrade their effluent treatment systems within a time-bound period. Officials said the report also indicated that these effluents had been let out right at the onset of monsoon. The board has also directed these units to ensure that effluents when discharged from the units were treated for removal of colour. This would cause less peril among the locals as it was found that bright-red coloured or dark-coloured effluents gave an impression of being highly toxic.
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WB to help state strengthen financial base
Shimla, July 5 The bank has decided to conduct four independent studies to generate authentic data to enable the government to formulate policies for expeditious exploitation of its vast potential for hydropower and tourism, prepare a comprehensive Environment Management Plan to protect the fragile hill ecology and bridge the gap between demand and availability of manpower. It has sanctioned Rs 2 crore for studies which will be assigned to consultancy organisations through competitive bidding. A skill mapping study will be undertaken to prepare an inventory of the technically qualified manpower available in the state. The extensive exercise will also ascertain the status of technical institutions and the quality of education being provided. The human resource requirements of the industries and other sectors will also be assessed to enable the government to bridge the skill gap by introducing new technical courses and upgrade and modify the existing ones to suit the requirement of industries. The Environment Management Plan will have specific action plans for high hills, low hills, forests, industrial areas and urban areas. The focus will be on rehabilitation of degraded catchments areas and controlling pollution. The studies for the hydel-power and tourism sectors will mainly focus on master plan for expeditious harnessing of the potential to propel economic growth and generate the much needed financial resources. The process for engaging consultants for carrying out studies has already begun. Once the plans and master plans for tourism and hydel power generation are prepared the state will be in a position to raise funds for their implementation. The bank in providing 90 per cent of the Rs 900 crore committed as the development policy assistance as outright grant and the remaining 10 per cent will be loan. |
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Tej Partap takes charge
Palampur, July 5 Dr Partap is also known as the ‘national expert on organic agriculture’ and has served as executive director, International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture
(ICCOA) from 2004 -2006 and was instrumental in starting India organic trade fair to provide a platform to foreign buyers and Indian sellers. He assisted the Planning Commission in the preparation of the 11th Five-Year Plan proposal for organic agriculture. He also remained consultant to the National Commission for Farmers in his capacity as an expert on hill farmers. Born on 4 July, 1952, at Preyee village (Manikaran valley) in Kullu district, he obtained his Ph.D in Agro-ecology from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla in 1983. He joined the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) as an associate officer and rose to the position of senior officer and later as division head, Mountain Farming Systems Programme for seven years. He served the ICIMOD for 13-years and later joined the CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University as the VC. Dr Partap is an honorary professor in Mountain Agriculture at the Tibet Academy of Agriculture and Animal Sciences and also an honorary professor of Mountain Agriculture at the Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources, China since 1995 . He is also member, board of directors, ICCOA and has been Asia-pacific representative in the Global Mountain Forum. |
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Parents of martyrs rue government apathy
Palampur, July5 Kuldip Kumar, father of Yoginder Singh, said the then Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had visited their house immediately after their son’s death and had announced that Amb-Pathiar Road leading to their village would be name as “Saheed Yoginder Singh road”. Dhumal had also assured them that the road would be completed within six months. He said 3-km road leading to the village had not been completed by the HPPWD for the reason best know to the government. Vice-president of local panchyat Amar Singh said despite their repeated requests to the Dehara Gopipur PWD executive engineer, no steps were initiated for the completion of the road. Meanwhile, the HP PWD Dehara Gopipur executive engineer admitted that the construction of the road had been delayed because of delay in the acquisition of land for the road. He said the road project would be constructed under the World Bank-aided schemes. Another family who has been the victim of red tapism are the parents of martyr Vijainder Singh. Vijainder Singh died fighting in the Kargil War. A road leading to the village of Vijainder Singh “Bane Di Hatti to Bankhandi” was also named as Shaeed Vijainder Singh road by the state government. The project is also hanging fire because of official bottlenecks. Parents of martyrs have been moving from pillar to post for the past eight years for the completion of this road but no one in the administration bothered to listen to their grievances. The sources in the executive engineer’s office said there had been no allocations of budget for the road since 2001. The executive engineer sent proposals for funds several times in the past eight years to the higher authorities, but no funds were allotted. Yet in another case, the construction of Sorabh Van Vihar named in the memory of Captain Sorabh Kalia, who was the first to die in the Kargil War was in a state of neglect. The government has virtually abandoned the project merely on political consideration because of the fact that this project was initiated by BJP leader Shanta Kumar, when he was a minister in the Union Cabinet. He had also given over Rs 1 crore for the project from his MP discretionary fund. Besides, Rs 1 crore was sanctioned by the state government. Today the project site is covered with thick lantana bushes. The building and road constructed inside the project are crying for maintenance. Over Rs 2 crore spent on this project by the state government has been a waste. The Forest Department who was executing the project had also withdrawn its staff posted as care takers of the project in the absence of funds allocated by the state government. A senior officer of the Forest Department while talking to The Tribune said in the past four years no fund was sanctioned by the government for this project therefore, the department left the execution work mid way. Former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar said Rs 50 lakh given by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, for Sorabh Van Vihar, in the year 2003, was surrendered by the state government merely on political consideration. He said he had got these funds released. The parents of Captain Sorabh Kalia are deeply hurt over the attitude of the state government in not completing the project. They said such projects should be kept away from politics. |
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CM assures employment to JBT trainees
Bilaspur, July 5 JBT Trainees Welfare Association president Sanjeev Kumar said the Chief Minister categorically stated that the government was committed to giving them jobs after the completion of their training. He ordered the Education Department to get the service bonds of all JBT trainees filled at the earliest. It may be recalled that DIET JBT trainees recently demonstrated at various places in the state against the government decision of filling 2,400 vacant posts of JBT teachers. |
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7 Montessori schools for state
Shimla, July 5 Chairman of the group Gurmeet Singh Arora said here today that besides introducing the time-tested Montessori concept of education at the pre-school level, his organisation also planned to open schools up to class V next year. He said pre-schooling could be introduced in existing schools and all they were required to do was to provide some dedicated space in the premises. Beside providing the necessary equipment and teaching aids, training would be provided to the staff for teaching through the Montessori method. The fee structure had been kept flexible and depend on the paying capacity of the people as his organisation wanted the new system to be introduced in the rural areas. Every child who passed Montessori standard would be awarded an international certificate. |
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SFI agitation
Chamba, July 5 In the first phase, the SFI activists staged a dharna in front of the local postgraduate college and raised slogans against the college management to pressurise it for accepting their demands. Their main demands were extending the date of admission and granting the stipend to students belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBCs.
— OC |
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Rohtang tunnel issue to be taken up with PM
Shimla, July 5 This was sated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh while addressing a public meeting at Sissu in Lahaul subdivision on the first day of his two-day visit to the valley today. He said Indira Gandhi, on her visit to the Lahaul valley, had acceded to the request of local people to construct a motorable tunnel below the Rohtang Pass. He said tribal development was a priority with the government and added attention was being paid to it. He said his government had carved out a separate tribal sub-plan by earmarking funds for the development of tribal areas. He said it had ensured speedy and focused development of these areas to bring them on a par with the rest of the state. He said despite limited working season, rapid strides had been made in the development in these areas. |
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State to seek 49 pc equity in power projects
Shimla, July 5 This was stated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh while addressing a public meeting at Keylong today. He also dedicated a motorable bridge constructed at a cost of Rs 1.9 crore over the Bhaga river. He said the state had been able to get its equity in the 412-MW Rampur project increased from 25 to 30 per cent. “In future allotments, efforts will be made to get equity up to 49 per cent so that the state gets more benefit from harnessing of the hydro power potential,” he said. He said his government was considering enhancing the housing subsidy being given to vulnerable sections of society with a view to providing shelter to the houseless. “We are allotting two biswa of land in the rural areas and one biswa in the urban areas to the houseless families besides giving them financial help in the shape of subsidy,” he said. He said Himachal was the first state in the country that had made a provision of Rs 100-crore subsidy on essential commodities and Rs 130 crore on subsidising domestic power bills. He said social security pension was being provided to eligible persons solely on merit with no discrimination at all. |
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Shimla, July 5 In all 90 bids have been revived out of which 53 pertained to 11 projects of less than 100 MW which will be assigned through the MoU route after evaluating the technical and financial capability along with experience. Only 37 were for 12 projects of more than 100 MW, having an aggregate generation capacity of 2728 MW. These projects will be allotted through the competitive bidding route based on upfront premium quoted. The maximum number of six bids have been received the 130-MW Sumte Kothang project in Kinnaur district. There were four bids for the 150-MW Tandi project in Lahaul Spiti to be set up on the Chenab. The bidders, included GMR Energy, Reliance Energy and LNJ Bhilwara Group. As many as 16 projects are to be set up in the tribal district of Lahaul Spiti.
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And now an ‘apple plantation scam’ !
Dharamsala, July 5 This is the second major scam that has come to light in this remote village that has no road accessibility. It takes three days to reach there after trekking for more than 60 km from the roadside. Early this year, a scam in distribution of ration through the Public Distribution System
(PDS) had come to light in which a case had been registered at the Baijnath police station on the basis of a magisterial probe conducted by the district administration. In the subsidy scam, more than 100-odd families of this village had opted for plantation of apple saplings in the year 2003-2004. On the basis of which, a Detailed Project Report
(DPR) was prepared by the local panchayat and submitted to the Horticulture Department. The department under the Horticulture Technology Mission Programme provided more than 14,000 root-stocks of royal, golden, spurs and dwarf varieties of apple to the local panchayat for distribution among the applicants. However, the then village pradhan who died last year allegedly did not distribute the apple root-stocks properly. Some families who had demanded more root-stocks were given less and some of them did not even get a single root-stock, while certain families got undue benefits. Those who did not plant even a single root-stock also availed the subsidy in accordance to the demand put forth by them. A complaint in this regard was made to the State Anti-Corruption and Vigilance Bureau by a villager, Richoo Ram, last year. The bureau conducted a preliminary inquiry into the complaint and the report had been forwarded to the state headquarters of the bureau demanding approval for the registration of a criminal case in this subsidy scam, confirmed a senior official of the bureau. The exact amount of the subsidy scam could not be ascertained at the moment as it required physical verification on the spot. Moreover, the relevant record of the panchayat was also not available due to the death of the former
pradhan. Present village pradhan Kanchan Devi told The Tribune and admitted that few people had availed subsidy in apple plantation on forged documents from the Horticulture Department. She said the panchayat would also look into the matter and give full support to the investigating authorities of the Anti-Corruption and Vigilance Bureau in this matter. Horticulture extension officer Prakash Chand who was in-charge of implementing this scheme claimed that a total of 14,000 root-stocks of various varieties of apple trees were provided to the tribal people, out of which, as many as 8,500 saplings had survived and were now in the fourth year of age. When asked about the subsidy given to the people, he said the deputy director of the Horticulture Department, Dr Baldev Singh, and district horticulture officer, Dr Deepak
Verma, conducted on the spot verification of the scheme implemented in June 2006. On the basis of their report, the subsidy was granted to the beneficiary farmers, the officer added. While admitting that certain farmers had got undue benefits from the department in the form of subsidy, the officer said he had already written letters to the undue beneficiary farmers for the recovery of the amount released to them. Deputy director of the Horticulture Department, Dr Vishav Sagar Sharma, told The Tribune that the department would conduct an inquiry into the matter. |
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Hike support price
Shimla, July 5 Although the apple production in the state is likely to be less than the estimated target, the Horticulture Department will be opening 233 collection centres where the apples not fit for being sent to the market would be bought. These centres would be set up by various government agencies like the Horticulture Department, the HPMC and Himfed. The government would utilise the procured fruit under the market intervention scheme for making juice. The collection centres would start functioning from August 1. “The government is already in touch with transporters from outside the state so that the growers do not face any difficulty in sending their produce to the market,” said horticulture minister Singhi Ram. He said the government had already made arrangements to ensure that the roads remain open and for this machinery and equipment had already been stationed at various places. “We are making all possible arrangements ,” he said. |
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‘Include locals in task force’
Shimla, July 5 Dhingra reviewed the revenue administration and preparedness to tackle natural disasters as he held a video conference with the divisional and DCs of all districts. He stressed the need for capacity building and said it was a pre-requisite for efficient handling of disasters. While reviewing the working of the Forest Department he said there should be no delay in disposing revenue cases. He directed the officers to take up cases of allotment of two and one biswa of land to the landless on priority and reviewed the progress of the computerisation of land records. He said regular meetings with the police, prosecution, and the District Magistrate should be held to review law and order and dispose of pending cases. He also reviewed the implementation of the 20 point
programme. |
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Helipad services for Manimahesh
Chamba, July 5 Set in the snow-clad Bharmour valley, Manimahesh is situated at about 216 km away from the nearest Pathankot railway station. Lakhs of devotees throng the place during the Manimahesh
pilgrimage starting from September 4 on the eve of Janamasthmi and will conclude on
September 19. Bharmour Congress MLA Thakur Singh said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh would inaugurate the helipad before start of the celebration. Kailash mount situated at an altitude of about 5,656 metres is clearly visible to the devotees from the Manimahesh lake.
— PTI |
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80-yr held for attempt to rape minor
Nahan, July 5 According to police sources, a lady of Kotri Amliwala village, Nirmala Thapa, in a report lodged with the Nahan police has alleged that yesterday she saw Man Bahadur go towards the nearby forest along with the nine-year-old girl of their neighbour. She found Man Bahadur trying to rape the minor. The minor was rescued from the forest and the matter was reported to the Nahan police. The police has registered a case under Sections 376 and 511 of the IPC.
— OC |
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Man found dead
Nahan, July 5 The Paonta police has registered a case and sent the viscera of the deceased for examination in the forensic laboratory. |
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HC notice to government
Legal Correspondent
Shimla, July 5 A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Deepak Gupta and Mr Justice V.K. Ahuja further directed the secretary (transport), the SP, Shimla, and the DSP (traffic) to file replies in six weeks. The court passed this order on a petition filed by Namita Maniktala wherein she had alleged that the traffic police was committing illegality by stopping the vehicular traffic on a road at the time of passing of CM’s cavalcade. She said the public could not be asked to take other route or wait for long time whenever CM’s cavalcade was on that road.
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Snakebite claims 2 lives
Dharamsala, July 5 Middle-aged Dina Nath, a resident of Vasa village falling under Bhalakh panchayat was bitten by a venomous snake while he was coming back home after day’s labour last evening. He died on the spot. In the other incident, a three-year-old girl Nikita of Sukhar village, near Nurpur, died of snakebite last evening. She was playing with her friends just outside the main gate of her house when a snake bit her. The girl died on the way to hospital.
— TNS |
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Patent for chapatti roller
Shimla, July 5 The design registration is valid for 10 years that could be renewed for another five years. The application for registration was sent through the Himachal Pradesh Patent Information Centre under the State Council for Science, Technology and Environment. Principal scientific officer of the council S.S. Chandel said the council had earlier got registered Kullu shawl and Kangra tea under the Geographical Indications Act. The case for registration of Chamba rumal has also been forwarded. |
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