Shimla, August 5
The road network is in for major upgradation with the World Bank approving a Rs 1,365.43-crore funding project.

The state roads project for core network improvement and asset maintenance and management will cover 2,500 km of state highways and major district roads under two distinct components. The total size of the project is $ 303.43 million for which the bank will provide an assistance of Rs 990 crore, out of which 90 per cent will be an outright grant and the rest as a soft loan. The proposed loan will have 20 years’ maturity with a five-year grace period and the project implementation period will be from July 1, 2007, to December 31, 2012.

Under the core network improvement component, upgradation works, including widening of formation, realignment, new structures and pavement strengthening of approximately 447 km of state roads will be taken up. The upgrading works will be implemented in two phases. The sections of roads to be covered are Mehatpur-Una- Mubarikpur -Daulatpur, Mehatpur-Una-Amb, Una- Aghar- Barsar- Jahu- Bhambla-Mandi(up to Ner Chowk) , Theog- Kothkhai- Hatkoti- Rohroo, Jogindernagar-Sarkaghat-Ghumarwin , Kumarhatti-Sarahan-Nahan, Shahpur- Sihunta- Chowari-Jot- Chamba- Bharmour, Mubarikpur-Dehra-Ranital- Kotla and Bhawarna- Lambagaon- Jaisinghpur .

The core network maintenance and management includes periodic maintenance and minor rehabilitation of about 2,000 km of roads in accordance with the agreed environmental measures set forth in the model environmental management plan for the component. It would also include piloting performance-based maintenance contracts, accident black spot improvements, pre-investment studies for roads, tunnels and bridges, besides capacity enhancement in road maintenance management.

The periodic maintenance works will be implemented through four annual maintenance programmes to accelerate the removal of maintenance backlog to allow the state to reach a steady state of renewals on its core network. All works are to be supervised by the government’s own staff with the assistance of an independent technical examiner. The computerised maintenance management system will be used for identification and prioritisation of periodic maintenance works from the financial year 2008-09.

The development objective of the project is to have positive social impacts in terms of reducing transportation cost and improving traffic flows on priority segments of the core road network. It will provide better road services that will help in boosting agricultural economy. The indicators like condition of road, speed, fatal accident rate and level of road-user satisfaction on the core network will be used to measure performance.

Shimla, August 5
BSNL has drawn up a major plan to expand its coverage in the hill state under which all the villages having a population of 500 or more will be provided mobile telephone services.

Chief general manager of Himachal circle Anil Kaushal said here today that BSNL had around 5 lakh mobile customers in the state and 7,378 of the 15,500 populated villages had already been covered. During 2007-08, 3.7 lakh new subscribers would be added under the plan to extend coverage to about 2,000 new villages having a population of 500 or more. As many as 350 new BTSs (base transmit-receive stations) would be added to the existing 495 to improve and expand coverage.

The BSNL was launching a closed user group (CUG) scheme for employees of the central government and its public sector undertakings in the state on the eve of Independence Day. Under the scheme, free talk time up to 750 minutes per month and thereafter a charge of 10 paise per minute with monthly plan charges of Rs 175 along with free talk time of Rs 50 per month would be applicable.

Under the value-added services he announced “no rental charges” on BSNL tunes for the Independence month from August 6 to 30. Further, BSNL also planned to introduce the ISEE service through which GPRS and EDGE customers could watch ZEE TV networks on their mobile sets live.

Almost 85 per cent of the roads and 282 small and big towns had been covered by the mobile network. Besides mobile phone services, BSNL was also focusing on expanding the WLL network. The plan was to add 70,000 new WLL lines by setting up 180 BTSs.

BSNL also planned to increase the broadband service penetration by extending the facility to about 200 towns in the state. At present there were about 4,500 broadband subscribers and the plan was to double the number within the current financial year.

The multi-protocol-level switching was also in the offing with which the landline subscribers would be able to access cable television. There is also a plan to introduce hand-held devices which would allow fast Internet surfing without data card and laptop.

Mandi, August 5
The Mandi Municipal Council has got Rs 12.81 crore under the Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) for development of roads, paths and channelisation of nullahs in the town.

MC president H.R. Vaidya said the first instalment of Rs 95.3 lakh was received by the council a few days ago and the remaining amount would be received shortly. “We had submitted the detailed project report prepared by HIMUDA to the government, which has sanctioned Rs 12.81 crore for development of roads, paths, parks and nullahs in the town,” he added.

The council has received the grant at a time when Vadiya faces a no-trust motion moved by the seven pro-Congress councillors. The floor-test is scheduled for August 10. Though Vaidya said he would call a meeting of councillors to know the fund requirement for each wards, councillors maintained Vaidya must face the no-trust motion on August 10 and if he survived it, they would go ahead with the much-awaited scheme.

Many councillors said there was no scope for expansion of roads and construction of parks in various wards as there was no land available for that. “The funds should be utilised for beatification of nullahs and improving drainage system,” they said.

Solan, August 5
The inordinate delay in carrying out developmental work by the BSNL here has led to poor services with the subscribers complaining of low signal, poor connectivity and disruption of services.

Though the department had floated tenders for strengthening the system almost seven months back, including the laying of optical fibres, the work is yet to start.

Earlier, there was a dispute for having invited non-experienced contractors, which delayed the work but despite the issue being settled in April, the work is yet to commence.

Sources said nearly 20 tenders for executing various developmental and expansion works worth Rs 3 to 4 crores await approval since January.

There is little focus on improving the services as nearly 4 to 5 BTS towers are being run on diesel since the past 3 to 4 months. This has not only led to wasteful expenditure but has affected the quality of services of the mobile users.

Sources said the expenditure in some cases far exceeded the net gain from such towers. Ideally a power connection is sought by erecting transformers for such towers but despite the lapse of several months, the BSNL has failed to get them installed.

Still worse, the direct sales agents who were supposed to sell sim cards to the customers were promoting other cellular companies as they were being paid more commission by the private companies.

These factors manifested in the form of poor cellular services to the subscribers where the signals remained poor especially in the evenings and during nights when the supply of diesel ran short.

Sources further revealed that the inordinate delay in approving the tenders could lead to transfer of these works to BSNL’s project wing. Since an earmarked budget was made available for developmental works to each SSA, timely completion of work was expected from each SSA. But with virtually no progress being made in the execution of nearly 20 works, the working of the BSNL has come under a cloud.

The general manager of the BSNL was not available for comments.

Shimla, August 5
Carrying forward the tradition started by the missionary educational institutions during the British era the hill state is poised to emerge as the “educational hub” of the country.

This was stated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in his inaugural address to the four-day congregation of the Council of Bishops of the Church of North India here last evening. He said the institutions set up by missionaries had been a source of inspiration for the state and the country. The government had also been laying emphasis on strengthening the educational infrastructure, particularly at the primary and elementary levels which had enabled the state to emerge as a model state.

The Chief Minister said the state had succeeded in creating a vast network of educational institutions numbering over 16,500 in the government sector alone and there were about 2,500 more private institutions supplementing the endeavour in the education sector. The focus now was on consolidation and to develop these institutions as centres of excellence. The government had decided to set up model colleges and schools with a fixed number of seats in each district in a phased manner. Admission would be given on the basis of merit in these institutions.

The educational institutions set up and managed by missionary organisations had motivated the government to build quality infrastructure in its own schools and colleges. Virbhadra Singh said Himachal boasted of a number of famous educational institutions which came into being during the British regime. Located mostly in Shimla, Dalhousie, Kasauli and other hill stations these institutions were still rendering yeoman service to the people by imparting quality education.

He said that these institutions were still admitting students from all over the world and the congenial environment of the state was an added advantage. He said that Bishop Cotton School, St. Bedes, Auckland House School, St. Edwards, Sacred Heart Tara Hall and St. Thomas School were the milestones in the field of education. These institutions had produced innumerable students who excelled on various fronts and brought laurels to the nation and the state.

The Chief Minister said his government was committed to uplifting the minorities and it had set up a minorities welfare board and a minorities development and finance corporation to cater to their needs.

Virbhadra Singh assured the Bishops all possible help to help sustain their legitimate activities in the best interest of the state and the democratic norms.

Reverend Joel Mal, moderator of the Church of North India, spoke about the activities of the Church and the purpose of holding the Council of Bishops at Shimla. MP Pratibha Singh and vice-chancellor of Himachal Pradesh University Anil Wilson were also among present on the occasion.

Dharamsala, August 5
State BSP convener Vijay Singh Mankotia today declined comment on the defamation suit filed by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. Talking to mediapersons here, he said as the matter was pending in a court, he could not comment anything. “After receiving summons, I will file a reply in the court”, he said.

Saying that the Chief Minister had become frustrated after the exposures, Mankotia said after the Bali episode Virbhadra Singh had almost lost control over the administration. The case filed against him was a result of this frustration, he said.

Meanwhile, Mankotia’s confidants, Onkar Rana, a director in the State Tourism Development Corporation; and Bobby Lagwal, a former president of the Shahpur unit of the Youth Congress, levelled charges against state NSUI chief Kewal Singh Pathania, claiming that he had ‘forged’ his birth certificate to avail benefits in Himachal Pradesh University.

Producing copies of the student leader’s matriculation and senior secondary detailed mark sheets, they said that an FIR was also registered in this regard at Shimla (west) police station a few years ago but this case was later withdrawn by the police. Demanding a CBI probe into this fraud by the NSUI leader, they also distributed copies of the FIR and other related documents among the mediapersons.

Shimla, August 5
The programme launched by the State Wildlife Department for the mass sterilization of simians has been hit due to the shortage of expert monkey-trappers.

The sterilization programme was started using laser technique and laparoscopic technique for males in mid-February. In all, 5,000 simians were to be sterilised in Shimla and in selected places along the Shimla-Parwanoo national highway and Rampur in the first phase. However, the programme had been suspended after performing sterilisation operations on 1,342 monkeys, out of which 570 were male and the rest female.

About 1,000 monkeys were sterilised in Shimla and the remaining from Kandaghat and Kufri areas. But no operation had been performed since June 15.

The reason for suspending the programme was that the monkey-trapper from Saharanpur who was given the contract had returned to his native place along with his team. He was reportedly not satisfied with the amount of Rs 60, that was being paid to him for every monkey. More so, it was becoming difficult for him to trap monkeys as they had become familiar with his technique.

Now with no monkeys to operate, the laser machines and laparoscopic equipment acquired for the project is lying idle.

Additional principal chief conservator of forests Vinay Tandon said there was a dearth of expert trappers but the department was trying to find some, so that the sterilisation programme could be resumed at the earliest.

Chamba, August 5
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh launched the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojna here today. The scheme has an outlay of Rs 25.02 crore.

He said the scheme aimed at strengthening the electricity network in far-flung areas of the district. The scheme was being implemented and monitored under the Rural Electrification Corporation of India of the Union Power Ministry, the CM said.

The CM said separate electrification schemes with a notional cost of Rs 459 crore had also been drawn up for other districts of the state that had been submitted to the Rural Electrification Corporation of India for approval. The monitoring committee of the Union Power Ministry had accorded sanction to the schemes for Solan and Una districts.

Irrigation and public health minister Kaul Singh Thakur, power minister Vidya Stokes, animal husbandry minister Harsh Mahajan, MP Pratibha Singh, chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Finance Commission Kuldip Pathania, Asha Kumari, Thakur Singh Bharmouri, Surinder Bhardwaj (MLAs), Chamba DC Gopal Sharma, SP S.P.S. Verma were also present on the occasion.

Chamba, August 5
The NHPC has agreed to provide financial assistance of Rs 76 lakh for the construction of a government senior secondary school building with boundary wall at Jawali in Kangra, adjacent to the district, where four projects of the NHPC are in operation. It is for the first time the NHPC has extended its fiscal support to any neighboring district where there is no project of the NHPC.

Disclosing this here, chief engineer (In charge) K. K. Joshi of the Chamera Hydroelectric Project (Stage-III) said the financial assistance had been extended by the NHPC on the request of Kangra MP Chander Kumar which included the district as its part.

Joshi said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard had recently been signed between the state government and the NHPC. As per the MoU, the first installment of Rs 35 lakh would be released as an advance payment and the payment of second installment of Rs 41 lakh would be made on completion of the remaining 50 per cent work of the school building, Joshi said

The 231-MW Chamera hydroelectric project (stage-III) is under construction on the Ravi in the district of Himachal Pradesh.

Shimla, August 5
The Himachal Pradesh government has launched a special drive to mobilise women to register their pregnancy, besides stepping up vigil to check female foeticide.

A special awareness drive has been launched across the state with the help of NGOs, anganwari workers and health department officials to mobilise women to register their pregnancy with primary health centres, director, Health and Family Welfare Department M.L. Mahajan said here today.

The director said the exercise had been undertaken for better health care of pregnant women. The registration of pregnancy would help the health centre to monitor women regularly and call them for regular check-ups, Mahajan said.

He said the department had launched a drive for checking female foeticide.

The sex ratio in Himachal is 968 females per 1,000 males. The ratio has improved in recent years due to the health department measures to check the killing of girl child.

The state government has initiated several measures for stopping female foeticide, including a cash reward of Rs 10,000 for anyone providing information about female foeticide.

Surprise inspections were also being carried out in clinics and ultrasound centres, particularly in border districts to stop female foeticide and check sex determination.

The state government has announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh as special developmental grant to the panchayat having the best male-female ratio. — PTI

Shimla, August 5
Senior BJP leader Ganesh Dut has urged the government to shift the local “anaj mandi” and “subzi mandi” to a suitable place on the Cart Road.

He said it would not only help decongest the main town, but also benefit traders who had to spent huge amount on transportation.

He criticised the municipal corporation for not taking required steps for collection of domestic waste as a result of which the city was littered with garbage. Even the site for dumping garbage had not been identified.

The water supply had also been mismanaged as a result of which the rationing of water was continuing even during peak monsoon.

Meanwhile, state media convener of the BJP Ashok Kapadia had blamed the private contractor for the damage caused to the main water supply pipeline. He said the contractor engaged by the PWD for the construction of the Sanjauli bypass had been working in undue haste to complete the road before elections and in the process norms had been given a go-by.