Shimla, September 22
Completed more than three years behind schedule and at double the estimated cost, the controversial Larji hydroelectric project will be formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh tomorrow.

The project was to be commissioned by March 2003. However, it was plagued by financial bunglings, gross irregularities and indifferent execution which made it one of the costliest projects in the country. As against the normal cost of Rs 5 crore per megawatt the Larji project has been completed at a cost of more than Rs 10 crore per megawatt. Even the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri project which was devastated by flashfloods thrice and also faced endless employees agitations cost only Rs 5.5 crore per megawatt.

The project has been completed at a cost of 1,270 crore, almost double the original cost. The large-scale bunglings and huge time and cost overruns forced the state electricity regulatory commission to order a probe which revealed glaring financial irregularities and shortcomings in the execution of the project. The audit conducted by the comptroller and auditor general also detected various irregularities and overpayment.

On the basis of these reports vigilance cases had been registered and senior engineers had been booked. Intriguingly, the state electricity board did not initiate any action against any officer even after its own inquiry also confirmed financial bunglings.

The cost of generation will be well over Rs 5 per unit as against the average sale price of Rs 3.67 per unit. Located upstream the Pandoh Dam, the project comprises a diversion structure, a headrace tunnel and an underground power house. Power is generated by three turbines of 42 MW each.

The project has till date generated 60 crore units ,which is about three crore more than the target. A three-km-long traffic tunnel was also built on the national highway-21 which had to be realigned.

Sundernagar, September 22
The purchase deal for the third dredger costing Rs 10 crore by the BBMB has become a centre of controversy as the secretary of the purchase committee has written to the higher authorities that the report vide which the dredger was purchased was not genuine and it had been tampered with.

The controversy has sparked panic among officials who were involved in the purchase of the dredger and many were trying to hush up the matter.

As per the Environment Management Plan, the BBMB has recently purchased the third dredger to speed up dredging operations from balancing reservoir. This dredger started functioning from July 1. Later investigations revealed that something was wrong at the bottom.

The BBMB had constituted a committee for the purchase of the dredger consisting of six officials headed by chief engineer, additional superintending engineer of the Electrical and Workshop Division, who was also the secretary of the purchase committee.

Three companies that came forward for supplying the dredger were the IHC, Holland, M/S Startek Marine and M/S Bharti Shipyard Ltd.

The tender was awarded to the IHC, Holland, and it started functioning from July 1.

Many senior officers were of the opinion that the dredger offered by M/S Startek was suitable as its consumed less fuel and lubricant. Thus saving almost Rs 1 crore in 25 years (37,500 hours), which was its life. But the tender was to given to the IHC causing loss to the BBMB.

It was also against the motto of the BBMB, which said: “Keep the system running at the minimum cost”.

All this was done at the behest of top officials. The secretary of the purchase committee had written to the higher authorities that the report vide which the purchase was made was tampered with. As per information, different copies of the report were supplied to six different offices but the report was changed only in the office of Procurement, Stores and Disposal Division, Sundernagar. The Additional SE of Electrical and Workshop Division had written to the higher authorities but till date no action had been taken against the guilty officials.

Many top officials declined to comment on the issue but admitted that the official concerned had brought the matter to the notice of higher officials but no action had been taken. The chief engineer was not available for comments.

Nurpur, September 22
Himachal Pradesh government will take action and suspend those gram panchayat pradhans and panchayat secretaries who have tampered with the lists of IRDP and BPL families finalised by the gram sabhas.

Sat Mahajan, the rural development and panchayati raj minister, while presiding over the relief distribution ceremony under Indira Awas and Rajiv Awas schemes here today said the government was awaiting the inquiry reports in this connection.

The minister informed that under Rajiv Awas scheme the state government was disbursing Rs 34 crore for the construction of 11,972 houses. He said the beneficiaries under the scheme were being selected in the gram sabha meetings and added that each eligible person would get Rs 27,500. On this occasion he disbursed cheques worth Rs 13.86 lakh among 118 poor beneficiaries of Nurpur development block. He said the state government had strengthened gram sabhas in the state and holding of gram sabha meetings in the gram panchayats had been made compulsory. “The local panchayat pradhans are accountable for holding of these meetings,” he asserted.

Talking about the issue of damage to private properties by torrential rain and cloudburst in Nurpur subdivision last month, Mahajan said the affected families would get relief on October 15.

Shimla, September 22
The government today transferred 12 state administrative service officers.

D.P. Sharma, LAO, state electricity board, Mandi, has been posted as the settlement officer (consolidation of holdings), Hamirpur, relieving H.S. Thakur of the additional charge.

Amrit Lal Sharma, assistant commissioner to deputy commissioner, Kangra, goes as the LAO, Kangra, in place of Amita Mahajan who takes over as the general manger, district industries centre, Solan.

Kumud Singh, assistant settlement officer, Kullu, has been posted as the district tourism development officer, Kullu, while Reema Kashyap, LAO (PWD), Kangra, goes as the LAO, HPSEB, Mandi.

Sandeep Negi, subdivisional officer, Chopal, takes over as the SDO, Ani, in place of Chet Ram Kaundal, who goes as the ASO, Kullu. Satish Kumar, project officer, ITDP, Keylong, will be the new SDO, Bhoranj, and Suneel Sharma, assistant commissioner-cum-BDO, Tauni Devi, goes as the SDO, Chopal. Vinay Kumar, assistant commissioner cum-BDO, Mehla, will take over as the project director (DRDA), Keylong.

Hakam Singh, additional excise and taxation commissioner, has been posted as the general manager, state civil supplies corporation, Shimla, and Duni Chand Rana, SDO, Dharamsala, takes over as the assistant commissioner to deputy commissioner, Kangra.

Solan, September 22
With virtually little control over the sale of land allotted to the landless families in the district, a number of families revert to “landless” status after selling five bighas of land allotted to them. A number of landless families in panchayats like Ser Banera, Salogra and Anji, lying in the proximity of the district town, as well as in the far-flung areas have sold the land allotted to them.

The land owners wait for the lock-in period of 20 years to expire and then sell the land to the property dealers. It is the lure of easy money and the enticement offered by influential property dealers which make these people sell their lands, defeating the very purpose of the government’s scheme of providing land to them. The land is allotted under the Grant of Nautor Land to Landless and Other Eligible People’s Scheme 1975. Earlier, the lock-in period, which is the minimum period during which land cannot be sold, used to be 15 years. This was, however, amended to 20 years in 1989.

Though the revenue entries of such land are supposed to bear remarks that the land allotted cannot be sold by the male owner until his wife is alive, yet the clause is apparently either overlooked or conveniently bypassed. Sources confided that such land deals remain unnoticed because the buyers are influential people, who often connive with the field officials.

Ironically, the sufferers and losers here are the very persons who sell off their lands in the hope of making profit. They are unable to get more land for the fear of being caught by the authorities and the money from the sale of their land is usually not sufficient. Such land is further sold by the property dealers at much higher rates. Since it is a violation of the revenue laws the poor owner is unable to approach any authority even if he has been handed over a paltry amount by the first buyer.

Revenue officials, however, maintained that if detected such land can be vested with the state government as it defeats the very purpose of such allotments. Since this land is allotted to rehabilitate a poor family any attempt to make its commercial use is a violation of the existing laws, they observed. But with no complainant coming forward, the revenue authorities can do little to cancel such deals. Though it can conduct surveys from time to time to see whether such land has been put to due use, yet revenue department staff seem to have little motivation to carry out such an exercise.

Kangra, September 22
Preliminary inquiry has established that there is prima facie evidence against the pradhan of Tharu village in Shahpur tehsil in connection with a case of illegally occupying government land. Proceedings have been initiated against him under Section 163 of the Himachal Pradesh Land revenue Act, 1954.

Dharamsala SDM D.C. Rana said here today that the complaint against Surender Singh (pradhan) was made by some villagers headed by Amar Singh Dhiman, P.R. Sharma and Narinder Singh on December 30. They had demanded an inquiry and dismissal of the pradhan.

He said the action as regards his dismissal would be taken by the DC who had been apprised of the inquiry report. — OC

Shimla, September 22
The government will take effective steps to check the misuse of ‘Press’ stickers on vehicles by unauthorized persons and ensure that only the stickers duly signed by the Director of Information and Public Relations will be honoured.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh issued these directions after the issue was brought to his notice by a deputation of the National Union of Journalism here today. He said reports were being received from various quarters about the misuse of the “Press” word by vested interests, who painted it on their vehicles.

He said the director of Information and Public Relations would be the nodal agency for issuing the signed stickers to the working journalists subject to renewal annually. He said that effective steps would also be taken to check the vehicles entering the state from adjoining states or any part of the country to ascertain their genuineness of such stickers.

Palampur, September 22
The reckless felling of trees by various companies executing power projects in the Dhauladhar ranges of Kangra district has become a matter of serious concern.

Though the government had granted permission for the felling of trees certain power companies had axed more trees than the sectioned numbers.

Information revealed that the Forest Department had already compounded the offences by imposing nominal penalties for indulging in illicit felling. No stringent action had been initiated against defaulters under the HP Forest Act. The felling of trees had also caused immense loss to the environment.

A number of natural water resources have also been damaged in different parts of the region.

As many as 12 drinking water supply schemes getting water from the Neugal river had adversely been affected. In a number of villages and towns in the Palampur region residents have been receiving muddy and contaminated water because of a regular flow of silt, clay and other waste material following reckless cutting of hills for making roads to dam sites by power companies. Heavy machines like JCBs were being used to cut the hills, which had adversely affected the eco-system of the region.

A senior officer told The Tribune that the HPSEB could enforce the implementation of MoUs as it was the only government department which was a party to the agreements.

Palampur SDM C.P. Verma said that he had limited powers to handle the situation. There are other departments like Irrigation and Public Health, Forest and PWD but they have not initiated any efforts so far.

With none in the administration to enforce for proper implementation of the MoUs signed between the power companies and the government, most companies were playing havoc with nature.

The Palampur Welfare and Environment Protection forum had asked the government to review its policy on the allocation of small hydel projects to private parties. R.K. Sood, president of the forum, said that the defaulting companies should be blacklisted after cancelling the allotment of their projects.

Mandi, September 22
The Muncipal Council here has just one driver to drive the waste-lifting carriage. The town has waste bins overflowing with trash and junk, while roads, street drains and nallas are choked.

Even the CPI (urban unit and citizens council) have raised their concern regarding the hygiene in the town. The heaps of trash and junk can be seen in many wards in the town as waste bins are not being lifted and cleaned on a regular basis, complained residents, raising fingers on the councilors who have been busy in raising one no confidence after another first against the president now against the vice-president.

CPI urban unit, secretary Samir Kashyap and co-secretary Lawan Thakur have stated that the government should dismiss the present council and the fresh council elections be held as the present house had failed to deliver the goods.

The members of the citizens’ council had also raised their concern over the overflowing and stinking waste bins. They had urged the minister to appoint staff to conserve cleanliness in the town, they added.

MMC president Sushila Sonkhla said she had taken up the matter with the urban development minister Kaul Singh Thakur there was shortage of drivers to drive the three wheelers, lift vans and tippers to carry the waste bins to the dumping site.

“We need seven drivers but at present we have just one driver as two drivers have gone on leave due to court cases”, She said .She further said “Moreover, I have joined recently and need time to sort out the problems.

The councilors said they had asked the president to appoint drivers on contract basis for which the council had to take up the permission from the Urban Development Department.

Chamba, September 22
Mahant Swami Virendrananda Giri, president of the Himachal Pradesh Sri Sanatan Dharma Math Mandir Suraksha Samiti, has expressed resentment over the issue of the Manimahesh pilgrimage being not conducted under the aegis of the newly constituted Manimahesh Trust. In a statement issued here today, he said the non-implementation of the norms of the newly constituted trust had disappointed his organisation and pilgrims who could not get better facilities this year. — OC

Manali, September 22
An eight-member team of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation led by Subedar Amar Prakash, successfully scaled the 6,221 m high Indrasan peak, the highest in the Kullu region.

In a press note issued here by Subedar Prakash, Shaurya Chakra, Instructor, Directorate of

Mountaineering and Allied Sports Manali, stated that the expedition was sponsored by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation, New Delhi.

He said the expedition was earlier flagged off by Maj. H.P.S Ahluwalia, president of Indian Mountaineering Foundation, from the premises of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation on August 30.

He said Indrasan is considered to be one of the most difficult peaks in the state.

The approach to the peak is through the steep rock gulley, vertical ice walls as christened in

the maps of Survey of India. He said this was the first successful ascent by any Indian expedition. Virender Singh was youngest climber of the team.

The eight members of the team included Harsh Thakur, Prosenjit Samanta, Ajai Kumar Vajpayee, K. Wallambok Lyngdoh, Debraj Dutaa, Goutam Saha, Sunil Karpa, Chander Lal, Lalit Kumar Jhobta, Jai Ram Negi, Virender Singh and pharmacist Ashish Attri.

Chamba, September 22
The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has planned to install mobile towers in the border areas of Kihar and Salwan in Chamba district adjoining the borderland of Jammu and Kashmir for the convenience of the security forces and the local population.

Member of Parliament from Kangra Chander Kumar said these areas were quite difficult and backward so far as telecommunication services were concerned and were deprived of useful means of communications. He said the BSNL had a concrete proposal in hand to set up mobile towers that would provide fast telecom services to the subscribers.

He said the process to acquire land had been initiated and the district revenue authorities had been asked to provide suitable land to the BSNL forthwith so that the proposed towers could be installed as early as possible.

Dalhousie, September 22
More than 30 patients were reported to have been suffering from viral fever in the Banikhet area of Chamba district. The contaminated water in different natural resources has led to an outbreak of fever in this belt, reports reaching here said today.

The reports divulged that the nearby civil hospitals in the region had registered considerable number of patients suffering from acute seasonal viral fever for the past few days. These patients were undergoing treatment here.

Officials, however, maintained that the situation was under control and patients were being looked after meticulously. Water sources were being chlorinated in the area.

Bilaspur, September 22
The Himachal Pradesh State Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation has distributed loans worth Rs 23 crore for the development and economic uplift of backward classes in the state till now, while a sum of Rs 4 crore is being distributed as financial help to these classes during the current financial year.

Presiding over a workshop held to apprise members of backward classes of government schemes for their welfare at Jhandutta, 40 km from here, today, corporation project manager Satish Thakur said till now 45 beneficiaries of Bilaspur district had been given loans worth Rs 80 lakh.

Satish Thakur said the corporation had provided loans to these classes for agriculture, small scale trade, and transport sector and also for starting self-employment schemes at five per cent annual interest. He said those with annual income of less than Rs 40,000 can take advantage of this loan scheme.

He said professionals like doctors, engineers and other trained personnel can also avail of this five per cent interest loan up to a sum of Rs 5 lakh. Self-help groups of women can get loan at four per cent annual interest up to Rs 25,000.

Shimla, September 22
The Shimla Sood Sabha has decided to expand its activities and venture into the field of education. Sabha president Ramesh Sood said the sabha had completed the Ram Mandir project at a cost of Rs 2 crore and now it was keen to invest its resources and efforts in other fields.

It planned to set up intuitions, technical and professional, but despite repeated requests to the government it was not allotted land for the purpose. It had now decided to secure land form its members. A comprehensive project for setting up an engineering college would be formulated as soon as suitable land was made available.

The sabha planned to undertake future projects with the cooperation of other Sood sabhas in the country. The sabha would organise the annual Sood mela on from September 23 to October 7, 2007 in the Mandir complex. The mela would conclude at the Bharari police ground.