Shimla, February 4
The government is considering setting up tourist, educational and health institutions that can cater to a population of around 5,000 to counter the trend of ribbon development and to enable utilisation of barren areas off the highways.

A beginning in this direction has already been made as four such complexes have been proposed in the Shimla Capital City Regional Plan. Deliberations have already been held and public objections invited by the Town and Country Planning Department so that ideal locations can be identified.

In case of Shimla, any such complex will be at a distance of 20 km as the crow flies. As such, these complexes could be located anywhere between Shalaghat, Vaknaghat, Matiana, Tattapani and up to Chail boundary.

In case of other parts of the town, it is the Central Himachal Counter Magnet Plan that will have transport, industrial, educational, tourist, health or a multiplex.

The move to set up complexes will encourage private investment benefiting people who have extra land which is barren and is not being put to any use. “The complexes will come up on individual land with the help of private investment and the profit will be shared by both,” said a senior official. However, it is only the barren and non-agricultural land that will be used for the purpose.

In view of the land scarcity and pressure on civic amenities in the already exiting townships, it is being felt that these places can emerge as ideal locations for tourist or educational complexes. “Instead of having more hotels or educational institutions coming up in Shimla, it would be ideal to develop such complexes,” officials said.

The area would become self-sustainable in no time as had been the case with so many places where some institutes had come up. Since the move to develop satellite townships or new towns had not made much headway, the government was keen to have such projects, he added.

As per the proposal, the land will be pooled in by the owners for public facilities like roads. In case huge chunks of land owned by an individual are uitlised for public use, he could be compensated by giving him government land.

Una, February 4
The residents of the state should adopt a new work culture. Self-employment rather than jobs in government and private concerns should be the thrust area for unemployed youth.

This was stated by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal while stressing on the need for change in the attitude of people keeping in view the future scenario. The people should learn to work hard. He was on his first visit to Una district after taking over as the Chief Minister of the state.

“To boost investment and create more sources of income for the residents, the government is planning public-private participation in education and tourism. Some companies have proposed to set up institutes of higher learning and developing tourist spots. The government is considering these proposals,” he added.

When asked about bottlenecks in the way of investment in the state, such as permission to buy land, he said the checks would stay.

If everybody was allowed to buy land in the state, the people from other states would buy the entire land and subjugate residents of the state, he added.

About the method to be adopted for public-private participation, he said modalities for the same were still to be worked out. He said the government had issued orders that no school student or teacher should be involved in government functions during working days.

Moreover, no government function would be allowed during working days in schools or other educational institutions. “The doctors have been directed against leaving their duties for remaining on duty with visiting VIPs. Even during my visits, I have directed against summoning doctors for remaining standby at official functions. If VIPs need doctors, they can go to them.

Earlier, he was honoured by the Press Club, Una. The CM also inaugurated the new ITI building there.

Palampur, February 4
The large scale smuggling of liquor into Kangra district from Punjab and Chandigarh has become a matter of concern for the excise and taxation authorities here. If no early measures were adopted by the government to check the smuggling the excise revenue in this district would adversely be affected. It may be recalled that the state government get major share of the excise revenue from this district.

The total revenue from excise in Kangra district is Rs 70 crore. Over 43 lakh litres of liquor (one crore ten lakh bottles) is consumed in the district every year. Last year there was over 10 per cent increase in the revenue of excise in the district. The excise authorities are worried that if no measures are initiated to check the smuggling, revenue from excise might come down next year particularly in boarder areas where smuggling was on rise from last four years.

Official sources told The Tribune that at present 12 gangs of liquor smugglers were active and over 1,200 boxes of liquor were daily flowing into the district illegally. It is learnt that the smugglers had nexus with the owners of distilleries. Therefore, they were getting liquor without paying any excise duty and taxes on it. Smuggled liquor is 50 per cent cheaper as compared to the liquor being sold in official vends of the government.

In the absence of cooperation from the police the excise authorities as well as liquor contractors were helpless to check the smuggling. Many contractors have hired private security personnel to check the smuggling in their respective areas. It is a hard fact that most of the gangs of smugglers were surviving with the blessing of the police and the politicians; therefore no action is taken against them. Whenever the police and the excise authorities plan any raids they get prior information about it.

A senior officer of the excise department told The Tribune that the worst affected areas were Palampur, Kangra, Deharagopipur and Nurpur circles where the smuggler had their strong network and openly sell liquor in their parallel outlets. In Palampur, Baijnath and Jaisinghpur there are over 100 outlets where smuggled liquor was easily available.

It is a matter of serious concern that the liquor smugglers in the district are well equipped with latest weapons, therefore, the police hesitates to challenge them.

Few months ago, a police party intercepted a vehicle carrying smuggled liquor near Paror and seized 30 boxes of liquor. But within few minutes members of smuggler gang carrying weapons and sword appeared on the scene and snatched all impounded liquor and managed to escape.

The police could not do much. There are many such incidents when the police had to surrender before the smugglers. In past one year more than 12 cases were registered against the smugglers in different police stations but most of these cases are yet to reach in the court for trial.

Solan, February 4
With the BSNL broadband developing a snag every now and then the subscribers are a harried lot. The erratic services have created particular problems for Internet users, including cybercafe owners, educational institutions, mediapersons, on-line traders, bankers as well as various governments departments.

It was interesting to note that on one hand the BSNL was unable to handle it’s existing connections in Solan and on the other hand it was going ahead with an expansion spree in places like Kasauli, Kandaghat, Baddi, Dharampur, Parwanoo etc.

Subscribers rued that they had availed the BSNL broadband in the belief that being a government agency it would provide quality services. But given the frequent breakdown encountered by the people in its services, the broadband has become a headache.

Officials while cutting a sorry figure rued that the problem arose due to frequent problems in the Bangalore server and there was little they could do, as the problem was not due to any local fault. While agreeing that in the last few days the problem had assumed a greater proportion the officials said they immediately try to restore the services once they were brought to their notice.

The unfortunate part, however, was the fact that there was no official with whom a complaint regarding faulty services could be lodged. Even the toll free number 1957 provided for the purpose was never answered and another one 1500 though answered found no response to the Internet queries. This created particular problems for the users who could not approach higher officials each time such problems occurred.

It was, however, surprising as to why a snag in the Bangalore server reflected only in the Internet services in Solan while the rest of the state suffered no problems. This led the users to believe that the load had swelled to more than it’s carrying capacity. Officials while avoiding being quoted agreed that the existing capacity in Solan was overburdened with nearly 75 per cent load as against an average load of 30 per cent elsewhere in the state. 

Shimla, February 4
With the Planning Commission expressing its inability to provide special assistance, the fund-starved hill state may have to resort to increased borrowings for funding the annual plan for 2008-09.

The state has proposed a plan of Rs 2,400 crore, an increase of Rs 300 crore over the current year’s plan. However, it does not have its own resources and it has been raising loans and securing special assistance from the Centre for funding the plan. The state received special assistance of Rs 342 crore and raised loans for Rs 1,145 crore. However, during the preliminary discussion regarding plan finalisation last week, the Planning Commission made it clear that it did not have funds for providing special assistance to the states.

The Union Ministry of Finance has capped the net borrowings for the ensuing year at Rs 1,155 crore, but with the commission not in a position to extend special assistance the state will have no option but to raise more loans to fund the plan. Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal is likely to take up the matter with the commission for grant of special assistance during his meeting with the deputy chairman of the commission on February 13 and 14. If the response is in the negative, the state will plead for raising the limit for borrowing. The state may have to raise Rs 500 crore to Rs 600 crore more in that eventuality.

The main reason for the planning commission’s refusal to grant special assistance is that the Union Ministry of Finance is allocating about Rs 1 lakh crore less than the amount sought by it. The fund squeeze has forced it do away with the practice of granting special assistance which will affect special-category states like Himachal Pradesh that are not in a position to mobilise their own resources.

Another factor that is putting additional strain on the commission is that all states had sought additional funds in view of the impeding pay revision. The report of the 6th Pay Commission for Central employees is expected shortly and its recommendation will have a cascading effect on the states. The state government has also sought Rs 300 crore on this account.

The committed liabilities of the government will shoot up with pay revision. The burden on account of salaries and pensions will cross the Rs 4,000-crore mark. Further, an amount of about Rs 2,900 crore, including annual interest liability of Rs 1,800 crore, is going towards debt servicing. The state’s own income is only Rs 2,800 crore.

Hamirpur, February 4
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal’s initiative to build a modern marketing complex in Hamirpur was given a practical shape when a proposal was mooted to build the complex in joint collaboration between Hamirpur Nagar Parishad and the Department Of Tourism.

The modern marketing complex in Hamirpur would be built jointly by the Tourism Department of the state government and the nagar parishad at an estimated cost of Rs 1.37 crore on 70:30 basis.

A 3-member committee of the nagar parishad members has been constituted which would coordinate the construction of this complex with the Tourism Department.
This complex would accommodate 58 existing kiosk owners, who would be evacuated from the present main road opposite bus stand and in addition would have 14 more shops, which would be put to open auction after their completion.

This complex would also have a taxi stand and a passage to bus stand, besides, other modern facilities.

It is notable that Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal during his previous term had laid the foundation stone on October 27, 2002, of a marketing complex in Hamirpur where kiosk owners were to be given the shops.

An amount of Rs 50 lakh was also deposited with the government as their contribution.

But this project did not get any support from the previous Congress government and the amount deposited by the kiosk owners was also refunded to them by deducting Rs 15,000 each.

Dhumal after becoming the Chief Minister had once again directed the DC Hamirpur to explore the possibilities of constructing a marketing complex here.

It is learnt that the DC had sent a proposal in this regard to the Tourism Department, which had agreed to build the marketing complex in collaboration with the nagar parishad.

The district tourism development officer Dharamsala while talking about this proposal said, “We are in the process of selecting site for this marketing complex after which work would begin on the project.”

Mandi, February 4
As the technical committee of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has rejected the proposal to merge the almost defunct Mandi Urban Cooperative Bank Limited (MUCBL) with HP State Cooperative Bank on prescribed norms, now bank’s over 1,500 depositors have pinned their hopes on its merger with Bhagat Urban Cooperative Bank, Solan, which has already sought RBI nod for MUCBL’s merger with it.

Sources said the RBI had rejected the proposal to merge MUCBL with the cooperative bank as both had different set-ups (urban and cooperative society).

“As such, their merger is not technically feasible as per the prescribed norms,” they said.

The previous Congress government had constituted a committee to look into the merger of the bank with the state cooperative bank and had urged the RBI to expedite merger as over 1,500 depositors had run into financial bankruptcy ever since the RBI froze its transactions about three years ago.

Depositors said the defaulters responsible for the liquidation of the bank should be booked and the administration should speed up recovery of loans.

Deputy director (cooperative) and administrator of the bank Suresh Rangra said after the rejection of the merger with the cooperative bank, the committee would now consider the other possibility and submit its report to the government for the further action.

Sundernagar, February 4
Many residents, who had been favouring the installation of the cement plant near Sundernagar and were hoping that the company would give them Rs 50 to 60 lakh per bigha of land, have now raised their demand to more than Rs 60 lakh per bigha of land. They also apprised the company with the intention of some of local residents who are willing to give land for the project.

However, J.S. Kalra, executive president of Harish Cement Ltd, who in a statement had said the company would pay around Rs 150 to 200 crore for the acquisition of land, had shown real intention of the company that it would not be in a position to pay more than Rs 10 lakh per bigha of land.

The situation around Sundernagar is that the rates of land are sky rocketing and the scarcity of land is so that no land is left adjoining to the roads. Even the land around the village roads costs around Rs 40 to 60 lakh per bigha (as the sale of land is ranging from Rs 2 to 3 lakh per bishwa, one bigha of land is equal to 20 bishwa of land).

Interesting fact is that the value of land in revenue record is less; however, in reality it is many times higher.

Although most of the farmers were not willing to give land to the company, but all politicians were favouring the installation of the cement plant ignoring the wishes of the public for the reason best known to them. They have been asking the local residents to give their land for the plant and assured that they would get huge amount for it. But now, the stand taken by the company had opened the eyes of public who had been favouring its installation.

As per the company, it would acquire about 3,000 bighas of land and if the amount is worked out it comes out to be around Rs 7 lakh per bigha. The amount would be further decreased if the land is to be acquired as per the project report submitted by the company to acquire around 4,200 bighas of land.

It seems that the company is taking advantage of rates in revenue papers but in reality the rates of lands are higher.

On the other hand representatives of the Parryabaran Sangarsh Samiti, the Khatrwari Sangarsh Samiti and the Sundernagar Sangarsh Samiti have launched a door-to-door campaign apprising the public with the intention of the company to acquire the land at throw away prices with the help of local politicians.

The representative of Kishan Sangh (a farmer organisation supported by Rashtriya Swan Sevak Sangh) have decided to meet Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal to turn down the proposal to set up the cement plant near Sundernagar as it would be against the interest of farmers and local residents and would adversely affect the fertile land of Balh valley.

Kangra, February 4
A poor couple lost one of their newly born daughters and was waiting for the death of the other, as they could not afford to shift them to Dr R.P. Government Medical College Hospital, Tanda, to put them in an incubator as it was not available in the local civil hospital.

Devi Lal and his wife Sarita, residents of Chattisgarh, were working as labourers with a local contractor at Fatehpur near Dharamsala. According to Devi Lal, he approached the contractor yesterday with a request to give him his earned money as his wife was undergoing labour pain. He alleged that only after the verification about the pregnancy of his wife he was given Rs 500 by the contractor.

He said he visited zonal hospital, Dharamsala, where then doctors instead of treating her, while she was in labour pain, referred her to Dr R.P. Government Medical College Hospital. But as it would cost him Rs 300 as taxi fare for Tanda he preferred to get his wife admitted in the local civil hospital to save money.

She delivered premature twin girls each weighing 1.5 kg and needed incubator facilities, which were not available in the civil hospital here. He had already spent Rs 300 on the medicines and now he could not afford the transportation of his wife and babies to Tanda. Meanwhile, a girl died in the lap of her mother.

Dr D.B. Sood, SMO, told The Tribune that a child specialist kept a watch on both and referred her to Tanda but she refused to go as she had two girl children already.

Following the intervention of newsmen the hospital authorities provided her with an ambulance and shifted her to Tanda.

Shimla, February 4
The launch of the Himachal Pradesh statewide area network (HIMSWAN) tomorrow will be made available live as web-cast at www.himachaldit.gov.in/himswanlaunch <<http://www.himachaldit.gov.in/himswanlaunch>> or www.himachal.gov.in/webcast <<http://www. himachal.gov.in / webcast>>.

With inauguration by the Chief Minister, the state will become the first in the country to commission the statewide area network under the National e-Governance Plan.

A spokesman of the government said the state had been able to achieve this distinction at a very economical cost and tremendous speed despite major challenges posed by adverse climate and difficult topography. The network connecting offices down to the level of tehsils, sub-tehsils, blocks and even panchayats supported voice, video and data. Up to 118 locations, including some panchayats, could be connected through video conferencing.

HIMSWAN uses state-of-the-art features that are unmatched anywhere in the country. It uses hybrid of optical fibre and “managed leased line” connectivity. Pre-WiMax Interface has been provided at each of the 132 points of presence to provide an option for horizontal connectivity in phases to more than 3,000 offices.

Solan, February 4
Furthering its poll agenda of initiating a probe into land deals executed during the Congress regime in which interests of the farmers were allegedly compromised, the state executive body of the BJP has decided to initiate a probe into the matter.

A decision to this effect was taken during the two-day session of the party’s state executive body, which concluded here yesterday.

Sources said there were major scams in land deals executed in various industrial areas, including Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh, Kala Amb-Poanta Sahib and some pockets of Kangra. Around 95 per cent of the scams, which involved buying land on lower prices from farmers and selling at much higher rates to builders, pertained to the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh area. Blaming the Himachal Pradesh Housing and Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) for being part of these scams, BJP leaders said HIMUDA officials in the respective districts acted as facilitators. Holding them responsible for bowing to the dictates of their political bosses, the BJP leaders demanded a thorough probe into the matter.

Sources said 43 builders were benefited by HIMUDA through land allotment. Prime government land at two places was given at very cheap rates. One such chunk of around 3 acres at Kundli (belonging to the HPMC) was not just auctioned for mere Rs 9.11 crore in 2006, but even after the buyer who procured the rights failed to deposit the entire amount till March, 2007, his security deposit of nearly Rs 2.5 crore was not just refunded but 4 per cent interest was also paid to him.

In yet another case, land measuring 65 bighas belonging to government owned Himalayan Fertilisers was auctioned for Rs 3.6606 crore while it was resold by the owner for Rs 13 crore in a span of six months of its auction. All these irregularities had been pointed out by the BJP in their 2007 chargesheet presented to the Governor, but no probe was initiated. The BJP leaders were now demanding a thorough probe to unravel the truth and bring the corrupt officials and politicians to book.

Kumarhatti, February 4
The heavy snowfall on Sunday came as a boon for tourism activities here today. In fact a fresh lease of life has pumped the tourism here after snow lashed the town and its surrounding area of Barog and Dagshai yesterday.

A record number of tourist from adjacent plains made a beeline here to enjoy snow. Observations showed that over thousand tourist vehicles crossed the town en route to Barog or Shimla. Interestingly, the majority of them preferred to enjoy snow at Barog or Dagshai.

Though there was no snow today but cloudy weather in afternoon raised a dim hope of another spell of snow.

A good number of young couples were seen making merry in the snow. It was houseful at Barog today. The local market of Barog remained jam-packed with tourist rush who could be seen enjoining hot cup of tea and snacks in roadside dhabhas.

The HPTDC run Pine Wood hotel at Barog was also swarmed with tourists. As per the hotel staff they have never ever witnessed such huge rush here. The occupancy in the hotel was up and all thanks to the snow.

A visit to other hotels at Barog revealed that the snow had helped in enhancing the occupancy. More snow in coming days would mean more occupancy, pointed out a jubilant staffer of a hotel.

The roadside dhabhas are doing brisk business since yesterday. According to an eating joint owner at Barog, the daily sale was five times more than of daily average. The 2-km stretch of Kalka-Shimla national highway from Barog onwards was virtually turned into a party arena for the tourists. The tourists, mostly the youth, were seen dancing to the latest Punjabi pop hit songs in snow-covered highwa