Mandi, February 19
Chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today asserted that the four cement plants-- one each near Sundernagar, Alcindi, Chamba and Chopal in Shimla district --would be set up within three years as they would generate local employment and the government would ensure environment protection.

Addressing the BJP partyworkers’ district ‘Abbhahar sammelan’ here today, Prem Kumar Dhumal said there were limited jobs in the government sector and these cement plants would be set up ensuring all safeguards in protecting the environment in the state.

All four cement plants would set up in the private sector within a time period of three years, he added.

Setting aside the environmental concerns raised by local residents in town of Sundernagar, Dhumal said the government would strike a balance between development and environment. “People need bread and butter and jobs and environment comes later,” he added.

Dhumal said he had directed the industry department to go ahead with the process of setting up the cement plants.

“We will ensure that these plants come into production within three years. The biggest challenge before us is how to generate employment. We will take care of environment, before we need rozgar,” he said.

Dhumal’s statement came as blow to the residents in Sundernagar and surroundings as the CM did not address to their long-pending grievance that the plant site should be shifted from Khatravari near Sudnernagar to some other site as it involves a lot of agricultural land, said the members of the Sangharsh Samiti.

They said they would urge the CM to shift the site as trucks and cement plant at Khatravari would create pollution and congestion in the town.

The trucks and lorries will add to the traffic problem in the town, they said reacting to the CM’s decision. 

Sundernagar, February 19
Dile Ram, Nachan MLA, today demanded that the proposed cement plant be set up near Sundernagar as early as possible. Earlier, Roop Singh, Sundernagar MLA, has been raising this demand. According to him, it will give employment to the local youths.

BJP leaders are so interested in the early setting up of the cement plant that they are quoting double the number of persons who will get employment there. As per information received from officials of proposed plant, about 5,000 persons will get direct or indirect employment. However, these leaders have been quoting the number as more than 10,000.

In response to the demand of Dile Ram, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said, “What to speak of one cement plant, two will be set up in Mandi district.”

The statements of BJP leaders, including the Chief Minister, are contradictory to the party’s promise to the farmers that no agricultural land will be used for the setting up industries.

The present government has rejected a PowerGrid project at Banala in Mandi district on the plea that agricultural land will not be given for the project. The government has taken a similar stand in case of Nalagarh in the Solan area.

However, in case of the cement plant proposed to be set up near Sundernagar, thousands of bighas of forestland has been diverted for mining purposes while thousands more will be used for setting up the plant. The plant will affect human population and the Bandali wildlife sanctuary.

Some of workers of the party, their leaders are taking undue interest in the setting up of the cement plant.

More than 5,000 residents of the Sundernagar area had submitted a representation to the previous government to shift the plant site far away from Sundernagar.

Shimla, February 19
The state mining department has ordered the closure of 120 mines and 115 stone crushers in the wake of the high court verdict which held that such activity could not be allowed on shamlat land.

120 mines and 115 stone crushers shut down on HC order   Nalagarh, Una, Hamirpur, Kangra hit most   To face shortage of sand, grit, boulders   Government to lose Rs 12 crore to Rs 15 crore annually   Rise in illegal mining feared   Suspension of mining to cause unemployment

Mining activity in the hill state are feared to be severely hit as almost half of the mines and stone crushers will be closed. There are about 265 mines and 235 stone crushers in the state. The lower hill areas like Nalagarh, Una, Hamirpur and Kangra where most of mines are located on shamlat land are likely to face an acute shortage of sand, grit and boulders. However, the cement plants which engage in large-scale mining have not been affected by the order.

District mining officers have been directed to enforce the order after checking the revenue record and submit compliance reports.

The closure of the mines and stone crushers will deprive the government of revenue ranging from Rs 12 crore to Rs 15 crore annually, which is nearly 25 per cent of the total mining revenue.

The government had taken over the village common land by enacting the State Village Common Land (Vesting and Utilisation) At in 1974. Initially, 50 per cent of the land was to be utilised for grazing and the remaining for distribution to landless persons. Subsequently, the Act was amended to facilitate the construction of public buildings like schools, mahila mandals and panchayat ghars. The Act was amended for second time in 1982 to allow industries and tourism ventures on the common land. However, the court held that industrial activity could not be allowed on the village common land as it was basically meant for agrarian use. Even in case of tourism, only village-based ecotourism could be permitted.

The mining department took action in the matter after the judgment was examined by the law department. With this, the total number of stone crushers in the state will be reduced from 324 five years ago to around 120. Over 100 crushers that did not fulfil the norms were closed on the orders of the high court four years ago.

The acute shortage of grit, sand and boulders is likely to further encourage illegal mining. More so, because the department does not have enough manpower to effectively regulate mining activities. The suspension of mining activity will also lead to unemployment.

Shimla, February 19
Even as a proposal to increase the number of green belts in the state Capital from 17 to 166 is pending, the government has constituted a committee to reconsider the issue of giving relaxation in the complete ban on construction in these green areas.

The notification with regard to the constitution of the committee headed by the director, town and country planning (TCP), was issued on February 11. The other members of the committee include the divisional forest officer (Urban) Shimla, architect planner (MC) and town planner, Shimla as its member secretary.

The committee has been assigned the task of re-examining and reconsidering the matter of inclusion of private land in green belt in the special planning area with reference to the objections filed. The committee will examine the various aspects with regard to allowing construction in the green areas as there is complete ban on fresh constructions in all 17 belts.

With the government specially constituting a committee to see if the plea of plot owners can be heard, there is a possibility that there can be partial relaxation. In fact about two years back, too, the government was ploying with the idea of lifting the ban partially by allowing need-based constructions below the forest road connecting the Ridge to Sanjauli.

The government had received a number of representations from some individuals, owning plots in green belts to give some relaxation in the ban.

Chamba, February 19
Consequent upon the approval of the Union Cabinet accorded recently to the Delimitation Commission report in respect of delimitation of parliamentary and assembly constituencies in the state, Rajnagar (SC) and Banikhet assembly constituencies in Chamba district have been renamed as Churah (SC) and Dalhousie constituencies, respectively, with the addition and deletion of several areas.

The names of the Bharmour (ST), Bhattiyat and Chamba constituencies would remain the same though many areas have been added and deleted in these constituencies, too. There are five constituencies in Chamba district.

According to a notification, the renamed Churah (SC) assembly constituency comprised Churah tehsil and Rajnagar kanungo circle of Chamba tehsil.

The Dalhousie assembly constituency comprised Salooni tehsil, Bhalei sub-tehsil, patwar circles of Sherpur, Manola, Bhatoli, Rulyani, Bathri, Dalhousie, Banikhet kanungo circle besides the Dalhousie municipal council and the Cantonment Board of Dalhousie tehsil.

In Bharmour (ST) assembly constituency, besides old areas of Pangi tehsil, Bharmour tehsil and Holi sub-tehsil, some non-tribal areas such as Mehla, Bakan, Gurad of Panjla kanungo circle and Lylh kanungo circle of Chamba tehsil had been included in the constituency.

The Bhattiyat assembly constituency comprised Bhattiyat tehsil, Sihunta sub-tehsil, patwar circles of Mail, Baily, Jiyunta, Balera, Dramman, Dhalog, Chuhan Nagali and Samleu of Banikhet kanungo circle of Dalhousie tehsil.

The Chamba assembly constituency now comprised kanungo circles of Sach, Gudiyal, patwar circles Uteep, Luddu, Rajera, Janghi of Panjla kanungo circle and the Chamba municipal council.

Shimla, February 19
The Shimla chapter of the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI) will undertake activities to educate the masses about drug abuse, literacy and other social issues.

Speaking on the occasion of the second anniversary of the Shimla chapter here last evening, its chairman B.D. Sharma stressed the need for organising more activities. It was decided that four programmes each would be held in the districts of Shimla, Solan, Sirmour and Kinnuar to create awareness among the masses.

It was also decided that the chapter would have its own website to disseminate information about its activities. Sharma invited student members from journalism and public relation institutes to join the society and give their valuable suggestions and contribution.

Members from all over the state attended the raising day celebrations.

During the past two years, the Shimla chapter has organised a large number of activities, as a result of which it received the Best Chapter award from the National PRSI for 2007. 

Hamirpur, February 19
The recommendation of the National AIDS Control organisation (NACO) to open an anti-retro-viral testing centre (ARTC) in Hamirpur district has not been implemented till now by the state AIDS Control Society despite AIDS claiming 56 lives in the district.

The NACO had recommended the opening of an ARTC here since Hamirpur is prone to AIDS. The first case of the AIDS was identified in the 80s in the district and since then, the number of cases has multiplied manifold. At present, about 1000 people are infected by HIV and about 500 full-blown AIDS cases exist.

According to figures provided by an NGO, 40 per cent of AIDS victims in the state are in Hamirpur district alone which include 10 orphans and 80 widows. The ARTC helps in AIDS detection and its absence in an area leads to lack of information about the test among the target group and patients from Hamirpur have to go to Shimla for the test.

HIV-infected children from 0 to 15 years are given a cash amount up to Rs 700, varying according to their age but their exact number cannot be identified in the absence of proper survey and ARTC.

Project director of the state AIDS Control Society S.Puri told The Tribune, “We have received the final approval from NACO about opening the ARTC at Hamirpur and the process is on. We would provide the infrastructure NACO would provide machines for establishing this centre.”

Bilaspur, February 19
Himachal forest minister J. P. Nadda has given a call to the students and youth of state to strive to attain maximum knowledge and expertise in various skills for facing future challenges of life and also for ensuring faster progress of their tiny hill state.

Presiding over annual prize distribution function of Government Post-graduate College here this afternoon, Nadda said student life is a very precious time and it should be properly utilised for productive and constructive activities. He said students should also strive for development of their personality apart from giving top priority to their studies.The minister declared that sufficient money would be made available for construction work going on in the college for the benefit of the students. He also announced the setting up of a hand pump in the college.

He distributed prizes to the top students in various fields. Minister specially honoured student Ajay Thakur who helped in winning gold at China as member of the national kabaddi team.

Earlier, the principal, Dr Subhash Gupta, read the annual report of the college and gave details of achievements of students. He said Rs 3 lakh had been given as stipend to 209 students, including 54 of the SC and ST categories.

The forest minister said the government led by Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal was committed to developing infrastructure in all educational institutions and had already taken some concrete steps for ensuring improvement of the quality of education in these temples of learning. He said this objective could be fulfilled only with the active cooperation of students and teachers alike. He said the government was anxious to ensure that work culture is developed in every walk of life of our state.

Jagat Prakash Nadda said Himachal’s Rs 2400-crore annual plan had been approved in which 34 per cent share had been allocated for social services which also includes education and that is ample proof of government’s seriousness in giving special attention to this subject.

Kumarhatti, February 19
Mystery shrouds the death of tractor driver Prem Lal (35) whose blood stained body was recovered in the tractor’s trolley at the Doon Tempo Union office on the Baddi-Barotiwala road near Baddi today. A passer by noticed the body at around 11 am who informed the tractor owner Randeep Singh Negi and he informed the police who took the body under its custody.

Prem Lal hailed from Bhadhiyon in Uttar Pradesh. He was engaged as a driver with Negi’s tractor from January 12. The deceased was putting up along with his family in the slum area adjoining the Balad river. There were multiple injuries marks on the body.

According to Somwati, Prem Lal’s wife, she had called up her husband on his mobile from neighbour’s mobile at around 8 pm. The deceased told her wife that he would return in two-three hours. Later, when he failed to return back home her wife presumed that he might have stayed somewhere for some work.

According to Negi, the deceased had called him up on the last evening and informed about the status of the work.

Meanwhile, a senior police officer said the murder appeared to be done at some other place. It seemed that in the night the body was dumped along with tractor trolley, he said.

Though his wife has not suspected anybody, but a massive search drive was launched to nab the murderers, the officer added.