Shimla, April 11
While reiterating the government’s commitment to implementing the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003, which mandate the separation of transmission and distribution activities, Chief Minister P.K.Dhumal today asserted that there would be no privatisation of the electricity board. The government would endeavour to establish a power trading company under its exclusive control which would have full financial and administrative autonomy so that it could follow prudent commercial practices.

Replying to the debate on the budget estimates of the state electricity board for 2008-09 in the Vidhan Sabha, he said an effective mechanism to monitor the implementation of various hydroelectric projects, particularly those being executed by independent poor producers, to ensure their timely completion. The board would no longer be burdened with responsibilities pertaining to policy formulation, providing technical inputs on court cases, coordination with the central government and other states and other issues concerning the power sector as the government had decided to set up a directorate of energy for taking care of such matters.

The government was also aware of the need for expanding the transmission infrastructure for evacuation of power from various projects under execution and a transmission master plan was being finalised by the board in coordination with the Central Transmission Utility. An allocation of Rs 248 crore had been made for strengthening the transmission network.

The government had been able to get sanction for schemes worth Rs 100 crore under the Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yozna. Schemes had been approved for all districts, except Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti.

He accused the previous Congress government of mismanaging the affairs of the board and cited excerpts from the CAG report to substantiate his charge. Failure to file tariff petitions annually in time with complete details and justifiable data resulted in a loss of Rs 154.86 crore and delay in recovery of Rs 533.72 crore. The board failed to restructure its high cost debts which led to a loss of Rs 48.21 crore. Failure to reduce transmission and distribution losses cost the board potential revenue of Rs 79.75 crore.

The revenue receipts were expected to increase to Rs 2547 crore from Rs 2512crore last year. The board would have a surplus of Rs 5.26 crore in 2007-08 but end 2008-09 with a deficit of Rs 423 crore, mainly on account of the likely pay revision.

Earlier , initiating the debate Leader of the Opposition Vidya Stokes said the government should end the suspense regarding the unbundling of the board and take measures to strengthen the transmission network.

Shimla, April 11
“Restoring the autonomy of Himachal Pradesh University which has been badly eroded during the past five years will be my first and foremost priority,” said Prof Sunil Kumar Gupta, who assumed charge as Vice-Chancellor today.

In his first media interaction as the Vice-Chancellor, he said that the issue would be taken up with the government and all-out efforts made to restore autonomy. Prof Gupta is also keen that there is no repeat of the infamous PMT paper leak scam. “Conducting the examination with utmost sanctity is one of the most important responsibilities of any university and I feel steps need to be taken to ensure that it is strengthened and streamlined,” he opined.

Steering clear of any controversial remarks, he chose not to make any comments when asked if his appointment was a step towards ‘saffronisation’ of the campus. He chose to tread very cautiously when asked if the recruitment policy for teachers framed by his predecessor, Dr Anil Wilson, would be reviewed.

“Though we have not thought about the recruitment policy so far we could look into it if people give their valuable suggestions,” he said. Adopting a similar stance about ordering a probe into the condonement of 10 years extraordinary leave availed by former Vice-Chancellor L.R. Verma, he said if some complaints were received, the matter could be looked into to ensure that there was no irregularity.

He further said timely declaration of the results was also an important responsibility that the university needed to render.

The VC said as far as updating the syllabus is concerned it is done from time to time as per the UGC norms. “However in technically oriented courses like MCA, efforts will be made to incorporate the latest advancement and findings,” he assured. Prof Gupta is also keen that all sections of the university get representation on the highest decisions making body, Executive Council.

The starting of new job-oriented professional courses would be another area which would be taken care of keeping in view the unemployment scenario in the state. Efforts would be made to fill vacancies to bring efficiency.

Hamirpur, April 11
The 40-day-old agitation and the indefinite fast by the Himachal Pradesh Computer Teachers Association (HPCTA) were called off today after a meeting with education minister I.D. Dhiman last night.

Hamirpur DC Nandita Gupta offered juice to three computer teachers Hari Devi, Kanchan Sharma and Reeta Devi on fast in the morning at Gandhi Chowk. Three other teachers Meenakshi, Sulochna and Sakshi, admitted to Tanda medical college, were also offered juice by the Kangra DC.

President of the HPCTA Ramesh Dogra told The Tribune that “as per the agreement the government has assured that it would ensure a salary of Rs 4,000 for teachers working for the past three years, Rs 4,500 for teachers working up to 5 years and Rs 5,000 for teachers working for more than 5 years in the MoU with the company.”

Dogra said all teachers would be reemployed by the company and get 15 days’ leave in a year. While teachers would be informed about the MoU with the company the government would look into other issues sympathetically, he said.

The HPCTA thanked the Chief Minister, education minister, people of Hamirpur and the media for their cooperation. 

Shimla, April 11
The Cabinet today sanctioned 200 posts of ayurvedic pharmacist, half of which to be filled batchwise and the rest through direct recruitment.

The Ayurveda Department has also been directed to arrange for training of ayurveda pharmacists in government institutes to meet the requirement.

The Cabinet also enhanced the authorised share capital of HP Power Corporation Limited from Rs 50 crore to Rs 200 crore for the present and further enhance it to Rs 300 crore by September, 2008. It approved the creation of a functional organisational structure in the corporation on condition that the recruitment process would be carried out by the HP State Electricity Board.

The Cabinet also granted approval for the transfer of 18,092 sq mts of land to the National Research Centre for Mushroom at Chambaghat, Solan, for its upgradation as a full-fledged institute, subject to the payment of the latest market value of the land.

Sundernagar, April 11
The HP administrative tribunal while holding a Bench at Mandi has penalised Dr M.L Mahajan, ex-director of health service. He has been directed by the tribunal to pay Rs 500 for forcing the applicant to file the contempt petition.

Dr Dom Dev, a retired chief medical officer of Kullu district had filed a petition before the Himanchal Pradesh Administrative tribunal for staying order of recovery being made by the Medical Department against him and the tribunal had decided the case vide O.A(M) No 250/2006 (original application ( Mandi) July 5,2006, and the order of recovery was ordered to be stayed but in spite of the order issued by the tribunal the respondent directed recovery of the amount.

So the present petition was preferred by the applicant to initiate contempt proceeding against the director of health. During the pendency of the petition, the respondent withdrew the recovery order and tendered unconditional apology. M.R Verma, chairman of HP Administrative Tribunal, while hearing the petition held that a prima facie case was made out against the contemner as he ordered recovery in spite of clear order of the Tribunal and took serious note of the affairs going on in the Medical Department and further stated that the contemnor director had already complied with the order of the tribunal and tendered unconditional apology, so a lenient view was taken against him.

He further held that at the same time the contemner had forced the applicant to move again to the Tribunal for enforcing the compliance of the order so the Tribunal burdened the ex-director health to pay Rs 500 as cost for this unavoidable litigation.

Nurpur, April 11
Unnerved over the decision of the state government to continue the services of the PTA teachers notwithstanding the recommendations of the Sanan committee constituted by the government to probe these appointments, the state unemployed trained teachers association today submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister P. K. Dhumal through the local SDM.

In the memorandum the association alleged that the Sanan Committee had clearly indicated that in the PTA appointments the roaster system, merit, seniority and cadre had been ignored. It demanded to revoke these unconstitutional appointments. The association also asserted that if the government intended to continue the services of the PTA teachers due to adverse affect on the education system, the government should immediately stop grant-in-aid and disbursement of pay should be given to the PTA committees.

The association also rued against the government’s decision to release grant-in aid for this purpose.

Meanwhile, the members of the unemployed trained teachers (TGT, PGT and C and V) today staged a symbolic dharna against the apathy of the government towards the PTA appointments. Susheel Kaushal, state president of the association, said the unemployed teachers had startled over the lenient attitude of the Chief Minister, who had promised to revoke back door appointments before the Assembly elections. “If the state government intend to protect the unconstitutional PTA appointments it should permit death mercy to the unemployed teachers who have been fighting against back door appointments since 2003,” he lamented.

Shimla, April 11
Speaker Tulsi Ram today adjourned the House sine die after over a month-long budget session. During the session, which started on March 4, the House held 23 sittings.

Besides passing the annual Budget for 2008-09, the House approved important legislations, including amendment Bills to raise the reservation for women from the existing one third to 50 per cent in panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies.

Shimla, April 11
Former Congress minister Singhi Ram and former chairman of the Himachal Board of School Education B.R. Rahi, who are facing trial in the forged certificate case, have been admitted to Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) here.

Special judge (forest) J.L. Gupta had yesterday remanded the two in police custody till April 16. However, they were taken to the IGMC after 9 p.m last night when the two complained of pain in the chest and abdomen. On doctors’ recommendation they were admitted to the medicine unit in the hospital.

The two have been booked in the forged certificate case in which former minister’s daughter, Upma Kashyap, had taken admission to Lady Sri Ram College, Delhi, on the basis of a forged plus two certificate.

Una, April 11
Former BJP minister Des Raj, popularly known as ‘Desa Bhaiya’, died today in his house at Bastehra village on the Himachal-Punjab border after a prolonged illness of three years. He was 90. Survived by two daughters, people of Una district remember him for his simplicity even while holding the posts of minister or MLA.

A semi-literate he was among the founding members of the Janata Party in the district. He was the minister of state for panchayati raj in 1977 when Shanta Kumar headed the Janata Party government in Himachal Pradesh. He was elected as MLA from Una in 1982 and 1990.

Though he was one of the founding members of the BJP in the district, no senior leader of the party attended his last rites today. Una MLA Satpal Satti, Kutlehar MLA Varinder Kanwar, Kotkehlur MLA Randhir Sharma, former BJP minister Parveen Sharma and HPCC spokesperson O.P. Rattan were among those present at the largely attended cremation. A local DSP represented the district administration at the cremation.

Shimla, April 11
The government yesterday announced the state-level awards for artisans and craftsmen. Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal will give away the awards at the Himachal Day state-level function to be held at Bhoranj in Hamirpur district on April 15. Certificates and cash awards of Rs 15,000, 10,000 and 5,000 will be given as the first, second and third prize, respectively.

For handicrafts, Chander Singh of Kinnaur (first), Dhani Ram of Chamba (second) and Parmanand and Disha Bhardwaj (third) would be given prizes.

In the handloom category, the winners include Narotam Ram of Mandi and Sita Ram of Kullu (both first prize), Karyudh Dolma of Kinnaur (second) and Yshbanti Negi of Kullu district.

Kangra, April 11
A 14-year-old-girl was allegedly left injured by a home guard today when she asked him to pay money for gutka, which he took from the shop of her father.

Ravinder Kumar, father of the victim, said his daughter Monika was on his shop when a home guard, identified as Gurbachan, took gutka from the shop located in the Jayanti Vihar locality of this town and when his daughter asked for the money he refused to pay.

He said when the girl insisted for the money Gurbachan assaulted her and pushed her into a drain leaving her injured. He said after the incident the accused fled from the scene of the crime. The girl was rushed to the local Civil Hospital and from there she was referred to Dr RP Government Medical College Hospital, Tanda, for treatment.

Kangra DSP Umapati Jamwal confirmed the incident and said the medical report of the girl was awaited. He said a complaint was received from her father and the girl was yet to depose before the police. He said the case would be registered only after the medical opinion was received.