The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Himachal Pradesh Edition

Division of hydel projects harms state interests
Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 8
The fragmentation of large hydroelectric projects into smaller projects to avail subsidies is harming the state’s economic interests and denying the state precious power as the full potential of various rivers and streams was not being exploited.

For instance, five small projects have been proposed on the Traila stream (stages-I to IV) and Balsio nullah (Balsio project) in Chamba district instead of a single combined project on the pattern of the Baira-Siul project. As a result of this fragmentation, the total installed capacity will be less than 40 MW and the annual generation will range from 200-250 million units as against a combined project of 100 MW and almost double the generation at 400 million units. Obviously, the policy of the state to assign projects up to 5 MW through the MoU route instead of competitive bidding and give subsidy for such projects is leading to negative consequences for the state.

This situation has arisen due to the failure of the government to frame an optimal utilisation plan for various rivers and streams. Himurja, the nodal agency for small hydel power, has advertised five projects on the Chobia stream in Bharmour in Chamba but the division is not natural but influenced by the 5 MW limit. A single 30-40 MW project is better economically as well as technically.

A typical case of abject lack of coordination in various wings of government pertains to the Tos Nullaha in the Parbati valley. The state power board and the government are assuming that the Parbati-I project upstream of Tos is on but the NHPC maintains it is off. Experts maintain that the Kuther and Budhil hydel projects in the Ravi basin could have been converted into one combined project on the right bank of the river. With the government having no parameters and policy for appraisal of projects a number of large projects have been fragmented into smaller ones. There have also been instances when the independent power producers combined two projects after allotment into one bigger one or increasing generation capacity. The latest case is of the Jangi-Thopan and Thopan Powari projects secured by the Brakel Corporation.

Felling of 71 Trees
FIR against PWD official
Our Correspondent

Sundernagar, June 8
The Forest Department of Mandi has lodged an FIR against an assistant engineer of the PWD for damaging trees while constructing a road from Hanogi to Bahadi. It further framed a committee under the assistant conservator of forest, Mandi, to calculate the loss caused to trees in nearby forest due to massive dumping of debris while constructing the road.

According to Mandi DFO Kunal Satyarthi, 71 green trees were found felled without permission. As much as 3,000 sq m of forest land was also damaged while construing the road without permission from the Centre. In the past, the Forest Department blamed PWD officials on five occasions for the violation of forest laws but when the violations continued an FIR was lodged against the officials concerned on Friday.

As per information, this road was being constructed under the Pradhanmantri Gram Sadak Yojna and was funded by the the Ministry of Rural Development. The cost of this 15 km road was about Rs 3.5 crore.

According to assistant engineer Arun Sharma, the work was being done in accordance with the norms and guidelines from ‘headquarters’ . However, as per forest officials, violation of rules have been noticed in the construction of the road from Hanogi to Bahadi village in Mandi district.

On a visit to the site, it was found that the user agency did not comply with any rules and regulations to build the road. Debris was dumped into the nullah and green trees were uprooted with the help of a JCB machine and dumped into the nullah down the hill in the forest.

PWD executive engineer V.K. Awasthi said the department had got permission for ‘green felling’ from the Central Conservator of Forest, Chandigarh

The Forest Department said a copy of the report regarding felling of trees and violation of forest laws had been sent to the government.

Oil Price Difference
ST cut in Haryana hits sales in HP

Shimla, June 8
Petrol pump owners in the state have been badly hit after the government did not reduce sales tax on petrol and diesel in view of the recent hike in oil prices while neighbouring Haryana made the fuel cheaper.

The business of petrol pumps in the areas bordering Haryana has gone down by almost 30 per cent, president of the Himachal Pradesh Petrol Pump Association Sukumar Singh told PTI today. This loss would further go up, he added.

Petrol pump owners in Parwanoo, Baddi, Kala Amb in Nahan and other areas sharing borders with Haryana said trucks entering the state from Haryana are getting their tanks filled in that state where diesel is cheaper by about Rs 1.65 than in HP.

While sales tax on diesel in Himachal is 14 per cent, it is 25 per cent on petrol.

The tax in Haryana previously was 12 per cent on diesel which the Hooda government has reduced to 8.8 per cent, bringing it at par with Punjab.

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal recently said there was no plan to lower sales tax.

Yogesh Kumar, a petrol pump owner at Darlaghat in Solan district, said while the rate of diesel in Haryana is Rs 33.60 per litre, it is Rs 35.25 per litre in HP.

The HP Petrol Pumps Association chief said they would request the Chief Minister to request him to lower the tax on fuel to bring it at par with Haryana and Punjab. — PTI

Mandi may house IIT
Kuldeep Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Mandi, June 8
If all goes well, the nondescript Kamand township in the Drang constituency, around 15 km from here, is set to be on the country’s IIT map as the government has chosen over 2,674 bighas of land for setting up the premier institute here.

The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has yet to inspect the land, but the state government has set the ball rolling. The place is located between the streams of Uhal and Katola khud.

According to sources, about 965.7 bighas of this land belongs to the Animal Husbandry Department while over 1,709.1-bigha chunk is “charagan draghtan” (common pasture land owned by the government).

Kamand lies on the Mandi-Katola-Ropa-Kullu road near the historic Parashar temple.

Sources said no such compact piece of land was available for the purpose anywhere else. Kamand is about 15 km from both the Chandigarh-Mandi-Manali-Leh National Highways-21 and the Pathankot-Jogindernagar-Mandi highway.

Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal had laid to rest a recent controversy that the proposed IIT might be set up at Hamirpur. He had written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying that the government wanted to start the IIT at Mandi. However, for this session, it could function either from the NIT, Hamirpur, or from the IIT, Roorki, as the Centre might deem fit till the required infrastructure for the same was created at Mandi.

Principal secretary (education) P.C. Dhiman said, “We are in touch with the Union Government for getting the IIT started from this session itself.”

Special kids pour out ambitions on canvas
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 8
Physical disability has not diluted the ambitions of deaf and dumb children to reach new heights and fulfil their cherished goal sin life.

This became evident from the paintings made by these special children at an on-the-spot competition organised here today. The competition organised by NGO Yuva Himachal in collaboration with the State Chapter of Society for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies (SDRS) to identify potential artists. But the theme and captions of the paintings provided a deep insight into their minds and ambitions.

The child who aspired to become a pilot painted a helicopter, while the one who wanted to be an Another child created a scene from hospital on the canvas to state his desire to become a doctor. A soldier in uniform painted by a child gave a fair idea of his ambition to join the Army.

The works of the children who have not undergone any formal training in drawing and painting depicted a high level of awareness about the current issues. A child painted a hill covered with trees and an imaginative caption “vriksha se vayu, vayu se aayu”.

Local MLA Suresh Bhardwaj, who was the chief guest, underlined the need for doing something concrete for such sections of society rising above party politics. It was the responsibility of society to ensure that they became a part of the mainstream.

Convener of Yuva Himachal Ajay Srivastav lamented that there was no drawing teacher in Deaf and Dumb School , Dhalli, which deprived the children of opportunities in an areas where they could exhibit not only their creative talent but also seek vocational avenues. He said his organisation would provide a drawing teacher to hone their artistic skills.

In all 40 deaf and dumb students from the Dhalli school and the one run by NGO Prerna participated in the event sponsored by the local Beopar Mandal.

‘Evict’ tenants from heritage buildings
Tribune News Service

Mandi, June 8
The two-member expert committee, appointed to examine Damdama Palace and the historic Baba Kot historic building, has asked the government to evict sweet shops, offices, stores and other tenants from the heritage buildings to convert them into an art gallery-cum-museum, along the lines of Rajasthan.

The team has recommended the conversion of these buildings into an art gallery-cum-museum, asking the state government to evict all tenants, including the “Bhati-workshop” and sweet shop, as they were vandalising these rare pieces of architecture.

The experts, after inspection, found that Damdama Palace was a 300-year-old building with rare Mughal and Pahari architecture. The tenants were ruining the palace and sanctity of the Rajmadahav temple in this historical structure.

Similarly, the Baba Kot building was being vandalised by the tenants, as they were tampering or modifying its interiors that was posing a threat to the existence of the structure, investigation revealed.

The technical team, while recommending the case of Damdama and Baba Kot, has given example of Rajasthan where forts, palaces and historic buildings were converted into the state-run museums and art galleries, which today attracts tourists from across the world.

“This can be done in case of Mandi, where historic buildings can be converted into art gallery and museum that in turn will promote tourism and cultural activities in the ancient town,” experts said.

Curator, Museum of Kangra Art, Ramesh Chandra, who headed the team, said they would submit the report to the government.

Dalai Lama asks Tibetan Buddhists to desist from spirit worship
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, June 8
The Dalai Lama has asked Tibetan Buddhists to desist from propitiating fierce spirit known as Dolgyal (Shugden). Although he once practiced Dolgyal propitiation himself, he renounced the practice in 1975, after discovering the profound historical, social and religious problems associated with it.

As per his office, the Dalai Lama did so with full knowledge and support of his junior tutor, late Kyabje Trichang Rinpoche, through whom he first became associated with the practice. Even within the Geluk and Sakya schools the Tibetan Buddhist traditions to which majority of Dolgyal practitioners belong, the propitiation of this spirit has been controversial throughout its history.

Historical investigation reveals that Dolgyal practice, which has strong sectarian overtones, has a history of contributing to a climate of sectarian disharmony in various parts of Tibet, and between various Tibetan communities. This was a strong statement issued by the office of Dalai Lama.

Dorje Shugden, a rival sect, had recently filed a writ petition in Delhi High Court against the Dalai Lama and Samdhong Rinpoche Kalon Tripa (Tibetan prime minister-in-exile), who is heading Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).

In the writ petition the Dorje Shugden Devotees charitable and religious society had alleged that the Dalai Lama and the CTA were violating their human rights and religious freedom of Shugden proprietors. The Government of India and Himachal Government were other respondents in the writ petition, the sources available here told.

Dorje Shugden is considered to be a wrathful sprit of a deceased Lama, now working as worldly protector. Shugden is believed to be a spirit of murdered Gelukpa Lama who had opposed the fifth Dalai Lama both in debate and politics. He was found dead under mysterious circumstances.

There are about one million Dorje Shugden practitioners worldwide. According to reports pouring in the Chinese government had started promoting the followers of Dorje Shugden to counter the influence of the Dalai Lama.

NGOs use students for publicity
Tribune News Service

Mandi, June 8
The World Environment Day on Thursday turned out to be noting more than a ritual of announcing some resolves and statements. It also brought to surface certain “faceless fund-seeking” NGOs, which otherwise were never heard before doing something worthwhile, which hired few students for making “ritualistic posters and slogan writings” for consumption of vernacular papers to seek “day’s publicity” in different parts of the region.

The sanitation staff of Mandi Municipal Council, which is responsible for the upkeep of the town, in its bid to celebrate the occasion was seen collecting polythene bags at the nullah in the morning in the town and then they disappeared from the scene.

Sponsored by yuvak mandal, the fund-seeking NGO, who were otherwise never heard anywhere doing something worthwhile suddenly cropped up with “posters or banners”, not even noticed by the bystanders at Seri Munch or other parts of the district and towns in the region.

The NGO picked up students for few hours to make familiar posters and slogans dedicated to the ritual of World Environment Day. They disappeared after they ensured that they were photographed or covered by vernacular dailies, which need such things to cover the plenty of space bowing their presence out of proportion, revealed environmentalists.

These fund-seeking NGOs surface during such occasions just to get a copy of the newspapers in which their picture or write-ups are published and send these to the funding agencies, said environmentalists.

Kulbhushan Upmanyu, environmentalist, Himalayan Abhiyan Niti, which is involved in crating mass awakening on environmental issues in the state, said, “The NGOs play important part in creating awareness in the society. They should choose the grassroots area of interest and then continue to strive for “environmental objectives”. The day’s announcements should be followed up regularly only then society will benefit.”

On the other hand, the government function at Chauntra in Jogindernagar celebrated Environment Day as “Sanitation Day” where local MLA and PWD minister Gulab Singh urged the yuvak mandals, mahila mandals, representatives of the Pancahyati Raj Institutions to come forward to make Mandi as the open defecation free district in the state by the targeted date of August 15.

Dhumal flays Cong leaders for not meeting finance panel
Our Correspondent

Palampur, June 8
Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal today strongly criticised the Congress and its leaders for boycotting deliberations with the Finance Commission that visited Shimla yesterday.

He said despite specific invitation, Congress leaders, including leader of the opposition Vidya Stokes and former CM Virbhadra Singh, did not turn up to discuss the financial problems being faced by the state. He said he was happy that parties like the BSP and the CPM joined the discussion and supported the cause of the state government.

He was addressing a press conference at the PWD rest house here this morning. He said the government had fruitful discussion with the commission and convinced its members about the genuine financial problems being faced by the state. On major issues, the commission in principle agreed to grant liberal financial assistance to the state, he claimed.

Among major points highlighted by the government were the efforts being made to save ecology and the consequent cost. The issue of strengthening air and rail network in the state for boosting the tourism was also discussed.

Dhumal thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for sanctioning an IIT for the state. This was one of the major achievements of the BJP government that assumed power only four months ago, he claimed.

He regretted that the BJP ruled states were not getting any financial package from the Centre, therefore it was not possible to grant subsidy on fuel prices.

Meanwhile, Dhumal also laid the foundation stone of a parking lot for 200 light vehicles in the Subzi Mandi here. The five-storeyed parking lot would cost Rs 1.96 crore.

Former Union minister Shanta Kumar, irrigation and public health minister Ravinder Ravi, transport minister Kishan Kapoor, food and civil supplies minister Ramesh Dhawala, social justice and empowerment minister Sarveen Chaudhary and MP Anurag Thakur were also present on the occasion.

Cong leaders to tour rural areas
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 8
Senior leaders of the Congress will undertake extensive touring of the rural areas to educate people about achievements of the UPA government with focus on the loan waiver scheme and the national rural employment programme. They will also explain to the people the factors, which force the government to hike the prices of petroleum products.

This decision was taken at the meeting of the party under chairmanship of PCC chief Viplove Thakur in which all-senior leaders, present and past MLAs, district presidents were present. In charge of party affairs in the state R.K. Dhawan also attended the meeting.

The meeting urged the state government to waive sales tax on the diesel and petrol to bring down the prices. It also maintained that the state was not implementing the policies and programmes of the Centre effectively.

The senior leaders will explain in detail the benefits that would accrue to them from the Rs 72,000 crore loan waiver scheme along with the procedure to be adopted for availing it. Similarly, the rural people would be encouraged to take full advantage of the national rural employment guarantee programme which had be extended to the entire state from the current year.

General secretary of the party Kuldeep Rathore said Viplove Thakur would tour Chamba district from June 22 to 27. The programme of other leaders would be chalked out shortly.

Finance Commission visits tribal areas
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 8
The Finance Commission headed by Dr Vijay Kelkar today visited the tribal and other interior areas of the state to have a first hand assessment the development and administrative issues connected with remoteness.

The commission visited Killar in Pangi, Kullu, Tandi in Lahaul-Spiti and Chamba and interacted with the functionaries of local bodies. At all places the elected representatives called for different norms for devolution of funds in view of the high cost of development projects in the remote hill areas.

They also expressed concern about the damage caused to environment particularly to the loss of bio-diversity by hydroelectric projects. Other issues raised by them included shortage of water, melting of glaciers and other related issues which were having a direct impact on the quality of life in the hills. They also brought to the notice of the commission the problems being faced in disposal of debris generated in construction of road and other projects due to strict imposition of the Environment Protection Act.

The commission was impressed by the level of awareness regarding various issues among the panchayat functionaries. Yesterday the commission had visited the Sawara Kuddu project and the Nathpa Jhakri project. It will return to Delhi tomorrow.

Villagers to protect forests
Our Correspondent

Sinhuta (Chamba), June 8
The representatives of four villages of the area submitted resolutions to the divisional forest officer, Dalhousie, urging him to initiate participatory forestry in their villages for the protection of their forest wealth. These resolutions were signed by the people of Saned, Kamla, Chiyul and Rajain villages in the Sihunta area of Chamba district.

It was for the first time in the state that such resolutions to conserve forests were presented by the villagers to the state Forest Department. The villagers asked the officer to initiate the process of forests management through the formation of “village forest development societies” as provided in the Himachal Pradesh Participatory Forest Management (HPPFM) Rules, 2001.

They presented the resolutions to the officer at a ceremony organised to commemorate the ‘World Environment Day’ at Sinhuta yesterday.

The ‘Himalaya Bachao Samiti’, NGO of Chamba district and Palampur-based NGO - ‘Lok Vigyan Kendra’ motivated the villagers.

Kulbhushan Upmanyu, a topnotch environmentalist of the state, chief adviser of the Himalaya Bachao Samiti and Rahul Saxena of the Lok Vigyan Kendra, Palampur, said the HPPFM rules provided for the Forest Department and the villagers to jointly formulate mechanisms for the management of the forest.

Naib tehsildar assaulted
Our Correspondent

Chamba, June 8
The naib tehsildar of Churah tehsil in Chamba district was assaulted by seven persons at Majauga village near Tikrigarh, about 70 km from here, according to reports that reached here today.

The reports said naib tehsildar Nar Singh was on an official tour to Majauga village for settlement of land dispute cases on Saturday. As soon as he reached the village, he started recording statements of the people.

During his course of official action, a group of seven persons, including women of the area, had an altercation on some land matter. In the meantime, the situation became tense and these people attacked the naib tehsildar. Consequently, the naib tehsildar received injuries on his face, throat and back.

After coming back from Majauga village, Singh got the case registered with the police at Nakrot near Tissa.

A police team then rushed to the incident site to investigate into the incident and to arrest the people involved in the assault, an information from Tissa police station revealed; adding that further development in the case could be known only after the police team returns from the incident site.

However, no arrests had so far been made with regard to this incident till the time of filing the story.

Carbon Credits
Ensure benefits for residents: NGO
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 8
The Himalaya Niti Abhiyan Samiti, an NGO, has urged the state government to ensure that the benefits of carbon credits should percolate to local communities and they should became stakeholders in the scheme.

While hailing the initiative taken by the government to avail carbon credit financing, the organisation urged Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal to follow a mountain-specific and environment-friendly development model.

There was need to adopt the principle of “income in perpetuity” in framing policies for the rehabilitation and resettlement of the project-affected families.

It called for review of activities in the areas of hydropower, cement industry, road construction, tourism, mining and polluting chemical industries so that the threat to the environment and natural resources was minimised.

It also drew the attention of the Chief Minister towards the implementation of the Forest Rights Act.

The samiti felt that the new law should also be enforced in the other areas of the state covered under the definition of “other forest dwellers”.

Regarding the state’s move for the imposition of a cess on power generation, the samiti called for wider consultations to help involve the stakeholders and communities in the process.

Privatisation of Carton Factory
Fruit growers divided
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 8
The issue of privatisation of the loss-incurring carton factory at Gumma has caused a vertical split among the apple growers, leading to creation of two new fruit growers outfits.

While the state fruit and vegetable growers confederation, with Ravinder Chauhan as convenor, is opposing the privatisation of the unit, the state fruit and vegetable growers association, headed by Kamal Nathta, wants the government to take a final decision on the fate of the unit that had already accumulated losses of Rs 65 crore.

The confederation is pressurising the government not to lease the factory to the private sector and manage it in the public sector by providing requisite resources.

The confederation has urged the government to pursue with the Centre the case for creating a separate horticulture price commission on the pattern of the National Agriculture Price Commission and demanded a support price of Rs 7 per kg for apple under the market intervention scheme for the season.

It has also underlined the need for a uniform policy for the private traders engaged in fruit marketing in the state to protect growers from exploitation.

Father suspects dowry death
Our Correspondent

Bilaspur, June 8
Brahamdass of Bhatwada village has filed an FIR, alleging that his daughter, Monika devi (25), who is said to have died after consuming a poisonous substance earlier in the day, was actually a victim of harassment for bringing more dowry.

He said he had visited his daughter’s in-laws only a day earlier and had come to know of her maltreatment for dowry at the hands of her mother-in-law Sarla Devi and sisters-in-law Anju and Ranu. But he could never judge the gravity of the situation that would force his daughter to take such a drastic step the very next day.

In his FIR filed at Bharadi police station after the cremation, Brahamdass said he had married his daughter to Dinanath only last year but came to know of her maltreatment for dowry only recently.

SP K.K.Indoria said that a case had been registered.

Action panel memo to CM
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, June 8
A large number of rural women from Nurpur subdivision, who had been deprived of appointments in the anganwari recruitment last year, had formed an action committee to press the state government to expedite hearing of appeals filed about eight to nine months back.

The action committee formed under the chairmanship of Asha Devi recently submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal through local tehsildar in the absence of the SDM demanding speedy hearing of appeals. The committee had also given ultimatum on to dispose of the appeals by June 15; otherwise the aggrieved women will sit on an indefinite dharna in front of the office of the Nurpur SDM on June 16.

HC judge honoured
Legal Correspondent

Shimla, June 8
Mr Justice D.D. Sood of the state high court advised local journalists to be cautious while reporting sensitive matters and issues already pending before the court. He stated this at a function organised today by the Shimla Press Club to honour him. He explained the technicalities of judicial reporting and also spoke on the Law of Defamation and Contempt of Court.

Mr Justice Sood, who has been a long time member of the Shimla Press Club, was honoured after his elevation as the judge of the high court. President of the club Dhanonjay Sharma presented him a lifetime membership card on this occasion. Mr Justice also donated some books to the club library.

Maharashtra open varsity plans campus
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 8
Maharashtra Open University will soon set up a campus in the hill state.

Pro vice-chancellor of the university Pandit Palande said here today that Aryan Business School had been assigned the responsibility of expanding the reach of the university in northern India. MBA, BBA, M.Com, M.Phil and Ph.D would be started at Chandigarh this academic session. It was the biggest university after IGNOU with a strength of 15.6 lakh students. Chairman of Aryan Business School Anshu Kataria said regular courses would be introduced in the state from next year. This year 20 per cent seats would be reserved for Himachali students in various courses at the Chandigarh centre.

Thana inaugurated
Our Correspondent

Bilaspur, June 8
The police chowki at Suharghat, about 40 km from here, has been upgraded as a thana.

The thana was formally inaugurated by SP K.K. Indoria yesterday. He said DGP Ashwini Kumar had visited this place last year and the people had urged him to set up a thana there. The step would help in checking crime in the area, he added.

Indoria said this was the seventh thana in the district. Several villages adjoining this area would be brought under the jurisdiction of this thana, he said.

A number of prominent village leaders and SHO Madan Dhiman were also present on the occasion.

Now, FIRs at New Shimla police post
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 8
With a view to maintaining law and order and providing proper security to residents of the area, the New Shimla police post has been upgraded to a full-fledged police station.

District police chief R.M. Sharma said now the FIRs would be registered at the New Shimla police station, which were earlier lodged at Chotta police station. He added that additional police force was being posted at the police station.