Shimla, June 10
The concept of “payment for environment services” (PES) will be introduced in the country for the first time in the Rs 4795-crore Luhri hydel project being executed by the SJVN.

PES will be an integral part of the catchment area treatment (CAT) plan for the project. Apart from a macro-plan for the 1920 sq km catchment area, detailed micro-plans will be prepared for all 74 sub-watersheds comprising it. Principal chief conservator of forests Pankaj Khullar said that 10 per cent of the total proposed CAT plan of Rs 42 crore had been set apart for PES. The villagers living in the catchment area would be paid in cash on the basis of their contribution in protecting the forests. Parameters like incidence of forest fires, maintenance of pastures, quality of water, felling of trees would be taken into account for making payment for environmental services.

The SJVN which has won several awards for adoption of best environment practices in the Nathpa-Jhakri and Rampur projects is keen to make the CAT plan a model for hydroelectric projects. It has prepared the plan in close consultation with the Forest Department to ensure that there were no problems in its implementation. A sum of Rs 75 lakh had been set apart for preparing a micro-plan for sub-watersheds. The Forest Department is the nodal agency for the implementation of the CAT plan but in this case the SJVN will itself implement the plan in some areas and there was also a proposal to go for outsourcing so that panchayati raj institutions and NGOs could be effectively involved in implementation.

General manger of the SJVN R.N.Sharma said the nigam had also decided to go for third party monitoring of the plan to ensure its proper evaluation. The treatment measures would be specified for each tributary.

The 775-MW project will have the longest head race tunnel (HRT) of 38 km in the country and instead of constructing desilting chambers it would utilise the river for the purpose. The Sutlej waters will be diverted from the downstream Rampur project by erecting an 86 metre-high dam at Kepu village. The HRT, to be bored on the right bank of the river, will take it to Bindla in Karsog, near Chaba , the power house site.

The state will have 49 per cent equity in the project as against 25 per cent in the 1500-MW Nathpa-Jhakri project. 

Nurpur, June 10
The scheduled conciliation meeting between the management of the Himachal Pradesh Agro Industries Corporation (HPAIC), INTUC state general secretary Rajnesh Sharma, local HIMAGRICO agriculture implements unit’s workers union president and deputy general manager of the unit could not strike any compromise as the managing director (MD) did not turn up for the meeting held here today in the office of the conciliation officer-cum-labour inspector.

According to information, the state INTUC had submitted an ultimatum to the HPAIC on May 15, demanding regular disbursal of salary to the workers of the sick unit HIMAGRICO and initiating working plan of its revival by June 15. INTUC state general secretary Rajnesh Sharma had warned to sit on indefinite relay fast before the unit on expiry of the ultimatum on June 16, if the management failed to accept demands.

Inquiries reveal that the state labour commissioner has taken a serious note of the ultimatum and threat of indefinite hunger strike and directed local official to sort out the issue by holding a conciliation meeting between both parties.

The Labour Department had again summoned the MD, HPAIC, to attend the meeting on June 13, so that matter could be solved amicably with conciliation.

Meanwhile, state INTUC general secretary informed that he had also raised the longstanding issue of irregular disbursement of salaries to the workers with Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal on May 23, by submitting him a memorandum in this connection.

He rued that the apathy of the management of the HPAIC was responsible for the poor state of affairs of the HIMAGRICO and disbursal of salary to the workers every month was not a demand but virtual duty of the management for which it was indifferent.

He claimed that the INTUC would stand on its ultimatum and warning of relay fast if the management did nothing.

Dharamsala, June 10
The Shah canal project, which can provide irrigation to the arid areas of Kangra district, is at the mercy of the Punjab Government now.

According to irrigation and public health minister Himachal Ravinder Ravi, the cost of the project has increased to Rs 307 crore against the initial estimated cost of around Rs 140 crore. As per an agreement between Punjab and Himachal signed before the construction of Pong Dam, the former was to provide Rs 90 crore for the canal while the remaining amount was to be contributed by the Himachal Government. However, due to delay in construction, the cost of the project has escalated to more than double the initial projection.

Considering the present cost, the share of Punjab comes to about 196 crore while that of Himachal to Rs 111 crore. Till date, Punjab has given just Rs 65 crore for the project.

Ravinder Ravi said Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal had taken up the matter with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. He reportedly said the matter would be taken up with the Planning Commission to provide amount to Himachal. Even if the amount was made available by Punjab in time, the project could only be completed by 2010, he said.

He said residents of Himachal residing along the banks of Pong and Gobind Sagar lakes, were facing irrigation and drinking water problems. The previous Congress governments failed to guard interests of the state in the agreements signed for various projects.

The construction of Baggi tunnel, interlinking the Beas and the Sutlej, left many villages of Mandi district without drinking water, he said. He said the present government had made a budgetary provision of Rs 1,000 crore for new drinking water and irrigation schemes.

The Public Health Department has also decided to regularise public tap connections installed on the campuses of private properties in the name of the property owners. Keeping a complaint book has been made mandatory at the water supply scheme offices. The idea is to make sure that the complaints are redressed in a time-bound manner. The minister said the people could now lodge e-complaints through government websites. He also interacted with mediapersons at the Dharamsala press club.

Una, June 10
Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal today laid foundation stone for the 44.82 km Mehatpur-Amb-Una road at Una to be constructed at a cost of Rs 132.9 crore in which 13 major bridges and 50 rain shelters are to be build. The 45 km Una-Barsar road to be constructed at a cost of Rs 81.84 crore has nine major bridges and 22 rain shelters and the 45.8 km Barsar-Jahu road to be build at the cost of Rs 86.7 crore has six major bridges and 32 rain shelters for which the agreement has been completed.

While addressing a public meeting at Una, the Chief Minister said under the Himachal Pradesh State Road Project 435-km long state highways and major district roads would be upgraded, besides periodic maintenance of 2,000 km road at the cost of Rs 1,365.435 crore, which had been financed by the World Bank.

The Chief Minister said it happened to be the first road construction and upgrade project of the state to be carried out by a Chinese road construction company to be completed by 2012. The project would be completed in four phases on war footing.

He said the demand had been raised with the Union Railway Ministry to start a Jan Shatabadi train from Una, besides completion of the Nangal-Talwara railway line.

Earlier, he dedicated the new zila parishad, constructed at the cost of Rs 32.5 lakh, to people of the district. On this occasion, Balbir Bagga, chairman, zila parishad, presented a draft of Rs 21,000 for the Chief Minister’s relief fund.

Gulab Singh Thakur, PWD minister, said efforts were afoot to connect villages with the population of 250 with motorable roads by 2012, while villages with population up to 500 would be connected by 2009.

Shimla, June 10
The delayed move of the Congress to submit a memorandum to the 13th Finance Commission has triggered a fresh war of words in the party with former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh asserting that he had no knowledge about the document.

“I am not aware about any document being prepared or submitted by the party and he had only seen reports about it in today’s newspapers. If a document had been submitted it had been prepared without carrying out any consultations within the party”, he said.

From what has been reported in the media it appears to be an exercise carried out in tearing haste. It did not present the considered view of the party and at best it reflected the personnel view of the leaders who prepared and submitted it. Obviously, presenting a memorandum was an afterthought and the result was a hurriedly compiled document.

It was an important issue and the Congress had in the past been preparing documents after carrying out detailed consultations. He said a committee comprising senior leaders should have been set up for the purpose.

The BJP has been claiming more funds from the commission on the basis of the achievements of the Congress regime. It would have been appropriate if the party had put forward its point of view in the right perspective.

Nurpur, June 10
The foodgrain stock meant for free distribution among rural children was allegedly distributed under forged names by the authorities of the anganwari centre under the Pandrer gram panchayat.

Twentyeight villagers yesterday submitted a complaint to the local child development project officer (CDPO) J.S. Kashayap demanding an inquiry into the case.

The inquiry was conducted today. The CDPO reportedly found that the foodgrain meant for free distribution among rural children was not given to them and instead kept in the house of an anganwari worker. It was being illegally distributed from there, he added.

He said he had constituted a six-members village committee for distributing foodgrain among the kids. “The inquiry report has been submitted to the higher authorities for departmental action against the alleged anganwari worker,” he added.

Dharamsala, June 10
The local animal welfare societies have accused the Department of Wildlife of negligence in taking care of the Himalayan bear housed in Gopalpur Zoo.

Activists of the Himalayan Nature Society here have alleged that the Himalayan bear developed an abyss about three months ago. However, due to the negligence of the wildlife authorities the condition of bear deteriorated. The wildlife authorities have been getting the bear treated from local vets as the zoo does not have any veterinarian. Two days ago local vets removed a large quantity of puss from the wounds of the injured bear.

The society has called for requisitioning the services of Dr Ashraf from the Wildlife Trust of India who specialises in the treatment of bears.

Dr R.S. Kistwaria from Palampur Agriculture University, who has been treating the injured bear at the zoo, said that such abysses were common to wild animals kept in captivity. The injured bear was responding to the treatment and it had started taking diet regularly.

Conservator of wildlife VK Singh said he had not received any information regarding injury to the Himalayan bear. The zoo is under the jurisdiction of the DFO, wildlife, Hamirpur, who had not submitted any report regarding the injury.

The DFO, wildlife, Hamirpur, said the bear got injured in a fight with other bears in the enclosure. There are five to six bears in the enclosure.

“We have contacted a foreign animal expert who is on a tour to McLoedganj these days. The expert is to visit the zoo soon and we hope his advice will help the bear recover fast.”

Shimla, June 10
With the southwest monsoon advancing further, the monsoon is likely to hit Himachal next week.

According to the local meteorological centre, the monsoon is likely to reach Himachal within five or seven days. As per the forecast for the next 48 hours, there will be more rain in Himachal, leading to a fall of 2 to 4°C in the day temperature.

Manmohan Singh, director of the Meteorological Centre, said the southwest monsoon had further advanced into parts of the Arabian Sea, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar. He said a warning had been issued with regard to the possibility of a hailstorm and thunder squall.

The maximum temperature recorded in Shimla was 23°C, Sundernagar- 32.5°C, Bhuntar- 33°C, Kalpa- 23.5°C, Dharamsala- 27.8°C and Manali- 25.6°C. The minimum temperature recorded at Shimla was 15.2°C, Sundernagar- 21.3°C, Bhuntar- 20.3°C, Kalpa- 10.6°C, Dharamsala- 19.7°C, Manali- 16°C and Nahan- 20.7°C.

A total of 30.2 mm of rainfall was recorded in Shimla, 9.1 mm in Sundernagar, 0.8 mm in Bhuntar, 2.1 mm in Kalpa, 19.7 mm in Dharamsala, 6 mm in Manali and 18.6 mm in Nahan.