Kullu, June 16
The state government has said that the Allien and Duhangan (AD) Power Company was responsible for the damage caused to the Bailey bridge at Bhuntar on last Saturday.

PWD minister Gulab Singh visited the spot today and addressed mediapersons at the site of the collapsed bridge. He said the cost of reconstruction of the bridge would have to be borne by the company because it had never sought any permission to carry heavy machinery through that bridge. The machinery was being carried to Prini, the site of the power project, near Manali.

He further said the truck trailer was carrying a load of about 65 tonne while the capacity of the bridge was only 15 tonne. The bridge linking the Kullu-Manali highway and the Bhuntar-Manikaran road had collapsed on Saturday.

He said the estimated cost of reconstruction would be approximately Rs 1.5 crore and the restoration work would take 10 days after the trailer was removed from the bridge. He directed the administration to get it removed immediately.

Gulab Singh ordered an inquiry into the incident and asked the Kullu deputy commissioner to submit a report to the government in 10 days.

When asked about the capacity of other bridges on way from Chandigarh to Rohtang Pass and whether those were fit to bear loads of heavy machinery to be carried for the construction of Rohtang Tunnel and 2,051-MW Parbati Hydro Power Project, he said the PWD engineers had been advised to assess the load-bearing capacity of all bridges in the state.

He said the state government would approach the Centre for providing funds to reconstruct all bridges making them fit to bear heavy loads. He also directed the PWD authorities to put ‘warning signboards’ at all bridges showing their load-bearing capacity.

Meanwhile, people of the area fear if the reconstruction of the bridge gets delayed, they will have to spend extra money for transporting their cash crops of plums, pears, apples and vegetables this season. They demanded that the bridge should be restored at the earliest by the government and the penalty could be settled with the power project company later on.

Shimla, June 16
The Congress today submitted a memorandum to Governor V.S.Kokje, seeking his intervention to reduce the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas.

Senior leaders, including PCC chief Viplove Thakur, leader of the Opposition Vidya Stokes, former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, former ministers Kaul Singh, Rangila Ram Rao, G.S. Bali and legislators, assembled at the Raj Bhawan to submit the memorandum.

The party said Prime Minster Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and union petroleum minister urged the states to cut VAT on these essential commodities to provide relief to the people.

The Congress-ruled states, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana and even Punjab, reduced the rates of tax.

However, Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal announced that there would be no cut in tax, causing hardships to the people of the state.

There was enough scope for the reduction of VAT that was as high as Rs 25 per litre on petrol, Rs 14 per litre on diesel and 4 per cent on LPG.

The myopic vision of the state government had made the consumers pay more on petrol, diesel and LPG than their counterparts in other states.

The memorandum urged the Governor to direct the state government to provide relief to them by curtailing VAT. 

Shimla, June 16
The Union Ministry of Agriculture has approved Rs 13.33 crore for the state under a plan to promote macro-management of agriculture.

Giving details of the schemes approved under the programme at a state-level workshop of officers, director of agriculture J.C. Rana said the crop improvement programme would get Rs 3.86 crore, agriculture mechanisation Rs 1.78 crore, integrated nutrient management Rs 2.46 crore, watershed development programme Rs 3 crore, water conservation, harvesting and lifting Rs 1.52 crore, organic farming Rs 29 lakh and crop diversification Rs 40.25 lakh.

In order to increase productivity, high yielding seeds were being provided. A subsidy of Rs 600 on maize, Rs 800 on pulses and Rs 200 on paddy per quintal was being also provided. On tractors and power tillers, an assistance of Rs 30,000 was being provided, he added. He said the department was promoting organic farming through large-scale production of vermin compost.

Rana said the programme had now been extended to all districts and Rs 4.41 crore had been earmarked for the transfer of the latest technology to the farmers. He said for accelerating agricultural growth, Rs 15 crore had been approved under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna. For the expansion of area under irrigation, Rs 13 crore would be spent under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) Programme. Besides, Rs 1.2 crore were being spent for promotion of maize cultivation.

He said the department had submitted two micro-irrigation projects involving an expenditure of Rs 85 crore and a Rs 160-crore project for protected cultivation. He said these projects would help boost the agriculture growth as well as the income of farmers.

A target of 16.38 lakh tonne of food grains production had been fixed for 2008-09 out of which kharif would contribute 9.15 lakh tonne. Besides, a target of 11.44 lakh tonne had been set for vegetable production over an area of 55,000 hectare, he added.

Dharamsala, June 16
Inquiry report by Dharamsala SDM D.C. Rana has indicted former executive officer (EO) of local council Mahesh Dutt Sharma for allegedly tampering with official record.

As per report, a copy of which was procured by The Tribune under the RTI Act, the executive officer tampered with a resolution of the house, using which, later shops were allotted illegally in the Dharamsala municipal council area.

The inquiry into the matter was marked by the Chief Minister on the complaint of former president of Dharamsala council Kamala Patiyal. In her complaint she had alleged that the council adopted a resolution number 917 on August 29, 2005, for allowing construction of four shops on local body land. Four sites, including near Sangam Park, above the shops at Forsythganj, near hospital and near Paryas Bhawan were approved in the resolution for allotment through auction.

However, later additions were made in the proceeding register to increase the number of sites that were to be allotted. The number of sites was increased to four shops near Sangam Park, two shops above the shops at Forsythganj, two shops near hospital opposite yatri sadan, five khokhas near Paryas Bhawan, two shops in kacheri adda below coffee house and two shops in community bhawan near Balmiki mandir. The additions were allegedly not approved by the house.

The present EO while deposing before the inquiry officer had also admitted that in the original resolution just four sites were mentioned on which shops were allowed to be constructed. However, later two locations were added.

Sobhna, a clerk in municipal council, has also deposed against former EO Mahesh Dutt Sharma alleging that she recorded the proceeding of the house on August 29, 2005, as the official who records proceeding was on leave. She also admitted that she later made additions to the above-mentioned resolution on the direction of accused EO.

The accused EO in his deposition has, however, denied the charges against him. He said proper procedure was followed while making allotment of shops and no tampering was made in the record.

The inquiry officer on the basis of depositions of officers and record produced before him had held that the record of the council was tampered with and sites for shops were increased.

Shimla, June 16
The 1,500-MW Nathpa-Jhakri project remained shut for the sixth consecutive day today due to continuously high level of silt in the Sutlej.

A spokesperson of the Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam said the silt content in the Spiti river was on the decline. It came down to 6,000 ppm (parts per million) from 9,500 ppm at Khab where it joined the main river. The silt level at Nathpa dam from where the water is diverted into the headrace tunnel had declined to 5,100 ppm and the discharge had also reduced to 1,080 cumecs from 1,160 cumecs.

Widespread rain in the region had a cooling effect in the cold desert as a result of which there was a slowdown in the melting of snow in upper reaches. The engineers of the nigam are hopeful that the discharge will further decline and once it reaches the three-digit figure, the chances of resuming generation will become bright.

The closure of the power plant has deprived the nigam of revenue to the tune of Rs 54 crore.

Bakshiad-Thunag (Mandi), June 16
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today clarified that the proposed Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) would be opened at Mandi. He also said the government had kept open the option of starting a medical college in the government sector, but the people of Mandi would have to wait as it would take some time to mobilise resources.

Responding to the media queries after he arrived here on a two-day tour of Chachiot, he said the proposed IIT would be opened at Mandi and government had asked the HRD ministry to start IIT classes at the NIT, Hamirpur, from the current session till the desired infrastructure for the same was created at Mandi. “We have identified over 500 acre land for the IIT at Mandi,” he clarified.

He said medical colleges would be opened at Una, Mandi, Solan and Bilaspur in the public-private partnership shortly. He said certain politically motivated people were behind opposition to the power grid being set up at Banala in Mandi.

He said the government would expose the “real faces” behind the controversial sale deal of the historic buildings at Mandi. “The mutation has been stopped and the truth will come out shortly,” he added.

Addressing a public meeting at Thunag, he said the Bakshiad ITI would be upgraded in private-public partnership. Three new courses would be started and infrastructure worth Rs 2.5 crore provided under the new plan. The 33-KV station would be upgraded to 3.15 MVA with a grant of Rs 75 lakh to take care of the low-voltage problem in the area.

Dhumal announced a grant of Rs 50 lakh for the Shikawari Irrigation Scheme. He also announced a grant of Rs 50 lakh for a science block at Bashiad.

Accompanied by BJP state chief and Chachiot MLA Jai Ram Thakur, Dhumal laid the foundation stone of a Rs 22.34-lakh first-referral unit at Bakshiad under the Rural Health Mission. He also inaugurated a primary heath centre building at Thunag, declared open 16-km Gohar-Kanda road built at cost of Rs 1.48 crore besides inaugurating a 33-KV substation at Thunag built at a cost of Rs 2.33 cr.

In the evening, he inaugurated a trekkers’ hut at Janjheli and laid the foundation stone of a community heath centre. He would visit the Shikari Devi temple in Janjheli valley tomorrow.

Shimla, June 16
Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal visited the main gurdwara near bus stand here and paid obeisance on the martyrdom day of Guru Arjun Dev today.

He said the guru would always be remembered for the supreme sacrifice he made. His teaching had become more relevant today, he said. He said Guru Arjun Dev contributed immensely towards Guru Granth Sahib, which would always remain a lighthouse for the humanity.

Dhumal said that Punjabi teachers would be recruited in all identified school in the state. He said ample parking space would be provided near the gurdwara for the convenience of devotees.

President of the local Guru Singh Sabha Ravail Singh welcomed the Chief Minister and presented him a “siropa”. Shabad kirtan was also organised on the occasion. Local MLA Suresh Bhardwaj and other prominent citizens were present on the occasion.

Shimla, June 16
In a minor reshuffle, the government today ordered postings and transfers of five ASPs and six DSPs.

Shimla ASP Jai Pal Singh has been transferred against the same post at Mandi. Another Shimla ASP Ram Lal has been posted against the same post in the CID, Shimla.

Mandi ASP Rajesh Dharmani has been posted at Kullu. Kullu ASP Hardesh Bisht has been posted against the same post at Shimla. Kangra ASP Mohinder Singh has been posted against the same post at Shimla.

Shimla (city) DSP Madan Lal has been posted in the Ist Battalion Junga in place of DSP Bhagat Singh, who has been posted as DSP (security) in Himachal Pradesh University.

DSP (security), HPU, Rakesh Singh has been posted as the DSP, Baijnath. Anand K. Dhiman, DSP (traffic), Shimla, has been posted as the DSP (city) Shimla. Vinod Kumar, DSP, Kaza, has been posted as the DSP (Shimla), leaver reserve. Transfer orders of Vimukt Ranjan, DSP, Dalai Lama security, who had been posted as the DSP, Baijnath, have been cancelled.

Dharamsala, June 16
Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal announced a profound shift in the transfer policy in the state recently. He had declared that employees would not be transferred on political considerations. A policy was also circulated by respective heads of departments regarding transfers.

However, as per the data collected by The Tribune, the way transfers are being effected in the state, it seems political considerations have weighed heavy over the policy, especially in the Education Department.

The policy circulated by the director (education) recently states that no official, who is to retire in two years, will be displaced. However, the direction has itself been violated by the director’s office.

The principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Dharamsala, who has just 10 months of service left, has been transferred to Diur, a remote area in Chamba district. He was transferred to Dharamsala, his home district, just a year ago after having served in remote areas throughout his service. He is now running from pillar to post to get his transfer cancelled.

There are several other cases in which transfers seem to have been effected on political considerations, ignoring even couple cases. In many cases, the couples have been transferred to distant corners of the state in violation of the policy.

The principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Forsythganj, who was posted here just a year ago, has been transferred to the Bathri area of Chamba, while his wife, who was serving as a lecturer in Government Senior School, Passu, near Dharamsala, has been shifted to Deorikhaneti, a remote area in Shimla district.

Even the women primary teachers have not been spared. Soma Devi, a head teacher, was transferred from Kangra block to Government Primary School, Dharamsala, on June 5. On June 6, she was verbally told that her transfer orders stand cancelled. However, she has not received any formal order so far. These developments have taken a toll on her health and she has not been keeping good health since then, people close to her family say.

Another woman teacher was transferred from Kangra block to Government Primary School, Dharamsala. Her transfer was also cancelled within days of her joining the duty. Sources in the office of the deputy director (education), Kangra, said the transfer orders of teachers were flowing in large numbers daily. “Many of the transfers do not have any rationale but for political considerations. The district is short of lecturers in mathematics. However, some of them have been transferred to schools in remote areas where there are hardly any students.

The affected teachers are now running after politicians or approaching courts to get their transfers cancelled or they be re-transferred to some nearby stations. In the entire maze, students are the real sufferers.

Bilaspur, June 16
Police constable Anil Kumar of the Talai police station here, along with another villager Gullamudin, has earned praise and appreciation of the people of the area. They saved a youth, Bulla Shah, from drowning in the Sarhali Khud at Talai, 70 km from here, yesterday.

Bullah Shah, along with his relatives, had come from Ludhiana to pay obeisance at the shrine of Shah Talai. He was bathing at Charan Gunga Ghat in the Sarhali khud, when a sudden flashflood appeared due to heavy rains in the upper reaches of the khud.

Eyewitnesses said the relatives of Bullah had a narrow escape and reached the bank with great efforts, but Bullah Shah, who did not know swimming, was washed away. He shouted for help.

Hundreds of people became silent spectators and nobody dared to save him. But police constable Anil Kumar jumped into the water to save Bulla and another villager Gullamudin also followed to help him.

They succeeded in clasping Bulla out of the clutches of the strong currents of the water and brought him to the bank.

Nagar panchayat president Saroti Devi, vice-president Sohn Lal and number of nagar panchayat members, including Pawan Kaushal, have urged the district administration and the government to honour these youths. 

Nurpur, June 16
Up in arms against the state government’s decision to annul the no objection certificate (NOC) issued during the previous Congress regime to private nursing institutes, the association of private nursing institutes managements have criticised the decision of the government.

Lalit Sharma, president of the advisory committee of the association, in a statement issued recently said the association would fight for justice and if situation warranted it would move the judiciary.

He said the association strongly condemned the decision of the government to revoke NOCs of as many as 39 nursing institutes out of which 35 had been opened in 2005, during the previous regime. The private entrepreneurs, who have raised bank loans to start these institutes, are left in lurch following the harsh decision of the government.

He informed that the government had annulled the NOCs of these institutes under the pretext of failure of the Indian Nursing Council to inspect them whereas the council had yet to inspect the government-run nursing institutes in the state.

“The government’s decision to annul existing NOCs altogether is unjustified and indicates political vindictiveness,” he rued. He demanded restoration of the NOCs so that these institutes could continue imparting nursing training.