Shimla, June 26
The Himachal Power Corporation will have to arrange additional funds to the tune of over Rs 900 crore, besides its equity share, to execute the four hydroelectric projects with an aggregate generation capacity of 816 MW for which the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has sanctioned a loan of Rs 3,200 crore.

The government had initially negotiated the funding of only three projects, the 243-MW Kashang, 100-MW Sainj and 400-MW Shongtong-Karcham projects, which were estimated to cost about Rs 4,500 crore. The bank agreed to provide Rs 3,200 crore in the 30:70 loan equity ratio. However, later the 111-MW Sawra Kuddu project was also assigned to the corporation as a result of which the total cost increased to over Rs 5,400 crore.

The corporation will thus have to contribute about Rs 2200 crore, including equity of Rs 1300 crore for the ADB loan. However, the most attractive feature for the state is that while the bank will extend the amount to the Centre as a loan, 90 per cent of the amount would be given to the state as an outright grant. The corporation will have to pay back only Rs 320 crore.

It was part of the Centre’s strategy to help the fund-starved hill state become self-reliant. In the first phase the bank will release Rs 1700 crore. The cost of the projects had been estimated at Rs 6.50 crore per megawatt. The 40-MW fourth stage of the Kashang project has not been included.

The corporation has set a target to complete all the projects by 2014. The Sawra Kuddu project will be the first to be commissioned in 2011, followed by the Kashang project. 

Dharamsala, June 26
The Department of Local Government has decided to take action against the officials responsible for causing loss to the Dharamsala municipal council.

The issue pertains to leasing out of a rest house built by the council to a private individual. Sources said the council built the guesthouse at a cost of Rs 25 lakh. The building was then leased to a private party for Rs 2 lakh per annum.

The advertisements for giving building on lease were given in a vernacular paper, the copies of which were removed from the market to avoid competition. The agreement did nowhere mention that the rest house could be further leased out by the lessee.

After the allotment, the then executive officer of the council issued a no-objection certificate to the lessee concerned to let out the building further.

The scenario is such that the council is getting rent of just about Rs 16,000 per month for the building constructed using public money, while the person who has sublet the building is earning about 10 times as rent.

Minister for transport and urban development Kishan Kapoor said none of the officials involved in the scam would be spared. The department might also contemplate scraping the agreement, he added.

The SDM, Dharamsala, who was asked to inquire into the matter, has submitted his report and an action was likely in the case soon.

The Dharamsala municipal council might find itself in a tight spot in another scam, too. It pertains to the allotment of contract for a parking lot at McLeodganj. As per the information received by The Tribune under the RTI Act, the parking lot was given on contract for Rs 31,000 for one year in 2002. The contractor deposited the initial amount of Rs 9,330 with the council but did not pay any amount for the rest of the year.

He continued operating the parking lot and at the end of the contract pleaded that he did not get good business due to failure of the administration to force people to park their vehicles in the parking lot. Interestingly, the council admitted the plea and waived off the remaining amount.

Dharamsala SDM D.C. Rana has now struck down the council’s resolution and imposed a penalty of 12 per cent per annum on the outstanding amount.

Shimla, June 26
Intensifying their agitation further, the PTA Lecturers and Teachers Union today said they would hold not succumb to pressure tactics being adopted by the government through various channels to end their strike.

The strike by 15,000 PTA appointees entered the fourth day today as they continued with their relay fast. “We have now started rallies, dharnas and demonstrations all over the state and in case our agitation turns violent, the government will be responsible for that,” said association president Vivek Mehta.

With the PTA appointees proceeding on strike, about 380 schools had been virtually closed, he said. “Many schools, especially in remote and far-flung areas, have been severely affected as these were being run by PTA appointees only,” he said.

He regretted that the government was least bothered about the studies of the students and no effort had been made by it to resolve the issue through talks. “Rather than inviting the association for talks, efforts are being made to threaten the PTA appointees through respective deputy directors,” Mehta said.

He said the strike would continue till the government did not come out with a PTA policy and regularise their services. “It is our democratic right to fight for our rights and we will continue with the stir till our demands are accepted,” he said

Shimla, June 26
Accusing the BJP of pushing its agenda of ‘saffronisation’ of education, the CPM today demanded that the government must frame a policy for PTA appointees who were being targeted simply because they did not have RSS affiliation.

In a statement issued here today, state CPM secretary Rakesh Singha said the Dhumal regime was adopting double standards when it comes to enforcing the eligibility criteria. “While the terminated HPU teachers have been reinstated despite not having eligibility, different norms are being followed for the PTA appointees who are being victimised,” he said.

He said the government must give a logical explanation how there could be two policies for appointment. “The only difference is that while the university teachers have RSS affiliation, the PTA appointees are not linked with the RSS and have been appointed by the previous Congress regime,” he said.

Singha said the law of the land prohibited temporary, ad hoc, para and PTA appointments where permanent jobs existed. “The Constitution of India under Article 14 provides equal wages for equal work, thus the PTA teachers should be regularised by framing a proper policy,” he demanded.

He regretted that only those who swear by the RSS ideology could get an appointment during the BJP regime. “Be it the VC of the HPU or the chairman of the Board of School Education, all posts are strictly reserved for those whose RSS credentials are certified by the shakti kendras”, the CPM leader said. 

Shimla, June 26
Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal has requested the Centre to route the Kailash Mansarovar yatra through Himachal as it is the shortest, most safe and convenient as compared to the present track in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said this while flagging off the jatha of Kailash Mansarovar yatris at Leh in Jammu and Kashmir. “The route to Kailash Mansarovar through Himachal is far better than the one being taken by the Indian as well as the Chinese authorities,” he said. Dhumal said in ancient times pilgrims used to prefer the Himachal route, as it was the normal route for links between India and Tibet.

“We will take up the matter of declaring Himachal route as the alternative route for the Kailash Mansarovar yatra, along with providing of better facilities for the pilgrims along the route,” he said.

The Chief Minister also advocated connecting Leh through rail network by extending it through Jogindernagar-Manali-Keylong. Dhumal said the government must open the old silk route between India and Tibet for trade as this would help boost traditional crafts, handloom and dry fruit business, as people on both sides of the border would benefit from it.

He said the Centre must take effective steps to link border areas of Lahaul-Spiti, Leh and Ladakh with effective rail, road and telecommunication link to strengthen defence network in the area in case of any exigency.

Dhumal also suggested that there should be greater interaction between the tribal people of both the areas in Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir. “In order to bring about emotional unity, there should be greater interaction which at present is confined only to festivals like the Sindhu darshan,” he said.

Nurpur, June 26
The rampant and unscientific mining and quarrying in the Chakki rivulet connecting Punjab and Himachal Pradesh near Kandwal in this subdivision has been playing havoc not only with the ecology but also eroding the foundations of supporting pillars of the railway bridge on the Pathankot-Jogindernagar narrow gauge railway line, thanks to the apathy of the authorities concerned of both states.

Owing to the reckless mining the Chakki river has changed its course towards Punjab side. Inquiries reveal that this railway bridge had been.

A visit to the railway bridge, built in 1929 when the British laid a narrow gauge rail line for the Shanan power project in Jogindernagar, revealed that the foundations of eight supporting pillars of the bridge across the Chakki rivulet had been exposed due to mining. However, the railway authorities earlier used to repair these pillars on a regular basis. The railway is Kangra’s lifeline as it provides the cheapest mode of transportation.

With the washing away of the 118-year-old Chakki road bridge adjoining the railway bridge in flash floods on August 8, 2007, and the causeway for the temporary diversion bridge last week the railway bridge, too, is facing a serious threat.

A railway official confirmed that the illegal mining in the Chakki rivulet had been damaging railway bridge pillars. Though the railway was undertaking the requisite repairs of the pillars, it was the responsibility of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to curb the unscientific mining on the riverbed.

Shimla, June 26
Principal secretary (environment) Hirender Hira has directed the public works department (PWD) to integrate environment management measures in conditions for allotting road construction projects and use cut-and-fill method to minimise damage caused by debris.

Addressing a meeting of senior officials of the PWD here today, she said the environment impact assessment (EIA) and the environment management plan (EMP) should form an integral part of the tendering process to ensure that the debris dumping sites were clearly demarcated. The EIA and the EMP should not be restricted to the road projects funded by the World Bank only. These should be prepared for all road projects in the state, she said.

She also emphasised the need to optimise the earth work quantities by exercising proper care while conducting alignment surveys so that muck generated during the work was utilised in filling lower areas on the valley side. She said in case of failure to adopt environmental safeguards and other measures, the government would not hesitate to invoke penal provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, against the erring officials and contractors.

Director (environment) Nagin Nanda said the road construction work would be strictly monitored using digital photography to ensure that there was no haphazard dumping of debris.

A pictorial presentation was made to show the damage caused by debris generated during road alignments. The Sahu area of Chamba district was reportedly the worst affected due to road construction as agricultural fields had been damaged and the haphazardly dumped debris posed a threat to houses. 

Shimla, June 26
Efforts to conserve the highly endangered western tragopan species received a boost with the hatching of eggs of the gorgeous bird for the second successive year at the Sarhan pleasantry early this week. The survival of the gorgeous birds depends on the success of the programme as the Sarhan is the only place in the world, which has four pairs of this rare bird in captivity.

All four pairs of the bird have laid eggs and two eggs of one pair have hatched. Wildlife officials are using broody hens for two clutches as the natural parents showed no interest in brooding. The successful hatching of eggs through natural parents for second consecutive year indicates that the conservation-breeding project, which had been derailed in 2005, after the government changed the consultant and shifted key officers, is back on track.

The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) funded project was started in 2002 under the guidance of conservation breeding expert of the World Pheasants Association John Corder and led to successful breeding of the western tragopan in captivity for the first time in the world.

However, in July 2005 the department, for reasons best known to it, decided to involve Belgian expert Francy Harman. He suggested that the department should go in for large-scale multiplication of the endangered species using artificial insemination. He also advised that the project be shifted to the Himalayan Nature Park, Kufri. Further, the shifting of key officers virtually brought the project to a standstill.

Thereafter, three of the four chicks bred in 2005 died. There was no breeding in 2006 as none of the eggs laid in two clutches hatched, putting the department in the dock. The government then decided to have another expert and set up a search committee but it again recommended the name of Corder, maintaining that he was the best person available to guide the programme. However, in the process almost two years were lost. The revival of project under Corder yielded prompt results and as many as nine chicks were bred in 2007.

Forest minister J.P. Nadda said the successful breeding of the bird made it evident the department had developed requisite expertise in the highly technical field.

He said another project for breeding the endangered cheer pheasant at Chail peasantry had been started with the assistance of the CZA. The ultimate objective was breeding enough stocks of the two species through parent rearing technique for release in the wild.

Kullu, June 26
National convener of the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch Murlidhar Rao has alleged that the state government is not clear on the construction of Himalayan Ski Village, near Manali, and the special economic zone (SEZ) in Lug Valley of the district. He was addressing a media conference here today.

He alleged that Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal was adopting double standards and going against the peoples’ verdict. He said the SEZ and the Ski Village projects were two sides of the same coin. Dhumal was supporting the SEZ and not deciding anything on the Ski village project.

He said Dhumal had announced on May 14 at Gagret that the proposed SEZ would not be established at Una district if the villagers did not want that. But on May 19, the secretary (industries) issued positive letter in favour of the company proposing to build the SEZ.

He said the Chief Minister should make the proposals of these projects open to the people of the respective places. 

Nurpur, June 26
An unidentified astrologer allegedly duped a large number of local residents, who had approached him for solving their persistent problems. The astrologer had opened his office on the court road about a month ago. He floated his advertisements on local cable TV network and attracted a large number of hapless clients.

Inquires reveal that people with different domestic and financial problems visited the astrologer, who impressed upon them about the treatment of evil spirits and bad stars.

The so-called astrologer collected thousands of rupees from them and even gold jewellery to provide guaranteed remedy to their problems.

Some of the clients on the condition of anonymity revealed that they had given thousands of rupees in advance for performing pooja to get rid of their problems and even some women had deposited their jewellery with the astrologer, which according to astrologer was having impact of ill spirits.

The clients were taken a back when they found the office of the astrologer locked, which was reportedly closed a week ago.

The daily visit in the office of the astrologer had been disappointing them for the past few days.

According to the police, no duped person had so far lodged complaint with the police and it would act only when the matter is reported.

Shimla, June 26
The State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) will conduct a state-level test on August 17, 2008, for the selection of candidates for granting scholarship under the Centrally sponsored National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship scheme.

In all 832 scholarships will be given annually to 12 districts of the state on the basis of enrolment and number of children in 12-13 years age group. The test will be for the scholarships commencing from the academic year 2007-08. A similar test will be conducted in November for selecting candidates for the current academic session along with the first stage selection test of the National Talent Search Examination. The last date for submission of forms is July 17. The forms could be downloaded from the website of the commission. While working out the number of scholarships for each district 67 per cent weightage was given to enrolment in class VII and class VIII and 3 per cent to number of children in the age group of 12-13 years.