Solan, September 13
With a view to providing hassle-free land at reasonable rates to the investors, the industries department is acquiring large-scale land in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) area.

The concerted efforts of the department have enabled them to acquire nearly 750 bighas of land in the area.

Land acquisition might have caused uproar at Singur, but apt handling of the situation here has now made available ample land for the investors in the BBN area.

Officials of the department revealed that there have been no dearth of investors and they are receiving daily queries.

Renowned MNC, Silicon Projects, plans to invest nearly Rs 1,000 crore and Indo Rama, another MNC, proposes to invest Rs 400 to Rs 500 crore in the area.

“It was the unavailability of large chunks of contiguous land which had deterred bigger units to venture in the area in the past. Learning a lesson from our past we have stepped up our drive to provide adequate land to them,” observed an official.

The state government had constituted a committee sometime ago to acquire land in various industrial areas of the state.

Maximum acquisition was done in the BBN area which houses more than 70 per cent of the state’s industries. Another chunk of 1080 bighas of land at Bagheri has also been acquired.

Officials said an area of 571 bighas at Lodhi Majra has been acquired and villagers were paid Rs 8 lakh per bigha, which was over and above the market rate. Similarly, an adjoining area of 145 bighas is under process of being acquired.

“Our earlier effort to acquire 376 bighas of land at village Katha enabled us to develop a planned industrial area where big units like Gillette, Wipro, Godrej, etc, have come up. In addition, as many as 25 big investors have shown their inclination to invest in the area,” said an official.

Shimla, September 13
In order to ensure that the three medical colleges to be opened under public-private partnership at Mandi, Una and Hamirpur do not face the same fate as Tanda college, the government has sought opinions from technical experts.

The state government has assigned the task of assessing the requirements, technical aspects and up-gradation at the government hospitals to be attached to the three medical colleges to consultants.

The consultant company is likely to submit its report in the next three months, so that modalities for the setting up of the medical college can be worked out.

Despite severe criticism by the Congress, the BJP regime has decided to go ahead with its proposal of opening three medical colleges, under public-private partnership, at Mandi, Una and Hamirpur but as far as attaching the government hospitals to them is concerned, the government is treading cautiously.

Health and family welfare minister Dr Rajeev Bindal said the government would take a decision on the issue of attaching these hospitals to the three new medical colleges after scrutinising the report of the consultant.

“We are keen that these institutes come up in public-private partnership so that people get the best possible medical facilities at their doorstep,” he said.

He added that the consultant would suggest to the government as to which all hospitals need to be upgraded to meet the requirements of the Medical Council of India (MCI).

“We want to ensure that these medical colleges run smoothly and efficiently with complete infrastructure and do not face the fate of Tanda College,” he said.

Dr Bindal said the government wants that the students who get admission in these medical colleges do not have to struggle to secure their future.

The Congress, which had just before the assembly elections announced to open a government medical college at Mandi, is trying to gain political mileage out of the issue, he alleged.

The government is keen that by opening more colleges, the number of doctors who pass out every year increases from the present 100 to 250.

This will help in meeting the shortage of around 300 MBBS doctors that the department faces at the moment.

Bilaspur, September 13
The deputy commissioner Devesh Kumar has said the administration here has not been under any pressure insofar as election of chairman and vice-chairman of the zila parishad is concerned.

He was reacting to a number of newspaper reports regarding the elections, here today. He said he had scrupulously followed the provisions of the H.P. Panchayati Raj Act in this matter.

He said he had himself presided over both the meetings fixed for this purpose, here on September 3 and 11.

He said the district administration was not working under pressure or favouring any political party.

He also rebutted the charges hurled at him by some Congress leaders that he did not hold the elections to these posts despite the Congress having a majority in the meeting held on September 11.

The DC said in the first meeting there should have been at least ten members present and only seven were there. Therefore, it was postponed to September 11.

But even in the second meeting, only seven members of the Congress were present while there should have been at least eight members, according to the provisions of the Panchayati Raj (Election) Act, 1994.

Hence, no business could be conducted in this second meeting as well. He added that since there was no provision in the Act for any third meeting, he had submitted a detailed report to the government for further directions.

Sarkaghat, September 13
There has been no doctor in the departments of orthopaedics, eye, gynaecology and anaesthesia at the 100-bedded Sarkaghat civil hospital for the past many months.

There are over 15 sanctioned posts of doctor, but eight of these are vacant.

As there is no anaesthetist in the hospital, the patients in the need of undergoing surgery are invariably referred to the Mandi zonal hospital.

The rush in the OPDs has decreased as there are no specialists to attend patients.

Earlier, around 6,000 patients used to come for treatment at various OPDs every month, but now the number has gone below 4,500.

The patients suffering from eye, orthopaedic ailments and the expectant mothers have no option but to undertake 65-km journey to go to Mandi for treatment.

The hospital is also faced with shortage of paramedical staff. There are just two ward sisters against the sanctioned six posts.

One post of technician is also lying vacant. The issue of staff shortage was brought to the notice of the MLAs concerned several times, but to no avail, residents said.

The hospital has a sanctioned strength of 100 beds, but only 77 beds are functional as there is not enough space for more beds, officials maintain.

Frequent power failures add to the woes of patients. There is no generator in the hospital as a standby arrangement.

The work in OPDs come to a standstill whenever there is an emergency case as doctors have to rush to attend that case.

Last week, over 38 accident cases were referred here and OPDs remained closed as doctors had to attend those cases, doctors said.

Medical officer in charge S.N. Sharma said, “Seven doctors posted here are doing almost round-the-clock duty. We need a gynaecologist, an anaesthetist and eye and orthopaedic doctors. So long as these posts are not filled, we will have no option but to refer the patients to the Mandi hospital,” Sharma said.

Director (health services) Sulakshna Puri said department was trying to hire services of retired doctors and anaesthetists through Rogi Kalyan Samitis at all hospitals.

Palampur, September 13
Justice A.R. Lakshmanan, Chairman of the Law Commission of India, today advocated for stringent laws to combat the problem of drug abuse in the country so that younger generations could be saved from this menace.

He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating a three-day workshop, jointly organised by the HP State Judicial Academy and Narcotic Control Bureau, on the NDPS and related issues, here this afternoon.

He said the growing menace of narcotics poses a serious threat to our society; therefore immediate amendments in the present legislations are needed. He opined that provisions related to grant of bail to the accused should be made stringent.

Justice Lakshmanan said in the present scenario the three agencies - police prosecution and judiciary - were facing problems while dealing with cases under the Narcotics Control Act because of certain flaws.

He said it was a matter of concern that every year a large number of accused facing trial under NDPS Act were acquitted in the absence of adequate evidences and flaws in the legislation.

Over one hundred officers from the judiciary, police, prosecution and forest departments would participate in the workshop.

The chairman of the Law Commission said the government of India had declared the social welfare department as the nodal agency to coordinate with various government agencies dealing with this problem, but still much needs to be done.

He said there should be regular checks on the cultivation, production, transportation sale and purchase of narcotics.

Justice Bhalla, the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court, while addressing the delegates, said Himachal was also facing the growing menace of drug abuse.

He said since 2004, 1358 FIRs were registered under the Narcotics Control Acts in the state, out of which 1184 challans were filed in the different courts.

Only 208 cases were succeeded while 348 cases were a failure in the absence adequate evidences and other reasons.

He said there was urgent need for creation of a mechanism, in coordination with other agencies, for hundred per cent success rate.

Kullu, September 13
The hashish hub of Malana is now being tipped as the first ‘high altitude organic farming hub if all goes as targeted by HIMPA’, an NGO which has brought scientists, herbal industrialists and other experts in the field to chalk out a pragmatic alternative to the contraband crops for Malana villagers tomorrow.

The joint anti-drug drives launched by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), central excise and customs and the HP Police successively from 2002-3 had destroyed cannabis, the only source of income for Malana villagers, leaving them behind high and dry as nobody has come out with a viable economic alternative for them.

Former Narcotics Commissioner of India and former, chief commission(CC), Customs, Ramesh Bhattahcarya, who arrived here today to chair the seminar in Malana tomorrow cautioned, “Before things go worse, rehabilitation of villagers by giving them an alternative source of income is need of hour.”

Bhattacharya observed that the anti-drug drives would serve no purpose unless the villagers who grew cannabis and opium poppy are given alternative crops.

Shimla, September 13
Keen to check cultivation of cannabis and poppy in Kullu and Mandi districts, the Himachal police will seek funds from external agencies like the United Nations Organisation for Drug Control (UNODC) and the Ford Foundation to provide alternative avenues to those engaged in the illegal trade.

The crime branch of the police is preparing a report for seeking external funding to undertake a project on alternative farming.

Through the project, financial assistance and technical know-how will be sought for undertaking floriculture, cultivation of off-season vegetables and valuable herbs and medicinal plants.

The internationally aided project is likely to be taken up in a phased manner with the problem areas like Kullu-Manali and Mandi being covered first. Later, all other potential areas would be covered under the project.

Despite concerted efforts by the state police, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Customs to check illegal cultivation and trafficking of narcotic, parts of Kullu, Manali and Mandi have gained notoriety in drug trade.

High-quality hashish and opium, which is rated amongst the best in the world is finding its way from Kullu and Mandi to international markets.

“We will shortly seek funds from the UNODC, the Ford Foundation and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to help those involved in drug trade to take to alternative farming,” said D.S. Manhas, ADGP (CID).

He said the police was making efforts to create awareness among the people against the illegal trade and special campaigns to destroy cannabis and opium were being conducted on a regular basis.

Illegal cultivation of cannabis and opium on private and forestland is not confined to districts of Kullu and Mandi only.

Inhabitants of certain areas in Chamba, Shimla and Sirmaur are also venturing into the lucrative business of drug trade.

Another area of concern for the police is the fact that large number of youths in these areas are falling prey to drugs.

Meanwhile, an NGO has already taken the initiative in this regard. Malana villagers will be told about floriculture and herb cultivation by farm experts on September 14.

Panchayat pradhan of Malana Dile Ram said villagers were keen to take to farming of crops that could ensure higher returns.

The met office has forecast rain or thundershowers at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh during the next 24 hours. — UNI

Shimla, September 13
In order to supply sufficient power to deficient northern grid, the government has signed MoUs with 259 independent power producers (IPP) for projects up to 5 MW.

This was stated by chief secretary, Asha Swaroop while presiding over a conference on hydropower policy organised by HIMURJA, here today.

“Himachal has the potential to feed the power deficient northern grid in particular and other grids as well in case it successfully harnesses its vast hydro-power potential,” she said.

She added under the MoUs signed with IPP so far, 829.35 MW of electricity
would be produced.

“Over the next five years, the government wants to ensure that the installed capacity of Himachal reaches 12,000 MW through execution of medium and large projects and another 500 MW would be realised through small projects by the end of 2012,” she stated.

Swaroop said being environment-friendly, small hydro projects involving low running cost were becoming increasingly as compared to thermal, diesel or gas-based generation power projects.

“As an indirect benefit, the projects are bringing other benefits, including opening up of the hinterland, economic growth of small towns and villages, provision of health, education and transport facilities,” she said.

She said the vision of the government was to make Himachal a power state. “Himachal has a potential of 21,000 MW, out of which 6,255 MW has been harnessed through big projects while 2,000 MW has been assessed in the category of small hydel projects,” she said.

She hoped that the suggestions that emerge at the conference would be looked into by the government and policy changes would be made accordingly.

About 150 IPP along with representatives of forest, fisheries, IPH, land acquisition, pollution control board, the PWD and gram panchayats attended the conference.

The parents and guardians of these students have also urged the government to restore the old timings.

Chamba, September 13
The Hindustan Construction Company is the first hydropower enterprise in the state to extend free medical services to the local people.

The company is executing civil works on the 231 MW Chamera hydroelectric
project (stage-III),

“The HCC has already set up dispensaries and first-aid centres at nine fronts,
including Kalsuin, Lylh, Dharwala, Choori, Khaddal, Balogi, Gehra, Dam site and
Garola for its workforce,” H.S. Dhillon, deputy project controller said.