Shimla, December 18
Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) would execute hydel, thermal and wind energy projects not only in Himachal, but also in other states and abroad.

This was stated by Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal on the occasion of the second Raising Day celebrations of the HPPCL here today. “We had envisioned to create a separate body to exclusively execute thermal and wind energy projects besides hydel power projects, so that maximum energy could be generated from different sources,” he said.

He said the HPPCL had been allotted a number of power projects, including Sawra Kuddu, Integrated Kashang, Sainj, Shongtong Karchham, Lord Parshuram Sagar, Chirgaon Majhgaon and Tidong II projects. “Himachal is the first state in the country that has succeeded in obtaining a loan of Rs 4,000 crore out of which Rs 3,600 crore would be in the form of a grant from the Centre. The remaining Rs 400 crore would be a repayable loan amount,” he said.

Dhumal said the government would adopt the best relief and rehabilitation policy for those affected by any power project. He said a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh per bigha had been fixed for irrigated land, Rs 1.5 lakh for un-irrigated cultivable land and Rs 50,000 for barren land. He said a sum of around Rs 250 crore would be spent on the relief and rehabilitation of the affected 450 families.

He said environment protection was the top priority of the government and a sum of Rs 492.68 crore would be spent by the HPPCL for such activities in the upcoming Lord Parshuram Sagar Project, also called the Renuka Dam. “A bird sanctuary, like the one at the Pong Dam, would be set up at Renuka. The Lion safari in the Renuka wildlife sanctuary would also be protected and developed as per international standards,” he said.

Dhumal said the affected villages would get 100 units of free power for the next 10 years besides employment in project activities.

Tarun Kapoor, HPPCL managing director, welcomed the Chief Minister and detailed activities of the organisation.

Shimla, December 18
The state will be deprived of revenue to the tune of over Rs 1250 crore annually because of the wrong policy of allotting hydroelectric projects through MoU route instead of competitive bidding followed by the government until January, 2008.

This is evident from the quantum of additional free power quoted by successful bidders in first-ever free-power based competitive bidding carried out for allotment of projects in the state. The average quantum of additional free power quoted for the projects most of which were located in interiors in difficult terrain varied from 14.4 to 26.1 per cent and the quantum was less only in the case of 69 MW Teling project at 3.34 per cent. In contrast the projects allotted through the MoU earlier were location-wise easier to execute and more economical and would have easily fetched 25 to 35 per cent additional free power.

So far projects of aggregate 5490 MW capacity have been executed in the state sector, 2803 MW were under implementation and another 1800 MW were under allotment. In all 37 projects with aggregate generation capacity of 4800 MW were allotted to independent power producers (IPPs) till last year out of which only seven projects of 2253 MW were offered through upfront premium-based bidding and the remaining 30 with generation capacity of about 2500 MW were allotted through the MoU route.

On average1 MW yields 4.5 to 5 million units of power annually. As such a conservative 25 per cent additional free power from the projects allotted through the MoU route would have provided the state 306 crore units annually free of cost. At the current market rate it would have fetched a revenue of Rs 1250 crore to Rs 1500 crore.

Having experimented with the upfront premium and free power-based bidding the government should now go for tariff-based bidding to ensure proper benchmarking of the generation cost and make sufficient low cost power available to the state electricity board for distribution within the state. 

Shimla, December 18
Providing relief to owners of over 13,000 unauthorised structures by making an amendment to the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Rules, the government will soon issue a notification inviting fresh applications for regularisation of structures raised in violation of rules.

The notification, which will put an end to the threat of disconnection of water and power supply to all such structures, is likely to be issued in a day or two. The last date for applying for regularisation of these structures will be February 28 and all these cases will be disposed of by June 30.

“The earlier compiled figure of 13,000 illegal structures can go up as owners of several undetected unauthorised structures will also want to avail themselves of the relaxation,” said an official.

Once the process is over, thousands of buildings with major violations in 34 special areas and 20 planning areas in the state would be regularised. The TCP Department had prepared a list of all such illegal structures and as per rules, water and electricity connection were to be disconnected.

Rather than taking a harsh decision on the issue, the BJP regime decided to give relaxation to the violators, especially in view of the Lok Sabha elections due next year. There had been a lot of political pressure on the government to give relief in such cases.

However, many structures, in which the extent of violations was beyond the permissible limit, might not qualify for regularisation even after amendment to the TCP rules.

“Only those structures that have up to 40 per cent deviation in the setbacks within the prescribed storeys in the rules would qualify for compounding,” said an official.

Shimla, December 18
Chief minister P.K. Dhumal today said that earlier allotted power projects on which work had still not been started or had been sub-let could face the threat of cancellation.

Speaking to mediapersons here today he said the government would not allow back door entry into the power sector through sub-letting. “We are in the process of preparing a list of all such projects where work had been delayed or the project sold off to another party,” he said.

Speaking on the issue of trifurcation of the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB), he said that the government was still weighing all pros and cons before arriving at a final decision. “Even though the Centre has made the unbundling of all power boards mandatory but the fact is while in some states the experiment has been worthwhile while in others the results have not been too encouraging,” he remarked.

He said the government had changed the hydro-electric power project allottment procedure and fixed the upfront premium limit at Rs 20 lakh per MW. “Rather than focusing on upfront money alone we are keen on getting more free power from the power producers besides the 12 per cent share as this would be in the interest of the state in the long run,” he stated.

Dhumal said the condition of ensuring 70 per cent employment to bonafide Himachalis would be strictly enforced in the execution of all power projects. “Lot of employment opportunities have been created and the condition of providing a minimum of 70 per cent jobs to Himachalis in all projects and industrial units will be implemented in letter and spirit,” he said.

Dharamsala, December 18
Advocates vent their ire against the government and elected representatives of Kangra here today.

Addressing a press conference, members of the Dharamsala Bar Association said the BJP had promised in its election manifesto that permanent benches of the State Administrative Tribunal would be set up at Dharamsala and Mandi. However, it abolished the tribunal immediately after coming to power.

The government had also promised to establish a circuit bench of the high court at Dharamsala. However, despite hectic lobbying by lawyers, the government was not initiating any move to fulfil even that promise. During the recent winter session also, lawyers from the district had submitted memorandums to the government to press for their demand. However, politicians of the ruling party did not give any positive response.

Members of the Bar said the promise could be fulfilled only if politicians of the area showed some resolve. About 65 per cent cases in the high court were from lower areas of the state. The poor people from these areas had to travel to Shimla to contest their cases. The situation was such that after the abolition of the State Administrative Tribunal, many employees had left the idea of contesting cases for small anomalies ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000.

President of the Bar Tek Chand Rana said there were 16 elected representatives from Kangra district. The association would ask them to clear their stand on the issue of establishing a circuit bench of the high court at Dharamsala.

If the elected members did not clarify their stand on the issue, the association would launch a campaign during the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections to make people aware about the complacency of their elected representatives toward their demands.

Dharamsala, December 18
A section in the BJP wants Shanta Kumar to contest Lok Sabha election from the Kangra parliamentary constituency. An indication to this effect was given by state president of the party Jai Ram Thakur while talking to mediapersons here today.

To ensure party’s win from the Kangra constituency, it was mandatory that Shanta Kumar contested the election from there. He was the only candidate who could ensure party’s win from that seat, he said.

The statement assumes significance in view of the fact that Shanta Kumar, who is Rajya Sabha member from the state, has repeatedly said that he was not interested in contesting the Lok Sabha elections. It might, however, peeve supporters of Shanta Kumar, who are of the view that CM’s camp wants Rajya Sabha seat being held by Shanta Kumar vacated for their own lobby.

Jai Ram Thakur said the BJP would finalise all four candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections by December 30. The party would also launch its election campaign on the same day with party president L.K. Advani addressing a rally in Shimla.

When asked about the likely candidates, Jai Ram Thakur said the candidature of only Anurag Thakur had been finalised (from the Hamirpur parliamentary) so far. About the possibility of his contesting from the Mandi parliamentary constituency, he said he was happy in his role as an MLA.

He said a BSP MLA joined the BJP yesterday. Three Independent MLAs from the state also wanted to join the party, he added.

About the possibility of former BSP state convener Major Vijay Singh Mankotia (retd) joining the BJP, Thakur said anything regarding that could be considered only after he came back to active politics.

Shimla, December 18
Accusing the BJP regime of commercialising health services under the garb of privatisation, the CPM today demanded that the state governemnt must increase investment on public health and reconsider its decision to hand over Vivekanand Medical Research Trust (VMRT) to the Jaypee group.

A member of the state secretariat of the CPM, Tikender Singh Panwar today said that the CPM would oppose any move by the government to outsource public health. “A massive campaign will be carried out in the state till December 22 to make people aware of the fall out of the paradigm shift in health services in the state,” he said.

He said under the garb of public private-partnership, the BJP was targetting public institutions and now Rogi Kalyan Samitis (RKS) had been formed. “These RKS are doing nothing but collecting charges from the people for various investigations, taking basic health facilities out of the reach of common man,” he said.

He said another step towards commercialisation of health services was the opening up of private medical colleges under the name of greenfield projects. “These colleges have been accorded special preferential treatment and the governemnt has announced to hand over three government hospitals in Mandi, Hamirpur and Una to the entrepreneurs who set up these medical colleges,” he said.

He also criticised the government for handing over Vivekanand Medical Research Trust (VMRT) to the Jaypee group of industries. “This is the most naked form of attack on public health as a sum of Rs 21 crore had been raised through public donations for the project,” he said.

He demanded that free medicines should be provided to the poor and the Rogi Kalyan Samitis be scrapped. “The governemnt must scrap the notification for attaching three government hospitals to private medical colleges as this will make healthcare unaffordable for the common man,” he demanded.

Bilaspur, December 18
Crippling almost the entire postal system in the district, about 300 ‘gramin dak sewaks’ have gone on an indefinite strike in support of their demands. Their strike also entered the second day here today.

District president of the association Nand Lal Sharma said here today that they took out a rally in town shouting slogans against the adamant attitude of the central government and also of departmental bureaucrats, who are not listening to their genuine demands. He declared that the strike would continue till their demands were accepted by the authorities.

Addressing the rally, Class III Postal Employees Union district general secretary R.R. Sharma said the entire ‘dak parivar ‘ was with the strikers and supported their demands as they were genuine and the government should accept them. The rally was also addressed by NGO’s leaders Chet Ram Varma , Anil Chadha and Bhupendera Dogra and a teachers leader Pawan Sharma among others, who extended their support to the demands and peaceful agitation.

These strikers were opposed the report of Natraj Murty and had been insisted that they should be treated as regular employees and be given salary and allowances and financial benefits according to them, including pension and gratuity on retirement.

Hamirpur, December 18
Hundreds of postal sewaks, working under Hamirpur postal division, observed a complete strike for the second day today on the call of All-India Additional Departmental Postal Employees Union (AIPEDEU).

Divisional secretary of the union Dev Raj said their members assembled on the gate of main post office in the morning and raised slogans against the postal department and the central government and demanded that recommendations of Natrajan Moorti committee report should be rejected. They later marched to Gandhi Chowk and burnt the effigy of the deputy director general of the postal services.

Addressing a rally at Gandhi Chowk, union leaders said the present director Ashwani Kumar, during his tenure as the secretary of the committee, in his report had deliberately turned down the recommendations of Justice Talwar, who had recommended pension and other benefits to employees of their category.

The union leaders have demanded that they should also be given pay benefits like the other employees in the Sixth Pay Commission.

The union has also appealed to group C and D category postmen to join their agitation and strengthen the movement.

The leaders also warned the UPA government not to follow the path of the previous NDA government and stop exploitation of postal employees. 

Manali, December 18
Former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh visited fire-affected village at Solang village, 13 km from here, today to share the grief with the families who lost their houses in a devastating fire on November 25.

He announced a relief of Rs 5 lakh on behalf of Partibha Singh, Member of Parliament, Mandi constituency, to all affected families and also a relief of Rs 5 lakh on behalf of his family members and himself to construct the road to village, water tank and to build the houses.

Virbhadra said the relief according to the state government was not enough for the fire-affected families and the state government should release additional relief from the Chief Minister Relief Fund.

He said wood should be provided free of cost to the affected families through the forest department to build their houses.

He further added that in the Timber distribution rights wood should not be misused by the villagers.

A relief of Rs 1.5 lakh also provided to the affected families by the president of zila parishad, Kullu. President of the fruit growers association,Kullu, Prem Sharma also helped the fire victims by providing Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh has been given to all affected families by S.P. Thakur, a local resident of Manali.

Paonta Sahib, December 18
Notwithstanding sounding high alert in states’ bordering areas the manner in which about nine miscreants managed to loot nearly Rs 13.60 lakh from a cooperative bank at Shillai around 2.30 pm last night, a question mark has been put on the preparedness of the police to deal with crime at the such places.

Though the police managed to nab eight of the nine miscreants in the wee hours today, yet only part of the money amounting to Rs 6.95 lakh could be recovered. The miscreants, two of whom have undergone sentences for various offences, assaulted the bank manager Sunder Singh Chauhan and decamped with the cash.

DIG (south range ) Pardeep Kumar told The Tribune that it was an information passed on by a teacher running a private school when the local SHO learnt of the crime. A speeding vehicle was later noticed rushing towards the Shillai-Khudrimajri Road, which further gave the police leads about their whereabouts. The two locals, including Bhagat Singh and Balbir, and some youth from Patiala, including Ranjit Singh, Jeewan Kumar, Bunty and Ramesh were assisted by three other youths from Chandigarh, including Vikas, Pramod and Manglu in looting the bank.

The DIG said the gang comprising nine miscreants, including two local youth from Shillai, met at Dosarkha and from thereon proceeded to loot the bank. A country made pistol was later recovered from them. However, a home guard and a constable received some injuries when the police tried to thwart the attempts of the miscreants to flee the area near Killad village, nearing the boundary of Uttrakhand, which was nearly 50 km away from the bank.

A team, led by the local DSP Virender Thakur, was ably assisted by the villagers in nabbing the miscreants.

The policemen acting swiftly managed to arrest Randeep singh, Jeevan Kumar, Banty and Ramesh belonging to Patiala, Vikas and Manglu of Chandigarh with two local residents of Shillai while Pramod was still at large. The DIG said the search teams had been constituted to nab him and since his leads about his whereabouts were available they were hopeful of tracing him soon.

Mandi, December 18
A school peon posted at Government School Riwalsar, about 25 km from here, was burnt to death in his rented room, near the school, at around 7.30 am today after the gas cylinder leaked and caught fire killing him at the spot.

School children and his neighbours rushed to the spot and put off the fire, but room was reduced to ashes and failed to save the peon. He has been identified as Pratap Singh (36), a resident of Sarkaght, and was working in the school, the police said.

DSP, headquaters, K.S. Rana who rushed to spot said there was no foul play in the incident. Pratap has locked the room from inside when his room caught fire due to gas leakage or burning stove. He had pasted papers on the ceiling of his room that added fuel to fire.