Solan, January 18
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has reportedly revoked the cancellation of the licence of the Kasauli-based Central Research Institute (CRI) to manufacture various vaccines under the universal immunisation programme. These include DTT, DT and TT vaccines. Its licence was cancelled around a year ago.

Confirming the report, local MP DR Shandil said the decision was taken following hectic lobbying to save the 103-year-old institute. An order to this effect was passed by the ministry yesterday, he added. Necessary steps would be taken to modernise the institute as per requirements, he said. The institute had received a fax message from the ministry, he added.

The institute’s licence was suspended in January last year after it failed to comply with the laid down schedule-M norms for manufacturing of various vaccines, including Japanese encephalitis, DPT, DT, TT and various sera.

Sources in the ministry, however, said the orders had been revoked as the ministry was facing a dire shortage of vaccines required under the countrywide universal immunisation programme. Since the CRI produced around 700 lakh doses of these vaccines every year, efforts of the ministry to fill the gap from the private sector failed to yield satisfactory results. With the cost of manufacturing being high, private manufacturers failed to provide the requisite quantity of these vaccines. Thus, the ministry had to revoke the cancellation of CRI’s licence.

The order has brought cheers to insitiute’s 650 employees, who had been rendered work-less.

The order to suspend the licence in January last year was issued after an inspection team from the office of the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) did not find any change in the CRI laboratory despite issuance of earlier warnings. \

The institute was warned to bring about certain changes as per requirements under schedule M.

Palampur, January 18
The Government of India has sanctioned a project worth Rs 8 crore for Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University, Palampur, and Shere Kashmir University, Srinagar, for conducting a research on pashmina fiber. This will be a joint venture of both universities.

University sources said both universities would conduct a research on animals producing pashmina, the improvement of its quality and nutrition given to these animals by farmers in the state and Jammu and Kashmir.

The project entitled “Value chain on enhance productivity and profitability of pashmia fibre” is one of its own kinds in the country. The project has been taken up in view of its decreasing production in the country. The major part of the project will be executed by Shere Kashmir Univeristy and Himachal Pradesh Agricutlure Univeristy will study the scope of production of the fibre in tribal areas of the state.

Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh State Wool Federation Trilok Kapoor said the

federation would extend its full cooperation for the successful implementation of the project. He said there was a high demand of the fibre in domestic and international markets. Till date no steps were taken in this regard and animals producing this fibre were on the verge of extinction, he said.

In the first phase, the agriculture university had been given Rs 1.38 crore by the Union government for conducting its research.

Dalhousie, January 18
In order to abide by its social responsibility, the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) is spending over Rs 1 crore on various development schemes in and around the projects under operation in Chamba district during the current fiscal year.

This has been stated by executive director region-II of the NHPC Nain Singh. He said these funds were being spent under the “Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Development (CSR & CD)” scheme launched by the corporation for all-round development of surrounding areas of the projects and well-being of the local people.

The corporation was also spending more than Rs 100 crore on various developmental activities, including roads, bridges and environment management plan in the ambient of the projects functioning in Chamba district, the executive director claimed; adding that the NHPC had kept a provision of Rs 30 crore on the CAT (catchment area treatment) plan of the Chamera hydroelectric project (stage-III) which was under construction.

He also mentioned that road network had been strengthened and bridges to link most interior belts of the district had been constructed. Besides, several milestones had been set up by constructing Sitla Bridge across the Ravi river on the Chamba-Pathankot highway, huge additional edifice of the regional hospital at Chamba and other buildings at Sundla and Banikhet; he further mentioned.

Shimla, January 18
Having miserably failed in curbing unauthorised constructions in the hill state all these years, the government now proposes to set up an inspectorate in the country planning department to monitor the implementation of developed plans.

Provision for inspectorate will be made in the new town and country planning act being finalised by the department to help regulate construction activity in the entire state. Under the proposed act the overall development plans, both in the urban and rural areas, will be prepared by the town and country planning department but they will be implemented by the urban local bodies and panchayati raj institutions. However, to ensure that plans were being adhered to in letter and spirit, a mechanism will be put in place in the shape of an inspectorate which will monitor their implementation.

The new act will be enforced in the entire state but certain measures are being proposed to ensure that people living in rural areas did not have to seek approval of building plans for their normal constructions raised by them. A provision is being included under which no permission or approval of building plans will be required for housing and other structures up to a prescribed limit.

According to sources, a structure having two storeys and an attic and a plinth area up to a specified limit may be exempted from the purview of the act.

Earlier, the government was planning to keep the rural areas out from the purview of the act as villagers are mostly opposed to it.

However, the spurt in the construction activity with a large number of eco-tourism projects, poultry farming, dairy farming, housing, engineering colleges, medical colleges, shopping malls and other commercial projects coming up in rural belts keeping such areas out would defeat the very purpose of the new law.

Kangra, January 18
In order to consolidate the rank and file of the BJP in the Kangra assembly constituency, following the induction of BSP MLA Sanjay Choudary into the party fold, an all-cadre meeting was held at Gupt Ganga today.It was organised by BJP Mandal president Uttam Choudary. The meeting assumed importance because there was simmering resentment within the BJP local leadership that Chief Minister PK Dhumal had inducted Choudary into the party without even taking them into confidence. Former Agriculture Minister and senior BJP leader Vidiaya Sagar, former zila parished chief Rattan Jagat Amba, Pawna Choudary and Sanjay Choudary were present at the meeting.

Addressing a joint press conference, Choudary said the BJP had drawn blank during the last two assembly elections. He said his induction would rejuvenate it and the pace of the development would further accelerate.

Choudary said the foundation stone of the National Institute of Fashion designing at Chaib would be laid down on January 21. He said the Chief Minister had assured him during a meeting that an engineering college would be set up at Shahpur and not at Kangra.

Meanwhile, Vidiaya Sagar said they had accepted Sanjay Choudary as their leader and hope he would accommodate all in days to come.

Hamirpur, January 18
While more than a year has passed after the formation of the present BJP government in the state, there are no signs of members being nominated to the elected urban bodies till now due to reported divergence of opinion among the leaders on this issue.

This is happening despite the fact that some of the leaders and MLAs have already submitted their recommendations to the top party leaders.

Though BJP leaders related with the issue are maintaining silence, workers definitely seem to be becoming somewhat restive.

According to provision of the Urban Bodies Act, the state government has power to nominate members in all urban bodies like municipal corporations, nagar parishad and nagar panchayats as per their strength.

Generally, these nominations are made from different categories like minority communities, etc.

As a precedent, these members from various categories having affiliation to the ruling party are nominated for different urban bodies.

In Hamirpur district only, while three members are to be nominated for nagar parishad, two each are to be nominated for Nadaun and Sujanpur urban bodies. Only two members have been nominated for the Bhota nagar panchayat till now.

Though no party leader is ready to comment openly on this issue but party sources tell, “every leader wants to nominate his man, resulting in delay in the process of these nominations”.

Hamirpur MLA Urmil Thakur on being contacted told The Tribune: “The members are to be nominated by the state government. However, I have made my recommendations to party leaders long time back.” 

Shimla, January 18
The engineers and employees of the state electricity board have formed a joint front to tackle the issue of unbundling of the board that had been hanging fire ever since its transmission utility licence expired.

The front will be led by a nine-member team, comprising representatives from various constituent employees’ bodies. Suneel Grover will be the convener of the front that has called a meeting of representative unions on February 2 to decide the future course of action.

It had resented the reported move of the government to create a separate state transmission utility. It alleged it was a move of the bureaucracy to grab more posts of directors after the unbundling of the board. It urged Chief Minister PK Dhumal to restrain bureaucracy from going ahead with such moves to avoid unnecessary administrative expenditure on new corporations.

The front reiterated that unbundling was not required in the state because of the difficult topography and demographic conditions. If there was any compulsion that trading activity could not be undertaken along with transmission, the same could be kept separate and given to a subsidiary under the control and command of the board.

Shimla, January 18
Reports of various commissions, except pay-revision panels, are seldom implemented by the government. The position is worst in case of law commissions.

Out of the total 53 reports submitted by successive law commissions over the past 10 years, only 12 have been implemented. While three reports were rejected, the remaining 38 have been under consideration.

The information supplied by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice to RTI activist Dev Ashish Bhattacharya reveals that not a single report out of the total 16 submitted by the 17th Law Commission (2003-06) has been implemented so far. The position is slightly better in case of the 16th Law Commission (2000-03) as the government has so far accepted and implemented three of the total 11 reports submitted by it. The remaining are under consideration.

The 18th Law Commission (2007-09) has submitted eight reports so far. All of these are under consideration. The 15th Law Commission (1997-2000) has been an exception with as many as nine out of the total 18 reports submitted by it finding favour with the government. While seven of its reports are still under consideration, the reports pertaining to reforms of electoral laws and amendment to the All-India Council for Technical Education Act have been rejected. In all, an amount of Rs 17.51 crore has been spent on these commissions.

The reports that have either been rejected or gathering dust for the past more than five years pertain to forfeiture of property of corrupt public servants, proposals to set up environment courts and fast-track commercial divisions in high courts, revision of court fee structure, regulation of calamity relief fund, reviewing the Indian Evidence Act, law relating to arrests and public interest disclosure and protection of informers.

In response to the query whether or no it is mandatory for the government to accept the reports, the ministry maintains that the recommendations are forwarded to the administrative ministry concerned that may accept or reject these.

Bhattacharya wonders how the recommendations of technical nature given by commissions manned by judges of the Supreme Court, who are experts in matters pertaining to law, can be rejected or kept in wraps at bureaucratic or political level? If the reports are not to be implemented, what is the point in incurring huge expenditure on such commissions? To make the exercise worthwhile, the recommendations should be made binding on the government, he says.

Palampur, January 18
The state government will introduce yoga as a new subject in all government schools in the next financial year. In the first phase, the subject will be taught only in primary standard.

This was disclosed by chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education Chamna Lal Gupta while speaking at a prize distribution function in a local school here today. He said the board was preparing the syllabus of yoga, which would be given the final approval before March.

He said teaching staff was also being arranged and the government had already given its sanction to the education department. The state would be first to introduce this subject in schools.

He said this programme had been chalked out under the “Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan” sponsored by the Government of India. Later, the subject would also be introduced in middle and higher classes. However, as per the policy of the government, the subject would be taught up to 10th standard.

Gupta categorically stated that all private schools, which fall in the preview of the board, were bound to pay minimum wages to its teaching staff. He said if any complaint was received, the board would initiate action against the erring school.

Sundernagar, January 18
An irate mob put two vehicles, including an ambulance, on fire and damaged a tipper after a worker was run over by a loaded tipper at the 800-MW Kol Dam Project site situated at the Mandi-Bilaspur border.

The incident occurred at Kayan village around 8.45 pm yesterday while Hardev of Bahot Kasol village (Bilaspur district) was signalling to the driver of a tipper (HP-24B-7022) to unload clay at a particular place. The reversing vehicle ran over the worker and he was killed on the spot.

As soon as the information about the incident spread, people started gathering at the spot and the irate mob later set on fire two vehicles (an ambulance and a JCV) and damaged a tipper. Two official of CISF were also injured by the mob. Police parties from Barmana in Bilaspur district and Sundernagar district reached the spot and brought the situation under control.The body was handed over to the relatives after a post-mortem examination at the Zonal Hospital, Mandi, today. The cremation was attended by a large number of workers and officials of the dam project.

According to Sundernagar DSP Raj Kumar Candel, the police has registered a case under Sections 279 and 304A of the IPC against the driver of 
the tipper.

A case has also been registered against the mob. 

Kangra, January 18
Dilapidated building of Government Primary School, Icchhi, coupled with damaged rooms and leaking roofs has forced teachers to hold classes in the open despite chilly weather and rainy season.

During a visit to the school by this reporter, it was found that one room was completely damaged and roofs of the three remaining classrooms were leaking. Moreover, as many as 105 children of primary classes were shivering in the cold.

A wall of one of the rooms was reportedly collapsed in July last. The then deputy director, education, Satish Parmar, along with the project officer of the DIET, looking after the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), and the Kangra block education officer had visited the spot during the past few months, but nothing has been done so far. The authorities have been informed in this regard in writing too but of no avail.

Project officer, DIET, and in charge of the SSA Dev Raj Sharma maintained that the leaking of roofs of the three rooms clearly indicated that the quality of construction was not maintained.

He said there was an eight-member committee looking after the construction work being funded by the SSA and it was supposed to maintain the quality of the work. Regarding the collapsed room, Sharma said he had directed a junior engineer to look into the matter. Sharma, however, said he would now look into the matter personally and contact the village pradhan concerned for the reconstruction of the room.

Kangra, January 18
Residents of 13 village surrounding Tatehal village, near Panchrukhi, in this district have been demanding the upgrading of Tatehal government high school to senior secondary level. They are also demanding a sports complex on the school premises.

Satish Sharma of Ladoh village said this was one of the oldest schools of the area and catered to around 13 villages. The residents of these villages said the school had ample space and adequate infrastructure to accommodate a senior secondary school there. As the area did not have a sports complex and the school premises could accommodate a sports complex to facilitate the youths of the area, they added.

They said Chief Minister PK Dhumal was informed about these two demands in writing on March 28 last year. They said the Chief Minister’s office communicated to them that their request had been forwarded to the secretary (education) for expediting the matter. It suggested them to wait for a call from that office in that connection. However, there had been no call from that office till date.

The villagers have sought intervention of the Chief Minister in this connection to expedite the matter.

Bilaspur, January 18
The government has launched an annual prize scheme for those farmers who will show best results in their fields. This was announced by BJP state spokesman and Kot Kehloor MLA Randhir Sharma while inaugurating the adoption of Silha village by NABARD, about 43 km from here, yesterday.

Sharma said the government would spent an amount of Rs 45 lakh on the scheme.

Under the scheme, six prizes of Rs 50,000 each at the state level, 28 prizes of Rs 25,000 each at the district level and 375 prizes of Rs 10,000 each at the development-block level would be given every year.

Sharma further said the village had been adopted by NABARD for its all round development and within a few years it would be the most developed village of the district.

NABARD district development manager RL Negi said the village would be made a model village in this district.