Shimla, January 29
The Rs 4,500 crore transmission master plan for the evacuation of power will be given final shape at last with Asian Development Bank (ADB) agreeing to provide funds to the state power transmission for the exercise.

The issue had been hanging fire for the past quite sometime and the Central Electricity Authority had taken a serious note of the failure of the state electricity board to implement the plan, leading to a situation where projects will be commissioned without the required system for evacuation of power in place.

The board had prepared a master plan, but it had not taken care to ensure that there was no crowding of lines in the arrow valleys in which number of small and big projects were coming up.

There was not enough space on the ground to lay multiple lines and the state Forest Department had also made it clear that it would not allow felling of trees for the purpose. Already more than 1.25 lakh trees have been axed for the transmission lines already laid.

Further, the plan also failed to take into account the high-tension system required to meet the increasing demand within the state, which had been growing at a rate of 15 to 20 per cent annually. Since the plan had to be implemented in a phased manner it had to take care of the priorities for evacuation and distribution needs.

The ADB had agreed to sanction technical assistance of $9 lakh to the corporation for carrying out the exercise and it had already indicated its willingness to fund the master plan. The plan will be fine-tuned by conducting field surveys and multiple lines will be replaced by high-capacity lines.

The plan will take care of transmission network for evacuation of over 10,000 MW of power out of which about 3,000 MW will be taken out from the landlocked Lahaul-Spiti district. Another 3,500 MW will be evacuated from Sutlej basin in Kinnaur from projects located upstream of the 300 MW Bhabha project.

In the first phase transmission lines will be laid for the projects scheduled for completion from 2010 to 2014 and the total cost was estimated to be Rs 2,260 crore.

The second phase to be implemented subsequently will seal the transmission network for the state with a capacity to evacuate the entire identified hydroelectric potential of 20,384 MW.

Shimla, January 29
In order to expedite cases pertaining to the core, restricted, heritage and green zone in the state capital where there are strict regulations with regard to construction, the state Cabinet has constituted a committee under the chairmanship of principal secretary, Urban Development.

The decision to constitute a committee was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet held here on January 27. Prior to this all such cases of construction, alteration or repair with regard to these areas used to be cleared by the state Cabinet. Now with a special committee being constituted to deal with the issue it is expected that cases will be dealt on the basis of merit and in a time bound manner.

In case of the restricted area the committee will deal with cases where relaxation has to be given while in case of green areas it will deal with cases where permission for construction is being sought. In case of heritage zone, where only addition and alteration along old lines is permissible, the committee will ensure that the heritage character is retained.

“It is only in case of special relaxation other than what is permissible in the rules under the TCP Act that the cases will be forwarded to the Cabinet for approval,” informed an official. He added that this would ensure that all cases are dealt in the merit and there are no violations.

The other members of the committee include commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, as its member secretary and director of the Town and Country Planning (TCP), Deputy Commissioner, Shimla, and member secretary of the Pollution Control Board.

The committee will meet at regular intervals and clear or reject the cases which the TCP receives.

Till now the Cabinet had been dealing with all such cases, which at times led to delay in clearing the cases. “One cannot deny the fact that when the Cabinet dealt with the cases it was more on political considerations rather than on merit,” admitted a senior bureaucrat.

The government has constituted green, core, restricted and heritage zone in Shimla. Each has restrictions like in the core area only three storeys and one parking is permissible while in green areas there is blanket ban on constructions.

In the heritage zone extending from the state secretariat till the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies right through the Mall, only alteration and addition is allowed and no structure can be pulled down or freshly constructed.

The government is keen that the precious British time heritage is protected and used to promote tourism.

Shimla, January 29
Having taken a lead in declaring its candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP is getting into the election mode. The top brass of the party will meet at Dharamsala tomorrow to chalk out its poll strategy.

Chief Minister PK Dhumal, Rajya Sabha member Shanta Kumar, state party chief Jai Ram Thakur, co-in charge of party affairs in Himachal OP Dhankar and organisation secretary Mahender Pandey will attend the meeting. “We will discuss the poll strategy, including holding of rallies, the leaders who will campaign here and other election-related issues,” said BJP state chief Jai Ram Thakur.

“The feedback that the in charge of the four Lok Sabha seats give at the meeting will be taken into consideration before deciding the poll strategy. The BJP wants to maintain the lead that it has taken in declaring its candidates first while the Congress is still in the process of selecting its candidates,” he added.

Along with the in charge of the Lok Sabha seats, the co-in charge will also be present at the meeting. Former minister Vidya Sagar and Rajeev Bhardwaj are in charge and co-in charge for Kangra, Ram Swaroop Sharma and Rakesh Jamwal for Mandi, Khushi Ram Balnatah for Shimla and former minister Praveen Sharma and Rasheel Singh Mankotia for Hamirpur.

Even as the party leaders are holding a meeting to discuss the poll strategy, state BJP secretary and an aspirant for the party ticket from the Shimla Lok Sabha seat is giving anxious moments to the BJP. He has already met LK Advani and Rajnath Singh, demanding change of candidates. According to him, he has been assured that the party will reconsider its decision. Otherwise, there is a possibility of his contesting the election as a rebel.

Hamirpur, January 29
Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president Kaul Singh Thakur has said that some leaders of the BJP are in contact with Congress leaders and may join the party.

He was talking to mediapersons here today. He said, “There is no delay in announcing the Congress candidates for the coming elections and the HPCC will recommend the names of candidates to party high command at a meeting to be held on January 31 at Shimla. The names same will be declared by February 15.”

He said, “The cases of return of expelled Congress leaders will be decided on merit by the party. The cases of habitual deserters will be decided by the party high command only.”

“There is no dearth of candidates for the Mandi parliamentary seat and no reluctant candidate will be fielded from there. I will contest election from the Mandi seat only if the party asks me to do so. However, I personally feel that no leader should contest any election after the age of 72,” he added.

Earlier, he addressed a meeting of party workers organised by the district Congress committee. He said there was not even a single achievement of the present BJP government to bank upon, while there were a large number of issues that the Congress workers could make use of during the election campaign.

He accused the government of holding official functions despite a national-level seven-day mourning announced by the Centre due to the death of former President R Venkatraman.

Many Congress leaders and workers expressed their views on party affairs during the meeting. Prominent among them were former MLA Anita Verma, Naridner Thakur and district Congress president Sunil Sharma.

Sundernagar/Mandi, January 29
Residents of Keran village, near here, have urged the government to cancel the MoU signed with Harish Cement Ltd to set up a cement plant near Sundernagar. They demanded that some Eco Tourism Project be set up at Keran instead of the cement plant.

Earlier to it, the residents have been supporting the cement plant and were ready to give their land, but now they have decided not to give their land for the cement plant as the company has started cheating them and was playing the policy of divide and rule.

A meeting of the Krishak Vikas Samiti was held at Keran today. Many representatives addressed the meeting and said their earlier decision to favour the cement plant was wrong and now they do not want to give land to this project.

Chuni Lal, president of the Krishak Vikas Samiti (plant area), said the government could not rehabilitate the oustees of different projects till now for which the government had acquired the land. How it would rehabilitate the oustees in the present project was not clear till now, as the company had not formulated any plan for it.

Joginder Singh Thakur, general secretary, Bhartiya Kisan Sangh (Himachal Pradesh Unit), said if the government was so much interested in the cement plant why not it be set up in Hamirpur (home district of CM). Some residents blamed that the MLAs of Nachan and Sundernagar Assembly segments were not taking up the issue with the government.

President of the joint action committee, DC Parashar after the meeting said it was a case of utter highhandedness of the district administration and the company that they have decided the rate for compensation at their own without taking villagers into confidence whose land was being acquired for the plant. They are offering Rs 3 lakh per bigha where as the actual rate given elsewhere is Rs 15 lakh per bigha, he added.

On the other hand company has pleaded that the compensation is decided by the district administration as the prevailing rates in the local market.

Mandi DC Onkar Sharma said the villagers have given the land willingly to the company before negotiating the rate with the company in all cases so far. Still we would persuade the company to give them the best rate in market. “He is not aware about the joint action committee demand as land acquisition process is on in the area, he added.

Dharamsala, January 29
After reduction in fuel prices the state government is now contemplating reducing the bus fares. The minister for transport Kishan Kapoor, when asked to comment, said the matter had been referred to the higher officials of the department. The officials would deliberate over the issue of reduction in bus fares and recommend the quantum to which reduction can be affected.

The Congress had already demanded that the government should reduce the bus fares.

The CM during his recent visit to the area had also stated that if union government reduced fuel prices further the state government could  contemplate reduction in bus fares.

With Lok Sabha elections approaching, the sources here said the government might announce reduction in bus fares very soon.

Shimla, January 29
The state Congress has demanded immediate withdrawal of bus fare hike in view of slashing of diesel prices by the UPA regime for the second time in a period of 40 days.

General secretary and chief spokesperson of the party Kuldeep Rathore reminded Chief Minister PK Dhumal of his promise to roll back the fare hike as and when the Centre reduces the fuel prices.

He said diesel rates had been revised downwards twice in quick succession and there was no reason for the Dhumal government to back out from its promise. More so, because it had not accepted the demand for reducing VAT on petrol when the prices of petroleum products were skyrocketing.

He said the harsh reality was that the BJP government was not doing anything for the benefits of the people and only taking credit for the schemes and projects launched by the UPA government which included central university, IIT, medical colleges and employment schemes like national rural guarantee yojna. Yet its leaders were indulging in falsehood and when the Congress leaders were exposing their false claims Dhumal was trying to silent them by threats of legal action.

Dharamsala, January 29
The Kashag (Tibetan parliament-in-exile) has alleged that the Chinese government has launched a “strike hard” campaign to tackle political protests in Tibet.

In a press conference organised here today, Keseng Y Takla, minister in the department of information and international relations, said, “We are very disturbed to learn that the Chinese authorities in Lhasa have launched a 42-day “strike hard” campaign in an effort to step up vigilance against eruption of political protests in Tibet.”

Raids were being conducted at homes and hotels of Tibetans in Lhasa by the Public Security Bureau (PSB). The Chinese security officials had rounded up 5,766 persons for questioning. There was a firing incident at Dege Monastery on the night of January 27. A campaign had been launched with a political motive after the March 2008 uprising in Tibet. “We are dismayed to learn that Pema Tsepak, a young Tibetan boy, died on January 23 in the Chamdo area due to severe torture. On January 20, he took part in a non-violent protest along with two other boys, whose fate was not yet known,” he added.

There were reports of putting pressure on the Tibetans to celebrate Tibetan New Year (Losar). “They are reluctant to hold celebrations as a mark of mourning for the fellow countrymen who died in the March, 2008, protests,” the Kashag representative alleged.

The re-launch of the “strike hard” campaign would lead to more violations of fundamental rights. There was heightened sense of fear and intimidation in Lhasa and in other parts of Tibet. “We are doubtful of the PRC’s intention behind re-launching of such campaigns, including patriotic education, which will create atmosphere of further political unrest and, therefore, justify the use of more repressive measures,” he added.

“We ask the PRC authorities to call off the “strike hard” campaign and put an end to their hard-line policies in Tibet, immediately. We urge and appeal to the parliaments, governments and individuals around the world to actively intervene so that the unfortunate incidents of March, 2008, do not get repeated,” he added.

Dharamsala, January 29
The fight over zonal hospital here reached its lowest ebb today. Minister for transport and urban development Kishan Kapoor who represents Dharamsala constituency today alleged that Congressmen sitting on chain hunger strike in hospital campus resorted to ‘womanising.’

He alleged that on January 26 night three women arrived at the tent in which Congress workers were sitting on chain hunger strike at about 12 pm. They stayed there till 4.30 am and left in the morning.

Kapoor alleged that police was informed about the incident. The police officials checked the tent and found women there. The Congressmen sitting in dharna told the police that the women belonged to Sarol village in Chamba district and had come to visit some patients of their village admitted in the hospital. In the morning tge police called up the sarpanch of Sarol village in Chamba who told the police that no patient from their village had been admitted in zonal hospital.

The identity of women remains a mystery. It is only the Congressmen sitting on chain hunger strike who can explain their conduct by allowing women into their camp at night. Making an oblique reference of former Congress minister GS Bali, Kapoor alleged that the Congress had a history of resorting to such acts in the area.

The sources available here said that under pressure from ruling party for allegedly not acting against accused Congressmen, the district police authorities have issued notice to the ASI who was deputed to check the tent.

The president of Dharamsala block Congress Digvijay when contacted refuted the charges levelled by the minister. He alleged that on January 26 two Congress workers Katoch and Sonu Kumar were sitting on chain hunger fast. At night the peon of the hospital came with three women who had come to visit some patient. The peon maintained that women had no place to go in the middle of night. The Congress workers allowed the women to sleep in their tent. He also said that the police officials also checked the tent in the night and did not find anything fishy.

The SP, Kangra, Atul Phulzele, when contacted said on receiving the information police officers, including the ASP, was sent to Congress tent. Three women were found sleeping there. The police officers did not find anything objectionable and so no case was registered. 

Dharamsala, January 29
Chamba rumal (handkerchief), a symbol of traditional art, is likely to be distributed among guests at the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said the matter had been taken up with the Union Ministry of Sports. “The Chamba rumal has a unique texture that has been developed by weavers of the region over a long period of time. If the handkerchief developed by the traditional weavers of Chamba finds a place in Commonwealth Games it would help promote it at an international level. The handkerchief can then find a market in foreign countries and create extra income for traditional weavers.”

The CM also requested Union Minister for Textiles Shankersinh Vaghela to include the Gaddi sheep of the state in the Integrated Wool Development and Improvement Programme (IWDIP). He said about 16 kg wool is produced by tribal Gaddi sheep rearers of the state. If their life stock is included under the IWDIP it can help in improvement of sheep varieties and better yield for about 4 lakh Gaddi sheep rearers.

The CM also said the state government was planning to create massive awareness regarding the original Kullu shawls. Though the shawls have been patented by the state, many fake machine woven shawls were being sold in the name of Kullu shawls.