The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Himachal Pradesh Edition

Bitumen Scam
Vigilance begins probe into VAT evasion
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 4
With FIRs already having been registered at 10 places with regard to irregularities in the supply of bitumen, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau will now probe a new angle of non-payment of VAT in respect of trucks carrying bitumen. It suspects that these vehicles never reached their destination as shown in PWD records.

The bureau has dispatched its teams to Bilaspur, Mandi and Gohar to scrutinise the records pertaining to supply of bitumen during the Congress regime after it chanced upon a new fact that in some cases VAT had not been paid while transporting the supplies. As such, it is being suspected that some of the trucks, which, according to the records, had reached their respective destinations, were never sent at all.

SP, Special Investigation Unit (SIU) in the Vigilance Bureau, Hardesh Bisht confirmed that it had come to light after scrutinising the records that VAT had been evaded in transportation of bitumen. “The fact that VAT payment has not been made in certain areas gives rise to suspicion that the trucks might not have reached the destination at all while it was shown otherwise in records,” he stated.

It is only after the vigilance teams return after inspecting the records that the extent of irregularities will be known. Ten cases have so far been registered by the bureau in the bitumen scam all over the state.

It was in May earlier last year that the bureau had seized records from various divisions of the PWD regarding irregularities in bitumen supply between March 1, 2007, to March 31, 2008. It was during investigations that it was detected that at several places entries had been made in the stock registers of the PWD while the supply had not been made at all. In other cases, the stock reached its destination almost six months late.

The Him Agro Industries, which was the nodal agency for the supply of bitumen, has also imposed a penalty of over Rs 2.85 crore on four defaulter transport companies that were awarded the contract for supplying bitumen from the refineries of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and the Hindustan Petroleum, located at Panipat.

The bureau is looking into the reasons for extension of the contract awarded to these companies beyond March 31, 2008. The contract was extended till June 30, 2008, despite the fact that irregularities had already come to light by then.

JBT teachers stage dharna
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, February 4
Candidates of JBT today staged dharna here to press for acceptance of their demands. The candidates are demanding that government should absorb them on permanent basis as per the provision of bond entered with them by the previous Congress government. While talking to The Tribune the protesting candidates alleged they had been sending petitions to the Chief Minister as well as education minister to absorb them on permanent basis.

Despite the assurance from the CM and education minister, nothing has been done as yet.

The JBT teachers are apprehending that the state government might absorb them on contract. Under contract the JBT teachers would be paid an amount of just Rs 6900 per month where as if they are absorbed on permanent basis they would get more than Rs 10000 per month. Besides, the contract teachers are also not paid any salary for holidays.

The previous batch of JBT teachers was also recruited by the Congress government on contract basis. Recently about 60 teachers of JBT who have been working on contract had also represented to the CM if the present batch was to be absorbed on permanent basis, then there services should also be regularised.

Though thousands of posts of JBT teacher are lying vacant in primary schools, the government is hiring new teachers on contract.

The increasing financial liability of permanent employees on the state exchequer and poor financial health of the state is basic reason for hiring employees on contract, the sources available here told.

Plan to set up ‘mandi’ in NCR: Bragta
Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 4
The government is contemplating to file a case in the Delhi High Court to seek enforcement of the Model Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act at the Azadpur Mandi in Delhi. It also plans to set up a separate subzi mandi in the national capital region at Kundli in Haryana to save fruit growers from exploitation at the hands of “arhtiyas”.

Stating this in Delhi today, Horticulture Minister Narender Bragta said the government was concerned over the raw treatment being meted out to horticulturists from the state in the Asia’s biggest market at Azadpur. To solve the problem once and for all, the government proposed to set up a subzi mandi at Kundli where around 14,000 sq yd land was available with it.

A comprehensive project would be formulated for the purpose and the proposed market would not only to cater to the growers of Himachal Pradesh but also to that from Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir, who were also fleeced by commission agents at the Azadpur market on one pretext or the other.

He said controlled atmosphere stores would be set up in proposed market so that highly perishables products like flowers and vegetables could also be disposed of without problems. The APMC Act would be implemented in the new “mandi” and no commission would be charged from the growers. The farming community would be provided all modern amenities at the market.

The government would again take up the case for waiving of the commission being charged from growers at the Azadpur market and urge to Delhi Government to fulfil its commitment to implement the APMC Act.

Rs 165 cr for water schemes in Kangra
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, February 4
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today laid the foundation stone of Rs 39.23 crore drinking water supply scheme at Much Kund Mahadev village of Beehan panchayat in Pragpur block of Kangra district. The scheme would provide potable water to 67000 people of 96 villages of Pragpur and Jaswan legislative assembly areas. It is scheduled to be completed by December, 2011.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion Dhumal said that with a view to strengthening the agriculture sector Rs 353 crore Pandit Deen Dayal Kisan Baagwan Samridhi Yojna had been launched. Under it 28,880 poly houses and equal number of mini and micro sprinkler and drip water efficient irrigation schemes would be brought. Farmers going for the schemes would be given 80 per cent subsidy by the government.

The CM said procurement price of all fruits had been increased to protect interests of horticulturists.

The Chief Minister ruled out all criticism being carried by the political opponents with regard to discrimination with Kangra district.

During his present regime a central university, NIFT, disaster management battalion, food craft institute, consumer tribunal, SAIL plant and many such prestigious institutions had been got sanctioned for the district

A sum of Rs 165 crore was being spent on drinking water and irrigation schemes in Kangra district during the current financial year out of which Rs 54 crore would be spent on rural drinking water and Rs105 crore on execution of different irrigation schemes, he claimed.

He also directed the PWD for preparing a detailed project report for the widening and improvement of Chintpurni-Talwara road and sanctioned Rs 80000 for the construction of a cremation site at Beehan panchayat.

Ravinder Ravi, IPH Minister, detailed the sanctioned irrigation and drinking water supply scheme for Kangra district.

Narender Thakur starts poll campaign
Tribune News Service

Hamirpur, February 4
With positive indication from party leaders to field Narender Thakur from the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency as a Congress candidate in the coming elections, confident Thakur started his election campaign today from Dharampur assembly segment.

Thakur, who had revolted against the BJP and joined the Congress, held a meeting with workers of the Congress party, which was reportedly attended by about 500 workers and important district Congress leaders of Mandi district.

Dharmpur assembly segment, which was earlier in the Mandi parliament constituency, has been recently included in the Hamirpur constituency after the last delimitation process.

Chandershekhar Sharma, who had unsuccessfully contested the last assembly election on the Congress ticket from Dharampur assembly constituency, said the meeting was held in connection with the coming parliament elections and was attended by about 500 party workers, including Narender Thakur.

Narender Thakur said he had begun the campaign after directions form the party leaders and the moral of the Congress workers is very high this time and they have assured him full cooperation in the coming polls.

Criticising the present BJP government in the state Thakur said this government had no other achievement except false promises made during its one-year rule.

Mandi district president of the Congress Puran Chand Thakur, block Congress president Ramesh Thakur, district president of Mahila Congress and Chandershekhar Sharma among others attended this meeting.

Kashyap to be re-inducted into BJP
Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 4
Former BJP minister Roop Dass Kashyap, who contested as a rebel candidate from Kasumpti, will formally be re-inducted into the party at a meeting of senior party leaders of the Shimla parliamentary constituency in the presence of Chief Minister PK Dhumal and Rajya Sabha member Shanta Kumar.

District BJP chief Ganesh Dutt, who presided over the meeting of party workers here today, said Kashyap would be taken back into the party so that the party’s prospects in the Lok Sabha elections became stronger. Local MLA Suresh Bhardwaj and state BJP general secretary Khushi Ram Balnatah attended the meeting.

Ganesh Dutt said a resolution was passed at the meeting to work unitedly for the victory of BJP candidate Virender Kashyap. “At the same time, we have also urged HN Kashyap to accept the decision of the high command in giving the ticket to Virender Kashyap and work for his success,” he said.

“We have decided to hold three separate sessions of mahila, yuva and SC morchas in the Shimla parliamentary constituency,” he said.

Mild snow in higher reaches

Shimla, February 4
Higher reaches of Lahaul and Spiti and Chamba districts experienced mild snow while the weather remained clear and dry in other parts of the state. Keylong, district headquarters of Lahaul and Spiti, recorded 3 cm of snowfall. The higher reaches of Pangi in Chamba district also received mild snow last night.

In Keylong, the minimum temperature fell by 3°C and was low at -9.2°C while Kalpa in Kinnaur district was cold at -3°C.

In Manali, the minimum temperature plummeted to 0.4°C while at Bhunter in Kullu district the temperature declined sharply at 2.4°C. Nauni in Solan was cold at 2.5°C, Una 4.4°C, Mandi 5°C, Sundernagar 5.1°C, Dharamsala 5.7°C, Shimla 7.3°C, Palampur 8.1°C and Nahan 12.5°C. — UNI

Notification issued for compulsory land acquisition
Our Correspondent

Sundernagar, February 4
The government has finally decided to go in for compulsory acquisition of land for setting up a cement plant near here. A notification has been issued under Section 6 of the Land Acquisition Act for acquiring 835 bighas of land in Muhal Bharari Ghangal Khatrawari and Chambi areas. It was published in newspapers today.

Earlier, the government had issued a notification under Section 4 of the Act on February 29, 2008, vide which 1,004 bighas of land was to be acquired for the plant. However, after conducting a survey, the company had asked the government to acquire 835 bighas of land. The government signed an agreement with Harish Cement Limited on January 16 this year that it would compulsorily acquire the land and hand it over to the company.

Various governments in the state had been favouring the setting up of the plant, while the public had been objecting to the decision and demanding to shift the plant site to some far-away place. The government held five round of talks with landowners to decide the rate of land, but these remained inconclusive.

Spokesman of the Congress and former MLA Sohan Lal Thakur said they had demanded the shifting of the plant site away from the populated area. He criticised the decision of government to acquire land forcibly. He said Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had earlier promised that there would be no forcible acquisition of land.

Govt committed to strengthen rural economy: CM
Our Correspondent

Una, February 4
The state government is committed to strengthen rural economy and bring about betterment in the lifestyle of the farmers, horticulturists and those engaged in the avocation of animal husbandry.

This was stated by Chief Minister PK Dhumal while laying the foundation stone of a milk processing plant at Jhaleda, near Una, estimated to cost Rs 1 crore.

He said the plant would have a capacity of processing about 5,000 litre milk daily, besides making available to the locals various milk products like packed milk, ghee, butter and curd. It would go a long way in strengthening the economy of the milk producers of the area, he added.

Dhumal said the Milkfed was purchasing milk worth Rs 3 crore from about 5,000 milk producers who have formed as many as 100 milk cooperative societies in Una district. He said the BJP government after coming to power had increased twice the price of milk by Rs 2 each time.

Later, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of the Rs 2.29 crore Jalgran bridge on Bahdala-Jankaur khad in the Una assembly segment and inaugurated a newly constructed administrative block of the first IRB at Bangarh, near here.

Cong leader criticises BJP
Our Correspondent

Kangra, February 4
Senior Congress leader Nardev Kanwar took strong exception of the character assignation the BJP government was indulging in by making false allegations against the senior Congress leaders like party president Kaul Singh Thakur.

He was addressing mediapersons at Jawalamukhi today. Describing the allegation against party state chief as politically motivated Kanwar said if the government had courage then it should handover both the chargesheets which the Congress and the BJP have presented to the Governor for a high-level inquiry and then the BJP leaders and people of the state would know the real situation where these BJP leaders, who were trying to harass the opposition leaders, themselves stand in the matter of corruption.

Reliever for bus driver sought
Our Correspondent

Chamba, February 4
In the wake of two recent fatal accidents of the Haryana Roadways Faridabad depot bus, the Chamba district progressive council has submitted a memorandum today to Haryana Transport Minister Mange Ram Gupta urging him to provide reliever for bus driver with a view to avoiding bus mishaps.

Council’s senior vice-president SC Nayyar said the Faridabad depot bus plying from Faridabad to Chamba had not been provided with the reliever. Therefore only one driver had to drive constantly for about 34 hours covering a distance of about 1,800 km (both ways).

Recently, the bus met with an accident at Nainikhud, about 60 km from here, in which two persons died and 10 others were seriously injured. The accident occurred as a result of sudden nap of the driver. Similar mishap also occurred at Jalandhar en route Chamba to Faridabad bus in which two persons lost their lives.

The council urged the minister to issue suitable directions to its concerned authorities.

Nauni varsity’s seed producing centre rated excellent
Ambika Sharma

Solan, February 4
The Seed Technology and Production Centre of Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, has been rated as an excellent centre nationally by the Directorate of Seed Research, Mau, in Uttar Pradesh.

This rating, which has been achieved on the basis of the performance of its Mega Seed Project, has been earned for the second consecutive time. The university has been granted this rating as per the annual report of the ICAR.

Vice-chancellor Dr KR Dhiman while talking to The Tribune said, “The University produces high quality breeder and foundation seeds of vegetables, spices and flowers as per the demand put forth by various states and state departments, including Horticulture and Agriculture.

The spice seeds have special demand from the neighbouring hill states like Uttarakhand and states like Andhra Pradesh also show interest for various varieties of flower seeds. Tomato seeds are much in demand from states like Sikkim as well as the state’s own farmers.

Dr Dhiman informed that the university, which had the latest machinery to process and pack seeds, had invited the local seed growers to process and pack their seeds at nominal costs. Requests had also been made to the Departments of Agriculture and Horticulture for the same task, as it would help provide them a facility while adding to the university’s income.

Govt adopting anti-farmer attitude: MP
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, February 4
MP Chander Kumar alleged that the state government was misleading the people notwithstanding lifting of ban on felling of trees on private land by the apex court, which had granted approval to the recommendations of the report of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) on October 3, 2008.

Addressing a press conference at Jawali last evening, Kumar claimed that the member secretary of the CEC had even issued letter to the principal chief conservator of the Forests Department, Shimla, clarifying that in a private area of up to five hectares felling of trees would be regulated as per provision under the HP Land Preservation Act, 1978, in which felling of trees like khair and other species were allowed under the 10-year felling cycle plan.

He said the farmers of Kangra, Una, Hamirpur, Solan and Sirmaur districts were dependent on khair trees (considered as their cash crop), but after the ban imposed by passing an interim order by the high court in 2003 they were not allowed to fell trees on their own land.

“Following approval of the CEC report the ban will not apply to right holders for their bona fide personal use in the state, but the state government is adopting anti-farmer attitude which will prove dangerous to the farming community for its survival,” he claimed.

He rued that the government was befooling the poor farmers and khair tree growers under the pretext of seeking clarification from the apex court when this matter had already stood settled by the apex court.

Apple farmers up in arms against horticulture directorate
Kuldeep Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Mandi, February 4
Apple farmers are up in arms against the directorate of horticulture accusing it of pleasing a select few apple growers in the home segment of the Horticulture Minister in Jubbal-Kotkhai belt, ignoring the growers in the rest of apple belt while distributing the imported disease-resistant “mother apple plants raised on root stocks” recently in different centres in the apple belt of Mandi, Kullu and Shimla district.

The complaints were pouring in from Seraj-Balichowki, Dalash and Ani apple belt in Kullu district, Chopal, Kotgarh, Rohru and Kumarsain in Shimla district, with farmers resenting the “faulty way in which the imported apple plants were distributed by the directorate in a hush-hush manner last week among the blue-eyed farmers”.

“We have not been given a single tree in the Dalash-Ani area, a major apple belt in Kullu district,” rued Maninder Jishtu, a farmer at Dalash. “We do not know what criteria was taken into account while allotting plants to farmers,” he added.

The directorate gave over 568 plants for the Karsog and Churag areas where most of the orchards were run by the “influential outsiders”. Seraj block, which produces 1,500 trucks of apple every year, got just 20 plants, rued farmers.

Farmers in Chopal-Shantha and Maroag belt resented that they did not get any plant. “I was told that either you take plum or nectarine plants as apple plants are not available,” rued NS Banchta, an apple farmer from Shantha.

In fact, over 10,000 apple plants were sold at the rate of Rs 150 per plant at Shimla centre, 648 plants in Mandi district, 1,004 plants were distributed in Kullu district, revealed district officials.

Denying the charges of farmers, horticulture director Gurdev Singh claimed that they distributed apple plants as per demands received from each district in September-October and had advertised in vernacular papers. “We made a policy to give not more than 10 plants per farmer in each area,” he added.

Horticulture Minister Narender Bragta, however, has promised all farmers that they would get plants as and when they demand. He assured that he had not given any instruction to the directorate to take care of farmers in his home segment as all farmers are equal for him.