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Unending ordeal of TGT teachers
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Silk production set to get a boost
GI for Kullu shawls yet to be made effective
Celebrating Earth Day amidst heavy toll on environment
Cong, BJP trade charges
Poor connectivity hits tourism in Chamba
Sports lovers rue shifting of cricket tournament
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Unending ordeal of TGT teachers
Dharamsala, April 28 The tribulations of the teachers started in 2002, when they were selected for appointments of the board. As many as 514 teachers, comprising 267 medical teachers and 247 non-medical, were selected. However, before the candidates could join the service, the state Assembly elections were announced. The election code came into force and the teachers could not join the service. In March 2003, the Congress came to power and members the staff selection board were accused of corruption. The recruitments were suspended, leaving selected candidates in the lurch. Many of them took alternative jobs. One of the affected candidates, Vivek Rana took up a teaching job in an African country. In December 2007, the BJP was again elected to power in the state. The government referred the case to the law department, which opined that the 514 selected teachers could be recruited into government jobs on the basis of their selection in 2002. The lure of working in the home state attracted most of the selected candidates. Candidates like Rana who were working in foreign countries or other states returned on the government offer. However, the state government in October 2008, allowed only 267 medical teaches to join the service. The case of 247 non-medical teachers was again sent to the law department. In November 2008, the law department once again gave clearance for the recruitment of the non-medical teachers. Despite this, the education department again referred the case to a screening committee of the department. The affected candidates have alleged that they have been caught in bureaucratic wrangling guided by vested interests in the education department. The Chief Minister had reportedly given a statement in the winter session of the Assembly that all 514 selected teachers would be appointed. However, the fact is that 247 non-medical teachers are still at the crossroads. Now, once again the election code has been implemented and their appointments have been delayed by at least two months.
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Scientific disposal of debris a problem
Shimla, April 28 Apart from the large number of small and big hydroelectric and industrial projects and roads being constructed across the state, hundreds of private housing and commercial complexes are coming up. All these works involve excavations that generate large quantities of muck. More so, because no effort is made to minimise the debris generation, particularly in road construction, housing and commercial projects and other such building works. Further, a provision for the proper disposal of debris under environment management plans (EMPs) in accordance with the Environment Protection Act is made only in big hydroelectric projects and road works funded by the World Bank. Elsewhere, muck is being dumped on slopes, destroying all vegetation and causing aesthetic degradation of the picturesque hills. The mountains of rubble ultimately find their way into nullahs and rivulets which often get choked, change course and at times, even cause flashfloods. The problem of debris disposal is acute, particularly in the urban areas, as building plans are approved without taking into consideration the aspect of debris generation. Huge structures are being allowed to come up on steep hills in violation of the slope norms. They involve vertical cutting of hills up to a height of 20 m, as against the safe norm of 3.5 m, generating large quantities of muck. If the town and country planning department enforces the slope norms, the quantity of debris generated will be minimal and in most cases, it will be possible to dispose it on or near the site. As per the internationally accepted Nelson’s Slope Density Provisions, no construction should be allowed on the slopes of more than 40 degrees. Further, three-storeyed structures could be raised on slopes up to 15 degrees, two storeyed on slopes ranging from 15 to 30 degrees and only single storeyed up to 35 degrees. Even on gentler slopes, construction has to be carried out only on a specified portion and most of the site is required to be kept in its natural state. For instance, on a slope of 10 degrees, one-third of site must remain in natural state. The percentage increases with slope and on a 35-degree slope, the maximum permissible limit, as much as 90 per cent of the site has to be left in natural state, implying that construction could be raised only on 10 per cent of the area. However, concrete monsters have been allowed to come up in utter disregard of the slope norms right under the nose of the government in the state capital. The areas where multi-storeyed structures have come up on slopes as steep as 70 degrees include Dhalli, Sanjauli, Katchhighati and Cemetery. With an average of 4 to 4.5 storeys, 70 to 85 per cent of the area has been covered. The situation is no better in Bharari, Jeewanu colony, Chakkar, Tutu, Puabo and Central Shimla where the floor area ratio (FAR) has not been maintained. These ill-conceived structures could become virtual death traps in the eventuality of natural calamities like earthquake and landslides as the collapse of buildings could set off a chain reaction, bringing down all constructions on a slope like a pack of cards. Even in road construction, the problem of debris dumping could be easily handled by following the cut-and-fill method in which debris generated due to the cutting of hillside is used as filling on the valley side by raising suitable retaining structure. The method is not only environment-friendly but also cost effective, but construction agencies are reluctant to adopt it. Even in big projects where EMPs are mandatory, the construction agencies are not creating adequate dumping sites in accordance with the plans and dumping large quantities on slopes and nullahs. What to speak of private companies, even public sector undertakings like the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) is recklessly dumping the muck. The state pollution control board has been issuing notices and it had also stopped work on some occasions, but that has not improved compliance with the provisions of the Act. The main reason for the unscientific disposal of debris is that creating dumping sites and transporting material adds to the cost. The works are mostly executed by contractors who are more concerned about making profits than protecting the environment. The situation has turned worse as no EMPs are made for the disposal of debris generated from construction of link roads, repair and restoration works pertaining to existing roads and private projects. Chief secretary Asha Swaroop said the government was alive to the problem and it had been decided to make muck dumping an integral part of the new road projects for which the cost would be reflected in the estimates. She said the possibility of using the funds available under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme and the MLA and MP’s local area development fund for the creation of dumping sites was also being explored. The departments concerned had been directed to identify dumping sites and so far, as many as 380 sites with an estimated capacity of about 66.26 lakh cubic metres had been identified throughout the state, she said, adding that the forest department was also looking into the possibility of using CAT (catchment area treatment) plan funds for the purpose.
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State shooter brings laurels to country
Hamirpur, April 28 Vijay (23), a serving Naib Subedar in the Indian Army, had also won a bronze medal in the CISM World Shooting Championship in Boden city of Sweden last September in this event. Vijay has made the people of the district proud. Ranked 26th in the world, he has won the medal with 780.4 points, only a point less from Sanderson of America to win gold in the event. He went on to win a silver from the fourth place in the final match in which he scored 199.4 points, the highest score of the competitions on that day. Vijay, who had missed the Beijing Olympics due to his illness, has many medals to his credit and won gold medals in Commonwealth and Asian games. In 2005, he had won gold in junior Commonwealth Games and in 2006, he had won gold and bronze medals in Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Vijay, who has won about 60 medals in shooting competitions till now, had won two gold medals at Doha Asiad in 2006 and was awarded Arjun Award in the same year. His father, Subedar Banku Ram (retd), said, “It is a great moment for our country and my family. We all are proud of his achievement and wishing him good luck to fulfill his dream of winning a medal in the next Olympic games.”
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Silk production set to get a boost
Shimla, April 28 At present, there are over 8,700 families associated with sericulture. The board has granted approval for the setting up of a silk-testing laboratory in Mandi in order to boost silkworm rearing and mulberry plantation in various parts of the state. With silk fetching good prices within India and abroad, the state industries department is keen that the sericulture is given a boost by giving incentives to farmers and creating a good marketing set-up. A sum of Rs 51.70 lakh would be spent on the setting up of hatcheries so that silkworms could be provided to farmers, said an official. A sum of Rs 3.45 lakh would be spent on setting up 15 hatcheries in various parts of the state. Another step, which would go a long way in helping the farmers get good price for their produce, is the setting up of a silk-testing laboratory. Till now, there was no such facility within the state and the farmers had to go either to Jammu or other states to get the quality of their produce certified. The silk-testing laboratory to be set up in Mandi would issue quality certificate so that the growers could get good prices in the market. The board has approved a mulberry plantation project. Under this project, extensive mulberry plantation would be undertaken in the districts of Kangra, Mandi, Bilaspur, Una and Hamirpur. Besides this, a project for providing material for silkworm rearing has also been approved by the Centre. Under this project, Rs 20,000 would be provided to 100 farmers to boost silkworm rearing. Though silk production in Himachal is not on a very large scale, but the silk produced in the hill state is of a very good quality and could fetch good rates abroad. It is expected that with the launch of these projects more farmers would take to sericulture, making
Himachal a major silk-producing state in the country.
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GI for Kullu shawls yet to be made effective
Dharamsala, April 28 The GI for Kullu shawls was granted in 2006 for a period of 10 years. Three years have passed,but the authorities have not been able to generate awareness regarding GI for Kullu shawls. They have also failed to keep a check on fake products, which are harming the interests of original weavers. Two students, Ajay Sinha and Pooja Adiga, have conducted a research on the use of GI in the case of Kullu shawls. Talking to The Tribune, they said in the case of Kullu shawls, the GI should have been a saviour to the slow-dying art. Yet, its imitations not only flood markets with cheaper varieties, but are also offered at huge discounts to tourists. The authentic shawls have acquired a reputation, which, due to inadequate protection, has been indiscriminately used and misappropriated by fraudulent commercial operators. The GI, if implemented, will prevent the sale of non-Kullu shawls. It will also prevent proprietors from using the name “Kullu shawls”, if these are produced outside the defined geographical territory of the Kullu valley. Unauthorised shopkeepers or producers cannot even use sign boards/hoardings for selling Kullu shawls. If anyone is found selling fake shawls, a huge penalty will be imposed on him or there will be six months to three years’ imprisonment or both under the GI Act of 1999. The Kullu Shawls Weavers Association (KSWA) was given the responsibility of registering Kullu shawl as a geographical indicator in 2006. Ever since, there has been slow progress in its implementation. The association, which plays a key part in the implementation of the GI, is busy identifying the number of local household and commercial weavers whose shawls could be given a GI mark to protect them from imitations. This process has been slow and taken close to two years mainly because the weaving industry in the valley is highly disorganised. Weavers are scattered in remote parts of the valley and also, weaving, over the course of the years has primarily become a part-time occupation. Hence, the weavers aren’t, too, concerned with the status and aren’t applying pressure on the authorities to speed up the process. The logo, which is a representative of Kullu shawls as a GI, is yet to be finalised and this has been largely due to the miscommunication between the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the KSWA and the Wool Board.
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vignettes
Oakleigh (Chislehurst) in 1838 onwards had the same status that South Block in New Delhi housing the Ministry of External Affairs enjoyed because it had the foreign office during the governor generalship of Lord Auckland.
It was East India Company’s rule yet Auckland House then was known as the Government House; Secretary’s Lodge (now Chapslee) was the Secretariat, nearby houses Waverly and Oakleigh were respectively occupied by the military department and the foreign office. There is a mention of the foreign office shifting to Waverly and then to The Tendrils (Cecil Hotel) and finally to the building where stands the All India Radio today. Oakleigh Estate then was a conglomeration of quite a few sheds and lodges built by using local material. After several modifications, it is a charming cottage at present, built in a wide timber-framed farmhouse style on the lower Bharari road near Lakkar Bazaar. Surrounded by modern constructions, it is different from the rest due to its unique English architecture. When the foreign office was shifted from here, it became a residential unit and by 1895, its owner was FG Kenner, on whose behalf Major Ferrier had written a letter to the municipal committee (MC) for re-roofing of the building and providing eaves gutters to it. It changed hands in 1897, when Madam Goldstein purchased and occupied it. Her husband Felix Von Goldstein was a German, initially settled in England, who did not have any professional degree, but designed quite a few buildings in Shimla as an engineer. He was also a contractor and cabinetmaker, who ran The Furnishing Mart at 94, The Mall, where there is a bookshop and a jeweller today below the Rani Jhansi Park. The couple had considerably improved the condition of Oakleigh through additions and alterations. The first reference of Oakleigh being renamed as Chislehurst appears in the drawings submitted by Goldstein on April 7, 1911. It was in that year that the property was transferred in the name of the husband by the wife. The name "Chislehurst" is derived from the Saxon words "cisel" (gravel) and "hyrst" (wooded hill). Felix Von could have a liking for the name probably because he hailed from southeast London where a Chislehurst suburb existed. The nameplate on the entrance of the building breaks the word into two as Chisle and Hurst but all old references show that it is one name - Chislehurst. Felix Von wanted to revamp the entire building in 1911, which was rejected by the MC. He challenged the MC’s verdict on the grounds of absolute orderliness in the engineering features of the plan stating that the “building is used as a work shed and as many as 20 to 30 workmen occupy it during the entire day and often at night when I am pressed for time and have to get the work done overtime.” Captain Hodgson, health officer, made a note that engineering questions were not his concern, but “I am very strongly of the opinion that it would be unadvisable from health point of view to allow this cottage to be turned into a dwelling house for Europeans.” Felix Von Goldstein by 1910 had made a set of three bungalows called Bromley Estate in Kanena village, near Bharari, and had shifted there in 1911. He prays to the MC from there in the month of February to sanction a conservatory at Chislehurst. A conservatory is a greenhouse attached to a building. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the collecting of exotic plants and the production of out-of-season flowers and fruits were popular pastimes among those who could afford this kind of luxury. It was sanctioned in 1915, and functioned here for sometime. The building got transferred to Shimla Imperial Circle by 1923 and the accountant-general of Punjab was its tenant then. Today, it is being maintained by the CPWD and generally occupied by Army officers of the ARTRAC.
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shimla diary
As all political parties are trying to get in their top leaders to campaign in Himachal Pradesh, a section of the Congress leadership is keen that Priyanka Gandhi takes out time to address election rallies in the hill state as she can claim to be one of them.
They feel that Priyanka, who is getting a house constructed in Mashobra, can make a difference. They point out that even former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who has a house in Prini (Manali) used to call Himachal Pradesh his home and seek votes for the BJP. “Priyanka has now attained the same status by purchasing land in Mashobra near here which the Congress can capitalize, especially in the Shimla Lok Sabha seat, which has traditionally been our seat,” said a senior Congress leader. With national leaders of all major political parties relatively free in campaigning anywhere in the country where polls have been held, preparations are being made to receive them in the state. The BSP would eagerly await the visit of its chief Mayawati to campaign in favoour of party candidates. The state unit of the BJP has already requested the high command for holding rallies to be addressed by LK Advani, Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Narinder Modi. The Congress is keen to have AICC chief Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot.
Auditions for TV show a big draw
Childern turned up in large numbers to take part in the auditions for a talent hunt show organised by Zee-Jagran in the hill town. Ritz, the venue for the auditions, saw enthusiastic parents line up with their children who gave dancing and singing performance to outdo each other. Though children were keen to make it to the top in the talent hunt, but it is the glamour and star-struck parents who pushed their child to outdo all others. Most of the parents compared to earlier times admitted that there was a lot of name, fame and respect in the world of cinema, singing and performing arts. “I want my daughter to complete her studies but seeing her exceptional talent in dancing I want to encourage her so that she can fulfill her dreams of joining films,” admitted Anita, a local resident. Director and organiser of the event Lalit Mohan said the participants would be informed about the results within a week. “The selected candidates will be asked to come to Delhi for shooting after which the winners will be selected through voting on Zee-Jagran,” he said. Mohan said the children
in Shimla had exhibited great talent and by holding such talent shows they would get an opportunity to perform and show their talent.
40 donate blood
The Brahmin Sabha, Shimla, has organised a blood donation camp on the occasion of Parshuram Jayanti. Over 40 persons donated blood. A former municipal councillor, Sanjeev Sharma, donated blood for the 55th time. An on-the-spot painting competition was also organised for children. General secretary of the sabha Kishori Lal informed that the Brahmin Sabha came into being in
1911. — Pratibha Chauhan
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Celebrating Earth Day amidst heavy toll on environment
Kullu, April 28 Various government organisations and NGOs usually fulfill the formality of organising rallies by involving schoolchildren and the general public. Instead, the administration and the NGOs should organise awareness camps regarding the repercussions of environmental degradation in the state, particularly in Kullu district. The haphazard construction of hydro power projects in the fragile Himalayan region, mass cutting of the slow growing deodar, pine and other trees, and the destruction of mountain strata due to heavy blasting have become a matter of concern. The construction of long tunnels through the lower Himalayan mountains has wreaked havoc on the water sources of the region. The employing of tunnel boring machines (TBM) at Shilagarh in the Gadsa valley of this district has destroyed a water reservoir and gallons of natural water has drained out of the tunnel, disturbing several water sources in the area. The unplanned boring has not only delayed the construction of the project but also hit the people of the region. Even after two years, the NHPC has not taken any step to plug the drainage of water, which is still continuing. The state government, too, has remained a mute spectator despite the
fact that the media highlighted the lapse a number of times. Similarly, the Allien and Duhagan (AD) hydropower project near Manali had cut hundreds of green pine trees. Even as project officials have been booked a number of times, the company is still continuing with its destruction of green forests by paying crores as penalty to the forest department. The Himalayan Environmental Protection Society in Kullu has called upon the people of the state to come together for the cause of the environment. Abhishek Rai, president of the society, said the protection of environment had become a mere slogan. The need of the hour was to conserve the natural resources by proper management and utilization, he added. The NGO has already moved the Himachal Pradesh High Court for various environmental concerns and got remedial measures done. The NGO had also involved people in cleaning the Sarwari River and restricting the local municipal council in throwing garbage into the rivers flowing along Kullu.
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Cong, BJP trade charges
Shimla, April 28 The two main political parties in the state, the Congress and the BJP, have been levelling charges against each other, mainly corruption through chargesheets. As such, the chargesheet to be issued by the Congress before the LS polls will definitely be a talking point during the elections. An indication to this effect has already been given by Chief Minister PK Dhumal who said the BJP was prepared for it but let the delayed document at least come out. “They will go to the Governor with the chargesheet and we will go to court against them,” he said with regard to the Congress chargesheet. On the other hand, the Congress is deliberately delaying the release of the first chargesheet against the Dhumal regime. “Though we had earlier planned to submit the chargesheet on April 15, now we have held it back so that it is released closer to the polling date on May 13 to get political benefit,” admitted a member of the chargesheet committee headed by former Speaker Gangu Ram Musafir. With the reports of the Congress targetting the Chief Minister and three of his ministerial colleagues in its chargesheet, the possibility of BJP leaders moving court against it is very high. “Since it is election time, we cannot take things lying low and we will have no option but to seek legal recourse if corruption or other serious allegations are levelled against our leaders” admitted a senior BJP leader. It may be recalled that former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had also moved court against the audio CD issued by former Minister Vijai Singh Mankotia against him at the time of the Hamirpur LS polls in 2007. In fact, the court had restrained the use of the CD in any form during the elections. The matter is still pending.
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Poor connectivity hits tourism in Chamba
Chamba, April 28 The state earns revenue of Rs 2,000 crore from the district’s three hydropower projects - Chamera-I, II and Baira Siul. Chamba also produces 1,040 MW of power, more than any other district. Despite this, Chamba remains deprived of its share of development. Air link is also required to boost tourism in this mountainous region. The proposal to construct an airport in Banikhet near Dalhousie was drawn way back in 1994, but the union government did not accord clearance to the proposal and the project was stalled.
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Sports lovers rue shifting of cricket tournament
Nurpur, April 28 Pankaj Sharma, president of the Brij Raj Cricket Club, rued that due to the poor condition of the ground, Himachal T-20 cricket tournament had been shifted to the Rehan stadium. He said the tournament was being organised by the HP Cricket Association in collaboration with Jaypee Cement on May 1. “The shifting of the cricket tournament from here to Rehan would make it inconvenient for the local youth to go there and take part in it,” he added.
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