Batal (Lahaul-Spiti), August 31
Even after four decades, the air crash mystery of Antonov-12 aircraft - Bravo Lima - of the Indian Air Force’s 25 Squadron remains unsolved as the 22-member Army expedition-Punaruthan-IV- returned “empty-handed”. The expedition failed to retrieve the mortal remains of 98 Army personnel and the black box of the aircraft. The failure has once again belied the Army’s hope to ascertain the exact cause of the mishap that took place at the height of 20,500 ft on February 7, 1968.

Dogra scouts team led by Major Vasudevan returned “empty-handed” in the third week of August. They were not able to retrieve anything from the 2-km wide wreckage site of upper South Dhaga glacier located at the height 20,500 ft in the Chandrabhaga (CB) -13 and Chandrabhagan (CB) -14 peaks.

The Army continues to be haunted by the crash mystery as “it has failed to sooth wounds of the kin of the ill-fated 98 Army personnel, including four army officers and six crew members from IAF and an officer from DRDO.

The recent expedition has exposed gaping holes as the Army “did not take clues from climbers from the Atal Bihari Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (ABVIMAS), Manali. It was the 45-member ABVIMAS expedition that had spotted the wreckage site in August 2003. In fact, a previous ABVIMAS expedition had spotted wreckage site way back in August 1987 and reported the same to the Defense Ministry but no expedition was launched then, say ABVIMAS climbers.

ID Sharma, an instructor at ABVIMAS, says the expedition had brought back documents from the coat of a jawan, later identified as Beli Ram, from the wreckage site in August 2003. “We saw burnt caps, pieces of uniform, wings of plane and torn tyres scattered over about 2 km wide glaciated area at the base of CB-13 peak,” they said.

Sharma says the site faces Chandratal Lake and is located inside the “horse-shoe-shaped ice glacier at the base of CB-13 peak, not on the South Dhaga glacier as has been reported. It appears that the aircraft hit CB-13 peak after coming from Leh side and crashed around the area. We had sighted the wreckage in 1987 also and conveyed it to the authorities,” he explains.

According to Sharma, the wreckage site is inclined at 80 degree and is about six-hours-long trek from the base camp at Batal here. “The Army did not consult us before going,” he states.

Major Vasudevan refused to comment on the “discovery of expedition” but sources told The Tribune that the expedition came back “empty-handed”. The Army expedition had retrieved four skeletal remains of crash victims — one of Beli Ram in 2003, three bodies in 2007 — but black box remains untraced,” sources add.

After flying 102 defence personnel from Chandigharh to Leh on February 7, 1968, the plane was on its return journey when it failed to land due to bad weather. “The pilot of the plane had radioed a message to the Air Traffic Control, Chandigharh, but the aircraft lost control and disappeared into thin air,” they informed.

Four Army officers on board were Major Devindar, Major RV Raghavan, Captain AK Shahjee and 2nd Lt Banarsi Lal. The crew included Flt Lt HK Singh, Sqn Ldr PN Malhotra, Flt Lt MS Bains, Sgt RS Yadav, Flt Sgt Soma Sundaram and warrant officer S Bhattacharjee. RS Vashisht, an official of Research and Development wing, besides 87 others were among those killed.

Additional DG (media and communication), Ministry of Defense, Sudhanshu Garg said they had not received inputs from the expeditions so far. “I am not aware of it,” he says. 

Shimla, August 31
Himachalis are hospitable people but the state government is even more generous when it comes to extending hospitality at the cost of state exchequer.

Beneficiaries of the state largesse include important persons from the four pillars of democracy, a majority of whom, except those from the judiciary, were not entitled to the state hospitality, under the rules framed by the government for the purpose.

Those who do not fall within the purview of the Himachal Pradesh State Guest Rules were declared state guest as a special favour. The list of “VIP guests” who graced the state with their visits mostly comprised judges, politicians, bureaucrats and mediapersons. Interestingly, teams of regulatory bodies like the Medical Council of India (MCI) and the Dental Council of India (DCI), which visited the state from time to time to inspect the facilities at medical and dental colleges have invariably availed the state hospitality.

Information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by Dev Ashish Bhattacharya, an RTI activist, has revealed that 735 persons were accorded state hospitality from 2003-04 to 2007-08. Out of the 100 bureaucrats, who were extended the state hospitality, only 67 were entitled. They included a number of state cadre officers. However, all 94 judges, except six, who were declared state quests, were entitled under the rules.

In contrast, most of the political and religious leaders who enjoyed the honour were not entitled. In all 77 such leaders were accorded state hospitality out of which 67 were not entitled. Similarly, mediapersons were also not covered under the state guest rules, but 59 of them were extended state hospitality during the period. The MCI and DCI teams enjoyed the state hospitality on 14 occasions.

While it was understandable for the government to offer state hospitality to the teams of the MCI and the DCI, it was patently wrong on their part to accept it. Under obligation of the government such teams were not expected to do a fair job and, moreover, the inspectors were paid for the job by their respective councils that charge a hefty amount for inspection from the institutions, Bhattacharya said.

Similarly, if the government feels that mediapersons deserved the honour of state guest they should be included in the list of categories entitled for it under the rules rather than extending state hospitality to them as a favour, he asserted.

Shimla, August 31
The Renuka Bandh Sangharsh Samiti has rejected the government’s offer to grant compensation for the land being acquired for the Rs 2,600-crore Renuka Project at enhanced rates.

About 50 activists of the committee walked out of a meeting called by the state power corporation and land acquisition officer at Dadahu today to discuss the revised compensation rates.

A representative of the samiti said the corporation had offered to double the compensation. It was ready to give Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh per bigha for irrigated land, from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh per bigha for un-irrigated cultivated land and from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000 per bigha for other land. But the samiti is demanding Rs 25 lakh per bigha for irrigated, Rs 20 lakh per bigha for un-irrigated and Rs 10 lakh per bigha for other types of land.

Besides increasing the compensation, the body also wants “charagah” to be treated as cultivated land and the affected families, which had been left with uncultivable land, be treated as landless under the Resettlement and Rehabilitation Scheme. The corporation maintains that the rates of compensation being offered were much higher than the prevailing market rates.

The residents have been miffed because the government has already issued notices under Section 4, along with Section 17(4) of the Land Acquisition Act that is an urgency clause and disposes off the provisions for filing of objections by land owners in the acquisition process.

The samiti asserts that the project was not in the interest of the people as trees on the private forests would be submerged. It has urged the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to keep in view rights of the residents before granting permission for diversion of 700 hectare of forestland for the project.

Shimla, August 31
Miffed over its direction to separate the state load dispatch centre (SLDC) from the state power utility, joint front of the employees and engineers has trained its guns on the State Electricity Regulatory Commission.

The front comprising 11 unions of employees has urged the government to move court to get the power tariff order for 2009-10 stayed. It has also urged the government to induct two more members in the commission to help provide judicious verdicts.

The representative of the front led by convener Suneel Grover met Chief Minister PK Dhumal and submitted two memorandums to him in this regard. The front maintained that the commission could only give advice and not issue directions to the board. “The direction to separate the SLDC was beyond the purview of the commission as it was the prerogative of the government to take decisions in such matters,” it said.

Citing the judgment of the Central Appellate Tribunal in respect of a case pertaining to Chhattisgarh that ruled that transmission and distributions functions could be assigned to a single company, the front urged the Chief Minister to reorganise the board without unbundling.

It also urged the government to chalk out a detailed roadmap within stipulated timeframe so that the transfer scheme was implemented by incorporating the board as a company.

Shimla, August 31
Seeking amendment in the Food Security Act and strengthening of the public distribution system (PDS), the CPM today staged statewide protest against the unprecedented price hike of essential commodities.

A demonstration was organised outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office here today that later culminated into a corner meeting at the Naaz. CPM leaders Sanjay Chauhan, Jagat Ram and Vijender Mehra lashed out at the Congress and BJP regime for failing to address the issue of spiralling prices.

Chauhan said the prices of food items had gone out of the reach of the common man who is finding it difficult to purchase pulses at Rs 80-100 per kg. “There has been no respite in the prices of edible oil, vegetables, rice, wheat and other food items with hardly any relief from the government,” he said.

The CPM leader added that it was the anti-people decision of the Central government that has allowed future commodity trading even of essential commodities. This in turn has led to a hike in prices of essential commodities. “The government cannot shirk from its responsibility of providing subsidised ration to the people by saying adequate quota of foodgrains has not been made available by the Centre,” he said.

The CPM leaders said with the fair price shops running dry and the PDS network failing, people have been forced to rely on open market. They demanded that PDS be made universal, provide 35 kg of foodgrain to nuclear families at Rs 2 per kg and sugar, pulses, edible oil and kerosene oil must be added to the food security list.

Demonstrations were held in Solna, Rampur, Nirmand, Bhawanagar, Renuka, Rohru, Theog, Jogindernagar, Una, Panchrukhi and Hamirpur.

Shimla, August 31
The BJP said today that the Congress-led UPA regime had completely ignored the interests of the state and despite a loss of Rs 872 crore due to the recent drought not a single district of the hill state had been included in the list of 256 drought-hit districts declared in the country.

BJP spokesperson Ashok Kapatia said till date the state had not received a penny against the Rs 2,000-crore relief package sought by Himachal for the damage caused due to rain and floods last year. “The first 100 days of the UPA regime have been very disappointing as far as Himachal is concerned, despite two MPs from the state being union Cabinet ministers. Practically not even a single demand has been accepted,” he added.

Kapatia said as far as restoring the special industrial package till 2013 was concerned there had been no headway despite Chief Minister PK Dhumal personally raising the matter with the Prime Minister and Industry Minister Anand Sharma. “While the Centre has not bothered to give any relief to the state, Union Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh is trying to mislead people by giving hollow assurances,” he added.

The BJP leader said as far as setting up of the central university was concerned, some Congress leaders were trying to create obstacles. “Despite Himachal demanding a premiere institute, Punjab has been given an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) while Haryana will be getting an IIM,” he lamented.

Shimla, August 31
The government today promoted six senior IAS officers and appointed Subhash Negi as the chairman of the state electricity board.

He replaced Ravi Jain who had been sent on deputation to the Centre. Negi would hold the additional charge of principal secretary, home, while the charge of power department would be held by the chief secretary.

The additional district magistrate, Hamirpur, would be the new private secretary to the Chief Minister in place of Arun Sharma who was shifted as director of tourism. Sharma would also function as special secretary, monitoring and coordination.

Additional chief secretary, transport, labour and employment, Parminder Hira retired today. Sarojni Thakur had filled the vacancy and would hold the charge of environment, pollution control board, science and technology and town and country planning. Four other officers BK Aggrawal, secretary IT, Manisha Nanda, secretary tourism, Srikant Baldi, secretary rural development, and SKBS Negi, member finance in the state electricity board were promoted to the rank of principal secretary. Manisha Nanda would also hold the charge of language, art and culture, while BK Aggrwal would look after the charge of cooperation.

Principal secretary, PWD, PC Kapoor, had been given additional charge of transport, and secretary, civil supplies and Anil Khachi would hold the additional charge of labour and employment. Additional district magistrate, Mandi , CP Verma had been posted as the additional district magistrate, Hamirpur.

Shimla, August 31
With even a head constable now being authorised to impose fine and issue challan in case of violation of smoking in public places and sale of cigarettes to minors, the district police will launch a special campaign to save schoolchildren from falling prey to drugs.

It was following an amendment in the Section 4 and 6 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition, Advertisement, Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003, that now even a head constable can impose fine and issue challans which will greatly help in checking the menace which is fast gripping small children.

“Within a day or two we will distribute challan books which have gone for printing so that we can fight the menace which is assuming serious proportions,” said District Police Chief RM Sharma.

“While the amended Section 4 will authorise a head constable to impose a fine of Rs 200 in case of smoking in public, Section 6 will help curb sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to minors, which mostly constituted schoolchildren even below the age of 10 years” he added.

“The police will now be in a far better position to check sale of cigarettes and tobacco products to minor children. Though the police has been ensuring strict implementation of the provision that no shop selling such products can be located within 100 m of educational institutions, children buy cigarettes from other shops openly,” he added.

“We will also take stringent action against chemists who are found to be guilty of selling drugs and other cough syrups like benadryl and corex having intoxicants to schoolchildren,” Sharma said.

He said the stocks of all chemists would be checked for these kinds of drugs to ensure that there is no illegal sale to children and youths addicted to drugs. The situation was so bad that children even consumed iodex, vicks and other such balms to get a high.

The matter had been raised in the Assembly by CLP leader Vidya Stokes. All members had echoed concern over the menace and had impressed upon the need to launch a special drive.

Studies by doctors of the Community Health Department and various NGOs indicated that a huge percentage of schoolchildren are falling prey to not only drugs like charas and opium but they also get high on cough syrups and other medicines having some intoxicant content.

Solan, August 31
The manner in which the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has assigned the work to refurbish a new building at the Central Research Institute (CRI), Kasauli, to an agency which had failed to construct it as per the WHO norms earlier, has put a question mark over the whole procedure.

This agency was again assigned the task early this year, while the ministry had already initiated an probe into the working of this Delhi-based Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation (HSCC) sometime back. This agency had incurred a cost of about Rs 14 crore in constructing the building, which had failed to confirm to the requisite norms.

Interestingly, information about the probe being underway into the agency’s role was disclosed by the ministry officials during a press conference held by the Union Health Minister at Kasauli on Saturday.

Though the officials declined to announce any time period for completing this probe, they said investigation was being done at a very comprehensive level and would include various aspects involving the construction and its laxities.

This new building had come under a cloud as the laboratory constructed in it had failed to confirm to the schedule M norms of the Good Manufacturing Practices as laid down by the WHO. Interestingly, though the joint secretary admitted that the HSCC lacked the requisite technical know-how and hence it failed to construct a lab confirming to the norms, the same agency was again given this task. The agency was now directed to first demolish the interiors and then construct it according to requirements.

It is worth mentioning that this failure had cost the institute dear with its manufacturing licence for various vaccines, including Japanese encephalitis, DPT, DT, TT and various sera, getting suspended in January 2007. The institute had since then been trying to upgrade its facilities so that it could restart vaccine production. It awaited licence renewal, which was again dependent on the fate of this building.

Though Union Minister for Health Ghulam Nabi Azad had paid his first-ever visit to the institute last week and announced that a proposal had been sought from the institute to restart vaccine production, it remains to be seen how serious the ministry was towards restarting vaccine production here. The uncertainty dogging the institute had caused panic among employees who were now banking on the minister’s announcement of the requisite GMP norms being put in place in a year’s time.

Hamirpur, August 31
With the samples of desi ghee and mustard oil of two reputed companies failing tests, panic has been created among users of these products here. However, the health authorities are now preparing to file chargesheet against them in the court.

The samples of desi ghee and mustard oil drawn by the Health Department had failed tests at the Food-Testing Laboratory, Kandaghat, report of which was received here few days back.

While a sample of desi ghee was adulterated, other samples of ghee and mustard oil were found to be misbranded. The samples of both these products were drawn by the Health Department last month and sent for chemical examination to Kandghat.

Confirming this report, Food Inspector Manjit Singh said, “Samples of desi ghee and mustard oil of two private milk products suppliers- Dairy Time and Milk Time- were sent for chemical examination. While one sample has been found adulterated the other has been found misbranded.”

Since these acts were serious offence under the Food Adulteration Act both the suppliers would be tried in the court.

Telling about ill effects of adulterated and misbranded milk products and cooking oil on human health MOH Dr PK Katwal said, “Adulterated desi ghee generally contains no milk fats and instead has other fats like animal fats which are dangerous for vital human organs like liver, kidney and heart etc and misbranded products had no batch number, date of manufacturing, date of expiry or other such important details vital for their sale in the market.”