|
|
|
|
Shimla heritage buildings lost to fires
Not enough processing-grade apple available
|
|
|
State’s loss is Uttarakhand’s gain
Flattening of hillocks rampant along Una-Kangra road
Karcham Wangtoo Project
Fall in prices of seeds leaves farmers confused
Students showcase Himachali dresses
Penning hill life his first love
Lahaul-Spiti’s cold deserts to get biosphere reserve status
Himachal diary
Vignettes |
|
Shimla heritage buildings lost to fires
Shimla, October 20 In yet another major fire, century-old “Krishna Building was gutted in Sanjauli. Despite the best efforts of the Fire Department and locals, the five-storeyed building was reduced to ashes in no time, causing a loss of over Rs 75 crore. However, the adjoining buildings were saved. With most of the British-time structures having a lot of wood, it is practically impossible to control once fire starts. It is for this reason that extra precaution needs to be taken to ensure that there is no fire in such buildings. Some of the finest examples of British architecture reduced to ashes include the then Western Command(now ARTRAC) HQ, Kennedy House and Peterhoff. Several palaces have practically been wiped out like the one at Kumarsain in fire. The historic village of Malana, near Manali, known the world over as the oldest democracy lost much of its heritage and the ancient deity temple in a devastating fire last year. In the past two years there have been over 1,500 fire incidents in Himachal with an estimated loss of over Rs 175 crore. With huge vacancies and absence of modern fire engines, the department is not in a position to effectively tackle fires that reduce mammoth structures to ashes in no time. “Had it not been for Home Guards at our disposal we would not have been in a position to even render the services being given at present,” admitted a senior officer of the department. Even though measures like banning use of “angithis” imposed basically to check pollution have helped in reducing fires in the highly inflammable wooden structures in the capital town, short circuits have also claimed several buildings, some of them excellent architectural masterpieces of British era. Despite several constraints like difficult terrain, excessive use of wood in buildings and difficult approach, the Fire Services Department has not been bale to formulate a policy, which can help reduce losses due to fire. Within the given constraints, the staff of the Fire Department tries its level best to control fires but their efforts are often rendered useless due to the absence of modern fire-fighting devices. In places like Shimla, haphazard and unregulated construction activity has made it almost impossible for fire engines to reach the site in flames. Several roads where fire engines could reach during British era can no longer be approached through motor vehicles due to encroachments, resulting in various problems in mishaps like fires. To save the historical buildings from being gutted in fire , the government must come out with an effective policy so that our precious heritage is not lost in fire.
|
|
Not enough processing-grade apple available
Shimla, October 20 In a good year, the state produces around five lakh tonne of apple but only a meagre 5,000 tonne to 6,000 tonne, about one per cent, is processed. Worldwide almost 14 to 16 per cent of the produce is processed. The state-owned HPMC corporation has a capacity to process 20,500 tonne apple, but the average capacity utilisation of its biggest processing plant at Parwanoo, having a capacity of 19,400 tonne, over the past five years has been 27.84 per cent. The fruit procured by the government under market intervention scheme has to be sold in the open market. The main reason for the low capacity utilisation is that almost 95 per cent of the apple produced is table fruit (sweetened varieties) and the processing grade fruit, which requires higher acid content, accounts for only five per cent. In fact, the high-acid varieties like Golden, Kali Devi and Tideman are only those which are planted to serve as pollinators. The corporation finds it hard to sell apple juice concentrate (AJC) with low acid content as the bulk users require high acid content. The apple varieties being grown in the state have only 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent acid whereas the processing grade fruit must have around 3.5 per cent acid content. The country’s requirement of AJC is over 6,500 tonne, but the production is only 2,500 tonne. The rest of the demand is met through imports, mainly from China. At Times, the corporation has been procuring high-acid fruit from the neighbouring states of Uttrakhand and Jammu and Kashmir. The government now proposes to set up a new 20,000-tonne capacity plant at Pragatinagar in Kotkhai which will double the state’s processing capacity. As the new plant will be located in the heart of the apple belt, The average distance will be reduced by 150 km compared to Parwanoo where the existing plant is located. It will not only reduce transportation cost but also save time and help maintain the quality of fruit. The new plant will have a state-of-the-art processing machinery which compared to the existing plant, recover more much more juice. As against the existing 70 to 75 per cent recovery, the new plant will help recover 80 to 88 per cent. It will certainly help bring down the cost of production of AJC from Rs 70 to about Rs 45 per kg and enable it to compete with the Chinese product. However, the new plant will not help if enough processing grade fruit is not available. The government must simultaneously come out with a comprehensive plan to produce high-acid content fruit required for processing. Instead of simply providing imported rootstock of high yielding varieties to the growers, the horticulture department should approve a proper orchard plan to ensure that at least 30 to 35 per cent pollinating varieties, as recommended by farm scientists, were planted. It will not only help increase production by way of better fruit setting but also provide enough high-acid content fruit for processing.
|
|
State’s loss is Uttarakhand’s gain
Solan, October 20 The lone renowned auto company which invested in the state’s industrial hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh was TVS while no other major firm has set up its unit here. Officials in the Industries Department say, “Such renowned groups prefer government land to avoid undue hassles involved in acquiring private land for which they also have to pay prices far exceeding the government rates. It was the paucity of land at the initial stage which deterred these groups from investing here, although inquires were received from Hero Honda, Ashok Leyland, Bajaj Autos, Mahindra and Mahindra, Tata etc. Each of these big units had plans to invest anything between Rs 350 crore and Rs 500 crore”. They add Maruti Suzuki is among the first unit which had conducted a survey to set up a unit at Baddi, but they did not go ahead in the absence of any set procedure. Since these groups had the potential of drawing investment worth thousands of crores, the state remained devoid of such valuable investment. Not only this, several ancillary units, which would have followed the main automobile industries, would have helped in generating employment for thousands. Failing to find adequate land, several auto majors shifted to Uttrankhand where smooth clearances, including land availability, proved a boon for them. “Though poor infrastructure is the biggest hurdle, what has restricted the growth of auto industry here is the lack of ancillary units which forces the existing units to get components from as far as Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Faridabad etc., adding a good 10 per cent to the production cost in the from of freight charges,” opines CN Dhar, vice-president of Indo Farm Tractors, which has invested Rs 150 crore in Baddi. While the auto sector alone has attracted investment more than Rs 5,000 crore in Uttrakhand, according to conservative estimates made by auto experts, the contribution of the ancillary units is even more significant. Though the state government now boasts of having acquired land for ready sale to the investors, the effort appears to be too little too late as the central industrial package expires in March next year. Meanwhile, Manoj Sharma, director, Industries, says adequate ancillary units have invested in the state and this included auto service engineering-based units whose investment is equally substantial. He adds that adequate land has been acquired at Gol Thai and other industrial areas where big units could be offered to set up their base.
|
|
Flattening of hillocks rampant along Una-Kangra road
Dharamsala, October 20 A survey along the Kangra-Una road revealed that a huge operation has been going on for flattening a hill just about 4 km from Dhaliara with the help of JCB machines. Inquiries revealed that this was being done for bringing up a religious dera at the spot. Right from the state highway two new approach roads were being brought up to the flattened hilltop, leading to dumping of stones on the main road. Besides, the muck being generated in the process was being dumped across the road, probably for creating a parking place. Ideally permission has to be sought from the PWD laying any road opening at the state highway. Permission also has to be sought from the Forest Department for flattening the hillocks. The people involved in the job had no knowledge if any such permission had been sought or not. Just about a kilometer from the said site another hillock has already been flattened for raising the dera of a similar sect. Besides the religious deras, a large numbers of dhabas have come up along the roads. The dhabas at many places have been raised after flattening hillocks, sacrificing green cover. In Una district, many colonies have come up right along the Una-Nangal road. Inquiries revealed that many colonies have not been approved either by the Town and Country Planning Department or the Department of Forests. So blatant are the violations that the colonisers have encroached upon the riverbeds at many places. They have raised earthen bandhs to protect their colonies. However, these bandhs have the potential of diverting the course of water towards other areas. The Irrigation Department authorities said they had brought the encroachments on riverbeds to the notice of the government. However, the government has been dithering on taking action on the plea that in many cases riverbeds are in private ownership. “We have been lucky as there has not been much rains in the past 10 years. If there is a repeat of the 1988 rains there would be large-scale destruction in residential areas as many colonies have now come right inside riverbeds,” they alleged. The PWD authorities said they would look into the alleged violations along the state highways.
|
|
Karcham Wangtoo Project
Kinnaur/Chamba, October 20
The power generated annually, which is approximately 4,261 million units, at the Wangtoo power station will be fed into the Northern Regional Grid at Abdullapur through a 217-km long double circuit 400 KV transmission line. The state government shall get free power at the rate of 12 per cent of the generated power for the first 12 years of operation and 18 per cent free power for all the subsequent years. Considering a sale rate of Rs 3 per unit, the government shall earn revenue of Rs 150 crore per year from the project which will increase to Rs 225 crore annually after 12 years of the operation. The project has provided Rs 22.10 crore against the earmarked Rs 31.94 crore to the state forest department for catchment area treatment works, besides Rs 3.11 crore towards the compensatory afforestation. Rs 80 crore has been earmarked for the construction of trout seed farm. The project proponent will incur an expenditure of more than Rs 154 crore on various environment management plan (EMP) activities. More than Rs 90 crore will be incurred on the local area development activities (LADA) such as setting up of a 10+2 senior secondary school, hospital, ITI, irrigation schemes and etc. The project has carried out the widening of the difficult and narrow stretch of National Highway-22 in the Taranga Dhang portion. The execution of project works commenced from November 18, 2005 immediately on issue of the environmental and forest diversion approvals by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. The project is slated for commissioning its 1st unit by August 15, 2011 and all the four units by November 17 the same year.
|
|
Fall in prices of seeds leaves farmers confused
Hamirpur, October 20 A variety of wheat seed, PDW 343, which was being sold at Rs 11.25 kg two weeks ago, is now available at Rs 9.30 per kg. Since the seed is supplied in a pack of 40 kg, there is a price difference of Rs 91 per bag. Similarly, the prices of few other This has left the farmers, not only those who have already purchased the seeds but also those who are yet to buy, in a fix as they are not told the reason of such fall. Farmers say since nobody is explaining why the rates have been reduced, we apprehend that there must be either short supply of seeds sold earlier or the krishi samitis were overcharging. Officials of the krishi samitis are also finding it difficult to explain the rate Procurement officer of HP State Civil Supplies Corporation, who procures seeds from the market, also expressed his ignorance at the price difference saying, “I also fail to understand what has caused the fall in the prices of seeds since all purchases were made simultaneously.”
|
|
Students showcase Himachali dresses
To celebrate Diwali this year at the local centre, students and teachers of the institute selected a theme of Himchali folk dresses. For this, the students of INIFD not only selected folk dresses to design for the special occasion but also displayed these on the ramp during the carnival. The teachers of the institute also guided the students in the selection of traditional folk dresses from the state and then students worked quite hard to design these for fashionable presentation. A participant in this programme, Seema Ganthania, said, “The idea of selecting Himachali dresses is basically to popularise our traditional dresses and to present our folk culture.” She added, “Aadopting new fashion and designing new dresses are definitely the need of the hour for any fashion designer. But giving a new design to our traditional folk dresses is also quite interesting and more so since not only are we well conversant with our culture but also fully understand different aspects of these dresses.” To present these on the ramp, the students chose Himachali ambience and the tunes of choicest folk songs. To make this occasion more colourful and musical, these students also participated in a group dance competition based on Pahari natis (folk dances), which was an instant hit among the audienc. Telling about importance of organising such competitions managing director of the institute Sat Pal Sharma said, “Such competitions not only help the students in displaying their talent but also give them opportunity to present our traditions and culture.”
|
|
Penning hill life his first love
Shimla, October 20 Sumit Raj Vashisht, basically a heritage guide and manager with a resort here, has come out with a short storybook having 24 tales about Shimla and its surroundings. The book “Shimla Bazaar” is a fiction, which talks of the tough life in the hills, the beauty of the snow, about the monkeys and ghost stories about the “Queen of Hills”. Born in Shimla in 1967, Sumit left Shimla as a teenager but the vivid and fond memories always beckoned him to come back, where he returned in 2000. “Mountains are ingrained in me and I am only made for them, as such I could never adapt to the culture of big towns despite spending most of my life there,” he says. After having completed his postgraduation in tourism from Delhi University, he got associated with the tourism industry in one way or the other. It is based on his close interaction with British tourists that he was inspired to write about “British-time Shimla” and where the town stands today. “Hearing these tourists talk so fondly about Shimla and the tales related to them by their forefathers, who served here during British rule, inspired me to pen my second book,” he says. His father, Janab Talat Irfani, alias Tilak Raj Vashisht, was a renowned Urdu poet, who as a railway engineer was posted here. He penned two Urdu poetry books- “Suraj Khayaal” and “Daryaaft”. His second publication, a coffee table book with some rare pictures dating back to the late 1880’s is due for release in November. The book also has some letters written by high-ranking British officials to their families back home in London, giving vivid details of Shimla in the late 19th century. He has been provided some rare and old photographs by his British friends, who come here looking for the houses their forefathers lived in or the cemeteries where they have been laid to rest. He intends continuing his love for writing as he has already started working on a book “Shimla in Snow” which depicts the winter life in Shimla, its beauty, harshness and the joy of enjoying snow. With a keen sense of observation, his works are laced with personal experiences, which could include walk through the market in the wee hours.
|
|
Lahaul-Spiti’s cold deserts to get biosphere reserve status
Chandertal (Lahaul-Spiti), October 20 The cold desert biosphere reserve will be first its kind in India’s Himalayas, and will be the biggest among country’s 15 biospheres notified so far. In fact, apart from the cold desert biosphere, the ministry wants to notify two more biospheres, Tawang Wetscoming in Arunchal Pradesh, and Blue mountains in Mizoram. With three more biospheres, India will have 18 notified biospheres while it needs as many 27 keeping country’s eco-diversities in mind, say scientists. But only four biospheres - Nada Devi, Nilgiris, Gulf of Mannar, Sunderban Tiger Reserve - have found their way to the UNESCO’s man and biosphere network, they inform. LMS Palni, director of the GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (GBIHED), says the state government has given its permission for the cold desert, but it is awaiting approval of the J&K government. This part of the biosphere has been notified, he adds. The cold desert biosphere will run from the Pin Valley National Park and wetland of Chandertal in Lahaul-Spiti to Hemis National Park, Tsomoriri, Tsokar and Pangong Tso lakes in Ladakh as a core area. “It spans over 97,665 sq km area from Spiti, Pin, Chandrabhaga and Bara Shigri glacier to Nubra, Rupsu, Drass and Suru valley in Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir,” the scientists say. These parks and lakes attract thousands of high-end tourists and migratory birds every summer. Tsomoriri lake is country’s only breeding ground for rare bar-headed geese and black-necked crane outside China. The Pin valley and Hemis national parks are home to rare and endangered species of kiang, snow leopard, Himalayan blue sheep, lynx and ibex, besides exotic herbs and medicinal plants. Dr SS Samant, scientist in charge, GBIHED, Kullu, says, “The idea behind the cold desert biosphere is to protect the rare wildlife and plant species and local communities from the onslaught of mass tourism and environmental degradation. The cold desert biosphere is the source of Spiti and Pin, tributaries of the Satluj, Chenab and the Indus. It is home to rustic Buddhist monks and rare Korzok of Ladakh where thousands of gompas and monasteries with varied lifestyles coexist with nature, scientists add.
|
|
Himachal diary
Comprising 15 special children the unique SHG called, Swabhiman, produced and sold candles worth Rs 75,000 to earn a profit of Rs 40,000 during Diwali. The group utilised its own resources raised by contributing Rs 5,000 each. The candles were purchased by students and teachers of Auckland House School, DAV School (New Shimla), JCV School and Shimla Public School. The group now plans to undertake other viable activities to generate enough income to enable every member to stand on his own feet. (See picture) Appreciating the good work of Udaan, which is running a school for such special children, the Centre made it the nodal agency for programmes being implemented through the national trust for the welfare of persons with autism, mental retardation, cerebral palsy and multiple disorders. It is being provided funds for only 20 inmates under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan but it is providing education and training to 50 persons in the institute called “Pehchan”. It is spending over Rs 12 lakh on the institute annually, a bulk of which is generated through community involvement. The local Aukland House School, Kirtan Mandali, Rotary Club, Sood Sabha and other organisation are leading the community initiative. A bit of government help by way of land for the institute’s own building and some funds will go a long way in securing the future of the hapless children. The organisation is paying Rs 30,000 per month as rent alone. Chief Minister P.K.Dhumal had soon after assuming office announced an assistance for Rs 9.5 lakh to help meet an year’s expenditure of the institute. However, only the first instalment of Rs 4.5 lakh has been received while the second one has been outstanding for the past more than a year. Largesse goesin vain
The largesse showered by Union Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh-administered PSU Steel Authority of India (SAIL) on the people of Rohru constituency from where his wife, Pratibha Singh, was keen to contest may go in vain. The high command has allotted the ticket to Manjit Singh instead of Pratbiha Singh, who will not be in the electoral arena to take advantage of the goodwill generated with the distribution of Rs 25.13 lakh as relief to hundreds of people. The money was disbursed just three days before the announcement of the byelection. The relief was granted through the local administration for rain damage, house repair, fire loss, hospitalisation of victims of leopard attacks and other natural calamities. The amount ranged from Rs 15,000 to Rs 80,000 per person. Earlier, the union minister had also organised a free medical camp for the people of the area. While Virbhadra Singh and Pratibha Singh have said that they would work for the success of the party, it would be not be easy for them to overcome the setback suffered due to the denial of the ticket and cash in on the goodwill Animals and global warming
Global warming has, of late, become a major concern and everybody is talking about it. However, a non-government organization, Akhil Bhartiya Jan Kalyan (ABJK), engaged in the protection of cattle, has added a new dimension to the issue by linking the animals to poisonous emissions. It has launched an intensive campaign to create awareness among people about the need to protect cattle and drive home its view-point that raising cattle, particularly cows, for meat was not only bad for animals but also aggravated the problem of global warming. General secretary of the organisation Ram Niwas Gupta says that in many affluent countries cows are being reared for beef for which they are fed protein-rich grains. At present, about 55 billion such cattle are being reared throughout the world who emit a huge quantity of methane gas, which is 23 times poisonous than carbon dioxide. The ABJK thus suggests that awareness should be created among people throughout the world to stop rearing of cattle for meat and stop their killing to get high-protein beef. (Contributed by Rakesh Lohumi and D.P. Gupta)
|
|
Vignettes
He wanted to be the Viceroy of India and became one. He was so ambitious to be the "superior-most" Viceroy that prior to getting the post in December, 1898; he travelled to India four times. There was neither a hint nor any clue that he would be the future Viceroy of India but he snatched the Viceroyalty through his sheer grit, ambition and fire. It was dream come true for him.
Born in 1831, George Nathaniel Curzon was the eldest son of 11 siblings and his governess, Ellen Mary Paraman, made his childhood terrible. She would punish him for a slight fault by making him go round the village wearing a conical hat with "liar", "sneak" or "coward" written on it. Curzon noted later “No children well born and well-placed ever cried so much and so justly”. Such childhood and a teenage spinal injury after falling from a horseback left him to wear a metal corset contributing to his stiffness and arrogance. He was married in 1895 to beautiful Mary Victoria Leiter, daughter of a rich Chicago businessman. She reached Shimla prior to her husband in March, 1899, and was amused seeing the houses on hills and the Viceregal Lodge (present IIAS), built during Dufferin’s time in 1888, as a house in which a Minneapolis millionaire would revel. Lord Curzon, on arriving Shimla in April, hated the town in the beginning and was on the verge of disapproving the annual migration of the government from Kolkata but later spoke that here “a Viceroy may have time to think, time to enquire exhaustively into the many questions calling for solution, time to mature his policy and programme for the forthcoming year.” He was superb craftsman of words and his speeches were brilliant. His disillusionment with the way bureaucracy worked forced him to be in loveable Naldehra “away from the despotism of despatch boxes”. He would not mind making jest of fellow officers. His note on a file read: “I have perused these papers for two hours and 20 minutes. On the whole, I agree with the gentleman whose signatures resemble a trombone (a musical wind instrument).” The two heavyweights of the time, Curzon, the Viceroy and Kitchner, the Commander-in-Chief, were both stubborn and took up the cudgels against each other. The Delhi Durbar held in January, 1903, was ridiculed by British India as one that added feathers to Curzon’s cap only. Such was his hunger for Viceroyalty that despite falling reputation, he had prayed for an extension of two years to "complete the reforms". He, however, could not complete his term and resigned in August, 1905, as the Home Government; he thought, was favouring Kitchner and his reformist agenda was being sidelined. The Curzons left India on November 19 but the Viceroy, who himself was a stickler for protocol, disgraced his successor, Lord Minto, who had arrived on November 18, by ordering that there would be no red carpet, no bands, and no cheering crowds for him.
|
|
||
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Dharamsala, October 20
Kinnaur/Chamba, October 20
Hamirpur, October 20
Hamirpur, October 20
Formed by the parents of special children, Udaan, the first NGO of its kind working for the welfare of mentally retarded, autistic and cerebral palsy children, has achieved another first. It has successfully promoted a self-help group (SHG) of special children to enable them to undertake income-generating activities for becoming self-reliant.