Hamirpur, November 14
The Japan government has approved a Rs 270-crore organic fertiliser project to support farming sector in the state.

This was stated by Chief Minister PK Dhumal while addressing the 56th All-India Cooperative Week at a state-level function at Baloh village today.

He said cooperative movement was poised to gain momentum with focused policies and programmes of the state government and there was a need to motivate farmers to switch over to cash crops and herbal plantation instead of traditional crops.

Cooperative banks and societies need to take a lead in financing such projects for the farmers, he added.

He asked the farmers to avail benefits under Rs 353 crore Pandit Deen Dayal Kisan Bagwan Samridhi and Rs 300 crore Doodh Ganga schemes aimed at rural empowerment.

Dhumal stressed on the need for special campaign to strengthen the cooperative movement and include more members to its fold.

Training programmes should also be organised to keep pace with the latest trends in the sector, he added.

The Chief Minister said there was a need to protect interest of the common man and every information should be made available to them.

He said Rs 375.68 crore of agriculture and non-agriculture loans were disbursed during the last financial year and Rs 211.80 crore were disbursed under the Loan Relief Scheme-2008.

The cooperative societies were doing a good job by providing essential services to people through a network of 2,746 fair price shops, which had a turnover of Rs 558.07 crore, he added.

He said this movement was being revived in the districts of Sirmour, Bilaspur and Hamirpur.

Dhumal also paid rich tributes to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his birth anniversary being observed as “Bal Diwas” today.

Earlier, he also dedicated a community building, constructed by IFFCO, to the people of the area.

Education Minister ID Dhiman and other dignitaries were also present on this occasion.

Shimla, November 14
The World Bank (WB) has agreed in principle to help Himachal Pradesh in becoming the first carbon neutral state in the country.

This was stated by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal after chairing a high-level mid-term HP Mid Himalayas Watershed Development Project implementation meeting with the World Bank authorities here last evening.

“The government is exploring possibilities of pooling in all internal and external resources to protect and conserve the Himalayan ecology and the assurance from the World Bank is a welcome step that would go a long way in making Himachal a carbon-neutral state,” he said.

Dhumal said various initiatives had been taken by the government in achieving the objective of environment protection which included a complete ban on green felling, massive plantation campaigns, ban on plastic carry bags and discouraging the setting up of high polluting industrial units. He said such endeavours had received appreciation at the national and international level as well.

He said the Mid-Himalayan Watershed Development Project had been a great success. Encouraging results had been pouring in besides giving a boost to economic activities in the rural areas, he added.

“The project has been instrumental in increasing the household income of people by 9 per cent and over 5 per cent of the below poverty line (BPL) families have been alleviated to above poverty level category,” he said.

He said 1,724 hectares of additional area had been brought under assured irrigation through construction of 5,933 different mini and micro irrigation schemes, benefiting 20,795 families.

Dhumal said in order to improve drinking water facilities, 281 new sources were created and 583 existing ones repaired to ensure safe potable water to 45,700 households. He further said with increase in the green cover and plantation activities, animal husbandry activities had got a major boost.

Norman Piccani, task team leader, lauded the hill state for result-oriented implementation of the project and said water management activities also needed to be carried in a more effective manner keeping in view drying up of traditional water sources all over the world and receding ground-water level.

Shimla, November 14
With a Russian pilot having lost his life and another still missing in the Bir-Billing area of Baijnath, the Tourism Department has issued fresh directives to all Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to ensure that there is strict compliance of the regulations for conducting adventure sports, including aero sports.

Following the mishap involving the death of a Russian para-glider, questions are being raised about the lack of safety norms and adherence to guidelines laid down by the government. The mishap could prove to be very detrimental for promotion of aero sports as even now a Russian pilot remains untraceable while the Russian Embassy has been in touch with the Tourism Department and the Kangra district administration.

Arun Sharma, director, Tourism and Civil Aviation, has written letters to all DCs and SPs to ensure that there is strict compliance of the regulations framed in 2005 as aero sports, like any other adventure sports, involves high risk with no scope for laxity.

District Tourism Officers (DTO) too have been directed to abide by the rules so that no pilot decides to undertake free flying or an event is held without fulfilling the norms or seeking mandatory permission from the concerned SDM.

In fact, the Pre-World Cup Paragliding event, scheduled to be held at Bir-Billing from November 4 to 9, which was later cancelled, was being organised without the prior approval of the Tourism Department and other concerned bodies of aero sports. The department had asked them if they were registered under the HP Tourism Development and Registration Act, 2002, and if they had sought permission from the Aero Club of India for holding the event.

Tourism director, in his letter on October 22, had alerted Kangra DC that in case the event was still held, it woud be an illegal activity. The Billing Paragliding Association, organising the event, had informed the government that they were not breaking any law and they were registered under the Societies Act.

Even though the regulations for holding of any adventure sports, including aero sports, are contained in the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development and Registration Act, 2002, lack of supervision has made it a mere formality. There have been mishaps in the past when pilots lost their lives but this time it has been the worst as the pilots went missing and body of one found even before the event actually took off.

Over 140 pilots had assembled at Baijnath for the event, which indicates that despite warnings from the Tourism Department, the organisers were hell bent upon holding the event, which ultimately claimed one life while another pilot is still untraceable.

Solan, November 14
Chief Minister PK Dhumal today said that helitaxis would soon be started from Chandigarh to various destinations in the state to attract high-end tourists.

He also advocated the need to promote “panchkarma” in hotels, as it was gaining popularity in the South, adding that the state possessed ideal ambience for it.

He was addressing a gathering on the occasion of the inauguration of a luxury resort near Dharampur.

Lauding the efforts of the promoters of the resort, equipped with latest facilities, Dhumal said it would help attract high-end tourists.

He said the government was encouraging the plantation of herbs in the state, as it helps fight pollution and also provides cure for several ailments. Such herbal plantations could also be taken up in such hotels to attract tourists.

Promising all cooperation to the hotel industry, the Chief Minister said the government had an investor-friendly approach and all environment-friendly ventures would be encouraged and supported.

The luxury resort, located amidst lush green pines and dense cedar forests, presents serene surroundings to the visitors. It has facilities like data ports, wi-fi, electronic safes etc.

MD of the resort Hardip Tiwana said he planned to establish a centre for learning and development in hospitality management where graduates would be trained in various related fields.

Earlier, the resort management said that once completed, it would possess the largest car parking in the country and efforts were afoot to establish facilities like heated swimming pool, spa, yoga and mediation facilities, home theatres, two conference and banquet venues. Besides, trekking facilities were also in the offing.

Prominent among those present on the occasion included the resort’s chairman NS Banghu, MLAs of the district and officials of the district administration among others.

Bilaspur, November 14
A deputation of the Himachal Pradesh State Revenue Officers’ Association, comprising leaders of the recently elected state executive committee and including president LR Varma, general secretary RD Harnot, senior vice-presidents Praveen Taak and Manoj Thakur, press secretary KR Saizal, vice-president Dhanvir Thakur and joint secretary Rajiv Thakur met Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal at Shimla last evening and presented their demand charter to him stressing their long-pending demands.

Varma said here today that they demanded an increase in their promotion quota from the present 30 per cent to 50 per cent and increase in registration allowance from Rs 200 to Rs 2,000 per month, filling up of all vacant posts, restoration of rent-free accommodation facility, provision of earmarked accommodation to district revenue officers and revision of pay anomalies in the Sixth Pay Commission report.

The deputation also demanded that their induction to HPAS placement and seniority be regulated on the pattern of the IAS, consolidation officers and assistant consolidation officers should be merged into settlement wing and that they should not be posted against posts of tehsildars and naib tehsildars of Mohal wing of the Revenue Department.

The Chief Minister assured them to look into all their genuine demands at the earliest. Both leaders said the executive committee had decided to hold a state-level convention soon.

Solan, November 14
With the commissioning of the much-awaited 100 MVA sub-station at Naya Nangal being delayed, the hopes of the industry to get adequate power have suffered a jolt.

This was despite the fact that the state electricity board had made a written commitment to the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Industries’ Association (BBNIA) in September that this sub-station would be operational by November end at the time of signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for captive generation of power.

It is worth mentioning that the BBN area was facing almost 40 per cent power shortage with nearly 20 MVA shortfall being felt in the Nalagarh area as well as the Baddi-Barotiwala area each after burning of a sub-station at Katha in August this year. In order to tide over the situation, an MoU had been signed to allow captive power generation in units having DG sets which were to get refunds in lieu.

However, the commissioning of the new sub-station had been delayed till February, said reliable sources in the board, who added that the delay was on account of official procedures.

Meanwhile, investors were now a worried lot. Vice-president of Indo Farm tractors CN Dhar, while expressing concern, said, “We had recently sent a reminder to the board asking if they would stick to the deadline in commissioning the Naya Nangal based sub-station as agreed earlier in September but were yet to get any reply.”

He added that any further delay would incur losses to the units as they had been compelled to shut their operations after every fifth day according to the arrangement worked out by the board.

Investors said power supply might be reduced further as generation suffered during the winter though they hoped the board would manage to expedite its commissioning. The new units, however, are in a hurry to begin operations before the lapse of the central industrial package in March next year.

Meanwhile, officials added that the board was trying to commission the Katha-based sub-station of 100 MVA on priority as it would help tide over the shortage and therefore the commissioning of the Naya Nangal sub-station had been delayed.

Manali, November 14
With fresh spell of heavy snowfall worsening the situation in Lahaul valley, panic griped 160 persons, including 20 government and private engineers, a senior citizen and a diabetic, who continued to be stranded in Sissu, Karga, Keylong and Udaipur for the past six days as “no government official has bothered about their whereabouts so far”.

The stranded passengers had a panic moment today when one diabetic engineer became critical as he ran out of insulin. Luckily, they could reach Keylong and get his stock of medicine, engineers informed The Tribune on phone from Sissu.

Meanwhile, the state government and local administration remained indifferent to the plight of over 80 persons.

“We got struck at Sissu, 50 km from the district headquarters, but no one has contacted us from the district administration and the state capital to know about our whereabouts,” they rued.

The Manali-Rohtang-Koksar stretch of the highway could have been reopened by October 12 had there been a coordination between civil authorities and the BRO, sources told The Tribune.

According to police sources, more than 70 vehicles, including trucks carrying ration, coal and other supplies of essential commodities to Pangi subdivision, remained stranded at Udaipur for the past five days.

The PWD, which maintains the Udaipur-Killar road, has an odd dozer and a JCB to clear snow and landslides in the area, said the stranded passengers, who were on their home to Pangi and Killar.

Transmission lines at Udaipur and Sissu also snapped this morning and the HPSEB was yet to restore power, the sources added.

SDO Manoj Kumar said the PWD had cleared landslides at Bim Bag, 10 km from Udaipur, last night, but it was blocked again as it had been snowing here since morning, bringing road clearing operation and traffic to a standstill. The restoration work will resume tomorrow, he added. Meanwhile, the stranded passengers told The Tribune that they had been fending for themselves in the freezing temperature for the past six days.

BRO Commander SK Doon refused to update today’s restoration effort on the highway stating that he was not aware of the development.

Subhash Negi, Principal Secretary, Home, said the government had requested the BRO to open the highway so that the stranded passengers and vehicles carrying ration could come back to Kullu.

“The passengers are safe, but the roads will be cleared once the weather opens up,” he said, passing the buck on the GAD department.

When asked about the contingency plan, Negi said the government would hire a helicopter to evacuate stranded passengers if need be.

Hamirpur, November 14
The Himachal pensioners’ Kalyan Sangh has reiterated its demand to provide benefits to pensioners of the state equivalent to that of Punjab pensioners.

In a press release, president and general secretary of the sangh BD Sharma and PN Tanghra said since Punjab pattern had been followed in the state since long the state government should follow this pattern this time too.

The sangh has also decided to observe National Pensioners’ Day at Dharamsala on December 17.