The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Himachal Pradesh Edition

BJP to probe Jawali defeat
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 20
Even though all may seem quiet on the BJP front for now, the party has decided to look into the reasons for defeat in the Jawali by-election, considering the fact that it was a very safe seat which the party lost due to its own shortcomings.

The party could even constitute a fact-finding committee to look into the reasons which led to the BJP debacle on a seat. Even though the party has, so far, not received any written complaint from any quarter, including Lok Sabha MP Rajan Sushant, it is reliably learnt that the leadership is of the view that the issue cannot be ignored.

“We could even constitute a special committee to look into reasons for the defeat. However, one thing is certain that we have to learn from our mistakes so that in future it can be rectified,” said state BJP chief Khimi Ram.

He added that if the BJP could register victory in the Congress bastion of Rohru, there was no reason why the party could not win in Jawali.

He said post Jawali defeat, a number of leaders had verbally spoken to him about the reasons for the party’s dismal performance but nobody had, so far, given a written complaint to him, including Sushant.

“Soon after the Chief Minister’s return from Israel, the matter will be discussed at the organisation level where a decision about the course of action to be adopted would be taken after consulting all,” he said.

What has taken everyone by surprise is the fact that Sushant, who had threatened to take on all those who conspired against him resulting in the party’s defeat, after the declaration of the results had so far remained quiet. He could have taken up the mater at the central level but he has not discussed the issue with the state party unit or senior leaders in Himachal.

Party insiders said in case responsibility is not fixed for Jawali defeat, those indulging in acts of indiscipline would only get emboldened to repeat their act.

Annoyed with two ministers and an MLA, Sushant had gone to the extent of saying that he would complain against them to the central leadership as they were working against the interest of the party.

Sushant had hit out at some of the senior leaders of the Dhumal camp and they too are keen that at least he should be pulled up for making statements in public.

With Sushant known for his belligerent nature, it is expected that he too would take up cudgels against his detractors.

Toll free number for ambulance services
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 20
People of the hill state, except those in the tribal areas, will be able avail ambulance services by calling a toll free telephone number with the launching of the medical emergency response and transport system from February. The services to be operated by a private company will be provided free of cost to people.

Giving details, Health Minister Rajiv Bindal said the government would pay Rs 20 crore to Indo-German joint venture company Anjana Industries and Ambulance Aicher Union as initial cost and Rs 15 crore annually for operating the services. Similar services had been introduced in some other states, but Himachal was the only state that had selected the private operator through a transparent tendering process. The exercise was worthwhile as the government would be required to pay only Rs 419 per trip as against Rs 600 to Rs 700 being paid by states which opted for MoU route instead of inviting bids.

In the first phase, 100 GPS-fitted ambulances equipped to provide first aid would be stationed at strategic points, selected after conducting a statewide survey. As against the norm of one ambulance for a population of one lakh, there would be one vehicle for every 67,000 people and the number could be further increased subsequently. The response time from receiving the call for ambulance to reaching the destination hospital had been fixed to ensure efficiency and the entire process would be monitored through the sophisticated computer software at the call centre.

The state had been divided into lower and middle hills for the purpose. The response in the lower hills would be 20 minutes in urban areas and 30 minutes in rural areas whereas in the middle hills it would be 30 minutes in urban and 45 minutes in rural areas. Starting from February, all 10 districts would be covered within a period of six months. The state government was funding the scheme but it would try to secure funds from the Centre for the purpose under the National Rural Health Mission.

Each ambulance would cost around Rs 12 lakh with emergency first aid equipment like oxygen, defibrillator and other such devices.

A doctor sitting at the call centre would remain in touch with the medical personnel accompanying the patient in the ambulance continuously and even decide which would be the best hospital for treatment. In case of mishaps like road accidents and fires, information from the call centre would automatically be transferred to the police and fire brigade so that all concerned agencies engage in rescue and relief operations.

Ayurveda Department
Action initiated against erring officials
Dharam Prakash Gupta
Tribune News Service

Hamirpur, November 20
Though the state Ayurveda Department has been trying to take to task erring doctors and paramedical staff for absence from their duties for quite some time now, incensed with frequent complaints, the department has initiated departmental action against such offenders.

After recent sudden checks conducted by district Ayurveda officer in Hamirpur district, action against eight doctors and paramedical staff, found absent, has been initiated.

The district Ayurveda officer found all these eight persons absent from their duties during checking of Ayurvedic sub-centres in the district during the past few weeks.

While all of them have been issued show-cause notices for their “unexplained absence”, their salaries have also been withheld.

Though duty hours of medical and paramedical staff begin from 9.30 am in all sub-centres, they were not present till 12 noon or later without obtaining leave.

It is notable that this is not the first time that Ayurvedic staff has been found absent. Recently, Dr Ashok Sharma, officer on special duty of the department, during a sudden check, had found doctor on night duty missing in
district Ayurveda hospital, Hamirpur, despite 12 indoor patients in the hospital.

At that time, Health Minister Rajiv Bindal had talked of strict action for absence from the duty and to check lethargy in the department.

In the present case, after receiving notices from the department, some of the erring staff members replied that their close relatives were not well while others said they did not get a bus to reach the hospital.

District Ayurveda officer Dr Hem Raj said, “I found eight staff members, including doctors and paramedical staff, absent from the duties during checking of sub-centres and had stopped their salaries besides issuing them notices. We have released salaries of some of them after finding their replies
satisfactory but have warned them of strict action for absence from duties.”

‘Tap carbon market by afforestation’
Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 20
Carbon market compensation for reduced deforestation under REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) can help cut global emissions but countries like India are not likely to benefit much from it. Instead, such countries should focus tapping the carbon market through afforestation for which there is a
vast scope, asserts international
environmental expert Dr Adam J. Daigneault, currently associated with the Deshpande Foundation.

“Under REDD mechanism, communities could sell carbon credits by achieving a lower rate of deforestation to bring it below a baseline. However, in case of India, the rate of deforestation, when compared to global average of over 10 million hectares per year, was very low. The country accounted for about one per cent of the global forest and it was likely to decline in the years to come, he said on the sidelines of the national conference on forestry solutions.

However, he observed, the huge wasteland accounting for almost half the total geographical area, offered huge opportunity to attract funding from international community by taking up afforestation programme in a big way. The country had committed to bring 33 per cent of the area under green cover and at present, it was around 21 per cent only. Afforestation programme had to be carried out keeping in view the main objective of maximising carbon sequestration to bring down the level of emissions, implying that species for planting had to be selected carefully.

Expressing similar views, Steven Hamburg, chief scientist, Environment Defence Fund, USA, said deforestation contributed 15 per cent of the total carbon emissions, making it obvious the need to avoid deforestation for which a premium had to be put on standing forests.

By the same measure, large-scale afforestation would be an effective strategy to deal with climate change.

According to JS Samra, chief executive officer, National Rainfed Areas Authority, so far there were only 10 afforestation projects under the CDM worldwide, out of which two were in India. One of them was in Haryana and other in Karnataka, while one project in HP was under consideration. He advocated an integrated approach to ensure that environmental flows from forests in a watershed would help improving farm productivity and sustain livelihood.

HPPSC member sworn in
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 20
Prof JC Sharma was today sworn in as Member of the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC).

Maj-Gen CM Sharma (retd), chairman, HPPSC, administered the oath of office and secrecy to Prof Sharma at a ceremony held here.

PS Draik, Secretary, HPPSC, conducted the proceedings.

Born on October 14, 1953, at Alampur in district Kangra, Prof Sharma did his matriculation from Government High School, Gander, in 1969. He did his PhD in Geography from Panjab University.

He has a teaching experience of 30 years and started his teaching career from Punjabi University, Patiala, in 1978 and shifted to Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak in 1981. He joined HP University in 1990. He also has 39 publications to his credit.

193 boxes of country liquor seized
Our Correspondent

Bilaspur, November 20
A police team, led by Bilaspur Sadar SHO Lalman Sharma, arrested Vinod, alias Bittoo, son of Jagdish Chand of Behna Jattan village, here last night in the Jukhala area.

The police forcibly stopped his jeep (HP64-0504) and on searching it, recovered 193 boxes of country liquor, which were being brought from Solan district without any permission or valid papers.

SP Kuldip Sharma said here today that the police had information regarding illegal activities of this youth who runs a petty shop at Auhar and was on the look out to catch him red-handed. Earlier, the accused had fled naka at Rani Kotla. He also gave a slip to another naka at Jabbal bridge.

The SP said the police registered a case under various Sections of the Excise Act. He said a police team had already left for Solan district to investigate from where the accused got such a huge supply of illicit liquor.

Power board staff resent merger
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, November 20
The HPSEB is all set to merge Transmission and Construction (T and C) division at Bodh near here into Transmission Power Corporation Limited.

The Whole Time Members Committee at its meeting held recently has given nod to this proposal which has sparked a lot of resentment among the board employees working in this division.

The board employees held a gate meeting yesterday in front of divisional office of the T and C and also submitted a memorandum against this proposal to the Chief Minister through local MLA
Rakesh Pathania.

According to Rotash Sharma, organising secretary of the state technical employees union of the HPSEB all board employees’ union, and Balwan Singh, zonal secretary (local unit) of junior engineers’ association, all employees unions of the HPSEB would oppose this decision tooth and nail.

Inquiries revealed that for time being the HPSEB deferred the implementation of this proposal but sooner or later employees had to bear the brunt of this merger as the T and C division would be closed after the merger.

Satellite project sanctioned
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 20
The Centre has sanctioned a Rs 3.50-crore Satellite Communication System Project for Himachal Pradesh and released a sum of Rs 1.72 crore as the first instalment.

Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Jai Ram Thakur, who met senior functionaries of Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj department in Delhi today in this regard, said all gram panchayats would be provided video-conferencing facility under the project, further strengthening the grass-root democratic institutions by enabling pradhans to direct communication link to pursue their problems with the government.

Jai Ram said the government had also sent a proposal to the Centre for setting up a Panchayati Raj training institute at Mandi for which the Union Ministry had agreed in principle.

CPM seeks low bus fares
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 20
Demanding reduction in excess bus fares being charged by some of the local buses in the state capital, the CPM today staged a demonstration at the local bus stand here.

The secretary of the CPM Shimla District Committee said there was no justification in the excess bus fares being charged by the Himachal Roadways Transport Corporation (HRTC) under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

“The fare being charged is almost three times than other private as well as HRTC buses which is totally unjustified,” he said.

He said this was an additional burden on poor commuters. “How can the HRTC charge excess fare in these buses when 90 per cent of the cost of the buses has been borne by the Centre and Himachal has given only 10 per cent cost amount,” he quipped.

“The government must immediately reverse its decision so that the basic facility of transportation is not denied to people. Moreover, these buses should ply uniformly so that every part of the town has proper connectivity,” he said.

He also warned the government against making any hike in the bus fares as it would burden the
common man.

Pangi villagers end stir
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 20
Villagers of Pangi withdrew their agitation after the talks with the management of the Himachal Power Corporation, which is executing the 243 MW Kashang hydroelectric project in Kinnaur, in presence of the district administration and the local legislator at Rekong Peo today.

The corporation agreed to open a dispensary along with the offices of assistant engineer and public information centre as demanded by them. Further work on the water pipeline to combat the freezing conditions in winter would be speeded up along with other development activities.

10-year jail
Tribune News Service

Hamirpur, November 20
Additional District and Sessions Judge at Hamirpur Rattan Singh has awarded 10-year jail to a person for raping a minor. The court found Sushil Kumar, a resident of Baneta Khurd, guilty of raping the victim while she was going to a temple on May 3.

Mayors’ election on Dec 4
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 20
With the term of Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Shimla Municipal Corporation due to expire on December 4, 2009, the process for electing the new incumbents has been started.

Director of the Urban Development department said the office of the Mayor would be filled from the women category while the office of Deputy Mayor would be open to all. An election would be held on December 4 for the purpose. After the election process to the office of the Mayor, to be held at the Town Hall, is over, the election to the office of Deputy Mayor would be held in the same manner at the same venue immediately, he said.

In the event of the elections being contested, the process of election would take place between 2 pm to 4 pm.

Woman dies due to cold
Our Correspondent

Kangra, November 20
The cold has claimed its first victim in this hill state when a 60-year-old unidentified woman died at Nagrota Bagwan late last evening, the police said here today.

According to the police, the old woman, who could not be identified as yet, was found dead on the open verandah of a shop on the Pathankot-Mandi National Highway.

The Kangra valley has been experiencing biting cold following a recent snowfall on the Dhauldhar mountain ranges.

The police said the old woman, who did not have a shelter to spend the cold night, slept on the open verandah of the shop and was found dead in the morning due to cold.

The post-mortem examination of her body was conducted today and preliminary report, according to the police, was death due to cold. As she could not be identified, her cremation has been deferred for tomorrow.

2 killed in mishaps

Chamba, November 20
A labourer of a private hydropower enterprise was killed when he slipped from a hillside at the construction site of a project falling in remote Sinyur panchayat under Bharmour tribal subdivision of Chamba district last evening.

According to an official report received here today, Rakesh, a resident of Pathankot, who was at work on a private hydropower project, slipped from a hillside and died on his way to hospital.

The body had been handed over to his kin after a post-mortem examination, the report said; adding that a case had been registered at the Bharmour police station.

In another incident, Neelma died on way to the regional hospital at Chamba as a big boulder, that rolled down from a steep hillside, hit her on the head. She was cutting grass for her livestock at Sanghni village in Chamba district, about 75 km from the district headquarters, when the incident took place. — OC

1.83 kg of charas seized

Sundernagar, November 20
The police has recovered 1.83 kg of charas from two different spots and arrested three persons yesterday.

In the first case, the police nabbed two persons near Cinema Chowk at Sundernagar, who were travelling in a Santro car and recovered 900 gm of charas from them. The accused were identified as Jashbir Singh from Ropar district and Raj Kumar from Dehradun. Meanwhile, in another incident, the Karsog police nabbed Ashok Kumar, a resident of Sarkaghat tehsil, near Pangna village in Karsog subdivison of Mandi district, and recovered 930 gm of charas from him. — OC

Foundation day celebrated
Our Correspondent

Kullu, November 20
The Himachal Non-Gazetted Services Federation celebrated its foundation day as “Save Culture Day” at the Dev Sadan here today.

Prem Singh Bharmoria, state president, called upon employees to remain united and fight for rightful demands.

He expressed concern over disappointment among employees of the state due to implementation of reports of the “Punjab Vetan Ayog” in the state.

Former state BJP chief and former MP Maheshwar Singh and local MLA Govind Singh Thakur were special invitees who attended the event, besides senior employees’ leaders from the state.

As many as 2,000 employees participated in the celebrations.

Medical aid for poor
Our Correspondent

Kangra, November 20
Needy and poor people, belonging to the Schedule Castes with an annual income of less than Rs 50,000, would get medical assistance to the tune of Rs 1 lakh under the Dr Ambedkar Medical Help programme, a project of the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Disclosing this here today, an official spokesman said deserving people in this category would get 75 per cent of medical reimbursement maximum to the tune of Rs 1 lakh. He said those who underwent treatment for diseases of kidney, liver, head and knee surgery and cancer and other diseases would get this financial assistance.

He said they would have to submit the medical bills along with income and community certificate either to the Deputy Commissioner, or to the other designated official, for onward submission to the Centre for reimbursement.