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Ski Village Project
Order on ST quota for promotions stayed
HC panel inspects Malana hydel site
Brakel firm penalised
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Chinese company to resume road work
Election deferred as Cong councillors stay away
HC: Regularise services of vidya upasaks
Risk assessment of BBN soon
‘Centre responsible for price rise’
Sanitation scheme launched
Man held with opium
Molestation case
Body found
Man gets 7-year jail
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Ski Village Project
Shimla, December 4 The main findings of the committee was that the detailed project report, submitted by the company, was faulty and incomplete. It had also failed to prepare an environment impact assessment report and failed to secure the necessary environmental clearances. The company had submitted an application to the Centre in this regard which was rejected and it was asked to make a fresh application. However, the company failed to do so. The delay in getting the state government’s clearance apparently led to the withdrawal of financial support of Alfred Ford, a descendant of Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company, for the project. The company was forced to scale down the originally $300 million project to about $135 million. The project size too had shrunk from the earlier 300 acres to mere 90-100 acres. The self-identified project was assigned to the company in 2005 and the implementation agreement was signed on June 5, 2006. The company submitted the DPR on March 3, 2007, and it was approved in June 2007. However, the project ran into rough weather after the BJP came to power in the state. While in the Opposition, the party had alleged irregularities and corruption in award of the project and made its allotment without inviting global bids. This is the second major project after the twin Jhangi-Thopan and Thopan-Powari hydroelectric projects, which were allotted to the Brakel Corporation, which is being reviewed by the government. The government messed up the Brakel projects and served two notices to the company, ultimately did not cancel the projects. However, the projects were cancelled by the High Court on the plea of a competitor company which alleged irregularities in the allotment. Further, action in the ski-village project will be taken after the company gives its explanation and viewpoint by way of reply to the notice. The matter is already before the High Court and the government will have to inform it about the action taken.
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Order on ST quota for promotions stayed
New Delhi, December 4 The state government had issued the instructions for the implementation of the Constitution (85th Amendment) Act, 2001, and for assignment of seniority to SC/ST employees accordingly. The HC, however, quashed the instructions on September 18 this year, stating that the state government had not collected “quantifiable data for the necessity of reservation”. |
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HC panel inspects Malana hydel site
Kullu, December 4 The commission will submit its report to the High Court on Monday when the case comes up for hearing. The two-member panel, appointed by the High Court, inspected the surge shaft site, power house and dam sites located in the upstream of the Malana catchments. The team also assessed the ecological damage along the 15-km-long project road constructed by the EPPL along the Malana river, sources revealed. The team also inspected the large number of dry or dead trees hanging precariously along the project road site, the sources added. It also inspected the transmission line, ropeway and labour tent sites and damage done to the forests in violations of the Forest Conservation Act. The High Court took the suo motto cognizance of the story, “Forest dept role under scanner”, (dated November 25), that highlighted how the company damaged or dried up a large number of deodar trees and destroyed over “115 bighas of forest areas and unaccountable number of trees”. The Forest Department’s role came under the court scanner as the department had put damage report of 364 trees and 115 bighas of land for which the company had no permission for felling from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). The company has destroyed 115 bighas of forest area in the valley, dumping muck and debris in the forest area, violating the Forest Conservation Act. The project road had dumped muck and road debris along the Malana river side, burying alive thousands of unaccounted smaller species of plants and local herbs. The High Court rejected the report submitted to the court by the Kullu DC last Monday and appointed the two-member commission to inspect the site to assess the damage done to the Malana valley as villagers suspected that thousands of trees were destroyed in the project. But the Forest Department, in an alleged connivance with the company, under-reported the damage and no FIR was lodged in the case. The department claimed that the company had paid Rs 1.15 crore as penalty for 364 trees and 115 bighas of forest land destroyed by it. Rajiv Javan, member of the commission, confirmed to The Tribune that a High Court penal inspected the site today and would submit the report on Monday.
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Brakel firm penalised
Shimla, December 4 The quantum of penalty was worked out on the basis of loss of revenue to the government because of delay of over three years in the construction of projects but the Cabinet finally decided to limit the amount to the up-front premium and interest thereon. It decided to re-advertise Sumta (104 MW), Rashil (102 MW), Tandi (104 MW) and Patam (60 MW) projects and invite fresh bids. It also decided to re-advertise 130 MW capacity Sumte Kothang project for execution by inviting bids according to the new power policy. It also approved a proposal to set up a technical university in Hamirpur and agreed in principle to grant loan for starting the university. It also sanctioned 37 posts of different categories to make the university functional. It authorised the state electricity board to implement the revised pay scales for its employees with effect from January 1, 2006, and to enhance the monthly remunerations of 66 contractual medical officials in the Health and Family Welfare Department from Rs 16,000 to Rs 26,250 for GDOs and from Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 for specialists. The decision would also benefit 279 medical officials appointed under the Rogi Kalyan Samitis (RKS). It approved launching of centrally sponsored Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan for class IX to XII in the state. The Cabinet decided to continue the market intervention scheme for citrus fruit under which ‘B’ and ‘C’ grade kinnow, malta, orange will be procured at Rs 5.85 per kg and Rs 5.25 per kg, respectively, and galgal at Rs 4.15 per kg. It will continue upto February 15, 2010. It granted permission to fill 68 vacancies of veterinary officer on contract basis at a fixed (pre-revised) remuneration of Rs 14,000 per month in the Animal Husbandry Department. It decided to bring about a legislation to facilitate disposal of gold and silver donated by devotees in notified religious shrines of the state and granted approval for opening of a soil conservation sub-section at Kupvi. The Cabinet decided to transfer gau-sadans at Khajjian and Jaghana village alongwith land measuring 100 bighas to the Nagani Mata Gaudham Samiti, Khajjian and Gopal Sansrakshan Samiti, Jaghana, respectively. |
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Chinese company to resume road work
Shimla, December 4 Public Works Minister Gulab Singh asked the delegation of the company headed by its director Liu Shujan, which called on him here today, to expedite the work on these projects to cover up the time loss already suffered due to the delay in visa. He said the 11 employees of the company had been granted visa, which would facilitate the work on these road projects. The work came to a standstill after 96 Chinese nationals left for home two months ago. The foreign nationals were forced to return after the new policy of the Government of India, under which foreigners are not allowed to work in the country on business visa, came into force in August last. Since only a limited number of personnel will be provided work visa, the company will have to engage Indian manpower to complete the projects. The two projects involving an expenditure of Rs 354 crore were awarded in May-June 2008 and were to be completed by November 2010. However, so far only 7 to 8 per cent work has been completed and a paltry Rs 20 crore has been spent but the company has deployed construction machinery worth over Rs 24 crore at the two sites to expedite work. In all 125.4 km of road is to be upgraded. Gulab Singh said the CM had assured all possible help to the company for timely completion of the projects. Liu Shujan assured the minister that the company would complete the projects within stipulated time.
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Election deferred as Cong councillors stay away
Shimla, December 4 Following declaration of the names of Madhu Sood for the post of Mayor and Sudhir Azad for the post of Deputy Mayor by HPCC chief Kaul Singh Thakur and CLP leader Vidya Stokes, the situation became so volatile at the party office that the perturbed councillors and their supporters almost came to blows with those from the rival camp. Only 10 councillors in a house of 25, including eight from the BJP and two from the CPM, turned up for the election scheduled for 2 pm in the MC office. Due to lack of quorum, Rajneesh, director, Urban Development, postponed the election for tomorrow. All 15 Congress councillors did not turn up as there was no consensus on the party candidate for the two posts. Claiming majority support in favour of Madhu Chauhan and Harish Janartha for the top two posts, a section of the party workers raised slogans against the HPCC chief and CLP leader for trying to impose their “favourites” who did not enjoy majority. What irked them was the fact that despite obtaining individual opinion of all 15 councillors, the HPCC chose to side with Sood and Azad who, according to them, had support of only six councillors. Their demand for a secret poll was, however, rejected by the HPCC chief. The nine councillors were so agitated by the one-sided approach of Thakur and Stokes that they shot off letters to AICC chief Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary, Rahul Gandhi, complaining against the partisan manner in which the state leaders were behaving. Wanting to make the most out of the Congress infighting, the BJP too has become active as it announced the name of Manju Sood as its candidate for the post of Mayor. Hoping that some councillors from the Congress would cross vote, they are now trying to woo members. Even though the CPM has clarified that its two members will cast their vote only in case there is a contest between the two Congress councillors and not between BJP and Congress, the two CPM councillors can now play a very important role in the election. Since elections will be held tomorrow even if there is lack of quorum, the two Congress camps are indulging in lobbying even with councillors from the BJP and the CPM. Even if the Congress issues a whip, the councillors cannot lose their membership as they are not covered under the Anti-Defection Law.
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HC: Regularise services of vidya upasaks
Shimla, December 4 Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ram Bhawan Misra and Justice Rajiv Sharma passed this order on bunch of petitions filed in this regard. While deciding about 1,500 petitions of the vidya upasaks, it observed that the petitioners who have passed class XII are entitled for regularisation after completion of training in accordance with the provisions of the scheme of the government. Petitioners mentioned that the subordinate services selection board had invited applications for the posts of vidya upasak to teach in government primary schools of the state. The court directed the state government to initiate the process for regularisation within four weeks. |
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Risk assessment of BBN soon
Solan, December 4 She was addressing the delegates during a seminar on industrial safety which was organised by the CII, Himachal Pradesh State Council, at Baddi today. She said the state government was giving utmost significance to industrial safety and the units must ensure that they fulfilled the requisite norms prior to initiating their operations. Later, a booklet highlighting the importance of creating awareness about industrial safety was also released by her. Earlier, while welcoming the delegates Arun Rawat, convenor, MSME panel, said the importance of industrial safety had increased manifold with the hazardous units moving closer to the human habitation. Various speakers expressed their views on the subject. Sanjay Khurana, consultant with Parashar & Co., Chartered Engineers, briefed the delegates about the compliance, standards and certification aspects of industrial safety. He stressed that abidance of safety guidelines provided safe working environment to employees. Dr Vandana Sharma, a safety training expert from Aceso Health and Safety Solution, Chandigarh, highlighted the role of trainings to counter challenges which had increased manifold. She cited instances of numerous accidents where lives could have been saved had the management trained its employees to deal with mishaps. Arul Arasu, senior manager, Risk Services, from Cholamandalam Risk Services Limited, briefed the delegates about the role of risk management in process industries. He said risk assessment would help minimise accidents in their production processes. Sudesh Dhiman, assistant director Factories, shared his views on industrial safety management and deliberated on statutory provisions of industrial safety management. He said if the industry followed guidelines issued by various departments, it could decrease the scope for any accident or mishap to a great extent.
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‘Centre responsible for price rise’
Dharamsala, December 4 He alleged that the price of sugar had reached up to Rs 40 per kg. “It is very hard to explain such unprecedented rise in the price of sugar in view of the fact that it is a commodity controlled by the Union government. Union ministers are acting as traders of the commodities rather than representatives of common people. Sugar mills are making undue profits in this practice. Sugar, that is being released in the market, is the produce of last year. It is surprising that sugar mill owners are charging a price of Rs 40 per kg from consumers when they had purchased sugarcane from farmers at prices ranging from Rs 120 to Rs 130 per quintal,” he said. Ravi also alleged that prices of essential commodities in the country were increasing manifold while reaching from farmers to consumer. He said the Himachal government had managed to shield its poor from the price rise by supplying food items at controlled prices through its public distribution system. “However, the price rise has increased financial burden on the Himachal government. The budget of public distribution system, being adopted by the state government, has gone up from about Rs 90 crore to Rs 160 crore per annum,” he said.
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Sanitation scheme launched
Shimla, December 4 “The Rs 62 lakh scheme has been initiated to create a spirit of competitiveness and awareness about sanitation among schoolchildren,” he said. The first prize at the district level will be of Rs 50,000 for both primary as well as middle. Two prizes will be given at the block level of Rs 20,000 and Rs 10,000. He said the total sanitation campaign was launched from Sirmaur district in 1999 and now it was being launched in all 12 districts of the state. |
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Man held with opium
Mandi, December 4 According to the police, it had laid a naka on the Bijni-Katola road when they searched the suspect and recovered the consignment from his possession. Further investigation is on, the police said. |
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Molestation case
Shimla, December 4 Taking suo motto notice of the letter written by parents of the students studying in the college in this regard, the court treated this letter as a PIL and sought the response from the state authorities within four weeks.
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Body found
Shimla, December 4 The police had been on a look out for Pankaj, a computer student hailing from the Kotkhai area in the attack on the college girl also hailing from the same area. He had been absconding since December 1, after attacking the girl, who is still under treatment in hospital. The police searched the entire area near Churhat after they got information that Panjkaj had been
seen in the area. Later, the body was found and identified by Pankaj’s father and brother. |
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Man gets 7-year jail
Chamba, December 4 In default of payment of fine, the convict shall further undergo rigorous imprisonment for one year; according to judgment passed by the court here today. A police patrol party of the Tissa police station intercepted the accused with 2.5 kg of charas on March 17, this year, at
zero point, Jassaurgarh. He was arrested under the NDPS Act.
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