Dharamsala, December 15
Two major Bills, including the Himachal Pradesh excise Bill, 2009 and the Indus International University (Establishment and Regulation) bill, 2009 were passed with a voice vote in Himachal Pradesh Assembly today.

In the new excise Bill, the government has proposed sentence up to death penalty and a fine of Rs 10 lakh for whosoever mixes or permits any liquor with drugs or foreign ingredient likely to cause disability or death of human being.

The Himachal Pradesh excise Bill, 2009 would replace the two versions presently being used in state for levying excise duties on intoxicating liquors. Earlier, the duties were being levelled in the state under the provisions of the Punjab Excise Act-1914 as in force by virtue of Section 88 of the Punjab reorganization Act, 1966 in merged areas of the state and under HP (application of laws) order 1948 and Bilaspur (application of laws) order, 1949, in the area that comprised Himachal before 1966.

In the new Bill more effective and stringent provisions in relation to penalties, confiscations of illicit liquor has been made.

The Chif Minister while presenting the new excise bill said fine for illicit liquor brewing had been increased from Rs 50000 to Rs 10 lakh under the new Bill. Provisions have also been made that the statements of accused taken by the investigating officer are considered valid by the judicial magistrates while deciding the violation of excise act cases.

The Congress MLA Kuldeep Pathania while speaking on the Bill said certain provisions in the Bill were in contravention of CrPC provisions.

To this the CM said that after it had been passed in the assembly the Bill would be sent to the President of India. If any such contravention is there, it would be removed after legal scrutiny there.

Rajesh Dhirmani, Congress MLA, said the provisions should also be added in the Act so that the alcoholics who create nuisance at home after taking intoxicants can also be punished.

Dharamsala, December 16
Debate on law and order situation in the state witnessed unruly schemes with members of the House shouting at each other.

The debate was started by HPCC president Kaul Singh who alleged that the ruling party was using the police against the opposition. He referred to the alleged call girl’s scandal, suspension of village pardhan and suicide by a senior IPS officer as indicators for worsening law and order situation in the state.

Kaul Singh also alleged that it was he who suspended the IPH official accused in grease and Dhrawala road cases. He claimed to have a CD in which the accused official had admitted that he was forced to give affidavit in grease scam against him.

Responding to allegations from Kaul Singh, IPH Minister Ravinder Ravi alleged that in the Dhrawala road cases Rs 75 lakh additional payment was made to the accused contractor. He said the Vigilance was investigating the cases that were a clear illustration of corruption that took place during the Congress regime.

Vidya Stokes, while participating in the debate, said crime against women and Schedule Castes had increased in the state.

Rakesh Pathania, Independent MLA, however, accused the Congress MLAs of defaming the state by raising the issue of law and order in the Assembly again and again. He alleged that the crime rate in Himachal was lowest in the country.

The Congress leaders got up from seats and shouted at Pathania for his remarks against Kaul Singh. This led to heated exchanges between Kaul Singh and Pathania.

Suresh Bharadwaj, BJP MLA from Shimla, pointed towards the controversial birthday party of Congress MLA GS Bali to drive home his point on law and order situation during the Congress regime. Bali was not present in the House when the point came up.

However, as soon as he returned he raised objection to the reference and demanded that statement be expunged from the House proceedings.

Order was brought to the House after Chief Minister PK Dhumal got up to reply to the debate. He said the government was taking all steps to check crime in the state. He demanded cooperation of opposition leaders to improve law and order situation in the state.

He also provided data that indicated that the law and order situation had improved in the state.

Shimla, December 16
Despite the Cabinet approving the issuing of a show-cause notice to Himalayan Ski Village (HSV) Private Limited, the Tourism Department is still seeking opinion of the Law Department so as to ensure that there are no loopholes in the document as per the implementation agreement (IA).

The Cabinet during its meeting held on December 7, approved that a show-cause notice may be issued immediately to promoters of the HSV before a final decision is taken on termination of the IA signed with them during the Congress regime.

Though the notice is still being given final shape, it is learnt that the company will be given 30 days time to file their reply after which the government will decide whether to give them another chance or terminate the agreement. The two main issues being highlighted are the absence of environmental clearance from either the Centre or the state and stiff opposition by the local community.

It is reliably learnt that the Law Department has already examined the IA signed with the HSV on June 6, 2006, during the Congress regime. “As per the provisions of the clauses 16.1 and 16.2 of the IA, the government reserves the right to terminate the agreement and forfeit the security deposit in case it feels that it is impossible or impractical to start work,” sources said.

The biggest flaw being cited by the Tourism Department is that the HSV has not obtained the mandatory environment clearance from either the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest or state-level Environment Impact Assessment Authority.

It is being argued that though the agreement came into force on June 5, 2006, the lease did not materialise as the detailed project report (DPR) is without the environment impact assessment report and as such it is incomplete as per clause 8. “The government therefore has the right to forfeit the bank guarantee and terminate the IA and invite fresh global tenders,” officials pointed out.

It is learnt that the HSV as per the IA had deposited a sum of Rs 75 lakh with the Tourism Department and the Tourism Development Board. This includes Rs 25 lakh paid at the time of signing of the agreement as the earnest money deposit and a sum of Rs 25 lakh each paid twice as a Destination Himachal Fund.

Dharamsala, December 16
The accountability and sensitisation of government officials, the backlog in jobs for SCs, the poor infrastructure in industrial areas, failure of private companies in bringing up poly houses in Lahaul and Spiti and alleged irregularities in the IRDP were issued that dominated question hour session on the third day of winter session here today.

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal while responding to a query from Nurpur independent MLA Rakesh Pathania informed the House that the present government had decided to keep 1 per cent salary budget that amounted to Rs 44 crore in the state for training the government employees in modern technology and sensitising them for dealing with public. He said on the first 15 days of each year the minister along with all district administration officials would move into the field to redress the grievances of people.

The minister for social justice Sarween Chaudhary while responding to query from Gangu Ram Musafir informed that the 85th amendment of the Constitution had not been implemented in the state due to stay in this regard from the Supreme Court.

The Chief Minister in response to a question from Roop Singh, MLA Sundernagar, informed the House that the state government had not got any special grant from the Union Government. The state was not receiving grant at par with other special category states in various Union Government schemes as the Sarva Sikhsha Abhiyan, he said.

In response to a question from Harshwardhan Chauhan, the industries minister informed total 2320 industrial units involving an estimated investment of about Rs 11204.71 crore had been approved for the state in the past one year. Out of these just 462 units have started production and 337 units have started construction work. Harshwardhan later expressed concern that 1521 units had failed to come up.

The Chief Minister while responding to the question said certain politicians during the previous Congress regimes resorted to profiting from industrial plots rather than improving the infrastructure that discouraged the industry. He said every effort was being made to improve the infrastructure.

The Lahaul and Spiti MLA pointed out that just two of the 117 poly houses sanctioned in the tribal area had come up. He alleged that certain Shimla-based companies that had been entrusted with the job of bringing up poly houses in tribal areas were not undertaking the job during high infrastructure cost.

The CM while responding on the issue said cost of bring up poly houses in tribal areas was high and the state government was taking up the matter with NABARD financing body for project. He said the companies had been allotted the job bringing up poly houses after competitive bidding.

Dharamsala, December 16
The Himachal government has increased the quota of Himachal students from 15 per cent to 25 per cent in private universities coming up in the state in future. Besides, the lock in period for land coming up with universities has also been increased from 15 to 25 years. This implies that the land on which the universities have come up cannot be used for any other purpose for said period. The universities have also directed to recruit at least 80 per cent class IV staff from Himachal.

The new provisions have been added in the Indus International University (Establishment and Regulation) Bill 2009 that was passed in the assembly today. However, they would be applicable to all universities coming up in the state in future.

The Indus International University that has come up in Una district is the seventh private university in the state. In earlier six universities established in the state, quota for Himachali students was just 15 per cent and lock in period for diversion of land was just 15 years.

Education minister ID Dhiman gave this information to the House while introducing the Bill for Indus University.

Kuldeep Pathania while speaking on the Bill said since 18 private universities had already been issued Letter of Interest (LOI) in the state, the government should now consider on limiting their number. He demanded Section 41 of private universities Act should be amended laying total ban on diversion of land allotted for universities. The provisions for appointment of Chancellors of private universities should be made more stringent so that people with high academic standards occupy these posts.

Kaul Singh demanded that the steps should be taken for stopping the commercialisation of education.

The education minister while replying to the debate said as per the guidelines of the UGC an independent Bill has to be brought for each private university coming up in the state. So, a uniform provision for all universities cannot be brought up.

Shimla, December 16
The Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) has upgraded the capacity of the Dhaula Sidh hydroelectric project from the originally proposed 40 MW to 66 MW to help make it an economical venture.

Given the small head the project on the Beas river in Hamirpur district was not considered economically an attractive proposition. However, engineers of the SJVN have during detailed investigations of the project enhanced the capacity by 26 MW to make it economical. The project envisages construction of a 51 m high dam at Salasi, downstream Sujanpur Tira and there will be no tunnel. The power house will be located inside the dam structure.

The project is being designed for a discharge of 160 cumecs to generate 290 million units of power. The total cost has been estimated at Rs 467 crore and as such the cost of Rs 7 crore per megawatt will still be on the higher side. The cost of generation works out to Rs 4.60 per unit. Head of the project Sushil Mahajan said efforts were being made to bring down the cost by effecting economy in dam structure for which all possible options were being explored.

The 95 m wide dam across the river will create 14 km long water body which will extend up to Sujanpur. The maximum level of the reservoir has been pegged at 3 m below the road bridge on the river. The spread of the reservoir will be 554 hectares. A positive feature of the project is that the area to be submerged will mostly comprise the bed of the river which is quite wide. There will virtually be no displacement of people and only a few stray houses will be submerged.

Almost 70 per cent of the area required for the project involves forest land and rest belongs to private individuals. The power house will have two generating units of 33 MW each. The Centre and the state, respectively, have 51 per cent and 49 per cent share in the project.

Dharamsala, December 16
The government might consider bringing animal feed under the Essential Commodities Act. Chief Minister PK Dhumal stated this while replying to a query in this regard in the Vidhan Sabha yesterday.

The CM said the government had received many complaints regarding presence of urea and other adulteration in animal feed that were not only affecting the health of milk-yielding animals, but also human beings. Hence, the government was considering to bring animal feed under the Essential Commodities Act so that the accused could be taken to task.

Mandi MLA Anil Kumar had sought information regarding the success rate of artificial insemination in the state.

In his reply, the CM, who holds charge of the animal husbandry department, said the success rate of artificial insemination in the state was 55 per cent that was more than the national average of 35 per cent.

The government, however, dodged a question regarding the foreign visits of managing director of the HPRTC.

Independent MLA from Nurpur, Rakesh Pathania, had sought details regarding the days for which the MD attended his office, regarding foreign trips made by him and purpose of those trips. The government, in its reply to the question, however, maintained that information was being gathered in the matter.

While replying to a query by Panchag MLA Gangu Ram Musafir, Minister for Social Security Sarween Chaudhary said about Rs 61 crore budget received from the Union government for the welfare of SCs in the state, had lapsed. The budget had lapsed as the departments concerned failed to provide schemes for utilisation of the said funds in time, the minister added.

Speaker of the House ended the discussion over the issue by stating that it was a serious issue that needed to be debated at length in the Assembly.

While replying to a query from Congress MLA Rajesh Dharmani, the CM said in the past two years, 174 cases of corruption had been registered in the state.

Sundernagar, December 16
Finally, the police has decided to close the file of controversial multi-crore dredger purchase case of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and has submitted cancellation report before the court of the sub-divisional judicial magistrate at Sundernagar.

The case was pertaining to the purchase of third dredger (worth Rs 10 crore) of the BBMB, which was purchased by it in 2007.

According to Mandi SP Sonal Agnihotri, the police has investigated the case thoroughly and filed cancellation report in the court. He further said no offence was made out as per the evidence gathered by the police.

According to a source from the Police Department, during legal scanning of the police file it was observed by a senior officer that the case be got investigated through some superior officer as no proper investigation was conducted by the subordinate staff, but it seems that the police in order to save the skin of BBMB officials filed the cancellation report before the court.

Hamirpur, December 16
Various organisations of ex-servicemen today celebrated Vijay Diwas at Gandhi Chowk, Hamirpur, to celebrate the victory of December 15, 1971, of the Indian Army over the Pakistan army.

It was on this day that Pakistan’s General Niyajee and about a lakh army men had surrendered before the Indian Army after a war at Dhaka.

The servicemen unfurled the National Flag at the Gandhi Chowk and also paid homage to martyrs by observing two-minute silence in their memory.

They also took an oath to defend national integrity and communal harmony.

The ex-servicemen marched from Gandhi Chowk to Captain Mridul Sharma memorial and also paid homage to him.

Those who participated in this programme included JK Sharma, JN Garg, Balwant Singh, Chet Ram Chauhan, AD Sharma, SD Sharma, Karam Singh, Pritam Singh and Imphal Singh (all retd Colonels), president of district unit of ex-servicemen league Captain Pratap Singh (retd) and others.

Dharamsala, December 16
The PTA teachers today organised a protest rally in Dharamsala to press on their demand for regularisation of service.

Hundreds of teachers gathered at Dharamsala and moved in a procession towards the Vidhan Sabha. The procession was, however, stopped about 1 km away from the Vidhan Sabha complex by the police.

Only about 15 representatives of the PTA teachers’ were allowed into the complex.

The representatives of the PTA teachers’ met Education Minister ID Dhiman and presented their memorandum of demands.

The minister, however, later talking to newsmen, said the government had already stated its policy on PTA teachers.

It would try to take their services as long as possible.

However, they have to be replaced by regular teachers selected through procedure.