Solan, January 16
Health and Ayurveda Minister Dr Rajiv Bindal today reviewed progress of developmental schemes of different departments in the Doon constituency. He also presided over district-level grievances redressal camp at Baddi and inaugurated newly constructed building of Ayurved centre at Kalujhanda.

He said the state government had given special thrust on development of BBND area especially construction of roads where Rs 65 crore had been sanctioned in the past two years. A proposed estimate of another Rs 26 crore for construction of roads in the area had been sent to the government for approval. Bindal directed officials to plan infrastructural development in the area to make it a leading industrial hub.

He disclosed that drinking water facilities would be improved in Baddi area and added that Rs 23 crore had been sanctioned for drinking water supply scheme and Rs 3.50 crore on digging of bore wells for irrigation in Doon constituency. Later, in the district-level grievances redressal camp at Baddi, he said erratic LPG supply in the area should be made uniform with equal distribution of gas connection to all gas agencies. Individual official will be held responsible for reports of black marketing of LPG in the area, he added.

On demand of electricity meter by people, he said the matter would be raised with the chairman of the Electricity Board so that meter could be provided on demands to consumers. He asked pollution control board officials to ensure that untreated effluents were not released in Gullar wala-Lehi khud. The minister also inaugurated a Ayurved Health Centre at Kalujhanda in Doon constituency constructed with the cost of Rs 20 lakh.

Kangra, January 16
Health providers need to be equipped with knowledge and problems of adolescence, besides enabling and empowering them by way of effective counselling in order to provide adolescent friendly health services in the state.

Director Himachal Pradesh Health Services Dr Nagesh Verma said this while inaugurating a five-day workshop on “Adolescent-friendly reproductive and sexual health services” under the NRHM at the Regional Health and Family Welfare Training Centre, Chheb, here today.

He, while addressing women health supervisors, staff nurses and health workers from eight districts of the state, who participated in the workshop, said India’s population today was over one billion and adolescents in the age group 10-19 years make 30 per cent of this population.

Expressing concern, Verma said globally adolescents in the age group of 16-23 years comprising 16 million population of the world were afflicted with HIV. Elaborating various alternatives for stopping female foeticide, he stressed on the role of moral, ethical, legal, punitive, socio-economic education, besides specific approaches to effectively tackle the menace.

He said holistic rather than mere PNDT centric approach would yield positive results and help in providing economic empowerment, especially to women.

Experts said it was increasingly felt that investing in the most neglected vulnerable adolescent group was going to have rich dividends for future health.

Dr Surender Nikhil Gupta, faculty member of the centre, pointed out that young adolescents had birth right to preventive health care. “Well looked after one-third contingent of adolescents will not only reduce morbidity and mortality of adolescents but also further dwindle down to equalise mission goals under NRHM for IMR, MMR and TFR,” he added.

Dr Suresh Verma, Dr Pardeep Bansal and Dr Seeta Thakur, experts from DRPGM College, Kangra, besides Dr Suresh Kaul also impressed upon the participants on various alternatives available for the harmonious growth and development of adolescents.

Mandi, January 16
The Right to Information (RTI) Act has exposed misuse of community development funds (CDF) to the tune of Rs 2.10 lakh by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), which is executing the 800 MW Kol Dam project on the border of Bilaspur and Mandi district on the Sutlej. The firm supplied spurious instruments and other laboratory equipment worth Rs 2.10 lakh to government senior secondary school, Dhawal, in Sundernagar, the RTI revealed

According to the RTI information availed by Lawan Thakur, president, RTI Bureau, Mandi, the NTPC’s purchase department, Barmana, had given a supply order of Rs 2.10 lakh to the firm Spectrum Instruments, Bhojpur, in Sundernagar vide order number 70840014 on April 30, 2007, under the CDF. The firm had to supply laboratory equipment to government senior secondary school, Dhawal, according to this order, the RTI said.

The RTI further revealed that the principal of the school had raised serious objections over the laboratory equipment supplied. “The items sent to the school did not tally with the list given by the NTPC,” the principal stated in a letter to the NTPC.

The RTI information further revealed that some items had not been received by the school. Some of the lab items were defunct, irreparable and trademarks on some of the items were unreadable.

Besides, the school noted that the rates of the items supplied were exorbitant. For example the Bhojpur supplier supplied “cork” worth Rs 46,080 at Rs 144 per cork and cork borer at the rate of Rs 220 per borer to the school, which were not of any use for the students, the school maintained in its letter to the NTPC.

Event the binocular, fire alarm, astronomical telescope were of no use for the students as these instruments were defective, the RTI revealed.

Thakur has lodged a complaint with the Mandi DC, demanding action against the suppliers and the NTPC.

Meanwhile, NTPC officials are tight-lipped over the issue, claiming that the matter was not brought to their notice.

Una, January 16
Travel agents have started spreading their fangs in the district. As one senior police officer termed, “Travel agents in the district are using their acumen acquired from neighbouring states like Punjab in unscrupulous business of human trafficking to flourish their system in border areas of the state.”

According to sources, the number of complaints against travel agents operating in the trade have started piling up with police officials. In the past few months, the Una police had registered seven cases against travel agents.

One case is more startling and different from others. A travel agent had lodged a police complaint and claimed recovery of Rs 44 lakh from three youth he had sent to Australia.

Una SP Santosh Patial said the agent had alleged in the complaint that he had taken the youth to Australia on the condition that they would earn and pay him 350 Australian dollars per week. However, the youth have not paid and committed forgery with him.

He said the police was probing into the case and action would be taken after investigation.

However, the case illustrates how the poor youth from the district are being lured and exploited by travel agents.

According to directions of the Union Ministry of Overseas, consultants involved in hiring youth for foreign companies operating abroad can charge just Rs 3,000 as consultancy charges. However, the consultants here are charging huge amount. Since they collect money in cash, generally there is no proof left with the exploited youth.

Uttam, a carpenter from Dharamsala, had contacted a travel agent from Una for sending him to some Middle-East country. The consultant demanded Rs 70,000 from him. However, since Uttam was not in a position to pay the amount, the deal did not work through. However, the passport of Uttam is still in possession of the travel agent.

The sources also added that due recent recession in real estate in Middle-East countries, unscrupulous agents have now started luring youth for companies working in trouble-torn Afghanistan.

The travel agents are taking benefit of the fact that there is no Anti-Human Trafficking Act in Himachal.

Since the problem of illegal human trafficking is old and common in Punjab, the state has enacted legal framework to get hold of culprits in such cases. However, the way the problem is escalating in Himachal, the state government might also have to consider bringing similar Act in force to check the activities of travel agents.

Shimla, January 16
The process of organisational polls in the ruling BJP would be complete with the election for choosing the new state BJP chief scheduled for January 30.

Even as present state BJP chief Khimi Ram and Forest Minister JP Nadda are being touted as being the hot contenders, it is almost certain that the election for filling the top party post would be a unanimous affair.

State BJP election in charge Vikram Thakur said here today that the process of filing of nomination, scrutiny and withdrawal would be held on January 30.

“In case the election is not unanimous, then the voting would take place the next day on January 31,” said Thakur.

He said the election for electing members to the national executive of the BJP would also be held on the same day. The venue for elections will be the state party office here in the state capital, he added.

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiari will be the central election observer.

He said election in 11 of the 12 districts, barring Lahaul-Spiti, had been completed. The elections in 68 of the 73 mandals had also been completed, paving way for holding of the state party chief election.

Even though chances of Khimi Ram getting a second term are high, one can still not rule out lobbying by the anti-Dhumal camp. With Nadda emerging as the favourite of the anti-Dhumal faction, the Forest Minister also enjoys the blessings of Rajya Sabha MP and national vice-president of the BJP, Shanta Kumar.

The fact that Khimi Ram took over only six months back after the induction of Jai Ram Thakur into the Cabinet, could go in his favour.

In fact, he quit the post of Deputy Speaker of the Assembly to take over the reins of the party.

The Dhumal camp is, however, not favourably inclined towards the installation of Nadda to the top party post as this could cause discomfiture to the Chief Minister. With the date for the election being announced, the next few days will witness hectic lobbying.

Hamirpur, January 16
While the Hamirpur Zila Parishad meeting has taken exception to ignoring of their recommendations made for various works under NREGA scheme to panchayats in the district, the district administration has now come forward to establish coordination between the two elected bodies for carrying different works under NREGA.

Peeved at ignoring of their recommendations by gram panchayats, the zila parishad meeting yesterday had passed a resolution demanding due priority for recommendations made by them in carrying the works under the scheme.

Several members had raised the issue in the meeting and expressed their concern for not getting due importance in completion of different works under NREGA.

Expressing their annoyance zila parishad members had complained, “Though the district zila parishad is a higher elected body representing the entire district, due priority is not given to works recommended to panchayats”.

Many of them were of the firm opinion that such attitude of gram panchayats would be having an adverse bearing on their political fortune, as they were more accountable to people of their wards and the district.

More so, since as per the guidelines of the central government-elected bodies like zila parishad are to be accorded important role in implementation of NREGA.

The Hamirpur district zila parishad later passed a resolution demanding equal priorities for their recommendations and completing NREGA works in the ratio of 50:50 by gram panchayats.

District panchayat officer Satish Sharma confirmed passing of such a resolution said, “Such resolution has been passed in the zila parishad meeting since its members are feeling ignored in implementing NREGA schemes and have demanded due priority for works recommended by them to the gram panchayats.”

Project officer of the District Rural Development Agency Ajeet Bhardwaj, under whose guidance NREGA works are carried by gram panchayats in the district, said, “We are trying to establish better coordination between zila parishad and gram panchayats for completing different works under NREGA and at present there is shortage of workers but soon more workers will be deployed to complete more works under NREGA.”

Shimla, January 16
The National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) would be funding Net Present Value (NPV) and bus stand construction projects in Himachal Pradesh.

This was revealed by Chief Minister PK Dhumal while holding talks with a high-level team of NABARD, headed by SK Mitra, executive director of the bank here today.

He said he had raised the matter with NABARD authorities to allow the NPV as an integral part of the project being posed by the government from time to time to which the bank had finally agreed.

He said there were a number of road construction projects pending execution for payment of NPV for use of forest land in rural road construction. With the consent of NABARD to include the NPV in the project cost, would help in accelerating construction work of the road projects. “Henceforth, the NPV would be an integral part of the project cost under various projects which will help the state in completion of all pending road projects in rural areas expeditiously,” he said.

The Chief Minister said NABARD had also agreed to fund construction of bus stands in rural areas which would also involve creation of infrastructure to support buses transit parking and a hub for marketing of farm and non-farm produce. He said rural marketing infrastructure near the bus stands happened to be the most visited place by the people where marketing of rural products also took place.

He requested NABARD authorities to consider Rs 120 crore project for creation of a strong network of veterinary dispensaries in all left out gram panchayats all over the state in a phased manner for completion in two years after carrying out rationalisation of the existing veterinary institutions.

“The government proposes to construct 1,200 veterinary dispensary by spending Rs 10 lakh over infrastructure creation on each such project,” he said.

He also raised other matters with NABARD authorities including priority to the transmission and distribution system, reduction in the interest rate, revision of completion period of projects, delegation of sanction powers to NABARD regional office and priority to rural transportation infrastructure. 

Solan, January 16
JP Associates have heaved a sigh of relief after the apex court put a stay on the direction of the Himachal Pradesh High Court whereby its Bagheri-based 1.75 mtpa cement grinding and blending unit had to halt its operations till further orders.

The JP Associates were forced to turn to the apex court after a PIL filed by a local villager of Nalagarh led to the high court ordering a status quo on the plant, thus halting all their operations.

The apex court orders have come as a major relief to the plant as any delay in the operations could have cost them dear. The plant was set up primarily to avail benefits of the industrial package and therefore the management lost no time in turning to the apex court.

KP Sharma, plant director, confirmed that the Supreme Court had granted them a stay on January 13 and therefore they inaugurated it the next day.

The hurry shown by the plant management appeared to be on account of the fact that if the plant was not commissioned before March, it would have failed to get the benefits of the 2003 central industrial package. This would have defeated the very purpose of its Rs 150 crore investment as the plant had been set up specifically to avail the benefits of the central industrial package.

The PIL filed in the high court had accused the plant management of having encroached upon the government land without the land being leased out to them.

The plant had failed to get the favour of villagers and they had been opposing its commissioning tooth and nail.

It was, however, worth questioning as to why the state had remained a mute spectator to these illegal acts so much so that the plant had even been inaugurated without having a legal lease of land in its favour.

The complete breakdown of the administrative machinery in putting an end to the plant operations was indeed appalling and it was a pointer towards their tactic connivance with the plant management as none dared to challenge the alleged illegal act.

Hamirpur, January 16
A team of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) from Hamipur has arrested a Himachal Administrative Services (HAS) officer posted as regional transport officer (RTO) here for accepting a graft of Rs 10,000 in his office today.

The RTO, Dr ML Mehta, has been arrested red-handed accepting the graft by the VACB team on a complaint of two transporters.

According to the VACB, Mehta had impounded two Swaraj Mazda trucks going towards Kangra - HP13-1575 and HP64-1758 - on January 13 at Bhota under the Traffic Violation Act and had been demanding bribe from proprietors of the trucks.

Aggrieved by the demand of bribe by the officer, one of the truck owners Rajesh Jaswal of Kiar village (Patta), Solan district, approached the DGP of VACB, who deputed its team for trapping the RTO. A trap was laid to catch the officer.

On Friday, Jaswal approached the RTO to release his vehicle but was demanded Rs 25,000 for this work and the deal was settled for Rs 10,000.

However, Jaswal carrying marked currency notes with chemical went to the office of the RTO today and paid him Rs 10,000. The RTO issued him two receipts one for Rs 200 and the other for Rs 100 after which the VACB team arrested Mehta.

Later, owner of the other vehicle Rakesh Kumar also made a written complaint that the RTO had taken Rs 3000 from him too but issued a receipt of Rs 100 only as a fine to release his vehicle.

The RTO was arrested under various Sections of the Anti-Corruption Act.

Kangra, January 16
A 46-year-old German woman, who was allegedly kept in confinement in a room at Mcleodganj by two Tibetan youths, was raped by them on December 27 and 28 and was recovered by the police in an unconscious state from the Bhagsunag area on January 7.

She was taken to the Tanda hospital after she regained consciousness, the police said here today.

Kangra District Additional Police chief Umapati Jamwal confirmed that the German woman had reported before the police that she was raped by two unidentified youths after she was confined in a room on December 27 and 28.

She regained her consciousness and deposed before the local police on January 15. She said she had been living at McLeodganj since March last year.

Jamwal said the victim told the police that on December 27, she met a Tibetan youth, whose name she did not know. He took her to his room where already another youth was present. It was there where they raped her, Jamwal added.

She added that the duo raped her the next day too and ultimately she managed to give them a slip.

The ASP said she had been living in Nagshu Nag of McLeodganj area but it was not known as to where she was between December 28 and January 7 and how she was left in an unconscious condition at Bhagsunag.

Jamwal said a case under Section 376 of the IPC had been registered and investigation was in progress. Meanwhile, the rape victim was discharged from Tanda hospital after medical examination.

The ASP said the accused were yet to be identified. However, the victim had assured the police that she would recognise them in an identification parade. She also told the police that she did not know the name of the locality where the crime was committed but added that she would be able to identify the room where the crime took place.