Shimla, March 10
Former Pradesh Congress Committee chief Viplove Thakur has hailed the Women’s Reservation Bill passed by the Rajya Sabha yesterday and said it would change the nature and face of Indian politics in the country.

Giving full credit to the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi she said it was only because of strong leadership that the Bill could be passed.

State Women’s Commission Chairperson Ambika Sood termed the event as historic and congratulated the women on the occasion. She expressed her gratitude towards the national parties for their unequivocal support for the cause which would ensure 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and legislative bodies. 

Shimla, March 10
The state election committee of the BJP will be meeting here on March 12 to discuss the issue of selection of candidate for the Rajya Sabha (RS) seat falling vacant on April 2, on the completion of tenure of Union minister Anand Sharma.

Though the meeting was initially scheduled for March 9, due to the visit of Swami Ramdev and pre-occupation of former chief minister Shanta Kumar it was postponed to March 12. All senior BJP leaders, including Chief Minister PK Dhumal, Rajya Sabha MP Shanta Kumar, state BJP chief Khimi Ram, in charge of BJP affairs in Himachal Satya Pal Jain, and state organising secretary Mahender Pandey, are likely to attend the crucial meeting likely to be held at Chandigarh.

The state election committee will make recommendation to the central election committee, which will have the final say in the matter. With the last date for filing of nomination to the Rajya Sabha being March 16, the central election committee will have to decide as to who will be elected to the RS.

The state BJP has already received 16 applications from contenders for the RS seat. The name of Mahender Pandey, who is a strong candidate for the post, is, however, missing from the list of contenders for the seat.

“The state election committee can discuss any name for Rajya Sabha besides the 16 who have formally applied and the central election committee is empowered to decide on any other name than the ones recommended by the state election committee,” said a member of the state election committee.

Even though senior leaders, including Dhumal and Shanta Kumar, are keeping their cards close to their chest, it appears that the Chief Minister could favour Chandermohan Thakur from Sirmour district. The district has always been a Congress stronghold and even in the present Assembly four of the five MLAs from Sirmour are from the Congress.

On the other hand, Shanta Kumar too has not given any indication as to who would be his candidate. It is being felt that he could back former MP Maheshwar Singh from Kullu.

The 16 leaders who have staked claim for the RS seat include former Speaker Radha Raman Shastri, former MP Maheshwar Singh, former MP Kripal Parmar, former minister from Una Praveen Sharma, Chander Mohan Thakur from Sirmour, Ashok Kapatia, Ram Swaroop Sharma from Jogindernagar, HN Kashyap, Vimla Kashyap, Chandersen Thakur from Kullu, retired bureaucrat PS Negi, Sushil Kumar from Fatehpur in Kangra, Pramod Kumar Verma from Mandi and Lochen Tulku Lama from Kinnaur.

Shimla, March 10
The hydropower developers will not be able to shift the sites of dam and power house as per the new project allotment policy, under which boundaries will be marked on the ground. They will be required to provide more free power to the government as royalty in case the capacity of the project is enhanced beyond 20 per cent after the preparation of detailed project report.

So far, only elevation of the sites were provided in the bid document and developers mostly shifted location of dams and power houses at their convenience and also increased the capacity of project. Henceforth, the domain of the project will be marked at both intake and outfall locations at the time of allotment of the project. It will not be altered and any increase or decrease in capacity will be subject to the developer remaining within the domain
(marked boundaries).

However, in exceptional cases, where factors like difficult terrain, environmental safety, poor geological conditions, make it impossible to execute the work, the boundaries could be shifted by up to 10 m with the prior approval of the government.

If elevations indicated in the offer of allotment or bid documents are found to be incorrect at the site, the actual elevations based on the marked boundaries shall be adopted after obtaining approval of
the government.

In the past, wrong elevation had created problems for upstream projects and the construction of 1,500 MW Nathpa-Jhakri project submerged the tailrace of 120 MW Bhabha project, for which a protection wall had to be constructed at huge cost.

Increase in capacity up to 20 per cent over and above the allotted capacity will be permissible without any additional royalty. However, for capacity enhancement in excess of 20 per cent, 3 per cent additional free power will have to be given over and above the normal rate. The capacity addition charges will be Rs 20 lakh per MW beyond 20 per cent increase and it would be payable in one instalment within 30 days of grant of techno-economic clearance.

If the capacity is reduced by up to 20 per cent of the allotted capacity, the fixed upfront premium will be refunded as per the revised capacity, but no interest will be paid on the refund. If reduction is more than 20 per cent, the bidder will have the option of surrendering the project with refund of upfront premium, sans interest. Energy Department director Tarun Kapoor said suggestions and objections have been invited after which the new policy will be notified.

Shimla, March 10
Further intensifying its agitation, the Renuka Bandh Sangharsh Samiti today held a public gathering at Dadahu in Sirmour district after declaring a local bandh during which vehicular traffic was also blocked.

In a show of strength, the communities to be affected by the Rs 3,600 crore Renuka Dam being constructed to augment water supply to Delhi held a demonstration in which more than 1,000 persons, including a large number of women, participated.

Leaders of the samiti Yogindra Kapila and Durga Ram Sharma gave the local administration a 12-day deadline to respond to the demands. They threatened to organise protests at district and state-level if the demands were not met.

The main demands include “land in lieu of land acquired for the project”, compensation at the rate of Rs 25 lakh a bigha and job to one person in each project-affected family. The samiti said the people would not allow the work to start on the dam to be built unless the demands were fulfilled.

Secretary of the kisan sabha Satpal Mann and researcher and activist Prakash Bhandari, who recently carried out a study of the socio-economic impacts of the project, supported the samiti’s demand and asserted that the state power corporation had no right to start acquisition without “Social Impact Assessment” of the project. They even termed the project as “unnecessary” as there were better ways to provide water to the national capital.

The project would ruin over 750 families and destroy the environment and as such it warranted an in-depth “cost benefit analysis”.

Subodh Abhi of the Jan Ekta Samiti along with representatives of the area had filed a writ in the high court on the ground that it would have irreversible implications on environment and Renuka Lake, which was a symbol of culture and spirituality involving sentiments of the people.

Chairperson of Vyapar Mandal, Dadahu, Kulbhushan and local pradhan Mahesh extended full support to the protest and shopkeepers observed a bandh till afternoon. The samiti submitted a memorandum to the general manager of the state power corporation which is executing the project. The samiti has given the government time till March 22.

Mandi, March 10
Hailing the Women’s Reservation Bill passed in the Rajya Sabha yesterday as a revolutionary step that would add another “golden chapter in the parliamentary democracy in India”, women, including men, say that women have now both opportunity and challenge before them to standout and make a sea change in policy and development in the country as a whole.

Talking to The Tribune on the issue of one-third reservation for women in Parliament and state Assemblies, women agreed that the Bill when comes into force would make a real difference provided they get support from family and women who have zeal to serve the country come forward regardless of their political affiliation.

Dr Mamta Mokta, head, Department of Public Administration, HPU, Shimla, said the Bill had been passed in the Rajya Sabha in which majority of voters were men. “As such it is an opportunity and challenge before women as to how they come and stand up to the challenge and prove their worth as and when they get opportunities in public life,” she added.

Mokta said it would be biased to comment that only men were corrupt and women could cleanse the system. What matters in public life is that right thinking people, men or women, must come forward and both are wings of the same bird which takes the flight of life together higher and for better, she added.

Pushpa, chairperson Lahaul-Spiti Zila Parishad and BJP leader, said, “The Bill will make change in status of women, but the support from family is equally important.”

On the other hand, Prof Vir Singh Chauhan (retd), convener, educator cell of the Congress at Mandi, said the reservation had added a golden chapter in parliamentary democracy in the country and would end male chauvinism in public life and strengthen women empowerment in real sense.

Dharamsala, March 10
On the 51st anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day today, the Dalai Lama said he would not take any position in case China agrees on genuine autonomy for Tibet.

In a statement issued here today, the Dalai Lama said: “Let me reiterate that once the issue of Tibet is resolved, I will not take any political position nor will members of the Tibetan Administration in-exile hold any positions in the government in Tibet. I have repeatedly made this clear in the past.”

He also said the day was also being observed as the second anniversary of the peaceful protests that erupted across Tibet in March 2008. “Many Tibetans in Tibetan areas are working at various responsible posts in the party, government and military, helping Tibetans in whatever way they can. We recognise the positive contribution that many of them have made up to now, and obviously when Tibet achieves meaningful autonomy in the future, they will have to continue to fulfil such responsibilities.”

“Wherever Tibetans in-exile have settled, we have been able to preserve and promote our distinct cultural and spiritual traditions, while generating awareness of the Tibetan cause.

Unlike other refugees, we have been relatively successful because we have also been able to give our children a sound modern education, while bringing them up according to our traditional values.”

“Whether the Chinese government acknowledges it or not, there is a serious problem in Tibet. As the world knows, this is evidenced by the fact that there is a huge military presence and restrictions on travel in Tibet. It is good for neither party. We have to take every opportunity to solve it. For more than 30 years, I have tried my best to enter into talks with the People's Republic of China to resolve the issue of Tibet through the middle-way approach that is of benefit to us both. Although I have clearly articulated Tibetan aspirations, which are in accordance with the Constitution of the People's Republic of China and the law on national regional autonomy, we have not obtained any concrete result. Judging by the attitude of the present Chinese leadership, there is little hope that a result will be achieved soon. Nevertheless, our stand to continue with the dialogue remains unchanged.”

Meanwhile, the Tibetans carried out protest rallies across Dharamsala to mark the day.

Chamba, March 10
To meet the huge demand of grit, sand and stone for construction activities in the district, illegal mining goes unchecked on the banks of the Ravi and other tributaries.

Recently one such instance of lifting grit and stones has come to the light, which has been noticed near Udaipur village on the left banks of the Ravi in the district where extraction has reached its zenith.

Though mining has been banned, activities are going on unabated. A number of tractors can be seen day and night digging sand and boulders, thus playing havoc with the environment of the area and creating hazard for human habitation. The living conditions of the residents of the affected site have been made pathetic by noise and air pollution and traffic hazards.

A tractor carries approximately 100 cu ft (cubic feet) of sand and makes 25 trips in a day. Thus, 20 tractors together make 500 trips in a day carrying 50,000 cu ft sand. The price per cubic foot is Rs 8 thereby doing a business of over Rs 10 crore annually.

On the other hand, an official of the Mining Department admitted the fact that mining in the Udaipur area was illegal as there was no licensee and the local authorities had been keeping an eye on the people indulging in clandestine extraction of grit and stones.

In order to deal stringently with the illegal mining activities, a checkpoint has also been set up on the highway near the site, an official said.

The official maintained that though permits had been banned on the government land under the Forest Conservation Act, however, people could apply to the state government for mining permits, which were issued in strict compliance with the law.

Only two mining permits had been issued by the state government - one at the Rajpura site and other at the Khairi site, the official informed.

Kullu, March 10
The district police has intensified its search operations for checking the entry of any person related to terror groups and charas smugglers.

They have started stopping buses and other vehicles at every 10 km and are frisking passengers. However, harassment caused to passengers, particularly to women, looked to be unheeded. The police team comprising only men members were frisking women and objections raised were set aside.

A woman passenger travelling to Chandigarh from here spoke to this correspondent on telephone and said the constables were misbehaving and rude while they opened her bags and littered the belongings on the floor. On asking them to pack them again, they refused.

Superintendent of Police KK Indoria said he would look into the matter 
and agreed that women have to be frisked by women personnel.

He assured that the team would comprise a few women and would direct the teams to be courteous and friendly.

Kangra, March 10
More than 2,000 residents of Kohala and its surrounding villages came to the streets and raised anti-government slogans this evening. They also blocked Pathankot-Mandi and Dharamsala-Hoshiarpur national highways at Gurkhari chowk in protest against the delay in conducting post-mortem examination of the three blast victims by the medical authorities, because of which their cremation could not be done.

Hundreds of vehicles remained stranded on both sides of the national highways till the reports last came.

The families of the deceased were yet to receive the bodies despite their protest.

Meanwhile, the Army, according to the police, said, the scattered ammunition was not of the Army, but of the BSF.

The police has registered a case under Section 304 A and investigation was in progress.