Shimla, April 14
Local people and environment action groups have demanded postponement of public hearings for two major hydroelectric projects in Chamba being held from April 16 in view of the fact that the nomadic Gaddis, who constitute a major chunk of the population, are away on seasonal migration.

The Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board (HPPCB) has fixed the environment clearance public hearings for the 240-MW Kuther and 180-MW Bajoli-Holi projects in Bharmour from April 16 to 19. About 12 organisations representing local communities and environment action groups have, in two separate appeals, expressed serious concern over the inappropriate timing of public hearings which would defeat the purpose due to lack of adequate public participation.

Further, a devastating fire gutted the market of Holi town two days ago in which about 50 shops and houses were destroyed. Obviously, the fire-affected people and their dependants would not be able to attend the public hearings, they pointed in a memorandum sent to the secretary of the board.

The two projects on the Ravi river, proposed to be set up upstream the Chamera III project, would affect nearly 11 panchayats with a population of almost 12,000. The left bank of the Ravi where these projects would come up was well- forested with high altitude species liked timsu, kharsu, deodar, ban and agriculture was quite productive with apple orchards accounting for bulk of the income. The area had rich soil in comparison to the right bank and there were several water sources which catered to needs of the people and their livestock.

Another important aspect, they pointed out, was that tunnelling and construction activity in the fragile high altitude mountain slopes was bound to destabilise the strata, cause land slides and aggravate the problem of severe soil erosion. These projects would, thus, have a substantial impact on the local environment and livelihoods of people.

The representatives included Mangani Ram, member, block development committee, Nayagram Bajoli, Shankar Sharma, national member and zonal president of the Akhil Bharatiya Gaddi Janjatiya Samiti, Garola, and Ratan Chand, Zilla Parishad member, Jadera Ward, Chamba.

The Himalaya Niti Abhiyan, Lok Vigyan Kendra, Environment Research and Action Collective and South Asia Network for Dams Rivers and People are among the groups supporting the demand.

Shimla, April 14
Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal today joined the Sikh community at a local gurdwara in celebrating the Baisakhi Festival here today.

The chief minister greeted the people of the state on this occasion and wished them prosperity and happiness in the year ahead. Addressing the sangat (congregation) he said the Baisakhi was the beginning of festive seasons when farmers were overjoyed with bumper crops in their fields and they started farming activities. He said it was a festival which marked gaiety and prosperity.

Dhumal said he was aware of various demands of the community and efforts were afoot to resolve them in a phased manner. He was presented a siropa(robe of honour) as a token of respect by the Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. He also released an audio-CD on Gurbani on the occasion.

The chief minister reiterated the resolve of the government to protect interests of members of the community and provide them the best of facilities. He assured all help to the management committee in facilitating the devotees visiting the gurdwara to pay their obeisance.

Sardar Rawail Singh, president of the Sri Guru Singh Sabha, also addressed the sangat.

Shimla, April 14
Steps taken by Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) to bring transparency in the conduct of the CPMET (combined pre-medical entrance test) are welcomed but more such measures are required to ensure fair play and completely eliminate the scope for manipulation.

The university has agreed to give a photocopy of the OMR answer sheets to the candidates a few days after the test on payment of Rs 50 ,which is rather illogical as under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the same will be supplied on payment of just Rs 2. Further, even after paying Rs 50, the copy will be available only after 10 days and even more just before the computer evaluation of answer sheet is started.

RTI activists Dev Ashish Bhattacharya, who has been pursuing the issue, wants the university to follow the pattern of Uttar Pradesh where OMR sheets are printed in duplicate and candidates are allowed to take home the carbon copy after the examination.

In a letter to HPU Vice-Chancellor Sunil Gupta, he has pointed out that candidates should not only be allowed to take home the carbon copy of OMR sheet, but would be required to produce it during counselling so that in case of any suspected foul play, it could be matched with the original one. It was essential to eliminate the scope for manipulation in the original OMR sheets.

Not only that, it should be mandatory for candidates to cross all ovals in the OMR sheets in respect of questions “not attempted” and extra time of five minutes or more be given to them after they complete the paper. It should be the duty of the line supervisor in the examination hall to ensure that every candidate had crossed ovals.

Further, the answer key should be put on the web on the same evening on which the examination is held so that candidates could make a self-assessment by comparing it with the carbon copy of the OMR sheet they take along after the examination.

It is worth mentioning that the university has decided to allow the candidates to take home the test booklet and put the answer key on the web as soon as evaluation of OMR answer sheets is started for the CPMET to be held on May 27.

Dharamsala, April 14
IPH Minister Ravinder Ravi and Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Sarween Chaudhary announced sops for the Dalit community on the 119th anniversary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar, the author of Indian Constitution.

Ravinder Ravi, while addressing a function organised to mark the anniversary in Bheri village, said the government would build Ambedkar bhavan in each assembly constituency of the state. The government would give grants for the construction of the said bhavans. The total budget for the scheme is Rs 6.80 crore.

He also laid the foundation stone of the proposed building in Bheri village, here today.

Sarween Chaudhary, at a separate function organised at Dehar, said the government had earmarked a budget of Rs 742 crore under sub-plan for the welfare of SCs and STs in the state. Out of the said amount, Rs 136 crore would be spent on drinking and irrigation facilities in the areas of the said communities, Rs 131 crore on roads, Rs 39 crore on health facilities and Rs 77 crore on educational facilities, she added.

Shimla, April 14
Even after a decade of fiscal reforms, financial health of major public service undertakings (PSUs) continues to deteriorate with accumulated losses increasing from Rs 773 crore in 2003-04 to Rs 1,029 crore as on March 31, 2009.

A majority of the 23 government undertakings, statutory boards and corporations, the accounts of which had been finalised, were perpetually in the red.

Huge losses being suffered by 20 working PSUs with a total investment of Rs 4,167.47 crore are proving to be a big drain on the state exchequer. Total investment of the government in these companies, with over 42,225 employees on rolls, was Rs 951 crore.

The State Road Transport Corporation had accumulated highest loss of Rs 512 crore followed by the State Electricity Board (Rs 230.35 crore), State Finance Corporation (Rs 102 crore), Agro-Industrial Packaging India Limited (Rs 74.57), Forest Corporation (Rs 48.66 crore), HPMC (Rs 46.33 crore) and Tourism Corporation (Rs 21.61 crore).

The cosmetic reforms, carried out by government, has not served any purpose as the root cause of the problem facing most of the PSUs was failure of the government to ensure professionalism and accountability in their functioning.

The government was not getting any returns from the huge investment in the companies. It had framed a dividend policy in 1982 under which all PSUs were required to pay minimum 3 per cent return on its paid up share capital. However, only one company, which has declared dividend of Rs 35 lakh, and other profit earning PSUs did not declare the dividend.

Worse, a majority of them have not been able to finalise their accounts which compelled the Comptroller and Auditor General to recommend outsourcing of work related to preparation of accounts wherever staff was short or lacked expertise.

As many as 12 companies had arrears in accounts ranging from one to three years as on March 31, 2009. They were also not adhering to accounting standards as obvious from 44 instances of non-compliance during the year.

However, the only silver lining is that contribution of the PSUs to the state GDP has increased from 9.83 per cent in 2003-04 to 12.53 per cent in 2008-09 and the turnover also rose from 2,037.52 crore to Rs 4,629.88 crore over the period.

Manali, April 14
The 13,050-ft-high Rohtang Pass was opened to vehicular traffic today after a gap of about four months.

SK Doon, Commander, 38 BRTF, said massive efforts were being made to open the Rohtang Pass by the second week of April this year.

Doon said snow clearance was fast this year as three independent teams were deployed for opening the 222-km Manali-Sarchu section of the road. He said last year too the Rohtang Pass was thrown open in the month of December when hundreds of people and vehicles were stranded due to early snowfall.

He further added that the Manali-Sarchu road was also likely to be thrown open for vehicular traffic by the first week of May.

Early opening of the pass would save efforts of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the state government that had to operate helicopter services to tribal areas in Lahaul-Spiti as the road link was not restored.

Hamirpur, April 14
Though authorities of National Institute of Technology (NIT), Hamirpur, have revoked the expulsion of four students, expelled for indiscipline, they have imposed heavy fines on them, besides invoking other disciplinary measures to rein-in unruly elements at the campus.

The four students, who were expelled for two semesters by the authorities a few days back for gross indiscipline, have been allowed to attend classes by paying a fine of Rs 50,000 each after putting them on two years conduct probation and seeking affidavit for their good behaviour here from their parents.

The authorities had identified many students from different classes for creating unruly behaviour here and all of them have been imposed a fine. Eighteen of these have also been imposed a fine varying from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 and also issued strict warnings.

The issue of unruly behaviour by many students had come to knowledge of the NIT authorities when director of the institute and chief warden had found some students scuffling and creating a scene during late hours at the Hira Nagar locality in inebriated condition on March 27.

It had also come to the knowledge of the NIT professors that some of the students were visiting a few hotels of the town and creating nuisance in drunken state.

Later, after an inquiry by the NIT authorities, 100 students were identified and punitive action was taken against them on April 6, which included expulsion of four students too.

After persistent appeals from the students and their parents to not to spoil their careers the expulsion was revoked on April 9, with stringent fines and on the condition of maintaining good behaviour during their stay here.

Dean of students welfare of NIT Dr Lalit Awasthi said, “We have revoked the expulsion on the appeals from the students and their parents since expulsion for two semesters will have bearing on their academics but we are determined to rein-in the rowdy element as we do not want any indiscipline or any action which brings disrepute to the institution.”

“Since it is our endeavour to prepare good citizens besides teaching them we have asked them and their parents to give undertakings of their good behaviour during their stay and four students have been put on conduct probation and fined,” he added.

Shimla, April 14
National BJP general secretary JP Nadda today contested the Congress claims that inflation was a universal phenomenon and said it was the corrupt and faulty economic policies of the UPA regime which had led to unprecedented price rise.

Addressing a press conference here today, Nadda said while inflation in America, Europe and other countries was well below 2 per cent, in India it was 16 per cent. “He said the Congress stand on inflation was very dubious and doubtful as with a high inflation rate, the growth rate too was high,” he said. He added that inflation was the creation of the Congress.

“It is the duty of the government to ensure balanced growth but in India the number of BPL families has gone up from 31 crore in 2005 to 42 crore in 2009,” he said. He added that the Saxena committee report had indicated that 51 per cent of the people were eligible for a BPL card.

Nadda said while foodgrains were rotting in the godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI), there was no initiative to distribute it to the poor. “Against buffer stock norms of 200 lakh metric tonnes, there is 453 metric tonnes in FCI godowns which was just rotting while prices continue to rise,” he regretted.

The BJP leader said repeated statements by ministers that the yield could be low, only worsened the situation as this helped speculators and manipulators. He said there was little that the state government could do to control prices but during the NDA regime the situation remained under control and the excess foodgrains stock were released.

He said whenever the Congress comes to power inflation rises as in 1973-74 it was 20 per cent, in 1980 it was 11 per cent, in 1990 it was 20 per cent while in December, 2009, it was 19.95 per cent.

Nadda said 10,000 persons each from Himachal and Uttarakhand and 5,000 from Jammu and Kashmir would take part in the BJP rally against price rise in Delhi. After the rally, lakhs of signature from all over the country would be submitted to the President against price rise. He said about 150 to 200 persons from each assembly segment from Himachal would participate in the rally.

Bilaspur, April 14
The police has arrested three youths — Baldev Kumar (39), Prabhjot Virk (31) and Vijay Kumar (24), all from Kurukshetra (Haryana) — on the charges of assaulting, beating and seriously injuring with a sharp-edged weapon Rakesh Kumar of Bagin Banola village, employed at the ACC cement factory, near Ghaghas, on the NH-21, last night.

Reports said the trio on a sightseeing trip in their Scorpio and heading for Kullu-Manali suddenly picked up a quarrel with Rakesh Kumar. They not only severely beat him but also took out a ‘khukhari’ (weapon) from their car and hit him several times with it.

His shouts for help attracted people and they rescued him from the trio, who immediately fled from the scene. However, someone had immediately informed the police and it put up a naka at Kainchi Mor ahead and caught the youths. The vehicle was also impounded.

However, some people rushed Rakesh Kumar to the Regional Hospital here in a serious condition.

The SP said a case had been registered against the three accused.

Kullu, April 14
The arrest of Rakesh Awasthi, son of Kullu district Red Cross Society’s secretary, Chunilal and Parvesh Wadhva, in connection with the 376 kg charas seizure under the NDPS Act by the Mumbai police crime branch has exposed that “charas mafias are an organised national gang and operate in the garb of apple transporters and travel agents”.

The Mumbai-HP police jointly raided the house and restaurant of Karam Chand, alias Commando, a resident of Yana village at Patlikuhal after Rakesh told the police that he had loaded the consignment from Patlikuhal, said Kullu SP KK Indoria. “He is absconding and we will act according to inputs from the Mumbai police in this case,” he added

Prashan Burde, ACP, Mumbai crime branch, told The Tribune that it was one of the biggest seizures in recent years. “We have arrested Rakesh Awashti from Kullu, Chunilal and Parvesh Wadhava from Thane under sections 20,22, 25 of the NDPS Act as they are kingpins in the charas racket,” he said.

Burde said Wadhava and Chunilal were carrying the consignment in the Tavera vehicle when they were intercepted by the police team on April 4 near Thane. The team got a tip-off about the consignment and traced that they had lifted it from Bhiwandi after Kullu-based truck operator Rakesh Awasthi delivered it in apple cartons.

Burde said Wadhava ran a travel agency in Thane as a front for smuggling. “The police got the leads from them that Awasthi had loaded the consignment at a Chandigharh-based fevicol factory,” he said.

Burde said Awashti was in transit remand and the police, with help of HP police, would unearth the charas racket being run by the gang over the years. “The gang is so well-entrenched in the country that a Kullu lawyer allegedly offered a bribe of Rs 50 lakh to the Mumbai police team in Kullu before Awashti was arrested yesterday,” revealed sources.

Former NCB superintendent OP Sharma said Commando was wanted in connection with recent 70 kg charas seizure in Chandigarh.

Anurag Garg, DIG, Central Range, said the police would act in the case as per inputs from the Mumbai police.

Kangra, April 14
Three accused persons responsible for alleged gang rape of a minor girl on Sunday are absconding. Relatives of the victim alleged that it was due to the laxity of the police that the three could not be arrested.

A 17-year-old girl was gang raped in a cowshed at Matour on the outskirts of the town and a case in this connection was registered the next day at the local police station.

SDPO Jeet Singh Thakur said the victim, Pooja Devi of old Matour, was on her way home when her neighbour Shamsher Singh (45) offered her lift. The two accused persons in the vehicle took her to a cowshed behind a gurdwara at Matour and raped her.

The DSP said two persons accompanied Shamsheer Singh, who had criminal background, when the crime was committed.

SHO Partap Singh Thakur said Shamsher Singh and Pinku, a resident of Icchhi, allegedly raped the girl. He said the third accused could not be identified as yet, who, however, was not involved in the crime.

Uncle of the victim Raghuvir Singh said the police had given ample time to the accused to abscond.

District police chief Atul Fulzele denying the charges said the police acted promptly and the accused would be arrested soon. He said the victim had been sent for a medical examination.

Meanwhile, the condition of the girl deteriorated and was admitted to the Civil Hospital here for treatment, relatives of the victim disclosed.