Shimla, June 6
People of the state will end up paying more for power in future if the government goes ahead with the “faulty” model finalised by it for “unbundling” of the state electricity board.

The proposal to retain bulk of transmission assets with the distribution company will not only weaken the state transmission utility (STU) and create hurdles in the way of open access, but also have long-term implications on consumers by way of increased power tariff. Since a distribution company could not undertake transmission works, the entire expenditure on the employees handling these tasks, covered under capital expenditure till now, will be charged to the revenue account after unbundling.

It will become part of the aggregate revenue requirement (ARR) filed by the company with the State Electricity Regulatory Commission for determination tariff. The consumers will thus have to pay more.

Further, the distribution company will have to spend huge funds on operation and maintenance of the transmission assets from which it will not have any returns as under the Electricity Act, 2003, it cannot wheel power. In such a situation, the high tension (HT) lines, “wrongly” retained with the distribution company, will be grossly underutilised. The wheeling charges will be very high through any such system and moreover these will be divided among the stakeholders or even deposited in power development fund by the regulator.

The distribution company will be the biggest loser even as the common consumers and power developers, who have to evacuate power, will have to pay more.

In contrast, if the transmission assets are transferred to the STU in accordance with the principles on the basis of which accounts of transmission wing were segregated under the “bundled” entity, the consumers will not have to bear any additional burden and wheeling of power will be much cheaper as there will be better capacity utilisation of HT lines.

In all other states, HT lines from 66 kv upwards have been transferred to the STU along with substations and staff. The Himachal government has finalised a model under which only small portions of a few selected lines, many of which do not belong to the board, are being given without substations and requisite staff.

Solan, June 6
With almost 45 per cent water sources drying up by more than 70 per cent in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh industrial area, the IPH Department is facing a tough time in meeting the water requirements.

As per the latest figures available from the IPH Department, 7 per cent schemes faced reduction of 50 to 75 per cent in the water level while six more schemes faced a decline in water level to the tune of 25 to 50 per cent and three schemes faced 0 to 25 per cent dip in the water level.

This situation had forced the department to engage 21 tankers and 14 tractors to meet the water requirements of the local population, IPH officials conveyed.

While all schemes, including gravity and lift irrigation schemes, had dried up, the impact was more visible in the rural areas. This had posed problems to the locals who found it difficult to meet their requirements.

The impact of reduced water in natural resources was also being attributed to the scores of bore wells sunk in at shorter distances by various industries. Villagers said this had affected the groundwater sources causing a sharp decline in their level.

A local environment organisation, Him Parivesh, which has been fighting for the cause of water, opined that indiscriminate digging of bore wells damaged the groundwater. More damage would be done by the thermal power plant which was being set up by the JP cements as it would use groundwater. Its general secretary Balkrishan Sharma and president Jagjit Singh Dhukiya said though the industrial units had stated in their project reports that they were using recycled water, the truth was that they failed to operate their treatment plants fully and used fresh water while effluents were dumped into the water bodies.

With no check on the quantity of water withdrawn from the bore wells everyday by the units, natural water was facing depletion at a fast pace.

The IPH officials, however, said with the enactment of HP Ground Water (Regulation and Control of Development and Management) Act, 2005, users of groundwater would be required to seek registration and liable to pay royalty on the quantity of water used. An authority constituted for the purpose was in the process of registering such users and this would put an end to misuse of groundwater.

Hamirpur, June 6
With the day temperature remaining above 40°C in many places of lower Himachal, many parents have demanded rescheduling of summer vacation in summer-closing schools.

Such schools in the state are closed for vacation during rainy season in the month of July when monsoons are at its peak.

The state government has set two schedules for vacation for all government and private schools, keeping in view the weather conditions.

Winter vacation schools are closed for 45 days from January 1 while the summer closing schools are closed from every second Saturday of July for 41 days.

With the hill state experiencing severe summer this season, the demand for rescheduling summer vacation has come from many quarters.

“Unprecedented rise in the day temperature is something unusual and it is becoming very difficult for students to attend schools,” said an anxious parent.

While many parents have come forward with such demand, even teacher bodies have urged the state government to pre-pone the vacation.

“The schedule of summer vacation was chalked out when monsoons were very severe and many students found it difficult to trudge long distances and cross overflowing khuds and rivers,” said a teacher.

Meanwhile, Shrikant Baldi, Principal Secretary, education, said, “The proposal for rescheduling of summer vacation has come from many quarters. We will discuss this matter with parents and teacher unions.Since the state already has different schedule for summer and winter vacation, we cannot have another schedule for summer and monsoon break as it will create problems in transfers of teachers.” 

Solan, June 6
Tightening its noose around people drawing water by using tullu pumps, officials of the IPH Department today raided the New Nalagarh area and confiscated as many as 37 such pumps.

The officials said the raids were conducted following receipt of complaints about the reduced water quantity in the domestic supply. A team of officials led by executive engineer HP Singh discovered these pumps installed in various areas of New Nalagarh.

Notice had been served on these individuals to remove these pumps following which surprise checks would be conducted and if an individual was found using them again his water connection would be suspended for five months.

These raids had proved how brazenly the people had installed these pumps and a single pump was known to draw water equal to as many as four connections. This created water scarcity for rest of the public as these electrically operated pumps managed to draw maximum water from a pipeline leaving little for rest of the people. While use of such pumps was banned by the IPH Department this raid had proved how the people paid no heed to the instructions.

This was the first such raid in the ongoing summer season when water scarcity had hit the area with availability in its water supply schemes declining due to the long dry spell.

Locals had welcomed the step which would help in even distribution of water. Earlier complaints from some areas going without water or facing reduced water supply had become a routine.

Shimla, June 6
The Congress has demanded increase in support price at which apple was procured under the market intervention scheme in view of the sharp increase in the rates of various farm inputs and cost of packaging material.

Secretary of the party Rohit Thakur said the farmer decisions of the BJP government like auction of the apple carton factory at Gumma had led to unprecedented increase in the rates of apple cartons putting additional burden on fruit growers. The growers were now completely at the mercy of the private manufacturers and as a result they would be forced to pay Rs 20 to 25 more for a carton.

He drew the attention of the government to widespread damage caused to fruit crops by hailstorms and demanded adequate compensation for the affected growers. The proviso Congress government had amended the relief manual to provide a compensation of Rs 500 per bighas for loss in excess of 70 per cent. There was need to further amend the manual to facilitate payment of higher compensation.

Thakur expressed concern over the supply of substandard fertilisers, pesticides and other inputs and said a large number samples had failed. Not only that but also the subsidy had been reduced even as the prices of inputs had gone up sharply. For instance, the rates of Mancozeb has shot up from Rs 58 to 113, Companion from Rs 100 to 160 and Atracol from Rs 92 to 140.

Mandi, June 6
As condition of the three Junior Basic Training (JBT) students--- Praveen Kumar, DR Yadav and Rajesh--- who are on indefinite hunger strike over employment policy, deteriorated, the police lifted them from the Seri Munch spot and shifted them to Mandi Zonal Hospital last night. However, three more students---Anurag, Satinder and Phool Chand---joined the hunger strike as talks with the state government failed to find a solution.

Soon after the three students were admitted to the zonal hospital, they were put on intravenous drugs. However, they refused to take food until the government accepted their one-point demand.

Pawan Kumar, president, JBT Students’ Association, stated that the talks with the state government failed to resolve the issue as Chief Minister PK Dhumal was mostly out of station.

“Thus we have decided to continue the hunger strike and protest throughout the state,” he asserted.

The JBT protesters have been gheraoing MLAs, ministers and bureaucrats visiting the town.

The academic atmosphere at the District Institute of Elementary Training (DIET) has been vitiated badly as the students have been on strike since the past one month.

The protesting students rued that the government was not serious about the future of JBT students. The government issued a notification and refused to give the “surety bond for their regular appointments in schools”, they added.

Principal Secretary (education) Srikant Baldi’s talk offer ended in a deadlock as the students remained firm on their demand.

HAMIRPUR: The police has admitted three junior basic training (JBT) trainees sitting on indefinite hunger strike since Tuesday before their training institute DIET at Gauna Karor, demanding regular employment bond with the state government, at regional hospital here on Saturday night.

The condition of these trainees had deteriorated on Friday after one of them fainted and their blood pressure was fluctuating.

Three trainees Anil Kumar, Harish Kumar and Surender were admitted and forced fed through drips.

Meanwhile, three trainees namely Sunil Kumar, Arvind and Madan resumed the indefinite hunger strike on Sunday.

ADM Hamirpur CP Verma also visited the agitating trainees at their institute and talked to the trainees about their demand and reportedly assured the girl trainees to investigate the alleged misbehaviour with them by the police on Friday.

Nurpur, June 6
Financial irregularities have come to light in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) works at Hadal gram panchayat in this subdivision.

After getting lukewarm response from the government agencies, former pradhan of the panchayat and RTI activist Subash Singh has submitted a written complaint to the state Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister along with documentary proofs procured under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

He demanded a probe into the alleged forged muster rolls prepared to embezzle government funds.

According to certified copies of these muster rolls (March and August 2009) carrying attendance of labourers engaged by the gram panchayat to undertake different works, the attendance of a water carrier, a mid-day helper working in a local government school and a salesman of the co-operative society of nearby gram panchayat were shown in them.

Block development officer KD Kanwar admitted that it was a very serious matter and he would personally hold a probe into the allegation.

Dalhousie, June 6
One person was killed on the spot when the driver of a tipper (HP-48-3510), loaded with stones, lost control over the vehicle and hit him at Trangadi Mor in the Churah subdivision of the district last evening, according to a police report received here today.

The report said the deceased had been identified as Jaram Singh, a resident of the nearby area; adding that the body of the deceased had been handed over to his kin after a post-mortem examination.

Driver Desh Raj and another person Jagdev were severely injured in the accident. The police has registered a case for further investigations.

In another incident, a private truck (HP-11B-7427) had a head-on collision with a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus at Dalhousie on Saturday in which the driver of the bus and a few passengers received injuries. The police has registered a case to ascertain the cause of the accident. 

Shimla, June 6
Traditional Himachali handicrafts and handloom are now available on the click of a mouse. Thanks to the initiative taken by the Himachal Pradesh State Handicrafts and Handloom Corporation to launch its e-shopping web portal enabling customers across the world to buy products online.

In all about 1,000 products, including traditional hand-woven shawls, Himachali caps, mufflers, Kinnauri pashmina shawls, stoles, and other woollen items, jewellery, metal craft items, miniature paintings and various other products are available at the web portal. Payment can be made through credit card and the product will be sent through courier service within three weeks of placing the order.

Craftsmen of the state have, thus, got a global marketing platform, while customers will be able to buy genuine products. The corporation will also be implementing three major projects involving an expenditure of Rs 2.65 crore under the handloom cluster scheme in Kullu, Gohar (Mandi) and Reckong Peo providing employment to 5,714 weavers.

Besides, two design development projects are also being implemented for creating shawls and Chamba chappal.

At present, the corporation is running 27 training centres for upgrading skills in various crafts. Normally, one-year training is being provided in carpet weaving, shawl and durrie weaving, thangka paintings, woodwork, doll-making, metal craft, blanket weaving and knitting.

About 400 to 500 weavers and artisans are trained ever year. A stipend of Rs 950 per month is also given to the trainees. Its main activities include revival of extinct crafts, design development, skill generation, pre-loom, loom and post-loom facilities to weavers and other artisans, production in workshops, marketing of handloom and handicrafts items through a chain of the emporia, exhibitions and expositions.

The corporation is running 17 sale outlets, out of which 15 are located in the state at Shimla, Solan, Bilaspur, Dharamsala, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kullu, Keylong, Manali, Mandi, Nahan, Reckong Peo, Palampur and Paonta Sahib. 

Shimla, June 6
A team of public sector Sutlej Jal Vdyut Nigam (SJVN) headed by director (personnel) RS Katoch visited the villages likely to be affected by the 775-MW Luhri Hydroelectric Project being executed by it.

The objective of the visit was to make the local people aware of the likely impact of the project and also to ascertain their views about it.

The team visited Marola village in Bindla panchayat of Mandi and Lunsu village in Chebri panchayat of Shimla.

Katoch and other officials explained villagers about various components of the project and layout so that they could have an idea about the impact it would have on the area.

The villagers posed a volley of questions pertaining to issues like land acquisition, local area development, resettlement and rehabilitation, benefits generated from the projects and other matters directly having a bearing on them.

The villagers also put forth some of their expectations regarding employment opportunities, health facilities, adequate water supply, educational institutions, skill development of local youth and other such matters.

A large number of villagers, including panchayat pradhan of Chebri IR Sharma, participated in the village meeting.

Katoch also distributed plant saplings among villagers to demonstrate the company’s concern for preservation of environment. The villagers assured their full cooperation for construction of the project.

Shimla, June 6
The State Veterinary Officers’ Association has decided to stage protest to express its resentment over the callous attitude of the government towards their demand for enforcing the agreed parity between veterinary and the medical officers in the matter of pay scales and allowances.

However, it has chosen a novel way to register its protest to ensure that people are not put to any inconvenience by its action.

The association will organise a blood donation camp in Shimla on June 12. General secretary of the association Amit Mahajan lamented that in spite of the hue and cry being made by the contract veterinary officers, the government had remained unmoved and its indifferent attitude had compelled them to adopt coercive means to create pressure.

The association has been demanding uniform policy of regularisation for doctors and veterinary officers, who complete their educational qualification only after attaining the age of 25 years, to compensate them for late entry into government service. Besides, the contract veterinary officers should be granted non-practicing allowance like their regular counterparts and contract medical officers.

The association hopes to muster the support of general public by resorting to such mode of protest.

The association terms the policy of regularisation of medical and veterinary officers after eight years, like the daily waged workers, an insult to professionally qualified persons.