H I M A C H A L    P R A D E S H    E D I T I O N

Cabinet nod to restructuring of power board
Shimla, June 9
The government today decided to raise an independent state industrial security force for effective maintenance of law and order in the industrial areas and finally gave its nod to the proposal for restructuring of the state electricity board.

State set for heli-taxi service from this season
Shimla, June 9
The Himachal government is likely to launch the much-awaited helli-taxi service from this season itself by entrusting the task to more than one airline operator so that the high-end tourists could be attracted to the hill state.

Hope for litigants in revenue cases
Dharamsala, June 9
Krishan Swarup, a resident of Una, had been awaiting justice in the court of division commissioner at Dharamsala since 1996. For the last 15 years, the litigant has spent his hard earned money on a simple case of revenue correction of his land.

7 killed, 10 hurt in road mishap
Chamba, June 9
Seven persons, including four women and a child, were killed on the spot and 10 others were seriously injured when a pick-up vehicle in which they were travelling swerved off the road and rolled down about 100-ft towards the Ravi riverbed, about 6 km from here on the Chamba-Bharmour highway, at 11.30 am today.

JBT trainees to continue stir Shimla, June 9 All efforts to pacify the agitating junior basic training (JBT) trainees proved to be unsuccessful as they refused to call off their fast unto death despite meeting Chief Minister PK Dhumal, here today. Activists of the JBT Students Welfare Association hold a protest in support of their demands in front of the Himachal Secretariat in Shimla on Wednesday. A Tribune photo

Apple cartons to cost more
Shimla, June 9
Upbeat over the prospects of a bumper apple crop, the growers will have to pay much more for the cartons during the harvesting season. The increase in the rates of kraft paper has made the standard apple carton dearer by Rs 6 to 9, a hike of over 20 per cent over last year, depending on the quality.

Forensic report on Babbar Khalsa posters out
Mandi, June 9
The digital forensic examination of a hard disk seized from a private distributor of mobile phone company by the police in Nahan on March 4 this year has found that the controversial posters of the Babbar Khalsa separatist outfit were downloaded from the same computer where one the three accused in the case worked.

Damaged bridge closed to traffic Solan, June 9 Heavy rains have taken toll on the Balad bridge in the Baddi industrial area with one of its piers developing a crack making it unsafe for motorists while another bridge at Bagvania has been closed for traffic following repair work. The Balad bridge at Baddi was closed for traffic last evening after the bridge started sinking near pier No 10 where a crack had occurred. The damaged Balad bridge

Industries’ body takes up bridge issue
Solan, June 9
With the crucial Bagvania bridge being closed for traffic and the Chikni bridge already facing closure after it was washed away in 2007, the Nalagarh Industries Association (NIA) today convened an emergency meeting and wrote a letter to the Ministry of Surface and Road Transport, besides submitting a memorandum to the SDM for speedy restoration of the bridges.

Govt urged to withhold admission process
Shimla, June 9
The professional education unit of the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has urged the state government to withhold the admission process in private universities and display the list of University Grants Commission (UGC) and All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) affiliated universities within 24 hours.

Workers hail decision
Shimla, June 9
The joint front of the state electricity board employees and engineers has hailed the decision of the state Cabinet to implement the transfer scheme for re-vesting assets into the newly set-up HPSEB Limited in accordance with the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003, as per its proposal.

Man saves Punjab wrestler from drowning
Bilaspur, June 9
Karam Chand, a pump operator at the IPH Department lift drinking water supply scheme at Mallari in Ghandhir gram panchayat, near Jhandutta in this district, has earned praise from all as he risked his life to save life of Gurmit Singh, a wrestler from Punjab, from drowning in the flooded Shukra khud yesterday.

Cabinet nod to restructuring of power board
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 9
The government today decided to raise an independent state industrial security force for effective maintenance of law and order in the industrial areas and finally gave its nod to the proposal for restructuring of the state electricity board.

The decision was taken by the state Cabinet which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister PK Dhumal. It will help create employment opportunities for 1,024 educated unemployed youth.

The restructuring scheme approved under the Electricity Act, 2003, for re-vesting assets and liabilities from the state government to HP State Electricity Board (HPSEB) Limited and Himachal Pradesh Transmission Corporation (HPTC) Limited by protecting the interests of its employees. The terms and conditions of the services, regulations and policies applicable to personnel of the restructured state power utility will not be in any way less favourable after reorganisation and accordingly, salary, allowances and other pecuniary benefits, including terminal benefits, will be protected.

All benefits of service accrued earlier will be taken into account for all purposes, including payment of terminal benefits. The HPSEB Limited will make appropriate funding arrangement for pension and other terminal benefits, including payment of retirement dues. All assets, rights and liabilities of the boards will be transferred to ‘HPSEB Ltd’ except, interstate transmission lines or transmission lines not being essential part of distribution system, which will go to the state transmission utility (STU).

It approved an amendment to the State Security Pension Act, 1997, to adopt the New Himachal Pradesh Social Security (Pension and Allowances) Act, 2010, to raise annual income limit for individual cases from existing Rs 6,000 to 9,000 and family cases from existing Rs 11,000 to 15,000. It gave nod for construction of six girls’ hostels with a capacity of 50 each in educationally backward blocks of Shillai in Sirmour and Salooni, Tissa, Mehla and Pangi in Chamba.

It approved clubbing of Homte (10.5 MW) and Wanger (24.1 MW) in Kinnaur district into one integrated scheme subject to the condition that payment of upfront premium at the rate of Rs 20 lakh per MW with additional royalty of 3 per cent. It also approved the revised organisational structure and staffing pattern of newly created directorate of energy and the guidelines for change of location and elevation after the allotment of power projects for execution.

The Cabinet decided to set-up committees for private negotiations at district-level for acquisition of land for various drinking water, irrigation and sewerage schemes and cleared the proposal to amend the State Maintenance of Parents and Dependants Act, 2001, to make it more practical.

State set for heli-taxi service from this season
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 9
The Himachal government is likely to launch the much-awaited helli-taxi service from this season itself by entrusting the task to more than one airline operator so that the high-end tourists could be attracted to the hill state.

The Tourism and Civil Aviation authorities held a meeting here yesterday to assess the bids of 12 airline operators who are keen to provide the services. Sources said with practically all 12 operators being eligible to run the service, the government will be holding a meeting with them so that a criteria could be adopted for undertaking screening.

Considering the response to the launch of the heli-taxi scheme, the government is considering entrusting the task to more than one operator. “A meeting will be held on June 16 with the representatives of all the interested companies so that screening can be undertaken after adopting a certain criteria,” said Arun Sharma, Director, Tourism.

He admitted that the option of assigning the task to more than one operator was under the consideration of the department. The government is keen that the heli-taxi service is launched from this season itself as it has already been delayed due to various factors like the Lok Sabha elections last year and later change in the norms by the state government.

Prominent airline operators, including Pawan Hans, Mesco Airlines, Global Vectra, Shiva Helli Services and Virat Aviation, are in the race for taking charge of the heli-taxi service. “Even though economic viability of the scheme aimed at the globe-trotting high-end tourist remains the biggest issue but we are hopeful that with the viability gap- funding coming in from the Centre, the scheme should be a success,” said a hotelier.

In fact, most of the big hoteliers in places like Shimla and Manali had been demanding launch of the service, especially in view of the poor air and rail link that Himachal has. They had even agreed to guarantee a minimum number of seats to ensure viability of the scheme.

Himachal loses out on high-end tourists on account of the fact that the state has only three helipads at Kullu, Dharamsala and Shimla.

Hope for litigants in revenue cases
Lalit Mohan
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, June 9
Krishan Swarup, a resident of Una, had been awaiting justice in the court of division commissioner at Dharamsala since 1996. For the last 15 years, the litigant has spent his hard earned money on a simple case of revenue correction of his land. It is now that his case has been finally disposed of. Likewise Jagat Ram, Kaka Ram, Prabhat Chand and Lajwanti also got justice after periods ranging from 10 to 15 years.

There are about 6,000 pending cases in the office of divisional commissioner, majority of which are appeals against the decisions of settlement officer, Dharamsala. Out of these about 4,000 cases pertain to Una district. Some of the cases have been lingering since 1980s. The litigants awaiting justice in the court of divisional commissioner for over a decade now have a ray of hope. Commissioner Omkar Sharma has taken a decision to dispose of old cases on priority. Despite opposition from the local bar association the commissioner has managed to dispose of 510 cases in the last five months.

The number of cases disposed of in the last five months is much more than average number decided in the past few years. As per the data collected by The Tribune, in 2003 only 39 cases were decided, 2004 - 216 cases, 2005 - 59 cases, 2006 - 336 cases, 2007 - 313 cases, 2008 - 210 cases and 2009 - 238 cases.

The previous government initially transferred the cases of divisional commissioner to the deputy commissioner, but later referred them back to the commissioner’s office. The present division commissioner attributed the speedy justice achieved by him to the revival of circuit court. He has revived circuit court in Nurpur subdivision of Dharamsala after two years. Besides, circuit courts at Kangra, Amb, Dehra and Una have also been activated. The commissioner said due to activation of circuit courts the litigants now do not have to travel to Dharamsala to get justice. Their cases could be decided at their doorsteps. He said priority was being extended to cases of anganwadi workers as women litigants were involved in the process.

The common people are suffering in revenue courts of settlement office and divisional commissioner due to the errors committed by lower revenue staff. However, still it is the people who have to suffer the litigation.

7 killed, 10 hurt in road mishap
Our Correspondent

Chamba, June 9
Seven persons, including four women and a child, were killed on the spot and 10 others were seriously injured when a pick-up vehicle in which they were travelling swerved off the road and rolled down about 100-ft towards the Ravi riverbed, about 6 km from here on the Chamba-Bharmour highway, at 11.30 am today.

According to a report, all passengers belonged to Kherian village of Kangra district were on their way home after paying obeisance to Banni Mata, situated in a remote area of the Bharmour region.

The police and local people of the contiguous area rushed to the site and helped in extricating the bodies and bringing the injured to the regional hospital at Chamba.

The deceased had been identified as Kartik, Cheeno, Veena Devi, Darshana Devi, Sarna Devi, Arjun Singh and Ajay Kumar. The injured included Goody, Ritu, Aruna, Gum Devi, Longo Devi, Seema Devi, Arjun, Des Raj, Suresh Kumar and Naresh Kumar, driver of the vehicle. Their condition was stated to be critical and some of them had been referred to Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College at Tanda (Kangra), the report added.

Chamba Deputy Commissioner Devesh Kumar has directed officials to extend all possible help to the next of kin of the deceased and for the treatment of the injured.

Chamba Sub-Divisional Magistrate Sandeep Negi said an immediate relief of Rs 10,000 each had been sanctioned for disbursement to the next of kin of the deceased.

Chief Minister PK Dhumal and Vidhan Sabha Speaker Tulsi Ram, who represents the Bharmour constituency, expressed sympathies with the bereaved families.

JBT trainees to continue stir
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 9
All efforts to pacify the agitating junior basic training (JBT) trainees proved to be unsuccessful as they refused to call off their fast unto death despite meeting Chief Minister PK Dhumal, here today.

Far from buckling under pressure from the government, the JBT trainees today descended on the state capital to press for their demand of ensuring a job guarantee bond as they held a rally outside the Secretariat. The government had set a deadline of June 10 for them to resume studies failing which they would face serious disciplinary action.

Hundreds of JBT trainees, some accompanied by their parents started pouring into the town despite inclement weather conditions. They assembled at the Khalini Chowk and later marched to the Secretariat in a procession raising slogans in support of their demand.

Being in a belligerent mood, the trainees turned down the offer to meet Education Minister ID Dhiman. As they insisted on meeting the Chief Minister, they were allowed an audience with Dhumal later in the afternoon.

“Since the CM refused to accept our demand of job guarantee bond we have decided to carry on with our fast unto death,” said Anil Sharma, vice-president of the State JBT Trainees’ Association.

He said they were time and again being given the same argument that when all jobs of teachers had been made contractual they had no business seeking job guarantee bond. He added that in case the trainees take some extreme step, the government, which had adopted a rigid and unsympathetic attitude, would be solely responsible.

Apple cartons to cost more
Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 9
Upbeat over the prospects of a bumper apple crop, the growers will have to pay much more for the cartons during the harvesting season. The increase in the rates of kraft paper has made the standard apple carton dearer by Rs 6 to 9, a hike of over 20 per cent over last year, depending on the quality.

The government agencies have procured cartons at Rs 20 to 30.50 apiece last season. Tenders invited by the Himachal Cooperative Marketing Federation (HIMFED) for the supply of cartons make it evident that growers will have to pay more for it. The nine parties which participated in the tender have quoted rates ranging Rs 34.50 to 40 per carton.

The nodal agency has now decided to hold negotiations with the parties to bring down the rates. However, even if they agree to reduce the rate by Re 1 or Rs 2 per carton, the grower will have to pay Rs 35 or more for quality carton after taking into account handling charges and taxes. Increase in the cost of kraft paper apart, there is no basis for benchmarking the cost of production as the only public sector carton manufacturing unit at Gumma has been closed down.

Unlike last year, supply of cartons will be a major concern this season as preliminary estimates suggest that the crop will be comparable with the highest ever production of 5.92 lakh tonne in 2007. As such the requirement of cartons will be in excess of 2.5 crore standard boxes as against only about 1.2 crore boxes last year when the state had a poor crop with production barely touching 2.8 lakh tonne.

The state Kisan Morcha and other farmers’ bodies have been apprehending that with the closure of the public sector unit the private carton manufacturers will fleece the apple growers.

Horticulture Minister Narinder Bragta, however, asserted that the government would take all necessary steps to protect the interests of the growers and he had already directed the government nodal agencies, including HIMFED and HPMC, to make arrangements for procuring cartons on large-scale so that growers were not left at the mercy of private suppliers.

Forensic report on Babbar Khalsa posters out
Kuldeep Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Mandi, June 9
The digital forensic examination of a hard disk seized from a private distributor of mobile phone company by the police in Nahan on March 4 this year has found that the controversial posters of the Babbar Khalsa separatist outfit were downloaded from the same computer where one the three accused in the case worked.

According to sources, this was the first digital forensic examination done by the state forensic science laboratory.

Sources in the Home Department said today that the digital forensic examination report received from the state forensic science laboratory (SFSL) had found that the separatist posters were downloaded from the computer system of the private distributor for the Vodafone company at Nahan.

The forensic report revealed that the images of the Golden Temple, Babbar Khalsa activist Sukhdev Singh and name of Babbar Khalsa were downloaded from the hard disk of the computer of the private distributor. One the accused Jasvinder Singh, alias Banti, worked in the shop of the private distributor, the sources added.

The police had arrested three accused Jasvinder Singh, Satpal Singh and Amrinder Singh on March 4, but they were on bail since then, police sources revealed. They were pasting posters of the outlawed Babbar Khalsa outfit in the Ranika Bagh area in Nahan town in late night hours that day.

The controversy erupted after RSS activists raised slogans against the Babbar Khalsa posters and demanded arrest of culprits, the police added.

The police so far ruled out any possibility of links of the three accused to the outlawed Babbar Khalsa. However, the forensic examination has thrown a fresh light in the case, the sources said.

DGP DS Manhas said investigation into the case was on and they awaited forensic report in the case.

Damaged bridge closed to traffic
Ambika Sharma

Solan, June 9
Heavy rains have taken toll on the Balad bridge in the Baddi industrial area with one of its piers developing a crack making it unsafe for motorists while another bridge at Bagvania has been closed for traffic following repair work.

The Balad bridge at Baddi was closed for traffic last evening after the bridge started sinking near pier No 10 where a crack had occurred.

This had forced the police to divert traffic through Barotiwala as this bridge was the lone direct approach to Baddi through the NH-21-A. Locals, however, said it was the reckless digging and excavation undertaken at its base which had led to the sinking of its pier.

Officials of the NHAI comprising its regional officer VK Bhardwaj and executive engineer SN Sharma today paid a visit to the area and inspected the damaged bridges.

The officials said it was the incessant downpour which had caused this damage. While protection works worth Rs 4.50 crores were already underway, efforts were afoot to complete the work before rains but heavy rains had upset the schedule. The rehabilitation work would soon be carried on the bridge to restore it.

With another crucial bridge at Bagvania, located on the NH-21-A, being closed for traffic as its repair work was underway, the Baddi area was cut off from Nalagarh today. Commuters, who used the river bed earlier, could not use this option as water had filled the otherwise dry bed. The officials added that it was the excessive load borne by the bridge which outweighed its capacity thus damaging its pier.

Work on one of its pier had just been completed after investing Rs 1 lakh and vehicles had started plying on it much before it was opened for the traffic. The sudden rain had also spelled doom for the investors having their units across the Chikni bridge, near Nalagarh.

Industries’ body takes up bridge issue
Our Correspondent

Solan, June 9
With the crucial Bagvania bridge being closed for traffic and the Chikni bridge already facing closure after it was washed away in 2007, the Nalagarh Industries Association (NIA) today convened an emergency meeting and wrote a letter to the Ministry of Surface and Road Transport, besides submitting a memorandum to the SDM for speedy restoration of the bridges.

Anil Sharma, secretary, NIA, said it was lamentable that the Chikni bridge which had collapsed three years ago was yet to be restored. Though its estimate had been prepared by the National Highway Authority, no work had begun till now. Commuters, including industry executives, were forced to use the flooded river bed, but this was a risky proposition in these rains. This also delays labourers from reaching their workplaces, thus causing inconvenience.

Govt urged to withhold admission process

Shimla, June 9
The professional education unit of the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has urged the state government to withhold the admission process in private universities and display the list of University Grants Commission (UGC) and All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) affiliated universities within 24 hours.

Organising secretary of the unit Ashish Chuahan said the private universities in the state were holding counselling for admission but the students were unaware of the fact whether or not these institutions had been approved by the national regulatory bodies like UGC and AICTE. For instance, Chitkara University was already holding admission counselling and others would follow suit.

As future of hundreds of students who were seeking admission in these universities was at stake, the ABVP had demanded that admission process be stalled until they furnish all requisite information to prove their credentials. — TNS

Workers hail decision
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 9
The joint front of the state electricity board employees and engineers has hailed the decision of the state Cabinet to implement the transfer scheme for re-vesting assets into the newly set-up HPSEB Limited in accordance with the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003, as per its proposal.

Convener of the front Suneel Grover said restructuring would harbinger a new era of development in the power sector. The main focus of the Electricity Act, 2003, was to supply reliable, quality and uninterrupted power at affordable rates to the consumers. The transfer scheme was prepared keeping in mind this objective. It was desirable to keep generation and distribution system under the HPSEB Limited and entrust the inter-state transmission works to the state transmission utility.

He said the joint front would submit the papers within 15 days to the managing committee of the HPSEB Limited for enhancing the operational efficiency and to facilitate flourishing of the HPTCL so that these organisations could work as a corporate entities and become competitive.

Man saves Punjab wrestler from drowning
Our Correspondent

Bilaspur, June 9
Karam Chand, a pump operator at the IPH Department lift drinking water supply scheme at Mallari in Ghandhir gram panchayat, near Jhandutta in this district, has earned praise from all as he risked his life to save life of Gurmit Singh, a wrestler from Punjab, from drowning in the flooded Shukra khud yesterday.

Panchayat president Pawan Kaushal said today that three wrestlers from Punjab were cooling themselves on the bank of the Shukra khud when Gurmit suddenly slipped and fell into the water, and as none of them knew swimming, they shouted for help.

Karam Chand, after hearing the noise, rushed and jumped into the water and took Gurmit out of the khud. He was first rushed to Barthin Hospital and was given first aid and then was referred to Regional Hospital at Bilaspur and from there was rushed to PGI, Chandigarh, due to his deteriorating condition. Later, he has been recovered.

Villagers have urged the government to honour Karam Chand for saving life of a person.