Shimla, August 6
Prices of apple in the Delhi market plunged sharply today despite low arrivals, causing further worry to growers who are concerned over the threat of indefinite strike by arhtias (commission agents) and ‘ladanis’ (wholesale suppliers) on the issue of payment of commission from next week.

The rates of superior grade of royal delicious variety, which had crossed Rs 1,600 per box three days ago, fell to Rs 1,100 per box, while inferior grades of fruit varied between Rs 350 to Rs 550 per box. Only around 250 trucks of apple were auctioned today as against the daily average of 600 trucks over the last week. The strike observed by the arhtias and wholesale suppliers yesterday in protest against the change in bylaws shifting the onus of payment of 6 per cent commission from growers to wholesale suppliers had started affecting the growers who were not being issued any bills and paid amount in lump sum.

According to sources in the Delhi market, the actual returns to growers will come down by Rs 100 to Rs 150 per box due to change in bylaws.

The Chamber of Azadpur Fruit and Vegetables’ Traders has threatened that all 16 markets under the Azadpur Market will resort to an indefinite strike from next week if the demand for immediate withdrawal of amendment in the bylaws is not met.

The wholesale suppliers maintained that they were the service providers for growers who have to pay the commission.

The wholesale suppliers have also indicated that if the amendment was not withdrawn they would resort to the system of making purchases of apple from Himachal Pradesh through agents as was being done in case of Jammu and Kashmir. Mango, vegetables and other produce were also traded in the same manner. If this happens the growers would have to make deals through middlemen and it would certainly hurt their economic interests.

Chairman of the Himalayan Apple Growers’ Society Rajeev Chauhan warned that induction of agents would deny the growers direct access to the market, leaving much scope for manipulating rates as they would be totally in the dark.

The small growers in particular would be big losers in the process as they would have no option but depend on agents for sale of their produce. All that was needed was to fine-tune the system which had evolved over years and served the growers well all these years.

Shimla, August 6
Himalaya Niti Abhiyan (HNA), an NGO, has urged the state government to cancel all hydroelectric projects proposed to be set up on Pakhnoj stream (Haripur nullah) near Haripur village in Kullu and withdraw false cases registered against locals, who are opposed to these projects.

The NGO has also decided to stage a demonstration at Manali on August 7 under the banner of ‘Jal Jangal Jamin Bachao Andolan’ against the 1.5 MW project being set up on the nullah.

HNA chairman Kulbhushan Upmanyu said villagers tried to prevent felling of more than 30 deodar and other trees by workers of Intra Continental Company, which was executing the project, without valid orders.

However, the company workers absconded leaving their tools in a nullah at some distance from the site. Subsequently, the company registered cases against 10 local farmers, including five women, for alleged theft of tools.

It was strange that the government was siding with the company and overlooked the concerns of people of 19 villages, who would lose their main source of irrigation and drinking water. The community had submitted a memorandum to the government on April 12, demanding cancellation of the MoU for the project.

He said the HNA had repeatedly demanded the review of the state policy on micro-hydel power as indiscriminate construction of projects were depriving the locals of their water sources.

Shimla, August 6
The 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri project remained closed for the second consecutive day today as the discharge and level of silt in the Sutlej remained high due to widespread rain over the past 24 hours.

The discharge hovered around 2,000 cumecs and the level of silt at Nathpa was over 16,000 ppm (parts per million), making operation of the project impossible. The silt-laden water was entering the river from the Spiti side and the level at Khab was over 25,000 ppm.

According to reports, the high level of silt rose in the Spiti after a temporary blockade due to landslide near Tabo. The entire area from Spiti to Ladakh was having widespread rain.

Meanwhile, some old houses on the right bank of the Sutlej were inundated by the swirling water. The river was flowing below the danger level, but the administration has warned people living along the banks to remain vigilant. 

Shimla, August 6
A large number of people from different walks of life greeted Governor Urmila Singh, who turned 65 today, on her birthday. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Justice Kurian Joseph, Chief Secretary Rajwant Sandhu, DGP DS Manhas, HPU vice-chancellor Sunil Kumar Gupta and other senior officials were present at the occasion.

The Governor celebrated her birthday in the company of children of the local Balika Ashram at Mashobra. She also planted a sapling of 'chinar' on the Raj Bhawan premises. — TNS

Dharamsala, August 6
Former minister and HPCC president Kaul Singh seems to have got a clean chit in the infamous grease scam. Though the issue of grease scam was raised with force by the present government and name of Kaul Singh, who was IPH minister during the previous Congress government was dragged, it seemed that nothing conclusive had been found against him.

An indication to this affect was given by IPH Minister Ravinder Ravi while talking to newsmen here today. He said investigation into the case had been completed and challan against a few officials of the department presented. When asked about the name of Kaul Singh, Ravi said he could not say anything regarding it.

Since according to the minister, challan in the case has been and the HPCC president seems to have got a clean chit in the matter.

The purchases worth Rs 1.94 crore made in Shimla division of the Public Health Department during 2003-2006 illustrated rampant corruption in the department.

As per the inspection report, a copy of which is available with The Tribune, grease scam was one of biggest scam committed during the stint of previous government. The glaring facts that were brought up in the report included purchase of Molycate Grease at rates ranging from Rs 910 per kg to Rs 9,975 per kg.

The report stated that in purchase orders Rs 10 kg grease was purchased from M/s Varun Traders, Solan, at Rs 910 per kg while on the other hand just 1 kg Molycate Grease was purchased from SR Enterprises, Delhi, at Rs 9,975 per kg. Inquiries conducted by The Tribune revealed that the best quality grease was available at prices ranging from Rs 200 to Rs 300 per kg.

Another glaring fact that had been stated in the report was that during 2004-05 Rs 3,18,350 was spent by IPH officials of Shimla division to purchase waste cotton or soft cotton. It was purchased at prices ranging from Rs 98 to Rs 300 per kg. Inquiries revealed that even the best quality sterilised cotton that was used in hospitals was available at just Rs 50 per kg.

In all the said purchases no tenders were called. The supply orders were split so that a particular firm could be favoured.

Sundernagar, August 6
The negligence of a doctor at the Civil Hospital in Sundernagar subdivision came to light when a woman who was asked to undergo ultrasound at a private hospital instead delivered a child in the private hospital here today.

According to information, Rajani (27), a resident of Siyuli village, was in the advance stage of pregnancy. She consulted a doctor at the Civil Hospital, Sundernagar, who asked her to undergo ultrasound at a private hospital or laboratory.

According to vice-president of Ner Panchayat Krishan Chand (also Rajani’s brother), the doctor was told that the patient was having an ultrasound report, which was conducted a few days back. The doctor was asked to examine her as she was under labour pains but the doctor insisted for a fresh ultrasound report from a private hospital, as ultrasound facility was not available at the Civil Hospital here.

At last, the patient was taken to a private hospital where she delivered a girl immediately, even prior to the ultrasound test. The situation of both mother and child was stated to be normal but the whole episode raised a question mark over how patients were being treated at government hospitals.

When asked about the incident, Sundernagar SMO Dr RK Gupta said a case was asked to go for ultrasound today as its condition was complicated, according to the treating doctor.

He said he would further inquire into the matter whether there was any negligence in treating the patient and if found suitable action would be initiated.

On the other hand, Krishan Chand appealed the Health Minister to initiate an inquiry against the guilty doctor.

Dharamsala, August 6
The bamboo-charcoal-producing technology that has been developed by the Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology (IHBT), a CSIR centre at Palampur, is finding very few takers in the state.

Despite the fact that technology can help improve economy of people in the Changar areas, it has failed to reach the ground level.

Scientists of the IHBT had developed a kiln for manufacturing charcoal from bamboo. Tests at the CSIR centre, Jharkhand, have proved that the bamboo-charcoal produced from the IHBT kilns had same burning energy as charcoal produced from any other wood.

The scientists said the bamboo-charcoal-making kiln developed by them could be set up at a cost of about Rs 1.25 lakh. “We are planning to offer farmers to set up bamboo-charcoal kilns on cooperative basis. It will help improve their income and motivate them to grow bamboo on their waste and forest land,” they added.

At present, charcoal is being produced in the entire northern region from timber wood. It is leading to depletion of green cover as timber trees are slow growing and cannot be replenished very soon. However, once it reaches maturity the bamboo can give perennial supply of wood for producing charcoal.

Also, the rates of charcoal are hovering at Rs 500 to Rs 700 per quintal. The farmers can put their waste and forest land to use and earn extra from producing bamboo-charcoal.

The IHBT has also developed technologies to develop more profitable byproducts from bamboo-charcoal. The charcoal can also be used for producing activated carbon. The IHBT on experimental basis is going to set up an activated charcoal-manufacturing unit from bamboo-charcoal with the help of a local non-government organisation (NGO), CORD.

“The activated carbon is used in pharmaceutical and other industries. It has a ready market and can prove very profitable for farmers who opt for professional bamboo farming,” they said.

However, according to sources, the effort of the IHBT or authorities of the National Bamboo Mission is not achieving much success in motivating farmers of the state to opt for bamboo farming.

The farmers have an impression that even if they go for bamboo plantation they would not be allowed to harvest the crop due to ban on tree felling. Officials of the Department of Forest are also not clear whether bamboo harvest is commercial or falls in the green cover category, the felling for which is banned.

The bamboo farming can be a success in the state only if it is considered as a commercial crop.

Experts feel that the government initiative is required to popularise the technology.

Shimla, August 6
Complying with the high court order, the state government has imposed penalty on IGP OC Thakur for dereliction of duty. The compliance report submitted before the court by the state government stated that departmental proceedings were initiated against him. After completing which penalty in the shape of “reduction of existing time scale till the date of his retirement” has been imposed.

The state has taken this action on directions issued by the high court on October 9, 2007, in a rape case that took place when he was the Mandi SP.

However, it came to the notice of the court that Thakur, the then SP, Mandi, had not registered a case on a compliant of rape against one Gulzar Mohammed, the then SHO, Mandi.

Taking a serious note of the dereliction of duty committed by Thakur, the court had directed the state government to initiate a departmental action against him.

Bilaspur, August 6
Youths have a very decisive role to play in controlling all evils of society, including addiction to drugs and liquor. They should not become silent spectators to this menace but assert themselves wherever they work and live.

This call was given by Dr Subhash Gupta, principal of Government Postgraduate College here, while presiding over a daylong district-level declamation contest organised by the Department of Information and Public Relations on subject of “prohibition” for students of colleges here on the college premises yesterday.

He said addiction destroy our health and peace and make us worthless for our own family and society. He said this was the greatest curse and also challenge for the present day society. He exhorted youth to shun any addiction and help others to get rid of this habit.

District Public Relations Officer Amar Singh Thakur said this was for the first time that such a declamation contest was being organised by the Department for College Students in the state.

Kiran Bala of Government College at Jhandutta bagged the first prize of Rs 2,000 while Ankush of Sanskrit College at Dangar won second prize of Rs 1,500 and Suman Bala of Government Postgraduate College at Bilaspur won third prize of Rs 1,000.

A deputation of the confederation met Chief Secretary Rajwant Sandhu here today and submitted a memorandum in this regard. It impressed upon her that in case the government was not in a position to pay the arrears in cash, the same could be deposited in the provident fund of employees. The confederation also demanded release of dearness allowance instalment of 8 per cent that was due from January 1, 2010. — TNS