Shimla, August 17
The government came under fire from the Congress as problems of apple growers coupled with deplorable condition of roads dominated the proceedings on the opening day of the monsoon session of the Vidhan Sabha here today.

Spearheading the attack, Leader of the Opposition Vidya Stokes said there was a virtual breakdown of the administration in the apple belt of Shimla and marketing of produce had become a nightmare for the growers who had to put up with unending traffic jams, shortage of trucks, exorbitantly high freight charges and potholed roads. The growers were being made to pay up to Rs 80 per box as freight from Jubbal to Delhi as against Rs 45 per box fixed by the government.

The main highway from Theog to Hatkoti had been rendered unfit for plying vehicles due to the ongoing unplanned widening work as reckless excavations had triggered off numerous landslips. It was taking 8-10 hours to complete the journey which took 3-4 hours. Even the alternative route via Narkanda was plagued with traffic jams as hundreds of trucks were taking the narrow road to avoid the slippery and potholed main highway.

The Horticulture Minister had been only holding meetings and there was no follow up action on the ground. The immature handling of the commission issue had added to the woes of growers and they were being illegally charged even higher amounts.

PCC president Kaul Singh said the Congress government had arranged Rs 1,365 crore World Bank loan for upgrading important roads but the subsequent Dhumal regime failed to ensure proper implementation of projects. The Theog-Hatkoti road was to be completed in 30 months but it had been much delayed and out of the total 14 bridges and 340 culverts to be constructed not a single had been built so far. The entire stretch had been dug up and work had been at a standstill.

BJP leader Khushi Ram Balnatah said the government had made proper arrangements for transportation of apple and already one crore boxes had been sent out to various markets, which was not possible without adequate number of trucks and functional roads. The apple-harvesting season coincides with the monsoon and growers have been putting up with landslides, market crash and other problems every season, this year had been no exception.

Congress leader GS Bali said the immediate concern should be how to transport the apple boxes stranded in the interior. The government should encourage projects in BOT (build operate and transfer) mode to ensure timely completion.

Shimla, August 17
The district administration today appealed to apple growers not to pay over and above the freight fixed by the committee and also made some traffic arrangements by fixing routes for transportation of the produce.

Deputy Commissioner J.S. Rana today said so far 72 lakh apple boxes had been sent to various markets from Shimla district in 13,000 trucks since the season began. “During the past 24 hours itself, 600 trucks had been sent to various parts of the district while 750 loaded trucks had left for the market from Fagu, Kuddu and Pulwahal barriers.

Rana said efforts were being made to ensure smooth transportation of the apple crop and ADM (Law and Order) had been entrusted with the task of deploying adequate number of trucks. “The ADM is constantly in touch with truck operators in and outside the state and most of them agreed to provide trucks as and when required,” he said.

He further said in order to regulate traffic, the entry of heavy vehicles heading towards Upper Shimla and Kinnaur had been stopped via Kufri for the next one week so that traffic does not get obstructed, especially in view of monsoons. There would be one-way traffic on Mashobra-Bhekhalti bypass and all light vehicles going to Upper Shimla would use this route.

Rana said flying squads had been set-up under the supervision of ADM to keep a check on freight of apple transportation and more than 150 trucks had been inspected only yesterday.

Shimla, August 17
While assuring that steps would be taken to ensure prompt clearance of roads in the apple belt, Chief Minister P.K.Dhumal today stated in the Vidhan Sabha that the government was working on a multi-pronged strategy to find a permanent solution to the marketing problem faced by the apple growers year after year. The effort would be to ensure that no road remained blocked for more than 24 hours.

Terming the Congress criticism as misplaced he said appropriate arrangements were made for transportation and marketing of apple keeping in view the bumper harvest and it was wrong to say that the government had failed on this front. Adequate machinery and manpower had been deployed at various places for prompt clearance of roads during the apple season. The government had given priority to maintainance of roads and a sum of Rs 350 crore had been allocated for the purpose which was much higher than previous years. As many as 28 squads had been stationed at strategic places for prompt clearance of roads blocked by landslips.

The government was working on a long-term plan under which agriculture markets were being set up within the state so that growers did not have to transport their produce over long distances for sale.

Earlier, horticulture minister Narinder Bragta said the allegation that there was acute shortage of trucks was not true. Till today 1.05 crore boxes had been transported out of the state to various markets for which more than 20,000 trucks were required. If the condition of roads was so bad as made out by the Congress members, this would not have been possible as more boxes had been sent out compared to the past.

Shimla, August 17
Chief Minister P.K.Dhumal today informed the Vidhan Sabha that complaints of growers being illegally charged 6 to 8 per cent commission at the Azadpur market had been received and the government would bring the matter to the notice of the Delhi High Court.

Replying to a question of Gangu Ram Musafir (Congress) he said the court had directed the Delhi Government to enforce the amended rule under which the commission was to be paid by the buyer and not the grower after the state government filed a petition. He said the rule was amended 10 years ago when Sahib Singh Verma was the Chief Minister of Delhi but it was not implemented all these years by the Congress governments which came to power in the two states subsequently.

He said the arhtias were not showing the amount of commission on the sale proceeds slips and as such it was not being brought on record. Necessary action would be taken in the matter if evidence of violation of court order was found.

Regarding various other inter-state issues he said not much progress had been made in respect of the state’s claim in BBMB projects under the Punjab Reorganisation Act. The Supreme Court had directed the Centre to hold meetings with the states concerned and give its view within three months. Officer-level meetings had been held but the states had stuck to their stands.

The Centre had given a jolt to the state by stating in its affidavit that the decision taken at the meeting held on April 4, 1967, was final. He had taken up the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who had assured that corrective steps would be taken but nothing had actually happened on this front.

Solan, August 17
With industrial units shying away from undertaking expansion of their effluent treatment plants (ETPs) even after initiating expansion of their production work, the ill-equipped plants are leading to colossal water pollution in the state’s industrial hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN).

A few cases involving a key pharmaceutical unit---Venus Remedies---and another unit manufacturing healthcare and beauty products--- Sarvotham care---have come to light after the board officials found untreated effluents overflowing from such units during surprise raids in the past few months.

It is worth mentioning that officials are supposed to conduct proper inspections of these units prior to recommending their case for grant of consent to establish and operate.

While clearly proving laxity at the field-level, the officials appear to have made no effort to check the level of ETPs at the time of recommending these cases.

Thus, units conveniently gave the norms a go-by and let out untreated effluents into the water bodies, adding to the already critical pollution level.

Chetan Joshi, board’s superintending engineer at Baddi, said prior to recommending a case for grant of consent to operate and consent to establish, an inspection of unit is made to ensure the treatment plant’s capacity vis-à-vis the effluent load.

Consequent to detection of such cases, the board had ordered installation of reverse osmosis-based treatment plant in Sarvotham Care in May.

Though, initially two-month time was given to install the system, an added time till September 15 has been sought by the unit to complete the process now. The unit was, however, directed to restrict its production by at least 25 per cent.

Mansi Asher, an environmental activist, while expressing concern over the situation, said the board should ensure that the requisite pollution control parameters were adopted by the units undertaking expansion at the time of granting approvals.

Though the board boasts of maintaining an online data base of various pollution-related parameters, it is worth mentioning that the data has not been updated since 2008. The available figures showed how the concentration of total fecal coli form had risen from 600 to 3,800 MPN/SPC/ 100 ml, indicating the rising water pollution level in the BBN’s most polluted Sirsa river at Housing Board.

It was more important to ensure that the ETPs remained functional and mere installation would fail to achieve the purpose until strict action was taken against the offenders, Asher added.

Bharmour, August 17
The month-long Manimahesh pilgrimage began in the mountainous Bharmour tribal region of Chamba district yesterday.

It is for the first time that duration of the pilgrimage has been officially extended from 15 days to a month which would conclude on September 17 on the occasion of Radhashtami.

Pilgrims and devotees of Lord Shiva will take holy dip in the sacred icy waters of Manimahesh lake at an altitude of 4,170 m with a view of Kailash peak (5,656 m), the abode of Lord Shiva.

Meanwhile, local officials are on the job to carry out assignments allotted to them such as regulation of traffic, parking lots, transit health centres, huts for rest and stay, fuel, water and electricity besides toilet blocks en route for convenience of the devotees.

The officials have asked “langar” organisers and other such institutions to ensure cleanliness by digging pits so that food wastes could be dumped in it, thereby avoiding any damage to the environment.

The Irrigation and Public Health Department has made arrangements to provide chlorinated water supply.

Parking lots for light vehicles have been earmarked on the Hadsar road and for heavy vehicles on Kugti road.

Besides this, additional check-points, traffic barriers and control rooms have also been set up by the police with a view to giving security cover to pilgrims, officials added.

Shimla, August 17
Elections for the Students’ Central Association (SCA) of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) and over 150 colleges affiliated to it all over the state will be held on August 27 as per the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee.

With violence erupting on the campus during the poll days, especially in boys’ hostels, the police has already stepped up vigil. Barring identity card holders no outsiders will be allowed to stay neither in the hostels nor on the campus. It was barely two months back that a battle had broken out between activists of the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the Students Federation of India (SFI) in one of the boys’ hostel.

As a precautionary measure against violence between the three student outfits of ABVP, SFI and National Students Union of India (NSUI), the HPU authorities have decided to do away with the practice of allowing the contesting candidates from different outfits to hold general house on the allotted day in both girls and boys hostel. The panel of candidates along with their supporters have in the past been allowed into each of the nine boys and eight girls hostel to woo voters.

Another step in line with the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations with regard to student polls, which will be implemented strictly, is banning all printed pamphlets and publicity material. Posters will not be allowed to be pasted anywhere on the campus and only hand written pamphlets will be allowed to be distributed. Canvassing will be allowed only after classes get over and nobody will be allowed to disturb studies.

So far 2,774 students are registered as voters in the electoral rolls of the HPU. The voters’ list will be put on display on August 23 for objections if any and the final list will be put up on August 24.

Filing of nomination papers, scrutiny, display, withdrawal and final list of candidates will be done on August 25. Voting will take place on August 27 and the results will be declared that very day, late in the evening.

The SFI has so far been able to retain its hold over the SCA of the HPU as it was only on two occasions in 2001 and 2003 that the ABVP was able to improve its standing. The HPU is considered the citadel of the SFI while in rest of the state it is a mixed bag with all three SFI, ABVP and NSUI winning seats.

Kangra, August 17
The government policy to appoint doctors through the Rogi Kalyan Samiti (RKS) has completely collapsed and has affected healthcare of the sate adversely.

Former Transport Minister and sitting MLA from Nagrota Bagwan GS Bali said this at a press conference here yesterday. He criticised the health policy of the government and said if doctors were not getting their due then how they would render satisfactory services.

He was also critical of the Health Minister for his alleged irresponsible statements and for not taking the problems being faced by his department seriously.

He alleged that the state government was misusing the NRHM funds and the First Referral Unit (FRU) that required a surgeon, gynaecologist, child specialist and physician were deprived of the specialist services.

He alleged that the state government was ignoring the Tanda Medical College as if it was not a part of Himachal. He demanded that the Cardiology Department at the Tanda college be started immediately to help people of the area.

Shimla, August 17
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of contractual doctors today called off their strike after receiving an assurance from the government regarding regularisation of their services.

The members of the JAC of the contractual doctors today held detailed talks with Principal Secretary (Health), P.C. Dhiman. The doctors had been shunning services as they were on mass casual leave for the past few days. They were to decide their future course of action today.

The talks carried on till late in the evening before the doctors decided to call off their strike. The doctors said they had called off the strike as they had been assured by Dhiman that all their demands would be considered sympathetically.

The doctors have been demanding regularisation of their services and reducing the service period to two years for regularisation.

Hamirpur, August 17
The Himachal Pradesh Medical Representative Association (HPMRA) has given two days strike call, beginning from today to highlight their demands.

Secretary of the association ML Sharma said the medical representatives working in Hamirpur observed complete strike today, held a protest rally outside the DC office and also submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister PK Dhumal through the DC.

The HPMRA is demanding implementation of the Sales Promotion Act in the state to check black marketing and provide cheap medicines to the public, to allow their free movement in government hospitals and issue them identity cards etc.

Shimla, August 17
The Department of Youth Services and Sports will be holding the Second Shimla Marathon here on September 26.

Disclosing this here today, Principal Secretary, Youth Services and Sports, VC Pharka said the event was being organised jointly by Running and Living Infotainment, Delhi, and the State Department of Youth Services and Sports. He said people from within and outside the state would participate in the marathon.

Pharka said, “The theme for this year’s event is Enjoy the Natural and Healthy Bounty of Shimla.”

He said an apple would be given to every participant and almonds would be provided along the route for energy and a crate of apples would be given as prizes to the first three.

He said the run would go past several historical buildings such as Gorton Castle, Institute of Advanced Studies, Army Heritage Museum, Oakover, giving a peep into the glorious past of the erstwhile summer capital of the British.

He informed that online registration was already open at http://runningandliving.com/shimlahalfmarathon/ and at Ashiana Restaurant at the Ridge and Himalayan Motorsports at Navbahar since August 10. Registration would close on August 29.

Managing Director, HP Tourism Development Corporation, Subhashish Panda said 30 per cent discount would be provided to the participants on stay at HPTDC hotels in Shimla.

Solan, August 17
Another case of looting has come to light in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) industrial area with one Ajmer Singh, a resident of Jogo in Nalagarh, being looted of a gold chain while he was travelling with his wife on his motorcycle (Pb-65B-4939) near Dobi village on the Bharatgarh-Ropar road around 2 pm today.

Police officials said two unidentified masked youth, who were riding a motorcycle, intercepted Ajmer and his pillion rider kicked Ajmer causing him to skid from his vehicle. One of the two youth then tried to snatch the gold chain from Ajmer’s wife. Though Ajmer initially resisted the move, the duo then brandished sharp-edged weapons and managed to snatch the chain.

They then fled away on their motorcycle towards Ropar. Though Ajmer lost no time in informing the nearest police post at Bharatgarh, they failed to be intercepted.

Assistant SP Veena Bharti said efforts were on to trace the miscreants and different teams had been constituted to trace them. There was no clue about their identity as the vehicle’s registration plate had been covered.

It was worth mentioning that this was the seventh in as many months and cash worth Rs 20 lakh had been looted in total from all over the BBN area.

While in the last case which had occurred on August 7, the miscreants had broken the window pane of a car in the presence of policemen in front of the HDFC Bank at Baddi little had been done to fix accountability making people believe that the police was a mere mute spectator. All that the police did was to relocate its personnel on duty from Baddi to Nalagarh or vice versa thus failing to instill little accountability.

Bilaspur, August 17
Akshu (4) and Aman (2), sons of Omparkash of Gaahar Naatda village in Dhaun Kothi gram panchayat near here died due to snake bite while they were fast asleep along with their parents on the floor of their house last night.

The children were first rushed to the local primary health centre. However, with no doctor present there, they were rushed to the regional hospital here at about 3.30 am.

Meanwhile, Omparkash alleged that the doctor was fast asleep in his room.

He said all efforts to wake up the doctor failed. The doctor came out of the room after they started to cry loudly.

He said the duty nurse gave injections to the children. However, the children died soon after. The father of the deceased held the doctor on duty responsible for death of his children despite all efforts of the family to save them.

He demanded an impartial inquiry into the incident so that such a tragedy was not repeated in future.

Meanwhile, three children namely Bantu (13), Raju (14) and Sumit (11) of Ghandhir village were suddenly attacked by monkeys at Khabadi Devi Mata Mandir at Jhandutta, about 45 km from here last afternoon.

The injured children were saved by villagers and rushed to the primary health centre at Balh Seena where they were discharged after treatment.