Kala Amb, September 12
Heavy rain that lashed the Kala Amb industrial area in the past one week has created a precarious situation for investors who have their units along the Markandey river.

The road leading to Suketi from Kala Amb has become a driver’s nightmare as being parallel to the Markandey river and overlooking a hillock comprising fragile sedimentary structure, it has been eroded continuously by the rainwater. The erosion, caused due to widening of riverbed, has also threatened several industrial units located along it.

“The road width has been reduced to a mere 8 to 9 feet and with the presence of a deep gorge on its side, travelling has become a risky proposition. Since trucks laden with raw materials and finished goods travel to and fro on the road, the fear of mishap is now lurking in the minds of the investors,” opined Tejinder Goyal, district president of Laghu Udyog Bharti.

He added that investors had been taking care of small erosions by spending funds on their own but the situation now required the intervention of government agencies. Since this was the shortest route to reach the industrial area through Kala Amb, it was preferred by industrialists.

The present crisis had even affected the movement of labour and alternative routes had to be made by breaking the walls of neighbouring industrial units in some cases.

Though the Department of Industries had approved construction of a road here as an identified work of Rs 2.75 crore, its fate was dependent on an approval by the state-level export promotion committee to be held later this month. This was announced by the Chief Minister during his visit to the area in March where he had directed the local MLA to put it in his priority list for assured funding.

Investors, however, rued that they had invested here after being invited by the state government but a little had been done to develop infrastructure.

Goyal added that though the investors had paid taxes to the tune of Rs 1.75 crore to the SADA under the Local Area Development Tax, it failed to be utilised for building infrastructure here.

Though the Deputy Commissioner had visited to see the damage and an immediate fund of Rs 10 lakh was announced to repair the road, the investors opined that the funds were inadequate.

Shimla, September 12
Despite hectic lobbying for the coveted post of State Congress Chief, newly elected Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) delegates acted on the expected lines and adopted a single-line resolution, authorising national party president Sonia Gandhi to nominate the next incumbent.

Ripples were created in the party on the eve of the meeting when Ram Lal Thakur, Chander Kumar Chaudhary and Sujan Singh Pathania, all loyalists of Union Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh, collected nomination papers from the Congress office, raising possibilities of a contest. However, that the meeting will be a smooth affair became evident when the former Chief Minister himself wrote a letter late in the evening to state returning officer Rajani Ashok Patil, suggesting that the matter be left to the party supremo by adopting a single-line resolution.

The meeting proceeded on the expected lines with party president Kaul Singh moving a resolution, complimenting Sonia for taking over the reins of the party for the fourth term and expressing faith in her leadership.

Thereafter, Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Vidya Stokes moved a separate resolution, authorising Sonia to nominate the new party president, a move which was adopted unanimously.

Almost all delegates were present at the meeting. The only prominent absentee was former party president Viplove Thakur who was busy with party responsibility in some other state.

Earlier, Rajani Patil met Virbhadra at his residence before the meeting. The discussion mainly pertained to disputes in a few blocks, including Rohru, where the process of organisational poll could not be completed. Virbhadra is learnt to have emphasised the need to resolve the disputes at the earliest.

Rajani Patil will submit the copy of the resolution to the national president and also give her the feedback she has gathered after meeting prominent state leaders. The scene will now thus shift to Delhi. It will take some time for the UPA chairperson to take a decision though she is well conversant with the party affairs in the state. If required, she may even meet senior leaders to ascertain their views.

The party may get a new chief before September 27 when the zonal session of the AICC is to be held at Mohali which all party presidents, PCC delegates and district presidents from the northern states are expected to attend.

Shimla, September 12
While the government has decided to contest the Shukla Committee report in respect of big projects, environmentalists want its recommendations to be applied to all hydroelectric projects, including small schemes, which are causing more damage and creating serious problems for the local people.

The one-man committee, set up by the high court, was asked to inspect only projects of more than 100 MW as it was not possible to cover all 150-odd projects within a small time frame.

However, issues like minimum riparian distance between two projects, basin-wise environment impact assessment instead of the existing project-wise system, extent of deforestation and whether projects beyond an altitude of 7,000 ft be allowed or not are relevant to all hydroelectric ventures and have much more significance for smaller projects on tributaries.

In fact, environmental fallout of the projects on small streams was much more as the people were entirely dependent on them for drinking water, irrigation and other needs.

The report had recommended a minimum distance of 5 km between two projects on the same river whereas the 350-odd small projects, proposed without any planning, will be virtually coming up one over the other, they opined.

Life-sustaining water sources will disappear in the cascade of small projects spelling doom for the local people. For instance, if all proposed projects are allowed, Neogli khud in Shimla will have eight projects and the Chanju nullah in the ecologically fragile Chamba will have five projects.

A few of these projects, particularly the self-identified scheme, will be touching the base of glaciers. The physical damage to the fragile hills in terms of deforestation, excavations for construction of tunnels and roads and debris generated will be immense.

People have started feeling the impact as evident from the ongoing agitations across the state. As far as bigger projects are concerned, more than 170 km out of the 230-km stretch of the Sutlej from Khab to Koldam flow through power tunnels power generation.

While the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri project has a 27.4 km head race tunnel, a much longer 38-km tunnel is being bored for the 775 MW Luhri project. The shortest tunnel of 12 km is for the 412 Rampur project.

Five other projects proposed upstream will each have 18 km to 25 km long tunnel.

Moreover, an honest review is also warranted in view of the melting of glaciers, erratic and inadequate rain and snow.

The ever-declining discharge in major rivers and their tributaries have put a big question mark over the economic viability of hydroelectric projects.

Dharamsala, September 12
The Dalai Lama will go on a foreign trip after a gap of about four months. He will be visiting Budapest in Hungary to deliver talks on Tibetan Buddhism on 
September 18.

He is also scheduled to visit the US and Canada in October this year.

Global tours of the Dalai Lama have kept the issue of Tibet in the limelight at the international level.

His visits also include meetings with world leaders, thus keeping the issue of Tibet alive.

In March this year, Thailand denied visa to Justen Pema, younger sister of the Dalai Lama, and her husband Tenpa Tsering. They had sought visas to attend a cultural event in Thailand.

In April this year, Russia had also denied visa to the Dalai Lama. He was to visit Russia on an invitation from Tulku Rinpoche, the supreme Lama of Kalmykia. Kalmykia is a Buddhist region of Russia having a population of about 7 lakh people.

Last year too, South Africa had declined a visa to the Dalai Lama to attend an international peace conference in Johannesburg.

China stepped up diplomatic pressure against the Dalai Lama after the protests in Tibet in March 2008, just before the Beijing Olympics.

The protests led to international embarrassment for China and illustrated the influence the exiled leader still retained in Tibet even after staying in exile for more than 50 years.

Tibetans were discouraged from sending their wards to monasteries being run in India under the aegis of Dalai Lama.

The strong steps taken in this regard has reduced the numbers of students coming from Tibet to study in monasteries.The Panchen Lama installed by China was taken to monasteries in Tibet.The Panchen Lama is the second most powerful Lama in the Tibetan hierarchy and plays a vital role in selection of next Dalai Lama.

China also declared that it might follow the golden urn method to select the next Dalai Lama.

Kullu, September 12
There is a need to create mass awareness about the consumers’ rights as any product below the prescribed norms can be hazardous.This was stated by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal after inaugurating the District Consumer Forum Office building at Dhalpur here today. The building was constructed at a cost of Rs 37.65 lakh.

Dhumal said the government strived hard to fulfil expectations of all sections of society. He said the common man had to be given benefits of all schemes and welfare programmes implemented in the state. Protection of rights of common man had to be ensured by the authorities concerned, he added.

Dhumal said with the availability of suitable space for consumer forum activities here, people of Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti districts would be benefited.

The forum would help in redressal of consumer affair issues more conveniently, he added.

He appealed to the people to ask for proper bills from shopkeepers for their purchase as it helped in claiming the damages in case the product was found to be below the prescribed norms.

The Chief Minister said “Prashasan Janta Ke Dwar Par” was an ambitious programme which was providing opportunity to the people to get their grievances redressed on their doorsteps. Prompt disposal of cases and redressal of grievances of common man was on the priority of the state government’s list, he added.

Local MLA Gobind Thakur thanked the Chief Minister for the development works in the area.

Arun Kumar Goel, chairman, State Consumer Commission, also welcomed the Chief Minister and thanked him for dedicating the District Consumer Forum building to the people of the region. He presented a draft of Rs 50,031 towards the Chief Minister Relief Fund on the occasion.

State BJP chief Khimi Ram Sharma, former MLA Chander Sen Thakur, State Bar Association chairman Naresh Sood, senior BJP leaders and prominent people of the area were also present on the occasion.

Shimla, September 12
Having achieved an enrolment of 99.67 per cent up to the elementary level, the government now plans to focus on quality of education in the state.The dropout rate of 0.33 per cent is negligible. However, efforts are being made to bring the out-of-school children under formal education through counselling camps, enrolment drives and motivational camps.

The dropout rate in elementary classes has come down to under one per cent and the objective is to prevent it completely through public awareness by involving parents and the local community.

Responsibility of teachers for providing quality education is being ensured through continuous and comprehensive evaluation, checking of report cards by heads of schools and monitoring by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) coordinators. Newly constituted school management committees are being imparted training to control activities in schools and review progress.

Girls are being provided free education at all levels. The Early Child Care Education (ECCE) programme is being implemented by involving the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment and 119 Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS) instructors have been appointed as Gramin Vidya Upasak.

Drinking water facility is being provided in all schools and health check-ups for identification of children with special needs are being organised in all districts.

The government also plans to launch the Chief Minister Health Programme in the state soon.

Mid-day meal is being served to 7,75,263 children in 15,167 schools at the primary and upper primary levels.

Mothers of the children studying in the institutions have been authorised to check and test the meal before and after serving. During the current fiscal year, an additional 320 elementary schools are being covered under the computer aided learning (CAL) programme. 

Kangra, September 12
Work on the Rs 150-crore super speciality wing of Dr RP Government Medical College at Tanda will start soon as the state Cabinet has already approved the project.The Hospital Consultancy Service and HLL, both Central government ventures, will construct a major part of the project.

Disclosing this today, Health Minister Rajeev Bindal told The Tribune on phone that the Government of India would contribute Rs 125 crore and the state share would be Rs 25 crore for the project.

He said this Rs 150 crore would be a one-time contribution by both the Centre and the state government for the construction of the project.

The Health Minister said cardiology, neurology, neuro-surgery, nephrology, oncology and cardio thoraxic vascular surgery would be the six super-specialities at Tanda Medical College in the days to come. He said the required staff to run super specialities wing of the hospital would be provided by the state government and the Cabinet had already given an approval for the creation of the said posts.

Regarding relieving of 15 doctors from the Tanda medical college recently which allegedly affected the services, Bindal said the GDOs were the employees of the state government on deputation to the Tanda medical college and they were not supposed to exceed the time period for which they had been given the NOC.

He said without seeking the NOC from the department they continued at Tanda medical college leaving the rural health services in the state in a lurch.

Regarding filling of these posts in college, the minister said it was a continuous process and the authorities would fill the posts shortly. He said these 15 doctors were attached to the Directorate of Health Services for their further postings.

Mandi, September 12
Burglars struck at the house of one Surinder Kumar, a resident of Mandir Tanda village, and decamped with jewellery worth Rs 90,000 on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.

According to the complainant, he was out of his house when the burglars struck.

When he returned home, he found the lock broken. He searched the house and found ornaments and cash missing. The police has registered a case in this regard.

Bilaspur, September 12
The Himachal Pradesh State Beopar Mandal has urged the government to allocate at least 5 per cent of total taxes collected by traders and shopkeepers in the state for the “HP Traders’ Welfare Fund”. It also urged to form a seven-member state committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister for helping traders in distress due to various reasons so that they could once again stand on their feet.

This resolution was adopted at a meeting of the state executive committee of the Beopar Mandal held here today at Dholera Rest house under chairmanship of state senior vice-president Janak Raj Sharma.

Addressing mediapersons after the meeting, Sharma said other resolutions demanded that group insurance scheme be introduced for traders throughout the state.

The meeting expressed dissatisfaction over a parallel Beopar Mandal that had been formed in the state and formed a five-member “State Unity Committee” to solve this tangle and make efforts to get the traders on one platform and reunite both the Beopar Mandals of the state as earlier.

Sardar Kamaljit Singh of Shimla, Somesh Sharma of Una, Janak Raj of Kullu, Raj Paul Sankhyayan of Bilaspur and Mulkh Raj Mehta of Kangra were elected members of this committee.

The meeting also demanded that the state should have same VAT tax rates as adjoining states and any changes in tax should be announced at least three months earlier from the date of implementation.

Shimla, September 12
A rising number of people in Shimla are getting drawn to a unique and age-old South Korean energy healing therapy, as many claim to have benefited from it.Known as Won-Ki, the ancient art of healing from South Korea uses the universal energy, “Ki”, and concentrates it on to the patient’s body to remove negativities and flush in positive energy, thereby, treating several ailments. This energy healing is used to deal with physical and mental stress of patients.

The holistic therapy can treat diseases like asthma, fatigue, depression, addiction to stimulants like alcohol and drugs and joint pains, while strengthening the body system, by boosting immunity, say Won-Ki practitioners.

Affected by a host of maladies, everyday dozens of people flock to the treatment centre here to benefit from this unique energy healing therapy.

“All the negativities that are present in our mind are reflected in our body. These negativities are manifested as diseases in the human body. In this therapy, we undergo a purification therapy of both mind and body through this universal energy,” said Anita Dhiman, a patient.

Many local residents in Shimla, mostly in their 50s, attended the camp to get the cosmic energy.

“This treatment is without any medicine and operation. The only requirement is that the patient must come with a positive mind,” said Ajit Kumar Nanda, organiser of a Won-Ki health camp.

Won-Ki is believed to be a natural and lasting solution to many common health problems. As per its concept, vital energy, when circulating freely, eliminates blockages and impurities in human body and mind. Once the blockages are removed, the immune systems take over and complete any healing that is needed. — ANI