Shimla, November 21
Parking space in the city will double over the next 18 months with the Infrastructure Development Board finally awarding contracts of two major parking lots for execution in the private-public partnership (PPP) mode on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis.

While the board had awarded the Chhota Shimla parking project three months ago, the projects to be constructed at Sanjauli and the Lift had hit a roadblock as the land selected for one of them was not free from encumbrances.

The Kolkata-based Tantia Construction Company, which bagged the two projects, refused to accept the contract until the site at Sanjauli, partly occupied by Tibetan refugees, was vacated.

As inviting fresh tenders would have delayed the projects, the board decided to award the Sanjauli project to the company on the revised terms and conditions.

It will be allowed to raise two additional storeys (eight storeys in all) on the available 2500 sq m land so that its originally proposed capacity of 450 vehicles is not reduced. Now, the structure will include additional storey and a basement so that the height of the structure does not exceed the permissible limit. In case the size of the Rs 20 crore project has to be curtailed, the parking capacity, the commercial space and the concession fee of Rs 95 lakh per year to be paid by the concessionaire to the local Municipal Corporation will be reduced proportionately.

The Lift parking project has been awarded to the second highest bidder Ess and Ess Joint Venture after the company agreed to match the highest bid of Rs 1 crore to be paid as annual concession fee. The 750-vehicle capacity parking lot with 40,000 sq ft of commercial space will involve an investment of Rs 30 crore.

The annual fee for the 250-vehicle capacity parking lot at Chhota Shimla, awarded earlier to PK Constructions, was Rs 36 lakh. Thus, the Municipal Corporation will earn an annual revenue of Rs 2.31 crore, to be increased by 10 per cent after every two years, from the three projects on which the companies will invest Rs 65 crore. The parking lots to be completed within 18 months will revert to the corporation on as-is-where-is basis after 30 years. The parking capacity will go up from the present 1,100 vehicles to 2,550 vehicles.

The board, which is the nodal agency for PPP projects, has also invited expression of interest for 192-vehicle capacity parking lot to be constructed at the old Subzi Mandi in Palampur. It will be a five-storey structure with commercial space of 4500 sq m and concession period will be 35 years after which the parking lot will revert to local municipal body.

Dharamsala, November 21
With an eye on polls for local bodies in the state, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal visited Jaswan assembly segment of Kangra district today.

He announced that the state government would consider opening of a Government Degree College in Jaswan assembly segment. The building of Haripur college would also be constructed on priority after completing all formalities, he said.

Dhumal also addressed a public meeting in Kasba Kotla village of Dehra subdivision. He dedicated the newly constructed Public Health Centre, science block of Government Senior Secondary School and Ambedkar Bhawan to the people of the area.

He said the state ranked number one in implementation of 20-Point Programme in the country. The World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and other external agencies have appreciated the achievements of the state in different sectors.

He said the state government was annually spending Rs. 140 crore to supply subsidised essential commodities to ration card holders through the fair price shops under the Public Distribution System.

With a view to providing fair representation to the women, the government had provided a 50 per cent reservation to them in the coming local bodies elections.

He said Rs 4.28 crore was being spent on construction and upgradation of various health institutions in the Jaswan Assembly Segment. He announced the name Kasba Kotla government school main gate after its land donor late Miyan Udham Singh.

Hamirpur, November 21
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has issued notices to 12 residents of Sujanpur Tihra under the Ancient Monuments Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958 (amendment and validation amendment 2010) having shops and residences near historic Narbadeshwar temple.

These notices have been issued by the Superintending Archaeologist, Shimla, TR Sharma for obstructing the basic view of the protected temple of national importance and carrying construction without the permission from the ASI.

A few residents had constructed houses and shops near the 17th century old Narbadeshwar temple, despite it being declared as protected national monument way back in 1960.

The temple built by ruler Sansar Chand Katoch of the Katoch dynasty is famous for its painting on the walls depicting paintings of Kangra Kalam style also known as Pahari paintings.

This temple and these paintings have been under threat of getting damaged as interference in the basic structure and art lovers have been demanding preservation of this historical monument and art heritage.

The ASI is also trying to restore and preserve this monument and paintings on the walls by chemical treatment, which were damaged due to negligent handling and paint veneer.

The ASI had written to the SP Hamirpur to identify the encroachers near this temple and take action against them, after which only one encroacher was identified.

Not satisfied with the action of the Hamirpur police, now the ASI has issued notices to 12 residents on the basis of their own survey.

If the ASI is not satisfied with the reply to its notices by the residents, it can also order demolition of illegally constructed structures.

“If the structures are found illegal under the Act, we would seek district administration’s help in demolition of these structures for restoration of historical structure of this national monument”, T R Sharma added.

Una, November 21
The state government is endeavouring to get Dogra Regimental Centre shifted from Faizabad to Una district of Himachal. The matter of Dogra regiment relocation to Una district is being taken up with the Centre. The demand is also justified as maximum Dogra soldiers were from the state.

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said this while addressing a public rally in Una district today.

Earlier also, the government had planned to set up a cantonment in Una district. A survey was conducted along the banks of the Gobind Sagar lake near Bhakra Dam to set up the cantonment. However, the plan did not materialise.

Setting up a cantonment in areas along the Gobind Sagar lake could have given a boost to economy of the area. Since people of the area have lost most of their fertile lands to the Bhakra Dam project, they hardly have any source of livelihood but for government jobs.

However, the cantonment would also mean second displacement of Bhakra oustees many of whom have settled in the area.

Dhumal also said the state government was trying to bring in a private medical college in Una district.

He also laid foundation stones of various development projects, including bridge over Jalgran rivulet, Ambedkar Bhavan in Bahdala, bridge at Handola village and a primary health centre in Basdehra.

The Chief Minister toured various villages of Una district stepping the campaign of the party for local bodies elections scheduled for next month.

Claiming credit for Swan river channelisation, Dhumal said it was his dream project for which he had been fighting since the time he was MP from the area. Now the work for the second phase of the river channelisation has started. The channelisation has converted the Swan river, once termed as sorrow of Una district, into a life giving water source.

He announced Rs 1.5 crore for Bhabour Sahib Irrigation Project and Rs 1 crore for new building at Government Senior Secondary School Basdehra.

He said funds would also be provided for construction of memorial in the name of the late Subhash Sohar, former district president of the BJP. The state government is making efforts to provide Astro-turf hockey ground in Una to promote the local talent. The local ministers and MLA of the ruling party accompanied him during the tour.

Sundernagar, November 21
Various nearby villages are not getting proper supply of drinking water due to negligence of officials of the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department, Sundernagar.

Some of the houses in Behali, Samkal, Ghangal Bharari and Khatrwari villages have run completely dry for the past about one month.

According to residents of 10 villages under the Behali-Mahadev scheme, they have not been getting proper water supply for last one week.

They further alleged that this all was due to faulty upkeep of water scheme and distribution system. In one village some houses got water supply for six to eight hours while on the other hand in some other parts the supply was just for half-an-hour that too after a gap of two days.

The residents said they their complaints were never attended to.

They have also written a letter to the IPH Minister to look into the matter and initiate departmental action against guilty officials as it was due to their negligence that residents of 10 villages were suffering from acute water shortage.

Field staff of the IPH Department said the problem was due to some defect in the motor at the scheme. However, it had been repaired today.

They further admitted that the problem faced by the villagers was due to the poor management as the problem was mostly due to faulty distribution and poor maintenance of machinery.

Junior Engineer of Mahadev Section could not contacted as his cell phone was switched off.

Dharamsala, November 21
Chinese company Longjian, entrusted with the job of constructing the Mehatpur-Una-Amb road, has sought a 15-month extension from the state government for completion of the task.

As per the terms and conditions of the contract, the company was to complete the work by December 2010. However, till date the company has failed to finish even half of the construction. Not even a single bridge on the stretch of road has been completed as yet. Sources said the state government was yet to take a decision regarding the extension to the company.

The Mehatpur-Una-Amb road project is being funded by the World Bank. The Chinese company bagged the deal after bidding through global tenders. However, a World Bank team that recently visited the state had expressed displeasure at the slow pace at which the road was being constructed. The slow pace had resulted in the escalation of cost of the project.

The World Bank team also suggested the state government to hire the services of contract management agency for expediting the projects.

Company officials are blaming the visa controversy for delay in project. Last year, the Union Ministry of Labour had cancelled the visa of about 60,000 Chinese nationals working in India. The logic for cancelling the visa was that the Chinese nationals had come to India on business visa but were working on contracts granted to their respective companies.

The visa of all Longjian company workers was also cancelled and all of them had to return. After about six months, a few Chinese company workers were granted visa by the government to manage the contracts granted to them. After coming back, the Longjian company officials have outsourced the construction works to small subcontractors.

The sources here also blamed government agencies for delay in the project. The Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board and IPH Department had been slow in removing their installations from roadsides. In Una, both departments were yet to remove the electricity poles and water pipes to clear the area for road construction. The Una DC KR Bharti said the departments had been asked to remove their installations with one month.

But it is commuters on the road who are real sufferers. Many accidents, in which commuters have even lost their life, have been reported on the Una-Amb stretch of the road. The 12 km stretch of the road from Una to Dhusara is a nightmare for commuters.

The transporters plying private buses on the road have moved High Court. The PWD officials supervising the project said at least one lane road would be made functional within the next three month

Solan, November 21
Drawing flak from the industry for introducing entry tax on 13 items, the Excise and Taxation Department is now planning to rationalise the tax structure by either reducing tax on some items or bringing it under the purview of VAT.

The entry tax ranging from 1 to 12 per cent is being charged on 13 different items. Initially, only four items were brought under its purview when the entry tax was introduced in April this year. But more items were subsequently added taking the total number of such items to 13.

Investors felt that the entry tax had made certain units unviable. Illustrating their point, an investor said the units manufacturing LPG cylinders were incurring losses after introduction of 2 per cent entry tax as their profit margins were slim and this tax enhanced manufacturing cost. Thus, making their rates uncompetitive in comparison to other states.

Similarly, the entry tax on mono cartons increased the manufacturing cost of pharmaceutical units as majority of them imported it from other states.

The steel industry, which faced the maximum brunt, asserted that their business had become unviable and their products had become costlier in the market, thus, adversely effecting sales.

The department has, however, facilitated the investors from paying tax at the barriers and an investor can now deposit it at the time of filing his monthly returns.

The decision will help ease out influx of stranded vehicles at the barriers which are held up for several hours due to tax assessment and completion of other formalities. The investors have welcomed the step.

An excise official said the earlier arrangement created hassles as the investors had to tie up with truckers so as to make available adequate cash at the barriers when the trucks would reach. This created a lot of problems for the investors as the trucks carrying taxable material had no fixed time and could reach a barrier at any time of the day or night. At times trucks arrived late in the night when availability of cash became a problem.

Commissioner Excise and Taxation Jagdish Sharma said this measure would help maintain smooth flow of traffic at the barriers and also ease the investors of paying tax at the barriers.

He added that they were mulling over some more issues involving entry tax which was presently levied on 13 different items.

Bilaspur, November 21
The Himachal Pradesh State Employees Federation celebrated its 44th Foundation Day under the chairmanship of its state president Ram Singh here yesterday.

Federation state secretary general Dilip Bhatia and senior vice-president BD Sinha said the meeting had adopted a resolution. It stressed that the government should end injustice and discrimination meted out to a small section of employees and increase their age of superannuation to 60 years as only class three employees were now retiring at 58 years while all other employees were retiring at 60 years.

The employees’ other demands included release of arrears in one go, payment of pending installment of DA since July this year, clearance of medical reimbursement bills of all employees which were pending since long, project allowance to employees working in districts like Bilaspur, Solan and Chamba, finalisation of recruitment and promotion rules of all categories of employees in consultation with the unions, filling of all vacant posts at the earliest to reduce heavy work load, restoration of old pension scheme and restoration of appointment on compassionate ground and repairs of all government quarters in the state every year and inquiry into the misuse of fund.

The meeting paid tributes to all those who gave their lives for the welfare of NGOs of the state, including the state federations founder president late Ramesh Chandra Sharma, the late secretaries general Purna Nand Madhukar, the late Lekh Ram Sharma and late O.P. Sharma and four employees of the electricity board.