Prala (Shimla), November 22
Going all out to woo “not so happy” apple growers Chief Minister PK Dhumal today laid the foundation stone of the biggest and most modern agriculture market here and announced that the Chhaila-Kumarhatti road will be developed as a “horticulture highway” to ensure smooth transportation of fruit from the apple belt.

The government, which faced the ire of the growers and came in for severe criticism for not making adequate arrangements for transportation and marketing of the record apple crop, has shown its willingness to go the extra mile to placate people of the region by initiating mega projects to find a permanent solution to the marketing problem. The initiative has come rather early, thanks to the ensuing panchayat poll.

Dhumal said the proposed market would be constructed over 20 acres in three phases with an investment of over Rs 100 crore. It would have all modern facilities like controlled atmosphere cold store, packing and grading house, ripening chambers and even a compost making for recycling of the waste. He had already released Rs 20 crore so that work could be started in the current financial year itself so that market could be made functional at least partially by the next apple-harvesting season. Not only that, the growers would also be provided seeds, fertilisers, agriculture implements, plant material and other farm inputs at the market so that they do not have to go anywhere else to get their requirement.

In the first phase- auction hall, auction yards, loading and unloading platforms, administrative block of market committee and basic amenities would be provided. In the second phase- shops and cold stores and other necessities would be provided and the final phase would take care of boarding and lodging facilities for growers, traders and employees of the committee. The government hoped to get some funds from the NABARD for the purpose.

Further, the 86.5 km Chhaila-Kumarhatti road would be widened and upgraded to provide an alternative route for apple transportation, bypassing Theog, Shimla and Solan towns. A sum of Rs 100 crore would be spend on widening, construction of seven double-lane bridges and strengthening of pavement to facilitate plying of heavy traffic. 

Shimla, November 22
Irked over change in the law effected by the Delhi Government to make apple growers liable for paying 6 per cent commission at the Azadpur market, Chief Minister PK Dhumal today did some plain speaking and made it clear that the state would not take things lying down.

Addressing a public meeting at Prala, about 50 km from here, he said the manner in which the Delhi Government had amended the law to provide relief to ‘arhtias’ (commission agents) and ‘ladanis’ (wholesale distributors) at the cost of growers reflected the anti-farmer attitude of the Congress. Moreover, the growers had got rid of the burden of commission after a protracted battle and it was the then BJP government in Delhi that amended the law to shift the onus of commission from grower to purchaser in 2000. However, the subsequent Congress regimes did not implement it and when the state moved the Delhi High Court and got a favourable order the law had been amended again to restore pre-2000 position.

With such an attitude the Delhi Government should not expect any cooperation from the state in respect of the Renuka Dam project, the basic objective of which was to fulfil the drinking water needs of Delhi. The Centre had rejected environment clearance to the project and it was for Delhi to pursue the matter. The state had little stakes in the project.

He said the UPA regime had been less than kind to the state and as evident from the fact that it had withdrawn the industrial package granted by the NDA government. Not only that, it was also creating hurdles in flow of funds to the state. Citing an example, he said the Planning Commission had set the limit of loans to be raised by the state in the current year at Rs 1,732 crore but the Union Finance Minister had curtailed it to Rs 1,566 crore for no reason. In contrast, the Vajpayee government went out of the way to provide special assistance to help the state tide over the financial crisis.

Horticulture Minister Narinder Bragta blamed the Congress regime for the failure of the winery project started by the BJP government in 2001.

Shimla, November 22
Even as the issue of lifting ban on construction in the green areas is being deliberated upon, plot owners who bought land before the area was declared no construction zone in 2000 are seeking relief from the government.

It is under the banner of the Core Area Sufferer’s Association that 60 plot owners have sought exemption so that they can construct need based light structures, which are at a safe distance from the trees. The government on its part has constituted a Cabinet sub-committee to look into the pros and cons of lifting the ban on construction in 17 green belts of the town which has been in existence for the last 10 years. It is after taking into account all these factors that a final view on the issue will be taken.

“The government had notified the green belts unilaterally without consultations and moreover plots bought from the Housing Board too were covered by this ban,” contends RL Jain, president of the Core Area Sufferer’s Association.

He rued the fact that why should a handful of people suffer when big builders had been given the go ahead to construct huge colonies and complexes.

Even officials in the Urban Development, Town and Country Planning and Municipal Corporation (MC) are of the opinion that people who bought the land before green belts were notified in 2000 should be given relief. There is also another viewpoint where it is felt that such people should either be compensated by giving them market value for their plots or by providing them an alternative piece of land.

The plot owners’ argument that construction in several other areas of the town which have a lot of trees but have not been included in the green belts is causing much more damage. This also gives rise to the question that should there be a fresh demarcation of the green belts so that areas which have a lot of trees be included while those which do not have much greenery can be excluded.

Whatever decision is finally taken on the issue, even environmentalists and common citizens who want the ban on construction in the green area to stay feel that the 60 plot owners who bought land prior to the notification in 2000 should be given relaxation. 

Shimla, November 22
The death of a tourist from Mumbai during horse riding near Retreat in Charrabra here last week put a question mark over the safety of those enjoying a joy ride as similar incident has taken place even on the Ridge a few months back.

A businessman from Mumbai, Bharat Khanna who was staying at Wild Flower Hall met with an accident during horse riding which resulted in his death on November 17. Incidentally, a six-year-old girl from Rampur too had lost her life when a horse went berserk on the Ridge, dragging the girl over a long distance about six months back. Another person had lost his life in a similar mishap a few years back.

Horse riding is a big craze among tourists visiting the hill state and the activity is undertaken at all such places like Kufri, Mashobra and the Ridge. The unfortunate incident took place near Mashobra when the horse went out of control dragging Khanna over a long distance, resulting in serious head injury.

Though he was rushed to hospital but he was declared brought dead. The family later flew his body back to Mumbai in a chartered plane. The incident has now drawn the attention of the local Municipal Corporation and the Tourism department towards the unsafe side of the tourist activity.

?Following the unfortunate incident we will have to lay down some safety norms so that such unfortunate mishaps can be averted,? said Arun Sharma, Director Tourism and Civil Aviation. He added no doubt the livelihood of many people was involved but now both the safety aspect as well the fact that certain people were dependent on keeping horses meant to provide a joy ride to mostly tourists would be borne in mind.

The fact that a young girl had also lost her life a few years back when the horse she was riding went out of control has set the lMC thinking about safety measures. ?We are also considering looking into the safety aspect so that even in case of a horse going berserk, loss of life and extent of injury can be minimized,? said MC Commissioner, A.N. Sharma.

Sharma said that they would consider making wearing of a helmet mandatory and other protective gear so that there is no major injury. 

Dharamsala, November 22
Tomorrow is day for birthday politics. November 23 is the birth date of HPCC president Kaul Singh and former Congress leader from Kangra Vijay Singh Mankotia. A block Youth Congress leader from Shahpur in the district had created a flutter by giving a written statement that the Youth Congress would observe the birthday of Mankotia as “Honesty Day”.

Mankotia is bête noire of Union Minister of Steel Virbhadra Singh and is not a member of the Congress. The statement peeved the supporters of Virbhadra Singh, who took it at the party level. The block-level Youth Congress leader was forced to issue a denial that no such program would being organised by the Congress.

The HPCC member from Shahpur, Kewal Singh Pathania, said the Youth Congress leader might lose his position in the party for the statement. Instead, he said: “We are celebrating the birthday of Kaul Singh on November 23.”

State president of Youth Congress Manmohan Katoch when asked if any action would be taken against the block Youth Congress president for issuing the statement, he said the leader concerned has already issued a denial and so there was no need to sack him.

The supporters of Mankotia are, however, not disheartened. Jagmohan Sharma, former spokesperson for the Kangra Congress, said: “Now we have decided to celebrate Mankotia’s birthday in zonal hospital, Dharamsala. We would distribute fruits among the patients.”

The birthday celebrations for Kaul Singh might also indicate changing loyalties of Congress leaders. Many leaders who were earlier supporters of Virbhadra Singh are now shifting loyalties towards Kaul Singh camp, who has been retained by the Congress high command despite strong opposition from the rival camp. 

Mandi, November 22
Congress workers, mainly supporters of Virbhadra Singh, have termed V S Mankotia’s recent outburst as his “habitual political gimmick” aimed at getting support of the anti-Virbhadra lobby in a race for Congress leadership. The silence of the state leadership has sent jitters among the Congress workers.

Former Nachan MLA Tek Chand Dogra, general secretary of the Khet-Kisan Congress Sangh (KKCS), Surinderpal, Balh Congress MLA, Prakash Chaudhary, former Milkfed chairman Chet Ram, Balh Congress worker Ravi Rana, spokesperson KKCS Tarun Pathak and other Congress workers termed the tirade as political gimmick.

They said Mankotia was a small leader for Virbhadra Singh. Virbhadra supporters claimed that Mankotia had never been taken seriously as he was a turncoat and changed several parties in the past.

Besides, Mankotia had double-standards as he had not demanded any action against Shimla BJP Lok Sabha MP Virender Kashyap for cash-on-camera and another relating to conversation between Chief Minister PK Dhumal and DGP DS Manhas, they charged. “But he is silent on the CDs and making wild statement against Virbhadra Singh, showing he is targeting Virbhadra Singh as he was dropped as tourism minister from Virbhadra’s ministry”, they claimed.

Incidentally, Mankotia has written a letter to the Prime Minister and threatened to move the apex court if Virbhadra was not dropped as the Union Steel Minister as the state police has lodged an FIR against him and his wife Pratibha Singh. Mankotia’s fresh salvo came at a time when the anti-Virbhadra lobby gained an upperhand in the recent war for the Pradesh Congress Committee.

Kaul Singh is in the saddle and the leader of the opposition Vidya Stokes has a dominant say in the new state executive being constituted by Kaul Singh Thakur next month, revealed insiders. 

Shimla, November 22
The government has constituted state and district-level co-ordination and monitoring committees for ensuring effective implementation of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act.

Headed by the Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, the committee will have the chairperson (state women commission); chairperson (state social welfare board); Additional Chief Secretary (social justice); Principal Secretary (Home); Principal Secretary (Law); Principal Secretary (Health & Family Welfare); Secretary (Rural Development and Panchayati Raj); Member Secretary (state Legal Services Authority); director (Information and Public Relations); managing director (state women development corporation) and three NGO’s to be nominated by the government for a period of three years as members.

The district committees would be headed by the respective Deputy Commissioners and will have Superintendent of Police, Secretary (District Legal Services Authority), chairperson (zila parishad), district welfare officer, three representatives of NGO’s to be nominated by the Deputy Commissioner. Superintendent of shelter home, mayor of Corporation or president of Municipal Committee and women MLAs from the districts will be its members. The district programme officer will be member secretary.

The state-level committee would meet once in six months and the district-level committee once in a quarter to review the implementation of the Act. 

Dharamsala, November 22
With noose of investigating agencies tightening against them, the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education employees’ union have started targeting board secretary Prabhat Sharma.

In a press statement issued here today, president of board employees union Manohar Thakur has alleged that the board secretary presented wrong facts before the police at the time of registering an FIR in the examination scam.

The employees have also demanded that the board secretary should be shifted. They also demanded that since the board employees were cooperating with police, they should not be arrested and those already arrested were innocent, they alleged.

The reaction of board employees union is emerging from fear psychosis that many more of their colleagues might end behind bars. Last week when two board employees were held, union members had staged a dharna before the police station.

However, neither the management nor police take any action against the protesting employees.

Meanwhile the local court has rejected bail application of the arrested board employees.

According to sources, the names of the arrested employees were divulged by the main accused during interrogation.

The committee appointed by the government to suggest measures for improving the system of education board had also found glaring misappropriations while checking a sample of the answer sheets.

Group protectionist attitude of the board employees is also being flayed by various sections of society. They are alleging that the examination scam has eroded faith of people in education system and it can only be restored if the accused are brought to the book. However, it remains to be seen what impact the strong resistance from board employees has on police investigation. 

Mandi, November 22
School lecturers, who have put in more than 17 years in service, sought their overdue promotion as principal in the 136 vacant posts in senior secondary schools across the state.

On the other hand, the directorate of higher education claimed that the matter was pending in the high court and, hence, they cannot be promoted till the final verdict in the case was out.

The lecturers rued that the Education Department was doing injustice to them as they had not been promoted as principal since 2009 despite the fact they had put in more than 17 years in service and “were well-qualified to be appointed as principals in senior secondary schools”.

On the other hand, the Education Department has promoted more than 403 teachers as school principals (159 on July 28, 2010; 160 on October 7, 2009; and 84 on December 1, 2008) from headmasters and other quotas from the high schools.

The teachers also rued that nowhere in the country there was a system that promoted headmasters, who just had BA, BEd qualification as principals in senior secondary schools while certain lecturers who had MA, MPhil qualification and had taught in senior secondary schools for more than 17 years awaited promotion.

They said the government had promoted a lecturer who figured at 781st position on the seniority list, but after that it had bid goodbye to lecturers who figured onwards on the seniority list.

We have met Education Minister ID Dhiman several times, but he only gave false assurances, they charged.

Spokesperson of the Lecturers’ Association Sachin Kumar said the association had demanded that the department should release seniority list and promote them on ad hoc basis till the court gives its final verdict on the issue.

Director (education) Dr OP Sharma said the department could not promote them as the tenure lecturers had moved high court on the issue of seniority. 

Shimla, November 22
There is not a single Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Kangra district, claims Health Minister Dr Rajiv Bindal, where a doctor is not posted.

Referring to a report in this newspaper, “Health Centre sans Nurses” from Dharamsala, the minister claimed that there was no nurse at the specific PHC because there was no indoor facility at the PHC at Chamunda, 15 km from Dharamsala.

As many as 675 nurses have been appointed during the last two-and-a-half years, the health minister added, taking the total number of nurses at the disposal of the government to 1,850. Almost all PHCs with indoor facilities have nurses attached to them, he added.

He contested the fact that the Chamunda PHC caters to 30,000 people. In Himachal Pradesh, each PHC, he said, catered to 10 to 12 thousand people. Chamunda, moreover, is well connected with Dharamsala, Kangra, Tanda and Palampur, he pointed out.

The state government has made budgetary provisions for new, standardised buildings for the primary health centres. The Chamunda PHC has also been allotted Rs 20 lakh for a new building.

Claiming vast improvement in the public health system, the minister referred to the formation of Rogi Kalyan Samitis at different levels. These samitis have prominent citizens, people’s representatives and even media representatives as members, he pointed out. The state government has provided Rs 32 crore to these samitis, he informed.

Shimla, November 22
Farmers will not have to run after forest and revenue officials after deregulation of felling and transportation of bamboos but it will yield dividends as a cash crop only if the government takes steps to promote bamboo-based industry in the state on the pattern of Uttarakhand.

So far farmers were entirely dependent on contractors not only for felling and sale of bamboos but also for seeking various permissions for which they were given the power of attorney. Apart from the Forest Department which granted permission for felling and transportation, the farmer also had to approach revenue officials for demarcation of land to ascertain that bamboo that stands to be felled stood on his land. Instead of running after officials who were not always easy to please, the farmers found it convenient to authorise a contractor to obtain various permissions, carry out felling and sell the produce.

With the removal of bamboo from list of species covered under the state land preservation rules and state forest produce transit (land routes) rules, the farmers will not have to seek any permission and can fell bamboos as and when the area is opened under the three-year felling cycle. The divisional officer concerned will notify one-third of the total villages under his jurisdiction for felling every year in April.

Bamboo on private land is mostly grown in lower hill areas of Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Sirmaur and Una.

However, the farmers and the state will not gain much by the decision until they are freed from the clutches of contractors, the real gainers, who have been making money by selling the produce outside the state. The only way out is to promote wicker work and bamboo-based industry on large scale like Uttarakhand which has set up a Bamboo and Fibre Development Board with the objective of increasing returns to farmers and creating livelihood opportunities to boost the local economy.

More so because the economic importance of bamboo has been growing and its use is no longer confined to handicrafts and furniture. Nowadays, a host of items like doors, window panes, flooring tiles, wall panels, roofing sheets, ply board and biodegradable fabric is being manufactured. It is the main raw material for paper and reconstituted timber industry. Not only that, of late it is being used for making medicines, tea, beverages, charcoal, vinegar, textiles, processed shoots and incense sticks.