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Demolition drive on, VIPs spared
Apple-composting plan goes haywire
47 herbs face extinction
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INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT
BJP to declare list of nominees on Dec
9
Power staff resent favouritism in promotion
Prove benami land deals, Dhumal dares Cong
Cong belittling achievements: Dhiman
LPG shortage leading to deforestation
PTI teacher suspended, chargesheeted
Man held for rape
Bagla not to contest MC poll
251 examined in dental camp
Check anti-social elements: DM
Change in Quota Roster
Manali fire station lacks infrastructure
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Demolition drive on, VIPs spared
Shimla, December 5 Despite gross violations having been committed in all three cases, the government has been dithering in taking a decision, thereby giving an impression that the high and mighty can get away without being penalised. All three cases have been pending with the government for over a year now. Interestingly, the 13-storey structure raised by Jagson International as part of the takeoff point of the Jakhu aerial ropeway near the US Club area is awaiting regularisation of two storeys that have been constructed without permission. In fact, this structure happens to be the tallest structure in Shimla and the building plan of only 11 storeys has been approved by the Town and Country Planning department. Though there was a move to compound the two floors made illegally without permission at a hefty amount, yet that did not come through and there is no decision on its fate as of now. With the single umbrella committee in the Municipal Corporation (MC) being given powers for approving building plans in the city, the case is still pending. Similar is the case of Jagdish Prasad Gupta, owner of Jagson International Ltd, as he has raised the fortress-like boundary walls of his house closely around the majestic deodar trees in the Richmond area in Jakhu. Despite MLAs, both from the ruling and the opposition party, raising the issue in the assembly several times, the government has failed to act. Besides deviation in the house construction, the violations include construction of a road and walls exceeding height and thickness without permission. Another exemplary case of violation is the manner in which 30 trees were suffocated to death within the boundary wall of Radha Swami Satsang Bhawan near Ramachandran Chowk on the Forest Road, right next to the Raj Bhawan. In complete violation of the rules, a huge 10-m-high wall was raised against the permissible limit of 4 m all around the property and the case has been pending before the Core Area Committee for the last almost two years.
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Apple-composting plan goes haywire
Shimla, December 5 In all over 1,11,000 tonne of fruit was procured out of which a meagre 10,000 tonne was processed and about 45,000 tonne sold in the market, leaving over 55,000 tonne to rot at the collection centres. The government decided to vermi-compost the rotting fruit with the technical guidance of Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry. Vermi-composting was to be carried out by mixing apple, cow dung and biomass (grass from farm waste) in equal proportions which meant that every tonne of apple would require a tonne of cow dung and a tonne of grass for composting. However, the plan hit a roadblock as the university did not had adequate quantity of worms available readily for composting of such huge quantities of fruit and even cow dung was not available locally. The HPMC and the HIMFED, the two procurement agencies, had to fetch cow dung from far-off places like Panchkula and Bilaspur incurring a huge expenditure on transportation. In fact, the HPMC, which imported 45 tonne of cow dung at Rs 600 per hundred cubic feet paid almost three times on transportation. Senior scientist of the university Dr GP Upadhyaya, who specialises in organic farming, said the vermi-composting had been started with the worms available in about 50 pits, each of 20 quintal capacity, at Gumma and Snail. To vermi-compost the entire stock required huge quantity of worms which were not available as the plan was prepared midway during the season. It took time for worms to multiply but there would be no such problem next year as the university would ensure adequate availability. As vermi-composting of a few hundred tonne of fruit will not serve nay purpose, the government has now decided to go for bacterial-composting and the HPMC is in the process of signing an agreement with the Excel Industries, which specialises in solid waste management, for supply of bacterial inoculum for speedy composting. More importantly, it will require very small quantity of cow dung and enable conversion to manure on large-scale without digging pits as the process is carried out in the open through controlled aerobic composting. The company will also take care of testing and certification of the organic manure so that there is no problem in supplying it to farmers. If the initiative turns out to be a success it will go a long way in promoting organic farming in the hills and also ensure gainful utilisation of farm residue.
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47 herbs face extinction
While environmentalists have been expressing concern over the dwindling herbal reserves of the hill state considered to be the storehouse of medicinal plants, no scientific assessment of threatened species was ever carried out. Based on the IUCN criteria, 42 field botanists, plant taxonomists and foresters from reputed institutes of the country evaluated 57 selected species for the Comprehensive Assessment and Management Prioritisation and categorised 11 species as critically endangered, 19 endangered and 17 vulnerable. They also finalised a five-year action plan for their “in-situ” (in the natural habitat) and “ex-situ” (outside habitat with scientific interventions) conservation and cultivation as per threat assessment. The main factors responsible for the decline included unscientific and over exploitation, a loss of habitat due to increasing biotic interference and climate change. The group of experts shortlisted 23 important species for conservation, propagation and cultivation in the first phase. It included 11 species, forming part of the “ashtavarga” group used in ayurvedic medicines and three tree species, taxus baccata, bhojpatra and tejpatta, for “in-situ” conservation. These herbs are consumed in bulk by the pharmaceutical industry for preparing life-saving ayurvedic and allopathic formulations and boosting vigour, vitality and strength to help improve the resistance of the body to a host of diseases. For instance, taxol extracted from taxus baccata is used for making anti-cancer drugs and patish (aconitum heterophyllum) for treating lever -related ailments and fever. It is for the first time that a comprehensive plan has been drawn up for conservation of the critically endangered species in the wild”, points out GS Goraya, chief conservator of forests in charge of floral diversity, non-timber forest produce and research, who took the initiative. The original germ-plasm of the critically endangered species will be collected from the wild for the preservation by the national bureau of plant genetic resources. As far as the tree species are concerned, conservation reserves will be established in Daranghati for taxus baccata, bhojpatra in Chitkul and tejpatta in Jogindernagar. Besides four species, kala zira, patish, kadu and chirayata will be taken up for large-scale cultivation by farmers keeping in view their commercial viability. A field survey and research will be conducted to develop a model for the conservation and propagation of other species like mohra, bankakri, salam panja, kutki and brhma kamal, the cultivation of which is not commercially viable. The conservation of critically endangered species is vital as the state has accounted for over 50 per cent of the global population of these species.
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INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT
Hamirpur, December 5 The government had announced that it would start the academic session of the institute from the current year, but as the infrastructure was not complete the present session was being run from the Catering and Food Craft Institute at Kufri in Shimla district. At the time of laying the foundation stone of the institute Chief Minister PK Dhumal had directed the authorities to complete the construction work in a stipulated period so that academic session could be started from here as per schedule. Engineers of the HP Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) Department, which was implementing the project, had taken extra efforts to complete the project well in time and administrative block of the institute would be ready for hand over in the next 15 days. However, the biggest hiccup in starting academic session here is the lack of water facility. Keeping in view the large requirement of water the engineers have designed a separate project for lifting water from the Kunnah khud for the institute with an estimated cost of Rs 67 lakh, but the proposal is still lying with the state government. Around 30,000 litre of water will be required daily at the institute after it becomes operational for which a RCC reservoir having a capacity of 1.25 lakh litre has been proposed. Assistant engineer of the HPTDC PS Thakur, who is looking after the construction of the project, said, “The building of the institute will be ready for hand over in the next two weeks and work on residential colony is in the progress. We have also submitted a separate drinking water proposal for the institute with an estimated cost of Rs 67 lakh to the state government.”
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BJP to declare list of nominees on Dec
9
Dharamsala, December 5 The decision to this effect was taken by the party at a meeting of its core group held under the chairmanship of Kalraj Mishra, the party in charge for Himachal at Dharamsala today. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and state president of the party Khimi Ram were also present at the meeting. Sources here said party leaders had been asked to submit a panel of candidates from their respective areas to the party high-command at Dharamsala on December 9 that would finalise the list on same day. There are 48 municipal councils in the state. Since the state government has decided to give 50 per cent reservation to women in the local government elections, 24 posts of municipal council presidents will go to women for the first time in the state. In case of panchayat polls, the elections are not being held on party symbols. However, in case of the municipal council polls, the elections for the post of president will be fought on party symbols. The sources here also told The Tribune at the meeting of the core group of the BJP that the party had decided to use the 2G and the Commonwealth Games scam against Congress during campaigns. The leaders felt that they could cash in on the national sentiment against the Congress-led UPA government due to scams in local government polls in the state. The BJP workers were also appraised about the government decision regarding not allowing encroachers to contest the panchayat or municipal elections this year. The BJP in charge for the state Kalraj Mishra, while talking to The Tribune, said the party was giving utmost importance to panchayat polls. The polls would be a true scale to measure the performance of the government.
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Power staff resent favouritism in promotion
Shimla, December 5 The management had, vide its notification dated November 29, ordered the promotion of superintendent (accounts) to the post of assistant accounts officer as a stop-gap arrangement. However, these promotion orders were issued in violation of the existing service regulations by ignoring the seven senior incumbents as per the seniority list circulated by the board on February 11 early this year. The favoured official, at the 30th position on the list, has been promoted, while seniors placed at 16, 21,23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 positions had been ignored, causing resentment among the employees. Despite a strong protest by the union, the management had, instead of rectifying the order, invited the option from the superseded officials just to stretch the matter till the retirement of the favoured official. The union has alleged that the present management had not been acting in a just manner and there were many such others instances of gross violation of service regulations. It opposed the pick and choose policy being followed by the management and demanded immediate rectification of the faulty orders.
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Prove benami land deals, Dhumal dares Cong
Dharamsala, December 5 He was responding to the allegations levelled against the state government by Congress leaders at Nagrota rally on December 3. It was during the Congress stint that Himalayan Fertiliser’s, a state-owned subsidiary, land was sold at a throwaway price of Rs 3.5 crore. The person who purchased the land further sold it for Rs 7.80 crore. Though the industries department had objected to the sale, none of Congress minister raised any voice against the deal, he alleged. He also alleged that the Congress leaders did not have any issue against the state government and they were just issuing baseless statements to sway the people. The people had, however, rejected the Congress. The fact was illustrated from the amount of strength Congress leaders managed to gather at Nagrota rally. About the allegations levelled by Virbhadra Singh that no school had been opened by the present government, Dhumal said during the last three years, the state government had opened 34 primary schools, 50 high schools, 62 middle schools and 70 senior secondary schools. The Chief Minister also alleged that all problems being faced by the state government were due to the UPA government at the Centre. The UPA government was involved in the biggest-ever scams witnessed by the country. These include 2-G Spectrum scam worth Rs 1.76 lakh crore and Commonwealth games scam worth Rs 75,000 crore. He alleged that the state government was being discriminated in allotment of PDS foodgrain, kerosene and LPG supplies. When asked about the claims of senior Congress leaders that the UPA government had allotted funds worth Rs 25,000 crore under various schemes to Himachal, Dhumal said it was the legal right of state. The UPA government had not allotted any special package to the state government. The CM arrived here this afternoon to take part in the winter session of the Assembly starting from tomorrow. He is scheduled to attend meetings of the core group of the BJP and group of BJP MLAs in the Himachal Vidhan Sabha today.
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Senior leaders skip Kaul Singh’s function
Dharamsala, December 5 Kaul Singh, who came to Dharamsala for the first time after taking over as the HPCC president, was welcomed by local congress workers led by Digvijay Puri, block president of the Congress and Youth Congress workers. Ajay Mahajan, general secretary of the HPCC, Brij Behari Butail, former district president of the Congress, Ajit Mahajan, director, Kangra Cooperative Bank, and Manmohan Katoch, state president of the Youth Congress were those who were present at Dharamsala to welcome Kaul Singh. None of the Congress MLAs from the district and other senior leaders were present at today’s welcome programme of Kaul Singh. However, a few supporters of former Congress leader Vijay Singh Mankotia were present at today’s function. Former MLA from Dharamsala and now MP from the Rajya Sabha Chandresh Kumari was also missing from the posters at the function. Though Chandresh has been elected as MP from Jodhpur, she has kept herself active in Dharamsala politics. She played a very active role in lobbying for retaining a part of Central University in Dharamsala. She was also present at the Congress rally in Nagrota Bagwan two days ago. Kaul Singh, when asked about the absence of senior Congress leaders, said they were not invited at the function as it was a block level function. The HPCC president was pleased at the impressive welcome accorded to him by Congress workers. While speaking on the occasion, he praised Chandresh Kumari for her role in lobbying for retaining the Central University headquarters in Dharamsala. Later while talking to newsmen, Kaul Singh said he had written to party office-bearers to prepare for the panchayat and municipal polls. “I have asked the party leaders to come up with unanimous choice for candidates after deliberations among themselves.” Though the panchayat elections would not be held on party symbols, the municipal polls would be held on party symbols. There are 48 municipal councils in Himachal elections which are scheduled to go for the polls on December 3. The elections would be a litmus test for Kaul Singh who is getting cold response from Virbhadra faction.
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Cong belittling achievements: Dhiman
Shimla, December 5 In a statement here, he said education was one of the four developmental indicators, on the basis of which the state’s performance had been adjudged. It was not the BJP but the previous Congress government which had commercialised education in the state by opening educational and technical education institutions like shops, without following any norms, and some of them had not been given recognition. Colleges and schools were opened without making any provision of budget and staff. The proposal being received by the present government for opening universities in the private sector was being referred to a high-level committee to ensure high standards. For private colleges, it had been made mandatory to have affiliation from Himachal Pradesh University and the government had decided to bring uniformity in regulatory provisions of all private universities established in the state. The present government had closed a few educational institutions in the state where enrolment was less under the rationalisation policy. However, it had strengthened the nearby schools to ensure quality education and it would be ensured that no student had to walk more than 1 km to attend school. Dhiman said the charge of discrimination against the present government was uncalled for as it was ensuring speedy, uniform and balanced development of the state.
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LPG shortage leading to deforestation
Shimla, December 5 “There is a shortage of the LPG because it is not being supplied since the past two to three months. So, we have to cut wood logs. Winter has arrived and we have to make food so we are compelled to cut tress,” said Ajit Kumar, a resident of Baldyian village of Shimla. Food and Civil Supplies Minister Ramesh Dhawala said there was some problem in the Panipat refinery due to which the supply was not regular but the problem had been fixed now. “This is true that the Panipat refinery was not working due to some reasons because of which the supply was not regular. And the supply from other refineries also stopped. But now the Panipat refinery has been restored and the supply from other refineries have started from the last five to six days,” Dhawala added.
— ANI
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PTI teacher suspended, chargesheeted
Mandi, December 5 But the police is awaiting the final chemical examination report in the case. Rajiv Sharma said Ram Singh had been suspended and a charge-sheet was issued to him. The victim stated to the police that Ram Singh had asked her to take a half-day leave on Thursday and wait for him 100 mtrs away from the school on the road. He told her that he would drop her home in his car. As planned, Ram Singh took her in a nearby jungle with innocent girl, the police revealed. The girl charged that he had raped her. The girl stated that after the rape, the accused had dropped her on the road near her home. But when her mother enquired about as to why she had reached early that day, she burst into tears and narrated her the story to her mother. When villagers and students came to know, they protested and shouted slogans against the education department, blocked Sidhyani road for two hours and demanded termination of the accused and transfer of the principal as their children were not safe in the schools. Principal Bhag Singh claimed that the villagers had forcibly taken students from the classes despite the arrest of the teacher the same day. After four days in the police custody, the police will produce Ram Singh before the judicial magistrate tomorrow in Mandi. Meanwhile, the Director, Secondary Education, Dr OP Sharma, said he had demanded a report from the deputy director, education, Mandi, into the matter within two days.
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Man held for rape
Bilaspur, December 5 She alleged that Roop Lal, who was acquainted to her, approached her for a lift to their native village in his Tata Sumo car when she was returning from nearby Dehar after getting some medicine. She alleged that Roop Lal forcibly took her to a nearby hotel at Ghaghas and raped her. She said Roop Lal also threatened her with dire consequences when she tried to resist his attempt and shout against the crime. Next day, he left her and she told the entire matter to her family and then registered an FIR. The police has arrested Roop Lal. They presented him in the court and he was sent to police custody till December 6 for further investigation.
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Bagla not to contest MC poll
Palampur, December 5 He got the approval for the setting up of solid waste disposal plant for the town. This project was hanging fire for the past few years because of unavailability of land.
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251 examined in dental camp
Bilaspur, December 5 General Secretary of the association Dr Suresh Soni and press secretary Anand Sohad said in the camp 203 students also took the advantage of getting their blood groups tested, which was done by technicians of the local Roshan Hospital. — OC |
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Check anti-social elements: DM
Chamba, December 5 The District Magistrate in his orders stated that many people had been visiting Chamba district to earn their livelihood by engaging in trading or running their businesses like - shawl vendors, cobblers — or those who engage in contract labour services in hydroelectric projects, as a result crime prevention becomes difficult. If such situation is allowed to continue there is every apprehension of breach of peace of public tranquility and further there is a grave danger to the life and safety of the public, the DM said. He also directed the law-enforcing agencies that no employer, contractor or trader could engage any migrant labourer visiting the district in petty jobs or services as contract labour until or unless such migrant had furnished his particulars, along with a passport-size photograph, to the concerned station house officer of the respective police station for identification and verification. He said no such person visiting the district could engage himself in any kind of self-employment or seek employment in non-formal trades or services without informing his intention to this effect to the concerned SHO. These orders were issued to keep a watch on strangers so that anti-social elements in the guise of job seekers might not infiltrate into the region posing a threat to other citizens. The DM divulged in his orders that violation of these orders would lead to punitive action under Section 188 of the IPC. He also directed the Chamba SP to submit the report of the persons recorded in police stations during this period so that persons having criminal record could be kept under surveillance and at the same time the movement of anti-social elements could be restricted.
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BJP shrugs off charges
Tribune News Service
Hamirpur, December 5 Talking to mediapersons here yesterday, Kashayap said in fact the reservation roster had not been changed in anyway by the present government and changes had been effected only as necessitated by new amendments. He said the Congress government had made 200 amendments in the Panachayti Raj Act during their government in the state while only four amendments had been made by the present government to give 50 per cent reservation to women. He said the present government had tried to give more powers under the Panchayati Raj Act and it was for the first time that voting right had been given to employees deployed on election duty through the EDS and the district panchayat officers had been made assistant returning officers. He said, “The Congress leaders are baffled with the preparation of the BJP for the coming PRI and Urban Local Bodies election and is now making baseless allegations.”
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Manali fire station lacks infrastructure
Manali, December 5 Since 1979, the fire station has no proper building and its fire engines are parked in the open and are, thus, subject to the vagaries to the weather. During winter the fire engines are subject to heavy snowfall which has to be cleared regularly to keep them ready for emergency. Moreover, they also get rusted. A proper structure for parking fire engines will save them from the vagaries of weather and rust. The fire station has already been sanctioned a post of station fire officer, but it has not been filled so far. There is a sub-fire officer, three leading firemen and nine regular firemen. As a result, five firemen from the Himachal Home Guards are working in shifts to make up for the deficiency. There are also three regular drivers, besides three part-time drivers from the Home Guards. The staff works in four shifts. According to the Sub-Fire Officer, Manali, Sant Ram, the Manali fire station possesses four fire tenders, with a capacity of 4,500 litre, including one water Bo user with a capacity of 9,000 litre. Except for one of the water tenders and one water Bo user, which was procured in 2001 and 2009, the others are more than 24 to 27 years old. There is a jeep fire engine (made in 1986) but it is out of order. The fire station also has two portable pumps, which are heavy and difficult to carry through the stiff hill terrain. If the fire station is provided with lighter portable pumps, jeep fire engines and staff, it will help them fight fires more effectively in the remote villages, residents of the upper Kullu valley said. According to residents of Patlikulh and adjacent villages, located in the centre of the valley, they have always demanded that a fire station should be set up here, as it would be more convenient. The residents said if a fire station was not possible, at least jeep fire engine and portable pumps could be deployed here.
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Though construction work of the building of the Indian Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology
(IIHMCT) being set up near Hamirpur is almost complete, starting an academic session here will be delayed further due to lack of drinking water facilities.
Dharamsala, December 5
Manali, December 5
Shimla, December 5