New Delhi, May 3
The Supreme Court today reserved its judgment on the original suit filed by Himachal Pradesh claiming 12 per cent of free power from the Bhakra and Beas hydropower stations as these projects were located in the state and another 7.19 per cent on the basis of the transferred population.

A Bench comprising Justices RV Raveendran and AK Patnaik passed an order to this effect after conclusion of arguments by the Centre, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, besides Himachal. The arguments on the 1996 suit had stretched over several days.

Today, senior counsel AK Ganguly and JS Attri advanced Himachal’s concluding arguments replying to the points raised by the defendant states and the Centre.

Rejecting the contentions of Punjab and others that Himachal was not entitled to 12 per cent free power as this provision was meant only for Central projects, the two counsel said this entitlement should be extended to BBMB projects also. Though Punjab and Haryana had taken the initiative to put up these projects, the funds had mainly come from the Centre, they contended.

Rajasthan had sought that the dispute should be referred to a water tribunal under Article 262 of the Constitution. Himachal, however, argued that the dispute related to sharing energy generated from water. Further, no issue was framed by the SC on this score.

Shimla, May 3
With the rising level of drug addiction among school students in Shimla town, the Himachal Pradesh High Court today directed the Principal Secretary (Social Justice and Empowerment) to file an affidavit stating as to whether the department had taken any steps, involving NGOs, in combating drug menace among youth, particularly students, and if so, what was the result thereof?

The court directed that in case no such steps had been taken so far then convene a state-level conference of NGOs, who were particularly working in the field, and then take further steps to hold such meetings at district and block level. The possibility of other duty holders would also be explored.

The court directed the Principal Secretary (Social Justice and Empowerment) to file an affidavit within two months and listed the matter for further hearing on July 12. Apart from this, the court also impleaded the Principal Secretary (Education) as party in this case.

While passing this order a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Sanjay Karol expressed their concern about the rising incidents of drug abuse among the youth and observed that on the consideration of various aspects of the matter, it appears the involvement of NGOs in this area would be a very effective measure.

The matter was brought to the notice of the court by the media reports regarding alarming situation of drug abuse and addiction among schoolchildren in the “Queen of Hills”.

While treating the reports as public interest litigation, the Bench earlier directed the Principal Secretary (Home) to file their response. In compliance to this order the Principal Secretary (Home) filed an affidavit before the court and informed that there was a high-powered committee in the state which periodically looked into the implementation of the NDPS Act.

The media report revealed that there were places in and around the town where school students and youth could be seen smoking, chewing gutka, drinking liquor, consuming opium and other drugs.

It was alleged in the report that some areas of the town had become safe haven for the drug peddlers.

It was also alleged that there had been regular intimation to the police about this, but there was no action in the field either to check drug peddlers or to take action against those consuming drugs.

The prevalence of drug abuse is nearly the same among the boys of both private and government schools, but the rate of addiction is high among the girls of private schools as compared to the government schools.

Shimla, May 3
Even as the search for the new Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) continues, the selection committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, will meet here on May 6 to finalise the name of the new Vice-Chancellor.

The committee is headed by Chief Secretary Rajwant Sandhu and has the VC of Central University, Kangra, and the Secretary to the Governor as its members. The tenure of the present incumbent, Prof Sunil Kumar Gupta has already come to an end and he is simply continuing as a stopgap arrangement.

Sources said about 35 applications had already been received for the post of VC and this included both in-house claimants from HPU as well as others from within Himachal and outside who would fall in the zone of consideration. “The committee headed by Chief Secretary would be meeting here on May 6 to discuss the appointment of the VC of HPU,” confirmed Srikant Baldi, Principal Secretary, Education.

However, it is still not clear whether the government would appoint an in-house person who is already serving in HPU as VC or have someone from outside. Professor Gupta had been chosen by the BJP regime to be the VC, while he was still serving in the campus.

There are a number of names from within HPU whose names are doing the rounds for being appointed as the VC. Prominent among them are SK Bansal of the Tourism Department, Dr Sahshikant Lomesh, Registrar of HPU, Prof SH Banyal from Biosciences Department. The name of JB Nadda, brother of BJP leader Jagat Prakash Nadda, now teaching in a private university is also being mentioned. Most of the contenders have a strong backing of the BJP and the RSS.

However, JK Chauhan, Chairman, Subordinate Services Selection Board (SSSB), Hamirpur, is finding favour with a lot of senior BJP leaders. The party higher-ups are very satisfied with his functioning at the SSSB and keen that he be given a chance.

The BJP regime is keen to bring in a man who ensures the smooth functioning of HPU. The Congress has from time to time criticised the government regarding appointments in HPU and more importantly the fake mark sheet scam which was unearthed last year.

Shimla, May 3
A severe hailstorm has caused an extensive damage to apple orchards in Khatasu and the adjoining areas of Jubbal as anti-hail guns installed recently failed to dispel the threat from the skies despite continuous blasts.

It is for the second time in less than a month that the much-hyped anti-hail guns have failed to protect the crop from hailstorm. The maximum damage has been caused in Khathasu, Batadgalu, Bharal, Nandpur, Barthata and Rayaka which are located in the vicinity of the anti-hail gun.

Unlike the last time when the gun failed to fire due to problems with power supply as there was no back-up, the gun fired repeatedly, but the hail could not be prevented.

According to Laxmi Tanwar of Rayka village, dark threatening clouds built up around 4 pm and the anti-hail cannon started firing soon, but it proved ineffective and large-sized hailstones started falling around 5.30 pm. Initially, there were short bursts of two to three minutes and after a pause they just started pouring.

Laik Ram, a former pradhan of Khathasu, said the hailstones not only stripped the apple plants of leaves, but also brought down tiny branches, particularly new shoots.

A number of other growers maintained that they had not put the anti-hail net with a hope that the anti-hail guns would protect the orchards. However, the hailstorm had come as a shock and with such extensive damage, it might turn out to be a “zero”crop year for the growers.

Mandi, May 3
Upbeat by the success of anti-hail guns in Bataar Galu-Kharapathar in the Jubbal-Kotkhai apple belt in Shimla district, the state government has decided to go for a joint inspection of experts from the USA and India to know the effectiveness of the anti-hail guns to extend this project to other hail-prone areas.

Horticulture Minister Narender Bragta, who was here today to review the progress of the development works of the department, said, “The anti-hail guns experiment is successful and it has saved orchards in the radius of 1 sq km from hail”.

He said the two teams from the USA and the state would go for a joint inspection of the area after the hail-season was over. After confirming the effectiveness of the guns, the project would be extended to other areas, Bragta said, responding to the queries.

He said the anti-hail guns system was eco-friendly and saved the farmers from hails, which destroyed a major share of the fruit each season.

Mandi, May 3
National Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM) president and Hamirpur BJP MP Anurag Thakur today asserted that “race against corruption” would be organised in more schools, colleges and other institutes to make it a mass movement across the state and country.

Talking to mediapersons after holding a race here today, Thakur said the UPA government had failed to take effective steps against terrorists and corruption.

He said the USA had killed the most wanted terrorist Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan, but the UPA government had failed to bring the perpetrators of the 26/11 and Parliament attack accused Afzal Guru to justice.

When asked how the morcha would take the race against corruption among the common masses given that BJP government was in power in the state, Anurag was on the defensive but asserted that the morcha had got the support of the BJKP leadership. “We will highlight the achievements of the state government as well and the failure of the Centre at the same time”, he claimed.

He, along with state president Narender Atri, BJP district president Dile Ram, state secretary Praveen Sharma, Ajay Rana and other leaders, also participated in the race. They also addressed the rally.

Bilaspur, May 3
The government will soon ensure the opening of a number of vocational training institutes in three districts of Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Una in which some 30,000 youth will be trained in vocations like textiles, call centre, beauty parlour and IT and these institutes will also ensure job placement of all the trained youth. This was stated by MP and Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha national president Anurag Thakur while addressing public meetings in Ghumarwin, Kalol and Jejwin, some 25 to 80 km from here on Monday evening.

Thakur who, during his one-day whirlwind tour of Ghumarwin and Jhandutta constituencies of this district, inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of a number of public welfare schemes in these areas. He urged villagers to see that water was preserved at all costs. He said gram panchayats should pay special attention to construct water tanks and bowalies under MNREGA.

He said 60 hand pumps had been installed in the Ghumarwin area and six more hand pumps would soon be set up during the season.

He said a total Rs 400 crore had been spent on various development works in the districts of Una, Hamirpur and Bilaspur.

HP Vidhan Sabha Deputy Speaker Rikhi Ram Kaundal, state Khadi Board member Vikram Sharma and HP School Board member Rajendra Garga also addressed the gatherings.

Dharamsala, May 3
The Zonal Hospital here will soon start the facility of thyroid tests. The hospital administration has taken the decision to provide better facilities to patients. Till now, due to the unavailability of the facility, patients had to approach Tanda Medical College or other private clinics to get the tests done.

Dr RK Sharma, medical superintendent, Zonal Hospital, said, “The hospital administration has taken the decision to launch the service in the hospital. We felt the need of this test to be carried out here as the numbers of thyroid patients visit us every day. We will table the proposal at the Rogi Kalyan Samiti meeting which is going to be held this month. As soon as we get the approval of the budget to buy required machinery and other necessary items, the facility will be opened for patients here”.

Dr Sharma added that the authorities needed some time as after the approval, lab technicians would be sent for training.

Due to the unavailability of thyroid tests, some private clinics and labs are taking enormous fees from patients.

Doctors believe that with the arrival of this service here, it will be easy for both doctors and patients to cure the disease at an early stage.

Shimla, May 3
Up in arms against the proposed imposition of unit tax, residents of the three wards of New Shimla, Dhalli and Totu, which were merged into the Municipal Corporation (MC) in 2007, today met the Governor seeking reconsideration of the MC Amendment Bill which had already been passed by the state Assembly.

The residents under the banner of the Coordination Committee headed by Chaderpal Mehta submitted a memorandum to the Governor, seeking her intervention into the matter. “We have urged the Governor to reconsider the Bill which has been sent by the government to her for her assent and she has assured us that she will look into it,” said Mehta.

Mehta said the residents were keen that they should be under a nagar panchayat and not the MC as majority of the houses constructed here before the merger of three wards do not qualify for regularisation under the MC rules.

He added that the people were not against paying user tax as they were already paying water, power and sewerage charges, but first the MC must provide basic facilities before imposing unit tax.

“Charging tax from unauthorised structures which do not qualify for regularisation will only encourage violators to raise structures which are not in conformity with building laws,” he remarked. He added that as such they would press their demand for being excluded from the MC and be declared nagar panchayat.

The campaign against imposition of unit tax gained momentum as a number of organisations extended support to the cause. A large number of residents from the three wards yesterday held a meeting and decided to meet the Chief Minister.

He said it had been decided that if the government did not reconsider its decision, a mass movement would be launched and protests would be held daily.

Solan, May 3
The Wrestling Federation of Himachal has urged the state government to provide adequate facilities to promote this sport and enable the tapping of talent at the grassroots level.

Addressing mediapersons here on Friday, federation president and Shimla MP Virender Kashyap said they would step up the activities of the federation and ensure that a basic facility like availability of mat was ensured at the district level. This would help tap talent as wrestling was an old sport practised in every village and town of the state.

He said with a view to promote wrestling activities in the state they were endeavouring to host national-level junior wrestling championships in Himachal in the near future.