Shimla, May 5
The major landslides in the geologically fragile terrain of the Sutlej basin have been included in the “red list” under the integrated catchment area treatment plan to pave the way for special technical interventions required for stabilisation.

The Pune-based Nayak Environment Research Institute which has prepared the plan for catchment of the river upstream Kol Dam, has identified 181 major landslides in the catchment area spread over 20,000 sq km. A Red Book has also been prepared in which technical interventions required for the stabilisation of the sliding strata has been given in detail for various major landslides.

The main objective of adopting a focused approach to deal with landslides is to arrest the ever-increasing level of silt in the river which frequently forces power projects like the 1,500-MW Nathpa Jhakri to shutdown. The landslides hasten the process of soil erosion and contribute maximum silt. The emphasis of the catchment area treatment plans implemented by the Forest Department is on bio-engineering treatment, mainly vegetative measures. It does not have the technical capability and resources to undertake specialised work which are cost-intensive and also require expertise.

For instance, there are a number of permanent landslide points which will require techniques like soil nailing, rock bolting, and tieback walls far stabilisation. Such works could be assigned to specialised construction agencies. Once the landslides are tackled, the level of silt in the river will be reduced considerably.

In the rest of the catchment, the degraded areas will be treated through bio-engineering works and to provide a lasting solution to the problem of soil erosion measures like change in land use, switchover to environment-friendly crop system, plantation of most suitable forest species and other initiatives will be undertaken. The plan will help promote sustainable livelihoods, improve water retention and facilitate “payment for environment services” to raise stakes of the local community. 

Hamirpur, May 5
The state will soon have two more major irrigation schemes. Of these schemes, one irrigation scheme is being started in the Nurpur Assembly constituency, and the second one in the Nadaun Assembly constituency.

These schemes, which are being implemented as medium irrigation schemes, have already been sanctioned by the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Central Government will provide 90 per cent grants and the state government 10 per cent.

The scheme in Kangra district has been named Finna Singh medium irrigation scheme and will draw water from Chakki Khad.

This scheme will be constructed at a cost of about Rs 205 crore and proposes to irrigate 4,125 hectares land.

The state government has already given its 10 per cent share of about Rs 20 crore for this scheme and received the sanction from the CWC.

The second scheme under the medium irrigation scheme in being undertaken in Nadaun of Hamirpur district at a cost of Rs 93 crore.

The scheme will bring 2,500 to 3,000 hectare land under irrigation with water drawn from the Beas.

Modern methods like irrigation through sprinklers, drip irrigation etc will be used through these irrigation schemes to irrigate agricultural land.

Irrigation and Public Health Minister Ravinder Ravi said, “The Chief Minister will soon lay foundation stones and work on both these schemes start in the current financial year”. 

Shimla, May 5
The agitation against the move of the local municipal corporation to impose tax on property on unit area basis gained further impetus with Pradesh Congress Committee chief Kaul Singh Thakur supporting the demands of residents of New Shimla, Dhalli and Totu and assuring them that he would take up the matter with the Governor and the government.

The issue was taken up with him by the Shimla Up-Nagariya Jan Kalyan Samiti, a deputation of which, led by its president Chander Pal Mehta, met him here today.

Kaul Singh agreed with the plea that there was no justification for imposing tax on unit area basis in the areas where the municipal authorities had not provided the basic civic amenities.

Legislator from Kusumpti Sohan Lal questioned the logic of imposing tax on structures which had not been regularised yet. Moreover, a major part of the merged areas was still a farmland on which crops were being grown. Instead of imposing unjustified tax, the government should come out with a retention policy to regularise the unauthorised structures.

Meanwhile, residents of Vikas Nagar and New Shimla, and the Himachal Pradesh Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) have also joined hands to oppose the taxing of property on the pattern of metro cites like Delhi under the new Act.

The joint committee of various residents’ associations pointed out that the move would result into double taxation as residents had borne all the expenditure on development of roads, electricity, water supply system, sewerage and other public amenities.

The committee decided to submit a memorandum to the municipal corporation listing their demands along with an alternative rational property tax regime proposal.

Mandi, May 5
A Single Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph has summoned Mandi DC, Mandi SP, Sarkaghat SDM and Dharampur BDO and sought replies from the principal secretaries of the Panchayati Raj and Rural Development within three weeks in connection with the Rs 60-lakh funds bungling case allegedly involving Dan Singh, pradhan of Darwar panchayat in Dharampur.

The court has sought three separate replies from Sarkaghat SDM, Dharampur BDO and project director of the DRDA on the matter in three weeks time. The next hearing is fixed for May 27. There are nine respondents in the case.

According to petitioner Bhupender Singh, CPM general secretary Dan Singh had misappropriated funds worth Rs 60 lakh meant for over 70 different works in the panchayat. There were more than 15 written complaints against him, but the authorities, BDO, SDM and the DC did no take appropriate action against him and the officials, he charged. He said he had obtained information under the RTI Act.

The Mandi SP had also been summoned as the police had lodged the FIR on August 28, 2010. Mandi DC Amandeep Garg said they had issued a show-cause notice against the pradhan and the Dharampur BDO was chargesheeted as he sat on the case for a long time.

Solan, May 5
The police today arrested senior assistant Dhani Ram Chauhan, employed in the SDM office at Kandaghat, after the Sessions Court rejected his bail in a case relating to embezzlement of Rs 31 lakh.

The role of two more officers, including the then SDM and superintendent, was also under scanner as no entries of cash withdrawn or disbursed had been made in the cash book from 2008 to May, 2010. With Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) powers being vested with the SDM, failure to check the cash book for a period of more than two-and-a-half years had pointed a finger of suspicion at the working of the office.

A case was registered against Chauhan in September, 2010, under Sections 420 and 409, IPC, and the Prevention of Corruption Act and he had been placed under suspension after an inquiry conducted by the DC indicted him.

Investigating officer and Additional SP Ramesh Pathania confirmed that Chauhan was arrested after rejection of his bail by the court. He said he would be produced before the court tomorrow.

Intriguingly, though the first inquiry conducted by an audit officer had assessed the embezzled amount at Rs 31 lakh, a subsequent inquiry had reduced this amount to Rs 19 lakh only. Attempts were allegedly made to produce receipts of some funds after the first inquiry and a number of undated receipts had been made available about the funds withdrawn with a single person signing on a majority of the receipts as witness. Separate cash books were supposed to be maintained for the natural calamity fund (NCF) and general funds, but here a single cash book was used for both the purposes.

Though after inquires the DC had recommended action against the then SDM for failure to detect these irregularities, the state government had failed to initiate any action.

The case came to light when a pradhan approached incumbent SDM, Raman Sharma, in August, 2010, to get compensation of Rs 25,000 to the next of kin of a woman who was burnt in a forest fire at Kalah village in 2006. A subsequent inquiry concluded that the amount had been sanctioned and shown drawn from the office. This led to more inquires and it was found that funds drawn on behalf of the NCF had not been distributed to the beneficiaries.