Shimla, June 16
With a vast green cover and 100-km gravity line proving to be a major impediment in the execution of the Pabbar water supply scheme, the government has decided to meet the water requirement of the capital from the Kol Dam in Bilaspur district.

The scheme from the Kol Dam, for which surveys have been completed, will quench the thirst of a target population of 6.20 lakh in Shimla till 2042.

The Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department will soon submit the Rs 324-crore Kol Dam gravity drinking water supply scheme before the World Bank to meet the ever-growing water requirement of the Queen of Hills.

“All formalities have been completed and we will soon submit the scheme before the World Bank, so that the water needs of Shimla, which is a growing tourist destination, can be met for the coming three decades,” said Ravinder Singh Ravi, Irrigation and Public Health Minister.

He said considering the vast green cover which would be pruned and the heavy expenses to be incurred on the 100-km gravity line from the Chanchal, the source of the Pabbar river in Rohru, it had been decided to give priority to the Kol Dam scheme.

The Kol Dam scheme is designed to provide 41 MLD to the state capital daily. As per statistics of the IPH Department, most urban localities are being provided 120 litres per day. Under the scheme, six tanks of 30 MLD each and two water treatment plants will be set up to ensure regular supply to the city.

Despite the 20 MLD Giri water supply scheme working to half its capacity, the water woes of the state capital still persist. Certain localities receive the erratic supply. The huge floating population of tourists puts strain on the existing water supply, which is met from the Giri, the Ashwani Khud and the Gumma. 

Shimla, June 16
The Forest Department has decided to register FIRs in all cases of encroachment on the forest land involving an area of more than 10 bighas, protected wildlife area, tempering with boundary pillars and raising of permanent structure.

It has also decided to set up a task force from the state level to the divisional level for ensuring coordinated action for the removal of encroachments.

The decision has come after the high court, which had been monitoring action in cases of encroachment, directed the department to remove unauthorised occupants in a time-bound manner. The court has given a month’s time for the registration of FIRs.

The successive governments have been avoiding taking action against encroachers due to lack of political will and with the high court intervening in the matter, there was no optionbut to act for the government.

At present, there are over 9,600 cases of encroachment involving 1,850 hectares of forest land. The figures refuse to come down despite evictions as fresh cases crop up.

Eviction orders have been passed in 5,600 cases involving 1,125 hectares and about 2,800 encroachers have been removed to free 570 hectares of forest land. In the last quarter alone, 150 new cases were detected against 200 evictions.

The decision to set up a task force may help in bringing down the number of pending cases as it will ensure accountability of the field staff. The state-level task force will hold video conferences to monitor the progress of the drive against encroachments.

The task force will be headed by the Additional Chief Secretary, Forests, and have the Principal Secretary, Revenue, the Principal Secretary, Home, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and all conservators of forests. The district-level task force will comprise the DC, the SP and the conservator of forest and at the divisional level, the DFO, the DSP and the tehsildar.

The number encroachments on government land rose dramatically after which the then BJP government came out with a policy to regularise unauthorised occupations in 2002. Though the policy was stayed by the court, it sent a wrong signal to law-enforcing agencies and encouraged encroachers. Ultimately, the high court intervention had forced the government to act in the right direction.

Dharamsala, June 16
Gen VK Singh, Chief of the Army Staff, accompanied by his wife Bharti Singh, president of the Army Family Welfare Organisation, arrived at Yol Cantt on a two-day visit. They were received by Lt-Gen AK Choudhary, GOC, Rising Star Corps, and Madhuri Choudhary, chairperson of the Family Welfare Organisation. This is the Army Chief’s first visit to the Rising Star Corps after assuming the command of the Army.

The Army Chief during his visit reviewed the operational preparedness of the Rising Star Corps and was briefed by the Corps Commander on operational, training and administrative matters. Gen VK Singh applauded the state of operational preparedness and expressed confidence that the corps was prepared for all challenges and would execute the assigned tasks in a befitting manner.

Bharti Singh inaugurated the amusement park inside Yol Cantt and also interacted with families and children. She visited the Family Welfare Organisation and was briefed about welfare activities being undertaken by the Rising Star Corps Family Welfare Organisation for the improvement and betterment of quality of life of families and children of the Army personnel.

General Singh will leave for New Delhi tomorrow.

Bilaspur, June 16
Shankar Singh Thakur, a prominent trade union leader of the district and state vice-president of the BMS-affiliated Himachal Pradesh State Parivahan Karamchari Union, has alleged complicity of the Dadlaghat police personnel with the culprits who had accosted his HRTC route bus service near Dadlaghat by blocking the path of his bus. They had parked their truck in such a way that the bus could not pass, and then had attacked him inside the bus injuring him seriously a couple of days ago, he alleged.

Talking to mediapersons at the Circuit House here today, Shankar, accompanied by a dozen other senior leaders of the HP Parivahan Mazdoor Sangh, said he had repeatedly pleaded with this police on the phone that he suspected an attack on him and that they should arrive at the spot as his life was in danger. They said they were coming, but did not turn up for a long time. Only the timely intervention of some people who ran to help them on hearing their cries for help had saved his life.

They had to summon Emergency Ambulance Service No. 108 from Bilaspur, which arrived immediately and carried him to the regional hospital here in a profusely bleeding state.

He said even now the Dadlaghat police had not registered a case under the required sections of the IPC like attacking and obstructing a government employee on duty and obstructing the path, apart from trying to kill by conspiracy. He said neither the truck had been impounded nor the culprits arrested.

He urged the Director General of Police to take cognizance of the incident and order an inquiry.

Kangra, June 16
Ashok Kumar of Khaiyala village of Deena Nagar, Punjab, was sentenced to five-year RI and a fine of Rs 25,000.

Public Prosecutor Kuldeep Sen argued before the court that the girl was deceived by the accused, who sexually exploited her under the pretext of marrying her and took away Rs 50,000 cash and gold from her.

District and Sessions Judge PS Rana exonerated the accused of rape charges, but sentenced him Section 420, IPC.

Hamirpur, June 16
The police has arrested two persons in connection with the alleged sale of public distribution system (PDS) ration in the black market.

The incident had come to light yesterday when on a complaint of a few local residents, the police raided a shop at Bajuri village while bags of PDS ration, bearing stamps of the state government (subsidised ration meant for PDS), was being unloaded from a three-wheeler at a shop.

The police seized three bags of wheat flour and three bags of rice and arrested the shopkeeper and the driver of the three-wheeler.

The police is also investigating, how these ration bags were taken from the local PDS sale counter, situated in the midst of the city just adjacent to DC office.

Shimla, June 16
Himachal will soon have a separate Irrigation and Flood Control Wing in order to cater to exclusive irrigation needs of farmers as the state government proposes to split the Irrigation and Public Health Department.

A proposal for clearing the decks for the creation of a separate wing, headed by a chief engineer, will be placed before the Cabinet for approval shortly.

“I have already discussed the matter with Chief Minister PK Dhumal for the creation of a separate wing to meet the irrigation needs of farmers, and once the Cabinet gives the go-ahead, it will be come into being,” said IPH Minister Ravinder Singh Ravi here today.

Ravi will hold a meeting here tomorrow to discuss the issue.

Shimla, June 16
Centum Learning Institute (CLI) will organise a job fair for undergraduate and postgraduate students on June 17 here.A spokesperson of the CLI said HCL, Airtel, ADECCO India, HDFC Bank, Club Mahindra, DLF Finance, Bharati Axa, Future Generali, Ricoh Excel Marketing, Docomo, Tata Indicom and other companies would participate in the fair. The participants would be offered career opportunities at various functions.

Last year, more than 500 students had participated in the event and were offered the entry-level to managerial positions. — TNS