Shimla, August 1
With contractors purchasing the C grade apple directly from the growers at attractive prices, there has been no procurement under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) so far during the current harvesting season.

With repeated spells of hailstorm severely affecting the quality of the fruit, procurement under the MIS was expected to be on the higher side.

However, so far no procurement has been made at the 218 centres made functional by government agencies.

In all 7.5 lakh standard boxes of apple have been sent to various markets so far and about 200 to 215 truckloads, carrying about 1 lakh boxes, are being despatched daily.

While the government has pegged the procurement rate at last year’s level of Rs 5.25 per kg, private contractors are offering Rs 9 to Rs 10 per kg to the growers at their orchards. The rate is almost double and the growers are also spared the trouble of transporting the produce to the nearest procurement centre. The procured fruit is being packed in gunny bags and sent to markets in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

As the production has been low, the market has stayed high so far but the reason for the C grade apple fetching high rates is that it is being readily transported to the market.

In contrast, the government agencies stock the apple by the roadside after procurement and by the time it reaches the market, it is already spoiled. Last year a record 1.11 lakh tonnes of apple was procured under the MIS and about 55 per cent of it was spoiled. The apple sold in the market fetched only Rs 1.80 per kg. The government has still not paid the growers from whom the fruit was procured and the arrears stood at over Rs 30 crore. As such the entry of the contractors is a welcome development for both the growers and the government. While the growers are getting double the price, the government will not have to bear losses on account of procurement under the MIS.

As against last year’s record output of 4.46 crore boxes, the total production this year is likely to be around 2 crore boxes and as such the market is expected to stay high. The superior-quality royal delicious variety is selling at over Rs 2,000 per box at Delhi as compared to Rs 1,100 per box last year. Even lower varieties like red gold are fetching over Rs 1,000 per box, almost double than what these fetched last year.

The IIT’s website and 16 new products have been designed by the first batch, which has emerged as a unique feature of the institute. The designs will be tested in fields for commercial use. — Timothy A Gonsalves, Director, IIT, Mandi

Mandi, August 1
The first batch of the Indian Institute Technology (IIT), Mandi, that became functional here last year, has set a new benchmark for the new batch of over 108 students, including eight girls, by designing 16 new products. The new session began here today.

Setting a new benchmark for the new IITs as well as the established ones across the country, students of the first batch of BTech students of the IIT, Mandi, have designed its website. They have also designed 16 new products, including the drip irrigation system, cell phone re-chargers and lab equipment, useful for farmers and scientists.

The innovative “design curriculum” has emerged as a unique feature of the IIT, Mandi. “It is generally in the fourth and fifth year that students start designing new models of technology, but students in Mandi are doing it in the first year itself,” claimed faculty members.

The institute is still being run from a transit accommodation on the premises of a postgraduate college here. The IIT’s new campus is coming up at Kamand, 15 km from here.

Talking to The Tribune here today, the Director of the IIT, Mandi, Prof Timothy A Gonsalves, said they had framed the curriculum in such a way that it encouraged innovation and helped design new products and equipment for the benefit of people, especially farmers.

“The IIT’s website and 16 new products have been designed by the first batch, which has emerged as a unique feature of the institute,” he said.

Professor Gonsalves said the designs would be tested in fields for commercial use for farmers. “The new designs have been developed by the students as a team,” he added.

The IIT, Mandi, also seems to be attracting researchers. “This year we have enrolled 15 researchers for PhD and Master of Science so far. Last year the number was 20,” Professor Gonsalves added.

Preference for a particular IIT should not be considered as a real indicator of its ranking and performance. “Top industrial leaders were no JEE-IIT toppers. However, it is natural for students to prefer the established IITs,” he added.

He said the IIT, Mandi, was a new institute and was “creating its space among the established IITs”.

“It aims to make Himachal a hub of world-class green technology and solar biomass,” he added.

Meanwhile, only 13 students of the 9,618 who made it to the different IITs across the country this year belong to Himachal, sources said.

Chamba, August 1
In a bid to curb corruption, the Right to Service Bill and another Bill for attaching property acquired through corrupt means are expected to be tabled in the monsoon session of the Vidhan Sabha from August 23 to 30, said Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal while addressing mediapersons at the local Circuit House today.

Answering queries of reporters, the Chief Minister said the Right to Service Bill was intended to ensure the delivery of certain services within a stipulated time frame, failing which the erring official would face stringent legal action.

Likewise, property acquired through corrupt means would be confiscated as envisaged in another Bill to be brought in the monsoon session, he said.

On price rise, the Chief Minister said the state government had been making all-out efforts to provide relief to the people from the price rise,which they had been facing due to the “wrong policies and programmes” of the UPA government at the Centre. He said the frequent hike in the prices of petroleum products was affecting the common man adversely.

He said following the hike in the prices of diesel recently, the state government had provided a relief of Rs 1.90 per litre by reducing VAT from 14 per cent to 9.70 per cent.

Highlighting the achievements of the BJP government in the state, Dhumal said the state government, during its three-and-a-half-year term, had benefited every family by way of providing four CFL bulbs free of cost, which cost the state exchequer Rs 65 crore, subsidy on electricity to all domestic consumers, for which the state government enhanced the amount of subsidy to Rs 166 crore during the current financial year.

He said Himachal Pradesh happened to be the only state in the country which was providing the cheapest power to its domestic consumers, adding that BPL consumers were paying only 70 paise per unit for electricity.

The Chief Minister asserted that the “progressive policies and programmes” of the state government had helped it win 44 national-level awards, besides the Prime Minister’s Award for Environment and the first position in the implementation of 20-point programme for the second time in a row in the country.

He said the endeavour of the state government on all important fronts had been lauded by World Bank and Asian Development Bank.

Shimla, August 1
Even as the state government has once again approached the Union Home Secretary to allow donning of the new uniform by IPS officers in the hill state with the switchover from khaki to blue, the HP Police Employees Welfare Federation has once again approached the court on the plea that the move is dividing the force.

The federation has filed a fresh petition in the HP High Court on July 12 seeking a stay on the change of attire on the plea that this will divide the police force as IPS officers will wear khaki while DSP-level officers will wear blue.

The federation has also pointed out that some of the IPS officers continue to wear the blue uniform despite the fact that the Union Secretary, Internal Secretary, has turned down the plea of the state to change the uniform colour.

“We are awaiting a reply from the Union Home Secretary to whom the Chief Secretary has once again written to allow the change in uniform of IPS officers, who are controlled by Police Uniform Rules, 1954,” said Director-General of Police DS Manhas. He added that irrespective of the decision of the Centre, the uniform of police personnel up to the DSP level would remain blue.

Manhas pointed out that since IPS officers serving on deputation in the CRPF, the BSF, the NSG and the Assam Rifles wore olive green, black or steel grey uniform to gel with the organisation, there should be no problem in allowing the state police to wear a uniform which was different in colour.

As far as IPS officers are concerned, there seems to be reluctance on the part of many to get into the cool blue. The fact that the Centre has turned down the state’s plea for a change in uniform has come as a major saviour for them who are opposed to the change, but cannot openly defy it.

However, the fact remains that the police personnel in the state have not been able to prepare themselves mentally for this change from the colonial khaki to the new blue look.

“When it is not possible for IPS officers to wear blue, why should the uniform create a divide between officers and the force. So we should all be allowed to continue with khaki, which everyone identifies with the police force,” asserts Ramesh Chauhan, president of the HP Police Employees Welfare Federation.

The federation had filed a petition in the court against a change in uniform last year also and it is still pending. Almost 50 per cent of the police personnel up to the DSP rank in the state have been provided blue uniform and the rest are likely to get it this year as there was some problem in the availability of the material.

Shimla, August 1
The last wishes of former BJP leader and former Nalagarh legislator Harinarain Saini are likely to be fulfilled as his widow today met Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, staking her claim to the ticket to be able to honour her husband’s wish of making her his political heir.

With the byelection to the Nalagrah Assembly constituency due by the end of this year, the wife, son and family members of Saini today made public their desire to field Gurnam Kaur in the byelection. Gurnam Kaur, wife of the former BJP MLA, accompanied by her son Gurvinder Singh, today called on the Chief Minister at his residence, Oakover.

“I met the Chief Minister today and staked claim to the party ticket as my husband was keen that I contest and take on the responsibility of his constituency,” said Gurnam Kaur. She added that they also thanked him for sanctioning various schemes for Nalagarh as per her husband’s wishes.

Today’s meeting has set aside speculation that Saini’s son Gurvinder, an engineer working with a private firm, would be his political heir. There were reports that Gurvinder, who was earlier reluctant to take the plunge, was wiling to contest and could take forward the legacy of his father.

However, the significant meeting has set aside all such speculation. “Shortly before his demise on June 17, my husband at a public meeting at Rajpura village had expressed his desire that I should be his political heir,” said Gurnam. She, along with her son and brother-in-law, had conveyed these sentiments of Saini to the Chief Minister.

Though the election has to be held anytime before six months since the seat fell vacant, there was speculation about the next candidate from Nalagarh. “It is almost a foregone conclusion that either Saini’s wife or son will be given the party ticket keeping in view the public sentiment and popularity of Saini who was a highly respected leader,” said a minister.

However, the name of a senior bureaucrat hailing from Nalagarh was also doing the rounds as a probable candidate. It’s a different matter that the BJP at this juncture would be in no position to ignore the claim of Saini’s wife, keeping in view the public emotions. The public would want to honour and fulfil the last wishes of Saini of seeing his wife becoming his successor.

Solan, August 1
The Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has issued a C-19 recovery notice to the Proctor and Gamble’s Baddi-based unit for recovering Rs 2.71 crore for the non-payment of dues to its about 70 employees. The amount includes ESI dues, interest and a penalty for the past five years.

Regional Director, ESIC, Parwanoo, BS Negi, while confirming this, said after issuing this notice, a 15-day period had been given to the unit and the recovery procedure would be initiated soon. Earlier, the unit was served a show-cause notice and adequate time was given to the management to explain its stand. Since the reply was not found satisfactory, action under Section 45 of the ESIC Act was taken and this notice under Section C-19 given. Negi added that these employees were employed for work being undertaken within the same premises, hence the liability to get them registered and pay their ESIC dues lay with the unit management.

The MNC had been violating norms and the unit management had not deposited ESI dues of about 70 employees since 2006. A complaint received by the ESIC’s Parwanoo office had led to an inquiry which detected that these employees were without the ESI number. They had been duly enrolled in the attendance registers, but no ESIC benefits were being given to them.

The ESIC could now seal their bank accounts and property to recover the dues after issuing a recovery notice.

The MNC was known to have hired several labour contractors who had made available labourers to it, but a number of its contractors had not registered themselves with the ESIC. This was despite the fact that the MNC had been deducting these payments from their salaries.

Kangra, August 1
Two persons were killed and 30 injured, two of them seriously, in three different road accidents in the Kangra valley since last night, the police said here today.

Kangra district police chief Diljit Singh Thakur said a private bus (No.DL-1 PB-8989) carrying pilgrims from here to Jawalamukhi dashed against a tree and overturned at Paisa Balugloa village on the Matour-Shimla national highway last midnight. Two pilgrims identified as Prem Singh (65) and Prince, alias Puppy (50), both residents of Uttar Pradesh, died on the spot.

Local residents rushed to the spot and helped in the rescue operation. Twentyone persons were injured, two seriously, the police said.

Among the two seriously injured, one was identified as Uday Singh (25) of UP. The injured were admitted to the Jawalamukhi Hospital and the DRPGMC, Tanda.

Driver of the bus Gopal Krishen of Mormar village, Nagrota Bagwan, was arrested under Sections 279, 337 and 304-A, IPC. He was allegedly drunk when the accident took place.

In another accident, five pilgrims were injured when the truck trailor (PB-05 J-1860) carrying them from Chintpurni to Jawalamukhi overturned near Hanuman Mandir, Dhaliara, falling under Dehra police station today. The injured from Checkbai Raikot village, Ludhiana, were identified as Gurmait Kaur (60), Joginder Kaur (55), Bhuta Singh (20), Jagdesh Singh (33) and Jaspal (11) were rushed to the Dehra hospital for treatment.

The police said 25 pilgrims were travelling by the truck trailor which was in a dilapidated condition and overturned due to some mechanical defect. Driver of the truck Amarjeet was arrested under Section 279 and 337, IPC.

Pilgrims in thousands, particularly from Punjab, have been visiting different shrines of the state in trucks which is strictly banned in the state.

Four persons were injured when a scooter hit them in the Civil Lines area late last night, the police said.

Nurpur, August 1
The state government has received the final investment nod from the Union Water Resources Ministry for the proposed Rs 205-crore Finna Singh Medium Irrigation Project for the Nurpur area.

This was stated by IPH Minister Ravinder Ravi while addressing mediapersons at Sadwan today after launching the construction work of the first village link road in Kangra district to be built jointly under MNREGA and the PWD.

He said Chief Minister PK Dhumal would lay the foundation stone of the much-awaited irrigation project in September.

“The approval given by the Centre has paved the way for kick-starting the work on this ambitious project, which has to provide irrigation facility to around 4,000 hectares of 69 villages of the area,” he said.

He said local MLA Rakesh Pathania had undertaken concerted efforts and raised issues relating to the project several times in the state Assembly.

“The present state government has so far earmarked Rs 30 crore towards its share of construction as 90 and 10 per cent of the cost of this project is to be borne, respectively, by the Centre and the state,” he pointed out.

Pathania, while thanking the Chief Minister and the IPH Minister for approving the project, said Rs 17.50 crore would be spent on metalled village link roads and 42 such roads would be built by March next year. He claimed that Congress leaders had only used the proposed irrigation project for political gains and it was only the Dhumal government which had initiated serious efforts for its approval.

Mandi, August 1
Balvinder Singh, one of the three accused brought here by the Patiala police in connection with a case of looting of a private vehicle from a resident of Randhara, near here, today, was admitted to the Zonal Hospital, Mandi, after the Punjab Police charged him with inflicting a deep wound with a blade on his arm in a bid to free himself from custody.

The three accused were being taken to the Mandi Jail here after they were produced in the fast track court, the police said.

Though jail inmates charged the Punjab Police with inflicting the wound, the police dismissed their allegations as baseless saying that Balvinder went to drink water from a public tap in the town and inflicted a deep cut on his arm with a used shaving blade which he found there.

He started bleeding profusely and was rushed to the hospital with the help of the Mandi police. He, along with the other two accused Satnam Singh and Jagdish, were being escorted by the Punjab Police to the Mandi Jail.

The three accused, along with two other accomplices who were given bail in the case, were produced before the fast track court judge here today.

They had looted a Sumo vehicle at Randhara, beat up the driver and escaped under the cover of darkness on July 17, 2009. They were, however, arrested by the Punjab Police in similar cases of theft in Patiala as well, the police added.

Though Satnam and Jagdish were sent to the Mandi Jail, other two accomplices of the trio - Pawan, Panni and Dipu - were out on bail, the Punjab Police added.

Meanwhile, the Mandi ASP told The Tribune that Balvinder was under treatment while the other two accused were sent to jail after they were produced in the court.

Kangra, August 1
B Samuel and Dr Amit Gupta were honoured for their contribution in their respective fields at the installation ceremony of the Rotary Club here last night.

Samuel, 85, a former engineer, was responsible for the erection, testing and commissioning of two hydro machines and the construction of 132-KV transmission lines from Giri Nagar to Kufhal in UP and to Solan in HP.

This power house was semi underground where turbines and generators were installed by him in shafts and the transmission lines were the first tower lines to be erected in HP.

Dr Amit Gupta, a gynaecologist, is an assistant professor in the DRPGMC, Tanda.

Both of them were honoured by Chief Medical Officer, Kangra, KS Dogra who was chief guest at the function. Dr Dogra also released a souvenir of the Rotary Club on the occasion.

Earlier, Dr BK Pahwa was installed president, P Bhasin secretary, Inder Sachdeva, Aman Guleria and Sanjeev Katna vice-presidents, Ashwani Guleria and Dinesh Kalra joint secretaries, Vinay Gupta finance secretary and press secretary Rakesh Kathuria of the Rotary Club here.