Shimla, August 3
The state government today urged the Centre to raise the import duty on apple to safeguard the interests of the apple growers of Himachal, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East.

Horticulture Minister Narinder Bragta met Union Minster of Commerce and Industries Anand Sharma in Delhi today and drew his attention to the fact that the apple market had crashed as the fruit from developed countries like China had flooded the domestic market as a result of which apple growers of Himachal alone had suffered a loss of around Rs 100 crore during the current season.

He said the NDA government had increased the import duty on apple to 50 per cent in 2000-2001 on the personal intervention of then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, but the current onslaught of imported apples had created an alarming situation which required immediate action.

He requested the Centre to designate apple as a “special product” to protect the interests of the apple growers.

Bragta said the state produced around 6 lakh tonnes of apple per annum, accounting for more than 80 per cent of the total fruit production of the state. He said apple was grown in nine of the 12 districts in the state and over 1.6 lakh families were dependent on it for livelihood. The yield ranged from 6.5 to 8 tonnes per hectare as compared to over 40 tonnes per hectare in advanced countries due to plain land. He requested the Centre to intervene to save the economic interests of the apple-growing families in the hilly states.

Anand Sharma assured Bragta of positive action in the matter.

Shimla, August 3
The BJP high command may finally decide the fate of its defiant MP from Kangra Rajan Sushant as national secretary Shyma Jaju today said the party would take a final decision on the issue within a week’s time.

Addressing a press conference here today, Jaju, who is co-in charge of the BJP in Himachal, said the matter had been under the consideration of the national disciplinary committee. “It is expected that shortly the party will decide his case, which has been pending with it for the past some time,” he stated.

Senior party leaders from Himachal, including state party chief Khimi Ram, have been seeking action against Sushant for making embarrassing utterances against his party’s own government. Not only have the state leaders been apprising the high command of Sushant’s outburst against the Chief Minister and the government but he was also removed from the state BJP executive.

BJP leaders from the state have been echoing their concern over the inordinate delay on the part of the high command to rein in Sushant. They feel that the delay by the top brass of the BJP was sending a wrong signal and the belligerent MP was getting more defiant. State BJP office-bearers had raised the issue vociferously before the national vice-president and in charge of the BJP in Himachal, Kalraj Mishra, barely a fortnight ago.

Jaju also appreciated the recommendation of Shanta Kumar on the Karnataka Chief Minister. “The kith and kin of BJP leaders who have come into politics have made it on their merit and not because of their family relations,” is how he replied to a query about nepotism plaguing the BJP like the Congress. He lauded the performance of Himachal on various fronts and said other states could take a lesson from the hill state’s development story.

Jaju said the BJP would launch a nationwide stir against corruption as the UPA regime had been marred by many scams.

Shimla, August 3
With trading in renewable energy certificates (RECs) fast picking up, small hydropower generators (up to 25 MW) in the state stand to gain much as energy from these sources. These are also called generators of green energy.

Trading in RECs started only in February, and in March 150 certificates were traded at the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX). However, it has been on the increase and in the latest trading session held on July 26 as many as 14,668 certificates were traded at Rs 1.55 each. The buy bids shot up from 120 to 81,493 and sale bids from 150 to 34,978, making it evident that more distribution companies were coming to the IEX for trading.

Under the renewable energy framework, it is obligatory for distribution companies to procure a minimum defined percentage of renewable power. In case of shortfall or inability to meet the obligation, the companies have to purchase RECs. If the obligated entity fails to do so, it is liable to a penalty to be imposed by the State Electricity Regulatory Commission, depending on the shortfall of units and the forbearance rate.

Independent power producers (IPPs) of the state will get additional benefit, over and above the normal price at which electricity is sold, in the shape of RECs to be purchased by obligated entities at rates determined by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission.

The state power utility has also been obligated to procure over 7 million units of solar power from this year under the regulations.

It is mandatory for the utility to purchase 10.1 per cent power from renewable sources from 2010-11, which will go up to 11.1 pc in the following year and 12.1 pc in the third year, under the renewable power purchase obligation.

It will include 0.1 pc solar power in 2011-12 and 2012-13. The increase will continue to reach 0.25 pc by 2016.

Shimla, August 3
The Sutlej Bachao Jan Sangharsh Samiti, representing people to be affected by the 750 MW Luhri hydroelectric project, has served a legal notice on the state pollution control board for announcing a fresh public hearing for the Luhri project on August 9 without providing the requisite details about the vital components of the project in the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environment Management Plan (EMP) reports.

It has also submitted a memorandum to World Bank, the funding agency, opposing the decision of the board to conduct a fresh public hearing on an incomplete EIA. The samiti had given its views during the public hearing on the project held earlier. However, the public hearing in Karsog, the area to be affected by the tunnelling work, could not take place due to opposition by the people and now the board has announced a fresh date.

It maintains that the main concerns of the local people with regard to the project, which involves the construction of twin tunnels of 9 m diameter, have not been addressed. The tunnels will impact nearly 89 villages of Mandi district alone and 36 villages of Kullu but the EIA and EMP reports do not include any details as to how they will be affected by the construction of the tunnels.

Experience shows that tunnelling leads to problems like erosion, cracks in houses and disappearance of water aquifers and sources. The EIA, being currently circulated for public hearing, is incomplete and inadequate as it skips the tunnelling issues. The samiti pointed out that the Deputy Commissioner, Mandi, issued orders to all subdivisional officers to visit the sites and investigate the issues after it raised objections. The findings of the investigation and fresh surveys in the EIA report are yet to be made public. The board should not have announced a public hearing in haste, said Nek Ram Sharma, a leader of the samiti.

Shimla, August 3
The Himachal Kisan Sabha has urged the government to dissolve the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (Shimla and Kinnaur) with immediate effect as it was exploiting apple growers by imposing hidden charges.

It has decided to organise a march to the Vidhan Sabha on August 26 during the monsoon session to press for its demands. Convener of the sabha Kuldeep Tanwar said Rs 4 to Rs 7 per box or bag were being charged from the growers in the name of handling charges. Further, 2 to 3 kg of fruit was deducted as weight of the gunny bag which was much on the higher side. The bags, which cost Rs 20, were often not given back to the growers.

To cap it all the market did not have modern weighing equipment, which added to the problems of the growers. He demanded that a digital weighing machine be installed at the Dhalli market at the earliest. Other demands included handling charges be fixed at Rs 2 per bag or kilta, adequate space for parking of trucks, inclusion of representatives of the sabha in the meetings of the state marketing board and provision of board and lodging for growers.

Dharamsala, August 3
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal released a book on satires, authored by Gurmit Bedi, DPRO, Una, last evening. The book, titled “Khabardar Jo Vyangya Likha”, contains a compilation of 78 satires, which were published in some of the leading dailies and literary magazines of the country.

The foreword of the book has been written by three prominent authors Gopal Chaturvedi, Prem Janmejay and Subhash Chander.

The satires make a scathing, but veiled attacks on issues like corruption, the tainted political system and degradation of social values.

This is the third compilation of satires by Bedi. The other two compilations, include “Isliye Hum Hanstein Hain” and “Naak Ka Sawal”. “Naak Ka Sawal” was selected for the prestigious Virsa Award by the Virsa Literary Organisation in Canada.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister lauded the efforts of Bedi. He congratulated him for compiling the book, which not only creates humour, but also makes a dent on the prevailing social issues.

Bedi is a recipient of the Himachal Sahitya Academy Award. He is also the recipient of Punjab Kala Sahitya Academy Award, besides a number of other awards and honours.

Prior to this compilation, the author has written six books, which include a poetry collection “Mausam Ka Takaza”, collection of short stories “Kuhase Mein Ek Chehera” and a research book on the Baijnath Shiv Temple.

He has also authored three novels “Sarhad Ke Us Paar”, “Nakshatron Ke Ghere Mein” and “Kale Chashme Wala Aadmi”.

Shimla, August 3
RTI activist Dev Ashish Bhattacharya met Governor Urmila Singh here yesterday and submitted copies of information on the details of ministers’ assets obtained by him under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Maintaining that the details were incomplete, he urged her to get the information compared with the one filed by while filing nominations for the Assembly poll.

He urged her to direct the ministers to file the complete details assets, including those of spouses and family members with supporting affidavits. He requested her to get a vigilance inquiry conducted into the declared assets to establish whether any details had been suppressed by the ministers and also to identify the assets of their spouses and family members.

He also brought to her notice the fact that the Chief Minister had not declared his assets. Further, the Income Tax Department should be asked to scrutinise the details to detect undeclared assets and take action to confiscate such assets, if any.

Shimla, August 3
Expressing concern on the violation of the provisions of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995, and United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in the state, the high court issued notice to the state government.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Sanjay Karol further directed the Secretary (Education), Secretary (Social Justice & Empowerment), Director (Social Justice & Empowerment), Director (Education) and Principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Portmore, Shimla, to file a reply within a month.

The Bench passed this order on a letter written by Ajai Srivastava, Chairman, Umang Foundation, an NGO, wherein he urged the court to intervene for the protection of the rights of differently abled students in the state.

The court passed this order and listed the matter for further hearing on September 9, 2011. It was alleged in the letter petition that as per the UNCRPD, the National Policy for Persons with Disabilities and the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995, provided that every child with disabilities had a right to education, equal opportunities and full participation.

Moreover, the government claims that education for girls up to the graduation level is absolutely free.

The court further directed the parties not to charge any tuition and hostel fees from the three girls, who have been admitted to Class XI in the Portmore school.

Dharamsala/Una, August 3
The Navratra mela in temples of Una and Kangra districts has begun this week. Lakhs of devotees from different parts of the country are thronging the temples.

However, along with this rush of pilgrims, the perennial problem of use of trucks and tractor-trailers for ferrying passengers has once again surfaced on highways in the state. Thousands of people visiting the temples are coming in trucks and tractor-trailers, creating traffic hazards on state roads. The police is finding itself helpless in tackling the situation.

A senior police official said on condition of anonymity that they were not in a position to stop the misuse of these vehicles for transporting passengers during the mela days.

“The only solution we have to the problem is to impose a fine on the owners of such vehicles. The income generated by the police by imposing fines has multiplied but the menace has not stopped,” he said. “People using trucks and tractor-trailers vehicles come in groups. In case we stop them, they sit on the road that creates a law and order problem, especially during the mela days when there is heavy vehicular traffic,” he said.

Police officials maintain that the only solution to the problem regarding the use of trucks and tractor-trailers for ferrying passengers is that these should be stopped at the “source”.

The state police has written to the Punjab police many times to check the use of such vehicles for ferrying devotees right at the village level. However, sources here said the Punjab police had also expressed its helplessness in the matter.

Meanwhile, keeping in view the security scenario, the Una police has banned the carrying of coconuts as an offering in the Chintpurni temple. Una SP Sumedha Dewedi told The Tribune that the entry of vehicles inside the Chintpurni temple complex area had also been banned during the mela days.

Shimla, August 3
Admissions to undergraduate classes in various colleges in the state will be allowed with a late fee till August 9.

The decision was taken at a meeting of Principals of about 40 colleges, chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof ADN Bajpai, here today. It has been decided that admissions will be made by the respective Principals after observing proper codal formalities and examining the legality of the applicants at their own level and later a consolidated list will be forwarded to the university for approval.

The HPU had earlier decided not to allow any admissions after June 30. The relaxation was made after some students approached the high court. — TNS