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Project workers face nature’s fury
Heritage status eludes village of artists
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High freight charges, taxes
Tourists on bikes create nuisance in Kangra
Chamba lacks professional institutes, varsities
Palampur bus stand in a shambles
Himachal diary
Shah Nehar Irrigation Project
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Project workers face nature’s fury
Mandi/Kullu, August 9 The recent flood in Phingri Nullah, near Solang ski resort, killed eight workers of Garg and Garg Co, which is constructing the 120-m-long avalanche control snow gallery being built as part of Rohtang tunnel project by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). The workers were caught unawares when the flash flood triggered by cloudburst in Phingri nullah washed away their sheds and blocked the passage of the snow gallery by debris and huge boulders on the intervening night of July 20 and 21. The casualties could be on a higher side had the rest of the 122 workers not been working at the time of the incident. Neither the contractor nor the BRO showed concern for their safety while erecting tents right at the site of the nullah. There are many other similar instances where the workers are left to face the nature’s wrath. The authorities of hydropower projects in Kullu and Parbati valleys generally allow makeshift tents to come up near nullahs. During the monsoon, these nullahs remain in spate and result in precious loss of lives. The administration too sounds its ritualistic alarm asking the project authorities to shift the labour to safer places only when some incident takes place. The Pandoh flash flood was triggered by a cloudburst as there has been illicit felling of trees in the uphill of the Bali Dhar range, the starting point of the flood, reveal sources. Though there was no loss of life, but the flood damaged properties, including an IPH water line, culverts on the highway and maize crop with crores. The Rohtang tunnel project authorities claimed they provided enough safety to over 1,400 workers, including 122 workers who had a narrow escape in the flash flood in Phingri nullah. But the workers alleged that they were exposed to the hazards of flash floods. They resented that their sheds were set up right at the site. Had the labour sheds been located at a safer place, the lives of the eight workers would have been saved, they claimed. Garg and Garg Co had neither ambulance nor an alarm system or any mechanism erected upstream to warn the workers about the flash flood, the workers rued. Despite the fact that the monsoons trigger cloudbursts and flash floods every year in the Dhundi-Phindri-Kangni-Marhi-Gulaba belt, the private companies never pay heed to the safety of the workers. There are over six major nullahs between Solang and Dhundi, the site of the south portal of the 8.82-km Rohtang tunnel. The major ones include the Phindri, Dhundi, Solang, and Beas Kund. All these are prone to flash floods, inform locals. The story is in no different in others parts of the state. Meanwhile, the administration and companies have expressed their helplessness in dealing with the natural disasters, saying that these are unpredictable. The project companies claimed that they chose the best possible sites for labour tents in the project areas.Dr JC Kuniyal, a senior scientist at GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Kullu, observes that cloudbursts result from a sudden rise in the temperature in a specific zone and a lack of vegetation uphill cause flash floods. “We need to grow vegetation in the flood prone regions and take preventive measures like not allowing any constructions that block the natural flow of water. Labour tents should be erected outside the flood zone. We also need proper planning while constructing roads and bridges”.
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Heritage status eludes village of artists
Palampur, August 9 Nora built a beautiful English style cottage of mud, slates and bamboos in the village. She used to teach drama to students from Punjab and various other parts of the country. She was also honoured by Punjabi University, Patiala. She later donated her house and land to the university, which has preserved it as a heritage monument. SS Boparai, vice-chancellor of the university, takes a keen interest in managing Nora’s property. With the help of local craftsmen, carpenters and masons, he has been able to restore the house. The original shape and interiors of the house have not been disturbed and its life has been increased by at least another 15 years. Students from the university come to Andretta every year on October 29 to celebrate Nora’s birth anniversary. They enact plays in her memory. Besides, special functions are also organised. From Lahore, Nora contacted BC Sanyal, a well-known painter and sculptor, and Prof Jaidyal, who had been her husband’s pupil. They had also built mud houses in this village. Prithvi Raj Kapoor also used to visit this village and stay with Prof Jaidyal, who had been his tutor in Lahore. Another artist Sardar Sobha Singh, the famous painter who made portraits of Sikh gurus, also settled in this village and lived here until his death. One can visit his art gallery where dozens of his paintings and blueprints can be seen. After the death of Nora Richard in 1971, a vacuum was created in the cultural activities in this village. Now, Sanyal’s daughter Amba has started a venture known as Nora’s Centre for Arts. Mini, son of great artist Sardar Gurcharan Singh, is also settled in this village. He has started the Andretta Pottery and Craft Society. The society sells rangoli-patterned glazed earthenware all over the world. Mini also teaches students how to make and appreciate pottery. Besides, he has also set up a museum of Himachal pottery, which unfortunately is on the verge of extinction today. Meanwhile, despite the village’s association with such great artists, it has been neglected by the state government which has failed to declare it as a heritage site.
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High freight charges, taxes
Solan, August 9 The NIA while taking a serious view of the unilateral fixing of freight charges by transport unions opined that the rates were not only arbitrary but also exorbitant in comparison to the neighbouring states, thus making goods manufactured in Himachal highly uncompetitive. The unions followed no formula and no time frame and only declared and dictated the increase in rates to the industries unilaterally, it stated. Prem Sharma, NIA president, said the government should frame rules to regulate the freight charges. It should form a committee comprising representatives of the transport unions, industries and government officials to chalk out a definite formula and time frame to fix the charges. Small and tiny units should, however, be exempted from the use of vehicles only from the union as they had limited resources, he added. “Due to scheduled and unscheduled power cuts, the production activity gets adversely affected, especially in the continuous process industries. Such power cuts leads to an increase in the cost of production. Simultaneously, the functioning of the machinery is also affected. The units are forced to keep the labour and machinery idle for hours together. The association stressed that measures should be taken in consultation with the HPSEB to improve the quality of power in the state”. The industrialists took a stern view of double taxation in the state and said despite approaching various authorities to abolish the system, no success had been achieved. The NIA stressed that there were a number of items on which both entry tax as well as AGT/CGCRT were being levied. The association requested that either entry tax or the AGT/CGCRT should be imposed and both taxes should not be imposed simultaneously on the same goods. “The higher rate of entry tax on lubricants and fuels, which is 7 per cent ad valorem, has been putting an additional burden on the industry as both these items are being consumed on a daily basis,” Sharma said. The association demanded that these rates should be on a par with the rate of entry tax on raw materials, which is 1 per cent. Since multiple taxes are being levied on the industries, which is not the case in the neighboring states, the investors are feeling the pinch of excess taxation. The investors requested that such taxes should be abolished to make the industries competitive. Others issues like infrastructure development, proper management at the barriers to avoid traffic jams, providing municipal solid waste management plant etc were also discussed. Sharma and joint secretary Sanjeev Kothari said they were hopeful of finding an early solution to their problems as the minister gave them a sympathetic hearing.
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Tourists on bikes create nuisance in Kangra
Dharamsala, August 9 A large number of pilgrims from the neighbouring states visit Kangra district in the months of July and August during Shravan festivities to pay obeisance at various shakitipeeths here. Besides those who travel in trucks/jeeps or personal vehicles with families, there are youths who commute on motorcycles. The violation of traffic rules and eve teasing by such youths trouble the locals the most around this period of the year. The traffic police, however, claims that it challans them for various offences. Abhimanyu, traffic in charge, Dharamsala, agrees with the situation and says, “We have been challaning pilgrims for riding motorcycles without helmets, besides overloading (triple-riding) and wrong parking. We don’t allow them to move ahead without helmets on accident-prone routes”. He mentions that till now they have challaned five vehicles for violating traffic rules. Eve teasing is another major problem that makes these bikers unwanted by locals. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sanjeev Gandhi shares that no official complaint of eve teasing has been received so far. “Such youths turn rowdy quite often as they come in groups. We are keeping a strict check on such activities and will control the nuisance wherever possible,” says the ASP. According to locals, there have been cases of clashes among locals and these bikers in the past.
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All the world’s a stage
by Shriniwas Joshi Shakespeare wrote: “All the world’s a stage”. Sure it is and prison houses are no exception. Shimla jails, both at Kaithu and Kanda, have been supporting these words since 1996. Drama therapy is common in jails in Europe, but the technique was first introduced to inmates in Shimla by Saroj Vashisht who volunteered to help prisoners express themselves and communicate with others. Her mission was not easy because working with inmates was a difficult task but, today, she feels that she has managed to make them feel that they are humans and that life inside their cells is not so bad after all. She has been joined by three enthusiastic personae - Amla Rai, a theatre artist of repute; Shekhar Bhattacharya, a committed dramatist; and Janeb Chandel, a social activist. Last week, inmates of Kanda jail performed two plays - “Hawalat” by Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena and “Heere ki Anguthi” by a jail inmate, Uttam Kumar. Both the plays were ably directed by Shekhar Bhattacharya. Vocal musical interludes given by Jitendra Sharma in “Heere ki Anguthi” were added to the situations in the play which added beauty to it, but it was “Hawalat” that had the punches and vibrations for which Saxena is known. It has four characters - three youths and a policeman (see photo).The three educated youths are unemployed and in extreme penury. They starve and shiver in the cold, and a constable, finding them running away in the dark presumes them to be ruffians. The youths feign to be so in the hope of spending the night in the lockup where they would have something to eat and wraps to keep the cold away. The constable blindfolds them and makes them go round and round, giving them the false impression that they are being taken to the lockup. The youths, through dialogues, unfold the present day tribulations of society and force the constable to believe that he too is not different from them. When their blindfolds are removed, they find themselves at the same place, but by then the audience understands the characters’ dilemma. True, the dreams are shattered when eyes are open. And here the director scores a point by keeping the actors on hold and brings home the nuance of distancing effect of the theatre of the absurd. The plays were the outcome of a 30-day workshop with the inmates. Sankalp, another organisation, had arranged a five-month-long workshop in 2001 for the prisoners of Kanda Jail when Kedar Thakur worked with them to produce Prem Chand’s “Bare Bhaisahib”. Saroj Vashisht informs that, so far, they have staged 20 plays with jail inmates, including “Muwavze” by Bhism Sahni and Sadat Hasan Manto’s “Lath Sahib ki Rasoi”, “Maujdeen ki Rihai” and “Commission”. Safdar Hashmi’s plays and Punjab’s folk “Bhand” have also been staged by the inmates. Saroj said, “Jalta hua Rath” by Sudesh Deepak was another play done with gusto by the inmates. Kanda jail inmates had a dream of performing the two plays at the Gaiety, but it was not to be for reasons of safety and security otherwise Shimla would have attained the position that Berhampur Jail had by staging Tagore’s “Tasher Desh” at Rabindra Sadan, Kolkata, in 2006. Central Prison Mysore and Bangalore have also understood that the lonely life behind the bars dissipates human creativity and enthusiasm towards artistic activity. So, they motivated the prisoners to take to drama resulting in the performance of “Madhavi” by Bhishm Sahni and “Kurukshetra… and after” by Kanthi Tripathi. The reforms in jails have introduced theatre activity in the prison houses in various states. May be, one day, one of the jail inmates from Shimla turns himself to the likes of 36-year-old Adrian Mason, a convicted armed robber from Coventry (England), who is playing the role of chief villain Edmund in a touring production of “King Lear” by Royal Shakesperena Company! It is because he vowed to turn his life round and studied drama while in jail. He is also playing the lead role in a film being produced by local director Sean Forge.
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Chamba lacks professional institutes, varsities
Chamba, August 9 Moreover, Chamba is the best-suited region for setting up of universities like ayurveda and animal sciences, which are required for the progress of the state. Even then, there is no proposal to open any of such universities and colleges in the district. “The successive governments have been overlooking Chamba district in every field whether it is railway and air link or institutes of higher learning,” welfare bodies and NGOs of the area lament. The revolution in the industrial and IT witnessed in the past few years has led to an increase in the demand of skilled manpower. Keeping this in view, technical education has been accorded top priority in the state. To provide quality technical education to the students at their doorsteps, educational institutions of repute are being opened in Himachal Pradesh. Official sources reveal that the government is also paying attention to the skill upgradation and train the youth. The education sector in the state has witnessed a silent revolution. Technical University set up at Hamirpur has started functioning from this academic session. Likewise, classes will begin at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Engineering and Technology Institute set up in Pragatinagar, Shimla district. The classes began in 2009 in the IIT at Kamand in Mandi district. The National Institute of Fashion Technology set up in Chheb in Kangra district has also started functioning. The state is heading towards becoming an educational hub of the country. The efforts of the government in this direction have been lauded at the national-level. The state ranks number one in the education sector in surveys conducted by various prestigious agencies. With a view to providing quality education to students near their houses, the government has opened 13 engineering colleges, seven pharmacy colleges and 19 polytechnic colleges in the past three years. Two new courses - electronics and civil engineering - have been introduced in Jawahar Lal Nehru Engineering College, Sunder Nagar, from the academic session 2010-11. Besides, the institute has been registered under the Total Quality Improvement Programme-II. A notification regarding four new ITIs has been issued by the government under which two ITIs have started functioning from 2010-11 in Tikker and Bhadrota, each. The remaining two ITIs have been proposed to be opened in Ghumarwin and Sandhol in 2011-12. Five new state polytechnic institutes are proposed for Bilaspur, Kullu, Sirmour, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts. A notification to this effect has been issued by the government. As many as 14 ITIs have been upgraded to the Centre of Excellence. Besides, 30 ITIs have been upgraded in the public-private partnership under the Modular Employable Scheme. The state has also been focusing upon providing employment opportunities to the trained youth for which employment cells have been set up in all professional training centres.
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Palampur bus stand in a shambles
Palampur, August 9 It is being alleged that in the absence of proper check by the HRTC authorities, poor quality of material was used in the construction of the bus stand complex. This is evident from the fact that floor and other civil works were washed away in the first monsoon showers. There are deep potholes in the bus stand which havecaused waterlogging making it difficult to move even on foot during the day whereas during the night, no one can enter the compound. It has become a matter of concern, particularly when the HRTC authorities are least bothered about the situation. When it rains it becomes difficult for passengers to approach the ticket counters because of heavy waterlogging in and around the bus stand. Even as Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had specifically directed the HRTC officials to repair the damaged portions before the onset of the monsoon, but none cared. With the monsoon in full swing, passengers have been facing great inconvenience. It may be recalled that Palampur bus stand is one of the important bus terminals of the state as thousands of passengers board buses from here to different destinations daily. Despite the fact that over 500 buses come and move out from this terminal every day, the HRTC officials have been extending a step-motherly treatment to this complex. The government had acquired 75 kanal of prime land in the heart of the town for this complex. According to the blueprint, there was a plan to construct booking offices, clock room, guesthouse, official complex to house HRTC offices, banks, besides a greenbelt around the bus stand. There was also a proposal to set up a shopping complex under the self-financing scheme. However, not even a single proposal of the original blue print was implemented by the HRTC.
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Plantation drives in Kasauli
With the growing awareness about the need to preserve the environment more and more people are taking interest in plantation drives. Monsoon season is the time when afforestation drives are launched by both government institutions and NGOs. Many sections of the society voluntarily plant saplings to improve the environment and prevent further degradation of the fragile ecosystem. Recently, a tree plantation drive (see photo) was conducted at the Lawrence School, Sanawar, under the aegis of the Nature Club in collaboration with the IAYP (International award for young people) and the SPOKE (Society for Preservation of Kasauli and its Environs). The IAYP is a statuary body that acknowledges school students across the world for their contribution in four areas, namely skill, adventure, sport and social service. After completing a specified duration of activity in each of the four areas, a volunteer is conferred a bronze, silver or gold medal corresponding to the level for which the latter is eligible. The SPOKE, comprising primarily of senior citizens patronised by former Governor BK Nehru, exhorts schools in and around Kasauli to undertake activities related to environment conservation. Braving inclement weather, a group of 100 students of the school planted thousands of saplings of various varieties on the barren patches of the school campus. Lt Gen Kamal Davar, a member of the SPOKE and former Punjab Corps Commander along with Brig MS Chowdhury, secretary of the SPOKE, joined the students in the plantation of saplings. Blood donation camp
A Shimla-based NGO Ashadeep organised a blood donation camp at Kotshera college, Shimla, to spread the spread the message of "Peace and Harmony". A painting competition was also held on this occasion based on the theme "Human Life". Over 47 students donated blood. Inaugurating the camp, principal of the college Parveen Mahajan lauded the efforts of Ashadeep, which was doing a yeoman service to the humanity and involving the youth in positive initiatives. Sushil Tanwar, president of Ashadeep, said the organisation would soon conduct a tree plantation drive by involving youths. Suraj, Manoj and Dev Vrat were adjudged first, second and third, respectively, in the painting competition. Coordinator of the camp and painting competition Anjana Panwar said such activities helped inculcate the sense of responsibility towards society among the youth.
Anthology of critical essays released
Septuagenarian poet and critic Shriniwas Shreekant has come out with another book in Hindi titled 'Gulp Ke Rang', which was formally released by Prabhakar Shrotriya, an eminent literary critic and the editor of the Samkaaleen Bhartiya Sahitya (a publication of Central Sahitya Academy, Delhi) at a function in Shimla. He appreciated the literary contribution of Shreekant and said the critical literary essays on the work of fiction by eminent writers contained in the book were of very high quality. The writers include Kamleshwar, Nirmal Verma, Ramesh Upadhaya, Chitra Mudgal, Raji Seth, Mridula Garg, Priyamvad, Keshave, Harnot, Subhash Pant and Jaya Jadwani (Hindi), Shivaji Sawant and Shubhanagi Bharbhare (Marathi), besides Gunter Grass, an eminent novelist of Germany. The function was organised by the Himalaya Sahitya Sanskriti Avam Paryavaran Manch. Chairperson of the manch SR Harnot said Shreekant had five other titles to his credit, which included poetry collections and an edited storybook based on the 40 writers of Himalayan region.
Award for former HPU professor
It is in recognition for her outstanding contribution towards progress and development of Indian society that Manorma Sharma, former music professor in the Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), will be honoured with the International Achiever’s Award 2011 in Bangkok on October 7 on the occasion of International Achievers Summit. Sharma has authored 26 books and has more than 160 research papers on culture and music to her credit. She has travelled to places like Tanzania, Kenya, Iraq and Australia in pursuit of undertaking comparative studies of Indian classical music with music of other countries. She has also made significant contribution to social uplift of children, women and senior citizens. Sharma had done research on the improvement of mentally handicapped children through music. (Contributed by Rakesh Lohumi and Pratibha Chauhan)
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Shah Nehar Irrigation Project
Nurpur, August 9 The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of the Union Water Resources Ministry has recently approved its revised cost, which was Rs 75 crore more than its previous estimated cost of Rs 310.89 crore. The project was scheduled to be completed in 2003, but it was delayed due to paucity of funds. The farmers of lower Kangra district will get irrigation facility to 15,287 hectares with the completion of this project, but so far about 12,000 hectares has got this facility. The work of 34 km out of 45 km long proposed canal of the right bank has been completed, which has to provide irrigation to around 9,100 hectares. Similarly, 22 km out of 26 km long canal of the left bank has been prepared, which has to provide irrigation to around 6,200 hectares. The Himachal Pradesh and Punjab governments have to bear the construction cost of this project with 38.26 and 61.74 per cent ratios, respectively. The delay in releasing funds by the Punjab Government has not only delayed completion of the project, but also enhanced its construction cost. Irrigation-cum-Public Health Minister Ravinder Ravi said the TAC had granted permission of revised cost of the project last month. He added that the construction of the project was in final stage and would be completed by March next year. “This project will benefit farming community and ameliorate their socio- economic condition,” he asserted.
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Mandi/Kullu, August 9
The famous Andretta village, situated in the foot hills of Himalayas 10 km from Palampur, is known as a village of artists. Nora Richard, an Irish writer, dramatist and follower of Tolstoy, was the first artist to make this village her home. Her husband was a professor in Government College at Lahore. After his death, she left for England only to return and settle here permanently.
Dharamsala, August 9
vignettes
With the growing awareness about the need to preserve the environment more and more people are taking interest in plantation drives. Monsoon season is the time when afforestation drives are launched by both government institutions and NGOs.
Many sections of the society voluntarily plant saplings to improve the environment and prevent further degradation of the fragile ecosystem. Recently, a tree plantation drive (see photo) was conducted at the Lawrence School,
Sanawar, under the aegis of the Nature Club in collaboration with the IAYP (International award for young people) and the SPOKE (Society for Preservation of Kasauli and its Environs).
