Dharamsala, September 8
The building of the vegetable and fruit market in Dharamsala was completed two years ago but it is yet to be inaugurated.

Not only farmers but consumers too are facing a number of problems due to the failure of the state marketing board to open the mandi. Due to non-availability of a proper fruit and vegetable mandi in Dharamsala, the supplies in the area are being controlled by a few suppliers from Pathankot. This leads to higher prices of fruits and vegetable in markets of Dharamsala as compared to the other areas of the district.

In Dharamsala, the prices of fruits and vegetables are generally 10 to 20 per cent higher than those in the adjoining areas. With the opening of the mandi, the farmers can come here directly to sell their produce. The reduced chain between the sellers and buyers is bound to bring the prices of fruits and vegetables down in the area.

Investigations by The Tribune revealed that the construction of the mandi started about a decade ago. Initially, the work was delayed as the state government did not appoint the chairman of marketing board. Under the provisions of the relevant Act, the chairman of the marketing board has the powers to carry out expansion work of mandis in the state.

Now that the work of the building has been completed, the government has to allot shops in the mandi to traders to make it functional. Sources say there could be some political say in the allotment of shops. Earlier the allotment of shops in Palampur mandi also led to allegations and counter- allegations. Many had moved court alleging bias in allotments. This could be one of the reasons for delay of the launch of the mandi in Dharamsala.

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has been pushing for more mandis in the state to provide farmers a platform to sell their produce. Many farmers in the state have taken to vegetable growing after the state government offered 80 to 90 per cent subsidy on polyhouses.

The state mandi board imposes a market fee of 1 per cent on the goods sold in its markets.

The sources say due to lack of political resolve, the work on development of mandis in the state is progressing at a snail’s pace. Farmers of the lower region of Himachal are dependent on markets of adjoining states for their flowers, trout and fish produce. These farmers allege exploitation by traders from mandis located in adjoining states.

Shimla, September 8
A lean apple crop may have disappointed fruit growers but with a record kharif production on the cards, the hill state is all set to complete a hat-trick of bumper crops.

Last year the state produced an all-time high 14.68 lakh tonnes of foodgrain, 28,000 tonnes more than the previous high of 14.40 lakh tonnes achieved in 2007-08, after a series of crop failures. The kharif crop accounted for 7.41 lakh tonnes and the rabi 7.27 lakh tonnes. However, with a normal monsoon the current kharif production was likely to surpass the 9-lakh tonnes mark. While the rice crop is in very good state, the maize has suffered some damage in isolated pockets of Bilaspur, Kangra and Mandi due to heavy rains.

According to Director of Agriculture J C Rana, maize production was likely to be around 7.65 lakh tonnes as against 6.05 lakh tonnes and rice over 1.40 lakh tonnes.

With 78 per cent of the area under agriculture entirely dependent on rains for a good crop, the production has been fluctuating. For instance, it dipped from 14.40 lakh tonnes in 2007-08 to 12.25 lakh tonnes in 2008-09 and further to 11.11 lakh tonnes in 2009-10 which was the worst year.

Last year, the state had a record fruit production of 9.60 lakh tonnes and a record foodgrain production of 14.68 lakh tonnes. However, this season the production of apple, which accounts for 85 percent of the total fruit production of the state, is set to plunge from last year’s record 8.92 lakh tonnes. So far only 70 lakh standard boxes have been sent out to various markets from the state as compared to 1.97 crore boxes last year. However, it was more than the 2009 season when only 49 lakh boxes were exported and the total output was just 2.80 lakh tonnes.

On an average, 400 trucks of apple carrying over 2 lakh boxes are being sent out and the flow is likely to be maintained till September 20. The total production may not exceed around 1.60 crore boxes, much less than the horticulture department estimate of around 2.20 crore boxes. 

Shimla, September 8
The Forest Department has sought adequate compensation from the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), executing the 800 MW Kol Dam project, to rejuvenate the prime habitat of the “cheer pheasant” which is likely to be submerged under the dam water in Bilaspur.

About 9 sq km of the 39.38 sq km Majithal forest area, considered the birthplace and main refuge of the “cheer pheasant”, is likely to be submerged under the dam water.

Even as wildlife experts and forest officials admit that alternative measures to rejuvenate the forest and recreate the ideal habitat desired by the winged creatures are next to impossible, with more funds at its disposal, afforestation can be undertaken on a large scale.

With the cost of the project, being executed by the NTPC on the Sutlej, likely to cross Rs 1,400 crore, the Forest Department is hoping to get at least 5 per cent of the total project cost. Officials are also trying to impress upon the Ministry of Forest and Environment and the Power Ministry to get a substantial amount of compensation to take alternative steps.

“The coming up of the dam will definitely play havoc with the habitat of the “cheer pheasant” which figures in the Schedule I species of the Wildlife Protection Act, but now at this advanced stage any major change seems unlikely; so our strategy will be to get the maximum possible money,” said an official.

The Forest Department has already echoed its concern about losing of the “cheer pheasant” habitat, which is already facing the threat of extinction. The wildlife wing of the Forest Department has started a conservation and breeding programme of the “cheer pheasant” at Chail, near here.

The Kol Dam will lead to the submergence of over 49,000 trees, including 1,600 saplings. The proposal for a reduction in the height of the dam by two or four metres is unlikely to make much of a difference and considering the escalting cost, it is not being viewed as economically viable.

While on the one hand the forest authorities are making efforts to breed “cheer pheasants” in captivity as part of their conservation project, the submergence of a major habitat of the bird will be a big blow to all their endeavours.

Shimla, September 8
The Students Central Association of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) and SFI activists today burned the effigy of Vice-Chancellor ADN Bajpai in protest against the stalling of the oath-taking ceremony of the elected office-bearers.

The agitated SFI students questioned the wisdom of the HPU authorities in stalling the oath-taking ceremony, which they felt was the constitutional right of the elected representatives. “The VC or the authorities have no right or authority to stall the oath ceremony as the SCA has been elected by the student mandate,” said Vikram Singh, state SFI president.

He said when the MPs and MLAs facing serious criminal charges could be administered the oath, how could the VC stop the elected representatives from assuming office. “We will wait for some time or else we will knock the doors of the court to ensure that the oath ceremony takes place and the SCA formally starts functioning,” he said.

He also said the students’ demand for providing hostel to 140 girl students had still not been fulfilled. He said the authorities were merely indulging in delaying tactics.

Shimla, September 8
The Himachal Pradesh High Court today issued show-cause notices to Narender Chauhan, Principal Secretary, IPH, RK Sharma, Chief Engineer, IPH, and Naresh Kumar, Executive Engineer, Kangra, asking them why contempt charges should not be framed against them.

Justice Surjit Singh observed in an open court that prima facie contempt had been committed by the respondents. The court observed that the officers could not misinterpret the orders of the court even if an appeal had been filed against the orders and the same was pending for adjudication.

The court passed this order on a contempt petition filed by Virender Kumar alleging that the respondent officers had wilfully not complied with the orders of the court passed on August 5, 2010.

According to the petitioner, the court had directed that the services of the petitioner be regularised with effect from July 2004 as a pump operator. The respondents regularised the services of the petitioner from 2011.

According to the petitioner, this was wilful disobedience of the orders of the court.

However, the state government apprised the court that an appeal had been filed against the orders, but no stay was granted by the appellate court.

Justice Surjit Singh observed that an appeal did not give a licence to the respondent officials to misinterpret the orders of the court. The case will be listed on September 13 for further orders.

Solan, September 8
Taxi operators from Chandigarh and neighbouring states have complained of overcharging by the entry tax staff at the Baddi and Parwanoo barriers.

A section of the taxi operators who ply regularly in the state from Chandigarh and its periphery, said though the rate list of entry tax was displayed at the barriers, the staff forced them to shell out Rs 50 to Rs 60 against the usual amount of Rs 40. Such practices were usually rampant in case of bigger vehicles like Scorpio and Innova.

They added that the receipts issued to them in lieu of the payment were of a lesser amount and if they questioned the staff about overcharging, the staff allegedly misbehaved with them. The problem was compounded by the fact that there was generally a queue of vehicles at the barrier and after paying the entry tax each vehicle had to move ahead leaving little time for them to ask why the staff was overcharging.

This practice was creating a poor impression about the state, said motorists.

The motorists added that this problem persisted only at the barriers in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh area and Parwanoo while other inter-state barriers at Paonta Sahib and Mehatpur charged the normal entry tax.

AETC, Baddi, RD Janartha said they had been taking action whenever such complaints were brought to their notice and a board displaying the actual rates in bold letters had been erected at the barriers so that the motorists were aware of how much they had to pay. ETO, Parwanoo, Rajinder Thakur said he had challaned the contractor in some cases and had sent some other cases for compounding to the AETC, Solan.

Solan,September 8
The Solan police has registered a case of cheating against a Chambaghat-based private institute which had promised to give a B.Ed degree to Madhu Sudan Sharma after taking Rs 51,500 from the latter.

The police registered a case under Section 420 of the IPC against the institute which had promised to provide the B.Ed degree to Sharma, who hails from Sadyana village in Subathu.

Police officials said Sharma had approached the institute on the basis of a newspaper advertisement. The advertisement had stated that the institute would provide a B.Ed degree from Degree Prist University, Tamil Nadu, which was recognised by Himachal Pradesh University.

Sharma deposited the due fee but he did not receive the degree as promised. Police officials said they were verifying facts and investigations were under way.