Dharamsala, October 28
Infighting in the Kangra BJP has come to the fore again. Members of the district BJP today passed a resolution seeking action against a minister from Kangra.

District president of the BJP Ranjit Singh Pathania admitted that resolutions have been adopted. He said a minister (with obvious reference to IPH Minister Ravinder Singh Ravi, who is considered close to Dhumal) from Kangra, was openly declaring candidates in certain constituencies. The candidates who were being declared were not even party members. They fought elections against official candidates of the party during the last Assembly elections, he said making reference to the Independent MLA from Nurpur, Rakesh Pathania.

Declaration of candidates was the prerogative of the party high command and ministers should not breach their privilege by declaring candidates, he said.

“We have urged the party high command to direct ministers from issuing such statements, the BJP leader said.

He further said: “In another resolution we have urged the party high command to direct ministers to take block-level office-bearers into confidence on their official visits. In the recent past, many office-bearers of the BJP have complained that ministers were not taking them into confidence while organising functions in their areas. Instead the ministers are organising functions with the connivance of those who are not even members of the party.”

The district body of the BJP is dominated by close associates of former Chief Minister and national vice-president of the party Shanta Kumar. Political leaders from the Shanta camp are against the preference given to Rakesh Pathania. After being denied the party ticket after opposition from Shanta Kumar, Rakesh Pathania won the last Assembly election as an Independent.

Since he is close to Chief Minister PK Dhumal, Rakesh Pathania has earned the ire of many BJP leaders from Kangra, including the Kangra BJP MP Rajan Sushant.

Both leaders have openly levelled allegations against each other many times.

However, the recent action of the Kangra district BJP has been evoked due to the meeting of Dhumal loyalists here in the recent past.

The division in the party has become more obvious in the recent past with both Dhumal and Shanta factions holding their programmes separately. Even the Chief Minister admitted to factionalism in the party while addressing a press conference at Palampur recently.

With the party entering the election mode from next year, the infighting in the BJP is likely to take a toll on the prospects of the party, especially in Kangra district. Twelve of the 16 sitting MLA’s in Kangra district belong to the BJP.

Meanwhile, Ravinder Ravi and Rakesh Pathania were not available for comments.

Shimla, October 28
Small hydroelectric projects are proving a boon for the state power board which is getting additional power at reasonable rates.

Over the past three years, about three dozen small power projects (up to 5 MW) have been commissioned and 44 projects, with an aggregate capacity of 172 MW, are supplying power to the board. Although the generation in hydroelectric projects declines sharply during winters, these projects are still helping in easing the power shortage during the lean winter months.

The generation from the board’s own projects has come down from 100 lakh units to 40 lakh units due to a decline in the discharge in rivers and streams. However, small projects set up by independent power producers (IPPs) are supplying 24 lakh units, which is a significant number. Moreover, the board is getting power at a nominal Rs 2.87 per unit from these projects. Further during summers, the small projects supply over 55 lakh units daily and as a result the board has more surplus available power for banking.

With the mercury falling sharply, the daily demand has increased to 240 lakh units and it is likely to cross the 250 lakh units mark during the peak winter. At the same time, the availability will decline as the generation in the hydropower projects will fall further and reach 25 per cent of the peak summer levels, widening the gap. The board is already drawing 48 lakh units from Punjab and Haryana under the banking arrangement. It had provided 500 million units to the two states during summer.

The board is gearing up to meet the situation and it has sought 200 MW of additional power from November from the unallocated pool of the Centre. Since the shortage of coal has affected thermal generation in the country, there may be some delay in the allocation of additional power. The board is confident of securing at least 36 lakh units of power from the unallocated pool against the demand of 48 lakh units.

The state government is already supplying 100 lakh units to the board from free power available to it as royalty in various projects. If required it will give more power to help meet the winter shortfall. The board also plans to secure another 500 million units from Punjab and Haryana through contra-banking, which will be returned during summer.

Kangra, October 28
Lobsang Sangay, Prime Minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, has sought the help of the United Nations, the international community and the media in resolving the Tibet issue. He has urged the UN to send fact-finding delegations to know the ground realities in Tibet, following the 10th case of self-immolation by a Tibetan in Tibet, and find a peaceful solution to the vexed issue.

Sangay was talking to The Tribune here recently before leaving for a foreign tour.

He said: “China instead of accepting the failures of the hardline policies adopted by it, is blaming us for the issue.”

He said Tibetans here had neither any role to play in these protests nor encourage any protest inside Tibet because they knew the consequences of it.

Sangay said those involved in protests in Tibet were either arrested and jailed or killed.

He, however, said once they did self-immolation and it was the duty of the Tibetan government-in-exile to support them. On October 19, Tibetans here observed the Solidarity Day and held a daylong prayer as per the Hindu and Buddhist traditions for those who had died.

He said it was sad to learn about the sacrifices made by the 10 Tibetans because it was a painful act of protest.

The motivation of self-immolation was for Tibet and the Tibetan people and not to harm anyone.

Sangay added that “With a saddened heart we express our solidarity with all those who have died so far protesting against the Chinese occupation. The hard-reprisal policies adopted by the Chinese Government are unbearable today.”

In reply to a question that the Dalai Lama was supporting a non-violent freedom struggle for Tibet, then how the Tibetan government-in-exile was supporting self-immolation, Sangay said self-immolation was not an act of violence to harm another person, adding that violence harming others was neither supported nor encouraged by the Tibetan government-in-exile.

Shimla, October 28
Even as the meeting of the BJP state working committee, to be held here on October 31, will primarily dwell on the preparations for the Jan Chetna Yatra of LK Advani and the coming two byelections, the escalating bickering between the two camps may also echo.

A meeting of the state BJP office-bearers will be held here on October 30 followed by the crucial state working committee meeting the next day. All prominent leaders, including Chief Minister PK Dhumal, Rajya Sabha MP Shanta Kumar, in charge of the party affairs Kalraj Mishra, co-in charge Shyam Jaju and state BJP chief Khimi Ram are expected to attend the working committee meeting.

Party sources said with the rival Shanta and Dhumal camps gunning for each other, the bickering might echo at the meeting also as both sides were literally at daggers drawn. The issue of appointing a new BJP chief in place of Khimi Ram has been on the cards for the past some time, but with consensus eluding the warring factions the task seems difficult.

While the Shanta camp has been favouring the candidature of MLA from Rohru Khushi Ram Balnahata for the top party post, the Chief Minister and his supporters are not keen on handing him the reins of the party. The Dhumal camp is keen on Health Minister Rajiv Bindal being made the state party chief, but so far the issue has remained unresolved, despite national BJP president Nitin Gadkari asking the two camps to arrive at a consensus on the issue.

It is for the first time ever since some dissident leaders owing allegiance to Shanta Kumar met the high command that the state working committee meeting is being held. “Since the Dhumal camp, too, seems to be in a mood to retaliate, there could be fireworks at the meetings as the two camps will be face to face and that too in the presence of Kalraj Mishra,” said a senior leader.

“The meeting has basically been convened to focus on Advaniji’s yatra while it passes through Himachal,” said state BJP spokesperson Ganesh Dut. He said two rallies would be held at Mandi and Nahan on November 16 and 17, respectively.

With the notification for the two byelections to the Nalagarh and Renuka seats likely to be issued anytime now, senior leaders could also discuss the election strategy and names of the candidates.

Dharamsala, October 28
The criteria being adopted by the academic council of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh for recruitment of assistant professors has come under criticism. It is being alleged that in the criteria being adopted for selection of assistant professors, PhD or MPhil candidates are not being given any marks or any kind of preference despite their better qualification.

Affected candidates alleged that the criteria adopted by the university was against the UGC regulations adopted for recruitment of teachers in universities across the country in 2010.

They alleged that as per the Appendix-III table-II (C) of the UGC regulations for recruitment of assistant professors, it has been stated that the academic and research performance should be given 50 per cent marks while screening candidates.

The MPhil, PhD degrees and research publications should be counted in academic and research performances. However, in the criteria laid down by the university for screening of candidates for posts of assistant professor, no marks were being given for MPhil and PhD degrees, they alleged.

Certain aspirants seeking job in the university as assistant professor have acquired information regarding the criteria being adopted for their selection under the RTI, a copy of which was provided to The Tribune.

As per information received under the RTI, the academic council of the university has decided to give 5 per cent marks for matriculation, 5 per cent for Class XII, 15 per cent for graduation and 25 per cent for postgraduation.

In the said 50 per cent academic and research performance, no marks were being allocated to PhD and MPhil degrees, the affected candidates said while speaking on condition of anonymity.

Besides, in the selection criteria 30 person weightage is being given to assessment of domain knowledge and teaching skills.

In the said criteria, candidate would be given marks on the basis of presentation to be made on any topic selected from the programme concerned of studies in front of the selection committee for 10-12 minutes. The remaining 20 per cent marks in the selection criteria would be given on the basis of performance in the interview.

Liaison officer to VC of the Central University Vivek Sood said till date no recruitment had been carried out.

Regarding the criteria adopted for and screening and selection of candidates, he said the UGC regulations adopted for recruitment of teachers in 2010 were being strictly adhered to.

He also denied the charges that any UGC regulations for recruitment was being violated.

He said the criteria adopted for selection of candidate had been approved by the academic council of the university. In addition to that, the UGC NET of the State-Level Eligibility Test and PhD were basic qualifications for the posts of assistant lecturer.

In case additional marks were given to PhD candidates, it would have created a disparity, he said.

However, the candidates have alleged the said criterion had already been adopted in screening of assistant professors.

PhD candidates have already been placed on disadvantage during the screening.

The university is already facing criticism from a section of students for failing to provide them permanent faculty. The recruitment of permanent faculty in the university is being delayed due to non-appointment of visitors (President’s) nominee to the selection committees.

Kangra, October 28
A 70-year-old man was killed when he was hit by a motorcycle at Galian Jaterd village and four others were injured in three different road accidents in the Kangra valley, the police said here today.

Kangra district police chief DS Thakur said Gian Chand, a resident of Galian Jaterd village, was hit by a motorcycle and died on the spot.

He said the motorcycle driver fled from the scene leaving the motorcycle at the site of the accident. Later, the police impounded the vehicle and registered a case under Section 279 and 304 A of the IPC.

Meanwhile, Pankaj Kumar, Ritisha, Risht and Swaran Singh were injured in three road accidents and were admitted to different hospitals for treatment.

The police has registered the cases under Section 279 and 337 of the IPC. Pankaj was injured in a hit-and-run case. His motorcycle was hit by an unknown vehicle.

Shimla, October 28
The state government will consider granting compensation to the affected families for the damage caused due to the construction of hydroelectric projects, especially in the tribal Kinnaur district where the maximum number of projects are coming up.

This was announced today by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal while addressing a public meeting at Tapri in Kinnaur after laying the foundation stones of a Rs 22.5-lakh sabzi mandi and a Rs 35-lakh shopping complex. He said the government would take up the matter with the power companies concerned for the grant of compensation to the affected families in the tribal areas, failing which stern action would be taken against these.

He urged people to extend their cooperation for the effective implementation of various projects and schemes to speed up the development process in the tribal areas. He said the government would also consider allocating shops in Thakur Sen Negi Shopping Complex to those uprooted due to the construction of the complex.

Dhumal said the government was creating a network of agriculture markets for the convenience of farmers and fruit growers and at present six market yards were under construction. These would cost Rs 11 crore and a mega modern market would come up at Paralla in Theog at a cost of Rs 100 crore.

Dhumal said a ropeway would be constructed in the area to facilitate the transportation of fruit and other produce to the roadhead from inaccessible villages.

Local MLA Tejwant Singh Negi thanked the Chief Minister for allocating Rs 80 crore under the tribal sub-plan, which would help speed up the development in the area.

Gian Chandel, chairman of the Shimla-Kinnaur Marketing Committee, said the market yard at Tapri would immensely benefit the farmers and fruit growers of Kinnaur.

Shimla, October 28
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal inaugurated the four-day Kinnaur Tribal Festival at Reckong Peo today. He also inaugurated the 4.5 MW Bhawa augmentation project at Katgaon, constructed by the state electricity board at a cost of Rs 56 crore.

The project will fetch an annual income of Rs 7.85 crore to the board. Speaking on the occasion, Dhumal said the Bhawa augmentation project was an environment-friendly venture in which eight ropeways were put into service for the transportation of material to the site. He said the government had formulated a plan to exploit 23,000 MW power potential by 2020 and so far 7,856 MW had been harnessed.

He said the board would also take up the renovation work of the Jainag Devta temple at Yangpa village and bear the expenditure incurred on installing street lights in the village. The board had spent Rs 25 lakh on the water supply schemes for Yangpa Kafnu and Katgaon villages, Rs 34 lakh on the construction of the Kafnu-Kashba road, besides constructing a temporary bridge at Mashram. An amount of Rs 7 lakh had been spent on providing street lights in Yangpa village.

Dhumal said various development projects had been taken up in Kinnaur district, which included a mini-secretariat at Bhabanagar, a tehsil office at Moorang, offices at Pooh, a high school building at Barang, an auditorium in Government Degree College at Peo, a school building at Samiru and flow irrigation schemes for Nanajo-Tranda and Kansang-Jangi. Another flow irrigation scheme was being constructed for Them-Grang and the Telangi water supply scheme for Ribba gram panchayat.

Dhumal announced Rs 5 lakh for the Maheshwar Devta complex, Rs 3 lakh for Nag Mandir at Yangpa village, Rs 1 lakh for Bodh Bhikshu Mandir, Rs 1 lakh for Mahila Mandal, Yangpa, Rs 3 lakh for the Kuldev temple, Rs 2 lakh for Mahila Mandal, Dei, Rs 3 lakh for the Karana Mahila Mandal and Rs 4 lakh for the Katgaon Mahila Mandal.