Shimla, November 2
Announcing the formation of the Himachal Bhrashtachar Mukti Morcha, BJP dissidents today virtually created a parallel body under the garb of fighting corruption, while stating that they were only emulating their senior leader LK Advani.

Addressing a press conference here today, the dissident group, including Maheshwar Singh, Radha Raman Shastri, Shyama Sharma and Mahender Sofat, announced that this was a non-political outfit whose main objective was to launch a crusade against corruption, which was bothering the common man. “It is a non-political outfit where social activists, spiritual gurus and all right-thinking people are free to join us in our fight against corruption,” said Maheshwar Singh, convener of the morcha.

He said it was after holding serious deliberations that everyone felt the need for such a body. “We will shortly announce a 51-member state executive and also district conveners so that a mass awareness campaign can be launched against corruption in every part of the state,” said Maheswar Singh, a former MP. He added that a separate RTI cell and a women cell, to be headed by former minister Shyama Sharma, would be created.

Former Speaker Shastri and Shyama Sharma have been made co-conveners and former MLA Navin Dhiman and Bilaspur Zila Parishad chairman Kuldeep Thakur its secretaries. Former Transport Minister Sofat will be the spokesperson and Tikku Thakur its treasurer. “We want all senior and experienced leaders with a clean image, who have become inactive, to join us in our fight against corruption,” said Maheshwar.

Interestingly, this is the second outfit floated by BJP leaders as earlier Kangar MP Rajan Sushant had floated the Himachal Adhikar Manch. Despite the state BJP seeking action against him for embarrassing his own party government, the high command has not taken any stern action against the belligerent MP.

The leaders, however, refrained from criticising the Dhumal regime as they said they would raise their voice against all kinds of corruption and invite others, including Shanta Kumar, to speak from their forum against corruption.

Maheshwar, however, raised two issues, one pertaining to the sale of cement in HP at higher rates than Punjab and the other pertaining to the manufacture of psychotropic drugs on a large scale at pharma units in Baddi and Paonta Sahib. “The fact that central agencies have seized such huge consignments of these drugs raises a question mark on the role of officials who are responsible for checking all this,” said Maheshwar.

The dissident leaders said they would raise all issues of corruption, be it against anyone, and were willing to pay any price for it.

Shimla, November 2
With the announcement of the by-elections to the Nalagarh and Renuka Assembly constituencies to be held on November 30, the model code of conduct has come into force in Sirmaur and Solan districts.

Chief Electoral Officer Narender Chauhan said as per the code the ministers would not combine their official visit with electioneering work and also not make use of official machinery during that time.

Government transport, including official aircraft and vehicles,would not be used for the furtherance of the interest of the party in power. Public places for holding election meetings, rest houses and helipads for air-flights would not be monopolised. Other parties and candidates would be allowed the use of such places. The code of conduct prohibited holding public meetings in government rest houses, schools, dak bungalows or other accommodations by any party or candidate.

Ministers and other authorities would not sanction grants out of discretionary funds.

The Election Commission has imposed a total ban on the transfer of all officials connected with the conduct of the election. These include but are not restricted to the Chief Electoral Officer and Divisional Commissioners, District Election Officers, Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers and other Revenue Officers.

The notification for the by-elections will be issued on November 5 . The last date for filing the nomination is November 12. The scrutiny will take place on November 14 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is November 16. Polling will he held on November 30 from 8 am to 5 pm.

Sujanpur Tihra (Hamirpur), November 2
Chief Minister PK Dhumal today said the formation of a bhrashatachar mukti morcha by certain BJP leaders to fight corruption in the state would also expose those persons who, under the garb of the anti-corruption campaign, are trying to hide their “acts of corruption”.

Talking to mediapersons here today, the Chief Minister said, “After the Anna Hazare’s campaign against corruption, such campaigns have become common. However, if anybody provides information about corruption with facts, the state government will take action.”

He said, “If the party thinks that any action is required against those accusing their own government of wrongdoing, it will act accordingly.”

The Chief Miniseter said, “The state government is determined to fight corruption and there are several agencies like the Lokayukta and the Judicial Commission to look into cases of violation of Section 118 of the Land Tenancy Act and if anybody has concrete facts, he or she can approach these agencies. Just going to the media will serve no purpose.”

To a question, the Chief Minister refuted allegations of illicit manufacturing of drugs in the state and said if certain drugs have been misused by unscrupulous people in the state, action would be taken.

Mandi/Manali, November 2
Thousands of commuters, including tourists, continue to have a rough ride on the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway-21 mainly on “trouble spots” created by a heavy monsoon. The regional officer of the Ministry of Surface Transport (MoST) is yet to inspect these trouble spots.

The PWD has done patch work to cover potholes, but the condition of the Chandigarh-Manali and Mandi-Pathankot highways remains pathetic. Commuters have been complaining that all 11 national highways that run through the state are in a bad shape.

The state government charges a hefty toll tax at its barriers at Ghara Mora, Parwanoo, Nangal and other entry points, but despite this the commuters have to suffer due to the rough patch work being carried out by the PWD and the MoST over the years.

Besides the monsoon, roads get damaged due to overloaded trucks carrying cement from factories at Barmana, Darlaghat and Bagha as the quality of the tarring and patch work on the highways remains poor and substandard.

The poor quality of tarring came to light on the Bilaspur-Gambhar stretch recently after an inquiry by the PWD found irregularities in the tarring work and four top engineers were placed under suspension, sources said.

The MoST has been allegedly giving a stepmotherly treatment to Himachal as it has not allocated enough funds for tarring and the maintenance of the 11 highways in the state.

The monsoon has damaged the road surface extensively on all national highways. The PWD has estimated the loss caused by rain to all 11 national highways at Rs 79 crore this year.

The Jogindernagar-Mandi stretch and the Mandi-Pandoh-Hanogi and Swarghat-Bilaspur stretches remained rough and potholed.

The MoST is yet to inspect the trouble spots at Pandoh-Shambal, Duwar-Hanogi, Dadour, Guma-Hara Bagh and other places on the other 10 national highways, including the Charabra-Kufri-Theog National Highway-21.

The condition of PWD roads, mainly in the apple belt of Chopal, Jubbal-Kotkhai, Rohru, Sungri-Rampur in Shimla district, Sundernagar-Janjheli in Seraj, Sundernagar-Karsog, Dharampur-Sarkaghat-Kankhal in Mandi district is pathetic, allege commuters.

The PWD has been blaming the Centre for not releasing enough funds for proper tarring and maintenance of the roads.

Top PWD engineers said on condition of anonymity that the regional officer of the MoST had been requested to inspect and assess the damage caused to the 11 national highways last month, but the ministry had not deputed him so far.

“We are trying to do patch work on all highways with funds from the state budget,” the PWD engineers said.

Sujanpur (Hamirpur), November 2
Sainik School, Sujanpur, today celebrated its 34th foundation day and held its annual function in which Chief Minister PK Dhumal was the chief guest.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion, the Chief Minister assured the school management of providing every help and enhancing the financial grant given by the state government to the school, besides rendering every help in infrastructure development.

He said, “The state has a great tradition of sending youths to the armed forces and Sainik School has been doing a commendable job in training local youths to join the Army as officers.”

Talking about the sacrifices made by the armed forces’ personnel from the state, the Chief Minister said, “Fiftytwo soldiers and officers sacrificed their lives during Operation Vijay in the Kargil war and of the four recipients of the Param Vir Chakra for that war, two belonged to the state.”

The Chief Minister said the state government had been pleading the case for a Himalayan Regiment in the Army having youths from the Himalayan region who were better acclimatised to serve in the hills.

The Chief Minister paid floral tributes at Veer Samrak and gave away prizes to students excelling in different fields on the occasion.

Students presented a colourful programme on the occasion.Earlier, Gp Capt Surender Singh presented the school report card.

One of the main attractions of the function was the display of Army equipment by a corps of the Army on the school ground.

Shimla, November 2
The swelling wage bill and irrational deployment of staff are affecting the performance of flagship government companies like the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC).

The burden on account of salaries and other employee costs of the corporation shot up from Rs 33 crore in 2009-10 to Rs 38 crore in 2010-11, while its turnover increased marginally from Rs 65 crore to Rs 72 crore, thanks to the 10 per cent hike in tariffs. The wage burden comes to almost 55 per cent as against the norm of 30 to 35 per cent for the hotel industry. Unlike some other PSUs, no serious initiative has been taken to downsize the corporation by outsourcing services.

The problem is compounded due to irrational deployment of staff as evident from the fact that in some loss-incurring complexes like Chamba, Kullu and Bilaspur, the employee costs account for 60 to 70 per cent of the turnover. The staff position of various units reflects a general trend that those making do with less manpower are relatively more economical and earning more profit. In contrast, many units with excess staff are suffering a loss or posting a marginal profit.

For instance, Pinewood Hotel in Barog with 48 employees is in loss, while Srikhand Hotel in Sarahan which has just 11 employees earned a profit of Rs 24.68 lakh last year. Similarly, Hotel Hatu (15 employees), Hotel Kalpa (12 employees), Hotel Rohtang (15 employees), Hotel Beas (18 employees), Naggar Castle (13 employees) and many other all posted substantial profits in excess of Rs 20 lakh. On the other hand, Hotel Shivalik (30 employees) and Golf Glade, Naldehra (25 employees), were in a loss. There are also units like Himachal Bhawan, Chandigarh, with 69 employees but a nominal profit of Rs 2.45 lakh. In comparison some major profit-earning units like Hotel Chail had less number of employees.

The Managing Director of the corporation, Vineet Kumar, agreed that the wage bill was on the higher side but said the corporation had implemented the revised pay scales, paid the arrears and also the enhanced gratuity. The terminal benefits like enhanced gratuity and leave encashment put an additional burden of Rs 50 lakh. The corporation also paid 5 per cent return on government equity for the past two years and without these additional payments the profit would have been more than double. In fact, the corporation, which has been perennially in the red, had started earning profit only in the past two years.

Steps were being taken to improve the profitability by introducing the dual tariff system on the pattern of airlines under which customers could avail of discount by booking accommodation in advance. Information about off-season discount had been put on the web portal so that tourists could plan their visits.

Dharamsala, November 2
A large number of Tibetans living in exile organised protest rallies and a candlelight march here as a part of the Campaign for Global Intervention launched worldwide today to highlight the issue of self-immolations by Tibetan monks in Tibet.

With the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay out of the country, the NGOs of Tibetan exiles carried the mantle of organising protests at McLeodganj the seat of the Tibetan government in exile. The campaign was a part of worldwide protests called by exiled Tibetans just a day before the G-20 countries meet that is scheduled to start tomorrow at Cannes in France. Chinese President Hu Jintao will participate in the meeting of G-20 nations and the Tibetans have chosen the occasion to highlight their cause and generate international pressure on China.

While addressing a press conference here today, president of the Tibetan Youth Congress Tsewang Rigzin said the self-immolations by Tibetans in Tibet were the ultimate form of non-violent action. China’s violent crackdown was intensifying the grievances of Tibetans and self-immolations were a direct result of Chinese action against Tibetan culture and religion, he said.

The Tibetan NGO representatives here claimed that protests were carried out by Tibetan exiles and their supporters in 60 countries across the world today.

The Chinese government should immediately release those detained since March 16, 2011, and provide details regarding those who had committed self-immolation, Dorjee Tseten, National Director of the Students for Free Tibet, said.

Lukar Jam, vice-president of Gu-Chu-Sum movement, and Kirti Dolkar Lhamo, president of Tibetan Women Association, called for global diplomatic intervention to prevent self-immolations by Tibetans in Tibet.

The Tibetan NGOs passed a resolution and demanded that China must immediately remove security personnel from Ngaba and Kardze regions and individual monasteries. All monks must be allowed to return unconditionally to their respective monasteries in Ngaba and Kardze regions.

They also demanded the release all those detained in connection with the 10 self-immolations, and foreign diplomats and independent foreign media should be allowed access to all Tibetan areas, especially the Ngaba and Kardze regions.

Shimla, November 2
The issue of extension of the retirement age of doctors serving in the three medical colleges from 58 to 63 has split the doctors fraternity in the state with medical officers and those serving in medical colleges holding divergent views.

The State Association of Medical and Dental Teachers Shimla (SAMDCOT) today said enhancing the age was a must to ensure that quality MBBS and specialist doctors were produced. “The medical colleges are basically governed by the Medical Council of India (MCI) which advocates enhancing retirement age to 70,” said Dr Rajesh Kashyap, general secretary, SAMDCOT.

He said enhancing the retirement age of medical college doctors would in no way jeopardise the promotional chances and opportunities to the medical officers. He said in fact medical colleges provided tertiary care to people and ensured that the state kept getting quality doctors.

On the other hand, the HP Medical Officers Association (HPMOA) today strongly condemned the move to increase the retirement age of medical college doctors. “This will affect promotion chances of young specialists, and when they can be re-employed, why is there the need to enhance the retirement age,” said Dr Jivanand and Dr Yash Pal Ranta, president and general secretary, HPMOA.

They said by holding departmental promotion committee (DPC) meetings, the problem of faculty would be taken care of. “Already there are 12 Assistant Professors (designated) who are awaiting promotion, and enhancing the retirement age will not solve they problem,” they claimed.

It is to tide over the problem of faculty that the government proposes to enhance the retirement age of doctors in medical colleges from present to 58 to 63 years.

Kangra, November 2
Dr RP Govt Medical College (DRPGMC), Tanda, has been selected as one out of 10 medical colleges in the country to carry on a multi-centric study titled “Neuro Developmental Disabilities” (NDDs) among children in India. The study would be conducted in 50 villages of this district to screen 2,500 children in the age group of 0-14 years.

Disclosing this here today, Dr Anil Chauhan, Principal, DRPGMC, Tanda, said the primary objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of neuron-developmental disorder among children, especially among those in the age group of two-nine years. He said the neuro-developmental screening tool had been developed to screen 10 disabilities in children, like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, hearing impairment, learning disorders, mental retardation, neuromuscular disorders, pervasive developmental disorders, speech and language disorders and vision impairment.

Dr Chauhan disclosed that the study was being funded jointly by the National Trust Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment GOI and the National Institute Health and Autism Speak, USA, and would be conducted in Srinagar (J&K), Kangra (HP), Nayagarh (Orissa), Shillong (Meghalaya), Hyderabad (AP), Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), Jamnagar (Gujarat), Palwai (Haryana), Goa and New Delhi.

Meanwhile Dr TD Sharma, secretary, Himachal Foundation, said in Kangra district 50 clusters would be selected and 50 children would screened in the age group of 0-14 years. Post-community screening every child would be assigned with a diagnostic label using validated “Consensus Clinical Criteria”.

The Himachal Foundation would work in close collaboration with DRPGMC, Tanda, to take the study to a logical conclusion, Dr Sharma said.

Bilaspur, October 2
Congress party state president Kaul Singh Thakur visited houses of bereaved families of Bandla road accident victims at various Bandla mid-hills and villages, most of the journey being on foot, here today.

He expressed condolences of his party with them and said 30 innocent lives were lost either due to some individual blunder or government failure to keep HRTC buses in good shape.

Later, talking to mediapersons,he said several families complained to him regarding “government callousness and bureaucratic approach” while providing financial relief to them. They said they should be given financial aid in cash without hassles as they were in need of it. Kaul Singh pleaded with the CM that officers should be ordered to visit every bereaved family and deliver the financial aid in cash there. He said he would also write to the Prime Minister to provide financial relief to these hapless families who had lost their bread earners.

Former Forest Minister and state Congress general secretary Ram Lal Thakur, former MLA Babu Ram Gautam and local prominent leaders, including Zila Parishad members Hoshiar Singh Thakur, Jitender Chandel, Santosh Dhiman, Basant Ram Sndhu and Vijay Kaushal, Bilaspur Sadar president Col (retd) AP Gauttam, Nagar Parishad vice-president Kamlender Kashyap and former Zila Parishad member Rajender Thakur etc accompanied him on this hill tour.

Nurpur, November 2
Raghubir Bali, son of former minister and sitting MLA of Nagrota Baghwan GS Bali, who is contesting election for the post of president of the state Youth Congress (YC), has assured newly elected delegates and members of the YC that they would be given special privilege after winning the election.

Addressing a press conference after holding a meeting of YC delegates at Jassur, near here, today, he said none would feel frustrated if he got mandate by the electorate.

“My first priority is to accord special attention to them and my new team will work for the strengthening of the youth wing of the Congress in the state. Besides, I will work in co-ordination with the state Congress committee to ensure the ouster of the ruling BJP government from the state in the forthcoming Assembly elections,” he asserted.

Without naming any of his rival candidates in the poll fray, Bali said one should first rise from grassroot nursery of the Congress, then contest top post of the YC.

Bali, a rival contestant of Vikramaditya, son of Union Minister Virbhadra Singh, categorically denied the allegation being levelled against him of his using money and force during the poll campaign and added that contestants who were levelling such charges should know him better.

Solan, November 2
The non-availability of quality power for the much-hyped Rs 64-crore Giri Lift Water Scheme has led to a major snag in three of its motors thus hampering adequate water supply to about 21,000 people in Solan and Kasauli constituencies.

Though the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department had paid Rs 14 crore, which was the estimated cost of setting up a dedicated substation for the scheme, in 2008 itself, the HP State Electricity Board is yet to set up the substation.

The scheme had been inaugurated in April 2008 and an arrangement was made to supply power through a 33 kV line from Solan. Since no dedicated power supply was made available to operate the scheme, low voltage was a perpetual problem plaguing the scheme, leading to a frequent breakdown of its machinery.

Adding to the peril of the IPH Department was the fact that the machinery had been purchased from Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL) and lakhs of rupees were being incurred on its repair each time the machinery broke down due to the fluctuating voltage.

With three motors having developed a snag, the IPH Department has to incur Rs 45 lakh on their repair now. As against the usual supply of 20 lakh gallons per day, only five lakh gallons could be drawn and this has led to a sharp decline in the supply.

Superintending Engineer, Transmission, VP Singh, while agreeing to a delay in the commissioning of the substation, said though tenders were called earlier, since the contractor had backed out fresh tenders had to be called. Since the process of tendering was under way, tenders would soon be awarded and it would take a year’s time to commission the substation after the award.

Problems were being faced in the winter months when the demand on load was maximum, thus leading to poor voltage to run the scheme. Another reason which delayed setting up of the substation was the fact that the earlier proposed 132/33 kV 25 MVA substation could not be set up as a bridge connecting the scheme could not bear load in excess of 10 tonnes and this forced the board to scale down the substation to 132/11 kV 16 MVA capacity. The PWD had specially warned that the bridge could not bear heavy load, thus adding to the delay.

Shimla, November 2
The Himachal Kisan Sabha will stage state-wide protests tomorrow to press its demands for streamlining the functioning of agriculture markets in the state.

Activists of the sabha will hold dharnas at the agriculture markets and also submit a memorandum to the government highlighting their demands.

President of the sabha Kuldeep Tanwar said farmers were fleeced by recovering unreasonably high handling charges at the agriculture markets, which lacked requisite facilities.

Growers were cheated by using manual weighing machines instead of electronic machines at the markets, he said.

The farmers are charged Rs 3 to Rs 4 more than the fixed handling charges and still 2 kg is deducted from the weight of bag while making payment for the produce. The sabha had staged protests in September, after which it was agreed that no such deduction would be made, but still complaints were received.

He said there were other demands like effective steps to deal with the problem of wild animals, which were causing extensive damage to crops, high prices of fertilisers, insecticides and other agriculture inputs and their non-availability.

Shimla, November 2
Aman Chaudhary, the accused in the murder of a 96-year-old man, was today remanded to two days’ judicial custody.

Aman, who has been sent to judicial custody till November 4, was produced before the court today. The Shimla police had succeeded in tracing the youth from his native place in Bihar, where he had been hiding after murdering Amba Dutt Dhanta.

“During the two-day judicial remand, we will undertake the identification parade before a magistrate, following which we will seek police remand of the accused,” said Sonal Agnihotri, SP, Shimla.

The 21-year-old youth has already confessed to the crime. He had fled with a booty of Rs 12 lakh after murdering the aged man. He had been engaged as a domestic help from Mumbai. — TNS

Shimla, November 2
The DLF Pramerica Life Insurance Company, a joint venture between DLF Limited and Prudential International Insurance Holdings, opened its first branch in the state in the Sanjauli locality here today.

Inaugurating the branch, executive vice-president Maninder Sood said his company was focussing on selected states like Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Delhi, and Himachal, which had a good potential for life insurance business, was the latest addition. With this the total number of branches had gone up to 41.

He said opening of a branch at Shimla was a significant milestone for the company since it marked its entry into the hill state, he said.