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Kangra narrow-gauge rail line in bad shape
Sewage treatment plant a health hazard
HP Public Services Guarantee Act to ensure accountability
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Care of elderly necessary for progress: CM
Gen Zorawar Singh Park cries for attention
vignettes
Free ambulance service benefits 88,522
Nostalgia gets ‘shelved’ in British-era shop
Himachal diary
Student-teacher interaction held
Award for college of education
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Kangra narrow-gauge rail line in bad shape
Palampur, January 3 Services on this route have been disrupted as the Railways has failed to restore a bridge on the Chakki river which collapsed four months ago causing inconvenience to hundreds of passengers travelling on this section daily. Neither the railway authorities nor the state government made any efforts for the early restoration of the rail services. The Himachal Pradesh High Court had already taken cognisance of the grim situation and summoned the Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, and senior officials of the Railways in the court this month to explain their conduct in view of the inconvenience being caused to the public. Prior to the collapse of the bridge, seven trains were plying on this route daily covering 33 stations passing through places like Nurpur, Jwali, Jwalamukhi Road, Kangra, Nagrota Bagwan, Chamunda, Palampur, Baijnath and Jogindernagar, which are also major tourists attraction centres of the state. The condition of the rail track between Pathankot and Jogindernagar has gone from bad to worse. Several other bridges are on the verge of collapse. The retaining walls on the tracks have developed major cracks. Wooden logs of the railway line have already outlived their life, which could result in a tragedy at any time. The British had laid down the Kangra Valley narrow-gauge railway line in 1932 linking all important and religious towns of Kangra and parts of Mandi district. Unfortunately, the Indian Railways has not added even a single brick to this track in the past 80 years. There has been manifold increase in the population and tourist traffic in the past 25 years to the Kangra Valley, but in the changed scenario the Railways has failed to come up to the expectations of the local people. The same century-old and outdated engines and coaches are still plying on the track.
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Sewage treatment plant a health hazard
Palampur, January 3 It has made their lives a virtual hell as the plant has become non-functional and emits foul smell. The worst affected localities are Income Tax Complex, Karan Hospital, Ghuggar Tanda and Kesri Bag. Residents of the area have appealed Chief Minister PK Dhumal and the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court to intervene. Their appeals to the IPH department have yielded no results in the past one year. Inquiries made by The Tribune revealed that lakhs of rupees were spent for the maintenance and repair of the plant, but without any relief to the affected people. Outdated equipment had been installed which had no provisions to pump out the silt and dry its beds; therefore it was not possible to run the plant regularly for 20 hours. With the failure of equipment and pumping system, the department was releasing water into the local stream. Tanks of the sewage treatment plant have filled up with silt and mud as there is also no provision to the check the inflow of silt into the plant. Overflow of the sewage plant is regularly drained out into a local stream Bhiral Khud which is a major source of drinking water in the lower areas of Palampur, Maranda, Bhwarana and Thural. Even the IPH department has utilised water from this stream for its water supply schemes in the Thrual area feeding dozens of villages. Sources said this plant was set up at the cost of Rs 2.6 crore. But equipment of the plant failed and it became liability for the government. Suresh Mahajan, Executive Engineer of the IPH department, is well conversant with the situation, but has failed to initiate action in the absence of adequate funds. He said he had received complaints from the residents of area and necessary steps were being taken to make the plant functional. He added that the department had planned to overhaul the sewerage of the town, but the urban development department has not yet given its clearance.
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HP Public Services Guarantee Act to ensure accountability
Dalhousie, January 3 The Himachal Pradesh Public Services Guarantee Act will bring transparency and accountability in the administration. The common people will not have to wait for the delivery of basic services, as this Act will ensure various services within stipulated time, an official communiqué of the state government revealed. This Act will encompass basic services of the health, forests, panchayati raj, industries, IPH, agriculture, animal husbandry, social justice and empowerment, home, fire services, multi-purpose projects and power, urban development and town and country planning. These departments have been directed to notify the services expeditiously. Every citizen can now demand that the notified public services be provided within the prescribed time limit. If the officials fail to provide services in a time-bound manner, they are liable to be penalised. In case, the service is wrongfully denied or delayed, the applicant has recourse to remedial measures under the provisions of the Act, including monetary compensation and disciplinary action against defaulter officials. Some of the services to be notified such as soil testing in the Agriculture Department will have to be carried out within 60 days, artificial insemination in animal husbandry within two hours, grant of timber permit to right holder by April 15 of the year by the gram sabha, sanction of the divisional forest officer by May 15, timber permit to disaster sufferers by September 1 to December 31 of the year by the DFO and within 60 days by the conservator of forests in the Forest Department, grant of disability certificate in the Health Department within 15 days, failure of power supply in drinking water and irrigation scheme within a day and sanction of water connection within one month in the IPH Department, to provide new electricity connection within 30 days and to resolve consumer’s billing complaints within 24 hours in multi-power project and power, registration of births and deaths and issuance of certificate, registration of marriages and issuance of certificate within 24 hours, issuance of copy of panchayat record, including pariwar register, within five days and issuance of BPL certificate and ration cards within 24 hours in the Panchayati Raj, supply of copies of revenue records, reports for issue of various certificates, attestation of affidavits and power of attorneys, issuance of various certificates on the same day or the next day, reports of damage due to natural calamity within seven days in the Revenue Department, issuance of identity card to senior citizens and persons with disabilities within three days in the Social Justice and Empowerment Department, issuance of certificate that land is not in planning or special area within three days and certificate of change of land use within 60 days in the Town and Country Planning Department; registration of birth, death and marriage within two days, preparation of ration card within 15 days, water supply and sewerage connection within 60 days, issuance of BPL certificates within seven days and NOC for electricity connection within 30 days in the Urban Development Department.
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Care of elderly necessary for progress: CM
PALAMPUR, January 3 He said they were the guiding force behind various development and social welfare activities. With the state government having a slew of schemes for the welfare of senior citizens of Himachal Pradesh, the elderly had every reason to rejoice. The Chief Minister, who was addressing mediapersons here during a visit to the town, said Himachal was the first state in the country to bring legislation for the maintenance of aged parents by implementing the Himachal Pradesh Maintenance of Parents and Dependants Act, 2001. According to the Act if the dependants were not looking after an aged parent or parents, the latter could claim an amount of Rs 5,000 per month. Besides, their wards could also be divested of the ancestral property. He said senior citizens who were domiciles of Himachal were being given identity cards so as to facilitate them in taking benefits under various policies and programmes. The same could be had from the Lok Mitra Kendra at the panchayat level or from the office of the Tehsil Welfare Officer/District Welfare Officer concerned. As a special gesture, the Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation was providing 20 per cent concession in fares to them under the Smart Card Scheme. Besides, there was a provision of a separate queue for senior citizens for at the ticket counters of the HRTC. The Chief Minister said the Annapurna scheme being implemented by the Food and Civil Supplies Corporation aimed at providing food security to meet the requirement of those senior citizens who, though eligible, had remained uncovered under the National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS). Under the Annapurna scheme, 10 kg of foodgrains per month was provided free of cost to the beneficiary. A social security pension of Rs 330 per annum was being given to those who were aged 60 years and above and who did not have sufficient resources to support them and whose annual income was not more than Rs 9,000 and the family's income not more than Rs 15,000 annually. A special old age OPD facility had been started in all hospitals and ayurvedic centres every Tuesday. The state government had also launched a scheme named Muskan for providing dentures free of cost to senior citizens above the age of 65. Likewise, a Geriatric Centre of Excellence had come up in Ayurvedic College, Paprola, at a cost of Rs 5 crore. Dhumal also stated that the government would encourage private charitable trusts in the state to set up old age homes. He said the government would give assistance for such homes as the state urgently needed such institutions.
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Gen Zorawar Singh Park cries for attention
Bilaspur, January 3 World War II hero and Victoria Cross winner, the late Capt Vir Bhandari Ram Sharma, was invited to dedicate this park to the memory of the General. Two years ago, finding this park in a state of neglect by the Nagar Parishad, it was adopted by the state "Himalaya Parivar", which wanted a befitting park to be developed at this spot. A statue of the General was also installed there. Himalaya Parivar national in charge Indresh unveiled the statue of the General with full fanfare in the presence of hundreds of dignitaries and officers. It was a befitting function in which several other war heroes were also honoured. The ACC cement management at Barmana had assured to look after this park and maintain it in future. However, nobody bothered to take care of this park after the function. The statue of the General has been disfigured. The water pool has filthy water in it, which has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The little park in the courtyard of the district library is a picture of neglect. Gen Zorawar Singh (whom famous English historians J. Hutchinson and Vogel called "son of the Raja of Bilaspur" and also called him "Kehlooria", an old name for Bilaspur princely state then) was made commander of the forces by Raja Gulab Singh of Kangra and was the in charge of Kashtwar. He not only blocked the advancing Chinese army but also won areas beyond Kashmir, some of which were involved in the Kargil war with Pakistan. It was the sacrifice of this brave General which helped our country win all areas beyond Kashmir, including Gilgit, in 1841.
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MNREGA card holders air grievances
by Shriniwas Joshi The ‘People’s Action for People in Need’ (PAPN), a voluntary organisation based at Andheri in Sirmaur district, organised a jan-sunwai (public hearing) recently in Shimla on the functioning of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) in Himachal Pradesh. There were about 135 job-card holders under the MNREGA from all districts barring Lahaul and Spiti and Una (see photo). The PAPN engages a jury that listens to the prosecution, the job-card holders and the defence represented by a government officer. This time it was Dr RN Batta, the Director of the Rural Development Department, on the defence. The jury comprised Justice JS Mahantan, Secretary, State Legal Service Authority; Vandana Kuthiala, a senior advocate; Dr Karuna Macchan, lecturer (Law); and Justice DD Sharma, a retired District and Sessions Judge. The MNREGA was introduced in Himachal Pradesh in three phases: Chamba and Sirmaur districts on February 2, 2006; Kangra and Mandi on April 1, 2007 and the remaining districts the very next year. Under the programme, anybody who is above 18 years, one person from each rural household, can request for a grant of job-card each year to the pradhan of a gram panchayat. It is mandatory for the panchayat to give 100 days of guaranteed wage employment to do unskilled manual work in each financial year to such person within 15 days, otherwise he is entitled to get unemployment allowance. The job-cardholders placed their grievances and some of them were agitated. Their major and common problems are listed below along with jury’s observations and recommendations. Dr RN Batta placed the government’s points of view before those present and solved the individual’s problems there and then, but the woes and cries of the job-cardholders overpowered his words. The observations and recommendations of the jury are as under: 1. Delay in payment of wages: There should not be any delay in the payment of wages. The time gap between work done and assessment made and approved by the authorities should be reduced by evolving a proper method of appointing staff, if need be. 2. Norms for assessment: The work done under the MNREGA is assessed on the basis of the norms fixed for the PWD works. The PWD employs all able-bodied persons from within the workforce, whereas under the MNREGA whosoever is willing to work will get the job-card. The workforce for the MNREGA is anybody who applies from 18 years onwards to 80 years or more, including differently-able persons and women. The norms of the PWD cannot be applied on the MNREGA workers. Separate norms should be made. 3. Social audit: Social audit is commendable but the training, as promised by the department, has not been given to the members of the Social Audit Committees and the facilitator appointed for the purpose. The training has to be given at top priority. 4. Material-based works: Wherever there is material-based work in the approved shelf; the ratio for such work needs to be revised to 60 for material and 40 for wages instead of 40:60 approved under the MNREGA. In order to keep a check on the material-based works, a percentage of such works, 20 per cent or 25 per cent in a year in a panchayat, should be fixed, otherwise sub-standard assets would be created. 5. Monkey menace: Monkey menace in the state is on the increase and to save crops from their mischief is tough. The participants felt that he who keeps the monkeys away from attacking the fields should be paid wages under the MNREGA. True, there is no asset creation but crop protection is asset saving. It needs to be included in the list of permissible works. 6. Time-bound job allotment: The participants were agitated for they were forced not to mention dates in the applications demanding the job. The four or five days delay in granting the job is simply ignored, thus depriving them of the unemployment allowance for those days. The Act is required to be followed in letter and spirit. The MNREGA calls for strict implementation of transparency safeguards, as well as firm action whenever corruption is exposed. It is a ray of hope for ‘Bharat Nirman’.
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Free ambulance service benefits 88,522
Palampur, January 3
Tarun Sikka, Operations Executive of the company, said that the services were running successfully and the credit went to the committed team of Emergency Medical Technicians and Pilots. Dr RK Sood, District AIDS Programme Officer, said in the past one year 88,522 persons had benefited from this free service in the state. Under the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karayakram the NHRM was providing free delivery, home drop back and treatment to the infant, including free transportation, to decrease the infant and maternal mortality rates. Harsh Nag briefed the participants on the RIGHT approach in cases of snake bite (reassure, immobilise, go to hospital, tell the doctor about symptoms) Dharam Singh from Sulah recalled that when his mother met with an accident,an ambulance arrived at his home first even before he reached from office. Similarly, Ramtu from Manyara village said that when he had a severe chest pain, his son called the 108 life saving ambulance and today he was alive to narrate his story. Deepak Kumar from the Tinbar Changar area said that when his sister had respiratory distress, no vehicle was available to take her to hospital. A school teacher dialled 108 and saved her life. Ajay from the Palampur Beopar Mandal demanded that Palampur should have two ambulances as the hospital catered to a large area.
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Nostalgia gets ‘shelved’ in British-era shop
McLeodganj, January 3 Located in the heart of McLeodganj, the shop takes you back to India's colonial past by exhibiting relics of the bygone era. Set up in 1860, Nowrojee and Sons General Store is one of the oldest shops in Himachal Pradesh. It is still working and has maintained its original grand wooden structure. Set up by a Parsi business family, the Nowrojees, the store has seen five generations of the clan. Nauzer Nowrojee, a friend of the Dalai Lama, looked after the store-cum-residence set up by his great-grandfather for over 60 years. The eldest of five brothers, Nauzer, whose sons are now in the tea estate business in West Bengal, was born in 1915 in Karachi and died here at the age of 85. Nauzer's bachelor brother Jimmy, a former banker also associated with the store, died two years ago at the age of 82. Caretaker Joginder Singh told IANS that the shop once used to take care of the daily requirements of the British officers and their families. It sold a variety of goods from bakery items to tobacco to toiletries and liquor to even arms and ammunition. "Initially, it was a general merchant shop. Later, arms and ammunition were also sold here. When the British were here, it was doing roaring business," he said of the shop that now sells only newspapers, magazines and confectionery. One of the oldest antiques in the store's possession is Petromax 835 Special, a German-made hanging wick lamp. Boxes of imported cigarette brands like 'Passing Show' Craven 'A' Virginia Cigarette, Number Ten Virginia of James Carlton Ltd, London, and Cavander Ltd of Godfrey Philips Ltd, London, are showcased in the store. These brands were quite popular among the British at that time. A box of Cuticura Soap is also displayed. The US-made soap was advertised for curing sensitive skins and for skin purification. Vinolia white rose soap of Vinolia Co Ltd of London and Calvert's carbolic medical soap of F.C. Calvert and Co Ltd of Manchester, England, can be seen as well. There are other relics from the past---small posters of German-made Sun brand wick lamps, Blue Bird toffees, shoelaces of Warrior and the Majestic porpoise boot laces of England. A large number of wine and liquor bottles with their soiled labels and antique glass jars are also lying in the shop. Joginder Singh said a 12-litre empty bottle of Beck's beer is among the priceless relics in the possession of the store. Old timers in McLeodganj remember the store with much affection. "The store has still not lost its British colonial charm. And it has stood strong all these years. It even withstood the devastating Kangra earthquake of 1905," said octogenarian Subhash Sharma, who is settled here since childhood. Joginder Singh attributes the store's retaining its colonial charm to Nauzer and Jimmy. — IANS
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Himachal diary
The Shimla Ice Skating Club was also able to organise the annual carnival which was a huge success. Only four sessions were missed since the season commenced on December 14. Weather mostly remained clear, except on the New Year Day when brisk showers lashed the hill station, as a result of which the evening session could not be held. Secretary of the club Bhuvnesh Banga said such spells of rain or snow help in bringing down the ambient temperature and prolonging the season. The torchlight tattoo and fancy dress were main attractions of the carnival. Over 70 skaters participated in various events like basket jump, speed skating, ice hockey and dance competition. Divyank excelled in speed skating in the senior category, while Avi Bharadwaj hogged the limelight in the junior category. Ashish Kuthiala won the basket jump event and Jagmeet Sandhu was adjudged the best dancer. The club is all set to host the national ice skating championship later this week, in which 10 teams from all over the country will participate. However, the forecast of the met department that a western disturbance will bring rain or snow around January 4 and 5 is causing concern to the organisers as ice melts under overcast sky. Revised power tariff
Delay in implementing the revised power tariff has added to the woes of people already reeling under the impact of inflation. The board has taken five months to incorporate new tariff in the electricity bills which not only denied it of the much needed additional revenue but also put huge burden on the consumers at the fag end of the year. The board is required to file the tariff petition by November 31 every year and the state electricity regulatory commission is expected to announce the new tariff by March 31. However, the board has not been filing the tariff petition within time and all the required details are not furnished. The commission invariably seeks more details after scrutinising the petition before accepting it. Thereafter, the process of determination of tariff starts and proposed tariff is published for conducting public hearings. The commission, however, does not announce the revised tariff within the stipulated period. The tariff order for the current financial year was announced in July, applicable retrospectively from April. As such the board should have incorporated the new tariff from August onwards, but it has done it in December. The consumers were shocked to receive hefty bills as arrears were included. The consumers and political parties usually ignore the public hearing conducted by the commission during the process of tariff determination and raise a hue and cry later. This time too the CPM has started an agitation against increase in power tariff and decided to hold protest across the state, which seems quite meaningless.
Subsidy to fruit growers
The government provides subsidy to fruit growers on fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides, but they are not able to avail the benefits as the agencies concerned fail to make procurement and ensure timely supply of these farm inputs. During this season, fertilisers have been out of stock and the growers could not get supplies. Of late the subsidy is available for growing medicinal plants, but very few farmers have been able to take advantage of it. The growers have been advised to apply fertilisers only after rain or snow as there is no moisture left in the soil. Rain and snow is expected in the first half of the current month and the growers must have adequate stocks of fertilisers so that they could take full advantage. The delay in snow is causing worry to the apple growers as it could affect crop and they cannot afford two consecutive crop failures. Unfavourable weather conditions last year took a heavy toll of the apple crop and only 1.36 crore boxes of fruit were produced as against the record production of 4.46 crore boxes in the preceding year. (Contributed by
Rakesh Lohumi)
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Super chef Shipra Khanna feels she has miles to go
Shimla, January 3 "It's just one step, I have to go miles still," Shipra, the 29-year-old single mother born and brought up in this Himachal Pradesh capital, told IANS on the phone from Mumbai. Shipra on Sunday night walked away with the title of “MasterChef” in the second season of the cooking reality show. She won a cash prize of Rs 1 crore, a chance to host her own show on Star Plus and a vacation for three nights and four days in London. She said her mother was her motivation. "I grew up watching and learning culinary skills from my mother, who is a perfect host. Now, it's my children who brought out the talent in me." Shipra, who was married in Agra, is living separately from her husband. Her children, Yadavi and Himang, stay with their father. "My children love to dine out. Several times I tried to replicate recipes, especially the desserts, at home. This greatly helped me in honing my skills," she added. Her parents, Balween and Radhika Khanna, said it was Shipra's passion for cooking that took her to the top honour. "She loves to cook for the entire family. Despite estranged relations with her husband, she managed to grab the title," said Balween, who runs Laljee Jewellers in Shimla's Lower Bazar. Radhika said Shipra was perfect in making Indian, Continental and Italian dishes. "She also loves to bake and make desserts." Shipra aspires to anchor a food and travel show. She beat Joseph Rozario from Siliguri and Salma Shazia Fathima from Bangalore to win the show that started off with 12 contestants. The grand finale was telecast over Saturday and Sunday with Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar once again returning to the show as a guest judge for both the episodes. Joseph Rozario was eliminated in Saturday's episode. Sunday's final battle saw the last two finalists -- Salma Shazia and Shipra -- preparing dishes for 100 persons who through their votes declared Shipra as the winner. — IANS
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Student-teacher interaction held
Bilaspur, January 3 This was said by HP Director General of Police (CID and Prisons) ID Bhandari while addressing the concluding function of the two-day Student-teachers interaction programme, a seminar organised by the Department of Bio- technology of Government Post Graduate College, Bilaspur town, recently in collaboration with the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. Bhandari said we must adopt positive attitude towards life and also strive to get correct information, apart from adopting stress control systems to save ourselves from this modern-day malady. Bio-technology, he said, could play an important role in solving this problem and scholars of this upcoming and prosperous science should give special attention to this subject. He said this science is proving a blessing for humanity and would be the guiding-science in future. Earlier, KR Dhiman, Vice-Chancellor, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni (Solan), inaugurated this two-day meet and presented a key-note address on the subject “Bio-technology - A tool of Modern Science”. He said bio-technology is trying to solve several human intricacies and problems and has already ushered in a sort of revolution in several fields of human activity by brining sea change in our lives. He said latest research in this field has capacity to bring unique development and unexpected faster progress in fields like agriculture, horticulture and forestry. He warned that we should guard against blind changes in our age-old systems of living and should evolve new techniques to adopt new research in these fields only for making required improvements and additions. Principal RP Chopra, seminar coordinator Neelam Sharma, organising secretary Padmini Sandhu and Prof PS Chauhan also addressed the seminar among others.
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Award for college of education
Kangra, January 3 BS Pathania, Executive Director of the institution, received the award during the 65th National Seminar organised by the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA), an independent, non-profit organisation that advocates the right of every child to quality education, in association with the All-India Achievers Foundation. The award was presented to Pathania by Governor of Sikkim VP Singh, former Chief Election Commissioner GVG Krishnamurthy and High Commissioner of Namibia to India SK Abenbo in the presence of educationists and intellectuals in Delhi recently. — OC
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A sewage treatment plant set up by the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department near the department rest house has become a major health hazard for residents of the lower areas of the town.
With the weather god obliging Shimla with ideal conditions, Asia’s oldest Ice Skating Rink here saw as many as 34 sessions, making for the late start of the season (see photo).