Mandi, January 10
Hot springs will soon become a brave new hope for the Rs 3,000-crore ageing apple industry as the Indian Institute of Technolgy (IIT) is on its way to develop apple cold stores and fruit processing using this cheap sustainable source.

This cutting edge research has attracted none other than the country's great nuclear scientist and former President of the country Dr APJ Abdul Kalam recently while he was interacting with young researchers.

Dr Kalam praised IIT Mandi’s M.Tech researcher Vijay Chauhan for doing a pioneering research on using geothermal energy found in Manikaran in Kullu district for apple refrigeration and power and fruit processing.

Dr Kalam said Vijay’s research using such a sustainable source would empower the rural enterprise and be a hallmark for the 21st century rural development of the nation".

Vijay took Dr Kalam’s comment as a big morale booster to take his research to a successful end. He said he was inspired by the wastage of the culled apple fruit in the state. “This fruit is perished as there is no local system for storing and processing this fruit in the state,” he added.

His research has so far established that the hot springs in Manikaran, only used by pilgrims, can provide cold store capacity of 1,000 tonnes and generate 30-KV of power. This power can be used to run a processing plant with a capacity of 30 tonnes. It is like the one being run by the HPMC at Jarol in Mandi.

Dr Satish said the Manikaran source had temperature ranging from 98 degree C to 91 degree C and a flow of 7 ltr per second. “We have combined two cycles of geothermal energy to get a cycle that can use this energy for cold store and generating power through turbines,” he said.

Vijay said they were doing a cost-effective analysis, but it had an edge over other cold stores as it used no electricity and lowered down on the transportation cost. The farmers could store fruit locally and extend the processing period by over a month, he added.

He said the state had geothermal sources at Manali, Kheerganga, Tatapani, Jeori and Tapri in Kinnaur. “Maybe a pilot project is needed to tap this non-conventional source to give a cheap sustainable alternative to farmers in the state,” said Dr Satish. 

Shimla, January 10
From a cushy job in a five-star hotel in Delhi to managing the old family orchard in Jubbal, Ram Lal Chauhan has come a long way. Having virtually transformed the orchard with ageing plants and miserably low yields to a model organic orchard, winning awards has now become a routine affair for the progressive farmer.

Chauhan has been honoured with the coveted ASPEE L.M. Patel Award 2010 for apple cultivation. He has already won four national and 58 state-level awards, a testimony to the innovation and vision which he applied in transforming his family profession of apple growing to a thriving business.

The award was conferred on him at Agriculture University, Gujarat, by Prof MS Swaminathan, former Director-General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, and Rajya Sabha MP, on January 1. It includes a cash prize of 
Rs 1 lakh.

“After doing a hotel management course, like any other youth, I too aspired for a job in a five-star hotel which I did get only to return to my roots and my home,” explains Chauhan. He yearned to modernise the orchard which was plagued by problems like low yields, ageing plants, absence of good varieties and lack of modern technologies.

He owns a 5 hectare holding and that, too, on hilly terrain. “Resorting to high-density plantation with about 1,200 apple trees per hectare was the best option and then I went in for the best available high-yielding varieties,” he explains. Today he has 52 high-yielding best apple varieties from the world over, including the Gala Apple, Fuji Apple, Washington Apple, Nectarine Snow Queen, Royal Gala, Honey Crisp, Super Chief, Schlet Spur, Scarlet Gala and Gala Brookfield.

“The first realisation that dawned on me was the absence of good pollinising varieties so I planted 25 per cent of the total trees on my farm with this variety,” he said. With all these steps he achievesd an unbelievably high yield of 56 tonnes per hectare as compared to the state’s average of up to 10 tonnes per hectare.

He has been using organic manure, including vermicompost and neem cake, around the ring of the tree. He uses potato as an intercrop and this helps him prevent evaporation. He pays special attention to the control of pests like scales, mites, root borers and diseases like root rot and other fungal and bacterial diseases by following a schedule of crop protection measures.

Not the one to be left untouched by the latest in farm research being undertaken at horticulture and agriculture universities and research stations, he remains in touch with scientists. “I try to share my experiences with fellow farmers and provide them bud sticks of regular and high-yielding varieties,” he said.

Bilaspur, January 10
The All-Party Bhakra Oustees Rights Protection Committee met Deputy Commissioner Ritesh Chauhan here recently and urged him to solve the problem of encroachment on the government land by oustees of town. Even as the number of family member has increased, they are being allotted a very small plot of land for their rehabilitation after their evacuation due to the Gobind Sagar lake formation behind the Bhakra Dam.

Only a plot of 1800 sq ft was allotted to each family in lieu of all their land taken away at their earlier place of residence.

A deputation of the committee consisting of senior citizens representing various parties and social organisations urged the government to adjust this encroached land against the land which is still to be allotted to them even after 55 years. As a second alternative, they asked to provide the land at the “lease rates” at which they were allotted their rehabilitation plots earlier here in new Bilaspur.

Senior citizens demanded that the District Cooperative Federation shop of medicines providing standard medicines at cheaper rates and serving patients for last several years at the Regional Hospital here should not be removed from its present location.  — OC

Known among his colleagues as “Lakkar Sahib” because he would always sit straight on the front seat of his jeep, which used be the official vehicle in those days, or on his office chair, Yadav Nandan Malhotra (YNM) was born on January 12, 1912, in Mandi town.

As a superintending engineer in the HPPWD (Electrical Wing), he would move from one destination to another while on tour of the state.

As a student, he did not know what second division was. He did his schoolings from Vijay Government High School, Mandi, leaving it in 1928 for Lahore for further studies.

He topped the BE (Electrical) examination of Benaras Hindu University in 1936 and joined the Mandi State Service that very year. On the formation of Himachal Pradesh, he joined the Electrical Wing of the HPPWD and was fondly called “The Father of Electrification in HP” because he carried electricity wires to far-off places through treated wooden poles unknown and unused so far. He superannuated from government service in 1977.

It was his second innings of 28 years that has earned him a place in the Vignettes. YNM established the Deen Dukhiya Trust in 1970 to help the poor and the needy. He believed that the money could always boost the self-confidence of a man so he opened savings bank account of 100 poor people with a deposit of Rs 5,000 each in State Bank of India, thus encouraging them to do something different than being merely agricultural labourers. Providing free medicines to poor patients, granting stipends to the needy students, supporting NGOs striving to conserve the art and culture of the state, recurring help to the old and destitute, encouraging mountaineering and trekking among the youth by providing necessary equipment and other assistance speak of his generosity that brought happiness for him. His donation of Rs 10 lakh to the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Wing of the Regional Hospital, Mandi, and construction of Geeta Bhawan at Bijani and Paddhar villages had made him more adorable among the residents of Mandi. His belief that the Gita was the finest treatise that could liberate human beings from earthly bondage made him write “Gita Sandesh” in Hindi and “The Bhagwad Gita: The gospel of Hinduism for Householders” in English, published by Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, Mumbai. His interest in written word and transmitting it to the people persuaded him to print, publish and edit “Mandi Observer” renamed as “Himachal Observer” for 27 years. He knew putting pen to papers lights more fires than matches ever will.

YNM remained a bachelor throughout his life and was looked after by an elderly couple that lived in his house. He was a non-vegetarian, used to enjoy drinks and occasionally smoked. Not an atheist, the places of worship were outside his itinerary. If one has gift of prophecy, knowledge and faith to move mountains, understands all mysteries, but is without charity, one is nothing. YNM knew it and that is why after his death, his entire material possession has been donated to Zonal Hospital, Mandi, Shiv-Shakti Ashram, Gohar (Chachiot), Kanya Ashram, Mandi, Old-Age Home, Bhangrotu, and the Orphanage at Dehar.

The trust that he had created was being managed by five trustees who were carrying the baton that he had passed on to them after completing his leg of the race. 

Lohtikri (Chamba), January 10
A remotely located Government Senior Secondary School, Lohtikri, which falls in the far-flung Churah subdivision of Chamba district held its annual prize distribution function on Wednesday.

Tissa Block Development Committee Chairman KK Mahajan was the chief guest on the occasion.

In his address, the Chairman emphasized the need of quality education with the incorporation of professional skills. He gave a sum of Rs 11,000 from his pocket to the school management.

Earlier, Principal Lokinder Singh Rathore read out the annual report of the school.

Students presented a colourful cultural programme, including bewitching “churahi” folk songs and dances. 

Kangra, January 10
The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) has blamed the BJP government for adopting a discriminating attitude towards the merged areas of Kangra. This was evident during the four-year rule of the BJP of discrimination against unemployed youth, employees and other sections of the society in this part of the state.

Kewal Singh Pathania, spokesman, HPCC, levelling these charges against the government while addressing a public meeting at Ansoie village near Rakkar recently demanded a white paper from the government regarding how many educated unemployed youth were given jobs during the past four years in the state.

He alleged that this four-year period of BJP rule was the darkest era in the Himachal history when all sections were disappointed. He said resentment was evident from the dharnas of unemployed youth, PTA teachers, government employees, panchayat assistants and other sections of the society.

Discrimination was so much with the merged areas, that even BJP ministers were being discriminated against within the Cabinet and they were not allowed to address the public meeting at Dharamsala on December 23 last. He said in protest the ministers and other BJP leaders of Kangra district abstained from the BJP Kullu rally.

BJP leaders had formed the BMM to highlight corruption and they had started protesting against it.

He said development in this part of the state was seen only during the Congress rule when Virbhadra Singh was heading the government and development in other parts was done equally well.

The Shimla All-India Art Exhibition-cum-Competition-2011 (see photo) organised by the State Museum was a big success with 181 artists from across the country sending 271 entries.

The works, including paintings in oil and mix medium, water, poster colours, drawings, graphics and sculptures, will be on display till January 24. In the oil and mix medium category, Prashant Kanith bagged the first prize for his painting “Devotion in Love”. He was followed by Kalam Singh (Spiti Valley) and Pomi Prail (Sadness of Life). Besides Sparsh Goyal, Pawan Kumar and Sanjay Kumar were given special prizes.

In the water and poster colour category, Yati Dut (King),Suresh Chander (Untitled) and Sharmistha (Mera Benaras) bagged the first three positions, respectively, while in the drawing and graphics category, Jaspreet Singh Kaler (Self-Destruction), Soma Chaudhary (Nature of Beauty) and Amar Singh (Nature) were the winners.

In the sculpture category, “Srijan Tandav” by Pulkit Jawa won the first prize, followed by “Melody of Shiva” by Nikhil and “1919” by Jagminder Singh.

The jury decided to give only two prizes in the miniature painting category as the number of entries was less. Dhani Ram’s miniature “Dushyant and Shakuntla” was adjudged the best and Baljinder Kumar’s “Gaddi Celebration” got the second prize.

Snow brings cheer to apple growers

While widespread snow across the state delighted apple growers, fruit growers of the lower hill areas were devastated as freak snowfall in Kangra and Hamirpur caused extensive damage to litchi, mango and citrus plantations.

The burden of heavy snow proved too much for the plants which are not used to such conditions. While many plants fell, others lost their branches. The maximum damage was caused to litchi plants in Shahpur, Kangra, Sera Thana, Shahpur, Chari and a few other areas located near Dharamsala.

Big branches of some very old mango trees in the Dehra and Bharwain area, which experienced snow after 65 years, came down. In the Nurpur area besides mango and litchi, citrus plantations were also damaged. The farmers were pleased as the rain and snow broke the three months long dry spell and saved the wheat crop which had started withering due to drought-like conditions.

However, apple growers of Kullu and Shimla districts, which together account for 95 per cent of the apple crop, were a happy lot. The snowfall will not only help in ensuring the minimum chilling hours but also help maintain adequate moisture in the soil. The growers are now looking forward to apply fertilisers as moisture will ensure proper uptake of nutrients by plants.

More importantly, the snow will help recharge the depleting water sources in the region and mitigate the problem of water shortage during summer. Last year there was no snow and the water sources started drying up in April itself.

Kangra bank achieves new heights

The year 2011 has been exceptionally good for Kangra Central Cooperative Bank (KCCB) which achieved new heights in all respects.

The working capital of the bank reached Rs 5,810 crore. It invested Rs 3,400 crore in various financial institutions and advanced loans to the tune of Rs 2,005 crore during the year, chairman of the KCCB RS Mankotia said.

While 130 branches of the bank were computerised last year, this year the remaining 165 branches in Kullu, Lahaul and Spiti districts are likely to be computerised by March 31.

The management has also promoted 450 employees and recruited 307 new employees. The bank has issued 1,37,542 kisan credit cards during the period, which is the highest issued by any bank in the state, and loans of Rs 2.6 crore have been given to farmers through these card. Besides, 6,500 self-help groups have also been extended loans.

In the coming year, the management of the bank is planning to issue kisan credit card to all the farmers. The bank has installed 100 ATM’s last year and is planning to extend the facility in every branch of the bank in the coming year.

(Contributed by Rakesh Lohumi and DP Gupta)

Bilaspur, January 10
The Bhrashtachaar Mukti Morcha (BMM) of veteran BJP leaders, led by former state BJP president and former MP Maheshwar Singh, has strongly criticised the meagre Rs 25 reduction in every cement bag produced in the state by three cement companies.

He said to be fair to thousands of consumers and also to the cement companies, the state government set up a high-level inquiry team to probe into the cost of production and margin of the profit and then fix the consumer price in state.

Talking to mediapersons after the meeting of the state executive committee of the morcha here recently, former Transport Minister and morcha state spokesman Mahender Sofat said the so-called “decrease” was mere eyewash.

BMM state convener Maheshwar Singh said the government was only trying to befool the people of the state. He said the BMM would consistently continue this battle of ensuring that there is only reasonable profit to the cement companies and the states consumers also get full benefit by getting cement cheaper than that sold in the adjoining states.

Sofat also said the state-level meeting of the BMM has demanded that the government should also hold an inquiry and take a suitable action in the Shah Nehar Salusize Valve scandal used for releasing water blocked due to air pressure. The scandal is worth several crores of rupees as the valve which actually costs rupees 16,400 was said to have been purchased from the same firm at exorbitant rate of Rs 57,200 each.

The state government has not yet explained its position regarding the raid by a central team of the Director Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on drugs manufacturing units where several objectionable and illegal drugs were being manufactured and supplied. These companies were said to be financed by Daud Ibrahim who is sought by the government law agencies in several illegal activities.

Present on the occasion were morcha state convener Maheshwar Singh, former speaker and veteran BJP leader Dr Radha Raman Shashtri, former Industries Minister Shyama Sharma and former MLAs Karam Dev Dharmani, Navin Dhiman and Krishan Kumar Kaushal.

Dalhousie, January 10
The 12th batch of the National Himalayan Winter Trekking expedition was flagged off by Deputy Superintendent of Police Raman Sharma from the youth hostel at Dalhousie early this week.

Addressing the participants, Sharma said through such treks the Youth Hostels Association of India (YHAI) was promoting adventure and character building among the youth. It also keeps them physically fit.

Field Director of the expedition Stimit Srimany said the trekkers were advised to be environment conscious. He also advised them to bear in mind, “Nature has given us this beauty to enjoy and we have no right to spoil it. Please show the photographs you take during your trek to your near and dear ones, so that they may also be induced to visit this region.”

In addition to this, the YHAI is playing a significant role in promoting eco tourism in Himachal Pradesh.

Te Manager of the youth hostel, Capt RS Rana, said, “Dalhousie feels proud to receive so many trekkers from different states during the off-season, when the tourist inflow is less. The expedition also instills traits of integration, courage and confidence among the youth.”

Bilaspur, January 10
The state BJP government has spent Rs 1,032 crore on the construction of 434 roads under NABARD during the past four years of its rule. A sum of Rs 450 crore has also been spent on roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna during this period.

This was stated by PWD and Revenue Minister Gulab Singh Thakur while addressing a largely attended public meeting at Chilla after inaugurating bridges and link roads in the Shikroha gram panchayat area, near here, recently.

He flagged off a regular bus service on the Rs 2.15-crore link road and inaugurated the Rs 94.38-lakh Trivenighat bridge and Rs 19.29-lakh Johad Khud bridge.

Thakur said Rs 11 crore had been sanctioned for the construction of 10 roads in the Naina Devi constituency, while Rs 47 crore had been spent here on roads till now during the past four years.

The minister said the government was serious about curbing all types of corruption and had fixed days for supply of all revenue documents, which were required by people from time to time and any violation of this time frame would attract strict punishment.

Local MLA Randhir Sharma also spoke on the occasion. He said it was for the first time that the state government had spent huge amounts on the development of the Naina Devi constituency, including Rs 52 crore on roads and drinking water, Rs 14 crore on the construction of school buildings and Rs 5.50 crore on health centres.

Chief Engineer, PWD, VK Negi; Superintending Engineer MK Minhas, SDM Sandip Kadam and other officials were among those who were present.