Hamirpur, February 7
The Himachal Pradesh State Services Selection Board (HPSSSB), Hamirpur, has declined to provide a special chance to the candidates who could not appear in the Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET) held throughout the state on February 5, except for the candidates from Lahaul and Spiti district.

The decision was taken by the board after reviewing reports received from examination centres where candidates complained about their failure to appear in the TET due to inclement weather.

Since the TET has been made compulsory for all teachers keen on taking up a teaching job in schools, the state government had asked the board to conduct the TET.

Approximately 60,000 candidates appeared in the test on February 5.

Many candidates, who were to appear in centres situated in upper parts of Shimla district, have been demanding a special chance to appear in the test as they could not appear in the test due to bad weather and roads being closed due to snowfall.

The TET could not be conducted in the snow-bound district of Lahaul and Spiti as the team of the board carrying the question papers could not reach there on time.

Acting on the complaints, the board had summoned reports from the examination centres and after a review it found 8 to 10 per cent absenteeism in all centres throughout the state in the TET, which was not found unusual.

Even in the examination centers like Theog and Rampur, from where complaints had come, the average absenteeism was almost the same. At the Theog centre, of the 4,100 candidates, 3,600 appeared in the test.

In the review meeting, the board found no unusual absenteeism in any centre.

Chairman of the HPSSSB JK Chauhan said, “There is no chance of holding the TET again for the candidates who could not appear on February 5, except for the candidates of Lahaul and Spiti, where the test could not be conducted as the question papers could not reach there due to bad weather”.

Shimla, February 7
The BJP high command seems to have finally got into the damage-control mode resulting from a virtual split in the party with the formation of the Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) by dissidents as party chief Nitin Gadkari has called senior leader Shanta Kumar and Chief Minister PK Dhumal to Delhi to hold consultations on the issue.

It is reliably learnt that Shanta Kumar, who was to fly to Bangkok today, was asked by Gadkari to postpone his visit so that party affairs in Himachal could be discussed in Delhi on February 8. Besides Dhumal and Shanta, Jagat Prakash Nadda, national general secretary of the party, is also likely to be present at the meeting.

It is felt that the manner in which the Himachal Lokhit Party was getting support from workers all over the state, the BJP could suffer a major damage in the Assembly poll, due in the state by the end of this year. To add to the misery of the ruling party, belligerent Lok Sabha MP from Kangra Rajan Sushant, too, is supporting the HLP. He has once again started talking of rampant corruption and nepotism in the state.

Shanta Kumar, who had in the past also urged the party high command to intervene in the matter and give the then Bhrashtachar Mukti Morcha (BMM) members a patient hearing, is likely to cite the issue of corruption, nepotism and a “weak party organisation” as the main reasons for the formation of a new party by senior leaders like Maheshwar Singh, Radha Raman Shastri, Mahinder Singh Sofat and Shyama Sharma.

Sources said the party could ask Shanta Kumar to hold talks with the breakaway group and woo its members back. “We will not settle for anything less than a change of leadership in the government and the case of Uttarakhand is before us as bringing in General Khanduri practically gave the BJP a new lease of life,” said a leader of the HLP.

Senior party leaders said the move by the party to evaluate the situation now had come too late when some of the dissident leaders have already floated a separate political outfit. “The dissidents had apprised Gadkari of their grouse and had timely action been taken, this situation would not have arisen,” admitted a senior leader.

Members of the HLP say they had taken the “extreme step” after the high command disappointed them. “Rather than acting on the issues we raised, we were condemned as spent forces and even worse labelled as corrupt,” said a leader of the HLP.

Shimla, February 7
Pradesh Congress Committee chief Kaul Singh today alleged that the real culprits in the multi-crore pulses scam were being shielded and said the Congress had demanded a CBI probe into the scandal in view of the involvement of bigwigs.

Addressing a press conference here, he said a case had been registered but the real culprits, including a relative of a powerful minister, had not been booked. The government had been forced to register a case under pressure but it was trying its best to shield the culprits. The Congress had raised the issue in the Vidhan Sabha after which the government had ordered an inquiry into the scandal.

BJP rebels had also raised the issue and levelled serious charges of corruption against the government with respect to land deals, large-scale permissions to outsiders to purchase land in the state under Section 118 of the Land Reforms and Tenancy Act, opening of private universities and other issues, vindicating the Congress stand, which had been raising these issues for quite sometime. Now, BJP leaders, who knew much more about the functioning of the government, had put their own government in the dock. The Dhumal government was the most corrupt in the history of the state and it was not surprising that many of its senior leaders had quit the BJP in sheer desperation.

He lambasted BJP leaders for ridiculing his demand for bringing out a White Paper on the financial situation in the state and said it was justified to question the fiscal management of the government whose outstanding debt had crossed Rs 27,000 crore. It was a result of the lop-sided fiscal policies being pursued by the government and the financial crisis would only worsen in the election year.

The government had even failed to give the employees their due and it was only due to the immense pressure build up by the Congress that the government had announced that arrears, amounting to Rs 825 crore, on account of the pay revision would be released.

Shimla, February 7
Some Congress leaders, including office-bearers, who failed to discharge their duties during the Renuka byelection, may face action with a three-member fact-finding committee headed by Brij Bihari Lal Butail pointing out glaring lapses in poll management and organisational weaknesses, which led to the party’s defeat in its stronghold.

The report submitted by Butail to Pradesh Congress Committee chief Kaul Singh here today maintains that the BJP indulged in the blatant misuse of government machinery, muscle and money power, but it was the failure of the party organisation which failed to ensure the presence of the deputed leaders and effectively manage things at the booth level.

The party failed to even provide election material in some booths. While seven BJP ministers and 20 MLAs camped in the constituency all through, some Congress leaders failed to reach the area entrusted to them and others just marked their presence and did not take serious interest in electioneering. Their absence allowed a free hand to the BJP, which resorted to rigging and openly distributed money and liquor.

The report has not named any leaders for the lapses but pointed areas like Haripur Dhar, Mandholi and some other pockets where the absence of party men at the booth level cost the party dearly. Had the deputed leaders reached the area and taken command at the booth level, the BJP would not have the got the opportunity to indulge in corrupt practices in such a brazen manner. Liquor was seized from the vehicle of a Chief Parliamentary Secretary and even from ambulances run under the Atal Swasthya Sewa, but no action was taken, the report says.

The BJP indulged in character assassination and resorted to malicious propaganda against Congress candidate Vinay Kumar, but the party failed to counter it effectively. The party had fielded a new face who had no experience in organising an election campaign and the party election machinery could not withstand the pressure build up by the BJP by the blatant misuse of state machinery, money power and liquor. Without naming Virbhadra Singh, the report says even senior leaders, the main vote-catchers for the party who addressed several public meetings, failed to cut much ice with the electorate.

Kaul Singh said he had just received the report and he could not say much until he had studied it. However, lapses, if any, in the election management, particularly the absence of leaders during electioneering, would be viewed seriously. Any corrective measures required to overcome the organisational weaknesses would be taken after taking the AICC into confidence.

Dharamsala, February 7
Himachal has become the first state in North India to use plastic waste for the construction of roads. According to data collected by The Tribune, so far a 112-km length of roads in the state has been constructed using plastic waste as part of the material.

Engineer-in-Chief, PWD, NL Sharma said plastic waste had been used for the construction of roads in areas that were generally rain fed and damp. Research had shown that plastic created a thin coating over the road that increased its resistance to water.

He said besides Himachal, only southern states like Tamil Nadu had taken the initiative of using plastic for the construction of roads.

Chief Engineer, PWD, Dharamsala zone, said the department had received 21.5 tonnes of plastic, of which 17.5 tonnes had been used for the construction of a 40-km length of roads.

Though 112 km is a small part of the total 32,000-km road network in the state, the use of plastic waste in the construction of roads is being widely appreciated even by NGOs.

The plastic that is being used for the construction of roads generally consists of disposable carry bags that have now been banned in the state. The state government had offered to buy plastic waste at the rate of Rs 3 per kg from people who gathered it in their houses. Municipal councils and corporations were made the nodal agencies for buying plastic from people and further selling it to the PWD.

However, the system is working only in Shimla where the system of collecting garbage form each house has been implemented. In other towns of the state, including Dharamsala and Palampur, the system of collecting garbage from each household has not been implemented.

Many towns have not even developed solid waste dumping sites where the waste generated in cities can be segregated and sold further.

Since the ban on disposable carry bags has been implemented effectively in the state, the supply of plastic waste to the PWD has also reduced. The fact was also admitted by Engineer-in-Chief, PWD, NL Sharma.

However, still a huge amount of plastic is flowing in the state in the form of goods packed in plastic. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has already stated that banning goods packed in plastic is not within the preview of the state government. A policy to reduce the use of plastic in packing material has to be devised by the Union Government.

Palampur, February 7
The new political outfit formed by BJP rebels under the banner of the Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) has failed to get response in Kangra, one of the most politically sensitive districts of the state having 15 Assembly seats.

In the last Assembly elections, the BJP had won 11 seats from the district and formed the government. Till date none of the leaders from the dissident camp from Kangra have joined the new party.

Earlier, president of the new outfit Maheshwar Singh had expected that dissident MLAs and ministers from Kangra would join the HLP and support the rebels. But in the changed political scenario in the state when the BJP was hopeful of retaining power after the Assembly elections due by the end of this year, dissidents kept themselves away from the HLP.

Dissidents think that quitting the party at this stage would be suicidal for them.

Most of the dissident leaders had categorically announced not to quit the BJP and would settle their issues inside the party forum.

BJP sources said Shanta Kumar, senior BJP leader and vice-president of the national BJP, had asked dissident BJP leaders not to quit the party and if they had any grievances they should take up such issues within the party organisation.

In the past two days hectic political activities were witnessed at Shanta Kumar’sYamni Hotel residence here. A number of BJP leaders, including MLAs and ministers from Kangra district, called on him and held discussion on the latest political development in the state in the past few days, especially the floating of the new party by the BJP rebels.

A senior BJP leader and MLA from Kangra told mediapersons that Shanta Kumar was hurt over quitting of the BJP by senior leaders like Maheshwar Singh and Radha Raman Sastri, who were founder members of the party in the state. He said efforts should be made to patch up differences with rebels. He was of the view that the party was supreme and not individuals.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister PK Dhumal said the decision of rebels to form a new party was most unfortunate, adding that the state BJP was ready to have dialogues with rebels at any time to settle their grievances.

Solan, February 7
The Himachal Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (HPSIDC) has finally posted an SDO at Kala Amb to speed up developmental works after a district-level Grievance Redressal Committee meeting took a stern note of the lack of progress in various works.

SDO Prakash Chauhan after assuming the charge is now closely monitoring the progress to ensure the early completion of the works. While the foundation work had begun for the most coveted Common Facility Centre, tenders were being invited for other pending works. A lone junior engineer had hitherto been looking after various HPSIDC projects in Sirmaur.

GM, District Industries Centre, GS Chauhan said an office had been provided to the SDO to facilitate his working.

The move has been welcomed by the investors who felt it would help speed up various pending works.

Vipul Ghai, president, Laghu Udyog Bharti, said the presence of an officer in Kala Amb would help monitor the progress of various projects and ensure their early completion. He said facilities like completion of a Common Facility Centre were being eagerly awaited by investors as various offices would be available under one roof.

The HPSIDC was assigned the work to construct a Common Facility Centre in the Kala Amb area having a sanctioned budget of Rs 2.26 crore about a year ago.

The Grievance Redressal Committee had taken a stern view of the lack of progress in various developmental works in its first meeting held on January 11 and the matter had been taken up with the HPSIDC.

The issue was prominently highlighted in these columns following which the Chief Minister had also sought a report from the HPSIDC in this regard.

Various works which were lying pending, including repair and maintenance of roads, sewerage and drainages in industrial areas of Gondpur, (Paonta Sahib) and Kala Amb with a sanctioned budget of Rs 70 lakh and Rs 34 lakh, respectively. Besides, augmentation of the water supply scheme (Taruwala-Gondpur) Paonta Sahib with a sanctioned budget of Rs 68 lakh and work to decongest the Kala Amb Barrier with Rs 10 lakh budgetary provision were among the prominent works assigned to the HPSIDC.

Shimla, February 7
The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has filed a charge sheet against Shimla Zila Parishad chairman Anirudh Singh in a case involving the recovery of wooden sleepers from his residential premises.

The bureau filed the charge sheet in the local court yesterday under Section 4 of the Land Preservation Act after completing investigation. Last year the police had recovered over 300 deodar sleepers from the residential premises of the ZP chairman and filed a case against him in this regard.

Singh had contested that trees that were on his private land had fallen because of rain; so a case could not be made out against him.

The police on the other hand was of the view that even if the trees had fallen on their own, the forest authorities had to be informed about it and as such it was an offence he had committed.

Mandi, February 7
Roshan Lal of Jogindernagar was killed while two others Nagendra and Ramesh, also from the same area, sustained serious injuries when a private car (HP 29 2189) they were travelling in fell into a 200-m gorge near Galu under Jogindernagar police station in late evening hours yesterday.

According to the police, when they reached Galu, driver Nagender lost control of the vehicle plunging it into the nullah. Roshan Lal succumbed to his injuries at the Civil Hospital, Jogindernagar, while the two others were stable.

The police has registered a case of negligence in driving under Sections 279, 337 and 304-A, IPC.

Shimla, February 7
Himachal has won yet another award in the area of Clean Energy Development Investment Programme as it has been conferred with the Best Project Implementation Award, 2011. This was revealed by Chief Minister PK Dhumal here today.

He said the award had been given on the basis of good performance of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) for the best project implementation during 2011.

Dhumal said the HPPCL had been allotted various power projects and was awarded for its best performance as evaluated by the Department of Economic Affairs, Union Finance Ministry and Asian Development Bank during a meeting held in Pune today.

The Chief Minister said the state had been appreciated by external funding agencies like the World Bank and the ADB for the best performance under external-funded projects.

He added that the award had been given to the HPPCL for executing the hydroelectric projects successfully and which were in operation for a minimum uninterrupted period of two years.

Kangra, February 7
A 53-year-old man of Amlahar, near Dehra, was electrocuted when he came in contact with a 33-KW high-tension electric wire while working on a tree in his village, the police said here today.

SDPO, Dehra, Manmohan Singh said Gurcharan Singh was working on daily wages. He was rushed to the CHC, Dehra, where doctors declared him brought dead. The victim belonged to an IRDP family and has left behind a wife and three children.

Kangra, February 7
A 50-year-old man of Mujarnoo died at the DRPGMC Tanda following the consumption of some poison late last night, the police said today.

Raj Kumar consumed some poison and was rushed to a Joginder Nagar hospital by his family members. Doctors then referred him to DRPGMC Tanda where he died. A postmortem on his body was conducted today.

Shimla, February 6
The detailed project reports (DPRs) for the construction of three traffic tunnels in different parts of the state will be completed by March to ensure that the work gets under way at the earliest.

Stating this while presiding over a meeting of senior officers of the Public Works Department here today, Revenue Minister Gulab Singh said the DPRs, being prepared by M/s Bernard Ingenieure of Austria, had been delayed due to heavy snow at Bhubbu Jot and Jalsu Jot, the sites for carrying out drilling for geological investigation of the strata for the Bhubbu Jot tunnel. The other two other tunnels were proposed to connect Bangana and Dhaneta and Holi and Utrala.

He said roads were a priority of the government and after completing the geological investigation, mapping and survey work of the Bangana-Dhaneta tunnel, detailed designs would be worked out for these tunnels soon. These tunnels would shorten the distance, reduce travel time and make travelling by road much more comfortable.

The Bangana-Dhaneta tunnel would be a boon for pilgrims and tourists visiting the Naina Devi, Jwalamukhi, Chintpurni and Deothsidh shrines. It would reduce the distance between Bangana and Dhaneta by 7 km.

Gulab Singh said the inception report of the Bhubbu-Jot project had been completed and accordingly a 2.8-km traffic tunnel underneath Bhubbu Jot on the Jogindernagar-Ghatasni-Shilh Bhadwani-Kullu-Telang road had been proposed. Bhubbu Jot remained covered with heavy snow from December to March every year and, thus, the tunnel would provide all-weather road connectivity to commuters. Similarly, the Holi-Utrala tunnel would connect Baijnath in Kangra and Bharmour in Chamba through an all-weather shorter route.

Shimla, February 6
The Himachal Pradesh Employees Confederation has urged Chief Minister PK Dhumal to waive the mandatory pre-condition of clearing the typing test for promotion from Class IV to Class III posts.

Drawing his attention towards the process adopted for recruitment under the LDR (Limited Direct Recruitment) scheme, Confederation president Vinod Kumar said it would require a long time for completing the recruitment process. Further, those who had already qualified the written examination for the post of clerk, clearing the typing test had been made a pre-requisite which was unacceptable as most of the Class IV employees were posted in remote areas where they had no facility to practise typing.

The confederation demanded that appointments should be given after qualifying the written examination with the condition that the typing test would have to be cleared within one year. It pointed out that this process was being followed in case of promotions effected under 10 per cent promotion quota and the promotees were given four chances to clear the typing test conducted by the heads of the departments concerned.

However, in case of the 20 per cent enhanced promotion quota, clearing the typing test had been made mandatory before giving appointment. The confederation demanded that those who qualify the written examination should be given one year’s time to clear the typing test.