Sundernagar, March 13
A large number of persons along with their vehicles like tippers, tractors and JCBs can be seen engaged in illegal mining at Mohal Khuri of the Balh valley, but neither the mining department nor the Bhakra-Beas Management Board (BBMB) authorities have tried to stop this illegal practice which has been going on uninterruptedly for the past many years.

For the construction of the Beas-Sutlej Link project, water of the Beas was diverted from Pandoh (where a dam was constructed) in a 13.1 km-long tunnel to Baggi, from where the water is taken to Sundernagar in an open channel, and it is ultimately used for the production of electricity at the 990-MW Dehar Power House at Slapper.

For the construction of the tunnel, the diameter of which is 7.63 m, sufficient quantity of muck (sand, bajri, boulders) is extracted and dumped in the Khuri area of the Balh valley towards the right side of Baggi where this tunnel ends. The muck has heaped in an area of more than 0.5 km. The BSL project was taken over by the BBMB after its creation under the Punjab Reorganisation Act.

According to residents of Khuri village, many years ago some persons started digging muck and selling it. With no one stopping them, this work has taken the shape of a mining industry.

A large number of persons, including migratory labourers, can be seen extracting sand, bajri and boulders from this place and transporting it in tippers and tractors to various destinations to many ongoing works of various projects in adjoining Mandi district.

The demand for sand and bajri is so high that many JCB machines can be seen engaged in the job. According to residents, who are afraid of persons engaged in mining, this practice has been going on for more than the past 10 years. They further say they have many times apprised the BBMB officials (as the land belongs of the BBMB) and mining officials in the past, but the mining in the area has further increased.

As per information received from the Mining Officer, Mandi, in December 2011 under the Right to Information Act, no permission of mining was given in the past 10 years to land pertaining to the BSL project, Mohal Khuri, thereby meaning that no mining was going on the spot.

The area of mining belongs of the BBMB, the office of which is near the spot, but no one has tried to stop illegal mining. The illegal mining in the area has caused a revenue loss worth crores to the government exchequer. On the other hand, the persons, who used to work as labourers, now are owners of vehicles, have become contractors and are supplying minerals to various projects from the area.

Nurpur, March 13
It has been three months since the preparation of High-Security Number Plates (HSNPs) in Nurpur and Jawali sub divisions was embarked upon. It is scheduled to be completed by June, but the slow pace of preparation of these HSNPs has become irksome for the vehicle owners.

The owners have to make a beeline in the offices of the local Sub Divisional Magistrates (SDM) cum registering and licensing authority for submitting their existing registration certificates (RCs) of the vehicles by depositing scheduled charges. Then they have to wait for a long time for the replacement of old number plates with the new HSNPs being prepared by a Delhi-based private company.

According to information, following the directions of the apex court, the state government has started replacing existing number plates with HSNPs. The work is regulated by the office of the regional transport office at the Dharamsala district headquarters.

Enquiries reveal that applicants are submitting their RCs along with requisite fees for the HSNPs in eight sub divisional headquarters of the district and office of the Regional Transport Officer (RTO) in Dharamsala.

In Nurpur and Jawali sub divisions, there are over 25,000 and 18,000 vehicles, respectively, registered with the local motor licensing branches. Only 1,500 HSNPs in Nurpur and 1,200 in Jawali sub division have been fixed so far in the vehicles.

Even after waiting for 45 to 60 days, vehicle owners have to enquire about their turn from the local licensing branch. The local registering cum licensing authority, SDM Rakesh Verma said 20 to 25 vehicles were being replaced with the new HSNPs daily. He said at present, only two workers of the company were doing this work at Nurpur. The offices of the licensing authority remain overcrowded throughout the day as the vehicle owners have to submit their RCs and fee for HSNP in morning and in afternoon, people, whose HSNPs are prepared, have to wait for their turn for hours as the private company has deputed only one or two workers for fixing HSNP to vehicles.

There is a demand that every sub division or at least two adjoining sub divisional headquarters should be equipped with HSNP manufacturing workshops so that this job could be expedited and completed within scheduled period.

Aut (Mandi), March 13
The 2.8-km-long Aut-Thalot tunnel, the longest in the country, on National Highway No. 21, has become a major traffic hazard for commuters as the density of traffic has been increasing every year.

Six days ago, a mini bus and a truck had a head-on collision in the tunnel. Luckily, the passengers escaped unhurt. A speeding jeep hit a truck driver who was towing away the vehicle. He succumbed to his injuries later at the Primary Health Centre, Nagwani, last Monday.

Minor incidents of brushing with crossing vehicles have become order of the day. There are no speed-breakers and billboards instructing commuters on the speed limit while entering the tunnel. The visibility inside the tunnel is poor as there is not enough ventilation and lighting system.

The trucks carrying sand in the tunnel leave behind a trail of dust which makes the visibility even poorer. There are no road dividers as well and vehicles overtake at high speed.

Even the exhaust system does not work properly as the Larji power project, which maintains the tunnel, has put in place just two shafts of exhaustion inside the tunnel.

What has made journey inside the tunnel hazardous is the fact that traffic density has surged many times since this tunnel was opened to traffic in 2006. A large number of local vehicles, vehicles carrying army supplies, transport of power projects machineries and tourist traffic heading for Kullu, Manali, Lahaul, Leh and Ladakh pass through this tunnel daily.

The tunnel was created by the HP State Electricity Board (HPSEB) after the 5-km-long stretch of the highway was submerged in the 126 MW Larji barrage. Mandi SP Abhishek Dular said they had suggested to put up speed breakers to check the speed inside the tunnel. 

Palampur, March 13
Chief Minister PK Dhumal recently released “Analytical Techniques in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology”, a book written by Dr Rajan Katoch, who is serving as a scientist at Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur.

The book has been published worldwide by the Springer, New York, USA publishers. The book has been authored on fundamental subjects in life sciences represented by “Biochemistry and Molecular Biology”. The information in the book about modern techniques has multidisciplinary approach for the benefit of students and researchers.

Katoch has three books to his credit, including books published by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Government of India. His book “Biochemistry and molecular Biology of Plant Disease Resistance” was released last year. Katoch has been credited with the “Young Scientist Award” and “Award for Excellence in Biochemistry”. He has also been awarded by the US Department of Agriculture for his contribution to research. 

Hamirpur, March 13
The state government has taken a new initiative to set up a laser centre in the dental department of the Regional Hospital (RH), Hamirpur. MP Anurag Thakur has provided Rs 6.5 lakh from the MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) for setting up the laser centre.

With the establishment of the laser centre, complicated dental cases would be handled with ease. Talking about efficacy of laser technology in treatment of dental patients, Head, Dental department at RH Hamirpur, Dr Rajan Bhardwaj said, “Dental surgery through this technique can be conducted with minimum pain and blood loss, without leaving any scar. Stitches would not be needed, it will reduce chances of infection and will ensure fast recovery and minimise intake of medicines”.

The patients would be saved from undergoing pain which used to happen in the normal procedure. The root canal treatment of teeth would be conducted in a very short period and with more precision, he said. Another advantage of the laser system is that stained teeth can be easily bleached and black gums can be restored to their original teeth enamel. 

Nurpur, March 13
The Health and Family Welfare Department has allocated Rs 25 lakh for renovating the 100-bedded local Civil Hospital.

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Kangra, Kultar Dogra after conducting surprise inspection of the hospital on Sunday said the amount would be spent on renovating and maintaining the hospital premises.

He said during the inspection he has found a lot of improvement in the health services that are rendered here. “In order to ensure further improvement an official order has been issued. Hospital gynaecologists and anaesthetics will remain on call duties so that round-the-clock services can be available to women especially pregnant women,” he said.

The CMO said doctors of Pathankot-based private hospitals who are practising privately would be issued warning letters soon. He said the 108 ambulance service under Atal Swasthya Yozna of Nurpur civil hospital had topped among seventeen ambulances in Kangra district in transporting maximum patients during the past one year. “This ambulance has covered maximum mileage and transported over six thousand out of twenty one thousand patients transported in the district from far flung areas of the lower Kangra district,” he said.

Kangra, March 13
“The number of HIV positive children continues to rise with more than 1,000 babies being infected globally every day from their mother through transmission during pregnancy, labour, delivery and breastfeeding,” Dr RK Sood, Kangra District AIDS Programme Officer, revealed.

There are 1,622 HIV/AIDS cases in Kangra itself. As many as 48 of them are below 18 years of age. Last year, 10 expected mothers were identified positive in the district. After medication, children were found negative.

Disclosing this here today, he said with enhanced focus on elimination of mother to child transmission, the detection had improved through a network of well-functioning 27 ICTCs in the district.

Free and confidential reliable testing services were being made available to pregnant mothers at their doorsteps, he said.

He said in the absence of treatment, half of the HIV-positive infants die before their second birthday.

He said when a mother had an access to antiretroviral therapy, the chance of HIV transmission was virtually zero. He said ‘prevention of mother-to-child-transmission’ (PMTCT) was the most effective way to create an HIV-free generation.

NACO was working hard to provide HIV testing, counselling, medication and support to HIV+ mothers, he added. The Health Department was also scaling up PMTCT programmes and integrating HIV testing into antenatal care and institutional delivery.

AIDS workers counsel and support antenatal women psychologically through home visit and motivate them on proper nutrition, institutional delivery and facilitate medicines to the mother-baby pair by escorting them to institution and liasoning with government service providers.

They also attempt to track the children exposed to HIV and identify HIV positive newborns and children, Dr Sood said.

He said till now over 22 mother-baby pairs, mostly from the rural areas, had been successfully facilitated.

Bilaspur, March 13
Arrangements have been finalised for the 10-day annual Chaitra Navratra fair at famous hill-top shrine at Naina Devi about 95 km from here.

Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Darshan Kalia said this after presiding over a meeting of district officers and other non-official members of the Mela Management Committee at Naina Devi recently. The fair would be held from March 23 to April 2.

He said during the fair the temple would be closed for an hour from 12.30 am to 1.30 am so that the pilgrims can relax after standing for hours in long queues for the ‘darshans of Mata’.

Darshan Kalia said the entire mela area has been divided into 11 sectors with each sector under charge of a magistrate and police officer with adequate police force at their command.

This is to manage traffic flow. Vehicular traffic would be controlled through five traffic check posts at Toba, Kainchi Mode, Ghawandal, Rope Way and Kohni Mode. There would be suitable arrangements for parking of all types of vehicles on road sides while “Matri Anchal Parking” lot would also be put into service. HRTC would run special buses to cope with additional rush of devotees.

Devotees would be allowed to proceed in groups of not more than two hundred at a time to avoid any accident.

All concerned district officers have been instructed to ensure all essentials are in place, including 24-hour medical and health services fully equipped with doctor and emergency equipments, 108 ambulance services, uninterrupted supply of clean drinking water and electricity, maintenance of sanitation and hygienic conditions.

ADM said use of loud speakers and any other noisy instruments, offering of “halwa and prasad” and coconuts and begging would be totally banned during the fair. Use of polythene bags would be strictly prohibited.

Bilaspur, March 13
Led by prominent Congress party leaders Bambar Thakur and Tejasvi Sharma, a delegation of family members of bus accident victims met Deputy Commissioner Ritesh Chauhan here recently.

They presented him a detailed memorandum of their demands for being forwarded to the Chief Minister.

Members of the group pleaded that at the time of the accident a few months ago, which claimed 31 lives, the government had declared that at least one dependent of each accident victim would be provided government job.

Some of the families are left with no earning hand, but the government seems to be in no hurry to fulfill their demands. Those killed in the accident were either government employees or daily wage-earners who were returning to their villages after work.

The kin of the deceased demanded Rs 4 lakh as immediate compensation while th injured asked for Rs 2 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The victims’ kin have been given Rs one lakh each.

They also stressed that the process of compensation by mutual consent between the HRTC and the victims’ families be expedited.

They also demanded a special bus to Pehowa and Haridwar on March 20 for performing religious ceremonies and last rites of the dead.March 20 is an auspicious day for religious rites, the family members contended.The Deputy Commissioner expressed concern over the loss of lives and expressed willingness to provide requisite facilities. 

Bilaspur, March 13
Government Postgraduate College, Bilaspur, is proud of its BA second-year student Priyanka Negi who won gold medal in the first World Women Kabaddi Cup at Patna in Bihar last week.

The college held a function to honour Priyanka Negi after her return from Bihar.

Negi was called one of the few architects of victory of Indian team in the final match.

College principal RP Chopra said a trainee of Sports Authority of India (Sai), she has brought laurels to her state and coaches.

Present on occasion were her coach Rattan Lal Thakur, vice-principal Dr VK Sharma and professors Dr Pravesh Sharma, Anupam Bhalla, Navendu Bansal and her equally talented junior Kabaddi associate Ritu Negi among others.

District Women and Child Development Department organised a district level function in collaboration with the District Medical and Health Department to honour the player.

The organisers also honoured upcoming player who brought name and fame to the country and state by bringing gold medal to India while being captain of third Asian Junior Kabaddi Games last year.

Several speakers, including Chief Medical Officer Dr AK Sharma, District Medical Officer Dr Jitender Saxena and District Programme Officer Gyan Chand Chandel gave details of government initiative for women empowerment in the state. 

The Platform, a Shimla-based society engaged in promotion of art and culture, organised a painting exhibition at the Gaiety Theatre to mark International Women’s Day.

As many as 34 works of 12 young artists were displayed (see photo). These highlighted empowerment of women and progress made by them in various spheres of life. Besides modern attires, which present the confident face of women, some works also focused on the pain and pangs of their lives. Anjna Thakur, an alumnus of Himachal Pradesh University, contributed 20 works to the event. The paintings were made mostly in oil and acrylic colours.

President of The Platform Ajay Sharma says that the idea is to provide the young artists an opportunity to display their creative talent and the journey of women from the traditional to the modern era.

The Platform will organise next major event on April 15 to mark the Himachal Day. The artists across the state have been asked to come up with paintings on various aspects to be displayed at an exhibition on the Ridge in Shimla in front of the statue of state ‘nirmata’ Dr YS Parmar.