Dharamsala, April 8
After facing criticism on the issue of illegal mining in the state, Minister of Industries Kishan Kapoor today claimed that steps taken by him to check the illegal mining had caused loss to the mining mafia that was siphoning off the state revenue. He claimed that the mining mafia, which was making crores in the garb of illegal mining, had started lobbying against him through various vested interests.

To prove his point, the minister claimed that the since the Congress stint in power, the state government had adopted a policy of granting mining lease to people through allotment. However, in 2009 he approved a policy for auctioning all mines in the state.

This has led to a phenomenal increase in revenue collected by the state government through mining leases. Earlier, under the old policy, the state government was getting a revenue of just Rs 60.33 crore from the all mining leases in the state. However, after the auction policy was adopted, the revenue through mining leases in the state had gone up to Rs 116 crore, he claimed.

The minister said in Kangra district alone the revenue to state government from mining lease of sand and gravel had increased five times after the adoption of the new policy. Earlier, the revenue to the state government from sand gravel mines in Kangra district was about Rs 1 crore. However, now it had gone up to Rs 5 crore.

In Hamirpur district, the revenue from mines had increased to Rs 1.28 crore, while in Una district, it was Rs 80 lakh, which was much more than being realised before by the state government, the minster claimed.

He added that the total fine collected from those involved in illegal mining had also gone up. During the last stint of Congress in power, 9,268 cases of illegal mining were caught in five years and an amount of Rs 1.42 crore was realised as fine. During the stint of present government, however, till date 9,778 cases of illegal mining had been caught and a fine of Rs 2.70 crore had been realized.

The minister also claimed that the CAG report regarding loss of revenue due to illegal mining pertained to the period when he was not a minister of the department concerned. Since he had taken over as the minister, the revenue of the state government through mining leases had increased, he said.

During the recently concluded Budget session of the Himachal Assembly, the Minister for Industries had faced criticism from Rakesh Pathania, an Independent MLA from Nurpur, for failing to check the illegal mining.

The minister’s allegations that lobbyists of the mining mafia were after him seemed to be aimed at his own party men. 

Manali, April 8
With fragrant apple orchards in full bloom, dusty and potholed roads and drains clogged with trash and junk greet visitors to this town ahead of the summer tourist season. The local administration and Tourism Department are yet to wake up from their rather long winter slumber that had kept this town in hibernation due to heavy snowfall.

The summer rush is slowly picking up, but you can see heaps of bricks and machineries, including trash, flowing freely through the drains starting from the Upper Manali Mall to Alu Ground, the entry point of this tourist town.

About 100 vehicles are crossing the green tax barrier here every day for the past one week. “We collected Rs 60,000 green tax from outside vehicles yesterday,” said a clerk at the tax collection barrier.

Though the PWD contractor has cleared heaps of debris and boulders from the Mall, the PWD is going slow on the beautification work being carried out since last year, said hoteliers. The new drains laid along both sides of the Mall are clogged with trash and junk dumped by nearby shopkeepers and tourists. There is not even a single dustbin outside the shops.

“The Mall is dusty and dirty and it is difficult for pedestrians to walk from the Mall on the Circuit House road to Hidimba temple,” rued Christiana, a tourist from France.

District Tourism Officer-cum-SDM, Manali, Balbir Thakur said they would set the house in order before April 20 when the actual tourist rush began. “The drains are being cleared and the stone-laying work on the Mall will be completed by October without causing any problem to the tourists,” he claimed.

The picture is no different in Kullu town. “The dust by vehicles on the national highway from the Bhuntar airport to main town enters houses and shops,” resented residents.

The PWD is re-laying culverts and improving sharp curves on the 11 km-long stretch between Bhuntar and Kullu town. Superintending Engineer, PWD, VK Kapur said they would start tarring and patch work on the roads in Manali once temperature improved and it would be completed before the tourist rush picks up. 

Shimla, April 8
There is no cause for alarm over swine flu after the death of a 55-year-old woman from Sarkaghat town in Mandi district yesterday, who had tested positive for the disease, the health authorities said.

“It was the only case which tested positive and all the remaining seven samples of suspected patients received at the Indira Gandhi Medical College from across the state had tested negative,” says Omesh Bharti, State Surveillance Officer. The women, who died, had been taking immuno-compromising drugs like steroids. Thus, she was highly susceptible to the disease. She was brought here at a late stage. As her lungs had been affected, she could not be saved, he said.

Bharti said another sample had been received from the Medical College at Tanda in Kangra today, the result of which would be available tomorrow. The H1N1 virus was already in the environment everywhere, but it was manifesting as swine flu sporadically in persons with low immunity. Those in robust health and not taking any immuno-compromising drugs would have nothing to fear.

It was the first case of swine flu and first casualty in the state and the government had taken all the required precautionary measures and started strict monitoring as soon as news regarding the reappearance of swine flu in Pune and some southern states was received three weeks back, Bharti added.

Necessary directions were issued to all the Chief Medical Officers and medical colleges to remain vigilant for suspected cases and test all influenza-like cases for swine flu. A team of doctors was sent to the victim’s hometown immediately after she had tested positive and all the family members and other persons were given the prophylactic treatment, said Bharti. 

Shimla, April 8
While exorbitantly high employee cost is the main cause of failing financial health of the power board, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has exposed the “inefficiency” and “mess” in the state utility by pointing out glaring shortcomings in planning and executing schemes for the improvement and expansion of distribution infrastructure resulting in losses to the tune of crores.

Despite surplus staff and abundant funds available under various centrally sponsored schemes, the board failed to upgrade the distribution infrastructure to meet the growing demand on account of increase in number of consumers. The number of consumers increased from 17.99 lakh in 2006-07 to 19.69 lakh in 2010-11 and the connected load from 3,368 MW to 4,403 MW, an increase of 30.72 per cent, but the board could enhance the transformation capacity only by 21.85 per cent. Against the planned 5,709 distribution substations, it added only 4,217 substations. The ratio of transformation capacity to connected load stood at a dismal 0.28:1 as against the ideal ratio of 1:1. This is leading to overloading of the network and consequential rotational cuts in power supply.

The failure rate of distribution transformers at 6.59 per cent was in excess of norms which could have been minimised by preventing overloading. The amount incurred on repair of faulty 4,161 transformers was Rs 8 crore (22 per cent) more than the cost of new transformers.

There were massive slippages in targets under the Accelerated Power Development and Reform Programme (APDRP) ranging from 43 per cent to 91.94 per cent in re-conducting, replacement, conversion and construction of new LT and HT lines. High voltage system is key to reducing technical losses, prevention of theft and improve voltage but the board failed to convert the LT into HT. The ratio of HT:LT remained at 1:1.75 as against the ideal ratio of 1:1. As a result, the aggregate technical and commercial losses ranged between 23.65 and 24.12 per cent as against the target of 15 per cent under the APDRP.

It also faltered in the recovery of energy charges and as a result the outstanding dues increased from Rs 189 crore to Rs 32.06 crore over the period. Failure to complete the Rs 322.77-crore APDRP within the specified period of three years led to cost escalation which was met by the company by raising a loan of Rs 66.43 crore from the Rural Electrification Corporation.

Shimla, April 8
Refuting the BJP charge that the UPA regime at the Centre was handing out a raw deal to the state, general secretary of the state Congress Kuldeep Rathore said today that the latest report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had vindicated his party’s stand that Dhumal government was not utilising the Central funds properly.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the supply of 3,200 tonnes of substandard pulses and foodgrain, diversion and non-utilisation of funds running into hundreds of crores under various Central schemes, mounting losses of public sector units, which had crossed Rs 16,691 crore, and other irregularities pointed out in the report had caught the state government on the wrong foot.

Further, the Centre had approved the state’s annual plan of Rs 3,700 crore for 2012-13 without any cut by providing special assistance which nailed the BJP lie that the state was being discriminated by the Centre in providing funds.

He ridiculed the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association-backed campaign for the release of Annandale ground and alleged that its president Anurag Thakur was eyeing the historic ground. While people of the city wanted it to be transferred back to the state, so that they could use it as before, no one was in favour of spoiling the sprawling green glade by raising construction in the name of developing sports infrastructure. It should be protected as an eco-preserve and used for organising various festivals, fairs and even sports events as before.

Rathore justified the Congress decision not to participate in the debate in the House on the Lokayukta Bill on the grounds that the government had ignored the democratic process by not taking the Opposition into confidence in the matter. Further, the Bill was introduced in tearing haste after Team Anna snubbed the government by terming the draft Bill as weak. The government had been praising Team Anna and decided to send officers to finalise the draft Bill, but now it was debunking it. 

Mandi, April 8
Taking its “mission repeat” agenda among party workers of the district here, the BJP leaders, led by state president Satpal Satti, today termed the Congress “as a party in deep slumber that has launched a false propaganda against the BJP government, which has achieved milestones in the development for the past four years in the state”.

Facing a tough ride ahead of Assembly polls, the BJP workers gathered here as the party’s agenda of “mission repeat” under the leadership of PK Dhumal and Shanta Kumar to retain power in the state.

Later, addressing the mediapersons, Satti said, “The Congress has no agenda and it has failed as a constructive Opposition party.”

He said the BJP government had given relief to every section of the society and provided good governance. “We challenge Congressmen to hold a debate on the development works done during the past four years on a public platform,” he added.

Satti alleged that the Congressmen had suddenly woken up from their slumber by launching a false propaganda of corruption and unemployment to create confusion among the public. “The Congress has been ruling the country like this for the past 60 years,” he said.

On the other hand, the BJP government had won 60 awards in development, despite the Congress-led Central government discriminating against the state, he claimed.

He said the Congress had double standards as far as corruption was concerned.

On the Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP), Satti said the party was trying to win back leaders who had formed the HLP. “We hope they will join the BJP as they have served the party for long,” he said.

Rural Development Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the party workers should get importance at all levels and they must differentiate them from opportunists.

Transport Minister Mohinder Thakur came out with his formula for the “mission repeat”, saying: “We must woo women and the Dalits into the party fold. We won Renuka, and I have been winning from Dharampur for the past five terms because I have their support.”

Shimla, April 8
The Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) has objected to the statement of state BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti that efforts were being made to bring leaders who had left the party back into the partyfold.

General secretary of the party Dharam Chand Guleria and secretary Tikkoo Thakur said HLP president Maheshwar Singh had more than once made it clear that there was no question of the party being merged into the BJP, but still such misleading reports were appearing in the media. He wanted to know from Satti at what level and with whom talks were being carried out for a merger.

The senior leaders who had devoted their life were forced to leave the party due to its failure to stick to its values and the declining authority of the high command. Satti had been at the helm for only about a month and during this period no appreciable change had been effected in the party which could persuade the leaders to merge 10 breakaway party members into the BJP. Moreover, the HLP had enrolled over one lakh members who could not be betrayed by taking such 
a course.

They said the HLP would emerge as a strong political force in the state as a lot of old committed BJP workers had already joined its ranks. People were disillusioned with the BJP and the rampant corruption under its rule. 

Dharamsala, April 8
Under an apprehension that the state government might consider carving out new districts out of Kangra, ahead of elections at the end of the year, Congress and Shanta camp leaders today made it clear that they would oppose the move.

HPCC president Kaul Singh, who was at Jawalamukhi today, while talking to newsmen said the move to carve out new districts out of Kangra, just a few months ahead of Assembly elections, was just a political gimmick.

The state government was already reeling under a financial crisis. Consequently the state government was diverting funds being provided for various development schemes towards paying employees’ salaries, Kaul Singh alleged.

The CAG report had also indicated towards serious violations in the use of funds provided by Union Government to the Himachal Government. In most of the districts there was an acute shortage of staff. In such a scenario, creating new districts would add to the financial burden of the state. It would not be beneficial for people as hardly any facility would be available for them in the form of new districts, he said.

Kaul Singh also alleged that the present government was just trying to carve out new districts out of Kangra to finish the political identity of Shanta Kumar.

Besides Kaul Singh, Minister for Industries Kishan Kapoor in a separate press conference held at Dharamsala today said he would oppose any move the create districts out of Kangra. Creating new districts would harm the identity of Kangra that was oldest and historic district of the country, Kapoor alleged.

Meanwhile, Kaul Singh was given a rousing welcome by Congress workers led by Nardev Kanwar, block president of the party in the area.

While addressing the political rally at Jawalamukhi, Kaul Singh alleged that ministers in the present government were facing serious allegations of corruption.

Even the BJP MP from Kangra had raised a banner of revolt against his own party. He was sitting on a dharna against the present government. Former leaders of the BJP had formed a separate political outfit and were giving documentary evidence against the sitting ministers, he alleged.

Today’s rally of Kaul Singh was organised to mobilise party workers for the forthcoming political function of Union Minister for Commerce, Industry and Textiles.

Palampur, April 8
Hundreds of villagers from the Kandwari area of Palampur sub-division today staged a dharna at the site of the Subhash Power Project, an Andhra-based power company, that has been executing the project on the Baner river. Villagers have forced the project authorities to suspend the construction activities.

Villagers were protesting against the non-payment of compensation for their land acquired by the project. They said they would not allow the project authorities to résumé the construction till the compensation was paid to them. They said they were owners of the land and the project should have released the compensation first before taking over the possession of land.

The project management called the police to the spot to disperse the villagers sitting on dharna. However, villagers refused to move till the final settlement was made to them. The police was forced go back.

Villagers while talking to mediapersons criticised the local administration for shielding the project management. They said on the one hand they were being harassed by the project authorities and on the other local officials and the police were shielding the power company and deputing police to disperse them.

It is alleged that half a dozen power companies executing power projects in this region are forcibly occupying agricultural land of farmers and no compensation has been paid to them.

In many other villages locals have come out in the streets in protest against the non-cooperative attitude of power companies. Two days ago, hundreds of villagers had come out in the Gopalpur-Jiya area lodging a protest against another power company that was defying state laws and not providing employment to locals in the project.

Till date the state government is a silent spectator. Official machinery as well as local leaders are extending their support to power companies forcing villagers to sit on dharna.

Shimla, April 8
The government will construct 76 additional housing units in the state capital at a cost of Rs 10 crore so that more government employees can be provided accommodation.

Chief Minister PK Dhumal stated this while inaugurating a cluster of 52 new housing units constructed at a cost of Rs 4.90 crore at the Nabha locality here today.

Dhumal said the budgetary allocation for providing housing facilities for the state employees had been doubled. Efforts were being made to construct the best possible houses, where the employees could live a comfortable life and save on rent in the costly tourist destination.

He said the interest of the employees had been a priority in the government agenda and efforts were being made to provide them all possible financial benefits along with promotional avenues. Soon after taking over as the Chief Minister, Dhumal had announced public holidays for women employees on Raksha Bandhan, Bhaiya Dooj and Karvachauth festivals with free travelling facility in HRTC buses on these occasions. The daily wage was increased from Rs 75 to Rs 100 and genuine grievances of employees were being addressed through mutual consultations, thereby maintaining cordial relations with them.

Dhumal also inaugurated a blood donation camp organised by Kshitij, an NGO, at Nabha. He announced Rs 3 lakh for the construction of road to connect the Nabha area with new bus stand.

Earlier, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of a five-storey building at Deen Dayal Upadhayaya Government Hospital estimated to cost Rs 9.36 crore. It will have patient capacity of 300 and parking space for 70 vehicles.

He announced that civil dispensaries at Jakhu, State Secretariat, Himachal Pradesh High Court, Phagli, Kasumpti, Chhota Shimla, Sanjauli and Rampur will be upgraded to primary health centres and brought under the Rogi Kalyan Samities to make them eligible for an annual grant-in-aid of Rs 1.75 lakh for maintenance.

Manali, April 8
Roop Chand Negi has been elected president of the Himachal Pradesh Winter Games Association (HPWGA) for the second time. The election of the HPWGA was held here today in which 25 ski clubs and associations from the state participated.

In the election Negi secured 50 votes, whereas Amitabh Sharma could get only 25 votes.

The election of the HPWGA was held under the supervision of Arun Kumar Sharma, ADM, Kullu, and Balbir Thakur, SDM, Manali. JB Joshi, observer from the Winter Games Federation of India, Ramesh Chauhan, HP Olympic Association, and Nareder Mohan Kashyap, representative from YSS, HP, also witnessed the election process.

The following is the elected body of the HPWGA: President - Roop Chand Negi; chief adviser - Mahavir Thakur; adviser - BR Sharma; chairman - Inder Singh Negi; secretary general - Sanjiv Atri; treasurer - Kuldeep Walia; vice-presidents - Capt Randhir Singh Salhuria, Jagdish Lal, Bishan Dass Parshira and Dev Raj Kashyap; and joint secretaries - Bhumi Chand, Ramesh and Kamal.

Palampur, April 8
To drive between Baijnath and Jogindernagar on the Mandi-Pathankot road (National Highway-20), connecting Pathankot with Leh, one of the busiest highways in lower hills of the state is not less than a nightmare as the Awai Nag turn near Baijnath has turned into a death trap because of falling rocks hitting the highway daily. If no timely action is taken it can result in a major tragedy.

Recently the NH wing of the Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD) had widened this road. Because of blasting, major cracks had developed in the adjoining hills. A 100-m stretch of the adjoining forest had already come down on the highway disrupting vehicular traffic and causing inconvenience to common passengers and other tourists on way of Kullu and Manali. A number of green species had also got also uprooted.

However, the NH wing seems unconcerned about the situation. Till date no safety measures have been adopted by the PWD to regulate the traffic and remove fallen rocks. Neither has any sign board been installed nor man power deputed to alert vehicles entering this stretch.

A Tribune team visited the site today and found a long queue of vehicles held up because of big rocks blocking the highway. No official of the HP PWD was available on the spot for comments. This correspondent tried to contact Parveen Katoch, Executive Engineer, PWD, Jogindernagar. He was reportedly on a tour to Nurpur and did not pick up his mobile phone.

Shimla, April 8
The BJP today alleged that the opposition party Congress was not in favour of a strong Lokayukta, but the government demonstrated its commitment by ensuring that the Bill was passed in the Budget Session itself.

BJP spokesperson Ganesh Dutt said due consultation process was followed and the Bill was put on the web to invite suggestions and improvements, but the Congress neither submitted any suggestions to make the proposed law more stringent nor participated in the debate in the House on the issue. It clearly indicated that the Congress was not in favour of a strong Lokayukta.

The report of the commission on benami land transactions had also exposed that the Congress committed gross violations of Section 118 during its rule. Congress leaders had been making sweeping allegations against the Dhumal government on the issue without any basis, Dutt said.

He reiterated that the UPA regime at the Centre was handing out a raw deal to the state in providing funds. He claimed that the government had, by prudent fiscal management, improved the state’s financial health and that the Comptrollers and Auditor General (CAG) had praised its efforts in ensuring transparency in the system.

Palampur, April 8
The issuance of high security registration plates (HSRPs) for commercial and non-commercial vehicles in Kangra district has been turning into a major law and order problem as long queues of vehicle owners can be seen outside offices of the SDMs daily.

Many a time authorities are forced to call the police to control the crowd.

However, the district administration is unconcerned with the situation and no steps have been initiated to streamline the system so far to avoid hardships being caused to people who come to the office of the SDM here for getting their HSRPs.

Since the apex court has set a deadline of June 30 for issuing HSRPs across the country, people start reaching the office of SDMs as early as 6am and stand in queues to submit documents.

Official sources said the Director, Transport, HP, had assigned the job of issuing high security number plates to a Delhi-based private company.

The company had deputed only one person in each station to collect money and documents. However, no machine has been installed.

Only 100 to 150 vehicles are registered per day. At times the collection window is closed without any prior notice causing inconvenience to visitors.

There are over 35,000 vehicles registered with the Motor Licensing Authority, Palampur. Besides, 500 new vehicles are registered every month. It seems impossible to register all 35,000 vehicles before June 30, 2012, unless more manpower and machines are pressed into service.

UC Verma, a senior citizen, outside the office of the SDM said he had deposited the fee and submitted documents on February 8, 2012, to the company. Despite repeated reminders he had not received the number plates.

This correspondent tried to contact PS Draik, Director, Transport, HP, but his office said he was busy in a meeting.

Ajit Bagla, president, Palampur Welfare Forum, today appealed to the state high court to intervene in the matter and save people from hardships.

He said the role of the office of the Director, Transport, should be probed as how it had assigned the job of issuance of number plates to a company that had neither manpower nor equipment to do the same.

Mandi, April 8
Veterinary doctors working on contract basis in the state will go on a pen-down strike on Tuesday in protest against the failure of the government to regularise their services.

According to office-bearers of the Himachal Pradesh State Veterinary Officers’ Association (HPSVOA), doctors have been forced to take this step as all pleas to the government have fallen on deaf ears. They have put in more than 10 years in service, but the government still has not regularised their services on the pattern of Punjab, they resented.

Kailash Mahajan, joint secretary, HPSVOA, said the contract doctors were not paid any allowances and they had been working like daily wagers to eke out a living, rendering services to people in the remote areas of the state.

Mahajan said they had made several pleas before the government to make one-time regularisation policy for them, but the government had made no recruitment and promotion rules for them.

The doctors have no facilities and roughed it out in the rural areas implementing the government programmes and policies from time to time, the association said.

“The doctors are resentful like all contractual employees and will be forced to launch a statewide stir against the government,” the association warned.