Shimla, June 10
With a record output of 7.18 lakh tonne during the Rabi season, the hill state has not only achieved the highest ever foodgrain production in 2011-12 but also broken the 16 lakh tonne barrier.

With four-bumper crops in a row the contribution of agriculture to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) during the 11th five-year plan is likely to increase to 5 per cent as against 2.5 per cent at the national level.

While weather gods smiling on the farmers, the increasing emphasis on micro irrigation and protected cultivation has also helped in boosting farm output.

Weather plays an important part as only 23 per cent of the cultivated area under assured irrigation and the small and marginal farmers, who account for 89 per cent of the cultivators, are entirely dependent on timely rains for a good crop.

Director of agriculture JC Rana said the Kharif output was also a record 9.10 lakh tonne. “The 2010-11 was an exceptionally productive year when the state touched the 15 lakh tonne mark for the first time, surpassing the previous highest of 14.40 lakh tonne in 2007-08. The two intervening years (2008-10) were bad years when drought-like conditions severely affected farm production,” he said.

As per the latest estimates, the output of wheat has increased from 6.50 lakh tonne in the last season to 6.70 lakh tonne, barley from 35,000 tonne to 40,000 tonne and pulses from 5,000 tonne to 8,000 tonne. The maize production shot up to 7.65 lakh tonne from 6.05 lakh tonne in 2010-11 and rice to over 1.40 lakh tonne.

Earlier, the state had a record Rabi production of 7.27 lakh tonne.

The vegetable production has been constantly on the increase for the coupe of years and it has risen to 12.95 lakh tonne in 2011-12 from 11.50-lakh tonne in the previous year.

The Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Kisan Bagban Smridhi Yojana under which 80 to 90 per cent subsidy is being provided to farmers for setting up poly houses is also helping in stabilising vegetable production. Vegetables are most suitable for cultivation in protected conditions which help insulate the farmers from the impact of unfavourable weather.

Interestingly, while foodgrain production is stabilising the output of apple, so far the mainstay of state’s economy, has been fluctuating widely. It shot up from 2.80 lakh tonne in 2009-10 to an all time record 8.92 lakh tonne in 2010-11 and plunged to 2.72 lakh tonne, lowest in ten years, in the last financial year.

Mandi, June 10
Greeted with black flags shown by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leaders — and even from his party activists — Congress Nagrota-Bagwan MLA G S Bali today got a lukewarm response for his controversial 'Rozgar Sangharsh Yatra' in Mandi-Kullu districts represented by Union Minister Virbhadra Singh and state president Kaul Singh Thakur.

Bali remained unfazed despite being cold-shouldered by Congressmen of Mandi-Kullu region. He termed his yatra as a private venture and targeted the BJP government on the issue of 70 per cent employment in private companies working in the state.

Bali was greeted with black flags shown by some Congress men at Kullu and then by the BJP's Yuva Morcha members at Hanogi temple where they had gathered for a three-day training camp.

Bali accused Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal of playing with the future of state's over 10 lakh unemployed youth. "Dhumal has failed to act against big companies that have violated the MoU condition of giving employment to state's youth," he said.

On the third leg of his yatra that started from Mandi to Chamunda Devi, Bali charged big corporate houses with violating the terms and conditions of the MoU signed with the state government. "The state's unemployed youth are helpless and taking to drugs," he said.

On black flags, Bali said he chose to ignore the incident as he enjoyed the support of Virbhadra Singh and Kaul Singh. He said his yatra should not be linked with politics and that everybody should support his cause.

Bali said he was getting feedback on his yatra and he would include the relevant points in the election manifesto.

Most of the supporters of Kaul Singh Thakur and Virbhadra Singh were absent at the Bali's yatra. They accused Bali of trying to promote himself in the run up to the coming assembly polls.

Shimla, June 10
The government has decided to install hand pumps in water scarcity-hit areas on a priority basis to provide respite to people from perennial shortage of water during summer.

So far, 26,132 hand pumps have been installed across the state, out of which 11,047 have been installed during the past four years.

On an average about 2,500 hand pumps are being installed every year. The government is also making efforts to ensure regular supply of drinking water to people and bring more and more area under irrigation. After having provided drinking water to all census villages in the state, focus is on coverage of the left out habitations.

During the past four years, 20,214 habitations have been covered under the drinking water supply programme, out of which 2,557 habitations were covered during the past financial year.

The remaining 11,787 habitations will be covered in a phased manner.

A water management Board has been constituted for ensuring proper management of water resources in the state.

Awareness camps are also being organised at the panchayat level to create awareness about need for sustainable management of water sources.

Out of the 56 towns in the state, sewerage schemes have been implemented in Naina Devi, Palampur, Chamba, Mandi, Bilaspur, Rohru, Jwalamukhi, Ghumarwin, Shimla, Manali, Arki, Jogindernagar, Rampur, Jubbal, Kullu and Dharamshala and the work is in progress in 24 towns.

For ensuring the sustainability of these schemes, attention is being paid to rain water harvesting, construction of check dams. A plan has also been prepared for constructing a free water harvesting tank in every house of the state within the next three years.

A total of 28,585 hectares had been brought under irrigation during the past four years. The major achievement has been the completion of Rs 68.33-crore rural drinking water supply augmentation scheme to cater to the needs of Dehra, Khundian, Jaisinghpur and Palampur areas in Kangra district.

It will benefit a population of 1,31,293 of 564 habitations. As many as 191 small irrigation schemes, involving an expenditure of Rs 188.63 crore, to cover an area of 26,652 hectares, have been approved by the Centre.

The Rs 104-crore Balh Valley Medium Irrigation Project and the Rs 205-crore Phina Singh Medium Irrigation Project were other major schemes under implementation along with Rs 385-crore Shah Nehar Project. Schemes worth Rs 172.22 crore to provide drinking water to about 1,171 habitations have also been approved.

These include Rs 68.33-crore water supply schemes for augmentation of the non-covered and partially covered habitations of the Changer area, Rs 39.23-crore scheme for the Paragpur and the Jaswan areas and Rs 64.66-crore scheme for Sadar, Ghumarwin and Jhandutta blocks of Bilaspur district.

Solan, June 10
The state government's move to implement the HP Groundwater (regulation and Control of Development and Management) Act 2005 to regulate and stop over-exploitation of groundwater was yet to be implemented effectively especially in the industrial areas.

This was evident from the fact that only a few industrial units had come forward to register themselves with the groundwater authority despite the notification of the Act.

Figures provided by the Ground water Board paint a grim picture of the situation in Paonta and Kala Amb valleys. While Paonta valley falls under the safe category and Kala Amb valley has been categorized as an over-exploited category. — OC

Hamirpur, June 10
Chief Minister PK Dhumal's indecision in selecting an Assembly constituency for himself for the next election has left the aspirants for Sujanpur and Hamirpur Assembly seats in a dilemma.

With only a few months left for the Assembly election, political activity in the State is gaining momentum and aspirants are now focusing on their constituencies.

Dhumal would have to opt for a new Assembly constituency since his present Bamsan seat has ceased to exist after the delimitation exercise in the state. He is likely to contest from Hamirpur or the newly formed Sujanpur constituency.

However, with CM's tag and his strong base in Hamirpur district, he can contest from any of the four open assembly segments. BJP's assembly level Mandal units have been requesting the CM to contest from Hamirpur or Sujanpur.

Since the CM has not committed himself, the other aspirants have been put on tenterhooks. Sitting BJP MLA from Hamirpur, Urmil Thakur, who has been eying the newly formed Sujanpur Assembly constituency, has shown her disinclination to contest from there after Rajinder Rana became active there and is now staking her claim for the Hamirpur seat.

Congress candidate Anita Verma, who had been representing Hamirpur constituency, had also been concentrating on the Sujanpur area. But even she would also not like to contest against the CM, in case Dhumal opts for Sujanpur.

The most ticklish situation is being faced by Rajinder Rana, former vice chairman of State media advisory committee, who had been active in Sujanpur constituency for quite some time and aspiring to contest from there as an independent.

He would be in a Catch 22 situation if the CM prefers to contest from Sujanpur since he would not like to contest against the CM, as Dhumal is considered as his political mentor.

Dharamsala, June 10
Though politics over creating new districts out of Kangra is gathering momentum, it is unlikely that anything would materialize before August-end.

Sources said the Election Commission has started the process of finalizing voter lists in the state for the assembly elections due this year-end.

A directive has been given to the state government that during the process of finalization of the voter lists or electoral roles that started from June 1 this month, no officer involved in the process should be transferred.

The Election Commission has also put a bar on any change in the existing revenue boundaries till the voter lists are finalised.

The process of finalization of electoral rolls in the state will continue till August 31. In this period, the government cannot create new district or tehsils as per EC’s guidelines.

With the elections likely in the month of October, the state government would have only September for making any announcement on the formation of new districts.

Though the government might not be able to create new districts, the state politicians have already made their move to cash in on the issue in the assembly polls.

The most vocal demand for creation of Nurpur district has come from independent MLA from the area, Rakesh Pathania. He and his supporters have already started a chain hunger strike to press for the new district.

Political observers believe that Pathania’s move was tactical. His candidature for a BJP ticket from Nurpur would be opposed by veteran BJP leader from Kangra and the national vice president of party, Shanta Kumar.

In case Pathania fails to get a BJP ticket from Nurpur, he is likely to contest as an independent and the demand for the new district would come in handy for him in the election campaign.

Such demands have also been gathering support in Palampur and Dehra areas. A section of people protesting for the district status for Dehra yesterday met the Chief Minister.

The Shanta Kumar faction of the BJP that holds considerable clout in the district has decided to oppose the division of Kangra district.

Shanta Kumar has already made it known that despite the fact that he belonged to Kangra, , none of BJP leaders had consulted him over the proposed creation of the new district.

The district unit of Kangra BJP, dominated by the Shanta faction, passed a resolution opposing the creation of new districts.

They said in 2002 also, the BJP government posted an ADC at six sub-divisions to give an indication that new districts would be formed. However, the party lost in almost all the sub-divisions where the ADC were posted.

Solan, June 10
With the power availability declining sharply since June 6 the Himachal State Electricity Board Limited has been forced to impose huge power cuts in the industrial areas to meet the shortfall of 70 lakh units (LUs). Power cuts ranging from 9 to 12 hours have been imposed today in various industrial areas and a schedule drawn up to impose a 13-hour cut for the next two days.

A board official said adverse weather reduced the HPSEBL's own generation, which was 64 LUs per day till yesterday, to 48 LUs per day. Similarly, generation of Baspa HEP and IPP owned SHEPs has reduced from 79 LUs and 33 LUs to 35 LUs and 29 LUs respectively.

Not only this, the State's share in the Central Sector Projects has also reduced by about 10 LUs per day, leading to an overall reduction of more than 75 LUs per day over the past 4-5 days.

The situation has been aggravated with the Union government also withdrawing the allocation from the unallocated pool from June 10, thus taking the total deficit in power to 70 LUs per day.

The HPSEBL is making efforts to purchase maximum power from energy exchanges and over-withdrawal from grid. But due to low frequency throughout the day, over-withdrawal has been disallowed, forcing the board to impose power cuts on the industry on June 11 and 12.

As against the requirement of 150 mw on Sundays, the Nalagarh industrial area received barely 75 mw of power forcing the officials to impose a power cut of 13 hours on the industry. In the Baddi area, as against the 100 mw power requirement only 50 mw power was made available. And in the Barotiwala, as against 92 mw only 46 mw was available. In Kala Amb, Paonta Sahib, Kandrori, Raouri, Parwanoo and Rakkar also, only 50 per cent power would be made available for June 11-12.

For various cement plants such as ACC, Ambuja Cements Limited and JP Cements Limited, a 12 hour power cut has been imposed with the quantum of power being reduced by 30 mw, 25 mw and 25 mw respectively as against their usual quota of 43 mw, 35 mw and 35 mw respectively. The board expects to seek a relief of 348 mw by imposing these cuts on the industry in the state and officials added that the situation was being monitored on a day to day basis.

Shimla, June 10
The ongoing efforts of the BJP to bring back the estranged leaders who deserted the party last year received a setback when a senior leader Radha Raman Shastri joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today.

Shastri was one of the dissident BJP leaders who quit the party in frustration and floated the Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) under the leadership of Maheshwar Singh.

In fact, he was the working president for the party, but parted ways subsequently and left the HLP, giving rise to speculations that he may return to the BJP.

The BJP high command has been engaged in a serious exercise to bridge the differences between rival camps headed by Chief Minister PK Dhumal and veteran leader Shanta Kumar to pave the way for the home-coming of HLP leaders.

Shanta Kumar had repeatedly been saying that the party could not return to power in the state unless harsh decision taken to drop tainted ministers, all irritants removed and all those who were forced to quit brought back to the partyfold.

The high command had two days ago summoned leaders of both camps to Delhi for the same and the exercise is still on.

In such a scenario, the decision of Shastri to join the NCP does not augur well for the BJP. When asked why he chose to jump into the bandwagon, a party which did not have any base in the state, instead of returning to the BJP, he said the party he served for 42 years was in a bad shape and seemed beyond redemption.

Shastri, who served the Jan Sangh and the BJP in various capacities and remained the Speaker and a minister, said there was no place for dedicated and committed leaders and workers. Unlike the HLP, which was a local party, the NCP was an important national political outfit which could lay the foundation of the third front in the state.

He admitted that he was in touch with NCP leaders for the past some time and asserted that he had joined the party without any pre-conditions and he would function as an ordinary worker under its state president Anirudh Sharma.

However, he would shoulder whatever responsibility the party high command entrusted him but the main objective was to raise a third political force, to fulfil the political vacuum caused due to the failure of the BJP and the Congress, which were being seen as the two sides of the same coin. The victory of the CPM in Shimla Municipal Corporation poll made it evident that people were looking for a third alternative.

Kangra, June 10
Four members of a family, including two women, were killed in an accident when their car rammed into a stationary truck at Hatwas in Kangra district on the Pathankot-Mandi National Highway during the wee hours today. Two other persons were also injured in the mishap, police said here.

Kangra sub-divisional police officer Dinesh Kumar said a Wagon-R car was on its way from Chintpurni to Palampur at a very high speed when it rammed into a truck at Hatwas village.

The DSP said the deceased were identified as Parwati Devi (60) and her 40-year old son Rakesh Kumar, who were residents of Kurkhas in Panipat, Haryana. Kawita (40) and her 18-year old son Ajay Kumar were also residents of Panipat. He said all the deceased belonged to the same family.

The two injured were identified as Mohit (18) and Vijay Kumar (12) and were under treatment at DRPGMC, Tanda.

He said the car was moving at a high speed due to which it rammed into the truck. He said the accident took place at 2am and after struggling for seven hours the bodies were taken out of the car with the help of cranes and cutters.

A case has been registered under Sections 279, 337 and 304 A. The bodies were handed over to their relatives after post-mortem, the DSP said.

Mandi/Kullu, June 10
After the seizure of 720 kg of “nag chhatri” worth Rs 1.4 crore from a private Volvo bus from Kullu, the state police seized a huge haul of 1,966 kg of rare “satuva” medicinal herb worth Rs 3.90 crore on the international market at Rajgarh from a private truck carrying scrap, waking up the police and the Forest Department from a deep slumber.

The Forest Department has failed to check the illegal and premature extraction of medicinal herbs in wildlife sanctuaries and two national parks, Great Himalayan National Park and Pin Valley National Park, and other temperate forests across the state.

The police and the Forest Department have yet to identify the “actual suppliers of herbs”, putting a question mark on the investigation of the two recent big seizures.

The value of the seized herbal roots is worth Rs 4.90 crore on the international market, especially in China, where both herbs are sold at Rs 20,000 per kg and used in steroids and sex appetisers, said experts.

The private truck (HP 63 A 0235) from Rohru was carrying scrap of Ratan Lal from Chaila on June 1. The police searched the vehicle and found 34 bags of “satuva” herb (around 1,966 kg) dumped under the scrap, which turned out to be a prized catch worth Rs 3.90 crore, sources said.

The police arrested the truck driver, Ram Prasad, under Sections 41, 41 of the Indian Forest Act and 379, IPC. While Gain Chand, who is suspected to be the main supplier, has sought an anticipatory bail at district courts, Nahan, fixed for June 11. The driver told the police that the herbal consignment was supposed to be delivered at Chandigarh.

On the other, the police has yet to nab the supplier of nag chhatri, who is suspected to be a Kullu resident.

The police arrested the bus conductor after they seized 720 kg of nag chhatri from the Volvo bus at Bindrabani barrier on the intervening night of May 26-27.

The herbs are ready for extraction in September, but thousands of locals, including Nepalese labourers, are on the rampage, extracting these premature herbs, jeopardising their regeneration.

The “satuva” herb is found rarely in moist Rupi-Bhawa Wildlife Sanctuary in Kinnaur, Chansel range, and Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary in Shimla district at an altitude of 2,100 m to 2,400 m, experts said.

Chief Conservator, Forest, research, medicinal plants and non-timber produce, GS Goraya, said the demand for nag chhatri and “satuva” had gone up for the past three years with uncertain reasons. “But the department regulates extraction of these through a system of permits issued in the extraction season in September”.

While police officials claimed that the investigation in both cases was on, forest officials passed the buck on the police, saying that an FIR had been lodged and they were providing them with the necessary information.

Nurpur, June 10
Following the local district court’s order, the local police has registered a forgery case last evening in connection with tampering of date on a bank cheque issued by a contractor, Ram Kumar Khanna, the owner of Katha boiler and a resident of Chakk in Una district, to a labour supplier, Mohammad Yusaf of Gangath, near here.

A case under various sections has been registered. According to DSP Rajinder Jaswal, the contractor had issued a post dated cheque of the Central Bank of India, Bhaira branch in Una district, for Rs 3 lakh vide number 005302 dated April 25 as payment for the labour supply.

The complainant gave the cheque for encashment to the State Bank of India at Gangath on May 4. The bank authorities further sent the same to the Central Bank of India at Bhaira for its clearance by retaining its photocopy in the office records. But the cheque was received by the banker on June 1 with overwriting on the issuing date. The complainant alleged that the cheque’s date had been tampered with in connivance with the bank staff and contractor who had issued with intention to dupe him by committing breach of trust. The police has started investigations in the case.

Solan, June 10
Angad Vittal, an alumni of Pinegrove School, Subathu, created history by securing the first position in the state and an all-India rank of 366 in the AIEEE in the results declared yesterday.

Son of an Army officer posted at Chennai, Angad has passed his Class XII exam with 88 per cent marks in the non-medical stream.

Studying in Pinegrove for the past four years, he has been striving hard to clear the exam without any specialised coaching.

Kamalpreet Kaur, a Class XII medical student from Pinegrove School, has secured 92nd rank in the Punjab PMT in the results declared recently.

Terming the achievements as stupendous, Capt AJ Singh, the headmaster of the school, said such achievements of children from a co-educational boarding school reflect quality teaching they were getting as they were not receiving any professional coaching and were also taking part in the plethora of events and activities of a boarding school apart from their routine academic duties.

Kangra, June 10
A 24-year-old MBA student of Himachal Pradesh Central University, Kangra, was drowned in the Baner Khud on the outskirts of this town while taking a bath along with his friends this afternoon, the police said here.

Sub divisional police officer, Kangra, Dinesh Kumar, said the victim was identified as Thakur Lal Singh of Nagoon village of Kullu district. He was a student of second semester of the MBA of the university and had gone to the Baner Khud to take a bath with his friends.

He was staying in the university hostel located near this khud.

Kumar’s friends told the police that he knew swimming but when he reached the deep waters of the Baner Khud, he started drowning and shouted for help. Some locals who were also taking bath in the khud managed to bring him out and rushed him to DRPGMC,Tanda, where the doctors on duty declared him brought dead.

Vice-Chancellor of the university Prof Fuqran Qamar, registrar of the university Dr KD Lakhanpal and Provost Dr HR Sharma reached the the hospital and expressed their condolences over his death.

Dr. Yoginder Verma, Officer on Special duty of the university, said the authorities had decided to reschedule the final examination of the university scheduled to be held on June 11 and June 12, 2012 and would now be conducted on June 15 and 16, 2012, respectively, because of the incident.

He said a condolence meeting would be held on the university campus tomorrow.