Shimla, July 14
Former President and architect of India’s nuclear and space programme APJ Abdul Kalam today said it was only by way of universal pressure by the international community that an opinion could be built in favour of having a nuke-free world.

Interestingly, Kalam, known as the father of India’s nuclear and space technology, today agreed that there was an urgent need for ridding the world of nuclear weapons of mass destruction. He made these remarks in response to a question from a student on how to achieve world peace when there was a mad race for nuclear arms.

Kalam was here today to deliver the key-note address at a colloquium organised by the HP Legal Services Authority on “Fundamental Duties” jointly with the Language, Art and Culture Department, SEWA and the Public Relations Society of India. He said even though the two superpowers, the USA and Russia, had signed an agreement to reduce the nuclear weapons from 10,000 to 5,000, it was still not certain if they would abide by it and honour their word.

Kalam gave tips to students on topics like righteousness of the heart, social awakening for development and passion for excellence. He was, however, evasive when asked about his experience with politicians while at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. “There are good guys also and as President one has to deal with politicians,” was his brief reply.

Urging young lawyers to help India embark on a second freedom movement of economic revolution, he said the ideal situation would be where there was 70 per cent development and 30 per cent politics. Unfortunately, the situation was just the reverse.

Lauding the strides made by India in several sectors, he said the nation was going through difficult times but the “tendency of Indians to save and not become totally global along with the high purchasing power of the middle class saved India from recession”. “The 600 million-strong youth power under the age of 25 is our biggest strength and they will help us overcome all problems,” he said on an optimistic note.

Kalam, who is a major inspiration among students, was completely bowled over when a 10-year-old asked him “how to become the President of India”.

“If you have perseverance, a great aim, diligence and hunger for acquiring knowledge, then the sky is the limit for you and you can become anything, even the President of the country,” he said giving the mantra for success to students.

He exhorted the students to develop passion for excellence and a positive attitude for ensuring that the nation excelled. “India has to embark on a second green revolution so that by 2020 we can meet the escalated demand of 340 million tonnes of foodgrains with the help and contribution of all,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Justice Kurian Joseph said one must not be so selfish so as to be unmindful of the other person’s rights. He said rather than seeking what the nation could give to you, one must realise one’s duty and responsibility towards the motherland.

Baddi, July 14
Former President APJ Abdul Kalam today launched the Himachal Pradesh chapter of “What Can I Give” mission, a unique movement designed on his vision to inculcate the “spirit of giving” in the heart of the youth at the Baddi University of Emerging Sciences and Technology (BUEST).

Elaborating on the idea behind this mission, he said, “Everyone should be prepared to give something to society and this spirit will revolutionise the mindset of the common man, which will help utilise the potential of the citizens for the development of the nation.”

Addressing the youth, who had come from across the region to listen to the “missile man”, Kalam exhorted them to equip themselves with knowledge, create great ideas which help in the development of the nation and also devote their energy to ensure a corruption-free society.

He stressed the need for preserving environment by exhorting everyone to enhance the green cover by planting at least 10 trees. He said, “The righteousness in the heart is the starting point for a great individual, a great family and a great nation, thus leading to a great planet earth”.

Kalam inaugurated the “Idea Factory” and termed it an excellent initiative taken by the Baddi university. The initiative will help provide a common platform for the academic community and the industry to make education more meaningful and enhance the employability of students.

Elaborating on the academic-adoption programme, Lovi Raj Gupta, Vice-Chancellor of the university, said, “The students will be given academic exposure on weekends and during weekdays they will gain first-hand experience of working in industries. A provision for stipend will be an added incentive for the students to adopt this programme.”

Lauding the university’s endeavours, Kalam awarded letters to students who had been adopted by companies under the academic adoption programme and administered them an oath to become a giver.

Gaurav Jhunjhunwala, secretary, BUEST, thanked Kalam for gracing the occasion.

Manali, July 14
The construction of the strategic 8.82-km-long Rohtang tunnel is on schedule as the water ingress at 1,900 metres inside the tunnel was anticipated from the Seri stream. It has been managed by what Rohtang tunnel engineers call the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM).

“The water ingress is from the Seri stream that runs over the mountainside and was anticipated. It is flowing at the rate of 30 litres per second and is no big deal as water at even a higher rate of discharge is well-established in tunnelling work,” said PK Mahajan, Chief Engineer, Rohtang tunnel project.

The project is being executed by a special task force of the Rohtang tunnel project under the Border Roads Organisation. The civil works of the project will cost Rs 1,458 crore and will provide all-weather road connectivity to the snow-bound Lahaul valley and the Leh-Ladakh forward sector, bordering China.

The rock at 1,900 metres inside the tunnel is poor. The water discharge has been managed by chemical grouting and the multiple-drilling system of the NATM, Mahajan said, dismissing rumours that the water ingress was a surprise and would delay the project.

“We have included such surprises in the study report and are prepared to face even bigger challenges,” he said, adding that “we have to tackle the loose strata of poor-quality rocks at 1,900 metres from the south portal of tunnel”.

What set the NATM apart from the traditional tunnel-boring method was that it provided a multiple support system as the situation demanded. On the other hand, the traditional method depended on only one system, which was rigid and costly as compared to the NATM, engineers said.

Asked how they would tackle the challenge if they bumped into a lake, which, as per local tales, lay inside the Rohtang mountain, Mahajan said, “Tunnels have been constructed under the sea what to talk of this small flow of water inside the tunnel.”

Mahajan said they had bored a 1,900-metre length of the tunnel from the Manali side and 986 metres from the north portal from the Sissu side in the Lahaul valley. “The civil works of the project will cost Rs 1,458 crore and we expect to complete the works in the targeted year in 2015,” he said.

“The water ingress will not delay the project and will not push up its cost as it is included in the study and is linked to the price index,” he said.

Palampur, July 14
Heavy rain lashed the entire Palampur region last night resulting in a considerable fall in the temperature, particularly in the lower area of the town.

The rain had geared up sowing and plantation of paddy in the region. Most of the fields were seen full of water in the morning. The sowing of maize in non-irrigated areas of the region also picked up after heavy showers in Changer belt.

Tea growers were also expecting a bumper tea crop this year. Plucking of tea was in full swing in all the tea estates of the region.

Heavy rain also resulted in the suspension of power supply in many parts of the town. Transmission lines in the mission compound suffered an extensive damage this morning when a huge tree fell on the lines adversely affecting power supply in upper parts of Palampur.

Likewise, the water supply line and irrigation channels were also hit by heavy rain in the upper area of Palampur. However, no heavy loss was reported.

Palampur, July 14
Frequent power breakdown in Palampur town and the adjoining areas has become a matter of serious concern. Thousands of consumers have become victims of red tape. In Ghuggar, Sughar, Aima, Choki, Bindravan, Mehanja and lower areas of Palampur, power supply remains suspended for hours daily. There is no one to listen to the complaints of the affected power consumers. In rural areas the situation is even worse.

In Palampur town and the adjoining villages, people have taken to the streets in protest against power failure. Recently, Palampur and 20 adjoining villages remained without power for 10 hours during the day and eight hours at night. Officials gave the excuse that power supply was affected because of maintenance work during the day. However, they had no answer about power failure at night.

However, in VIP areas, the authorities have laid special power lines to avoid power failures. The residential colony of the HPSEB, residences and offices of MP, MLAs, judges, SDM and other officials have been provided alternative power supply lines.

Enquiries reveal that there is no shortage of power as there is regular power generation in half dozen small and major power projects of the region. Poor maintenance of transmission lines, lack of proper management, faulty transmission line and old equipment are being blamed for frequent power breakdown in Palampur. Besides, there is a shortage of technical staff because of a ban on new appointments.

Executive Engineer, Palampur, said he had recently joined duty here and was making all efforts to check the frequent power breakdowns.

KB Ralhan, spokesman, Palampur Welfare Forum, has appealed to the authorities to appoint a team of experts to review the situation.

Hamirpur, July 14
The World Bank has sanctioned a Rs 600-crore project to upgrade the Shimla-Hamirpur National Highway No. 88. Under this project, the NHAI will strengthen, widen and improve the 147-km road from Shimla to Hamirpur.

The NHAI has already done some preliminary work on this project after getting the nod from the World Bank and has submitted a project report in this regard.

The Shimla-Hamirpur highway is the lifeline for people of the lower areas of the state. Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra and Chamba districts are connected with Shimla by this road.

The cost of the project has been pegged at about Rs 600 crore, which includes land acquisition, widening and strengthening of the road and construction of various bridges from Shimla to Hamirpur.

Executive Engineer, NH, Satish Nag said, “The initial survey and alignment of this project have been finalised by our consultant. The approval of the department concerned is awaited. Soon, the detailed project report will be ready and the project will take off.”

Mandi, July 14
The ongoing pen-down protest launched by the teaching and non-teaching staff of St Bede’s College, Shimla, today got a shot in the arm with the Himachal Pradesh Non-Government College Lecturers Association coming out in their support for immediate restoration of the earlier contribution to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).

At a meeting of the association at the MSLM, Sundernagar, today, the association warned that if the college management did not relent and scrap its decision within a few days, they would intensify the stir, which would hurt the image of the institution and jeopardise the future of hundreds of students enrolled in the college.

Five colleges in the state - St Bede’s College, MLSM College, Sundernagar, DAV College, Kangra, DAV College, Kotkhai, and SVSD College, Bhatoli (Una) - get 95 per cent aid from the state government. These colleges are governed by the rules and regulations of the state government.

The management of St Bede’s College reduced its quantum of EPF contribution from June, drawing the ire of the staff.

President of the association CP Kaushal said, “The teaching staff of all five colleges condemns the college management’s decision to reduce its 12 per cent contribution to the EPF. The college management should restore the status quo immediately so that the student community and the institution do not suffer.”

Kaushal said St Bede’s College had earned “Grade A” from NAAC only because of the dedication of the teaching faculty to maintain academic standards. 

New Delhi, July 14
The Supreme Court has issued a notice on Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar HP Krishi Vishvavidyalaya’s plea against raising the cap on gratuity from Rs 3.5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

A Bench comprising Justices GS Singhvi and SJ Mukhopadhaya yesterday sought the response of the HP Agriculture University Pensioners Society to the university’s petition, challenging the High Court’s directive for raising the gratuity limit to Rs 10 lakh.Counsel Mohan Lal Sharma, who appeared for the university, said the institution was helpless as it had frozen the gratuity limit at Rs 3.5 lakh on the directive of the state government. Since the university at Palampur was being run on limited government funds, it was not in a position to raise the cap on gratuity.

The HC had passed an order on September 15, 2011, directing the university to defreeze the gratuity limit and release the arrears of pension within six months. The pensioners’ society had approached the HC, seeking parity with state government employees in the matter of retirement benefits. For the government employees, the gratuity cap is placed at Rs 10 lakh.

The university froze the gratuity at Rs 3.5 lakh with effect from January 2006, prompting its retired employees to approach the HC.

Shimla, July 14
The ruling BJP today sought the resignation of Congress leader and former MP Dhani Ram Shandil from the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and also as in charge of the party affairs of the north-eastern states in view of his son’s alleged involvement with a Bangladeshi woman.

Addressing a press conference here today, former minister and state BJP general secretary Rajeev Bindal said Shandil, a retired Army officer, must step down immediately from the CWC, which was the apex decision-making body of the Congress. “When the son of a senior Congress leader, who is not just a member of the CWC but has also been a member of an important defence committee, is accused of serious charges, one cannot be sure what all important information he may have passed on,” said Bindal.

The BJP leader said the name of an Army officer from Himachal, a state known for having a rich tradition of producing valiant officers, being allegedly linked to anti-national activity had brought shame to the entire state. “First it was the framing of charges against former Union Minister Virbhadra Singh and now it is the name of Lt Col Sanjay Shandil being linked to a Bangladeshi spy that has become a cause of embarrassment for the hill state,” he said.

Bindal also took the Congress to task on the issue of land allegedly owned by Arun Sen, brother-in-law of Virbhadra Singh, in excess of the norms.

Mandi, July 14
The police has yet to nab the driver of the pickup jeep that hit and ran over Murari Sharma, a minor working at a dhaba at Rani Ki Bai on the highway yesterday. The victim died at the Zonal Hospital, Mandi, after he was rushed there in a critical condition.

The police has lodged an FIR under Sections 279, 337 and 187, Motor Vehicle Act, at Sadar police station.

The victim’s mother Panny Devi, who along with villagers and family members rushed to the hospital from Kotli, collapsed at the sight of her son.

The villagers lodged their protest at the hospital as there was no surgeon when Murari was brought there.

They demanded the arrest of the reckless driver and the dhaba owner as the latter had employed a minor which was illegal under the Labour Laws. They also sought action against the hospital authorities as Murari was not operated upon immediately.

But Medical Superintendent S Verma said the surgeon, despite being on leave, came to the hospital on a call and did the mandatory procedure, he claimed.

Dharamsala, July 14
The Overseas Employment Council for Recruitment Agents for North Zone has lamented the lack of a Gulf-authorised medical centre in Punjab, Himachal, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.

Pradeep Sony, vice-president of the council, said over the past few years, the number of skilled labourers going to Gulf countries from the region had increased manifold.

From Himachal also, many youth, especially from Kangra, Una and Hamirpur, were working in the Gulf countries. The remittances being sent by these youth were sustaining the economy of many areas.

However, there was hardly any facility for the agents recruiting youth for the Gulf countries from Himachal, Punjab and Haryana. All youth who aspired to work in the Gulf countries had to get a fitness certificate from a Gulf-authorised medical centre.

He said no such centre was available in the region. Thousands of skilled labourers from the region had to travel to Delhi for a medical check-up from an authorised centre. This was leading to exploitation of skilled labourers from the region. They had to stay in Delhi for three days due to rush at medical centres. The staff at the limited authorised centres often exploited the youth, Pradeep Sony alleged.

He said the governments of Himachal and Punjab should take up the matter of setting up Gulf-authorised medical centres in their respective areas with the Health and Foreign Affairs ministries. This would ease the process of sending skilled labour from these states to the Gulf countries and generate employment for the youth.

The process of sending skilled and unskilled labour to the Gulf countries was at present being controlled in an unorganised fashion by recruiting agents. The agents had to get themselves registered with the Union Ministry for Overseas, he added.

The amount of commission the authorised agents could charge from the youth being sent abroad was also fixed by the ministry.

However, the police often received complaints regarding exploitation of youth by certain recruiting agents. Though the commission for sending youth aboard was fixed at about Rs 3,000 per person, many agents where charging hefty amounts from the aspiring youth.

Solan, July 14
Officials of the State Pollution Control Board have blamed heavy silt, turbulence and high turbidity leading to a negligible dissolved oxygen (DO) level in the Chikni river as the cause of fish mortality on July 5.

In a report, a copy of which is available with The Tribune, the officials have claimed that no trace of discharge of effluents was found at the site. Hence, negligible DO led to large-scale fish mortality.

Board’s member secretary Sanjay Sood confirmed the report and said they had concluded this after conducting a detailed investigation.

The report, however, admits to the presence of a large quantity of municipal solid and industrial waste in the form of rejected raw material, products and packaging material along the river side. The problem has not been solved despite the matter having been taken up several times with the industry. The report, however, does not mention the amount of DO level, silt or turbidity as no figures have been mentioned in it.

Board’s Superintending Engineer Chetan Joshi said since they had no facility to conduct a chemical analysis of the dead fish, they could not pinpoint the exact cause of the fish mortality.

The report mentions that though some agencies had been authorised to lift such waste from the units, no proper system of management of rejected waste from the industries had so far been worked out and the entire Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh area was littered with such waste.

Interestingly, officials of the Fisheries Department said they had not been given the report of water samples by the board’s Parwanoo lab till now despite a lapse of more than a week. Fisheries Officer Tapesh Chauhan, while contesting the claim on low DO level, said being the fish breeding season, it was unlikely that silt could lead to such large-scale fish mortality. He said they were awaiting the report of the chemical analysis of the dead fish to arrive at a conclusion.

Though officials claim to have collected 11 water samples from water polluting industries in the vicinity of the area where the fish died, they say no traces of any bypass discharge were observed a day after these samples were collected.

Police officials are also awaiting the lab reports to ascertain the exact cause of fish mortality, said Baddi SP Gurdev Chand Sharma.

Nurpur, July 14
The construction of the sewerage system of Nurpur town has been going on at a snail’s pace for the past five years due to paucity of funds. The Urban Development Department has handed over the execution of this scheme with an estimate cost of Rs 15.63 crore to the Irrigation-cum-Public Health (IPH) Department.

Its foundation stone was laid by the then Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in the presence of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Sat Mahajan on April 11, 2007, with much fanfare near the office of the Municipal Council.

However, this scheme had to be completed within four years, but the process of laying sewerage pipes is still to be started in all three zones in which the town has been divided for the scheme. Intriguingly, the state government has released only Rs 379.50 lakh against the Rs 16-crore project during the past five years. According to information, the then Virbhadra government had earmarked only Rs 40 lakh during 2006-07 and 2007-08. The present government has released only Rs 339.50 lakh during the past four years.

As per the proposal of this sewerage scheme, the IPH Department has to build 1,000 main holes for connecting 150 to 300-mm pipe lines with 27-km length. One can easily estimate its completion by calculating the way this project is being allocated funds during the past five years. The treatment plant of the sewerage system is being built at Bodh near here.

According to information, the state government has allocated funds to the tune of Rs 60 lakh for the current fiscal year against the IPH Department’s requirement of Rs 6 crore.

In this connection RK Mahajan, Executive Engineer, IPH, Nurpur division, said the treatment plant on which Rs 1.25 crore had been spent was near completion and the process of laying sewerage pipes and construction of main holes had to start. “The department has procured pipes for two zones and shortly tenders are being invited for laying these. The estimate work is underway for this purpose,” he said. He admitted that the department had to annul tenders of laying pipes in March this year due to paucity of funds.

Meanwhile, Krishna Mahajan, president, Nurpur Municipal Council,
has demanded that the government expedite its construction soon.

Sundernagar, July 14
The District Consumer Forum, Mandi, headed by its president Rajeev Bhardwaj, has ordered M/s Ram Hari Motors, Raini Ki Bain, Mandi, to refund Rs 13,424, along with an interest of 9 per cent per annum to Dhani Ram Sharma of Chatrokri, Sundernagar, for overcharging for a vehicle which was purchased by the complainant from the opposite party.

The forum ordered the opposite party (an outlet of Chevrolet) to further pay Rs 10,000 on account of harassment and adopting unfair trade practice and Rs 3,000 as the cost of litigation to the complainant.

The complainant, a retired engineer from the HPSEB, had purchased Chevrolet Cruze 2.0 LTZ on October 7, 2010. The opposite party disclosed that the total price of the vehicle was Rs 13,80,000. After the payment of the full amount, the delivery of the vehicle was taken on December 7, 2010, but he was asked to take the documents of the vehicle after two-three days. When he visited the opposite party after three days, he was handed over the documents. On perusal, it was revealed that the total price of the vehicle was Rs 13,75,857 and he had paid Rs 4,143 extra. The opposite party had to provide free accessories worth Rs 20,000 plus a coupon, but fewer accessories were provided.

The opposite party maintained that the cost of the car was Rs 13,92,576, but after negotiation Rs 13,80,000 was settled with the complainant.

The forum held that Rs 4,143 had been charged in excess by the opposite party, Rs 3,281 had been charged in excess for accessories and Rs 6,000 towards insurance. So total amount of Rs 13,424 had been overcharged, which amounted of deficiency in service and unfair trade practice as defined under the Consumer Protection Act 1986.