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State BJP will accomplish mission repeat: Jaitley
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Discipline key to prosperity: Guv
Governor Urmila Singh lights the lamp to inaugurate the 43rd foundation day celebrations of Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla on Sunday. Photo: Amit Kanwar
Cong accuses HPU VC of appeasing BJP leaders
CM inaugurates irrigation
project in Balh valley
Project for Shah Nehar beneficiaries gets nod
Pilgrims protest against ‘extortion’ by police
Labour shortage forces apple growers to set up packaging units
33 pc Quota for Women
Apple, vegetable crops take a hit as monsoon plays truant
Delay in completion of bypass adds to traffic woes
Rs 14 crore spent on housing schemes in Hamirpur
Poll observer: Dhumal has disintegrated Bamsan segment
Power board staff threaten to go on mass leave
4 die of burns, poisoning at Tanda medical college
Teachers hold blood donation camp
Pilgrim drowned in Beas
Info Under Economic Survey
Kalidhar faces recurring landslides
Ajay Verma is HPCC secy
Couple dies in road mishap
Woman’s body found from Gobind Sagar
Man dies of poisoning
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State BJP will accomplish mission repeat: Jaitley
Kansa Chowk (Mandi), July 22 Addressing a well-attended Vijay Sankalp rally in Balh, Nachan, Chachiot and Sundernagar today, Jaitley repeatedly made the public aware that the “BJP leadership in the state under PK Dhumal is united and will accomplish its mission repeat like the SAD-BJP combine has done in Punjab”. Jaitley claimed that the Congress was on its way out from most states and the UPA regime had kicked up scam after scam. The Congress was using the CBI to the hilt and keeping its allies intact through money power, he charged. If Dhumal in Himachal and Narendra Modi in Gujarat did what Badal had done in Punjab, they would set a stage for the return of the NDA in New Delhi in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he added. Unfazed by the squall of controversies plaguing the national BJP and the state BJP, Jailtey instead termed the Congress as a “divided house” in the state. The Congress first removed Virbhadra from the Cabinet and imposed him on people of the state, he charged. Though Shanta Kumar did not praise the Dhumal regime and instead listed the achievements of his previous regimes, he attacked Virbhadra saying that he as a Leader of the Opposition had opposed the demand of royalty on water from rivers in the state. “There is no governance at the Centre and we can see rampant corruption, which is the root cause of price rise hitting the common man,” he charged. Buoyed by an enthusiastic crowd despite a bout of rain shower at the venue, the Chief Minister cited ESIC Medical College at Ner Chowk, IIT in Mandi, hike in pension, daily wages and subsidised ration, free Atal Swasthya Seva, free school uniforms, four CFL bulbs as hallmarks of his development and urged the public to reelect the BJP. Shanta Kumar attended the concluding sessions of the state executive meeting today at Bipasha Sadan in Mandi and urged party workers to strengthen the grassroots of the party. General secretary of the party JP Nadda, national BJYM chief Anurag Thakur, BJP state president Satpal Satti, PWD Minister Gulab Singh, Rural Development Minister Jai Ram Thakur, IPH Minister Ravinder Ravi, Transport Minister Mohinder Thakur, Industry Minister Kishan Kapur, Ramesh Dhawala, Rajya Sabha MP Vimla Kashayap, organisational secretary Ram Lal, HP in charge Kalraj Mishra and other MLAs were among those present. |
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Discipline key to prosperity: Guv
Shimla, July 22 Inaugurating the three-day 43rd foundation day celebrations of the HPU here today, she underlined the need for discipline among students, which was the key for any society to develop and prosper. The responsibility of identifying the hidden talent in students lay with teachers, who must encourage them to play a greater role in nationbuilding. The teaching faculty must lead students to contribute towards social empowerment for developing a strong and prosperous nation. She said the foundation day was also an occasion for introspection for an institution, to reflect upon the past and chalk out a strategy for the future. It was all the more important for universities and other institutions of higher learning which had a vital role in development for the society and the nation on the whole. The Governor expressed satisfaction over the changes effected in the university over the past one year and reiterated that there was always a scope for further improvement. The university was in the process of starting the course of archaeology, which would go a long way in ensuring proper preservation of the old monuments. She said a professional course for tourist guide was also being considered to cater to the needs of the fast growing tourism industry. Urmila Singh said the purpose of education was not restricted to obtaining degrees but ensure overall development of an individual. The Governor also released a news letter of the university, “Himshikhar”, and some other publications on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, Justice RB Mishra of the state high court said the main objective of institutions like universities was to inculcate values in individuals and motivate them to work for the welfare of all, irrespective of caste, creed and religion. Vice-Chancellor ADN Bajpayee detailed the achievements of the university over the past one year. |
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Cong accuses HPU VC of appeasing BJP leaders
Shimla, July 22 It took exception to the manner in which the annual day was being celebrated and reminded him that a university was the centre of learning and not a place for performing religious rituals. The party maintained that only one activist, Anjana
Chauhan, who filed a PIL against the illegal allotment of hostels in the high court leading to cleansing of
the campus, deserved to be honoured. On the one hand the Vice-Chancellor was prohibiting university teachers from participating in politics, on the other he himself was going out of the way to appease politicians of the ruling government for personal benefits. “The invitees, speakers, guests and participants in various workshops belonged to one ideology,” it charged. The HPU Retired Teachers Welfare Society also came down heavily on the VC for ignoring those who were associated with the institution since its inception and played a key role in its development. Convener of the society CL Gupta said the retired teachers were not invited to any function. Further, the university had been honouring and conferring awards and honorary degrees on persons from far-off states, but it did not find a single person who was associated with it for such
honour. Worse, the retired teachers were being denied their pension and other benefits on the
plea that the university was facing financial crisis, but there were no such constraints when it came to celebrations. Gupta also took an exception to the appointment of a retired teacher, Dr SK
Garg, as Director of International Centre for Distance Education and Open Learning
(ICDEOL) and said it was illegal. As per the rules any teacher holding an executive post had to relinquish charge one year before retirement to pave way for the next incumbent, but in this case exactly the opposite had happened, he added. |
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CM inaugurates irrigation
project in Balh valley
Mandi (Kaloud), July 22 The farmers said they would be able to sow off-season vegetables, including other crops, as they would get round-the-clock irrigation facilities that help improve their income. “We suffered a lot as we did not had water earlier,” said Tek Chand and Rup Lal, local farmers. The phase-I of the project will irrigate 2,355 hectares in the valley drawing water from 13 lift and 10 gravity schemes and 18 tube well schemes. The gravity and lift schemes draw 22.59 cusecs of water from Sundernagar channel of the BBMB’s 996-MW project and the length of the conveyance system is 18.480 km. Though the BVMIP was conceived on December 2, 2004, at a cost of Rs 41.43 crore during the previous government of Virbhadra Singh, its cost was revised to Rs 103.78 crore on September 16, 2010, after the Central Water Commission gave its approval in 2010. But the foundation stone of the project was laid by Chief Minister PK Dhumal on January 14, 2008, even as approval was awaited from the CWC. The project was awarded to the Jain Irrigation Systems firm for Rs 65.11 crore for phase-I, which was to be completed in five-year time. The Chief Minister, who was accompanied by Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, BJP national vice-president Shanta Kumar, IPH Minister Ravinder Ravi, BJYM national chief Anurag Thakur and Dile Ram among others, said the Phase-I of the project would prove to be a boon for people of the valley and had been completed within the four-year time and the work on Phase-II was also under progress. Water had been distributed through the field distribution system to farmers. In the Phase-II, the project would irrigate 425 hectares in the valley from the two lift schemes and a gravity scheme, drawing 6.41 cusecs of water from the BBMB’s channel. The length of the conveyance system was 4.450 km and the project would cost Rs 7.02 crore to be completed in five-year time. |
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Project for Shah Nehar beneficiaries gets nod
Nurpur, July 22 According to information, this project was envisaged by the state Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department which has been executing the Rs 387-crore Shah Nehar irrigation project. This irrigation project has to irrigate around 15,300 hectares of land in the Mand area. The completion of this irrigation project is in the final phase. RK Jaryan, Superintending Engineer of the Shah Nehar project, said this Command Area Development Project (CADP) would benefit farmers in improving their farm produce. “Under this project every field will get water by constructing feed channels and water storage tanks. Apart from this, the reclamation of the non-agriculture soil and upgrading soil fertility will be undertaken to improve farm produce,” he asserted. He said water management in the fields would be undertaken by the local Krishi Vikas Sanghs, the duly registered farmers bodies. “As many as 40 such sanghs have been formed for this purpose. The CADP will be completed in four years,” he informed. The cost of the CADP will be shared by the Central and state governments equally, and 10 per cent will be contributed by the beneficiary. The beneficiary will also be imparted special training for regulating water management in the fields. Meanwhile, Ravinder Ravi, IPH Minister, asserted that the CADP would ameliorate the socio-economic status of farmers in the Mand area as they could diversify their farming in cash crops and off-seasonal vegetables round the year. |
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Pilgrims protest against ‘extortion’ by police
Kangra, July 22 Sandeep Tiwari, a tourist from Ayodhya (UP), said pilgrims from Ayodhya had come to pay obeisance at the Shakti peeths in this state. He said they were travelling by a private bus (UP 45F 1488) and when they reached the Kangra bypass on way to Jawalamukhi on Friday, they were stopped by the police. He said as the documents of the bus were complete they were allowed to move after paying Rs 500 to the police with an assurance that they would not have to pay this entry fee again. He alleged that when they reached Bohan Chowk at Jawalamukhi on way to Chintpurni, the documents were again checked by the police and found to be complete, but they were asked to pay Rs 500 as entry fee. They told the police that they had already paid the entry fee at the Kangra bypass. The police official said Jawalamukhi was a different police station from Kangra. This resulted in an argument and the pilgrims raised slogans and held a protest which affected the vehicular traffic on the Kangra-Shimla and Jawalamukhi-Dehra roads for some time. Ultimately, the police challaned the vehicle on some “flimsy” grounds. Senior police officers said there was no entry fee to be charged by the police and if such things were taking place these would be looked into. SDPO Sanjay Sharma said the driver was challaned for not using the seat belt, not having a first aid box and not wearing the uniform. He was fined Rs 1,600 that was compounded on the spot. Sanjay Rattan, Congress leader, described the situation as unfortunate and asked Kangra district police chief Daljit Singh Thakur to order an inquiry into the allegation of extortion under the pretext of entry fee. |
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Labour shortage forces apple growers to set up packaging units
Shimla, July 22 Even though the Himachal Pradesh Fruit Marketing Corporation
(HPMC) has set the ball rolling for setting up five high-tech grading and packaging houses in apple-growing areas in
Shimla, Kullu and Kinnaur districts, growers are keen to set up individual personal projects for which the Centre provides 50 per cent subsidy. The five grading and packaging centres are being set up at
Gumma, Jarol, Odi, Kinnaur and Patlikuhl. A sum of about Rs 1.75 crore is being spent on each centre with funding from Agricultural and Processed Food Products, Export Development Authority
(APEDA). Proper packaging and grading as per the colour, size and shape helps enhancement in price in view of stiff competition from apple being imported from foreign shores. Over a dozen cases of apple growers for setting up grading and packaging houses are likely to be placed before the Board of Directors of the HPMC at its next meeting. Their cases will then be forwarded to the Centre for funding from the Horticulture Board and under the Horticulture Technology Mission
(HTM). Apple orchards in the districts of Shimla, Kinnaur, Kullu,
Sirmaur, Solan and Mandi are totally dependent on Nepalese workforce. However, during the past five years there has been a sudden dip in this workforce, owing to greener pastures in the Middle-East and improved economic condition back home in Nepal. The dependence of the state’s apple economy on Nepalese workforce can be gauged from the fact that there are about 40,000 of them working in
Himachal. A majority of them are based in Shimla and Kinnaur districts, but in recent years the number of those coming here has declined. They have not only been tending the orchards right from taking care of pruning and spraying, but also managing plucking, packaging and marketing of the fruit. The shortage of Nepalese workforce has now forced many growers to set up their grading and packaging
centres. |
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‘Move fails to make headway due to differences in parties’
Tribune News Service
Shimla, July 22 He said the provision could not be made without amending the Constitution and the relevant Bill could not be passed unless main political parties arrived at a consensus on the issue. Digvijay said the Congress had always strove to bring women to the forefront in every field. Talking to mediapersons after addressing the conference of the Himachal Pradesh Rajput Pratinidhi Sabha, he said internal dissensions were there in the party in almost every state, but it came in the open during elections and the high command had to “manage” the situation after taking stock of the situation. The high command was seized of issues confronting the party in the state. The Congress leader said the party had been as a matter of policy not announcing the Chief Minister before the elections and the leader was elected by MLAs. The same policy would be adopted in Himachal. The party would emerge victorious and the elected legislators would select their leader. He congratulated Pranab Mukherjee on being elected as the President.
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Apple, vegetable crops take a hit as monsoon plays truant
Shimla, July 22 The overall shortfall has been 51 per cent till yesterday, but some areas in Una, Shimla, Hamirpur and Mandi have received little rain so far. While there is still hope for paddy and maize, the unfavourable weather conditions have already started affecting the apple and vegetable crops. Deficient rain has severely restricted the size of apple, and growers are delaying harvesting as delayed rain could improve both size and quality of the fruit. However, as crop matures early in lower elevations, the delay of 10 to 15 days in harvesting does not help as there is hardly any rain during the period. Consequently, production has taken a hit. More so, because the prolonged dry spell from May 15 to July 5 had caused heavy premature dropping of fruit. The loss in terms of production can be 20 to 30 per cent, but the only redeeming feature is that lower areas account for a less than 20 per cent of the total apple production. “If the region receives adequate rain within the next two weeks, the delayed harvesting will help increase the size of fruit and, in turn, the production, making up for the premature dropping of fruit. If monsoon continues to be erratic, the apple production may fall short of the estimated 2.50 crore boxes,” said Rajeev Chauhan, chairman, Himalayan Apple Growers' Society. Vegetable growers have also taken a hit as the tomato, cauliflower and cabbage crops have been damaged to the extent of 15 to 20 per cent. As a result, the target of producing 13.5 lakh tonnes of vegetables for 2012-13, out of which 8 lakh tonnes was to be produced during the rainy season, is unlikely to be achieved. Director, Agriculture, JC Rana said there was still a slim hope of making up for the loss of production. If monsoon, which started withdrawing towards the end of August, was prolonged up to September 15, the vegetable season would be extended by a fortnight.
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Delay in completion of bypass adds to traffic woes
Dharamsala, July 22 Heavy traffic has recently led to many accidents in the town, including the death of a youth, who was hit by a bus. The bypass that was to ease traffic in the Kotwali market in Dharamsala was scheduled to be completed by December last year. However, it has been delayed inordinately. Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, KR Bharti said he had directed PWD officials to complete the bypass at the earliest to ease traffic in the town. The Executive Engineer, PWD, Dharamsala, who is the in charge of the project, admitted that the bypass was to be completed by December. He said the project had been delayed due to extra time taken in land acquisition. Besides, heavy rains last year caused a lot of landslides in the area, which delayed the project. He said the project was likely to be completed after the monsoon. Work on laying bitumen over the road would start in October, he said. The Executive Engineer said the cost of the 2-km bypass to the Kotwali market area was estimated at around Rs 4 crore. The district administration is under pressure from local politicians and wants to get the project completed at the earliest. The politicians are of the view that in case the project is completed after October, there will be no time left for inauguration as the election code of conduct will be in force. The present government, despite having completed the project, will not be able to dedicate it to the people before the elections. Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner, at a meeting held with prominent people of the town, has identified two roads where traffic can be banned for a few hours to ensure a hassle-free walking area for local residents. Talking to The Tribune, KR Bharti said traffic would be banned for one hour in the morning and two hours in the evening on the Gurdwara road and the Circuit House-Martyrs Park road in Dharamsala. A notification to this effect would be issued soon, he said. Dharamsala Project
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Rs 14 crore spent on housing schemes in Hamirpur
Hamirpur, July 22 The housing facility has been created for 3,282 poor families in the district during this period. Under the Atal Awas Yojna a grant of Rs 48,500 each has been given to 141 families living in the below poverty line category in Hamirpur district for the construction of houses and Rs 68 lakh has been spent on this scheme. Families from weaker sections have also been given a grant of Rs 48,500 each for building houses under the Indira Awas Yojna, which is a Central scheme for the poor, under which a financial contribution is made in the ratio of 75:25 by the Central and state governments. The grant under the Atal Awas Yojna has been enhanced from Rs 27,500 to Rs 48,500. The Welfare Department has also provided financial aid to 1,123 families from the SC/ST and OBC categories for constructing houses and about Rs 60 lakh has been given to such families by the department in Hamirpur district. DC, Hamirpur, Rajinder Singh Thakur said: “The selection of families from weaker sections is made in gram sabha meetings of panchayats.” |
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Poll observer: Dhumal has disintegrated Bamsan segment
Hamirpur, July 22 Addressing a meeting of Congress workers in the newly created Sujanpur Assembly constituency, the former Cabinet Minister of J&K said: “It is the duty of the MLA of that constituency to defend the status of any Assembly constituency, but Dhumal, who is representing the Bamsan segment, could not defend the status of this constituency and it has now been disintegrated.” He said the state had failed to provide adequate employment opportunities to youth. The Congress leader said: “Many ministers in the BJP-led state government are facing graft charges, but they are still holding high offices despite criticism by their own party leaders.” Later, talking to The Tribune, the poll observer said: “I have been appointed by the Congress high command to strengthen the party organisation in Hamirpur district and will remain here till the completion of the Assembly poll.” He said: “We have already held district and block committee meetings of the party in Bhoranj and Sujanpur and the block meeting of Badsar is scheduled for today.” |
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Power board staff threaten to go on mass leave
Shimla, July 22 President of the union Kuldeep Singh Kharwara said the Board Bachao Abhiyan rally held on July 10 had failed to move the government, which seemed reluctant to take any corrective measures, leaving them with no option. The financial condition of the board was deteriorating with each passing day. The union had decided to muster the support of consumers and also involve pensioners in the agitation. Instead of taking steps to improve its financial health, the government was pushing the board towards privatisation. He urged the government to bail out the board from present financial as well organisational crises. The board was providing electricity on affordable rates to its consumers even though it was forced to purchase costly power during the peak load hours. The government was getting free power as royalty from various projects but it was being sold to the board at higher rates. The union also drew attention to the shortage of technical and commercial staff at induction level posts due to superannuation of about 1,250 employees annually. The board had also not been paid the Survey and Investigation Expenditure to the tune of Rs 468 crore by independent power producers. |
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4 die of burns, poisoning at Tanda medical college
Kangra, July 22 Hem Raj (48) of Bhagori village in Hamirpur district had received 85 per cent burn injures while he was working on a kerosene stove. He was referred to the Tanda hospital where he succumbed to his burn injuries on Saturday. Guru Dass (47) of Charri had received 80 per cent burn injuries when his clothes caught fire while working on a kerosene stove. He was also admitted to the DRPGMC, Tanda, where he died on Saturday. Parveen Kumar (22) of Samloti village was found in an unconscious condition at his home by his mother on Friday. He was rushed to the DRPGMC, where he died on Saturday. The doctors attending on him said it was death due to the consumption of poison. Preetam Chand (58) of Amtrad, who was working in the Agriculture Department, died at the DRPGMC on Friday. Doctors said it was a case of poisoning.
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Teachers hold blood donation camp
Bilaspur, July 22 Reports said led by district DPE Union president Raj Kumar Rana, 26 teachers came forward to donate blood at this camp. Present on the occasion were state Science Teachers Association president Manoj Pal Singh Parihar and former state president Ajay Sharma. They recollected the unique contribution of Patial towards the betterment of the lot of science teachers and getting their long-pending demands accepted by the government during his tenure. State association chief patron Amrit Mahajan declared that henceforth they would organise a blood donation camp on July 9 every year in the memory of Patial. Teachers drawn from several parts of the state were also present, including Kewal Singh, Sudhir Chandel, Pravin Kumar, Surender Sharma, Mam Raj Pundir, Shiv Kumar Nadda, Shyam Lal, Arvind Gauttam, Ashwini Chandel, Dinesh, Sunil Gauttam, Rajesh, Deep Kumar, Keshav Anand, Ved Praksh, Balam Kumar, Sudershan and Ajay Kumar.
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Pilgrim drowned in Beas
Kangra, July 22 Tilak Raj Chauhan, SHO, Dehra, said a group of five youths from Ludhiana in Punjab on motorcycles were on a pilgrimage to different temples in the Kangra valley in connection with the Shravan Navratra festival. The SHO said after paying obeisance at the Jawalamukhi temple at 11.30 am, they left for Ludhiana, but decided to have a bath in the Beas at Dehra. He said all the five were taking a bath when one of them Rakesh Kumar of Basti Jodaywal in Ludhiana got drowned in the deep waters. SHO Chauhan said Rakesh’s body could not be traced till evening though the police had sought the help of divers and local fishermen.
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Info Under Economic Survey
Hamirpur, July 22 He said if any person was not keen on getting the information made public, he should send a declaration on a form and submit the same in the offices of tehsildar, naib tehsildar, nagar panchayat secretary and executive officer of the municipal committee. The DC has clarified if such declarations were not made within 15 days, it would be construed that he or she was not having any objection in the matter.
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Kalidhar faces recurring landslides
Chamba, July
22 With the onset of the monsoon, the road has been gradually sinking and posing danger to vehicles plying on this highway. According to reports reaching here, stone and earth slide down from a porous strata of the hillside whenever it rains. The landslide-hit area also poses a threat to pedestrians. Meanwhile, officials maintained that to keep the highway open for traffic, two bulldozers had been put into operation permanently at this site while a JCB was also requisitioned in case of an emergency. |
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Rain lashes Kangra valley
Kangra, July 22 The valley had experienced rainfall on Wednesday last after a week long a dry spell. The rain did not dampen the enthusiasm of pilgrims who in thousands were visiting different shrines in the valley. Reports of rain were also received from Dharamsala and McLeodganj, Chanumda, Nagrota Bagwan, Gaggal, Shahpur, Charri, Palampur, Maranda and Paror areas of the valley. However, there was no rain in Jawalamukhi and Dehra area of this district.
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Ajay Verma is HPCC secy
Kangra, July 22 Suman Verma, Kangra District Congress Committee chief, said this was done following the assurance given to the youth of the state given by AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi during his recent visit to Manali. Raj Kumar Jaswal, Kangra Block Congress president, said Verma was PCC member and had remained NSUI and District Youth Congress president. Later, he was elevated to the HP Youth Congress general secretary’s post. Navneet Sharma, general secretary, Kangra DCC, said the Congress leadership on the national level was pushing youth in the forefront to strengthen the party further. |
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Couple dies in road mishap
Chamba, July 22 The police report revealed that the deceased had been identified as Jameet Singh and Bimla who were residents of Karian village of the district. The bodies of the deceased had been handed over to their kin after carrying out the postmortem in a nearby government hospital.
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Woman’s body found from Gobind Sagar
Bilaspur, July 22 The police said the deceased seemed to be of 25 to 30 years of age. Her face was full of scratches and the body seemed to be some 14 days old. The police has informed all police stations along the Sutlej in and outside this district so that the body could be
recognised. |
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Man dies of poisoning
Kangra, July 22 Identified as Joginder Singh of Chamaid village, Joginder Nagar tehsil, Mandi district, he had consumed some poison and was rushed to a Joginder Nagar Hospital. He was today referred to the DRPGMC, Tanda, where he died in the evening. |
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Shimla, July 22
