Dharamsala, December 1
Tibetans today observed the World AIDS Day by organising rallies and a campaign at McLeodganj. The Tibetan refugee population living in India falls under high-risk categories with regard to AIDS infection, due to high mobility, poverty and lack of access to proper healthcare facilities.

According to the Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA) Demographic Survey of Tibetans-in-Exile 2009, HIV/AIDS is one of the 15 leading causes of death in the community.

To mark the World AIDS Day, 2012, a day-long awareness programme was held at McLeodganj with the theme, getting zero new infection, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. Today’s programme was organised by Tibetan NGOs, including Students for a Free Tibet India, Regional Tibetan Youth Congress and Regional Tibetan Women’s Association, Dharamsala.

Shimla, December 1
Himachal Pradesh will enter into a collaboration with a Denmark-based organisation, Cleantech Cluster, for the scientific disposal of solid waste and e-waste being generated in the state. The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) is expected to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Copenhagen-based organisation in the middle of this month.

The organisation has expertise in proper waste disposal and generation of energy from solid waste and other garbage. The possibility of a similar tie-up with Germany is also being explored so that the latest technology in the field can be introduced in the state.

A team from Copenhagen had recently made a presentation here, giving details of the areas in which they were working. Representatives of all municipal councils in the state and the Shimla Municipal Corporation had been invited to the presentation as they would be the target beneficiaries.

Cleantech Cluster will not only help the state in the scientific disposal of solid waste, but will also provide technology for the generation of power from garbage. Seventeen per cent of the total power requirement in Denmark is being met through this means. It is due to a lot of similarities between Denmark and Himachal Pradesh that the technology being adopted there has been found to be suitable for being replicated here.

“We are likely to sign an MoU with Cleantech Cluster in December, which will pave the way for ushering in the latest technology and dissemination of knowledge in the proper disposal of solid and e-waste,” confirmed Sanjay Sood, SPCB Secretary. He also hinted at similar tie-ups with countries like Germany which were very advanced in this field.

Himachal Pradesh is expected to gain knowledge in the scientific disposal of e-waste as well. This is an area which has been a cause of concern. So far, there is no proper mechanism being followed. The disposal of not only computers and their parts, but of compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs also remains to be addressed.

At present, there is no laid-down mechanism for the collection and disposal of CFL bulbs, 6 lakh of which were distributed by the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board almost three years back as part of its Atal Bihari Bijli Bachat Yojna. As per government estimates, there are over 10 lakh CFL bulbs in use at the moment as a large number of people have bought those on their own as well.

The government had asked manufacturers to shoulder the responsibility of the scientific disposal of CFL bulbs. The SPCB had been asked to undertake an exhaustive study in the state of the life-cycle of a CFL bulb from its manufacture, through its lifespan, toxicity and use, to its disposal.

Hamirpur, December 1
Several BTech students studying in engineering colleges affiliated to Himachal Pradesh Technical University (HPTU) have expressed resentment over the non-declaration of their revaluation results even after over nine months.

These students had appeared in the first semester examination conducted by the HPTU in April and had applied for revaluation in different courses after scoring less.

These students have been waiting for the results for quite some time and the delay has been causing anxiety among them. Sixteen private and two government engineering colleges in the state are affiliated to the HPTU and examinations and revaluation are undertaken by the HPTU.

The HPTU has already announced the datesheet for the second semester examination, which will begin on December 5. The students are anxiously waiting for the evaluation results as many of them will have to reappear in the first semester examination simultaneously in case of scoring less after revaluation.

A student said, “The non-declaration of revaluation results has created uncertainty among us. Many of us will have to reappear if we do not get sufficient marks.”

HPTU Registrar Manoj Kumar said, “The revaluation of BTech courses is being done by teachers outside the state. In case of 10 per cent variation or more in score after revaluation, the paper is re-evaluated. I will look into the matter and revaluation results will be declared soon.”

Shimla, December 1
Terming the compounding rates fixed by the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department for the regularisation of buildings raised in violation of norms as exceptionally high and out of the reach of a majority, owners of these structures have sought a drastic reduction.

Even as the fate of over 70,000 houses which are yet to be regularised remains uncertain, a majority have sought a reduction in compounding rates.

The TCP Department has received about 45 suggestions from members of the public, with a majority seeking a decrease in the rates fixed by the department.

Sources say a personal hearing date will be fixed shortly.

The matter will then be placed before the government for its final decision. The department has invited suggestions from the public for making changes in Section 19(e) of TCP Rules, which mainly pertains to composition of offences rule.

The sources say a majority of owners of these buildings, whose maps have been approved but built-up structures violate norms, have pleaded that the rates are beyond the reach of most.

There are over 70,000 structures which are yet to be regularised by the government for various violations in construction norms under the Town and Country Planning Act.

Even as most of these illegal structures have already been provided water and power connections against government norms, these will be treated as unauthorised for all practical purposes.

Even though the latest policy brought out by the department has a provision for regularising deviation of up to 99 per cent, a large number of structures still do not qualify for regularisation.

The compoundable rates fixed by the TCP Department range from Rs 500 per sq metre to Rs 3,000 per sq m. The compoundable rates are higher as the degree of deviation increases.

As a one-time settlement to pave the way for regularisation of these structures, the government has invited suggestions from the public.

While doing so, the department wants to send a strong signal that violators will not be spared. The only way to do so is by imposing a very heavy penalty for regularisation.

Solan, December 1
The Himachal Pradesh Consumer and Marketing Federation (HIMFED) has finally managed to create the requisite infrastructure at Nalagarh for a Clearing and Forwarding Agency (CFA) to supply lubricants of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) in the state from tomorrow.

The work has, however, been delayed by five months as the contract was awarded on February 23 and the facility to be set up within 120 days.

The CFA will now supply its first consignment of lubricants tomorrow. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Managing Director, HIMFED, and the Executive Director, IOC, at Chandigarh on November 7, 2012, to facilitate initiation of this operation.

The creation of this facility will help the public sector enterprise tide over its financial crisis as it will earn Rs 3.70 lakh per month as commission though a sizeable amount of money has been spent in creating the facility. This includes Rs 8.50 crore which is deposited as collateral security, Rs 1.40 crore as bank guarantee and Rs 40 lakh spent in creating the infrastructure.

HIMFED Area Manager BC Bhardwaj said negotiations were being made with the HRTC, HPSEB, PWD, IPH, etc to procure their supply orders for lubricants and grease.

This CFA will also handle the supplies of SERVO TSO for orchardists of Himachal Pradesh which is recommended as an effective brand to control diseases in plants by the Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni.

The federation will also look after the inter-state supply to J&K, Punjab and Chandigarh. As per the agreement, 900 sq m area was required for the C&F operations.

The contract will generate smooth revenue operations, but lack of adequate staff will be a major issue before the management confide officials. 

Kangra, December 1
The HP Public Works Department (PWD) and HP State Electricity Board (HPSEB) decided to continue carrying out their services to Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (DRPGMC) and Hospital, Tanda, despite the fact that both the departments were not paid their dues. Both the departments had communicated to the DRPGMC authorities in this regard in writing.

The story regarding the financial crunch and subsequent threat by two state government departments to part from the operation and maintenance of the DRPGMC, Tanda, was carried in these columns on Thursday last. Senior authorities swiftly acted which resulted in making both the departments continue with the services to this medical college. This decision was conveyed to the medical college authorities last evening.

Vijay Kumar, Executive Engineer, HP PWD, said the DRPGMC, Tanda, owed Rs 3 crore to the department against which only Rs 10 lakh was deposited.

Additional Director, DRPGMC, Tanda, Madhu Choudary said today that the Executive Engineer personally communicated to her last evening that the department would continue to render its services to the hospital till December 31, 2012. She said the HPSEB too had decided to continue with the service.

Shimla, December 1
Keen to outsmart the international drug mafia operating through the Internet, the Himachal Pradesh Police has decided to set up a state-of-the-art cyber laboratory at its CID headquarters here to tackle the disturbing trend and save people from falling prey to lucrative online offers.

“The laboratory will be set up at a cost of Rs 50 lakh so that the increasing cyber crime can be curbed,” said Ashok Sharma, Inspector-General of Police, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, at a meet-the-press programme organised by the Shimla Press Club here today.

He said initially it had been proposed to set up the cyber laboratory at the Police Training College in Daroh, near Palampur, but now it would be set up here. Giving insight into the world of cyber crime, he said the crime record of the state indicated to an increase in cyber crime.

“This specially pertains to online money spinning offers, profitable investment options and lottery scams,” he remarked. He added that the international drug mafia was using the Internet not only to peddle narcotics, but also to organise in-demand rave parties in the Kullu-Manali and McLeodganj-Dharamsala areas.

Sharma said many had been duped through the use of technology and police personnel were being imparted training to handle and probe scientifically cyber crime. “We are making concerted efforts to create awareness among mobile and Internet users so that they are aware of dos and don’ts of use of techno-savvy gadgets and the Internet, he added.

He said the police could not check cyber crime without the cooperation of the public, which must be aware of swindlers out to deceive people. “As the use of the Internet has spread to rural areas and mobile phones are a necessity, cyber crime is bound to increase. We need to be prepared to outsmart those misusing gadgets to cheat others,” he added.

Solan, December 1
Officials of the Transport Department have adopted a tough posture to recover pending special road tax (SRT) from defaulting private bus operators by initiating a move to attach their properties.

It was observed that 14 bus operators had pending SRT running into several lakhs for the past 10 years and they had been dithering from paying this tax despite several notices from the department. These buses were now off the road for the past sometime.

This was not only causing revenue loss to the department, but also indiscipline among the bus operators. It was also observed that many such buses had stopped their operations after having defaulted on tax payment.

Chand Sharma, regional transport authority, said the strict posture adopted by them had helped recover pending SRT from two of the 14 buses, which were off the road now, while 12 such buses would face attachment of properties.

He said the case had been referred to the tehsildar, recovery, who would initiate further action to recover Rs 47.84 lakh from them.

Among the buses that were plying and were defaulters, there were 21 such cases, while 21 had deposited the pending tax after the department had adopted a strict posture.

Sharma said the move was slated to discipline the bus operators as it was observed that default on payment of tax had become a common practise among transporters, who despite earning did not deposit the due tax on a routine basis.

The official said apart from the principal amount, the due penalty for late payments was also being recovered from these bus operators.

However, quite a few private buses discontinue their late evening routes due to a few passengers, thus causing inconvenience to the public.