Manali, December 11
The ski season comes and goes every year, but skiers from across the country still cry for the basic snow-beating machines to lay the ski run even in popular ski slopes of Solang Nalla in this tourist town and Narkanda and Kufri on the outskirts of Shimla after decades, leave alone tapping newer slopes across the state.

From natural ski slopes of the Lahaul valley to the charming Chanshel valley, Himachal is a ski reservoir, but its potential remains untapped. The Tourism Department remains high on empty hype and low on equipping the ski slopes with facilities, resent some skiers.

Local skiers have increased its tribe in this tourist town by making it to the international ski events at their own. They included Chuni Lal, Jagat Ram, Dola Ram, Hira Lal, Ludra Chand and juniors like Aanchal Thakur, Bhuveneshwari, Varsha and Himanshu Thakur. They roughed out with local ski shoes and sticks on the ill-equipped ski slopes of Solang, Gulaba and Rohtang over the years. Gulmarg resort and Auli in Uttarakhand have three snow-beating machines each, but Himachal has none, rued skiers.

“The ski kits cost Rs 1.5 lakh per skier and skiers have now added their own kits. But it is a matter of shame that Himachal has not even a single slope, which has a snow-beating machine,” lamented Roshan Thakur, president, Winter Games Federation of India (WGFI), who comes from Manali.

The government has signed a MoU with a private developer who runs the ropeways and a ski lift at Solang Nallah. Last year, Chief Minister PK Dhumal had announced to equip the slope with a snow-grooming machine, but to no avail, rued the skiers.

The private developer allots 100 free passes to the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Allied Sports (ABVAS) here every year. But the company charges 50 per cent of the tariff from local skiers to use the ski lift along the ski-run set up by the government, said Thakur.

The Tourism Department has not developed even a single ski slope, adding ropeways at Hampta and Bhrigu slopes that can be tapped for skiing around Manali. Narkanda and Kufri have no proper ski slopes and ski lifts and gondolas for skiing, said Rupesh Kanwal, a former official of the HP Wintergames Association.

The director of the ABVAS, Capt Randhir Salhuria, said, “We get 100 free passes and use them to provide basic, intermediate and advanced ski courses to about 600 learners every year at Solang and Narkanda. We charge Rs 5,200 per course of 14 days providing lodging and food charges. But slopes need snow-beating machines as Himachal has a huge potential in skiing.”

Hamirpur, December 11
Widespread rain in Hamirpur district has broken a long dry spell and cheered residents and farmers. The district has been experiencing continuous rain for the past many hours and received a good amount of rain till this evening.

While residents are happy at getting timely winter rain, farmers and vegetable growers are happy with prospectus of good crops. The sowing season in the district was delayed due to dry spell and farmers were worried about 25 per cent less germination of seeds sown by them.

This being ground root initiation stage for the crops, irrigation at this time is very important and rain during this period would definitely help in steady growth of plants, tell agriculture experts.

Santosh Kumar, a local farmer said, “We are eagerly waiting for the rain this time and the present rain will definitely help in the growth of crops.” Another farmer, Kamal Thakur, said, “Since most of the area under agriculture does not have irrigation facility and dependent on rain, this rain is very beneficial.”

Deputy Director Agriculture, Dr Som Dev Kalia, said, “Present rain is very good for pulses, wheat and vegetables and help in steady growth of crops.” He said, “The farmers should now use spray to save the crops from weeds for a good crop.” 

Solan, December 11
The Superintendent of Police (SP), Solan, today suspended Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Rakesh Kumar for dereliction of duty after he was found missing from guarding the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) at Solan since the past 13 days.

SP Prem Thakur, while confirming the matter, said since the preliminary probe being conducted by the DSP (headquarters) had proved that Rakesh had wilfully absented himself from duty without giving any intimation to the department, it was an act of dereliction of duty and he had been suspended for the same today.

The ASI, who was among 30 other policemen guarding the outer periphery of EVMs at the Municipal Committee Hall here, had been missing from his duty since November 26.

His absence was detected during a checking by senior police officials on December 9.

The other policemen deployed to guard EVMs had assumed that he had proceeded on leave but they failed to verify the reason for his absence. This had also put a question mark on the policemen who were the in charge of this duty as they did not verify the presence of the policeman for as long as 13 days.

The SP added that he was awaiting the receipt of the probe report from the DSP in this matter.

Senior police officials, including IG (south range) had taken a serious note of the matter, especially in view of security of the EVMs and, hence, the erring policeman had been placed under suspension.

Kangra, December 11
The Students Federation of India (SFI) has decided to launch an agitation against the fee hike by Himachal Pradesh University (HPU).

District SFI secretary Vishal Deep described the fee hike from Rs 80 to Rs 270 as unfortunate. He said the price of ICDEOL prospectus was hiked from Rs 200 to Rs 350 and the fee fixed at Rs 1,600.

Shimla, December 11
The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) has decided to review the environment monitoring cost (EMC) being charged from hydro-power projects with a capacity of 10 MW or more to ensure that there is a proper check and scrutiny against any damage to the fragile hill ecology.

The board has decided to constitute a special committee that will examine the issue closely. Besides SPCB officials, representatives from the Forest, Power, Revenue and Industries departments will be the part of the committee that will minutely examine the issue and make its recommendations.

At present, the SPCB is charging environment-monitoring cost at the rate of 0.1 per cent of the total cost of the power project. With over 600 big and small power projects coming up in Himachal, both in the private as well as public sectors, the need for maintaining a close watch on their functioning is being felt to ensure that there are no adverse effects on the environment.

The committee could seek enhancement of the EMC charges currently being taken from independent power producers. The SPCB is entrusted with the task of ensuring that the projects that are coming up did not impact the environment in any way and there is no detrimental effect on the life, health and ecology of the area where these are set up.

With major protests and stiff opposition from villagers against the coming up of projects taking place across the state, it is felt that there is a need to tighten the noose around these power producers who at times violate environment norms with impunity.

Another important aspect of the monitoring of the power projects is to guarantee that power producers are abiding by the mandatory condition of releasing a minimum of 15 per cent of the water discharge.

In case of some projects, the adverse impact of the reduced flow of the river on the flora and fauna of downstream areas and the life of villagers and their livelihood has already started becoming visible.

With lakhs of trees having faced the axe to pave way for power projects and the transmission lines for evacuation, there is a serious thought that power generation needs to be regularised and monitored more closely.

It is the Forest Department that maintains a check on the compensatory afforestation undertaken, but the overall impact that the power projects have on villages is assessed by the Department of Pollution and the SPCB. 

Kangra, December 11
A six-member Central team headed by Home Ministry Joint Secretary Reshim Goel visited Kangra today to assess the loss due to the heavy rain last monsoon. They visited Tiara, Mehrana, Salool, Boharbali, Borhkawaloo, old Kangra and other affected villages.

The team also comprised Agriculture Ministry Director GK Choudary, Planning Commission Deputy Director Dina Nath, Central Water Board Director Padam Dorjee, Surface and Transport Ministry Regional Officer Ajmer Singh and Rural Development Ministry Joint Secretary SP Arya.

The team was accompanied by General Administration Special Secretary JR Katwal, Kangra Deputy Commissioner KR Bharti, Kangra district police chief DS Thakur and other officers.The team later held a meeting with the district administration. Bharti told them that the district suffered a loss of Rs 181 crore due to the rain.

They were told that six persons and 287 heads of cattle were killed and 478 houses, 274 cowsheds and 305 government buildings were damaged. The meeting was attended by Irrigation and Public Health Chief Engineer Parveez Akhter, Kangra Subdivisional Magistrate Ajeet Bhardwaj and other officers.

Nurpur, December 11
The construction activities in lower Kangra district have been badly hit due to scarcity of material like gravel, sand and hard stones during the past a few months.

The government works being executed by contractors and private construction works by residents are the worst sufferers due to non-availability of the material. The state Mining Department has auctioned rivulets in lower Kangra for three years in the beginning of the current fiscal year. The tractor-trolleys were allowed to carry gravel, sand and hard stones by paying royalty to the contractors. But these auctions were revoked two months back resulting hardship into carrying out the construction activities. This scarcity has also affected the MNREGA works in the rural areas.

The contractors executing the government works in the area told The Tribune that they were ready to pay royalty for the procurement of building material from the rivulets, but it had become quite difficult after revocation of auctions made by the Mining Department for extraction building material. They also pleaded the state government to ensure availability of the material to carry out the construction works of the PWD and IPH Departments in the area.

Meanwhile, the consistent raids conducted by the mining and the police authorities to check illegal mining in rivulets for the past a few days have allegedly been targeting tractor-trolleys. Gulbant Singh, the president of the Tractor Owners Association, alleged that the mining authorities had failed to check mining menace by the banned JSBs of stone crusher units, but targeting tractor-trolleys under the pretext of curbing illegal mining in the area.

BS Thakur, superintending engineer, PWD, Nurpur circle, also admitted that the department’s construction works under the PMGSY, NABARD and other schemes were worst sufferers due to non-availability of building material. He informed that he had also taken up this matter with the higher ups.

Chamba, December 11
A junior shooter from Chamba has been qualified for taking part in the National Rifle Championship being held in New Delhi from December 20 to 27.

Irfan Ali, a junior shooter of Chamba, scored 360 points out of 400 in the All-India Rifle Competition held in New Delhi during October this year and qualified for the National Competition in Air Pistol Junior Category. Earlier, Vishal Sharma had represented Himachal in the National Competition, but now he has left shooting.

KL Shah, general secretary of the District Rifle Club, Chamba, said Irfan Ali along with Indu Shah and Krishan Lal Shah would be leaving for New Delhi today for taking part in practice and competition.

He informed that Indu Shah and Krishan Lal Shah were old qualified shooters for the National Competition, who were participating in the Air Rifle Peep Sight Woman Category and Air Pistol Veteran Category, respectively.

“Indu Shah will represent Himachal in team event as well and it is expected that she will perform well this time,” he hoped.

Chail Chowk (Mandi), December 11
As many as 38 dhabas and khokhas raised on the Public Works Department (PWD) land in this township in the Gohar subdivision were removed, while 28 other such structures face eviction after the green bench of the high court directed the administration to remove the encroachments on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a local ex-serviceman, Capt Sher Singh.

The PWD has been sleeping over the encroachments on its land for the past several years. The congestion and traffic hazards increase day by day making it hell for residents. Assisted by the local administration, the PWD has pressed into service three JCB machines and three trucks and have removed 38 structures raised on the PWD land along the road.

An anti-encroachment drive started on Wednesday after the deadline for removal of encroachments on the government land ended. Some of the encroachers removed the structure from the PWD land voluntary while others were being removed by the PWD.

Sher Singh had filed a PIL in the green bench of the high court last year. The bench had directed the local administration to demarcate the PWD land and then remove the encroachments detected during the operation, said officials.

Gohar SDM HS Rana said the green bench had ordered the eviction of 66 encroachments on the PWD land. “We are getting the support of locals in this drive and soon all these will be removed as per direction of the court,” he added. He said they demarcated the land and found 66 encroachments out of which 38 had been removed. He said they had issued notices to the encroachers to remove the encroachments by Wednesday. Some of them removed themselves and cooperated with the administration, he added.

Palampur, December 11
Health services in the Palampur region of the state have been adversely affected for the past few months as no emergencies are attended in rural health institutions. Most of the cases are referred to Civil Hospital, Palampur, or DRPGMC, Tanda.

Though the state government has appointed three medical officers in each CHC, these health institutions have turned into referral health centres, where no emergencies are attended. Even patients suffering from common diseases are referred.

Despite the fact that the state has provided adequate infrastructure in these institutions, even ordinary deliveries are not conducted here causing inconvenience to the public. Most of the delivery cases are referred to the Tanda medical college. There are institutions in the region where only five to six deliveries were conducted in a year. Even first aid is not given in accident cases to avoid medico-legal cases.

Doctors posted in such institutions have been drawing salaries from Rs 75,000 to Rs 90,000 per month.

Since the CHC and the PHC have failed to cater the needs of the public, the 100-bedded Palampur Civil Hospital is always flooded with patients. Medicines and Gynaecology departments of the hospital are worst-hit.

In the Civil Hospital, the post of gynaecologist is lying vacant for the past two years causing further harassment to patients referred here from rural health institutions.

Since most of the patients visiting state hospitals belonged to medicines and gynaecology departments, the government should strengthen these departments and more postgraduate doctors should be posted to cope up with the rush of patients and also provide better incentives to doctors.

Palampur, December 11
Hundreds of residents of the Kandwari area of Palampur today held a protest over bad roads leading to the area. They criticised the state government for extending step-motherly treatment to 12 villages of the Kandwari belt.

The residents came out of their houses and criticised the Public Works Department (PWD) for its failure to repair the roads. Despite repeated requests, no efforts were made to fill deep potholes. They said recently, a piece of the Dharaman-Kandwari road was black coated by the PWD, but it was washed away within a month because of inferior quality of material used by the contractor.

They urged the state government to initiate action against the erring contractor. It may be recalled that condition of most of the roads in this area had gone from bad to worse because of negligence of the PWD. Many accidents have taken place on these roads in the past a few months, the two-wheeler riders were the victims.

Meanwhile, a senior officer of the PWD said he would look into the matter. He said if the contractor was found guilty for using inferior quality of material, action would be taken against him and his payments would not be released.

Nurpur, December 11
The local police recovered two bodies near Bhadroya under the Kandwal police chowki today. One of the deceased, a man in his sixties, could not be identified. The cause of the death seemed to be excess drinking and severe cold. The body has been kept in the local hospital mortuary.

In another incident, a body was found in a 20-feet deep gorge on the Bhadroya-Damtal link road in mysterious circumstances. The deceased, Harit Chowdhary (29), a resident of Kaiso village in Junjun district, Rajasthan, was identified with the help of his driving licence.

He was suspected to be died after falling from the road culvert. DSP Rajinder Jaswal said the family of the deceased had been informed and an autopsy would be conducted tomorrow after their arrival.