Shimla, January 21
Even as the town limps back to normal, the respite from the chill may be a temporary phase. The weather may take a turn again from January 23 as a feeble western disturbance could cause inclement weather conditions.

There was bright sunshine in most parts of the state today, but power and water supply and vehicular traffic in tribal areas and interior parts of Shimla district remained disrupted.

Efforts were being made by the Public Works Department to clear main roads, but restoring traffic beyond Kufri would take quite some time.

Most parts of the state are reeling under severe cold wave conditions.

Shimla recorded a minimum of 1.0°C, Manali -6.0°C, Keylong -16.5°C, Bhuntar -1.0°C, Sundernagar 0.5°C, Dharamsala 4.4°C, Una 3.4°C, Nahan 5.4°C and Palampur 2.0°C. Kaza was freezing at -26.9°C.

Vehicular traffic was restored in the main parts of Shimla, including the Cart Road, but many roads were yet to be cleared of snow.

Power supply to many localities on the outskirts of the town still remained erratic even as the electricity board staff worked overtime to restore uninterrupted supply.

“Road clearance work is being done on a war footing. We hope to be through with the road beyond Dhali by tomorrow,” said Deputy Commissioner Dinesh Malhotra.

He said roads in the town were being cleared and efforts were on to ensure that people were not inconvenienced.

Solan, January 21
With only between 20 per cent and 25 per cent people coming forward to get connections from the first sewerage scheme in the town, it remains underutilised and has adversely affected its completion.

The scheme is being executed by the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department in four zones at a cost of Rs 60 crore. The IPH Department had initially laid sewerage for between 50 per cent and 60 per cent of the town covering prime areas at a cost of Rs 22 crore. The work was completed in 2008.

Only between 20 per cent and 25 per cent of the 1,600 households came forward to get connections. The IPH Department was disheartened as it would be difficult for the department to give a utilisation certificate for getting funds for the other three zones.

Executive Engineer JS Chauhan said he had appealed to the people to get the connection. He said they would not be able to extend it to other areas till 50 per cent utilisation was achieved in the first phase.

With individual sewers often malfunctioning and overflowing, partially treated or untreated waste was flowing into drains, causing health concerns. The issue was taken up with the municipal committee several times, but not much success had been achieved in obtaining more connections.

What deterred people from getting sewer connections was the anticipation of high monthly bills. Officials felt that Rs 400 per seat and 50 per cent of the water bill were not a high cost for maintaining hygienic surroundings and avoiding the tedious process of cleaning individual sewers.

The poor rate of success was also attributed to some disputes as neighbours were reluctant to allow sewer lines of others to be laid on their premises. 

Palampur, January 21
Sudheer Sharma, Urban Development Minister, on Friday said he would visit every village of his constituency in the next one month to solve public grievances at their doorsteps.

Sharma said his top priority would be to gear up development activities. Vacant posts of medical officers, nurses and para-medical staff in different health institutions would be filled up soon. Special stress would be laid on improving the conditions of schools in these areas.

He said Dharamsala, being the second largest town of the state after Shimla, had its own importance as a constituency and one dozen state-level offices were situated there. Therefore, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh wanted to develop it as the winter capital of the state.

He said he was well versed with the problems of Dharamsala. To solve the drinking water crisis before the onset of summers would be his top priority. Necessary instructions in this regard had already been issued to officials of the IPH Department.

Besides, the augmentation of the existing water supply scheme of the town was also under consideration and in the next two years he would make efforts to complete this project. He said there would be no shortage of funds for development projects.

He said “the Town and Country Planning Department” would be strengthened and new planned townships would come up in the state. In reply to a question, he said the matter relating to the expansion of municipal limits of one dozen major towns of the state was also under consideration and the state Cabinet would take the final decision on this issue soon.

Shimla, January 21
While Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who contested from Shimla (Rural), spent Rs 7.99 lakh on the elections, his predecessor PK Dhumal, who contested from Hamirpur, was able to wrap it up in only Rs 4.39 lakh.

A majority of candidates from the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have filed their election expenditure, the last date for which was January 19.

There are many others, especially Independents and those from other parties, who have yet to do so. The compiled figure for the entire state is yet to be prepared as details are still coming in.

The Election Commission (EC) had fixed the limit on election expenditure at Rs 11 lakh. It appears that no candidate has touched this limit.

Mahender Singh, former minister and sitting BJP legislator from Dharampur in Mandi district, has spent the highest so far, which is Rs 9.8 lakh.

A close second is former minister and sitting BJP legislator Jai Ram Thakur from Seraj, who has spent Rs 9.38 lakh. Anil Sharma, Congress legislator from Mandi, has shown an expenditure of Rs 9,10,286.

Revenue Minister Kaul Singh Thakur spent only Rs 4.79 lakh, Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes Rs 8.44 lakh, Asha Kumari Rs 4.6 lakh, Gulab Singh Thakur Rs 8.54 lakh, Suresh Bhardwaj Rs 5.08 lakh, BK Chauhan Rs 6.3 lakh and Rohit Thakur Rs 8.26 lakh.

In Shimla district, where 48 candidates were in the fray from eight constituencies, 40 have submitted their election expenditure. They include all prominent Congress and BJP leaders.

They have given the break-up of expenses, specifying whether it was incurred on publicity material, public meetings, campaign workers, vehicles and fuel, drivers’ salaries or party functionaries’ visits.

In the column for party grant received, all Congress candidates have filled in Rs 8 lakh and a majority of BJP legislators Rs 5 lakh.

Balbir Verma, Independent legislator from Chopal, spent Rs 8.13 lakh and Rajinder Rana, Independent legislator from Sujanpur, Rs 5.52 lakh. Nationalist Congress Party state chief Radha Raman Shastri, who contested from Shimla, spent Rs 8.01 lakh.

“Though expenditure details have to be furnished within a month of declaration of results, many are expected to file details within a day or two as snowfall and inclement weather conditions caused a lot of problems,” said an official.

Once Deputy Commissioners, who were district election officers as well, send details to the EC, notices will be issued to those candidates who have not filed expenditure details. In case they fail to do so, they can be debarred from contesting elections later.

Hamirpur, January 21
Congressmen are jubilant over Rahul Gandhi’s elevation as national vice-president of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) and have expressed happiness over this decision.

All-India Mahila Congress president Anita Verma, hailing the decision, said, “It is a very good move to bring young blood in the Congress party. This will rejuvenate the party at the national level and in the state.”

Verma said, “All-Mahila Congress activists are very happy and hope Rahul Gandhi’s agenda to work for women empowerment will enhance the process of a social change.”

Spokesman, HPCC, Deepak Sharma has also hailed the decision and congratulated Rahul for acquiring a more responsible position in the Congress party.

Talking to mediapersons here today, Sharma said, “With this elevation, new blood will be generated in the Congress party. His vision and new goal have created a new hope in the Congress.”

Congratulating Rahul and Sonia Gandhi, he said, “The party will definitely achieve its goal to retain power at the Centre in 2014 and the HPCC has already taken a challenge to win all four seats in the next general elections.”

CHAMBA: Rahul Gandhi’s elevation to the post of vice-president of the AICC has brought cheer amongst youth cadres of the party in the length and breadth of the district.

Hailing the decision here today, District Youth Congress president Shivank Sharma said it would go a long way in boosting the morale of the new generation, thereby paving the way for the massive victory of the Congress in the general elections to the Lok Sabha-2014.

Sharma said Rahul would strengthen the party’s grassroots as he had the potential to lead the Youth Congress in a positive way and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) would surely make a hat-trick under his leadership in the forthcoming Lok Sabha general elections slated for next year.

Reports have also come in from other parts of the district that a number of Youth Congress and NSUI supporters have welcomed Rahul’s elevation as Congress vice-president.

KANGRA: Dr Jai Kumar Azad, former state Youth Congress general secretary, has said Rahul Gandhi’s speech has touched the hearts of common Congress workers.

Azad was talking to mediapersons here today. He said Rajeev Gandhi, the then Prime Minister and AICC president, on December 28, 1985, during the Congress Centenary session in Mumbai had addressed Congress workers with the same emotions as Rahul did yesterday during the Congress Chintan Shivir at Jaipur. He said Rajeev Gandhi on that day said out of Rs 100 only Rs 10 was reaching the common man and yesterday Rahul Gandhi assured that now out of Rs 100, Rs 99 would reach the common Indian.

He said his speech had given a boost to the grassroot-level worker in the state as their faith in the policies of Congress party had grown stronger.

He said it was because of the Rahul’s policy that this hill state had youngest Congress chief Sukhwinder Sukhu, which indicated that the second line of leadership in the party was being strengthened.

Shimla, January 21
Arrested Congress legislator Ram Kumar’s lawyers today sought time from Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Brij Bihari Lal Butail so that the MLA, currently lodged in Ambala jail, can take oath.

Ram Kumar’ lawyers in a written request to the Speaker’s office had sought information about the dates on which Butail would be available here in the state capital. It is depending on the availability of the Speaker that the lawyers of the Doon MLA could move an application before the court to allow him to take the oath.

Vidhan Sabha Secretary Balbir Tegta confirmed that Ram Kumar’s lawyers had sought information about the availability of the Speaker to be able to take the oath.

“We have conveyed to them that the Speaker will be available here on January 24, 30 and 31 and they can give prior intimation to my office on the day the court allows the MLA to come here,” he said.

Ram Kumar, who was arrested by the police in connection with the alleged murder of a young girl, Jyoti, was unable to take the oath of office on January 8 as an MLA along with other legislators during the four-day winter session of the Assembly in Dharamsala.

Kumar’s lawyers, after seeking permission from the court will intimate the Vidhan Sabha Secretary about the date when he will be coming here. Considering the seriousness of the charges faced by the MLA, it is unlikely that he will be granted bail. As such, it is under strict police custody that he will be granted permission to come and take the oath.

Depending on court, it is likely that he will formally take the oath as an MLA on any of the three dates given to his lawyers.

Manali, January 21
Gulmarg and Auli ski resorts have stolen the limelight from the state over the years. The sparkling ski slopes of Solang, Narkanda and Mahasu-Kufri in Shimla and Kalpa in Kinnaur continue to face a shortage of essential equipment and a lack of government support to organise national and international skiing events.

The state lost an opportunity for hosting the national skiing championships this winter as the then state government did not show government support to hold the event.

This time, the Winter Games Federation of India (WGFI) is organising both senior and junior National Winter Games from February 10 to 15 and in the first week of March at the Gulmarg ski resort.

Besides, the ski resort of Auli in the Garhwal hills is also organising the senior national alpine skiing from February 25 to 28.

Gulmarg would be the main attraction for senior snow-boarding and cross-country skiing in the first week of March, said Roshan Thakur, president, WGFI.

“We have submitted a proposal to the state government to host the winter games, but nobody has paid any attention to it as we need Rs 25-30 lakh for the event,” Thakur said.

“They have given an empty approval, but not even a pie for the event. However, both the Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir governments have offered financial support for the championships,” he added.

Skiers complained that the state government had not been able to equip even a single ski resort with snow-beating machines.

Despite these handicaps, nature has endowed Solang, Narkanda, Kufri and Kalpa with natural ski slopes promising thrills of skiing against the backdrop of the Himalayas. Not only this, there was a heavy spell of snow a few days ago, making skiing all the more thrilling.

There are instructors offering ski courses for amateurs started by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Allied Sports (ABVIAS) here from January 12 and more than 65 amateurs have so far enrolled for the courses. The Kalpa-Chaka ski slope offers one of the most beautiful skiing slopes in the world.

“We need ski lifts to start skiing on a professional line here and we expect the proposal will see the light of the day now,” said Vijay Negi, president, Kinnaur Skiing Association.

Randhir Salhuria, Director, ABVIAS, said, “We have launched ski courses for learners and will be there to assist them”.

Dharamsala, January 21
The fate of the Mehatpur-Amb Express Highway in Una district now rests with the new government in the state. The road, which is the lifeline of people in Una district and gateway to the state, has been lying suspended for the past more than six months now.

The work came to a standstill after the previous government stopped releasing funds for the road to Chinese company Longjian and was contemplating cancelling the contract.

The Chinese company said it was ready to complete the work, but the government was not releasing its balance payments of Rs 6-7 crore. The government has been blaming the Chinese company for the inordinate delay in the construction work of the road. The government officials have been imposing a penalty of about Rs 2.5 lakh per day on the Chinese company for delay in the construction.

Inquiries by The Tribune revealed that the work of the Mehatpur-Amb Express Highway was to be completed by December 2010 as per the original contract.

However, the work on the road hit the first bottleneck after the Union Government cancelled the visa of all the Chinese workers of the company in 2010. The Chinese workers had to leave the country and could manage to come back only after six months.

There was a delay on the part of government departments also in clearing trees and encroachments along the roadside. The Public and Health and Power departments took quite long to shift their infrastructure to facilitate the construction of the road.

The work for the construction of about 32 small and big bridges on the road was sub-leased by the Chinese company to an India contractor. The construction of bridges was a major component of the road contract and sub-leased contract was worth Rs 47 crore. The contractor managed to construct just two bridges and allegedly abandoned the work.

The Chinese company has now requested the state government to allow it to allot the work for the construction of bridges to some other company and execute it on its own. The government still has to take decision over the matter. The portion of the road, where the work for bridges is lying pending, is the worst stretch on the under construction express highway.

However, the incomplete road has not only become a bane for residents of the district, but also for commuters and tourists coming to the state. Many accidents have been reported on the road due to under construction patches. The condition of traders in Una and Mehatpur towns, who have their business establishments along the under construction road, is worse. They have organised protests many times to press for an early completion of the road.

The new government will now have to take the decision regarding entrusting the construction work to the Chinese company that has already been carrying out the construction work. In case the government decides to go for a new contractor, it might further delay the work as the project might get tangled in a legal battle. For allowing the Chinese company to complete the remaining work, it will have to give the contractor certain relaxations and further extension of the contract.

The sources here said the previous government allowed certain deviations to the original design of the road to protect certain buildings. The present government would now have to review the deviations to the original design, they said.

Chamba, January 21
The seat of Bounderi ward of the Zila Parishad has fallen vacant following the resignation of Hans Raj, a newly elected BJP MLA of the Churah Assembly constituency of the district, according to official information here today.

Hans Raj resigned from the post of zila parishad member because of his being elected to the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha on BJP ticket in the recently-held Assembly elections.

His resignation had been forwarded to the Director of Panchayati Raj for acceptance and after its approval the date of elections to the Bounderi Zila Parishad ward would be scheduled. — OC

Dharamsala, January 21
Prof Yoginder Verma has been appointed as Pro Vice-Chancellor (VC), Central University of Himachal Pradesh (CUHP).

This was announced formally by Prof Furqan Qamar, Vice-Chancellor, CUHP. Professor Verma was coordinator (Temporary Academic Block, CUHP). He also remained Officer on Special Duty (Administration) and Special Officer (Development) in CUHP. He continues to hold the position of Dean, School of Business and Management Studies, and Controller of Examination.

Born at Jol-Lambri village of Hamirpur district, he started his studies in a rural school at Patlander (Sujanjpur Tira). He bagged a gold medal in BCom by standing first in Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla (1974). After doing his MBA in 1976, he started his professional career as management trainee in HPMIDC, a government corporation and, thereafter, joined as Assistant Professor of management at HPU (1977), Shimla.

He has 10 books to his credit, including “Marketing Environment and Practices in Nepal”, “University Administration and Management”, “Consumerism in India”, “Education in Human Values for Human Excellence”, four volumes of “Annotated Bibliography on Himalaya”, and more than a 100 articles/papers, published both in national and international journals.

Verma is national assessor (trained) on the panel of National Assessment and Accreditation Council, Bangalore, and Quality Assurance and Accreditation Division, University Grants Commission (UGC), Nepal. He is a member of a number of national-level committees constituted by the UGC, AICTE and NAAC. He continues to be a resourceful person in training and development programmes organised by various institutions such as NAAC, NAAA, HIPA, ASCs, UGC, NGOs and many other human resource development institutions.

Bilaspur, January 21
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh will lay the foundation stone of a long-awaited hydro-engineering college of Bilaspur soon, says Bilaspur Sadar MLA Bambar Thakur while addressing a ‘Samman Samaroh’ function.

The District Beopar Mandal has organised the function to felicitate the MLA at the Dholera temple complex here yesterday.

He said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had given his consent for the project and also agreed to open a university near Bilaspur town. He would make a formal announcement of it during the foundation laying function of the college. The exercise to zero in a location for the university was going on.

The MLA said he would take up the issue of connecting Bilaspur town with the four-lane Express Highway and the Berry Dadollan Bridge with the nearest spot to town at Khairiyan with Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

He assured that the government would soon finalise a ‘rehabilitation policy’ for Bhakra Dam oustees of Bilaspur regarding encroachment as it had been directed by the Himachal PradeshHigh Court.

Bambar Thakur warned that cement factories could not be allowed to exploit natural wealth of the state and then minting money by selling it at costlier rates in neighbouring states. The firms must bring down rates in the state.

Bambar Thakur said with the introduction of the monthly power bill system, the problem of water would be solved. A plot would be allotted to the Beopar Mandal in the town.

Beopar Mandal president Sunil Tadu presented a charter of demands while office-bearers of the Beopar Mandal were also present at the function.

Dharamsala/Kangra, January 21
Indian art is full of wonders and it is a right time to discover these wonders.

This was stated by noted art historian and Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri awardee Prof BN Goswamy while addressing students and faculty members of Central University of Himachal Pradesh (CUHP) on the occasion of its foundation day at Shahpur today.

While delivering his foundation day lecture on “The Sense of Wonder: The World of the Indian Painter”, Professor Goswamy, a Professor Emeritus of art history at Panjab University, Chandigarh, said questions were the crux of life. The question which a painter had in his mind and which he tried to answer through his paintings reflected the sense of wonders of the painter himself.

He said one’s capacity to question and the keenness to search answers for those questions made him understand the mystery of art and every act of imagination was touched by a question.

“As an art critic and art restorer, you need to develop a strategy of seeing. The sense of wonder of an artist and the expression of this wonder in his paintings shows all the levels of imagination and recreation,” he said.

While talking about the importance of Indian art, Professor Goswamy said a painting or an art work was not a casual collection of images, but was actually a well visualised imagination and interpretation of deep thinking.

While showing some best masterpieces of the Indian art, he said art was a small slice of the entire universe, which was free from time and space.

Prof Furqan Qamar, Vice-Chancellor, CUHP, said it was ironical that the entire higher education focused more on professional aspects of education and suggested that universities should play a prominent role in social upliftment with a broader vision.

Prof YS Verma, coordinator of the Temporary Academic Block, CUHP, said the university was taking all the initiatives to invite experts in all the disciplines from all over the world to interact with students which helped the university fraternity to take more innovative approaches on the academic front.

Noted Urdu poet and Sahitya Academy winner Krishan Kumar Toor, Prof Karuna Goswamy, registrar and finance officer of Central University BR Dhiman, heads of departments and staff were among those who attended the function.

Dharamsala, January 21
A group of students vandalised the ticket counter outside the stadium here today. Dharamsala will host a one-day international between India and England on January 27.

Sources said a large number of students gathered at the ticket counter in the morning. The authorities stopped the sale of tickets and closed the counter.

The students alleged the black marketing of tickets. They reportedly broke windowpanes, furniture and fittings at the counter. The police brought the situation under control.

The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) had priced the tickets for students at Rs 250. There was a clamour for these tickets. Students were given tickets only after producing their student identity cards.

HPCA spokesperson Mohit Sood said the HPCA had kept aside about 3,000 of the 20,000 tickets for students. He said the move was aimed at popularising cricket among students.

Many students were seeking up to 10 tickets each this morning. As per rules, one ticket was sold per identity card. When the authorities refused to give tickets in bulk, the miscreants created a ruckus.

The HPCA spokesperson said police assistance was called for to control the unruly crowd, but they did not lodge a police complaint.

Organising a cricket match here is a problem due to the narrow road and little parking space. The stadium had hosted Indian Premier League matches in the past.

This was possible with the active support of the state government. The previous regime was very generous to the HPCA and provided it all assistance required to host matches.

Leaders of the Congress, which is in power now, have been levelling allegations of corruption against the HPCA and targeting the previous government for doling out freebies to it.

It remains to be seen if the HPCA will get the same support from the state government. The International Cricket Council has given Himachal Pradesh the opportunity to host a one-day international for the first time.

The manner in which the match is organised will decide the future of the stadium for hosting international matches. The HPCA will need the support of the state government in organising the match successfully.