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High-level panel to review mining
Mining Dept seeks police battalion
Textile experts bat for technological innovations
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Power consumers to pay more
Parwanoo villages face pollution woes
Sujanpur legislator to take up UT deputation issue
Bail for ex-MLA
HPU approves Students’ Charter
2 killed in Mandi road accidents
2 arrested for circulating porn CD
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High-level panel to review mining
It will work a way out. Other members of the committee are the Principal Secretaries with the departments of Industries, Forests and Public Works. “Based on a review, we will place the recommendations before the Cabinet so that a solution can be found,” said Mukesh Agnihotri, Industries Minister. He said a team of senior officials from the Industries Department would take up the issue of expediting environmental clearances with the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment. The ban on sand and gravel mining had led to acute shortage of construction material which had been affecting development work being undertaken by government agencies. The issue was discussed during a meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary last week. “It was decided that letters of intent would be issued to those seeking renewal or fresh lease so that they could apply to the Environment Impact Appraisal Committee,” said an official. The Industries Department is getting a royalty of about Rs 146 crore from cement plants and mining but the state is suffering a huge loss due to illegal mining as well. The fact that 4,000 cases of illegal mining were registered last year and a penalty of Rs 1.8 crore imposed is an indication of the extent to which of illegal mining has been taking place. “It is a fact that the government is losing a huge amount due to illegal mining. We want to review the issue and address problem areas,” said Agnihotri. Large-scale illegal mining has been taking place in the border areas of Una, Hamirpur and Kangra districts as the supply is being made to Punjab and Haryana. Forward movement
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Mining Dept seeks police battalion
Solan, April 27 District Mining Officer Suresh Bhardwaj said the situation had become risky as guards were being threatened by those engaged in this illegal trade. He said he had written a letter to the Director for Industries to make available a police battalion to provide security to the field staff. He said the mining mafia was active in the area and had been indulging in the pilferage of mining material whenever possible. He said scores of vehicles were being driven to Haryana through the Baddi barrier with policemen remaining mute spectators. He said the direction of the Nalagarh SDM to book private land owners if they allowed mining was not a deterrent as the money earned allured them. He said with a majority of private land holdings, the administration were unable to check this proliferating trade wherein the material was transported to areas around Chandigarh. Bhardwaj said a check had become risky with the presence of armed goons with the mining mafia. He said he hoped that a battalion would be made available to them. The state government had constituted a committee to suggest measures to check this trade but the lack of manpower and vehicles continued to handicap the Mining Department. |
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Textile experts bat for technological innovations
Sundarnagar, April 27 Addressing a national workshop on “Innovations and Emerging Trends in Textiles” organised by the Department of Textile Engineering at Jawaharlal Nehru Government Engineering College here, they said the dissemination of knowledge on innovations and emerging trends would shape the future of textiles in the country. Dr SM ishtiaque, Professor with the Department of Textile Technology at the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi, delivered a lecture on innovations in yarn manufacturing. He motivated students to bring about change in yarn manufacturing processes by adopting innovations. He discussed the current research work being undertaken and urged manufacturers to support research initiatives for new technology. Dr S Ghosh, Professor and Dean Faculty with the National Institute of Technology in Jalandhar, spoke on mathematical modelling of the weaving process. He threw light on how simple mathematics could shape textiles, especially weaving. Dr SK Sinha from the same institute discussed sport technology which was an important segment of technical textile which had a key role. He highlighted the importance of various fibres in the development of the sport segment. Inaugurating the workshop, Director for Technical Education Vijay Chandan said the workshop would help disseminate among students the latest knowledge in the textile sector. Workshop coordinator Praveen Kumar said members of the faculty, research scholars and students from various institutes in northern India participated in the workshop. A poster-making competition was also held. Mayank Bindal, Vice-President, Auro Spinning Mills at Baddi, Dr Lalit Jajpura from the BPS Mahila Vishvavidyalaya at Sonepat and Saurabh Chaturvedi from the National Institute of Fashion Technology at Kangra took part in the workshop. |
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Power consumers to pay more Shimla, April 27 The tariff for domestic consumers has been enhanced by 15.99 per cent as it has been raised from Rs 3.69 to Rs 4.28 per unit. For industry the hike is 15.47 per cent as the tariff is up from Rs 4.76 to Rs 5.5 per unit.
The enhancement for 2013-14 will come into effect from April 1. There is no increase for 3 lakh lifeline consumers, comprising the poor, marginalised and below poverty line families which are in the slab of up to 40 units per month. The income from the sale of power on revised tariff will be Rs 4167.81 crore, including additional revenue generation of Rs 544.64 crore. The total revenue expenditure approved is Rs 4609.09 crore and the revenue income Rs 4626.62 crore. Among domestic consumers the ones in the up to 40 units category the new tariff will be the same at Re 1 per unit. For those falling in the up to 125 units category, the hike is from Rs 1.1 to Rs 1.3 per unit. For those in the 126 units to 250 units category the hike is from Rs 2.2 to Rs 2.7 per unit. High consumption consumers will feel the maximum pinch as the tariff has been hiked from Rs 3.25 per unit to Rs 3.95 per unit. The hike for domestic category consumers will range from 17 per cent to 23 per cent. There are 17,81,586 domestic consumers in the state who will be provided a subsidy of Rs 320 crore compared to Rs 270 crore in 2012-13. The average tariff for 2013-14 is Rs 5.2 per unit. Of this 66 per cent comprises power purchase cost and 27 per cent employee cost.
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Parwanoo villages face pollution woes
Solan, April 27 The high vibrations generated due to the various mechanical operations in the units at times led to the appearance of cracks in houses nearby. Despite the office of the state Pollution Control Board located nearby, the problem had remained unaddressed. With no separate residential or industrial area having been chalked out, industrial units coming up in the proximity of residential areas in Parwanoo had become a cause for concern for residents. Meanwhile, Deepak Aggrawal, Executive Engineer, Pollution Control Board, Regional Office, Parwanoo, said they had served several notices on Pronto Steering for letting out smoke and had even got the size of their chimney reduced, but the problem has remained unchecked. He added that they had even recommended the cancellation of their permission and the head office had directed them to monitor them on a regular basis. Despite this, the problem had remained unchecked as the unit was located on a lower elevation, while villages were located at a higher gradient. He added the unit had also been directed to ensure that no smoke was let out in the mornings and evenings when people went out for a walk. The units would be directed to maintain noise levels, he added. The extent of smoke emanating from Pronto Industries was clear from the fact that the entire area was engulfed in a white envelop in the mornings and evenings when the unit let out its smoke. |
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Residents hold hawan at Bajjreshwari temple for Sarabjit
Kangra, April 27 The residents, mostly belonging to the Sanatan Dharam Sabha, Vivekananda Kendra, a spiritually oriented service mission, priests and members of the local Beopar Mandal gathered in the Bajjreshwari temple and participated in the hawan. The hawan was organised for the recovery of Sarabjit Singh from serious head injuries and return to India in good health. Narinder Trehan, vice-chairman, Sanatan Dharam Sabha, deplored the inhuman attitude of the Pakistan government towards Indian prisoners in Pakistani jails. He said despite an input from RAW that Sarabjit would be attacked as a fallout of the hanging of Pakistani terrorist Kasab and Parliament attack mastermind Afzal Guru, nothing substantial was done to save him. He said despite intimation to the Pakistan government, no security was provided to Sarabjit in the jail. He said as both the governments had failed to deliver the goods, now the only option was to seek Goddess Bajjreshwari’s blessings. Sanjeev Puri of Vivekananda Kendra said they hoped that Sarabjit would return to India in good health. Pilgrims in hundreds carrying flags raised slogans “Sarabjit Sawast Ho”. |
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Sujanpur legislator to take up UT deputation issue
Hamirpur, April 27 He said, “Himachal Pradesh can seek it since the share of the state in such matters was decided upon at 7.19 per cent.” He added, “This was reiterated by the Supreme Court which had announced that Himachal Pradesh had a share of 7.19 per cent in hydro power projects and had awarded several thousand crore to the state.” He alleged, “The system of deputing employees
was changed in 1993 without consulting the state government.” He claimed, “The Chandigarh Administration does not have the power to amend the reorganisation Act and it can be done only by Parliament.” He said, “The demand is genuine and I will take it up with the Chief Minister.” |
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BDO staff protest against thrashing
Nurpur, April 27 They organised a one-day dharna on the office premises and a demonstration to protest against the reported failure of the police in holding a fair and impartial inquiry into
Vinod Kumar’s suicide on April 17. BDO Sushil Kumar Chaudhary said the staff were concerned about security. He added that their main demand was security for themselves and prompt action against those booked for
the thrashing. He asserted that he was not in favour of stalling development work in rural areas. He further said he would go to Dharamsala on Monday to meet the Deputy Commissioner after which further action would be taken. |
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Bail for ex-MLA
Dharamsala, April 27 The case was registered yesterday at Nurpur against him and his supporters after they allegedly thrashed Nurpur BDO Sushil Kumar Chaudhary and members of his staff. Pathania today alleged that the case was registered because of political reasons. He claimed that he saved the BDO from the agitated crowd that tried to lynch him. He demanded a high-level inquiry into the death of Vinod Kumar of Khajan village near Nurpur who had been working at the office of the BDO for the last six years. He claimed that it was mentioned in the suicide note that the BDO and members of his staff had been harassing him. He added that the deceased’s relatives had alleged that police officials took their signatures on some blank papers. Pathania alleged that an agitated mob took out a procession yesterday but there was no police arrangement. He claimed that women started beating up the BDO and members of his staff after which he intervened. |
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HPU approves Students’ Charter
Shimla, April 27 The council also gave its nod for the six new courses that had already been approved by the Academic Council of HPU. It also approved the recommendations made by the Quality Education Committee, headed by Dr Dinkar Burathoki, which has recommended starting of vocational courses at the undergraduate level from the next academic session. The Executive Council expressed concern over the vitiated atmosphere on the campus and the protests being undertaken by students’ organisations and warned that in case the atmosphere remains the same, the student council poll would not be held. |
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2 killed in Mandi road accidents
Mandi, April 27 In the second incident, Chet Ram of Guran village died on the spot near the Hanogi temple after a truck (HP66-1910) hit the motor cycle (HP32A-0590) he was riding. He was sitting behind Mani Ram, driver of the bike, who also sustained injuries. The police has booked truck driver Jagdish Kumar in the case under Aut police station. Inquest proceedings in both cases are on, the police said. |
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2 arrested for circulating porn CD
Hamirpur, April 27 Hamirpur SP Jagat Ram said, “After receiving the forensic report, we registered an FIR under Section 6 of the Indecent Representation of Women Prohibition Act, 1986, and arrested Pradeep Kumar of Bhida and Rajesh Kumar of Ruhan village.” |
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Shimla, April 27
For commercial consumers the enhancement is 14.2 per cent as rates have gone up from Rs 5.21 to Rs 5.95 per unit. In case of streetlights the hike is minimal at 8.83 per cent while it is 13.48 per cent for water pumping.