Solan, December 12
Residents of Dharampur, Kandaghat and Solan areas are up in arms against the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for granting barely 90 days to vacate their houses after the award of compensation for the four-laning of national highway (NH) 22.

A section of residents led by Anil Kalra of Dharampur said relocation was a tedious process as one had to identify suitable land, ensure its purchase and construct a house.

This exercise would take at least a year and since the expansion of the national highway would not begin immediately, residents were demanding at least a year for vacating their houses and business establishments.

A large number of people today visited the office of the Solan SDM to register their objections. They lamented that the NHAI had not paid heed to their request for bypassing the Dharampur bazaar and their request to the Chief Minister had failed to yield any result.

The residents rued that the land compensation would be granted on the basis of rates registered in the revenue record, which was the average sale price of land sale in a year for any particular area, and since the market rate was much higher, they would have to present their case before the Land Acquisition for revising compensation.

This would make available less funds to the people displaced, further delaying rehabilitation plans. While people had started looking for alternative sites, people of Solan and Kandaghat were demanding alternative land.

The NHAI officials had assured those displaced that the compensation for land would be handed over by February while the compensation for structures would be worked out in the next few months.

With nearly 200 families in Dharampur facing uprooting of their dwellings and commercial premises, the Dharampur bazaar would face maximum displacement.

Buildings like the community health centre, private clinics and chemist shops were slated to be affected by the proposal. The Rs 2,293 crore project would reduce the distance between Parwanoo and Shimla by 17 km.

Mandi, December 12
The Himachal Pradesh Milk Federation has increased the price of desi ghee by Rs 25 per kg, taking the price in the retail market to Rs 400 per kg.

This is the fourth increase in the price of the ghee effected by the milk federation. The price has increased by Rs 100 per kg during the past few months.

The desi ghee which was being sold by the federation at Rs 300 per kg a few months back will now be sold at Rs 400 per kg.

With residents criticising the increase in price of desi ghee in a short period, the management of the federation is justifying the increase.

The ghee manufactured by the federation is in demand, especially during winters when its consumption increases.

At present, the milk federation is producing about 900 litres of ghee from the raw butter which is sold on a daily basis in the market.

The federation has also increased the price of milk by Rs 2 per kg in the retail market.

Jiwan Lal, a local resident, said, “Desi ghee of other brands is available at a cheaper rate in the market, but the milk federation is taking advantage of its demand.”

However, the management of the milk federation says, “The increase in price is due to the gap in supply and demand. Moreover, overhead and processing charges have also increased.”

Milk federation managing director AK Thakur said, “The rates have been increased as all other companies have also increased its price and now, rates would not be increased soon.” 

Shimla, December 12
Arun Dhumal, son of former Chief Minister PK Dhumal, could approach the Election Commission of India (ECI) in connection with an alleged concealment of loan-related facts by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in an affidavit filed by him during the December 2012 Assembly elections.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, Arun accused the Chief Minister of not making any mention of the loan of Rs 3.90 crore secured by him and his MP wife, Pratibha Singh, from Vakamulla Chandershekhar.

“When the loan had been taken in July and November 2011, why did the Chief Minister not mention it in his election affidavit in December 2012,” he said.

Dhumal junior said he was considering approaching the ECI about this concealment of facts by the Chief Minister. “Being a public figure and the Chief Minister of the state, he owes an explanation to the people of Himachal, who have yet to get a proper explanation from him on the loan raised from an individual, who is executing a power project in Himachal,” he said.

He raised questions on the manner in which the 15-MW Saikoti project, being executed by Venture Energy Technologies, owned by Vakamulla, was re-allotted the project. “Even though the project had been cancelled due to misrepresentation of facts by the power company and allotted to the HP State Electricity Board, it was given back to the same company,” he said.

He claimed that this had been done against the recommendation of the Cabinet, which had turned down the proposal thrice. “The government must explain the reasons which compelled it to give the project back to the company, which is a defaulter as it owes Rs 58 lakh to the government for the extension granted to it for completion of the project,” he said.

The Chief Minister has earlier admitted to taking the loan from Vakamulla and said his wife, Pratibha Singh, had reflected it in the affidavit she filed when she contested the Mandi Lok Sabha bypoll.

Virbhadra Singh was not available for comment as he was away on a tour after his arrival from New Delhi. 

Shimla, December 12
Horticulture Minister Vidya Stokes said 3,798 hectare additional area had been brought under fruit cultivation till now against the target of 3,000 hectares this financial year.

While presiding over the review meeting of the Horticulture Department here today, she said against an approved outlay of Rs 84.97 crore, the State Plan outlay for the year 2013-14 had been revised to Rs 95.56 crore. She said funds amounting to Rs 32 crore were being spent under the Horticulture Mission, Rs 8.08 crore under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and Rs 3 crore under the National Mission on Micro Irrigation this financial year.

Horticulture Minister said the training, extension and advisory to farmers and fruit growers were a prerequisite to sustained horticulture development for which an effective and efficient mechanism should be developed. She stressed on establishing a close and continuous link between an extension personnel and farmers so that they be fully conversant with the latest technologies.

Stokes directed the officials to improve the tissue culture laboratory at Chail so that adequate quality-planting material could be produced. She also directed that the staff manning fruit processing units should be sent for training to run these units in a professional manner. She said proper guidelines should be given to growers to switch over to improved varieties of fruit plants.

Vineet Chaudhary, Additional Chief Secretary, Horticulture, said possibilities of establishing flower market in the state would be explored as the floriculture sector had a great scope. — TNS

Una, December 12
A sum of Rs 12.77 crore will be spent in the district during the current financial year on poverty alleviation programmes aimed at beneficiaries belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes through different government schemes.

This was disclosed by Industry Minister Mukesh Agnihotri while presiding over a meeting of the District Welfare Committee at Bachat Bhawan here yesterday.

The minister said 278 low-cost houses would be constructed for beneficiaries, who would be given Rs 75,000 each as grant-in-aid. He said Rs 1,500 each would be given to 63 women from low-income group families to purchase sewing machines. He said in Una district, 16,512 beneficiaries were being given social security pension, for which Rs 10.81 crore would be spent. 

Hamirpur, December 12
A letter recommending transfers of certain teachers allegedly affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency by an association of teachers has created a controversy here.

The transfers of the teachers termed as RSS affiliates have been sought through a letter, a copy of which is available with The Tribune, addressed to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh some time ago, written on official writing pad of the association by an office-bearer of the association.

“The office-bearer of the association has said 36 teachers mentioned in the letter are part of the RSS lobby, some of these being RSS ideologues, and should be immediately transferred out of the Hamirpur parliament constituency as they have started gearing up for the next parliament election in 2014,” the letter says.

The RSS has also taken a strong exception for demanding transfers of teachers under the garb of their links with the sangh.

Out of 36 teachers whose names have been mentioned in the list, 18 are posted in Hamirpur district, 14 in Bilaspur, two from Una and one from Mandi district.

In the letter, the office-bearer has urged the Chief Minister, “I had taken up the matter of transfers of these teachers with two senior party leaders sometime ago during their visits to Hamirpur district and sent their names to your office, and some of them had also participated in Dushera celebrations in full RSS costumes and, thus, should be immediately transferred from their places of postings”.

After leaking of the letter, some of the teachers named in the letter are contemplating moving court.

The Sah Sar Sanghchalak of Hamirpur district of the RSS, RC Sharma, said, “It is wrong to say that all the teachers named in the letter are affiliated with the RSS since some of these are women and we do not enrol women as RSS members.”

Former Chief Minister PK Dhumal said, “Dictatorial action like banning the RSS is being taken by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, utilising which certain people are trying to create poisonous atmosphere in the state and raising undemocratic demands”.

The transfers of state government employees on political grounds has been under the scanner of the state High Court and the court had directed the state government not to transfer them for political consideration.

Shimla, December 12
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said the Shimla Rural Assembly segment would be developed as a model constituency as various major development projects were under execution in this constituency.

The Chief Minister today addressed a public meeting at Kotla in Shimla Rural constituency after inaugurating and laying the foundation stones of various development works in the segment, represented by him.

“Our endeavour is to provide the best health, education and road facilities up to the farthest corners of the state,” he said.

He reiterated the resolve of the government for ensuring speedy and uniform development of all rural areas of the state so that best possible facilities could be provided to the people nearer to their homes.

He said two major irrigation schemes, three ITIs and a Public Works Department division had been opened to accelerate the pace of developmental work, including upgrade and maintenance of roads.

The Chief Minister urged the youth to come forward to derive the maximum benefit from the skill development scheme of the state government, which was aimed at training the educated youth to enable them to set up self-employment avenues as there were limited scope for employment in the government sector.

He also urged the people to carry on with their traditional occupation of agriculture and horticulture as these sectors had vast potential for good earnings.

Earlier, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of an observation home for children in conflict with the law at Hiranagar in Shimla to be constructed at a cost of Rs 2.4 crore.

This would be the second observation home for such children in the state after the one in Una district. He laid the foundation stone of a home for special children at Hiranagar, which would be constructed at a cost of Rs 5.24 crore.

He also laid the foundation stones of a primary health centre at Ghanahatti, to be constructed at a cost of Rs 2.43 crore, and a science block of the government school at Ghanahatti at a cost of Rs. 2.41 crore.

He performed foundation stone laying ceremony of a veterinary training centre at Ghanahatti, which would be constructed by spending Rs 1.78 crore. 

Shimla, December 12
With revised cost pegged at Rs 1,182 crore, the 111-MW Sawra Kuddu project being constructed on the Pabbar, a tributary of the Yamuna, will generate the costliest hydro power owing to huge time and cost overruns.

The cost of the project has been more than doubled from Rs 558 crore, as estimated in the detailed project report. It is likely to increase further as the completion schedule has been revised from December 2012 to December 2015. Besides inflation, the interest on loan will also increase.

The final cost will be over Rs 11 crore per megawatt compared to the normal cost of between Rs 6 crore and Rs 7 crore per megawatt. In fact, the State Electricity Regulatory Commission has fixed the cost of projects from 5 MW to 25 MW at Rs 7 crore per megawatt for determining tariff. Bigger projects cost much less.

Further, the plant availability factor will be less due to poor hydrology and it will generate only about 3.48 million units per megawatt compared to the norm of 4.5 million units per megawatt.

In all, 386 million units will be produced annually and the cost of generation will be around Rs 7 per unit compared to the originally estimated initial cost of Rs 2.54 per unit.

The project was handed over from the Pabbar Valley Power Corporation, a subsidiary of the unbundled state power board to Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL), which took over the functions of generation after the unbundling.

Apart from the fact that the delay in starting work, the problems being faced during construction have added to the cost. The 11.145-km D-shaped head race tunnel is proving to be a headache and so far even excavation has not been completed.

Corporation Managing Director DK Sharma said the poor geological strata was the main reason for delay in completion of the tunnel and about 1.5 km was to be excavated, after which lining work would be carried out.

Engineers said the strata were so fragile that rock bolting and steel ribs were not able to hold it and the option of providing steel pipes, used for penstock, was being considered.

Water from the river will be diverted and taken via the tunnel to the underground powerhouse on the left bank of the Pabbar near Snail village, at which three generating units of 37 MW each are being installed.

The 195-MW Kashang project, being executed in three stages by the HPPCL, has also be pushed behind due to damage caused to roads and other infrastructure by heavy rain in June this year.

The first stage of the 65-MW project will be delayed by about nine months and is likely to be commissioned only around July next year. It will be the first project of the HPPCL to start generation.

The corporation is hopeful of completing the 100-MW Sainj Project, slated to be commissioned in August 2015, a few months ahead of schedule.

Bilaspur, December 12
The Himachal Pradesh Rajya Purv Sainik Kalyan Samiti will organise a day-long state-level "Vir Sainik Samman Samaroh" at Barthin Alfa Public Senior Secondary School on December 16.

Samiti president Subedar Prakash Chand informed this while talking to mediapersons here today.

He said parents of all late Param Vir Chakra (PVC) winners and also living legend Havildar Sanjay Kumar (PVC), Mahavir Chakra winners, Victoria Cross winners, George Cross winners and Veer Naris of the 1971 war with Pakistan and from the state of Himachal Pradesh would be honoured at the function. Brig Khushal Thakur will be the chief guest on the occasion.

He said all those who would be honoured would be carried in a procession from Barthin Rest House to the venue.

Manali, December 12
Kullu district will soon have a force of disaster management experts who will act fast to minimise the losses to life and property in the area.

This was stated by Kullu deputy commissioner Rakesh Kanwar who issued certificates to volunteers who underwent a seven-day-long disaster management training programme here today.

Kanwar said Manali sub-division was first in the district which imparted training on disaster management to 51 volunteers from seven panchayats in surroundings of the Manali town. He said similar trainings would be given to the youths from other sub-divisions of the district so that they could act immediately in case of disaster in the area.

He said the purpose of the training on a local level was to prepare a force of trained volunteers who could tackle disaster more efficiently.

As many as 51 volunteers underwent training in rescue, fire services, medical aid, flood and earthquake in two phases having 25 and 26 trainees, respectively, from the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (ABVIMAS), Manali Fire Station, Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) and Community Health Centre, Manali.

SDM, Manali, Vinay Dhiman, said be it fire incident, flood or any other emergency, it is the panchayats who can minimise the losses if they have technical knowledge to tackle the situation.

“A policeman, sometimes, make the situation more critical in lack of proper knowledge. If all panchayats will have trained volunteers in management of disaster, the situation can be handled more efficiently and easily,” he said.

Una, December 12
The ongoing work on the Amb-Andora section of the Nangal-Una-Talwara rail line project is all set to get a severe jolt as the district administration has failed to acquire land for tracks within the stipulated period of two years.

The entire process of land acquisition will have to be repeated again. Besides project cost escalation, this will further delay the already slow pace of the project.

Survey work for the 84-km Nangal-Una-Talwara rail line was started on October 29, 1956, and its foundation stone was laid on December 22, 1974, by then Railways Minister Lalit Narayan Mishra at Amb in Una district. Besides providing rail connectivity to the people of the hill state, the track will provide an alternate route to the Jalandhar-Pathankot-Jammu section for use by the armed forces.

It took 37 years to lay the 42-km rail track from Nangal to Amb-Andora in three phases, the first being 16.45-km-long Nangal to Una section, the second being 16.8-km-long Una to Chururu-Takarla and the third being 11.63-km-long Chururu-Takarla to Amb-Andora section.

With two more rail sections to be laid to link Una with Talwara, the process of land acquisition for the fourth section, Amb-Andora to Daulatpur chowk section, began two years ago. The notification of land acquisition under Section 6 of the Land Acquisition Act was done by the then Deputy Commissioner of Una. The Section 6 of the Act can be in effect only for a two-year time period, which expires on December 14. Thirty seven hectares of land is yet to be acquired for which a two-year notification under Section 6 of the Land Acquisition Act will have to be made, putting the progress of work on hold.

Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Jain admitted that the acquisition process could not be completed within the specified time frame. He said local land owners had been demanding a hike in compensation money. He said he would forward the case to the government for approval.

During the time when the state government was making efforts for land acquisition, the railways had constructed 10 bridges over water channels on the proposed route. “Now, since the land for the tracks has not been acquired, we cannot start the work of laying the tracks,” said a railways official.

While the Railways had announced Rs 10 crore in the last rail budget speech for the track, sources said only Rs 1 crore could be spent till date. The official said they had received instructions from their superiors to stop further work and return the unspent amount. 

Bilaspur , December 12
Chief Medical Officer ML Kaushal has barred the use of a glucose bottle batch, supplied to the Regional Hospital under an extended contract by a local chemist. Dr Kaushal said a couple of days ago, the hospital staff had detected some suspended particles in a sealed bottle. Immediately, the entire stock of the batch was withheld. He said the bottle showed its manufacturing date as May, 2013 and expiry date as April , 2016.

He said there were 1,500 sealed bottles of this batch in the stock of the hospital. He said there were no complaints regarding the glucose, which the hospital had already used with only 1,500 left out of 2,850 bottles.

The Drug Inspector was summoned and 16 samples of the bottles were taken. The samples were sent to the Kandaghat Laboratory for the test. The CMO said Narender Pandit was supplying the bottles and these were manufactured by Parental Surgical Limited, Indore, MP.

He said the state health authorities were also informed about this and all CMOs had been ordered to ensure that no glucose of the batch from the company was used.

He said any suitable action would be taken after the getting the result of the test. The manufacturing company can be blacklisted for the "defective" supply.

Hamirpur, December 12
The 40th National conference on “Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Power (FMFP-2013)” began at NIT, Hamirpur, here today, which was inaugurated by the chief guest, Prof JB Joshi, from the Department of Atomic Energy, NIT, Mumbai.

Prof Rajneesh Shrivastava, Director, NIT Hamirpur, was the guest of honour at the inaugural session.

Dr Vijay Shankar Dogra, organising secretary of the conference, welcomed the guests on the occasion, while Dr SS Katoch briefed the guests about the theme of the conference.

Prof Rajnish Shrivastava apprised the audience of various academic, research and infrastructure development-related activities at the NIT.

He also thanked the National Society for Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Power for agreeing to organise the event and make this event successful.

The chief guest said we need to focus on the application of research in industries.

Prof Amit Agarwal, IIT Bombay, Prof CSP Ojha, IIT Roorkee, Prof Mahesh Panchgunla, IIT Madras, Prof AK Naik, Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, Prof P Krishanamachari, Consultant Small Hydro USA, Prof VK Gahlot, MANIT, Bhopal, would deliver their expert talks at the conference.

About 170 participants from the premier institutes across the country are attending the conference.

Sundernagar, December 12
Pardeep Parmer, state convener of the BJP Human Rights Cell, on Tuesday declared the names of delegates for the State Executive Committee for 17 district units of the party.

At present, names of conveners for 12 districts have been declared. Hitesh Behl and Virender Thakur were nominated as co-conveners for the state.

For districts, the following have been declared conveners: Vishal Thakur - Chamba; Chander Bhanu - Kangra; Ankush Pandit - Dehra; Adarsh Sood - Palampur; Ramesh Jolling - Lahaul and Spiti; Gajender - Kullu; Vipin Awasthi - Mandi; Nageshwar Thakur - Sundernagar; Suresh Kumar - Hamirpur; Babu Ram Thakur - Bilaspur; Devinder Thakur - Solan; and Samshad Ali - Sirmaur. — OC

Shimla, December 12
Perhaps, it is for the first time that ice skating at Asia's oldest natural ice rink started so late on December 11 this year, even as the Simla Ice Skating Club is trying to increase the ground area to hold international events.

The long wait for the start of the ice skating session at the rink ended yesterday with enthusiasts thronging the ground to enjoy the sport. With the number of skating days at times declining owing to warmer winters as compared to earlier times, skating lovers do not want to miss even a single day. Normally, skating at the rink used to begin after mid-November, but lately it was pushed ahead due to clear skies and warm days.

"Never before skating started this late at the rink and at this pace, we will be able to hold only 50 sessions, even if the temperature remains low," said Rajan Bhardwaj, treasurer of the Simla Ice Skating Club. He says unexceptionally warm December was probably the main reason for the endless wait.

Bhardwaj said the ground, which at present measures 30 X 50 mts, was being extended to 40 X 60 mts so that international norms could be met and global events could be held here. "It is by the next year that we would be able to accomplish the task. We have been provided Rs 55 lakh by the state Department for Youth Services and Sports for it," he detailed.

It was in 2008-09 that only 27 skating sessions could be held. Usually, 100 sessions take place when the climatic conditions remain favourable. In 2010-11, 88 sessions were held, followed by 85 sessions in 2006-07.

There are about 850 members of the club, a majority of them are skating aficionados. The rink which is the oldest natural ground in Asia was set up by the British in 1920. With all schools and colleges remaining closed in winter, students enjoy skating here during the morning and evening sessions.

The club hosts a special winter carnival every year, which includes events like ice-hockey and skating competitions with eager participation from many tourists from all over the country. 

Mandi, December 12
Two employees of the Civil Supplies Corporation, working at a LPG agency in Karsog, has been suspended for allegedly embezzling Rs 31 lakh. They have been placed under suspension after registration of an FIR at the Karosg police station.

The accused have been identified as Tikam Ram, clerk, and helper Khushi Ram. The management of the Civil Supplies Corporation reiterated that money would be recovered from the employees and reimbursed to the consumers. They had charged full amount on LPG cylinders in the grace period granted by the Centre to switch over to the Direct Cash Benefit Transfer Scheme.