Shimla, July 3
The jumbo-sized Block Congress Committees (BCCs), having up to 150 members, are likely to be slashed to one-fifth of their earlier size as the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) has decided not to let the strength exceed 31.

A meeting of the HPCC was held here today to look into the issue of appointment of presidents of the 37 committees which had been dissolved by president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. The meeting was attended by Sukhu, general secretaries Ram Lal Thakur and Harbhajan Singh Bhajji and vice-president Harsh Mahajan.

“Majority opinion was that the BCCs should not have more than 31 office-bearers, including president, five vice-presidents and general secretaries and one treasurer,” said Naresh Chauhan , HPCC spokesperson. He added that several other issues were discussed.

There is a feeling within the party that people who were more active and can devote time for party activities must be included in the BCC, which means younger people could be given responsibilities. “It was also felt that at least one member from the Scheduled Caste, the Scheduled Tribe, the OBC and woman must be given representation in the BCC,” said Chauhan.

It is likely that in the coming days, Sukhu could make appointment of BCC presidents, which will be done in a phased manner. Sukhu has already said this would be done in a phased manner in consultation with the Chief Minister and other senior party leaders.

As such, people who have been loyal to the party, enjoy a clean image and have past experience of working with the Youth Congress could be entrusted responsibilities in the 37 BCCs.

Shimla, July 3
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said though it was within the realm of the state Congress president to look into the reasons for the defeat in the elections, he felt that Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu was indulging in oneupmanship and unnecessarily stretching the whole issue a bit too far, which will not serve any purpose.

He said the party must hold discussions and deliberations to look into the reasons for the defeat, but this needed to be done in a very calm and cool manner and not by issuing such statements.

“I also feel that two-three leaders who are in the habit of backbiting and making utterances in the media just for the heck of it, must desist from doing so as it is not in the interest of the party,” he said in an oblique reference to remarks by Rajya Sabha MP Viplove Thakur and MLA Asha Kumari. He said, “Two-three leaders do not constitute the party and their remarks do not make much difference.”

The two women leaders had lashed out at Sukhu for dissolving 37 Block Congress Committees (BCCs) following the poll debacle. “If Sukhu asks the ministers and MLAs about the performance of the party in the Lok Sabha poll, the elected representatives too can turn around and ask him about his own performance,” he remarked.

The Chief Minister had termed the decision of Sukhu to dissolve 37 BCCs where the BJP had managed to get a lead of 5,000 or more as hasty. Ever since, there has been a war of words between senior leaders, with a section also demanding disciplinary action against all those who were going to the media airing their opinion. Sukhu has so far not reacted to any of the statements made by either Viplove or Asha as he chose to ignore the whole issue.

Virbhadra also said the Congress lost the elections due to the high-pitched campaign in the media. “I will not hesitate in saying that the Congress contested the poll in a traditional way and our propaganda was minimal,” he remarked.

He said the entire BJP propaganda revolved around Modi and not the BJP and even now the government at the Centre was referred to as the Modi regime and not the BJP regime.

Dharamsala, July 3
Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Viplove Thakur has again flayed the HPCC move to remove 34 block presidents in view of the Lok Sabha debacle.

Addressing a press conference at the Dharamsala Press Club here today, Viplove said the block Congress presidents should not be made scapegoat for the defeat of the party.

She said senior executive of the party, including the ministers, should be held accountable for the defeat. It was a serious matter and ground-level Congress leaders should not be made a scapegoat for it.

Viplove also flayed the newly elected NDA government for failing to control inflation. She said the BJP-led NDA government was voted to power with an appeal to control inflation and give relief to people. However, within a month of taking over, the new government has effected a hike of passenger and freight rates of the Railways. The move would add to inflation.

He also alleged that the prices of petrol, diesel and other essential commodities such as onions were increasing. The government was writing to the state governments to check hoarding. It was a serious issue and she had questioned the intention of the NDA government, she said.

Viplove also announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh for the press club from her MPLAD fund.

Shimla, July 3
Despite the stand taken by Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes on getting drinking water for Shimla from the Pabbar in Rohru, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said the government could not waste more time in taking the final decision which would depend on the recommendations of the Cabinet sub-committee constituted to make the final choice.

The government has been thinking of getting water for the capital from either the Pabbar in Rohru or lift it from Kol Dam, where the water from the Satluj is flowing.

“The Centre too has asked us to submit the water scheme from Kol Dam as there is no scope to waste more time which will result in further cost-escalation,” he said.

“I have constituted a Cabinet sub-committee, which will give its recommendations after looking into the viability concerning the two schemes,” he added. He, however, added that the views of the IPH Department and all experts were that the Kol Dam scheme was more viable.

The Union Ministry of Urban Development has already rejected the Rs 1,100 crore proposal of the Pabbar water supply scheme because of the high cost factor. On the other hand, the Centre too voiced its preference for the Rs 400 crore Kol dam scheme.

“We cannot overlook the fact that the cost factor for the Pabbar scheme is very high and, moreover, the cost on laying of pipes from such a huge distance will run into hundreds of crores and to lay and maintain it we will have to construct a jeepable road, making it unviable,” said Virbhadra. He added that the final decision would depend on the Cabinet sub-committee report. He added that to make matters worse, the diversion of huge chunks of forest land would be involved for which obtaining clearance from the Centre would be difficult.

It was keeping all these factors in mind that the Chief Minister has constituted a sub-committee comprising of Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri, Industry Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma. IPH Minister Stokes will head the committee.

The Pabbar scheme was conceived in 2007 at a cost Rs 700 crore and water was to be brought through gravity from Chandernahan, origin of th Pabbar. However, various studies indicated that water discharge from this source varied over and at times reduced drastically.

A final decision is likely to be taken up immediately after the sub-committee submits its report. Now it remains to be seen whether Stokes will come around or register her protest against dropping of her pet project. She has been stating that the Satluj is a fast-flowing river, having huge silt which will render it impossible to run the scheme, along with the fact that the power bill for lifting the water from Kol Dam will turn out to be almost Rs 100 crore annually.

Dharamsala, July 3
The deadlock between the Army and the government over allowing production in the SAIL plant in the Kandrori area of Kangra district continues even two years after the completion of the plant.

An internal view of the steel plant

Sources here said since September last year, two meetings had been held by the district administration of Kangra, but the deadlock had not been broken.

Due to objections from the Army, the SAIL authorities can’t start production.

The initial cost of project was about Rs 79 crore. However, it has escalated to over Rs 100 crore due to the delay.

The Army authorities are contending that they have their ordinance depot at Kandrori which is at a striking distance from the steel plant. Furnace in the steel plant would generate high temperature and it would not safe for the ordinance depot.

Sources also said the Army had also initiated action against their own officials who were posted at Kandrori when the work for the construction of plant was started.

The foundation stone of the steel plant was laid by the former Union Minister for Steel Ram Vilas Paswan in 2009. However, Chief Minister of Himachal Virbhadra Singh was instrumental in getting the project sanctioned during his stint as Steel Minister.

The plant will feed the demand of steel of Punjab, Himachal and J&K. The plant will also generate employment for local people.

The Army authorities are asking the Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, to issue a notification, banning all kinds of construction on the 900-metre periphery of their ordinance depot.

The Army was taking the hard decision as the plant is also close to the international border with Pakistan.

Kullu, July 3
The construction of a large number of hydel projects along the riverbeds of the Beas and its tributaries have become a major concern for environmentalists and social activists in the Kullu valley.

The damage caused to the reservoir of a 4.8-mw small hydel project at Aleo near Manali in January this year highlighted how dangerous it would be to permit the development of such projects close to inhabited regions.

Bhagchand Rana, a social activist in the region, said: “At places such as Kullu, Bhuntar, Patlikul, Aut and Pandoh, people have built permanent structures along the river’s course. Several villages are also located close to the tributaries of the Beas. Besides, a large number of land holdings, pastures for fodder, lie close to the river.”

“A calamity such as Uttarakhand floods is waiting to happen, as there is minimal quality check and control by the regulatory authorities on the construction of umpteen number of power projects in this valley,” he said.

Massive landslides in the Kinnaur and Rampur region, repeated water ingress in Parbati-II tunnel, leakage at Malana-II dam and Malana-I tunnel among several other similar incidents have raised a question mark on the state government’s policy to ensure round-the-clock quality control and safety to monitor construction and operation of power projects.

Environmentalists have blamed illegal encroachments and haphazard constructions by the hydel projects for this alarming situation.

They said the muck generated by hydel projects was being dumped directly along the river bank or even into the river, which had narrowed its course.

During flood-like situations, gushing water and muck could cause extensive damage to the population downstream, they feel.

Dr JC Kuniyal, a senior scientist at the GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Kullu, said: “The dumping of muck along the riverbed not only poses a threat to aquatic life, flora and fauna, but also endangers the habitation located along the river downstream.”

Kuniyal said: “The muck deposited along the river banks does not have stability. During floods, the loose stratum is washed with the gushing currents, providing additional force to the water. Muck dumped along the river banks will increase the destruction caused by floods.”

Kangra, July 3
The state government’s priority is to impart quality technical education to students and supply quality foodgrains and essential commodities to the common people in the state.

GS Bali, Minister for Technical Education, Food and Civil Supplies and Transport, said this while addressing a press conference at his residence here today.

Bali rubbished the claims made by Leader of the Opposition PK Dhumal that the stocks of civil supplies were not available in state depots.

Dhumal had raised a question mark over the future of polytechnic and engineering colleges in the state, to which Bali said the government was concerned about improving the quality of education and the viability of these institutions.

Bali said the students studying at these colleges should get jobs within and outside the country by competing hard.

He said the Dhumal government had carried out a survey in 2008-2013 regarding the actual need, educated faculty and the infrastructure before granting permission to 12 engineering and 22 polytechnic colleges to be opened in the state.

He sought genuine suggestion from Dhumal for the improvement of these institutions which were randomly opened during his tenure.

Regarding 16 polytechnic colleges disaffiliated recently, Bali said some of these colleges approached the government with a request that they would deposit the penalty in instalments. He assured that the matter would be sorted out soon.

Regarding the civil supply issue, Bali said sufficient stocks of quality mustard oil, pulses and other goods were available at the stores.

He said despite hike in sugar rates the state government made no hike. He expressed concern over the hike in prices of petrol, diesel, essential commodities, non-subsidised LPG cylinders and train-fare hike saying: “Acchay din aaney waaley hain.”

He left for Delhi today to attend a conference of food and civil supplies ministers to be chaired by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley tomorrow to discuss the inflation issue.

Nurpur, July 3
The Himachal Pradesh Computer Teachers’ Association has alleged that private companies which have been taking the services of computer teachers in government senior secondary schools in the state since 2001 have exploited them.

In a statement here today, Daljit Minhas, state president of the association, said the employer company had not been disbursing salaries to teachers regularly and they had not got their salaries for the past over three months. The teachers were being harassed mentally and financially by the company, he lamented.

He said the previous private company which had taken the services of computer teachers during 2008-13 had taken Rs 5,000 as security from each of them against their appointments and around Rs 66 lakh was collected from 1,329 them.

“The company has not returned their security amount, though its agreement with the state government was terminated on March 31 last year. Apart from this, the company had also collected Rs 3,750 from each computer teacher as Employee Provident Fund (EPF) and the same has also not been paid to the teachers,” he rued.

Minhas said now the new Chandigarh-based private company, which reappointed 1,329 teachers, had also started collecting Rs 3,750 as security from each of them.

He appealed to the state Education Department and Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to intervene to stop the exploitation of the computer teachers by private companies.

He said the government should take suitable action against the previous defaulter company to ensure the refund of security and EPF to the teachers. He also urged it to frame a policy for them on the pattern of the Punjab Government so that they could not be exploited by private companies.

Kangra, July 3
The temple town of Kangra has been facing traffic chaos, especially on the Dharamsala road, Matour Chowk, near the bus stand and the Civil Hospital, with the authorities remaining mute spectators.

ML Sharma, a former Joint Controller, Finance, said with a heavy rush of tourists and pilgrims visiting the Bajjreshwari temple, besides the pressure of local vehicular traffic, hundreds of vehicles were left stranded on the Dharamsala road from the Tehsil Chowk to the new general bus stand.

The number of two-wheelers and light motor vehicles has increased manifold during the past few years.

But the roads have not been widened, besides people with money, muscle and political power have encroached upon these, troubling commuters. Wrong parking added to the woes of people, said PR Agnihotri, a retired Xen, Public Works Department (PWD).

The congested Tehsil Chowk-Tanda road and Tehsil Chowk-Hoshiarpur road also witness frequent traffic jams.

The Tanda road caters to the needs of patients and their attendants who visit the Tanda Medical College besides vehicles carrying pilgrims to reach Gupt Ganga, Rajeev Puri, a businessman, remarked.

The bus stop at the Matour Chowk results in traffic chaos on the Pathankot-Mandi and Matour-Hoshiarpur national highways.

Ajit Bhardwaj, SDM, Kangra, said nearly 4,000 vehicles entered the town daily, but the tally went through the roof during the tourist season.

A meeting with the Police Department had been held and effective steps were being taken to avoid traffic chaos in the town, he added.

Palampur, July 3
Chhota Bhangal area residents have strongly opposed the setting up of a 25-mw hydro power project over the Lambadag river at Multhan by KU Hydro Power Company.

Villagers said the project authorities were not following the rules and regulations laid down by the state government for the execution of power projects in the state.

Hundreds of villagers, including men, women and children from the Chhota Bhangal area of Baijnath subdivision, staged a dharna on the project site today and forced project authorities to suspend execution.

Khayali Ram, president, Kisan Sena, who was leading the agitated villagers said: “Despite repeated requests and meetings with the project management, the authorities have so far failed to spend local area development fund earmarked for the development of the affected villages.”

He said a list of development works to be executed in the affected areas had already been given to the project management but no action was taken.

He said the SDM, Baijnath, had also intervened a number of times and directed the project management to accept the genuine demands of villagers, but in vain.

Khaylai said: “Because of the non-cooperating attitude of the project management, we are forced to resort to direct action.”

He said the company violated environment laws by dumping muck and debris in the river. So far the company had not developed any dumping site as per the directions of the HP High Court, which was mandatory.

He said the project was also not providing employment to local residents as per the law.

Meanwhile, project authorities said villagers were creating unnecessary hindrance in the execution of power project.

A spokesman of the project said he had already lodged a complaint against villagers at the Baijnath police station. He said because of the agitation, the project had suffered a loss of Rs 15 lakh per day.

Shimla, July 3
Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Speaker BBL Butail today called on Governor Urmila Singh at Raj Bhawan here and apprised her of the e-vidhan system.

Butail said the system had recently been installed in the Assembly to make it hi-tech. It would be run from the monsoon session of the Vidhan Sabha.

The Speaker said the system would provide the facility of e-voting and help in proper time management. If any member of the House faced any problem, his or her area would be shown through video clips by call attention motion. The member would be able to see or show it on the LED screen after his permission, he added.

The Governor congratulated Butail for the system. Sunder Singh Verma, Secretary, Vidhan Sabha, and Dharmesh Kumar Sharma, Director, IT, were also present on the occasion.

Shimla, July 3
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said he would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other ministers during his two-day visit to Delhi to take up various issues concerning the state.

Virbhadra will leave for Delhi tomorrow and return on July 6. “I will take up the issue of Himachal getting a raw deal from the 13th Finance Commission which resulted in a huge loss of Rs 1,000 crore to the state with the PM so that this injustice can be rectified by the 14th Finance Commission,” he said.

He said though there was no point in harping about the past which could not be undone but he was hopeful that HP would get a fair deal from the 14th Finance Commission. “I don’t know whether the memorandum submitted by the state had some defects or we failed to plead our case but now we look forward to getting a fair deal which can rectify the past injustice,” he said.

The Chief Minister said he would also take up the issue of Himachal still not getting the entire relief amount from the Centre following huge damage caused during the monsoon last year, especially in the tribal district of Kinnaur and Sirmaur.

“We have yet to receive the entire disaster relief money and been spending from our own kitty to undertake restoration work of the damaged roads, bridges, water schemes and other government projects,” he said. He said he was hopeful that Centre would extend all possible help to Himachal.

Shimla, July 3
Soldiers across the country are celebrating what Kargil heroes call the proud movement for the soldiers who re-captured the strategic 17,500-ft-high Tiger Hills, a rock-strewn cliff located in a treacherous terrain in the Kargil-Drass sector war zone, from Pakistani intruders on July 4 being celebrated as Battle Honour Day tomorrow by 18 Grenadiars at Gwalior.

Leading the charge from the front were Hawaldar Yogender Yadav of 18 Grenadiers after the Kargil war hero like Capt Vikram Batra, who hailed from Palampur, fell to the enemies’ bullets amid chants of “Yeh dil mange more...”, a war cry that became synonymous with the old and the young defending the country’s unity and integrity.

Recalling the dramatic event is none other than Brig Khushal Thakur, a Kargil war hero, who had commandeered 18 Grenadiers’ last big assault against Pakistani intruders, who is a guest of honour at Gwalior tomorrow.

“We almost clawed our way up the steep, rock-strewn treacherous terrain with Pakistanis firing from the rear position and we sacrificed 537 lives to plant the Tricolour on Tiger Hill on July 4,” Brigadier Thakur, recalled while talking to The Tribune from Gwalior.

He further said, “The battle of Tiger Hill and Tololing Peak will always be remembered as the mother of all battles and the grit, bravado and supreme sacrifice of our soldiers can never be forgetton.”

It was 18 Grenadiers which earned 52 gallantry awards, including one Param Vir Chakra to Yogendra Yadav, two Maha Vir Chakras and six Vir Chakras, one Youdh Seva Medal, 16 Sena Medals and many others for the feat that accomplished at the Tiger Hill top shunting out the intruders.

Brigadier Thakur says that he feels he has been immortalised in “LOC”, a movie by JP Dutta based on Kargil war in which his character was enacted by actor Raj Babbar.

Shimla, July 3
The first-ever Cumulative Environmental Impact Assessment (CEIA) study of 38 hydro power projects in the Sutlej basin has recommended that the government should designate “the fish-rich khuds, mid-Sutlej, eco-sensitive Spiti, Upper Kinnaur area and 10 other protection areas as no-go zone for hydro projects”.

The study further seeks to implement the environmental action plan (EAP) strictly by putting in place measures to mitigate the negative impact of the power projects on socio-cultural environment in the basin, which, at present is bursting at the seams with power projects.

No fish is found upstream from Rampur till Karcham. The report shows that the barrage structure at Nathpa and Karcham, block the migratory route of fish and hit fish breeding. The downstream Kol Dam has good fish fauna, but the barrage has stopped migration upstream to Tattapani, the study found.

The brown trout is restricted to the Baspa river in the Sangla valley. The fish is restricted to Chera, Pandoa, Behna, Nogli, Manglad and Ghanvi Khuds as change in the water current and temperature due to power projects has impacted fish fauna.

The long underground head race tunnels of the projects impact the water springs. But their cumulative impact is “medium, but the barrage and tunnels hit the fish fauna badly”.

The 10 protection areas in the Sutlej basin and its tributaries should be protected as project-free areas. These include the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, Pin Valley National Park, Rupi-Bhaba Wildlife Sanctuary, Lippa- Asrang Wildlife Sanctuary, Rakchham-Chhitkul Wildlife Sanctuary, Daranghati-I and II Wildlife Sanctuary, Daranghati-II Majthal Wildlife Sanctuary, Darlaghat Wildlife Sanctuary and Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary.

The study was conducted by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun. The Directorate of Energy, in association with the Hydro Power Producers Forum (HPPF) and other stakeholders, had awarded the study to the institute after the environment appraisal committee (EAC) of Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) directed the DoE to conduct the study.

The ICRFE, in support with the Alternate Hydro Energy Centre (AHEC), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research (DCFR), Bhimtal, Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Coimbatore, finalised the draft report, which was submitted to the state government for action recently.

The experts studied six commissioned projects (2,956.5 MW), eight under-construction projects (1,691 MW), 15 other identified projects (1,729 MW) and nine under investigation projects (2,038.6 MW). These are all run-of-river schemes, except for the 800-MW Kol Dam.

The study found that 16 out of the 38 hydro projects were small and medium designed with trench weir for the diversion of water, which did not modify the river bed. The cumulative impact had been assessed to be low in this case.

The Sutlej has 17 tributaries, joining it at various confluence points in an area of 52,146 sq km, the Spiti river has 10,170 sq km, Baspa 1,102 sq km and Tidong 726 sq km and others 14 sq km to 374 sq km.

Una, July 3
Keeping in view the monsoon season, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abhishek Jain today directed government officials in particular and the general public in general to be ready to act in the event of any natural disaster.

While presiding over a meeting of the district-level Disaster Management Plan, he said a disaster information centre would soon be made functional at the district headquarters.

Jain said field-level revenue officials should tell all migrant vegetable cultivators living near the Swan river to move to safer places. He directed officials concerned to put up signboards with warning messages at places near the water channels, which could endanger the life of those who ventured close to them.

The DC said 28 villages had been identified which were more prone to natural disasters such as floods and landslides during monsoon. He said disaster response teams would be constituted in each village. As to incidents of snake bites, he said anti-snake venom injections were available at all district hospitals and primary health centres in the district.

The DC said patwaris had been directed to report the loss of human lives due to disasters within four hours to sub-divisional magistrates and Tehsildars so that relief could be provided to kin of the victims.

Una, July 3
A woman, living in a village close to the Daulatpur Chowk nagar panchayat here, today alleged rape by her husband’s brother.

Amb DSP Sagar Chand said the woman had complained that the crime was committed on June 23 when she was walking at a secluded place in the village.

The DSP said the accused had threatened her of dire consequences if she revealed the incident to the family members. However, he said the victim reported the matter to her husband and lodged a complaint with the police today.

The accused had been arrested and the medical examination of the complainant and the accused conducted.

Kullu, July 3
Over 600 teachers participated in an awareness camp on fundamental duties at Government Senior Secondary Boys School, Dhalpur, here today. It was organised by the District Legal Services Authority.

Purender Vaidya, District and Sessions Court Judge, Kullu and Lahaul and Spiti, said the Constitution of India had provided equal rights to all citizens and, thus, they should abide by the ideals laid down by the Constitution. Every citizen should help in nation building by respecting the institutions framed under the Constitution of India, he said.

He urged the teachers to apprise students of their fundamental duties and develop a healthy society. He urged the parents to ensure that their wards were given education up to the age of 14 years.

Kullu Additional District and Sessions Court Judge PS Kanwar, Chief Judicial Magistrate Varinder Thakur, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Lahaul-Spiti at Kullu, Ranjit Singh, Deputy Director, Secondary Education, Jagdish Sharma and District Attorneys Mahesh Sen, MK Sood, BC Thakur and Rajeev Sharma also spoke.