Shimla, August 18
The state government will soon approach the National Green Tribunal (NGT) which has restrained lifting of construction ban in Shimla’s green belts.

The government has already completed the process of holding personal hearing on public suggestions and objections received for redefining 17 green belts in the town.

Two days back the Department of Town and Country Planning completed personal hearings on 57 suggestions and objections received from the people, individuals and associations. It was on May 30, this year that the NGT had restrained the state government from lifting the construction ban imposed in 2000 in these belts, considered the lungs of the town.

With the completion process of physical and revenue verification the ball will be in the court of the NGT, which will take the final call.

“Having competed the personal hearings, we will now approach the NGT with the complete details so that all facts regarding the designated 17 green belts can be placed before it,” confirmed Sudhir Sharma, Town and Country Planning and Urban Development Minister. He did not rule out the possibility of enhancing the area under green belts but hinted that these belts could be redefined keeping in view the ground situation.

It was on May 28 that the state government had set up a committee to verify the physical and revenue boundaries of 17 green belts and identify the existing residential and commercial localities. The committee had been asked to submit its report on June 30. The committee undertook field visits to ascertain the factual position in these belts which cover 414 hectares.

Sources in the TCP Department hinted that considering the situation in some residential areas designated as green belts, the government could give partial relaxation as some of the plots are sandwiched between building.

“Allowing construction here will bring no harm as most part of the belt has residential buildings so why should there be a bar on a few plot owners from raising a building,” said an official.

Officials point out that no physical verification was undertaken before carving out the 17 green belts in Shimla. They also point out that in many places, the situation on the revenue papers does not match with the ground situation.

Despite move by the successive governments during the last decade to give partial relaxation in construction, the ban has stayed with environmentalists opposing any relaxation. It was on January 13, 2014, that a committee, headed by the Town and Country Planning Minister, had been constituted to examine the anomalies in the demarcation of green pockets within the Shimla Planning Area.

Shimla, August 18
On the one hand the hasty implementation of the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) by Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) has created a turmoil in the state, on the other the fund-starved university has become a victim of ad hocism.

The International Centre for Distance Education and Open Learning (ICDEOL), which was a money-spinning wing of the university with over 40,000 enrolments 10 years ago, now has a strength of 10,000 to 12,000 students only. Reason: Ad hocism and lack of facilities and efficiency.

There is no regular director and the hostel for ICDEOL students has been converted into a girls’ hostel and students coming to Shimla for personal contact programmes (PCPs) have to arrange for their own accommodation for 15 to 20 days.

Even the situation of the library is no different as there is no regular in charge and people without any experience have been appointed on an ad hoc basis.

Non-teaching employees’ leader Chaudhry Waryam Singh Bains, who is an elected member of the Executive Council (EC) also, has blamed the unbridled ad hocism for all the ills of the university saying that the adhoc staff was neither experienced nor serious about the work leading to inefficiency and delays, which spoils the reputation of the institute.

“Computerisation, which is most important and essential for the proper implementation of RUSA, is only on papers and has added to the burden of handful of experienced employees, who have been tabulating the results manually,” he said.

There has been an inordinate delay in the declaration of result this year as the colleges were not provided the software and most of the results were declared by manual compilation of data.

Former Controller of Examination Narinder Awasthi, who was made a scapegoat for the delay in declaration of results, sought premature retirement, while two professors NK Gupta and SS Chauhan, appointed on ad hoc basis left in a few months. At an average, five to seven employees retire every month, but the posts are not filled on a regular basis due to an acute financial crunch.

The number of vacant posts of teacher and non-teaching staff has crossed the 550 mark and in case all these posts are filled on a regular basis, the deficit of the university would increase.

The Planning Approval Board of RUSA has already sanctioned a grant of Rs 82.64 crore to the state, but instead of meeting the conditions for availing the grants, the university and the government with student unrest has totally vitiated the academic atmosphere.

All three major student organisations — ABVP, NSUI and SFI — are against RUSA, but the government was adamant on implementing it. However, HPU has deferred the implementation of RUSA in post-graduate courses for the time being mainly because of shortage of staff as per the teacher-pupil ratio fixed under RUSA.

The bottlenecks No regular director at ICDEOL Hostel for ICDEOL students converted into a girls' hostel and students coming to Shimla for personal contact programmes left to fend for themselves No regular in charge at the library and people without experience have been appointed on ad hoc basis Most of the results were declared after manual compilation as the colleges were not provided with the software Officials take premature retirement and those appointed on ad hoc basis leaves in a few months On an average, five to seven employees retire every month, but the posts are not filled on a regular basis.

Shimla, August 18
The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has approved a Rs 50 lakh-conservation and breeding programme for brown bear to be started at Bharmour in Chamba to study the gene pool of the endangered animal, whose number has been dwindling.

The CZA has already approved the amount so that the conservation and breeding programme can be launched at the earliest at Chobia village, about 12 km from Bharmour. It is estimated that the maximum concentration of brown bear is found in the Kugti and Tunda wildlife sanctuaries in Chamba, which are just 15 km from the site of the programme at Chobia.

The Wildlife wing of the Forest Department also intends to undertake population estimation of the brown bear before the onset of winter so that there can be some idea about the rough number of the animal in the state. Veterinary experts and biologists will be engaged specially to study the gene pool of brown bear.

“Considering the very limited number of brown bears as compared to the black bear population, we had approached the CZA to start the conservation and breeding programme which has been approved,” informed Lalit Mohan, Chief Wildlife Warden. He added that the location of the programme would be Bharmour considering the climatic suitability and natural habitat of the brown bear.

He said though there was no estimation about the number of brown bear, it was certain that their number had fallen as their sighting by the wildlife staff and villagers is rare. “It is in October-November that the Wildlife wing will undertake a population estimation with the help of Wildlife Institute,” said Mohan. This exercise will also include the habitat study of the brown bear so that their numbers can be increased.

The presence of brown bear is confined to higher altitude areas such as Pangi, Bharmour, Lahaul and upper Kinnaur, at a height of above 9,000 feet.

An attempt had been made earlier in 2009 to start the conservation and breeding project for brown bear at the Himalayan nature park at Kufri. There were two male and one female brown bears at Kufri, but the efforts did not yield much results. As such, this time the site for the project will be Bharmour which is a natural habitat of the brown bear.

So far the Wildlife wing is undertaking conservation and breeding programmes for western tragopan, cheer pheasant, monal and vultures. 

Shimla, August 18
Apple farmers are fearing that commission agents and bulk buyers are out to make apple markets crash to buy the fruit at cheaper rates and then keep it in Controlled Atmospheric Stores (CAS) to maximise their profits in the lean season.

Farmers said Mother Dairy and other firms had booked the stores in advance in Guma and Jarol Tikkar, which provided the CAS facility for storing 15,000 cartons. Commission agents had booked stores in the names of farmers while the actual farmers were not getting this facility, they rued.

The state government had given a free hand to private CAS companies such as Adani Agrofresh, Dev Bhoomi and others. They had not announced the buying apple rates so far even as the lower belt season was over and the middle belt season had started, resented farmers.

“I have sought the CAS facility at Guma, but it is booked by the HPMC”, said Narender Punta, an orchardist from Baghi, Kotkhai. Farmers were in panic as there appeared to be a slump in the markets. The rate had already come down from Rs 2,000 per carton to Rs 1,400 or below for the top grade fruit, he added.

Commission agents and bulk buyers (ladanis) were out to take advantage of the situation as the farmers were being forced to sell the fruit at cheaper prices, they said.

Surprisingly, the apple crop in Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir is likely to be much less than the estimates this year, but the markets have not picked up much this year.

The CAS facility helped check the crashing of the markets as farmers could store the fruit when the markets slumped due to glut, said Sachin Chauhan, an orchardist.

Farmers were always exploited and they never fetched good prices due to the nexus among the private CAS companies, commission agents and bulk buyers, said Rakesh Singha, president, Himachal Apple Growers Association. The government had not framed any policy for farmers to store their fruit in private CAS stores, while the HPMC outsourced its CAS stores at Jarol Tikkar and Guma to private players and it had reserved just 15 per cent space to farmers, he added.

There was no CAS facility for farmers in the Chopal belt and they had no option other than selling the fruit at throwaway rates, said Rajiv Bragta, orchardist from Maroag.

Vice-chairman, HPMC, Prakash Thakur said they had a limited CAS facility, which had been booked this year on a first-come, first-serve basis. There was no demand for the cold stores at Parwanoo and Jabli while CAS owners could store fruit if they want as there was no binding on them, he added.

Shimla, August 18
The state government has sought the expression of interest for the opening up of four general nursing mid-wifery (GNM) schools at Rohru in Shimla district and Sarkaghat, Mandi and Sundernagar in Mandi district.

Besides, it has also sought applications for three nursing colleges at Chamba, Jogindernagar and Mandi in private sector.

According to a Health Department spokesman, the state government has directed the SDM-level committees to carry out inspection of these locations in terms of physical infrastructure, manpower and equipments as per the norms laid down by the Indian Nursing Council (INC).

He said two GNM schools with annual intake capacity of 30 seats each, have been made functional from the academic session 2013-14 at Shahpur and Nurpur in private sector.

The INC had permitted opening of one more BSc nursing college at Shahpur with an annual intake capacity of 40 seats from the academic session 2014-15.

He said INC had permitted one MSc nursing college at Baru Sahib in Sirmaur district which had 20 seats. The classes would start from the academic session 2014-15 here.

He said the government was granting permission to open five BSc nursing colleges, one post BSc nursing college and two GNM schools from the academic session 2014-15.

Shimla/Manali, August 18
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has proposed a single-way tunnel between Pandoh and Aut on the Rs 4358.21-crore Ner Chowk-Kullu-Manali highway, which awaits the nod of the Ministry of Surface Transport and National Highways.

As per the report submitted to the ministry, the NHAI has proposed one-way tunnel between Pandoh and Aut as the highway passes through the steep shooting parallel mountains which are divided by the Beas. The highway between Pandoh and Aut will be used one way while the tunnel would also be used single way that would make this stretch four lane, revealed NHAI engineers.

The NHAI has proposed a 74.97-km-long four-lane highway between Ner Chowk near Mandi and Kullu till the Ram Shila bridge. It has proposed a 37.275-km double-lane highway stretch with the tarred sideways between the Ram Shila bridge and Manali.

The NHAI will construct a Rs 10.78-crore four-lane 70-m-long concrete bridge on the Beas in Manali to decongest the traffic. In all, the Ner Chowk-Manali highway will have 13 new major bridges and the two old bridges to facilitate the traffic on the highway.

The NHAI has proposed 12 double-lane traffic tunnels between Mandi and Aut, whose total length will be 15.295 km. The Mandi-Pandoh stretch will have three tunnels of 1200 m, 800 m and 380 m.

There will be four bypasses — Mandi, Pandoh, Bhuntar and Bajoura — on the highway. The highway has been re-aligned at Nagwani, Raison, Dobhi, Katrain, Patlikuhal, Span resort and Kalath to save the populated habitations, said engineers.

The NHAI had already started the work on the four-lane project on the Kiratpur-Ner Chowk section. Though NHAI aimed to complete the Ner Chowk-Manali section in three years, the ministry had yet to the give its nod so far to start the land acquisition proceedings for the project, said NHAI engineers.

Even Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had taken up the matter with Union Minister for Surface Ttransport and National Hhighways Nitin Gadkari early this month, but the NHAI had not received any communication on the matter so far, said NHAI officials.

Dharamsala, August 18
Impressive statements have been made by politicians regarding constructing tunnels across mountains in the state to reduce road distance, but it appears they have been mere promises only.

The Holi-Uttrala tunnel would connect the Kangra valley with Holi region of Chamba, while two tunnels in Bangana region of Una would reduce the distance between Una and Hamirpur districts, it has been said.

But, these tunnels have remained an idea or a political statement only.

The Holi-Uttrala tunnel was conceived during the previous BJP government’s rule. At that time it was proposed that the tunnel from Uttrala region near Baijnath would connect the Holi region of Chamba district.

The present Congress government, however, decided to change the proposal of constructing the Holi-Uttrala tunnel. The new government decided to connect Chamunda with the Holi region through a 5-km tunnel which would connect Kangra valley with Bharmour valley in Chamba. The proposal for constructing the tunnel was passed by the state Cabinet.

However, inquiries made by The Tribune revealed that the idea to construct the tunnel has remained limited to a proposal only.

Sources in the PWD said it would be a massive task to construct the proposed tunnel.

During the stint of the previous government, an Austrian company had conducted a satellite survey for constructing the Holi-Uttrala tunnel. In the survey, it was found that the tunnel would be nearly 6 km in length and open up in the highly rugged terrain of mountains near Holi in the Bharmour valley of Chamba.

Sources said besides the tunnel, a 12-km road was also to be constructed from Holi to the area, where the tunnel was to open up. The terrain where the road was to be constructed was very difficult. A satellite survey was conducted and so far even the detailed report for the project has not been prepared.

Now that the present state government had proposed to construct a tunnel from Chamunda to Holi, a new survey would be conducted for the new proposed project. Sources said the survey for the project would be a massive task. Though the satellite survey can give a rough estimate of the terrain, a field survey was a must for giving it a final shape.

Besides, an investment of nearly Rs 1,000 crore would be required to construct the tunnel and the state with meagre resources would have to seek Centre’s help. Since hardly any defence purpose would be served, it is unlikely that the Centre would provide this amount.

Attracting private investment would be a difficult task as a very few people would use the route regularly. Those from the Bharmour and the Pangi valley are likely to benefit the most and a population of only 50,000 people live in the entire Bharmour and Pangi valley.

To keep the tunnel open during winters was another factor that would have to be taken into consideration, sources said.

However, the tunnels connecting the Bangana region of Una with the Badsar region of Hamirpur were possible and there was ample traffic on the road and the government could consider attracting private investment for the project.

Kullu, August 18
The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Shimla, headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar, has set guidelines for the collection of the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) by the Municipal Councils or Nagar Panchayats of Mandi, Kullu, Bhuntar, Manali, Aut, Manakser and Sunder Nagar.

The NGT has issued the guidelines till the time permanent mechanism and anti-pollution devices are put in place by the government Pollution Control Board (PCB) and the respective councils or panchayats.

The NGT observed that no sincere efforts were being put up by the government or by the council of the respective areas to improve the disposal of waste.

The guidelines read that the Municipal Council of each area would be entitled to charge every individual, shop owner, hotels, restaurants, markets, agricultural committees and institutions for collecting waste from their doorsteps.

The NGT directed that the rates had been made applicable by the state government and the Municipal Corporation in Shimla.

The orders further stated that the Agricultural Marketing Committee would pay Rs 5,000 and hospitals generating municipal waste other than bio-medical waste would be liable to pay Rs 1,000 per month.

The NGT had also sought an explanation from the Deputy Commissioner (DC), Kullu, asking reasons for not complying with the orders of the NGT.

The NGT had earlier directed that anybody polluting the Beas by throwing the debris or waste material would be liable to pay a fine or compensation upto Rs one lakh.

The DC had imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 upon the Public Works Department (PWD) for throwing municipal waste directly into the river.

The NGT further issued notice to the Chief Engineer of the PWD, Kullu, to place correct facts before the tribunal. They also directed that a report in this regard should be submitted before the next hearing date scheduled on October 16.

Abhishek Rai, president, Himalayan Environment Conservation Organisation (HECO), an NGO, lamented that waste water from most of the sewers and drains in Kullu and Manali regions, were being dumped directly into the Beas without any treatment.

Solan, August 18
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has slammed the state government for failing to put in place a procedure for pre-registration of eligible industrial units for transport subsidy and refused to waive this condition for the eligible units.

A letter written by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, a copy of which was available with The Tribune, has held the state government responsible.

The letter states that while waiving this norm was examined by the Integrated Finance Wing and Controller of Accounts, the Director Industries was supposed to lay down a system for pre-registration of such units at the time of their registration where their capacity was also supposed to be fixed and indicated.

The state government, however, failed to lay down such a procedure which was in contravention of this scheme and even the power to grant waiver for this norm by the state level committee was withdrawn by DIPP on November 15, 2010, on the recommendations of the CAG in its performance audit report.

Since the scheme was applicable to a number of other states as well, DIPP has held that no such relaxation could be granted to Himachal alone as failure to frame such a procedure was a failure of the state government and it could not be used as a sound pretext to demand relaxation for those units which had failed to make pre-registration of their units.

Even the request to consider the date of issuance of provisional registration as the date of registration to enable eligible units to avail subsidy under this scheme for five years has not been acceded to thus bringing a major setback to those units whose claims had been held up due to lack of pre-registration.

It was worth mentioning that claims of Ambuja Cements and JP Cements were also put on hold at a meeting held earlier this year due to this norm. Other industries affected by this norm included Super Chem Industries Paonta Sahib, Khanna Polymers Kangra, etc.

Palampur, August 18
Hundreds of women from the Mahrehar area of Baijnath subdivision staged a dharna outside the Baijnath police station on Wednesday.

They were protesting the lifting of water from the Thathi water source by the IPH Department for feeding water to Sansal, Bhatto and Panjala panchayats.

Earlier, a large number of women reached the construction site and dismantled water pipes installed by the contractor. The contractor, later, lodged a complaint against the agitated women at the Baijnath police station.

The situation became tense when the police reached the site and tried to initiate an action against the women and restore construction activities.

Hundreds of agitated men and women reached the Baijnath police station and staged a dharna and demanded the withdrawal of the complaint filed by the contractor. They submitted a memorandum addressed to the Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, at the Baijnath police station.

They said the IPH Department had already lifted 10 inches of water from the village water source and now they would not allow more water to be lifted as it would dry their irrigation channels and hamper agriculture production in the area.

The women said the matter was already pending in the court which had granted a stay in this regard. Till the stay was not vacated, no construction activity would be allowed, they said.

Baijnath SHO Duni Chand tried to defuse the situation and assured the women of initiating an action in this regard. Later, the women called off the dharna.

Una, August 18
The Una district Congress unit today began preparing for the organisational elections, which are due to be held in 2015.

The process of enrolling new members was announced at a meeting of the District Congress Committee (DCC) chaired by its president Varinder Dharmani at the rest house here today.

Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) general secretary and vice-chairman of the State Planning and 20-Point Programme Ram Lal Thakur, who is also in-charge of party affairs for Una district, was also present. Further deliberations were held to ensure that the run up to the election process was smooth.

Ram Lal said: “To ensure free and fair elections, it has been decided to organise workshops in October at the block level to educate and inform party functionaries and workers about the party constitution, the roles and responsibilities of elected office-bearers and the mechanism of organisational elections at the booth, block and district levels.”

He said workers had been informed that at least 40 party workers should attend the block-level workshops on elections.

He said the government and the party organisation were a united lot and working towards expanding the membership of the party in the state. He said the Opposition was indulging in mudslinging and undertaking a misinformation campaign against the CM and the government.

He advised party workers to publicise works being undertaken by the Congress government.

District Congress spokesman Vijay Dogra, vice-president Kushal Singh Raini, PCC members Satpal Raizada and Ram Nath Sharma, besides all block-level presidents and secretaries, were present at the meeting.

Shimla, August 18
The CPM has urged Vidhan Sabha Speaker BB Butail to resume the Vidhan Sabha session by August 20 in the interest of the state as some important legislation need to be carried out in the Assembly.

After the adjournment of the Vidhan Sabha on August 12, the Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) and the CPM charged the ruling Congress and the BJP with misleading the public. The BJP has failed to play a constructive role of the main opposition party for the second time as it had boycotted the Assembly during the budget session as well, it charged.

The CPM urged the Speaker invoking power vested in him calling both parties’ meeting and resuming the session in the interest of the public.

The CPM blamed the Congress and the BJP for their failure to transact the business of the House by making the whole debate converging on the Virbhadra versus Dhumal fight as if nothing else was of any importance in the state. The parties were burying the burning issues afflicting the state under the carpet, it said.

The BJP was misleading people of the state by demanding dissolution of the House and fresh elections to divert the attention of the public, said Rakesh Singha, state secretary, CPM.

The BJP has promised to move the private member resolution on the issue of monkey menace in the Vidhan Sabha to bring about a consensus on the export of the monkey, said Dr Kuldip Tanvar, CPM state secretariat member and president of the Himachal Kisan Sabha.

But adjourning of the House had dashed the hopes of the farmers, he charged, requesting the Speaker to reconvene the session.

On the other hand, Speaker BB Butail said the session could be resumed if the government was willing to do so. “It will be difficult to complete the mandatory 35 sittings of the Vidhan Sabha as we have just winter session left for the purpose”, he added.

HLP leaders Maheshwar Singh, Baba Ram Mandyal, Moinder Sofat, Subhash Sharma, Shayam Sharma and other leaders had alleged the BJP had failed to play the role of the Opposition.

Maheshwar claimed that the two important Bills, the Lokayukta and the Town and Control Planning Amendment Bill, were to be debated in the House, but the BJP buried these by disrupting proceedings.

Solan, August 18
The Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission has decided to claim fine from private universities in the case pertaining to admissions made in violation of norms in the last academic session.

Sources in the commission said they had written to all 16 private universities in the state to submit the list of students who were admitted to various professional courses in violation of the laid norms, where various screening tests and minimum score in the eligibility exam had been made criteria.

Though such admissions were regularised after a Cabinet decision last year, a one-time relaxation was given as per the HP Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission Act, 2010, which had laid the provision of imposing penalties on such admissions as well.

While some universities have already submitted this information to the commission, others were yet to comply with the directions after a 15-day period was granted to them to give the information.

The commission would issue a notice under Section 11 of the Act and impose a penalty which was twice the amount of fee charged from students as per the rules. The institutions are supposed to pay the penalty without charging this amount from students.

Nearly 350 students were admitted to various courses by various universities bypassing norms, including minimum eligibility norm of having 65 per cent marks in Class XII and appearance in common admission tests.

The Cabinet had granted a one-time relaxation, weeks after the last date of admission to regularise such admissions.

As many as 6,906 seats were approved for 2013-14 by the commission for 16 private universities in the state, but only 50 per cent of these had been filled.

All such universities would now be imposed the due penalty which was as high as Rs 1 crore in case of a Baddi-based university.

Some universities have shifted some students to other courses where the minimum eligibility criteria was met, but all other universities would now be asked to pay the penalty, sources said.

Una, August 18
Rakesh Kalia, Gagret MLA-cum-All-India Congress Secretary, laid the foundation stone of a fish seed farm at Deoli village in his Assembly segment on Friday.

A sum of Rs 4.7 crore will be spent on the farm and the State General Industries Corporation will implement it.

Kalia said a new hatchery, building block and water borewell would be constructed on 10 hectares of land at the farm.

He said one crore fish fingerlings would be reared at the farm every year.

Gurcharan Singh, Director of the Fisheries Department, said the department needed around four crore fingerlings of carp varieties for the development of fisheries in the existing water bodies in the state.

He said the existing infrastructure was unable to fill the demand-and-supply gap and the department presently had to procure fingerlings from other states.

Block Congress president Balwant Parmar, panchayat pradhan Rajesh Kumar and member of the State Youth Welfare Board Devi Lal were also present.

Forest and Fisheries Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri was supposed to lay the stone of the farm. But, he was invited as the chief guest of the district-level Independence Day function in Una.

Una, August 18
A few areas in Una city, including Friends Colony, Old Hoshiarpur Road, Sabzi Mandi area and the government colony are facing the problem of waterlogging due to rain.

The mini-secretariat and the residence of the Deputy Commissioner too face the problem of waterlogging every year.

Officers of the flood control wing of the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department maintain that these areas were marginally above the Swan river tributary that flows about 1 km away from the city through the adjacent Lalsingi village.

Mushrooming of residential colonies and commercial areas without proper planning of the drainage system has further deteriorated the problem.

During the current monsoon season, rain water entered the residential areas and commercial establishments. Traffic was also disrupted for hours at the old bus stand on many occasions.

Transport Minister GS Bali directed the district administration to look for a long-term solution to the problem about a month ago.

Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said the problem of waterlogging had been one of the main agenda at the recently held district-level grievances meeting.

He said directions had been issued to the IPH Department to work out a permanent solution to the problem.

Mukesh Hira, executive engineer of the department, said the initial survey work to map the gradient of the areas had been outsourced and a private firm from Chandigarh had already started working on it.

He said once they received the survey report, the department would prepare a detailed project report for the administrative and financial approval.

“The survey will be completed within two months, after which a master plan for open drainage channels will be designed,” he added.

Kangra, August 18
Two persons were killed and one was in a serious condition after they felt suffocation while constructing a septic tank at Dol village falling under the Jawalamukhi police station, the police said here on Saturday.

The police said a labourer, Harbans Lal (42) of Bhatti, went into the septic tank after removing its slab and fellunconscious.

Another labourer, Kamlesh (43) of Umar village, went into the tank, but did not return.

Then a third labourer, Des Raj of Bhatti village, entered the tank and found Harbans and Kamlesh unconscious and raised an alarm before falling unconscious.

People gathered at the scene and informed the police about the incident.

The trio were rushed to the Jawalamukhi Hospital, from where they were referred to the Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College and Hospital, Tanda, in Kangra.

Harbans and Kamlesh were declared brought dead by the doctors while Des Raj was admitted in a serious condition, the police said.

The bodies were sent for a postmortem.

The police have started inquest investigation under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Sundernagar, August 18
JN Yadav, president of the local bench of the Consumer Forum, Mandi, ordered Maruti Udyog Ltd and Competent Automobiles Gutkar, a local dealer, to replace the maruti swift car of a consumer within a month or refund the cost of the vehicle along with an interest at 9 per cent per annum.

The forum further ordered to pay an amount of Rs 40,000 as compensation on account of mental harassment suffered by the consumer and Rs 4,000 on account of cost of complaint.

Atul Rana, a medical officer at CHC Kaza in Lahaul-Spiti district, had purchased a swift car from Competent Automobiles Gutkar in Mandi district on May 21, 2013 for Rs 5.84 lakh.

Later he found that the car was giving poor pick-up and an intimation regarding the same was given to the dealer.

He said on June 5, 2013, the vehicle stopped due to break down at Powri near Rekong Peo in Kinnaur district.

Atul later intimated the dealers and the customer care. An engineer of the authorised service station checked the vehicle and found that the engine was seized.

It was also checked that the underbody of the vehicle was not hit and was taken to Shimla for repair. The complainant later had to pay heavy amount.

After a few days, the vehicle again started giving problem of break out after running 20 to 30 km.

The complainant requested the dealers to replace the vehicle along with compensation.

But, the dealers said the first service of the vehicle was conducted at the Nagrota Bagwan service station and no problem was detected at that time.

It was further stated that the driver of the vehicle did not observe the light appearing on the instrument cluster and kept on driving. Due to shortage of oil the engine seized.

During the proceedings, the vehicle was inspected by an engineer and it was found that the pick-up of the car was not up to the mark.

The forum held that the vehicle was suffering from manufacturing defect as the engine stopped functioning within 35 days of purchase. It was thus directed to replace the vehicle or to pay the full cost of the vehicle within a month’s time.

Chamba, August 18
The state Sri Sanatan Dharma Math Mandir Suraksha Samiti urged the Chamba administration to start the chhari yatra after consulting Mahant Somnath of Charpat Nath for the auspicious chhari of Manimahesh.

In a letter to Governor Urmila Singh, samiti president Swami Virendrananda Giri said to have discussions with Mahant Somnath about the chhari yatra was imperative so that sentiments of all devotees could be honoured. — OC

Kangra, August 18
A 23-year-old man committed suicide by consuming poison here yesterday. As per the police, Teg Chand, a resident of Kothigram in Sarkaghat in Mandi district, was under depression following the death of his beloved two months back.

He was rushed to a local hospital in Sarkaghat where his condition was stated to be critical. He was then referred to the Tanda medical college, where he died last evening.

The police said Teg’s friend told them that the accused was in love with a girl and she died two months back. Since then Teg was under depression.

The police handed over the body of the deceased to his family members after the postmortem examination and started investigation under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).

Chamba, August 18
The district administration has expedited the process for constructing a colossal multi-storey parking lot at the local zero point.

A spokesperson said a preliminary project report with regard to the parking lot structure had been drawn up and submitted to the state government recently. The parking lot would also have a taxi stand, he said. The parking would accommodate around 1,000 light vehicles, including taxis, he said, adding that a provision of constructing the commercial complex had also been kept in the building. The parking lot building would be constructed by the Himachal Infrastructure Development Board under the public sector participation mode. — OC

Kangra, August 18
A minor girl of Botkowaloo village, 25 km from here, was allegedly raped by a man of the same village in the local forest, when they were returning from Lunj.

A case has been registered and the accused, Balvir Singh (30), has been arrested.

Station House Officer (SHO), Kangra police station, MS Manhas, said Wali Mohamad, a resident of Botkowaloo village, in his complaint said his minor daughter had gone to her maternal uncle’s house at Harchakiyan village. He said when she was returning in a jeep on August 12, the accused too was travelling in the same jeep, adding that when both were on way to the village on foot, the accused, who works at a wine shop in Barnala (Punjab), allegedly raped her in the forest.

The girl and her father lodged the complaint with the police on August 17 and the police swung into action and arrested the accused.

Kangra, August 18
Nepal resident Puran, who was injured during a train accident on the Pathankot-Jogindernagar narrow-gauge railway track near Nagrota Bagwan a week ago, succumbed to his injuries at the DRPGMC, Tanda, on Saturday, the police said here.

The police said Puran, who was working as a labourer, had been in a coma since the accident and under treatment at the Tanda medical college.

The police said the body would be kept in the mortuary for 72 hours for the detailed identification before being handed over to the family or any other claimant.