Shimla, September 23
The Cabinet today approved the relaxation in age for the appointment of Class IV employees on the compassionate grounds in all departments by making amendment to the Compassionate Policy, which will help in providing relief to a lot of needy families.

The Cabinet, which met here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, decided to lease out 10 acres of land in HP Agricultural University, Palampur, to the Spice Board of India for setting up a spice park.

It was decided to introduce a new licence for inter-state sale of bottled Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) by non-manufacturer dealers in the state. The export of bottled spirit is allowed only from distilleries, breweries and bottling plants on receipt of import permit issued by the Excise and Taxation Department of the importing state and there is no provision to allow inter-state sale of bottled Indian-made foreign spirit by any person who does not possess a manufacturer licence in the state.

A decision was taken to provide government land on lease to Tarini Electric Power Limited in Kullu for setting up Kurpan (5 mw) hydel project as per the lease norms for 40 years with an increase of 5 per cent after every five years. The approval was accorded for felling of trees on government and private land in the Municipal Corporation, Shimla, as recommended by the cabinet sub-committee.

The Cabinet approved granting time extension to Tidong II (60 mw) hydropower project in Kinnaur district without levying extension fee for six months to submit a bankable detailed project report (DPR) of the project in view of the fact that the survey and investigation work at the site were effected due to natural calamity. The approval was accorded to invite fresh bids within a month for allotment of Lower Sumej (5 mw), Tauhuk (4.5 mw) and Kareri (5 mw) hydropower projects on the build-operate-transfer basis.

The Cabinet gave approval to transfer land in the name of National Council of Science Museum, Ministry of Culture, for the construction of a science centre at Palampur on the campus of HP Agricultural University. The Cabinet declared the Dasehra fair Sunni and Dasehra fair Dharamsala as district-level fairs.

It gave its nod to upgrade the police posts at Kupvi in Chopal in Shimla district and Dharampur in Mandi as full-fledged police stations. The approval was accorded to open Public Health Centres (PHCs) in Kapahara and Pantehra in Ghumarwin constituency of district Bilaspur with the required staff.

The approval was accorded to financial assistance of Rs 40 crore to HIMFED as margin money from the National Co-operative Development Corporation with the objective of planning and promoting programmes for production and processing of agricultural produce. The Cabinet gave its approval to Himachal Pradesh Court Fees (Amendment) Ordinance 2014.

Shimla, September 23
Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri has announced 10 per cent dearness allowance to the employees of the State Industrial Development Corporation (SIDC) and General Industries Corporation (GIC) from January 1, 2014, while presiding over the meeting of board of directors of the Himachal Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation, the General Industries Corporation, the State Handicrafts and Handloom Corporation and the HP Khadi and Village Industries Board held here today.

Stating that the corporation should ensure timely completion of ongoing projects, he said the government would provide all help to the corporation to make it more viable. The approval for one-time settlement of loan cases in respect of two business houses were given by the board.

GIC in profit

Agnihotri said the various units of GIC had registered a sale of Rs 1,285.01 lakh during the current financial year till June, thereby registering a net profit of Rs 140.52 lakh and furniture factories owned by GIC at Bilaspur and Kasumpti had registered a sale of Rs 39.32 lakh and Rs 46.08 lakh.

Handloom Corp posts sale of Rs 794.99 lakh

The minister said the HP State Handicrafts and Handloom Corporation had registered a sale of Rs.794.99 lakh up to August 2014 during the current financial year. He said Himachal Emporium, New Delhi, had registered a record sale of Rs 206.42 lakh followed by Himachal Emporium at Shimla registering a sale of Rs. 188.77 lakh.

Khadi Ind offers discount

The board of the Khadi and Village Industries Board at its meeting approved special concession of 20-25 per cent to its consumers on cotton, woollen, silk and poly khadi after Gandhi Jayanti. 

Solan, September 23
The Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology (CIPET), Chennai, will soon open an institute in the state’s industrial hub of Baddi to provide job-oriented courses to students.

It is a premier institution devoted to academic, technology support and research (ATR) for plastics and allied industries in India.

Rajeshwar Goyal, Director, Technical Education, said: “A total of 33.19 bighas has already been transferred in the name of the Technical Education Directorate by the state government and a letter has been written to the Director General of CIPET to move its case for taking this land on lease with the state government.”

The CIPET management was, however, keen to begin short-term courses spanning 800 to 1,200 hours with a batch of 50 students in the near future so that the institute could draw adequate strength once it was set up.

The management was contemplating to begin courses in injection moulding operations which are much in demand in the pharmaceutical units of the state and could also run courses related to operation of various machines.

With the demand for trained workforce being high in the state’s industrial hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN), where providing 70 per cent mandatory employment to the Himachali youth is a tough task, the institute will provide trained youth which will have high chances of being absorbed in the industries.

The Technical Education Department was coordinating with CIPET in setting up this institute, where degree and diploma courses would be provided.

As a stop-gap arrangement, the institute had been offered space in the Baddi Technical Training Institute building at Jharmajri to begin their short-term courses.

The institute offers Master of Technology course with specialisation in Plastics Engineering/ Technology, Polymer Nano Technology and Master of Engineering in CAD/CAM, Bachelor of Technology in Plastics Engineering, Postgraduate Diploma in Plastics Processing and Testing, Diploma course with specialisation in Plastics Mould Technology, Plastics Technology and also offers Post Diploma course with specialisation in Plastics Mould Technology, Plastics Technology and Plastics Mould Design at its headquarters in Chennai and some of these courses would be run in Baddi once the institute was set up.

Since setting up of this institute was a key announcement of the chief minister in an earlier budget for the state, the officials were endeavouring to facilitate the institute management as it would enhance employability of the state’s youth by providing skills required in the industry.

With the use of plastics catching up and replacing other materials such as glass, the industry managements were on the look out for trained manpower in this field.

Shimla, September 23
The Cabinet will examine and take a final call on the recommendations of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Resource Mobilisation only once the committee headed by Irrigation Minister Vidya Stokes completes its work.

The issue of putting its stamp of approval on the recommendations made by the sub-committee was discussed by the Cabinet today.

It is reliably learnt that the Cabinet was of the opinion that the committee must complete the task cut out for it and submit its consolidated recommendations to it as and when it finishes the work.

Besides Stokes, the other members of the committee are Transport Minister GS Bali and Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri.

The committee has been constituted to suggest ways and means to cut down wasteful expenditure and at the same time suggest ways to generate resources to help improve the fiscal health of the fund-starved state government.

The committee which held its first meeting recently had proposed a ban on purchase of new vehicles by any government agency till March 2015. However, the recommendations of the committee will come into effect only once the Cabinet gives its nod to the proposals.

Sources said ultimately it was the Cabinet which would decide whether the recommendations of the committee were to accepted in totality or only partially.

Mandi, September 23
Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarathi Parishad (ABVP) today burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and also locked classrooms of Vallabh Government College here in protest against fee hike and a ban imposed on the Students Central Association (SCA) elections by HPU.

Ankit, an ABVP activist, said they demanded the immediate removal of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) Vice-Chancellor ADN Bajpai over the issue.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India-Marxist has decided to come out in support of the protesting students from September 27.

Bhupender Singh, secretary, CPM, said poor students would not be able to pay high fee and they would be deprived of the education and the government must roll it back.

Shimla, September 23
As per the feedback received from the Education Department, the attendance was normal on Monday and Tuesday at government colleges of the state, said state Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri in a press statement issued here today.

He said it was surprising to read reports in the media about the alleged mass leave of students from government colleges of the state.

He said though at one or two places outsiders blocked the gates of colleges to prevent students from entering the campus, however, later these were removed by the police from the scene.

The minister said students should appreciate the gesture of the CM who had ordered to constitute a committee under the chairmanship of a retired judge of the High Court to look into the affairs of the students.

He said, apart from this, the government was keen on restoring academic atmosphere, adding that several students and their parents had supported the government’s move and have raised voice of concern over the growing political activities in such centres of learning by a few outsiders, who were bent upon vitiating the academic atmosphere.

Meanwhile, former NSUI state presidents Atul Sharma, Vivek Kumar and Yadupati Thakur have hailed the decision of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh for constituting a three-member independent committee under the chairmanship of retired judge of the High Court on fee hike and other issues related to Himachal Pradesh University.

In a joint statement issued here today, the trio said some elements were forcing students to boycott classes and have forcibly closed some colleges, which would not be tolerated, as the CM has categorically stated that the state government would not hesitate in taking strict and legal action against such elements.

Shimla, September 23
The Pakistani delegation on the Indus Water Treaty visited the proposed site of the 120-mw Miar hydropower project on the tributary of the Chanderbhaga near Udaipur in Lahaul and Spiti today.

The three-member delegation, led by Pakistani Commissioner Mirza Asif Beg, arrived in Udaipur from Keylong where they spent the night. The team accompanied by Indian Commissioner on Indus Water K Vohra visited the proposed site of the Miar project near Udaipur and later returned to Manali. Senior officials of the district administration, including the Deputy Commissioner, Lahaul and Spiti, accompanied the team.

“The work on the project awarded to Moser Baer is yet to begin, but they have obtained all clearances,” said officials. They said there could have been some apprehensions in the minds of the Pakistani team on the proposed site of the project and its design, so they wanted to see it to cross-check if it would in any way impact the flow of water into Pakistan, he said.

Officials said the Pak delegation inspected the proposed site of the project, but did not make any remarks. “If Pakistan has any objections, we will get to know only later as they will file their objections under the Indus Water Treaty,” said officials.

It is for the first time since the treaty was signed on September 19, 1960, by Jawaharlal Nehru and Ayub Khan in Karachi that Pakistan had expressed the desire to visit the Chenab basin. PK Saxena, Senior Joint Commissioner and P Dorje Gyamba, Director, Central Water Commission (Himachal), are accompanying the delegation from across the border.

Chamba, September 23
Shooters Nitin, Aditya, Sanskar, Tushar and Abhay Ahir won eight medals in the 20th HP State Rifle Shooting Competition held at Chamba from September 19 to 22. Two of them brought gold, four silver and two bronze medals. All of them are going to take part in the coming North Zone shooting competition being held at Delhi in November this year.

The coach of the Rifle Shooting Club of Chamba KL Shah is sore at the treatment meted out to the club by the HP Rifle Association, Shimla, which has provided .22 peep sight rifle and one air rifle peep sight to the club which were the oldest and almost condemned weapons. 

Shimla, September 23
A Dalit family from Gundahan village in the remote Shillai area of Sirmaur has accused some members of an upper-caste family of perpetrating atrocities on it.

The family members alleged that a 20-year-old girl of the family had been sexually assaulted for five months and four members of the family had been made bonded labourers.

The victims alleged that they had filed a complaint with the Director General of Police, IG (Law and Order), chairperson of the Women Commission and other authorities concerned and sought justice.

The Dalit girl, in her complaint to the DGP, said her parents were working as bonded labourers in the land of an upper-cast landlord at Khatanaghat and the son of the landlord sexually assaulted her for nearly five months and threatened to kill her if she spoke about it.

“He even forced me to abort the child and threatened to throw me into the jungle and exploited me,” she said.

The complainant said when she informed her mother, she approached the wife of the landlord, but she also threatened her and said they would be thrown out from the village if any fuss was created about it.

The victim also alleged that an uncle of the accused had been molesting her and indulging in vulgar acts. Kedar Singh, president, Akhil Bharatiya Kohli Samaj (trans-Giri unit), urged the state government and the SP, Sirmaur, to book the culprits under the relevant sections of the IPC and the SC Act and save the Dalit family from oppression and exploitation. 

Shimla, September 23
Industrial projects, including four new projects and 11 expansion projects worth Rs 228.96 crore, were approved by the State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority (SLSWC and MA) here today.

The expansion/diversification proposals included Rs 40.73 crore of Dabur India Ltd (Green Field Unit), for additional product Hajmola under ayurvedic category and expansion of chyawanprash products capacity at the existing Green Field unit with employment potential for 375 persons.

A solar cells manufacturing unit with investment of Rs 39.88 crore and employment potential for 80 persons by Jupiter Solar Power and Rs 16.75 crore unit of Lectrix Motors Limited for setting up an industrial undertaking for the manufacture of assembly, finishing and packing of lead acid batteries (for automotive and other application) were also approved at the meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. The projects would provide employment to 260 persons.

The new proposals approved by the authority included the Rs 18-crore project of Zira Foods for setting up an integrated controlled atmosphere cold storage and the Rs 9.48 crore project of natural beverages (a unit of M/S Himachal Plywood) for manufacturing soft drinks. Both projects would generate employment for 210 persons.

The Rs 96.24 lakh unit of key technocasts for setting up molten metal, cast iron casting and SG iron casting and Rs 1.11 crore unit of Sri Mahadev Pyrolysis for setting up Light Diesel Oil (FO), with combined employment potential for 22 persons were also given nod by the SLSWC.

Shimla, September 23
Himachal Pradesh will begin the process of Green Accounting under Inclusive Green Growth Sustainable Development from district Mandi and later cover the entire state.

It has already prepared the blueprint for assessing the real value of its forests. A workshop was held here yesterday for officials from various departments of Forest, Tourism, Environment Science and Technology, Land Records, Health, Economics and Statistics and Irrigation and Public Health so that forest accounting could be done strictly as per the UN mandate of System of Environmental Economic Accounting (SEEA)-2012 which is globally acceptable and recognised.

Sources said it was only once the entire data of forest accounting of Mandi district is collected that it would be replicated in other districts.

“We need to have the exact statistics of the inclusive green growth which presently are not tabulated and available. It is only then that we can measure it not in terms of revenue only, but environmental concerns that arise out of the larger picture,” said forest officials.

“Forest accounting will also help tabulate the information on economic contribution of forests and impact of non-forestry policies on our resources and services,” they said.

The officers said: “So far no such studies and estimates have been undertaken to assess as to what cost we are paying for development whether it is in terms of power projects, cement plants, roads or industry.”

“Forest sectors and its contribution is either undervalued or wrongly added to other sectors thereby presenting a very under assessed contribution from our forests,” point out forest officials.

It is now that the government will engage in the process of green accounting which will not just give the contribution of forests to the budget, but indirect benefits that accrue in other sectors such as power, tourism or even agriculture.

It is being felt that it is only by compiling data on green accounting that the dependence of all other departments on forests can be ascertained.

“Whether it is tourism, hydro-power or even agriculture, none of them can sustain without forests, so everyone needs to understand the relevance and importance of forests,” they said.

TCA Anant, Secretary and Chief Statistician, Ministry of Account and Project Implementation, Government of India inaugurated the three-day workshop on green accounting organised by the State Forest Department here today.

Tarun Shridhar, Principal Secretary, Forests, Dr Shrikant Baldi, Principal Secretary, Finance, RK Gupta, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and other senior officers of the state government were also present.

Nurpur, September 23
The Himachal Pradesh Petrol Pump Dealers’ Association has urged Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to defer the proposed 2 per cent hike in Value Added Tax (VAT) on the fuel as it will not only bring down the sale, but also affect revenue collection by the State Excise and Taxation Department.

Sukumar, president of the association, here yesterday, appealed to the CM to convene an emergency meeting with the representatives of the association before taking a final call and issue a notification in this regard.

He claimed that the proposed hike would not enhance the VAT revenue collection as 2 per cent hike would overall increase the price of petrol to 8 per cent, which would ultimately bring down the sale by around 40 per cent in all border areas of the state.

“There are 400 petrol outlets in the state, which are collecting around 30 per cent of the total revenue being collected through Excise and Taxation Department. The state government should fix the annual revenue collection through petroleum products and work out a strategy to boost its trading by taking the association into confidence,” Sukumar added.

He claimed that next to Jammu and Kashmir, the state was a tourism-potential hill state and to boost this industry, the government should keep the prices of petrol and diesel less than those prevailing in the neighbouring states.

He suggested that the state issue ordinance to the private transport companies and other industries enjoying benefits and tax exemption to buy fuel within the state, which would not only boost the sale of the filling stations, but also give fillip to the revenue collection.

Nurpur, September 23
Local DSP Manoj Joshi today clarified that the police had been mounting pressure on those carrying out illegal mining on the Chakki riverbed during the past several days and due to the pressure and surprise checking no mining activities were being carried out here.

He said the police would not allow any mining activity in the future as well and would keep a strict vigil on it.

“If any JCB is found carrying out mining activity on the riverbed, the police will confiscate it,” he added.

The residents of Khanni gram panchayat, however, had alleged that illegal mining was going on unabated in the lower areas of the Kangra district and had submitted a memorandum to the state government in this regard. They said JCBs and stone crushers were carrying out illegal mining on the Chaki riverbed playing havoc with their agricultural land.

Solan, September 23
The State-Level Empowered Committee (SLEC) constituted under the National Mission on Food Processing (NMFP) has approved eight cases under different schemes involving grant-in-aid of Rs 3.30 crore for modernisation and setting up of food processing units in various parts of the state.

The Centrally sponsored scheme which was announced for Himachal in 2012 will enable existing units to upgrade to newer techniques and also facilitate opening of newer units to promote food processing.

The newly approved units will be set up in Una, Mandi, Bilaspur, Solan and Kangra districts.

Mission Director Rajinder Singh said Rs 10 crore was sanctioned to 114 other cases in the earlier meetings. He said out of this, Rs 3.59 crore, which was released as the first instalment by the Government of India, has already been exhausted.

While the Union Ministry of Food Processing will provide 75 per cent of the budget, the remaining 25 per cent will be pooled in by the state. The state government has contributed Rs 1 crore for this scheme.

Solan is known for its tomato farming, but entrepreneurs are yet to set up a major tomato processing unit in the district which could provide a ready market to growers.

In the absence of adequate markets, tomato growers have been forced to sell their crop for a song in the local markets though it is sold at much higher costs by middlemen in wholesale markets in Delhi and elsewhere.

Tomatoes produced in Himachal have a huge demand in the rest of India due to its good quality and taste. The per capita consumption of processed tomato products in Himachal is 12.11kg, per capita, per annum.

Though a consultancy study, undertaken to assess the type of industries which could be set up under this mission, has given elaborate suggestions, growers are yet to find major investment coming forth in this field in Solan.

They suggested the use of newer mode of packaging products such as multilayer flexible plastic packaging, tetra pack and brick packing to enhance the shelf life of various items such as tomatoes.

Solan has a high production level of 1,80,000 MT and low cost of land compared to other districts, besides good connectivity with other districts such as Bilaspur, Shimla, Sirmaur, etc.

Shimla, September 23
The 10th edition of Asia’s toughest MTB race — Hero MTB Himalaya 2014 — will see the largest-ever participation of 12 countries with 65 national and international riders racing in the seven-day event commencing on September 27.

Besides cyclists from host country India, Portugal, Austria, Holland, Poland, Germany, Canada, Nepal, Belgium, Bangladesh, Columbia and the UK, three talented young boys from Himachal — Devendar Thakur, Gurman Reen and Ankush Arya — will be vying for top honours with national and international riders.

A 25-member team of the Indian armed forces — 17 riders from the Indian Army, six from the Indian Air Force and two from the Indian Navy — have also confirmed participation.

The rally covering a distance of 500 km in six days will be flagged off from Shimla on September 27. The race is bigger this year and the route more beautiful and the toughest so far. The longest day of the route will be of 120 km, where a rider will go through a true test of endurance.

A former Tour De France Rider Reimund Dietzen and Sonia Lopes, the first and the only female cyclist to conquer the non-stop 500-km Portugal Bike Race, will be the star attraction at the 10th Hero MTB Himalaya.

The elevation gain will be between 2,000-2,500 m every day and maximum elevation during the event will be 3,050 m. The race will be Cross Country and Enduro and the sections will include off-road, broken tarmac, gravel, rocks, mud, sand, loose rock, single-track cycling.

After taking off from Woodville Palace, the rally will pass through the Ridge, Sanjauli, Dhalli, Mashobra, Bekhulti, Sarog, Kyaartoo and Kelvi and halt at Gadakuffar Matiana on the first day.

The participants will cover Shilaroo, Kyara, Jal, Narkanda, Kachinghatti, Faral, Kumarsein, Kingal, Luhri, Tipaldhar, Nagaan, Shwaad on the second day and paddle through Shawaad, Paneo, Shush, Jalori, Jibbi, and Gadagushaini on the third day.

After rest on the fourth day, the cyclists will resume the race from Gadagushaini to cover Khaoli, Chatri, Shawaad, Nagaan, Tipaldhar and Luhri.

The stretch on the sixth day will include places such as Kingal, Baragaon, Chamolikhad, Nag Jubbar, Matiana, Kelvi, Gadakuffer in Shimla district, while the racers will return to Woodwille Palace here after covering Matiana, Kelvi, Dharampur, Kyartoo, Sarog, Bekulthi, Mashobra, Sanjauli, IGMC, the Ridge, Chalet Day School on the seventh and the last day. 

Shimla, September 23
The Himalaya Sahitya Sanskriti Avam Paryavaran Manch has decided to honour renowned senior poet and critic Shriniwas Shreekant for his distinguished contribution to the field of Hindi literature.

This was stated by SR Harnot, author and chairman of the manch, here today. He said the Life Achievement honour would be given to Shriniwas for his contribution to the field of literature.

Harnot said on this occasion, two of his recently published books titled “Aadmi ki Duniya ka Din”, a collection of poems, and “Katha Trikon”, a criticism on the short stories of three renowned Indian authors, would also be released.

Shreekant started writing in the ‘50s. His first story book, “Niyati Itihas aur Jarayu”, was published in 1986 and after that he remained in the study of Indian and foreign literature, classical music and Indian theatre.

After a long spell of 22 years, he again rejuvenated himself and in 2008 his poetry book, “Baat Karti Hai Hawa”, was published. Till date Shriniwas has authored five poetry books, two critical works on contemporary Hindi fiction and one edited anthology of short stories by the writers belonging to the vast Himalayan pastoral titled “Galp Ke Rang” and “ Katha Trikon”. One poetry collection is in the process of publishing.

Shimla, September 23
The Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) campus unit of the NSUI today urged the controller of examination (COE) to extend the date of filling examination forms of post-graduate courses to October 5.

Members of the NSUI, led by campus unit president Hukum Singh, met COE Shyam Kaushal and said the last date of filling the examination forms of MA was September 23, but due to the tension prevailing in the university recently, a large number of students were unable to fill forms. — TNS

Mandi, September 23
Demanding renovation and expansion of the cremation ground near Hanuman Ghat, members of the Nagrik Adhikar Manch and other religious and social organisations yesterday held a protest demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office.

Manch president Harmeet Singh Bittoo said they had been demanding renovation and expansion of the cremation ground for the past more than one-and-a-half year. A memorandum in this regard had been submitted to the DC on August 27 but to no avail.

He said when the cremation ground was built, the population of the town was nearly 2,000. “It is necessary to expand and renovate the cremation ground as population of the town has increased and villagers from nearby villages also come to the ground,” Bittoo said.

Una, September 23
Deepak (22) of Ghandawal village in Una district allegedly killed his paramour, Kiran (23), of Dhussara village on Sunday. Her body was found lying in a maize field at Jhalera village, where she was living in a rented accommodation for the last one month, late last evening.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Anupam Sharma said the deceased was married at Lathiani village of the district and her divorce suit was pending in the Una court. The couple was separated for the last two and a half years.

The SP said preliminary investigations had revealed that two persons used to visit Kiran at her residence. One of them, Parveen, a resident of Takka village, was introduced to the locals as her husband, while the other, Deepak, was known as her brother.

It was revealed that while Kiran and Deepak were known to each other for the last two years, Parveen, who knew Kiran for the last one month, had helped her get a job in a local auto agency.

It was reported that the woman was maintaining separate relationships with both the persons. Deepak, who was picked up from his rented accommodation at Thada village, had confessed to killing Kiran with a sharp-edged weapon, the SP said.

On September 20, Deepak had reportedly seen Kiran and Parveen in a compromising situation. The same evening, he dragged her to the nearby fields and attacked her neck and upper chest with a knife. He fled the scene after committing the crime. A case under Section 302, IPC, had been registered and a team of forensic experts requisitioned from Dharamsala, Anupam added.