Shimla, January 31
The government has agreed to share 25 per cent cost of the Rs 1045-crore Bhanupali-Bilaspur-Beri broad gauge rail project which has been hanging fire for the past two decades.

Chief Minister P.K.Dhumal has in a written communication sent today urged Union Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav to honour the announcement made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by including the rail project in the budget. He has also informed Yadav that the state government was prepared to share 25 per cent of the cost.

He has pointed out that the hill state had not been given its due since Independence and there had been hardly any expansion of the rail network and the entire mobility of men and material depended on road transportation. In the absence of an alternative mode of transport pressure of vehicular traffic was mounting on the roads which were getting choked. It had become imperative to expand the rail network and upgrade the air services in the state to protect the fragile hill environment and provide adequate transport facilities to the tourists who throng the state round the year. The government had been taking up these issues repeatedly but the desired results were yet to be seen on the ground.

He also drew the attention of the minister to the fact that work on the Chandigarh-Baddi borad gauge railway which was included in the current year’s budget had not yet started. The pre-feasibility survey of the project had already been completed. Dhumal urged Yadav to ensure substantial funds for the project in next year’s budget as industries on the borders of the state were suffering heavily due to non-availability of rail transport services.

He also sought the cooperation of the Railway Ministry for early completion of the ongoing Nangal-Talwara rail line and expressed hope that it would be made functional by the next financial year for which adequate financial allocation would be required.

Dhumal also urged Yadav to introduce a direct train between Una and Hardwar for the convenience of pilgrims and a Shatabdi between New Delhi and Pathankot, besides extending Jan Shatabdi from Chandigarh up to Una which would make travel convenient for a major chunk of the state’s population.

Improved rail connectivity would give a boost to economic activities which, in turn, help create job opportunities and self-employment avenues.

Shimla, January 31
Lacking the political will to go ahead with the unbundling of the state electricity board, the government is banking on the decision of the Centre in respect of Punjab, which is placed in a similar position.

The two states have been dithering on the trifurcation of their respective state utilities for the past three years and obtaining extensions from the Centre for their continuation in the unbundled form repeatedly. The Punjab State Electricity Board has been granted extension up to February 29 and the state electricity board up to March 31. Like its predecessor, the BJP government is not keen on unbundling of the board and it had already started preparing the ground for seeking an extension yet again.

It is keenly awaiting the response of the Centre to the request of Punjab for an extension. If the Centre concedes Punjab’s request, Himachal will not have any problem in getting another extension as it feels it has a stronger case than Punjab because of the recent assembly poll leading to the change of political guard in the state.

The board has already prepared the ground for extension. It is seeking more time on the plea that various exercises had been initiated to segregate the accounts, assets, liabilities and manpower that will require at least another year. A consultant had been hired to segregate the accounts of the transmission, generation and distribution wings. A pilot project was on for mapping the fixed assets of the board and their segregation.

An exercise to create a database of employees and officers was also under way on the basis of which the allocation of staff will be carried out. It will take another six months.

It is worth mentioning that the State Electricity Regulatory Commission had in the last tariff order expressed grave concern over the dithering on the part of the government on the issue of unbundling. It had observed that “the utility’s ability to manage efficiently and at the optimum level has come apart at the doorstep of political expediency. Reforms within the sub-structure had been undertaken listlessly and without enthusiasm and were awaiting the ‘panacea’ of unbundling.”

It had created necrosis within a monolithic structure pandering to vested interests, unmindful of the need for focus and efficiency. Even a state of readiness on “unbundling” has not been achieved, it lamented.

Shimla, January 31
With the deadline of February 28 set by the High Court for the removal of encroachments and extensions by shopkeepers drawing nearer, the local Municipal Corporation has issued notice to 60 traders to remove all such illegal structures.

The MC has launched a drive against encroachments and extensions by traders on The Mall, Lower Bazar, Ram Bazar, Middle Bazar, Lakkar Bazar, Rivoli Road and Sanjauli. The drive has been launched as these areas are very congested and very little space is left for people to walk due to shopkeepers displaying their products on the road, besides hawkers, making the situation worse.

The MC has decided that in case the traders to whom notices had been issued do not remove them within 10 days action would be taken against them. The MC has also constituted a committee to ensure that all encroachments and extensions are removed by February 28.

Those who will be members of the committee include President and Secretary of the Shimla Beopar Mandal, office-bearers of the Mall Road Businessmen Association, Councillors from The Mall and Ram Bazar, Naveen Sood and Manju Sood and MC officials.

Mayor Narender Kataria said 90 per cent of the shopowners had agreed to remove all extensions on their own. “With the help and cooperation of various businessmen associations we will ensure that the state capital is free of all encroachments,” he assured.

The Mayor said though so far the MC was focusing o removing encroachments from The Mall and Lower Bazar other areas like Ram Bazar, Lakkar Bazaar and Sanjauli would also be covered later. He said hawkers illegally selling their products would also be removed. “To ensure that these hawkers are accommodated, we have given them space at Subzi Mandi and in the stairs leading to Lower Bazar from Baljee’s,” he said.

Manali, January 31
Local NGOs and residents have heaved a sigh of relief as the Himachal Helicopter Skiing (HHS), which operates heli-skiing here expressed its inability to resume it this season for the second time in a row. But those who will be coming here from across the globe for the high-thrill heli-skiing in the snowy Himalayas will be disappointed this season.

The Department of Tourism and Civil Aviation had signed an agreement for 20 years to run the heli-skiing in Manali with a private Manali-based HHS company in 2000. But the company has expressed its inability to resume its operation this season “due to some internal matters”, denying the high-thrill to the dollar-rich foreigners, despite the fact that the Manali upper areas have enough snow for heli-skiing.

Heli-skiing has been an exclusive domain for the foreigners ever since the HHS pioneered the high-thrill sport in the state in 1990s. It remains out of the reach for Indian tourists as company charges more than $6,450 per skier, sources said.

The HHS has proposed to start the first operation here from February 2, but the company sources told The Tribune that it would not be possible to start heli-skiing this season.

Though the government has signed an agreement with the HHS till 2020, and charges state tax of $250 per heli-skier from the company, but the heli-skiers will be denied the thrilling experience for the second year in the row.

Complicating matters for the HHS is the fact that the local NGOs are up in arms against heli-skiing pointing out its negative impact in the eco-sensitive upper areas of Manali like Beas Kund, Fatru, Bhrigu, Chandrakhani Pass, Deotiba, Chandrasen and Hanuman Tiba, which are the heli-skiing spots.

Kishan Lal, a local environmental activist, who runs his NGO here, said they had registered a complaint in the Shimla High Court, three years ago. “Residents in the area have heaved a sigh of relief as the heli-skiing did not take place last year. We will approach the government and the court, if it is started again here as helicopters disturb wildlife and pose danger to villagers as two accidents have already taken place in the past.”

Manjiv Bhalla, an official of the HHS, said the company was trying to sort out its internal matter. “But it is unlikely that the event will take place this season as the company’s choppers are not readily available. We have got all mandatory clearances from the Central and the state governments,” he claimed.

Sundernagar, January 31
Executive president of Harish Cement Limited J.S. Kalra has said that the proposed cement plant near Sundernagar will be free from pollution and comply with the latest environment norms laid down by the authorities.

The firm has already signed an MoU to set up a plant near here. Addressing mediapersons, he said the company would use world-class machinery and the suspended particulate matter (SPM) emission would be much below the norms fixed by the government. He said the company would be using the latest glass bag house technology to check SPM emissions.

He said while selecting site for the project, the company had tried to ensure that only little agriculture land was used and there was minimal effect on the human population.

When asked about the opposition from local residents, he said if the government provided some suitable land, the company was ready to install the plant at the new location. He said out of the 1,000-cr project cost, around Rs 150 to 200 crore would be used for acquisition of land and the rate fixed by the government would be paid to the farmers.

He said the capacity of plant would be 5,000 tonne per day. This would mean 500 truckloads per day. The Chambi-Mahadev-Dhanotu road would be used for the transportation of cement and the company had proposed to pay half the cost of bypass road so that the traffic was diverted out of Sundernagar town.

Shimla, January 31
Himachal Pradesh continues to be in the grip of intense cold wave despite bright sunshine across the state. Several areas in mid and lower areas recorded minimum temperatures below freezing point.

The state is experiencing unusually cold conditions this winter with the minimum temperature in Shimla falling to -2.8°C after recording 0.3 cm snowfall during the past 24 hours. The town yesterday recorded a minimum temperature of -2.5°C.

The day temperature in the town was recorded at 6.6°C, the Met office added.

The Met office said Sundernagar, Bhuntar and Una towns recorded night temperatures of -2.4°C, 1.5°C and 2°C, respectively, following mild intermittent snowfall at several places in mid and lower hills after many years.

The minimum temperature at Kalpa in Kinnaur district fell by about four points to stand at -13.2°C as compared to -9.6°C yesterday, it said.

Several places in the tribal districts were recording minimum temperatures between -20 to -30°C following heavy snowfall recently.

Power and drinking water supply and vehicular traffic have been affected in all tribal districts.

HRTC’s acting regional manager D.S. Negi said buses were plying on Sangla, Nichar and Kafnu link roads only, while vehicular traffic was affected on all other routes. He said vehicles bound for Pooh in Kinnaur district were only being allowed up to Shasho Khud on the National Highway No 22.

The Met office has forecast mild snowfall and light showers at isolated places in the state during the next 24 hours. — UNI

Palampur, January 31
A scam in the purchase of gas heaters has come to light in the agriculture university here. The state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau has initiated an inquiry into it. Some senior officials of the university are likely to be questioned in this connection soon.

Sources in the bureau said the university authorities had invited tenders for the purchase of 65 gas heaters in October last year. Seven firms - Palam Gas Agency (Palampur), Shaheed Captain Saurabh Kalia Gas Agency (Panchrukhi), Dimple Agency (Chandigarh), Ravi Light House (Ambala), Vishal Engineering Works (Meerut), Sanjivani Sales (Solan) and Anoop Traders (Parwanoo) - made queries about the tender while only five out of them applied for it. The tenders were opened on October 29.

The university authorities claim all firms were sent tender forms and intimated about the date of opening of the tenders. However, Shaheed Captain Saurabh Kalia Gas Agency (Panchrukhi) did not receive any material or information. Vishal Engineering Works (Meerut) did not participate in the tendering process.

Sanjivani Sales Solan quoted the least price of Rs 8,990 (including taxes) per heater, while Dimple Agency (Chandigarh) quoted Rs 13,900 (excluding taxes), Ravi Light House (Ambala) Rs 13,500 (including CST), Anoop Traders (Parwanoo) Rs 12,700 (including VAT) and Palam Gas Agency (Palampur) Rs 10,225 (including VAT). Although, Sanjivani Sales (Solan) quoted the least price, including taxes, the university gave the purchase order to Palam Gas Agency (Palampur) on November 7. A payment of Rs 4,02,609 was made in advance.

When the first lot of the gas heaters was handed over to the university authorities on November 17, it was found that the supply did not fulfil the conditions laid down in the tenders, which was also confirmed by local officials of the Indian Oil Corporation.

The university authorities also got 65 commercial connections of gas for these heaters from Palam Gas Agency for Rs 1.56 lakh even as Shaheed Gas Agency of Panchrukhi was supplying most of the gas cylinders to the university, which was also allegedly in violation of the prescribed norms with regard to the jurisdiction of the gas agencies.

Sanjivani Sales (Solan), the firm that quoted least rates in the tenders, lodged a written complaint to the bureau.

The bureau officials had recorded statements of some officials/employees of the university and had summoned certain records related to the purchase.

Meanwhile, an official of the university said the rest of the payment had been stopped to the firm that supplied the heaters.

Solan, January 31
The government has constituted a committee to monitor constructions that cost more than Rs 25 lakh in the Greater Kasauli region. The step came after directions from the high court.

The committee will be headed by the principal secretary, PWD, and its members will include secretaries of various departments such as the IPH, Town and Country Planning (TCP), Tourism, the director of the TCP and the deputy commissioner, Solan.

The committee will hold its first meeting on February 6 where it will finalise a report to be presented in the high court. The court had issued directions for putting in place such a mechanism in connection with a PIL filed by environmentalist Baljit Malik from Kasauli.

The high court had banned all commercial constructions in the Greater Kasauli area in December, 2006, and permitted only domestic constructions involving expenditure not more than Rs 25 lakh.

Information gathered from revenue officials revealed that about 12 to 20 such commercial projects were underway in the area. These projects were served notices and further construction was stopped. Affidavits were also sought from those undertaking constructions not involving expenditure of more than Rs 25 lakh.

Sources said there was a virtual deluge of such commercial projects in the Kasauli area. While the maximum construction activity was along the Garkhal-Jagjitnagar road, the newly constructed Kimmughat-Chakki-Ka-Mor road, the Kasauli-Jangeshu road and the main road connecting Garkhal to Kasauli were also witnessing mushrooming of dozens of resorts. Taking a plea of limited water resources and fragile hills, the petitioner Baljit Malik had sought direction for imposing a complete ban on such projects.

Adhering to the court directions, the TCP department had already brought additional 10 to 12 villages situated along the Garkhal-Jagjitnagar road and the Kummughat-Chhaki-Ka-Mor road under the purview of its planning area.

The committee is now supposed to present a detailed report on the measures taken by it to curtail such constructions.

Shimla, January 31
A high-level central team will visit Himachal within a fortnight to assess the possibility of bringing apple under the crop insurance scheme.

Horticulture minister Narender Bragta today met Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in New Delhi today to seek his help in bringing apple under the crop insurance scheme. Bragta said Pawar had assured him that he would look into the demand at the earliest.

The minister said he had also sought Rs 150 crore from the Centre for starting a herbiculture project. “There is great potential for undertaking commercial cultivation of medicinal plants and herbs and for this we have submitted a project to the ministry,” he informed.

Bragta said he had already asked the horticulture university to divide the state into zones so that cultivation of various herbs and medicinal plants could be undertaken in the areas where the climatic conditions are suitable. Some of the herbs could fetch very good prices in the market.

The horticulture minister also urged the Centre to release the money due to be given to under the market intervention scheme as the growers had not received payments under the MIS for the past two years. 

Shimla, January 31
After organic manure the state Horticulture Department is all set to introduce biological control measures on a large scale to combat pests and insects infesting orchards. It will be a big leap forward to help the hill state switch over to the organic regime, a necessity under the WTO agreement.

Encouraged by the success of biocontrol agents introduced on a trial basis to combat serious pests and insects affecting major crops like apple, mango and pomegranate, the department has set up a full-fledged bio-control laboratory here at a cost of Rs 76 lakh. Initially, predators are being raised for the woolly apple aphid and San Jose scale group which attack the apple plantations, and “anar” butterfly in pomegranate.

The chrysoperla carnia group will be used as the predator for the aphids and some other soft insects. Similarly, the aphytis proclia group will be used as the bio-control agent for San Jose scale. These predators are being cultured in the laboratory for distribution among fruit growers. They are also effective bio-control agents for mango mealii and citrus white fly.

The predators released in orchards in Kullu, Kotgarh, Kotkhai, Karsog and other apple-growing areas have survived and their impact on pest and insect control will be felt in due course.

For the “anar” butterfly, which spends a part of its lifecycle in the host, trichogramma chilonis, was being raised.

The technical guidance for the biological control programme is being provided by professor P.R. Gupta from the Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, who specialises in the discipline.

The department is also laying emphasis on educating the growers as the success of the programme will depend on the extent to which they follow the prescribed farm practices.

Some orchardists in the apple belt have already switched over to organic farming and they find that their plants have become healthier and production had stabilised.

Chamba, January 31
The PWD has not taken over the maintenance of a bridge constructed across the Ravi on the Pathankot-Bharmour tribal highway at Bagga even after seven years of its construction. The delay has put the constructing authority, the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), in a dilemma, according to a spokesman of the NHPC.

“The 70-tonne capacity bridge was constructed at a cost of Rs 3 crore in 2001 on the demand of the state government. Since then, the bridge is being extensively used by the general public and has become a lifeline for the Bharmour region. Lakhs of Manimahesh pilgrims also make use of this bridge every year. However, the PWD has failed to take it over so far, thereby violating the agreement,” the spokesman said.

The NHPC recently constructed the Karian-Bharian suspension bridge of 18-tonne capacity with an outlay of Rs 2.02 crore across the Ravi connecting Karian-Bharian villagers in Mehla block in the district. It was commissioned in March 2007 and since then it was being used by the PWD for the construction of 6-km Karian-Bharian road. Excavators, JCBs and loaded trucks cross this bridge daily. The PWD authorities were making excuses to avoid the taking over of this bridge, too, the spokesman alleged. As a result, the corporation had to spend around Rs 5 lakh on its maintenance annually, the spokesman added.

On the other hand, S.K. Sonkar, executive engineer, PWD, Chamba division, claimed the NHPC authorities had not yet written to the PWD chief engineer about the taking over of these bridges as they were supposed to exchange correspondence with the PWD as per official routine. Only then the matter could be pursued, Sonkar added.

Hamirpur, January 31
Members of the Hamirpur block development committee (BDC), affiliated to the BJP, after the installation of the BJP government in the state, has decided to dislodge the Congress-led BDC chairman through a no-confidence motion and regain the support of its three members, who had deserted them during the last election of the BDC chairman.

The BJP-affiliated members even after having strength of 9 members in the House of the total 15 had lost the race of chairman at the hands of Suresh Kumar, a Congress affiliate. Despite having only six members as the Congress supporters, the Congress had managed to win the support of three BJP -affiliated members at that time.

Though the last elections were held in December 2005, Suresh Kumar continued as the BDC chairman till date.

A no-confidence motion signed by all its nine-affiliated members i.e. Karan Rana, Anil Sharma, Ramesh Chand, Mohan Singh, Raghubir Singh, Lekh Ram, Amar Singh, Arvind Kumar and Shashi Lata was submitted to BDO Hamirpur on the January 30.

It is notable that three BJP-affiliated members Mohan Singh, Amar Singh and Shashi Lata had reportedly voted in favour of Suresh Kumar leading to defeat of Anil Sharma.

The BJP leaders have now been able to win back the support of these three members, who have also signed the no-confidence motion.

The Hamirpur BDO has fixed Feberuary 7 as next date of BDC meeting to take up the no-confidence motion. Congress-affiliated BDC chairman Suresh Kumar is likely to be voted out on that day.

BJP-affiliated Ramesh Chand is being considered as a strong contender to be the the next BDC chairman. s

Kullu, January 31
The annual prize distribution function of Vagdevi Shiksha Niketan High School, Jhiri, about 25 km from here, was held yesterday.

Vivek Mahajan, managing director, Himachal Pradesh Handloom and Handicraft Development Federation, was the chief guest. He said the power of hard work was the key to success and one could achieve any goal if sincere efforts were put in.

Earlier, the chief guest and chairperson of the school management Ambika Mahant lighted the candle.

Principal Brijesh Mahant presented the annual report of the school. Mahajan gave away the prizes for academic and extra curricular activities to the students. Students presented a colourful cultural programme.

Kangra, January 31
Two youths were killed and two injured in road accidents in the district during the past 24 hours.

Kangra district additional police chief Preetam Singh Thakur said Rakesh Kumar, 22, a resident of Sansal village of Baijnath subdivision was killed after the Indica car in which he was travelling rolled down a 50-foot-deep gorge on the Kangra bypass.

Rakesh, along with two other occupants of the car, was rushed to RP Govt Medical College Hospital, Tanda, where his succumbed to his injuries.

The two others injured youths, Sanjeev and Parveen, were undergoing treatment at the Tanda hospital.

In another road accident at Gutnaloo village on the Pathankot-Mandi Highway, 40-year-old Nepali national Upbhadhur was killed after being hit by a motorcycle. He was taken to the Shahpur hospital where he was declared brought dead. The bodies of those killed were handed over to their relatives after the post-mortem examinations.