CM: Ease norms for setting up PHCs

Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 5

Divisional forest officers can divert 1 hectare of forest land for development projects. This was stated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh at the priority planning meeting today. BJP legislators and a few Congress MLAs from Kangra stayed away from the event.

Chairing the second meeting at Kangra, Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur, Virbhadra asked the Health Department to find out ways to ease norms for setting up primary health centres (PHCs) and community health centres (CHCs), considering the topography of areas.

“At present, a PHC is set up at a place having a population of 30,000 while a CHC, the number is between 80,000 and 1 lakh,” he said.

The Chief Minister asked official to chalk out a plan for installing tubewells.

When the MLAs said development works were being stalled under the Forest Rights Act, the CM said 13 specific development activities could be carried out in the forest area on 1 hectare.

He said the works included construction of schools buildings, roads, irrigation canals, anganwadis, dispensaries/hospitals, fair price shops, rain water harvesting structures, skill-up-gradation or vocational training centres, community centres, tanks and small water bodies.

Most of the MLAs complained that the works were being delayed for want of forest clearance.

Virbhadra directed the Public Works Department (PWD) to construct the road from Jhunga-Devi to Harsipattan bridge, Bhawarna to Jhunga-Devi in Sulah and Jaisinghpur. He also directed the authorities to hand over the Lahaul-Spiti Bhawan to the Lahaul-Spiti DC and to take measure to stop landslips near the Baijnath Shiva temple.

The CM also directed the IPH and the PWD Departments to prepare detailed project reports (DPRs) so that the works could be started at the earliest.

The legislators said hand pumps could be installed in cluster villages. They said 22 hand pumps of the farm department should be brought under the IPH Department and 807 tubewells should be made operational by recruiting technical staff. BJP MLAs from Kangra boycotted the meeting.

Indora

MLA Manohar Dhiman said field staff posts in the IPH, the PWD and the Electricity Board should be filled. Chief Minister VIrbhadra Singh directed the departments concerned to fill posts of linesmen and water guards. Dhiman asked for additional funds for the Damtal-Indora road through Kandrori. He said the Indora-Gangath-Kathgarh road should be repaired. Virbhadra directed officials to complete the repair of roads in Indora.

Jaisinghpur

MLA Yadvinder Goma demanded funds for the construction of a PHC building at Panchrukhi and an ayurveda hospital in Kosri. He also urged the CM to fill the posts of doctor at Bhawana. He said the Balakrupi road should be repaired at the earliest.

Sulah

Chief Parliamentary Secretary Jagjeevan Pal urged the CM to sped up tendering of the PWD and the IPH projects in the constituency.

Baijnath

MLA Kishori Lal asked the CM for measures to stop landslips around the Shiva temple at Baijnath.

MLA demands funds

Jawala Ji MLA   Sanjay Rattan urged the CM to construct more roads and bridges in Changer. He demanded Rs 50 crore for development works. The MLA said more hand pumps and solar lights should be installed in the area, adding that electricity wires should be replaced with underground cables. Other demands included better bus service, a polytechnic college ji and 33 kV electric sub-station at Dehrian or Lagdoo