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Wednesday,
December 12, 2001, Chandigarh, India
  
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HP to develop five model Harijan bastis HP may
sell equity in power project Ground water situation worrisome Chief Secretary warns against laxity
Dalai Lama opens planetarium Kasauli road in bad shape |
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IN FOCUS
BADDI DIARY Railways, HPTDC package to be revamped HC notice to Health Secretary on PIL SFI demands
VC’s resignation Parents, students hold demonstration INTUC rally at Baddi on Dec 28 Raipur residents allege harassment by cops, officials Telephone services disrupted in Kulu
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HP to develop five model Harijan bastis Dalhausie, December 11 Mr Shanta Kumar, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution System, stated this here yesterday while laying the foundation stone of a basti at Dalhausie. The basti will have Ward Nos. 3 and 4 of the local municipal council which was the first-ever highest basti situated at an altitude of 2400 metres to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 45 lakh. Mr Shanta Kumar said five such bastis would be set up in Himachal, including proposed bastis at Shimla, Kulu and Basantpur, besides one each at Dalhausie and Nurpur, work for which had started already. Under the Balmiki Ambedkar Yojana, basic amenities like community services, sewerage, toilets, rain-shelters etc would also be provided. Mr Shanta Kumar said the Central Government had earmarked Rs 60,000 crore under the Prime Minister Gram Sarak Yojana out of which Rs 180 crore so far had been allotted to Himachal Pradesh. Mr Shanta Kumar said the Union Government had identified five crore people in the country who would be covered under the “food for all scheme”. He said 30 lakh tonnes of foodgrains had been provided under the scheme adding the Himachal had been given 11,000 tonnes of foodgrains free of cost. Mr V. Prabhu, Chairman of HUDCO, informed that so far 45 ‘model Harijan bastis’ had been raised and 125 lakh houses were under construction in the country besides 100 model villages and 50 Harijan bastis had been proposed to be undertaken in the future. Mr Rakesh Pathania, Chairman, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), also spoke. Ms Renu Chadha, President, Municipal Council, Dalhausie, thanked Mr Shanta Kumar for providing Rs 4.33 lakh for the Dalhausie water supply scheme. Later, talking to reporters, Mr Shanta Kumar said that 1414 remote villages of Kangra district in Himachal would be connected by public phones under a newly launched ambitious scheme called “Wireless Local Loop (WLL)”. He said this scheme was put into operation yesterday in Kangra district adding that under the scheme only those distant villages would be covered which so far had remained deprived of phone facility. He further said under the scheme 250 calls would be free of charge. |
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Village gets facelift under Hudco scheme Nurpur, December 11 Mr Shanta Kumar, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public distribution, while laying the foundation stone of a model village at Hadal village yesterday said the Hudco and state government would spend Rs 35 lakh each on the overall development of the panchayat. The rural populace would get potable water, electricity, civil and veterinary dispensaries and community centres under the new proposal. The scheme would fulfil the basic needs of the rural population, he added. Mr Shanta Kumar also inaugurated the much-awaited wireless telephone facility — the wireless in local loop (WLL) — in this backward panchayat. The facility has been launched by Bharat Sanchar Nigam. He said 1,414 villages of Chamba and Kangra districts had been identified for providing WLL at a cost of Rs 14 crore. He said the Union Government had been laying emphasis on rural development and Rs 60,000 crore had been earmarked for the ambitious Prime Minister’s Rural Roads Scheme this year. The Vajpayee government had earmarked funds for the development of states in the current five year plan. He also announced the approval of Rs 4.18-crore drinking water augmentation scheme by the Union Rural Development Ministry for Nurpur town. Mr V. Suresh, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Hudco, said Hudco had constructed 125 lakh houses and adopted 100 villages under the Model Village Scheme. Mr Rakesh pathania, Chairman of the HP Tourism Development Corporation and local MLA who also addressed the public meeting. He alleged the Hadal gram panchayat had remained neglected during the previous Congress regime. The state government had decided to upgrade the primary school in the village to middle standard, he added. |
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HP
may sell equity in power project Shimla, December 11 The state, however, wants the corporation to retain some staff of the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Board presently engaged in the execution of Nathpa Jhakri project. The draft agreement was discussed at a highlevel meeting of officers, led by Mr Harsh Gupta, Chief Secretary, and Mr Yogendra Prasad, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the NJPC, here two days ago. The corporation agreed in principle to take the board staff on deputation, provided the terms and conditions were clearly spelt out. It does not want a repetition of the earlier bitter experience where the disputes involving service condition, salaries and perks could not be resolved for the past one decade. Mr Prasad made it clear that the term of the deputation should be fixed, preferably two or three
years, and it should not be an open- ended affair as had been the case in the Nathpa Jhakri project. He, however, agreed to put the repatriation of surplus board staff on hold for the time being and instead get replacement for those who had completed eight to 10 years on secondment with the corporation. At present, over 1,350 employees of the board are with the corporation of which about 800 have been declared surplus. The requirement of staff will decrease progressively as the project enters the completion phase. The government asked the corporation to speed up work and ensure its early completion. It was decided that work on the fifth and sixth generating units, which were not affected by floods, would be taken up first and they would be commissioned by December, 2000. The other four generating units, which were submerged in flash-floods during installation, will be commissioned within the new deadline fixed for August, 2003. The damage caused by the floods to the project has not only delayed the completion but also increased the cost from Rs 7,666 crore to Rs 9,200 crore on the 1998 prices. Accordingly, the equity share of the Himachal Government has shot up from Rs 958 crore to Rs 1,150 crore. Given the precarious financial position of the state, it is in to position to arrange the amount. In fact, it has been finding it difficult to contribute its share and the arrears on this account stand at Rs 204 crore. Over the past eight years, it has contributed only Rs 528 crore. As such it will require another Rs 650 crore for maintaining its 25 per cent equity participation. With no funds at its command, the government is considering various options, including selling out its equity share to the NJPC or the NTPC, besides reducing its equity to the level anywhere between 10 to 15 per cent on the basis of amount already contributed by it for the project. So far Rs 5,854 crore has been spent on the project. The Centre, which has a 75 per cent equity, has contributed Rs 2,622 crore while the World Bank provided a loan of Rs 1,638 crore. The Power Finance Corporation has advanced Rs 1,118 crore and suppliers of electrical equipment have extended a credit of Rs 1,191 crore. The corporation will have to arrange another Rs 800-crore loan to meet the revised cost of the project. |
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Ground water situation worrisome Nurpur, December 11 Owing to this, the underground water of these areas has been exploited increasingly during the past two decades. As many as 1200 tubewells have been sunk by the Irrigation, Public Health and Agriculture and Soil Conservation departments. Apart from this, about an equal number of tubewells have been sunk here by the people on their own despite numerous hand pumps. Recently, 30 more tubewells have been sanctioned for both subdivisions. Experts of the state Soil Conservation Department observed that the burgeoning demand for water was being met with underground water. If proper exploration and scientific exploitation and recharging of underground water was not undertaken this indispensable natural resource could dry up in the years to come. However, the situation at present was not alarming. Tubewells were being sunk with scientific techniques by government agencies but private tubewells and hand pumps were being sunk without any systematic or scientific techniques. Inquiries reveal that the first deep tubewell was drilled at Jachh village of the subdivision in 1970. It was only during 1976-77 that hydro-geological surveys were undertaken by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and systematic exploitation of ground water was commenced in almost all potential areas of Nurpur and Jawali subdivisions. These surveys had raised hopes of irrigation in the barren fields of the foothills of Kangra valley which later fructified. In the area of development of soil conservation, Himachal Pradesh has identified three categories of potential ground water areas for scientific exploitation. The most promising zone is Damtal to Talwara through Indora valley where adequate quantity of ground water has been found at an average depth of 120 metres and at some places artisian (self-flowing well) conditions were ascertained near the Beas. Significantly, in this zone, owing to scientific exploitation of ground water, Indpur village is selling horticulture and agriculture produce worth Rs 1.5 crore annually. The second zone is known as the Mand areas from Milwan to Thakurdwara where the water table is very shallow at a depth of 1 metre. The self-flowing and natural deep tubewells in area will cause a number of problems in future if requisite exploitation is not undertaken at present. Owing to the levelled topography lacking proper drainage, there is an apprehension of this area becoming water-logged. The third zone is Raja Ka Talab, Dhameta, and Raja Ka Talab, Jawali, where deep tubewells have yielded quality water at an average depth of 150 metres. The water table in this zone is from 15 to 45 metres and drilling here is quite difficult. The first tubewell was sunk at Kardiyal village in April 1992, but now a number of tubewells have been dug giving an immense boost to the farm yield. Recently the CGWB has taken up exploration work in the Sadwan-Suliali area of Nurpur subdivision. If the first exploratory tubewell gives adequate output, the people of this area can hope to reap the same benefits as their counterparts in the other valley areas. According to Mr Y.P. Thakur, Subdivisional Soil Conservation Officer, careful planning of future exploitation of ground water and its recharging is required at the earliest and before it is too late. Human interference, severe degradation of hill slopes and forests, inadequate rain fall and drying up rivulets are the factors related to the recharging of the ground water. |
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Chief Secretary warns against laxity Mandi, December 11 This was the eighth meeting in a series being held in each district of the state on the direction of the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, to refurbish the functioning of the government and generate a realisation among the public servants that their prime job was to serve the people. Mr Gupta said there would be regular monitoring of various works, schemes and projects to ensure tangible results and delay in the execution of development works would be viewed seriously. He said Rs 3.5 crore had been spent in the district under the Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojna during the past three years through the Panchyati Raj institutions. As many as 326 self-help groups in the district were not only generating self-employment but also bringing about transformation of rural economy and ushering in prosperity. He said work on the four ropeways projects in the remote areas to carry the produce of the farmers to the market was in progress and Rs 14.80 crore would be spent to complete these. He claimed that the Rs 53.85-lakh employment assurance scheme had yielded good results in the district by generating 42,371 mandays. Of the 455 works taken up under the scheme 246 had been completed while work was going on other projects. He said floriculture had proved a big boon to the farmers of the district who had sold cut flowers valuing Rs 67.17 lakh last year. A Rs 4.99 crore integrated watershed development programme had been launched in the district under which 21 micro projects were being developed. Another centrally-sponsored project worth Rs 3.63 crore had been sanctioned for the development of 6,057 hectares, he added. Mr S. K. Sood, Financial Secretary-cum-Commissioner, said such review meetings of the top functionaries of the government would accelerate the progress of various poverty alleviation schemes. He lamented that of the 1,157 works sanctioned under the food for work programme only 469 had been executed so far and 10,592quintals of wheat had been distributed. He said a Rs 3-crore project had been drawn up for the welfare of the Kol Dam oustees. Mr Jagdish Sharma, Deputy Commissioner, briefed the state officials about the progress of various development works under progress in the district. |
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Dalai Lama opens planetarium Dharamsala, December 11 The Dalai Lama today inaugurated a planetarium, science museum and astronomical observatory set up by the Science Awareness Trust at Sanaura village, near here. “No doubt science is important as it helps mankind through its inventions, but it must be used for the betterment and growth of mankind rather than for destructive purposes,” he stressed. The Dalai Lama said every living organism aspired for a congenial environment and it was in this pursuit that mankind had made the best possible use of science. “I feel religion and science are equally relevant in today’s world as they both have a balancing effect on each other,” he said. The Tibetan spiritual leader said the Science Awareness Trust, set up by Dr Prem Chandra, was a unique combination of science, religion and philosophy. He announced a contribution of Rs 2 lakh from his side for promoting the place. Dr Prem Chandra has named the planetarium after his wife, Dr Shakuntala Prem Chandra. The Science Awareness Trust is also providing computer education to students in the area and proposes to have a mobile computer education van which will try and reach out to the students in remote areas. Mrs Shailja, wife of the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Mr Shanta Kumar, lauded the efforts of Dr Chandra in creating such a unique place in Kangra as it would provide an insight into the vast field of science to rural children. Mr Shanta Kumar, who was to be present at today’s function, could not make it due to his engagements in Parliament. |
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Kasauli road in bad shape Kasauli Although the Public Works Department has undertaken repair of the road but the work is proceeding at a snail’s pace. At times the labour deployed here is diverted elsewhere delaying the repair work. The tourists visiting the town are caught unawares in the dark. A huge chunk of the road has fallen apart. In order to bring it back to shape massive digging operations are on with the result that a wide divergence has occurred on this stretch of road. Now work is being done to plug this wide gap. But the slow pace of the work has made driving a driver’s dilemma. Taxi drivers complain that this stretch of road has become unsafe particularly for smaller vehicles at night. Though an alternative path has been made but it is too narrow and also bumpy. The supervisor employed there when asked about the slow progress said: “Work is suspended here often for 10 days or more.” Shortage of labour has forced the department to divert this force for other repair work including repair of the Garkhal-Shamaghat and Garkhal-Kanda road, which have also been severely damaged in the rains. Even since the government stopped deploying additional labour during the rains the shortage has forced the department to undertake repair work in parts. The same road has given way at many other points and the locals opine that had some repair work been done before the rains the condition would have been much better. The PWD seems to be content by erecting boards on either side cautioning the motorists about the damaged road. Officials however opine that work is progressing as required. The administration had to cut a sorry figure when recently a VIP presented his willingness to use the Kasauli-Jangeshu road, which again is in bad shape. |
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IN FOCUS Parwanoo The residents of Parwanoo have been demanding such a facility for long since there is no playground for children nor a place to hold social functions. The foundation stone of the project was laid by the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh on September 24 last. Since then, work has been going on at a fast pace. An outdoor stadium with a capacity to seat about 3000 persons has been completed. Heavy earth-moving machinery and other engineering equipment are been used for cutting and levelling the ground. The base of the community centre which is intended to have three-storeys, has also been completed. Construction of the building, which has been planned to withstand seismic disturbances, will be started in the next few days. The project which is estimated to cost about Rs 40 lakh, is being executed under Himachal Pradesh Government’s “Vikas mein jan sahyog” scheme and is expected to be completed in about 12 months. It will also have a gymnasium and a computer training centre for economically backward students. |
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BADDI DIARY Baddi Describing the closure as illegal and aimed at exploiting the employees, they have asked the management either to transfer them back to their parent unit in Punjab or to reopen the plant here. They have accused the management of adopting an indifferent attitude towards them and have pointed out that no solution could be found despite the intervention of the Labour Officer. A representation has also been sent to the panchayat in this regard. A complaint was also lodged with the Punjab Labour Office but the DCM management failed to send its representative to the meeting summoned in this regard.
*** The Chief Minister’s public meeting at Manpura near here turned out to be a slanging match between the followers of the Congress and the BJP. The supporters of Mr Lajja Ram, a Congress legislator, were incensed when their leader was not given an opportunity to speak. This resulted in slogan shouting by the two groups. The police had a tough time controlling the angry crowd. The situation took an ugly turn when Mr H.N. Saini, a BJP legislator, severely criticised the Congress MLA present at the meeting. Mr Lajja Ram replied in the same vein. He alleged misuse of government machinery by the ruling party and lamented that school children were made to wait for the Chief Minister till 5 in the evening. |
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Railways, HPTDC package to be revamped Shimla, December 11 The Divisional Manager of the Northern Railway, Mr Deepak Krishen, met the Secretary (Tourism), Mr Ashok Thakur, the managing director of the HPTDC, Mr V.C. Pharka, and the hoteliers here today to discuss a package for the tourists. The DRM was accompanied by Mr Davinder P.S. Sandhu, Chief Public Relations Officer of the Northern Railway. He told TNS that the Railways was trying to give an international exposure to the vintage Shimla-Kalka section by allowing a Canadian film-maker to shoot a movie based on the life of Jim Corbet there. The Oberoi Group of hotels has hired the steam engine train for taking its customers on a picnic from here to Kandaghat on December 30. The catering for the tourists will be done by the Oberoi Group itself. He said the package with the HPTDC had to be structured separately for the foreign and domestic categories. The shortcomings in the earlier package will be removed, he added. The Railways was spending a sum of about Rs 17 crore on the maintenance of this section every year, while it was earning only about Rs 2.50 crore. The aim is to keep the section running as it is not only a unique example of engineering, but is one of the five mountain rail routes in the country, he said. Mr Sandhu said the World Heritage status would be sought for the Kalka-Shimla railway when it completes a century in 2003. The steam engine and coaches have been repainted to their original colour of 1903 after consulting a Manchester-based manufacturing company and retired employees of the Railways. He said joint packages for the tourists would be worked out with the HPTDC. Changes will be explored in the earlier package which was formulated four years ago but did not work up to the expectations, he added. |
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HC notice to Health Secretary on PIL Shimla, December 11 According to the petitioner, the action of the respondent is illegal and arbitrary as the seats have been increased by a policy decision without advertising again. The selection of candidates was going to be done on the basis of the earlier advertisement for which the interviews have already been conducted in 1999. It is further alleged that in pursuance of the advertisement, the applications were invited from eligible candidates and 60,000 candidates applied for it. No list has been finalised even after two-and-a-half years of conducting the interviews, he alleged. Now the number of seats has been increased and it has been decided to open three more centres and to select 600 candidates on the basis of the interviews already conducted in 1999. It was further alleged that by taking such a decision, the government had marred the chances of those persons who had become eligible during the intervening period. The court directed the government to file reply within three weeks. |
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SFI demands
VC’s resignation Shimla, December 11 They alleged that the Vice-Chancellor had been adopting a dictatorial attitude towards the students. The VC does not like to meet students and most of time he is not available, they alleged. They said the examinations of the post-graduate students were going on but many students had not yet got their roll numbers. The SFI has also demanded that the vacant posts in the university should be filled immediately. |
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Parents, students hold demonstration Manali, December 11 The boundary wall was recently built by the PTA at a cost of Rs 1.5 lakh. The school authorities and the PTA claim that the site was in possession of the school for the past 20 years, and it was being used as a playground by the school authorities. Many district-level tournament had also been organised at the site. Hundreds of students and members of the PTA had taken out a procession and blocked traffic on the Manali-Kulu national highway on December 7 also. |
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INTUC rally at Baddi on Dec 28 Shimla, December 11 According to Mr Bawa, the national president of INTUC, Mr G. Sanjeeva Reddy, will preside over the rally. Mr Bawa has claimed that he was the genuinely appointed state president of INTUC, whereas Kanta Sood was laying claim to the post. While Mr Bawa is backed by Mr Virbhadra Singh, Ms Sood is supported by the camp of the PCC chief, Ms Vidya Stokes. Mr Bawa has convened an emergency meeting of the working committee of the state unit of INTUC at Parwanoo on December 16 to make preparations for the rally. |
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Raipur residents allege harassment by cops, officials Una, December 11 Locals crossing the dam after 7 p.m. are harassed by police personnel and BBMB employees, the panchayat resolution stated. Mr Mohan Singh panchayat pradhan has said that residents of Raipur Maidan and nearby areas going to Nangal had to pass the dam and harassment of the staff. Copies of the resolution have been sent to the Chairman BBMB, Deputy Commissioners, Bilaspur and Una with request to issue instructions to check post staff not to harass the residents. |
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Telephone services disrupted in Kulu Kulu, December 11 The Divisional Engineer, Telegraph, Mr R.C. Srivastva, said there was no fault in the telephone exchange, but the failure of the power system due to high voltage resulted in the loss of data. He said the software had been re-installed and the system had started working by 4.30 p.m. It was learnt that the BSNL had lost a revenue of about Rs 3 lakh due to the disruption in services. It also affected the telegraphic communication. |
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Subedar shoots himself Nurpur, December 11 According to the police, the deceased was a Subedar in the Army and posted in Assam. He was on 15 days’ casual leave and had arrived home five day back. He is survived by his wife and three children. The police suspect no foul play in his death. |
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Minor
raped Paonta Sahib, December 11 |
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Snowfall Manali, December 11 |
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