Vajpayee in Manali

May 27, 2002 M A I N   N E W S Fulfil pledge, PM tells Pervez Lays foundation stone for vital Rohtang tunnel S. P. Sharma Tribune News Service Manali, May 26 The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, today asked Gen Pervez Musharraf to fulfil his commitment of ending cross-border terrorism as a step towards easing tension on the Indo-Pakistan border. Mr Vajpayee was addressing a largely attended public meeting, near here, after laying the foundation stone for the Rs 1000-crore strategic tunnel under the 13,050 ft high Rohtang Pass. The Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, and the Union Consumers Affairs Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, were among those present on the occasion. Mr Vajpayee said world pressure was being built on Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism which was claiming innocent lives here. He said when there was a worldwide fight against terrorism and the defence forces of the USA had entered Afghanistan to quell terrorism, how long can we wait and tolerate the menace in our country." The Prime Minister asserted that India wanted to prevent bloodshed but would have no option but to successfully fight the nearly 12-year-long proxy war. He said the morale of the armed forces was high and they were determined to teach a lesson to the enemy as had been done in previous wars and conflicts. He hoped that the efforts of the world community to pressure Pakistan would yield positive results. He said the world opinion was against the tactics of Pakistan, but the world community should realise that there was a limit to our patience. Mr Vajpayee said India should have given a reply to Pakistan instantly when terrorists attacked Parliament, but following worldwide condemnation of the incident India was assured that such things would not happen again. However, Pakistan had not relented and in the latest incident terrorists killed bus passengers and then attacked the Army cantonment at Kaluchak near Jammu where innocent women and children were massacred. He said having tasted defeat immediately after Partition in its efforts to capture Kashmir, Pakistan has been vainly trying, some way or the other, to grab Kashmir by backing cross-border terrorism. However, it would never succeed in its machinations, as the country was united and all political parties had supported the government in fighting terrorism. Pakistani forces had to retreat from the advantageous high pickets in Kargil when a determined Indian Army retaliated and foiled their effort to infiltrate into our soil. The Prime Minister said development and defence of the country should go side by side. The tunnel under the Rohtang Pass would not only bring prosperity to the tribal area of Lahaul, but was also strategic from the defence point of view. Mr George Fernandes said construction of the tunnel was a difficult job, but men of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) would speedily construct the 8.9-km long tunnel which would cost over Rs 1,000 crore. He said the country was facing challenges from across the border and complimented the soldiers of Himachal Pradesh who laid down their lives while fighting the enemy. Mr Fernandes said a final decision about reverting the famous Annandale ground in Shimla to the Himachal Pradesh Government for constructing the country's highest cricket field would be taken soon. Mr Dhumal said the previous governments had only been talking of constructing the tunnel, but the proposal had taken shape only because of the intervention of Mr Vajpayee. He said the Manali-Leh road had come handy for carrying supplies of arms and ammunition to Kargil during the recent conflict with Pakistan. The tunnel would further strengthen the defence of the country and provide access to the Lahaul valley throughout the year. Mr Dhumal sought intervention of the Centre in solving the dispute over the arrears which the BBMB had to pay to Himachal Pradesh. He also demanded that a separate regiment of the Army be established for Himachal Pradesh or the entire Himalayan region. Mr Shanta Kumar said India had crossed the target of exporting 100 lakh tonnes of foodgrains and earned a foreign exchange of over Rs 5000 crore. Rice had been exported to 25 countries and wheat to 20 countries. He demanded that the issue of granting Scheduled Tribe status to Gujjars and Gaddis of the new merged areas of the state should be expedited by the Centre as such status had been denied to these people for the past 50 years. Mr Maheshwar Singh, BJP MP from the Mandi constituency, demanded that a tunnel should be constructed in the Sach Pass to directly link Pangi with Chamba.

 

George briefs PM Tribune News Service Manali, May 26 The Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, and the Security Adviser, Mr Brajesh Mishra, today briefed the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, about the situation on the Indo-Pakistan border here today. Sources said Mr Fernandes briefed Mr Vajpayee about the preparedness of the defence forces to meet any challenge from across the border. Mr Mishra, who had participated in a meeting of the Atomic Energy Commission yesterday and also visited the Kalpakam Atomic Project near Chennai, had a long meeting with the Prime Minister. Later, in the evening Mr Vajpayee hosted a dinner for the members of the Council of Ministers of Himachal Pradesh.

 

Year-round road link to Ladakh soon Tribune News Service Manali, May 26 The Rohtang tunnel, the foundation stone of which was laid today by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, will provide a year-round road link with the frontier region of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir to the defence forces and also keep the Lahaul valley of Himachal Pradesh open even during winter. The Director-General of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Lt-Gen P. Suri, said this would be the highest tunnel in the world at a height of 3,000 metres and would be equipped with many modern gadgets. With a length of 8.9 km, this would be the longest tunnel in the country. It was expected to be completed in seven to eight years, he said. To provide a year-round access to the Ladakh region, a 292 km-long road is being constructed from Darcha to bypass the three other high passes of Baralacha la, Lachung la and Tanglang la, which are 16,600 to 17,582 ft high. The bypass taking off from Darcha will pass through Padam and Nimu before touching Leh. General Suri said the tunnel would save a distance of 46 km between Manali and Keylong which is the district headquarters of the tribal area of Lahaul-Spiti. He said it would be a single tube tunnel with double lane traffic. A sophisticated ventilation system would be provided as the terrain does not permit a natural ventilation channel. He said closed circuit televisions would also be installed in the tunnel, along with telephones, besides avalanche-control measures

 

HP: Foreigners disappear

Nov.8, 1998

Mystery of "missing" foreigners
From S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 7 — Mystery regarding the disappearance of the foreign tourists in the Kulu district has deepened further with the police saying that there was no trace of 14 of them.

Of the 15 foreigners reported missing, only one was traced so far. As many as eight of them had disappeared in the Manikaran valley.

Among the 'disappeared' foreign tourists, six were women. Foreign tourists have been disappearing in the Kulu district since 1992 and the shortage of police manpower has prevented the police from keeping vigil on the visitors.

This has been stated in a report to the state Human Rights Commission by the Superintendent of Police, Kulu. The Commission had directed him to file the report following newspaper reports about the missing tourists. The report of the 'disappeared' tourists was highlighted recently by the foreign media.

The police has said that all efforts to trace the missing foreigners have proved futile. The crime branch of the CID was investigating some of these cases. Only one Australian tourist, Miss Burfitt Jacqueline Louise, who was reported missing in June 1993, has so far been traced.

Thirty-three foreigners had died between 1991 and 1998 in the Kulu district. Their bodies were cremated only after directions from their respective embassies or high commissions. Nine of them had died while trekking.

A 30-year Swiss tourist, Miss Marianne Heer, disappeared in the Manikaran valley where she was last seen with one Ganga Ram in October 1992. The crime branch was investigating the case which was reported by the Swiss Embassy at Delhi.

There was no trace of Heer or Ganga Ram so far.

A Yugoslavian tourist, Miss Tatjama, suddenly disappeared when she came out of her hotel room in the Naggar area on January 20, 1992.

Her disappearance was reported to the police by Miss Cladiua, an Italian woman, who accompanied Miss Tatjama and two others to Naggar for trekking and stayed at a hotel at Chharahan. Tatjama went out of the room at 10 am the same day and never returned.

Mr Mintzer Nadav, an Israeli tourist, has been missing since 1997. He was last seen at Manali on September 20 and thereafter he could not be traced.

During investigations the police found that some traveller cheques held by Mintzer were encashed in Jaipur, Delhi and Aurangabad after his disappearance. However, the signatures of encashment do not tally with those of Mintzer.

Mr Ardavan Taherzadeh (25), a Canadian tourist, is missing in the Kasol area since May 21, 1997. His mother, Homa Boustani, lodged a report about her missing son on August 12, 1997.

He last contacted his home at Canada on May 21 from Kasol in Manikaran.

A British, Mr Ian Mogford, who was temporarily residing at Mohali and left for Kulu from Chandigarh on August 10, 1996, disappeared my- steriously. During interrogation, one Rudernagh Baba alias Prabhapuri told the police that Mogford met him at the Shiv temple at Manikaran along with a Turkish, Mr Nurethlin Rydin.

Mr Paul Roche (30) an Irish, went missing in February 1996 while he was on his way to Koksar from Keylong in Lahaul-Spiti district.

Roche had come for trekking from Manali to Lama Yuru in three weeks. However, he disappeared even before starting the trek.

Efforts of the police to trace Miss Odette Houghton, an Australian, in the upper Manali, Malana and Parbati areas since 1993 have been futile. She was last seen in the Manikaran area.

An American couple, Ms Ashley Palumbo and Mr Tyler Mondlock, disappeared in mysterious circumstances after encashing a travellers cheque worth $ 150 from the United Commercial Bank, Manali, on August 25, 1995.

The couple stayed in hotel Green Land at Manali where they had mentioned in the "C" form that they will leave for Delhi on September 5. However, they left the hotel on August 26 and disappeared. No clue about them was found in Keylong and Leh.

Relatives of the couple have engaged private detectives for tracing them, but no clue has so far been found.

There is much suspense in the disappearance of Mr H.R.M. Timmer Arents, a Dutch, from a hotel at Manali where he was last seen in June 1995.

Mr H.G. Timmer, brother of the missing tourist, personally came to Kulu to trace him. A skeleton was found in the Solang nullah which his brother suspected to be of the missing man. However, the skeleton was sent to the Indira Gandhi Medical College here for examination where it was found that it was not of the missing Timmer.

Mr Timmer had also visited the Roerich estate at Naggar before he disappeared.

The efforts of the Australian police to trace Mr Gregory John Powell, have also failed. He was reported missing in the Manikaran area since October 1995. He was also not traceable at Malana.

Detective Sergent Brian Graham of the Australian Federal Police, who was stationed at Islamabad, visited Kulu on August 1, 1996 to make a futile effort to trace him.

His brother, Mr Butter Brian Powell lodged a report on December 6, 1996 that his brother has been kidnapped and murdered.

Ms Jassot Alxendro, an Australian, has remained untraced after she was reported missing between Leh and Manali in August 1996.

Mr Heinz Ruegg, a Swiss national, suddenly disappeared at Kothi in Manali where he had gone along with his wife and children for sight-seeing in June 1996.

The SP has said that no foreigner has been reported missing since September 1997

Kashmir blasts

July 12, 2006

Blasts: bid to scare tourists
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 11
The serial grenade explosions in Srinagar are being visualised as an attempt of terrorists to cripple the economy of those connected with tourism by scaring away tourists.

Tourists were targeted by terrorists in different parts of the summer capital of the state today.

This was the second grenade attack within the past couple of days on tourists from Kolkata.

Two tourists from West Bengal were killed and 30 injured in a grenade attack on a bus in Srinagar on May 31.

A Maruti car bearing a Haryana registration number was also targeted during the serial blasts this afternoon.

Terrorists were most probably trying to hit the economy of the people connected with tourism in the valley, who had been expecting a boom in tourist arrivals this season.

Their dreams were shattered by such actions of Pakistan-trained terrorists.

Those connected with tourism had been the major victim of the 16 years of terrorism as tourists had stayed away.

This time, there was a ray of hope as most house boats and hotels in the valley had been booked in advance.

Tourists from West Bengal and Gujarat had been considered the backbone of middle-class tourism, but people from both places were repeatedly being targeted.

This had started telling upon the tourism season, with most house boats in the Dal Lake and hotels lying vacant.

A large number of tourists had got their reservation cancelled following the attacks last month.

Not many tourists were seen in the Mughal Gardens in Srinagar after the terrorist attacks last month.

The Amarnath pilgrimage had also been affected initially, but now, the number of arrivals had picked up again.

Pilgrims were targeted at the general bus stand here on June 12, when one person was killed and 31 injured.

Observers said terrorist activities had suddenly increased after the second round table conference in Srinagar.

Political activists had also been being targeted by terrorists, with five persons being killed in a grenade attack on the entourage of former minister Sakina Ittoo on July 8.

European countries had refused to oblige the Jammu and Kashmir Government by accepting its repeated requests for lifting the advisory to its nationals against visiting Kashmir.

Jammu University Vice-Chancellor Prof Amitabh Mattoo's efforts had yielded results, with the countries softening the advisory as far as travel to Jammu was concerned.

A team of parliamentarians from these countries had recently visited the campus, where they approved an exchange programme for teachers and students.

The Army and paramilitary forces had been put on maximum alert in the Jammu region following the attacks.

The 300-km Jammu-Srinagar highway was under security cover and troops were guarding Katra and Vaishno Devi to thwart any attempt to disrupt the pilgrimage.

The highway was being opened after checking and each bridge and culvert was being checked for the possible planting of explosives.

 

Special powers

Feb.23, 2007

PDP's demand for special Cabinet meeting turned down
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 22
The ruling Congress has rejected the demand of its coalition partner-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for a special meeting of the Cabinet to discuss the issue of pullout of armed forces from Kashmir and repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

Rejection of the demand reportedly came after a meeting of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and PCC chief Peerzada Sayeed with the Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other central leaders at Delhi on Tuesday.

Health Minister Mangat Ram Sharma, who was also present reportedly at these meetings, said today the Congress was not in a position to oblige patron of the PDP Mufti Sayeed on the issue.

Mr Sharma said the Congress was a national party and had to keep several aspects in mind.

He said the Mufti might be invited to Delhi by the Congress high command or some senior ministers to discuss the issue. However, there was no question of convening a special meeting of the cabinet here.

Mr Muzaffar Hussain Beig, former deputy chief minister and architect of the PDP's self-rule proposal, said the issue would be settled in next few days otherwise the media would get some big news. He refused to reply questions whether the PDP would go to the extent of pulling out of the coalition.

Mr Sharma and Mr Beig were busy discussing the issue in the Assembly this afternoon while nominations for the legislative council seats were being filed.

Agriculture minister and leader of the PDP legislature group A.A. Zargar on February 17 written to the Chief Minister seeking a special meeting of the Cabinet to discuss the two issues. Earlier, he tried to raise the issue at the Cabinet meeting on February 15.

Mufti Sayeed, his daughter Mehbooba Mufti, PDP ministers and legislators have already surrendered their personal security on the plea that the security scenario in the state had changed and the time had come for gradual pullout of troops and repeal of the special powers Act.

Mr Beig yesterday explained the PDP was asking for the reduction of troops in a measured, responsive and responsible manner from the state. If this could be done in Punjab, why not in Jammu and Kashmir?

He said the Chief Minister should, in the right spirit of coalition, convene a special meeting of the state cabinet to discuss demands of the PDP.

Meanwhile, there were reports of Mr Pranab Mukherjee, foreign affairs minister, having talked to Mr Mufti on telephone on the issue. However, reaction of the letter was not known.

It is worth mentioning that the PDP had raised the demand following fake encounters in which innocent persons were killed recently in the valley.

 

Strange bedfellows

May 15, 2004

NC not to back Cong-led govt at Centre S.P. Sharma Tribune News Service Jammu, May 14 The National Conference (NC) has decided not to support the Sonia Gandhi-led government at the Centre, as it would be "impossible" for its leaders to sit with the PDP of Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed. Mr Omar Abdullah, president of the NC, stated this to The Tribune over the telephone from Srinagar. The NC has won two of the six Lok Sabha seats in J&K. For the first time Mr Omar Abdullah and Ms Mehbooba Mufti, president of the PDP, who otherwise arch enemies in Kashmir will sit in the Lok Sabha. Mr Abdullah said that the NC would support the government on specific issues, including welfare of the people of Kashmir, dialogue on Kashmir by involving both factions of the Hurriyat Conference, peace initiative with Pakistan and reopening of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad (PoK) road. When the Centre's measures are not in the interest of the people of J&K, we will oppose these. He said that the NC would continue to sit in the Opposition as it would not be possible for us to play the double role of supporting the Congress-led government at the Centre and opposing the Congress-backed PDP-led coalition in the state. Mr Omar Abdullah, who goes to the Lok Sabha for a third term, hoped that Mrs Sonia Gandhi, who had been talking of widening the scope of dialogue with the separatists, would invite both factions of the Hurriyat Conference for an unconditional dialogue after becoming the Prime Minister. He said that Ms Mufti has lost her voice and identity after winning the Lok Sabha election, as she would have to toe the line of the government in the house and abide by the whip of the Congress. The PDP is now being considered a part of the Congress and not an independent party. "It is a tragedy of the people of Anantnag and Pulwama districts of Kashmir whom Ms Mufti represents that she would not be in a position to raise their voice in the Lok Sabha". Steps would be taken to review why the NC could not make a dent in the South Kashmir, he said.

 

Mehbooba to speed up peace process Tribune News Service Jammu, May 14 Winner of Lok Sabha election from Anantnag in Kashmir, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, president of the PDP, would strive for expediting peace process with Pakistan and improving financial health of the state. Ms Mufti, talking to The Tribune over the telephone from Srinagar, wanted the government led by Mrs Sonia Gandhi at the Centre would expedite the peace process so that the people of Kashmir progressed. Peace has to return to the state. So much of militancy-related violence was witnessed during Lok Sabha elections. The problem should be addressed without delay so that there was further violence. She said that till now she was raising the voice of the people in the Assembly, but now she had the opportunity of highlighting the problems from a bigger platform. Unlike other states of the country, Kashmir has some historical problems that need to be solved soon. Ms Mufti said that she would also strive to improve the financial health of J&K and urge the Centre to take steps for putting back on rails the economy of the state that suffered a severe setback because of militancy. She said that she would also raise the voice for reviewing the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan that has become a hurdle in the way of tapping the water of the rivers for power generation and irrigation purposes. She congratulated the electorate of Jammu who refused to fall into the trap of the BJP that tried to exploit the Daughters' Bill in campaign. The people have rejected the BJP as they wanted to maintain identity through the Permanent Residents Bill passed in the Assembly.

 

VIPs involved in cannabis

Sept.20, 2003

Cultivating cannabis with impunity
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 19
The drug mafia allegedly backed by terrorists and certain political leaders in the Kashmir Valley has declared September 26 as auspicious day for starting plucking of flowers from the cannabis plants to produce high-quality charas. But the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and other agencies are helpless in taking action against the mafia because hardly any support is coming from the local authorities in checking the menace.

After 10 days from now, men, women and children rubbing cannabis flowers and leaves between their hands to extract the contraband will be a common sight in the areas of the valley where it is cultivated in an organised manner.

Cannabis and opium is being cultivated on a large scale in the valley and the problem has assumed alarming proportions eversince terrorists have reportedly joined hands with the drug mafia. Successive governments have taken half-hearted steps to eradicate the menace because of political reasons and involvement of a large number of population in cultivation of these plants.

It is learnt that the plucking of cannabis flowers and leaves is done during this part of the season because the tetra-hydro cannabinal (THC) potency of the produce is higher and it commands a better price in the market.

The mafia does not seem to be afraid of the authorities and did not allow their illicit plants to be destroyed when a special drive was launched for this purpose recently. The paramilitary forces were also engaged, but the crop was so widely spread, particularly in three of the six districts of Kashmir, that the drive remained a symbolic one. However, this was for the first time that the NCB dared to visit certain areas in the valley to undertake destruction of the cannabis plants although on a very small scale.

These plants are widely cultivated in an organised manner even in the apple orchards, particularly in the politically volatile districts of Anantnag, Baramula and Pulwama. These districts are also worst affected by terrorism. Although the militants completely banned the sale and consumption of liquor in the valley, cultivation of cannabis and opium has increased.

It is learnt that extraction of charas from the cannabis is intentionally coincided with the plucking of apple to enable smuggling of the contraband in fruit boxes which are carried in trucks to various markets in Delhi, Gujarat and Maharashtra. The number of trucks carrying apple is so high during the season that it is practically impossible to check each and every fruit box. Moreover, the NCB is handicapped because with the involvement of the entire village, no one would come forward to provide specific information regarding smuggling of the contraband, said Mr Arun Kumar, zonal director of the bureau.

Mr Arun Kumar said that the cultivation of cannabis and opium was being done shockingly on a large extent in the three districts. In certain cases the cultivation was being done right on the roadside in the view of the district authorities who cross the place every day.

He said that seizure of the contraband was very low because no one came forward to provide information about its smuggling. The support of the local authorities was cosmetic.

He said that the NCB proposed to involve troops and paramilitary forces next season for destroying the cannabis and opium plants.

It is worth mentioning that so far no serious efforts have been made by the state government to eradicate the menace which was further spreading its feet in the valley. It was only once during Governor's rule when Mr Jagmohan was heading the state that such organised cultivations were destroyed mechanically. Even certain people having high political connections were not spared.

While its cultivation was not being done in an organised manner in the Jammu region, its wild growth was of high magnitude. At times, students and youth have been seen plucking the cannabis flowers near various educational institutions and rubbing these with their hands.

HP Crisis

Nov.29, 2000

 

HP crisis: Sangh Parivar intervenes
From S.P. Sharma and Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 28 — The prospects of resolution of the political crisis facing the Dhumal government, in the wake of revolt by six legislators, brightened today following talks between the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, and the dissidents at the initiative of the Sangh Parivar.

The dissidents, who were earlier reluctant to meet Mr Dhumal after having expressed loss of trust in him, relented when senior Sangh functionaries intervened to help iron out differences between the two camps.

The dissidents held a prolonged meeting with two senior functionaries of the RSS during which their grievances were discussed at length. The RSS leaders underlined the need to restore confidence in the rival faction.

There were a series of meetings between the two factions. The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee and Home Minister L.K. Advani were reportedly in touch with Mr Dhumal and Union Minister Shanta Kumar.

Mr Shanta Kumar is learnt to have talked to the dissidents on the issue.

Mr Dhumal told mediapersons that things were moving in the "positive" direction and the matter would be sorted out in a day or two.

Both factions appeared in a reconciliatory mood today. Mr Dhumal parried any mention of disciplinary action against the dissidents even when specifically asked by mediapersons.

The dissidents although firm and united, were also hopeful of a solution. They said they had insisted that the issues raised by them be addressed in the right earnest. The process had began, they claimed.

When contacted, the Transport Minister, Mr K.K. Kapoor, refused to divulge any details and said talks were being held through intermediaries.

Two ministers, Mr Mohinder Singh and Mr Ravinder Ravi, reportedly contacted Mrs Nirmala Devi, one of the six rebels, and tried to persuade her to shift stance. However, she refused to oblige.

Later, in a show of solidarity, the dissidents along with their supporters had a stroll on The Mall and lunch at a restaurant at The Ridge amidst rumours that Mrs Nirmala Devi had deserted them.

None of the three ministers, Mr K.K. Kapoor, Mr Ramesh Chand and Mr Hari Narain Singh, who had signed the letter expressing their inability to support Mr Dhumal, attended the Cabinet meeting today. However, Mr Dhumal told mediapersons that they were busy "elsewhere".

During the day, the rebels remained closeted in the Vidhan Sabha flat of Mr Dulo Ram to discuss their future strategy.

Mr Dhumal told mediapersons that Mr Des Raj, one of the signatories to the letter, had talked to the BJP President, Mr Bangaru Laxman, on the telephone last evening and told him that the misunderstanding between him and the Rajya Sabha member, Mr Kirpal Parmar, had been removed.

Mr Dhumal refused to comment whether the rebel ministers should have resigned before firing the salvo against him.

He said he had an open mind on the grievances listed by the dissidents and some vested interests were trying to escalate the crisis.

He said Mr Shanta Kumar had told him that he was not supporting the dissidence. Mr Dhumal made it clear that his government was not in danger due to the development as the dissidents had said that they had raised their voice "within the party."

He said several Congress leaders had talked to him on the phone and told him that they wanted his government to stay and it was only one leader among them who was trying to create instability. His indication was obviously towards Mr Virbhadra Singh.

To a question on the allegations being traded by the PWD Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh, and the Town and Country Planning Minister, Mr Hari Narain Singh, the Chief Minister said the Lokayukata was the right forum for the purpose.

Crisis resolved: CM
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 28 — The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, said after the talks with dissidents that all issues had been settled, but refused to divulge the details.

He said, "You will come to know about the details as things will unfold in the next few days."

He claimed that everything would be normal shortly.

 

Flyash

Dec.26, 2008 Ultra-mega thermal plants Mega flyash problems Dr G.S. Dhillon A recent report datelined Bathinda, filed by TNS correspondent S.P. Sharma appeared in The Tribune dated October 31 describing the situation at Bathinda City: "It flyash all the way in Bathinda" along with a photograph of a scooterist virtually sailing through a cloud of flyash. This has made many of us ponder what would be the state of affairs once the two proposed "ultra-mega thermal plants" of Talwandi Sabo and Gidderbaha start operating. Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant, Bathinda: Flyash is everywhere. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh An attempt has been made in this article to consider the problem. At the present stage, the thermal plants installed in Punjab have the capacity of 2120 MW, with 1260 MW Super Plant at Ropar, 440 MW Plant at Bathinda and 420 MW at Lehra Mohabat. The annual production of solid waste in the form of flyash (containing 20 per cent furnace bottom ash) from all the above listed TPs is around 20 lakh tons. The new thermal plants planned would add an additional generation capacity of 6480MW: l 1980 MW from the Talwandi Sabo Ultra-Mega Thermal Plant. l 2640 MW from the Gidderbaha Ultra-Mega Thermal Plant, l 1320 MW from the Rajpura Mega Thermal Plant l 540 MW from the Goindwal Thermal Plant. At that stage, the total thermal power generation capacity would be 8600 MW and the annual flyash production requiring proper handling would be above 80 lakh tonnes. The regulations issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MOEF), Government of India, require that "all the thermal plants will have to ensure 100 per cent utilisation of the solid waste (flyash plus furnace bottom ash) within the prescribed period, which is nine years after their commissioning in the case of new TPs to be set up. In the case of the older existing plants, the time limit to achieve the 100 per cent utilisation target is "by the year 2015" i.e. within the next seven years. Flyash is fine powdery material and its particles are spherical in shape and of glassy nature. The flyash contains a reactive material which reacts with "lime" in the presence of water, to form calcium silicate hydrate, which acts as a binding material. This property of flyash is utilised for part replacement of cement in the case of cement concrete using OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement). Also PPC (Portland Puzzolana Cement) is obtained by mixing flyash with burnt clinker before grinding. The proportion of flyash, conforming to IS: 3812 (Part I-1) may vary between 15 per cent to 35 per cent. l Flyash can be used to form a "flowable fill" which pours freely and get set quickly and provide strength equal to that of "compacted soil". So flyash in this form can be used to fill up trenches, cuts, abandoned mine etc. l Flyash can be used for building embankments for road construction. l Flyash can be used as "filler" in the manufacture of plastic components replacing "plastic resin". Roller compacted concrete using flyash has been found to possess many merits and used in many situations. In case of the Ghatgar pumped storage scheme, the roller compacted concrete using flyash was used for construction of the Saddle Dam and the Upper Dam. Flyash has been beneficially used for "soil conditioning" of agricultural soils in Maharashtra and flyash has also been used to provide "fertiliser capability". For this purpose it should be used in the "wet" form For burnt clay bricks, a 25 per cent replacement of soil with flyash is now a must for brickkilns located within 100 km. radius of TPs as per orders from the MOEF. Building blocks using upto 88 per cent of flyash: furnace bottom ash (in equal proportion) and 12 per cent lime have been produced by PMET, who has obtained a patent for the same. The blocks are "cured" in an auto-clave for six hours at steam pressure of 200 psi and 370 degree F temperature. The product thus obtained is called "BRIXX". In case of the Ropar super thermal plant, the ash ponds were found to pollute groundwater and objections were raised the Punjab Pollution control Board and the PSEB was asked to take necessary steps' to check this menace. Also, the air pollution has been found to be acute around the Ropar thermal plant area and so it has been decided to raise the chimney height by 200 ft to correct the situation by dispersing the pollutants over a wider area so as to minimise their intensity. Farmers in the areas surrounding the Ropar TP have complained of reduction in crop yields on account of ground water as well as atmospheric pollutants. This aspect needs to be studied by agencies like the PAU. This scenario is true for all thermal plants, though the intensity of the problem could vary. For the new Ultra-Mega Thermal Plants coming up, one can only hope that all the necessary environmental clearances are obtained and implemented in letter and spirit to avoid an environmental catastrophe. While Punjab enters the "Ultra-Mega Thermal" era to tackle its rising power needs, we should also plan ahead for disposal and utilisation of the mega-quantities of the solid wastes that would be obtained (flyash & FBA), so that environmental degradation is not obtained in the area of influence around these Ultra-Mega Thermal Plants. Progress and growth at the cost of the environment is not an acceptable trade-off. Keeping in mind that the binding 100 per cent flyash usage regulations are still 7-9 years away from implementation, we hope that we can avoid the Bathinda scooterist's plight being repeated in other cities and villages of Punjab — the green state.

 

rainwater

 

July 21, 2010

No takers for rooftop rainwater harvesting
SP Sharma/Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 20
There is virtually no response to the mandatory provision of rooftop rainwater harvesting in this parched Malwa region of Punjab mainly because of indifference of the government functionaries and lack of awareness among the masses.

Although rooftop rainwater harvesting has been made mandatory in most states of the country, but in the Malwa belt of Punjab, the rule was being observed more in defiance.

While construction activity was in full swing in the main cities of Bathinda, Muktsar, Faridkot, Barnala, Ferozepur and Moga, the builders generally avoid installing rooftop rainwater harvesting structures. Officials of the local bodies were also not keen to implement the provision that aims at recharging groundwater.

What to talk of private bungalows, the water harvesting concept has not been provided even in sprawling government buildings that have come up in the recent past or were under construction.

The sandy Malwa belt in the neighbourhood of Rajasthan and Haryana receives annual rainfall ranging between 38 to 48 cms.

The authorities in Punjab, where the problem of speedy depletion of groundwater has become a serious issue over the passage of time, have failed to learn any lesson from the neighbouring Himachal Pradesh where the rule for provision of rooftop rainwater harvesting has been made mandatory for each and every private and government building irrespective of size.

Top officers in the Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC) and municipalities of other towns feigned ignorance about the provision in building byelaws. Commissioner of BMC, Ravi Bhagat, admitted that the rule was being observed more in defiance. There was a need to create awareness about the concept, he said.

Deputy Mayor Tarsem Goyal expressed concern over the issue and stressed the need for strict implementation of the rule as the groundwater was depleting at a fast pace in Punjab and particularly in the Malwa belt where it has also got contaminated due to excessive use of chemical fertilisers.

He regretted that the rainwater was being allowed to flow waste in drains and the sewerage system. The waste water flowing out of the Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants that could be utilised for recharging groundwater was also flowing into the sewerage system of the towns, he added.

While in Punjab the building bye-laws were amended making it mandatory to install rainwater harvesting system in all buildings of above 200 square yards, the BMC has made it compulsory for all buildings on 500 square yards plots. However, this too has remained confined to the rulebooks and its implementation was nil.

Goyal said the rule could not be implemented in Bathinda, which is the main city of the Malwa belt, because due to a spurt in the price of land, the upcoming colonies had plots below the size of 200 square yards.

Hardly any initiative to create awareness on the issue was being taken by government agencies.

Announcing major amendments in the building byelaws in Punjab, local government minister Manoranjan Kalia had recently said that clubbing of plots for the purpose of constructing one unit with provision of rainwater harvesting system would be allowed.

Keeping in mind that the climate change was impacting resources of water, the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has urged the states to be pro-active in making the institutions adopt rooftop rainwater harvesting and promote artificially recharged ground water. The principle is to catch every drop where it falls.

A report of the CGWA indicated that no initiative was taken in the Malwa belt and particularly in the Muktsar district to create awareness and training for rooftop rainwater harvesting that would help recharge of groundwater.

HP officialdom

Sept.23, 2001

 

CM's coterie costs Himachal dear
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 22
With the grip of the coterie somewhat weakening over the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, bureaucracy in Himachal Pradesh has heaved a sigh of relief.

The caucus had reportedly been influencing the decisions of Mr Dhumal for the past over three years. Their interference in almost every decision-making process was not relished by the bureaucracy which had got sidelined from the time the BJP-HVC combine government came into power.

Much damage has been caused by the coterie in relations between the Chief Minister and the top bureaucracy and this is evident from the fact that some of them, during a recent meeting with Mr Dhumal, reportedly suggested that proper officers should be placed at right positions and work assigned to them.

What was agonising for the bureaucracy was that a coterie consisting of middle and lower-rung officers had surrounded Mr Dhumal and at times did not lose the opportunity to get senior-level bureaucrats humiliated.

Signs of the clutches of the caucus weakening over the Chief Minister appeared recently when his Principal Secretary, Mr Ajay Mittal, was relieved of the charge of Secretary Excise and Taxation. Earlier, he was given additional charge of Secretary, Tourism, for a single day.

The officialdom here is citing this as a major example of the weakening of the caucus.

However, some senior bureaucrats point out that Mr Dhumal has lost much time in realising the machinations of the coterie and has come out of its tentacles when much damage has already been caused to the reputation of government.

A wrong decision by certain members of the caucus is reported to have recently caused a loss of about Rs 16 crore to the financially starved state government, but the lapse has been pushed under the carpet. It pertains to the refusal of permission to disinvest one lakh shares of the HFCL by the state Electronics Development Corporation when their price was quoted at Rs 1600 each and was good enough to bring the sick corporation out of the red, but now the price of each share has dipped around Rs 30.

Atleast two members of the coterie have already gone on deputation to the centre after having remained in the forefront all this time. Another officer, who was close to Mr Virbhadra Singh during the previous Congress regime, is now the blue eyed boy of Mr Dhumal. This coterie has been nicknamed "computer boys" of Mr Dhumal.

Icon of terror

April 8, 2007

 

Talk to Salahuddin, plead parties
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 7
The common man here is confused as the Kashmir-based political parties have suddenly started pleading that no solution to the J&K problem will be viable without talking to Syed Salahuddin, who is one of India's most wanted terrorist.

The latest to jump on to the bandwagon is the National Conference (NC) whose president, Omar Abdullah, said here that Salahuddin could play an important role in the peace process.

Salahuddin, supreme commander of the Pakistan-based United Jehad Council (UJC), which is an umbrella organisation of 19 terrorist groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir, has been spitting venom against India while sitting in Islamabad. He tops the list of the 20 most wanted persons which India sent to Pakistan and the Interpol in 2002.

Transport minister Hakeem Yaseen, who was closely associated with Salahuddin when both contested the Assembly elections of 1987 in Srinagar, told this correspondent today that the peace process could not succeed without India talking to Salahuddin and hardliners among the separatists, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

CPM leader and MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, without naming Salahuddin, has issued two statements in the past few days urging India to invite all shades of opinion for talks.

Taking an identical stand as that of the PDP, Salahuddin in a fax message to a Srinagar-based news agency last week, suggested that the peace process could be made meaningful only if the troops were pulled out of Kashmir and the "draconian" laws repealed.

It is worth mentioning that while on one hand the demand for initiating dialogue with Salahuddin was being made here, several Kashmiri leaders were camping in New Delhi during the SAARC meeting where they met the Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and foreign minister Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri. Mirwaiz Farooq and the Democratic Freedom Party chief, Shabir Shah, called on Aziz and are learnt to have discussed the Kashmir issue.

 

SPECTRUM

Sunday, August 20, 2006

 

Dogra heritage in a shambles The old palace complex and other monuments of the Dogra regime in Jammu and around are gradually crumbling because of neglect, writes S. P. Sharma The red stone palace in the Mubarak Mandi complex at Jammu has turned black due to emission of smoke from vehicles. — Photo by the writer A number of palaces in Jammu have already collapsed or are in an advanced stage of decay as no steps have so far been taken to preserve them. These edifices have the potential of being preserved as living monuments to attract tourists who pass through the town while on their way to the Vaishnodevi shrine or the Kashmir valley. The history of the Dogra rule is hidden in these palaces. Not only the government's neglect, but also the killer earthquake of October 8 last year has caused further damage to these structures. Although the Central Government has now decided to prevent further damage to these monuments by allocating an initial amount of Rs 3 crore for this year, initiative on the part of the state agencies is lacking. Initially there was confusion whether the PWD or the Tourism Department would do the restoration work, but now it has been decided that INTACH would provide expertise to the Tourism Department for the job. This has brought a ray of hope for the preservation of these places that are masterpieces of craftsmanship. The Jammu and Kashmir chapter of INTACH has prepared a detailed report about the condition of these palaces and has also suggested certain measures to restore them to their past glory. The central Tourism Department has also got a report prepared and has engaged some conservation architects to begin the job. However, there is confusion among various organisations of the state government, which continue to create hurdles in the way of starting the restoration work. Much time was lost as the Archaeological Department of the state government was earlier asked to do the restoration work without any resources. Thereafter the Public Works Department (PWD) came into the picture and left without doing any work, as its engineers were not trained in the restoration of archaeological monuments. It is learnt that the authorities were planning to first take up the restoration work of the building that earlier housed the high court. The archives would be shifted to this building soon after it was conserved. But voices of dissent over the decision to shift the archives there have started emanating as the original plan of the Tourism Department was to make the building a lively monument. Dr Lalit Mangotra, president of the Dogri Sanstha, says the complex should be restored as a "living monument" so that tourists visited here. The thrust of the government should be to promote tourism in Jammu by restoring the dilapidated palace complex. The successive Dogra rulers built the palace complex, which is commonly called as the Mubarak Mandi. Maharaja Gulab Singh built the first structure in the complex that lies in the heart of the city overlooking the Tawi that flows through the city. The work was completed during the reign of Maharaja Ranbir Singh, recalls Mr Dharam Chandra Prashant, a noted historian. These palaces now house government offices that are causing further damage to the magnificent buildings by white washing the wall paintings and nailing wires on the carved marble structures. The wall paintings in the palace where the cultural section of the Information and Public Relations Department is housed are covered under thick smoke and grease as the staff cooks there. Minutely painted papier-m`E2ch`E9 ceilings of many palaces have already collapsed. The magnificent two-storied marble hall, in which the Department of Geology and Mining was located, has completely collapsed. The white marble pieces from the debris were being carried away by unscrupulous elements. The red stone palace that housed the high court and the Public Service Commission till the recent past is now decaying, as the area has become a parking place for vehicles. The emission of the vehicles is turning the red stone into black. The historic Gol-Ghar building was the first victim of neglect when it was gutted in a fire in the 1980s. The ruins of the imposing multi-storied structure stand as a mute testimony to the Dogra rule. The debris of the palace can still be seen lying in the area. Mr Salim Beg, chairman of the J&K chapter of INTACH, has suggested restoration of the Gol-Ghar on priority, as it is one of the prime archaeological structures within the complex. Portions of the structure are in an extremely precarious condition. Another red stone building is the Rani Charak's palace. It has developed cracks, but could still be conserved. Some arches and columns in the palace require immediate repairs. The survey conducted by the central Tourism Department has assessed that a sum of Rs 44 crore would be required to restore the palace complex. However, experts point out that it might take several years to complete the job, as a pittance of Rs 3 crore has been earmarked for this year. Preservation of the palace complex has never been on the agenda of the governments that came in the state in the past 60 years. A committee headed by Dr M. S. Randhawa was appointed by the government in the late 1970s to suggest measures for the preservation of the magnificent Dogra heritage. However, the report of the committee was never implemented. The palaces, one by one, were consumed by fires or decayed due to the passage of time. Over the years the palace complex that earlier housed the office of the Prime Minister of J&K, Assembly and many other offices, has suffered extensive damage that was never taken care of. The miniatures on the walls in many of the buildings have already faded or vanished. Most of the buildings in the palace complex have been declared unsafe. The only surviving gateway structure adjoining the office of the divisional commissioner is in a bad shape. Roots of trees have entrenched in the walls. Many trees were jutting out of the structure. The gateway is a high-rise two- storied arched opening towards the main bazar. The wooden door constructed more than 180 years ago, according to estimates, is still intact. Poonch House Another magnificent piece of architecture, the Poonch House that was built near the canal road by the erstwhile ruler of Poonch in 1930s, also needs immediate attention of the government as it has also got damaged at many places. The palace now houses the institute of music and fine arts. The recent earthquake has destroyed the historic fort in the Poonch town. Its rear, southern and eastern portions have completely collapsed. There are wide cracks on the walls, INTACH has reported. The entire complex even before the earthquake was not in a very good condition. The other monuments in the Poonch town, including the Moti Mahal, Baldev Mahal, Sheesh Mahal, Syndicate building and the Haveli Mian Gulab Singh, are also in an advanced stage of decay. The Moti Mahal, which houses the Army office, was badly damaged due to the earthquake. The Sheesh Mahal, that houses the girls' school, has been declared unsafe and the haveli, which was the oldest residential building in the town, has almost collapsed. Reasi Forts The Bhimgarh and the Zorawar forts at Reasi in Udhampur district that are an important part of the Dogra history are also fading due to neglect. The Bhimgarh fort that was built in the 19th century has suffered major damage although it has been declared a protected monument by the state Department of Archaeology. The structure of the fort has weakened due to the growth of vegetation on it. The bastions on the southern and northern sides have suffered major damage and a portion of the fort has collapsed. The Zorawar fort is lying unprotected with only two small structures standing there. This is virtually disrespect to the legendary general who extended the boundaries of the state far and wide. The historical complexes in the Ramnagar town have also decayed due to official neglect.