July Current affair Himachal

Jul 2, 2013

State declared smoke-free, a 1st for HP in country
Himachal today earned the distinction of becoming the first state in the country to be declared smoke-free with a compliance of 84.52 per cent, based on a scientific technical survey conducted as per international standards.

Balbir Tegta is school education board chairman

July 23, 2013

Setback to Kangra valley small tea planters 
Vijay Arora

Shimla, July 22
In a major setback to the Kangra Valley Small Tea Planters Association, the HP High Court has upheld the provisions of the Himachal Pradesh Ceiling on Land Holdings (Amendment) Act.
The Petitioners Association has challenged the amended provisions of the Act which stipulates that if the tea estate is put to use other than the raising or maintenance of tea plantation or a purpose subservient to tea plantation, irrespective of the fact as to whether such land is in excess of the permissible area or otherwise, it is treated as surplus area and deemed to have been acquired by the state government for a public purpose on payment of amount.
The association further challenged Section 7-A introduced by the amendment Act and seeks to impose a complete ban on the transfer of whole or even part of the land under a tea estate by way of contract, agreement, custom or usage. It further provides the transfer in respect of land under a tea estate has been declared to be void ab initio, notwithstanding the fact that the transfer is effected in favour of a third party before coming into force of the amendment Act on March 29, 2000. Apart from this some more provisions of the Act were challenged by the association.
The petitioner have contended that the amended provisions give unbridled and unfettered powers to the authorities in respect of the grant of permission to transfer and change of user of the land. There are no guidelines as to when permission can be granted and in what circumstances the same should be rejected. Similarly, there are no guidelines as to the manner in which, the land, which is vested in the state government, will be used for public purpose.
The state government has contended before the court that these amended provisions are intended not only to preserve the tea estates in the state, but also to promote and encourage tea estate activity in the state, which is on the downhill for quite some time. While upholding the amended provisions of the Act, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice RB Misra observed that “taking an overall view of the matter, we find no merits in the challenge to the validity of the amended provisions”.




July 24, 2013
State to move apex court for more BBMB arrears
Himachal will prepare an action plan for contesting its claim in the Supreme Court for the release of power arrears on account of its share of 7.19 per cent from the Bhakra Beas Management Board projects.
he state, which had earlier claimed over Rs 4,200 crore, had brought down its share to Rs 2,751.69 crore. However, the Centre had reduced Himachal's claim to mere Rs 1,497.39 crore which the state is unwilling to accept and is now planning to knock the doors of the Supreme Court.

Shipki La Pass- Kinnaur district

July 25, 2013
Jawaharlal Nehru Engineering College, Sundernagar
Atal Bihari Vajpayee Engineering College, Pragtinagar

Una gets world-class astroturf hockey stadium
The Una district of Himachal Pradesh that has produced two Olympian hockey players, Chanranjit Singh and Deepak Thakur, now has an international-level astroturf hockey stadium.
This is the second astroturf hockey stadium in the state. Earlier, an astroturf hockey ground was brought up in the Shilaru area of Shimla district.

Buddhist monasteries
Tabo, Kei in Lahaul-Spiti
Tsughlakakhang monastery opposite the Dalai Lama’s residence in McLeodganj
Gyuto Tantrik Monastery at Sidhbari on the outskirts of Dharamsala, which is the abode of the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorjee.

July 26, 2013
Affected people of Himachal, U’khand to raise issues jointly
The Himalayan Niti Abhiyan (HNA), an apex body of an non-government organisation pursuing environment-related issues, has brought Uttarakhand and Himachal on a common platform to put pressure on the government for formulating a conducive model for the development of the region.



July 30, 2013
Red rice 1st crop from HP to get registration
The efforts of the experts at the Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University (HPAU) to register the red rice variety of Himachal Pradesh, locally known as 'Chhohartu' yielded results when the rice variety got registration under the Protection of Plant Variety and Farmers Right Act 2001.
Thakur Nehar Singh, representative of the farming community, had grown 'Chhohartu' in Rohru tehsil, Shimla, got the registration certificate from Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries Tariq Anwar at a function held in New Delhi recently.
'Chhohartu' is the first variety of any crop from Himachal Pradesh to get the national recognition. The red rice variety was grown in Chhohara and Ransar Valleys of Rohru sub-division, at the altitudes between 1,500 and more than 2,000 meters above the sea level.
The red rice had a special significance in the social life of the community. The paddy of 'Chhohartu' -red rice was gifted on various occasions under different names such as 'Poli' when gifted on occasions of happiness, 'Path' when gifted to a sick person.

"Himalaya ke Sath Sath" by Jagan Singh

Sarbari - a secondary river in Kullu that divides the town of Kullu into two. “A legend is that once the Raja of Kullu offended Devi Phugni. She raised the level of the waters of Sarbari to inundate his place in Kullu. He begged pardon. Devi exonerated him. Since then, Raja goes annually to Devi to offer prayers.”

Great Hindi Short Stories
One of the popular Hindi short stories of Himachali writer SR Harnot’s “M.dot.Com” has found place in an English book entitled “Great Hindi Short Stories”. It has been translated from Hindi to English by renowned English poet and critic Prof Ravi Nandan Sinha, founder editor of The Quest and currently the head of the Postgraduate Department of English, St Xavier’s College, Ranchi. The book has been published by Anubhuti Foundation Mission, New Delhi.
The ‘Great Hindi Short Stories’ is a collection of classic Hindi short stories written during the last 100 years. It is an honour for Harnot that one of his short story has been included alongside works of many celebrated writers
The story M.dot.Com was first published in a renowned Hindi magazine, Kathan, and later included in Harnot’s most popular and awarded book “Jeenkathi Tatha Anya Kahaniyaan” published by Adhar Prakashan Private Limited. The Hindi story has also been included in the book “Hindi ki Classic Kahaniyaan” published by the Harper Collins Publishers, India. The story has been translated in several other Indian languages. Harnot’s famous short story “Maa Reads” had been included in the  book “Gray Areas” published by the Oxford University Press.
State Forensic Science Laboratory (SFSL), Junga

July 31, 2013

Swan tributaries, Chhonej khad to be canalised
Rs 1,102 cr sanctioned for projects in Una, Kangra

Two irrigation projects worth Rs 1,102 crore were sanctioned for Himachal this evening by the Technical Advisory Committee for Flood Control of the Union Ministry for Water Resources.
Sources told The Tribune that Rs 922 crore was sanctioned for the canalisation of Swan river tributaries in Una district and Rs 180 crore for the canalisation of the Chhonej khad in Indora of Kangra district.
The Centre would give 90 per cent grant while 10 per cent be contributed by the state government. The canalisation work would be completed within four years.
The canalisation of 70 tributaries of the Swan would help in reclaiming 7,000 hectare agriculture land in Una district, while of the Chhonej khad would help in reclaiming 1,800 hectare in Indora.

The Swan was once called the sorrow of Una district due to massive flash floods in the river during monsoon.

Green tribunal gets tough on polluters
Solan MC to pay Rs 1 lakh compensation for air pollution

McLeodganj, also known as little Lhasa, is an international tourist destination of Himachal Prsdesh. The presence of the Dalai Lama and headquarters of the Tibetan parliament in exile makes it a destination of international tourist interest.

Work yet to start on Dhola Sidh power project

The construction of the 66-MW Dhola Sidh Hydro-Power Project is likely to be delayed further as the financial approval for the enhanced project cost from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) will take some more time.

The work on the first hydro-power project being built on the Beas in Hamirpur district was mooted in 2002 and it was allotted to Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVN) for the execution in 2009 after which the SJVN had been obtaining various clearances.