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HP assembly: Forest clearance given to 600 projects, says CM
Says that his government has taken up with the Centre the matter of granting clearance under the Forest Conservation Act on the lines of other states
Himachal chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday said that his government has taken up with the Centre the matter of granting clearance under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) on the lines of other states.
He said that at present, such cases from Himachal are approved by the Supreme Court and about 600 of them have got the nod in the recent days. He was replying to a question asked by Congress MLA Jagat Singh Negi.
The chief minister said the DPRs of six roads in Kinnaur are ready but these works could not start due to pending clearance. He said that he has also spoken to the Prime Minister and Union home minister in this regard.
Thakur said that such cases were not being listed in the SC due to the pandemic. He said government was making efforts to get clearance for other cases as well. The CM said the government has sought forest clearance for Himachal on the lines of other states.
Replying to another question raised by Congress member Sunder Singh Thakur, he said ‘Nai Raahein Nai Manzilein’ scheme launched by the government aimed at developing new tourist places.
He said under the scheme, a helipad is being constructed at the south portal of Atal Tunnel.
Thakur said Chanshal valley is being developed from skiing point of view and Janjehli is being developed as a new destination, while Shiv Dham is coming up at Mandi, known as Chhoti Kashi.
He said Bir Billing is being developed as an adventure sports hub and work is also underway to develop a water sports centre at Pong Dam.
Cooperation and urban development minister Suresh Bhardwaj said that the role of KCC Bank in the irregularities revealed in Talai Village cooperative society will be investigated.
He said that in order to prevent such discrepancies in future, the government has made necessary changes in the Act, under which now only members of the committees will be able to deposit the amount. He was replying to a question asked by MLA Jeet Ram Katwal.
Minister Bhardwaj said that according to the amended Act, it will now be mandatory for the cooperative society to get audit done within six months. He said that a panel of BCom, MCom and chartered accountants has been prepared for conducting the audit.
He said in 2017-18, a case of embezzlement of ₹32.71 crore had come to the fore in the cooperative society. He said irregularities of ₹36.90 crore came to light till March 31, 2019. “ ₹17.7 crore has been returned to those who deposited the amount and the properties of the accused in this case have also been seized,” he added.
Govt considering constituting Swarn Aayog: CM
Himachal CM Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday said that the state government was mulling constituting a Swarn Aayog (commission for upper caste) on the demand of people.
Congress MLA Vikramaditya Singh raised a point of order after the question hour. He said members of Kshatriya Mahasabha had met him regarding their demand. He said the government should think about it by rising above politics.
Responding to the Congress legislator, Thakur said he (Singh) had invited the people of Kshatriya Mahasabha and raised the issue in the House.
The CM said members of Kshatriya Mahasabha had also come to him. He said they used abusive language outside his residence. “Himachal Pradesh is a peaceful state. It is not proper to raise slogans against any caste,” he added.
The CM said Swarn Aayog has been constituted in only two states of the country and the government is studying all aspects and will take a decision at the right time.
He said the government is studying the commission formed by Madhya Pradesh government.
Cong stages walkout
Dissatisfied with the reply of Himachal health minister Rajiv Sezal over corona crisis, Congress legislators staged a walkout.
They alleged that Sezal did not reply to the issues they raised during the discussion, which was initiated by Congress MLA Inderdutt Lakhanpal on Monday and 17 members had participated in it. Congress members alleged that the state government failed to tackle the second wave.
CM Jai Ram Thakur, while intervening, castigated the Opposition over the walkout. Terming it irresponsible, he said the Opposition should have rather listened to the measures adopted by the government to fight the pandemic.
He said no such situation arose in the state where a patient was without a bed. He said patients from other states also came to Himachal for treatment, while reiterating that there was no shortage of oxygen.
Giving details of the measures taken by his government, Thakur said there were 800 ventilators in the state. He said that the Centre provided 500 ventilators to Himachal.
The CM added that Himachal was the first state where vaccine wastage was zero percent. He said there was lack of leadership in the Opposition and its leaders were trying to grab the headlines. Jal Shakti minister Mahhender Singh also condemned the Congress’ walkout .
Uproar in Vidhan Sabha over RSS remarks
The Congress walked out of the House for the second time on Tuesday during a discussion on the welfare schemes being run for women, senior citizens, differently abled and weaker sections of the society.
Tempers ran high after Congress member Jagat Singh Negi made remarks about the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Queen Victoria.
Amid the din, CM Jai Ram strongly condemned the Opposition’s behaviour and termed it an insult to the democratic system. He said that the remarks made by the Congress legislator about the RSS should not be a part of the proceedings. He added that top leadership of the Congress has also respected the Sangh.
Speaker Vipin Singh Parmar said that it was wrong to comment on the RSS. He said what was not spoken on the topic is expunged from proceedings
