Himachal Pradesh Civil Supplies Minister G.S. Bali on Monday ordered a probe into the supply of free school uniform to all categories of students up to Class 10. Questioned by the BJP over the supply of poor quality dresses by the Government, Bali told the Assembly that an inquiry would be conducted and the report be tabled in the house in this session.
The Minister said 193 samples of various dresses were analysed randomly and discrepancies were found in 57 samples. “A sum of Rs4.56 crore was imposed as a fine on the supplier for these inferior dresses in 2013-14. In 2014-15, Rs3.88 crore fine was imposed on the supplier,” Bali said. Former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal wanted to know why the contract for supplying dresses was given to the erring supplier repeatedly.
BJP’s former education Minister I.D. Dhiman demanded action against those who placed the order. Official sources said the Government had been providing school uniform to over 10 lakh students in Government schools every year free of cost. This cost the exchequer over Rs60 crore annually. Under the scheme, all students from Class 1 to 10 would get uniform. Himachal Pradesh has over 15,000 primary and higher secondary Government schools with a strength of around 10 lakh students.
Himachal fails to ply CNG vehicles on Rohtang despite order
The Himachal Pradesh Government is doing little to implement an order to ply CNG buses on the majestic Rohtang Pass, an area that is staring at ecological destruction. In a written reply to the Assembly, State Transport Minister G.S. Bali said there is no proposal to start compressed natural gas (CNG) buses in the high hills. He, however, added that “in the low hills, modalities in this regard could be worked out”.
With this, the State Government seems to have disregarded the order of the National Green Tribunal to run CNG vehicles on the pass to protect its fragile ecology. Scientific studies show that the eco-system of the high Himalayan mountain pass Rohtang, located at an altitude of 13,050 feet and some 52 km from picturesque tourist spot Manali, is being damaged by the increasing tourist inflow and exhaust fumes of vehicles.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has however rejected the possibility of CNG buses being plied. “The issue of environment is not limited till Rohtang Pass. We have to care for preserving the same throughout the State. Plying of CNG buses for facilitating tourism just till Rohtang is not feasible,” an official statement quoting the Chief Minister said. The pass lies on the watershed between the Chenab and the Beas river basins.
265,840 cases pending in Himachal courts
Justice is still a distant cry in Himachal Pradesh, as 265,840 cases are still pending in the High Court and lower courts. In a written reply to BJP member Suresh Bhardwaj, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who also holds the Home portfolio, said that 296 of these cases are pending in the High Court for more than a decade.
He said 39,616 cases were pending in the High Court till 2014. The situation is hardly better in the subordinate courts, as 226,224 cases are pending adjudication for more than a decade. This included 134,314 criminal cases. Seven criminal cases have been pending in the High Court for over a decade. likewise, in the subordinate courts, 6,378 criminal cases, have been pending for five years.