A review meeting was held here today under the chairmanship of Horticulture and Jal Shakti Minister Mahender Singh Thakur for setting up indigenous anti-hail guns on trial basis and making timely availability of cartons to the horticulturists for selling their apple produce. Horticulture and Jal Shakti Minister directed the officers to take necessary steps in time to facilitate the horticulturists so that they do not face any problems for transportation of their produce.He said that IIT Mumbai and Dr. Y.S. Parmar Horticulture and Forestry University Nauni have jointly developed indigenous anti-hail gun. He said that keeping in view the welfare of the Horticulturists a project should be prepared to install indigenous anti-hail guns at 8 to 10 places in the state on a trial basis. He said that at present the foreign made anti-hail guns are being used in the state which costs about Rs. 2 to 3 crore. He said that the cost of anti-hail gun could be reduced only by adopting anti-hail gun of indigenous technology.
He said that the rates of apple boxes should be fixed in collaboration with HPMC and manufacturers of apple boxes should be empanelled so that the apple boxes could be made available to the horticulturists at reasonable rates in time.Mahender Singh Thakur said that the works of marketing yards and cold house etc. being built under World Bank funded horticulture project should be expedited. He said that the name and number of the fruit procurement centers should be mentioned on the bags which are procured by HPMC and HIMFED under MIS so that the quality of fruits procured could be ensured at every level.Chairman APMC Shimla Naresh Sharma, Managing Director APMC Naresh Thakur, Professor IIT Mumbai Sudarshan Kumar, Professor Dr. Y.S. Parmer Horticulture University, Nauni S.K Bhardwaj, Representatives of World Bank Ashish Nadda, Director Horticulture J.P. Sharma, Project Director Integrated Horticulture Development Project Hem Chand, SMS Devendra Thakur, Dharamveer Kalta, President Fruit Growers Association Harish Chauhan, Member of Seri Baglon Fruit Growers Association Hukm Chand Thakur were present in the meeting.