 |
| Tuesday, February 22, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
|
HP
Govt plans food processing units Mud shack for a school 25 robina trees infected Virbhadra flays BJP move on
Constitution Yuva Manch not parallel body to
YC: Virbhadra Concern over environment body's
report |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Trust donates 10 lakh to
hospital Murder of taxi driver: 1 arrested Plea to declare ADA as class I
post Simian antics irk residents Water supply schemes fail to take
off
|
HP Govt plans food
processing units SHIMLA, Feb 21 — The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, has said the government has decided to involve people in the development process by making them a part of policies and programme formulation so that various schemes launched by the government could yield desired results. He said the benefits of programmes launched during last 52 years for the welfare of people had not percolated down to the needy and deserving. The Chief Minister, who was inaugurating a two-day state-level Mahila Mandal workshop here today, urged them to come forward and contribute in the development of the state. He said women should set up cottage industries based on the local raw material. The government had also decided to set up a five fruit processing and training units this year. They (women) should take advantage by getting themselves trained in fruit processings. Speaking about the steps taken by the government for the welfare of women during last two years, Mr Dhumal said their participation had been ensured in Panchayati Raj institutions by providing 33 per cent reservation to them in these as a result of which 6,895 women were elected at panchayats, 581 at panchayat samitis and 88 at the zila parishad level. Praising the role of women in the national reconstruction, he said involvement of women in rural development could bring about a qualitative change and for this they would have to be made aware of such programmes and workshops. Mahila Mandals were a right forum for it and the state government has launched a "Mahila Mandals Protsahan Yojna" with a view to strengthening these. The Chief Minister said
3,475 groups had been formed to help women set up their
ventures. And from this year "Swaran Jayanti Gram
Swarojgar Yojna" scheme had been started under which
50 per cent of the group would be formed from amongst
women. Other schemes like "Nari Sewa Sadan",
widow pension and marriage grant to girls were also being
implemented, he added. |
Mud shack for a school CHAMBA, Feb 21 (UNI) — Four mud walls and a roof which makes it look more like a shack than a school, tells the state of primary education facilities in the district of Himachal Pradesh. An average of three teachers run a school from Class I-V in this district, which has a total of 786 primary education institutions. A majority of them has no more than three rooms, and basic requirements like water and electricity are absent, leave alone other accessories or a playground. An all-India education survey carried out by the union government shows that this district has only 86 primary schools, a playground and provisions for water and power. Of its 786 primary schools, 80 function in rented structures. Among the rest, 267 are one-room schools, 270 two-room and the rest 169 three-room schools. Most of them have children (who average 60) exposed to risk of life, with classes being taken under old wooden houses and mud huts. Of the 2,600 teaching posts in total, 200, including that of voluntary teachers' are lying vacant. The situation in such a case may not appear alarming, but the fact is that there is a disparity in the spread of teachers in urban and rural areas. Most schools in urban areas are over-staffed while those in the interiors are run by a single teacher who has to train pupils in all five classes. There are also a large number of schools where the rugged terrain forces no school to come up within a 1-km radius. Pre-primary education is almost absent. Five of them function in small towns, while tiny tots in the village have none. To make primary education accessible to all children, the state government has proposed that more primary schools be opened. The proposed institutions will be opened under the World Bank-aided district primary education programme in habitations beyond a distance of a kilometre. The government has also proposed to open primary schools in panchayats declared backward, besides tribal pockets of the district. As per the 1991 census,
the literacy rate of this district is 44.7 per cent
against the state average of 63.54. |
25 robina trees infected SHIMLA, Feb 21 — The outbreak of a new fungal disease, which has infected over 25 robina trees in the premises of Raj Bhavan here, has raised alarm in the forestry circles. This is the third major outbreak of disease recorded in the state over the past one year, while a fungus "phytophthora cinnamomi" has dried up over 800 full-grown deodar trees near Chail and hundreds of shisham trees in Bilaspur, Mandi, Hamirpur and Kangra have been destroyed by wilt disease. The unnatural drying of robina trees was first noticed by Mrs V.S. Rama Devi, a former Governor, in October. She immediately summoned officers of the Forest Department and asked them to look into the matter. The department in turn entrusted the work to the Himalayan Research Group (HRG) a non-government organisation (NGO), which identified the diseases infecting deodar and shisham. Scientists of HRG and Forest Department searched the site for the organism which was later identified as "fomes fometarius", a pathogen of forest. The fungus was present on a dried horse chestnut tree nearby the infected patch of robina tree. The fungus isolated from roots, stem wood and bark of infected robina trees resembled the one isolated from conks of "fomes fometarious" growing on the horse chestnut tree. If not controlled in time the fungus could infect not only the healthy robina trees but also other species. The Forest Department has removed the infected trees and the area has been fumigated with fungicides, according to Mr S.K. Panday, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest. A special drenching of fungicides was carried out to disinfect the big horse chestnut tree, the harbourer of the fungus as its removal was not favoured by Raj Bhavan. However, these measures, scientists fear, might prove futile as the fungus, which takes 15 to 20 years to produce visible symptoms of disease on deodar, could have already spread to adjoining trees. The frequent outbreak of
diseases is causing concern to the department as not much
work has been done in detecting and combating forest
diseases so far. |
Virbhadra flays BJP move on
Constitution HAMIRPUR, Feb 21 — Former HP Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today criticised the BJP for setting up a panel to review the Constitution. The BJP, he alleged, was playing to form a presidential form of government in the garb of review in the Constitution. Mr Virbhadra Singh, who completed a two-day tour of Hamirpur and Kangra district, said there was no need for constitutional review as it had been changed a number of times as per the needs of the people. The Congress would not allow the BJP to achieve its evil designs. The former Chief Minister welcomed the decision of the party high command to hold the organisational elections through secret ballot. He claimed the days of
the BJP Government were numbered as it had faith of the
people. The BJP had failed to implement its election
promises. The Congress would continue the BJP-HVC
government inside and outside the State Assembly. |
Yuva Manch not parallel body
to YC: Virbhadra SHIMLA, Feb 21 — The detractors of the CLP leader and former Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh, today received a set back as he clarified to the party high command that the recently set up "Yuva Vichar Manch" was not a parallel organisation of the Youth Congress. Mr Virbhadra Singh talked to the AICC general secretary Mr Moti Lal Vora, on telephone and explained to him that the manch was a literary organisation floated by some intellectuals to propagate the ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawahrlal Nehru and Mrs Indira Gandhi. It would provide platform to the like-minded people to discuss and debate various issues. The rivals of Mr Virbhadra Singh had created an impression that the manch had been set up under, his patronage by some disgruntled persons, who were trying to destabilise the state Youth Congress Chief, Mr Sukhwinder Singh. Mr Virbhadra Singh told Mr Vora, that setting up of the manch was not an act of disobedience. He said the Congress high command had been misled deliberately by some vested interests. Mr Vora, who is looking
after the affairs of Himachal Pradesh in the AICC, had
written to the PCC Chief, Mr Sat Mahajan and urged him to
disband the manch as there was no provision for setting
up a separate outfit. |
Concern over environment body's
report MANDI, Feb 21 — The local Nagar Parishad has expressed shock over the findings of the National Environment Engineering and Research Institute, Nagpur on the impact of the BSL project on Mandi district in its draft report released here recently. Talking to the mediapersons the Nagar Parishad chief, Mr Pushap Raj Sharma, said the draft report had overlooked the irreparable damage caused to the environment of the town by diverting the Beas water to the Sutlej. The deserted look of the dry river in winter had stolen the glamour of this town which earlier had the proud privilege of being located on the bank of meandering Beas. He said Mandi was famous for its sprawling ghats where people used to take a dip on religious occasions in the holy water of the Beas. The silt released from the BSL canal and reservoir had covered these ghats. Mr Sharma has demanded that the ghats buried under silt should be restored by the BBMB authorities and a small dam should be constructed to make a lake as a partially compensation for the people of the town. He said by drying the Beas river the BBMB authorities had caused an irreparable loss to the historic town which had been built by the rulers of Mandi state centuries ago on the banks of Beas. The project authorities were legally and morally bound to compensate the people of the town, he added. He called upon scientists of National Environmental Engineering and Research Institute Nagpur to go into this aspect of the problem also in its final report. He said an integrated
plan should be drawn up to solve the problems of silting
of Balh valley and where many houses had developed cracks
in the Baggi area due to vibrations as well as
environmental degradation caused by the diversion of Beas
water to Sutlej. |
Trust donates 10 lakh to
hospital MANDI, Feb 21 — The Deen Sahayak Trust has donated Rs 10 lakh for building additional accommodation in the gynaecological ward of the local Regional Hospital. Mr Y.N. Malhotra, Chairman of the Trust, said the existing gynaecological ward of the hospital was over crowded and expectant mothers were being subjected to great hardship. The Trust, therefore, decided to donate Rs 10 lakh for building additional accommodation with an independent access. He said a plan had already been drawn up by the members of the Trust for the approval and speedy execution of the project by authorities concerned. Earlier, the Trust had donated books worth Rs 40,000 for the District Library. The two organisations — "Deen Dukhia Sahayak Dal" and "Deen Sahayak Trust" founded by Mr Y.N. Malhotra, a retired S.E. are doing a yeomen service by helping the aged, handicapped and poor persons for over the past 15 years. What is indeed unique
about this innovative venture is that Mr Malhotra has
succeeded in taking the help of the senior citizens. |
Murder of taxi driver: 1
arrested MANDI, Feb 21 — The Mandi police today claimed to have solved the mystery of a missing driver of a Maruti car.The driver Bhim Singh belonged to Kohlu village. Mr O.C. Thakur, SP, told mediapersons that Man Singh, father of the missing driver, had lodged the report. The Ludhiana police had impounded the stolen car during a routine checking and arrested Nirmal Singh who was later released on bail. The Mandi police swung into action when it got intimation of the impounded car at Ludhiana. A police party was sent to Punjab and it arrested Nirmal Singh from Kiratpur and on the basis of clues provided by him Raju and Kuldip of Ludhiana were also arrested by the Mandi police. They told the police that Gurdev Singh was the main accused. They had joined him later for the sale of the stolen car. Gurdev Singh, who was evading arrest despite a number of raids, was arrested at Mandi when he was trying to seek anticipatory bail, said Mr Thakur. Gurdev Singh had
admitted that he had killed driver Bhim Singh with a car
tool and thrown him into the Bhakra canal near Kiratpur.
A case under Section 302 of the IPC has been registered. |
Plea to declare ADA as class
I post MANDI, Feb 21 — The Himachal Pradesh Attorneys’ Association at its biannual meeting here yesterday adopted a resolution demanding that the post of the Assistant District Attorney should be declared as class one. The association further resolved that ADAs with seven years of service be declared as public prosecutors. The government was urged to grant time scale promotions to all attorneys on a par with other professionals to end stagnation. The association also urged that the Chief Minister should implement the recommendations of the fifth Pay Commission in totality on Punjab pattern. The following were
elected as the office bearers of the association:
president — Mr Harminder Singh Rana; senior
vice-president — Mr Narinder Kumar Sharma;
vice-presidents — Mr P.R. Patial and Mr C.B.
Acharya; general secretary — Mr Kuldip Sen; and
joint secretary — Mr Purinder K. Sharma. |
Simian antics irk residents KUMARHATTI, Feb 21 — Residents of the town have been in the grip of fear created by the hordes of monkeys in the area. The "intruders" can be seen on the roofs of houses and shops. They don't hesitate from entering into their houses. Their antics often lead to the disruption of telecom and cable wires. The monkeys attack fruits and sweet shops. There have also been incidents when monkeys have attacked people in the area. A man succumbed to injuries caused by the irate monkeys in a nearby village. According to villagers, while the man was putting aside the body of a monkey who had crushed by a vehicle, a group of monkeys attacked him. Residents of Dharampur,
3 km from here, also complained that their normal life
had been disrupted by monkeys. |
Water supply schemes fail to
take off PALAMPUR, Feb 21 — Residents of over 52 villages of this district have been facing a shortage of drinking water as nearly 24 rural water supply schemes have not taken off for want of funds. The shortage of funds in the state IPH Department has affected development works in this district and cast its shadow on the water supply to several villages. It is being alleged that nothing is being done to ensure the maintenance of the existing network of water supply schemes. Faulty water pumps and electric motors installed at various lift drinking water supply stations have not been replaced. A senior officer of the
department said: "How can we take up the repair and
replacement of machinery if the department has no budget
in hand." |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | In Spotlight | 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 119 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
