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| Friday,
April 19, 2002, Chandigarh, India
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24,513-cr
master plan to recharge ground water Tension
precedes Christian sammelan Intellectual
freedom lacking: Dhumal Palampur
cries for better amenities |
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MDRTB
treatment ‘need of hour’
HC
directs Home Secy, DGP to reply Janata
Dal (S) seeks President’s rule in Gujarat Employees’
JCC to meet govt on May 3
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24,513-cr master plan to recharge ground water Shimla, April 18 The master plan has been prepared by a four-member team comprising Dr
S. K. Sharma, Mr Santosh Kumar, Dr Saleem Romani and Mr M. Mehta. The states of
Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Chandigarh have been included in the master plan and an amount of Rs 1578 crore is proposed to be spent in these places. According to Mr
M. Mehta, Regional Director of the CGWB, a sum of Rs 528 crore is proposed to be spent in Punjab to recharge an area of 22,750 sq km. As many as 40,030 recharge shafts and trenches and 12800 roof top harvesting structures in the urban areas are proposed to be constructed under the master plan. The master plan envisages to spend Rs 332 crore in Haryana on15928 recharge shafts and trenches. As many as 1.7 lakh houses are proposed to be covered under the roof top rain water harvesting. The CGWB has estimated to spend a sum of Rs 246.5 crores in Jammu and Kashmir for constructing 5,500 sub-surface dykes and revival of 336 kandi ponds. Roof top water harvesting is proposed in 1.5 lakh houses. The master plan envisages an amount of Rs 6 crores for the Union Territory of Chandigarh where 10,65 recharge shafts, trenches, check dams and gabian structures are proposed to be constructed. It has been pointed out that the monsoon run-off, which goes out as waste from the city flowing over 40 per cent of the paved area, can be utilised by roof top harvesting. Utilisation of rainfall run off will also help in checking the flow of storm water and flooding of areas. The master plan lays stress on revival of traditional ponds and springs, besides constructing sub-surface dykes and check dams for which the master plan has estimated an amount of Rs 465.5 crore. |
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Tension
precedes Christian sammelan Kangra, April 18 According to Pastor Timotheus (Behl) the local organiser here, Mr Harin Gomas, from Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu), is scheduled to hold five-day ‘Susamachar and Sukh Dayak Sammelan’ in Kangra town to divine heal mentally and physically ailing and with chronic diseases, poor and others with family and social problems. Dr Gulshan Kumar State Chief of the Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) said here today that an attempt was being made to vitiate peace of this pilgrim town in particular and the state in general by organising such a programme. He alleged that Christian missionaries were active in the state for quite some time and involved in forcible conversions. He wanted the district administration to understand the gravity of the situation and take an-appropriate decision in this regard. Dr Rameshwer, State Vice-President of the
RSS said today here that the Christian missionaries were misleading the innocent Hindus of the state allegedly for vested interests and paving the way for forcible conversions in the state. He said that he was afraid that Himachal might follow Mizoram and Nagaland where Christian missionaries were allegedly found behind militancy and the anti national activities, Dr Rameshwer asked the administration to take timely action to avert any untoward incident otherwise they would be forced to take appropriate step in this connection. Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh leader Mr Bal Ram Sharma, also has supported the Shiv Sena and the RSS on this issue. Meanwhile, Dr Gulshan Kumar said that an action committee was being framed to launch an agitation against the holding of this sammelan here. |
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Intellectual
freedom
lacking: Dhumal Shimla, April 18 Presiding over a function organised by the state Language, Art and Culture Academy in connection with the Hindu new year day here, he said the country had been liberated from foreign rulers but it had failed to achieve intellectual freedom mainly because it made no effort to change the education system introduced by the British. The new generations were gradually losing their cultural moorings as the present education system was not based on the country’s ethos. Instead of taking pride in the country’s culture, traditions and achievements in various fields, the people, who were being taught “distorted” history, were suffering from an ingrained inferiority complex. Most of the scholars, who were the product of this education system, had also been a victim of “intellectual slavery”. The “so-called” progressive scholars had very shallow knowledge about the country’s culture and history. They accepted the traditional Indian sciences and other disciplines only after the western scholars put their seal of approval on these. Ancient sciences like Ayurveda and Yoga had of late found acceptance as they had already become popular in the west. The country was most advanced in astronomy and astrology but their introduction as subjects was being opposed. This was despite the fact that most of those who were opposing it themselves consulted astrologers. Mr Ram Singh, an eminent historian and a former head of the All- India Itihas Sanklan Samiti, in his keynote address underlined the need to reintroduce traditional subjects to acquaint the new generation with the country’s rich cultural and historical past. He said
“Samvatsar”, the Hindu new year day, was very important in “kal
ganana” — the Indian system of reckoning time which was the oldest and most scientific and provided detailed information regarding complex issues like life of planets, stars, galaxies and of course, the start and end of human life. The year which commenced on April 13 was the 5104th year of the Kalyuga and 197,29,49,104 year since the human life came into being. As per the “kal
ganana” the present Bramhand (cosmos) would last for 400 crore year and it was about to reach the half way mark. Mr I.D. Dhiman, the Education Minister, also spoke. |
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Palampur cries
for better amenities Palampur Differences among municipal councillors have made matters worse. No one in the Municipal Council seems to be worried about improving things. Owing to overflowing drains, dirty water collects on the streets. Roads and streets dug for laying water pipes, telephone cables and sewer pipes are yet to be repaired. The condition of the busy gurdwara and cinema roads leading to the inter-state bus terminal is also poor. Heaps of garbage can be seen in almost every locality. In many areas garbage is not removed for days together. The internal parts of the town are no better as the panchayats have no resources to maintain cleanliness, resulting in huge garbage dumps on the roadside at Ghuggar, the SSB Chowk area, Aima, Bundla and Chokki Khalet. Haphazard construction of housing colonies has become common. Since the colonies have come up in panchayat areas, they lack amenities like streetlights, roads, sewerage and piped water supply. There has been a mushroom growth of colonies despite the state government having brought the town under the HP Town and Country Planning Act. A number of houses have come up without the approval of the Town and Country Planning Department. Often government and semi-government departments do not bother to seek clearance from this department while constructing their buildings. Stray animals also cause a lot of inconvenience to residents. The animals feed on heaps of garbage in different areas. Little effort is made by the municipal authorities to check the menace. Streetlights provided by the Municipal Council in panchayat areas have been out of order for the past six months. Despite repeated complaints, the grievance has not been redressed. The long-standing demand of residents for the extension of the municipal limits is yet to be accepted. At present only 20 per cent area of the town comes under the council and the rest falls under the panchayats. Mr Ravinder Thakur, Himachal Minister, says the state government has agreed in principle to bring the panchayat areas under the council and a notification to this effect will be issued soon. |
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Water shortage in Palampur areas Palampur, April 18 Most of the villages in the area which are being supplied water through lift water supply schemes are the worst affected as pumping sets installed here are either out of order or non-functional due to low power voltage. Irrigation and Public Health Department officials never bother to visit these backward areas. A panchayat pradhan from the Ashapuri area told this correspondent here today that Ashapuri-Dodan Balli, one of the major schemes supplying water to 36 villages had come to standstill for the past one week. Its water supply pipes had choked. In the absence of a filtration bed silt is mixing in the water damaging the pumping sets. Situation in Palampur town and its adjoining areas is also not good. Lower areas of the town and income tax complex have not received potable water for the past three days. Despite repeated reminders to the local municipal authorities, no efforts have been made in this connection. Ghuggr, Aima, Sughar, Khilroo, Bindravan and Choki Khalet are receiving water once in a day. The poor maintenance of the schemes by the Irrigation and Public Health Department is said to be a major cause of the shortage of water in the Palampur area. The Palampur Citizen Council has criticised the department for its failure to provide potable water. According to a press note issued by the council there had been manifold increase in the population of town but no steps have been taken to augment the water supply schemes by the authorities concerned in past 10 years. |
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MDRTB treatment
‘need of hour’ Kumarhatti, April 18 The society — formed mainly to provide financial help to MDRTB patients — at its inaugural function at the sanatorium today decided to assure proper treatment to selected patients from its funds to be collected from the state government and public donations. Around Rs 2 lakh is required for the treatment of a MDRTB patient that generally takes 18 to 24 months to convert sputum from positive to negative. The MDRTB is such a stage of TB where the patient stops to respond to conventional drugs used to cure TB. Talking to The Triune, Dr R.P. Kaushal, Medical Superintendent of the sanatorium, said proper treatment of MDRTB patients had become the need of the hour as more and more TB patients were falling a prey to this deadly disease due to lack of timely treatment. The situation had been becoming worse as most patients suffering from this disease were from a poor economical background. The main aim of the society was to help such poor patients and to arrest the spread of the disease. The MDRTB was a
contagious disease and a potential health threat as if it was not cured properly, one patient could infect 20 healthy persons, he cautioned. Elaborating the reasons behind the disease Dr Kaushal said an ordinary TB case could become MDRTB due to haphazard or inadequate treatment, discontinuation of treatment by patients due to lack of awareness, improper treatment and wrong advise by the physician. He expressed dismay over the meagre financial grant being received by the society from the government and other social organisations, despite requests. There was no budgetary provision and the government policy for MDRTB and even the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme was silent on it. The society received a shot in the arm when at the function seven more persons became members of the society. The DC, Solan, who is also chairman of the society, assured the society of more help. |
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Marrying
outside caste invites police wrath Dharamsala, April 18 Talking to mediapersons here today, she alleged that ever since she married Sukhjit Singh of Panchkula, the police had been troubling her husband and in-laws. “Since we fear that there will be attempts to eliminate Sukhjit Singh, we have been fleeing our home for the past few days”, she stated. She alleged that the police had even raided their house in their absence. She said her family had all along been opposed to her relations with her husband, whom she married in the presence of her friends at a temple. Instead of providing protection to her husband and in-laws, the police was troubling them, she added. She distributed copies of a complaint sent to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, DGP (Haryana) and SP (Panchkula), requesting them to protect her family from undue harassment as she is a major and has had the legal right to marry a man of her choice. Her mother-in-law is a diabetic patient. They would return home only once they are assured that no harm would be done to her husband and his family, said Ritu, who is doing a BHMS course, while her husband is a computer designer. |
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HC directs Home Secy, DGP to reply Shimla, April 18 The petitioner stated in the petition that he was a former Director of Alpine Floritech Limited which in keeping with its objectives sought deposit from public for investment in land, floritech, inputs and outs during this period from 1996 to 1998. It was during this period that Col. (retd) Vishav Mohan Jain was at the helm of the said company and at that time receipt of deposits from public to company’s business mounted to Rs three crore nearly. He further alleged that an FIR was registered with Sadar police station, Sabzi Mandi, Shimla under Sections 420, 467, 471 and 120-B of the IPC which was registered against the company and its Director due to non payment of the maturity amount of the public. And during investigation he was remanded for custodial interrogation by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Shimla and presently was confined in Model Jail, Chandigarh. He further alleged that the M.D. of the company and he had been made the prime accused in the above said FIR, but no action had been taken against him and other Directors of the company. While issuing notices a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice
W. A. Shishak and Mr Justice L. S. Panta further directed all respondents to file reply within four weeks. |
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Janata Dal (S) seeks President’s rule in Gujarat Shimla, April 18 The demand was made at a meeting of the party, convened by Mr Ranjit Singh, here today. The party demanded that criminal proceedings should be initiated against the Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, on the basis of the report of the National Human Rights Commission. It said a sitting judge of the Supreme Court should be appointed to hold an inquiry into the riots. |
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Employees’ JCC to meet govt on May 3 Hamirpur, April 18 He said senior leaders of the federation and associated bodies would attend the meeting. He strongly opposed the decision of the government to link the Sericulture Wing of the Industries Department with any other department. Mr Bharmauria demanded immediate implementation of decisions taken in the last meeting of the JCC and release of ADA instalment, which he said was due since July 1, 2001. |
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