H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

698 villages yet to be linked by road
Solan, December 11
Despite tall claims of the state government of having provided all weather roads to the far-flung villages in the state as many as 698 villages in the district are yet to be connected by road. While the Centre Government aided Pradhan Mantri Gram Sarak Yojna has brought a number of rural areas within its purview but much remains to be done in this regard.

Two commit suicide
Kangra, December 11
Sanjeev Kumar, 26, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan in his house at Jawali village in the district yesterday. Kangra ASP Santosh Patial said today that Sanjeev’s sister had allegedly eloped with a youth of Dhaan village near Jawali. 

Ex-servicemen’s rally on Dec 14
Shimla, December 11
The state-level rally of ex-servicemen will be held on December 14 at Una. This was stated by a Sainik Welfare Board spokesman here today. 

No increase in tax-free days
Shimla, December 11
The number of off days in a year for the purpose of Special Road Tax imposed on private buses will be 46. 

Rapist of minor gets 7-yr RI
Kulu, December 11
District and Sessions Judge P.D. Goel has sentenced Karma, a resident of Harik, to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2,000 for the rape of a minor girl on May 21, 2001.

Dharna by govt press workers
Shimla, December 11
Workers of the Government of India Press, Tutikandi, staged a dharna outside the state Secretariat here to highlight their problems and to draw the Chief Minister’s attention. 

Firms booked under Environment Act
Shimla, December 11
Following the Supreme Court guidelines on hoardings, the state government has registered cases against Gagan ghee, Mahan ghee, Servo, Purolator and Hotel Springfield under Section 15 of the Environment Act.

73 deodar sleepers seized
Shimla, December 11
The police seized 73 deodar sleepers, worth Rs 2.50 lakh, from a truck on the Manali-Rohtang road near Kothi in Kulu district yesterday.

698 villages yet to be linked by road
Our Correspondent

Solan, December 11
Despite tall claims of the state government of having provided all weather roads to the far-flung villages in the state as many as 698 villages in the district are yet to be connected by road. While the Centre Government aided Pradhan Mantri Gram Sarak Yojna (PMGSY) has brought a number of rural areas within its purview but much remains to be done in this regard.

Addressing mediapersons in the monthly meet the press programme the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Bharat Khera, and Superintendent Engineer of Public Works Department, Mr Y.R. Sharma said efforts were on to enhance connectivity.

While denying that work suffered due to lack of workforce in the region he stated that new appointments had been banned by the state government.

They informed that a team of the World Bank, on a recent visit to the town, had pointed out certain flaws in the guidelines of the PMGSY and had suggested certain changes.

These included providing compensation to the villagers who surrender their land for the construction of roads, ensuring that all clusters of villagers having population below 100 be connected, proper emphasis be given to check environmental degradation in the course of road construction and earmarking responsibility for the maintenance of roads after their construction.

Two commit suicide
Our Correspondent

Kangra, December 11
Sanjeev Kumar, 26, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan in his house at Jawali village in the district yesterday.

Kangra ASP Santosh Patial said today that Sanjeev’s sister had allegedly eloped with a youth of Dhaan village near Jawali. He said Sanjeev was shocked at the episode and feeling ashamed of his sister’s act, he ended his life.

The ASP said Sanjeev’s sister was engaged to some other person. He said Sanjeev was married and had a one-year-old son. Meanwhile, a 24-year-old woman allegedly committed suicide by jumping from a hillock at Mala village near Jaisinghpur in the district last evening, the police said here today.

In yet another case, a scooterist was killed in a road accident last evening on the outskirts of Palampur town on the Pathankot-Mandi highway, the police said here today. The deceased has been identified as Satnam Singh of Baijnath.

Ex-servicemen’s rally on Dec 14
Our Correspondent

Shimla, December 11
The state-level rally of ex-servicemen will be held on December 14 at Una. This was stated by a Sainik Welfare Board spokesman here today. 

Lt.-Gen N.C. Vij, Vice-Chief of Army Staff, will also address the rally. The spokesman added that a recruitment rally will also be held from December 15 to 18 at Police Ground, in Una.

No increase in tax-free days
Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 11
The number of off days in a year for the purpose of Special Road Tax (SRT) imposed on private buses will be 46. 

A government spokesman said today that the 13 additional off days had not been granted in addition to the 46 days. The government had earlier granted 13 additional off days to those who regularly paid taxes.

Rapist of minor gets 7-yr RI
Our Correspondent

Kulu, December 11
District and Sessions Judge P.D. Goel has sentenced Karma, a resident of Harik, to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2,000 for the rape of a minor girl on May 21, 2001.

In default of payment of fine, a further six months’ imprisonment was announced.

A report was lodged in Keylong police station regarding the case by the family members of the victim.

Dharna by govt press workers
Our Correspondent

Shimla, December 11
Workers of the Government of India Press, Tutikandi, staged a dharna outside the state Secretariat here to highlight their problems and to draw the Chief Minister’s attention. 

The press workers were joined by the SFI and the DYFI activists and also CITU activists. The action committee of the press workers is fighting against the closure of the press.

Firms booked under Environment Act
Our Correspondent

Shimla, December 11
Following the Supreme Court guidelines on hoardings, the state government has registered cases against Gagan ghee, Mahan ghee, Servo, Purolator and Hotel Springfield under Section 15 of the Environment Act. This was done as these companies failed to comply with the guidelines within the notice period. This was stated here today by Mr Avay Shukla, Principal Secretary (Science, Technology and Environment).

He said cases would be registered soon against the local bodies of Shimla, Manali, Mandi, Dalhousie and Hamirpur for polluting the environment under the Water Act, Air Act, Environment Protection Act and Forest Act. Mr Shukla said cases would be registered against those local bodies where sewage disposal plants had been installed but were not operational.

Mr Shukla said notices had been served to zonal hospitals to set up plants to treat bio-medical waste.

73 deodar sleepers seized

Shimla, December 11
The police seized 73 deodar sleepers, worth Rs 2.50 lakh, from a truck on the Manali-Rohtang road near Kothi in Kulu district yesterday.

District Police chief N. Venugopal said today that all three persons travelling in the truck and the driver of a van escorting the truck had been arrested. The owner of the timber, who was travelling in the van, has absconded. The timber was being transported from Naggar to Kokhsar. A case was registered under the Forest Act.