H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Job scam: case against SSSB chief likely
Hamirpur, March 12
The Enforcement Department of the police today made a breakthrough in the recruitment scandal of the HP State Subordinate Selection Board (HPSSSB). The investigating agency may book Mr Surendra Mohan Katwal, Chairman of the board, under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly giving jobs on chits and burning records.

Protest against illegal mining
Nurpur, March 12
Residents of Khanni upper, Hadal, Baduee and Khanni lower gram panchayats of the Nurpur subdivision are up in arms against illegal mining at Chakki river bed by stone crushers in the Haryal area neighbouring Punjab, thanks to the apathy of the state Mining Department.

An old man greets Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh at Oak Over in Shimla on Wednesday.

Chamera project to be commissioned in June
Chamba, March 12
Mr A.K. Gangopadhyay, Director (Projects), National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), today claimed that since the 300 mw Chamera hydroelectric project (Stage-II) on the Ravi in Chamba was performing well and despite odd natural calamities, had made excellent progress it was expected to be commissioned in June this year instead of 2004, more than a year ahead of schedule.

Additional foodgrains to be distributed
Shimla, March 12
Mr Singhi Ram, Food and Civil Supplies Minister, said here today the additional quota of foodgrains from March to May would be distributed soon.

Ultimatum by teachers
Hamirpur, March 12
The National Institute of Technology Teachers Association Hamirpur (NITTAH) today served a 48-hour notice to the Ministry of Human Resource Department to remove the Acting Director of the institution, Dr. S.K. Bhowmick, failing which they would stop teaching work indefinitely from 3 p.m. on March 14.

‘Grace marks may be given’
Dharamsala, March 12
The Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education, Dr C.L. Gupta, today made clear that if the complaints regarding questions papers of different classes outside syllabus were found correct, the board may give suitable grace marks in the subjects.

PNB officers hold protest
Dharamsala, March 12
Officers of Punjab National Bank (PNB) today held a demonstration in front of the bank’s regional office here.

Job scam: case against SSSB chief likely
Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, March 12
The Enforcement Department of the police today made a breakthrough in the recruitment scandal of the HP State Subordinate Selection Board (HPSSSB). The investigating agency may book Mr Surendra Mohan Katwal, Chairman of the board, under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly giving jobs on chits and burning records.

Insiders in the government told The Tribune this afternoon that the investigating agency had found chits issued by a number of BJP leaders with names of candidates, most of whom were subsequently appointed TGT teachers and “vidya upasakas”, written on them.

The sources said there might be a prima facie case against the board Chairman and some officers.

The sources said the investigating agency had decided to take Mr Katwal to Una and later to Shimla for further inquiries.

The enforcement team continued the search operation of the board office for the fifth day today. The team seized several documents from the almirah of the Chairman. The team, headed by Mr Jagjit Kumar Gupta, DIG (Enforcement), had so for seized records pertaining to 15 categories of recruitment.

When contacted, Mr Gupta confirmed that some documents and chits issued by various BJP leaders had been seized. He said the Chairman had tried to snatch an envelope on which some telephone numbers had been written.

When contacted, Mr Katwal said he was a law-abiding citizen and would comply with the orders and directions of the state government. He said he had not committed any crime.

He, however, justified the rules of business framed by the board for the betterment of the institution and its functioning. He also spoke to some reporters and said today’s meeting might be his last with them.

Protest against illegal mining
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, March 12
Residents of Khanni upper, Hadal, Baduee and Khanni lower gram panchayats of the Nurpur subdivision are up in arms against illegal mining at Chakki river bed by stone crushers in the Haryal area neighbouring Punjab, thanks to the apathy of the state Mining Department. The Punjab Government had not granted mining lease to these crushers. As a result, these crushers have started extracting raw material from Chakki falling under Himachal Pradesh with impunity.

Inquiries have revealed that no mining lease has been granted to the crusher industry in this area. The illegal mining has caused concern to residents of the surrounding rural areas.

The residents of the affected gram panchayats submitted a memorandum to the state government through the Sub Divisional Magistrate, Nurpur, yesterday and demanded that the illegal mining stopped immediately. In the memorandum, they pleaded that the extraction of raw material by crusher owners from as many as 2,000 kanals of the river bed had created ditches which were 10 to 15 feet deep. They said they were worried that their 1,000 acres of fertile land was facing soil erosion due to mining.

Chamera project to be commissioned in June

Chamba, March 12
Mr A.K. Gangopadhyay, Director (Projects), National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), today claimed that since the 300 mw Chamera hydroelectric project (Stage-II) on the Ravi in Chamba was performing well and despite odd natural calamities, had made excellent progress it was expected to be commissioned in June this year instead of 2004, more than a year ahead of schedule.

After taking stock of the situation, Mr Gangopadhyay said the NHPC was working hard to get the draft project report of the 231 mw Chamera hydroelectric project (Stage-III), cleared from the Government of India at the earliest. Thereafter, it would float global tenders for the construction of this project.

Simultaneously, the NHPC would award the construction work on the Chamera (Stage-III) on a turnkey basis through international competitive bidding.

Mr Gangopadhyay said the 30-mw Chamera hydroelectric project (Stage-II) was being constructed on the Ravi in Chamba district at an estimated cost of Rs 1700 crore on a turnkey basis with an Indo-Canadian consortium led by Jai Prakash Industries.

Additional foodgrains to be distributed
Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 12
Mr Singhi Ram, Food and Civil Supplies Minister, said here today the additional quota of foodgrains from March to May would be distributed soon. He said the Government of India had provided 75,000 metric tonnes of foodgrains on BPL rates which would be supplied to all consumers in the state at the state of 20 kg per month per family a total of 60 kg for three months. The families above poverty line would be benefitted by this scheme, he added.

Mr Singhi Ram said effective steps had been taken to ensure the availability of foodgrains in all parts of the state. Under this scheme, 15 kg of rice at the rate of Rs 7 per kg and 5 kg wheat at Rs 5.40 per family would be given.

Ultimatum by teachers
Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, March 12
The National Institute of Technology Teachers Association Hamirpur (NITTAH) today served a 48-hour notice to the Ministry of Human Resource Department to remove the Acting Director of the institution, Dr. S.K. Bhowmick, failing which they would stop teaching work indefinitely from 3 p.m. on March 14.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of NITTAH under the chairmanship of its newly elected president, Mr Des Raj Rana, here today.

‘Grace marks may be given’

Dharamsala, March 12
The Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education, Dr C.L. Gupta, today made clear that if the complaints regarding questions papers of different classes outside syllabus were found correct, the board may give suitable grace marks in the subjects. Dr Gupta, in a statement here today, said the board had received some complaints through different sources that some questions in some papers in the current examination were out of syllabus. He said the experts would give their suggestions in taking a decision on the grace marks issue. UNI

PNB officers hold protest
Our Correspondent

Dharamsala, March 12
Officers of Punjab National Bank (PNB) today held a demonstration in front of the bank’s regional office here.

According to Mr P.S. Rana, president, and Mr R.K. Kalia, zonal secretary of the All-India Punjab National Bank Officers’ Association, they were protesting against senior officers giving adverse remarks in the confidential reports of certain officials to ensure that they do not remain eligible for promotions. They demanded a high-level enquiry into the matter.