H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Land Act not to hinder industrialisation: minister
Shimla, October 18
Mr Ram Lal Thakur, Himachal Industry Minister, today said that the state Land Reforms and Tenancy Act which debarred non-agriculturists from acquiring land in the state would not be allowed to become a hurdle in the way of industrialisation and the government would ensure that entrepreneurs were granted the mandatory permission for the purchase of land for setting up units within a week.

Chief Justice gives call to protect judiciary’s independence
Shimla, October 18
Mr V.N. Khare, Chief Justice of India, today called upon the Bench and the bar, the two main wings of the administration of Justice, to remain vigilant and together to protect the independence of judiciary.

SHO attacked, two arrested
Kangra, October 18
The Station House Officer at Kangra police station was injured last night when attacked with a bottle at Bankhandi village under Haripur police station in Dehra subdivision by two miscreant persons when he was returning after the recovery of cash from a hideout in Dehra subdivision, the police said here today.

4 held for immoral trafficking
Parwanoo, October 18
With the arrest of four persons including a girl, the police claims to have busted a flesh trade racket in Sector 6 here yesterday. According to Shamsher Singh the local SHO, the police was keeping an eye on some persons who were suspected of running this racket from a house in Block No 41, Sector 6, over the past few months.

Land Act not to hinder industrialisation: minister
Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 18
Mr Ram Lal Thakur, Himachal Industry Minister, today said that the state Land Reforms and Tenancy Act which debarred non-agriculturists from acquiring land in the state would not be allowed to become a hurdle in the way of industrialisation and the government would ensure that entrepreneurs were granted the mandatory permission for the purchase of land for setting up units within a week.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, had issued instructions to the Revenue Department to process such cases for the grant of permission to purchase land under Section 118 of the Act within a week. He said all these cases would be closely monitored and the entrepreneurs need not have any apprehensions on this count.

He said the package of incentives announced by the Centre to promote industrial growth in the hill state had started yielding the desired result and entrepreneurs were making a beeline to set up units in the state. Over the past seven months 138 investment proposals for setting up large and medium-scale industries had been received and the prospective investors included companies like WIPRO, Colgate Palmolive, Havells India Limited, Dr Reddy’s Lab, Alembic and International Tractors. These projects involved an investment of Rs 2,053 crore and would generate employment for 40,000 persons.

In the small-scale sector 500 projects with an investment of Rs 20 crore had already been set up and another 800 projects were in various stages of implementation. All this clearly reflected the confidence of investors in the state and the Opposition charge that the policies of the Congress government were discouraging investors was baseless.

He said the entire land available in the two export promotion parks at Baddi had been allotted. In fact, in all about four lakh square metres of land had been given, which included 66,680 sq m at Kala Amb, 40,536 sq m at Paonta Sahib, 92,000 sq m at Amb, 31,000 sq m at Taliwal and 60,000 sq m at Golthai. While allowing new units in the state, the government would ensure that local people were given maximum jobs.

Chief Justice gives call to protect judiciary’s independence
Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 18
Mr V.N. Khare, Chief Justice of India, today called upon the Bench and the bar, the two main wings of the administration of Justice, to remain vigilant and together to protect the independence of judiciary.

Delivering the inaugural address at the seminar on “Creating Strong and Effective Junior Bar with Special Reference to Gender Justice” here today, he said that it was the joint responsibility of the two vital wings to inspire confidence of the litigants in the judicial system by setting high standards of ethical conduct. He said the litigants must feel reassured that they would get fair trial and that the disputes would be resolved by an independent and trustworthy court assisted by a competent lawyer.

He said a judge must be judicious in his character and a person of high integrity, having regard to moral vigour and ethical firmness. He should be conscientious, courteous, punctual, impartial and fearless. He should observe high standards of conduct, whether on the Bench or off the Bench. The broad confidence, the high prestige and great respect that they had enjoyed should not be allowed to be eroded.

On the role of junior members of the bar he said they contributed significantly to the administration of justice by assisting the court. Knowledge and ability of the junior Bar could be utilised effectively by giving them an opportunity in rendering valuable assistance to the seniors as also the court. The juniors should discuss latest judgements and give their opinion. They should keep themselves updated on the latest laws and amendments made. The senior lawyer must give them opportunity by way of giving their briefs to argue cases under their guidance. Lawyers should be well behaved inside and outside the court as disrespect to court destroyed the entire judicial fabric and consequently, it destroyed the lawyers too for they were part of that fabric.

Mr Virbhadra Singh, Himachal Chief Minister underlined the need to encourage women advocates whose number was still far less. He believed that women could not be deprived of their legitimate right to represent themselves in legislatives institutions in adequate numbers. The junior members should take a leaf out of the book of the seniors and inculcate the habit of burning midnight oil.

He lamented that many advocates did not put their heart and soul into the legal profession and were on the look out for job in the government and elsewhere.

Mr Vinod Gupta, Chief Justice of the Himachal High Court said everyone had to start the career as a junior be it the legal profession or any other profession.

The two-day seminar has been organised by the Supreme Court Advocates Association and the Bar Council of Himachal Pradesh.

Insurance firm directed to pay Rs 58,000, damages
Our Correspondent

Sundernagar, October 18
The Consumer Forum, Mandi, in an order yesterday, directed National Insurance Company to pay Rs 58,000 to Basant Ram, a resident of Jadron, Sundernagar, along with interest at the rate of 9 per cent per annum from the date of filing of the complaint. The forum further directed the insurance company to pay Rs 3,000 as damages and cost to the complainant.

A Tata mobile pick up van was insured for Rs 80,000. The vehicle met with an accident and was completely damaged. The insurance company settled the claim to the tune of Rs 65,000 on the total loss basis instead of the full insured amount of Rs 80,000. The insurance company deducted Rs 22,000 as cost of salvage and agreed to pay Rs 43,000 to the complainant. The claim of the complainant for Rs 80,000 was repudiated by the insurance company on the ground that the driver of vehicle did not have a valid driving licence at the time of accident.

Basant Ram had filed a complaint claiming full insured amount along with damages. The insurance company had raised objection to the claim saying that the driver was not holding a valid driving licence for transport and goods vehicles.

The forum, while disposing the complaint, held that the driver had a valid driving licence duly issued by the Motor Licensing and Registering Authority, Sundernagar, and observed that it was duly verified by the insurance company. It held that the complainant was entitled to the full insured amount of Rs 80,000 including Rs 22,000 as the value of the salvage. It directed the insurance company to pay the balance amount of Rs 58,000 to Basant Ram along with interest at the rate of 9 per cent per annum from the date of filing of the complaint and of Rs 3,000 as damages, including the cost incurred.

Education Secy directed to file reply on vacant posts
Our Correspondent

Shimla, October 18
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed the Secretary Education to file reply to the petition pertaining to vacant posts in the government college, Nerva of Chopal subdivision of Shimla district. Petitioner Rakesh Daulta, a resident of Nerva, has petitioned stating that more than 450 students had been admitted in college but only three lecturers were posted in the college.

It was mentioned that the college was taken over by the government in 2002 and admissions were made in arts and commerce streams. Only three lecturers in Hindi, Sanskrit and commerce had been appointed in the college, pleaded the petitioner. It was stated that no regular principal had been appointed and the principal of the government college, Theog, which is at distance of 80 km, had been given additional charge of the college. The petitioner stated that since English was compulsory subject for the undergraduate course but no teacher had been appointed. Similarly no lecturer of economics, history, political science and other subjects of commerce stream had been appointed.

It was stated that this situation had been prevailing since December 2002, as teachers of private college were absorbed in the senior secondary schools according to qualification. It was stated that the situation in the college affected studies of the students.

Petitioner requested the court to direct the respondents to appoint the teachers as early as possible in the college.

Verma is HP varsity Pro-VC
Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 18
With the Governor, Mr V.S. Kokje, in no mood to oblige the government by sending Dr S.D. Sharma, Vice-Chancellor of Himachal Pradesh University, who is facing a Vigilance probe, on leave, it appointed a Pro-Vice-Chancellor today.

A notification appointing Dr L.R. Verma, a former Vice-Chancellor of the Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor was issued here this evening. The post had been lying vacant ever since Dr N. Sharada resigned in the wake of the change of the government in the state.

With this development, the meeting of the Executive Council of the university, scheduled for October 20, is likely to be significant as under the University Act the Pro-Vice-Chancellor has to perform the functions delegated to him by the Vice-Chancellor or the Executive Council. There is every likelihood that important work may be assigned to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor to cut Dr Sharma to size.

SHO attacked, two arrested
Our Correspondent

Kangra, October 18
The Station House Officer at Kangra police station was injured last night when attacked with a bottle at Bankhandi village under Haripur police station in Dehra subdivision by two miscreant persons when he was returning after the recovery of cash from a hideout in Dehra subdivision, the police said here today.

Kangra district police chief Mr S. Zahoor H. Zaidi said today that the SHO Kangra last night when was returning after recovery of Rs 69115 from a relation of Usha Gularia, accused in a murder case, reached Bankhandi under Haripur Police Station was stopped by two persons who hurled a bottle on the officer which allegedly left him injured.

The police has registered a case under Sections 307, 353, 332, 382, 511, 341 and 34 of the IPC and arrested the two identified as Pawan Kumar of Bankhandi and Pawan Kumar Chamar Laadi.

Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh lauded the police for tracing the culprits of the double murder case.

Mr Virbhadra Singh was talking to this correspondent today following the arrest of five persons including Usha Gularia, Block Mehla Congress Committee General Secretary in connection with the murder of a businessman and his driver of Pathankot.

4 held for immoral trafficking
Our Correspondent

Parwanoo, October 18
With the arrest of four persons including a girl, the police claims to have busted a flesh trade racket in Sector 6 here yesterday. According to Shamsher Singh the local SHO, the police was keeping an eye on some persons who were suspected of running this racket from a house in Block No 41, Sector 6, over the past few months. Shamsher Singh added that the alleged kingpin of the gang Anil Kumar, who is a resident of Delhi, used to bring girls from outside the state for the customers and had taken a house on rent in Block No 41.

Shamsher Singh said after sensing that the police was keeping an eye on him Anil Kumar stopped the “trade” for some time but again took a house on rent in Block No 4 of the same Sector and shifted from Block No 41 for running the same activities. Shamsher Singh added that after getting the information he along with his team went to Sector 6 and sent a police person in civil dress as a fake customer with Rs 500 notes to contact Anil Kumar in Block No 4.

The police person contacted Anil Kumar and a deal was struck. He paid Rs 500 to Anil Kumar. Then the police conducted a raid at the house and nabbed three persons, including a girl. The four persons who were arrested were: Anil Kumar, a resident of Baljeet Nagar, Delhi; Raju Gupta, a resident of the Mandali Area of Merrut; Mana, alias Sunu, a resident of Sanaura near Ambala in Haryana and Nizma, alias Seema, from West Bengal.

The local police has registered a case under Sections 4, 5, 6 of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act.

Demand to shift clinical laboratory
Our Correspondent

Chamba, October 18
There is a demand that the clinical test laboratory of the District Red Cross Society should be shifted to the zonal hospital complex for the sake of the patients.

Patients face inconvenience due to distance between the zonal hospital and the Red Cross clinic. It would be convenient for the doctors if the clinic was located in the hospital premises. There is no dearth of accommodation as the new hospital complex is ready for commissioning.

The District Red Cross Society, has planned to appoint anaesthetist in the zonal hospital on contractual regular appointment. The society would also plan to add two new ambulances for emergency medical services. Mr Rahul Anand, Deputy Commissioner, also chairman of the Red Cross Society said that 685 patients were provided with quality test facilities, available at Chandigarh.

Chander Kumar gets Vigilance portfolio

Shimla, October 18
The portfolio of Home and Vigilance has been split. The Governor on the advice of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh allotted Vigilance portfolio to Forest Minister Chander Kumar. However, the Home Department would remain with the Chief Minister.

The notification to this effect was issued here today. — PTI