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IIAS to be shifted, finally Proposal to disburse pension through panchayats HP makes move to muffle noise pollution Shimla gears up for New Year celebrations |
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Winter carnival to begin from
2,000 more middle schools to be opened in HP
No-trust motion move fails Female leopard caught PWD cancels controversial contracts
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IIAS to be shifted, finally Shimla, December 28 The management of the institute, scholars, fellows and employees are feeling let down by Dr Murali Manohar Joshi, Union Minister for Human Resource Development, who had given an assurance that a Cabinet decision to retain the institute in its existing premises would be respected. He had even said if need be , the government would take recourse to legislative measures in this regard. The employees said no initiative had been taken by the Human Resource Development Ministry to honour the commitment. When the deadline approached, the ministry filed an application for extension. The fate of the institute was sealed when Dr Jagmohan, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, after visiting the complex wrote to the Human Resource Development Ministry to hand over the heritage zone to the ASI over the next five years. In the first phase, the core area of the main building had to be vacated. In the meantime, buildings to house the institute could be constructed outside the heritage zone. The shifting would not be easy as the government would have to provide over Rs 100 crore for a new complex. |
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Proposal to disburse pension through panchayats Shimla, December 29 This was stated by Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, while presiding over a meeting of senior officers to review the progress of the rural development and Panchayati Raj department here today. He said the disbursement of pensions to panchayats would ensure that the amount was received by the genuine persons. He said the government would consider setting up of a central cell in the department to process the complaints made by panchayat pradhans regarding the inefficient working of officials concerned. He said 15 department functionaries serving at panchayat level had been placed under their supervision. Complaints would be sent by the cell to the departments concerned for compliance and disposal in a time bound manner and suitable action initiated for non-performance and other malpractices. He stressed upon the need to generate resources to meet additional budgetary requirements of the panchayats. He directed the authorities to carry out regular audit of every panchayat to ensure proper utilisation of funds. Mr Virbhadra Singh said that the block development officers would be provided more teeth by providing supervisory and controlling powers of various block level functionaries so that the process of development could be carried at an accelerated pace. He said that panchayat samitis and BDOs would be empowered to monitor the progress
of various rural-oriented functionaries. All necessary facilities would be provided to block development offices for smooth functioning. Mr Sat Mahajan, Rural
Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, said that newly formulated gram
uthan yojna was being launched in the state vigorously to achieve the objective of
rural development. |
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HP makes move to muffle noise pollution Shimla, December 29 A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vinod Kumar Gupta and Mr Justice R.L. Khurana had directed the state government as well as the authorities concerned to ensure strict compliance of notification. Writing for the Bench, Chief Justice had observed that noise pollution was a grave social menace, adversely affecting the quality of life, and the issue of controlling it needed to be handled carefully. The court had referred the case to a committee of experts asked it to give suggestions. The state government issued a notification for implementing Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, and the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control ) Rules, 2000. The notification says that no public address system (microphone) shall operate for any time in the silence zones, which includes a 100-metre radius around hospitals, nursing homes, educational institutions and courts. However, restrictions around schools, colleges and libraries will be operative during working hours. Loudspeakers can only be used with the permission of the local police, the Subdivisional Magistrate or the District Magistrate. The authorities have to ensure that sound limiters are fixed on loudspeakers. Loudspeakers used at religious places shall maintain the ambient air standards. Permission has to be obtained from the authorities concerned to use microphones at such places for public address. The notification says that night-time cultural or religious functions should be organised in a temporarily covered area with sound-absorbing material. The government has fixed the sound limit as per the noise pollution rules, 2000, at 75 dB/ Leq during daytime (6 am to 10 pm) and 70 dB/Leq during night-time (10 pm to 6 am) in industrial areas and 65 dB/Leq daytime and 55 dB/Leq for (night-time) in commercial areas. The sound limit fixed for residential areas is 55 dB/Leq and 45 dB/Leq for daytime and night-time respectively. The notification states that no permission will be given for
open-air functions three days before important examinations, including school or college examinations, entrance tests at the state level or any other competitive examinations conducted by the Himachal Pradesh State Public Service Commission and the Union Public Service Commission at the state or national levels, till the examination are over. The use, sale and manufacture of firecrackers generating noise level exceeding 125 dB (AI) or 145 dB©pk at a four-metre distance are prohibited. The use of other firecrackers or fireworks is prohibited in the silence zones, and except from 6 pm to 10 pm. |
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Shimla gears up for New Year celebrations Shimla, December 29 The tourists start arriving around the third week of December and the winter tourist season reaches its peak on the eve of the New Year. On an average 25,000 to 35,000 winter revellers descend on the scenic hill resort to ring in the New Year. The number goes up significantly if Shimla has snow. This year snow eluded the state capital on Christmas. However, with dark clouds still hovering the New Year revellers, who have already arrived in good numbers, have not given up hope. As many as 300 policemen will be on duty round the clock from December 30 to January 1 to prevent any untoward incident. A police assistance post has been set up at Shogi, about 16 km from here, on the Shimla-Chandigarh highway to guide the tourists so that they are not caught up in traffic jams. The road between Chaura Maidan and the Indian Institute of Advanced Study has been opened for parking of light vehicles. The number of tourist vehicles on the New Year eve could go up to 4,000. Most of the big hotels have arranged dine and dance programmes with attractive prizes for the winners. The tourists mostly book accommodation in advance and all hotels in and around Shimla normally have hundred per cent occupancy. |
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Winter carnival to begin from January 2 Manali, December 29 On the opening day, a cultural procession by teams from different states will be taken out from the temple and will end at Nehru Park. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh will inaugurate the carnival while Mr Rangila Ram Rao, Excise and Taxation Minister, will preside over the concluding function on January 6. According to Mr Ram Kumar Gautam, SDM, about 25 teams from various parts of the country will perform at the carnival. As many as 750 participants would enthrall the crowds. The highlights of the carnival would be folk dance, film and folk songs, personality contests, fashion shows, street plays, classical dances and rangoli, among others. |
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2,000 more middle schools to be opened in HP
Sundernagar, December 29 She said under a special scheme the World Bank had provided a budget of Rs 1,550 crore for the upgradation of technical education in seven states, including Himachal Pradesh. For this state Rs 20 crore would be spent. Earlier, the minister inaugurated the 19th Industrial Training Institutes boys’ meet in which 318 players from 11 districts are taking part. She also inaugurated an exhibition organised by students of ITIs.  |
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Ex-Mr Universe favours natural diet Hamirpur, December 29 Dogra who was here in connection with the HP Bodybuilding Championship here told this correspondent last evening that India had vast potential in bodybuilding. Himself Mr Universe and having won Mr Asia title eight times, he is sure that Indian body-builders would continue to shine at the Asian and world level. Flexing muscles has been a way of life for Prem Chand
Dogra. His body has earned him many a coveted title, including the Mr Asia and Mr Universe crowns. Though he had been not taken part in many competitions,
Dogra had not allowed his chiselled body to go out of shape. He kept his date with workouts with religious regularity, and at 49 plus, Prem Chand
Dogra looks the same Dogra the world of bodybuilding had seen seven years ago. Prem Chand feels that some younger bodybuilders like Vitander Singh, Prasad and T V Polly shaping well and can also win a medal for the country”. Prem Chand has found a benefactor in Mahesh Chaudhary, himself a bodybuilding enthusiast, and Managing Director of Hercules Healthcare Products. Hercules is supporting
Dogra in his efforts to promote body building in India. He is proud of the fact that people of Himachal Pradesh have adopted body building on a large scale. Moreover, a place like Hamirpur has come on its map by organising a state level
meet. Dogra said that he would continue to visit Himachal Pradesh to encourage the youngsters of the state who had adopted this game. Body builders of the state can hope for a letter future provided they were given better training and diet facilities, he said. |
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No-trust motion move fails Hamirpur, December 29 Mrs Roshni Devi is the civic body chief while Mr Deep Kumar is its vice-president. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the members said they took this step as those who had signed the motion with them never consulted them once the letter was delivered to the Deputy Commissioner. Those BJP councillors who had moved the motion against their own leaders were taken by surprise over the move of the Congress councillors. |
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Female leopard caught Hamirpur, December 29 In the morning, villagers informed the district administration. The SDM, Nadaun, accompanied by a police party reached the spot. However, it was difficult for them to control the mob as hundreds of villagers gathered at the spot to have a glimpse of the leopard. The police resorted to mild cane-charge to disperse the crowd. Mr P.L. Chauhan, Divisional Forest Officer, Hamirpur also visited the spot along with two officers of the department and a senior veterinary surgeon. The leopard was given an injection and thereafter it was shifted to another cage. Mr Chauhan said the leopard would be taken to the Gopalpur zoo in Kangra district. Meanwhile, the Department of Forests is in search of the villager who had laid the trap. |
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PWD cancels controversial contracts Mandi, December 29 The PWD authorities in Shimla have requisitioned the record of some contracts pertaining to NH-70. These contracts are likely to be cancelled. |
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The district administration has made elaborate arrangements to maintain law and order during the New Year celebrations in the “queen of hills” which attracts thousands of revellers from the neighbouring states.
