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Azad’s pat on Virbhadra’s back Creating jobs tops govt agenda, says CM Cong misleading people on funds issue: BJP |
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Development taking toll on forests Ex-minister accused of withholding paper checking Cop booked, suspended over firing incident Mr Gurjit Singh, a Punjab police constable, was yesterday placed under suspension and booked for attempt to murder in connection with the firing incident on New Year eve at a lodge in Manali. 100
Pulse Polio
booths set up
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Azad’s pat on Virbhadra’s back Shimla, January 3 Mr Azad, who was here to review the implementation of the manifesto, held meetings with ministers, besides Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, and PCC chief Vidya Stokes, to ascertain the progress made with regard to the promises. Talking to mediapersons, Mr Azad said normally not much was expected in the first year as it took time for the government to settle. However, the Himachal Government had been an exception and had already implemented some of the promises while others were in the pipeline. The crusade against corruption was being pursued as promised and employment generation was high on the agenda and during the past six months projects involving over Rs 2500 crore had been approved. All 24,000 pending cases of social security pension had been cleared as promised while 14,000 senior citizens, widows and the disabled would start getting pension from this month. The remaining 10,000 would be covered from April 1. Similarly, the minimum daily wage of workers had been increased from Rs 60 to Rs 65 and it would be raised to Rs 75 over the next three years. Over 7,000 functional posts in the Departments of Health and Education, besides other departments, were being filled. As many as 2,500 teachers had been engaged on a contract basis until regular appointments were made. All district headquarters had been connected with buses and the revenue of the transport corporation was likely to increase by Rs 40 crore during the year. The revenue records were being computerised and power generation had increased by about 50 per cent, he said. |
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Creating jobs tops govt agenda, says CM Manali, January 3 Stating this last evening, Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh said the implementation of the new industrial package would help in creating employment opportunities to at least 1 lakh persons in the state as it would give a big boost to industrial development. The Chief Minister said development with socio-economic justice had been the main emphasis of the government in the state since it took over in March last and added that the steps taken in this direction amply spoke about it. Mr Virbhadra Singh said the government was putting its case for getting its legitimate share of the state in hydel projects being executed by the NHPC and other agencies in the state as the interests of the people of the state had not been safeguarded by the previous government. He reiterated his government’s resolve to accelerating the pace of development, adding that paucity of funds would not be allowed to come in the way. The Chief Minister said with a view to ensuring better healthcare facilities at the doorstep to people, 145 posts of doctor and 181 posts of nurse had been sanctioned by the government. He said to ensure that trained manpower was available, training would be imparted to 700 nurses and 1,000 health workers. He said work was afoot to impart training to 600 veterinary pharmacists. He said 2,000 primary school teachers would be imparted JBT training. The Chief Minister came down heavily on the previous government in the state for bringing the development of the state to a standstill. He said the present government would make efforts to bring about uniform and balanced development, besides all basic amenities to the people. Mr Virbhadra Singh said a bus stand would be constructed at Manali, besides parking. He said the water supply scheme for Manali would be augmented. He said that more manpower would be made available at the police station at Manali. |
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Cong misleading people on funds issue: BJP Shimla, January 3 Mr Ganesh Dut, a senior party leader, said the Centre had been giving funds to the states as per norms and the provisions of relief manual. Regarding the statement of Mr B.B. Butail, Revenue Minister, that the Centre had released on Rs 18.50 crore as against Rs 50 crore to which the state was entitled, he said earlier the government had demanded Rs 263 crore and the Centre had released the state’s share. He alleged that the present government had failed to submit the details of loss suffered and it was making it an issue in view of the Lok Sabha poll. Mr Dut said the Centre had earlier granted a special assistance of Rs 553 crore to the state for maintaining the plan size and the Congress minister had thanked the Prime Minister for giving liberal financial assistance. The Prime Minister had a soft corner for the hill state and he had provided maximum assistance to it during his tenure, he added. He said the people of the state would not be misled by the false propaganda of the Congress and support the BJP in the Lok Sabha poll. |
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Development taking toll on forests KULU: The adverse environmental impact of tourism and hydroelectric projects in Kulu-Manali in the north-western Himalayas has reached an alarming situation. More than 10,000 green trees have been cut during the past two years and about 30,000 are awaiting the axe of the so-called, development in this district. The Rs 2,000-crore project of the Rohtang tunnel would require felling of 684 fully grown and 350 small trees, just to make an approach road to the south portal of the tunnel, besides 20,000 trees would be cut to complete the 2051-MW Parbati hydroelectric project in the Manikaran and Sainj valleys of the district. The muck from the holing of the tunnel would further disturb the ecology and environment though the comprehensive plans were being chalked out to manage the dumping of the muck. If not more at least 5 to 10 per cent of the extracted muck would be carried by the river down to the water reservoirs of Larji and BSL projects. A study conducted by Dr Jagdish C. Kuniyal, Mr Arun P. Jain and Mr Ardhendu S. Shannigrahi of the GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Himachal unit at Mohal, 4 km from here, reflected that the environmental situation arising at Kulu and Manali due to increasing pressure of tourism and deforestation has registered dangerous proportions of polluted air, water and an increase in suspended particulate matter (SPM). An
in-depth study over a period of four years (1996-1999) showed that the SPM has gone up to 112 ug/m3 at Manali during summers beyond permissible level (100 ug/m3) and in Kulu 118.8ug/m3. The total waste generated was nearly 63 per cent in Kulu and 72 per cent in Manali which is higher than that of the non-biodegradable level. The study further reveals that the indiscriminate throwing of municipal solid waste into rivers is a common practice in this district which results in polluting of the river water. The indiscriminate felling of forests without even considering that many species were at the verge of extinct, the Department of Forests awoke too late. The study says that the forests were full of deodar, tosh, rae and kail, covering the high-altitude areas of Rohtang Pass with a dense coverage. Similarly, in the Solang valley, the winter sports and skiing site, the villages were known for deodar trees, one was said to have the largest in the India. The situation now is pathetic as the trees as sparse due to high biotic pressure, the study adds. Another factor responsible for deforestation is the timber distribution (TD) laws. According to the existing, every household is entitled to standing trees for construction or repair of house and trees are allotted to them at a very nominal price. Mr B.D. Suyal, Divisional Forest Officer, here said that one standing tree of deodar allotted to the TD right-holder, cost Rs 1 to Rs 8, whereas in the open market that three cost between Rs 6,000 and Rs 1.95 lakh. The massive difference in prices is largely responsible for its diversion for smuggling or commercial use, he added. The conservator of Forests here, Mr Vinit Kumar, said that the department had taken serious note of any kind of haphazard destruction of forests and suggested comprehensive measures for covering up the damage caused due to the deforestation. As regards the timber distribution laws, Mr Vinit Kumar said that the department took special care that the TD right-holders did not misuse the timber allotted to them. He said that the department had also suspended the rights of many persons who misused the timber allotted to them this year. Mr Kishan Lal, an eminent environmentalist, said that the pace of destruction of forests due to the pressure caused by tourism, hydroelectric projects, construction of hotels and other developmental activities would convert this part of the Himalayas into a “desert” if not checked. |
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Ex-minister accused of withholding paper checking
Dharamsala, January 3 Showing a large number of sealed answersheets stored in a room, he alleged that despite requests by board officials, the minister had directed them on the phone not to get these checked. Though the BJP remained in power for five months after that, the answersheets remained sealed. The results were withheld with an intention of gaining political benefit as the elections were due in the state, he alleged.
He said the results of the test held by the board in September were declared within seven days as objective-type questions were checked by way of computer. |
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Cop booked, suspended over firing incident Kulu, January 3 An altercation between the MLA and the Youth Congress leader led to the beating up of the MLA and firing by the security guard. According to eyewitnesses, some youngsters were teasing girls at the lodge on New Year eve and Mr Jagat Singh, who was a personal guest of the lodge owner, objected to it. An altercation ensued and this led to a scuffle, following which some youngsters attacked the MLA. The MLA’s gunman interfered to save him, which provided him an opportunity to escape. Mr Gurjit Singh was beaten up and he was forced to open fire. He was later admitted to a hospital at
Manali. |
100
Pulse Polio
booths set up Palampur, January 3 Briefing mediapersons this afternoon, Dr
H.K. Vashisth, Block Medical Officer, said over 15,000 children upto the age of five years would be immunised in the region tomorrow. He said preparations for the programme had been completed. Over 400 health workers and volunteers had been deployed in 100 booths set up in urban and rural areas. Medical officers had also been deployed to supervise the booths. |
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Dharamsala, January 3
According to the passengers, the driver who was driving lost control on the bus and it hit a boulder. |
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