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Encroachers
get reprieve BJP MLAs
to meet at Samirpur today Sewerage
project completion by 2007 Fraud
case: cashier’s house raided |
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Senior
citizens for improving police working Probe
sought into exam cancellation
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Encroachers get
reprieve thanks to LS poll Shimla, January 20 The elections could not have been announced at a better time for the encroachers. The Forest Department had recently issued notices to those who had filed affidavits for regularisation of the land, illegally occupied by them. However, with the elections round the corner, the department is not pursuing the matter, at least for now. Reasons are obvious. In a democratic set up, votes are more important then the rule of law. Under the Forest Conservation Act, forest land cannot be diverted for non-forestry use without the prior approval of the Centre. However, the offenders were taken in by the much-publicised policy of the Dhumal government for regularisation of encroachments and lost no time in filing affidavits to admit that they were in illegal possession of forest land. In all, as many as 41,083 applications for regularisation of 7407 hectare of encroached land were received. The department had, an all these years, not made any serious effort to remove encroachments. It detected only about 11,000 cases of encroachments, involving 2400 hectare of forest land, out of which 10,296 cases, which had come to light before June 1994, were pending in revenue courts. Subsequently, forest officers were conferred the powers of collector to take action against encroachers. The department decided 2900 cases and at present 1454 cases were pending with it. In all, there were 52,833 cases of encroachments, involving over 10,000 hectare of forest land. Unlike the 10,000 odd cases pending with courts, the 41,083 encroachers, who have themselves admitted that they were in illegal possession of land, could be readily removed as the department does not have to go through the cumbersome process to prove their offence. However, they can breathe easy, at least till the Lok Sabha poll. |
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BJP MLAs to meet at Samirpur today Hamirpur, January 20 It will be first such meeting of the party, which will be held outside Shimla, the state capital. Earlier, it was scheduled at Kullu but its venue was shifted to Samirpur due to demand by various MLAs. However, the next meeting of the BJP LP will be held at Kullu next month. Mr Dhumal told The Tribune here today that the party decided to meet outside the state capital every month in order to have interaction with the people of the concerned areas and to listen to their viewpoint. In future, the party’s policies and programmes would be finalised only after holding discussions with the workers, he added. Meanwhile, all arrangements have been completed for the Wednesday meeting. Sources in the BJP told The Tribune that the MLAs taking part in the meeting would reach Samirpur in the morning hours of Wednesday and the meeting would start at 11.00 a.m.
— OC |
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Sewerage project completion by 2007 Kangra, January 20 Mr Kaul Singh Thakur, Minister for Irrigation and Public Health, disclosed that according to the 1991 census in Himachal Pradesh there were 16807 villages and 56 towns and cities. Out of these 56 towns and cities, eight were provided complete sewerage system, while the work on sewerage projects was in progress in 20 towns. He said that
Srahan, Ruhroo, Naina Devi, Bilaspur Mandi, Chamba and Palampur were among the towns where the sewerage system had been completed. For the current financial year the state government had earmarked budgetary provisions of Rs 28 crores for carrying out work of these sewerage projects in the state. He said that Kangra was attracting lakhs of pilgrims from all over the country to visit Bajjreshwari temple here. In view of the urgency the state government granted administrative approval of Rs 9.28 crore on August 23 last year for sewerage project for the temple town. For the current financial year, Rs 1.10 crore had been sanctioned for this project of which the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone on January 17 last. Mr Kaul Singh Thakur said that Chief Minister has directed him to ensure completion of the sewerage scheme within three years. He said the department would complete the project within the stipulated time as the Chief Minister had assured that finance would not be a stumbling block for this project. |
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Fraud case: cashier’s house raided Shimla, January 20 The raid came in the wake of permission granted by the special judge to reinvestigate the case. According to police sources, some incriminating documents including receipts of payments of about Rs 40 lakh allegedly made to three officials, including Mr Verma, were recovered during the raid. The police also raided the office and took away some files from the almirah of Mr Sant Ram. Some of these documents were being sent to document examiner for ascertaining their authenticity. Besides Mr Verma and Mr Sant Ram, four others officials of the department have been booked in the case. These officials allegedly connived to fraudulently withdraw funds sanctioned for purchase of various office items. It was alleged that funds were drawn repeatedly against a single sanction. |
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Senior citizens for improving police working Chamba, January 20 The town has been facing traffic hazards as children are seen driving cars and scooters endangering lives of passers-by. Guidelines regarding the loading and unloading of goods by heavy vehicles (trucks etc) are also being flouted and such vehicles can be seen entering the bazaars all the time creating a traffic nuisance in the town. Vehicles are parked near ‘silence zone’ close to the zonal hospital. Drivers blow horns in the areas where it is prohibited. Mr
D.N. Pardesi, President of the District Unit of the Retired Employees Welfare Association expressed deep concern over the incidents of eye-teasing near Government Girls Senior Secondary School around Chauntra and Government College and around Sri Sita Ram
Temple. Mr Pardesi has demanded action in these issues. He also demanded public-police meetings to improve police working. |
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Probe sought into exam cancellation Shimla, January 20 In a joint statement here today Mr Ravinder Singh Ravi and Baldev Sharma, both MLAs said if no irregularity had been committed in the conduct of the examination, as claimed by the board of school education, than there was no reason for cancellation of the examination. They maintained that test was cancelled only because the relations and favourites of congress ministers and leaders had failed to secure a place in the merit. They also alleged that test was being conducted afresh to accommodate favoured candidates. The two legislators said that the Virbhadra Singh Government was playing with the future of the youth. First it scrapped the test conducted during the BJP regime and now it had cancelled the test conducted by it subsequently much to the disappointment of the unemployed youth.
— TNS |
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Bridge inaugurated Nahan, January 20 At Shargaon, he laid the foundation stone for a veterinary dispensary and also presided over the concluding function of the Chudeshawar Naritaya cultural troupe. He announced Rs 2 lakh for a dispensary at Nerti Bhagot, Rs 2 lakh for a school at Jadol Taprolli, Rs 1.5 lakh for the Thandidhar road and Rs 1 lakh for the Kulth Kathoga road. |
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