H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Dental surgeons seek govt jobs
Kangra, January 24
There is resentment among unemployed dental surgeons over their government jobs. Dr Parneet Nayyar, General Secretary, the Himachal Pradesh unemployed Dental Surgeons Association yesterday said here that nearly 600 Dental Surgeons were Unemployed in the state and every year 300 more dental surgeons were joining them.

35 schools upgraded during CM's tour
Dharamsala, January 24
Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh during his Kangra sojourn upgraded 35 schools and announced several development projects.

Snow disappears, so do tourists
Solan, January 24
Even as a white mantle of snow spread enthusiasm among residents and tourists visiting Kasauli, there was little that the down could take pride in. There was a mild snowfall in the town yesterday, but by today the snow had melted in most of the lower parts of the town.

ASP shifted to Daroh
Hamirpur, January 24
Mr Sunder Lal, ASP, who had been served a show-cause notice by the SP, for his recent statement on the police department, has been shifted to the Police Training College at Daroh in Kangra district. Mr Sunder Lal is currently on leave.

HP to implement parent maintenance Act
Una, January 24
The Himachal Pradesh Government will implement the HP Parents and Dependents Maintenance Act for ensuring the care of old persons by their children in the state.

Man held for murdering son
Sundernagar, January 24
The police yesterday arrested Gulaba Ram, a resident of Churad for allegedly murdering his son, Virender, on the night of Lohri.

3 killed in mishap
Shimla, January 24
Three youths were killed on the spot in a headon collision between the scooter on which they were travelling and a speeding truck at Ransari village in Una district yesterday, a delayed police report said here today.

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Snow in Dhauladhar valley rekindles tourist industry’s hopes. (28k, 56k)

Dental surgeons seek govt jobs
Our Correspondent

Kangra, January 24
There is resentment among unemployed dental surgeons over their government jobs.

Dr Parneet Nayyar, General Secretary, the Himachal Pradesh unemployed Dental Surgeons Association yesterday said here that nearly 600 Dental Surgeons were Unemployed in the state and every year 300 more dental surgeons were joining them. He said that there were five Dental Colleges in the state including one Government Dental College but jobs were not there.

He said that during the previous BJP government only seven posts in the Tribal areas were filled just before the election to get votes and all seven dental surgeons were from Dental College Shimla. According to sources four of the seven have left their jobs and the posts were again vacant. He said that after the present government took over not even a single post of dental surgeon was notified or filled. He said that as per the recommendations of the Dental Council of India in every Primary Health Centre (PHC) there should be a dental surgeon, in every Community Health Centre (CHC) there should be two dental surgeons, in every sub Divisional Hospital there should be two BDS and one MDS doctor and in every Zonal hospital there should be five dental surgeons.

In Himachal there are 441 PHC, 228 CHC, 50 Subdivisional Hospitals and in 2 district Hospitals and 10 Zonal Hospitals. In these Health institutions there are only 138 dental surgeons posted against 1103 posts.

Dr Nayyar said that 200 MBBS doctors were appointed last year and 45 new posts of the MBBS doctor were sanctioned by the state cabinet recently at a meeting at Dharamsala.

He said that on one hand the people were suffering for want of the dental surgeons in the hospitals and on the other hand poor patients paid through nose in private clinics. The Association demanded that the government should reduce the number of seats in all the five Dental colleges in the state and sanction new posts in the Health institutions in the state according to the DCI recommendations and accommodate 600 unemployed dental surgeons of the state and to provide better dental care to the people of the state.

35 schools upgraded during CM's tour
Our Correspondent

Dharamsala, January 24
Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh during his Kangra sojourn upgraded 35 schools and announced several development projects.

He also laid the foundation stones of buildings, bridges and schemes for  water supply and irrigation worth more than rupees 10 crore. Mr Virbhadra Singh arrived in Dharamsala on January 9.

He visited Nurpur, Jwali , Dharamsala, Kangra, Dehra, Jaisinghpur and Palampur subdivisions.

The Chief Minister announced the upgradation of 35 schools, nine high schools have been upgraded to plus 2 level, eight middle schools to high school level and 18 primary schools to middle level from the next session. The Chief Minister inaugurated buildings of Dr. R. P. G. Medical College Tanda Rs 1.44 crore bridge over Dehar Khad in Guler constituency. He also inaugurated Rs 4 crore water supply scheme for Tanda and laid the foundation stone of Rs 8 crore auditorium in the medical college campus at Tanda.

The Chief Minister also presided over a Cabinet meeting at Dharamsala.

BJP workers led by former Nurpur MLA Rakesh Pathania demonstrated with black flags when Mr Virbhadra  Singh visited Nurpur. Jaisinghpur MLA Ravinder Singh Ravi organized a parallel meeting at Jaisinghpur when he was  not allowed to speak from the Chief Minister’s stage.

Snow disappears, so do tourists
Our Correspondent

Solan, January 24
Even as a white mantle of snow spread enthusiasm among residents and tourists visiting Kasauli, there was little that the down could take pride in. There was a mild snowfall in the town yesterday, but by today the snow had melted in most of the lower parts of the town. However, it could be seen in the form of ice at some places on the Upper and Lower Mall.

The Staff Station Officer of the Army, Col Likhari, while expressing delight at his maiden snow experience at Kasauli said the beauty of white snow mingling in the evergreen pines created a sight worth viewing.

The lack of tourist rush this time has disappointed businessmen. Most tourists preferred to visit Shimla which witnessed a heavy snowfall yesterday, shopkeepers said.

Old timers say they have not seen a heavy snowfall here for a very long time. They blame it on large-scale construction activity in and around the town.

Harkeerat and Simran who had come from Chandigarh said lack of good eating joints was a deterrent for visitors. It was sad that this much loved tourist spot had nothing much to offer to the tourists, they said.

Those visiting the Hanuman temple at the town’s highest point, Manki Point, have to face another problem.

They are not allowed to carry their mobile phones. Moreover, there is no arrangement to keep tourists, mobile phones. There are no signboards to inform tourists about the order.

But oblivious of all this, youngsters from surrounding areas can be seen enjoying the cool environs by parking their vehicles alongside the road.

ASP shifted to Daroh
Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, January 24
Mr Sunder Lal, ASP, who had been served a show-cause notice by the SP, for his recent statement on the police department, has been shifted to the Police Training College at Daroh in Kangra district. Mr Sunder Lal is currently on leave.

Although no official comment was made available regarding the shifting of the ASP from Hamirpur to Daroh, insiders told The Tribune here this afternoon that orders to this effect had been issued from Shimla.

Meanwhile, Mr Sunder Lal in a message sent from Mandi to The Tribune this afternoon clarified that he had simply said that if people thought that 80 per cent police personnel were corrupt, it was their moral duty to help the police to end corruption and thus bring transparency in its functioning.

HP to implement parent maintenance Act

Una, January 24
The Himachal Pradesh Government will implement the HP Parents and Dependents Maintenance Act for ensuring the care of old persons by their children in the state.

This was stated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh while addressing a gathering at Amb in this district, after dedicating the science block building constructed at a cost of Rs 40 lakh to the students last evening.

The Chief Minister said a provision had been made in the Act to safeguard the welfare of the parents in their old age as several cases of cruelty had been reported in which the parents had been deprived of their legitimate right of leading a comfortable life in the old age. He said all complaints received by the government were being investigated and strict action as per the provisions of the Act was being taken.

He said besides punishment to the errant wards and withdrawal of property rights on parents property was also provided in the Act. He expressed deep concern over the degradation of moral values in society.

He urged the people of the state to cooperate with the government to make the state corruption free. He said the crusade launched by the state government against corruption should become a mass movement. — UNI

Man held for murdering son
Our Correspondent

Sundernagar, January 24
The police yesterday arrested Gulaba Ram, a resident of Churad for allegedly murdering his son, Virender, on the night of Lohri.

The body of Virender, who has a vegetable seller, was found in his house on January 14. The body bore marks of multiple injuries.

A case was registered under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, but no one was arrested so far. The FIR was lodged by the accused himself.

According to SHO Brijesh Sood, the police has collected evidence against the accused.

The deceased was beaten up by him on that night, he said.

The accused had confessed to have given a beating to the deceased on that night, he added.

3 killed in mishap

Shimla, January 24
Three youths were killed on the spot in a headon collision between the scooter on which they were travelling and a speeding truck at Ransari village in Una district yesterday, a delayed police report said here today.

The police has identified the deceased as Tirath Ram, Jagtar Singh and Dinesh Kumar of Basal village. — UNI