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Kandi Project
set to change face of villages Left not opposed
to reforms: Wardharajan Summer festival
begins on melodious note
Row over petrol
station site in Mandi |
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Tibetans throng
McLeodganj temple Devotees offer prayers at the main temple in McLeodganj, Dharamsala, on Thursday. Traffic polluting
Palampur’s environment Quarrying poses
threat to ancient temple Another term
sought for Partap as VC Class X result
today Akal Academy
posts 100 pc Class X result Rabies outbreak
in village Gumma salt mine
closed Youth with
stolen traveller’s cheques held MoU signed
without consulting employees, says federation Electricity
board penalised
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Kandi Project set to change face of villages Nahan, June 3 A farmers’ camp was organised at Surla yesterday. It was inaugurated by Mr
A.R.M. Reddy, assistant project director (Kandi), Nahan. Around 200 farmers of the area participated in the camp. Mr Reddy said various surveys had established that there was an improvement in the lifestyle of villagers in Himachal Pradesh. “Villagers of the Nahan Kandi area lead the list of such people,” he added. He said during the recent past, the Surla Village Development Committee, linked with the Kandi Project, had constructed 17 water harvesting structures and ponds, besides taking a number of soil conservation measures. Footbridges and footpaths had been constructed. Forestry activities in over 213 hectares had also been carried out. There was a proposal to start growing high-value crops, he said. Medicines were being provided for cattle through a dispensary set up under the project. Mr Reddy appreciated the overwhelming response received from villagers, particularly women, towards various Kandi programmes. He said improved varieties of ginger and turmeric seeds would be given to selected farmers for growing these under the supervision of experts. Various proposals were being implemented in these villages to convert these into bio-villages. Two more such camps would be organised in Tarapur and Rampur Chassi villages on June 5 and 8, respectively, he added. He said all assets acquired under the project would be handed over to village development committees panchayats and other departments concerned. Agriculture, forestry and horticulture scientists from agriculture and horticulture universities of the state and the Dhaula Kuan Research Centre trained farmers in growing off-season vegetables and high-value crops using latest technology. A portable tiller developed by Kandi experts was also displayed on the occasion. |
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Left not opposed to reforms: Wardharajan Kumarhatti, June 3 Mr Wardharajan was here while returning to New Delhi after attending a party state committee meeting at Shimla. The main reason for the NDA defeat was its anti-public policies, he said. Though the Left would support the Congress-led secular parties at any cost but at the same time a warning has sounded to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) not to repeat the mistakes of the NDA otherwise the UPA could meet the similar fate, maintained Mr
Wardharajan. The Left was not against reforms but was for planning in such a way to give maximum benefit to general public, he said. “We oppose the disinvestment of profit-making public sector companies, as it would ruin the economy,” he asserted. Privatisation was not the way to bring about development rather it should be done within limitation, he hinted. The decision to support the UPA government from outside was a united decision of the Left parties. On a question about the role of the Left regarding the assurance of the Congress to form Telegana in Andhra Pradesh, he said the Left had opposed the move. In case a Bill was brought in Parliament the Left parties would abstain from proceeding said Mr
Wardharajan. |
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Summer festival begins on melodious note Shimla, June 3 The maestro started with ghazals of his own choice, but obliged an appreciative audience by rendering the most popular ones. Each of his presentations was perfect, but “Dil mein ek lehar si” and “Hangama hai kyon barpa” were the ones which brought the finer nuances of “ghazal gayaki” to the fore. The all-time hits like “Chupke chupke raat din”, Hamko kis ke gam ne mara’ and “Yeh dil ye pagal di mera” drew huge applause from the crowd. Sensing the mood of the audience, which included a large number of tourists from neighbouring states, the musical genius interspersed the ghazal session with a few Punjabi songs like “Baija mere kol tenu wekhda rahan”. Earlier, local singers K.L. Sehgal and Sharda presented some ‘pahari’ folk songs. Mr V.S. Kokje, Governor, inaugurated the festival, which began with “Saraswati Vandana” by students of local Sacred Heart Tara Hall School. |
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Row over petrol station site in Mandi Mandi, June 3 Though the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Ali Raza Rizvi, stopped the construction at the site last week after KSGPC representatives protested against it, the situation remains volatile as the owner, Mr Shailender Kumar, a resident of Nair Chowk here, claims: “I have a clearance and the required documents, but they do not have anything.” On the other hand, KSGPC representatives, who do not want to be identified, say the disputed site is ecologically sensitive and falls in the green belt, a claim also supported by municipal council members. “The gurdwara has stood near the site for years, as such it has claims over the land for the past 200 years,” they say. The Deputy Commissioner says he would organise talks between the affected parties and hopes the dispute over the site, which is government land, would be settled soon. “The owner has got the lease, for which he has to compensate according to set standards,” he adds. The owner asserts he will not shift as the Central government has cleared the site for the petrol station. “I have the due approval and a no-objection certificate signed by 12 members of the Mandi Municipal Council. The land measures 30 x 32 m and falls in the ‘charagah drakhtan’ category of land in the revenue records and is not in the green belt,” he claims. Interestingly, the municipal council first gave its approval for the petrol station, but later rejected it on the plea that the land falls under the green belt of the Mandi development plan. “We passed the resolution in the general House on March 3, 2004, and rejected the no-objection certificate for the petrol station as the owner had taken the approval individually, not through the proper channel,” says Ms Sushila Sanghla, president of the MMC. It is also alleged that the owner is a local Congress leader while the KSGPC and the council are being backed by BJP supporters. Denying this, KSGPC members say their main argument is that it is a green belt, near a school and a 36,000 kv line runs over the site. Also, it is at a blind turn on the highway, a hazard for the traffic. |
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Tibetan Cabinet seeks UPA Govt support Dharamsala, June 3 In a letter to Dr Manmohan Singh, the Kashag (cabinet of the Tibetan Government-in-exile) expressed the hope that the new government would continue the earlier tradition and treat Tibetans like any other citizen of the country. Congratulating Dr Manmohan Singh on becoming the Prime Minister, the Kashag said ever since India’s first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru extended his government’s assistance to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people, almost every subsequent political party coming to power has continued the support and cooperation. Meanwhile, the Tibetan government-in-exile is finally coming out with its formal reaction to the White Paper released by the Chinese government titled “Regional Ethnic Autonomy in Tibet” on May 23. According to sources, Tibetan ministers and senior officials are in the process of holding meetings to chalk out the modalities of their reaction. It is expected to be out by the weekend. Even though various Tibetan organisations in McLeodganj, have condemned the White Paper, there has been no word from the Tibetan government on the issue so far. Asked if the government was also getting public opinion on the it, Masood Butt, press coordinator, said, “The discussions are confined to the high-ups of the government and private organisations have not been consulted so far.’’ The reaction would be formally released by the office of the Secretary, Department of Information and International Relations, Tibetan government. Through the White Paper China has asked the Dalai Lama to give up his bid for Tibetan independence. “It is hoped that the Dalai Lama will look reality in the face, make a correct judgement of the situation and do something beneficial for the progress of China and the region of Tibet,’’ reads the paper. T.T. Karma Chophel, president, National Democratic Party of Tibet, said the only good thing about the paper is that the Chinese government has made it clear that they are not going to concede anything more than status quo. |
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Tibetans throng McLeodganj temple Dharamsala, June 3 After ‘puja’ at the main temple, fire prayers were offered and prayer flags were tied. This was followed by the devotees giving donations to beggars and organisations. Monks observe a fast during the fourth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar. Today was 15th day of the month called ‘Saka Dawa’. It is believed that any good deed done on this day comes back in the form of a thousand rewards. Foreign tourists had a tough time keeping beggars away. Though no official function was organised, the Tibetan government-in-exile had declared a holiday today so that people could offer prayers in large numbers at the temple. |
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Traffic polluting Palampur’s environment Palampur, June 3 At one time the town was considered as one of the pollution-free hill stations but now because of rise in the number of heavy and light vehicles the pollution has taken new turn increased here. Despite complete ban on the use of pressure horns, heavy and light vehicles are still using
them. Young boys, in order to tease women blow horns when they find them going on the road to their offices or educational institutions. The authorities have not banned the use of loud speakers even during the school board and university examinations in the town putting the students to great inconvenience. There is none to listen to such problems. The majority of two-wheelers in the town do not have number plates. There is no check on speed. Unauthorised use of “Press” on vehicles is common. Triple-riding on two-wheelers is a common sight. The large scale pollution by trucks and buses here have spoiled the environment . The accident rate in the town has also gone up. Even on blind curves and busy roads vehicles are seen moving on a high speed. |
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Quarrying poses threat to ancient temple Palampur, June 3 This correspondent, who visited Baijnath today, found that the ancient Shiv Temple, built in 1204 AD, is facing threat because of reckless quarrying and mining in the adjoining Binwa river. The mining in the river has put a question mark on the future of this historical monument, which encompasses the essential features of the Nagara temples. The temple was built by two local merchant brothers Ahuka and Manyuka. It lies on the main road to Kulu. At present the temple is under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India. It has spent lakh of rupees on the maintenance and development of the surrounding of the temple during the past 10 years. Thousands of domestic and foreign tourists visit the temple every year. But it is seen that no proper care is given to keep the temple clean. On the entrance of the temple heaps of garbage welcome the tourists. No efforts are made to remove the garbage for days together. A team of mediapersons saw that the temple is in a state of utter neglect. A portion of the temple situated on the left bank of the Binwa river has developed cracks because of reckless and unscientific mining in the river. It is sad that the temple which remained intact during the major earthquake of Kangra in 1905, has been badly damaged by the unscientific mining in the Binwa river in the past 15 years. The level of water in the Binwa river has gone down because of mining and it is affecting the stability of the temple compound. The continuous land erosion can cause a great damage to the monument if no serious efforts are made to stop the mining and quarrying in 2 to 3 kilometres radius of the temple. The state Mining Department seems to have callous attitude towards the situation. The Mining Officer, when contacted, expressed his ignorance and said the matter would be looked into. However, residents of town blame the Mining Department, which has failed to regulate the mining activities in the Baijnath area. The residents allege that despite the orders of the Himachal Pradesh High Court passed on a PIL, no efforts have been made to check the mining activities in the area. They say that stack attitude of the Mining Department has not only affected the environment balances in the region but also resulted in huge loss to the state exchequer. Even the Pathankot-Joginder Nagar rail line which passes through this town, has also become quite unsafe as the mining and quarrying has hit the line at various points. However, the
administration is making efforts to check the illegal mining but finding it difficult because of increasing political interference in its functioning. |
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Another term sought for Partap as VC Palampur, June 3 In a plea to the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, it said Dr Partap, who headed this university for three years, had sown the seeds of restructuring, reorganisation and modernisation of the university and should be given another full term of three years. |
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Class X result today Dharamsala, June 3 Students can log on to the official website of the board (http://hpeducationboard.nic.in) or (hpresults.nic.in), said a press release issued by the board.
TNS |
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Akal Academy posts 100 pc Class X result New Delhi, June 3 Interestingly, while all the 59 students passed, 57 of them (99 per cent of the total) passed in first division, according to the school’s Principal-cum-Director Dr Davinder Singh. Moreover, 40 of the total 59 students have passed with 80 per cent and above marks, nearly 68 per cent. Preetveer Singh has topped the school with 95 per cent marks, while Pavneet Singh with 94.8 per cent has come second. Incidentally, both these students have scored 100 per cent marks in mathematics. The Akal Academy school, an English medium co-educational public school in Sirmore district of Himachal Pradesh, was set up in 1987. |
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Rabies outbreak in village Sundernagar, June 3 As per information received here a few days ago, a rabid dog had bitten three dogs and a buffalo. Afterwards the symptom of rabies were found among a large number of animals. About 20 persons, who used milk and came in contact with these animals, were also suspected to be infected. Residents of the village met the SDM yesterday and apprised him of the situation. Eighteen persons were vaccinated against rabies at Civil Hospital. Many animals of the village were also vaccinated by a team of the Veterinary Department which visited the village yesterday. According to the SDM, all persons suspecting to be infected with rabies were given free treatment. |
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Gumma salt mine closed Mandi, June 3 Massive erosion started about two weeks ago and big boulders rolled down to the national highway below. Officials of the Hindustan Salt Mines succeeded in removing some machines and infrastructure from the site while the residents of the nearby villages abandoned their houses and took shelter at safer places. They are demanding land and compensation from the government for their rehabilitation. The national highway authorities have stationed a bulldozer near the mine to clear the boulders from the highway and keep traffic open in view of the current tourists season. |
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Youth with stolen traveller’s cheques held Kangra, June 3 The district police chief, Mr S. Zahoor H. Zaidi, said Lee Honey (24) claiming to be a Korean citizen and carrying a Korean passport, was grilled following information that he was carrying traveller’s cheques, which he was trying to encash. During investigation, Lee Honey could not prove his identity as a Korean national. Mr Zaidi said the suspect could neither speak Korean nor name five Korean cities. He said the police suspected a racket of encashing stolen traveller’s cheques in this part of Himachal Pradesh . The police has registered a case. |
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MoU signed without consulting employees, Shimla, June 3 It also warned that it would oppose the downsizing of administration and other anti-employee steps. Mr Gopal Das Sharma, its spokesperson, said there was resentment among employees over the manner in which the MoU was signed without any consultations with those likely to be affected by reforms. He said under the terms and conditions of the MoU a complete ban would be imposed on recruitment which would be a grave injustice to the unemployed. The government was virtually taking the unemployed for a ride. On one hand it was stating that process was being started to fill over 18,000 posts and on the other it had singed an MoU under which even vacant posts would not be filled. He said the government had not so far released the instalment of 2 per cent additional dearness allowance, which was given by the Punjab Government in January. Similarly, the decision to merge 50 per cent of dearness allowance in the basic salary had also not been implemented. He urged the employees not to be misled by self-styled leaders and join hands to fight for their cause unitedly. |
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Electricity board penalised Sundernagar, June 3 According to the complaint, the Subdivision No. 2, has issued the bill of August 2002, for Rs 1618 to him. The electricity board admitted that the bill was issued by mistake and the revised bill was issued on October 10, 2003. The forum held that the act of the board amount to deficiency in service and directed it to pay the compensation within two months from the date of order. |
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Jail term for driver Kangra, June 3 |
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Dental association Shimla, June 3 |
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