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HP
budget on June 8 Quarrying
in Neugal river threatens tourist resort CM for
drive to regenerate trees Rallies mark World Environment Day
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Sale of
imitation Kulu shawls to be checked New
rules for selection board notified Price
of cocoon fixed Social
concerns of journalists discussed
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HP budget on June 8 Shimla, June 5 Addressing a press conference here today, the Speaker, Mr Gangu Ram Musafir, said the Assembly session would begin on June 7 and continue up to July 2. He said the enthusiasm of the legislators in raising public issues during the session was evident from the fact that 527 notices for starred and 37 for unstarred questions had been received so far. Mr Musafir said the legislators mainly wanted to raise issues pertaining to water supply, roads and bridges, law and order, education, health and employment. He added that a notice under Rules 62, 130 and 117 had been received along with four private members resolutions. The Speaker informed that as part of the beautification and upgradation of the Vidhan Sabha complex, a proposal worth Rs 10.45 crore had been forwarded to the 12th Finance Commission. “This money shall be utilised on construction of a community centre, an auditorium, a reception-cum-waiting hall, Internet kiosks and restoration of the Council Chamber, which is a heritage building,” he informed.
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Quarrying in Neugal river threatens tourist resort Palampur, June 5 Water level in Neugal has gone down in past three years because of large-scale mining. If no action is initiated the resort will be washed away in rainy season. The State Mining Department is unconcerned with present situation and still issuing permits to influential persons to quarry stones and sand from the river in violations of rules. The state and the Union governments had spent huge amount on this project. Former Union Rural Development Minister Shanta Kumar who had given Rs 50 lakh from his MP constituency development fund to this project, has expressed grave concern on illegal mining in the Neugal river at Bundla which was banned earlier. He said in last rainy season a portion of this tourist resort was washed away because of erosion. The State Forest Department who had taken up this project three years ago has spent over Rs 1.5 crore so far. The project is being executed in the memory of martyr Captain Sorabh Kalia, who sacrificed his life in Kargil conflict. The total cost of this project has been estimated at Rs 10 crore. There is a provision for lake, swimming pool and open channel in side the resort. The state government has imposed a ban on mining and quarrying in Neugal River adjoining Sorabh Van Vihar but still illegal mining is on the increase. The official sources confirmed that no one has legal rights to extract the sand stone from this portion of river since this is a notified prohibited area for mining. The state government has also issued notification to this effect three years ago but it was yet to be implemented by the Mining Department and local administration. Mr K.B. Ralahan and Ravinder Sood, President and General Secretary respectively of the Palampur Welfare and Environment Project Forum appealed the Chief Minister to look into the matter and intervene effectively to save the Sorabh Van Vihar. |
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CM for drive to regenerate trees Shimla, June 5 Speaking at a state-level function here on the occasion of World Environment Day today, he said there was an urgent need to launch a mass movement for regeneration of trees as the existing ones had become almost 150 to 200 years old. He directed the local Municipal Corporation and other towns to undertake a campaign to start regeneration so that the forest wealth is retained. “The Eighth Finance Commission had told Himachal Pradesh that the state could earn Rs 100 crore annually by felling of green trees but we chose to protect our forests,” he asserted. Mr Virbhadra Singh said the states which were protecting their forest wealth should be adequately compensated by the Centre. The Chief Minister said though there was considerable pressure on land due to population explosion, there should be a balance between development and environment protection. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Sanjeev Gupta, Secretary, Science and Technology, said there was an urgent need to protect environment as there was much pressure on the limited resources. “Organic farming is the need of the hour and the department is taking all possible steps to popularise it,” he said. Schoolchildren from various eco-clubs all over the state presented a cultural programme with a message to protect environment and preserve forest wealth. |
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Rallies mark World Environment Day Hamirpur, June 5 Braving scorching heat, hundreds of school-going children took out a massive rally in the town today. They marched carrying banners and placards in their hands. Functions were also held at various schools where students took part in debates and other competitions. A spokesman for the Hamirpur Nagar Parishad claimed that a massive cleanliness drive was launched in all 11 wards of the town today. Members of the nagar parishad took part in such drives in their respective wards. Meanwhile, employees of the nagar parishad continued to cause the havoc to environment by dumping the garbage in the Hiranagar forest area on the Hamirpur-Sujanpur tihra road. They also burnt it at the same site, causing smoke pollution. No action was taken by the civic body authorities to stop the throwing of garbage into the demarcated protected forest area. MANDI:
Even as the environment day was celebrated here on Saturday at the historic Seri Pavilion, the Deputy Commissioner did the formality of administering oath to the people for preserving ecology amidst ceremonial cleaning of hospital area by NGOs. Students chanted anti-pollution slogans. And the reality presented a different sight. Heaps of muck and filth have been dumped on the sides of National Highway 21 from Suketi Bridge onward within the municipal limits of the town. Neither the Nagar Parishad nor the national highway authorities have bothered to prevent the dumping of dirt on the sides of the highway. DHARAMSALA:
Students from different schools and various non-government organisations pledged to protect the environment from air and water pollution here on Saturday. The ill-effects of using polythene bags was also highlighted at the function. Schoolchildren marched through the main Kotwali Bazar in the morning and raised slogans for environment protection. SDM Rakesh Sharma presided over the pledge-taking function. Posters on environmental pollution were distributed by an NGO, Priya. Later, students took part in a cleanliness drive carried out in different parts of the city. A similar cleanliness drive was also carried out by the local residents and traders of McLeodgunj, near here. KULU: Mr H.R. Chauhan, Additional Deputy Commissioner, flagged off a paryavaran rally of schoolchildren on Saturday. A declamation, painting and slogan-writing competition was also organised Ishan Sharma, Reena Thakur and Ayushi Sharma attained first, second and third position, respectively, in the declamation contest. |
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Sale of imitation Kulu shawls to be checked Kulu, June 5 The minister said the influx of power loom shawls imitating Kulu handloom shawls had reached alarming stage and the poor quality of the imported stuff might hamper the handloom industries in the state. He criticised the NDA government which had exempted the powerloom industry and kept it out of the purview of the Handloom and Handicraft Act Mr Kuldeep Kumar revealed that Himbunkar, (an apex society) has started two projects of carpet weaving in eight districts of the state. These are Kulu, Mandi, Kangra, Lahaul and Spiti, Shimla, Sirmaur, Bilaspur and Kinnaur. He said the Women and Child Welfare Department of the Human Resources Development Ministry of the Government of India has sanctioned Rs 336.470 lakh for these step projects. He said Rs 174.16 lakh were being spent in the districts. As many as 3,200 women had been given training. The project provide ample scope for self employment in the rural areas, he added. The Co-operative Minister said Himbunkar had 272 primary co-operative societies as its members. |
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New rules for
selection board notified Hamirpur, June 5 The Chairman said the process for fresh recruitments had started and in the first phase, the board had written letters to various departments to clarify if the requisitions made by them earlier still stood. The board would make recruitments for Class III posts only with a salary of less than Rs 5,000. |
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Price of cocoon fixed Bilaspur, June 5 Deputy Commissioner, Subhasheesh Panda, said that 12 cocoon purchase centres at Malokhar, Panjgain, Jhanda, Auhar, Kandraur, Harlog, Bhdolikalan, Daslenda, Sangasvill, Ghumaiwir, Hatwaad and Ladda would function from June 5 till June 14. He said this year silk cocoon production had gone up by 11 per cent in the district while its
purchase price had also been increased by the Price Fixation Committee. |
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Social concerns of journalists discussed Dharamsala, June 5 Addressing a seminar on “Media and its Social Concerns” organised by the Kawa Institute of Information Technology and Management here today, Mr Bali regretted that there had been a degradation in the functioning of all pillars of democracy, and in such circumstances, the role of media as a watchdog became more sensitive. Earlier, in his presidential address, the Executive Director of Makhan Lal University of Journalism and renowned journalists, Mr Ram Sharan Joshi, asked mediapersons to be more vigilant as the media was facing a credibility crisis. |
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6 hurt as car falls into gorge Kumarhatti, June 5 According to the police, the accident took place due to negligence of car driver Kamal Singh. Besides the driver, other injured were Raj Kumar, Anand, Ratan Singh, Punia and
Sukhpal. |
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St. Edward’s
School Shimla, June 5 |
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