H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

BSNL, Airtel told to remove towers
Mandi, September 10
With the paragliding pilots taking up the safety issue at the paragliding landing site, the state government has issued notices to the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd and AirTel, the mobile service providers, either to shift their microwave towers from the Bir-Billing landing site or face eviction.

BRO restarts work on Koksar bridge
Mandi, September 10
Though the Border Roads Organisation re-launched the work on the 160 ft long Bailey bridge at Koksar after the seventh day today, the stranded tourists and local passengers in the landlocked Lahaul valley will not get respite as the bridge would not be opened for traffic till September 14.

MC resolves to oppose house tax
Solan, September 10
Facing bitter criticism for the imposition of 10 per cent house tax in the municipal area here, the Municipal Committee today resolved to oppose the decision. The committee’s chairperson, Ms Poonam Grover, said the House had passed a resolution opposing the move and a request had been sent to the government to withdraw the tax.

Conductor resists robbery bid, shot dead
Shimla, September 10
Alarmed over the armed attack on the Hardwar-Rohru bus service of the state road transport corporation near Saharanpur this morning, the Himachal government has decided to take up the matter with the Uttar Pradesh Government at the highest level.

Cong man caught in suspicious circumstances
Solan, September 10
An office-bearer of the ruling Congress was allegedly caught in suspicious circumstances with a woman in a guesthouse of a local cooperative bank here this afternoon. Two policemen, on receiving this information, rushed to the guesthouse located on the Jaunji Jee road.

Recover pay from former parliamentary secys: forum
Shimla, September 10
The president of the Citizen Rights Protection Forum, Mr Desh Bandhu Sood, on whose petition the high court had struck down the appointment of parliamentary secretaries and chief parliamentary secretaries in the state today served notices on Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, and the Chief Secretary for the recovery of salaries and perks enjoyed by them in compliance with the verdict.

Focus on rainwater harvesting
Shimla, September 10
The government has provided Rs 214 lakh for the construction of rain water harvesting structures which has been made mandatory for all buildings.

1 dies saving accident victims
Parwanoo, September 10
A passer-by died while rescuing injured from an accident hit car near the barrier bridge on the intervening night of September 8 and 9. Sachin from Kalka, lost his life while helping the car occupants, Indswift employees, out of the vehicle.

BSNL, Airtel told to remove towers
Kuldeep Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Mandi, September 10
With the paragliding pilots taking up the safety issue at the paragliding landing site, the state government has issued notices to the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and AirTel, the mobile service providers, either to shift their microwave towers from the Bir-Billing landing site or face eviction.

According to the sources, the state government issued the notices to the BSNL and AirTel as they have installed the towers within the landing site of the paragliding pilots at Bir in Kangra district. Over 46 bigahs of Bir site has been acquired by the HP Aerosports Association, a government-run body which is organising the Pre-World Cup of paragliding at Billing-Bir from October 14- October 20 there”, revealed the sources.

Though the HPAA along with the Paragliding and Hang-Gliding Association, Association of India (PHAI) and Bir-Billing Pilots Association and others have signed merandum to shift the towers from the landing site, which has been declared as an international para-gliding site by the state government.

Though the BSNL and AirTel are pleading that they have got permission from the Central government, the state government insisted that they have not got the permission.

The organising secretary of the, HPAA Dr S.P. Katyal, who was here after visiting the spot, said yesterday that the landing site was of international importance, where the aerosport fans and pilots from across the globe come for flying competitions very year. “The land has been acquired by the body and the BSNL and AirTel have been asked to shift the towers to some other locations”.

Dr Katyal said the PG pilots have also raised their concern over the towers as the landing pilots can hit the towers the times thermals.

“Over 120 pilots, including 5 lady pilots, from over 18 countries will participate in the event”, he informed. “Local pilots from Kangra and Manali and others parts of the country will also take part”.

He said that the Pre-World Cup is sponsored by the Department of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Directorate, Sports and Youth Affairs, HP. “Over 60 pilots have already confirmed their participation”, he added.

BRO restarts work on Koksar bridge
Tribune News Service

Mandi, September 10
Though the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) re-launched the work on the 160 ft long Bailey bridge at Koksar after the seventh day today, the stranded tourists and local passengers in the landlocked Lahaul valley will not get respite as the bridge would not be opened for traffic till September 14.

The inputs from Koksar revealed that the VIPs, including those visiting Koksar for the past two days, were adding up to the problems for the passengers crossing the jhulas than resolving the near “chaotic situation” near the bridge.

“We received Agricultural Minister Raj Kishan Gaur here yesterday, today came the officials from the Divisional Commissioner, Mandi, after seven days just to make TA/DA, burdening the state exchequer, rued residents. It would have been much better if the PWD or private trolley operators have been brought in here to install more jhulas”, said Duni Thakur, a farmer of Sissu village.

The residents said over 100 tourists have left their vehicles on the stretch between Koksar and Sissu on the Manali-Leh highway for the past two days as the BRO remained uncertain over the restoration of the Koksar bridge.

The BRO engineers told the officials today that the bridge has been relaunched from today, but it would not be opened for traffic before September 14-15.

BRO Assistant Engineer Pankaj Saraswat said, “It would take time to open the bridge for traffic”, he added.

MC resolves to oppose house tax
Our Correspondent

Solan, September 10
Facing bitter criticism for the imposition of 10 per cent house tax in the municipal area here, the Municipal Committee today resolved to oppose the decision.

The committee’s chairperson, Ms Poonam Grover, said the House had passed a resolution opposing the move and a request had been sent to the government to withdraw the tax.

Stung by criticism from the BJP for having burdened the common man with two taxes in the form of 5 per cent conservancy tax and 10 per cent house tax, the committee said it was an irrational decision.

While reaffirming its stand the councillors, Mr Sanjay Awasthi, Mr Kulbhushan Gupta and others said though the state government had withheld its quarterly octroi grant in lieu of non-collection of this tax the committee had decided to oppose it.

Flaying the BJP MLA, Dr Bindal, of having mislead the people on the issue, the committee members said instead of opposing the tax when it was imposed when the BJP was in power he only kept its imposition in abeyance. Had the MLA raised the issue on a suitable platform with the state government the tax would not have been imposed, they rued.

Ms Grover said the working of the committee had been streamlined in the past five years with its financial health improving considerably.

Conductor resists robbery bid, shot dead
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 10
Alarmed over the armed attack on the Hardwar-Rohru bus service of the state road transport corporation near Saharanpur this morning, the Himachal government has decided to take up the matter with the Uttar Pradesh Government at the highest level.

Mr Gurdev Singh, conductor of the bus was shot by miscreants when he resisted their attempts to snatch the cash bag. He died on the spot. The miscreants fled as a result of which the passengers escaped unharmed.

The miscreants boarded the bus at Saharanpur. While the conductor grappled with one of the miscreants, his accomplice fired a shot. The driver immediately halted the bus and shouted for help and passengers also got down from the bus. Soon a huge crowd gathered on spot. The six miscreants who found themselves outnumbered, fled the scene.

The Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, and the Transport Minister, Mr G.S. Bali, were shocked to hear the news and have conveyed condolences to the bereaved family. The Chief Minister announced that Gurdev Singh would be given an award of Rs 1 lakh for showing bravery while on duty and saving the life and property of passengers. As a small gesture to his sacrifice, employment to one of his dependants would be provided in the corporation immediately.

Cong man caught in suspicious circumstances
Tribune News Service

Solan, September 10
An office-bearer of the ruling Congress was allegedly caught in suspicious circumstances with a woman in a guesthouse of a local cooperative bank here this afternoon.

Two policemen, on receiving this information, rushed to the guesthouse located on the Jaunji Jee road. They knocked at the door and urged the occupants to open it.

The Congress office-bearer, in a state of utter bewilderment, emerged from the room and on enquiry by the policemen said a woman was also present in the other room. He claimed that she was his sister and had come to appear for an exam to be conducted tomorrow.

The Congressman said she was also the sister of another fellow Congressman hailing from Ghatti village near here. He managed to prevail upon the policemen that nothing shady was under way.

The incident has, however, drawn the ire of the locals who said the influential could get away with anything. Policemen, while confirming the news, chose not to speak much.

Recover pay from former parliamentary secys: forum
Our Legal Correspondent

Focus on rainwater harvesting
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 10
The government has provided Rs 214 lakh for the construction of rain water harvesting structures which has been made mandatory for all buildings.

This was stated by Mr Kaul Singh Thakur, Irrigation and Public Health Minister, while interacting with the chief engineers, superintending engineers and executive engineers of the Irrigation and Public Health Department through video conferencing yesterday.

He said that technical knowhow should be provided about the construction of the rain water harvesting structures. He asked the officials to install rain water harvesting structures in all its office buildings.

1 dies saving accident victims
Our Correspondent

Parwanoo, September 10
A passer-by died while rescuing injured from an accident hit car near the barrier bridge on the intervening night of September 8 and 9.

Sachin from Kalka, lost his life while helping the car occupants, Indswift employees, out of the vehicle. He was hit by a truck. Sachin was returning to home on the scooter. He noticed an overloaded apple-laden truck going towards Chandigarh losing control while crossing the bridge. The car that was coming from opposite direction got damaged when apple cartons from the truck fell on its rear in the middle of the bridge.

The bridge on the Kalka-Shimla National Highway connects Himachal with Haryana. It lacks equilibrium. Chances of accident are high as heavy vehicles have to cross the bridge at a very slow speed due to the toll tax collection points on the both ends of the bridge.