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ZP posts: more chances of
3 bodies recovered on New Year
Naked bodies of couple found in bathroom
Centenary of Shimla train’s public run
BJP dares Cong to hold elections
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MC to deal firmly with garbage issue
Embezzlement case: panchayat chief gets bail
House damaged in fire
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ZP posts: more chances of cross-voting
Mandi, January 2 The chances of cross-vote have increased as contenders for the chairmanship are faced with opposition from within the Congress and the BJP, unleashing a power struggle. Stakes for the BJP, which claims 17 ZP seats and the Congress, which claims 15 seats, besides the support of 2 CPM member and an Independent out of a total of 36 ZP wards, are higher than those of the Congress. The Irrigation and Public Health Minister (IPH), Mr Kaul Singh Thakur, an observer for his home district, faces a daunting task as his daughter, Ms Champa Thakur and his man Friday, Mr Puran Thakur from Drang and Mr Jai Singh Thakur, supporter of his rival Sukh Ram, the Mandi Sadar Congress MLA, are in a race for the post of Chairman. Ms Champa, a first-timer, enjoys the support of the BJP in her ward as her in-laws have a pro-BJP leaning and is depending on cross-vote. But the pro-Sukh Ram lobby headed by Mr Jia Singh Thakur, another contender, is against Ms Thakur, who is not even a primary member of the Congress, revealed insiders. The Excise and Taxation Minister and Gopalpur MLA, Mr Rangila Ram, is opposing names cleared by his “rival”, Mr Kaul Singh, said party workers. The BJP frontrunner is Mr Jawahar Thakur from Nagwani ward in the Drang constituency. He is BJP’s best bet against the IPH minister, Mr Kaul Singh, for the next Assembly poll in 2007-08, said party workers. Other two names doing the rounds are Mr Priyavart from Dharampur ward and Mr Baldev Saini from Balh, who has the support of the Former Forest Minister, Mr Roop Singh Thakur. The district BJP leaders, Mr Roop Singh, former PWD Minister and Dharampur MLA Mohinder Singh Thakur and the District party chief, Mr Dile Ram, and the Chachiot BJP MLA, Mr Jai Ram Thakur, are lobbying to win over an Independent and a BSP member to stake claim to the top post. Interestingly, Mr Roop Singh and Mr Mohinder Thakur are opposing both Mr Jawahar Thakur and Mr Priyavart, as they are seen as a potential threat to their position within the party, said BJP workers. “These BJP leaders have a tacit understanding with Mr Kaul Singh Thakur not to allow their potential opponents to strike roots in their home constituencies”, they alleged. |
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3 bodies recovered on New Year
Solan, January 2 In the first case the body of a Chopal resident, Praveen Mazta (29), was recovered near Hotel Falcon Crest on the NH-22 yesterday afternoon. Investigations conducted by the Kandhaghat police revealed that the deceased had gone to Chail to celebrate New Year’s eve with his friends, Neeraj and Bhupender. They got into some trouble with a group of youth who were travelling in a car (HP-62-0353) near Kandhaghat. This group obstructed their way when they reached Hotel Falcon Crest and broke the glasses of their car. In the fight which ensued, Neeraj and Bhupender managed to flee towards Shimla, while Praveen was left there in the dark. The police was ascertaining the facts of the case and a case under Sections 341, 427, 304 and 34, IPC, was registered in the matter. In another case, the body of a youth, Vipan Raghuvanshi (21), was found from a car (HP-14-B-0112) near boys’ hostel on the Rajgarh road yesterday afternoon. About 37 capsules of sedative drugs, recovered from the car, led the police to believe that he was a habitual consumer of these drugs. His post-mortem report was awaited. A case under Section 174 of the CrPC was registered. In the third case, the body of Rakesh Rana was recovered from his Jaunajee residence here yesterday. A bottle of some poisonous substance, recovered from the site, pointed to the fact that he had consumed it. His body was noticed by his tenants who later informed the police. His family members had gone out of station on December 31. The body had been sent to the regional hospital for a post-mortem examination. A case under Section 174 of the CrPC has been registered. |
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Naked bodies of couple found in bathroom
Mandi, January 2 The police has identified the dead as Mukesh (36) and his wife Suman (24) and registered a case under Section 174 of the Cr PC. The police has ruled out the possibility of foul-play. The police said probably the couple was having bath together, while their seven-year-old son was watching TV in another room. They had installed a new LPG gas-run water-heating geyser in the bathroom and perhaps they tried to test the system. The bathroom was bolted from inside the police said. “The couple might have died due to suffocation caused by the steam and gas in the bathroom after leakage. The bodies were lying naked on the floor of the bathroom”, informed SHO, Gohar Dhabe Ram. The neighbours came to know about the incident when the child felt hungry. The neighbour asked the child to open the door by using a chair. The child opened the door and he was taken to another neighbour where son told them that his mother was taking a bath for the past three hours and he was hungry. At that they came to the bathroom on the ground floor and saw them on the floor the police said. Local pardhan and residents opened the door and a doctor found the couple dead. “The
neighbour told the police that the couple had no dispute or strained relations and run a shop in the town there”, Mr Ram said. |
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Centenary of Shimla train’s public run Parwanoo, January 2 Though the first train on the track was flagged off on November 9, 1903, the track was thrown open to the general public on January 1, 1906. On first day of 1906, the train carrying general public started its journey from Kalka to Shimla. Till then, it was only a privilege for the British to joy ride on this wonder rail track making its way through zigzag lush green valleys surrounded by wooded hills. After Shimla became the summer seat of the government, it was felt that the journey to that place was a hard affairs. The only mode of transport at that time were jampans and ponies. The opening of the grand Hindustan-Tibet road was the first major development in this field in 1856. The idea of rail network germinated in the mind of the British in 1846 when the cotton crop was badly damaged in Manchester, England. It proved a major setback to the British cotton industry. At that time the British thought of importing cotton from India hence the idea of setting up a railway track in the country was mooted. During the reign of Lord Dalhousie, the first train in country was started between Bombay to Thane, in 1853. The broad gauge line to Kalka was opened for traffic on January 3, 1891. However, the idea to lay rail track to Shimla was mooted in November 1847 when a “Delhi Gazette” correspondent sketched the route of the railway line to Shimla with detailed cost and traffic returns. He wrote: “We may then see these cooler regions become the permanent seat of the government.” After lengthy debates, an adhesion line to Shimla was chosen on June 29, 1898. The contract was signed between the Secretary of the State and the Delhi-Ambala-Kalka Railway Company for the construction and working of the 34 inch gauge line from Kalka to Shimla that was revised on November 18, 1901, on the strategic consideration with 30 inch gauge. Because of the high cost and working expenses, the Delhi-Ambala-Kalka Company was soon faced with a financial crisis. It reported the matter to the Secretary of State. The line was, therefore, purchased on January 1, 1906. According to old-timers of the area, the crossing of the first train carrying their own people was not less than a miracle for them. People stood watching on both sides of the track to greet the passengers. There was a festive mood in the area. This was despite the fact that the construction work had proved a nightmare for the local people. Most of the casualties during the track laying work took place while digging the Barog tunnel, the longest on the track. The digging of the tunnel not only proved a grave for hundreds of workers, it was also a hard nut to crack for British engineers. Colonel
Barog, the British engineer entrusted with the responsibly to complete the work on the tunnel, had to commit suicide after failing to bear the shame on not being able to join both ends of the tunnel. It is said the British spent Rs 500 on distributing sweets among the workers when both ends of tunnel were finally joined successfully.
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BJP dares Cong to hold elections
Shimla, January 2 In a statement issued here today, the state spokesperson and MLA, Dr Rajiv Bindal, said it was surprising how the Congress leaders were seeking the resignation of former Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal when their three-year rule was full of scams. “It was during the last Congress regime that almost 3,000 persons were given jobs on
recommended chits of political bosses and the inquiry committee had confirmed these irregularities,” said Dr Bindal. He added that even during the three-year rule of the Congress in the state, there had been a number of scams like timer scandal, illegal felling of trees in Sirmaur, musical blast scandal in Dharamsala, Himalayan Ski Village scandal and scams in the IPH, HRTC and PWD Departments. “It is surprising how the Congress leaders can point fingers at others when they have so many skeletons in their cupboard,” he quipped. He added the then government was hesitating to get probe by an independent agency into the job-on-chit scam during the previous regime of the Congress as they were guilty. |
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MC to deal firmly with garbage issue
Shimla, January 2 Till date only 9,000 households are being covered under the scheme. The corporation has now decided to deal firmly with those not cooperating as over 2,500 challans have been issued under a drive. “Most of the houses in the Summer Hill area have been imposed a fine up to Rs 500 by the corporation court,” said an official. There are around 30,000 households in the municipal area and the corporation intends to bring all of these under the scheme. “More than 300 houses in the Railway Colony, near Phagli, are not giving their garbage for proper disposal and dumping it in the concrete bin constructed in the area,” said officials concerned. They said since the corporation was also not collecting this garbage for proper disposal, the area remains dirty. The corporation officials lament that it is unfortunate that a large number of people are not willing to pay even Rs 35 per month fixed as the collection charges for households. |
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Embezzlement case: panchayat chief gets bail
Solan, January 2 A police team led by inspector Ms Babita Pal today arrested his other accomplices including depot owner Mahinder Thakur and panchayat secretary Naresh Attri. The duo were charged with conniving with Dhiman to embezzle funds of centrally aided food-for-work scheme. The police revealed that instead of distributing food grains under the scheme the pradhan had prepared fake muster rolls of work executed by daily wage workers. As many as 900 mandays were generated under the scheme and fake vouchers used to draw the foodgrains. These later were sold in the market and the money pocketed by the pradhan. The other two connived with Dhiman. A case under Sections 420, 120-B and 409 of the IPC had been registered against the depot owner and the panchayat secretary. |
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House damaged in fire
Palampur, January 2 According to police sources, a residential house of Dhobu Ram was completely damaged while some adjoining houses were saved. The fire was noticed at about 8.30 p.m. when the family members were watching television. Residents of Gunehar village made all efforts to control the fire but all in vain. Later fire fighting units were summoned from here and only then the fire was controlled. Dhobu Ram lost his house and belongings. The Tehsildar of Baijnath reached the spot and supervised the relief and rescue operation. He also distributed immediate financial relief among the fire victims. |
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