H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

SFI wins in varsity poll
Shimla, August 19
The Students Federation of India (SFI) won all four posts of the Students Council Association at the Himachal Pradesh University here while the National Students Union of India (NSUI) won in five colleges in the district today.

HP schools to teach consumer protection
Shimla, August 19
The state government is planning to introduce the subject of consumer protection in the school curriculum on the pattern of Central Board of Secondary Education.

Rs 6-crore Green Shimla project launched
Shimla, August 19
The Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, today formally launched the Rs 6.17-crore ‘Green Shimla Project’ aimed at afforestation and beautification of the town.

Heavy rains lash Shimla
Shimla, August 19
Heavy rains lashed Shimla and other adjoining areas of Himachal Pradesh this afternoon even as the lower and medium hills of the state had a respite from the wet conditions for the second day today, the Met office said.

CM lays engg college stone
Sundernagar, August 19
The Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, today inaugurated the functioning of the engineering college here today and laid the foundation stone of the building of the college, the cost of construction of which will be Rs 40 crore.

Chamera staff seek security
Chamba, August 19
The Hindustan Construction Workers Union (Chamera Project-III) has appealed to the district administration to providing security from hooligans disturbing work on the project since the Dakog incident on June 10, in which three workers were brutally murdered.

11 honoured with President’s awards
Shimla, August 19
The Governor, Mr V.S. Kokje, honoured 11 awardees of the state with President’s Awards at an investiture ceremony held at Raj Bhavan, here today.

4 shops gutted
Palampur, August 19
Four shops were destroyed in a fire that broke out at Pahara village in the subdivision last night.

SFI wins in varsity poll
Tribune Reporters

Students line up to cast their votes in the Students Council Association elections in Shimla on Saturday. — Photo by Anil Dayal

Shimla, August 19
The Students Federation of India (SFI) won all four posts of the Students Council Association at the Himachal Pradesh University here while the National Students Union of India (NSUI) won in five colleges in the district today.

At the university, Surinder Verma was elected president, Gaurav Sood vice-president, Vinita Sakhlani general secretary and Jagdish Thapa joint secretary.

The SFI also won 19 of the 34 departmental representative posts while the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) won 12 and the NSUI managed to win only one.

The NSUI swept the poll at the Court Shera College, Chaura Maidan, where Nishant Thakur, Ashwani Kumar, Jyoti Negi and Rohit Bhardwaj were declared elected.

At the Rajkiya Kanya Mahavidyalaya, all four NSUI candidates — Priyanka Sharma, Janita Rana, Veena Sharma and Dimple Thaur — were victorious.

HP schools to teach consumer protection
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 19
The state government is planning to introduce the subject of consumer protection in the school curriculum on the pattern of Central Board of Secondary Education.

Stating this here today, Mr Singhi Ram, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister, said an awareness campaigns had been launched in the state and consumer awareness had become a mass movement.

The government was giving priority to the programmes among the students so that they could know about consumer rights. Towards this end, 49 consumers clubs had been constituted in senior secondary schools and Rs 10,000 each would be given to these clubs for generating consumer activities.

Presiding over the seventh meeting of the State Consumer Protection Council here today, he said the government had implemented the Consumer Protection Act in letter and spirit so that consumers’ rights could be protected.

He said the State Consumers Dispute Redressal Commission had received 11,818 complaints out of which 10,916 had been redressed. He said that 42,607 complaints of District Consumer Forum were received and 39,743 were decided. He said that complaints up to Rs 20 lakh could be filed before the District Consumer Forum while upto Rs One crore before state Consumers Dispute Redressal Commission and above Rs 1 crore could be filed before the National Commission.

Rs 6-crore Green Shimla project launched
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 19
The Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, today formally launched the Rs 6.17-crore ‘Green Shimla Project’ aimed at afforestation and beautification of the town.

Mr Virbhadra Singh said the project would not just make the town greener but also help in its beautification which will further give a boost to tourism. “A modern nursery will be developed in the town and the locals will be given plants to grow on their land,” he said.

He said the Jakhu area would be brought to its original glory as massive plantation and fencing of the entire area would be undertaken. “The government has already banned the felling of green trees in the town to preserve the heritage of the town,” he said.

The Chief Minister said no fresh constructions would be allowed within the town and the old dilapidated buildings would be replaced with plantation so that there was more greenery. He said anti-social elements causing harm to the forests or trees would be dealt sternly and public participation ensured to make Shimla green.

He directed the Forest authorities to involve the gram panchayats, Municipal Corporation and the people in carrying out plantation, as it should be taken as a mass movement.

Rhododendron and medicinal plants were planted on the occasion.

The Forest Minister, Mr Ram Lal Thakur, said a separate forest division had been created for the better management of the forests in the town.

Heavy rains lash Shimla

Shimla, August 19
Heavy rains lashed Shimla and other adjoining areas of Himachal Pradesh this afternoon even as the lower and medium hills of the state had a respite from the wet conditions for the second day today, the Met office said.

Heavy rains lashed the state Capital and other adjoining areas for more than an hour this afternoon after a day’s respite from the monsoon rains yesterday.

Roads and markets wore a deserted look during the downpour, with people seeking shelter from the rain in shops, rain shelters and the Shimla Municipal Corporation building on The Mall here.

The Met office said all mid and lower hills of the state received no rainfall.

However, the sun was shining brightly in the twin tribal districts of Kinnuar and Lahaul-Spiti and the high-altitude areas of the districts recorded mild snowfall a few days ago.

Shimla recorded a night temperature of 17.7°C while Sundernagar and Bhuntar recorded minimum temperatures of 22.7°C and 19.3°C.

The minimum temperature recorded at Kalpa in Kinnuar district was 13.5°C.

The Met office has predicted light rains or thundershowers at isolated places in the state during the next 24 hrs. — UNI

CM lays engg college stone
Our Correspondent

Sundernagar, August 19
The Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, today inaugurated the functioning of the engineering college here today and laid the foundation stone of the building of the college, the cost of construction of which will be Rs 40 crore.

The classes of mechanical and textile engineering began today.

The Chief Minister was given a warm welcome on the border of Mandi district. Local residents had erected welcome gates.

Later, the Chief Minister addressed a public meeting at the Government Polytechnic grounds here and said the Congress was committed for the development of public.

Chamera staff seek security

Chamba, August 19
The Hindustan Construction Workers Union (Chamera Project-III) has appealed to the district administration to providing security from hooligans disturbing work on the project since the Dakog incident on June 10, in which three workers were brutally murdered.

In a press note issued here today, Mr P.C. Ghadai, working president of the union, said the safety of the staff was their top priority while resuming the construction work.

Since offices of the personnel department of the Hindustan Construction Company had been shifted from Kalsuin to Dharwala, the union had opted to shift the workforce to Dharwala.

Mr Ghadai requested the administration to take appropriate action to maintain law and order as the workforce had been receiving threats. — OC

11 honoured with President’s awards
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 19
The Governor, Mr V.S. Kokje, honoured 11 awardees of the state with President’s Awards at an investiture ceremony held at Raj Bhavan, here today.

Mr O.C. Thakur, DIG, was awarded President’s Police Medal for distinguished services. Mr Shiv Ram Sharma and Mr P.L. Thakur, both DIGs, Mr G.D. Bharva, SP, Mr Balbir Singh Thakur, ASP, Mr Prem Chand, DSP, Mr Leka Ram and Mr Shamsher Singh, both Inspectors, were given police medals for their meritorious services.

Mr Tilak Singh Balouria and Mr Muni Lal Gautam, Su- Fire Officers, were awarded the Fire Services Medal for meritorious services.

Mrs Sulekha Devi of village Jol in Kangra district was awarded Jeevan Raksha Padak for saving her son from the clutches of a leopard

4 shops gutted