Solan, April 5
In a flagrant violation of the traffic norms, BJP MLA from Nalagarh and former minister H. N. Saini not only violated norms by making an entry into the restricted Mall Road around 7:30 pm. but also allegedly browbeat the traffic police personnel to make his way through.

The alleged high-handedness of the minister had led the common masses to believe that norms were merely for the masses, while the legislators, who were elected by the people could get away with everything.

According to eyewitnesses, the three time senior BJP MLA and the party’s district president, who was travelling in a red-light vehicle, entered the Mall Road through the old bypass, where the traffic police had put up barricades to close the road.

Caring to hoots for the barricades, he made his way through the Mall Road but while making his exit he had to face comments of the public there.

Initially the traffic policemen tried to stop him but he lowered the glasses and made his presence known.

The Mall Road is daily closed from 5:30 pm to 8pm. as per an order of the DM. These orders were issued following requests made by the elderly citizens

DC Dr Amandeep Garg said since this closure of Mall Road was notified under the Motor Vehicle Act its violation could lead to challan of the erring vehicle.

Saini said he was not aware that the Mall Road remained closed in the evenings and since he had to visit a patient in the local regional hospital he requested the traffic police to let him go.

ASP S.R. Rana said he was unaware of what had happened the evening before as none of his subordinate staff had reported about the incident to him.

Manali, April 5
The situation in Tibet continuous to be grim. There is no contact with the outside world as there is a media blackout.

Curfew and shootout order in Lhasa, door-to-door search by night and sudden disappearance of Lamas, boys and girls is a common event.

Dolker Lhamo, MP, Tibetan government in exile, briefing the local mediapersons at a press conference here said last evening. Lhamo said the Chinese Government called the non-violent demonstrations in Tibet as terrorist activities. They alleged that “weapons” were found in monasteries. However, their weapons were religious offering, the MP said.

“If China was so sure of its claims then there was no need to ask foreign journalists to leave the country. If the Chinese Government has a genuine belief and confidence in its claim, then it should not hesitate to let international monitoring groups and journalists to visit Tibet”, Lhamo said. The MP said, “We are appealing to the UN and the international community to dispatch independent and fact-finding delegation, to find a solution for Tibet.

“In India, we will have a mass movement and peaceful activities from April 6 to 12. There will be voluntary tonsure ceremony to pay homage to those Tibetans, who had died in the unrest. In Delhi there will be a gathering of around 2,500 Tibetans from all parts of India, from April 10 to 12.

Shimla, April 5
The HP police will make it mandatory for all traders, shawl vendors and labourers from Jammu and Kashmir to obtain identity cards from authorities back home to ensure that they are not involved in any criminal activity in Himachal.

The decisions have been taken following the double murder near Mundaghat and the recovery of body of a woman from near Jwali in Kangra, involving people from the militancy strife state.

S.R. Mardi, IG (Law and Order), held a meeting with his J & K counterparts in Jammu yesterday following these two murders in Himachal. “Even though there is no reason to panic as these are stray incidents, but as a precautionary measure, the state police will check the identity cards of those coming from J & K,” he said.

Surprisingly, it was during his meeting with J and K police that Mardi was informed that Shalu, one of the accused in the double murder case, was an employee of the Jammu and Kashmir police.

“He is a wireless constable, but has been abstaining from duty on and off and is facing many cases even in Jammu,” confirmed Mardi.

Even though the double murder of Ashwani and Rajeev, both residents of Jammu have links with ‘Bakra’ gang rivalry but all the same, the state police is not willing to take any chances.

“The double murder seems a direct fallout of the killing of Sanjay Bakra in 2006, who headed the bakra gang,” said district police chief R.M. Sharma.

He said since Ashwani’s brother was directly involved in the killing of Sanjay bakra, his murder could be the revenge by members of the bakra gang.

“As a precautionary measure, the police will start checking the identity cards and licenses of people from J &K and if need be get their antecedents verified from police back home,” he said.

Even though the Himachal police had made it mandatory for labourers and vendors from J & K to register themselves with the local police stations but the directions were not being implemented strictly.

This was done following several incidents of those having links with militants seeking safe haven in Himachal.

However, from now onwards, this condition would apply to all, be it shopkeepers or traders. “We are of the opinion that though all these people behind the double murder were involved in criminal activities and not militancy but still we cannot allow them to use Himachal for their activities,” said a senior police officer.

Shimla, April 5
With widespread rain and snow in higher reaches, the mercury today plummeted around 7°C below normal, forcing people to be wrapped in shawls and coats to brave the cold. The maximum temperature in Shimla was recorded at 11.7°C, while the minimum was 7.4°C.

Normally, the day temperature in Shimla at this time of the year is around 20°C. There has been widespread rain in various parts of the state with the higher reaches receiving snow. Shimla has recorded 17 mm of rainfall by evening.

As per weather forecast, there will be snow at isolated places and widespread rain at many places in the state during the next 24 hours. The minimum temperature at Kalpa was 1°C, Dharamsala 9.7°C, Una 9.8°C, Nahan 11°C, Mandi 12.5°C, Sundernagar 13.4°C and Bhuntar 12.5°C.

The widespread rain during the past two days is likely to prove beneficial for the wheat crop although the apple crop, which was in the second stage of bloom, has suffered extensive damage. The rain will also be beneficial for all stone fruits like peaches, apricots, cherry and plums.

According to horticulture experts, the orchards at Jubbal, Kotkhai, Kotgarh, Chopal, Rampur and adjoining Kullu areas have been the worst affected due to rain and hailstorm. “Here the apple plants were in the second stage of bloom. However, there is no reason to panic as setting can take place after the third bloom,” experts said.

KANGRA: Cold wave swept across Kangra Valley today, when the Dhauladar mountain range experienced snowfall and the valley has been experiencing rain since last night. It led to a steep drop in the temperature, forcing people to take out their woolen clothes.

The bad weather delayed the arrival of Chief Minister P. K. Dhumal at Bajnath today. He was scheduled to visit Joginder Nagar and his helicopter was to land at Baijnath at 11.30 am, but due to bad weather and rains at Baijnath, the Chief Minister could only land at 3.30 pm.

Nurpur, April 5
Following rejection of cancellation report filed by the Nurpur police in the local judicial court and directing it to re-investigate the forgery case filed by Vidhya Devi, widow of Khazan Chand, an army soldier and a resident of Khanni near here, got a ray of hope after four years of lodging an FIR.

She revealed that her husband sepoy Kazan Chand of the EME Regiment had succumbed to grave injuries on July 21, 1980, in the army hospital following an accident on duty.

After waiting for a long for her pensionary benefits, army group insurance claim, postal insurance claim and other family relief she suspected connivance between the office of the Pensioners Distributing Officer (DPDO), Pathankot, and a national bank at Jassur from where she had been getting monthly pensions since 1982.

Vidhya Devi through her son-in-law and general power of attorney Sham Lal had lodged an FIR under Sections 420,406,463,470 and 471 against DPDO, Pathankot, and Jassur based nationalised bank alleging their connivance in depriving her of pensionary benefits released by the defence ministry after the death of her husband on duty.

Solan, April 5
The future of 33 students of the first semester of Solan Homoeopathy College hangs in balance with the college registering a zero per cent result.

The examinations conducted in December last year by the Himachal Pradesh University have been declared and all of them have failed to clear the examination. Some of them have even failed to secure even a single mark in few subjects.

The students who narrated their woes to The Tribune rued that though as per the norms of the Central Council of Homoeopathy Medicine, the first semester was supposed to be completed after one --and-a-half year but the college management went for the examinations barely after 11 months.

They added that the session, which commenced in October 2006 ended in November 2007, with the college management making a written request to the HPU to conduct examination in December.

Students said they were not confidant about the syllabus as they had been completed in a haste and hence needed more time to prepare for seven theory and five practical papers.

They added that the result, which the university declared on March 20 was made known to them now and it had left them worried.

Principal Dr V.C.Gupta said they had made a request with the Controller of Examinations at HPU to re-evaluate their papers, but the authorities informed that such procedures were not adopted in medical examinations.

He further added that they were also requesting for a provision, where students could be granted grace marks, so that they could be helped.

Gupta added that he would himself meet the university authorities on Monday and request for some relief to the students as it had demoralised them.

While negating any laxity on the part of teachers he said they were all efficient and there was no fault on their part.

Solan, April 5
Rail traffic on the Kalka-Shimla section remained paralysed for over nine hours owing to a snag, which developed in the engine of 1-KS passenger train between Koti and Sanwara stations, today.

After this, the Northern Railway Authorities suspended the movement of railway traffic on the section, which was finally restored at 5 pm. Many trains were suspended, putting hundreds of passengers, including tourists in great hardship, particularly in inclement weather condition.

Later, the authorities hired the taxis to the passengers of Down Mix and 256 Himalayan Queens for their next destination from Dharampur. The snag developed at 7.45 am and was repaired at about 5 pm.

Dharamsala, April 5
The Himachal Board of School Education today released the dates of rescheduled examinations of classes XI and XII.

In a press note issued here today, the secretary of the education board said political science paper of class XI that was scheduled on March 28, 2008, had been rescheduled on April 29, 2008, in the entire state in the morning session.

The paper had been rescheduled as on March 28, class XI political science paper was distributed inadvertently in Senior Secondary School, Phagali, Shimla.

He further said on March 18, 2008, the mathematics paper of class XII was cancelled in Government Middle School, Nagrota, in Kangra district, on the charge of mass copying. The exam has been rescheduled on April 12, 2008, in the morning session at Government Middle School, Nagrota. Each student appearing in the examination will have to pay Rs 50 as re-examination fee.

Shimla, April 5
Former Congress minister Singhi Ram and former chairman of Himachal Board of School Education B.R. Rahi were today released from police custody.

They were first produced before the CJM and later before Special Judge (Forests) J.L. Gupta, who ordered their immediate release. The matter will now be taken up before the Special Judge on April 10.

Singhi Ram, along with daughter Upma Kashyap, has been booked by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau in a forged certificate case. Both Rahi and Singhi Ram were remanded in police custody till April 5.

The bureau also interrogated three employees of the school board. They were specially summoned from Dharamsala.

Shimla, April 5
The single-window clearance and monitoring authority has accorded sanction for setting up 19 projects involving an investment of Rs 1,541.83 crore. These projects will generate employment for 4,118 unemployed youths.

Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal presided over a meeting of the authority here last evening. Out of the projects sanctioned, one will be set up by the Indian Tobacco Company (ITC) at a cost of Rs 396 crore. This unit alone will provide employment to 700 persons.

Another prestigious projects is the one to be set up by the India Cements at an investment of Rs 244.61 crore. This will provide employment to 325 persons at Jawalapur in Sirmaur. Shiva Texfabs and Yogindera Worsted were also making huge investments in the state, he said.

Dhumal said the authority had so far approved 678 industrial proposals with an indicated investment of Rs 17,987 crore and employment potential for over one lakh persons. “We are closely monitoring the 70 per cent employment condition in all industrial and hydropower projects,” he said.

The Chief Minister said ecological safeguards and interests of the people of the state were being accorded top priority while deciding such investments. “The Baddi-Baroritiwala-Nalagarh Development Authority had been created with a view to ensure planned development and create infrastructure needed for industrial development,” he said.

He said the issue of providing connectivity to the industrial areas through rail, air and road had been raised with the Punjab Government.

Shimla, April 5
Over 300 PTA teachers from Shimla district today staged a dharna and took out a protest rally against the proposed move of the government to terminate their services.

They said the Sanan Committee report was not based on facts. “A committee which has been constituted by the government would present facts which are in its favour and not the factual position,” said Bhupender Sharma, president of the district body of the PTA Teachers Association.

They demanded that the government should end the uncertainty over their future and take a final decision.

Bilaspur, April 5
Yog guru Baba Ramdev said his Pantanjali Yogpeeth at Haridwar would provide proper yoga training to all yoga teachers required by the state government for implementing its ambitious program of introducing yoga classes in all schools from class I to XII.

This assurance was given by Ramdev to Himachal education minister Ishwar Das Dhiman when the minister met him today to discuss the details of the proposition of introduction of yoga classes in the state.

Ramdev said his yogpeeth would make Himachal Pradesh an ideal state in yoga education in the entire country.