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Hamirpur seat
Cases against Congress leaders adjourned
UPA an alliance of opportunists: BJP
Political blame game begins over Totu incident
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Complaint against Una DC
Resentment over officer’s suspension
Extension to officers raises hackles
Here is good news for farmers in Punjab
Prerna registration revoked
Snow, rain break dry spell in Manali region
Fresh snowfall in state
Town cries for care
Student commits suicide
PTA meeting
Play staged
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Hamirpur seat
New Delhi, March 21 Madan Lal’s name was proposed by the central leadership during a meeting of screening committee on last Friday, party sources said. Earlier the party’s efforts to convince Bollywood actor Preity Zinta to contest from Hamirpur did not materialise. Besides Madan Lal, there were other names under consideration, including that of Narinder Thakur and Sunil Sharma Bittu, Hamirpur district president of the party. A faction of the Congress leaders favoured the candidature of Narinder Thakur, a BJP leader who joined the party recently, to make a dent in the BJP’s stronghold. Madan Lal, whose family belongs to Adhri village in Hamirpur district, said he was prepared for an innings in politics against Thakur, who is also president of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association. The cricketer, who was part of the World Cup winning squad of 1983, said his family had been a supporter of the Congress for a long time. “I also want to do social service and that is why I have joined politics,” he said. Asked whether he would bowl, bat or field for the party in the coming elections, the cricketer-turned-politician said, “I will do both bowling and batting”. On this senior party leader Anand Sharma quipped that “Madan Lal Sharma will bat and bowl, while the BJP will do the fielding”. Political observers, however, say that going will not be so easy for the former cricketer, who should get prepared for a tough fight. The reason they say is that despite family moorings in Himachal Pradesh, Madan Lal may be considered an outsider. Moreover, as it is the Congress is likely to face a tough challenge from the BJP in retaining its three Parliamentary seats. The BJP had seen a clear-cut victory in the state Assembly elections December 2007. In last general elections the Congress won Shimla, Kangra and Mandi parliamentary seats while the BJP got the Hamirpur seat. |
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Cases against Congress leaders adjourned
Shimla, March 21 The matter was listed for recording the statements of witnesses but they did not turn up for recording their statements. They were to appear as witnesses in the favour of Congress leaders in this case. When the case came up for hearing the counsel for the Congress leaders informed the court that none of their witnesses have come to the court today. The court adjourned the matter with two hundred costs on both the leaders for their failure to produce their witnesses in the court today. In another defamation complaint filed by Dhumal against Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma was also adjourned for May 23. The counsel for the Congress leaders sought adjournment on the ground that the senior counsel for Sharma was not present today so the case may be adjourned for some other day, which was opposed by the Dhumal’s lawyer that the Congress leader was intentionally trying to delay the matter and seeking adjournment after adjournment. The court adjourned the matter and imposed five hundred costs on Sharma for seeking adjournment. Dhumal filed both the cases on the ground that during the campaigning for previous Assembly elections in the year 2003, these Congress leaders levelled false allegations against him. The court fixed May 23 for recording the statements of witnesses. |
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UPA an alliance of opportunists: BJP
Shimla, March 21 Addressing a press conference here today, he said the BJP-led NDA alliance had merged stronger as its partners in the Centre as well as most other states were still with it. “The coming together of the UPA alliance partners was a perfect example of opportunism in the garb of providing a secular government,” he remarked. He said there was no scope for polarisation of forces in the name of secularism as it was an unnatural alliance whose partners were talking in different tone in various states. Sounding an optimistic note he said the NDA would get support from the people to form the next
government. Asserting that the UPA government had failed to ensure economic, political and social stability in the country, Jain said the common man had been the hardest hit during the past five years, as inflation had reached an all time high in the history of the country during this period. He added that one crore people had lost their jobs with the apprehension of more jobs likely to be lost in the near future. On Himachal Pradesh, he said the BJP was far ahead of its rival, the Congress, in not only declaring the candidates for all four Lok Sabha seats, but also in preparing the necessary groundwork for the ensuing elections, which would be evident in the results, as the party would win all four seats and do a repeat of 1977, when it had won all seats. He lauded the Dhumal regime for being one of the first government to make an anti-ragging law in the state, which would save students in the colleges from unnecessary harassment and also prevent precious lives
from being lost. |
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Political blame game begins over Totu incident
Shimla, March 21 Even as everyone condemned the incident, the BJP and the Congress pointed fingers at each other for the misdemeanour that everyone agreed had brought bad name to the state. Ironically, while leaders from both parties said the issue must not be politicised, they did not desist from blaming one another for letting such an NGO function. Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Sarveen Chaudhary said the disability policy had been formulated and would be in place immediately after the code of conduct was over. “We want that this incident should serve as an eye-opener for all so that there is no recurrence, but the Congress should do some introspection before pointing fingers at us,” she said. She said a former minister and an MLA of the Congress had been the chief guests at functions of Prerna so it was they who should resign and not the Chief Minister or she herself. “Seeing the credentials of the woman, who is a Mahila Congress leader from Bilaspsur and running the institute with her son and daughter, heads of Congress leaders must hang in shame rather than seeking our resignation,” she retorted. Chaudhary said all private NGOs would be brought under the scanner under the policy to ensure that these institutes functioned properly as per norms. |
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Complaint against Una DC
Shimla, March 21 Sources said the complaint lodged by the state president of the BSP, Vijay Singh Nair was received yesterday but it did not have any specific charges and the allegations were very general in nature. On the basis of the complaint the Chief Electoral Officer is learnt to have asked the chief secretary to get an inquiry conducted by a senior officer and report back, on the basis of which action would be taken. Nair when contacted said he had sent the complaint as keeping in view the proximity and closeness of the DC, Una, with the chief minister and his son, who is the party candidate, it was not possible to have free and fair elections. “The DC will indirectly try to bring benefit to
the BJP candidate and as such he should be shifted immediately,” he said. In another complaint to the Election Commission, an ex-serviceman from Kangra has objected to the convening of a rally of ex-servicemen by the Core Commander of Yol cantonment on April 9 to be addressed by chief minister Dhumal. The complainant is learnt to have objected to the holding of such a rally while the election code of conduct is in force. The Chief Electoral Officer, Anil Khachi while confirming the complaint said the deputy commissioner, Kangra had been asked to inquire into the facts and report back to the Election Commission. In yet another case the Election Commission has taken suo motu notice of newspaper reports of use of the IPH rest house for holding a political press conference by Congress candidate from Kangra, Chander Kumar. “We have asked Principal Secretary, IPH to verify the facts and take action against the official concerned if there is substance in the allegation,” confirmed
Khachi. |
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Resentment over officer’s suspension
Bilaspur, March 21 In signed statements to mediapersons here today, the Himachal Pradesh State Headmasters and Allied Officers Association, led by its state president Basudev Sharma, general secretary Rajesh Sharma and the Himachal Pradesh Promotee School Lecturers Association, led by its state president Ram Murty Lath and general secretary Rajesh Gupta said the suspension of deputy director of Higher Education, Sirmaur district, Subhash Chand Sharma was very unfortunate and condemnable as it does not conform to the life-long image of this “honest, hard working, efficient and capable officer of which department and his colleagues are proud.” These teacher leaders, who also include prominent leaders of these state associations, namely Pritam Kapil , Yash Pal Sharma, Anant Ram Sharma, Laxman Thakur, Rajesh Sharma, Raseel Garga and Suman Chadha said Subhash Chand Sharma can never disobey any orders of government and this seems to be only an excuse to take unjustifiable action against the officer, which has spread shock waves among all members of the teaching community in the state. All these leaders said since this officer had already submitted his application for casual leave 10 days ago to his superiors due for attending a marriage ceremony of one of his near relations, these orders were illegal and he should be immediately ordered to be reinstated in the service at the earliest. |
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Extension to officers raises hackles
Solan, March 21 The issue assumes significance as the BJP while in opposition had opposed all such appointments made by the Congress when in power and had repeatedly raked up the issue of showing undue favour to favourites. Convener of the Congress media cell Mukesh Agnihotri said a list of 12 officers had been made available in a reply sought by him in the Vidhan Sabha session where extension had been granted by the BJP government. He said it was worrisome that the BJP had not only kept the daily dairy reports of the departments vacant and those were later manipulated by the government according to their suitability. He said the party was keeping a close watch on all such issues, including those where transfer orders had been made on back dates after notification of the election
on March 2. Sources revealed that the state government had shown extraordinary favour to health services director Dr Sulakshna Puri by granting her two extensions. While she was earlier granted an extension from September 1, 2008, to March 31, 2009, her extension was extended for another six months just before enforcement of the model code of conduct. Congress spokesman Kuldeep Rathode said the party was collecting information about such cases and the issue would soon be placed before the Election Commission if these officers were found using their undue influence in favour of the BJP. Heading a department like health, which had hundreds of employees in it the director could influence the employees, the Congress leaders felt, who said that the BJP had opposed the extension granted by their government to former director ML Mahajan tooth and nail and now they themselves indulged in such acts. In yet another case, two officials of the prosecution department- Raghu Raj and Jeewan Lal Sharma were given extensions as special public prosecutors as they were specifically looking after the cases pertaining to the chargesheets filed by the BJP in the Congress tenure. Not only this, four officers of the HP State Electricity Board, including an SE RK Punchi, besides an HAS officer LR Jhampta had been granted extension by the BJP
government.
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Here is good news for farmers in Punjab
Mandi, March 21 Though the rains had brought some breather from the prolonged dry spell on the intervening Friday-Saturday night in the region, the inflow into the Bhakra and Pong dams remain low as compared to that of last year. In Bhakra the inflow was 5,400 cusecs in mid-March as compared with 6,500 cusecs received in the same period in 2008. Similarly, the inflow had increased marginally due to rains, but it had hit its lowest in the Pong Dam. The inflow as recorded around mid-March was 1,250 cusecs as compared to 2,000 cusecs in 2008, revealed BBMB engineers. The BSL project had been running just two units out of six as there was not enough water available to run all machines in the first two weeks of March, BBMB sources said. The machines have been shut down for maintenance while only two or three machines were operating, the sources added. The low discharge in the Beas hit production of electricity in the BSL project in the first two weeks of March. The project was producing on an average 30 to 31 lakh units of electricity in first three weeks of March as compared to around 50 lakh units produced in the same period last year, the BBMB engineers added. The inflow in the Beas river fluctuated from 1,579 to 1,960 cusecs in mid-March as compared to 2,473 to 3,220 cusecs recorded for the same period in 2008, the sources said. The engineers said the actual worry is that since there was not enough snow in the higher catchments of Beas and Satluj, including their tributaries this year, there would be less discharge available in the rivers when the snow starts melting. “Much will now depend on how good the monsoons do in the region,” they commented. However, the farmers looking for sowing in Punjab, which gets its main irrigation facility from the Bhakra and Pong dams, need not worry as the BBMB reservoirs hold enough water to feed farmers in April-May. Bhakra’s level stands at 1,574 feet around mid-March, about 36 feet higher than 1,538 feet recorded on the same day in 2008. Pong dam’s level remains 1,328 feet on March 17, about 33 feet higher than 1,295 feet recorded on the same day in 2008, the sources added. |
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Prerna registration revoked
Shimla, March 21 The Director, Social Justice and Empowerment, Subhashish Panda, confirmed that their registration had been confirmed with immediate effect. “It was after going through the reply given by the said association in response to the show- cause notice issued to them two days ago we have decided to revoke their registration,” confirmed Panda. It is learnt that in their reply given to the department today afternoon, the management of Prerna feigned complete ignorance about the charges of alleged sexual exploitation levelled by the six girl inmates, including four minors. They also sought one week’s time to furnish more details, urging that their registration should not be cancelled
till such time. The department of Social Justice and Empowerment had granted registration to Prerna in November last under the PWD Act after holding an inspection of the premises where it was being run. However, the institute had been running illegally since 2004 as it had been registered only under the Societies Act. It is mandatory for all NGOs working in the field of disability sector to get registration under the PWD Act, 1995, which Prerna had failed to get. |
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Snow, rain break dry spell in Manali region
Manali, March 21 The upper region having been without snow for most part of this winter season, residents were in for a surprise as the entire upper region was covered with a white blanket this morning. The famous ski slopes of Solang valley recorded about 5 inches of fresh snowfall this morning. Hundreds of tourists rushed to Solang and Kothi to see the fresh snowfall. A festive atmosphere prevailed at Solang valley and Kothi again, as tourists were seen throwing snowballs at each other and enjoying snow skiing. Solang valley was without snow most part of this winter. The higher reaches of the Kullu valley, including the Pir Panjal ranges, Brighu ski slopes, Hamata slopes, Chanderkhani pass, Dhundi, Gulaba, Marhi meadows and Rohtang pass experienced fresh snowfall. Vehicular traffic on the Manali-Rohtang road was disrupted due to fresh snow at several places beyond Kothi, about 14 km from here, this morning. All tourist vehicles had to stop at Kothi. According to sources, due to the fresh snowfall at the Rohtang pass, Marhi, Gulaba, the road-clearing operations of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) were also hampered on the 475-km-long Manali-Leh highway. The BRO, which was clearing snow about 45 km at the Rahni nallah on the Manali-Rohtang pass road had to stop last evening due to fresh snowfall. The snowfall started at 4pm yesterday at Rohtang pass and Rahni nallah, the sources said. Due to fresh snowfall the BRO again started the snow clearing on the road from Kothi on the Manali-Rohtang road today. The snow has proved a blessing to orchardists in the upper region and the rain is considered good for the standing crop in the lower parts. |
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Fresh snowfall in state
Shimla, March 21 Other popular spots Narkanda, 65 km from Shimla, and Solang valley and Marhi, near Manali, experienced moderate snowfall. Singh said Kalpa in Kinnaur district and Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district received 4 cm and 16 cm of snowfall, respectively. “The entire tribal belt in Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti and Chamba district witnessed moderate to heavy snowfall during the past 24 hours,” he said. Lower areas of the state, including Dharamsala, Shimla, Solan, Nahan and Mandi received moderate to heavy rain. The maximum rain was recorded in Shimla (30 mm), and the minimum temperature fell to 3.5 °C from Friday’s 10°. Kalpa was the coldest place in the state with a minimum temperature of minus 2.5 °C followed by Keylong (minus 0.1). The snowfall and rain have cheered farmers and hoteliers in the region.
— IANS |
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Town cries for care
Chowari (Chamba), March 21 The underdeveloped town, where the growth of constructions is fast springing up and the township is being converted into a commercial settlement without giving any proper thought to a planned housing. As a consequence, the township is becoming a stinking slum and the vitiated atmosphere is inexorably polluting the environment of the entire town and the situation goes uncared-for. Encroachments galore everywhere in the township have created congestion on roads and drains obstructing the regulation of traffic day by day and the time is not far away when it would become difficult to provide basic amenities to the town-dwellers. There are demands that the provisions of the Himachal Pradesh Town and Country Planning Act should be extended to the township designating it as a special area and the sewerage scheme should be undertaken at the earliest, so as to save the old charm of the town nestled in the foothills of mighty Dhauladhar ranges. Officials of the IPH Department, however, say that the funds earmarked for the sewerage scheme are quite meagre and it is impossible to take up the work on the scheme. With the escalation in prices of iron pipes, the scheme would cost more than Rs 6 crore; the officials stated; maintaining that a sum of Rs 33 lakh had been allocated to start work on the scheme during the ensuing fiscal year beginning on April first for which materials relating to sewerage scheme was being arranged for speeding up the work on the scheme. |
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Student commits suicide
Mandi, March 21 According to the police, Ajay had bolted the room from inside. When his father enquired about him he did not respond and his father broke the door and found his son hanging from the ceiling fan. He was rushed to the civil hospital, Sarkaghat, but doctors declared him brought dead. Though the police ruled out any foul play in the case, but it suspected that the boy might have been under some stress.
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PTA meeting
Kangra, March 21 On the occasion, a pledge was taken jointly by students, their parents and teachers to curb ragging and make the college campus ragging free. Meanwhile, following have been elected office-bearers of the PTA of the college: Chairman- Anil Chauhan; president- Dr Narender Awasthi; vice-president -Kamlesh; secretary- Dr Parveen Sharma; and treasurer Dr Devender Dadhwal.
— OC |
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Play staged
Kullu, March 21 The main theme of the presentation was that the education has been made a commodity and being sold at the shops called “schools”. The director had rightly exhibited the present race in the competitive system of employment after the completion of one’s costly education that had been leading to frustration among the youth.
— OC |
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After Mohammad Azharuddin, now former all-rounder Madan Lal will also bat and bowl for the Congress. The cricketer, who joined the Congress today, has been pitted against sitting MP Anurag Thakur, son of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, on the prestigious Hamirpur Lok Sabha
constituency.
