|
|
|
|
State’s healthcare system ailing
Situation likely to worsen
MC set to convert park into parking lot
|
|
|
Stray animal menace, MC helpless
A step towards financial inclusion
A step towards financial inclusion
Shivirs at villagers’ doorsteps started to solve problems
Bailey bridge awaits reconstruction
Damaged footbridge causes inconvenience to villagers
Abolishing 621 posts in Nauni varsity flayed
Candidates tested for posts of constable wait for result
vignettes
Himachal diary
Book on Ambedkar released
Assembly Poll
BJP Mahila Morcha protests against price rise
|
|
State’s healthcare system ailing
Palampur, April 26 Despite tall claims by the state government regarding rationalisation of health services, no improvement is evident on ground and the entire exercise of the Health Department is turning futile.
The government has admitted in the state Vidhan Sabha that over 300 health institutions, including rural dispensaries and primary health centers, are without doctors and paramedical staff, resulting in hardships to the rural masses. The situation is no better even in the urban areas as 100 posts of specialists in medical colleges, zonal, district and subdivisional hospitals have been In one such instance, the government had spent over Rs 10 lakh on the purchase of ultrasound scanning unit for Baijnath hospital, but it has been lying idle in the absence of a radiologist. In the absence of separate cadre for specialists in the state, no PG doctor is willing to serve here. Moreover, PG doctors and MBBS doctors have the same pay scale, another de-motivating factor for PG doctors, most of whom are moving out to serve in private hospitals in violation of the contract signed with the government. In past two years, over 133 specialists appeared for interviews, who were also selected, but hardly 30 joined and the rest opted for private jobs. Despite the fact that the government is well conversant with the situation, nothing has been done to create a separate cadre for PG doctors. It is an irony that despite the government spending over Rs 500 crore annually on health services, people have to go to adjoining states for better medical care. Most of the government hospitals in the state are playing the role of referral hospitals as no emergencies are attended there. Even where the staff is sufficient, patients are not being attended honestly. In case of any emergency, instead of attending the patient, doctors refer them to other health institutions like CMC, Ludhiana, or PGI, Chandigarh.
|
|
Medical colleges find it tough to fill PG seats
Ravinder Sood
Palampur, April 26 Sources said the entrance examination for 65 PG seats was held twice this year in which 411 MBBS doctors appeared. As many as 26 candidates were selected in the first examination and the remaining 39 seats were left vacant as no candidates could even get the minimum marks of 100 out of 200 as prescribed by the MCI. Later, another chance was given to the candidates and examination for the 39 seats was held last month, but this time too no candidate could qualify. The state has been facing acute shortage of postgraduate doctors. At present, over 200 posts of PG doctors have been lying vacant in the Health Department and two medical colleges.Even as there is a tough competition for postgraduates seats in medical colleges across the country, Himachal is proving an exception as seats are lying vacant for the want of eligible candidates. Meanwhile, the state government convened a meeting of senior health officers recently to review the situation and find a way out to deal with the shortage of PG doctors. A senior professor of Tanda medical college said the falling standard of medical education in the state was responsible for the current situation. Doctors were not sincere in their studies and taking the entrance test lightly, he added.
|
|
MC set to convert park into parking lot
Nurpur, April 26 In this connection Lalit Kumar, MC executive officer, says that the House has passed a unanimous resolution on April 6 for allowing parking in this ground by charging Rs 500 per month as the parking fee from each vehicle owner. “The MC will not be responsible for any security of the parked vehicles and even provide no roof to them,” he added. Krishna
Mahajan, MC president, when asked clarified that the MC had taken this decision after receiving a written request from some vehicle owners, who were already parking their vehicles in this ground. She added that the MC could negotiate the fixed parking fee. It is notable that in a similar way Solan MC had also converted a children park of the town into a
three-storey parking lot but after construction of the lot the same decision was challenged in the HC through the public interest litigation. Confirming this Ajmer Singh, the executive officer, Solan MC, told The Tribune on phone that the MC had lost its case in the HC and the SC even. “This parking lot is now being utilised in public interest as per direction of the SC,” he added.
|
|
Stray animal menace, MC helpless
Dharamsala, April 26 April 4 is observed as World Stray Animals Day all over the world but here there was no such activity to protect or show compassion to these animals on streets. Many accidents are reported at night caused by these animals. “People themselves abandon their cows once they are unable to produce milk. And we are helpless as the MC has no place to keep these animals as yet but soon we will be coming up with a cow shelter at Sarah. A tender has been passed, the DC has laid the foundation stone and it will start soon,” said Kamla
Patial, president of the MC. She also expressed the helplessness over removing stray dogs from the roads as they have no provision of killing them and again they have no such place where they can be kept and looked after. Even the VIP areas are affected with this problem. Stray dogs could be found in the area of residences of the DC, Commissioner and MP Chandresh
Kumari. They could also be seen outside police station, SP office, SDM and DC office. Traffic jams, road accidents and dog bites have become a habit for the residents due to this menace. Meanwhile, an NGO called “Himalyan Nature Society” mentioned that they have been working on the project called “Animal Birth Control (ABC)” to curb the population of stray animals especially dogs.
Arvind, founder of the society said, “We don’t have our own permanent vet therefore we have to depend on volunteer government doctors who are not available always.” He also mentioned that they don’t had a permanent home for these animals they only keep injured dogs and release them once they are cured. The society has a permanent home for big animals but again only for those who have been suffering from permanent diseases. Therefore, no permanent solution seems in near future and residents have to bear with it.
|
|
139 peepal trees face axe
Mandi, April 26 The evergreen stately peepal trees on the premises of Tarna Mandir near Gandhi Chowk, IPH head office, and other parts of this temple town have started drying up under the nose of the council, which has gone blindfold on beautification spree concretising the breathing space of tree. The council contractors without seeking the opinion of the Forest Department or ecologists have almost strangulated over 22 peepal trees to death in this town. President, HP RTI Bureau, Lawan Thakur, who took the survey of the state of health of the trees, said the peepal trees had shed their leaves and looked pale rather than the dark green, their natural colour. The council has raised tiled and cemented platforms that have resulted in the waterlogging and root rot in the trees, he added. He said they had found the same problem plaguing the peepals in Dhanotu, Sundernagar and Sarkaghat belt. The concrete has been cemented around the trees mercilessly and more than 140 trees are drying up in the area, Thakur said. The believers pour water daily as a mark of religious faith to trees, which seeps in and waterlogged its root system as there is no outlet to drain the water, said ecologists. Second, the cementing around the tree has blocked the passage for the air and hence trees may dry up, they added. The peepal trees are evergreen and are the only trees, which provide oxygen round the clock. Hence, Lord Buddha and sages and seers medidate under the shade of the benevolent trees and village panchayats used to be held under these trees. Even peepal trees are planted in the monasteries and gompas arond the country, said Cheriing Dorje, a Buddhist scholar. The local councils are defenseless on the issue and maintained that they had tried to beautify the spots to make the sitting arrangements for the public. Divisional forest officer (Mandi) Anil Joshi said the councils had not sought their advice before putting up concrete platforms around the trees. “We have received the complaint from the RTI Bureau and are finding out the reasons for drying up of certain trees,” he added. Conservator of forests CB Pande said they were doing the survey to find out reasons as to why trees werre drying up or shedding leaves. We will find out whether trees suffer from some diseases or are waterlogged, before we act, he added.
|
|
A step towards financial inclusion
Nurpur, April 26 According to information, the bank will issue finger-operated bio-metric smart cards to every account holder under the
ICT-based Financial Inclusion plan. With the help of this card the customer can operate his account at his doorstep. The bank has entered into a contract with a Technical Service Provider (TSP) that will further appoint the banking correspondents (BCs) to provide doorstep banking service to the account holder in the rural areas. The BCs will be paid fixed remuneration by the TSP. The TSP will issue point of sale machines to the BCs, which will be operated with finger prints of the account holder. The illiterates, MNERGA workers and holders of social pensions will get immense benefit by this scheme as they don’t require to sign any banking form to operate their accounts. Moreover, the MNERGA workers and social-pension holders will not need to visit and stand in a queue in branch offices to wait for their turn as they will now get money at their doorsteps. According to chairman of the HGB SK Sharma, the ICT-based FI scheme has been aimed at connecting people with banking system by not only opening accounts but also meeting their small credit needs. He informed that this scheme was being launched under the guidelines of the RBI and the Centre. The beneficiary village has also been adopted by the RBI under its “Project Financial Literacy” with the objective of disseminating information regarding the RBI and general banking concepts to various target groups-cum-beneficiaries such as school and college students, women, rural and urban poor, defence personnel and senior citizens. Sharma maintained that after the success of the trial of this ambitious pilot project the HGB would implement the scheme across the state.
|
|
|
A step towards financial inclusion
Nurpur, April 26 According to information, the bank will issue finger-operated bio-metric smart cards to every account holder under the
ICT-based Financial Inclusion plan. With the help of this card the customer can operate his account at his doorstep. The bank has entered into a contract with a Technical Service Provider (TSP) that will further appoint the banking correspondents (BCs) to provide doorstep banking service to the account holder in the rural areas. The BCs will be paid fixed remuneration by the TSP. The TSP will issue point of sale machines to the BCs, which will be operated with finger prints of the account holder. The illiterates, MNERGA workers and holders of social pensions will get immense benefit by this scheme as they don’t require to sign any banking form to operate their accounts. Moreover, the MNERGA workers and social-pension holders will not need to visit and stand in a queue in branch offices to wait for their turn as they will now get money at their doorsteps. According to chairman of the HGB SK Sharma, the ICT-based FI scheme has been aimed at connecting people with banking system by not only opening accounts but also meeting their small credit needs. He informed that this scheme was being launched under the guidelines of the RBI and the Centre. The beneficiary village has also been adopted by the RBI under its “Project Financial Literacy” with the objective of disseminating information regarding the RBI and general banking concepts to various target groups-cum-beneficiaries such as school and college students, women, rural and urban poor, defence personnel and senior citizens. Sharma maintained that after the success of the trial of this ambitious pilot project the HGB would implement the scheme across the state.
|
|
|
Shivirs at villagers’ doorsteps started to solve problems
Bilaspur, April 26 This was stated by BJP state spokesman and Naina Deviji MLA Randhir Sharma while addressing such a shivir at Behal village in his constituency, about 70 km from here, on Saturday evening. He said these camps, which were attended by all district officers, had been proving to be very useful in providing a very important facility to the masses. This was also proved by the presence of a large number of villagers and their raising dozens of questions which otherwise would have been solved in months. He urged the villagers to fully cooperate with the officers in the performance of their duty regarding the laying of IPH irrigation and drinking water pipes, construction of village paths and roads, as all these schemes were to benefit them. He said some persons were in the habit of posing problems on flimsy grounds and such a tendency should be discouraged by others. Meanwhile, 222 out of the 396 cases presented were solved on the spot in this district-level shivir. The remaining cases were handed over to the district officers for immediate disposal. Additional District Magistrate Darshan Kalia was also present along with other officers.
|
|
Bailey bridge awaits reconstruction
Dhaman (Kullu), April 26 Though the PWD claimed that that they restored the road connectivity today in the afternoon, but the hoteliers and farmers complained that this link across the river runs the risk of being washed away as soon as it rains in the valley, as happened yesterday. The PWD just filled up the riverbed with boulders and debris to restore the road link to Banjar and Ani today, but the river threatens the link as it has started raining in the catchments. The private bus carrying passengers from Kullu risked their life here yesterday, when the bus had a narrow escape from having washed away by the river current, when it had tried to cross it. The passengers were rescued safely, but the bus had remained stuck in the surging waters till it was retrieved today. The heavy rains in the valley sent the river in spate and washed away the temporary road link dangerously laid out by the PWD to restore the movement of traffic on the Larji, Bali, Banjar and Ani road said the commuters. The snapping of the road link to the Banjar and Ani has hit tourism in the summer season that has picked up pace in the valley, as the hoteliers and home-stay units have cancelled their bookings. The trout-rich Tirthan valley and Great Himalayan National Park, Soja and Jalori Pass circuit has emerged as a preferred green and calm destination for the tourists seeking respite from much sought after Manali. They have to cancel bookings due to the risk involved at the temporary road link at Dhaman, rued Raju Bharti, a home-stay unit owner. They cannot transport goods and other items as the PWD has yet to launch the bailey bridge there, he added. The passengers from Bali Choki tehsil and Banjar and Ani, mainly the old and the sick have been put to a lot of hassles and again as the work on the bailey bridge is yet to gain pace. The farmers resented that peas season has started and the river could damage the link again due to rains, but the PWD has failed to restore the Dhaman bailey bridge even after six months. The Rs 2.5 crore bailey bridge, though designed for the 54 tonne load in 1978, collapsed under a debris-loaded truck about six months back. The PWD attributed the collapse to the mechanical failure as its joints fell apart. PWD executive engineer GS Gupta said they have completed the abutment work and hope that the bridge would be ready in a months time. Parts of the bridge come from Kolkata, he added.
|
|
Damaged footbridge causes inconvenience to villagers
Sundernagar, April 26 More than 500 students, who used to cross this bridge daily to go to Govt Sr. Sec School, Dhawal, despite this hundreds of the patients who have either to visit Aurvedic Dispensary, Dhawal, or to visit Veterinary Dispensary along with their animals have either to cross the Saul Khud or to use the road route after covering 10 km distance. Similarly, the residents of five panchyats have to cover 10 km more distance to reach Sundernagar. It was told that around 5,000 commuters used to cross through this bridge, which was the main connecting link for these five panchayats. According to Sohan lal Thakur, former congress MLA from Sundernagar and spokesman of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee, the BJP government has been talking much about the development but in reality it was not serious to solve the problem of public and could not restore the main footbridge for last more than two months. He said earlier this bridge was damaged in similar way in 2006 but was immediately restored within seven days. He criticised the BJP government that it was giving step-motherly treatment as the bridge was in the Dhawal panchayat, which was the home panchayat of Sohan lal Thakur. According to Forest officials, the footbridge will be immediately restored as the amount has been sanctioned for the repairs.
|
|
|
Abolishing 621 posts in Nauni varsity flayed
Solan, April 26 The decision was taken by the Board of Management (BoM), headed by Vice-Chancellor KR Dhiman, at its March 30 meeting. No state government representative was, however, present at the meeting. The decision has drawn flak from the Non-Teaching Employees Association. Association president OP Thakur said it was unfortunate that the university, which had a strength of 1,994 when it had less than 300 students on its rolls, had now been reduced by 621 when the student strength was around 800. With 1,400 acres of land in the main campus at Nauni and more land in its 17 sub-stations what was the rationale of reducing the posts of beldar from 427 to 163, the association questioned. Crucial posts like JE (mechanical), JE (electrical), SDO (electrical), instrumentation engineer, assistant director placement, technical assistant computers, security cell and workshop staff and others had been declared surplus. The employees rued that since the retirement age in the state government was 58 and it was 60 in the university, these employees would have no where to go after leaving. The association rued that in a bid to curtail expenditure, the authorities were derailing the working of the university and asked how could a farm university operate without the crucial field staff of beldars. Further, with a fleet of 65 vehicles, the move to abolish workshop staff failed to make sense. The VC, when contacted, said the posts had been reduced as per the rationalisation exercise initiated after directions of the state government and recommendations of the Planning Commission. He said the beldars had been declared a dying cadre and these posts would not be filled up once they retired. The field work would, however, be outsourced as it saved resources. He added that the employees who had been sent on deputation would also help save resources as the same work could be outsourced. The whole exercise he said would help them save Rs 3 crore on an annual basis.
|
|
Candidates tested for posts of constable wait for result
Mandi, April 26 Talking to The Tribune, the candidates said had the recruitment been fair, they would not have to knock the door of the court. They blamed the delay on the part of police and political interference in the recruitment. The police had advertised to recruit over 100 constables in Mandi district last year. But it has failed to declare the final results even after a year, they rued. The candidates said the police department had advertised 44 more posts of constable in Mandi district this month, while it had yet to declare its previous results. "We do not know whether or not to apply for the fresh posts as it involves a whole lot of attested documents, fees and practice for the physical fitness and written tests,” they said. SP, Mandi, PD Prasad said the result was witheld as the High Court had put a stay. The result would be declared after the writ petiton was disposed of by the court, he added. Police officials claimed that the recruitment process was fair for all candidates.
|
|
The Passion of the Christ
by Shriniwas Joshi The Passion is the Christian theological term used for events and suffering - physical, spiritual, and mental - of Jesus in the hours before and including his trial and execution by crucifixion. Mel Gibson had directed the film “The Passion of the Christ” that became the highest grossing non-English language film ever because Gibson had used Latin in it. When I saw it, I was spellbound by the faithful depiction of the period combined with superb acting of all the characters. It shows the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus on the day of his crucifixion in Jerusalem. Good Friday on the 22nd of April and the congregation of the devout Christians of Shimla at the Christ Church unfolded the film once again before me. The traditional service on this day began in the Church under the eye of Reverend Mushtaq Mallick, priest of Christ Church, around 12 noon because it is believed that Pontius Pilate, a prefect working under Roman king Emperor Tiberius, had authorised the crucifixion of Jesus at that time and that it ended around three as by that time Jesus had died on the Cross. Good Friday, therefore, is a day when all ceremonies and rituals are centered on the feeling of sorrow, at the pain and humiliation that Jesus underwent for the cause of goodness and humanity. Good Friday is devoted to fasting and prayer. When I asked my Christian friend that why is a day of mourning called “good”. He replied,” It is also called Black Friday, Holy Friday or Great Friday. Commonly, it is known as Good Friday, Good because on this day, Lord Jesus did a great deed. He sacrificed Himself for humanity, for all of us.” True, a man condemned as blasphemous died more than 2,000 years ago on a wooden Cross but to this day millions honour the man and cherish the crucifixion as about a 100 worshippers assembled at the Christ Church were doing. The sun was setting when I, on Good Friday, met Naresh Scott, general secretary of YMCA, and he, like a devout Christian, was breaking his fast then. He told me that the longest service that we render was on Good Friday - it was like celebrating the full mass in Jesus’ memory. “It is the basis of our faith”, he emphasised. Scott informed me about the “Stations of the Cross” which were the chief scenes of Christ’s sufferings and death. On each station, a speaker would address the mass quoting from the Holy Bible. The accepted 14 stations are: 1. Jesus is condemned to death 2. Jesus is given his cross 3. Jesus falls the first time 4. Jesus meets his mother 5. Simon of Cyrene carries the Cross 6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus 7. Jesus falls the second time 8. Jesus meets the daughters of Jerusalem 9. Jesus falls the third time 10. Jesus is stripped of his garments 11. Jesus is nailed to the Cross 12. Jesus dies on the Cross 13. Jesus’ body is removed from the Cross 14. Jesus is laid on the tomb and covered in incense. I was surprised to know from Scott that there were 16 Churches in Shimla - most of them in houses and homes - that did the service on this day. His guesstimate is that the Christian population of Shimla town is about 2,000 and it is desired from them that they followed the gospel of love that Jesus had given to one and all. When I asked him if he could narrate any experience that he had felt during or close to Good Friday, he mentioned that he had been seeing that the “weather always gets disturbed” on this day and that reminded me of unusual downpour in Shimla the previous night. Was it because the day Jesus was crucified a drop of rain had travelled from the sky to the earth and the earth had trembled? I do not know.
|
|
Cement-maker turns career-maker
The ambitious project of Lafarge to set up a two-million tonne cement plant at Karsog in Mandi district has been stuck up for want of environment clearance, but it has not dissuaded the multinational company from taking up welfare programmes for the uplift of locals. The company has undertaken a skill development project. Dr Reddy’s Foundation (DRF) is providing training to local unemployed youth so that they could find suitable employment. It has been a success as 39 out of 54 boys and girls who were enrolled for the training programme have already got jobs. Some of them are earning up to Rs 6,500 per month which is a good amount keeping in view that they have qualified only matriculation or plus two. In all 300 young unemployed youth were identified by DRF after a house-to-house survey of 15 villages in the project area to ascertain the economic conditions of the families and interacting with boys and girls to know their career choices. Ganga Ram Verma, community organizer (DRF), who is in-charge of the programme, said some of them had the resources and ambition to pursue higher education and were not interested in undergoing training. However, there were many who needed immediate jobs to financially support their families. In the first phase 54 youth were picked up and they were provided free board and lodging facilities during the three-month training. The training was completed in December and all those who successfully completed the programme have got employment through private placement. The candidates were imparted training in fours streams - hospitality, paramedics, sales and multi-system technicians. For instance, Indu Sharma of Shakra village is working as a sales representative with an insurance company while Khshwant Thakur of Thali village is working in the front office of a hotel in Shimla. The company would take a second batch of 50 youth soon. 410 donated blood
Blood donation is a major activity undertaken by the mission across the country and this year over 250 camps will be organised, informs Rajwant Kaur, in-charge of the mission. Camps at Solan, Daralghat, Rekong Peo and Nalagarh would be held one every month.
Hamirpur as an
education hub
Hamirpur district will soon have a Regional Centre of Horticulture and Forestry University, Nauni. The proposed Institute of Environmental and Biotechnology Studies is being opened at medicinal plants research centre in Neri and it will start functioning from the current session. Initially, the institute will start two courses - BSc. (horticulture) and BSc. (biotechnology). The classes will commence in the ensuing academic session and the number of seat in the two courses will be decided keeping in view the infrastructure available there. Opening of the institute is a step in the direction of making Hamirpur an education hub. The district is already having National Institute of Technology, Indian Institute of Hotel Management and Catering, and State Technical University. A modern multi-chamber cold store is also being set up at Nadaun which will have facilities for grading, packing and cold storage for fruits and vegetables, which would benefit the farmers of the district. Many areas of the district, which are emerging as major producers of vegetables after the implementation of polyhouse scheme, would be benefited. Off season vegetables are being grown in large quantity and the quality is also very good. The cold storage facility will help in regulating the flow of produce and ensure better returns to the growers. (Contributed by Rakesh Lohumi and D.P. Gupta)
|
|
This biker has everyone amused
Hamirpur, April 26 Hoshiarpur-born Moksha Jetly has even given a ride to British actress Caroline Quentin for the shooting of a TV documentary for a UK-based production company. Moksha has undertaken several trips to Leh, which is full of high passes like Khardunlga pass. She has rode through tough roads and rough weather with low oxygen on her bike. Ever since she learnt driving at a young age of 15 from her father, she has never looked back. She used to ride on motorcycles of her cousins and people used to get amused to see her riding on a Royal Enfield on the roads of Hoshiarpur way back in 1977. Jetley, who runs a travel agency in Manali, was first inspired to take adventure journeys on her bike by an American woman, who had travelled from Manali to Leh on a Royal Enfield. Getting encouragement from her, she also took a journey to Leh on her bike in 2008. After that she never looked back and had taken seven trips to Leh on her bike along with tourists from New Zealand, Germany, Austria and Australia. In November last year, she drove British actress Caroline Quentin during the shooting of a TV documentary “A Passage Through India” in Kerala. Sharing her experiences with The Tribune, Moksha said, “It was wonderful experience giving Caroline Quentin a ride on my bike during the shooting of a TV documentary. She is a marvelous person who is keen to know about the problems of women and other issues in India”. She also has high regard for armymen who rendered her help during her journey to Srinagar from Leh at several places in Kargil. As words of inspiration to Indian women, this biker says, “Women in our country must change their mindset and once that is done they can do anything in this world”. Moksha now plans to take an expedition on her bike from Kashmir to Kanyakumari by the end of October this year.
|
|
|
Book on Ambedkar released
Chamba, April 26 The CM has congratulated the author for bringing out such an important publication and releasing it on the birth anniversary celebration of Ambedkar. He said the publication would go a long way in educating the young generation about the contribution of Ambedkar, which he had made towards shaping the present of the country by writing the Constitution after India attained Independence. He said the book contained valuable information with regard to the ideology, relevance and impact of the philosophy of Ambedkar. Concentrated on the life and mission of Ambedkar, the book was launched as a token of tribute to him. Authored by Kishori Lal, the book comprises of nine chapters, including relevant visuals. After the painstaking researches of more than four years, the writer has judiciously compiled and introduced the facts relating to the biography of Ambedkar. Written in Hindi for the general readers, the book affords us the vivid aspects of Ambedkar’s versatile personality, his life and a saga of his hardships and struggles that he underwent throughout his life. The author also focuses Ambedkar’s achievements and his remarkable contribution in making the Indian Constitution besides his other landmark tasks. The book also highlights Ambedkar’s efforts for uplifting the downtrodden sections of the society. In his book, Kishori Lal, the author of the book, who is at present an Assistant Commissioner to the Deputy Commissioner of Chamba, recalls Ambedkar’s visit to Shimla. The writer also questions those politicians, who represent the reserve constituencies, for their ostentatious role in carrying out the mission of Ambedkar. The book is aimed at the Hindi readers so that they could be acquainted with Ambedkar’s ability and his contribution for the nation. The book has further been graced with a foreword written by the Lokayukta of Himachal Pradesh Justice Bhawani Singh.
|
|
Virbhadra launches campaign
Our Correspondent
Palampur, April 26 He was given rousing reception at public meeting held at Pharer village in Sulaha constituency. Hundreds of Congress workers brought him in procession to the venue of the rally from Gaggal airport. It was first political appearance of Virbhadra Singh in Kangra district in past two years since when he was inducted in the Cabinet. Addressing mammoth gathering Virbhadra Singh said the present BJP government had launched political vendetta against the Congress workers in the state and they were being trapped in false cases. He said time had come to settle the scores with present regime and the Congress workers should give a united fight to the BJP in the Assembly elections. Virtually the function was to launch the election campaign of the party in Kangra. He denied the media reports that there was groupism in the party. He told the workers that all Congress leaders had come to attend the rally. He asked the party leaders to see the larger interest of the party, which had only one aim to defeat the BJP in coming Assembly elections. They had to visit each and every village of the state to highlight the misdeeds of present corrupt regime. He categorically stated that he was not in race of the chief ministership. However, if the party high command asked him to return to the state politics, he would definitely come back and serve the people of state. He cautioned the state bureaucracy not to play in the hands of BJP leaders and perform their duties honestly, otherwise they would face problems if the Congress was voted to the power. Much significance was given to Virbhadra Singh’s visit to Kangra in political circles keeping in view the Assembly elections ahead in the state. All Congress MLAs from Kangra, including Sudhir Sharma, Yog Raj, Neeraj Bharti, Sujan Singh Pathania, and former MP Chander Kumar were present in the rally. Besides, many Congress leaders and ex-MLAs from adjoining district also attended the rally. Manmohan Katoch, state president, Youth Congress, had organised the rally. Almost every speaker, who addressed the rally, projected him as the future Chief Minister of the state, who had the capacity to fight the misrule of the present BJP government. Ram lal Thakur, former Forest Minister and senior Congress leader said without Virbhadra Singh’s blessing the Congress could not rout out the present BJP government from the state. He said he had served five times as the Chief Minister of the state, therefore the Congress workers wanted to see him as the Chief Minister of the state again.
|
|
BJP Mahila Morcha protests against price rise
Hamirpur, April 26 In a show of its organisational capacity, activists of the Mahila Morcha held a protest rally against UPA government to oppose the rising prices of essential commodities and the government’s failure to keep them under control. The activist, who had come from all over the district, assembled at Bhachat Bhawan and marched through the bazaar carrying banners and flags, raising slogans against the Central Government and later, held a public meeting at Gandhi Chowk. Addressing the rally, state president of the Morcha, Meera Anand said, “When the UPA government is working against the interests of the common man and prices of the essential commodities are sky rocketing; we must tell the people not to vote this government again”. Lashing out at the UPA government, she said, “Every household article is costly today and it has become difficult to manage the home budget for women and if any thing is cheap under the UPA regime, it is corruption”. Local MLA Urmil Thakur also criticised the UPA government for its failure to tackle the rising prices of essential commodities and blamed it for helping the traders make huge money out of common man’s misery. Rashmi Sood, Mahila Morcha’s national executive member, Maya Sharma, district president, and Asha Sharma, general secretary, were also present at the rally.
|
|
||
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Dharamsala, April 26
Himachal Gramin Bank (HGB) sponsored by Punjab National Bank has identified Kotpalari village in Nurpur development block for launching its Information & Communication Technology
(ICT)-based pilot project on the Financial Inclusion approved by
NABARD. This scheme has been aimed at providing banking services of deposit and withdrawal to the rural people at their doorsteps.
A book entitled “Yug Pravartak Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar: Vichardhara, Prasangikta Evan Prabhav”, authored by a Himachal Administrative Services Officer Kishori Lal was released by Himachal Chief Minister Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal at Hamirpur on April 14 to mark the commemoration of 120th birth anniversary of author of the Constitution of India Dr BR Ambedkar. It is for the first time that such a book has been written and brought out by a writer from Himachal Pradesh.
Palampur, April 26
The local Nirankari Mission organised a blood donation camp on the Ridge in memory of Baba Gurbachan Singh. As many as 410 persons donated blood. Madhu Sood, Mayor, Shimla Municipal Corporation, inaugurated the camp and also donated blood.