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CM promises to weed out corruption in state
BJP: 3-month term of govt is disappointment |
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Jaypee Polytechnic and Training College to be shut down
Social media throws up new challenges for PR professionals
Reorganisation of districts overdue: Zila banao samiti
Programme held to welcome disabled girls into school
Scientists rubbish rumours of meteorite hitting village
Khadi corpn to give Rs 14.5-cr subsidy to villagers
5 rooms inaugurated at govt school
RTI activist questions selection of Motor Vehicles Inspector
Bilaspur MLA seeks CM’s intervention
Morcha urges govt to hold talks on demands
Dalai Lama to visit Dalhousie on April 28
Raise retirement age: Schoolteachers
Consumers rue over inflated power bills
Man gets two-year RI for duping 4 seeking jobs
1 fined for carrying gold, cash without papers
HRTC mechanic injured while
repairing bus
Nadaun-Sujanpur railway line’s survey on the cards
CITU demands probe into digging of head race tunnel
‘My Afternoon Poems’ released
15 injured as bus overturns
1 dies as car rolls down hillock
7 held in flesh trade racket
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CM promises to weed out corruption in state
Mandi (Kansa Chowk), April 21 Addressing a rally organised by the Congress in anticipation of the Lok Sabha poll, the Chief Minister warned the BJP and other rivals against spreading canards and rumours as the guilty would be punished. He said the BJP government did not work during its reign, but had announced the introduction of Punjab scale and setting up of colleges as part of its game plan to woo employees and voters without considering their implications on the state. “The BJP opened colleges without budgets and buildings. The government has closed such colleges,” he said. He said his government would weed out corruption in the state, which was a big challenge considering the previous BJP regime had provided jobs to those who subscribed to its RSS ideology, while ignoring deserving candidates. “The wrong-doers will be made accountable but the government will treat all with an equal eye,” he said. The Chief Minister ridiculed BJP’s critical comment on his three-month-old regime, saying “BJP men think the government will deliver the baby in three months”. He said his government would provide Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,500 as monthly allowances to unemployed youth and physically challenged, respectively, for the development of their skills. He said the provision of subsidised food, including three dals and iodised salt, was started by him in his last regime and would be carried forward again. He said they would not rush into things while planning agendas for poor, youth, pensioners and employees unlike what the BJP did during its tenure. He asked bureaucrats to be on their toes and work for the welfare of people as he would not spare anyone who derelicted from his duty. Earlier, Irrigation, Public Health and Horticulture Minister Vidya Stokes said, “Virbhadra Singh has always stood by his words and worked for the welfare of poor people. The presence of a large gathering despite the rain is an indication that the Congress has the support of youth, women, pensioners, employees and other sections of society. Big institutions like the IIT, Mandi, and the ESIC medical college are gifts from the Chief Minister as he loves Mandi,” she said. Health and Revenue Minister Kaul Singh thanked the CM for raising the health budget by 22 per cent and said the government was recruiting 100 doctors this year and would recruit 100 more next year. “Patients will get generic medicines for free. The six specialities at Tanda medical colleges have been started while the ESIC medical college will start next year,” he said. The minister accused the BJP government of selling state land in violation of Section 118. He said as many as 400 health centres were locked and 500 posts of patwari were lying vacant and that the Congress was committed to providing a responsive government. Transport, Food and Civil Supply and Technical Education Minister GS Bali said Virbhadra Singh had adopted a transparent policy for giving good quality and subsidised ration to people unlike unfair practices adopted by the previous BJP regime while inviting tenders. “We are giving three dals, not poor quality black gram, with a subsidy of Rs 122 crore. Those (distributors) who are not up to the standards will be punished,” he said. He alleged that the BJP had spent Rs 15 crore on the construction of “just one floor” of the Mandi bus stand. He claimed that under the leadership of Virbhadra Singh, the Congress had saved Rs 5 crore on procuring school uniforms of better quality. He said the government was starting an “Own Your Own Vehicle scheme” for unemployed youth. Projects announced
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BJP: 3-month term of govt is disappointment
Mandi/Kullu, April 21 The party declared that it opposed the Himalayan ski village in Manali as most of the people were against it. The state BJP declared its agenda ahead of the Lok Sabha polls after its leaders gathered at Kullu for a three-day meeting under the guidance of state president Satpal Sati and former Chief Minister PK Dhumal. Kangra senior BJP leader Shanta Kumar was conspicuous by his absence at the meeting that has further added to the woes of the party. The BJP chose Kullu, the citadel of Kullu MLA Maheshwar Singh who had severed all ties with the BJP throwing its cadre in tatters by floating his own party, Himachal Lokhit Party, to make its presence felt in the Mandi parliamentary seat left vacant by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. Briefing mediapersons after the meeting, state general secretary Randhir Sharma and spokesperson Ajay Rana said the party had decided its political agenda and passed a resolution opposing the Himalayan ski village in Manali, renaming of the schemes started by the BJP in its last term. The Congress has failed to deliver the goods during the last three months, they alleged. They further claimed that the Congress was misleading the people on the issue of phone tapping and violation of Section 118. The party would make the people aware about this vendetta campaign being launched by the Congress and expose its political design, they added. “We oppose the renaming and closing down of the colleges started by the BJP,” they added. |
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Shah Canal finally commissioned
Dharamsala, April 21 Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department, Parvez Akhtar said the canal had been commissioned in technical terms. The 45-km-long canal is the first irrigation project for hilly areas in the country and has emerged as an “engineering marvel”. Sources said the model was now being replicated in other hill states of the country. Under the project, water of the Beas, picked up from the Talwara barrage, passes through tunnels and aqua-ducts of Shah Canal before reaching fields in Indora block of Kangra district. The water passes through 12-km-long aquaducts through its 45-km length. The aqua-ducts have been constructed at a height of 25 metres from the ground level at various places using RCC pillars. It is the longest aquaduct used in a canal irrigation project in the country. The canal’s unique design has been developed by engineers of the department. Besides constructing the main canal, the department is also constructing RCC minor and sub-minor canals for carrying water to fields. The canal water will provide irrigation facilities in 93 villages of the Indora area. The Irrigation Department is in the process of forming Krishak Vikas Sanghs in villages, which will keep the department updated about the demand of water drains by farmers from minor and sub-minor canals. These bodies will also decide on the irrigation turns to be given to farmers. Sources said the government had approved an additional amount of Rs 68 crore for developing the “drain command area” of the canal. The initial deadline for the completion of the project was March, last year. However, the project was delayed due to hurdles in environmental clearances and litigation by locals. The agreement for the construction of the canal between Punjab and Himachal Pradesh was signed in 1983. The initial cost of the project was Rs 143 crore. While Himachal Pradesh was to contribute 40 per cent of the cost, Punjab had to contribute 60 per cent of the expenses. However, the Punjab Government paid only Rs 66 crore for the project. Due to the delay in the payment of the rest of the expenses, the cost of constructing the canal rose to Rs 392.85 crore. Finally, the Union Government contributed 90 per cent of total cost of the project under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) while the remaining 10 per cent was contributed in 60:40 ratio by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. The project
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Small, marginal farmers need more attention: Speaker
Palampur, April 21 The Speaker said as most of the rural population in the state was engaged in farming, it was imperative to put more efforts for their socio-economic development by transferring modern technologies and farm inputs. The state was producing around 12 lakh metric tonne of vegetables and such success stories should be repeated in other crops also. Butail said the university and the State Department of Agriculture had made successful efforts for the development of the farming sector. Dr SK Sharma, Vice-Chancellor of the host university, said as many as 5,000 farmers from the state took part in the mela. He also detailed various programmes of the government to boost farm production. Dr KK Katoch, Director of Extension Education, said the farmers also participated in the question-answer session to resolve their problems. They also visited the research farm of the university. The Speaker honoured some progressive farmers with certificates and mementoes. Statutory officers of the university and members of the local administration, university and department of agriculture were also present at the valedictory ceremony of the mela. |
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Prez to inaugurate Tagore centre on May 24
Shimla, April 21 The wide-ranging works of Tagore, who was an accomplished poet, philosopher, artist, playwright, composer and novelist, made it imperative for the institute to adopt an innovative approach for covering all aspects of his life and works. The Tagore Centre for the Study of Culture and Civilisation (TCSCC) will be inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherji on May 24. The spacious centre has been housed in the part of the main Vice Regal Lodge building where democracy leader of Myanmar and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi stayed as a research fellow in 1986. The dilapidated portion has been suitably renovated under the adaptive reuse plan for the purpose. An imposing 8-ft-high portrait of Tagore, provided by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, greets visitors in the entry lounge. Two other pictures displayed show him in the company of Mahatma Gandhi and Albert Einstein. The section devoted to the life of Tagore has over 80 images, which cover the span from his childhood days to the day when he was conferred the Nobel Prize. The literary section focuses on the contemporaries of Tagore like Subramanian Bharati, Munshi Prem Chand and Sri Aurobindo. Pictures taken during the stage performance of his famous dance dramas like “Chandalika” and “Tasher Desh” have been showcased at the section devoted to his works pertaining to theatre. There are separate sections on music (Rabindra Sangeet) and art of Tagore. The section on Rabindra Sangeet, the most treasured heritage of Bengal, features the songs written and composed by him, while the art section has paintings of Tagore and some other artists. The objective of the TCSCC is to encourage scholars to study the entire range of the great philosopher’s works, support translations of his works into other languages and promote comparative study and explore his concerns regarding the relationship between science and society. The IIAS has already selected four scholars for the centre to study and explore his works in different fields. |
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Jaypee Polytechnic and Training College to be shut down
Hamirpur, April 21 The college, which is situated in the ancestral village of former Chief Minister PK Dhumal, has been under the scanner of the government as it is not affiliated with the Himachal Pradesh Board of Technical Education. The state government has made it mandatory for polytechnic institutions to seek affiliation from the board. The polytechnic college is not inviting fresh applications for diploma courses run here and has served notices on the teaching staff. The college had not sought affiliation from the board even after 10 years of its inception in 2002 and several notices issued by the board in this regard were ignored. The issue of non-affiliation of the college had been raised by The Tribune in these columns. The college was running diploma courses in electronics and communication, mechanical and computer science, certificates for which were issued by Jaypee University, Waknaghat. The university authorities had been maintaining that it was a deemed university and
so its polytechnic college did not require the board’s affiliation. However, the state authorities had been arguing that a university could only affiliate its colleges which were running undergraduate courses but polytechnic colleges offering diploma courses had to be affiliated with the technical board. “Passouts from Jaypee Polytechnic and Training College were finding it difficult to find jobs abroad as the college is not affiliated with the All-India Council for Technical Education,” said a government official. Sources said the previous government had reportedly been soft towards the Jaypee group but the college was finding it difficult to convince the new regime over the issue. Himachal Pradesh Board of Technical Education Secretary Sunil Verma said, “The state government had been issuing notices to the college for getting itself affiliated with the board but the college ignored these.” Jaypee University Registrar Balbir Singh maintained that the affiliation of the college with the technical board was not required as certificates were issued by Jaypee University. He said, “The polytechnic college is closing down its courses as the college is not getting sufficient admissions.” |
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Social media throws up new challenges for PR professionals
Shimla, April 21 This was the gist of the views expressed by speakers at a discussion on “Emerging Importance of Social Media: Public Relations Perspective” organised by the state chapter of the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI) here today. Veteran journalist PC Lohumi presided over the event. Senior journalist Ravinder Makhaik introduced the subject and presented the overall emerging scenario in detail. Lohumi said the social media was a double-edged weapon with both positive and negative impacts and the effective strategies had to be put in place to harness its vast potential in a constructive manner for the benefit of society. “The social media has triggered off an “information explosion” and it is bound to become a mainstream media in the near future because of its speed and wider reach. It is equally important for the PR practitioners and for making its best use, they must do regular and proper processing of information with accuracy,” he added. Makhaik said the social media had an impact on the traditional media. Many media houses had been forced to close down their print versions and go online. It posed a big challenge as it was unregulated and, thus, vulnerable to spread rumours and disseminate unnecessary information in various forms. He also underlined the need for a mechanism to regulate the social media. Earlier, Chairman of the State Chapter of the PRSI, BD Sharma, in his introductory remarks, said the social media posed challenges and also provided new opportunities to the PR professionals. They would have to remain alert all the time and respond instantly by providing authentic
information. |
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Reorganisation of districts overdue: Zila banao samiti
Palampur, April 21 The samiti said the Chief Minister must understand that the reorganisation of districts in the state was overdue. The Chief Minister should not forget that residents of Palampur, Dehra Gopipur and Nurpur were fighting for a genuine cause as these areas deserved a district status. Addressing mediapersons here on Wednesday, samiti president Jagmel Katoch said during the Assembly elections held in November last year, the Congress legislators had promised a district status for Palampur, Nurpur and Dehra Gopipur. The Chief Minister must honour the commitment made by Congress MLAs and also respect the public sentiments, he said. He said the district status was a right of seven lakh residents of Palampur. He said the governments, who ruled the state discriminated with Palampur, ignored its interest merely on political considerations. Despite commitments made
by the Congress and BJP leaders, no district status was granted. He said the samiti would revive the agitation soon. Katoch alleged that Virbhadra was playing dirty politics on this sensitive issue. He said he should not forget that he was voted to power because of the support of seven Congress MLAs elected from Palampur, Nurpur and Dehra Gopipur in the last
Assembly elections. |
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Programme held to welcome disabled girls into school
Shimla, April 21 A workshop on “Educational Rights of Persons with Disabilities” was also held for the teaching staff and disabled students here today. Devender Kashyap, Principal of the school, said, “The inclusive education is the policy of the state and we will make efforts to provide support to disabled students in our school. They are an important part of our diverse society. We have allotted hostel accommodation to them on a priority basis and do not charge any fee.” Welcoming the disabled students, Ajai Srivastava, Chairman of the foundation, said it was a golden opportunity for them to pursue studies in a prestigious government school along with other students. They had the right to free education right up to the university level as per the state policy for persons with disabilities. He underlined the need for using new technology for teaching such students and orientation and training of the teachers so that they were well-equipped to teach them. He said modern technology had opened new avenues for the persons with visual and hearing impairments and they could go far like normal students in pursuing education. Parents of the girls with disabilities also participated in the programme. |
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Scientists rubbish rumours of meteorite hitting village
Dharamsala, April 21 They said it was an explosive containing barium nitrate, aluminium and iron oxide radicals, which are mainly used in incendiary projectiles. They said the effective range of the projectile could be around 350 yards. Himachal Pradesh SFSL Director Arun Sharma said the incident had taken place around 9.15 am. Two women had sustained minor injuries when the “fireball” fell in the village. An eyewitness said, “An object like a fireball of around 12-inch diameter fell from the sky and split into several parts after hitting the ground. Two women, who were doing some household work nearby, sustained burn injuries in the incident.” The women said they had heard the sound of an aircraft a few seconds before the incident. Rumours of it being a meteorite spread among villagers soon after the incident. However, Sharma ruled out the possibility after visiting the area and said this was the first case of such a projectile falling in a public place in the state. |
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Khadi corpn to give Rs 14.5-cr subsidy to villagers
Bilaspur, April 21 While addressing mediapersons at the Circuit House here, Gauttam said the corporation had been active in generating employment and income through cottage industries in villages of the country since 1956. This was being done under the village uplift programme of Mahatma Gandhi. He said this was to prevent villagers from migrating to cities and towns. He said under the Pradhan Mantri Rojgaar Srijan Yojna loans up to Rs 25 lakh were sanctioned with 25 to 35 per cent subsidy to women for starting self-employment ventures based on cottage and village industries based on local produce. Gauttam said last year, a Rs 9.5-crore subsidy was given to villagers of the state while this year, a subsidy of Rs 14.5 crore had been earmarked for this purpose. He said villagers should come forward to take advantage of these facilities. He said NGOs could also take maximum advantage of various schemes as presently 49 programmes were functioning under this head, providing employment to 500 villagers in the state. He said four more projects were awaiting sanction and would start functioning at the earliest. He said industries based on maize, mango, biul, achaar, chatni, murabba, badiyan, paapad etc were being covered under various schemes for loans and subsidy. |
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5 rooms inaugurated at govt school
Bilaspur, April 21 This was stated by Ram Lal Thakur, Chairman, Planning Development and the 20-Point Programme Implementation Committee, while inaugurating five new rooms, costing Rs 35 lakh, at Government Senior Secondary School at Kothipura, near here, recently. Earlier, he laid the foundation stone of a 20-m span cement concrete bridge over the Jarad khad on the Prohi-Deoth road in the Naina Deviji constituency, 35 km from here. Ram Lal said students had been given free travel facility in buses to schools, and students from Class VI to XII were being given nutrition supplement of iron and folic acid once every week. He said the government had also restarted 154 schools that were closed by the previous government. He said, “Himachal Pradesh is one of the few states that has maximum number of trained and qualified teachers and all schools are equipped
with all facilities.” He urged parents, including teachers, to admit their wards in government schools. Ram Lal said the government had announced Rs 170 crore annual subsidy to people in electricity charges this year while old-age pension had been increased and unemployment allowance announced. He announced Rs 25 lakh for a school boundary wall while Rs 62 lakh estimate for the school hall and the administrative building had also been prepared on which work would be
started within the next six months. He also announced sanction to a road to Noa Dalit Basti, Rs 1.2 crore for some bridges in the area, Rs 25 lakh for the Nyayi Sarli link road and Rs 45 lakh for a building of the Primary Health Centre at Rajpura. He added that 18 solar lights would be installed in Kothipura panchayat and 15 in Prohi panchayat soon. Principal Shobha Garga also addressed the function. Deputy Director of Education Bir Singh was present. |
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RTI activist questions selection of Motor Vehicles Inspector
Bilaspur, April 21 He alleged that the appointment had been carried out against rules and all selection principles already fixed for the selection process. Talking to mediapersons at the Circuit House here today, Mishra gave documentary evidence as a proof of the irregularities committed in the selection. He showed all the documents attested and supplied to him by the department concerned after he had filed an RTI application. He alleged that better qualified candidates, totalling 31, who were referred for the post by the officers concerned had been ignored and rejected. Rajesh Mishra said changes were made in an interview by absenting one of the members of the selection panel as in that case the candidate “desired to be selected” could not be selected and another candidate was sure to get preference for it. Then selection officers adopted a method of FAX massages and this matter was decided in favour of one “desired” candidate, after violating all the already fixed norms and regulations for the same. Mishra, a senior advocate, warned that if this inquiry was not conducted within the next two weeks and action not taken against the officers involved in the selection procedure, he would move court to get the guilty punished and get the deserving person selected for the post in public interest. |
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Bilaspur MLA seeks CM’s intervention
Bilaspur, April 21 Talking to mediapersons here recently, Bambar claimed that the BJP had sensed that its government was on the way out and some of its leaders had hastened the agreement during the last couple of weeks in office. He alleged that this decision was a sellout and betrayal of interests of Bhakra Dam oustees as this plot was earmarked for economic rehabilitation of about 100 families of oustees who were forced to occupy roadside kiosks and rehris. Bambar said a five-storey building was to be constructed as a self-financed project which was to house about 100 booths for economic rehabilitation of oustees who were to be allotted booths on a hire-purchase basis. He said a parking lot, a hall for indoor functions and several offices constructed here were to be allotted on rent for repaying bank loans and maintenance charges. He said the government had spent Central funds worth Rs 1.5 crore on construction of two storeys which the contractor proposed demolish. Bambar reminded the Chief Minister that the Bhakra Oustees Committee had got this land vacated from the PWD due to the latter’s personal intervention. Bambar demanded that this project should be scrapped immediately. |
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Morcha urges govt to hold talks on demands
Bilaspur, April 21 The demand of conducting talks was highlighted by morcha state president Gopal Dass Varma after a district-level meeting of leaders of the morcha held at the Circuit House here today. He said 48 leaders of the morcha from all parts of the district and its adjoining areas were present at the meeting. Former general secretary of the State NGOs’ Federation MR Sangroli (state chairman of the morcha), former president of the State Co-Operative Employees Association Sita Ram Dhiman (founder member of the morcha), state general secretary of the morcha Ramesh Sharma, state vice-president of the morcha Paras Ram Parmar and district president of the morcha Jagir Singh Thakur Morcha were also present. Varma said the current federation was divided into four factions, each claiming majority and this was resulting in the non-acceptance of demands of the employees. He gave a call to faction leaders to come on a platform and hold joint election to form a “united” federation. Varma urged the Chief Minister to accept demands of the pensioners, reconsider an unemployment allowance till age of 45 years (the final age of joining government service) and increase MNREGA wages to Rs 150. |
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Dalai Lama to visit Dalhousie on April 28
Giving this information here today, Dr (Capt) GS Dhillon, Director and Principal of Dalhousie Public School, said such an opportunity would be a “godsend” for the hill town and, therefore, he had requested the heads of all the schools in the area to ensure that their students participated on this sacred occasion. “The Dalai Lama is unquestionably one of the greatest spiritual leaders of the 21st century and his visit to the DPS is a red-letter day for the school,” Dr Dhillon said.
— OC |
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Raise retirement age: Schoolteachers
Kangra, April 21 In a statement here on Friday, secretary general of the Himachal Government Teachers Union Onkar Rana said the union had demanded that ACP 4-9-14 be allowed, keeping in view the teacher’s entire service and an increase in the grade pay from October 1, 2013, be implemented. Rana said the union had further demanded that surplus cases due to non-joining of teachers be settled by pay orders to release the withheld salary. Rana urged the state government to remove the pay-scale anomalies of C and V teachers from January 1, 1986, and grant 20 causal days of leave in a year to women teachers on the analogy of Punjab. He demanded that the CPF deduction scheme be started from January 1, 2004, like in Punjab and Centre. He also demanded the appointment of Deputy Director of Education of Inspection cadre. Rana further demanded promoting all categories of teachers, besides regularising contracts of para teachers on the completion of their three years of service and giving arrears to tenure teachers for their entire service. |
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Consumers rue over inflated power bills
Nurpur, April 21 The LMK has issued printed but hand-written receipts to the consumers despite computer-generated receipts. The consumers, who have received inflated bills, have been running from the pillar to post to rectify their bills. But they were informed at the electricity office that the LMK had not further deposited the collected bills in the account of the electricity board. They have been asked to approach the LMK to know the exact status of their bills. Assistant Engineer, HPSEB, Nurpur, Sharvan Kumar Raju confirmed that the electricity office had been receiving such complaints daily. He said he would conduct an inquiry into the issue and recommend action against the LMK. “The last day for depositing electricity bills has been extended to April 24 from April 22 to facilitate the consumers to rectify their old bills,” he said. Viney Kumar, owner of the LMK, said he had been solving the problem of the consumers who had been approaching him. |
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Man gets two-year RI for duping 4 seeking jobs
Nurpur, April 21 According to Vijay Rihalia, Assistant District Attorney, Sunil Singh of Dahkulara village had lodged a complaint against Naresh Kumar for duping him and Seva Singh, Rajiv Singh and Amit Singh of the same village. The Indora police had registered a forgery case under Section 420, IPC, against Naresh in April 2006. He said the convict had promised to send them to Malaysia through a Delhi-based private company. He negotiated Rs 1 lakh with each aspirant of foreign job and took Rs 2 lakh from them in advance. He asked them to clear the balance payment after ensuring their landing in Malaysia. But, after waiting for a long time, they didn’t get any positive response and finally visited the office of the said company in Delhi where they came to know that they had been duped and fallen prey to human trafficking. The court had started the hearing in September 2006 and after recording eight witnesses it awarded the RI and a fine to the convict. |
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1 fined for carrying gold, cash without papers
Bilaspur, April 21 The driver did not carry any receipts or documents to prove the validity of carrying gold and the cash at all and was fined Rs 3.34 lakh by the flying squad, which he was charged on the spot. It was revealed that he had already sold gold to a jeweller at Sundernagar for Rs 10 lakh though he did not carry any valid receipts and documents for having paid the tax. The remaining gold was to be sold to a jeweller at Ghumarwin. Reports said similarly another departmental team, led by Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner Vivek Mahajan, and officer Pawan Kumar, etc, had caught red-handed Satish Kumar, a jeweller of Ludhiana, Punjab, carrying gold jewellery worth Rs 13 lakh in his car at Ghumarwin a couple of days ago. Satish failed to present any valid documents for carrying such a huge quantity of jewellery and was fined Rs 3.51 lakh, which was recovered from him on the spot.
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HRTC mechanic injured while
repairing bus
Bilaspur, April 21 The other employees working with him took him out of the bus body with the help of HRTC employees and passengers there and rushed him to the nearby Civil Hospital. Then he was shifted to the Regional Hospital here, which referred him to the IGMC, Shimla, where his condition is stated to
be serious. The local transport authorities have extended a financial help of Rs 10,000 to the injured.
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Nadaun-Sujanpur railway line’s survey on the cards
Hamirpur, April 21 Rana said the minister had assured him to expand the railway line in the state to boost tourism. Efforts would be made to link the Sujanpur constituency with a railway network. Bansal gave this assurance to him while speaking at a reception hosted by Rana for him in Chandigarh last evening.
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CITU demands probe into digging of head race tunnel
Hamirpur, April 21 General secretary of the CITU State Committee Kashmir Singh Thakur alleged that the construction work of the Sawra-Kuddu hydel project had been stopped due to the extra digging of the head race tunnel because of sheer negligence of HPPCL engineers. He said, “The workers are sitting idle for the past several months and not being paid salaries.” The CITU leader further alleged, “The HPPCL is a principal employer in the project and its Managing Director is solely responsible for the present status of the project.” Kashmir Singh has demanded a probe into the matter from the state government and the removal of the MD of the HPPCL, failing which the CITU would launch an agitation.
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‘My Afternoon Poems’ released
New Delhi, April 21 Ashok was a Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS officer who retired as Secretary, Shipping, after serving various posts at the state and Central government level. Speaking about his book, he said he wrote these poems in his 50s when he entered into the “afternoon of his life” and hence, it was named as “My Afternoon Poems”. Jagmohan, while commending the poems compared some of them with the thoughts of Saint Kabir, Sri Nirala and some other Urdu poets. Among others who attended the event was former Chief Justice of India GB Patnaik, present Supreme Court Judge Justice Anang Patnaik, Chief Information Commissioner of India Satyanand Mishra, former Chief Election Commissioner of India BB Tandon and SY Quraishi, many senior civil servants and police and Army officers.
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15 injured as bus overturns
Palampur, April 21 According to reports, the bus was on its way from Palampur to Jaisinghpur via Dhupkiara. When the bus reached near Harot village, the driver failed to negotiate a sharp curve and it hit a hill rock, injuring over 15 passengers. A team of police and civil officials from Jaisinghpur immediately reached the spot and supervised relief and rescue operations. All injured passengers, taken out of the bus by the police and local residents, were later shifted to different hospitals. An HRTC official said two seriously injured persons were shifted to the Civil Hospital, Palampur. The other injured were discharged from the Civil Hospital, Jaisinghpur, after first-aid. The HRTC has ordered an inquiry into the mishap. The police has registered a case. Some of the injured have been identified as Kuldip Kumar, driver of the bus, Rekha Devi, Sudha, Vakil Chand, Veena, Sumna and Hoshiar Singh.
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1 dies as car rolls down hillock
Chamba, April 21 The report said the deceased had been identified as Anil Kumar who belonged to Rathiar village in the district. The body of the deceased had been handed over to his kin after post-mortem. The police had registered a case of rash and negligent driving. However, further investigation was on, the report said. In another accident, Neeraj was injured when a Canter overturned near Lahar in Dalhousie tehsil today, the report further said.
— OC
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7 held in flesh trade racket
Dharamsala, April 21 The accused were allegedly involved in immoral trafficking. The police has also arrested Mohinder Sharma, manager of the hotel, and Anil Chouhan, the owner.
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Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said the state government would punish those who had unleashed a reign of corruption and political vendetta in the previous BJP regime and would not rush into implementing the Punjab scale for employees and other projects which had created a mess in the state.
Dalhousie, April 21