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8 die as bus falls into gorge in Shimla
Three killed due to landslide
A road washed away by a cloudburst in the Baijnath area on Tuesday. Photo: Kamaljeet
Villagers up in arms against Jispa Dam
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Chamba-Shimla highway blocked
CPI protests against anti-people policies of Central Govt
Ensure implementation of steps against ragging: DC
Students to be given iron pills in Hamirpur
Chief Parliamentary Secretary ID Lakhanpal on the launch of iron supplement scheme for schoolchildren in Hamirpur on Tuesday.
Fungal diseases worry apple growers
Local surety not justified for bail: HC
‘Motivate students for NSS participation’
BJP to protest outside Assembly on Aug 23
Killing of soldiers on LoC
Czech national found dead
Highlight policies of govt, PR officials told
Jailed for rash driving
CM cancels medical specialist’s transfer
1.25 kg naag chhattri seized, four arrested
Uttarakhand admn seeks help to identify child Rain damages offices in school
One held with stolen khair wood logs Rs 18 lakh earned during Minjar fair
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Three killed due to landslide
Dharamsala, August 6 A couple was killed when, due to a landslide, huge debris from the mountain fell on their house at Netru village. A child was killed when debris fell on her at Jambu village. The sources said the entire Jaisighpur area was cut off due to the landslide and flash floods. Due to heavy rain, the water level of the Pong Dam has also increased which was 1,375 feet today. It was just 15 feet from the maximum retaining capacity of the dam that is 1,390 feet. The BBMB authorities decided to release 30,000 cusecs water from the Pong Dam. People living downstream Pong Dam had been warned. Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, Paul Rasu said a warning had been issued to villagers against venturing into riverbeds due to the threat of flash floods. He said officials had also been asked to extend help to people if they were trapped in flash floods. Heavy rain also caused landslides in various parts of the district that led to disruption of traffic. However, the debris was quickly cleared by PWD officials and the traffic was restored. Rain disrupts life in Kangra
Kangra: Life in the valley was hit following heavy rain today, leaving many roads blocked due to landslides. Rivulets were swollen and traffic disrupted in different parts of this town. The town got 200 mm rain and most of the rivers and rivulets were swollen. Mohit Chawal, ASP, Kangra, said roads in Kangra were blocked following the landslides. The Kangra-Shimla highway was blocked following a landslide near old Kangra this morning. However, traffic was restored after an hour. He said the Kangra-Dharamsala and Pathankot-Mandi roads were blocked near 39 Mile village and near Nagrota Bagwan. The industrial area in the town and the Vivekananda Vihar locality was flooded.
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8 die as bus falls into gorge in Shimla
Shimla, August 6 The deceased include Bhagat Ram of Bhatudi village, Indira of Verag, Phulma Devi of Kandla village, Balbir of Gol village in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, and Ranjeet, a Nepalese. While six died on the spot, two others died on way to Nerwa hospital, the police said. Transport Minister GS Bali has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the accident. He has also directed the Director, Transport, to release Rs 1 lakh ex gratia to the kin of the deceased. An immediate relief of Rs 10,000 has been disbursed by the local administration. “It was a 37-seater bus in which about 60 passengers were travelling when the mishap took place,” said RN Batta, Managing Director, HRTC. The bus was being driven by Falel Singh while Prem Singh was the conductor of the bus. The bus was on its way from Shimla to Pahlog when the mishap took place near Dhawas telephone exchange, between Nerwa and Chopal. While the seriously injured persons were rushed to the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), those with minor injuries were admitted to the Civil Hospital, Chopal and Nerwa. Chief minister Virbhadra Singh and Governor Urmila Singh have expressed grief over the mishap. Virbhadra has asked the district administration to provide immediate relief and financial assistance to the kin of the deceased and injured. |
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Villagers up in arms against Jispa Dam
Jispa (Lahaul-Spiti), August 6 The Jispa project is not only opposed by project-hit villagers in Darcha, Dangma, Sumoh, Lingchum, Schtchling, Thangka, Rangyo Baryo, but also 16 other gram panchayats that have passed a resolution in their support. The Ministry of Power has awarded the Jispa Dam to Himachal Power Corporation Ltd (HPCL). The villagers have not allowed it to conduct a survey so far despite Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh asking them in May to allow it. Allaying villagers' fears, Managing Director, HPCL, DK Sharma said the dam would have a positive impact on the ecology as it was a dry cold desert. The .74 million cubic feet water of the dam would be utilised during the lean season. The villagers have come under banner of the Jispa Bandh Jan Sangharsh Samiti (JBJSS) opposing the construction of the dam. "We grow peas and potatoes and the dam water will wash these out forever," said Nawang of Sumdoh. "They should push the project uphill from Darcha village that will save the land," added Sonam of Darcha. Coordinator, JBJSS, Ringzin Haryapa, claimed that the diversion tunnel would dry up all streams feeding Gemur, Sarangvar, Khangsar, Kalath, Rangrik, Kolang and Kwuaring villages. "The tunnel is being proposed to be built at Stingri, 9 km from the dam," he claimed. Even environmentalists and hoteliers have opposed the project as it will submerge the upper Jispa valley that will affect the ecology of high-altitude areas. Sharma said, "The families will not be dislodged. We are offering liberal packages for people that will usher in prosperity." The MD said they were not making tunnel as power house would be built near the dam. The Central Government had given Rs 5 crore to the state after it signed an MoU with the corporation, he added. |
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Chamba-Shimla highway blocked
Chamba, August 6 Flash floods caused considerable destruction, particularly to roads in the subdivision, while a car and a van had been buried under a huge landslide near Lahru. However, no loss of life had been reported, the report said. Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Amit Mehra said two houses had collapsed in Taragarh and the families residing in these houses had been evacuated. The SDM said two cows had been buried when a cowshed collapsed at Mehli in the Tundi area, adding that damages at Gared in Manauta area had also been reported. According to preliminary reports, a loss of more than Rs 1 crore had been estimated to the roads and property in Bhattiyat, the SDM said. He said rain had damaged agricultural land and triggered soil erosion in different terrains. The SDM claimed that the restoration work on the Chamba-Shimla highway was under way as the
PWD had been pressed into service. “It is expected that the highway will be opened by tomorrow”, the SDM stated. Deputy Commissioner of Chamba Kadam Sandeep Vasant had directed the officials to take stock of the situation and assess the losses caused due to flash floods in the sub-division and to distribute immediate relief to the affected families.
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CPI protests against anti-people policies of Central Govt
Bilaspur, August 6 A delegation of top CPI leaders, led by former CPI state secretary Vasu Dev Vasu, met Deputy Commissioner Ajay Sharma and gave him a memorandum for forwarding it to the Prime Minister. The memorandum opposed the policy of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in various sectors and now the decision to increase its percentage even in sensitive sectors would further increase dependence of Indian economy on foreign companies. The deputation said these faulty and immature economic policies were now leading the currency to doom, most of the local industries were being forced to close and a large number of the youth were being forced to seek employment in foreign multinationals, further making the country subservient to foreign powers. The memorandum said all this was resulting in the ever-increasing prices of essential goods, oil and LPG. It charged that foreign multinationals were earning crores every year at the cost of the common man. It also opposed handing over of the social service sector from government sector to private sector, resulting in the exploitation of society by these private operators. "This is against the spirit and direction of our Constitution which calls upon the government to provide free social services to society," it said. Those who joined the delegation included former MLA Krishan Kumar Kaushal, CPI state secretary Pravesh Chandel, district secretary Ram Lal Sharma, office secretary Sita Ram Sharma and other prominent leaders LR Dhiman, Ram Pal, Rakesh Sharma and Kuldip Kashyap. |
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Ensure implementation of steps against ragging: DC
Chamba, August 6 This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner, who is also Chairperson of the committee, while presiding over a meeting of the district-level anti-ragging committee here today. The Deputy Commissioner also stressed that wardens of hostels should not be sent on leave at a time when the new academic session begins. He said a visitors' book recording the whereabouts of visitors must be maintained at the hostels of these institutions. "Vigilance must be kept on outsiders loitering in and around the institutions and hostels, and in case of any ambiguity on strangers, the matter should be brought to the notice of the nearest local police," Vasant said. He also said an eye should be kept on corridors and the canteen also. He advised the members of the committee to create awareness against ragging during the orientation programme and build up a friendly atmosphere amongst freshers and old students. |
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Students to be given iron pills in Hamirpur
Hamirpur, August 6 Expressing concern over the changing eating habits among children and eating junk food and taking unbalanced diet, he said this practice was causing several deficiencies among the children, and parents and teachers should lay emphasis on inculcating habits of eating healthy and balanced food. He said healthy children were important for the future of the nation and appealed to children to participate in outdoor games instead of remaining indoor most of the time. Talking about various facilities given by the state government to schoolchildren, Lakhanpal said the state government was providing free travelling facilities to them in HRTC buses, free school uniforms, scholarships schemes and now launched iron supplement scheme to improve their health. Telling about this scheme, Chief Medical Officer, Dr PK Katwal, said 41,098 students in the age group of 12 to 19 years, in 267 schools of the district would be given iron and folic acid supplements every week. He said 273 nodal officers and 2,423 teachers and helpers had been appointed for giving the health supplements to students. Precautions taken
In the wake of a large number of students falling sick after taking iron tablets in Haryana, the state government has taken several precautions while launching the scheme. Dr PK Katwal, Chief Medical Officer, Hamirpur, said, “We got tested all iron and folic tablets from a drug laboratory in New Delhi.” He said, “The iron tablets taken empty stomach cause gastroenteritis. We have asked all teachers to ensure that students have their meal before taking these.” “We have also advised health officials to keep an eye on such cases and treat them on a priority basis,” he added. |
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Fungal diseases worry apple growers
Shimla, August 6 As per reports emanating from various parts of the state, scab has appeared in some orchards in the Lag and Parbati valleys in Kullu and Jhanjheli area of Mand, while marsonina, along with the alternaria fungi, have manifested in some pockets of Jubbal, Kotkhai and Rohru areas in Shimla district. Reports of premature defoliation of apple trees have also been received from Kotkhai, and with humidity remaining high due to an overcast sky, the conditions are favourable for the spread of the disease. "The orchards where premature defoliation is taking place are mostly those which were also infected by mites during the month-long dry spell in the wake of pre-monsoon showers," said Rajinder Chauhan, a progressive grower from the Nihari area in Kotkhai. ID Gupta, Joint Director, Horticulture, confirmed that reports of scab and marsonina had been received and these were in the initial stage with 5 to 7 per cent of orchards getting infected. The well-managed orchards which followed the spraying schedule and carried out proper pruning had not be affected. The neglected apple plantations with unkempt trees in which the lower portion of the canopy was denied adequate light and the grass underneath was most vulnerable to fungi infestation. In some cases the fungicide spray was not effective as it was washed away by rain. However, the subsequent rain helped in controlling mite and it was not a problem. He advised growers to remove grass from the basin of trees and also ensure a thorough passage for air to bring about the level of humidity. In higher elevations where the crop was to harvested in September, the growers could spray the orchards with dodine or a mix of Carbendazim and Mancozeb to check the spread of the disease and prevent the resultant premature leaf fall. However, for the fungicides to be effective, the growers must spray the orchards only in the afternoon. Very high temperature during daytime was not desirable for spraying. Preventive steps are needed as premature defoliation weakens the health of the plants which affects yield in the next season. |
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Local surety not justified for bail: HC
Shimla, August 6 The court observed, "Once a magistrate decides to grant bail, then any unreasonable condition, which makes difficult the enlargement of the petitioner on bail, should be avoided." Justice Surinder Singh further observed that it was also within the powers of the magistrate to ask for one or more sureties as per provisions of Section 441, CrPC, but local surety could not be insisted upon as discretion was implicit in asking for such sureties. The only requirement was that of a solvent surety. The order was passed yesterday on a petition filed by Ram Lal, challenging the conditions imposed by the Sessions Judge, Kullu, while granting bail to him. As per the order, the bail was granted to the petitioner with the conditions of furnishing bonds of Rs 5,00,000, along with two local sureties, each of the like amount to the satisfaction of the Chief Judicial Magistrate. Feeling aggrieved by these conditions, the petitioner moved the High Court against the order. While modifying the order passed by the Sessions Judge, the court said, "The requirement of two local sureties could not have been insisted upon and the bond amount while looking at the punishment provided for the offence alleged to have been committed being quite excessive and is reduced to Rs 1,00,000 with two solvent sureties of the like amount." The petitioner was arrested by the Kullu police for possessing 354 gm of charas. |
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‘Motivate students for NSS participation’
Hamirpur, August 6 Addressing a state-level meeting of NSS programme officers and principals held at Him Academy Public School,
Hamirpur, here today, he appealed to them to maintain the position of the state in the NSS scheme at the national level. The state has bagged an award. He said several activities such as plantation of trees, blood grouping of students, organising youth leadership camps and students participation in relief operations during natural disasters had been included in the NSS scheme. Laying stress on the role of teachers as motivators to students, he said leaders training was important for motivating
students. Budathoki also lauded Him Academy Public School students for the participation of its students in the NSS
programme. Earlier, he also planted a sapling on the school premises. Chairman of the school RC
Lakhanpal, Principal CP Lakhanpal and Director Pankaj Lakhanpal were also present on the occasion. |
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BJP to protest outside Assembly on Aug 23
Shimla, August 6 State BJP spokesperson Ganesh Dutt yesterday said the BJP had decided to hold protests at all district headquarters between August 12 and 19 to resent the lodging of false cases against those associated with the
BJP. “Rather than undertaking development works, the Congress regime is busy registering false cases and unleashing political vendetta against its opponents,” he said. He said the Congress was pulling out skeletons to hit at the BJP only to divert the attention of people from important issues. “Since the Congress regime has nothing to list as its achievements in its seven-month rule, it is implicating its opponents in false and fabricated cases,” he
alleged. Dutt advised the Congress regime to fulfill the promises that it made to the electorate of the state before the Assembly elections. “The government is least bothered that the common man has not got sugar at subsidised fair-price shops as its priorities are different,” he remarked. |
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UPA’s foreign policy a failure: Dhumal
Tribune News Service
Shimla, August 6 In a statement here today, Dhumal said, "While on the one hand, people are shocked over the killing of five soldiers, on the other hand there is resentment against the Prime Minister and the UPA regime for failing to act tough," he said. The foreign and defence policy of the UPA regime had proved to be a complete failure. "It is so unfortunate that despite repeated violation of the ceasefire by Pakistan, the Indian Government has chosen to remain mum," he remarked. Dhumal said the UPA regime had also gone back on its word that there would be no talks with Pakistan till it punished those responsible for the Mumbai attacks.
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Czech national found dead
Manali, August 6 The police suspects that Peter died after he fell from a rocky trek to Rasol village, another spot notorious for hashish smuggling, after he got separated from his three friends, Zeyad Seddik (Egypt), William Michael (British) and Sukhman Preet Singh Cheema (NRI), on July 4 at 3 pm. Peter's friends told the police that they were on the way to Rasol from Chalal on July 4, but he took a different route. They searched for him and found his body in the forest, 1 km from Chalal village, and informed the police. SP, Kullu, VK Dhawan said his body was retrieved by the rescue team led by one Chappe Ram. The postmortem report from the Regional Hospital, Kullu, was awaited. The Embassy had been informed, he added. |
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Highlight policies of govt, PR officials told
Shimla, August 6 He chaired the first meeting of the officers of the department. "It is only when people are made aware of the welfare schemes for the upliftment of the weaker sections of society that they can benefit," he said. He said for effectively discharging their duty, the Public Relations officials should have complete information regarding policies. He said the personnel should maintain liaison with the masses, especially in the rural areas so that a proper image of the government could be created in the mind of people. Agnihotri emphasised the need to formulate a media plan for the dissemination of
programmes.
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Jailed for rash driving
Bilaspur, August 6 In case of default in the payment of fines, he would have to undergo simple imprisonment for one month on each count. However, both the sentences would run concurrently. Earlier, Assistant Public Prosecutor Champa Sureel told the court that Sanjay had hit an Indica car (HP 03A-3101) with his truck (HP-24-5241) at Planighat on National Highway No. 21 (Chandigarh-Manali) on November 13 ,2005, inflicting simple injuries to car occupants Ashok Kumar, Mayank and Rajesh Kumar and grievous injuries to Kanchan due to his rash and negligent driving. She said the truck was being driven at a high speed when the accident occurred.
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CM cancels medical specialist’s transfer
Bilaspur, August 6 Bambar said the Chief Minister had always honoured people's wishes. He said the Chief Minister did not take a single minute to cancel this transfer when he was told about the popularity of Dr Deepak Thakur and the widespread demand of people to let him stay here in the interest of better hospital
services. Bambar also expressed concern over a large number of deaths by suicide, mostly by women and students, after jumping from the Ali Khud bridge and the Kandraur bridge, both in his constituency. He said he would take up this matter with the National Highway authorities to ensure that both these bridges were provided with high fencing on both the sides at the earliest. |
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A couple and a child were killed due to a landslide in the Jaisinghpur area of Kangra district, while property worth more than Rs 1 crore was damaged in a cloudburst at Baijnath today.
ID Lakhanpal, Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS), today launched an iron and folic acid supplements scheme for school students of Hamirpur district here today.
Launching the scheme at Government Senior Secondary School for Boys, Lakhanpal said this scheme had been launched by the state government to save schoolchildren from anaemia and improve their overall health.
