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Ban on carrying construction materials to other states soon
Police launches crackdown against illegal mining
The seized tractor-trailers parked outside the police station in Palampur on Monday. Photo: Ravinder Sood
Induction of Sujanpur MLA seen as strategy to pin Dhumal
HP University starts online admissions for semester exams
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Tibetan Democracy Day observed in Dharamsala
From left: Pempa Tsering, Speaker, Dr Lobsang Sangay, Prime Minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, sit on the dais at McLeodganj on Monday. Photo: Kamaljeet
HPCA may face action for ‘changing’ status
Solan village opposes builder’s water-boring proposal
Stokes, Pathania slam Dhumal on land allotment to HPCA
From Baddi to Kanyakumari on tractor
Jaibir Singh Virk and Amit Chaudhary at Baddi on Monday.
12 children awarded karate belts
The trainees, who have cleared the karate test, at the Academy of Martial
Arts in Sundernagar. Man dies of snakebite Rape accused gets police remand Vishav Jagriti Mission poll held
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Ban on carrying construction materials to other states soon
Shimla, September 2 The Chief Minister said the short-term ban would help in meeting out the requirement of construction material within the state. He said a task force comprising the local administration, police, forest and mining staff, would be constituted in each district to check not only illegal mining but also to suggest ways and means to stop it. He said stringent action would be taken against those smuggling construction materials to other states and vehicles would be confiscated. He asked the officials concerned to take up the matter regarding early filing of reply to waive off the restriction of the National Green Tribunal for carrying out mining activities. To check illegal mining, bar-coded colourful M-form would be made available by the government to all the lease holders in the state. The Chief Minister asked the revenue and forest departments to check illegal mining on their own land. The government has authorised 39 officers of different departments to make complaints in writing in the court of competent jurisdiction in respect to any offence punishable under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act. In addition, 20 officials had been authorised to seize any mineral extracted or transported by any persons without lawful authority. Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said 5,389 illegal mining and transportation cases were detected during 2012-13 and a total fine of Rs 2.20 crore was imposed, while 4,282 illegal cases had been detected from January 2013 to August 2013 and a total fine of Rs 2.38 crore was realised. There had been more checks, detections and recovery of fine during the current year but still much was needed to be done to stop this unlawful activity completely. Chief Secretary Sudripta Roy said the meeting was convened to take effective steps to check illegal mining and besides senior officers of all the departments concerned, deputy commissioners and superintendents of police of border districts of Solan, Sirmaur, Una and Kangra had also been invited. |
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Police launches crackdown against illegal mining
Palampur, September 2 The police brought all these tractors to the police station and registered cases against the owners. Some of the tractors were booked for violation of the Motor Vehicle Act as these had no registration documents. Later, talking to mediapersons, DSP Navdeep Kumar said illegal mining would not be allowed in any riverbed of the region. He said the police would keep a regular check, and, if needed, an additional police force would be deployed at strategic points. He urged the residents and other government departments to extend cooperation to the police in checking illegal mining as it had been resulting in a large-scale environmental degradation, landslides, soil erosion and damaging natural water sources like drinking water supply pipelines and irrigation channels. Besides, it was also causing a huge loss to state exchequer. Meanwhile, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has also taken cognisance of illegal mining in Palampur following a news item that appeared in these columns recently. The court had already issued notices to the Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, and the mining officer in this regard. |
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Induction of Sujanpur MLA seen as strategy to pin Dhumal
Hamirpur, September 2 Rana had won the last election as an independent defeating BJP and Congress candidates with a huge margin of over 15,000 votes after parting ways with Dhumal. Rumours to induct Rana as an associate member of the CLP were rife for quite some time as Congress leaders were looking for a potential leader in him to take on Dhumal in Hamirpur district after his impressive win. The Congress leaders with an eye on the next Parliament election were keen to rope in Rana since his support can tilt the balance in Hamirpur district in favour of the party. More so, since Hamirpur district, a stronghold of the BJP, Congress candidates had lost six elections in a row since 1998 at the hands of the BJP. The Congress leadership is eyeing over 25,000 votes secured by Rana in the Sujanpur Assembly constituency, which could be crucial during the next Parliament election. Rajender Rana’s win as an independent candidate in the Sujanpur constituency is quite significant in electoral terms, too, since he had gained an overwhelming support in 42 polling booths of the Bamsan Assembly constituency, which Dhumal had been representing in the Assembly after their inclusion in the Sujanpur constituency. Moreover a section of the Congress leaders have been reportedly reluctant to take on Dhumal for various reasons. A senior Congress leader said, “Even HPCC president Sukhvinder Singh seems reluctant to take on Dhumal head on by contesting from Hamirpur in the next Parliamentary election”. Decision hailed
Congress leaders of Hamirpur district have hailed the Chief Minister’s decision to induct Rajender Rana into the CLP in the Assembly. Chief Parliamentary Secretary and Badsar MLA Inder Dutt Lakhanpal said associating Rana with the CLP would strengthen the party in Hamirpur district. Chairman of the District Marketing Committee Prem Kaushal and former MLA Kuldeep Pathania have also welcomed the decision. |
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HP University starts online admissions for semester exams
Shimla, September 2 The entire process for the first semester, right from the submission of admission forms, payment of fees and issuance of roll numbers, will be made online. The students, both regular and those appearing under the distance education mode, will submit forms online, upload photographs and deposit fee with the bank. Once the process is completed, they will be able to download the roll numbers using their login ID. Besides, the students will also be required to furnish their Aadhaar card number in the admission form, which will make it far easier to establish their identity. The entire data provided in the admission form will be automatically stored in the database of the university. It will help improve efficiency, as the manual work to conduct examination will be eliminated to a great extent. Instead of outsourcing, the development of software and implementation of the ICT project is being carried out in collaboration with the Department of Information Technology, saving a lot of funds for the cash-starved university. The affiliated colleges will be required to give the exact number of students studying a particular subject under various courses as per the new choice-based credit-based system (CBCBS). The availability of precise information will enable the university to print the required number of question papers in time. The university has already prepared sample question papers and provided these to the secrecy branch for setting papers for the first semester examination to be held in November. A laggard in computerisation, the university has been finding it difficult to conduct examinations in time for 1.25 lakh undergraduate students annually. The things would have turned only worse under RUSA, as the exercise is to be carried out twice in a year. It was left with no option but to go for computerisation. The colleges will be required to maintain the record of the two house tests, which will account for 30 out of the total 50 marks kept for internal assessment. For the remaining 20 marks, the attendance, behaviour and performance in completing the assignments will be taken into consideration. The final examination will be of only 50 marks and, thus, the students will have to study, attend classes, carry out assignments and ensure good conduct throughout the semester to do well in the house tests. The Process
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Tibetan Democracy Day observed in Dharamsala
Dharamsala, September 2 The administration, in its statement, urged China to respect the aspirations of the Tibetans and ensure the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet. The CTA stressed the middle-way approach was the only way to peacefully resolve the issue of Tibet. The middle-way approach involves accepting the current repression in Tibet and seeking separation from China, which did not challenge its sovereignty and territorial integrity. It added it was in China’s interest to peacefully resolve the Tibet issue to boost its international image. The CTA re-affirmed its resolve to work in unity to fulfill the aspirations of Tibetans inside Tibet and called upon all Tibetans to join it in thanking, on behalf of the Kashag, friends for their support and cooperation, the statement said. The Kashag, on behalf of people of Tibet, also extended its gratitude and greetings to the Dalai Lama and Tibetans, both inside Tibet as well as outside. It was 53 years ago on this day the first Tibetan people’s representatives took oath of office at Dharamsala. This was the initial step towards a future in exile, guided by the principles of democracy envisioned by the Dalai Lama. The statement said the Tibetan democracy-in-exile evolved over the years with major landmark decisions, including establishment of Tibetan Parliament in 1960, framing of the Constitution for future Tibet in 1963, adoption of the Charter for Tibetans in exile in 1991 and the direct election of Kalon Tripa in 2001. Each of these accomplishments has prepared Tibetans for the Dalai Lama’s devolution of political authority to the democratically elected leadership in March 2011. |
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HPCA may face action for ‘changing’ status
Shimla, September 2 The HPCA in a letter dated August 26 has justified its action of changing its status from a society to a company. HPCA Secretary Vishal Marwaha had written a three-page letter to the Registrar, Societies in response to the queries raised by the government through a letter dated July 1. “The action has been taken for better management, effective control, accountability and transparency in the performance of its functions,” the HPCA said. “We have received the reply from the HPCA. But it is in complete violation of Section 9 (1) and Section 9 (2) of the Himachal Pradesh Societies Registration Act, 2006 there arguments are untenable. Action can be taken against the sports body shortly,” said official sources. As per Section 9 (1), no amendment to the memorandum of association or regulations of a registered society should be valid until the amendments have been registered under the Act. As per Section 9 (2), every proposal for such amendment shall be forwarded to the Registrar together with fees, as may be prescribed, and if the Registrar is satisfied that the amendment is not contrary to the Act or the rules made there under, he may register the amendment. The officials pointed out that in the case of HPCA, the amendment of the bylaws were illegal, as this procedure was not followed and the Registrar of Societies was merely intimated about it. In its reply, the HPCA has time and again reiterated that it was a non-profit society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, and its change in status as company is also not for profit under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956. “There is no legal bar for changing the status as both are non-profitable entities. Moreover, no fresh transaction of property has taken place, the primary aims and objectives have not undergone any change,” the reply read. It also said there was no need to square up the assets and liabilities of the society. The HPCA, at its annual general meeting held at Dharamsala on September 22, 2012, carried out constitutional amendments to the memorandum of rules and regulations of the HPCA society for changing it to a company and intimated the Registrar of Societies about it on October, 31, 2012. The other defence taken by HPCA is that there are no stakes either of the Centre or the state government in the shape of grant-in aid or financial assistance except that 49,118.25-sq-m land for stadium and 3.28 hectares for residential building for players on lease. “When the owner of the land given on lease is the government, it cannot be treated as a contribution,” the HPCA pleaded. The HPCA has also sent a copy of the resolution of the general house in which the constitutional amendments were approved and its balance sheet and the list of governing body of the society. |
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Solan village opposes builder’s water-boring proposal
Solan, September 2 Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department Executive Engineer Hemant Tanwar presided over a public hearing where a large number of people had turned up to air their grievances. Janta Land Promoters Ltd is constructing cottages in the area and has raised a demand of 40,000 litres per day. The builder had applied to the HP Ground Water Authority for grant of permission for boring to draw groundwater for the cottages. The IPH Department today held a public hearing to invite objections in this regard. Locals, including panchayat pradhan Laxmi Devi, vociferously raised objection against the proposal. They said the proposal if implemented would dry up their natural sources of water, including the nullahs, for irrigation. The locals alleged that a large number of labourers engaged in the housing project were defecating in the open in the precincts of the construction site and the nullahs would be choked by the human waste once the cottages became habitable. IPH officials visited the plant site and found the mess around the site. With the panchayat against this proposal, it has been alleged that the housing firm is resorting to pressure tactics to obtain the no-objection certificate. The authority is yet to take a decision on the water-boring project. |
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Stokes, Pathania slam Dhumal on land allotment to HPCA
Shimla, September 2 Launching a scathing attack on Dhumal, two senior ministers Vidya Stokes and Sujan Singh Pathania asked him to explain the “public interest” behind making the HPCA a company from a society and raising an association by the name of Himalayan Players Cricket Association and registering it in Kanpur. The Congress ministers alleged that it was only the personal interest of his son that Dhumal served while making the allotment of land to the HPCA, the only cricket association in the country which was running a five-star hotel. He was using the BJP and the HPCA to establish his son politically. They further alleged there was no transparency in HPCA’s functioning. It had another body with the same acronym HPCA (Himalayan Players Cricket Association) and its address was found to be fictitious, which amounted to fraud and cheating. They pointed out that Anurag had changed the constitution of the HPCA and inducted 26 life members with voting rights in the association to keep absolute control over the association. It had been virtually reduced to a “captive organisation” with Anurag enjoying the supreme power, including grant of life-time membership. They alleged that he was trying to pose himself as a victim before people to gain their sympathy. They said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh did not believe in politics of vendetta and made it clear that investigation against the HPCA was being carried on the orders of the court on a complaint filed by an advocate. They further said it was strange that the BJP regime could not find land for Central University at Dharamsala, but there was no shortage of land when it came to obliging the HPCA. |
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From Baddi to Kanyakumari on tractor
Baddi, September 2 Aiming to register its name in the Limca Book of World Record for the longest Indian expedition on tractor, the expedition is aimed at spreading the message of peace across 28 cities by covering approximately 7,000 km. “It is expected to return on the occasion of World Peace Day on September 21,” said Rahul Khanna, COO, Marketing, Indo-Farm Equipment Limited. Jaibir Singh Virk, the man given the task to spread the message of peace on the wheels and known for his endless records, while terming it as an experience akin to a sports car, said, “Unlike ordinary tractors which are considered mere farm vehicles, it is an air-conditioned tractor having stylish looks and is sleek and powerful at the same time, thus being an apt vehicle for creating a world record”. Virk has already set various records like having carried on a solo expedition on tractor in June 2008. He has covered 3,175 km in 18 days crossing nine high passes in the Himalayas, including the Khardungla. Though the terrain which comprises hilly areas, deserts, curvy roads and narrow plains poses an added challenge, Virk said he wanted to prove that Indian machinery was no less than the imported ones. His teammate Amit Chaudhary, who is optimistic of making it to the world records, said it would also test the power, fuel efficiency and reliability of the tractor. “Covering 28 cities, including Delhi, Gwalior, Bangalore, Madurai, Udupi, Panjim, Surat, Pune, Udaipur and Bikaner, the tractors are required to work for longer hours and driving at a stretch for 18 hours is also a test for this vehicle,” said Rahul
Khanna. |
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12 children awarded karate belts
Sundernagar, September 2 Tanisha, Abhey, Vipus and Rupanshu were awarded green belts, whereas Vikram and Rishav were awarded yellow belts. Mukesh, Mohit, Abishek, Abhay and Mohit were awarded white belts. The academy was established here in 1991 at Mahadev village. Presently, forest range officers and forest guards at the Forest Training Institute and Ranger College, Sundernagar, are being trained in karate. The academy claims to be working under the banner of Jun Do Kan Goju Ryu Karate Federation of India, which has its headquarters in Shimla. In past, the federation was imparting karate training in schools under the Sarav Siksha Abhiyan. A special training programme for girls of the district was organised by the Deptartment of Social Justice and Women Empowerment. |
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The police has launched a major crackdown against mining mafia in the Palampur region to check a large-scale illegal mining going on in local riverbeds.
Dharamsala, September 2
Baddi, September 2
The Academy of Martial Arts, Sundernagar, organised a special grading test for its trainees here yesterday. As many as 12 children were awarded karate belts. The test was conducted by a penal of four black-belt holders.
