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Govt takeover of HPCA triggers political storm
Decision motivated by political vendetta against BJP, says Dutt
Cabinet amends principles to regulate transfers
After Cabinet go-ahead, Kangra officials burnt midnight oil
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BJP, CPM slams govt decision on amendment
Govt has BCCI's support, claim ministers
Amtar cricket ground in Nadaun sealed
Red Cross Society helping poor, needy patients: Pratibha
Rs 168 crore sanctioned for Ghumarwin roads
Nurpur Silk Mill to be revived
Applications for 10 posts of patwari sought
200 posts of doctor, 600 of paramedics to be filled soon: Kaul Singh
School student given expired pills by health officials
Loans of weavers, cooperatives waived off
CPM hails takeover
HPCA calls it a black day
No response to state’s offer for supply of power
DC orders registration of migrant workers
Paucity of funds halts development works in Badsar
State govt should try hard to implement policies: Butail
Moratorium on hydro power projects in Kinnaur sought
Commerce ministry sanctions projects worth
Rs 23.47 cr
7 villages in Banjar without electricity
MLA flays govt for adopting anti-people policies
33% of budget for weaker sections
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Govt takeover of HPCA triggers political storm
Sujanpur Tihra (Hamirpur), October 27 He was addressing a gathering at a function organised by the Sarv Kalyankari Sabha here today. The Chief Minister said, "For this reason, the state government has cancelled the lease given to the HPCA for the cricket stadium at Dharamsala which comprises land belonging to the Education Department, land leased for the construction of Hotel Pavillion, land given for the Amtar stadium and a cricket ground at Lal Pani Government School, Shimla." Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said, "The HPCA was given land by the state government for promoting sports, but it registered another similar association, Himalayan Players Association, and later converted it into a into a company." The HPCA has been turned into a pocket organisation allowing life members (most of whom are Dhumal's family members) to vote in the election, denying this right to other members." Making an oblique remark against the sons of former Chief Minister PK Dhumal, Virbhadra said, "I wouldn't reply to the allegation made by them, but they should learn humility." Using strong words against his detractors, the Chief Minister said, "I am not working with vendetta against anyone, but if somebody challenges me and my family's dignity, I won't tolerate it." Virbhadra said, "During his tenures, Dhumal got registered two cases against me, but I came out clean." Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes, Industries Minster Mukesh Agnihotri, Chief Parliamentary Secretary ID Lakhanpal and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. Welcoming the Chief Minister, president of the Sarva Kalyankari Sabha and and independent MLA from Sujanour Rajender Rana said several steps were being taken to improve basic amenities in Sujanpur. He also raised several demands in his speech. The Chief Minister also gave away Shan-e-Himachal and Hamirpur Gaurava awards during the function. Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated Sainik Rest House, science block of a government school and laid foundation stones of the mini-secretariat and ITI building at Sujanpur. Cong workers
celebrate Dharamsala: Congress workers burst crackers and distributed sweets at Dharamsala today to celebrate the decision of the Himachal government to take over the properties of the HPCA. The workers gathered at the main crossing near the mini-secretariat and celebrated. Sources said Youth Congress workers also held celebrations in other parts of the district.
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Decision motivated by political vendetta against BJP, says Dutt
Shimla, October 27 Spokesperson of the party Ganesh Dutt said the manner in which the “operation takeover” was carried out made it evident that it was motivated by a political vendetta against BJP MP Anurag Thakur, who, as the president of the association, had developed an international cricket stadium at Dharamasala. The action came even as the Registrar Cooperative Societies had initiated proceedings in the matter and the Vigilance Department was also inquiring the cases registered against the association. He said the association had put the state on the international sports map and the stadium had given a boost to tourism. The Congress would pay for its misdemeanour and it should be prepared for reaping what it was sowing, he said. “The government action would block the prospects of many budding players who wanted to carve out a niche in the world of cricket. It had also sullied the name of the state in the eyes of the cricket lovers across the world and the controversy could also discourage international players from coming to Dharamsala,” he said. Former minister Narinder Bragta said the people of Gumma, where a stadium was being built by the HPCA, would start a protest to build pressure on the government for the restoration of the properties to the association. He said the government should keep politics out of sports. There was deep resentment among the people and panchayat representatives of many villages had gathered at the site today. The stadium was nearing completion and the action was in uncalled for. Former state BJP chief Suresh Bhardwaj termed the takeover as an undemocratic act and said it was not in the interest of sports. The government had not been able to build a stadium all these years but it had taken over the infrastructure created by the association. Protesters show black flags to CM Hamirpur: Activists of the local unit of the BJP today showed black flags to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh during his Hamirpur tour today to protest the state government’s decision. The BJP activists assembled at Banal and showed black flags to the Chief Minister when he was coming to Hamirpur from Sujanpur in the evening. They raised slogans against him near Town Hall, Hamirpur, during a shobha yatra of Hamir Utsav. Maintaining his cool, the Chief Minister remained unperturbed and showered flowers on the protesters. Bilaspur: The district unit of the BJP has squarely condemned the government’s decision of taking over of all cricket stadiums at Dharamsala, Shimla, Gumma, Lal Pani, Nadaun and Bilaspur town and
also Hotel Pavillion and has called it a “political vindictive action of the government in utter frustration and without any authority of law”. State BJP executive members Dr Ashwini Dogra, Shivpal Manhans, district vice-president Jagdish Katoch, secretary Swadesh Thakur, spokesperson Shashi Sharma, city BJP president Rajpal Dabra, joint media in charge Shyam Lal Sharma, district Mahila Morcha media in charge Sapna Thakur, Bilaspur Sadar Mandal president Kuldip Thakur, vice-presidents Dhyan Singh Thakur and Kehar Singh Thakur, Banshi Ram Sharma and Urmila Kaushal, general secretaries Pyare Lal Chaudhary, Nand Lal Chandel and finance secretary Purushottam Sharma said such political vendetta targeting Anurag Thakur would not be tolerated and the BJP would resist such actions with all constitutional means. They said the Congress, despite its tall claims, could not develop a single game or sport in its tenure. But it was the organisational skill and capability of Anurag Thakur because of which an international cricket stadium was developed in Dharamsala within 10 years. I had brought the state on the international map by holding cricket matches, something which the Congress could never dream of even for other 50 years, he said. The leaders said the Congress government took this action out of sheer jealousy from these unique achievements of Anurag in field of cricket. They warned the government to stop such actions against Anurag, failing which the party would deal with such ‘despotic actions with field action”. They also said these illegal actions would boomerang on the Congress in the next Parliamentary elections. They also condemned serial bomb blasts at the rally venue of Narendra Modi in Patna and said it was a total failure of
the centre and the Nitish government to maintain law and order even during peaceful rallies of top leaders.
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Cabinet amends principles to regulate transfers
Shimla, October 27 As per the amended guiding principles approved by the state Cabinet, which met here last evening, transfers during the ban period, if needed, would be ordered with the prior approval of the Chief Minister only. The transfers would be permitted only when there would be an immediate requirement to fill vacant posts in the tribal, difficult and hard areas. Similarly, the transfers would be ordered during ban to fill the vacancies arising on account of retirement, promotion and new creation and in cases where employees are to be shifted due to disciplinary proceedings, Vigilance inquiry or criminal proceedings. Vacancies will also be filled in view of the administrative exigencies for which the condition of short stay and short distance can be condoned by recording the reasons in writing. The decision to adopt self-certification of certificates was taken on the recommendation of the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission. The original documents and certificates would be verified at the time of viva-voce and final stage. Any candidate giving wrong information or making a false declaration would be debarred from employment in the government and public sector undertakings for a period of three years and can also be considered liable for criminal proceedings. The Cabinet decided to upgrade the Sunni Community Health Centre in Shimla district to a 50-bed Civil Hospital for the 38,000 local inhabitants and about 40,000 people of Karsog in Mandi. It gave a nod for filling 35 posts of Medical Officers (dental) on contract basis at the consolidated emoluments of Rs. 26,250 per month for granted approval to the HP Subordinate Services Selection Board to fill 261 posts of staff nurse, 75 of lab assistant, 22 of radiographer, 24 of operation theatre assistant and 53 of pharmacist. It decided to set up a police post at Tauni Devi in Hamirpur. It approved the recommendations of the HP Infrastructure Development Board to execute 13 projects allotted to Himurja private parties by the process of bidding. Himurja will execute three small hydroelectric projects namely Tauhuk, Lower Sumej and Kareri. It will enhance the bitumen prices up to 10 per cent to meet the escalation for PMGSY projects on the condition that hike will be borne by the contractor and beyond 10 per cent by the department concerned. It cancelled seven hydropower projects assigned to the Independent Power Producers, approved the creation of 23 posts of teaching faculty and eight posts of non-teaching staff in addition to filling up 19 posts of teaching faculty already created for Jawaharlal Nehru Government Engineering College, Sundernagar.
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After Cabinet go-ahead, Kangra officials burnt midnight oil
Dharamsala, October 27 Both the properties are closely linked to Anurag Thakur, former Chief Minister PK Dhumal’s son. The midnight takeover drama began soon after the state cabinet gave the go-ahead to cancel all lease deeds of HPCA as per the suggestions of the revenue department. The district administration officials including the deputy commissioner, Paul Rasu and ADC Rohan Thakur along with others sat in the mini secretariat to draft orders to take over the properties. Around 2 am, the police along with the district officials led by the deputy commissioner reached the cricket stadium and allegedly broke open the stadium’s main gate lock. When Sanjay Sharma, the HPCA spokesperson, reached the stadium, he was asked to receive the possession orders by the deputy commissioner at the reception of Aveda hotel being run in cricket stadium. Sanjay Sharma refused to accept the order saying he had no authorization. The order was then pasted outside the HPCA office. Sanjay Sharma was also informed that the district sports officer has been appointed the coordinator of the stadium. The officials of Aveda Company that runs the hotel inside the stadium were asked to vacate the building. The guests in the hotel were allowed to stay on. All the doors of the stadium were locked. District administration officials then reached the hotel. The officials took keys of the building from the guards and asked them to vacate the building. The building was locked and the hotel’s possession was completed by about The match could not start at 10 am. After directions from the government that the match should be held, the district administration approached the HPCA to hold the match. The HPCA was also directed by BCCI to hold the match. The match could begin around 3
pm The Pavillion Hotel
Name and game changer 2005: Himalayan Players Cricket Association was first registered as a company at Kanpur. Its name was later changed to Himachal Players Cricket Association. The names of the company were identical to Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association. 2010: The HPCA society converts into a Company. All the assets, including land, given to it on lease were transferred in the name of company. Stadium story Year
2000: Anurag Thakur (in pic) takes over the HPCA president. 2002: The land where the cricket stadium is built was allotted on Re 1 lease to HPCA by the state government. 2003: First Ranji match was played between Himachal and
Goa. 2005: Congress government makes first attempt to take over the stadium. Himachal HC grants stay to HPCA. 2006: HPCA was re-affiliated with
BCCI
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BJP, CPM slams govt decision on amendment
Shimla, October 27 The CPM demanded that the amendment to the Constitution must be implemented in total. Chief of the BJP SC Morcha Balbir Chaudhary and other leaders termed the decision as unfortunate and said it reflected the wide gap in the action and deeds of the Congress. The party had promised to implement the 85th constitutional amendment in its election manifesto, but after coming to power it had decided not to implement it. As per the orders of the apex court, a committee was set up to compile data and it could not be implemented due to litigation. Now that the court had asked the government to implement it within three months, the state government had decided not to implement it. |
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Govt has BCCI's support, claim ministers
Dharamsala, October 27 Congress minister Bali said the stadium and other properties of the HPCA in Himachal were taken over by the state government after the Cabinet decision yesterday. He said the Revenue Department had raised the matter in the Cabinet that the HPCA had violated the lease rules on which it was given the land. The land was given to the HPCA for the promotion of sports for the common youth of Himachal. However, the HPCA put the land to a commercial use. Since it was a serious violation of lease rules, the Cabinet cancelled the lease. He said the sports grounds of the HPCA would now be open for the common youth of the state. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh would set out the roadmap for the use of cricket stadiums of the HPCA for the common man in the coming days during his visit to Dharamsala, Bali said. He further said the state government was in touch with the BCCI president and he had assured that cricket would continue in Dharamsala despite the takeover. “We will promote cricket in collaboration with the BCCI,” he said. Sharma said the state government was not against cricket. “The HPCA president had itself admitted that they had converted into a society. This was a serious violation and we have taken action to cancel all leases to the HPCA,” he said. When asked as to why the government took the drastic action of taking over the HPCA properties in the middle of the night when the Registrar Cooperative Societies was adjudicating the matter and the Vigilance was probing into irregularities, the minister said it was entirely a different matter. The Cabinet took the decision on the report of the Revenue Department and other cases in the court Registrar Cooperative Societies and Vigilance would go on separately. Regarding Hotel Aveda that was functioning in the cricket stadium, the ministers said the leaseholder could now apply his case to the state government.
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Amtar cricket ground in Nadaun sealed
Nadaun (Hamirpur), October 27 About 100 kanals of land leased to the HPCA to build the Amtar cricket ground was given by the state government in 2009 and it was built at a cost of Rs 5.5 crore. It was inaugurated by the then Chief Minister PK Dhumal in 2010. The land originally belonged to the erstwhile ruler of Nadaun.
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Red Cross Society helping poor, needy patients: Pratibha
Mandi, October 27 Inaugurating the District Red Cross Society fair here, Pratibha Singh added that the Red Cross was doing great service helping the poor and needy starting different activities in the state. The society had helped 1,350 patients this year. The society would set up a centre at the Mandi Zonal Centre at a cost of Rs 25 lakh, while the digital X-ray plan had been set up at the Civil Hospital, Sundernagar, and as many as 4,500 X-rays had been done, she added. She said the society had provided artificial limbs, wheel chairs, hearing impaired gadgets, crutches and tri-cycles to disabled persons and blood donation camps were organised from time to time. Devesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Mandi, and Chairman, Red Cross Committee, gave a brief account of the activities of the society. The MP later visited various stalls and accompanied by Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sohan Lal Thakur, Milkfed Chairman Chet Ram Thakur and president, Mandi Municipal Council, Sushila Sonkhla and District Marketing Chairman Hirender Sen, former Nachan MLA Tek Chand Dogra, ADM, Mandi, Pankaj Rai, and ADC, Mandi, Gopal Chand.
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Rs 168 crore sanctioned for Ghumarwin roads
Bilaspur, October 27 He said in the first phase 10-type three quarters, 5-type two quarters and one-type one quarter would be constructed with Rs 1.34 crore which would reduce accommodation problem of college staff. He said the government had spent Rs 8 crore for providing 50 bighas of land for this college. Rupees 20 lakh had been sanctioned for the construction of the college boundary wall and its construction would start soon. Dharmani said 500 new buses would be bought and one “Mudrika bus service“ introduced for college students from areas around Ghumarwin villages. He said the PWD had been directed to prepare an estimate of a rain shelter for benefit of students, while the matter of starting a centre in the college itself for postgraduate and PGDCA annual examinations would be taken up with the HPU Vice-Chancellor. The CPS said since there was no staff for BSc course in sericulture, it would be better for students desirous of taking this subject to do it through IGNOU with the help of the Central Sericulture Research Centre functioning at Ghumarwin which was the first-ever centre of its kind in the state and the third in the country after Kashmir and Uttarakhand. Earlier, Principal Jagdish Lal and Students Central Association president Nishant Gauttam presented problems of the college and students and demanded funds for the renovation of the chemistry lab. Parent Teachers Association members were also present among others.
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Nurpur Silk Mill to be revived
Shimla, October 27 This was stated by Agnihotri, while inaugurating the Himachali Silk Design-cum-Sale Studio of the mill at Himrus Building of the State Industries Development Corporation (SICD) here. “High-quality silk produced at the mill, will now be marketed to national and international markets as till now it was only being sold at the factory showroom in Nurpur,” he remarked. Mukesh Agnihotri said there was a proposal to set up a showroom on The Mall in the state capital and set up a sale counter-cum-display kiosk each at Himachal Bhawans in Delhi and Chandigarh. He said efforts would also be made to establish display kiosks in major hotels owned by the HP Tourism Development Corporation. Mukesh Agnihotri said Nurpur silk products would be exhibited during various fairs and festivals organised in the state. He said this would not only promote silk products in the state, but also ensure financial viability of Nurpur Silk Mill. |
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Three-day Hamir Utsav begins
Hamirpur, October 27 Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, CPS ID Lakhanpal and Jagjiwan Pal, Deputy Commissioner Ashish Singhmar, several MLAs and other dignitaries also participated in the shobha yatra. The Chief Minister also paid obeisance at the local Shiva temple and later inaugurated exhibitions put up in the school ground. A display of fire crackers was also organised on this occasion.
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Applications for 10 posts of patwari sought
Bilaspur, October 27 District Revenue Officer Shashi Sharma has said all those who have passed X plus II and are between 18 and 45 years can apply with attested copies of educational qualification and age proof (matric) certificates. Applications must accompany with a fee of Rs 200 for non-reserved category candidates Rs 100 for reserved category candidates. The application forms can be had from the DRO's office here. Fees should be submitted either in a bank draft or in Postal Orders payable on name of Deputy Commissioner Bilaspur (HP). |
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200 posts of doctor, 600 of paramedics to be filled soon: Kaul Singh
Mandi, October 27 Inaugurating the three-day free eye check-up camp at Paddar today, the Health Minister said the camp was part of the department’s effort to provide facilities at the doorstep in rural areas. The camp was organised by the Palampur Rotary Eye Foundation and Maranda and New Delhi. Kaul Singh said as many as 35 dentists would be appointed in 35 community health centres soon. The government was providing 314 different generic medicines in the civil supplies medicine shops in the state, he added. As many as 171 ambulances had been launched under the National Ambulance Service in the state and five places in Drang had this service, he added. Patients would get free cataract surgery in the camp and more multi-specialty camps would be organised in Drang, he added.
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School student given expired pills by health officials
Hamirpur, October 27 The expired pills were detected by a student’s parents who noticed the expired date on a strip. As many as 376 students of a cluster of schools were examined at the school under a check-up programme and 10 students were given iron supplements (Becopane -12) to improve their health by health officials from Galod block. After finding expired medicines, the matter was brought to the notice of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Hamirpur, who has asked the Block Medical Officer (BMO) to conduct an inquiry. BMO Anil Dhiman said, "Ten students were given B-complex tablets out of which a child was given a strip which bore expiry date of August 2013." "We have replaced the strip and checked the entire stock and perhaps this strip was inadvertently packed by the supplier," he added. CMO PK Katwal said, "The matter has been investigated and officials have been asked to be extra vigilant and check the expiry date while distributing medicines."
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Loans of weavers, cooperatives waived off
Kullu, October 27 Addressing a gathering of weavers at Dev Sadan in Kullu yesterday, Union Textile Minister KS Rao said the decision to waive off loans had been taken by the Central government to protect the weavers and their cooperatives from difficult economic situation, he added. Rao further said the daily wages for the weavers working as trainees in handloom sector had been hiked from Rs 100 to Rs 150. The loan waiver and wages hike would benefit 42 cooperatives in Kullu district alone and lakhs of weavers in the country as a whole, he added. He said the Central government was giving soft loans at the interest rate of 6 per cent to weavers cooperatives, while the rest of the interest was paid by the ministry. The criteria of the scheme had been relaxed so that it would benefit maximum number of beneficiaries in the country, Rao said. The cooperatives should complete all mandatory requirements and audit by December this year so that they got its benefits, he added. Rao urged weavers to use the schemes only for handloom products and not for power looms. Those who were caught using power looms for the handlooms would attract punishment, and as many as 65 FIRs had already been lodged in such cases so far in the country, he warned. He said the Jaishri yarn produced in Kolkata Mills would be made available for the weavers in Himachal. The ministry was exploring the option of providing subsidised raw material for the handloom sector along the lines of cotton and silk in the state, he added. Staya Parkash Thakur, president, District Cooperative and Development Sangh, highlighted the problems faced by the state handloom sector and urged the minister to redeem the problems. Rao directed the officials, including handicraft commissioner SS Gupta, who accompanied him, to take steps to mitigate the problems being faced by the cooperatives. Later, the minister visited a few cooperatives in Kullu, the training centre and the Sheep Wool Research Center, Gadsa.
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CPM hails takeover
Shimla, October 27 Prime properties in Dharamsala, Una, Nadaun, Shimla and other places were given to the HPCA for annual lease money of Re 1. Some these properties did not even belong to the government and were in fact common land that could not have been parted with as these could have been utilised only for community purposes. The government had taken the right decision, though delayed, said a CPM member. Tikender Panwar, a member of the state party secretariat, urged the government to immediately shift the campus of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh to Hotel Pavillion and the stadiums must be converted into multi-purpose sports activity centres at all other places also, so that sportspersons could utilise the infrastructure. “Sports associations and infrastructure should not be allowed to become a fiefdom of a particular ideology, organisation, individuals or family. They should be unfettered from the shackles of the ruling party of the day and genuine sportspersons should be allowed to manage through a democratic process, unlike the HPCA,” said CPM members.—TNS |
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HPCA calls it a black day
Dharamsala, October 27 Sanjay Sharma alleged about 200 policemen were kept on standby by the district administration even before the Cabinet took the decision to cancel the lease to the HPCA. The Deputy Commissioner came to the stadium and broke the lock of the main gate before summoning the HPCA officials to open it. “The state government was in such a hurry to take over the properties of the HPCA that it had no faith in its officials or the law of land. The registrar cooperative societies were already examining the case against the HPCA. The Vigilance also had filed cases against its officials,” he said. Sharma further said the HPCA moved the Himachal High Court against the notice given by the registrar cooperative societies. The court asked the societies to self-assess its powers to adjudicate the matter and also asked the registrar to give 10 days’ time to the HPCA in case of adverse order to move court,” Sharma said. He alleged that the way state government had acted in taking over the HPCA properties, it seemed that Himachal was not being governed by the rule of law but by a feudal lord. “The state government has two targets-- the HPCA and its president Anurag Thakur. The Nadaun stadium of the HPCA was taken over at 2.30 am. Today morning, miscreants broke into the property of the HPCA in the Luhnu cricket stadium in Bilaspur,” he said. Sharma also alleged that all 17 rooms in the HPCA stadium were occupied by foreign tourists at the time of the raid. The rooms were rented out by the Aveda hotel functioning. He alleged that many foreign tourists were harassed as they were asked to move out. This had defamed the state in the eyes of foreign tourists, he alleged. Cricket assn members burn CM's effigy
Mandi: BJP members of the District Cricket Association, Mandi, affiliated to the Anurag Thakur-led HP Cricket Association, burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh here today. Staging the protest, district president and BJP spokesperson Ajay Rana said the state Congress was trying to take charge of the HPCA. They said the action against the HPCA would affect the sports scenario in the state. |
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No response to state’s offer for supply of power
Shimla, October 27 With the prices of power remaining consistently low in the Indian Energy Exchange, the government had contacted all the states and written letters expressing its willingness to sell power at mutually agreed terms. It had offered the entire equity power of 470 MW available from the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri and the 412 MW Rampur hydro project, which will be commissioned within this financial year. However, there has been no response from any state except West Bengal, which has shown interest in entering a long-term agreement to purchase power at Rs 3.65 per unit, the rate at which it is purchasing power from the state under the agreement. Apart from a downswing in market, the decision of the Jammu and Kashmir government to enter an agreement with West Bengal for the supply of 100 MW of power from the Baglihar project at Rs 3.65 per unit for 12 years has also added to the woes of the state. Himachal Pradesh is not keen to have long-term agreements in the current bleak power market scenario. The state is insisting on having a purchase agreement on the same rate and similar terms and conditions. “The state was keen to have three-year sale agreements and it could be extended to a maximum of five years, but 12 years was too long a period to supply power in view of the increasing cost of generation,” said SKBS Negi, principal secretary (Power). The one-year agreement with West Bengal for 350 MW of power will expire next month and with no state interested in the matter, the government is considering the option of supplying the equity power to the state power board on long-term basis. Although the purchase rate will be higher by 60 to 80 paise than its average power purchase cost of Rs 2.24 per unit, it will be beneficial for the board in the long run, as generation cost will come down progressively. Moreover, the free power available as royalty to the government is being supplied to the board at a comparable rate of Rs 2.90 per unit fixed by the State Electricity Regulatory Commission. A final decision will be taken by the government shortly.
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DC orders registration of migrant workers
Bilaspur, October 27 The notification will remain in force for the next 60 days. The order has been passed keeping in mind the safety and security of people. The order maintains that a large number of labourers from other states have been coming to the district seeking employment. Many times they have been found indulging in illegal and objectionable activities and in the absence of any identify proof, detecting such crimes is difficult. The notification has warned that anyone found indulging in breach of this order will be punished. — OC |
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BBMB quarters inaugurated
Sundernagar, October 27 A cultural programme was presented on the occasion and the chief guest also planted a sapling. The Chairman was accompanied by Chief Engineer SK Sharma, Superintending Engineer ML Gupta and other senior officers of the BBMB. |
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Paucity of funds halts development works in Badsar
Hamirpur, October 27 Important items for carrying the works like cement, pipes etc have been out of stock for quite some time due to which new works are not being undertaken and even maintenance works are getting delayed. This problem has been growing after transfer of Executive Engineer (XEN) from here about a few months back. Sources said, “For the last few months building material is not being procured as per requirement leading to shortage of the material and development works are not being completed in the Badsar division.” The department had set a target to dig new hand pumps after the rainy season, but due to shortage of funds and material the work of digging has not started. In the absence of regular XEN in this division, the department is also finding it difficult to make payments of various bills like petrol, electricity bills etc. Vijay Singh Dadhwalia, XEN, Hamirpur, holding additional charge of XEN, Badsar, said, “All sorts of pipes are being procured centrally in Shimla by the IPH Department and will be available soon, and cement will also be procured and supplied in the stores of Badsar division.”
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State govt should try hard to implement policies: Butail
Palampur, October 27 This was stated by Butail while listening to public grievances at the PWD rest house here this evening. He said many people had approached him for petty works like repair of roads, regular water supply and proper bus services. But he was of the view that these problems could be solved at a lower level if public servants performed their duties with dedication. This could avoid inconvenience caused to the public. He said besides there were hundreds of welfare schemes for the benefit of the poor, but these had not reached them in time. Butail categorically stated that there was no shortage of funds, but the state was lacking the implementation of schemes because of official bottlenecks. He asked the officials to give top priority to solve public problems. Earlier, addressing mediapersons, Butail said Palampur was a fast-growing town of the state and he had always stressed on a planned development and expansion. He said a new multi-storeyed parking would soon be constructed near the Old Sabzi Mandi at a cost of Rs 8 crore. The state government had already approved the project, but certain technical formalities were yet to be completed causing delay in its launch. Butail said the construction of a flyover on the Mandi-Pathanot national highway would be resumed soon.
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Moratorium on hydro power projects in Kinnaur sought
Shimla, October 27 The conference was held in the wake of the disaster caused by heavy rain in June this year. Those attending it asserted that massive construction activity being carried out for power projects was responsible for aggravating the scale of disaster in June. A memorandum was finalised and endorsed by hundreds of people from across the district. They demanded that Kinnaur district should be declared a disaster-affected area in view of the massive destruction caused by heavy rain and snow. They expressed concern over the reckless and unplanned development being undertaken in the tribal district. The memorandum would to be submitted to the Governor and the Chief Minister. The conference was organised by the Him Lok Jagriti Manch, a local environment and rights group, in collaboration with the Himdhara, a Palampur-based environment research and action group. Ranjit Singh Negi of the manch said Kinnaur was affected by unprecedented rain and snow like Uttarakhand, but the government failed to declare the area as a disaster-affected area like the neighbouring state. The memorandum demanded parity in the quantum of relief and compensation being provided to victims with Uttarakhand. It was pointed out that the relief provided in Uttarakhand was almost thrice compared to the relief in Himachal Pradesh. Soumya Dutta, a climate change expert from Delhi, said scientific studies had indicated that such extreme climatic incidents would increase in frequency and intensity in the future and the government and the public had to be prepared to cope with disasters. The memorandum suggested a survey of landslide-affected areas by a team of geologists, immediate repairs of damaged roads and making controlled blasting mandatory for all road and hydro power projects. The memorandum pointed to the grave risk to national security posed by the construction of power projects on the Sutlej close to the Chinese border. Such projects would be soft targets for the adversary and contribute to making the road network unsafe for traffic, it added.
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Commerce ministry sanctions projects worth
Shimla, October 27 Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said here on Friday that the money had been sanctioned to the state under the Assistance to States for Development of Infrastructure for Import by the Commerce Ministry. He said Rs 11.13 crore had been sanctioned for setting up a container parking facility, as a land container depot had already been sanctioned earlier. “The facility will be a big asset for industrialists who will now be able to directly send their produce through containers to either Kolkata or Mumbai for export,” he said. He added that the state government had provided Rs 3 crore for the construction of roads in the area. The Commerce Ministry has also sanctioned Rs 12.34 crore for electrical insulation upgrade for the Kala Amb industrial estate in Sirmaur district. This facility will ensure uninterrupted power supply to the industrial units in the area and Rs 5.50 crore has already been received for the purpose. Besides, the Commerce Ministry has earlier given Rs 13 crore for the upgrade of a 15-km road in the Ajauli area of Una. Agnihotri said as per the announcement made by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, land had been identified for setting up three new industrial areas. This includes a 500 bigha land at Dhabota in Solan where efforts are on to identify and exclude the forest area having trees to save the government for seeking permission from the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment. “We have identified about 500 bighas in two separate patches at Bhatoli in Una and about 1,000 bighas at Kandrori in Solan,” he said. Agnihotri said efforts were being made by the Industries Department to offer the best possible facilities and infrastructure to industrialists. He said a new unit worth Rs 540 crore was proposed to set up by the Vardhman Group.
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7 villages in Banjar without electricity
Kullu, October 27 They lodged complaints several times at the HP State Electricity Board office at Banjar, but these fell on deaf ears, rued villagers. The most affected villages included Sehuli, Kandi, Panihar, Joul, Badhai Maroar and Shutara, located 18 km from Manglor on the Kullu-Balichowki Banjar, said Hari Singh, former pradhan, Gopalpur panchayat. Repeated burning of the transformers has raised the quality of the product, which costs Rs 50,000 a piece. Pravesh Thakur, SE, HPSEB, Kullu, said “We have sought a report and the transformers will be either replaced or repaired in the lab,” he added. |
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MLA flays govt for adopting anti-people policies
Bilaspur, October 27 Talking to mediapersons here on Friday, Sharma alleged that the government had adopted anti-people policies. The government was ignoring all development works of the constituencies from where people had elected BJP MLAs. Sharma said his constituency had witnessed a number of records in this matter, and naming routes, he said 12 HRTC bus service routes had been stopped while other six popular routes of buses were diverted to other places. He said Suharghat bus stop work had been stopped, Naina Devi to Anandpur Sahib Ropeway Project with Punjab also scrapped. There was no doctor in six Primary Health Centres, scores of posts of teacher were lying vacant in schools, while nine posts of teacher were vacant in the Government Senior Secondary School at Chakoh, he added. All the Community Health Centres, where there should be six doctors, had only one doctor each, making a mockery of the Central government health scheme (NRHM). He said he had taken up all these issues in the Vidhan Sabha and the ministers concerned had given assurances on the floor of House, but nothing happened. He said two iron-based factories at Gwaalthai were closed due to the state government’s policy of hostility towards industries, resulting in more than 2,000 families of the area losing employment, thus bringing them on the road. He urged to the Chief Minister to look into all these demands and ensure that all facilities of people were restored at the earliest. |
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33% of budget for weaker sections
Bilaspur, October 27 He said such camps were held to ensure that all mentally and physically challenged persons and children could infuse confidence in themselves and live a life of respect and dignity in society. He said the government had provided subsidy worth Rs 170 crore for supplies being given to 16.27 lakh families through cheaper ration shops and also Rs 230 crore to the State Electricity Board so that electricity was supplied at cheaper rates to consumers. |
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Virbhadra Singh has justified the cancellation of lease given to the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, saying, the decision has been taken to prevent violation of law and the
misuse of land leased by the state government for sports in future.
The deep political divide in Himachal Pradesh between the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP appears to have reached a flash point following the swiftness with which the Kangra district administration took possession of the Dharamsala international cricket stadium and the Pavillion hotel of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) early today.
Minister for Transport, Food and Civil Supplies and Technical Education GS Bali and Minister for Urban Development and TCP Sudhir Sharma, at a joint press conference held here today, said the state government had the support of the BCCI and cricket would continue at the Dharamsala International Cricket Stadium despite being taken over by the government.
Mandi Lok Sabha MP Pratibha Singh, who is Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's wife, today said the Red Cross Society helped poor and needy patients providing financial treatment worth Rs 1.47 lakh for treatment in hospitals.
Apart from announcing Rs 50 hike in daily wages for trainee handloom weavers, the Ministry of Textile has waived off the loans availed by weavers and cooperatives in the state and country ahead of the coming Lok Sabha polls, citing economic slowdown as the reason.
Brij Behari Lal Butail, Speaker, HP Assembly, today asked the state government to work hard for the proper implementation of its policies and
programmes. He said the public welfare programmes launched by the state government must reach to the deserving ones.
In 2009, HPCA applies to take over 3.28 hectare village common land on lease in Parkhand Khaniara, adjoining Dharamsala, for developing residential facilities for sportspersons
