|
|
|
|
|
Violation of pollution
norms
CM flags off mobile canteens in jails
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh flags off a mobile canteen in Shimla on Wednesday.
Photo: Amit Kanwar
Endangered vulture count rises in Kangra
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
HPCA land grab: Xen held
Apple farmers for more subsidies on anti-hail nets
Apple orchards covered with a net to protect apples from hailstorm on the outskirts of Shimla. Photo: Amit Kanwar
Govt committed to development of education in rural areas: CM
Calendar of events prepared for Gaiety Theatre
Licence Renewal
Fee
Ex-minister for probe into British paraglider’s death
Bail pleas of three HPCA officials dismissed
Villagers’ cry for link road falls on deaf ears
Sainj Wildlife Sanctuary merger with Great Himalayan National Park hits roadblock
Village women of Shakti and Maror at a training camp.
Lawyer’s study part of Cambridge publication
‘Accountability of media has increased’
Tourists face power woes in Manali
Expedite reimbursement of funds under Central schemes, depts told
Cong failed to protect state’s interest: BJP
Regulate sports in state: CPM
Implement Mandal panel proposals: BSP
HC defers hearing on HPU interview plea
Youth pushes Nalagarh DSP
TMC medico selected for Lung India Award
BJP MP Rajan Sushant at a meeting in Nagrota Bagwan on Monday. Photo: Ashok Raina
Pvt firm stopped from setting up lab at Tanda medical college
Machinery at Kasauli lab yet to be validated
Tailoring skill upgrade camp organised
Youth booked in rape case
Relief given to Kinnaur flood victims
Vikramaditya gets warm welcome
Movie shooting gathers crowd
Hydel projects told to deposit arrears
9 of family hurt in mishap
Two HPS officers elevated to IPS 2 acquitted in criminal case
|
|
17 hotels lose power connections in state
Kuldeep Chauhan Tribune News Service
Shimla, November 20 The pollution board had launched a drive to check violators to comply with the order of the tribunal. But the drive had failed as the board lacked the supervisory staff. It had one range officer, junior engineer in the central region and an officer in Chamba, revealed insiders. The board snapped electricity connections of 17 hotels located on the Beas river in the Manali-Kullu belt in compliance with the order passed by the five-member tribunal headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar on September 17 this year. The board claims that all hotels are under a scanner. “We are checking 2,072 hotels with the Department of Tourism and Civil Aviation whether they have taken the approval of the board for the disposal of solid waste and sewerage into the river,” Kumar said. Member secretary, pollution board, Vineet Kumar said, “There are 129 hotels located along the Beas in Kullu-Manali and Manikaran and the 17 violated the rules”, he added. A survey said there were 10 per cent hotels which were not registered with the tourism department and evading tax. These had no consent of the pollution control board. However, hoteliers plead that there are no sewerage facilities in the capital city, Kufri, Fagu, Naldhera, Mashobra, Chail, Tatta Pani and Narkanda and between Parwanoo and Shimla. But the board told them that they had to maintain septic tanks and put in place a garbage disposal system. The tribunal has imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the market committee, Bhuntar, for throwing vegetable waste into the Beas in Kullu district and asked the municipal body, Mandi, to file a reply on the burning of the biomedical waste.
|
||
|
CM flags off mobile canteens in jails
Shimla, November 20 Besides patriotic and devotional songs like “Saare Jahan Se Acchha Hindustan Hamara” and “Hum ko Man ki Shakti Dena”, they also sang film songs. A remarkable feature was that the inmates had learnt to play different musical instruments and perform in perfect coordination as a band in just six to eight months. The initiative to raise a band and start mobile canteens was part of efforts being made by the Prison Department to help the inmates learn skills which could help them earn livelihood after their release. The training was provided in the Nahan Jail. Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) SR Mardi, who took the initiative, said he got the idea to raise a band from Karnataka, where one such band had been successfully raised in Mysore and it was much in demand for marriages and other occasions. The inmates, who were interested in music, came forward for training and they turned into accomplished musicians within months. He said he had planned to add more instruments to make it a 14 or 16 piece orchestra so that it could give public performances like a regular police band. Prison inmates were also seen selling snacks alongside the band. The vendors were inmates who had been provided vans and other materials to run mobile canteens. To began with, three mobile canteens had been launched, which will
function from jails at Kanda (Shimla), Dharmasala and Solan. Mardi said no funds had been taken from the government for the scheme and the entire money for purchase of vehicles and other items had been contributed by the UCO, PNB and Oriental Bank as part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR). The mobile canteens would serve public at bus stops, hospitals and other such places. If the experiment was successful, more such canteens would be started, he said. The inmates, who fulfilled the conditions for open jail, would be allowed to operate mobile canteens. Virbhadra Singh lauded the initiative and said it would help transform jails into reformatories and give chance to those showing good conduct. He said the experiment of open jail concept in Bilaspur town had been very successful where prisoners were working during day time to earn money and thereby, enabling them to support their families. |
||
|
Endangered vulture count rises in Kangra
Dharamsala, November 20 DS Dadwal, Assistant Conservator Wildlife, Dharamsala, said in 2004-05, 33 nests of vultures were recorded in Kangra district and 273 in 2012-13. It was estimated that the population of white-backed vultures would be around 1,100 in Kangra district that was the highest in the country. Though the population of the vultures was still in a critical state in the plains, it had bounced back in lower areas of Himachal. Estimates of wildlife officials said about 200 chicks of the vultures were taking birth every year in Himachal, he said. Sources in the Wildlife Department said 44 breeding sights of the vultures had been recorded in the Shivalik hills. Pine forests in the Shivalik hills were the habitats of the vultures in Himachal. However, pine forests were prone to forest fires. Almost every year, the pine forests caught fire in Himachal that destroyed the habitat of the vultures. The sources here also told The Tribune that the Wildlife Department was planning a feeding station for vultures in Nagrota Surian in Kangra district. The dead stray animals would be left in the feeding station. Their population had crashed in North India and Pakistan. Scientists later found that the diclofenac, a medicine, that was used to treat domestic animals, was the reason for the decline in their population. Besides, the scientists also believe that loss of habitat also contribute to decline in the population of the vultures. In Himachal, especially in Kangra district, their population has bounced back after the ban on diclofenac in treatment of domestic animals.
|
||
|
Apple farmers for more subsidies on anti-hail nets
Shimla, November 20 Farmers said 80 per cent subsidy on anti-hail nets introduced by the Congress would be of no use if the cost of supporting structure and materials like steel, bamboo frames and ropes was not included in the subsidies. The cost of steel and bamboo structure was more than 60 per cent and that, too, not including the labour cost, said farmers. Experts have worked out a rough cost on the structure and anti-hail nets to the tune of Rs 80,000 per bigha. Further, farmers, who have availed the subsidies earlier under the National Horticulture Technological Mission (NHTM), are not eligible for the 80 per cent subsidies. Farmers were facing labour crunch and the cost of installing anti-hail nets was higher, said Laxman Thakur, president, Ecohorts, Nandpur, Shimla district. “We have submitted a memorandum to the state government to remove the cap and relax norms on anti-hail nets, which is introduced for the first time in the state,” said Rakesh Singha, president, HP Apple Growers Association. “It is discriminatory that farmers who have availed 50 per cent subsidies under the NHTM are not eligible. They have in fact bought shade nets that last for seven years, not anti-hail nets introduced recently, which last longer. Hence, these criteria should be abolished,” he added. On the other hand, the state government has asked the Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry to find out the criteria to include the cost of structure in subsidies on anti-hail nets. “We are working out norms on how to include the cost on the structure on anti-hail nets,” said Dr Vijay Thakur, Vice-Chancellor of the university. However, the farmers insisted that the government must develop methodology on controlling damage to the fruit by hailstone by including the structure cost as well as part of the benefit as was being done in Europe. “The scheme has few takers as long as the cost of the structure is not included and its criteria are changed,” said Mahender Upadhaya, president, Kullu Valley Apple Growers Association.
|
||
|
Govt committed to development of education in rural areas: CM
Shimla, November 20 Addressing the gathering at the founder’s day function organised by the Alumni Association of Rajkiya Kanya Mahavidyalaya (RKMV) here today, Virbhadra Singh said the government was trying to develop proper infrastructure and other facilities, including requisite staff and conducive work culture, in all the educational institutions of the state. He said the process of promotion of teachers had been started by the Education Department and those promoted would be deployed in the interior areas to ensure that there was no shortage of teaching staff. Except on some extreme and humanitarian ground there would be no relaxation for not joining duties in the interior areas, he added. The Chief Minister said RKMV had set high standards of quality education and it had the distinction of being the only college for girls in the state. The college was fast developing as a centre of excellence providing quality education and the government would provide every possible assistance to create more infrastructure and facilities in the college, he said. The work on a new multi-storey block of RKMV, by demolishing the older one, will start soon and the PWD should complete it in a year’s time, he added. The CM also announced a grant of Rs 3 lakh to the Alumni Association of the RKMV. He released a souvenir, brought out by the association, to commemorate the founder’s day function. The PTA presented a cheque of Rs 31,000 towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund on the occasion. Meera Ahluwalia, principal, RKMV, honoured and welcomed the Chief Minister. She thanked him for providing liberal financial assistance to the college from time to time. Meera Singh, president of the association, proposed the vote of thanks. Sanjay Chauhan, Mayor, Prof ADN Bajpai, Vice-Chancellor, HPU and Harish Janartha, member, executive council, HPU, were also present at the function. |
||
|
Calendar of events prepared for Gaiety Theatre
Shimla, November 20 The department is already in dialogue with the Sri Ram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, the India Music Society and the Sangeet Academy so that their artistes can perform at various fairs, festivals and other events. Upma Chaudhary, Principal Secretary, Language, Art and Culture, said the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had already given its approval for holding of film festival in December, but because of the weather it had now been shifted to next year. She revealed that Himachal had already put in its request before the ministry for hosting the Children’s Film Festival to be held next year. “Since we will now have a proper calendar of events separately for the state and Shimla as well as the Gaiety Theatre, we will be able to have various performance ranging from the staging of the Ramayana, classical event, theatre and also ballets,” she explains. The department is in the process of preparing a separate calendar for the Gaiety Theatre, which was renovated under a Rs 10 crore conservation project to restore its original look. Talks have also been held with the Army authorities who too are keen to partner with the government in making the Gaiety Theatre more happening in terms of cultural activities. She, however, stresses that the local artistes will continue to get prominence at all events such as the Shimla Summer Festival and Lavi fair in Rampur, Renuka fair and Hamir Utsav.
|
||
|
Shop, dhaba owners ignore MC
deadline
Kuldeep Chauhan Tribune News Service
Shimla, November 20 As a result, the corporation is losing about Rs 30 lakh as revenue every year. The MC charges the licence fee ranging from Rs 100 for a small shop to Rs 500 for a showroom. The MC deadline has expired without compliance as none of 3,000 shop owners and 2000 dhabas and eatries owners have sought renewal of licence. They are being challaned by the MC. Dhabha and eateries owners contended that they were confused as the Health Department and MC had yet to decide who will take the fee under the PFA Act. Clearing the air on the PFA issue, Shimla Mayor Sanjay Chauhan said the corporation had been mandated to collect the fee not the Health Department. “As many as 1,300 shop owners, who come in the Rs 100 fee slab and 800 units in the Rs 200 slab have renewed their licence so far and we expect others will follow suit as they will have to pay the penalty later”, he added. Assistant commissioner, MC, Naresh Thakur said they had put up a notice in the office as all shop owners were aware about the renewal of licence every year. There were 1,056 registered shops in the city whose licences had been renewed, he added.
|
|
Ex-minister for probe into British paraglider’s death
Dharamsala, November 20 He said though it was being claimed that the paraglider was a free flyer, his sources said he had come here to participate in illegal paragliding racket being run in the district. He also said paragliding should not be allowed in the district without proper arrangements, the former minister said. The deceased pilot was identified as Richard Samson. It was claimed by the police that he was a free flyer and had gone missing in the hills. The police said the pilot had flown to Dharamsala from the Billing valley on November 17. He stayed at Bhagsunag and was scheduled to return on Monday. He went missing on Monday soon after his glider took off. His friends filed a missing report with the police. The search and
rescue operation was launched and his body was retrieved yesterday. Experts have been pressing that a helicopter with winch should station in Kangra to rescue paragliders who go astray. However, sources said DGCA rules did not allow the use of winch in private helicopters. It was allowed only in Army helicopters. |
|
Bail pleas of three HPCA officials dismissed
Dharamsala, November 20 The office-bearers were apprehending arrest by the Vigilance in the case registered against the HPCA and had moved anticipatory bail applications in the court. The case had been registered for the conversion of HPCA society into HPCA company without the permission of the state government and alleged encroachment by the cricket body on 3,000 sq metre land of Government College, Dharamsala. Sanjay Sharma, spokesperson of the HPCA, had also applied for the anticipatory bail
in the case. His bail application has been listed for hearing on November 22. The former SDO of the PWD, Mohinder Singh Katoch, who was arrested by the Vigilance yesterday, was remanded in th two-day police custody by the court today. The SDO was arrested for allegedly declaring the building of the Government College, Dharamsala, unsafe in an illegal manner. After the
demolition of the building, the land was allegedly encroached upon by the HPCA. |
|
Villagers’ cry for link road falls on deaf ears
Interestingly, Jogindernagar is represented by former PWD Minister and BJP MLA Gulab Singh Thakur. When a delegation of villagers met him, he announced Rs 1.5 lakh for the road, but it was too little, said the villagers. Whenever Sanju Ram comes here from Pune, where he is posted, he stays in a rented house to meet his friends and relatives. “I feel ashamed to sit on a chair carried by four men for 2 km to my home as we have no road here,” he rues. Acting on the complaint lodged by Sanju, the PMO has shot off a letter to the state Principal Secretary, PWD, demanding immediate action on this. It took the Secretary, PWD, two weeks to write a letter to the PWD Engineering-in-Chief and Chief Engineer, Prime Minister Gramin Sarak Yojna (PMGSY), asking them to take action. But the PWD transferred an assistant engineer and a senior assistant. They were accused by the villagers of sitting on the file on the plea that “there is no land available for the road”. Besides Kadkuhi village, nearby Jahal-I, Jahal-II and Multhari villages have no link road, resented Rakesh Rana, Chamel Singh and other villagers. “We have to take patients on our back as the PWD has done nothing for the past eight years,” they rued. The PWD had not conducted forest survey to divert the forest land, which had no trees for the road, they said. BS Barwal, PWD Executive Engineer, Jogindernagar, said, “We have done a survey and a forest inspection is planned shortly as we need to divert the forest land in the 2-km-long stretch. The budget is estimated to be about Rs 30 lakh and will be funded under the state component as it does not fulfil the PMGSY criteria.”
|
|
|
Sainj Wildlife Sanctuary merger with Great Himalayan National Park hits roadblock
Shakti-Maror (Kullu), November 20 Villagers living in Maror, Shakti and Shugal villages in the Sainj Wildlife Sanctuary refused to move out from their ancestral land as proposed by the GHNP authorities. “It is a question of life and death for us and we will not leave our villages,” said Hira Lal of Shakti village, which is worshipped as the seat of the ancient Brahma Rishi Devta and Athara Kalru. The site is not only the seat of the most revered devta, but also a major pilgrimage centre of the deities of Kullu-Kana-Galo. “It is non-negotiable that we will shift from here, the tapobhumi of Brahma Rishi and pilgrimage centre of devis and devtas,” said Phula Devi, sarpanch, and Likht Ram, vice-pradhan, Gara Parli panchayat. However, the GHNP authorities are lobbying hard with 12 pradhans of surrounding areas to put pressure on the villagers and persuade them to move out from the sanctuary area. The GHNP has proposed to rehabilitate them at Shangar, outside the sanctuary area, as these “villages have no roads, electricity and other facility as the area comes under the Wildlife Protection Act”. The ball of granting the World Heritage Site status to the 754.4-sq km GHNP is now in the court of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) of UNESCO, which will finally decide its fate soon. India has urged the UNESCO to declare GHNP as UNESCO’s 189th world heritage site. A UNESCO team led by vice-chairman, World Congress on Protected Area (WCPA) of the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Dr Graeme L Worboys had inspected the park last year. BS Rana, Director, GHNP, said they were having a series of meetings with the villagers and gram panchayats on the peripheries to make way for the merger. “We have proposed to rehabilitate the villagers at Shangar and will provide them all the facilities and compensation possible under the provision,” he added. He said they would allow pilgrimage to Shakti and Maror as and when the villagers would want. “The seat of the devta will remain undisturbed,” he said.
|
|
|
Lawyer’s study part of Cambridge publication
Sharma’s work entitled “Exceptional or Not? An Examination of India’s Special Courts in the National Security Context”, co-authored by Prof Jayanth K Krishnan of Indiana University of the USA, has been included as a separate chapter in the publication “Guantánamo and Beyond: Exceptional Courts and Military Commissions in Comparative Perspective”, brought out by the Cambridge University Press. It is a collection of literary works of internationally acclaimed jurists, scholars and policy makers from across the globe. His work focuses on a detailed analysis of the way in which the Indian Government, under its constitutionally democratic system, deals with suspected terrorists that it captures and detains, through the medium of special courts established under different anti-terrorism statutes. The work outlines the challenges and makes suggestions for special terrorism courts to serve a constructive purpose in India. It brings together the viewpoints of leading scholars and policy makers on the topic of exceptional courts and military commissions. The book analyses the political and legal challenges that the creation and operation of exceptional courts produce both within states and for the international community. A Delhi-based practising lawyer, who hails from Himachal Pradesh, completed law from the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR), University of Law, Hyderabad, with a successful academic record, being a topper of his batch. He was awarded 10 gold medals for excellence in subjects of law.
|
|
|
‘Accountability of media has increased’
Chamba, November 20 Chamba Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kadam Sandeep Vasant was the chief guest on the occasion. In his keynote address, the DC said with new challenges in society, the accountability of the media had increased in the public domain. He said being the fourth estate of the government, the media played a vital role in addressing the problems of people. Journalists from various newspapers, agencies and television channels of this region interacted with one another on various aspects of media. Discussion on media
for people held
BILASPUR: A discussion on “Media in service of people” marked the Press Day celebrations here. Organised under the aegis of the District Public Relations Department, journalists had a detailed discussion on the challenges faced by them. They said the Press Council of India should be provided with teeth and properly reorganised, with a veteran journalist as its head. District Public Relations Officer Amar Singh Thakur gave a history of Indian journalism. Present on occasion were journalists Shakti Upadhyaya, Sanjay Bhardwaj, Rajeshwar Thakur, Kulbhushan Chabba, Vijay Kumar, Lal Chand Bhardwaj, Vishal Thakur, Banshidhar Sharma, Arun Dogra, Abhishek Soni, Vijay Raj Upadhyaya, Anil Patyal and Jai Kumar.
|
|
|
Tourists face power woes in Manali
Manali, November 20 The entire Kullu-Manali region plunged into darkness last night, while residents and tourists, who are dependent on electrical heating appliances, were forced to bear the cold. A majority of the hotels in Kullu-Manali have no power-back up. Pravesh Thakur, Superintending Engineer, Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board, said the shut down had been approved on the 132-kV double circuit Bajaura-Kangoo and Larji-Kangoo transmission lines from November 19 to 22 from 9 am to 5 pm. He said the grid supply would not be available to the areas under the jurisdiction of Kullu, Banjar, Manali and Lahaul circles. All efforts were being made to bring residents relief by supplying power from the Malana Power House of Kullu district, he added. Supply to Lahaul was being made available through Thirot Power House, he said. Pravesh added that the approximate power consumption of Kullu was 24 MW, but they were getting 7 to 15 MW of electricity from Malana Power House and power was being regulated and restricted according to the availability.
|
|
|
Expedite reimbursement of funds under Central schemes, depts told
Shimla, November 20 Presiding over the second quarterly review meeting of the Annual Plan 2013-14 here on Saturday, he underlined the need to speed up the work on development projects. He directed the authorities that flagship programmes of the government pertaining to education, health, housing, power and poverty alleviation should be implemented effectively and efficiently. He said departments should spend the additional funds within the stipulated time period. A Rs 4,100-crore annual plan had been approved for 2013-14 and 60 per cent of the plan outlay had been sanctioned, which also included 15 per cent additional funds. He hoped that departments would ensure 100 per cent achievement of physical and financial targets. He hoped that the 14th Finance Commission would recommend maximum financial assistance and undo the injustice done by the 13th Finance Commission by recommending a lower revenue deficit grant. Dr Shrikant Baldi, Principal Secretary, Finance and Planning, spoke on flagship schemes being implemented in the state.
|
|
|
Cong failed to protect state’s interest: BJP
Shimla, November 20 He demanded that the state government must make public the details as to how many times and when was the state’s power arrears at the rate of 7.19 per cent sought from the Centre. “The case of power arrears is not the only case where the Centre has completely cold shouldered the hill state’s claims, but even on all other matters the state has got a raw deal from the Congress-led UPA regime,” he said.
|
|
|
Regulate sports in state: CPM
Shimla, November 20 He said people of calibre in sports should be roped in to draft the new Act so that right sportspersons should get priority. There should be a clear system of memberships with clubs, and associations properly registered, he added. He said in any case, the sports bodies that got land lease and other benefits from the government should not be made completely independent and be under the purview of the Act. All the sports bodies that use government infrastructure or get help from the state for their activities should be registered under the Act, Panwar said. The CPM said it was painful how the HPCA had “made cricket a business”.
|
|
|
Implement Mandal panel proposals: BSP
Nurpur, November 20 He said the BSP was going to launch a nationwide Bhartiya Hissedari Andolan to educate downtrodden sections of society about their share in government jobs. He also demanded the implementation of the 85th Constitutional Amendment Bill in the hill state. Kangra vice-president of the BSP Dilavar Rana said the victims of the Indora area who had lost their land in flash floods in 1988 were promised lands by then Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. But, so far, they had not been allotted any land even after 25 years of the calamity. He said the Chief Minister should fulfil this promise now. |
|
|
HC defers hearing on HPU interview plea
Shimla, November 20 The petitioners have alleged that the interviews for the same were held last year, but results had been withheld due to the enforcement of the election code of conduct before the Assembly elections last year. It was further mentioned that again the decision was taken by the executive committee of the HPU on November 1 to give an opportunity to all the candidates who had applied for the posts advertised in October last year. The petitioners, who had also applied for the posts last year, approached the court on the ground that the decision of the committee was “against law”. Now the petition is likely to come up for hearing on November 21. |
|
|
Youth pushes Nalagarh DSP
Solan, November 20 While the activists condemned the police officer for slapping the youth in his office, DSP Nishchint Negi said the youth was interfering in an inquiry which he was conducting in his office. The youth pushed him when he asked him to step out. Senior Congress leaders came to the DSP’s office in support of the youth. Though the official was keen to book the youth, a compromise was worked out after the youth apologised. The Baddi SP deputed a large number of policemen to maintain law and order as scores of youths had gheraoed the police station. |
|
TMC medico selected for Lung India Award
Kangra, November 20 Dr AK Bhardwaj, HoD, Community Medicine, said today that Lung India, an indexed journal, was the official journal of the Indian Chest Society, which published articles from all over the world. In an attempt to acknowledge scientific contributions to the Lung India, the journal announced annual awards, he said. He said this year, three doctors, including Dr Sunil Kumar, were selected from all over the country for their contribution to medical science. Dr Sunil had been working on cognitive impairment (dementia or memory impairment) for the last several years and had a number of papers to his credit on the topic. Dr Sunil said his work reflected study designs required to understand the role of smoking as a risk for cognitive impairment. He said it was seen that in addition to the increased risk of cerebral atherosclerosis, certain particles in cigarette smoke were thought to have a direct neurotoxic effect with heavy metal constituents of smoke being linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's, a type of memory impairment.
|
|
|
MP announces withdrawal of funds
Kangra, November 20 Sushant announced the fund withdrawal while addressing government officials and panchayati raj representatives at Nagrota Bagwan on Monday. He said Rs 2 lakh was allotted to the Massal panchayat in 2009-10, which remained unutilised till date. He said he had allotted an ambulance, besides Rs 60 lakh for development works in the Nagrota Bagwan block during his tenure as the MP and expressed satisfaction that the works were completed. Those present on the occasion included SDM Kangra Ajit
Bhardwaj, Tehsildar Bal Krishen and BDO Trigvaid Thakur. |
|
|
Pvt firm stopped from setting up lab at Tanda medical college
Kangra, November 20 However, they were stopped from doing so by the college management. Reports said the state government had signed an MoU with a private company for conducting pathological tests just for 21 hours, but the implementation of the MoU got delayed. The Medical college authorities led by Dr Anil Chauhan, Principal, Madhu Choudary, Additional Director, and Medical Superintendent Dr Dinesh Sood stopped the people of the private firm from working further. The college authorities said they had no communication from the higher authorities for handing over the premises to any private firm as yet, therefore there was no other option but to stop their work. Dr Chauhan said if they were allowed to dismantle the present laboratory, it would have not only put patients to inconvenience but also affected the functioning of the hospital. Dr Sood said the college laboratory had costly equipment and it needed to be shifted properly somewhere else, but lack of space for the same created the crisis.
|
|
|
Machinery at Kasauli lab yet to be validated
Solan, November 20 The CRI is the first public sector institute in India to have set up the latest manufacturing facility confirming to GMP norms laid down by the World Health Organisation. The National Regulatory Authority had given its nod for setting up the laboratory in January. It was set up at a cost of Rs 54 crore. Sources in the CRI said several issues had emerged which posed as hurdles in the manufacture of the DPT vaccine and validation of the machinery. The working of a crucial vaccine-filling machine has not been satisfactory ever since it was installed and though its clutch system was repaired, its speed continues to be slow. Despite incurring crores of rupees on its purchase, it has failed to function in high speed. The company which had installed it is now trying to bring new vials and related aluminium seals to make it function properly after raising issues related to the quality of material used by the CRI. With shortage of staff and lack of trained manpower to operate the new machinery, the working of the new laboratory is yet to be streamlined despite the lapse of almost a year. This has brought to a halt the manufacturing activities in the CRI. Interestingly, the institute had conducted interviews for filling up 17 posts of class IV employees, including that of animal attendant, packer and labeller, in July. About 8,500 people were interviewed after the scrutiny of about 10,500 applications. However, the results are yet to be declared. Institute’s director Dr Sunil Gupta is said to be on a foreign tour and other officials are hesitant to comment on the issue. However, some officials, on the condition of anonymity, said the validation of the machines would be undertaken in the next week and efforts were on to sort out the teething problems which the laboratory was facing.
|
|
|
Tailoring skill upgrade camp organised
Kangra, November 20 Later on, the ADC distributed certificates among the participants. Prof Bala Sidartha, Director of the NIFT, thanked the DRDO for sponsoring these women for the camp. Kulbir Singh Thakur, Deputy Director, DRDO, was also present on the occasion.
|
|
|
Youth booked in rape case
Nurpur, November 20 The police said the mother of a 19-year-old girl from Bhadroya had lodged a complaint against the accused that he had allegedly kidnapped the victim a few days ago. He took her on a motorcycle to Pathankot railway station, from where he took her to Ludhiana by train and promised to marry her. The accused was living in a rented house at Bhadroya and was known to the victim. The victim alleged that she was repeatedly raped by the accused at Ludhiana where she was kept in illegal confinement till November 18. She was left by him in Pathankot on November 19 from where she returned home last evening. She narrated her tale of woes to her mother who approached the police.
|
|
|
Relief given to Kinnaur flood victims
Shimla, November 20 He said a truckload of relief material was flagged off from Shimla by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on November 13. The relief material was given at Bhabanagar, Nichar, Sangla, Kalpa and Reckong Peo during the last six days. Dr Rajesh Chanana, president, Lions Club, Shimla, thanked district governor Goel, Ravi Chand Sood, member, Project Kinnaur, and Dr Ravi Kant Sud at a ceremony here.
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
A musical performance by an eight-member band raised by prison inmates here today brought to fore their creative side.
Reeling under the recently concluded apple season marred by poor returns, market gluts and poor size and quality of the fruit, apple farmers have upped their ante demanding that the state government should include structure cost in 80 per cent subsidies on anti-hail nets and Rs 1 lakh cap on it should go to make the scheme attractive to farmers.
Shimla, November 20
Shakti-Maror (Kullu), November 20
Jogindernagar (Mandi), November 20
Shimla, November 20