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BJP hints at repeating 3 candidates for LS poll
BJP claims 20,000 run for unity
Senior BJP leader Shanta Kumar, alongwith other party leaders, participate in the Run for Unity in Dharamsala on Sunday. Photo: Kamaljeet |
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City’s heritage zones in for makeover
VIGNETTES
‘Under-weight premature babies, diabetics prone to blindness’
Notice to Khokhan panchayat secretary for irregularities
2 killed as bus rolls into gorge near Dharamsala
DIET gears up for SSA, RMSA
AAP to have no impact in LS poll: Nadda
MPLAD fund spending raises questions
Rs 28 crore fund for Una-Talwara railway line
Prolonged dry spell revives forest fire threat in state
The work on radial gates in progress at the Kol Dam site on Sunday. Photo: Mahesh Chander Sharma
Rural road network to be revamped: Minister
Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma inaugurates a new building of Government Senior Secondary School at Jaisinghpur on Sunday. Photo: Ravinder Sood
Run for Unity for fund collection: CPM
Chamba Watershed Development Agency website launched
Services win handball c’ship
‘Construct War Memorial in Delhi’
In-laws booked in dowry case
One killed as vehicle veers off road Goods worth Rs 30 lakh gutted BR Mandial is KCCB Director
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BJP hints at repeating 3 candidates for LS poll
Shimla, December 15 As BJP MP from Kangra Rajan Sushant has been suspended from the party, the BJP is on the lookout for a strong candidate to take on the Congress. “There is no question of fielding Sushant who has been expelled from the party. Shanta Kumar is a potential candidate,” said Jagat Prakash Nadda, national BJP secretary, here today. Shanta Kumar’s increased political indulgence in the recent past too has given indications that he too could contest the election. “The party will be keen to field a strong candidate such as Shanta Kumar but all will depend on his willingness to contest,” says Satpal Singh Satti, state
BJP president. Shanta, though in the past, had said he would no longer be part of politics, could give in to pressure from party bigwigs. Though there are several contenders for the BJP ticket from the Kangra seat, Shanta Kumar is probably the party’s best bet. Considered to be the tallest leader from Kangra, he is currently a Rajya Sabha MP and a popular face of both Kangra and Chamba, which constitute the parliamentary seat. Though there is a talk of fielding a retired Army officer or somebody hailing from the OBC category, Shanta seems to be emerging as the strongest candidate. Going by the indications given by Nadda, it appears that the party will repeat all three candidates they had fielded in the last Lok Sabha elections. “The CD case registered against Shimla MP Virender Kashyap and the FIR against Anurag Thakur in the HPCA case is politically motivated,” said Nadda. He hinted that Kashyap, Anurag and BJP MLA from Seraj and former minister Jai Ram Thakur are likely to be repeated again. With the Congress being in power in the state, winning the Lok Sabha elections for the BJP, especially from Mandi and Shimla seats could be an uphill task. While Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh’s wife Pratibha Singh will contest from Mandi, the Shimla seat has traditionally been a Congress stronghold. As such, the BJP stands a better chance to win from Hamirpur and Kangra, by cashing in on the popularity of its two former Chief Ministers - Shanta Kumar and PK Dhumal whose son is the Lok Sabha MP from Hamirpur. |
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BJP claims 20,000 run for unity
Shimla, December 15 Addressing over 2,000 participants, including members of various social and cultural
organisations, Nadda said the Statue of Unity, proposed to be erected on the banks of the
Narmada, would be a tribute to Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. "Despite his relentless efforts to ensure the merger of 565 princely states, people in India know very little about Patel as the contribution of only family was eulogised to keep it in the limelight," he remarked. He urged people to take part in the dream project of Narendra
Modi, which, after completion, will be a big attraction and true tribute to Patel. "I urge everyone to participate in this movement, which is a symbol of national unity and integrity, by sending iron pieces and wood from their village," he said. Run a huge success:
BJP
UNA: The district unit of the BJP today organised Run for Unity at the district headquarters. State party president Satpal Singh Satti led the run which was flagged off by former captain of the India hockey team, Padamshri Charanjit Singh. About 1,000 people from all age groups, including children, participated. The 2-km run, flagged off from the municipal park, passed through the bus stand
chowk, DC Colony, the DC office, old bus stand and back to the municipal park. Activists of the Patanjali
Yogpeeth, Mehatpur Industrial Association members, the Himotkarsh
Parishad, the Una Janhit Morcha, children from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar school, frontal organisations of the BJP representing all five block units also participated in the event.
Satti called Patel as the one who united the country into the India that is today. He said the BJP was rising above petty politics to remember the Iron Man of India. The BJP president alleged that the Congress had governed the country after Independence for most of the period, but it had failed to address poverty, casteism and population growth. He said people of Himachal Pradesh would also send contributions in cash and kind for the construction of a 182-m-tall statue of Patel in Gujarat. Start for Statue of
Unity
KULLU: State BJP vice-president and in charge of the Mandi Parliamentary constituency Ram Swaroop Sharma flagged off a 2-km Run for Unity at
Rambagh. The marathon was planned across the country with senior BJP leaders flagging these off at different locations. District BJP president and MLA from Manali Gobind Singh Thakur said the run was a start for the Statue of Unity. He added that iron and soil would be accumulated from various holy places throughout the district till January 26 and sent to Gujarat for the statue. He thanked office-bearers and members of the district
BJP, the Bharat Swabhimaan, Vidya Bharti, Vidyarthi Parishad, Mahila Mandal and Yuvak Mandal for making the run a success. District BJP media
co-ordinator Joginder Shukla said the run was a huge success and people of community participated in it, heading to college road till exhibition ground in
Dhalpur. State BJP spokesperson Ajay Rana, state BJP media co-ordinator Praveen Sharma, national treasurer of BJP ST Morcha Yuvraj
Bodh, former state BJP president Khimi Ram Sharma, state BJP vice-president Ram Singh, state Mahila Morcha general secretary Shashi
Katoch, president district Yuva Morcha Surender Shouri, Raman Thakur of the Kisan Morcha and office-bearers of all four blocks were present on the occasion. |
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City’s heritage zones in for makeover
Shimla, December 15 The Mall, The Ridge and the 12.7-km-long arterial roads will be constructed with a fine quality dense bitumen macadam and concrete. Three escalators from the Lower Bazaar to The Mall will be constructed to facilitate public. The Town Hall, which houses the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC), will be restored to its pristine British glory. “We will knock down the extra structures raised inside the building by the SMC. According to tourism officials, a new structure of about 1,600 sq metre will be built near the Gaiety Theatre complex. The Mall and The Ridge will be beautified by lights and have stone drains. The wall of the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium will be lowered to give a new look. Pedestrians and tourists will get rid of steep stairs and have an easy access to The Mall from Lower Bazaar through escalators from three different
locations-Khadi board building, Reporting Room and the Coffee house. The arterial roads - Lakkar Bazaar to
Sanjauli, CTO to the Institute of Advanced Studies, Chalet Day School through Shimla Club to the HP Secretariat connecting the High Court - will be constructed with bitumen and concrete to make the entire area a walkers’ paradise, said the officials. But the project has not addressed the problem of repetitive digging of The Mall as ducts would cost about Rs 250 crore. The second problem is the water and sewage lines crises on The Mall,” the official said. The technical committee rejected the suggestion that the roads should be done up with the finished stone, they said. The lights would beautify the heritage zone with quant old sign boards and the Combermere Bridge would be restored as per the plan. They should hand over the work to the SMC as the project had been delayed, said Mayor Sanjay
Chauhan. Mission Director Mohan Chauhan said the drawings were in the final stage and work on phase-I would start soon. “We have a meeting with the mayor and SMC officials on how to go ahead with the project as we have to do additional investigation to accommodate the extra SMC staff,” he added. The project, named as the Infrastructure Development Investment Programme for Tourism
(IDIPT), is estimated to cost Rs 50 crore. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and state government would bear the cost on the 75: 25 ratio basis, said the officials. Principal Secretary, Tourism, VC Pharka said the work would begin by March 2013. The delay was due to the ADB which had laid down certain terms and conditions, he added. |
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Topical subjects through spirituality
Shriniwas Joshi When I went to Rohru more than a year back, I met a doctor there who was working as Block Medical Officer in a nearby health block. He is Sanjay Pathak, the son of my colleague NR Pathak, then Director of Education in the state. Sanjay is about 50 and hails from Sundernagar of Mandi district. He said, "I knew that you were coming here, so I brought two books, as gifts, for you." I replied, "Books are always precious gifts. Mahatma Gandhi had said, Read as if you have to live 1,000 years." Despite Gandhi's words, I did not read the books because I found the titles of the books too spiritual for a medico to write on. Sanjay proved me wrong. His "Kamo-Asmi" with current examples of the happenings in India and elsewhere plus his own experience is a meaningful book while "The Thought Sublimates" is readable. The author is an avid student of Bhagwadgita and uses slokas judiciously. He believes that the essence of religion is to make human life and society healthy and prosperous." I read, "The Thought Sublimates" first. It is hardbound and has 24 essays in it and published by Unistar, Chandigarh, costs Rs 250. It is written in prose followed by poetry on the same subject. In "Sin beyond Redemption," Sanjay dares his own fraternity which commits female foeticide without remorse: "The Pious Hippocratic Oath/ Is defeated, /When the protector stands affront, /The mother to be, of the female baby to be." Certainly, Sanjay is not a poet, his is a sentimentalised poetry. It is simple and misses poesy often. His word-choice does not touch the sensory impressions that take one's breath away. Have you ever been outside on a wintry day when the wind sucks your breath and pelts your face with snowflakes while you feel the chill-factor down in your bones? The poetry-words should do that. I give marks to Sanjay because he speaks about or focuses on something that everyone can relate to. He concludes his essay on Cancerous Growth referring to increasing population: "It is high time that we understand the seriousness of growing numbers and evolve a long-term population policy and ensure to control the population without any political prejudice." He appears to be haunted by the ghost of Malthus whereas many young economists and Nandan Nilekani believe that India's huge population, once regarded as a drag on growth, is now considered a potential for human capital and a tremendous asset. Harvard demographer David Bloom believes that particular kind of population growth could dramatically drive India's growth, not impede it as economists used to believe. David names the effect as demographic dividend. The other book, "Kamo-Asmi," has nine chapters. It is hardbound; publisher is the same and costs Rs 395. The title of the book has been taken from the 11th sloka of the 7th Chapter of Bhagwadgita where Krishna tells Arjun, "Dharmavirudho bhooteshu kamo-asmi bharatrishabh," meaning thereby "Arjun! If it is not opposed to Dharma, I am the sexual desire." In Hindu scriptures, the purushartha serves as pointers in the life of a human. The four chief aims of purushartha are: Dharma (Righteousness), Arth (Wealth), Kama (Desire) and Moksha (Liberation). Our philosophy proclaims that Dharma precedes the three other aims of human life. So to earn wealth according to the tenets of Dharma is just; similarly to indulge in sex or desire as required by Dharma is fair. Sanjay says that "Bhav shanshuddhi" i.e. purity of thought comes from Manas and Sharirik Tapah (mental and physical penance). One who has attained shanshuddhi does not desire things not ordained by Dharma. Is homosexuality right according to Dharma? It is not, he believes, but says: "Sexual behavior has undergone paradigm shift since good old days. Now homosexuality has come to be accepted in many societies." As many as 94 nations accept it. Our Supreme Court, in a recent judgment, has upheld the Section 377 of the IPC announcing gay sex as an offence. Sanjay says that the comment of Canada's Pierre Trudeau: "The state has no business in the bedroom of the nation" is tainted and his "Kamo-Asmi" rejects it as also "my body; my choice" brand of sexual desire. TAILPIECE Spiritual relationship is far more precious than physical. Physical relationship divorced from spiritual is body without soul. — Mahatma Gandhi
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‘Under-weight premature babies, diabetics prone to blindness’
Shimla, December 15 Not only this, states like Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Haryana have not strengthened their retina clinics with laser treatment and screening equipment. Patients are heading for
PGIMER, Chandigarh, that in turn is said to be putting extra burden on patients and doctors at the institute. "We get 85 per cent diabetic patients who face vision problems and run the risk of blindness. We also get 90 per cent of premature babies running the risk of permanent blindness," said Dr Mangat R
Dogra, Professor of Ophthalmology, Advanced Eye Care Centre, PGIMER, while talking to The Tribune here. Dr Dogra is one of the two doctors in the country who have pioneered the ROP study and is president of the
Vitreo-Retinal Society of India and a vitreo-retinal fellow, University of Maryland, USA. Dr Dogra said, "It is painful when premature babies are brought to the PGI when the vision loss is irreversible. We advise each doctor, who examines premature babies (1,750 grams), to screen them for vision within one month after birth." Though awareness about ROP among parents and doctors in the peripheries is increasing, charts should be displayed in nurseries and wards for ROP screening, said Dr
Dogra. "When the mother delivers a premature baby, the doctor should give her a steroid injection and the baby should be given controlled oxygen before he/she is brought for laser treatment," he cautioned. Still, there are parents and doctors who ignore the ROP screening and bring or refer babies to the PGI after five and six months or a year when it is too late. "Its cost and disease burden is huge as blindness, which could be prevented, becomes permanent," said Dr
Dogra. Dr Dogra said the treatment of ROD needed both laser and injection, the cost of which varied
from Rs1,400 (avantin) to Rs 24,000 (lucentis) per injection. The study showed that the lucentis injection treatment reduced the ROD and improved vision significantly, he added. On the retina facility for ROP and ROD at the
IGMC, Dr Dogra said they had trained two doctors who could treat patients here. "It is a positive sign that the state government is strengthening the infrastructure at the
IGMC, and the Rotary Eye Hospital, Palampur, has started the ROP and ROD
treatment as well," Dr Dogra said. Dr DP Chaudhary, Head, Ophthalmology,
IGMC, said the IGMC was setting up the equipment and laser treatment for which they needed a Rs 3-crore budget. "We refer premature babies to the PGI and so is the case with ROD patients," he added. |
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Notice to Khokhan panchayat secretary for irregularities
Kullu, December 15 Six members of the panchayat had forwarded a written complaint to the District Panchayat Officer (DPO), Kullu, stating that the president and the secretary were not adhering to the rules while administering the panchayat. They alleged that two resolutions, related to distribution of shops and construction of a “danga”, were passed without any agenda at the gram sabha on July 26. They further alleged that the “danga” had already been completed. The July 26 gram sabha was shown as the second monthly meeting and no separate monthly meeting was conducted. The actual second monthly meeting scheduled for July 22 was aborted without any notice. The president and the secretary had stated that the change of the date of the second monthly meeting from July 22 to 26 was discussed at the first monthly meeting on July 5, while members deny any such discussions. During the preliminary inquiry initiated by the DPO, it was established that the resolutions passed at the "second" monthly meeting on July 26 were not listed in the activity log register and the meeting was not held as the secretary failed to produce the agenda. Even the names of members proposing the passed resolutions were missing from the register. It was found that the proposal to change the date of the July 22 meeting was not mentioned in the minutes. Panchayat officer Girish Sharma found irregularities in the functioning of the panchayat secretary. |
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2 killed as bus rolls into gorge near Dharamsala
Kangra, December 15 Kangra District Additional Police Chief Mohit Chawala said the private bus (HP 68-1413) had started from Dharamsala at 12.30 pm on its way to Kangra via Sarrah and when it neared Churan Khad, the driver lost control on the bus and it rolled down 90 m, leaving two women passengers dead on the spot. He said the dead had been identified as Mega Devi (65) and Indera Devi (60), both residents of Sarrah village. He said 29 passengers were injured, three of them seriously. He said had the bus not stuck to the trees, it would have rolled down further and the number of casualties would have risen. Soon after the news of the accident reached Dharamsala, ASP Mohit Chawala, DSP HQ Manmohan and SDM Dharamsala reached the spot and with the help of the locals, made a human chain to bring out those injured from the 90-metre-deep gorge. ASP Chawala said the injured were rushed to Zonal Hospital in Dharamsala where doctors and medical staff were rushed from Kangra and Palampur to deal with the situation. Three seriously injured passengers were referred to Dr Rajender Prashad Government Medical College, Tanda. He said personal belongings of those who were travelling in the bus had been collected by the police. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh who was in the town in connection with the Assembly session scheduled to start from tomorrow visited the Zonal Hospital, Dharamsala, along with Transport Minister GS Bali, Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma and senior officers to inquire about the health of the injured. He directed the authorities to take effective steps to provide facilities to those injured. Chawala said the driver and the conductor of the bus were among those injured. The police have registered a case under Sections 304-A and 279 of the Indian Penal Code. |
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DIET gears up for SSA, RMSA
Chamba, December 15 Suman Kumar Minhas, Principal of DIET, who is also the District Project Officer of the SSA and RMSA, said here today that an outlay of Rs 22.30 crore had been approved for Chamba district by the government of which Rs 13.4 crore had been received. All-out endeavours would be made for the execution of various activities under these programmes, Minhas said. “For the implementation of these programmes, the district has been divided into 15 educational blocks comprising 1,611 schools. Of these schools, 1,524 are government, including 1,118 primary schools, 234 middle schools, 83 high schools and 89 senior secondary schools”, Minhas stated. Minhas said under these programmes, the non-residential bridge course was also being provided in different blocks of the district for out-of-school children, teacher learning equipment grants to newly opened and upgraded schools, besides school grants, maintenance grants and provision for uniforms, free text books, research and evaluation. Additional classrooms, boundary walls, major repairs and other allied works would also be undertaken in a phased manner. |
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AAP to have no impact in LS poll: Nadda
Shimla, December 15 Talking to mediapersons here today, Nadda said people of the country seemed to have made up their mind to hand over the reins of the nation to Modi. “The results of the Assembly elections in the four states have made it clear that people want to vote the BJP to power to make Modi the Prime Minister of the country,” he remarked. He said in Himachal too, the BJP had failed to form the government because it lost out in the number game but its popularity graph never plummeted, which would become evident in the Lok Sabha poll. “The only hallmark of Virbhadra regime is political vendetta. He has no concern for development,” he remarked. He added that victimisation could not last long. The BJP leader lamented that during the last three decades of his political career, Virbhadra Singh’s tenure had always been the witness to weakening of democratic institutions, which was the case even this time around. Nadda ruled out the possibility of his return to state politics. “I am far happier serving the organisation and even if the BJP forms the government at the Centre, I would prefer to strengthen the party organisation rather than becoming a minister,” he remarked. He said the BJP had started preparing for the Lok Sabha polls and during the next three days on December 16, 17 and 18, meetings of the 20 sub-committees of the Election Campaign Committee would be held in Delhi. |
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MPLAD fund spending raises questions
Mandi, December 15 Out of Rs 5.52 crore sanctioned by him for development works in the state, the government had allocated Rs 4.98 crore to the state, but due to poor execution of the works, only Rs 0.71 crore could be utilised. JP Nadda, Rajya Sabha MP and national general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party, was elected to the Upper House in April 2012. Veteran leader and Rajya Sabha MP Shanta Kumar had utilised 98.97 per cent of the MPLAD fund and out of his entitlement of Rs 21 crore, the Government of India had released Rs 18.50 crore and paid interest to his account, taking his receipts to Rs 19.32 crore. He recommended fund for the works to the tune of Rs 18.31 crore to be executed in the state and an equal amount was sanctioned by the Union Government and Rs 1.01 crore were left unspent. Even a first-time MP Bimla Kashyap had utilised 67.86 per cent of funds allocated to her under the MPLAD and she spent Rs 14. 97 crore out of Rs 17 crore. The performance of Lok Sabha MPs from the state is quite good in spending the MPLAD fund. Pratibha Singh, MP from Mandi Parliamentary constituency, spent 83.88 per cent of the fund allocated to her. Kangra MP Rajan Shushant had spent 82.18 per cent, Shimla MP Virender Kashyap spent 71.45 and Anurag Thakur spent 78.79 per cent of the MPLAD fund. |
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Rs 28 crore fund for Una-Talwara railway line
Shimla, December 15 He said earlier, the Union Railway Ministry was adamant on identifying government land for extending the railway network, but since there was not enough government land, it had been decided to provide adequate compensation to people of the area whose land fell under the project. Una: The Una administration has finally issued orders to acquire land for laying rail line on the Amb-Andaura to Daulatpur Chowk section of the Nangal-Una-Talwara line. Assistant Commissioner SK Parashar, who is also the district Land Acquisition Offficer (LAO), on December 13, visited Gondpur Banehra, Mawa Kohlan and Dangoh Kalan panchayats. The government will acquire the land after paying compensation at the specified rates. As per the orders, 6.12.14 hectares land in Gondpur Banehra will be acquired for which the government will pay a compensation of Rs 5.56 crore. In Mawa Kohlan, the government has proposed to acquire 7.04.78 hectares for which villagers will get Rupees 5.53 crore. In Dangoh Kalan, 16.71.83 hectares will be acquired and the locals will be given a compensation of Rs 13.7 crore. The total compensation to land owners has been calculated at over Rs 24 crores. It has taken almost 40 years to lay the 42 km track from Nangal to Amb-Andaura via Una, while the remaining 42 km track is still to be laid to complete the ongoing project till Talwara. Once complete, this broad gauge line will be linked to the Jalandhar-Pathankot-Jammu rail line, giving better rail connectivity to the people of the region. Land identified: As per the orders, 6.12.14 hectares land in Gondpur Banehra will be acquired for which the government will pay a compensation of Rs 5.56 crore.
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Prolonged dry spell revives forest fire threat in state
Shimla, December 15 Moreover, the fire mafia is targeting the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP), Kullu, from where four incidents of fire have been reported this year. The fire affected 14.50 hectare area, causing a loss of Rs 92,000 to the GHNP, said officials. The Forest Department claimed that the incidents of forest fire had gone down. According to them, the fire incidents have gone down six times than the previous year. In as many as 378 incidents, the fire has burnt or affected 2,986.52 hectares, resulting in a loss of Rs 34.25 lakh from April to November 30 this year. Of this, 1,235.38 hectares come under natural forests, 559.34 hectares in plantations and 1191.80 hectares belonged to the other forest areas in Mandi, Bilaspur, Dharamsala, Nahan, Shimla, Chamba and Kullu, said forest officials. The fire incidents are on the decline this year due to the continuing spell The dry spell has renewed the fire threat in jungles and grasslands in the state. Almost an hectare area in Kutara-Dalgaon belt in Rohru forest division was burnt on November 29-30. The fire was extinguished and no other major incident of fire had been reported since then, said Ashok Chauhan, DFO, Rohru. The fire incidents had been wreaking havoc in the forests of the Shantha-Duina belt in Chopal forest division, resulting in the burning of dozens of trees in apple orchards of the upper range last week, said villagers. The Central Government had given Rs 5.08 crore to the Forest Department this year to check the menace. However, not enough fire lines and appropriate water storage structures had been created in the fire-sensitive zones, said the villagers. The Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Protection and Fire Control, Dr RC Kang, claimed that such incidents were decreasing over the years. " Village-based committees, train fire watchers, clear fire lines have been set up under the fire prevention scheme of the Centre," he added. But the committees remained more or less defunct. "The fire is generally doused by villagers and the teams reach the spot only when a major fire breaks out and causes a huge loss," said the villagers. The fire caused damages worth Rs 2.76 crore in Mandi, Bilaspur, Dharamshala, Nahan, Shimla, Chamba and Kullu forest divisions, said the forest officials. |
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Work on Kol Dam gathers pace
Sundernagar, December 15 Prior to this, the NTPC has been dealing only in thermal projects. Due to the delay, the schedule of commissioning of the project has now once again to be rescheduled — It was earlier slated for April 2014. Official sources said the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of NTPC Ltd would be attending this ceremony, the date of which was earlier fixed for December 16, but was shifted. The experience of the first hydro project (800 MW) undertaken by NTPC Ltd has taught the NTPC a lesson as it has had to move up to the Supreme Court before starting the process which involves diversion of 124 hectare forest land which would be also be part of the area supposed to be filled up — More than 50,000 trees have to be felled; the area was part of the Majathal Wildlife Sanctuary. The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife, after rejecting the case of NTPC twice for the diversion of forest land, last recommended the proposal in June 2013 on the ground that it was a fait accompli case (the project work was likely to be completed) and huge public money was involved, after imposing certain conditions. The NTPC shall identify 500 hectares of cheer pheasant habitat and identify another 10 sq km wildlife habitat, in consultation with the Wildlife Institute of India and get both areas notified as a sanctuary prior to submergence. The NTPC has to pay additional sum amounting to hundreds of crores of rupees for it. Finally, the issue was cleared last week and the start of the filling up was scheduled for December 16, for which, even Kol Dam officials have taken permission for the landing of a helicopter at Sundernagar on which the CMD of NTPC had to arrive here. According to a source, the NTPC has now finally written to the HP Government for seeking permission for start of the process and the date would be fixed thereafter. Public Relations Officer of Kol Dam Parveen Ranjan Bharti has given an entirely different version - that the process has been delayed as the date is to be fixed by the NTPC at a management meeting which would soon be convened; he did not give the exact reason. |
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Rural road network to be revamped: Minister
Palampur, December 15 This was stated by the minister while inaugurating the new building complex of Government Senior Secondary School at Jaisinghpur, 40 km from here, today. He said under this programme in the Jaisinghpur Assembly constituency, two roads, Alampur Harsipattan and Panchrukhi Lambagaon, had been identified. A sum of Rs 40 crore would be spent and the PWD would soon take up the widening and strengthening work. Sharma said keeping in view the urbanisation in the state, the government had laid special emphasis on planned development of all important towns of the state. He said more towns would be brought under the purview of the Town and Country Planning Department to have in place better designing of new commercial and residential buildings. He said the Government of India had already released Rs 300 crore for this project. The minister said there would be zero-tolerance as far as corruption was concerned. He asked government officials to implement the policies and programmes of the state government in letter and spirit so that the common man was benefited. He also asked the officials to be in the field and solve public problems on the spot. |
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Run for Unity for fund collection: CPM
Shimla, December 15 The CPM alleged that the run was similar to one that the country saw when the BJP-RSS combine collected bricks for the construction of Ayodhya's disputed temple site that had spread communal hatred in the country. The CPM claimed that Sardar Patel's vision of unity and integrity of India was based on commonality among the rich diversity that bound the country together, which the RSS had always undermined. Panwar charged that the U-turn by the RSS was for a Hindu Rashtra and a run-up to the 2014 general election. "But this will be rejected by a modern democratic secular India as voters have done in the past," he claimed. The CPM alleged that BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi would undermine what Patel stood for as the BJP-RSS was out to unity of the country. There were fillers that the RSS had asked Modi and his cohorts to build a statue of idealogues such as Golwalkar or Savarkar instead of someone alien to their ideology, the CPM claimed. |
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Chamba Watershed Development Agency website launched
Chamba, December 15 This is stated to be an effort towards transparency, dissemination of information on how the staff of DWDA are working towards the achievement of developmental goals with the vision of sustainable development and conservation of soil, water, plantation and various natural resources. Different pages on the website provide information on aspects of Integrated Watershed Management Programme and about the functioning of DWDA. The site also offers special features on self-help groups' (SHGs') homemade products, thereby giving a major thrust to promotion of these products under the brand name "Him Pir Panjal". Other features include photo gallery and success stories of various activities. Project director Ramya Chauhan said the main aim behind launch of this website is
promotion of SHGs' homemade products. Chauhan expressed her anticipation in attracting more support of the public at local and national levels by way of launch of the website which is expected to go a long way in bringing the rural strata on a par with the developed societies. |
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Services win handball c’ship
Bilaspur, December 15 Services thus won the coveted national championship while Punjab were runners-up. Earlier, in the semis, Punjab beat Chhattisgarh, scoring 37 goals against the latter's 30 while Services pipped Delhi 27-20. Chhattisgarh thus got the third position and Delhi was fourth. Chief Parliamentary Secretary Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, delivering an address as the chief guest at the concluding function, said the state government is intent on ensuring maximum participation of even village students and youth in sports and games, which will facilitate faster development of sports and also bring the state on the sports map of the country. National Handball Federation general secretary SM Bali said due to maximum handball activities here at Bilaspur, one out of a total of four outdoor Terra flax courts (synthetic courts) allocated across the country, each costing Rs 50 lakh, would be laid at Bilaspur town soon. Sate Handball Association president and local MLA Bambar Thakur said 638 selected players from 28 states competed in this six-day championship.
— OC |
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‘Construct War Memorial in Delhi’
Shimla, December 15 The ex-servicemen, under the banner of the Indian Ex-servicemen Movement
(IESM), have called for Integrated War Memorial on the occasion of Vijay Diwas being celebrated tomorrow. The Defence Minister, along with the heads of all three wings of the armed forces, will pay homage to martyrs at Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate in New Delhi and the National Military Memorial,
Bangalore, tomorrow. Brig (retd) Khushal Thakur, Yudh Seva Medal, convener, HP
IESM, said this year too the homage would be paid to the martyrs of 1971 Indo-Pak war at “Amar Jawan Jyoti” which is under the arch of India Gate by our national leaders, senior civil and defence personnel. |
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In-laws booked in dowry case
Chamba, December 15 Jagat Ram, Superintendent of Police (SP), Chamba, said a case had been registered on the complaint of the newly married Asha Kumari of Dhampu village through the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Chamba. Asha, who was married in July, alleged in her complaint that her in-laws, after one month of her marriage, had started torturing her for dowry, the Superintendent of Police said. Investigation in the case was in progress, the Superintendent of Police said.
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The BJP may not be looking at changing party candidates for Hamirpur, Mandi and Shimla Lok Sabha seats. In such a situation, former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar stands better chances to contest from the Kangra parliamentary seat.
As BJP MP from Kangra Rajan Sushant has been suspended from the party, the BJP is on the lookout for a strong candidate to take on the Congress.
Senior BJP leaders and party workers participated in the Run for Unity orgainsed from the Ridge to Ambedkar Chowk in Chaura Maidan here today.
Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma today said the state government had planned to strengthen the rural road network in the state. Under this
programme, a new look would be given to all the rural roads in the state. This was stated by the minister while inaugurating the new building complex of Government Senior Secondary School at
Jaisinghpur, 40 km from here, today.
