Shimla, August 26
Following frequent clashes taking place in educational institutions, the Executive Council (EC) of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) today deferred the elections to student bodies in the university and colleges for one year and instead decided to nominate office-bearers to the Students Central Association.

The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the EC which had been convened to deliberate upon the issue. The EC took the decision not to hold the elections to student bodies as per the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee as it strongly felt that under the present circumstances, it was not possible to hold peaceful, fair and free elections.

To ensure that there is due student representation, it has been decided to nominate office-bearers to the Students Central Association (SCA) based on academic excellence and performance in other fields such as sports and culture.

The EC has also constituted a committee which will prepare its report on nomination to the student bodies in the university, evening college and other colleges. The committee will submit its report with the entire schedule to the Vice-Chancellor by September 3.

It is for the first time in the history of student politics in Himachal that a decision has been taken to defer the elections for one year and there will be nominated bodies. The decision is likely to have serious repercussions with the Students Federation of India (SFI) being opposed to the move.

The EC has given details of the violent student-politics scenario wherein the SCA in 2012-13 and 2013-14 had to be dissolved due to violence and 12 students remained in prison for almost eight months. The EC also took note of the fact that 52 students were issued show-cause notice for their alleged involvement in violent clashes and some of them were barred from attending classes.

The EC members also took into account the fact that FIRs are registered in various police stations against 127 students in Shimla alone and in other districts also the situation is no different. It was also mentioned at the meeting that the atmosphere in the HPU, Evening College, Court Shera and Sanjauli colleges was very charged and there was a bloody clash between students of two outfits in the hostels only two days back. 

Shimla, August 26
Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma said the state government was making efforts to bring the state economy, derailed by the previous BJP government due to the mismanagement of state’s finances, back on track.

He accused the BJP of flouting established norms to increase the pay scales of government employees based on recommendations of the Cabinet sub-committee of the Punjab Government on the eve of their Vidhan Sabha elections just for political gains.

“This enhanced pay structure announced by the BJP government on the eve of state Assembly elections causing an annual burden of over Rs 1,200 crore, is a liability which is being discharged by the present government,” he said.

The minister said the BJP government failed to present state’s case before the 13th Finance Commission, as a result the commission grossly underestimated state’s committed liability.

“The 13th Finance Commission did not give its due to the state under special category states. The commission recommended an average increase of 126 per cent in total devolution to other states compared to 12th Finance Commission award, but in case of Himachal, the increase was only 50 per cent, the lowest in the country,” he said.

He said: “Had Himachal got an equal treatment as compared to the overall increase of 126 per cent for the country as a whole, it would have received an additional fund transfer of Rs 10,725 crore over a period of five years between 2010 and 2015. The situation has become alarmingly grim during the past two years of the award period of the 13th Commission as the non-plan revenue deficit grants during the 2013-14 financial year has declined to Rs 1,313 crore from Rs 1,883 crore in 2012-13,” he said.

“It will further reduce to Rs 406 crore in 2014-15,” he added.

The minister said as on March, 2008, the state government had a loan liability of Rs 21,241 crore which increased to Rs 28,707 crore in March, 2013. Thus loan liability had increased by Rs 7,466 crore between March 2008 and March 2013, he added.

“In fact, loan amounting to Rs 1,838 crore was converted into guarantee in 2009-10. Thus the actual loan taken between March 2008 and March 2013 was Rs 9,304 crore. Whereas, the loan liability increased only by Rs 8,032 crore during April 2003 to March 2008,” he said

He said the state had already sent its annual plan for 2014-15 fiscal to the Centre, Planning Commission in which the state had sought Rs 2,600 crore.

To provide a concrete roadmap for resource mobilisation, a Cabinet sub-committee for resource mobilisation and economy measures had been constituted, he said.

“The state shall act on the recommendations of the Cabinet sub-committee, he added. 

Shimla, August 26
The CPM has lambasted the government for slapping sedition charges against two tribal leaders - the pradhan of Kungri panchayat and a former pradhan of Sagnam panchayat - who were protesting against the failure of the district administration and the state government to ensure development in the area ravaged by flood in 2012.

Lambasting the charges against them, CPM state secretariat member Tikender Panwar defended the leaders, stating that they were frustrated as development remained a major issue in the areas bordering China. As Spiti is located close to the China border, the threat to launch “Chalo China” slogan is not new and does not draw from any ideology, he added.

Even in the past, one of the tribal leaders had given the slogan, “Peking najdik hai, Delhi door hai”. Later on, he became a minister in the government in Himachal Pradesh, he reminded.

The arrested persons, Lobsang Tandup, former pradhan, and Chhewang Tobge, sitting pradhan, represent the local community. They were unhappy with the delay in the construction of a bridge and had threatened to launch “Chalo China” movement, Panwar said.

They had been raising the problem of Pin valley residents, who were facing hardships in transporting the green peas crop due to the poor condition of the bridge and ropeway trolley. Peas and potatoes are only cash crops of the valley and rotted there due to the lack of transportation, he added.

They had warned the Union and state governments of launching “Chalo China” if their issues were not addressed soon. A flood in the Kiri rivulet in June 2012 had damaged its bridge which connects 13 villages of the Pin valley with the rest of the state.

The government made no provision to build the bridge and villagers had been risking their lives by crossing the rivulet by using a damaged bridge.

The party has asked the government not to alienate the tribal people and ensure that proper development was carried on in this area. 

Nurpur, August 26
State BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti has alleged that Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh was misusing his official powers.

Addressing a press conference at Mohatli in Indora Assembly segment, he said the state government had been victimising BJP men and transfers of government employees having allegiance with the BJP were being ordered just to harass them.

Satti alleged the Chief Minister had failed to fulfil his moral obligations. Neither he nor any minister of his Cabinet took stock of heavy losses caused in Hamirpur and Mandi districts due to heavy rain during the past few days.

He said the frequent visits of Virbhadra Singh to Delhi had paralysed the administration and stopped development activities in the state. He said the CM should apprise people of the reason behind these frequent visits and disclose which financial assistance he had procured from the Government of India during his visits.

Satti also addressed workers’ meetings of Indora BJP Mandal at Mohatli and Nurpur Mandal at Kandwal. 

Solan, August 26
Gangu Ram Musafir, vice-chairman, state Planning Board, today said the BJP appeared to have lost faith in democracy and was running away from addressing crucial issues pertaining to people in the Assembly session.

Addressing mediapersons here today, along with vice-chairman of the Khadi and Village Industries Board Ramesh Chauhan, he said BJP leaders were not only unnerved by the inquiries pertaining to their five-year rule, but also levelling baseless allegations against the state government.

They said as against the tall claims of the Modi government that they would bring “acchhe din” soon, no such relief had been extended to the common man despite the government completing 100 days in office.

Referring to the questions raised by former Chief Minister PK Dhumal regarding funds received from the Centre for natural calamities, Musafir said the state had received Rs 71.53 crore where Rs 27.82 crore had been disbursed to the PWD, Rs 6.95 to the IPH and Rs 2 crore to the HP State Electricity Board among other departments.

Ramesh Chauhan also took the BJP leaders to task for spreading rumours regarding the relief extended to the victims and said the Congress government had not only hiked relief granted to such people but was also giving monetary compensation to the accident victims of other states. 

Shimla, August 26
Priyanka Gandhi, daughter of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, arrived here today on a private visit.

Priyanka who came by road drove straight to her under-construction house at Charrabra, 15 km from here. She is likely to return tomorrow after overseeing the construction work. She is staying at Mashobra resort.

Priyanka had purchased a piece of land near Retreat, Rahstrapati Bhawan, and got her house constructed in typical hill architecture. Unhappy with the manner in which the house was constructed, she had got the constructed house pulled down. The house is being re-constructed all over again. 

Nurpur, August 26
Tussle over political dominance in the Nurpur BJP Mandal came to the fore today when ex-MLA and former BJP rebel Rakesh Pathania and his supporters stayed away from a workers’ meeting convened here a second time within two months.

Earlier on July 2, the meeting was presided over by Lok Sabha MP Shanta Kumar in which he had been ignored by the organisers. Today’s meeting was presided over by state BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti, but Pathania again kept himself away from the meeting.

Pathania had rejoined the party before the Lok Sabha elections and party candidate Shanta Kumar had announced that BJP rebels who had rejoined the party would be accorded due honour and their services would be utilised in strengthening the party in future. Contrary to the announcement of Shanta Kumar, none of the former BJP rebel and their supporters in the Nurpur and Jawali sub-divisions got accommodated in the organisational unit of the party so far causing embarrassment among the new rank and file of the BJP cadre.

However, Pathania admitted that he had received invitation from the president and general secretary of the Nurpur district BJP, but was ignored by the local unit that even had not consulted the venue for the scheduled meeting.

He said he opposed the venue where the meeting was convened as it belonged to those persons allegedly indulging in illegal mining activities in the area. He said he had tried to contact state BJP president Satti and organising secretary Pawan Rana on Monday in this connection, but both had not responded to his calls.

Shimla, August 26
Urban Development and Town and Country Planning Minister Sudhir Sharma today said the government would consider proposals from the public on 12 new planning areas constituted in the state under the HP Town and Country Planning Act.

These areas also consist of a few rural areas where there was no possibility for commercial or other activities in the near future, he added.

In an official release, Sharma said applications and proposals had been received from the general public in this regard. The government was considering the proposals to keep such areas out of the ambit of the TCP Act.

The minister said there was no requirement for the approval of the map in fixed area for construction of a house in rural areas. The information regarding this had already been sent to the departments concerned and offices working under the Town and Country Planning Department.

Dharamsala, August 26
The Bhagsunag waterfall, a prime tourist attraction in McLeodganj, is gradually losing it sheen. Thanks to the IPH Department which is siphoning off water from it for various water schemes in Dharamsala.

A view of the Bhagsu waterfall, McLeodganj, in Dharamsala. Photo by writer

While the IPH Department draws nearly 10 lakh litre water from the fall every day, two water pipes of the Military Engineering Services draws nearly 15 to 20 lakh litre water from it.

Vikas Nehria, a Bhagsu resident, said: “Earlier, the waterfall used to sustain a good flow throughout the year and used to attract both domestic as well as foreign tourists. However, now, the water reduces to a trickle during the winter and summer season. It is only during monsoons that there is some water.”

Ramesh Pathania, who runs a shop at Bhagsunag, said: “The waterfall is a tourist attraction and the government should preserve it. The government should look for alternative water sources for its schemes rather than siphoning water from it.”

The fall at Bhagsu is at its pristine glory during the monsoon season, as the water increases due to persistent rain in the region. The water gushes out of 20-foot-high fall, thereby delighting tourists.

The panoramic view mesmerises tourists. Small huts of locals near the waterfall add to the charm of the milieu providing all kinds of snacks and drinks to tourists. Cold drinks and beer bottles chilled in ice-cold water of the fall are also available.

A few tourists, including foreigners, having a good stamina, climb up to Shiva Café. The café is a small hut constructed from local stones and covered with lush-green creepers.

Trekkers said the height of the popular waterfall of Bhagsunag is just 20 feet. However, if one climbs upwards, there is another fall. The area is picturesque.

But, since no track has been developed in the area, trekking is dangerous especially during the monsoon season. If a proper track is developed, it would add another dimension to the tourist destination.

However, the Tourism Department has failed to exploit the gift of nature for attracting tourists. If compared with Kempty Falls in Uttarakhand near Mussoorie, the Baghsunag fall is much bigger and located in more panoramic surrounding. Despite this, Kempty Falls attract more tourists and is more popular due to better marketing by the government.

Not only this, the government can allot spots for various café’s to attract tourists instead of allowing haphazard development. In addition, the waterfall can be promoted as a USP for Dharamsala region.

Shimla/Udaipur, August 26
As many as 6,658 trees will be destroyed in the Miyar valley, a cold desert, in Udaipur subdivision of Lahaul-Spiti for the 120-mw Miyar power project being executed by Moser Baer.

Though the company has not paid Rs 25.69 crore for the diversion of the 63 hectare forest land to the Forest Department, the land acquisition officer at Udaipur has awarded the compensation to local tribals for the acquisition of their land that has raised their ire.

NGOs and the locals fear that destruction of 6,658 trees to generate 120 mw of electricity will wreak havoc in Miyar, which had experienced flash flood in 2012.

The company has got the stage-I clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) for the project on July 27, 2012. But even after two years, it has not paid Rs 25.69 crore to the Forest Department so far, revealed forest officials in Lahaul-Spiti.

The growth of junipers and deodars in the cold desert takes generations together, but the government has been sacrificing trees for the construction of Miyar and 400-mw Sheli projects, both located at a distance of not more than 10 km in Udaipur subdivisions, resented Sudarshan Thakur, convener of the Sheli Project Sangharsh Samiti (SPSS), which is opposing the power projects.

The company, which has been renamed as Hindustan Power, has been pleading that it will plant the trees under the compensatory afforestation scheme in the valley.

On the other hand, the Divisional Forest Officer, Lahaul division, said the final approval from the MOEF was awaited and the company had not paid Rs 25.69 crore for the diversion of the land and compensation of the trees to be submerged in the diversion dam.

This amount included Rs 15.87 crore for the compensation of 6,658 trees and the rest was to be paid for diversion of forest land and compensatory plantation, the officials added.

Trekkers and nature lovers come here during summers. But the miserable condition of the Udaipur-Miyar and the Keylong-Tandi-Udaipur roads has kept them away, said Tashi Karpa, president of the Lahaul-Spiti Hoteliers Association.

Paying a heavy price

* NGOs and locals fear that destruction of 6,658 trees will wreak havoc in Miyar

* The company has got the stage-I clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests for the project on July 27, 2012

* It has not paid Rs 25.69 crore to the Forest Dept for the diversion of land and compensation of the trees to be submerged in the dam 

Sundernagar, August 26
The police today arrested Hardev Singh, a resident of Punjab and at present running a dhaba at Jarol near here, and recovered 291 gm opium from his possession.

The accused after seeing a police naka at Kangoo tried to flee, but was nabbed by the police and 291 gm of opium was recovered from his possession. A case has been registered and further investigations are on. — OC

Solan, August 26
With job opportunities shrinking drastically in the industrial sector owing to the prevailing recession, passouts of various professional courses are finding it hard to get jobs in the state.

Since job opportunities are limited in the public sector, job seekers are looking at the private industrial sector to get jobs. Officials of various departments, including industry, excise and taxation, labour and employment, were flooded with applicants, who were trying to secure a job by using some official connection.

With few industrial units opting for expansion, not only job opportunities have declined, but also companies are undertaking measures to downsize the existing staff, an HR manager of a leading consumer product unit said.

The situation is no better in the pharmaceutical sector, where despite the state’s industrial hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) housing nearly 400 units and being acclaimed as the pharmaceutical hub of Asia, pharmacy pass outs failed to get jobs.

Mitali Rana, who recently completed her M Pharma from a private university in Solan and has appeared for several interviews in various pharmaceutical units in the BBN, is yet to get a job. Disheartened by the lack of job opportunities available even in the BBN, she said she would take admission in PhD course and improve her qualification. She said despite securing high grade in M Pharma, companies did not find her profile good enough.

Though some pharmaceutical companies held interviews, stipulations like minimum three years experience led the unit management to reject several applicants at the scrutiny stage. The fresh pass outs were left high and dry with such stringent conditions and tall claims of the state government for ensuring 70 per cent employment to the Himachali students appeared to be a mere political rhetoric.

An official who daily received several recommendations for jobs said apart from few aspirants receiving interview calls, little success was achieved in making available jobs even to the educated professionals owing to the prevailing recession.

Another engineering graduate, who has failed to find a job despite lapse of one year after completion of his course, said he was now appearing for banking and other such examinations as no suitable job was available in his field.

Though private universities claimed to have provided hundreds of jobs to its passouts through campus interviews, such claims appear hollow with cases of educated unemployed being on the rise in the state. 

Solan, August 26
A case of rioting, criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt was registered against six students of Baddi-based IEC University as they had roughed up a local student Kuldeep Singh at the university canteen yesterday.

Superintendent of Police, Baddi, G Shiva, while confirming the news, said a case under Sections 506, 323, 149 and 147, IPC, had been registered as six students had beaten up a local student of Baddi in the canteen yesterday. He said a medical examination of the aggrieved student had been conducted today where simple injuries had been confirmed and further investigations were underway. He, however, said it was not a case of ragging as old students were involved in the incident.

It is worth mentioning that brawls at various universities have become a headache for the Baddi police which is already overburdened with various heinous crimes taking place in this industrial belt.

Shimla, August 26
Health and Revenue Minister Kaul Singh Thakur today said the losses due to incessant rains, cloudburst and landslides had been assessed at Rs 600 crore. But it was only after undertaking a detailed survey that a memorandum would be submitted to the Centre.

Giving details about the losses suffered by the state due to heavy rain, particularly on August 14 and 15, he said so far 33 persons died and around 610 animals perished. Besides, heavy damage had been caused to public and private property at various places in the state.

The minister further clarified a memorandum on the losses would be submitted to the Central Government only after a detailed survey and assessment.

“The memorandum on the losses will be based on the damage reports which are being prepared and sent to the Centre shortly for seeking assistance,” he said.

He further said the rainfall in the state was 140 per cent to 204 per cent above normal during these two days on August 14 and 15. The worst affected districts were Mandi and Hamirpur, besides Kangra, Kullu, Bilaspur, Kinnaur, Sirmaur and Solan also suffered heavy losses. Many roads and houses were damaged due to landslides in these districts too. Apart from this, a few bridges were also washed away, he said.

He said to deal with the situation, a State Emergency Operation Centre had been set up at the state headquarters. Apart from this, the District Emergency Operation Centre’s had been set up in each district and was made fully functional for better coordination in case of any eventuality, he said.

Thakur said Rs 1.15 crore had been released for the creation of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). During 2013-14, Rs 293 crore was allocated to the districts and departments for providing immediate relief, rehabilitation, repair and restoration of damaged works and maintenance of public property.

He said so far, Rs 76.50 crore had been released for undertaking relief and rescue works. “The government has relaxed the norms and enhanced the quantum of relief, wherever necessary, whereas the BJP government had denied ex gratia to the kin of the deceased in case of non-Himachalis, a step which was insensitive.

Mandi, August 26
Residents of several villages today urged the state government to provide financial assistance for the crop damaged due to floods on August 13 this year.

In a memorandum submitted to Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kadam, Kummi panchayat chief Rajkumari said due heavy rainfall, Suketi and Kansa rivulets damaged crops on hundreds of acres in Tawa, Kummi, Kathyal and Chhatru villages under the panchayat.

Rajkumari said their fields had been covered by a thick layer of sand and stones. The crops had damaged completely and there was shortage of fodder for domestic animals as well.

She urged the government to provide adequate compensation for the damages caused due to the rainfall.

In another memorandum submitted to the DC, Chandyaal panchayat vice-president Ravi Singh Jaggi said vegetables
and maize crops on several hundred acres had destroyed in the area.
He demanded that a bridge, that was damaged in the rainfall, on the Sekar nullah be repaired at the earliest.

Solan, August 26
Baddi-based Small and Medium Sector Enterprise (SMSE) has once again bagged the Rajiv Gandhi National Award for quality for 2012 in the SMSE sector, thus bringing laurels to the industrial sector of Himachal.

The unit, which has already established a name for itself in the field of corporate social responsibility, has also established its supremacy in manufacturing quality products surpassing the best in the country.

The award winners and recipients of commendation certificates were selected from a total of 63 applicants from various sectors following vigorous evaluation by a group of qualified and trained professionals from different spheres of intellectual activity. Awards will be presented by Ram Vilas Paswan, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, at a ceremony scheduled to be held later, informed a communication received by the unit today.

The awards, given annually, were instituted by the Bureau of Indian Standards in 1991 with a view to encouraging Indian manufacturing and service organisations to strive for excellence and giving special recognition to those, who are considered leaders of quality movement in India.

With stringent scrutiny of various manufacturing processes being undertaken by the team assessing the unit’s claim for having attained quality in its manufacturing processes an-depth survey of its entire operations was done before recommending its name for this award.

Factory Manager JS Kang informed that they had received information about this award today only and it had boosted their morale to further improve their operations. He said the management strived hard to attain best standards and quality was a hard earned virtue which they strived to maintain
at all levels.

Nurpur, August 26
The Jawali and Fatehpur police today intercepted seven tractor-trolleys and challaned the owners for illegal mining. These were challaned for violation of ban on mining activities on riverbeds.

Jawali DSP DC Verma said Rs 28,200 had been realized as fine from the tractor owners who had been challaned by the police. He said the police had launched a drive to check illegal mining in local rivulets. 

Shimla, August 26
The state government will set up a health commission with renowned health experts with the objective of revamping the healthcare system and building a strong and affordabl secondary and tertiary care system.

The state government is likely to issue a notification for the setting up of the Health Commission tomorrow. The commission will be headed by MK Bhan, former Union Secretary in the department of biotechnology. The commission will be given terms of reference and after examining the existing health system, a report will be submitted suggesting a major revamp in the required areas.

The other members of the commission include Dr Vinod Pathak, head of department of paediatrics at AIIMS, Dr SK Sharma, former director of PGI, Chandigarh, Dr Rajesh Kumar, former head of department of community medicine at the PGI, Chandigarh, Dr Raj Bahadur, head of orthpaedics at the PGI and Dr Randeep Guleria, head of pulmonary medicine.

The panel, which will take a close look at adopting inter-sectoral strategies to address environmental, nutritional and social determinants of health, will have Nachiket Mor, currently member of the Central Board of Reserve Bank of India. Nachiket is known for his inventions of financial devices to deliver banking services to villages and trying to solve India’s financial problem.

The major thrust of the initiative is to strengthen primary care system with focus on community and home care of children, women and the elderly and those suffering disability. “The aim is to revamp the public health system, including introduction of public healthcare,” said Vineet Chawdhry, Additional Chief Secretary, Health.

He said an important component of the initiative was the provision of clean drinking water so as to check water-borne diseases and many other problems.

“There will be pilot implementation of Universal Health Coverage keeping in view the rational policies,” said Chawdhry. He added that the endeavour would also be to improve medical, nursing and dental care.

Innovative solutions such as use of telemedicine and information systems to enhance the reach and quality of healthcare will be adopted. Efforts will be made to make the public health sector financially strong.

Notification today

The commission, for which a notification is likely to issued tomorrow, will be headed by MK Bhan, former Union Secretary in the department of biotechnology. The other members are Dr Vinod Pathak, head of department of paediatrics at AIIMS, Dr SK Sharma, former director, PGI, Chandigarh, Dr Rajesh Kumar, former head of department of community medicine, PGI, Chandigarh, Dr Raj Bahadur, head of orthpaedics, PGI, and Dr Randeep Guleria, head of pulmonary medicine. 

Kangra, August 26
The state government will start tourism and paramedical courses in industrial training institutes (ITIs) of the state to curb unemployment among the youth.

This was stated by Transport and Technical Education Minister GS Bali while addressing a public meeting at Tharu village in Nagrota Bagwan today. He also heard public grievances at Tharu, Jasoor and Rumaid villages.

Bali told people that he would be visiting each ward of his Assembly segment to hear grievances of the people and sort them out on the spot.

He said to bring education at the doorsteps of people in his constituency, a Government Degree College, ITI and a Government Engineering College was opened in Nagrota Bagwan, adding that two tehsils and a Tehsil Welfare Office were also established.

Expressing concern over the increasing road accident cases, Bali urged parents to keep a check on their children to see that they should not violate traffic rules.

He said efforts were on to provide one food and civil supplies depot in a panchayat so that people should get their food items at their doorsteps. He said 37 lakh people of the state were brought under the purview of the National Food Security Law. He said ration cards were being computerised and for modernisation of the Public Distribution System, a Rs 14.23-crore project was initiated in the state. 

Una, August 26
Industry Minister Mukesh Agnihotri today laid the foundation stone of a lift irrigation scheme estimated at Rs 69 lakh at Dulehar village of Haroli Assembly segment. The scheme aims at irrigating about 30 hectares of agriculture land in the village.

He also inaugurated a gymnasium at the sports stadium in Dulehar. Superintending Engineer, Irrigation and Public Health Department, NK Trivedi, Executive Engineer Mukesh Hira, Deputy Director, Industries, Tilak Raj Sharma and Block Congress president Ranjit Rana were also present. — OC

Shimla, August 26
In a bureaucratic reshuffle, the state government today ordered the transfer of six IAS and four HAS officers with immediate effect.

According to the notification, Manesh Garg on return from the foreign training was posted as Secretary Home and Vigilance, who will work under an overall in charge of the Chief Secretary.

JC Chauhan, Director, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, takes over as the Excise and Taxation Commissioner. Dr RN Batta, MD, HRTC, takes over as the Director Transport, in place of Ritesh Chauhan, who has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Sirmaur, at Nahan. He replaced Vikas Labroo, who has been placed as MD, HP Backward Classes and Finance and Development Corporation, Kangra. R Selvam, Special Secretary (MPP and Power, PWD and Revenue) has been posted as the Director, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj and ex-officio Special Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.

RK Pruthi, Special Secretary, Environment Science and Technology, has been transferred as the Additional Director, Higher Education.

DC Rana, Additional Secretary, Home and Education and Estates, would hold additional charge of Director, Estates. LR Negi, Joint Secretary, Forests and Industries, shall hold the additional charge of Joint Secretary, Environment Science and Technology. Ashvani Ramesh, Additional Director Higher Education as Additional Director, Cooperatives, relieving Dr Pankaj Lalit. 

Nurpur, August 26
Ashwani Sood, local SDM-cum-Chairman, Sub-divisional Anti-mining Flying Squad, today convened a meeting of stone-crushing units set up on leased land of the Ram Gopal temple at Damtal. As many as 12 units have been set up on temple’s leased land.

Sood said the owners of these units had been directed not to indulge in any mining activity on the Chakki riverbed in the area as it was totally banned by the National Green Tribunal and in case any JCB or other land excavator was found engaged in doing such activity, it would be confiscated.