 |
| Tuesday, June 6, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
|
4 workers die of asphyxiation ‘Invisible’ yogi
surrenders PM plants sapling on Environment
Day New Chakki bridge sought Computer studies in schools soon Road to Ambuja plant blocked Contaminated water in Baddi |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Awareness rally held PARWANOO, June 5 — On the day of World Environment Day on Monday, the HP State Pollution Control Board organised an awareness rally of school children from Government High School, Parwanoo.The rally was led by the Assistant Commissioner, Mr Sanjay Sharma. Different types of pollution awareness slogans were raised by school children and the rally went through the Parwanoo industrial area and the main bazar, telling the people about the menace of increasing population. Legal
aid camp held at Palampur Congress dharnas in Himachal Legal literacy camp organised
|
4 workers die of
asphyxiation SOLAN, June 5 — Four industrial workers died, reportedly of asphyxiation caused by the presence of carbon monoxide, in a 35-ft deep well located inside the workers colony of a large ayurvedic medicines unit at Baddi last evening. Another person had a narrow escape. The dead have been identified as S.S. Chauhan, Ram Gopal, Gajraj and Ashok Kumar. S.S. Chauhan hailed from Jhansi (U.P.), Ram Gopal from Bharatpur (M.P.) and Gajraj from Tikamgarh (M.P.) The native place of Ashok Kumar, however, could not be ascertained. An eyewitness said the incident occurred when following a prolonged power cut and consequent non-functioning of the lift pump installed in the well, Chauhan tried to draw some water from the well by using a long discarded bucket and a rope. The rope broke down and the bucket fell into the well prompting Chauhan to descend into it via the iron ladders fitted therein. The other three deceased along with the survivor, Raghubir Singh, who were sitting near the well became curious when Chauhan did not reappear even after a long time. Finally Gajraj decided to go inside the well. When Gajraj too did not return, Ram Gopal followed suit and did not return. Witnessing the sudden disappearance of three of his friends, Ashok Kumar too went down and did not return. Raghuvir Singh, who had by now sensed something fishy, went to the edge of the well and saw the four lying “unconscious” at the bottom of the well. He made an attempt to rescue them by going down the ladders but pulled himself back when he started feeling suffocated half way through. He fell unconscious after coming out of well. By this time a sizeable crowd had gathered at the site. The S.D.M. Mr K.C. Chaman, and the DSP, Mr Prem Thakur, reached the spot. After some expert telephonic guidance received from state forensic laboratory experts a candle and a burning cloth were lowered into the well to determine the presence or otherwise of carbon monoxide — an asphyxia occasionally found in deep wells. Carbon monoxide has a distinctive property of snuffing out flames. The test proved to be positive, tentatively establishing asphyxiation as the cause of death. Soon measures were
initiated to neutralise the gas present in the well
following which a young transporter of the nearby
Sandholi Kalan village. Mr Om Prakash, showing exemplary
courage, lead the operation of bringing out the bodies
from the well. His action was all the more praiseworthy
as even the policemen present on the spot had chosen not
to risk their lives by going down the “poisonous
well”. |
‘Invisible’ yogi surrenders SHIMLA, June 5 — The mystery of the missing yogi, Prithi Singh (82), who became “invisible” after taking a 111 days “samadhi” at Shogi near here was solved when he surrendered in the Boiluganj police station here this morning. The yogi, who belongs to the Bhuka village in Haryana, had taken the samadhi amid much fanfare on February 6 and was supposed to resurface on May 28. However, when he failed to appear on the due date, the doors of the hut in which he had taken the “samadhi” were broken by the police and he was found nowhere. In between, people had been converging at the place in large numbers and making offerings for the yogi. Mr Ramesh Pathania, DSP, who is investigating the case, told TNS that the yogi had arranged the event to convince the people that he possessed some mystic powers. He had planned to construct a shrine at Shoghi were he had expected to pocket huge amount of money through offerings by the devotees. During his interrogation, the yogi is learnt to have told the police that his modus operandi was that he would escape from a concealed window in the hut after giving his “darshan” on the initial due date to convince the people that he was a super man. He was supposed to give “darshan” to the devouts on March 12, April 9 and May 7 in the hut in between his meditation. After taking the “samadhi” on February 6, he escaped from there two days later on February 8 in a Maruti van which was brought by his son and another relative. He returned in the hut, whose door was sealed in the presence of the people on the day he took the “samadhi” on the midnight of March 11 to appear in an elevated position for which he had concealed a wooden plank through a shelf of an almirah. After convincing the devotees, who were allowed to peep inside the hut only through a hole in the door, he again escaped to Yamunanagar on March 13. However, he could not reach Shogi for his “darshan” on April 9 as he was suffering from acute dysentery at Yamunanagar. The police became suspicious and posted two guards outside the hut thereafter. The members of the organising committee vainly pressurised senior officers to remove the police guards. His plans to further cheat the innocent people of the area got foiled because of presence of the police around the hut as he could not re-enter there for his third “darshan” on May 7 also. Meanwhile, the police arrested four of the 11 members of the committee which had organised the “show” of the yogi. The seven absconding persons traced him at Hardwar and pressurised him to surrender before the police. He was taken to the spot
by the police this afternoon where he explained his
entire modus operandi to the people gathered there. |
PM plants sapling on
Environment Day MANALI, June 5 — The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, planted a sapling of magnolia graniflora at the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) Headquarters campus at Bahang on the Manali-Leh highway, 4 km from here, today on the occasion of the World Environment Day. The Union Minister for Power, Mr P.R. Kumarmangalam, the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, and the national General Secretary of the BJP also planted saplings of juniper on the occasion. Hundreds of schoolchildren raised slogans of “van lagao jeewan bachao”. Mr Vajpayee and Mr Dhumal distributed sweaters among schoolchildren present at the function. Mr Narendra Modi, national General Secretary of the BJP and in charge of Himachal affairs, Mr Chander Sen Thakur, local MLA-cum-Vice-Chairman of the HPMC, Mr Goving Thakur, a former President of the BJYM, the Chief Secretary, Mr A.K. Goswami, Mr Ashwani Kapoor, Deputy Commissioner, Kulu, and Mr Anurag Garg, SP Kulu, were also present on the occasion. The World Environment
Day was observed with great enthusiasm in Manali town.
Various government and non-government organisations in
collaboration with the Tourism Department organised a
cleanliness drive at Dhungri Van Vihar near Hadimba
Temple. Mr Chander Sen Thakur presided over a function on
the occasion at Patlikuhal, 21 km from here, on the
Manali-Kulu national highway. He said forests of the
state had an important role to play in balancing the
fragile ecological system of the Himalayas. |
New Chakki bridge sought NURPUR: The 111-year-old Chakki bridge on the Pathankot-Mandi highway links Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. This bridge was constructed at a cost of Rs 14,280 in 1889. It is the asset of the Union Ministry of Surface Transport (most ). This single-lane bridge having a span of 515 metres and 4.70 metres breadth has outlived its utility, according to the Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department (HPPWD). The bridge besides being significant for tourism is of vital importance for the movement of security forces to the Yol cantonment in Kangra district. The bridge provides an alternative approach to the Kargil sector through the Leh-Manali route. Significantly the highway also leads to the border with China. The 78 per cent part of this bridge falls in Punjab and the rest in Himachal Pradesh. Before 1986 the maintenance and repair of the bridge used to be undertaken by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh governments as per their respective shares. In 1986 an experts team of MOST declared that the bridge had been better maintained by the HPPWD than its counter part in Punjab. As a result MOST entrusted the task of repair and maintenance of the bridge to the HPPWD. The HPPWD has taken up the issue of the reconstruction of the bridge with MOST. It has also suggested a double-lane bridge with a span of 540 metres along with a footpath. The HPPWD has completed
the survey and investigation for the reconstruction of
the bridge which is estimated to cost Rs 18 crore. |
Computer studies in schools soon MANALI, June 5 — The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, disclosed that computer education would be introduced in all senior secondary and high schools in the state in a phased manner and added that to start with it would be introduced in 100 senior secondary schools. He was addressing a huge gathering after performing the upgradation ceremony of senior secondary school at Pangan in Kulu district today. Mr Dhumal said education had been accorded priority by the government and the endeavour of the government was to encourage professional and technical education so that the youth of the state could get gainful employment. He said globilisation and liberalisation had reduced the distance and the world had become smaller. There was a great demand for professionals from India all over the world. Mr Dhumal said 8,400 meritorious students were being provided scholarship of Rs 10,000 each in plus one and plus two classes to ensure that poor meritorious students were not deprived of getting higher education for want of resources. The Chief Minister urged teachers and guardians to help in checking the practice of copying as this leader to spoiling the career of the students. The Chief Minister said that every village in the state would be connected by road within the next three years and urged the people to give land voluntarily for the purpose. He directed the PWD authorities to prepare plans so that work on it could be expedited. He thanked Mr Gupt Ram and Mr Udai Ram for donating land for the construction of the school building. He announced Rs 3 lakh for the construction of the building of the senior secondary school, Pangan, and Rs 1.50 lakh for construction of a veterinary dispensary at Pangan. Mr Maheshwer Singh, MP, Mandi parliamentary constituency, announced the sanction of Rs 1 lakh for the construction of a school building out of the MP’s local area fund. He underlined the development made by the government in the area. Mr Chander Sen Thakur, local MLA, sanctioned Rs 1 lakh for the construction of a school building out of Vidhayak Kshetriya Vikas Nidhi. Former Horticulture
Minister and veteran BJP leader Thakur Kunj Lal said the
state government under the leadership of Mr Dhumal had
accelerated the pace of development in this hill state.
Mr Praveen Sharma, Minister of State for Youth Services
and Sports, Mr Jai Kishan Sharma, the newly elected state
BJP chief and MLA, Mr Sarveen Chaudhery, Parliamentary
Secretary, were prominent among those present on the
occasion. |
Road to Ambuja plant blocked SHIMLA, June 5 — Transportation of cement and clinker from the Darlaghat-based unit of Gujarat Ambuja has come to a standstill for the past five days as a transport union has blocked the entrance road with trucks in support of its demands. The factory produces about 700 truckload of cement and clinker daily. However, this could not be transported because of the blockade. A section of the people, whose lands were acquired for construction of the cement factory, has set up their separate transport union and were demanding that they should be given preference for transporting the products of the factory. The factory, which is situated just along the Shimla-Kangra National Highway, has been witnessing dharnas and processions by the striking people since June 1. The authorities were
helplessly watching the situation as they have not been
able to take any action for lifting the blockade because
of the shortage of police force which was at present
deployed on duty for the visit of the Prime Minister to
various areas. |
Contaminated water in Baddi BADDI, June 5 — Natural water sources — naddi, nalas, tubewells and ponds — of Baddi have been contaminated due to release of dyeing, textile and chemical waste by industrial units. As a result water available for residents is highly contaminated. Even the sub-soil water has also been contaminated. For maintaining water quality, it is necessary to conduct a study of the ground water and to keep a check on industrial units which are discharging effluent. A village pond, which
was the only source of water for Baddi, is in pitiable
condition. |
Awareness rally held PARWANOO, June 5 — On the day of World Environment Day on Monday, the HP State Pollution Control Board organised an awareness rally of school children from Government High School, Parwanoo.The rally was led by the Assistant Commissioner, Mr Sanjay Sharma. Different types of pollution awareness slogans were raised by school children and the rally went through the Parwanoo industrial area and the main bazar, telling the people about the menace of increasing population. Later a vehicular
emission monitoring camp was organised at Parwanoo to
create public awareness about the harmful effects of
exhaust emissions. These emissions from the vehicles
cause adverse affect on plants, human beings, animals,
soil, buildings, solar radiation and temperature. |
Legal aid camp held at
Palampur PALAMPUR, June 5 — The District Legal Act Authority organised a legal aid camp here today. More than 300 panchayat pradhans and members of mahila mandals from different parts of the region took part in the camp. The main object of the camp was to educate the people living in rural and far-flung areas about the free legal aid scheme launched by the government for the poor, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, other backward classes and women contesting cases for maintenance. Addressing the gathering, Mr V.K. Ahuja, District and Sessions Judge and Chairman of the District Legal Aid Authority, said under the free legal and programme the government had provided adequate funds for providing legal aid to those persons who were unable to contest cases pending in various courts because of poverty and failed to get justice. Mr Ahuja said at the district and subdivision level the legal aid authority had set up a panel of advocates who would provide free legal aid to persons covered under this scheme. He said persons having income less than Rs 25,000 per annum were entitled to get the benefit of this programme. Besides, all women who have been contesting cases for maintenance are also covered in the scheme. He regretted that despite the fact that the government had provided liberal funds the response of people was poor. The authority had to surrender the funds year after year. He called on panchayat pardhans to educate the poor and downtrodden regarding the free legal aid concept. Mr Ahuja said it had been decided to organise such camps in other parts of the district also. Earlier, such a camp was also held at Kangra. He said at the subdivisional level, district level and state level the authority would pay legal charges of Rs 850, Rs 1250, and Rs 2000 per case, respectively. He said at Dharamsala there was a panel of 80 advocates and the litigant could choose on advocate of his choice. Regarding criminal cases, he said, besides district headquarters in every subdivisional headquarters advocates had been appointed to contest bail and other matters. Addressing the panchayat representatives, Mr Purinder Vaidya, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, said the free legal scheme launched by the government was a new concept in our country with the objective that no one should be deprived of his legal rights provided under the Constitution. He said getting justice was everybody’s right. But many poor people failed to get justice in the absence of financial resources. The government had thus decided to give free legal aid to the poor and women who had been deserted by their husbands so that they could contest their cases. He said poverty should not be a hindrance in the way of justice. Mr Tek Chand, SDM, and
Mr N.K. Sharma, District Attorney, also addressed the
camp. |
Congress dharnas in Himachal SHIMLA, June 5 — The Congress Party organised dharnas at the block and tehsil levels throughout Himachal Pradesh today to protest against the hike in prices of foodgrains under the PDS, kerosene, diesel and power tariff. The Leader of the CLP, Mr Virbhadra Singh, led the dharna at Rohru in Shimla district where he accused the BJP-HVC combine government of having failed on all fronts and alleged that corruption was rampant under the present regime. He said that development works had come to a grinding halt when the BJP-HVC government came into power. The PCC President, Mr
Sat Mahajan, led the dharna at Paonta Sahib in Sirmour
district. |
Legal literacy camp organised SHIMLA, June 5 — A Legal literacy camp was organised by the District Legal Services Authority to educate panchayat pradhans, members of mahila mandals and yuvak mandals about the legal rights and duties of people here yesterday. Mr Surjit Singh, District and Sessions Judge, Shimla and Chairman, District Legal Services Authority, urged people to educate the uneducated in the village and make them aware about their legal and constitutional rights. He also spoke about the
provision of free legal aid under the Legal Services
Authority Act. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | In Spotlight | 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 120 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
