H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Shimla traffic hit due to landslide
SHIMLA, June 15 — The road communication here has been adversely affected due to a landslide below the High Court on the Cart Road which has led to fleecing of commuters by private bus operators.

Dhumal lauds Arya Samaj role
SHIMLA, June 15 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Himachal Chief Minister, has lauded the Arya Samaj for carrying out social reforms. He said the Arya Samaj had been making laudable contribution right from the beginning of its establishment. He said Arya Samaj always played a leading role for the eradication of social evils from the society like caste system and untouchability etc.

Making learning a joy for kids
SHIMLA, June 15 — The Himachal Government has taken a number of novel initiatives to bring about qualitative improvement and ensure effective implementation of the universalisation of primary education programme in the state.

US varsity to set up cottage industry
SHIMLA, June 15 — Georgetown University Communication, Culture and Technology Programme, Washington, proposes to set up a cottage industry to cater to the needs of the global market in Kangra district for women cooperatives.

Bitta for CBI probe into Pilot’s death
KULU, June 15 — The sequence of events that led to the death of Mr Rajesh Pilot, a Congress leader, should be probed by the CBI or some other central agency. This was stated here today by Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, a former Indian Youth Congress President, at a press conference.

Shimla traffic hit due to landslide
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 15 — The road communication here has been adversely affected due to a landslide below the High Court on the Cart Road which has led to fleecing of commuters by private bus operators.

The vehicular traffic has been disrupted as half of the road has gone down with the landslide. Private bus operators are having a gala time fleecing commuters on the pretext of having been forced to follow a longer route because of the landslide.

The commuters alleged that they were being charged Rs 5 per passenger for the distance between the landslide site to Kasumpti against the actual of Rs 4. The actual fare of a longer distance between the bus stand and Kasumpti was Rs 5 and for the return journey the bus operators were charging the amount according to their whims.

Those commuting between Sanjauli to Summer Hill University were exorbitantly being charged Rs 12, it was alleged.

College and school students were the worst hit as they were generally being delayed to their educational institutions because of the traffic jams caused due to the landslide.

The landslide has been caused due to digging that was done for the construction of a five-storey car parking.

The commuters are sore that the district authorities have “turned a blind eye” towards their fleecing by the transport lobby which was also enjoying “political patronage” here.

They allege that the traffic police also does not come to their rescue when a complaint is made against any bus operator.

Dhumal lauds Arya Samaj role
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 15 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Himachal Chief Minister, has lauded the Arya Samaj for carrying out social reforms. He said the Arya Samaj had been making laudable contribution right from the beginning of its establishment. He said Arya Samaj always played a leading role for the eradication of social evils from the society like caste system and untouchability etc.

The Chief Minister was speaking on the occasion of 118th annual function of the Arya Samaj here today.

He said the Arya Samaj also contributed for intensifying the freedom movement in the country and inculcating a spirit of ‘swaraj’ among countrymen. He said teachings of Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati would always inspire the people of the country to follow his path. He said main objective of establishing Arya Samaj was to bring the hard fact to the fore.

Mr Dhumal said some people were trying to divide the country on caste and community lines and teachings of Arya Samaj were also playing important role to save the society from such people.

He also stressed the need for providing social value-oriented education, and teaching ‘shastra’ and Vedas to the new generation so that right direction could be given to the society.

Mr Bhagwan Chetanya, Executive President, HP Arya Samaj, also spoke on the occasion, Mr Chetanya also presented memento to the Chief Minister.

Mr Hardesh Arya, Manager, Arya Samaj, presented a cheque of Rs 31,000 towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund on behalf of the Arya Samaj.

Mr J.P. Nadda, Himachal Health Minister, Mr Parveen Sharma, Minister of State for Sports, Mr Jai Kishap Sharma, President, state BJP, Mr Ganesh Dutt, Vice-Chairman, HP Housing Board, Mr Deepak Sharma, Vice-Chairman, Red Cross, were also present on the occasion.

Making learning a joy for kids
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 15 — The Himachal Government has taken a number of novel initiatives to bring about qualitative improvement and ensure effective implementation of the universalisation of primary education programme in the state.

These include development of a new curriculum for primary classes and training module for teachers to ensure a uniform standard of education, reducing the burden of the school bag, providing a student friendly environment and filling of vacancies in schools located in far-flung areas.

The Department of Primary Education is developing a standardised curriculum for primary classes under the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP). The new curriculum is based on the concept of child-centred activity to make learning a joy for the development of competencies in children.

It also provides for the contextual teaching and learning besides strengthening the existing system of evaluation with continuous comprehensive evaluation process. The new curricula are being developed with the active participation of selected experienced primary school teachers with an aptitude for writing. The curriculum for classes I and II has already been completed and for other classes it is likely to be completed by December.

The integrated textbooks for classes I and II will facilitate effective handling of multi-grade situations prevailing in the state, besides decreasing the burden of the school bag. The new textbooks also include workbooks and teacher guides for selected schools on trial basis and are improved further on the available feedback. Thereafter, these will be introduced in all government schools from the next academic session.

A new Vidya Upasaks Yojna has been started to meet the shortage of teachers in remote and inaccessible areas. As many as 2,100 vidya upasaks are being recruited through the state Subordinate Services Selection Board on subdivisional basis. The selection process is likely to be completed shortly. The selected vidya upasaks will be posted in teacher-deficient schools in remote and difficult areas and will not be shifted from these locations for five years.

With a view to maintain the quality of primary education and equip the newly recruited vidya upasaks with the basic teaching skills to deal with tender age children, the department has dawn up a 21-day induction training programme for them. The provision for absorption in the regular cadres of JBT teachers after the completion of five years of service as vidya upasakas, shall maintain their commitment to the cause of primary education.

The training module for vidya upasaks covers the areas of physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of children. It also deals with the development of logical thinking and process of learning in children.

With the view to providing better environment, a minimum of three classrooms are being constructed in every school under the Saraswati Bal Vidya Sankalap Yojna. In all as many as 13,612 rooms will be constructed at a cost of Rs 126 crore over the next three years. The state government has released Rs 30.25 crore during the past year under this scheme and a sum of Rs 44.10 crore has been earmarked in the Budget in the current financial year.

US varsity to set up cottage industry
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 15 — Georgetown University Communication, Culture and Technology Programme, Washington, proposes to set up a cottage industry to cater to the needs of the global market in Kangra district for women cooperatives.

A delegation of the university comprising Dr Linda Garcia, Dr Earl Dowdy and Dr J.P. Singh called on the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, here yesterday and discussed the project which offered a regional and cooperative approach for economic development based on the power of networking technologies.

The project had been submitted to the World Bank for funding, Dr J.P. Singh, a member of the delegation, said.

Bitta for CBI probe into Pilot’s death
From Our Correspondent

KULU, June 15 — The sequence of events that led to the death of Mr Rajesh Pilot, a Congress leader, should be probed by the CBI or some other central agency.

This was stated here today by Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, a former Indian Youth Congress President, at a press conference.

He said the withdrawal of security to Mr Pilot was unjustified and blamed the Rajasthan Government for not providing him with adequate security which caused the accident. He also blamed the Congress high command for not taking up the matter of the withdrawal of Z or Z plus security from many party leaders. He accused the government for providing many leaders with Z plus security who did not need it.