 |
| Wednesday, June 21, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
|
Achieve
physical targets: CM HC notices to 11 IAS officers DC told to give report on
virginity tests Austrian envoy calls on CM Mohinder Singh rules out patch-up HP to release 60,000 telephone
lines
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tourists allege fleecing Probe demanded into damage to
bridge Four girls scale Ladakhi peak XEN caught taking bribe Gopal Dass Verma’s bail plea
fails Secretariat faces parking problem
|
Achieve physical targets: CM SHIMLA, June 20 — The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, has stressed achieving physical targets under various programmes of the government in a fixed timeframe instead of financial targets so that targeted persons can get benefits and development speeds up. He said the delay in the completion of schemes and projects led to the escalation of cost, thereby putting extra burden on the state exchequer. He was presiding over a state-level Planning Development and 20-Point Programme Review Committee meeting here today. The Chief Minister said the endeavour of the government was to raise resources in such a manner that the poor did not get hurt, and the public spending in development becomes more effective than in the past. Reiterating his government’s resolve for speedy development of the state, Mr Dhumal said as against the originally approved plan outlay of 1999-2000, the actual expenditure had gone up to Rs 1706.26 crore, which was ample proof of the government’s commitment to development. He said it would continue its efforts to accelerate the pace of development further and urged cooperation from all sections of society. He said the performance of the state government regarding the 20-point programme’s implementation was satisfactory. The state had achieved top position among all states during the past two years and was hopeful of maintaining this position this year also. He added that a number of new programmes had been initiated towards kick-starting the rate of economic growth by massive augmentation of public sector investments with private sector initiatives in the field of power, industry, tourism and transport. He said the government’s endeavour was that the economy grows at a faster rate so that tasks of employment generation and poverty reduction were addressed more effectively. He said larger public investment would be concentrated on social sectors. Mr Dhumal directed the authorities concerned to take effective steps to check soil erosion, quality improvement of milch cattle and large-scale production of milk with a view to competing in the market. He also said Ghanvi, Holi and other projects being executed by the state electricity board should be completed quickly. Referring to the Bal Vidya Sankalap Yojna, Mr Dhumal said the Deputy Commissioners in the state had been directed to hold monthly review meetings so that targets were achieved well in time. He also sought suggestions of the non-official members to make this scheme more meaningful and other innovative schemes launched by the state during the past two years. While reviewing the progress made in 1999-2000, those present at the meeting were told that 50,169 Scheduled Caste and 28,730 Scheduled Tribe families were assisted under various integrated rural development programmes against a target of 30,000 and 4,000, respectively, fixed for 1999-2000. Under the state rural sanitation programme, 13,702 latrines in rural areas were constructed against a target of 10,040. As many as 1,640 habitations were provided with the facility of drinking water against a target of 1,550. About 661 small-scale industrial units and 4,487 artesian’ units were set up surpassing the targets of 650 and 2,670 units, respectively. Earlier, Mr A.K.
Goswami, Chief Secretary, welcoming the Chief Minister
said the administration would ensure that all programmes
of the government were implemented in the right earnest. |
HC notices to 11 IAS
officers SHIMLA, June 20 — On a public interest litigation the High Court of Himachal Pradesh has issued notices of 11 IAS officers. The notices have been issued by the Chief Justice, Mr C.K. Thakkar and Mr Justice L.S. Panta treating a letter as a writ petition moved by villagers of Sarghin village, pointing the illegalities being committed by these higher officials, including the former Chief Secretary, Mr O.P. Yadav. The petitioners have alleged that initially only two bighas of land was sanctioned for this housing colony and later on the colony was built on about seven to eight bighas of land by making encroachment. The villagers have alleged that all these officers are very influential and by manipulating things they have encroached a vast. Further there is a water tank adjoining this housing colony which was a source of drinking water for villagers and now the entire garbage from the colony is thrown near this tank polluting the water. Some of the officers have sold their houses and the lease amount payable to the government has not been cleared. The use of land has been changed illegally. All this has been done at the instance of these officials. Even the sewerage is being thrown in the village area of the petitioners. Taking a serious note of
it, the high court issued notices and has sought a reply
from the respondents, including the Revenue, Cooperation,
Irrigation and Public Health and HPSEB Secretaries, the
Municipal Corporation, Principal and the Chief
Conservator of Forests within four weeks. |
DC told to give report on
virginity tests SHIMLA, June 20 — The state Human Rights Commission has taken a serious note of the police having forcibly got virginity test done on two girls in Sirmour district and has sought a detailed report from the Deputy Commissioner within two weeks. Taking suo-motu cognizance of the matter, the commission today ordered the Deputy Commissioner, Sirmour, to investigate the matter and send a detailed report. The Deputy Commissioner has also been asked to clearly pinpoint as at whose behest the police acted and the girls were subjected to medical examination. The commission took action on the basis of reports published in the vernacular Press. The two girls were got medically examined following the recovery of the mauled body of a child in the village. It was alleged that either of the two girls had mothered the child. These girls were got medically examined at Rajgarh on June 4 and the allegations could not be corroborated against them. The police officers were trying to wash their hands off the controversy by claiming that the virginity test was got conducted by the parents of the girls on their own. On the other hand, it was also alleged that the episode had come out of caste rivalry in the village. The police had
registered a case reportedly on the basis of a complaint
lodged by the panchayat pradhan. |
Austrian envoy calls on CM SHIMLA, June 20 — The Ambassador of Austria, Dr Hertbert Traxl, Called on the Governor, Mr Vishnu Kant Shastri, and the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, here toady. He evinced keen interest in tourism and hydel power development in the state and was impressed with the natural resources that the state possesses. The Chief Minister informed him that the state had immense potential for development of tourism especially adventure tourism by promoting hang gliding, para gliding, river rafting, mountaineering and also nature tourism. Himachal Pradesh also had immense hydel potential and would welcome Austrian cooperation and assistance for tapping it. On the request of the Chief Minister, the Austrian Ambassador also agreed that he would consider extending technical as well as financial assistance for the 100MW UHL Stage-III hydel project being executed by the state electricity board. He informed the Chief Minister that Austrian expertise and assistance were being used in some of the hydel projects in Himachal Pradesh like the 300 MW Baspa and the 1500 MW Nathpa-Jhakri projects. He assured the Chief
Minister that his endeavour would be that Austria
participated in some other hydel power and tourism
development projects in Himachal Pradesh. |
Mohinder Singh rules out patch-up SHIMLA, June 20 — The PWD Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh, has ruled out the possibility of a patch-up with Mr Sukh Ram and has said that the latter was losing his following in the state. Mr Mohinder Singh, who has just returned after touring various districts in connection with activating his HVC (M), told Tribune News Service here today that much distance has been covered by his faction after a split in the HVC and there was no question of his going back. He accused Mr Sukh Ram of being responsible for the split by having adopted an undemocratic posture. Had Mr Sukh Ram opted for a dialogue with him on April 25, things would have been different then. Mr Mohinder Singh claimed that several lieutenants of Mr Sukh Ram had approached him for a compromise during the past few days, but now there was no chance of rapprochement. He alleged that Mr Sukh Ram failed to draw crowds during his recent tour of various districts. People were fed up of his attitude of taking care of only his family members and sacrificing those who remained with him during the days when he was facing the CBI in connection with alleged cases of corruption. Mr Moninder Singh claimed that Mr Sukh Ram had got panicky by having realised that he was losing ground in the state where the response of people in his public meetings was poor. He alleged that Mr Sukh Ram was never sincere towards the BJP even after having entered into an alliance with it and forming a coalition government in the state. He had shown his true colours by criticising the Chief Minister and the BJP now. Mr Mohinder Singh said
the HVC (M) was functioning in a democratic manner and
organisational elections in almost all 68 blocks had been
completed. Elections at the district level would be
completed before June 25 and the election of the party
chief would take place at Paonta Sahib on July 6. On the
other hand, Mr Sukh Ram has been delaying the elections
of his faction on one pretext or the other just to occupy
the position of the party chief. |
HP to release 60,000
telephone lines HAMIRPUR, June 20 — Sixty thousand new telephone lines will be released in Himachal Pradesh during 2000-01, according to Mr N.S. Gill, Chief General Manager, and HP telecom circle. Addressing a circle-level telephone advisory committee meeting at Kasauli in Solan district yesterday, he said the Department of Telecom would provide "Telephone on demands" in the state by the end of the Ninth Five Year Plan. He said the department planned to add 90,000 lines. Mr Maheshwara Singh and Mr Suresh Chandel, MPs attended the meeting, besides other members of the committee. He said during the year the existing OCB-283 switches at Solan, Shimla, Mandi and Dharamsala would be expanded. Similarly, the existing OCB RCUs at Kangra, Shahpur, Yol and Nagrota Bagwan would be expanded. He further said C-Dot MAX switches would be installed at Nalagarh, Rohru, Reckong Peo, Jogindernagar, Jassur and Bushohar. Mr Gill said C-Dot Tax’s (CLT) were planned to be expanded at Hamirpur and Kulu. He said seventy five new telephone exchanges would be opened in the state during the current fiscal year and the STD services through reliable media would be provided to all exchanges by December, 2000. The CGMT said in order
to provide connectivity to remote and tribal areas of the
state, 14 satellite stations (MCPCs/IDRs) would be
installed. There was another proposal to provide 4000
village public telephones. |
Traffic hazards in hills KASAULI: The Town and Country Planning Department has initiated an anti-encroachment drive here. According to the guidelines of the department, an additional width of the carriage way is proposed to ensure smooth flow of traffic. Consequently, notices were served on the offenders ,including a shopkeeper who had extended his shop by a few feet . The shop is situated at a curve in Garkhal. He is required to demolish the structure, as it reduces the road width. PWD officials had also reprimanded him for the illegal extension, but he continued the construction till it was completed in January this year. The department has also taken exception to the construction of a hotel amidst a residential plot in the area. The construction is being carried out in violation of guidelines of the department. The rules clearly indicate that prior permission is mandatory for construction of a commercial project to ensure water availability from the Irrigation and Public Health Department. Notices have been given to people for encroaching upon the roads, raising buildings on the valley side. A section of these rule violators are mounting pressure on the department officials to withdraw the notices seeking demolition of illegal structures. * * * Hoardings and painted advertisements on revetments at sharp curves on the National Highway No 22 causes confusions. A clutter of hoardings , bearing catchy slogans and bright colours, distract the attention of motorists. This impedes the flow of traffic. According to guidelines of the traffic Engineering cell, hoardings, of more than 16 square metre cannot be installed. But very large hoardings are raised at the curves. This has been the cause of many accidents. Power to remove or
confiscate any hoarding installed unauthorisedly or
improperly with the PWD. But it has been observed that
once a hoarding is installed, rarely is it removed. The
illicit stone quarrying and massive constructions go on
at the back of the massive hoardings on the highway
especially between Dharampur and Solan. |
Tourists allege fleecing JAWALAMUKHI, June 20 — Resentment prevails among residents of Jawalamukhi against the toll-tax barrier. The barrier was set up by the local nagar panchayat some years ago. As many as 12 employees were employed on a regular basis to manage its affairs, but the barrier was given to a private contractor of the area leaving the employees in the lurch. The contractor it is alleged is charging toll tax in an arbitrary manner. His "henchmen" do not hesitate to rough up people who try to question them. Last week, an employee of the Forest Department was killed at the barrier. The tourists are upset over the charge — of tax and allege that the authorities in connivance with the contractor were fleecing them. The Himachal Pradesh Government vide its notification had made it clear that the toll tax would be charged from vehicles entering the state at one point and not at the entrance of every town in the state. Meanwhile, the Deputy
Commissioner, Kangra, Mr R.C. Kapil, admitted that some
complaints had been received and he would investigate. He
said the administration was committed to providing better
facilities to the visitors and would not allow any one to
harass them. |
Probe demanded into damage to
bridge NAHAN, June 20 — Mr Harsh Vardhan Chauhan, MLA from the Shiliai Assembly constituency, in a statement issued here today has demanded a high-level inquiry into the damage to a part of the bridge under construction at Sataun on the Giri river recently. Mr Chauhan has alleged that the PWD Department is in the process of, paying a damage of Rs 35 lakh to the contractor for which a claim has been forwarded to higher authorities for their approval. He said in the first pre-monsoon rain, the bridge was badly damaged. A portion of the bridge was demolished and the main pillar in the middle of the river on the river-bed was displaced due to which the main slabs of the bridge were also displaced. Mr Chauhan said now the PWD had decided to erect walls around the main pillars. As flood water in the rainy season may abolish the crate wall along with the main pillar, he has charged that the construction work on the bridge was not being done as per the approved drawing as the main pillar of the bridge was fixed at a depth of 3 to 4 metres against the technical recommendation of 11 to 12 metres. When contacted, a senior officer of the PWD Department refuted these charges and said the drawings of the bridge, with a construction cost of over Rs 1 crore, was prepared by a Delhi-based firm which was approved by the Chief Engineer, Himachal Pradesh. This drawing was
prepared on the basis of technical and scientific data of
the actual site and all work had been done strictly
according to the approved drawings and technical
recommendations. He said the department was not
responsible for any loss due to natural calamities. |
Four girls scale Ladakhi peak MANALI, June 20 — Four trainees, participating in the 140th girls advance mountaineering course being conducted by the Mountaineering Institute from May 30 to June 26, successfully scaled a 18,300-foot high Ladhaki peak yesterday. The Deputy Director, Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali, Capt Randhir Singh Salhuria, said that two visiting instructors and Mr Nanak Chand Soni, instructor of the institute, also climbed the peak. Nine girls drawn from
different parts of the country were participating in the
course. As soon as the trainees climbed the peak, their
course instructor, Mr Jagat Ram Thakur, spoke on the
wireless to Captain Salhuria, who congratulated the team. |
XEN caught taking bribe NAHAN, June 20 — A team of Vigilance Department officials of the Nahan anti-corruption unit conducted raid on the office of Executive Engineer HP PWD, Sangarh division, yesterday and caught Mr S.K. Gupta, Executive Engineer, while allegedly taking Rs 2500/- as bribe from Mohar Singh a local contractor. The PWD authorities confirmed that Mr S.K. Gupta was placed under suspension last night. A contractors’ leader of the area told this correspondent on the telephone that the officials had done their work. The government was not taking action against the officer despite several complaints. P.W.D. officials,
however, said it was a move by a section of the
contractors. |
Gopal Dass Verma’s bail
plea fails SHIMLA, June 20 — The Himachal Pradesh High Court today dismissed the bail applications of Gopal Dass Verma and Jagan Nath Sharma allegelly involved in fire scandal of Rs 35 lakh. These orders have been
passed by Mr Justice M.R. Verma after hearing the
arguments of the state, as Additional Advocate-General,
Mr K.D. Batish, contended that both are influential
persons and may influence the investigation. |
Secretariat faces parking problem SHIMLA, June 20 — The gates of the Secretariat were closed here today to prevent entry of vehicles as the parking place was jam-packed. The ruling BJP MP, Mr Suresh Chandel, was also not allowed initially to take his vehicle inside the Secretariat. There was a long queue
of vehicles parked outside the Secretariat on both sides
of the road. Some of the visitors parked their vehicles
near the Raj Bhavan. |
V-C bereaved SOLAN, June 20 — Roshni Devi, mother of Dr R.P. Awasthi, Vice Chancellor of Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry at Nauni, near here, died after a protracted illness today. She was 87 and is survived by three sons and one daughter. Students and staff of the university held a condolence meeting on the university campus. Her cremation will take
place at Bindraban village, near Palampur in district
Kangra tomorrow. |
Ayurvedic dispensary in
Secretariat SHIMLA, June 20 —
The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, inaugurated an
ayurvedic dispensary in the H.P. Secretariat here today.
This has met the long pending demand of the secretariat
employees. |
Fashion show held MANDI, June 20 — Reflection, a Delhi-based organisation, organised fashion show, Sanskriti, yesterday in which models from Mumbai and New Delhi participated. The show was held at Beas Sadan. Mr Prakash Chaudhary, Rural Development Minister, was the chief guest. The show began with a
dance presented by Veena Shrivastava. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 120 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
