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| Sunday, October 29, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Himachal for joint projects HRTC yet to clear old bus stand 18 coaches derailed,
15 injured Appointment of Principal stalled
Govt staff take weekend off Couple attacked in hotel room |
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Cong factions united
over Sonia’s election Villagers resent entry fee One killed in accident Room gutted in fire Patial is lecturer
association chief Course in mushroom growing from Nov 1 Petro prices: students
hold demonstration
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Himachal for joint projects SHIMLA, Oct 28 — Himachal Pradesh is open to the suggestion of Punjab and Haryana for jointly executing various hydroelectric projects here provided certain hurdles are removed. This was stated here today by the new Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB), Mr Harsh Gupta, while talking to this correspondent. Mr Gupta said that the issue was raised by Punjab and Haryana at the recent meeting of power ministers at Delhi. He said that certain constraints in this direction would have to be sorted out first. The issue of management of such projects shall have to be finalised and since almost all state electricity boards are starved of funds, the issue of finances for executing such projects would have to be decided. Mr Gupta said the most important thing before him was the efficient and earliest exploitation of the hydroelectric potential of the state. He said there had to be a mix of implementing agencies in view of the financial factor. To stop adhocism, the HPSEB will decide which projects it will take up. Some large and medium projects could be taken in hand by floating subsidiaries of the HPSEB so that the problem of raising funds did not come in the way. The staff of the HPSEB could be diverted to such projects. He said that the reforms in the power sector were inevitable as the Centre and the Power Ministry were insisting on this. Mr Gupta plans to gear up the billing and recovery of arrears and review and monitor projects regularly. Mr Gupta wrote a letter today to the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the NHPC, Mr Yogendera Prakash, stressing that work on the prestigious Parbati hydroelectric project be started without delay. He said that work on the projects being executed by the HPSEB would be expedited and a meeting has been convened for this purpose next week. Review of work of the 126-MW Larji project has already been started and the Chief Minister will inaugurate the traffic diversion tunnel on the Bilaspur-Manali National Highway on November 6. He said that a meeting would be held with the Delhi Government on October 30 for removing hurdles in the way of the construction of the Renuka Dam in Sirmour district. The project was basically for supplying water to Delhi, but power will also be generated on it. |
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HRTC yet to clear old bus stand KULU: Ever since the bus stand was shifted from Akhara Bazar to Sarwari in 1995, traffic bottlenecks at the old site have become the order of the day, giving rise to a number of problems. The public at large, cannot understand why the vast area is occupied by the HRTC without any justifiable purpose. Mr Sumer Nath Awasthi, chairman of the Kulu Municipal Council, when contacted, stated that the council had taken up the matter with the HRTC authorities several times over the past four years but to no avail. A vast area, bigger than at Akhara Bazar, had been earmarked at Sarwari, adjoining the main bus stand, but the matter had lingered on due to the lack of political will. He lamented that though Mr Virbhadra Singh, former Chief Minister, and Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, were apprised of the situation and had inspected the place but nothing concrete had been done. “It is not understood, why this area at Akhara Bazar has been kept frozen.” Shopkeepers near the old bus stand have made several complaints and also met the two leaders but their pleas had been ignored. There was no designated place for stopping passenger buses at Akhara Bazar, though it was the city centre and central marketing place. Buses still stop opposite the old bus stand on the roadside, blocking access to shops and polluting the shops with smoke. As the road at Akhara Bazar was incapable of two-way traffic, the traffic got jammed and this was accompanied by a chorus of high-pitched pressure horns. The popular demand is to utilise the space of the old bus stand as a bus stop and parking place leaving the road open to traffic. The linking of the Kulu-Manali road to the national highway bypass at the Beas Mor or Bhootnath Temple has also become a necessity after seeing the volume of traffic. |
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18 coaches derailed,
15 injured KANGRA, Oct 28 — Eighteen coaches and engine of the Sealdah Express bound for Sealdah from Jammu Tawi derailed at Damtal in this district late last night, leaving 15 passengers injured. They were given first aid and discharged from hospital, the police said. Kangra district police chief Prathvi Raj said the Sealdah Express derailed at Damtal at 10.20 p.m. The initial investigations revealed that the train got derailed due to a fracture in the tracks, the SSP said. He, however, ruled out the possibility of the involvement of militants in the accident. He said the police had registered a case. “The cause of the fracture was either the use of substandard material or poor maintenance of the tracks,” he said. Mr Prathvi Raj said fish plates of the tracks were intact and ruled out sabotage. |
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Appointment of Principal stalled HAMIRPUR, Oct 28 — The appointment of a new and regular principal at the local Regional Engineering College has again been stalled due to a letter from the Union Human Resource Development Ministry asking the college authorities not to accept the joining of any person without its consent. The state government had cleared the name of Dr Ramesh Chander Chauhan, founder Principal of the college, for the post. The appointment letter was also sent to him according to highly placed sources in the state government. The government sources told this reporter here today that the Union HRD Ministry was unhappy at the issuing of the appointment letter as it wanted the appointment to be approved by it. The state government has decided to hold a meeting of the Board of Governors of the college at Hamirpur on October 30 to approve the name of Dr R.C. Chauhan from the committee dealing with the cases of the college. The Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, is adamant over the appointment of Dr Chauhan. Dr Chauhan is the Director-cum-Principal of the Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering in Punjab and belongs to the Bani area of Hamirpur district. Meanwhile, hectic lobbying has begun in the college circles over the appointment. |
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Govt staff take weekend off KASAULI, Oct 28 — A majority of government offices wore a deserted look today with many staffers taking a long weekend of Divali. A visit to some offices revealed that only on Monday can some work be expected to be done. The PWD office in Kasauli took the lead with the XEN, S.D.O. and J.E. all absent. In the cantonment office with the Executive Officer Mr G.N. Mathur is on leave since over a week the juniors celebrated by either not turning up or leaving the office by noon. The worst affected seems to be the Education Department while the Block Education Officer was present there was hardly anyone else around. The District Education Officer (Primary) and his subordinates were nowhere sight in the Solan office either. The official enquired reason stated was an official tour. Similar conditions were noticed at various other district offices, including the Mining Office, Town and Country Planning Office, Food and Civil Supplies Department, Drug Inspector, etc. With work at a virtual standstill the various newsmen were seen doing the rounds of various offices only to return empty handed. |
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Couple attacked in hotel room NURPUR, Oct 28 — In a bizarre incident, a couple from Lamini near Pathankot were attacked by four youths when they were sleeping in a hotel room at Jassur, near here, last night. According to the police, which has registered a case under Sections 354, 323, 452 and 506, IPC, Mr Tarsem Lal and Ms Ramesh Kumari stopped at the hotel on their way back from Kangra. After midnight, the youths knocked on the door. However, the couple did not open the door. Thereupon, the youths smashed windowpanes and attacked them. The woman whose modesty was outraged sustained injuries when she was thrown out of the window. The culprits were locked by the owner of the hotel and handed over to the police this morning. The woman has been admitted in the local civil hospital. Her husband said the culprits were under the influence of liquor and were armed with swords and sharp-edged weapons. First they thrashed him and took away the cash. Later, one of them attempted to rape his wife, he alleged. When she resisted, she was thrown out of the window.
All-party meeting convened on Nov 3 SHIMLA, Oct 28 — The State Election Commission has convened an all-party meeting here on November 3 to exchange views on the free and fair conduct of the coming panchayat and urban local bodies elections. According to a spokesperson of the commission, the issues pertaining to law and order, allotment of symbols and latest technology interface in the electoral process will also be discussed.
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Cong factions united
over Sonia’s election SHIMLA, Oct 28 — The two warring factions of the Congress have come on one platform to demand unanimous election of Mrs Sonia Gandhi as President of the AICC. According to Mr
A.N. Bazwaria, permanent secretary of the PCC, the election of the new chief of the party in the state will be held on November 12, along with that of the AICC chief. He said the PCC chief, Mr Sat Mahajan, the CLP leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh, a former Chief Minister, Thakur Ram Lal, Mrs Chandresh Kumari, Mr N.C.
Parashar, Mrs Anita Verma, Mr Gangu Ram Musafir, Mr Phunchog Rai, Mr Kaul Singh, Mr Rangila Ram Rao and Mr Anand Sharma are supporting Mrs Gandhi. Mr Virbhadra Singh, along with his supporters rushed to Delhi yesterday to be present during the election of Mrs Gandhi. Leaders of the other faction were also camping there. Both factions have urged Mrs Gandhi to nominate the new PCC chief. According to the election schedule released by the Congress office, the PCC executive, AICC members, PCC treasurer and the Pradesh Election Committee members will also be elected on November 12. |
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Havildar cremated with honours KANGRA, Oct 28 — Mortal remains of Army Havildar Bishan Dass, died fighting militants at Rajouri in the Poonch district of the Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, were consigned to flames at his native village, Ansohi, near here today with state and military honours. Among those who laid wreaths on the body of the martyr were Himachal Agriculture Minister Vidiya Sagar, Parliamentary Secretary Sarween Choudary, former Tourism Minister Vijay Singh Mankotia, ASP N.D. Sareen, senior Army officers and Additional District Magistrate B.R. Jamwal. |
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Villagers resent entry fee KANGRA, Oct 28 — The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) today started charging an entry fee of Rs 5 for entering 53 archaeologically important places in the country, including Kangra Fort, and the Single Rock Stone temple at Massroor of this district, sources in the ASI said here today that the entry fee would be for all visitors and devotees visiting the famous Jain temple within the Kangra Fort complex. Meanwhile, residents of Nandrul, Rajal, Bhotkhalo, Khart, Sirmani and other villages expressed concern over imposition of the fee as they have to pass through this fort daily to reach their villages. These villages are linked with this temple town through this fort. No other road link has been developed for these villages as yet, said Mr Naresh Kapoor, HVC district organiser. The residents expressed concern over the Central Government decision and demanded exemption for the residents of these villages from this fee. The ASI sources said these villagers would not be charged any fee for two days till anything was decided in this regard. |
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One killed in accident KANGRA, Oct 28 — One person was killed on the spot in an accident while another succumbed to his burns at a hospital in the district since yesterday, the police said here today. According to the police, Harbans Singh (12) died on the spot after being hit by a Tata Sumo near Nagni village in the district. Meanwhile, Preetam Chand (42), a resident of Daliara village, who had received 40 per cent burns, succumbed to his injuries at the subdivisional hospital, Dheera, today. Cases have been registered.
KANGRA, Oct 28 — Goods worth Rs 2.5 lakh were destroyed in a fire which broke out at McLeodganj today. The fire broke out in a room belonging to a Tibetan woman, who had gone to a temple. The room was gutted within minutes. The cause of the fire was not known.
Patial is lecturer
association chief SHIMLA, Oct 28 — Mr Vidya Sagar Patial has been elected president of the HP Promotee School Lecturer Association. Mr Jiwan Sharma and Mr Pitamber Pirta have been elected Senior Vice-President and General Secretary, respectively, of the association. |
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Course in mushroom growing from Nov 1 SOLAN, Oct 28 — The National Centre for Mushroom Research and Training, an ICAR unit located here, has decided to start a correspondence course in mushroom growing in collaboration with Indira Gandhi National Open University. The centre’s Director, Dr R.N. Verma, told mediapersons here today that the three-month course would start from November 1. The course would help disseminate technical knowledge to mushroom growers throughout the country. The syllabus and study material have been prepared and the selection of the first batch finalised, said the Director. Dr Verma said the centre had also prepared a documentary on various facets and problems of mushroom growing, which would be telecast on Doordarshan shortly. |
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Petro prices: students
hold demonstration SHIMLA, Oct 28 — Activists of the Students Federation of India, the Democratic Youth Federation and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions demonstrated in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner here today in protest against the recent hike in the prices of petroleum products. Later, they held a rally in which they criticised the price hike. They accused the BJP-led NDA government of having “cheated” the people on all fronts. Prices of petroleum products had been increased five times eversince the NDA government came to power, they said, demanding a rollback. |
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