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| Friday, December 8, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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IT course students face uncertain
future Chopper services: HP to invite private
firms Dalit, OBC conference
evokes little response HVP, Janshakti tie-up
likely HC
upholds 10-yr term for drug
peddlar CBI probe into boy’s
murder sought |
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Plea on private bus
operators' route Amend job clause,
say Himachalis Mandi ‘victim’ of
CM’s bias Mandi local bodies’
poll on Dec 20 Postal services remain
disrupted Book management
of college: students Rent collector
suspended Hamirpur college
bonanza ends
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IT course students face uncertain
future SHIMLA, Dec 7 — The students of Information Technology course of the IITT Engineering College at Kala Amb face an uncertain future as the course has not been recognised by Himachal Pradesh University. The Himachal Pradesh University has made it clear to the college management that it will not hold any examination for a course which has not been recognised by it. The management of the college started the course without obtaining the mandatory no objection certificate from the government and the approval of the university. The college secured the permission of the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for starting the degree course in information technology with 40 seats. However, the process of admission was started without even applying for extension of affiliation to the university. Besides, it did not seek the no objection from the state government. The university had warned the students through a public notice that the new course being started by the college had not been recognised by it as soon as advertisements inviting applications for admission appeared in newspapers. However, the management, which had moved the Delhi High Court in the matter, admitted students in first and third semesters of the course. Now the students of the college are agitating to pressurise the university to hold examination. The university authorities maintain that unless the college seeks extension of affiliation to the new course it cannot hold examination. Moreover, there is no provision in the statutes to grant affiliation with retrospective effect and as such the students will have to wait for quite sometime for the examination even if the college secures affiliation. The college management will have to first seek the approval of the state government and then apply to the university for extension of affiliation. The university grants approval only after conducting inspection to ascertain whether requisite infrastructural facilities and proper faculty were available with the institution to start the course. According to university authorities, the college which came into existence five years ago did not have the necessary facilities even for the existing degree courses in electrical, electronics and computer engineering for which it had been accorded affiliation. A university committee headed by Mr Suresh Chandel, MP, which inspected the college four months ago had pointed out several shortcomings in the college. Thereafter the university directed it to recruit a regular faculty to run the courses and also raise other necessary infrastructure, like well equipped laboratories and hostels. The university has decided to hold examinations for the existing three courses from December 26 and has asked the management to apply for extension of affiliation to the information and technology course after completing all the formalities. |
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Chopper services: HP to invite private firms SHIMLA, Dec 7 (UNI) — The Himachal Pradesh Government plans to invite private parties for running helicopter services for tourists to visit places difficult to be reached by road. At present, the state government rents helicopters from the Indian Air Force (IAF). “If we compare the running cost of the chopper services and the money we earn from the tourists, it is amply clear that we are incurring big losses,’’ the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (hptdc) Managing Director Mr Ajay Tyagi told UNI here. “The fee we pay to the Air Force for their helicopter is astronomical. For one hour of run, we pay them Rs 1.10 lakh while the standing cost is Rs 80,000, irrespective of whether we use it or not,” Mr Tyagi said. The HPDTC began its chopper service in September-October last year and till now it had conducted eight to 10 joyrides for tourists. The charges per head for the MI-14 flight varies from Rs 2000 to Rs 4000. The flight generally covers Shimla, Chail and the 6050 metre Kinner Kailash Peak in the Himalayas. “When we take the tourists to Kinner Kailash, we follow the Satluj river track,” said the HPTDC Area Manager (Shimla) Mr S.P. Ralhan. Asked whether any move had been initiated to invite private parties, he said, “the plan is still being studied”. About inclusion of new places in the helicopter ride, Mr Tyagi said, “there are tribal areas like Lahaul-Spiti, and Kaza, where monasteries abound. But these places can be included in the itinerary only when the private parties step in.” On how the private parties would operate, he said, “we can offer them the landing sites while they could manage the tourist bookings as well as bear the running cost of the chopper. We have helipads in Kaza, Lahaul and Spiti.” As for Kaza, the helipad is owned by the defence forces. “But we can talk to them and I hope they would not have any objection to it”, he said. Even if there is a heavy tourist flow to Shimla, the number of people willing to go through a dizzying road journey to far-flung places are very low, according to Mr Tyagi. “Though we organise trips (by road) to Lahaul and Spiti during May-June, these places become inaccessible in winters due to heavy snowfall,” he said, adding that in such cases “we prefer to take the tourists by air.” However, he said, if the number of tourists vis-a-vis the 24-seat helicopter were not even half, “it is a loss-making proposition for us”.
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Dalit, OBC conference
evokes little response KANGRA, Dec 7 — The Dalit and Other Backward Classes Conference here today did not evoke much response and the organisers blamed some vested interests within the OBC and Dalit communities, who allegedly carried a campaign of politicalising the conference. The start of the conference was delayed by more than two hours due to the poor response of the people belonging to these communities. The conference was organised by the newly formed HP Dalit and OBC Sangathan, Kangra district, which was presided over by Ms Sarween Chaudary, Parliamentary, Secretary, while Mr Vidya Sagar, Agriculture Minister, was the chief guest. Mr Virender Kashap, Chairman, Marketing Board, was the guest of honour. Mr Kashap described Mr Sagar as the leader of OBC’s and Dalits in the state and warned those OBC and Dalit leaders who tried to politicalise the communities for their vested interests. Ms Chaudary stressed the upliftment of the women belonging to the OBC and Dalit communities. The Agriculture Minister said Rs 3 lakh had been earmarked by the BJP government for the upliftment of the Dalit families in every village of the state. He said 4,000 Dalit and OBC students in the state were given scholarships and 15 per cent seats had been reserved for the OBC candidates for the current panchayat poll. Mr Sagar said the age limit for the OBC candidates for government jobs was extended to 40 years. |
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HVP, Janshakti tie-up
likely SHIMLA, Dec 7 — The ousted PWD Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh, is likely to go in for a tie-up of his Himachal Vikas Party (HVP) with the newly formed Janshakti Party of the Union Communications Minister, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan. There were indications that the HVP might be merged with Mr Paswan’s outfit in case the issue clinched. When contacted on the telephone at his home in Sarkaghat today, Mr Mohinder Singh confirmed that his men were in contact with Mr Paswan on the issue. However, the final decision would be taken by the executive committee of the HVP after Mr Mohinder Singh gets free from his daughter’s marriage which on December 11. The former president of the HVP, Mr Inder Singh and some other leaders are learnt to have met Mr Paswan at Delhi and were still camping there to chalk out the strategy. Mr Mohinder Singh said that he would not take any decision on the matter without consulting the executive committee and other senior party men. However, Mr Ram Chandra Paswan, MP and brother of the Union Minister, along with two other senior leaders of the newly floated outfit are coming to Sarkaghat to attend the marriage and also discuss further the matter with Mr Mohinder Singh and others who will be present there on the occasion. Mr Mohinder Singh’ said that he would no longer blindly support the BJP government of Mr P.K. Dhumal in the state. His support will be issued-based as well as on merit. Supporters of Mr Mohinder Singh had recently floated the HVP which he has not been able to join officially as he has been declared an unattached member of the assembly following his expulsion from the HVC of Mr Sukh Ram. The Election Commission was unlikely to grant the nomenclature of the HVP to his supporters because of the objections raised by Mr Sukh Ram. Mr Mohinder Singh’s men have now reportedly suggested to the commission to grant their outfit the name of Jankranti Party. |
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HC
upholds 10-yr term for drug
peddlar SHIMLA, Dec 7 — A Division Bench of the Himachal Pradesh High Court comprising Mr Justice L.S. Panta and Ms Justice R.L. Khurana has upheld the judgement of Additional Session Judge, Mandi, in which he convicted the accused Tenjin for the offence under Section 20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and sentenced him to 10 years rigorous imprisonment and to pay a fine of Rs 1,00,000 on February 15, 1999. On December 27, 1997, 6 kg charas was found from his bag. The accused was arrested. The counsel for the accused contended that the accused had been falsely implicated in the case. While delivering the judgement, the judge observed that we didn’t find any merit in the defence version that the accused has been falsely implicated by planting charas on him, as much as 6 kg of charas was found in possession of the accused. In case the accused was to be falsely implicated by planting charas, there was no need to plant such a huge quantity. Therefore, the present appeal of the accused is dismissed. |
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CBI probe into boy’s
murder sought JAWALAMUKHI, Dec 7 — Gorkhu Ram, a Dalit of Niharu village, near here, has sought a CBI inquiry into the death of his 17-year-old son, Sunil, a student of Class X. Sunil, a student of Tihri High School, was killed on August 25, 1998. Gorkhu Ram alleged that his son was murdered as part of a conspiracy. Certain persons had been threatening Sunil’s brother and mother also. Despite this, the police had closed the file relating to his death, treating it to be a case of accident, he alleged. Gorkhu Ram alleged that the murderers had destroyed the evidence to make it appear as an accident case. He said his son was found murdered in a forest adjoining, his native village. This was not the normal route taken by his son to reach home, he said. He alleged that blood stains were found at a place distant from the site where the body was found. He admitted that his family had an altercation with an upper caste family of the village. His son’s affair with an upper caste girl could have been the cause of the murder, he alleged. In a letter to the Governor, Mr Suraj Bhan, he said his family was living in terror of the upper caste people. Gorkhu Ram alleged that despite his request to the Chief Minister, the local police was not investigating the case. He, therefore, demanded that the case should be handed over to the CBI. |
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Plea on private bus
operators' route SHIMLA, Dec 7 — The state unit of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh has expressed concern over the indiscriminate privatisation of passenger transport services in the state. He urged the state government to fix the private bus operators share. The Sangh has also urged the government to cancel all bus routes allotted to private bus operators over the past two months to check unhealthy competition between the state Road Transport Corporation and the private operators. Mr Ashok Purohit, president of the sangh, alleged that as many as 25 routes had been allotted without any justification and the timetable had also been arbitrarily changed in favour of the private operators. As a result of this the corporation would incur an additional loss of Rs 1 crore. He urged the government to restrain the Director and the regional transport officers from issuing any new permits, failing which the sangh would be compelled to launch an agitation. |
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Amend job clause,
say Himachalis SHIMLA, Dec 7 — The Himachal Professionals Forum has alleged that Himachalis were not getting jobs in hydel power projects being executed in the private sector because of defective and vague employment clauses in agreements signed by the government with companies. Mr R.L. Justa, convener of the forum, said the clause which stipulated that everything being equal, preference would be given to Himachalis in employment should be amended to ensure jobs to local youth on the basis of generation capacity of the projects. He said the situation was no better in projects being executed by central agencies. In the Kol Dam project, the National Thermal Power Corporation would take only 30 per cent executive staff on deputation from the state electricity board which would be permanently absorbed subsequently. The National Hydel Power Corporation which is executing the Parbati project has laid down the condition of 60 per cent marks for engineering graduates which was unfair as in the Union Public Service Commission and the state Public Service Commission, all graduates were eligible to apply. He said to accommodate engineers from backward hilly areas, this condition must be waived. He also criticised the government policy to hand over easy hydel projects to the private sector and said projects like Kashang (66 MW), Sorang (100 MW) and Sawra Kudda (144 MW) should be entrusted to the state electricity board to gainfully utilise its huge manpower and other resources.
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Mandi ‘victim’ of
CM’s bias MANDI, Dec 7 — A former Vidhan Sabha Speaker and HP Congress General Secretary, Thakur Kaul Singh, today accused the Himachal Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, of discriminating Mandi and other districts in the state with regard to development. All works in Mandi had come to a virtual halt and the funds were being diverted to the home district of the Chief Minister, he said. Thakur Kaul Singh said the Congress allegations regarding discrimination and corruption had been substantiated by the ruling party MLAs. Former Speaker alleged that less funds were being provided for the development works in progress as a result of which these were far from completion. The work on Rs 2-crore town hall building has practically been closed for the want of money. He charged Mr Dhumal with trying to weaken Mandi and Kangra districts politically and economically.
Mandi local bodies’
poll on Dec 20 MANDI, Dec 7 — The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Prabodh Saxena, told mediapersons today that polling for the 47 wards of two nagar parishads and two nagar panchayats here would be held on December 20 between 7 am and 3 pm. He stated that Nagar Panchayat, Rewalsar, has been elected unopposed. There are 54 candidates for 13 wards in Mandi Nagar Parishad. In Sundernagar Nagar Parishad 29 candidates are contesting from 13 wards. There are 23 candidates in the field from seven wards of Sarkaghat Nagar Panchayat. |
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Postal services remain
disrupted SHIMLA, Dec 7 — Postal services remained paralysed for the third day today in the state as employees continued their strike. The employees held demonstrations and rallies outside their offices and raised slogans against the government and in support of their demands. A rally was organised by the employees in front of the General Post Office at Shimla. Addressing the employees, employee leaders criticised the government for its alleged apathy towards the demands of postal employees. HOSHIARPUR: Postal employees continued their strike, which entered third day today. All post offices in the district except the General Post Office remained closed, causing inconvenience to people. HAMIRPUR:
Postal services remained disrupted for the third consecutive day in the district as employees continued their indefinite strike today. Striking employees held a demonstration and raised anti-government slogans. The striking employees are demanding higher pay scales and filling of the posts lying vacant in various sections of the department. |
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Book management
of college: students NAHAN, Dec 7 — Striking students of the IITT College of Engineering at Kala Amb have demanded the registration of a case under Section 420 of IPC against the college management. A delegation of the students met the Deputy Commissioner, Sirmaur, here today and submitted a fresh memorandum. The fast by the students entered its seventh day today. Agitated students resorted to ransacking and torching college furniture, causing a loss of about Rs 2 lakh. Students alleged that they had been cheated by the college. They said that law should take its own course in the case and the Himachal Pradesh Government should decide their fate. Investigation revealed that the college management had tried to conceal the facts that its information technology (IT) course was nor recognised by Himachal Pradesh University. It had admitted about 90 students for the course. The facts came to light when a few weeks back university refused to take the examination of the IT students of the college. |
Rent collector
suspended SHIMLA, Dec 7 — A rent collector of the Shimla Municipal Corporation has been placed under suspension for allegedly embezzling a huge amount of money collected as rent from inmates of labour hostels here. According to the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, Mr
H.N. Kashyap, two other officials have been chargesheeted. He said that the official had not deposited the rent of the hostel inmates since 1997. The Municipal Corporation has 10 hostels and some other properties from where rent is collected.
Hamirpur college
bonanza ends HAMIRPUR, Dec 7 — Bonanza 2000, a cultural programme organised by the local Government Post-Graduate College, ended here last evening. Mr Rajendra Mohan Sharma, SP, Hamirpur, was the chief guest and Mr L.R. Sharma, Principal of Government College, Ghumarwin, inaugurated the function. The following are the results of the two-day programme: Light vocal music: Bhwani Dass, Palampur College, 1, Pushpa, Hamirpur College, 2, and Trishla of Nadaun College, 3. A consolation prize was given to Tarun of Chowari College. Quiz: Amit Sood and Neena Jaryal of Chowari College, 1, Ramnish Sharma and Kanchan and Saurabh, Hamirpur College, 3. Debate: Shashi Sharma, Hamirpur College, 1, Abhinandan Jain, Nadaun College, 2, and Ashish Sharma, Dehri College, 3. Fancy dress competition: Imam Baksh, 1, Raj Sandesh, 2, and
Shailja, 3.
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SHIMLA: Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, has urged people to contribute generously towards Flag Day fund as money so collected was utilised for providing financial assistance to the families of martyrs. he said this while a group of ex-servicemen, led by Col C.R. Chauhan, Director, Sainik Welfare, called on him to pin a flag to mark the day. he also contributed to the fund on the occasion.
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