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April 25, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Himachal HC notice to
Vice-Chancellor HP signs MoU on environment
protection Dug-up roads greet
tourists Notice to HPSEB in employment
case Dhumal should go: Vidya Stokes |
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Bonhomie marks Regiment
Day Several MLAs to join
NCP, claims
Thakur Bindal,
Parmar on
Palampur varsity Senate Hotels out to make quick
buck Rs 3.4 crore for roads,
bridges Mandi parishad budget okayed Government post for Prof
Khosla Seniors beat up college freshers Courts on paper Photo exhibition inaugurated
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Himachal HC notice to
Vice-Chancellor Shimla, April 24 A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice C.K. Thakker and Mr Justice K.C. Sood issued a notice of motion and directed all 15 respondents to file their replies within six weeks. The petitioner alleged that relatives of the Chief Minister had been appointed without following the procedure. He alleged that Mr Daler Singh had been appointed as a Public Relations Officer in the International Centre for Distance Education and Open Learning (I.C.D.E.O.L.) without advertising the post and was being paid salary from the students’ fund. Even the proposal for the creation of the post of the P.R.O. in I.C.D.E.O.L. had been rejected by the finance wing of the university. The petitioner also alleged that Mr Dalel Singh and Mr I.C. Dogra, who has been appointed Security Officer of the university, were relatives of the Chief Minister. He also alleged that Mrs Malika Nadda, wife of the Health Minister, Mr J.P. Nadda, had been appointed lecturer in history in I.C.D.E.O.L. and Mr Ajay Srivastava, allegedly a close associate of the Chief Minister, had been appointed Reader (Journalism) in I.C.D.E.O.L. without following the procedure. Mr Ashotosh Burathoki contended on behalf of the petitioner that in some cases those appointed did not fulfil the minimum prescribed qualifications. He contended that due to the mis-management and corrupt administration the standard of the university had degraded. |
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HP signs MoU on environment
protection Shimla, April 24 Ms Gayatri Ramchandran, Director-General of the EPTRI, and Mr Nagin Nanda, Member-Secretary of the board, signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations at Delhi. It is part of the government’s efforts to refocus and reorient the activities of the board on environment protection keeping in view the fragle ecology of the hill state. The EPTRI is a premier pollution prevention and
environment protection organisation, which already had collaboration with the Swedish International Development Corporation. It has vast experience and expertise in the field of environment impact assessment, hazardous waste management, environmental engineering and technology, risk analysis and disaster management and environmental quality mapping. It also has an environment information centre, training facility and a well equipped laboratory. Mr Karan Singh, Minister for Science, Technology and Environment, appreciated the initiative of the board which would go a long way in making a leading environment friendly state in the
country. He hoped that the collaboration would prove beneficial for both the organisations. Mr Nanda said that the board had decided to evaluate the impact of “non-point sources of pollution like insecticides, pesticides and chemical fertilisers which were used by fruit growers on a large scale. |
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Dug-up roads greet
tourists Shimla, April 24 Most of the roads here have been dug by the Irrigation and Public Health Department (IPH) for laying water pipes and this is causing great inconvenience to the tourists and local residents. The Commissioner of the Shimla Municipal Corporation, Mr H.N. Kashyap, said he has ordered the department not to undertake further digging until the earlier dug up roads were repaired. However, the contractors were continuing the digging at several places, including at the IGMC and Kalibari. Many accidents have been reported because of the digging even around the circular road which has a very high volume of vehicular traffic. Two children suffered fractures in their arms and legs recently when they stumbled into a dug portion of a road near Sanjouli. Trenches have been dug up at several blind curves on the road which were proving dangerous for motorists. The government has constituted a coordination committee under the chairmanship of the commissioner of the municipal corporation to oversee the digging work and take steps to remove the problems. The issue was also discussed in the recently concluded session of the Vidhan Sabha where many members expressed concern over the haphazard digging and the authorities leaving the place uncovered even after laying the water pipes. Different departments have been indulging in erratic digging in the main roads and narrow bazaars very frequently. The police recently registered FIR against the Telecom Department for unauthorised digging of the road for laying cables. The situation is so bad that the road outside the Chief Minister’s official residence on the Mall, which sometime ago was dug up for laying water pipes, has started sinking in the middle where the pipes were laid. Tourists as well as the local people find it difficult to drive their vehicles as pipes have been dumped along the narrow roads. This was also causing problems for the pedestrians. |
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Notice to HPSEB in employment
case Shimla, April 24 Petitioner further alleged, that, the electricity board was carrying out the construction of a hydel project at Ganvi, and land of the local villagers was acquired for the same, the land of the petitioner was also acquired for the construction of a rest house. And the Board agreed, apart from the sale consideration, to provide regular employment to a member of the family of the petitioner as per the agreement between the parties. The petitioners approached Board officials for employment as promised to them but the Board only gave assurances. The petitioners were left with a land holding insufficient for survival. Petitioners further alleged, that, the electricity board made the offer of employment in a dishonest and fraudulent manner and now, having obtained the said land on which the rest house has been built, the Board was retracting on the agreement by not providing employment. The notices were issued by a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice C.K. Thakar and Mr Justice K.C. Sood. |
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Dhumal should go: Vidya Stokes Sundernagar, April 24 Addressing the meeting which was convened here to highlight corruption following the Tehelka expose, she said when the BJP President Mr Bangaroo Laxman, could be removed on corruption charges why not the Chief Minister of Himachal, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, as four of his ministers have levelled charges of corruption against him. She said when the BJP Government came to power the debt was just Rs 800 crore but now it had escalated to Rs 2700 crore. She said to strengthen the party there was need to maintain discipline. A former Chief Minister, Mr Ram Lal, former minister Rangila Ram, Mrs Viplav Thakur MLA, Maj Vijay Mankotia former minister also addressed the rally. Many BJP workers joined the Congress on the
occasion. |
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Bonhomie marks Regiment
Day Sabathu, April 24 The thumping of ammunition boots and bellow of orders by drill instructors was replaced by the rhythmic notes of bagpipes, and the excited clatter of participants. There was general bonhomie as officers and jawans of 14 Gorkha Training Centre joined the revelry with their families. Several games and sports competitions were organised to mark the occasion. This included a tug-of-war between officers and JCOs, with JCOs emerging as winners. A “meena bazar”, which included stalls for games as well as eatables was also put up. The celebrations included “bara khana” and a get-together of serving and retired officers’ in the officers mess. The celebrations were
inaugurated by the officiating commandant, Col K G Chatterjee. An exgratia of Rs 1 lakh was given to Krishna Devi, whose husband, Rifleman Naresh Kumar of 4/4 GR, was killed during Operation Rakshak in October, 1995. Earlier, at a solemn ceremony, homage was paid to the unknown soldier. Wreaths were laid at the centre’s war memorial on behalf of the Colonel of the Regiment, as well as the Commanding Officers of all five battalions of 1 GR. The history of 1 GR is a fascinating account of campaigns and battles fought across three continents since it was raised in 1815. The regiment has since earned 36 battle honours and three Army Chief’s unit citations. Its tally of 638 pre-independence and 236 post-independence awards includes a Victoria Cross, a Paramvir Chakra (PVC) and six Mahavir Chakra. Impressed by the fighting skills of the Gorkhas, the East India Company offered to raise a Gorkha regiment from the remnants of General Amar Singh Thapa’s army after the treaty of Sigauli. Thus, the first Nusseree Battalion came into being on April 24, 1815 at Sabathu, the present home of the Regiment. The second battalion was raised on February 19, 1886. Besides having fought in Malaya, its campaigns during the two World Wars include those in France, Mesopotamia, Palestine, Burma and French Indo-China. The regiment’s Third Battalion served with the UN Peace Keeping Force in Congo, where Capt G S Salaria was awarded the PVC posthumously. Battalions of 1 GR have also served in all Indo-Pakistan wars, besides being deployed in Sri Lanka, Punjab Jammu and Kashmir and Siachen. |
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Several MLAs to join NCP, claims
Thakur Kulu, April 24 Mr Thakur said the MLAs were from the Congress, the
HVC, the HVC (M) and even the ruling BJP. Mr Thakur said their main thrust was on the youth of the state as the party wanted to introduce new faces in the Himachal politics. Mr Ravi Thakur said the NCP had become a national party within three months of its origin whereas the BJP took more than 20 years to become a national party. He claimed that the NCP was sharing power in five states in the country. He said the NCP would contest assembly elections from all 68 segments of Himachal Pradesh. He said he would constitute the state executive very shortly in which all sections of society would get due representation. A national convention of the party would be held in Manali in June in which the Party Chief Sharad Pawar and other senior leaders would participate. Mr Renuka Dogra, state president of the youth wing of the Nationalist Congress Party, said the party would launch a statewide movement against the corrupt state government. |
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Bindal,
Parmar on
Palampur varsity Senate Shimla, April 24 The Speaker has also reconstituted the executive committee of the
H.P. Parliamentary Group for the year 2001-2002 with himself as its president, the Chief Minister, Mr
P.K. Dhumal, as senior vice-president and the leader of the opposition, Mr Virbhadra Singh, as its vice-president. Other members of the group are Mr J.P.
Nadda, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Sukh Ram, Mr B.B.L. Butail, Mr Des Raj, Mr Atma Ram and Mr Tek Chand. Mr Ajay Bhandari, Secretary, Vidhan Sabha, has been appointed treasurer-cum-secretary. |
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Hotels out to make quick
buck DALHOUSIE But sad to say, a number of hotels do not conform to the prescribed standards under the provisions of the Act. These hotels lack amenities. For instance, the rules for accommodation of standard size, with attached toilets as prescribed under the Act, are being violated with impunity. Surprisingly, the hotels have been constructed by ignoring the essential provisions of building bylaws and illegal encroachments. Besides, structures have been granted registration even before completion of construction and furnishing. Certain hotel buildings have been approved without obtaining foundation details. There is no practice to obtain revenue records in support of the construction. A close study of this hill station reveals that certain hotels do not fulfil eligibility norms as their premises and accommodation, not being in a suitable area, are below the requisite parameters. In some case, hotels have been started in the buildings constructed without permission for their conversion to commercial use. What irks tourists and visitors staying in hotels are the dusty rooms, reported seepage from bathrooms, sagging roofs and above all, exorbitant rates. Despite this, the Tourism Department has been granting registration to hotels, lodges and restaurants without observing provisions of the Act. The local administration has not until now bothered to invoke the provisions of the Public Premises Act to remove the highly inflammable articles kept in the pantries of the hotels. Meanwhile, department officials have launched a drive to impose a crackdown on the hotel owners who are running their hotels by violating the provisions of the H.P. Registration of Tourists Trade Act. |
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Rs 3.4 crore for roads,
bridges Mandi, April 24 Talking to this reporter after a meeting with officials of the PWD and other departments, he said Rs 3.4 crore would be spent on the construction of roads, buildings and bridges in the Jogindernagar constituency during the current financial year under an ambitious plan drawn up for the overall development of the area. He said work on the Ahju-Basahi road and the Dehlu-Chauntra Chauki road would be taken up on a warfooting at a cost of Rs 3.50 crore. He said an era of development in Jogindernagar had been ushered in during the tenure of the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal. The Speaker said an additional amount of Rs 42 lakh had been provided in this year’s Budget for
Jogindernagar. He said Rs 10 lakh each had been allocated for a hospital building and the science laboratory of Government College,
Jogindernagar. He said a stadium was also being constructed at Senior Secondary School, Jogindernagar at a cost of Rs 36 lakh. He said for the benefit of the people of Lad
Bharol, a subdivision of the IPH was being set up there. Earlier, the people had to travel 50 km to reach the subdivision at
Jogindernagar. |
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Mandi parishad budget okayed Mandi, April 24 Disclosing this the first women president of the parishad Ms Susheela Sonkhla, told mediaperson today that no new taxes had been imposed. She said it had been decided to grant a amount of Rs 1 lakh a year to each ward member which he would spend at his discretion for the development of his ward. Ms Sonkhla said it had been envisaged to repair and metal lanes of the town by spending about Rs 62 lakhs. To cope with the rising number of vehicles in the town a new parking complex was being made by spending over Rs 1.25 lakh. A plan had been drawn up to refurbish the street light network of the town by spending over Rs 25 lakh. Another sum of Rs 6 lakh had been provided for providing drinking water tanks in the wards where there was shortage of drinking water. She said the state government paid a sum of Rs 98 lakh as compensation for abolishing octroi. The parishad had to pay a sum of Rs 8.30 lakh as salary to employees ever month, she added. |
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Government post for Prof
Khosla Palampur, April 24 Prof Khosla, renowned forestry scientist, is the only Indian who has been on the executive board of the International Union of Forestry Research Organisations (IUFRO). Prof Khosla is a gold medallist from Panjab University, Chandigarh, and a post-doctoral fellow in forestry from Oxford University. He also is a fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences. |
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Seniors beat up college freshers Kangra, April 24 More than 30 freshers were allegedly forced by seniors to shave their heads. The situation turned ugly last night when at least 12 freshers were beaten up, the police said. The Health Secretary, who visited the college today along with the Director, Health Services, directed the Chief Medical Officer, Kangra, to rush an injured student to the local subdivisional hospital. The student, Vishal Chandel, was later examined by doctors. |
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Courts on paper Nurpur, April 24 Similar is the case of the District Sessions Court, Nurpur. The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, had publicly announced the setting up of the court in June-1998 during his maiden visit in the town after becoming Chief Minister. No initiative has been taken in this direction even after three years. |
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Photo exhibition inaugurated Shimla, April 24 As many as 31 photographs depicting the culture of different parts of the country are displayed at the exhibition. The exhibition has been organised in collaboration with the Language, Art and Culture Department. |
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