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Thursday,
May 16, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Dhumal
puts annual growth at 6.2 pc Mercury
soars again in Shimla HP buses
to Jammu & Kashmir halted Forest
fires cost crores of rupees |
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Local
bodies staff stir from May 20 Two-day
Dhungri mela begins Sonia
likely to visit HP soon Himachal
shuffles 5 HAS officers 9 IPS
officers shifted Prayer
for long life of Dalai Lama Mahasabha
moots Hindu Sena
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Dhumal puts annual growth at 6.2 pc Shimla, May 15 This was stated by Mr
P. K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, while presiding over a meeting of the state-level Planning Development and 20-Point Programme Review Committee here today. He said Rs 10,300 crore would be spent under the Tenth Five-Year-Plan in the state out of which Rs 1,900 crore would be spent during the current financial year. As against the approved Plan of Rs 1720 crore for last year, Rs 1744.51 crore had been spent. The Chief Minister said no shortfall would be allowed under the centrally sponsored scheme as this led to not only a cut in Plan assistance, but also deprived the people of benefits. He said the annual economic growth was likely to go upto 6.2 per cent which was far better than the national growth rate of 5.4 per cent. The per capita income during the year in the state was Rs 18,920 as against the national average of Rs 16,487. The national average had been surpassed after many years and this had been possible due to the effective implementation of various development and welfare schemes. He said work on hydel projects with a generation capacity of 7500 MW was on and three projects were likely to be commissioned within this decade generating substantial income for the state. He said there had also been a
notable increase in maize and vegetable production in the state, which had been possible due to expansion or irrigational facilities. Emphasis had been laid on decentralisation and there had been devolution of powers to Panchayati Raj institutions and local self-institutions in a big way. He asked the secretaries and the heads of departments to ensure effective implementation of various Plan schemes during the year so that benefits percolated down to the people. He directed regular monitoring and review of progress under various schemes so as to ensure that targets were achieved well in time. Mr Karam Dev Dharmani, Vice-Chairman of the 20-Point-Programme Committee, gave details of achievements made under various schemes during last year and the targets fixed for this year. |
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Mercury
soars again in Shimla Shimla, May 15 The residents cry that the summer this time was the hottest and the sun was unbearable. However, a good number of tourists have reached here from the plains and turned out in a large number on the Mall and the Ridge after the sunset. There is not much activity on the Ridge during the day and tourists can be seen standing in the shade of the two trees on the Ridge. The hottest day so far this summer was yesterday when the mercury touched 29.8 °C. However, the mercury remained 0.3°C below normal today due to 22 mm of rainfall. The electrical appliance shops were doing good business. Many local residents on Cart Road have got fan fixed, which were not to be seen here a couple of years ago. Experts point out that as Shimla is located at an altitude of about 7500 ft, the sun rays are warmer here. According to the data, the hottest day in the past about 30 years was seven years ago when the mercury soared to 30.8 °C on May 31,1995, said
Dr S. P. Bhardwaj, Associate Director of the Mashobra-based fruit research station, which also has an observatory. It was 30.7 °C last year on May 12 and 30.5 °C on May 28,1988. However, this time the weather is gradually becoming warmer as it was 27 °C on May 10 and 28.8 °C on May 13. The hot summer has also triggered drinking water shortage in many areas of the state. The Irrigation and Public Health Minister, Mr Ramesh Chand, said the first instalment of Rs 75 lakh under drought relief has been received from the Centre and said arrangements were being made to tackle shortage of drinking water. Reports said other tourist destinations of Manali and Dalhousie were also humming with activity as tourists were reaching there to save themselves from the heat wave in the plains. |
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Steps afoot to meet water scarcity Shimla, May 15 He said drinking water was being provided in areas with water scarcity through tankers with the help of district administration. An amount of Rs 75 lakh had been received from the Central Government under the drought relief in the first phase and more funds were likely to be received. He appealed to the people to avoid wastage and misuse of drinking water. He said people’s cooperation was essential to cope up with the drought in the state. He also directed the officials of his department to ensure proper chlorination of water resources. |
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HP buses to Jammu & Kashmir halted Kangra, May 15 Stating this here today, the Transport Minister, Mr Krishen Kapoor, said HRTC buses were not allowed to proceed to Jammu and Kashmir and were terminated at Pathankot only. He said decision regarding the continuance of the bus service would be taken after three days. The Himachal Government had approached the Jammu and Kashmir Government for providing security cover to its (HRTC) buses but was refused any such security cover. The cancellation of the bus service was in response to the refusal. The decision was taken by the Government after Mr Krishen Kapoor, accompanied by Kangra Deputy Commissioner Prabodh Sexena and the SP, Mr Sanjay Kundu, returned from Kaluchuck late last night. |
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Forest fires cost crores of rupees Chamba, May 15 According to reports reaching this district headquarter town of Chamba, forest around Bakloh cantonment Taragarh, Malakwal areas of Bhattiyat tehsil besides Chaned forests in Chamba tehsil and Khairi forests in Dalhousie tehsil were engulfed by fire causing heavy damage to the resin extracted from ‘chil’ jungles. A large number of birds and their eggs in this breeding season were also perished . Wild animals had to abandon their habitat and migrate to safer moorland pockets due to fear of fire in dried up forests. Due to summer heat and absence of rain, most of the ‘chil’ forests have become a ‘tender-box’ and face great threat of fires. Moreover, at certain places, these forest fires pose serious threat to the nearby villages. Meanwhile, in a press note issued here yesterday, the Deputy Commissioner of Chamba, Mr Rahul Anand appealed to social organisations and people living near forests to cooperate with the administration in saving the forest wealth from fires protecting and conserving the flora and fauna and environment of the area. |
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Local bodies staff stir from May 20 Shimla, May 15 The joint action committee of engineers, secretaries, executive officers and employees of the local urban bodies which met here today, finalised the action programme after the government failed to initiate any step to settle the demands. As per the programme a demands’ week would be observed from May 20 to 26. The staff would hold statewide demonstrations on May 22 and 24. They would observe a stay-in-strike on May 28. If no action was taken on the demands by May 30 the committee would announce the second phase of action. Mr Kishori Lal Sharma, president of the joint action committee, said one of the demands was winding up of the Directorate of Urban Development, which had become a centre for corruption, nepotism, and favouritism. All sorts of irregularities were being committed in the directorate as those who had joined as clerk had become superintendent and also got their relatives appointed through back door. While favoured employees, which were appointed on contract basis, were regularised in violation of the rules, similar cases of those appointed on contract in the local bodies were rejected. Pension cases were also not being cleared in the directorate. As many as 26 pension cases of the Shimla Municipal Corporation alone were pending. Approval was being delayed on petty objections. Supreme Court orders were also being violated while calculating pension. Service was being counted from the date on which the provident fund was deducted and not from the date of appointment. The recruitment and promotion rules had not been amended and there was no uniformity in various local bodies. Even the revised pay scales on the Punjab pattern for the secretaries, executive officers and sanitary zamadars has not been implemented so far. The government had also issued an illegal order authorising presidents and vice-presidents of nagar panchayat to sign cheques. This was a calculated move to politicise the functioning of local bodies. He said there was no such provision in the state municipal Act and urged the government to withdraw the illegal order with immediate effect. |
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Two-day Dhungri mela begins Manali The fair is linked to Goddess Hadimba, wife of Bhima, one of the five Pandava brothers. The deities of gods from nearby villages join Goddess Hadimba to celebrate the fair. Local people dressed in their traditional best bring the deities of their ‘devta’ dressed in their traditional best bring the deities of their ‘devta’ to the Hadimba temple in procession. The beats of dhol, nagada, narsingha and shahnai fill the atmosphere. The Hadimba temple also known as Dhungri temple, 2 km from Manali, is situated in the midst of deodar’s said to be over 1000 years-old dedicated to Goddess Hadimba. The temple, a four-tired pagoda, has a facade of excellent wood carvings along with the horns of animals once
sacrificed to the goddess. An inscription on the door facing the east declares that the temple was built in 1553 by Raja Bahadur Singh. In the temple is a huge rock below which glows a lamp dimly and is surrounded by miniature idols. With mercury rising in the plains, the town of Manali is witnessing a rush of tourists from all over the country. The tourists, who go sight-seeing to Snow Point where they find huge deposits of snow at various points popularly known are the Beas Nullah, Murhee and Rohtang Pass, return to the Dhungri mela in the afternoon which is the main attraction for them. The fair is witness not only to the local villagers, but also to domestic and foreign visitors. The local folk artistes with the music troupes in attendance dance the Kulu Natti. For two days they only sing and dance giving an interesting glimpse of the local culture. In the stone auditorium, locals and tourists feast and dance amidst singing all day long. Small shops along the side sell refreshments. While the annual Dhungri mela is an important event in Kulu district, every village also holds its own fair and festival starting from late February. These fairs culminate in the famous Kulu Dasehra in October. |
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Sonia likely to visit HP soon Shimla, May 15 Ms Vidya Stokes, Pradesh Congress Committee chief, has convened a meeting of the General House to finalise the arrangements for the visit on May 20. According to party sources, Mrs Gandhi pleased with the performance of the Congress in the recent Shimla Municipal Corporation poll had decided to visit the state to enthuse the cadres. Her visit was expected to bridge the widening rift between the rival factions headed by Mrs Vidya Stokes and Mr Virbhadra Singh and set the tone for the poll campaign. Meanwhile, Mrs Stokes has condemned the terrorist attack on Himachal Road Transport Corporation bus and the Army camp in Jammu and expressed sympathies with the families of those killed in the attack. |
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Himachal
shuffles 5 HAS officers Shimla, May 15 Mr J.R. Katwal, additional secretary, Home, goes as additional secretary General Administration Department and Ex-Servicemen Monitoring Cell, vice Mr Shekhar Gupta who has been posted Head of the Faculty of Disaster Management and Additional Director, Himachal institute of Public Administration. Mr D.S. Negi, Subdivisional Officer, Theog, takes over as Additional Secretary, Education, vice Mr Kamal Sharma, who goes as Additional Secretary, Home and Tribal Development. Mr Rajiv Shankar, Project Officer, DRDA, Hamirpur, has been sent on deputation as Registrar, Regional Engineering College, Hamirpur. |
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9 IPS officers shifted Shimla, May 15 Mr S.P. Kaushal, on his return from the Central deputation, takes over as DIG, Central Range, Mandi vice Mr M.L. Negi, who has been shifted to police headquarters pending further orders. Mr Ajay Kumar, SP, Kinnaur district, has been posted SP, Chamba, vice Mr S.R. Ojha, who goes as SP, Lokayukta, in place of Mr S.P.S. Verma, who takes over as SP, Sirmaur district. Mr S.P. Singh, SP, Sirmaur, replaces Mr J.R. Thakur, SP, Mandi, who has been posted as SP, CID (Crime Branch). Mr G.D. Bhagwan, SP (Training Cell), Daroh, takes over as SP, Kinnaur. Mr Prem Thakur, Additional Superintendent of Police, Mandi and Mr Sunil Kumar, Additional Superintendent of Police, India Reserve Battalion, Jungleberi, swap places. |
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Prayer
for long life of Dalai Lama Dharamsala, May 15 The ceremony was presided over by the head of the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism and attended by senior lamas, Mr Samdong Rinpoche, Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government in exile, and officials of the CTA. Meanwhile, Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court W.A. Sheshak met the Dalai Lama at McLeodgang today. |
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Mahasabha
moots Hindu Sena Kangra, May 15 Mr Narinder Ghautam, state chief of the mahasabha, said in a statement here today that the Central
Government had no firm policy on Kashmir and Pakistan sponsored militancy. He said when the BJP was in opposition, it had advocated dealing with militancy with a heavy hand but after coming to power it failed to curb it. He said the Central Government should smash terrorist camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir and stop infiltration. He wanted that if the government failed to control militancy, the mahasabha with the help of ex-servicemen, would start counter-insurgency. |
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