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Wednesday,
August 28, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Rumours of arrest keep Virbhadra up all night Shivani case: Delhi police raids at Kasauli Directors,
chiefs cost govt 6.7 cr: CM Irregularities in
HPMC, HIMFED, alleges sabha Computer teachers not paid salaries |
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Man-eater kills girl before being shot Youth Cong warns of stir Theft of BSNL equipment: 3 get police remand Cop seeks probe into son’s death Allergy cases on the rise in Parwanoo DCC man held for assaulting clerk Rain disrupts
traffic in HP
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Rumours
of arrest keep Virbhadra up all night Shimla, August 27 Congressmen had made a beeline for his residence. Several MLAs, including Mr Kaul Singh, Mr Chander Kumar, Mr Singhi Ram and Mrs Asha Kumari, were present. Mediapersons, particularly from the electronic media, had also arrived. Telephones at the residences of police officers and newspersons kept ringing the whole night as people wanted to know if he had been arrested. The crowd and the newspersons waited in vain till the wee hours. The rumours regarding the arrest gained currency as Mr Virbhadra Singh had in the afternoon dared the Chief Minister Prof P.K. Dhumal, to take action against him and other Congress leaders. Mr Virbhadra Singh said he was prepared for the “midnight knock”. Given the track record of Prof Dhumal, anything could happen, he said, adding that the credibility of the government had taken a beating. Meanwhile, the Jamiyat Ulema, a representative body of Muslims of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, has come out in support of Mr Virbhadra Singh and warned the BJP against indulging in dirty politics. Maulana Mumtaz Ahmad Quasmi, secretary of the ulema, alleged that the scam-stained BJP government was trying to malign the Congress leaders by fabricating cases against them. He said they would not remain a silent spectator. |
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Shivani case: Delhi police raids at Kasauli
Solan, August 27 The raids were kept as closely guarded secret. Even the local police came to know of these after the visiting cops went to the police station to officially register their presence in Kasauli and sought cooperation of their local counterparts. The Delhi Police had traced certain telephonic calls to Kasauli. The name of an M.E.S. contractor, a resident of Sector 6 of Panchkula, also figured in the telephonic conversations police sources said. He too was rounded up for questioning at Kasauli. The contractor was questioned by the Delhi Police team. The Superintendent of Police, Mr S.Z.H. Zaidi, has confirmed the raids. KANGRA: A four-membered team of the Delhi Police crime branch conducted raids in Badanj village falling under Shahpur police station of this district late last night. The team headed by Mr Shyam Sunder Sharma, raided the residence of Mr Gian Chand, a farmer. The raid continued till 3 a.m. Police sources said the team was still in the area to carry out more raids.
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Directors,
chiefs cost govt 6.7 cr: CM Shimla, August 27 Mr Kishori Lal, Industries Minister, said as many as 39 lakh tonnes of cement was produced in the state, fetching a revenue of Rs 70 crore. Mr Roop Singh, Forest Minister, said two persons were killed by leopards and there were 31 cases of injury inflicted by leopards and bears in the state in the first seven months of the year. Over Rs 2 lakh was paid as compensation to the victims. The state electricity board suffered a loss of Rs 123.93 crore during 2001-02, the Chief Minister said. The board had raised a loan of Rs 79.83 crore this year and it was likely to receive Rs 40 crore from the Centre under the accelerated power development programme, he said.
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Irregularities
in HPMC, HIMFED, alleges sabha Shimla, August 27 Dr Onkar Shad, president of the sabha, said the subsidies provided to the growers on the cartons had been misutilised by the state owned agencies. The state government purchased carton of 20 kg at the rate of Rs 26 per carton through open tender and at the rate of Rs 34 per carton from the state-owned Agro Packaging India Ltd (AIPIL). Further, a subsidy worth Rs 8 per carton on the purchase made from a private manufacturer and Rs 10 per carton for cartons procured from AIPIL was announced by the state government this year. This resulted in a heavy loss to AIPIL. Many firms which did not qualify for the tender and few qualified firms were supplying cartons from Rs 18 to Rs 21 per carton without subsidy in the open market. It was a matter to inquire into how these firms were selling their cartons at such a low price. Either the quality of the carton was poor or purchase price fixed by the government was higher. He said the purchase of cartons from different private manufacturers was not proper. About 70 private firms filled tenders, out of which 25 private firms were short-listed to supply cartons. As per norms an inspection team had to conduct random checking of 42 cartons in a lot of 50,000 cartons. Further, 14 samples were sent for testing in laboratories at Jagadhri and Delhi, and another were taken as sample to match the supply lot and 14 were left with the supplier to verify the lot. However, this time despite short listing 25 firms the HPMC has ordered 5,00,000 cartons 10 times more than the specified size of a lot, from a firm based at Ludhiana participating for the first time. An advance of Rs 50,00,000 was also released in disregard to the pre-conditions of quality check. The cartons supplied by the firm did not even mention “batch no. and lot no.” That was required on every lot of 50,000 cartons after proper listing and sample matching process.
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House pays tributes to departed leaders Shimla, August 27 Besides, Mr Ram Lal, obituary references were made in regard to Mr Krishan Kant, a former Vice-President of India, Mr Gulsher Ahmed, a former Governor, Mr J.B.L. Khachi and Mr Vidya Dhar, both former ministers. Mr P.K. Dhumal, the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, Leader of the Opposition, Mrs Vidya Stokes, PCC chief, Mr Sukh Ram, (HVC), Mr Gulab Singh, the Speaker and other leaders appreciated the services rendered by these leaders to the state and the country in various capacities. |
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Computer
teachers not paid salaries Dharamsala, August 27 As per the directions of the state government, computer education was started in 64 senior secondary schools of the district. The contract to run the classes for students of ninth to 12th standards was given to Cybertel Software Ltd. The company appointed 167 teachers at salaries between Rs 2500 and Rs 3000 per month. But in most cases, the teachers have not been paid their salaries for many months. The affected teachers have united under the banner of Computer Instructors Association of Kangra and are demanding immediate release of their arrears and settlement of terms and conditions regarding their job. The teachers yesterday met the Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, Mr Prabodh Saxena, and requested him to intercede in the matter. Following this, a meeting was fixed for today with Additional Deputy Commissioner Mr S.S.
Guleria, at which the Deputy Director, Education, was also invited. Talking to mediapersons outside the office of the Additional District Magistrate, Mr Updesh Dhiman, president of the Computer Instructors Association, Ms Mili Dhiman general secretary, alleged that they were being exploited by the appointing software company and the principals of the institutions where the teachers were appointed. They said no rules had been framed nor any system for regular payment of wages had been evolved, leaving them at the mercy of principals and the company. They alleged that in many schools, the payments had not been made for more than eight months, adding that the principals of the institutions are flouting the directions of the Director, Education. The Regional Manager of Cybertel Software Ltd, Mr Pant, said at present, the schools owe about Rs 64 lakh to the company. He said the Director, Education, had given clear instructions to principals to release the due amounts but it appeared that they were not interested in obeying the orders. |
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Man-eater kills girl before being shot Dalhousie, August 27 With the killing of the man-eater, people of the area have heaved a sigh of relief. There had been panic in the area for over a week. Giving this information today, Dr P. K. Sharma, Divisional Forest Officer, Dalhousie, said the man-eater killed the girl came in the village at about 6 a.m. People cordoned off the area and contacted a team of forest officials which reached the spot. The DFO and the SDM supervised the operation. With the cooperation of the locals and the police, the forest guard, Mr Chaman Singh, known for his shooting skills, shot the leopard. The leopard was about six-year-old and weighed 80 kg. A number of people had come to see the leopard. According to the DFO, the leopard would be buried after an autopsy. The DFO said Rs 1 lakh had been announced as relief for the family of the deceased. Mr Chaman Singh would be given a letter of commendation and a cash award by the Forest Department for his bravery. Meanwhile, all shops and commercial establishments in the Banikhet area remained closed following the killing of the girl. |
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Youth Cong warns of stir Mandi, August 27 Mr Azad, who was talking to newspersons, warned that the proposed arrest of Mr Virbhadra Singh could spark off a statewide agitation. He flayed the Chief Minister of discrimination against Mandi district. Mr Dhumal had announced that law and MA classes would be started in district colleges, but nothing had been done so f ar. Many of his promises regarding the development of this district had remained unfulfilled, he lamented. Over 10 lakh youth were unemployed in the state. He alleged that jobs were on sale and it had become a common saying in the state that there were either of the two prerequisites for getting a job — “dhan or Dhumal”. He said kin of ministers had been given jobs throwing all rules to the wind. He also named ministers and the persons whose kin were given jobs flouting rules. |
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Theft
of BSNL equipment: 3 get police remand Solan, August 27 The three persons, identified as Rahul Singh, Vishal both of Jalaun (UP) and Neeraj of Agra, had gone to the telephone exchange posing as technicians of Hi Tech Company, described by them as approved maintenance contractors of certain types of equipment in stalled in BSNL exchange. After succeeding in proving their credentials with the supervisory staff, they started inspecting the machinery and equipment installed at the exchange. After some time they slipped away with 50 smoke detectors. Junior Telecom Engineer Vinay Kumar Goel soon found about the theft. A case under Sections 380 and 420, IPC, was registered.
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Cop seeks probe into son’s death Hamirpur, August 27 Mr Rattan Lal, Lance Head Constable, father of the decreased and posted at Barsar in Hamirpur district, has demanded a high-level probe into the death of his son. He said his family was under tension due to his posting outside Hamirpur. He blamed the SP and ASP, Hamirpur, for the mental torture suffered by him and his family. However, Mr Rajendra Mohan Sharma, SP, who was present at the house of Mr Rattan Lal, denied the allegations. He said transfers in the department were a routine matter. Meanwhile, the body has been sent to the local Zonal Hospital for a post-morten examination. |
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Allergy
cases on the rise in Parwanoo Parwanoo, August 27 The allergy is found more among children and old people and the incidence of respiratory allergy is greater than that of skin allergy. The doctors in Parwanoo and Kalka attribute this primarily to the growth of congress grass. The doctors also feel that skin allergies and intestinal diseases differ from sector to sector in Parwanoo because the water supplied to different sectors is from different sources. The women in town are less prone to allergic disorders as they are less exposed to the open environment. Unhygienic conditions and dirty water in slums contribute to more cases in these areas. The children from these areas are found to be suffering mostly from bronchitis and the old people from throat and skin diseases. The cow dung also causes skin allergies, say the doctors. Failure on the part of the local administration to prevent the sale of unhygienic food at local dabhas and rehris also leads to the spread of such diseases. According to the doctors the local administration another parishad, along with various social organisations and residents of this town should launch an emergency campaign to eradicate congress grass.
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DCC man held for assaulting clerk Kangra, August 27 According to the police, Mr Navneet Sharma has allegedly assaulted Budhi Singh Negi, a clerk at the Regional Transport Authority, Shimla, when he was on checking duty on the Mataur bridge. A case under Sections 353, 304 and 506, IPC, was registered. When contacted Mr Navneet Sharma said the government was concocting stories for political interests and cases were being registered on flimsy grounds against political opponents of the government. |
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Rain disrupts
traffic in HP Shimla, August 27 Mandi and its surrounding areas had a heavy downpour today, flooding low-lying areas along the banks of the Sutlej and Beas. Heavy rains in the catchment areas has caused a sudden rise in the levels of tributaries of Major rivers. Shimla and its surrounding areas of Kufri, Fagu and Naldhera and tourist resort of Chail and Kasauli also had intermittent heavy rains during the past 24 hours and the region remained fog-bound for the greater part of the day.
PTI |
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Bhakra
oustees submit
memorandum Bilaspur, August 27 They also said the limit of holding 200 sq m should also be removed in case of the oustees. The land under encroachments should be given to them on lease on the same conditions on which they had already been given leasehold plots, they added.
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Russian held for suicide bid Kangra, August 27 A case under Section 309, IPC, has been registered against Dmitry
Varanovaxy. |
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Demonstration
by SBP employees Parwanoo, August 27
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