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Friday,
October 11, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Cabinet
nod to raising dam height Shanta
confidant’s resignation accepted Human
rights ‘violated’ Anganwari
workers hold rally Bid to
extricate body abandoned Hindi
poetess ‘Nahanvi’ dead Oaks axed |
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Cabinet nod to raising dam height Shimla, October 10 The decision was taken at a meeting of the state Cabinet held under the chairmanship of Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, here today. The issue had been hanging fire for the past three years. The Nathpa Jhakri Power Corporation, had started construction of the dam with a foundation designed for a height of 65.5 metres instead of the earlier approved 60.5 metres. The controversy over the height of the dam was created because of an improper investigation into the project. The corporation had been maintaining that increasing the height was essential as a lower height would reduce the capacity of the reservoir considerably. The state electricity board was of the view that raising the height of the dam would damage the Bhabha project located upstream. Mr Harsh Gupta, Chief Secretary, while giving details of the Cabinet meeting said the decision had been taken in the interest of the state as well as the board. The state would get 86 MW of extra (21.5 MW) power in addition to 12 per cent free power which was
envisages in the agreement for the project. The Cabinet also decided to provide government guarantee for raising loans up to Rs 250 crore to the board from the open market for augmenting resources to meet its various requirements, including execution of hydel projects. It gave approval for filling 200 posts of clerk in various departments. The department of Personnel was asked to place a requisition for these posts which would be distributed later in consultation with the Finance Department. The Cabinet also discussed the matter regarding raising the promotion quota of class IV employees and directed that the matter be examined expeditiously to raise the quota from 10 per cent to 15 per cent. Mr Gupta said the cabinet reviewed the implementation of its decisions and it was observed that out of the 2,491 decisions taken during the past four and a half years, 2477 had been implemented and remaining were at different stages of implementation. It gave a nod for the creation of 10 posts of excise and taxation officers in a view of the overall increase in workload. This would also help the department in the implementation of the value added tax policy. Mr Gupta said the government had also framed the “sadbhavna scheme-2002” which was based on mutual trust between the government and the dealer and provided for simplification of tax collection. The Cabinet approved the floating of tenders for the construction of 500-bedded hospital at Tanda by Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation so as to speed up the work on this medical institution. The creation of posts of a consultant and a computer operator in the Election Department for expediting the work of special revision of electoral rolls and preparing photo identity cards was also cleared. |
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Shanta confidant’s resignation accepted Dharamsala, October 10 It may be recalled that 10 days ago, Dr Shiv Kumar, who was the president of the managing committee of GGDSD College Baijnath, had resigned after heated exchanges with Baijnath MLA and district BJP president Mr Dulo Ram. The entire managing committee of the college had tendered resignation when Mr Dulo Ram blamed its members for the financial mess in the college which had led to agitation by teachers and students. This was immediately accepted by the state government and the ADM Kangra, Mr S.S. Guleria, was appointed as the administrator. Dr Shiv Kumar sent his resignation from the primary membership of BJP the next day. It was expected that after the intervention of Mr Shanta Kumar, the resignation would be withdrawn and now its acceptance has come as a surprise to the local BJP circles. Confirming the acceptance of the resignation, Mr Dulo Ram said that it was submitted to the state president and has been accepted. |
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Human rights ‘violated’ Mandi, October 10 Mr Virbhadra Singh, who was talking to newsmen after formally releasing the souvenir of Deodhar Trophy at a function organised by the Mandi District Cricket Association at the Joginder Gymkhana Club, on Tuesday alleged that all sections of society had been hit by the policies of the present government. The government had adopted anti-people policies and as a result it had to face a humiliating defeat in the Shimla Municipal Corporation elections. He said by removal of hoardings and indicators from the national highways the government had dealt a blow to the hotel industry, which was already facing the worst-ever slump. Tourists would be put to inconvenience in the absence of indicators and sign boards. He demanded that the decision be reversed. Mr Virbhadra Singh said though the government was virtually bankrupt, yet it was determined to add more districts and multiply unproductive expenses. Daily wager earners were not being paid their dues for the past four months and the government owed over Rs 150 crore to contractors. The morale of the services had lowered and corruption was rampant, he added. He said it would be an uphill task for the next government to bring the state economy back on the rails. Replying to a question, he said the HVC was equally responsible for the present mess in the state. The former Chief Minister said apprehending its defeat in the next Assembly elections the ruling party had hatched a conspiracy to disturb the boundaries of constituencies. he added that “we will frustrate their evil designs”. Asked whether Mr Sukh Ram or Mr Anil Sharma were being admitted to the Congress, Mr Virbhadra Singh said there was no such move. Moreover, Mr Sukh Ram had over and again stated that he was not willing to join the Congress. He denied that there were differences in the Congress. There was a dispute only regarding irregularities in the last party elections, which would be sorted out shortly by the Congress high command, he added. |
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Anganwari
workers hold rally Hamirpur, October 10 Led by Mr Kashmir Singh, general secretary of the state CITU, and Mrs Kaushalaya Devi, president, they also held a rally at Gandhi Chowk, playing the state government for its alleged anti-women policies. They demanded the regularisation of their services and grant of pay scales on the basis of work. They also handed over a charter of demands for the state government. |
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Bid to extricate body abandoned Kulu, October 10 A team of six mountaineers and six porters led by Mr Rajiv Sharma of Western Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Manali had gone to the high mountain pass to bring the body. The operation might not be resumed as the pass would reopen after June.
PTI |
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Hindi poetess
‘Nahanvi’ dead Nahan, October 10 Mr Onkar Sharma, Deputy Commissioner, Sirmour, Mr Sharabh Negi, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr Rakesh Sharma SDM, Nahan, Mr Sunder Singh Chauhan, District Revenue Officer, Sirmour, journalists, writers, office-bearers of NGOs and social and political organisations attended her funeral. She had been writing articles for leading Hindi newspapers in the region. Her two collections of poems and a novel have been published. |
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Oaks axed Kulu, October 10 The Himachal Pradesh Government had banned felling of oaks since June 1980. Oaks are considered water-retainers. |
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