 |
Saturday,
November 30, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
|
CBI probe sought into health purchase scam
27 trees axed for PM’s visit Lucky escape for Larji project staff |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Panel formed on ‘Vishwas Yatra’ Woman denied burial space Khair wood case: 2 told to file affidavits Provide relief to fire victims: Cong Shanta unveils statue of Sobha Singh Indian Airlines closes Kulu, Shimla offices Dalai Lama to donate Rs 5 cr Cold spell claims one life
|
||||||
|
CBI probe sought into health purchase scam Shimla, November 29 Addressing a press conference here, he said three directors of the Health Department had been arrested in connection with the scam, but the case had not been taken to its logical end. Investigations were being conducted at a snail’s pace and for this reason the Vigilance Department had failed to file a challan in the court. Obviously, the directors had been made the scapegoat to protect the guilty. He said BJP leaders were trying to mislead the people by blaming the previous Congress government for the scam. The fact was that on coming to power it gave two promotions to a “tainted” officer of the department against whom the Congress government had instituted a vigilance inquiry. The officer was elevated to the post of Director of Health Services and later arrested in connection with the scam. He wanted to know from the government how an officer facing a vigilance probe could be promoted. He said irregularities were being committed in the Health Department and in one case “unqualified” candidates had been selected as ophthalmic assistants. Besides, a brother of the Health Minister, Mr J.P. Nadda, had alleged by been given two promotions and made the Registrar of the Himachal Pradesh University, while the minister’s wife had been appointed lecturer. One of his private secretaries had managed jobs for 22 persons. The PWD had been rocked by yet another scandal in which signboards, publicising the government’s achievements, had been installed at exorbitantly high rates. The department was paying Rs 35,000 for a sign- board worth around Rs 3,000. The contract had been awarded for it without completing the necessary formalities and officers of the PWD were being pressurised to make the unjustified payments. The total amount involved was over Rs 60 lakh. The Congress leader denied the BJP charge that he and another former Congress minister had acquired revolvers illegally and said he got the weapon under the scheme of the Government of India meant for members of Parliament and other legislators. He acquired a revolver under the scheme through the Vidhan Sabha. He offered to face a CBI inquiry into the matter and said that he would initiate legal action against Mr Randhir Sharma, BJP spokesperson, who levelled the allegation. Mr Thakur alleged that the government was not pursuing investigations into the case in which the District Public Relations Officer, Bilaspur, was beaten up during a function at Swarghat because Mr Sharma was one of the accused in it. |
|
27 trees axed for PM’s visit Solan, November 29 The Prime Minister is expected to visit the site on Sunday to lay the foundation stone of a heritage centre. The locals of eight villages spread across the site hope to gain something from the VVIP’s visit. Though the district administration is tight-lipped if the Prime Minister will address a public rally there, a visit to the site today revealed that hectic preparations are on to erect a podium from where Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee is likely to address a public rally. Even politicians of the ruling BJP dub the occasion as a meeting to welcome the Prime Minister as they had a bitter experience during the Deputy Prime Minister’s visit herein October when only a small crowd turned up. This time they have chosen to maintain silence. The site of the centre is mired in controversy and the locals are sceptical about the kind of gains they may get from the centre. Being a religious centre, they are not very hopeful of finding employment there. Despite being set up in an area of 40 acres, no water arrangements have been made for the centre. An engineer of a Shimla-based consultancy looking after the project when asked about the water arrangements stated that the water could be lifted from the nearby Ashwani Khud. He said the water earlier used to irrigate this stretch of arable land would be used for the centre. Ashwani khud is unable to meet the water requirements of Solan town and this project will only make matter worse. |
|
Police Gypsy overruns girl Shimla, November 29 |
|
Lucky escape for Larji project staff Mandi, November 29 The Continental Construction company has been entrusted with the task of digging a 71-metre deep cavity surge shaft well with concrete walls which ultimately will store additional water of the main tunnel. To undertake this job, the company has strengthened the rock simultaneously as protection against any possible landslide. According to project engineers, geologists had suggested that since the zone fell, under shear rock formation and was declared a ‘slump’ the strengthening of the rock was important to protect the surge shaft well from caving in. According to HPSEB Chief Engineer B.K. Mahajan the engineers had undertaken measures to strengthen the walls of the well, but to avoid caving in, much depended on the geological formation of the earth strata.
PTI |
|
Panel formed on ‘Vishwas Yatra’ Hamirpur, November 29 Mr Shanta Kumar, who was here to attend the marriage reception of the Chief Minister’s son didn’t attend the meeting and rushed to Palampur. The party formed a high-level committee under the chairmanship of Mr Suresh Chandel, MP, to finalise the route and name of the yatra. Other members on the committee would be Mr Suresh Bhardwaj, MP, Mr J.P. Nadda, Health Minister, Mr Rajan Sushant, Revenue Minister, Mr Rajeev Bindal, MLA, and Mr Chander Mohan. The committee will submit its report to the state body in their third week of December, according to Mr Jai Krishan Sharma. Talking to the media at Town Hall here last night, he said the yatra would be success as the government had done a lot for the well-being of the people. He said all ministers and MLAs would gather at Dharamsala on December 3 when the Chief Minister would inaugurate the mini secretariat there. Mr Sharma parried questions regarding the outburst of the Union Rural Development Minister on the issue of delimitation of Assembly segments. On the resignation of Agriculture Minister Vidya Sagar from the state Cabinet, Mr Sharma said it was the prerogative of the Chief Minister to decide on the issue. The state BJP chief warned the party cadre not to indulge in anti-party activities. He said no indiscipline would be tolerated. It is learnt that many party leaders at the meeting expressed displeasure at the holding of functions by the Chief Minister alone. One of them remarked that there was no fun in becoming minister or MLA when all important ceremonies were performed by the Chief Minister himself. The absence of Shanta Kumar loyalists from the meeting also came in for discussion. |
|
Woman denied burial space Kangra, November 29 Mr David Mandal, a resident of Kolkata and a Christian made several efforts on the day of the death of his wife, Reena Mandal, for performing last rites according to her religion. Mr Mandal had migrated here from Kolkata in search of a job. In an affidavit filed here today, he said his wife died on November 23 at Tanda near the town at 1.15 p.m. He approached the priest at the local church through Mrs Ranjana Yadav, member of the Church Committee, seeking space for burying his wife in the Christian graveyard here. Mr Mandal said the priest did not allow him to bury his wife in the graveyard. He alleged he was asked to produce a letter of confirmation that he was a Christian and told that then alone he would be allowed to get two-yard land for his wife’s burial. He said he pleaded with the priest on the question of requirement of a confirmation letter by a Christian at a place other than his native place, but to no avail. Accompanied by his daughter (4) and son (7), Mr Mandal had to wait for more than 24 hours for performing the last rites of his wife with the local Hindu community, coming to his rescue. Mr Mandal said the body of his wife was cremated with Hindu rites a day after her death. He said he was pained by his experience that he could not get two yards of land for burial of his wife despite his entreaties with the priest. Mr Hazara Maseh, priest of the local church, was not available for his comments as he was on tour, his family members said. |
|
Khair wood case: 2 told to file affidavits Shimla, November 29 While issuing the directions the court granted a week’s time to them for filling affidavits. Mr Geeta Ram, one of the accused in the case, had filed a petition seeking the quashing of the FIR registered by the Vigilance Bureau in connection with the case. He also submitted certain official documents, including some
nothings in the files, which he had produced to prove his innocence in the case. |
|
Provide relief to fire victims: Cong Kulu, November 29 The former Chief Secretary said timber and funds should be provided to them so that they could reconstruct or repair their houses. Mr Vidyarthi demanded that steps should also be taken to restore telecommunication system and electricity supply to the village. |
|
Shanta unveils statue of Sobha Singh Dharamsala, November 29 Addressing the gathering, Mr Shanta Kumar recalled his long association with late Sobha Singh and said he had immortalised the images of gods, Sikh Gurus and folk heroes through his paintings. Mr Shanta Kumar unveiled the statue of the painter and launched a website . A book on the life and philosophy of Sardar Sobha Singh titled “Soul and Principles” written by Dr Kulwant Singh was also released on the occasion. The Sobha Singh Memorial Art Society honoured Pandit Bhawani Dutt Sharma, an eminent artiste and writer from Mandi, photo artiste from Ludhiana Tej Pratap Sandhu, Young Kangra miniature artistes Dhani Ram and Mukesh Kumar on the occasion. An on-the-spot painting competition for schoolchildren was also organised. |
|
Indian Airlines closes Kulu, Shimla offices Kulu, November 29 The Hoteliers Association and the Travel Agents Association here and at Manali criticised the action of Indian Airlines. President of the Travel Agents Association said that cancellation would hit tourism in the state and urged the Centre and Himachal Government to continue flights to Himachal. |
|
Dalai Lama to donate Rs 5 cr Palampur, November 29 Disclosing this after a meeting with the Dalai Lama, the Union Minister said the Dalai Lama had also agreed to lay the foundation stone of the main block of the hospital on December 28. He said the Dalai Lama had already released the first instalment of Rs 1 crore for the hospital. A separate block would be constructed for the disciple of the Dalai Lama in the hospital, he added.
PTI |
|
Cold spell claims one life Kangra, November 29 It has been sent for a post-mortem examination to Dr R.P. Government Medical College & Hospital, Dharamsala. |
|
HP Governor in hospital Shimla, November 29 |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 122 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Video
