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Monday,
March 17, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Facelift
impending, Buddha is smiling POSTINGS/TRANSFERS CM
justifies raids on HPSSSB office CM
inaugurates Holi mela Unease in
Himachal BJP cadres |
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Education
reforms on anvil Fresh
snow in higher reaches of HP
Price
difference ‘hits’ Himachal cement dealers Truck
operators hold rally
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Facelift impending, Buddha is smiling Shimla, March 16 The project aims at setting up world-class tourist infrastructure like reception centres, wayside amenities, folk museums, interpretation centres and car parks and refurbishing the age-old monasteries, besides landscaping major tourist spots. The amount to be spent on this by the Government of India will be about Rs 25 crore. In the second phase, Himachal Pradesh will receive Rs 8 crore more for covering the left-out areas and monasteries. Over the years, the Gompas in the state have emerged as prominent destinations for tourists, especially foreigners, whose number has been increasing with each passing year. The inflow of foreign tourists is increasing by 18 per cent each year. The project will prove to be a boon for foreign tourists, for whom, the state is the virtual world capital of Buddhism, especially, ever since the Dalai Lama has made Dharamsala his headquarters. The project is for one of the six major circuits identified by the Union Ministry of Tourism and includes two circuits. The first circuit includes Chandigarh, Swarghat, Bilaspur, Mandi, Rewalsar, Kullu-Manali, Rohtang, Koksar, Keylong, Jispa, Sarahan and Leh. The second will take care of places like Shimla, Rampur, Rekong Peo, Rarang, Jangi, Lippa, Kanum and Pooh, Nako, Tabo, Dhankar Gompa, Kaza and Ki monasteries and Kibber, world’s highest village. Bilaspur, midway from Chandigarh to Manali, will not only provide tourists with wayside amenities like fast-food restaurants but also have recreation parks and an aquarium. The holy Rewalsar Lake and its environs will be landscaped and Pirdi near Kullu will have a river-rafting centre for tourists. The Buddhist monastery at Manali will be given a facelift, while parking lots and mobile wayside amenities will be made available at Rohtang Pass. Setting up of a garbage disposal system and installation of incinerators at Rohtang and Solang Nalla will be an important feature of the project. A rescue centre with medical facility will be set up at Rohtang or Marhi. In Lahaul, Khardang, Shashur, Guru ghantal, Trilokinath and Gemur Gompa will be refurbished and amenities created for tourists. Buddhist monasteries at Rampur, Kanam and Jangi will be repaired and so will the forts of Kamru, Mourang and Labang. Wayside amenities will be provided at Pooh, Nako, Kaza, Kibber, Losar, Kokksar and Chhota Dhara. As many as 1.43 lakh foreign tourists visited Himachal Pradesh in 2001-2002, out of which, more than 70 per cent visited Dharamsala, headquarters of the Dalai Lama, the second favourite destination for foreign tourists after
Goa. |
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POSTINGS/TRANSFERS Shimla, March 16 While two Additional Director Generals of Police (ADGPs) were promoted as Director Generals of Police, two Inspector Generals of Police were elevated to the rank of Additional Director General of Police. The district police chiefs of Bilaspur, Shimla, Chamba, Kangra and Solan have also been shifted. Mr Ajit Narain, Additional Director General of Police, (Law and Order), has been promoted as Director General of Police, Vigilance and Enforcement, while Mr D.S. Amisht, Additional Director General of Police Prisons, on promotion, takes over as Director General of Police Home Guard and fire services. Mr Sohan Singh, Inspector General of Police Leave Reserve, has been promoted as Additional Director General of Police Prisons, and Mr Prem Singh, Inspector General Headquarters, has been promoted as Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order). Mr B.S. Thind, on return from leave, takes over as Inspector General of Police CID, against the post of the ADGP, while Mr D.S. Minhas will be the new Inspector General of Police Vigilance, replacing Mr Deepak Baghai, order for whom will be issued later. Mr K.S. Rana, IG (Law and Order) Shimla, goes as IG, Leave Reserve, while Mr S.R. Mardi, DIG Armed Police Training, and Mr K.C. Sadyal, DIG Southern Range Shimla, swap places. Mr O.C. Thakur, DIG Leave Reserve, takes over as DIG Northern Range Dharamsala. Mr A.N. Sharma, Commissioner Shimla Municipal Corporation, goes as commandant 1st Armed Police Battalion Junga, vice Mr S.R. Sharma, who takes over as Superintendent of Police Solan, in place of Mr S.J.H. Zaidi, who goes as Superintendent of Police Kangra, vice Mr R.M. Sharma, who has been posted as commandant 2nd India Reserve Battalion Jungle Beri in place of Mr G.D. Bhargav, who takes over as Superintendent of Police Vigilance at Dharamsala, from Mr K.K. Indoria, the posting orders for whom will be issued later. Mr Atul Verma, Superintendent of Police at Bilaspur, has been posted as Superintendent of Police, Police Training College (Daroh), vice Mr Yog Raj Thakur, who has been posted as Superintendent of Police Shimla. Mr Sanjay Kundu, SP CID, goes as SP Lokayukta, vice Mr S.R. Ojha who takes over as SP (Enforcement) at Shimla, vice Mr D.P. Sharma, who goes as Commandant Third Armed Police Battalion Pandoh, vice Mr A.P. Siddiqui, who will be the new SP Vigilance at Shimla. Mr Ashok Sharma, SP CID (crime), has been posted as SP Chamba, vice Mr Ajay Kumar Yadav, posting orders for whom will be issued later. Mr Chandersekhar, ADC to the Governor, has been posted as Superintendent of Police at Bilaspur. |
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CM justifies raids on HPSSSB office Sujanpur Tihra, March 16 Talking with reporters here today, he said the Enforcement Department had seized certain documents from the board office and the residence of its chairman to prove that something fishy was going on in the board. Mrs Anita
Verma, the local MLA, was also present at the press conference. Mr Virbhadra Singh said the government was also examining a proposal about the functioning of the board, as the HP Public Service Commission had “done nothing” during the past one year. He said the commission had spent Rs 2.5 crore but gave jobs only to eight persons. The Chief Minister said the government would submit its case before the Delimitation Commission afresh. He suggested that the delimitation work should be done as per the 2001 Census figures and not on the basis of the 1991 Census. Mr Virbhadra Singh announced that the government would hold an inquiry into the jobs given by Kangra Central Cooperative Bank during the BJP regime. He said there were allegations of giving jobs on political considerations and charging money from the candidates. He also gave a hint of giving representation to Hamirpur in the next Cabinet expansion likely to take place after the budget session of the state Assembly. |
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CM inaugurates Holi mela Sujanpur Tihra, March 16 The mela’s history is lunched with Katoch rulers, especially Raja Sansar Chand who patronised artistes and musicians during his rule. Himachal Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh was the chief guest on the inaugural function of the Holi festival. He reached here by helicopter. Mrs Anita
Verma, local MLA, the Deputy Commissioner, the SP, senior district officers and elite of the town received the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister was taken in procession to Murli Manohar temple located on one side of the
Chaugan. He performed puja there and sought Lord Krishna’s blessings for the people of Himachal. He also visited exhibitions put up by government departments and local units. The Chief Minister declared the festival open by the beat of a drum near the exhibition stall. Earlier, the mela was managed by BJP leaders and workers but now Congress workers were managing the
mela. |
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Unease in Himachal BJP cadres Shimla, March 16 Mr Vajpayee, who has a house at Prini village in Kulu, considers Himachal Pradesh as his second home. However, the party even lost the Kulu seat. Mr Vajpayee not only gave unprecedented financial assistance to the state but also got work started on some mega projects like the Rs 1,300-crore Rohtang tunnel and the 2051-MW Parbati Project in Kulu district which had been hanging fire for decades. People, however, were disgusted with the state leadership. The party had lost the high moral ground which provided it a cutting edge over the Congress. It was put on the defensive by the Congress on several issues like corruption, nepotism, favouritism and irregularities in recruitment. The cadres are disillusioned with the state leaders. It has also not taken well the party high command conclusion that infighting was the main cause of the debacle. By giving a free hand to the ruling group, the high command only facilitated the defeat. An impression had gone around that the high command had been, knowingly or unknowingly, patronising corruption. The cadres see no hope for the party unless the high command admits its mistakes and makes amends for it. |
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Education
reforms on anvil Chamba, March 16 After assuming the charge, she said thrust would be given to arrange funds from the World Bank, Government of India and NGOs for launching various projects with a view to strengthening the education network. She said the pupil-teacher ratio and staffing pattern in the schools would be
rationalised. Expressing concern over the damage that had been caused to the educational set-up due to “mismanagement” of the previous BJP government, the minister said she has sought a report from the authorities about the irregularities in appointments under the Sarv Siksha
Abhiyan. The minister said there were 124 categories of teaching staff in the higher education sector and a large number of posts were vacant in the interior tribal areas. She said focus would be on backward and far-flung areas to wipe out illiteracy. She said the state government was keen to open a professional college and a B.Ed college in Chamba district. Speaking about employment avenues, she said a plan was being mooted for filling vacant posts on a contract basis. The plan would be implemented by next month. Orders had also been issued for the deployment of labour under the backward area sub-plan in Chamba district, she said. The Education Minister said a probe had been ordered into the irregularities in appointment of 512 TGT by the Himachal Pradesh Subordinate Selection Service Board
(HPSSSB). She said a probe would also be conducted into the alleged Himachal Pradesh University examination paper scam, besides financial anomalies. |
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Fresh snow in higher reaches of HP
Shimla, March 16 The capital town and its adjoining areas and tourist resorts of Wildflower Hall, Kufri and Narkanda were lashed by sleet as the sky remained partially cloudy during the day. Icy-cold winds blew across the tourist resorts. The tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti, Pangi valley and Bharmour area in Chamba district had another spell of snowfall. The 13,050-foot-high Rohtang Pass, gateway of Lahaul-Spiti district and high hills in Chamba district experienced moderate to heavy snowfall. People have been advised not to venture out of their homes in snow-bound high-altitude areas due to the threat of avalanches. Certain lower areas in the state, including Dharamsala and Kulu, had rain. Low-lying areas in Chamba district also had widespread rainfall.
UNI |
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Kol Dam project
tunnel ready Bilaspur, March 16 Chief personnel manager, Mohender Singh said here last evening that 1834 metres of tunnels were to be dug up for the diversion of the Sutlej river for facilitating the construction of the main dam. He said this was a most challenging task and this work was completed in a very short period of three months. He said National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is constructing this hydel power project for the first time in country and this project is also a challenge to its officers and employees. He said he was happy that the management was getting full cooperation from the Himachal Government, the district administration and Dam oustees. He said oustees of Mandi district would be resettled at Kangoo Colony and 53 plots had been earmarked for allotment while oustees of Bilaspur district would be resettled at Jamthal Colony, nearest to their earlier habitats. He said the approval of the Central Government for this colony site was being awaited. He said the construction of roads on both sides of the Sutlej river and power-lines for electric power project was also progressing well. Out of 4386 bighas of land to be acquired for project, compensation for 2802 bighas had already been paid to
oustees. |
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Price difference ‘hits’ Himachal cement dealers Nurpur, March 16 In a memorandum submitted to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, the association has pointed out that the price difference has forced the consumers to use smuggled cement in the bordering areas of Kangra district. It said a consumer got a cement bag for Rs 142 from Punjab whereas the cement of the same brand was being sold by the local dealers at Rs 164 to Rs 166 per bag. The association has alleged that nearly 24 truckloads of cement were being smuggled from Punjab into bordering areas in Nurpur subdivision daily which was affecting the business of the local cement dealers. The association has urged the Chief Minister to amend the existing road tax structure and excise and taxation policy so that cement rates in the state could be brought on a par with Punjab. |
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Truck operators hold rally Bilaspur, March 16 Mr Ramlal Thakur, a former President of the Dhartatoh gram panchayat, was elected president of the truck union. The union carries out cement loading work allotted to ex-servicemen of Himachal Pradesh at Barmana. The rally was also attended by leaders of the district Truck Operators Cooperative Society and the HP State Ex-servicemen Transport Union. Addressing the rally, Mr Thakur said he would investigate all complaints regarding corruption and would streamline the functioning of the truck union. |
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