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Monday,
March 24, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Stinker on forest land causes panic
Babkhal bridge to be completed soon |
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Traders to launch statewide stir Vidhan Sabha to reassemble today
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Stinker on forest land causes panic Shimla, March 23 After dragging its feet on the issue for almost five years, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has asked the state to immediately withdraw its notification dated August 24,1998, vide which it excluded certain categories of wasteland from notified forest areas. The stinker from the ministry has caused panic among politically influential beneficiaries of the unlawful Act particularly those who had been given mining lease for stone crushers. Under the Act, no forest land can be diverted for non-forestry use without the prior approval of the
Centre. However, the Dhumal government came out with an “ingenious “ way to circumvent the law. It excluded the land classified as “gair mumkin”
and “charagah bila drakhtan”from the notified areas, which meant that the provisions of the
Indian Forest Act and other laws was not be applicable to such categories of wasteland. The notification was issued even though the state government had no authority to do so. With the friendly Vajpayee government at the Centre the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests took no serious action to force the erring state to undo its illegal action and allowed things to drag. However, now it has conveyed vide its letter dated February 27, a day after elections were held in the state, that the Advisory Committee constituted by the Central Government to examine the issue was of the an unambiguous opinion that the state government had no authority to exclude land once declared forest area or any land to which the provisions of the Indian Forest Act are applicable without the prior permission of the Centre. Thus, the notification issued in August 1998 was in contravention of the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act and needed to be withdrawn immediately. The ministry has returned the proposal for diversion of 44.03 hectare of forest land for the construction of Chamera -III project, which involves 41.97 hectares of such categories of land, stating that it could not be considered under the given circumstances. The state government not only violated the Forest Conservation Act but also flouted the interim order of the Supreme Court dated December 1996, which ended all ambiguity on the matter, clearly defining forest land. It laid down that the term “forest land” would not only include forest, as understood in the dictionary sense, but also any area recorded as forest in government record, irrespective of the ownership. It further asked any state government which had failed to appreciate this to correct its stance and take necessary remedial measures without any delay. The apex court also directed that the order be implemented, notwithstanding any order at variance. The state government overlooked the order of the apex court and issued a notification in defiance. As things stand now even the Centre is not in a position to validate the illegal notification, as it has to abide by the court order. The state government has no option but to withdraw the illegal notification. However, what course of action it will adopt in cases where forest land has been diverted on the basis of illegal notification, only time will tell. |
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100 jhuggis reduced
to ashes Hamirpur, March 23 No loss of human life was reported in the fire incident. The loss to property was stated to be in several thousands of rupees. The victims were left with only the clothes they were wearing and whatever they could take out from the clutches of the fire. Mr Som Dutt, mining contractor who had hired these labourers alleged that nearly 25 persons including women, came from nearby villages and threatened the owners to leave the jhuggis or these would be burnt. Four of them started burning. The contractor said that he had met the Hamirpur district administration on Saturday regarding the threat to his labour by the locals. The victims said the assault was sudden and they were taken by surprise. Hamirpur SDM Vijay Chandan and Additional District Police Chief Jagdish Chand Sharma reached the spot. The SDM said the main aim of the administration would be to provide financial help and shelter to the labourers. The ASP said a case under section 436 of the IPC has been registered against the accused. Insiders say that rivalry between the former and present mining contractor working in the Kunah khad and extracting bajri and sand from there is the cause of the incident. The former contractor was not available for the comments. |
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Babkhal bridge to be completed soon Bilaspur, March 23 The Chief Minister said he would take up with the Centre the project of broad-gauge railway-line from Bhnaupali, Bilaspur, Mandi to Rampur along with two cement factories. He urged the Bhakra Dam oustees to bring to his notice all difficulties which they were experiencing in their villages even after 44 years of their development and assured them to solve these. Earlier, Industries Minister Ramlal Thakur took up demands of Bilaspur district and also urged for the construction of the Berry-Darolan bridge and a high-level inquiry into all power project including Kol Dam agreement. The Chief Minister was here in connection with the concluding day function of the historic Nalwaadi Fair.
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Traders to launch statewide stir Palampur, March 23 Briefing mediapersons here this afternoon, Mr Virender Baghla, president, Palampur Beopar Mandal, said if the VAT was implemented it would cause great hardship to businessmen as well as common people. He said the officials of the Excise and Taxation Department had not been given any training to this effect. He said under these circumstances the VAT would also encourage corruption. He asked the state government to take the business community into confidence before implementing the VAT. Mr Baghla announced that all the business establishments in the state would remain closed on March 31 and April 1. |
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Vidhan Sabha to reassemble today Shimla, March 23 Besides adopting the motion of thanks on the Governor’s Address, the House will pass a supplementary Budget for 2002-03 and vote on account for the first quarter of the year 2003-04 during the session that will last till March 26. The new House was constituted on March 10 and adjourned next day till March 24.
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