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Corruption main plank of Cong, Power board targets large units ‘Tea town’ cries for attention Rape story concocted,
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Work on Chamera project (stage III) to begin soon Eye surgeon found murdered 71,000 jobs to be created through
industrialisation Lawyer among 4 arrested in murder case 3 killed in road mishaps 1 of marriage party killed, 36 injured Cabinet status for Sultanpuri 36 illegal mining cases registered
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Corruption main plank of Cong, says Virbhadra Hamirpur, February 9 He said the Congress would also highlight its achievements in the state. Mrs Anita Verma, MLA, was also present. He said the entry of Dhani Ram Shandil, a former HVC MP would help the Congress in the Shimla (Reserve) constituency. He, however, refused to confirm if Mr Shandil would get the ticket. It was for the party high command to decide, he added. He said the state government was considering a proposal to merge 50 per cent of the dearness allowance in the basic pay of government employees on the Central/Punjab pattern. He said the government would provide all facilities to the employees. The Chief Minister said he would ensure that all temples of the state which were covered by the Himachal Pradesh Religious Places Endowment Act were providing good facilities to the pilgrims. He said there was no need to have a state-level body to control the temples as the current set-up was adequate. Every panchayat would be provided a veterinary dispensary in a phased manner according to the Chief Minister. He was speaking on the occasion of the second State Level Conference of Animal Husbandry Employees Mahasangh at Hamirpur last evening. Initially one veterinary dispensary would cater to the needs of two panchayats and then the next step would be to provide dispensary in every panchayat. MANDI:
Mr Virbhadra Singh said all panchayats in the state would be linked by roads during the next four years.
He said the Congress government had taken note of the problems faced the Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and a board for their welfare had been constituted to mitigate their sufferings. The wages of daily workers had been enhanced from Rs 60 to Rs 65 and would be increased to Rs 75 as promised in the election manifesto of the Congress, he said. He announced upgradation of seven primary schools to middle schools besides upgradating girls school at Jogindernagar. He also announced that the PHC Ladbharol would be elevated to Community Health Centre with capacity of 30 beds. Thakur Kaul Singh, Irrigation and Public Health Minister, said Rs 62 crore would be spent on drinking water and irrigation in the Jogindernagar constituency during the current financial year and added that the work on the Ladbharol lift drinking water supply scheme, financed by NABARD, would be taken up soon on a war-footing.
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Power board targets large units Shimla, February 9 The maximum increase has been proposed for the industrial consumers. The tariff is sought to be revised from Rs 1.90 to Rs 3.25 per kVAh (kilo volt ampere hour) for large industries, Rs 2.35 to Rs 2.95 per kVAh for medium industries (low tension supply), Rs 2.25 to Rs 2.85 kVAh for medium industries (high tension supply) and Rs 2.35 to Rs 2.60 per unit for small-scale industries. The tariff for bulk consumers is proposed to be raised from Rs 2.35 to Rs 2.95 per kVAh for low-tension supply and from Rs 2.25 to Rs 2.85 per kVAh for high-tension supply. A new category of bulk consumers has been introduced which will be supplied power at Rs 4 per kVAh. No change has been proposed in the tariff for domestic consumers. The rate for monthly consumption up to 45 units will be 85 paise per unit, 46 to 150 units Rs 1.30 per unit and Rs 2.40 per unit beyond 150 units. Antyodaya families will continue to get power up to a monthly consumption of 45 units at 70 paise per unit and the tariff for agricultural pumping will remain at 50 paise per unit. The rate for power supplied for streetlights are proposed to be raised from Rs 2.35 to Rs 2.60 per unit and for temporary connection from Rs 5 to Rs 6 per unit. The average cost per unit will increase to Rs 3.18, an increase of about 30 per cent over the existing average rate. The board has projected a revenue requirement of Rs 1,366 crore and the revenue from sale of power at the existing tariff at Rs 1,009 crore. The overall deficit comes to Rs 356 crore. The projected revenue after the proposed hike has been estimated at Rs 1,235 crore, leaving a net deficit of Rs 130 crore which the board wants to be treated as regulatory asset to be recovered in future. The board is required to file application for the determination of tariff annually, however, it failed to do so for 2002-03 and 2003-04.
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‘Tea town’ cries for attention Palampur: Palampur, an important tourist centre also known as a “tea town”, is crying for attention. Palampur, which was earlier known as “Palam”, means a land of brave soldiers who had laid down their lives for the country. Major Som Nath (PVC), Capt Vikram Batra (PVC), Capt Saurabh Kalia and Major Sudheer Walia ( Ashok Chakra ) are among those who sacrificed their lives. But it is sad that various governments have extended step-motherly treatment to this town of brave soldiers. The town is devoid of all basic amenities. Potholed roads and streets, overflowing drains and contaminated drinking water speak volumes for its condition. Even though there has been a manifold increase in its population, the state government has failed to extend the municipal limits of the town. Only 10 per cent area inhabiting 4000 persons falls within the municipal limits. There is dire need for extension of the municipal limits. In fact, the town has become a victim of politics. The local Municipal Council is least bothered to improve the situation. Almost all interior streets are in bad shape. Drains overflow in the rainy season, making water collect on the streets. Roads and streets dug up for laying water supply pipes, telephone cables and sewerage pipes in Ghuggar, Tikka Aima and Bundla are yet to be repaired. The Ram Chowk-Palampur and Cinema roads leading to the town and the inter-state bus terminal are in bad shape where roads dug up for laying pipes a year ago have not been repaired by the PWD. However, the PWD, the Municipal Council and panchayats blame the Irrigation and Public Health authorities, who have not released funds for the repair of roads. Heaps of garbage can be seen in every nook and corner of the town, emitting a foul smell. In many areas, garbage is not removed for days together. The situation in internal parts of the town is no better as the panchayats have no resources to ensure cleanliness, resulting in huge garbage dumps on the roadside at Ghuggar, SSB Chowk, Aima, Bundla and Chokki Khalet. The situation in the municipal areas, too, is bad. Unplanned and haphazard construction of housing colonies in the town has become common. Since all these colonies have been coming up in the panchayat areas, these lack basic amenities like streetlights, roads, sewerage and drinking water supply. In the absence of any appropriate authority to keep a check on such activities, there has been a mushroom growth of colonies. Concrete jungles are coming up, turning this beautiful hill station into a slum. Although the state government has brought this town under the purview of the H.P. Town and Country Planning Act, it has failed to improve the situation. A number of houses and shops in the town have come up without approval of the Town and Country Planning Department. A parking structure and a shopping complex constructed by the local Municipal Council in the heart of the town are the latest examples where all norms laid down by the Town and Country Planning Department were violated. The Town and Country Planning Department failed to serve even a notice on the Municipal Council for the violations. Pigs and other stray animals can be seen roaming about freely in the town. These animals feed on heaps of garbage in different parts of the town. No efforts are made to impound these animals by the municipal authorities. The panchayat areas like Ghuggar, Sughar, Aima, Choki, Bindravan and Bundla are in bad shape even though 80 per cent of the population of the town resides there. A view of haphazard construction in Palampur. |
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Rape story concocted, says police Shimla, February 9 Sustained interrogation of the girl from Hoshiarpur, who lodged an FIR with the police on February 5 that she was raped by three persons at pistolpoint, revealed that she was used by fake travel agents to “fix” Parminder Singh, who was defrauded of Rs 3 lakh by them. The two fake agents, who ran a travel agency, had taken the money from him for arranging a visa for Parminder who wanted to go to Germany. Investigations furthers revealed that Parminder, Sukhdev and Sanjiv Walia, who were named in the FIR, never came to Shimla. The fact was that the two agents, whose identity the police did not want to disclose, had stayed with the girl from February 1 to 4 after booking the rooms in the name of the person mentioned in the FIR. Besides Parminder, they also wanted to fix Mr Sanjiv Kalia and Mr Sukh Dev, who had helped the Punjab police in arresting them in some other case. Mr Yog Raj Thakur, Superintendent of Police, said the girl who was employed by the agents was promised a job in Australia. The motive of the agents was to implicate respectable persons and the rape story was a farce, he added. He said the police was in touch with the Punjab Police and the two fake agents, who were suspected to have defrauded many people, would be arrested soon. |
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Work on Chamera project (stage III) to begin soon Chamba, February 9 Addressing a press conference at the Chamera Sadan here today, Mr Yogendra Prasad, Chairman and Managing Director of the NHPC, said Chamera-III would cost about Rs 1,347 crore as per the April 2003 price level. The project was scheduled to be completed within 5 years. The project would generate 1104.53 million units of power annually in 90 per cent dependable year, which would be fed to the northern grid for distribution to Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan. He said work on the 520 MW Parbati hydel project (stage-III) in Kulu district would be taken up soon. Similarly, work on the 2000 MW Subansiri Upper in Arunachal Pradesh had also been started, he said. He said the NHPC was dedicated to harnessing the hydel power potential of the country estimated to be 1,50,000 MW, of which nearly 18 per cent had been developed so far. He said the allocation of Rs 32,226 crore to the NHPC by the Planning Commission for the Tenth five-year Plan was an increase of 500 per cent in comparison to the Eleventh five-year Plan. Government approval had been received for increasing the authorised share capital to Rs 15,000 crore from the present Rs 10,000 crore. |
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Eye surgeon found murdered Solan, February 9 The murder came to light this morning after the maid of the doctor became suspicious when no one answered her doorbell for the second consecutive day. She informed the neighbours, who then called the police. Doctor was found lying in a pool of blood by the police. She was learnt to be living alone and had been serving at the hospital for the past more than six years. The Superintendent of Police, Mr Abhishek Trivedi, who visited the spot, said investigation had revealed that no forced entry had been made into the house and it could be the work of someone known to the doctor. With empty jewellery boxes found from the spot in addition to cheque books, the police suspects money as the motive behind the killing. A case of has been registered. A team of forensic experts from the Forensic Science Laboratory, Junga, and the IGMC, Shimla, visited the spot today. They lifted fingerprints and conducted investigations. The body was taken to the IGMC for a post-mortem. A dog squad was summoned from Shimla to assist in the matter. This is the second case where a woman has been found murdered at her residence in Solan in less than a year. |
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71,000 jobs to be
created through industrialisation Dharamsala, February 9 Mr Thakur said the new industrial policy would give a big boost to industrialisation in the state. He said the single-window system introduced recently was proving to be a big attraction, and during a meeting with representatives of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi recently, 200 new large and medium industrial units were approved with an investment of Rs 3700 crore. He said in the next financial year, Rs 15000 crore would be invested in the state and the new industrial units would provide jobs to 71,000 youths. The minister later visited the SAI complex being built here. He expressed his dissatisfaction with the work of the PWD, which is responsible for making athletics track and asked the authorities to complete the work soon. He was assured by the officials of the state Housing Board that the SAI complex would be ready within a year.
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Lawyer among 4 arrested in murder case Mandi, February 9 They had allegedly stabbed Rohit and Sandip Rana on Friday at the bus stand. Rohit died on the way to hospital while Rana was seriously injured. The attackers had fled on a motor cycle to nearby Majharu village. They threw the murder weapon in a khud and hid in a forest near Ghatta, 15 km from Jogindernagar. The police nabbed two of them from their hideout. The lawyer was arrested in Jogindernagar. The fourth suspect was caught by a mob and handed over to the police after beating him up. The mob had earlier ransacked the office of the advocate and bunt his files and library. |
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3 killed in road mishaps Kangra, February 9 Rajeev Katoch, who was driving a tractor at Gandair under the Lambagon police station, was crushed to death on the spot last evening when his tractor overturned and he came under it. Sonu, a Nepalese, was killed on the spot and two others were injured when a tractor overturned at Jangoan under the Shahpur police station yesterday. He said a 28-year-old housewife, Raj Kumari, a resident of Nareetee, died on the spot on the Pathankot-Mandi Highway near Rajol last evening when the motor cycle she was pillion-riding with her husband was hit by a truck. Ranjeet Kumar, her husband, was injured in the accident. One person was injured after being hit by a car last evening at Nagrota Bagwan under the Kangra police station.
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1 of marriage party killed, 36 injured Mandi, February 9 The injured were taken to the Civil Hospital at Kotli where, according to eye witness, there was no doctor to attend to them. Sixteen of the injured were then taken to the Zonal Hospital. The condition of four of the injured is stated to be serious.
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Cabinet status for Sultanpuri Shimla, February 9 The development is an indication that Mr Sultanpuri may not be nominated as the party candidate from Shimla in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections and the party will field Dr
D.R. Shandil, who quit the Himachal Vikas Congress and joined the Congress last week. |
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36 illegal mining cases registered Sundernagar, February 9 On Saturday the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, had taken note of the illegal mining operations in the valley. Notification in this regard was issued in the Kasha chowk area and Suketi khud on Saturday evening. Cases were registered against persons transporting gravel and sand without valid mining permits.
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