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Service
panel chief meets Governor Himachal
orders probe into BJP to
approach Centre against Ministers
not shying away from poll: Bali |
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CM
ridicules Dhumal’s statement Dhumal
accuses govt of vendetta Dr
Sudha’s murder case still unsolved Varsity
move to fell trees draws flak Buddhist
works translated Help
needy, NGOs told Residents
sore over slow progress of project
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Service panel chief meets Governor Shimla, February 16 The meeting has come in the wake of the ultimatum given by Mr Virbhadra Singh, that Mr Sharma should either quit the office or be prepared to face a vigilance probe. This is for the second time that Mr Sharma had met the Governor. He has been maintaining that the commission had nothing to hide but it would handover records only if sought by an authorised agency, which meant the Governor. Meanwhile, with Mr Sharma, in no mood to step down from the office, the government will have to approach the Governor to order an inquiry into the allegation of irregularities in the selection of assistant engineers. The commission was an autonomous constitutional body and as such the government could not directly interfere in its affairs. It will have to use the good offices of the Governor as it did in the case of Himachal Pradesh University. The issue had brought the government and Raj Bhavan on the verge of confrontation. Ultimately, the government registered a vigilance case against Dr S.D. Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, who subsequently resigned and the Governor also instituted two separate inquiries. The university act was amended to empower the government to probe the affairs of the university. The situation is different this time as the commission is a constitutional body. The government could act only through the Governor. Official sources said while the government was confident that the governor would not have any reservation in ordering an inquiry as the credibility of a constitutional body was at stake. However, in case the alleged irregularities were of criminal nature, a case could be registered straight away. The government does not foresee any problems in getting an inquiry ordered into the matter. More so, because another confrontation between the Raj Bhavan and the government will provide a potent election issue to the Congress for the Lok Sabha poll. |
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Himachal orders probe into recruitment scam Shimla, February 16 Giving this information here yesterday, Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, said some officers recruited workers in violation of the norms and rules just to please the former PWD Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh, in his home division. He said more than 3,700 workers were recruited even though the workload justified strength of 700 workmen only. They were deliberately not given a break after 89 days as was being done in other divisions. As a result, the department was spending over Rs 6 crore, the entire budget of the 10 Assembly constituencies of Mandi district, on just one segment. The government had to retrench some of the surplus manpower. The retrenched workers had been given a compensation of Rs 92 lakh in accordance with the provisions of law. |
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BJP to approach Centre against shifting of IRB Sujanpur Tihra, February 16 Mr Dhumal said the battalion was raised at Jangel Beri to develop the satellite town of Sujanpur Tihra and the remote areas of the Jangel Beri and Khairi gram panchayats. He said Hamirpur and Bamsan mandals of the BJP had already opposed its shifting from the present place and had decided to launch an agitation if any such step was taken by the Congress government. Mr Vinod Thakur, general secretary, district BJP, Mr Rajendra Rana, district media in charge were also present at the press conference. The BJP leader said the “feel-good” factor of the BJP would prove to be a feel bad factor for the Congress. He listed various achievement of the Central Government led by Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee during its rule. Mr Dhumal said the positive performance of the Vajpayee government at Centre and the negative performance of Virbhadra Singh government would be poll plank of the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha elections. |
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Ministers not
shying away from poll: Bali Shimla, February
16 Addressing a
press conference here, he said there was no truth in reports that
ministers were shying away from contesting elections. He said the
party was in a strong position in the state and would win all the four
seats. The clean image of Mr Virbhadra Singh and the transparent and
corruption free governance were the main factors which provided a
cutting edge to the Congress. Things were so bad that some BJP
ministers had accused their own government of indulging in corruption
and nepotism. No inquiry was conducted during the BJP regime into the
charges which were never withdrawn. The situation was no better at
the Centre and the national president of the BJP and ministers had
been caught red handed while accepting bribes. Yet the party was
harping on feel good factor. He said the BJP’s claim that it
achieved more during its five years than the Congress did in 50 years
was too much to swallow. The people knew well that Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru, Mr Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, laid
the strong foundation of heavy industries, brought about the green
revolution, made India a nuclear power and set up various public
sector undertakings. The BJP, on the contrary was selling off
state’s assets in the garb of privatisation. Its economic policies
had spelt disaster with interest rates plunging to 5 per cent. The BJP
was forced to bank upon the likes of Ms Jayalalitha and Ms Mamata
Banerji, who brought down the government four years ago. |
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CM ridicules Dhumal’s statement Shimla, February 16 In a strongly worded rejoinder he said it did not behove a former Chief Minister to make such remarks. He said he would consider himself extremely fortunate if the soul of Ms Gandhi could enter his body but added that such statements could only be made by a person haunted by the ghost of Telgi. He reminded Mr Dhumal that the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had himself described Ms Gandhi as the ‘Goddess Durga’. Mr Dhumal should show some consideration for the views of his senior leaders. The Chief Minister said such outbursts were unexpected from a leader who had been ousted from power. |
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Dhumal accuses govt of vendetta Hamirpur, February 16 At a meeting at Lag Devi village in the interiors of Bamsan assembly segment of the district today, he appealed to people to reject the Congress party in the Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, Mr Dhumal inaugurated two-rooms of a school, here which were constructed under the Vikas Main Jan Sahyog Programme. |
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Dr Sudha’s murder case still unsolved Solan, February 16 Though the police claims to be working on different leads nothing conclusive has as yet been ascertained which could provide them a clue about the brutal murder. The SP, Mr Abhishek Trivedi, said not much had been revealed by the preliminary post-mortem report. Having established that the murder was executed with a sharp-edged weapon the only inference being drawn was that it was a planned murder. The police was awaiting the forensic report of hair and blood samples lifted from the site. These samples have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory at Junga. Due to stained relations with her husband Dr Sudha lived alone in her Basaal residence while her husband worked in a local hotel. Sources in the hospital revealed that Dr Sudha had withdrawn some advance from her GPF some days ago. Her husband had inquired about the amount, the sources added. Those close to the family revealed that they were trying to ascertain whether a will was made by the doctor. The document was, however, untraceable. She was also constructing a house here. The police had interrogated three persons, including two youth from Patiala and the owner of a local hotel where the husband of Dr Sudha works. Though some calls were traced to have been made from Dr Sudha’s house to these men on the day the murder was executed but this has not established any link to the gruesome murder. The police, however, found jewellery and six keys from the bank’s locker of Dr Sudha. |
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Varsity move to fell trees draws flak Solan, February 16 Facing a financial crisis, the university has been time and again directed by the state government to generate income. Unable to generate adequate sources, the university decided to axe the trees on its campus and generate funds. The university is reeling under a deficit of more than Rs 6.5 crore. The advertisement is in the form of a tender notice, inviting quotations from experienced and registered contractors/firms and forest-based industries for buying 705 trees of non-timber species and another 1,083 of timber species. Issued on behalf of the Director (Research), the applicants are required to apply on or before February 20. Dr Negi said being a research-oriented university, the measure was aimed at studying the biomass of the trees, adding that the trees did not have much economic value. Denying that it was being done to generate funds, he said species like khair and tuni, besides other broad-leaved species, would be felled and suitable plantation would be undertaken. The Director (Research), Dr K.K. Jindal, who also endorsed the Vice-Chancellor’s views said the trees yielded poor quality timber and hence had little value. He said aspects like shoot length, top to root ratio, quantity of biomass, etc could only be studied after cutting the trees. He said it was a cyclic process and if the trees were not felled now, they would have to wait for another 10-15 years for the axing. The university has to achieve its target of generating Rs 3.37 crore as income in the current financial year. The tenders too have been invited within a week. A clearance has been obtained from the Ministry of Environment and Forests for felling the trees for research purposes. The permission, however, took about three years. It flouts the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Mr R.A. Singh, said it was aimed at conducting research and a forestry university could carry out research. With the state already falling short of bringing 60 per cent area under forest cover, this move will only embolden others, environmentalists feel. Forest Minister, Chander Kumar and Secretary Forests J.P. Negi were not available for comments despite repeated attempts. |
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Dharamsala, February 16 It was only 150 years ago when Buddhist texts were first translated into English ever since the Buddhist teachings began to be followed about 2,400 years ago. According to Tibetan sources here, the Dalai Lama will speak on the topic at a presentation function in Los Angeles from April 13 to 15. Mr Blumenthal’s translation of the work will be given to attendees. Translating the work, which is in a tight verse form of 60 stanzas of four lines each, is not easy. Not only did Mr Blumenthal have to have a firm grasp of classical Tibetan language, he had to read between the lines and understand the philosophical and religious under-pinnings of the work in order to accurately translate it, the sources added. The sources said the translated work originally was written in Sanskrit, but translated into Tibetan language in the eighth century. The Tibetan translators tried to keep the original Sanskrit verse structure, but in doing so made the Tibetan version extremely challenging to read because words are dropped and syllables chopped in order to keep the rhythm of the original work.
— UNI |
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Help needy, NGOs told Una, February 16 He said the gap between developed and developing countries was widening day by day and to overcome the gap the developing countries must try to improve their economical condition. He called upon people to spread teachings of Mahatma Gandhi which was still relevant in the present day context to control arm race and spread peace. On the occasion, the Parishad honoured Lt Triveni Singh (Ashok Chakra posthumously) for his dedication. Dr Balraj Komal for literature, Mahashay Gokul Chand for social service. Ravi Kashyap for education, Captain Mridul Sharma (posthumously) for gallantry, Durlabh Singh Puri for environment and the Amar Joyti Organisation for best NGO. Dr Aruna Goel and J.N. Barowalia were also honoured. Himachal Shree awards had been given to Justice
(retd) Kamlesh Sharma, Dr Harender Raj Gautem, Anal Patarwal, Dharam Singh Dhiman, Krishan Kumar Nutan, the Chetna NGO and the Hati Kisan Sang, Sirmour. Sixty five toppers from Himachal University, Shimla, were also honoured, besides this parishad provided scholarship worth 1.25 to 317 students from economically weaker sections. Earlier, Kanwar Hari Singh, Chairman of the Himotkarsh Parishad, said the parishad was constructing women college in the name of Lala Jagat Narayan for which Rs 44.8 lakh had been spent and this college would start functioning from next academic session. |
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Residents sore over slow progress of project Nurpur, February 16 Mr Shanta Kumar, MP, Kangra parliamentary constituency and former Union Minister, and HUDCO had adopted this gram panchayat on December 10, 2001, and decided to spend Rs 35 lakh on its development. However, enquiries reveal that Rs 4 lakh had been spent on the project so far. According to information, three community centres were proposed to be constructed but only one centre has so far come up at Nullah village. The centres at Kayla and Bharnu villages have been hanging fire. Similarly, 12 houses were proposed for poor residents of the villages but not a single house has been constructed. A retired teacher, Mr Sukh Ram Sharma of Kayla village, had handed over 2.5 kanals to the state government for this purpose. A veterinary dispensary was proposed for Kayla village but not even a single brick was laid by the government agency concerned. Pushpa Devi of this village has donated 1.5 kanal for constructing a government school which is yet to start. In May 2002 a government primary school was started in the village but the work was stopped within two months. |
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