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Virbhadra’s statement unfortunate, says Shanta
BJP condemns sack of 1500 panchayat assistants Ex-servicemen dismayed
with politicians |
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Printers allege irregularities in
grant of tenders Panchayat’s plea to HC against pollution
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Virbhadra’s statement unfortunate, says Shanta Hamirpur, April 27 Addressing an election meeting here last night, Mr Shanta Kumar claimed that the Congress was a divided house and it would be routed badly. He described the allegations of the Chief Minister that the Centre was discriminating against the state as unfortunate. He claimed that the Prime Minister had been helping the state even after the BJP had lost the Assembly elections. The BJP leader castigated Mr Virbhadra Singh for raising the bogey of regionalism and casteim. He said the Congress was raising these issues only to remain in power. He said local issues like water shortage were bound to hit the common man and the Congress would have to reply to the people for its failure on these issues. Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman, MLA, highlighted achievements of the previous government and criticised the state government for doing nothing during the past 14 months.
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BJP condemns sack of 1500 panchayat assistants Chamba, April 27 He condemned for power tariff hike which burdened the rural population.
Mr Kapoor said that the Congress government had reduced sugar quota from
one kg to 700 gram. Mr Kapoor lashed out at the Congress government, for reversing the decision of the previous BJP government on the opening of Government colleges at Tissa and
Bharmour. The Churah area of Chamba district was being deprived of facilities of education, health, roads network, water and other basic amenities,
Mr Kapoor alleged. |
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Ex-servicemen dismayed
with politicians With an alarmingly high unemployment figure of 11 lakh, joining the Army continues to be the biggest attraction as well as compulsion for the youth of the hill state, which has a few industries. The districts of Kangra, Hamirpur, Mandi and Una have the highest number of serving as well as retired defence personnel. With election time once again, the politicians have started wooing this section, who, along with their families, constitute a major chunk of the electorate. While the state has more than 89,500 ex-servicemen, there are more than 1.18 lakh serving personnel. Besides, there are more than 22,500 widows of defence officials. The ex-servicemen are perturbed at the failure of the government in granting their long-standing “one rank one pension” demand and a hike in their pension as recommended by the Fifth Pay Commission. BJP leader and then Chairman of the Standing Committee on Defence, Madan Lal Khurana had assured ex-servicemen at Dharamsala last year that the government had decided to implement the “one rank one pension” scheme. A senior minister in the Virbhadra government and a former Army officer, Mr Vijay Singh Mankotia, said the Congress would take up the issue of giving a special recruitment dispensation to the state. “With recruitment being linked to population, Himachal’s share has been reduced drastically. So, the share of the southern states, which remains unfulfilled, can be transferred to Himachal Pradesh,” he said. Number of Ex-servicemen in Himachal Pradesh – 89,559
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Printers allege
irregularities in grant of tenders Solan, April 27 The Additional Secretary, Education, Mr Katwal, who received a copy of the complaint yesterday, said he would look into the matter. While alleging favouritism, the printers, including Bhambari Printers, Super Multi-color printers, Paradise Printers, Peco Printing Press, Vardhman Associates and Azad Hind Offset Printers, all from Chandigarh, have stated that Delhi-based Laserjet Printers was awarded the tender. The advertisement, which appeared in newspapers on April 10, gave the bidders barely two days to apply as April 11, 13, 14 and 15 were holidays. Though the tenders were opened in the presence of all bidders, the rates of Laserjet Printers were allegedly changed from Rs 12,000 to Rs 9,950. The printers resented that this was done to favour the Delhi-based printer. The Principal of the SCERT and committee head, Dr Narender Awasthi, while refuting these allegations, said prior to the opening of the tenders, a section of printers had approached him to change some of the conditions. This included provision of perfect binding and use of Andhra Maplitho 80 GSM paper. He said there were 11 applicants in all. While one application was rejected on account of depositing the earnest money of Rs 1.25 lakh by a cheque and non-matching of good quality paper as required, another printer’s application was rejected for not depositing the earnest money. This left nine competitors and further scrutiny of their applications revealed that three printers, Bhambri Printers, Paradise Printers and Super Multi-color Printers had quoted identical rates. This point was also raised by other printers who later lodged a written protest with the committee, seeking the cancellation of their tenders on the plea of violating Clause 10 of the contract. The three had allegedly divided the tender among themselves with a view to securing the Rs 55 lakh printing contract. The Principal further revealed that due to some clerical errors, some corrections were made in the tender forms of Laserjet Printers and some others. He asserted that the original quoted rates were not changed and the exercise only rectified the inadvertent errors. These changes, too, were made known to all, he added. While asserting that total transparency was maintained in the award of tenders, Dr Awasthi maintained that the competing printers tried all possible means to get some norms relaxed by the committee, but having failed in getting the tender, they were now raising baseless issues. |
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Panchayat’s plea to HC against pollution Sundernagar, April 27 The resolution was passed under the presidentship of Mrs Sundri Thakur , President Batwari Gram Panchyat. The resolution said that 90 per cent of 126 M.W Larjee hydel project was under this Panchayat where construction was going on for the past many years. The Projects authorities awarded the works. To Shankar Narain Construction Company and Continental Constructions, which were using heavy machinery and blasting for mining the area. Two crushers were also installed and the muck was being dumped in the forest areas due to which heavy pollution was caused. Many houses have been damaged due to blasting, and 15 sources of natural water had dried up, due to dust caused by the project work. Health of residents of the area and animals was deteriorating and some of animals had died due to pollution. Residents of this area have not got any crop, and grazing sites and fodder trees have been destroyed. The Project authorities have been dumping the muck along the Beas river in forest area up to four kilometres length. Most of the times the muck is thrown direct into Beas. Many trees and funeral sites got buried under the muck thrown by project authorities. The Panchayat brought this matter to notice of the department concerned, the D.C. Mandi and representatives including Chief Ministers of the state but no action was taken. The Panchayat has sent resolution to Chief Justice praying for necessary directions to redress grievance of the area. It was also prayed that residents of this area were poor people. |
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One killed in forest fire Solan, April 27 His body was spotted by some villagers who informed forest officials. The body was handed over to his family members after a post-mortem examination. In another incident, two head of cattle perished in a fire that broke out in a cowshed at Kudawalan village.
— UNI |
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People warned against crossing Ravi Chamba, April 27 He said the stretch of the Ravi between the dam site at Bagga and Karian was not a dry river and the gates of the dam could be opened anytime without any prior notice. He also advised people not to graze their cattle along the riverbed.
— PTI |
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Hamirpur, April 27