H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

5 pilgrims die in mishap
Hamirpur, April 9
Five persons were killed and 21 injured when the truck they were travelling in overturned at Amroh village in this district last night. All persons were from Jalandhar and they were going to the Jwalaji temple after paying obeisance at the Baba Balak Nath temple in Deorsidh.

CAG report indicts dept on failure to utilise funds
Shimla, April 9
Defective budgeting, irregular utilisation of manpower and failure in availing funds worth crores by the Health and Family Welfare Department deprived people of healthcare benefits, as the goal of “Health for all by 2000 AD” could not be achieved.

Calls by Kashmiris being monitored
Solan, April 9
The district police has instructed all its police posts and police stations to procure a list of Kashmiri youth making international calls through their cell phones. The Superintendent of Police has issued instructions to all police stations to procure details of all such calls from BSNL.

Faulty motors disrupt water supply
Parwanoo, April 9
The Irrigation and Public Health failure of the department to replace faulty motors has continued to affect the water supply to the Banasar panchayat area. The water supply to this panchayat which is a quite backward panchayat of Dharampur block in Solan district, was to be supplied through a three-stage based water-lifting scheme from Kaushalya khud.

Complaint lodged against post office staff
Solan, April 9
A resident of Basaal yesterday lodged a complaint that he was cheated of his money when he left his securing deposit pass book (account No. 94717) at the Chambaghat post office.

Pulse polio drive on April 10
Palampur, April 9
The polio virus transmission would be completely checked by the year end in the state if serious efforts are made for the successful implementation of the pulse polio immunisation programme to be held on April 10 and May 15. This was stated by Dr H.K. Vasisth, Block Medical Officer and in charge of the pulse polio immunisation programme for the region.

Kalia takes over as interim VC
Palampur, April 9
Dr Manoranjan Kalia, Dean College of Home Sciences took over as interim Vice-Chancellor of HP Agricultural University (HPAU) here today. Dr Kalia is senior-most faculty member. He joined the university in November 1979, as Associate Professor cum principal investigator of the All-India Coordinated Research Project on Post Harvest Technology.

Chief Justice hurt in road mishap
Solan, April 9
The Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court and his staff sustained injuries when a Maruti Alto (HP-33-7271) hit his pilot vehicle near the Timber Trail resorts near Parwanoo yesterday.

Plots auctioned
Solan, April 9
The state Housing and Urban Development Authority auctioned 10 industrial plots for Rs 4 crore at Baddi yesterday. Major investors were pharmaceutical firms which came forward in a big way. 

5 pilgrims die in mishap
Vibhor Mohan
Tribune News Service

Hamirpur, April 9
Five persons were killed and 21 injured when the truck they were travelling in overturned at Amroh village in this district last night. All persons were from Jalandhar and they were going to the Jwalaji temple after paying obeisance at the Baba Balak Nath temple in Deorsidh.

The accident happened on the national highway, near Nadaun. While four persons died on the spot, one succumbed to his injuries at the local zonal hospital. Their names are Kalu, Mahinder Singh, Kukki Singh, Amarjit Singh and Buta Singh.

The driver of the truck, Babbi, has absconded and a case under Sections 304-A, 279 and 337 has been registered against him. While 21 persons were admitted to the hospital, 33 were discharged after first aid.

According to certain passengers, the driver seemed to have dozed off and lost control over the truck. Between 55 and 60 persons were aboard the truck, most of them belong to Haripur village, Adampur subdivision, Jalandhar district.

Meanwhile, Mr Daljit Thakur, SP, said the vehicles, other than those meant for passengers, carrying devotees in large numbers would be checked to prevent such an accident.

“With the mela on at the Balak Nath temple, scores of devotees are visiting other temples as well in view of Navratras. They should not travel jam packed in trucks. Because of the hilly terrain, it is all the more risky here,” he said.

“Most of the people visiting a dozen temples in the area come stacked in trucks”, said Mr Thakur.

CAG report indicts dept on failure to utilise funds
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 9
Defective budgeting, irregular utilisation of manpower and failure in availing funds worth crores by the Health and Family Welfare Department deprived people of healthcare benefits, as the goal of “Health for all by 2000 AD” could not be achieved.

These are observations made in the latest Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report while reviewing the performance of the Health and Family Welfare Department for the period 1999-2004. A sum of Rs 5 crore, sanctioned to the HP Health System Corporation in October 2000 for infrastructure improvement, remained unutilised as no infrastructure was created and the amount was finally transferred to the HP Infrastructure Development Board in January 2002.

Out of a sum of Rs 19 crore received by the state under the Pradhan Mantri’s Gramodaya Yojna, Rs 8.96 crore got lapsed due to the non-finalisation of the tender policy for the purchase of equipment and machinery. The CAG reports while stating that the reason cited for the lapse of the money was not tenable, remarked that effective and timely monitoring at each stage of the project was not done.

The CAG report also points out to the unauthorised diversion of Rs 7.60 lakh for the purchase of equipment for the non-functional Mental Health Hospital at Shimla. An investment of Rs 2.17 crore made on the construction of the State Mental Hospital also remained idle, as the institute could not be made functional for want of a psychiatrist and related staff.

The failure of the department in engaging beldars for undertaking spray of DDT provided under the National Anti Malaria Programme, resulted in the expiry of DDT worth Rs 44 lakh. As a result, there was no DDT spray in the malaria-prone areas in 2002 and 2003. 1,061 bags of DDT were wasted during this time.

The staff at the training schools for nursing and male and female multi-purpose health workers remained idle, as despite 1,203 posts in these categories remaining vacant, no candidates were sponsored by the government between August 2001 to March 2004. As such a sum of Rs 78.13 lakh was drawn by the idle staff as infructuous salary.

The CAG report also points out to the postings and vacancies, which ultimately affected health services being rendered by the department. Four doctors and 34 paramedic, deployed over and above the sanctioned strength were paid Rs 1.02 crore as salary against vacant posts of other institutions. A total of 3,276 posts under 19 categories remained vacant, affecting healthcare services.

There is also mention of machinery and equipment worth Rs 1.10 crore which had been lying idle for a period ranging between one to 15 years at various hospitals in the state. The Chief Medical Officers concerned have admitted that due to the machinery lying idle, the patients were denied the desired benefits.

The department also failed to meet targets in respect of pre-natal and child mortality rates, along with shortfall in immunization status in case of tetanus for pregnant women and schoolchildren.

Calls by Kashmiris being monitored
Ambika Sharma

Solan, April 9
The district police has instructed all its police posts and police stations to procure a list of Kashmiri youth making international calls through their cell phones. The Superintendent of Police has issued instructions to all police stations to procure details of all such calls from BSNL.

The step has been taken after reports of circulation of fake currency were received from state intelligence agencies. Routine information about the number of Kashmiri youth staying in various parts of the district along with their occupations were being duly monitored by police men, revealed sources in the Police Department. The probability of Kashmiri youth indulging in fake currency business had been confirmed after Rafiq Muhammad, hailing from Kupwara had been nabbed by the police here on August 23 last year. Fake currency to the tune of Rs 13,000 was also seized from his possession. This youth had confessed to links with a Pakistani based militant group which had entrusted him the job of circulating fake currency in Himachal.

The state’s intelligence agencies had reportedly indicated that Kashmiri youth were operating surreptitiously through cell phones. The police has therefore been directed to probe the destinations of such calls and identify their callers.

Faulty motors disrupt water supply
Our Correspondent

Parwanoo, April 9
The Irrigation and Public Health failure of the department to replace faulty motors has continued to affect the water supply to the Banasar panchayat area. The water supply to this panchayat which is a quite backward panchayat of Dharampur block in Solan district, was to be supplied through a three-stage based water-lifting scheme from Kaushalya khud. Two water-lifting motors have been installed at base of scheme along the khud and upstream area of Chambi and Manjhol, respectively.

As many as the 1000 residents residing in Shogi, Shewla, Shawnouli, Naya Gram, Banasar, Takrota, Jaathiyan, Sandhog, Lohardee, Mehlon, Dhagota, Sheri and Bach Ka Khach villages of panchayat are dependent upon the water scheme for their potable water requirement. Few villages of Chammu panchayat too are covered by the water scheme. The snags happen quite often in old pumps and cause the disruption in water supply. It takes week and in some cases even over month for department to repair the faulty pumps, rued Mr Upendra Sharma, Sarpanch of Banasar panchayat.

Despite of the snag in pumps the department had not replaced the faulty pumps with new one, he said. The panchayat had even suggested the department to recover the expense for purchase of new pumps from the panchayat but of no avail, he pointed.

During the snag in pumps the villagers had to trudge miles to collected potable water. At times the villagers used unclean water. Fed up with the indifferent attitude of the department the panchayat had passed a resolution and forwarded it to IPH Minister for necessary action. The IPH minister then directed the Superintendent Engineer of IPH to improve the situation by replacing the old pumps with new ones. But over a month and half has passed since the direction was given by minister but till date nothing has been made to improve the situation, lamented Mr Upendra.

Complaint lodged against post office staff
Our Correspondent

Solan, April 9
A resident of Basaal yesterday lodged a complaint that he was cheated of his money when he left his securing deposit pass book (account No. 94717) at the Chambaghat post office.

The complainant in a letter to the Superintendent of the local post office has stated that post office employees asked him to leave the pass book with them on March 23 when he had gone to deposit the monthly instalment. Since there was a lot of rush at the post office, he decided to leave the pass book there as directed. He further stated that when he returned on March 30 he found one copy missing. On April 5 he again visited the office to get the pass book but it was not available. Finally when he received it on April 5 he found some money withdrawal which he had not made. Unable to convince the officials, he lodged a complaint with the Superintendent here yesterday.

Pulse polio drive on April 10
Our Correspondent

Palampur, April 9
The polio virus transmission would be completely checked by the year end in the state if serious efforts are made for the successful implementation of the pulse polio immunisation programme to be held on April 10 and May 15. This was stated by Dr H.K. Vasisth, Block Medical Officer and in charge of the pulse polio immunisation programme for the region.

Addressing medical officers, supervisory staff and officials of various other departments here today, Dr Vasisth said concerted efforts and commitment of the staff involved in the programme would be able to achieve the target.

He stated that in the past eight years not even a single case of polio had been detected in the state. There should be no slackness on our part as the movement of migratory labour from the high-risk areas of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar was increasing in the state, he added.

He said over 100 polio booths had been set up in and around Palampur for the purpose.

Kalia takes over as interim VC
Our Correspondent

Palampur, April 9
Dr Manoranjan Kalia, Dean College of Home Sciences took over as interim Vice-Chancellor of HP Agricultural University (HPAU) here today. Dr Kalia is senior-most faculty member. He joined the university in November 1979, as Associate Professor cum principal investigator of the All-India Coordinated Research Project on Post Harvest Technology.

He has been Director of Research and Quality Assurance in Akron Ohio, the USA. He did his doctorate in food science and technology from Ohio State University the USA, in 1973.

Chief Justice hurt in road mishap
Our Correspondent

Solan, April 9
The Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court and his staff sustained injuries when a Maruti Alto (HP-33-7271) hit his pilot vehicle near the Timber Trail resorts near Parwanoo yesterday.

The vehicle carrying the Chief Justice, which was on way to Kasauli from Parwanoo, was also damaged in the accident.

The erring car driver, Anup Vaid, was arrested later and a case under Sections 279 and 337 of the IPC was registered against him.

Plots auctioned
Our Correspondent

Solan, April 9
The state Housing and Urban Development Authority auctioned 10 industrial plots for Rs 4 crore at Baddi yesterday. Major investors were pharmaceutical firms which came forward in a big way. 

The plots measuring 1,000-3000 sq. mit were pegged at Rs 2,000 -2,200 per sq.mt. The highest auction to the tune of Rs 2,890 while the lowest remained at Rs 2200. Two plots, however, could not be auctioned as they were not properly demarcated .

The auctions was conducted in the presence of CEO-cum-secretary of the authority, Mr Y.R. Sharma, G.M. District Industries Centre, Mr Lokender Chauhan and the local XEN of the authority.