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Non-profit making units to be merged
Porn CD case tip of iceberg
HP poised to achieve 100 pc literacy
Mankotia talks to PM on ex-servicemen’s issues
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Dalai Lama inaugurates monastery
Summer woes begin with rationing of water
National
Technology Day celebrated
Anita Verma inspects hospital
Lawyers to decide move against tax by May 17
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Non-profit making units to be merged
Shimla, May 11 To begin with the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation, the Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation, the Minorities Development Corporation and the Women Development wing are being amalgamated. These undertakings were engaged in advancing loans to members various communities for starting their own ventures. The Welfare Department has been asked to submit a proposal in this regard. Besides affecting the economy, the merger will improve the efficiency as these undertakings as they were making do with a skeletal staff all these years. Only the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation had field units and the other three units depended on it for their field activities, senior officers claimed. There is also a proposal to amalgamate HPMC, Agro Industrial Packaging India Limited and the State Agro Industries Corporation which are engaged in agriculture-related activities like the supply of farm inputs and procurement of fruit. However, there is a thinking in the government that the merger of the Agro Industrial Packaging, which had accumulated losses of Rs 45 crore, would not serve the purpose as its increasing losses would lead to the collapse of the unit in which it would be merged. The government is keen to lease out the packaging unit to a private party so that a part of the losses could be recovered. The tendering process to lease out the unit has already started. The exercise is being undertaken for the second time. There was no response to the tenders floated earlier. In case the effort to lease out the unit succeeds, then the surplus staff will be adjusted elsewhere and only two corporations will be merged. As many as 18 out of the 23 public sector undertakings have been perpetually in the red and the aggregate losses touched Rs 817 crore as on March 31,2004. The total investment on these units is Rs 3,683 crore , including equity share of Rs 715 crore, but government is not getting any returns. |
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Porn CD case tip of iceberg
Shimla, May 11 Though the police investigations into the CD case are still on, serious apprehensions are being expressed about the involvement of a large number of people who could be involved in a bigger racket. As the police is still struggling to get to those involved in the pornographic CD case, there has been little headway in the investigations. Even though a case under Section 292 of the IPC has been registered after the CID wing handed over these CD’s to the local police, nobody has so far been named in the
case. The police is yet to question the girls who have featured in the CDs and mostly hail from in and around the town. Raids have been conducted on computer centres to ascertain where the CDs were made and circulated. What has come to the fore is just the tip of the iceberg as much more happens here, with the heavy rush of tourists during the peak summer season further opening up opportunities for those engaged in this sleaze business,” admits a hotelier. The arrest of four Delhi girls from a hotel near Naldehra, who had been specially brought in to entertain the participants at a dealers meet organised by a private firm, has established beyond doubt that many hotels and guest houses are being used for this purpose. A survey undertaken by a local NGO had indicated towards the presence of mobile brothels operating in the town, especially during the tourist season. It had pointed out that many women from outside the state operated in this flesh trade racket, with most of the deals being done over the mobile phones along with frequent change of venue. “We are still awaiting the results of the forensic analysis, after which we will be able to book the real culprit,” said the SSP, Mr J.R. Thakur. Regarding the involvement of a number of local girls in a bigger racket, churning out pornographic CDs he said nothing could be said at this stage as investigations were still on. Taking a serious view of such incidents, the State Commission for Women had directed the police to look into the matter. |
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HP poised to achieve 100 pc literacy
Kulu, May 11 He said that the state was poised to achieve the 100 per cent literacy target in the near future for which consolidation of educational institutions was in progress. He said the number of educational institutions had increased from 331 in 1948 to 14,500. He said due to policies and programmes of the Congress-led government 77.4 per cent literacy had been achieved. Mr Virbhadra Singh said that 10,802 posts of teachers were sanctioned to provide adequate teaching staff in all educational institutions, especially in the remote, and backward areas. He said that Rs 1060 crore had been earmarked for acceleration of educational activities during the current financial year. The Chief Minister said a science block at a cost of Rs 60 lakh would be constructed for the senior secondary school, Katrain. He also announced Rs 15 lakh for the building being constructed for the school by the old students association. The Chief Minister honoured Nirat Ram and Charan Dass both of whom had passed middle standard examination in the academic session 1926-34 from this school. He also released a souvenir brought out by the association. Mr Raj Krishan Gaur, Agriculture Minister, chief patron of the association, was also present. |
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Mankotia talks to PM on ex-servicemen’s issues
Dharamsala, May 11 Addressing a press conference, Major Mankotia said he told the Prime Minister that the one-rank-one-pension scheme was part of the Congress manifesto and the ex-servicemen were feeling let down due to delay in its implementation. “The Prime Minister assured me that he was already working on it and had formed a committee of ministers to give its recommendations on the issue. He said the government would implement it once the financial implications were examined,” he said. “I proposed to both the Prime Minister and Ms Gandhi that we would hold a rally in Kangra where they could announce the decision to implement the one-rank-one-pension scheme whenever they planned to go ahead with it,” said Major Mankotia. Major Mankotia who is the president of the Ex-servicemen’s League of Himachal said the state had nearly 2.5 lakh ex-servicemen, and nearly 2 lakh serving personnel.
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Dalai Lama inaugurates monastery
Kulu, May 11 The Dalai Lama said the Tibetan could keep their cultural heritage alive with the support of India. He said the construction of temples or going to temples could not give peace, one had to practise “sadhna” for that. Mr Virbhadra Singh said the monastery was founded in the late 15th century in the region of Dagpo in the eastern Tibet by scholar and master Lodoe Tenpa who was the sixth successor to Jey Tsongkhapa, founder of the Geluk school of Tibetan Buddhism. The name “Dhakpo Shedrup Ling” meant the important place in the Dhakpo region for study and practice of Lord Buddha’s teachings”. The project located at Kais would have school for poor children, besides the monastic buildings, he added.
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Summer woes begin with rationing of water
Shimla May 11 Despite the late onset of summer this year, people residing in the outer areas of the town have been facing acute water shortage for the past four days. Water supply has been severely affected in the Sanjauli, Cemetery, Vikasnagar, Pari Mahal, Pantha Ghati, Chakkar, Boileauganj and Summer Hill areas due to the inadequate water level in the reservoirs. The residents complain that they are receiving water on alternative days and even the duration and pressure is very less. “The problem arose after the pumping from sources at Ashwani khud and Gumma was affected, leading to a fall in the water levels in the reservoirs at the Ridge and Sanjauli,” informed MC officials. They said only the morning supply had been partially affected in the Sanjauli and Lakkar Bazar area only and it would take a few days before normalcy was restored. They added that since the water requirement had shot up with inflow of tourists, it would take a while before the water level can be maintained at the normal requirement. Even officials of Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) department admitted that there was no shortage of water in sources but due to problem in pumping the shortage had arisen. |
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National
Technology Day celebrated Parwanoo, May 11 To popularise science and create awareness about the role of
technology in the country, the National Technology Day is celebrated
since 1998 to mark the technological accomplishments of India. On the
occasion, students and teachers of different schools visited the NRTC
laboratories. Dr S.K. Sinha, officer-in-charge, NRTC, chaired the
function and spoke on the importance of the day and focused on various
areas where science can bring about changes. He emphasised that students
should take interest in science and technology. Young scientists and
engineers of the NRTC demonstrated various laboratories.
An “inter-school science quiz” competition was organised on the
occasion. The names of the winners are: first prize: Sahil Sharma and
Vivek Gupta, Eicher School, Kamli; second prize: Naval Gupta and Puneet
Sharma, DAV Public School, Parwanoo; third prize: Ms Chhering Dolma and
Ms Manisha, Government Senior Secondary School, Parwanoo. The
consolation prizes were given to Ms Roohi Thakur, Ms Navjot Kaur of
National Public School, Parwanoo, and Rohit, Ms Usha of Government High
School, Jabli.
Dr S.K. Sinha delivered an interactive talk on “Need, relevance and
practices for industrial calibration” for the benefit of industry.
Visitors from industries actively interacted in the discussions and
took practical experience in the calibration system, which the NRTC
imparts. In the concluding programme, Ms Kiran Gupta, scientist and
programme coordinator, proposed a vote of thanks.
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Anita Verma inspects hospital
Mandi, May 11 Referring to the report published in The Tribune that highlighted the woeful plight of accident victims here, Ms Verma called the doctors last Sunday and sought explanation from the Medical Superintendent, Dr HP Malhotra. “We admit that there is a shortage of doctors, but the media should cooperate as private hospitals take advantage of the situation”, she said. Dr RK Arora, ENT surgeon, explained to the health authorities that he was on duty that day and the patients were well-attended. “We have called Dr Vaidya from a private hospital, while Dr Marwah came from another private hospital on request of the patients to take care of the accident cases on Sunday evening,” Dr Arora claimed. The Director Health Services and Family Welfare, Dr RN Mohanta, accompanied Ms Verma on her first inspection of the zonal hospital today. Even the Mandi Citizens’ Council stated that surgeries in the hospital had come to standstill as the hospitals only surgeon has gone on leave. “Over 20 accident cases admitted to the hospital on Sunday suffered as the surgeon was on leave. The patients were either going to IGMC, Shimla, or to private hospitals for treatment, paying hefty prices for the government’s apathy “, stated Mr TP Kapur, general secretary. |
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Lawyers to decide move against tax by May 17
Sundernagar, May 11 Mr Sharma was here to talk members of the Bar Association here and Mandi and know their viewpoint regarding the imposition of profession tax. The Bar members said that the tax had been wrongly imposed and should be withdrawn. The Bar members also apprised the chairman that people were also facing problems due to steep hike in court fees which had been raised by recently more than five times. Mr Sharma said that while the concept of professional tax was drawn from developed countries where the social security was also provided but in India, there was no such provision.
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3 SEs made Chief Engineers
Shimla, May 11 Mr V.K. Kataria on promotions takes over as Chief Engineer (North), Dharamsala, while Mr P.S. Boragta has been promoted as Chief Engineer (Arbitration) against vacant post. Mr M.L. Vashisht has been promoted and posted as Chief Engineer (Transmission) against a vacant post.
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8-year old found dead in a fridge Parwanoo, May 11 The police was informed by the locals about the body after a youth saw a foot protruding out from the refrigerator. The boy, who was mentally disturbed, was residing at Chakki-Mor with his grandfather, Johar Singh, in a jhuggi. His parents had gone to Nepal some time back. The boy made a living by begging and had assumingly entered the fridge the previous night but had somehow got trapped inside. The police has registered a case under Section 174 of the CrPC and further investigation was under way.
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Class XII results today
Dharamsala, May 11 Ms Anju Pathak, spokesperson of the board said in a statement here today that the results would also be available on the board’s website. |
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