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New panel to review Shimla institute project
Accused in porn CD case remanded
NHPC, govt at loggerheads
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300 posts of doctor vacant
Rs 421 cr for roads, buildings repair
Traffic chaos affects industrial development
Big fish spared in demolition drive?
Rs 7.63-cr project for panchayats
Forum seeks autonomy for Pabbar Valley Corpn
Workshop on eyecare education
Motor
cyclist killed in road mishap
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New panel to review Shimla institute project
Chandigarh, May 13 According to sources, the chairman of the governing body of the Institute, Dr J.S. Grewal, has veered round to the view that such a committee was necessary. It may be recalled that a one-man committee headed by Mr D. Bandyopadhyay which inquired into the project, started by the Institute’s previous Chairman, Prof G.C. Pande, has found it conceptually irrational, structurally flawed and financially wasteful. Consequently, the project has been put off for a while and publication of manuscripts related to it put on hold. Mr Bandyopadhyay has recommended recovery of the money from those, who were allocated specific task regarding the project, but did not do any work. He has also advised audit of the project. The project worth Rs 138.49 lakh was approved by the then HRD Minister, Mr Murli Manohar Joshi, in June 2001. Commenting on the thrust area of the project, which was to find out the “foundational vision” of Indian civilisation, Mr Bandyopadhyay said in his report, “with a single-minded commitment, the institute went ahead to invent the non-existent single foundational vision of our composite dynamic and pluralistic rainbow civilisation”. Scholars believe that the project was a part of the Sangh Parivar’s agenda to give a saffron-tinged ideological and factual twist to the Indian civilisational research. The effort was to establish that Indian civilisation has evolved on its own and was not influenced by any other civilisational entities. Startling revelations have been made about the project in the inquiry report. Certain books selected for translation had already been translated elsewhere long back. For instance, Arthshastra, which was picked up for translation by two scholars under the project, had already been published in translated form by authoritative scholars. Similarly, Yuktibhasha, was given to one scholar for annotation and translation. A sum of Rs 7.09 lakh had already been spent on it. However, the translation of the same book by the same scholar was referred to by Mr C.K. Raju, in a journal in 2002. “One wonders why such a huge sum was given to him when he had already completed the work either on a project from some other organisation or on his own?” questions the inquiry report. The task of preparing a dictionary of Indian culture was allotted to an institute near Bangalore. The 10-volume dictionary was to be published at a cost of Rs 75 lakh. The institute was given Rs 10 lakh. However, after paying the amount, the job was withdrawn from it and handed over to some one else. There was nothing on the file to indicate as to what happened to the money given to the Bangalore institute. The list of irregularities is endless. There was no transparency in the execution of the project. Nor was there any appropriate methodology followed in the selection of the scholars. “It looks anyone, who was known to someone, was given the job. And there was no instance available of evaluation of manuscripts submitted by the scholars before dispatching them for publication”. In fact, the project was largely a duplication of the work already done by others over a century. In fact, Volume I, Part I of a project entitled “The Dawn of Indian Civilisation up to 600 BC” published in 1999 under the general editorship of Dr D.P. Chattopadhyaya was edited by Dr G.C. Pande himself.
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Accused in porn CD case remanded
Shimla, May 13 After having made a breakthrough in the CD case, following allegations of rape and sexual exploitation by a girl from Theog, the police has now launched a hunt for another girl who also features in some CDs. One more girl, who also hails from the adjoining area and was residing in the town, has moved out. The police is trying to get her address so that she too can be questioned. Three other girls, who had been given jobs by Vijay Sood at Manali and were questioned by the police, denied being sexually exploited. Meanwhile, the police is still awaiting the report from forensic science laboratory as it is on that basis that the police will be able to ascertain as to how many CD were made and circulated. The police said so far it had not summoned the three persons, who too had employed the girl in their establishment as she had so far not made any allegations against them. |
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NHPC, govt at loggerheads
Mandi, May 13 The NHPC has filed a reply to the state government on getting the environmental clearance from the Central Environmental and Forestry Ministry for the two projects under its execution. The Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, had taken the NHPC to task on Tuesday at Kulu when he told a vernacular daily that the NHPC had violated the “basic constitution” by violating the “environmental clearance norms”, without taking the view of the state government. Top official in the Department of Science and Technology and Environment told The Tribune that the NHPC had ignored “some of the conditions which it has agreed upon in its earlier agreement while getting the environmental clearance”. The NHPC ignored the “interests of the state, by not taking into confidence the view of the state government. It got clearance from the Central government without consulting the state government, which is a serious matter”, he added. On this issue the Parbati stage II general manager, Mr A.K. Mishra, said the NHPC had sent its reply to the state government yesterday, clarifying its position. “But as far as violation of the environmental norms are concerned, we have got the clearance from the Central Environmental and Forestry Ministry. We have paid due compensation wherever the damage was done and land was got on lease for the stage II. We are in the process of plugging the loopholes”, he claimed. On the other hand Parbati stage III general manager, Mr V.K. Sharma, refused to comment on the Chief Minister’s remark, saying that it was the NHPC authorities who could comment on this. But he added that the public hearing for the affected villagers had been completed in most of the cases in Sainj and other areas. “We are in the process of getting other clearances apart from the environmental ministry. The work has not started on the stage III as we need various clearances from the government”, he added. |
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300 posts of doctor vacant
Mandi, May 13 What is even more surprising is that the Himachal Pradesh Medical Officers Association (HPMOA) has bothered more about their “own demands” rather than the demands of the public needing more doctors at the civil and zonal hospitals in 12 districts. The HPMOA’s memorandum, which they submitted to Ms Anita Verma here yesterday, never mentioned that the hospitals needed more doctors to meet the patient load. As per the memorandum, the association has been highlighting its own pending demands like the PG increment, promotion of BMOs through the cadre and the like over the years. Though Ms Verma said that the Chief Minister was serious about the problem, ironically 300 posts still remain vacant in the state, hitting the patient care. Even the budgetary support for health remains woefully inadequate, not more than what the government spends on government-run vehicles for bureaucrats and ministers every year. Thanks to the government apathy, the patients continue to suffer due to a shortage of doctors and other diagnostic and technical staff in hospitals, complained the members of the citizens’ councils. The predecessors of Ms Anita Verma, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, who is also in charge of the health portfolio, have been making false promises over the years to fill the vacant posts of doctor. The main reason that makes the government job less attractive is that the state government is offering just Rs 12,000 salary for the graduates and Rs 16,000 for the postgraduates or specialists, while they can earn more than Rs 16,000 and Rs 25,000 in private hospitals. The HPMOA, general secretary, Dr Jiva Nand Chauhan, who held long discussions on the issue with Ms Verma and health officials here yesterday, claimed that the shortage of doctors was taken up with the government two years ago. Though Ms Verma said that the government was getting good response and would hopefully appoint 30 doctors within 10 days, insiders revealed that the pay packet is too poor to attract the doctors to the zonal hospitals. |
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Rs 421 cr for roads, buildings repair
Shimla, May 13 Stating this, while presiding over a meeting to review the functioning of the Public Works Department, Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, said in addition, Rs 12 crore had been given for the construction of the Sanjauli bypass road. He said the funds would be used for renewal and tarring of about 2,500 km of roads annually for the next four years to cover up the backlog in the maintenance of roads. He announced that a separate design cadre would be created in the department to improve its performance and ensure cost-effective execution of works. Some engineers would be recruited directly for the purpose. He said nine posts of assistant engineer would be filled from among postgraduates and 21 posts of design engineers from among degree holders on priority. He said there would be no paucity of funds for development activities as, besides the state plan, funds were being arranged from the World Bank, Narbard, and the PMGSY schemes. He asked engineers to exercise quality control and errant contractors should be blacklisted from government contracts. The department should consider creating a specialised wing for tendering process, contract administration ,project preparation and implementation of specific projects to ensure speedy completion of works.
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Traffic chaos affects industrial development Parwanoo, May 13 The traffic rush almost doubles on the weekend when tourists from the adjoining plains make a beeline to the hills. As the summer has set in, the tourist rush is expected to increase manifold, causing more traffic problems on highway. The traffic blues on the highway start from the level crossing near Pinjore and continue till Parwanoo. Generally the distance between Pinjore to Parwanoo can be covered in 15 to 20 minutes but due to the traffic problem it can take around one hour. The narrow breadth of the highway passing through the Pinjore and Kalka markets adversely affects the traffic flow. The unauthorised encroachments by shopkeepers on the highway reduce the breadth of the road, compounding the traffic problem. The haphazard parking of two-wheelers and four-wheelers in the market adds to the problem. Many times unplanned parking of vehicles in markets causes long traffic jams. The functioning of the traffic police is paralysed as people park their vehicles in markets haphazardly. The authorities concerned have turned a blind eye to encroachments on roads. It only gives rise to more encroachments. There has been a steep rise in the number of roadside rehriwalas, pheriwalas and vegetable sellers. Traffic management squads are required urgently to handle the traffic between Pinjore and Parwanoo, pointed out industrialists. Besides removing encroachments on roads, those who park their vehicles haphazardly on road should be punished, they said.
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Big fish spared in demolition drive?
Mandi, May 13 However, the drive was stopped mid-way, despite a large number of encroachments and unauthorised constructions along the river on the Mandi-Kulu-Manali National Highway-21. “We want to serve a warning to the encroachers. “The highway authorities should come forward and take action against the encroachers on the highway”, said a district administration official. The municipal Executive Officer, Mr Rajpal Sharma, who along with the Subdivisional Officer (Civil), Mandi Sadar, Mr Arun Sharma, monitored the demolition drive, said: “The council has detected over five cases of unauthorised constructions in the town and served notices on the owners. The owners of the demolished structures alleged that they had been targeted by the council, while a family member of the IPH Minister, Thakur Kaul Singh, was running an “unauthorised boutique on society’s land” and a relative of the Mandi Sadar MLA, Mr Sukh Ram, had been running a resort on the Beas riverbed in the town, but they had not even been served notices.
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Rs 7.63-cr project for panchayats
Shimla, May
13 Stating this at a press conference, Mr Sat Mahajan, the
minister for rural development and Panchayati Raj , said here today that
under the three-year project panchayat functionaries would be given
extensive training on the village-level planning. The department would
evolve model guidelines in the shape of a planning manual. This would
also be sent to other states to have practical knowledge about
micro-planning As a pilot scheme micro-plans would be prepared for 375
panchayats and they would be executed in 25 panchayats. Thus, 25 model
villages would be developed under the project. Subsequently, the
micro-planning would be extended to all panchayats. Referring to the
panchayat poll, Mr Mahajan said elections would be held under the new
act and in time. He said the government had approached the Delimitation
Commission for the reorganisation of panchayats. The plan is to do away
with small panchayats. One such unit will be created for a minimum
population of 1000. All panchayats would be provided proper panchayat
ghars and functioning of all offices of the zila parishads, panchayat
samitis and as many as 700 gram panchayats would be computerised during
the current year. Besides ,1518 technical assistant would be recruited
for the proper execution of works. They would be paid 2 per cent of the
cost of work. The allocation of funds for panchayats had been increased
by 250 per cent and each panchayat would now receive about Rs 1.30 lakh
from the current year as against Rs 50,000 until last year. In all 1312
watershed projects had been sanctioned under which Rs 393.82 crore would
be spent. Besides 18 new projects involving an expenditure of Rs 54.40
crore for the treatment of 89,163 hectare had been submitted to the
Centre. |
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Forum seeks autonomy for Pabbar Valley Corpn
Shimla, May 13 Mr R.L. Justa, convenor of the forum, said the present set up of the corporation with a retired bureaucrat, Mr Shamsher Singh (chairman of the state electricity board) as chairperson, a retired engineer (member civil in the board) who remained a teacher in engineering college for a major part of his career, as the managing director was not conducive to efficient functioning. Even for petty matter approval of the whole time members of the board, who had been made directors of the corporation, was required. There was no functional and financial autonomy as a result of which the very purpose of setting up a separate agency had been defeated. Further, the headquarter of the corporation was at Shimla which must be shifted to the project area. He said the government should learn a lesson from the mistakes of the Larji project and replace retired persons with serving hydropower experts as chairperson and directors of the corporation on the pattern of the Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam and the NHPC. Mr Justa also demanded setting up of an independent monitoring committee comprising experts to avoid time and cost overruns like Larji. The State Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India had taken a serious notice of the lapses in the implementation of the Larji project but it was more of a post-mortem. Only an independent monitoring mechanism would effectively check recurrence of such lapses. He also pointed out that the government had assigned three projects to the corporation but work could be started only on the 110 mw Sawra Kudu project. While the 70 mw Dhamwari Sunda project was caught in legal wrangles, the downstream Chirgaon-Majhgaon project would utilise its tailrace water. |
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Workshop on eyecare education
Shimla, May 13 The Departments of Ophthalmology and Community Medicine at Indira Gandhi Medical College today organised a workshop to review the National Programme for Control of Blindness. Even though Himachal Pradesh falls in the low-prevalence state category, it is almost after 50 years that there has been an increase in incidence. In HP, the problem of blindness and eye ailments is more amongst women, illiterate and the underprivileged. The problem is more pronounced in the rural areas where, apart from ignorance and lack of facilities, proper treatment is not available to the people. Emphasising the need for creating awareness about eye care, Dr Anmol Gupta, Assistant Professor in the Community Medicine Department, said that the school eye screening programme must be launched with the help of teachers. He exhorted the voluntary organisations to come forward and motivate people to donate their eyes as this would help many visually handicapped people to regain their sight. Prof K.P. Choudhary, Head of Ophthalmology, said that against a target of 16,000 given to Himachal, a total of 18,343 cataract operations had been performed during 2003-04. He added that blindness was preventable if the necessary action was taken on time. |
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Motor
cyclist killed in road mishap Nalagarh, May 13 Mam Raj (35) died on the way to the hospital. The truck driver, whose
identity has not yet been ascertained, fled the scene.
A case has been registered and all efforts were being made to nab the
truck driver. Suicide
The body of a young married woman from Kanganwala village, near here,
who had gone missing on May 6, was recovered from a canal near Tohana
(Haryana) yesterday.
The woman, 27, from Ganauli in Punjab was married to a taxi driver 7
years ago. The deceased’s husband runs a taxi in New Delhi.
The deceased, who was mother of an eight-year-old boy and
six-year-old girl, was seen jumping in the canal near Ropar, the police
said. She was residing separately from her in-laws.
The body was brought to the local hospital and later cremated after a
post mortem exanimation. As per initial reports a domestic dispute was
reason behind the suicide. The police has registered a case under
Section 174 of the CrPC.
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Vajpayee’s Manali visit from May 23
Kulu, May 13 Mr Vajpayee would be reaching Bhuntar airport at 10 a.m. and go by road to his farm house at Prini village, near Manali. The administration and security personnel have started an exercise for the arrangements. |
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