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Transporters’ strike hits industry
Dalhousie to have sewerage scheme
Hybrid cannabis on 1000 bighas destroyed
Two youths found shot dead
Bridge made in 3 days
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Poll for Tibetan PM put off
Murder accused bites
off cop’s ear
SSB to enrol retired infantry personnel
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Transporters’ strike hits industry
Solan, September 28 The investors feel that the promises made by the Chief Minister at road shows held to attract industry have proved hollow. The ACC and GACL’s cement plants are facing the maximum brunt. While nearly 200 trucks managed to begin transportation work at ACC’s Barmana plant yesterday, under heavy police protection, the GACL management had to move the high court to seek reprieve. All four truck unions and the GACL management are slated to appear in the court tomorrow to present their stand. Sources revealed that though a meeting held under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister had directed the Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police to resolve the issue on Monday but the issue remains unresolved. The four unions at Darlaghat stuck to their stand, demanding a hike in the freight charges. It was also learnt that the ensuing panchayat and civic bodies elections, due in December, were stopping the government from taking some bold decision. The Federation of Himachal Industries will hold a meeting tomorrow to decide their future course of
action. The federation said it had sought the support of the All-India Motor Transport Congress and the All India Motor Transport Welfare Association. The investors rued that though the transport policy laid a provision of a free market it remained a distant dream. The industry was unable to hire trucks from outside, fearing backlash in the form of a law and order situation. At least two trucks of Lime Chemicals were set ablaze at Kala Amb a few months ago when they tried to use their own trucks. The transport unions on the other hand felt the work had become uneconomical in the absence of a commensurate hike in the freight charges after the recent hike in diesel prices. |
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Dalhousie to have sewerage scheme
Dalhousie, September 28 The military cantonment, Rulyani, Bathri, Osal, Jiunta, Banikhet gram panchayats are located at lower heights. The water sources, which cater to the drinking water requirements of these villages, are also located at the lower altitude. According to official sources, efforts were made to have treatment units at one place but it could not be done due to topographical conditions of the town. It involved cutting and disturbing to the existing monuments and structures. Therefore, the sewerage area has been divided into five zones. The sullage will be treated at five different locations below Sadar Bazaar near Church Baloon Road, below powerhouse, below Lohali and Kathlag. The effluent treatment will strictly conform to the desired qualities as prescribed in the water supply and treatment manual. The scheme envisages providing facility to the projected population of around 19,000 besides 11,500 tourist inflow, 7,000 students, and to nearly 150 hotels having 3800 beds capacity registered with the Tourism Department till 2029. The Chief Minister will also dedicate the prestigious water supply scheme of the famous hill station of Dalhousie to its people. The scheme involving a cost of Rs 10.75 crore for supplying water to the hill town was completed recently. The scheme will supply 36 lakh litres water a day. The scheme, conceived in 1995, envisages lifting of water from Bathri Nala near Chamera Dam. Dalhousie, with a population of nearly 9381 (as per 2001 census), is first hill town in Himachal Pradesh to have such a big water supply. |
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Hybrid cannabis on 1000 bighas destroyed
Jari (Kulu), September 28 The team of 80 men found the hybrid cannabis plant 18 feet in height. “There was nobody when the first section of the team reached the spot, said Mr Sharma, after he came back to the base camp in the evening. Villagers told team members that there was pea crop only, but not cannabis cultivated in the area. “We found pea crop first, then cannabis plants appeared after that”, said the members. Another section of the 60 men went to Yuram Thach forest area, where they destroyed cannabis on over 200 bighas of land. “We covered over 30 km on foot to reach the spot after crossing Rasol and Gohar villages in the highland valley”, said Mr Prem Singh, DSP Kulu. The third section of 60 men went to Banura Shnakti forest area walking for 25 km and cut cannabis on over 150 bighas of land, claimed Mr Sharma. The NCB investigation suspected that either villagers or hired Nepali labourers were involved in the cultivation of cannabis in remote highland valley. “Last year the NCB had information that the cannabis had been cultivated in these areas, but we could not take operation there, said Mr Sharma. Villagers denied that they cultivated the crop. No case was registered under the NDPS Act in the entire operation as we could not catch any body,” said Mr Sharma. The Customs team, however, did not join the operation today. |
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Two youths found shot dead
Chamba, September 28 The sources revealed that the bodies of the deceased were being brought to the district headquarters town of Chamba for an autopsy. Investigation would be done to ascertain whether these youths were killed by the militants or by their rivals from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir who collected medicinal herbs in their region. These youths were missing since September 13 and an FIR was lodged with the police on September 24. An intensive search operation was launched by the police in coordination with the security forces deployed on the border. The Deputy Commissioner of Chamba, Mr Pushpendra Rajput, announced an immediate relief of Rs 25,000 each to the next of the kin of the deceased. Meanwhile, Mr Surinder Bhardwaj, a local MLA and President of the District Congress Committee (DCC) confirmed to this correspondent over the phone this afternoon that these youths, who had been identified as Jassa Ram, son of Sita Ram and Kali Dass, son of Laala, residents of border village, Aliyunda, post office, Tarela, in Churah subdivision of Chamba district had gone to collect medicinal herbs on the high altitude border ranges and were reportedly missing. Mr Bhardwaj said these youths had gone to collect medicinal herbs on the timberline adjoining the border Doda district, as it was their traditional vocation for earning their livelihood. |
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Bridge made in 3 days
Akpa (Kinnaur), September 28 The bridge was essential to transport the apple crop keeping in view the harvesting season, said local MLA Jagat Singh Negi, who inaugurated the bridge this evening. At least, 200 labourers besides engineers were put on the job to construct the 140-feet-long Bailey bridge, said Chief Engineer of the PWD Swami Prakash Negi. “This has really been a challenging job for us as the road link on both sides was cut-off making it difficult to transport the construction material”, he said. He said that the construction material was transported through small cable trolleys locally known as “jhulas” at Kharo. Two special link roads were also made on both the sides of Sutlej to connect the bridge with the National Highway -22. The total cost of the project was estimated at Rs 2.02 crore but keeping in view of the hardships being faced by the manpower to construct it, the total cost may exceed, he said. However, the total cost of the Bailey bridge alone has been estimated at Rs. 1.60 crore, said the Chief Engineer. Mr Swami Prakash Negi, said unlike the 18 Engineers Regiment, which had to face the Kharo tragedy, they had adopted the already established double reinforce (DDR) technique with extra strengthening of the upper panels to construct this Bailey bridge.
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Poll for Tibetan PM put off
Dharamsala, September 28 Addressing a press conference, Mr Tashi Phuntsok, Chief Election Commissioner, said that the decision had been taken after Tibetans settled in various settlements across India conveyed their non-availability on the original dates as they would be away for business selling woolens in the bigger cities. “We had to either provide the ballot box facility at these places of business or postpone the preliminary elections to a date of their convenience and it was decided to opt for the second choice,” he said. The last direct elections for the post of Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile were held in 2001 and Mr Samdhong Rinpoche was elected. |
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Murder accused bites
off cop’s ear
Dharamsala, September 28 According to jail sources, Amrish Rana, an accused in a triple murder case in Una, had been admitted to the zonal hospital for some ailment and was discharged yesterday. When the police party left him at the jail, he started hurling abuses at the duty constable. Soon the heated altercation turned physical and the accused attacked the constable. After the Jail Superintendent and other officials present intervened and managed to stop the fight, the accused reportedly attacked the constable from behind and bit off his ear. Jail Superintendent O.P. Sharma could not be contacted. Officials of the Police Department, however, confirmed the incident. |
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SSB to enrol retired infantry personnel
Dharamsala, September 28 Giving details of the enrolment, the Deputy Director, District Sainik Welfare Board, Major
O.S. Guleria, said the SSB would recruit 44 former Subedars, 90 Naib Subedars and 266
Havildars. The newly-enrolled ex-soldiers would train the SSB personnel from the first week of December in drill, physical and weapon training. Interested persons can apply to the Director-General, SSB, a copy of which was to be sent to the training centre at
Sapri, near Jwalamukhi, by the end of October. |
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