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Quake triggers landslides, road blocked
Himachal to prepare blueprint of tracks
Virbhadra should apologise: BJP
Advani to attend Palampur rally
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Villagers oppose land acquisition move
Rohru to be developed
as tourism hub
Tenzin wears Miss Tibet tiara
Encroachers have a field day
Vintage car rally
NHPC to construct bridge
APS Dagshai wins quiz contest
Body of trekker airlifted
Body of bank employee found
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Quake triggers landslides, road blocked
Chamba, October 8 It measured 7.4 on the Richter scale and shook the entire Chamba region of Himachal Pradesh bordering Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir at about 9.25 am this morning and continued for more than a minute. Since the district administration of Chamba was on leave today owing to second Saturday (a gazetted holiday of the Himachal Pradesh Government), official reports about the losses due to quake were not available as the telephones of the authorities were not responding. According to unofficial reports pouring into the district headquarters town of Chamba, the building of government primary health centre at Kakira and a military hospital at Bakloh had developed cracks while one house had collapsed at Kakira. A few trees on the unstable ground were also uprooted in the Bhattiyat subdivision of the district. The tremors of the quake triggered the boulders stuck into the hillsides to fall down from the hillslopes. Several houses in the townships and the villages of this region had developed cracks. However, there was no report of loss of life anywhere in the district so far. |
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Nalagarh, October 8 The houses of Bagga Singh and Banti Dev collapsed following tremors that caused widespread panic in the area. No other report of damage to property and life has been reported so far. — OC
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Himachal to prepare blueprint of tracks
Shimla, October 8 It is with the objective of promoting eco-tourism and providing avenues of employment for the villagers that the tracks are being identified. With more and more tourists preferring to go in for adventure activities like trekking, the government hopes to attract a large number of visitors from all over the world. Since the information regarding the tracks, places of interest along the route, lodging facility and the nearest road or rail head would be available on the website, a person sitting in America can decide his destination and get bookings done. “To begin with we have identified two tracks, one form Nainadevi shrine to Bhadrapur and the other in the Kutlehar area adjoining the Gobindsagar water body,” informed Forest Minister Ram Lal Thakur. Apart from identifying the interesting tracks, the department is also planning to create infrastructure for tourists near the Pin Valley and Great Himalayan National Park, as part of eco-tourism promotion. Similar facilities like tent accommodation and camping sites would be made available at other wildlife sanctuaries. The Forest Department has already started the task of creating infrastructure along these tracks for the convenience of the visitors. To begin with some of the forest rest houses located in the most idyllic locations are being repaired and refurbished. The Forest Department has over 140 rest houses all over the state, which will be thrown open to the visitors. “We have got very good response from the scheme to hand over the rest houses of the Forest Department to the Forest Corporation for providing accommodation to tourists,” said Mr Thakur. Within the last three years, an income of Rs 3.50 lacs has come from the three rest houses, which have been thrown open for tourists in the first phase. Interestingly, it is not just the Forest Department and the tourism department, which stand to benefit by developing these tracks as there will be special emphasis on involvement of locals. “The locals will be involved in the scheme as they can work as guides and even offer their houses for stay of the visitors, who wish to have a feel of the rural life and hill culture,” said Mr Thakur. Keeping in mind the fact that no scheme can be a success without community participation, the mahila mandals, youth clubs and local panchayats will be involved. On the behalf of the department, the concerned Range Officers will ensure that all facilities and information is extended to the visitors. |
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Virbhadra should apologise: BJP
Shimla, October 7 Addressing a press conference here yesterday, he said Mr Virbhadra Singh, who had publicly criticized the BJP regime headed by Mr P.K. Dhumal for these very schemes, was today trying to project himself as a champion of health reforms being undertaken in the state now. “It is surprisingly how Mr Virbhadra Singh, who had termed the Rural Health Mission scheme during the BJP regime as anti-people, anti-Himachal and anti-health, take credit from bringing about a revolution in the health sector in the state,” he remarked. For this, he owes an apology to the people as he played politics with such a crucial issue of health. Mr Nadda said that if the Chief Minister could be so non-serious over an important issue like health, people should not expect much from his. He cited examples of various health schemes started during the BJP tenure like merger of health and family welfare societies, mainstreaming the various Indian system of medicine like Ayurveda thorough AYUSH and appointment of Accredited Social Health Assistant (ASHA). The BJP leader said that even the Central government had appreciated the reforms undertaken by the BJP regime in the hill state. “It is the BJP which had ensured representation for elected people like MLA’s, Zila Parishad members and other panchayat office bearers in the various health bodies,” he claimed. |
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Advani to attend Palampur rally
Dharamsala, October 8 With the party deciding to organise a rally a Palampur, the Assembly constituency of Shanta Kumar as part of its silver jubilee celebrations, he is suddenly active, hogging media limelight. Since party bigshots, including BJP supremo, Mr L.K. Advani, are scheduled to come the rally would, say political observers, help Mr Shanta Kumar reconsolidate his position in the party. Mr Shanta Kumar was a former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh and a Union Minister from 1999 to 2003, when he had to put in his papers following some observations against the then BJP Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mr Digvijay singh. The comments were not taken kindly by vociferous party leader Uma Bharti and he had to quit. After that, Mr Shanta Kumar kept a low political profile and hardly made any public appearance. When Mr Shanta Kumar was away from the state political scene, there was an upswing in the political fortunes of Mr P.K. Dhumal, who rose to be the Chief Minister. Mr Dhumal consolidated his base in party and the thumping victory of BJP nominee in the Guler by-election made him an unassailable political leader of BJP in Himachal. Political observers feel that even though choosing Palampur as the venue for the rally may be just co-incidental, it is bound to help Mr Shanta Kumar as the rally is coming at a time when Mr Shanta Kumar is making bids to be back in the reckoning. |
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Villagers oppose land acquisition move
Solan, October 8 The villagers, a majority of whom sustain on agricultural income and belong to the Dalit community, fear being dislodged after residing there for generations. A perusal of their land records revealed that some villagers would be left totally landless. With no rehabilitation plan to resettle these villagers in the offing, they would have to incur monetary losses and find it difficult to fend for themselves. The land acquisition would leave Lazza Ram in a piquant situation as his residence too is also listed in the area proposed to be acquired. About eight others would be left with small land holdings which in one case would be reduced to as little as 15
bishwas. In yet other cases, the land holding per share holder would be reduced to merely one bigha after acquisition of the remaining land. There are eight such cases. The villagers told The Tribune that the notification issued under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, neither specified the purpose of acquisition nor were the public objections suitably invited in this regard. They rued that the officials had failed to inquire into the status of the land concerned before issuing the notification. The villagers were now worried about their livelihood as they sustained on agriculture income and had no other source to eke out a living. They further said that the authority should acquire land only from those agriculturists who had large chunks of land. The acquisition procedure had derailed the selling prospects of some land owners who were mid-way between land deals with private buyers. Such deals would not be allowed to materialize now. Executive engineer of the
HIMUDA, Mr Umesh Sharma, when quizzed, said the land acquisition process had begun. He said that no land owner could be allowed to become landless, adding that there was a proposal to set up educational institutes in the land and development of the area had become imminent after large-scale industrialisation. |
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Rohru to be developed
as tourism hub
Shimla, October 8 The development plan notified by the town and country planning, which will take care of the growth of town up to the year 2021, aims to make it a base station for skiing, mountaineering, river rafting, angling and other adventure sports. The population of the town is expected to increase from the existing 9,000 to 35,000 and to ensure systematic growth six self-contained sectors have been proposed. At present all the development is taking place along the roads leading to Shimla and Rampur. This ribbon development will be curbed by carving out sectors along the hill contours. Each sector will have a population ranging from 5,000 to 8,000. In the process, the township, spread over just 48 hectares will be expanded by 145 hectare. Besides basic facilities like a modern bus terminus with a capacity for 100 buses and a car parking, three bypass roads have also been proposed. The bypass roads will be laid on the right bank of Pabbar from Maikhi nullah to Samolibridge, petrol pump to Anu Nullah and Gangtoli to Maikhi Nullah. Besides basic infrastructure for tourism and adventure sports, an auditorium, art gallery, stadium and a college have also been proposed. The area under commercial use will more than double from 4 to 8.11 hectare and under traffic and transport from 17 to 57 hectare. |
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Tenzin wears Miss Tibet tiara
Dharamsala, October 8 She was the sole entry for the pageant after all the other seven participants withdrew from the contest. A similar situation had emerged in 2003 when Ms Tsering Kyi became Miss Tibet unopposed. Mr Lobsang Wangwal, director-producer of Miss Tibet pageant said, instead of originally planned one-week training programme, the Miss Tibet was given an intensive training in personality development and stage craft, and will be updated on the current affairs of Tibetan issues. Last year’s winner, Ms Tashi Yangchen, who is doing her MBA in London did not attend the crowning ceremony. This time, there were no judges to rate the soul participant on the basis of her catwalk in traditional and western outfit rounds and the whole show was a relatively simple affair. |
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Encroachers have a field day
Dharamsala, October 8 The Forest Department has been dragging feet in proceeding against these encroachers. The Forest Department authorities say they have written to the Union Government as most encroachers are Tibetans settled in McLeodganj. They say since the issue is “sensitive”, they are awaiting a nod from the Centre in this regard. The department has identified 260 such cases. The Conservator, Forest, Mr R.C. Kang, said the unusual delay was only in cases involving Tibetans in the area. The department had taken action against 170 cases of violations out of the total 191 cases registered last year. “The cases in McLeodganj and its adjoining areas have been registered over the years and the department has taken up the matter with the government. In case of cases in Kangra and Una districts, there has been no laxity by the department in taking action against the violators,” said Mr Kang. He said most of these 260 cases of violations involved buildings and not makeshift structures. In Kangra district, 2,842 sq km area was earmarked as forest land, which was 49.5 per cent of the total area. The focus of the Forest Department had shifted from production forestry to ecological conservation, which involved protection of forests from illicit felling, encroachments and fires.
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Vintage car rally
Parwanoo, October 8 The rally has been organised by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation to promote off-season tourism. Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Kumar flagged of the rally from Timber Trail Resorts near Parwanoo today. Addressing participants, he emphasised on the need to preserve heritage as the younger generation had little knowledge of the past. A special guest on the occasion was Mr Mohsin Ikraam, president of the Pakistan Heritage Motoring Club. He has come from Karachi to participate in the event. Models like a 1927 Coventry, 1932 Ford, 1933 Austin, 1934 Chevi, 1936 Austin-10, 1938 Sunbeam, 1942 Wings, 1975 Fly Mouth, drew the attention of passers-by. Mr Totu Dhawan, president of the Heritage Motoring Club of India, who was driving his 1935 Chevi, said such events helped promote tourism. Dimpi Kapur’s Coventry with its chocolate brown colour was the oldest car in the rally followed by a dark green 1930 model Stude Baker driven by Parvez Rehmaan. Negotiating traffic on the national highway was a major challenge since the old hydraulic system of these vehicles have limited scope for stopping a vehicle, Brig Phoolka from Chandigarh, said. He was driving his yellow blue Ford, a 1933 model. The mileage for diesel vehicles registers a steep fall with the ascending terrain. The availability of spares had improved over the years, enabling owners to keep their cars in good condition. With an increase in participants this year, Mr K.C. Anand, a former president of the club said cooperation of the HPTDC enabled them to organise the event. The event would witness an awards ceremony in Shimla tomorrow. |
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NHPC to construct bridge
Chamba, October 8 According to official sources, with the construction of this bridge
residents of about seven isolated panchayats of Bharian belt would be linked with the district headquarter town of Chamba. |
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APS Dagshai wins quiz contest
Solan, October 8 He later gave away prizes to winners of an inter Army schools quiz competition. The host team of APS Dagshai emerged winners defeating Army School, Nahan, while Army School, Chandimandir, finished third. The Principal, Col (Retd) A.K. Maini, gave away prizes to winners of the English debate competition. The individual positions were bagged by Aniket from Army School Ambala, Abhenalanal from APS Dagshai and Jayant from Army School Ambala. A consolation prize was awarded to Japjeet Duggal. The Army School, Ambala team bagged the first prize in the team event with APS Dagshai and Army School, Patiala, securing the second and third positions respectively. Students aired their views for and against the topic whether Indian heritage sites had become centres of strife. In the Hindi debate competition, Rubina Pandit and Nidhi Mangla, both from Army School Ambala, were adjusted first and second while Monica from Army School, Chandimandir, was declared third. Army School, Ambala, continued their winning spree and bagged the first prize for the team event while Army School, Chandimandir, and Dehra Dun managed to capture the second and third positions, respectively.
— OC |
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Body of trekker airlifted
Kulu, October 8 DSP Prem Singh told that she was from 35/1D Gopal Mishra Road, Behala, New Park,
Kolkota. |
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Body of bank employee found
Nahan, October 8 Narayan Singh, a resident of Nainidhar village of Shillai area had been missing since October 3. According to the police the body of the deceased was damaged by wild animals. The body was lying in 500-foot deep gorge near PWD rest house Shillai. |
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