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World Bank loan for watershed projects
Blast in drug factory
Power plant damaged
Row over election of
MC chief
Man charred
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BJP wrests post of MC president
P.S. Rana
is CIC
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World Bank loan for watershed projects
New Delhi, January 19 The International Development Association credit agreement was signed here by World Bank country director Michael F. Carter and M. Prasad, Joint Secretary (FB) Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance who signed on behalf of the Government of India and Ashok Thakur, Principal Secretary (Forests), Government of Himachal Pradesh who signed on behalf of the Government of Himachal Pradesh. The primary objective of the proposed project is to reverse the process of degradation of natural resource base and improve the productive potential of natural resources and the income of rural households in the project area. The proposed project would have four components: institutional strengthening aimed at ensuring that Gram Panchayat Watershed Development Plans (GPWDP) have been prepared in an informed, participatory, and transparent process that they may be implemented with adequate technical backstopping and that project performance can be adequately monitored and evaluated. Watershed development and management is aimed at successful implementation of watershed treatment as prioritized in GPWDPs, as well as treatment of critical lands that fall between the Gram Panchayat administered areas. Enhancing mountain livelihoods, whose objective is promoting value addition in crop, livestock and non-timber forest products produced in the project area. And, finally, project coordination, which will finance construction of office/residential accommodation, purchase of equipment, and vehicles and incremental operating costs of the project. |
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Blast in drug factory
Solan, January 19 People living in the vicinity of the unit came out of their houses at 10.30 p.m. when the blast occurred. The Police Lines, 500 metres away, felt the impact of the blast. Unit employees said after the evening shift finished at 5.30 p.m. only packaging work was on the third floor. The blast destroyed all four walls of the room. Situated in a residential area, the unit started production on October 28, 2005. The unit is yet to get registration from the Industries Department. It had not even applied for registration. Unit owner Suba Roy said the requisite drug licence had been procured and all essential papers were being prepared to seek registration with the Industries Department. He said the blast was caused by the malfunctioning of the tray drier. Drug Inspector Munish Thakur, who inspected the site, said the drier had run for less than three hours against the eight-hour period and some malfunctioning could have caused the blast. Enquiries revealed only a preliminary registration was sought from the Industries Department on May 10, 2005. SP Gianeshwar Singh confirmed the blast in the unit. A team of forensic experts led by Director, Forensic Science Laboratory, Junga, Dr Gaud had visited and took samples to ascertain its cause. A case has been registered by the police for negligence against the unit. |
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Power plant damaged
Karcham (Kinnaur), January 19 Mr Virender Sethi, adviser to the Jaypee industries, along with other senior officials and engineers rushed to the spot. When the reports last came they were yet to reach the site due to blockade of roads. A senior official of the Jaypee said huge rocks from the top of a hill had hit the switchyard of the power distribution centre. As the power supply was suspended, engineers were forced to stop power generation in the hydro-power plant. There was no loss to the power generation system of the plant. He said more details could be given only after the team of engineers return to the office. The Tribune tried to contact Mr Virender Sethi, adviser, Jaypee Industries, on his mobile telephone but the communication could not be established due to poor telecom services in the region, When contacted, Dr Amandeep Garg District Magistrate of Kinnaur said that he had also got a flash message about the damage to the power plant but details about the incident were not available with him. Initial estimates of the Jaypees revealed that the appromixate loss in the is Rs 10 crore. However, details could be available only after assessment by engineers. Thus, the stoppage of power generation from this 300 MW hydro-power plant is likely to affect the northern region including the states of Himachal, Punjab, Chandigarh and Haryana. |
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Row over election of
MC chief
Nahan, January 19 BJP leader Shyama Sharma has claimed that BJP-supported Kavita Pundir was the only member of the Municipal Council of Nahan elected from a ward reserved for scheduled Caste. As chairmanship of the council was reserved for the Scheduled Caste member hence as per the Supreme Court judgement delivered on November 18, 1996, in the Saraswati Devi versus Shanti Devi and others, only a person elected from a ward reserved for Scheduled Caste women could contest the election of the chairperson. She said Kavita Pundir was the only candidate of such category and eligible candidate to be elected as chairperson of the Nahan MC. |
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Man charred
Shimla, January 19 According to the police, Shamsher Singh was a driver in the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC), who was suspended from service some time back. The neighbours broke open the door when they saw fumes coming out of his room at about 6.30 a.m today. He was living in a rented accommodation in Bhargava Nivas along with his family. He was rushed to Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) where he was declared brought dead. His wife, who is a government teacher, had gone to her parents’ house in Tara Devi along with the two children when the mishap occurred. The police said the deceased, who had left the heater on when he slept, had come home drunk. On an earlier occasion also, Shamsher Singh has sustained severe burns in his legs when his bedding had caught fire. |
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BJP wrests post of MC president
Mandi, January 19 Though the Congress had claimed support of eight candidates, the BJP exploited the groupism within the Congress to the hilt and staged a historic win in the MMC, which was always dominated by the Congress. Mr Vaidya polled 10 votes, while Mr Pushp Raj secured three votes. A Sukh Ram supporter, Ms Sushila Sonkhla, former MMC president, had withdrawn her nomination as she was opposing Mr Pushp Raj. On the other, Mr Yog Raj, another supporter of Mr Sukh Ram and his son and former Mandi Rajya Sabha MP Anil Sharma, was elected as vice-president. In a tactical move, the BJP struck a “tacit alliance with the pro-Sukh Ram group within the Congress” and secured support of 10 councillors, revealed insiders. |
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P.S. Rana
is CIC
Shimla, January 19 His name for the post was shortlisted by a high-level committee headed by the Chief Minister in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition. Mr Rana, who is currently posted as Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice, has conveyed his acceptance for the new assignment. He was to retire in June, 2006. He will seek premature to take up the assignment at the earliest. |
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Nagar Panchayats chosen unanimously
Solan, January 19 In the Arki Nagar Panchayat, where the Congress had won five of the seven seats, Mr Satish Kashyap was chosen pradhan and Ms Savitri Gupta up-pradhan.
— OC |
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