H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Suspended DFO proposed for Padma Shri
Solan, February 7
A Divisional Forest Officer, suspended from the department for gross negligence in reporting illicit felling of 488 trees from his division, was recommended for the prestigious Padma Shri award by the Speaker of the state Vidhan Sabha, Mr G.R. Musafir, on two occasions in the past three years but his outstanding achievements listed for the coveted award included seizing a large quantities of illicit timber during his tenure in the division.

6 die in mishaps
Kangra, February 7
Six persons were killed in road accidents in different parts of the district in the past 24 hours and one youth consumed poison and died, the police said here today.

Municipal Act to be amended: CM
Kangra, February 7
The state government will consider amendment in the existing Municipal Act to help people and their representatives as well.

Virbhadra govt anti-Dalit: BSP
Kangra, February 7
The BSP has lambasted the Virbhadra Singh government for its anti-Dalit policies and its failure in providing jobs to Himachali youths.

Notice served on truckers’ unions
Solan, February 7
Terming the 10-day strike by four truckers’ unions at Darlaghat as a violation of the HP Societies Act, the Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies today served a 24-hour notice on them to either resume work or face winding up of these societies.

Suspended DFO proposed for Padma Shri
Ambika Sharma

Solan, February 7
A Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), suspended from the department for gross negligence in reporting illicit felling of 488 trees from his division, was recommended for the prestigious Padma Shri award by the Speaker of the state Vidhan Sabha, Mr G.R. Musafir, on two occasions in the past three years but his outstanding achievements listed for the coveted award included seizing a large quantities of illicit timber during his tenure in the division.

Mr G.R. Sahibi was inducted into the Indian Forest Services in 1993 after putting in about eight years in the Himachal Pradesh Forest Services. It is interesting to note that he was suspended on January 30 this year after a report submitted by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests indicted his role in a large-scale illicit felling of timber in the Habban forest range of Rajgarh forest division. While his recommendations had listed his exceptional achievements in reporting illicit timber smuggling, he failed to report cases of illicit felling which occurred in almost two and a half year. These cases pertain to the Speaker’s home constituency Pacchad in Sirmaur district.

The Speaker, Mr G.R Musafir, confirming the fact that he had recommended the official’s name for the award, asserted that it was based on certain facts and figures which he could not recall but it was his prerogative to make such recommendations. He promised to make available such facts and refused further comment.

Senior officials in the Forest Department, while terming this recommendation as preposterous, said though the recommendation case had come to certain senior officials but since there was no outstanding achievement, there was no justification in the case.

The case was moved for the first time about two years ago and it found a second recommendation a few months before unearthing of this illicit felling of trees. It was learnt that till now only a lone IFS official had received this award in 1970s from Himachal for his deputation in the SSB.

6 die in mishaps
Our Correspondent

Kangra, February 7
Six persons were killed in road accidents in different parts of the district in the past 24 hours and one youth consumed poison and died, the police said here today.

Kangra subdivisional Police officer V.S. Thakur today said that a body was found by the side of the road at Samloti village 12 km from here on the Pathankot Mandi road. The dead was identified as Udham Singh (27), Ladhwara. It was found Udham Singh was accompanying a marriage party last evening and had gone to Kawari village. While on way back nearly 150 baratis were travelling by one bus with some of them travelling on roof. It was suspected the victim had fallen from the roof of the bus as he was drunk and was run over by a vehicle.

Preliminary report revealed death due to accident as he bore the marks of the tyre on his chest and bore marks of injury on his forehead. A case has been registered.

A 42-year-old woman Parveen Lata was killed when her scooter (HP 54 6487) was hit by a truck (HP 38 6505) on the Jassure-Indora road last evening, the SSP said here today a seven-year child of the deceased woman was safe in the accident. The woman had sought lift from a scooterist from Jassure to Gagnath and the scooter.

Mr Vikrant Chandel (19), driving car (HP 38 A 6086) was hit by a truck near Maholi village in this district yesterday and was killed, the police said today.

In another accident a person identified as Vipin Kumar was killed at Nehran Pukhar under Dehra Sub Division when his vehicle (HP 19 A 0384), dashed against a hillock, the police said today. The police suspects that the victim had taken food at Nehran Pukhar and consumed liquor before he drove and died in the accident.

Army jawan Bunty (22), was crushed to death by a truck at Mainja under the Palampur police station last evening. A case was against the truck driver. Bunty was travelling on a scooter when the accident took place.

A 20-year-old Sunny a second year student consumed celphos tablets wrongly and died in the Dr R.P. Government Medical College Hospital at Dharamsala last night, the police said here today. Sunny told the police before death that he was suffering from headache and wanted to consume medicines but due to poor light in the room he consumed celphos tablet, DSP Virender Thakur said.

Municipal Act to be amended: CM
Our Correspondent

Kangra, February 7
The state government will consider amendment in the existing Municipal Act to help people and their representatives as well.

This was revealed by Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, while speaking on the occasion of a civic reception arranged in his honour by the Municipal Committee, Dharmsala last evening. The Chief Minister said all towns of the state needed to be constructed in a planned manner. All houses needed to be constructed in Pahari architecture so that the original architecture of the state was also preserved and roof top needed to be in the slanting order.

Mr Virbhadra Singh emphasised the need to increase the green cover by protecting the forests in and around the municipal areas localities so that the beauty of the town could be protected. Besides awareness among the people, stringent steps needed to be initiated to deal with felling trees and smuggling cases.

He said a massive campaign had been launched to remove the encroachments and encroachers were requested to vacate the land voluntarily. He said municipalities should put their efforts to get the encroached lands vacated.

He said no slums should be allowed and proper living conditions should be provided to the poor and homeless.

Mr Sat Mahajan, Revenue Minister, stressed the need to bring about radical changes in the Municipal Act and avenues of additional income explored to strengthen the municipalities so that these could deliver the results to the people of their areas.

Ms Chandresh Kumari, MLA, stressed the need for promoting tourism activities in Dharamsala and Mcleodganj so that more tourists were attracted to visit the area.

Mr Randhir, newly elected president, Municipal Committee, apprised the Chief Minister of various developmental needs of tourism promotion.

Virbhadra govt anti-Dalit: BSP
Our Correspondent

Kangra, February 7
The BSP has lambasted the Virbhadra Singh government for its anti-Dalit policies and its failure in providing jobs to Himachali youths.

Mr Prakash Chand Saniyal, secretary, Himachal Pradesh BSP, in a statement here today, said on one hand the government was promising job opportunities to the Himachali youths in multinational companies, on the other hand these companies were accommodated, youths from outside.

He alleged that some companies were accommodating trainees directly from the professional colleges, thus leaving lakhs of unemployed youths in lurch. He said the state government should sign an agreement with the managements of these companies to appoint the Himachali unemployed youths through employment exchanges.

He said if the government continued with the anti-dalit policies, the entire Dalit samaj would fight it out. He suggested that the government’s actions should create an atmosphere of tranquility among all sections of the society and avoid the path of confrontation.

Notice served on truckers’ unions
Our Correspondent

Solan, February 7
Terming the 10-day strike by four truckers’ unions at Darlaghat as a violation of the HP Societies Act, the Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies today served a 24-hour notice on them to either resume work or face winding up of these societies.

The Assistant Registrar, Mr Sanjay Butail, said the notices were served under Section 78 (c) of the Act that said if the societies registered for a particular purpose failed to discharge their duties, their registration could be cancelled.

In another move, the State Transport Authority has also stepped up its drive against the errant truckers’ societies.

The Principal Secretary (Transport), Mr Avay Shukla, said direction had been issued to the DGP, the Solan DC and the SP here to make necessary arrangements for allowing safe movement of trucks hired by the Gujarat Ambuja Cement Limited’s (GACL) management from outside the state.

Ensure support to farm schemes in budget: farmers
Tribune News Service

Mandi, February 7
The president, State Kisan Sabha, Mr Amar Singh Raghava, urged the National Commission for Farmers to take care of the interests of farmers and ensure the budgetary support for all agricultural schemes.

Stating this here today after he was selected as a member of the Kisan Council of the All-India Kisan Sabha at its meeting in Maharashtra last week, Mr Raghava said the Himachal Kisan Sabha would hold a state-level function in Mandi in the April-May to raise the anti-farmer polices of the state government.

The kisan sabhas would launch an intensive recruitment drive in the state at the panchayat level to make the farmers aware about their rights and polices and programmes, he added.