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Snow in higher reaches of Himachal
Deal with water crisis, House to HP Govt
Rally against hydel project
Sutlej flow diverted
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Kinkri Devi gets help from USA
Obtain certificate
for poultry, directs DC
18 shed-owners face eviction
All set for Shivratri
Delimitation panel public hearing in June
Govt to get fee structure examined
School board exams from March 3
HC judge dead
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Snow in higher reaches of Himachal
Shimla, February 23 Keylong, district headquarters of Lahaul-Spiti, recorded 15 cm of snowfall last night, taking the total snowfall recorded in the district during the winters to 225 cm this year with the minimum temperature being recorded at minus 4 degrees. However, the maximum temperature soared to 16 degrees with the sun shining brightly today before the clouds covered the sky, bringing a drop in the day temperature by a few degrees. An official spokesman said the mild snow received last night melted by noon today and light vehicles were plying normally in the district. He said the Border Road Organisation (BRO) was gearing up to clear the 13,050-foot high Rohtang Pass, adding that the road would be thrown open for public by May if the area received no more snowfall. “BRO officials would start clearing the pass on February 26.’’ Pangi and Bharmaour areas of Chamba district, the Dhauladhar ranges in Kangra and Rohtang Pass also experienced mild snowfall, while a report from Kulu said Manali had light showers last night. The minimum and maximum temperatures were five to 10 degrees above normal across the state, causing anxiety to the farmers, fruit growers and other people. The minimum temperature recorded at Shimla was 11.8°C after recording the hottest night in February at 13 degrees on Sunday. Shimla, Sundernagar and Bhuntar recorded night temperatures of 11.8, 11.7 and 11.5 degree, respectively, while Bhang (Manali) recorded a low of 5 degrees. Dhundi and Solang Nullah in Kullu district recorded the minimum temperatures of 0.5 and 6.5 degrees.
— UNI |
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Deal with water crisis, House to HP Govt
Shimla, February 23 Cutting across party lines, members impressed upon the government that immediate and long-term measures were needed as some areas were already facing shortage of water and the standing rabi crop had started withering in lower hills. Sharing the members' concern, Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, assured the House that the government was geared up to meet any eventuality. He said the things could go worse if the dry spell continued but the government would not be found wanting in handling the crisis. Replying to discussion on the private member resolution, moved by Mr Mohinder Singh (BJP) on the issue, Mr Kaul Singh, Irrigation and Public Health Minister, said there were reasons for worry as the state had received only 68.7 mm of rainfall from October to February as against the normal 285 mm. The deficit was more than 75 per cent. The government was aware of the situation and it had made the necessary arrangements to handle it. His department had already send a Rs 1,750 crore proposal to the Centre under the Bharat Nirman Yozana to augment the drinking water supply to 30,222 habitations which were not getting water as per the norm of 70 litre per capita per day
(lpcpd) fixed by the state government. He said as per the norms laid down by the Centre in the rural areas, the water supply was to be designed on 40 lpcpd but the state had increased it to 70 lpcpd as water was also used for cattle. The additional expenditure on this account would be borne by the state. Similarly, a Rs 688-crore proposal had been submitted to bring additional 90,000 hectare of land under irrigation over the next three years. Short-term measures, included instillation of hand pumps and till date 13,910 hand pumps had been installed in the scarcity-hit areas. |
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Rally against hydel project
Reckong Peo, February 23 People by buses, trucks, cars and jeeps from all parts of the district started gathering on the outskirts of Reckong Peo since early morning and in the afternoon they marched in procession in the streets of the district headquarters raising slogans against the state government, district administration and the Jaypee group of industries. Later, they
gathered in the heart of the town, blocked traffic for hours and held a rally. People of Reckong Peo also joined hands with protestors. There have been a series of demonstrations in the past five years against this particular power project but the high point of agitation came early this year when the people here decided to sit on relay fast at the dam site that entered into 42nd day on Thursday. Tribal people are protesting against the setting-up of the nation’s highest dam (276 metres) at Khab in Kinnaur district. They ransacked the office of Sutlej Jal Vidhyut Nigam
(SJVN) and forced its officials/employees to run away from Pooh where a preliminary investigation centre with regard to the construction of dam was set-up by the
SJVN. |
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Sutlej flow diverted
Sundernagar, February 23 The tunnel is situated about 35 km from here on the border of Mandi and Bilaspur Districts. In order to start construction work on the main dam on the Sutlej the authorities had diverted the entire flow of the river from two diversion tunnels in October, 2004. When the flow was diverted through both tunnels the Sutlej was dried up in a
stretch of 2 km. According to Mr R.B. Pathak General Manager Kol Dam Hydro Project, the work on the installation of radial gates in the one tunnel and plugging the other permanently would be completed at a cost of Rs 5 crore. |
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Kinkri Devi gets help from USA
Chandigarh, February 23 A US-based organisation has announced to help her after The Tribune carried the report, “Fight, a byword for Kinkri Devi”, on February 23. The organisation, My Himachal Group, in an e-mail to the newspaper, said it was moving to read about Kinkri Devi. Dr Bhugol
Chandel, president of the group, said: “It is surprising how a person of her status can be in such a pathetic condition?” The group, a non-profitable organisation of professionals in India and abroad from Himachal Pradesh, has come forward to help the crusader by giving support of Rs 30,000 through the Chief Minister's fund. “More help in cash and kind will be provided to support and rehabilitate her in the future,” said Mr Avnish
Katoch, secretary of the group. This year, the organisation has established and announced the
“Himachal Rattan” scholarship for science student, who tops in Class XII examination of the Himachal School Education Board. |
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Obtain certificate
for poultry, directs DC
Chamba, February 23 This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner here today while holding a meeting of district officers with a view to keeping watch on any outbreak of the virus of bird flu. The DC also advised the authorities to keep surveillance round the clock, thereby making it necessary to keep the virus out of the region. The DC stated that at the moment there was neither any incidence of outbreak of bird flu nor any scare of this virus in this district. However, the DC directed the authorities to allow the sale of live poultry only after thorough checking the origin and health of the birds on site, duly certifying the buying and selling of the flocks of chickens by traders as remedial measures. For the facility of public, a control room with telephone number 01899-224495 had also been set up at the district headquarters, the DC informed the meeting. |
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18 shed-owners face eviction
Mandi, February 23 “We are requesting the administration to relocate us at a suitable place in the town as it is a matter of bread and butter for us,” said the shed-owners. “We were allotted a place near the police lines, but we are not allowed to put up sheds there,” they rued. Incidentally these sheds are located under the nine trees that also face the axe to connect the newly built bridge to National Highway-21 near the Paddal bus stand. The Suketi bridge will ease traffic congestion and will be dedicated to the public by the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, on Shivaratri. The PWD and Forest Department held a joint inspection yesterday and recommended felling of the ornamental trees. “One tree is dry, while eight others are green,” officials said. The Deputy Commissioner, Mandi, Mr Subhasish Panda, said they were trying to find a suitable place to relocate the shed owners in the town on a permanent basis. |
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All set for Shivratri
Mandi, February 23 Deputy Commissioner, who is also the president of the Shivratri Mela Committee, Subhasish Panda said the committee would welcome the Kamru Nag devta, main deity and other devtas here on February 25 and conduct the traditional puja at Bhutnath, Tarna Devi, Jalpa Devi, Bhairav, Bhima Kali, Bhuvneshwari, Sheetla and Jag Rupeshehwari temples. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh would be the chief guest and would escort the Shivratri’s traditional Madhav Rai yatra from the Madhav Rai temple here on February 26 on the new Suketi Bridge to the Paddal ground. Governor V.S. Kokje would be the chief guest at the concluding ceremony on March 5, Mr Panda said. The star performances would feature singers Kishan Kumar (February 27), Band of Boys, popular TV showmen (February 28), Himachali folksingers (March 1), Madhushri (March 2), Jasbir Jassi (March 3) and Gurpreet and Bhagwant Maan. A fashion show would be held on March 4. The Army’s 9th Corp Yole Camp would hold an exhibition of arms and ammunition on the Paddal ground besides a three-day eye camp February 27. “We have tried to strike a balance between the tradition and the modern, old and the young taste to make the festival a success,” Mr Panda said. |
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Delimitation panel public hearing in June
Shimla, February 23 Though the state government is yet to receive an official communication from the National Delimitation Commission, it is reliably learnt that public hearing of objections will be held at Dharamshala on June 1, at Mandi on June 3 and at Shimla on June 5, this year. The Commission, after inviting objections from the public, will give final shape to the draft report which will then be circulated among the associate members. After holding public hearings in June, the Commission is likely to submit the final report to the Centre by July. Though the delimitation process in practically all the Assembly segments is almost complete yet the final decision on reserving some segments is still to be taken. |
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Govt to get fee structure examined
Shimla, February 23 Mr Virbhadra Singh made this statement during the discussion on the Himachal Pradesh Unaided Private Dental Colleges (Regulation of Admission and Fixation of Fee for 2003-04) Bill, which was introduced in the House yesterday. He said the government would get the matter examined and explore all possibilities where relief could be given to the students who had taken admission in these private dental colleges against the government seats. He said as per the Supreme Court ruling the same fee structure had been recommended for both the students who had got admission on merit and the ones who had got it through the management quota. “The students who were admitted on the government quota on merit during the 2003-04 would get relief till they finished their course by paying only Rs 20,000 rather than the enhanced Rs 84,000,” he informed the House. |
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School board exams from March 3
Kangra, February 23 Dr K.D. Lakhanpal, Secretary of the board, today said the annual examinations of Classes XI and XII would start on March 3 and of matriculation and Class VIII on March 4. He said the examinations for Classes X and XII would be held in the morning session and for Classes VIII and XI in the evening
session. He said that roll numbers had been dispatched to the heads of the institutions and of the private candidates the roll numbers had been dispatched directly. |
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HC judge dead
Shimla, February 23 He is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. Mr Justice Jain was shifted from the Punjab and Haryana High Court to the Himachal High Court recently. According to High Court sources, his body was being flown to his native place, Gurgaon, where cremation would take place tomorrow. The state Assembly, which is in session, mourned his death. Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, said Mr Justice Jain had earned a good reputation during his short tenure in the state. Mr P.K. Dhumal, leader of the BJP group, also paid homage to the departed soul. |
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Five youths beat up
man Kumarhatti, February 23 Dina Nath, Babloo, Happy, Jaggi and Dinu got down from the van and attacked Ravinder Kumar with hockey sticks. The victim as well as the accused belonged to Dhanoul village.
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