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Academic inertia at IIAS Spiti new apple destination
Ensure education for girl child: minister
Warrants against ADGP Thind returned
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Irregularities alleged in conduct of exams
Research must focus on states’ priorities: Prasad
Residents oppose hydel project
Deserving BPL families ignored in MC area
Sale of substandard drugs rampant in Kangra
BSP’s rally against corruption on June 19
BJP activists get bail
Woman commits suicide
Two killed as jeep falls into Ravi
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Academic inertia at IIAS Shimla, June 8 Normally, the Viceregal Lodge complex, which houses the institute, is bustling with academic activity during this time of the year, however, in the absence of a regular Director the functioning of the institute has come to a standstill. No seminars have been organised and no lectures delivered by visiting scholars and the process of selecting Fellows has not even begun. The post of Deputy Secretary, Administration, is also vacant since October and that of the Accounts Officer since March. The process for filling these vacancies has not been initiated. Dr Bhalchandra Mungekar, Chairperson of the governing body, is holding the additional charge of Director. He is also a member of the Planning Commission and has little time for the day-to-day affairs of the institute. Even routine files have to be sent to New Delhi every fortnight or so for petty matters. Only 18 Fellows are there and half of them would complete their assignment over the next three to four months. As many as 240 scholars had sent applications for fellowships but these have not been scrutinised so far. The normal intake of Fellows is 32 to 35 but this year the number was expected to go up to about 60 as the institute had renovated Himcreet Hostel which can accommodate 20 Fellows. Four new flats have also been constructed near Del Villa. The Bandhopadhyaya Committee, which inquired into the affairs of the institute, had recommended that the number of Fellows should be increased substantially to make optimum utilisation of facilities. Even if the selection process is started immediately, the new Fellows will not be able to start work before the next academic session. The process would take a minimum of three to four months and the Fellows will also require a few months to quit their current assignments before jointing.
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Spiti new apple destination Shimla, June 8 Until now, apple from Kinnaur was rated the best in the state. About 75,000 plants of spur variety planted on an experimental basis in the Spiti valley have been a success. Since there is poor rain in Spiti and barring the sea buckthorn, there is no plantation, it was decided by the Horticulture Department to try the spur variety. The trees were planted in five panchayats of Horling, Kaza, Tabo, Guie and Chorang. The varieties included red chief, super chief and golden. The experiment has been such a success that there is a demand for 2.50 lakh plants by growers of the area. The department is multiplying the dwarf variety in its progeny farm so that the demand of the growers can be met. During trials conducted in 1998, apple from Canada was rated the best in the world followed by Kinnaur apple. Apple from the USA, Australia and New Zealand was found to be inferior in quality to Kinnaur apple. The success of the apple crop in the valley is bound to transform the economy of the tribal area where farmers had so far been concentrating on pea cultivation. The pea is of superior quality but due to the location, there is delay in sending the produce to the market. With the shelf life of pea being less, the crop would rot if there was a delay in transportation. The apple crop would be ready by September and even if there is a delay in transporting it, there would be no problem as from October there would be no requirement of cold storage, point out scientists. They say that the apple produced in Spiti would be very juicy, crispy and even better in terms of colour than Kinnaur apple.
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Ensure education for girl child: minister
Bilaspur, June 8 Inaugurating Rs 20 lakh double storeyed newly constructed building of Government Senior Secondary School at Namhole, 23 km from here, on Tuesday evening. The Forest Minister said the state had achieved first place in matter of spreading of education. At present the state had literacy percentage of 86.2 for males and 69.08 for female and average percentage of 77.17 which is more than national literacy percentage. Mr Thakur urged villagers to send their daughters regularly to school and to ensure maximum education and training for them as education was essential for faster advancement of any society. He declared that he would offer a prize of Rs 60 thousand to a girl and Rs 50 thousand a boy of Bilaspur district who topped in the merit list in the state. He said high school at Suin-Surhad has been upgraded to senior secondary level and this facility would also be provided at Rani Kotla High School from the next session. Middle schools at Sai Kharsi and Chkoh have already been upgraded to high schools. The Forest Minister declared that Rs 15 lakh building under Mid Himalaya Watershed Project would be constructed at Namhole soon and a total of Rs 5 crores were being spent under the project in Bilaspur and Solan districts during current financial year. Farmers should come forward to take full advantage of facilities being provided by the Forest Department under the project for construction of “check dams” and also for employing new methods in laying of orchards and animal husbandry and allied activities, including conservation of water and afforestation.
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Warrants against ADGP Thind returned
Shimla, June 8 It was after much deliberation that senior police officials in consultation with the legal experts, including the Advocate-General, decided that the warrants should be returned. “The warrants have been sent back through a special messenger, citing the reason for its non-execution,” confirmed, Mr A.P. Singh, SP, Shimla. According to legal opinion, the warrants have to be executed by the person to whom it is addressed, which in this case is the SHO, Dera Bassi. “In the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) it is clearly established as to how a warrant has to be executed. Since it has been issued under Section 79 of the CrPC in the name of the SHO, Dera Bassi, the local police could have only extended assistance to him,” explained a police official. The state police while returning the warrant has also explained that had it been issued in the name of the SP, Shimla, under Section 78 of the CrPC, it would have been his responsibility to execute it. Despite criticism from various quarters about giving undue protection to Mr Thind, it was being expected that this time too the government would find some excuse to protect him. The sections mentioned in the warrants pertain to cheating, fraud and criminal conspiracy as the case pertains to alleged sale of land on the basis of a forged power of attorney. “The manner in which the Punjab Police is going about in the execution of the warrant creates doubt about their seriousness on the whole issue and they are only trying to pass the buck on us,” said an official. He added that the case against Mr Thind was at the investigation stage and Punjab Police was trying to compel him to join investigation by seeking the help of the court. Failing to find Mr Thind at his Chandigarh address as indicated on the warrants, Punjab Police had handed it over to the Himachal Director-General of Police (DGP), Mr Ajit Narayan. He had forwarded the warrants to the SP, Shimla, who had been asked to act after seeking legal opinion.
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Irregularities alleged in conduct of exams
Mandi, June 8 It was alleged that the examination for most of the top-ranking students had turned out to be frustrating as those who had scored average in the last CBSE and other examinations had scored much higher than the former. In a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister, Mr. Virbhadra Singh, the ACASP alleged large-scale irregularities in the conduct of the HPCPMT-2006 the results for which were declared on June 3 had frustrated a large section of the top ranking students. The students, who were expecting over 80 per cent marks, scored much less than their average counterparts. "My daughter had scored over 93 per cent to 98 per cent in different subjects in the CBSE, but she was very depressed that she had scored less than her expectation in the HPCPMT", said Mr. C Mahajan, a local lecturer. "There are over 10 students in Mandi who were toppers in the CBSE, but their score is far below than those who were not even in the rankings. "The university authorities should set up an evaluation committee and the Chief Minister should order a probe into the HPCPMT examination so that the confidence of both students and parents is restored", he asserted. The ACSP chairperson, Dr. Kuldip Singh Tanwar, claimed that the "examination mafia have started operating in the state ensuring cent percent success in the PMT through advertisements in newspapers, telephone calls and through personal approaches to the parents of the concerned children. "The rates range from Rs. 5 to Rs. 20 lakhs and they operate in league with some corrupt officials, he alleged. Mr. Naresh Gupta, convener, ACSP, stated that the HP-CPMT 2006-07 should be cancelled immediately and fresh examination ordered. "The government should order a judicial probe by a sitting judge of the High Court or the CBI and probe be made public under the Right to information Act to restore public confidence in the system, the ACASP demanded.
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Research must focus on states’ priorities: Prasad
Shimla, June 8 A lot of funds were being spent on scientific research and development of new technology but not all of it is relevant to the states. This was revealed in a pilot study got conducted by his department in case of Punjab, which prompted the Centre to take steps to match the research effort with the requirements of the states, Dr Prasad, who was here in connection with the all-India meeting on science and technology projects database, observed during an interview with The Tribune. The objective was to identify the areas where scientific and technological interventions were required. In Punjab it was found that the research effort was relevant in agriculture but the same was not the case in the energy sector. It was a priority area in state plan but the effort on the technological front was missing altogether. Similarly, not much was being done in the area of pollution control, which was a major concern in the state He said while the basic research could not be neglected, universities and other knowledge-creating institutions must focus the research effort on the priority areas of the states and local problems. The database being prepared would not only enable the government to give the right direction to the technological initiatives but also help in ascertaining whether or not the technology developed through various projects had been actually put to use. The database is being got prepared for every state through the respective councils for science and technology which are like an extended arm of the department. The funding to states is being channelised through the state councils.
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Residents oppose hydel project
Chamba, June 8 The members of the association were outraged over the setting up of a proposed Chamba hydroelectric project by the government. They felt that the proposal would be detrimental to the town,as it would ruin its historic hilly existence. They warned to continue their agitation until the scheme was abandoned. The proposed hydel scheme envisages the diversion of Ravi water flow passing around Chamba town downstream of Karian village by diverting the water through 10 -km-long tunnel through Samdhar hill, on the slope of which the town is located.The exit point of tailrace tunnel of Chamera Stage-II powerhouse near Karian to Ghotla Nala at Haripur village has been selected for setting up of a new 125-MW Chamba hydel power plant by the HPSEB. The project would create unhygienic conditions for the breeding of Mahasheer fish and aquiculture would be reduced to nil.There would be health hazards. Mandi town around river Beas too has been facing great environment and ecological hazards.There has been forest degradation . Soil erosions would further give way to landslides, damaging its scenic beauty like spring waters, including the historical source of drinking water through Samdhar Hill for which Queen Sunayana Devi of the erstwhile Chamba state, had sacrificed her life. This will hurt the sentiments of Chamba people who honour and commemorate the sacrifice of the queen popularly known as Suhi Mata in April every year. The association advised the government to refrain from going ahead with the hydel scheme and asked to explore alternative proposals such as the 260-MW Kuther, 200-MW Holi Bajoli and 200-MW Bada Bhangal hydroelectric projects for harnessing the waters of Ravi. These hydel schemes are run-of-the-river. The town, which is situated on the slope of Samdhar hill, falls under the seismic zone-V and is heavily prone to earthquake. Therefore, the danger of destruction to the town due to heavy blasting for the excavation of 10-km -long tunnel through Samdhar hill via Kumarka village (already an erosion-prone area) cannot be ruled out.
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Deserving BPL families ignored in MC area
Nurpur, June 8 According to the information gathered from the MC, 619 families have been identified in the BPL category. The MC had passed a resolution and approved an identification exercise undertaken to enroll BPL families in the town last year. Acting on the approval made by the MC, the state government has notified these families in the BPL category. In this exercise the names of most of the listed BPL families have been struck off for the reasons best known to the municipal councillors. When asked Mr R.S. Verma, Executive Officer of the MC, who joined here a few months ago, confirmed that during his tenure only 458 families were shortlisted in the “Antodya” category from amongst the already identified BPL families which had been notified by the state government. He made no comments on the survey undertaken by the MC to identify BPL families. Inquiries reveal that previous as many as 80 Antodya families in the town got no place in the new list. The BJP leader, Mr Bhupnesh Gupta, and an Ex-municipal Commissioner, Mr Atul Suden, while criticising the modus opereandi in the identification of BPL families alleged that the Congress-supported municipal councillors had included their favourites in the list of BPL families at the cost of genuine persons in the town. They demanded an inquiry into the MC survey conducted last year.
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Sale of substandard drugs rampant in Kangra
Palampur, June 8 According to a survey conducted by a local voluntary organisation, Save Palampur, over 100 brands of sub-standard drugs are selling in different markets of the district. Ms Neelam Sood, president of the organisation, who conducted the survey on behalf of this NGO, met 500 patients visiting different government hospitals in the district. She examined the prescription slips issued by the doctors and found that out of cases of 500 patients, 386 cases were of substandard drugs of unknown companies prescribed to them. Tall claims made by the state Health Department that it has completely stopped the sale of spurious or sub-standard drugs are only confined to files. Information collected by The Tribune from various parts of the districts and health institutions further revealed that most of the sub-standard drugs are being sold at Palampur, Dharamsala, Bhawarna, Nurpur, Nagrota Bagwan, Dehara Gopipur and Kangra on the prescription of medical officers posted in government hospitals. Most of the medical officers had tie-ups with various drug companies and were prescribing their drugs after getting huge commissions and other financial benefits. A chemist at Kangra told this reporter that medical officers patronised particular chemist shops, where these sub-standard drugs were available. Patients were specifically directed by the doctors to buy medicines from these shops. Records of local civil hospitals revealed that a few doctors were repeatedly prescribing particular brands of medicines to patients. Indoor records of other hospitals in the district established that a doctor was writing a particular drug of a particular company to the patients for the past two years. In one of the prescription slips; which is with The Tribune, it was found that a doctor had prescribed sub-standard medicines to a patient for one month at a stretch without bothering to go into any side effects. Under these circumstances, the sale of standard drugs has come down in the district. A leading chemist and wholesale medicine dealers at Kangra said though the standard company medicines were cheaper in the market, doctors were not prescribing these medicines as they did not get commission or other incentives from standard companies. Many chemists at Palampur told The Tribune that the margin of profit to companies on sub-standard medicines ranged from 200 to 300 per cent and part of it went to the doctors. Besides, cash, costly gifts, foreign tours, jewellery and cars were also given to the doctors by the company if they fulfilled the targets. Most of the companies manufacturing the sub- standard and spurious drugs are located at Amritsar, Mohali, Delhi and other places. The medicines are supplied and transported through HRTC buses to avoid sales tax since the buses are not inspected on the tax barriers. Recently, sales tax authorities raided one of the chemist shops in the town dealing with the sale of sub-standard medicines. No purchase documents of these drugs were found with the owners, who had reportedly brought these drugs from Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur by bus. He was fined Rs 20,000 by the sales tax authorities.
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Dalai Lama praises Kinnauri people’s religious harmony
Sangla/Reckong Peo, June 8 In front of thousands of tribal people joined by hundreds of foreigners mostly from Israel, the Dalai Lama took blessings from ‘Bairing Nag’. Local people said the Hindu Devta had invited the Dalai Lama to visit here. The Hindu temple is said to be 700-year-old structure that is also an example of wooden craft and architectural design of medieval period in Kinnaur. Although, local artisans had given a facelift to the temple following the Dalai Lama’s visit but every effort has been made to preserve its traditional sanctity. Impressed by the beautiful structure of temples and the faith of people in two religions, the Dalai Lama commented, “Kinnauri people are live examples of religious harmony and peace in the world”. Later, the spiritual guru gave a religious discourse to the local gathering attended by hundreds of foreign nationals. The tribal people from Sangla, Kamru, Chansu, Raksham, Chitkul and many other villages had gathered here to hear teachings of the Dalai Lama. During the discourse, local deity, ‘Bairing Nag’ along with other deities, ‘Tangnu Devta’, ‘Majang Naag’ and ‘Bir Devta’ (all three considered to be the brothers of ‘Bairang Nag’) were also present on the occasion. Later, the Dalai Lama left for Kalpa former district headquarters of Kinnaur. On the way, at Karcham, Powari and Reckong Peo hundreds of people were standing on the road side to greet their religious leader. No matter, the Dalai Lama did not even stop the car in which he was travelling on seeing hundreds of people standing on the roadsides waiting for his arrival; The people revered his very sight, expressing faith in the spiritual guru. As per schedule, he did not appear before people at Kalpa and went to the circuit house for rest. On Friday, he will begin his four-day religious discourse at the stadium grounds in Kalpa. The visit of the Dalai Lama in Kinnaur is being considered a great occasion among the local people. Last time he visited Kinnaur in 2000 to preside over the Kal Chakra ceremony at Kalpa. In 1996, he presided over the Kal Chakra ceremony at Tabo monastery in Spiti valley.
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BSP’s rally against corruption on June 19
Kangra, June 8 Disclosing this here today, Mr Prakash Chand Saniyal, state secretary of the BSP, said a meeting of BSP state functionaries held today under the presidentship of state president Balwant Singh decided to hold a protest rally at Dharamsala on June 19 against the unchecked corruption during the Virbhadra Singh regime in the government offices to submit a memorandum to the Governor in this connection. Mr Saniyal said concern was expressed at the meeting over the hike in the prices of petrol and diesel, besides soaring prices of essential commodities and encroachments on the government land by political bigwigs. He demanded rehabilitation of the landless Dalit Pong Dam oustees immediately. The BSP leadership was critical of the Virbhadra Singh government for indulging in the transfer of the employees on caste basis and alleged that the Dalit employees were being victimised. Mr Saniyal alleged that during a mid-meal a Dalit school student in a primary school was being kept seated separately and in some primary schools the teachers were not allowing students of the upper castes to take the food prepared by Dalit students. He, however, did not name the schools.
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BJP activists get bail
Solan, June 8 Led by local MLA Rajiv Bindal, the BJP activists raised anti-government slogans. Later addressing mediapersons, Dr Bindal said the district administration was acting under government pressure. The fact that the number of BJP workers against whom cases had been registered for carrying arms and participating in Saturday’s rally had shot from seven to 16 was an indication that the registration of cases was an afterthought.
— OC
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Woman commits suicide
Nahan, June 8 Mangi Devi reportedly set herself on fire around 11 last night. She died before she could be shifted to some medical institute. In another incident, an employee of UCO Bank, Rajgarh, Sandeep Sood (42), was found dead at his residence this evening. According to a report, he was alone at his residence. When his family members returned home in the evening, they found him dead under suspicious circumstances. No report has been registered by the Rajgarh police.
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Two killed as jeep falls into Ravi
Chamba, June 8 The two persons, identified as Fangan Ram and Kundel, were killed on the spot. The police said the bodies were later taken out of the river and handed over to their relatives after a post-mortem examination. A case has been registered and investigations were on, the police added.
— UNI
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Sundernagar, June 8
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Free yoga training offered
Nurpur, June 8
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