 |
|
|
Vigilance probe into Larji project cost overrun
No wildlife Act violation at Amarinder’s
farmhouse
Students greet tourists with sweets
Procurement rate by resin raised
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
Vigilance probe into Larji project cost overrun
Shimla, September 25 The decision was taken by the Cabinet which met under the chairmanship of Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, here today. The Cabinet took into consideration the irregularities pointed out in the special audit conducted by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India and findings of the probe ordered by the State’s Electricity Regulatory Commission. The project executed by the state Electricity Board has been completed 40 months behind schedule and its cost doubled Rs 1,300 crore. The cost of construction came to over Rs 10 crore per megawatt, making it the most costly medium scale hydroelectric project in the country. It also considered the bids for two cement plants, each of two million tonne capacity, to be set up in Chamba and Mandi districts. The Al Sindi Cement Plant in the Mandi district was assigned to Lafarge, the largest cement company in the world which has 132 plants across the globe. The Broh-Shind cement plant in the Chamba district has been allotted to the Jaypee Associates which is also setting up a plant at Bagha in Solan district. There were 10 companies in race including Lafarge and Heidelberg, the world’s number two which has 63 manufacturing units. The project was initially awarded to the Larson and Toubro in 1995. However, work was not started despite repeated extensions of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) as a result of which the government cancelled the MoU and invited fresh bids. It also decided to provide subsidy to domestic and agricultural, antodaya and BPL families and other power consumers to the extent of Rs 110 crore. Last year a subsidy of Rs 88.51 crore was provided. It also approved amendment of the Municipal Committee Building Bye Laws, 1998 to make it mandatory for every building in Shimla town to be renovated at least once in three years. A penal provision in case of default of Rs 500 and Rs 50 per day has also been made. The Cabinet also approved a proposal to give Rs 1,000 annually per child of destitute mother having two children under “Mother Teresa Asshaya Matri Yojna” for upbringing. It decided to change the cadre of the Class-IV category from divisional level to that of circle level in the Irrigation and Public Health Department. The Cabinet cleared an amendment of HAS rules to abolish the condition of number of chances for appearing in the examination and raised the age limit from 34 to 35 years for direct recruitment (general category). The usual relaxation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes category will be applicable. The state government employees will get further relaxation over and above the age of 35 years. The Cabinet approved the setting up of Pithead Thermal Power Plant for in joint venture. The matter will be taken up with the Government of India for the allocation of a coal mine for the project, as per its policy for allocation of captive coal blocks to developers for the generation of electricity.
|
|
No wildlife Act violation at Amarinder’s
farmhouse
Shimla, September 25 Even though the Punjab Chief Minister in his reply to the department in response to the notice had claimed that there were no endangered birds or Himalayan pheasants at his farm which amounted to violation of the Wildlife Protection Act, but a team of officials undertook physical verification of the birds. Led by the Range Officer, Chail, the team found that as per the reply given by Mr Amarinder Singh there were only four species of pheasants including Silver, Golden, Ring Necked and Lady Amherst. The number of all these birds put together was a little over 300. “Since we have not found any violation of the Act at Mr Amarinder Singh’s farmhouse, the matter stands closed,” said a senior wildlife official. In his reply the Chief Minister has stated that the birds are descendants of the stock maintained by his father. He has also said he too has made occasional augmentation of the stock by purchasing a few birds from reputed dealers. Mr Amarinder Singh said the media reports about violation was an effort to malign his image and harm him politically.
|
|
Students greet tourists with sweets
Shimla, September 25 The tourists were given brochures about Himachal provided by the Tourism Department. A heritage walk was organised for about 50 Indian and foreign tourists from the Ridge, the Mall, Kalibari, Chaura Maidan, Museum and Viceregal Lodge. A quiz was organised by students for the tourists, in which questions about Shimla were asked. The Chairman of the Tourism Administration, Dr S.P. Bansal, said this year the students had decided to create awareness about the glorious heritage of the town which was once the summer capital of the British. This year the celebrations will continue for one week instead of two days so that awareness amongst the locals as well as tourists could be created.
|
|
Procurement rate by resin raised
Shimla, September 25 Last season resin was procured at Rs 2,400 per quintal. as such the rate has been increased by 25 per cent this year. |
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
