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Wangtoo project: Jaypee sues samiti for meddling
Reckong Peo, November 10
In the ongoing controversy over the 1000 MW Karcham-Wangtoo Hydropower Project, the Jaypee group of industries commissioning the project has filed a civil suit in a local court against the Karcham-Wangtoo Sangarsh Samiti that is opposing the project.

Tribals hold protest
Wangtoo (Kinnaur), November 10
Thousands of tribal people led by the local deity, Maheshwar Devta of Chagaon village, yesterday held a massive protest rally against the state government for granting permission to the Jaypee group of industries to go ahead with the construction work on the proposed 1000 MW Karcham-Wangtoo Hydropower Project. The protest continued throughout the night till this morning.

Virbhadra Singh on stone-laying spree
Una, November 10
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, while addressing a public meeting at Badera, 12 km from here, lashed out at the BJP and said that the BJP 's efforts to divide Himachal Pradesh on the basis of regionalism, cast and creed will not succeed.

Patwari in Vigilance Dept net
Shimla, November 10
The Vigilance Department trapped Man Singh, a patwari, posted in the Chinawag circle of Shimla, red-handed when he was allegedly accepting bribe from a local resident for verifying a certificate.

Mandi fire station to be upgraded
Mandi, November 10
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said the Mandi fire station would be equipped with new a fire tender and provided better equipment and it would be relocated in a new building with residential facilities for the firemen.

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Mandi
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EARLIER STORIES

	No consensus on state BJP chief, poll deferred November 10, 2006
	No admission without affiliation, schools told November 9, 2006
	1 killed, 42 hurt as HRTC bus falls into Beas river November 8, 2006
	Samiti chief booked on abduction charge November 7, 2006
	Centre’s nod to road in Chopal November 6, 2006
	Education officer, superintendent suspended November 5, 2006
	SSSB cancels results of 4 examinations November 4, 2006
	State to seek Rs 1,407 cr for housing urban poor November 3, 2006
	Make farming more profitable, says Kokje November 2, 2006
	Main accused in CPMT case held November 1, 2006

Wangtoo project: Jaypee sues samiti for meddling
Tribune News Service

Reckong Peo, November 10
In the ongoing controversy over the 1000 MW Karcham-Wangtoo Hydropower Project, the Jaypee group of industries commissioning the project has filed a civil suit in a local court against the Karcham-Wangtoo Sangarsh Samiti that is opposing the project.

The Jaypee industry, in the civil suit, has alleged that the samiti is illegally interfering into their work that they are carrying out in their own land.

However, Shyam Sunder Negi, president of the samiti, who was recently booked by the police on the charges of abduction on a complaint of the company authorities, has claimed that the controversial forest land falling within the limits of Chagaon village has so far not been transferred to the group by the district administration.

Meanwhile, investigations made by The Tribune revealed that the controversial land in the Dhar Yashang revenue area was yet to be transferred to the group for carrying out construction work on the mega power project.

No doubt, the industrial group has applied for the transfer of land on the basis of a sanction given by the Union Government but the forest department was yet to give the final nod.

A senior official of the district administration revealed that the District Magistrate of Kinnaur has issued a notification in this regard on October 12, 2006. The administration has invited objections regarding this till November 11, 2006.

However, the village panchayat, while rejecting the notification, has turned down the request of transferring this controversial land to the industrial group.

Tribals hold protest
Tribune News Service

Wangtoo (Kinnaur), November 10
Thousands of tribal people led by the local deity, Maheshwar Devta of Chagaon village, yesterday held a massive protest rally against the state government for granting permission to the Jaypee group of industries to go ahead with the construction work on the proposed 1000 MW Karcham-Wangtoo Hydropower Project. The protest continued throughout the night till this morning.

The protest rally was led by the local deity began from Chagaon village and reached near the construction site of the tunnel and the power house of the project near Wangtoo yesterday.

Virbhadra Singh on stone-laying spree
Our Correspondent

Una, November 10
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, while addressing a public meeting at Badera, 12 km from here, lashed out at the BJP and said that the BJP 's efforts to divide Himachal Pradesh on the basis of regionalism, cast and creed will not succeed.

Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated 33 KV sub-station at Tahaliwal Industrial area He laid the foundation stone of the Government College building at Beeton. He also inaugurated a blood bank and a referral hospital at Haroli.

He laid down foundation stones of Bhadsali Bridge, drinking water supply schemes at Lalri, Kungrat, Bathu and Batt Kalan and also laid the foundation stone of a law college.

Patwari in Vigilance Dept net
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 10
The Vigilance Department trapped Man Singh, a patwari, posted in the Chinawag circle of Shimla, red-handed when he was allegedly accepting bribe from a local resident for verifying a certificate.

Mr Kuldeep Sharma, the complainants, informed the Vigilance Department that the accused was demanding Rs 1,100 for verifying the certificate of residence issued by the local pradhan to his wife. The document was to be submitted by her along with the application for the post of anganwadi worker.

A trap was laid and a team headed by Mr Gaj Raj, Deputy Superintendent of Police, accompanied the complainant and caught the patwari while he was accepting the bribe.

Mandi fire station to be upgraded
Tribune News Service

Mandi, November 10
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said the Mandi fire station would be equipped with new a fire tender and provided better equipment and it would be relocated in a new building with residential facilities for the firemen.

He air-dashed to Mandi from Shimla today and met the fire victims. He directed the administration to take immediate steps for the rehabilitation of the fire-hit shopkeepers and owners of the ravaged building by evolving a mutually agreed formula in which tenants (shopkeepers) get a place to restart their business and the house owners get rent as per the current prevailing rate in the market. He also announced an immediate relief of Rs 10 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for 27 affected families.

Talking to reporters after taking stock of the damage caused by the fire on Thursday night that destroyed 14 shops and property Rs 2.5 crore, Virbhadra said the law was clear on the issue as the tenants lose rights after the fire destroys a building. Still, the shopkeepers, the owners and the Municipal Council administration should work out a formula to rebuild the gutted commercial complex in the historic Chauhta bazaar.

The CM, accompanied by his wife and Mandi MP Pratibha Singh, ex-Rajya Sabha MP Anil Sharma, said the Deputy Commissioner had been directed to find suitable land in a central location for the relocation of the fire station.

On the shortage doctors in the zonal school, he said all the vacancies will be filled up as the government wants to appoint doctors from Himachal only under its employment policy.