Shimla, January 19
The government is seeking legal opinion to give another one month for applying under the latest retention policy for regularisation of the unauthorised constructions in the state as contrary to expectations only 2,555 cases have come in.

Since the government was expecting that at least 10,000 cases would come in under the retention policy, deliberations are on to examine the possibility of giving some more time to owners who have constructed buildings in violation of the Town and Country Planning Act.

However, with the matter being in the High Court where a public interest litigation has been filed against the retention policy, the government is getting the case examined thoroughly. “We do not want that by giving some more time to people or granting more relaxations we should invite the displeasure of the court so every aspect will be examined minutely before a final decision is taken,” said a senior official.

The authorities who were expecting that at least 4,000 persons would apply for compounding of their illegal structure in the state capital alone, have been quite surprised as only 2,180 cases have come from Shimla. The second highest number of 141 cases have come from Kangra, which again is very surprising as unauthorised constructions and violations are in plenty in Mcleodganj and Dharamsala.

The number of person who have applied for retention in Kullu is 85, Solan - 64, Chamba - 30, Hamirpur - 22, Sirmour - 11, Rampur - 10, Mandi - 7 and Una - 5.

Besides extending the time for applying for retention, the government is also contemplating giving some more relaxations. “With a lot of requests for giving relaxation in the ban on construction higher than 1.5 m on the valley side, there could be some concession,” an official said.

In the retention policy, it had been clearly stated that no relaxation would be given as far as the 1.5 m ban on the valley side was concerned. “With large number of constructions not qualifying for retention due to this condition, there might be some relaxation in this and all five-storey buildings would be regularised,” admitted a senior official.

The government has imposed a ban on constructions higher than 1.5 m on the valley side so that the scenic view is not spoilt by high-rise buildings. With the state having vast tourism potential, the government is particular that multi-storey concrete structures, which are proving to be eyesores against the idyllic settings, do not be allowed to come up.

Kangra, January 19
A 63-year-old man of Jeer Balla village in this subdivision has been moving from pillar to post for his pension after he opted for voluntary retirement from the Sashastra Seema Bal in 2003. He served it for more than 20 years as a driver.

Mr Ramesh Dutt joined as a driver in the Army Service Core (ASC) in 1967 and served it for 15 years. Later in November 1982 he joined the Sashastra Seema Bal and was confirmed in 1992. He sought voluntary retirement and was granted the same on April 1, 2003. Mr Dutt stated that he was paid Rs 1,24,276 in July 2003 as provident fund and was not paid any pension or pensionary benefits, including gratuity.

His struggle for getting pension started in July 2003, which continues till date, but without success. He approached the Home Ministry GOI and the Director-General of the Bal, besides its other officers, but to no avail.

He said he received a communication that he was refused benefits under the pretext that he was a member of the Contributory Provident Fund (CPF). He claimed that despite the fact that those CPF beneficiaries who were in service on January 1, 1986, were deemed to have come under pension schemes under the CCS (pension ) rules, 1950, unless they opt to continue under the CPF.

Mr Dutt said when he lost all hope he moved the Central Administrative Tribunal, Chandigarh Bench, against the Union of India through the Secretary, Home Affairs, and Director-General of the Bal, New Delhi. The court in its order said, “The applicant is held entitled to the grant of pension and pensionary benefits.” Both respondents were directed to pass necessary orders with regard to pension arrears while releasing PPO in his favour along with other pensionary benefits. The payments should be made within three months of the receipt or production of the court order, it further said.

He said three months have passed since the court order but nothing much has happened. 

Shimla, January 19
The state BJP chief, Mr Jai Ram Thakur, has appointed Mr Vidyasagar Negi ad hoc district chief of the Kinnaur BJP.

The arrangement has been made following the inclusion of the district BJP chief, Mr Tejwant Negi, in the state executive announced by the party yesterday. — TNS

Kumarhatti, January 19
A Jabli-based industrialist has alleged that the cheques sent by him through a courier were fraudulently encashed in Ludhiana. In a complaint lodged with the police yesterday, Mr J.P.S. Sachdeva of HPL Production Technology Limited, Jabli, has alleged the seven cheques worth Rs 10, 34, 047 were sent through the courier to a company’s supplier based in New Delhi on December 30. These cheques, sent through the courier company located at Parwanoo, were of UTI Bank and payable at par anywhere in India.

Mr Sachdeva says he got suspicious after the supplier repeatedly informed him about the non-receipt of the cheques. However, on being asked employees of the courier company kept on saying that it would be delivered in New Delhi soon. But, in the evening of January 8 the courier company informed Mr Sachdeva that the parcel had got misplaced. Next day Mr Sachdeva requested the bank to stop the payment of the cheques thus issued. But, Mr Sachdeva was shocked when the bank informed him that the six cheques for Rs 6.60 lakh had already been encashed.

Talking to The Tribune, Mr Sachdeva said six out of the seven cheques were encashed on January 6 and 8. These cheques were encashed after opening a fake account with UTI Bank in Ludhiana, he alleged.

On his complaint the police has registered a case under section 406 of the IPC against the courier company’s manager. Meanwhile, a team of the Parwanoo police has gone to Ludhiana for further investigation.