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No CBI probe into BJP charge sheet: CM
IGMC slaps notices on 4 Tanda doctors
Stipend of PG students up
Noose tightened around illegal units
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Illegal units face the heat
Shopping mall opens
Allegations show frustration: Cong
Snow, rain lash tribal districts
Mandi-Sarkaghat road in bad shape
Nalwar fair begins today
Kangra hospital victim
of govt apathy
Restoring Chamba chowgan’s beauty
Salaries on March 30
Timber seized
ITBP to recruit 149 cops
Arrest political vendetta: BJP
A correction
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No CBI probe into BJP charge sheet: CM
Khundian (Kangra), March 21 He was talking to mediapersons after addressing a public gathering here today. He dared the BJP to file an affidavit before the lokayukta, which is the right forum for such allegations against the politicians and bureaucracy. He said the BJP had no issues against his government and was just creating a media hype to gain cheap popularity among the public. Regarding the byelection of the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat, he said the Congress was fully prepared to fight the elections. The candidate would be announced shortly after consultation with the party high command, he said.
Earlier, addressing the public gathering, he defended the efforts of the state school education board to stop the menace of copying in the examinations and said teachers and students needed to take a pledge of not adopting any unfair means during examinations. He announced that providing quality education with internationally recognised degrees and diplomas was the next on the agenda of the state government. This would help students equip with the best of their skills making them capable to compete at the international level and find best employment and self-employment avenues. He said separate administrative units in backward and far-flung areas would provide people administrative services near their houses, besides carrying development at a faster pace. He said the need-based opening of such units would be carried out in future as well. He said the portal would help the unemployed get suitable jobs. He said his government aimed at creating more jobs, besides helping them in adopting self-employment avenues. He said about 33,000 more jobs had been proposed to be created in the government sector alone in the coming financial year. He also announced the upgradation of a few government schools of the area, which would be made functional from the coming academic session to facilitate better educational to students of the area. During his visit to the area, he dedicated to the public the tehsil building constructed at a cost of Rs 20.40 lakh and laid foundation stones of two bridges in Drug and Mourkhad on the Pihari-Sihoti-Khundian road estimated to be constructed at a cost of Rs 88.60 lakh and a police post with staff quarters at a cost Rs 76 lakh. Virbhadra Singh also addressed a public gathering at Tikri village in the Changer area of the district and assured the people that their interests were safe in the hands of the government and he would ensure speedy development of the area. He said various specific schemes had been started for the development of the area. Sat Mahajan, revenue minister, said the Congress had revolutionised the pace of development in the state and initiated steps towards facilitating people with better and improved governance.
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IGMC slaps notices on 4 Tanda doctors
Dharamsala, March 21 The Department of Medical Education and Health vide a circular dated November 6, 1999, ordered that the government had decided to allow the doctors to retain their houses in Shimla for the period of their tenure so that their families were not dislocated.
The doctors had alleged that the notices given to them was a violation of the government circular. As per the notice, the outstanding amount against Dr Ashok Bhardwaj, associate professor, community medicine, is Rs 3,10,830; Dr R.K. Abhay, associate professor, surgery, Rs 3,23,423; Dr Anil Chauhan Rs 3,40,159 and Dr P.M.L. Khanna Rs 5,40,100. As per the government circular, the period of posting of the doctors from Shimla to Tanda was fixed for only one year. But, Dr Abhay has been here for the past over three years while other three doctors had been transferred to Shimla. The affected doctors had further alleged that the medical superintendent had adopted a pick-and-choose method while issuing notices to them because four other doctors had also retained houses at Shimla but they had not been given recovery notices. Two of them had been transferred back to Shimla while the other two doctors were still posted at Tanda. Investigations made by The Tribune revealed that Dr R.K. Abhay has been a union leader of doctors for the past over a decade and the three other doctors, whom notices had also been given along with him for the recovery of the penal rent, were closely associated with him in the union activities. It was also learnt that in order to harass these senior doctors, the IGMC authorities were also planning to deduct Rs 8,000 per month from their salary. However, such orders had so far not reached the authorities concerned of the Tanda Medical College. On the other hand, a senior official of the IGMC claimed that the audit authorities had objected to retaining of the government houses by these doctors at Shimla, on the basis of which, notices had been served on them.
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Stipend of PG students up
Shimla, March 21 The refixed stipend of PG students is first year, Rs 10,080, second year, Rs 10,680 and third year, Rs 11,280 to the existing stipend of Rs 8,400, Rs 8,900 and 9,400 respectively. Meanwhile, the registrars and GDO, PG students were getting full salary which constitute majority of the RDA and therefore, there was no justification in resorting to strike. He also invited their attention towards order of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh vide which strike in health institutions was completely prohibited and would amount to contempt of court. The spokesman also requested the postgraduate students of IGMC, Shimla, to reconsider their decision on strike in public interest and patients care.
— PTI |
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Noose tightened around illegal units
Solan, March 21 According to sources in the TCP department, 85 units in the Baddi-Barotiwala area and another 160 in Nalagarh have been served notices in this regard. While some units have constructed buildings, not conforming to the TCP norms, other have not taken any approval from the department. Some units have deviated from the original designs. All these units have now been directed to present their case before the authority within one month failing which further action would be proceeded against them. The unit owners, however, rued that these units had been set up in the areas which did not fall under the TCP Act earlier. Now since more area had been included under it’s purview, the new units would have to seek NOCs. In case, it is not sought, the units would have to pay a penalty at the rates affixed by the department. At least, six units have been levied compounding fee running into crores as they began construction prior to seeking NOCs. A leading textile units alone has to pay a penalty worth Rs 1crore. The investors have sought relaxation in this penalty as they contend that rules should be applicable with the retrospective effect.
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Illegal units face the heat
Solan, March 21 According to sources in the TCP department, 85 units in the Baddi-Barotiwala area and another 160 in Nalagarh have been served notices in this regard. While some units have constructed buildings, not conforming to the TCP norms, other have not taken any approval from the department. Some units have deviated from the original designs. All these units have now been directed to present their case before the authority within one month failing which further action would be proceeded against them. The unit owners, however, rued that these units had been set up in the areas which did not fall under the TCP Act earlier. Now since more area had been included under it’s purview, the new units would have to seek NOCs. In case, it is not sought, the units would have to pay a penalty at the rates affixed by the department. At least, six units have been levied compounding fee running into crores as they began construction prior to seeking NOCs. A leading textile units alone has to pay a penalty worth Rs 1crore. The investors have sought relaxation in this penalty as they contend that rules should be applicable with the retrospective effect. |
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Shopping mall opens
Chamba, March 21 The shopping-mall has 42 shops, two banking halls and a restaurant floor, besides a parking-lot for two-wheelers in its basement. Later, Mahajan said to expand planned growth of housing activities in a big way in the state, HIMUDA had undertaken the construction of housing colonies at Chamba, Rohroo, Shimla, Parwanoo, Baddi, Nalagarh, Una, Kullu and Mandi, paying special attention to the development of eco-friendly housing colonies in the state with particular emphasis on 'tree plantation'. |
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Allegations show frustration: Cong
Shimla, March 21 In a joint statement here today, they said the allegations were politically motivated and reflected the deep-rooted frustration of the BJP. The party having lost faith of the people was resorting to such tactics to divert the attention of the people. If it had guts, it should file an affidavit before lokayukta so that the reality could be surfaced. They reminded that the Congress had also submitted well-documented charge sheet supported by evidence against the BJP regime which was ignored. |
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Snow, rain lash tribal districts
Shimla, March 21 The tribal districts of Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti and Chamba experienced fresh snow while the lower areas received a light rain fall last night. The MET office said Dhundi in Kulu district received 39 cm of snowfall followed by 36 cm at Patsio in Lahaul-Spiti, 35 cm at Keylong. The Solang nullah had 2 cm of snowfall and Kaza in Kinnaur district witnessed a 5 cm snowfall. The famous tourist resort of Manali in Kulu district, Khajjiar and Dalhousie in Chamba district and Kufri, Narkanda, Fagu Sarahan and Shimla town in Shimla district experienced light showers during the past 24 hours. The state capital recorded 8.2 mm of rainfall while Sundernagar received 7.9 mm. Bhuntar 11.8 mm, Bhang in Manali 49 mm and Dharamsala 45.6 mm. The MET office said the minimum temperature at Shimla was 7.8 °C, 12.2° at Sundernagar, 8.4 °C at Bhuntar and -1.4 °C at Kalpa in Kinnaur district. The Solang nullah recorded -1.5 °C, Dhundi -1 °C, Petsio -5.5 °C, Bhang-Manali 3 °C and Dharamsala 9.6 °C during the past 24 hours.
Mango crop damaged NURPUR: The flowers of mangoes in lower Kangra district received a major setback on Tuesday night when rain, accompanied by hailstones lashed this region. Electricity supply and telecommunication in the area were also disrupted. The power and telecommunication services were restored on Wednesday. The hailstones have caused an extensive damage to the fruit and vegetable crops.
— UNI, OC |
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Mandi-Sarkaghat road in bad shape
Sarkaghat, March 21 The commuters complained that the Public Works Department had stopped repairing roads, including Mandi-Riwalsar-Sarkaghat highway, ever since the Chief Minister and his entourage had started flying by air while touring the different constituencies in the state. When the CM entourage used to come by road, the PWD did repair the roads, rued Devinder Singh, a resident of Sarkaghat. The first blow to the maintenance of this road came when Dharampur BJP MLA and then PWD minister Mohinder Singh Thakur neglected the Mandi-Riwalsar-Sarkaghat highway and focused his attention on the Mandi-Kotli-Dharampur state highway, complained residents. Even Gopalpur MLA and excise and taxation minister Rangila Ram Rao talked about the Una-Mahatpur-Sarkaghat-Mandi Express Highway whenever they drew his attention towards the pitiable condition of the road, revealed residents. PWD superintending engineer, central zone, S.R. Negi said the tender for the tarring of the remaining stretch between Taliar-Riwalsar and Kalkhar had been called and work would begin soon. "The patchwork on the Mandi-Jahu-Sarkaghat will be done in summer". As the World Bank has approved the funding of the Mehatpur-Sarkaghat-Mandi as an express doubled-lane highway and the PWD is not spending much on the road as funds may go waste, the engineers revealed. |
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Nalwar fair begins today
Sundernagar, March 21 This year Devta Fair will also start from March 23 and will conclude on March 27. Sohan Lal, MLA, will inaugurate the fair and Pratibha Singh, MP, will be the chief guest on the conclusion of the fair on Ashtami. The fair will further enhance the attraction of the ongoing Nalwar fair. During this seven days of the fair, thousands of cattle from Himanchal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, UP, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Haryana will be brought here for sale. |
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Kangra hospital victim
of govt apathy
Kangra, March 21 The government apathy has left the hospital in shambles. Inaugurated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on December 3, 1985, the 50-bedded subdivisional hospital was upgraded by the BJP government headed by the then Chief Minister P.K.Dhumal to 100-bedded hospital. An upgrading notification was issued by the government on December 20, 2000, but so far no upgrading has been done. In the year 2000-2001, the tussle between Dhumal and former agriculture minister Vidiya Sagar,from Kangra constituency, left the decision of the government unimplemented. Sagar inaugurated the so called 100-bedded hospital on his own. Neither the staff nor the equipment was provided for the hospital. Construction of an additional-building complex for the hospital, foundation stone for which was laid by Dhumal has remained a distant dream for the people here till date. The residents and people living in the radius of 30 km, including Changer areas, had pinned their hopes on the Chief Minister. But their hopes were dashed as so far nothing had been done. A senior citizen said the government was not interested in improving the conditions of the hospital, as the local politicians were least interested in shaping its fate. No major surgeries are conducted in this hospital for want of doctors. The worst affected are the accidental patients who reach this hospital for treatment. Virbhdra had assured mediapersons in January this year, that a physician and a gynecologist would be posted in this hospital to mitigate problems of patients, but till date no doctor had been posted there. This, so called 100-bedded hospital, has requirement of 17 doctors but presently, only 6 doctors are working there. The strength is less than that required in a 50-bedded hospital.Due to lack of proper staff, the number of outdoor patients has gradually reduced. |
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Restoring Chamba chowgan’s beauty
Chamba, March 21 These structures had been raised along the main chowgan to rehabilitate the needy traders who had migrated from Pakistan at the time of Partition or others way back in the fifties to earn their bread and butter. It is for the first time that the move of rehabilitating these persons has been mapped out by the state government and shopping complex near the district court compound constructed to accommodate these traders being shifted from the main chowgan. In order to revive the glory and grandeur of the famous chowgan of Chamba, the state government has nowadays undertaken the task of conservation of chowgan in a big way. The work is expected to be completed before the foundation day celebrations of the town of Chamba which coincides with Baisakhi in April. In the first phase, Rs 27 lakh has been sanctioned for the development of the chowgan and its adjoining tails. The regeneration work has been assigned to the Himachal Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA). The work to restore the greenery and scenery of the chowgan was in progress, thereby giving a new lease of life to it by the time the foundation day festivities took place, sources said. For this purpose, the chowgan had been closed for stroll and it would be reopened after the ongoing work was accomplished, they added. Appreciating the preventive measure taken by the government to save the chowgan, the local Citizens Progress Council hoped its proper renovation and upkeep would restore its splendour. |
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Salaries on March 30
Shimla, March 21 An official spokesperson said pensions would also be disbursed on March 30. — TNS |
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Timber seized
Kullu, March 21 B.S. Rana, DFO, Banjar, said a forest team found seven sawmills operational without a valid licence in the Paldi area of Gopalpur panchayat. Rana said the timber mafia was active due to the heavy snowfall in the area and axed many green trees without permission. The wood was being converted into sleepers at the sawmills. Two sawmills in Patoar village, one each in Katera, Jarwala, Jari, Badagran and Shatvara were found working without valid permission. |
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ITBP to recruit 149 cops
Shimla, March 21 Candidates should be between 18 and 23 years with matriculation or equivalent qualification. The upper age limit is relaxable for the SC/ST candidates by five years and for the OBC by three years.
— TNS |
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Arrest political vendetta: BJP
Shimla, March 21 State BJP spokesperson Randhir Sharma said today that being rattled by the defeat of its governments in Punjab and Uttarakhand, the Congress was now trying to implicate BJP leaders and workers in false cases in view of the Hamirpur byelection.
— TNS |
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A correction
Dharamsala, March 21 |
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