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Allahabad HC ex-judge to probe Bali’s B’day bash
HPU Poll
SCA Elections
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Apple growers turn to e-trading
Ghanvi Tragedy
Transportation of apples resumed
Villagers oppose Amity varsity
Acute water crisis in Nahan
Kalka-Shimla rly line blocked
Nod to Baddi rail track
Woman dies in accident
Supply of commodities to Pangi restored
Miscreants burn house, shop
Many areas in Shimla still without water
Telecom services hit
Kid’s body found
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Allahabad HC ex-judge to probe Bali’s B’day bash
Shimla, August 17 The matter was brought to the notice of the court by one Vijay Kumar resident of Kangra district, who filed a PIL seeking judicial probe of the party. After hearing the matter a division Bench comprising Chief Justice V.K. Gupta and Justice Rajiv Sharma passed this order in a open court. Petitioner stated in his petition that Star News carried out a story regarding the birthday party of Bali, thereafter which he resigned from the state Cabinet. But no further action had been initiated and even the news channel was silent on the issue. He further stated that being a citizen he had a right to know as what was the conduct of Bali in the said party. BJP seeks legal
opinion on report
Meanwhile, the top leadership of the BJP is seeking legal opinion on the report submitted by the Fact-Finding Committee constituted by the party to look into the Bali episode, so that appropriate action can be initiated against former tourism minister G.S. Bali, as well as others present at his birthday bash. The five-member committee headed by sitting MLA Ramesh Dhawala submitted its report to state party chief Jai Ram Thakur, yesterday evening. At present the BJP leaders are seeking legal opinion of senior counsels, including the party in charge for Himachal, Satpal Jain, who is a legal luminary himself. The committee visited Chandigarh and the resort in Dharamsala to ascertain all facts and found serious lapses and other findings. In their report, the members made a mention of other dignitaries, including bureaucrats, industrialists, television channel people and others who were present at the party along with call girls from Delhi. “We feel that Bali’s resignation is not enough and criminal proceedings should have been initiated against him as there are a number of lapses at all levels,” said a senior leader. The BJP is likely to release the report to the media tomorrow once they are decided on the action to be initiated. While the party is still exploring the possibility of filing a petition in the high court on the issue but as a first step, the BJP could approach the Kangra police chief to register an FIR against Bali. “The fact remains that Bali did not resign as he was asked to do so, whereas under such circumstances the CM should have sacked him,” said a senior BJP leader. The report mentioned that the resort where the party was organized did not have the necessary permission as far as serving liquor and holding a late night party was concerned. The BJP is keen to keep the Bali episode alive so that it can be made a major election issue, especially in Kangra, which is politically the most significant district and plays a major role in getting the seat of power for any party.
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It’s SFI vs ABVP
Tribune News Service
Shimla, August 17 Even though it is a triangular fight for four posts of the SCA at the HPU, but the main contest is between the SFI and the ABVP, as the NSUI is only trying to make its presence felt in the polls. Barring the year 2001, when the ABVP had swept the polls and had won all four seats, the HPU has been the citadel of the communists all along. The ABVP was able to win three seats in 1991, while it won two seats in 2003. During all other elections it has been a SFI victory. “Despite having control over the HPU SCA for the past so many years, the SFI has failed to deliver and even small problems like water, toilets, departmental libraries have not been addressed,” Omesh Dutt, state organizing secretary of the ABVP said. The polling on the HPU campus and over 70 colleges will be held tomorrow. The police has made arrangements for ensuring peaceful polls. The results will be declared by tomorrow evening.
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A low-key affair at Hamirpur
Hamirpur, August 17 Contestants from the SFI, the ABVP and the NSUI are trying to woo voters on college campuses. The contest here seems to be between the SFI and the ABVP candidates while the NSUI is trying to make the contest triangular in many colleges. The Lyndoh committee recommendations, which has set a new pattern for the CSA polls have toned down the hustle and bustle of the elections as in previous years. Strict norms have mellowed down the aggressive campaigning. |
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ABVP flays govt interference
Tribune Reporters
Bilaspur, August 17 Demonstrators charged that seeing imminent defeat of NSUI in impending Student’s Central Associations’ elections in colleges of state at hands of ABVP, the government and the Chief Minister were interfering in the election process. Addressing demonstrators, Jawahar Lal alleged that seeing imminent defeat of NSUI in Una College, the government precipitated matters and succeeded in getting the election postponed. He said that at newly opened Jhukhala College, ABVP candidates were coerced by NSUI and other Congress leaders to withdraw their names from contest and were even threatened with dire consequences. Later demonstrators burnt on Gurudwara chowk, what they called was an effigy of the Chief Minister. NURPUR: In the Students Central Association (SCA) of the local Arya government college, the candidates of Azad Chhatar Sangh (ACS), NSUI and ABVP yesterday filed their nomination papers. Baldev Singh, Kishor Jamwal, Sandeep and Poonam Devi of ACS respectively filed nominations for the posts of president, vice president, general secretary and joint secretary. Sanjiv, Anil, Seema and Vikram of NSUI filed nominations for the posts of president, vice president, general secretary and joint secretary. Kishan Chand, R.S.Pathania, Amit and Pooja filed nominations for the same posts. The election for the SCA is scheduled for August 18.
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Apple growers turn to e-trading
Kullu, August 17 But e-trading has eliminated middlemen and farmers could directly transact their business with buyers and receive payment to their bank accounts.“e-banking or on-line banking is to motivate farmers and facilitate them and the customers. We have on-line activities in various big markets of India, especially Azadpur in Delhi as it is Asia’s number one wholesale market. e-banking will help farmers and other traders to receive funds in the quickest mode,” Kullu branch chief manager of the State Bank of India (SBI) B.M. Anand said. The e-trading has been initiated by the SBI and its subsidary, the State Bank of Patiala. The banks also provide loan facilities to farmers, freeing them from moneylenders. “We have been helped by the SBI and State Bank of Patiala in facilitating the apple trade of Himachal Pradesh to be conducted online. The finance is given to the farmers without hassles and this helps them to a lot,” president of Kullu Fruit Growers Association. Dharamvir said Other banks are also planning to introduce on-line transactions to facilitate the horticulture farmers and traders from the state. With timely rains and ample snowfall during the ripening season of apples, the farmers are expecting a bumper crop during the current crop season. Himachal Pradesh is famous for a large variety of apples. The main varieties of commercially grown apples are royal delicious, rich-a-red, red delicious and golden delicious. Presently, around 2.07 lakh hectare of land in Himachal Pradesh is under horticulture cultivation, which yields approximately five lakh metric tonnes of different kinds of fruits.
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One more body recovered
Tribune News Service
Shimla, August 17 The rescue operation was likely to pick up tomorrow as the authorities managed to move an excavator through the landslide-affected area and it was likely to reach the site. Deputy commissioner Tarun Kapoor said priority was now to rehabilitate the affected families. He said a site uphill Ghanvi had already been selected for the purpose. As many as 30 plots of two biswas each were being carved. In the first instance, 18 families whose houses had been completely washed away would be allotted plots. The Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam has also placed its team of CISF personnels, doctors, heavy earth-moving machinery and vehicles at the disposal of the administration for carrying out relief and rescue operations.
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Transportation of apples resumed
Shimla, August 17 Till August 10 more than 500 trucks of apple were being sent to various markets within and outside the state. However, growers were forced to discontinue the plucking of fruit as landslides caused by heavy rain blocked all major highways and link roads in the apple belt. As a result the movement of trucks in and out of the state was severely affected. On August 11 only 212 trucks carrying apple left the state and this trend continued till August 15. The blockades also hit the movement of vehicles into the state which created a shortage of trucks. However, over the past two days major roads have been opened to traffic and link roads were also being restored on a war footing. The harvesting of fruit has been resumed and about 440 trucks were sent to various markets yesterday. Out of these about 80 trucks of fruit were disposed of in the emerging state markets of Dhalli, Rohru, Solan and Narkanda. According to Devinder Shyam, chairperson of the agriculture market committee of Shimla and Kinnaur districts, 40,000 to 50,000 boxes of apple were being sold within the state daily. These markets have started attracting buyers from outside which is an encouraging development. They will not now have to go to Delhi to get remunerative returns for their produce, he adds. Till date over 48 lakh of apple boxes had been exported out of the state. The total production has been estimated at 2.40 crore boxes out of which about 2 crore boxes will be marketed outside the state. |
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Villagers oppose Amity varsity
Dharamsala, August 17 The villagers led by gram sabha pradhan Pushpa Devi protested against the setting up of a private university outside the local secretariat and alleged that the government was adamant to acquire the land used by the residents of Kand and Juhal settlements of Khaniara panchayat for grazing their cattle. It may be mentioned that the Revenue Department had recommended the leasing out of 118 kanals of pasture land to the Amity Education Institute for 50 years for setting up a private university. The state Cabinet had also approved the project last month. Amity is the third private player in the hill state that had decided to set up a private university after the JP Information Technology University and a regional centre of the ICFAI. Pushpa Devi alleged that the pasture land was of great importance to hundreds of cattle of Kand and Juhal settlements. The district unit of the ABVP recently threatened to launch a stir if the government lease out the land for Amity University. The ABVP claimed that the fee structure of private universities was unaffordable for the common people and the government should instead go for a Centre- controlled university here. |
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Acute water crisis in Nahan
Nahan, August 17 According to IPH Department officials, the Kheri lift water supply pipeline had been damaged by heavy landslides triggered on the Laya Devi hills due to a cloudburst early this week. The Nehar Sawar flow drinking water supply scheme had also been disrupted due to heavy rain. Sources said that the pipeline damaged at Biji Dhar had been repaired but nearly 200 meters of the Kheri scheme pipeline had been washed away at Laya Devi Hills which would take time to get normal. The area is full of silt and it may take more than a week to restore the Kheri lift water supply scheme, which feeds this town. Nahan town was getting water supply only once a day and that too for a few minutes, , alleges the Nahan Nagrik Sabha. |
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Kalka-Shimla rly line blocked
Chandigarh, August 17 “We were planning to run a train between Shimla and Dharampur. But now tonnes of debris has blocked a stretch of the track between Kannu and Kaithlighat”, said divisional railway manager (DRM), Ambala Division, H.K. Jaggi, who visited the spot today. But now the plan has been abandoned. Sources in the railway said the restoration work at Koti had not picked up pace as water was still flowing down the mountain slope, which had damaged the 104-year-old Koti railway station. The work would pick up pace once the water stopped flowing in the rivulet. On the night of July 13, the rivulet running under the railway track had swelled with a gush of water, following a cloudburst. A concrete structure supporting a stretch of the Kalka-Shimla railway track, laid in 1903, spanning the rivulet crumbled into the surging waters. |
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Nod to Baddi rail track
Solan, August 17 Though the Union Government had accorded its approval for the laying of the 33-km-long railway track several times in its Railway Budget, but the lack of budgetary provision had acted as an impediment. This was among six other railway lines cleared by the Union Cabinet. The laying of the track is slated to be completed by 2011-2012. The decision has once again lit hopes of setting up of an inland container depot (ICD) in the industrial area. The opening of the depot would relieve the industry from the recurring problem of shortage of trucks, AC containers and specially designed vehicles for transporting their finished goods. Though the Container Corporation of India (CONCORD) had earlier shown its keenness to open an inland container depot in the industrial area but lack of railway facilities had curtailed their plans. It was later decided that only a container freight station (CFS) would be opened which could later be upgraded to ICD if the Railways expanded their facility. Welcoming the decision, convenor of Infrastructure Development Panel of CII’s Himachal unit and chairman Infrastructure Development Committee of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Industries Association Vijay Arora said this would further boost industrial development in the area. He said the CII had emphatically taken up the issue with the Central Government a number of times. He however, opined that they would press for expediting the laying of this track from its declared deadline of 2011-2012 to 2009. |
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Woman dies in accident
Kumarhatti, August 17 The drivers of both vehicles were among the injured. Swarni Devi (50), who hailed from Kurali in Punjab was waiting for a bus along with others at the Nalagarh bus stand this morning when this mishap occurred. After failing to find any bus service at that time, she along with another woman and a boy signaled a truck going towards Bharatgarh for a lift. The truck after picking the three was shortly hit by a tipper coming from the opposite direction. Swarni Devi was crushed under the truck, while Swarn Kaur and Jeetinder (12) sustained minor injuries. Truck driver Visheshwar sustained serious injuries while tipper driver Paul Singh too was hurt in the mishap. A crane was rushed to the spot to lift the truck so that Swarni Devi could be pulled out. |
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Supply of commodities to Pangi restored
Shimla, August 17 The administration of Pangi did not wait for the General Reserve Engineering Force (GREF) to clear the debris and immediately erected a span bridge to carry ration and other food items to the valley through the traditional method of trolley. Resident commissioner, Pangi, J.S. Pathania said the national highway was blocked at Cherry Gharat in April this year. However, the efforts of the GREF to clear the landslide were unsuccessful as the hill kept sliding, posing a threat to Saach village, located at the top of the landslide point. Pangi valley is inhabitated by more than 20,000 persons belonging to 54 villages. Ration and other food items were required to be supplied before October. More than 40,000 quintals of essential commodities, including wheat, rice, flour, edible oils, cooking gas and cylinders would be stocked at the 6 godowns at Dharwas, Killar, Kumarparmar, Saach, Salli and Sechu villages. Everyday more than 500 quintals of food items are carried through the span bridge and are sent to different godowns. Pathania said till date around 9,000 quintals of essential commodities had been transported. He said a concrete wall structure would be built on the Chandrabhaga riverbed after the water-level starts receding in September and the debris would be cleared to protect Saach village. The state Cabinet had recently decided to take up the maintenance of the 100-km road stretch between Udaipur-Sansarinala from BRO at a cost of Rs 7 crore, he added. |
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Miscreants burn house, shop
Chamba, August 17 District officials have rushed to the village to carry out the relief and rescue operations. The loss is estimated to be more than Rs 10 lakh. An immediate relief of Rs 10,000 has been to fire victim Ghulam Rasul. |
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Many areas in Shimla still without water
Shimla, August 17 As a result of the disruption of water supply to the entire town for the last few days, the MC has decided to continue with rationing till the water level in its reservoirs gets normal. The water level in the Ridge reservoir today was six feet while the Sanjauli reservoir had about eight feet water. The mayor said water supply would become normal only once the water level at these two main reservoirs touches 12 feet. Certain areas like the bus stand, Vikasnagar, Kasumpti and AG colony have not had supply for the last five days. As such people here are relying totally on water tankers of the MC, hand pumps and bowris. Despite claims by the IPH minister that water supply had been restored in Shimla, the position was not satisfactory. |
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Telecom services hit
Kumarhatti, August 17 Banking services were also affected for want of internet and phone services. |
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Kid’s body found
Nahan, August 17 As per the Paonta SHO the body was in very bad shape and could not be identified. Local residents have reported that they had no knowledge of a missing child in the area. |
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