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Cold claims life in Chamba
Rs 2,400-crore Annual Plan proposed
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PWD, IPH Depts
PCC chief : Hectic lobbying begins
6 DCs among 12 IAS officers shifted
Rs 21.3 lakh for backward panchayats
Science block hits financial roadblock
HPSEB Dictat to Staff
Justice Gupta inaugurates legal-aid clinic
No firewood even for cremation
58-yr-old beaten to death
Two killed as car falls into Ravi
2 kids suffocated to death
Bird flu: Be on the toes, depts told
BJP leader suspended
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Cold claims life in Chamba
Schools closed in Lahaul-Spiti All educational institutions have been closed for four days from tomorrow in Lahaul-Spiti district in view of heavy snowfall and fear of shifting of glaciers even as rain intensified cold in Shimla
today. The Lahaul-Spiti district administration through a notification ordered closure of educational institutions in the district from January 18 to 21, an official release
said. The district administration advised citizens not to venture out of their homes.
— PTI
Shimla/Dharamsala, January 17 Kinnaur district was the worst hit as fresh snow again blocked most of the link roads and also disrupted the power supply and telecommunication services. The main highway leading to Pooh was blocked near Spillo and link roads connecting Morang, Kafnu, Chitkul and Rakcham were also closed for traffic. Chairman of the Pooh block samiti Maheshwer Singh said people were facing inconvenience due to suspension of bus services. The taxi operators were taking advantage of the situation and overcharging the commuters. Local youth Congress leader Shanti Swaroop has urged the government to start helicopter service to the area as soon as the weather clears. The Rampur-Kullu raod via Ani was blocked due to heavy snow at the Jalori pass and Rampur-Rohru road via Sungri was also closed due to slippery conditions. Dhundi in Kullu recorded a maximum of 80 cm of snowfall, followed by Keylong with 35 cm, Patsio with 30 cm, Kalpa with 25 cm and Solang Nullah with 25 cm. The Chashal ranges, Hatu peak and Chardhar were having incessant snow since last night. Manali and Narkanda also received light snow preceded by rain. The lower areas of the state had widespread rain. Bhuntar recorded 19 mm and Sundernagar 13 mm of rainfall. Shimla and its surrounding areas were lashed by intermittent rain accompanied with icy winds. The fresh spell of rain and snow had brought cheers to the farmers and the fruit growers. The timely rain augurs is good for the standing rabi crop. The snow is also considered as white manure for the apple orchards. Reports from Chamba revealed that one person had died due to extreme weather conditions in the district. A shoemaker identified as Hansraj was found dead due to extreme cold at Chaugan Maidan of Chamba. Normal life was disrupted in Dharamsala and its adjoining areas due to continuous rain for the past couple of days. Dhauladhar range of mountains was receiving heavy snow plummeting the temperature in the region. The day time temperature here varied between 5 to 8°C. By and large the people were forced to remain indoors due to continuous rain and dipping of mercury. As per the reports available, more than 10 mm of rainfall was reported till evening today in Dharamsala. Reports from Kinnaur district revealed that vehicular traffic on the Hindustan-Tibet road and other roads was affected due to snow. |
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Rs 2,400-crore Annual Plan proposed
Shimla, January 17 He said this while addressing newly elected legislators. He said the meeting with deputy chairman of the Planning Commission of India Montek Singh Ahluwalia to finalise the annual plan would be held on January 21. The proposed outlay for the 11th plan was 14.3 per cent more than the current year’s plan. Dhumal said every assembly segment would be given Rs 3 crore annually under the RIDF, which was likely to be around Rs 200 crore. It would give a momentum to development in all segments. The government would continue with the old practice of including three ongoing and three new schemes in roads, minor irrigation and water-supply sectors as prioritised by MLAs. He said the priorities given by MLAs would be adopted by the departments concerned for financing under the RIDF. He said the government would try to increase the income of farmers and generate employment opportunities. The policy objective would remain oriented towards improving the living condition of the poor and disadvantaged sections of society. The government would accelerate the pace of development in the fields of irrigation, roads, bridges, drinking water supply, health and education. Dhumal directed the Industries Department to check unscientific mining in riverbeds. He said all activities that degraded the environment would be checked. He also emphasised the need for close coordination among all various departments. He urged MLAs to coordinate with the departments concerned for ensuring feasibility of various schemes and preparation of detailed project reports in time-bound manner for early implementation. He said all DCs had been directed to deliver relief and rehabilitation benefits to the affected families. He said the government would be presenting the annual plan proposals for the next financial year before the Planning Commission authorities for approval very shortly. MLAs of Mandi, Chamba and Bilaspur attended the meeting at which forest minister J.P. Nadda, horticulture minister Narender Bragta, health minister Rajiv Bindal, chief secretary Ravi Dhingra, additional chief secretaries Parminder Mathur, Avay Shukla and J.P. Negi, principal secretaries, secretaries, special secretaries, heads of departments and other senior officers were present in the meeting. |
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PWD, IPH Depts
Palampur, January 17 Official sources said here today that Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had already handed over the investigation of the Rs 75-crore Bamsan drinking water supply scheme falling in his home constituency to the state vigilance bureau. The official of the bureau had already reached Hamirpur to seize the records of the IPH Department. The initial cost of this scheme was Rs 35 crore only. Likewise, there were many other such tenders allotted during the Congress regime, where contractors had managed to secure them at very high rates. It is learnt that that state government would soon ask the vigilance bureau to take over the investigations of these scams also. Dhumal, as the leader of opposition, had raised these issues in the state assembly time and again but former Chief Minister Virbhadara Singh was not ready to listen even a word against his officers, including senior engineers of the PWD and the IPH departments, who were said to be instrumental in the allotment of such tenders. Dumal had even sacked the engineer-in-chief of the PWD on the very first day of taking over as the Chief Minister because of his proximity with some influential contractors. Official sources said there was a lot of bungling in the allotment of tenders under the PMGSY schemes, because in the PMGSY works there was no shortage of funds as these projects were centrally sponsored. These funds were received in advance by the government. In many divisions of the PWD, these works were awarded on abnormally high rates keeping aside all rules and regulations. Even officers of the department played significant role in the pooling of tenders and directly helped the contractors. Later, the department failed to maintain the quality of construction works executed under such schemes. In many districts the roads constructed under the PMGSY schemes had developed big potholes and culverts developed cracks in one year. Though under the agreement signed with the PWD, the contractors were bound to maintain such roads for five years, but the PWD officials failed to follow such conditions of the agreements and most of the roads constructed under this scheme are in bad shape today. Even the situation in the home district of the Chief Minister is no better. He had already received dozens of complaints from the public in this regard. Dhumal had categorically said after taking over the reins of the state that the BJP government would bring transparency in the functioning of the PWD and IPH departments, the two major agencies for development in the state. The step of the Chief Minister has received appreciation from the people and it would help in checking rampant corruption in the PWD and IPH department. If the government succeeded in roping the top PWD and IPH officials, definitely there would be improvement in the quality of construction of roads and buildings in the coming days. |
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PCC chief : Hectic lobbying begins
Shimla, January 17 According to party sources, the high command has not as yet started the process of consultations for selecting the new head to replace Viplove Thakur who resigned recently in the wake of the party’s poor performance in the assembly poll. Her resignation was accepted but she was asked to continue till the appointment of the next incumbent. The party high command will take into consideration all relevant factors like caste and region and also the fact that the next Lok Sabha poll was just more than a year away. With a number of senior leaders in the race, hectic lobbying has started for the post. Those in line include Kaul Singh, who was a front-runner for the post of CLP leader, Chander Kumar , G.S.Bali , Gangu Ram and Harsh Mahajan. However, since the party has already made Vidya Stokes, a leader from the Shimla region, as the leader of the Congress Legislative party, the PCC chief was likely to be from the lower hill areas or the Mandi region. Being a senior OBC leader Kangra MP Chander Kumar is a strong contender for the post. The victory of his son, Neeraj Bharati, from the Guler segment in the recent assembly poll has strengthened his position. However, much will depend on whether or not he would contest the Lok Sabha poll. The party high command may not prefer to opt for a leader who is not contesting the elections to head the party. Another strong contender is Kaul Singh, who hails from Mandi, the second most politically significant region after Kangra. He had demonstrated his strength during the race for the post of CLP leader. The name of Harsh Mahajan, who opted out of the assembly poll and expressed his desire to work for the party organization, is also in circulation though he denies that he is in the race for the post. Former tourism minister G.S.Bali, who has links in the high command, and is known to be close to R.K.Dhawan, the in charge of Himachal affairs, is also eying the coveted spot. Others whose names were being mentioned include B.B.Butail and Gangu Ram Musafir. The high command is likely to informally consult senior leaders before making up its mind. |
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6 DCs among 12 IAS officers shifted
Shimla, January 17 Director of transport and tourism J.S.Rana has been posted as deputy commissioner of Shimla district vice Tarun Kapoor, who takes over as member (administration) in the state electricity board. Deputy commissioner of Una Onkar Chand Sharma has been posted as such to Mandi vice Subhashish Panda, who goes as director, social justice and empowerment, in place of Kamlesh Pant, who takes over as the deputy commissioner, Kangra, vice Ashwini Kapoor, who will the new divisional commissioner of Mandi. Managing director of the State Electronic Development Corporation and director, information technology, Maneesh Garg takes over as the new deputy commissioner of Chamba vice Pushpendra Rajput, who goes as the deputy commissioner of Sirmaur in place of Rajender Singh Negi, who has been posted as managing director of the State Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
Development Corporation, Solan. S.K.B.S.Negi, awaiting posting, takes over as the managing director of the State Small-scale Industries Corporation. Managing director of the State Tourism Development Corporation Ram Subhag Singh will also hold charge as director of tourism and civil aviation. Managing director of the State Financial Corporation Ajay Bhandari has been given additional charge as the chief executive officer, Himurja. Special secretary, agriculture, Prem Singh Draik, has been posted as director, town and country planning, vice Rajender Singh, who goes as director, transport. Additional district magistrate (development), Una, R.S.Rana, will hold the additional charge
as the deputy commissioner, Una. Deputy secretary to the Chief Minister Vivek Chandel will also look after the charge of editor-in-chief, district gazetteers. |
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Rs 21.3 lakh for backward panchayats
Bilaspur, January 17 Addressing a meeting of officers of various departments and panchayat representatives at the development block office at Jhandutta, about 45 km from here last afternoon, Kondal instructed all officers of departments to prepare a list of development works and projects which were started by the previous BJP regime in this constituency but were neglected and incomplete as the Congress government did not bother to complete these projects. He said the new BJP government would take up these projects at top priority and complete them at the earliest. Kondal said link road from Jhandutta bus stand to the block development office had been handed over to the PWD now and this department would maintain this road now. Kondal said all roads in this constituency had been in poor condition and steps would be taken to repair and maintain them at the earliest. Drinking water in several areas was another problem and three new drinking water projects would be soon taken while three previous projects would be augmented to serve more people and villages. Kondal also declared that the Irrigation and Public Health Department had been instructed to prepare plans for three new irrigation schemes while three previous schemes which had collapsed, had to be restored. Kondal ordered all officers to ensure that all grievances and difficulties of people were solved immediately. |
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Neugal Café: Project still hanging fire
Palampur, January 17 The construction of the building is yet to be completed. The HPTDC had taken up this project in hand in the year 2005 and planned to add more buildings to the existing café to attract tourists. As per the plan, the adequate funds were also sanctioned and the contract was awarded to a local contractor. But because of some dispute between the contractor and the HPTDC, the project could not be completed as per the schedule. Besides, losing revenue, the cost of construction has also gone up in the past two years, still no officer of the HPTDC is serious to complete this project at the earliest. HPTDC MD Tarun Shreedhar has visited the site many times and has assured that the project will be completed as per the schedule, but almost a year has elapsed and today the construction of the building is going on snail pace. Neugal Café is one of the most famous tourist spot which attracts maximum tourists.The existing building of the café has already lived its life and is on the verge of collapse. The tourists visiting the café have no place to sit. The HPTDC has a land here but it has failed to run the café there because of administrative failures and luke warm attitude of higher authorities. Despite the fact there is vast tourism potentials in and around the area, it is unfortunate that little has been done in the past to exploit the same. Tourism, which plays a significant role in the economy of the region is now facing rough whether, thanks to the apathy of the state government which has not bothered to develop the tourist spots of the state in a planned manner. |
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Science block hits financial roadblock
Nurpur, January 17 The PWD Department had awarded Rs 66.3 lakh for construction of the building by April 2006, as against its estimate completion cost of Rs 94 lakh. The building was scheduled to complete within one year but the work has been left midway due to the apathy of the previous state government, which had failed to release funds. Inquiries reveal that the previous government had sanctioned science block for the college in 2004, and the then Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had laid its foundation stone on September 29, 2005. Initially, Rs 50 lakh were allocated for the building in 2005, but the government did not release the remaining Rs 44 lakh. As a result, the ongoing construction had been stalled for want of funds for the past one year. When N.K. Kapila, executive engineer, PWD division (Nurpur), was contacted, he admitted that the department had written many times for final allocation of funds but the same were not released by the government. He informed that the department had even a liability of over Rs 20 lakh towards the contractor. The residents of Nurpur now pinning their hopes at the present government for completing the construction of the block and pave way for science faculty in the college, a long standing demand of the people of the area. The college SCA has urged Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal to release requisite funds for completion of the building. |
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HPSEB Dictat to Staff
Shimla, January 17 The shocking facts came to light during a surprise check conducted by a team of six officers at the HPSEB office located at Kumar House. There were 89 officials, including officers and other employees, who reached the office later than the scheduled time of 10 o’clock. In a bid to nail down the tendency of coming late to offices that apparently encouraged indiscipline at government offices, the state government had earlier issued directions to various departments to ensure that administrative working was streamlined and made more efficient. The six-member team carried out surprise checks at different entrances of the office after 10.10 am today. “All the 89 late comers were given warnings and were cautioned of stringent action if they were late to office in future,” an official said. An official said the process of surprise checking that was initiated today from the head office of the HPSEB would be continued across the state in all offices. On condition of anonymity, an official conceded that absenteeism and late coming by employees was common phenomena in government offices, but surprise checking would certainly help in improving the discipline in the offices. The new BJP government had reiterated that surprise inspections would be carried frequently, as this would keep the official machinery on their toes and it would be in a better position to serve the people. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had said he and his ministerial colleagues would also be conducting surprise checks in all offices in the state.
— UNI |
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Justice Gupta inaugurates legal-aid clinic
Sundernagar, January 17 On the occasion Justice Gupta said this was the second Legal Aid Clinic of its kind. The first clinic started functioning in the month of June 2007, at Shimla and the third clinic would be inaugurated at Dharamsala tomorrow. The clinic was opened as per the scheme of the National Legal Service Authority in order to provide knowledge to the needy persons at pre-case filing stage. A penal of advocates would sit twice in a week in the clinic situated in the court premises. It would guide the litigants whether a particular case was made out and in which court it would be filed. It would also advice poor litigants on how to get benefit under the free legal aid scheme launched by the government. Sessions Judge A.C. Dogra apprised about the free legal aid schemes and the aim and objective of opening of the free legal aid clinic. It also requested the members of the Bar to make this concept of opening legal aid clinic successful so that the needy persons were given information about their rights. |
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Jagdish Bhalla appointed CJ
New Delhi, January 17 President Pratibha Patil, reversing the order of her predecessor A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, cleared the name of Bhalla, acting Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court, following a recommendation by the Supreme Court collegium, sources said. Bhalla was to be elevated as the Chief Justice of Kerala High Court, but Kalam returned his file to the Prime Minister’s Office in February last year asking the government to have a rethink. However, the Supreme Court collegium again returned the name of Bhalla for elevation, but this time for the Himachal Pradesh High Court.
— PTI |
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No firewood even for cremation
Bilaspur, January 17 A number of social organisations and senior citizens complained that there was no firewood available in the local government depot of the HP state forest corporation here and now even burning of the dead has become a great problem. Official sources said there is a complete ban on cutting of any tree in the state since several months and this had been the reason for non-availability of firewood at various places, including Bilaspur, since even dry trees can not be felled. Senior citizens here have urged the government to order immediate arrangements for provision of sufficient firewood not only for cremation of the dead bodies but also for household and other purposes. |
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58-yr-old beaten to death
Dharamsala, January 17 ASP Prem Lal said, the deceased was identified as Balak Ram, resident of Balunder village,
Kangra. One Surinder Kumar outside a liquor shop at Lahru allegedly beat him to death. The police had recovered the body and had sent it for a post-mortem examination, the report of which was awaited. The ASP said the exact cause of death would be ascertained only after receiving the report of the post-mortem examination. An FIR, under section 302 of the
IPC, was registered. The alleged accused was taken into custody, this morning. |
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Two killed as car falls into Ravi
Chamba, January 17 According to official reports, the deceased has been identified as Raju and Ajay of Chamba. The injured persons were undergoing treatment in the regional hospital here. |
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2 kids suffocated to death
Shimla, January 17 According to reports, Rajesh, working as a chowkidar in a private school after locking his two children inside the house went to a hospital to look after his ailing wife. After their father had left, the children lit a fire inside the house to keep themselves warm in the chilly weather. As the room in which the children were sleeping had no outlet for smoke, the children got suffocated and died.
— UNI |
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Bird flu: Be on the toes, depts told
Shimla, January 17 Minister for science, technology and environment J.P. Nadda said here today that the heads of the health, animal husbandry and urban development departments had been directed to take steps to protect the fragile hill environment as unhygienic conditions and pollution could lead to outbreak of hazardous diseases. These departments had been advised to take effective steps to check air and water pollution. |
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BJP leader suspended
Kumarhatti, January 17 The decision to this effect was taken by mandal president J. L. Sharma. Thakur was in the firing line ever since he held a press conference recently announcing some decisions. A few days back, three office-bearers of the mandal were removed from their posts for anti-party activities. |
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