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Rs 4.88 lakh collected from pharma units seized
Bhanupali-Bilaspur Rail Project
Centre’s ultimatum on slaughterhouse
High Air Fare |
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Home guards’ appeal to CM
Cases of Political Victimisation
Refuse collection scheme faces rough weather
Rain, snow at isolated places
3-year study leave expires
Govt urged to look into students’ problems
Non-payment of Dues
Two fall to death in Kullu
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Rs 4.88 lakh collected from pharma units seized
Solan, February 22 The ADGP Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau said the bureau had constituted various team to nab Thakur after receiving a tip-off from a secret source. Help was also sought from the local police and various teams led by SDPO Nalagarh Sanjeev Lakhanpal and comprising bureau inspector from Shimla, Mahavir Singh, SHO Nalagarh K.D.Khan and SHO Baddi Madan Kant Sharma started a hunt for Thakur as soon as they learnt that he was in the area for alleged collections from various pharmaceutical units. A subsequent search led to the recovery of Rs 47,000 in cash from Thakur’s pockets, Rs 88,500 from a bag lying in his car (HP-14-A-2956) and several envelops which contained amounts varying between Rs 10,000 to 20,000. Sources in the department revealed that he had been making collections frequently in lieu of issuing manufacturing licenses and product approvals. SP Solan S.P.S. Verma said separate police parties had been dispatched to search his house located at Kotla Nullah area of Solan as it was learnt that he had amassed huge amounts of money. A case under Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered and he has been handed over to the bureau for further investigation. With pharmaceutical industry being a multi-crore venture in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh industrial area bureau sources said huge amounts were being received by the drug licensing authorities for issuing manufacturing licenses and giving product approvals. The government had recently de-notified the three-member drug licensing authority and had made it into a single-member committee headed by Thakur who had become the sole authority for issuing licenses and product approvals. It is the first case in the state where a government official has been caught accepting such huge amounts of bribe. Although the arrest has sent shock waves throughout the industry there has been no reaction from within. |
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Bhanupali-Bilaspur Rail Project
Shimla, February 22 Congress MP Chander Kumar, who met Union Railways Minister Lalu Yadav along with Pratibha Singh (MP), said that the
Bhanupali- Bilaspur project would be included in the Budget for 2008-09 to fulfil the assurance given by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that it would be implemented. The state would contribute 25 per cent towards its cost. Further, the
Baddi-Chandigarh rail line had also been approved. The railway minister had also promised to allocate more funds for the Nangal
-Talwara rail line. He also assured that a Shatabdi train would be introduce between Pathankot and Delhi as soon as work on double-tracking of
Jalandhar-Pathankot section was completed. However, the Railway Ministry found the upgradation of the Pathankot-Jogindernagar track to broad gauge line economically unviable. The cost-benefit ratio worked out to be negative indicating that the project was not feasible. The ministry had not been taking up unviable projects. The two MPs urged the minister to take consider taking it up as a strategic project as the rail line could be further extended to Manali and finally to Lahaul-Spiti for defence supplies which were being sent through road transport at present. They also urged the minister to replace the old engines deployed on the narrow gauge sections which broke down frequently, causing inconvenience to the passengers. |
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Centre’s ultimatum on slaughterhouse
Shimla, February 22 Though the union ministry of food processing had agreed in principle to give a grant of Rs 19 crore for the construction of a modern slaughterhouse but there has been an inordinate delay on part of the state government in signing the MOU. It has been conveyed to the state that in case the MOU is not signed by February 29, the Rs 19 crore for Himachal would be diverted for other projects in Andhra Pradesh. Sources in the local municipal corporation (MC) informed that the file for signing of the MOU had been pending in the state secretariat for the past several months. “We have urged the senior officials to process it so that the deadline of February 29 could be met and the money does not lapses,” a senior official said. It has been learnt that the Centre has already made up its mind that in case the MC does not sign the MOU by the end of this month, the money would be diverted for some projects in Andhra Pradesh. Officials say that the delay was caused due to the announcement of early elections. Efforts are being made to sign the MOU in time. The Rs 25 crore modern slaughterhouse project had been pending since 1994 due to paucity of funds. It was only after the union ministry of food processing agreed to provide Rs 19 crore to the local MC that the possibility of the project coming through increased. Infact, the MC has also identified a piece of land near Boileauganj, where the slaughterhouse is to be made. Interestingly, the MC veterinary doctor has even proceeded on a two-month long training to Japan with regard to management and functioning of the modern slaughterhouse while the project seems to be facing an uncertain future. The need for a modern slaughterhouse in the state capital has been felt for a long time but paucity of funds was the main problem. At present the slaughterhouse is located in the Krishnanagar locality of the town and the entire animal waste is being dumped into the nullah. Being located in a heavily populated area, the residents have time and again demanded the shifting of the slaughterhouse to another location. The construction of the modern slaughterhouse will enable proper disposal of the animal waste. |
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High Air Fare
Dharamsala, February 22 "I have given a written complaint to Patel in this regard," Dhumal said. In the absence of regular flights of the national carrier, private operators have a monopoly in the hill state and they are exploiting this to fleece passengers, the Chief Minister said.
Air India has reduced its services from New Delhi to Kullu from four days a week to just one a day. This situation is being exploited by the private airlines, he added. Dhumal said during his recent meeting with Patel in New Delhi, he requested him to allow night landing facilities in Gaggal airport, near Dharamsala. He also requested the Civil Aviation Minister to provide greater use of the civilian areas at the Pathankot military airbase for running flights to the hill state. The tourists inflow, estimated to be around to be around 80 lakh in the current year, is higher than Himachal’s total population of about 63 lakh. Considering this fact, more flights, particularly of national airlines, should be provided to the state, Dhumal said.
— PTI |
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Home guards’ appeal to CM
Hamirpur, February 22 Newly elected state president of the association Ratan Chand Thakur yesterday demanded that their quota in the police and the forest department jobs should be increased from the existing 15 per cent to 50 per cent keeping in view of limited government job opportunities available to them. He also urged the government to provide them regular duty till 58 years of age, family pension or gratuity after their retirement and start EPF facility, increase their wage to Rs 200 per day in the current budget etc. |
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Cases of Political Victimisation
Shimla, February 22 Besides academic and other administrative matters, it is expected that cases pertaining to termination of some teachers and other employees could be discussed. The EC had terminated the services of three teachers, Dr Kuldeep Agnihotri, Dr Mamta, Ajay Srivastava and one security officer, I.S. Dogra, on the recommendation of the Kaul Committee report. The panel was constituted to look into the administrative lapses in appointments made in the university, which might be given a fresh look too. Similarly, the decision on the termination of services of five Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) officials for alleged financial and administrative irregularities is also pending before the executive council (EC). After the serving of chargesheet replies have been filed by all, including a personal hearing, before the EC. With the brother of the Forest minister, J.P. Nadda, being one of the officer, who was served the chargesheet, it is being expected that the present regime will give relief to all officials. The other issues that will be discussed by the EC includes, framing of strict policy with regard to private colleges affiliated with the HPU. It is proposed that the colleges, which do not fulfil norms, should be fined heavily. |
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Refuse collection scheme faces rough weather
Shimla, February 22 The CDC has been running the scheme to keep the town clean since April, last year. It has pointed out that it is bearing a loss of over Rs 70,000 every month as the MC has failed to take action against the households and commercial establishments like shops and hotels that are not getting their garbage collected through them. The CDC has also pointed out that as per the agreement, the MC had to provide four vehicles for garbage collection to them. Even after passage of 10 months, the MC has not provided the vehicles, which was causing a lot of problem in garbage collection. They pointed out that barring action against barely six shopkeepers, the MC had not helped in the strict implementation of the scheme. |
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Rain, snow at isolated places
Shimla, February 22 The Met office said higher altitude areas of the tribal districts of
Kinnuar, Lahaul-Spiti and Chamba are experiencing fresh spell of snowfall since yesterday morning following which the entire region was in the grip of a cold
wave. Rekong Peo, Lahaul-Spiti’s district headquarter, had so far received over 30 cm of snowfall, while Kalpa recorded about 15 to 20 cm, it said. It said the higher reaches of the tribal districts, which were under a thick layer of fog, had recorded over 40 cm of snowfall in the past 36 hours. Light rains also lashed Manali and a few places in Shimla district last night, the Met office added.
— UNI |
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3-year study leave expires
Hamirpur, February 22 A lecturer in electronic and communication engineering (ECE) faculty, who had proceeded on study leave without any prior permission from the NIT authorities and was to join duty in January 2008 had not even bothered to inform the reason for his delay. Though the NIT administration is setting aside this as a minor case, but insider in the institute term it a serious matter. “Since the lecturer has reportedly joined a job in a Singapore-based company and at the same time drawing half salary from NIT.” The board of governors (BOG) of NIT was even contemplating serious action against him. Sensing trouble, he came back and later approached the BOG to grant him study leave and BOG allowed him leave on half the salary. They also allowed him to retain the government accommodation in NIT campus at Hamirpur. NIT registrar G.R. Musafir said, “We have sent a notice to the teacher and moreover, he has fulfilled a bond with us in case he does not join back we would recover the money from him.” |
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Govt urged to look into students’ problems
Bilaspur, February 22 Addressing an annual prize distribution function in presence of forest minister J.P.
Nadda, who was the chief guest here yesterday, SCA president Ajay Prashar said that college was under-staffed in several subjects and this anomaly should be removed, while MA classes in English, political science, history and mathematics should also be started to save students from going to far off places . |
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Non-payment of Dues
Kangra, February 22 According to reports, the PWD on Monday stopped the sewerage work of the IPH Department being carried on the Kangra-Kachehri bypass road as the IPH Department has failed to deposit Rs 4.98 lakh with the PWD as compensation for the road damage. Executive engineer PWD Kalia said the IPH Department has neither sought any permission of digging the road for laying the sewerage pipes nor has made any payment to the department under rules. The PWD sources said earlier also the IPH Department work was stopped but despite that the department did not submit any estimate of the works. The sources added that the PWD made an assessment of the IPH Department requirement and made an estimate of Rs. 4.98 lakh but the department despite two reminders did not make the payment. |
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Two fall to death in Kullu
Kullu, February 22 Dolma Devi of Horngarh village fell to death while cutting wood in the Tirthan valley yesterday. Beli Ram was killed after he fell into a gorge near Parigancha on Wednesday night. The police had to toil hard to retrieve the body of the victim. The bodies were handed over to the relatives after a post-mortem. Banjar SDM P.R.Verma said the administration had given immediate relief of Rs 5,000 each to next of kin of the deceased. |
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