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Monkey Menace
Move to open restricted roads in Shimla
Mandi Medical College |
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‘UPA not fair with BJP-ruled states’
Bus Fare Hike
APIL staff not paid salaries since Dec
Exam toppers
Attempt to take away vehicle
Palampur residents forced to drink filthy water
Rewards for eco-clubs planned
Police seizes deodar sleepers, impounds truck
Toll barrier auctioned for Rs 54.25 lakh
CRI employees hold meeting
500 gm of charas seized
2-day remand for Thakur
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Monkey Menace
Shimla, March 3 Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal met union minister of state for forest and environment S. Reghupathy in New Delhi today and informed the latter that 3.17 lakh monkeys and 5,3000 langurs were a big nuisance in the hill state. The government had decided to set up two primate protection parks at Shimla and Nadaun to check the monkey menace in some of the worst-affected towns. Each park, to be set up at a cost of Rs 1.50 crore, would have a capacity to accommodate 2500 monkeys. A recurring expenditure of Rs 1.25 crore would be incurred on providing food to the simians. Besides, mass sterilisation of monkeys would be carried out using latest equipment. The monkeys would be released in the park after sterilisation and a target to sterilise 5000 monkeys had been set. A sterilisation centre was lready functional at Tuti Kandi in Shimla and two more would be established at Gopalpur and Hamirpur. The government had decided to plant 25 per cent wild fruit trees under the ongoing afforestation programmes to help provide food to simians in their natural habitat so that they did not have to migrate to human settlements. Dhumal informed the union minister that the government had deposited Rs 158.44 crore with CAMPA (compensatory afforestation fund management and planning authority) and urged Reghupathy to release the state’s share to expedite the plantation work and other related programmes. He said an eco-battalion had been set up in the state for the Sutlej basin and sought additional battalions to provide more employment to ex-servicemen. He requested the Centre to bear the administrative expenditure of these battalions. Dhumal informed the minister that work on the Rs 38.66-crore t biotechnology park at Audwal in Nalagarh area would begin during the next financial year. The government would organise an investors’ meet at Nalagarh shortly to attract private investment in the park. Regupathy appreciated the record of the state in implementation of the forestry schemes and assured that the Centre would provide all possible help for various developmental programmes. |
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Move to open restricted roads in Shimla
Shimla, March 3 With only a few hand-pulled rickshaws running on the roads in the erstwhile summer capital of the British during the Raj days, the district police now intends throwing some of these restricted roads, where vehicular movement is strictly regulated, open to all light vehicles. The state government had brought in the Shimla Road Users And Pedestrians (Public Safety and Convenience) Bill, 2006, to regulate vehicular traffic in the interest of public safety and convenience on the sealed and restricted roads of the state capital. The legislation, which came into effect last month, had been brought in to prevent annoyance and injury to the pedestrians. The district police has now decided to move a proposal to the government, seeking that some of the sealed and restricted roads are opened for light vehicles. “Some of the provisions of this legislation are very stringent and their violation can even lead to a penalty of Rs 5,000, so we are keen that in public interest some areas can be thrown open,” said district police chief R.M. Sharma. The police is keen that the road from the Vidhan Sabha to Bolieauganj, Sanjauli to Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) is opened for light vehicles in view of public convenience as people have to go to hospitals. The police proposes to approach the authorities to throw open for light vehicles the road from the High Court to Oak Over, the official residence of the Chief Minister. The argument being given is that the Chief Minister is an elected representative and people should have free access to his residence. As per the legislation there are 11 sealed roads and seven restricted roads where it is only after obtaining permits that one can ply one’s official or private vehicle. A committee headed by the divisional commissioner, Shimla, with the DC, SP and commissioner, Municipal Corporation, as its members decides the roads that are to be placed in the sealed and restricted
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Shanta recommended for RS
Shimla, March 3 The state election committee of the BJP met here today under the chairmanship of the state party chief Jai Ram Thakur and recommended the name of Shanta Kumar to the central election committee for being elected to the Rajya Sabha. Even though the nomination of Shanta Kumar as the BJP candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat was almost a foregone conclusion, he will soon enter Parliament as a member of the House of Elders with the state election committee formally recommending his name. The BJP leader, who is currently vice-president of the BJP, will enter the Rajya Sabha against the seat which fell vacant after Suresh Bhardwaj was elected MLA from Shimla. In fact after the high command decided to project Prem Kumar Dhumal as its chief ministerial candidate, it had been decided by the central leadership that Shanta Kumar would be accommodated at the centre as a Rajya Sabha member. This will be for the first time that Shanta Kumar will be a member of the Upper House of Parliament. He remained a member of the Lok Sabha after he won two elections in 1998 and 1999. He was the Minister for Food and Consumer Affairs in the Vajpayee government. The central election committee of the BJP is likely to take the final decision within a few days after which Shanta Kumar is likely to file his nomination. “I hope the Congress will show grace and not field a candidate so that Shanta Kumar can be elected unanimously to the Rajya Sabha,” said Satya Pal Jain, in charge of BJP affairs in Himachal. All senior leaders, including Chief Minister, P.K. Dhumal, state organisation secretary, Mahender Pandey and other senior leaders attended the meeting of the 10-member state election committee. |
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Mandi Medical College
Mandi, March 3 The various sabhas and Citizens’ Council Mandi convened a meeting here and issued a joint press statement here today, urging Dhumal to reconsider his decision and issue the notification on opening of the government medical college along the lines of Government Medical College, Tanda (in north zone), and Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla (in south zone), so that people in the central zone of Mandi do not nurse feeling of discrimination against the present government. President Citizens’ Council Mandi P.C. Bisht stated in the release that all sabhas and Bhima Kali Temple Trust have expressed their concern over the withdrawal of official notification issued by the last government on October 8, 2007, for the opening of the government medical college in Mandi. President Bhima Kali Trust Pushp Raj said instead of implementing the notification, the present government withdrew it and hurt the feelings of the Mandi district. Private college is expensive and not affordable to the common public, as central zone deserves the government medical college. Addressing the memorandum to the CM, state unit BJP chief Jai Ram Thakur, PWD minister Gulab Singh Thakur and all MLAs from Mandi district, the release stated that 350-bedded zonal hospital can be attached to the government medical college and 150 bighas of land was already identified near the premises of the zonal hospital, but it is regrettable that present government withdrew this notification hurting the sentiments and expectations of the people of Mandi district. They have urged the Chief Minister to reconsider his decision of starting the private medical college and issue direction to start it in the government sector. |
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‘UPA not fair with BJP-ruled states’
Shimla, March 3 Addressing a press conference here today, in charge of BJP affairs in Himachal Satya Pal Jain said not a single rail project or train had been announced for Punjab and Himachal, which were ruled by the BJP. “The BJP is very concerned at this discriminatory approach of the Congress-led UPA regime and Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal intends to take up the matter with the Prime Minister,” he said. Jain said not a single mega project or institute had been announced for Himachal or Punjab, what to talk of any financial assistance. As per the decision of the BJP council, 33 per cent reservation would be given to women in the organisational set-up, he added. “Other political parties like the Congress and the BSP, both headed by women, only talk of women reservation. But these have neither tabled the Women Reservation Bill in Parliament nor given women their due in their party set-ups,” he said. The Left parties were the worst in that regard. “It is for the first time that a woman is a member of the Polit Bureau, otherwise these parties which claim to be the most progressive have not given important positions to women in the organisation,” he said. Meanwhile, health minister Rajiv Bindal has said that despite Himachal having its peculiar developmental requirements, the Centre had completely ignored the interests of
the state. In a statement issued here today, he said the Centre had ignored Himachal in the Union Budget. “Infrastructure building and harnessing human resources to the optimum is the main concern of the state government and this cannot be achieved without the help of the Centre,” he said. He said the had taken effective steps for environment protection and maintaining ecological balance in the interest of the nation for which it should be compensated. “The Centre has also not kept its promise as no budgetary provision has been made for setting up of an IIT in the state,” he said. |
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Bus Fare Hike
Solan, March 3 Widespread protest was witnessed across the state against the hike as it has strained the pocket of the common man. Though the government has justified the hike in citing mounting losses to the state-run Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) coupled and the hike in prices of petrol and diesel, it had failed to discipline tax defaulters. Figures gathered from the Transport Department show while an outstanding tax liability of around Rs 65 lakh was pending against private transporters in the district till December last, only half of it could be realised till now. According to the prevailing trend, transporters first exercise laxity in paying monthly SRT and later when it amasses in lakhs, they negotiate for being given relaxation in doing away with the 25 per cent penalty imposed on late payments. Officials confirmed although they failed to deposit taxes in time, causing losses to the exchequer, they rarely pay the penalty as devised in the rules. This highhandedness of operators had been continuing for years with each government often succumbing to the pressure exerted by them. It is interesting to note that quite a few of these transporters have affiliation with the two key parties in the state. Officials hesitated to comment on record, although they agreed that the system needed reforms so that some discipline could be instilled among habitual tax defaulters. While they regularly deposit their savings in banks and also earn handsome interest, they deliberately deprive the exchequer of its due revenue share. Instead of checking this adverse trend, the government had gone ahead and rewarded the transporters by effecting a hike of 25 per cent hike in fares. It appeared that the government was protecting the interest of these private transporters instead of taking care of the common man. One was left wondering whether the benefits doled out in the form of the exorbitant hike were meant to appease these tax defaulters or punish the common man. |
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APIL staff not paid salaries since Dec
Shimla, March 3 The public undertaking has been in a limbo ever since the government decided to lease out the loss-incurring unit to private sector more than two years ago. Tenders for leasing out the unit were invited thrice but the process was completed. In the meantime the accumulated loss has swelled from Rs 46 crore to Rs 65 crore. The financial health had deteriorated to such an extent that there is no money for disbursing the salaries. The employees have not been paid from December onwards. The long drawn out process has severely affected its functioning resulting in huge losses due to under utilisation of machinery, staff and other infrastructure. The Pragatinagar plant, which on average manufactures 30 to 35 lakh apple packing cases annually, produced only 5 lakh cases in 2006-07 season and just one lakh in 2007-08. The plant has an annual capacity of over one crore packing cases but it has never produced more than 55 lakh cases. While there was no response to tenders on the first two occasions, eight parties showed interest when the exercise was conducted for the third time in May 2006. Of the three serious bidders Mukerian Paper Mills had offered annual lease money of Rs 50 lakh with a condition that it would assess the working of the employees for two months and retain only those found suitable. Himachal Indage, the second bidder, quoted lease money of Rs 27 lakh but agreed to retain the 70 employees. It also offered one per cent commission to the government on turnover exceeding Rs 10 crore. A newly registered Agro-Consumer Farm Society has offered a lease money of Rs 10 lakh or a commission of 50 paise per apple carton in the first year, Rs 30 lakh in the second year and Rs 50 lakh in the third year. However, the process was dropped as the state went into election mode. The political set up has changed and the new government seems to be oblivious of the hardships being faced by the employees due to non-payment of salaries. It has to take a fast decision whether to lease out APIL or run it as a public sector unit. If it is not to be leased out than funds should be provided for payment of salaries and purchase of raw material for making packing cases. However, if the unit is to be leased out than the process must be completed expeditiously as planning for manufacturing cartons for the next apple season has to be started before March. The private lessee will require time for repair and maintenance of the plant. |
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Exam toppers
Shimla, March 3 A Division Bench comprising Mr Justice Deepak Gupta and Mr Justice V.K.Ahuja observed that they would have to follow the rules laid down by the ICSE under which the student securing the maximum marks in seven subjects will be declared as the topper. The matter was brought to the notice of the court by Pranay Bansal, who secured the maximum marks as per the ICSE norms but the local St. Edward’s School declared another student as the topper on the basis of best five subjects. The court further directed that unless and until the ICSE frames a policy or lays down guidelines for ranking amongst the students, the schools following the ICSE system shall rank the students on the basis of the marks obtained in all seven subjects and not on the basis of best five subjects. The stand of the school, as reflected in its reply, is that in all schools in Shimla affiliated with the ICSE the topper is declared by the total of five subjects. So far as the regulations of the ICSE are concerned for class 10 it is clear that every student has to appear in seven subjects. The court observed that either the schools should not declare the toppers or if they want to do so, they must follow the regulations in letter and in spirit . Since it is necessary to appear in all seven subjects, in our opinion the ranking should be done on the basis of the marks obtained in all these subjects. The court further said that it was not granting any relief to the petitioner but had laid down the law for the future. |
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Attempt to take away vehicle
Shimla, February 3 Four persons approached Shabeer Hussain at Sanjauli asking him to drop them at Tara Devi. Shabeer, drove them to Tara Devi where some persons were waiting for them in another vehicle. Suddenly, they started thrashing Shabeer and sped away with the vehicle. Shabeer informed the police. Apprehending trouble, representatives of the company informed their Chandigarh office. It was then that the Chandigarh staff of IndusInd called up the Boileauganj police and said it were their men who had taken away the vehicle as Shabeer had not paid instalment of the loan. The company representative named a DSP-level officer, who he said had given them the go-ahead to take the vehicle away saying that there would be no trouble at the level of the police. SP R.M. Sharma said the vehicle had been recovered and a case registered under Section 356 of the IPC. “I will inquire into the alleged involvement of a police personnel into the incident,” he said. |
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Palampur residents forced to drink filthy water
Palampur, March 3 Though the state government had spent crores of rupees on the water treatment plants installed at Bundla village near the town but it hardly functions to the satisfaction of the residents, who have to consume contaminated and muddy water which carries mud insects and other foreign material. Many residents said when it rained the water treatment plant stops functioning and muddy and contaminated water was supplied to them. Officials of the IPH Department blame the power company which is executing a hydel project near the town to have damaged the drinking water sources by reckless cutting of hills and the entire silt and mud flow to the water reservoirs. The water tanks of the IPH Department are in a bad shape. There is no regular cleaning of these tanks. Most of the water tanks were full of mud, leaves and insects. In absence of the boundary wall stray animals freely enter inside the water treatment plant complex. These animals could fall in the water tanks any time. The officials of the IPH Department were unconcerned with the situation, it seems that no official had ever visited these water tanks. Official sources revealed that the state government had spent over Rs 3 crore on water treatment system installed for the town recently, but in the absence of proper maintenance and repair the plant was not functioning to the satisfaction of the consumers. |
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Rewards for eco-clubs planned
Shimla, March 3 She said the top three eco-clubs, which excelled in various activities would be given Rs 5,000, Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000, respectively, on the basis of annual performance. She lamented that despite the degradation of environment the people were largely indifferent to the situation and not much was being done to protect it. She said master trainers should make it a point to encourage children to interact with nature so that they get sensitised. Member secretary of the state council for science, technology and environment Nagin Nanda threw light on the national green corps programme and role of their children in influencing their families and society as a whole to help develop a positive attitude towards environment protection. Involving children in the programme would have a long-term impact. National coordinator of the programme P.S. Sodhi explained the concept of ecological footprints and handprints. He emphasised the need to undertake environment auditing at individual and institutional levels. In all 48 master trainers from 11 districts of the state along with non-government organisation are participating in the workshop. |
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Police seizes deodar sleepers, impounds truck
Chamba, March 3 Superintendent of police Chamba R.S. Negi told The Tribune over phone this evening that the driver of the truck was smuggling timber from the wooded area of Saloon in the district and on a foray conducted by the police party at Koti about 25 km from here intercepted the truck and recovered 52 deodar sleepers of timber having a length of 10 feet each. A case under Sections 41, 42 of the Forest Conservation Act and Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the SP said, adding that further investigations to find out more clues in the case were on. |
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Toll barrier auctioned for Rs 54.25 lakh
Chamba, March 3 Last year, the Tunnuhatti toll tax barrier, which is the only entry point from the neighbouring states to the famous Chamba-Dalhousie tourist circuit, had been auction for Rs 48.50 lakh. The auction of the toll barrier was conducted in the presence of deputy excise and taxation commissioner N.C. Begta and deputy commissioner of Chamba Munish Garg after completing all formalities of the bidding process, including deposit of 5 per cent amount of the total auction. |
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CRI employees hold meeting
Kumarhatti, March 3 The meeting was called upon by the CRI union to chalk out the further course of action after the decision taken by the central government to close it down. State AITUC chief Jagdish Bhardwaj said the CRI had done commendable work in rabies, cholera, snakebite, typhoid and other salmonella infections like plague, malaria, typhus, relapsing fever, TB and influenza. It would be prudent to improve the infrastructure at the CRI than taking recourse to shutting it down. Expressing his full support to CRI workers, Saizal said that he would take up the matter with CM Prem Kumar
Dhumal. |
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500 gm of charas seized
Sundernagar, March 3 The police checked a private bus going from Manali to Delhi near the Pungh area of Sundernagar. When the police searched the accused, 500 gm of charas was seized from him. The police has registered a case under section 20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. |
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2-day remand for Thakur
Solan, March 3 |
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