Shimla March 12
Special Judge (Forest) J.L. Gupta today directed the investigating agency to reinvestigate the matter pertaining to appointments on chits made during the previous Congress regime between 1993 and 1998.

The court also rejected the cancellation report filed by the prosecution in this matter. The inquiry officer pleaded that the matter needed to be examined afresh as reports from various government departments were yet to be obtained.

He said statements of some senior government functionaries at the level of secretary were very important from the investigation point of view, hence this task should also be undertaken now.

S.M. Katwal, former Chairman of the Subordinate Services Selection Board, had filed a petition before the High Court, seeking lodging of an FIR with regard to appointments made by the Congress regime on recommendatory chits, ignoring merit and denying the meritorious their due.

Katwal had alleged in his petition that the then Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh, had used his position to influence officials to get his own men selected by denying others their right.

It may be recalled that the Dhumal regime during its earlier tenure had ordered two inquiries into the matter. The reports of the Avay Shukla and Harsh Gupta Committees had pointed out gross irregularities in the appointments made on chits. However, no action was taken by the Dhumal regime in the jobs-on-chits scam despite irregularities being pointed out by the committees.

On the basis of these reports, Katwal had demanded that a police case be registered. In their reports which looked into the jobs scam, the two committees had pointed out that over 2,900 jobs had been given this way. While one committee looked into jobs given on chits in government departments, the other scrutinised jobs given in corporations and public undertakings.

On the basis of this petition the High Court directed the state government to lodge an FIR in this regard and investigate the matter.

Shimla, March 12
The Vigilance Bureau is trying to establish the involvement of Himachal Board of School Education officials in the forged certificate case involving the daughter of former Food and Supplies minister Singhi Ram. The police has already registered a case for cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.

Upma Kashyap, daughter of the former minister, sought admission into Lady Sri Ram (LSR) College in Delhi on the basis of a forged plus two certificate from the HP Board of School Education.

“Though the certificate is forged and the roll number on the certificate does not exist, all the same we will probe who supplied them the stationary of the board to forge the certificate,” informed an official.

The minister’s daughter has withdrawn from LSR and is reportedly studying at another reputed educational institute in Delhi. Since the private secretary of the minister has attested the certificate, he is likely to be questioned whether he saw the original before putting in his signature for attestation.

Upma reportedly flunked in the CBSE plus two examinations in 2005 while studying at Sanawar School at Kasauli. “Despite having failed she managed to get admission on the basis of a school board certificate in the same year at Lady Sri Ram College with a 90 per cent score as according to her marksheet she had secured 446 marks out of 500,” informed an official.

Surprisingly, even the Himachal Board of School Education topper in plus two had secured 414 marks out of 500. After studying at LSR for one year, the minister’s daughter withdrew from the institute and took all her certificates and documents she had deposited.

The investigating agencies said the minister would obviously be questioned as being the father he provided the fake certificate and paid for his daughter’s education.

Shimla, March 12
A former speaker and a senior Congress leader Gangu Ram Musafir today accused the ruling BJP of ignoring the main agenda on which it had come to power in the state while framing budget proposals. He stressed that it would only deepen the financial crisis.

Participating in the debate on general budget for 2008-09, he said the BJP had been harping on price rise and made it its main poll plank. However, there was no mention of the issue in the budget, what to speak of measure to check inflation, he said.

He reminded that while the BJP had demanded complete withdrawal of VAT on foodgrains and other essential items but it did not take any such measure in the budget.

A provision of Rs 90 crore for supplying subsidised ration had been made, but there was no mention of the quantum and rate at which it would be supplied.

Further, Dhumal had also demanded that the minimum daily wage should be raised Rs 150 but even the budget was silent on this front too. Similarly, unemployment was a major issue and the announcement to fill 26,000 posts was not enough in view of the fact that there were 7.81 lakh unemployed in the state as per the registers of various employment exchanges.

He wondered as to why the government had to raise more loans, when the revenue had been growing at a brisk rate. It was not a sign of prudent fiscal management.

He disapproved of the diction of the government to de-notify the school opened by the Congress regime and pointed out that as many as 44 out of the total 148 such schools were in Sirmour, which was one of the most backward district and needed these institutions.

Former minister Mohinder Singh demanded an inquiry into the irregularities in the recruitment of dental doctors and anganwari workers and action against those responsible for the exorbitantly high cost of the Larji hydroelectric project.

Rajan Sushant (BJP) and Mukesh Agnihotri (Congress ) made a plea for providing more facilities to legislators to help maintain dignity of the public office and serve the people they represented more effectively.

Shimla, March 12
The Himachal Pradesh Computer Teachers Association has urged the government to frame a policy with regard to IT education.

Ramesh Dogra, president of the association, said it was not just computer teachers who were being exploited but even students were being overcharged by the private company the government had signed an agreement with. “The salaries of the teachers have been reduced while the charges being made from the students have been hiked”.

About 1100 computer teachers in the state have been on strike since March 3, demanding fixation of their pay and a secure future. Currently IT courses are being run in 687 senior secondary schools for students of classes IX, X, XI and XII.

“Our pay which was fixed at Rs 3,750 earlier has been reduced to Rs 2,488 while the charges being taken from the students have been increased,” said Dogra. Each time the company with which the government signs an agreement interviews them and as such they do not have a secure future.

He said that the striking computer teachers had made up their mind to continue with the strike till the government assured of them a secure future by framing a policy. “The government should directly deal with us even if we get less money but at least we will have a secure future,” he said. “In case the government does not come to our rescue we will launch an agitation,” he threatened.

Solan, March 12
A nine-month-old sambar was killed after it got entangled in the barbed wires of an industrial unit, Gonterman and Pipers, this morning.

The nearly four-feet long sambar could not withstand the stress, which it encountered in the nearly half an hour struggle, when it tried to release itself.

The sambar had strayed into the colony of the industrial unit from a nearby hill. It managed to cross the first barbed wire erected in the colony’s frontal portion but got entangled in the rear one.

According to forest officials it tried hard to come out of the entangled wire but after a struggle of nearly half an hour it succumbed to its injuries. Its hair and skin was caught in the wires and it led to bleeding.

DFO Anil Joshi said there was no fowl play suspected in the incident as the animal died of stress.

As the incident took place in the backyard of the colony there was no one available to help the animal. It had probably come down in search of food and was going back to the forest.

The DFO said as soon as they received a wireless message in the morning, they rushed to the spot, but by that time the animal had already collapsed.

The veterinary doctor conducted a postmortem examination. He declared stress as the reason for the animal’s death. The forest staff later buried its carcass.

Shimla, March 12
Wintry conditions have revived in the state today following fresh spell of mild intermittent snowfall in the entire tribal belt since last night, the Met office said.

The higher altitude areas of Kinnuar, Lahaul-Spiti, Kullu, Kangra and Chamba districts were experiencing fresh spell of snowfall since last night, while light showers lashed the lower areas of these districts.

The Met office said the remote areas of Bharmaur and Pangi in Chamba district, Dhauladhar Ranges, overlooking the Kangra Valley, and 13,050 feet high Rohtang Pass, also called the gateway to the tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti experienced fresh intermittent snowfall.

Kalpa in Kinnuar district also experienced mild intermittent snowfall followed by light rain throughout the day today.

Overcast conditions are prevailing in the famous tourist resorts of Shimla, Narkanda, Kufri, Fagu and Manali after experiencing bright sunny days last week.

The Met office has forecast rain or snow at isolated places in Himachal during the next 24 hrs. — UNI

Dharamsala, March 12
Acting on the direction of the Central government, the administration has served notice to hundred of Tibetans to not to cross Kangra district border as part of their march to their homeland to press for independence of Tibet and against Beijing Olympics.

“Notice has been given to the Tibetan marchers on Monday night near Ranitaal for not crossing Kangra district border,” SP Atul Fulzele said today.

The notice was a part of the Central government’s advisery, he added.

But, despite the notice hundreds of Tibetan marchers are still continuing their journey. Currently they were spotted near Dhera subdivision and are expected to reach the district border of Chintapurni tomorrow evening.

The SP said if they tried to cross the district border lawful action would be taken.

The marchers, comprising women and children, had set off on Monday as part of global protests to mark the 49th anniversary of Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.

Unmindful of the notice, Tibetan marchers said they would continue with their homeland, journey.

“We will continue with our march,” Tibetan Women Association president B. Tsering said over phone.

Tibetan Youth Congress president Tsewang Rigzin and an another marcher Palky said, “we are going to our homeland and no law can stop us from this.” — PTI

Mandi, March 12
The CPM has demanded a strict action against those who allegedly were making separate sitting arrangements for the bajantris and other backward castes during the community langar served by the district mela committee during the ongoing Shivratri fair in the town.

In a press note issued here today CPM district secretary Bhupinder Samrat alleged that the bajantris and devlus were being discriminated against while serving the Shivratri langar. The meal committee had made separate sitting arrangements for them. The CPM alleged that even SC children in certain government schools were served the mid-day meal separately which was against the law.

Mandi, March 12
The exhibition stall of the Army Headquarters 9 Cor and Army Recruitment Office, here has become a centre of attraction not only for the would-be soldiers, but also for the eye patients, who are getting a free-eye testing facility on the occasion of week-long Shivratri fair at Paddal Maidan here since March 7.

The youngsters, including their parents are getting the hands on experience of the weapons and communication equipments used in the warfare. The inquisitive information seekers are also getting first hand information on the Army recruitment process.

The Army instructors informed the visitors as to how to use weapons like machine guns, tank, anti-missile launcher, self-fired grenade launcher, rocket launcher, mortar and rifles. Piyush and Rohit Thakur the two student visitors said, “It is an educative experience. It informs you as to how jawans use the mines, anti-tank and anti-personal mines used by neighboring country or by the Indian Army during the warfare”.

Shimla, March 12
Terming it as a step towards saffronisation, the CPM today accused the BJP regime of using coercive methods to force Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) Vice-Chancellor Anil Wilson to resign.

In a statement issued here today, secretary of the state CPM Rakesh Singha said the BJP regime had forced the VC to submit his resignation as Dr Wilson was proving to be the biggest hurdle in the reinstatement of pro-BJP university officials, including the security officer. Singha said the BJP regime wanted to appoint a pro-RSS Vice-Chancellor so that the appointments were made not on merit but on the basis of leanings towards the party.

He said the V-C had been instrumental in framing the recruitment policy and had worked in a unbiased manner putting the interest of the university above everything. “Removing an honest and dedicated V-C at this stage would be against the interest of the university, teachers and students,” he said.

Bilaspur, March 12
Laxmi Singh Mokta (50), a development officer of Khadi Gramodyog, Shimla, was killed on the spot, while another person in the car, Mehar Singh Rana, a junior assistant, was injured seriously when their car no. HP-03-2481 hit a roadside eucalyptus tree near Naswal village about 30 km from here last evening. The deceased was driving the caras they were coming to Bilaspur from Palampur where he had gone to participate in a seminar.

The injured was immediately rushed to the district hospital here.

Mokta, belonged to Jubbal, while Rana belongs to Sarkaghat. The body of the deceased was brought for postmortem examination here and later was handed over to the family. The police has registered a case.

Hamirpur, March 12
Two business firms, the premises of which were searched by the Income Tax Department have voluntarily disclosed unaccounted income of 61 lakh today.

Mandi range additional income tax commissioner Sunil Verma and his team had conducted a survey. He said income surveys were conducted on business firms after specific reports were collected from the field and on that basis an investigation was made.

“The business houses will have to pay tax with interest on their voluntary disclosures”, he said.