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Russian participation in art welcome: CM
Belittled, Virbhadra speaks out
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Cong’ll be back: Dhawan
Fate of IT teachers hangs in balance
Police picks up teachers on fast
DRDO project for HPU dept
2 youths found murdered in Kufri
Power Board Unbundling
Power Line
Idol Theft
4 IFS officers shifted
7 hurt as Alto hits Punjab VIP’s convoy Gypsy
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Russian participation in art welcome: CM
Manali, March 30 He was speaking at the birth centenary celebrations of Devika Rani Roerich at the Art Gallery, Naggar. The function was organized by the International Roerich Trust. Dhumal said the government would provide all help to Hema Malini, who had approached him with the proposal of setting up a dance training school in Kullu. He said a similar request received from Punjabi singer Hans Raj Hans to set up a vocal music training school was also welcome. He said former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had visited the Roerich Art Centre during his tenure and sanctioned Rs 2 crore for the improvement of the centre. He said Devika Rani, great granddaughter of Rabindra Nath Tagore, happened to be the first female actor of the Indian silver screen. He said she introduced many a prominent star of yesteryears to the world of cinema, including Ashok Kumar, Dalip Kumar and many others. Dhumal said the state offered congenial atmosphere for the promotion of art and culture that was why Roerich settled at Naggar. He also released a book named “Queen of the Silver Screen” compiled by Alena Ducter of the International Roerich Memorial Trust. Dhumal also listened to the public grievances at Naggar castle. V.I. Trukinikov said the birth centenary of Devika Rani was also celebrated at Bangalore and in Russia. He paid rich tributes to her. Peter Deplay, grandson of Devika Rani, also shared memories of yesteryears and said his grandmother loved to stay in Kullu valley. He said India and Russia were old friends and such celebrations would further strengthen the bonds of friendship between the countries. Earlier, MLA Govind Thakur welcomed the Chief Minister. Alena proposed a vote of thanks and read out messages sent by renowned world personalities. A cultural programme was also presented by Russian and Indian artistes on the occasion. Deputy Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha Khimi Ram, MLA Govind Thakur, MLA Kishori Lal, former minister Kunj Lal Thakur, Kririsanfova (first secretary), Vladimir Khrisyov (first secretary) and Rozovskiyfedor (a councillor in the Russian Embassy in India) were also present. |
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Belittled, Virbhadra speaks out
Kangra, March 30 His emotional outburst came after he was asked to address the rally before CLP leader Vidya Stokes and party’s state chief Viplove Thakur. This perhaps hurt sentiments of Virbhadra Singh, who, in view of his seniority, stature and experience in the party, expected to address the rally just before chief guest Dhawan. He asked people when the Congress had contributed the most towards the development of the state, what was the reason for the party’s debacle in the last Assembly elections? The reply came from a party worker in the gathering who said: “Infighting”. On being asked that former tourism minister G.S. Bali differed with his observation that the BSP factor, wrong ticket distribution and failure of the central leadership to campaign in the state led to the party’s defeat, Virbhadra Singh said, “This is my personal point of view which was commonly shared by party workers in the state. Moreover, anyone is free to have his personal viewpoint on a situation.” When mediapersons asked Dhawan about Virbhadra’s outburst, he said the media was manipulating
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Cong’ll be back: Dhawan
Kangra, March 30 However, party in charge (Himachal Pradesh) R.K. Dhawan maintained the party was united and strong enough to fight anti-people and unjust policies of the BJP government. The Congress would reign again before the expiry of the five-year term of this government. He said vindictiveness was in the blood of the BJP leadership and they could stoop to any level for that. He said the recent Budget presented by the UPA government was as a step towards mitigating problems of the unemployed youth, common people and farmers. He lambasted L.K. Advani for allegedly misleading people about Kandahar negotiations through his book claiming that he was not aware about the decision of releasing terrorists for the release of passengers. Dhawan said the director of Intelligence Bureau, who was directly under Advani, who was the home minister, was accompanying Jaswant Singh to Kandahar. Obviously, Advani had written a shameful lie, he said. Without actually naming Virbhadra Singh, he suggested him to forget the past and work unitedly for defeating the anti-people designs of the BJP. Virbhadra Singh said the Congress leadership should work hard for strengthening the party to throw the BJP out of power. He said the BJP was planning to pass a Bill for throwing out members of the state women commission before the completion of their term. He announced that the Congress would oppose the Bill on the floor of the House, resort to a walkouts, approach the Governor for not accepting the Bill and move the high court, if the need be. On the other hand, CLP leader Vidya Stokes said the CLP would decide about the action to be taken in that regard at an appropriate time. Viplove Thakur also spoke on the occasion. |
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Fate of IT teachers hangs in balance
Mandi, March 30 Though the directorate of higher education claimed that the department would invite fresh tenders for the IT education in schools, but the DOEACC has sought an extension of the agreement signed in 2005, demanding some adjustments in certain terms and conditions to pay the salaries of the IT teachers. Complicating things for the government is that IT teachers have made several pleas to the government over the years that they should be regularised as IT lecturers, as they attend the schools like any other full-time teachers. IT teachers have also demanded that their salaries should be increased by the DOEACC as they are paid just Rs. 3,000 per month and the government should make IT education a compulsory subject and extend it all schools in the state. On the other hand, DOEACC regional director, Vivekanand Sharma, said the society wished to continue the IT education in the state as it had invested Rs. 2 crore in its upgrading in 587 schools for the last three years. Sharma added that the society had asked the state government to pay the part of the PF to salaries of the teachers as the society had proposed to pay Rs 3,500 per month to IT teachers, but they had not received a reply from the state government so far. “The society is running into losses as IT is an optional subject in HP. It charges a monthly fee of Rs. 130 per student”, he explained. Education director O.P. Sharma said the IT teachers were employees of the society and not of the government. “The government would invite fresh tenders for IT education. The decision will be taken shortly as the agreement will expire on March 31”, he added. |
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Police picks up teachers on fast
Hamirpur: In a midnight swoop, the police picked up computer teachers observing indefinite fast at Gandhi Chowk and took them to Tanda medical college hospital yesterday. These teachers had been observing fast since March 27. The police action came around 1.30 am.
State president of the Computer Teachers Association Ramesh Dogra said around 200 policemen were involved in the exercise. These teachers had been on a relay fast in support of their demands since March 3 and had converted it into and indefinite fast on March 27. Meanwhile, three other teachers,
Naresh, Narender and Ram Singh, took place of the teachers picked up by the police and continued with the fast today. President of the computer teachers association Ramesh Dogra said, “We are determined to continue our agitation till our demands are fulfilled.” |
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DRDO project for HPU dept
Shimla, March 30 Chairperson of the department Mahavir Singh said the project would help enhance the existing technological applications and create new avenues for the benefit of human beings. The shock-wave treatment of various materials would condense the material to such an extent that a new material as good as diamond would be formed. Such material would help reduce the cost of sophisticated cutters used in the industry. The technique also enhances the electrical and mechanical properties of the materials. Nagesh Thakur will be the principal investigator with Nainjeet Singh, Vir Singh, Raman Sharma and Mahavir Singh as co-investigators. DRDO scientist from Chandigarh Ashok Sharma will be the project director and coordinator. |
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2 youths found murdered in Kufri
The deceased were shot on the Kufri-Chail road repeatedly and the bodies were thrown downhill. A local villager this morning noticed one of the bodies on a kutcha road after rolling downhill. He informed the village pradhan who intimated the police. The second body was also spotted at a distance of 50 metres. One of the deceased was shot in the temple, cheek and chest and the other in the abdomen. While one of the bodies was completely naked, except socks, the other had only underwear and a blood-stained vest. A live cartridge and a shell were also recovered from the main road which indicated that the deceased were shot dead by the side of the main road. The culprits were perhaps not aware of the kutcha road being constructed downhill. According to SP R.M.Sharma, who visited to the spot along with a team of forensic experts and sniffer dogs, the deceased were in the 20-30 age group and, in all probability, were from outside the state. They were well-built and appeared to be from good families. One of the bodies had a tattoo mark on the right arm. Sharma said that nothing could be said until the identity of the deceased was established. Their photographs had been flashed and reports about any missing persons matching the description were also being sought. |
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Power Board Unbundling
Shimla, March 30 The Union Ministry of Power has been far from pleased with the attitude of the state government which had not taken any concrete steps to comply with the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003, but has been seeking repeated extensions to allow the board to continue in the unbundled form. The state has sought yet another extension for one year on the ground that a lot of groundwork is required to be done to carry out the exercise. However, the ministry has taken the plea with a pinch of salt as the same reason was being advanced by the government to stall the trifurcation of the board year after year. It has asked it to first give the details of the steps taken so far by it to unbundle the state utility and also asked the government to submit the road map for the purpose. Senior officers admit that nothing had been done on this front. The only argument which could save the government is that the Dhumal regime has assumed office only three months ago and it deserved some consideration on this account. Moreover, if the Congress government could be given extension year after year, heavens would not fall if some more time was granted. |
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Power Line
Mandi, March 30 According to convener of the samiti L.C. Thakur, more than 100 farmers met the CM at Naggar castle today, who assured them that the government would look into their demands and initiate a suitable action. The farmers said the district police was resorting to “coercive tactics.” However, police officials denied these allegations. |
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Idol Theft
Shimla, March 30 As per the prosecution the accused had hatched criminal conspiracy for theft of idols from the Kunjum Mata temple, Lahaul-Sapiti, in connivance with three other accused. The accused had produced a copy of WT message from Lahaul-Spiti SP to SHO P.S. Kaja which was endorsed to accused Satinder Jain’s wife. The Sessions Judge while rejecting the bail application had taken a serious view and observed that there was no occasion for the Lahaul-Spiti SP to have sent a copy of WT message to the wife of the accused addressed to the SHO suggesting the manners of sending a report under Section 299 of the CrPC despite the fact that there was sufficient evidence on record against the accused, who was the main conspirator and kingpin and in case such practice is allowed to continue then the day is not far off when there will be only walls of the temple on this land without any idols to be worshipped. Therefore a copy of this order along with a copy of the above WT message filed on record be sent to the state secretary home DGP for taking such necessary action as deems fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of this case, in order to avoid recurrence of such incident in future. |
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4 IFS officers shifted
Shimla, March 30 R.K.Gupta, Project director, mid-Himalayan watershed project, Solan, has been posted as additional principal chief conservator of forests (human resource development), Headquarters. R.K.Sood, additional principal chief conservator of forests (projects), headquarters, takes over as the State Forest Corporation MD vice K.Dass, who goes as additional principal chief conservator of forests, CAT plan, in place of R.K.Kapoor. R.K.Kapoor will be the new director of the mid-Himalayan watershed project, Solan. A.K.Gulati, who was attached to the principal chief conservator of forests, has now been given charge as additional principal chief conservator of forests (project formulation and management), Headquarters. |
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7 hurt as Alto hits Punjab VIP’s convoy Gypsy
Nahan, March 30 While the vehicle in which the minister and his family were travelling saved itself from being hit by an Alto car coming from the opposite direction, the car rammed into the Gypsy of the minister’s staff. Five Chandigarh residents travelling in the Alto car, most of them PSEB employees, besides the minister’s driver and maid servant travelling in the Gypsy received serious injuries and multiple fractures in the accident. The injured were rushed to the Nahan district hospital which referred some of them to Chandigarh. |
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Shimla, March 30