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Move to exclude 684 villages from sanctuaries
Don’t compare others with Kargil martyrs: Dhumal
Virbhadra: Fight politicians, not officials
Singhi Ram admitted to cardiac care unit
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PTA Selections
Dalai Lama's appeal to world leaders
Single women continue padyatra
SEZ: Farmers serve ultimatum
Police swoops on fasting teachers
Ramdev promises ayurvedic college
Kangra BSP on the verge of split
Charas smugglers’ gang busted
5 held for looting Rs 2 lakh
Body found under mysterious circumstances
2 bodies found
Abhimanyu operated upon
Loan waiver ‘not to benefit’ hill farmers
Review of BPL lists on April 6
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Move to exclude 684 villages from sanctuaries
Shimla, March 2 In reply to a query by Dr Prem Singh and B.K. Chauhan, Forest minister J.P. Nadda said even though it would take another three months for the process to be completed it had been recommended that five of the 33 wildlife sanctuaries be de-notified. “Our effort is to exclude the maximum possible inhabited area so that the villagers are not uprooted and they continue to exercise their grazing and agricultural rights,” he said. Nadda said Naina Devi, Darlaghat, Shilli, Shikari Devi and Gobindsagar wild life areas were proposed to be de-notified. To ensure that the protected area did not get reduced drastically as a result of the exclusion process, more forest areas would be included in it. He assured the House that the concern of the members about protecting the natural rights of villagers had been conveyed to the two-member expert team which visited the state before finalising the issue in May-August, 2007. “The recommendations at the moment are with the standing committee of the National WildLife Board and it is after three months that we will know the actual position,” he said. He said the area in certain sanctuaries like Kalatop would get reduced from 69 sq km to a mere 11.7 sq km while in others it could increase as in the case of Sechutuan in Chamba from the present 109 sq km to 390 sq kms. About the future of the Gumma carton factory of Agro Packaging Limited, horticulture minister Narender Bragta said even though a loss of Rs 65 crore had been incurred by the factory till now a decision regarding leasing it out to a private firm would be taken after taking the growers into confidence. In reply to another query about the pending cases of employment on compassionate grounds, Chief
Minister P.K. Dhumal said the number was 2266. He, however, added that the job on compassionate grounds could not be sought as a matter of right though efforts were made to help the needy and deserving. In reply to a question by Govind Thakur, the horticulture minister said there was a move to acquire anti-hail guns to contain the damage to fruits and crops due to hail. “Presentations have been made by companies from Switzerland and Holland but the final decision will be taken after seeking the opinion of meteorologists, scientists and other experts. Each gun would cost
over Rs 70 lakh. |
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Don’t compare others with Kargil martyrs: Dhumal
Shimla, April 2 The Chief Minister was replying to the issue raised by Rajesh Dharmani of the Congress under Rule 324. Dharmani said the families of defence personnel who had made the supreme sacrifice during other operations must be given similar benefits that had been given to families of Kargil martyrs. Dhumal informed the house that dependants of 40 of the 52 martyrs from Himachal who had died during Kargil war had been given jobs while the remaining 12 had been given assurance letters and as and when they attain the age and required qualification they would be adjusted. “Keeping in view the fact that many soldiers were still dying and getting injured in various operations, the government in February 2000, made a provision to give grant to those killed or injured,” Dhumal said. He said a provision was made to provide Rs 3 lakh to those killed, Rs 1 lakh for those having more than 50 per cent disability, Rs 50,000 for those having less than 50 per cent disability and Rs 25,000 for others injured. He informed that in order to give similar benefit to those serving in para-military forces, a policy was made where Rs 1 lakh was to be given to the family of anyone who died during any operation. He said that the earlier governments had made provision of giving help and ex-gratia grant to the families of those who died or were injured during 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars. “I respect the sentiments of the member but Kargil was an undeclared war fought under extraordinary circumstances so it would not be appropriate to equate it with other situations,” Dhumal said. |
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Virbhadra: Fight politicians, not officials
Shimla, April 2 Talking to mediapersons here today, he said the BJP regime was acting with vendetta as his former private secretary, Subhash Ahluwalia, and his wife were being targeted. Ahluwalia has been posted as Establishment Officer, Dharamshala, a post which he held 10 years back,” he said. The manner in which the government was ordering inquiries every other day, it clearly reflected that it was resorting to political vendetta against his adversaries. He suggested that rather than wasting time in ordering inquiries, the government must give good governance and fulfil the promises it had made to the people. The inquiries were being ordered only to humiliate and harass employees. He said the government was harping on the chargesheet the BJP had prepared against the Congress regime but it was just a ‘bundle of lies’. “During its last tenure the BJP had made 24 charges against me and even sent it to the CBI, who after failing to find anything incriminating closed the inquiry and gave me a clean chit,” he said. Coming out in defence of B.R. Rahi, arrested former chairman of the Himachal Board of School Education, the Congress leader said the government was trying to implicate Rahi in the forged certificate case. He said the party had nothing to say in the case of former minister Singhi Ram, against whom some documentary evidence had been found. |
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Singhi Ram admitted to cardiac care unit
Shimla, April 2 According to the Vigilance Bureau, Singhi Ram was first taken to Deen Daya Upadhyay Hospital in the night and later taken to the IGMC by doctors where he was finally admitted to the CCU. The doctors said he was suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes. Singhi Ram had been remanded in police custody till April 5 along with former chairman of the Himachal Board of School Education B.R. Rahi. A case has been registered against them for their alleged involvement in the forged certificate case. In fact, Singhi Ram’s wife literally ‘shooed’ away photographers while he was being shifted from one ward to another. She seemed upset over the media coverage and photographs of her husband appearing in newspapers. Rahi, who too complained of chest pain and blood pressure, was also taken to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital but was sent back to the lock up after being given medicines. He spent last night in the lock-up at Sadar police station. ‘Hold’ lie-detector test
KANGRA: The recent forged certificate racket, involving a former minister and former chairman of the HP Board of School Education, the duo who had been allegedly enjoying full faith of the previous government headed by
Virbhadra Singh, has shaken the faith of common people of the state and has lowered down the prestige of the board in the country so during the investigation ‘lie-detector’ technique should be used so that besides this racket other rackets could be unearthed. This was demanded by chairman Himachal Pradesh Educational Consultants Forum Dr R.D. Sharma today. He ridiculed that the top boss of the board allegedly indulged in this low ebb racket and helped in making a fail student of other board topper of his board. He demanded that the investigating agencies should probe into utilisation of the ‘Secret Fund’ of the board by Rahi as chairman. He further demanded a probe as to why during the tenure of Rahi six secretaries of the board were shifted and officials like Malhotra were given extension. |
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PTA Selections
Shimla, April 2 Secretary IPH Deepak Sanan, who had been entrusted with the inquiry, had made this recommendation. The inquiry report was today laid in the Assembly after the state cabinet took a decision in this regard, yesterday. He pointed out that the complaints received showed that there was wide variation in the selection procedure, which was often not fair. The report also mentions that it is not possible to ascertain the exact number of PTA appointments as the scheme is silent about issues such as continuation of PTA employees if vacancies are filled by regular appointees or about regularisation of PTA appointees against regular posts. In his report Sanan had suggested that in view of the infirmities in the selection process a new scheme, which addresses the key objectives of ensuring enhanced accountability and availability of competent teachers selected through a process, which is fair should be framed. He had pointed out that the existing PTA appointees who are eligible could apply under the new scheme. Interestingly, he had also pointed that it is for the PTA to decide if they wish to support those teachers who are left out for failing to meet the eligibility criteria or for other reasons. While the BJP regime had earlier pointed that there were large scale irregularities in the appointments of PTA teachers by the Virbhadra government, the Congress had been demanding that why should all the appointees suffer because of a few who did not fulfil the criteria. The matter will now be discussed in the House before the government takes a final decision on the matter.
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Dalai Lama's appeal to world leaders
Dharamsala, April 2 He has, however, desisted from issuing any reaction to the statement of foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee, who had advised him to avoid politics. The secretary to the Dalai Lama also refused any comments on the statement of Pranab Mukherjee. In his appeal, he has expressed gratitude to the world leaders, parliamentarians, NGOs and the public for expressing concern over the recent events in Tibet. “We are also grateful for their efforts in persuading the Chinese authorities to exercise restraint in dealing with peaceful protesters, while at the same time calling for meaningful dialogue to resolve the issue,” the appeal says. “I believe the recent demonstrations and protests are a manifestation of the deep-rooted resentment not only among the Tibetans in the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), but also in the outlying traditional Tibetan areas, now incorporated in Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces,” he has said. The Dalai Lama has further said that according to reliable sources, the Chinese authorities have deployed large contingents of troops in these traditional Tibetan regions. They have not only started cracking down heavily on the Tibetans allegedly involved in the unrest, but also sealed off the areas where protests have taken place. “I, therefore, appeal for your continued support in calling for an immediate end to the current crackdown, the release of all those arrested and detained and making provision for their medical treatment. There are reports of many injured Tibetans feeling afraid of going to Chinese-run hospitals and clinics,” he has said. “I would also request you to press for sending an independent international body to investigate into the unrest and its underlying causes, as well as allow the media and international medical teams to visit the affected areas. Their presence will not only instill a sense of reassurance among Tibetans, but also have a restraining influence on the Chinese authorities,” the appeal reads. |
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Tibetans hold peace march
Solan, April 2 While denouncing the repression and cultural genocide in Tibet the committee stressed that independent inquiries should be held inside Tibet. Further the Red Cross should immediately send aid to the Tibetans so that they get some relief. The committee while carrying out a peaceful march today demanded release of all imprisoned Tibetans and for allowing free press in Tibet so that the plight of innocent Tibetans are not endangered by the repressive activities. Marching through the Mall Road hundreds of Tibetans comprising nuns, monks from the nearby Dolanjee Monastery as well as Tibetan students from all over the district marched through the streets raising slogans in support of their Tibetan cause. NAHAN: Hundreds of Tibetans turned up from the different parts of the district toady and took out a protest march in Paonta Sahib to protest against the killings of over 140 innocent monks, nuns, peaceful protesters and other Tibetan citizens in Lahsa and other parts of Tibet by the Chinese Red Army during peaceful demonstration launched for the liberation of Tibet by the Tibetans. A large number of local residents of Paonta area under the banner of Indo Tibetan friendship Society led by its state general secretary Gita Ram Thakur also participated in the peaceful protest march which started from the Bhoop Pur Tibetan settlement and went up to the Municipal Ground through main markets of Badri Pur and Paonta Sahib. Protesters asked China to remove Chinese people from Tibet’s boundaries and free Tibet from its rule. They expressed their solidarity with the Tibetan people on the path of protest. After the protest, secretary Indo Tibetan Friendship Society Geeta Ram Thakur expressed his solidarity with Tibetan people and demanded that the Government of India must support Tibetan cause openly. Meanwhile, the relay fast started by Tibetans two days ago continues in the municipal ground at Paonta near the office of SDM. Tibetans organisations today opened a photo exhibition of recent photographs received from different parts of Tibet. The ‘bleeding’ photographs were self-speaking on the Chinese oppression on the Tibetans. Paonta residents today saw a large number of new posters at number of places in the town, which shows latest photographs of ‘brute of Chinese Red Army on the Tibetan’. |
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Single women continue padyatra
Shimla, April 2 The women specially the older one had a harrowing time as the Baba Ram Dev ground in Nehra village where tents had been put for their night stay was flooded with water. Infact, the food was also flooded with water and it was only at 1 am that food could be readied for the women who had trudged a distance of 14 km after starting their march from Dhami. With the heavy downpour rendering the tents unfit for night stay, the organisers had a difficult time adjusting them in houses and the building of a defunct medical college. “Had our request to the secretary Education to allow us stay in the school building from 6 pm to 6 am today been accepted we would have been saved of the inconvenience,” said Subhash Mendhapurkar, director Sutra. Despite their commitment to the cause of single women, over 500 women above the age of 70 and those suffering from some disability were forced to traverse the 10 km distance in buses. However, the young and spirited kept the march going and they reached Hiranagar in the evening. Minister for social justice and empowerment Sraveen Chaudhary will address the women at Hiranagar in the morning before they
embark on the final leg of their pad yatra till the Vidhan Sabha. Chief Minister P.K.
Dhumal will address these women and listen to their problems. The sanghathan had been demanding pension for all single women above the age of 65 years on Haryana pattern, two acres of land to undertake agriculture and free medical services. |
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SEZ: Farmers serve ultimatum
Una, April 2 They said the government was acquiring their land for creating an SEZ for the benefit of big industrial houses. The protesters, including women, gathered at the mini secretariat, Una, where they raised slogans and staged a dharna. They parked their tractor trailers on main roads of the city obstructing traffic. The DC reached the spot and tried to pacify them. The protesters demanded that the scheme be abandoned immediately. When the DC expressed his inability to do so, they got enraged. Mediation by some leaders, including Vijay Sharma, Yashpal Rana and Multan Singh, saved the situation. The farmers gave 24-hour ultimatum to the government to redress their grievances or they would block traffic on the Una-Dharamsala road on Friday morning. Local leaders of Left parties are supporting their
agitation. |
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Police swoops on fasting teachers
Hamirpur, April 2 Meanwhile, a fresh batch of three teachers, Rakesh Kumar, Subhash Chand and Harish Mehta, resumed indefinite fast at the same spot. Vice-president of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee Rajinder Zar has condemned the police action against the agitating computer teachers. He has blamed the BJP government for using force to curb democratic movements in the state. Zar has urged Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal to hold talks with the agitating computer teachers and find a solution to their genuine demands. |
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Ramdev promises ayurvedic college
Bilaspur, April 2 Earlier, the yog guru arrived here in a helicopter with Dhumal for organising a six-day yoga training camp. He said he had accepted Dhumal’s suggestion that the Patanjali Yogpeeth should set up an ayurveda medical college and hospital in the state. He offered to buy all herbal production in state even if that amounted to Rs 200 crore as the yogpeeth required 100 tonnes of awala and a similar quantity of aloe vera daily. He claimed yoga had the power to treat even cancer. He said he was determined to train 9,000 yoga teachers in Himachal so that everybody could benefit from it. Dhumal thanked the yog guru for showing interest in the welfare of Himachalis. He praised his efforts towards spreading yoga in every nook and corner of the world. |
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Kangra BSP on the verge of split
Nurpur, April 2 Former president of the Kangra unit of the party Amar Singh Kaundal, who was removed from the post a few days ago, today faxed an ultimatum to Mayawati demanding restoration of organisational posts before April 10. Alleging that OBCs and Dalits were being humiliated by Mankotia, he demanded Mankotia’s removal from the post of convener. He also threatened to form a new political outfit, Sarvsamaj BSP, on April 12, if their demands were not met. He also released copies of the letter faxed to Mayawati to mediapersons. He also accused Mankotia of distributing party’s election fund to his favourites and demanded proper inquiry at the party level into the alleged wrong distribution of party funds. |
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Charas smugglers’ gang busted
Mandi, April 2 An investigation into the property amassed by Mohinder Pal (alias Foreman), who was arrested recently, revealed that he had amassed property worth Rs 19.88 lakh, which was disproportionate to his known sources of income. SP M. Chandrasekhar said at a press conference today that Mohinder was the main supplier of drugs based in Akhara Bazar, Kullu. “He had bank accounts in the names of his wife Rameshna Sud (Rs 10.54 lakh) in different bank branches at Bhuntar and his son Bharat Sud (Rs 3.44 lakh). He also had a truck (HP- 66-0668) worth Rs 5.88 lakh in the name of his second son Bhawan Sud,” he added. The SP said the police got a tip from a courier-cum-smuggler Mohammad Hanif of Malerkotla in Punjab after he was arrested on February 22 with 900 gm of charas. “He named Mohinder as the major drug suppliers from whom had bought the consignment,” he added. Mohinder was also arrested earlier under the NDPS Act, but he was bailed out. |
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5 held for looting Rs 2 lakh
Solan, April 2 Miscreants Gurmeet (29), Sandeep (22), Jagdish(25), Onkar Singh (21) and Gurpal (25) had well planned the dacoity. They had brought a Tata Safari (HR-16-F-0211) especially for this loot. According to preliminary investigations conducted by the police, the dacoity was masterminded by Jagdish, who was the driver of the brick kiln’s owner Ramkumar. He often saw his employer collect lakhs from the brick kiln and go back to Kapurthala from where all of them hailed. They forcibly entered Lakhwinder’s (munshi) house in his absence and asked his wife Nirmal Kaur to hand over the keys. They, however, tied her hands when she failed to locate the keys and later decamped with the cash trunk. Nirmal Kaur raised an alarm after they left and the village youth chased the vehicle and also informed the police about the car’s registration number. Solan SP S.P.S. Verma said they immediately put up nakas all over the area. They, however, managed to hoodwink the police from Dhabota but couldn’t give them the slip at Jogo naka located some half-a-kilometre away. The police arrested them from Jogo where they had initially introduced themselves as tourists.
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Body found under mysterious circumstances
Kangra, April 2 Village pradhan Rajender Kaur alleged that she informed the Kangra police station at 5 pm that a dead body was lying in a khad but no police personal came for more than two hours. The irate mob blocked the national highway leaving vehicles stranded on both sides of the road for more than half-an-hour and it was after this public protest that a police reached the site and pacified the mob and hence, the blockade was lifted. Kangra SDO Umapati Jamwal said today that the body was identified of Vikas (29), a resident of Icchhi village, who was a driver of his own utility vehicle. DSP said according to the preliminary investigation, the circumstantial evidence revealed that Vikas was drunk and tried to repair the puncture of his vehicle. He said it was too early to jump on to any conclusion. The relatives of Vikas suspected that he had been murdered and the body was thrown in the
khad. |
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2 bodies found
Kumarhatti, April 2 The deceased, who originally hailed from Nangal village, had been missing since March 29. Initial investigations suggested that the deceased might have been hit by
a vehicle. In another case the badly mutilated body of a man was found hanging from a tree in the
forest area of Khera panchayat. The deceased appeared to be a migrant
labourer. |
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Abhimanyu operated upon
Nurpur, April 2 His plight was highlighted by The Tribune on March 17 that helped in generating sufficient means for his treatment. The child was admitted to Fortis yesterday. Abhimanu’s mother Kiran Bala said all this became possible with the help of philanthropists and the Rotary
Club. |
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Loan waiver ‘not to benefit’ hill farmers
Nurpur, April 2 In a statement issued here today Rana claimed that the waiving of farm loans would not really benefit farmers of the hill state. He alleged that the Centre was yet to meet the commitment made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about a Rs 4100-crore economic package during his visit to the state a few years ago. He criticised the UPA government for its failed to arrest skyrocketing
prices. |
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Review of BPL lists on April 6
Shimla, April 2 A spokesman of the Rural Development Department said here today that the families having two hectares of non-irrigated land or one hectare of irrigated land, a pucca or big house would not be included in the list. Similarly, income tax payers, owners of four-wheeled vehicles and those having an income of more than Rs 2500 or any member in government service would also not be eligible. |
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