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BJP govt serves legal notice on PCC chief
Hooda offers cooperation in tourism, power generation
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda attends "Assembly of Dreams" along with Sanjay Arora, chairman, Rotary International organised at Peterhoff in Shimla on Sunday. Tribune photo: S.Chandan |
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Even though more than 3,000 fish have died in Mandi’s Rewalsar Lake in the past 15 days there seems to be no check on drains discharging pollutants into the lake as the picture depicts. Photo: Mahesh Chander Sharma
Outside bus operators ‘being promoted’
Man washed away in Markanda river
Talwar ITI to be upgraded: CM
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal lays the foundation stone of a drinking water scheme for the Changar area in the Thural assembly constituency of Kangra district on Sunday. Tribune photo
Mid-day Meal Scheme
Plan to extend irrigation facility
Loan waiver rule: BSP urges CM to intervene
Journalists seek welfare fund rules changed
Woman alleges rape
Pong dam oustees rue discontinuation of funds
Kanwad yatra to start on July 3
Vacant posts hit studies
Two killed in mishap
Plea to fill doctors’ vacancies
Police to sell weapons to Jharkhand
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BJP govt serves legal notice on PCC chief
Shimla, June 29 The notice served by the secretary, rural development, referred to her statement in the press that funds provided by the Centre under the scheme were being diverted to gather people for BJP rallies of BJP leaders and that those coming to the party rallies were being paid from NREGA funds. Further, it was also alleged that the government was not allowing construction of footpaths in villages on flimsy gerunds and instead funds meant for the purpose were being used to promote the BJP. The Centre had laid down clear-cut parameters for the scheme. It was governed by a law of Parliament enacted in 2005 under which gram panchayats were the nodal agencies for executing works. Even in these approved works the muster rolls were issued by the block development officers concerned. The same were being maintained by the gram panchayats and open to inspection. More importantly, the funds were released by the Centre directly to the District Rural Development Agency which, in turn, distributed it among the panchayats through the block development officers. Thus, the funds were not handled by any political party at any stage. Even members of the state assembly and Parliament had no role in the approval and execution of schemes. The schemes were inspected by independent monitors and several works had already been inspected but no such instances had been reported. She was urged to withdraw the defamatory charges or the government shall be compelled to initiate defamation proceedings.
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Hooda offers cooperation in tourism, power generation
Shimla, June 29 Talking to mediapersons here today he said that there was immense scope for cooperation between the two states, irrespective of the political setup. He asserted that there had been no impact on the relations between Himachal Pradesh and Haryana after the recent change of government in the former. He underlined the need for constructing the Renuka and Kisauand Lakhbar Vyasi dams on priority so that power and water could be made available through these dams to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and UP. There were a number of issues, including power generation and tourism, where mutual cooperation would be beneficial for both states. He said that the tourists visiting Pinjore also thronged Shimla and thus both states gained from it. Hooda said he would meet his counterpart Prem Kumar Dhumal for advocating the cases regarding the welfare of the people of the state. When a mediaperson asked about the coming Lok Sabha elections, Hooda said that the Haryana Congress party was ready to face the elections at any time and he expressed confidence it would win all 10 Lok Sabha seats as and when the elections were held.
Recalling his association with the state capital, he said during his childhood when his father, Ranbir Singh, was a minister in undivided Punjab he visited Shimla several times. Earlier, speaking at the closing session of the installation ceremony of the district governor of Rotary International District 3090, Hooda gave a clarion call to the Rotarians to take a solemn pledge to serve humanity with a missionary zeal. Expressing his concern over the lack of patriotism among the youth, he said that small countries like Korea and Japan were far ahead of India in development solely because the people of these countries had a strong feeling of nationalism and patriotism. The newly installed district governor Asmat Singh Rahore said that the Rotary Club had made a lot of contribution in mitigating the woes of the poor sections of society and it had launched a campaign to eradicate malnutrition among children throughout the world. About 300 Rotary representatives from Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan states were participating in the assembly. |
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Pollutants continue to flow into Rewalsar Lake
Sundernagar, June 29 The department of fisheries has decided to stock Mangur fish in order to control the population of fish in the lake, which is one of the cause of mortality of fish and the forest department has also decided to treat the catchment area of lake. As observed in the past, the fish started dying in the lake with the onset of monsoon. Tonnes of fish were removed and buried in ditches around the periphery of the lake. According to officials of the fisheries department, the population of fish have gone alarmingly up as no one kills them due to the religious nature of the lake. According to assistant director, fisheries, Mandi, Mahesh Kumar, about 1,600 fish, weighing three tonnes, have been shifted to Beas in the past. In order to further control their population, the department has further decided to stock Mangur fish in the lake. Mangur eats small fish, which would be helpful in keeping the biological control of the population of fish. He further said the department had taken consent of all religious institutions in this regard and within one or two days about 1,000 Mangur fish would be put in the lake. Though the science and technology department has sectioned plans to control mortality of fish in the lake, no plan has been formulated to stop the contaminated water from entering the lake which is due to the faulty sewage system created by the IPH department around the lake. Secretary of Pollution Control Board Nagin Nanda was not available for comments in this regard.
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Outside bus operators ‘being promoted’
Kullu, June 29 The RTOs and state transport officials are tightlipped and refused to comment on the issue after The Tribune highlighted how tourists remained stranded on roadside after the Kullu RTO impounded four Delhi-bound sleeper buses on June 24 here. However, the LBOA members rued that the state government was adopting double standards by stopping over 20 sleeper buses run by Himachal-based private operators in the state. “We are ruined as the main tourist season is at its peak. The government has stopped collecting the composite fee of Rs 4,000 per bus at Swarghat barrier and impounded all sleeper buses from June 24 onwards,” they added. They alleged that instead of giving incentives to local operators the state government had hired over seven Volvo buses from Delhi-based operators. “Most of the Volvo buses ply between Manali and Delhi and has more than 40 seats, which violate the Motor Vehicle Act. The Act allows buses with up to 39 seats only. Why different law for us,” they asked. On the other hand, the state government has hired Volvo buses from Delhi operators, who pay initially the same fee, but they get five trips free in that month. “We have pioneered luxury coaches in the state in 1990s, brought tourists and generated revenue for state. Now, our government is after us for the past three years, pushing us to brink,” they complained. They pointed out that the trouble started in 2003, when the state government stopped issuing all-India tourist permits for private buses in the state. “Over 80 buses owned by locals were grounded and we sold them to the kabaris at throw away prices,” they said. Tourism and transport minister K.K. Kapur said, “They have impounded five buses as their documents were fake. Under the Motor Vehicle Act, sleeper buses cannot be run in the hill state. The government has done this to ensure the safety of tourists.” Kapur said they should produce documents, but most of them have fake ones procured from UP and Rajasthan. “Bus operators are free to go the court. He will check and verify whether or not state-run buses were violating the Act,” he asserted. |
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Man washed away in Markanda river
Nahan, June 29 Bindu Rani Sachdeva confirmed the incident and said that dead body was recovered from Markanda near Vashishtha steel plant around 3.30 pm today. The body had been identified and was brought to the district hospital Nahan for autopsy. The Kala Amb police said according to the information received from the local residents, the deceased was working with a hotel. He was seen in the Kala Amb market during the day. He was washed away in the flooded river when he reportedly tried to cross it near Vashishtha steel factory to cross over to his native village, which was on the other side. Police sources denied any foul play in his death. Chamba: The heavy downpour washed off a large area of cultivable agriculture land and the debris entered into many residential houses in Sungal belt of Chamba district last evening according to reports. The residents of the area have brought the damages caused by heavy rains to the notice of the deputy commissioner of Chamba. Taking note of the complaint of the villagers, the DC directed revenue officials to rush to the affected area and assess the losses. The DC promised relief to the residents as per the relief manual of the government.
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Talwar ITI to be upgraded: CM
Palampur, June 29 This was disclosed by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal while addressing a public meeting at Talwar in Thural Assembly Constituency of Kangra district today. He said infrastructure of the ITI would also be strengthened by spending Rs 1.5 crore and girls hostel, to accommodate 30 girls, would also be constructed. Dhumal said after upgrading this ITI to polytechnic, it would be shifted to Changer area. Earlier, the CM laid foundation stone of three ambitious projects to be completed at a cost of about Rs 80 crore. This includes Rs 66.33-crore Drinking Water Augmentation Scheme for Changer area, which would benefit about 398 villages of Jaisinghpur, Palampur, Khundian and Dehra Tehsils. He also laid foundation stone for Rs 4.90-crore bridge to be constructed on Sihorwalia-Balath road on Beas. He also laid foundation stone of Bardam lift irrigation scheme. Dhumal said the World Bank aided Rs 1,365-crore ambitious project for construction and maintenance of roads of the state had been launched in the state and added that 27 km Lambagaon-Bhawarna road would also be upgraded under the project. He said all the main state and district roads would be upgraded under the project. He added that this project would be completed within three years. He directed the officers to complete Neogal Khud bride by March, 2009.
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A boon for poor village women
Rakesh Lohumi Tribune News Service
Shimla, June 29 Over 17,000 such women have been engaged for the purpose in 11,020 primary schools where the scheme has been implemented. Their number will go up to about 22,000 with the extension of the scheme to the upper primary level from July 1, 2008. Most of the women were illiterate and they would not have got any other job in the village. Moreover, they have to work only for two hours a day for which they are paid a monthly remuneration of Rs 400. The total number of beneficiary students will increase from the existing 8,50,900 with the extension of the scheme to 4,262 government and government-aided elementary schools. The total annual expenditure on the programme will be Rs 65.82 crore. The Centre has sanctioned Rs 39.84 crore and the rest will be contributed by the state. Each child is to be provided 150 gm of foodgrains and the quota will be distributed on the basis of the strength of students to 117 block education officers for the new schools in which the programme is being implemented. The expenditure on preparation of meals, including fuel and additional ingredients and cooking helpers charges, are paid at the rate of Rs 2.50 per child for primary section and Rs 3.50 for upper primary students. The Centre’s share at the primary level is Rs 1.50 child and at the upper primary level Rs 2 per child. Strength-wise the average school size in the state is 24 and as per norms laid down by the government one helper could be engaged for up to 30 students. More helpers could be engaged for a higher strength. The implementation of the programme has been decentralised and the choice of menu has been left to the respective school committees. The monotony of khichri, which was not relished by students, has been broken by including rice and dal, pulau and sweet rice in the weekly menu.
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Plan to extend irrigation facility
Shimla, June 29 A comprehensive plan has been formulated to extend the irrigation facility for which funds were being secured from the National Bank for Rural and Agriculture Development. The IPH Department has been asked to prepare districtwise plans after assessing the irrigation potential and ascertaining the area already enjoying the facility. The agriculture university, Palampur, will provide technical assistance for the purpose. The emphasis will be on popularising techniques like drip and sprinkler irrigation which help save water. Water harvesting was being given top priority and the departments concerned have been asked to prepare and implement schemes to help save pumping energy required for operating lift-irrigation schemes. Further, soil was being tested so that the farmers could be advised to grow the most suitable crops and ensure optimum and right use of fertilisers. Soil heath cards were being provided to the farmers for the purpose from the current year in a phased manner. All 16 lakh farmers would be given cards over the next five years. A target of producing 9.15 lakh tonne of foodgrains has been fixed for the current kharif season, which includes 1.19 lakh tonnes of paddy and 7.74 lakh tonnes of maize. The procurement price of milk has been increased by Rs 2 per litre and the support price for citrus fruit has been raised by 50 paise per kg. Ginger has been brought under the national agriculture insurance scheme in Sirmaur district, which is already in force for the maize, paddy and potato crops. |
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Loan waiver rule: BSP urges CM to intervene
Bilaspur, June 29 Addressing mediapersons here, state BSP general secretary Krishan Kumar Kaushal, a former MLA who was also former chairman of HP State Cooperative Bank, said the banks in the state are accounting loan-default of agriculture farmer in a period of one year while actually this period should be only of six months. He said with the present procedure adopted by banks for preparation of lists of farmers whose loans are to be waived off, lakhs of farmers of the state would be deprived of this facility as this is based on either faulty instruction of the Nabard or due to some misunderstanding of this rule of the Central government by the banks. Kaushal pleaded that lakhs of credit cards have been issued to farmers by all banks of the state and these credit cards give loan to every farmer for a period of six months, and not one year, as these loans are expected to be returned after six months when the crops mature. The state farmers actually grow two main crops in a year. There are states where farmers grow only one crop and they are given loan only for one year, which have to be return after the crops mature, but the same rule of one-year default cannot be applied to HP where there is double crop pattern in a year. He demanded that this matter should be properly represented with the Nabard by the state government and the banks concerned so that it benefits all deserving farmers who have taken loans on credit cards and genuine and deserving farmers should not be deprived of this facility only due to faulty application of this rule.
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Journalists seek welfare fund rules changed
Bilaspur, June 29 The meeting of district journalists association here today, presided by district president Arun Dogra, demanded that all journalists must be treated equally and the rates of stay in government rest houses, which was increased for journalists by the former Vir Bhadra Singh government, be restored as earlier. Other resolutions demanded free medical hospital treatment for journalists, setting up of security cell for taking immediate action into the threats and assaults on journalists and also a cell in the Chief Minister’s secretariat for taking follow up action on all news regarding injustices and corruption etc. It was also decided in the meeting to organise annual function of its Hindi fortnightly “Shabad Manch”, where the Chief Minister would be the chief guest. A deputation of journalists would soon meet the Chief Minister to seek redressal of their grievances. More than 48 journalists of all newspapers from all parts of the district were present in the meeting. |
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Woman alleges rape
Mandi, June 29 According to the FIR lodged at the Karsog police station, the complainant claimed that she was on her way to Karsog on May 21 when she was given a lift by one woman called Hemkunj in a vehicle on assurance that she would drop her at Karsog. But she fell unconscious due to reasons which she did not clarify in the FIR and found herself at Jai Devi. Kamla claimed she was taken to a Shiv temple at Berthi after Hemkunj got down at Jai Devi. She alleged that she was kept by Shamsher till yesterday and was raped by him. But police investigation revealed that Kamla had strained relations with her husband. Probably she had gone to Barthi to marry Shamsher but things might have not worked out between them and in order to spite him, she must have filed the complaint, sources said. DSP, Sundernagar, Gurdev Sharma said, the police had registered a rape case against Shamsher and would arrest him shortly. The complainant would be medically examined, he added. But what had raised the suspicion in the case was the fact that the incident took place on May 21, but the complainant registered the case only after a month. |
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Pong dam oustees rue discontinuation of funds
Nurpur, June 29 Enquiries reveal that the PODA fund has been set up during the previous government. A committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of the then revenue minister. The revenue minister of the existing government is considered its chairman by virtue of the revenue minister. About Rs 4 crore were accumulated by selling the shamlat land adjoining Pong dam and this amount was managed by the PODA. The interest accrued from this amount has to be disbursed among the poor and needy oustees for their welfare. The SDMs of Nurpur, Jawali and Dehra subdivisions and the Kangra DC had been authorised to sanction and disburse Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000, respectively, to the beneficiaries. The PODA committee was authorised to sanction funds above Rs 5,000. Recently, the PODA committee members from Nurpur subdivision convened a meeting at Jassur, near here, where chairman-cum-revenue minister Gulab Singh had been appealed to release funds from PODA. Expressing concern over the discontinuous disbursal of the PODA fund to the deserving Pong dam oustees the committee members claimed that this fund had no concern with the state government or its exchequer and it be utilised only for the welfare of the oustees. They rued that the previous government had released partial instalments to the beneficiaries but the present government had stopped releasing due instalments to them.
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Kanwad yatra to start on July 3
Bilaspur, June 29 Addressing media persons here today, along with other leaders of these two organisations, yatra state convener Lekh Ram Verma urged for proper police arrangements for controlling and diverting vehicular traffic and to provide proper security to the
yatries. Verma also urged all district administrations and temple trusts, including Shri Naina Devi Temple Trust and Shri Luxmi Narayan Temple Trust, to provide proper stay arrangements and food articles to the yatries during their night halts. The yatra would pass through Bilaspur town, Suharghet and Nalagarh. He said the first batch of yatries would leave Bilaspur on the evening of July 3 for Gangotri while the second batch is to depart for Haridwar on July 15. He said other details could be had from phone no: 01978-224895. |
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Vacant posts hit studies
Nurpur, June 29 The posts of lecturers in Hindi, history, mathematics, political science, Sanskrit and physical education are lying vacant. Most of the ministerial staff posts are also vacant that has hit the administrative work of the school as well. Even its high school wing has only three teachers. The school has been housed in a dilapidated building, apprehending its collapse in rainy season. The local gram panchayat and PTA president Kuleep Pathak told that he had submitted letters to the district administration and the education department to provide new school building and fill vacant posts in the school to ensure smooth functioning of the institution as it caters to the needs of thousands of rural population in the remote area of Nurpur sub-division. In this connection, Subash Dhiman, deputy director secondary education, has stated that the filling of posts in government schools was in progress and soon the skeleton staff problem would be solved. |
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Two killed in mishap
Kumarhatti, June 29 The bus, hired by Torrent Pharma to ferry its employees, was going to pick up the employees when the mishap occurred. After hitting the motorcycle the bus dashed against a tree. While Ramesh Kumar (30), who was driving the motorcycle, was killed on the spot, pillion rider Udam Singh (23) was rushed to a hospital at Nalagarh before being referred to a Chandigarh hospital where he died. The deceased hailed from Tasamowal village in Saner panchayat near Nalagarh. Both were on the way to their offices. The bus driver fled from the spot after abandoning the vehicle.
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Plea to fill doctors’ vacancies
Nahan, June 28 A press statement issued after a meeting of the HMOA, Sirmaur, stated that 12 vacancies of CMO, deputy director, medical superintendent and the director, health education, had been lying vacant for the past several months in the Health and Family Welfare Department. Besides, 30 vacancies of block medical officer were also lying vacant. A large number of senior doctors were retiring after awaiting promotions for decades. The statement issued by president Ajay Gupta and general secretary R. K. Baria of the Sirmaur HMOA unit demanded that three CMOs who had been recently promoted as joint directors be posted in the directorate and their posts be filled through promotion. |
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Police to sell weapons to Jharkhand
Shimla, June 29 “HP has agreed to the Jharkhand government’s proposal to buy 3.3 rifles and ammunition used in the Second World War,” Kumar said. The HP police chief said the state police force was in for an overhaul, including a change of uniform from khaki to a smarter navy and sky blue combination approved by the Chief Minister. Proceeds from the sale would be used to buy sophisticated weaponry, Kumar said.
— PTI |
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The state government has served a legal notice on the state Congress chief Viplove Thakur for levelling baseless, objectionable and defamatory allegations regarding the implementation of the centrally sponsored national rural employment guarantee scheme in the state to tarnish its image.
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has expressed willingness for
cooperation in important areas like power generation and tourism with the hill state.
Palampur, June 29
