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Brakel financier calls on CM
Talks with China
Kelsang Gyaltsen and Sonam N. Dagpo, envoys of the Dalai Lama, brief mediapersons about their talks with the Chinese authorities, at Dharamsala on Saturday. A Tribune photograph
Contributory hand pump scheme revived
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Clearances under tenancy Act made easy
Unauthorised vaccination drives continue in schools
NHPC seeks more projects
Case against Nalagarh SHO
2 hurt in rioting
Department of Sainik Welfare set up
MMS case: Rape alleged
Murder case solved
Phone trouble
Temple looted
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Brakel financier calls on CM
Shimla, July 5 Although the group owned by Gautam Adani has several other business interests in the state, including fruit processing and cold storage, it is being speculated that the Brakel controversy may have been discussed in the meeting. The Cabinet had discussed the project at its last meeting. The matter was deferred as a final decision about the cancellation of the project could not be taken up. Statements made by the Chief Minister that there appeared to be some lapses on the part of the Brakel Corporation, which came to light in the Vigilance inquiry, indicated that the government could cancel the allotment of the project. The project comprises two units: One at Jangi Thopan (480 MW) and the other at Thopan Powari (480 MW). The project has been dragged to the high court by the Reliance Energy, a rival company. The matter will come up for hearing on July 9. Meanwhile, the Brakel Corporation today said a misinformation campaign had been launched against it to mislead and influence government decisions. Brakel officials said allegations were completely unfounded and the corporation was carrying out work at the project. “We are confident of starting the project by the first quarter of 2009,” said a company spokesperson. The high court has asked the government to clarify its stand on the issue of allotment of the project to Brakel. The allotment was made during the Congress regime in December, 2006. On assuming power, the BJP issued a show-cause notice to the Brakel authorities asking them to deposit the upfront money of Rs 173 crore with interest. The notice was withdrawn after the Brakel deposited the amount and accepted the fresh conditions. However, the government is now changing its stand after the matter was taken to the court. |
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Stalemate, say Dalai Lama’s envoys Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, July 5 They told the Chinese authorities that the Dalai Lama was seeking a solution to the issue of Tibet as a part of the People’s Republic of China. They had hoped that the Chinese leadership would reciprocate these efforts by taking tangible steps towards resolving the issue. “On the contrary, the Chinese side even failed to agree to our proposal of issuing a joint statement with the aim of committing both parties to the dialogue process,” they said. “During the course of our discussions, we were compelled to candidly convey to our counterparts that in the absence of sincere commitment on their part the continuation of the dialogue process would serve no purpose,” they said. Envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen said he, accompanied by senior aides Sonam N. Dagpo and Bhuchung K. Tsering (both members of the task force on Sino-Tibetan negotiations), and Jigmey Passang from the Secretariat of the Tibetan task force, visited Beijing from June 30 to July 3. “We met Du Qinglin, vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and minister of the Central United Front Work Department, on July 1. He gave us a brief overview of China’s policy on Tibet. We took the opportunity to explain the Dalai Lama’s basic approach,” Gyaltsen said. The envoys also visited the China’s Centre for Tibetan Studies where they were received by director Lhakpa Phuntsok and deputy director Zhu Xiaoming. They also had a day-long discussion with executive vice-minister Zhu Weiqun and vice-minister Sithar on July 2. “The Chinese side finally seems to have realised that their allegation against the Dalai Lama that he was instigating violence in Tibet has become untenable, ” they said. The next round of talks would be held in October, they added. The envoys also briefed the Dalai Lama about their talks with the Chinese authorities.
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Contributory hand pump scheme revived
Dharamsala, July 5 Under the scheme, the union government used to provide 90 per cent grant for installing hand pumps while the villagers or users had to contribute the remaining 10 per cent. The scheme had helped provide drinking water in many arid areas of the state. Though the scheme was not as successful in neighbouring states, it was accepted well in Himachal Pradesh. However, the scheme was discontinued a few years ago despite demand from villagers and local people to get hand pumps installed. Sources said the scheme was discontinued because many panchayats had failed to contribute their 10 per cent share under the scheme. Minister for public health and irrigation Ravinder Thakur, who was here to redress public grievances at Dharamsala secretariat on Wednesday, said the scheme had been revived after the present BJP government took up the matter with Union Government. The Centre would now provide 90 per cent grant for even bigger drinking water and irrigation schemes. However, collecting the 10 per cent share to be contributed by the local people would still remain a challenge. The minister said teams of the Central Water Commission had been summoned to identify places where watershed schemes could be implemented. “The government intends to set up at least one watershed scheme in each subdivision where people face shortage of drinking and irrigation water,” he said. Interestingly, while the state government is seeking the support of the Central Water Commission, it is ignoring cheap and effective water conservation models developed by the experts of Palampur Agriculture University. The university experts have developed poly-lined water conservation models that can help solve problems in tough areas. These models can be implemented by making affective use of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.
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Clearances under tenancy Act made easy
Solan, July 5 The PHD Chambers of Commerce and Industry had taken up the issue with the Chief Minister a number of times. The industry had termed it as the deterring factor for industrial growth. Inordinate delays led investors to turn to other states. These delays occurred not only at the preparatory stage that involved compilation of revenue records but also at the processing stage after the case had been presented to the deputy commissioner, industrialists had pleaded. As a major relief to the investors, they have been provided exemption from the second field verification in case of transfer of land from one investor to another by the Revenue Department, provided it has already procured permission under Section 118. The change would provide major relief to the industry as there have been scores of such cases where change of ownership led to inordinate delays in pursuing the same arduous procedure of Section 118. Investors had been so much discouraged by the cumbersome procedures that it led them abandon their projects all together, confided industry sources. With a view to cut down on delays, directions have been issued to the field staff, including SDMs, tehsildars, patwaris and kanungos, to send prompt reports when cases are sent to them from the DC office. They have also been directed to provide revenue papers and other assistance required by the investors to enable them apply to the authorities in the shortest possible time. The investors have also been given exemption to carry on development activities on their land while the process of getting permission under Section 118 is going on. However, they will get the investor right on the land only after the receipt of permission. |
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Unauthorised vaccination drives continue in schools
Hamirpur, July 5 About 130 students were vaccinated under one such drive at Maid government school after charging Rs 60 each on Monday last. This information was confirmed by the school principal J.P. Sharma. The All-India Awareness Society (AIWS) has been claiming through pamphlets that the deputy director (secondary education), Hamirpur, has allowed it to undertake such drives, while the deputy director had denied having given any such permission. The society had to abandon a vaccination at Sujanpur government school for girls when the school principal refused permission for it after the matter was brought to his knowledge. Principal secretary (education) P.C. Dhiman said, “I am issuing strict instructions to officials not to allow unauthorised vaccination drives in government schools.” Director (health) Sulakshana Puri said, “I will check with the CMO how these drives are still going on despite instructions to the contrary.”
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NHPC seeks more projects
Shimla, July 5 Chief managing director of the NHPC S.K. Garg met chief minister P.K. Dhumal today. He apprised him of the progress of various projects being executed by the NHPC in the state. The Chief Minister assured him of all help for the completion of projects in time along with exploring the possibility of allotting new ones. He said that the modalities in this regard could be worked out. Garg informed Dhumal that the NHPC had already completed Baira Siul (180 MW), Chamera Stage-I (540 MW) and Chamera Stage-II (300 MW) projects. The work on Parbati Stage-II (800 MW), Parbati Stage-III (520 MW) and Chamera Stage-III (231 MW) was going on, he added. “The total installed capacity of the already commissioned projects and the ongoing ones is 2,571 MW, involving an expenditure of Rs 12,000 crore,” Garg said.
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Case against Nalagarh SHO
Shimla, July 5 The case was registered under Sections 411, 467, 471, 201 and 120-B of the IPC at the Boileauganj police station here today. The sections pertain to forgery, criminal conspiracy, dishonesty, receiving stolen property and causing disappearance of evidence. An inquiry had been ordered into the conduct of the SHO with regard to the recovery of the vehicle stolen from Gujarat. Police sources said Khan had led a police team to Gujarat in connection with cases of vehicles stolen from Shimla and Solan. Khan recovered a black Qualis from Bharuch district in Gujarat, which he reported to the police. Later, he allegedly got it registered in Shimla and started using it for private purposes. The matter came to the notice of the higher-ups, who ordered an inquiry into the matter. S.R. Mardi, IG, law and order, confirmed that a case had been registered against Khan in connection with the recovery of Qualis. |
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2 hurt in rioting
Kangra, July 5 Sub divisional police officer O.P. Jamwal said today that rioting took place last night and iron rods were used that left two persons injured. He said Ashwani Kumar and his son Ashutosh Kumar were attacked by a group of youths at Birta and old animosity was reportedly the cause of the attack. He added that Ashutosh Kumar was seriously injured and rushed to DMC Ludhiana while his father Ashwani Kumar was under treatment in Dr R.P. Government Medical College Hospital at Tanda. Jamwal said five persons, including Goldy, Prathana and Rajoo, were booked in the case and all of them were absconding. He said the police was in search of the five accused and two of them were yet to be identified. He said a case under Sections 232, 451, 147, 149, and 506 of the IPC was registered and investigation was in progress. |
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Department of Sainik Welfare set up
Shimla, July 5 Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal said here today that the government was committed to implement each and every promise made in the election manifesto, which was adopted as a policy document by it. “The Sainik Welfare Department will be under my control and a monitoring cell will be set up to monitor the relief and rehabilitation work being done for the ex-servicemen,” he said. Besides taking care of the welfare of ex-servicemen, the Sainik Welfare Department would also explore the employment opportunities in government public and private sector for them. “Our government has started implementing the election manifesto immediately after coming to power and many promises had already been fulfilled,” Dhumal said. |
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MMS case: Rape alleged
Mandi, July 5 She added that she had decided to file an application in the court on Monday, as she hopes no justice from the police. Mandi SP M. Chander Sekhar said, “The police will investigate her allegations to verify the facts in the case.” Gudi Devi said, “One day Harish took me inside his house and raped me. He had been blackmailing me.” She alleged that Harish made her MMS clips in a private hotel without her consent. The police arrested Harish under the IT Act last month but later he was released on bail. |
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Murder case solved
Shimla, July 5 Prakash, brother-in-law of Nirmala, was today arrested for allegedly killing her. District police chief R.M. Sharma said Prakash was allegedly involved with Nirmala’s daughter to which the latter objected. After collecting information from Nirmala’s husband, the police zeroed in on Prakash. The accused allegedly followed Nirmala while she was returning to her village from Shimla. He waited for her at a secluded place and allegedly strangulated her. |
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Phone trouble
Kangra, July 5 Villagers Ram Ji Dass Sharma and Dani Ram Rana alleged that the telephones were out of order for the past one month and the JTO refused to help them. Ramesh Chand, SDO telephones, said 100 line telephone cable was stolen month ago that had cut off the area. Chand said the cable was received by them and the telephone service would be restored soon. |
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Temple looted
Solan, July 5 Preliminary investigations revealed that the miscreants then took the temple staff to a room which was later bolted from outside. The priest was, however, left outside. They then broke open three donation boxes and decamped with the cash. The burglary came to light in the morning. |
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Poll panel disqualifies 16
Shimla, July 5 Chief electoral officer Manisha Nanda said here today that the candidates had been disqualified as they failed to submit their election expenditure statements under Section 10-A of the People’s Representation Act. |
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Mandi, July 5
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The seventh round of talks between envoys of the Dalai Lama and the Chinese authorities failed to break much ice between the two sides.
