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Centre approves four-laning of Pinjore highway
State to have water resources department
Revenue from power projects soars
Govt agency to evict govt office
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Centre urged to increase rice, soya bean oil quota
Rebel zila parishad members to face disciplinary action
Agri university to develop bio-pesticide plant
Central varsity site inspection team
Minister visits Tanda hospital
Renewed offer to Tata
Tibetans to collect donation for flood victims
Victimisation Cases
Courier Co told to pay Rs 71,500
CBI records statements
Ganesh Utsav begins
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Centre approves four-laning of Pinjore highway
Shimla, September 3 Stating this while replying to a question by Anil Sharma of the Congress regarding measures being taken to ease traffic congestion in the state, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said the government was aware of the traffic problems and it had been already working on several measures like regulation of traffic and improvement of road network. The work on four-laning and bypassing the Pinjore-Kalka-Parwanoo section had been started by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in the Haryana area. In Himachal, the land acquisition was in progress and sanction under the Forest Conservation Act had already been received. The detailed project report for the four-laning of the Parwanoo-Solan section had been prepared and submitted to the public-private partnership appraisal committee for approval. The NHAI had also invited proposals for preparing a fresh detailed project report for the four-laning of the Solan-Shimla section. The Government of India had also approved widening of the Kiratpur-Bilaspur section of the National Highway No. 21. A number of bypasses were being constructed to ease traffic congestion in main towns in the state. Work was in progress on the bypass projects for Kufri and Palampur, while the bypass for Kullu had been completed. Proposals had been submitted to the Government of India for the construction of bypasses for Sundernagar, Jogindernagar, Hamirpur and Manali. The widening of the seven out of nine national highways was in progress for which the Government of India had sanctioned
Rs 78 crore. The detailed project report for the Kainchi Mor-Bilaspur (open air jail) project involving 19-km road stretch and a 1.7-km tunnel in the Swarghat area had been finalised. The project would cost Rs 290 crore. It was likely to be executed in the public-private partnership. Food and civil supplies minister Ramesh Dhwala said 10,309 inspections were carried out up to August 15 during the current year to check hoarding and black marketeering. In all, 18 cases had been registered in that connection. While eight persons were arrested, departmental action was taken against 406 persons while 298 were issued warning. |
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State to have water resources department
Shimla, September 3 The exercise has already been started and reports sought from the departments of forest, irrigation and public health (IPH), agriculture and soil conservation. Instead of different departments handling water-related issues separately, a single agency is likely to bring about better results and efficiency. The government is likely to give the go-ahead for the creation of the new department in the next budget. Forest minister J.P. Nadda confirmed that the exercise for the creation of a separate department of water resources had been initiated. “Feedback from the departments that are handling watershed or water resource works is being taken so that their efforts can be unified for brining about greater efficiency,” he said. The modalities and areas that would be covered under the new department were still being worked out. Various watershed projects for which external funding was being received could also be brought under the agency. This might include the Mid-Himalayan Watershed Project, which was currently being executed in the state with the help of the World Bank. Works like creation of check dams and soil conservation would also be undertaken by the new department. Sources said even the Government of India was keen that instead of having multiple agencies handling projects being executed with the help of external funding, it would be better if there was a single agency for the purpose. |
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Revenue from power projects soars
Shimla, September 3 Power has emerged as the biggest source of revenue with the highest receipt of Rs 1,475 crore during the last financial year. This included upfront premium of Rs 262 crore for projects allotted through competitive bidding and a dividend of Rs 61 crore. Giving this information in a written reply, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said in the Vidhan Sabha that the state received a share of 7,628 million units (mu) of power from the Nathpa-Jhakri project, 1351 mu from Chamera-I, 698 mu from Chamera-II, 403 mu from Baira Siul, 353 mu from Ranjit Sagar Dam, 720 mu from Baspa and 241 mu from the Malana project over the past five years. Further, a large number of projects were under implementation and about 1,500 MW of additional power (7,000 mu to 7,500 mu) was expected to be available on account of royalty and equity share from the projects slated to be commissioned by the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan. Out of the total power potential of 20,415 MW, 6,413 MW had been harnessed and projects with aggregate capacity of 5,674 MW were expected to be commissioned during the 11th Five-Year Plan. Besides, mini and micro-hydel projects of 337 MW were being implemented through Himurja and as such the total installed capacity was likely to reach 12,468 MW by the end of the 11th plan. Regarding the Renuka project, he said each affected family would be given 100 units of electricity every month free of cost for a period of 10 years from the date of commissioning of the project. |
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Govt agency to evict govt office
Solan, September 3 The office of the area manager, Food and Civil Supplies Corporation, has been running in HIG-I, plot number 31-A, since August last year. Interestingly, the plot was owned by no less than the director of the Food and Civil Supplies Corporation, R.S.Gupta. He was not only earning thousands as rent per month but it was a fit case of an official misusing his authority. It was interesting to note that though Gupta had applied for a change in land use from residential to commercial, HIMUDA had refused it in July 2007 as it would have violated the terms and conditions of allotment. Not only was Gupta served a notice for having undertaken unauthorised construction by opening the basement but the authority had warned that such an act would lead to litigation.
The issue was prominently pursued by the Resident Welfare Society of the colony which had written numerous letters to HIMUDA for disallowing this commercial use.
President of the association Dr B.K.Bhardwaj while ruing the lack of inaction in this case said the housing society was primarily floated for residential purpose. But HIUMDA not only sold off plots meant for maintaining green and open space as well as schools from 1-A to 31-A to bureaucrats and politically connected people but it had now allowed a virtual commercial office to operate from a residential area. The problem was compounded by the fact that this had led to undue noise and vehicular pollution on the narrow ill-maintained roads of the colony. CEO, HIMUDA, S.K.Sharma, however, when contacted said that orders had already been issued to the assistant engineer to initiate eviction proceedings as it violated the laid norms. |
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Trout population declining
Dharamsala, September 3 It demanded that the state government should redraft the policy for allotting power projects in the state to save the fish’s population. K.H. Ralhan, the secretary of the association, said the population of the trout fish was decreasing due to hydropower projects. He said fish ladders should be made mandatory in the power projects of the state. In some of the projects, fish ladder was constructed. At Larji power project, a fish ladder had been constructed but it was of no use. The project authorities did not contact any expert over its issue. Due to it the fish ladder of the project was acting as a death trap for the trout fish. The association has decided to organise a two-day angler’s meet and angling contest on September 27 and 28 at Larji. Angling contest would be held at Larji. It would also be used to assess the status of the trout fish population. Besides, a seminar on ‘Conservation and Development of Trout Fisheries wealth of Himachal Pradesh for promotion of Rural Tourism’ would also be organised under the aegis of the Departments of Fisheries and Tourism. |
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Centre urged to increase rice, soya bean oil quota
Shimla, September 3 Moving a resolution, Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal said the reduction in the quota of rice had severely affected the people of the state as most of them were rice-eaters. Until May, 2008, 20 kg of rice was being given per ration card, but the Centre reduced the quota for the state to nought in June. However, the matter was taken up with the minister concerned and the quota of rice was fixed afresh for the state at 7,118 tonne per month. Since it was inadequate, the state government had no option but to cut down the quota from 20 kg to 15 kg per ration card per month and thereafter to 10 kg per month. He said the restoration of quota was essential as the eating habits of people could not be changed overnight. The surging prices of edible oils were also pinching the people and there was need to increase the quota to provide relief to the people who were reeling under the impact of spiralling prices. He said the present quota of one litre per ration card per month was too meagre for a family and it should be increased to two litres. The Congress supported the resolution and it was adopted unanimously. Dhumal thanked the Congress for its gesture and said all matters concerning state’s interest should be pursued collectively rising above political considerations. |
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Rebel zila parishad members to face disciplinary action
Bilaspur, September 3 Confirmed reports here said the party state leadership has taken strong exception to the siding of the Congress members of zila parishad with the BJP. The incident has sent a clear message of the party being divided into groups and going to the extent of collaborating with their main opposition party - the BJP - to downgrade their own party leaders. It would be recalled that four Congress members of zila parishad had first signed a no-confidence notice against their own party leaders along with four BJP members. They had also voted with the BJP for getting them removed from these posts in a unanimous resolution. The deputy commissioner has fixed September 3 as date for the meeting in which new chairperson and vice-chairman are to be elected. All eyes are set on the meeting when conduct of the nine Congressmen would be under scanner of the party high command that would also decide the fate of those who have betrayed the party. Reports from Shimla suggested that the members who have sided with the BJP have been cautioned by the party high command about their future behaviour in the next meeting to be held on
September 3. |
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Agri university to develop bio-pesticide plant
Dharamsala, September 3 These developments would be carried out under a research project allotted to the university by the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR). Director research, Palampur Agriculture University, Satish Sharma said the institute had been allotted Rs 4.73 crore under the national agriculture innovation project. The university bagged the project after competing at the national level. The project would extend up to three years. He said the research project was designed with the objective of identifying and developing value-added indigenous bio-pesticides. It would be helpful in the market-driven production of bio-pesticides for better organic crop produce, especially in case of vegetables and their processed products. New entrepreneurship would be developed for bio-pesticides and pesticide-free vegetables and their value-added products. The project was expected to generate employment for rural unemployed youth besides improving the socio-economic condition of farmers, he added. |
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Central varsity site inspection team
Kangra, September 3 This was disclosed by Prof Chander Kumar, Member, Lok Saba while addressing a press conference in the local PWD Rest house here on Monday. He said the committee was formulated following his request to the UPA chief Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh and Human Resource Development Minister Arjan Singh. He ridiculed the Chief Minister Prof P.K.Dhumal for his announcement allegedly made without proper assessment that the central university would be set up at Dehra. He said that the chief minister was politicising the issue. |
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Minister visits Tanda hospital
Kangra, September 3 Choudary said the passengers who were seriously injured were given a relief of Rs 3,000 to 5,000 by the state government. She assured that those who were operated would be given Rs 20,000. She said Rs 1,11,500 was distributed as a relief among the injured passengers of the accident. She directed the hospital authorities to provide the best possible treatment to the injured in the hospital. As many as 61 passengers were injured and 12 seriously hurt when a private bus in which they were travelling rolled into a khud near Chambi on the Pathankot-Mandi National Highway yesterday. |
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Renewed offer to Tata
Shimla, September 3 Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal said apart form peaceful industrial environment; the company would have the benefit of the industrial package that was available up to 2010 and likely to be extended further. He said the government would extend all possible help to the company to set up its project in the state. He said the case for getting the industrial package extended up to 2013 should also be taken up collectively. He said the neighbouring states had made a common cause and trying their best to get the package curtailed by putting pressure on the Centre. It would be in the interest of the state to fight such moves collectively. Dhumal said the government was alive to the need for setting up a common transmission corridor for evacuation of power from various hydroelectric projects coming up in the state. |
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Tibetans to collect donation for flood victims
Dharamsala, September 3 In a press release issued here today the Tibetan authorities stated that according to the media reports, the floods in Bihar have caused havoc on millions of people and their properties in one of the worst floods to affect the state in the past 50 years. The donation received from the individuals, organisations and the government will go to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund through New Delhi-based bureau of the Dalai Lama. The donation must reach the Bureau of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, New Delhi by 30 September 2008. Since the Government of India and its people have been very much helpful to the Tibetan people, it is very important for the Tibetan exiles or Tibetans living in the free world, to join in this effort to show our solidarity with the flood victims. |
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Dharna in front of vidhan sabha
Shimla, September 3 Besides regularisation of the gramin vidya upasaks and primary assistant teachers who have completed five years of service, they were also demanding salaries on par with the JBT teachers. The representatives of the protesters met Chief Minister P.K.Dhumal and education minister I.D.Dhiman and apprised them of their demands. The Chief Minister assured them that a common policy would be framed for the two categories of teachers within a month. |
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Victimisation Cases
Hamirpur, September 3 He said, “Certain officers are misleading the government in cases of reinstating victimised employees and the government is also adopting a “pick and choose” policy in the matter. Otherwise, why the cases have not been settled even after eight months?” “A few officers who were close to the previous Congress government continue to hold important positions even now. They are misleading the Chief Minister in such cases,” he said. He said the committee would submit a list of corrupt officers to BJP president Raj Nath Singh on September 15 in New Delhi. |
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Courier Co told to pay Rs 71,500
Shimla, September 3 The commission passed this order in connection with an appeal filed by Munish Thakur. Thakur had alleged that he had sent a parcel through the company containing goods worth Rs 71,500. However, the goods were not delivered to the addressee. He requested the company official several times, but the company did not settle his claim. He filed a complaint with the Consumer Forum, Mandi, which allowed the same. The forum directed the company to pay Rs 15,000 as compensation to the complainant. Dissatisfied with the order of the forum, the complainant filed the appeal for the enhancement of compensation. Allowing the appeal, the commission observed this was a clear-cut case of gross negligence on the part of courier company officials. |
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CBI records statements
Solan, September 3 Four of the 18 buyers were present during the registration of the sale deed and one of the buyers had procured general power of attorney for 14 others. The CBI team was now verifying whether it was genuine or not. |
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Ganesh Utsav begins
Kangra, September 3 The people of the
state have started Ganesh poojan. An idol of Lord Ganesha was made at Ujain locality
here and was shifted today to the pandal at the Donga Bazaar locality. The pooja of the Ganesh idol would continue for ten days before it would be immersed in the waters of Banner Khad near Kangra fort. |
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