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Relaxation for construction in green areas likely
Security tightened
Alert in state’s border areas
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Central team visits Bilaspur
Penalty on colleges
Kaul Singh abetted irregularities: Ravi
Tight security for Navratras
Funds released to PWD
Computer education
Man gets 7-yr jail
Three killed in 2 mishaps
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Relaxation for construction in green areas likely
Shimla, September 29 The matter is likely to be placed before the Cabinet for a final decision as to who should be given relief in construction. The committee headed by the director of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department that was assigned the task of assessing the possibility and the fallout of lifting ban in the 17 green areas of the town has submitted its report. It is reliably learnt that the committee has indicated that since there was ‘discriminatory regulatory control’, people should be given relief. It has been pointed out that plot owners who had bought land before 2000, when greenbelts were designated, should be accommodated as they are not at fault. The number of such persons is about 80, who, due to ban on construction in green areas, have not been able to construct houses. However, the authorities are of the opinion that need-based construction should be allowed and the number of storeys should be restricted to two and a half. In fact, the committee is of the view that there should be some kind of uniformity in the restrictions and the government should allow construction in all areas, but restrict it to two storeys and a half. They have said that while in some areas there was complete ban on construction, people were being allowed to raise four and five storeys in other areas. It was in December, 2000, that the state government had imposed a complete ban on constructions after the greenbelts were notified. In fact, there has been pressure on the government to lift the ban on construction in green areas. However, a committee headed by chief secretary gave its report about two years back that the ban should not be lifted in case the green areas were to be saved. |
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Security tightened
Hamirpur, September 29 The police has laid nakas at all nine entry points to the district. The security arrangements at Baba Balak Nath shrine have been reviewed and additional security has been provided. The police has also set up a bomb disposal squad. |
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Alert in state’s border areas
Solan, September 29 While an alert has been sounded in all border districts, including Solan, the state CID has sought upgrading of its bomb-disposal squad. These squads were hitherto maintained at the range level and the state had three such squads with one each at the south, north and central range. The CID was also exploring the possibility of equipping districts with sniffer dogs. Officials said, “We are exploring the possibility of equipping the districts with such squads, especially those located on the state’s borders. A team has been sent for getting special training in bomb disposal in other states.” “Being a peaceful state, we never felt the need to have special training for bomb disposal. However, keeping in view the happenings in neighbouring areas, we have stepped up our preparedness,” said DIG (south range) Pardeep Kumar. With the chief ministers’ conference of northern states, which was scheduled to be held at Shimla, getting cancelled today due to security reasons, the threat perception was palpable. Five chief ministers and four governors were slated to attend the conference. The preparedness revolves around three major issues, including precautionary measures, which comprise alerting the general public not to touch any unclaimed article, random checking of vehicles at state’s barriers and checking hotels and rest houses to ensure proper maintenance of visitors’ record in border areas. The second aspect involves handling explosives and thirdly to deal with an extreme eventuality, including a bomb explosion, an official said. |
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Don’t challan, he is minister’s son
Dharamsala, September 29 ASI Surjeet Singh and constable Beshambar intercepted the youth and challaned him for driving a two-wheeler without wearing a helmet. However, firmness in their duty proved a punishment for cops. The minister’s son allegedly failed to bear the insult of being challaned despite being the son of a minister. The ‘culprit cops’ were asked to report to police lines at
Dharamsala. SP, Kangra, Atul Phulzele when contacted said the cops had been posted for mela duty at Jawalamukhi temporarily. They have not been awarded any punishment, he claimed. However, reliable sources told The Tribune that the cops were first asked to report at Dharamsala police lines and then posted on temporary duty at Jawalamukhi for mela days. |
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Central team visits Bilaspur
Mandi, September 29 A team visited Bilaspur district and got first-hand account of rain damage worth Rs 100 crore in the district. Another team would reach Mandi late in the evening to take stock of damage that was estimated to be around Rs 210 crore. Property worth around Rs 2,700 crore had been damaged in the state with the state capital being hit the severest, officials said. According to Bilaspur DC Devesh Kumar, the three-member team accompanied by state revenue secretary R.K. Kaushal took stock of the damage to roads, houses, crops etc. District officials gave presentations to the team apprising it of the damage wreaked by unseasonal rain in the district. Representatives of Lahaul-Spiti district maintained snow had damaged potato crop in their district. The damage to roads and other infrastructure was also extensive, they added. DC (Mandi) Onkar Sharma said the team was yet to reach Mandi.
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Penalty on colleges
Shimla, September 29 A meeting of the committee was held today under the chairmanship of vice- chancellor Sunil Kumar Gupta here today. A penalty of Rs 50,000 will be imposed in case the compliance is not done within the stipulated period and after this two- month time will be given to the college failing which the process of disaffiliation would be started. It was also decided to undertake surprise inspections of colleges that had been given provisional affiliation or extension of affiliation. |
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Kaul Singh abetted irregularities: Ravi
Mandi, September 29 Ravi was here to chair the district grievance committee meeting. He said Kaul Singh talked about corruption but he himself abetted and aided gross irregularities in a number of schemes. He said Rs 1.62 crore was shown spent on the construction of a 1.5-km stretch of the Sahal-Drabala road in Mandi. “The road was already made during the British time and the IPH Department spent Rs 1.45 crore on the road for making it pucca, which smacks of underhand dealings in the case,” he said. Ravi accused Kaul Singh of abetting the Rs 1.9-crore grease purchase scam. “The IPH Department purchased grease worth Rs 1.9 crore in one day at the rate of Rs 9,975 per kg,” he charged. “Not only that, even the order, supply, receipt and bill payments were made on the same day after it was procured from Delhi in 2007-2008,” the minister claimed, pointing a needle of suspicion on the former IPH minister. Ravi said, “Kaul Singh was talking about corruption and protecting interests of Mandi, but he owes an explanation to the public what had he done for Mandi during his tenure as the IPH minister.” He alleged he (Kaul Singh) started Rs 14-crore Panjaur nullah gravity water scheme in Chauhar without getting mandatory clearance from the forest and other departments. Ravi said the vigilance probe would expose the corruption perpetrated by the former minister in the IPH Department during the Congress regime. On the other hand, Kaul Singh said it was during his tenure that he had ordered the suspension of engineers connected with the work of the Drabla road and suspended the engineer in the grease purchase scam. |
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Tight security for Navratras
Kangra, September 29 The Kangra district police chief during his visit to the temple today said the security during the Navratras had been beefed up and the police would take no chance. He said a ban on coconut has been imposed at the three temples - Bajjreshwari at Kangra, Jawala Ji at Jawalamukhi and Chamunda Devi temple. He said there was even a ban to bring a coconut on the premises of the temple. He added that 200 police personnel, including armed police personnel, had been deployed on the premises of the temple at Jawalamukhi and 150 police personnel each were deployed in Bajjreshwari and Chamunda Devi temple. One control room in each temple has been set up to keep an eye on the developments in the temple. He said the entry points to all three temple towns have been sealed and nakas were laid to allow the vehicles to enter after verification only. He said the bomb detection squad would keep a vigil at the three temples. The pilgrims will have to cross through metal detectors before entering
the temples. He said adequate police force had been deployed within the temple towns to maintain law and order. |
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Funds released to PWD
Shimla, September 29 Reviewing the progress of works to restore damaged roads at a meeting revenue minister Gulab Singh said that the total loss on account of damage to roads and bridges was estimated at Rs 448.37 crore. Barring 348 roads, which were still blocked, all the damaged roads had been reopened. He said that the state government had released Rs 20 crore from the maintenance funds and Rs 30 crore from the Calamity Relief Fund to the Public Works Department to undertake repair and maintenance works on the damaged roads and bridges. The maximum funds amounting to Rs 68.18 crore were required for restoration of the roads in Shimla, the worst-hit district. |
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Computer education
Hamirpur, September 29 Addressing a gathering after the concluding function of under 14 district-level school games at Bhoranj today, the minister announced to grant Rs 10 lakh for the repairs of school building at Bhoranj and Rs 3 lakh for the construction of a boundary wall. |
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Man gets 7-yr jail
Kullu, September 29 It was adjudged that the accused had forcibly dragged the victim to his house and raped her on February 13 , 2007. |
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Three killed in 2 mishaps
Kullu, September 29 Maheshwar died on the way to Kullu hospital while his wife succumbed to injuries on way to PGI, Chandigarh. In another incident, Sonam Rangdol, a resident of Khokhan village near Bhuntar also died in a tractor mishap at Badah. The driver of the tractor Mangru Ram was seriously injured. |
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