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Govt directive to recruit lecturers
CNG pipeline to reach Solan in 3 yrs
Centre against extending industrial package
Tenders for stationery raise eyebrows
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Bill to exempt home-stay hotels from luxury tax passed
14 industrial projects cleared
Poll Code Violation
Modernisation of Tanda Hospital
Insurance firm told to pay Rs 2 lakh
Dhumal lays stones of two bridges
Rain, snow likely over next 4 days
Forest fire in Kasauli area
Dental College
All set for national women rural games
NIT teachers’ allegations to be probed into
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Govt directive to recruit lecturers
Dharamsala, December 15 Education minister I.D. Dhiman gave this information in the Vidhan Sabha today. Ever since the present government came to power in the state, over 4,020 teachers had been given promotions, he added. Reacting to issue of promotions given by present government, HPCC president Kaul Singh said the previous government could not give promotions to teachers as the State Administrative Tribunal had imposed a stay on promotions of teachers in the state. He said the government should take steps to fill the posts that had fallen vacant after the promotion of teachers. Former CM Virbhadra Singh said the present government was misleading the House. The previous government had sent a requisition to the HPPSC to recruit 1,007 lecturers in government colleges. After coming to power, the present government withdrew the requisition and it was now just rehashing the old posts. The present government had cancelled 2,300 posts that were advertised by the previous government, Virbhadra Singh said. To this, CM Prem Kumar Dhumal said the requisition sent by the previous government was withdrawn due to change in policy. The present government had revived the policy of making recruitments batch wise, the provision was abandoned by the previous government, he added. Due to this, the posts advertised by the previous government had to be withdrawn and re-advertised as per the new policy. Launching an attack on the former CM, Dhumal said it was he who was following the policy of witch-hunt against the candidates selected by their government in its previous stint. During BJP’s previous stint, 514 persons were selected through the Subordinate Services Commission. However, the Congress government did not allow these candidates to join during its 5-year stint in power. It was only after the BJP came to power that those candidates had been allowed to join, he said. The education minister also informed the House that 135 posts of headmasters and 1,914 posts of TGTs were lying vacant in various government schools in the state. |
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CNG pipeline to reach Solan in 3 yrs
Dharamsala, December 15 The agreement was presented in the Vidhan Sabha today in response to a question posed by MLA from Shimla Suresh Bharadwaj. In the first phase, the gas pipeline would reach Solan district from the Rajpura area of Punjab. The supply through the pipeline would be available to industrialists in Solan district, who were presently using diesel and other fuels at their units. As per the agreement with GAIL, gas could also be provided to the residents of the state through the pipeline, the CM said. The gas provided through pipeline would be cheaper than LPG being provided through cylinders presently, he added. About plying CNG buses, he said that it was possible only in lower areas of the state. In high-altitude areas, plying CNG buses would not be feasible. The state would also promote use of plastic (other than thin films) instead of wood at various places. It has been stated in the agreement that both parties (GAIL and the Industries Department of the state) would undertake detailed feasibility study for establishing plastic parks that would act as one-stop shops for selling plastic of various grades. The state government and GAIL would also explore the possibility of setting up a petrochemical plant in the state. The CM said the CNG pipeline was proposed up to Nangal in Punjab for the NFL plant situated there. The state government was lobbying that the pipeline should be extended to the adjoining areas of Himachal. |
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Centre against extending industrial package
Dharamsala, December 15 Former finance minister P. Chidambaram in a letter written to the state has stated that the industrial package was eroding the tax base. The tax loss to the country due to area-based industrial package has been calculated at Rs 1,000 crore. The economic advisory council that examined the issue had observed that area-based concessions were ill-advised and had created distortions. Chidambaram had also stated in the letter that existing exemption to Himachal and Uttarakhand had been opposed by the Chief Minister’s of Punjab and Haryana. The letter of the former finance minister was presented in the Vidhan Sabha today in response to a question put forward by Arki MLA Gobind Ram. The MLA had asked if the package was ending in 2010, had the state government taken up the matter of increasing it with the Union Government. Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal while clarifying said they have written to the Prime Minister for increasing the industrial package for the state till 2013. However, till date we have received just acknowledgement of the letter, but no response. Initially the package was given for a period of 10 years from 2003 to 2013. However, later it was reduced till 2010. The Chief Minister termed the opposition to industrial package for Himachal by Punjab and Haryana as illogical. Since the package was implemented in 2003 the comparison of investment inflows in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal revealed that both the said states have received more investment than Himachal. Still both the states are opposing the industrial package to the state without any basis. Most of the industrial units coming to Himachal are pharmaceutical. They are shifting from southern states and not Punjab or Haryana. The total affective investment by the state since the start of package is just Rs 4,000 crore that is much less than the neighbouring states, Dhumal said. Speaking on the issue HPCC president Kaul Singh urged the Chief Minister to take up the matter with the Union Government as well as the Chief Minister’s of the neighbouring states who are illogically opposing the industrial package extended to Himachal. |
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Tenders for stationery raise eyebrows
Shimla, December 15 Different procedures are being adopted in different districts for making purchases. In most cases, the description of items and the estimated amounts have not been mentioned in the notices inviting tenders. An amount of Rs 9 crore under the SC sub-plan was released in June, but the department did not show any urgency in making purchases. Instead of going in for centralised purchases, the government constituted a state-level committee under the chairmanship of the director of the department and district-level committees headed by respective deputy directors in accordance with the Himachal Pradesh financial rules. In view of the quantum of purchases, a representative of controller (stores) was inducted as per rules (appendix 10, section 19- f). However, the rules under which the committees have been constituted are not being followed and even the directions of the high court are being violated. In case of such big purchases, a minimum period of 21 days for submitting bids is mandatory but the stipulated period has not been allowed. In case of tender for Shimla district, the time allowed is 12 days. The time is nine days each in case of Sirmaur, Kullu and Solan districts, 11 days in case of Bilaspur and seven days in case of Kangra. Even for short-term tenders, at least 14 days are allowed. But these tenders are valid only for purchases up to Rs 50,000. More than three months are left in the financial year, which is enough to carry out the exercise in accordance with the norms, but department is going for short-term tenders without any justification. Goods of different specifications are being purchased. For instance, in case of notebooks, the size, quality of paper and number of pages vary. In Shimla, the number of pages is 192, in Sirmaur 184, Solan 100, Kullu 128, Bilaspur 96 and Kangra 144. The amount of earnest money has been kept at Rs 25,000, irrespective of the amount of purchase. As per rules, the earnest money has to be 2 per cent of the estimated cost of purchase and as such the amount would range from Rs 84,000 to Rs 3.35 lakh for various districts. Even the cost of tender document fixed at Rs 250 is not in accordance with the norms for big purchases. As per norms, the cost of tender document has to be Rs 150 for amount of up to Rs 1 lakh, Rs 500 for amount ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, Rs 1,000 for amount ranging from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 2 crore and Rs 1,500 for higher amounts. The total amount involved in purchases for various districts ranges from Rs 40 lakh to Rs 1.6 crore, but issues like time for completion and the pre-qualification of suppliers have been ignored. |
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Bill to exempt home-stay hotels from luxury tax passed
Dharamsala, December 15 With the bill being passed the luxury tax on home stay hotels in the state had been exempted for a period of five years. The exemption would, however, come with conditions that home stay should come into operation between a period commencing from July 15, 2008, and ending July 14, 2013, and the proprietor should be registered under the Act. The definition of home stay is any private house being run as hotel in a rural area. The limit of accommodation for home stay hotel that would be entitled for exemption had been fixed with atleast one single or double bedroom to three rooms. With the passage of Himachal Pradesh Courts Amendment Bill the pecuniary powers of district judges have been increased from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh. In the discussion on Eternal University (Establishment and Regulation) Bill, 2008, and the Chitkara University (Establishment and Regulation) Bill, 2008, education minister I.D. Dhiman informed that as per suggestions of the members the job quota for Himachal residents in both the said universities had been increased from 15 per cent to 25 per cent. |
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14 industrial projects cleared
Dharamsala, December 15 A decision to this effect was taken at the committee at its 34th meeting held at Himachal Vidhan Sabha complex here today. CM Prem Kumar Dhumal said the state government was encouraging serious entrepreneurs to invest in eco-friendly projects in the state. Himachal was the only state that had good law and order conditions, he added. Renowned business houses had submitted proposals for setting up industries in the state. The revised industrial policy, warranting industrial units to employ 70 per cent local people, was being enforced. The state had the best literacy rate and there was no dearth of professionals in the state, he claimed. |
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Tourists throng Rohtang Pass
Manali, December 15 Scenic spots have started drawing tourists. The sudden spurt in tourist arrivals had brought a relief to hoteliers, taxis, dhaba owners, photographers and the local people, who earn their livelihood from the tourism industry. According to S.K. Doon, Commander of the 38 Task Force, (GREF), Manali-Keylong road up to Darcha will be kept open till heavy snowfall on the Rohtang Pass. He said the widening and surfacing work at Marhi and Jespa is in full swing even when the temperature in Lahaul valley was going down to minus. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) had officially closed the Manali-Leh highway for vehicular traffic on October 31, he added. Dev Raj Sharma, senior manager, Transport, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), said a deluxe bus service is still plying between Manali-Rohtang Pass by the HPTDC. He further added that the bus service would continue for tourists till heavy snowfall on the Rohtang Pass. However, even light vehicles are still plying between Manali-Keylong. |
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Poll Code Violation
Dharamsala, December 15 The minister concerned assured to inquire into the matter in the Vidhan Sabha today. The issue was raised by Rakesh Pathania, MLA from Nurpur, during question hour. The minister said 45 licences were recommended by the HPPCB during that period. Out these, 23 licences were issued. Pathania said non-official members were appointed by the HPPCB to various committees. These members used to harass industrialists while carrying out inspections of industrial units, he said. Ravinder Ravi assured to inquire into the matter. In another question, Mohinder Singh, MLA from Dharampur, and Kaul Singh, HPCC president, raised a question regarding the purchase of saplings from private nurseries during the Jan-Jan Sanjeevni campaign. Minister for public health and irrigation Ravinder Ravi said just 10 per cent of the total saplings distributed among people were purchased from private nurseries. Only 7 per cent of the total budget under the scheme was spent on purchasing saplings from private nurseries, he added. When opposition members started questioning the viability of the Jan-Jan Sanjeevni campaign in increasing green cover in the state, the CM intervened and said it was a new scheme and was aimed at increasing density of medicinal plants. If successful, the experiment could increase the income of the people and attract pharmaceutical units to the state, he added. |
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BBMB dredger set right, afloat again
Sundernagar, December 15 The Rs 9 crore dredger, which was purchased by the BBMB in 2004, was found sunk in the water and was tilted towards left on last Monday morning, some workers spotted it sinking on the last Sunday night. Interestingly, the dredger was not in use these days and was floating on the bank of reservoir for maintenance. The BBMB found it difficult to bring the 250 tonnes dredger to its original position and had asked officials of Mazagon Dock Ltd to send somebody to conduct the operation so that it could be brought to its original position and repaired subsequently. The officials reached here on the Saturday and started work along with 25 BBMB workers yesterday morning and successfully brought it to the original position today, prior to it the BBMB had kept the level of balancing reservoir at minimum. After the repair, level of the balancing reservoir was raised by two feet and the dredger was successfully floated. In order to raise the water level in the balancing reservoir the production of electricity in the 990 MW Dehar Power House was stopped. According to source from the BBMB, the incident occurred due to defective welding of spud, which led to defect in alignment of the dredger so it was tilted and water entered into it causing loss to machinery. It was further told that all this occurred due to poor maintenance of machinery. Now the dredger would be taken for dry-docking to a platform specially designed by the side of the reservoir, after through checking the exact damage to the machinery could be calculated. According to source form BBMB, the BBMB could have done this operation of its own but none of senior officials wanted to take responsibility. The incident had exposed that BBMB was ill-equipped to deal with such type of incidents. |
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Modernisation of Tanda Hospital
Kangra, December 15 This was disclosed by health minister Dr Rajeev Bindal today at Tanda while presiding over the Rogi Kalayan Samiti governing committee meeting. He said earlier the BPL patients were given free treatment in the indoors of the hospitals of the state, but DRPGMC was the first and the only hospital in the state where free treatment for the BPL patients was being provided in the outdoors too. He lauded the college authorities for this new programme in the hospital and expressed hope that this model treatment would be implemented in other hospitals of the state too to help the down trodden and poor patients from the BPL category. He said so far besides free treatment to the BPL patients, medicines worth Rs 12,76,372 were distributed through the Rogi Kalayan Samiti of the college. Dr Bhano Awasthi, medical superintendent of the hospital, said during the last nearly one year 1,78,500 OPD and 1,02,970 indoor patients were treated in the hospital and 1,68,600 laboratory tests were carried out. Bindal later visited the hospital and expressed satisfaction over the functioning of the MRI, CT Scan, Colour Doppler and infant nursery. |
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Insurance firm told to pay Rs 2 lakh
Shimla, December 15 The complainants had alleged that the insurance company had repudiated their claim on the ground that they had failed to produce the driving licence of the deceased in the case. It was stated that Sher Singh, who was killed in the accident, had obtained personal accident benefit policy by paying extra premium. The complainants approached the District Consumer Forum, Mandi, but the forum exonerated the insurance company as the complainants had failed to produce the driving licence of the deceased. Aggrieved from the order of the forum, the complainants filed an appeal before the commission. Setting aside the order of the forum, Justice Arun Kumar Goel (retd), president of the commission, allowed the appeal and said when the insurance cover was extended to the client by the agent of the company, it was presumed that he had satisfied himself regarding everything, including the driving licence of the person taking the policy. In case he was not holding such a licence, there was no question of having extended the benefit of personal accident to him. The commission also imposed cost of Rs 5,000 on the insurance company. |
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Dhumal lays stones of two bridges
Dharamsala, December 15 Dhumal said the government was providing priority to the construction and maintenance of roads in the state. The Haryana Government had agreed to construct the Pinjore-Swarghat road as a four-lane road. The Chandigarh-Baddi road would also be constructed by the Punjab Government by June next year. The Baddi industrial area would be connected by an express highway to the upcoming international airport at Mohali, he added. |
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Rain, snow likely over next 4 days
Shimla, December 15 A spokesperson of the Met office said western disturbances were located over the northeast Afghanistan as a trough in the mid-upper tropospheric westerlies. It was likely to move eastwards and as a result moderate rainfall was likely to occur at isolated places from December 16 to 19. The mid and higher reaches of the state were likely experience moderate snow during the period. Meanwhile, Kalpa in Kinnaur recorded the lowest temperature of -1.8°C. The mercury rose marginally in the state capital with maximum moving up from 17.9°C to 18.2°C and minimum from 6.5°C to 9.4°C. |
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Forest fire in Kasauli area
Solan, December 15 The fire was noticed by villagers around 2 am. They informed the forest officials who then took the help of defence personnel to douse the fire. They were initially able to control the fire, but it re-ignited after some time due to the strong wind. Forest officials said the fire caused damage in over 75 bighas. The dry foliage lying in the forest area helped the fire to spread rapidly. However timely action by the Forest Department helped avert more damage, they added. |
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Shoe factory gutted in Kala Amb
Nahan, December 15 After receiving information, Sirmaur DC Pushpender Rajput, SP Sirmaur J.P. Singh and other senior officers of the district rushed to the spot and supervised fire-extinguishing operations. Two fire tenders were rushed from Nahan, out of which one engine got broke down while filling water. Fire tenders from Paonta, Parwanoo, Ambala, Yamunanagar and Chandigarh were called which took hours to reach the spot. As per sources, the fire, which was noticed around 8 pm in the goods store of the factory spread very quickly. Eyewitnesses said before 14 fire engines put off the flames around 3.30 am today the factory and labour hostel had completely gutted causing loss of several crores to the owner. The possible reason for the fire had been cited as short circuit. The police has registered a case in this regard. |
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Dental College
Nahan, December 15 Paonta DSP Virender Singh Thakur said a case under Section 306 of the IPC has been registered in this regard after recording statements of several persons. The body of the girl has been handed over to her parents. Prof Santosh Kumar, chairman, Sirmaur Vichar Manch, has demanded a high-level inquiry into the suicide of three girl students of this institute, who ended their lives within the last three years in the college premises. He appealed Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal to take stringent action against the persons responsible in harassing these girls to this extent that they were forced to take such extreme measures. Harassment of the girl students have already come into the notice of the people in the case of a Shimla girl, Krishan Negi, who ended her life in the April. The police had already booked 12 persons, including teachers of the college in the suicide case of Krishna Negi. Earlier, Ishita Sharma, a Dharamsala girl, had also committed suicide. |
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All set for national women rural games
Hamirpur, December 15 After holding a meeting to review arrangements for the games, he said, “All arrangements like preparation of playgrounds, boarding and lodging etc for holding these games have been almost made and Hamirpur is now all prepared to hold these games.” Pharka said, “We have visited the grounds where events are to be held and found the infrastructure in place while officers from SAI have already inspected these.” He said, “The events of hockey and lawn tennis will be held at the NIT ground. Pool matches in hockey will also be organised at Sujanpur and polytechnic ground. The athletics events will be organised at polytechnic and government college grounds while badminton event will be organised at wooden court at Mandi.” He said, “Teams from 22 states have confirmed their participation in the games.” |
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NIT teachers’ allegations to be probed into
Hamirpur, December 15 In a letter addressed to the chairman of the board of governors, the teachers had demanded a Vigilance probe into the cases of alleged irregularities in promotion and recruitments. They had also demanded the framing of promotion and recruitment rules. The teachers had even threatened to resort to direct action from December 11 and had later deferred their action after receiving a communication for talks with the chairman. |
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