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CM wants UT to amend excise policy
Una police cracks two bank scams
Snow in Manali, adjoining areas
Tourists enjoying in fresh snowfall near Nehru Kund on the Manali-Rohtang
road on Friday. Photo: MC Thakur
Rain, snow likely
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Differences over fielding BJP rebel come to fore
New TCP Act soon
CPI opposes closing of nursing institutes
Residents’ initiative to check drug menace
State govt to have no representative in NIT
SFI holds demonstrations
19 industrial plots, just five bidders
Insurance scheme for sheep breeders
Yoga teaching in schools
Stipend for ayurvedic docs sought
Drug info centre inaugurated
Job-oriented programme
2 killed in road mishap
Timber seized
6.25 lakh for mandir building sanctioned
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CM wants UT to amend excise policy
Shimla, February 6 Although the policy of the hill state to allot liquor vends by inviting applications (rather than through open auction) has led to significant increase (13 per cent) in the revenue, the failure of the Chandigarh Administration to plug loopholes in its excise policy is not only causing loss of revenue but also encouraging large-scale smuggling of liquor. Unlike other states, Chandigarh has not fixed quota of IMFL (Indian made foreign liquor) and that of country liquor has been fixed on the higher side. Further, the absurdly low levies, which add up to about 10 per cent of those in the neighbouring states, is providing a big incentive to smugglers. Chief Minister PK Dhumal has written a letter to the Administrator of Chandigarh in this regard and urged him to take corrective steps while framing the policy for 2009-10. The existing policy is not bringing any additional revenue to Chandigarh and only allowing liquor smugglers to make money at the cost of neighbouring states. The chinks in the policy are apparent from the fact that Chandigarh, with a population of just 11 lakh, has sold 2.4 crore proof litre (PL) of IMFL during the current year as against quota of 80 lakh PL fixed for Himachal Pradesh, which has a population of 65 lakh. The per capita consumption of Chandigarh comes to 21.3 PL as compared to 1.08 PL for Himachal Pradesh, 1.17 PL for Punjab and 1.6 PL for Haryana. This aberration clearly shows that liquor meant for sale in the Chandigarh is being sold in neighbouring states illegally because quota has not been fixed. Similarly, in case of country liquor, the quota of Chandigarh has been fixed at 36 lakh PL which is very high when compared to 1.25 crore PL fixed for Himachal Pradesh. The per capita consumption comes to 3.04 PL for Chandigarh and 1.92 PL for the hill state. The Excise Department has detected over 100 cases of smuggling in which liquor meant for sale in Chandigarh was being illegally sold in the state. However, it is virtually impossible to check illegal sale as every vehicle entering the state cannot be physically checked. The department has allotted 1,750 liquor vends, which will fetch a revenue of Rs 310 crore, including Rs 160 crore from sale of country liquor, in the current year. In contrast, the revenue of Chandigarh is only Rs 80 crore. Officers point out that Chandigarh will earn much more revenue by fixing quota of IMFL and rationalising various levies. More importantly, the revenue of neighbouring states will also go up substantially and the only loser will be the liquor mafia.
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Una police cracks two bank scams
Una, February 6 The SP, Una, Venu Gopal, while taking to The Tribune revealed that one of scams pertained to an industrial unit in the Gagret industrial area of the district. The accused Manoj Goel and Neeru Goyal of Shri Balaji Sponge Iron Private Limited, a Panchkula-based company and Anilji Bhansali of Emerold Industries, a Delhi-based company, had started an industrial unit in the Gagret industrial area of Una district. They raised loans from Canara Bank and other financial institutions for setting up the industry. From Canara Bank alone Rs 16 crore loan were raised for the unit. However, the accused allegedly did not buy the machinery. Later, they removed the hypothecated machinery from the unit and absconded. The SP said presently a scam worth about Rs 16 crore has been detected in the case. It could grow further up to Rs 25 crore. Further investigations into the case are still on. He also admitted that the role of some of Canara Bank employees was also under scanner in the case. The information regarding the case has also been forwarded to CBI. As per the information reaching here the CBI has conducted raids to nab accused in the case, the SP said. In another case the Una police has registered a case against Nirmal Singh Chauhan, an employee of the Central Bank of India posted in the Haroli area of the district. The SP said that the accused used to make fake bank drafts and then later withdrew the amounts from the accounts of depositors. The matter came to light when the bank manager at Haroli caught the accused while trying to withdraw Rs 10 lakh from the account of one Sarabjeet Singh Bhullar. The SP said that accused Nirmal Singh Chauhan has also been arrested by the Punjab police in a similar case. A case under sections 467, 471, 420 and 120-B of the IPC has been registered against the accused
bank official. |
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Snow in Manali, adjoining areas
Manali, February 6 The fresh snowfall on the famous ski slopes of the Solang valley brought smiles on the faces of winter sports lovers. The Solang ski slopes recorded about 16 inches of fresh snowfall this morning. A number of national-level ski competitions are held on the Solang ski slopes. However, lack of snow this year had forced the Himachal Pradesh Winter Games Association to postpone the national junior and sub-junior Alpine ski championships, scheduled to be held from February 8 to 13. Tourists were thrilled to see the surrounding areas donning an impeccable white mantle. Snow-covered rooftops and trees presented a beautiful view. Traffic on the Manali-Rohtang road was disrupted at several points beyond Nehru Kund, about 5 km from here. Hundreds of tourists rushed to Nehru Kund where there was enough snow. The higher reaches in Manali region, including the Rohtang Pass, Marhi, Gulaba, Dhundi, Kothi, Bhrighu ski slopes, Hamta slopes and Chanderkhani also had moderate to heavy snowfall. The day temperature in upper Kullu valley dipped sharply as cold winds continued to lash the region all through the day. |
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Rain, snow likely
Shimla, February 6 According to the local meteorological centre, the present weather conditions will continue as there is possibility of more rain and snow in the higher reaches. Manali experienced a rainfall of 15.8 mm, Palampur- 2.2 mm, Dharamsala- 8.2, Una- 2.4 and Bhuntar- 2.2. Keylong registered the lowest temperature at minus 4 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature at Shimla today was 6.6, Sundernagar- 10.7, Bhuntar- 6.2, Kalpa- minus 2.5, Dharamsala- 4.2, Una- 7.6, Mandi- 8.5, Nahan- 13.4, Manali- 0.6, Palampur- 7.4 and Solan- 4 degrees Celsius. |
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Differences over fielding BJP rebel come to fore
Dharamsala, February 6 The leader of Congress Legislative Party (CLP) Vidhya Stokes in an exclusive interview with The Tribune said no decision had yet being taken regarding candidates to be fielded by the party for forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. The HPCC has forwarded names of probable candidates to the party high command. The date for final decision on party candidate has also not been finalised as yet. When asked about Narinder Thakur starting the poll campaign, the CLP leader said: “ I have no knowledge regarding it. She also added that a section of Congress leaders was against fielding Narinder Thakur from Hamirpur parliamentary constituency. However, some of the senior leaders are of the opinion that he might prove as handy weapon for them against the BJP.” Some of Congress leaders are opposing his candidature on the plea that he failed even in the by-election in the sympathy wave when his father had passed away. While responding to a query Vidhya Stoke said the union ministers, including Shankarsinh Vagella and Jairam Ramesh, did not pass information to the state Congress leaders regarding their visits to Kangra district in the last fortnight. Both the ministers had come to implement the UPA programmes, including opening NIFT in Kangra and promoting Kangra tea. Even Chander Kumar, the sitting Congress MP from Kangra, was not invited to the function. About the possibility of re-fielding Pratibha Singh from Mandi, Vidhya Stokes said that she had come to know that she had written to Sonia Gandhi stating that she did not want to contest. However, no such written intimation was given to the HPCC. So, the HPCC has sent her name also in the panel of probable candidates. |
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New TCP Act soon
Shimla, February 6 The new Act, which will replace the TCP Act of 1977, has already been discussed at the highest level and is likely to be placed before the Assembly during the winter session. With all aspects of the new Act having been discussed and approved at the top level, now it was only a matter of time before it came into force, sources said. The new Act would help regulate development and construction activity even in rural areas as the entire state would come under its ambit now. However, contrary to the earlier proposal of giving powers to the panchayati raj institutions to regulate construction activity, only the municipalities would have these powers. “Everyone is unanimous that it will become a too difficult for panchayats to handle such work that requires services of thorough professionals,” an official said. The municipal corporations and municipal councils already have the powers under the Municipal Act, 1994, to regulate construction activity. Under the new Act, no construction activity would be allowed within 100 m of the national and state highways and 50 m of the main district roads. Till now, this provision was being enforced only along the
Shimla-Kalka national highway. As such, most of the areas were witnessing ribbon development, resulting in urban corridors along the national and state highways. In order to keep the procedure simple for villagers, all construction activity in rural areas being undertaken in accordance with the prescribed limits will not require any permission from the TCP authorities. At present, the TCP Act is applicable in only 22 towns of the state and 29 urban areas are still out of its ambit.
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CPI opposes closing of nursing institutes
Bilaspur, February 6 Addressing mediapersons here today, CPI state assistant secretary Pravesh Chandel, an advocate, said this was a clever move of some top BJP leaders to benefit some of its supporter business magnates from out side of the state so that they could start their private nursing institutes here and mint money as such a training in any private institute costs from Rs 3 lakh to
Rs 5 lakh. The CPI said the BJP had virtually started a campaign to destroy all health and education institutional facilities provided either free or at the cheapest expenditure and wanted to handed these over to private enterprises and let them loot poor people of the state and amass wealth from this
hill state. He said the BJP government was not doing this disservice to the poor hill society without a consideration from those who would be direct beneficiaries from this anti-people policy. The CPI has also demanded that the government should sign an agreement as earlier also, with the JBT trainees presently under training and give clear assurance to them for their appointment as soon as they would complete their training as they have been given admission purely on merit in the government institutes and the government was duty bound to give them service particularly when the state is already short of trained JBT teachers.
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Residents’ initiative to check drug menace
Nurpur, February 6 On Thursday night during a special drive launched by the residents, a few youths from neighbouring Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir states were trapped when they happened to come here to buy narcotics. In spite of handing over these youths to the police they thrashed them and gave light punishment before letting them off by giving them warning. The caught youths were from well off families of the neighbouring states. The residents suspected an inter-state narcotics trafficking going on in the posh locality here and appealed the police to smash this illegal trade in the town completely to save the youths from this addiction. They also constituted a committee to intensify the campaign against drug abuse in the locality.
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State govt to have no representative in NIT
Hamirpur, February 6 From now onwards, NIT would appoint its own Registrar through direct recruitment and state government will neither have any role in the selection nor have its any representative in the institute. The state government has been appointing the Registrar here since the inception of Regional Engineering College (REC) and the practice continued even after the college was converted into NIT sometime ago. The change has been effected after the NIT acquired autonomous status. According to the new guidelines from the HRD ministry, all NITs (after attaining autonomous status) will appoint the Registrar through internal selection process and not through appointment by the state government. The NIT management has already advertised the post and is in the process of appointing its new Registrar by March. Outgoing Registrar AL Sharma said, “NITs throughout the country are having autonomous status now and will recruit their Registrars through direct recruitment; even HAS officers can opt for the post but they will have to apply and undergo the selection process for an appointment in the NIT.”
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SFI holds demonstrations
Shimla, February 6 The SFI activists staged dharna outside the deputy commissioner’s office, seeking revoking of the decisions to place them under conduct probation. “The two SFI leaders, Naresh Sarwal and Munish Sharma, have been targeted as they led an agitation against the appointments of ABVP activists in the HPU through backdoor entry,” said Kapil
Bhardwaj. state vice-president of the SFI. He demanded the two SFI leaders were unnecessarily being harassed by the HPU authorities as there was no need to place them on conduct probation. “As part of our campaign against the present BJP regime and its anti-people policies the SFI has launched a signature campaign in which 50,000 persons have already signed,” he said. He said on February 10 the SFI would hand over this signed document to Governor Prabha Rau who is also the Chancellor of the university. |
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19 industrial plots, just five bidders
Solan, February 6 Corporation officials said little could be achieved as barely three plots were auctioned at a total cost of Rs 70
lakh. While the two plots measuring 500 sq m were auctioned for Rs 17.5 lakh each, a plot measuring 1,000 sq m was auctioned for Rs 35
lakh. There was not much biding and the plots were allotted almost on the reserve price fixed by the
HPSIDC. This was a rare occasion for the HPSIDC. With slump hitting the economy, few investors were coming forward to invest in the state despite the 2003 industrial package. Property rates had now become stable and even the local property dealers who had bought large chunks of land to make easy buck were now disposing of their land at cheaper rates. If the industrial package, which would expire in 2010, was not extended, there would be a further decline in the property rates, property dealers opined.
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Insurance scheme for sheep breeders
Una, February 6 The workshop was organised by the Department of Animal Husbandry and the SC/ST Development Corporation. Presiding over the workshop, chairman of the Wool Federation Trilok Kapoor said the state government had created a revolving fund of Rs 30 lakh for purchase of wool from sheep breeders. Besides this, he said the state government had also started the Insurance Scheme for each sheep breeder. He said each sheep breeder, who would contribute Rs 80 per year as insurance premium, would be provided Rs 100 as scholarship for their two children who were studying from 9th to 12th class. He said the workshop had been started on February 2 at Nurpur and would conclude on February 12 at Nahan.
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Yoga teaching in schools
Bilaspur, February 6 He said computer education had also been introduced in 282 upper primary schools in the state and Rs 50 lakh was being spent on it in the district alone during the current financial year. He said another 300 schools would be covered under computer education very soon. Forest Minister said the government was appointing 634 college lecturers and 1,404 school lecturers to equip these institutions with requisite staff. The government was committed to provide quality education in schools and colleges within the shortest period of time, he added. |
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Stipend for ayurvedic docs sought
Nurpur, February 6 In a statement here today the state president of the association, Sanjiv Guleria, pleaded that ayurvedic doctors were serving in hard areas of the state where allopathic doctors failed to join duty but they were being meted out step motherly treatment. He demanded to pay stipend to ayurvedic doctors doing post graduation in the lone ayurveda college at Paprola at par with allopathic doctors and added that the government should ensure appointments of all ayurvedic doctors being made against sanctioned posts before enforcement of the model code of conduct for forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. |
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Drug info centre inaugurated
Solan, February 6 While addressing the students on the occasion he said such centres proved beneficial in providing proper information to the youth and the society. An expert panel comprising doctors and pharmacologists from reputed hospitals and institutes in the state would be available to provide guidance at this centre. It would also help in providing clinical, comprehensive and evidence-based drug information to ensure safety, efficiency, potency and purity of medicinal products intended to use in the prevention and cure of diseases. The centre is also slated to serve as a learning centre for the pharmacy students. |
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Job-oriented programme
Kangra, February 6 Santosh Mangal, CMD, ICFe, on this occasion here said that the Institute of Computer and Finance Executives (ICFe), today announced SPEED which stood for Smart Programme for Eliminating the Employability Drawbacks and was offering a short-term course.
— OC |
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2 killed in road mishap
Shimla, February 6 According to the police the mishap took place at about 8.30 pm last night when the car (HP-09-A-1877) was on the way from Shimla to Rohru. Dinesh Kumar of Himri village in Kotkhai and Mahender Kumar of Badroli village in Jubbal died on the spot. Mahender’s wife, Sumila, sustained serious injuries and is admitted to the
IGMC. |
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Timber seized
Hamirpur, February 6 |
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6.25 lakh for mandir building sanctioned
Sundernagar, February 6 He was presiding over the function in which chief engineer, BBMB, Sunderngar, AK Gupta, sanctioned an amount of Rs 5 lakh for the construction of third floor of the building.
— OC
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Manali and its adjoining areas experienced fresh snowfall on Friday morning, renewing the cold wave in the region.
In order to check drug trafficking in the locality of ward No 2 here, residents have come forward after the failure of the police to curb the menace of drug abuse in the residential area notwithstanding surprise raids conducted by it. The irate women and youths of this ward have started patrolling in the locality to keep a strict vigil on the drug peddlers and buyers of narcotics.
