|
|
|
|
Cabinet extends National Health Insurance Scheme
Fate of ski village may soon be decided
Forum penalises Mohali hospital
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Injuries to Student Mandi IIT classes to start at
Roorkee
Centre okays agriculture work plan
Miss Tibet contestants for 2009 at Dharamsala on Friday. A Tribune photo
IGMC performs rare surgery
Summer festival faces rain threat
Fresh MoU for pithead plant
Residential schools in tribal areas planned
Rain lashes Kangra valley
Resignation accepted
Presentation on oral hygiene
DPS students shine
Charas seized
|
|
Cabinet extends National Health Insurance Scheme
Shimla, May 29 The decision was taken by the State Cabinet which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. Under the scheme smart card-based cashless health insurance cover of Rs 30,000 would be provided to each of the 2,98,291 below poverty line (BPL) families in the state. The scheme will be funded by the Centre and the state government in the 75 to 25 ratio and the beneficiary will not be required to pay any premium. Critical patients will be entitled to an insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh for surgery, cancer, heart problem, plantation surgery and neurosurgery while insurance cover of Rs 10,000 will be available to mother and child in delivery cases. Beneficiary will also be entitled to draw Rs 100 per visit to hospital subject to Rs 1,000 at the maximum. It approved model relief and rehabilitation policy to compensate the people affected by setting up of cement plants in the state. Henceforth, land for project will be transferred or acquired at mutually agreed price between the company and land owners. In case acquisition under Land Acquisition Act is required, compensation will be given as per prevailing market rate with additional compensation for built-up structures. Each project- affected family rendered houseless will be allotted a free of cost house site measuring 150 by 80 sqm to each nuclear family. It decided to make it mandatory to provide each project affected, houseless and landless family a monthly subsistence allowance, equivalent to 25 days minimum agricultural wages at the rate of Rs 125 per day for one year from the date of displacement. The nuclear family not benefitted with direct or indirect employment will get minimum agricultural wages for 750 days or Rs 1 lakh, whichever is higher. An amount of Rs 50,000 will be paid additional for construction of cattle sheds to the cattle owner families, Rs 20,000 for shifting of man and material, 100 cement bags free and 50 additional at half the price, employment to at least one person per nuclear family, scholarships to the students and 70 per cent employment to the local people at all levels. As per another decision organisations involved in spreading the non-biodegradable garbage will be fined Rs 5,000 and individual Rs 1,000 after the ban is invoked. |
||
|
Fate of ski village may soon be decided
Shimla/Mandi, May 29 The hearing of public objections has been delayed because of the model code of conduct. A committee headed by the Secretary, Tourism, will hold the public hearing at Kothi on June 6, where the local people and representatives of various NGOs can echo their concerns. The report of the committee will form the basis of the government decision on the issue. The Secretary, Environment, Power,
PWD, IPH and Town and Country Planning are the other members of the committee. The project has been facing rough weather ever since the BJP regime assumed power in the state. While in opposition, the party had opposed the project saying it did not approve of it in the present form. The project promoters were also asked to seek clearance from the Ministry of Defence in view of the fact that the Manali-Leh road was a strategic link for the armed forces. The local people have also been opposing the project, which is to come up in the Kothi-Palchang area of
Kullu-Manali. They say their rights will be adversely affected due to the coming into existence of the project. Another objection has been that the project will not only lead to environmental degradation but also impact the local socio-culture fibre of the
area. MANDI: The promoter company’s board of directors may face test after the high-powered committee completes its inspection of the site at Kothi on June 6. Even the fate of the company has become uncertain and it has already shed more than 90 per cent of its staff pleading that it “has suffered losses due to recession and the state government has not given any positive signal as regards the DPR submitted to it.
|
||
|
Forum penalises Mohali hospital
Sundernagar, May 29 Sunita’s daughter fell ill in February 2008 and was admitted to a hospital run by the NHPC at Nagwain in Mandi district. She was later referred to Silver Oaks Hospital, Mohali, as it was empanelled under the direct payment scheme of the NHPC. The patient remained admitted to the hospital from February 27, 2008, to March 1, 2008. At the time of discharge, the hospital charged Rs 23,622 from them. When the bills were presented to the NHPC, an amount of 16,672 was reimbursed by the NHPC. A complaint was filed before the forum alleging that the hospital did not treat the case under the direct payment scheme and charged Rs 6,950 extra from her. She prayed for the refund of the excessive payment, besides
compensation. The hospital took the plea that the no reference letter was annexed with the treatment record. It further alleged that the forum lacked the territorial jurisdiction in the case as the hospital was not situated in Mandi district. The NHPC also cleared in its reply that the hospital had charged an excessive amount of Rs 6,950. The forum held it had the territorial jurisdiction to try the case. It further held that the hospital had charged an excessive sum of Rs 6,950 from the complainant. It directed the hospital to refund the amount and pay a compensation of Rs 5,000 besides Rs 2,000
as costs. |
||
|
Father calls it a case of assault
Tribune News Service
Hamirpur, May 29 Rishab Sharma (18), a boarder of the school, was reportedly found lying injured behind a hostel of the school on Sunday morning. He was taken to the PGI, Chandigarh. The doctors there said there was nothing serious and his treatment could be carried out at any hospital. He was then taken to a hospital at Bilaspur, where he is still under treatment. Rishab’s father Rattan Chand Sharma said, “Some student informed me on Sunday morning that Rishab was found lying in a seriously injured state in a drain near the school hostel from where he was taken to the Hamirpur district hospital.” “I have lodged a police complaint and want the case to be thoroughly investigated into since my son has still not recovered and circumstances strongly indicate that he was beaten up by his fellow students on that night,” he said. On the other hand, it is also being said that Rishab and one other student had sneaked out of the hostel at midnight on that day. While returning to hostel, Rishab somehow fell down and suffered serious injuries in the process. Even school principal CP Lakhanpal says that the student had suffered injuries due to a sudden fall. “As per our findings, Rishab had sneaked out of the hostel on that night and suffered injuries due to a fall while returning. There was no evidence of any brawl among students that night,” he maintained. Hamirpur SHO Anjani Jaswal said, “We have registered a case under Sections 147 and 323 of the IPC following a complaint by Rishab’s father Rattan Chand. The initial investigation into the case indicates that the student had suffered injuries due to a fall while returning to the hostel on that night. However, we are still investigating the case from every angle.”
|
||
|
Mandi IIT classes to start at
Roorkee Mandi, May 29 The high-level team from the HRD ministry and the IIT, Roorkee, had inspected the temporary accommodation to house the IIT, Mandi. But the IIT authorities had not hired the temporary accommodation till today as this may not have come up to the IIT standards, said sources. The Director of the IIT, Mandi, Dr SC Saksena, told The Tribune on phone from New Delhi today that the first batch would sit at the IIT, Roorkee, this year.
|
||
|
Centre okays agriculture work plan
Shimla, May 29 Director, Agriculture, J.C. Rana said under the work plan integrated cereal development programmes for wheat, pulses and oilseed, schemes for farm mechanism, integrated nutrients and pest management, national watershed development project for rain-fed areas, protective irrigation and water harvesting, promotion of organic farming and cultivation of small millets had been included. He said under the plan 4000 farmers would be registered for promotion of organic farming in the state and exhibitions would be organised to create awareness amongst farming community through various promotional means. He said 1000 demonstrations of improved packages of practices would be conducted, 5000 mini seed-kits would be distributed to the farmers and 30,000 quintals of wheat seed would be provided on subsidised cost. Furhter, 500 hectares would be brought under the integrated nutrient management programmes in
the state. Rana said 2000 farmers would be provided financial assistance for purchase of manually operated and plant protection implements under the plan. He said one lakh soil health cards would be distributed to the farmers during the period, 760 farmers would be provided financial assistance of Rs 1.14 crore for conveyance of water through pipes.
|
||
|
4 contestants for Miss Tibet contest
Dharamsala, May 29 The four contestants include Dolkar, 24, from Dehradun, Ngawang Choying, 18, from Darjeeling, Tenzin Choezom, 20, from Dharamsala and Yeshi Lhamo, 24, from Bir. Pageant director Lobsang Wangyal while talking to The Tribune said originally he received seven applications. However, three contestants withdrew due to personal reasons. The pageant is coming with a special message of ‘Thank you India for 50 years of help and hospitality’ for Tibetan people. The four contestants will be provided one-week training starting on May 29 in yoga, dance, make-up and personality development. They will also be provided orientation on Tibetan history, language, philosophy, current affairs, the human rights and environment in Tibet. There will be three days of competition starting with the swimsuit round on 5 June. Talk and Talent rounds will he held the following day. In the finals on 7 June, there will be four rounds, introduction, evening gown, traditional costume and interview. Crowning will be followed next with the presentation of the prize money of Rs 1 lakh to the winner. The first runner-up will be presented Rs 50,000 while the second runner-up will be given Rs 25,000. The fourth placed will receive a token prize of Rs 5,000. |
||
|
IGMC performs rare surgery
Shimla, May 29 It was Dr Rajeev Bhardwaj, associate professor in the Cardiology Department, who undertook the challenge when it became evident that despite pregnancy the procedure would have to be undertaken to ensure the safety of both the mother and the foetus. He was assisted by registrar Dr Rajesh Sharma during the surgery. Sarinda (28) of Rampur came to the IGMC, complaining of breathlessness. “Considering the fact that she was 14 weeks pregnant, it was felt that undertaking ballooning in such a condition was very risky,” said Dr Bhardwaj. On May 22, Dr Bhardwaj performed successful balloon dilation under anaesthesia in very quick procedures so that the dose of radiation to the foetus was minimised. |
||
|
Summer festival faces rain threat
Dharamsala, May 29 A baby show was organised in the morning. About 100 children participated in the event. In the “up to 1 year” age group, Ananya was declared winner while Shardha Banyal and Devesh Sharma got the second and the third place, respectively. In the 1 to 2 years age group, the top three slots were occupied by Ayushi, Ananya and Praveshwar Kaur. The slots were won by Om Nayar, Saksht Thapa and Mansi in the 2 to 3 year age group. Transport Minister Kishan Kapoor is scheduled to inaugurate the festival in the evening. Famous Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi will perform on the concluding day on May 31.
|
||
|
Fresh MoU for pithead plant
Shimla, May 29 The new MoU will not only ensure transparency in the implementation of the Rs 3,000-crore project, but also enable the state government to secure 250 MW power at competitive rates with minimal investment. As per the MoU, a new company, the Himachal EMTA Power, will be set up for setting up the plant. Both partners will have equal equity share.
|
||
|
Residential schools in tribal areas planned
Shimla, May 29 This was stated by the Chief Minister while reviewing the functioning of the Tribal Development Department here today. Given the difficult geo-physical conditions in tribal areas, it would be in the best interest of students to pursue education in residential schools, he said. The government would also consider involving non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to achieve the objective. The government was also considering providing free conveyance to students coming to schools from distant places so that their studies were not hampered. The Gurukul Awas Yojna had been a grand success as the teachers were able to reside in solar-passive houses at the place of their duty.
|
||
|
Rain lashes Kangra valley
Kangra, May 29 Today it was sunny since morning but in the afternoon the sky was overcast and rained heavily giving respite to the people from the sultry heat. The thunders with showers forced people indoors in the afternoon. The reports of rain were received from Palampur, Dharamsala, Mallan, Shahpur, Gaggal, Nagrota Bagwan and Jawalamukhi. The town also experienced showers. Before the rain, high-velocity winds were experienced that uprooted trees, damaged mango crop and disrupted power supply in the town and other localities. The tourists, who experienced hottest summer in planes, in this temple town enjoyed the showers today.
|
||
|
Resignation accepted
Shimla, May 29 An official spokesperson said here yesterday that Sushant’s resignation had been accepted with effect from May 26. This, he added, had resulted in one vacancy in the state assembly. Elections to any seat falling vacant have to be held within six months.
|
||
|
Presentation on oral hygiene
Hamirpur, May 29 Through this presentation Dr Bhardwaj talked about importance of the oral hygiene, how to protect teeth, correct method of brushing teeth etc.
|
||
|
DPS students shine
Manali, May 29 Gitanjali Kaishta scored 96 per cent, while Tanvi Mehra was second with 95.4 per cent and Bhanvi Thakur and Neelanshi Bhatnagar stood joint third with 90.2 per cent marks.
|
||
|
Charas seized
Hamirpur, May 29 The SHO said, “On a tip off, the police apprehended Mehar Singh of Balhota in Mandi district, today at Dimmi with the contraband.” |
||
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
