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State to get grant for flood control measures
Govt submits report on ski village
Panel for strict compliance of building norms
Intelligence agencies
on high alert
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PTA teachers hold protest
Rs 25 lakh grant for farmers
Varsity orders independent probe
Boulders damage dam
Guv to inaugurate Dussehra festivities
MBBS seats to be increased
NABARD okays nine schemes
Sugar quota
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State to get grant for flood control measures
Dharamsala, September 26 Earlier, the state was not getting grant from the Centre for flood control measures. The state government was getting just loans from the Centre for carrying out the measures in 70:30 ratio. Minister for Irrigation and Public Health Ravinder Ravi gave this information while talking to The Tribune. He said a large number of rivers, especially in Una, Kangra, Hamirpur and Sirmour districts, had caused heavy damage to the agricultural land during monsoons. The present government had made a project under the Flood Management Programme and requested the Ministry for Water Resources to fund its flood control measures at par with other states as Punjab and Haryana. In the recent past, the Centre has provided grant for flood control measures in Swan river. Under the scheme, the government has already released Rs 24.50 crore. A detailed project report for carrying out the flood control measures in Bhata river in Sirmour district was also being submitted with the Centre, he said. The minister also said the present government had taken measures for finding permanent solutions to the irrigation and drinking water vows of many areas in Kangra. The work for the Shah canal, which would carry water from the Pong Dam to Changar areas of Kangra, is already in an advanced stage. The statement government has managed to get increased cost of Shah canal project from the union government under the accelerated irrigation benefit program. The Centre has also shown keen interest in the Phina Singh canal project proposed by the state government in Nurpur area of Kangra district. The canal was conceived by a former sarpanch of the area. As per the project submitted by the state government, the canal would start from the source of Chaki river in the hills and provide irrigation in arid areas of Nurpur subdivision of Kangra district. |
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Govt submits report on ski village
Shimla, September 26 Despite the fact that the public hearing for eliciting the views of the local panchayats, NGOs and other concerned groups with regard to the HSV was held on June 6 at Kothi in Manali but the report had not been given a final shape. “It is only two days back that we have submitted the report of the public hearing to the government on which the Cabinet will take a final decision,” confirmed Dr Arun Sharma, director, Tourism and Civil Aviation. Sources said the public hearing report was a very voluminous document, having every detail about the project which was touted as the biggest foreign direct investment (FDI) project. It is being hoped that with views of the public now being before the government, the Cabinet is likely to decide the fate of the project shortly. Seeing the public sentiment reflected in the public hearing report against the HSV, it is unlikely that the government would give the go-ahead to the project, approved during the Congress regime. The BJP, while in opposition, had opposed the project and had said they would not accept it in its “present” form. With about a dozen panchayats, senior BJP leaders, NGOs, hoteliers’ associations and other organisations of Kullu-Manali area registering their opposition to the coming up of the HSV, the public hearing report is against the project almost in totality. According to proceedings of the public hearing which have been video-graphed, the Naggar, Jana, Karja, Gofra, jagat Sukh, Burva, Shamug, Palchang and Malana had opposed the project. Even the Kullu and Manali Hoteliers Associations had expressed resentment on the proposed project. The public hearing report specifically mentions the issues which were raised by those who attended the public hearing to register their objection to the HSV project. They pointed out that coming up of the project would pollute their water sources, ruin meadows, create unemployment among the locals and adversely affect the flora and fauna of the area. Majority of the organisations had opposed the project as they felt it would vitiate the environment of the area. |
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Heritage Zone Pratibha Chauhan Tribune News Service
Shimla, September 26 The committee, which met here recently, had in some cases directed that the MC must ensure that reconstruction was done along old lines by monitoring the construction work from time to time. In fact, the Commissioner (MC) has specifically been asked to submit the report about the construction of a multi-storeyed hotel near the Victory Tunnel and the violations before the next meeting scheduled for October 20. The committee, while reviewing earlier approved cases, ratified nine cases of construction undertaken by various government departments. In the remaining 18 cases pertaining to private individuals, it will be ensured that reconstruction is strictly along old lines and the floor area ratio (FRA) is not increased while redoing the structures. Another issue which will be looked into is whether in all those cases approved by the heritage committee before August 2002, construction work had been completed within the valid five years period. According to rules, construction activity has to be completed within three years with an extension of two years allowed. In case a house or plot owner fails to complete the task within five years, he has to seek fresh permission. With glaring examples of violations in construction activity in the Heritage Zone, extending from the Secretariat till the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies (IIAS), the government is keen that the newly reconstituted state heritage advisory committee takes defaulters to task. Several cases of private individuals and hotels being constructed in utter violation of norms right in the heart of the town has come to light. With practically no regular monitoring from the MC, building owners are deviating from the norms, whether it is with regard to the number of storeys or increase in area. The heritage committee is keen that the MC takes its responsibility seriously.
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Fake Currency Kuldeep Chauhan Tribune News Service
Kullu, September 26 The CID busted a gang of smugglers at Bajaura yesterday, recovering fake currency worth Rs 36,000 from three-gang members—Latesh, Rishabh and Amit. They were all set to participate in Kullu Dushera for circulating fake currency in Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in the market by buying packets of chips and the like along the highways, the police added. The gang had a target of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh of fake currency notes for circulation with bases in Nepal and Sitamarhi district in UP. The gang members had left with Rs 70,000 out of which Rs 36,000 notes were fake after the CIP-NIA confirmed from the RBI, Nasik. The police has yet to find out as to how much fake currency have been circulated into markets in Himachal and other places. What is significant is the fact that the three youths were on their way from Delhi to Kullu-Manali in a Honda city car, highlighting how “bigwigs” were involved in the business. ID Bhandari, ADGP, CID, said the police was in touch with the NIA and had sounded the UP, Delhi and Jharkand police on the network of the fake currency gang. N Venugopal, DIG, CID, who is monitoring the investigation, said the gang had penetrated into Himachal, Ropar, Amritsar and Hoshiarpur and had set up a chain of agents at different places. The agents, instead, got commission for circulating fake currency in the market. The police have put up 1,500 cops to take care of security and other arrangements, claimed KK Indoria, SP, Kullu.
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PTA teachers hold protest
Kangra, September 26 While addressing
mediapersons, state president of the PTA Teachers Association Vivek Mehta said, “It is a political agenda of the BJP to sack all PTA teachers and make them scapegoats.” He alleged that while the file was moved on July 30, 2009, by the government for taking necessary action on the PTA issue, throwing out of the PTA teachers by the state continued unabated. He alleged that contradiction between the Chief Minister and Education Minister ID Dhiman on the issue was taking its toll on them. He described it as “most unfortunate”. He said the court had justified that PTA teachers were doing their public duty and were part of the government, proving the Chief Minister’s claims false that they were not the employees of the state government. He said despite the court direction that no new criteria could be imposed for the already appointed PTA teachers, the government sacked 225 teachers. He alleged that despite the court’s relief to 360 PTA teachers and language teachers, the government had failed to give salary.
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Rs 25 lakh grant for farmers
Dharamsala, September 26 Immediately a team of four revenue officials from Baijnath was constituted for conducting the survey to assess the damage to crops. As per the survey under the prevailing government schemes, the maximum benefit that the government can extend to farmers is Rs 28 lakh. Already Rs 25 lakh has been sanctioned. According to the government guidelines, the farmers who have suffered less than 50 per cent damage to crops, cannot be given any help. The farmers who have suffered above 50 per cent damage would be given a grant of Rs 300 per bigha and those who have suffered more than 75 per cent damage would be provided Rs 500 per bigha. The farmers would be provided compensation according to government guidelines as the survey is completed, the DC said. However, sources admitted that the grant that had been prescribed as damage to vegetable crop was highly inadequate. |
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Molestation Case Our Correspondent
Solan, September 26 The decision was taken following submission of a preliminary report by inquiry officer Dr RC Sharma, Dean, College of Horticulture, this evening. The university, in a press note issued today, stated that on the basis of the preliminary inquiry, the administration had decided to get an independent inquiry conducted by a senior Judicial Officer of the state (retd). Further, in order to conduct free and fair inquiry, the scientist has been placed under suspension and his headquarters has been fixed at HRS, Kandaghat. He was also divested of all teaching activities, including guiding postgraduate students. Meanwhile, the university students, while pressing for their demand of an early probe and a suitable action in the case, marched up to the office of the VC and pressed for their demand. The girls, while supporting the aggrieved girl student, had also demanded that the senior scientist should be divested of his duties till the probe was conducted.
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Boulders damage dam
Chamba, September 26 The reports said two persons sustained injuries while others at work at the site had a narrow escape during the incident. According to reports, one of the cranes, which was in operation on the dam site at the time of incident, had been badly damaged, beside destruction to
other machinery, equipment and materials of the project. A tentative loss caused by boulders had been put at approximately Rs 6 crore. The construction activities on the dam site have been hampered. However, efforts to restore the dam’s concreting work is in progress. |
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Guv to inaugurate Dussehra festivities
Kullu, September 26 Former Deputy Speaker and state BJP chief Khimi Ram Sharma addressed a media conference at the Circuit House here today and said Governor Prabha Rau would inaugurate the festival for week-long festivities. The closing ceremony at the Lal Chand Prarthi Kala Kendra would be presided over by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal on 4th October. Khimi Ram said cultural troupe from
Maharastra, Chhattisgarh, Karnatka, Orissa, Haryana, Rajasthan, Manipur, Nagaland and Jammu and Kashmir would perform during the seven-day long festivities. Playback singers from Bollywood like Kunal Ganjawala and Harbhajan Mann; renowned qawwals like Qutvi Brothers; and many film stars would grace the cultural evenings. He further said elaborate security arrangements have been made for the festival. The traditional rath yatra of Lord Ram would be led by Maheshwar Singh, the descendent of former ruler of Kullu Raja Jagat Singh, on the first day. |
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MBBS seats to be increased
Shimla, September 26 This was stated by Chief Minister PK Dhumal while speaking at the annual function of the IGMC, here yesterday. “The Medical Council of India (MCI) has acceded to the request of the state government to increase the number of MBBS seats to 100 from the next academic session,” he said. He said Himachal had emerged a role model for the entire country in terms of providing quality health care to the people. “In Himachal, one doctor is catering to the health requirements of 4,500 persons,” he said. Dhumal said keeping in view the demand for more doctors to serve the people, the government was keen to increase the number of seats. “It is my appeal to the young doctors to volunteer to serve in remote and difficult areas of the state so that people get health services,” he said.
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NABARD okays nine schemes
Dalhousie, September 26 Stating this here yesterday, Gulab Singh Thakur, Himachal Pradesh Public Works Minister, said Rs 11.30 crore had been allocated for the execution of these scheme. The minister hoped that all these schemes would be accomplished within the time-frame prescribed by the government. |
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Sugar quota
Shimla, September 26 |
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