Shimla, November 18
The state government has proposed to set up a modern technical university on the pattern of international lines with focus on advanced research to be carried out in tie-up with industries.

To be set up in two phases, the university will have to take care of all engineering and management disciplines. In the first phase, spanning three years, a campus will be developed to provide basic infrastructure to make the institutions functional. The finance department has already approved an amount of Rs 8 crore for the purpose. Necessary staff like vice-chancellor and deans for various faculties will also be appointed so that it can carry out the main responsibility of conducting examinations for various courses.

In the second phase, higher courses will be introduced but their scope will not be limited to pure academics and rather focus will be on applied research, which is of use to industries.

To achieve this advanced research centres will be established to pave way for introducing postgraduate courses and higher courses like MTech and doctorate. In all 13 such centres are proposed to be set-up in various disciplines like computer science, information technology, electronic, mechanical engineering, management, commerce and other branches.

The curriculum will be designed on the pattern of international universities keeping in view the ongoing process of globalisation. For ensuring international standards of academics faculty members from reputed foreign institutions will be invited under exchange programmes.

The functioning of the proposed university will be fully computerised and it will have modern laboratories and lecture rooms. It will also help reduce the workload of Himachal Pradesh University, as various technical institutions, currently associated with it, will be affiliated to the new university.

The government is also considering affiliating the medical institutions in the state to the proposed university. It has already given nod to a private medical university.

Dharamsala, November 18
The Union Ministry for Water Resources has directed the Rajasthan Government to provide land to 2,457 Pong Dam oustees in catchment areas of the Indira Gandhi canal.

The decision to this effect was taken in the 14th meeting of a high-powered committee constituted on the directions of the Supreme Court, which conducted in Jaisalmer on Monday.

The meeting was chaired by UN Panjir, Secretary, Union Ministry for Water Resources. State Additional Chief Secretary Harinder Hira, Rajasthan Chief Secretary Ashok Sampran and Kangra Deputy Commissioner RS Gupta were also present at the meeting.

The Rajasthan Government had earlier offered land in Jaisalmer district to the Pong Dam oustees. However, the land was rejected by the oustees who alleged that it was barren and had no irrigation facility. They were, instead, demanding that Bangar farm land, that was a central government establishment in Ganganagar district of Rajasthan, should be transferred to them.

The said meeting was fixed in Jaisalmer just to ascertain the kind of land being offered to Pong Dam oustees by the Rajasthan Government.

With the officials at the meeting deciding to give land in the catchment areas of the Indira Gandhi canal, oustees can now hope that justice will be done to them after about 40 years. The oustees had failed to get land in Ganganagar district of Rajasthan despite a Supreme Court order to this effect in 1996.

The Supreme Court, in a judgment delivered in 1996, had ordered that Pong Dam oustees should be allotted 1,188 muraba land (one muraba is equal to 25 acres) in Ganganagar district of Rajasthan that was initially earmarked for them. However, since the land was already encroached by locals, the Rajasthan Government failed to allot it to the oustees of the Pong Dam.

In the recent past, the Rajasthan Government offered land in Jaisalmer district in lieu of the said land. A delegation of oustees visited the land and declared it unfit. Now that the high-powered committee has decided to provide land to oustees in the catchment areas of the Indira Gandhi canal, it remains to be seen if their woes would finally come to an end.

The committee has also directed the Rajasthan Government to provide all basic amenities to the oustees.

Solan, November 18
With the Punjab Government dedicating the Baddi-Siswan road to the public today, hundreds of commuters travelling daily between Chandigarh and the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Industrial Area (BBNIA) will have a shorter journey as the distance will be reduced by as much as 30 km.

The construction of this road had been hanging fire since long as the former Congress-led Punjab Government was averse to its construction on the plea that the industries of Punjab would shift to the BBN area. It was after hectic lobbying by the state’s BJP government with the Akali-led Punjab Government that the latter committed to complete its work by June this year. Though the deadline has been missed by five months, the investors have heaved a sign of relief with its inauguration today.

Sanjay Guleria, president of the Himachal Drug Manufacturers Association, while thanking the Chief Minister said, “The efforts of the Chief Minister helped in completion of this road which had been hanging fire when the Congress governments were at the helm of affairs in Punjab, Himachal as well as Haryana.” He said the CM not only pursued it on priority but his personal relations with the Punjab CM helped complete the task.

President BBNIA Rajinder Guleria said, “We were thankful to the CM as he had removed the long standing woes of the investors in getting this road after inordinate delays spanning several decades. The continuous petitioning of this case before the central ministry by the BBNIA has helped get the requisite funds.”

The road that was committed to be constructed way back in 1978 by former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar failed to see the light of the day for almost three decades. It was in 1991 that Kumar again projected to make Baddi a planned town on the lines of Chandigarh that he mooted the project.

However, the continuous lack of interest taken by the governments of Haryana and Punjab who feared influx of industry to Himachal led to its delay. Even after Haryana managed to construct its 4-5 km stretch it was the Punjab government’s reluctance to complete the remaining 6-7 km stretch falling in its territory, which further added to the delay. This work was finally initiated in November 2007 and funds to the tune of Rs 12.25 lakh were sanctioned under the Economic Importance and Inter-State Connectivity Scheme.

Shimla, November 18
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, who is on a four-day visit to Israel, called on Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Aylon at Tel Aviv and discussed possibilities of collaboration in various areas of interest, particularly water management.

He expressed desire to have economic partnerships in the areas of drip and sprinkle irrigation, water recycling and water purification in which Israel had made significant advances, to help improve socio-economic condition of farmers in the state.

He said more than 85 per cent farmers were small and marginal and nearly 80 per cent cultivated area was rain fed and adoption of the new technology would help increase returns from small land holdings.

The Israeli Deputy Minister drew the attention of the Chief Minister to the three nationals of his country who had been missing from Himachal Pradesh. He urged Dhumal to help trace the missing persons at the earliest.

The two leaders also discussed the economic, cultural and other aspects of both countries and said India and Israel both had great respect for human values.

The Chief Minister also apprised him about the impact of climate changes, especially in the field of agriculture, horticulture and also the steps being taken by the state to preserve the environment.

He invited Aylon to Himachal Pradesh and urged him to visit the state during the International Kulu Dussehra Festival. He also urged him to sponsor a cultural troupe from Israel for the festival.

The Chief Minister expressedhope that Himachal Pradesh and Israel would benefit the mutual cooperation that would be in the field of water management and solid waste management

Earlier, nine Israeli companies gave presentations before the Chief Ministers of Himachal and Punjab on renewable sources of energy, water harvesting, solid waste management, irrigation, wind and hydel energy.

Mandi, November 18
Neither the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) nor the civic administration in Lahaul-Spiti are fully equipped to deal with the emergency situation that arises from the untimely weather conditions and snowfall that this time has stranded more than 260 persons, including 50 government officials, labourers and drivers carrying ration supplies to Pangi for the past 10 days.

The PWD, which looks after roads within the valley, and the BRO, which maintains the strategic Manali-Leh highway, have failed to open the road between Keylong and Koksar for the past three days. There is no movement on road clearing between Kanghar, Sissu and Koksar, stranded passengers at Sissu rued.

BRO sources said the dozers and other machineries went out of order at Gramphu and were being repaired to restart the snow-clearing work on the Gramhpu-Rohtang stretch. But we have cleared the Marhi-Raninaala stretch today, they added.

The BRO passed the buck on the state government and said they had sounded an alert to the civic authorities not to allow people across Rohtang after October 31, but the government had been sending officials to the Lahaul in bad weather conditions.

The Lahaul-Spiti district administration has sent a request to the state secretariat to airlift the stranded passengers to Kullu by helicopters, but no confirmation has come so far, officials said.

Lahaul SDO (civil) Akshay Sud said the road between Keylong and Udaipur had been restored. The electricity was restored at Keylong this evening as the “watery snowfall” has damaged the lines and roads in the valley badly, he added.

Shimla, November 17
The government today placed under suspension Dr Yogesh Bhardwaj, head of the Oral Surgery Department at Government Dental College, who is facing charges of sexual harassment levelled against him by a doctor student doing post-graduation.

It is on the basis of a report submitted by the fact-finding sexual harassment committee of the college today that the action has been taken. “He has been placed under suspension as prima facie there are enough grounds for the action taken against him,” said Principal Secretary (Health), Deepak Sanan.

Even though the three-member committee had been given three days’ time to submit its report but it took almost one week for the members to submit their findings to the government. “The suspension has been ordered as prima facie there is evidence against Dr Bhardwaj but only a detailed inquiry will confirm whether he is guilty of the charges levelled against him or not,” said a senior officer.

The police has also completed its investigations into the case and the challan is likely to be put up in court within a week’s time. “We have completed our investigation and statements of the accused, complainant as well as the witnesses have been recorded,” confirmed district police chief R.M. Sharma.

The police had filed a case under Section 509 of the IPC against Dr Bhardwaj on the complaint of a doctor, doing her postgraduation. The police summoned the colleagues of the complainant who are working outside to ascertain if there was any substance in the allegations levelled by her.

Dr Bhardwaj had, on the other hand, claimed that he was being falsely implicated as he had levelled charges of insubordination against the complainant and had made a written complaint to the college authorities. However, with the wife of Dr Bhardwaj being the principal of Dental College, there were apprehensions on the fairness of the inquiry.

The complainant has alleged that she was being harassed by Dr Bhardwaj since 2008. In her complaint she has mentioned specific instances when on a trip to attend a conference he allegedly tried to force him on her and seek sexual favours from her.

Following the registration of the police case, the Health Department handed over the case for inquiry to the sexual harassment committee of the college. Even in the past similar allegations had been levelled against Dr Bhardwaj but the charges could not be confirmed as the complainant had not identified herself.

Hamirpur, November 18
WWF wrestling champion Khali (Dalip Singh Rana) said he was not averse to entering politics and had immense capability to undertake his all three interests — wrestling, politics and films, simultaneously.

Talking to mediapersons here today on his way to attend a civic reception at Jawali, Khali said, “I am not averse to entering politics but will decide the issue of entering politics or joining any political party at an appropriate time though there are offers from political parties.” “Though I am deeply interested in films, can pursue my all three interests together.”

Replying to a question, he said, “WWF wrestling is a real fight and I have no knowledge if bookies have any role in fixing the game; of course there is a treachery during the bout and in one such case my opponent Undertaker had seriously injured me by hitting me on head.”

He said, “He is pained to hear that the Punjab Government has cancelled his extraordinary leave and asked him to join the duty since he is bringing laurels at international level, but will take his next course of action after getting any letter in this regard.”

On being asked if he has any special motive in touring the state now, he said, “Though I always wanted to meet people of the state, had little time and this time I have taken a long leave and visiting places to meet people.”

In his message for the youths of the state, Khali asked them to respect their teachers, parents and elders and also suggested that they should take normal but nutritious food.

Bilaspur, November 18
The state government is paying full attention towards women empowerment and provision of 50 per cent reservation in elections of gram panchayats and local bodies. It has also provided them with free travel in state transport buses on Raksha Bandhan and Bhaiya Dhuj.

This was stated by MP Anurag Thakur while addressing a series of largely attended villagers’ meetings at several places, including at Ghumarwin, Kasaru and Chokhna in the Ghumarwin constituency, on Monday. He said education was another priority sector of the government and 8,000 teachers have already been appointed up till now in schools.

The MP also laid foundation stone of Ambedkar Bhawan at Ghumarwin and Community Centre at Chokhna and inaugurated panchayat ghar building at Kasaru.

Shimla, November 18
Forest ministers of three western Himalayan mountain states will discuss ways and means to combat the impact of climate change during the three-day "National conference on forestry solutions: Strategies under mitigation and adaptation of the impacts of climate change" beginning here tomorrow. They will also pitch for a separate forest policy for hill states.

The aim of conference is to highlight the strategies to preserve forest resources and ecosystems in mountain region, with special reference to Himachal Pradesh, explore options for sustainable forest management and identify institutional roles under forest governance.

The conference will be attended by forest ministers and senior officers from Uttranchal and Jammu and Kashmir, besides the host state, and renowned experts of various related fields from India and abroad.

Chief secretary Asha Swarup will inaugurate the conference, while Chief Minister P.K.Dhumal will preside over the concluding session on November 21.

Bilaspur, November 18
The state government is determined to help and promote all activities which give boost to the economy of farmers and the co-operative movement is also one of the important modes through which this objective is sought to be achieved and that is why all efforts are being made to ensure success of this movement.

This was said by Forest Minister JP Nadda while presiding over a district-level concluding function of the 56th National Co-operative Week, organised by the District Co-operative Development Union at Luhnu Adventurous Sports Complex, here today.