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Thind lands in fresh trouble
SMS gateway to deliver public services
Two swine flu cases in Solan
Chopper supplies rabies vaccine at Bara Bhangal
Terms it as false case
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Govt to take up visa denial issue
Jhuggis gutted
Disciplinary panel to decide Cong leaders’ fate
‘State not entitled to 12 pc free power from BBMB’
AIDS therapy centre a boon
‘Rescue stranded persons’
Udaipur-Killar road opens for traffic
‘Govt, Cong hand in glove with contractors
Man found hanging
Eye surgeons’ conference from today
Nominated
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Thind lands in fresh trouble
Shimla, November 24 Even though it was almost a year back that the state government had requested the CBI to register a disproportionate assets case against Thind, the CBI action came after the top investigating agency got the go-ahead from the Personnel Department at the Centre. Thind compounded his problems after he made a deposit of Rs 2.40 crore to repay the Rs 3.45 crore housing loans that he had raised from various banks against same properties in Chandigarh, for which he is already facing a forgery case registered by the CBI. The Himachal government had furnished details about properties, assets and known source of income of Thind to the CBI so that a disproportionate assets case could be registered against him. “The delay in registering of a case against the suspended officer was because the CBI had been awaiting the nod from the Ministry of Personnel at the Centre,” said a senior bureaucrat. “We had furnished all details to the CBI regarding Thind’s properties and sources of income as per his service records and other information,” said a senior bureaucrat. Two cases have been registered by the CBI against Thind including one for alleged forgery in raising loans and today’s disproportionate assets case. Besides this, he is facing an alleged extortion case registered against him at the Parwanoo police station by a businessman Ashok Mittal. The name of Thind had also figured prominently in the charge sheet prepared by the BJP while the Congress was in power. The BJP had accused the Congress of shielding him and had demanded action against him. He is facing cases even in Punjab with regard to land transaction and raising loans from banks against the same properties. Thind was arrested by the Himachal police on April 4, earlier this year, in connection with the extortion case registered against him at the Parwanoo police station. He had been placed under suspension by the state government over a year ago after the CBI had framed charges against him in the forgery case. However, even after his suspension, he failed to report at the police headquarters and remained on leave most of the time. Thind had sprung a surprise when he had filed a complaint against Chief Minister PK Dhumal, CBI director Ashwani Kumar, DGP (Vigilance) DS Manhas and IG (Vigilance) SR Mardi for misuse of position and disproportionate assets. |
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SMS gateway to deliver public services
Shimla, November 24 After completion, the system will put in place digitalisation of the land records in the state. The moment a land sale deed is registered, the concerned owner will be informed through an automatically generated SMS as is being done in case of bank transactions. It is one of the many IT-enabled services the government plans to start to bring transparency in functioning and benefit the common man. Chief Minister PK Dhumal, while formally launching five such services here today, said transparency was the key to good governance and IT provided very efficient tools for achieving it. He said with the launch of SMS alert service, applicant seeking copies of court orders, would not have to make repeated visits to the concerned office. In the first phase, the facility has been introduced in the copying agency of Shimla DC office. Similarly, another SMS-based service inaugurated today would enable electors to access the details like polling booth by sending the photo identity card number by an SMS to phone number 56300 at a particular number. He said Himachal Pradesh was leading in using SMS services on a large scale, mainly for the benefit of common man. The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of the State Data Centre (SDC) Department of Information Technology, Mehli, near here today, to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 6.47 crore. The Centre will provide another Rs 11.37 crore for installing servers, network equipment routers, firewalls and other hardware and software for the projects. The data centre will be managed for a period of five years by a private company to be selected through bidding process. Principal Secretary BK Aggrawal said all departments could use the database which would provide an important infrastructure for e-governance. It would help reduce requirement of offices which could use the centralised facility, including web services, database servers, application servers and anti-virus software. The backup facility would be provided even during failure of equipment or some natural calamity. Recovery site, being developed by the National Informatics Centre at Pune, would be used for the purpose. |
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Two swine flu cases in Solan
Solan, November 24 The first case was detected at Dagshai Public School where a student who had gone back to his native place at Ambala was tested positive for H1N1 while the second case had surfaced in Parwanoo. CMO Dr Ashok Tagra said soon after receiving information he sent a team of doctors to the Dagshai-based residential school where the two roommates of the child were diagnosed and their preventive treatment was started while two more students residing in the adjoining room, who had gone back to their respective native places at Saharanpur and Patiala, have also been advised to take preventive treatment. Their medical officials too had been informed about the same. It was worth mentioning that a number of students and staff of the said school were suffering from flu for the past over a week and class attendance had reduced considerably as children had sought leave and gone back home for treatment. The second case pertained to Parwanoo where a child studying in Delhi Public School, Pinjore, was detected with swine flu in HINI tests conducted at Delhi. The child’s parents had returned from Delhi after attending the cremation of a swine flu patient and another swine flu case had been detected at the same school as well. The doctors were trying to ascertain the cause of the flu. The child was initially treated at ESI Parwanoo but was later referred to the GMC at Chandigarh from where his parents took him to Delhi to get the HINI tests confirmed. The CMO had appealed to the public that all people entering the state from outside and who were taking contact treatment should inform the health authorities so that they could keep watch over such cases. He said there was no cause to panic, as the disease
was curable. |
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Chopper supplies rabies vaccine at Bara Bhangal
Dharamsala, November 24 Kangra Deputy Commissioner RS Gupta said he got information regarding spread of rabies in the remote village. There were reports that seven cows and one goat died due rabies in the village so two teams of the Health Department were sent. The team that was sent from Kangra side had to return due to heavy snowfall. Another team sent from the Holi area of Chamba, however, reached the village. On November 21, the first dose of rabies vaccine was administered to villagers. However, the team required more vaccine for treating 84 villagers and 365 animals. But continuous snowfall in higher reaches made land approach to the village almost impossible. A request was then made to the general administration department of the state government to provide a helicopter for sending vaccine to the village. The helicopter was provided today. With the vaccine being provided today, the Health and Animal Husbandry Department Team at Bara Bhangal would continue vaccinating animals and humans in the village till November 28, the DC said. According to sources, the helicopter also rescued three persons who were ill in the village. The rescued villagers include Kalpana Devi, her father Jia Lal and another person Chahoor Singh. The current operation carried out by the district administration is first such vaccination campaign against rabies in the current winter season. This also brings to the fore the plight of people residing in remote mountains in the state. Despite 60 years of Independence, the people residing in these areas are still at the mercy of nature in case of medical emergencies. The DC also said as a precautionary measure vaccination drive against rabies was also being carried out at Bir as many villagers from Bara Bhangal were climbing down to this area these days. |
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Terms it as false case
Shimla, November 24 “The CBI action has been prompted on the instance of the Himachal government which has shown my income from government salary as Rs 47 lakh whereas I have already explained to the CBI that my income was Rs 5.82 crore from sale of properties and salary,” he said, disputing figures of his income. He threatened that he would be filing a case in the Himachal High Court for malicious prosecution and misinformation by name against the
Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, DGP and Principal Secretary (Home). |
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Chinese Workers Tribune News Service
Shimla, November 24 This was stated by PWD Minister Thakur Gulab Singh while presiding over the review meeting to monitor the progress of the State Road Project, here today. “The issue will also be taken up with the Ministry of External Affairs so that the matter is settled as construction work on the two projects, entrusted to the Chinese firm, was suffering,” he said. He said work on 44.8 km Mehatpur-Una-Amb road and 80.6 km Theog-Kotkhai-Rohru road was suffering because of the visa problem of the employees of Chinese company. He said 11 employees of the company had been granted visa, which would hopefully facilitate the work. He further said the work should be expedited on all roads so that existing motorable roads, especially state highways and major districts roads, were improved to facilitate commuters. He added Rs 1,365.43 crore project was aimed at upgrading the existing motorable roads, besides periodic maintenance of 2,000 km road length in the state. To reduce distance and journey time between different parts of the state, the government has planned to construct tunnels at strategic points. He said the Cabinet had approved eight major tunnels. “The designs of these tunnels would be checked by proof consultant after which they would be posed for the World Bank funding,” he said.
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Jhuggis gutted
Solan, November 24 Fire tenders were immediately pressed into service but it took them more than an hour to douse the flames and check the spread of fire to the adjoining jhuggis. Nearly 150 jhuggis were saved from the fire, which was spreading fast due to dry weather and presence of dry thatched roofs. The administration failed to provide relief to the jhuggi dwellers as no official had visited them till late this evening.
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Disciplinary panel to decide Cong leaders’ fate
Shimla, November 24 All six party leaders, who were issued notices for allegedly sabotaging the prospects of party candidate Manjit Singh who was given the party ticket ignoring Pratibha Singh, wife of Virbhadra Singh, have submitted their replies to the party president within the stipulated period. They have denied the charge and asserted that despite their best efforts, they could not ensure victory of the party candidate because the candidate was weak as evident from the huge margin of defeat. The matter will now be decided by the five-member disciplinary committee headed by Rajkrishan Gaur. It will take time as the committee will follow the laid down procedure and give them an opportunity to explain their position before recommending any action. The entire process will take some time. The leaders, who were issued notices on the complaint of Manjit Singh, included president of Shimla (rural) unit, Vidya Sagar, PCC treasurer RVNegi, general secretary of the state mahila Congress Gita Negi, organising secretary of All-India Sewa Dal, president Rohru mahila congress Kiran Dutta and block spokesperson Raj Kumar. Union Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh had, during his recent visit to the state, supported them by stating that they all worked for the party, though to different extents. The party had fielded a new candidate at the eleventh hour. Things could have been different if he had been introduced earlier and had moved around the constituency, he said. It will be interesting to see if the disciplinary committee completes the job before the organisational poll, the process for which will get underway in January. The issue could well turn the factional rivalry into open hostilities between the pro and anti-Virbhadra Singh camps on the eve of the organisational poll. |
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‘State not entitled to 12 pc free power from BBMB’
New Delhi, November 24 Further, the Centre had agreed to 12 per cent free power to the states only from hydroelectric projects set up after September 7, 1990, while the BBMB projects were commissioned earlier. Senior counsel JS Attri, appearing for Himachal Pradesh, contended before a Bench comprising Justices GS Singhvi and BS Chauhan that the Centre’s affidavit was vague and sought a week’s time for his client state for filing its response. The Bench posted the next hearing for January 19, observing that the case would no longer be treated as part heard as the matter was pending for long, since 1996. Rejecting the contention that the document filed by the Centre was not clear, Additional Solicitor General Mohan Jain averred that all details were based on official records and the admissions of the state government. Besides 12 per cent free power, Himachal has also sought in the suit filed in 1996 a share of 7.19 per cent power from the Bhakra and Beas projects on the basis of the transferred population. This claim has also been countered by the Centre, stating that following reorganisation of Punjab in 1966, the concerned states agreed to share power at a meeting convened on April 17, 1967, by the Union Ministry of Irrigation and Power. Under the agreement, Punjab was entitled to 54.5 per cent, Haryana 39.5 per cent, Chandigarh 3.5 per cent and Himachal Pradesh 2.5 per cent. Counsel appearing for other states informed the court today that they would also like to file additional documents in the case. |
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AIDS therapy centre a boon
Hamirpur, November 24 Set up by the State AIDS Control Society, Shimla, in the premises of Hamirpur regional hospital, this centre has proved to be very beneficial for AIDS patients of the district and the surrounding areas. At present, this centre is being run adjacent to the integrated counselling and testing centre (ICTC) and the STI being run under the AIDS Control Programme. It is pertinent to mention here that there was a great demand for opening of the ARTC centre at Hamirpur since only one such centre was functioning in Shimla. More so, Hamirpur district has the highest number of AIDS patients and HIV-infected persons, including hundreds of women and children who had acquired the virus from their parents or family members. At present, this centre is providing free consultancy and test facility besides providing free medicines to such patients on production of treatment card. Bus fares for coming for tests and treatment along with one attendant is also reimbursed to the patients. A total of 469 HIV-infected patients are registered in the state out of which 220 are males, 207 females and 42 children. In Hamirpur, 363 patients have been enrolled in the ARTC out of which 172 are males, 159 females and 32 children. Talking about the utility of the ARTC at the regional hospital, Hamirpur CMO Dr DS Chandel said, “There was an urgent need for setting up the ARTC here with Hamirpur district having the highest number of HIV-infected patients. This centre has proved to be very beneficial for such patients.” One nodal officer, along with a medical official, lab attendant, counsellor, data manager and staff nurse, are working in this centre, he added. |
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‘Rescue stranded persons’
Shimla, November 24 In a letter to Defence Minister AK Anthony, he has requested him to provide an Army helicopter for airlifting over 400 persons who were stranded in the landlocked area following heavy snow last week. |
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Udaipur-Killar road opens for traffic
Manali, November 24 The helicopter today again operated two sorties to evacuate the stranded persons from Manali and Lahaul valley. However, hundreds of persons were still stranded on both sides of the 13,050-ft-high Rohtang Pass, gateway to Lahaul valley. People are now looking for alternative routes to reach their destinations. Some of them are taking Keylong-Udaipur-Tindi-Killar-Sansari nullah-Gulabgarh-Kishtwar and Jammu route to reach their native places. According to DC Yadav, XEN, PWD, Udaipur, the PWD had launched a massive road clearing operation to reopen the Udaipur-Killar road for light
vehicles. “With the help of well-organised team of officers and PWD workers, the Udaipur-Killar road to Kishtwar could be reopened for light vehicles last evening,” he said. SR Rana, SP, Lahaul-Spiti, said 22 light vehicles, carrying about 210 stranded persons from different places in Lahaul valley, left on the Udaipur-Killar-Kishtwar and Jammu route to reach their destinations. Rana further said pedestrians were warned against crossing the Rohtang region due to inclement weather conditions prevailing. |
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‘Govt, Cong hand in glove with contractors
Mandi, November 24 Lambasting state Congress president Kaul Singh Thakur’s statement that the company and the ESIC should not allow the CITU to form its union in the construction works of the ESIC project, district CPM general secretary Bhupender Singh and CITU secretary Prabash charged that the Congress and present government were hand in glove with the project contractors. They are supporting lobby of contractors to axe their grind at the cost of the interests of people of the state mainly locals, they added. They said it was the democratic right of workers to operate its trade union in the projects to protect their interests. But certain leaders are out to protect lobby of contractor to watch their own interests, they charged. Mandi DC Onkar Sharma said the administration had received communication from the government that the 70 per cent job quota could not be applied to the construction company in the project. But we are ensuring that most of jobs of skilled and unskilled nature are given to locals and works or machineries are hired locally by the contractor, he added. On the other hand, the Congress claimed that it was their government that made 70 per cent job condition for Himachali compulsory in all projects that would come up in the state. |
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Man found hanging
Nurpur, November 24 On getting information, the police rushed to the spot and took possession of the body. Usha Devi, wife of the deceased, said her husband had an altercation with his brother Halku Ram last night when all family members were present to participate in pre-marriage ceremony of his younger brother. According to the police, initial action has been taken under Section 174 of the CrPC and after conducting the post-mortem tomorrow investigations would be initiated.
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Eye surgeons’ conference from today
Kangra, November 24 Eye surgeons from India and abroad will attend the conference. While talking to mediapersons here today, organising secretary of the conference Dr Sudhir Salhotra said the conference would spread awareness among eye surgeons of the remote areas of the state. He said the faculty included Prof Claus Eckardt from Germany, a pioneer in performing difficult retinal surgeries without using sutures. This technique has led to early and better healing of wounds and improved surgical results, he added.
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