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Case registered against IPS officer’s son
Independent power producers thrive at state’s cost
Thind deposes before Lokayukta against CM
Firm fails to take up development works
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Work on Sainj project to go full blast
Martyr’s father flays dist
admn’s attitude
Extend credit facilities to farmers: CS
Sabha raises farmers’ issues
Eye Surgeons’ Meet
Doc commits suicide
Man held for raping minor
Four dacoits held
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Case registered against IPS officer’s son
Shimla, November 26 The police action follows a complaint by Sanjay Kumar of Boraridhar village near Mandi that his sister Pushpa who, according to him had married the deceased IPS officer Gupta on 2004, had been abducted and murdered. He had filed a complaint with the SP, Mandi, on August 25 earlier this year that a case be registered against Gupta and his son Suraj. Additional SP Anand Dhiman today said a case had been registered in the Chotta Shimla police station against Suraj and his father under Section 364 of the IPC. The case was referred to police headquarters by SP, Mandi, on the pretext that its jurisdiction was Shimla. Hence, a police case was registered today. What is intriguing is the fact that the police did not take any action or record the statement of Gupta or his son while the former was alive and now a case has been registered. “The IPS (probationer) at Mandi had been inquiring into the case and had asked the complainant to furnish more proof of the alleged marriage of his sister with the police officer,” said Dhiman. It is pertinent to mention that the accused Suraj had filed a police complaint seeking action against three senior IPS officers of the rank of DGP and IG for causing mental harassment to his father because of which he took the extreme step of taking his own life. According to the police complaint filed by the two brothers of Pushpa, Gupta had married her on November 11, 2004, and had been living with her in his official residence in Kasumpti. What raised doubts in their mind post-2007 was when she stopped making telephone calls to her family and efforts to establish contact with her failed. The complainant had demanded that the inquiry be assigned to a senior IPS officer or the investigations be handed over to the CBI as the case involves a senior police officer.
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Independent power producers thrive at state’s cost
Shimla, November 26 The disastrous hydropower policy, apparently to benefit the IPPs, being followed by the government has indeed turned the state from a power surplus to a deficit state. It has also led to a situation where other states are benefiting more from its hydropower potential and private developers are reaping windfall profits. Intriguingly, despite the increasing deficit the government is allowing private companies to sell power outside the state. In fact, early this year some agreements were revised to allow “outside sale of power” to private companies even in small projects. A glaring example of how the IPPs are benefiting is provided by the 86-MW Malana project. It was set up as a captive plant to meet the power requirement of textile industries of the promoter group in Rajasthan. However, in reality hardly any power was used for captive purposes and the company over the past five years sold the entire power through the PTC (Power Trading Corporation) to earn over Rs 800 crore, more than double the cost of the project. Even the national hydropower policy allows only 40 per cent merchant power for projects awarded through competitive bidding route with a completion schedule of four years. The quantum is reduced by 5 per cent for delay of every six months and if the project is delayed by four years no merchant power is allowed. Further, for projects awarded by the MoU route, as is the case with most projects in the state, the entire power has to be sold on a regulated rate. However, if the power is sold out of the state, the electricity regulator does not come into picture, which explains why the IPPs are keen to sell power outside the state. The government recently requested the Centre to fix 15 per cent share under un-allocated quota available at its disposal from October to April each year, increase its allocation from the ultra mega power projects to 400-MW and set up a 500-MW gas-based plant in the state.
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Thind deposes before Lokayukta against CM
Shimla, November 26 Thind, a 1974 batch police officer had filed a complaint against Dhumal on April 4, appeared before the Lokayukta today as he had been summoned for hearing. He is learnt to have furnished some more documents, substantiating his allegations of assets disproportionate to known sources of income against the Chief Minister. The next date for hearing in the complaint has been fixed for December 10. Incidentally, it was only two days back that the CBI, which is already probing a forgery case against the controversial police officer, registered a fresh disproportionate assets case against him. In his compliant against Dhumal, Thind has alleged that he abused his position to gain undue favours to people. Giving specific details of some land deals in McLeodganj, Palampur and Dharamsala, he alleged that these were benami deals and must be looked into. In his complaint Thind had also made mention of an undue favour to a private security agency in grant of tender for hospital security awarded in 2001 while he was the Chief Minister. Thind, who is facing two CBI cases and two other cases of alleged financial irregularities and extortion, had filed complaints against the CM, CBI director Ashwani Kumar, DGP (Vigilance) DS Manhas and IG (Vigilance) SR Mardi on April 4, accusing them of misuse of position. Incidentally, the police arrested Thind on the same day at Shimla in connection with the alleged extortion case registered against him by a Parwanoo-based businessman, Ashok Mittal. Thind had been placed under suspension by the state government following framing of charges against him by the CBI. The name of Thind had 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 demanded action against him. He was even facing cases in Punjab with regard to land transaction and raising loans from banks against the same properties.
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Firm fails to take up development works
Malana (Kullu), November 26 The footbridge across Malana khud built by villagers in the past has almost lived its life as its main wooden beams have rotten and await a tragedy as it can collapse any time, the villagers said. “We have to carry fuel wood, fodder and other materials, including patients, on human backs on this trek,” rued Jhabe Ram, a patient climbing his way along with his wife to Jari hospital, 25 km from the village. In fact, the company had promised villagers at a time when the entire village opposed the project that it would take up development works here about four years ago, the villagers complained. Drains and toilets are being built, but other promises remained unimplemented, they complained. Panchayat pradhan Beli Ram and kardar of Jamadagni Roshi Shukru Ram said most of the villagers were illiterate and do not know how to pursue works. “The 5 per cent of LADA funds are kept for village development, but neither the company nor the government has fulfilled commitments made to us,” they said. Passing the buck on the district administration, EPPL project manager MV Bhaskaran claimed that the company had allotted Rs 1.5 crore to build toilet of each villager and deposited Rs 50 lakh under LADA and Rs 60 lakh under social component of CAT plan to the state government. “It is up to the district administration to start development works in the village,” he added. On the other hand, Kullu DC BM Nanta said the works on the drains and path have been allotted to village contractors and they have supplied toilet materials to villagers so that money was properly used. “The work on school, panchayat and dispensary buildings will start soon,” he added.
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Work on Sainj project to go full blast
Shimla, November 26 The run-of-the-river project will utilise a gross head of 409.60 m to generate about 400 million units of power annually. The water of Sainj river, a tributary of the Beas, will be diverted by constructing a dam and an 8 km long tunnel to the underground powerhouse site down stream. The project is estimated to cost Rs 802.75 crore. The survey and investigation works of the project are complete. The barrage to be constructed will have a live storage of 38.41 hectare-metre. Asian Development Bank is providing funds to the state-owned Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation, which is executing the project. The project will provide much needed power, besides other benefits like employment to local people, opportunities for growth of power-based industries and enhanced revenue resources. |
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Martyr’s father flays dist
admn’s attitude
Hamirpur, November 26 Talking to mediapersons here today, he said, “Due to apathy of the district administration, commitments made by the state government to name a road and local government senior secondary school after Mridul Sharma has not been fulfilled, till now.” He said, “The park built in the memory of his son is not being maintained properly and it is in utter neglect with filth spread around.” He also rued that his family had not even been paid the award money of Rs 25,000 as announced by the government for a gallantry award winner even after five years. He said, “It is painful that the district administration has not been heeding any of his pleas in this regard.” The DC said, “The administration has already taken steps to fulfil commitments made by the government to honour late Captain Mridul Sharma and installed his statue in a park and other steps are also being taken in this regard. There is no question of any apathy in this case and he should give us in writing whatever is required and we will do the needful.” |
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Extend credit facilities to farmers: CS
Shimla, November 26 The Chief Secretary presided over the 114th HP State Level Bankers Committee meeting held here today. “The two ambitious projects of poly houses and Doodh Ganga scheme launched for the farming community are bound to bring socio-economic transformation in the lives of the farmers and growers,” she said. Swaroop said the banking sector should come forward to provide credit facilities to the farmers under these projects to improve their economic lot. She said 1,366 branches of different banks were operating in the state out of which 1,136 were functioning in rural areas. SK Goel, Chairman and Managing Director of UCO Bank, in his address said all the banks operating in Himachal Pradesh had provided credit facilities to the tune of Rs 1,162 crore during the first quarter of the financial year 2009-10 against the quarterly target of Rs 1,036
crore. |
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Sabha raises farmers’ issues
Mandi, November 26 The leaders went on to warn that the farmers would hold a countrywide protest against anti-farmers policies. Addressing the state-level conference of the kisan sabha here today, ABKS chief Nurul Huda said the liberalisation and privatisation polices pursued since 1990s by the government have ruined the economic muscle of the farmers. The government has cut down subsidies for farmers in
fertilisers, insecticides, pesticides, seeds and agricultural implements, worsening condition of farmers and common man already hit by droughts and crop failures in the country, he added. He said the farmers were not getting remunerative prices for their produce in markets or support prices from the government. Commission agents and hoardings are dominating the markets throwing prices of vegetables fruits and pulses, oils, other commodities rocketing, the leaders said. He cited data gathered by the kisan sabhas claiming that 1.70 lakh farmers have committed suicides between 1999 ad 2008 in the country due to one or other reason. The farmers are in state of economic crisis, but the government polices are pro-industrialists and pro-rich as subsidies have been cut down drastically in the country, he added. He said the Left-ruled states of West Bengal and Kerala have focused on the welfare of farmers, but other governments have ignored their interests.
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Sutureless technique reduces recovery period
Lalit Mohan Tribune News Service
Palampur, November 26 While speaking on the occasion, Prof Claus Eckardt from Germany, who has developed the technique, said the machine developed by him had reduced the recovery period in retinal surgery from three weeks to just two days. He had reduced the diameter of the instrument used for making incision in eye. This creates a very small wound in eye while conducting retinal surgeries that heals automatically without any sutures. The technique was developed two years back. In India it has been implemented in around 10 centres across the country. Dr SK Sharma, director, Rotary Eye Foundation Hospital at Palampur, while talking to The Tribune said their institution was the first to acquire the sutureless surgery machinery in the entire state. The suture less retinal surgeries could now be conducted at the Marinda-based hospital of the foundation. He also claimed that the institution was conducting the said surgeries for Rs 15,000 per operation. The patients at other centres had to pay Rs 50,000-70,000 for such surgery at private centres in other parts of the country. Dr Amodh Gupta, head of eye department at the PGI, Chandigarh, said there was flood of patients suffering from diabetic retinopathy diseases in his institution. The afternoon session of the conference was presided over by the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama said, “India is a centre for non-violence. The doctors should be compassionate towards patients.”
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Doc commits suicide
Solan, November 26 The doctors, however, declared him dead at the hospital. Sulphas tablets were recovered from his safari during a subsequent search. The doctor has been identified as Gagan Dev Singh who was a resident of Ferozpur. The 26-year old doctor had left few suicide notes scribbled in a notepad recovered from his vehicle where he had apologised to his parents for taking the extreme step and had also mentioned the name of a girl whom he had emphasised should not be blamed for his death. The police said before taking his last breathe he himself told the people around that he had consumed sulphas tablets around 9 pm. |
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Man held for raping minor
Nurpur, November 26 According to DSP Jawali, Badri Singh, the victim in her complaint to the police has alleged that the accused had raped her while she was grazing cattle on November 22. The police arrested the accused from his residence and booked him under Sections 376 and 506 of the IPC. The police has conducted medical examination of the victim today at the Civil Hospital, Nurpur. The police produced him in the court at Jawali and took remand for further investigations. |
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Four dacoits held
Mandi, November 26 The dacoits have been identified as Aabid, Azam, Samsoo and Islam. But the other four dacoits wanted in the case are still at large. All of them claimed that they were migrant labourers and had used a vehicle that was driven by their friend, who had also been arrested by the police. The police also recovered a black Scorpio (DL3CY-8786) used by them in the dacoity in a jewellery shop of one Shayam Lal at Kangu on November 9. They first recce the place with the help of a migrant labourer, who worked in the area, and then struck the shop on the intervening night of November 9. The eight dacoits had looted 560 gm of gold and Rs 70,000 from the shop, which they had shared, the police revealed. Mandi SP Sonal Agnihotri said the dacoits used country made pistols. The police was trying to nab other four wanted dacoits in the case.
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