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HP board to start distance education
Nature parks to be developed as wildlife centres
WB aid for environment growth
Shivratri Fair |
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Residents to protest against construction of abattoir
Is Hamirpur RTO jinxed?
Himalya launches fruit-blended yoghurts
Experts seek panel for selection of artistes
Cops turn blind eye to fake permits
Two shops set on fire
Tanda student tops PG test
Congress condemns firing incident
Lok Mitra Kendras to be set up
ADB team in Shimla
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HP board to start distance education
Dharamsala, February 18 Earlier, open schools were being run in the state under the Union Ministry for HRD. However, there were no fixed parameters of these schools and educational standards were being compromised. The Union HRD Ministry has now allowed the Himachal School Education Board to run and control open schools in the state. Elaborating about the concept, the chairman said, for the time being the centres that would be designated as open schools would be opened in 53 government schools in each block of the state. The students that would be targeted through open schools are primarily those who fail in board examinations. Such students would be allowed to complete their 10th or 12th degrees though open schools. Evening classes would be organised for such students twice a week in the open school centres. Teachers would be hired by the board especially for this purpose. The chairman said the failed students were likely to benefit from open schools as they would be allowed credit transfer for subjects in which they have passed. They would just have to pass the subject in which they failed through open schools to get the 10th or 12th class degree. Besides, the education board is also planning to add vocational courses in its open schools. The students can get certificates for vocational training by attending open schools. The chairman said the board would also examine the infrastructure available with the open schools currently being operated in the state before allowing them to continue offering
education through the state board. Presently, open schools are being run in 14 states across the country. In Punjab and Haryana, the school education boards are also running open schools. The chairman said the school education board would keep strict control over the syllabus and credit system in open schools. |
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Nature parks to be developed as wildlife centres
Shimla, February 18 Located in two different climatic zones the parks will be expanded to help display a wide range of wildlife species found in the western Himalayas, particularly within the state. The animals found in the Shivaliks will be kept at the Gopalpur centre and those of temperate zone at the Kufri centre, located at an elevation of over 8,000 ft. At present, the Gopalpur zoo is mostly being used as a home for rescued animals. It has only a few species like leopard and black bear. Chief conservator of forests, faunal diversity and protected areas Sanjeeva Pandey informed that master plans for the development of the two parks under which new enclosures would be erected in the parks for displaying some important species, particularly angulates and pheasants. The plans had been submitted to the Central Zoo Authority for funding. Monitor lizard, pangolin and crested eagle were among the species proposed to be acquired for Gopalpur, he added. Similarly, some more high altitude animals would be displayed at Kufri, which already had some important species like brown bear, musk deer, snow leopard and Tibetan wolf. There was ample scope for expansion as the park was spreads over an area of over 90 hectare and ideal for temperate species. Audio-visual material for educating children about various aspects of wildlife preservation would also be acquired. Meanwhile, the department had decided to organise a programme to provide training to staff for conducting wildlife census in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India. In the first batch 20 guards, deputy rangers and rangers would be given training at the Forest Training School, Sundernagar. They would be given in-house training for a week in the first phase and there after imparted practical training in the field, including areas like Harike sanctuary outside the state. |
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WB aid for environment growth
Shimla, February 18 This was revealed by Chief Minister PK Dhumal after a meeting with the World Bank authorities and environmental experts in Washington yesterday. The Chief Minister said efforts initiated by the state for sustainable environmental growth required financial stability and sustainable growth together. Dhumal said with the WB assistance the state would carry forward its endeavours already initiated in the field of environment and fast track the environment protection initiatives. “So far, we had been spending out of our own resources for such activities, but the WB assistance would supplement these initiatives not only for phasing out obsolete technologies but also for research and development,” he said. He apprised the WB authorities of its ambitious and unique Community Led Assessment, Awareness, Advocacy and Action Programme (CLAP) for environment protection and carbon neutrality through schoolchildren and civil society at gram panchayat level. The Chief Minister said the state was working towards developing its own policy and action plan for climate change with an objective to outline the state’s response to climate change, tailored to its specific circumstances as part of Western Himalayas. “We have constituted a state-level governing council and executive council to oversee and coordinate work on climate change in Himachal,” he remarked. Paluk Chatterjee, executive director of the World Bank, said they were closely monitoring the environment-related initiatives of Himachal Pradesh, which could be considered as a model for replication in other parts of the world to ensure fructification of the investments made by the World Bank. |
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Shivratri Fair
Mandi, February 18 For Tajik performers dressed up in their embroidered colourful traditional attires the temple town of Mandi with its countryside similar to the Pamirs and Badakshan, it was something like a déjà vu. Tajik singer Chumrich mesmerised the audience when he sang “Mein shayar to nahin…” from Hindi film “Bobby”. The Tajik traditional beauties in their rich traditional attires led by Mekha presented their slow rhythmic melodies that struck chord with the audience. Neither the audience understood what the Tajik artistes were singing nor did the Tajik understood Hindi. But music and dance know no barriers. The whirling dancers singing sweet melodies struck an emotional chord with the audience. This proves that music and dance knows no boundaries of language, religion and regions as audience mingled with the melodies freely. It was for the first time that the mela committee had invited a Tajikistani troupe for the cultural night that gave Mandi’s Shivratri an international look. But later in the night the audience almost deserted the Seri Munch stadium when qawals took over the stage maybe because the locals had a little taste for it. Only the town-seasoned gentry struck to seats to savour the qawalis dished out by Hamsar Hyaat. President of the mela committee Amandeep Garg said they had tried to strike balance as the committee had to take care of each taste. |
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Residents to protest against construction of abattoir
Shimla, February 18 Even as the state government has made up its mind to go ahead with the project funded by the Central Food Processing Ministry, the locals have decided not to give up their fight. The people residing in the adjoining areas of Boileauganj-Tawi area will hold a massive protest rally at the site on February 23. The joint action committee, formed by the people with the support of a number of social and voluntary organisations, today held a meeting and decided to launch a door-to-door campaign to mobilise support. The Rs 15-crore project for the construction of a modern slaughterhouse had been pending with the government for almost a decade before work was started sometime back. On the other hand, the MC has conveyed that now it was not possible to shift the location of the abattoir to a new place as the project would be withdrawn. “We had taken up the matter with the Centre to shift the location keeping in view the public resentment but it was conveyed to us that in that eventuality the project would be withdrawn,” said AN Sharma, commissioner, MC. It is learnt that even the state government was also open to the idea of shifting the site of the project but faced with the fear of losing the project, they, too, decided to proceed with the work. The slaughterhouse has been the need of the town as the present one located in Krishnanagar area is very unhygienic. “There is no way we will allow coming up of the project as it is bound to pollute several water supply schemes of the area and the presence of some temples in the vicinity makes it totally unacceptable,” said Nagender Gupta. He added that they would take out a silent procession from Tawi Chowk to the site of the abattoir and then proceed to the office of the DC and MC to submit memorandum. He said he was still hopeful that the government would change the location of the project keeping in view the sentiments of the people. “The MC and forest officials have misled the government on the issue and it is a fact that this abattoir will cater to requirements of a number of places in lower Himachal,” he said. The government officials, however, maintained that the apprehensions of the locals were not true as it would cater to the requirement of Shimla town only and there would be no pollution in the area. |
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Is Hamirpur RTO jinxed?
Hamirpur, February 18 The RTO office here had recently come in the public eye after RTO, Hamirpur, ML Mehta was allegedly caught red- handed while accepting a graft of Rs 10000 from two transporters in his office on January 16, 2010, by a vigilance and anti-corruption bureau (VACB) team. Mehta, an officer from Himachal Pradesh Administrative (HAS) Service, remained on the post from March 3, 2008, to February, 2010, when he was transferred to Shimla and is still facing a case in a local court in this connection. It has also been learnt that the bureau is still scanning the office record of the RTO office for the period while this officer remained posted here. Shockingly, another HAS officer Rajdev Singh Jasrotia, who was posted by the state government to replace Mehta as RTO, Hamirpur, was also caught red-handed by a vigilance team on February 11, 2010, with an unaccounted sum of about Rs 12 lakh by the VACB team in Chamba district, while coming to join as RTO, Hamirpur. Another RTO officer, Hamirpur, who remained posted here from January, 2004, to March, 2008, also remained in the thick of controversy and allegedly facing threat for life from a few local transporters, a few attempts were also made on his life during his tenure. With all these controversies linked with the RTO, Hamirpur, many officers of the state government are apprehensive if this office has become jinxed? More so, since Hamirpur is the home district of Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and the post of RTO, Hamirpur, is quite challenging. The state government has not appointed any officer on this post till now after the arrest of Jasrotia but decision in this regard is likely to be taken soon. |
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NSUI rally fails to make any impact
Dharamsala, February 18 Though the NSUI leaders had planned a big at Dharamsala today, they could muster just about 50 students. The students also wanted to burn the effigy of the BJP leader, however, the police did not allowed them to do so. The NSUI activists started their rally from the Martyrs Park and ended it at the Kachehri market area. The NSUI activists had announced today’s rally as an initiation of their statewide protest against Yadhupati’s thrashing. However, with response to the first rally remaining lukewarm, the movement was likely to fizzle out. Interesting, despite the fact that the state president of the NSUI was thrashed, none of senior Congress leaders came to the support of the organisation. According to sources, the senior Congress leaders allegedly did not support the beleaguered NSUI president as he had not taken them into confidence.
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Himalya launches fruit-blended yoghurts
Shimla, February 18 The chairman of the company, Manmohan Malik, said so far only plain and flavoured yoghurts were produced in India by major companies and real fruit-blended yoghurt has been launched for the first time in the domestic market. The fruit is processed in the plant and then blended with yoghurts in hygienic conditions by the food experts. The fruit-blended yoghurts are being produced with the technical collaboration of US-based company Preffered Vegetarian, which provided know-how for developing low-fat vitamin-fortified real fruit yoghurts, having a shelf life of six weeks without using any chemicals or preservatives. The company has initially introduced real fruit-blended yoghurts in the National Capital Region of Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune. He said the company has started commercial production of the product and was importing different varieties of berries like blueberry, strawberry and raspberry from North America, while mango, peach, banana and other fruits were being procured from Indian markets. The entire milk for fruit yoghurts was being supplied by local producers, within 60 km radius of the plant, and around 30,000 litres was being procured daily through 50 collection
centres. |
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Experts seek panel for selection of artistes
Mandi, February 18 While talking to The Tribune on sidelines of the ongoing week-long Shivratri fair, the cultural experts, artistes and folk theatre experts said the mela committee under the DCs had failed to come to the expectations of artistes and were not doing justice to both artistes and audience. As a result, the mela committee had defeated the purpose of promoting culture and right artistes in the state. “More than 80 per cent of artistes manage the performance on recommendation from politicians, making mockery of arts and culture,” they asserted. Citing examples of the Shivratri mela committee, Mandi-based music expert SD Kashyap, who has pioneered Pahari music in the state said, “The list of artistes for cultural nights at the Shivratri fair is finalised by the mela committee a night before. This shows how seriously the committee is promoting culture.” However, the cultural committee never involves experts and decides the list of artistes at their whims and fancy or chits or phone calls by politicians, the artistes rued. Another theatre expert said only cultural experts could do justice to both artistes and audience, not bureaucrats who head the cultural committees. The DC-cum-president of the mela committee when quizzed on the selection of artistes at a press conference said the committee had received over 350 applications and the subcommittee selected artistes for the show. |
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Cops turn blind eye to fake permits
Solan, February 18 While three such cases have come to the fore in the past five months, the police has failed to even inquire into the matter. In the latest case, a truck (HP12C-8347) was impounded at Dehradun on February 13 and it had produced two tax schedules where taxes of different states had been shown against same cheques. The case was sent to the Solan RTO by the Dehradun RTO, who had also affixed both tax schedules for verification. The trucker had shown cheque no 569209 of Rs 5,000 against tax paid for Uttar Pradesh in the original tax schedule while the same cheque was shown against Rajasthan. Similarly, cheque no 569210 was shown against Uttarakhand as well as Jammu and Kashmir. Interestingly, officials at the Solan RTA said the fake tax sheet carried identical stamp as the one on the original fake tax sheet and this was a worrisome aspect. Similar stamps had been used while preparing fake permits of another truck (HP12C-8913 and HP12C-5485). Information about their fake permits had been received after these trucks were impounded at Uttar Pradesh in October and December last year. Despite the RTA office furnishing a written complaint to the Baddi police to look into the matter, nothing had been done after a lapse of five months. Baddi SP Chander Shekhar Pandit said they would refer the case to the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau since an enquiry into issuance of national permits was already underway. He, however, had little to say when asked about the delay of nearly five months in referring the case to the vigilance bureau. However, officials at the RTA did not even rule out the possibility of the connivance of their own office staff. Intriguingly, all trucks impounded for fake permits pertained to the BBN area and were conveniently operating again in the absence of any police action. This had not only emboldened them but also the possibility of more such cases surfacing could not be ruled out. It was, however, surprising that the law enforcing agencies had adopted such a callous approach towards these cases though a vigilance inquiry was already underway in another case involving embezzlement of several lakhs. |
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Two shops set on fire
Kangra, February 18 Kangra SDPO Jeet Singh Thakur said today Ashish Guleria, a resident of Chetru, today lodged a report with the Kangra police that some miscreants had set on fire two shops, housing a gift centre owned by him, and a chemist shop run by his tenant, last night. He further said that Guleria in his report mentioned that some valuable gift items, including mobile phones and digital cameras, were also stolen from his shop. The SDPO said property worth Rs 3 lakh was destroyed and medicines worth Rs 4 lakh were burnt in the fire. He said during the investigation, the police found lock of the gift shop missing and found some stolen items lying on the Dharamsala road. He said a case under Sections 436 and 380 of the IPC has been registered against unidentified persons and investigation was in progress. No arrest has been made so far in the case. |
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Tanda student tops PG test
Kangra, February 18 Principal Anil Chouhan said college student Suruchi Vohra had topped the state-level PG entrance test conducted by Himachal Pradesh University and six other students Ankita, Smriti, Asha Ranjan, Vikas, Kunal and Ashish also figured among the first 20 in the test. President of the association Rajesh Sharma said in the All-India PG Entrance Test conducted by the CBSE seven students of the TMC were selected and Suruchi Vohra ranked 76. Both Chouhan and Sharma said it was for the first time that a TMC student figured among the first 100 on the national-level. They said others who made to the final selection on the national-level included Akhil, Kunal, Shweta, Vikas, Pragyat and Monika Thakur. Sharma said, “The performance bespeaks of the teaching standards at the TMC and commitment of its students to excel.” |
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Congress condemns firing incident
Chamba, February 18 A memorandum to this effect has been submitted to the Governor through Chamba Deputy Commissioner Devesh Kumar by a deputation of the DCC headed by the Congress MLA Surinder
Bhardwaj, who was accompanied by MLA Kuldip Pathania, former minister Asha Kumari and Pawan
Nayyar. The DCC also sought stringent action against the corrupt official who was caught red-handed by a vigilance team carrying Rs 11.90 lakh in cash in his vehicle. The Congress leaders also condemned the district administration for its failure in maintaining law and order situation in the district.
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Lok Mitra Kendras to be set up
Shimla, February 18 A meeting was held here today to undertake selection, verification and certification of the community service centres. The villagers would get a number of facilities under one roof linked to Social Welfare Department, Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB), Education Board, HP Public Service Commission, Revenue, Panchayati Raj and Rural Development, Police, Forest, Irrigation and Public Health. People would be able to get disability certificate, senior citizen card, online payment of electricity, telephone, mobile phones water bills, application forms for various posts jamabandi, job cards under NREGA, booking of rest house and lodging of FIR.
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ADB team in Shimla
Shimla, February 18 The seven-member fact-finding ADB team led by Keiichi Tamaki held a meeting with officers of the tourism, civil aviation and urban development, environment, science and technology, forest department, municipal corporation, PHD Chamber of Commerce, and NGOs over the past two days. The ADB delegation informed that most likely the projects would take off from the next financial year and another delegation of the ADB would also visit Himachal Pradesh in March.
— TNS |
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