|
|
|
|
State fails to set up energy conservation fund
Govt misusing funds on IPL matches: Cong
NGO opposes sale of apple carton unit
Suicide by woman; husband booked
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
BJP to move court over industrial package issue
Rs 348 cr credit plan approved
HPU relief for differently abled students
CD Case
Gram sabha meetings today
MC chief wins trust vote
3 held for killing man
Villagers gherao medical officer
666 traditional water sources rejuvenated
Youth Cong activists gherao industrial unit
Punjab must not oppose package extension: MLA
Shooting Incident
Cleanliness drive launched
Labourer killed
Study of Pahari cow breed
|
|
State fails to set up energy conservation fund
Shimla, April 3 Some states like Andhra Pradesh created the fund more than four years ago and are benefiting by grants and financial assistance received from various agencies. The Centre has made it clear that it will release the first instalment of Rs 2 crore to only those states which have set up of the fund and notified the rules for administering it in accordance with the provisions of the Act. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has also framed the model rules for operating it. It is learnt that a proposal to set up the fund is pending with the government for the past over three years. The Section 16 of the Act lays down that every state will have to create State Energy Conservation Fund for the purposes of promotion of efficient use of energy and its conservation. All grants and loans that may be made by the state government, the Centre or any other organisation or individual for the purposes of the Act will be credited to the fund. As such the state cannot get funds from funding
organisations, like Asian Development Bank, which are financing energy efficiency and conservation programmes in a big way. Even funds given by the BEE for various projects will also go to the fund. Besides creating funds without any further delay, the government will have to notify rules and set up a state steering committee for monitoring the application of funds and implementation of various
programmes. The state has taken lead in energy conservation by implementing the Rs 80 crore Atal Bijli Bachat Yojna under which over 16 lakh domestic power consumers were given four energy efficient CFLs (compact fluorescent lamp) free of cost. However, it is quite surprising that that state has shown no interest in setting up the fund which will only facilitate flow of finances for energy conservation programmes from various sources. |
|
Govt misusing funds on IPL matches: Cong
Shimla, April 3 General secretary of the party Kuldeep Rathore said the IPL was not a national or international championship and, as such, there was no need for the state to squander its resources on these matches. The government had announced that it would spend more than Rs 3 crore on making arrangements for IPL matches which was patently wrong and it should recover the money from the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association
(HPCA), headed by Anurag Thakur, MP and son of Chief Minister PK Dhumal. He said it would be wrong to term the HPCA as a sports body as it was functioning on corporate lines and indulging in various commercial activities like building of five-star hotel. Moreover, it was the richest sports body which neither needed nor deserved any government support. The HPCA had been receiving special treatment from the government only because the son of the Chief Minister was involved in it, he
aded. He demanded that all expenses incurred by the government in making security arrangements and improving infrastructure be charged from the
HPCA. |
|
NGO opposes sale of apple carton unit
Shimla, April 3 President of the organisation PS Negi said the state was not in a position to run the unit efficiently as it lacked professionally and technically competent staff and did not even have the working capital. The only option was to give the unit for a minimum period of 10 to 15 years to the private sector on lease. It was officialy recorded that in the year 2005, the unit received an offer of Rs 57 lakh annual rent, which could have been negotiated to Rs 70
lakh. These facts on the ground did not warrant displacement of the plant by uprooting the machinery and transplanting it elsewhere and, as such, proposal to set up an engineering college at the site was ill-advised, he said. The unit had manufactured 58 lakh cartons in one short season with limited working capital and earned an operational profit of around Rs 2
crore. The existing machinery could achieve its rated capacity of over 2.5 crore cartons if it was run for six months with adequate working capital. The production was deliberately kept low to reduce the burden of subsidy and this was the main reason why the capacity utilisation had never exceeded 20 per cent, he added. |
|
Suicide by woman; husband booked
Shimla, April 3 SP RM Sharma said Rajni’s father told the police that Raghvendra had been harassing and maltreating her daughter for the past quite sometime. Rajni got married in 2007 and had narrated her woes to her parents when she visited them a few weeks back. |
|
BJP to move court over industrial package issue
Shimla, April 3 The newly constituted state executive, which met here yesterday under the chairmanship of party president Khimi Ram, passed a resolution, decrying the action which clearly pointed that the UPA government was taking decisions on political considerations. The party appealed to the Congress to join hands with it to wage collective battle against the injustice being perpetrated on the state. Chief Minister PK
Dhumal, during the meeting, said he had discussed the matter with the Congress and the party leaders had assured to lend support. He, along with Leader of the Opposition Vidya Stokes, PCC chief Kaul Singh and all MPs of the state, would meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard. The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand had also agreed to take up the issue jointly, he added. The party decided to send at least 10,000 activists from the state to participate in the proposed rally to be held in Delhi on April 21 against price rise. It has also decided to hold programmes in all districts on its foundation day on April 6. |
|
Rs 348 cr credit plan approved
Hamirpur, April 3 He said the bank authorities would focus on development of agriculture and allied sectors, including self-employment activities, and the plan was being implemented by Punjab National Bank. He urged the bankers to strive hard to realise the goals set for the current fiscal year. Earlier, RK Goel from the PNB circle welcomed the participants and said Rs 311 crore had been allocated for the priority sector and Rs 37 crore for the non-priority sector out of which Rs 48 crore had been allocated for small industries, service sector and Rs 125 crore for retail business, education, house building, etc. |
|
HPU relief for differently abled students
Shimla, April
3 A decision to this effect was taken by the academic council of the university which met under the chairmanship of Vice-Chancellor Sunil Gupta, here today. It also approved equivalence of MA, physical education, with master of physical education, and MA, business economics, with Master of Business Economics
(MBE). syllabi of ayurveda, homeopathy and languages as updated by different faculties. Vacation and examination schedule for 2010-11 session were also approved. It also decided to adopt the rules for admission to PhD as per the guidelines and recommendations of the
UGC. Gupta said admission to BEd and MEd courses would take place as per the recommendations and norms of the National Council for Teacher’s Education. Evaluation process for undergraduate classes would commence at 10 centres across the state from April 12. One supernumerary seat had been reserved for single girl child in each postgraduate course and various undergraduate courses from the ensuing academic session, he added. |
|
Cong flays Dhumal for clean chit to MP
Tribune News Service
Shimla, April 3 Addressing mediapersons here today, he said the CD clearly showed that money was accepted by the MP in lieu of promised favours to a private party for setting up educational institutions and obtaining permission under Section 118 of the Tenancy and Land Reforms Act to acquire land in Solan district for the purpose. The blatant manner in which Dhumal had tried to hush up the matter only betrayed his compulsion as it was not the lone case. The BJP government had given nod to as many as 18 private universities, most of them in Solan. The government had been tailoring such policies to oblige land mafias. The government feared that any impartial probe could reveal many skeletons in its cupboard and it might open the Pandora’s box, creating serious problems for it. The Congress had outrightly rejected clean chit given without any proper inquiry or even examination of the CD and it would continue to agitate to press its demand for a CBI probe in the matter, he added. The party would stage a dharna in front of the Vidhan Sabha on April 9 to highlight the issue of corruption, particularly the CD case, and various acts of commission and omission of the Dhumal government. Rathore accused the BJP regime of adopting dual and conflicting stand which would only undermine the collective efforts to get the industrial package extended. “On one hand the CM has been accusing the UPA government of discriminating against the state and holding out threats to start agitation, and on the other, urging Congress leaders to accompany him to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for extension of the package,” he said. The BJP government must clarify its stand as such dual policy was creating confusion and sending wrong signals to the people and all other concerned with the issue. Not only that, it was victimising Congress leaders and workers and implicating them in false cases, he added. He said instead of blaming the Centre, Dhumal should persuade his friend and Punjab Chief Minister Pakash Singh Badal not to oppose the extension of package, he said.
|
|
Gram sabha meetings today
Nurpur, April 3 According to executive officer of the local Block Development Committee KDS Kanwar, residents of all gram panchayats have been exhorted to attend the meeting as they have to decide and identify land for the construction of centrally sponsored Bharat Nirman Rajiv Gandhi Sewa Kendra (BNRGSK) to be build at the cost of Rs 10 lakh in each gram panchayat. He said these kendras would be constructed under NREGA scheme strictly under the guidelines of the Government of India and would serve as mini secretariat at gram panchayat level. “Apart from this, the gram sabhas will also decide location and identify land for construction of rainwater preservation storage tanks to be built at government schools in every gram panchayat,” he informed. He said the sabhas would also decide ways to eliminate ageratum, a dangerous weed, locally known as fulnu, in the fields to improve soil fertility. |
|
MC chief wins trust vote
Mandi, April 3 All 13 councillors were present at the meeting called by the Mandi DC. The meeting was held in the presence of the Mandi Sadar SDM. As it turned out, the BJP councillors remained united while the five pro-Congress councillors remained divided, insiders said. The councillors who moved the motion included former MMC presidents Pushp Raj and Sushila Sonkhla, Gagan Kashyap, Jai Krishan, Anil Kapur, Mahinder Singh and Sarita Handa. The no-confidence motion was raised against vice-president Tosh Kumar. Kumar was ousted and Anil Kapur elected as the new vice-president. The same seven councillors then moved the motion against Vaidya, accusing him of neglecting the problems of the town. Interestingly, one of the seven anti-Vaidya councillors Anil Kapur, a BJP man, backed out and voted in favour of Vaidya after the BJP built pressure and threw its weight behind Vaidya, the insiders added. Vaidya said he had the support of majority of the councillors. But the fact remains that Vaidya survived because of the tussle among the five Congress councillors as the two had already sided with Vaidya, the insiders added. |
|
3 held for killing man
Chamba, April 3 The report said the arrested accused included Premo, Nikku and Ram, allegedly suspected to be involved in the murder of Man Singh. The accused had been remanded in police custody for four days. Man Singh of Pakla village, who was working in a rag-and-bone business, had not returned to his home since the past few days. The body was handed over to his kin after an autopsy. —
OC |
|
Villagers gherao medical officer
Rohanda (Mandi), April 3 “The CHC caters to a population of 40,000 persons in 18 remote panchayats of the Sundernagar subdivision. However, there is just one doctor to take care of patients,” they rued. “The government upgraded the primary health centre, Rohanda, to community health centre in 2007. However, it has just one doctor who comes daily from Sundernagar,” they said. “We have to travel 45 km to Sundernagar hospital even for minor eye, ear or throat ailments. It costs us Rs 500 for getting treatment at Sundernagar,” said Sita Devi of Okhal village. The Rohanda BMO functions from Chowk Dhanoti, just 5 km from Sundernagar, as per his suitability. “The CHC runs at the whims and fancy of the BMO as doctors always look for town-based stations,” alleged patients. Meanwhile, BMO Arun Mishra claimed the government had not sanctioned the staff for the CHC and there was just one post of medical officer here. “I have to function from Dhanotu Chowk because there is no bank and other facility at Rohanda as risk is involved for the staff to carry cash collected from the Rogi Kalyan Samiti in a bus daily,” he claimed. Mandi CMO AB Gupta said he was out of station and was not aware of the incident. However, I would look into the complaints, he added. |
|
666 traditional water sources rejuvenated
Hamirpur, April 3 Under this scheme, all traditional water sources in the district were renovated and handed over to panchayats for maintenance with the help of other government agencies by spending Rs 257. 39 lakh. The basic objective of this programme is to protect and preserve traditional sources of water like boulies, wells, khatries etc. It is notable that though such sources prove to be very useful in fulfilling water needs of people, especially during scarcity in summer months, contamination in some of these sources had led to spread of water-borne diseases in the past. Spread of diseases like diarrhoea, viral fever etc are quite common among people using water from these sources and hundreds of people were infected in the past few years. Talking about the project, Hamirpur DC Abhishek Jain said, “This project was started in July, 2009, and completed on March 31, 2010. Efforts were made to integrate drinking water with sanitation, health and employment.” Before starting the actual work, BDOs of the area had carried campaign in the villages and panchayats were asked to identify at least five traditional water sources in their area and combine this work with construction of water supply scheme, sanitation facilities, health and hygiene programme undertaken under MNREGA. While emphasis was laid on cleaning and repairing the water sources, laying of roofs and putting up gates to stop access of animals and birds have also been undertaken. The project also includes cleaning of water sources periodically for which local panchayat would also maintain proper record. IPH officials had been entrusted the job of providing structural design for the renovation work and other required help to the panchayats. As many as 380 boulies, 134 wells and 152 khatries have been rejuvenated under this scheme and total 38,145 households are being directly benefited.
|
|
|
Youth Cong activists gherao industrial unit
Dharamsala, April 3 The state government has issued directive to all industrial units coming up in the state to give 70 per cent jobs to locals. However, the said unit was hiring labour through contractors and allegedly not giving salary as per minimum wages declared by the government to unskilled labourers, Katoch alleged. The activists of the Youth Congress later submitted a memorandum of their demands to the management of the unit. Katoch further alleged that the Youth Congress would now tighten the noose around the big industrial units in the state that were not providing employment to state youth. There were about 11 lakh unemployed youths in the state and industrial corporate taking benefits of state resources would have to extend the benefits of employment to them. The general manager of the unit, when contacted on phone, declined to comment on the charges levelled by the Youth Congress activists. The general manager said they would get back to them later. However, no call was received.
|
|
|
Punjab must not oppose package extension: MLA
Dharamsala, April 3 While addressing a press conference at Kangra yesterday, Bali said instead of carrying out an agitation, the BJP high command should impress upon their alliance partners in Punjab to give up opposition to Himachal industrial package. He said the BJP high command had now inducted two senior leaders from the state, Shanta Kumar and JP Nadda, as office-bearers at national-level. Both leaders should ask their party president to ask Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal to give up opposition to the state’s industrial package. When asked, Bali, however, said the state Congress was also in favour of increase in industrial package to the state. However, it would not support any agitation carried out for the purpose as it amounted to politicisation of the issue. Union Cabinet Ministers from the state, Virbhadra Singh and Anand Sharma, fought for the state’s cause. However, unfortunately, their efforts had not yielded any results, he added. He said state Congress leaders had offered to go to the Prime Minister to lobby for Himachal’s case. Many industrial units that had started development with an expectation that the package would be increased, have now been left in the lurch. Bali also alleged that the ruling party in the state weakened its position
over the package by demanding an extension from 2013 to 2020. Failure of the Union government to extend the industrial package has put the Congress leaders of the state in a defensive position. Initial statements made by the Union Ministers, especially by Virbhadra Singh, that the industrial package to the state was being extended, has further created an embarrassing situation for state Congress leaders. They would now try to defend themselves on the issue with logic while the BJP is planning to go on all-out offence to label the UPA government, led by the Congress, as anti-Himachal.
|
|
Shooting Incident
Solan, April 3 Chawdhary said the case registered against him was politically motivated and the RTO was coerced to send a fax for registering a case under Section 307 of the IPC. He questioned the RTO as to why he had not lodged a complaint with the police on the night of March 30, though he had crossed several police stations en route. He said it was an afterthought and allegedly done at the behest of the Baddi SP. Chawdhary said he had given information about the presence of five BJP activists - Ranjeet, Abu, Arun, Jitender and Kuldeep - at Dadi Kanian village on March 31, but delayed police action led to
their escape. He said he would initiate defamation proceedings against MLAs Vinod Chandel, Govind Sharma and Randhir Sharma and Transport Minister Mahinder Thakur who had indulged in making defamatory statements against him in the Vidhan Sabha. He added that the police was acting under pressure as one of the accused was a relative of the Doon MLA. He sought cancellation of the case relating to
Section 307 of the IPC against the RTO and said he should be booked for conspiracy under Section 120B instead. Meanwhile, RTO Raman Sharma said he had been framed and the whole ruckus was created by the BJP activist who picked up trouble with Chawdhary in his presence. He said he had been instructed by the director of Transport to carry out checking of vehicles as per a special campaign. SDPO Sanjiv Lakhanpal said it had been established that gunshots had been exchanged but it was yet to be established as who fired at whom and with what weapon. Information has been sought from the Solan DC about the kind of weapons possessed by the accused, he added.
|
|
|
Cleanliness drive launched
Kangra, April 3 |
|
Labourer killed
Chamba, April 3 The deceased has been identified as Liyakat who was at work on the construction of a road at Salwan. A case has been registered by the police, the report added.
|
||
|
Study of Pahari cow breed
Mandi, April 3 This Rs 3.5 crore Pahari cow-breeding programme has been sponsored under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY), Ministry of Agriculture Cooperatives, say scientists. While talking to The Tribune, head, Department of Animal Breeding, Dr Sanjeet Katoch said they were in the process of setting up labs for Pahari cow and bull breeding programme. “We will study various peculiar characteristics of Pahari cows through DNA profiling,” he added. He said nobody so far know as to whether Pahari cows or bulls exist as a breed or not or whether they have their peculiar characteristics that separate them from other indigenous cow breeds. In fact, there are 30 cows breeds that have been identified in India so far and Pahari breed as such remains scientifically unexplored, he added. He said the “pure hill livestock” was found only in the remote areas of Karsog in Mandi, Bara Bangal in Kangra, Bharmour and Pangi in Chamba, parts of Sirmaur, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti. “We will preserve its DNA and breed pure Pahari bulls under the five-year-long study programme,” he informed. Katoch said the Chief Minister had directed scientists to conserve and propagate Pahari cows and “50 per cent jersey breed and 50 per cent desi breed constitutes the state breeding policy”. Scientists said inputs from farmers revealed that milk, manure and urine of “pure” Pahari cows have peculiar properties which were much more beneficial for human health and organic farming. “We have to corroborate with scientific study for which the government has earmarked Rs 1.65 crore under the RKVY so far,” he added. Director, Animal Husbandry, BC Bisht said they have set up a Pahari breeding animal farm on the premises of Palampur Agriculture University. “We have over 50 calves collected from the remote corners of state. We will maintain the farm and scientists will provide us the scientific inputs,” he added. Bisht said the Rs 3.5 crore had been earmarked for the Pahari cow-breeding programme in the first phase. “We will set up a semen bank and provide pure Pahari bulls for breeding once the study is over,” he added.
|
||
|
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
