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Ritu suicide case handed over to CBI
Re-demarcation of inner line
Board announces power cuts on industry
Seeks help of industrialists
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Admn to act against dubious study centres
SHO misbehaves with woman cop, suspended
Seat for single girl child in MPhil too
HC relief to govt on road construction
40 houses gutted in cylinder blast
Cong to hold meeting on May 23
Forest guard kept in confinement
Workshop on quake-proof construction
Shobha yatra
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Ritu suicide case handed over to CBI
Shimla, May 15 A division bench of the high court, headed by Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Deepak Gupta, directed that investigations be handed over to the CBI. Two separate petitions had been filed by Ritu’s father SS Kalmotia and her maternal uncle Gopal Krishan Verma, seeking handing over of investigations to the CBI. They had expressed apprehensions over a fair probe by the CID wing The court, however, observed that the investigations into the case should not be shared with the media till the chargesheet was filed in court when the issue of media trail was broached. It was on March 28 that Ritu, a college teacher, committed suicide after her 15-year-old relationship with Siddharth, son of IG (Law and Order) Pradeep Kumar Sarpal failed to materialise into marriage. A case has already been registered against the IG, his wife and son for abetment to suicide and destruction of evidence. “I am very happy at the handing over of investigations to the CBI as now we are confident that there will be a fair trial and the guilty will be punished for the death of my sister,” said Puja, Ritu’s elder sister from Hyderabad. She said her family would extend full cooperation to the CBI to ensure an impartial probe. Even though investigations into the case was handed over to the CID wing of the police, Ritu’s family refused to join investigation on the plea that they had no faith in the state police. “We could not expect the police to do a fair job when their own senior officer was an accused and hence we moved the court for a CBI probe,” said Gopal Krishan. Gopal had filed a separate petition in the court following apprehensions that Ritu’s father could withdraw the petition under pressure from the IG and his family. “The court verdict has vindicated that the CID could not have done justice considering the direct involvement of a senior police officer and it is for the first time today since Ritu’s death that we will sleep in peace,” said an emotional Subhash, her maternal uncle. IG Sarpal had proceeded on leave till completion of the CID inquiry but Ritu’s family alleged that he was trying to pressurise them to withdraw the petition. |
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Re-demarcation of inner line
Shimla, May 15 This was stated by Chief Minister PK Dhumal while presiding over the 40th meeting of the State Tribal Advisory Council here today. He said relaxation in restrictions on entry of foreigners in the inner line protected areas by the Centre would go a long way in promoting tourism in the area. He said tribal districts were strategically located with international boundaries which had been declared as protected areas by the Centre and foreigners were allowed to visit only after obtaining inner-line permits. Now Chango, Nako, Namgya, Khab, Dubling and Nesang villages fell in the inner line and on the Spiti side, barring Hurling, Gue and Sumdoh, the entire valley had been opened to foreigners. He said the police post at Spilo would now be relocated at Dubling bridge. A decision was also taken to constitute a committee to examine all pending cases of “Nautor” in tribal areas comprising Additional Chief Secretary, Forests, Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue, Secretary Law and Commissioner Tribal Development besides Deputy Commissioners of tribal areas. The committee shall submit its recommendations within two months. Dhumal reiterated his government’s resolve for speedy development of tribal areas and said a provision of Rs 591 crore had been made for the year 2010-11. He said Rs 270 crore would be spent under the plan while an additional Rs 321 crore would be spent under the non-plan. Since the working season in tribal areas was limited, single-line administration had been established for executing and monitoring of the developmental and welfare activities, he added. Dhumal said with a view to strengthen transmission network of electricity in tribal areas, 800 KV Saach project in tribal Pangi area and 400 KV Billing projects would be commissioned this year while renewal of Rongtong project would also be initiated. |
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Board announces power cuts on industry
Solan, May 15 The hydel-power generation had declined for the first time in the month of May from 73 lakh units to 39 lakh units in the Baspa hydel power project alone, forcing the board to announce power cuts. Even free power entitlement from Chamera-1 and Bairasiul was being utilised by the board. Suneel Grover, director, power regulation said the availability, which was at 257 LUs on May 5, had reduced to 183 LUs per day now against the average daily demand of 205-210 LUs, resulting in a net shortfall of about 25-30 LUs per day. Further, non-availability of hydro power in the region had led the frequency to fall below 49.5 Hz. It is pertinent to mention that after the new regulations for Grid Operations enforced from May 3 by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), not only the violation for the overdraw from the grid under the frequency below 49.5 Hz calls for legal proceeding, but also shall tantamount to huge financial penalties ranging from Rs 12.20 per unit to Rs 17.46 per unit for each unit of overdraw from the grid. According to new restrictions announced today, a load restriction of 50 MVA has been announced in Baddi alone, forcing power cuts once a week. In the Nalagarh industrial area, a load restriction of 30 MVA has been announced, forcing the industry to observe cuts every third day. In the two feeders of Barotiwala area, load restrictions of 30 MVA and 20 MVA has been announced, necessitating power cuts on every third and fourth day, respectively. Power cuts ranging from 35 to 45 per cent had been imposed in all its 14 industrial areas located in Paonta Sahib, Kala Amb, Una, Kangra, Bilaspur and Sirmour areas, besides the BBN and Parwanoo belt. Meanwhile, Nalagarh Industry Association president Prem Sharma and general secretary of Parwanoo Industries Association Rakesh Bansal said this was an extraordinary situation which was being faced for the first time and it would incur losses worth crores. |
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Seeks help of industrialists
Shimla, May 15 The HPSEB, which till a few days back had maintained that there was no shortfall in production, today admitted that there had been a decline in generation due to reduced discharge in all its power projects in northern region. In fact, the HPSEB admitted that the decline in generation was contrary to the normal pattern of increase during the first week of May. The power generation scenario was just about satisfactory till May 10 when the demand was 201 MW and availability 210 MW. During the next three days, the shortfall has been 7 MW, 24 MW and 27 MW on May 13, thereby forcing the HPSEB to seek voluntary restrictions by the industry. Seeing the grim power scenario, the HPSEB has urged the industry to pitch in by providing a total relief to the grid to the tune of 150-200 MW. “In fact, the industrial association had been requesting for a roster so that they too could plan on a mutually agreed basis to avoid unnecessary notified load shedding and interruption of supply,” said director (power regulation) of the HPSEB. He said the power situation was being monitored on hour-to-hour basis and load restrictions would be enforced accordingly. These would be lifted once the situation improved within a couple of days, he added. |
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Admn to act against dubious study centres
Dharamsala, May 15 During his recent visit to the area, Chief Minister PK Dhumal had also stated that he had directed the authorities concerned to take action against such study centres operating in the state. Kangra Deputy Commissioner RS Gupta told The Tribune, that he had convened a meeting in this regard on May 20. Those running such centres had been asked to furnish their papers and authenticity of courses being offered by them. If the centres failed to provide valid documents, legal action could be taken against them, he added. Interestingly, billboards and glow signs are spread all across the district in which degrees, ranging from PhD to all kinds of bachelors and masters courses, are being offered by small study centres being operated in shops. In some of the advertisements on local cable networks, 10+2 certificates were being offered to those who had failed in matriculation examinations. Inquiries revealed that such centres were offering degrees from universities established in other states as Uttarakhand, Manipur or Madhya Pradesh. The degrees were being offered through distance education mode despite the fact that the UGC had clearly informed all state governments that as per the Supreme Court judgment, the state universities could not operate outside their respective state jurisdiction. As far as the distance education is concerned, recent judgment of the Andhra Pradesh High Court had clarified that only those universities could run distance education courses that had the joint permission of the UGC, All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) and distance education council. In the recent past, many institutions here offered MBA degrees through distance education mode. However, regular classes of students were held in Dharamsala-based centre. Fee of more than Rs 2 lakh was charged from each student. Following HRD Ministry recommending action against universities offering such courses, the centres were closed. However, fate of the students who put in two years of hard labour and paid a fortune as fee is still uncertain. |
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SHO misbehaves with woman cop, suspended
Shimla, May 15 SSP RM Sharma confirmed that the SHO had been placed under suspension on the complaint of the lady constable Meena. A case had been registered against him under Section 354 of the IPC, which amounts to outraging modesty of a woman. The lady constable made a complaint to DSP (Theog) last morning. Later her statement was recorded and medical of the SHO done which confirmed that he had consumed liquor. The SHO had been posted there barely 20 days back. Sharma said according to the statement of the lady constable, the SHO summoned her to his house to accompany him for a murder case in the night. When she came to the adjoining quarter of the SHO, he asked her to serve him food after which, he said, they would leave for the spot. The constable alleged that the SHO tried to hold her hand as he was in a drunken state. She freed herself and ran to her quarter where her father and sister were present. She was once again summoned by the SHO to serve him food which she did and then bolted her house. The SSP said the SHO allegedly again came back to her quarter and broke the bolt as he kicked on the door. Those residing in the adjoining houses were also witness to the incident. |
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Seat for single girl child in MPhil too
Shimla, May 15 The VC informed the EC members that one supernumerary seat had already been reserved for single girl child in each postgraduate course and undergraduate (professional) courses like BBA, BCA, BA-LLB (five years), BTech and BTA from the academic session 2010-2011 onwards. On the recommendation of Suresh Bhardwaj, member EC and local legislator, the EC unanimously decided to create and reserve one seat in each MPhil course too. The Academic Council also approved relaxation of marks at master’s and graduate level for physically and visually handicapped candidates for appointment in university and private colleges. The vice-chancellor also informed the council about Suresh Bhardwaj having written a letter to the Chief Minister for scrapping Section 35-A of the University Act to restore the autonomy of the HPU. |
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JBT trainees hold protest
Hamirpur, May 15 The trainees, studying in different institutes of the state, are on the warpath for the past few days against the state government’s refusal to fill bonds and ensuring them job guarantee after completion of their courses. The slogan-raising JBT trainees, including a large number of girls, started their march from the Bhota Chowk carrying banners and placards. Later, they marched to office of the deputy director, education, to hand over a memorandum to him. However, finding the official absent, the protesters held a demonstration there. Meanwhile, two JBT girls fainted during the protest demonstration and had
to be hospitalised. In a press release, district president of the society Sanjiv Kumar strongly condemned the alleged misbehaviour of the deputy director with them. Later, they marched to the DC office and submitted a memorandum to the
state Governor. Through this memorandum, the JBT trainees urged the Governor to intervene and prevail upon the state government to fill their job bonds and save 2,500 trainees from mental harassment. |
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HC relief to govt on road construction
Shimla, May 15 While thanking the high court for its sympathetic consideration on the request of the government, Thakur directed all zonal chief engineers of the department to expedite work on all such roads where work could not be initiated earlier. He was presiding over a meeting of senior officials of the Public Works Department, here today. He said earlier, the high court had passed orders that no construction work should be undertaken by any development agency in the state without the owner’s expression permission-valid gift deed made in favour of the government. He said the matter of declaring seven more roads as national highways had been taken up with the Centre. He informed that detailed project reports (DPR) were being prepared for the construction of three tunnels in the state at a cost of Rs 270 crore. “This will not only provide better road connectivity between different parts of the state but also reduce the distance considerably,” he said. He said a total plan outlay of Rs 530 crore had been made for the road sector for the current financial year, which was Rs 50 crore more than the previous year’s allocation of Rs 480 crore. |
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40 houses gutted in cylinder blast
Kullu, May 15 Deputy Commissioner BM Nanta, who was in Shimla, said 30 to 40 houses were completely gutted and a few houses were still on fire till filing of this report. He said the village was 45-minute walking distance from the road head and fire tenders or fire-fighting equipment could not be carried to the spot. However, the IPH Department had been advised to make emergency arrangements by diverting water supplies to the village. Nanta said the Kullu SDM had been advised to immediately rush at least 10 tarpaulins and 50 blankets to the village. The tehsildar and other officials from the departments of Revenue, Home Guards, Food and Civil Supplies and Forests were advised to reach the village for organising relief work. |
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Cong to hold meeting on May 23
Chamba, May 15 Giving this information here today, state executive member of the HPCC Pawan Nayyar said the general secretary of the AICC would preside over the meeting accompanied by Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Organisation state president Ranjit Singh Verma. Former MP Chander Kumar would also attend the meeting. Besides this, other national and state-level leaders of the Congress would also participate in the meeting in which future strategy of the party would be thrashed out, Nayyar said. |
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Forest guard kept in confinement
Mandi, May 15 After a complaint from the guard, the police lodged an FIR at Karsog police station under Sections 332, 353,186, 189, 345, 506 and 34
of the IPC against the villagers. According to the police, the forest guard was on patrol in Pokhi block of the Gawalpur forest range. He spotted that one Tej Ram was taking resin from the chir trees by applying double cut rather than single cut. When he tried to stop the workers from doing so, several village women assembled there, took him to the village courtyard and kept him in confinement for seven hours, the forest
guard alleged. The guard claimed that only single cut in the tree was allowed under the rules. |
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Workshop on quake-proof construction
Sundernagar, May 15 As many as 100 junior engineers and masons from all development blocks of Mandi division participated in the workshop. According to scientific officer from HP State Council for Science and Technology SS Randhawa, engineers and masons from various blocks of the five districts liked the training programme.
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Shobha yatra
Kullu, May 15 The procession with tableau and palanquin of lord Parshuram started from the Ramshilla bypass and passed through Ramshilla, Akhara Bazaar, Sarwari and Lower Dhalpur and finally terminated at the camp temple of Jamdagini Rishi at the historical Dhalpur ground here.
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