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Bonanza for horticulturists
12 IPS officers shifted
Mobile towers may be allowed on rooftops
Local artistes for Summer Festival
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Cement plant flouts norms
Bomb found, defused by Army
Help pours in for kidney patient
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Bonanza for horticulturists
Shimla, May 22
Addressing a press conference here today, Horticulture minister Narender Bragta today said the Centre had now changed the name of HTM to Horticulture Mission for Himalayan States and included Manipur and Sikkim in it besides other states like Uttarakhand, Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh. He said last year, Himachal had received Rs 29.75 crore under the HTM and with enhancement in subsidies, the allocation would go up substantially. “I am grateful to Union Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar for acceding to the demand of the hill states as this will go a long way in helping growers,” said Bragta. He informed that under the new allocations, the subsidy on replacement and rejuvenation of different species, including apple, would now be enhanced to Rs 60,000 from the earlier amount of Rs 22,550 per hectare. For purchase of power tiller, the subsidy had been enhanced from Rs 45,000 to Rs 60,000 while for setting up the controlled atmospheric cold storage facility, the subsidy would be enhanced to 50 per cent from 33 per cent. For setting up of tube wells and bore wells, horticulturists would now get a subsidy of Rs 1.03 lakh instead of Rs 12,500 per unit earlier. The country’s first anti-hail gun is likely to be installed near Tumdoo village near Khada Pathar by July. The high-tech equipment has been shipped from abroad. A team of experts visited Tumdoo, located at a height of 10,000 feet, only two days ago. “The first anti-hail gun of the country is likely to get started by August-September to protect the apple crop from hail,” he said. One radar and three hail guns would be installed at Tumdoo under the pilot project.
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12 IPS officers shifted
Shimla, May 22 In a major reshuffle in the Police Department, the government today ordered posting of 12 IPS officers and five HAS officers, including SPs of Solan and Kinnaur. SR Mardi, presently IG (TTR), has been brought back to his earlier important posting of IG (Law and Order). Pradeep Kumar, who had proceeded on leave after a CID inquiry was initiated against him, his wife and son in connection with the suicide case, had proceeded on leave till completion of the CID inquiry. However, with the inquiry now being entrusted to the CBI by the high court, the government thought it wise to shift him to a relatively unimportant posting. KC Sadyal, who was awaiting posting after his return from central deputation, has been posted as IG (Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau), Shimla. Prithvi Raj, on his return from central deputation, has been posted as IG, Armed Police and Training
(APT), Shimla. BNS Negi, IG (APT), has been posted as IGP (Central Range, Mandi) in place of Anurag Garg who goes as DIG (Vigilance), Shimla. JR Thakur, IG (Training), has been posted as IG, Northern Range at Dharamsala. SPS Verma, DIG (Vigilance), has been posted as DIG (Administration), Shimla. DK Yadav on his return from foreign deployment has been posted as Commandant, IRB, Bangarh Una. Abhishek Dular, Mandi ASP, has been posted as AIG (Headquarters), Shimla. Ashok Kumar, Kangra ASP, has been posted as Kinnaur SP. Vinod Kumar Dhawan takes over as Solan SP from Prem Thakur who goes as Lokayukta SP. Yashbir Pathania, Kinnaur SP, has been posted as Commandant, IRB, Pandoh. Virender Sharma, Commandant, Bangarh, Una has been posted as Mandi SP (Vigilance). In some other promotions, Shiv Ram Sharma, DIG (Home Guard), has been promoted and posted as IG (Home Guard). PL Thakur, DIG, Police Training School, Sukoh, has been promoted and posted as IG, Human Rights Commission
and Lokayukta. |
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Mobile towers may be allowed on rooftops
Shimla, May 22 The issue of installation of mobile towers by cellular companies in residential areas may finally be settled as the Department of Town and Country Planning (TCP) is likely to notify the final rules shortly. Having received objections from five cellular companies in response to the public opinion for notifying rules for installation of mobile towers, the TCP Department will give a personal hearing to the cellular companies before framing the final rules. There are more than 120 mobile towers in the state capital with the issue of whether they should be allowed to come up in residential areas still remaining unanswered. Interestingly, out of these 120 towers, 99 of them have been installed without obtaining the mandatory permission. Sources informed that though no individual or any NGO had filed their objections but mobile companies had contested issues like disallowing towers in residential areas or charging of full fees despite sharing a tower by two or more companies. At present it is the policy framed by the Information Technology Department for installation of mobile towers, which regulates their installation. Despite a fee structure having been fixed for installation of mobile towers, majority of the companies have not fulfilled the conditions. |
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Local artistes for Summer Festival
Shimla, May 22 Addressing a press conference here today, Shimla Deputy Commissioner J.S. Rana said since getting big names in the film industry and playback singing was an expensive proposition, it had been decided to approach budding artistes to regale the audiences this time at the festival, which is being held from June 2 to June 6. “With established names in playback singing demanding Rs 20 lakh or more for rendering six songs, we feel it is better to get budding artistes, who too are immensely talented,” he said. The advent of cable and dish TV has reduced the charm of the event which attracted huge crowds till a decade ago. With the likes of Muhammad Rafi, Mukesh, Mohinder Kapoor, Asha Bhonsle, Sunidhi Chauhan, Ghulam Ali and Jagjit Singh regaling audiences, there have been memorable performances at Shimla Summer Festival. Even though short on funds, the authorities have decided to do away with ticket system. “Passes will be issued by the DC office and no tickets will be sold so that both locals as well as
tourists enjoy the festivities,” said Rana. He added that a liability of Rs 6 lakh from the last festival was yet to be paid while the estimated expenditure this year was likely to hover around Rs 25 lakh as compared to Rs 47 lakh spent last year. |
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Cement plant flouts norms
Solan, May 22 The issue was raised today at a meeting convened by a local environmental society, Him Parivesh, where it was decided to stage a protest against the plant on May 24. Its general secretary Balkrishen, president Jagjit Singh Dukhia, panchayat pradhans Avtar Singh, Joginder Singh and others from 10 panchayats pointed out that the air quality had deteriorated adversely and people were facing problems. The plant, which remained in the midst of controversy, has now procured permission for using 10-MW diesel-run generating (DG) sets to generate 6-MW power which is required for running its 1.75 MTPA cement unit. This has been severally resented by villagers who perceive it as a move to operate the thermal plant on the sly. Balkrishen said it was unfortunate that despite two public hearings in which thermal plants of 24 MW and later an enhanced capacity of 30 MW were opposed tooth and nail by the 10 panchayats from the Nalagarh area, Punjab had given clearance to run DG sets of 10 MW. He said this would be resented at all levels. |
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Kangra, May 22 The Army and the BSF had been using this area for firing and leave live bombs and grenades scattered in the area after firing. The local village pradhans have demanded shifting of this firing range area. — OC
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Help pours in for kidney patient
Mandi, May 22 He has been battling for life at the PGI sarai since March as the authorities did not allot him a bed. His both kidneys failed and he has been surviving on dialysis.
— TNS |
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