SPECIAL COVERAGE
CHANDIGARH

LUDHIANA

DELHI


THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS
50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS
H I M A C H A L    P R A D E S H    E D I T I O N

Shortage of specialists hits NHRM’s implementation
Shimla, June 23
Acute shortage of specialists in the hill state has virtually crippled effective implementation of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) as lure of big money in corporate hospitals prevents them from serving in rural areas of the hill state.

Rs 68 cr NABARD aid for rural areas
Shimla, June 23
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned Rs 68.98 crore to the state government for creation of rural infrastructure.

HC for revised pay scales to JBT teachers
Shimla, June 23
The HP High Court has directed the state government to provide revised pay scales to JBT (Junior Basic Training) teachers appointed on contract basis as they possessed similar qualifications and performing the same duties as done by regular teachers.

IAF test lands C-17 Globemaster
C-17 Globemaster Boeing military transport aircraft which landed at the Gaggal civil airport near Dharamsala on WednesdayDharamsala, June 23
Indian Air Force (IAF) authorities today test landed C-17 Globemaster Boeing military transport aircraft at the Gaggal civil airport.


C-17 Globemaster Boeing military transport aircraft which landed at the Gaggal civil airport near Dharamsala on Wednesday


YOUR TOWN
Dharamsala
Shimla


EARLIER STORIES



Team visits cement plant site
Shimla, June 23
A team of the National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA), headed by JC Kala, visited site of the Lafarge cement plant and associated limestone mines to assess feasibility of environment clearance granted to the project last year.

Woman raped
Solan, June 23
The police has booked baba Neetu, a resident of Shilli Kanah village, for raping a woman who had gone to seek cure for some disease.

CM defends pvt varsities
PK DhumalDharamsala, June 23
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has justified the opening of private universities in the state. When asked to comment on agitation by the Akhil Bhartiya Student Union (ABVP), the student’s wing of the BJP, against privatisation of education, the CM said some people had doubts regarding the concept, which would be cleared.

PK Dhumal

‘State may emerge as education hub’
Hamirpur, June 23
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said several national- level educational institutes were being set up in the state, which would soon emerge as an education hub in the country.

Infant washed away in Beas
Kullu, June 23
An infant (about two-year-old) was washed away in the waters of the Beas while a Scorpio (PB-01-7329) rolled down a gorge at Bran, about 30 km from here, on the Kullu-Manali highway today.

Man gets 3-year jail for theft
Nurpur, June 23
A local court today convicted Ranjit Singh of Rapper village for committing theft in the house of Sadhu Ram, pradhan of Rapper gram panchayat.

Virbhadra’s Birthday
MLAs send political message through ads
Senior Congress leader and Union Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh with wife Pratibha Singh celebrating his 76th birthday at Holy Lodge, his private residence, on Jakhu hills in Shimla on WednesdayShimla, June 23
Inserting advertisements in newspapers to greet important political leaders on their birthdays has, of late, become a common practice. However, birth anniversary of Union Minster for Steel Virbhadra Singh, who turned 76 today, was used by Congress men to send across a political message to party bosses and the people at large.

Senior Congress leader and Union Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh with wife Pratibha Singh celebrating his 76th birthday at Holy Lodge, his private residence, on Jakhu hills in Shimla on Wednesday. A Tribune photo

Faction-ridden Cong puts up united show
Hamirpur, June 23
Though united show by faction-ridden Hamirpur district Congress leaders during the visit of Union Steel Minister and former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to town has boosted the moral of Congress men, heaping praises on him by some of his known detractors during a function here has baffled many.

Man held for murder attempt
Mandi, June 23
The police today arrested Rajesh Kumar under Section 307 of the IPC in an attempt to murder case after his wife’s father lodged an FIR at the Jogindernagar police station.

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Shortage of specialists hits NHRM’s implementation
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 23
Acute shortage of specialists in the hill state has virtually crippled effective implementation of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) as lure of big money in corporate hospitals prevents them from serving in rural areas of the hill state.

Despite having 51 first referral units (FRU), where a minimum of four specialists are to be posted according to the NRHM norms, it is only 12 district hospitals which have these number of postgraduate doctors. Rest all FRUs only exist on paper as they do not have the required number of specialists, especially in faculties of gynaecology, paediatrics, orthopaedics, medicine and anaesthesia.

Out of a total sanctioned strength of 1,598 doctors in the Health and Family Welfare Department, there is a vacancy of 350 doctors. Despite a minimum requirement of 204 doctors in the 51 FRUs, there is an acute shortage, especially in departments of anaesthesia, medicine and surgery.

Against a requirement of 51 doctors in medicine, there are only 34, in surgery there are 20, in gynaecology 23 and in paediatrics only 27. The situation is worse in the faculty of anaesthesia where there are only 13 specialists.

With specialists not keen to serve in Himachal despite the best efforts of the government, other ways to tide over the problem, including engaging services of retired doctors and having an arrangement with private specialists on per case basis, has also not improved the situation.

There has been a formal tie-up with some private doctors at places like Kullu, Bilaspur, Kangra and Hamirpur. However, in most places they are not available.

The other experiment of giving nine-week training in gynaecology and diploma course in anaesthesia to MBBS doctors is underway. “This too has proved to be meaningless as those undergoing these special trainings are doing it only to get a urban posting and rural places, where they are required, are still vacant,” admitted a senior doctor.

Out of 3,243 panchayats in the state, there are 2,071 sub-centres with more than one being in one panchayat. As such, almost 1,200 panchayats are without a sub-centre and over 190 primary health centres without a nurse.

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Rs 68 cr NABARD aid for rural areas
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 23
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned Rs 68.98 crore to the state government for creation of rural infrastructure.

A sum of Rs 14.81 crore has been sanctioned for 14 rural drinking water supply projects in seven districts, Rs 35.8 crore for construction of a minor irrigation project in Mandi district and Rs 18.37 crore for a rainwater harvesting-cum-minor irrigation project in Una under tranche-XVI of the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF).

More than 9,500 families will get assured drinking water supply on completion of schemes, while two minor irrigation projects will provide assured irrigation for 1,554 hectares to boost agriculture.

With this the NABARD has in all so far sanctioned Rs 2,760.73 crore to the state out of which Rs 1,722.93 crore has already been disbursed.

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HC for revised pay scales to JBT teachers
Legal Correspondent

Shimla, June 23
The HP High Court has directed the state government to provide revised pay scales to JBT (Junior Basic Training) teachers appointed on contract basis as they possessed similar qualifications and performing the same duties as done by regular teachers.

While passing this order, Justice Rajiv Sharma observed that the respondent-state was a welfare state and it could not take advantage of a superior bargaining power by forcing the petitioners and similarly situated teachers to agree to get lower pay scales. The court said the state could not be oblivious of the distributive justice, therefore, the action of the state government forcing the petitioners to work on a pay scales of 1200-2100 under the garb of agreement was bad and the same was quashed.

This order came on a petition filed by JBT teachers who were appointed on contract basis in 1997 and 1998. The state government had executed an agreement with the petitioners to appoint them on a fixed pay scales of Rs 1200-2100. Pay scales of JBT teachers were revised on January 20, 1998, but the same was not granted to the petitioners by the government. This action was challenged before the erstwhile State Administrative Tribunal.

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IAF test lands C-17 Globemaster
Lalit Mohan
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, June 23
Indian Air Force (IAF) authorities today test landed C-17 Globemaster Boeing military transport aircraft at the Gaggal civil airport.

According to sources, the large transport aircraft landed at the short strip of Gaggal airport at 11.03 am. Earlier, it had taken off from Agra this morning.

The Gaggal domestic airport strip is just 4,500-ft-long and is fit for landing 50- seater aircraft. Experts of Mc Donnel Douglas Company, that produces C-17 aircraft, displayed its efficiency to land at short air strip like Kangra domestic airport, the sources added.

The IAF had, in June 2009, selected C-17 to fulfil its very heavy transport aircraft requirement.

After the deal is approved by the Indian Defence Ministry, C-17 would replace Illushin 11-76 as the largest heavy lift transport aircraft in service with the IAF. The C-17 has bigger load carrying capacity than the said transport aircraft available with the IAF.

In January this year, the Indian government had requested the US government for sale of 10 C-17 aircraft through the US government’s foreign military sales programme. Recently, the US Congress approved the sale of the aircraft to India. However, signing of a formal contract over the matter is still awaited.

C-17 is one of the largest military transport aircraft in the world. It was developed for the US air force by Mc Donnel Douglas company.

It is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to maintain operating basis and has the ability to rapidly deploy a combat unit to a potential battle area and sustain it with ongoing supplies.

It is also capable of performing tactical airlift, medical evacuation and air drop missions.

If the deal materialises, it would be worth about Rs $2.5 billion, the sources stated.

Meanwhile, military sources in Rising Star Corps command here, when asked, refused to comment on the landing of C-17 aircraft at the Gaggal airport.

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Team visits cement plant site
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 23
A team of the National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA), headed by JC Kala, visited site of the Lafarge cement plant and associated limestone mines to assess feasibility of environment clearance granted to the project last year.

The environment clearance to the Rs 900 crore and 3 million tonne capacity project has been challenged by two separate petitioners, Pratap Singh Thakur and Ganga Singh Thakur, on the ground that the negative socio-economic and environmental impacts of the project had been overlooked.

The team visited Shakrori located opposite the proposed plant site, Thalli, adjacent to the plant site, and Bagshyad and Kanda, the mining site, and had discussions with local people.

A large number of people at Thalli opposed setting up of the plant, maintaining pollution would affect agriculture production.

At Bagshyad, locals pointed out that the mining site would affect 16 villages of three panchayats which would lose part of their agriculture land and most of the forest land. Apart from this, the mining activity would indirectly affect all villages in the Alsindi valley, downhill the Pheridhar ridge.

However, the company officials claimed that senior functionaries of panchayats and other institutional bodies today came out in support of the project.

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Woman raped

Solan, June 23
The police has booked baba Neetu, a resident of Shilli Kanah village, for raping a woman who had gone to seek cure for some disease.

According to a complaint made by the woman, a resident of Charnia village near Kalka, the baba had directed her to accompany him to a cremation ground at Ashwani Khud last night. She was then directed to go to a nearby forest where the baba raped her on finding her alone.

The woman had gone to the baba to seek cure for some disease and she was told that he also practised witchcraft, which could cure the disease. The police has registered a case under Section 376 of the IPC and search was on to trace the baba, who fled after committing the crime. — OC

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CM defends pvt varsities
Lalit Mohan
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, June 23
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has justified the opening of private universities in the state. When asked to comment on agitation by the Akhil Bhartiya Student Union (ABVP), the student’s wing of the BJP, against privatisation of education, the CM said some people had doubts regarding the concept, which would be cleared.

Justifying the opening of private universities, the CM said the government did not have finance to open university in each district. It had to be done with private participation and students preferred taking admissions in some good private universities rather than government institutions these days.

In addition to that, the government is taking all precautionary measures to check exploitation of students and commercialisation of education. The private universities coming up in Himachal are not being allowed to affiliate colleges, the free structure and seat limit are being fixed and quota has been fixed for students of the state, he added.

He added that University of Information Technology was started in the state. Now once again for the first time in the country, a private university of biotechnology was also coming up in the state. He said earlier students from the state had to go to southern states for technical education. Girl students used to go to disturbed areas of Jammu and Kashmir for BEd courses. However, now students can have higher and technical education in their own state, the CM said.

Dhumal was here to inaugurate various development projects in Sulah and Baijnath assembly constituencies of Kangra district today.

He refused to comment on the expansion of Cabinet in lieu of resignation of Forest Minister JP Nadda who was given the position of general secretary in the national BJP. Evading the query, he said it would be done at an appropriate time.

In an unusual display of solidarity, all ministers and MLAs of Kangra district, including Minister for IPH Ravinder Ravi, Minister for Industry Kishan Kapoor, Minister of Social Justice Sarween Chaudhary and Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Ramesh Dhawala, belonging both to Shanta and Dhumal factions, were present at the function. However, Shanta Kumar was conspicuous by his absence.

While addressing various rallies, the CM said textile, food and IT parks would soon come up at industrial areas in Kangra district generating employment for about 36,000 youths. The public health centre at Dheera would also be upgraded to Circle Health Centre from next year.

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‘State may emerge as education hub’
Tribune News Service

Hamirpur, June 23
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said several national- level educational institutes were being set up in the state, which would soon emerge as an education hub in the country.

He said this after laying a foundation stone of electronics and mass communications block at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) today.

Dhumal said NIT was a prestigious institute of the country and the state government would provide every help for its expansion. He said the central government had approved five national highways for the state and out of these three would pass through Hamirpur district.

Dhumal said classes in national-level hotel management institute being built at Hamirpur would start from this year and new parameters in quality education would be set through this institute.

He said the National Institute of Fashion Technology, which is the first such institute of North India, had been established in Kangra district, the IIT in Mandi district has started functioning and the ESI hospital is also being built in Mandi district.

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Infant washed away in Beas

Kullu, June 23
An infant (about two-year-old) was washed away in the waters of the Beas while a Scorpio (PB-01-7329) rolled down a gorge at Bran, about 30 km from here, on the Kullu-Manali highway today.

The eight travelling in the ill-fated vehicle were tourists, including two women and two children, and were on the way back home from Manali to their native town Bathinda.

The report said the driver of the vehicle lost control while taking a sharp turn. The five of the injured- Maninder Kaur, Kuldeep Kaur, Surjit Singh, Mukhtiar Singh and Harshdeep Singh- were rushed to regional hospital here. Their condition was stated to be stable.

The SP, Kullu, said the rafts and kayaks were being rushed to the site to search for the ‘missing child’. — OC

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Man gets 3-year jail for theft
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, June 23
A local court today convicted Ranjit Singh of Rapper village for committing theft in the house of Sadhu Ram, pradhan of Rapper gram panchayat.

According to information given by the additional district attorney here, the accused was nabbed red-handed while committing the crime. A case under Sections 457 and 511 of the IPC was registered against him on November 9, 2001.

The court awarded three-year imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 3,000 on the accused.

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Virbhadra’s Birthday
MLAs send political message through ads
Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 23
Inserting advertisements in newspapers to greet important political leaders on their birthdays has, of late, become a common practice. However, birth anniversary of Union Minster for Steel Virbhadra Singh, who turned 76 today, was used by Congress men to send across a political message to party bosses and the people at large.

As usual, a large number of people turned up at Holy Lodge, private residence of the five-time Chief Minister, to greet him. However, the focus was on the advertisement. It was for the first time that a joint advertisement was published in prominent Hindi newspapers on behalf of as many as 18 out of the total 23 party MLAs, extending good wishes to the veteran leader on the occasion.

The advertisement carried photographs of all 18 MLAs. As expected, names of Leader of the Opposition Vidya Stokes, PCC chief Kaul Singh, Sukhwinder Singh and Rajesh Dharmani, all staunch opponents of Virbhadra, were missing from the advertisement.

It assumed added significance in view of the ongoing organisational poll, the process for which is already underway, and rival camps, headed by Vidya Stokes and Virbhadra Singh, are involved in an intense battle for supremacy in the party.

More importantly, there was no print line in the advertisement and also no indication regarding the person or organisation which inserted the advertisement.

Intriguingly, a few MLAs like Nikhil Rajour and Rakesh Kalia, who are not known supporters of Virbhadra Singh, also featured in the advertisement.

The obvious purpose behind the move was to send across the message that an overwhelming majority of MLAs were still with Virbhadra Singh, who is being marginalised in the party. The “show of strength” by way of advertisement by the Virbhadra Singh camp is bound to become a subject of debate in the party.

Meanwhile, Pradesh Returning officer for the party organisational poll, Rajani Ashok Patil, today appointed assistant returning officers for 60 out of the total 68 block party units. She has accommodated all sitting MLAs and former ministers, with a few exceptions. However, Stokes’ influence has been visible in the remaining appointments. Her group dominated the list of district retuning officers.

Birth anniversary apart, Virbhadra Singh has a battle to fight during the organisational poll, the outcome of which will provide an indication as to who will lead the party in the next Assembly poll.

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Faction-ridden Cong puts up united show
Dharam Prakash Gupta
Tribune News Service

Hamirpur, June 23
Though united show by faction-ridden Hamirpur district Congress leaders during the visit of Union Steel Minister and former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to town has boosted the moral of Congress men, heaping praises on him by some of his known detractors during a function here has baffled many.

Hamirpur district Congress, which has been divided in factions for the past many years, joined hands to honour their leader during his maiden visit after becoming Union Cabinet minister. They welcomed him by offering caps, shawls and mementos.

This was quite surprising since district Congress leaders are reportedly divided in factions according to their allegiance to top leadership of the party and district Congress committee has many detractors of Virbhadra Singh.

Surprisingly, all district committee leaders, except Nadaun Congress MLA Sukhvinder Singh, participated in this function despite open differences with supporters of Virbhadra Singh group here.

More so, since many of these leaders have been open critics of Virbhadra Singh for allegedly ignoring them during his tenure as Chief Minister or for openly opposing their candidatures in ticket allotment during the Assembly elections.

Leaders like Rajinder Zar and Suresh Kumar, who have unsuccessfully contested elections from Nadaunta and Mewa Assembly constituencies, respectively, had even accused him in the past for patronising a few leaders who were contesting as rebel candidates against official Congress nominees.

Interestingly, all district leaders, who are otherwise openly critical of Virbhadra Singh, in their addresses, praised him for carrying development works during his tenure as Chief Minister and his leadership qualities.

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Man held for murder attempt
Tribune News Service

Mandi, June 23
The police today arrested Rajesh Kumar under Section 307 of the IPC in an attempt to murder case after his wife’s father lodged an FIR at the Jogindernagar police station.

According to the police, Prem Chand of Banoon, father of the victim, complained that his daughter was married to Rajesh about 13 years ago, but he harassed her and poured kerosene oil on her three days ago in a bid to kill her. The victim sustained burn injuries and was admitted to a hospital. The police arrested the accused and further investigation was on.

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