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Four-laning of NH could destabilise hills: Expert
Illegal Internet service providers under scanner
New DGP to be named today
‘Bal vivaah’ aplenty in state: Report
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Govt advised to better literacy rate
Sites inspected
CM releases two publications
Teachers should be role models: CM
Missing girls traced at Ambala
Pear price hits a new low
Dharna in front of police station
Panchayat members of Kaliara village sitting in dharna in front of the police station at Dharamsala on Tuesday. —A Tribune photograph
4 held for kidnapping youth
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Four-laning of NH could destabilise hills: Expert
Shimla, June 29 The main concern is about the environmental fallout of widening which will involve almost vertical cutting of hills, causing huge debris, and axing of green trees. The road was upgraded to a national highway in the 1970s, cutting of hills undertaken to widen road destabilised large stretches and blockade of road by landslides became a common feature. It took almost three decades to stabilise starts by erecting breast walls and retaining structures and planting trees. The four-laning will involve much more cutting on the hill side which will take a long-time to stabilise. Large-scale construction work will also be a major impediment on the busiest highway of the state, particularly monsoon season, when rains trigger off big landslides. The Himalaya Niti Abhiyan, an apex body of non-government organisation, has urged the government to explore alternatives to four-laning even as the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has initiated the tendering process for the widening of 40 km Parwanoo-Solan stretch on Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO)mode at an estimated cost of Rs 549 crore. Coordinator of the HNA Ghuman Singh points out that apart from destabilisation of hill ranges the increase in flow of vehicular traffic with the upgradation of road would also lead to excessive air pollution and increase the carbon footprint. The over burdened hills do not have the carrying capacity to support mass influx of people. Union minister for forests and environment Jairam Ramesh also called for a fresh look on such projects in hills in view of environmental fallout of four laning of Parwanoo-Solan section of NH 22 in Himachal on DBFO basis. The four-laning of Solan-Shimla stretch where the highway passes through precipitous hill stretches will be much more difficult.
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Illegal Internet service providers under scanner
Dharamsala, June 29 One such ISP has been named as Tennor network that is working from a guest house. The service providers have their website and are opening selling the connections. When contacted on phone, Tennor network providers said they had leased lines from Airtel and Reliance network. They claimed that selling Internet connection through network of wireless towers was legal. A few customers of Tennor network, especially those staying in Tibetan guest houses at McLeodganj, are given the facility of wireless Internet connection by the ISPs. Sena, a tourist from Kerala, claimed that Internet connection provided to them was a bit costly but satisfactory. Any ISP has to get a licence from the department of telecom. Major telecom companies such as Reliance, TATA and Satyam has ISP licences. Illegal ISP providers here are most likely using a free wireless bandwidth to provide Internet connection in the entire area. BSNL officials here shirked from openly speaking against illegal ISP providers working here. BSNL deputy general manager, when contacted, said another wing of the department of telecom looked into such complaints. However, a few BSNL officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they had passed the information regarding illegal ISP operators to their vigilance wing at Shimla. Meanwhile, BK Mahapadya, deputy director general of vigilance wing, telecom department, Shimla, refused to divulge details regarding the case. He said such things could not be talked on phone. Intelligence agencies of the Union Government had collected data regarding illegal ISP operators in McLeodganj and forwarded it the agencies concerned, the sources said. Kangra SP Atul Fulzele said the police was inquiring into the matter. Meanwhile, the sources available here have expressed doubts over security of ISP networks. According to them when cyber crimes are increasing and security concerns are being expressed over the use of cyber networks by terrorist organisations, functioning of such networks can pose security threats. The matter assumes more significance due to presence of the Tibetan government-in-exile at McLeodganj that is under constant surveillance of the Chinese government. |
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New DGP to be named today
Shimla, June 29 Though Manhas, a 1977-batch officer, has been officiating as DGP since the present police chief, G.S. Gill, proceeded on leave almost two months back, it is only after his name is recommended by the screening committee to the government that he will take over formally. Gill, a 1974- batch IPS officer, will be retiring from service tomorrow after remaining DGP for almost two years. The screening committed headed by the Chief Secretary will be meeting here tomorrow to recommend the name of the person who would take over from Gill. “Certain formalities have to be fulfilled and the screening committee after its meeting here tomorrow will recommend to the government the name of the next DGP,” said Principal Secretary (Home),
Subhash Negi. The other members of the committee include Secretary (Home) and two other seniormost Additional Chief Secretaries. Even though a final decision will be taken by the government tomorrow but Manhas’s elevation is almost a foregone conclusion. Although there are some other IPS officers, most of them on central deputation, who are senior to Manhas, but his appointment is being considered a foregone conclusion. |
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‘Bal vivaah’ aplenty in state: Report
Shimla, June 29 The startling revelation was made in the “Child Statistics in Himachal”, released by the State Economics and Statistics Department here today. The fact that all these “brides and grooms” according to 2001 census would now be adults and probably parents, does not make the issue less serious. The statistics have been compiled by the Statistic and Economics Department after collecting information from the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, both from the 2001 and 1991 census. Though child marriages are not uncommon in India and states like Rajasthan have been in news for “bal vivaah”, but since it is now an offence under law, action can be taken against those responsible for the act. “I am startled at this huge figure as we thought child marriage was hardly there in Himachal. However, now we will go into details and look for specific areas and reasons so that some steps can be taken,” said Maneesh Garg, director, Social Justice and Empowerment. “We were expecting to get only a miniscule figure of married children below the age 14 based on the 2001 census in Himachal. However, to our surprise, the figure turned out to be 5,521,” said Pradeep Chauhan, economic adviser. The only ray of hope is that the figure showed a decline from 5,548 in the 1991 census, to 5,521 in the 2001 census, he added. Majority of the married children are in the age group of 12 to 14 with only a few being less than that. As expected, the number of girls who were married off below the age of 14, is far higher at 3,528 than boys whose figure is 1,993. The number of married children below the age of 14 in urban areas as expected is relatively less at 575, including 359 girls and 216 boys. The figure of girls and boys married below the age of 14 in rural areas is quite high at 4,946. In terms of districts which indicate the maximum number of child marriages, Kangra leads with a total figure of 1,240 followed by 833 in Mandi, 720 in Shimla, 504 in Una and 474 in Chamba. As far as maximum number of child marriages in urban centres is concerned, Shimla tops with a total of 163, followed by 77 in Solan, 64 in Kangra and 60 in Chamba. |
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Govt advised to better literacy rate
Shimla, June 29 Director of the state resource centre of the samiti Om Prakash Bhuraita pointed out that as per the Census data there were 10,86,599 illiterate persons in the state aged above 15 years and since under the SBM only Chamba district, which had 80,000 odd illiterates, was being covered, the literacy rate would not go beyond 82 per cent. More so, because about 7 lakh of them were in the 15 to 45 years age group which have to be made literate to achieve the target. He said that the government had selected 365 districts under the programme in which the female literacy rate was less than 50 per cent. However, in the process the states and districts which had performed well in the implementation of literacy programme had been deprived of funds. Bhuraita suggested that in Himachal Pradesh many illiterate persons were working under the MNREGA or associated with self-help groups could be better covered by involving the departments concerned. He said the SBM in Chamba would be implemented by the state literacy mission authority and the state resource centre would provide input and support for training.
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Sites inspected
Shimla, June 29 The World Sikh University Foundation Committee inspected two sites at Dhaulakuan and the other at Amboya and found them suitable for setting up the proposed institution. It decided to approach Chief Minister P.K.Dhumal for securing a “no-objection certificate” and allotment of land at either of the places. It drew attention to the fact that the government was in possession of land earmarked for educational purposes in Dhaulakuan village, adjacent to Paonta Sahib on the Nahan-Paonta national highway. Another piece of land was available in Amboya. It requested the Chief Minister to allot land at either of places, preferably at Dhaulakuan. |
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CM releases two publications
Shimla, June 29 The day also coincides with the birthday of Prof. Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis who is recognised because of the contribution he made in preparation of the first and second Five Year Plans and establishing the National Sample Survey Organisation. Dhumal lauded the efforts made by the department in compilation of data relating to price indices and child statistics, containing demographic features about child labour force and other aspects which would help in policy formulation and research. He said the government was committed to protect interests of children and various schemes had been launched for their welfare. The Mukhya Mantri Bal Uddhar Yojna was under implementation through Balika Ashrams, benefitting 1,060 children. Under the Integrated Child Development Services, for the development of children upto the age of six years, the state was providing supplementary nutrition, pre-school education, health check-ups, health education and immunisation through 18,248 anganwadi centres in 76 projects in the state, he added. |
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Teachers should be role models: CM
Shimla, June 29 Dhumal said the state was poised to emerge as a hub of quality education where teachers would have to play vital role. Teachers needed to be a source of inspiration and motivation to their students, which was essential to bring about qualitative change in education, he added. Dhumal said Himachal was one of the few leading states where 17 per cent of the annual budgetary provision was being spent on expansion and strengthening of education sector during current financial year. He said budgetary provision for creating education infrastructure had also been enhanced by Rs 142 crore. President of the association presented a draft of Rs 1.11 lakh as contribution towards Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. He also released the souvenir brought out by the association to mark the conference.
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Missing girls traced at Ambala
Solan, June 29 Baddi SP Chander Shekhar Pandit said the minor girls, aged 13 and 16, were found missing on June 21 from Baddi. Father of one of the girls, Mahesh Jha, then lodged a complaint with the police on June 25 stating that his daughter had left for Ambala along with another girl and one Lakhan. Meanwhile Lakhan, who hails from Meerut, took the two girls to Meerut after leaving Baddi. Interestingly, another youth Guddu was sent by a woman from Baddi, who supposedly posed as a social worker, to fetch the two girls from Meerut and a sum of Rs 2,000 was handed over to him. He, however, got involved with the two girls and failed to turn up. Guddu hails from BB Nagar area of Bulandshehar. The four then decided to return back but they exhausted all their funds after reaching Ambala. The Baddi police learnt about their presence in Ambala and a police team was then dispatched there who managed to arrest the two youths along with the girls. Police officials said the social worker had approached Lakhan’s mother at Baddi and had asked her to give her Rs 20,000 for saving him from police hassles. The SP said it appeared to be a deep-rooted conspiracy as medical examination of the two girls exposed their habitual exposure to physical relations, lending credence to the existence of some flesh racket where the girls appear to be working with consent. While further investigations were underway, a case under Section 376 of the IPC was registered against Guddu and Lakhan.
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Pear price hits a new low
Kullu/Mandi, June 29 Prem Thakur, a pear grower from Kharal area, the major pear-producing belt in Kullu, told The Tribune that farmers had been hit badly this season. “Hails destroyed over 50 per cent of the crop and now the low market price has drastically hit pear growers,” he said. Bandrol, Pathlikuhal, Manali and Bhuntar in Kullu and Takoli, Bhangrotu and Mandi have emerged as major local market in the Kullu-Mandi region. Last year, traders from Delhi, Saharanpur, Punjab and Haryana came to local market and directly bought the fruit. However, this time their number is quite less due to hail factor, the farmers said. Arvind Gupta, deputy director, horticulture, said hail had hit pear production badly in the Kharal, Ani and Nirmand area which resulted in a loss of over 8,000 metric tonnes worth Rs 14 lakh. He said pear production was good in the beginning. However, farmers resorted to early plucking that resulted in fall in the prices. |
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Dharna in front of police station
Dharamsala, June 29 The panchayat members along with other villagers today sat in dharna in front of the local police station alleging that the police officers concerned were not acting on their complaints. They alleged that a few workers of ruling party were thwarting their efforts to carry out development works. They alleged that the panchayat had constructed a bridge over a local drain. However, the accused broke the bridge which has hampered the movement of villagers. The panchayat had lodged a police complaint against the accused. However, no action has been taken. — TNS |
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4 held for kidnapping youth
Dalhousie, June 29 The incident took place when the youth, Vikram Kumar, was coming back to his home after attending a wedding ceremony at the township on Sunday night. He was waylaid and kidnapped by a gang of four persons who were riding on two motorbikes. Vikram was taken towards Pathankot where they thrashed him and snatched his purse, mobile and keys of his home. Meanwhile, a few passengers travelling in a vehicle saw the youth lying on the highway and helped him reach his home. |
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Panchayats are considered to be local governments and the Constitution has given them powers to govern their respective areas independently. However, the democratically elected panchayat of Kaliara village near here today had to resort to dharna in front of the local police station to highlight its plight.
