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Uproar in Vidhan Sabha
Work on Theog-Rohru road stalled
Landslides disrupt highway traffic
Flood waters washed away a link road at Kohala village, about 20 km from Dharamsala, on Thursday night. Photo: Kamaljeet |
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HC reserves verdict in CD case
6 killed in two accidents
Rain hits life in Kangra valley
Orders to release 8 pc DA
Hospital raided; all present
Donation for Leh victims
Health insurance for BPL families
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Uproar in Vidhan Sabha
Shimla, August 20 The minister, while replying to the MLA’s query stated that the bhawan at Daya village had been completed at Rs 10,23,892 and handed over to gram panchayat. However, Harsh Wardhan maintained that the structure had actually collapsed and said either the minister was not aware of the factual position or she was misleading the House. He wanted her to check the latest position but Chaudhary asserted that only part of a retaining wall had been damaged and the structure was intact. She went on to say that he was not well-versed with the development in his constituency and even raise doubts about his capability. This led to heated exchanges and an infuriated Harsh Wardhan straightaway threw a challenge that if he was proved wrong, he would resign and asked the minister to do the same if she was wrong. He also said unlike Chaudhary, who had been alternately losing elections, he had won from his Shilai four times in a row and he would not have achieved this if he was incompetent. Other Congress members also came out in his support causing uproar in the House. Their grouse was that the member was raising a public issue and there was no need for the minister to get personal. The situation was saved with the intervention of Chief Minister P.K.Dhumal who assured them that the matter would be looked into and factual position would be placed before the House. There was no need for anyone to resign on this trivial issue. Earlier, Revenue Minister Gulab Singh informed Gangu Ram Musafir (Congress) who had said the government had released Rs 48 crore for carrying out relief measures during the rainy season. He said the finance commission had increased the calamity relief fund to Rs 130 crore but the state would also have to contribute 25 per cent. During 2008-09, the total loss from natural calamities came to Rs 2,076 crore and the state sought Rs 1,590 crore from the Centre but it gave only Rs 36 crore.
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Work on Theog-Rohru road stalled
Shimla, August 20 It was after the visit of Horticulture Minister Narinder Bragta to the area last week that a decision was taken that the road construction work would not be undertaken till the apple season was over. The excavation work was invariably causing slips, leading to obstruction of the road, hampering apple movement. “Since we have been directed to completely stop the work except maintenance, we have already sought 15-month additional time and soon we will seek three months more time, as progress will suffer,” confirmed Ashok Rajan, senior adviser of the Chinese company. He said the papers in this regard had already been sent to the consultant engineer appointed by the World Bank. Since the apple season is likely to continue till September-end, there will be delay of 45 days as no road work will be allowed during this period. The 80 km road to be completed at a cost of Rs 228 crore by September 2011 will definitely be further delayed. He said their two cranes and other equipments were off and on being used to remove the loaded trucks, which break down or get stuck in the slush to ensure that there are no traffic jams. Work on the project though estimated to cost Rs 228 crore is likely to go up substantially due to constant delays. Even though there were apprehensions that the government could consider termination of the agreement with the Chinese firm, it was later felt that this would not only cause further delay but also a loss of over Rs 200 crore to the government. |
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Landslides disrupt highway traffic
Dharamsala, August 20 The stranded commuters alleged inaction on the part of authorities. They alleged that though the traffic on the road was blocked in the middle of the night, no official came to the site for about eight hours. PWD officials arrived with JCB machine at about 9 am after which the road was opened for small vehicles. The said road has become prone to landslides after it has been widened by cutting mountains surrounding it. The landslides also blocked traffic on the
Gaggal-Dharamsala road due to landslides. The authorities had to divert traffic to an alternative road. Meanwhile, two pine trees fell on the main road near the Palampur bus stand. The traffic remained blocked on the main road in Palampur for hours before the trees were cut and removed. The traffic was also blocked on the Palampur-Mandi National Highway due to landslide near
Hotla. Landslides also disrupted traffic at many places on the Pathankot-Kangra National Highway. According to sources, traffic was disrupted near Nurpur and Nagni Mata temple area due to landslides. The heavy rains inundated local labour court office. There were reports of landslides on many link roads in Kangra district. The entire district witnessed heavy rainfall continuously for about 16 hours. All seasonal rivulets in the region were flowing to their brims after rains. The heavy flow of water in rivulets threatened over 100 old bridges on the main national highway in the district. Many weak bridges have been awaiting replacement for years despite the department awarding contracts for the purpose. At Kohala village, villagers alleged that the local rivulet was changing its course and threatening their houses. |
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HC reserves verdict in CD case
Shimla, August 20 During the course of the hearing, lawyer for Union Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife contended that the trial of the case was the abuse of the process of law as the same had been registered after 20 years of the alleged offence. He further contended that the case had been registered on the basis of a CD whose origin was not known. It was alleged that the communication was alleged to have taken place in the late 1989 and beginning of the 1990. He added that at that time audio cassettes were in use and not CDs. The petitioners added that the forensic science laboratory had submitted the report on August 8, 2008, but the FIR was registered after the delay of one year. The petitioners alleged that this FIR was politically motivated and the case was frivolous. Virbhadra Singh and his wife have urged the court to quash the FIR registered on August 3 last year with the Anti-Corruption Police Station, Chhota Shimla. The state government contended before the court that the Vigilance Bureau had already completed investigations in the CD case against the Congress leader and also intended to file the final report in the special court under whose jurisdiction the CD case falls. |
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6 killed in two accidents
Shimla, August 20 While two persons died on the spot, three succumbed to their injuries on way to hospital and one at the local IGMC hospital. The deceased included the driver, Ajay from Rai Bareilly and son of the owner Shubhum from Theog. Pakher Singh, Jai Singh and Malkiat Singh, the three other victims, belonged to Kalka. In the second accident, another apple-laden truck (HP 63-0719) skidded and rolled into a khud near Khara Pathar. The driver Kamlesh from Ladwah in Palampur died on the spot. Meanwhile, the death toll in the yesterday’s bus accident rose to 25 with three more persons succumbing to their injuries at the IGMC hospital here. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and Horticulture Minister Narinder Bragta have expressed grief over the death of six persons in truck accidents in the Kotkhai area.
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Rain hits life in Kangra valley
Kangra, August 20 The unprecedented rains left almost all rivers passing through the valley swollen. Even the Budladha khud passing through the Kohala village changed its course and entered the village. It forced the villagers to rush to safer places last night. Ramesh Nanda, a villager, alleged that large scale illegal encroachments on both sides had resulted in the khud changing the course. Kangra ASP Umapati Jamwal, SDM Deepak Kumar and other officials visited Kohala village to take stock of the situation. The Dharamsala-Hoshiarpur National Highway was blocked near the Bajjreshwari Ghat due to heavy landslide till this afternoon. Two dousers were pressed into service by the National Highway Authorities of India (NHAI) to ease traffic jam. A number of link roads too were blocked due to landslides and flooded nullahs. However, no loss of life was reported from any part of the valley.
— OC |
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Orders to release 8 pc DA
Shimla, August 20 The additional DA of 8 per cent will be paid in cash with the salary of August 2010 payable in September and the arrears accrued from January 1 to July 31, 2010, will be credited in the GPF account of the employees. The interest on this account will accrue from September 1, 2010. The orders will be applicable to employees covered by the HP Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules 2009 and work charged employees in various government departments. These orders will also apply to All-India Services Officers, HP Judicial Services Officers and state government employees covered by the UGC Pay Scales. The government employees, who have retired or closed their GPF accounts and governed under Contribution Pension Scheme, will get the arrears in cash. As far as the employees of public sector undertakings, universities, autonomous bodies and boards are concerned, the managements of these organisations will take an appropriate decision in this regard, considering the availability of resources at their disposal. |
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Hospital raided; all present
Bilaspur, August 20 She took a round of the X-ray room and checked the register and stocks of medicines and life-saving drugs. The DC directed the block medical officer to fix an information board on the premises at the entrance of the hospital, detailing all facilities available to the BPL families.
— OC
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Donation for Leh victims
Shimla, August 20 A draft for the amount was handed at the local office of The Tribune here today by the employees union.
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Health insurance for BPL families
Hamirpur, August 20 Addressing a press conference here today, Attri said insurance under this scheme was earlier provided in four districts and now this scheme had been extended to all 12 districts. He said the company had tied up with 150 private hospitals to provide free treatment to BPL families.
— TNS
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Heavy rains that lashed the region led to landslides and disruption of traffic on various roads leading to Dharamsala today.
