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Villagers say no to Luhri power project
Tough challenges ahead for new Tibetan PM-in-exile Sangay |
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Nod to Institutes on Fake Papers
Himachal Swabhiman Party launched
Little progress in tarring scam probe
Pawar hints at raising import duty on apple
Small temples to be developed
Rain claims life in Chamba
Tackling Soil Erosion
Kin angry as legal compulsions delay autopsy
Benami land deals rampant, admits minister
23 domestic LPG cylinders confiscated
Man gets 6-month jail
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Villagers say no to Luhri power project
Mandi/Purlog, August 9 Interestingly, on the other hand, villagers from the Basantpur area, which falls in Shimla district on the left bank of the river and where the SJVN is planning its colony and hospital, supported the project and asked the panel to go ahead with it. People from 11 panchayats - Bindla, Purlog, Teban, Sarahan, Gwalpur, Nanz, Khadra, Baridhar, Shaut, Pokhri and Chamidhar - including their panchayat representatives, pradhans and BDC and zila parishad members, told the panel that they were opposed to the construction of the 38-km-long twin tunnels in their area as these would dry up their drinking water sources and affect crops. They said the Sutlej would disappear for 38 km that would increase the local temperature by several degrees that would in turn ruin the apple belt of Dalash, Ani and Kotgarh and the vegetable belt of the Nanz area in Mandi district as well. The villagers objected to the public hearing being held under heavy police presence and said many of them had to travel up to 120 km to attend it. Nek Ram, president, Jan Sangharsh Samiti, told the panel that the present form of the Environment Impact Assessment report of the project was unacceptable to them and they were opposed to the project. Ramesh Chand Verma, panchayat pradhan, Bindla, where a powerhouse is coming up, and Purlog panchyat pradhan Hem Raj submitted letters of opposition bearing the signatures of villagers to the panel. Guman Singh, convener of the Himalayan Nitti Abhiyan, and Atul Kumar of the Satluj Bachao Samiti of Shimla said the present form of the project would ruin the entire vegetable and apple belt. Mandi Deputy Commissioner Devesh Kumar, General Manager of the SJVN SK Sharma, the SDM, Karsog, the DFO, Karsog, besides officials of the state pollution control board were present and they recorded the objections on the project and vediographed the proceedings. |
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Tough challenges ahead for new Tibetan PM-in-exile Sangay
Dharamsala, August 9 The ceremony was marked by traditional dance and a performance by artistes of the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA). However, the new role for Lobsang Sangay has brought challenges that he will have to address in the coming days. Earlier the Tibetan government-in-exile drew its legitimacy from the Dalai Lama who was accepted as the undisputed leader of the Tibetans inside and outside Tibet by the international community. The Tibetan government-in-exile, that drew legitimacy as an organisation working under the office of the Dalai Lama, has not been recognised by any country, including the host country, India. With the Dalai Lama retiring as the head, the term, “Tibetan government-in-exile”, has lost its legitimacy. The Tibetan parliament recently passed a resolution for changing the name of the Tibetan government-in-exile to The Organisation for Tibetan People. The move has been resented by the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), the largest NGO of Tibetan exiles. Sangay was also once an active member of the TYC. However, he will have to work to keep intact the international importance of the renamed Tibetan government-in-exile. The other challenge before the new political leader of the Tibetan exiles is to gain the support of the Tibetans living in Tibet. The Dalai Lama was considered as “God King”, a reincarnated Lama, by the entire Tibetan community, including those living in Tibet. The Dalai Lama drew influence over the Tibetan community from faith and religion, besides the temporal authority vested in him. However, now it remains to be seen if the new political leadership, democratically elected by the Tibetan exiles, many of whom were born and brought in India, can gain the confidence of the Tibetans living in Tibet. Sangay also faces the challenge of resuming bilateral talks with China that were suspended since the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Earlier nine rounds of talks had taken place between envoys of the Dalai Lama and Chinese officials. Though much has not been achieved by way of talks, these kept the ray of hope for the Tibetan struggle kindled. China labelled Sangay as a terrorist just after he was declared elected as the Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile. He will have to manage pressure from the international community to bring back China to the negotiation table. Sangay will also have to deal with the “increasing hostile” Nepalese government. Nepal has the second largest Tibetan community in exile after India. However, with growing influence of Left parties in Nepal, the life of the Tibetan exiles has become difficult. Nepal serves as a gateway for the Tibetan exiles fleeing to India. Now the Nepalese government has stepped up vigil along the Chinese border to stop the movement of the Tibetan exiles. Recently the Nepalese police detained the envoy of the Dalai Lama to the country. Meanwhile, Sangay unfurled the flag of the Tibetan government-in-exile and thanked the foreign and Indian dignitaries who had come to participate in his oath-taking ceremony. The messages of many dignitaries who failed to attend the function were also read out on the occasion.
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Nod to Institutes on Fake Papers
Shimla, August 9 Passing these directions, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Sanjay Karol directed the SP, CBI, to submit a report in a sealed cover to the court within three months. The court also directed the CBI and the State Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau to conduct investigations in a coordinated manner so that there was no conflict between the two investigating agencies. The SP, CBI, brought to the notice of the court that several institutions, which had obtained an NOC from the NCTE, did not even have proper buildings. At this, the court directed him to conduct an inquiry into all such institutions and submit his report to the court. The court said it shall be open for the CBI to take appropriate action under law on the basis of its investigation and it should not wait for the direction or permission of the court in this regard. The Bench passed the order on a petition filed by VP Ahluwalia, a retired Principal of Government Postgraduate College, Dhaliara, wherein he had alleged that the Director, Thakur College of Education (Dhaliara), had used fake documents to get recognition for educational courses from the NCTE. He alleged that no action was taken by the authorities concerned on his complaint. Not only that some persons had also used fake educational degrees to get government jobs. The petitioner also alleged that the private institution had been granted recognition and affiliation on the basis of fake documents and according to information obtained by him under the RTI Act, the documents submitted to the NCTE regarding the teaching staff of the college were fake. In some documents the signatures had been forged and the institution did not have qualified staff as required under the NCTE norms. The college was being run as a family venture and no managing committee had been formed as required under the norms. He alleged that the NCTE had granted recognition to it even though the state had not given the mandatory NOC. Besides, the college was allowed to increase the number of seats in BEd from 100 to 200 within a span of nine months from the date of original recognition and also allowed to start the MEd course with 25 seats and the MPEd course with 30 seats. On the basis of this complaint, the CBI had registered a case and found that Dr Ajit Singh Rana, the then Regional Director of the NCTE, Jaipur, had abused official position to grant recognition to the Thakur College of Education in allowing additional 100 seats for BEd and 25 seats for MEd during 2007-08 in gross violation of the norms. The petitioner urged the court to direct Himachal Pradesh University to withdraw the affiliation and the NCTE to cancel its recognition. The court also directed the Thakur College of Education, Dhaliara, Dehra and Thakur Pre-examination Coaching-cum-Training Institute, Nehranpukhar, Dehra, to file a reply within a month as a last opportunity.
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Himachal Swabhiman Party launched
Dharamsala, August 9 The new party was launched at a function organised at Dharamsala today. A former BJP ideologue who is now considered close to the movement started by Baba Ramdev, Govindacharya, was present at the party-launch ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, Govindacharya said people were looking for an alternative to the present political parties in the country. Parties like the Himachal Swabhiman Party would provide the alternative. Subhash Sharma, president of the party, when asked whether he had the support of the Bharat Swabhiman Manch formed under the aegis of Baba Ramdev, said the presence of Govindacharya at their function illustrated the support. “We will enrol 1 lakh members in the coming days and extend support to the movements of Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev,” he said. The formation of the Himachal Swabhiman Party and the presence of Govindacharya at its launch programme has started having its effect. Some are suspecting that the party may be having the tacit support of estranged BJP MP from Kangra Rajan Sushant |
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Little progress in tarring scam probe
Mandi, August 9 PWD Minister Gulab Singh Thakur said here today that the inquiry officer of the quality control wing was yet to submit the report into the tarring scam. However, the tarring work had been stopped on the 20-km-long stretch after the tarring weathered and the highway was dotted with potholes within a month of the work. The tarring of the Nauni-Gambhar stretch was assigned to a company, MG Construction. On the other hand, a 14-km-long stretch between Manali and Kullu, which was tarred last year and partly this year, is also not up to the mark and is under the lens of the PWD’s quality control wing. However, a look into the inquiries into the tarring and bitumen scams reveals that it is rarely that strict action is taken against contractors. They are at best penalised and then let-off after the acts of omission and commission, say sources. The quality control wing of the PWD has allegedly failed to check rampant violations of tarring norms pertaining to national highways. The tarring thickness of a national highway should be three inches and should have two layers - two inches of bitumen and an inch of semi-density bitumen carpet. Residents alleged that the Pandoh-Saroha road tarred last year had weathered away within a month. The same held true for the Chambi-Chopal road in Shimla district which was tarred this season, but no inquiry had been initiated. Interestingly, when Chief Engineer, Mandi zone, RC Verma was asked about the tarring specifications for national and state highways in front of the PWD Minister here today, he said he was not aware of these. Chief Engineer (NH) VK Bhardwaj said the inquiry into the tarring scam was in progress, and they had asked the contractor concerned to do the repair work in the meanwhile. Gulab Singh Thakur assured that the government would take action and the guilty in the matter would not be spared. |
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Pawar hints at raising import duty on apple
Shimla, August 9 The assurance came after Virbhadra Singh met Pawar and drew his attention to the bulk import of apple from countries like China as a result of which the growers of Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand were not getting remunerative returns. He said the domestic fruit was much better in quality but the growers were not getting the true value of their produce. He said the problem could be solved only by raising the import duty. Virbhadra Singh also met Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma and urged him to take all possible steps to safeguard the interests of the apple growers. |
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Small temples to be developed
Shimla, August 9 The cabinet sub-committee which held its meeting here yesterday under the chairmanship of Irrigation and Public Health Minister Ravinder Singh Ravi, agreed in principle to spend money from the bigger government-controlled temples on creating facilities at smaller shrines. Ravi said in future the Vikram Samvat year would be inscribed on all the government foundation and inauguration stones. “A proposal to this effect will be placed before the Cabinet for approval and since Vikram Samvat epitomises the essence of Indian culture, the government will adopt it,” he said. The Cabinet sub-committee constituted to review the report submitted by the high-powered committee for the Administration of Temples held its third meeting and discussed the detailed report regarding the amendment of Section 29 of the scheduled temples taken over by the government under provisions of the HP Hindu Public Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowment Act, 1984. He said the state government would issue proper guidelines so that the same puja could be performed at the time of inauguration or laying foundation stones of various developmental activities in the state. He added that training programmes would be held for the priests. |
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Rain claims life in Chamba
Chamba, August 9 The report revealed that during the downpour the child’s mother Nishu Devi was carrying her daughter Kajal on her back when a stone rolled down from the hillside and hit her daughter who succumbed to her injures at the community health centre at Choori. An injured Nishu was undergoing treatment at the hospital. The police has registered a case. According to residents of the area, it is the most vulnerable point on the road alongside the hill where boulders and stones fall even during a little spell of rain. |
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Tackling Soil Erosion
Shimla, August 9 Power companies which have given funds for the implementation of the CAT plans want quick results so that their projects can operate smoothly. However, this is not happening as civil engineering structures have not been very successful in arresting the flow of silt due to defective implementation. The department had sent teams of forest conservators to the field to evaluate the CAT plans and it was found that there was lack of uniformity in implementation. Consequently, the measures were a success in some areas and ineffective in others. Additional Chief Secretary, Forests, Sudipto Roy said after a thorough review it had been decided to rectify the defects in civil structures and take short-term measures in consultation with the stakeholder power companies so that the problem of excessive silt could be dealt with in a focused manner. The emphasis would be on geo-textiles, mulching, contour trenches, hedges and vegetative measures which were more effective in arresting soil erosion and retaining moisture. The effort would be to implement the CAT plans in a time-bound manner so that power companies benefit from it. Once the bioengineering plant species, which take only six months to grow, were established in a highly degraded area where natural generation of vegetation had become impossible, it would be much easier to introduce other forest species for long-term rehabilitation, Roy pointed out. The department has also decided to carry out an independent third-party evaluation of the CAT plans to ascertain their impact on the catchment areas, particularly in conserving soil and water. The process was under way to assign the work to a private company for the Kol Dam project. The independent evaluation will enable the department to know the shortcomings in the implementation of the CAT plans and take corrective action.
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Kin angry as legal compulsions delay autopsy
Kangra, August 9 Payal Mehra of Dari village was referred from the Zonal Hospital, Dharamsala, and admitted to the DRPGMC, Tanda, at 11.30 am on Monday. She was under treatment in the medicine ward, but died at 4.30 pm yesterday. Sonu Mehra, Payal’s husband, said it was customary in this part of the state that in such types of deaths the baby was taken out of the mother’s womb and last rites of the mother and the child were performed separately. He said the mother’s body was consigned to the flames while the baby was buried as per the religious rites. He said yesterday after his wife died, they approached doctors to take out the baby from her womb. The doctors stated legal compulsions and refused to oblige them. They said as she was dead, the operation on her could not be performed. As for taking out the baby by autopsy, it was not a medico legal case, so they were helpless. The doctors pleaded that under Section 297, IPC, they couldn’t trespass the body unless required under law. Meanwhile, when the death certificate of the woman was issued to her relatives, it bore the wrong name and address of the husband. This made the handing over of the body to her relatives difficult. The body remained in the mortuary for 22 hours, while her relatives waited at the Tanda hospital and the cremation ground at Dari where her last rites were to be performed. Medical Superintendent of TMC Hospital SB Sood was approached by the family members of the deceased for making factual entries in her death certificate and hospital records. Following his intervention and after submission of an affidavit by Sonu Mehra, the death certificate was issued with correct entries. A social activist sought Tanda college Principal Anil Chauhan’s intervention. It was on the basis of the request letters from the parental as well as in-laws’ side, which were authenticated by the village pradhan and up-pradan of Dari village, that the autopsy could be performed at 2.30 pm today. |
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Benami land deals rampant, admits minister
Solan, August 9 He said the government failed to detect such deals as these were being executed on the basis of the general power of attorney among individuals. He was addressing mediapersons here today after presiding over a district-level grievances redressal camp here. He said such deals did not include those which were made under Section 118 of the HP Land Reforms and Tenancy Act. Thakur said they were planning to set up a satellite township around Shimla to decongest it. Asked as to why the proposed satellite township at Waknaghat could not be set up, he He said a facelift would be given to the towns in the state under the Rajiv Gandhi Awas Yojna. Four districts, including Solan, would be covered under this scheme under which Dalits, the poor, the houseless, the landless and persons residing in katcha houses would be provided dwellings. Sewerage, channeling of drains, drinking water and pucca streets would be incorporated in the scheme in urban areas. Under this scheme, circular buses would operate in these areas and connectivity to the towns would also be improved with the construction of roads. He asked the officers concerned to develop a master plan of urban areas in Solan district along with a detailed project report so that funds could be procured from the Central Government for the implementation of the project. Regarding the demand for more buses in the Nalagarh Industrial area, he directed the Regional Manager, Nalagarh, to prepare a proposal for operating buses to the industrial area and the PGI. He said 200 buses in the state would be procured on the “wetleasing basis” which would benefit the entire population of the state. The District NGO Federation raised the problems faced by commuters from Chandigarh to Solan and from Shimla to Solan. He directed the transport authority to ensure that buses were available from 6 pm to 8 pm. |
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23 domestic LPG cylinders confiscated
Dharamsala, August 9 Department controller Balbant Singh gave this information in a press statement here today. He said domestic LPG cylinders were being used in hotels, dhabhas and various other shops. Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, RS Gupta has ordered the health authorities to conduct periodic checks at the premises of fruit and vegetable vendors. The steps have been taken to prevent outbreak of an epidemic during the monsoon season. |
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Man gets 6-month jail
Sundernagar, August 9 The convict was running the centre on the premises taken on rent from Keshra Sharma. When the rent was demanded, he issued a cheque for Rs 45,000, which bounced. A legal notice was issued to him, but he did not pay the amount. So Sharma filed a complaint under the Negotiable Instrumental Act. — OC |
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Dharamsala, August 9
