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Rain wreaks havoc in state; 14 killed
Relief from rain forecast in state
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Independence
Day Celebrations
9 MNREGA job card holders to get Rs 4,730 each
Fake
judgment case
Appoint new Kangra Div Commissioner: HC
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Rain wreaks havoc in state; 14 killed
Shimla, August 16 Four persons were killed in Mandi, one each in Kullu and Lahaul, followed by four in Sirmour, one in Solan and three in Manali. Several areas in the interior were cut off as landslides triggered by heavy rain blocked the roads. The Manali-Keylong road remained blocked due to landslide near Rani Nullah, and the Kullu-Manali highway also could not be restored. The traffic was diverted via Katola. The Shimla-Bilaspur road was also blocked near Nauni but it was restored by afternoon. The Theog Kharapathar road was blocked near Praunthi and several link roads were also hit by landslides in this apple belt. In Sirmour, four children were killed and three persons were injured when a house collapsed at Kalog in Shilai. In the adjacent Solan district driver of a private bus was killed when the vehicle was caught in landslide near Jogo on the Swarghat-Bilaspur highway. 203 houses
damaged
Mandi/Kullu: Six persons, including a school boy, four in Mandi and one each in Kullu and Lahaul, were killed in different incidents of landslides, house collapses due to flood and rains in the region, while 203 houses were damaged and 126 cattle were washed away in Mandi district in the past 24 hours. Those killed have been identified as Devi Ram (19), Sundru Devi of Naun, who were buried under house debris, Malika Devi of Sarkaghat, and Kuldip Kumar of Dharampur, whose body was found along the Beas today in Mandi district. A boy who was studying in class VI at a government school, near Raison, Kullu, was washed away in the Banogi Nullah today when he was going to school. All schools were closed in Kullu district today due to rains and flood, said BM Nanta, DC, Kullu. A motorcyclist was killed on the spot after he was hit by a boulder at Chota Dhara in Lahaul while he was travelling to Keylong yesterday. As many as six persons were injured in the landslides, four at Dehar Sundernagar and two at Dharampur. Of the 203 houses, 64 houses were damaged while five gharats were washed away in Mandi. The PWD and the IPH claimed that the rains and flood damaged roads worth Rs 4.71 crore, while the IPH schemes worth Rs 13 lakh, school buildings and walls worth Rs 2 lakh were damaged in Mandi district. ADM Mandi DK Rattan said the roads had been restored for traffic. The total loss due to damage to houses, crops and roads is estimated to be Rs 8 crore, he added. 185 rendered homeless
Over 185 residents, including 80 jhuggi dwellers, were rendered homeless after the surging Beas flooded their dwellings while seven houses in the Indira Colony, Mandi, located within the flood zone of the Beas, were damaged earlier due to the collapse of the HIMUDA-built wall. The 10-m-long retaining wall collapsed at around 5 am today and damaged five houses in the Indira Awas Colony. The Beas, which hit 1 m above the danger mark, a 10-year high, flooded the five houses located right inside the flood zone of the Beas. “We along with children were sleeping in the house when we heard some noise. We came out and saw that the wall had collapsed,” Neelam Sharma and Vidya Devi narrated. “We ran out of houses and saved our lives. But there is no help from the committee and administration so far,” they resented. Vidya Devi, Neelam Sharma, Santosh Kumar, Sinandar Kaur, Bamni Devi and Shel Devi have lost their houses to flood. Lal Chand, a representative of the Jhuggi dewellers, said 20 jhuggis had been washed away and 150 persons rendered homeless. The surging water also flooded the Panchvakhtar temple and submerged the two-pump houses for the second time today, hitting drinking water supply to the town. Anil Sharma, Sadar MLA, Mandi, visited the site and blamed HIMUDA for poor construction of the wall that collapsed within six months. Devesh Kumar, DC, Mandi, said it was the task of the council to rehabilitate the people who were rendered homeless. Meanwhile, Sushila Sonkhla, president, Mandi Council, said the administration was not cooperating with the committee. Commuters stranded
Hundreds of commuters, including tourists, remained stranded on both sides of 300-m-long stretch between Mandi and Kullu at Duwada, 35 km from here, as this stretch has been submerged under the 5-ft water of the surging Beas for the second time since 6 am today. The Beas also submerged the 400-m-long highway between Raison and Manali for three hours. But the river receded and the traffic was restored between Manali and Kullu. The Beas hit 3-m-high level from the normal flow today and submerged 650-m-long stretch at Duwada for the second time today. But the long rows of tourists, tankers, local private vehicles kept stranded at Duwada as the Beas receded by a metre towards evening. NH-20 executive engineer Jatinder Singh said the over 300-metre-long stretch was under 4-ft water of the Beas. Landslide kills four children
Paonta Sahib: Four children were killed and three others were injured when the house they were sleeping in caved in due to heavy rain at Kalog village, near Ronhat, on the Nainidhar road in the Shillai sub-division last night. Police officials said the mishap occurred as heavy rains had been lashing the area for the past 12 hours causing the field adjoining the house to get inundated with water. This led to a huge landslide to fall on the double-storeyed house where the family members were sleeping in two rooms. The ground floor, which housed a cowshed, was also damaged and two cows and calves were killed. The four children - Manoj (12), Manisha (7), Aman (14) and Ankush (7) - who were sleeping in one room were buried under the debris while Visho Devi, Jalam Singh and his wife Bagho Devi escaped with minor injuries. Jalam Singh raised an alarm after their house was buried in the muck and this awakened nearby villages who rushed in to save the family. They pulled out the four children, but they died while being taken to the hospital. The police was informed about the incident around 4 am after the bodies had been retrieved, police officials said. Paonta Sahib SDM Vijay Kumar said an immediate relief of Rs 5,000 each to the next of kin of the dead had been given and they would be further provided with the remaining amount of Rs 95,000 each. Cloudburst
disrupts traffic
MANALI: A cloudburst at a nullah at Rangri, about 4 km from here, on the Manali-Kullu road has disrupted the vehicular traffic this afternoon. The flood in the nullah claimed three lives, including a man, a woman and a child, who were travelling in a Maruti van on the NH 21. The wreckage of the van could be seen buried under the debris on the Beas bed at the site of the tragedy. Besides, another light vehicle is also reported to have been washed away in the flood. According to villagers, the cloudburst occurred after a big thud today. The cloudburst occurred close to the building of Central School for Tibetans, near Rangri. The schoolchildren and staff of the school had a narrow escape. Manali SDM Balbir Thakur reached the spot after receiving the information. Inputs by Kuldeep Chauhan, Ambika Sharma and MC Thakur |
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Relief from rain forecast in state
Shimla, August 16 According to Manmohan Singh, in charge of the local Met office, the rain will start receding over the next 24 hours and weather will clear up within 48 hours. The state has been experiencing abnormally high rain since August 12 and areas like Lahaul Spiti not only had heavy rain, but also unseasonal snow. The heavy downpour made up for the scanty rains in the current monsoon so far and the overall deficiency came down from 25 per cent on August 12 to 10 per cent by August 16, which is as good as normal. The state has received 497 mm of rain since June 1 as against the normal precipitation of 550 mm. Over the past 24 hours the areas that recorded heavy rain included Paonta Sahib (162 mm), Arki (160 mm), Dharmpur (94 mm), Renuka (91 mm), Sundernagar (88.1 mm), Gohar (88 mm), Seobagh (85 mm), Kasauli (83 mm), Bhuntar (76.1 mm), Jogindernagar (75 mm), Baijnath (72 mm) Hamirpur (68 mm), Manali (67 mm), Kandaghat (63 mm), Sangrah (60 m), Bangana (58 mm), Baldwara (56 mm), Ghumarwin (50 mm) and Sangla (49 mm).
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Organisations show solidarity with Anna
Shimla, August 16 While one group took out a procession through the Lower Bazaar, others marched across the Mall, sporting Gandhi caps and holding the Tricolour. They also carried placards and banners expressing their support to the fight against corruption. Meanwhile, the CPM has decided to hold a statewide demonstration against the arrest of Anna Hazare. “The government action to prevent him from observing a fast is an attack on the democratic rights of the citizens to protest peacefully,” said Tikender Panwar, member, State Secretariat. He said such behaviour only reaffirms the fact that the Congress leadership was intolerant towards the anti-corruption movement as they were themselves steeped in high-level corruption. The CPM demanded that there should be at least five different types of Jan Lokpal Bills, including Rahstriya Jan Lokpal, which covers Prime Minister, Central Vigilance Commisison, Judicial Standards and Accountability Lokpal, Public Grievance Lokpal and Whistle-blower Protection Lokpal. Supporters sit
on fast
MANDI: Des Raj Sharma, a former junior engineer, today sat on a fast-unto-death in support of Anna Hazare’s India Against Corruption movement launched in New Delhi against the government’s Bill on Lokpal. Five others, including three women, joined the protest with Des Raj for 24 hours under the aegis of the HP RTI Bureau, Mandi, which has been supporting the Anna’s movement in the state. Joining the strike in support of Anna are Shrestha Thakur, a computer engineer, Dhiraj Sharma, a graduate, Hemlata Pathania, president of the physically challenged association, Himanshu and Chandramani Sharma, a social worker. They joined the strike for 24 hours and condemned the arrest of Anna and described the action as undemocratic. Des Raj said he would continue his fast-unto-death till Anna remains on fast. As an individual it is the duty of each citizen to support this movement in support of the Janlokpal, who should cover everybody and every office under its purview, he added. Lawan Thakur also charged that they would support Anna’s anti- corruption movement till he calls it off. Meanwhile, the CPM condemned the arrest of Anna and termed the action as denial of the right to protest. CPM general secretary Bhupender said the UPA government was trying to crush the movement against corruption, adding that the CM and the PM should be brought under Lokpal’s purview. Students take
out march
HAMIRPUR: Several organisations have come forward in support of social activist Anna Hazare, condemning his arrest, opposing the government’s Lokpal Bill and making it more stringent to fight corruption. Hundreds of students of National Institute of Technology (NIT), Hamirpur, today marched from the NIT campus to the Gandhi Chowk raising slogans. Activists of the Jago Bharat Jago Manch also held a protest dharna against his arrest and raised slogans against the UPA government at the Gandhi Chowk. One of the organisers of the protest Avnish Kumar said they have started a dharna to support Anna’s fight against corruption. Condemning their arrest, they demanded their immediate release and vowed to continue their dharna for the same. Former MLA BD Lakhanpal and district BJP president Desh Raj Sharma have also condemned the arrest of Anna and other social activists. Dharamsala: National vice-president of the BJP Shanta Kumar today termed social activist Anna Hazare’s arrest as a “black day in Indian democracy”. He alleged that while on the one hand the present government was not taking action against politicians who had been indicted by constitutional authorities on charges of corruption, on the other it has gone all out to crush the non-violent movement started by Anna against corruption. He said all Opposition parties should come together to protest against the UPA government for its anti-constitutional steps against the social activist. People were coming out in large numbers to support Anna’s movement. It seemed that the Congress was desperate to save some of their top leaders who might be in trouble in case tough laws were framed against corruption and black money, Shanta Kumar alleged. Members of the newly formed Himachal Swabhiman Party, in a press note here today, also pledged their support to the movement. They said they would take to streets in Anna’s support and condemn his arrest by the Delhi Police. Police action ‘undemocratic’
CHAMBA: Chamba RTI Bureau convener Swami Bhuvneshwar Sharma described the arrest of Anna Hazare and his team as “strangling” of the democracy and its constitution. He also described the police action in Delhi as “undemocratic”. Sharma requested the President to intervene into the matter and allow Anna Hazare to continue his peaceful crusade against corruption. |
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Independence
Day Celebrations
Badsar (Hamirpur), August 16 The Chief Minister unfurled the national flag and took the salute at a march past from contingents of the police, Home Guards, NCC and schoolchildren. He announced increase in honorarium of freedom fighters from Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 per month and daily allowance of Home Guards from Rs 170 to Rs 200. He also announced the regularisation of services of gram vidya upasaks after eight years of service and increase in their salaries from Rs 8,910 to Rs 18,000, increase in social security pension from Rs 200 to Rs 330 per month, pension to 10,535 new eligible applicants and increase in the pension to Rs 500 per month in case of persons from BPL families attaining the age of 80 years. The Chief Minister also announced to fill 1,500 new posts of clerk and 1,000 posts of JBT, increase in procurement price of milk by Re 1, free medicines and treatment to pregnant women and bringing physically challenged persons having disability above 70 per cent under the medical insurance scheme. He assured Rs 58,800 per family for the construction of water storage tank, launch of a scheme to provide subsidy on LPG gas connections to women and setting up two new departments for women, children and people belonging to SC, ST and minorities. The Chief Minister also spoke about the progress made by the state and various schemes launched to benefit different sections. A colourful cultural programme was also presented. Awards conferred on officials
The Chief Minister civil services award upon Rajender Singh, resident superintendent, HP Secretariat, and Vivek Jyoti, Law Officer, by giving them Rs 51,000 each and a citation at the state-level Independence Day function here yesterday. He also conferred the police awards to SHO Haroli, Shakti Singh Thakur, SHO Bhuntar, Narayan Singh, and SHO Sundernagar, Trilok Singh, for getting grade A, B and C, respectively. They were given trophies and cash prizes. Pashi Jong, gram panchayat of Kangra district, was declared smoke free gram panchayat and a certificate was given to panchayat president Honsa Ram Chauhan and others. Rs
500 cr received under MNREGA
SHIMLA: A sum of Rs 1,388 crore spent in the hill state during the past three years under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Assistance (MNREGA) has helped in undertaking small development works and providing employment to villagers. This was stated by Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Jai Ram Thakur while presiding over the I-Day function here yesterday. “Rupees 500 crore received under MNREGA was used for providing irrigation facility to small and marginal farmers and undertaking of other development works in the state,” he stated. He said Rs 990 crore had been fixed for the current year under MNREGA to ensure 100 days’ employment to the jobless and creation of basic amenities in the villages. The minister also gave prizes to meritorious students under the Dr BR Ambedkar National Merit Award scheme. The students included Sonia Malata of Kitarwari village in Dodra Kawar, Mohit Raj of Kotgrah, Jyoti Kumari of Dhami. The best worker award was given to Ravi Dutt. Brij Mohan had rendered the best services under the Atal Swasthya Sewa. Others present on the occasion included MLAs Suresh Bhardwaj and Khushi Ram Balnahata. The Amateur Dramatic Club also celebrated Independence Day. Lt Gen Rajesh Kochhar, Chief of Staff, Army Training Command and other senior officers attended the function. A cultural programme was also presented on the occasion. State bagged 45 national awards
KULLU: Health Minister Rajeev Bindal hoisted the national flag and took the salute from contingents of the police, ITBP, Home Guards, NCC and NSS. Bindal called upon citizens to maintain unity and harmony as this would be real tribute to the martyrs. He said during past three years, the state had bagged 45 national awards in various spheres of education, health and 20-point programmes. He said over Rs 22 crore had been spent on various health buildings in the district. He added that Rs 74.03 crore had been spent in various irrigation and flood control schemes. He said under the National Health Insurance Scheme last year, over Rs 12 crore of free treatment was given to BPL families. He also expressed the success of free ambulance service under the Atal Health Scheme. Various schools, anganwadis, DPRO artistes and Yuvak Mandal also presented cultural programme. The chief guest awarded five officials of the police for remarkable services. Khimi Ram Sharma, state president of the BJP, Kullu MLA Gobind Thakur, MLA Ani Kishori Lal Sagar, former MP Maheswar Singh, Deputy Commissioner BM Nanta, SP Abhishek Dullar and other dignitaries were also present. Tributes paid to Sardar Ajit Singh Dalhousie: Sacrifices of revolutionary and patriot Sardar Ajit Singh at his memorial at Panjpulla in the Dalhousie hill town were remembered on the eve of Independence Day celebrations. Brig GPS Sandhu, VSM, presided over the function. This is the place where the great freedom fighter Sardar Ajit Singh died on August 15. Ajit Singh struggled for 40 years in exile for the freedom of the country. People paid floral tributes to those who sacrificed their lives. Ex-Air Commander N Chatharath PVSM was especially honoured for his meritorious services to the nation. Students of Dalhousie Public School and Sacred Heart Convent School, Dalhousie, presented a cultural show. Poet Puran Ahsan recited his poem on the occasion. Transport Minister unfurls Tricolour
Bilaspur: Himachal Transport Minister Mohinder Singh Thakur broke the tradition and saved his audience from monotony of a long list of ever-repeated figures of achievements of various departments of government. After unfurling the national flag and taking salute, Thakur praised the bravery of freedom fighters, war soldiers and sacrifices of lakhs of oustees of Bilaspur district. Thakur was presiding over the district-level Independence Day function here yesterday. He said first the Bhakra dam, then ACC Cement Factory, then Kol Dam and now the JP Cement Facory, had been possible with repeated sacrifices of Bilaspur people. Earlier, Mohinder Singh Thakur paid floral tributes at Martyrs Memorial in the Changar Sector. Former state BJP President and former MP and now BJP Kisan Morcha National Vice-President Suresh Chandel, Naina Deviji MLA Randhir Sharma, DC Ritesh Chauhan, SP Santosh Patial and Nagar Parishad President Rajni Sharma were present on the occasion. |
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9 MNREGA job card holders to get Rs 4,730 each
Mandi, August 16 The judgment has come as a big relief to job card holders as it is for the first time that the ombudsman has awarded unemployment allowance to the job card holders in the state. However, this order has far-reaching consequences to the state exchequer as the allowance will be paid by the state government and not from MNREGA funds as the Act stipulates. Hearing the complainants and Dharampur BDO Ravinder Kumar, the Lokpal ruled that the BDO had no valid reasons and evidence to substantiate as to why he had failed to provide 100 days work in 2010. The BDO could give just 14 days work to nine job card holders and the Lokpal rejected his plea and awarded Rs 4,730 each to nine card holders. In fact, 20 job card holders had moved the Lokpal seeking unemployment allowance as the BDO did not give them 100 days work on July 13, 2010. Of the 20 card holders, nine had got 14 days work, eight 28 days work and three did not get any work. While the Lokpal awarded unemployment allowance in the first case, he has reserved the judgment in the two other cases for August 30 and September 5. Himachal Kisan Sabha leader Bhupinder Singh represented the case of the card holders as this was provided under the Act. “This order will act as a deterrent against the casual attitude of the officials towards MNREGA and help improve the low level of employment which on an average is just 46 days in the state,” he added.
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Fake judgment case Vijay Arora Legal Correspondent
Shimla, August 16 Justice Kuldip Singh passed this order on a suo motto proceedings initiated by the court after the Sessions Judge, Shimla, granted bail to all of them. While setting aside the order of the Sessions Judge vide which the bails had been given to all of them, Singh observed, “The Sessions Judge has committed impropriety in granting bail to the applicants in the presence of observations and the seriousness of the case.” Harish Sood, a lawyer who is allegedly involved in this case, is already in judicial custody and his bail was also cancelled by the high court after taking suo motto proceedings initiated by it against the order of the Judicial Magistrate vide which the bail was granted to him. It was on May 24 that the district police arrested Rao and Harish for allegedly preparing a fake high court judgment. The judgment was then used by Rao to get service benefit for the period he remained suspended while being named in the combined pre medical test (CPMT) paper leak case in 2006. The alleged fake judgment had been submitted by Rao to Principal Secretary (PWD) so that he could avail benefit of the service period while he remained suspended for his involvement in the CPMT case. All these were arrested in connection with the FIR registered with police station, East Shimla, under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC.
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Appoint new Kangra Div Commissioner: HC
Shimla, August 16 While passing this order, Justice Deepak Gupta observed, “A Divisional Commissioner exercises wide-ranging judicial powers on the revenue sides. Litigants cannot be asked to appear before such an officer who has little knowledge of law.” The court passed this order on a petition challenging the stay granted by the Divisional Commissioner without issuing notice to the affected party in a matter, which had been pending in the court of the Divisional Commissioner for the last three years. The court observed, “Before a stay order is granted, a judicial or quasi-judicial officer is expected to go through the file. It is apparent that the Divisional Commissioner had not cared to go through the file.He also violated the principles of natural justice by granting stay in the absence of the other side. Before passing any order, he should have issued notice to the other side.” While allowing the petition, the court also quashed the stay granted by the Divisional Commissioner.
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Badsar (Hamirpur), August 16
