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Students Elections
SFI wins top posts of HP University
ABVP, NSUI dominate in Kangra, Hamirpur, Mandi, Nurpur, Solan
Shimla, August 20

The Students Federation of India (SFI) retained control over the prestigious Students Central Association (SCA) of the HPU by winning all the four top posts with impressive margins and at the same time maintaining its hold over many other colleges in Shimla district.

SFI supporters celebrate the victory of the party at Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla on Saturday.

SFI supporters celebrate the victory of the party at Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla on Saturday. Photo: Amit Kanwar

Shimla, Hamirpur to be developed as solar cities
Shimla, August 20
The two main towns of the state, Shimla and Hamirpur, are being developed as solar cities and a master plan is being prepared in this regard.



YOUR TOWN
Shimla


EARLIER STORIES

Des Raj sits on fast-unto-death in Mandi in support of Anna Hazare’s Jan Lokpal Bill. Support for Anna continues
Shimla, August 20
Even as large number of organizations, college and school children joined 67-year-old Lakshmi Chand, observing an indefinite fast here for the last three days, it was the visit of Chief Minister PK Dhumal to meet the fighter, which took everyone by surprise.






Des Raj sits on fast-unto-death in Mandi in support of Anna Hazare’s Jan Lokpal Bill.

Congress gears up for padyatra
Shimla, August 20
The hills along the busy Solan-Shimla highway will reverberate with political sloganeering as the Congress party is gearing up for its longest-ever padyatra against the land mafia and benami land deals with top brass of the party, including union ministers, MPs, MLAs and senior party functionaries, likely to join the jamboree in its march to the Assembly.

Divine delight
Schoolchildren participate in Janmashtami celebrations at a school in Shimla
Schoolchildren participate in Janmashtami celebrations at a school in Shimla on Friday. Photo: Amit Kanwar

Big Bazaar to market Himachali fruits
Shimla, August 20
Kinnauri apples and other fruits like peaches, plums and kiwis from Himachal can be made available at 250 Big Bazaar outlets across the country as the state government is chalking out a strategy aimed at creating better marketing facilities for horticulture and agriculture produce.

Rs 1,100 cr for farmers’ benefit: CM
Shimla, August 20
The state government is spending Rs 1,100 crore on the implementation of various ambitious schemes to benefit farmers. This was stated by Chief Minister PK Dhumal at the concluding function of the two-day Theog Utsav at Theog recently.

Power board told to pay relief
Bilaspur, August 20
The District Consumers Complaints Redressal Forum here has ordered the HP State Electricity Board to pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh with interest to three brothers of Kaamli village, near Ghumarwin, near here, as the forum held the board squarely responsible for the burnt houses of these brothers due to faulty maintenance of power lines and sparking in the service wire of the house.

Anni bus stand inaugurated
Kullu, August 20
Transport and Urban Development Minister Mahender Singh Thakur inaugurated the Anni bus stand, costing Rs 1.5 crore, here today.





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Students Elections
SFI wins top posts of HP University
ABVP, NSUI dominate in Kangra, Hamirpur, Mandi, Nurpur, Solan
Tribune Reporters

Supporters celebrate the ABVP victory in Dharamsala
Supporters celebrate the ABVP victory in Dharamsala on Saturday. Photo: Kamaljeet

Shimla, August 20
The Students Federation of India (SFI) retained control over the prestigious Students Central Association (SCA) of the HPU by winning all the four top posts with impressive margins and at the same time maintaining its hold over many other colleges in Shimla district.

The student polls in the state were more or less peaceful as no major violence has been reported from anywhere. There was a great enthusiasm among students to cast their vote, despite heavy rains lashing many parts of the state.

There was a heavy voter turnout in most colleges as the three student outfits - the SFI, the ABVP and the NSUI ensured that majority of students cast their vote.

The ABVP’s dream to repeat its solo clean sweep of the HPU way back on 2003 could not be translated into reality as SFI candidates registered victory with record margins.

However, the ABVP and the NSUI did well in some of the colleges in the districts like Kangra, Hamirpur and Mandi.

The post of president in the HPU was won by Puneet Dhanta by defeating his nearest rival of ABVP Deepak Manta by a margin of 536 votes.

The post of vice-president was won by Lokender Kumar defeating ABVP’s Kumari Shiva by 673 votes. It was SFI candidate Hoshiyar Singh who registered an easy win by defeating ABVP candidate Yadunandan by a margin of 676 votes. The fight for the post of joint secretary too was an easy battle for the SFI as its candidate Manju Thakur defeated ABVP’s Maheshwar Thakur by 585 votes.

The SFI also claimed the support of 42 of the 44 departmental representatives in the HPU.

The polling in HPU was 68 per cent as 1,982 votes were polled out of the total 2,807 votes. The performance of the NSUI in the HPU was dismal as only one of its candidate could cross the 100 mark.

The SFI won all the four seats in Government Colleges at Sanjauli, Chaura Maidan and Theog. The NSUI swept the polls in Kotkhai, Sunni, Seema, Sawra and Jangla colleges by winning all four seats.

In Nerwa, the NSUI won three seats while one seat was won by the ABVP.

The SFI and the ABVP shared two seats each in the local Rajkiya Kanya Mahavidyalaya. In Rampur college, the NSUI won two seats while one seat each was won by the ABVP and the SFI.

Mandi: All the three students wings in the Students Central Association (SCA) elections, the polling for which was held here today, have done well.

The right wing ABVP swept all the four seats in four colleges, the NSUI won in three colleges and the SFI in two colleges.

The ABVP made clean sweeps at Postgraduate College in Mandi, Karsog, Dharampur, Rewalsar. The NSUI swept Paddar, Sundarnagar and Bassa colleges, while the SFI won in Sarkahat and Jogindernagar (two seats).

According to the results declared by colleges today, the SFI improved its performance by sweeping all the four seats at the Sarkaghat college and wining the top two seats at the Jogindernagar college.

The ABVP panel - Nitish Kumar (president), Monica Thakur (vice-president), Anu Kumari (general secretary) and Tarun Jamval (joint secretary) - swept four seats defeating its nearest rivals NSUI panel - Nishan Rana, Harish Kumar, Punita Sharma and Nisha Thakur, respectively, by decisive margins of over 200 votes or more.

The SFI panel - Sarita Kumari, Shivani Sen, Ashish Kumar and Rama Kant - could not hit the triple digit and ended a poor third.

The NSUI made a good show in MSLM college, Sundarnagar, Government College, Bassa, and Government College, Paddar. The NSUI and the SFI got two seats each at Government College, Lambathatch.

The ABVP also made clean sweeps in three colleges of Dharampur, Karsog and a private college at Rewalsar.

Hamirpur: ABVP-supported candidates have swept the Central Students Association (CSA) polls in most of the colleges of Hamirpur district but in a major setback to the organisation it lost election in Postgraduate College of Hamirpur district headquarters, to which Chief Minister PK Dhumal belongs, at the hands of the SFI for the fourth time in a row.

In NJSCB PG College, Hamirpur, SFI candidate Arvind has been elected as the president, Sonam Mehta as vice president, Chandan Thakur as general secretary and Akhil Thakur as joint secretary.

In a close contest the (VP) candidate won by a margin of seven votes and (GS) with a narrow margin of three votes.

In Jagdev Chand Memorial Degree College, Sujanpur, Tihra, the ABVP has made a clean sweep by winning all four posts of CSA, here. Vikash has been elected as the president, Rajinder Kumar as vice-president, Ashish Sharma general secretary and Swati as joint secretary, respectively.

In Baba Balak Nath College, Chakmoh, ABVP candidates Vivek Kumar has been elected as president, Kavita Rani as VP, Vishal Sharma (GS) and Kanchan Kumari (JS).

ABVP candidates Munish Kumar, Vandana Kumari, Ajay Kumar and Archna were elected as president, VP, GS and JS, respectively, in Government College in Badsar.

NSUI candidate Rohit Sankhyan has won the post of president in Government College, Bhoranj, and ABVP candidates Vijay Kumari, Dinesh Kumar and Diksha have been elected as VP, GS and JS, respectively, here.

Meanwhile, the counting of votes was stopped at Government College, Nadaun.

Dharamsala: The ABVP won in most of the government colleges, barring Shahpur Government College and Nagrota Government College, in which the NSUI won all the four seats. The other exception was DAV College, Kangra, in which the SFI won all the four seats.

There are 22 colleges in Kangra. Elections for student bodies were held in 21 colleges. There were 84 seats for which elections were held out of which the ABVP won 42 seats, the NSUI 25, the SFI nine and eight seats went to Independents.

In Dharamsala, the ABVP dominated the elections in Regional Centre of the HPU and Government College, Dharamsala.

The ABVP won all the four seats in both institutions. It wrested the Regional Centre at Dharamsala from the NSUI.

In Palampur KLV College, all the seats were won by Independents, who were not affiliated with any party. In Baijnath Government College, two seats were won by the ABVP and one each by the NSUI and the SFI.

In Vikram Batra Government College, Palampur, all the four seats were won by the NSUI. In SD Mahavidalaya, Rajpura, and Government College, Indora, the ABVP won all the four seats.

In Thural and Nurpur Government Colleges also the ABVP won all the four seats.

In Ram Singh Pathania College, Dehri, the SFI won all the four seats. In Dean Dyal Upathaya College, Sukhdhakoli, the ABVP got all the four seats. In Government College, Dhaliara, a local student group, Hindustan Vidhyarthi Sena, won all the four seats.

In the Government College, Haripur, the NSUI won three seats, while the ABVP won just one seat. In the Jaisinghpur Government College, the ABVP won all the four seats while in Jawalamukhi Government College, it won three seats, while the NSUI won just one seat.

The student elections were projected by political leaders as a referendum of their performance in their respective constituencies. However, the results have not brought good news for the Congress barring Shahpur, Haripur and Nagrota Bagwan Assembly constituencies.

KANGRA: Nitesh Kanwar was today elected as the president of Dr RP Government Medical College, Tanda, and Suchita Palmo was elected as the vice-president in the SCA elections, polling for which held here today.

Dr Munish Saroch, spokesman of DRPGMC said Varsha Sapehia, Duni Chand, Yogesh Chander Bhardwaj, Nikita Sharma, Priyanka Sharma and Ankush Sood were elected as general secretary, joint secretary, finance secretary, literary secretary, cultural secretary and sports secretary, respectively.

Dr Saroch added that as per the recommendations of the Scrutiny Committee for the SCA election all of them were elected unopposed.

The SFI today swept all the four seats in the MCM DAV College here. Abeshek Chandel was elected as president, Amit Manhas vice-president, Monika Dhadda general secretary and Abeshek Mehra joint secretary, respectively.

CHAMBA: The ABVP made a clean sweep on all the four seats in the Government College, Tissa, in the SCA elections held today.

President Moti Singh (ABVP), vice-president Bhagat Ram (ABVP), general secretary Bodh Raj (ABVP) and joint secretary Ritika Sharma.

In the Government college Bharmour, the NSUI captured three and ABVP one.

President Ajay Thakur (NSUI), vice-president Sumeet Sharma (NSUI), general secretary Chandresh Kumari (ABVP) and joint secretary Priti Thakur (NSUI).

In the Government College, Salooni: President Arjun (NSUI), vice-president Bhanu Priya (SFI), general secretary Tariq Hussain (NSUI) and joint secretary Virender (NSUI) were declared elected.

In the Government Postgraduate College, Chamba, the NSUI achieved victory over three seats while one seat went to the SFI.

President Anil Kumar (NSUI), vice-president Neha Atri (SFI), general secretary Yog Raj (NSUI) and joint secretary Vikram Singh Thakur (NSUI) were declared elected.

DALHOUSIE: The National Students Union of India (NSUI) has swept the poll on all the four seats of the Students Central Association (SCA) in the elections held at DAV College, Banikhet, near here, today.

President Arun Kumar (NSUI), vice-president Mohd Bhutto (NSUI), general secretary Bharati Rana (NSUI) and joint secretary Ranjeet (NSUI) were declared elected.

In Government College, Chowari, the Students Federation of India (SFI) captured all the four seats: President Vikas Sharma (SFI), vice-president Neel Kumar (SFI), general secretary Suresh Kumar (SFI) and joint secretary Aarti Devi (SFI).

NURPUR: The ABVP swept Students Central Association (SCA) polls in Government College, Indora, and Nurpur in this sub-division for which the elections were held today.

In Indora College, Vinod Kumar, Ashwani, Karan Singh and Indu Bala were respectively won the posts of president, vice-president, general secretary and joint secretary.

In Government College, Dehri, all the four seats were won first time by the SFI.

Kumar Anubhav, Ruchi Guleria, Hunny and Rohit Guleria, respectively, won the posts of president, vice-president, general secretary and joint secretary.

In Arya Government College, Nurpur, all the four posts of the SCA were swept by the ABVP. The ABVP won this election after seven years.

Rajiv Kumar, Spati Rani, Babita Devi and Rashpal Singh won the posts of president, vice-president, general secretary and joint secretary, respectively.

SOLAN: The ABVP has dominated the SCA elections by bagging 13 out of the 16 seats in the district, while the NSUI had to be content with mere three seats.

The ABVP made a clean sweep in Government Degree Colleges at Nalagarh, Solan and Arki where it won all four seats of president, vice-president, general secretary and joint secretary.

The NSUI has managed to save its face by bagging three seats of president, vice-president and general secretary at Government Sanskrit College, Solan, while the ABVP had managed to get the seat of joint secretary.

GGDSD College, Subathu, the lone private college in the district, however, chose to stay away from the polls as no political activity was witnessed there.

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Shimla, Hamirpur to be developed as solar cities
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 20
The two main towns of the state, Shimla and Hamirpur, are being developed as solar cities and a master plan is being prepared in this regard.

This was stated by Chief Minister PK Dhumal at a state-level function to observe the Akshay Urja Divas (non-conventional energy day) to commemorate the 68th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He also flagged off the Akshya Urja Rally of students from the Ridge Maidan here.

The Chief Minister said Shimla and Hamirpur towns had been selected for being developed as solar cities in the first phase by shifting to non-conventional energy.

“Two energy parks are also being developed at the Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, and National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur,” he said.

Dhumal said the first solar energy plant of 200 KV had been set up at Baru Sahib in Sirmour district, while 216 police posts would be getting 2 KV solar power plants soon.

He said additionally a proposal to install 8,564 solar street lights had also been submitted to the Centre for approval, which would benefit 250 gram panchayats in the state.

The Chief Minister reiterated the resolve of his government to accord high priority to non-conventional energy generation by making optimum use of solar, wind and biomass available.

“The state had made its name in hydel-power generation and in future the state would also be known for its non-conventional energy generation as well,” he remarked.

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Support for Anna continues
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 20
Even as large number of organizations, college and school children joined 67-year-old Lakshmi Chand, observing an indefinite fast here for the last three days, it was the visit of Chief Minister PK Dhumal to meet the fighter, which took everyone by surprise.

Lakshmi Chand, a retired government employee hailing from Patta Mehlog near Kasauli in Solan district, was in for a pleasant surprise when he saw Dhumal walk towards him to greet him and enquire about his health. The CM had come to the Ridge to flag off a rally of school children when he decided to meet the crusader.

Lakshmi Chand was taken to hospital Deen Dayal Upadhayay Hopsital yesterday evening for a medical checkup as he has been fasting for the past three days near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the Ridge.

Some other organizations, including Umaang, Shiv Sena and members of the District Court Bar Association, took out processions and candlelight vigil march to extend their support to Anna.

Des Raj continues fast unto death

Mandi: While Des Raj continued his fast unto death at the Seri Munch, members of the Mandi Bar Association and employees wing of the BJP today staged a rally in support of Anna Hazare’s strike for the Jan Lokpal Bill here.

Meanwhile, Des Raj, a former engineer, continued his fast here for the fifth day today. The team of doctors has been examining him after every four hours and found his blood pressure as normal.

HP RTI Bureau, Mandi, said four new supporters- Jatinder, Shrestha Thakur, Santosh Pathania, Rahul- joined the fast with Des Raj for the fifth day.

Candlelight march held

NURPUR: Hundreds of people from all walks of life from Nurpur area took part into the candle march late last evening here from Chogan to Niazpur.

Anna supporters also decided to constitute a committee to chalk out future strategy of extending support to the cause and mission of Anna.

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Congress gears up for padyatra
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 20
The hills along the busy Solan-Shimla highway will reverberate with political sloganeering as the Congress party is gearing up for its longest-ever padyatra against the land mafia and benami land deals with top brass of the party, including union ministers, MPs, MLAs and senior party functionaries, likely to join the jamboree in its march to the Assembly.

Senior Congress leaders and workers from the state accompanied by AICC General Secretary Chaudhary Birender Singh and AICC Secretary Anees Ahmed will embark upon the padyatra to highlight the failure of the BJP regime on various fronts.

The Congress padyatra will begin from Solan on August 22 and after two days and night halt at Kandaghat and Tara Devi, it will culminate in the form of a rally at Chaura Maidna, near the Vidhan Sabha here on August 24.

“This is just the beginning of our battle against the corrupt BJP regime which has virtually put Himachal on sale as the land mafia is blatantly violating the law and benami land deals are being done,” said state Congress President Kaul Singh Thakur.

He added that the padyatra was starting from Solan as this district was the worst affected and people had been made landless as seven private universities had come up along with several shady land deals. “This is the start of our fight against the BJP as we will be holding similar padyatras in every constituency to expose the BJP regime,” he said.

Kaul Singh has personally written to Union Ministers Virbhadra Singh and Anand Sharma to join the party in registering its anger against the lawlessness and corruption in the hill state. The two ministers are likely to mark their presence at the rally near the Assembly, but their joining the padyatra is still not certain. All the party legislators, including CLP leader Vidya Stokes, are likely to join the padyatra. Besides this, all the office-bearers of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) and party MPs are likely to attend it.

Kaul Singh, along with his team, is working overtime to ensure the success of the padyatra and the rally with a sizeable turnout even as they are keeping their fingers crossed with the monsoon being in full swing. “It is only party workers from the three adjoining districts of Solan, Shimla and Sirmour who will be part of the padyatra and others from the rest of the state will arrive only for the rally at the Chaura maidan,” explained Kaul Singh.

The party will also submit a memorandum to Speaker of the Assembly Tulsi Ram against the land mafia, rampant corruption, deteriorating law and order situation, political victimisation of Congress workers and opening of private universities.

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Big Bazaar to market Himachali fruits
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 20
Kinnauri apples and other fruits like peaches, plums and kiwis from Himachal can be made available at 250 Big Bazaar outlets across the country as the state government is chalking out a strategy aimed at creating better marketing facilities for horticulture and agriculture produce.

Stating this here recently, Chief Minister PK Dhumal said efforts were also on to launch Kinnauri apple as a Himachali brand product by mid-September this year in Delhi.

He said the Future Group and Associates had come up with a proposal to market agriculture and horticulture produce of the state in Big Bazaar outlets.

He said an apex body headed by the Chief Secretary would be constituted to work out the implementation of the proposal submitted by the group at the earliest.

He said Principal Secretaries and senior officers of Agriculture, Horticulture and Tourism departments would also be members of this body.

He said organically produced products were in great demand across the globe and farmers from the hill state could benefit from this latest trend for healthy food.

He said the Pangi area could be promoted as an organic produce belt and the produce of the region could find markets in Europe and America where such products were in huge demand.

Dhumal said Big Bazaar had offered a special platform for Himachali products by dedicating detailed space in their showrooms.

He said the group had submitted an elaborate proposal for marketing potato, garlic, vegetables, apple and even handicrafts of the state.

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Rs 1,100 cr for farmers’ benefit: CM
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 20
The state government is spending Rs 1,100 crore on the implementation of various ambitious schemes to benefit farmers. This was stated by Chief Minister PK Dhumal at the concluding function of the two-day Theog Utsav at Theog recently.

He said the schemes included the Rs 353-cr Pt Deen Dayal Kisan Baagwan Samridhi Yojna, Rs 321-cr Crop Diversification Scheme and Doodh Ganga Yojna. The CM said 80 per cent subsidy was given for the construction of polyhouses and minor irrigation schemes under the yojna.

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Power board told to pay relief
Our Correspondent

Bilaspur, August 20
The District Consumers Complaints Redressal Forum here has ordered the HP State Electricity Board to pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh with interest to three brothers of Kaamli village, near Ghumarwin, near here, as the forum held the board squarely responsible for the burnt houses of these brothers due to faulty maintenance of power lines and sparking in the service wire of the house.

Reports said Chairman BR Chandel and members Manorama Chauhan and Shyam Lal Thakur had held that it was due to fault in services of the board that the houses of Ram Nath, Roshan Lal and Chaman Lal were gutted on February 24, 2009.

The complaint was filed by the victims with the District Forum on April 22, 2009.

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Anni bus stand inaugurated
Our Correspondent

Kullu, August 20
Transport and Urban Development Minister Mahender Singh Thakur inaugurated the Anni bus stand, costing Rs 1.5 crore, here today.

In his address to public, he said direct buses to Delhi and Haridwar from Anni would be introduced soon. He said proposal for developing Nirmand and Luhri bus stands costing Rs 40 lakh and Rs 30 lakh, respectively, with the assistance from the Rampur Hydro-Electricity Project was also underway.

BDC Chairman Anu Thakur, vice-president of the BJP Mandal Raftar Thakur and BJP state executive body member Ganga Ram Chandel also spoke.

MD, HRTC, Bharat Khera, GM Raghuvir Chaudhary, ADM Shravan Manta, XEN, PWD, Anil Sharma and other dignitaries were also present.

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