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Raid-de-Himalaya leaves villagers panicky
Shimla City Mobility Plan ready
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Sea of devotion: The rath of Lord Raghunath being pulled by devotees during the Lanka Dahan ceremony, which marked the end of the week-long
Kullu Dasehra on Wednesday. Photo: Kuldeep Chauhan
3 more bus stands to come up on BOT basis
Cong misleading public on development front: CM
Chief Minister PK Dhumal addresses a public meeting in Kullu on Wednesday. Photo: Jai Kumar
NIT MTech courses get AICTE accreditation
45,000 got jobs in industries in past over 3 years: CM
State to appoint specialist docs at their place of choice
Self-immolation
Cases in Tibet
Lobsang Sangay, PM of the Tibetan government-in-exile, addresses mediapersons at McLeodganj in Dharamsala on Wednesday. Photo: Kamaljeet
Husband, in-laws booked in dowry death case
40 cases of scrub typhus reported from Kasauli
Irregularities found in wholesale store
Awareness rally begins at
Naina Devi
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Raid-de-Himalaya leaves villagers panicky
Manali/Keylong, October 12 Voicing villagers’ concerns, scientists rubbished the claims of the rally organisers that they were adhering to the pollution norms prescribed by the Association Internationale des Automobile, a body that governs motor sports in the world. Dr JC
Kuniyal, a senior scientist at the GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, said, “High-speed vehicles produce cyclonic localised activity in a high-altitude region. Particulate matter below 10 microgram and finer particles of 2.5 microgram get deposited on herbs, shrubs and plants, and stunt their growth.” Dr Kuniyal added that black carbon aerosols are generated due to “less burning of petrol and diesel” because of less availability of oxygen in a high-altitude region. “The aerosols stay on in the atmosphere for weeks and get deposited on glaciers, speeding up the melting process,” he added. “I was fast asleep when suddenly at around 3 am the entire family woke up in panic due to the noise; we thought somebody had attacked the village,” said Radha Devi and Ved Ram of the Palchan-Kothi area, where the “tourist traffic pollution” has hit a staggering 264 microgram per cubic metre mark, recorded by the GB Pant institute on June 30. “Then we saw a large number of vehicles moving at ‘lightning speed’ towards the Rohtang Pass one by one, creating a huge noise,” villagers resented. “The high court has ruled that no loudspeakers and a noise level over 72 decible is permitted after 10 pm till 6 am; then how is the government violating this norm in villages?” they asked. The rally vehicles, with a noise level exceeding 90
decible, woke up villagers at Koksar, Talining, Sissu, Shashan at around 5 am. “The rally vehicles sprayed heaps of dust and half-burnt carbon aerosols on patches of snow and houses on the
Tailing-Gondla-Tandi-Keylong stretch,” said Prem Lal, who, along with other villagers, wanted to show black flags in protest to the rally, but were caught napping. The rally passed through
Jispa, Darcha, Suraj Tal, the source of the Bhaga river, Bara Lacha La, where it entered the cold desert biosphere reserve. The stretch from Bara Lacha La to
Serchu, which is the rally route, comprises the buffer zone of the biosphere. “The rally organisers have no permission from the cold desert biosphere authorities, which come under the Ministry of Environment and Forests,” sources said. Ironically, the rally vehicles carry stickers like “Save environment, save wildlife”. “This is the country’s only cold desert biosphere with an altitude ranging from 3,300 m to 6,600 m, notified by the Ministry of Environment and Forests on August 28, 2009, to protect and preserve its highly endangered species of snow leopard, Tibetan wild ass, Siberian ibex and over 20 species of high-altitude rare birds and butterflies and over 100 species of rare medicinal plants and herbs,” said Dr SS
Samant, a scientist. |
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Shimla City Mobility Plan ready
Shimla, October 12 A Delhi-based consultant, Urban Mass Transit Company, is ready with the detailed project report (DPR), which is likely to be placed before the MC for approval. The moment the MC gives the go-ahead the DPR, it is likely to be forwarded to the Urban Development Department so that the hill town can be saved from traffic chaos and congestion. The highlight of the DPR is connecting the seven hills of the town by way of aerial ropeways and making Jakhu hill and the newly constructed Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) as the two focal points. “We are keen that the aerial ropeways and escalators provide easy movement, both for locals as well as tourists between various points, including temples, which will be an added attraction in the “Queen of Hills,” said AN Sharma, Commissioner. MC. Another major attraction of the CMP is the installation of an elevated rapid transport system, which will run on a spiral track at an elevated height and can pass through the most narrow places, which is ideally suited for a hill town. “The elevated rapid transport system is in place at the Heathrow airport in London and its biggest advantage is that it requires minimum possible space and can pass through buildings and structures,” said Sharma. A British company had last year made a presentation in this regard before the Urban Development Department. Even as far as the cost aspect is concerned, the elevated rapid transport system, having pods, in which six persons can be seated would work out to be far cheaper than having escalators or a circular rail line. The cost for one km length of the elevated spiral track would work out to be about Rs 45 crore, including the cost of the pods. The elevated rapid transport system will initially be installed in the core area which can be covered easily within 8 km. The main area where there is acute traffic congestion from Victory Tunnel to Lift and the Mall area would be covered initially. Most of the projects under the CMP would be undertaken on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis under the private-public-partnership (PPP) mode. The aerial ropeways would reduce a lot of traffic congestion from the roads as they will provide connectivity between various points, especially those at an elevated locations. About the Plan
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Animal sacrifices mark end
of Kullu Dasehra
Kullu, October 12 The chariot of Lord Raghunath was pulled by devotees to the Lanka Dahan ceremony and the evil empire of Ravana was torched. However, the main devtas from Banjar - Balu Nag and Shringa Rishi - engaged in a dispute for the right-hand slot with Lord Raghnath, did not participate in the Lanka Dahan ceremony. Led by the present scion of the erstwhile Kullu Rupu state, Maheshwar Singh, kardar of Lord Raghunath, the rath went till the lower end of Dhalpur and came back. However, the Lanka Dahan ceremony concluded when the present scions of the former royal family sacrificed a buffalo, a fish, a crab, a cock, a lamb and two symbolic sacrifices. Taking the champions of animal rights head-on, devotees said they should not interfere in the religious faith as sacrifices were part of the rituals and faith in Himachal Pradesh, particularly Kullu district. The devotees justified the Dasehra sacrifices citing provision of the Prevention of Cruelties Against Animals Act that allows animal sacrifices in connection with religion. Meanwhile, “devis and devtas” carried by their “hariyans”, started their journey home on foot to different places in the district and blessed the devotees a period of peace and prosperity. Lord Raghunath’s rath was pulled back to its house and idols were brought back to the temple at Sulantanpur. Kullu Deputy Commissioner and vice-president of the Dasehra committee BM Nanta said the practice of religious sacrifice was justified in the Act. |
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3 more bus stands to come up on BOT basis
Shimla, October 12 The new bus stands will come up at Parwanoo, Hamirpur and Una at a cost of Rs 123 crore. The contract for the projects at Hamirpur and Una has been bagged by a Mumbai-based company, Multi-Point Entry Toll. The Hamirpur bus stand will be the largest to be built over an area of 16,000 sq m at a cost of Rs 66 crore. The annual concession fee to be paid by the company is Rs 81 lakh with a hike of 10 per cent after every two years. The total concession period is 30 years after which the assets will revert back to the authority. The bus stand at Una will be constructed over 9,000 sq m at a cost of Rs 50 crore and the annual concession fee to be paid is Rs 72 lakh with 10 per cent raise after every two years. The concession period is 30 years. The bus stand at Parwanoo will be the smallest and come up over 1,795 sq m at a cost of Rs 7 crore. The contract has been awarded to the SPS, Panchkula. The company will pay Rs 27 lakh annually as concession fee, to be raised by 10 per cent after every two years, but the concession period will be only 25 years. The companies will have to complete the project within one year from the date of signing an agreement with the authority. The formalities for the agreement will be completed by next month and the document signed within this calendar year. If the companies stick to the time frame, the three bus stands should become operational at the dawn of 2013. The authority has also invited bids for six more bus stands to be constructed on a BOT basis at Rohru, Baddi, Manali, Chintpurani, Dhalli and Palampur on similar lines, and the contracts are likely to be finalised in the next three months. In all 10 projects have been identified for execution on the PPP mode.
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Cong misleading public on development front: CM
Kullu, October 12 “We have won 46 awards in various fields of development in this tenure and the Congress is misleading the public on the development front,” he claimed. Addressing the gathering here at an open-air Kala Kendra, Dhumal referred to Virbhadra’s recent media reports and claimed that the present government had achieved milestones in development in the state. The new building of Zonal Hospital, Kullu, costing Rs 4 crore, was founded by him earlier, while the Congress did nothing. It has two specialist doctors and will have a trauma centre soon.” “We won 46 awards and the Congress can show how many they won in development,” he claimed. He dedicated the Rs 10-crore Atal Dasehra Sadan, inaugurated at the SP office and DRDA buildings and announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh for a community centre in Kullu. Cutting chief representative of Lord Raghunath Maheshwar Singh to size for his recent hobnobbing with Central leaders, Dhumal said the government only approved of demands and issues raised by the Kardar Sangh of devtas, not of an individual. “We have increased the nazarana from Rs 15.96 lakh to Rs 31.68 lakh now during the present tenure,” he added. Referring to the demands raised by the Kardar Sangh, he said the HP Academy of Arts and Culture would consider the views of the Kardars in preparing the history of each devi and devta in the district. Dhumal added that the government would provide the land for the Kardar Sangh Trust for its building in the town. BJP president, Banjar MLA Khimi Ram, Kullu MLA Govind Thakur, Kullu DC BM Nanta, president of the Kullu council Rishab Kalia also spoke. Rural Development Minister Jairam Thakur and ADGP (Law and Order) SR Mardi, IG JR Thakur and Kullu SP Abhishek Dular were among those present.
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NIT MTech courses get AICTE accreditation
Hamirpur, October 12 The National Board of Accreditation (NBA) has awarded accreditation to the MTech courses of the NIT, Hamirpur, on the recommendation of an expert committee, which had, some time ago, conducted a survey in the departments concerned on the NIT campus here to adjudge the quality of these courses and infrastructure available in the institute required for providing accreditation. A team of the NBA was invited by the NIT authorities after paying an accreditation fee of Rs 2.5 lakh per discipline to seek the validation for its MTech courses. The four courses accredited are: MTech in computer science and engineering, VLSI design automation, power system and thermal engineering. Eighteen seats each are available in these courses for students willing to pursue the MTech courses, which are filled on the basis on the all-India Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE). The accreditation by the AICTE, on the recommendation of the NBA, is given after ensuring proper facilities and quality of education in the institution. The NBA team had made a detailed assessment of the quality of education consisting of various aspects like curriculum of these courses, faculty, the examination system, pass percentage, placements of students and infrastructure. While making an on-the-spot assessment of the facilities and the quality of education, the NBA team awards points out of a total of 1,000 points and only those institutes obtaining a minimum of 750 points are recommended for accreditation. The Chairman of the executive committee of the NBA, on the recommendation of the accreditation evaluation committee for each MTech programme, has approved the accreditation to the MTech courses of the NIT for three years. Director, NIT, RL Sharma said, “The accreditation to our MTech courses will provide wider validation to these programmes and enhance the prestige of the NIT, besides benefiting the students.” The four courses accredited are: MTech in computer science and engineering, VLSI design automation, power system and thermal engineering.
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45,000 got jobs in industries in past over 3 years: CM
Shimla, October 12 He was addressing the 55th meeting of the state-level Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority held here recently. The authority also granted approval to a new industrial proposal entailing an investment of Rs 11.80 crore with an employment potential of 59 persons. The Chief Minister said 27 meetings of the single window clearance had been held under his chairmanship since January 2008, granting provisional approval to 233 new industrial projects across the state. He said the entire proposals entailed an estimated industrial investment of over Rs 14,000 crore out of which investment worth Rs 12,000 crore had taken shape on the ground. Dhumal said out of the 233 new proposals, 165 had gone into production while infrastructure-building activities for remaining were in progress. “The government had made it mandatory for industrial units to provide a minimum of 70 per cent employment to local youth at all levels with a view to protect the interests of educated unemployed youth,” he said. Dhumal directed the authorities to adopt a holistic approach towards the sick units and help in their revival. The government had been liberal towards industrialists and was providing concessions and facilities to them. However, some of the proposals, which had been approved by the authority, had yet to obtain clearances from the respective departments, Dhumal said. The Chief Minister added that in case such investors were reluctant to set up their industrial units then these cases required to be reviewed and cancellation of plots considered so that the same were allotted to other serious investors. Meanwhile, Industries Minister Kishan Kapoor said the authority was scrutinising each and every proposal closely so as to encourage serious investors to set up their units in the state.
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State to appoint specialist docs at their place of choice
Palampur, October 12 Official sources told The Tribune here yesterday that Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had directed the Health Department to follow new guidelines without any further delay. It may be recalled that the state Health Department needed over 200 specialists across the state. Inflow of specialists in the state health services had gone down in the past two years. Even medical colleges, zonal and district hospitals of the state had been facing shortage of specialists because of defective polices of the state government like posting of specialists in far-flung areas of the state and poor emoluments. Despite the best efforts of the state government, only a few doctors turned up for the interview before the HP State Public Service Commission or state Health Department for contract appointments. Most of them were posted in remote areas, where there was no infrastructure like building, equipment and residential facilities, therefore they did not report for duty and opted for private hospitals. At present, the state government is paying only Rs 40,000 per month to specialists in the state with an incentive of Rs 5,000, while in private nursing homes specialists easily get Rs 70,000 to Rs 85, 000 per month. With the coming up of private health institutions in the state, it will be further difficult for the state to retain doctors in state services until or unless their salaries are enhanced. It is evident from the fact that on October 7, 2011, the Health Department conducted a walk-in interview for specialists at Shimla, for which advertisements were given in leading newspapers. Only four specialist doctors appeared for the interview, one each from general medicines and surgery and two from anaesthesia. These doctors were waiting for interview for the past three months. On the advice of Health Minister Rajiv Bindal, an interview panel recommended their appointments on their place of choice.
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Self-immolation Cases in Tibet Lalit Mohan Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, October 12 The Tibetan NGOs, on their own, had earlier announced to hold protests outside Chinese embassies all over the world against incidents of self-immolation in Tibet while flaying the Tibetan government-in-exile for alleged inaction in the matter. In a joint press conference held here today, the Kalon Tripa (head of the Central Tibetan Administration), Lobsang Sangay, and Pempa Tsering, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile, demanded UN intervention to prevent incidents of self-immolation in Tibet. They said since the 2008 uprising in Tibet, the situation there had been deteriorating. In March this year, it became even more tense with cases of self-immolation by young Tibetans rising. Tibetans in Tibet were driven to these drastic acts to “resist political repression, cultural assimilation, economic marginalisation and environmental destruction”, they alleged. Of the seven young Tibetans who immolated themselves this year, the following succumbed to their injuries: On March 16, 2011, Lobsang Phuntsok (21), a monk of the Kirti Monastery in northeastern Tibet; on August 15, Tsewang Norbu (29), a monk of the Nyitso Monastery in eastern Tibet; the third and the fourth cases were of Khaying (18) and Choephel (19), both former monks of the Kirti Monastery. They immolated themselves on October 7, 2011, and died on October 8 and 11, respectively. The condition of the three others, namely Lobsang Kelsang (18), Lobsang Kunchok (19) and Kelsang Wangchuk (17) is still unknown, the Tibetan leaders-in-exile said in a joint statement. Lobsang Sangay said the Central Tibetan Administration was deeply concerned about their whereabouts and well-being. “We express our solidarity with all those who lost their lives and with all other Tibetans who are incarcerated for their courage to speak up for the rights of the Tibetan people,” he said. They also appealed to the United Nations, freedom-loving countries and people around the world to show their support and solidarity with the Tibetan people at this critical stage. The international community must press the government of China to restore their freedom and resolve the issue of Tibet through dialogue for the mutual benefit of the Tibetan and Chinese people, they said. The Central Tibetan Administration and the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile have jointly planned activities in India and the world to highlight the alleged deepening crisis in Tibet. In an appeal issued to all Tibetans and Tibet supporters, the Central Tibetan Administration urged them to join efforts and organise activities in their respective regions. On October 19, the Central Tibetan Administration will offer day-long prayers and encourage all Tibetans to fast on that day as a gesture of solidarity with Tibetans in Tibet.
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Husband, in-laws booked in dowry death case
Nurpur, October 12 According to DSP Rajinder Jaswal, the complainant has alleged that Dimple’s parents were informed last evening by one of the accused that she was serious, but she was dead when they visited them. He also alleged that the accused were torturing her for dowry just after her marriage and now they had killed her. The DSP said the body of the deceased had been sent to Tanda Medical College for postmortem examination and after receiving the report the police would act accordingly. |
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40 cases of scrub typhus reported from Kasauli
Solan, October 12 An official from the Central Research Institute (CRI) confirming this, said out of the 46 patients on whom the Weil-Felix test was conducted, 43 were found positive. However, there was no cause for alarm as they were responding well to the medicine, including doxycycline, and recovering, he added. Patients from the Cantonment Hospital, Kasauli, too have tested positive for scrub typhus and the disease was detected in the town owing to stray cattle and rodents, including mice and mite, found in houses. The disease is transmitted by mites, and the symptoms include fever and rash. Doctors have advised people to immediately seek medical attention in case of symptoms. Since the disease is curable there is no need to panic, say the doctors stressing that early detection helps in fast recovery. Twentyone deaths have been reported in the past three months from Shimla owing to this disease, and rural areas in Kangra, Solan, Shimla and Sirmaur are known to have been in the grip of the disease. It is the lack of awareness which is leading to scrub typhus deaths as they failed to receive treatment in the initial stages, confided the doctors. Dr NK Gupta, MoH, said awareness was being created among the public so that the disease could be controlled and adequate medicines were available in hospitals. He said a few cases had been reported from Arki and Rajgarh areas. |
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State chief to seek second term
Tribune News Service
Shimla, October 12 He expressed confidence that the good work done by him in strengthening the organisation would enable him to get elected to the top spot for a second time. He said the system of electing officer-bearers through impartial elections had been introduced by Rahul Gandhi to afford an opportunity to deserving youth from common families with no political background or godfather to enter politics. Moreover, he had risen from the ranks and been in the thick of students and youth politics for the past 15 years. He said Youth Congress workers would give preference to him and further help the vision of Rahul Gandhi. In the new system of elections, leaders could not be para-dropped from the top. The nomination for the election of booth-level committees will take place on October 13 and 14 and delegates will be elected on October 18 and 19. Thereafter, delegates will elect the final team and each of them will cast three votes, one each for the Assembly constituency, the parliamentary constituency and the state. The first eight candidates securing maximum votes will form the state team. The candidate polling the highest votes will be elected as president, followed by vice-president, general secretary and other officer-bearers in the order of percentage of vote secured by them.
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Irregularities found in wholesale store
Shimla, October 12 Dhawala directed the Zonal Manager and District Controller Food and Civil Supplies to conduct detailed inspections of all wholesale godowns and fair price shops in Shimla district and ensure that they function as per the rules and there were no malpractices. He added that serious action be taken against erring officers and depot holders. He asked them to take serious action against the in charge of the Theog godown where irregularities had come to light. The minister also issued directions to officers to ensure summary registers (Form-D) were maintained in all depots. |
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Awareness rally begins at
Naina Devi
Bilaspur, October 12 Addressing the rally, Kaushal said the yatra was aimed at providing awareness to the people against wrong and anti-people policies and programmes of the BJP and the Congress governments, which had been occupying seats of power in the state in turns. He said both parties had leaders who were neck deep in corruption, but were now shouting from rooftops and proclaiming that they were out to uproot corruption. But in reality, they must be routed out of power if corruption was to be uprooted from society, the state and the Centre. The yatra has been started with a 10-point demands charter, which lists demands like ending partiality with Bilaspur district in several matters, controlling menace of stray cattle, monkeys and wild animals, adoption of the Jan Lokpal Bill by Parliament and the provision of cheaper cement to the locals from cement factories of the state. |
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Dharamsala, October 12
