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Strike paralyses banking services
Power board employees stage protest
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Rent scam in Mandi Municipal Council
Forging unity main task: Satti
Increase state’s quota in armed forces: CM
Modern cold storage before apple season
Solar charkhas hit ministry roadblock
National seminar on maths at Manali from March 10
Tourism promotion award for state
Cong workers told to expose BJP ‘failures’
Bad roads: HC summons SE
Chamba-Shimla highway yet to be cleared of snow
Fresh snowfall hits life in Chamba
Doctor booked on negligence charge
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Strike paralyses banking services
Shimla, February 28 Meanwhile, private sector banks and insurance companies functioned as usual. The Centre of Indian Trade Unions claimed that anganwari workers and midday meal workers also joined the strike in the state. The striking workers held rallies across the state and criticised the policies of the Centre. In Shimla, bank employees held a rally near the Scandal Point and transport workers at the old
bus stand. Devi Dass, divisional secretary of the northern zone Insurance Employees Association, said the strike was observed across the state. The unions demanded the withdrawal of the Bills seeking to amend the insurance laws and the banking laws and the Pension Bill which they maintained were against the interests of the employees and the people. HAMIRPUR: A large number of financial institutions and several trade unions observed a day-long strike on the nationwide call of trade unions to protest the economic policies of the Central and the state governments and to highlight their demands. Banking operations in many banks and offices of the LIC remained closed as bank and insurance employees did not report to their duties today. However, business in the SBI and private banks was normal. Hundreds of activists of the BMS, CITU and AITUC and employees of the NZIEA, BSNL and anganwari workers held a protest demonstration at the Gandhi Chowk. The activists carrying placards and banners marched through the bazaar from Bhota chowk to Gandhi Chowk and raised slogans against the Central and the state governments. State general secretary of CITU Dr Kashmir Singh Thakur said: “Trade unions have given the call to protest the price rise, violation of labour laws and to oppose the policy of privatisation and liberalisation.” The rally was addressed by CITU leaders Kashmir Singh Thakur and Raj Kumari, Mukesh Kumar of AITUC and BMS leader Rakesh Sharma besides others. Protest demonstrations were also held by CITU activists at Sujanpur and Jahu. The rally at Sujanpur was addressed by
CITU district secretary Joginder Kumar. MANDI: In response to the nationwide strike observed by trade unions, anganwari, midday meal and project workers, employees of bank and insurance sectors and a faction of state government employees today staged a protest in this town, demanding implementation of labour laws and job security for them in public sector undertakings (PSUs). Workers came under the banners of four trade unions - CITU, BMS, INTUC, AITUC - and staged a protest rally in this town. They demanded job security and implementation of labour laws in project works and raised slogans against the privatisation of profit-making PSUs and against the failure of the government to control price rise. They also opposed the foreign direct investment in the insurance sector. Later, they submitted a memorandum to the government in this regard. SOLAN: With various trade unions, including AITUC, CITU, INTUC and BMS, giving a call for closing various establishments to press for their demands, banks, various insurance offices and industrial units remained closed today in various parts of the district. AITUC state president Jagdish Bhardwaj said the strike was in protest against various demands, including price rise, lack of implementation of labour laws and enhancement of minimum wages to Rs 10,000. A large number of industrial units in Solan and Sirmaur districts had to suspend their operations as workers observed a day-long strike. Offices in Solan town wore a deserted look as there was an electricity cut on account of maintenance work. A rally was later taken out by trade unions at Solan where slogans against the Union Government were raised. The rally that started from the Solan bypass to the Chowk bazaar later culminated in a public meeting at Ganj Bazar here. Private sector banks and insurance companies functioned as usual. NURPUR: Following the one-day strike by trade unions, functioning in offices of the BSNL, LIC and nationalised banks remained paralysed on Tuesday causing inconvenience to consumers. Employees having affiliations with different trade unions held protest demonstrations on the premises of offices against the anti-worker policies of the Centre, foreign direct investment in retail and privatisation. Meanwhile, hundreds of anganwari workers and helpers also took out a procession in the town to protest against rising prices, corruption and anti-workers policies of the government. Led by Nirdosh Sharma, vice-president of the Kangra District Anganwari Workers’ and Helpers Union, the workers raised anti-government slogans. They also raised demand for declaring anganwari employees as government employees. KANGRA:
Operations in public sector banks in Kangra and Dehra subdivisions was affected due to the day-long strike call given by a section of bank unions to protest against outsourcing of non-core activities to the private sector, among other things. Most of the PSU bank branches here remained closed as majority of the clerical staff abstained from work. The strike by bank employees was part of the one-day nationwide strike, called by major central trade unions. Bank unions also protested against the unilateral imposition of the Khandelwal Committee recommendations with regard to human resource issues and outsourcing of jobs. Some protesting employees held a protest on the Dharamshala road outside the State Bank of Patiala in this town. The unions termed the strike as “complete and peaceful”. However, leading private sector banks remained open. A huge rush was seen at ATM centres in the noon but later in the day these ran out of cash. |
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Power board employees stage protest
Shimla, February 28 Addressing protesters, general secretary of the union Hira Lal Verma demanded the immediate holding of a regular meeting between the management and union representatives to discuss various demands already submitted to the management. They demanded the withdrawal of the government decision to sell BBMB power to the board at average power purchase cost instead of the existing bus bar rates, which would put additional burden on the board and its consumers. It urged the government to put in place a mechanism for the disbursal of pension, gratuity and other such facilities. The electricity tariff should be approved in such a way that the gap between revenue and expenditure was minimised. Further, the entire amount of arrears on account of increase in the power share from the BBMB in the wake of the Supreme Court verdict be provided to create an Employees Pension Corpus. Their other demands included the immediate release of arrears of pay revision and other financial benefits, raising the house rent allowance to 10 per cent of the basic pay and enhancement of ex-gratia to Rs 10 lakh on the pattern of successor entities of the erstwhile PSEB and the recommendation made by the Fifth Punjab Pay Commission. It warned that in case the demands were not accepted, it would be forced to mobilise the 13,000 pensioners to launch a statewide stir. Demands raised
HAMIRPUR: The HPSEBEU today held a protest demonstration at the HPSEBL office, Annu, to highlight their demands. Hundreds of employees participated. President of the union Kuldeep Singh said the protest was held to oppose the “apathy of the HSEBL management and the state government towards their long-pending demands.” The union is demanding reconvening of a regular meeting of the union with the Board, urging the state government to give Rs 4,400 received as royalty from the BBMB to the HPSEBL to settle their pension claims and regularisation of employees etc. The union leaders have also decided to hold a state-level demonstration on March 15 at the state headquarters of the HPSEBL. Gate meeting held
NURPUR: Members of the HPSEB Employees Union, Nurpur zone held a gate meeting against privatisation in the board on the office premises of a senior executive engineer here on Tuesday. Presiding over the meeting, Roshan Singh Minhas, state vice-president of the union, demanded the disbursement of dues of revised pay scales, 9-16 promotion scales, advance promotion scale of 23-year period and mobile allowance to board employees on the pattern of their counterparts in Punjab. Minhas urged the Chief Minister to convene a meeting with union representatives to settle other long-standing demands to appoint clerks and T-mates and regularise the services of daily wagers and contract employees. He said the union office-bearers would stage a dharna at Shimla on March 15. |
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Corruption is a serious form of violence: Dalai Lama
Kangra, February 28 The Dalai Lama was addressing the delegates of the Annual National Conference of Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine (IAPSM) on its second day today at the Sobha Singh Auditorium of Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (DRPGMC) in Tanda in which more than 700 doctors from India and abroad were participating. He was speaking on “Healthy Body and Healthy Mind”. Nobel Laureate the Dalai Lama said, “India is a very religious nation and everybody worships God in one form or the other. On the one hand, people worship God and on the other hand indulge in corruption, doing injustice and cheating others. It is painful.” He said no religion taught violence and corruption, but lessons of love, compassion, non-violence and service to humanity.” The Dalai Lama suggested that there were two paths, either worship God and be contended or worship money and remain unhappy. He warned, “If you forget God and worship and lead a corrupt life, during your old age you will feel great regret and have no positive imprint on society.” The Tibetan spiritual leader predicted that India would be a “good role model” for the entire world by the later part of this century and the youth of this country would shoulder the responsibility with honesty, self-confidence and dedication, but he would be no more to see it as he was already in his late 70s. In a lighter mood, the Dalai Lama pointed towards senior delegates of the conference that they too would not be alive to see that Indian achievement. Claiming himself to be a messenger of non-violence, the Dalai Lama said, “It is better to forgive than to punish people.” He said, “We are concerned about the trauma of the Tibetans are facing and we oppose the wrongdoing of China.” He honoured senior conference delegates, including Principal, DRPGMC, Tanda, Anil Chauhan and Dr AK Bhardwaj, oragnising secretary of the conference. Many sessions were organised today on topics like “Integrated Management of Severe Acute Mal Nutrition”, “HIV/AIDS” and “Public Health Challenges” in the context of climate change and epidemiological transition under the aegies of UNICEF and WHO. |
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Rent scam in Mandi Municipal Council
Mandi, February 28 The Vigilance authorities today lodged an FIR under Sections 408, 420 and 120 B of the IPC against the clerk. It is probing the role of the EOs and the council secretary in the embezzlement of rent collected from shopkeepers in the town during this period. The Vigilance authorities had received a complaint in 2010 regarding embezzlement in the collection of rent from shopkeepers for the 2006-2010 period. The Vigilance authorities completed the inquiry and prima facie found the involvement of the then council clerk who, in an alleged connivance with successive EOs, embezzled shop rent to the tune of Rs 14.50 lakh as the council never deposited it in the bank account. SP, Vigilance, Central Range, Virender Sharma said the police had lodged an FIR charging the accused with hatching a criminal conspiracy and breach of trust. The alleged connivance of the clerk with the successive EOs was under investigation, he said. The audit of the council, conducted by the section officer, Local Fund Account, Shimla, had also detected irregularities in the collection of rent from shops in 2010. The Vigilance inquiry found that the clerk and the EOs collected Rs 14.50 lakh as rent from shopkeepers, but they never deposited it in the bank account from 2006-2010. President of the MMC Sushila Sonkhla claimed that the council had put a system in place to recover the shop rent and deposit it in the bank account after the case came to light. “The council is yet to recover Rs 1 crore as shop rent from defaulters in the town and efforts are on to recover the remaining amount,” she added. EO of the council Urvashi Walia said the clerk had been placed under suspension and Rs 8 lakh had been recovered from him. However, he later committed suicide and the council had informed the department about it, she added. Walia said there were many EOs who served the council from 2006 to 2010. “We are not aware about the Vigilance case,” she said. |
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Forging unity main task: Satti
The biggest challenge before Satti, who will formally take over the reins of the party here tomorrow, will be to forge unity among the warring Shanta and Dhumal factions. With the Assembly poll barely a few months away, quelling bickering and the rising dissidence will prove an arduous task for a young leader like him. “The biggest challenge before me is to take everyone along and forge unity so that we can reap the dividends of the good performance of our government and register victory in the Assembly elections,” said Satti. He is candid enough to admit the differences among some leaders and feels that it is the single mantra of “unity” which can help the BJP romp home comfortably. Even as Satti’s endeavour will be to ensure that senior leaders sink their differences and work unitedly for the success of “mission repeat”, doubts are already being cast about Shanta loyalists staying away from his formal takeover function at the state party headquarters here tomorrow. While Chief Minister PK Dhumal and his ministerial colleagues are likely to be present, former Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Shanta Kumar will not be present. “I had requested Shanta Kumar to grace the occasion, but since he is away on a tour of the North-East, he may not be able to make it tomorrow,” said Satti while underplaying the senior leader’s stance of staying away from the state party affairs. Having specially been chosen to head the party at a time when not only have some BJP leaders floated a separate political outfit, but there is also rising dissidence, he is faced with a stiff challenge. “I have sought the blessings of both Dhumal and Shanta Kumar and want to take everyone along,” he asserts. On the formation of his new team, he said it would be done within 10 days in consultation with state and central leaders. “We already have a good team, but I would like to induct some new faces, both young and experienced, so that we have a blend of both to ensure a winning combination in the poll,” he said. He said he would activate the party organisation and ensure that everyone took their responsibility seriously and performed well. |
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Increase state’s quota in armed forces: CM
Shimla, February 28 He said the state government had already relaxed physical standards for the youth belonging to the Gorkha community for recruitment in the police force. He said the government had provided Rs 20 lakh for the beautification of Major Durga Mall and Capt Dal Bahadur Memorial at Dari in Dharamsala. Later, addressing the 11th meeting of the Labana Welfare Board, Dhumal said the government was providing 12 per cent reservation in direct recruitment to Class I and II posts and 18 per cent for class III posts to candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes in government jobs with a view to providing them more employment opportunities. Sarveen Chaudhary, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, said interest-free loan to the tune of Rs 165.8 lakh had been disbursed among 86 beneficiaries through the Other Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation. She said 77,817 new social security pension cases were sanctioned during the past four years. |
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Modern cold storage before apple season
Shimla, February 28 The public sector undertaking had to invite tenders thrice for the purpose. In the first instance, the bidders failed to fulfil the technical parameters and the second time the bid was not accepted as the “chamber load” was on the higher side. In the final tenders, there were three bidders and the bid of Infra Cool, which quoted Rs 2.40 crore and Rs 2.50 crore for the two projects, was the lowest. Each cold storage will have eight chambers of 100 tonne capacity each and the aggregate capacity of the two cold storage units will be 1,600 tonnes. The company will install a refrigeration plant and complete the work by July when the harvesting of apple commences. The multi-chamber cold storage units will enable staggered marketing of the stored fruit, which can be kept in a good state for more than a year under the controlled conditions. Besides, other perishable produce like vegetables and other fruits can also be stored along with apples. The modernisation of packaging and grading houses at Gumma, Jarol Tikker and Patlikuhl is also under way at a cost of about Rs 8 crore. With the availability of these state-of-the-art facilities, the HPMC will be able to procure a large quantity of high-quality fruit, store it without loss of quality for a long time and sell it at a premium, choosing its own time. Funds for the modernisation of the cold storage units and grading houses have been provided by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority. In all, it has sanctioned about Rs 30 crore for various projects, Besides packaging and grading houses (Rs 8 crore) and CAS (Rs 10 crore), it has also sanctioned about Rs 11 crore for integrated units for fruit, vegetables and flowers at Ghumarvin and Nadaun and a tetra-pack unit at Parwanoo. Contract Awarded
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Solar charkhas hit ministry roadblock
Mandi, February 28 The ministry is in a fix whether to accept “solar charkhas” as a modern substitute for the traditional hand-driven charkhas. But even after 65 years of Independence, khadi could not grow much as its share remains just below one per cent in the country’s weaving and fabric industries, said officials. The Director, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), who is here to oversee the ministry’s exhibition at Paddal Maidan, said: “Solar charkhas have been tested and can speed up weaving for weavers and artisans. But Parliament has to give its approval to include it in khadi.” Over 90 per cent of weavers involved in weaving khadi fabric and yarn were women. The production had hit Rs 700-crore mark and its sale was worth Rs 1,000 crore in the country as a whole, he added. Though khadi cotton was the best cotton, its acceptability in the country remains poor. Over 90 per cent of people do not understand that khadi cotton was the best natural cotton and its fabric was the best, the officials said. The reasons were not hard to seek. Acrylic fabrics, which have ushered in a fabric of mass taste, were much cheaper and more fashionable as compared to khadi, they said. The khadi industry so far has failed to create mass markets and appeal in the country as its fabric remains coarse and it lacks “innovations and value additions”. Besides, the KVIC has set up a network of emporia, research and development and value additions to increase its share and create niche markets in the country and abroad. The ministry has been popularising solar charkhas in various exhibitions, fairs and festivals across the country. The KVIC has been bombarded with queries from weavers and artisans demanding the launch of solar charkhas. Solar charkhas, which developed at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Rural Industrialisation and cost Rs 25,000 a piece, can boost production in the country. “A weaver can earn Rs 150 to Rs 200 per day as compared to Rs 50 to Rs 100 he earns while working on the tiring hand-driven
charkhas,” the officials added. Meanwhile, Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Virbhadra Singh said the issue had been put before the government to seek approval under the Khadi Act and it might involve amendment. |
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Village artisans seek institutional support
Mandi, February 28 Talking to The Tribune on the sidelines of the Saras Mela at the ongoing International Mahashivratri fair here, they rue that the successive governments have failed to provide them marketing facilities in tourist towns like Manali, Shimla and McLeodganj. Foreigners and high-end domestic tourists frequent tourist towns and they get a good price for their products from them. “The future of village artisans is insecure as we neither have a training support nor any ‘haat’ to sell the products to tourists and other customers,” says Vijay Mehra, a craftsman from Makroti, Shahpur, Kangra, who runs a stall outside the Saras Mela. He says he pioneered crafty bamboo products in 1998, but still he is finding it difficult to make a living out of it. “I want to teach it to others, but the government has no skill-development institute for promoting handicrafts,” he says. Vijay and his brother Pankaj depend on the sale of bamboo products, viz bamboo lamp shades, dream houses, flower pots etc. “I do not get a stall in the main Saras Mela as some machine-made goods are on display at the mela,” he resents. Kehar Singh, Kurmi Ram and Daya Ram, who also come from BPL families from Bali Chowki tehsil, rue that they do not find stalls at the Saras Mela. “We always get a raw deal from the mela committee as we are charged Rs 2,000 or more every year,” they complain. They say they are traditional artisans selling hand-made products and agricultural implements to farmers. “We should be given free stalls as the committee pays money to devis and devtas. Then why do they charge poor people like us?” they ask. The SHGs and village artisans face an unfair competition from plastic wares and other machine-made products like baskets, kitchen and drawing rooms products, sculptures and idols of devis and devtas from different metals. “There are BPL groups who are running stalls in the Paddal Maidan, but they have availed free accommodation from the mela committee under the Saras Mela,” complain artisans. DRDA’s assistant administrative officer Sarojana Thakur, in charge of the Saras Mela, says they have put up over 75 stalls giving market facilities to over 150 Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and SHGs representing 15 states. “We are also launching skill-development programme to artisans,” she adds, denying any misuse of Saras Mela facilities. |
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National seminar on maths at Manali from March 10
Manali, February 28 The basic objective of the seminar is to provide a platform for academicians, scientists, engineers and researchers to discuss the recent advances and trends in various fields of fluid and solid mechanics. Nowadays, degree colleges of Himachal Pradesh are also trying their best to provide such platforms. Convener of the seminar Dr Sanjay Kango,Assistant Professor of Mathematics, said renowned Prof Timothy A Gonsalves, Director, IIT, Mandi, had consented to inaugurate this academy festival at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali, on March 10. He further said about 100 delegates were coming from all corners of the country like the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, IIT, Delhi, NIT, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh University, University of Calcutta, Visva-Bharti Santiniketan, Kolkata, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, Panjab Unuversity, Chandigarh, Kurukshetra University, NHPC and various colleges and institutions and would give lectures and present their research work. He said it was really difficult to host such a big academic event in a college having single faculty. But the full credit went to the team led by Dr PP Kaishta, Principal of the college, who was leaving no stone unturned for the successful conduct of this seminar. |
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Leopard found dead in Sundernagar
Sundernagar, February 28 Some persons removed the flesh and claws from the carcass before it was taken into custody by officials of the Forest Department. As per belief these parts of the animal are stated to be useful for some religious ceremony, residents of the area said. Later, its autopsy was conducted at Veterinary Hospital, Sundernagar. The autopsy report said it had suffered a chest injury, one of its legs was fractured and some claws were missing. It had died because of shock due to haemorrhage. It was further revealed that the injury could be accidental. According to DFO, Sundernagar, Ajit Thakur as per information received by him he did not see any possibility of poaching or killing of the animal. However, it was revealed by the staff that some people tried to damage the body with sickles and some of its nails were found missing. He added when the autopsy report would be received further action would be taken, and if it was found that some of its parts had been removed, a case under the Wildlife Protection Act would be registered against culprits. He said the carcass was consigned to the flames in the presence of a committee constituted under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, headed by the ACF, Sundernagar. Residents of Chambi said the carcass of leopard was recovered from the area which has been wrongly leased out to Harish Cement Ltd without complying with the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act. |
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Tourism promotion award for state
Shimla, February 28 The award will be received by Manisha Nanda, Principal Secretary, Tourism, and Arun Sharma, Director. An official spokesman said here today that the award was being given for the quality production of tourism-promotion literature and print media and electronic media campaigns, which had contributed significantly to attracting tourists. “Har Ghar Kuchh Kehta Hai”, “Har Gaon Ki Kahani” and “Monal”, the quarterly departmental magazine, along with other quality literature on different tourism activities and “Unforgettable Himachal”, a promotion capsule on a channel, had been considered as “best promoters” in giving a boost to tourism in the state. |
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Cong workers told to expose BJP ‘failures’
Kangra, February 28 Rattan asked the workers to expose the “failures” of the BJP on all fronts. He alleged that bus fares had been increased by the present BJP government by 45 per cent, electricity tariff by 45 per cent and drinking water tariff by 33 per cent, thus putting common people of this hill state in the dock. He accused the Dhumal government of violating and misusing Section 118, HP Agriculture Land Act, to oblige those who were close to politicians in power. He alleged that the BJP had virtually sold the state to outsiders.
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Bad roads: HC summons SE
Shimla, February 28 A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Dharam Chand Chaudhary passed this order on a Public Interest Litigation filed in this regard where in issue of bad condition of roads was raised. It was further alleged that there were many roads
in the state which were not motorable and in a bad condition. The local residents are facing major issues related to transportation due to the bad condition of roads.
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Chamba-Shimla highway yet to be cleared of snow
Chamba, February 28 The Chamba-Shimla shortcut highway via Jot pass was blocked by heavy snowfall in the first week of January and even after about two months the snow on the highway has not been cleared. It is only a patch of the highway near the Jot pass which is covered under heavy crisp snow. All the bus routes which ply via the Jot pass itinerary are being plied via the Banikhet-Lahru route. Meanwhile, the state government has pressed into service the workforce of the PWD to remove the snow from the highway and resume vehicular traffic as soon as possible, officials said. They claimed that the work to clear the snow and restore the highway was in full swing. Transportation on this road would be possible by next month, they added.
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Fresh snowfall hits life in Chamba
Chamba, February 28 The reports said the lower areas had been having widespread rain accompanied by thunderstorm. All the passes along the high peaks such as the Jot Pass, Jalsu Pass, Kugti Pass, Chobia Pass, Chehni Pass, Padhri Pass and Saach Pass continue to remain closed. Residents are facing numerous difficulties
putting their normal life out of gear. Officials, however, said the essential commodities and food items had already been stocked in abundance in snowbound terrains.
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Doctor booked on negligence charge
Bilaspur, February 28 Reports said Kamlesh Kumari, wife of Rameshwar of Lakhettar village under the Kapahada area, near Ghumarwin, was under treatment due to some problem in her ear and was repeatedly visiting the hospital for treatment. She came for the third time as follow-up of her treatment yesterday. The doctor concerned is said to have prescribed some injections to her which were given by a nurse of the hospital at the hospital itself, but her condition suddenly deteriorated and she died immediately, despite all attempts of the medical staff to save her. Relatives of the woman who were accompanying her alleged that Kamlesh Kumari died due to negligence of the doctor concerned and they got registered an FIR in the police station against the accused. DSP Sanjay Sharma said: “The matter is being investigated and action will be taken against the guilty after getting the autopsy report.”
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Shimla, February 28