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Bid to rein in BJP infighting
Cong to reverse BJP decisions: Virbhadra
Benami land deals: Revenue records seized; officials under scanner
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Rinpoche Gangkar’s nationality remains a mystery
Tibetan refugees’ documents being verified
Research work
200 units of blood donated
Strike call unjustified, says HRTC management
2 die after consuming poison
Skeleton of missing boy found
Villagers protest against water crisis
Daily-wage staff with 8-yr service to be regularised: CM
Ex-servicemen allege harassment by ECHS polyclinics
CM inaugurates Shanidev temple
Kangra girl selected officer in Navy
Plea to change Dalhousie’s name rejected
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Bid to rein in BJP infighting
Besides, leaders of the rival factions PK Dhumal and Shanta Kumar , state party chief Satpal Satti and organisation secretary Pawan Rana have also been called for the meeting. The crisis in the party has aggravated even after the announcement that the controversial Health Minister Rajeev Bindal, who has been under fire from the Shanta camp, will resign next week as another leader from the camp, Khushi Ram Balnatah raised a banner of revolt directly targeting the Dhumal. The high command may finally decide the fate of rebel MP Rajan Sushant, who continues to attack Dhumal even after being placed under suspension. The proposed move to carve two or three more districts in Kangra is also a part of the problem which is widening the factional divide. It was also likely to come up at the meeting. The war of words following the release of Balnatah’s letter to Gadkari has made the party an object of ridicule A worried high command has decided to step as these developments did not augur well for the party ahead of the assembly poll. Besides Bindal, the Shanta camp has also been attacking IPH Minister Ravinder Ravi , a confidant of Dhumal, who has been calling the shots in Kangra district. Besides being the home district of Shanta Kumar, Kangra is also the largest and politically most important political entity of the state. The woes of the party have multiplied due to the delimitation exercise under which constituencies of some prominent leaders, including Bindal, Ravinder Ravi and Balnatah , have either been scrapped or reserved for Scheduled Castes. The party high command has been working on a solution by dropping Bindal, confining Ravinder Ravi to his Thural constituency , and sorting out other issues pertaining to Kangra and Shanta Kumar’s grievances. However, with Balnatah, a leader from Shimla district also coming out openly against Dhumal , the task of brokering peace has become more difficult.
Refrain from public spat, leaders advised
Shimla: The state BJP has advised its leaders to refrain from making any controversial statement in the media. Party spokesman Parveen Sharma said here today that the public utterances of some leaders, both senior and junior, were creating problems for the party. He appealed to all party men to try to resolve matters within the party forums. By raising controversial and unwarranted issues they were only undermining the interest of the party. “Instead of targeting their own government and leaders, the focus should be on the failures of the scams-tainted Congress-led UPA regime at the Centre,” the spokesman said. |
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Cong to reverse BJP decisions: Virbhadra
Nahan, June 17 Addressing the party’s second Parivartan Rally at Chowgan Maidan here, he said the state government was befooling people by announcing such policies to improve its poll prospects. The move to enhance the retirement age was another political gimmick, he claimed. Saying that corruption was widespread in the state, the Congress leader said though benami transactions executed on the basis of power of attorney were banned three months ago, the damage had already been done. Addressing the rally, Anand Sharma, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, attacked the ruling BJP government in the state for having failed to make optimum use of various central schemes. Whatever employment had been generated in Himachal was due to various central schemes. Terming both Chief Minister PK Dhumal and BJP President Nitin Gadkari as traders, Sharma said they were not serving the people. Negating any factionalism in the party, he lauded the contribution of all senior leaders of Himachal, adding that they were united under the leadership of AICC president Sonia Gandhi. Earlier, Birender Singh, AICC general secretary and in charge of Himachal affairs, said the BJP was indulging in loot in the garb of politics in Himachal. he was confident of Congress victory in the assembly poll. Singh said the ticket would be allocated to dedicated workers. Attacking the state government, PCC president Kaul Singh Thakur said the BJP government was patronising the corrupt and selling the the state to outsiders in the garb of making Himachal an education hub. He alleged that a private university in Solan was selling Ph.D degrees. Several senior party leaders were present on the occasion. |
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Benami land deals: Revenue records seized; officials under scanner
Chauntra (Mandi), June 17 The raids followed after The Tribune highlighted in these columns a benami land racket being run in the TKIS here with land mafia operating from Sikkim, Nepal and Tibet in an alleged connivance with Tibetans, certain locals and government field agencies staff. The tea garden land, which was sold to the TKIS in 1962 by the king of the erstwhile Mandi state soon after the Dalai Lama arrived in India, has become hot favourite among high-profiled Tibetans with funds and donations of doubtful credentials, said investigators. Besides, benami construction activities in the TKIS are going on in the name of old age homes, private residences and other houses here. Local residents have raised security concern at different forums after the ongoing Rinpoche-Taiwanese episode. Meanwhile, the Kangra police today lodged another FIR at the Baijnath police station in connection with the five SIM cards that it had recovered from the eight Taiwanese nationals arrested on June 12-13. The dealer issued them the SIM cards on fake addresses in the name of five persons from Una, it claimed. The Taiwanese nationals are in judicial custody till June 19. |
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Rinpoche Gangkar’s nationality remains a mystery
Chauntra (Mandi), June 17 He was nabbed from a five star hotel yesterday as he was wanted in the case pertaining to the arrest of eight Taiwanese nationals. For the police, Rinpoche’s nationality so far remains a mystery as it had not recovered his passport and visas but, had recovered an old voter card issued in Sikkim. Bo Gangtak Rinpoche, say Tibetan followers here, of yore originated from the white glacier-mountain and was conspicuous by his snow-burn wind-beaten wrinkled face and lived a rugged Himalayan life among his followers. But the present Rinpoche Gangkar is a class apart and is no less than the present day god men living a lavish lifestyle, comments a Buddhist follower. At present, Rinpoche Gangkar is in a police cell at the Jogindernagar police station as he faces charges under the Income Tax Act, the Excise Act and the Essential Commodity Act and the list can add more as the police is probing his various links in India and abroad and his unaccounted sources of funds. Rinpoche is having normal dal roti, cooked by police langaris, in the police lockup in a sweltering summer heat. The judge had sent him to police remand till June 19 and is guarded by a policeman round the clock. He had erected a 12-ft high boundary wall topped by three-feet barbed-wire, which carries electric current that speaks volumes about how insecure he feels at his plush house. Like all monks and Rinpoches, Gangkar Rinpoche has travelled to all sacred Buddhist religious sites - from Bodh Gaya to Lumbini - and believed to have attained great Tantrik knowledge, say his believers. He is recognised and enthroned in by high-profiled guru, Tai Setu Rinpoche, at the Sherabling monastery in Sikkim. He is born to Tsering Palkyi and Tsewang Rinzin, who hails from Do-Kham district in north Tibet, in 1982 and represent the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, say his followers. |
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Tibetan refugees’ documents being verified
Palampur, June 17 The police has also launched a massive campaign for the verification of immigration documents of all Tibetans refugees and foreign nationals staying in these settlements. Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that the police and the Tibetan government-in-exile had directed all Tibetan refugees not to give shelter to any foreign national who did not have valid immigration documents. Besides, hotel owners all over the district had been directed to scutinise the passport and VISA documents of all foreign nationals before their entry into the hotels. There are Tibetan settlements at Bir, Chauntra, Bhatoo, Tashijong, Sidhbari, Dharamsala and McLeodganj. |
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Research work
Shimla, June 17 A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Dharma Chand Chaudhary directed the Central Government to file a reply in six weeks. The petitioner, appearing in person, informed the court that he had done huge research work, but it was not being evaluated by the respondent Science and Technology Department. He said his papers on generalising the Einstein principle were published in an international journal published from Canada. The petitioner stated that his work was not evaluated and alleged that a committee constituted to evaluate the work did not have any expert in the special theory of relativity and the general theory of relativity. |
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200 units of blood donated
Shimla, June 17 Chairman of the fonduation Ajai Srivastava said it was the sixth camp this year. The foundation last year organised 14 camps
in which more than 1,000 units of blood were donated. Kangra: Under the banner of the Satya Sai Samiti, 80 persons donated blood on Sunday during a blood donation camp organised at DAV Public School, Dehra. Shesh Bushan, president of the Satya Sai Samiti Kangra district, said the samiti was organising such camps in other parts of the district and donating more that 360 units of blood annually. |
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Strike call unjustified, says HRTC management
Shimla, June 17 It has also issued a public notice, asserting that as all demands of the employees have been accepted, any call for observing a strike was unjustified. The employees are demanding, among other things, conversion of the corporation into a roadways on the Punjab pattern and regularisation of contract and ad hoc staff after the completion of three years of service. The financial benefits granted to the employees listed in the public notice include release of arrears of pay revision amounting to Rs 28 crore, Rs 8 crore as overtime allowance, 66 per cent increase in wages of contractual drivers, 291 per cent in the case of contractual conductors and clerks and 210 hike for contractual Class IV employees. It further stated that the balance payment of arrears and overtime allowance totalling Rs 2 crore would be released shortly. Arrears of enhanced pension and family pension amounting to Rs 16 crore would be released within 15 days. The grade pay to all conductors (on contract) with less than 3 years of service would be released with effect from June 15. It has been decided to regularise the services of 25 water ladies engaged on a contract basis and release 20 per cent of the grant-in-aid in the Pension Trust every year. Further, 1 paise per km would be provided to make the Pension Trust viable. It had decided to constitute a sub-committee consisting of representatives of government and employees’ unions to suggest ways and means for converting the corporation into a roadways. The committee would submit its report in a time-bound manner. management take
It has issued a public notice, asserting that as all demands of the employees have been accepted, any call for observing a strike was unjustified. The employees are demanding, among other things, conversion of the corporation into a roadways on the Punjab pattern and regularisation of contract and ad hoc staff after completion of three years of service |
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Sorabh Van Vihar opened
Palampur, June 17 Shanta Kumar said the park would attract thousands of tourists to Palampur every year. Shanta Kumar announced to set up a memorial to Capt Kalia at Palampur in 1999 named as “Sorabh Van Vihar on the right bank of Neugal khad. He contributed over Rs 2 crore from his MPLAD funds for this project. Captain Kalia of Palampur was brutally tortured and murdered following his capture by the Pakistani Army in the Kargil war . He laid down his life at the prime age of 22, having served the Army for less than five months. |
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2 die after consuming poison
Kangra, June 17 It said Rama Devi (28) of Sidhpur village, Dharamsala, consumed poison at her in-laws’ house and was later rushed to Zonal Hospital, Dharamsala, from where she was later referred to the DRPGMC, Tanda. It said the woman, who is a mother of two children, died in DRPGMC Tanda today. Her family members said she had consumed some poisonous substance mistakenly. In another incident, Ravinder Kumar (32) of Noouri village, Baijnath, has consumed poison and died at the DRPGMC, Tanda, today. The police said Ravinder had some confrontation with his wife for the past eight months and she had been putting up at her father’s house during this period. Ravinder had been consuming liquor and yesterday he consumed poison and was rushed to Civil Hospital, Palampur. He was referred to the DRPGMC, Tanda where he died later. Meanwhile, Vinod Kumar (27) of Kulthi village and Anita Devi (32) of Jasoor village consumed some poisonous substance today and both of them were admitted to the DRPGMC. |
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Skeleton of missing boy found
Nurpur, June 17 The DSP said Ashok Kumar misbehaved with the villagers on being informed last night that a skeleton had been lying on the bank of Pong Dam reservoir near Dhameta. The skeleton had been sent to the Tanda Medical College for forensic examination. The boy had been missing since June 3 when he had gone to see a wrestling bout in Jagnolli village. Following the complaint of his parents, the Jawali police had registered an abduction case against Ashwani and Ravinder, two local youths, who were arrested and remanded in police custody till tomorrow. |
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Villagers protest against water crisis
Palampur, June 17 Hundreds of residents from lower areas of Baijnath recently gheraoed the office of the Assistant Engineer, IPH, Baijanth, and demanded immediate supply of drinking water. At least 12 villages, including Krishna Nagar, Kudail, Bandian, Khoppa, Dadin, Bhedu, Randher and Mann Channiara in lower Baijnath are hit the most. In the Sulah area, residents of Pharehar alleged that no efforts had been made to restore drinking water supply to their village. Hundreds of women came out on the national highway No 20, carrying empty buckets and other utensils to lodge their protest. |
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Daily-wage staff with 8-yr service to be regularised: CM
Bilaspur, June 17 He said the government had given financial benefits worth Rs 6,500 crore to the employees in the past four years. While the Punjab government has given only 30 per cent of the pay arrears, the HP government had released the full payment . Earlier, Federation president Shanti Swarup thanked the Chief Minister for accepting the main two demands-- an advance increment after 20 years of service and filling of 610 posts through promotion. Both Shanti Swarup and state general secretary Suraj Thakur demanded that they be given special pay of Rs 1,400 on the Punjab pattern instead of Rs 300 being given at present. The Chief Minister said those who had completed 10 years of service as part-time workers till March 31, 2012, would be made daily-wage workers while those who had completed eight years as daily-wage workers , would be regularised in service. He assured that all their pending demands would also be sympathetically looked into. Dhumal said that a Rs 1.31-crore sabzi mandi had been sanctioned for Ghumarwin. Work would soon start to channelise the Seer khud to save land and crops on both banks during the rainy season. The federation presented to Dhumal a cheque for Rs 51,000 for the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. |
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Ex-servicemen allege harassment by ECHS polyclinics
Mandi, June 17 Talking to The Tribune on the sidelines of a meeting of the HCOWA held at Baldwara, Capt Jagdish Chand Verma, president of the association, said: “Honorary officers are being discriminated at all levels. We have no option other than moving a petition at the the Army Fast Track Court Bench in Chandigarh against discrimination.” He said the government had no policy for honorary officers’ legitimate entitlements under government schemes. He said the staff posted at ECHS polyclinics in Sarkaghat and Mandi behaved in a high-handed manner, making even ailing ex-servicemen go from place to place. He charged the ECHS polyclinic staff at Mandi and Sarkaghat with harassing ex-servicemen. He cited the example of Baldwara ex-serviceman Sunder Singh(90) who travelled a distance of 70 km on May 23 get treatment at the Mandi polyclinic for severe pain in his abdomen. He was not attended to at Mandi and directed to Sarkaghat. But the Sarkaghat polyclinic too failed to treat him. As his pain persisted, he travelled back and got treatment at a private hospital where he was operated upon. Verma said the association had taken this matter with the Army Headquarters. He added that the association supported the demand for “one rank, one pension”. “We will step up stir unless all demands are not met with before the Assembly election in the state, members added. The state Sainik Welfare Board and the ECHS authorities claimed that they were not aware of the issues raised by the association.
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CM inaugurates Shanidev temple
Sameerpur (Hamirpur), June 17 Dhumal said, “Since the day I joined active politics and contested my first election, people of Bamsan always took command of the election as if they themselves in the fray and always asked me to campaign elsewhere.” Earlier, he also addressed a gathering at Shanidev temple in Bagwara after inaugurating the temple.
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Kangra girl selected officer in Navy
Sapna, daughter of ex-subedar major Shiv Dass Dhiman, said she always wanted to join the Army, Air Force or Navy and she had attained her goal with her devotion and hard work. She had appeared in the Service Selection Board of the Navy Selection Centre at Bengaluru in April this year. She had her schooling from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Lucknow, and did BTech in electronics and communication from PTU, Jalandhar.
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Plea to change Dalhousie’s name rejected
Shimla, June 17 While rejecting the petition, the government has stated that the change of name will be inappropriate as it is a famous tourism destination. However, information obtained under the RTI Act revealed that the name of Dalhousie was, in fact, changed to Subhash Nagar, way back in 1992 when the BJP government headed by Shanta Kumar was in office. A notification to this effect was also issued on but it was withdrawn in 1994 on the instructions of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Jagga asserted that he would explore all other options to see that the name of Dalhousie, which represented the colonial rule, was changed.
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Shimla, June 17
Nuprur, June 17