|
|
|
|
|
BJP to take candidates’ feedback on poll showing
Authorities fail to remove encroachments on highways
Migratory birds add colour to upcoming winter
HRTC staff to revive stir against state govt
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Man gets 12-yr jail for possessing charas
Relaxation sought in poll code enforcement
2 witnesses rescind statements in CD case
CM condoles Thackeray’s death
Ban in Punjab brings boom time for stone crushers
Varsities should introduce study of lineages, says VC
Need for preparing city disaster management plan stressed
|
|
BJP to take candidates’ feedback on poll showing
Shimla, November 17 All 68 candidates, who are awaiting the election results, have been told to ensure their presence at the meeting to be held here on November 19. Chief Minister PK Dhumal and state BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti will be present. The party leadership will take the view of all leaders on the stand to be taken on rebels in case they emerge victorious even though no BJP leader is willing to confirm it officially. Though some senior leaders of the party are already in touch with rebels, the opinion of the majority will be sought so that a clear-cut stand is adopted on the issue of rebels. A majority of rebels have already been suspended from the party after jumping into the electoral arena against official party nominees. The BJP has expelled 15 rebels for contesting elections as Independents. “We want to get a feedback from candidates, district BJP chiefs and other party functionaries so that we have a fair idea of how we are likely to fare in the Assembly elections,” says Satti. Shanta Kumar, JP Nadda and Anurag Thakur will not attend the meeting as the Parliament session will be under way. BJP’s national organising secretary Ram Lal and co-in charge Shyama Jaju are likely to attend the meeting. The issue of holding parleys with several rebels, including former minister Roop Singh Thakur (Sundernagar), Pawan Kajal (Kangra), Manohar Dhiman (Indora) and HN Kashyap (Solan), who may win, is also likely to be discussed. It will be interesting to see the stand the party adopts on Himachal Lokhit Party candidates, some of whom have chances of winning. They include Maheshwar Singh (Kullu) and Naveen Dhiman (Pragpur). Satti says the issue of the revival of the membership drive, suspended because of the Assembly elections, will be discussed as it is to be completed by the end of December. Meeting Tomorrow
|
|
Authorities fail to remove encroachments on highways
Palampur, November 17 There are over 100 encroachments in various parts of the town and 80 per cent are on PWD roads. On the Mandi-Pathankot national highway, which is one of the busiest roads of the town, over 50 fruit vendors and vegetable sellers have encroached upon the road near the gurdwara. The administration is not taking action against them. This point has turned into a death trap. Only two months ago, the local Municipal Council shifted these vendors near the toy centre where new sheds were constructed for them. Local MLA Parveen Sharma had inaugurated the new complex. However, after two months, these vendors left their new shops and again occupied the national highway. The gurdwara road has become an accident-prone area because of the narrow road and encroachment on both sides. There is always a traffic jam as fruit vendors have occupied one-fourth of the highway. The increasing encroachments on government land, particularly on the state and national highways, have become a matter of concern. State highways like the Dharamsala-Palampur connecting the town and the Pathankot-Mandi national highway passing through the town are being squeezed day-by-day because of encroachments making it difficult to commute. Though the HP Roadside Land Control Act prohibits any construction within 5m of state highways and national highways on both sides, it seems that PWD officials are ignorant about the law.
|
||
|
Migratory birds add colour to upcoming winter
Nurpur, November 17 The state government had declared it as a wildlife (birds) sanctuary in 1983 and was notified in 1999. The sanctuary was declared as wetland of national importance by the Government of India in 1994. This is the first major wetland offering a transitory resting reserve for the migratory birds such as bar-headed geese, rRuddy
shelduck, pintails, coots, pochards, gulls, red necked grebes, cormorants, mallards. The birds fly in from China, Tibet, Iraq, Pakistan, Siberia and Mongolia in the winter season as there is great scarcity of food for them. Thus, the flocks of birds fly miles to reach Pong Lake to spend winters in a more congenial climatic condition, from November to March every year. According to Sangeeta
Chandel, the District Forest Officer (DFO), Wildlife, Hamirpur, around 25,000 to 30,000 birds had arrived in the Pong Lake until November 15. Last year, the total number of these birds had touched to 1,32,000. “A few years back, these birds were falling prey to poachers who used to hunt secretively. But with the concerted efforts of the wildlife department poaching has been discouraged. “The department has set up a Van Thana at Nagrota Surian headed by a deputy ranger. A team of field staff of the wildlife department, along with hired daily wagers, conduct round the clock patrolling to check the poaching menace. Last year, not even a single case of poaching was reported,” she asserted. The DFO also revealed that the department had been undertaking a two days’ exercise of the census of migratory birds in the end of January every year with the active participations of NGOs and national-level institutes like the Wildlife Institute of India, the Geological Survey of India, the Bird Wildlife Fund for Nature and the Bombay National History Society of India. |
||
|
HRTC staff to revive stir against state govt
Hamirpur, November 17 The JCC has given a call to eight-hour duty by resorting to the work-to-rule principle throughout the state from November 20 to protest against the callous attitude of the HRTC management to the implementation of demands. After a prolonged agitation of HRTC employees, the state government and the JCC signed an agreement on June 18, wherein the Transport Minister assured the employees to meet their demands. JCC leaders are now accusing the HRTC management of not implementing the demands accepted by the state government in the written agreement. JCC president Shankar Singh Thakur said, “The state government agreed to grant dearness allowance to all contractual employees, give grade pay and 4-9-14 time scale, regularise the service of contractual employees after six years, pay for overtime, recruit more staff to ease work and allow weekly offs and holidays.” He added, “The HRTC management has not met any of these demands. No contractual employee has been regularised, night allowance and overtime payment have not been paid as per the agreement and weekly offs are not being allowed due to shortage of staff.” HRTC employees are also blaming the management for cutting losses at the cost of employees. It is paying a night allowance of Rs 91 compared to the agreed upon amount of Rs 130. It is paying for an overtime of only eight hours for buses staying for night halt. Only those running the buses during night hours are being given payment for overtime. JCC leaders said, “Employees are united and determined to meet their demands. We have started an awareness campaign throughout the state to prepare employees for the agitation.”
|
|
Man gets 12-yr jail for possessing charas
Shimla, November 17 It was on April 2, 2012, that Sheikh was arrested by a team of the CID wing near Tara Devi during a routine check. He was found sitting on a parapet along the road and during the search the police recovered 1.90 kg of charas from him. Sheikh had the charas wrapped around his abdomen and legs, covered with plastic. A chemical examination confirmed that the substance found on his body was charas. |
|
|
Relaxation sought in poll code enforcement
Bilaspur, November 17 This was stated by Ram Singh, state president of the federation, after attending a meeting of the state executive committee here today. Ram Singh said the period between the voting day of November 4 and the day of counting of votes on December 20 was very long and it was causing difficulties to several sections of people, including the physically challenged, widows and poor persons, who were waiting for their employment, postings and even interviews. The federation has urged the Chief Minister to take up the issue with the Election Commission and get some relaxation in such matters.
|
|
|
2 witnesses rescind statements in CD case
Shimla, November 17 Witnesses Prem Chand Jain, former president of Gujarat Ambuja, and Brig (retd) Kapil Mohan, managing director of Mohan Meakins in Solan, stated in court that they never gave any statement under Section 161 of the CrPC and the statements recorded by the police were false. Jain stated, “I neither met any political head in the state, nor made any financial transaction with any functionary of the state government in connection with the setting up of a cement plant at Darlaghat.” He also stated, “I did not meet the then Chief Minister. Till 1992, I was not aware of the project in Himachal Pradesh.” He denied that he came to Shimla and Solan in 1989 and contacted Industries Director Mahinder Lal regarding the setting up of a cement plant. Brigadier Mohan denied that he had given any statement to the police. He further said the statement recorded by the police was not given by him. He further stated, “The company did not py any money as illegal gratification to any functionary of the state government.” He denied that Inspector Daya Sagar visited him at his residence in Ghaziabad. The statements of SP Daljeet Thakur and Head Constable Jagdeep Kumar were also recorded today. After recording the statements, Special Judge BL Soni listed the matter for further hearing on December 1. The special court had taken cognisance of the CD case after considering the statements of the two witnesses recorded by the investigating officer under Section 161 of the CrPC.
|
|
|
CM condoles Thackeray’s death
Shimla, November 17 He said the Shiv Sena, floated by him, had emerged as a powerful political party which dominated the political scene in Maharashtra. — TNS
|
|
|
Ban in Punjab brings boom time for stone crushers
Dharamsala, November 17 Sources here say the demand for sand and gravel from Himachal Pradesh is so high that truck drivers from Punjab wait in long queues at stone-crusher units in Himachal Pradesh. The sources also say the prices of sand and gravel at stone-crusher units have gone up sharply due to the steep increase in demand. The price of crushed stone in crushers located near the border has gone up from Rs 11 or Rs 12 per cubic foot to Rs 17 or 18 per cubic foot. Its price is hovering around Rs 14 per cubic foot in stone crushers located in far-flung areas. A truckload of crushed stone, which is used as building material, now costs between Rs 13,000 and Rs 15,000 compared to about Rs 10,000 earlier. The demand for sand from rivulets in Himachal Pradesh has also gone up sharply after the ban on mining in Punjab. The sources say the hike in demand has promoted illegal mining in rivulets. Almost a complete ban has been imposed on sand mining in the Swan in Una district. Illegal sand mining is still going on in the riverbed for a quick buck. The Una police, in coordination with mining officials, has booked many vehicle drivers from Punjab caught carrying illegally mined material from rivulets in Himachal Pradesh. Certain owners of stone crushers are also resorting to this illegal practice to meet the growing demand in Punjab. As per mining laws in Himachal Pradesh, mining with the use of JCB machines is not allowed. Many stone-crusher owners are resorting to illegal mining with the use of JCB machines to meet the growing demand. The hike in prices of crushed stone and gravel have also hit government contractors in the state. They have complained to the Kangra district administration about the hike in prices. They say their contracts with the government have been finalised at old rates, but the recent hike is affecting the viability of their contracts. The district administration does not have any legal mechanism to fix the prices of material procured from stone crushers. Mining officials say they are keeping a watch to check illegal mining and many have been booked and fined.
|
|
Varsities should introduce study of lineages, says VC
Shimla, November 17 He was speaking at a seminar organised by the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Chair in Himachal Pradesh University on the topic “Itihaas Ki Prashtbhumi Mein Vanshavali” here today. He also stressed the need for developing the software that would help every individual to maintain the record of his lineage so that it could be saved for future generations. Delivering the keynote address on the occasion, noted sociologist and scholar Ram Prasad said knowing one’s proud lineage and ancestry helped in building the character of a nation. He said most of the western nations were making efforts to trace their roots, which gave an insight into the ancient culture and traditions which helped in nation building. Speaking on the occasion, Prof Ganesh Bhardwaj, Secretary, Himachal Sanskrit Academy, said it was next to impossible to understand the history without knowledge of Sanskrit. He said: “Our education system is based on western techniques, though our ancient techniques of imparting education were far better.” He said the onslaught from the western culture was posing a threat to the rich Indian culture and traditions, which could not be affected by such influences. More than 40 scholars from across the country participated in the seminar.
|
|
Need for preparing city disaster management plan stressed
Shimla, November 17 He was presiding over the state-level workshop on UNAID-supported GOI-UNDP Climate Risk Management Project in Urban Areas Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation here today. Shimla is one of the six cities in the country where this project is being implemented under the aegis of the Disaster Risk Reduction Programme. Sanan said disaster could be mitigated to a certain extent through preparedness, but it was essential to change the collective behaviour of people. “Disaster management is only a partial solution as it is more important to change the mindset of people,” he said. He said relevant measures for urban risk reduction, including strengthening of institutional and legal framework at the local level, must be taken. Sanan said capacity building of the community members as an effective response would go a long way in reducing risk of disaster. He said special efforts must be made to mobilise volunteers from NSS, civil defence, welfare societies, health workers and NGOs, and a ready data base of all of them must be available so that they could be trained from time to time. G Padmanabhan, Emergency Analyst, Disaster Management unit of the UNDP, said the main objective of the project was to reduce disaster risk in urban areas by enhancing institutional capacity.
|
|
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
The joint coordination committee (JCC) of Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) employees has decided to revive its agitation.
The almost-total ban on sand and gravel mining in Punjab is proving a boon for stone-crusher owners in Himachal Pradesh, especially those near the inter-state border.
Sources here say the demand for sand and gravel from Himachal Pradesh is so high that truck drivers from Punjab wait in long queues at stone-crusher units in Himachal Pradesh.
