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AGENDA HIMACHAL
Virbhadra Singh resigns as HPCC president
Doon MLA must surrender: Dhumal
Central University campus to come up at Dharamsala: Minister
Telephone Recordings Made by CID
Curb illegal mining, Virbhadra tells Industries Dept
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Power engineers assure CM of cooperation
Dhumal, Shanta not to attend BJP review meeting
Hospitals in border areas of state lack basic facilities
Award instituted in Delhi gang rape victim’s memory
Residents hold placards and wear black ribbons during a silent protest against the Delhi gang rape in Shimla on Tuesday. Photo: Amit Kanwar
BJP leader Dhiman dies at 78
Driver dies as bus hits truck
Villager injured in leopard attack
Impart moral values to primary school students, say experts
AAI to expand three state airports
Mandals oppose hydroelectric project on left bank of Ravi
Don’t organise function in schools till exams are over: MLA
Jai Singh is chief of Dist Bar Assn
Rs 500-crore loan for state released
Rivalry in BJP’s Ghumarwin factions intensifies
360 students examined
Man gets 7-year RI for bank dacoity
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Providing jobs or allowance a tall order
Rakesh Lohumi Tribune News Service
Shimla, January 1 The industrial package did not help the state much as far the employment of Himachalis was concerned as the kind of industries the state attracted did not generate many jobs for the over 2 lakh graduate and postgraduate jobless youth. In fact, it only helped the land mafia and influential politicians, who virtually turned into property dealers and facilitators for obtaining permission under Section 118, Land Reforms Act, that debars outsiders from purchasing land in the state. It is, thus, incumbent on the new government to look for an alternative package instead of reviving the expired industrial package to create jobs for the available qualified manpower. The previous government, which was obsessed with private universities and real estate, did not make any efforts to attract the Information Technology industry. The Congress government has to pursue the proposal to set up an IT Park near Waknaghat for which the request for proposal (RFP) had been finalised in 2007. It should seek schemes for providing easy loans at concessional rates of interest to unemployed youth for setting up tourism, IT, BT, agro-based units and other environment-friendly ventures to create employment across the state. The industry has mainly been confined to the border belt comprising Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh, Kala Amb, Una and Sansarpur terrace of Kangra due to topographical constraints. Both mainstream parties had addressed the issue in their election manifestos. While the BJP had promised to generate 10 lakh job opportunities, the Congress focused on skill development and setting up a corporation with an investment of Rs 500 crore to tackle unemployment and create 1 lakh job opportunities annually. The Congress also promised to give Rs 1,000 per month to Class XII pass-outs and graduate unemployed youth whose total family income is less than Rs 2 lakh per month and Rs 1,500 per month to physically challenged graduate unemployed youth. The government is seeking the revival of the industrial package, but it will not help much as is evident from the fact that till March 2012 only 2,66,000 persons were employed in the industrial sector. The package did give a boost to industrialisation and over the past nine years (2003-04 to 2011-12) the state attracted an investment of Rs 13,000 crore and 1,62,000 jobs were created. Further, Himachalis got only about 60 per cent of the jobs though as per rules 70 per cent of the manpower is to be recruited locally. Thus, the promise of 10 lakh jobs by the BJP and five lakh jobs by the Congress are not based on ground realities. The government should seek financial assistance for the development of the IT Park and invite Infosys, Tata and other top companies that provide quality employment. The incentives should be linked to the number of persons employed from Himachal. In case some private universities are wound up, the available infrastructure could be readily provided for setting up IT units. Given the failing financial health of the state, granting unemployment allowance will be a tall order and it would be more appropriate to create quality jobs by providing employment-based incentives to private companies. The Congress made it a major election plank and senior party leader from Kangra GS Bali even organised a fortnight-long Rozgar Sangharsh Yatra during the run up to the elections. A Challenging Task
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Virbhadra Singh resigns as HPCC president
Shimla, January 1 According to sources, Virbhadra Singh sent his resignation to Congress president Sonia Gandhi yesterday. The process for selecting the new incumbent will start soon and the high command will take a decision after ascertaining the views of party men and discussions with senior
leaders. Virbhadra Singh took over as PCC chief on August 29 and led the party to victory in the Assembly poll. He had replaced Kaul Singh, who was a given a second consecutive term and held the reins of the party for about four years. A number of leaders from both the camps are in the race for the coveted post. Former Minister Asha
Kumari, who has been denied a berth in the Cabinet, along with Harsh
Mahajan, who also hails from Chamba district, are among the top claimants from the rival camps. Others in line include Chander Kumar, Gangu Ram
Musafir, Rangila Ram Rao and Ram Lal Thakur. Since the Chief Minister and the number two in the Cabinet Vidya Stokes are both from
Shimla, a leader from Kangra or Mandi region could be a preferred choice. Besides the regional factor, the caste factor will be a major consideration and the party could opt for a leader from Other Backward Classes
(OBCs) which have not got due representation in the Cabinet. Meanwhile, a few disgruntled MLAs who have not been accommodated are trying to seek a meeting with Sonia Gandhi to air their grievances. It is learnt that some them met AICC general secretary Birender Singh Chaudhary and said they had been denied their due share on factional considerations.
Birender Singh, when contacted on telephone, said no MLA came to him, but one of their representatives met him and apprised him of their grievances. He said he also informed him that they planned to meet the Congress president. |
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Doon MLA must surrender: Dhumal
Hamirpur, January 1 Addressing mediapersons here today, Dhumal said: “Irrespective of the party, the issue should be condemned on humanitarian grounds since the victim belonged to a weaker section of society.” He said: “The accused should surrender before the police immediately. If he is innocent he should not fear as he would come out clean.” Commenting on Health Minister Kaul Singh’s statement to hold a probe in sanctions given by the BJP government allowing purchase of land under Section 118 of the Land Tenancy Act, he said: “It is the prerogative of the state government to hold any inquiry and they can go ahead with the same but our government had not given any government land to private universities since universities have purchased private land.” He said: “Kaul’s comment about judicial commission are unwanted since as a lawyer he should know better that the Chairman of the judicial commission appointed by the state government was recommended by the state high court and judiciary should take cognisance of his statement.”
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Central University campus to come up at Dharamsala: Minister
Dharamsala, January 1 Talking to mediaperons here today, newly elected Congress MLA from Dharamsala and Minister for Urban Development Sudhir Sharma said the Central University would be located at Dharamsala. He said, “Congress president Sonia Gandhi had announced the Central University for Dharamsala in 2007. The previous BJP government had tried to shift a major portion of the university campus to Dehra on the pretext that enough land was not available in and around Dharamsala. However, I am of the opinion that enough land is available in and around Dharamsala for the construction of Central University campus.”
He further said even the temporary campus of the Central University that was functioning from Shahpur would be shifted to Dharamsala. Sudhir, who is a close confidant of the Chief Minister, had adopted the issue of bringing Central University to Dharamsala even during his election campaign. Even senior Congress leaders had been maintaining a similar position. However, the move is likely to be opposed by the BJP, especially by Leader of Opposition PK Dhumal, as Dehra falls under the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency that is being represented by Anurag Thakur, his son. The previous BJP government had decided to have two campuses of the Central University. Humanities and arts departments were to be brought up at Dharamsala and science and engineering colleges in Dehra. The state government had proposed about 500-acre forest land in Dehra for the construction of the campus. The land, however, has about 90,000 trees on it due to which the permission for the change of land of use is delayed and presently the case is pending with the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests. Vice-Chancellor, Central University, Furqan Qumar had stated that the decision to have two campuses of the university at Dharamsala and Dehra was taken by the Central committee of the Union Ministry for HRD on the recommendation of the state government. Any decision now to change the location of the campuses could only be taken by the Union Government, he said. Whatever the decision regarding the location of Central University campuses, it likely to delay the project further. Already, despite the fact that the Central University came into existence about two years ago, it still does not have its own administrative office. Meanwhile, Sudhir said three independent MLAs, Manohar Dhiman from Indora, Karnesh Jung from Poanta Sahib and Balbir Verma from Chopal, had given a written request for joining the Congress Legislative Group (CLP). The said three MLAs were now officially associate members of the CLP, he said. Sudhir went around the constituency to thank voters in the Dharamsala Assembly constituency. |
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Telephone Recordings Made by CID
Shimla, January 1 The team will be headed by Visheshwar Sharma, Assistant Director, State Forensic Science Laboratory (SFSL), Junga. The other two members of the committee are Jagjit Singh and Rajat Chaudhary, both Scientific Officers at the SFSL. The team has been told to complete investigations at the earliest and submit the report, but since the volume of recording is quite huge it would take some time before the stored data is examined. Moreover, utmost care will have to be taken to ensure that the other data pertaining to crime tracking is not lost. The hard disc of the computers seized from the technical wing of the CID and Vigilance are likely to be sent to a laboratory outside the state. It was on the night of December 24 that the room containing the recording equipment was sealed after there were complaints that a senior police officer was trying to delete the recordings made during the BJP regime. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had accused the BJP regime of tapping his and other Congress leaders’ phones in an attempt to keep a tab on the activities of political opponents. The apprehensions got further credence when attempts were made to delete the recordings a night before Virbhadra Singh assumed office on Christmas. Not willing to take any chance with the hard disc of the CID and Vigilance wings, the seized material is yet to be sent to any laboratory for examination and is at present stored at the SFSL, Junga. Officials said since the facility to retrieve the deleted recordings from the hard disc was not available in any of the laboratories, it would have to be sent outside the state. Fingers were being pointed at certain police officials, who were close to the previous BJP regime. The police officials, who were holding prominent positions during the BJP regime, however, maintain that no recordings were without the mandatory permission from the Secretary, Home. They contest that most of the recordings pertains to crime tracking like drug trafficking and tracking phones of criminals wanted in various offences.
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Curb illegal mining, Virbhadra tells Industries Dept
Shimla, January 1 Chairing the first meeting of the Industries Department here, he said, however, those who had legal registrations and valid licences for carrying on mining activities should not be troubled. While stating that a few big industries were essential to provide employment to youth, he added that micro, medium and small-scale industries were the backbone of the economy as 45 per cent of export in the country was being done from this sector. While observing that during the previous regime no norms were followed for the placement of Himachalis in the industries except on petty jobs, he directed that the 70 per cent condition in jobs for Himachalis must be adhered to. He said to impart technical and mechanical expertise to the unemployed, two proposed Mini Tool-Rooms (MTR) would come up at Baddi to serve as a common facility centre for micro, small and medium units in the region. Mukesh Agnihotri, Industries Minister, said he would ensure zero-tolerance towards corruption and all the file work would be done in a time-bound manner. He added that the department would make extra efforts to explore possibilities of setting up employment-oriented industrial units in the state. He also assured the Chief Minister that all possible steps would be taken to curb illegal mining going on in the state. “We will ensure that all industrial units adhere to the condition of 70 per cent jobs for Himachalis and encourage the setting up of micro, small and medium units so that more employment opportunities can be created,” he said. He also separately chaired a meeting of the Industries Department later. |
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Power engineers assure CM of cooperation
Shimla, January 1 Led by Rajesh Singh, president of the association, the deputation expressed confidence that power engineers would be given a greater role in the revival of the board. It impressed upon the Chief Minister that due to the complexity of the power system and reorganisation of the power sector in the state, the power board needed to be strengthened by effective implementation of various schemes. It also sought a greater role for the board in harnessing untapped power potential of the state. PC Negi, JP Kalta, BM Sud, SPS Khatta, SK Joshi and Pankaj Dadhwal, who were part of the deputation, felicitated Virbhadra on taking over as the Chief Minister for the sixth time. |
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Dhumal, Shanta not to attend BJP review meeting
Hamirpur, January 1 The non-presence of two important BJP leaders of the state in the meeting is quite significant since the supporters of Shanta and Dhumal had been blaming each other group for the defeat of the party. More so, since the performance of BJP candidates in largest Kangra district, which sends 15 MLAs to the state Assembly, had been dismal as the party could win only three constituencies in the district. The defeat of the BJP in Kangra district, where Shanta loyalists - two Cabinet Ministers Kishan Kapoor and Ramesh Dhawala - lost their seats, is being attributed as the biggest factor for the BJP government’s failure in accomplishing its ‘mission repeat’ by Dhumal supporters blaming the other group.” On the other hand, supporters of Shanta have openly criticised attempts to target only certain leaders for the defeat of the party and have instead questioned the losses of the BJP in areas dominated by other state leaders, including loss in Una, from where state BJP president Satpal Singh Satti hails. Dhumal said, “I am not going to attend this meeting as I am not wanted in this meeting.” State BJP president Satpal Singh Satti said: “All candidates who contested the elections and presidents of mandals have been invited to discuss the Assembly results in this meeting.” “We have not invited big leaders because grass-roots level workers may not speak frankly in their presence,”he added.
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Hospitals in border areas of state lack basic facilities
Solan, January 1 As per these recommendations, all district hospitals of neighbouring border states need to be upgraded and facilities like a 10-bedded intensive care unit (ICU), dialysis and ventilators must be available at all district-level hospitals located in the periphery of Chandigarh. Apart from this, doctors must be trained to handle trauma patients with acute medical illness. The state government will have to step up facilities in the two neighbouring districts of Solan and Sirmaur where hospitals located in various industrial areas of Baddi, Nalagarh, Parwanoo, Paonta Sahib and Kala Amb will have to be suitably upgraded. A cursory survey of healthcare facilities in hospitals located in these areas reveal that they lacked crucial facilities like a blood bank, adequate specialists and paramedical staff, and facilities like an ICU and dialysis were available only in the two medical colleges of the state. Worse still, patients admitted in emergency conditions late in the evenings could not get even basic tests conducted as the paramedical staff was available only till 4 pm. Though a First Referral Unit (FRU) at Nalagarh was supposed to have all four specialists like anaesthetist, paediatrician, surgeon and gynaecologist, some posts continued to remain vacant or were filled on an ad-hoc basis. With a dire shortage of specialists in the state, it had become difficult to provide doctors in hospitals, and staff in the bordering hospitals often commuted from Chandigarh, thus adversely effecting emergency healthcare. While more than 65 per cent of the accident victims were referred to Chandigarh after preliminary treatment, there have been cases of patients succumbing to injuries while being transported in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) industrial belt. Adequate staff availability was hampering the setting up of a blood bank and this had reduced the FRU to a hospital catering to only cursory healthcare. With even district-level hospitals failing to have an ICU and facilities like ventilators and dialysis, it will be an arduous task to equip border area hospitals with such facilities which will help reduce the number of patients being referred to the PGIMER in Chandigarh. It remains to be seen what steps the state government takes to equip these hospitals as it has become a tradition with doctors to refer cases due to minimal facilities being available in health institutions of border areas. |
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Award instituted in Delhi gang rape victim’s memory
Shimla, January 1 Stating this here today, Kapur V Bhan said as a tribute to the victim of the Delhi gang rape, he had decided to institute the award in her memory. The first prize of Rs 51,000 would be given to the winner of the competition in which over 2,500 participants from across the world would take part annually. He said the decision to institute an award in the memory of the young girl had been taken so that her memory stayed alive and reminded everyone to fight for the rights of women and their protection. Bhan said this year a dance competition would be held in Chicago in May, Shimla in September, Mumbai in November and Delhi in December. Over 7,000 participants are likely to participate in these events. 90 donate blood to pay homage
The Umang Foundation, a non-government organisation, marked the onset of New Year by organising a blood donation camp to pay homage to the Delhi gang rape victim here today. It also formed a human chain on the Ridge to highlight the issue of crime against women. Dhneshwari Devi, Chairperson of the State Commission for Women, was the chief guest at this event. Addressing the gathering, she underlined the need for setting up fast-track courts to ensure expeditious trial of accused in rape cases. She said the incident had aroused much anger in the country, which must be channelised to bring a lasting change in society and the mindset of people. It was essential to instil the fear of law among people with criminal tendency for which prompt investigation and speedy trial were essential. As many as 90 persons, including a large number of girls, donated blood during the camp. Chairman of the foundation Ajai Srivastav said his organisation decided to organise the camp to tackle the issue of shortage of blood in local hospitals. Army cancels
celebrations
Dharamsala: Army personnel at the Palampur military station skipped the New Year function last night to mourn the death of the Delhi gang rape victim. A spokesperson for the Army said on the New Year eve, when the entire Palampur was ready to welcome the New Year, the military station was glowing differently in the gleaming light of hundreds of candles as a candlelight vigil was held in memory of the victim. It was a memorial ceremony for our brave heart daughter. About 400 Army personnel, along with their families, took part in the peaceful march. As a mark of our solidarity with the departed soul and her family, the military station cancelled the New Year Eve celebrations. “The Army personnel welcomed the New Year with a resolution making “India a safer place for women and children”, he said. |
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BJP leader Dhiman dies at 78
Bilaspur, January 1 His funeral was largely attended by villagers and panchayat and political representatives at the cremation ghat of his Behal village, 65 km from here. BJP leaders, led by Randhir Sharma, MLA, and members and staff of the Zila Parishad, led by Zila Parishad member and former vice-chairman Hoshiar Singh Thakur, expressed shock and grief over his death. — OC |
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Driver dies as bus hits truck
Bilaspur, January 1 Reports said the driver had earlier carried students of the college to various areas at Ghumarwin town and was returning to park the bus for the night when the accident occurred. Pravin was rushed to the Regional Hospital here by villagers, but he was announced brought dead by doctors. The police has registered a case and is investigating the matter. |
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Villager injured in leopard attack
Hamirpur, January 1 Rajinder Kumar, a serving soldier, was attacked by a leopard while passing through his village. He has been admitted to the Regional Hospital, Hamirpur, with multiple injuries. |
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Impart moral values to primary school students, say experts
Kangra, January 1 Principal. The team will then submit its recommendations for implementation to the state government. Manohar Prakhakar, a retired BPEO, today said he was an honorary member of the Siksha Ka Haq Abhiyan (Sakha) and the Sakha team was visiting different schools of this block to impress on students and teachers about their rights and duties. He said the team visited every school and took cognisance of lapses in prayers, mid-day meals, all-over cleanliness of students and toilet facilities. He said the Sakha team inspected the school building and playground and formulated a chart with recommendations for the improvement in the infrastructure and other amenities. Prabhakar said the recommendations were submitted to the state government for implementation. He said this programme was being carried under the Sarav Shiksha Abhiyan. He said during an interaction with students and teachers, stress was being laid on imparting moral values to students to bring them close to their cultural roots. Prabhakar said following the recent gang rape case in a bus in Delhi and subsequently the death of the victim had made it imperative for parents and teachers to create a serious atmosphere for imparting moral values to students at the primary school level so that immoral, unethical, sexual abuse and drug menace could be nipped in the bud.
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AAI to expand three state airports
Palampur, January 1 Official sources said here today that in the first phase the AAI would take up the expansion of Kullu airport, thereafter Gaggal and Jubbarhatti airports. It is learnt that the AAI has in principle agreed to release funds subject to the availability of land to be acquired by the state government. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has also shown keen interest in the expansion plan of the airports. He has directed officials to coordinate with the AAI for its early implementation. If all goes well, bigger aircraft can land in the Kangra valley by the end of 2014. The Kangra Valley Travel Agents Association has welcomed the move of the Centre as it will boost the tourist inflow to the state. At present, there are three airports in the state where only small aircraft with a capacity of 40 to 70 passengers can operate. Since its tariff is quite heavy, only few tourists opt for air route to reach tourist destinations in the state. If the bigger aircraft start landing in the state, the air tariff will automatically come down.
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Mandals oppose hydroelectric project on left bank of Ravi
Bharmour, January 1 Members of these mahila mandals submitted a memorandum to the state government through the local administration of Holi yesterday. They were of the opinion that the construction of the project on the left side of the Ravi would affect their agriculture and horticulture cultivation, including apple crop and natural water sources. They, however, suggested that the project should be constructed on the right side of the river to avoid any damage to the inhabited tract.
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Don’t organise function in schools till exams are over: MLA
Kangra, January 1 Rattan has decided to avoid visiting schools and attending functions till April so that students are not disturbed in their studies as their annual examinations are to be held in March this year. Rattan said this while addressing a delegation of teachers at Jawalamukhi today. He asked the teachers not to organise any function in their schools till the examinations were over. Instead they should try to improve the quality of the education in their respective schools, he added. He told the delegation that he was not against the holding of the annual day functions in schools, but these functions should be held in April after the examinations. He today cancelled all the programmes related to the New Year Day as a mark of respect for the departed soul of the 23-old gang rape victim of Delhi. He paid tributes to the victim and asked the visitors to pray for the peace of her soul. He stressed on the teachers to impart moral values to students to shape their future and keep them free from crimes.
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Jai Singh is chief of Dist Bar Assn
Chamba, January 1 After his being elected president of the association, Jai Singh said since he had been given a great opportunity to serve and he would do his best for the welfare of lawyers. — OC
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Rs 500-crore loan for state released
Shimla, January 1 This was stated here today by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. He said the Centre had released 90 per cent of the total amount of Rs 550 crore sanctioned to promote Inclusive Green Growth and Sustainable Development in the state. Virbhadra said the loan would be utilised for achieving these objectives in Power, Tourism, Industries and Environment sectors. He said to utilise the loan fully, the state government had decided to enhance and operationalise the capacities in environment and energy departments for effective coordination, monitoring and evaluation. Virbhadra said it had also been decided to undertake Cumulative Environmental Impact Assessment studies for Sutlej, Beas, Yamuna and Chenab river basis in the state. He said an integrated catchment area treatment plan for the Sutlej river basis was being implemented and integrated CAT plans for the Chenab river basis were being prepared. He revealed that besides this, suitable action was also being initiated in Tourism and Industry sectors, which had the maximum potential for employment generation and contributing towards economy.
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Rivalry in BJP’s Ghumarwin factions intensifies
Bilaspur, January 1 Krishan also pointed his guns towards BJP defeated candidate Rajender Garga and issued him a seven-day notice asking for an explanation for his conduct in this parallel mandal BJP meeting at Nihari, failing which disciplinary action would also be taken against him. Reports said the mandal president charged Zorawar with “misuse” of official party pad for organising this Nihari meeting. Krishan charged that while Garga had been consistently trying to divide the party in Ghumarwin by various actions and no BJP leader had opposed him during his election, rather tried to ensure that he won. He said on hearing that there were complaints of party betrayal in the elections, he had formed a fact-finding committee for taking action against defaulters, but this committee had not received any complaint from anybody till now. The Nihari meeting, presided over by mandal vice-president Ashwini Ratwaan, had named nine leaders, including mandal president and another state board member as two main BJP leaders who were instrumental in the defeat of Garga, demanded their expulsion for six years from the party.
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360 students examined
Chamba, January 1 A team of doctors comprising Devender Pal Singh, Anup Kumar and Vikas Mahajan along with other staff conducted the check-up of students. During the check-up, most of the students were found suffering from dental problems, besides other ailments.
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Man gets 7-year RI for bank dacoity
Nahan, January 1 According to the history of the case, there were nine accused persons involved in the dacoity with eight of them having already been convicted, while Banti had absconded and could be apprehended only after the announcement of the judgment against the other eight. A sum of about Rs 13 lakh had been looted from the bank in this dacoity. The trial against Banti was, therefore, conducted separately and he was convicted and sentenced for the offences punishable under Sections 341, 342, 458, 380, 394, 395, 357, 353, 332, 307 and 120-B, IPC, which pertain to wrongful restrain, lurking house trespass, theft in a building, voluntarily causing hurt, dacoity and assault. The prosecution case was conducted by Mahesh Sen, District Attorney, Sirmaur, at Nahan. |
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The Charu Castle Foundation, which annually holds the International Folk Dance Competition for Women, has instituted an award of Rs 51,000 in memory of the Delhi gang rape victim.
Stating this here today, Kapur V Bhan said as a tribute to the victim of the Delhi gang rape, he had decided to institute the award in her memory.
