Shimla, March 20
In a step to streamline and regulate admissions to professional courses, the government has made it mandatory for all institutions in the state to admit students on the basis of the common entrance test (CET) from the ensuing academic session.

As per the notification issued in this regard, the state-level Common Entrance Examination for 2013-14 session for admissions to MTech, MCA, MBA, MPharma and BPharmacy course will be conducted by Himachal Pradesh Technical University. However, from the 2014-15 academic session national-level entrance tests like GATE, CPAT and CMAT will be adopted for admissions. Admissions to engineering and medical courses are already being carried out on the basis of CETs.

Thus, private universities in the state will not be able to conduct their own test for admissions. Under the Himachal Pradesh Private Technical and Vocational Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admissions and Fixation of Fee) Act, 2008, CET is mandatory for admissions, but it was not enforced by the previous government. Some private universities were conducting their own tests and others making admissions without following any norms. Private institutions were indulging in all sorts of irregularities and some private universities had even admitted students to BTech courses after Class X as they were not finding enough students.

The state technical university made things worse by allowing private colleges to admit students without conducting AIEEE, which was a clear violation of the law.

The State Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission had been making efforts to streamline admissions and ensure academic standards but the unenthusiastic approach of the previous regime was a major hurdle.

In another important decision, the government has decided to carry out admissions to BEd course on the basis of a common entrance test for which a cut-off of 35 per cent marks has also been fixed. It will go a long way in curbing malpractices in admissions.

Shimla, March 20
The Congress government will review the ‘faulty’ timber distribution policy framed by the previous BJP government in view of glaring shortcomings and issues being faced by rights holders in securing timber.

Stating this in the Vidhan Sabha during the Question Hour today, Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri said the policy framed on the directions of the high court was not workable due to cumbersome procedure and it virtually denied villagers their right. Since the new policy came into force in January 2010, only 813 of the total 9,771 applications were granted. However, the noteworthy fact was that 7,657 applications were outrightly rejected as incomplete, a result of a tedious procedure, and 1,007 were still pending. The issue was raised by Rohit Thakur of the Congress and Gobind Thakur of the BJP.

The applications were received up to March 31 every year and scrutinised over a period of three months and timber was provided after converting the same from fallen and dried trees. The right holders were entitled to 3 cubic metre of timber for constructing a new house once in 30 years and 1 cubic metre for repair once in 15 years. There was no provision for providing trees even for the repair of temples of village deities. The charges of timber were linked to commercial rates, with BPL rights holders being charged 10 per cent and others 30 per cent of the market rates.

The policy would be reviewed and amended suitably to ensure that villagers were not denied benefits under the forest rights.

Revenue Minister Kaul Singh informed the House that 23 persons were killed and 208 heads of cattle perished in the recent heavy snow and rain in the state and private and public property worth Rs 229 crore was also damaged. The maximum number of 15 deaths was reported from Kinnaur district, followed by eight from Shimla. The loss to private property was assessed at Rs 133 crore and public property Rs 96 crore. The government had given Rs 121 crore for relief and restoration measures out of which Rs 49 crore was placed at the disposal of deputy commissioners and remaining Rs 72 crore to various departments like the PWD, IPH, Health, and state electricity board.

Minster for Social Justice and Empowerment DR Shandil said the government would consider raising the annual income limit for security pension. At present, the income limit for the applicant was Rs 9,000 and for the family Rs 15,000.

The matter was raised by Maheshwar Singh of the Himachal Lokhit Party who said the income limit was so low that no new applicant would be able to get pension.

Hamirpur, March 20
Sujanpur MLA Rajender Rana, who had won the last Assembly poll as an Independent, is likely to be made an associate member of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in the Himachal Pradesh state Assembly soon.

Though there is no official confirmation about this decision, sources close to the Congress and the MLA are assuming that Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh might announce the same during his tour of Sujanpur to inaugurate the Sujanpur Holi festival on March 25.

Rana is reportedly making elaborate arrangements to welcome the Chief Minister at Sujanpur. Rana, a close associate of former Chief Minister PK Dhumal, was the spokesman for the state BJP and Chairman of the state Media Advisory Committee in the previous Dhumal government. He had parted ways with the party before the last Assembly elections and had contested as an Independent.

He had won the last elections with a huge margin trouncing the BJP and Congress candidates.

Though Rana had tried to form a group of Independent MLAs to increase their bargaining power in the speculation of a hung Assembly before the declaration of election results, after the formation of the Congress government he had taken a neutral stance.

Perhaps Rana has realised that it will not be possible to fulfill his constituent’s aspiration without remaining close to the Congress government. The Chief Minister also seems to be keen to induct Rana as an associate member keeping in view the thin majority of the Congress in the Assembly and will be hoping to utilise his influence in the next Parliament elections to corner the BJP, especially Dhumal, who has high stakes in Hamirpur.

Shimla, March 20
Health and Family Welfare Minister Kaul Singh Thakur today claimed in the Vidhan Sabha that the BJP had no locus standi to point an accusing finger on the Congress over the reversal of its decisions. This practice, he said, was started by the Dhumal regime which “not only closed schools, but also withdrew the notification under which a medical college was opened in Mandi”.

Speaking during the debate on the budget, Kaul Singh said the Dhumal government had closed down 187 schools and some colleges soon after taking over and its decision to withdraw the notification regarding the medical college led to a prolonged agitation.

The Congress leaders managed to get an ESIC medical college sanctioned from the Centre at an estimated cost of over Rs 700 crore, he said.

He claimed that the BJP government put the state on sale which was evident from the fact that in the first three years of its tenure it gave permission to outsiders under Section 118 of the Land Reforms and Tenancy Act to purchase over one lakh hectare of land.

He said the Congress government was not indulging in any vendetta and it was only implementing the promises it made during the election.

The Congress government, he said, had already reopened 149 schools closed down by the previous government under its rationalisation scheme and also cancelled the land leased out to the Patanjali Yogpeeth owned by Baba Ramdev in accordance with law.

BJP’s Ravinder Ravi said the root cause of a perennial financial crisis in the state could be attributed to the Ninth Finance Commission when the then Congress government had concealed a Rs 112-crore deficit which led to lower devolution of Central funds.

The government, Ravi claimed, was not doing anything on the ground while its ministers were trying to outdo each other in making announcements.

The BJP leader alleged that the Congress leaders created hurdles in setting up the IIT, Central university and ESIC medical college, including other schemes. He said no government land was given to private universities during his party’s tenure.

He claimed that while four universities purchased land from HIMUDA, 10 others purchased land from private parties.

Rohit Thakur of the Congress said the BJP government failed to complete the Theog-Hatkoti road widening project as a result of which residents of the area, particularly the apple growers, suffered significantly. The winery to be set up by Indage India Limited also failed to come up, he said.

BJP’s Rikhi Ram Kaundal alleged that there was no focus on governance and the Chief Minister and other ministers were running to Delhi time and again. He said while the Congress had been alleging that the BJP government had put Himachal on sale, it had failed to come up with any evidence of this so far.

Mansa Ram, Rakesh Kalia, Sanjay Rattan, Rajiv Saijal, Vikarm Singh and KL Thakur also participated in the debate.

‘BJP started undoing decisions’ Kaul Singh Thakur alleged that the reversal of decisions was started by the Dhumal regime soon after taking over He said the BJP govt withdrew the notification under which a medical college was opened in Mandi which led to a prolonged agitation Thakur said the Dhumal government had closed down 187 schools and some colleges under its rationalisation scheme

Shimla, March 20
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be issuing show-cause notice to about 100 of its leaders, including eight state executive office-bearers, for working against the party’s official candidates during the Assembly election.

The party’s State Disciplinary Committee met here yesterday under the chairmanship of Ganesh Dutt, party’s state spokesperson. Himachal BJP president Satpal Singh Satti and the other two members of the committee Rajeev Bhardwaj, state secretary, and Ritu Sethi, Mahila Morcha leader, also attended the meeting. One of the members Rashil Singh Mankotia did not attend the meeting.

Sources said one week’s time would be given to leaders to file their reply after which the Disciplinary Committee would meet in April. The final view will then be taken as to who faces the music for harming the party interests during the Assembly polls.

Even though the BJP had expelled 18 senior leaders, including former ministers and MLAs, for damaging the prospects of party’s nominees during the polls, the decision on 150 complaints received by the Disciplinary Committee was still pending.

The party has already expelled some prominent leaders who allegedly worked against the party candidates such as former minister Roop Singh Thakur from Sundernagar and HN Kashyap, a rebel candidate from Solan.

“We will be issuing notices to about 100 leaders and party workers against whom we have received complaints based on concrete evidence,” said Ganesh Dutt.

Dutt said, “As per the directives from the national leadership, the complaints have been shortlisted on the basis of quantum of indiscipline.”

“The complainant and the leaders facing charges of anti-party activities will be summoned and made to sit face to face so that the party could get a clear picture of the allegations of indiscipline,” Dutt added.

This exercise, he said, would be done in the presence of Disciplinary Committee which would give its final verdict after the whole exercise was over.

The BJP had to confront party rebels in over a dozen constituencies and four of them won as independents in the Assembly polls. This includes Rajinder Rana from Sujanpur in Hamirpur, Pawan Kajal from Kangra seat, Balbir Verma from Theog in Shimla constituency and Manohar Dhiman from Indora in Kangra.

Facing the music One week’s time will be given to these leaders to file their reply and the final view will be taken as to who faces the music when the committee meets in April The party has expelled 18 senior leaders, including former ministers and MLAs, for damaging the prospects of party’s nominees during the polls Ex-minister Roop Singh Thakur and HN Kashyap, a rebel candidate from Solan, have already been expelled for “working against party candidates”

Dharamsala, March 20
The new state government is trying to revive the industrial package for the state. But a component of the old industrial package, that provided capital subsidy for the hotel industry in the state, has ended.

Sources here said hotels coming up in the state were provided a capital investment subsidy of 15 per cent. The subsidy was being given by the Union Government under the industrial package given to the state from 2003 to 2013. However, the subsidy has now been withdrawn by the Union Government from January 6, 2013.

Officials in the Department of Industry told The Tribune that the capital subsidy would be given only to the hotels that had become functional in the state before January 6, 2013. Since the capital subsidy was being given as a part of industrial package that had come to end after March 2013, hotel coming up in the state in future would not have the privilege unless the Union Government extended the package, they said.

Department of Tourism officials also admitted that new hotel projects coming up in the state would not be given the facility of capital investment subsidy in future. They, however, said the state government was taking up the matter with the Union Government so that the capital investment subsidy was extended for hotel projects coming in the state.

The withdrawal of capital subsidy is being flayed by people in the hotel industry. Deepak, who is coming up with a hotel project in Dharamsala area, said his hotel project got delayed due to the non-availability of labour. He had banked heavily on the 15 per cent capital investment subsidy for the viability of the project. “Now government officials are telling me that subsidy shall not be available to me as my hotel project was not completed before January 6, 2013,” he said.

The Hotel and Tourism Industry is the biggest industry of Himachal and employing the maximum number of local people. The state government should lobby for continuing the subsidy for the promotion of hotel industry in the state. Since the package has been finished by the Union Government, it will provide another reason for Opposition parties, especially the BJP, for targeting the Congress-led UPA government for withdrawing facilities for the state.

Solan, March 20
In a bid to curtail the undue delay in applying for capital investment subsidy, the Ministry of Commerce has notified March 31 as the last date for receiving applications.

Earlier, industrial units had a one-year time limit from the date of commencing commercial production to avail the subsidy. The subsidy is available to new and existing units after they undertake a substantial expansion of their units as per the 2003 Central industrial package.

With January 7, 2013, being the last day of availing this subsidy, industrial units will have to streamline the process of filing early returns.

As much as 15 per cent subsidy on fixed capital investment is available under this scheme with a maximum ceiling of Rs 30 lakh. Industrial units eligible for subsidy under the scheme should get themselves registered with the State Industries Department and submit the claim to the General Manager, District Industries Centre.

The HP State Industrial Development Corporation then scrutinises the claim of each unit as per the guidelines issued by the Government of India (GoI).

It is, however, observed that the tedious procedure involved in gaining this subsidy lead to inordinate delays. Industrial units despite having completed all formalities even six months ago have not got this subsidy as no payment was released after May last year.

It remains to be seen whether the GoI clears the pending cases of subsidy soon or merely merely asks investors to complete the formalities before March 31.

This capital subsidy has become a bone of contention between various states with Jammu and Kashmir having given 30 per cent subsidy as against 15 per cent in Himachal. Though this issue had been raised by the state government before the GoI to extend this limit to 30 per cent, no additional relief was granted to the state.

Shimla, March 20
Members of Himachal Birds, a non-government organisation (NGO), today called on Forest Minister Thakur Singh, Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and presented them wooden bird nest boxes to mark the World Sparrow Day here.

They also presented them a copy of the book “The Common Birds of Simla” written by AE Jones and edited by Somesh Goyal, the founding president of Himachal Birds. The members also called on Pratibha Singh, former Member of Parliament and wife of the Chief Minister, and made a presentation.

“The World Sparrow Day is celebrated every year on March 20 to create awareness about the decline in the number of this small bird which is losing habitat to rapid urbanisation, modern architecture, excessive use of insecticides, pesticides and petroleum products and radiation from microwave towers among other things,” said Somesh Goyal.

Vikram Kanwar, a member of Himachal Birds, said their NGO would continue to pursue to create awareness and conservation of avian habitat in the state.

He said the sighting of a pair of whooper swans this year after almost a century augured well for birding in the days to come. Ministers Thakur Singh and Mukesh Agnihotri lauded the efforts being made by the NGO and promised all assistance in its future endeavours.

Shimla, March 20
Asserting that reduction in the capacity of the Luhri hydroelectric project from 775 MW to 600 MW is not a solution to environment-related issues, activists have urged the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to carry out impact assessment afresh in view of change in design.

In a letter to Minister of Environment and Forests Jayanthi Natarajan, Himdhara, an environment research and action group, and the Satluj Bachao Jan Sangharsh Samiti, a body of local people, said random change in the capacity of the project was no reason to celebrate. “Any change in the scope of the project calls for a fresh clearance and environment impact assessment as per the provisions of the EIA Notification, 2006,” they said.

The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on the River Valley Projects had directed the SJVN, which is executing the project, to maintain higher environment releases from the dam as a result of which the capacity had to be reduced. With the reduction in discharge from 480 to 380 cumecs, the twin tunnels, each of 9-m diameter, was to be replaced by a single tunnel of 10.5-m diameter. But it will effectively wipe out a 50-km stretch of the Sutlej and this issue still remained to be addressed.

Further, by granting Stage-1 forest clearance to the project, the Ministry of Environment had diluted its stand of not allowing diversion of forests without the consent of the gram sabha and settlement of local rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, they said.

These issues were linked and needed to be seen as a whole. A mere reduction in size of the project would not address the deeper concerns related to ecological and social impacts of such destructive projects, they said.

Nek Ram Sharma of the samiti said, “If they are so concerned about environmental flows, they need to look at the cascade of 30-odd dams on the Satluj basin. The ICFRE, Dehradun, is conducting a cumulative impact study to evaluate environmental fallout of these projects”.

Shimla, March 20
The decision of the Directorate of Energy to prepare a digitised plan to exploit hydro-power resources has proved to be a blessing in disguise as it has led to the identification of an additional potential of 4,436.35 MW.

The total power potential of the state was initially pegged at 20,000 MW, comprising mainly big projects. With focus on small and micro-hydro projects and private parties coming up with self-identified projects, the power potential increased to 23,000 MW.

During preparation of detailed project reports, private parties came up with proposals to increase capacity, and the government allowed them to do so, with the result that the capacity of about three dozen projects was increased.

The Directorate of Energy decided to have a proper assessment of hydro-power potential and prepare a digitised plan to exploit it. The task was assigned to private company Lahmeyer International. In the digitised plan, potential increased to 27,436.35 MW.

The digitised plan has enabled monitoring agencies to know the status of projects with a click of the mouse. The state accounts for 18.45 per cent of the total identified hydro-power potential of the country which is 1,48,701 MW. The maximum increase of 2,976 MW has been in the Sutlej basin, from 10,355 MW to 13,332 MW.

The hydro-power potential of the Chenab basin has increased from 2,973 MW to 4,031.91 MW, of the Beas basin from 5,339 MW to 5,995.45 MW, of the Ravi basin from 2,952 MW to 3,237.12 MW and of the Yamuna basin from 811 MW to 839.89 MW.

The state has harnessed 8,401 MW of the potential which comes to about 30 per cent of the potential, including at Bhakra-Beas Management Board projects. Of the 992.45-MW capacity addition planned for 2012-13, 457-MW projects have been commissioned.

The 520-MW Parbati project is nearing completion. By the end of this year, installed capacity will reach 8,936 MW. Major projects to start generation during the current financial year include the 9-MW Beas Kund, the 70-MW Budhil, the 100-MW Malana-II and the 231-MW Chamera-III.

Some major projects like the 800-MW Kol Dam, the 412-MW Rampur, the 150-MW Sorang and the 65-MW Kashang are slated for completion in 2013-14 during which a capacity addition of 1,622.90 MW has been planned. The state will have an installed capacity of over 10,500 MW by March next year.

Hamirpur, March 20
A proposal mooted by the Senior Citizens Council here to construct a multi-storeyed sarai in the Regional Hospital, Hamirpur, to facilitate patients and their attendants has been put on hold for now due to non-availability of a suitable piece of land.

The district health authorities here have expressed inability in giving land for the construction of the sarai in the hospital complex.

A few days ago, members of the citizen council had met the Deputy Commissioner, Hamirpur, and submitted a proposal for constructing a modern sarai in the hospital complex.

The council had urged the Health Department to allot them an old sarai building, constructed in 1962 in the memory of late Sukhdev Sharma, which was not in use.

The proposed sarai, which will be utilised for housing attendants of patients admitted in the hospital, is proposed to be built at a cost of nearly Rs 2 crore. It will have all the modern facilities to accommodate approximately 200 attendants at a time.

GC Sharma, president of the council, said, “Since there is no room to accommodate attendants of indoor patients, who either have to sleep in galleries of the hospital or under the beds of patients. The council has proposed to build a sarai, which will have a reading room, a Sarva Dharma temple, a recreation room and all the modern facilities for patients and attendants.”

Chief Medical Officer Dr SK Soni said, “We are already finding paucity of land for our future development plans and using the old sarai building for hospital purposes.”

“We have requested the Deputy Commissioner to allot a suitable piece of land in the adjoining area for constructing the sarai,” he added.

Shimla, March 20
Taking a serious note on the issue of supplying incorrect and misleading information to a person under the Right to Information Act (RTI), the state High Court has imposed a penalty of Rs 10,000 each on the Block Development Officer (BDO), Dharamsala, and Pratap Chand, ex-pradhan of Khanyara Panchayat, Kangra district.

The court has also directed both these persons to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation to petitioner Ved Prakash for the loss and detriment suffered by him. Justice Rajiv Sharma passed the order on a petition filed by Ved Prakash alleging that these persons had given wrong and incorrect information to him under the RTI Act.

He alleged that he sought some documents under the RTI Act, but incorrect information had been supplied to him.

Being aggrieved by this, he had filed an appeal before the ADC-cum-Appellate Authority, but no relief was given to him.

Thereafter, he challenged the order of the Appellate Authority before the State Information Commission. The State Information Commission, instead of taking any action against the erring officials, had disposed of the appeal by observing that since the letters sought by the petitioner were never entered in the records of the office and reported to have been misplaced by the Pradhan at that time, its supply was not possible and it had rejected the appeal of the petitioner.

Justice Rajiv Sharma observed that the Appellate Authorities discharged the quasi judicial functions and were required to pass self contained orders by taking in consideration all the pleas raised by the parties.

Shimla, March 20
The HP High Court has directed the state government to reimburse Rs 2 lakh to Kiran Sood as education expenses which were incurred on the education of her son.

The court passed this order on a petition filed by Kiran alleging that her husband was working with the state Secretariat and had died during service.

“After his death, an office order was issued by the Secretariat that the deceased’s son will be entitled to free education up to graduate level, including professional courses, provided that he gets the admission in the course on merit basis,” she said.

It was further stated that her son got selected on merit basis in BTech course. She said she had filed an application for seeking reimbursement of the expenses incurred on his education on the basis of the office order, but the state rejected it on the ground that since she was already a government employee, the tuition fee could not be refunded.

While passing this order, Justice Rajiv Sharma observed, “Once the provision has been made to mitigate the hardship of a government servant who dies in harness, the same should be construed liberally”.

Bilaspur, March 20
The police arrested four persons - Vidya Sagar, his two sons Dipak and Satish, and Pyar Singh - for seriously injuring Sheela, wife of Vidya Sagar, and her brother-in-law Nand Lal, at Abdhanighat near Ghumarwin on Monday night.

Reports said Nand Lal and Sheela were attacked by these four persons over land dispute in the family. The attackers threw Lal on the road bleeding profusely. Their neighbours rushed Lal and Sheela, who was also injured, to the Civil Hospital, Ghumarwin.

Lal was first taken to the Regional Hospital, Bilaspur, and then to the PGI, Chandigarh, due to his serious condition.

The police registered a case against the four attackers and also recovered weapons of offence, including iron rods and other implements etc. The matter is being investigated. 

Sundernagar, March 20
An exhibition by the State Forensic Science Laboratory during the International Shivratri Fair in Mandi, which concluded recently, remained the most popular among students of various technical institutions in the Mandi region, including students of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mandi.

It was for the first time that such an exhibition was organised which imparted knowledge to the masses as to how scientific techniques were used in solving criminal cases.

According to the Director of the laboratory, to celebrate the silver jubilee year of the laboratory, it has been decided to hold seminars, conferences, workshops and exhibitions which will impart knowledge to the general public about how forensic experts work and how they can help in nabbing criminals. To start with the silver jubilee celebrations, a first national workshop on DNA was held on December 14-15, 2012, at Junga.

And a first exhibition on forensic science was set up at the International Shivratri Fair from March 11 to 17, 2013. Now after seeing the overwhelming response from people, it has been decided to hold such exhibitions at various famous fairs throughout the state. According to the Director, the staff tried to educate the public that they should not tamper with evidence on the scene of crime as that would enable criminals to escape.

It was further said the State Forensic Science Laboratory was started on December 13, 1988, in Himachal Pradesh. With the development of science, the methodology of crime changed and the defence of accused also went hi-tech. So it was the need of the hour to set up such labs.

Most persons who visited the exhibition claimed that it was a nice effort by the Home Department. Advocates, law students and police officers were seen writing complimentary notes about the exhibition.

Mandi is known a hub of technical education as a large number of polytechnic, engineering colleges and even the IIT are situated in this district. According to feedback received from students from these institutions, the exhibition displayed nice techniques to nab culprits. It encouraged them to go for projects on forensic science. 

Hamirpur, March 20
A meeting of the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) was convened by the Deputy Commissioner here recently to settle long-pending issues with the employees union.

Some employees have opposed the invitation of a rival union, claiming that no employee federation has been given recognition by the state government till now.

Anil Soni, district president, Non-gazetted Officers Federation, Jogta group, has strongly opposed the holding of the JCC meeting with leaders of the Mankotia group saying, “The state government has not invited any employee federation for the state-level JCC meeting, and inviting leaders of a particular group for the district JCC is not correct.”

He said, “The holding of such meeting without settling the issue of recognition of employee federation by the government at the state level is against the norms, and our state general secretary Som Nath Jogta has taken up this issue with Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.”

The federation has also demanded putting forth the decisions taken in the JCC meeting on hold till any further settlement.

On the other hand, the other faction of the NGO Federation, Mankotia group, has criticised the rival group for opposing the JCC meeting.

Man Chand Rana, district president of the group, said, “Benefits of over Rs 20 lakh were given in the meeting, but certain employees are unnecessarily trying to create a controversy over holding the JCC meeting.”

The DC said, “I had extended an invitation to all employee leaders for the JCC meeting to solve their long-pending problems and to make the best use of funds available in the current financial year. However, I will talk to them to find solution to their grudge too.” 

Kangra, March 20
Girl students of Kangra Polytechnic bagged top positions in the technical board examination of the fifth semester for which the examinations were conducted by the Himachal Pradesh Technical Board in December last year.

Polytechnic Kangra, Principal RK Sharma, said Kajal, Anchal, Rama Verma and Maga Puri (computer engineering) secured 83, 82, 80.93 and 80.76 per cent and got the first, second, fourth and fifth position, respectively, in the examination.

He said Lalit Singh (mechanical engineering) secured 80.73 per cent and got the third position in the state. He said Lucky Kumar and Rohit Bouria (instrumentation engineering) got 91 and 82 per cent marks, respectively, and bagged the first and second position in the exams.

Dalhousie, March 20
As many as 210 cataract operations have been performed in the Dalhousie Government Hospital so far during the current fiscal year.

This was revealed in a meeting of the governing body of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti of the local hospital presided over by Sub-Divisional Magistrate Sanjay Dhiman, who is also Chairperson of the samiti, today.

Addressing the meeting, the SDM appealed to donors to contribute generously so that better facilities could be made available for patients in the Civil Hospital.

Apprising the members of the activities of the samiti, Block Medical Officer Vipin Thakur, who is also member secretary of the samiti, said the posts of two doctors, one x-ray technician, one dental hygienist, one computer operator, besides of other staff, had been lying vacant for a long time. The matter of filling the posts at the earliest would be taken up with government, he said.

Vipin said the samiti had planned to install aqua-guard for clean drinking water, installation of CCTV cameras, adding that a canteen would also be opened on the hospital premises.

Shimla, March 20
To provide the best possible job avenues to students of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), a campus placement session was held for students of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication and the University College of Business Studies, Avalodge, here today.

Two prestigious companies having tie-ups with various international retail chains conducted the placement drive in which 35 students participated in the first round. — TNS