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Bilaspur woman to get back George Cross
Dharamsala-Delhi flight begins
Mega Mart kicked off in Shimla
Bali had not resigned: Birender
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500 examined at medical camp
US woman rape accused in judicial custody
Students with 75% attendance to evaluate teachers
34 polling stations declared sensitive in Bharmour
MLA assures people
Roads, water govt’s priority: DCC chief
BJP leaders train guns on CM
June 23 holiday in Mandi
Govt to revive ailing HPMC, says Stokes
Dalai Lama’s office denies accepting invitation to visit Hong Kong
HC stays JBT teacher’s transfer
33 from CUHP get job letters
Genetically improved fish to be introduced
Forest guards' test on June 30
136 kg poppy husk seized
Man arrested for misbehaving with doc
In-laws booked for demanding dowry
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Bilaspur woman to get back George Cross
Hamirpur/Shimla, June 7 The out-of-court settlement arrived at between London-based Ashok Nath and Brahmi Devi with the approval of the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court of Justice has paved the way for the return of the George Cross to India. The Queen’s Bench Division put its stamp of approval on the agreement on June 5. It is reliably learnt that the money has already been arranged by well wishers of Brahmi Devi. Ashok Nath, who had been in possession of the George Cross, had about a month ago made an offer to share the proceeds from the auction of the medal with Brahmi Devi. He had even travelled to India to make the offer to the woman but the meeting could not take place. The two finally arrived at an agreement on June 3 through their lawyers. It is thus expected that Vijay Sharma, who waged this successful legal battle in London on behalf of Brahmi Devi, would bring the medal back to India in January 2014. After hearing the news, elated Brahmi Devi told The Tribune, “It will be the happiest moment of my life when I will get the medal back after such a long ordeal, after it was stolen from my house many years ago.” She said, “Its value in monetary terms does not matter but the actual possession of the medal is dear to me since this was awarded to my late husband for bravery and handed over to me by an English sahib (Lord Wavell), and I will never sell this for any amount.” The medal was listed for auction by London-based Dix Noonan Webb Limited. The base price indicated for the medal was £ 20,000 to £ 25,000 and its price in the global market of antiquities was worth over Rs 50 lakh. It was with the efforts of the state CID that the auction of the medal, which was to take place in December 2009, was stalled. A case was then registered by the Bilapsur police against Ashok Nath, SL Jain and Kripal Singh of Moga for acquiring the medal illegally after which a case was filed in a London court too. Bare facts
* The madal was stolen from the house of Brahmi Devi * It was listed for auction by London-based
Dix Noonan Webb * The base price indicated for the medal was £ 20,000 to £ 25,000 *
Auction of the medal was stalled in 2009 and a case was registered |
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Dharamsala-Delhi flight begins
Dharamsala, June 7 GS Bali also flagged off the first SpiceJet flight from Dharamsala to New Delhi. Birender Singh, AICC general secretary and in-charge for Himachal, Kangra MLA Pawan Kajal and Vice-Chancellor of Central University, Himachal Pradesh, were among the passengers who boarded the flight
to Delhi. Earlier, Birender Singh cut a cake to mark the inaugural flight to Dharamsala. He said private airlines discontinued their services to the hilly areas after a short period of their commissioning, but it should not happen in case of Dharamsala. Spice Jet vice-president Kamal Hingorani said he had sought permission from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to allow the firm to start two flights daily to Dharamsala. SpiceJet was also planning a flight between Chandigarh and Dharamsala, he said. GS Bali urged Birender Singh to urge the Union Minister for Civil Aviation to allow two flights of SpiceJet daily to Dharamsala. SpiceJet kept fare of inaugural flight from Dharamsala to Delhi around Rs 3,000. However, sources said the fare between Dharamsala and Delhi is likely to increase up to Rs 9,000. The services of a private airline have been started from Dharamsala after eight months. Earlier, Kingfisher Airlines used to operate a daily flight from Dharamsala. However, it was discontinued after the Kingfisher Airline was grounded by the DGCA. |
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Mega Mart kicked off in Shimla
Shimla, June 7
Chairman of the State Chapter of the chamber Dhian Chand said that the event would be a real buying experience for both tourists and locals as traders and manufacturers look for such opportunities to showcase their best products. A whole range of items ranging from home interiors, handicrafts and artefacts to the latest electronic goods and appliances and fashion accessories will be available. An exclusive food court was also being set up to provide the visitors a taste of Punjabi, Rajasthani, Pakistani and old Delhi delicacies. Dhian Chand lamented that the state capital did not have any spacious exhibition ground for holding such events. The participants, particularly from countries like Pakistan, prefer to come in groups but with small space available, they could not be invited. The event could have larger representation of bigger brands and verticals but for the constraint of space. He said it was high time the government came out with some proposal to create facility for holding exhibition so that such events could be organised regularly. The tourist season was at its peak and the over 1 lakh people were expected to visit the Mega Mart. This will be the third event, the first was held in 2009 and second in 2012. The chamber planned to make it an annual feature.
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Bali had not resigned: Birender
Dharamsala, June 7 Birender was at the Gaggal airport this morning to board the first Dharamsala-Delhi flight. When asked about the dissent in the Congress in view of the fact that GS Bali has submitted his resignation, Birender said the minister had only sought permission from Congress president Sonia Gandhi to submit his resignation. When asked about the reasons for GS Bali offering to resign, he played it down by stating that the Congress was a big party and such small developments keep on occuring. He, however, maintained that Bali had not informed him regarding his letter to the Congress president. Birender, who was campaigning in the Mandi constituency, arrived at Kangra last evening along with GS Bali. He left for Delhi this morning. However, sources here said he had written a letter to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to clarify the circumstances due to which he was forced to write to the Congress president offering to resign from the Cabinet. Though Bali has remained tightlipped on the reasons for his move, his supporters are targeting Kewal Singh Pathania, vice-president of the HRTC, for the current
situation. Birender also indicated that some changes could be expected in the state Congress after the Mandi bypoll. He said: "I have campaigned in Mandi and there was a wave in favour of the Congress". The corruption committed by the previous BJP government in the state was the main reason of its defeat in the last assembly elections. The present Congress government had fulfilled many promises made in its election manifesto, he said. |
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500 examined at medical camp
Palampur, June 7 Butail said, “Osteoporosis is common among people of over 50 years of age. Residents of this region live in acute cold conditions, so they are more prone to such disease.” He said the state government would extend full cooperation to the forum in future for organising such camps. Forum president Ajit Baghla and general secretary SR Kapoor declared that next camp would be held in September.
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US woman rape accused in judicial custody
Manali, June 7 The police said the accused refused to appear for identification parade, but it would not affect the case as the police had enough evidences to prove the case. Manali SHO Neel Chand Sharma said the robbed articles, including a camera, two cellphones, a phone charger, a torch and Rs 5,000, were recovered from them. He said the foreign currency could not be recovered as they threw it somewhere. Kullu Additional Superintendent of Police Ravinder Jamwal, who is also investigating the case, said the police would soon file a charge sheet. |
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Students with 75% attendance to evaluate teachers
Shimla, June 7 The students with a minimum 75 percent attendance will be eligible to give feedback on the performance of teachers in the classroom. They will be required to fill the feedback form at the end of each semester. The stub at the bottom of the form containing the particulars of the students will be submitted separately to maintain anonymity. The Rashtriya Uchchtar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) has made it mandatory for universities and other institutions of higher education to have accreditation from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and teachers' evaluation by students is one of the essential components under the best practices to be followed for quality assurance. The teachers will be rated on the five-level Likert scale -- below average, average, good, very good and excellent- on six broad parameters pertaining to their performance in the classroom. The parameters include punctuality and regularity in taking classes, command over the subject, teaching methods, helping attitude, laboratory interaction and control over students. Teachers will give at least one hour to students for filling a feedback form. A teacher other than the one being evaluated will be assigned this job. The filled forms will be maintained as part of records to be produced during the NAAC inspection. The appraisal form will be a confidential document but the teacher concerned could make it public. The university authorities could reward teachers for excellent performance on the basis of the appraisal. The main objective is to help improve performance of teachers and not to point fingers. In all, students will provide feedback on 41 points for effective evaluation on the performance of teachers covering all relevant areas like regularity in classes and assignments, coverage of syllabi, self-confidence, communication skills, use of teaching aids and innovative methods, transparency in evaluation of answer books, ability to address inappropriate behaviour of students and delivery of structured lectures. The appraisal form is the result of a painstaking effort put in by the Internal Quality Assurance Cell of the university which carried out wide-ranging consultations with teachers and students. Besides appraisal of teachers, use of e-governance and provision of the Choice Based Credit System, transparent process of admission of students to courses, effective grievance redressal system and decentralisation of academic and administrative functions are included in the practice to be followed.
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34 polling stations declared sensitive in Bharmour
Chamba, June 7 As per a statement from the election department, Luj is the only polling station which had been declared as hypersensitive. Thirty-four sensitive polling stations included Maliyat-I, Maliyat-II, Ghangheet, Rei, DPF Purthi, Preena, Bhatwada, Sunara, Mehla, Gehra, Chhatrari, Masu, Jaintra, Kunr, Tundah, Chobhia, Bharmour-I, Bharmour-II, Sachuin, Greema-I, Khani-I, Ulansa, Swai, Garola, Sinyur, Chanhouta, Kuwarsi, Lamu, Sutkar, Kuthehad, Sanh, Bhatada, Jhikli Tiyari and Holi, the statement said. The statement said that 102 stations had been declared as ordinary. The tribal constituency having total 137 polling stations is made of two separate segments - Bharmour and Pangi. The Bharmour area is having 105 polling stations while the Pangi area 32 polling stations which fall in the harsh mountainous terrains, the statement stated.
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MLA assures people
Hamirpur, June 7 He said the people should go to government offices fearlessly for their work and in case of any problem he would always be there to help them. — TNS |
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Roads, water govt’s priority: DCC chief
Hamirpur, June 7 He said this while addressing a public meeting at Badyana village. Accusing the previous BJP government he said, “The BJP government did not take adequate steps to improve facilities in villages and people are complaining about this.” Sharma said he would take up their problems with the state government. — TNS |
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BJP leaders train guns on CM
Shimla, June 7 In a statement issued here today, three former ministers and BJP legislators, Gulab Singh Thakur, Ravinder Singh Ravi and Mahender Singh, said before seeking votes in the Mandi bypoll, the Congress must answer certain queries which haunt the common man. “Having failed to check the skyrocketing price rise, both at the Centre and in Himachal, the Congress has no right to seek votes when it has failed on all fronts,” they said. They said the state had always got a raw deal despite Virbhadra Singh’s stature in the Congress and Anand Sharma being a powerful Union Minister. “Neither has the state been given a fair deal in the railway budget nor the special industrial package been restored,” they said. The BJP leaders said the promised Rs 4,000-crore financial package had not been given to the state till now. “The Congress leaders have not taken any steps to provide relief to the common man from price rise,” they said. They said there was no reason why the electorate of Mandi should support the Congress which had failed on all the fronts both at the Centre and state. They said that Virbhadra Singh too had not taken any steps in the state to provide relief to the people from unemployment and price rise.
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June 23 holiday in Mandi
Shimla, June 7 An official spokesperson said here today that besides government offices, educational institutions and industrial establishments falling in the area would also remain closed. He said it would be a paid holiday to daily wage employees. — TNS
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Govt to revive ailing HPMC, says Stokes
Shimla, June 7
The conference was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries in collaboration with the National Institute of Agricultural Marketing. Speaking as the chief guest, she said the hill state had emerged as a model for development of horticulture and all activities pertaining to it were a priority of the state policy. She reaffirmed the commitment of the government to strengthen the apple marketing and post-harvest infrastructure in the state. She stressed the need to ensure sustainable growth of apple against climate change and to insulate farmers from vagaries of nature. The area under fruit crops had increased to 2.14 lakh hectare and every year on average 4,000 hectare was being added. The government was committed to a healthy and robust revival of the HPMC and a plan to upgrade it would be implemented soon. Principal Secretary, Home and Horticulture, Tarun Shridhar, emphasised on generating authentic data regarding post harvest losses and investments in pre-harvest technologies, branding and marketing of apples. He said the focus should be on containing both quantitative and qualitative losses in apple and other fruits. HPMC Managing Director JC Sharma gave details of the initiative being undertaken to revive the ailing public undertaking. National Institute of Agricultural Marketing Director General RP Meena shared the initiatives taken by his organisation to create linkages between farmers and the buyers and assured all possible help to the state in this regard. Earlier, CII Himachal Pradesh State Council Chairman Akash Garg spoke about the CII’s commitment to work towards sustainable development of horticulture in the state. The programme featured sessions on agriculture marketing, post harvest management and a panel discussion on changing market scenario.
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Dalai Lama’s office denies accepting invitation to visit Hong Kong
Dharamsala, June 7 The Dalai Lama's office here said they did receive an invitation from the association, but the staff concerned had immediately conveyed that it would not be possible for the Tibetan spiritual leader to visit Hong Kong as his travelling schedule, including visits to Europe, was already fixed till September this year. The Dalai Lama has been maintaining that he is ready to visit Hong Kong if the Chinese government allows him to do so. However, since the unrest in Tibet during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Chinese government has hardened its stance against the Dalai Lama. Under hectic lobbying by the Chinese government, many countries like South Africa denied visa to the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama was invited by Nobel laureate Bishop Desmond Tutu to attend his birthday celebrations in South Africa. But the South African government denied visa to the Dalai Lama on the plea that his papers did not reach in time. The Dalai Lama then joined the birthday celebrations through video conferencing. There has been spate of self-immolations by Tibetans in Tibet after 2009. According to Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) about 115 Tibetans have committed self-immolations in Tibet. The Chinese government has been blaming the Dalai Lama and the CTA at Dharamsala for instigating self-immolations. The Chinese government has also not resumed dialogue with representatives of the Dalai Lama. After his retirement as political and administrative head of the Tibetan government-in-exile, the Dalai Lama keeps a busy schedule of travelling predominately visiting the European countries and the US. His teaching schedules at Dharamsala have also decreased in the last one year.
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HC stays JBT teacher’s transfer
Shimla, June 7 He alleged that he had been ordered to be transferred by the Deputy Director of Elementary Education, Chamba, from his present place of posting, Government Primary School, Kariyas Block, Pangi, to Government Primary School, Aniyunda Education Block,Tissa, Chamba. It was further alleged in the petition that his transfer had been ordered on the basis of recommendations of the Forest Minister, otherwise there was no proposal to transfer him. Issuing notice to the state as well as to the Forest Minister, Justice VK Sharma has stayed the transfer order of the petitioner and directed the state to file its reply within three weeks and listed the matter for further hearing on June 27. |
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33 from CUHP get job letters
Kangra, June 7 Dr Ashish Nag, in charge, Training and Placement, CUHP, said 33 students got placement letters through a campus interview from many renowned organisations, including ITC, ACC, Tommy Hilfiger, Gitanjali Retail, Genpact, DITP, India, Beta Soft Systems Pvt Ltd and Pradan. Nag said they got job offers after clearing rigorous screening process. He said a few students of the SBMS were selected as probationary officers for various renowned banks. He said Ajay Kumar, Rahul Gupta and Nitish Kapoor were selected for UCO Bank and Rahul Kaundal and Rohit Chaudhary for the Union Bank of India and the SBI, respectively. Shilpa Gurung got placement in Tommy Hilfiger, Nischay Mahal in Gitanjali Retail, Sushant Abrol in ITC, Vinit Gupta in Eos EduVentures. Aditi Sharma, Poonam Thakur, Swati Chopra, Monika Kashyap, Divya Kaushal, Alka Lalhall, Akanksha Awasthi, Akash Aggarwal, Aditya Singh, Shagun, Ankur Sarswat, Shweta Kapoor, Shwetang Dwivedi, Richa Bhadwal, Raghav Manocha and Shikha Sharma were selected in Beta Soft Systems Pvt Ltd and Isha Dogra, Shilpa Gurunga and Shallu Thakur in Genpact India. Prof Yoginder S Verma, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, congratulated the students, faculty members and training and placement cell. |
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Genetically improved fish to be introduced
Shimla, June 7 A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting held here, under the Chairmanship of Tarun Shridhar, Principal Secretary, Fisheries, and Dr A Barat, Director, and Dr NN Pandey, senior scientist, DCFR. Shridhar requested the DCFR authorities to formulate a project proposal for increasing fish production after surveying and studying the existing fisheries resources. He asked the DCFR to give details of fish species to be introduced in the state waters and their breeding biology, particularly for high-altitude waters. Besides, training trials for maturation of Arctic char would be undertaken by the Department of Fisheries with technical intervention of the DCFR. He said the DCFR would provide technical know-how for the breeding of golden mahseer and snow trout and the state department would provide farm infrastructure for raising a Brood Bank of Rainbow Trout of the DCFR. He said the seed of Hungarian strain of common carp supplied by the DCFR would be raised as brooders and growth would be monitored.
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Forest guards' test on June 30
Hamirpur, June 7 As many as 952 candidates, including 89 women, have qualified the test out of total 6,959 applicants. Pradeep Thakur, Conservator of Forests, Hamirpur circle, said, “The ratio of candidates appearing for the written exam has now come down to 48 for one post and written test for the qualified candidates will be held on June 30 at the Government Postgraduate College, Anu”. — TNS |
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Nurpur, June 7 On seeing the police naka, the car driver left the vehicle and tried to run away. The police nabbed him and impounded the car which was carrying 136 kilograms of poppy husk. According to DSP Rajiv Atre, the car driver, indentified as Sudesh Kumar of Ghanna village, Phillaur, has been arrested and a case under the NDPS Act has been registered against him. — OC
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Man arrested for misbehaving with doc
Hamirpur, June 7 |
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In-laws booked for demanding dowry
Nurpur, June 7 The police said she had alleged in her complaint that after her marriage in 2008 with Ajay Kumar of Gurakalan in Pathankot district (Punjab), her in-laws started demanding motorcycle and cash. She alleged that she was being tortured by the accused for not fulfilling their demand. DSP Rajiv Atre said a case under Sections 498 (A), 406, 506 and 34, IPC, had been registered against her husband, mother-in-law Kunti Devi and sister-in-law Madhu Rani. He said after investigating the case further action would be taken against the accused. — OC
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Brahmi Devi, a resident of Bhapral in Bilaspur district, will finally get back the George Cross medal, awarded to her late husband Naik Kirpa Ram posthumously by the British government in 1946, after a long legal battle.
The out-of-court settlement arrived at between London-based Ashok Nath and Brahmi Devi with the approval of the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court of Justice has paved the way for the return of the George Cross to India.
