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Naina Devi ropeway project
Badal’s proposals just for publicity: Cong
Virbhadra, Anand to plead case for industrial package jointly
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Apple at the Bhattakufer market in Shimla on Friday. Photo: Amit Kanwar
HC’s old taxi ban on Kothi-Rohtang route biased, SC told
Govt to issue show-cause notice to HPCA
Cheating case against BEd college
Release CAMPA funds, Minister to Centre
Nurpur villagers clash with revenue staff
Classes in Mandi medical college by next year
GIS to track local area funds
Three held for murder
NDRF team to comb Dhauladhars for trekkers
I-T officials raid 3 big firms One killed in road mishap
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Cong leaders against Punjab’s involvement
Lalit Mohan Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, September 6 Ram Lal Thakur, chairman of the 20-point programme and former MLA from Naina Devi constituency, said as per the agreement signed between Punjab and Himachal Pradesh during the stint of the previous government in the state, the project was to be brought on a build operate and transfer (BOT) basis. So there was no question of government financing the project. Badal had stated yesterday that he was ready to finance the project. Though the project was to be brought up on the BOT basis and no government finance was involved, the acquisition of majority of land had to be done by the state government. Former Congress MLA from Anandpur Sahib, who is also a trustee of Naina Devi temple, KP Rana alleged that the Punjab government did not initiate the project for about five years. The BJP leaders both in Punjab and Himachal were busy buying land around the project site before it could be initiated. So they did not start the work on the project to make real estate gains, he alleged. Rana further alleged that most Hindu shrines in Punjab were in a state of neglect as the government was not spending any money on them. The Punjab CM’s visit to Una and his statement about Anandpur-Naina Devi ropeway project was just guided by the forth coming parliamentary election, the former MLA alleged. Ram Lal Thakur said as per the detail project report, the Punjab government’s contribution to the Ropeway Project was just about 190 sq m land for which it was given a share of 50 per cent. Since the contribution of the Punjab government to ropeway was insignificant, the present state government had decided to scrap the earlier agreement and execute the project on its own. He further alleged that in case the Punjab government really wanted to join Anandpur Sahib with Naina Devi temple complex it should have a proposed ropeway from the vicinity of Keshgarh Sahib gurdwara to the Naina Devi complex. However, as per the DPR the place from where the ropeway has to be started is situated 6 km from Anandpur Sahib.
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Badal’s proposals just for publicity: Cong
Bilaspur, September 6 Talking to mediapersons here today, he said the state government had done the right thing by scrapping the project and protected the state’s interest, which was ignored by the previous BJP government while signing the agreement. Badal had yesterday appealed to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to immediately resume the project “in view of its socio-religious importance for both states”. Badal said he was “even ready to bear the entire expenditure of the project, besides conceding to initiate it from Himachal Pradesh. He expressed surprise that the project was named “Anandpur Sahib-Naina Devi ropeway project, when it had to start 7 km from the pilgrim centre of Anandpur Sahib. |
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Virbhadra, Anand to plead case for industrial package jointly
Shimla, September 6 The two Congress leaders, along with members of the state Cabinet, are scheduled to meet the Prime Minister on September 10 in New Delhi. Sharma will hold consultations with senior functionaries of the state government in Shimla on September 8 on issues like the state industrial policy infrastructure development projects, especially those related to the Commerce and Industry ministries. As per earlier announcements, a spice farm was to come up in Hamirpur district and a textile park at Amb in Una, but there had been little progress. In a letter to Himachal Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri on August 2, Sharma stated that a proposal for extension of the package had been submitted for ppraisal of the Expenditure Finance Committee. This proposal was based on findings of the Impact Evaluation Study and the meeting held with stakeholders earlier. Sharma has also taken up issues concerning excise duty exemption and tax holiday for income tax with the Department of Finance and Revenue at the
Centre. Virbhadra and Agnihotri had time and again urged Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of the National Advisory Council, and the Prime Minister to extend the special industrial package for Himachal Pradesh. The other major issue that the Congress leaders from Himachal will take up with the Prime Minister is grant of relief to the hill state, which has suffered huge losses due to rain. Though the state has suffered losses to the tune of over Rs 2,800 crore, till now the Centre is yet to come to the rescue of the state. The state government has spent money on relief and rescue operations from its kitty and the money received from the Centre under the Natural Calamity Fund. Though the loss of human life and extent of damage suffered in
Uttarakhand, which has been provided liberal funding, is far more, Himachal Pradesh has not been given anything so far. Extensive damage had been caused to roads, apple and agricultural crops, electricity and irrigation schemes in the tribal district. |
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Apple glut causes slump
Shimla, September 6 In 2010, when the state had the highest-ever production of 4.46 crore boxes, 1.95 crore boxes had been sent out over the period. Over 44,500 trucks of apple had been marketed till today. With about two months to go, the state is reaping a bumper harvest after two successive lean crop seasons. While the demand has sagged, growers are in a hurry to harvest the crop due to the attack of twin fungi which is causing premature defoliation. The disease had affected quality fruit, which is lacking in size and colour. This is the main reason for a downslide. Government agencies have procured over 9,000 tonnes under the market intervention scheme, but a large quantity of poor quality apple in 60-kg bags is finding way to the market, affecting rates of good quality apple. The prices have come down by Rs 100 to Rs 200 per box in Chandigarh, Delhi and other markets and growers are finding markets at Dhalli, Solan and Parwanoo, with less transport costs, more remunerative. Over 45 per cent of the crop has been sold in local markets. It was a big shift from the past when 65 to 70 per cent of the produce was sold in Delhi. The rate in the Delhi market ranged from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 per box, though some fetched over Rs 1,300 per box. Himalayan Apple Growers Association chairman Rajeev Chauhan says rates will improve towards the third week as demand will go up for Navratras. The average rate within the state is between Rs 600 and Rs 1,000 per box. |
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HC’s old taxi ban on Kothi-Rohtang route biased, SC told
New Delhi, September 6 In an affidavit filed in the SC, the state government has said the May 3 HC order has exempted vehicles of the Army, the Border Roads Organisation and the government, public utility vehicles and vehicles used for the supply chain in the region. The state government has taken the position in its response to the SC notice on a petition filed by the Him Aanchal Taxi Operators Union, challenging the ban on taxis which are four years old. The SC has temporarily diluted the ban by telling the state government to allow those if complying with pollution and other norms. The state has accepted the contention of the union that the ban will adversely affect the livelihood of some taxi operators. It has been stated that the level of pollutants emitted by vehicles depends on factors such as maintenance and make, quality of fuel, road condition and method of driving, rather than
age vehicle. An older vehicle which is well maintained may emit lower pollution that a new one sans maintenance, it has said. The union has contended that more than 75 per cent of taxis, numbering about 1,400, will go off the roads under the
HC order. The High Court had issued the order on the recommendations of the National Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), pointing out the fragile ecology in the high altitude Rohtang area. The state government, however, pointed out that NEERI had perhaps overlooked the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, under which the level of pollution should be determined through checking and not by the age of the vehicles. |
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Govt to issue show-cause notice to HPCA
Shimla, September 6 The detailed show-cause notice, having been vetted and closely examined by the Law Department and the office of the Advocate-General, is likely to be issued to the HPCA soon. Any government action against the HPCA will be taken only after the reply to the show-cause notice is received from the sports body, headed by Anurag Thakur, Member of Parliament from Hamirpur and son of former Chief Minister PK Dhumal. The Vigilance Bureau filed a case against the HPCA on August 1 as the issue had figured prominently in the Congress charge sheet against the BJP regime. The HPCA filed its reply on August 26 to the queries sought by the Registrar Cooperative Societies. The main issue is whether the HPCA could have changed its status from a society to a company without government consent when it had been provided 49,118.25 square metres of prime land by the government in Dharamsala for the construction of an international stadium. Sources said the show-cause notice was primarily based on the alleged violations of Sections 44 and 41 of the HP Societies Registration Act, 2006, committed by the HPCA. “We have found that the HPCA has committed violations of sub-sections 9(1) and 9(2) while changing its status from a society to a company as it has been given prime land on a nominal rent of Re 1 per month. It has obviously availed benefit from the government,” said an official. On the other hand, the HPCA, in its reply to the queries sought by the Registrar Cooperative Societies, has taken the plea that since there is no stake either of the state government or the Centre in the shape of grant-in-aid or financial assistance, it has not made any violation. The HPCA has been given land for a stadium and 3.28 hectares for constructing a residential place for players, which is now being run in the form of a commercial venture, Pavilion Hotel. “We are regularly paying the lease amount as per the lease deed under the provisions of the HP Lease Rules, 1993, and HP Lease Rules, 2011, and when the ownership of the land remains in the name of the government, it cannot be treated as a state contribution,” the HPCA contended in its reply. Another plea being taken by HPCA is that there is no legal bar for changing the status as both entities are for non-profit organisations. The HPCA, at its annual general meeting in Dharamsala on September 22, 2012, carried out constitutional amendments in the memorandum of rules and regulations of the HPCA society for changing it to a company and intimated the Registrar of Societies about it on October, 31, 2012. |
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Cheating case against BEd college
Solan, September 6 According to complainant Kanwalpreet Singh, the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) had withdrawn the college’s affiliation for running MEd courses in 2010 after it failed to employ professors and readers as per
the norms. The college had moved the high court where it presented an affidavit showing qualified faculty employed in the institute. The complainant alleged that he was also listed as a regular employee since 2005, though his services were regularised in 2009, by forging his signatures. He also alleged that several other names listed in the affidavit were fake, as they did not teach in the college. Thus, a false declaration had been made to mislead the court. The police is now inquiring into the case after registration of an FIR. Himachal Pradesh University has also received a complaint about various irregularities in the college which included non-compliance of norms laid down by the NCTE, lack of faculty, insufficient books in the library, inadequate computers, no internet, and no website of the college, irregularities in maintenance of accounts of three courses, enrolling of ineligible students and disbursing degrees to them, charging excess fee, etc. University Vice-Chancellor ADN Bajpai said he was getting these allegations inquired and a suitable action would be taken against the college if
found guilty. |
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Release CAMPA funds, Minister to Centre
Shimla, September 6 He said Rs. 277.19 crore was needed to plant trees on 732.78 hectares forest land for establishing the Strategic National Security Project at Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur by Defence Research and Development
Organisation. The Defence Ministry had deposited Rs 240 crore in June 2010 and Rs 37.19 crore in January 2011 with CAMPA and now this amount stood at Rs. 325 crore with interest.
Bharmauri said Rs 277.19 crore was to be given to Himachal Pradesh but it was deposited in the CAMPA Fund by mistake. He said no sanction in principle to transfer the cost of trees to state government was given in the meeting of the ministry held on November 12 , 2011. However, it was decided that the funds that accrued to the state at the cost of forest ecology should form part of CAMPA funds which were being retained as separate corpus on the basis of orders of the Supreme Court. He said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had also taken up the issue with Union Environment and Forests Minister Jayanthi Natrajan and written to him. After receiving recommendation from the high-level committee, it was decided to transfer the proceeds on account of cost of trees of the project to the state. This recommendation had been sent to National CAMPA Advisory Council for further action. |
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Nurpur villagers clash with revenue staff
Nurpur, September 6 Indora tehsildar Pratap Singh has lodged a complaint with the Nurpur SDM and the district administration. In his complaint, he said a kanungo and a patwari had gone to the village for inspection of an under-construction cremation ground when suddenly some villagers, led by the local MLA, reached the spot and manhandled them. He has told the higher authorities that in such circumstances it was not possible to work without protection in the field. SDM Ashwani Sood said an inquiry would he held and action would be taken against those responsible for interrupting government servants from doing their duty. Meanwhile, MLA Manohar Dhiman claimed that he had gone there to pacify the protesters, who were up in arms against the alleged faulty demarcation of land meant for cremation ground. |
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Classes in Mandi medical college by next year
Shimla, September 6 The document was signed by Ali Raza Rizvi, Principal Secretary, Health, on behalf of the State Government and DS Dhiman, Dean, ESIC Medical College, in the presence of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. The Chief Minister said in initially the Mandi zonal hospital would be attached to the college for clinical training of the students. He added that the state had made sincere efforts to start the college from the next academic session. It would have 100 MBBS seats, out of which 40 seats would be filled through all India merit, 40 seats through state merit and the remaining 20 seats would be reserved for wards of ESIC employees and insured persons. He said the Rs 750-crore institution would give boost to the medical education and health sector. |
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GIS to track local area funds
Shimla, September 6 The application hosted on the web portal of Aryabhatta Geo-informatics and Space Application Centre (AGiSAC) was formally launched by Chief Executive Officer of HIMURJA Bhanu Pratap Singh. The AGiSAC also developed an SMS application for the agency which would help send advance reminder to independent power producers to submit their quarterly reports on the 7th of April, October and January. Dr Hemant Gupta from AGiSAC said his organisation would facilitate the agency in the use of geo-spatial technologies for planning and development of activities. — TNS |
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Three held for murder
Bilaspur, September 6 Superintendent of Police Kapil Sharma said the victim, Vikas
Thakur, had intimate relations with the arrested girl, Uma Soni. On search of Vikas’s room, police found several letters, photos and other materials proving their close relationship. However, the main accused, Ashok Kumar, of Batarli village was against their relationship. He asked Uma to call Vikas to her home in the night on September 1. As Vikas reached there, Ashok with the help of his two accomplices, Ajay Kumar and Vipin Kumar, dragged him into their car and attacked him with sharp-edged weapons. Later, his body was thrown in the bushes 22 km from there.
— OC |
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NDRF team to comb Dhauladhars for trekkers
Dharamsala, September 6 Around 20 persons, including local police personnel, gaddis and potters who know the Dhauladhar terrain, will accompany the NDRF team. Kangra DC Paul Rasu said the team would reach Dharamsala tomorrow. The 40-members team would comb all treks to trace the trekkers, he said. Sources said the families of the trekkers had reached Triund to be used as a base camp. French officials are calling up district officials to monitor rescue operations.
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