Dharamsala, September 19
As many as 4,405 students, who had taken admissions to various private engineering, diploma and technical education institutes affiliated with the Himachal Pradesh Technical University, are likely to lose one year as their forms have been rejected by the Department of Technical Education.

The students had been admitted in violation of the department rules. The rules state that entrance test is a must for admission to technical institutes. The government had relaxed the condition but fixed 65 per cent marks in 10+2 examinations for admissions to B Tech courses.

For diploma in MBA, B Pharma and M Tech, entrance test is the basic eligibility condition. However, 4,405 students admitted by the institutes have not fulfilled it.

The managements of private colleges claim that they have admitted students as per the norms fixed by the All-India Council of Technical Education (AICTE).

The minimum marks prescribed by the AICTE for admission are 45 per cent for engineering and 35 per cent for diploma courses. In other states, the AICTE norms are followed for admissions to engineering and diploma courses. Many students who have taken admission to engineering colleges are from other states such as Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar and Sikkim. The fee of a large number of Scheduled Caste students is being sponsored by the Union Ministry for Human Resources Development.

However, due to the decision of the government, all students are likely to lose one academic year as the admissions in the country are now closed.

Data collected by The Tribune reveals that there are 6,930 engineering seats in private colleges of the state. Out of these, the private colleges filled just 2,883 seats. Of these 2,883, just 983 qualify the basic minimum eligibility condition. The forms of the remaining 1,897 students have been rejected by the Department of Technical Education.

For the M Tech course, private colleges have a sanctioned strength of 222 seats out which just 120 were filled this year. As many as 75 students fulfil the condition while forms of remaining 45 were rejected.

The private diploma colleges have 9,002 sanctioned seats. This year diploma colleges have filled just 2,651 seats. Out of these, 823 fulfil the condition and forms of 2,651 students have been rejected.

Private pharmacy colleges have been sanctioned 940 seats. They had filled 590 seats out which just 200 students fulfilled the condition. The forms of remaining 390 students have been rejected.

For M Pharma, private colleges have a sanctioned strength of 162 seats. Out of these, only 60 seats have been filled. Among these students also, 20 fulfil the eligibility norms and forms of remaining 40 students have been rejected.

For MBA course, the sanctioned strength was 600 seats out which 375 were filled. But only 200 students fulfil the basic eligibility and forms of the remaining 175 students have been rejected.

Hamirpur, September 19
Activists of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) held a protest demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office here today to condemn yesterday's police lathicharge on workers in Shimla.

District president and secretary, CITU, Joginder Kumar and Pratap Rana, respectively, criticised the role of the police and demanded the suspension of the in charge of Chhota Shimla police station.

They also demanded the immediate release of the arrested CITU leaders.

Probe sought

MANDI: CITU activists today staged a protest in the town and demanded a thorough probe and action against the policemen who had lathicharged their peaceful protesters in front of the private Tanzin hospital in Shimla yesterday.

CITU leaders Bhupender Singh, Kushal Bhardwaj, Paras Ram and others alleged that the police acted at the behest of some leader and lathicharged CITU leaders and arrested them without giving them first aid. They should be released immediately, they added.

Shimla, September19
The HP High Court today decline to quash the show-cause notice served on the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) and its president Anurag Thakur.

Disposing of the petition filed by the HPCA, challenging the show-cause notice served on it by the Registrar of the Co-Operative Society, the court directed the HPCA and Anurag Thakur to appear before the Registrar on September 30 at 11:30 am to submit their preliminary objections.

The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice Kuldip Singh observed, "It is only a show-cause notice and the petitioners can raise the issue of jurisdiction before the Registrar of Societies as a preliminary issue and if such objection is raised and the Registrar shall answer the same one way or the other after giving fair opportunity to the petitioners and till such issue is decided."

The court passed this order on a petition filed by the HPCA and Anurag Thakur, President, HPCA, for quashing a notice dated September 7, 2013, issued to it by the Registrar of Societies. The Registrar of Societies had asked the HPCA to show cause as to why it should not be removed under section 41 (1) of the HP. Societies Registration Act 2006 for its alleged acts of omission and commission. The Registrar had also restrained the governing body of the HPCA from passing any order or resolution or make any expenditure or investment or banking transaction or perform any other act concerning the affairs of the HPCA without its approval. 

Shimla, September 19
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh termed Rs 1,611 crore claims made by Punjab and Haryana in lieu of power arrears due to Himachal absurd, adding that the unfriendly attitude of the states would only reduce the probability of cooperation between the neighbours.

The Chief Minister said it was uncalled for on the part of Punjab and Haryana to raise such counter-claims as this did not behove any responsible government.

Punjab and Haryana have told the Supreme Court that the hill state owed them Rs 1,611 crore, which was spent by them on construction of the power projects after raising loans.

"Raising such claims only shows that the two states have no consideration for Himachal," he remarked.

Virbhadra said Himachal had been seeking its arrears due from the Bhakra Beas Management Board projects for the past so many years, but the demand raised by Haryana was an afterthought, aimed at denying Himachal its due.

Himachal's power arrear claims had been justified even by the Supreme Court, but Haryana and Punjab had yet to give Himachal its due.

He also made it clear that the Himachal Government had made up its mind to cancel the MoU on the Anandpur -Naina Devi ropeway execution with Punjab. "Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was keen to have a rethink on the issue but we have decided to go it alone as the earlier agreement was against the interest of Himachal," he said.

Virbhadra also warned that any laxity on the part of the police or other government officials in investigating any old or new cases would not be tolerated.

EX-CPS faces probe

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said he would ensure a probe into the seizure of money and liquor from the guesthouse room and vehicle of former Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sukh Ram Chaudhary during the Renuka Assembly bypoll.

"No action was taken under the Excise Act when the money and liquor were seized and the matter was hushed up by the BJP government. If need be, we will get divers to retrieve the liquor cases that were dumped into the lake so that action could be taken," he said.

Shimla, September 19
In a major initiative to encourage students activities on the campus, Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) has started 23 clubs which will channelise the energy of students in constructive pursuits.

The clubs will provide platforms to students for organising various extra-curricular activities and pursue their interests, besides academics.

Each club will function under the aegis of a teaching department and it will be mandatory for every student to become a member of at least two clubs. The students could also earn some credits for participating in such activities when the Choice-Based Credit System comes into force from the next academic session.

The funds and other facilities will be provided to students for carrying out various activities through the clubs ranging from photography, theatre, music and debates to tourism and adventure sports. The clubs will provide opportunities to students to engage in community service.

Besides ensuring involvement of students in various creative activities and provide official fora to them to carry out service and extension activities in the community, the step will also help the university in securing a better rating during assessment carried by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).

The UGC has provided Rs 12 lakh for extra-curricular and extension activities to the university and the executive council has approved the proposal for setting up clubs at its last meeting.

Mandi, September 19
Residents of the town are up in arms against the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) and Municipal Council (MC)) after they spotted a carcass in a water source. Activists of the Mandi Bachao Morcha (MBM) demanded action against the monitoring staff of the IPH and the MC.

“We have decided to file a petition in the High Court as the rotting carcass of a cow was found in the Beas about 500 m upstream from the spot where the IPH lifts water for supply in the town,” alleged MBM convener Laskmender Singh Guleria.

“This is the not the first incident, we have even spotted and photographed carcasses decaying in the Beas and its rivulets in the town,” he said.

The activists demanded that the IPH and the MC must monitor the Beas and its tributaries on day-to-day basis to keep a check on dumping of dead animals and hazardous solid waste.

The activists said the National Green Tribunal had fixed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the violators who dumped solid waste, rotten vegetables and carcasses in the Beas. The district administration should investigate the matter and identify the violators, they demanded.

Executive Officer (MC) KR Thakur said a site had been allocated for dumping of dead animals. But the water supply was monitored by the IPH Department, he added.

Shimla, September 19
The Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) has urged the Centre to provide an additional 1,000 buses to it under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for Himachal to improve its services in the hill state.

Addressing a press conference here today, Transport Minister GS Bali said of the 1,000 buses, the purchase of which had been approved by the state government, 500 were likely to be delivered by Diwali. “We will shortly submit a detailed project to the Centre under the JNNURM for getting funds for purchase of another 1,000 buses for being plied in 12 clusters,” he disclosed.

He said several decisions had been taken by the Board of Directors of the HRTC and the Bus Stand Management Authority, which met here. He announced that the authority had decided to construct 12 new bus stands at various locations, including Dhalli and Lakkar Bazaar in Shimla, Manali, Chamba, Kullu, Manikaran, Baddi, Nurpur, Palampur and Nahan.

“The new bus stands will be constructed in the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode or Build-Transfer Operate (BOT) basis for which expression of interest will be invited shortly,” he stated.

He added that the builders of two bus stands at Hamirpur and Una had been given one last chance to complete work or else fresh expression of interest would be invited.

Bali said there had been an increase of 10 per cent in the revenue of the HRTC during the last eight months and the mileage per km had also gone up by 10 points. “We have decided to discontinue12 deluxe buses which have outlived their life span, keeping in mind the security of the passengers,” he said.

The minister said a committee had been constituted to review the loss-making and overlapping routes, which would submit its report within 10 days. He said to give a boost to e-ticketing, 5 per cent concession would be given on all tickets booked in advance and also to group bookings in luxury buses like Volvo.

Shimla, September 19
Known as the second Chirapunji, Dharamsala received 56 per cent more rainfall than normal during the monsoon which withdrew from the state today.

During the monsoon season, June was the wettest month when the state received 241 mm rain which was 143 per cent more than the normal. The state recorded the least precipitation in September as the monsoon withdrew earlier than the normal date of September 25.

Dharamsala received 3,075.8 mm rainfall, which was 56 per cent more than normal. The highest rainfall of 4,153 mm in the town during the monsoon season was recorded in 1958.

However, the capital city of Shimla recorded 845.4 mm, which was 16 per cent less than the normal precipitation.

The other towns that received less than normal rain included Hamirpur 811 mm (-23 pc), Keylong 89 mm (-45 pc), Mandi 759.6 mm (-33 pc) and Solan 567.6 mm (-32 pc).

The towns that received excess rain included Bilaspur 508 mm (+5 pc), Chamba 644 mm (+24 pc), Kalpa 395.5 mm (+157 pc), Kullu 406 mm (+18 pc), Nahan 1,740.6 mm (+11 pc), and Una 1,212.2 mm (+59 pc).

In 2012, the south-west monsoon had withdrawn from the state on September 26 and the cumulative rainfall for the season from June 1 to September 30, 2012, was 705 mm which was 16 per cent less than normal.

Incidentally, the state has been consistently recording below normal precipitation during monsoon over the past one decade and exception has been in 2010 when it received 875.1 mm (+13 pc).

It had 732.5 mm (-11 pc) rain in 2011, 507.4 mm (-34 pc) in 2009, 737.9 mm (-5 pc) in 2008, 497 mm (-34 pc) in 2007, 593 mm (-36 pc) in 2006, 709 mm (-8 pc) in 2005, 421 mm (-46 pc) in 2004.

Bilaspur, September 19
Roma Devi, student of Government Senior Secondary School, Saloa, near Bhakra, 90 km from here, was injured seriously when she was attacked by a horde of monkeys after she was returning from school to Saran village in the area last evening.

Reports said Roma, daughter of Ram Swaroop, was saved from the monkeys after her shrieks attracted nearby villagers and they scared the monkeys away. The monkeys had also dragged her school bag and torn most of her books in it.

Villagers rushed her to nearby Government Primary Health Centre. She is said to be under shock, but out of danger.

Village elders, led by gram panchayat president Sudesh Thakur, have drawn the attention of Forest officials towards repeated monkey attacks on children and women in the area.

Kangra, September 19
An irate mob blocked the Pathankot-Mandi national highway and the Kangra-Dharamsala road at Matour for more than an hour following the death of a 40-year-old woman in a road accident today. They were demanding that the accused driving the car involved in the accident be booked by the police.

According to the protesting villagers, a fast and negligently driven car (HP40A(T)5149) hit a woman identified as Seema Devi, wife of Subhash Chand of Ansoli village on the Baggli road, today. She was seriously injured and rushed to the DRPGMC, Tanda, where she succumbed to her injuries. After hitting the woman, the car dashed against a tree.

The protesters alleged that the car was being driven by a minor son of some influential businessman, and feared that the police would provide him with a legal lacuna to save him.

The police force, led by SHO, Kangra, MS Manhas, reached the spot and persuaded the protesters to lift the blockade.

SDM Ajit Bhardwaj and DSP Ashok Verma also reached the spot. The protesters lifted the blockade following the assurance by the authorities that the actual culprit would be brought to book.

Manhas said a case under Sections 304-A and 279, IPC, was registered against Mridul, son of Pawan Kumar of Gurkhari, and was reportedly said to be a minor. He said he was caught and his age would be ascertained from his date of birth certificate.

Nahan, September 19
Former Chief Minister PK Dhumal today said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh should apologise to people of Sirmaur as he had said they had sold their votes to the BJP in the Assembly poll during his tour to the district yesterday.

Dhumal, who was addressing mediapersons at Kala Amb today, said the people would give a befitting reply to the Congress in the parliamentary poll for such remarks.

He said his government had never discriminated against Sirmaur as was being alleged by the Congress and said the Atal School Uniform Scheme, which provided school uniform to about 10 lakh students of all government schools, was launched from Nahan on May 9, 2012. He said this scheme had been discontinued by the government now.

He also clarified that his government had notified two colleges at Nohradhar and Sarahan and in the latter case even classes had resumed where students had started studying but the Congress had denotified it and now it was claiming credit for having announced this college.

Dhumal said it was during his tenure that the foundation stone of the college building at Nahan had been laid and the Chief Minister was only inaugurating schemes which had been announced by his government. He said the disaster management centre inaugurated yesterday was another such example.

Dhumal said even in the health sector, Poanta Sahib hospital had been converted into a 100-bed facility.

Hamirpur, September 19
Power and Agriculture Minister Sujan Singh Pathania paid tributes to Deputy Commandant JS Pathania for laying down his life fighting terrorists. Speaking at a programme organised to observe the 60th birth anniversary of martyr JS Pathania at Bada today, the minister said his valuable role in fighting militancy would always be remembered.

He said it was the bravery of people like JS Pathania that Himachal was called Veer Bhoomi and by paying tributes to them and narrating stories of their valour they inspired youths to join armed forces.

The minister said the state government was committed to the welfare of martyrs' families and different benefits were being given to them.

Deputy Commissioner, Hamirpur, Ashish Singhmar also paid tributes to JS Pathania and said all help from the district administration would be provided for the trust formed in the memory of JS Pathania.

Earlier, president, JS Pathania Trust, Sushma Pathania presented mementos to guests and gave details about the work being done by the trust.

The minister also gave prizes to meritorious students on the occasion.