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CM on inauguration spree in Nalagarh
Govt aware of problems of Bilaspur district: Sukhwinder
Will file defamation case against Cong leaders, says Anurag
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IFS officers’ demotion
Project engineers give memo to CM
Kardars worry over safety of ‘ashtdhatu’ idols
‘Embezzlement’ at Temple Trust Office
Govt sanctions Rs 4 cr for Bilaspur youth
Gymkhana club celebrates foundation day
Jassourgarh PHC sans doctor, staff
2 booked for duping youth on job pretext
Missing climber’s body found
Victim takes U-turn in kidnapping case
Patwari held taking bribe
Training for forest guards
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CM on inauguration spree in Nalagarh
Nalagarh, October 16 He was addressing a gathering at Baddi after inaugurating several developmental projects for the industry. He said an IAS Officer would be posted in the Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Development Authority, which was presently being looked after by the Solan Deputy Commissioner. Virbhadra said the non-availability of adequate land by the previous BJP government had stopped development of a full-fledged tool room in Baddi. He added that other projects like opening of a container depot was in its advanced stage. The Chief Minister also inaugurated a multipurpose barrier building at Barotiwala and Baddi Technical Training Institute for skill development constructed at a cost of Rs 8.10 crore. He also laid the foundation stone of a hostel of the skill development centre. A working women hostel at Baddi was also inaugurated. He laid the foundation stone of a tehsil at Baddi and announced Rs 1 crore for it apart from announcing Rs 3 lakh for the renovation of an ayurvedic dispensary at Baddi. He laid the foundation stone of a bridge on the Baddi-Sheetalpur Road to be constructed at a cost of Rs 6.30 crore. He also dedicated a road built under the Industrial Infrastructure Upgradation Scheme and bridge at Ratta near Malkhu Majra constructed at a cost of Rs 15.40 crore. He also laid foundation stone of parking complex at Nalagarh. Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, while speaking on the occasion, urged the investors to ensure 70 per cent employment to the Himachali youth in their units. He said various projects worth Rs 80 crore would be carried out under the public private partnership mode in the BBN area for which the Government of India had provided Rs 65 crore. Officials of various departments and senior Congress leaders, including Health and Family Welfare Minister Kaul Singh Thakur, were among those present on the occasion. Throws open bridge in late MLA’s memory
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh showered praises on former BJP MLA HN Saini and his family after dedicating a 104-m-long bridge to the public at Mandiarpur village here today. Avtar Saini, brother of late Nalagarh MLA HN Saini, welcomed the Chief Minister by presenting him a sword and Gurnam Kaur, wife of the late MLA, presented him a shawl. Virbhadra welcomed Avtar Saini into the Congress. This bridge named Hari Darshan, has been constructed as a tribute to HN Saini by his family and is seen as the entry of Avtar Saini into the Congress. Interestingly, HN Saini had also constructed a bridge Hari Jhula at Panjli in the far-flung Pargana Malaun on his own and this had marked his entry into the BJP in 1997. Avtar Saini, while addressing a gathering, alleged that his brother’s services were used by the BJP to serve its own interest and the party was making a systematic attempt to marginalise them from politics. Govt to help stone crushers
The Chief Minister today said the state government would explore all legal options to help owners of stone-crushers as imposition of ban on mining by the Green Tribunal had halted their activities. The Stone Crushers Association had recently met the Chief Minister and apprised him of the problems being faced by them after the ban. He said a new industrial area near Dhabota in Nalagarh would be developed and this would be spread over 6,000 hectares. The Chief Minister also announced laying of a road connecting the surrounding villages in the vicinity of Mandiarpur. |
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Govt aware of problems of Bilaspur district: Sukhwinder
Bilaspur, October 16 This was stated by Congress state president Sukhwinder Singh while addressing a party workers' meeting of the Jhandutta Mandal Congress in connection with “Jagrookta Abhiyaan” at Barthin, 42 km from here, today. Sukhwinder said Rahul had given a clarion call to countrymen when he challenged the government ordinance in the matter of protecting corrupt politicians. He also had given full indication of his policy of zero tolerance towards corruption and corrupt elements. Sukhwinder welcomed the state government decision of regularising encroachments by Bhakra Dam oustees of Bilaspur town which they had to do due to circumstances as they were allotted only a rehabilitation plot of 1,800 sq ft, while their entire land was taken. He said this was a historic decision, which the government took under the leadership of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. He said the government was fully aware of problems of Bilaspur district and guided by top Congress leaders of the district, all problem would be solved. He criticised the previous BJP government for “ignoring” Bilaspur district and said he would help solve several of problems of the district by taking these up with the Chief Minister. He lashed at “land grabbing" by HPCA president Anurag Thakur and said the government had allotted these lands for cricket stadiums to the society and not a company and the government should take notice of this breach of rules and take action according to law. Earlier, accompanied by party national secretary Raja Rampal Singh, Sukhwinder arrived to a rousing reception under the leadership of state party vice-president and former MLA Dr Biru Ram Kishore, district president Santosh Dhiman and District Mahila Congress president Anjana Dhiman. A large number of prominent leaders of the Jhandutta area were present. |
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Will file defamation case against Cong leaders, says Anurag
Hamirpur, October 16 Addressing public meetings at Patta and Ladror under the Bhoranj Assembly constituency today, Anurag said, “Why is the Chief Minister keeping silent about these allegations and being the CM of the state he should clarify why he and his wife Partibha Singh had taken loan of nearly Rs 4 crore from Bakkamulah Chandershekhar and what relation the person has with the CM’s family?” He also demanded a CBI probe into the affair. Anurag also criticised Congress leaders for levelling “unfounded and baseless” allegation against his family members and the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association headed by him. He said, “All these allegations are being made as part of a vilification campaign against me and my family and I will soon file a defamation case against two ministers of the state government and one Congress leader for trying to sully my image”. Criticising the Central Government, Anurag said, “The UPA government has failed on all the fronts and people are facing unprecedented price rise with a commodity like onion selling at Rs 70 per kg and people are determined to punish the government in the coming Parliamentary election”. The MP also announced to give Rs 10 lakh for Ram Singh Memorial Vidya Mandir School. While addressing the meetings, former Education Minister ID Dhiman castigated the state government for its alleged failure to provide free school uniforms, effecting large-scale transfers and not fulfilling vacant posts of teachers in schools. |
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Bumper apple crop fails to cheer up growers
Shimla, October 16 There has been a sudden decline in arrivals in the market. Only 140 trucks of apple left the state for various markets yesterday, as against 1,199 trucks on September 3 when the season was at its peak. Till date, 70,445 trucks have been sent out and about 60,000 to 65,000 boxes are being exported every day. In 2010, when the state had the all-time high production of 4.46 crore, 3.20 crore boxes had been marketed during the same period. Further, over 33,000 tonnes of fruit has been procured under the market intervention scheme and over 12 lakh boxes of quality apple had been kept in stores by the fresh-fruit companies. The harvesting season officially comes to a close on October 30 and with only about 5 to 10 per cent crop in upper reaches yet to be harvested, the total production will be around 3.75 crore boxes, the second highest. Compared to 2010, the production is on the lower side in upper reaches and Kinnaur district, which was devastated by heavy rain in June. In contrast, the lower elevations, which normally account for 10 to 15 per cent of the total output, recorded an all-time high production this season. Consequently, there was a glut in the market at the very start of season and the market remained consistent in the first half of the season. Even the good quality apple fetched Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,300 per box in the Delhi market, while lower grades were sold for Rs 700 to Rs 900 per box. The market looked up in the second half and the rates stabilised with the arrival of Kinnaur apple, which is selling at Rs 1,800 per box and superior grades of fruit from other high attitude areas at Rs 1,500 per box. The medium quality is being sold at around Rs 1,100 to Rs 1,200 per box. However, it will not help much in improving returns to the growers as bulk of the produce has already been sold. A redeeming feature is that the markets within the state have come of age and dependence of growers on the Delhi market, where prices are controlled by the arhtiyas (commission agents), has been reduced significantly. Until a couple of years ago, almost 75 per cent of the produce was disposed of in Delhi but this season over 45 per cent of it has been sold off at local markets in Dhalli, Solan, Rohru, Parwanoo, Narkanda and other place. It reduces the transportation cost and the returns are also comparable with Delhi. Modest returns
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IFS officers’ demotion
Shimla, October 16 The Screening Committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, met here on October 3, as a decision on the issue has been pending since the Congress came to power in December last year. The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary (Forest) Tarun Sridhar and Principal Chief Conservator Forest RS Gupta. The committee has asked the Forest Department to prepare a detailed report on the vacant positions at the time when the promotions were made in July-August 2012. “Based on the vacancies then and the vacancies now, we will be able to ascertain as to how many officers will have to face demotion and who would be issued the show-cause notice,” said an official. The committee has also sought the opinion of the Law Department on the legal implications of the demotions, in case the government decides to do so. “Since it is not just those who got promotion out of turn who will be affected but also those on ranks lower than Additional Principal Chief Conservator Forest, so we need to assess the legal fallout of the demotions,” said sources. Out of 32 IFS officers who were promoted to the rank of Additional Principal Chief Conservator Forest (APCCF), promotion of seven of them were due; the remaining 25 officers, who got the benefit early, could be affected. The total number of officers on the rank of APCCF had gone to an all-time high of 32. All these officers had completed minimum 25 years in service required for promotion, but there weren’t so many posts to which they were promoted. The Screening Committee is likely to meet once again, after the Forest and Law Departments submit their reports to it. It is after this meeting that it will be decided as to how many people will be served a show-cause notice. The Congress regime had made it clear right from day one that it would review the promotion of IFS officers which made the Forest Department top heavy and put additional financial burden on the state exchequer. It was in July and August last year that the BJP regime had given promotion to 25 officers in two batches within a span of one month. Some of the officers from the 1984 and 1985 batches got two promotions within a span of less than a month. under scanner
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15 years after, HPU’s regional centre at Dharamsala to get its own building
Dharamsala, October 16 The building has come up at Khaniara village, 7 km from here. Sources said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh would inaugurate the new building of the centre on October 29. Earlier, HPU had mooted a proposal to wind up the regional centre; it felt there was no reason to continue the centre as the Central University of Himachal Pradesh’s campus was coming up in Dharamsala. However, the sources said Minister for Housing and Urban Development Sudhir Sharma, who represents the area, prevailed upon the HPU authorities to keep the regional centre. The regional centre has been running in a ramshackle building since 1998. It has more than 700 students in various courses. Though thousands of students have passed out from the centre over the years, the university has neither been able to construct a proper building nor create regular posts of teachers. Postgraduate courses in the regional centre are being run with the help of ad hoc or guest faculty. There is not even a single regular teacher for masters in mass communication and Sanskrit courses being run in the regional centre. There are about 45 teachers in the centre. Of these, only 13 teachers, including the Director, are regular, while the remaining are on ad hoc or guest faculty, who are being paid on the basis of number of classes taken by them in a month. The process of recruitment of teachers has not been started yet by the university. Even the posts for the courses have not been created as yet. It is only after the creation of posts that the budget provisions for the centre can be made. new address
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MiG-21 installed on Dalhousie Public School premises
Dalhousie, October 16 Dalhousie MLA Asha Kumari, who is also secretary of the All-India Congress Committee, presided over the function as chief guest. "This vintage MiG is a unique gift presented by Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne, PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC, Chief of Air Staff, to this school on the occasion of their 42nd Founders Day." In acknowledgement of this coveted gift, the school has laid a beautiful park and a platform at the site along the Dalhousie-Khajjiar road. This is a source of inspiration for students of this town. Besides, it attracts tourists' attention while passing through to Khajjiar and Chamba. After the inaugural ceremony, one plaque was unveiled by Asha Kumari and the second by Group Capt Debnath, local Air Force Station Commander, narrating the valiant services of Air Commodore Chatrath who had led the first counter air raid on the Pak Air Force (PAF) air base with Hunter Fighter during the Indo-Pak in December 1971. Speaking on the occasion, Asha Kumari lauded the role of the Air Force during war as well as peace time when the nation faced any calamity. She appreciated the efforts put in by Dr (Capt) GS Dhillon, Director and Principal, Dalhousie Public School, in elevating the school to such a high level. Dr Dhillon thanked Asha Kumari for gracing the occasion and Group Capt Debnath for his co-operation in installing MiG-21 and for the services rendered by other ranks of the Air Force in setting up this aircraft. |
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Project engineers give memo to CM
Shimla, October 16 The deputation pointed out that despite a boom in the power sector, project engineers were not getting their due. There was an imbalance at the director-level posts of electrical and civil engineers and the scales were heavily tilted against civil engineers. There were six director-level posts of electrical engineer and only two posts of the civil engineering cadre. The situation should have been reversed keeping in view the fact that about 20 hydropower projects were under implementation. They demanded that the post of director (civil) in the HPSEB be filled immediately as investigation and implementation of hydropower projects and other civil engineering works were being affected. Further, there was not even a single project engineer (civil) in HPPTCL even though almost 60 per cent work in any transmission utility pertained to civil engineering. Similarly, there was an urgent need to create one post of
director (projects) in the HPPCL which had been entrusted with execution of about 20 projects. The Chief Minster was apprised that 11 posts of the level of chief engineer (civil) and superintending engineers (civil) were vacant in the HPSEB, HPPCL and Energy Directorate which required to be filled by giving charge of the respective posts to senior most engineers. |
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Kardars worry over safety of ‘ashtdhatu’ idols
Kullu, October 16 According to information, more than a dozen incidents of temple thefts are reported from Kullu, Mandi, Shimla and Chamba every year. “The villagers should make temple task force with armed licence to look after the idols and work on a rotation basis,” said Dr Surat Thakur, a local writer, who has authored many books on temples. “The government should install close-circuit television cameras in temples as most of the thefts are being reported from temples which have rare idols and chatras,” he added. “There is no system of temple security as idols and jewelleries are kept in bhandars,” said Om Parkash, managing trustee, Dev Sanskriti Charitable Trust, Kullu. The police has no security cover in remote villages where over 90 per cent of the temples are located. “We are only ensuring that temple treasuries should have a secure locker system so that thieves cannot break into the temple easily,” said Virender Singh, Kardar of Shrina Rishi. Antique smugglers also operated under the garb of art collectors to get artifacts and idols, deceiving villagers, devotees said. Smugglers have made several unsuccessful bids to steal idols of devtas in the district as they fetch prized money for these idols at various antique markets. “There are instances when originals are stolen and replaced with duplicates easily available in tourist markets in Manali and Vashisht,” kardars said. The state Art, Language and Culture Department has started the exercise to document and photograph idols and jewellery of devis and devtas, along with their history. “But the coverage is incomplete and certain devtas like the Jamlu Devta of Malana forbids entry of outsiders in the temple,” said the gurs of the devta. Temple thefts have been reported at the Kunjam Devi Temple in Spiti, Kamru Temple at Sangla in Kinnaur and Samarkot in Rohru. Dr DK Gupta, Director, Art, Language and Culture Department, said the documentation was almost complete. “We will consider the suggestion of each temple committee to ensure the safety of the temple treasure,” he added. |
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‘Embezzlement’ at Temple Trust Office
Hamirpur, October 16 The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Badsar, had suspended the employees working in the temple office of the trust for allegedly raising fake bills by tampering a printing order for printing permit booklets. However, one of the suspended employees, Vikramjeet Singh, had remained under the scanner of the department and was reinstated after getting terminated from the service in an alleged goat auction scam some time back. There had been allegations against a few employees for manipulating certain key postings to serve vested interests and the temple trust office had been mired in controversies. In the present case the employees, Vikramjeet Singh Rana and Anil Kumar, had tampered a printing order for printing 500 booklets of permit and inflated the printing order for 5,000 booklets with the intent of overdrawing money through inflated bills. "It is being apprehended that if an FIR is not registered against the employees, they can manipulate the inquiry this time too,” Ashish Singhmar, DC Hamirpur and Commissioner, BBNT Trust, said. “The trust chairman has already initiated a disciplinary action against the employees and if during the investigation enough evidence of embezzlement is detected, then an FIR will also be lodged,” he added. |
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Govt sanctions Rs 4 cr for Bilaspur youth
Bilaspur, October 16 Also, he or she needed to be registered in any employment exchange in the district and should have got admission in a technical course, he added. Bambar said so far the unemployment allowance had been given to 403 youth here in the district. They had already been given Rs 3.51 lakh as their first monthly allowance till now. He said another 3,420 youth had also submitted their forms for the allowance so far in the district. He said those studying in any ITI or technical institute or even in tailoring and cutting centres etc, inside or outside the state, were entitled to get the allowance and could apply for it.
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Gymkhana club celebrates foundation day
Mandi, October 16 Addressing a gathering on the 49th foundation day of the club here last evening, the Chief Minister told the committee to prepare a detailed project report for the construction of the boundary wall. He said the club was being run successfully by the members and was one of the oldest clubs in the state. He was accompanied by his wife and Mandi MP Pratibha Singh, Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sohan Lal Thakur and other officials. Club president RP Kapoor presented him a cheque of Rs 1 lakh for the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Earlier, Principal, Government Senior Secondary School, Karsog, and the Himachal Pensioners Kalyan Sangh donated Rs 51,000 each to the CM's Relief Fund.
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Jassourgarh PHC sans doctor, staff
Chamba, October 16 The residents say people suffering from various ailments have to go to far-off hospitals situated at Tissa or Chamba, due to which they have to spend a lot of money and time. They reveal that the posts of a doctor and other paramedical staff have been lying vacant for the past few months, adding that only a multipurpose worker and a Class IV employee have been handling the functioning of the centre. The public of the area have requested the state government to post a doctor and paramedical staff at the PHC at Jassourgarh as early as possible.
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2 booked for duping youth on job pretext
Nurpur, October 16 According to police information, the accused took Rs 1.10 lakh from the victim and sent him to Mumbai. Victim Rahat left for Mumbai by train on October 3 from Chakki bank railway station at Pathankot where the accused men were present to see him off. He was received by their third brother at Mumbai railway station and kept in a hotel for 15 days. He paid all the expenses for staying there and finally he was introduced to one Hament Patil who sent him to Chennai. After that, Patil arranged his flight for Australia via Singapore from Chennai. But he landed at Jakarta in Indonesia where immigration personnel sent him back to Chennai after examining his documents. Then only he realised that he had been duped by the culprits. He approached the judicial court for getting a criminal case registered against them. Officiating SHO Pratap Chand said after registering a criminal case thorough investigations would be undertaken.
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Missing climber’s body found
Manali, October 16 Three mountaineers had fallen victim to a landslide above Beas Kund when a team of British climbers was coming back after the successful climb of the 17,100-ft-high Shetidhar peak. Search and rescue teams from ABVIMAS had launched a search operation and the bodies of Alan Maxwell Slater and Ladakh resident Lotus were recovered on October 12. Five days after the incident, the body of tourist guide Sanjay Kumar, a resident of Nurpur, was recovered today. The search operation was led by Jagat Thakur, Ghanshyam Thakur and Gautam Thakur, senior instructors with ABVIMAS, along with visiting instructors and some trainees. The body was found crushed between boulders and snow below the accident spot. Family members of the victim had also reached Beas Kund to search for the body.
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Victim takes U-turn in kidnapping case
Nurpur, October 16 Deputy Superintendent of the Police (DSP) DC Verma said Anjana Dogra of Kardiyal in her police complaint late last evening had alleged that Antriksh Chowdhary of Dann village came to her house and overpowered her daughter at pistol point. He dragged her and put her in a jeep parked outside the house in which three more persons were sitting, Anjana had alleged. However, she alleged that she could not notice the number plate of the jeep and the accused fled after kidnapping her daughter. The DSP said a case had been registered under Sections 452, 366 and 34 of the IPC and 25, 54, and 59 of the Arms Act against Antriksh and his accomplices. He said the girl in her statement said she was not kidnapped, but had left her house on her own as she had married
Antriksh.
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Patwari held taking bribe
Bilaspur, October 16 Reports said a court had ordered the patwari to register “intequal" (land ownership right) on Kuldip Singh's name and he had been visiting the patwari's office for long for this purpose. But the patwari was allegedly demanding bribe for doing this job. So Kuldip approached the Vigilance wing here which set a trap. It gave chemical-smeared currency notes to Kuldip and the patwari was caught red-handed while accepting these notes from him.
— OC
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Training for forest guards
Sundernagar, October 16 As many as 50 trainee forest guards from different Circles of the state will be given the training of basic forestry, forest protection and effective forest management during this 21st batch of Forest Guard Training Course. During the inaugural function, chief guest Gupta inspected the parade of the new recruits.
— OC
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