Shimla, January 8
Commissioner of the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) Amarjeet Singh today ordered the demolition of the unauthorised structure of the Lalpani Cricket Academy raised in the restricted and green areas of the city by the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) led by Hamirpur BJP MP Anurag Thakur, son of former Chief Minister PK Dhumal within seven days.

The MC Commissioner also imposed a penalty of Rs 5,000 and Rs 500 on the respondent and snapped water and electricity supplies to the academy, invoking Sections 242 and 244, along with Section 383 of the HP Municipal Corporation Act, 1994.

If the respondent fails to comply with this order, he will be liable to pay an additional penal amount of Rs 500 per day.

The cricket academy is located on Khasra Nos. 911, 912 and 1060/1 situated in Up-mohal station, ward Bara Shimla, with an area of 9,265.21 square metres and falls in the restricted and green area for which the HPCA has no permission from the single umbrella committee, the MC Commissioner observed.

Rejecting all pleas put in defence by the opposite party, the MC Commissioner exercised powers vested with him under Section 253 (1) of the HPMCA 1994 and directed the respondent to demolish the unauthorised construction at the Lalpani cricket academy within seven days.

"If the respondent fails to do so, the same shall be demolished by the Architect Planner Branch of MC at the cost, risk and responsibility of the respondent within seven days," it was ordered.

Shimla, January 8
The piercing cold wave conditions continue unabated in most parts of the state while an avalanche threat looms large over the high-altitude tribal areas following intermittent snowfall in the higher reaches and tribal belt.

People in the high altitude tribal areas have been alerted and SDM, Manali, Vinay Dhiman has advised people to refrain from venturing out as an avalanche threat could aggravate with the rise in temperature.

The key tourist resort of Manali and Dalhousie witnessed mild snowfall while the high-altitude tribal areas of Lahaul & Spiti, Pangi, Bharmaur, Churdhar and Dhauladhar mountain ranges and Rohtang pass received intermittent heavy snowfall.

Rohtang recorded 60 cm of snow while Solang Nallah, Keylong and other higher hill received 10 cm of fresh snow. Biting cold wave conditions persisted in the region even as minimum temperature increased by a few notches as strong velocity icy winds lashed the mid and lower hills.

Bharmaur in the tribal area of Chamba recorded a minimum temperature of -12.1°C while Keylong and Kalpa in the twin tribal districts of Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur, recorded a low of -9.7°C and -4°C, followed by Dalhousie 1.2 °C and Manali 2°C. Sundernagar and Bhuntar recorded a minimum temperature of 2.6°C and 3.2°C while Solan and Shimla recorded a low of 3°C and 3.1°C, followed by Palampur 3.5°C, Nahan and Una 5°C and Dharamsala 6°C.

However, the maximum day temperatures increased marginally and Solan was warmest in the region during the day with a high of 17.5°C, followed by Una 17°C, Nahan 15.4°C, Sundernagar 15.2°C, Dharamsala 12.4°C, Shimla 13.2°C, Bhunter 8.4°C and Kalpa 0.8°C.

The local Meteorological Department has predicted heavy snowfall at some places during the next 24 hours.

Manali, January 8
Inclement weather conditions prevailing in the upper Kullu valley worsened today. Manali town and its adjoining areas experienced fresh snowfall, while lower parts of the region were lashed by rain. This brought the temperature down substantially.

Fresh snow also greeted visitors in Manali town this afternoon. Tourists in Manali came out from their hotels to have a splash. Hundreds of tourists who have converged on the tourist town of Manali from all parts of the country were delighted to see the area draped in a white blanket of snow. The snowfall in Manali town was mild at the time of filing of this report.

The vehicular traffic on the Manali-Rohtang road was disrupted at several places near Nehru Kund, 5 km from here, this afternoon. All the tourists going for their sight-seeing tour to the Solang valley this afternoon had to stop near Nehru Kund.

Besides bringing joy, a fresh spell of snowfall between Nehru Kund and the Solang valley brought its share of miseries too.

Due to a thin layer of snow on the road, it became slippery and tourists, who had gone on a sight-seeing tour to Solang valley in the morning, had a difficult time driving their vehicles to Manali.

Meanwhile, tourists rushed to Bahang and Nehru Kund to see the fresh snowfall. They were seen enjoying in a fresh snow and throwing snowballs at each other.

Shimla, January 8
With the din of the Lok Sabha elections getting louder, the BJP core group will be meeting at Baddi in Solan district on January 10 and 11 to hold discussions on the prospective candidates to be fielded from the four Parliamentary seats and to make preparations for the rally of Narendra Modi in Sujanpur next month.

The core group meeting will be attended by national BJP vice-president and in-charge of party affairs in Himachal, Balbir Punj and national organisation secretary Ram Lal so that feedback from all the senior leaders from the state can be elicited on the potential candidates to be fielded in the elections.

These central leaders will then convey their opinion on the candidates who could be pitted against the Congress, to the high command.

The meeting is being considered significant — the central leaders may finally convey to former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar the sentiments of the BJP high command that he might have to contest from the Kangra Lok Sabha seat.

"Though Shanta ji had earlier announced that he would keep away from electoral politics, considering the emerging political scenario, he is probably the most formidable candidate the party can field," said a senior office-bearer. State BJP president Satpal Singh Satti confirmed that senior state and central leaders of the BJP will hold a meeting at Baddi.

"Discussions will obviously be held on the possible candidates, but we will also chalk out the election strategy and poll issues, since the Congress has been pushed on the defensive on the issue of corruption with the Chief Minister facing serious graft charges," said Satti. Party sources said the chances of the sitting MPs Virender Kashyap from Shimla and Anurag Thakur from Hamirpur, being fielded once again was almost certain.

"Shanta Kumar is certainly the party's first choice from Kangra, provided he agrees to contest, but the dilemma is in Mandi where the choice is once again limited to Jai Ram Thakur, Ajay Rana and Ram Swaroop," said a senior leader. He said chances to woo Himachal Lokhit Party leader and MLA Maheshwar Singh had now been practically ruled out though he had been approached initially.

Kullu, January 8
The Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP), a breakaway group of the BJP, is up in arms against the Congress government and has urged Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to clarify the latest graft allegations levelled against him by the BJP by initiating an inquiry.

After a meeting of the state working committee of the HLP here yesterday, state spokesperson Mahender Nath Sofat said, “Both the Congress and the BJP were involved in corrupt practices and raising allegations against each other.”

He confirmed that the HLP would contest all four parliamentary seats in Himachal Pradesh in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He said the party would create a third front and capture anti-Congress and anti-BJP votes in the state.

He said a statewide stir would be organised and public be made aware of the increased rates of electricity, recently installed faulty meters, increased bus fares, increase in taxes on commercial vehicles and similar agenda of non-friendly policies for a common man.

He said inline with the strategy adopted by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a referendum would be sought by conducting over 100 public meetings to decide the strategy for the Lok Sabha elections.

He added that the foundation day of the HLP would be celebrated in February at Kullu and indicated that candidates for the upcoming polls might be finalised on the occasion.

HLP vice-president Khushi Ram Balnatah, state treasurer Tikku Thakur, HLP Solan unit president Babu Ram Mandyal and Yuva Sena president Gaurav Sharma were present on the occasion.

Dharamsala, January 8
While demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh owing to serious corruption allegations against him, former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Shanta Kumar today said fight against corruption should not be reduced to fight between two families. He was indicating at the war of words going on between the families of former CM PK Dhumal and CM Virbhadra Singh.

Shanta Kumar was here to participate in a protest staged by the BJP seeking the resignation of Virbhadra Singh.

In case, the Chief Minister did not want to resign, the Congress high command should force him to resign, Shanta said.

He said on the one hand, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi was taking a tough stance on the issue of corruption, and on the other two party Chief Ministers, Virbhadra Singh and Ashok Chavan, Maharashtra CM, were facing serious corruption charges, but no action was initiated against them.

The BJP and the Congress today held parallel protests at Dharamsala.

While BJP leaders, led by Shanta Kumar and former ministers Kishan Kapoor and Ramesh Dhawala, protested outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office, Congress leaders protested at the Kachehri crossing.

While addressing the gathering, Shanta said people should vote against the Congress to save the country.

After the rally, the BJP leaders went to the Deputy Commissioner’s office to submit a memorandum. However, no official was present at the Mini Secretariat to accept the memorandum. The party leaders then pasted it at the main entrance of the Mini Secretariat.

The Congress workers, led by former MP Chander Kumar, Forest Corporation vice-president Kewal Singh Pathania, Youth Congress leader Raghuvir Singh Bali and son of Minister for Food and Civil Supplies GS Bali, were present during the protest.

They burnt the effigies of BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley, former Chief Minister PK Dhumal and BJP MP Anurag Thakur.

Shimla, January 8
The HP High Court today declined to implead Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, Balbir Singh Thakur, SP, Kangra, Sanjay Kumar, state Director-General of Police, and C Paulrasu, District Magistrate, Kangra, as respondents in the case filed by the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA).

While dismissing an application filed in this connection by the HPCA, a Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmed Mir and Justice Kuldip Singh observed: “Admittedly, the petitioners have sought writ of certiorari quashing orders/letters/communications issued on October, 26, 2013, made by the state authorities, which stands withdrawn and has lost life in its entirety. Thus, the writ petition, so far as it relates to the said prayer, has become virtually infructuous."

The court further added: “It is also apt to mention herein that the order made by the Registrar, Co-operative Society, is partly in favour of the petitioners and partly against them. It appears that is why the petitioners have not arrayed Registrar, Co-Operative Society, as party in person in the list nor have sought his impleadment in personal capacity on the ground of mala fide or he has acted under some instructions."

The court passed this order on an application filed by the HPCA wherein it had prayed that the court implead Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and other officers of the state as party respondent in the case filed by it against the state government's order for cancellation of leases granted to the HPCA on the ground that the entire state machinery is under influence of Virbhadra.

It may be mentioned here that the state government had withdrawn its order of October 26 of cancellation of leases granted to the HPCA. The HPCA contended that the Registrar, Cooperative Society, is acting on the command of the present Chief Minister, therefore, they are apprehending a biased decision.

The HPCA has, however, not sought impleading of the Registrar Cooperative Societies in his personal capacity. The state contended before the court that the petition has become infructuous as the relief claimed by the petitioner had already been granted by the government by withdrawing its earlier orders.

The court was urged to permit the Registrar to pass the final order against the statutory proceedings pending before him. It was contended that the allegations levelled by the petitioner were vague and without any specifications.

However, the court has allowed the application for amendment in the petition and granted three weeks time to HPCA to file an amended petition.

Shimla, January 8
On the issue of shifting of 43 officers of doubtful integrity from sensitive posts to non-sensitive ones, the state government has informed the HP High Court that it has shifted 33 officers to non-sensitive posts. One was acquitted by the court, eight were exonerated from the charges in departmental proceedings and one had retired.

The state had furnished this information by filing an affidavit in this regard, stating that all officers of doubtful integrity were transferred from sensitive posts and after perusing the same, a Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Kuldip Singh observed that all orders passed in the petition were complied with by the government.

In its earlier order, the court had directed the state to transfer 43 officers of doubtful integrity as early as possible and from sensitive posts to non-sensitive posts.

The court had directed the government to identify the posts in three weeks and shift such officers from sensitive posts. After recording the statement of the counsel for the state government that the state had complied with the court direction in this matter, the petition was disposed of.

Notably, former Drug Controller Sher Singh had approached the High Court against the departmental proceedings initiated by the government. The court enlarged the scope of this writ petition and directed the government to submit the list of officers of doubtful integrity.

Solan, January 8
The discontinuation of the Central Excise exemption, a major allurement of the Central industrial package, is being reflected in the industrial growth of the state as several units are winding up their operations.

The country’s second largest paint unit, Asian Paints (India) Limited, appears to have set the pace after closing its Baddi unit while several other units are following suit.

Investors had availed the benefit of the Central Excise exemption till March 2010 and all industries which were set up from January 2003 to March 2010 were exempted from paying this tax. This led to huge profits for the units in Himachal vis-à-vis their counterparts in the non-tax exempt states where the Central Excise ranging from six to 13 per cent was being paid.

With the 10-year period coming to an end, investors were seeing a little merit in staying in Himachal and paying the Central Excise at a rate of 13 per cent for food and other products and six per cent for pharmaceutical products.

With several units shifting their high value products to other states, the scope of expansion has reduced further.

Barely 14 new units had come forward to invest in the state in the past one year while 48 existing ones had sought approval for expanding their units.

While a key textile unit had postponed their Rs 50 crore investment plans and had shifted their proposed Rs 800 crore investment to Gujarat, the demand for industrial plots auctioned by the HP State Industrial Development Corporation had declined to a trickle.

The announcement of restoration of the transport subsidy and the Central investment subsidy for four years by Union Industries and Commerce Minister Anand Sharma had failed to be notified.

Investors were now waiting for some sops in the new industrial policy which the state government is likely to announce soon.

Sundernagar, January 8
After getting a cold response from the past governments, residents of eight panchayats under Sundernagar subdivision in Mandi district have again pinned their hopes on the Virbhadra Singh-led Congress government hoping that they will finally be declared as project-affected panchayats.

They are hopeful that the government will direct authorities of the ACC plant in Barmana to provide them facilities on the lines of project-affected residents in Bilaspur. Residents said they had been suffering for the past more than two decades ever since the plant was set up.

In the past also, residents had approached Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and PK Dhumal (during the previous BJP regime), wherein they had apprised them with the problems, but no action had been taken so far.

The eight panchayats, Sundernagar, Baroti, Dehar, Kangoo, Dhawal, Jarol, Slapper and Salwana, alleged that the cement plant was causing pollution in these areas. The resolution was also supported by the RTI information, which revealed that these panchayats were affected by the pollution caused by the ACC plant in Barmana.

The residents had written to the government that 22,000 residents (around 5,000 families) living in 31 villages of these panchayats were the worst affected due to pollution caused by the ACC cement factory and that they were suffering from various diseases as well, but the government never compensated them either by providing jobs in the factory or by extending health facilities.

It was further stated that nearly 9,000 domestic animals were also affected due to pollution.

It was further stated that the pollution caused by this plant was affecting areas of both Bilaspur and Mandi districts, but no facilities were given to residents of Mandi district. The effect on pollution could not be area wise, they further rued.

The officer-bearers of the Maa Sheetla ACC Affected Transport Committee, including Sunder Lal, Dillip Kumar, Jai Lal, Balbir Singh, Prem Singh, Khem Raj, Shyam Lal, Chander Mani, Amarjeet, Roop Lal and Vijay Kumar, urged the government to stop the step-motherly treatment being meted out to them. They further urged the CM to issue necessary directions so that the affected families could be benefited at par with residents of Bilaspur district.

Nahan, January 8
The BJP today took out a protest march from Hindu ashram to the Deputy Commissioner’s office and handed over a memorandum to ADM Manmohan Sharma against price rise and corruption.

The march was a part of their statewide agitation where different district factions were protesting against the ruling Congress and pressing for the demand of seeking the Chief Minister’s resignation.

BJP leaders, including MP Vimla Kashyap, MLAs Dr Rajiv Bindal and Baldev Tomar, district president Sukhram and others, raised slogans against the Congress.

Seeking, Virbhadra’s resignation, the protesting leaders said the Chief Minister had lost the moral right to remain in power as several cases of corruption had surfaced him and his family members in the past few days.

The leaders said the common man was facing the heat of massive price rise while the ruling government was behaving like an Opposition and burning effigies while failing to address crucial issues concerning the common man.

Dr Bindal said all developmental works had come to a halt as the ruling government was focusing its attention in settling political scores.

He said the fact that the Chief Minister had hidden the fact of having taken loan worth crore of rupees from an investor in his election affidavit spoke volumes about his misconduct.

Bilaspur, January 8
The foundation plate of Government Senior Secondary School, Tarwaad, near Naina Devi, went missing after which Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders condemned the incident terming it as a work of some anti-social elements.

Led by district general secretary Ram Kumar Sharma, a number of prominent BJP leaders, including state executive member Ranjeet Singh Thakur and gram panchayat vice-president Nand Lal and other leaders, including Mast Ram, Shrawan Singh, Bhisham Chand and Budhi Ram, the leaders alleged that some people were unable to bear the development works carried out by the BJP government and that the act was “political mischief”.

They said the foundation of two rooms of the school was laid by MP Anurag Thakur and local BJP MLA Randhir Sharma last year only.

They urged the district administration to get the culprits hauled up. 

Una, January 8
The Himotkarsh Parishad, a voluntary organisation of the region, yesterday announced a list of 549 students who had been shortlisted for scholarships totalling Rs 4.45 lakh.

The parishad organises written examinations for students of Classes VIII to X and merit-cum-economic status forms the criteria for qualifying for these annual scholarships.

Himotkarsh chairman Kanwar Hari Singh said the examinations were conducted in six districts of the state on November 24, 2013, in which 21,854 students had appeared. In addition, 222 other meritorious students would be given silver medals at the parishad’s district-level annual functions. — OC

Kullu January 8
A woman alleged that she was raped by three persons near Doghari village, 30 km from here.

In a complaint to the police yesterday, she said she was abducted by two men while she was coming towards Kullu on January 3. The two men Devi Singh and accomplice Yog Raj forcibly took her in a vehicle to Yog Raj’s place and raped her, she informed.

She further alleged that another person Dhyan Chand raped her en route to Manali the next day and dropped her on the roadside after committing the crime.

Sanjay Sharma, DSP, Kullu, said the medical examination confirmed that the woman was sexually assaulted. A case was registered. 

Kangra, January 8
Three persons were killed while 11 others were injured in separate road mishaps during the past 24 hours.

The police said Shiva of Nepal died after the tractor he was driving rolled down a gorge at Ghar Basti. Another person identified as Ravi Kumar of Cham Ghera (Nepal) was also injured in the mishap.

They were rushed to the Tanda hospital, where Shiva was declared brought dead.

In another incident, the police said a van ferrying nine persons rolled down a 300-ft gorge at Soltu last evening leaving two persons dead and seven injured. Three of the injured were brought to Tanda hospital. Narup Guleria SHO police station, Suinta, said the other injured were sent to other hospitals. He said those killed have been identified as Hans Raj and Milki Ram both of Malwa.

He said the three injured have been identified as Manohar Lal, Pankaj Lal and Raniya Singh of Malwa.

Meanwhile, three persons, including a 9-year-old boy Sahil, were injured in three different road accidents under Shahpur Police station, police said. 

Chamba, January 8
Two persons were killed and seven others seriously injured when a private van veered off the road and plunged into a gorge near Chhontlu Mor on the Chhuala-Malwan link road in Chamba district last evening, according to a police report received here today.

The report said nine persons of the local area were travelling in the ill-fated car. Two persons succumbed to their injuries at the Primary Health Centre (PHC), Samot. The deceased were identified as Milkhi Ram and Hans Raj.

Three seriously injured Manohar Lal, Pankaj and Rania Ram had been referred to the DRPGMC, Tanda. The treatment of other injured Manoj, Gaurav, Rajeev and the driver was going on at the PHC, Samot.

Officials of the local administration had rushed to the accident site and an immediate relief had been disbursed to the next of kin of the deceased and injured, the report said.

SP Jagat Ram said police officials were on the job.