Shimla, January 10
The government may finally do away with the Himachal Pradesh Apartment and Property (Regulation) Act by introducing a Bill in the budget session of the Assembly so as to merge it with the HP Town and Country Planning Act 1977.

Even though it has been over two years since the select committee of the Vidhan Sabha had recommended that the HP Apartment and Property (Regulation) Act 2005 Act should either be repealed or merged with the TCP Act, no action was taken either by the BJP or the Congress regime. The Congress regime now proposes to introduce a Bill in the Assembly which will finally merge the two overlapping Acts.

The Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department is now preparing the proposed amendments so that the Apartment Act can finally be done away with. "Since the Apartment Act was overlapping with the TCP Act, the regulations required to control commercial construction activity will now be incorporated into the TCP Act," said an official.

The TCP Department has proposed that the task of regulating the construction of apartments by promoters be entrusted to an agency such as the Himachal Pradesh Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) by strengthening it.

The draft proposal lays stress on strengthening grassroots and local bodies, as envisaged in the73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments.

After the merger, anyone wanting to construct more than eight flats will have to register themselves as builders and take permission under the provisions for making an apartment.

With a lot of construction activity taking place in towns such as Solan, Parwanoo, Baddi, Kasauli and parts of Shimla district, there will be need to regulate it.

The one-man inquiry commission on "benaami" land transactions set up by the BJP regime had also recommended that the Apartment Act should be scrapped as it was being misused widely. It had also maintained that the government should either implement Section 118 of the Tenancy and Land Reforms Act in letter and spirit or repeal it.

In harshly worded remarks, the commission had observed that a majority of builders were creating a concrete jungle and spoiling the natural environment. It had suggested that the Apartment Act be withdrawn immediately and all construction activities and control be handed over to HIMUDA.

The Apartment Act was meant to regulate colonies and property transactions, check haphazard construction, undertake registration of promoters and promote construction, sale, transfer and management of apartments on an ownership basis. With gross violations taking place, it was felt that the Act should be scrapped and merged with the TCP Act.

Baddi, January 10
The BJP’s core committee on Friday decided to highlight the issue of corruption involving Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh at the national level and expose the 'large scale corruption' prevailing in the Congress’ one-year rule in the state.

Besides, the state BJP intends to put up a grand show by ensuring presence of at least 2 lakh persons on the occasion of BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's rally slated to be held on February 16 at Sujanpur in Hamirpur.

This was stated by the BJP's state president Satpal Satti on the occasion of the two-day meeting of the party's frontal organisations and core group which began here today.

Shanta Kumar, national vice-president and JP Nadda, national general secretary, were absent. Nadda said his absence at the meeting was owing to the BJP's Parliamentary Board meet being organised today.

The two-day meet convened to discuss the modalities of the rally and other poll-related issues, largely focuses on Kangra, with news of the resignation of the Kangra MP Rajan Shushant pouring in.

Satti told mediapersons that office-bearers of all six frontal organisations had been directed to gear up for this rally and besides ensuring the presence of BJP activists, they should mobilise other people for this rally as Modi had been drawing crowds from various sections of the society during his rallies.

Directing heads of various frontal organisations from the state and districts including Mahila Morcha, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, SC/ST Morcha, Kisan Morcha, Minorities Morcha and the Schedule Tribes Morcha to pitch in with their best efforts for this rally, Satti said crucial issues like large-scale corruption plaguing the state government's one-year rule would be exposed before the public.

Satti said no discussion on the names of candidates for the four Parliamentary polls form part of the meeting as it was not an apt platform for it.

Heads of various frontal organisations were directed to strengthen their party at the grassroots level and also asked to propagate the party's policies and the large-scale corruption of the ruling Congress among the masses in an effective manner so as to build a conducive atmosphere for the general elections in favour of the BJP.

Former Chief Minister and Opposition leader PK Dhumal said the Chief Minister had failed to step down despite being involved in corruption. He added that the party would continue to expose the large-scale corruption prevailing in the state before the masses. He said the more than 10-year rule of the Congress at the Centre was steeped in corruption and people were fed up with the anti-people policies of the Congress.

The crucial core group meeting began in the evening and was attended by Khimi Ram, Jairam Thakur, Suresh Bhardwaj , Suresh Chandel, former Chief Minister PK Dhumal, state party in-charge Balbir Punj, Dr Rajiv Bindal, Vipin Parmar, Randhir Sharma and Pawan Rana.

A meeting of the extended core group comprising office-bearers of the state BJP will be held tomorrow.

Shimla, January 10
The cold wave engulfed several parts of the state with icy winds sweeping lower areas, as the mercury dipped by a few notches hovering around sub-zero temperatures.

The sky was overcast in Shimla and surrounding areas received light snowfall, while weather remained mainly dry in the rest of the state, a Met official said.

Higher reaches and tribal areas shivered as the mercury dropped by a few notches after mild snowfall with Bharmaur in Chamba recording a low of -13.1° C.

Keylong and Kalpa in tribal districts of Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur recorded minimum temperatures at -10.1°C and -6.4°C, a drop of three degrees since yesterday, followed by Manali at -2.4°C, Dalhousie at -2°C and Solan at -0.5°C.

Shimla remained in the grip of severe cold with the minimum temperature further dropping to 0.4°C, while Sundernagar and Una recorded a low of 1.1°C and 1.3°C, followed by Bhuntar at 2°C, Palampur at 4°C, Nahan at 4.4°C and Dharamsala at 5.6°C.

The mercury swayed between -14°C and -24°C in high altitude tribal areas.

The maximum temperature also dropped marginally and Una was hottest with a high of 19.2°C, while Nahan and Sundernagar recorded maximum temperatures at 16.4°C and 15.6°C, followed by Solan at 15°C and Bhuntar at 14.8°C.

The Met office has predicted dry weather over the next three days. — PTI

Shimla, January 10
The HP High Court today held that the occupant of a vehicle is covered in the comprehensive insurance policy.

The Acting Chief Justice, Mansoor Ahmed Mir, further observed that if the policy is a “Comprehensive/Package Policy”, the liability would be covered and the insurance company is liable to pay the compensation in motor accident case. A “comprehensive/package policy” would cover the liability of the insurer for payment of compensation for the occupant in a car.

The court passed this order on an appeal filed by an insurance company challenging the order passed by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT), Chamba, vide which it had saddled the liability on the insurance company and directed it to pay the awarded amount to the dependents of the deceased.

According to the case, the deceased Dharam Pal Dogra, who was an employee of the National Hydro Electric Power Corporation (NHPC), died in a vehicular accident caused by the driver of the official vehicle of the company in which he was travelling at the time of the accident. The dependents of the deceased had filed a claim petition before the MACT, Chamba.

The MACT had awarded Rs 43,62,858 with interest in favour of the claimants/dependents and directed the insurance firm to pay the same to the claimants. The insurance company then filed an appeal before the High Court on the ground that the deceased was an NHPC employee and was not covered as per the insurance policy as the same was “Act Policy”.

On the other hand, the counsel for the NHPC contended before the court that the insurance policy was comprehensive policy and it covered the risk of the occupants too.

Dismissing the appeal of the insurance company, the court upheld the order of the MACT and directed the insurer to deposit the entire award amount/balance amount within six weeks before the Registrar of the court. The court also directed the Registrar to release the awarded amount in favour of the claimants and the mother of the deceased.

Shimla, January 10
Gulnaz, mother of two minors below five years of age, who was admitted to the Civil Hospital Solan with septic abortion on December 19 last, died at 6.30 am at the ICU of the Indira Gandhi Medical College today. A hospital source says the death could have been due to septicaemia.

Dr Rajesh Kaushik, a deputy director at the agriculture department and Ajaj Srivastva, chairman, Umang Foundation, an NGO here, who have assisted the carpenter couple during the treatment, demanded an inquiry into the death of the Gulnaz as she developed complication after abortion and vasectomy at the civil hospital Solan.

They accused the gynaecologist who operated upon Gulnaz, of medical negligence and wrote a letter to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh demanding an inquiry into her death. Medical superintendent of Solan Civil Hospital Dr Yashwant Verma denied any medical negligence in the case. "Gulnaz came to the hospital 15 days after she had a septic abortion. Her uterus had puss and she was later referred to IGMC as she developed septicaemia," he added.

She was admitted at the Solan hospital on December 23 and remained under treatment from there till December 27 as she developed complications, said Kaushik.

Gulnaz was discharged that day and was readmitted to the Civil Hospital on January 7 as her condition deteriorated, he charged. She was referred first to the Kamla Nehru Hospital at 3 pm; she was treated for draining of puss from the stomach, said the doctors. She was referred to the IGMC the next day as she showed no sign of recovery. She was admitted to the ICU of IGMC where she was put on ventilator since then.

She died today at 6.30 am, said Dr Ramesh Chand, senior medical superintendent, IGMC. She probably died of septicaemia as she showed no sign of improvement, he added.

Panchrukhi (Dharamsala), January 10
"I favour ration cards in the names of either heads of families or men but I am helpless as an Act making women heads of families under the PDS scheme has been passed in Parliament,” said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh while addressing a public rally here today.

He was speaking on the opposition being faced by the state government for asking the people to make new ration cards in the names of women.

He said the move had been initiated by the state government as the Act had been passed in Parliament and the Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj supported the government's move to make women the heads of families for the PDS scheme. However, the scheme had been implemented, the BJP was misguiding the people regarding it, the CM said.

He also alleged that whatever discrepancies were being reported in the PDS system were due to the previous BJP government as it had allotted most of the PDS shops to its workers. These workers were not picking ration from government godowns. The government was planning cancelling the licences of such depot holders, he said.

He further said the state government had extended the food security scheme for all residents. The state government was giving a subsidy of Rs 300 crore.

People in the rural areas and even those present in the rally of the Chief Minister were voicing their concern against the government move to shift the ration cards in the names of women. The women from the rural areas were against the move as they said it would force them to go to PDS shops to collect ration whereas the task was earlier performed by the men in their families.

Minister for food and Civil Supplies GS Bali, who was also present at the rally, justified the government move. He said the move was in consonance with the Congress policy for women empowerment.

Sensing that the Centre was considering giving relief to people on LPG cylinders, Bali said he acknowledged the problems being faced by people due to costly LPG and its linkage with Aadhaar cards. The CM would write to the government for relaxing the pricing and limit of nine LPG cylinders for the people.

Most of the leaders who addressed the rally in Jaisinghpur defended the Chief Minister against the corruption charges levelled against him and his family. Chander Kumar, former MP and vice-president of the HPCC and Chairman of the Kangra Cooperative Bank Jagdish Sapiaya alleged that the BJP had launched a false propaganda against Virbhadra Singh.

On the demand from Yadvinder Goma from Jaisinghpur, the CM announced to open sub-tehsil at Panchrukhi and takeover of private college being run in Shivpur of the Jaisinghpur constituency. He also announced the upgrading of various schools on the demand of the local Congress MLA.

Palampur January 10
Shanta Kumar, former Chief Minister and MP, today said political parties should not be afraid of the Aam Aadmi Party headed by Arvind Kejriwal. He said many new parties had emerged but failed to make a big dent.

Addressing mediapersons here today, Shanta Kumar said even political parties headed by individuals or families had suffered setbacks many times and they were rejected by people after their performance was watched.

He said Kejriwal had led a number of movements concerning the problems of common man in New Delhi which benefited him, but he was a national leader.

Shanta Kumar said the political scenario of the country was entirely different today as AAP had no mass base in the country. It would not be able to compete with the BJP, he maintained. He said Kejriwal could pull crowds in New Delhi but had no roots in the rural areas which was a major vote bank.

He said by wearing AAP caps, the party could not establish contact in the state. It needed a sincere team of party workers and leaders, which AAP lacked in Himachal. He categorically stated that no one could stop Narendra Modi from becoming the Prime Minister. He had addressed hundreds of public meetings which had witnessed large crowds.

Solan, January 10
Sushma Sharma, BJP councillor from ward number 2 in Solan, today accused Vijay Kumar alias Munia of threatening her on the phone for making inquiries about the grant of a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to a six-storey building raised in her ward. She filed a complaint with the police.

According to the complainant, she received a call from Munia who asked her not to discuss this matter in the Municipal Committee or she would have to face the music. The building is owned by a Congress leader and Munia looks after his property-related issues.

Sushma rued that she received 25 calls today and she and her family were feeling threatened as Munia had allegedly conveyed to her that the property belonged to influential people. Six storyes of the building had been raised in violation of the exiting norms of three plus one and the councillor was raising objection to the NOC to this building. Additional SP Padam Chand said the complaint had been received by them and they were examining it. Both parties had been called in the police station later in the evening to sort out the matter.

Kangra, January 10
Muskan, a Class X student of GAV Public School, Kangra, has won the Multiple Choice Competition.

The contest was organised by Vivekananda Kendra, a spiritually oriented service mission, on December 22 in which 3,000 students from nearly 30 schools of the district participated.

Disclosing this here, convener Vivekananda Kendra PR Agnihotri said the competition was organised to make students fit for national-level competitions. He said students had to attempt 200 questions in two hours on OMR sheets. He said from Class IX Mayank, Pragati and Shivani, all from GAV, Kangra, bagged the first three positions, respectively. From Class X Muskan (GAV), Aerin (Green Field, Nagrota Bagwan) and Ayush (GAV) bagged the first three positions, respectively.

From Class XI, Vaibhav (GAV), Sourab (Green Field, Nagrota Bagwan) and Parneet (GAV) bagged the first three positions, respectively. From Class XII, Anindya (DAV, Palampur) and Sonali and Paras of GAV Kangra came second and third, respectively.

Agnihotri said all 12 students would be honoured on January 12 at DRPGMC, Tanda, on the occasion of the 151st birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

Nurpur January 10
The Kangra District Chemists and Druggists Association, led by its district general secretary Chandreshwar Gupta, met Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh here yesterday and apprised him of the repercussions of the new medicine policy of the state government, under which only generic medicines would be made available at government civil hospitals, Jan Ayushadhi stores and civil supply corporation shops.

The association also submitted a memorandum to the CM and lamented that if the policy was implemented, around 11,000 chemists across the state would be rendered jobless.

“Apart from this, their medicine stocks worth crores of rupees will expire causing a huge financial loss,” they rued.

The association pleaded that the chemists contributed nearly Rs 125 crore to the state exchequer annually through the Value Added Tax. It urged the CM to review the policy.

Sundernagar January 10
Additional District and Sessions Judge (II), Mandi, PP Ranta, convicted Pradeep Kumar, a resident of Kalari village in Bilaspur district, under Sections 18 and 20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and sentenced him to undergo rigorous imprisonment of 10 years with a fine of Rs 1.3 lakh here yesterday.

The court ordered that in default of payment of fine, the accused has to serve an additional imprisonment of one-and-a-half years.

The court also convicted co-accused Rohit Gautam of Gur Bazaar (Chhatrata) area of Amritsar in Punjab and sentenced him to undergo three years rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 20,000.

Aut area police team had arrested the accused from Largee Dam area and recovered 1.5 kg charas (cannabis) and 525 gm opium from Pradeep and 100-gm opium from Rohit Gautam on August 15, 2010. Eight witnesses were examined during the trial.

Nurpur, January 10
Former pradhan of Kandwal gram panchayat Narinder Kumar was attacked by a group of truck drivers at Kandwal here yesterday. He was seriously injured and rushed to the Civil Hospital where he is still under treatment.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajiv Atre said following the statement of the victim the police had registered an FIR under Sections 147, 149 and 323 of the IPC against three truck drivers. While two drivers Kulbir Singh and Amir Singh had been arrested, the third one was still absconding.

The victim told the police that he was attacked with iron rods when he went to save his brother Tilak Raj, who had a narrow escape as he fell after being hit by a truck.

Shimla, January 10
The High Court today accorded a warm send-off to Justice DD Sud and Justice Kuldip Singh, who will demit office on February 18, and January 17, respectively.

It is for the first time that two judges of the High Court have been accorded farewell on the same day, as their dates of demitting office are falling during the winter vacation, which would begin from January 11 till February 22.

Both judges were given a full court address in the court of the Chief Justice. The acting Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir, Justices Sanjay Karol, Rajiv Sharma, VK Sharma and DC Chaudhary were present. Registrar General AC Dogra conducted the proceedings.

The acting Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir hailed both retiring judges for having sterling qualities, legal acumen and skill, who neither feared nor favoured anyone. In his address, Justice DD Sud and Justice Kuldip Singh thanked their predecessors, the Chief Justice, judges and colleagues of the Bar and other staff members for their valuable guidance and cooperation.

Advocate General and Chairman of the HP Bar Council Shrawan Dogra, President of the High Court Bar Association Ashwani Pathak and Assistant Solicitor General of India Sandeep Sharma also spoke on the occasion. HP State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission chairman Surjit Singh, retired HC judges KC Sood, AK Goel, Surinder Singh Thakur and other registrars Sureshwar Thakur, Sushil Kukreja, KS Chandel and Arvind Malhotra along with members of the Bar and the staff were also present.

Shimla, January 10
Expressing happiness that Himachal Pradesh was fast emerging as a favourite destination for investors due to availability of cheap and uninterrupted power supply, Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri today said big industrial houses such as Vardhman and Tata have expressed their willingness to invest in state.

He was addressing the media in Chandigarh today. Agnihotri said the state has made it mandatory to give approval to projects attracting investors to the state within 90 days. He said it was being assumed that investment would be affected due to withdrawal of Special Industrial Package, but with concerted efforts of the state government, the investment was constantly increasing.

He said three new industrial areas worth Rs 100 crore each were being developed in state. Besides, the state government was making efforts for developing infrastructural facilities and setting up projects in different areas, he said, adding that a high-level meeting with Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma would be held on January11 in this regard.

He hoped that issues such as giving early approval to important projects would be taken up at the meet along with other pending issues.

Replying to a question regarding present political scenario in state, Agnihotri said: “If anybody has any evidence against Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, he should file a complaint with the Lokayukta.” He said the Opposition was levelling false allegations against the CM due to their frustration from development works being carried out in state.