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Dharamsala civic body chief rejoins BJP
Lease for mega tool room at Baddi finalised
Campaigning hots up in Una
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HC sends defamation case against CM back to trial court
Shanta Kumar blames UPA for corruption, rising inflation
National conference on climate change ends
Suspense over
BJP, AAP candidates
Karcham Wangtoo samiti submits memo to govt
No HLP leader joining BJP, says Maheshwar
Cong indulging in vote bank politics: Dhumal
‘Rahul ignorant of real issues’
‘Friend’ remark by Anurag irks Sukhu
2,557 vehicles challaned during Hola Mohalla fair
Power project opposed
Two arrested for abusing minors
Couple, newborn killed in accident
One dies of snakebite in Nurpur Three held with 250 gm charas Dental college holds function
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Dharamsala civic body chief rejoins BJP
Dharamsala, March 21 Patial was ousted from the BJP owing to her differences with former minister Kishan Kapoor. Patial was denied the ticket during the last MC election. She then contested as an Independent and won. During the last Assembly elections also, Patial initially tried for the BJP ticket from Dharamsala. After being denied the party ticket, she contested as an Independent and polled more than 3,000 votes. Patial has a strong following among the Gaddi community in the Dharamsala region. Her decision to contest election as an Independent was said to be one of the reasons that led to the defeat of BJP candidate Kishan Kapoor in the last Assembly elections from Dharamsala. Sources here said deliberations for inducting Patial back into the BJP had been going on since long. However, her entry was being resisted by the local unit of the BJP owing allegiance to Kishan Kapoor. Now Shanta Kumar has persuaded Kishan Kapoor to accept Patial back into the party. Amar Dass Prohit is another BJP leader who contested as an Independent during the last Assembly elections owing to his differences with Kishan Kapoor. He had polled more than 1,000 votes. With the induction of the leaders, almost all BJP rebels during the last Assembly elections have returned to the party fold. The prominent among them included Rakesh Pathania from Nurpur, Naveen Dhiman from Pragpur, Ravi Dhiman, Sanjay Guleria from Nagrota Surian and Dullo Ram, former vice-president of the HLP. A prominent Congress rebel from Nagrota Bagwan, Arun Mehra, will also join the BJP. These rebels are likely to boost the chances of Shanta Kumar in the elections. Shanta Kumar also said the maximum number of rebels had rejoined the BJP in Kangra owing to the efforts of the party. Asked as to why such efforts were not made during the last Assembly poll, Shanta Kumar said weakness was from both sides. He also admitted that the rebels led to the debacle of the BJP during the last Assembly elections. The two major rebels of the BJP, Pawan Kajal, an Independent MLA from Kangra, and Manohar Dhiman, an Independent MLA from Indora, have already become associate members of the Congress in the Assembly. Advantage BJP
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Lease for mega tool room at Baddi finalised
Solan, March 21 The state government has already signed a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with the ministry where the land was given for 95 years on a token lease. The ministry will now initiate the process of setting up a technology centre and the project will take at least two years for being set up. This will make available various facilities such as product development interventions like design innovations, value engineering and material substitution to investors. Skill upgrade, which can lead to sustainable development of manpower, process development, improvement of production technology and consultancy services are chief features of the tool room. As the small scale sector cannot invest in captive tool rooms, this centre will help them compete with national and international players, opines Arun
Rawat, president of the Himachal chapter of the Confederation of Indian Industries. It will improve the competitiveness of small and micro sector enterprises by making available quality tools and testing facilities at reasonable rates and promote the growth of the
SMSEs, adds Rawat. A training centre to cater to the needs of manpower will be an integral part of this centre which will conduct various
diploma and certificate courses in tool engineering. It will enhance the skills of industrial
labourers, besides helping in upgrading the existing courses at the various
ITIs. Earlier, a mini tool room was being set up at an estimated cost of Rs 18.83 crore, but this was later converted into a mega
tool room on the intervention of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh when he was the Union
MSME Minister. Director, Industries, Rajinder Singh, while throwing light on the
project, said the mega tool room would provide a common facility centre to small and
medium industries. It would help in designing, development and manufacturing of quality tools and components,
project consultancy, skill development in the area of engineering and allied fields. It would enhance
the competitiveness of MSMEs and improve the skills of labourers, he added. |
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Campaigning hots up in Una
Una, March 21 Dhumal said sitting BJP MP Anurag Thakur had worked tirelessly for the Hamirpur parliamentary segment. He appealed to people to vote in favour of the BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. On the occasion, former Zila Parishad vice-chairman Ram Lok, who had contested the last Assembly election from Chintpurni as a BJP rebel, returned to the party fold along with his supporters. The former CM charged that the Congress image had nosedived during the last five years. He asked Virbhadra Singh to come out clean on allegations of corruption and money laundering against him and his family members. Congress candidate Rajinder Rana too began his campaign from the Haroli Assembly segment. He addressed corner meetings at 14 places and appealed to people to vote for the Congress to give the country stability. Calling Anurag Thakur a high-profile leader with low degree of public interaction, he said the BJP leader had failed to address burning issues of the segment. Rana said it was not proper for the BJP candidate to make promises of laying new rail lines and initiating new projects, while he had remained silent on these issues as an MP. Moreover, he said the BJP had remained in power for a full five-year term in Himachal Pradesh when Anurag Thakur was the MP and his father the Chief Minister. "Anurag Thakur should have initiated projects during that period," he said. Industry Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said the BJP top brass was a divided lot and under these circumstances. Narendra Modi could never be the country’s Prime Minister. He said the people had discarded the BJP about 15 months ago and Anurag Thakur could be seen only on television screens with Bollywood stars or cricketing bodies.
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HC sends defamation case against CM back to trial court
Shimla, March 21 Justice Dharam Chand Chaudhary passed this order on two separate petitions filed by Katwal challenging the judgments passed by the Sessions Court, Una, by which the orders passed by the Judicial Magistrate to issue summons to Virbhadra Singh in two separate defamation cases were
quashed. Katwal, who remained member of HPSSSB from 1998-2000 and chairman from 2000 to August 2003, had filed criminal defamation case in the Court of the Judicial Magistrate, Una, alleging he was defamed by the speeches made by Virbhadra Singh during public meetings at Rohara and Kotla during by-elections alleging sale of government jobs to persons from outside the state by the
HPSSSB. The Court of Judicial Magistrate issued summons to Virbhadra Singh on August 16, 2005. In response to the summons, Virbhadra Singh filed a revision petition in the Sessions Court which quashed the Judicial Magistrate's orders on the ground that the complainant could not be called the person aggrieved as the imputation at the most could be said to be against the board and that too when the complainant was not the chairman of the
board. Katwal challenged the order of the Session Court in the High Court, submitting that the Revision Court had discussed the evidence like a trial court at the final stage, whereas the pre-charge evidence was yet to be led and the whole evidence was to be considered at the stage of framing charges and that the board
(HPSSSB) was a collection of persons and its defamation was also defamation of its members and the chairman and
that no fresh recommendation/selection was made by the board after his chairmanship to the date of statement made by Virbhadra Singh. Sending back the matter to the Judicial Magistrate Court Una, Justice Dharam Chand Chaudhary observed that "the Revisional Court has a limited jurisdiction to see if there is a legal bar against continuance of criminal proceedings or framing of charges. At the stage of issuing processes (summons), the magistrate is only required to be prima facie satisfied qua existence of sufficient grounds to proceed against accused and detailed discussion of merits and demerits of the case is not required at this stage. Therefore, the Sessions Court was not justified in quashing the orders of the Magistrate Court and discussing the evidence like final stage of the case." The court directed that the records of the case be sent back to trial court for further proceedings. |
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Differences in Cong over Rana to fore
Shimla, March 21 The fact that the issue was raised before Rahul yesterday indicates that a section of the party men is yet to come to terms with the fact that Rana, a hardcore BJP man, has been given the Congress ticket. It was Sunil Sharma, general secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee, and loyalist of the state Congress president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, who posed this question to Rahul. The fact that the Congress is to take on not just sitting MP and now BJP nominee Anurag Thakur, but also his father PK Dhumal, a two-time Chief Minister, makes the task of winning Hamirpur even more onerous. Even slight fissures in the Congress could give the BJP a clear advantage. With campaigning having begun and polling scheduled for May 7, the Congress will have to be united. Sukhu, who was opposed to Rana's candidature, had said the Congress would work wholeheartedly for ensuring its victory in Hamirpur. Rana's victory could hinge on aggressive campaigning by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, but if the rank and file of the party organisation is found wanting, the prospects of the Congress nominee would be affected. Virbhadra Singh, who managed to get the ticket for Rana despite stiff opposition from Sukhu, has all along maintained that he was the best available option with the Congress. Rana, who was an associate member of the Congress in the Assembly, resigned as an MLA from Sujanpur in Hamirpur before being fielded by the Congress. The stakes are no less for the state Congress chief Sukhu as the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat is his home constituency. He might have lost the Assembly election himself in the 2012 Assembly poll, but now, the situation is different, with he being the state president. The Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat has five Assembly segments falling in Hamirpur district, five in Una, four in Bilaspur, two in Kangra and one Assembly constituency of Dharampur in Mandi. |
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Shanta Kumar blames UPA for corruption, rising inflation
Palampur, March 21 He said voters should keep in mind that the country's stability was important. He categorically stated that in the current political scenario, only the NDA could give a stable government headed by Narendra
Modi. He regretted that the 10-year tenure of the UPA was the worst for the nation as the government ruined the country because of its faulty planning and wrong policies. He said despite considerable increase in the direct and indirect revenue receipts in the country, development activities remained at a standstill. A number of programmes launched for the benefit of poor and economically weaker sections failed because of rampant corruption and lack of proper implementation. He said over 100 major infrastructure development projects taken up in the country by different agencies like the National Highways Authority of India were hanging fire and official bottlenecks or court cases affecting the nation's growth. He said there was no shortage of funds for these projects but the UPA had no political and administrative
will. Shanta Kumar criticised the state government for its failures in the past one year of its rule. He said during the Assembly elections in the state last year, the Congress had made tall promises with the voters, but today, there was no one to listen to them. He said important towns like Palampur had been facing a step-motherly treatment from the state government. He added that owing to internal party bickering, development activities had come to a standstill, roads were full of potholes, power failure had become a routine and the public distribution system had virtually collapsed. |
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National conference on climate change ends
Kangra, March 21 Prof Timothy highlighted the role of developing infrastructural facilities and disruptive technology on climate change. He said global warming could be avoided by using multi-disciplinary approach for sustainable development. New media technologies could play a better role to make people aware about environmental degradation. He highlighted the pros and cons of green revolution, mobile phones and increasing infrastructural facilities leading to climate
change. CUHP Vice-Chancellor Prof Furqan Qamar said to save humans from the disaster there was a need for an interactive discussion on all platforms. Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof Yoginder S Verma highlighted the importance of theme of climate change in the present changing climate. Prof VC Tewari from Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology mentioned different proxies of
paleo-climate and mentioned changes with geological time scale. Prof AK
Mahajan, chairman, ICHE-14 and Dean, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, stressed the importance of climate change in Himalayan region and mentioned latest facilities available in the department for dealing with the
phenomenon. YS Verma said 40 scientists, academicians and students participated in the two-day conference from
JNU, WIHG, BSIP, NIH, CU Jammu, Garhwal University and India Mariology Department, Chandigarh, to discuss issues related to paleoclimate and recent climate changes. |
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Suspense over
BJP, AAP candidates Dharam Prakash Gupta Tribune News Service
Mandi, March 21 In the absence of nod from the BJP high command, all aspirants are busy convincing the leadership to seek the ticket and party leaders and workers are in a wait-and-watch mode. Congress candidate Pratibha Singh has also yet to rev up her campaign. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who had held several programmes last month in Mandi, had been busy for All-India Congress Committee president Rahul Gandhi's rally in Dharamsala, yesterday. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had started a process to select candidates some time back and had interviewed several aspirants, has not announced its candidate yet. The state unit of Himachal Lokhit (HLP) Party, after announcing its support to Aam Aadmi Party candidates, is still waiting for the announcement of the AAP candidate. It's only CPM candidate Kushal Bhardwaj who had been campaigning for the last two months. The BJP high command is reportedly weighing different options and still busy in deciding candidates for other states, which will go to the polls in the first phase.
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Karcham Wangtoo samiti submits memo to govt
Shimla, March 21 In the memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, the samiti said as per the Central Electricity Authority, the cost of the project was fixed at Rs 6,903 crore and the company had to pay 1.5 per cent as its share under LADA that came to Rs 103.35 crore. But the company raised objections claiming that the LADA fund amounted to Rs 86.11 crore, not Rs 103.35 crore as per the minutes of the meeting held in February 2014, claimed the samiti. The samiti members said none of the officials present in the state Cabinet meeting on February 14, 2012, raised an objection as to why the company was not willing to deposit Rs 103.35 crore. “We demand an inquiry into this as it will not compensate farmers who suffer loss to their crops and the environment,” said Ranjit Negi, the convener of the samiti. |
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No HLP leader joining BJP, says Maheshwar
Shimla, March 21 "How can the BJP, whose own house is in disorder with senior leader Lal Krishan Advani not happy with Modi, talk about HLP men joining them," he told The Tribune. Maheshwar reiterated that none of the district unit leaders, Ninju Ram and Chet Ram Negi
from Kinnaur, have left the party. On the other hand, the BJP is mounting pressure on Maheshwar Singh to isolate him in the HLP, revealed BJP sources. This would force him to merge with the BJP and making him the party candidate from Mandi, sources added. According to party sources, two BJP men on the job are BJP state president Satpal Satti and former state president and Seraj legislator Jai Ram Thakur. Khushi Ram Balnata had met them after he was removed by Maheshwar Singh. But HLP workers said the merger of the HLP with the BJP would be the end of the road for Maheshwar Singh as he faced a formidable challenge from Pratibha Singh, who had defeated BJP candidate Jai Ram Thakur in the Mandi bypoll by over 1.36 lakh votes in 2013. |
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Cong indulging in vote bank politics: Dhumal
Shimla, March 21 In a statement issued here today, Dhumal said he had been raising the issue of paucity of teaching staff and other infrastructure time and again. “The High Court verdict is a clear indication that the state government is indulging in vote-bank politics and not serious about providing education to every child,” he said. He said the norms for opening new schools and upgrading existing ones was being flouted with impunity by the Congress regime. “The announcement to provide Rs 5 crore for the opening of new colleges has become a joke as the state of affairs was pitiable. The colleges even lack basic facilities,”
he said. Dhumal said the BJP had always shied away from making announcements without making budgetary provisions. “It is high time that the Congress understands that such hollow and false promises do not fetch votes as the electorate is well aware and cannot be taken for a ride,” he said. |
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‘Rahul ignorant of real issues’
Dharamsala, March 21 The real issues that were of concern to the common man were corruption, price rise, deteriorating internal security of the country and rising crime. Rahul did not even touch any issue during his speech, he said. Shanta said the Congress vice-president had been repeatedly alleging in his speeches that the RSS was a poisonous organisation. Such baseless allegations could not be the election issues, he said. Shanta said people wanted a change now. He said, “I am contesting elections after 10 years and many things have changed since then. The expenditure has increased manifold. I have discussed this issue with the BJP president.” "If the NDA was voted to power, we will bring in a legislation to check the malpractice of incurring huge expenditure during elections," he said. |
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‘Friend’ remark by Anurag irks Sukhu
Hamirpur, March 21 In a statement, the HPCC president said, “Anurag has made an imprudent comment realising sinking of his boat in the upcoming elections which has forced him to term his political enemies as his friends.” “He has lost faith in himself and his father PK Dhumal, who remained the Chief Minister of the state for 10 years. Now, he is looking for support from the HPCC president,” he added. He said Anurag secured lowest margin from the Nadaun Assembly segment in Hamirpur district during the last two parliamentary elections. Refuting Anurag’s allegation of thanking him for constructing a cricket stadium at Nadaun, the HPCC chief said, “I have never thanked any one for the cricket stadium, but I would have thanked his father if he would have set up a medical college and given land for the spice park during his term as the CM in Hamirpur district.” |
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2,557 vehicles challaned during Hola Mohalla fair
Una, March 21 Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Darshan Kalia said a total of 2,557 vehicles were challaned under various Sections of the Motor Vehicles Act between March 7 and 18. Transporting devotees in double-decked trucks has been a cause of many fatal accidents in the past. Most of these vehicles come from across the borders during religious fairs and festivals into Himachal Pradesh and efforts to stop them at barriers have remained futile. Kalia, who was also the Mela Officer for the Hola Mohalla fair, said these challans would serve as a deterrent for future devotees coming to the hill state in double-decked trucks. He informed the challans were conducted by the police and officials of the Transport Department. |
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Students take part in poll awareness rally
Shimla, March 21 Additional Deputy Commissioner, Shimla, Yunus gave a green signal to the rally on The Ridge. The rally participants made the public aware about
the ECI slogans written on the banners and billboards while passing through the CTO, the DC Office, the Lower Bazaar and The Ridge. District Magistrate Dinesh Malhotra inaugurated the ECI's signature campaign to make people aware about the value of their vote and exercise it in Lok Sabha elections. The election department has made EVM operators visit on The Mall, The Ridge, CTO Chowk, Indira Gandhi sports complex and Khadi Gramodyog educating the public on how to use EVMs. |
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Power project opposed
Chamba, March 21 The protesters demanded its construction on the right side of the river as per a preliminary survey report of the project, the reports said. With the commencement of work on the 180-MW Bajoli-Holi hydropower project in hilly terrains of Holi in Bharmour tribal subdivision, panchayats of nearby villages were up in arms about the construction on the left side of the river. The construction of the project on the left side would cause an irreparable damage to their fertile land and greenery, the protesters said. An official of the hydropower enterprise had lodged a complaint with the Bharmour police station against the protesting residents on the charges of obstructing the work, sabotaging and hurling abuses under
various sections of the IPC, the police said here today. Further investigation was underway.
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Two arrested for abusing minors
Solan, March 21 A plumber Satyanand, 40, and a daily wager Kapil, 19, who were residing in the neighbourhood of the two children, lured them by handing them some money. With the children having lost their mother, the duo provided liquor to their father and once he got drunk, the duo abused them. The teachers of their school found the children carrying Rs 10 every other day. Their father was running a small rehri. Upon further inquiry, the children revealed the truth and the school authorities contacted the NGO Childline, which later informed the police about it. The DSP said a case under sections 376 and 377 of the IPC for unnatural offences and rape and Section 4 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012, had been registered.
— TNS |
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Couple, newborn killed in accident
Nahan, March 21 Those killed are Balbir Singh (25) his wife Kanta (22) and their three-day-old male child. The family hails from Gauth village in Shimla district. The injured have been identified as Babli (38) of Tikkar village and she has been referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, with grievous injuries. The other injured person Balbir has been admitted to the Civil Hospital, Rajgarh. The cause of the accident was yet to be ascertained. The bodies had been handed over to the relatives after their post-mortem. Naib Tehsildar, Nohradhar, Devinder Bragta visited the accident spot to supervise the rescue operations. The administration has extended immediate relief of Rs10,000 to the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs 5,000 to the injured persons. |
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Two more BJP rebels joined the party in the presence of former Chief Minister and BJP candidate from Kangra Shanta Kumar in Dharamsala today.
