|
|
|
|
|
Rs 5.72-crore Benami property sale deed
Social media abuzz with poll debates
Draw a line in implementing regulatory measures, Virbhadra tells EC
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
VIGNETTES
Streetlight failure, traffic woes leave Kangra residents in the dark
Woman accuses former MLA of sexual assault
Parties promise to make Kangra rail line broad gauge
Sujanpur Assembly bypoll
Gupt
Ganga shrine
Politics not a source of business for me: Rana
‘Will win all four seats in state’
Sterilisation drive fails to check stray dog menace
State set to prepare inventory of domestic, foreign tourists
Chaitra Navratras start today
Early rain, floods hit tourism
One killed in road mishap
Learn from HP how to govern progressively, Bali tells Modi
Una RTO office issues route permit to a bus sans body
‘Cong has no right to stay in power’
Town and country planning
act
‘Women will have to claim leadership roles’
Two Chinese nationals detained in Kinnaur district
Roads open for vehicular traffic in Chamba
BJP protests model code violations
Two booked for felling deodar tree 15 artists take part in workshop at Naggar 2 killed in separate accidents Residents submit memo to NHRC
|
|
Rs 5.72-crore Benami property sale deed
Shimla, March 30 The state government is yet to take a final call on the findings of the revenue inquiry. But the benami deal has put a question mark on the future of 122 schoolchildren, who study in the Himalayan International School (HIS), which is being run in some of the buildings of this benami property since 1997. The school is run by the Sardar Kumer Singh Education Society. The benami sellers are the members of society, found
the inquiry. Sources revealed that the property sharks were planning to set up a high-end resort there. The property commands a prime view of a wildlife sanctuary and the snow-capped Himalayas adjoining the Kalyani helipad. The late Major General Jagjit Singh, who was in possession of the property, had sold it through a sale deed to a benami buyer in 2009-10. He violated Section 118 of the HP Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, found the inquiry. He was a non-agriculturalist Himachali and could not sell it to the non-agriculturalist outsider without government’s permission, said the officials. The inquiry was completed by the additional district magistrate (revenue), Shimla, recently. The all benami deals were part of the Congress charge sheet submitted to the President. “The inquiry report has been submitted to the government for further action,” said Dinesh Malhotra, Deputy Commissioner, Shimla. The property was in possession of Maharani Kam Sundri, the wife of Maharajadhiraj Sir Kameshwar Singh of Darbanga, after his death. The maharani had given the general power of attorney (GPA) to Major General Jagjit Singh, but the GPA had expired in 2005, the inquiry found. It was Jagjit Singh who had allegedly sold the property to Ashwani Kumar, an Una-based contractor, revealed sources. In turn, Ashwani Kumar and his son Sidharth Sharma further sold the disputed property to a benami buyer, Sandeep Sethi, a tout from Solan, as per the sale deed. The payment was made by the Alchemist company through cheque, the inquiry found. “It is a question of the future of the students enrolled in the school,” said Ramesh Sharma, president, Parents-Teachers Association (PTA), which has been battling the property sharks since 2000. “We have sent several reminders to the society to admit the students, but to no avail,” said Sarita Thakur, Principal. The PTA got shot in the arm by Tikender Panwar, Shimla Deputy Mayor, who had filed a writ petition in the high court in March 2011, pleading that the school should continue and property should be vested back to the state, as the sale deed was benami. “We are examining all aspects of the benami deal in connection with the property and will initiate an inquiry soon,” said
an official. |
|
|
Social media abuzz with poll debates
Shimla, March 30 The Congress was a late starter when it came to projecting its leader Rahul Gandhi in the social media. A large number of people, with a majority being youngsters, are active on the social media. Solicited and unsolicited, abusive, derogatory and even offensive messages are being posted on various social networking websites. “A battle of wits is on and people who neither know each other nor Rahul Gandhi or Narendra Modi are engaged in a proxy war. The messages posted on social networking sites are being read and commented upon by lakhs of people,” said Sumit Sood, a net-savvy activist. Much of the publicity material revolves around the Gujarat model of success and counter-attacks. The BJP and the Congress in Himachal have managed to clinch thousands of "likes" by way of their social media accounts. News clippings of leaders, photographs of rallies and campaigns, programmes with interaction schedules of leaders, cartoons and derogatory comments are making rounds on the social networking sites. Groups on social networking sites as well as mobile applications are coming in handy for voters as
well as promoters. The BJP is wooing voters with slogans such as "Namo Namo" and “Phir Na Ho Mahangai Ki Maar, Ab Ki Bar Modi Sarkar”. The Congress has come up with slogans: “Har Haath Shakti, Har Haath Tarakki”. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is banking on statements, such as “Bhrashtachar Se Mukt Bharat, Humari Maang Nahin Zid Hai”. |
|
|
Draw a line in implementing regulatory measures, Virbhadra tells EC
Mandi, March 30 Talking to mediapersons here today, the Chief Minister said, "It is important to keep an eye on the misuse of resources by the political parties, but the commission should draw a line in implementing these measures." He said, "While there is a limit on the election expenses, the ECI
should find out how much money is being spent on building Narendra Modi's image in media.” Taking a dig at Modi, the CM said, "Mass leaders do not require branding and Congress leaders were handed over the reins of power without any branding. However, efforts are being made to brand Modi and crores are being spent on portraying him as a mass leader on TV channels 24 hours." Accusing the BJP further, he said, "Modi has hijacked the BJP and all important leaders of the party have been rendered meek. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a leader who carried everybody along, but Modi is trying to become the sole leader of the BJP." Reacting sharply to the statement of former CM PK Dhumal that the state government would fall after the Lok Sabha elections, the CM questioned, "How can a democratically elected government be toppled? Seems like Dhumal has no faith in democratic institutions. He gets elected democratically but becomes an autocrat after assuming power.” Kullu: Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh addressed public meetings at Jari and Jalugran villages and Bhuntar town here yesterday during his two-day election campaign visit in favour of Pratibha Singh, Congress candidate from the Mandi seat, who also is his wife. He was greeted by party workers in Mohal and Bhutti villages. People had gathered around the streets at several places to welcome him and offer support. He said the BJP
was fallaciously dividing the innocent masses of the state by creating regional differences. He criticised the BJP for trying to disrupt the communal harmony of the state to seek votes. He declared that the Congress would win all four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal and form a strong government at the Centre. Kullu Zila Parishad president Harichand Sharma, Kullu Block Congress Committee president Budhi Singh Thakur and other dignitaries were present with him during the campaign.
— OC |
|
|
Horrible road to 'divine' dwelling
Shriniwas Joshi
It is so bumpy that a person with a fragile spine could find it difficult to manage travelling on it. I travelled 48 km from Nadaun to Kangra on this road and it took me 100 minutes to cover that distance. The only hope that kept me going was that at the end of this crappy road, there was the "divine" dwelling (Dharamsala). The sprawl of Shamnagar and Ramnagar looked so enchanting (see photo) that the journey’s exertion melted. Dharamsala is like a scabbard hanging on the robes of the mighty Dhauladhars. The lowest portion of the scabbard is at 1,372 m and the uppermost at 2,168 m. Before the British annexed this area in 1848, it was under the ruling clan of the Katoch dynasty. The Imperial Gazetteer of India 1908 reads: “Dharamsala lies on a spur of the Dhaola Dhar, 16 miles north-east of Kangra, in the midst of wild and picturesque scenery." It originally formed a subsidiary cantonment for the troops stationed at Kangra, and was first occupied as a station in 1849, when a site was required for a cantonment to accommodate a native regiment which was being raised in the district. The site came about to be on the slopes of the Dhaola Dhar, in a plot of waste land, upon which stood an old Hindu resthouse, or dharmsala, whence the name adopted for the new cantonment. The civil authorities, following the example of the regimental officers, and attracted by the advantages of climate and scenery, built themselves houses in the neighbourhood of the cantonment; and in 1855, the new station was formally recognised as the headquarters of the (Kangra) district.” The British were so fascinated by the charms of the town that in 1860, 66th Gurkha Light Infantry, later renamed as 1st Gurkha Rifles, was moved here within the complex of the first made subsidiary cantonment. It gave rise to the settlements of Dari, Ramnagar, Shamnagar, Dal, Totarani, Khanyara, Sadher, Chaandmaari, Sallagarhi, Sidhbari, Yol etc where Gurkhas lived. As they were Shiva worshippers in temples of Bhagsunag, they called Dharamsala Bhagsu and themselves Bhagsuwallas. Lord Elgin was appointed Governor General of India in March 1862. He was in love with Dharamsala and legend has it that he had suggested to the British monarch to make Dharamsala the summer capital of India. The slot went to Shimla in 1864. He was once crossing a swinging rope and wooden bridge over the river Chandra in the present Lahaul and Spiti district; he died of heart attack and was buried in the town that he loved so much. He lies buried at St John’s Church in Wilderness here. The inscription on the elegant obelisk erected in his memory by his wife, inter alia, reads: “In memory of James Bruce, Earl of Elgin, Viceroy and Governor General of India, who died at Dhurmsala in the discharge of his duties, on 20th November 1863, aged 52 years and 4 months. He being dead yet speaketh. The monument was erected by his widow Mary Louisa, Countess of Elgin and Kincardine.” A few kilometres afar the church is McLeodGanj, built in 1848 after the name of the then Punjab Governor, where the Dalai Lama is settled, along with several Tibetan refugees, who have been running the Tibetan government in exile from here since 1960. A number of monasteries, schools, Centre of Tibetan Performing Arts and a Tibetan library have made it look like Little Lhasa. Tibetans often call the station Dhasa - a combination of Dharamsala and Lhasa. Dharamsala has gained further importance after becoming the site of the winter session of the Himachal Vidhan Sabha. TAILPIECE: “In towns, no one is quiet, but many are lonely; in the villages, people are quiet, but few are lonely.” — Geoffrey Fisher
|
|
Streetlight failure, traffic woes leave Kangra residents in the dark
Kangra, March 30 Traffic jams are witnessed outside the exit and entry points of the Kangra general bus stand. Despite the fact that a traffic police post has been set up in the bus stand, no police personnel dares to check the mess. The bus drivers, after coming out from the bus stand, stop the bus near the entry gate to solicit passengers, leaving a large number of vehicles stranded with traffic police personnel as mute spectators, much to people's inconvenience. Parking along the highway passing through the town in front of the bus stand leaves vehicles stranded on both sides of the highway. Following the
pre-Navratra rush of pilgrims, the pressure of vehicular traffic has triggered traffic chaos on Dharamsala road from Tehsil Chowk to the new general bus stand, leaving vehicles stranded. A mess is witnessed near the Zamanabad road crossing, with no police personnel in sight to regulate traffic. The number of vehicles is increasing with every passing day and the number of two-wheelers and light motor vehicles has risen manifold during the past few years. On one hand, the roads have remained the same as three decades back. On the other, people with money, muscle and political power have encroached upon these roads right under the nose of the authorities, inconveniencing commuters. Nearly 2,500 vehicles enter this town every day. The congested Tehsil Chowk-Tanda road and Tehsil Chowk Hoshiarpur roads are witnessing frequent traffic jams. Tanda road caters to needs of patients and their attendants who visit Tanda Medical College. Besides, vehicles carrying pilgrims take this route to reach Gupt
Ganga. As the municipal authorities have failed to maintain streetlights in the town, this temple town plunges into darkness every evening. From the bus stand to SBOP
Chowk, College road and Old bus stand road, people have to move in pitch dark. Transport Minister GS Bali was requested by local mediapersons recently for his intervention to see
that streetlights were restored but to no avail. |
|
|
Woman accuses former MLA of sexual assault
Hamirpur, March 30 Talking to The Tribune, the victim said, “In March 2012, I had approached the MLA for the transfer of my husband, who was then posted at the Himachal Pradesh Assembly in Shimla.” “Within few minutes of submitting my request for the transfer of my husband, the MLA called me up and asked me to come back. He said a DO was to be attached with the application for the transfer. He then sexually assaulted me” said the victim. “I kept quiet for pretty long time, as the revelation could have affected my family. I had been
reeling under depression and when I couldn’t take it anymore, I approached the Chief
Minister office.” Hamirpur Superintendent of Police Bina Bharti said, “I had received a complaint in this regard and a report in this regard has been sent for
further action.” The former MLA said, “This is a political conspiracy against me and I would file a defamation case against the complaint.” Charge politically motivated: Dutt
Shimla: Superintendent of Police, Shimla, Abhishek Dullar, confirmed having received the complaint and said since the case was two years’ old, the facts had to be verified before proceeding further. He said no formal FIR had been lodged so far and the victim had been asked to come to Shimla to ascertain the facts. Dullar said the complaint was marked from the CM’s office to the Hamirpur SP, as the women hailed from that district. But since the alleged crime took place in Shimla, the complaint was routed to Shimla by the Hamirpur Superintendent of Police. The accused was a sitting BJP MLA at the time of the incidence, but was defeated in the 2012 Assembly elections. Reacting to the allegations against the BJP leader, state party spokesman Ganesh Dutt said we welcome an independent probe into the allegations, but the timing of the complaint suggests that the charges are politically motivated. “Why did the victim not lodge a complaint immediately after the alleged incident? If the Director General of Police or the Chief Minister office had not acted, she could
have approached other authorities, including the Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha, court and media,” Dutt added. |
|
Parties promise to make Kangra rail line broad gauge
Palampur, March 30 The Congress as well as the BJP have made this issue a major poll promise because of the fact that at present, this rail line is in a state of neglect. In the last rainy season, the train service on this track remained suspended for a month owing to poor maintenance and lack of funds with the railways to repair and replace the old bridges and retaining walls which cause hardship to residents. The British had laid down this 120-km rail track in 1932, linking important and religious towns of Kangra and parts of Mandi district. A number of plans were drawn up to convert this narrow-gauge line into a broad-gauge line, but all remained confined to files. The condition of the rail track between Pathankot and Jogindernagar has gone from bad to worse in the past 10 years. In 2003, when the NDA was in power at the Centre, the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee planned to link Pathankot with Leh in Jammu and Kashmir via Manali. Later, in 2008, when the BJP government headed by Prem Kumar Dhumal was voted to power in the state, it again raised this issue with the Centre and asked PM Manmohan Singh to declare it a national project. The UPA government turned down the proposal on the pretext of financial crunch. Dhumal apparently made efforts to convince the Centre to clear this important project. He is said to have offered to acquire land free of cost for the project from Joginder Nagar to Keylong, but there was no headway. With a manifold increase in population and the tourist traffic in Kangra valley, the Railways failed to come up to the expectations of locals. Century-old engines and coaches are still plying on this track. The authorities could not introduce a regular first-class compartment here. At present, seven trains ply on this route every day, covering 33 stations and passing through places such as Nurpur, Jawali, Jwalamukhi Road, Kangra, Nagrota Bagwan, Chamunda, Palampur, Panchrukhi, Baijnath and Joginder Nagar, tourist attractions in the state.
|
||
|
BJP upbeat over EC's decision
Bhanu P Lohumi Tribune News Service
Shimla, March 30 "The strategy of the Congress to rope in the Independent MLA from Sujanpur, Rajinder Singh Rana and make him resign from the Assembly has backfired and it will help the BJP," state Bharatiya Janata Party chief Satpal Singh Satti said. "The state election committee of the party will meet soon to discuss the names of the candidates from Sujanpur and send its recommendations to the high command, which would take a final decision next week," he said. The Congress has decided to field Rajinder Singh Rana from the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat to take on sitting BJP MP and president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) Anurag Thakur. His ticket was finalised last week after he resigned from his Assembly seat and joined the Congress. The BJP had fielded Urmila Thakur from Sujanpur in the last elections, but she finished third and with her brother-in-law Narinder Thakur returning to the BJP last week, the party is in a dilemma over making a choice between two family members. In the last elections, Narinder Thakur had contested from the Hamirpur constituency against former Chief Minister PK Dhumal as a Congress candidate and was able to reduce the lead of Dhumal from over 20,000 in 2007 to just over 9,000 in 2012. Narinder is son of former BJP stalwart, Jagdev Chand, a former minister and four-time MLA from Hamirpur, who was mainly responsible for building the Jan Sangh in Kangra district from which Hamirpur district was carved out in 1972. Insiders in the party say Narinder had recently returned to the Bharatiya Janata Party and the party would not take any such decision which would hurt him and give him precedence over his sister-in-law (elder brother's wife Urmila Thakur). Rana said he was not at all perturbed over the EC's decision to hold by-elections in Sujanpur and stated that it would fuel infighting in the BJP and enhance his prospects.
|
||
|
Gupt
Ganga shrine
Kangra, March 30 The notice to the Gupt Ganga shrine management said the land on which the shrine was located belonged to the Bajjreshwari Temple Trust (BTT), so it be handed over to the BTT being run by the government, so that the shrine could be run and developed in a better manner. Ajit Bhardwaj said buildings at Gupt Ganga were constructed with government funds and contributions of devotees of the shrine. Bhardwaj said in reply to the notice, the Gupt Ganga management sought time for the reply. He said in between, the reply was considered and it was decided that the BTT should go ahead with the formalities for an amicable takeover of the shrine after convening a meeting of its members and those of the Gupt Ganga management on March 26. The SDM said members of the BTT attended the meeting yesterday. However, the president of the Dharam Teerth Sathan Sudhar Sabha, managing the Gupt Ganga shrine, did not attend the meeting and the next meeting was fixed for April 19 to settle the issue. He said, meanwhile, the Dharam Teerth Sathan Sudhar Sabha approached the High Court and the Deputy Advocate General, informing him about the development. He said there was no court direction in this connection as yet. Meanwhile, well-placed sources in the BTT said the Dharam Teerth Sathan Sudhar Sabha was not allegedly a registered body and had no link with the BTT as per the record of the temple trust. Sources said there was no arrangement with the sabha to run the Gupt Ganga shrine and described it as alleged encroachment into temple property.
|
||
|
Politics not a source of business for me: Rana
Una, March 30 He said the people had again made up their minds to show the door to the BJP in the General Election.
Rana said the BJP believed in securing votes by dividing people on the basis of religion, caste and creed, while the Congress had always been secular. He said the state BJP had also divided people on the basis of upper, lower, old and new regions. The Congress candidate credited his party for providing Rs 922 crore to create embankments on both banks of the 73 tributaries of the Swan river. He said during the past 15 months, the Congress government had sanctioned an Indian Institute of Information Technology in Una district, besides a new industrial area and a food park here. Congress MLA Kuldip Kumar, who accompanied Rana, appealed to the people to vote in favour of the party candidate. |
|
‘Will win all four seats in state’
Shimla, March 30 “Himachal is also not untouched by the wave and we are sure to win all four parliamentary seats. However, we will not allow the Congress to run away from major issues and will make it answerable for non performance and failure to implement poll promises in the past one decade.” He said two major promises made by the Congress government - to bring down the prices within 100 days and to give employment to every household - had remained unfulfilled. He said as compared to 6.25 crore jobs given during the six-year NDA rule, the UPA government could generate employment for only 75 lakh people in the past 10 years. Accusing the state government of indulging in political victimisation and witch-hunting, Dutt said the state government was repeatedly raising HPCA and phone tapping issues to divert the attention of people from its wrongdoings. Taking a dig at Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, Dutt said the Congress government, which was opposed to the opening of private universities during the BJP rule, was today giving degrees and permissions to private universities and colleges to function. He asked him to clear his stand on the issue. |
|
Sterilisation drive fails to check stray dog menace
Shimla, March 30 “Even pet dogs defecate in the open and this has made a mockery of the municipal laws. Pet owners in Kagnadhar, New Shimla sector-IV, The Mall, Jakhoo, Richmond, US Club, Sanjauli, Ram Bazaar, Summerhill, Annandale and other wards never bother to carry bags for their pets, which is mandatory,” said a resident. “We have to clear the dog excreta from these places every morning. Even the number of stray dogs has increased in the city, as the SMC sterilisation drive has failed to control their number,” said a sweeper. Several high-profile persons bring their high-bred dogs on the crowded Mall Road for a stroll in the evening, scaring walkers and tourists. The apathy of the health official is clear form the fact that the SMC has not challaned or fined even a single pet owner for violating the rules. “Parking lots and roadside drains stink due to dog excreta and a morning walk is a bad experience,” said a resident. The stray dogs on The Ridge and The Mall Road present an embarrassing picture. The SMC never lifts them citing high court orders. On the other hand, champions of stray dogs claim that the animals attacked only when they felt scared. The SMC has no latest figure on the number of pets and stray dogs in the city. As per a 2006 survey, there are more than 2,500 stray dogs in the city. There are over 500 pet dogs, out of which only 100 have been registered, revealed sources. |
|
|
State set to prepare inventory of domestic, foreign tourists
Shimla, March 30 The data will be exhaustive and cover vital information like profile, travel patterns of tourists with destination visited, duration of stay, purpose of visit (religious, adventurous, family, couple and weekend tourist) and expenditure pattern of both domestic and foreign tourists with preferred destinations. A survey will be conducted to assess domestic and foreign tourists on the basis of fixed baseline parameters, including the volume and distribution of tourism in the state, estimated direct and indirect employment in Tourism sector and its contribution to the State Gross Domestic Product (SGDP), said Director, Tourism, Mohan Chauhan. The data would be used for facilitating tourism planning to enhance marketing and monitoring,
he added. The initiative is part of the $33 million ADB (Asian Development Bank) loan (part-I) and the Rs 1.1-crore service contract has been awarded to a consultancy firm JPS Associates, New Delhi, by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Department. The project is scheduled to be completed in 15 months. The broader objectives of the project included preparing list of monuments with historic, religious and cultural importance along with their heritage value, conducting fresh survey for baseline assessment of current status of both supply and demand, estimating number of foreign and domestic tourists visits mentioning the category of hotels during stay, including day visitors in selective districts over a period of one year with gender-wise details. Comprehensive data of the status report of tourist facilities with accommodation units in the state, including details such as type of accommodation, number of beds and onsite facilities, will also be
prepared. The consultancy advice will also be provided for establishment of online statistical reporting mechanism by the accommodation establishment for regular and reliable generation of database. The initiative will make the “tourism data” more authentic and reliable and also check “double or multiple count of tourists”. |
|
Chaitra Navratras start today
Kangra, March 30 The festival will conclude with Ram Navami on April 8. Assistant Commissioner, Temples, Ajit Bhardwaj, SDM, Kangra, said sanitation, health and security arrangements were made for the festival. He said additional 35 sweepers were put on job for the maintenance of sanitation and cleanliness on the temple premises. He said pilgrims from UP, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, besides followers of Dayno Baghat, would visit the Bajjreshwari temple here during the Navratras. Kangra Additional Police Chief Mohit Chawala said police, women police and home guards had been put on duty to maintain the pilgrim traffic. He said adequate police personnel, headed by a gazetted officer, would keep a watch on each temple where pilgrims in thousands visit daily during the Navratras. Chawala said dog squads and bomb disposal squads were kept in readiness in all the three temple towns of Jwalamukhi, Kangra and Chamunda to avoid any untoward incident. He said anti-sabotage checking would be carried out in all three temples and every pilgrim entering the temples would be frisked. He said women police in adequate numbers had been deployed in all the three temple towns. He said separate security plans were made for each temple for the Chaitra Navratras and mobile phones, coconuts, ‘prasad’ and personal bags would not be allowed inside the temples. He said quick reaction teams and back-up security teams had been deployed for the first time and police control rooms had been set up at all the three temple towns controlled by a main police control room at Dharamsala. He said the speed of the vehicles in the three temple towns had been fixed at 10 km per hour and the SHOs and DSPs concerned had been assigned the duty of keeping a vigil on anti-social elements and traffic rule violators.
|
|
Early rain, floods hit tourism
Shimla, March 30 Arrival of tourists, both foreign and domestic, in tribal Kinnaur, dropped sharply from 4,60,194 in 2012 to 1,26,460 in 2013. The number dropped from 33,26,445 to 28,86,050 in Kullu during the same period. In the twin tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti, as compared to 4,44,075 tourists visiting the district in 2012, only 1,19,623 tourists visited it in 2013. Shimla topped in tourist arrival, with 31,56,997 tourists, including 1,64,006 foreigners visiting the district. The figures were less than those in 2012, when 33,54,003 tourists, including 1,58,671 foreigners, visited the state capital. As many as 19,62,793 tourists visited the state in June in 2012 while 12,18,519 tourists visited the state in the same month this year which was marked by early rains. The tourist arrival was more in April (18,21,973) and May (18,04,508) as compared to that in peaks months of June and July in 2013. Kangra was visited by 22,00,623 tourists, including 1,02,595 foreigners, while 11,86,084 tourists visited the adjoining district of Una famous for the Chintpurni shrine. The upswing in the number of tourist started from 2009 when the number breached the 1 crore mark and 1,14,37,155 tourists including 5,00,583 foreigners visited the state. The number rose to 1,32,65,602 in 2010 and 1,50,89,406 in 2011. Natural calamities cast a damper this year, said Additional Director Tourism Manoj Sharma. |
|
|
One killed in road mishap
Kangra, March 30 Another person, identified as Dewan Singh Negi (29), a resident of Pooh,
Kinnaur, and working as Manager of the State Bank of India at Palampur, was driving the car at the time of the accident. He was seriously injured and was admitted to the
DRPGMC, Tanda. Investigating Officer Ram Singh said the car was on its way from Dharamsala to Palampur when the occupants lost the track in the night. It reached near the rest house at Nagrota Bagwan between 3 and 3.30 in the morning and dashed against the tree on the right side of the road. He said some passersby called Ambulance 108 and the two were rushed to the Tanda medical college where doctors declared Atul as brought dead. The police had registered a case under Sections 304-A, 279 and 337,
IPC, at Nagrota Bagwan police station against Negi. In another accident three persons,
Rama, Sudesh and Neelam Kumari, travelling in a car were injured when it dashed against a truck near Dhakki village yesterday. The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital. The car was being driven by Raman Kumar of
Kopra. In this regard a case under Sections 279, 336 and 337, IPC, was registered against the erring driver. |
|
|
Learn from HP how to govern progressively, Bali tells Modi
Kangra, March 30 Bali said this while briefing the media at his residence here yesterday. He said: “We need not be taught by Modi, but the Gujarat Chief Minister should learn how to run the state progressively with peace from Himachal.” He said Modi was trying to sell brand Gujarat in the country, but in Himachal Pradesh it had no impact. Bali, who is to start his
50-km padyatra in Kangra, Nagrota Bagwan and Dharamsala Assembly segments next month, said the Congress government gave Rajeev Gandhi Engineering College to Nagrota Bagwan and IIIT to Una, but on the contrary, the BJP government failed to sanction even a single such institute. The minister said education, employment and awareness was a priority for the Congress party in the state besides industrial development. He said a new industrial estate in Kangra and another at Una were also sanctioned by the present
government. He said the Election Commission had granted permission to install GPS system for the security and safety of passengers on 800 new buses in the state. He said it would strengthen the intelligence transport system in the Himachal Road Transport Corporation. He said TV display system would be installed at all bus stands in the state with its control room in Shimla for the convenience of the common people. |
|
Una RTO office issues route permit to a bus sans body
Una, March 30 The documents provided under the Right To
Information reveal that a route permit for the bus in question was cancelled on May 8, 2013, and the bus was sold on September 8, 2013. To maintain the route permit, the new vehicle has to be registered within six months of cancellation of the permit on the
old vehicle. It is alleged that the route permit from Daulatpur Chowk to Una was re-issued to the same person on October 29, 2013, even when the new bus was neither passed by the Motor Vehicle Inspector, nor was the body put up on the chassis. It is also learnt that the bank loan for the new vehicle was passed on November 14, 2013. Regional Transport Officer Ramesh Thakur said he was on tour and would say something about the case when he returned. He complained that a transport mafia was rampant in the region and had informed the department about instances of corruption, impersonation and other activities in the Una Regional Transport Office. Director, Transport, Ritesh Chauhan said he would look into the matter and the guilty, if any, would not be spared. Case file
|
|
|
‘Cong has no right to stay in power’
Chamba, March 30 Ansari said the development in Gujarat had established the credibility of Narendra
Modi, who worked as a jan sewak, which was why Modi won the Assembly elections
thrice. Ansari said there was around 20 crore minority population in the country, who he hoped would
support Modi. Lauding the Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh
Prem Kumar Dhumal, Ansari said Dhumal had always worked for the wellbeing of the minorities in the state.
He said the 15-point programme of the Congress could not benefit the minorities, as there were no girls’ hostels and central schools in the minority concentrated areas in the state under the centrally sponsored Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan
(SSA). Morcha’s national vice-president Irfan Ahmed, who was also present, said in Himachal there were around 2.50 lakh voters of the minority communities and in Chamba district
the number was around 80,000. Morcha national general secretary SM Akram, HP state president Mohd
Rajbali, vice-president Jai Singh and district Bharatiya Janata Party president DS Thakur were also present. |
|
|
Withdraw notification or face stir, BJP leader tells govt
Our Correspondent
Sundernagar, March 30 He termed this notification arbitrary and against the interest of local residents. He said the government had issued this notification without inviting any objections from local residents, which was mandatory. He said it was illegal on the part of the government, as it had put thousands of village residents in trouble. He added that basic facilities such as streetlights, proper sewerage system and even paths were missing in the area, but the government still issued the notification on March 4 and included it under the TCP Act. He said he had written to the government to withdraw the notification as the public was against it. He said in case the government failed to withdraw the same, the residents of these areas would start an agitation immediately after the elections.
|
|
|
‘Women will have to claim leadership roles’
Shimla, March 30 The collaboration came as a result of the two-day international seminar on "Public policy, governance and democracy: Experiences from Canada and India", organised by the Centre for Canadian Studies that concluded here yesterday. Both the parties discussed various issues on the sidelines of the seminar. Three sessions were held on the concluding
day. Chairing the session on "Gender and governance", Prof Amrit Varsha Gandhi, Political Science Department, Himachal Pradesh University, said women would have to claim leadership roles and not depend on men
for training. The second session on "Government to governance" concluded with Prof Laxman Singh suggesting that it was important to raise awareness on heritage among people. He also talked about e-governance. The third session was on "Democracy and participatory politics".
|
|
|
Two Chinese nationals detained in Kinnaur district
Shimla, March 30 Both Chinese nationals were in the
possession of valid travel documents, which included the passport and the visa,
but did not have the inner-line permit, which was mandatory to visit the
border areas. They had been detained for verification, Additional Director General of Police (CID), SR Mardi said.The two Chinese nationals were then taken to the Pooh police station
near the border and their antecedents were being verified. The police were yet to ascertain the motive of their visit and the route followed by them. The antecedents of the girls and their association with these Chinese nationals were also being verified. They have not been arrested and any further action would be taken only after the verification of documents and other information gathered from them. |
|
Roads open for vehicular traffic in Chamba
Chamba, March 30 MK Minhas, Executive Engineer, PWD,
Chamba Division, said the restoration work on the interior link roads
was being done on a war footing so that vehicles could ply smoothly in
view of the Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, a report from Bharmour
revealed that traffic resumed at various link roads connecting Chamba
and Bharmour. The life of inhabitants living in far-flung high-altitude
areas has returned to normal with the opening of roads. Reports said
tentative loss caused to the road network in Chamba district, following
snowfall and rain during winters, had been estimated to around Rs 20
crore so far, according to information. — OC
|
|
|
BJP protests model code violations
Shimla, March 30 In a letter to the CEO, party spokesperson Ganesh Dutt alleged that the government was seeking permission from the Election Department to upgrade schools and for making newly opened schools functional to gain cheap popularity. He urged the CEO to allow the request of the government only in the event of natural calamities or other emergencies. He said the government had upgraded a number of schools on March 12 last and sought permission to upgrade some other schools, which should not be granted.
|
|
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has urged the Election Commission of India
to be considerate, so that its measures to regulate the election process do not become a hindrance in the normal life of people.
Resentment prevails among residents of this temple town over day-to-day traffic chaos on different roads. Besides, municipal authorities have failed to maintain streetlights as the town plunges into darkness every evening.
In view of the Navratras scheduled to start from March 31, pilgrims are thronging the town in advance to avoid pilgrim rush in the Shakti peeths in Kangra valley. Thus, the number of vehicles entering the town is increasing.
Controversy has cropped up between the temple trust looking after the Bajjreshwari Temple, one of the 52 Shakti Peeths here, and the Dharam Teerth Sathan Sudhar Sabha looking after the Gupt Ganga shrine in this temple town. This follows a notice served by the Assistant Commissioner, Temples, and SDM, Kangra, to hand over possession of the Gupt Ganga shrine to the Bajjreshwari Temple Trust.
“Politics or games are not a source of business for me and I am here for social service.” This was stated by Congress candidate from Hamirpur Rajinder Rana here today.
He was addressing a public meeting at Kinnu village of Chintpurni Assembly segment during his campaign, when he said his win in the Sujanpur Assembly segment by a margin of over 15,000 votes was an adequate proof of this.
Rana said people in the state had discarded the Bharatiya Janata Party around 15 months ago due to its anti-people policies.
Former minister and BJP leader Roop Singh Thakur criticised the state government for including 35 revenue Mohal, adjoining Sundernagar, under the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act regarding which a notification was issued a few days ago.
While addressing mediapersons here today, he said the government had never bothered to know whether local residents wanted to include their village under the TCP Act or not.
I was to deliver a lecture at a workshop organised in Dharamsala. I always feel elated in going to Kangra because I had been Deputy Commissioner there in 1992-93 and attempted to nurse the place as my second home.
This time, as I crossed Nadaun, the last station in Hamirpur district, I started feeling the bounce and jounce due to potholes and dips on the road. The road at several places has been reduced to being dirty and single-laned owing to digging going on.
