Shimla, July 1
With all three companies in the state finally relenting to government pressure, prices of cement will be reduced by Rs 15 to Rs 35 depending on the location of the place from the borders of the state.

The decision was arrived at a meeting of the heads of the three main cement plants - Ambuja, Jaypee and ACC - with Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri here today. The slashing of prices will end a long-pending demand of the people that despite the cement units being located in Himachal, people of the neighbouring states were getting it cheaper.

To ensure that the reduction in price remains a permanent feature and the companies do not start charging old rates, the companies will have to apprise the Industries Department about their rates on a quarterly basis.

Virbhadra made it clear to the cement companies that the government would not tolerate cement being supplied at higher rates to the people of the state as compared to its neighboring states.

“The government has given land to these plants to operate in the state, besides many other facilities such as water and power so it is but natural that we want the people to get cement at the cheaper rates,” he said.

Giving a clear message to representatives of the cement companies, he said the first thing they should keep in mind was the interest of the people before taking any decision which was detrimental to the interest of the masses.

“We conveyed our concern over cement being sold at a higher price in Himachal, especially the border areas when it was being sold much cheaper in Punjab and Haryana and the three companies today agreed to decrease the prices by Rs 15 to Rs 35,” said Agnihotri. He added that this was an arrangement which would not be temporary.

“The prices will be reduced depending on the location in the state and these will come into effect from July 3,” said Manoj Gaur, executive chairman of Jai Prakash Ltd. He admitted that despite all business ventures facing recession, everyone had agreed to reduce prices to create an atmosphere of goodwill and trust.

Gaur said the main problem in Himachal was that of freight which was extremely high as compared to the whole of India, which results in cement price being higher. “It is a myth if one thinks that the profit margin of companies is very huge. Since we felt that the government concern about the rates in the border areas being higher was genuine, we agreed,” he said.

Shimla, July 1
Former Chief Minister PK Dhumal today lashed out at the Congress regime in Himachal for failing to check prices by not reducing VAT on diesel and petrol and on the contrary putting the entire blame on the Modi government.

“I would like to remind Congress leaders that the government is always in continuity and it was the decision of the UPA regime to link petrol prices with the market price and also increase prices of diesel by 50 paisa per month,” he said in a statement issued here today. He said at least the Congress had no right to blame the Modi regime for price rise.

“I am amazed at the irresponsible statements being issued by Congress leaders about price rise as they must realise the government is always in continuity and the BJP government will take steps in the coming days to reduce prices,” he said. He said all that the Congress had given to the country was corruption and a string of scams.

He said if the Congress was keen to give relief to the people they must reduce VAT on petrol and diesel which will help reduce overall prices. “Will the Congress leaders of Himachal pressurise its government to reduce VAT on petrol and diesel so that the common man gets some relief,” he quipped. 

Kangra, July 1
The Himachal Pardesh Congress today expressed concern over the rise in the prices of food items in the country and called on the NDA government to take steps to control inflation.

Himachal Congress president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu in a statement here today said: “The prices of food items have witnessed a continuous rise in the past few weeks.”

He said the price rise of food items was a matter of concern and the Centre should take all steps to bring down inflation.

He said the time for rhetoric was over and it was time for the government to take steps to check price rise of essential commodities. He also expressed shock over the increase of subsidised LPG cylinder prices which he said was unfortunate.

He said the Modi government had come under flak for the recent rise in the prices of essential goods.

Shimla/Manali, July 1
The Chief Minister spoke to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan today on the telephone and took up the matter of MBBS seats with him, said a senior health official.

The Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, and the Tanda medical college had admitted 100 students each for the MBBS course ever since the seats were increased by the state government in 2010-11. But the state has denied admission to 35 candidates at the IGMC and another 50 for the Tanda college this year due to the Medical Council of India (MCI) objection following insufficient infrastructure in the two colleges.

As many as 614 students have been called for the counseling. The parents met Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and urged him to take up the case with the Centre as the future of 85 candidates is at stake.

“The MCI has scheduled to meet on July 7 and we expect that the ministry will issue the renewal letter to the state or it will have no alternative other than moving the court”, he added.

The delay in admission to the MBBS course in IGMC, Shimla, and Government Medical College at Tanda has created a lot of heartburns among students and their parents. The MCI is scheduled to meet on July 7 in New Delhi

The candidates and their parents are blaming state governments for their failure to put the proper infrastructure in place. The deficiencies pointed out by the MCI during its inspection have not been corrected or improved, they rued.

Former Health Minister Rajiv Bindal and present incumbent Kaul Singh Thakur talked about the awards given in health, but they have failed to improve the basic infrastructure in the medical colleges, the students resented.

What has raised the ire of the candidates is that the Health Department has failed to resolve the issue with the MCI and Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry so far even as HP University completed the first round of counselling 10 days ago and issued letters of selection to 65 candidates who topped the merit list for the IGMC and another 50 to the Tanda medical college.

Additional Health Secretary, Health, Vineeet Chaudhary had told The Tribune that the candidate should not panic as they expect the renewal letter from the Health Ministry for allowing 35 seats for the IGMC and 50 seats for Tanda as the state has corrected the deficiencies pointed out by the MCI.

Shimla, July 1
With south-west monsoon advancing further into Himachal, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir, most parts of the state were lashed with heavy rain today and the Meteorological Department has issued a warning of heavy rainfall during the next 24 hours at isolated places in the state.

State capital Shimla received 54.9 mm of rainfall. The heavy showers which lashed the town early morning continued throughout the day and brought a decline of about 2°Celsius in the minimum temperature.

Several other places, including Bangana (88 mm), Nadaun (78 mm), Rajgarh (74 mm), Dehra (62 mm), Dharampur (55 mm), Kangra (47 mm), Shimla (49.5 mm), Bilaspur (26 mm), Mandi (18.2 mm), Chamba (12 mm), Sundernagar (10.6 mm) and Nahan (10 mm) experienced moderate-to-heavy rain. The local Meteorological Centre has issued a warning of heavy rainfall at isolated places in the low and mid hills of the state tomorrow.

It is the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti which has received negligible rainfall, while most other parts have been experiencing rain. The rain has also brought relief from the scorching heat as the temperature has declined by almost 2°C.

Solan, July 1
A team of Excise and Taxation officials raided 35 hotels in Kasauli and detected various irregularities in the implementation of the HP Luxury Tax Act yesterday.

Led by Collector (South) DC Negi, other members of the team, including AETC Satish Kumar, ETOs Ravi Kumar, PP Singh and Inder Singh, scrutinised various documents pertaining to maintenance of records, payment of luxury tax vis-à-vis occupancy, tariff, etc.

While a fine of Rs 8.87 lakh was realised on the spot from 14 hotels found violating the said act, five other cases were being examined for various violations.

The news concerning the evasion of luxury tax and non-registration of hotels in the Kasauli area was prominently highlighted in the columns a few days ago.

Commissioner Excise and Taxation Department RS Negi said: “More checks will be conducted in the future to ensure that tourists are not fleeced and hotels do not evade the luxury tax.

With scores of hotels coming up in every nook and corner of the area, hotels are doing a brisk business in the current tourist season when the availability of rooms, especially during the weekends, has become a difficult proposition.”

Despite this, the collection of Luxury Tax has not only failed to rise, but the other taxes head under which this tax was credited in the department registered a decline year-after-year even from prime tourist places such as Manali and Kasauli.

The department officials have geared up to check tax evasion and ensure that the hotels maintain a proper record of its visitors. 

Shimla, July 1
The Rs 1,000-crore Horticulture Development Project approved by the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, is set to rejig the state’s sagging horticulture industry in the next five years.

The project would be funded in the ratio of 90:10 by the state and Central governments. It seeks to add Rs 1,000 to 1,500 crore to the Gross State Domestic Product every year. Apple, the main fruit crop of the state, will get special focus as the projects aims to increase productivity from the present 7-8 tons per hectare to 40 tons per hectare to make the apple industry globally competitive.

Horticulture Minister Vidya Stokes said: “The project is a big achievement for the state and farmers. It has been approved for funding by the World Bank. The WB team is likely to visit the state this month for final talks with stakeholders.”

The HPMC, which is the nodal agency, in consultation with Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and the Department of Horticulture has sent a proposal to the Centre this year.

The project aims at setting up post-harvest management techniques, cold chain, processing and marketing and R&D activities in the state.

It will cover the districts of Una and Kangra and high reaches of Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba, Pangi and Bharmour.

It aims at producing hazel nuts, olive, citrus fruit as well as other fruits in the low-lying areas. Besides, new latest varieties of crops such as litchi, guava and kinnow will be encouraged among farmers.

Modern nurseries will be set up to ensure assured supply of latest varieties of rootstocks and other plant material for farmers preferably in collaboration with foreign institutions and nurseries.

Farmers will get latest 2-3 years’ low-gestation varieties at affordable prices, she said.

Jagdish Sharma, MD, HPMC, said: “The demo orchard with good farm practices will be set up to rope in farmers in the project, creating demand for the latest and new varieties of plant material. The post harvest will ensure quality produce and good prices for farmers considering the fact that India imports more than 2 lakh tons of apples every year despite high costs of imports involved.”

The productivity would be increased through a slew of measures ranging from micro irrigation and the demo farms for which Rs 595.00 crore would be allotted. This part would be implemented by the Department of Horticulture and other government agencies.

A sum of Rs 305 crore will be allotted for the development and upgrade of post-harvest management infrastructure. HPMC and other agencies will carry out this part.

To boost floriculture, the modern clock-based auction centre in flower auction yard of APMC Delhi would be set as Delhi is the biggest consumer of cut flowers in the country.

Similarly, the HPMC and a Dutch collaborator will modernise the existing marketing yards in the state and provide IT-based solutions giving latest information to farmers.

Dr YS Parmar University set up modern R&D units on its campus for developing new varieties and farm input services to growers for which Rs 100 crore has been allotted and all stakeholders would be involved.

Shimla, July 1
In a major decision aimed at checking illegal mining and at the same time bringing down the prices of sand and gravel, the government has decided to go for an open auction of all quarries along the riverbed and government and forest lands.

This was decided at a meeting of senior officers of the Industries Department presided over by Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri here today.

Agnihotri said the government had decided to auction 30 mines in Una district and this would be followed by auction of quarries in Hamirpur and Kangra district.

He said the mining plans were being prepared in a phased manner for other parts of the state. He said the lease would be valid for 20 years so that right-holders could derive maximum benefit. He said this would also provide the right to the lease-holder to ensure scientific mining on his land.

The Industries Minister said up to three hectares land available for mining would be reserved for Himachalis. Only individual Himachali or a co-operative society of Himachalis would be eligible. This would not only provide them employment, but also discourage illegal mining as their own interest would be involved in it.

He further said the lessees would be eligible to use their mineral resources in the open market or in their own crushers, but they would not be allowed to sell it to other crushers. He said this endeavour would help in bringing down prices of sand and gravel.

Finance Principal Secretary, Shrikant Baldi, Principal Secretary Industries RD Dhiman and Director, Industries, Rajinder Singh and state geologist Inderesh Dhiman and other senior officers attended the meeting.

Una, July 1
The entire riverbed of the Dusahra rivulet on the Una-Amb highway has been encroached upon in Una district and this is worrying area residents.

Brick-kiln owners of the area have encroached upon the entire natural course of the rivulet and the farmers alleged that the rivulet had changed its course due to it. They said their fertile lands had been damaged due to this.

Sham Sharma, a resident of Dusahra village, said they had even written to the authorities, including the district administration and the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department about the encroachments and change in the river course. “But no action has been taken. Since monsoon is about to arrive and the rivulet receives flash floods, it is high time that the authorities take action against encroachers on the riverbed,” he said.

The Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department authorities, when contacted, said most of the riverbeds in Una district were privately owned and they didn’t have any mandate over private lands in the riverbeds.

The IPH authorities further maintained that under the Swan channelisation projects, most of the rivulets would now be channelled and bandhs would be raised along their banks. This would save the agricultural land from flash floods, they said.

However, farmers alleged that last year also the residents of the area had suffered loss to their property due to flash floods. They said the process to channel Swan river water would take long, but till then the government should protect them from flash floods.

Inquires by The Tribune reveal that the IPH Department do not have funds to carry out flood-protection measures before monsoon. People can write to the respective deputy commissioner, who can provide some funds to the Irrigation Department for flood-protection measures.

Though most of the Swan riverbed, which is called the sorrow of Una district, has now been channelled, its tributaries still haunt farmers during the monsoon season.

Rivulets around Una town are prone to encroachments. Many colonisers have encroached upon private land near these rivulets and raised illegal colonies over it.

The information under the RTI filed by advocate Paramjit Singh reveals that none of the colonies have been approved by the Town and Country Planning Department in Una district.

Seema Sharma, a social activist and a lawyer from Una, said: “Turning a blind eye to encroachments on rivulets can prove a threat to the life and property of people in case of flash floods.”

Nurpur, July 1
Kangra MP Shanta Kumar has said the BJP would not ignore those party rebels who rejoined it before the Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing workers’ meeting at Jawali on Tuesday, he said the BJP had suffered a defeat in the last Assembly elections. He asserted that the party had taken a right decision by re-inducting them before the Lok Sabha elections and admitted that these workers and leaders had played a constructive role in his landslide victory in the elections.

He reiterated that these workers would not be ignored by the party and their services would be utilised in strengthening the party at the grassroot level.

He said the party would give tickets in the next Assembly elections only to those workers who worked for the party and take all sections of the party with them. He said he had contested the Lok Sabha elections following the party high command’s direction and his aim was only to form the BJP government in Delhi. He said he would fulfil his poll promises committed with the people of Kangra and Chamba districts. On reaching Jawali the BJP workers of local unit accorded him rousing reception. 

Mandi, July 1
Thousands of students undertaking the three-year degree course from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla, are getting restless. Thanks to the university authorities, who have failed to announce the first-semester results.

Not only students, but their parents too have become quite concerned, as neither the college administration nor the HPU authorities are giving them proper information and exact schedule of the declaration of results.

Ever since the HPU introduced the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) system in colleges, the annual session of the degree course has been divided into two semesters.

The exams for the second semester under the new system are being held nowadays, but the first semester results have not been declared so far.

Anjana, a student at Post Graduate Government College, Mandi, said: “We appeared in the first semester examination in November last year, but our results have not been declared so far and the admission for the third semester has already started.”

The delay in announcing the result is causing anxiety among students as they are still not clear about their fate.

Sources in HPU said: “After the introduction of RUSA in colleges, the entire system has become so complex that even officials involved in its implementation are not clear on several things.”

They said: “RUSA has been introduced without doing any homework and the declaration of results is getting delayed since the software for this system is still being developed and it will take time to make it operational.”

There are reports that several teachers have not been able to send the reports for the credits earned by students on the basis of their classroom performance, which carries 50 per cent marks, due to the lack of software.

Shiam Lal Kaushal, Controller of Examination, HPU, said: “I have just joined and will expedite the process. The declaration of results of final-year classes will be my priority, as students have to apply further for their higher studies.” 

Dharamsala, July 1
The problem of stray cattle is haunting both rural and urban areas in the state. While in rural areas farmers are alleging that stray cattle are destroying their crops, in urban areas, they pose as a traffic hazard.

Faulty artificial insemination is one of the major causes for the presence of a large number of stray cattle.

A study conducted by scientists at Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Agriculture University in Palampur has revealed that about 25 per cent stray cattle in Himachal had gone sterile due to faulty artificial insemination and farmers had no choice but to leave them on roads.

Sources in the agriculture university said as per the study, there were about 40,000 stray cattle in Himachal. This meant that about 10,000 stray cattle were those that had been left by farmers.

Experts said the average fertile life of a cow ranges from 10 to 12 years. However, most of the farmers are now resorting to artificial insemination to get female cows.

The problem arises as the farmers are using the services of untrained personnel for artificial insemination.

It has been found that in many cases, the untrained staff injure the cervix of the cows during artificial insemination. It causes infection in the cervix of cows which, if not treated with antibiotics, causes permanent infertility in cows, he said.

The sources said, “The agriculture university has started a special project worth about Rs 55 lakh to train veterinarians with the Department of Animal Husbandry. During this training, we intend to train about 500 veterinarians from across the state in artificial insemination so that farmers do not suffer due to infertility being caused in their animals.”

Inquiries revealed by The Tribune said there was an acute shortage of veterinarians. In most of the veterinary dispensaries, the work of doctors was being looked after by veterinary pharmacists. To add to it in some cases, Gopal Sahayaks who were recruited by the government to assist the doctors are treating the animals.

The problem of stray cattle was going acute in Himachal Pradesh. In some areas of Kangra district, the farmers have given up farming on the plea that stray cattle destroy their crops. Since the study has revealed that artificial insemination was one of the major causes for the number of stray cattle in Himachal, the cause needs to be addressed to solve the problem.

Milk production is very low. A few farmers are taking benefits of the government schemes launched by the Centre for promoting dairy farming. As per the data collected by The Tribune in Kangra district, that is the biggest and most populous, just Rs 10 lakh subsidy has been distributed for promotion of dairy. Most of the milk is imported into the state from Punjab.

Mandi, July 1
The Uhal Power Project Workers’ Union affiliated with Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) held a protest demonstration at Machhial project site yesterday against the violation of labour laws and alleged beating of a project employee at the project site.

The workers raised slogans against the project management and held a gate meeting which was addressed by state joint secretary of Kissan Sabha Kushal Bhardwaj.

Addressing the meeting, Bhardwaj said: “The company engaged in building the power project is avoiding the implementation of labour laws by subletting the works to contractors and has not even paid wages to the workers for the past five months.”

He said: “The company is violating labour laws by deploying workers on job for 12 hours without giving weekly off. Workers raising voice against such injustices are being threatened by the company authorities.”

CITU has asked the Labour Department to check violation of labour laws by the company at the power project. 

New Delhi, July 1
The Himachal Pradesh Government wants the Centre to help it improve air services to push up tourism.

The state wants the Centre clearances to expedite the proposed Greenfield International Airport at Kandaghat in Solan. It has urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation to include the site identified on the “list” of airports to be developed by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and that the latter should bear the cost of construction of the airport.

A source said the state took the issues relating to airports with the ministry a few days ago.

The state is of the view that the proposed airport will give a fillip to tourism.

A major bottleneck in the implementation of the project is the alleged delay in the Central clearances. The state also wants relaxation in the rules for the development of the airport within the vicinity of the existing airports.

The state has apprised the ministry that it has met with the AAI’s objection regarding the size of the land for the project. The state’s Tourism and Civil Aviation Department had earlier identified about 224.22 acres of land for the project.

The state wants financial help for the modernisation and expansion of three airports and runways. It has sought regular flights to the Bhuntar airport (near Kullu).

It has urged the ministry to intervene so that the AAI takes up the project of the proposed extension of the airport at Bhuntar which will involve diversion of the Beas.

The state has urged the ministry to ensure that 80 seats aircraft could land after the runway is extended, once the final technical feasibility of the project is assessed by the AAI.

Kangra, July 1
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will set up an Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) at the Kangra airport in collaboration with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for monitoring air traffic in the northern region, which included Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

Disclosing this here yesterday, KK Sharma, Director, Kangra airport, said: “Fifteen such IRNSS centres will be set up all over the country. One such centre will be set up at Kangra airport and at Agatti island airpot in Lakshadweep.”

He said the remaining 13 IRNSS centres would be set up at different ISRO centres in the country.

Sharma said a joint team of ISRO and AAI officers visited the Kangra airport on April 26 this year and identified the location for setting up an IRNSS centre.

He said the team submitted its recommendations to the AAI headquarters, which in turn on May 28, agreed in principle to provide space and other facilities to ISRO for this project at Kangra airport.

He said an IRNSS centre was coming up under the Gaggan Project, a GPS Augmentation Navigation System tie-up between AAI and ISRO.

He said at present the GPS system in the country was an American system and if the US withdrew it at any point of time, India under the Gaggan project was developing its own.

He said the centre would collect the locations of aircraft and other aircraft activities and send the data to ISRO Centre at Bengaluru, from where the data would be uploaded to the satellite and be downloaded by users at different places.

The Kangra airport was selected after inspections of different airports in northern India, including an airport at Leh, Srinagar and Jammu.

Sundernagar, July 1
The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) authorities of Sundernagar started dredging at the Suketi khud today which will continue for the next three months.

The step taken by the BBMB caused panic among the farmers of the Balh valley as the silt will flow in to their farms, which is situated on both sides of the Suketi khud.

The BBMB has been using the khud as a dumping yard since 1980, because of which the Balh valley has turned barren.

The farmers had earlier raised their voice against the BBMB as the khud was destroying the fertile land of the valley.

Later, the environment management plan was formulated by the National Environment Engineering and Research Institute, Roorki (NEERI). The 
plan mentioned that dredging was allowed only during monsoons.

According to local residents, the BBMB had been violating the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act as it had been throwing silt in to the Suketi khud, which was a forest

land, and further violated the provisions of the Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act.

The BBMB authorities started operating three dredgers today around 6 am and started throwing silt in to the Khud. The dredging was being done as per High Court orders passed in 2004.

According to the BBMB authorities, they did not violate law. A writ petition was also filed by the BBMB in the past before the state High Court, in which the BBMB alleged that the provisions of the Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act were not applicable to it, but the petition was dismissed and the BBMB was directed to apply for a permission as per the Act for the disposal of silt.

Later, the Supreme Court gave relief to the BBMB, but thousands of farmers are still facing the agony caused to them. 

Shimla, July 1
Prof Rajinder Singh Chauhan, who retired from the Political Science Department yesterday, was appointed the Pro Vice-Chancellor of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU).

Chauhan joined as the fourth Pro-VC of the University here today. It is after a span of 11 years that HPU will have a Pro VC. Others who have remained the Pro VC of HPU include Dr Anil Wilson, Dr NK Sharda and Dr LR Verma.

Chauhan has been appointed for a term of three years and the orders of his appointment have been issued by the office of Governor Urmila Singh, who happens to be the Chancellor of the University.

Hailing from Panog village of tehsil Kotkhai in Shimla district, Chauhan did his post-graduation and also completed his Doctorate of Philosophy in Political Science before joining the university at the International Centre for Distance Education and Open Learning (ICDEOL) in 1976. He became a professor in 2005.

During his 36 years of teaching experience, Chauhan supervised 28 PhD students and more than 160 M Phil students. He has published a number of books, including Muslims in South East Asia: A study of Minority Problem, Globalisations and Human Rights, Coalition Government: Problem and Prospectus and Material for PG students on Indian Foreign Policy, Government and Politics of South Asia and International Law and Himachal State Politics.

His articles have appeared in various journals. He remained the Dean College Development Council, Directed Integrated Institute of Himalayan Studies. — TNS

Una, July 1
More than a 100 posts of pump operator, helper and night watchman are lying vacant in the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department in Una district.

While the new irrigation and drinking water schemes are being commissioned, lack of manpower to run and maintain these schemes is obliterating the results of the infrastructure investment, besides posing problems to the public.

Due to lack of perennial river system in Una, water for domestic use and irrigation is drawn from tube wells. As per data collected from the IPH Department, there are 192 lift water schemes for drinking water and 520 schemes for irrigation and about 50 schemes are under construction.

Of the total 482 sanctioned posts of pump operator, 105 are lying vacant. Similarly, in a sanctioned strength of 181 helpers, 117 are lying vacant.

In Kotla Khurd panchayat, there are three functional irrigation schemes, but only one pump operator.

NK Trivedi, Superintending Engineer, IPH Department, said they were handing over the responsibility of running and maintaining the schemes to panchayats.

He said the recruitment of 149 ‘jalrakshaks’ at a monthly honorarium of Rs 1,350, was a step in this direction.

Trivedi said another area of concern for the department was the increasing incidents of electric cable thefts from the schemes.

He said there were about 120 instances of thefts during the last one year and miscreants had stolen exposed parts of submersible motor cable.

Kangra, July 1
Abay Mandiyal, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kangra, today sentenced Neelima (43) to one-month rigorous imprisonment (RI) under Sections 323 and 325 of the IPC and imposed a fine of Rs 11,000.

Neelima, a resident of Gurab village, Nagrota Bagwan, had assaulted and injured her sister-in-law, Santosh Devi (53), over a minor issue in 2008.

Anil Awasthi, Assistant District Attorney, was the prosecutor in the case. He said Neelima had an altercation with Santosh Devi and broke her teeth.

In another incident, Abay Mandiyal sentenced Swaran Kumar, a resident of Kawari, Nagrota Bagwan, to one-month rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 under Sections 451, 504 and 506 of the IPC for threatening an eye witness.

Chamba, July 1
In the wake of the forthcoming Manimahesh pilgrimage in Chamba district, commencing August 15, the district administration has drawn a strategy to launch a special campaign to curb rash and negligent driving.

This decision was taken at a meeting of the district-level Road Safety Committee, presided over by Subh Karan Singh, Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Chamba, on .

“Overloading will not be brooked at all,” the ADM said. He emphasised that safety of the pilgrims would be the administration’s top priority.

Chamba, July 1
The chhari yatra for the famous Manimahesh shrine in Chamba district will commence from the local Dashnam Akhada on August 26 which will reach the Manimahesh lake on September 1 for the final holy dip on September 2. The pilgrims will start their return journey the same day.

Deputy Commissioner, Chamba, Kadam Sandeep Vasant said this while presiding over a meeting to review the preparations of the Manimahesh pilgrimage here today. He said the weeklong chhari yatra would follow the itinerary of the Chamba-Bharmour highway halting at various places.

The DC said all arrangements about various significant aspects relating to the pilgrimage had been completed besides medical facilities, transportation services, rescue teams, law and order en route Manimahesh shrine.

The Manimahesh sacred centre is 216 km away from the nearest Pathankot railhead, via Chamba, the district headquarters town.

Mount Kailash, situated at an altitude of 18,000 feet, is clearly visible to the devotees, pilgrims and tourists from the Manimahesh lake, which lies at an altitude of about 13,500 feet. 

Mandi, July 1
One more body of a student of the VNR Vignana Jyothi College of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, was recovered from the Pandoh dam here today.

The body of Baswraj Sandeep was found floating in the dam water around 6.30 am and brought out by police personnel stationed at the dam. The body has been sent to Andhra Bhawan for sending it to Hyderabad after the post-mortem.

As many as 24 students and a tour co-coordinator were washed away in the river after the sudden release of water from the Larji dam.

The bodies of 21 students have been recovered and those of three students and the tour co-coordinator are still missing. — TNS