SPECIAL COVERAGE
CHANDIGARH

LUDHIANA

DELHI


THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS
50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE
TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS
H I M A C H A L    P R A D E S H

CM: IIM to come up at Nahan’s Dhaulakuan
Nahan, August 16
Chief Minister Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh addresses a gathering during the state-level Independence Day function in Nahan on Friday. Virbhadra Singh presided over the state-level function at the historic Chowgan in Nahan on Friday and hoisted the Tricolour on the 68th Independence Day. 

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh addresses a gathering during the state-level Independence Day function in Nahan on Friday.

Welfare schemes announced for fishermen’s kin 
Una, August 16
Forest and Fisheries Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri, who was the chief guest at the district-level Independence Day celebrations at the government school ground here, announced a string of welfare schemes for the fishermen families in the state. He said under the Fishermen Insurance Scheme, the insured amount, in case of the death of a family member, had been enhanced from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh. The minister further announced that the closed fishing season allowance of Rs 600 per month, paid as compensation to fishermen’s families during the yearly fishing ban period owing to fish breeding season, had also been enhanced to Rs 900 per month.


YOUR TOWN
Shimla


EARLIER STORIES

Three die as bailey bridge washed away in Hamirpur
August 15, 2014
Cabinet relief for 25,000 unauthorised houses
August 14, 2014
Assembly adjourned sine die on day 5
August 13, 2014
BJP, Congress raise slogans in House
August 12, 2014
BJP justifies demand for CM’s resignation
August 11, 2014
11 families displaced as landslide hits houses in Dharamsala village
August 10, 2014
Stalemate continues as BJP adamant over debate on graft
August 9, 2014
Cong brushes aside talk of dissidence in its ranks
August 8, 2014
BJP stages walkout from Assembly
August 7, 2014


Independence Day celebrated with fervour
Shimla, August 16
The state government has decided to open medical colleges in two relatively interior districts of Chamba and Nahan so that people residing in these areas get access to quality healthcare.
Police personnel march past during the 68th Independence Day celebrations on The Ridge in Shimla on Friday. Tribune photo: Amit Kanwar

Police personnel march past during the 68th Independence Day celebrations on The Ridge in Shimla on Friday. Tribune photo: Amit Kanwar

I-Day celebrated with zeal in Dharamsala 
Palampur, August 16
Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes unfurls the Tricolour in Dharamsala on Friday. Photo: Ravinder Sood The 68th Independence Day function was celebrated with enthusiasm in Dharamsala yesterday. The main attractions of the celebrations included the unfurling of the national flag, impressive march past by police personnel, Home Guards, National Cadet Corps (NCC) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and cultural programmes.

Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes unfurls the Tricolour in Dharamsala on Friday. Photo: Ravinder Sood

Power Minister unfurls flag in Kullu
Kullu, August 16
The Independence Day was celebrated at Dhalpur Maidan here yesterday. Sujan Singh Pathania, Multi-Purpose Projects and Power and Agriculture Minister, hoisted the national flag.

Students gift 90-ft Tricolour to school
Solan, August 16
The alumni of Pinegrove School, Dharampur, gifted the school with a 90-foot-high national flag on the occasion of Independence Day yesterday.

Tourist rush in Shimla, traffic goes haywire
Shimla, August 16
Vehicles stand in a long queue at NH-22 during heavy rain in Shimla on Friday. photo: Amit Kanwar The long weekend on account of government holidays has brought cheer to hoteliers in Shimla even during the off season, as hotels remained packed to capacity. The unanticipated rush in the town resulted in the traffic arrangements going haywire. Usually August is a lean period with tourist rush being confined to mostly foreigners.


Vehicles stand in a long queue at NH-22 during heavy rain in Shimla on Friday. photo: Amit Kanwar

Heavy rain wreaks havoc, eight dead 
Shimla, August 16
Houses and a bridge collapse during a heavy rain at Kataula in Mandi on Saturday. Photo: Jai Kumar Incessant rainfall in the past two days has wreaked havoc in the state leaving eight persons dead. Not only this, extensive damage has been caused to houses, roads and crops. The threat looms large as the Meteorological Department has predicted light to moderate rainfall all over the state in the next week.

Houses and a bridge collapse during a heavy rain at Kataula in Mandi on Saturday. Photo: Jai Kumar

World Bank team meets Stokes
Shimla, August 16
A World Bank team, headed by Manivannan Pathy, met Horticulture Minister Vidya Stokes here today. They discussed various issues, including the Rs 1,000-crore horticulture project, for the state.

2 die as truck falls into gorge
Dalhousie, August 16
Two persons were killed and two others seriously injured when the truck they were travelling in went off the road and rolled down into a 200-metre-deep gorge near Sanwal in Churah subdivision of Chamba district last night, SP DK Chaudhary said here today.





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CM: IIM to come up at Nahan’s Dhaulakuan
State govt employees to get 10 per cent DA hike
Tribune News Service

Nahan, August 16
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh presided over the state-level function at the historic Chowgan in Nahan on Friday and hoisted the Tricolour on the 68th Independence Day. He took the salute of an impressive march past by the police, Home Guards and NCC contingents.

He also paid tributes to martyrs at the Shaheed Samarak. While addressing a gathering later, he announced that a branch of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) already cleared by the Centre would be set up at Dhaulakuan in the Nahan constituency. Besides, he announced a government engineering college at Kotla near Jeuri in Shimla district. He gifted state government employees a 10 per cent DA with effect from January 2014.

He said people of the state played a pivotal role in the struggle for Independence. Remembering the first CM of HP, Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar, Virbhadra said he had played a significant role in the constitution of the state.

He said the Samman Rashi of freedom fighters and social security pension of widows, old aged and physically disabled had been enhanced.

He said a Rs 500-crore Skill Development Allowance Scheme had been started in the state, wherein an allowance of Rs 1,000 was being given to the educated, unemployed youth to acquire employable skills.

He said the government had launched an ambitious Rajiv Gandhi Ann Yojana under which as many as 37 lakh people were being provided ration at subsidised rates. He said the Rajiv Gandhi Digital Yojana, under which 7,500 meritorious Class X and XII students were being provided Net-books for free was also another key scheme.

He said the government was also giving an added priority to the health sector and the opening of three new medical colleges at Nahan, Hamirpur and Chamba had been announced by the government. A provision of ~190 crore had been made for the medical college to be opened at Nahan for which land had also been selected, he said.

“To ensure improvised medical services to people, 638 posts of doctor and other paramedical staff has been filled and the process was on to fill the remaining 719 posts. The CM said the new campus of IGMC was coming up near Ghanahatti in Shimla at a cost of ~150 crore.

He said a super specialty wing had been established at Tanda Medical College in Kangra and efforts were on to make it a pioneer institution.

Around 4,700 polyhouses would be constructed in as many as 8.30 lakh square metre land under the scheme. He said an investment promotion cell had been created in the Industries Department to invite more entrepreneurs and the state government had fixed a target to harness 2,000 MW additional power during the current financial year.

He said to ensure adequate employment to the youth, as many as 93 industrial units had been given clearance to set up their industries in the state, which would provide employment to as many as 8,500 youths. Besides Una, Kangra and Solan districts would be developed as new industrial townships, he said, adding that the daily wages of labourers had been enhanced to Rs 170. He said three new sub-tehsils — Haripurdhar, Pajhota and Narag — had been sanctioned by the government besides opening an SDM office at Shillai.

“Besides, the government is committed to give tribal status to the Trans-Giri area and will strongly pursue the matter with the Centre,” he said.

The CM also distributed Civil Service Award to the State Election Commission for making innovation in preparing electoral rolls by using the primary data of the Election Commission of India. The award was received by Anupam Kashyap, secretary, HP State Election Commission. The award comprised Rs 2,50,000 cash besides a citation.

He gave Prerna Srot Award to Anju Devi for donating the body of her husband to PGI, Chandigarh, where he breathed his last. She was awarded Rs 51,000 besides a citation. The CM awarded Himachal Gaurav Puraskar to Om Prakash Sujanpuri in the field of art and promoting Kangra and pahari school of paintings and gave him cash reward of Rs 21,000 besides a citation.

He also honoured Vikas Thakur for winning a silver medal in the recently held Commonwealth Games at Glasgow. He was given a cheque of Rs 10 lakh, besides a citation. 

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Welfare schemes announced for fishermen’s kin 

Una, August 16
Forest and Fisheries Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri, who was the chief guest at the district-level Independence Day celebrations at the government school ground here, announced a string of welfare schemes for the fishermen families in the state.

He said under the Fishermen Insurance Scheme, the insured amount, in case of the death of a family member, had been enhanced from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh. The minister further announced that the closed fishing season allowance of Rs 600 per month, paid as compensation to fishermen’s families during the yearly fishing ban period owing to fish breeding season, had also been enhanced to Rs 900 per month.

The minister unfurled the national flag and inspected a guard of honour presented by the contingents of the Himachal Police, Home Guards, NCC, NSS, Scouts and Guides. He later took the salute at the march past.

A colourful cultural programme was presented by students from DAV Centenary School, DAV Senior Secondary School, Rockford School, Government Boys School, Government Girls School and differently abled children from Prem Ashram.— OC

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Independence Day celebrated with fervour
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 16
The state government has decided to open medical colleges in two relatively interior districts of Chamba and Nahan so that people residing in these areas get access to quality healthcare.

Kaul Singh Thakur, Health and Family Welfare Minister said this while presiding over the district-level function in Shimla on Friday.

He said the opening of a third medical college at Hamirpur will further help in brining specialised health services to the doorstep of people. He said the government had taken several historical decisions aimed at the welfare of all sections of the society in the past one-and-a-half years.

“Since the formation of the Congress regime, a total of 638 posts of doctor and other paramedical staff has been filled and the process is on to fill 719 more posts to ensure that there are no vacancies,” he said. He said the new Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) campus worth Rs 150 crore would come up near Ghanahatti in Shimla district which would have 100-bed facility for patients besides nursing and dental colleges.

He said Rs 323 crore was being spent to upgrade the Theog-Hatkoti-Rohru road, which would facilitate apple growers and others.

‘Attention being paid on development of rural areas’

Hamirpur: Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anil Sharma, while presiding over the district-level function at Hamirpur, said attention was being paid for the development of rural areas as more than 90 per cent of the state’s population live in villages. He said more powers were being provided to the Panchayati Raj Institutions as these were the basic units of democracy.

Sharma said government had enhanced the social security pension from Rs 550 to Rs 1,000 for those above the age of 80 years. He said annual income limit for getting benefits under welfare schemes had been enhanced from Rs 20,000 to Rs 35,000.

‘Hydro Power Engg College to be set up in Bilaspur’

Bilaspur: To ensure food for all, the government has launched the Rajiv Gandhi Ann Yojana under which 37 lakh people of the state are being provided ration at subsidised rates.

Bali said this while speaking at the Independence Day function here. Besides, Rs 220 crore was being spent on providing essential edible items to the people of the state under the Food Subsidy Scheme, he said. Bali said Hydro Power Engineering College in association with National Hydro Power Corporation would be set up in Bilaspur district and 62.6 bigha land had already been transferred so that work could begin at the earliest.

He announced Rs 2 crore for strengthening HRTC depot at Bilaspur and AC bus from Ghumarwin to Delhi. He also sanctioned mudrika bus between Kandraur to Bilaspur and shuttle bus service between Bilaspur to Ghumarwin. He announced non-stop bus service from Bilaspur to Chandigarh.

‘70 per cent jobs will be ensured for Himachalis’

Mandi: Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said the government had taken several decisions for the welfare of various sections of the society besides ensuring balanced development of all areas during the past one-and-a-half years. He said all approvals for setting up industries are being given within 90 days to attract industrialists for making investment in the state.

He said 70 per cent employment would be ensured to Himachalis in hydel projects, tourism and industrial units.

He said to encourage new industrial units 50 per cent concession was being provided for transfer of land and stamp duty. He said a mother and child care hospital was being constructed at Zonal Hospital Mandi for which a provision of Rs 20 crore had been made besides Rs 45 crore for Cancer Care Centre.

‘Restoration of nautor land will benefit tribal people’

Reckong Peo: Vidhan Sabha Deputy Speaker Jagat Singh Negi, while presiding over the Independence Day function, said the government was giving priority to develop tribal areas and adequate funds were being provided for people’s welfare.

He said the historic decision to restore nautor land for the people of tribal areas would benefit people. He said Choling road via Urni Chaganv and Tapri roads were being maintained so that fruit growers did not face problems.

Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma unfurls the national flag on the Independence Day in Chamba on Friday.People of Chamba took part in freedom struggle: Urban Development Minister
Chamba:
The Independence Day was celebrated with enthusiasm and gaiety here yesterday. Himachal Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma unfurled the national flag at the historic Chowgan of Chamba on the occasion. He also took the salute of an impressive march past presented by contingents of the Police, Home Guards, NCC and NSS. The minister remembered martyrs and freedom fighters. He conveyed his greetings to the people of the town. People of the town had also participated in the freedom struggle, he added. Sudhir said with the approval of a medical college in Chamba district, there would be a radical change in the field of health services in this far-flung terrain of the state. He said the state government was providing a pension of Rs 1,000 per month to persons above 80 and for others, it had increased the social security pension from Rs 450 to 500 per month. Later, a cultural programme was presented by schoolchildren. The minister also honoured officials of different departments for their outstanding performance. Local leaders, prominent persons and district officials were present at the Independence Day function. — OC

Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma unfurls the national flag on the Independence Day in Chamba on Friday.

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I-Day celebrated with zeal in Dharamsala 

Palampur, August 16
The 68th Independence Day function was celebrated with enthusiasm in Dharamsala yesterday.

The main attractions of the celebrations included the unfurling of the national flag, impressive march past by police personnel, Home Guards, National Cadet Corps (NCC) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and cultural programmes.

A large number of people participated in the event. Vidya Stokes, Irrigation and Public Health Minister, was the chief guest. Stokes unfurled the national flag and paid tributes to the martyrs at Shaheed Samarak.

She said the nation would be grateful and remain indebted to the valiant soldiers who had shown us the light of freedom by sacrificing their lives. She said the state government would give priority to provide safe drinking water. “Out of a total 53,604 habitations, 32,416 are being provided with drinking water facility with 70 liter per person per day,” she added.

To provide safe drinking water to tourists and public, six water ATMs were being set up at various places in the state. Two such ATMs would be set up in Kangra district, she said. — OC

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Power Minister unfurls flag in Kullu

Kullu, August 16
The Independence Day was celebrated at Dhalpur Maidan here yesterday. Sujan Singh Pathania, Multi-Purpose Projects and Power and Agriculture Minister, hoisted the national flag.

He took the salute from the contingents of the Himachal Police, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Home Guards, SSB, National Cadet Corps and Guides and Scouts.

He said over ~50 crore would be spent to strengthen the electricity infrastructure of Kullu district. He said the work of the 66-kv electricity sub-station at Nagan near Ani in Kullu was about to get finished. He presented awards to persons for their achievements. — OC

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Students gift 90-ft Tricolour to school

Solan, August 16
The alumni of Pinegrove School, Dharampur, gifted the school with a 90-foot-high national flag on the occasion of Independence Day yesterday.

The Tricolour waved majestically on a pole and could be seen from Barog, Koti, Dagshai and Kasauli.

Arozepal Sandhu, an alumnus of the school and a national shooter, hoisted the flag. A red carpet welcome was laid out for the alumni. Students threw light on the sacrifice made by freedom fighters. “The school strives to attain its mission of giving back to the community,” Headmaster Capt AJ Singhsaid.— TNS 

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Tourist rush in Shimla, traffic goes haywire
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 16
The long weekend on account of government holidays has brought cheer to hoteliers in Shimla even during the off season, as hotels remained packed to capacity.

The unanticipated rush in the town resulted in the traffic arrangements going haywire. Usually August is a lean period with tourist rush being confined to mostly foreigners. However, with Friday and Monday being government holidays, on account of Independence Day and Janamashtami, people tried to make the most of it to escape the sultry heat of the plains.

Not just hotels in the state capital, but those in the suburbs are also packed to capacity as tourists from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Chandigarh have made a beeline to the Queen of Hills. All government guest houses too are fully occupied.

The tourist rush, however, resulted in long traffic jams. As thousands of visitors thronged the town, there was utter chaos on roads which remained choked due to inadequate parking facility.

All parking lots near the Lift and Hotel Holiday Home were fully occupied, resulting in vehicles being parked haphazardly along the roadside.

Despite a large number of police personnel, including senior officers, trying to manage traffic, the situation remained bad as vehicles were stuck for hours and traffic moved at a snail’s pace.

Many roads in the town have been dug to lay cables, which has made the situation worse. Notwithstanding the heavy rainfall that lashed the town, there has been no letup in the tourist rush. 

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Heavy rain wreaks havoc, eight dead 
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 16
Incessant rainfall in the past two days has wreaked havoc in the state leaving eight persons dead. Not only this, extensive damage has been caused to houses, roads and crops.

The threat looms large as the Meteorological Department has predicted light to moderate rainfall all over the state in the next week.

Sanjeev, his wife, a son and a daughter hailing from West Bengal were washed away in a khud in Hamirpur. Only one body has been recovered so far.

Another person was buried under the landslide at Dhamol village in Bhoranj. A two-and-a-half-year-old girl was swept in a rivulet at Sanire village in Hamirpur, while she was crossing it with her parents.

Two persons lost their lives after their jeep got buried under the debris near the Larji hydro power project tunnel in Mandi. The deceased have been identified as Devi Singh (Jogindernagar), Yash Pal (Khauli). The number of deaths due to rain in the past three days has shot up to 13. However, there was some respite from rain today.

Houses have been flooded in Mandi, Hamirpur, Kangra and Bilaspur areas, while extensive damage has been cause to maize, tomato and other vegetables.

Vehicular traffic on several roads, especially link roads, has been disrupted due to damage to roads.

The rain has left behind a trail of destruction with several houses being damaged and trees getting uprooted. The massive landslides triggered due to heavy rain have posed threat to several houses at various places in the town and suburbs.

A family of three had a miraculous escape in the Chakkar area in Shimla as three trees fell on the house of one Kamal Lohia. Neighbours somehow pulled them out of the debris.

Similarly, several houses in the Ghanahatti area face threat as heavy rain has caused massive landslides here.

Mandi was the wettest in the state as it recorded 135 mm rain followed by 131 in Sundernagar, Bhoranj 120 mm, Nagrota Suriyan 116 mm, Amb 92 mm, 90 mm each in Renuka and Una, Bangana 85 mm, Jubbarhatti 84 mm, Dehra Gopipur 78 mm, 75 mm in Nahan and Dharampur and 62 mm in Shimla.

Rivers in spate in Kangra, vehicles stranded

Kangra: Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the Dharamsala-Hoshiarpur national highway after the Dhaliara Khud flooded due to rain.

The night-long rain blocked the highway for more than five hours and the traffic could be restored only after 8 in the morning.

Manji, Banner and Manuni rivers passing through Kangra town were also flooded. Normal life was disrupted following heavy showers in different parts of the valley yesterday.

The rain left Pragpur, Chunoor and Dhaliara Khud flooded in Dehra subdivision disrupting traffic on the highway. — OC

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World Bank team meets Stokes
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 16
A World Bank team, headed by Manivannan Pathy, met Horticulture Minister Vidya Stokes here today. They discussed various issues, including the Rs 1,000-crore horticulture project, for the state.

The project will be completed in six years. The team also apprised the minister of the discussions they had with senior officers of the state government, growers, fruit traders and cold chain operators in private sector.

They visited the Agriculture Marketing Board auction yard, the HPMC cold storage and pack houses, besides apple orchards in Shimla district.

Stokes assured the team that the state government would extend full cooperation for the successful implementation of the project. Animesh Shrivastava and Soujanya Kirshna, members of the World Bank team, were also present.

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2 die as truck falls into gorge
Our Correspondent

Dalhousie, August 16
Two persons were killed and two others seriously injured when the truck they were travelling in went off the road and rolled down into a 200-metre-deep gorge near Sanwal in Churah subdivision of Chamba district last night, SP DK Chaudhary said here today.

The SP said the bodies, retrieved from the accident site, were of Manohar Lal and Sant Ram. The bodies had been handed over to the relatives after a postmortem, the SP added.

The injured, identified as Karam Chand and Pratap, had been rushed to a nearby hospital. All the occupants of the vehicle hailed from the Sanwal area, he said.A case of rash and negligent driving had been registered.

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