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

HC bans animal sacrifice in temples
Shimla, September 1
In a significant order, the High Court (HC) has banned animal sacrifices in religious places in the state.

HP withdraws case against pay hike of judicial staff
New Delhi, September 1
The Himachal Government today withdrew its appeal against the High Court verdict directing the state to give a pay hike to non-gazetted judicial employees.

Revenue officers serve ultimatum on govt
Solan, September 1
The Himachal Pradesh State Revenue Officers’ Association today gave a two-week ultimatum to the state government to enhance the honorarium being paid to revenue officers for doing additional work as sub-registrars from the existing Rs 200 to Rs 3,000 per month.

Snow in higher reaches brings mercury down
Kullu, September 1
Fresh snowfall in the higher reaches of Kullu and Lahaul and Spiti and intermittent showers in the lower region since yesterday have lowered the temperature of the entire Kullu valley. After a 14-day spell of dry weather, rain has brought respite to agriculturists and farmers.

Commuters stranded in Lahaul as Koksar bridge starts sagging 
Shimla, September 1
Tourists and farmers transporting peas to Manali got stranded on both sides of the Koksar bailey bridge across the Chandra river in Lahaul today for nearly 12 hours.



YOUR TOWN
Shimla


EARLIER STORIES

NHPC, SJVNL merger move to hit state’s coffer
September 1, 2014
Statewide student bandh for campus polls near-total
August 31, 2014
Sirmaur, Solan districts to have mobile medical units
August 30, 2014
Norms under Land Reforms Act for traders to be eased
August 29, 2014
Students serve ultimatum on HPU VC
August 28, 2014
HPU defers student elections
August 27, 2014
Land acquisition for projects comes to a standstill
August 26, 2014
Century-old Sadhupul bridge collapses, three injured
August 24, 2014
Cash-strapped state govt sets up sub-panel to raise resources
August 23, 2014
CM hints at 10-day session
August 22, 2014


Industry Minister woos British delegation
Shimla, September 1
Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri interacts with UK Deputy High Commissioner David Lelliott in Shimla on Monday. A Tribune photograph Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri assured a delegation led by British Deputy High Commissioner David Lelliott today that Himachal provided sound industrial infrastructure, investor-friendly environment, uninterrupted power supply and a healthy climate for investors.

Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri interacts with UK Deputy High Commissioner David Lelliott in Shimla on Monday. A Tribune photograph

17 test positive for scrub typhus in Mandi
Mandi, September 1
As many as 17 cases of scrub typhus fever have so far been tested positive in the district.

Cong lashes out at Anurag
Shimla, September 1
The Congress today lashed out at BJP MP Anurag Thakur for raising the issue concerning Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh’s cases pending in the Delhi High Court.

Bids for six ropeway projects soon
Shimla, September 1
The Himachal government will soon invite bids from global players for ropeway projects at six popular tourist destinations, including Naina Devi shrine.

Man dies while repairing hotel lift
Solan, September 1
A youth hailing from Kangra district died while he was repairing the lift of a hotel here last evening.

Jawali man cracks HAS exam, selected as SDM 
Vijay Dhiman with his family.Nurpur, September 1
Vijay Dhiman, hailing from a lower middle-class family at Katholi village of Nagrota Surian development block in Jawali sub-division has brought laurels to lower Kangra by getting selected directly for the post of Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) after having secured the 7th rank in the HAS examination.




Vijay Dhiman with his family.

Strengthen women self-help groups, says DC
Una, September 1
Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Jain on Saturday expressed the need for strengthening women self-help groups (SHGs). These groups were formed by different rural development and welfare agencies in the district to boost rural economy and provide better livelihood opportunities to villagers.

Minister redresses 156 grievances
Mandi, September 1
Excise and Taxation Minister Prakash Chaudhary listens to grievances of the public at Kansa Chowk in Mandi on Monday. Photo: Jai Kumar Excise and Taxation Minister Prakash Chaudhary addressed 156 grievances during a camp at Kansa Chowk in the Balh Assembly constituency here today.




Excise and Taxation Minister Prakash Chaudhary listens to grievances of the public at Kansa Chowk in Mandi on Monday. Photo: Jai Kumar

Swan project to save 7,500 hectares from floods: DC
Una, September 1
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abhishek Jain has said a 390-km-long stone-pitched embankment, along the 73 tributaries of the Swan river, will be constructed by March 2017 under the ongoing Rs 922-crore Swan river tributaries flood protection project.

Rs 45-crore Buddhist Studies Centre at Tabo 
Shimla, September 1
The Union Ministry of Culture has approved a Rs 45-crore Indian Institute Baudh Darshan (IIBD) at the ancient Buddhist monastery of Tabo in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti.

SFI activists gherao Secretariat, present memorandum to CM
Shimla, September 1
SFI activists raise slogans against fee hike during a protest at the Secretariat in Shimla on Monday. Tribune photo: Amit Kanwar Intensifying the agitation to press the demand for rollback of fee hike and immediate holding of direct elections to Students Central Associations (SCA) elections in Himachal Pradesh University and 100-odd affiliated colleges, members of Students Federation of India (SFI) today took out a protest march and gheraoed the state Secretariat.

SFI activists raise slogans against fee hike during a protest at the Secretariat in Shimla on Monday. Tribune photo: Amit Kanwar

BJP flays HPAU for sending Cong leader on foreign trip 
Palampur, September 1
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised Vice-Chancellor, HP Agriculture University (HPAU), Palampur, for including the name of Congress leader in the university’s foreign delegation that left for Mangolia on Saturday.

Diploma physical education teachers raise demands
Shimla, September 1
The Himachal Pradesh School DPE (Diploma in Physical Education) Association has urged the state government to treat physical education teachers with one year degree in physical education (DPEd) and one year masters in physical education (MPED) on parity with those with two years MPEd.

Land approved for vocational rehab centre in Una
Una, September 1
The administration has accorded its approval for the transfer of 30-kanal plot of land at Rampur village adjoining the Una district headquarters to the Union Labour and Employment Department for constructing a state-level Vocational Rehabilitation Centre (VRC) for people with disabilities.

Teachers’ body seeks filling of vacant posts
Chamba, September 1
The District Unemployed Art and Physical Teachers Association has urged the state government to fill up vacant posts of arts (drawing) teacher and physical education teacher in different schools of the district.

18 panchayats around Manali oppose inclusion in TCP area
Shimla/Manali, September 1
A view of Vashisht village in Manali. A Tribune photograph Villagers in 18 gram panchayats around the tourist town of Manali have opposed the inclusion of these panchayats in the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act on the ground that the TCP Act 1977 would, according to them, mar village tourism as it would apparently urbanise rural areas.



A view of Vashisht village in Manali. A Tribune photograph

Consumer Forum directs bank to credit Rs 9.5 lakh
Sundernagar, September 1
The Consumer Forum, Mandi, has ordered State Bank of India (SBI), Mandi, to credit Rs 9,50,000 in the account of complainant Hem Raj Gupta, a resident of Baggi village near here. The amount was wrongly debited from the complainant’s account.

Bragta blames Cong for crash in apple market
Shimla, September 1
Former Horticulture Minister Narender Bragta has blamed the Rs 400 to Rs 600 per carton crash in the apple market on failure of Congress government, Horticulture Minister Vidya Stokes and Jubbal-Kotkhai Legislator and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Rohit Thakur to open the procurement centres in time.

Kullu school celebrates annual day
Kullu, September 1
La Montessori School (LMS), Dhunkhra, celebrated its fifth annual day function on the school premises, 25 km from here, here today.

NHAI increases toll plaza charges
Panchkula/Dera Bassi, September 1
Now, road users will have to pay more for travelling on the Ambala-Shimla national highway with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) revising the annual toll charges being collected at toll plazas set up at Chandimandir and Dappar villages. The revised toll charges came into force from August 31 midnight.

25 vehicles challaned for traffic violations
Chamba, September 1
With a view to curbing overloading and negligent driving on the Chamba-Bharmour route, the flying squad of the Transport Department conducted checks at Kuranh, Kalsuin and Rajera and inspected many vehicles yesterday, a report said here today.

Kullu Seniors win hockey tourney
Kullu, September 1
ADC Siddharth Acharya with participants of the Late Major Dhyan Chand District Hockey Tournament in Kullu on Sunday. The Late Major Dhyan Chand District Hockey Tournament was jointly organised by the Kullu District Hockey Association and the District Youth Services and Sports Department here yesterday. District coach Sushmlata said four teams participated in the event. These included a guest team from Mandi district.


ADC Siddharth Acharya with participants of the Late Major Dhyan Chand District Hockey Tournament in Kullu on Sunday.






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HC bans animal sacrifice in temples
Vijay Arora

Shimla, September 1
In a significant order, the High Court (HC) has banned animal sacrifices in religious places in the state.

Passing this order, a Division Bench comprising Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Sureshwar Thakur directed that no person would sacrifice any animal in any place of worship, including all lands and buildings near such places, or in any ceremony/yajna/ congregation or procession connected with any religious worship in a public street forthwith.

The court directed that no person would allow any sacrifice to be performed at any place and directed all Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, Sub-Divisional Officers and Station House Officers to comply with these directions.

The court passed this order on a petition wherein the issue of animal scarifies was raised by a petitioner. During the course of hearing, the court was informed that animal sacrifices were performed in temples of Nirmand and Anni in Kullu.

In Mandi district, devotees on the eve of Ashtmi and other religious occasions, such as God Dev, Kamru Nag, Kamaksha and other temples, sacrifice goats. In some temples in Rampur, Rohru, Kotkhai, Jhakri and Chirgaon, sheep and goats are offered to devtas. At Shillai in Sirmaur district, goats and sheep are slaughtered during the festival season.

Imposing the ban on animal scarifices, the court observed: “A startling revelation has been made the manner in which thousands of animals are sacrificed every year in the name of worship. Sacrifice causes immense pain and suffering to innocent animals. They cannot be permitted to be sacrificed to appease a god/deity in a barbaric manner. Compassion is a basic tenet in all religions. The practice of animal sacrifice is a social evil and required to be curbed”.

The Bench further observed: “It is in the grey area whether the animals sacrifice can be termed as religious practice or not. The faith, rituals and its continuation must change in the modern era. People are required to be sensitised on this issue by the government”.

Places of sacrifices

* The court was informed that animal sacrifices were performed in temples of Nirmand and Anni in Kullu.

* In Mandi district, devotees sacrifice goats on the occasion of Ashtmi and other occasions

* In some temples in Rampur, Rohru, Kotkhai, Jhakri and Chirgaon, sheep and goats are offered to devtas

* At Shillai in Sirmaur district, goats and sheep are slaughtered during the festival season. 

What court says

Sacrifice causes immense pain and suffering to innocent animals. They cannot be permitted to be sacrificed to appease a god/deity in a barbaric manner. Compassion is a basic tenet in all religions. The practice of animal sacrifice is a social evil and required to be curbed.

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HP withdraws case against pay hike of judicial staff
R Sedhuraman/Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, September 1
The Himachal Government today withdrew its appeal against the High Court verdict directing the state to give a pay hike to non-gazetted judicial employees.

The state took the step after a Bench headed by Justice JS Khehar made it clear that no way it could be exempted from paying higher salaries as most states had already implemented the Shetty Commission recommendations from April 2003. At the maximum, the state could be allowed to pay the arrears in instalments, the apex court said.

Appearing for HP, senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan and Pragati Neekhra pleaded that the state’s financial position “is very precarious,” with the revenue deficit placed at Rs 3,262 crore and the fiscal deficit at Rs 5,350 crore.

The pay hike would place an additional burden of Rs 1 crore a year in respect of judicial employees alone and this would have a cascading effect as the state would be bound to offer matching increase to employees in other departments as well, Dhavan contended.

The Bench, however, noted that exempting Himachal Pradesh from the implementation of the commission’s recommendations would prompt other states seek similar relief, citing financial difficulties.

It also made it clear that it was not willing to accept the contention that the state’s finances were in such a mess preventing the government from taking an extra burden of just Rs 1 crore a year.

The state had come in appeal against the January 3, 2014, HC verdict striking down Section 3 of the HP Subordinate Courts Employees (Pay, Allowances and other Conditions of Service) Act, 2005, to the extent that it had overruled the SC directions on pay hike. The HC had directed the state to implement the pay hike from April 2003.

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Revenue officers serve ultimatum on govt
To boycott work from Sept 15 if demands not met
Tribune News Service

Solan, September 1
The Himachal Pradesh State Revenue Officers’ Association today gave a two-week ultimatum to the state government to enhance the honorarium being paid to revenue officers for doing additional work as sub-registrars from the existing Rs 200 to Rs 3,000 per month.

The decision was arrived at during a state-level meeting of the executive body of the association held under the chairmanship of state president Narayan Singh Chauhan, where it was decided that they would abstain from all works pertaining to the registration of sale and purchase deeds from September 15 if their demands were not met.

Other demands included enhancing the quota of tehsildars for promotion to the Himachal Administrative Services (HAS) should be enhanced from the existing 25 per cent to 35 per cent, provision of government vehicles for all tehsildars and creation of 42 posts of assistant commissioners (revenue).

The boycott of sub-registrars’ work will not only put on hold all registration works, but also hit generation of revenue worth crores to the state government from across the state.

While regretting the decision to boycott work in case their demands were not met, the association said the state government would be responsible for driving them to such an extreme action.

In 2006 the then Congress government had enhanced the quota of promotion for tehsildars to HAS to 30 per cent and also assured the cadre that it would be further enhanced to 35 per cent in the near future.

The quota was instead reduced to 27 per cent by the previous BJP government and the state further reduced it to 25 per cent as per a Cabinet decision on July 14.

The block development officers on the other hand have been allotted a quota of 17 per cent in exclusion unlike any other state in India. The association said this hasty decision had created a strong wave of displeasure and frustration among the cadre thereby compelling them to initiate protests across the state especially since they performed multifarious duties round-the-clock and were responsible for the implementation of major government policies at the grassroots level. 

Up in arms

The boycott of sub-registrars’ work will not only put on hold all registration works, but also hit generation of revenue worth crores to the state government. The association said the state government would be responsible for driving them to such an extreme action.

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Snow in higher reaches brings mercury down
Our Correspondent

(Left) People walk with umbrellas during rain in Shimla; and dark clouds hover the sky in Dharamsala on Monday. Photos: Amit Kanwar and Kamaljeet

Kullu, September 1
Fresh snowfall in the higher reaches of Kullu and Lahaul and Spiti and intermittent showers in the lower region since yesterday have lowered the temperature of the entire Kullu valley. After a 14-day spell of dry weather, rain has brought respite to agriculturists and farmers.

The higher reaches of Manali, including Dhundhi, Makarved, Shikarved, Hamta, Manalsu, Hanuman Tibba, Inderkila and other peaks, received the first snowfall of the season yesterday.

The peaks and passes of Lahaul and Spiti, Kunzum, Baralacha, Saach, Kugti, Neelkanth and other higher reaches also experienced snow.

Air India’s Delhi-Kullu flight resumes

The 48-seater ATR-42 of Air India landed at Bhuntar Airport, 10 km from here, today with 28 passengers.

The national carrier had temporarily suspended its Delhi-Kullu operations since July 22 due to bad weather conditions.

Bhuntar Airport Station Manager, Air India, Sandeep Puri confirmed that the flight arrived at 8 am and was delayed for around 40 minutes due to bad weather.

The carrier ferried 18 passengers to Delhi, which was the maximum number of seats sold on this sector by the airlines, due to load stipulations because of smaller runway and air worthiness of the aircraft.

Puri said there were heavy bookings for September and October.

Those engaged with the tourism industry have breathed a sigh of relief, as the non-scheduled airlines, Himalayan Bulls, had also suspended its operations to Chandigarh since August 1 via its eight-seater aircraft leased from Deccan Aviations.

Tourism experts in the valley said the loss of revenue to the state in terms of foreign income was far more than the cost that would be actually incurred in operating a state-owned airline.

They said the state government had not only failed to initiate any concrete measures to enhance air connectivity to the hill state, but also refrained to assist or promote private players. Aviation experts said the state governments of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh had pre-bought a fixed number of seats from such private entrepreneurs, to promote tourism in these states. But, the Himachal Government had not given any tax relaxation or fuel subsidy to the new airline, leave aside pre-buying a fixed quota of seats or marketing the new venture in Kullu. 

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Commuters stranded in Lahaul as Koksar bridge starts sagging 
Farmers worried as they fear loss to produce; movement of small vehicle, however, restored after 12 hours 
Kuldeep Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 1
Tourists and farmers transporting peas to Manali got stranded on both sides of the Koksar bailey bridge across the Chandra river in Lahaul today for nearly 12 hours.

BRO engineers claimed that the bridge was closed for traffic for maintenance work, but commuters told The Tribune that a few channels of the bridge had started sagging due to the movement of heavy vehicles moving towards Leh on the 473-km Manali-Leh highway.
The Koksar bridge in Lahaul. Tribune photo
The Koksar bridge in Lahaul. Tribune photo

The bridge has a 9-tonne carrying capacity, but locals said overloaded trucks start using it early morning thereby damaging it.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) restored the movement of light vehicles after 12 hours at around 4 pm, but the movement of heavy vehicles remained suspended, Lahaul residents said.

The uncertainty of the restoration of bridge for heavy vehicles has worried farmers and traders as their produce may rot in vehicles due to bright sun in the cold desert.

Prem Lal, a farmer, said: “The off-season vegetable harvesting season is at its peak in Lahaul. The pea is a perishable crop and transportation has been hit today as all trucks got stranded on the highway at Koksar.”

It is for the second time that the traffic has come to a halt on the Koksar-Keylong stretch due to the bridge problem.

Last week, another small bridge near Kuth Bihal, 2 km from Koksar, got damaged due to the flow in the surging nullah, a resident said.

A BRO engineer said: “We had restored the small bridge for traffic. The widening work on the stretch between Koksar and Patri Dhank and between Dalang and Tandi is on.”

Tourists, army vehicles and oil tankers on their way to Leh and Ladakh and civil supplies vehicles on their way to Keylong, Udaipur and Pangi were lined up on the highway since morning, officials said.

Keylong SDM Surjeet Rathaur said the BRO was making efforts to make the bridge fit for traffic. The BRO stopped the traffic as the bridge needed repair, he added. 

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Industry Minister woos British delegation
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 1
Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri assured a delegation led by British Deputy High Commissioner David Lelliott today that Himachal provided sound industrial infrastructure, investor-friendly environment, uninterrupted power supply and a healthy climate for investors.

In an interaction with the delegation, Agnihotri said Himachal Pradesh offerred a pollution-free environment, industrial peace coupled with responsive administration and its general social parameters such as health and education are better than other states. The government, through its single widow clearance mechanism, grants approval for setting up of new projects within 90 days, he added.

The minister said the state has immense potential in sectors like tourism, biotechnology, horticulture, floriculture and food processing industries. Entrepreneurs could avail benefits of several in centives being provided by the government as a special category state, he added.

He informed the delegation that investment in biodegradable packaging and skill development programmes has good opportunities. The skill development is a flagship programme for providing trained manpower as per needs of the industry and Britain could help in providing skill upgrade technique to the youth, he said.

Agnihotri said the state government was organising an investment promotion meet in November this year to showcase the investment potential in the state.

Lelliott said there was an immense scope in investment in biodegradable packaging and agro food processing industries and technology transfer as per demand of the industries. A joint group could be formed for identifying possible areas in which entrepreneurs from Britain could invest, he said.

Principal Secretary Industries RD Dhiman briefed the delegation on various incentives being provided by the state government to the entrepreneurs. Director, BoD, SIDIC Gagan Kapoor, Director, Industries, Rajender Singh, Principal Advisor, Industries, Dr Rajender Chauhan and members of the British delegation attended the meeting. 

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17 test positive for scrub typhus in Mandi
Tribune News Service

Mandi, September 1
As many as 17 cases of scrub typhus fever have so far been tested positive in the district.

District Programme Officer Dr Dinesh Kumar Thakur said 214 cases were reported from the district.

He said the figure was quite low as compared to last year, when 74 cases were tested positive.

He said medicines were available in all health centres of the district and there was no need to panic.

Medical Superintendent HK Abrol said people were being made aware of the spread of the disease in the district.

As a preventive measure, they had advised people to cover their body with clothes, he said.

The symptoms of the disease included high fever, severe stomach ache, irritation and swelling in the eyes, vomiting, and diarrhoea, he added.

Scrub typhus is an acute, febrile, infectitious illness that is caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi.

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Cong lashes out at Anurag
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 1
The Congress today lashed out at BJP MP Anurag Thakur for raising the issue concerning Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh’s cases pending in the Delhi High Court.

Chairman of the State Marketing Board and state Congress spokesperson Subhash Manglet said the manner the BJP tried to raise the issue during the monsoon session and now again in the media, it appears that it had no faith in the law of the land. “It appears that the BJP has no patience to wait for the court verdict,” he said.

Manglet said BJP leaders must not indulge in mudslinging and try to tarnish the image of the Chief Minister by distorting facts to suit their convenience. He said in the past too, efforts were made by political detractors of Virbhadra to malign his image and implicate him in false cases but he had always come out clean.

He said the BJP leaders, who were feeling the heat of Vigilance inquiries, were trying to hit out at the Chief Minister by launching an attack on him while the court verdict was still awaited.

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Bids for six ropeway projects soon
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 1
The Himachal government will soon invite bids from global players for ropeway projects at six popular tourist destinations, including Naina Devi shrine.

The government had received a good response from 15 players who attended the pre-proposal conference held in Delhi last month. The final document is ready for inviting bids.

The six projects in Shimla, Maina Devi-Toba, Shah Talai-Deot Sidh, Himani Chamunda, Dharamsala-McLeodganj and Dharamkot-Triund are to be taken up under the private-public partnership (PPP) mode.

The bids for the Anandpur Sahib-Naina Devi ropeway, for which an MoU had been signed by Himachal with the Punjab Government and was later scrapped, will also be invited. Not keen to go ahead with the MoU signed with Punjab during the BJP regime, the Virbhadra regime had cancelled the MoU last year on the grounds that it was lopsided and Punjab stood to gain more. Now as per the new proposal, the ropeway will link Naina-Devi from Toba within Himachal.

Another important ropeway to be taken up is the one for Shimla with a span of 2.4 km. It will start from near the Tourist Information Centre near the bypass and connect Fir Hill Hotel and then to Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) and then with the Lift on the Cart Road and finally near the Rani Jhansi Park. This ropeway is aimed at easing out the traffic on the Cart Road and provide easy accessibility with The Mall.

Himachal is keen to execute aerial ropeways to connect its popular tourist destinations, including many shrines, but most projects have failed to take off. Considering the positive response of private entrepreneurs, the government is hopeful that these projects will finally be awarded.

However, since the land will only be given out on licence and not leased out, it remains to be seen how keen private players are to invest huge sums of money. “The projects will be for 40 years with the first right being for the company which executes the project, so we are hopeful that these projects will attract good companies,” said a senior official.

However, projects such as Naina-Devi, Dharamkot-Triund and Himani Chamunda have been in the pipeline for several years. The ropeways will go a long way in promoting these places from tourism point of view. The government is keen to push the projects as these will help attract tourists and provide facility to tourists. 

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Man dies while repairing hotel lift
Tribune News Service

Solan, September 1
A youth hailing from Kangra district died while he was repairing the lift of a hotel here last evening.

Victim Pawan Kumar was repairing a lift at Hotel Victoria Continental near Dharampur, when it accidentally got started while he was still working on it.

The police has registered a case under Sections 336 and 304-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), against the hotel management for indulging in an act which endangers human life and death due to negligence. Further inquiries are on.

Superintendent of Police Ramesh Chajta said as per preliminary inquiry, it was found that Pawan, along with one Shamsher Singh, were deputed to repair a lift at the said hotel at around 8 pm on Sunday evening, though none of them was conversant with its operations.

The hotel staff also failed to depute any person to ensure that while the lift was being repaired its use was disallowed. Someone accidentally operated the lift and Pawan, who was working on the second floor, fell on the ground. He sustained grievous injuries on his head and was pronounced dead by the medical officer at Dharampur where he was rushed for treatment. Pawan was working as a foreman at the hotel.

Shamsher Singh was working on the third floor of the lift. 

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Jawali man cracks HAS exam, selected as SDM 
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, September 1
Vijay Dhiman, hailing from a lower middle-class family at Katholi village of Nagrota Surian development block in Jawali sub-division has brought laurels to lower Kangra by getting selected directly for the post of Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) after having secured the 7th rank in the HAS examination.

Vijay (39) attributes his success to his laborious efforts and blessings of his parents. His father is a farmer and his mother a homemaker. He completed his school and college studies from local state government educational institutions and did MSc from Panjab University, Chandigarh.

He had earlier cracked the HAS examination in 2008 and got selected as tehsildar in the Revenue Department. He then aimed for direct selection as SDM. After his previous selection, he joined as tehsildar in Bharmour in Chamba district in 2008. He is nowadays posted as tehsildar, Recovery, at Dharamsala. He said after his previous selection, he had started studying hard in the night with the active cooperation of his wife Poonam, who always supported him in his mission.

He said after his selection as SDM, his objective was to serve people and provide them speedy justice.

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Strengthen women self-help groups, says DC
Our Correspondent

Una, September 1
Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Jain on Saturday expressed the need for strengthening women self-help groups (SHGs). These groups were formed by different rural development and welfare agencies in the district to boost rural economy and provide better livelihood opportunities to villagers.

Jain presided over a review meeting of the programmes being implemented by the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA).

He said a directory of all SHGs along with the details of their activities, products being made, addresses and contact numbers should be compiled and provided to government departments and non-government organisations.

“Women SHGs should be empowered and trained to be a part of all rural development works, including the watershed development activities which are being undertaken in all parts of the district,” he said.

He said Rs 51 crore was being spent during the current financial year in Una district for the development of 171 micro-watershed programmes.

“Una district has fragile soil topography as it falls in the lower Shiwalik belt of the Himalayas,” he said.

He said the objectives of the watershed programmes were to check soil erosion, increase percolation of rain water, increase vegetative cover on soil and create surface water bodies. “The involvement of rural women is a must. The concepts of good packaging, branding, labeling and marketing of agriculture produce should be taught to them,” he added.

He directed the officials to study the impact of the works undertaken earlier under various schemes before implementing new ones.

He said area specific and need driven changes should be incorporated into the activities with the change in time.

Rajesh Kumar Maria, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Chetna Khadwal, DRDA Project Officer, and block development officers from all five blocks were also present in the meeting. 

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Minister redresses 156 grievances
Tribune News Service

Mandi, September 1
Excise and Taxation Minister Prakash Chaudhary addressed 156 grievances during a camp at Kansa Chowk in the Balh Assembly constituency here today.

Nearly 190 people met him with their problems. Around 156 complaints were resolved on the spot.

The minister directed the officials concerned to resolve the remaining grievances within 15 days.

At the camp, nearly 150 certificates, relating to caste, income and domicile, were issued.

Addressing the gathering, the minister said the state government was committed to resolving people’s grievances. The motive of the camp was to save their time and money, he added.

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Swan project to save 7,500 hectares from floods: DC
Our Correspondent

Una, September 1
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abhishek Jain has said a 390-km-long stone-pitched embankment, along the 73 tributaries of the Swan river, will be constructed by March 2017 under the ongoing Rs 922-crore Swan river tributaries flood protection project.

The DC stated this during a meet-the-press programme, which was organised by the Information and Public Relations Department here on Friday. He said about 7,500 hectares of land adjoining the tributaries would be saved from annual floods during monsoon.

“During the current financial year, a sum of Rs 308 crore will be spent in the project to create a 137-km-long embankment,” he said.

He said tenders for works amounting to Rs 120 crore had already been awarded.

NM Saini, superintending engineer of the project, said the works were being processed as per the stringent guidelines of the Central Vigilance Commission and expert agencies like Central Water Commission, Delhi, Central Water and Power Research Institute, Pune, Central Soil and Material Research Centre, Delhi, IIT Delhi and NIT Hamirpur, were directly involved in monitoring the project, including the quality control.

He said at the state-level the HP Swan River Channelisation Authority was monitoring the project implementation under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

Reacting to reports that illegally mined material was being used for embankments, Saini said all the mining norms were being fulfilled and the project was depositing royalty amounting to Rs 89.40 per cubic metre for stone and Rs 64 per cubic metre for soil and sand, to the state Mining Department.

He said the contractors were bringing stone from Kiratpur Sahib, Pathankot and Jammu and Kashmir.

Saini said the 4-km stretch of the river downstream Santoshgarh bridge till Punjab boundary, estimated at Rs 55 crore, had been given the NOC by the Punjab Government. The project was likely to get financial approval of the Union Government.

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Rs 45-crore Buddhist Studies Centre at Tabo 
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 1
The Union Ministry of Culture has approved a Rs 45-crore Indian Institute Baudh Darshan (IIBD) at the ancient Buddhist monastery of Tabo in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti.

This was revealed by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh here today. Tabo monastery, situated in Lahaul and Spiti, has been a centre for the study of Buddhist philosophy and tribal culture since its inception in 996 AD.

He said to preserve the ancient seat of Buddhist Studies at Tabo, the Ministry of Culture, Government of India (GoI) had agreed in principle to establish the Indian Institute Baudh Darshan (IIBD) at Tabo.

“Tabo has evolved as an important centre of learning and setting up of the IIBD will further bring the state on the international map and help scholars and academicians pursue higher studies on Buddhist literature,” the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister said land measuring around 30 acres at Mohal Dhaang Chummi had been cleared by the Centre and necessary clearances from the Forest Department were being obtained. The land would soon be transferred in the name of the Union Ministry of Culture for setting up the institute. The project cost was Rs 45 crore and would be fully funded by the Government of India, he added.

The case has been held up since 2011 due to a site-related issue. The Centre has finally accepted a recommendation of the state government in this connection. “It will serve the monks and students, not only from remote areas of Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur, but also learned scholars from far and wide and help in preserving the ancient seat of Buddhist studies,” said the Chief Minister.

“Declared as protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Tabo Gompa houses some of the oldest and most exquisite Buddhist murals and antique paintings, even from the 11th century,” said Virbhadra.

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SFI activists gherao Secretariat, present memorandum to CM
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 1
Intensifying the agitation to press the demand for rollback of fee hike and immediate holding of direct elections to Students Central Associations (SCA) elections in Himachal Pradesh University and 100-odd affiliated colleges, members of Students Federation of India (SFI) today took out a protest march and gheraoed the state Secretariat.

A delegation of protesting SFI members handed over a memorandum to the Chief Minister. They apprised him about the “anti-student” decisions being implemented by the university authorities.

In response to a call by the SFI state committee, the members gathered near the Secretariat to lodge their protest and alleged that the situation in the university has gone from bad to worse during the term of the present Vice-Chancellor ADN Bajpai. They demanded appointment of a regular Vice-Chancellor as the term of Professor Bajpai has expired and he is on ad hoc extension.

Calling the decision to hike the fee as “anti-poor”, the SFI claimed it would deprive poor people of access to higher education, which could then become a monopoly of students with rich economic background.

Manish Sharma, state secretary, SFI, accused the VC of deliberately deferring the SCA elections for a year and mooting the idea of a nominated student body to muzzle the voice of SCA which is spearheading the agitation and keeping the university authorities on toes.

He said the SFI is also opposing implementation of RUSA in haste without proper preparation and increasing the staff strength, which has created an academic chaos in the university and colleges, resulting in inordinate delay in declaration of results.

The students were already up in arms against the implementation of RUSA, but instead of resolving the issue, the university took controversial decisions to hike the fees, he said. It deprived students of their democratic right by deferring the elections to the SCA, adding insult to injury, said Manish.

Dismissing the plea that the SCA elections triggered violence as untenable, the SFI said the worst type of violence took place in elections to the Lok Sabha and Assemblies, but no government had come out with a proposal to defer the polls.

Deferring elections on the pretext of violence was a part of a larger plan of the university and the government to have nominated student bodies which did not represent the students, he stated.

SFI state president Suresh Sarwal said the university had forced the students to come out on the streets and the SFI would hold statewide rallies through main markets on September 2. Meanwhile, the chain hunger strike by the students on the university campus entered its third day today.

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BJP flays HPAU for sending Cong leader on foreign trip 
Ravinder Sood

Palampur, September 1
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised Vice-Chancellor, HP Agriculture University (HPAU), Palampur, for including the name of Congress leader in the university’s foreign delegation that left for Mangolia on Saturday.

Himansu Misra senior BJP leader and BJP spokesperson, while addressing mediapersons here said: “The HPAU is passing through a serious financial crisis and has failed to release the pensions of its 800 employees and the matter is pending before the state High Court. On the other hand Vice-Chancellor Dr KK Katoch is misusing the hard-earned money of tax payers by sending Congress leader on foreign trips at the university’s expense.”

He said the VC had included Congress leader Kewal Singh Pathania in the foreign delegation to visit the Agriculture University of Mangolia. Misra said: “Pathania is neither a scientist nor a farmer. What is the justification in sending him on a foreign trip that too at the university’s expense?”

He said it was a serious matter and the government should initiate action against the VC. He said uncertainty prevailed over the continuance of Katoch as the VC, therefore he was pleasing Congress leaders by sending them on foreign trips.

He reminded the university authorities that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had imposed a ban on foreign visits of Union ministers and senior bureaucrats without the approval of the PMO but the VC was openly flouting the recent directions of the Union government.

Misra asked Governor Urmila Singh who was also the Chancellor of the university to intervene and recover the cost of the entire visit from the VC.

He said he had written to the Union Agriculture Minister in this regard and demanded action against the VC.

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Diploma physical education teachers raise demands
Bhanu P Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 1
The Himachal Pradesh School DPE (Diploma in Physical Education) Association has urged the state government to treat physical education teachers with one year degree in physical education (DPEd) and one year masters in physical education (MPED) on parity with those with two years MPEd.

The DPEs have acquired DPEd degree after graduation and thereafter got admission in the second year of MPEd degree course. Practically, the candidates have completed two years degree before completing MPEd, president of the association Dinesh Ghaghta said.

Citing the example of Punjabi University, Patiala, he said the candidates are given admission in the first year of MPEd after graduation and the candidates who have completed graduation and DPEd are given admission in the second year of MPED. This is also notified in the calendar of 1975, 1981 and 1995 of Punjabi University, he said.

Moreover, the candidates who have acquired MPEd degree before 1997 prior to the NCTE norms prescribing two years MPED course for PG/Lecturer physical education coming into force in 2001 are at a loss, it was stated.

He said degrees of the candidates who passed MA in physical education (MAPE) from Himachal Pradesh are treated as equivalent to MPEd for purpose of employment and release of higher scales, though there is no mention of the MA physical education degree in the NCTE norms.

Former president of the association Lalit Chauhan said it has been made clear by the HPU that course content of the first year of MA physical education and DPED is similar and the course content of second year of MA physical education of HPU is similar to that of MPED of Kurukshetra University. There is no doubt that the MPED degree obtained by candidates with DPED after getting entry in the second year of MPED is completely in consonance with the NCTE norms, it was further stated.

He said candidates with one year DPED and one year MPED are being appointed as assistant professors in colleges, but unfortunately, those employed with the schools are not getting the grade pay of Rs 5,400.

Further, B Ed teachers get M Ed degree after one year course and post-graduate diploma holders in Mass Communication get Masters degree after one-year course. DPEDs who seek admission in second year of MPED should be treated likewise, he added.

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Land approved for vocational rehab centre in Una
Our Correspondent

Una, September 1
The administration has accorded its approval for the transfer of 30-kanal plot of land at Rampur village adjoining the Una district headquarters to the Union Labour and Employment Department for constructing a state-level Vocational Rehabilitation Centre (VRC) for people with disabilities.

Disclosing this, Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Jain on Friday said: “The centre is the only one of its kind in the state where people with disabilities receive free vocational training in various trades and also get placement assistance.”

The centre became functional in August 2005 in Una from a dilapidated building provided by the state government. VRC authorities had been pursuing for the allocation of land since it had funds for the construction of its own building.

The DC said some technical hitches were responsible for the delay in finalising the land allocation process.

The centre presently has five trades, including general electronics, computer applications, dress making, general mechanics and automobile technology, but three of these are presently suspended due to the reason that the present building had been declared unsafe by the Public Works Department.

Jain said: “The Revenue Department has completed all formalities for the transfer of land. The no-objection certificate from the host panchayat has been received and the case has been forwarded to the state government for approval.”

He said a sum of Rs 15 crore would be spent for the construction of the building, which would be handicap friendly. 

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Teachers’ body seeks filling of vacant posts
Our Correspondent

Chamba, September 1
The District Unemployed Art and Physical Teachers Association has urged the state government to fill up vacant posts of arts (drawing) teacher and physical education teacher in different schools of the district.

Association press secretary Harjeet Chauhan said here today that as many as 164 posts of physical education teacher and 155 arts teacher had been lying vacant in various schools of the district for long.

The issue regarding vacant posts had been raised before the state government by the school managing committees (SMCs) as well as the association itself, but no attention had so far been paid, he said.

He said some schools were functioning without drawing teachers and physical education teachers in the district.

He said the government should appoint drawing and physical education teachers at least on a period basis.

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18 panchayats around Manali oppose inclusion in TCP area
Kuldeep Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Shimla/Manali, September 1
Villagers in 18 gram panchayats around the tourist town of Manali have opposed the inclusion of these panchayats in the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act on the ground that the TCP Act 1977 would, according to them, mar village tourism as it would apparently urbanise rural areas.

The TCP has been wrongly extended to include rural areas in Vashisht, Palchan, Burwa, Nasogi and other panchayats up to Halaan II, along the Prini-Naggar road, the villagers resented.

The panchayat pradhans of 18 panchayats have joined hands with the Manali Hoteliers Association (MHA) and the Home Stay Owners Association (HSOA), urging Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh not to go in for the proposed move.

Despite opposition from 18 gram panchayats around Manali, the ribbon concrete corridor mainly between Prini and Shuru and between Bahang and Palchan and in Old Manali and Solang Nalla have developed to a point of no return as the TCP has failed to deliver the goods.

The villagers, however, say that TCP norms will hit the promotion of village tourism as they have to leave 3 m space in front, 2 m on the sides and back, which means they cannot construct even two rooms on a small plot.

“We cannot build even a home stay unit or a small guest house in the village as the TCP Act does not give permission as most plots do not have enough areas,” said AR Thakur, a resident of Vashisht panchayat and president, MHA.

SDM, Manali, Vinay Dhiman says they will allow them to build a two-floor house if they build a commercial building, and for more than two floors, they need permission from the TCP Department. “We are asking for a single-window clearance. Solang Nala, Burwa, Shanag and Vashisht are being monitored under the Special Area Development Authority (SADA),” he added.

But the villagers point out that Section 30-A exempts building plans from the TCP’s approval where there is no scope for new construction. Still, the Tourism Department seeks an NOC from the TCP, the villagers resented. The unemployed youth cannot start village-based home stay units, it was stated.

“The TCP and Tourism Department should pool in efforts to make village tourism villager-friendly as we rear cows, store grass and need safety from hazards of fire and earthquake,” said Ved Ram Thakur, pradhan, Shanag panchayat.

The pradhans demand that the TCP Act should be restricted to the municipal limits of Manali. “We need norms suiting hill areas to regulate construction and panchayat must be delegated power to issue a NoC to villagers with minimum requirement of space to be left,” it was added.

The TCP Act in place, no registrar or sub-registrar can register any sale deed in the planning area under Section 13, TCP Act. The supervision must be under panchayats not under the TCP Department.

Secretary, TCP, RD Nazeem claimed that the TCP Act was being extended to regulate unplanned and haphazard construction in Manali areas. “We are giving comprehensive concessions to people in the area as per the proposal,” he added. 

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Consumer Forum directs bank to credit Rs 9.5 lakh
Our Correspondent

Sundernagar, September 1
The Consumer Forum, Mandi, has ordered State Bank of India (SBI), Mandi, to credit Rs 9,50,000 in the account of complainant Hem Raj Gupta, a resident of Baggi village near here. The amount was wrongly debited from the complainant’s account.

The forum also ordered the bank to pay interest at the rate of 9 per cent per annum on the awarded amount, from the date of the complaint till it was deposited. The bank has also been directed to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation for harassment and Rs 4,000 as costs to the complaint.

On June 24, 2009, the complainant deposited a cheque for Rs 9,50,000, issued by Mona Enterprises in his favour, and the amount was credited to his account the same day. When he got the statement of his account in July 2009, it was found the bank had debited the amount from his account the same day, without intimating him.

The bank argued that the amount was debited with Hem Raj’s consent.

The bank said the amount was credited to the account of complainant’s firm on June 24, 2009, but Mona Enterprises immediately informed the bank that the complainant had taken away the cheque without its permission.

Hem Raj was informed and he requested to revert the credit entry in the account of Mona Enterprises. The complainant was told by Mona Enterprises that it was intending to lodge an FIR against the complainant. Upon this, the parties compromised and it was mutually agreed to destroy the cheque to avoid any criminal action sought by Mona Enterprises

The complainant had himself destroyed the cheque in the presence of Madan Sood, the then Chief Manager of the bank, and the authorised signatory of Mona Enterprises and no dispute had ever been raised by the complainant till the filing of this complaint, the bank said.

The forum said there was no documentary evidence on record to show that the matter had been compromised between the parties.

So, the version of the bank that the entry of credit was reverted on verbal request of the complainant cannot be believed. The forum added that the cheque was wrongly and illegally debited without the consent of complainant and the act amounted to deficiency in service.

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Bragta blames Cong for crash in apple market
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 1
Former Horticulture Minister Narender Bragta has blamed the Rs 400 to Rs 600 per carton crash in the apple market on failure of Congress government, Horticulture Minister Vidya Stokes and Jubbal-Kotkhai Legislator and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Rohit Thakur to open the procurement centres in time.

Bragta recently said the procurement centres in the apple belt had been reduced to half from 328 during the BJP government. Even those announced had not been made functional in several panchayats.

The procurement centres should have been opened in July when the season started. But even after a delay of one month, many centres remained non-functional, despite announcements by the government on August 15, he said.

He said in 2011, when the state produced record 5 crore cartons, then BJP government had opened 328 centres and no low-quality fruit had entered markets. Both horticulture minister and CPS had failed to deliver the goods to farmers this time, even as the crop was estimated to be on lower side, Bragta said.

Low-quality apple had entered markets, resulting in Rs 400 to Rs 600 per carton crash since the last 15 days. Bragta blamed Congress government’s delay in procurement of the fruit for the crash.

The farmers were helpless as they had no choice other than sending the low quality culled fruit in the markets. The second problem was that the government had introduced the 20 kg or 30 kg bags for the culled fruit, which had added to the problems of the farmers, he added.

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Kullu school celebrates annual day
Our Correspondent

Kullu, September 1
La Montessori School (LMS), Dhunkhra, celebrated its fifth annual day function on the school premises, 25 km from here, here today.

Engineer HS Bishtu, associate vice-president, Malana Power Project, was present on the occasion. The chairman of the LMS group said the programme was delayed due to showers.

The audience enjoyed and appreciated the presentations made by the children.

Principal Aarti Sharma read out the annual report and thanked the parents for ensuring their presence on the occasion.

Lalita Kanwar, Principal, LMS, Kalheli, congratulated the school staff and parents for the cent per cent result and acquisition of two new school buses. 

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NHAI increases toll plaza charges
Bipin Bhardwaj
Tribune News Service

Panchkula/Dera Bassi, September 1
Now, road users will have to pay more for travelling on the Ambala-Shimla national highway with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) revising the annual toll charges being collected at toll plazas set up at Chandimandir and Dappar villages. The revised toll charges came into force from August 31 midnight.

With the NHAI revising the toll charges, the proposal of the Hayrana Government for reducing toll taxes on similar toll barriers in a number of states and national highways seems to have gone awry.

The NHAI had allotted the construction work of the Panchkula-Parwanoo stretch to Himalyan Express Limited, a construction company, in April 2012, on the built operate and transfer basis (BOT) for 20 years.

This is the second annual hike in the user-fee rates by the concessionaire in the last two years. Similarly, construction of the Ambala-Chandigarh section of the highway was taken up by GMR Ambala-Chandigarh Expressways Private Limited. At the Chandimandir Toll Plaza, the revised toll charges will be : Car/jeep/van; Rs 28 (single journey), Rs 42 (return journey) and Rs 838 (monthly pass), LCV Rs 29 (single journey); Rs 73 (return journey) and Rs 1,467 (monthly pass); truck/bus; Rs 98 (single journery); Rs 147 (return journey) and Rs 2934 ( monthly pass), MAV; Rs 157 (single journey); Rs 236 (return journey) and Rs 4,716 (monthly pass).

Similarly, revised toll charges in Dappar will be: Car/jeep/van; Rs 36 (single journey), Rs 53 (return journey) and Rs 1,066 (monthly pass), LCV Rs 62 (single journey); Rs 93 ( return journey) and Rs 1,866 (monthly pass); truck/bus; Rs 124 (single journey); Rs 187 (return journey) and Rs 3,732 ( monthly pass), MAV; Rs 200 (single journey); Rs 300 (return journey) and Rs 5,999 (monthly pass) and heavy vehicles; Rs 267 (single journey); Rs 400 (return journey) and Rs 7,998 monthly pass.

Col (retd.) P Sharma, General Manager of the company, said toll charges had been revised as per the wholesale price index (WPI) of the previous year. However, there is no change in the local areas’ discounted rates, he said.

“The estimated cost of the project was Rs 295 crore while the completion cost was Rs 740 crore. The project is not viable as the company is facing monthly loss of Rs 1.7 crore,” he claimed.

As per records of the company, nearly 30,000 vehicles cross (up and down) the toll barrier daily that also include local residents availing monthly pass facility.

The residents of villages and township (Chandigarh-Panchkula and Pinjore) falling within 10 km radial distance have been issued monthly passes on discounted rates, claimed Col KJS Sandhu, official spokesperson of the company.

Pradeep Sharma, a resident of HMT Colony, Pinjore, claimed that the government should make travelling in all the states and national highways free of cost. 

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25 vehicles challaned for traffic violations
Our Correspondent

Chamba, September 1
With a view to curbing overloading and negligent driving on the Chamba-Bharmour route, the flying squad of the Transport Department conducted checks at Kuranh, Kalsuin and Rajera and inspected many vehicles yesterday, a report said here today.

The report said around 25 vehicles were challaned for violating traffic rules. Drivers of many vehicles were given instructions and made aware of traffic rules.

The drive was aimed at ensuring the safety of
visitors during the Manimahesh pilgrimage and other passengers, the report added. 

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Kullu Seniors win hockey tourney
Our Correspondent

Kullu, September 1
The Late Major Dhyan Chand District Hockey Tournament was jointly organised by the Kullu District Hockey Association and the District Youth Services and Sports Department here yesterday. District coach Sushmlata said four teams participated in the event. These included a guest team from Mandi district.

Manu Sharma, chief guest for the opening ceremony and vice-president, Municipal Committee, Kullu, paid tributes to the hockey wizard and encouraged the players. The inaugural match was won by Mandi. The team defeated Kullu College 2-1. The Kullu Seniors team defeated Kullu Red 5-1. The Kullu Seniors prevailed over Mandi 2-1 in an exciting final.

Winning captain Yashpal Sharma and other team members were given a cash prize of Rs 500 each and a memento by Siddharth Acharya, ADC, Kullu, and chief guest for the closing ceremony. The runners-up team members were given mementos and a cash prize of Rs 400 each. The ADC said sports motivated the youth to have a positive lifestyle so that they did not fall prey to drug abuse or anti-social activities.

He motivated the players to adopt a constructive approach and put in efforts to excel in sports. He appreciated the efforts of the district coach to engage schoolchildren in the hockey training camps, which, according to him, would go a long way in promoting the national game.

Sanjay Gupta, general secretary, Kullu District Hockey Association, thanked the chief guest and the officers and staff of the Youth Services and Sports Department as also other members of the association present on the occasion.

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