P R A D E S H
Tuesday, June 1, 1999
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H I M A C H A L P R A D E S H |
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Tuesday, June 1, 1999 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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PM's holiday plan upsets
Cong men |
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Enforcement Dept registers 14
cases SHIMLA, May 31 — The Enforcement Department has registered 14 cases of illicit felling of trees, illegal extraction of resin, misappropriation of government funds and illegally running of liquor vends. Governor
seeks more powers for panchayats Technology
to debitter kinnow juice developed Nirankari
chief for united global family Eye
test for HP school kids HP
plea to Centre on SSB units Irregularities
in test: SFI |
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PM's
holiday
plan upsets Cong men SHIMLA, May 31 — The forthcoming visit of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to Himachal Pradesh for "holidaying" has upset Congressmen who are alleging that the exercise is mainly to brighten the prospects of the ruling BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. Mr Vajpayee is scheduled to arrive at Manali for about a week on holiday on June 3. He has a house in Preni village, near Manali. What has upset the Congressmen is that the BJP-HVC combine government here has succeeded in persuading Mr Vajpayee to link his holiday with the foundation stone laying of two big hydroelectric projects, which they claim is part of the election campaign. The state government on Saturday hurriedly denotified certain areas of the Great Himalayan National Park near Kulu to clear the stage for Mr Vajpayee to lay the foundation stone of the 2051 MW Parbati hydroelectric project on June 5. He is expected to lay the foundation stone of another project, the Chamera hydroelectric project Stage II, near Chamba. Interestingly, by laying the foundation stones of these projects and addressing public meetings there, the Prime Minister will be covering two Lok Sabha constituencies — Mandi and Kangra — in which these projects are located. Mr Vajpayee, sources say, is also planning a visit to a key monastery in the tribal area of Kaza which also forms part of the Mandi constituency. Certain senior Congressmen have raised objections to Mr Vajpayee linking his holiday with "undeclared electioneering". They allege that all this will be done at government expense to help the BJP. Officials say that some members of the family of Mr Vajpayee have already reached the residence at Preni. A Congress leader, Mr G.S. Bali, said Mr Vajpayee should come out of the spell of his bus journey to Lahore and first tackle the Kargil issue. Mr Bali said the BJP
owed an explanation to the nation on account of the
failure of the government to detect the infiltration. |
Chief
Minister
leads anti-tobacco march SHIMLA, May 31 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, has underlined the need for creating awareness among people regarding the harmful effects of tobacco. Addressing a rally organised by the Health Department in connection with anti-tobacco day here today he said there was an urgent need to educate youth about the effect of smoking and tobacco consumption. He said the government could not carry out this job and society must lend a helping hand to accomplish the task of making Himachal a tobacco free state. Mr Dhumal also led the anti-tobacco march in which 4000 students participated. He administered "no tobacco" pledge to the gathering on the occasion. He also gave away prizes to the winners of slogans and painting competitions organised on the occasion. Later, Chief Minister inaugurated an exhibition on no tobacco in Indira Gandhi Sports Complex. Mr J.P. Nadda, Health Minister, said a campaign had been launched in the state under which 3 lakh school children in the state would sign a pledge not to take tobacco. He said that idea was to catch them young so that they do not become victim of tobacco in innocence. It would be completed by July 25. He said prevention was better than cure and also cheaper. SOLAN: Additional District Magistrate, L.R. Chauhan, flagged off a children's rally, organised by the Health Department, awareness about the harmful effects of smoking, here on Monday. At least 300 children participated. Later, the District
Public Relations Office sponsored a declamation contest
at the local hospital. Ms Veena Thakur of Government
Senior Secondary School, bagged the first prize while the
second prize went to Ms Neena, Ms Poonam of Maharshi
Vidya Mandir got the third prize. |
Governor seeks more powers SHIMLA May 31 (UNI) — Himachal Governor V.S. Rama Devi has said that 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments had rejuvenated the panchayati raj system in the country, strengthening the roots of democracy and ensuring active participation of people in the planning process at village-level. Addressing faculty members and students of law colleges of the USA at a colloquium organised by local lawyers here last evening, she said that gram panchayats should be given ample financial and judicial powers to make them more effective. She said that though
panchayati raj was known to India for centuries, the need
to get the same sanctified by the Constitution arose to
establish a uniform panchayati raj system in all states
for effecting decentralisation of power at the
grass-roots level, local self-government being a state
subject. |
Technology to debitter kinnow SOLAN, May 31 — Dr Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry earned Rs 70 lakh from the sale of fruit plants, seeds, farm produce, aromatic and medicinal plants,last year according to the Vice-Chancellor, Dr R.P. Awasthi. He told a meeting of the university's Research Council, here yesterday that the university also sold improved, high yielding seeds aggregating seven tonnes in 1998-99 which showed growing confidence of the farmers in technologies developed by the scientists here. He said that the Postharvest Department of the institution had developed a unique, economical technology for debittering kinnow juice. This would help increase of kinnow to the ready to serve beverages industry. A technique for "year long flowering production of chrysanthemum" had also been introduced. It was expected to boost the cultivation of these flowers which commanded a ready national and international market. Dr Awasthi also detailed achievements relating to disease resistant high yielding varieties of different horticulture and Forestry related species and also for controlling several diseases that had hit orchards of Himachal recently. The Research Council meeting decided to give top priority to the development of hybrids of different vegetables and also to the training of farmers in the adaptation of the newly developed technologies relating to hybrid seeds. A decision to bring out a "Research Journal" of the university was also taken. Another meeting of the
varsity: Extension Council, also held here yesterday,
recommended that thrust be given to the improvement in
vocational training and to diagonistic visits to the
farmers orchards for disseminating available technologies
concerning various problems faced by them. |
Enforcement Dept registers 14 cases SHIMLA, May 31 — The Enforcement Department has registered 14 cases of illicit felling of trees, illegal extraction of resin, misappropriation of government funds and illegally running of liquor vends. A case of illicit felling was registered by the Enforcement Department against Bainkhu Ram of Banad village, Sunil Kumar and Jagdish Kumar, residents of Guniala village, for allegedly felling 20 trees of deodar and one tree of cheel in the Dalhousie forest range. A total of 191 scants of timber valued at Rs 3,53,429 were seized. A case against Virender Sharma, pradhan of Surajpur gram panchayat, Kasauli tehsil, in connection with the misappropriation of government money was also registered by the Enforcement Department. A sum of Rs 90,000, which was sanctioned by the Deputy Commissioner, Solan, for the construction of a middle school building at Surajpur was allegedly misappropriated. In addition, the pradhan along with Amar Nath, a member of the Panchayat, allegedly felled seven kahir trees illegally in land belonging to the school and the timber was sold to Jaswant Chaudhary, a contractor. Two cases of illegal running of liquor vends in Kangra were registered during surprise checking conducted by personnel of the Enforcement Department headed by the SP, Enforcement, Dharamsala. The two liquor vends on the Dhangu Majra road (Damtal) and Motali Kharad were on the Punjab Border. A spokesman for the
department said liquor worth Rs 10,000 per day was being
sold at these vends. |
Jinxed police house! HAMIRPUR, May 31 — Is the Police House, the official residence of the District Police Chief of Hamirpur and constructed a few years ago here, a jinxed one? If not what is the reason that anyone who has occupied the house has not completed his normal tenure. It was Mr S.R. Mardi, IPS, under whose supervision this beautiful house was constructed in the Anu area of the town on the trijuncture of the Radio Station, Regional Engineering College and Government Postgraduate College, Hamirpur. Even before Mr Mardi could occupy this house, he was shifted from here to Shimla. The house for the first time was occupied by Mr Jagjit Kumar Gupta, but he could not remain there for more than two years as he had a tiff with the then HP Education Minister, Prof Narain Chand Parashar, and had to go to Dharamsala in the Vigilance Department. His place was taken by Mr Sanjeev Ranjan Ojha, who immediately occupied the house. However, in the meantime Assembly elections came immediately after elections, he was shifted from here and sent to 3rd Battalion at Pandoh after remaining at Hamirpur for about one year. Mr Gupta again took over in his place. But he had barely completed 11 months when he was sent to Ist Battalion at Junga. Then came the turn of Mr Rajinder Mohan Sharma. He took over as SP, Hamirpur, on February 25, 1999, but had to leave the station once again within three months. Will Mr A.P. Siddiqui, the new SP of Hamirpur, be able to break the jinx, when he moves into the house? There are reports that
babies used to be buried at the place where the new
Police House is constructed and the Police Department
performed no religious ceremony at the time of taking
over its possession. |
Nirankari chief for united global
family MANDI, May 31 — Baba Hardev Singh, spiritual head of the Nirankari Mission, said yesterday that the common chord of spiritual enlightenment was the only key to peace which could unite mankind into a global family. Addressing about one lakh Nirankaris drawn from Himachal and neighbouring states at Dador, near here, he said man's yearning for peace could not be attained merely by material prosperity. He said the mission had launched a global movement for spiritual elevation embracing the entire humanity without discrimination of caste, colour, creed or religion. Decrying divisions of humanity into castes and religions the Baba pleaded to unite mankind by imbibing universal brotherhood. He said the Nirankaris did not believe in renouncing the mundane world, but in fulfilling the worldly obligations. He said development of science and technology had no doubt made a big breakthrough but at the same time nuclear bombs had endangered the very existence of man. "The guided missiles in the hands of misguided persons posed a grave threat", he said. Earlier a big Shobha Yatra was taken out.
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Eye test for HP school kids SHIMLA, May 31 — The Himachal government has prepared a plan to screen eyes of all students studying in VI to X class under the blindness control programme. This was stated by Mr J.P. Nada, Himachal Health Minister, while presiding over the concluding function of a two-day workshop organised by the state branch of the National Society for Prevention of Blindness in India here today. He said in all, nearly six lakh students would be covered under the programme, students with impaired vision would be provided spectacles and treatment free of cost.
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HP plea to Centre on SSB units SHIMLA, May 31 — The state government has urged the Centre to review the move to shift some field units of the Special Security Bureau (SSB) from Himachal Pradesh to other states. Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal,
Chief Minister, has taken up the matter with the Union
Home Minister and underlined the need not only for
retaining the existing units but also for intensifying
the activities of the SSB in the state. |
Irregularities in test: SFI SHIMLA, May 31 — The Students Federation of India (SFI) has alleged gross irregularities in the test for admission to the degree course in law at Himachal Pradesh University held here yesterday. It alleged that there were several cases of impersonation during the test. It released a photocopy of an admit card in which the photograph of a ‘‘different student’’ was pasted. Senior functionaries of the university were involved in the scandal, it alleged, and demanded action against the culprits.
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