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Wednesday,
November 7, Chandigarh, India  
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Sushma Swaraj inaugurates Doordarshan station
Protect human rights, public servants
told SCs, STs given subsidised
seed Strategies drawn for quality
power |
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Govt must prepare Kangra residents for quakes:
NGO ‘Raid’
unrecognised medical colleges Telecom staff
protest on
November 8 Red Cross fair to begin on
November 10 Villagers want dam area surveyed
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Sushma Swaraj inaugurates Doordarshan station Shimla, November 6 She was here to inaugurate an earth station of the Doordarshan (DD) Kendra here. Ms Swaraj, talking to newspersons here, said since the terrorists were violating human rights of innocent people, they could not claim these rights for themselves. She said POTO did not aim to curb the freedom of the Press but mediapersons shall have to inform the police about any terrorist activity if they had prior information about it. They were free to interview any terrorist outfit and write about it. She said the Criminal Law Amendment Bill, 1995, was too weak to tackle the growing terrorist activities and hence the need was felt to promulgate a new ordinance. She said the need for the ordinance was not felt all of sudden after the terrorist strikes in the USA on September 11. The draft ordinance was prepared much before and the Law Commission had been consulted on the matter. The National Human Rights Commission also suggested some amendments which were incorporated in the ordinance. Justifying making newspersons responsible for informing the police, she said it would have been an irony if only ordinary citizens were made responsible for it. She said although Pakistan TV was spreading disinformation, ban on its telecasts during the Kargil conflict had been lifted now as India was a liberal nation. Ms Swaraj said the proposal regarding the entry of foreign media taken by her to the Cabinet pertained to the non-news and current affairs journals which were knowledge-based and could benefit professionals. However, a final decision would be taken only after the standing committee submitted its report on the issue, she said. She said the coverage of Doordarshan was more than the double of all other channels combined. Fashion TV (FTV) had accepted her objections on vulgarity and was now looking for some partners for telecasting India-specific fashion, she added. She said all shortcomings in providing television coverage would be removed by the Prasar Bharati. Himachal Pradesh would be given a special package along with Uttranchal, Chhatisgarh and Jharkhand during the 10th Plan. She said the low-power transmitter at Shimla for primary channel started functioning in 1982. Later, it was upgraded in 1994. The metro service also started in 1994 which was upgraded last year. Earlier, the Chief Minister said Himachal Pradesh being a special category state should be given a package for enhancing TV coverage on the pattern of the North-East. He said television and radio network should be strengthened to counter Pakistan propaganda. The radio stations at Kulu and Kalpa should be allowed to produce their own programmes and the shortage of staff in the Doordarshan Kendra should be removed, he added. |
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Protect human rights, public servants
told Dharamsala, November 6 Addressing a meeting of officials of various departments and functionaries of zila parishads, panchayats and local bodies, Justice Verma said the earlier interpretation of Article 21 of the Constitution had changed. It did not simply give the right to an individual to live, but to live with respect and dignity. Speaking on the issue of human rights violation by public servants, he said not only must an official desist from doing so but must take action in case it is done by someone else. “It is the right of every citizen, be it a VIP or a common man, to live with dignity and public servants must be sensitive towards any case of violation of human rights,” he opined. He said there was an urgent need for introspection and accountability by public servants so that there was no misuse of power vested in them for the welfare of the public. “If we fail to give a life of dignity to our citizens, then the whole concept of independence and democracy becomes meaningless.” He advised public servants to make good use of the power given to them rather than misusing it for their own vested interests. Justice Verma said a large number of complaints coming to the Human Rights Commission were of trivial nature. A little more attention and care by public servants could reduce this to a great extent. He said as per Article 51-A (J), it was the fundamental duty of every citizen to conduct himself in a manner which helped the nation to advance on the path of development. Speaking on the occasion, the Secretary, Human Rights Commission, Mr V.P. Gupta, said all codification in law would prove to be futile if “we do not change our agenda of governance. What our country needs today is a change in its work culture, attitude and humanism, failing which our legal framework will become ineffective,” he stated. Mr Gupta said each public servant must prescribe a code of conduct for himself so that he remained sensitive towards the common man’s problems. “Every public servant must not forget that after retirement he too will face the problems that a common man faces in his day-today life,” he said. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Prabodh Saxena, and the Superintendent of Police, Mr Sanjay Kundu, also expressed their views on the issue of violation of human rights by public servants. |
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SCs, STs given subsidised
seed Kangra, November 6 Mr Sagar said at a press conference today that total seed distributed during the rabi season had touched 78,345 quintals. He said the distribution was higher this year. During 1999-2000, 52,085 quintals of seed was distributed against the demand of 47,378 quintals and during 2000/2001, against the demand of 52,264 quintals 55156 quintals was distributed. The minister said the government had given subsidy on the seed during the current financial year to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward classes to the tune of Rs 8.49 crore against Rs 4.77 crore last year. The minister admitted that there had been instances of pilferage of the seed under the subsidised category where wheat given for sowing purpose was used for eating. He said steps were being taken to check it. He refuted Opposition’s charges of distributing sub-standard seed, saying that certified seeds had been distributed. He said the production target for the current season had been fixed at 7.29 lakh tonnes, which included 6.7 lakh tonnes of wheat and 14000 tonnes of pulses. |
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Strategies drawn for quality
power Dharamsala, November 6 This was stated at an awareness campaign organised by the ministry here to focus public attention on the urgency and need for power reforms. As part of the campaign, 2,000 road shows are being organised all over the country to garner public support. Officials of the ministry said plans had already been initiated for harnessing hydel potential from the present 25,000 MW to more than 60,000 MW by 2012. Distribution circles had been developed as centres of excellence for reforms. A new programme had been initiated to provide financial assistance to states for undertaking renovation and modernisation of sub-transmission and distribution network and metering. A budgetary provision of Rs 1,500 crore had also been made for 2001-2002. |
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Govt must prepare Kangra residents for quakes:
NGO Dharamsala, November 6 Addressing a press conference here today, he said though there was no scientific method which could predict an earthquake, the prediction of a major tremor in the area by the Dalai Lama and Tibetan spiritual gurus should make the government take precautionary measures. “No doubt we must be prepared to meet any eventuality by having a disaster management plan, but it would be much more wiser to take
precautionary measures to minimise the loss to life and property due to an earthquake,” he added. Mr Ajit Kumar, who heads an NGO, Dhauladhar Education Society, said since Kangra and Chamba fell under Zone-V, the government must be careful regarding the construction of high-rise
concrete structures. Kangra region had virtually been reduced to ruins in the 1905 earthquake. As such we just cannot afford to be
complacent about the issue,” he observed. He said the government must constitute a committee comprising senior scientists, district officials and social organisations to take possible precautions against earthquakes. |
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‘Raid’ unrecognised medical colleges Chamba, November 6 Taking strong exception to such homoeopathic institutions, the District Ayurveda Officer in his official letter has asked the police to register cases and initiate legal action against the persons involved in such malpractices. The Ayurveda Department in its correspondence has cautioned the educated youths in particular and the people as a whole against the fake homoeopathic medical colleges. Such institutions are illegal as they do not have proper recognition. The department has also appealed to the people not to indulge in the activities being carried out by such colleges as such the people would themselves be responsible for any health hazard caused to them with the outcome of their treatment they were getting. Meanwhile, Master Mohan Lal, Minister of State for Ayurveda and Homoeopathy said at the moment there was neither any homoeopathic medical college run by the Himachal Pradesh Government nor any homoeopathic institute recognised by the state government. The minister further informed that the state
government has so far set up 14 homeopathic dispensaries all over the state, including one functioning in Chamba.
UNI |
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Telecom staff
protest on November 8 Shimla, November 6 Condemning the decision, the association said the cadre of JTOs and SDEs had met all challenges on account of the introduction of newer technologies. They were playing an important role in providing “Dolphin” and WLL Services in the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam. Even in BSNL they were involved in providing services like WLL and the Internet it said. It demanded a review of the decision, besides sanctioning of proportionate SDE and JTO posts in IMPCS projects and training if required. The members will wear black badges and hold a demonstration at the headquarters during lunch or closing hours on November 8 and stage a dharna on November 20 at all circle headquarters. |
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Red Cross fair to begin on November 10 Mandi, November 6 Stating this here today, Deputy Commissioner Jagdish Sharma, who is also the president of the District Red Cross Society, said
several stalls would be set up in the fair to raise funds for the Red Cross. Various government departments and banks would set up their stalls, he said. The women’s cell of the Red Cross would put up an exhibition of knitted products, the proceeds from the sale of which would be donated to the Red Cross, he added. The Deputy Commissioner said a Rs 3 crore water conservation project had been approved by the Central Government for the Balh block of the district which would be executed during the current financial year. He said the project envisaged proper management of water through the construction of a network of dams and micro-irrigation schemes. He said a plan had been drawn up to check environmental degradation. As many as 100 schools would be involved in the task, he said. Several green brigades, each comprising 50 students, would be constituted for the purpose. These brigades would be involved in a cleanliness campaign sapling plantation drive and generating awareness for checking environmental degradation and reducing pollution, he said. He said 1,000 self-help groups, constituted under the aegis of the District Rural Development Agency and the Zila Saksharta Samiti, had brought about economic independence among women in rural areas with the active support of nationalised banks. |
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Villagers want dam area surveyed Kulu, November 6 Mr Om Prakash Sharma, Chairman of Rupi Sangthan, in a press note today said people of the area wanted geological scientists to survey the geographical conditions and construction of the dam and reservoir. They also sought permanent employment for the villagers who were relieved of their jobs by the Malana Power Company. A meeting would be held with the Deputy Commissioner on November 19 in this regard. The Sangthan also demanded adequate relief for fire victims of Tosh village where 113 houses were gutted on November 1. |
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