10 booked for assault on forest guard

Chamba: Ten persons were booked on Monday for allegedly deterring a forest guard from discharging his duty, misbehaving with him and beating him while he was enquiring about freshly felled timber used by a person for the construction of his house, said Chamba SP Dr Monika Bhutunguru. On a complaint by the forest guard of Mehla beat, a case under various sections of the IPC and the Indian Forest Act has been registered at the Chamba police station against all accused. OC

Governor releases booklet on quarantine

Shimla: Governor Bandaru Dattatreya on Wednesday released the booklet, ‘Saja Nahi, Bachav Hai Quarantine’ (Quarantine is not punishment but safeguard), prepared by NGO Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti (BGVS). Dr Om Prakash Bhuretta, director, Himachal chapter of BGVS, who has prepared the booklet, said with the influx of a large number of people in the state from outside, the booklet offered simple guidelines for the common man, health workers, panchayati raj institutions and other stakeholders. TNS

Kisan Sabha seeks aid for flower growers

Shimla: Flower growers are staring at heavy losses on account of no buyers and lack of transportation amid the lockdown. The Himachal Kisan Sabha has sent an e-memorandum to Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, seeking an economic package for flower growers. Sources said the season was at its peak now, but there were no buyers. Traders were not placing any orders as they say there’s no demand in the market. The flower crop had now almost perished in the lower altitude, while farmers in Lahaul and Spiti had chosen not to raise lilium in the valley, fearing that if the lockdown was further extended, there would be no buyers again. TNS

Jobs for skilled labourers soon: Minister

Shimla: Skilled labourers, who have returned from other states to Himachal, will be able to register themselves for employment soon. After registration, they will be provided jobs in various departments based on their skills and capacity as per their requirement, said Jal Shakti Minister Mahender Singh Thakur here on Tuesday. Thakur, who held a Cabinet sub-committee meeting to provide financial assistance to various sectors like tourism, transport, industry, agriculture, said it was decided to provide special relief to tourism, transport sectors and the urban poor. TNS

36,000-MT wheat yield likely in Chamba

Chamba: As many as 103 farmers have been issued curfew passes to carry out harvesting of their rabi crops. Besides, vehicle passes have also been issued to transport the produce to the markets. DC Vivek Bhatia said 16 sale centres had been set up in the district by the Agriculture Department to help farmers buy maize seed and other agricultural-related material during the kharif season. At least 19,050 hectare in the district was under wheat cultivation and 36,000 metric tonne of wheat production was estimated despite the lockdown. Nearly 3,200 quintal of peas had already been transported to the markets. OC

Barbers imparted training at Nahan

Solan: The district administration of Sirmaur on Wednesday imparted training to the registered barbers at Nahan. They were informed about the Covid-19 infection and need to maintain personal hygiene. DC Dr RK Pruthi said they would be permitted to operate and had been informed that the use of trimmer and blade had been prohibited while scissors could be used to cut hair. Health educator Komal Chauhan informed them that they would have to wear triple-layer masks and all equipment used to trim hair would have to be sanitised before and after every haircut. TNS

Youth Club sanitises 127 Hamirpur villages

Hamirpur: The Youth Club of Hamirpur has sanitised 127 villages of the district. Dr Pushpinder Verma deployed volunteers from gram panchayats into action after the outbreak of corona virus pandemic. Dr Verma said over 150 members of the club sanitised the villages of their areas. He said the mission was to sanitise each house of the area, village streets and village markets. Meanwhile, sanitation and protection gears were given to government medical college by Vishav Manav Ruhani Kender here. OC