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Himachal CM rubbishes Hindi Daily’s ‘Shillai girl trafficking report’,  editor summoned, SDM transferred

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Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh lashed out at a Hindi Newspaper for alleged “defamatory and deceptive ” series of stories it had published about alleged trafficking/sale of girls on the name of marriages in Shillai region of district Sirmaur. 

The Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Shillai, Vikas Shukla, who had reportedly ordered the survey, was immediately transferred to Arki and the Editor of the daily was summoned for alleged fabrication of facts that hurt the sentiments and self-esteem of the people of Shillai region. The CM called the report as completely deceptive.  He has also claimed that the Women Commissioner, who visited the region after the matter came to limelight, and the district administration did not find any truth in the news reports published by the Hindi daily.  

The conspiracy to defame the state and its daughters won’t be tolerated at all and the officials should have taken action to prevent attempts to bring disrepute to the state,

said the CM.

Reportedly, the SDM had highlighted the issue based on a survey conducted under Integrated Children Development Scheme. (ICDS) in which startling revelations were made that raised questions over efforts of the government for socio-economic development of the region. The news was covered by not only Hindi dailies, but English newspapers like Times of India, Hindustan Times, Statesman etc.

According to findings of the said ICDS report, during last two decades, nearly 1,000 girls were married outside the state, mostly in Haryana. It was alleged that as sex ratio in Haryana is very low (879 females per 1000 males), men take to tempting parents of this poverty-stricken and isolated region of Himachal.

The Tribune had also published a finding of the ICDS survey in which it was reported that 391 girl students dropped out of school prior to matriculation in just one year.

What doesn’t appear to a co-incident is that Peoples’ Action for People in Need (PAPN), an organization had also reported the prevalence of the trend in the region including child marriages.

Himachal Watcher had also compiled major facts reported from various sources including the official statement of the SDM and the Director General of Police, Sanjay Kumar. DIG had also rejected the report refuting registration of any such complaints from the locals.

Apparently, such revelation, if true, would damage the reputation of the current government ahead of HP Assembly Polls 2017. Reported poverty and lack of employment opportunities are directly associated with governance and concern of the political leaders about development of remote regions of the State.

The CM rubbished the news saying no such conspiracy by media would be tolerated that brings bad name to the State.  The CM clarified that the region is well connected with good roads and 100% homes have electricity. The number of school and college going girls was higher than boys (600 out of total 918 students are girls), claimed the CM.

He further added,

Fabricated and frivolous series of news of the so-called trafficking has hurt the sentiments of the people of the state, particularly the residents of Sirmaur district, as no such case has come to the notice of the police and no case has been registered.

Reportedly, people from Paonta Sahib and Shillai region staged a protest in front of the SDM Office alleging maligning image of the region by highly derogatory and unethical reporting.

He further defied the reports about backwardness of the region.

Students from the Shillai area are studying among others in the three colleges at Shillai, Kaffota and Aanj Bhoj and the percentage of girls studying in these colleges is about 80 per cent.

the CM claimed.

However, the ICDS survey report, statements of the SDM, and the agreement of a non-profit organization with these reports still requires logical explanation before they could be rejected entirely.

Madan has studied English Literature and Journalism from HP University and lives in Shimla. He is an amateur photographer and has been writing on topics ranging from environmental, socio-economic, development programs, education, eco-tourism, eco-friendly lifestyle and to green technologies for over 9 years now. He has an inclination for all things green, wonderful and loves to live in solitude. When not writing, he can be seen wandering, trying to capture the world around him in his DSLR lens.

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Kotkhai Custodial Death Case: CBI Court Sentences IGP Zaidi, 7 Other Policemen to Life Imprisonment

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Zahur H Zaidi

SHIMLA – A special CBI court has convicted and sentenced Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zahur Haider Zaidi and seven other policemen to life imprisonment in connection with the 2017 custodial death case of 29-year-old Suraj Singh.

CBI Public Prosecutor Amit Jindal argued for exemplary punishment, emphasizing the gravity of the crime.

After considering the arguments, CBI Special Judge Alka Malik sentenced the eight police personnel to life imprisonment.

On January 18, the accused were found guilty under Sections 302, 330, 348, 218, 195, 196, 201, and 120B of the IPC in connection with the custodial death of suspect Suraj Singh. However, the court acquitted former Shimla SP DW Negi.

The incident occurred on July 18, 2017, when Suraj Singh, an accused in the alleged gang rape and murder of a minor girl in Kotkhai, Shimla district, died in police custody. The CBI investigation revealed that Suraj Singh was tortured and murdered by police personnel.

The court convicted Zaidi, who was the then Inspector General of Police, along with seven other policemen, including Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Manoj Joshi, Sub-Inspector Rajinder Singh, Assistant Sub-Inspector Deep Chand Sharma, Head Constables Mohan Lal, Surat Singh, and Rafee Mohammad, and Constable Ranjit Sateta.

CBI public prosecutor Amit Jindal stated that the court sentenced the eight convicts to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on them. The accused were convicted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including murder, voluntarily causing hurt to extort confession, and wrongful confinement to extract confession.

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HP Cabinet Decisions: Approves Pilot Study on Cannabis Cultivation, Seema College Renamed as Raja Virbhadra Singh Govt. College

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HP Cabinet Decisions January 2025

Shimla-The State Cabinet, in its recent meeting held at Dharamshala in Kangra district, made several key decisions across various sectors.

Cannabis Cultivation Study:

The Cabinet approved a pilot study on cannabis cultivation, which will be jointly conducted by Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Krishi Vishvavidyalaya in Kangra and Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture in Solan. The study aims to evaluate the potential of cannabis cultivation and recommend future actions. The Agriculture Department will serve as the nodal agency for this initiative.

Disaster Relief for Tandi Village:

The Cabinet extended the special relief package for disaster-affected families to those impacted by the fire in Tandi Village, Kullu. Under the package, families with fully damaged houses will receive Rs. 7 lakh, those with partially damaged houses will receive Rs. 1 lakh, and families who lost cowsheds will receive Rs. 50,000. Additionally, monthly rental assistance of Rs. 5,000 will be provided to affected families until June 30, 2025.

Robotic Surgery Equipment Procurement:

The Cabinet approved Rs. 56 crore for the procurement of state-of-the-art machinery and equipment for robotic surgery at AIMSS Chamiyana in Shimla and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Tanda, Kangra. The approval follows a model similar to AIIMS New Delhi, aimed at enhancing medical facilities.

Forest Department Order Amendment:

The Cabinet amended the Forest Department’s previous order to allow the extraction of berberis roots (Kashmal) until February 15, 2025. Furthermore, it permitted the transportation of forest produce extracted from open spaces prior to January 4, 2025, until February 15, 2025, in line with the HP Forest Produce Transit (Land Routes) Rules, 2013.

Ropeway Project and Transportation Improvements:

The Cabinet approved the establishment of a ropeway between Kullu Bus Stand and Peej Paragliding Point. Additionally, it sanctioned the procurement of 24 air-conditioned super luxury buses for the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) to improve passenger services.

Rural Development and Infrastructure Reorganization:

Nine posts of Block Development Officers will be filled in the Department of Rural Development. The Cabinet also approved the reorganization of the PWD National Highway Circle in Shahpur, creating two new divisions, Nankhadi and Kholighat, and the Kharahan Section.

State Taxes and Excise Enforcement:

To enhance enforcement, the Cabinet approved the allocation of 100 motorbikes to field offices of the State Taxes and Excise Department for surprise checks and improved monitoring.

State Cadre Posts:

The Cabinet decided to bring the posts of Drivers, all Class-III and Class-IV posts in District Collector (DC) offices, and staff members in the offices of the three Divisional Commissioners, Director of Land Records, Revenue Training Institute (Jogindernagar), Directorate of Consolidation of Holdings (Shimla), and the Settlement Offices in Kangra and Shimla under the State Cadre. This move aims to standardize governance and improve administrative efficiency.

Educational Institutions Renamed:

The Cabinet approved the renaming of several educational institutions. Government College Seema in Shimla will now be known as Raja Virbhadra Singh Government College Seema. GGSSS Sports Hostel (Girls) Jubbal will be renamed Sh. Ram Lal Thakur GGSSS Sports Hostel (Girls), Jubbal, and Government College Khad in Una will be renamed Mohan Lal Dutt Government College Khad.

 

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HP Cabinet Decisions: Eligibility Criteria for BPL List, Special Task Force to Combat Drug Abuse & Other Decisions

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hp cabinet meeting january 9, 2024

Shimla-The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, in its meeting held on Thursday, approved the inclusion of the following families in the BPL list:

  • Families with no adult members between the ages of 18 and 59.
  • Women-headed families.
  • Families whose head has a disability of 50 per cent or more.
  • Families that worked for at least 100 days under MNREGA in the previous financial year.
  • Families whose earning members are suffering from chronic diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, muscular dystrophy, thalassemia, or any other condition resulting in permanent disability.

The Cabinet also approved the establishment of a Special Task Force to combat drug abuse and dismantle drug trafficking and organized crime networks in the state through a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach.

Additionally, the Cabinet decided to promulgate an ordinance to amend Schedule 1A of the Indian Stamp Act of 1899. This amendment will facilitate the levy of a uniform stamp duty rate of 12 per cent on transfer and lease transactions secured under Section 118(2)(H) of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, with prior approval from the State Government.

The Cabinet approved a ban on the felling of trees, except for Safeda, Poplar, Bamboo, and Khair (for sale), in accordance with a ten-year program.

The Cabinet reiterated its request to the Government of India to adopt a 90:10 funding formula for the power component of the Kishau Multipurpose Project, similar to the formula adopted for its water component. Alternatively, the Cabinet proposed providing a 50-year interest-free loan for the entire amount payable by the State Government for the power component under the Inter-State Agreement.

It approved the establishment of a 1 MW Green Hydrogen Project in Nalagarh, to be executed by HPPCL.

The Cabinet sanctioned the imposition of Green Energy Development Charges for Pumped Storage Projects. A charge of ₹2.5 lakh per MW per year will be levied for the first 10 years after the project’s commissioning, increasing to ₹5 lakh per MW per year thereafter.

Approval was given to introduce the Himachal Pradesh Sadbhawana Legacy Cases Resolution Scheme 2025 to resolve pending cases, litigations, and arrears under subsumed enactments such as VAT, CST, Entry Tax, etc.

The Cabinet decided to designate the area surrounding the Tara Devi Temple in Shimla district as a Green Area.

It approved the creation and filling of 10 Junior Office Assistant (IT) posts for the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission, Shimla.

The Cabinet selected the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, to conduct computer-based tests for the recruitment of Group-C posts through the Himachal Pradesh Rajya Chayan Aayog, Hamirpur.

Approval was granted for creating the Block Primary Education Office at Rohnat by bifurcating the existing Block Primary Education Office at Shilai in the Sirmaur district.

The Cabinet decided to transfer three-gram panchayats — Matyal, Kudal, and Dhadol — from Development Block Lambagaon to Development Block Baijnath in Kangra district to serve the residents of these areas better.

The Cabinet approved the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Development Authority Land Pooling Policy-2025.

It also approved the establishment of the Himachal Pradesh State Water Informatics Centre to collect data from domain-specific bodies, develop new databases, and disseminate comprehensive water-related information.

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