Briefly Region

Make college functional by Aug 15: HC to HP

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has asked director of the state higher education department to make the Government Degree College in Badsar — located in Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal’s home district of Hamirpur — fully operational on or before August 15. The court also directed that Independence Day celebrations be held in the new premises. A Division Bench passed the orders in a PIL initiated on the basis of a letter written by the students of the college to Chief Justice Kurian Joseph. The students had alleged that even though their classes were being held in a school,no effective steps were being taken to complete the construction of college building,which has been going on for the last two years.

Shimla MC starts process for Bantony takeover

Advertisement

Nearly a week after Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal ordered compulsory acquisition of the historic Bantony building — Shimla’s 130-year-old landmark on the Mall Road,Shimla Municipal Corporation (MC) has started the process to get the possession of the estate for housing some of its offices. “We have received a letter from the Chief Minister’s Office,advising the Corporation to move its case before the Shimla Land Acquisition Officer for acquiring the heritage property,” said MC Commissioner A N Sharma.