Regional Beat

SHIMLA: The Students Federation of India (SFI) has demanded construction of hostels for tribal students studying in HPU as well as Government College Sanjauli and Solan. A convention was held at the HPU today in which the delegates discussed issues pertaining to students community.

MEETING
SHIMLA: The State Cabinet would meet here on May 8 to take some important policy decisions. Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal would preside over the meeting. Meanwhile, the annual conference of the deputy commissioners and SP’s scheduled for May 6 has been postponed. Next date of the meeting would be decided soon.

Crime
BILASPUR: District and Sessions Judge Bilaspur L.M. Sharma has sentenced Sita Ram, resident of Bholikot village of Sadar Tehsil, to undergo rigorous imprisonment for five years and pay a fine of Rs 1,000 for killing his father. The accused would further under go six months imprisonment in case he fails to pay the fine.

DHARAMSALA: The police have reportedly held two local shopkeepers for seducing and sexually harassing a class 7 student in McLeodganj. She was allegedly being harassed by the two for the past three months. It is learnt that the police had initially held two foreigners, who used to stay with the accused in the Tibetan township normally, for the same. They were released after a thorough inquiry and statement of the victim.

DHARAMSALA: Tibetan Welfare Officer Dawa Tsering was beaten up by a group of Tibetans for sheltering a Tibetan boy, who had not attended the cremation of Thupten Ngodup. The police have arrested two persons in this regard.n SOLAN: Jeet Singh, a police constable deputed to trace the whereabouts of some persons who had threatened a local sweetmeat seller, was allegedly attacked by four unidentified assailants near the Kaleen temple late last evening. The police have registered a case.

PAY SCALES
SHIMLA: The HP State Co-operative Bank has decided to revise pay scales. According to Bank Chairman Nehar Singh, options have been sought from the employees with respect to the pay pattern to be followed for the revision of scales and pay package. He said that the fixation of new scales would be done after the options were received. The bank has also decided to introduce a pension scheme.

Transfers
SHIMLA: I.S. Chandel, settlement officer for Shimla and Kinnaur district has been transferred and posted as Director Ayurveda, relieving K.S. Narang of his additional charge. Dev Raj Sharma Director Vigilance would replace Chandel. Special secretary (Home) Sanjeev Gupta would also hold the charge of Director Vigilance. Narang would now function as Director Food and Supplies.

Odds and ends
SOLAN: A tumour, weighing around 6 kg (5.88) was removed from the abdomen of Kaushalya Devi (40) at Sub Divisional Hosptial Rajgarh in Sirmaur District last week. The tumour was an “omental mass” partially cystic and solid. The surgical team was headed by Sanjay Aggarwal. NAHAN: A function to mark mining safety week was organised at Rajban, about 57 km from here, today. It was presided over by Deputy Commissioner Sirmaur Nisha Singh. The annual prize distribution was also held. Prizes for the best quarry working in accordance with the scientific methods were given. Deputy Director General of Mining Safety Directorate Northern India A.K. Rudra was the one of the judges.

SHIMLA: Bharatiya Janata Party state unit president Suresh Chandel (MP) and Vipin Parmar (MLA) have been nominated as the members of the executive council of the Himachal Pradesh University for two years. Disclosing this here today, Registrar of the University said Chandel is chancellor’s nominee, while Parmar was nominated by the government.

BILASPUR: Senior vice-president of District Congress Committee Ram Lal has criticised Health Minister J.P. Nadda for wide scale transfers in Health Department and said they were politically motivated. In statement issued to press here today, he said even the relatives of former health minister Ram Lal Thakur were not being spared. He said if the “vindictive” attitude continued then the party would be forced to launch an agitation in the district.