Monthly Archives: August 2018

Dehradun, June 7

Youth Foundation, a social organisation, will organise camps in Dehradun and adjoining areas to provide pre-selection coaching to the youth who aspire to join the Army. The youths selected in these camps will undergo month-long training before they go for Army recruitment rallies. Foundation coordinator Sooraj Singh Negi said 17 camps would be organised in June in Dehradun and adjoining areas, namely Bhogpur, Rishikesh, Kurkawala, Bhaniyawala, Dudhli, Miyanwala, Danda Lakhond, Tapkeshwar and Sahaspur.—TNS

A view of Rohtang Pass. — Tribune file photo

New Delhi, June 21In some good news for those planning to visit the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh to beat the summer heat, the National Green Tribunal has allowed 100 more tourist vehicles to pass through the eco-sensitive area.The panel, which had earlier permitted 800 petrol and 400 diesel vehicles to go beyond Manali on Rohtang Pass road, has allowed more vehicles to the picturesque location to ensure that more tourists are accommodated.”We hereby permit 100 more cars out of which 60 per cent would be petrol cars and 40 per cent diesel cars. The applicants under this category will be only the tourists driving their own vehicles from Himachal Pradesh and other parts of the country.”75 per cent of such applications would be granted permit under outside tourist category i.e. the tourist driving their own vehicles from outside Himachal Pradesh. The remaining 25 per cent would be the tourist from other districts of State of Himachal Pradesh,” the circuit bench headed by National Green Tribunal (NGT) Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.The green panel announced that any vehicle, taxi or tourist, which is found to be violating any condition of the permit or directions of the NGT would be liable to pay Rs 5,000 as environmental compensation for such default.”This amount shall be payable to the administration through police and other executing departments. In addition to fact that as and when the department of transport issues regular permits for running of vehicle shall not issue such a permit if the person is found to be defaulting more than three times, that permit for running vehicle shall stand cancelled and will not be renewed and computer programmed to reject the request,” the bench said.On the issue of issuing permits, the bench held that online registration for permits to Rohtang should be opened at 10 am every morning and then again at 4 pm on the same day instead of 12 noon as done earlier.”In variation to the practice presently being adopted by the administration all persons concerned would be allowed to login and submit their application online at least a week in advance. In other words the person desiring to have a permit could apply one week in advance to the proposed date of travel,” it said.It also directed installation of CCTV cameras on each check-post within a week for keeping a strict vigil in the area.”These cameras would be connected to the computer and due records would be maintained of the vehicles which cross the barriers and go up to Rohtang for tourism purposes or even otherwise,” the bench said.The tribunal had earlier asked the state government to submit a comprehensive report on various aspects including the ropeway, operationalisation of CNG and electric buses, status with regard to afforestation and establishment of eco-friendly market at Marhi. — PTI  – See more at: http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/ngt-relaxes-restriction-on-tourist-vehicles-to-rohtang-pass/425579.html#sthash.WnbRbFxn.dpuf

THERE is a new government in place in Punjab, steering its first substantial session of the state Assembly. There is also a unique double-barrelled Opposition, albeit small, to confront the government. Unfortunately, there is no improvement in the manner in which the business of the House has been conducted over the years. It is shameful. Issues uppermost on people’s minds don’t get a chance to be brought up because the government does not want any uncomfortable matters to be discussed, while the Opposition seems to believe its achievement lies only in creating a spectacle. All are under the mistaken impression that their electors would be impressed by the display of aggression, when in reality they would be happy only if their lives improve.The Akali Dal has raised a very valid issue of farm loan waivers, but the demand coming from a party that had been at the helm for 10 years sounds rather hollow. Yet the Akali MLAs ensured the conduct of the House was derailed for two days. The Congress government seems to be on the right path in its approach to assessing the farm debt magnitude and working out its solutions. However, the party is responsible for having brought upon itself the pressure of announcing a complete waiver instantly. If it did not know how to go about delivering on its promise, it should not have made the irresponsible declaration before the elections.All this, however, made it convenient for the government to avoid discussion on the most crucial subject of Cabinet minister Rana Gurjit Singh’s role in the mining auctions. It is crucial because huge economic worth is involved; besides, the government’s handling of the scandal is going to set the tone for people’s expectations of it over the next five years. The AAP MLAs did well in raising the issue, but may soon lose the freshman advantage if they too choose the path of attention-seeking, of which there are distinct indications. Stay true to your electors, and raise their concerns in the Assembly by utilising the session optimally. For political point-scoring, there will be plenty of opportunities outside the sanctum sanctorum of democracy.

Shashank, 1st position

Armaandeep, 8th position

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 15

Cadet Shashank Sharma of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (AFPI), Mohali, has bagged the first position in the all-India merit list for the National Defence Academy (NDA), which was released by the Union Public Service Commission yesterday. Another cadet of the same institute, Armaandeep Singh, has secured the eighth position. As many as 25 cadets of the AFPI find their names on the merit list and of them 12 are among the first 100, the AFPI Director General, Maj Gen BS Grewal (retd), said. Call letters for joining the NDA will be issued by the Army Headquarters shortly. The NDA entrance exam was held in September last year and nearly five lakh Class XII students appeared for it.Shashank Sharma belongs to Manakpur village near Ropar. His father is an employee of the BSNL and mother a teacher. Prior to joining the AFPI, he was a student of Mt Carmel School, Jindwari, Ropar. Armaandeep Singh belongs to Muktsar and is the son of an agriculturalist. Before joining the institute, he was studying at Yadavindra Public School, Mohali. After joining, all cadets of the AFPI do their Class XI and Class XII studies at Shemrock Senior Secondary School, Mohali.Earlier, on June 10, the first batch of six gentlemen cadets of this institute were commissioned as officers after passing out from the Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun. Seventeen more cadets have recently completed their training at the NDA and will be proceeding for their final-year training at the respective service academies soon. The AFPI was set up by the Punjab Government for training selected young men from the state for joining the armed forces through the NDA. The institute was established in 2011 and its first batch of cadets passed out in April 2013. So far five batches have passed out from the institute and 63 cadets have already joined various military academies with another 20 to 25 expected to join in July this year.

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 11

Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI), an enterprise of the Ministry of Defence, will shortly set up its unit in Industrial Model Township (IMT), Rohtak, making it the first “big project” to come to the district under the BJP government in Haryana.Spread over 10 acres, the government undertaking has been awarded land at concessional rates. Sources say that land has been allocated at 50 per cent of the rate to MIDHANI which wants to establish an Armour Fabrication Unit though the company had sought 15 acres of land from the government in HSIIDC, Manesar.However, after a visit to IMT, Rohtak, the company has decided to set up its unit to manufacture 13 types of armoured vehicles with a start-up business plan of Rs 50 crore which will be gradually increased to Rs 250 crore.The move to open a unit in the National Capital Region (NCR) comes in the wake of increased supplies to the northern region since Hyderabad, the current location, did not seem ideal to the company with most business opportunities being concentrated in the northern region.Sources in the Industries Department say that the coming of the unit to Rohtak will not only create employment opportunities, but evolves an ecosystem to enhance economic activities in the region.The company has already been sent a letter of confirmation by the HSIIDC and work on ground is expected to begin once the formalities of land allotment are over.With this “deal” already under its belt, MIDHANi is learnt to have approached the Haryana Government through the Ministry of Defence for land in Hisar as well.Unlike the Rohtak unit, which will concentrate on the armouring business and the creation of a state-of-the-art armour production plan, the Hisar unit will manufacture special containers used by nuclear power plant for disposal of waste.Sources claim that talks are already underway for providing land at concessional rates for this unit as well.

India should reclaim PoK, says Baba Ramdev

Motihari, June 10

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Saturday said that India should immediately reclaim Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) as it was the root cause of all the problems emanating from Pakistan.

“All the problems emanating from Pakistan is because of PoK and hence India should immediately reclaim PoK,” Ramdev said.

He also said that India should destroy all terror camps operating from PoK.

Yoga guru was talking to reporters on the third and concluding day of a three-day yoga-cum-meditation camp organised by his Patanjali as part of Champaran Satyagrah centenary celebrations here at historic Gandhi Maidan.

Holding terrorists like Azhar Masood, Hafiz Sayeed, Dawood Ibrahim responsible for bloodshed at the Indo-Pak border, Ramdev said that these terrorists should be handed over to India, dead or alive.

He, however, praised the people of Pakistan saying that they were good — peace loving people except some bad elements who believe in bloodshed.

Replying to a query on human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, Ramdev said that Indian Army personnel too had their human rights.

In reply to another question, he said that Patanjali Yogpeeth would set up a unit in Bihar to process products like jaggery, honey and litchi among others this year. Besides, Ramdev said that Patanjali would also start work on ‘cow research and promotion centre’ in Bihar in near future.

Ramdev heaped praise on the Nitish government’s decision to implement prohibition in the state and said that ‘yoga education’ be included in the government and private schools in the state.

Inclusion of yoga as part of education would help better the future of students, he said while making it clear that “Yoga is not a political agenda at all.” —PTI

Suresh Kumar

Our correspondent

Kangra, June 7

The family of Suresh Kumar (32), who attained martyrdom at Sukma in Chhattisgarh on March 11 this year while being part of the patrolling party, accused the state government and politicians of ignoring his great sacrifice.Martyr’s father Mast Ram (65) today said his son was serving in the CRPF 219 Battalion, popularly known as Cobra Battalion, and was part of the patrolling party for road opening at Sukma in Chhattisgarh on March 11 at 10.30 am, when the Maoists attacked them. He said Suresh left behind his 27-year-old wife Neena Devi, a year old daughter Navya and his old parents.Suresh was the only bread-earner for his family, which is not economically well-off. The mortal remains of Suresh were consigned to flames with state honour at his native village in Sunni and DC Kangra CP Verma gave a cheque of Rs1.50 lakh to the family. Mast Ram said he feels anguished why there was disparity between martyrs of the same CRPF, who attained martyrdom under the same circumstances.He said they were given Rs1.5 lakh as ex gratia, whereas the state government gave Rs20 lakh each to Surender Kumar of Ner Chowk and Sanjay Kumar of Nagri Chachian of 74 Battalion of the CRPF, who too attained the martyrdom at Sukma on April 24 this year.Mast Ram said even politicians did not even visit them. He said only Transport Minister GS Bali visited the family. He said he was happy that Speaker BBL Butail, former Chief Ministers PK Dhumal and Shanta Kumar visited Sanjay Kumar’s family and even Union Minister JP Nadda visited Surender Kumar’s family at Ner Chowk, but none of them remembered my son.

MAJ GEN DIES OF SPORTS INJURIES

LIFE HAS PURPOSE, BUT WHAT? BY COL HP SINGH (RETD)

WOMEN TO BE ALLOWED IN COMBAT ROLE IN ARMY: GEN BIPIN RAWAT

WOMEN TO GET COMBAT ROLE

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP MODEL A BIG TICKET MOVE: ARMY CHIEF

ARMY PAYS HOMAGE TO 2 QAZIGUND MARTYRS

CHINESE COPTERS OVER CHAMOLI, IAF PROBING

GAUSHALA HURDLE FOR HOWITZER GUNS’ TRIAL

PAK ARMY RELEASES VIDEO CLAIMING DESTRUCTION OF INDIAN POSTS ACROSS LOC

PAK, UAE CURRENCIES SEIZED IN FRESH RAIDS

INDIA’S HEAVIEST ROCKET SET TO FLY

TRUMP MUST PLAY PACIFIER BETWEEN IRAN AND SAUDI ARABIA BY LT GEN (RETD) SYED ATA HASNAIN

New Delhi: In a transformational move, the Indian Army is all set to open up combat positions for women, a gender barrier broken by only a few countries globally.

Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat said the process to allow women in combat role, currently an exclusive domain of men, is moving fast and initially women will be recruited for positions in military police.

“I am looking at women coming as jawans. I am going to start it soon. Firstly, we will start with women as military police jawans,” he said, giving details of the move to allow women in the male-dominated positions in the Army.Currently women are allowed in a number of select areas including in medical, legal, educational, signals and engineering wings of the Army but combat roles are kept off limit for them due to operational concerns and logistical issues.

The Army Chief said he was ready to recruit women as jawans and the matter is being taken up with the government.

“We have already started the process,” Gen Rawat told PTI in an exclusive interaction recently.

He said women will have to show grit and strength in taking up challenges in combat role and shattering the glass ceiling.

Very few countries including Germany, Australia, Canada, the US, Britain, Denmark, Finland, France , Norway, Sweden and Israel have allowed women in combat roles.

The roles of military police include policing the cantonments and army establishments, prevent breach of rules and regulations by soldiers, maintaining movement of soldiers as well as logistics during peace and war, handling prisoners of war and extending aid to civil police whenever required.

Creating history, the Indian Air Force, last year, had inducted three women as fighter pilots, less than a year after the government decided to open the fighter stream for women on an experimental basis.

A decision on having women as fighter pilots will be taken after evaluating performance of the three women – Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh who are now part of IAF’s fighter squadron.

The Indian Navy is currently deliberating on a policy on having women onboard the ships. The Navy allows women in various other segments including in legal, logistics, naval architecture and engineering departments.