Former Palampur MLA Shiv Kumar passes away at 83

Shiv Kumar had won from Palampur assembly constituency in a byelection in 1990 after former chief minister Shanta Kumar quit the seat to represent Sulah assembly segment

Former MLA from Palampur and a social worker, Shiv Kumar, passed away on Monday at a private hospital in Chandigarh after prolonged illness. He was 83. Kumar had won from Palampur assembly constituency in a byelection in 1990 after former chief minister Shanta Kumar quit the seat to represent Sulah assembly segment. He represented Palampur till 1992. He had lost the 1993 assembly elections. Kumar was the founder of Rotary Eye Hospital, Maranda near Palampur, an old-age home and several schools. Expressing grief over the demise of Kumar, former chief minister Shanta Kumar said it was end of an era in the area of social work in Palampur and Himachal Pradesh. Lok Sabha MP from Kangra Kishan Kapoor and Rajya Sabha MP Indu Goswami have also condoled the demise of Kumar.

Former MLA Shiv Kumar was the founder of Rotary Eye Hospital, Maranda near Palampur, an old-age home and several schools. (HT File Photo)

Pak teen booked for illegal entering India

JAMMU Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday booked a Pakistani teenager, who had crossed the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch on November 25. Poonch SSP Vinod Kumar said, “The police have booked the individual in under section 2/3 of the Egress and Internal Movement Control Ordinance, 2005. The case has been registered at the Poonch police station.” The teenager was detained by the army after he crossed the LoC on November 25 in Gulpur sector. He is a resident of Tatrinote in Rawalakote district of PoJK. “After joint questioning of the individual by the army and intelligence agencies, he was handed over to us for further probe,” said the SSP.

J&K LG lays foundation stone of pilgrim inn at Majeen

J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha on Monday laid the foundation stone of a Tirth Yatri Niwas and disaster management centre of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board at Majeen near Jammu. “With the foundation of the yatri niwas, we have fulfilled a long pending demand of all stakeholders, organisations and devotees,” said the LG. The Yatri Niwas, which will accommodate over 3,000 pilgrims, will also open new employment avenues for the local population, especially the youth, he added.

Pay salaries of front-line workers: Cong to Jai Ram

All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Raghubir Singh Bali on Monday shot off a letter to HP chief minister Jai Ram Thakur demanding to immediately pay pending dues of front-line workers, including staff nurses, nurses and ward boys who were appointed during the peak of the pandemic. He claimed that these workers haven’t got their salaries for months despite having served with full dedication. Bali said the government was mistreating them by stalling their salaries while they were still working in the hospitals and health institutions. “There is no visible plan of the government to make people aware of this deadly disease, and on the contrary, the government’s attitude towards front-line workers is totally inhuman,” he added.

2-day training of civic bodies’ representatives begins

HP’s urban development minister Suresh Bhardwaj on Monday said urban local bodies play vital role in a state’s development and training of elected representatives will help in capacity building. He was speaking after inaugurating the two-day training programme of mayors, deputy mayors, presidents and vice-presidents of urban local bodies at Himachal Institute of Public Administration. There is a need for imparting skills and enhancing knowledge of these members to enable them to discharge their duties and responsibilities leading to the effective functioning of ULBs, said the minister.

HP: Date for online booking of planting material extended

Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, has extended the last date for online booking of planting material prepared by the university’s main campus and its Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) at Solan. Interested farmers will now be able to book plants on the university online portal till December 7. “The booking for the planting material of apple, plum, apricot, peach, kiwi, pear, pomegranate and persimmon is being done online and farmers can submit their demand for plants by logging on the university website www.yspuniversity.ac.in and visiting the ‘farmers corner’ section,” said a university spokesperson. The university has advised the farmers to register themselves through their email address on the university portal https://www.yspuniversity.ac.in/plantsale_login.