• Surprise check by Dhumal
• Holiday for women

2 students killed, 14 hurt in accident
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, Oct 6 — Two school children died on the spot, and 19 persons, mostly children were injured, four of them seriously when a private truck fell into a khud near Goyala-Kyar village on the Chandi-Goyala kuccha link road, 65 km from here at about 8.30 p.m. yesterday.

The dead were identified as Ms Babita and Ms Shakuntla, both aged 12 years and belonging to the same village, Bassi near Goyala.

The names of the injured, which included 14 children were given by the police as Meena, Shakuntla, Anita, Nagina, Bintoo, Bitto, Manju, Bharti, Rohit, Kuldeep, Manju, Rajinder, Meenu, Surinder and Man Singh, Madan Lal, Het Ram, Nand Lal and Surinder Singh.

Two of the seriously injured were removed to the district hospital last night and the other two were shifted there today.

The driver and the conductor of the truck were reported to be either missing or absconding.

16 children the joint team of Government Primary Schools, at Dakuana Hada Mehta and Chamkari villages, accompanied by two male and one lady teacher, had gone to participate in the state-level Primary Schools Sports Tournaments that concluded at Barotiwala yesterday.

All the nineteen had boarded a bus for Patta, near Goyala from Barotiwala. They were walking the remaining distance to their villages when the ill-fated truck appeared on the road and the truck driver agreed to take them on the short ride to Goyala.

The SDM, Mr Rakesh Dhiman, who rushed to the spot along with the police and fire brigade party on learning of the accident, had to face an irate mob who shouted slogans against the Block Medical Officer in charge of the Primary Health Centre at nearby Chandi. They alleged that the BMO, Dr S.L. Gupta, did not attend to his duties following the accident. The mob was pacified only when the SDM assured them that requisite action would be taken against the doctor.

The accident is believed to have occurred when the right wheels of the truck got bogged down in the nearly one foot deep slush on the dint road. The driver lost control of the truck while trying to extricate it from the mud.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Balram Sharma, who visited the spot today, announced ex-gratia payment of Rs 27,000 to the next of kin of the each of the dead, Rs 2,000 to the four seriously injured and Rs 1,000 each to the injured.

The District Hospital authorities described the condition of the persons admitted there with serious injuries as stable. One person suffered fractures in both his arms and another on his left leg.

A pall of gloom has descended on Goyala and adjoining villages as the news of the accident involving the children spread.

All set for Chamera (Stage II)
From Balkrishan Prasher

CHAMBA: Finally, now it appears imminent that the Chamera hydroelectric project (Stage-II), stalled for over 10 years, is on its way to implementation. The second stage , which envisages an addition of 300 MW, was given clearance by the central government during 1988-89 on the ground that immediately on completion of the first stage , work on the next stage would be in full swing, which was not so in view of the changes on the political and economic fronts.

After commissioning of the 198 MW Baira-Siul hydroelectric project in 1981 and the 540, MW Chamera-hydroelectric project (Stage I ) in 1994, another phase of power addition is due soon with a lot of development taking place and local residents expecting direct and indirect employment and other opportunities coming their way.

Expenditure of over Rs 1800 crore on this project in Chamba district in the next five to six years would usher in an era of prosperity and put Chamba district on the power map of the country.

The second stage of the project is to be built on the Ravi as run-of-the-river scheme with the dam being downstream of the existing Bagga bridge and power-house located 6 km upstream of Chamba town, near Jarangla nullah.

The project comprises a small concrete gravity dam of 39-metre height with four spillways, a circular headrace tunnel with desilting arrangements; a surge shaft 93 metres high and 15.5 metres in diameter, and three vertical pressure shafts 210 metres high and 3 metres in diameter. These shafts would be connected to an underground power house comprising three generating units of 100 MW each.

The project is expected to generate 1500 million units of power annually on its completion, augmenting the northern grid capacity to meet the power shortage in the region.

Mr Yogendra Prashad, Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation, during his recent visit to Chamera and Baira Siul projects a few months ago, had indicated that Chamba district would get the NHPC's attention in the form of commencement of Chamera Stage-II. The NHPC plans to develop hydro-power not only in Himachal Pradesh but also in other states as three more projects have been given clearance by the Centre within one month in Bihar, Manipur and Sikkim.

It is possible that very soon the NHPC would take over execution of the Parvati project in Kulu district also with some development on small hydro projects occurring , once the government announces the policy of providing a subsidy on such projects very shortly. The NHPC and the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board are exploring the possibility of forming a joint venture for development of small hydro projects in Chamba district.

15 HAS officers shifted
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 6 — The Himachal Pradesh Government today ordered the transfer of 15 Himachal Administrative Service (HAS) officers.

Mr S.C. Mehtra, Additional Director, has been transferred and posted as Project Director DRDA-cum-ex-officio ADC (Development), Chamba.

Mr Chamel Singh, Additional Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Shimla, has been transferred and posted as Project Director DRDA-cum-ex-officio ADC (Development), Hamirpur.

Mr V.C. Katoch, Additional Secretary (MPP and Power) is Additional Secretary, Secretariat Administration.

Mr O.P. Sharma, Registrar, Agriculture University, Palampur, has been posted as Project Director GRDA-cum-ex-officio ADC (Development), Una

Mr M.C. Rana, Divisional Tourism Development Officer, Dharamsala, goes as Assistant Settlement Officer, Dharamsala. He will also hold the charge of Settlement Officer, Kangra at Dharamsala, till further orders.

Mr B.M. Nanta, Additional Director (Secondary Education) has been transferred and posted as Additional Director, Rural Development-cum-ex-officio Additional Secretary vice Mr J.C. Chauhan who has proceeded on training abroad.

He will hold the additional charge Additional Director (Secondary Education) till further orders.

Mr R.N. Batta, on return from training abroad, will be Joint Secretary (Personnel), Mr K.R. Bharti, Additional District Magistrate, Sirmaur, at Nahan has been transferred and posted as Additional District Magistrate, Kangra, at Dharamsala.

Mr S.S. Guleria, Regional Transport Officer, Mandi, is transferred and posted as Registrar, Agriculture University, Palampur. Mr L.R. Verma, under order of posting as Land Acquisition Officer, PWD, Rampur, is transferred and posted as AC to DC, Bilaspur.

Mrs Urmil Gian Bharti, AC to Divisional Commissioner, Shimla, has been transferred and posted as Deputy Director, HIPA, Shimla.

Mr Jagdev Singh Pathania, Assistant Settlement Officer, Dharamsala is transferred and posted as Divisional Tourism Development Officer, Dharamsala.

Mr Man Singh, AC to DC, Shimla, is AC to Divisional Commissioner, Shimla. The Assistant Commissioner to Deputy Commissioner, Mandi, will also hold the charge of Regional Transport Officer, Mandi.

Mr Gita Ram, Deputy Secretary (Forests) has been transferred and posted as Deputy Secretary (Industries). Mr Laiq Ram Sharma, Under Secretary (Home), has been shifted to the Forest Department.

Governor seeks social service
period in schools
From Our Correspondent

UNA, Oct 6 — Ms V.S. Rama Devi Governor of Himachal Pradesh called upon the Education Department to introduce a one hour period each week for students of schools and colleges to do social services. She was here to a function of the district Red Cross Society on the ground of the Govt Senior Secondary School for Boys today.

She called upon students to come forward to help to the invalid and weak in day-to-day life. She called upon the rich to donate to the Red Cross liberally so that people effected by natural calamities could be helped.

She later distributed tricycles to one woman, two men and a child all of them physically handicapped. She also distributed medicines to patients not in a position to purchase them. She also distributed sewing machines to girls who had undertaken training.

College and school students presented a colourful cultural programme.

Surprise check by Dhumal
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 6 — The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, today made a surprise check of various offices in the secretariat here.

He checked various files and ordered that cleanliness be maintained in offices.

Holiday for women
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 6 — The state government has declared a gazetted holiday on account of Karva Chauth on October 8 to women employees working in all government offices and educational institutions in Himachal Pradesh.

It will also be a holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act.