Make education job oriented: ABVP
KANGRA, Sept 15 — The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad has demanded that education throughout the country should be on same pattern and job oriented.

• ITBP chief’s call to maintain vigil
• Technical staff suspend stir
• Remote sensing workshop
• Abducted girl rescued

Walkout mars PCC meeting
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Sept 15 — The first meeting of office-bearers of the newly constituted Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) here today was marred by a walkout by the party secretary, Mr G.S. Bali.

The walkout of Mr Bali came shortly after the seven-hour-long meeting started in the morning under the chairmanship of the PCC president, Mr Sat Mahajan.

It is learnt that Mr Bali apparently felt offended when certain office-bearers, including some of those considered close to Mr Mahajan, took exception to his statements which were contrary to those of the PCC chief. Some of the office-bearers are learnt to have asked Mr Bali to refrain from issuing such statements which embarrassed the party leadership.

There was a verbal clash between Mr Bali and a few other members before he staged a walkout.

Sources said that certain members took exception to the reported statement of Mr Bali virtually contesting the stand of Mr Mahajan that the BJP-HVC combine government in the state would soon be toppled. Mr Mahajan has been saying that he would soon pull down the BJP-HVC combine government headed by Mr P.K. Dhumal. However, Mr Bali, who is a sitting MLA, is reportedly against any such move at the moment.

Mr Mahajan said that the meeting deliberated and discussed important organisational matters. The strategy for strengthening the party was also discussed.

Mr Mahajan said party workers were in an upbeat mood and the ruling BJP had been put on a defensive. Mr Dhumal had not been able to expand his Cabinet because of internal squabbles in his party.

A meeting of the executive committee of the PCC will be held here on September 24 when the AICC general secretary, Mr R.K. Dhawan, is scheduled to address the members of the newly nominated executive.

The meeting criticised the government for ordering mass transfer of employees which had brought the government machinery to a standstill.

It was decided to organise rallies throughout the state to expose the "misdeeds" of the state government.

The PCC office-bearers took exception to the politicisation of government machinery, institutions and official publications.

Mr Mahajan has been authorised by the AICC chief, Mrs Sonia Gandhi to allocate work to the office-bearers.

End to subsidies recommended
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Sept 15 — The removal of subsidies and restructuring of taxes has been recommended by the two-day workshop on the human development report of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) which concluded here today.

Briefing newspersons about the deliberations of the workshop Dr, Brenda Gael MsSweeney, resident representative of the UNDP, said the seven-point agenda for action approved in the workshop pointed out subsidies should reach the targeted groups and should not be allowed for the rich.

Attacking illiteracy should be given top priority with special emphasis on women. It was suggested campaigns for consumer education and environment protection should be strengthened Minimum consumption should be ensured for all as an explicit policy objective. Technology that are environmentally sustainable should be developed and applied.

The workshop recommended stronger alliances should be built among the movements for consumer rights, environmental protection, poverty eradication, gender equity and children's right.

The workshop stressed the need to "think globally, act locally". Mr P.K. Monga, global environment fund coordinator, said the UNDP had approved six small hydroelectric projects for Himachal Pradesh.

Each project would cost between Rs 2 to 3 crore. As such as 50 per cent of the cost would be subsidised by the UNDP.

Mr Monga said the local communities of the area would be involved in the project. Dr MC Sweeney said the human development report for Himachal Pradesh for which a memorandum of understanding was signed yesterday would provide very valuable data special emphasis would be laid on ecological aspects.

She said the UNDP was committed to supporting states in achieving the goals of sustainable Human development through advocacy and capacity building.

Himachal gives nod to Kother power project
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, Sept 15 — The Himachal Government has accorded approval for the execution of 240 MW Kother hydroelectric project on the Ravi in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh and the construction work on the project will start soon.

This was announced by the Himachal Industries Minister, Mr Kishori Lal, while addressing newspersons here today.

The minister said the annual plan budget of the state had been increased by Rs 417 crore and special emphasis had been laid on providing employment in the public and private sectors to over one lakh persons in the state.

Reacting to the statement of Mr Sat Mahajan, state president of Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC), to topple the BJP-HVC coalition government in the state, Mr Kishori Lal said the state government had to its credit remarkable achievements in a short span of five months.

He advised Mr Sat Mahajan to have political tolerance. He flayed the previous Congress government for smashing up all the foundation stones laid down during the BJP rule in respect of various development schemes and projects.

Answering a question Mr Kishori Lal, said the BJP would field its candidate in the Baijnath Assembly poll in consultation with the HVC.

Surprise raids by CM
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Sept 15 — The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal today conducted a surprise raid at the Director of Health Services in the SDA complex.

Mr Dhumal called for the attendance register and started browsing through the files piled up on various tables. He found that many of the employees were missing from their seats and the records were scattered all over. A perusal of some of files also revealed that the employees concerned had not been dealing the cases in a prompt manner.

He took serious note of the pendency in certain branches and also expressed concern over the poor up keep of the premises.

Mr Dhumal repeated the exercise in several other offices, including the Shimla Development Authority, the Directorate of Land Records and the Directorate of Tourism.

He asked the respective heads of department to send a detailed report regarding pending files, absence of employees and their failure to properly maintain the premises.

Mr Dhumal said the surprise checks conducted by him today were part of his plans to tone up the administration and make it responsive to the people and inculcate a sense of discipline among the employees.

He said such checks would be a regular feature and in future, strict action would be taken against errant officers and employees.

Rs 7.25 cr for roads in Chamba areas
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, Sept 15 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has provided Rs 7.25 crore for the construction of roads in the sensitive border areas of Chamba district, adjoining Jammu and Kashmir, in order to strengthen the communication network in the area.

The amount has been given under a Rs 22.38 crore backward area sub-plan for the current fiscal year.

Deputy Commissioner Tarun Kapoor said here today that the government had also taken up various forestry, irrigation, health services and primary and higher education service under the plan for the border region of the district.

He further said that the administration was launching various operations in coordination with the Doda district administration to combat militancy in the area. Strict vigil and surveillance were being kept on strangers and on movements of suspects from across the border, he added.

Make education job oriented: ABVP
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Sept 15 — The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has demanded that education throughout the country should be on same pattern and job oriented.

The demand was raised by the ABVP at a public rally at Dharamshala today. It was organised in connection with the golden jubilee celebrations of the ABVP.

Dr Inder Dev Sharma of the parishad said students and teachers were perturbed over the present set-up of the educational system in the country. He said it required a change and a unified educational pattern should be adopted in the country.

Deeraj Sharma, ABVP president of Dharamshala unit, demanded that university should allow central students associations (CSA) polls in the colleges as local-level problems could be sorted out by CSA only.

ITBP chief’s call to maintain vigil
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, Sept 15 — Mr Divakar Prashad, Inspector-General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), has directed senior security officers dealing with militancy on the border region of the district, adjoining Jammu and Kashmir, to keep strict vigil on militants and anti-national elements to curb terrorism.

Mr Prashad gave these directions to senior officers of the state and other security forces while addressing a meeting here today. He also took an aerial survey of the border areas of the district with Jammu and Kashmir.

Remote sensing workshop
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Sept 15 — The Chief Secretary, Mr O.P. Yadav, here today inaugurated a one-day regional workshop on remote sensing satellites, data products and services.

The workshop discussed various aspects of remote sensing, including its applications to agriculture sciences with particular reference to hilly areas, remote sensing applications in snow and glacier inventory, forest and wild life management and natural resources information system through geogrphical information network.

Dr R.K. Sood presented details of remote sensing activities in Himachal Pradesh.

Abducted girl rescued
From Our Correspondent

JAWALAMUKHI, Sept 15 — A minor girl, who was allegedly abducted by two youths and a woman at Beehan village, 20 km from here was rescued today by the Dehra police.

According to the police two youths Vipin Parmar and Vijay Kumar and Mekhani had been arrested.

A case has been registered against the three under Section 376 of the IPC.

Technical staff suspend stir
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Sept 15 — The Technical Staff Association of the Labour Bureau has decided to suspend its 90-day old agitation following the acceptance of its demand.

The technical employees were demanding the payment of the final instalment of the arrears of their salary.