Nathpa-Jhakri project workers strike work
SHIMLA, April 22 — Work on the Nathpa-Jhakri hydel project was affected as a section of workers observed a day's strike yesterday on the call of Centre of Indian Trade Unions.

REC cries for help
HAMIRPUR, April 22 — The lone regional engineering college of Himachal Pradesh here is headless these days. Prof C.L. Dhar, one of the senior faculty member who was given one-year extension last year is still looking after the affairs of the college.

Nathpa-Jhakri project workers
strike work
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 22 — Work on the Nathpa-Jhakri hydel project was affected as a section of workers observed a day's strike yesterday on the call of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

A spokesman of the CITU claimed that more than 8000 workers in the project struck work. They also held a rally at Kotla where the speakers alleged that the administration was hand in glove with the managements of private companies engaged in the execution of the project.

Members of the local Lal Jhanda Hotel Workers Union also observed a strike. They took out a procession through the Lower Bazaar.

The strike was in protest against the "reign of repression" let loose by administration on agitating workers at Nathpa Jhakri project.

BHABA NAGAR (Nichar) (FOC adds): A big rally was held here on Wednesday by the Continental Foundation Joint Venture (CFJV) Workers Union in the Nichar subdivision. The rally was part of a nation-wide protest call for which was given by the Construction Workers Federation of India against the police and administrative "repression let loose" between March 12 and March 19, 1999 on the striking Nathpa-Jhakri workers who were demanding equal wages for equal work.

Another rally was organised in Kotla by the Nathpa-Jhakri Joint Venture (NJJU) Workers Union as part of protest on Wednesday. The CITU state president, Mr Rakesh Singha, said the protests were observed at all district headquarters in Himachal Pradesh.

The leaders speaking at different rallies sought whereabouts of many "missing" workers who had not reported on duty so far.

Meanwhile, the High court has allowed the Habeas Corpus petition and issued notice to the concerned regarding the missing workers. According to Mr Singha the writ was filed by Mr Hari Om, president of the NJJU Workers Union. There was pressure from the management on him for withdrawing the petition, said the leaders.

The speakers criticised the role of management in beating up the missing workers who were then on strike. Even after repeated requests and complaints to the SDM Rampur, the police post Jeori, police station Jhakri and NJJU management, no serious effort was made to "locate" the workers, they said. Even home addresses of 'missing' workmen were not disclosed by the management. It is alleged that in the past few days 96 activists of the NJJU Workers Union had been summoned by the police at Jeori and Jhakri with directions to stop raising slogans regarding the missing workers. Signatures of workmen procured under duress on blank papers between March 12 and March 19 were now being misused by the management in connivance with the police to register false complaints against the workers actively participating in order to locate whereabouts of 'missing' striking workers, was also alleged.

The police has failed to discharge its constitutional obligation under law to investigate in a free and fair manner the complaints of those 'missing' workmen who returned on duty after March 6 with injuries on their persons.

The role of INTUC and its president was also widely criticised by the CITU leaders at the rallies. This union has become extinct and was wiped out by the project workers for its being used as stooge of the CFJU and NJJU managements. Its president, now out of frustration, was demanding a ban on the entry of CITU leaders in the project area, they said.

They requested the Chief Minister to use his good offices to redress genuine grievances of workers and farmers in the affected project area. The strike was total on both the sites, claimed the leaders.

Water crisis in Shimla
From Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 22 — Scanty snowfall during the winters and the persistent dry spell has plunged the "queen of hills" into a serious water crisis, forcing the local corporation to further ration the supply.

With two of the four major sources virtually going dry, the corporation has decided to supply water in severely hit localities on alternate day from today. In the first phase, rationing will be resorted to in Shankhli, Bharari, Kaithu, Chakkar, Boileauganj, Chhota Shimla and Kusumpati.

Against the daily requirement of 57 lakh gallons, only 40 to 41 lakh gallons of water is available from all sources. The Chehar Khad has almost dried up while the availability from the Churat nallah has come down to 1.5 lakh gallons from the normal six lakh gallons. Similarly, only 11 lakh gallons is being pumped from the Ashwini khad in place of 16 lakh gallons. The discharge has also come in Nauti khad, the main source, and only 28 lakh gallons of water is available.

Normally the discharge in the water sources decreases only during June when monsoons are round the corner. However, this year the lack of snow deposits in catchment areas has created a June like situation in April itself.

Unless the raingod obliges, the crisis will further aggravate over the next three months. The tourist season has just begun and the demand for water will increase to 65 lakh gallons during the peak summer. More tourists are likely to visit the "queen of hills" because of the unusually hot summer in the plains.

Mr Manoj Kumar, Mayor says the corporation will not be in a position to supply water even on alternate day if there is no rain over the next one month. It will have to further curtail the supply and some colonies may get water every fourth day.

The water supply could be augmented with 10 lakh gallons by tapping a new source near the Nauti khad, but it would take at least a year, he pointed out.

He said in the long run water would have to be lifted from the Sutlej. This scheme could be implemented with minimum funds if the water from the river was not brought directly to Shimla and instead lifted up to the Nauti khad headworks. Only storage tanks and some additional pumping machinery would be required to be installed.

Meantime, the corporation is constructing storage tanks at Bharari, Kaithu, Chakkar, and some more colonies. Water is being supplied through tankers in scarcity areas.

REC cries for help
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, April 22 — The lone regional engineering college of Himachal Pradesh here is headless these days. Prof C.L. Dhar, one of the senior faculty member who was given one-year extension last year is still looking after the affairs of the college. He is to retire on June 30 and no steps have so far been taken to find his successor.

The college set up in 1986 is still facing teething troubles like the shortage of senior faculty members, funds etc. Though the number of students studying here is 840 yet the college does not have adequate faculty members in various disciplines. The posts of professor in mechanical, electronics, computer and applied science wings have been lying vacant since long. Only four professors are on the rolls as against the sanctioned strength of 14 posts. Eight senior faculty members have left the institution due to political interference, the authoritarian attitude of the respective Principals and lack of research facilities and proper environment.

Similarly, there are only 19 assistant professors against the sanctioned strength of 27 and 38 lecturers against the sanctioned strength of 55 which is hampering the smooth functioning and teaching work of the institution. This has lowered the academic level of the college and students are finding it difficult to compete with students from other colleges.

The placement record of the college is dismal as hardly any reputed company comes for the campus interview due to lack of interest on the part of the college authorities. Students allege that whenever any representative of any reputed companies visit the campus for interview, he is not extended due courtesy.

After the formation of the BJP government in the state, a former student of the college, Mr Vinod Thakur was made Vice-Chairman of the REC Society that is responsible for running its affairs. However, due to party politics he was forced to quit the post.

The frequent appointments of Registrars of the college have led to the downfall in its administration. Most of the Registrars hardly spent a few months in the college and left the institute either due to non co-operation of the respective Principals or political interference.

The grant of autonomous status to the college has made the college authorities virtual dictators allege students. They lament that the autonomous status should have been utilised for providing better academic and other facilities.

Parents of the students complain of repeated change in the fee structure of the college. They want that fees should be kept at the minimum so those students belonging to the poor families could also pursue the studies.

Tibetan Govt minister's remarks flayed
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 22 — The All-India Tibetan Schools Administration Employees Literary Association expressed shock over the remarks of Mr Tashi Wangdi, Minister for Home Affairs in the Tibetan Government-in-exile, that Indian employees in the Tibetan central schools took for alternative jobs.

Taking serious note it urged the management of the Tibetan central schools not to allow the government-in-exile to inspect these schools as it was not the appropriate authority of the Government of India.

The action of the Tibetan authorities amounted to interfering in the internal matters of the Government of India. These schools should be inspected by qualified and experienced Indian education officers or authorities locally available for objective assessment.
If the Tibetan authorities had problems with the Indian staff, it should be absorbed in the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangthan, the association suggested.

Nalwari fair inaugurated
From Our Correspondent

JAHU (Hamirpur), April 22 — The Himachal Government has sanctioned a sum of Rs 10 lakh for making the newly constructed bus stand here functional before the ensuing rainy season, Education Minister, Ishwar Dass Dhiman, said after inaugurating an eight-day-long Nalwari cattle fair here today.

The minister said all steps would be taken for timely and equal development of all parts of the state. He took the Congress to task for trying to divide the state on caste, creed and regional considerations.

A cultural programme was also presented on this occasion. The minister announced a cash prize of Rs 1000 for the girls taking part in the cultural programme.

Handicapped to get more aid
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, April 22 — The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Balram Sharma, said here today that the government had revised the income criteria and upper limit of financial assistance being provided to the eligible rural and urban poor, under its scheme of assistance to physically handicapped persons for the purchase and fitting of aids and appliances.

Mr Sharma, who was addressing a meeting of the District Red Cross Society here Yesterday, said earlier those persons whose income was below Rs 200 per month were eligible to get aid of up to a maximum of Rs 3600. Now all those, covered under the scheme and having an income of up to Rs 5000 per month, would get aid up to Rs 5000 each. Similarly assistance admissible to those having monthly income between Rs 5,000 and Rs 8,000 would be 50 per cent of the total cost of the limb or Rs 3,000, whichever was less.

A resolution was also passed to organise a "no smoking week" in the hospital soon.