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| Tuesday, September 26, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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HP jails to become
reformatories CM: BJP to take note of Kapoor
supporters Petroleum dealers threaten
strike Insurance scheme for HP
women Residents demand civic amenities 2 cr for development of Solan |
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Scribe stripped, beaten up HRTC functioning to be revamped
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HP jails to become
reformatories SHIMLA, Sept 25 — Jails in Himachal Pradesh will no longer be the centres for inflicting deterrent punishment on offenders but will be transformed into reformatories to enable the inmates to reform themselves and get reassimilated in the mainstream. This is the main objective of the new policy on prisons incorporated in the new Jail Manual framed by the government to replace the century-old Punjab Jail Manual, which has been in force in the state till now. Besides adding a whole new chapter on making prisons transparent and
positive in approach, certain obsolete clauses providing for forced labour and flogging of prisoners have been deleted from the old manual. The Himachal Jail Manual-2000, which will come into force from next month, recognises that imprisonment is not always the best way to meet the objective of punishment and lays down that the state will endeavour to provide new alternative to it like community service, forfeiture of property, payment of compensation to victims, public censure, in addition to ones already existing. Living conditions in every prison and allied institutions meant for custody, care, treatment and rehabilitation of offenders will be compatible with human dignity in all aspects and opportunities for diversified education, development of work habits and skills, change in attitude, modification of behaviour and inculcation of social and moral values will be provided. Programmes for the treatment of offenders will be individualised and the emphasis will be on vocational training and work programmes to equip the inmates with requisite skills for rehabilitation. The incentives of leave, remission in sentence and premature release to convicts will also be utilised for improvement of their behaviour, strengthening of family ties and their early return to society. The Jail Department will be renamed as Department of Prisons and correctional service and prison service will be developed as a specialised professional career service based on job requirements, sound training and promotional avenues. Proper training facilities for prison personnel will be developed at the state level. The manual also underlines the need for establishment of a non-official body for continuous review of problems of prisons and promotion of professional knowledge and generating public interest in the reformation of offenders. Efforts will be made to develop the fields of criminology and penology and promote research on the typology of crime in the context of emerging patterns in the country to help proper classification of offenders and in devising appropriate treatment for them. A system of graded custody ranging from special security institutions to open institution will be provided to offer proper opportunities for the reformation of offenders. Probation, rehabilitation and follow-up of offenders will form an integral part of the functions of the department. According to Mr
I.N.S. Sandhu, Additional Director-General of Police, who heads the department, the new policy and Jail Manual will change the face of the jails and help reduce the incidence of crime in the state by ensuring proper rehabilitation of offenders through effective correctional services. |
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CM: BJP to take note of Kapoor
supporters SHIMLA, Sept 25 — Himachal Chief Minister, P.K. Dhumal has said the BJP will take note of yesterday’s meeting organised by supporters of Transport Minister K.K. Kapoor at Dharamsala at which expulsion of some Dhumal loyalists was demanded. Mr Dhumal, who was talking to newsmen here today, said it was his right to meet the BJP workers and listen to their grievances wherever he went on tour and nobody could stop him from doing so. It was a normal procedure that the Chief Minister would meet his partymen when he went out on tour. The Chief Minister said this in context to the reported objection raised by supporters of Mr Kapoor regarding the meeting some BJP activists had with Mr Dhumal during his recent visit to Kangra and reportedly complained about the minister’s functioning. Mr Kapoor was himself present at the yesterday’s meeting in which his supporters demanded that those who were allegedly spreading false stories about him should be expelled from the party. Referring to the irregularity in the allotment of a shop of the Municipal Committee of Dharamsala in the town alleged in the yesterday’s meeting, Mr Dhumal said Mr Kapoor, who is himself a legislator representing the area, should have complained about this to him. Referring to the controversy regarding the kisan passbooks created due to the lawyer’s strike Mr Dhumal said he had convened a meeting of lawyers, intellectuals and farmers here on September 28 to discuss the issue. The government would not stand on prestige and would incorporate the amendments in the Revenue Act in the next Assembly session in case these were found suitable for the right holders. He said a meeting of all political parties would be convened here next month to discuss whether the coming panchayat elections should be held on the party symbol. The ruling BJP was not afraid of contesting these elections on party symbol as was being projected by certain Congress leaders. The Panchayati Raj Act would have to be amended in case the elections were to be fought on party symbol. However, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Virbhadra Singh, was himself not in favour of the elections on party basis. But the Congress leaders should refrain from double talk on the issue, Mr Dhumal said. He said financial grants were not being allocated to the panchayats on political basis and all these institutions were being treated on a par. |
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Petroleum dealers threaten
strike PALAMPUR, Sept 25 — The Himachal Pradesh Petroleum Dealers Association has threatened to go on strike on October 6 if the Petroleum Ministry failed to enhance the commission of the dealers. A state-level convention of the association which was held here today passed a number of resolutions urging the government to look into the demands of the dealers. Briefing newsmen, Mr S. Kumar, president of the association, said the dealers were receiving a commission of only 1.7 per cent, making it very difficult for them to run their petrol stations. Mr Kumar demanded that their commission should be raised to a minimum of 5 per cent. Besides this, the commission should be fixed on value-based turnover and not on quantity. He said the dealers had to lift their supplies from Pathankot and Ambala which had been causing them inconvenience. He demanded that the government should set up its depot in Himachal Pradesh. He also asked oil companies to modernise their sealing system so that adulteration during transportation could be checked and no seals were tampered with. The association also demanded that it should not be binding on them to sell lubricants at their filling
stations. |
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Insurance scheme for HP
women SHIMLA, Sept 25 — The Himachal Pradesh Government today launched an insurance scheme for nearly 5.76 lakh women of the families living below the poverty line in the state. The scheme was launched by the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, at a function at Mashobra near here. The insurance scheme named as “Matri shakti bima yojna” covered the 2.86 lakh families identified under the Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP). It covers women in the age group of 10 to 75. Mr Dhumal presented a cheque for Rs 48.70 lakh as the state government’s contribution towards the scheme to the general manager of the National Insurance Company. The beneficiaries shall not have to pay any premium for the insurance cover. The scheme envisages providing insurance cover ranging between Rs 12,500 to Rs 25,000 in case of injury or death. The Chief Minister reiterated his government’s resolve about the welfare of women. The Block Development Officers would be responsible for the early settlement of the claim, he said. He expressed concern over the increasing number of the IRDP families and said this was perhaps because the welfare schemes did not reach the targetted sections. The respective panchayats would be given the responsibility of recommending the deserving people, he added. Mr Dhumal said his government had introduced several schemes for the welfare of the downtrodden. The panchayat in which the number of students securing high marks is the maximum would be granted an incentive of Rs 5 lakh. |
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Residents demand civic amenities PARWANOO, Sept 25 — Residents of Sector 1A of this industrial town are sore over the apathy of the Nagar Palika towards their long-standing problems. The residents say that this sector came into existence about 20 years back but remains neglected and even the basic amenities have not been provided. The residents feel that now with the growth of this sector, there are many areas where improvements are necessary. The residents add that the condition of the inner roads is deplorable. The circular road has deep potholes. Drivers of heavy vehicles are scared of driving on this road. The residents say that there has been a drinking water problem right from the beginning as water supply is very erratic and sometimes water is not supplied for days together and the residents have to stay even without drinking water. There is no proper streetlight in the area. The sewage keeps flowing on the roads. The dust bin are not cleaned and the waste is scattered. The growth of congress grass is unchecked which has lead to a lot of allergy cases and other diseases. The residents say that some of the plots are lying vacant for the past few years and the HP Housing Board is not taking any action against the people who have not constructed houses so far and these plots serve as dumping grounds for refuse which is causing a major health hazard. The residents say that as the sector is situated near the national highway and there is no local bus stand here so the residents have to go 2 km to catch a bus. There is no provision of vegetable and a dhobi shops and the residents have to go to Kalka and Parwanoo for daily purchases. |
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2 cr for development of Solan PARWANOO, Sept 25 — The Union Government has selected Solan town under the Integrated Development of Small and Medium Towns scheme, under which Rs 2 crore will be spent on various development activities in the town. Of this, Rs 50 lakh will be spent during the current financial year. This information was given by Mr Rajeev Bindal, MLA from Solan, here yesterday. Mr Bindal said that to tide up the drinking water crisis of the town, a new scheme with a total outlay of Rs 50 crore had been planned. Under the scheme, drinking water would be lifted from the Giri Ganga river, near Gauda. The scheme will provide uninterrupted water supply to the town and 24 villages of the area. He said work on a network of link roads in the Solan constituency was in progress. The Mamleeg-Kanshi-Patta-Kot, Kathlighat-Basha, Kayari Ghat-Malga, Gauda-Tikkri, Janed Ghat=Shalai, Damsite=Tundal, Deothi=Delgi, Sadupul=Binoo=Shalai, Anji=Chillari, Damrog=Mattayal, Annu-Dharon-ki-Dhar, Bashell, Kandaghat=Mahi, Chadly Dhar=Lian=Shunni, Kathala=Mahogbagh and Chail=Tikkri roads are nearing completion. These roads cover nearly 40 villages. Criticising the previous Congress government for not constructing link roads in the constituency, he said that some of the roads had been under construction since 1980. Mr Bindal said funds were being released for the development of Solan town. He added that the construction of the new bus stand had been started again and Rs 72 lakh would be spent during the current year. He said that the Chief Minister had also sanctioned a zonal hospital for Solan. |
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Scribe stripped, beaten up DHARAMSALA, Sept 25 — A correspondent of Ajit Samachar, Prakash Badal, was allegedly beaten up stripped and dragged through the market in front of Kangra police station by three youths today. Badal had gone to Kangra in connection with a defamation case filed against him by Sub-Inspector. Sunita Thakur, wife of the DSP, Kangra. Relating the incident, he said when he came out of the Additional CJM’s office, he was stripped and assaulted by three youths who threatened that if he did not stop writing against the police, he would not be
spared.
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HRTC functioning to be revamped JAWALAMUKHI, Sept 25 — The state Transport Minister, Mr Kisan Kapoor, said here today that the BJP government would make Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) economically viable by removing the deficit of Rs 200 crore allegedly caused by policies of the Congress regime. Talking to mediapersons, Mr Kapoor said a concrete plan to revamp the HRTC functioning was in the offing. The plan would aim at improving the bus services and the work culture with an overall emphasis on increasing the revenue. He said permits of private buses operators who were not plying the routes assigned to them would be cancelled after giving them a warning. |
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