H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Appointment of 26 registrars cleared
KANGRA, Oct 13 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has cleared the appointment of 26 Registrars demonstrators for Dr Rajender Prasad Govt Medical College at Tanda. The nine professors who are working on a contract basis have been given one year’s extension.

DCC elections held despite court orders
DHARAMSALA, Oct 13 — Despite a stay on the holding of party elections in Kangra district by the court, a former MLA, Dr M.R. Goma, was today elected president of the District Congress Committee (DCC).

Holiday declared on Balmikis’ protest
SHIMLA, Oct 13 — Members of the Balmiki community went on a strike this morning in protest against the failure of the government to declare a holiday on Balmiki Jayanti.

CBI enacts murder to solve case
SHIMLA, Oct 13 — A six-member team of the CBI today re-enacted the Harsh Baljee murder scene to help resolve the mystery of the crime committed four years ago.

Rs 5-cr watershed project mooted
HAMIRPUR, Oct 13 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has finalised a Rs 5 crore watershed management project for this district, under which on area of 6,292 hectares will be covered in the catchment area of Bakker and Salas khud.

IAF airport for civil flights
DHARAMSALA, Oct 13 — The Union Government has accepted the request of the Himachal Pradesh Government, for opening the Indian Air Force airport at Pathankot for civil flights.

PM may visit Manali
KULU, Oct 13 — The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, may be arriving at his private retreat house near Manali on October 25 for the post-operation recovery. The Prime Minister underwent a knee-replacement surgery at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai.

Hang-glider stuck in power lines, rescued
MANDI, Oct 13 — Arti Manuja (19) of Chandigarh had a two-hour-long nightmarish experience when her hang-glider was trapped in the earth-wire of the 132-KV Shanan-Kangra power line near Delhu in Jogindernagar subdivision yesterday.

Charas seized, 2 held
KULU, Oct 13 — The police has seized 2.450 kg charas in two separate cases and arrested two persons under the NDPS Act. Piara Lal of Kot Chhoar village of the district was carrying 950 gm charas in a thermos flask.

Surgeons’ seminar today
SHIMLA, Oct 13 — A mid-term seminar of the surgeons of northern region will be held here tomorrow to discuss various surgical problems and hospital waste management.

Appointment of 26 registrars cleared
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Oct 13 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has cleared the appointment of 26 Registrars demonstrators for Dr Rajender Prasad Govt Medical College at Tanda. The nine professors who are working on a contract basis have been given one year’s extension.

This was stated by the Health Minister, Mr J.P. Nadda, during an inspection of the medical college here on Wednesday. He was accompanied by the Secretary-cum-Commissioner, Mr S. Ray and the Director, Medical Education, Dr Nath.

The minister said sufficient faculty members would be appointed according to the MCI norms. He said the Health Services Consultation Corporation with a Government of India Undertaking gave presentation of its first drawing of the proposed hospital building. Mr Nadda gave direction for immediate release of Rs 1 crore to the corporation.

Mr Nadda also reviewed the progress of the para-clinic staff quarters and library building. He said the Government would release Rs 2.5 crore for ongoing work of the college.

A meeting was held to review the physical and financial targets with a view to ensuring that the college was ready for the next inspection.

DCC elections held despite court orders
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Oct 13 — Despite a stay on the holding of party elections in Kangra district by the court, a former MLA, Dr M.R. Goma, was today elected president of the District Congress Committee (DCC).

The election of Dr Goma could not be unanimous as the present DCC president and legislator from Palampur, Mr B.B.L. Butail, did not support him. In a major setback to the Virbhadra group, his staunch loyalists like Mr G.S. Bali and former minister Mr Chander Kumar joined the rival camp headed by the All-India Mahila Congress President, Ms Chandresh Kumari.

Despite a stay on the holding of the elections by the court, the organisational elections were held without any hitch. The court server could be seen looking for the district returning officer (DRO), Mr Kuldeep Rathore, and five other persons to hand over the stay orders. The server even pasted a copy of the orders outside the zila parishad office, the earlier venue for the elections and at the entrance of Tourism Hotel where all senior leaders of this district had assembled.

Addressing a press conference, Mr Rathore announced that Dr Goma had been elected DCC president, Mr Bashir Muhammad had been elected vice-president. Mr Ajit Mahajan was elected as treasurer. While he was talking to mediapersons, the court orders were handed over to him by the server.

Mr Rathore said he had no knowledge of the court orders and they were being served to him when the entire election process had been completed. He said the elections had taken place at the Kashmir House. He said despite his efforts to bring about a consensus, there were some people who did not support Dr Goma.

The HPCC chief, Mr Sat Mahajan, said he was keen on a consensus but since the election of Dr Goma was not unanimous, he was neutral.

In another significant development, PCC delegates and block presidents of all 16 Assembly segments, barring Palampur, authorised the AICC President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, to elect the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee chief.

The All-India Mahila Congress President, Ms Chandresh Kumari, said as per the decision of the party to give a chance to the minorities, Dr Goma had been made president. She said since only five women delegates had been elected in this district, 18 more would be coopted to give adequate representation to women.

Holiday declared on Balmikis’ protest
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 13 — Members of the Balmiki community went on a strike this morning in protest against the failure of the government to declare a holiday on Balmiki Jayanti.

Protesters, assembled at strategic points on the circular road and Shimla bypass in large numbers in the early hours of the day and blocked traffic. They also parked vehicles of the municipal committee across the road.

Thereafter, protesters moved to force closure of shops at the bus stand, Lower Bazar and the Mall Road. They also held rallies at three places at which speakers criticised Mr P.K. Dhumal, the Chief Minister, for not honouring his promise to declare a gazetted holiday on Balmiki Jayanti.

The government was forced to take immediate action on their demand. Senior officers contacted Mr Dhumal, who was away in Mumbai, and declared a gazetted holiday at 9.00 a.m. However, the agitators refused to budge and continued the blockade till noon.

Their agitation was called off only after the administration assured them that their demand would be taken up by the government. The leaders of the community pointed out that until 1993 Balmiki Jayanti was included in the official list of gazetted holidays.

The community also took exception to certain words used for Balmiki by the Governor, Mr Vishnu Kant Shastri, while presiding over a function organised by it to mark the jayanti here last evening. Mr Shastri, however, immediately clarified that he had no intentions to hurt their feelings and would withdraw his words.

CBI enacts murder to solve case
Tribune News service

SHIMLA, Oct 13 — A six-member team of the CBI today re-enacted the Harsh Baljee murder scene to help resolve the mystery of the crime committed four years ago.

The road leading to the Deputy Commissioner’s office through Army Training Command was blocked to vehicular traffic as well as pedestrians to carry out the mock murder.

The sleuths used the same car in which Baljee was murdered and a bullet was actually fired to study its trajectory after recocheting from the wall on the hill-side of the road. The bullet fired from inside the vehicle pierced through the glass of the driver’s door and after rebounding from the wall, hit the electric pole and fell on the lower road leading to bus stand.

The bullet which killed Baljee was recovered from the roof of a building located across the road by re-enacting the crime drama, the sleuths wanted to ascertain whether or not the bullet could have gone that far on ricochet.

The team included a ballistic expert, a forensic expert and a doctor, besides police officials.

The case was entrusted to the CBI by court on the plea of the wife of the deceased. Initially, the case was investigated by the district police and then handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department.

Rs 5-cr watershed project mooted
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Oct 13 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has finalised a Rs 5 crore watershed management project for this district, under which on area of 6,292 hectares will be covered in the catchment area of Bakker and Salas khud.

Stating this at Chowki Jambala village last evening, Mrs Urmila Thakur, Parliamentary Secretary, said under the project, work regarding the conservation of water land and forest resources would be taken up.

She said 1,100 out of 1,617 villages of this district had been linked through roads and efforts were on to link the remaining ones.

Mrs Thakur also inaugurated a primary school at Gujrehra village.

IAF airport for civil flights
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Oct 13 — The Union Government has accepted the request of the Himachal Pradesh Government, for opening the Indian Air Force airport at Pathankot for civil flights.

This was stated by the Director, Tourism, Mr Balram Sharma, who inspected the site for the construction of Civil Enclave near the airport, along with a team of the Indian Airport Authority. He said the civil terminal was estimated to cost about 5 crore and the land for the purpose had been marked near the airport. He said the decision had been taken for the convenience of passengers. The opening of the airport for civil flights would help boost tourism in the state, especially in the Kangra and Chamba districts.

PM may visit Manali
From Our Correspondent

KULU, Oct 13 — The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, may be arriving at his private retreat house near Manali on October 25 for the post-operation recovery. The Prime Minister underwent a knee-replacement surgery at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai.

This was indicated by a short visit of Mr Ranjan Bhattacharya, the son-in-law of Mr Vajpayee to the place.

Hang-glider stuck in power lines, rescued
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, Oct 13 — Arti Manuja (19) of Chandigarh had a two-hour-long nightmarish experience when her hang-glider was trapped in the earth-wire of the 132-KV Shanan-Kangra power line near Delhu in Jogindernagar subdivision yesterday.

A large number of people of the surrounding villages gathered on the spot and piled up heaps of hay below the wires when Arti was struck.

A rescue team along with an ambulance and a doctor was rushed to the spot and the girl was saved. She was doing hang-gliding in Bir-Bhangal valley for the past five days.

Charas seized, 2 held
From Our Correspondent

KULU, Oct 13 — The police has seized 2.450 kg charas in two separate cases and arrested two persons under the NDPS Act. Piara Lal of Kot Chhoar village of the district was carrying 950 gm charas in a thermos flask. He was arrested at Bajaura checkpost, about 15 km from here, on Kulu-Chandigarh road. He was travelling in a private bus to Delhi.

In another case, Ram Gopal of Delhi was arrested on the Manikaran-Bhuntar road near Jari, about 30 km from here yesterday. 1.5 kg charas was seized from him.

Surgeons’ seminar today
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 13 — A mid-term seminar of the surgeons of northern region will be held here tomorrow to discuss various surgical problems and hospital waste management.

The chairman of the organising committee, Dr D.C. Merwaha, and secretary, Dr S.S. Minhas, today said surgical problems, including acute pancreatitis, thyroid, injuries of head, spine and chest would be discussed.