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| Thursday,
April 19, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Privilege motion against YC chief CITU holds rally against govt policies DISTRICT DIARY Drivers allege harassment by Punjab police Centre’s no to poppy
cultivation in HP |
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State Cong urged to
postpone rally Butail pledges
loyalty to
Virbhadra 22 cr to boost milk yield Una residents
denied PDS items Orders on water tariff
hike condemned HP gets national award for checking leprosy Plea to restore bus services to Zamanabad
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Privilege motion against YC chief Shimla, April 18 The motion was moved by Mr Tulsi Ram (BJP), a member of the select committee, who said that Mr Sukhu had indulged in breach of privilege by having made a misleading statement to the Press that the BJP government had withdrawn the Bill for making it compulsory for the legislators to declare their assets and property. He pointed out that the fact was that the Bill was withdrawn on the recommendation of a select committee which also had some senior Congress leaders like Mr J.B.L. Khachi on it. Moreover, the Bill was withdrawn during the current session with the consent of the House. But the Youth Congress leader had twisted the facts to create a misunderstanding among the people against the BJP government. The Ethics Committees of the two Houses of the Parliament had also asked the members of the select committee not to rush through the Bill and wait for a legislation at the Central level. Congress members — Mr Virbhadra Singh, Thakur Ram Lal and J.B.L. Khachi and Mr Kaul Singh said that the House should not take notice of such petty issues by admitting a privilege motion against Mr Sukhu. Thakur Ram Lal and Mr Khachi said that people had the right to criticise the actions of the members and express their opinion against the legislators whom they had elected. Mr Kaul Singh said that the members should not react to such criticism. Sometimes Bills passed by the House were criticised in the media and editorials were written against these and that did not mean that privilege proceedings should be initiated in such cases. He added that while withdrawing the Bill the Chief Minister did not make any commitment that a fresh Bill would be brought in its place. The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, said that leaders of political parties should exercise restraint and not indulge in mudslinging. He called for self-introspection by the leaders and said that instead of speaking against the privilege motion, the senior Congress leaders should have first warned Mr Sukhu not to make such irresponsible statements. Mr Babu Ram Mandayal (BJP) said that by moving the privilege motion the right of speech of any individual was not being snatched. Moreover, the statement of Mr Sukhu was intended to create doubts about the intentions of the BJP government. Mr J.P. Nadda, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, said that the statement of the Youth Congress leader amounted to breach of privilege as it was contrary to facts and a reflection of the proceedings of the House. He said that Mr Dhumal wanted to introduce transparency by making the legislation making it mandatory for the legislators to declare their assets, but the Bill was withdrawn on the suggestion of the Ethics Committees of the two Houses of Parliament to the Select Committee of the Vidhan Sabha and not on its own by the state government. The Speaker said that he had received a questionnaire from Mr Chander Shekhar, former Prime Minister, who was Chairman of the Ethics Committee of the Parliament, seeking his opinion on various issues, including a legislation on declaration of assets by elected representatives. |
CITU holds rally against govt policies Shimla, April 18 CITU along with the sister organisation today held a rally in the town. Thousands of workers from all district participated in the rally. Anganwari workers from various districts, members of the SFI and DYFI participated in the rally. The main demands in the memorandum included that the anganwari centres should be withdrawn from the control of panchayat and should be placed under the control of Social and Women Welfare Department. There should be no entry of multinational companies in the small scale industry. Due to the prolonged drought in the state about 60 per cent crops had been destroyed and CITU wanted immediate relief to poor farmers. To remove service charges imposed on the health, transport, education, electricity and water, hike in fees should be withdrawn and privatisation and commercialisation of education should be
stoped. Education up to Class VIII should be made free and compulsory. Hospitals and other departments should not be converted into societies. Doctors should not be allowed private practice and should be paid non-practicing allowance. There should be 33 per cent reservation for women both in Assembly and Parliament and the public distribution system should be strengthened. Addressing the rally the state president, CITU, Mr Rakesh Singha alleged that because of government policies the industry had suffered. Many of them had been closed and rest were on the verge of closure. Later, Subhashni Ali, former MP, who was the chief guest, criticised the ‘anti-people’ policies of the state government. Meanwhile the state unit of the BJP has charged the CPM with exploiting the innocent workers to gain political mileage. Terming the rally organised by the Leftist organisation here
today's as “sight seeing” tour of partymen to the state capital, Mr Ram Swaroop, organising secretary and Mr Ganesh Dut, party spokesperson, alleged the CPM had never been serious about workers’ demands and only exploited them to achieve its political ends. |
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DISTRICT DIARY Chamba In a recent letter to the Himachal Pradesh Government, INTACH has said that despite the selection of a site in the Chaurasi temple complex for the construction of the proposed gallery and museum and directions to the SDM, Bharmour, and other officers to acquire and transfer the land, work on the project has not yet started. Adequate funds have already been made available by the government for this purpose. INTACH has urged the state government to take the necessary steps to set up the tribal museum at Bharmour Chaurasi (capital of the erstwhile Bharmour Kingdom), famous for its ancient shrines, art and craft. It has suggested that the art gallery building should be so designed as to fit in aesthetically with the existing structures in the complex.
**** In view of the shortage of accommodation in this hill
station, residents have demanded that the transit camp office of the Commandant, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, should be shifted from the Public Works Department Rest House. According to official sources, there are hardly 25 suites in all government rest houses in the town. The state government should also construct a residential complex for the District and Sessions Judge. The government has so far failed to provide permanent residential accommodation to the Judge even though the post was created years ago. The first District and Sessions Judge took over at Chamba in September, 1987. The Judge has been staying on the upper floor of the century-old Forest Rest House. It is rented accommodation. **** The state Police Department has drawn up a plan for the safety and security of ancient temples in Chamba. According to Mr Sanjay Kundu, SP, the plan will in particular cover all temples which are not under the Archaeological Survey of India. Police officials will contact the committees of the ancient temples and help them protect the heritage from thieves. In the case of temples which do not have such committees, the local residents will be encouraged to constitute these. The police will also ask the temple committees to make a list of all antiques to facilitate identification in the case of theft. |
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Drivers allege harassment by Punjab police Kangra, April 18 According to a group of passengers an incident of harassment by the Punjab police took place at Kurali, on the Mohali-Ropar road, when a policeman with a wireless set in his hand at 10 in the night on Sunday last asked the driver of HRTC bus (HP-39-3988) which was on way to Dharamsala from Hardwar to stop. Meanwhile, Head Constable, Sant Singh who was following the bus on a scooter reached the site and asked the driver and the conductor to come down from the bus. These passengers on reaching here said it was after nearly half an hour that they, most of them who were returning from Hardwar, approached the police official to ascertain why the bus had been stopped. The policeman told them the bus was to be taken to the police station for impounding because a passenger in the same bus was beaten up by other passengers on April 11. He, however, said the driver was not involved in the beating of the passenger but his fault was that he did not inform the police about the incident. The driver, Ram Pal, told the police that the passenger who was beaten up was involved in an alleged eve-teasing incident in the bus and the passengers who beat him up managed to escape when the driver stopped the bus. The policeman was requested by the passengers to release the bus as old people, women and children were getting harassed. He told passengers they would arrange some other vehicle for the passengers. After an hour the police official allowed him to take the bus following intervention by a senior journalist, who happened to be travelling in the same bus, the driver disclosed. Mr Ram Pal alleged he was told by the policemen he would not be spared in future. A senior police officer of the Himachal Pradesh police today said here the Punjab police Head Constable had no right to detain the bus and put the passengers to inconvenience as the bus was neither involved in any accident nor had violated the traffic rules. He described the threat to impound the bus by the policeman as illegal. The Regional Manager, HRTC, Mr R.S. Thapa, describing the incident as unfortunate said, “To stop the bus and detain it is misuse of the power and high-handedness of the Punjab police.” He said occasional impounding of the HRTC buses by the Punjab police was disturbing as it was a harassment to the passengers travelling in the buses. He said the HRTC would take up this matter with senior Punjab officers to avoid such incidents in future. A senior citizen from Dharamsala, who was travelling by the same bus, said, “When the law enforcers indulge in harassment to the law abiding citizens under pretext of protecting the law people lose faith in the system.” The driver of the bus told this correspondent that if this harassment by the Punjab police continued. Drivers of the HRTC buses would be forced not to drive in the Punjab territory. |
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Centre’s no to poppy
cultivation in HP Shimla, April 18 This was disclosed by the Minister of State for Excise and Taxation, Mr Parveen Sharma, in a written reply to a question of Mr Kaul Singh (Cong) in the Vidhan Sabha today. The minister said as per the information received from the Agriculture Department, certain areas in the higher reaches were suitable for the cultivation of opium. The state government had sought permission from the Centre for its cultivation, but it was not granted. The Narcotics Central Bureau had informed the state government that Himachal Pradesh was not covered under the tracts notified by the Centre for the cultivation of opium poppy. The cultivation of opium poppy was being undertaken only on the basis of tracts notified by the Centre in accordance with Rule 5 of the NDPS Act 1985, at present, the tracts notified was
available in a few districts of UP, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. As per the international convention, poppy is cultivated only to meet requirements of international trade and domestic consumption. It cannot be allowed to proliferate and the present area notified in the tracts sufficed the requirement of opium. Replying to supplementaries on a question regarding the lifting of ban on the export of khair wood, the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, said the state government had urged the Centre to hike the import duty on gambier to discourage its import as it was being used as an alternative to “katha” by certain unscrupulous elements. The chemical was harmful to health as it was basically used for tanning leather. He said that the ban on the export of khair wood was lifted to benefit the farmers. The question on the issue was tabled by Mr Rakesh Pathania (BJP). Replying to a question of Mr Jai Kishen Sharma (BJP), the Forest Minister, Mr Roop Singh, said that a five-year action plan had been formulated to remove the lantana weed from the nearly 136293 hectares area in the state. Intervening, the Chief Minister said panchayats, non-governmental organisations and other organisations would be involved in the job of removing the harmful weed. Chemicals would be provided to the farmers on subsidised rates for removing the weed. Answering a question of Mr Singhi Ram (Cong), the Health Minister, Mr J.P. Nadda , said steps were being taken to fill the vacant posts of doctor and para-medical staff in the Rampur area. One hundred and eighty eight nurses were under training and would be deployed in various hospitals thereafter. Mr Singhi Ram said that 185 posts of doctor and para-medical staff were vacant in his area and the people were suffering because of this. |
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State Cong urged to
postpone rally Mandi, April 18 Talking to mediapersons, he said Mr Virbhadra Singh was the only leader in the state under whom the party could defeat the ruling BJP-HVC. He denounced the vested interests who were conspiring to weaken the position of the former Chief Minister. He said the rally was bound to be a failure without the participation of Mr Virbhadra Singh and other stalwarts from Mandi, including Thakur Kaul Singh, former Vidhan Sabha Speaker, and MLA, Mr Tek Chand Dogra, MLA from Nachan constituency, Thakur Natha Singh former minister, and some former MLAs who had announced not to associate with the rally. These leaders had not participated in the meeting held here last week at Gandhi Bhavan for the preparation of the rally. The meeting had reportedly been marred by protests from the party workers. They had pressed for the postponement of the rally. Mr Virbhadra Singh, when contacted on phone, said he was not participating in the rally as he had neither been informed about it nor he, party MLAs and office-bearers taken into confidence while deciding on the rally. |
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Congress rally
cancelled Dharamsala, April 18 The state-level rally to be addressed by AICC general secretary Mohsina Kidwai, will now be held at the same venue of April 28. |
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Butail pledges
loyalty to
Virbhadra Shimla, April 18 In a statement here yesterday, Mr Butail took objection to him having been described as a neutral person in the current tussle between the two groups of the PCC chief, Mrs Vidya Stokes, and Mr Virbhadra Singh. He said he, however, held other Congress leaders in esteem and their position in the party could not be questioned. Mr Butail clarified he never showed neutrality and was greatly impressed with Mr Virbhadra Singh and was his admirer and follower. |
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22 cr to boost milk yield Shimla, April 18 This was stated by Dr Ram Lal Markandey, Animal Husbandry Minister, while replying to the discussion on a resolution underlining the need for a special scheme to improve milk production, moved by Mr Kaul Singh and Mr Ishwar Dass. He said a team of officials and scientists would soon visit Australia with a view to introducing new technology and improving genetic stock of cattle in the state. He said the government had taken several steps over the past three years which had started showing results. The annual milk production had shot up from 51 lakh litres to 86 lakh litres. The state had secured a grant of Rs 3.31 crore from the Centre for strengthening the infrastructural facilities for artificial insemination. He said the success rate under the artificial insemination programme was 53 per cent, which was much higher than the national rate and not 30 to 40 per cent as alleged by the members. The programme was being implemented through 1093 veterinary institutions spread over the state. Earlier, moving the resolution, Mr Kaul Singh said despite all schemes to boost milk production being implemented by the government, the yield had not improved. A large quantity of milk was being imported from the neighbouring states. He said the artificial insemination programme had failed to yield results due to low success rate which was less than 40 per cent. While the hybrid cows in government farms yielded up to 40 litre of milk per day, the output of those with farmers was less than a litre per day. Mr Ishwar Dass and Mr R.R. Rao drew the attention toward the perennial shortage of fodder in the state. Replying to a short duration discussion on providing employment on compassionate grounds raised by Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal said his government was giving top priority to such cases. It had appointed 2588 candidates on compassionate grounds during its three years in office as against 760 in the preceding three years. Job to the family members in the event of death of an employee was not a matter of right. Employment on compassionate grounds was given to extremely poor. However, in case of government employees substantial amount was paid to family in case of death. Raising the discussion, Mr B.B. Butail expressed concern over the delay in providing appointment on compassionate grounds and called for the simplification of rules and procedures. He quoted several cases where the families were facing great hardships after losing their breadwinner. |
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Una residents
denied PDS items Una, April 18 Mr Sarabjit Singh, president of the Himachal Pradesh Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society Workers Union, Una, in a press note issued here today, said that before the last Vidhan Sabha elections, the BJP had promised to give salary to agriculture cooperative society secretaries on a par with panchayat secretaries but even after a span of three years, nothing had been done in this regard. In a representation sent to the Himachal Government, cooperative secretaries have demanded salary equal to that of panchayat secretaries and an increase in the commission on PDS items. The press note said secretaries working in all cooperative societies of the state had stopped the distribution of PDS items, including sugar, to the public. The union has urged the state government to accept its demands at the earliest. |
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Orders on water tariff
hike condemned Chamba, April 18 Mr D.N. Pardesi, a retired Under Secretary to the Himachal Pradesh Government and president of the council, has said these orders had utterly disappointed and frustrated people at large. These orders would have consequential effect on the people, he added. |
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HP gets national award for checking leprosy Shimla, April 18 Making a suo motu statement in the Vidhan Sabha, Mr J.P. Nadda, Health Minister, said the concerted efforts made by the government had yielded the desired results. He said when the leprosy control programme was started in 1954-55, there were about 10,000 cases of leprosy in the state. Many misconceptions and stigmas had been associated with the disease, often leading to ostracisation of the patients. The control of this disease, therefore, not only involved medical treatment of the patients but also change of mind-set about the misconceptions that it was a non-curable disease. The award carried a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh. |
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Plea to restore bus services to Zamanabad Shimla, April 18 He said the plea of Mr Kapoor that long distance buses took more time via the Zamanabad route did not hold true as the distance was about half a kilometer short. Mr Vidya Sagar, who had been at loggerheads with Mr Kapoor, said people should not be penalised to settle personal scores. He said he was a legislator first and would fight to secure a fair deal for his area. |
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Tantrik murdered Una April 18 |
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