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Wednesday,
June 13, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Unity cry a farce: Virbhadra BJP factions vow to end
rift Starvation death or
suicide? An unwelcome
project Dhumal lambasts Cong on WTO |
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Cloudburst
washes away
3 houses Engineering students refused roll
numbers
Sonali Bendre at the sets of "Chori Chori" being shot at Shimla
on Tuesday.
— Photo Anil Dayal NGOs demand rational transfer
policy Fund collection by truck union factions
banned HP tourist trade Act to be amended ‘Rabi crop worth 35 cr damaged’ Move to set up tax barrier draws
flak Molestation: mob beats up teachers CID probe into idol theft demanded Deodar logs seized
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Unity cry a farce: Virbhadra Dharamsala, June 12 Addressing a press conference here today, he said it was not possible to have complete unity merely by harping on it in the absence of effective steps to redress the grievances of partymen. “I myself fully endorse the sentiments of Congress workers that there should be complete unity in the party. But for this there is a need to find out the underlying causes for the present situation,” he stressed. The former Chief Minister said till the grievances and complaints of the party workers were not resolved, one could not expect true unity in the party. He said complaints regarding irregularities in organisational elections were under consideration of the high command. He said the party high command was seized of the matter and was taking all care to bring about unity in the party. There was no reason at all for a clash between him and the PCC President, Mrs Vidya Stokes, as both were working for strengthening the Congress. “The party high command has always taken a judicious view of any problem faced by the party, but certain elements have not spared the opportunity to misuse the name of the AICC President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, he alleged. Mr Virbhadra Singh said the holding of the delegates session at Shimla yesterday was a good step but unfortunately delegates who had come from all over the state were not given a chance to air their views. “I do not know why there were more special invitees than Congress delegates at the session. Moreover, the list of speakers was prepared in advance, denying the chance to many to speak,” he regretted. Mr Virbhadra Singh said corruption was rampant in the state and mafia in forest, mining and liquor were
flourishing. What to talk of government taking steps to check their activities, the mafia is operating under the protection of the government,” he alleged. He said either the Chief Minister was incompetent to check all this or all this was being done with his knowledge, he said. Mr Virbhadra Singh said all development activities had come to a standstill. Announcements and promises made by the government remained only on paper.” It is but obvious that when the Plan size was shrinking how was it possible that more development work could be done.” The CLP Leader said the government had become a “rollback regime” where decisions were being taken in haste. He demanded that the government should take back its decision on making hospitals into societies as the poor would suffer. The government seemed to have given a complete goby to the social welfare concept followed everywhere, he added. |
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BJP factions vow to end
rift Shimla, June 12 The replacement of Mr Narinder Modi as in charge of the party affairs has had the desired effect on the dissidents who had made his removal a major issue and had even threatened to bring down the government if the demand was not met. According to party sources, there had been a marked change in the attitude of the dissidents who have responded positively to the move initiated by the ruling camp to put an end to the factional war which has provided ammunition to the Opposition to attack the Dhumal government. It is for the first time that the party had made a sincere effort to involve the Shanta faction in the party affairs. Since the aggrieved faction had not been given due representation either in the team of office-bearers or the jumbo size state executive, the party was forced to set up a core group to effectively involve the Shanta loyalists. The indiscretions of the party bosses, who packed the organisation with nominees of the ruling faction, had made the important party bodies virtually irrelevant. It remains to be seen whether the Shanta faction will be satisfied with the new arrangement or press for its demand for restoring balance in the pradesh election committee, disciplinary committee and other party panels. During the meeting, the leaders were allowed to speak their heart out to have an authentic feedback so that steps could be taken to remove the shortcomings in the functioning of the government and the party machinery. The need to tone up the lax administration and reining in the bureaucracy was underlined by speakers. Some of them even wanted a change in the attitude of the ministers who, they pointed out, were not able to maintain distance from officials and unable to exercise control over them. The conclave decided to adopt an aggressive posture to blunt Congress criticism which had been attacking the government on the issue of corruption, drought and fiscal mismanagement. Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal urged partymen to apprise the masses of the factual situation and expose the Congress. He also said in future development schemes would be finalised in consultation with the party. They also decided to launch a “vikas jyoti yatra” to highlight the achievement of the government. Conferences would be organised in each parliamentary constituency to mobilise workers. |
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Starvation death or
suicide? Naura (Palampur), June 12 It was on
Sunday night that Hans Raj of Naura village, near Praur in Palampur
subdivision, ended his life by consuming poison. Having returned to
his village about 10 months ago, he was employed at a factory in Delhi
for the past seven years. “With little land and the crop failing
the going was definitely tough but to term it as a starvation death is
wrong and insulting for our family and the village,” said Leela Dhar,
brother of the deceased, who has had a government job in Delhi for the
past 22 years. He said Hans Raj had the option of going back to his
old employers who gave him a monthly salary of Rs 3,000, apart from
the money he earned by working overtime. Gurudev, who runs a fair
price shop in the village, said it was only a month ago that Hans Raj
had bought 50 kg of wheat and 20 kg of rice enlisted on the IRDP list.
Wife of the deceased, Rani Devi, said they still had enough foodgrains
lying in the house and failed to understand why her husband took such
a drastic step. Kangra district remains notorious for the highest
number of suicides in the state. While in 1998 this number was 25, in
1999 it was 24 and in 2000, 21. The recent death of Amar Singh of
Jaunta village in Nurpur was also controversial. While political
parties are claiming it to be a starvation death, the government
denied it, terming it as suicide. Hans Raj had been living with the
family of his two elder brothers. The families of the three brothers
lived in separate quarters in an old family house. “It was for the
marriage of my daughter that Hans Raj came from Delhi and even helped
me financially. So it is not possible that if he was facing
starvation. If he was I would have helped him,” said Trilok Chand,
the eldest brother of Hans Raj. “After having our dinner at night,
I started washing utensils and cleaning the kitchen. When I went to
the room I felt something was wrong with my husband and I immediately
shouted for my brothers-in-law,” said Rani Devi, adding that she
could have asked for help from her parents who lived in the adjoining
village, if there was any need. On the day Hans Raj committed
suicide, he had worked as a labourer with others. “We had worked
together during the day and he looked normal and did not mention any
of problem,” Swaroop Chand said. The district administration also
denied that it was starvation death. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr
Prabodh Saxena, said the post-mortem report had confirmed that Hans
Raj had died after having his dinner so it could not be called a
starvation death. He said the SDM and the DSP had visited the village
and would submit their report at the earliest. Mr Vipin Parmar, the
local MLA, said certain elements were trying to sensationalise the
suicide by calling it a case of starvation death. |
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An unwelcome
project Sikridhar (CHAMBA) The proposed site of the much-publicised project is adjacent
to the militancy-hit Doda district. Colossal quarrying in the area
will have a direct impact on the environment. Besides, experience
shows that the local residents are not likely to benefit by way of
getting jobs, etc. The site of the controversial factory lies in the
catchment basin of rivers on which two major hydroelectric projects
are located. It is feared that the hydroelectric projects will be
indirectly hit by waste from the cement factory. Chamba, with its
ancient heritage and beautiful landscape, is at present facing a grave
threat due to large-scale quarrying, clearing of forests, unplanned
construction, development of a road network, etc. A large segment of
the local population,which lives in villages, has been affected,
resulting in hardship. More than anything else, irreparable damage has
already been caused by the over-exploitation of slate quarries by
unscrupulous agencies. The quarrying of stone for house construction
and the owners of stone-crushers has played havoc with the green hills
in this region. Among the problems that have arisen are extensive
landslips. Another cause for concern is the lifting of huge
quantities of sand from the bed of the Ravi which may affect the flow
of the river. The town of Chamba is already under threat from the
erratic flow of the Ravi, particularly when it is in spate. There is
an urgent need to encourage mixed forestry, which will yield fruit,
fodder, firewood, manure and medicines. The help of the Council of
Scientific and Industrial Research should be taken to undertake
extensive research in fields such as scented oils from the local
resources and medicinal herbs. In addition, it is essential to
launch projects for the greening of the hills. A master plan to boost
tourism also needs to be drawn up. |
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Dhumal lambasts Cong on WTO Shimla, June 12 In a statement here today, Prof Dhumal said by opposing the WTO now, Congress leaders were shedding crocodile tears. He said the present state government took up the matter with the Central Government regarding the import of apple as a result of which import duty on it was raised. He said the Congress could not even pay Rs 90 lakh to apple growers under the market intervention scheme (MIS) in 1997. The payment was made by the present government in 1998. He said the support price for apple was enhanced and the Kisan Bhavan was constructed in Delhi at a cost of about Rs 2 crore to facilitate fruit and vegetable growers. It had also set up an apple-based winery at a cost of Rs 30 crore in the state and work on it had already been started. |
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Cloudburst
washes away 3 houses Kulu, June 12 Mr Ajay Vara Prasad, Deputy Commissioner, who reached the spot, said dwelling houses in the area were damaged but no loss of life was reported. It was learnt that more than 10 acres of fertile land was also damaged. According to officials of the Meteorology Department at the Bhuntar Aerodrome, 62.6 mm rainfall was
reorded in 2.5 hours. The Deputy Commissioner said that district administration, with the help of the SSB, Home Guards and NHPC, had rescued the villagers. |
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Engineering students refused roll
numbers Kulu, June 12 Mr Vijay Anand, father of a student here, told this correspondent that the admission councilling was conducted by the Directorate of Technical Education, Vocation and Industrial Training, Government of Himachal Pradesh, at Sunder Nagar last year. He said the parents of these students had repeatedly confirmed from Mr D.N. Lakhanpal, Chairman, Admission Selection Committee-cum-Joint Director, Technical Education, Vocational and Industrial Training, about the recognition of the college for which their children were being sponsored. He further said the Chairman had issued letters and advised the students to join the IITT, Kala Amb. Meanwhile, the examinations have begun but the future of 80 students is in the lurch because of non-issuance of roll numbers. It may be recalled that the IITT Engineering Institute, Kala Amb, has been affiliated to the AICTE but not recognised by Himachal Pradesh University, though the Himachal Pradesh Government had been conducting the entrance tests and sponsoring students to the institution. Mr Anand said the parents of the students had already approached the Himachal High Court in this regard. When this correspondent contacted the Principal of the college, on telephone, he said the matter was sub judice and he had been advised by the management of the institute to not issue any statement. He further said the issue was pending with Delhi High Court and the management was trying hard to get the issue settled. He said Colonel Bhatia, a member of the management, had already left for Delhi to take up the matter with the AICTE. Meanwhile, the parents and affected students have urged the Himachal Pradesh Government to intervene and settle the matter with the university. |
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Sonali, Rani in Shimla Shimla, June 12 Hundreds of tourists and locals thronged the Ridge to have a glimpse of the actresses. The HPSEB office was made out of bounds because of the shooting and consumers could not deposit their electricity bills on the last day today. |
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NGOs demand rational transfer
policy Solan, June 12 Mr J.N. Sharma
and Mr Jitendra Sharma, president and secretary-general of the
district unit, respectively, who held a press conference here
yesterday, said some bureaucrats and politicians had been using the
threat of transfer to remote areas to pressurise NGOs to toe their
line. They said the enforcement of a proper transfer policy would
help NGOs discharge their duties without the fear of
interference. Both leaders also refuted the allegations of inaction
being levelled against the present state federation chief, Mr Ganga
Singh Thakur. They said following federations’ efforts all
work-charged employees, who joined service before 1990, had been
regularised. Anomalies in the pay scales of multi-purpose health
workers had been removed while the posts of veterinary pharmacists had
been upgraded to animal husbandry assistants, they added. The
government had been persuaded to increase the hill compensatory
allowance by Rs 50 per month and fix the house rent payable as per the
revised pay scales. The employees demands concerning 805 rules of a
total of 815 recruitment and promotion rules had also been accepted,
they said. |
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Fund collection by truck union factions
banned Nurpur, June 12 The district administration had sealed the union office on June 1 following tension between the factions when the group led by Rashpal Singh allegedly took control of the union office which was till then under the control of the Dharmender faction. Both factions had been claiming their dominance over the truck operators. The money collection under the name of “union fund” was the root cause of the feud between the two factions. According to the SDPO, there was no legality in the collection of fund by the union. He said: “Keeping in view the fierce clash between the two groups which occurred last year, the police cannot take any chance.” Apprehending trouble, the administration had sealed the union office first and now, the police has completely banned fund collection by both factions. |
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HP tourist trade Act to be amended Shimla, June 12 Chief Secretary A.K. Goswami said today after a meeting of the Tourism Promotion Committee over which he presided. It was also decided that until the Act was not amended and enforced, an inspection committee comprising two technical persons of the adventure sport and hotel inspector of the area would be constituted to check such activities which were organised without any permission and without any safety provision. It was also decided that technical assistance in water sports and rafting might be taken from the mountaineering institute. The Tourism Promotion Committee approved a proposal to open “van bihar” at Manali during holidays. The Forest Department would soon issue an instruction in this regard. It was also decided that a body on the pattern of Sada would be constituted for carrying out the improvements in the Rohtang area.
PTI |
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‘Rabi crop worth 35 cr damaged’ Hamirpur, June 12 He said that the Hamirpur district administration had been asked to prepare schemes in collaboration with the local people. No scheme prepared by government agencies would be accepted for approval unless it had the assent of the people, he said. The minister said there was a need to set up mini-check dams and to conserve water sources in order to meet the problem of water shortage. Instructions had been issued to the district administration to clean all traditional water sources in cooperation with the local people. The district officers would visit various gram panchayats of the district as well as the urban areas of the state to monitor and coordinate relief and rehabilitation work. He said the officers would report to the Deputy Commissioners concerned. Mr Sushant said the first instalment of 11,700 tonnes of food, under the Food for Work Programme had reached the state and the second instalment would reach soon. He denied any dissidence in the party and said all issues had been sorted out with the Chief Minister and the party was working in unison. |
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Move to set up tax barrier draws
flak Parwanoo, June 12 This tax is being imposed on the vehicles plying on the National Highway No 22. The toll tax barrier is under construction and will start functioning in the next 15 to 20 days. Sources said the Haryana Government had not decided yet that the barrier would be leased out to a private contractor or it would be operated by the government authorities. The rates also have not been finalised. Residents of the Parwanoo — Kalka — Pinjore say that it will be very difficult for them to bear the burden of these taxes in the absence of basic facilities and amenities in these towns. They have to visit Parwanoo and Chandigarh very frequently for their daily work. Employees and businessmen who commute daily from Chandigarh have to pay the tax two times. The residents added that the taxes would affect the tourist inflow to Haryana and Himachal, especially the Pinjore Garden. Mr D.S. Guleria, who is working at Parwanoo, said it would be very difficult to bear the taxes as the monthly expenditure would increase between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000. |
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Molestation: mob beats up teachers Mandi, June 12 According to the police, the irate mob started assembling outside the school premises early in the morning just when students assembled for morning prayer in the school ground. The students had yet to enter the classrooms when hundreds of angry people entered the school premises and asked the students to leave the school, saying that they had to teach a lesson to the teachers. The mob ransacked the building and started beating up the teachers. It broke furniture, doors and windows. One of the teachers became unconscious and
believing him to be dead, the mob allegedly threw him outside the school and locked all teachers, including the principal, in a room. Principal Dev Raj Verma and a teacher, Amar Singh, received serious injuries. The police rushed to the spot and some of the policemen were manhandled. The mob also blocked vehicular traffic on the Sarkaghat-Somile road. The accused teacher has reportedly absconded. The SDM (Civil) along with the DSP arrived at the site to control the mob. Agitators relented when they were given an assurance that action would be taken against the accused within 48 hours.
PTI |
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CID probe into idol theft demanded Shimla, June 12 He said the
idol was stolen about a month ago. The theft came to light a few days
ago as the monastery remained unattended. The theft is suspected to be
handiwork of an organised gang. Several precious idols have been
stolen in the past but most of the cases remain unsolved. Rare idols
stolen from a monastery in Kinnaur were retrieved from Hong Kong a few
years ago. Monasteries in the tribal areas have been the targets of
thieves as these remain unattended. The process to document the rare
idols and art pieces in the tribal areas was going on at a slow pace
as some of the monasteries have refused to get their possessions
photographed. |
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Deodar logs seized Kulu, June 12 A case has been registered under the Indian Forest Act in the Manali police station. The police is investigating the case. The driver has absconded. |
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