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Sunday,
May 12, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Withdraw
power tariff hike: BJP Executive No change
in states’ leadership: BJP chief Kumarsein
byelection unlikely 38
jaundice cases reported Seminar
focuses on medicinal plants |
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Fires in
Kuthar forest range Network
service launched Attestation
parade of Assam Rifles held 12 Jhuggis
gutted 
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Withdraw power tariff hike: BJP Executive Shimla, May 11 The demand was made in a resolution which was adopted in the evening sitting of the Executive in the presence of the BJP
President, Mr Jana Krishnamurthi. The Chief Minister, Mr P. K. Dhumal, a Union Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, national general secretaries, Mr Piare Lal Khandelwal and Mr Sanjay Joshi, and the national secretary, Mr
O. P. Kohli, who is also the in charge of the party affairs in HP, were also present. A majority of the speakers said the people were annoyed because of the hike in power and water tariff. The feedback from almost all places was of resentment against the hike and the annoyance of the people was visible when the party recently organised a “vikas yatra” in all Assembly constituencies. The resolution accused the Congress of spreading misinformation about the power tariff. The participants appreciated the government for deciding to regularise about 3 lakh encroachments on government land in the state. The meeting of the executive was preceded by a meeting of the office bearers in which the agenda was finalised and the suggestions for gearing up the organisation on the eve of the Assembly elections were discussed. The state BJP chief, Mr Jai Kishen Sharma, during his address, warned dissidents who were holding “mitra milan” programmes in various parts of the state. Such indiscipline at any level would not be tolerated. He warned leaders who were supporting parallel rallies on the name of “mitra milan”. Mr Sharma said development would be the party’s plank for the coming Assembly elections. The people were satisfied with the all-round development that had taken place during the past four years of the BJP rule. He appreciated the performance of the BJP in the recent elections for the Shimla Municipal Corporation where its strength had increased to six from the earlier one. A sitting MP, Mr Maheshwar Singh, did not participate in today’s meeting because of some personal reasons. Three other MPs, Mr Suresh Chandel, Mr Kripal Parmar and Mr Suresh Bhardwaj, were present. The political resolution thanked the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, for providing financial assistance to the state for development works and addressing a mammoth public meeting here on March 24 when the Dhumal government completed four years in office. The resolution, moved by Mr Khushi Ram Balnatah and seconded by Mr Virender Kashyap, blamed the Congress for the communal riots in Gujarat and said the situation would not have deteriorated if the Opposition parties had strongly condemned the Godhra carnage. It accused the Congress of doublespeak and criticised the Punjab Government for refusing to send its commandos to Gujarat to quell violence. The resolution appreciated the steps taken by the state government to remove unemployment. |
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No change in states’ leadership: BJP chief Shimla, May 11 Mr
Krishnamurthi, who was talking to mediapersons after his arrival here to participate in the meeting of the office-bearers and state executive of the BJP, said the strategy for the Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh would be finalised after discussions with the party leaders workers. He said many suggestions for strengthening the organisation here had been received and these would be discussed in with members of the state executive. He said the recent reshuffle of the party office-bearers at the national level was an exercise for preparing the party for the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan next year. Mr Krishnamurthi said special attention was being paid towards strengthening the organisation for the coming elections and there was enthusiasm among the party activists after the Goa convention. He said he would undertake a tour of all states from May 17 and meet the block-level workers and address public meetings in the next three months to mobilise the workers. |
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Kumarsein byelection
unlikely Shimla, May 11 It is learnt that the Election Commission has made up its mind of not allowing the byelection for the seat as this would result in unnecessary expenditure and wastage of time and energy. Moreover, by the time the byelection is held, about six months will be left for the elections here. The elections are due around mid-February and a notification will be issued in the latter half of December. Sources said the Election Commission generally did not hold a byelection for any seat when the elections were only a year away. The election office here had sometime ago sent a report to the Election Commission about the Kumarsein seat having fallen vacant. Political activity had warmed up here after the seat fell vacant and certain sections in the ruling BJP were keen that the byelection be held. Some candidates had started the race for the ticket in the hope of winning the seat with the BJP in power. However, the enthusiasm of the BJP leadership has been lost now following the party’s humiliating defeat in the recent elections for the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC). Party activists are worried because of the slide in its vote-bank in the town which is generally considered to reflect the mood of the people elsewhere, particularly in the adjoining areas. One section of the party was reportedly of the opinion that as their defeat in the SMC elections had come as a brake in their winning spree in all elections held in the past four years, the leadership should not venture out for holding a byelection for the Kumarsein seat because any unfavourable verdict of the people would further damage the prospects of the party in the elections. The Opposition Congress also not keen on the byelection as it is badly divided. Some leaders were in favour of the ticket being given to the son of Mr Khachi, while on the other hand at least two other aspirants have shown up. |
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38 jaundice
cases reported Bilaspur, May
11 The Chief Medical Officer, Dr
M.L. Mahajan, said here today that efforts were being made to locate the source of water pollution in the area which was supplied drinking water from the Nalyan ka Naun lift drinking water supply scheme. He said the entire health staff, district administration and IPH Department officials had been working to control this disease. The Chief Medical Officer has urged all residents of the area to boil drinking water of use chlorine tablets being distributed through health centres here. |
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Seminar
focuses on medicinal plants Mandi, May 11 He said in the wake of tremendous global response to the Indian system of medicine based on herbs, the Board had assigned 28 projects to various agencies, including Indian Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun,
G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Almora, Pusha Institute, Dehra Dun, Shri Venkateshwar College, New Delhi, HMB Garhwal University, Srinagar, the Forest Department, Chandigarh, the Forest Development Agency, Sundernagar, Herbal Research and Development Institute, Gopeshwar, Punjab Agricultural University, Regional Research Institute, Jammu, and Herbal Research Institute, Jogindernagar. He said 729 hectares of forest and other land would be utilised for the cultivation of herbs in Himachal Pradesh. He stressed that sustained efforts were required by the NGOs and other agencies engaged in the gigantic task of identifying herbs to initiate farmers to take up the cultivation of valuable herbs on a large scale. Many rare herbs were on the verge of extinction and it was paramount to conserve them, he said. Mr
R. A. Singh said as many as 613 species of medicinal plants were found in the Himalayas, but due to the crude and unscientific exploitation of these, the Ministry of Environment and Forests had imposed a ban on 29 endangered species of medicinal plants. |
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Fires in Kuthar
forest range Kasauli, May 11 The area ahead of Garkhal town falling in the Kuthar forest range was engulfed with a number of small fires occurring at a number of places today. The atmosphere turned hazy owing to the smoke, which further increased the temperature in the area. Fire workers employed by the Forest Department to check fires were collecting the fire-prone pine needles from the forest. Forest officials say the only way to avoid these fires is to rid the area of these inflammable pine needles. The forest officials said cleaning of the sensitive fire lines was in progress and a strict vigil was being maintained over vulnerable areas. Active participation from villagers was being sought by organising periodic meetings with village development committees and mahila mandals. The villagers have also been warned against starting any fire in the forest areas. |
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Network
service
launched Mandi, May 11 Speaking on the occasion, he said expansion and modernisation of telecommunication services in Himachal Pradesh was being done on a warfooting despite hazards. Mr Pradeep Kumar, General Manager, Mandi Telecom District, said the new services would prove a boon for the people, who could have access to local calls, STD and ISD by using their virtual calling card (VCC) from any telephone in the country where intelligent network services were available. The card could be used from a telephone where STD facility was not available. He said the VCC could be purchased from the DTO, Mandi, and the Customer Service Centre, Mandi. He said the BSNL would shortly launch its mobile services, which were expected to be commissioned by mid-August. He said those who would register themselves for a new telephone on World Telecom Day on May 17 would be given a gift worth Rs 200. |
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Attestation
parade of Assam Rifles held Kasauli, May 11 The chief guest, Major Gen R.N. Kapoor, AVSM Bar, MGGS, Army Training Command, Shimla, reviewed the parade and took the salute. Col Raghu Kapoor, SC Commandant, other officers, Junior Commissioned Officers, other ranks, and family members of the passing-out parade recruits were present on the occasion. The chief guest, while speaking on the occasion, complimented the young soldiers for their impressive parade, smart bearing and turnout. He said Assam Rifles was one of the oldest Para Military Forces which had an outstanding track record in maintaining the sanctity of our countries North-Eastern border. He complimented the recruits for having successfully completed 42 weeks of rigorous training and joining the elite force in the form of Assam Rifles. He called upon the young soldiers to inculcate the values of loyalty, honesty towards the nation and maintain good brotherly relations with people from all walks of life. Sub Rudra Bahadur Gurung, senior-most Junior Commissioned Officer of Drill Wing of 14 Gorkha Training Centre, administered the oath to the 111 recruits who participated in the attestation parade. The chief guest also gave away meritorious medals to the soldiers for outstanding performance during the training period. The recipients of the medals are Victor Masih, Tenjen Jumba, Asilla Nekha, Mego Lizisa, Tersem Lal, Dayanand MR and N. Tokovi Choppy. Sherhumlo Semp was adjudged the best recruit of the course and presented a silver khukri by the General. |
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12 Jhuggis gutted Solan May 11 The fire was reportedly caused by cinders from a kitchen stove that fell on a thatched roof of the hut. Strong winds spread the fire to the whole area in almost in no time. In addition to 12 jhuggis, a truck fully laden with pine sleepers, two tea stalls and a Dhaba were completely gutted. Two fire tenders from Baddi and some policemen from the Barotiwala police station brought the fire under control in an hour. |
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Tibetans
felicitate
Manohar Joshi Dharamsala, May 11 He thanked Indian people and the respective Central governments for the continued support to Tibetans. |
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