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Thursday, September 19, 2002,
Chandigarh, India  
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Dhumal pursuing politics of vendetta: Virbhadra ‘Restructure Chamba
district constituencies’ Suspension of Chief Warden revoked India urged to back Dalai’s peace plan Bitumen scam: contractor
pleads innocence |
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Samridhi brings sea change in women Teachers seek rational transfer policy Sepoy cremated
with full honours Villagers lock
school gate ISU sweeps
varsity poll Project to sensitise cops
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Dhumal pursuing politics of vendetta: Virbhadra Shimla, September 18 Addressing a press conference here, he said the Vigilance Department, on the directive of Mr Dhumal, was working overtime to frame him in the khair wood allotment case in which a former Chief Secretary and an Under-Secretary had been booked earlier. The case had been under investigation for over four years and as many as four DGPs, who headed the Vigilance Department, came to the conclusion that no case was made out against him. The opinion of the Law Department also supported their viewpoint. However, the Chief Minister finally found an “obliging” DGP, who returned from deputation recently, to get the case investigated afresh. The officer concerned promptly withdrew the letter exonerating him sent to the government earlier. He said, Mr Sant Ram, a former Forest Minister who died four years ago, was also being implicated in the case. The department had been asked to prepare a challan. The former Chief Minister maintained that there was no irregularity in the allotment 25 percent of khair wood from the state Forest Corporation to Sagar Katha Udyog as the decision was in time with the BJP Shanta Kumar government’s policy to earmark khair wood for industries. In fact, the BJP government in 1991 allotted 50 per cent khair wood to Mahesh Udyog. The Dhumal government — if a case was really made out against him — could have booked him much earlier. However, the objective of the whole exercise was to defame him. He said the people of the state would give a befitting reply to Mr Dhumal who had spent his entire tenure in concocting false cases against him. He was given a clean chit on the 24-point charge sheet submitted to the CBI and only recently the Sub- Judge, Rampur, dismissed the complaint filed by the government in which he was charged with retaining excess Land in violation of the Land Ceiling Act. But all this had not deterred Mr Dhumal from fabricating more false cases against him. He declared that he would fight the onslaught of Mr Dhumal legally and politically and defeat his designs. |
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‘Restructure
Chamba district constituencies’ Chamba, September 18 It is ironical that the constituencies with population of 16,000 and nearly 9,000 voters send three MLAs across the nullah or a bridge. Rajnagar constituency begins across the second nullah Chamba constituency starts and as one crosses the third bridge across the nullah, he enters Bharmaur Assembly segment. On the left bank of the Sal rivulet, lies Mandi parliamentary constituency and on the right bank Kangra parliamentary constituency. People want the district administration to raise this issue with commission when it visits Chamba district bringing to its notice the long pending demand of people. The residents say that due to present status of this valley, development of the area in terms of horticulture, agriculture, tourism, hydro-power generation, rural development and other activities is being ignored. Education and health are the main issues getting step-motherly treatment and people have been suffering on this account. Meanwhile tribal residents of Pangi valley, a part of Bharmaur tribal constituency, have demanded that the valley should be bifurcated and included in Lahaul segment. Likewise, the Mehla area of the Bhattiyat constituency also needs to be separated and attached with the Chamba constituency. |
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Suspension
of Chief Warden revoked Hamirpur, September 18 Mr Sood had, however, refuted the allegation as baseless. Sources in NIT said here today that the institute would be reopened after a meeting with faculty members and parents of students. Members of the NIT Teachers Association today held a meeting and welcomed the decision of the management to revoke the suspension of Mr Sood. The meeting was chaired by Mr Sushil Chauhan, president of the association. The association demanded action against students involved in damaging the property of the college staff. They also demanded their rustication from the institute. Talking to this reporter, Mr Chauhan said the association demanded that a meeting of parents and teachers be held before opening of the institute. He said the institute should be opened in a phased manner and first-year classes should be started first followed by second, third and final-year classes. He said the association authorised the heads of department among them to hold talks with the acting Director of the institute and take action according to wishes of the teachers. Meanwhile, Dr S.K. Bhowmick, acting Director, told this reporter this afternoon that the decision to revoke the suspension of Mr Sood was taken as per orders received from the Chairman of the Board of Directors. He said he would hold talks with teachers and parents before communicating the whole matter to the Chairman and the Human Resource Development Ministry. He said he had received a representation from the teachers and he would forward the same to the Chairman and the ministry for action. Dr Bhowmick, however, refused to comment on the date of reopening the institute. Meanwhile, students are restive over the delay in reopening the institute. A number of them from outside Hamirpur told this reporter on the phone that they would attend the classes once the institute was reopened. However, if action was taken against any of them regarding the August 25 incidents, they would oppose it. |
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India urged to back Dalai’s peace plan Shimla, September 18 Ms Gyari Dolma, Vice-Chairperson of the Parliament-in-Exile at a press conference, said that the Tibetan spiritual leader had given up the demand for total independence only to enable countries like India, which had recognised Tibet as part of China, to take a pro-active stand on the issue. The time was running out for Tibetans as the systematic measures like largescale deforestation, dumping of nuclear waste, militarisation and the mass transfer of Chinese population to reduce the Tibetan to a minority in their homeland, being taken by Beijing would wipe out political and cultural identity before long. It was also one of the reasons for the government-in-exile to agree to autonomy instead of total Independence. She said country like India should extend unstinted support to the Tibetan cause as Tibet as zone of peace would act as a buffer state between India and China. The onging nuclearisation and environmental degradation of Tibet and deployment of long range missiles would hurt India the most. Under the proposal genuine autonomy for Tibet had been mooted with China retaining control over defence, foreign affairs and currency. There would be complete demilitarisation of Tibet and autonomy was to be granted under an international treaty. Ms Dolma took initiative for establishing an all party forum to support the cause of Tibetans by meeting Mr Virbhadra Singh, Congress Legislative Party leader and Mr P.K. Dhumal, Himachal Chief Minister. She said two leaders had assured to take required steps in this regard. UNI adds: She also urged the United Nations to implement General Assembly resolution of 1959, condemning China’s violation of human rights and calling for right of self determination to the Tibetan people. |
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Bitumen
scam: contractor pleads innocence Shimla, September 18 Addressing mediapersons here today, he said the CBI inquiry should cover the entire period from 1996-97 onwards when the State Agro-industries Corporation was made the nodal agency for the procurement of bitumen. He said the corporation had been assigning the transportation work until 1999-2000 without inviting tenders. The rates given at that time were double than the competitive rates prevailing now. There were lot of complaints against the officers of the corporation as a result of which a part of the work was shifted to the state civil supplies corporations. He said when tenders were finally called his bid was the lowest for 90 of 118 destinations. However, he could not get the agreements with the two corporations implemented for months due to the negative attitude of the officers, who flouted norms by holding negotiations with the second lowest bidder. In the meantime, the previous transporters carried out work after drastically reducing their carriage rates. He said he had been maintaining stocks of bitumen in Chandigarh to meet emergency needs. Some material was sent to Kulu from the stock retained by him in connection with the visit of the Prime Minister. He said there were no complaints against him from the end users of bitumen i.e. various government agencies. He said his rivals had hatched a conspiracy to get him debarred from
participation in the bidding.
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Samridhi
brings sea change in women PALAMPUR: “Samridhi”, an organisation set up in this town, has brought a sea change in the socio-economic lot of women in Kangra district. Being the first women’s cooperative of the state, Samridhi has emerged as a formidable institution during the last five years. The saga of Samridhi Mahila Cooperative Society began with the technical and financial support provided by the Indo-German Changer Eco-Development Project, which bowed to change the destiny of women of Palampur and Bhattiyat region in 1995-96. Inputs, besides technical guidance, worth Rs 10 lakh were provided by the project to the cooperative. However, the project involved two voluntary organisations under the economic generation programme. These were New Hope of Kangra and Himalaya Bachao Samiti of Chamba. In collaboration with the Changer Project, the two NGOs lent their helping hand to women groups towards conceiving the concept of Samridhi. A peep into the organisation’s success story reveals that the Changer region of Palampur and Bhattiyat region of Chamba provided the resources for harnessing the potential available in the form of fruit trees that grow in the forest of this sub-Himalayan region. Both these regions are degraded belts of broken hills and ravines. But still many rich pockets of fruits exist. These have been supporting the nutritional, medicinal and fodder needs of the local villages since time immemorial. The common fruit trees comprise amla, bill, mango, dhieun, harad, behara etc. These fruits trees grow abundantly and most of them are not given proper attention as these are surplus. Mr T.D. Sharma, Director of the Changer Project, says the project identified the availability of local surplus fruits that could result in income generation. The village women were motivated to form a cooperative society for sustaining income generation. Now it is a federation of village-based women. He says the cooperative is committed to strengthening the capacity of women and empowering them in their struggle against natural and social conditions. A visit to the production centre of the cooperative society reveals that women bring fresh and graded hand-picked fruits from trees and do the initial processing at their small collection centres under quality control norms. The products are then brought to the apex unit at Thakurdwara, near Palampur, for final selection. The production involves mostly manual labour and uses processes derived from the traditional skills of sun-drying and natural preservation. The products processed in this women’s organisation include chutneys of amla and mango, pickle of mango, dheuin, garlic, ghanhilai, green chillies, amla garlic and sweet lime. Candies of amla, citrus and ginger are also being produced, apart from amla preserves. In the past five years, Samridhi has made remarkable progress. It is evident from the fact that in 1995-96, when this organisation came into existence, there were only 16 women members and the production was limited to only 375 kg. During 2000-2001, the production of the society touched 28,000 kg, while number of the women members went up from 16 to 182. In addition to this, the wages paid to members of the society stood at Rs 4,35,103 during the current year. It was also seen that all the products are checked and have to move through quality control standards. The products are marketed under the brand, Changer, and have got a good response from consumers. In fact, Samridhi is a lone institution of the state which is owned and managed solely by women. Not only are wages paid to each producer but the final profits are used for a common cause. Its elected representatives make up the managing committee which controls the enterprise. Samridhi also plans to set up literacy centres in villages for women to bring about functional literacy. |
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Teachers
seek rational transfer policy Nurpur, September 18 Mr Onkar Rana and Mr Sushil Nag, president and general secretary of the union, respectively, in a joint statement here today urged the state government to formulate a rational transfer policy. They alleged that the teachers were being harassed and in some cases transfer orders approved by the Chief Minister even against vacant posts were not carried out due to political interference. The leaders said despite repeated representations to the government about the union’s longstanding demands, no action had been taken. They said the government and the Education Department had failed to bring a pay parity among adhoc and tenured teachers solve anomalies in the pay scales and fill vacant posts of heads of school by constituting a seniority panel. They alleged that hundreds of posts of headmasters and principals were lying vacant in the government schools and teachers had been retiring from service without getting any promotion due to stagnation. |
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Rally, dharna by school lecturers Chamba, September 18 |
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Sepoy cremated
with full honours Jaisinghpur, September 18 According to Subedar Sunil Kumar, who accompanied the martyr’s body from Assam, two group of Army men were searching for militants at Dekejuli village. When two militants outside a house opened fire on them. Chouhan killed both. Meanwhile, militants inside the house started firing and Chouhan was hit by a bullet. But he killed four more militants before succumbing to his injuries. Senior Army officials have recommended his name for a gallantry award. The pyre was lit by
Deepu, Chouhan’s younger brother. Mr Ravinder Singh ‘Ravi’, Minister of State for Technical Education, and Mr Rakesh
Sharma,SDM, here laid wreaths on the martyr’s body. Shops and business establishments remained closed as a mark of respect. |
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Villagers
lock school gate Kangra, September 18 Kangra district police chief Sanjay Kundu said today that the school had been locked by some villagers and the police had to be rushed to the village on the request of the Headmaster of the school. The villagers opened the lock following persuasion from the authorities. According to the villagers, Ms Sarla Devi, widow and mother of three, was being driven from pillar to post to seek justice. She was working as a water carrier in the school but was left in the lurch after another woman of the same village was appointed in violation of norms. They said they had approached the district authorities a week ago and had submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner in this regard. |
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ISU sweeps
varsity poll Solan, September 18 Enjoying the backing of the NSUI and HIMSU, a breakaway grup of the former, neither of whom fielded candidates, the ISU won for the third successive year. Besides capturing all four posts of the executive, the ISU won 18 out of a total of 19 seats of class representatives. There was a tie between the ISU and the ABVP for the 19th seat. However, after a toss of a coin, used to decide the result, the ISU won the seat. The following have been elected to the executive body of the SCA: Kushal Mehta, president, Dushyant Kumar, vice-president, Vikas Thakur, general secretary, and A. Sen, joint secretary.
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Project
to sensitise cops Dharamsala, September 18 The steps are being taken after the issue was raised at all levels in the country and the National Human Rights Commission asked the police departments to improve the working of police stations. To achieve this, a project was launched in Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Bihar which was financed by the Commonwealth. The DIG (Northern Range) and the DIG (Railway and Traffic) have been asked to start the project in Himachal Pradesh and organise workshops and meetings between police officials, public, mediapersons and professionals.
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