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Friday,
December 20, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Shanta not to attend yatra
function Stokes calls ‘vishvas yatra’ a
farce Cold wave lashes Himachal Decision to auction park draws
flak |
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Life term for 4 in murder
case Lecturers burn minister’s effigy Dhauladhar Express from Dec 25 Phones go dead
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Shanta not to attend yatra
function Shimla, December 19 “The basic idea of the yatra is to make the people realise that here was a party with difference which had fulfilled all its election promises. Political parties in the country are not known for implementing their election manifestos. Promises are conveniently forgotten as soon as the election is over”, Prof Dhumal told newsmen. He said earlier the party had organised “vikas yatra” to apprise the people of government achievements on the development front. The party had got valuable feedback on the shortcomings in the performance which had been removed since. Now that elections were round the corner, the party was going to the people directly to seek “vote of confidence” on the basis of its performance before they actually exercise their franchise. The achievement of the BJP-led government over the past five years as compared to the performance of successive Congress regimes over the 45-year rule of the party would be the main issue. Significantly, Mr Shanta Kumar, the Union Minister for Rural Development, will not be present in Manali from where the yatra will take off. Mr Shanta Kumar would be reportedly busy in connection with the scheme being launched by his ministry on December 25, the birthday of Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. Mr Dhumal agreed that the situation in Himachal Pradesh was entirely different from that in Gujarat where the Congress tried to play the minority card. In Himachal the focus would be on development, governance and policies and programme. However, the party would make full use of Mr Narendra Modi who would be the star campaigner. The Chief Minister dismissed the second charge sheet of the Congress against his government as a political document which had no substance. Such tactics were often used by political parties on the poll eve. The BJP while in opposition submitted six charge sheets against Congress governments but no action was taken on any of it. He said if the party had proof to substantiate any of the charge, it could file a complaint with the
Lokayukta. Regarding electoral alliance with the Himachal Vikas Congress, the coalition partner, he said it was a matter to be decided by the party high command. |
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Stokes calls ‘vishvas yatra’ a
farce Shimla, December 19 Calling the yatra as a farce and hoax being played on the people of Himachal Pradesh, she said the resignation of a Cabinet Minister from Kangra provided a clear indication of the simmering discontent in the party. The tug of war for leadership had reached a flashpoint and two responsible leaders of the party were involved in a slanging match. The open tussel between Mr Shanta Kumar, Union Minister, and Mr Prof Dhumal would reach its climax in the ensuing Assembly elections in the state. The BJP had been in a bad shape because of its internal squabbles which started when seven ministers resigned from Mr Dhumal’s cabinet and levelled serious charges of corruption against their own government. She said corruption was rampant in the present regime as everybody in the government was trying to get much profit through illegal means, obviously aware of the fact that the party would be routed in the elections. There was wholesale saffronisation of government offices and even the public service commission and the Subordinate Services Selection Board were operating like tools in the hands of the BJP and virtually “selling” government jobs. No “vishvas yatra” could save the party, she said. The people of Himachal Pradesh were keen to see the Congress back in power in the state. |
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Stokes, Virbhadra meet to iron out differences Shimla, December 19 According to party sources the two leaders, who have been at loggerheads for more than three years, decided to work unitedly to oust the BJP from power in the state. The meeting took place at the behest of the party high command. |
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Cold wave lashes Himachal Shimla According to reports reaching here, the hill ranges in Lahaul and Spiti areas were having intermittent snow since morning. The mercury dipped to minus 4° centigrade in the Lahaul valley. The local administration cautioned the people not to try to cross the Rohtang Pass, the gateway to the valley, as it was already under a thick blanket of snow. The rescue posts at Mahri and Koksar on either side of the 14,000-foot pass have been asked to maintain a record of vehicles moving on the Manali-Keylong road. The lower hill ranges in Shimla, Kinnaur and Sirmaur districts had brief spells of showers. The sky remained heavily overcast throughout the day in the town bringing down the temperature considerably. MANALI: The 13,050-foot high Rohtang Pass, the gateway to Lahaul-Spiti, experienced the season’s first heavy snowfall today morning while the lower parts of the region were lashed by rains snapping the road link between Manali and the Lahaul-Spiti valley. Due to fresh snowfall in the higher reaches of the Kulu valley, including the Pir Panjal ranges, Brighu slopes, Chanderkhani Pass, Hampta Pass, Marhi meadows, Gulaba, Kothi, Dhundi and the famous ski slopes of the Solang valley also had fresh snowfall. The entire upper Manali region remained in the grip of a severe cold wave following a further decline in the temperature. The 485-km-long, Manali-Leh highway, the life line of Lahaul-Spiti and the Leh-Ladakh region was closed to vehicular traffic following heavy snowfall at Baralacha Pass, Lachlang La and Tanglang La. Meanwhile, most of the tourists rushed to Gulaba, Kothi and Solang valley to see the snow. All tourist buses and taxis had to stop near Kothi, about 14 km from here, and later return. According to Himachal Pradesh Transport Corporation sources buses going to Keylong from here had to stop at Gulaba near here this morning and later had to return to Manali. According to the Directorate of Mountaineering and Allied Sports Sources here, two rescue posts have been set up at Marhi at the base of the Rohtang Pass and Khoksar in Lahaul-Spiti district by the directorate. The rescue posts will help to monitor the safety of pedestrians crossing the Rohtang Pass and to meet any eventuality due to bad weather. The belated snow and rains brought cheer to horticulturists and agriculturists particularly those whose crops had been affected by drought. KULU: The upper reaches around Kulu-Manali experienced snowfall and the lower mild rains on Thursday, breaking a long dry spell in the region. The Rohtang Pass, which was officially closed for vehicular traffic on November 15 but remained open due to the dry spell, has closed on Thursday due to the snowfall that started on Thursday morning. Farmers, including orchardists, in the district consider snow and
rains as beneficial for the fruit crops in the next season. However,
the garlic crop, that got damaged due to the dry weather, may benefit
to some extent, experts said.
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Decision to auction park draws
flak Dalhousie, December 19 The council took the decision to revitalise its fiscal condition. The local unit of the Bharat Vikas Parishad (BVP) has opposed the decision and urged the state government to stop the move. It has proposed that the government should draw a development plan for the preservation and beautification of the park. Dr J.S. Chandel, president of the local unit of the BVP, described the decision as totally wrong and unhealthy. He said the damage to the heritage of Dalhousie would not be tolerated. Dr Chandel objected to the recent proposal of the local municipal council to construct a “barat ghar” near the memorial of Netaji Subhas Chandra
Bose, despite the fact that Mr Shanta Kumar, Union Minister for Rural Development, had already sanctioned Rs 10 lakh for the construction of a museurn in and around the area of the life-size statue of Netaji and the maintenance of the area at Subhas Chowk. Mr Shanta Kumar had directed the local administration and municipal council to execute the work under the aegis of the BVP. Dr Chandel has submitted copies of a memorandum to the Director of the Urban Development Department and the district administration in this regard. |
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Life term for 4 in murder
case Dharamsala, December 19 They have been directed to pay a fine of Rs 5000 each. Out of this amount Rs 15000 will be given to Ms Shakuntala, widow of the deceased, who was working as a pharmacist in the Animal Husbandry Department at Chadhiar. According to the prosecution, Parkash Chand was returning home from duty on July 31, 2000, when he was accosted by the culprits near Jhamrorian Di Bauri under Lahla panchayat which falls under Palampur subdivision. In the scuffle, Parkash Chand was murdered. Surinder Kumar and Suraj Kumar are brothers. |
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Lecturers burn minister’s effigy Hamirpur, December 19 The lecturers gathered in front of the office of the Deputy Director of Education here. They, then, took out a rally from the Gandhi Chowk which passed through various parts of the town. Carrying placards and banners and braving the rough weather, the teachers raised anti-minister slogans. The lecturers decided that they would hold state-level relay fast from tomorrow if their demands were not fulfilled. The lecturers criticised the minister for adopting anti-lecturer stance. They threatened that they would intensify the stir if their demands were not met soon. |
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Dhauladhar Express from Dec 25 Dharamsala, December 19 Disclosing this, the Himachal Transport Minister, Mr Kishan Kapoor, said that the Union Railways Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar would flag off the train from Delhi on that day. He said the Union Rural Development Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, had provided Rs 4 crore for the construction of 17-km long Darnoo-Triund road which would open one of the most picturesque areas of Kangra to tourists. He said Triund would also provide opportunities for skiers as the sky runs were ideal for the sport as the area remains snow bound till early summer. He said the work on the construction would start from December 29. |
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Phones go dead Hamirpur, December 19 Local phones went dead in the morning and the dialling tone was restored only after three hours. However, services were erratic till late evening. Worst affected were the press persons working here. They found it difficult to send files through modem or Internet. Fault in the power supply plant of the telephone exchange at Hamirpur led to the disruption in the telecom services. This plant developed snags a number of times in the past. The new plant for the Hamirpur exchange was purchased but that was later on shifted to Bilaspur due to reason best known to the authorities and the Hamirpur power plant was only repaired. An official spokesman admitted a fault in the services today but refused to say any thing more. |
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