H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Cong high command brings about rapprochement
Shimla, December 20
At last the Congress high command has succeeded in bringing about a rapprochement between the rival leaders, Ms Vidya Stokes, Pradesh Congress Committee chief, and Mr Virbhadra Singh, Legislature Congress Party leader, who have been at loggerheads for more than three years.

Probe panel makes no headway
Solan, December 20
The lackluster attitude adopted by the Health Department to complete an inquiry into cases of irregularities highlighted by a section of the media in July this year has put a question mark on the department’s functioning.

Five new ADCs appointed
Shimla, December 20
Having failed to create new districts in the state, the Himachal Government today posted an Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) each in five districts to send signals that it was serious about the move.

‘Hindutva not to be BJP’s poll plank’
Jalandhar, December 20
Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, has said that Hindutva will not be the BJP’s poll plank during the forthcoming Assembly elections in the hill state.

Project work resumes after clash
Chamba, December 20
Jaiprakash Industries Limited is engaged in the construction of the 300-MW Chamera Hydroelectric Project, Stage II. Labour camps are spread over the project area and JIL has deployed the services of a professional security group.

Doctors go on leave en masse
Shimla, December 20
The functioning of the local Indira Gandhi Medical College Hospital was affected after resident doctors went on mass casual leave today. As almost 50 per cent of the faculty is already on vacation, only a skeleton staff attended to patients. The emergency services were maintained by senior doctors.

Executive formed
Shimla, December 20
Mr Dele Ram Dhiman, chairman of the Forest and Environment Department of the state Congress, has constituted the state-level Executive of his department.

5 fruit collection centres set up
Bilaspur, December 20
The Department of Horticulture has started five fruit collection centres at Nihal, Nihari, Bareha, Kalel and Suharghat for the purchase of citrus fruits like lime, lemon, kinnow, orange, malta and galgal etc under the Market Intervention scheme for horticulturists and farmers in Bilaspur district.

Cong high command brings about rapprochement
Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 20
At last the Congress high command has succeeded in bringing about a rapprochement between the rival leaders, Ms Vidya Stokes, Pradesh Congress Committee chief, and Mr Virbhadra Singh, Legislature Congress Party leader, who have been at loggerheads for more than three years.

The elusive unity was achieved after a series of one-to-one meetings between the two leaders at the behest of the party high command in New Delhi over the past two days. Subsequently, they had detailed discussions with central leaders, including Ms Mohsina Kidwai, Mr Manmohan Singh, Mr Ahmed Patel, Mr Oscar Fernandes and Mr Satyajit Rao Gaekwad who were present during various meetings. The two leaders agreed to close ranks and work unitedly to defeat the BJP in the coming assembly poll.

Evidence of the new-found unity came when Ms Stokes and Mr Virbhadra Singh led a party delegation to urge the Central Election Commission to implement the code of conduct for elections and stop Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, from taking decisions which could influence the electorate. They pointed out that the Chief Minister was on an “inauguration spree” and officials directly connected with the conduct of elections were being shifted.

Apparently, the Gujarat poll debacle is providing to be a blessing in disguise for the faction-ridden party. The party high command has acted swiftly and the warring leaders have also realised that unity is essential to oust the rejuvenated BJP. The strategy of the party high command to involve all prominent leaders, irrespective of group loyalties, in finalising the election tactics has also helped bridge factional divides. It gave the signal that party affairs would be dealt with directly.

By making it clear that the party ticket will be granted keeping in view the “winning prospects” of candidates and not on the basis of factional loyalty, the party high command has tried to put an end to the race for one “upmanship between the rival groups. The PCC was asked to submit a panel of two or three names for each constituency at the earliest. It was also decided that in case the district Congress committee concerned refused to accept application of any candidate, he could submit it to the PCC direct.

This was an important decision which would enable aspirants from both factions to apply for the party ticket. There would be little possibility of foul play or discrimination at the level of district Congress committee.

At the meeting, attended by 22 leaders from the state, the charge sheet against the Dhumal government and the election manifesto were discussed. The strategy to counter Mr Narendra Modi, who is expected to campaign in the state, was also discussed.

The party high command also gave a free hand to top leaders to organise rallies to strengthen the party. Mr Virbhadra Singh and Ms Stokes were advised to hold combined rallies as well as individual rallies.

The party has, obviously, decided to stick to its tradition of not projecting any leader as the Chief Minister during the election campaign. It will certainly help it in taking all factions along.

Probe panel makes no headway
Ambika Sharma

Solan, December 20
The lackluster attitude adopted by the Health Department to complete an inquiry into cases of irregularities highlighted by a section of the media in July this year has put a question mark on the department’s functioning. Not only has it failed to make public its report but it has also adopted a systematic approach to shield the guilty.

The fact that the matter pertaining to initiating appropriate action against pharmaceutical firms whose medicine samples had failed tests did not figure in the terms of reference of the inquiry lent credence to departmental connivance in hushing up the matter. Mr B.R. Verma, heading the inquiry committee, despite repeated attempts could not be contacted for comments. The Health Secretary, Mr Vineet Chowdhary also could not be contacted as he was away on tour.

It is interesting to note that the Health Minister, Mr J.P. Nadda at a press conference here in July had asserted to get the inquiry completed within a month. The matter pertained to serious charges against officials concerning the grant of licenses to pharmaceutical firms, retailers as well as manufactures who bypassed prescribed laws. Not only this a Saproon-based unit was allowed to manufacture drugs without valid documents.

Even after five months neither has the report been made public nor has any action been initiated by the authorities to bring the gulity to book. It is reliably learnt that the authorities are shielding the guilty on instructions from political bosses as the wife of the main suspect is a BJP activist.

Five new ADCs appointed
Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 20
Having failed to create new districts in the state, the Himachal Government today posted an Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) each in five districts to send signals that it was serious about the move.

The ADCs have been posted at the headquarters of new possible districts.

Mr Dhruv Vashist, Additional Secretary, Public Works, has been posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development), Rohru, with jurisdiction over Rohru and Dodra Kawar revenue subdivision and Mr B.R. Jamwal, Additional Secretary, Power, takes over as SDC (Development), Palampur, with jurisdiction over Palampur, Baijnath and Jaisinghpur revenue subdivisions.

Mr Rajiv Shankar, Settlement Officer (Consolidation of Holdings), Hamirpur, takes over as ADC (Development), Sarkaghat, with jurisdiction over Sarkaghat subdivision.

Mr Gopal Singh Kaith, Additional Director, Rural Development, has been posted as ADC (Development), Dehra, with jurisdiction over Dehra subdivision.

Mr L.R. Chauhan, Additional Secretary, Forests, goes as ADC (Development), Nurpur, with jurisdiction over Nurpur and Jawali subdivisions.

The ADCs will be responsible for supervision and monitoring various development programmes. 

‘Hindutva not to be BJP’s poll plank’
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 20
Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, has said that Hindutva will not be the BJP’s poll plank during the forthcoming Assembly elections in the hill state.

Mr Dhumal, who was talking to mediapersons here today, said the BJP would fight the poll on issues like nationalism and development.

“Hindutva was not a poll issue even in Gujarat. It was the Congress which had tried to raise such issues for petty political gains. They have paid the price for it,” said Mr Dhumal, who was the chief guest at the Global Education Conference at the local Hans Raj Mahila Vidyalaya.

He further said that people of Himachal Pradesh were aware of a large number of projects which were initiated by the BJP-led state government.

During its tenure, the per capita income of people had also risen. “When we had come to power, Himachal was at the 14th position in terms of the per capita income and now it was at the eighth position in the country.

Moreover, during this period, the state had made considerable progress in the field of hydel power, horticulture and technology,” said Mr Dhumal.

Project work resumes after clash
Our Correspondent

Chamba, December 20
Jaiprakash Industries Limited (JIL) is engaged in the construction of the 300-MW Chamera Hydroelectric Project, Stage II. Labour camps are spread over the project area and JIL has deployed the services of a professional security group.

On December 18 around 10 am, night shift workers and security staff were returning to the Kalsuin camp in a staff bus. As they reached near the diesel pump house, Kalsuin, they encountered a road block by the drivers of two vehicles. A request to give them way led to a heated argument and a scuffle. Soon, Kalyan Singh, member of the Chamera Project Workers Union, and a large number of villagers from Rakh, Mehla and Kalsuin arrived on the scene and allegedly attacked the project security staff and workers. The clash continued even after the workers abandoned their bus and ran towards the main gate of Kalsuin camp.

The mob attack and pelting of stones caused a heavy damage to the property of JIL company and persons from both sides sustained injuries.

The help of district administration and police was sought and the police arrived at the scene. The Deputy Commissioner of Chamba, Mr Rahul Anand, said the law and order situation in the project area was under control and the work on the project had been resumed. The SP, Chamba, said cases against both parties had been registered in this regard.

Meanwhile, Mr Harsh Mahajan, local legislator, has warned to launch an agitation against Jaiprakash Industries, if action was not taken against the company. Villagers of the area have formed an action committee to fight the case.

Doctors go on leave en masse
Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 20
The functioning of the local Indira Gandhi Medical College Hospital was affected after resident doctors went on mass casual leave today. As almost 50 per cent of the faculty is already on vacation, only a skeleton staff attended to patients. The emergency services were maintained by senior doctors.

The President Doctors Association has declared to go on indefinite strike from December 27 if its demands were not accepted. The demands include an increase in stipend of direct postgraduate students and three advance increments to postgraduate doctors on the Punjab pattern.

Executive formed
Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 20
Mr Dele Ram Dhiman, chairman of the Forest and Environment Department of the state Congress, has constituted the state-level Executive of his department.

While Mr B.D. Goma will be the vice-chairman, Dr S.S. Katoch, Dr Amar Singh Guleria and Dr R.K. Netal have been appointed advisers, Maj S.C. Nayar, Mr Vijay, Capt Sikandar Singh, Mr Kashmir Singh Chandel, Mr Ajay Sharma, Mr B.C. Kapoor and Mr Rajender Garg will be the secretaries and Mr Balwant Singh Chandel, Mr Yash Pal Rana, Mr Hukam Chand, Mr Sanjiv Sharma, Mr Rupa Ram Dhiman, Mr Suresh Rana and Mr Budh Ram will be its members.

5 fruit collection centres set up
Our Correspondent

Bilaspur, December 20
The Department of Horticulture has started five fruit collection centres at Nihal, Nihari, Bareha, Kalel and Suharghat for the purchase of citrus fruits like lime, lemon, kinnow, orange, malta and galgal etc under the Market Intervention scheme for horticulturists and farmers in Bilaspur district.

The District Horticulture Officer, Dr K.R. Rattan said here today that all fruit be brought to these centres for remunerative support prices offered by the government.