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Sunday,
June 15, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Law to curb graft soon, says CM Cabinet expansion on
cards Katwal to be freed
today CM visits victims of accident |
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Woman throws baby to
death ‘Need to clear air before Tibet talks’ Bitta decries martyr’s status for Bhindranwale Funds given to drought-hit World Cong on Environment
begins 45 gastroenteritis cases reported Cabinet expansion on cards Engineers’ plea on hydel projects IT Inspector held Dry weather hits crop yield 80-yr-old woman murdered
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Law to curb graft soon, says CM Dharamsala, June 14 The Chief Minister said the people of the state had not given BJP the mandate to rule in 1998 and it had captured power through corruption and during its rule, it percolated from top to bottom. He said people of the state had given a befitting reply by defeating the BJP during February poll and had now reaffirmed their faith in the Congress by giving it a massive lead in all three byelections. Mr Virbhadra Singh reiterated his government’s commitment to strengthen panchayati raj institutions and said the Congress had passed constitutional amendments in 1994 and Himachal was one of the first states to implement this. He said it was the BJP that ensured that the Constitutional amendment passed by the Lok Sabha during Rajiv Gandhi’s regime was defeated in the Rajya Sabha where the Opposition had the majority and BJP was a party to it. Now BJP was claiming that it was in favour of PRIs only to mislead the people. Earlier, AICC member and chairman of the Congress training cell Mr Mani Shanker Aiyer blamed the bureaucracy for not allowing the benefits of panchayati raj to reach the people. He said bureaucrats were indifferent to the problems of people and would have to change their attitude. Addressing the gathering, Congress spokesman Anand Sharma also blamed the bureaucracy for its attitude and said while the elected representatives at all levels were answerable to the people, the bureaucracy was not accountable and they had the responsibility of implementing the programmes. A resolution for devolution of more powers to panchayati raj institutions was moved by Mr Mani Shanker Aiyer and was passed by voice vote. Himachal Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Sat Mahajan advocated more powers to panchayats and said chairpersons of panchayat samitis will be authorised soon to write the ACRs of BDOs. He said this would bring accountability in the working of panchayat samitis and benefits would reach the common man. Energy minister Vidya Stokes and IPH minister Kaul Singh also spoke on the occasion. |
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Cabinet expansion on
cards Hamirpur, June 14 Mr Virbhadra Singh was talking to reporters at the zonal hospital here, he said Hamirpur district would get representation in the Council of Ministers, adding that there may be some changes in the portfolios of a few ministers. The Chief Minister justified the plan allocation for 2003-04. He described the BJP’s opposition to it as unfounded and baseless. The BJP had said that lesser plan allocation had been made for the current fiscal year. Mr Virbhadra Singh was talking to mediapersons here after making enquiries from those were injured in a bus accident at Tikker Khatrian last night. He also gave cash relief to the accident victims and directed the hospital staff to provide all medical facilities to the injured. Mr Sat Mahajan, Mr Kaul Singh Thakur, Mr Ram Lal Thakur, Mr Chander Kumar Chaudhry, Mr Kuldeep Kumar, Mr Singi Ram and Mrs Chandresh Kumari, all Cabinet ministers and the local MLA, Ms Anita Verma, and other Congress leaders were also present. The Chief Minister said though the Annual Plan of the state was small in size, it was comprehensive and people-oriented. He said it was different from the BJP government’s plan for the past five years. Prima facie it appeared to be a larger one, but it was based on loans shown as profits. Mr Virbhadra Singh expressed concern over the constant drought conditions in the state . He said the government was seized of the water crisis in the state and all-out efforts were on to help drought-hit areas. He clarified that funds would not come in the way of solving the water crisis. He said adequate number of doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff would be posted at the local Zonal hospital to run in smoothly. He reiterated the resolve of his government to eradicate corruption from the society. He said the government had already initiated steps in this direction and the arrests of Surendra Mohan Katwal and others in the HP State Subordinate Selection Board job scandal were examples of this. He, however, ruled out a CBI probe into the allegations of corruption into the functioning of the board. |
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Katwal to be freed
today Hamirpur, June 14 The SIT today continued to grill Mr Katwal at the local police station for hours. Sources in the Enforcement Department said Mr Katwal gave vital clues to the SIT, including the names of a few BJP leaders, who had pressurised him for recruiting candidates as ‘vidya upasakas’, TGT, PTIs and clerks. Source said the SIT was also likely to grill Jyotika Katwal, daughter of Mr Katwal, who was working in Gujarat. She was on vacation to Hamirpur these days. Meanwhile, the Himachal Pradesh Government is going to move the Supreme Court against granting bail to Mr Katwal by the Himachal Pradesh High Court. The source further said all files to this effect were ready and a petition in this regard would be filed in the Supreme Court by next week for cancelling the bail of Mr Katwal. There are indications that the SIT may also summon a number of BJP leaders and their subordinates for interrogation. |
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CM visits victims of accident Hamirpur, June 14 A number of Cabinet Minister of Himachal Pradesh also visited the Hamirpur hospital and enquired after the condition of bus victims and former Chief Minister and B JP leader, Prem Kumar Dhumal also visited the accident site and the hospitals of Hamirpur and Bhorani. Following persons were killed in the Tikker Khatrian bus mishap: Sonal Chauhan, Satyagar Singh and his son Kirpa Ram, Pradeep Kumar, Pritam Chand, Dalip Chand, driver, Ashok Kumar, conductor, Raj Kumar, another Ashok Kumar and Vijya Kumari alias Veena. The injured are: Richa, Ranjeet Singh, Monica, Satwant Singh, Neeraj Kumar, Ravi Kumar, Matwar Singh, Bhoop Singh and Balbir Singh. |
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Woman throws baby to
death Shimla, June 14 The infant died instantly. The woman, Mrs Ritu Banta, had been undergoing treatment for some mental ailment for the past sometime. She got married about five years ago and did not have any issue of her own. The couple had adopted the baby girl on March 14. The police has registered a case. |
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‘Need to clear air before Tibet talks’ Dharamsala, June 14 This is the assessment of a team of emissaries of the Dalai Lama that visited China from May 25 to June 8 in a bid to have direct interaction with the Chinese regime. Lodi Gyari, special envoy of the Dalai Lama, told PTI that the team on meeting Chinese officials felt that the “reservations” that still remained needed to be tackled for opening up a dialogue with the Dalai Lama on the Tibetan issue. The team met in Beijing Head of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China, Liu Yandong, Deputy Head Zhu Weiqun, Deputy Secretary-General Chang Rongjung and other senior officials dealing with the Tibetan issue, Gyari said.
PTI |
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Bitta decries martyr’s status for Bhindranwale Mandi, June 14 Addressing a news conference here he lamented that political parties had not come out boldly to condemn the honouring of a person who committed heinous crimes against the humanity. He strongly opposed the move to resume road, rail or air traffic with Pakistan and added that unless it earnestly abandoned the cross-border terrorism nothing should be done. He said Pakistan was continuing to finance, promote and abet terrorism and in such circumstances it would be easier for Pakistan to intrude ISI agents and terrorists into India by bus, air or rail. Mr Bitta called upon the Union Government to put a pre-condition for talks that unless it handed over terrorists of Punjab and Kashmir to India as also the Prisoners of War there could be no question of holding talks. He also condemned the USA for supplying arms and ammunition to Pakistan and added that USA was adopting a soft attitude towards Pakistan. Mr Bitta expressed doubt about the sincerity of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, for the country and added that the recent spate of massacre against the minority community was due to the release of the hardcore terrorists by the Chief Minister. He said an iron-man like K.P.S. Gill could solve the problem of terrorism. Sardar Beant Singh and Mr K.P.S. Gill had finished terrorism in Punjab and the former laid down his life like Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. He bemoaned that the person who killed hundreds of people and also made an attempt on his (Bitta) life was being sympathised by some Congressmen also even after the six-member Bench of the Supreme Court had confirmed his death sentence. It was murky politics of votes, he added. |
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Funds given to drought-hit Hamirpur, June 14 Stating this here today, Mr Kaul Singh Thakur, Irrigation-cum-Public Health Department Minister, said that the worst drought-hit areas of the district were Mandi, Hamirpur, Bilaspur. Mr Thakur said that he had issued strict instructions to the department to ensure that the pilferage and leakage of water was plugged in a time-bound manner. He said that from tomorrow, a campaign would be launched in Hamirpur district those who were using pressure pumps from the supply line.
OC |
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World Cong on Environment
begins Palampur, June 14 In his key note address, Mr Madhav Mehara, President, World Council for Corporate Governance, said political institutions whether at national or international level were incapable of taking any effective step in preventing the desecration of the environment. In such circumstances private organisations should come forward to protect the environment. Mr Mehara said we must move from quality management to eco-management and aim at an explosion of eco-innovation. He said the eco-innovation had been defined as the outstanding implementation of ideas, which meet our future needs. There was a need to stimulate and harness the phenomenal ingenuity and creativity of our people to deliver products that require less material, less energy, less toxicity which could be recycled. Earlier, inaugurating the Congress, Mr Shanta Kumar, former Union Rural Development Minister, said the business sector had to realise that the market of the 21st century would be driven by the aspiration of sustainability of population growth. Dr J.C. Khurana, Director General, fifth World Congress, said the environmental upgradation was possible by changing our lifestyle. |
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45 gastroenteritis cases reported Bilaspur, June 14 Among those admitted, four were serious but he hoped that their condition would improve by evening. All those admitted belong to Dhugli village, near Kandrour in the district. The CMO said they were suffering from gastroenteritis after drinking contaminated water from local unprotected water sources. The samples of water had been taken for examination, he added. Local MLA Tilak Raj Sharma visited the hospital and asked the administration to provide treatment and medicines free of cost to the victims.
UNI |
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Cabinet expansion on cards Hamirpur, June 14 Mr Virbhadra Singh was talking to reporters at the zonal hospital here, he said Hamirpur district would get representation in the Council of Ministers, adding that there may be some changes in the portfolios of a few ministers. The Chief Minister justified the plan allocation for 2003-04. He described the BJP’s opposition to it as unfounded and baseless. The BJP had said that lesser plan allocation had been made for the current fiscal year. Mr Virbhadra Singh was talking to mediapersons here after making enquiries from those were injured in a bus accident at Tikker Khatrian last night. He also gave cash relief to the accident victims and directed the hospital staff to provide all medical facilities to the injured. Mr Sat Mahajan, Mr Kaul Singh Thakur, Mr Ram Lal Thakur, Mr Chander Kumar Chaudhry, Mr Kuldeep Kumar, Mr Singi Ram and Mrs Chandresh Kumari, all Cabinet ministers and the local MLA, Ms Anita Verma, and other Congress leaders were also present. The Chief Minister said though the Annual Plan of the state was small in size, it was comprehensive and people-oriented. He said it was different from the BJP government’s plan for the past five years. Prima facie it appeared to be a larger one, but it was based on loans shown as profits. Mr Virbhadra Singh expressed concern over the constant drought conditions in the state . He said the government was seized of the water crisis in the state and all-out efforts were on to help drought-hit areas. He clarified that funds would not come in the way of solving the water crisis. He said adequate number of doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff would be posted at the local Zonal hospital to run in smoothly. He reiterated the resolve of his government to eradicate corruption from the society. He said the government had already initiated steps in this direction and the arrests of Surendra Mohan Katwal and others in the HP State Subordinate Selection Board job scandal were examples of this. He, however, ruled out a CBI probe into the allegations of corruption into the functioning of the board. |
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Engineers’ plea on hydel projects Mandi, June 14 The engineers have also requested to hand over the construction of Sainj hydel project in Beas basin, Sorang hydel project in Sutlej basin, Budhil and Kutehr hydel projects in Ravi basin and Renuka hydel project in Yamuna project to the HPSEB. The association at its executive committee meeting held in Sundernagar assured that the HPSEB would construct these projects in the shortest possible time. The Project Engineers also hailed the decision of the state government to review the MOUs signed with the various parties where the interests of the state had been ignored and clauses ensuring employment to the local people and engineers had not been incorporated. The association has also urged the government to involve the HPSEB engineers in monitoring the execution of various ongoing projects in the state at different levels of execution to ensure quality control. Project engineers have called upon the government to fill all posts lying vacant since long. It has also urged the government to prevail upon the Centre to appoint an HPSEB engineer as Director, Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam. |
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IT Inspector held Una, June 14 Mr Brij Modan Sharma, ASP, Una, told mediapersons that he had received a complaint from Manjeet Singh Patial, proprietor of Jai Mata Hardware Store in Bharwain, 47 km from here, stating that the official was demanding Rs 10,000 from him for setting his income tax account. A trap was laid under DSP Anupam Sharma and District Inspector Ajit Rana and Tehsildar, Amb, joined them as the witness. Sukhdev Sharma was arrested while accepting the currently notes signed by SDM, Amb. |
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Dry weather hits crop yield Solan, June 14 The region has been witnessing abnormally hot weather this summer with temperatures shooting up to 38 degrees, highest in the past decade. Farm scientist, Mrs Parvinder Baweja stated that fine dust particles from plains including Rajasthan, which have travelled uphill due to the low pressure created there were causing the haze. With wind speed remaining abnormally low at three or four km per hour as against the normal three or four km per hour, these suspended dust particles have not been able to settle down leading to a hazy weather. Occurrence of some rain in the past few days has led to settlement of the dust partially. Hampering photosynthesis activity of plants and also obstructing sunlight absorption. Scientists opine that crop quality was being affected adversely by the presence of dust in the atmosphere. They however, opined that pre-monsoon showers were expected soon to sweep the region which would provide relief from the dust. |
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80-yr-old woman murdered Solan, June 14 According to the police, the woman was brutally injured by her son Gulam Muhammad and grandson Dildar Mohammad, who attacked her with a sharp-edged weapon when the woman tried to intervene in a scuffle between the duo and her other son, Alam Muhammad, at 7 a.m. yesterday. The two brothers were harbouring hostilities over some property dispute, stated police officials. A case was registered against the two under Sections 302, 34 and 323 of the IPC, and the police was looking for the two, who had fled the place. A police party was set up to conduct raids at Chandigarh where Gulzaar Muhammad was known to be working. |
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Chief Minister Vir Bhadra Singh, who was to take part in a function at Jwalamukhi today halted at Hamirpur for more than two hours and also met the accident victims and their families at the local hospital. 
