Dharamsala, October 29
Himachal Pradesh has taken a lead in the region in coming to the rescue of deserted parents and wives. Single-bench tribunals have been authorised to order monetary aids between Rs 500 and Rs 5,000 per month in favour of senior citizens in each subdivision.

Officials here said all a deserted parent or wife needed to do was move an application in the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), who would then go into the merit of the case and decide on the quantum of aid under the HP Maintenance of Parents and Dependents Act.

Interestingly, sons and husbands do not have the right to engage lawyers to defend themselves before the tribunal.

Mr Rakesh Kumar, SDM, Dharamsala, said the number of women, mostly first wives, seeking aid, was more than that of disabled parents.

“Most parents have more than one son to fall back on. Also, a deserted woman definitely needs more money to sustain her family,” he said.

A system has been devised in Dharamsala wherein sons or husbands come to the SDM office to pay the amount every month to ensure that they do not give up the practice midway.

“But due to social stigma, parents avoid seeking intervention until they have no option left. We are getting nearly three to four cases per month and the aid fixed is usually Rs 500 per month, considering the low income of those involved,” he said.

Even though the CrPC provides such aid for disabled parents, it specifies that this is only if the sons have sufficient means.

In case a deserted wife had three children, the tribunal could also sanction a fixed amount per individual, the SDM said.

The procedure is simple. One only needs to contact the District Welfare Officer after filling Form I prescribed for this purpose. Any person unable to maintain himself and below the poverty line in Himachal Pradesh can apply for it.

The Administration was also in the process of spreading awareness about the compensation granted to the family who had lost its sole bread-winner. “The person may have died due to snakebite or after falling from a tree. A compensation of up to Rs 50,000 can be awarded as per the Relief Manual,” Mr Rakesh Kumar said.

Bilaspur, October 29
The Additional Sessions Judge of a fast-track court at Ghumarwin, near here, has sentenced Kishorilal of Bhadori village under the Bharadi police station area to five years rigorous imprisonment. He has also imposed an additional fine of Rs 2,000 under Section 306 of the IPC. The Judge has also sentenced Kishorilal to one year’s rigorous imprisonment and imposed an additional fine of Rs 2,000 under Section 498-A, IPC, for being responsible for the death of his young wife, Seemadevi.

The Judge also sentenced Kishorilal’s mother to two years simple imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 under Section 306, IPC, and one year’s simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2,000 under Section 498-A, IPC, in the same case.

All sentences will run concurrently while in default of payment of fine, both of them will undergo three months’ imprisonment on each count.

Earlier Additional District Attorney Naresh Ghai told the court that Seemadevi, daughter of Inder Singh of Lanjhta, village was married to Kishorilal in 1999 and she gave birth to twins next year. However, the twins died and thereafter Kishorilal, Barfidevi and Kishorilal’s brother started maltreating Seemadevi. When all efforts of relations and even the panchayat to stop her ordeal failed, Seemadevi took poison in desperation and ended her life on March 7, 2001.

Kulu, October 29
Himachal Pradesh is contemplating a new employment package for self-employment ventures. This was stated by Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, while presiding over the closing ceremony of the weeklong international Kulu Dasehra Festival at Lal Chand Prarthi Kala Kendra here today.

The Chief Minister said the package would include financial assistance and technical knowhow.

He said polytechnics and industrial training institutions (ITIs) had been directed to incorporate new trades based on market requirements. Industrial training programmes were being updated accordingly.

He said in the age of technical revolution, the youth needed to adopt technical skills for their livelihood and a better future. The government was formulating its policies and programmes keeping in view the future requirements of the youth, their aspirations and expectations of the government.

Mr Virbhadra Singh reiterated the resolve of his government to provide people a corruption-free efficient, transparent and responsive administration.

The Chief Minister said there was no ban on recruitment in government service and all posts were being filled. Over 20,000 job opportunities had been created after his government took over the state on March 6, 2003.

Chamba, October 29
Mr Harsh Mahajan, Himachal Housing and Animal Husbandry Minister, has lambasted the previous Bharatiya Janata Party government for its lackadaisical approach in providing employment to the people of the state.

Mr Mahajan blamed the BJP governments at the Centre and the state for revoking the “employment assurance scheme”, which had now been resumed by the Congress government.

This was stated by Mr Harsh Mahajan while inaugurating a sub-divisional office and rest house of the Himachal Pradesh Housing and Urban Development Authority (HPUDA) at Kariyan near Chamba yesterday.

Mr Mahajan announced to provide employment to 3,500 persons in various government departments in the Chamba Assembly constituency alone. So far 350 persons had been given employment in this segment in the government sector, he said.

Mr Mahajan said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had already asked the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) to ensure more than 70 percent employment to the local people in the hydroelectric projects being undertaken by the state and bring out employment advertisements in local newspapers.