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Asha Kumari need not quit, says CM
CM’s winter sojourn eyewash, says BJP
Tiff between forest officials, labourers
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Tainted ministers’ issue back in focus
Flats for college staff in dilapidated condition
Govt abolishes 300 posts of clerk
Rs 453 crore being spent on water, irrigation
Expedite Shah Nehar project, says CM
CITU to stage dharna
on lockout
Shanta loyalists get top posts
Chowkidar writes to NHRC
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Asha Kumari need not quit, says CM
Dharamsala, January 5 He said the issue had been “created” by the media and charges had in fact been framed against others named in the case, and not Ms Asha Kumari. Asked if she would be asked to quit on moral grounds if held guilty, he said: “We will cross the bridge when it comes.” The Chief Minister began his winter sojourn by laying the foundation stone of quarters for police personnel at Sakoh. He later inaugurated a book fair put up by the HP Board of School Education at the Sainik Rest House. The exhibition will be open to the public for three days. He also laid the foundation stone of a 33 KV substation. The office building of the Deputy Director (Education) was also inaugurated. Built at a cost of Rs 37 lakh, it would help in better coordination among different wings of the Education Department. The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of quarters at the Police Lines. Meanwhile, the Himachal Lokhit Jan Kalyan Sanstha has demanded that Ms Asha Kumari should resign in view of the allegations. KANGRA: The Chief Minister was accorded a rousing reception on his arrival at Kangra airport here this morning on his three-week winter sojourn by Congress workers. He said his winter sojourn in the district was important as the state government was at the doorstep of the common people to redress their grievances. He said this would strengthen the bondage between the government, the administration and the public and he would visit every area to take the stock of the development programmes personally. When asked is any fresh induction in his cabinet from Kangra district was on the cards the Chief Minister evaded direct reply. The Chief Minister was accompanied by the Revenue Minister, Mr Sat Mahajan, former Health Minister Chandresh Kumari, and was received by the Tourism and Transport Minister, Mr G.S. Bali and Mr Surender Kaku, local MLA.
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BJP demands resignation of Asha Kumari
Shimla, January 5 Addressing a press conference here, state BJP spokesperson and MLA Rajiv Bindal said following the framing of charges, the Education Minister must resign on her own on moral grounds. “In case she does not resign, we demand that the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, should dismiss her from the ministry,” he said. The BJP leader threatened that in case the Congress and the Chief Minister dilly-dallied on her resignation, his party would launch a statewide agitation. It had been a tradition in the past that whenever charges were framed against leaders, they resigned from the constitutional post they were holding, he added. Dr Bindal said since the vigilance wing had filed the case against the Education Minister, it would better if she resigned as being a minister, she was in a position to influence the investigating agencies. Dr Bindal alleged that since the formation of the new government in the state, the Congress had been shielding the land mafia and those involved in amassing wealth through unfair means. “Even in the case involving Ms Asha Kumari, there were attempts to shield her as a petition had been filed for reinvestigation of her case, which was ultimately dismissed by the high court,” he alleged. Dr Bindal said Ms Asha Kumari should have resigned on her own as she was facing serious charges. He said seeing the intention of the government, it was evident that all possible attempts were made to shield Ms Asha Kumari. |
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CM’s winter sojourn eyewash, says BJP
Dharamsala, January 5 Senior BJP leader Krishan Kapoor said until the government declared Dharamsala the second capital of Himachal, the people of the area would continue to feel neglected by the government. If the govt said there were financial constraints in having a second capital, why did it stone laying ceremonies organise. “All programmes are entirely organised by the government machinery and the participation of the public is negligible,” he said. Moreover, he added, funds for the projects had been sanctioned much earlier, during the BJP rule in most cases, and the government was only putting up its boards to take credit for these. “People of Kangra do not want Virbhadra, but concrete work on the ground,” added Mr Rajinder Rana, secretary, the state media cell of the BJP. Mr Rana further said before every visit to the lower Himachal region, the Chief Minister hinted at a possible reshuffle in the Cabinet but forgot this soon after reaching Shimla. “Mr Virbhadra Singh has come here only to appease dissidents who had again started raising their voices due to the neglect of the area during the Congress rule,” said Mr Rana. The Chief Minister, however, said the practice of winter sojourn was started by him to bring the government at the doorsteps of people and provide them an opportunity to voice their grievances. He further said during the Congress regime, zonal offices of all departments were set up at Dharamsala so that people could have easy access to the administration. “Dharamsala has emerged as the second biggest and administratively important town of the state after Shimla,” he said. The issue of discrimination against Kangra had sparked off after the dropping of three ministers during the downsising of the Cabinet in July 2004.
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Tiff between forest officials, labourers
Hamirpur, January 5 The Forest Department has launched a campaign to clear the forest of encroachers. So they approached a group of labourers that had set up jhuggis nearby the newly constructed housing board colony on Hamirpur-Nadaun Highways and asked them to vacate the forest land. Sources said here today that the situation became tense when Forest officials on duty yesterday directed the encroachers to vacate the area by this morning. This led to a tiff between both sides and hot words were exchanged. Migrant labourers alleged that they were beaten up by Forest officials who had gone to get the land vacated from them. They said that they were told to leave the place failing which their jhuggis would be bulldozed. However, a spokesman of the Forest Department denied the allegations of the labourers. A deputation of the labourers met the local MLA, Ms Anita Verma, and complained to her against the Forest officials. They demanded action against the Forest officials and strict instruction to the Forest Department staff not to disposses them from their huts. Ms Verma was not available for comments. These labourers have been living here for past one decade or more. They also have either kundi connections or regular power connections from the state power board. Moreover, they are also on the voters list and have ration cards as well.
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Tainted ministers’ issue back in focus
Shimla, January 5 The BJP, which has been gunning for the minister, has found a potent weapon to attack the Congress government. The party has been forcefully raising the issue at the national level and has carried out a countrywide campaign to press for the removal of tainted ministers from Mr Manmohan Singh’s Cabinet. Mr Shanta Kumar, former Union Minister, had demanded the sacking of Ms Asha Kumari when warrants were issued against her by the court last month after she failed to appear in court. Now that charges had been framed against her, the party would go all out for her scalp. The party has lost no time in demanding her resignation from the Cabinet. The development will also have implications for internal politics of the Congress. As Ms Asha Kumari is a staunch loyalist of Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, his detractors in the party will use the issue to put him on the defensive. The reaction of Ms Vidya Stokes, a former PCC chief and archrival of the Chief Minister, that Ms Asha Kumari is a senior leader and she should know what to do in the best interests of the party will provide little comfort to the beleaguered minister. While a final decision in the matter will be taken by the party high command, Mr Virbhadra Singh will come under pressure to sack the tainted minister. The party had used the issue of corruption as a weapon against the BJP to oust the Dhumal regime and promised to provide a clean and transparent government to the people. The BJP, which had been at receiving end on the issue of corruption since the last Assembly elections” when Capt Amarinder Singh, Punjab Chief Minister, levelled serious charges of graft against the then Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, has finally got an opportunity to hit back at the Congress. The party is in a position to take the high moral ground and demand the resignation of Ms Asha Kumari as its high command had forced Mr Sukh Ram to resign from the BJP-led coalition after charges were framed against him by a Delhi court in connection with the telecom scam. |
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Flats for college staff in dilapidated condition
Mandi, January 5 “I woke up one morning and was shocked to see a snake trapped in the mousetrap. It probably entered the room while chasing a rat through a hole in the floor,” a woman lecturer, said. “Even monkeys and rats enter through windows which are in a shabby condition,” she added. In another incident, a lecturer who had just left the bathroom was shocked to see the roof of the bathroom come crashing down. “We have written to the college authorities and the PWD about the poor condition but nothing has been done so far,” the lecturers rued. The wooden floors, ceilings and roofs are on the verge of collapse as these need to be replaced. “We have requested the PWD to repair the rooms to make them liveable but nothing seems to work,” said the lecturers, who requested anonymity. “The PWD was to build the unfinished structure but it was left half-done,” college sources said. The exterior of the flats have weeds, and fungal growth. The walls are full of holes, which are the playground for rats and snakes. The PWD had constructed a new building for the staff but it wasn’t completed, giving a harrowing time to people on the ground floor. “We are paying rent but neither the college authorities nor the PWD is bothered to repair the flats,” they said. The Principal, Ms Raksha Kapur, said they did take up maintenance work from time to time and even the staff did its own repair work in the flats it stayed in. “But the PWD is responsible for repair work,” she added. Passing the buck, Mr Anil Parmar, SDO, PWD (Division-I), said the college, and not the PWD, had been collecting rent for the past few years. “Even the teaching staff has not brought the repair work to our notice. They have to give us the estimate first. We have received no proposal from the college so far,” he claimed. |
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Govt abolishes 300 posts of clerk
Hamirpur, January 5 Highly placed sources told The Tribune here today that the state government had directed the State Subordinate Services Selection Board not to hold tests for the posts of clerk and also to return the money taken from candidates while applying for these posts. Nearly 10,000 youth in the state had applied for 300 posts of clerk during the BJP regime in 2002. However, no test was held following the defeat of the BJP in the elections and later on a ban imposed
by the Congress government for further recruitments through the HP selection board . While no official comments were made available from senior officers of the board today, insiders in the board said the process for the return of money to the applicants had been started. The sources said the Himachal Pradesh Government had decided not to fill the posts and thereby telling the Central Government that it had started the process on fiscal reforms as per the MoU signed
with them. |
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Rs 453 crore being spent on water, irrigation
Kumarhatti, January 5 Mr Dharampal Thakur, Deputy Speaker of the HP Vidhan Sabha, at Chalyaban village in Arki said this after inaugurating a Rs 8.45 lakh water-lifting scheme at Chatera. He said this scheme would benefit 250 persons. To strengthen the economic status of villagers, more stress was being laid on the irrigation facilities, he asserted. During the last year, around 2,000 hectares and 3,000 hectares had been earmarked under small and large-scale irrigation schemes involving a total budget outlay of Rs 80 crore. He said under the irrigation benefit programme the Centre had approved Rs 16.31 crore for 49 small irrigation schemes in the state. To tap water of nullahs and khuds, 65 small irrigation schemes involving Rs 27 crore had been forwarded to the Centre for approval. Giving details about irrigation and potable water schemes in Solan district he said, at present total 450 water schemes were functioning in Solan. To improve the sewerage condition in Arki, Rs 31 lakh was being spent. To enhance the potable water availability in the town, Rs 2 crore had been earmarked for water-lifting schemes. Under this earmarked budget, the work was already on progress in Rs 27-lakh Jakholi-Manjhyat and Rs 6 lakh Hawanikaul water schemes. Under the Prime Minister Rural Scheme, eight hand pumps would be installed in Arki constituency, he said. Mr Thakur also announced a financial help of Rs 1 lakh for the construction of road from Kararagali to Warsano. He also announced Rs 1 lakh for the Yuvak Mandal of Chalyaban.
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Expedite Shah Nehar project, says CM
Shimla, January 5 Mr Virbhadra Singh was speaking at discussion he held with MLAs for the finalisation of the Annual Plan. “Providing irrigation facilities to the farmers would remain our priority as this will increase their produce, thereby strengthening the economy of the state,” he remarked. He reiterated his government’s resolve for ensuring a balanced development of the state. “The guiding principle for us would be socio-economic justice so that the fruits of development are equally distributed amongst the maximum number of people,” he said. The Chief Minister asked the MLAs to fix their priorities for road construction, education, health and irrigation in such a manner that the areas which had remained neglected so far stood to gain. He added that special attention was being paid towards the issues pertaining to the weaker and vulnerable sections of society. He asked the MLAs and officials to give their inputs for raising resources in view of the poor financial position of the state. Legislators from Kangra and Kulu districts participated in the discussion. |
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CITU to stage dharna
on lockout Parwanoo, January 5 Talking to this reporter here yesterday, Mr Om Dutt Sharma, vice-president of HP CITU, said on January 18 a dharna would also be held outside the Labour Commissioner’s Office in Shimla. Terming the lockout as an act of highhandedness of the management, Mr Sharma urged the Labour Department to act strongly to protect the rights of employees. As many as 125 employees of Preview Electronics have been rendered unemployed due to lockout. The management of Proview has declared the lockout merely to settle personal grudges against two leaders of the workers’ union, Mr Sharma alleged the Preview Electronics management had declared the lockout on December 6 after the workers union started an agitation over the termination of two union leaders. Mr Ashok Sharma, Mr Bhim Sen president and executive member of the Preview Electronics Workers Union, respectively were sacked without handing over any chargesheet by the management on September 25, said Mr Sharma. The leaders were sacked after they had reportedly tried to unite the workers to criticise the management for its decision to delay the annual salary hike and discontinuing certain other benefits like transport facilities, distribution of uniforms and some other staff related benefit issues, Mr Sharma said. The lockout was illegal as according to the norms the company having a staff strength over 100 could not declare a lockout without prior consent of the Labour Department. However the management has denied having announced any declaration of a lockout in the company. In reply to a Labour Department notice on the matter, the management has clarified that it had only prohibited the entry of workers inside the factory premises. According to the management, the operations were suspended after it was apprehended that the agitated workers could cause damage to machinery and other infrastructure.
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Shanta loyalists get top posts
Nurpur, January 5 Mr Rajiv Kumar and Ms Malvika Pathania Shanta loyalists were appointed president of the Kangra district of the BJP Mahila and Yuva BJP Morcha. Both hail from Nurpur, the native Assembly constituency of Dhumal loyalist Rakesh Pathania, former Chairman of the
HPTDC. |
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Chowkidar writes to NHRC
Nurpur, January 5 He has submitted a complaint to the National Human Rights Commission (NHPC) and the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh. The copies of the complaint, along with documentary proof, were issued to mediapersons here today. He alleged that he sustained grave injuries in the attack and was rushed to the Civil Hospital from where he was referred to the Zonal Hospital at Dharamsala. An FIR was lodged with the police chowki Rehan under the jurisdiction of the Nurpur police station. He was hospitalised for 10 days and then was referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, where his left arm was amputated. He alleged that the police had not acted against those whose names figured in the FIR due to political pressure. Mr Suresh Thakur, DSP, said in preliminary investigations conducted by the police, the accused were not found guilty. The victim has also alleged that he and his family members have been receiving threats from the accused. He has demanded an inquiry into the assault.
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