Shimla, February 1
Uncertainty over continuation of Mrs Asha Kumari in the Cabinet following the framing of charges against her by a Chamba court in the alleged land-grab case has ended with the Education Minister finally tendering resignation on “moral grounds”.

All eyes are now on Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, who, while confirming that he had received the resignation, said that he would take a decision only after reaching Shimla. The Chief Minster is currently on his annual winter sojourn to the merged areas and will return to the state capital on February 14.

A staunch Virbhadra Singh loyalist, Mrs Asha Kumari has been under pressure to quit the ministry ever since charges were framed against her about a month ago. While the opposition BJP has been demanding that the “tainted” minister be sacked immediately, her detractors in the party have been building pressure through the party high command. However, Mrs Asha Kumari has been all through maintaining that the case against her was politically motivated and asserted that she was resigning on moral grounds.

While both the loyalists and the detractors of Mr Virbhadra Singh are anxiously awaiting his next move, he seems to be in no hurry to take a decision. Whatever choice he makes will have a bearing on the impending appointment of parliamentary secretaries. In case he decided to accept the resignation, he could induct one more minister to restore the regional and caste balance in his Cabinet which was disturbed during the downsizing exercise. However, if the resignation is rejected, only some parliamentary secretaries would be inducted.

Meanwhile, the BJP continues to be in an unrelenting mood and Mr Shanta Kumar, former Union Minister, has urged Mr Virbhadra Singh to accept the resignation without delay. He was the first BJP leader to demand her resignation when the court had issued warrants against the minister.

Mr Randhir Sharma, spokesperson for the state BJP, said Mrs Asha Kumari had not resigned on moral grounds; she had to bow to the political pressure exerted by the Opposition. If she had been concerned about the moral values, she would have quit office the very day charges were framed against her.

Dharamsala, February 1
Major Vijai Singh Mankotia (retd), the man who raised the bogey of discrimination against the lower Himachal region after he was dropped from the Cabinet during its downsizing, has mended fences with the Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

In a bid to put to rest apprehensions that he may skip the Chief Minister’s function in his constituency, Shahpur, on February 7 due to the differences between the two, Major Mankotia told The Tribune here today that he would personally welcome the Chief Minister. He said he would utilise the opportunity to have more development projects cleared for the lower Himachal region during Mr Virbhadra Singh’s visit.

He said since the Chief Minister had given his word for setting up a college in Shahpur during his winter sojourn last year, this time, they would get the project formally approved by him. “There are nine higher secondary schools in Shahpur and students have to go to Dharamsala or Palampur for seeking degrees after passing out,” he said.

He further said the locals had donated a large chunk of land for the college, which is expected to cater to the rural areas of Kangra district, extending up to Chamba. “There is no other institution of higher education in the area and the Dharamsala College is overburdened with a strength of over 5,000 students. It would be a co-educational college,” he said.

The college would be located just 1 km short of Shahpur and a survey of the land has been done, he said.

Major Mankotia said to create more employment opportunities in the area and ease the power situation, he would also seek the Chief Minister’s sanction for the proposed 15-MW Brahl Khud hydel project. The region already has the Gaj hydroelectric project and work is under way on the 12-MW Khauli project, he said. “Besides, the area also needs a bridge in Boh panchayat, which is on the border with Chamba. The project has been accepted by the government in principle and we would see to it that it materialises soon,” he said.

After Major Mankotia raised the discrimination issue, party rebels immediately lapped it up, as also the Opposition. He was also not seen during the first phase of the winter sojourn of the Chief Minister in Dharamsala and adjoining areas. The Chief Minister, however, repeatedly claimed during his tour that the government was not partial to any region and all such allegations of discrimination were not substantiated by facts and figures.

Shimla, February 1
Water pipes were frozen and vehicular traffic was hampered in the morning hours in mid and higher hills of Himachal Pradesh as piercing cold wave continued unabated in the region.

The region experienced another spell of moderate snowfall accompanied by lightening and thunder last night causing further fall in mercury chilling people to the bones.

Strong velocity icy winds swept the region last night but weather cleared in the morning. however, the pale sun failed to warm up the region as minimum temperature hovered around the freezing point.

The minimum temperature stood at 6°C in Shimla while it dipped -2.8°C at Mashobra and Kufri. The minimum temperature remained below three degrees at Sundernagar, Mandi, Bhuntar and other places along the Beas.

Shimla received 10 to 15 cm of fresh snow last night while Kufri and Narkanda experienced 15 cm to 20 cm of snow. The higher hills in Chamba, Kulu and Sirmaur also experienced widespread snowfall while higher reaches in tribal areas another spell of heavy snowfall.

The tribal valleys of Lahaul, Spiti, Pangi, Hangrang and Pin also received 15 to 30 cm of fresh snowfall, further intensifying the cold wave conditions. The valleys groaned under freezing cold wave conditions with minimum temperature staying between minus 17 and minus 28°C.

According to Data available in the Fruit Research Centre at Mashobra, Shimla, and its adjoining areas experienced 95.6 cm of snow during the January which was just 1.6 cm less than last year’s figure of 97.2 cm. — PTI

Kangra, February 1
The Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board today withdrew orders of power cuts in residential areas which were in force since January 20.

Mr B.R. Singla, Deputy Chief Engineer, HPSEB, Kangra, today said there would be no power cut in any residential area in the entire state. However, power cuts would continue in industrial areas as per the availability of the power supply.

He said orders to this effect were issued late last night and the power cuts were not imposed from the wee hours today. The HPSEB had been imposing power cuts for three hours daily after regular intervals.

Power cuts would continue in the industrial area of Kandrodi of Kangra district, Mr Singla said. The power cuts would also continue in the industrial areas of Parwanoo, Badhi, Nalagarh , Mehatpur and other industrial towns of the state.

The requirement of HPSEB peaked to 120 lakh units per day and power production in the state had drastically reduced to 16 lakh units per day.

Hamirpur, February 1
Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Prem Kumar Dhumal foresees a pro-BJP wave in Haryana. The BJP is sure to win more than 25 seats this time, he said here today.

After returning from Haryana, where he canvassed for party candidates, he said a pro-BJP wave was sweeping across Haryana and rot of the Congress and the INLD was imminent.

Mr Dhumal said people were fed up with both parties for their dismal performance and wanted to bring a new alternative in name of the BJP. He said by fielding candidates on all 90 seats, the BJP had proved that it was a party with a difference.

The BJP leader said during his tour he found that people had started showing faith in the BJP due to its right thinking policies and good works done by the NDA government led by Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Una, February 1
Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, while talking to mediapersons today said that it was the duty of the administration and the government to implement the orders of the Supreme Court. He added that while implementing the orders of the Supreme Court, the structure where the Dalits had placed an idol of Guru Ravidass had to be demolished. The possession of the land was handed over to the owner.After the demolition of the structure, stones and bricks were thrown at the police in which a number of policemen were injured. Thereafter, the Dalit community in Santoshgarh was beaten up. The Chief Minister on the recommendation of the fact finding committee, constituted by the state Congress president, Mr Kuldeep Kumar, the government had decided to issue transfer orders of SP, Una, D.K. Yadav, and SDM Sanjay Sharma.

The Chief Minister said the state government had got sympathy for the Dalits of Santoshgarh and was ready to accept all their reasonable demands.

The Chief Minister told the media that he had just received information from Shimla that Ms Asha Kumari, Education Minister, has tendered her resignation due to a criminal case she was facing at Chamba. He said he had not accepted the minister’s resignation. He would take a decision after going back to Shimla.

Chamba, February 1
In the wake of nationwide drive against encroachments and unauthorised constructions, residents and traders of Chamba have taken a lead in removing encroachments voluntarily.

Stating this here today, Mr Rahul Anand, Deputy Commissioner, Chamba, claimed that this was a healthy sign of saving the town from the imminent danger of natural calamities adding that it would keep the town clean, pollution-free and free from congestion.

More than 50 encroachments had been removed from different points in the town, the deputy Commissioner pointed out.

Mandi, February 1
Two persons died after they consumed acid accidentally in separate incidents while one woman was found dead near Jugni Maur on the Mandi-Kulu highway today. It was suspected that the woman had died of cold.

The SP, Mandi, Mr Ajay Yadav, said preliminary investigations revealed that Kem Raj and his brother-in-law Baga Ram, both from the Karsog area in the district, probably died after they consumed the acid at Balh mistaking it for liquor. They were consuming liquor at the wedding of their relative. 

Mandi, February 1
Freedom fighter Hem Raj Behl, 81, was cremated with state honours here today after he succumbed to his injuries at IGMC, Shimla, last night.

According to the spokesperson, Mr Behl fell and fractured his leg. He was admitted to the IGMC, Shimla, last week. He is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters.

He took an active role in the 1942 Praja Mandal along with other freedom fighters of the state. Mr Arun Sharma, SDM, Mandi, the DSP and the DPRO, Mandi, Mr Amar Singh Saklani were present on the occasion.