H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

25 killed in two bus mishaps
Kulu, October 7
As many as 25 persons were killed in two mishaps in Himachal Pradesh today. At least 13 persons, including three women and two children, were killed in an accident near Manikaran, about 45 km from here, today when a bus (HP 66-6625) was buried under a massive rock.

CM highlights gains in social sector
Chandigarh, October 7
The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, today gloated over his government's achievement in the social sector and said two lakh people had been already brought under the social security net with the cumulative coverage figure being 3.5 per cent of the total population.

BJP charges misplaced, says minister
Shimla, October 7
Mr Kuldeep Kumar, Industries Minister, today rejected the BJP charges on the Himalayan Ski Village deal as misplaced and alleged that there was nexus between vested interests and party leaders who were giving misleading statements on the issue without verifying the facts.

MC to examine British era revenue record
Shimla, October 7
The local Municipal Corporation (MC) yesterday decided to examine the revenue records dating back to the British era before taking a final decision on the issue of handing over the forest area with it to the government.

Dry run started at Nathpa-Jhakri project
Shimla, October 7
Generation at the 1500-MW Nathpa Jhakri project, which was submerged due to bursting of the labyrinth pipe on September 4, is likely to be resumed by October 15.

Kulu Dasehra from Oct 12
Kulu, October 7
The celebrations of the world famous week-long Kulu Dasehra are all set to take place from October 12. Mr V.S. Kokje, Governor of Himachal Pradesh, will inaugurate the festival while Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, will preside over the closing ceremony on October 18.

Chinese actor ends visit to McLeodganj
Dharamsala, October 7
Noted Chinese Kung Fu actor, Mr Jet Lee Lien concluded his three-day visit to McLeodganj near here, today. He had an audience with the Dalai Lama, the Karmapa and other Tibetan religious leaders.

Sikh sabha seeks compensation
Sundernagar, October 7
The All Himachal Sikh Welfare Sabha has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to direct the Himachal Pradesh Government to prepare a list of victims of anti-Sikh riots which occurred in the state in 1984 and demanded compensation for the victims.

25 killed in two bus mishaps
Tribune Reporters

Kulu, October 7
As many as 25 persons were killed in two mishaps in Himachal Pradesh today.

At least 13 persons, including three women and two children, were killed in an accident near Manikaran, about 45 km from here, today when a bus (HP 66-6625) was buried under a massive rock. Mr Anand Pratap Singh, Superintendent of Police, said immediate rescue operations could save only six persons. All the dead have been extricated, he added. The injured were shifted to zonal hospital at Kulu.

The ill-fated bus was on its way from Kulu to Manikaran carrying 19 passengers, including four foreigners.

Kangra: Twelve pilgrims were killed, six of them on the spot, and 35 injured when their bus rolled down into Daliara Khud at Daliara under Dhera subdivision of this district today.

Dhera Deputy Superintendent of Police Rani Sachedeva said the ill-fated bus (UP 81D 1893), carrying 54 passengers from Bulandshahr, UP, rolled down into 150-feet deep gorge at Daliara at 3.30 p.m. today when the driver of the bus failed to negotiate the curve. She said six pilgrims died on the spot and 41 were rushed to Dehra Civil Hospital, where six more succumbed to their injuries taking the death toll to 12. The dead included one woman and two children.

Two pilgrims, who were in serious condition, were referred to Dr R.P. Government Medical College, Dharamsala. The driver of the bus survived the accident and was left with minor foot injuries. The deceased could not be identified yet.

CM highlights gains in social sector
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 7
The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, today gloated over his government's achievement in the social sector and said two lakh people had been already brought under the social security net with the cumulative coverage figure being 3.5 per cent of the total population.

The Chief Minister was speaking at the Congress Chief Ministers' conclave at Punjab Bhavan here Mr Virbhadra Singh said a Cabinet Committee had been constituted in Himachal to monitor and ensure the effective implementation of the party's election manifesto. He said the state government had formulated an ambitious plan to harness 10,000 MW of additional power during the next two or three years.

He said the state government was spending over 6 per cent of the gross state domestic product on education and allied activities. He said 742 senior secondary, high and middle schools were opened in the state during the past two years.

Three degree colleges, 25 senior secondary schools, 50 high schools and 200 middle schools would be opened during the current financial year.

The Chief Minister said a futuristic vision document had been prepared to provide healthcare. The National Rural Health Mission, a Rs 51.40 crore project, had been launched in the state to strengthen the rural health infrastructure. He added the state government was laying emphasis on connecting every panchayat with a road in the next two or three years.

The Chief Minister said out of the total of 3,234 panchayats in the state, 2,709 had been already connected while 534 were being linked on a priority basis.

BJP charges misplaced, says minister
Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 7
Mr Kuldeep Kumar, Industries Minister, today rejected the BJP charges on the Himalayan Ski Village deal as misplaced and alleged that there was nexus between vested interests and party leaders who were giving misleading statements on the issue without verifying the facts.

In a rejoinder to the statement of Mr Suresh Bhardwaj, the state BJP President terming the deal as a “sellout” of state’s interests, he said the government had simply asked the M/s Himalayan Ski Village Company which has shown interest to develop tourism in Himachal Pradesh and to set up ski resort in the Kullu valley submit a Preliminary Project Report (PPR). He said before taking a final decision whether the proposal was to be considered by the government or not, several stages of project evaluation were involved. The Preliminary Project Report, inter-alia, must contain an ecology audit of the area, socio-economic audit and a detailed background, profile and financial status of the company. The government had an inherent right to either consider or reject the PPR.

He clarified that there were two more stages after the PPR an Implementation Agreement to be followed by a Detailed Project Report (DPR). At this stage there was no question of creating any partnership or commitment for project with the party. The government was at liberty to reject or terminate the MoU, PPR or DPR and make alternative arrangements for the project, which included global tendering.

Mr Kuldeep Kumar said there was no question of entering into any contract or agreement with the party without evaluating the project report. It was surprising that one M/s Gopal Trading Manali had faxed a copy of the MoU to Mr Suresh Bhardwaj who, without verifying the facts, called a press conference on this issue. This indicates a nexus between vested interests and the BJP.

MC to examine British era revenue record
Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 7
The local Municipal Corporation (MC) yesterday decided to examine the revenue records dating back to the British era before taking a final decision on the issue of handing over the forest area with it to the government.

The special committee constituted by the local Municipal Corporation for taking a final decision on handing over the forests to the Forest Department with it to the government met here today. The committee is headed by the Deputy Mayor, Mr Shashi Shekhar.

The committee will now meet on October 13 when all revenue records pertaining to the British period will be examined. It was way back in the year 1830 that the British had handed over the forests to the MC. “Perhaps there is a clause in those papers that the MC can neither sell, lease out or transfer the forest land to any other agency,” disclosed one Councillor.

The Councillors are learnt to have made a mention of the lease in favour of a private party in 1992 in respect of the Craignano catchment area for setting up of an amusement park. 

Dry run started at Nathpa-Jhakri project
Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 7
Generation at the 1500-MW Nathpa Jhakri project, which was submerged due to bursting of the labyrinth pipe on September 4, is likely to be resumed by October 15.

Engineers of the Sultlej Jal Vidyut Nigam started the dry run of one of the six units today to remove traces of water still left in the generators. During the dry run, no power will be generated and the machine started and stopped repeatedly to evaluate the internal resistance, rotation per minute and other parameters.

Mr H.K. Sharma, Chairman -cum-Managing Director of the nigam, said it was like commissioning the project afresh. All procedures required to commission a new project would have to be followed. The dry run would be completed over the next one week and generation resume by October 15.

Kulu Dasehra from Oct 12
Our Correspondent

Kulu, October 7
The celebrations of the world famous week-long Kulu Dasehra are all set to take place from October 12. Mr V.S. Kokje, Governor of Himachal Pradesh, will inaugurate the festival while Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, will preside over the closing ceremony on October 18.

The traditional “Rath Yatra” of Lord Rama will be led by Mr Maheshwar Singh, a descendant of the former ruler of Kulu, Raja Jagat Singh, on the afternoon of October 12. The wooden chariot will be pulled by hundreds of devotees at Dhalpur Maidan here.

Chinese actor ends visit to McLeodganj
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, October 7
Noted Chinese Kung Fu actor, Mr Jet Lee Lien concluded his three-day visit to McLeodganj near here, today. He had an audience with the Dalai Lama, the Karmapa and other Tibetan religious leaders.

Mr Gompa Tsering, secretary to the Karmapa, clarified that the 42-year-old award-winning actor was a follower of Buddhism and, therefore, on a religious tour and not in connection with shooting of some film.

Sikh sabha seeks compensation

Sundernagar, October 7
The All Himachal Sikh Welfare Sabha has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to direct the Himachal Pradesh Government to prepare a list of victims of anti-Sikh riots which occurred in the state in 1984 and demanded compensation for the victims.

In a letter written today by Mr Balwinder Singh, general secretary of the sabha, to the Prime Minister, it was stated that after the death of Indira Gandhi many cases of arson and damage to the properties of Sikh were reported — OC