Shimla, November 24
Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, said today that the government was not averse to holding Vidhan Sabha sessions at Dharamsala, but it was not possible as it lacked requisite infrastructure.

Talking to mediapersons here today, he said Dharamsala was being developed as the second administrative centre of the state after Shimla, but it would take some time to create all the required infrastructure.

The Chief Minister said when he started the practice of winter move to provide a fillip to development activities in the lower areas, the opposition BJP termed it as a waste of funds. However, during its five-year term in office it followed the same practice, though reluctantly.

He said the lower areas, especially Kangra district, was actually discriminated against during the BJP regime when all developmental activities came to a grinding halt due to the infighting among its top leadership. He said ministers and MLAs during the BJP regime had made serious charges of discrimination, corruption, nepotism and selling interests of the state against the Dhumal government.

Mr Virbhadra Singh said winter sojourn had indeed boosted the development of Dharamsala town. He said besides opening offices of the Chief Engineers of the Public Works Department, the IPH, the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board, zonal office of the departments were opened. The Board of School Education was shifted from Shimla to Dharamsala. A Prestigious Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College at Tanda in Kangra was coming up as one of the best medical institutions in the entire north India. Over Rs 150 crore had been spent on infrastructure building so far and it would have the latest equipment to provide best medical education and treatment.

He said a permanent bench of the state administrative tribunal would be set up at Dharamsala and during the winter sojourn at least one Cabinet meeting was being held there.

The Chief Minister said a transfer policy was in practice and all transfers were being carried out within the provisions of the policy. He said a Cabinet sub-committee had been constituted to frame a new transfer policy and the government would act on its recommendations after taking all aspects into consideration and examining its repercussions at different levels.

Nurpur, November 24
MP Rajya Sabha and state BJP vice-president Kirpal Parmar has alleged that the government had tried to sabotage the four-day free eye camp organised by the National Society for Blindness Prevention India, an NGO here, in the Civil Hospital from November 19 to 22.

Addressing a press conference here last evening, Mr Parmar informed, the camp was organised by the NGO on the hospital premises following the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court in which such camps could only be held in government or private health institutes.

He claimed that despite non-cooperation of the Health Department, the camp was successful. As many as 1,140 patients were examined and given free medicines and 161 patients operated upon and were also given lenses.

He said a team of eye surgeons from Dr Rajinder Prasad Eye Science Centre (AIIMS) had operated up on and examined the patients.

The Congress had tried to sabotage it on political grounds.

Mr Parmar said the hospital staff was cooperative on the first day of the camp but did not respond positively on other days. “The Chief Medical Officer, Dharamsala, had granted permission to organise the camp on the premises of the Civil Hospital,” he added.

Una, November 24
A local court yesterdayday convicted a person, accused of raping his minor daughter, to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 in Una district of Himachal Pradesh.

The court sentenced the accused, Raj Kumar, to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000 under Section 376 of the IPC and seven years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 under Section 506 of the IPC.

The court ordered another two-year term for the accused if he failed to pay the fine which, if realised, should be paid to the victim as compensation.

Raj Kumar is accused of raping his 14-year-old daughter for over a month after forcing out his wife and son from the house in September, 2004.

The court, rejecting his leniency appeal, said: “Being the custodian and protector of the family, he has exceeded all limits of humanity and human relations, being the father of the victim.”

The crime had shaken the conscience of society at large. Therefore, no leniency could be shown against such persons, the court added. — UNI

Shimla, November 24
In order to check pilferage and availability of essential commodities at fair price shops, the Civil Supplies Department will make vigilance committees for undertaking regular inspection of the outlets.

This was stated by the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister, Mr Singhi Ram, here today. He said the department was ensuring supply of essential commodities to 13,72,677 ration card holders all over the state.

He said the department was conducting regular inspections to regularise prices in the open market. “While two police cases have been registered, 570 have been issued written warning and the department is taking action against 734 traders,” he said. He added Rs 2.64 lakh was forfeited against the security deposit of these traders against whom action is being taken.

“During 2004-05 the total turnover of the Civil Supplies Corporation was Rs 526.96 crore and the profit was Rs 2.83 crore,” he said. He added out of this profit the corporation had paid Rs 70.30 lakh as dividend to the government.