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BJP to turn up the heat on govt
CM blasts BJP over Ram temple issue
Engineers resent HPSEB’s move
Awards for forest guards recommended
All roads lead uphill
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Shimla, a big draw
Shimla, December 25 In view of the light snowfall in early December this year, people who were planning to celebrate a white Christmas after several years were once again disappointed. Jail inmates celebrate Christmas
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BJP to turn up the heat on govt
Dharamsala, December 25 The major issues that are likely to dominate the session are the PMT paper leak scam, arrest of ADGP Bhupinder Singh Thind and police firing on the tribal people in Kinnaur, besides step-motherly treatment with regard to the development of areas represented by MLAs of the Opposition party. Not only this, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh may also have to face embarrassing moments from a few of his own party colleagues who are known to have created a greater din in the House than the Opposition in the past four years. The arrest of ADGP Thind by the CBI in October this year in an alleged Rs 3.5-crore loan fraud against a single property mortgaged to various banks by submitting forged documents and misrepresenting fact is likely to rock the House. And the subsequent episode of a letter believed to have been written by him from judicial custody is a major issue that the BJP is likely to rake up in the Assembly. The letter mentions one political ‘godfather’ of ADGP Thind. The Opposition is already making a big hue and cry on this letter publicly alleging that the ‘godfather’ of Thind is no other than the Chief Minister himself who is now trying to distance himself from the relations he enjoyed with this senior police officer. The PMT scam is a much talked about issue among the common public in the state. Undoubtedly, this issue is also likely to create problems for the Congress government in the Vidhan Sabha. Another burning topic is police firing on the tribal people of Kinnaur early this month. The tribal unrest against the hydro power projects has already gained political support at the national and state levels from the Left parties, besides open support extended by the district unit of the BJP. The arrest of a CPM leader and former MLA, Mr Rakesh Singha, by the Kinnaur police is also a burning issue in the political circles. The Left parties have no say in the Vidhan Sabha, therefore, this issue may not get importance in the House. However, some leaders of the Left parties have indicated that they are planning to gherao the Vidhan Sabha in protest against the police firing on tribal people and subsequent arrest of their leader. Therefore, beyond any doubt, Mr Virbhadra Singh will be having hard time in the winter session. |
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CM blasts BJP over Ram temple issue
Dharamsala/Kangra,
December 25 He was addressing a public gathering after the inauguration of the new building of the Vidhan Sabha here. He said the BJP was raising the issue of Ram temple before elections to exploit the sentiments of the people for vested political interests. He asked the BJP leadership why they did not construct the temple when Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister. Major Vijay Singh Mankotia, known for open criticism of the chief minister and senior leaders of the party, today adopted a soft posture and congratulated Mr Virbhadra Singh on development issues and setting up the new Vidhan Sabha complex at Dharamsala. He announced that if the Congress was voted back to power, Mr Virbhadra Singh would be the chief minister for the sixth time. He said sometimes difference of opinion emerged among party colleagues, but that did not mean that he had no respect for the leader. Transport minister G.S. Bali lashed out at district party unit president Brij Bihari Lal, who satirically commented against the minister in his speech. Speaker Gangu Ram Musafir inaugurated the new complex of the Vidhan Sabha. MLAs from opposition parties and power minister Vidya Stokes did not turn up. |
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Engineers resent HPSEB’s move
Mandi, December 25 Engineers from the Mandi, Sundernagar and Dharamsala and other places protested to chairman, HPSEB, Kanwar Shamsher Singh two days ago and demanded reversal of the decision. The engineers pleaded the board had relaxed the terms of service for promotion and increased promotion quota for the diploma holders at the cost of the degree holder engineers. According to the engineers, the board was favouring the diploma holders as “they outnumber the degree engineers and enjoy clout in the board”. First, the broad reduced qualifying service for promotion to the post of executive engineer from 10 years to seven years now it is being reduced to 5 years, which will put graduate engineers to stagnation even after putting 18 years of regular service in the board”, they charged. Another point the engineers raised was the board was increasing promotion quota from 25 per cent to 50 per cent for the diploma holders, they pointed out the move would hasten brain drain in the board”. Resentment among the engineers was apparent as more than 200 engineers almost stormed into the chairman’s office today, protesting against the move to amend the rules. The proposed amendment will disadvantage not only more qualified and senior engineers in service but it will put them at the mercy of the board, the less qualified and junior diploma holders in the board, they feared. “The move is only to please the diploma holders that will affect the board itself”, they said.
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Awards for forest guards recommended Solan, December 25 Officials told The Tribune that this recommendation was necessitated due to various cases of fund diversion coming to light. It has also been recommended to make centrally-sponsored schemes time-bound by fixing accountability for the delays. This would ensure that development schemes were carried out with zeal and they achieved the desired objective. With a view to ensuring apt fund utilisation and avoid lapses in the event of their non-utilisation the committee has further recommended release of funds throughout the year. It was observed that since the funds were released in February-March each year they could not be utilised fully and often lapsed. Funds are often earmarked for a particular financial year which ends in March. The committee has further recommended award of medals, cash prize and commendation certificates to the lower forest staffers, including guards and range officials on the lines of the Police Department. This would act as an inspiration for the officials to work hard towards development works. Cash awards to the tune of Rs 50,000 have been recommended. Funds have been sought for repairing guard huts and other accommodation provided for the ground-level workers. A suggestion has been mooted to provide them accommodation at the divisional level. This would enable them to work in the field without worrying about their
families. Creation of a repository for providing ready database about the forest activities in each state has been recommended further. A central information cell would be set up in each state by the Forest Survey of India. It could be set up on the basis of build operate and transfer basis and once set up it could be transferred to the states. Funds worth Rs 800 crore should be earmarked for this purpose. Officials said funds worth Rs 2,400 crore had been sought for creating an enabling atmosphere to ensure better forestry management. They added that if incorporated in the 11th Planning Commission these recommendations could help improve the lot of the forests in the nation. An indepth thought has been given to address the key issues concerning this crucial sector, added officials.
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All roads lead uphill
Mandi, December 25 For the revellers major attraction is not only the snowfall, but also a slew of “dine and dance New Year eve balls”, bonfire parties and the five-day long winter carnival of snow-sports and “cultural nights” be inaugurated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh begins on January 3 in Manali. Though the district administration holds the 5-day long Winter Carnival in Manali that begins from January 3 every year to prolong the stay of the tourists for a couple of days, but the carnival remains more or less a local ‘mela’, reveal hoteliers. “The winter carnival has yet to catch the fancy of the tourists as both marketing and quality of programmes remained poor over the years”. But for this season, the private hotels in Kulu-Manali tourist circuit have registered over 40 per cent occupancy likely to go up as the New Year draws near. The government-run HPTDC has reported almost 100 per cent occupancy after the Christmas for this week. Though the New Year mania has caught up among the younger lot, who throng the hill stations in large number at New Year Eve every year, but the celebration is yet to catch the fancy of “family tourists” on the country, revealed hoteliers. Even, arrival of the foreign tourists remains as good as negligent in winter as they do not like the touristy hill stations. “Moreover, there are no professional and recreational ski facilities for them available in the ski resorts at Narkanda in Shimla and Solang Nalla near Manali in the state”, the hoteliers reasoned. The SDM, Manali and president winter carnival Vinay Thakur said over 9 different cultural events would feature the carnival. The Punjabi pop singer, Mikka, Idol finalist Anuj Sharma and other artistes would give their performances during the cultural nights. He added carnival was also open for tourists, who would be competing in winter games being with the help of the Western Himalaya Institute of Mountaineering and Trekking and Allied Sports, Manali at Solang Nalla this time. District Tourism Officer Kamal Chauhan said that the season Solang had snowfall and tourists could go up to Gulaba and Kothi 25 km from Manali to enjoy snow on the Manali-Rohtang road”. The honeymooners and the family tourists also visited Manali or Shimla to watch snow fall. |
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Shimla, a big draw
Shimla, December 25 Weatherman said in case the temperature continued to fall there could be possibility of snowfall around New Year. A large number of tourists could be seen making a beeline to Kufri and Narkanda in the hope of seeing snow. The musical bands and orchestra played on the Ridge maidan and the Mall throughout the day. Shops had been specially decorated and Santa Clauses enthralled children. |
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Jail inmates celebrate Christmas
Shimla, December 25 The inmates were overjoyed to see their name and poems written by them being published in the form of a book. Ms Saroj Vasishth, general secretary, Delhi Kala Gram, along with Tina and Shekhar Bhattacharya, joined the inmates in celebrating Christmas. On the occasion 50 books and some magazines were donated by Ms Madhavi Malhotra of Hind Pocket Books, Delhi, to the library at the Kanda jail.
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