HP makes policy on daily wage workers
SHIMLA, Dec 4 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has formulated a policy to regularise the services of daily wage workers in a phased manner.

Christians hold rallies
SHIMLA, Dec 4 — Members of the Christian community today staged a dharna at The Ridge here to protest against the atrocities on them at various places in the country. It was also a day of prayers and fasting for them.

• Govt owes Rs 20 cr to farmers: sabha
• 3 die in separate incidents
• PCC meeting on Dec 11

HP makes policy on daily wage workers
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 4 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has formulated a policy to regularise the services of daily wage workers in a phased manner.

Stating this during question hour in the state assembly today, Mr Mohinder Singh, Minister for Public Works, said that under the policy the workers who completed eight years of service by March 31, 1999, would be regularised work charged staff. And the services of those completing seven, six and five years of service in 2000, 2001 and 2002, respectively, would be regularised.

Replying to a supplementary of Mr Gangu Ram, Mr PK Dhumal, Chief Minister, said policy was in pursuance of the party's election promise regarding daily wage workers.

Mr Hari Narain Singh, Minister for Town and Country Planning, informed the House that there was no proposal to impose a total ban on construction in the green belt marked under the Shimla Development Plan. He said 174 buildings had been constructed in the green belt and out of these 48 had the approval of the government.

Mr Narinder Bragta, Horticulture Minister, told Mr Vipin Parmar that apple worth Rs 16.94 crore had been procured by the HPMC up to November 25 under the Market Intervention Scheme. Out of this, fruit worth Rs 6.17 crore had been sold in the market. It had also procured other fruits worth Rs 18.57 lakh. He said orders for making payments for fruit procured in July had been issued.

Mr JP Nadda assured the House that new health institutions proposed in the budget would be opened this year. The government was facing problems in this regard because the previous Congress regime opened a large number of institutions in 1997-98 without providing any staff, building and other facilities. It opened five community health centres against the budgeted three and 68 primary health centres against the 33 proposed in the budget. Similarly, as many as 116 sub-centres were opened against the budgeted 50.

The government was doing its best to provide the requisite staff and facilities to these institutions. It had tried to recruit as many doctors as possible through contract and ad hoc appointments.

The Agriculture Minister, Mr Vidya Sagar, said there was no shortage of seeds and fertilisers in the state. As against 56,269 quintals of seed supplied last year during the rabi season, 53,223 quintals had been supplied by November this year. Similarly 22,427 tonnes of fertilisers had been supplied which was more than last year.

Christians hold rallies
From Tribune Reporters

SHIMLA, Dec 4 — Members of the Christian community today staged a dharna at The Ridge here to protest against the atrocities on them at various places in the country. It was also a day of prayers and fasting for them.

All Christian institutions remained closed as the national protest day was observed on the call of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India and the All-India United Christian Forum for Human Rights.

Priests, nuns, teachers, pastors and others led by Father Henry Lewis and Father Ambrose D'Souza participated in the dharna. Christians from the surrounding areas of the town also participated.

They demanded protection of their fundamental rights, particularly the freedom of religion.

KOTGARH: A number of Christians from Kotgarh and other parts of Upper Shimla joined their community in Shimla today. As part of national protest day, to focus attention of the government and the people in general, against the atrocities committed against them by some fanatical elements.

JALANDHAR: Addressing the rally here, the Bishop of Jalandhar, Rt. Rev. Dr Symphorian Keeprath, said that the Central Government remained a mute spectator to the atrocities on Christians and Christian institutions.

He wondered how long this would go on and when would this violation and injustice end.

A memorandum addressed to the President highlighting their grievances was handed over to the District Commissioner.

FEROZEPORE: All Christian educational institutes remain closed in protest.

A massive procession was also taken out by the Christians who shouted slogans, "We want justice" and "Stop doing atrocities on Christians".

GURDASPUR: More than 1,500 persons participated in the rally.

Father Thomas and Salamat Masih accused the government for not apprehending persons who raped four nuns in Madhya Pradesh and those who attacked a Christian Convention at Ludhiana.

HOSHIARPUR: Members of the Christian community of this district staged a march and took out a demonstration in the main bazars of the city here today in protest against the atrocities on Christian in various states.

PATHANKOT: Christians took out a silent protest march from Military Ground in which local parish Priest Father Joseph Puthenpura, Rev Ram Lal, paster of C.N.I. Church and others participated.

The participants wore black badges to express their sorrow at the atrocities committed on them.

HISAR: All Christian institutions in Haryana remained closed following the call for nationwide protest given by the United Christians Forum for Human Rights.

In Hisar, the day was observed as one of fasting and prayers for the united and integrity of the nation. All Christian institutions remained closed for the day.

A dharna was also observed at the Church.

A memorandum was presented to Governor of Haryana through district administration by the Christian Solidarity Committee expressing concern over the repeated attempts by some miscreants to grab the 200-year old historic graveyard at Hansi town of this district.

YAMUNANAGAR: Both Catholic and Protestant Christians held a joint prayer meeting at Sacred Heart Convent School, Jagadhari, on Friday. They wore black badges.

All Christian schools remained closed.

Hotelier's murder probe for CBI
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 4 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has initiated steps to hand over to the CBI the investigation of the murder of a local hotelier, Mr Harsh Baljee.

This was announced by the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, in the Vidhan Sabha today while replying to the issue raised by Mr Ishwar Dass (Cong) under Rule 324.

The Chief Minister said the decision had been taken on the recommendation of the chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Human Rights Commission.

He said so far nothing substantial had come out of the investigations by the special team of the CID and the police.

Mr Baljee was murdered on November 14, 1996. The police interrogated more than 150 persons in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh and Delhi. Inderpal Chaudhary of Delhi was taken in custody in July, 1997, but was later released as the challan was not filed in the court within 90 days. The case was then transferred to the CID which interrogated 75 persons.

The special team visited Delhi, Shimla, Bathinda, Moga, Muktsar, Chandigarh, Kalka, Ambala and Sundernagar, but did not find any clue to the murder.

Meanwhile, raising the issue of the upgradation of facilities in the local Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said funds earmarked for setting up a cath-lab for open heart surgery had been diverted by the government.

Mr Virbhadra Singh said the previous Congress Government had decided to strengthen and upgrade the Cardio-Thoracic Department for which work had already been started. However, soon after the BJP came to power, work on the operation theatre and allied facilities came to a standstill. It was not only a retrograde step, but would also delay the project indefinitely.

Replying to the issue, Mr J.P. Nadda, Health Minister, said the government was keen on upgrading the facilities in the IGMC by introducing super specialities in various disciplines and equipping them with the latest machinery and equipment.

He said the place where the operation theatre was being constructed for open heart surgery was found unsuitable for airconditioning. Therefore, it had been decided to build it in the new building which was under construction. This was not a retrograde step, but aimed at providing the facility at a suitable place.

The minister denied that the funds had been diverted. A sum of Rs 2.80 crore earmarked for the purpose had been kept in the fixed deposit.

Infiltration plans foiled
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, Dec 4 — The strict vigil by the ITBP on the high altitude check-posts of Chamba and Doda districts has foiled infiltration plans of militants.

Stating this here today, Mr H.S. Goraya, Commandant of the 15th Battalion of the ITBP, informed that eversince his force was entrusted with the task of carrying out anti-insurgency operations in the militancy-infested border region of Chamba district, the militants had been forced to go back from the operational zone of the ITBP.

Mr Goraya denied reports of fresh infiltration into the state. He said round-the-clock patrolling had thwarted any such attempts by militants.

Now that the Gujjars had migrated to the plains, the situation had become conducive for combing operations.

Mr Goraya asserted that the ITBP was getting full support of the Himachal Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal.

Tehsildar's powers as Sub-Registrar
taken away
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 4 — The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Ram Subhag Singh, today stripped the powers for registering land deals from Mr Sohan Lal Gupta, Tehsildar, following a controversy in a recent land transaction here.

Mr Ram Subhag Singh said the action had been taken after it was prima-facie established that Mr Gupta had prior information that some irregularity might be got done in getting the particular land registered.

He said his order of snatching the powers of the Tehsildar in his capacity as Sub-Registrar had been sent to the Financial Commissioner (Revenue) for confirmation.

The police has already registered a separate case in the matter.

Plea to consider coop secys' demand
From Our Correspondent

NURPUR, Dec 4 — Mr Karan Oberoi, Director, HIMFED, in a statement here today urged the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, to consider the long-standing demand of regularisation of secretaries of cooperative societies functioning satisfactorily.

He said a meeting of a special committee was being held on December 19 to consider the issue of regularisation of secretaries of state-level cooperative societies. He urged the Chief Minister to consider the issue of regularisation of secretaries of grassroots level cooperative societies at the same meeting.

He lamented that the Himachal Pradesh Civil Supplies Corporation had opened shops of essential commodities at places where cooperative societies were already doing good business. This move had affected the business of the cooperative societies, he added.

3 die in separate incidents
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Dec 4 — Three persons lost their lives in three separate incidents in the district today. In the first incident, Pramod Singh, an advocate of Hamirpur, was killed when he fell down from a bamboo tree at his native village, Har, this morning.

In the second incident, an old man Mauji Ram of Maahre village of the district, allegedly consumed poison and thus ended his life.

In the third incident, two women tried to end their lives by consuming poisonous tablets. Both fell down on the road outside the tehsil office today. They were immediately rushed to the district hospital where one of them, Kalpana of Ghanal village of the district, died. However, the life of the other was saved by the doctors.

The police had registered cases under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and further investigations were on, an official spokesman told reporters here this evening.

Govt owes Rs 20 cr to farmers: sabha
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 4 — The state committee of the Kisan Sabha has criticised the government for not releasing payments to the farmers whose apple was procured under the Market Intervention Scheme.

It said the poor farmers were finding it difficult to make both ends meet as the government owed over Rs 20 crore to them.

It urged the government to pay not only the outstanding amount but also the interest on it.

PCC meeting on Dec 11
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 4 — A meeting of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) has been convened here on December 11 to discuss the party's debacle in the recent byelection for the Baijnath Assembly seat.

All office-bearers of the PCC have been invited to attend the meeting which will be presided over by the party chief, Mr Sat Mahajan.

Some Congressmen had demanded an emergency meeting of the PCC to discuss the debacle at Baijnath when the party was on a winning spree elsewhere in the country.