New transfer policy on anvil
HAMIRPUR, Dec 12 — Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal here today said that the government would formulate "a rational transfer policy" for its employees.

Ban on plastic hard to enforce
SHIMLA, Dec 12 — Enforcement of the ban on the use of recycled plastic carry bags in Himachal Pradesh will be an uphill task in the absence of manpower to check the menace.

Development of Chamba reviewed
CHAMBA, Dec 12 — The State Government is paying special attention to the development of the backward hilly region of the district and uplift of the people of the region under a Rs 8.92-crore Special Component Plan.

Two get life term for murder
CHAMBA, Dec 12 — Mr B.S. Chauhan, Sessions Judge, on Wednesday convicted Kewal Kumar, alias Pappu, of Gugrana village and Vyas Dev, alias Bittu, of Bagdhar village in Chamba district under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced them to life imprisonment and to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 or in default of payment of fine further imprisonment for one year.

HP to devise new transfer policy
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Dec 12 — Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal here today said that the government would formulate "a rational transfer policy" for its employees.

Addressing a news conference the Chief Minister said that such a policy was badly needed as most of the time of the government was being spent on transfers and related work. Therefore, the government was thinking on a proposal to undertake transfers only in a "particular period" and use the rest of the time for ‘development’. He sought active and positive co-operation from the employees for this.

Saying there was no move to extend the Cabinet or reshuffle his council of ministers as his government was functioning well, he said. The coalition concept would continue and there was no question of a misunderstanding with HVC leaders.

About the re-induction of HVC supremo Sukh Ram in the Cabinet, Mr Dhumal said Mr Sukh Ram himself was not interested in this as he first wanted to be absolved of all charges levelled against him by the CBI in various courts of law.

The Chief Minister said the people of three states in the country had rejected the BJP because of the "price-rise" issue while forgetting the stable, neat and clean government of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. In Himachal Pradesh his government took some steps on the price front and these paid off in the Baijnath elections, the Chief Minister added.

He clarified that the BJP was ready to face any "mid-term or ‘full-term’ elections" in the state. "We are not afraid of any threat by the Congress party", he asserted. The Congress party is a "divided house" and will be wiped out from the political scenario of the state after the next elections, he predicted.

Referring to the law and order in the state he said it was under control and the government was making all out efforts to strengthen the police department. Four hundred new posts of constable would be filled shortly and the recruitment of one thousand jawans for the 2nd battalion of the India Reserve Police would also be taken up soon.

The Chief Minister said that the "out of court talks" to end the stalemate on the state's demand of its 7.16 per cent share on various power projects in view of the Punjab Reorganisation Act was going on. The matter was still lying pending with the Supreme Court and the state government was doing its best to get its share through the court too.

The government would not allow any one to do injustice with the state which was feeding other states in the matter of power and water, he asserted.

The Chief Minister denied any discrimination with Kangra district in matter of development saying the state government had released Rs 9.50 crore for the construction of buildings of the Tanda Medical College alone. Another medical college was going to be opened at Palampur with the help of Apollo group of hospitals. This, he said, showed that how much vigilant the state government was towards the development of all areas of the state.

Mr Dhumal said that a committee to suggest a new sports policy for the state would be formed shortly. The new state-level accreditation committee for granting accreditation to the reporters and another committee for better co-ordination between the state government and the media would also be constituted shortly. He said the government was for better relations with the media.

Speaking at a veterinary seminar he asked veterinarians to focus on improvement of varieties of indigenous cattle and adopt the latest technology.

He was presiding over a seminar on "The role of the Veterinary Council in the development of professional efficiency for the welfare of the farming community" organised by the HP Veterinary Council.

The Chief Minister said that technology was changing fast and the need of the hour was to update and take research to the field so that those dependent on animal husbandry could benefit from it.

He called upon the youth to adopt dairying and poultry in a big way.

Prof Rama Kumar, Secretary, Veterinary Council of India, said human welfare was not possible without animal welfare.

The Government will give top priority to the construction of roads and bridges in view of their vital importance to the economy of the people. The CM while addressing a public meeting at Gulela village near here. Earlier, he laid the foundation stone of a bridge over Gasotik had, costing about 39 lakh and to be completed before the next rainy season.

He said a sum or rupees 165 crore had been earmarked for the roads and bridges during the current fiscal year and the central government had sanctioned three national highways for the state.

The Chief Minister accused the previous Congress government of neglecting the construction and repairs of the roads and also uneven distribution of funds under the NABARD sanctioned schemes.

He said that the main endeavour of the state government was to make this state an ideal state in the country and called upon the people to extend their whole hearted support to the state government in its policies and programmes.

Mr R.K. Sharma, Engineer-in-Chief of the HP PWD said that the proposed bridge would benefit five thousand people of nearby villages.

Financial crisis dogs HPPWD
From Ravinder Sood

PALAMPUR: The Himachal PWD is passing through a serious financial crisis resulting in the suspension of almost all developmental activities in the district. The construction of a number of major buildings in the district has come to a standstill as the department has failed to release the payments of contractors. The financial crisis has adversely affected the construction of Dr Rajindra Prasad Medical College at Tanda. Though the state government claims that there is no shortage of funds, over 100 contractors have been awaiting their payments. The situation in Palampur division of the PWD is no better where several contractors come to the office daily and go back disappointed in the evening. An "A" class contractor claims that his bills worth Rs 30 lakh have been pending for three months. As a result he has slowed down the construction work.

The disturbing nexus between contractors and corrupt PWD officials has become a matter of concern here. The tall claims made by the state government from time to time to eradicate corruption from public life are only confined to the files as officials continue to drain the state exchequer. There are instances where contracts are given on high rates to influential contractors without assigning any justification. Senior PWD officials are deeply worried over the increasing corruption and the deteriorating standard of construction. Besides, there is no check on huge purchases made by PWD officials. A number of redundant items are piling up in PWD stores.

The condition of roads in Kangra district, particularly Palampur circle, has gone from bad to worse in the past one year. Even internal roads in towns like Palampur, Dharamsala and Kangra are in bad shape. The state highways like Kangra-Mubarkpur, Palampur-Hamirpur and Palampur-Dharamsala are in a pitiable condition.

The PWD has failed to implement the orders of Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. During his visit to the Sulaha and Thural constituencies about five months ago, the Chief Minister had announced a number of projects but his orders remained in files as the department had no funds to take up the construction of these projects. The announcement of the Chief Minister to metal the Nagni-Rajhoon-Nagrota road is yet to be implemented for want of funds. A senior PWD official admitted that there was an acute shortage of funds and the department was facing scarcity of cement, fuelwood and bitumen. Even BJP ministers of the district have expressed displeasure over the functioning of the PWD. It is high time the Chief Minister punishes corrupt PWD officials.

Ban on plastic hard to enforce
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 12 — Enforcement of the ban on the use of recycled plastic carry bags in Himachal Pradesh will be an uphill task in the absence of manpower to check the menace.

The ban on use of coloured carry bags manufactured out of recycled material will be applicable in the entire state from January 1, 1999.

Although Himachal Pradesh is the first state to impose the ban, it is being felt that the exercise might prove futile because of lack of manpower. The ban has been imposed under the HP Non-biodegradable Garbage Control Act which remained on paper in the three years it was enacted.

The experiment to enforce the act in the tourist towns of Shimla and Manali has already been an utter failure without any effective mechanism to implement it.

Although the act provides for imprisonment of upto one month and a fine of Rs 5000 for violators it hasn't been able to deter would-be offenders.

The act has been made operational within the jurisdiction of the Shimla Municipal Corporation, all municipal committees in the state and the nagar panchayat of Manali since August 31, but plastic carry bags are still a common sight everywhere.

It is to be seen how effectively the ban is enforced once it goes into effect in the entire state in view of the miserable failure of the authorities to implement it in important towns.

A couple of leading traders had initially switched over to traditional paper bags when the ban was made applicable here three years ago. However, they returned to using polythene bags as the former proposition was not cost-effective.

On the other hand plastic carry bags have become a nuisance with hill slopes and water-courses here and around other tourist destinations littered with plastic. Repeated efforts to destroy these bags have borne no fruits. Instead monkeys extract these bags even when thrown in dustbins and throw these on the slopes and roads.

Development of Chamba reviewed
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, Dec 12 — The State Government is paying special attention to the development of the backward hilly region of the district and uplift of the people of the region under a Rs 8.92-crore Special Component Plan.

Reviewing the achievements made under the plan at a meeting of district-level officers here on Friday, Mr K. Sanjaymurti, Deputy Commissioner, said that Rs 2.92 crore had been spent on various development schemes till September.

The DC said emphasis had been laid on rural development, irrigation, energy generation, agricultural and horticulture production and the cooperative sector.

Mr Sanjaymurti said the Scheduled Caste-dominated villages had been identified to be developed.

He asked the district officers to properly utilise the funds allocated by the government under this plan.

The DC also reviewed the progress of a Rs 22.38 crore Backward Areas Sub-Plan and monitored the 20-point economic programme.

Two get life term for murder
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, Dec 12 — Mr B.S. Chauhan, Sessions Judge, on Wednesday convicted Kewal Kumar, alias Pappu, of Gugrana village and Vyas Dev, alias Bittu, of Bagdhar village in Chamba district under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced them to life imprisonment and to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 or in default of payment of fine further imprisonment for one year.

On the night of July 21 last year the accused had beaten up the deceased, Puran Chand of Bagdhar Chowk village and had fled the spot leaving the deceased in an injured condition.

The complainant, Mr Mohinder Singh, had seen the deceased lying on the spot. He succumbed to his injuries on his way to Chamera project hospital.