Mulayam's charges "baseless"
SHIMLA, Nov 1 — Mr Sukh Ram, president of the Himachal Vikas Congress, today asserted that he had neither sought nor was given any favours by the BJP-led government at the Centre and the charges levelled by Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, a former Defence Minister, in this regard were baseless, false and politically motivated.

Panel to review revenue laws
SHIMLA, Nov 1 — The HP Government will soon set up a committee to review and revise obsolete revenue and land laws with a view to simplifying the existing cumbersome procedures.

Steps taken to check hoarding
SHIMLA, Nov 1 — The government today announced a number of steps to check profiteering and hoarding of essential commodities.

Combating Chamba fires
CHAMBA: The fire incident which occurred on October 26 destroying property worth crores of rupees was the fifth major fire incident in the same vicinity of Chowgan Bazar in Chamba town where a fire had also engulfed massive structures on October 11.

Vegetables arrive from Una
HAMIRPUR, Nov 1 — A truckload of vegetables procured by the government agencies from Una arrived here this evening. The vegetables will be sold to consumers at three places in the town — the tehsil complex, Bachat Bhavan complex and the petrol station complex.

Teachers of school to go on strike
SHIMLA, Nov 1 —Teachers of Himachal Pradesh University Model School have decided to go on strike from November 2 to press their demands.

Employees' leader warns government
SHIMLA, Nov 1 — Mr Gopal Dass Verma, president of the HP Non-Gazetted Employees Federation, has warned the government against holding the meeting of the joint consultative committee of the Employees' Confederation.

Youth festival results

Mulayam's charges "baseless"
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 1 — Mr Sukh Ram, President of the Himachal Vikas Congress, today asserted that he had neither sought nor was given any favours by the BJP-led government at the Centre and the charges levelled by Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, a former Defence Minister, in this regard were baseless, false and politically motivated.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the statement of Mr Yadav that the government was harassing Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav while going soft on him as he was supporting the BJP in Himachal Pradesh betrayed his ignorance of law and facts. He said when the BJP came to power the cases against him were already pending in court and the government had no role to play it. The only objective behind Mr Yadav's tirade was to denigrate the Vajpayee government.

He said he had nothing to say about the cases against Mr Laloo Prasad but he could say with certainty that he was implicated in false cases under a deep conspiracy to finish his political career. The cases were used by his adversaries to tarnish his image by using the media. It was alleged that he had unaccounted assets worth over Rs 1,000 crore but the charge sheet filed by the CBI there made no mention of any assets except those contained in his income tax returns.

He said the BJP government had in fact given him a raw deal. While Mr Anil Sharma, his son and member of the Rajya Sabha, had not been provided with a house in Delhi, the one in his possession had been got vacated. His son had been forced to shift to Himachal Bhavan. While he had been evicted, there were several leaders who were retaining houses even more than 10 years after they ceased to be MPs.

Similarly, there were a number of leaders against whom more serious charges of corruption had been levelled but neither had any enquiry been conducted nor had any case been registered. He specifically mentioned Mr Rajesh Pilot, a former Telecom Minister, and Mr Virbhadra Singh, a former Chief Minister, and said if they were innocent then why were they afraid of facing a CBI enquiry.

Combating Chamba fires
From Balkrishan Prashar

CHAMBA: The fire incident which occurred on October 26 destroying property worth crores of rupees was the fifth major fire incident in the same vicinity of Chowgan Bazar in Chamba town where a fire had also engulfed massive structures on October 11.

In the light of the huge old wooden structures of the town, it is the duty of every one to make the government aware of the total lack of standardisation of fire-fighting and rescue services in the town and appeal to it for modernising various fire services in the town.

According to Irrigation-cum-Public Health (IPH) Department sources, the actual designed pressure lead available in this area of Chowgan bazar is 20 feet. Water can rise upto 20 feet only from a hydrant, beyond that it is required to be lifted by using another pressure pump. The pressure pumps of fire brigade unfortunately do not work when put to use at this critical time.

To cope with these serious fires, the state government should invoke the provisions of the Public Premises Act to remove stores of highly inflammable articles like plastic, wool and chemicals installed in the congested residential areas.

Likewise, the alleys in the affected zone of Chowgan vicinity are narrow and the access to the main street in this area has been totally blocked by encroachments which obstruct free movement towards the ill-fated buildings. The ill-planned construction work without leaving any space around buildings is the biggest drawback which becomes hazardous at times.

Nothing has so far been done in the name of planning. The Town and Country Planning Act is not being implemented in letter and spirit and the local office of the Town and Country Planning Department has not done much of note.

There is need to construct an imposing new market complex in place of existing 'khokhas' (wooden stalls). Secondly, khokhas should not be allowed to come up anywhere in the town to avoid fire risks. The government should take initiative to form 'mohalla-wise fire-fighting youth clubs' which should be given training about fire-fighting operations. They should be trained to combat fires. The fire insurance scheme should be made compulsory for all people.

The magisterial inquiries conducted in these fire episodes usually point out the reasons of fire without explaining the circumstances under which the fire broke out.

In order to meet any eventuality to government should take reliable measures so that hazardous situations could be taken care of without panic.

Official information reveals that the only fire station of Chamba district located at the district headquarters was established in 1940 and it is functioning with 23 firemen, including the District Fire Officer, having four water tenders and one jeep only.

Steps taken to check hoarding
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 1 — The Himachal Pradesh Government today announced a number of steps to check profiteering and hoarding of essential commodities.

An official spokesman said all deputy commissioners had been directed to notify the maximum margin of profit for essential commodities.

The district food and supplies controllers had carried out a large number of inspections and raids to check violation of the state Prevention of Hoarding and Profiteering Order, the HP Commodities Price Marking and Display Order and the HP Trade Articles Licensing and Control Order.

He said more than 25,000 inspections were conducted throughout the state, 4,716 shopkeepers were challaned under various control orders promulgated under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, and Rs 76,714 was recovered from 1,958 errant shopkeepers.

The spokesman said strict warning had been issued in cases where minor irregularities were found. He clarified that there was no shortage of any essential commodity in the state. The availability and price position of all essential commodities, including vegetables, was being reviewed daily by the government.

The spokesman said all district magistrates had been directed to hold regular meetings with the beopar mandals to ensure the availability of essential commodities and keep prices under check.

Panel to review revenue laws
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 1 — The Himachal Pradesh Government will soon set up a committee to review and revise obsolete revenue and land laws with a view to simplifying the existing cumbersome procedures.

Stating this while addressing a meeting of revenue officers here yesterday, Dr Rajan Sushant, Revenue Minister, said there was a plethora of laws at present and the proposed committee comprising revenue experts, officers and advocates, would study the acts concerned in detail and submit its report on the basis of which obsolete provisions and laws would be scrapped.

He also announced a number of decisions to bring about efficiency in the working of the department. He said patwaris and kanungos would have to remain in office on Tuesdays and Fridays and tehsildars and naib tehsildars on Thursdays so that people did not face any problem in meeting them. Mutation work would have to be completed within a month of the registration of the land sale deed and all pending cases of mutation would be cleared within the next two months.

Steps would also be taken out to replace the existing Pharsi and Urdu languages with simple Hindi in the revenue records. The functioning of the consolidation and settlement wings would also be reviewed.

Computerisation of land records would be taken up on a war footing. He said he would soon convene a meeting of the research and computer wings to sort out the problems being faced in computerisation.

Tehsil and sub-tehsil offices would be provided with telephones and proper reception and enquiry counters would be set up in all offices of the Deputy Commissioners and Subdivisional Officers.

To ensure planned development, land would be earmarked for various purposes in each panchayat in consultation with the panchayat secretariat.

He further said mass awareness camps would be launched in the state at the panchayat level to make people aware of the decisions taken by the Revenue Department.

Vegetables arrive from Una
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Nov 1 — A truckload of vegetables procured by the government agencies from Una arrived here this evening. The vegetables will be sold to consumers at three places in the town — the tehsil complex, Bachat Bhavan complex and the petrol station complex.

This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Manoj Kumar, here this evening. He said that another truckload of vegetables would arrive from Nadaun. He said the sale of the vegetables to consumers had been started.

The strike by vegetable sellers and commission agents operating in the sabzi mandi area of the town entered its fourth day today. The vegetable sellers are protesting against the authorities' decision to see the purchase bills issued by the growers (sellers).

Meanwhile, reports said the Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, who hails from Hamirpur district, expressed resentment over the shortage of vegetables in the town and instructed the district authorities to take steps to end the shortage.

Teachers of school to go on strike
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 1 —Teachers of Himachal Pradesh University Model School have decided to go on strike from November 2 to press their demands.

The University Model School Staff Association alleged that the authorities had been exploiting teachers who were being given a fixed salary of Rs 1,500 per month ever since the institution was opened six years ago. Under the rules, the services of ad hoc employees were to be regularised after three years, However, the university had neither regularised the services of the staff nor revised the emoluments.

A two-month strike notice, which expired on October 31 also failed to move the authorities and the teachers were not left with any option but to go ahead with the strike.

Employees' leader warns government
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 1 — Mr Gopal Dass Verma, president of the HP Non-Gazetted Employees Federation, has warned the government against holding the meeting of the joint consultative committee of the Employees' Confederation.

In a statement here yesterday, Mr Verma said that the federation was the genuine representative body of the employees.

He alleged that leaders of the Employees' Confederation were issuing political statements.

Youth festival results
From Our Correspondent

BILASPUR, Nov 1 — Vinod Kumar of Government College Solan, Deepak Sharma of P.G. Centre, Shimla, and Sandeep Kumar of Government College, Arki, stood first, second and third, respectively in the solo classical instrumental music in Himachal University inter-college youth festival group second (musical items) which concluded at Swami Vivekanand Government Degree College at Ghumarwin, 30 km from here, yesterday.

In the Indian classical vocal music Vivek Verma (P.G. Centre, Shimla), Rajnish Gautam (M.L.S.N. Sundernagar), Bhagwant Rai (S.V.S.B Bhatoli) were first, second and third, respectively, while in the Indian classical instrument at music (table) Inderjeet (G.C. Sanjauli) was first, Sarvsukhpal (G.C. Mandi) was second and Hemraj (G.C. Arki) was third.

In the light vocal music (geet, ghazal, bhajan) Miss Meenal (P.G. Centre, Shimla), Miss Anupama Sharma (G.C. Mandi) and Miss Rashmi Vishisth (P.G.C. Bilaspur) were first, second and third, respectively, and in the group song (G.C. Jogindernagar) was first (P.G. Centre, Shimla) second and (R.K.M.V. Shimla) third. Team from 25 colleges took part in the competition.