Tanda medicos feel cheated
DHARAMSALA, Oct 8 — A big question mark has been put on the fate of Tanda Medical College here, as the Supreme Court has confirmed the earlier stay granted to the Medical Council of India, against the order of the Himachal High Court, allowing admissions and holding of classes.
Primary school meets
draw flak
SOLAN, Oct 7 — Monday's truck accident in which two school-going children, returning from a primary school sports tournament held at Barotiwala, died and 14 others were injured, four of them seriously, has focussed public attention on the very need of organising such tournaments.

Tanda medicos feel cheated
From Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Oct 8 — A big question mark has been put on the fate of Tanda Medical College here, as the Supreme Court has confirmed the earlier stay granted to the Medical Council of India, against the order of the Himachal High Court, allowing admissions and holding of classes.

With the latest Supreme Court order, which was given on Tuesday, the "jinxed" medical college has ceased to function, and the 50 students studying here, have finally decided to adopt a path of agitation. These students today started a dharna in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner, and plan to intensify their agitation, in case the government did not take immediate decision regarding their future.

The dejected students, whose future is at stake, demanded that they should be immediately accommodated in other medical colleges, without affecting their career. "We are least concerned about the politics behind the setting up of this college, but the assurances by the present BJP government have also turned out to be mere delaying tactics," said one of the students. Concerned at the uncertainty over the future of this college some of the parents studying here, were also present in front of the DC's office.

It is learnt that the Himachal Pradesh Government is now considering to go into appeal and all high-level officials are holding a meeting in Shimla today to discuss the matter.

The latest report presented by the MCI team before the Supreme Court, was very negative, as during their visit to Tanda in mid August, they had been totally dissatisfied with the progress. A number of doctors had in fact joined the institution on that very day when the MCI team came, leading to serious remarks about the already understaffed faculties and the college. They were also unhappy about the slow pace of construction at Tanda.

The worst-hit are the 50 students at the college, who are on the verge of losing two years unless the Supreme Court comes to their rescue. "We are going to lag behind by two years, to our other classmates, who joined other colleges. Since the question of losing another year is weighing on our minds, we cannot even concentrate on our studies", remarked a worried student.

Equally worried are the doctors and the other staff, who unfortunately joined the college. "We had a lot of expectations from the present government, but it too did not take much interest, and all assurances turned out to be an eyewash." The construction work was never speeded up and attention was paid only when the MCI team had to pay a visit", revealed one of the doctors. They also disclosed that the students were asked to go home for three days, when the MCI team came here in August, so that they did not get to know that classes were being held. The MCI team had time and again been objecting that despite the Supreme Court stay against holding of classes, they were being conducted.

Though the Dhumal government had time and again been reiterating its commitment to run colleges, things do not appear to be too bright. The Virbhadra Singh government had started the college on political considerations. The conflict between the MCI and the previous Congress regime has probably proved to be harmful for the students and the staff.

On the lines of the students the other staff, including the doctors, too are planning to launch a dharna.

Primary school meets draw flak
From Romesh Dutt

SOLAN, Oct 7 — Monday's truck accident in which two school-going children, returning from a primary school sports tournament held at Barotiwala, died and 14 others were injured, four of them seriously, has focussed public attention on the very need of organising such tournaments.

While neither the Minister for Primary Education, who was away to Kulu, nor any senior officer of the Directorate of Primary Education could be contacted for comment, a reliable source in the department said primary school sports tournaments had been introduced on the pattern of some advanced countries where such events helped identify sports talents at an early age.

Sports experts in those countries felt that students in the age group of seven to 11 years were ideal one to be submitted to what was technically called "battery tests". These tests helped evaluate the physical efficiency and "motor behaviour patterns" of children. Children in this age group also fell in the correct "motor" learning age. By evaluating motor behaviour of a child, the experts were able to determine as to which particular game would suit the child and also if the child should take to competitive sports at all. The whole exercise was aimed at what had come to be called "Catching them young".

While the sports events had been introduced blindly for primary schools, no attention had been paid to the nutrition, equipment and related infrastructural needs of budding sport stars in any of the primary schools.

Most of the primary schools were two to three roomed affairs, many of which lacked basic things like furniture, blackboards and in some cases even dusters. Leave alone sports coaches, many schools did not have the required number of teachers.

Under such circumstances diversion of funds for meaningless exercises like the primary schools sports tournaments looked like a sheer waste of the tax payer's money.

The holding of tournaments for primary school children had also been criticised by a cross-section of teachers, parents and sports enthusiasts, interviewed by this correspondent today.

A primary school teacher said that an eight-year-old child who in one of the meets was made to compete in the 800-metre race fainted.

A reputed athlete said that he was appalled to witness one such event held in the district last year, where eight to 10-year-olds were made to play volleyball. Many of them had played the game for the first time. Most did not even know how to serve or handle the ball. One child almost fractured his fingers while trying to smash the ball. Luckily he escaped with a light sprain.

A retired teacher said that unless requisite infrastructure was provided for coaching at primary schools and also continued upto the middle school and senior secondary school levels, holding of such tournaments would never help to "catch them young".

Where chaos rules the roads
From Romesh Dutt

SOLAN:  Frequent traffic jams and complete mayhem that have almost become permanent features of this town's main roads, particularly at bus stops, seem to put a question mark on the strength, willingness and competence of the traffic police to enforce traffic laws.

A stretch of the road between the Deputy Commissioner's office and St. Luke's School, popularly called The Mall, has scores of licensed rehriwalas and pavement vendors selling fruits and vegetables, who occupy the road up to five feet on each side. These pavement vendors, besides effectively reducing the road width, also create traffic hazard.

Covered verandahs in front of the shops, meant for pedestrians have been brazenly encroached upon by the shopkeepers by placing items like showcases, refrigerators and other heavy, wares. This has forced pedestrians to walk on the main road, which added to the traffic congestion.

Over 500 assorted vehicles, including heavy Army trucks, and private buses can be seen parked or weaving their way through chaotic traffic at any given time of the day on the 1-km long stretch of the Mall Road, which has four educational institutions, nine banks, the public library, the PWD Circuit House and the main shopping complex.

Such conditions require substantial traffic management skills. This was precisely what Solan traffic police either lacks or prefers not to make use of.

Most drivers of three-wheelers and local buses appeared to have become a law unto themselves. They stop their vehicles at any place of their choosing abruptly and without flashing the requisite signs so that vehicles behind them may stop. They enter and go out of the bus stop often, ignoring the whistles and traffic signals of the traffic cops on duty there. Some of these drivers were seen laughing at the stern warnings issued by the fuming constables in full public view, without inviting any reprimand or penalty from the law-enforcing official. Such lawlessness often results in traffic jams.

Why should the traffic police personnel allow themselves to be so treated so shabbily is anybody's guess! Allegations of traffic cops receiving regular "haphtas" from the drivers or owners of commercial vehicles have sometimes been levelled.

However, a senior police official felt that the offending drivers paid little heed to traffic constables' signals and whistles as they knew that the official had no power to challan them.

The situation was almost the same at the Saproon bus stand except for a traffic island that had been provided at the place from where the bypass road takes off. However, this edifice, which had a large canopy in the shape of the Himachali cap serves more as a shelter for weary travellers than as a command post for the traffic cops.

Complete mayhem prevails at the Chambaghat bus stop located a few metres short of the level railway crossing. Five roads, including the national highway converge at this place about 2,000 vehicles passed this spot during the day.

In view of its very obvious hazardous nature, the previous government ordered construction of an appropriate traffic island at Chambaghat. This was completed at a cost of Rs 7,15,000 some time last year.

Unfortunately, neither the previous nor the present government has paid any heed to putting this island to use. Vehicle drivers prefer not to go round the traffic island and often used the shorter, though the wrong side road.

Strangely enough even the PWD, which had constructed the island, has put up a signboard directing the vehicles proceeding from the Shimla side towards Kalka to take the bypass road without making the short detour round the traffic island.

MLAs make a beeline for Shimla
From S P Sharma
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 8 — Several BJP legislators are lobbying for a ministerial berth as the expansion of the state Cabinet appears imminent now. These legislators are camping here these days.

When contacted by this correspondent, the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, said he was planning to expand his ministry, but had not yet fixed the date.

However, sources close to the Chief Minister said there were indications that the expansion might take place within a couple of days. Cabinet expansion has almost become a compulsion for Mr Dhumal now as resentment is brewing among certain senior legislators who have not been inducted in the Council of Ministers.

Mr Dhumal held closed door meetings with his confidants at his office and also at his residence today apparently to shortlist the probables.

It is learnt that Mr Dhumal might wait for the expansion of the Union Ministry by Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee to see whether Mr Shanta Kumar, BJP MP from Kangra, gets a berth at the Centre or not. The future planning will be done by him accordingly as Mr Dhumal and Mr Shanta Kumar are not on good terms. There are allegations that at one stage the Dhumal supporters tried to sabotage the induction of Mr Shanta Kumar in the Central Ministry. They wanted a ministerial berth for Mr Maheshwar Singh, a member of the Rajya Sabha.

There were reports that certain MLAs of the Shanta camp met the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, at Kulu yesterday staking claim for a ministerial berth in the Dhumal ministry. They are also learnt to have made it clear that Mr Shanta Kumar should be included in the Central Ministry.

It will not be an easy task for Mr Dhumal to strike a balance between the two factions while expanding his ministry. He has so far been putting off the expansion on one pretext or the other. The expansion was earlier expected to be held soon after the election to the four assembly seats and a Lok Sabha constituency on June 3.

Prominent among those who have not yet been given a ministerial berth are Mr Rikhi Ram Kaundal, Mr Rajan Sushant, Mr Ravinder Singh Ravi and Mr Ram Dass Malangar. Mr Sushant who expected a Cabinet status, had refused to be inducted as a Minister of State in the earlier expansion. Mr Malanger also turned down his appointment as Vice-Chairman of Small Savings.

It is alleged that the Health Minister, Mr J.P. Nadda, who is considered close to the Chief Minister, has been creating hurdles in the induction of Mr Kaundal who also belongs to Bilaspur district.

Resentment among certain BJP legislators over the denial of a ministerial berth to them during the earlier expansion came in the open when their supporters raised slogans against Mr Dhumal within Raj Bhavan where the new ministers were administered the oath of office by the Governor. Mr Roop Dass Kashyap was appointed Chief Parliamentary Secretary when his supporters raised slogans against Mr Dhumal after the swearing-in ceremony.

Many BJP legislators do not look happy because of the appeasement policy of Mr Dhumal towards the Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC) which is supporting his government.

All HVC legislators were included in the ministry and given important portfolios in one go when the BJP-HVC combine government came to power in March. However, Mr Sukh Ram, who resigned following the framing of charges by the CBI against him in an alleged corruption case, has again been made Chairman of a powerful committee with the status of a Cabinet Minister.

There are indications that pressure is being mounted on Mr Dhumal for the induction of Mr Ram Lal Markanda, who recently won the election from the Lahaul-Spiti constituency on the HVC ticket.

Sirmour will remain unrepresented in the ministry as all five assembly seats in the district have been won by the Congress.

Woman dies on honeymoon

SHIMLA, Oct 8 (PTI) — Tragedy struck a newly-wed couple when the wife was swept away by strong currents of the Sutlej while she was posing for a photograph being taken by her husband at a tourist resort near here.

Dipti, wife of Wg Cdr Ashok Kasliwal, slipped from a boulder while posing for the photograph at the tourist resort of Tatta Pani, about 60 km from here, yesterday.

The couple had come from Jaipur to Himachal Pradesh.