• Municipal poll programme
• Protest by HPSEB employees

Earthquake rocks Dharamsala, Chamba
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Oct 17 — An earthquake, which measured 4.7 on the Richter scale, rocked the Dharamsala and Chamba region, today afternoon.

There were five tremors, which caused panic among the people, who rushed out of their homes. The employees working in offices left their work and ran out shouting.

According to the recording of the tremors at the laboratory of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, at Naddi, near here, the tremor, which was felt at 2.54 p.m. was the strongest. A scientist at the laboratory, Dr A.K. Mahajan, disclosed that the origin of the earthquake could be anywhere at a distance of about 30 km from Naddi in Upper Dharamsala. He said the tremors were felt in Kangra and Chamba districts, but its impact was much more in Kangra.

The second tremor was felt at 3.17.23 p.m. This was followed by two simultaneous tremors at 3.23.35 p.m. and the other at 3.33.48 p.m. The last tremor was felt at 4.02.35 p.m.

The tremors were felt for about 1.5 seconds. However, there has been no loss of life or damage to property. Dr Mahajan said since the tremors were of lesser intensity, there could not have been much damage. He said the exact origin and the area where the tremor was felt can be said with certainty, only once reports from all the places are received. He did not rule out the possibility of some more tremors, which could be of even bigger magnitude.

The Kangra and Chamba areas have always been tectonically sensitive regions, and it was in 1986 that a major earthquake had rocked Dharamsala. There was a major earthquake in Chamba in 1995.

Parking slots to ease traffic in Shimla
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, OCT 17 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to establish decentralised parking facilities in Shimla and Mandi to avoid congestion.

The state government has earmarked Rs 5.66 crore for the execution of these schemes in the current annual plan approved for the state by the Planning Commission, a state government release said here today.

These schemes are to be funded out of the Rs 100 crore special plan assistance announced by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, during his visit to Himachal Pradesh earlier this year.

Shimla, Kulu and Manali are the two most popular tourist destinations in Himachal Pradesh which receive a large number of tourists throughout the year, resulting in congestion.

In Shimla the number of vehicles has gone up due to transit traffic and also on account of use of self-driven vehicles by large number of residents. The problem is compounded due to lack of organised parking facilities in this hill resort.

Where traders pay for 'compliments'
From Subhash Sharma

KULU : The business community, comprising hoteliers, shopkeepers, transporters, have started making a special provision to pay for "donations" collected by government officials. Name any festival, fair or a sports meet in the state, traders have to be prepared for "extortions" as all know that the officer under whose agency his trade comes, will knock at his door for a donation. The most enthusiastic collectors are Revenue, Excise and Taxation, Forest, Tourism, Food & Civil Supplies and Labour Departments and above all, the police.

The modus operandi for such extortions is more or less the same. A souvenir for the festival or the sports meet is published and businessmen are forced to give advertisements for that publication. More than 80 per cent of these advertisers convey their "best compliments" through space provided to them. The compulsion of paying for such compliments is fear of the wrath of the government officers.

One reason for conveying the "compliments" is also that the circulation of the souvenir is very limited. If copies of the souvenir distributed are taken into account, one finds that those reach either the "extortion victims" or the "extortionists". Of course, a few are sent to politicians and the media.

The advertisement in such souvenir usually costs Rs 2000 to Rs 25000. And that would reach very few readers. Whereas with the same investment through newspapers these poor traders could reach thousands.

What do they get by giving the advertisements through souvenirs, one businessman said, "We do not want to face the wrath of government officers".

One of them pointed out that at times they do not even get receipts for the amount paid for the ad. It is understood that the business community always has a tendency to oblige government officials, though they do not get any material gain from the advertisements they pay for, except favours.

In addition to the businessmen, the common man also becomes a victim of the 'extortionists'. All those departments which have direct dealings with the public have the authority to squeeze out money from one's pocket. These are in the form of raffle tickets or Chief Minister's Relief Fund or the Red Cross Society, etc.

These fund-raising schemes are available at places ranging from the window of a hospital, where one gets his "parchi" to the land sale deed registration office. The worst victims are said to be the transporters, who have to keep the RTOs, the local registering authority, and the police happy.

In a way the government officials are also not to be blamed. They are supposed to make such functions noteworthy but funds from the government are meagre. "To be or not to be" remains the fateful decision to avoid the wrath of the politicians, at least for government officials.

Man sentenced to 7 years' RI for rape
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, Oct 17 — Mr B.S. Chauhan, Sessions Judge, Chamba, yesterday sentenced Prem Chand, resident of Chamuni village under the Bharmour police station in Chamba district, to seven years' rigorous imprisonment and fined him Rs 5000 for raping a minor girl under Section 376 of the IPC. In case of failure to pay the fine, Prem Chand has to further undergo imprisonment for a year.

The accused had been employed as a domestic servant with Mr Dhani Ram of Chamuni village for the past about 10-12 years. In 1997 a girl of about 10-11 years came to be employed as a domestic servant with Mr Dhani Ram.

The accused took her to the jungle on the pretext of looking after the grazing cattle and raped her there. The victim reported the matter to the wife of the employer but instead of taking any action the girl was sent to the uncle. She disclosed the facts regarding the rape to her maternal grandmother who with the help of her son reported the matter to the police.
The court has also ordered that out of the fine of Rs 5000 a sum of Rs 4000 would be given to the rape victim as compensation.

Kasauli without power
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, Oct 17 — Following the snapping of power lines caused by uprooted trees, electricity supply to several parts of Kasauli town and some adjoining areas had remained suspended since 8 p.m. yesterday.

The Lower Mall area, including important tourist resorts like the HPTDC's Ross Commons, Maidens R and Maurice Hotel, Officers' Mess of the Army Garrisson were the worst affected.

Mr R.K. Singla, a prominent hotelier and citizen of the town, said that two trees had fallen on the power lines in Kasauli Bazaar last evening. Since then supply had not been restored in the Lower Mall area and other places. Only one phase had been restored, and that too around 5 p.m. today.

The Vice-President of the Cantonment Board, Mr R.C. Attri, said that power supply had been erratic in Kasauli for several months now. Along with peak hour cuts applicable to commercial establishments, low voltage had been causing a lot of problems to the residents.

It was only yesterday that the Assistant Engineer of the HPSEB had assured a meeting of the Cantonment Board, chaired by its President, Brig B.S. Rana, that electricity supply would be normalised at an early date. He said that a new transformer, proposed to be installed at Garkhal, would ensure uninterrupted supply.

However, it is learnt that the existing transformer at Garkhal too has been damaged in yesterday's rain. A new transformer sent from Parwanoo was commissioned late in the evening.

Mr S.K. Kansal, Executive Engineer, stationed at Parwanoo, however, said that the failure of the Garkhal transformer had nothing to do with the power failure at Kasauli. Five large trees fell and snapped the power lines. He assured that the supply would be restored within a few hours.

5 die in mishap
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, Oct 17 — Five persons died on the spot and five others were injured, four of them seriously, when a truck, carrying general merchandise from Chandigarh to Baghi in Shimla district, rolled down a nearly 200-feet-deep khud, near Jabli on the Kalka-Shimla National Highway, about 28 km from here at about 11.30 pm yesterday.

The 10 occupants hailed from Shimla district. The dead have been identified as Daulat Ram of Takraun, Ramesh of Dubala, Madan Lal of Jhimmu, Ram Kishen of Baghi Koti, and Bittu of Kacchi Matiana village.

The seriously injured: Ranjeet Singh of Naliana, Amar Chand of Phirnu, Devendra of Chheran, and Gita Ram of Reog, were rushed to the PGI, Chandigarh in police jeeps after being given first aid at the primary health centre, Dharampur. The fifth injured: Devi Singh, the driver of the truck who escaped with light injuries, had been admitted to the P.H.C, Dharampur.

The Superintendent of Police, Mr ML Negi, said the accident occurred when the truck reportedly tried to overtake another vehicle in poor visibility due to heavy rains.

He said the body of Bittu could not be extricated from under the damaged truck. A mobile crane hired from a Panchkula firm could not lift the truck.

Mr Negi said the accident was detected by a night highway police patrol, who happened to pass by soon after the crash. However, a resident of Jabli claimed that the police reached the spot only after he phoned Dharampur police station.

Medical students block traffic
Tribune News Service

DHARMSALA, Oct 17 — Despite heavy rain, agitating students of Tanda Medical College blocked traffic near the post office for two hours, here today.

The students, who have been on a relay fast, seeking adjustments, either at Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla or in other institutions till the Medical Council of India granted recognition to Tanda College.

The students have not been attending classes since October 7. They regretted that the government had been blaming the Congress government for starting the college in a haste without raising the basic infrastructure. They said during the meeting held with their parents at Shimla yesterday, the Chief Minister did not give any satisfactory response.

The Health Minister, Mr JP Nadda, will be reportedly reaching here tonight and meeting the agitating students.

CPI for resignation of Dhumal government
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 17 — The Himachal Pradesh secretariat of the Communist Party of India (CPI) has demanded the resignation of the BJP-HVC government headed by Mr P K Dhumal for its "failure" to maintain law and order and "incompetence".

In a statement here today, the secretary of the CPI, Mr Kameshwar Pandit, alleged that attacks on women were increasing. A harijan woman was tied with a tree and killed at Jawalamukhi recently. Another harijan girl was burnt at Rakkar in Kangra.

He said the Chief Minister had no time to hear grievances of people.

The BJP-HVC combine government had failed to provide relief to the farmers whose crops were damaged by untimely rains. The future of the Tanda medical college was uncertain.

Mr Pandit said that the HVC of Mr Sukh Ram was demanding its own pound of flesh and Mr Shanta Kumar playing his politics.

He said that the government had failed to check rising prices.

Teachers-secretary talks break down
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 17 — Negotiations between representatives of school lecturers and the Education Secretary over their demands have broken down.

This was announced here today by the President of the Himachal Pradesh School Lecturers Association, Mr Kamaljeet Singh Thakur.

The school lecturers have been observing a protest week since October 12 in support of their demands. The government had invited leaders for talks here today.

Their demands include, improvement of infrastructure in schools, restoration of gazetted status and filling of vacant posts.

They have decided to hold a massive rally here on October 26 to highlight their demands.

Municipal poll programme
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 17 — The Himachal Election Commission has notified the programme for the conduct of byelection to ward No. 4 of municipal council's Bilaspur, ward No 2 of nagar panchayat, Nadaun in Hamirpur district and ward No 6 of nagar panchayat Rohru in Shimla district.

The nomination papers will be presented on October 24, 26 and 27 between 11 a m to 3.00 pm.

The nomination papers will be scrutinised on October 28 and withdrawal of candidature will be allowed till 3 pm on October 30 and polling, if necessary will be held on November 10.

Protest by HPSEB employees
From Our Correspondent

PALAMPUR, Oct 17 — More than 500 employees of Himachal Pradesh Electricity Board today marched in procession in protest against the non-payment of bonus to them on the eve of Divali. They were shouting anti-government slogans. Procession marched through the streets of town and held a rally where several union leaders of the HPSEB Employees Union criticised the HPSEB for adopting anti-employee policy.

The HPSEB was paying bonus to its employees for the past 30 years, but this year the HPSEB changed its policy and no bonus was paid to the employees which sparked widespread resentment in the state.

The HPSEB employees union has threatened to resort to direct action if the HPSEB failed to withdraw anti-employees action.

HP Congress chief for judicial probe
Tribune News Service

DHARMSALA, Oct 17 — Himachal PCC President Sat Mahajan, today said that the meagre relief given to the Chamba fire victims, shows insensitivity of the government.

The PCC chief said that though the government had announced to give Rs 25,000 to every family from the Chief Ministers' Relief Fund, but so far only Rs 5,000 had been given to those affected by the devastating fire. "The 40, fully affected and 13 partially affected families, have not been provided with alternate site, where they can be rehabilitated", he stated.

The Congress chief demanded a judicial probe into the fire, which caused a loss of over Rs 20 crore. "How does the government expect the victims to manage with two blankets and one week's ration, without any rehabilitation plans", he questioned. He demanded that soft loans should be provided to the victims so that they could start all over again.

He regretted that though ministers had visited the fire site and expressed sympathy with the victims, but nothing was being done to strengthen the fire fighting devices, to avert any such mishap in future. He stated that had there been water available in the hydrants, the fire could have been controlled, thus causing much less damage.