Major setback to HP Govt
SHIMLA, April 17 — The collapse of the Vajpayee government at the Centre has come as a big setback to the Himachal Government which entirely depended on central assistance.

Gujjars allege harassment
DHARAMSALA, April 17 — The Gujjars in Chamba district, apart from being rendered homeless are facing problems in obtaining grazing permits, a right they have enjoyed for centuries, due to procedural wrangles.

Forest fires due to lack of rain
SHIMLA, April 17 — With rain playing truant, forests in the hills have been exposed to fury of fire as never before.

Medicos face uncertain future
DHARAMSALA, April 17 — The state government has failed to uphold its commitment to 50 students of the Tanda Medical College, regarding saving the one year that they had spent at the college before provisional recognition was granted by the Medical Council of India.

4 killed as jeep falls into khud
CHAMBA, April 17 — Four persons were killed on the spot and five others were seriously injured when a jeep in which they were travelling veered off the road and rolled down a khud about 500 metres deep at Luhani village, near Salooni, 50 km from here last night.

Revision of poll rolls from April 20
HAMIRPUR, April 20 — The revision of electoral rolls of all five assembly constituencies of Hamirpur district namely Hamirpur, Bamsan, Nadaunta, Nadaun and Mewa will start from April 20 till May 20.

Federation meeting on April 22
HAMIRPUR, April 17 — A meeting of the Federal Committee of the HP Non-gazetted Services Federation will be held at Bachat Bhavan here on April 22.

CITU to observe protest day
HAMIRPUR, April 17 — The Himachal Pradesh unit of CITU has decided to observe a protest day on April 21 all over the state in protest against the anti-worker policies of the state government and the management of the NJJB operating in Jhakri.

Decision on crop scheme ‘awaited’
MANALI, April 17 — Mr Vidya Sagar, Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Minister, has said that the state government is waiting for a decision by the Centre regarding the crop insurance scheme for farmers.

Major setback to HP Govt
From Tribune Reporters

SHIMLA, April 17 — The collapse of the Vajpayee government at the Centre has come as a big setback to the Himachal Government which entirely depended on central assistance.

The development may add to the problems of the fragile BJP-HVC coalition and create political uncertainty in the state.

It was the most sympathetic government the state ever had and provided unstinted support to Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal, who was not only able to secure a special assistance of Rs 300 crore, but also settled several inter-state issues. Besides, sanctioning three new national highways, it also resumed work on the Nangal-Talwara rail line and the Kalka-Parwanoo broad gauge extension project.

Mr Vajpayee, who has a house in Manali, considered Himachal Pradesh his second home. He supported the state's case for the imposition of water cess and generation tax which would have enabled it to become self-reliant.

There is no immediate threat to the government in the state but Mr Dhumal will come under increasing pressure as the Congress will make efforts to wean away the HVC. Congress leaders had been repeatedly saying that the Dhumal government would fall within days of the collapse of the BJP-led government at the Centre and that they would spare no effort to achieve their goal.

The BJP has 34 members in the House, including the two HVC ministers who had joined the party as a tactical move to thwart the installation of the Congress government in the state.

These two ministers had created ripples in the political circles by stating that they continued to be members of the HVC and their joining the BJP was stage managed.

A petition was filed by the Congress against them under the anti-defection Law in pending with the Speaker.

The HVC has three members and the lone independent, Mr Ramesh Chaudhary, is also supporting the coalition government. The Congress has 29 members while Mr Gulab Singh, who resigned from the Congress after being elected Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha, is unattached.

Mr Sukh Ram, president of the HVC, maintained that the fall of the Vajpayee government would not have any impact on the coalition provided the BJP continued to adopt a cooperative attitude.

Mr Kewal Ram Chauhan, general secretary of the HVC, said the exit of the Vajpayee government was most unfortunate in the history of parliamentary democracy. He said his party would continue to support the BJP in the state. He, however, advised Mr Dhumal to come out of the influence of the RSS and run the government on democratic principles in consultations with the HVC.

Mr Virbhadra Singh, leader of the Congress Legislative Party, said it was a welcome development. Parliament had voted against the policies of communalism and saffronisation pursued by the Vajpayee government.

Mr Kishori Lal, Industries Minister, Mr Roop Singh Thakur, Forest Minister, and Mr I.D. Dhiman, Education Minister, said the fall of the Vajpayee government was unfortunate and would prove detrimental for the country.

The ministers said the nefarious designs of these vested interests had created political and economic instability and made another general election inevitable which would put a burden of over Rs 2000 crore on the people of this country.

The ministers said Mr Vajpayee had been considered the best Prime Minister according to various surveys and added that no one could give a better leadership at this critical juncture.

The ministers expressed confidence that the BJP would emerge stronger keeping in view its unblemished track record during the past year.

Mr Ram Lal Thakur, former Chief Minister, said in the given situation only Ms Sonia Gandhi could provide a stable and viable government to the country.

She must come forward and take over the reins of the government to lead the nation into the 21st century.

SUNDERNAGAR: Mr Ganga Singh, former state BJP president and national vice-president of the Rashtriya Janata Party, while reacting on the rejection of motion of the BJP said there was a possibility of the Congress forming the government in Himachal Pradesh.

In Mandi district, the reaction was mixed but most felt it was unfortunate and that with the fall of the government at the Centre, the importance of Mr Sukh Ram, HVC president, would increase further.

Workers of the BJP were silent over the matter. They said in Himachal Pradesh there would certainly be an effect but it all would depend on Mr Sukh Ram and Mr Virbhadra Singh.

Mr Sher Singh, district president of the Congress (Mandi), said now there were chances of the Congress coming to power in the state.

HAMIRPUR: The failure of BJP government at the Centre led by Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee to seek a vote of confidence in the Lok-Sabha evoked mixed reactions here. As the final result of the voting pattern was announced, people were taken by surprise.

While leaders and activists of the BJP were shocked over knowing the result of the division and were in tears, Congressmen were jubilant and danced with joy. They also distributed sweets and congratulated each other.

Mr Kuldip Singh Pathania, former MLA, Mr Suresh Kumar, District Congress Committee chief, and Mr Jagdish Chand Sharma, general secretary of the DCC, said downfall of the Vajpayee government was imminent and in the interest of the nation.

They thanked the President for asking Mr Vajpayee to seek a vote of confidence in his favour after the withdrawal of support by the AIADMK.

BJP leaders said that it was not their defeat as this was the game of numbers.

KANGRA: Himachal Pradesh Janata Dal president Partap Chaoudary described the defeat of the vote of confidence moved by Mr Vajpayee as a welcome move.

He said it was a victory of secularism over fundamentalism.

PATIALA: Mr Prem Gupta, former minister, Mr Satwant Singh Mohi, former MLA, Mr K.K. Sharma, secretary, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Mr Sanjiv Sharma, president, District Youth Congress (U), Mr Anuj Trivedi, president, Block Congress Committee, in a joint statement welcomed the fall of the union government headed by Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, saying it had promoted communalism and fascism.

AMRITSAR: The general secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Mrs Ratna in a press note here said the fall of the BJP government was due to non-governance and lack of vision to run the country.

JALANDHAR: Expressing pleasure over the failure of the Vajpayee government to win the confidence vote in the Lok Sabha, Mr Gian Chand, Secretary General, Punjab Janata Morcha, said here today that the exit of the government was in the interest of the country.

He said the performance of the government had been dismal.

FATEHGARH SAHIB: The Rashtriya Janata Dal Punjab and District Congress Committee has welcomed the defeat of the Vajpayee government.

In a press note here, Mr Amar Handa, general secretary, state unit of the RJD, said it was defeat to the communal forces and said all secular forces should form a coalition government.

Dr Sikander Singh and Mr Surjit Singh Shahi, president and secretary, respectively of DCC, said now the minorities would feel secure.

Gujjars allege harassment
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, April 17 — The Gujjars in Chamba district, apart from being rendered homeless are facing problems in obtaining grazing permits, a right they have enjoyed for centuries, due to procedural wrangles.

Moreover the burning of over 20 Gujjar "kothas" in the past few months had led to a growing feeling of insecurity and fear among them. Eversince the massacre of Kalaban and Satrundi took place in August last year there has been a feeling of animosity between the locals and the Gujjars.

Though the police and the district authorities attribute the burning of the Gujjar kothas to economic rivalry between the Gujjars, Gaddis and the locals but there are others who feel that it is aimed at creating a communal divide among the people. Some of the Gujjars who have returned to Chamba from the plains of Punjab and some Kangra areas, say that their grazing permits have been cancelled, without the forest authorities giving them an alternate place. Since the kothas of a large number of Gujjars fall in areas bordering Jammu and Kashmiri, the police has this year prevented their entry here.

Some of the Gujjars are in for a great deal of trouble, as their kothas have been burnt down, and the government has still not given them another place.

The procedure for getting the permits, too, has been made so complicated that the Gujjars are just running from pillar to past. They say that it is not only the police but also the locals, who suspect them, of having links with the militants.

This year it is on the request of the police that a number of ranges used earlier for grazing have been sealed. This has been done from the security point of view so that the militants cannot target anyone nor can the Gujjars, as was suspected earlier, connive with the militants.

It was only recently that 13 kothas of Gujjars had been burnt down in the Tikrigarh panchayat of the Tissa area. Three kothas had been burnt down earlier in the Dhind area, beyond Bairagarh and two in the Siunidhar area.

So far the district administration has also failed to provide any relief and help to the Gujjar families whose houses have burnt down. On the contrary the Gujjars are faced with the problem of finding a place for grazing their cattle. The police has also not been able to nab the culprits behind the burning of the kothas, which has added to fear and insecurity among the Gujjars.

The forest officials when contacted said that a series of meetings had been held with the Gujjars earlier to discuss the issue of permits for grazing. They claimed that the Gujjars had been given permits for alternate sites, while some had been asked to accommodate with their relatives. The forest authorities said that they had decided to seal some of the forest ranges on the request of the police for security reasons.

Forest fires due to lack of rain
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 17 — With rain playing truant, forests in the hills have been exposed to fury of fire as never before.

The summer has just set in and reports of forest fires have started pouring in from various parts of the state. Thick pall of smoke has descended on the hills, obscuring the skyline, numerous fires are raging in Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Solan, Sirmaur and other areas of the state.

Unusual weather conditions prevailing in the region over the past few months have in fact rendered the state's forests exceedingly prone to fires. There was hardly any snow during winter and barring occasional spells of rain the weather has mostly remained dry since the last monsoon.

To make things worse the summer arrived earlier than normal and mercury started shooting up in March itself. The lack of moisture on the forest floors, which are covered with a thick layer of highly inflammable pine needles, increases the fire hazard all the more.

With rain god in no mood to oblige, routine preventive measures taken by the Forest Department are proving inadequate. It created 960 km of fire lines and carried out controlled burning over 36,656 hectare of forest area at a cost of Rs one crore. The Forest Department can do little now as forest fires can not be put out like other blazes. The stress, thus, has always be on strict implementation of preventive measures.

However, the problem assumed alarming proportions due to laxity on the part of the department in carrying out preventive measures. The situation turned worst in 1995 when over 1000 incidents of major fire, involving over 57,000 hectares of forests, occurred.

In fact, air pollution caused by these fires drew the attention of the state Pollution Control Board which directed the department to take necessary steps to contain the menace. Some residents of the state capital filed a public interest litigation in the High Court which ordered the government to come out with short-term and long-term plans for a permanent solution to the problem.

During the course of litigation it was revealed that the department had been neglecting preventive measures because it had no funds for the purpose. thereafter it prepared a short term plan to implement which the Centre sanctioned Rs 3.56 crore. The department utilised the funds for the creation and maintenance of over 1400 km of firelines and carrying out controlled burning over 61,000 hectares of forest areas.

The preventive measures and favourable weather conditions did help in bringing down the incidence of forest fires over the past two years. In 1996 only 537 hectares of forests were affected by fires and in the following area it further came down to 71 hectare. The government also submitted a Rs 15 crore plan for long-term measures but it had not been sanctioned so far.

Last year there were only a few fires as there were frequent rains even during peak summer. This year the situation is most conducive to the outbreak of fires and unless the weather god showed mercy, the department will have a tough time fighting the forest fires over the next three months. The department has issued directions to the Conservators of Forests and other field officers to monitor closely the forest fires and take appropriate control measures.

'Lapses' in a state hospital?
From Kanwar Yogendra

SHIMLA: Another example of how public money is put to use by some institutions has come to the light. A private contractor issued a letter to Indira Gandhi Medical College-State Hospital here, asking for some payments against the supply of two incinerators which were never put to use although these were installed five years back.

Two incinerators for disposing of bio-medical waste were fixed sometime in 1993 by a Delhi-based private firm, one at the IGMC and another at the KNH (Kamla Nehru Hospital, an extension of the IGMC. The incinerators, installed for worth lakhs of rupees, have seldom functioned in the past five years and presently both are out of order. The officials concerned refuse to disclose the installation cost. "I joined only sometime back", I was not there at the time of this installation" etc are some convenient replies. But it was between Rs 4.5 to Rs 5 lakh, according to a source.

These incinerators were only temporarily functional, disclosed an employees' leader from the IGMC. But during a public interest litigation in 1996 an affidavit was given by the IGMC about their smooth functioning, he said. The Principal was made a party in the Het Ram vs state of HP and others, in a civil writ petition, no. 761/1996 he added. The machines had functioned for a few days. But some employees had gone to the extent of saying that the incinerators had not worked even for a day. All bio-medical waste along with Shimla municipal waste was dumped in "Darni ka Bagicha" on the bye-pass till today.

Now the contractor was told to depute an engineer for repairing these garbage burners vide letter no. HFW(mcs)G(H)/2(Repair)/470 dated 21.1.99 which refers to do so and reminds the Principal for pending payments in February this year amounting to Rs 36,500 regarding installation charges, Rs 7,664.80 for additional chimney length, Rs 5,000 for some repairs besides the other charges.

The IGMC authorities do not seem to be much interested in repairing these incinerators. "They had caused pollution in the area and the residents, including Central School people objected to it", "The incinerator could not attain a particular temperature", "The place of installation was wrong etc, are some of their opinions. "When, there were so many problems, why were they installed in the very first place", ask others, including doctors.

Winding up this issue, the government is now planning a bigger project for disposing of the hospital garbage, says a highly placed source. But it is unfortunate that technical objections came only after the installation and spending of so much money, he added, citing the example of a multi-storeyed building coming up at the IGMC on a totally flawed and unsound strata.

On enquiring why some persons, although promoted to higher posts, are still working in the sanitary section, the Principal, who is very critical of the role of the Press, says they are highly efficient and can control the staff well.

The work on the long-awaited, high cost installation of a new oxygen plant in the hospital campus has also not taken off so far. Some equipment has been lying on the site for a long time, but the major shipment from the UK and Taiwan is lying with the National Cargo Service at the Airport Authority of India vide Awb no 016 3483 3993 and 098 7065 4791 since last year. Heavy demurrage is incurring since the IGMC has not furnished a custom duty exemption certificate (CDEC). The demurrage amount till February was Rs 7,20,000 and has been increasing by Rs 5,679 per day for the two consignments.

Who will give the CDEC and when, is to be seen now. Though the hospital authorities claim that the Government of India has authorised the state government, they are yet to receive it. Is this installation also heading for a fiasco like the incinerators is the issue being discussed both by the patients and the employees of the IGMC these days.

Medicos face uncertain future
From Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, April 17 — The state government has failed to uphold its commitment to 50 students of the Tanda Medical College, regarding saving the one year that they had spent at the college before provisional recognition was granted by the Medical Council of India (MCI).

While admissions were made in the college in December, 1997, the MCI granted provisional recognition to the college with effect from January, 1999. The first batch of students are still uncertain about their future as their first year examinations have not been held. The government had assured them that it would take up the issue with the MCI. However now it is trying to get provisional recognition for second year, sidelining the issue of the one year loss to the students.

The Health Minister, Mr J.P. Nadda, held a high-level meeting at the college yesterday, in which among others senior officials of the health department and administration participated. He said he was hopeful that keeping in view the efforts made by the government, the MCI would grant provisional recognition for starting second year classes. He informed that Rs 80 lakh had been allotted for starting the construction of buildings while Rs 9 crore allocated earlier, would be utilised to raise the necessary infrastructure. Efforts were being made to provide teaching faculty and other paramedical staff to begin the classes.

Mr Nadda assured that red tape would not be allowed to create hurdles in the functioning of the college. He added that providing the best medical services to the people at the medical college was the priority of government.

The government would create a health system development corporation to provide quality medical care.

"This body is being created as various funding agencies are not too keen to provide money to the government but to independent agencies," he said. The corporation would be an autonomous organisation but the appointment of staff and monitoring would be done by the Health Department. The modalities were being worked out, he added.

4 killed as jeep falls into khud
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, April 17 — Four persons were killed on the spot and five others were seriously injured when a jeep in which they were travelling veered off the road and rolled down a khud about 500 metres deep at Luhani village, near Salooni, 50 km from here last night.

The deceased have been identified as Raghu, Ramesh, Hans Raj and Kamala Devi, all residents of Jalai Village.

Among those injured are Karmu, Kabli, Prahlad and two others who have not been identified.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr R.K. Sanjaymurthy, has sanctioned Rs 30,000 each to the next of kin of the deceased. The tehsildar of Salooni has rushed to the site and distributed Rs 1,000 each among the injured.

A case has been registered and an inquiry ordered.

Revision of poll rolls from April 20
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, April 20 — The revision of electoral rolls of all five assembly constituencies of Hamirpur district namely Hamirpur, Bamsan, Nadaunta, Nadaun and Mewa (Reserve) will start from April 20 till May 20.

The cut-off date for enrolment for those who have completed 18 years has been fixed as January 1.

Mr Kamlesh Kumar Pant, District Electoral Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner, said here today that forms for new entries would be made available in the offices of various subdivisional magistrates and tehsils.

Federation meeting on April 22
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, April 17 — A meeting of the Federal Committee of the HP Non-gazetted Services Federation will be held at Bachat Bhavan here on April 22.

This was stated here today by Mr Prem Singh Bharmauria, general secretary of the state federation.

He said leaders of all affiliated unions and organisations would also attend the meeting to prepare an agenda for the forthcoming meeting of the Joint Consultative Committee to be held with the government in May.

He appealed to all leaders to come prepared so that a final agenda could be prepared for the May meeting.

CITU to observe protest day
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, April 17 — The Himachal Pradesh unit of CITU has decided to observe a protest day on April 21 all over the state in protest against the anti-worker policies of the state government and the management of the NJJB operating in Jhakri.

Mr Kashmir Singh Thakur, general secretary of the state CITU, said here today that workers were being harassed all over the state and the government was siding with the management.

He said CITU would not allow managements of various companies to harass and terrorise workers at the instance of the state government.

Decision on crop scheme ‘awaited’
From Our Correspondent

MANALI, April 17 — Mr Vidya Sagar, Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Minister, has said that the state government is waiting for a decision by the Centre regarding the crop insurance scheme for farmers.

Speaking to mediapersons here yesterday, the minister while expressing concern about the damage caused to rabi crop in the rainfed areas of the state following a draught-like situation said the Agriculture Department was providing irrigation facilities to the farmers through tubewells.

He said the department would purchase a soil-testing van equipped with a laboratory under the charge of a soil-testing officer.

The minister, while commending the services of scientists of Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalya, Palampur, said they had launched a drive to visit fields and acquaint farmers with the latest methods of sowing.

He said the government was planning to organise competitions among farmers.