Cong seeks probe on RSS issue
BILASPUR, Dec 5 — The Himachal Congress unit vice-president, Mr Ramlal Thakur has criticised those BJP leaders who have levelled "baseless charges" against Congress leaders over the issue of the BJP government helping the RSS in organising its camp.

3 Gorkhas booked in poisoning case
SHIMLA, Dec 5 — The police has registered a case against three 'Gorkhas' in connection with the poisoning of two men and a woman at the Puran Mal Dharamshala, here yesterday.

Protest against mass transfers
PALAMPUR, Dec 5 — The Himachal Pradesh Government Primary Teachers Union has strongly opposed the untimely transfers of 1500 teachers in the state under the pretext of rationalisation.

Stamp in memory of Mitar Sen Thapa released
DHARAMSALA (HP), Dec 5 — The Nepal government has released a postal stamp in memory of poet, musician and dramatist Master Mitar Sen Thapa for his contribution to the Indian freedom struggle, art, culture and literature.

Kulu, Kangra airports to be expanded
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Dec 5 — The Union Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution System, Mr Shanta Kumar said today that all three airports in Himachal Pradesh at Kulu, Kangra and Shimla were being expanded to provide landing facilities to the Boeing aeroplanes on these airstrips which would boost tourism of the state and reduce air fare to this part of the country.

Mr Shanta Kumar was addressing a press conference here today. He said the matter had been taken up with Airport Authorities of India in this regard. He said that Chief Minister Prof P.K. Dhumul had conveyed to him that the funds for this project were pending with the government under the 9th Five Year Plan. Mr Shanta Kumar said to provide better rail facilities to the people of Himachal six fresh coaches had been attached to the Pooja Express and one fresh coach to Jammu Mail from Pathankot which would facilitate rail travel.

Regarding the debacle at the World Trade Organisation meeting Mr Shanta Kumar said that a message had gone to the entire world that the developing countries were being exploited by the developed countries in world trade. He said this would result in providing a balanced view point with regard to the world trade of the developing countries.

He said that 32 crore people of the country slept empty stomach and his ministry was making all efforts to provide them with food. He said that efforts were on to stop pilferage of the food grains which was costing nation Rs 3500 crore annually and the poorest of the poor were remaining without food. He said 200 lakh tonnes of the wheat rotting in the stores of his department were distributed with 5 per cent less cost. He said this was possible only by imposing 50 per cent duties on the purchase of the wheat. He said this would help to procure fresh wheat from farmers as the storage capacity was available with the department. He said that in Himachal storage capacity for food grains would be increased from 23000 tonnes to 43000 tonnes by the end of next year.

He said the government was keen to review polices pertaining to the import purchase and the sales of the oil, sugar and other consumable items. He said the entire public distribution system would be reviewed in consultation of the opposition parties in order to help the consumer, farmer and the country as a whole.

He was accompanied by the Agriculture Minister Mr Vidiya Sagar, Transport Minister Krishen Kapoor and IPH Minister Romesh Duwala.

Amend promotion rules: JEs
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Dec 5 — Irrigation and Public Health Junior Engineers have demanded amendments in the recruitment and promotion rules for diploma junior engineers for promotion to executive engineers' posts and demanded 30 per cent direct appointment of fresh assistant engineer through the Public Service Commission be scrapped and the posts of the assistant engineer be filed through promotion amongst 400 extra engineers seeking promotion first time in life after rendering more than 30 years service in the department.

Demanding this here today Mr E.S. Angaria, state president of the IPH Junior Engineer Association Himachal in a statement further demanded that when the incumbents were promoted to the posts of assistant engineer they should be treated on a par and the further promotion to the cadre of executive engineers should be made on the basis of seniority and cadre strength of 50 per cent should be maintained for both the categories and the condition of eight year regular service should be scrapped in case of diploma holders A. E's as they had already completed service of 30 years in the department.

Mr Angaria demanded project allowance, design allowance, administrative powers to J.E's for challan to stop misuse of irrigation and drinking water. He demanded the creation of mechanical division and sub division and creation of 26 more posts of A.E's in remaining each division.

HP proposes law to check tuitions
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Dec 5 — The Himachal Pradesh Government is planning a legislation to bring those teachers who are taking tuitions, under the tax net. Their centres of tuitions would be raided by income tax and other taxation staff.

Announcing this while addressing the postgraduate teachers' conference at Rait today, the Education Minister, Mr I.D. Dhiman, said tuitions had a bad affect on the younger generation. Some teachers were even earning more than Rs 50,000 per month through tuitions and poor and needy students were victims of this menace. The excise and income tax officials would be involved to raid the places where tuitions are given.

The Education Minister also expressed concern over the menace of the copying in the examinations and alleged that a section of the teaching community was promoting copying in the present educational set-up.

He announced that certificates of appreciation would be given to those teachers who would conduct extra classes in the schools to impart education free of cost to the poor and needy children. He called for the boycott of those teachers who were indulging in tuitions.

Earlier, Ms Sarveen Chaudhary, MLA, demanded that a degree college be opened at Shahpur. Mr Dhiman said that the area definitely needed a degree college but as it was policy decision he would take up the matter with the Chief Minister. He announced that Rs 1 lakh would be spent on the construction of the sports stadium at Rait. Work on the project has been pending for the past few years. Mr Sunil Chaudhary , Secretary, H.P. Board School, Education, was also present.

The minister later told mediapersons that Sanskrit shastris and Sanskrit graduates would be given the status and benefits on a par with the TGT teachers.

Rs 17 lakh sanctioned for Sirmour roads
From Our Correspondent

NAHAN, Dec 5 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister has said that people of the state had rejected the Congress which mismanaged the state during its regime.

After the BJP government came to power in the state, the BJP alliance had won all by-elections and the Congress faced defeat in all Lok Sabha constituencies of the state in the Lok Sabha elections.

Mr Dhumal was addressing a rally organised at Rajgarh in Sirmour district today to mark the victory of BJP-HVC candidate in the Lok Sabha elections.

The Chief Minister said Rs 25.81 crore would be spent on the construction of roads in Sirmour district under the rural infrastructure development fund scheme.

Mr Dhumal said that his government was committed for bringing a sea change in the socio-economic conditions of the people in Sirmour area by insuring its speedy development. He sanctioned Rs 17.60 lakh for the completion of ongoing construction work on 14 links roads and Rs 1.88 crore for the construction of school buildings in the district.

The Chief Minister announced that industrial training institute at Rajgarh would start soon.

He also announced that the work on 33 kv power station at Charna village would start soon. He sanctioned Rs 10 thousand for the improvement of the stadium at Rajgarh. Earlier, he laid foundation stone of a sub-market yard at Rajgarh to be constructed at a cost of Rs 40 lakh.

The Akal Acadamy Baru Sahib donated Rs 1 lakh and primary teachers of Rajgarh area donated Rs 46,000 to CM relief fund on this occasion.

Cong seeks probe on RSS issue
From Our Correspondent

BILASPUR, Dec 5 — The Himachal Congress unit vice-president, Mr Ramlal Thakur has criticised those BJP leaders who have levelled "baseless charges" against Congress leaders over the issue of the BJP government helping the RSS in organising its camp.

Addressing mediapersons here last evening, Mr Ramlal Thakur said that he had urged the state Governor to take cognisance of the misuse of government funds and machinery. In organising RSS camps in the state. He demanded that a sitting high court Judge should hold an inquiry into the issue.

Mr Ramlal Thakur said the Chief Minister had violated his oath to protect the Constitution. The Governor must ensure that the government protect the Constitution which uphold the secular character of democracy. He said he would conclusively prove the nexus" between the government and the RSS.

He also reminded Professor Dhumal that the government of Morarji Desai, of which the BJP was an important alliance, partner fell because of the RSS issue.

3 Gorkhas booked in poisoning case
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 5 — The police has registered a case against three 'Gorkhas' in connection with the poisoning of two men and a woman at the Puran Mal Dharamshala, here yesterday.

According to Mr A.N Sharma, Superintendent of Police, six Gorkhas, including a woman, checked in at the Dharamshala two days ago. However, the next morning a servant found three of them unconscious in the room. They were removed to the Indira Gandhi Medical college Hospital.

Investigations revealed that the three Gorkhas who accompanied them had given some poisonous substance to them. The three accused were absconded.

In another case a married woman of Shae village in Theog was allegedly raped by Jagat Ram of the same village while she was grazing cattle. A case has been registered against the accused.

Meanwhile, the police has arrested Vidya Sagar, an activist of the students Federation of India, in connection with the attack on some students of the Himachal Pradesh University.

Protest against mass transfers
From Our Correspondent

PALAMPUR, Dec 5 — The Himachal Pradesh Government Primary Teachers Union has strongly opposed the untimely transfers of 1500 teachers in the state under the pretext of rationalisation. The union has threatened to launch an agitation if these transfers were not cancelled. A spokesman of the union told media -persons here today that it had been decided to hold rallies at all district headquarters on December 7, to register their protest against these transfers. He said teachers would also observe a day's token strike on that day.

Spokesman criticised the state government for not taking the union into confidence before ordering the large scale transfers. He added that if the government was keen to fill up all vacant posts of teachers and wanted to introduce policy of rationalisation in the Education Department then it should decentralise the powers of transfers and should authorise all DEOs to transfer and post the JBT teachers in their respective districts. These transfers that had been ordered in the mid of the session, would directly affect the students, he added.

The spokesman said over 95 per cent teachers who were transferred had already proceeded on leave.

The union had once again urged the state government to come out with a transfer policy for the JBT teachers.

Stamp in memory of Mitar Sen Thapa released

DHARAMSALA (HP), Dec 5 (UNI) — The Nepal government has released a postal stamp in memory of poet, musician and dramatist Master Mitar Sen Thapa for his contribution to the Indian freedom struggle, art, culture and literature.

Talking to reporters here today, Col S N Gurung, former president of Master Mitar Sen, Sahitya Sangeet Sabha, said the stamp was made by the Director-General of Postal Department of the Nepal government on November 20, this year. It was released by Minister for Information, Communication and Home of Nepal government Puran Bahadur Khadka.

Master Miter Sen was a patriotic poet and literary personality of the Gorkha community, born here on December 29, 1895. He died just before independence on April 9, 1946 after his contribution in to the freedom struggle. He was the person who motivated great martyrs Dal Bahadur Thapa and Durga Mal Thapa through his poems. Both were hanged to death in Tihar jail at Delhi.

Master Miter Sen was Guru of Ram Singh, who composed tunes like Jan Gan Man and Kadam Kadam Badaye Ja, and was a close associate of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.