Denounce me, if told, says Dalai Lama
DHARAMSALA, Feb 8 — Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama today for the first time urged the Tibetan people to acknowledge the denunciation campaign launched against him by the Chinese, so as to save themselves from torture and brutal beatings.

Inquiry against Virbhadra fair: Dhumal
UNA, Feb 8 — The Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, said here today that the state government's policy on the issue of corruption was very clear and the BJP-HVC government had no intention to harass the innocent.

Hospital sans medical care
PALAMPUR: Health services in this important town are a shambles. The 100-bedded government civil hospital is in bad shape. This hospital looks after the medical needs of over 3.5 lakh patients every year.

Patwaris threaten fast
KANGRA, Feb 8 — Unemployed patwaris of the settlement wing today threatened to sit on a fast outside the Chief Minister's office in Shimla on March 1 if the government failed to appoint them by February 28.

HP govt may provide 95 pc aid to schools
HAMIRPUR, Feb 8 — The Himachal Pradesh Government is examining a proposal to give 95 per cent grant to all such private schools in the state which show good results in the final examinations of various classes.

Denounce me, if told, says Dalai Lama
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Feb 8 — Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama today for the first time urged the Tibetan people to acknowledge the denunciation campaign launched against him by the Chinese, so as to save themselves from torture and brutal beatings.

The Dalai Lama, addressing a large number of fresh arrivals from Tibet, here in Mcleodganj, said whenever the Chinese authorities forced them to denounce him, they should do so without any hesitation and also convey his message to other Tibetans inside Tibet. "I have found myself helpless by reports of Tibetans being subjected to detention, beatings and imprisonment after having been found in possession of my pictures," he regretted, adding that the religious affiliations binding him to his people remained even stronger, and as such did not need any further explanation.

The Dalai Lama said in the past also the Chinese had branded him "bloody killer", "fox in a monk's robe" and "counter revolutionary", but all this made no difference to him. He said if the Tibetans were to denounce him, the act would be seen by any sensible man as having been committed under duress, at gunpoint. "The entire world is aware what I am, how China is and how grave the Tibetan situation is," he stated.

The Tibetan leader said during the past two years, the religious repression in Tibet has been intensified. The display of the Dalai Lama's photographs in monasteries and temples had been banned and members of religious institutions were forced into signing documents and carrying denunciation campaign against him. Monks and nuns defying these campaigns were subjected to expulsion, beatings and imprisonment, and the whereabouts of some of them were still unknown.

Inquiry against Virbhadra fair: Dhumal
From Our Correspondent

UNA, Feb 8 — The Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, said here today that the state government's policy on the issue of corruption was very clear and the BJP-HVC government had no intention to harass the innocent.

In answer to a question he said the state government had forwarded the charge sheet against Mr Virbhadra Singh after a detailed examination. The centre had also decided to get the charge sheet examined by the CBI after going through it .

Professor Dhumal said now the CBI inquiry had started and state government was extending full cooperation to the CBI. He said Mr Sukh Ram, Mr Vijay Joshi and Mr O.P. Rattan, met him yesterday and they were informed about the CBI inquiry against Mr Virbhadra Singh. Mr O P Rattan who was also present during the press conference, said the HVC was satisfied with the progress of the inquiry.

Prof Dhumal said the state government had formed a committee headed by Revenue Minister, Sushant for changes in the revenue law in order to make it easy for farmers to obtain revenue record.

The Chief Minister said the state government had simplified the procedure of applications for government jobs and now applications for jobs could be sent on a simple form without any documents. Only the candidates, who clear the written test would be asked to submit documents. Professor Dhumal also said the government had decided to spend Rs 136 crore to provide three rooms to each primary school in the state.

20-Point Programme: agencies warned
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, Feb 8 — Mr K.D. Dhamani, Vice-Chairman, 20-Point Economic Programme Implementation, today warned the agencies engaged in various poverty alleviation projects that serious action would be taken against persons found guilty of dereliction of duty.

Addressing a meeting of district 20-Point Economic Programme Implementation here on Monday he said it was important to ensure that the huge amount spent should be utilised in a way that full benefits should percolate to the real beneficiaries.

Mr Dharmani later told newsmen that he had received reports of large-scale bunglings in the implementation of the 20-Point Programme and he had asked the departments concerned to submit detailed reports of the work done so far. If needed, inquiries would be held and those found guilty would be brought to book.

He said he would conduct surprise checks of the works executed. "I would like to ensure full transparency in the execution of the poverty alleviation projects. Everyone should know about the works being done by various departments. Particularly these should be subjected to even scrutiny by the media", he said.

Hospital sans medical care
From Ravinder Sood

PALAMPUR: Health services in this important town are a shambles. The 100-bedded government civil hospital is in bad shape. This hospital looks after the medical needs of over 3.5 lakh patients every year. This is the only hospital in the three subdivisions, Palampur, Baijnath and Jaisinghpur which has indoor capacity to admit 100 patients. Over 500 to 700 patients visit the hospital daily.

Shortage of doctors, paramedical staff, nurses and other class IV employees in this institution is common. Though the state government had upgraded this hospital about 15 years ago and raised the capacity to 100 beds the hospital lacks all basic amenities. Posts of surgeon, eye specialist, radiologist and child specialist have been lying vacant for the past nine months. Likewise a number of posts of nurse and para-medical staff are also vacant in the hospital. There is no pathologist in the hospital. The blood transfusion in the hospital has also come to a stand still. The operation theatre of the hospital is also in bad shape. New operation theatre is under construction for the past one year, no body knows when it would be completed.

In the present situation there is no provision to attend to emergency cases. Serious cases are now being sent to the PGI, Chandigarh, or CMC Ludhiana, which is beyond the reach of poor people. Many times a patient dies for want of medical care. Recently a youth from Baijnath lost his life since he could not be given medical aid in time as there was no doctor in the hospital and was referred to District Hospital, Dharamsala, where he could not reach.

There has been manifold increase in the population of this region and the hospital has failed to meet the medical needs of the residents of the area. There is an acute shortage of accommodation. The general ward of the hospital remains over crowded throughout the year and patients are adjusted on beds in corridors. There are no private wards in the hospital either. Even there is no place for the attendants to stay. Bathrooms and laterines stink as they are not cleaned regularly.

There is no place in the hospital to keep the bodies. The mortuary built 50 years ago is on the verge of collapse. To keep bodies in this building is quite unsafe since it could not be locked. Doctors find it difficult to perform post-mortem examinations here. Many times bodies of accident victims brought by police are kept on the roadside for the whole day and night causing inconvenience to the relations of victims..

The hospital is ill-equipped and there is always shortage of medicines, including life-saving drugs, cotton, bandage, X-ray films, bedsheets and blankets. The patients are always asked to buy medicine from the market. Political interference in the functioning of this institution has made matters worse. All postings and transfers of the doctors are made on recommendations of local political leaders. A surgeon has been moving pillar to post for getting his adjustment done here against a vacant post but has failed to move the local political bosses and poor public is suffering.

It is a sad state of affairs that despite spending crores of rupees on health services in the state the common man has to run to adjoining states for better medical facilities in emergency cases. Even there are no provisions in the state for various medical tests advised by doctors. Patients are advised to get these tests done at Chandigarh or Pathankot.

Patwaris threaten fast
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Feb 8 — Unemployed patwaris of the settlement wing today threatened to sit on a fast outside the Chief Minister's office in Shimla on March 1 if the government failed to appoint them by February 28.

Mr Ajay Kumar, spokesman of the Unemployed Trained Patwaries Association Himachal Pradesh (Settlement wing), said today that 322 youths were selected from the state for patwaris training course. He said since then they had been awaiting appointment orders.

He said their names have been struck from their respective employment exchanges following their selection. They now had no chance of employment in other government departments he added.

Mr Ajay said out of 322 patwaris, 152 belonged to Kangra district. He said 250 posts of patwaris were lying vacant but the government was not filling them.

HP govt may provide 95 pc aid to schools
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Feb 8 — The Himachal Pradesh Government is examining a proposal to give 95 per cent grant to all such private schools in the state which show good results in the final examinations of various classes. This was stated by the state Education Minister, Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman, at a function of the Janta Adarsh School, Bambloh, in the district today.

He said the government would also examine the functioning of other educational institutions which were already getting 95 per cent grant from the state government, so that the standard of education does not fall. It was an era of competition and all should be prepared to show good results, he added.

The minister also gave details of the various types of developmental activities being undertaken by the state government. He called upon the people to support the government for allround development.

Mr Karamsingh, Ex-MLA, and Mrs Narvada Thakur, Chairperson of the Hamirpur Zila Parishad, also spoke on the occasion.