INTUC ultimatum to HP on demands
SHIMLA, Jan 14 — The Himachal INTUC has threatened to launch an agitation from February 15 if its demands are not accepted by then.

Tanda college: Centre grants permission
SHIMLA, Jan 14 — The Central Government today granted permission for opening a medical college at Tanda, clearing the decks for its recognition which had been hanging fire for the past over two years.

Teachers withdraw strike call
SHIMLA, Jan 14 — The Himachal Pradesh Teachers Federation (Mahasangh) has withdrawn its call for a statewide strike from February 1 following the decision of the state Cabinet to confer gazetted status on school teachers and headmasters.

Two timber workers killed
CHAMBA, Jan 14 — Two labourers died on the spot when a heavy log of wood struck them at Mehla, about 12 km from here, last evening.

Annual Plan: Dhumal elicits MLAs' views
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Jan 14 — The two-day meeting convened by Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal to know the priorities of legislators for next year's Annual Plan concluded here today.

In his concluding remarks, Mr Dhumal assured that priorities given by the MLAs would be implemented in the right spirit. The government had decided to carry out a mid-term appraisal to ensure proper utilisation of funds.

He disclosed the Centre had cleared the 12 MW Khauli hydel project to be set up in the Shahpur area of Kangra district and work on it would start on January 24. The state electricity board would execute this project.

He urged the MLAs to give their need-based priorities which would ensure allround development and added that endeavour of the government was that every area in the state got benefits of development.

The government had directed the PWD and the Forest Department to expedite the forest clearance of roads on a priority basis so that such areas which had remained cut off from the rest of the world for years together could be linked with motorable roads.

He said a regular Dornier flight from Delhi to Shimla and Kulu would be started soon as the Central Government had agreed to the proposal of the state government.

Mr Ram Lal Thakur called for giving special attention to the construction of roads in the border areas of the state and solving the problems of Bhakra Dam oustees.

Mr Brij Bihari Lal Butail said priority should be given to tourism development in Palampur, besides strengthening tea industry.

Mr Dulo Ram stressed the need for construction of the Baijnath-Holi and Bir-Barot roads which would also help in boosting tourism.

While Mrs Nirmla Devi wanted more schools in her area, Mrs Viplove Thakur called for metalling of roads in her area, especially link roads. She also sought the inclusion of the Dehra area under the Kandi development project.

Mr G.S. Bali called for the improvement of Gaggal airport to increase tourist traffic to the Kangra area.

Mr Vipin Parmar wanted the opening of an operation circle of the state electricity board in the area.

Mr Des Raj said development of the Mand area and the construction of the bridge in the Mand area to connect it with the tehsil headquarters should be given priority.

Mr Rakesh Pathania sought the setting up of a fish canning plant at Nurpur.

Mrs Asha Kumari suggested that funds should be made available for the improvement of existing electrification schemes. She also wanted more funds for the Dalhousie water supply scheme.

Mr Tulsi Ram, MLA, said the construction of a motorable road to Pangi from Chamba via Jot and Trela be taken up on priority. She also demanded the filling of vacant posts in education and health institutions in the area.

Mr Jai Kishan wanted metalling and repair of roads in his area and priority to Swan river channelisation.

INTUC ultimatum to HP on demands
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Jan 14 — The Himachal INTUC has threatened to launch an agitation from February 15 if its demands are not accepted by then.

Mrs Kanta Sood, President of the state INTUC, said here today that the Chief Minister was yet to take a decision on its demands charter submitted in October last year. He also did not keep his promise to invite INTUC representatives for talks. In the given circumstances, there was no option but to take up the course of agitation, Mrs Sood said.

She said instead of regularising workers, the Dhumal Government was resorting to large-scale retrenchment. Over 2,500 workers had been retrenched in Kulu, Kangra and Bilaspur districts and those still on muster rolls were being given break after every 15 days. Such workers would, therefore, never become eligible for regularisation.

She also disapproved of the manner in which the State Minimum Wages Board had been constituted. While only two members of INTUC, which had the highest membership of over 56,000, had been nominated to the board, 15 members of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, which had a strength of only 34,000. She demanded proportional representation based on the membership of various trade unions.

She also demanded a minimum wage of Rs 100, cancellation of vindictive transfers of INTUC leaders, grant of HRA and medical allowance to both husband and wife on the Punjab pattern and the payment of additional dearness allowance in cash.

Tanda college: Centre grants permission
From Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Jan 14 — The Central Government today granted permission for opening a medical college at Tanda, clearing the decks for its recognition which had been hanging fire for the past over two years.

The permission was accorded on the recommendation of the Medical Council of India which inspected the infrastructural facilities provided for the college in December last. The permission has been granted prospectively.

The approval has come as a shot in the arm for the Dhumal Government which inherited this liability from the Virbhadra Singh Government.

Mr J.P. Nadda, Health Minister, said it was a hopeless case as the previous government had admitted a batch of students even though the MCI had not granted permission to open the college. The council had filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court which was still pending.

"It was an ill-conceived baby, but we managed a safe delivery", Mr Nadda said. Instead of taking up cudgels with the MCC, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal made efforts to have an out-of-court settlement. Simultaneously, work on various buildings and other required facilities was undertaken on a war footing. The deficiencies like shortage of staff and lack of requisite facilities like lecture halls, hospital, operation theatres, library, laboratories and hostels were removed within just eight months. Mr Nadda said the government allotted a budget of Rs 9.10 crore for the purpose this year and a plan proposal of Rs 16 crore had been finalised for 1999-2000.

A sum of Rs 45 lakh was spent on purchase of books and journals this year and a project of Rs 8.62 crore was taken in hand to develop para-clinical departments.

In contrast the previous government made a token provision of funds and went ahead with admissions, jeopardising the future of 50 students.

Mr Nadda said that though the permission had been granted prospectively, the government would do everything possible to safeguard the future of the students already admitted.

The Congress Government had opened medical and dental colleges without approval. While Tanda Medical College, Sundernagar Dental College and the local Government Dental College were not recognised, 27-year-old Indira Gandhi Medical College was facing derecognition as the government had increased the number of seats from 65 to 100 without providing the requisite facilities.

In fact, the MCI had reduced the number of seats to 65 which made insecure the future of 140 students who had been admitted against incremental seats over the past four years.

Mr Nadda expressed the hope that the government would be able to get recognition for these institutions in due course of time.

Teachers withdraw strike call

SHIMLA, Jan 14 (PTI) — The Himachal Pradesh Teachers Federation (Mahasangh) has withdrawn its call for a statewide strike from February 1 following the decision of the state Cabinet to confer gazetted status on school teachers and headmasters.

In a statement here yesterday, Mr Guru Dutt and Mr Rajesh Sharma, acting President and General Secretary of the federation, also welcomed the decision of the government to substantially increase the fixed emoluments of voluntary teachers at the secondary level and urged the government to take steps to regularise them.

The government had already accepted seven demands of the federation and discussions would be held next month for settling the remaining demands, they added.

Two timber workers killed
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, Jan 14 — Two labourers died on the spot when a heavy log of wood struck them at Mehla, about 12 km from here, last evening.

A police spokesman said today that 14 labourers were at work at the slipway site of the timber when this tragedy occurred.

The two deceased have been identified as Kamal Kumar and Tiso Ram both about 22 years old and of Chalothra village.