Attempt to hide BJP inaction: Virbhadra
SHIMLA, Jan 15 — Mr Virbhadra Singh, a former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the assembly, has said that the BJP Government is trying to politicise the Tanda medical college issue by twisting the facts regarding its recognition by the Medical Council of India.

'Entrust probes to depot officers'
DHARAMSALA, Jan 15 — The Kangra District Non-Gazetted Employees Association has demanded the withdrawal of the notification, entrusting inquiries against employees to Commissioners and Directors, as it was causing inconvenience to the employees.

YC plans protest
JAWALAMUKHI, Jan 15 — The local unit of the Youth Congress will start a campaign in protest against the deteriorating law and order situation in Dehra sub-division.

Attempt to hide BJP inaction: Virbhadra
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Jan 15 — Mr Virbhadra Singh, a former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the assembly, has said that the BJP Government is trying to politicise the Tanda medical college issue by twisting the facts regarding its recognition by the Medical Council of India (MCI).

In a strongly worded statement issued here today, Mr Virbhadra Singh described it as a "crude attempt" by Health Minister J.P. Nadda to put the blame on the previous Congress Government in order to hide the "inaction and callousness" of the BJP Government.

He said it was a well-considered decision of the previous Congress Government to open Government Medical College at Tanda for which sufficient funds were committed and sanctioned and work on various buildings, other required facilities and infrastructure was undertaken on a war footing. All infrastructure required for smooth functioning of the first year classes in terms of staff, hospital beds, classrooms, laboratories and residential accommodation for students and staff were made available as had been upheld by the HP High Court in its historic judgement. In fact, the admissions were made under orders of the high court.

However, after the change of government in Himachal, things started changing. Instead of carrying forward the work with speed and commitment, the BJP Government started putting hurdles with a view to shelving or killing this project, he alleged.

"The case of Himachal to start the second medical college at Tanda stands on a sound footing and no one can deny this right to us. The BJP Government in the state would do well to shed its political inhibitions and make efforts to develop this college as one of the best in the country," the statement said.

Mr Virbhadra Singh has ridiculed Mr Nadda for trying to put the blame on the previous Congress Government for the reduction of seats in the IGMC, Shimla. The IGMC was started 30 years ago by the Congress Government and brought to its present status by the successive Congress governments. It was the Congress Government which increased the number of seats in this medical college from 65 to 100 to meet the shortfall of doctors in the state. Instead of removing the minor objections raised by the Medical Council of India in this respect, the state government chose to take the easy path by reducing the number of seats from 100 to 65, thereby delivering a fatal blow to medical education in the state.

So far as Government Dental College at Shimla was concerned, the Congress Government spared no efforts to turn it into one of the best such institutions in the country. All basic infrastructure had been provided and a huge college building costing nearly Rs 8 crore was under construction. It was for the present government to speed up the construction of the building so as to complete it at the earliest and also to remove the problems such as institution had to face instead of shifting blame and responsibility.

Mr Virbhadra Singh alleged that the functioning of the Health Department was in a mess in the state medical services, particularly in the remote and hill areas, had virtually collapsed by the wreckless transfers of doctors and paramedical staff. The Health Department was without a director and the Health Secretary, who had been given the additional charge of the post of Director, Health Services, was also on leave.

'Entrust probes to depot officers'
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Jan 15 — The Kangra District Non-Gazetted Employees Association has demanded the withdrawal of the notification, entrusting inquiries against employees to Commissioners and Directors, as it was causing inconvenience to the employees.

In a statement issued here today, the General Secretary of the association, Mr Manmohan Pathania, said since inquiry officers within the departments were more aware of rules and procedures it would expedite the inquiry process. He said the notification should be withdrawn to avoid tours of the employees to attend hearings at Shimla.

He also demanded that the address of the complainant should be a must before an inquiry was ordered, adding that complaints without affidavits should not be entertained.

Congress seeks judicial probe
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Jan 15 — The Congress has demanded a judicial inquiry into the destruction of apple's worth Rs 2 crore by the state government owned HPMC.

Mr Yogendra Chandra, MLA and spokesman of the Congress today alleged that the issue was scandalous and required a deep probe.

Quoting figures, he said apples worth Rs 30 crore was procured by the government during the recent season, however, farmers were not yet paid for the fruit which was procured from them.

The announcement of the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, to release Rs 6 crore for the payment to the farmers was a meagre amount and would not solve the financial problem of the growers.

He demanded that instead of "misleading" the apple growers, the BJP government should clear the arrears towards them within a month. The growers were in need of finances for purchasing fertilisers, pesticides and fungicides for the next season.

He said the apple growers had already suffered because of the faulty marketing policy of the BJP government. The culled apple procured by various government agencies from the farmers was despatched to markets, leading to a crash in the apple price.

Mr Chandra said the government was "misleading" the apple growers by taking credit for increasing the procurement paise of culled fruits during the past season by 25 paise. The people know that it was the Congress which first introduced the market intervention scheme for fruits in spite of the fact that in no state perishable commodities like fruits, were covered by the support price for culled fruits.

The BJP not only opposed this scheme but subsequently on the formation of its government, reduced the procurement price of apples to Rs 1.30 per kg from Rs 2.25 per kg.

The agitation of the apple-growers resulting in police firing at Kotgarh killing three youths and the lathi charge on women demonstrators at Bhekhalti was part of history, he added.

CM lays stone of stadium
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, Jan 15 — The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, today claimed that the BJP-HVC coalition government in the state was "strong and stable" and would complete its full term.

He said this while laying the foundation stone of Narender Pal Guleria Stadium at Kanwahal village, 10 km from here, this evening. He paid tributes to Narender Pal Guleria, who laid down his life while fighting with militants in Jammu and Kashmir recently.

Mr Maheshwar Singh, MP, donated Rs 2 lakh for the stadium from his discretionary fund.

The Chief Minister announced that the Mandi-Kanwahal road would be metalled in a phased manner.

YC plans protest
From Our Correspondent

JAWALAMUKHI, Jan 15 — The local unit of the Youth Congress will start a campaign in protest against the deteriorating law and order situation in Dehra sub-division.

Mr Parveen Sharma, former President of the Jawalamukhi Block Youth Congress, while talking to media-persons yesterday, expressed concern over the increase in the number of murder and theft cases in the state, particularly in the Jawalamukhi police station area.