P R A D E S H
Saturday, July 3, 1999
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H I M A C H A L P R A D E S H |
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Saturday, July 3, 1999 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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HPU clears appointments
amid tension HP's gesture to kin of martyrs |
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BJP deplores Virbhadra's
statement Muslims hold prayers for martyrs NSUI decries closing down of boys'
hostel Virbhadra visits martyrs’
families Blood camp put off again Minister denies groupism Fast by police clerical staff |
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HPU clears appointments amid
tension SHIMLA, July 2 — The Executive Council of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) cleared appointments of teacher in various faculties amidst tension on the campus here today. About 170 activists of various student organisations protesting in support of their demands in front of the hall where the meeting was being held were rounded up by the police and later released. The university authorities provided little information to reporters about the deliberations of the meeting. Several attempts to contact the Vice-Chancellor on telephone proved futile. The Students Federation of India (SFI), the ABVP and the NSUI alleged that the campus had been virtually turned into a police cantonment. They alleged that the protesting students were cane-charged. The SFI and the NSUI alleged that the selection of teachers in various faculties was irregular. They demanded a judicial inquiry into the matter. They alleged that the selections were a step towards the saffronisation of higher education. The activists of the NSUI also burnt effigies of the Vice-Chancellor and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor. The students were demanding elections to the Students Central Association (SCA). However, the Executive Council did not take any final decision on the issue. The students smashed windowpanes of a bus and also snatched files from two members of the council while they were on their way to attend the meeting. Mr Waryam Singh, a member of the university court, said his inclusion in the House Allotment Committee was rejected by the council which clearly indicated that the functioning of the university was being saffronised, he alleged. The students alleged that the meeting of the council, which was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. started at 9 a.m. to enable the members to reach the meeting venue and before the students came to the campus. A spokesman of the HPU said it was decided to scrap the pre-Ph.D. course from the 1999-2000 session and reintroduce M.Phil. The minimum eligibility for girls for admission to B.Com. (I) had been fixed at 33 per cent in the qualifying examination. The council also decided
to confer D.Lit on Dr Ramesh Chander Gupta in the Faculty
of Languages. |
HP's gesture to kin of
martyrs SHIMLA, July 2 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has liberalised its policy to provide employment to dependants of personnel of armed forces and paramilitary forces killed in action in Kargil and other sectors. Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, said here today that the government had notified a policy in this regard. By doing so, the state would acknowledge the sacrifices made by soldiers belonging to Himachal Pradesh in the Kargil operation. The Chief Minister said employment opportunities would be made available to either the widow, son or unmarried daughter of a soldier. In case of an unmarried soldier killed in action, either the father, mother, brother or unmarried sister would be provided employment. He said appointments under the policy would be provided by relaxing the normal recruitment procedure, the selection process by the Himachal Public Service Commission, the Subordinate Services Selection Board and employment exchanges. He said that employment would be provided to all bona fide residents of the state in accordance with educational qualifications. Mr Dhumal said special cases for the relaxation of qualifications and selecting bona fide residents could be considered and added that employment would be offered regardless of any other member of the family being in service. He said the policy was much more liberal than that for employment on compassionate grounds for children of government servants who died in service. Mr Dhumal said in order to facilitate the process of appointments, the deputy commissioners had been made the nodal officers. They would scrutinise the applications and process them with the help of different departments as per the suitability of the candidates. The dependants could
apply within three years and in case of minors up to the
age of 21 after attaining majority. |
Villagers await martyrs' bodies MANDI, July 2 — Hira Singh (22) of Jhal village of Padhiun panchayat of sadar sub-division laid down his life in a fierce hand-to-hand combat in the Batalik sector. He is the sixth martyr from this district to have made the supreme sacrifice while defending the border. Five others who have laid down their lives are grenadier Sarwan Kumar Bhali village near Rewalsar). Capt Deepak Guleria (Cholthra village of Sarkaghat subdivision), Tek Chand (Siyahn village in Sadar), Rajesh Chauhan (Dhanotu village) and Naresh Kumar Kalauhad village of Sundernagar subdivision). Hundreds of people waited for the body of the martyr, which according to the earlier intimation from the Army was to reach the village in the afternoon but another late message said that the body could not be flown from Kargil to Chandigarh due to bad weather. The district authorities expect to receive the body tomorrow. The cremation will take place in Mandi town, family members told mediapersons. Sepoy Hira Singh, is survived by his mother, father and two brothers. The body of Dharmendra Singh (20) who laid down his life while fighting the Pakistani infiltrators on the Tiger Hill, in the Dras sector on June 20 will be brought to Kasauli tomorrow. It will be later taken to his native village of Bughar Kanaitan for cremation. The martyr's body was scheduled to be flown from Leh to Chandigarh today, but bad weather forced the cancellation of the flight. Dharmendra Singh belonged to 3 Punjab Regiment. SHIMLA (UNI): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today visited the family of rifleman Kulwinder Singh who laid down his life fighting Pakistani intruders in Kargil at Dheyawala-Girinagar village. The Chief Minister expressed sympathies with the bereaved family and handed over NSS certificates worth Rs 3 lakh to the family members of the martyr. A sum of Rs 2 lakh had already been given to the family by the district administration. Mr Dhumal said the state
government would provide free education to the children
of Kulwinder Singh besides employment to one member of
the family. |
BJP deplores Virbhadra's
statement SHIMLA, July 2 — Mr Randhir Sharma, state secretary, BJP and Vice-Chairman National Small Saving State Advisory Board, has deplored the "irresponsible" and unfortunate observation made by former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, regarding the politicisation and saffornisation of Himachal Pradesh University. In a statement here today Mr Sharma reminded that Mr Virbhadra Singh alone was responsible for the politicisation of the university as the Congress was the first to constitute its teachers' cell on the campus which caused a vertical split in the teaching community on political lines. Moreover it was during the Congress rule that the criteria of filling teaching and non-teaching posts was the proximity of a candidate to the ruling party. A number of person close to Congress ministers and MLAs were appointed against various posts. He recalled that during 1997, the then leader of BJP Legislative group Mr J.P. Nadda, brought a call attention motion in the state assembly but the Congress blocked discussion on the issue. A memorandum against the wrongful interference in the affairs of the university by the Congress government was also submitted in 1997 to then Governor but no inquiry was held. During the tenure of Vice Chancellor, Mr C.L. Kundu, as many as 150 appointments of non-teaching employees were made in the university at the behest of the Congress. The BJP had made the
functioning of the university transparent and the
Congress had not been able to re-concile with it. |
Muslims hold prayers for martyrs CHAMBA, July 2 — The Chamba Anjuman Islamia, a Muslim organisation, has condemned Pakistan for its involvement in the Kargil conflict and the torture of Indian soldiers captured by the army. At a meeting here today it passed a resolution criticising Pakistan's hand in sending intruders into the Kargil sector. A mass prayer was conducted by the Anjuman Islamia for the martyrs. NAHAN: Maulana Kabirudin Faran, Principal, Madarsa Kadria Missarwala (Paonta Sahib) addressing a Friday prayer meeting said Pakistan was is creating trouble for Indians living in the border area as by resorting unprovoked firing and sending in infiltration. He praised the Army for pushing back the intruders. Muslim resident of the area donated Rs 11,500 to the National Defence Fund. SHIMLA: Members of the Inner Wheel Club, held a silent march from the C.T.O. to Sport Stadium here today to show their gratitude to Indian soldiers defending the border. More than 250 women participated in the march. Major Satwant Lal (the
first Indian woman to join the Army) was the chief guest.
Children from Saraswati Vidyamandir, Vikasnagar, Shimla,
presented national songs. |
NSUI decries closing down of
boys' hostel DHARAMSALA, July 2 — The National Students Union of India (NSUI), has resented the government proposal to close down the boys' hostel of the government college, and hand over the building to Regional Centre of the University, here. In a statement here yesterday, the state general secretary of the NSUI, Mr Sumit Khanna, said that a large number of boys, especially from Army background would face great inconvenience, in case the hostel in local government college was closed, to make way for the exapansion of Regional Centre of the University. "We welcome the starting of new courses at the Regional Centre, but the boys' hostel building should not be taken over till an alternate arrangement was made for a residential building for the students", he stated. The building in which the boys' hostel is located is owned by the Sainik Welfare Board, and as such the students even met the officials of the board.The boys also met the Deputy Commissioner, and gave him a representation in this regard. The NSUI activists,
alleged that for the past two years the ABVP had been
making efforts to get the hostel in the college closed
for one reason or the other. They requested the
government ot be guided by the interest of the students
rather than political considerations. |
Virbhadra visits martyrs’
families HAMIRPUR, July 2 — Mr Virbhadra Singh, former Himachal Chief Minister, today visited villages of Jhal, Andral and Bagloo in the district and met the families of martyrs who laid down their lives while fighting in the Kargil sector. He was accompanied by Mr Kuldip Singh Pathania, ex-MLA and Mr Suresh Kumar, DCC Chief. Havildar Kashmir Singh, Havildar Raj Kumar and Sepoy Dinesh Kumar of these villages had lost their lives in the battle. The former Chief-Minister consoled the bereaved families and assured them that all help would be provided to them by the Congress. He said people would not
forget their contribution towards the nation and they
would be remembered as martyrs forever. He said people
should contribute to rehabilitate the families of
soldiers. |
Blood camp put off again DHARAMSALA, July 2 — A blood donation camp to be organised at Shahpur, has been postponed for the second time due to the displeasure of a local BJP leader for not being taken into confidence. Even as a medical team from the blood bank reached Shahpur, it was told that the camp had been deferred, without citing any plausible reason. The blood donation camp was being organised by the Beopar Mandal and other residents of Shahpur. A large number of residents had assembled at the Rest House, which was to be the venue of the camp. Even Red Cross officials from the town had reached Shahpur, for the camp. It is reliably learnt that a senior BJP leader from Shahpur, was annoyed over the holding of the camp in the constituency without being taken into confidence. The leader reportedly called up a number of officers from Shimla on Wednesday to get the blood camp cancelled or postponed. Now it was being demended that the camp should be held on July, 5. Officials of the Red
Cross Society, when contacted, were tight lipped about
the reason behind the deferring of the camp. |
Minister denies groupism SHIMLA, July 2 — Mr Kishori Lal, Industries Minister, has denied groupism in the ruling BJP and has claimed that the relations between the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, and a former Chief Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, were very cordial. Reacting to reports of
difference among the two groups, Mr Kishori Lal said
today that there was no group in the BJP and all
ministers and BJP office-bearers were solidily behind the
leadership of Mr Dhumal. Those trying to create a rift in
the party would not succeed in their nefarious designs,
he warned. |
Soldier killed near Aizawl DHARAMSALA, July 2 — Sukesh Singh Patial, of Paplan village, near Palampur was killed in an insurgency action, near Aizawl, in Mizoram yesterday. Sukesh Singh, of Assam Rifles, belongs to Paplan village and his father late Hav Prem Chand was an ex-serviceman. His two other brothers are in the Army, one of them in his own battalion. His cremation is likely to take place at his place of posting only. He is survived by his
27-year-old wife. |
Boy crushed to death DHARAMSALA, July 2 — An eight-year-old boy, Rahul, was crushed to death under a truck near Yol today. According to the police,
Rahul, a class two student, belonged to Tang Narwana
village. The mishap took place when the boy ran across
the road after his sheep and was crushed. A case has been
registered and the vehicle impounded by the police. |
Fast by police clerical staff HAMIRPUR, July 2 (UNI) — Clerical staff of the police observed a day-long fast throughout the district yesterday in protest against alleged failure of the Himachal Pradesh Government to provide them timely and adequate number of promotions. A spokesman of the fasting employees told reporters that the state government was "discriminating" against them in the matter of promotions. He said while constables in the department were getting timely promotions and other facilities, they were being ignored. He said hundreds of post
of clerks were lying vacant in the department and the
clerks were forced to do various duties. He urged the
state government to provide them justice by filling the
vacant posts. |
Rs 2.85 lakh looted from bank SHIMLA, July 2 (UNI)
— Thursday, Unidentified persons had looted Rs 2.85
lakh from a bank at Sach in the Tribal Pangi area of
Chamba district a report received here yesterday said.
The report said the culprits had broken the locks of the
bank on the night of June 28 and decamped with money.
They police has registered a case. |
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