4 buses impounded for plying sans documents
KANGRA, July 14 — The Regional Transport Officer (RTO) impounded four buses in the region during the past two days for violating the Motor Vehicle Act.

Council for merger of coop banks
SHIMLA, July 14 — The Newly constituted state Cooperative Council has recommended merger of the Jogindra Cooperative Bank with the H.P. State Cooperative Bank in the larger public interest.

CEC urged to stop bhavan's opening
SHIMLA, July 14 — Mr Virbhadra Singh, Leader of the Opposition in Himachal Pradesh, has sought intervention of Chief Election Commissioner M.S. Gill, for stopping Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal from inaugurating Himachal Bhavan at Delhi tomorrow.

Enteritis claim 2 lives
PALAMPUR, July 14 — Gastro-enteritis has claimed two lives in Kangra district and many areas are in its grip.

Another driver robbed of car
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, July 14 — In the fourth incident of its kind in the past four months in the district, two unidentified persons forcibly took away a Maruti car, after tying its driver with a rope to a tree in the Mangoti Mor forests, near Garkhal, 8 km from Kasauli, last evening.

According to a police source, the alleged robbers had either hired the car or coaxed its driver for a trip from Jalandhar to Kasauli. The two asked the driver of the car, Ravi Kumar, to stop the car after reaching the forest area on some pretext. The moment car came to halt, they pounced upon Ravi Kumar and tied him with the rope to the tree. The robbers sped away in the car. Later, Ravi Kumar managed to free himself and lodged a report with the police at Kasauli.

The car bore registration number PB08Y-0295 and belonged to an inspector of the Punjab police, presently posted in the police lines at Jalandhar.

It had been learnt that the police team deputed to investigate the incident had found an identity card of a student of Government College, Moga, leading it to suspect that one of the robbers was a student of that college.

Earlier, a Maruti Gypsy belonging to the Telecommunication Department was forcibly taken away near Barog on April 10. This was followed by another such incident involving a Tata Sumo, near Jabli and a Maruti Van near Salogra on the Kalka-Shimla national highway in May. The modus operandi employed in all four incidents was identical. All drivers were way laid after being forced to stop at secluded places at night.

The owner of the stolen car, Mr Jagdish Sharma, complained to the Kasauli police that his vehicle and driver Ravi Kumar were kidnapped by the two alleged robbers at Jalandhar yesterday and that he had lodged a complaint regarding that with police there.

4 buses impounded for plying sans documents
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, July 14 — The Regional Transport Officer (RTO) impounded four buses in the region during the past two days for violating the Motor Vehicle Act.

The RTO, Mr G.S. Thakur, said a private bus bearing a fake registration number HP 56-3133 was impounded at Dharamsala. He said the bus belonged to the GS Bus Service and was plying between Palampur and Dharamsala.

He said another tourist bus of the HRTC was impounded at Kangra since it was plying without valid documents. Mr Thakur said two more private buses were impounded in the region which were plying without documents and registration numbers.

He said the transport authorities have launched a campaign against transporters violating the law.

Meanwhile, the RTO today impounded a truck carrying bricks during a checking at the Baroh road near here and arrested the driver Amarjeet Singh who was carrying a fake driving licence.

Mr R.L. Rao, SDM, Kangra, said it seemed that driving licence racket was spreading in the state. He said Amarjeet was being interrogated in this connection.

Removal of HP NSUI chief resented
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, July 14 — The removal of Mr Atul Sharma from the post of President of the state NSUI has made the NSUI a frontal attack on PCC chief Sat Mahajan.

In a joint statement here yesterday, Mr Satish Chauhan and Mr Y.K. Mishra, vice-president and general secretary, respectively, of the NSUI, said that Mr Sharma had been removed from the post at a time when the NSUI was effectively making its presence felt in the BJP-ruled state. They also accused Mrs Chandresh Kumari, president of the Mahila Congress, and Mrs Vidya Stokes, a Congress MLA, of engineering removal of Mr Sharma, who was considered close to Mr Virbhadra Singh they warned that these Congress leaders should not consider the NSUI as their pocketborough and should be ready to face "dire consequences" in the coming Lok Sabha elections for their "irresponsible" action.

The NSUI leader alleged that the norms for appointment of their organisational chief had been violated. They threatened to launch an agitation against the "double standards" of these Congress leaders. The appointment of Mr Kewal Singh Pathania as the new state NSUI chief had created resentment among a large section of the students’ wing of the Congress.

Yajurved Vidyalaya inaugurated
From Our Correspondent

KAKIRA (Chamba), July 14 — Mr Murli Manohar Joshi, Union Human Resource Development Minister today said the world was seeking guidance from Indian Vedas and its culture.

This was stated by the Union Minister, while addressing a gathering after the inaugural ceremony of 'Shukal Yajurved Vidyalaya' set up under the aegis of Sri Swami Harigiri Charitable Hospital-cum-Research Centre at Kakira township in Chamba district of Himachal today.

Mr Joshi said that the west was now searching for peace and tranquility in the depth of our Vedas which teach selfless service.

The Union Minister said that selfless service for the welfare of the human race specially the sick and the poor gave solace and peace and added that the task done with a pure conscience and without motive always gave great success. He said that Vedas taught us to give up ego and jealousy.

Mr Joshi lauded the role of Sri Swami Rajeswarananda Bhatriji, President and founder of the Sri Swami Harigiri Charitable Hospital-cum-Research Centre, Kakira (Chamba) for his contribution to expansion of services for the welfare and uplift of suffering humanity in this region.

Mr Ashok Singhal, Chief of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad criticised Mrs Sonia Gandhi, president of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) describing her a foreigner and stated that it was for the people of the country to decide whether Atal Behari Vajpayee was to be voted to power or Mrs Sonia Gandi, who opposed "Sarswati Vandana" in educational institutions saying that religion and politics were not related to each other.

Mr Kishori Lal, Himachal Industries Minister, also spoke on this occasion. Mr Mohan Lal, Punjab Forest Minister, and Mr Mohan Lal, Himachal state Ayurveda Minister were also present on this occasion.

Council for merger of coop banks
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, July 14 — The Newly constituted state Cooperative Council has recommended merger of the Jogindra Cooperative Bank with the H.P. State Cooperative Bank in the larger public interest.

The first meeting of the council was held here today under the chairmanship of Mr Rikhi Ram Kaundal, Minister of State For Cooperatives, Mr Babu Ram Mandayal BJP MLA, was elected vice-chairman of the council.

The council also recommended that the government should consider reverting to the pre-1990 position wherein the administrative control of the cooperatives was with the Cooperative Department.

The council also discussed the need for providing more autonomy to cooperative institutions to strengthen democratic functioning.

CEC urged to stop bhavan's opening
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, July 14 — Mr Virbhadra Singh, Leader of the Opposition in Himachal Pradesh, has sought intervention of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) M.S. Gill, for stopping Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal from inaugurating Himachal Bhavan at Delhi tomorrow.

In a letter to the CEC, Mr Virbhadra Singh has described the move as a violation of the code. He has urged Mr Gill to direct the state government to cancel the function.

Enteritis claim 2 lives

PALAMPUR, July 14 (PTI) — Gastro-enteritis has claimed two lives in Kangra district and many areas are in its grip.

According to reports, Ratni Devi of Darini village died today while 55-year-old Konsal Singh died at Thural last week.

More than one dozen patients belonging to Dharamsala and adjoining areas have been admitted to a hospital here. The number of such patients in other health institutions is reported to be alarmingly large.

Failure of the Irrigation Department in supplying clean drinking water is believed to the reason for this epidemic.