‘Make’ tunnel under Rohtang Pass
SHIMLA, June 13 — HVP President Sukh Ram has urged the Centre to take up on priority the construction of a tunnel under the Rohtang Pass and two other passes to make the Manali-Leh highway an all-weather road.


Dalai Lama: China hardening stance
DHARAMSALA, June 13 — While the Dalai Lama is still ready to settle for "genuine autonomy" for Tibet short of complete independence he sees the Chinese stand hardening.

Dharamsala Shimla Solan

Governor for promoting Sikh studies
SHIMLA, June 13 — Ms V.S. Rama Devi, Governor, has underlined the need to imbibe the teachings of Guru Gobind Singh, who embodied the qualities of both a saint and a soldier, to face the challenges of life.

Dhumal inaugurates dental college
SOLAN, June 13 — Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal yesterday lauded the DAV educational institutions' role in providing "quality education and supplementing government efforts in this sector".

Himachal CLP flays LoC violation
SHIMLA, June 13 — The Congress Legislature Party has condemned Pakistanis unprovoked, blatant violation of the Line of Control in the Kargil sector and termed it as an example of the most outrageous behaviour of any civilised government.

Plea to release pay scales
DHARAMSALA, June 13 — The Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department Assistant Engineers Association has urged the state government to release the four-tier pay scales immediately.

Tibet: make China hold talks
SHIMLA, June 13 — The Tibetan Women's Association has urged governments around the world to bring pressure on China for initiating a dialogue with the Dalai Lama to resolve the vexed issue of Tibet.

‘Make’ tunnel under Rohtang Pass
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 13 — HVP President Sukh Ram has urged the Centre to take up on priority the construction of a tunnel under the Rohtang Pass and two other passes to make the Manali-Leh highway an all-weather road.

Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Sukh Ram said during his tenure as Minister of State for Defence he had surveyed the area and convinced Mr Rajiv Gandhi, the then Defence Minister, that the Manali-Leh road was the safest route to Ladakh. He had also drawn up a proposal for boring tunnels under the Rohtang, Baralacha and Thanglacha passes to make it an all-weather road.

Subsequently, the Centre then decided to conduct investigations for the construction of a tunnel under the Rohtang Pass which had been completed now. The length of the tunnel would be about 8.5 km and with modern technology it could be completed in less than four years. Once this tunnel is completed, the same machinery could be used for boring two other tunnels.

A scanty snowfall enabled Pakistan to infiltrate into the Kargil area on a large scale, rendering the Srinagar-Leh road unsafe. The road was too close to the Line of Control and within the firing range of Pakistan and if it managed to take control of a small stretch of it, Ladakh would be totally cut off.

The government should not lose time in view of the latest developments in Kargil and start work on a war footing.

Referring to the visit of 11th Finance Commission to the state, he said the Centre should meet the entire non-plan deficit of special category states until they became self-reliant.

The Himachal Non-Gazetted Services Federation will submit a detailed memorandum to the finance commission to justify the demand for special dispensation to the state.

Mr Ganga Singh, president of the federation, said the memorandum would highlight the fact that the state had to bear an additional financial burden on account of revision of pay scales, filling of vacant posts and the regularisation of daily-wage workers.

He welcomed the statement of Prof A.M. Khusro that attention would be paid to special category states.

Dalai Lama: China hardening stance

DHARAMSALA, June 13 (PTI) — While the Dalai Lama is still ready to settle for "genuine autonomy" for Tibet short of complete independence he sees the Chinese stand hardening.

There has been no progress in talks with China on the issue of Tibet, and the attitude of the Chinese Government has hardened due to several factors, the Dalai Lama said here in an exclusive interview with PTI.

"One of these factors may be oversuspicion," the Dalai Lama said, adding that "I think they themselves face a kind of dilemma on how to do."

The Dalai Lama said he had been consistently expressing his position that he was not seeking independence but genuine autonomy while ruling out garnering support among the international community to impose economic sanctions on China to make the Tibetan issue more forceful.

In a statement issued last March, the 40th anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising Day, the Dalai Lama stressing his middle path approach had said: "I remain committed to the process of dialogue as the means to resolve the Tibetan problem. I do not seek independence for Tibet. I hope that negotiations can begin and that they will provide for genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people and the preservation and promotion of their cultural, religious and linguistic integrity, as well as their socio-economic development."

He said China was economically a big market; so good relations with it would prove beneficial and a friendly approach towards it could help reduce suspicion, a source of trouble, and help China participate in global issues "more" effectively.

As a Buddhist, the Dalai Lama said, he believed the current events were the result of the interlinking of several factors — running through years, decades and centuries and, therefore, it was "wrong" to blame any single factor.

Tibet, culturally speaking, was closer to India than China, the Dalai Lama said citing former Prime Minister Morarji Desai’s reply to his letter wherein he compared India and Tibet to two branches of a tree — "From one Buddha tree, two branches emerged — India and Tibet."

The Dalai Lama said an increasing number of Chinese intellectuals, writers and thinkers were becoming aware of Tibet and its problems thus expressing their sympathy as well as concern.

"Two years ago, some articles appeared in some Chinese publications. They openly supported my approach and were critical about the Chinese government policy regarding the Tibetan issue," he said.

Dhumal inaugurates Dental College
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, June 13 — Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal yesterday lauded the DAV educational institutions' role in providing "quality education and supplementing government efforts in this sector".

Mr Dhumal, who formally inaugurated DAV Dental College, at Tatool, 12 km from here, hoped that the college, like its sister institution at Yamunanagar, would emerge as a premier dental institute of the country.

He said his government had decided to give land on concessional rates to all those who intended to set up schools and institutions of higher learning in Himachal Pradesh.

Emphasising the importance of technical education, the Chief Minister said growing professionalism, a welcome fallout of economic liberalisation and globalisation, warranted that the youth be equipped with the state-of-the-art technologies.

Referring to local demands, the Chief Minister said the Oachghat-Sultanpur road would be completed by March 31, 2000. It was being constructed under a Rs 1.34 crore NABARD scheme. He said a separate power transformer for the Dental College would be installed soon. The water problem in this institution would be solved by installing an "energised" hand pump. A suspension (jhoola) bridge across the nearby Solan khud would also be constructed this year.

Mr Dhumal announced a grant of Rs 25,000 to students of the college who presented a colourful cultural programme.

Mr J.P. Nadda, Health Minister, said the government had been able to secure recognition from the Medical Council of India and the Central Government for the Government Medical College at Tanda in Kangra district. Efforts were afoot to get recognition for the Shimla Dental College.

Mr J.N. Kapur, Senior Vice-President, All-India DAV Colleges Management Committee, welcomed the Chief Minister.

Mr K.D. Sultanpuri, Mr Virendra Kashyap Chairman, State Marketing Board, Dr Rajiv Bindal, President, Municipal Council, Solan, also spoke.

Governor for promoting Sikh studies
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 13 — Ms V.S. Rama Devi, Governor, has underlined the need to imbibe the teachings of Guru Gobind Singh, who embodied the qualities of both a saint and a soldier, to face the challenges of life.

Speaking at a function organised by the Sri Guru Singh Sabha to celebrate the tercentenary of the birth of the Khalsa Panth and the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev here today she said the Sikh Gurus brought about a social revolution in the country by denouncing exploitation and oppression and establishing a social order based on equality and justice to all.

She said women enjoyed better status and respect in Sikh society and were treated as equal partners.

She said India was a secular country and the secular fabric should be strengthened by showing respect towards all religions and faiths. Besides, national unity and communal harmony should be there.

The Governor said efforts should be made to promote Sikh studies in the state and assured that the possibility of establishing Shri Guru Gobind Singh Chair in Himachal Pradesh University would be explored and the matter looked into sympathetically.

The Governor stayed for more than one hour and attended shabad kirtan and recitals from Gurbani. She also planted a sapling in the municipal corporation park on the occasion.

Mr Baldev Singh, president of the sabha, presented a siropa to the Governor.

Himachal CLP flays LoC violation
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 13 — The Congress Legislature Party has condemned Pakistanis unprovoked, blatant violation of the Line of Control in the Kargil sector and termed it as an example of the most outrageous behaviour of any civilised government. The CLP, which met under the chairmanship of Mr Virbhadra Singh here today, said it was not only a violation of Simla Agreement, but also a shameful reminder of Nazi atrocities and inhuman treatment against civilians and soldiers alike during World War II.

"The euphoria created in the country after the bus journey to Lahore and the hopes raised thereafter by high governmental publicity and propaganda were dashed to the ground when Pakistan inflicted this unexpected blow against India. This was a pre-meditated and well-planned Pakistan conspiracy". It observed in a resolution passed at the meeting.

The government did not have any clues to the goings-on in the Kargil area which resulted in great loss of human lives scores of our brave officers and other ranks became martyr while fighting for motherland. Himachal's share in this "role of honour" was no less as in the past".

The CLP paid homage to all brave sons of India who laid down their lives in the defence of their motherland and also expressed condolence to the bereaved families.

Condemning barbaric act committed on the brave officers and men of the Indian Army, the CLP described it the blackest spot on the Pakistan Army.

The CLP hoped that residents of Himachal would keep aloft its age-old tradition of fighting for the integrity of Mother India.

Plea to release pay scales
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, June 13 — The Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department Assistant Engineers Association has urged the state government to release the four-tier pay scales immediately.

In a resolution adopted at an emergency meeting here, Mr K.S. Thakur, president of the association, expressed concern over the inordinate delay on the part of the government in issuing the necessary guidelines for releasing the four-tier pay scales notified on September 1, 1998. He pointed out that due to this, the same category of employees in the same department were getting different pay scales.

Tibet: make China hold talks
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 13 — The Tibetan Women's Association has urged governments around the world to bring pressure on China for initiating a dialogue with the Dalai Lama to resolve the vexed issue of Tibet.

The executive committee of the association, which met here today, emphasised that the Tibetan issue was fundamentally political with international ramifications and a political solution could lead to a meaningful settlement.

Over the past 40 years, the Tibetans in-exile had striven to find a peaceful, non-violent, lasting solution to the issue of Tibet. The Dalai Lama's five-point peace plan broadly delineated possible solution to the problem and expressed his willingness to take into consideration the legitimate needs of China. The "middle path" approach called for genuine autonomy and self-government for Tibet.

The situation inside Tibet, it pointed out, was discouraging. Repression had intensified and continued unabated official encouragement of large-scale Chinese immigration into Tibet, denial of political rights to Tibetans, and the increasing presence of Chinese military and intelligence personnel in Tibet continued. The past four decades have only resulted in the complete control of Tibet by the government of the provincial regional council.