Sealing saboteurs’ routes
SHIMLA, June 26 — In order to chalk out a strategy to seal all routes of infiltration of Pakistani saboteurs from the Kargil sector to blow off the vital Manali-Leh highway, a high level team of officers of the police and the Intelligence Bureau today made an aerial survey of the Pangi and Sarchu areas.

Congress politicising Kargil, says Dhumal
HAMIRPUR, June 26 — Himachal Chief Minister Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, has blamed Pakistan for the Kargil and Batalik crisis leading to the killing of Indian jawans and other innocent persons.

CITU workers court arrest
SHIMLA, June 26 — The police today arrested five men of the private security agency who yesterday allegedly shot dead a labourer on strike and wounded six more in Maglad Khad area of the Nathpa Jhakri power project.

CM pooh-poohs Congress demand
SHIMLA, June 26 — The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, ridiculed the demand of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh for convening a Vidhan Sabha session for discussing certain issues appearing in certain sections of the press and said it was a political gimmick to gain cheap popularity.

Mount Leo Pargiyal scaled
SHIMLA, June 26 — A group of nine persons, including four students from a local school, successfully climbed Mount Leo Pargiyal (22,290 ft), the third highest peak in Himachal on June 21, according to an official spokesperson here today.

4 Congress pradhans join BJP
HAMIRPUR, June 26 — The Congress received a set back on Friday when four women pradhans of the Nadaun area left the party and joined the BJP at a function held in presence of the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal.

Sealing saboteurs’ routes
From S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 26 — In order to chalk out a strategy to seal all routes of infiltration of Pakistani saboteurs from the Kargil sector to blow off the vital Manali-Leh highway, a high level team of officers of the police and the Intelligence Bureau today made an aerial survey of the Pangi and Sarchu areas.

The team was led by the Director-General of Police, Mr T.R. Mahajan. Senior officers of the IB, the ITBP, the SSB and the CID accompanied him.

This is the first aerial survey by the police of the area adjoining the Zanskar tehsil of Kargil and also the Manali-Leh road.

There have been reports that the Pakistanis might try to target the Manali-Leh road, which is these days being used for carrying supplies to the Indian Army in Kargil and other areas which were witnessing a conflict between the two countries. The Srinagar-Leh road is already under heavy fire of the Pakistanis.

Mr Mahajan told the Tribune News Service that they made an aerial survey of the road up to Sarchu, which falls within the territory of Himachal Pradesh.

He said that all the routes leading to Pangi and Lahaul-Spiti were closely surveyed during the day-long helicopter flight. They flew twice over these areas.

The aerial survey comes in the wake of reports that in a bid to totally isolate the Ladakh region, the Pakistanis might try to blow off the Manali-Leh road.

The vital points on the road were being guarded round the clock by police personnel.

Senior officers of the Deepak project of the Border Roads Organisation were also camping at Manali and other places en route to ensure smooth flow of Army convoys.

The availability of manpower in the police was not sufficient to completely seal all entry routes on high passes. The Centre has so far provided only one company of the ITBP which was far too short to meet the requirement.

The authorities plan to deploy for fighting the militants those youths who were recently trained by the ITBP in handling arms and ammunition.

Congress politicising Kargil, says Dhumal
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, June 26 — Himachal Chief Minister Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, has blamed Pakistan for the Kargil and Batalik crisis leading to the killing of Indian jawans and other innocent persons. He said that Indian forces would teach befitting lesson to the Pakistani intruders.

Addressing a public meeting of Dhaneta village, of the district from here last night, the Chief Minister called upon the people to donate liberally for the CM's Sainik Welfare fund. He lauded Himachali soldiers for their role in fighting enemies and this time also they have given a good account of themselves.

Earlier, the Chief Minister performed the upgradation ceremony of the local girls middle school as high school. Mrs Urmila Thakur, Parliamentary Secretary and Mr Babu Ram Mandyal, MLA were also present on the occasion.

He said that if Pakistan did not stop anti-India activities and continued help to the intruders, the Indian forces would not remain a silent spectator.

The Chief Minister criticised the Congress for taking the state government to taste on the issue of Kargil martyrs. He said the Congressmen would not be allowed to politicise this issue for their benefit and the BJP would expose the Congress party on its external policy as well as the J and K issue. He said that J and K issue was the creation of the Congress party. Had its senior leaders taken tough stand on this issue at the time when they were in power, the present situation would have been averted.

Prof Dhumal said that his government was committed for the welfare of the serving soldiers, ex-servicemen, their families and families of war martyrs. He was pained to say that many promises given to the war heroes of 1971 were yet to be fulfilled. He said, it was shocking to see that the Congressmen had failed to help the families of the deceased soldiers. My government would keep its promises and all sort of help would be given to the heroes of 1971 war, the Chief Minister further added.

The Chief Minister paid rich tributes to the martyrs of Kargil and Batalik, who had laid down their lives while fighting the Pakistani intruders. He said that martyrs belonged to all and the nation would not forget their sacrifices forever.

The Chief Minister said that his government would develop all parts of state equally and politics would not come in the way of development.

He gave a call to the people to rally behind the BJP for their own benefit and give a crushing defeat to the Congress party in the coming elections.

He further added that the slogan of stability by the Congress party was false and this party is responsible for the ouster of seven Indian Prime Ministers from their posts.

Mrs Urmila Thakur Parliamentary Secretary, gave a call to the women to come forward and support the BJP in the coming elections. She said that this party was the only party that favoured alround progress of women.

Mr Babu Ram Mandyal, MLA also spoke on the occasion and thanked the Chief Minister for upgrading the local girl's school as high school.

A sum of about nine lakh rupees was given to the Chief Minister's Sainik Welfare fund by the local people on this occasion.

CITU workers court arrest
Demand for court probe into firing
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 26 — The police today arrested five men of the private security agency who yesterday allegedly shot dead a labourer on strike and wounded six more in Maglad Khad area of the Nathpa Jhakri power project.

A case under Section 302, Cr. Pc. has been registered against the accused personnel hired by one of the project contractors.

The atmosphere in the area, about 150 km from here, remained surcharged throughout the day as workers held a procession and a rally in protest against the "unprovoked" firing.

The Congress, CITU and INTUC have demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident. At least 100 activists of CITU today courted arrest outside the police reporting room on The Mall in protest against the killing of the labourer, Mr Dev Dutt.

The body of the labourer was sent to his village in Uttarkashi district of Uttar Pradesh after postmortem at the Indira Gandhi Medical College here this afternoon.

The four labourers with pellet wounds are also admitted to the IGMC here for treatment.

The situation is tense but under control, according to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Subhag Singh. Police force has been rushed to the project area from here. The Deputy Commissioner is trying to defuse the situation by holding meetings with labour leaders.

Police protection as been provided to engineers and other staff of the project at Kotla.

Congress MLAs Yogendra Chandra and Singhi Ram and the Chairman of CITU, Mrs Kanta Sood have demanded that a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the High Court be ordered to probe into the incident.

They have accused the BJP government of having failed to tackle the long-drawn agitation of the workers.

Activists of CITU, the SFI and the DYFI raised slogans against the government on The Mall where they were taken into custody by the police.

Mr Rakesh Singha, president of CITU, has alleged that certain senior officers are backing the management which hired the private security agency to "unleash a reign of terror" on the workers.

He has also alleged that the private security personnel resorted to firing on the workers in the presence of the SHO at the Jhakri police station.

CM pooh-poohs Congress demand

SHIMLA, June 26 (PTI) — The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, ridiculed the demand of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh for convening a Vidhan Sabha session for discussing certain issues appearing in certain sections of the press and said it was a political gimmick to gain cheap popularity.

Addressing a largely attended public meeting at Kapahra in Bilaspur district today, the Chief Minister said the monsoon session was very near and challenged former Chief Minister to an open debate on any issue at that time.

He said the report of inquiry committee probing into jobs on a chit basis was likely to be received soon and facts would come before the people of the state.

He said Congress leaders were in the habit of levelling false charges to gain cheap popularity but after their defeat in the last Assembly elections and also in the byelection, it had been amply proved that people had rejected the policies and programmes of the Congress which, he added, were anti-people.

Mr Dhumal said the present government was the government of the common man which was giving equal attention to all areas in the matter of development, whereas the previous government was discriminating on the basis of region.

Mount Leo Pargiyal scaled

SHIMLA, June 26 (UNI) — A group of nine persons, including four students from a local school, successfully climbed Mount Leo Pargiyal (22,290 ft), the third highest peak in Himachal on June 21, according to an official spokesperson here today.

The team flagged off from Raj Bhawan by state Governor V.S. Rama Devi on June 6, proceeded via Narkanda, Rampur and Pooh Nako, the roadhead at 13,000 feet.

The team, accompanied by support staff and high-altitude porters moved to the base camp (16,500 feet), camp 1 (18,000 feet), camp II (20,000 feet) and finally reached the summit on June 21.

The team had trained under the supervision of Brig D.K. Khullar (retd) who had led the Bachendri Pal expedition to Mount Everest in 1983.

4 Congress pradhans join BJP
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, June 26 — The Congress received a set back on Friday when four women pradhans of the Nadaun area left the party and joined the BJP at a function held in presence of the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal.

Mr Babu Ram Mandyal, MLA introduced these pradhans to the audience. He also announced on the occasion that all inhabitants of Sakroh village of the area and belonging to Ghirath community also left the Congress party and joined the BJP. All these people were paraded before the Chief Minister and garlanded by the senior party leaders namely Mr Suresh Chandel and others.

Mr Sanjeev Dogra, general secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress ad Chairman of the party's disciplinary committee also left the party and joined the BJP on the occasion. He was welcomed into the party fold by Mr Suresh Chandel and Mr Anand Swaroop, the state President and the district President, respectively, of the party.