Cong slams doors on Sukh Ram
DHARAMSALA, March 6 — HPCC joint secretary and sitting MLA G.S. Bali said today that HVC chief Sukh Ram was criticisng the Congress and its leaders as the party had slammed its doors on him.

Federation to stay apolitical
HAMIRPUR, March 6 — The Himachal Pradesh Non-Gazetted Services Federation will maintain a separate identity and work for the well-being of the employees, Mr Prem Singh Bharmauria, general secretary of the federation said here today. The federation would maintain its apolitical status but work in unison with the government for getting demands of the employees conceded.

Chamba hostages still untraced
CHAMBA, March 6 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has so far failed to trace six persons kept hostage by the Jammu and Kashmir ultras. These persons belonging to Chamba district were abducted by militants involved in the carnage of 35 labourers at Kalaban-Satrundi on August 3 last.

MLAs authorised to use red light on vehicles
SHIMLA, March 6 — The members of Himachal Vidhan Sabha would henceforth be authorised to use red light on their vehicles. A decision to this effect was taken by the government recently on the recommendation of the Amenities Committee.

Govt criticised for non-release of pay scales
SHIMLA, March 6 — Harsh Mahajan, a Congress MLA, has criticised the BJP government for not releasing the revised pay scales to the university teachers.

Congress workers protest against
power tariff hike
From Our Correspondent

PALAMPUR, March 6 — More than 3,000 workers of the Congress today took out a procession in the town in protest against the steep hike in the power tariff, the deteriorating law and order situation and suspension of development work in the area. The procession passed through all streets of the town. Later, a rally was also held where Mr Brij Butail, local MLA and president of the Kangra District Congress Committee assailed the policies of the BJP-HVC government.

Addressing the rally, Mr Butail said since the time this government came to power in the state the prices of essential commodities had touched a new high. It had become very difficult for the poor to survive in the present circumstances. He regretted the government had not spared even the poor by enhancing the prices of rice, wheat and sugar being distributed under the public distribution system through the fair price shops. He said the steep hike in power tariff was highly deplorable since it had adversely affected the common man and domestic consumers were the worst hit.

Mr Butail said the Congress would continue its agitation till the hike in power tariff was withdrawn by the government. Referring to the law and order situation in the district, he said there had been a sharp increase in the cases of rape, murder, theft and dacoity, in the past one year. He alleged the atrocities committed on weaker sections of society and the Dalits had registered a rise. In most of cases the police was not registering the case with an intention to reduce the crime graph.

Earlier, a similar rally was also held at Baijnath where Congress workers took out a procession in the town. Mr Sudhir Sharma, general secretary of the state unit of the Youth Congress, addressed the gathering. He warned the government that if the recent hike in power rates was not withdrawn, Congress workers would resort to direct action. He said the state government was passing through serious financial crisis because of wrong policies and planning of BJP leaders, resulting in the suspension of all development activities.

He alleged Kangra district had been neglected by the Dhumal government to settle political scores with his arch rival Shanta Kumar. He regretted that during his stay at Dharamsala last month the Chief Minister failed to address even a single meeting in Palampur and Rajgir constituency because of his sharp differences with former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar. Mr Sharma said Mr Dhumal was adopting a pick and choose policy in the allotment of budget to the districts.

BJP mandal chief quits
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, March 6 — The faction-ridden Hamirpur mandal of the BJP headed towards a major split when Mr Ramesh Thakur, president of the mandal, reportedly resigned from the party post today.

Though no official comments were available yet insiders in the party say that Mr Thakur took this decision at a meeting of the mandal-level leaders of the party here today. This meeting was convened by Mr Anand Swaroop, the district BJP chief. Mrs Urmila Thakur, the HP parliamentary secretary, was also present at the meeting.

Mr Ramesh Thakur was not available for comments. Mr Rasil Singh Mankotia, general secretary of the district unit of the party, said he had no information about the resignation of Mr Thakur from the post of the mandal party chief.

The crisis in the party had already deepened with the resignation of a number of leaders due to the alleged uncooperative attitude of the parliamentary secretary. These resignations, however, have been withdrawn.
Highly placed sources in the party told The Tribune here this evening heated words were exchanged among party leaders and workers at the meeting. The workers led by Mr Thakur blamed Mrs Thakur for deliberately ignoring the workers and not taking them into confidence in any matter. They said under such circumstances it was not possible for them to work with Mrs Thakur.

A latest report says Mr Suresh Chandel, HP BJP chief, has reached Hamirpur to take stock of the situation arising out of the crisis in the Hamirpur mandal unit of the party. It is said he had been instructed by the Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, to visit Hamirpur and sort out differences in the larger interests of the party.

Mr Chandel was holding parleys with senior party leaders at the Circuit House till the filing of this report. He was not available for comments as nobody was allowed to enter the room where the meeting is in progress.

HP to enforce ban on construction of hotels
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, March 6 - The ban on construction of new hotels in the famous tourist town of Manali will be strictly enforced by the Himachal Pradesh Government with a view to prevent exploitation of tourists.

This was stated by Mr Rakesh Pathania, Vice-Chairman of the HP Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), while talking to newsmen here today. Mr Pathania said the mushroom growth of hotels at Manali has led to an unhealthy competition and undercutting by certain hotel owners. The tourists were ultimately suffering and the state was getting a bad name.

He said the offices of the HPTDC at Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai and Ahmedabad will be further strengthened to enable tourists to get their bookings done under one roof. A separate marketing division would be created in the HPTDC.

Mr Pathania, who has just returned from Mumbai after attending the tourism and travel fair, said that a large number of queries about various tourist destinations in Himachal Pradesh were made by people during the fair.

He said tourism would receive a boost with the starting of a direct train between Mumbai and Kalka. The long-standing demand of the state government had been met with the starting of the train.

He said a travel and tourism fair would be organised here in September in which about 100 delegates,including about 20 from abroad, will participate. This would provide exposure to various tourist destinations abroad.

CM for achieving time set targets
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, March 6 — The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, has said in order to avoid wastage of government money due to escalation, time set targets would have to be achieved in various projects.

Mr Dhumal, was speaking at the silver jubilee celebration of the Government College at Dhaliara, near Dehra, today. He said a large amount of government money was being wasted due to the excessive delay in the execution of projects. "The Nathpa Jhakri Power Project , which was estimated to cost Rs 1,650 crore in the year 1988 will cost over Rs 10,000 crore by the time it is completed." he said and added "in today’s world of globalisation and liberalisation, we have to achieve targets within the stipulated period.

Mr Dhumal regretted that some people were trying to give communal colour to the Saraswati Bal Vidya Sankalap Yojna, whereas the sole motive behind the scheme was to strengthen the primary education in the state.

The Chief Minister reiterated that his government was committed to build the required number of 13,612 rooms in the primary schools by the year 2002.

He criticised his political opponents for trying to exploit the regional sentiments of the people to serve their own vested interests. "We have to give a befitting reply to all such forces by eradicating the barriers of upper and lower Himachal, he urged the people.

The state BJP president, Mr Suresh Chandel, while addressing the gathering said it was unfortunate that political parties were objecting even to the rendition of Saraswati vandana, at official functions.

He said Saraswati was the Goddess of learning and did not belong to a particular party. He donated Rs 5 lakh from his MP fund for the construction of college building.

The Chief Minister, Mr Dhumal, also donated Rs 25 lakh for the construction of new blocks in the college.

Cong slams doors on Sukh Ram
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, March 6 — HPCC joint secretary and sitting MLA G.S. Bali said today that HVC chief Sukh Ram was criticising the Congress and its leaders as the party had slammed its doors on him.

'The sole reason for Mr Sukh Ram criticising the Congress is that he has been refused entry into the party," stated Mr Bali. Mr Bali regretted that a man who had himself held important positions while being in the Congress was today saying that the party had no future in Himachal.

Mr Bali said despite being the main opposition party, the Congress had polled 43.4 per cent of the votes as compared to a mere 9 per cent by the HVC and 37 per cent by the ruling BJP. It was not on the whims and fancy of Mr Sukh Ram that the Congress would remove Mr Virbhadra Singh from the post of CLP leader. "Mr Sukh Ram can use his pressure tactics with Mr Dhumal but the Congress will not just accept such a person in the party under any circumstances, he made it clear.

Mr Bali said a majority of the Congress legislators were not in favour of joining hands with Mr Sukh Ram. The Congress would play the role of a constructive opposition and was ready to face any eventuality, including a mid-term poll.

Mr Bali said it was after gauging the attitude of the party high command that Mr Sukh Ram had started commenting even on Mrs Sonia Gandhi.

Federation to stay apolitical
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, March 6 — The Himachal Pradesh Non-Gazetted Services Federation will maintain a separate identity and work for the well-being of the employees, Mr Prem Singh Bharmauria, general secretary of the federation said here today. The federation would maintain its apolitical status but work in unison with the government for getting demands of the employees conceded.

He, however, demanded that the state government should immediately release the revised instalments of HRA and health allowance on the Punjab pattern.

The employees leader said that he had written letters to all departmental associations in the state to send their demand charters by April 15 so that these could be taken up with the state government.

He demanded that talks with the striking leaders of the Himachal Pradesh Secondary Volunteer Teachers Association be held immediately. He said their demands were justified and they should be invited for talks to end the stalemate.

Chamba hostages still untraced
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, March 6 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has so far failed to trace six persons kept hostage by the Jammu and Kashmir ultras.

These persons belonging to Chamba district were abducted by militants involved in the carnage of 35 labourers at Kalaban-Satrundi on August 3 last.

Mrs Atam Davi of Bairagarh village in Churah subdivision of Chamba district, said among the six hostages were her husband, Dewan Chand, and son Man Singh. The government had failed to trace their whereabouts even after a period of seven months.

Mrs Atam Devi said that the hostages had either been killed or the government was not revealing all facts.

She said the Himachal Pradesh Government had so far awarded her Rs 25,000 as relief. She said her family was landless.

She demanded a government job for her younger son and herself.

MLAs authorised to use red light on vehicles

SHIMLA, March 6 (PTI) — The members of Himachal Vidhan Sabha would henceforth be authorised to use red light on their vehicles. A decision to this effect was taken by the government recently on the recommendation of the Amenities Committee.

The MLAs of neighbouring states already had this privilege.

The decision of the government was communicated to the Secretary, Vidhan Sabha, yesterday.

So far only dignitaries and officers authorised by the government were allowed to use the red light and the MLAs were not included in the list of privileged persons.

Govt criticised for non-release of pay scales
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, March 6 — Harsh Mahajan, a Congress MLA, has criticised the BJP government for not releasing the revised pay scales to the university teachers.

In a statement here today, Mr Mahajan said the UGC pay scales had been released in other states but Himachal Pradesh was yet to release them.

He also demanded that pay scales on the pattern of Punjab should be released for the government employees in toto.

Meanwhile, the Himachal Pradesh University Administrative Officers Association has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, demanding revised pay scales for teachers and officers of the university.