Hazards of biomedical waste stressed
SHIMLA, May 19 — Mr J.P. Nadda, Himachal Health Minister, has underlined the need to sensitise people, particularly medical fraternity, regarding the harmful effects of hazardous biomedical waste and necessity for its proper disposal.

Cong on verge of split: Shanta
DHARAMSALA, May 19 — A former Chief Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, today said the Congress, which was on the verge of a split, had already lost the elections as senior leaders had expressed distrust in Mrs Sonia Gandhi.

Father seeks probe into son's death
DHARAMSALA, May 19 — Mr Karnail Singh of Jakhuni village, near Dehra has sought a CBI inquiry into the death of his 30-year-old son, Anil Kumar, a voluntary teacher.

Govt "defaming" Virbhadra Singh
SHIMLA, May 19 — Three Congress leaders have alleged that information regarding the arrival of CBI officials in the state capital in connection with the charges levelled against them by Mr Virbhadra Singh by Mr Sukh Ram was being intentionally leaked to the press by the state government to sensationalise the matter and defame him.

• Man burns woman to death, held
• 5 killed as bus, truck collide
• Himachal police transfers

Hamirpur Cong men resign en masse
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, May 19 — Congressmen of the district have resigned en mass from their respective posts to express their solidarity with Mrs Sonia Gandhi. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the party here today with Mrs Anita Verma, Vice-President of the state unit of party presiding. Presidents of Hamirpur, Bamsan and Mewa units of the party were also present.

Talking with mediapersons here this afternoon, Mrs Verma urged Mrs Sonia Gandhi to withdraw her resignation in the larger interest of the party and the nation.

Bilaspur: The Himachal Pradesh Congress Seva Dal at a meeting here on Monday urged Mrs Sonia Gandhi to reconsider her resignation and to withdraw it in the interest of the party. It also criticised" the three Congress leaders for playing in the hands of the BJP" and demanded their expulsion.

Malerkotla: Mrs Sajida Begum, General Secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee in a statement here on Wednesday alleged that Mr Sharad Pawar and other Congress leaders have misled countrymen by raising the issue of the foreign origin of Mrs Sonia Gandhi at a time when the Lok Sabha elections are round the corner.

Phagwara: A former Punjab Minister, Mr Joginder Singh Mann, a PPCC executive member, Mr Harjit Singh Parmar, Mr Madan Mohan Bajaj and Mr Shangara Ram Block Congress Committees (urban and rural) Presidents on Tuesday said Mrs Sonia Gandhi should not quit. In a joint statement here they demanded action against Mr Pawar, Mr Sangma and Mr Tariq for raking up the issue of foreign origin of Mrs Gandhi.

Hisar: Mr Verender Narnaund, a Former Irrigation and Power Minister, Haryana, and a senior Congress leader said here on Wednesday that the malicious propaganda through a vicious disinformation campaign against a person who was a member of a Hindu family was aimed to create confusion and divert the attention of the people from negative performance of the BJP government at Centre during the past 13 months.

SHIMLA: Leaders of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee continued to send their request to Mrs Sonia Gandhi to withdraw her resignation from the post of Congress President.

Mr Yogendera Chandra, sitting MLA Mr Harbhajan Singh Bhajje, General Secretary, Mrs Anita Verma, Vice-President, Mr Kuldeep Singh Rathore, Secretary, Mr Vineet Gautam and Mr A.N. Bazwaria criticised Mr Sharad Pawar and the two other senior party leaders for questioning the foreign origin of Mrs Sonia Gandhi.

Engineers oppose hike in
promotion quota
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, May 19 — The Himachal Power Engineers Association has criticised the government's decision to increase the promotion quota of diploma-holder junior engineers from 28 to 32 per cent.

Terming the decision as irrational, it urged the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, not to change recruitment and promotion rules of the state power board which were finalised after taking into consideration the complex technical nature of the board's functioning. Initially, the rules provided 66 per cent quota to graduate engineers and 34 per cent to other categories, including 22 per cent for diploma engineers. However, subsequently under pressure from junior engineers, the quota of diploma engineers was enhanced to 28 per cent.

The promotion quota of graduate engineers was further reduced to 54 per cent to accommodate diploma engineers who passed the AMIE examination.

Consequently, the board was finding difficulty to post graduate assistant engineers to specialised jobs connected with design, maintenance and transmission, generation and operation activities.

It pointed out that the decision would not ease the problem of stagnation but rather create rift between diploma engineers and graduate engineers, which in turn would affect the functioning of the board.

The management of the board should have considered other ways to end stagnation not ignored the acute unemployment problem being faced by graduate engineers. In fact, there was an urgent need to increase the quota of graduate engineers, it said.

Centre's nod for Chamera (stage II)
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, May 19 — The Union Cabinet has accorded its approval to the 300 MW (stage-II) of the Chamera hydroelectric project, under construction on the Ravi in the district. The approval was granted last evening.

Disclosing this here today, Mr S.K. Dodeja, General Manager of the Chamera hydroelectric project, said the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) would undertake the execution of the stage-II which was initially likely to cost about Rs 1700 crore.

Mr Dodeja stated the project would usher in an era of prosperity and put Chamba district on the power map of the country.

He said the second stage of the project would be built on the Ravi as the run-of-the-river scheme with the dam being downstream of the existing Bagga bridge and the power house, 6 km upstream of Chamba town near the Jarangla nullah.

Mr Dodeja said the project comprised a small concrete gravity dam of 39-metre height with four spillways, a circular headrace tunnel with desilting arrangements, a surge shaft 93-metre high and 15.5 metre in diameter and three vertical pressure shafts 210-metre high and 3 metre in diameter.

These shafts would be connected to an underground power house comprising three generating units of 100 MW each, he added.

The project was expected to generate 1500 million units annually on its completion, augmenting the northern grid capacity to meet the power shortage in the region.

Mr Dodeja said it was another major phase of power addition with a lot of development taking place in the Chamba region where local residents, expecting direct and indirect employment and other opportunities, were fast coming to them.

Don't fund Chinese project, WB urged
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, May 19 — Tibetans have requested the World Bank not to finance the Chinese western poverty reduction project, as it would lead to destruction of natural environment of Tibet and exploitation of people.

In an appeal to the President of the World Bank, Mr Jemes Wolfensohn, the President of the National Democratic Party of Tibet, Acharya Yeshi Puntsok, has said that the project to be approved on June 8, is not in the interest of Tibet. He requested the World Bank to withdraw support to the project as it will encourage and facilitate transfer of Chinese population into Tibet. The overpopulation may cause damage to the fragile ecological areas due to construction of dams, hydel projects and industries.

The Acharya said exploitation of minerals in Tibet will be undertaken in the interest of the Chinese government. He added that it will lead to reduction of opportunity for the Tibetans, who are already faced with the problem of inadequate education and health facilities and unemployment due to overpopulation.

The NDPT President said that funding the project would amount to violation of the World Bank's own norms and guidelines, prohibiting projects that would hurt ethnic minority, a group that includes Tibetans.

The International Committee of Lawyers for Tibet, also called upon the World Bank to reconsider its support for the Western poverty reduction project, as it includes the resettlement of over 60,000 non Tibetans in the Tibetan area.

Hazards of biomedical waste stressed
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, May 19 — Mr J.P. Nadda, Himachal Health Minister, has underlined the need to sensitise people, particularly medical fraternity, regarding the harmful effects of hazardous biomedical waste and necessity for its proper disposal.

Inaugurating a two-day workshop on biomedical waste management organised by the state Council for Science and Technology, here yesterday, he said people had the tendency to ignore preventive measures unless they were made aware of the dangers to which individual and society would be exposed due to improper disposal of hazardous waste.

The second most important aspect was to provide adequate training to doctors paramedics who were directly connected with the handling and disposal of waste. In fact, the success of the programme would depend entirely on the level of awareness and training of the staff concerned.

He said Himachal was one of the first states to implement the Biomedical Wastes (handling and disposal) Rules framed by Centre. It had notified not only the state Pollution Control Board as the prescribed authority for the implementation of rules but also set up a committee of experts to advise the government on the matter.

Earlier in her keynote address Mrs Rajwant Sandhu, Secretary, Science and Technology, said mixing of hazardous biomedical waste with general waste provided breeding ground for diseases. To ensure proper disposal of the biomedical waste its segregation was essential.

Besides, now a days syringes, bottles and other used materials were being recycled which was all the more dangerous.

Dr Ravi Aggrawal from Shrishti, a non-government organisation which had developed requisite expertise in the management of hazardous waste, said that 65 per cent of the hospital waste was harmless as the household waste and only 20 to 25 per cent of it was infectious and required special disposal methods. He said surveys had indicated that 20 per cent of the paramodics who handled syringes, needles and scalpels received prick injuries and thus were exposed all the more to infections. This was mainly due to the fact that gloves, proper shoes and other required things were not provided to them.

The state-level workshop will be followed up by workshops at district levels at which master trainers will be imparted training. They will further train the staff concerned.

Under the rules hospitals, nursing home, clinics, research and pathological laboratories, blood banks and slaughter houses and other institutions which generate biomedical waste will have to obtain authorisation from the Pollution Control Board Annually. The board will grant authorisation after ascertaining whether or not the hazardous waste was being handled and disposed of in accordance with the rules.

Cong on verge of split: Shanta
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, May 19 — A former Chief Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, today said the Congress, which was on the verge of a split, had already lost the elections as senior leaders had expressed distrust in Mrs Sonia Gandhi.

Addressing a Press conference here today, he said the Congress had already lost the poll battle, as there were dissensions within the party as to who should be the Prime Minister, in case the party was voted to power. "What is all the more important is the fact that senior Congress leaders have themselves pointed out that national security cannot be put to risk by making Sonia the Prime Minister," he said. He added that the foreign origin of Sonia would be the main election issue.

The BJP leader said perpetuating feudalism and dynastic rule was an indication of political bankruptcy in the Congress, which Mr Sharad Pawar, Mr Sangma and Mr Tariq Anwar had opposed. "A person's standing in politics should be on the basis of his capability and experience and not on dynastic rule," he said.

He said in the constitution of the USA, it had been stated that only a natural born citizen could become the President of the country. A similar amendment to the Indian Constitution was needed.

Mr Shanta Kumar said the people of the country would "punish" the Congress in the coming elections for "instigating" Jayalalitha and bringing about the fall of the Vajpayee government.

Mr Shanta Kumar said the one-vote defeat for the BJP, which led to the fall of the government, would prove to be a blessing in disguise in the elections and Mr Vajpayee would get a "sympathy vote". "We are going to appeal to the people to give the BJP a two-thirds majority so that we can bring about an amendment to the Constitution that the Lok Sabha should complete its five-year term," he stated.

Mr Shanta Kumar said it was an era of coalition governments and the National Democratic Alliance made by the BJP and other parties would provide a stable government.

He felt that no single party would get a majority on its own to form the government and once again India would have a coalition government.

The former Chief Minister said the issue of seat adjustment between the BJP and the HVC was being settled and hoped that they would win all four seats. When asked, he said he was going to contest the elections from the Kangra parliamentary constituency.

Father seeks probe into son's death
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, May 19 — Mr Karnail Singh of Jakhuni village, near Dehra has sought a CBI inquiry into the death of his 30-year-old son, Anil Kumar, a voluntary teacher.

The deceased, who is survived by his wife and six-month-old daughter, was killed on November 23, 1998. His father alleged that his son was murdered as a result of a pre-planned conspiracy. Certain persons had threatened Anil's sister and his wife that they would kill him, and despite this the police had closed the file relating to his death, considering it to be a case of accidental death.

Mr Karnail Singh, alleged that the culprits behind the murder had committed the crime after pre-planning it and then tried to destroy the evidence to make it appear as a case of accident. "The sequence of events and the evidences clearly indicate that it was not an accidental death, as made out by police", he lamented.

He said his son was murdered near a bridge close to Nari village, and this was not the normal route taken by his son to reach home. Moreover, he alleged that blood stains were found at a place much before the site where the body was found and the scooter, which was supposed to have hit the pole, did not have broken headlights or any other dent.

Mr Karnail Singh regretted that despite his request to the Chief Minister, the police was not investigating all aspects of the case. He wanted that the case should be handed over to the CBI for a thorough and independent inquiry. He alleged that the police was not probing the case due to some political pressure.

Govt "defaming" Virbhadra Singh
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, May 19 — Three Congress leaders have alleged that information regarding the arrival of CBI officials in the state capital in connection with the charges levelled against them by Mr Virbhadra Singh by Mr Sukh Ram was being intentionally leaked to the press by the state government to sensationalise the matter and defame him.

In a statement here yesterday Mr Kashmir Singh and Mr Tek Chand, both legislators and M Ajay Bahadur, ex-MLA, said it was known that the CBI inquiry was of very preliminary nature to establish if prima facie any case could be made at all. However, impression was being sought to be created as if the CBI had already registered a case and was investigating it.

They denounced the leakage and campaign of distortion and vilification launched by the state government to tarnish the image of their leader.

The people of Himachal were aware that the so-called allegations against Mr Virbhadra Singh were false and politically motivated and had been levelled by those who themselves were embodiment of corruption and facing criminal charges in courts of law. It was unfortunate that "we have a Chief Minister" in the state today who had lost all sense of justice and fair play and succumbed to political blackmail to remain in power they added.

Himachal police transfers
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, May 19 — Mr Rakesh Aggrawal SP Vigilance, will be the new district police chief of Solan.

He replaces Mr M.L. Negi, who has been promoted and posted as DIG, Lok Ayukta, Mr S.R. Sharma, SP, Lok Ayukta, has been posted as SP, Enforcement, and Mr G.C. Kaushal takes over as SP. Police Headquaters.

The services of Mr Sohan Singh, IG Railway and Traffic, have been placed at the disposal of the Oil and Natural Gas Commission. Mr N.C.Joshi, IG, Law and Order, will hold additional charge of IG, Railway and Traffic.

Mr Mohinder Singh, DSP, Leave Reserve, Chamba, and Mr Sarju Ram, Subdivisional Police Officer, Palampur, swap places.

Mr D.R. Sood, DSP, Police Headquarters, takes over as subdivisional Police Officer, Sarkaghat, and Mr Padam, DSP, First Armed Battalion goes as DSP, Salooni.

Man burns woman to death, held
From Our Correspondent

NURPUR, May 19 — Bholli Devi (26) of Bhalod village was allegedly set on fire by Ramesh Chand of Kajholi village on Monday night.

In her dying declaration to the police, she said her family had been living in the fields of Ramesh to whom they were paying monthly rent. On Monday night, when her husband was not at home, the accused entered her jhuggi and demanded the rent. She told him she was unable to pay the rent, upon which he allegedly sprinkled kerosene on her and set her on fire.

The Haripur police has registered a case under Sections 302 and 307 of the IPC against the accused who was arrested yesterday.

5 killed as bus, truck collide
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, May 19 — Five persons were killed and three seriously injured in a head-on collision between a private bus and a truck, near Damtal, close to Nurpur, today.

According to the information, the deceased includes labourer, working at stone crusher from where the truck was coming. The private bus was on its way to Palampur from Pathankot.

The Rajasthan truck was loaded with grit, on top of which the labourers were sitting. It is learnt that after the collision, the truck overturned, crushing labourers to death. while five of them died on the spot, three seriously injured have been admitted to the hospital, at Pathankot. The names of the deceased could not be known.