Tourist drowned in Beas
MANALI, Nov 2 — Kireet Bhai (43), a tourist from Baroda (Gujarat), was drowned in the Beas here last evening.

Power cuts hit hospital work
SHIMLA, Nov 2 — Functioning in hospitals has been badly affected due to the two-hour electricity cut imposed by the HPSEB in the state.

• Phytochemical body office-bearers
• Additional charge for minister

VHP seeks ban on conversions

SHIMLA, Nov 2 (PTI) — The Himachal Pradesh unit of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has demanded a complete ban on conversion by Christian missionaries and urged the Pope to publicly announce that Christianity was not the sole path for attainment of salvation.

In a memorandum addressed to the state Governor V.S. Rama Devi, the VHP alleged that the conversion were affecting the polity of India and separatism and terrorism was on the increase in the Christian dominated north-eastern states.

It urged the Pope to apologise for the alleged atrocities committed by Catholic missionaries in Goa, 400 years ago as he had done in the case of South America.

The memorandum alleged that the missionaries were exploiting the poverty, ignorance and innocence of the tribesmen and converting them to Christianity.

It demanded a legal ban on conversions and complete stop to inflow of foreign funds, being used for conversion.

Later addressing a press conference, joint convener of the Sanskrit Rakasha Manch (Forum for Protection of Culture) Maj Gen Anant Kumar Gupta said that the VHP and other organisations were not opposed to the visit of the Pope or Christianity but were against the philosophy propagated by the church that Christianity was the only path for salvation.

He said this fundamentalist approach of the Church, which had blessing of the Pope was responsible for desecration of Hindu gods and goddesses and conversion of poor, hungry, uneducated and innocent people, especially the tribesmen through dubious means.

He said the Pope was an honoured state guest and he should refrain from addressing the Asian conference of arch bishops as it was purely a religious function.

HVC announces nominee for Solan seat
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 2 — The Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC) and the BJP seemed to be heading for a confrontation today with the HVC announcing the candidature of Mr Haminder Thakur for the byelection to the Solan Assembly seat without consulting its alliance partner.

The Solan seat has fallen vacant following the unseating of the Congress MLA, Ms Krishna Mohini.

The decision was taken unanimously at a meeting of the executive committee of the HVC here today.

It was learnt that most of the executive members wanted that the BJP should let the HVC contest the seat as the party had earlier agreed to the BJP contesting the Baijnath Assembly byelection.

The HVC chief, Mr Sukh Ram, was understood to have told the executive members that he would discuss the issue with the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal.

Sources said several members were of the opinion that the party should field its candidate even if the BJP decided to contest it. A "friendly match" should be held, if the latter did not relent.

This was being considered an effort of the HVC to increase its strength in the Assembly as Mr Sukh Ram’s clout with the BJP-led government has been on the wane.

Mr Sukh Ram reportedly told the members that a review petition had been filed before the Speaker of the Assembly on his ruling confirming the two ministers, Mr Mansa Ram and Mr Prakash Chaudhary, who had contested the election on the HVC symbol, as members of the BJP.

The two had contested the election as HVC candidates and were later persuaded to join the BJP by Mr Sukh Ram as part of his strategy to prevent Mr Virbhadra Singh from forming a Congress government in the state.

Mr Sukh Ram clarified that he had pleaded with the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to include someone from the HVC in his ministry as he had done in case of various smaller parties.

He was also learnt to have clarified that he had not sought deputy chief ministership.

The PWD Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh, made it clear that there was no question of his joining the BJP and such reports were baseless. There was no truth in reports that the HVC was disintegrating, he said.

Notice must before ‘disconnecting’ phone
From Our Correspondent

SUNDERNAGAR, Nov 2 — In a significant judgement the Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Mandi division, headed by Mr T.N. Vaidy, has ruled that a seven-day notice is mandatory before disconnecting a PCO telephone. The Forum further directed the Telecommunication Department to pay Rs 2,000 as compensation and Rs 500 as costs for wrongful disconnection of the PCO telephone and to restore the telephone connection within seven days.

The complaint was filed by Mrs Kanta Devi, resident of Pandoh and owner of the PCO against the department the Junior Telecom Officer Pandoh. It was alleged in the complaint that the department had disconnected the PCO illegally, as she had paid all bills pertaining to the PCO.

The complainant had two telephones in her name, one was a private whereas the other was that of the PCO. The complainant received an inflated bill pertaining to her private telephone, which was later disconnected for non-payment of the bill. On August 19, the PCO telephone was disconnected. On confirmation it was revealed by the department that the PCO was disconnected on account of the non-payment of the bill of the private number.

The contention of the department was that it could disconnect the PCO without serving any notice. On the other hand, it was alleged by the complainant that a seven-day notice was mandatory. The forum accepted the plea of the counsel of the complainant.

The general secretary of the PCO Holder Association welcomed the decision of the Forum.

2 Himachal ministers join BJP
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, Nov 2 — Himachal Pradesh Food and Supplies Minister Mansa Ram has set at rest the claims of the HVC that he and Mr Prakash Chaudhary, Minister of State for Animal Husbandry were "internally" with the HVC. "We have now finally been admitted to the BJP and Mr Dhumal is our leader," he said.

He said the credit of the recent victory of the BJP-HVC went to Mr Vajpayee and Mr Dhumal.

Mr Mansa Ram, talking to mediapersons expressed his unhappiness with the HVC supremo Mr Sukh Ram for placing him eighth when the BJP-HVC ministry was formed, ignoring the fact that he had remained a minister in 1972.

Replying to a question, he said his loyalty was for the backward people of Karsog which was endowed with vast tourism potential and lime deposits. He said he would leave no stone unturned for the development of Karsog. A plan had already been drawn up for the development of hot water springs of Tatapani.

Mr Mansa Ram, who also holds the portfolio of the Welfare Department, said the government was implementing a plan for the welfare of the weaker sections, the aged widows and lepers. A sum of Rs 4.43 crore would be spent in Mandi district alone for the purpose. Another Rs 1.51 crore would be disbursed as pension to widows in the district while about Rs 16 lakh would be given to the aged above 60 years with annual income of Rs 6,000 or less.

Tourist drowned in Beas
From Our Correspondent

MANALI, Nov 2 — Kireet Bhai (43), a tourist from Baroda (Gujarat), was drowned in the Beas here last evening.

According to eyewitnesses, he slipped on a rock while taking photographs of his family members along the river bank. Local residents and fire brigade personnel fished out the body after half an hour of search.

Past records show that each year a few mishaps have occurred. The Beas attracts domestic and foreign visitors who visit its banks to take photographs. Little do they realise the gravity of the situation as the rocks alongside the Beas are extremely slippery.

The authorities concerned should put up large warning signs on selected tourist spots along the river so that these act as a deterrent for the tourists.

Power cuts hit hospital work
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 2 — Functioning in hospitals has been badly affected due to the two-hour electricity cut imposed by the HPSEB in the state.

Although the HPSEB had announced that hospitals and other essential services will be exempt from the cut between 6.30 am to 8.30 am, but reports indicated that hospitals remained without power.

Employees of Kamla Nehru Hospital here have said that operations were being delayed due to the power shutdown.

Parents have pointed out that their school-going children were suffering because of the non-availability of power in the morning when they have to prepare for the school.

This is perhaps for the first time that the HPSEB has resorted to a statewide power cut. It is being alleged that the saved energy was being sold to the neighbouring states to raise funds for the financially-starved Himachal Pradesh. However, the authorities have denied this and have claimed that the generation has fallen due to lesser water in rivers.

Phytochemical body office-bearers
From Our Correspondent

KULU, Nov 2 — The following have been elected office-bearers of the Himalayan Phytochemical Association of Himachal Pradesh: Patron — Dr P.S. Ahuja and Mr B.L. Butel; President — Mr Surender Mohan; General Secretary — Dr R.P. Sood; Vice-President — Dr V.K. Kaul; Honorary Secretary — Mr Manish Kapoor; and Treasurer — Mr K.B. Butel.

Five executive members were also elected. They are Mr Manoj Nayer, Mr Govind Ram, Dr Vimal Sharma, Mr Vijay Sharma and Mr Deepak Kumar.

Additional charge for minister
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 2 — The Minister of State for Youth and Sports, Mr Parveen Sharma, in addition to his own portfolio, has been attached to the Chief Minister in the General Administer Department (GAD) to handle representations of the people.