Cong men upset with PCC report
SHIMLA, Oct 23 — A section of the Congress is upset over the report of the PCC which has tried to project the HVC leader, Mr Sukh Ram, as the wrecker of the Congress in Himachal Pradesh in the recent Lok Sabha elections.



Dhumal dedicates bridge to people
HAMIRPUR, Oct 23 — Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today dedicated to the people a bridge over a khud near Bhota Kaswa of the district on Hamirpur-Shimla highways.

Palampur cries for byepass
PALAMPUR: The traffic situation in this important town of Himachal Pradesh has gone from bad to worse as the Public Works Department has failed to make the byepass operational. In the absence of any byepass, the narrow Mandi-Pathankot national highway passing through the town has become a major traffic hazard.

One dead in group clash
DHARAMSALA, Oct 23 — A 25-year old local businessman, who was seriously injured in a clash between a group of pilgrims and some members of a marriage party in the Gupt Ganga locality of Kangra last night, succumbed to his injuries in a hospital.

Cong men upset with PCC report
From S. P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 23 — A section of the Congress is upset over the report of the PCC which has tried to project the HVC leader, Mr Sukh Ram, as the wrecker of the Congress in Himachal Pradesh in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

The report on the election results of the four Lok Sabha seats of the state is learnt to have been sent to the AICC by the PCC chief, Mr Sat Mahajan, in which Mr Sukh Ram has been described as a "phenomenon" particularly in the Mandi constituency which covers the districts of Mandi, Kulu, Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur and parts of Chamba and Shimla districts.

The report has "hurt" the supporters of the CLP leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh, who suspect "mischief" in its contents they point out that the report was altogether contrary to the stand being taken by Mr Virbhadra Singh on the causes of the debacle of the party.

They claim that hardly a couple of hours after the senior leaders pledged to sink their differences at a meeting of the general house of the PCC here on Thursday the fresh controversy has been raked up by the Sat Mahajan camp which has always been soft towards Mr Sukh Ram.

They alleged that by making Mr Sukh Ram a hero the Mahajan group has betrayed Mr Virbhadra Singh who seriously campaingned for Mr Mahajan for several days in the Kangra constituency.

Mr Virbhadra Singh has so far been claiming that Mr Sukh Ram has become "irrelevent" in the political scenario of the state, but the PCC report is contrary to that. Moreover, it is learnt the report was not even discussed with Mr Virbhadra Singh before being despatched to the party high command.

Interestingly, the controversy has come only a day before the Congress leaders of the state are scheduled to meet the party bosses at Delhi to discuss the causes of the debacle. The PCC office-bearers, legislators and other leaders have been summoned to Delhi tomorrow for the meeting.

Although the PCC has reportedly mentioned that Mr Sukh Ram was not only a "factor" but a "phenomenon" in the Mandi areas the other camp has taken a serious view of this. They allege that Mr Mahajan has been trying to get Mr Sukh Ram back in the Congress by revoking his expulsion. They also point out that Mr Mahajan and his supporters had backed Mr Sukh Ram during a trial of strength with Mr Virbhadra Singh in 1993 in which the former lost and Mr Virbhadra Singh became the Chief Minister.

Dhumal dedicates bridge to people

HAMIRPUR, Oct 23 (UNI) — Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today dedicated to the people a bridge over a khud near Bhota Kaswa of the district on Hamirpur-Shimla highways. A sum of Rs 77 lakh had been spent on the construction of the bridge and it would help smooth flow of traffic on the highway.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion, the Chief Minister said road communication played a vital role in the development of any area and all efforts would be made to link all parts of the state with kutcha or pacca roads.

He said his government was according top priority to the maintenance of old roads.

The Chief Minister announced that a horticultural research station would be set up at Bhota shortly. He said while offices of the station would be located at Bhota, the research work would be carried out at Neri village in the district.

The proposed research station will cater to the needs of the people of Hamirpur, Una, Bilaspur and Mandi districts and moreover, give a fillip to the horticulture activities in the lower hills areas of the state.

Mr Dhumal said the state was one of the few states in the country where literacy percentage was quite high and Hamirpur district was leading in this respect.

The Education Minister, Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman, said the recent mandate given by the people to the BJP was indicative of their response to the policies of the government led by Mr Dhumal.

The Public Works Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh, said the Union Government had sanctioned four national highways for the state during the last one-and-a-half years and it was a major achievement for any government.

He also announced that lights would be installed at the new bridge at Bhota.

DFO intervenes to save trees
From Chander Shekhar Sharma

DEOTSIDH (Hamirpur), Oct 23 — The Dhar Sidh forest of Hamirpur district located here, which is known for its beautiful and huge pine trees, is facing imminent danger from rulers of the day. If no timely steps are taken to save this hillock from being converted into a plain area, the existence of the world famous Baba Balak Nath Temple will be in danger.

The cave of Babaji which had received cracks due to blasting operations done on this hillocks and that had been repaired at a cost of about Rs 13 lakh would again face the same sorry fate if the decision by the temple authorities in connivance with the district administration of Hamirpur and local ruling party leaders to have a taxi stand on this beautiful hillock comes into being.

The Department of Forests reported to have taken serious note of the digging work which has been undertaken for setting up a taxi stand in the demarcated protected forest area of the hillock. It has prevented the temple management and the contractor concerned from doing further digging work in the area with clear instructions that if they continue their activities, the Department of Forests will be compelled to launch legal proceedings against them under the provisions of the Indian Forest Act.

Under the Indian Forest Act and the Indian Forest Conservation Act, no forest land can be used for non-forest purposes without the approval of the Union Ministry of Environment. But in this case, the temple authorities started the digging work on their own and without informing the Department of Forests.

The DFO, Hamirpur, is reported to have taken a serious note of the way the temple authorities are trying to change the shape of the Dhar Sidh forest. The temple authorities kept quiet when this reporter sought their views about the digging of land for the taxi stand in the Dhar Sidh forest near Baba Balak Nath Temple.

Mr P.K. Sharma, DFO, Himarpur, said he was seized of the matter and no further digging operation would be allowed till a final clearance was obtained from the Union Environment Ministry.

Local people say that some ruling party politicians with their muscle power are trying to take complete control of the temple. According to them, there is ample space available on the Deotsidh-Talai road, where a new bus stand has been constructed for parking of taxis there. They say the sanctity of the temple should be maintained and no unauthorised work that my harm the Baba's cave and the basic structure of the Dhar Sidh forest should be started. They want that the taxi stand should be located next to the main bus stand complex.

Palampur cries for byepass
From Ravinder Sood

PALAMPUR: The traffic situation in this important town of Himachal Pradesh has gone from bad to worse as the Public Works Department has failed to make the byepass operational. In the absence of any byepass, the narrow Mandi-Pathankot national highway passing through the town has become a major traffic hazard.

There has been a big increase in the number of vehicles in the town but the width of most of the roads is the same as it was 20 years ago. In the peak hours particularly in the morning and evening, there is always a traffic jam in many parts of the town. The byepass for this town has been under construction for the past 10 years. Despite public pressure the Public Works Department has failed to complete it for reasons best known to it.

Palampur town has witnessed all-round development in the past few years. The population of the town has gone up from 5000 to 30000. Many new housing colonies have come up in and outside the town but the state government has failed town initiate any plans for the development of this roads. No efforts were made for the widening of roads and for the construction of parking places. Rather the old parking places are being converted into new markets causing lot of inconvenience. At present it has become difficult ever to move in the narrow markets of the town. Many times pedestrians are hit by vehicles.

It is a sad state of affairs that lakh of rupees have been spent on the two proposed byepasses for the town in the past 20 years but to no avail. Senior leaders of the BJP as well as the Congress hail from this town. But none of them has bothered to solve the traffic problems of this town. The road pattern of this town suffers from inadequate and irregular road width. The condition of most of the roads is deplorable. There is a general complaint that the roads are not repaired in accordance with the specification laid down, which result in early damage.

There is no parking place for vehicles in the town causing harassment to tourists and others who visit the town. Many times the vehicles are challaned and impounded by the police for "wrong parking" as the administration has not specified any parking place in the town. In such a situation the traffic police finds a free hand to harass vehicle owners.

Though there is a Municipal Council in the town but it has been facing a lot of difficulties in handling the situation in the absence of adequate funds. In the past no additional funds were allocated to the council for the construction of parking places in the town. Thakur Balwant Singh, President of the Municipal Council, says over 100 vehicles are added in the town every month. It is not possible for the council to provide a parking place without any financial assistance from the state government.

It is alleged that the political parties who have ruled the state in the past have completely ignored the development of this town. A major portion of the budget has always been spent in the rural areas. It is an irony of fate that 80 per cent of the town is still outside the municipal limits crying for the necessities like street lights, metalled roads and cleanliness. No efforts were made to extend the municipal limits of the town in the past 10 years.

One dead in group clash

DHARAMSALA, Oct 23 (UNI) — A 25-year old local businessman, who was seriously injured in a clash between a group of pilgrims and some members of a marriage party in the Gupt Ganga locality of Kangra last night, succumbed to his injuries in a hospital.

Additional Superintendent of Police Ram Lal said brickbats and stones were used in the clash.

He said the victim was a member of the marriage party. No arrests have been made so far.