H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Indo-Tibet road in HP spotlight
SHIMLA, Jan 5 — An important trade route between the British India and Tibet, which slashes its way through some of the most charming landscapes and valleys, will be in the spotlight during the millennium 2000 celebrations in Himachal Pradesh.

Cement plants are hazards: Sukh Ram
MANDI, Jan 5 — The Himachal Vikas Congress President, Mr Sukh Ram, today reiterated his opposition to the setting up of cement plants in the State. He added that only pollution-free industry should be encouraged.

"Kaal Khand" released
SHIMLA, Jan 5 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, the Chief Minister released "Kaal Khand" claimed to be the biggest epic novel of the century, authored by Mr P.C. Katoch, a renowned Himachali writer, here today.

Minor's rape: 3 students held
KANGRA, Jan 5 — A class VII girl of Chiglikothi village near Samerh under Nagrota Bagwan police post was allegedly gang raped by three students of the same village, one of them minor, on December 29. A case was registered on January 3, the police said here today.

Dhumal sanctions 12 lakh for Orissa
SHIMLA, Jan 5 — The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, today sanctioned Rs 12 lakh out of the Chief Minister’s relief fund for providing GI sheets to the cyclone affected people of Orissa. These sheets would be sent through the Himachal Pradesh Civil Supplies Corporation.

Display of Chamera oustees list sought
CHAMBA, Jan 5 — The Chamera Oustees Welfare Committee has demanded that the district authorities display the list of outstanding 192 oustees of the Chamera project on the public notice board so that there may not be any doubt about it.

Housing board working reviewed
SHIMLA, Jan 5 — The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, has stressed the need of planned development of new townships being constructed by state housing board to remove congestion.

HP lawyer is senior standing counsel
SHIMLA, Jan 5 — Mr K.S. Patyal, a leading advocate of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, has been appointed senior standing counsel of the Central Government.

Indo-Tibet road in HP spotlight

SHIMLA, Jan 5 (UNI) — An important trade route between the British India and Tibet, which slashes its way through some of the most charming landscapes and valleys, will be in the spotlight during the millennium 2000 celebrations in Himachal Pradesh.

The state government proposes to arrange safari tours, treks and special helicopter flights to different points on the 150-year-old road, state Tourism and Civil Aviation Director Balram Sharma told UNI here.

Different programmes to depict the culture of different areas located on the road and quiz and essay-writing competitions were also part of the state government’s millennium celebration plans, he added.

The work on the road was started by the British in 1890 and it was the most important communication link between India and Tibet, besides being strategic from defence point of view.

Originally a mule road, it has been converted into a motor road with minor changes on its alignment at some places.

Mr Sharma said as part of the millennium celebrations, the state government would put up an exhibition at Shimla, depicting its history of growth during the past two centuries, and organise heritage walks to buildings that were more than 100 years old. A food festival would also be organised, he added.

Kayaking and canoeing competitions at the Maharana Pratap Sagar, the second National Winter Games at the Solang nullah in Manali would be held in February, a Shivratri fair at Mandi, summer festivals at Shimla, Dharamsala and Dalhousie, river rafting at Tatapani and Manali, Mani Mahesh "yatra" and Minjar Fair at Chamba were among other programmes the government proposed to organise.

Cement plants are hazards: Sukh Ram
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, Jan 5 — The Himachal Vikas Congress President, Mr Sukh Ram, today reiterated his opposition to the setting up of cement plants in the State. He added that only pollution-free industry should be encouraged.

Addressing mediapersons at his son's hotel here this evening, he expressed his anguish over dust pollution caused by the existing cement plants at Barmana and Darlaghat. He said the permission for felling trees had been manipulated by the cement companies from the Centre.

He said drinking and irrigation water near Darlaghat had been affected by the cement plant.

The clinker worth over Rs 100 crore was being taken to places outside Himachal causing a net loss to the State. The hill tops were being damaged. Cement was costlier in the State as compared to the neighbouring States. The State was also being deprived of revenue as these companies had succeeded in getting tax and power tariff concessions amounting to another Rs 100 crore.

Mr Sukh Ram said hundreds of trucks carrying cement had affected tourist traffic.

Mr Sukh Ram said despite refusal by the Ministry of Environment for setting up a cement plant near Sundernagar, certain vested interests were pressurising the government to get the green signal for it.

He said his party would favour that NGOs of the State should be given pay scales and allowances on the Punjab pattern which had been agreed upon with them.

"Kaal Khand" released
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Jan 5 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, the Chief Minister released "Kaal Khand" claimed to be the biggest epic novel of the century, authored by Mr P.C. Katoch, a renowned Himachali writer, here today.

Published in five volumes containing about 2500 pages, it is the biggest novel after the famous "Chandrakanta Santati". The author has with the help of as many as 1250 characters, including 250 main ones, mirrored the social, cultural, economic and political life of the country, particularly northern India, covering the past 200 years.

Mr Dhumal lauded the effort of the author in coming out with such a monumental work, the literary worth of which would be truly evaluated by only the posterity. He said it was hardly surprising that Mr Katoch's unending search for an "ideal" man had resulted in this epic work. In fact, the "ideal" could never be achieved, but "we" must keep striving for it.

Mr P.C. Katoch, the author, said that even after writing this voluminous book his quest for a "complete" and "ideal" human being, who respected the God and his creations, had remained incomplete. He said the fall and ultimate destruction of Katoch dynasty, which ruled Kangra, had motivated him to write the novel.

A number of Hindi writers Prof Harmendra Bedi, Prof Naresh Misra and Dr Avinash Sharma said the novel indeed was the greatest work of the 20th century.

Minor's rape: 3 students held
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Jan 5 — A class VII girl of Chiglikothi village near Samerh under Nagrota Bagwan police post was allegedly gang raped by three students of the same village, one of them minor, on December 29. A case was registered on January 3, the police said here today.

According to the SHO Kangra, under whom the Nagrota Bagwan police post falls, a minor had gone to Chiglikothi forests for grazing the sheep where she was accosted by three boys of the same village. They took her to a nearby nullah and raped her.

He said the accused were identified as Vikas, 14 a class VII student. His brother Madan, 18, class X student and their paternal uncle Nek Raj 18, a class IX student. They have been arrested, the police said.

A case under Sections 376 and 34 of the IPC has been registered after the medical report confirmed the rape of the minor. The delay in registering the case was said to be because of the local panchayat.

Dhumal sanctions 12 lakh for Orissa
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Jan 5 — The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, today sanctioned Rs 12 lakh out of the Chief Minister’s relief fund for providing GI sheets to the cyclone affected people of Orissa. These sheets would be sent through the Himachal Pradesh Civil Supplies Corporation.

This is in addtion to Rs 10 lakh assistance already provided by the state government for relief work.

Besides this, various voluntary organisations of the state are also providing financial assistance to the people. Ten trucks carrying blankets, medicines and other essential items had already been sent for cyclone victims.

Display of Chamera oustees list sought
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, Jan 5 — The Chamera Oustees Welfare Committee has demanded that the district authorities display the list of outstanding 192 oustees of the Chamera project on the public notice board so that there may not be any doubt about it.

Speaking to reporters here today, Madan Rawat, Chairman of the committee, warned that anomalies in the oustees list would not be brooked and added that if any anomaly was created, the committee would strongly oppose it.

Mr Rawat said their indefinite dharna today entered the ninth day and would continue till their demands were accepted by the state government.

He said the committee had also drawn a new line of action such as gheraoing ministers, legislators and project authorities and blocking the traffic of the Chamera project.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner of Chamba, Mr K. Sanjay-murthy, stated that the state government was aware of their demands and the district administration had also conveyed these to the government.

Housing board working reviewed
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Jan 5 — The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, has stressed the need of planned development of new townships being constructed by state housing board to remove congestion.

The Chief Minister, who was reviewing the working of the H.P. Housing Board here today, said proper infrastructure should be provided keeping in view the topography of the area.

Mr Dhumal was informed that 293 houses had been completed under the Social Housing Scheme last year at Shogi and Baddi against the target of 323. Under the Police Housing Scheme, 600 houses had been completed and remaining 300 would be completed by June, 2000. Besides, work on the Rs 60 crore housing colony at Basal in Solan district was being taken up and a loan of Rs 50 crore had been sanctioned for it by the National Housing Board.

Mr Roop Dass Kashyap, Minister of State for Urban Development, informed about the activities of the board and works being undertaken at various places.

HP lawyer is senior standing counsel
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Jan 5 — Mr K.S. Patyal, a leading advocate of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, has been appointed senior standing counsel of the Central Government.

Mr Patyal has been Professor of International Law of Arbitration and Conciliation in HP University. He started legal practice at Bilaspur in 1958.

Mr Patyal has also worked as Additional Advocate-General of the state.