H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

BJP split over Solan seat
SOLAN, Jan 23 — The delay in finalisation of its candidate by the BJP high command for the byelection for the Solan assembly seat has caused anxiety among the party workers. The ruling BJP activists are also worried over groupism in the top leadership which has surfaced in the selection of the candidate.

Drive to popularise ‘harad’ launched
CHAMBA, Jan 23 — Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, has launched a special campaign to popularise terminalia chebula (local name ‘harad’), a medicinal fruit, in the state since the climate in the low-lying zones is conducive to its production.

Dharamsala telecom dist is at bottom
HAMIRPUR, Jan 23 — Dharamsala telecom district of the Himachal telecom circle lists at the bottom in terms of telephones per thousand population. There are only 30.5 telephones per thousand population in the district, that has 118 telephone exchanges.

Snow leopard to be sent to Darjeeling
SHIMLA, Jan 23 — Having failed to find a mate for one-and-a-half-year-old Rozy, the state Forest Department is planning to send the rare snow leopard to Padmja Naidu Zoological Park at Darjeeling.

Govt firm bypassed ‘to help’ VIP kin
SUNDERNAGAR, Jan 23 — The Irrigation and Public Health Division, Sundernagar has awarded a contract for digging tubewells to a contractor, allegedly the relative of a minister without obtaining a ‘No Objection’ certificate from the I & P.H. Tubewell Division at Gagret, District Una.

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BJP split over Solan seat
From S.P.Sharma
Tribune News Service

SOLAN, Jan 23 — The delay in finalisation of its candidate by the BJP high command for the byelection for the Solan assembly seat has caused anxiety among the party workers.

The ruling BJP activists are also worried over groupism in the top leadership which has surfaced in the selection of the candidate.

While the opposition Congress has already started its election campaign with Ms Krishna Mohini having again been given the ticket, the BJP is plagued by intense infighting. It is learnt that the BJP high command has postponed finalisation of the party candidate because of intense lobbying by supporters by Chief Minister, P.K. Dhumal and union minister Shanta Kumar.

The Dhumal camp is reportedly supporting the candidature of Mr Rajeev Bindal, President of the local municipal committee and Mr Shanta Kumar is in favour of Mr Mohinder Nath Sofat, who has represented the constituency during his regime and lost the last election with a thin margin of just 26 votes.

Interestingly, Mr Suresh Chandel, state BJP chief, who had so far remained with Mr Dhumal, is reported to have suddenly jumped to the Shanta Kumar camp and is pleading the case of Mr Sofat. Sources claim that the sudden shift in the stand of Mr Chandel is because of reports that the Dhumal camp might support Mr Maheshwar Singh, a Rajya Sabha MP, for the post of the state party chief in the organisational elections scheduled to be held later this year.

Leaders of both factions are camping at Delhi, seeking the party ticket for their respective candidates. Mr Dhumal had also flown to Delhi in the middle of his Kangra tour and returned after two days with the high command deferring the choice of the candidate and asking both groups to sink their differences.

BJP activists are also worried over the decision of their coalition partner demanding the seat for the HVC. The party has already named Mr Haminder Thakur as its candidate. Mr Thakur bagged about 10,000 votes in the last election when he contested independently.

However, the HVC has set up a committee to finally settle the issue with the BJP leadership.

Meanwhile, it is being alleged that the Chief Minister has violated the model code by having laid the foundation stone of a bridge near here after the byelection was announced. The fate of the report on the issue sought by the Election Commission is not known.

Alleged enrolment of "fake" voters by the ruling BJP is another issue with Congress leaders alleging that about 7000 "fake"voters have been enrolled during the past about three months.

They claim that never before has the increase in voters been so steep. The number of voters in the constituency during the assembly elections in 1998 was 55,723 which has risen to 62,030 after revision of the electoral rolls on January 7 this year.

Drive to popularise ‘harad’ launched
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, Jan 23 — Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, has launched a special campaign to popularise terminalia chebula (local name ‘harad’), a medicinal fruit, in the state since the climate in the low-lying zones is conducive to its production.

Speaking to reporters here on Friday, Mr R.P. Awasthy, Vice-Chancellor of the university, said experts of the university had grafted about 1,000 saplings of unique varieties of harad onto other plants at Jachh in Kangra district.

Mr Awasthy said the university had set a target of grafting 10,000 saplings by the next fiscal year. He said the university would distribute these plants among farmers in the state in a phased manner.

He said the major thrust of the university was to carry out research on plants, flowers and vegetables which were locally required so that farmers did not face any problem in their marketing.

He said though there was complete control on scab, an apple disease yet there was a need to educate orchardists on scientific management for which, he said the university's research sub-stations were rendering an important job.

Mr Awasthy said the Centre had launched an ambitious project — Agriculture Technology Information Centre in the country during the current financial year to boost yield in the field of agriculture and horticulture. The university had received Rs 1 crore under the project, he added.

Dharamsala telecom dist is at bottom
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Jan 23 — Dharamsala telecom district of the Himachal telecom circle lists at the bottom in terms of telephones per thousand population. There are only 30.5 telephones per thousand population in the district, that has 118 telephone exchanges. There are only 45 telephones per thousand population in the whole of Himachal Pradesh having a population of 51.7 lakh as per 1991 census.

There are 47,845 working connections in the Dharamsala telecom district, whereas the working capacity of the lines is 60,292.

The total number of telephone exchanges in the state is 651 with Shimla district topping with 154 exchanges followed by Hamirpur with 119 exchanges. There are 118 telephone exchanges in the telephone district of Dharamsala, 115 in Solan, 107 in Mandi and 38 in Kulu telecom district, respectively.

Information gathered by this reporter reveals that Shimla telecom district tops the list with 80.9 telephones per thousand population. This area has 154 telephone exchanges and 58,240 working connections. The total capacity of the lines in the exchange stands at 69,794.

Solan telecom district is second with 52 telephones per thousand population. The district has 39,629 working connections and the total capacity of lines is 49,970. Kulu district has 48.2 telephones per thousand population and the total number of working connections is 14,586.

Mandi telecom district has 40.1 telephones per 1,000 population and 31,140 working connections. There are 40,692 telephone lines in this telecom district. Hamirpur district has 39.6 telephones per thousand population and 41,265 working connections and the total number of lines in the district stands at 54,368.

The waiting list of telephone connections in the state stands at 45,497, with Dharamsala district topping with the waiting list of 14,707. Next comes Hamirpur with 12,155, Shimla 7505, Solan 5876, Mandi 4417 and Kulu 1137 person on waiting lists. The Department of Telecommunications proposes to release 43,000 new connections by the end of March 31, 2000.

Snow leopard to be sent to Darjeeling
From Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Jan 23 — Having failed to find a mate for one-and-a-half-year-old Rozy, the state Forest Department is planning to send the rare snow leopard to Padmja Naidu Zoological Park at Darjeeling.

Found as a month-old cub in the cold desert of Lahaul and Spiti, the animal has been in captivity far away from its natural habitat at the Himalayan Nature Park, Kufri, near here, ever since. The wildlife wing of the department had been looking for a suitable mate to end its isolation all this while. However, the search proved futile as the two snow leopards in Jammu and Kashmir, the only other state where the endangered species is still found, turned out to be females.

Hopes of finding a mate were raised when the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) informed the state that snow leopards were available at Padmja Naidu Park in Darjeeling where the animal had been successfully bred in captivity.

The authorities of the park made a proposal to give a pair of snow leopards in exchange for Rozy. The arrangement will not only end the isolation of Rozy but also solve the problem of inbreeding at the park.

The CZA has already granted its mandatory approval to the proposal which it felt would serve the interest of both the animal and the park. The state wildlife authorities, however, have their reservations, though they are bound to follow the directions of the CZA. Climatic conditions at Darjeeling are very different from those in Himachal and may not be suitable for the animal, they point out.

The natural habitat of Rozy has been the cold desert, whereas the climate at Darjeeling is very wet and comparably quite hot. It took quite some time for the animal, which is found along the snowline at an altitude of 9,000 ft to 11,000 ft to acclimatise at the Kufri park which is not as cold as the desert of Lahaul-Spiti. After initial problems, the animal has been really doing well at the park healthwise. Wildlife lovers have been concerned about its health and the CZA has been keeping a close watch.

Shifting the animal to a new environment once again will be too harsh and could tell on its health. The excessive rainfall and high levels of humidity at Darjeeling, which is at an altitude of 6,500 ft, are not suitable for the animal, though it may cope with a higher temperature.

According to Mr Joginder Singh, Chief Wildlife Warden, Rozy will be sent to Darjeeling in March in exchange for a pair of snow leopards to be kept at the Kufri park.

Govt firm bypassed ‘to help’ VIP kin
From Our Correspondent

SUNDERNAGAR, Jan 23 — The Irrigation and Public Health Division, Sundernagar has awarded a contract for digging tubewells to a contractor, allegedly the relative of a minister without obtaining a ‘No Objection’ certificate from the I & P.H. Tubewell Division at Gagret, District Una.

The I&P.H. Tubewell Division at Gagret is the sole government body authorised to drill tubewells in Himachal Pradesh and the concerned department must first ask the Division at Gagret to execute the work.

Only if the Tubewell Division is unable to execute the work and issues a no objection certificate can the work be awarded to private contractor.

Recently many tubewell sites were selected in the Sundernagar division. Though one rig of the tubewell division, has been standing idle here for more than a month the I&P.H. Division has invited tenders from private contractors. A source in the department said this was done to oblige a minister.

Interestingly the XEN of the Tubewell Division has visited Sundernagar twice in the past month and also written to the XEN, IPH, Sundernagar and SE, IPH Circle, who is also stationed at Sundernagar to solicit work. But no work was awarded and instead tenders for the two sites for Rs 20 lakh were issued to private contractors.

Interestingly the Tubewell Division spends approximately Rs 20,000 per month on a rig when it is idle. If the rig is to be returned to Gagret, Una it will cost more than Rs 35,000.

Recently the I&PH Minister had issued directions that work should be executed through the tubewell division as its machinery is the most modern. The district unit of the HP Kisan Sabha has urged a high-level inquiry into the matter.

The office of the XEN IPH when contacted, admitted all formalities for awarding work to private contractors had been completed. When asked why the government agency was ignored the office was tight lipped.

Dhumal govt "failed to redeem promises"
From Our Correspondent

BILASPUR, Jan 23 — Mr Ram Lal Thakur, vice-president of the Himachal Congress party and also a former Health, Law and Sports Minister and now Kot Kehloor constituency MLA, here, has charged the Dhumal government with making "totally false declarations" and has said his government had failed to fulfil even a single promise and his declaration on "transparent, clean, responsive, sensitive and pro-people" government and administration in state, and, since past 22 months of its power, the Dhumal government has been ignoring essential development works and trying to mislead people only by inaugurating those development works and projects and constructions which either were started by former Congress government led by Virbhadra Singh or were on the verge of completion or were ready for inaugurations.

Mr Thakur challenged the ruling leaders to come out with any development project which they themselves started and completed and inaugurated within these 22 months. Addressing series of public meetings at Katihard in Swahaan panchayat and Reeh in Reeh panchayat and at Behal in his home Kotkehloor constituency yesterday, Mr Thakur said about a year ago Mr Dhumal inaugurated Rs 40-lakh "martyrs' memorial", Rs 20-lakh "Beas Sadan" and Rs 50-lakh third storey of district hospital at Bilaspur town and also Rs 40 lakh "Hotel Hill Top" of the Tourism Department at Suharghat, all of which were almost completed during his tenure as Health Minister under then Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

Mr Dhumal also laid foundation stones of several projects at Bilaspur town and though one year had lapsed work had not started on any one of them even till now.

Mr Thakur declared that as Health Minister he had arranged loan of Rs 29 crore from HUDCO for a bridge on Gobind-Sagar at Bagchial while work on another Rs 1 crore Mandwan bridge was nearing completion but government ignored these projects, and nothing had been done till now, in these matters Mr Thakur said during his June’98 visit, the Chief Minister declared that problems of Bhakra oustees would be solved on top priority and several officers would be shifted here from Shimla to Bilaspur town for helping the rehabilitation of oustees. But all these promises still awaited fulfilment.

He also said panchayat presidents and local-level village leaders were being intimidated and pressurised by misusing political power in an attempt to force them to desert the Congress party and to join the BJP and those resisting these attempts were being involved in false police cases.

Mr Thakur warned that the Congress would fight back and would not allow such dictatorial, fascist, undemocratic and unconstitutional methods, and if need arose, would start a state-wide agitation.

Mr Thakur inaugurated a government primary school at Katihard and also an anganbadi centre there and announced grant of Rs 80,000 from his MLA’s area Development Fund for anganwadi. He also inaugurated Rs 3 lakh primary school building at Reeh and announced Rs 60,000 and grant of Rs 70,000 for the construction of Baada village link to Kattal road. The Dhumal government has provided the 15 lakh as MLA’s Area Development Fund to be spent by them in their constituency up to March 31 this year.

HPSIDC staff oppose merger move
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Jan 23 — The Himachal Pradesh Small Industries Employees Corporation Employees Union has strongly opposed the government move to merge various corporations and boards as part of its exercise to curtail administrative expenditure.

The move to merge the Himachal Pradesh Small Industries Development Corporation (HPSIDC) with the Himachal Pradesh Finance Corporation (HPFC), the union pointed out, was neither feasible nor desirable as the two institutions were engaged in entirely different activities. Employees of the two corporations had different pay scales and were appointed on a different pattern and as such the merger would create complications leading to litigation.

While the merger would not result in any substantial savings, it would severely affect the pace of industrialisation in the state.

The HPSIDC was a legal entity under the Companies Act whereas the HPFC was set up under a state act As such the provisions of governing merger under the Companies Act had to be followed which was not possible.

Moreover, when the government was creating so many new corporations and boards, the closure or merger of the existing ones was not justified.

The union warned that if the government went ahead with the move it would have no option but to take to the course of agitation.

BKU protest against overcharging of fares
Tribune News Service

RAMPURAPHUL, Jan 23 — Hundreds of activists of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta) yesterday staged a dharna and detained four mini buses at Jethuke village of this sub-division in protest against the alleged overcharging of fare by the mini bus operators.

The activists of the BKU had earlier boycotted the mini-buses and started ferrying the passengers on their tractor-trailers. However, on Friday, the District Transport Officer (DTO) challaned a tractor-trailer operator who was transporting passengers without permission of the authorities concerned.

The activists alleged that mini bus operators were not charging fare on the basis of distance covered. They added that their repeated pleas in this regard to the authorities concerned had fallen on deaf ears.

They alleged that the district administration always tried to favour those operators who were over-charging. They said they held out a procession in the city on Friday when the tractor-trailer transporting passengers from one village to another was challaned.

Mr Balwinder Singh Jethuke, General Secretary, BKU (Ekta), said hundreds of activists had detained four buses at the Jethuke village gurdwara in protest against the irresponsible attitude of the authorities concerned.

Mr Jaspal Singh, Deputy Commissioner, said he had asked the Sub-Divisional Officer Rampuraphul, Mr H.S. Sandhu, to rush to the spot.

Mr Sandhu said he had brought BKU (Ekta) leaders and the mini-bus, operators on the negotiation table to settle their dispute on their own. Efforts were also being made to get the detained buses released from BKU activists.

Dhumal gets upset over song
From Our Correspondent

JAWALAMUKHI, Jan 23 — It turned out to be an unpleasant occasion for the teachers when the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, expressed displeasure over a folk song on the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship, presented by schoolgirls yesterday.

The function was organised at the opening of the 112th branch of Kangra Central Cooperative Bank at Paisa, near here.

The Chief Minister rapped the teachers for selecting such themes for songs which did not contribute anything to society. He called upon teachers to give preference to patriotic and nationalistic songs so that social evils persisting in society could be done away with.

HP school dropout rates minimised
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Jan 23 — The implementation of the district primary education programme has increased enrolment and brought down the drop out rate to the minimum.

Latest data indicates that the gross enrolment ratio touched 112 per cent and net enrolment ratio was as high as 94 per cent. The dropout rate has come down to less than one per cent.

Thus, the Rs 129.28 crore programme aimed at achieving the long cherished goal of universalisation of primary education has been a big success.

Today 10,628 primary schools are catering to the educational needs of the 6,35,995 students. To ensure that the children do not have to walk more than 1.5 km to attend school as many as 806 new primary schools were opened in Chamba, Kulu, Sirmaur and Lahaul-Spiti, which were selected under the programme on the basis of their educational backwardness.

Stress is also being laid on improvement of teacher's pedagogical and managerial skills. So far as many as 7500 primary school teachers have been imparted in-service training. In addition innovative changes are being made in the curriculum and new text books are being prepared.

To provide requisite academic support to the primary school teachers as many 33 block resource centres and 208 cluster resource centres have been established.

Probe transfers, say Class IV staff
From Our Correspondent

BILASPUR, Jan 23 — The Himachal Pradesh State Education Department Class IV employees Union has criticised action of the District Education Officer here who has recently posted and adjusted women Class IV employees at education institutions as far as 135 km from their villages and in the process has violated specific orders and instructions of the government in this regard.

In a representation to the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, the union after its executive meeting here on Friday, said widows and other women Class IV employees had been posted far away from their present places of posting though posts were lying vacant nearer to their present places of posting.

The union sought the intervention of the Chief Minister and demanded that an inquiry should be ordered into this and all Class IV women employees should be adjusted nearer to their present places of posting.

Cong mismanaged economy: Chandel
From Our Correspondent

NAHAN, Jan 23 — The President of the state unit of the BJP, Mr Suresh Chandel, has alleged that the previous Congress government led by Mr Virbhadra Singh mismanaged the economy of Himachal due to which the state had been plunged into a financial crisis.

Addressing a press conference here yesterday, he said present state government was trying to improve the financial position of the state with the help of the Centre. He said in the past two years, the Centre had given Rs 700 crore to the state. He said the Centre has also given Rs 103 crore for the channelisation of the Swan river in Una which would fulfil a long-standing demand of the people. He hoped that the agreement for the construction of "Kaul Dam" with the NPTC at an estimated cost of Rs 5,000 crore would be finalised shortly.

Mr Chandel said in order to save the forest wealth of the state, the government had requested the Centre to open 12 more gas agencies in the state.

Father, son convicted
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Jan 23 — Mr M.R. Chaudhry, Sessions Judge, Hamirpur, has convicted Bakshi Ram and his son Nand Lal of Jajri village of the Hamirpur district under Sections 304 part II and 323 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code for causing the death of Hari Ram of the same village on September 18, 1996.

The challan was initially put in under Sections 302 and 323 read with Section 34 of the IPC but the learned Judge finding no offence under Section 302, convicted the accused and sentenced them for the period already undergone and a fine of Rs 7,000 each. In default of payment of fine, both accused will have to undergo six months rigorous imprisonment. The Judge further ordered that in the case of realisation of fine, a sum of Rs 10,000 to be paid to the widow of the deceased as compensation.

Lawyers decry move to abolish posts
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Jan 23 — The Shimla Bar Association has condemned the decision of the government to abolish all three posts of divisional commissioner in the state and has claimed that the move will create legal and administrative problems.

The government, it has pointed out, completely ignored the fact that the appellate forum had a role under several Acts, many of which could not be amended without the concurrence of the Centre. Moreover, a statutory forum can not be scrapped by an executive order, it has claimed.

Besides, it is not feasible to delegate powers of a divisional commissioner to collector as the former exercises superintendent over the latter.

It has urged the government to review the decision.

Six Kashmiris arrested
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Jan 23 — The local police has arrested six Kashmiris moving in suspicious circumstances in the town.

They have been identified as Ezaz Ahmed, Bilal Ahmed, Masood, Ahmed, Gulam Ahmed, Mustak Ahmed, all from Anantnag district, and Abdul Rasheed from Kupwara.

The police has been keeping a close vigil on the movement of Kashmiris following the recovery of audio-cassettes carrying separatist propaganda of freed terrorist Masood Azhar from a mosque in Kangra and seizure of fake currency notes from Kashmiri labourers in Kasauli.