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| Saturday, February 5, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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Implementation
panel for Tribal Council |
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| Delay in grant of allowance
resented SHIMLA, Feb 4 — Resentment prevails among members of the Himachal Ayurvedic Chikitsa Adhikari Parishad against the inordinate delay in the grant of non-practising allowance on revised pay scales. Feb 17 holiday in Solan SHIMLA, Feb 4 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has declared February 17 as a gazetted holiday in the 14-Solan Vidhan Sabha constituency areas on account of the byelection to enable the employees working in government offices, boards corporations, educational institutions and industrial establishments to exercise their right of franchise. Five HP police officers shifted SHIMLA, Feb 4 — In a minor reshuffle in the Police Department the Himachal Pradesh Government has shifted four senior officers.
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Implementation panel for Tribal Council SHIMLA, Feb 4 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to set up a high-level sub-committee to monitor and review the progress made in implementation of decisions taken by the State Tribal Advisory Council. This was announced by the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, while presiding over the 30th meeting of Himachal Pradesh Tribal Advisory Council here today. He said this sub-committee, to be headed by the Minister for Tribal Development, would hold meetings frequently and ensure effective implementation of the decisions of the council, which was a constitutional institution. Reiterating his government's resolve for speedy development of tribal areas in the state, Mr Dhumal said Rs 543.90 crore were being spent during the current Five-year Plan (1997-2002 out of which Rs 144 crore had been earmarked for the current financial year. Besides, Rs 4 crore had been sanctioned by The Planning Commission under the Border Area Development Programme for 1998-99 for the Kalpa and Pooh development blocks in Kinnaur district and the Spiti development block in Lahaul-Spiti district. Mr Dhumal said development works in tribal areas had been speeded up during the past two years by the government with special attention to education, health and other public utility sectors. As many as 27 primary, seven middle, six high and five senior secondary schools had been opened in tribal areas since April, 1998. Besides, a hostel at a cost of Rs 4.10 crore for 200 tribal students was being constructed at HP University and a girls hostel was at final the stages of completion. As many as 102 rooms had been constructed and 114 were under construction under the "Sarswati Bal Vidya Sankalp Yojna" in tribal areas. To solve the housing problem of teachers of senior and high schools in tribal areas, residential buildings were being raised in three phases under the "Yashwant Gurukul Awas Yojna" during the current year at 11 places. The Chief Minister said two community health centres and six Ayurvedic institutions had been opened during this period by the government in its endeavour to provide better healthcare to the people in tribal areas. To provide adequate staff in tribal areas, the government had set up a "difficult areas sub-cadre" under which recruitment was being made specifically for posts lying vacant in these areas. Employees recruited against these vacancies would have to serve in these areas for least five years. He said within a period of six months of setting up the sub-cadre, over 600 posts had been filled in difficult areas of the state — 288 in Education, 67 in Health, 70 in Agriculture Horticulture, 19 Rural Development and 18 in PWD and Irrigation Departments. By another important decision, the government allowed farmers to produce "kuth" on private land without permit and without having to pay royalty The Chief Minister said keeping in view the demand of the people in tribal areas to ban the sale of land to non-tribesmen, the government had decided to amend the Land Transfer Act, 1968, to vest the power to transfer land in tribal areas with the state government. Gram panchayats would be empowered to remove unauthorised and illegal encroachments. Mr Krishan Kapoor, Transport and Tribal Development Minister, said to accelerate development in tribal areas, a number of decisions had been taken by the government. Bus service to Killar, headquarters of Pangi, had been introduced in June last. A plant was being set up at Baddi to benefit hops growers and was likely to be commissioned soon. Mr Ram Lal Markandey, Minister of State for Rural Development, and Mr Maheshwar Singh, MP, sought ITIs in tribal areas. Mr Padma Bodh was administered oath as member of the council in place of Mr Kunzam Dorje who passed away last year. It was informed at the meeting that Rs 7.9 crore had been approved by the Government of India for repair of the Rongtong power house and work on the same would be done on priority basis to solve the power problem in the area. The Chief Minister directed the Forest Department to examine whether "kala zira "being produced on private land in tribal areas could be considered an agriculture produce as had been done in respect of "kuth".
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Karmapa gives first public
audience DHARAMSALA, Feb 4 — In his first public audience today, the 17th Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorjee, said all Tibetans must follow the path shown by the Dalai Lama for fulfilling the dream of a free Tibet. The Karmapa was addressing about 200 persons, a majority of them foreigners, at Gyuto Tantrik Monastery in Sidhbari. He will be giving a public audience in the morning and in the afternoon everyday. Stressing the need for world peace he said: "I am glad to see people both from the East as well as the West here to seek my blessings". He said every Tibetan must follow the path shown by the Dalai Lama as it was only under his guidance that they could realise the dream of gaining freedom. "It is essential that there should be peace and freedom for normal living," he stated. It was lack of freedom to undertake his religious studies that had prompted the Karmapa, to flee from Tibet. The 14-year-old Karmapa exhorted Buddhists to exercise unconditional love and compassion. The audience time is
fixed from 11 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 3.30
p.m. It is for the first time that the foreigners have been permitted to see the Karmapa. So far only Tibetan officials, regents and monks from the Kagyu sect had access to the Karmapa. There is tight security around the Karmapa and people are not being allowed to take the traditional Tibetan scarf for the Karmapa inside the monastery. Security personnel are even more strict with the foreigners whose passports are being checked. Apart from giving an
audience in the hall where the Dalai Lama's photograph is
placed on a throne, the Karmapa waves to the people
standing outside the monastery. |
HP Govt to promote Buddhist
shrines SHIMLA, Feb 4 — The Himachal Pradesh Government will focus on historical Buddhist shrines to attract foreign tourists to the state. This was stated by Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, at a function organised here by the tribesmen of Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur to thank him for getting Tulku Lama, the head of the Ki monastery, appointed as a member of the National Minority Commission. He said the state had several ancient Buddhist monasteries like Tabo and Ki, which completed 1,000 years recently, about which there was not much awareness among countries like Japan. He said he had already discussed his plans with the Ambassador of Japan who had assured all possible help in promoting these shrines as a tourist destination. Mr Dhumal said the "kalchakra" ceremony to be held at Ki monastery in August would be organised on a grand scale and it would be one of the big events to mark the turn of the millennium. The government had already sanctioned Rs 1.5 crore for the purpose and arrangements for the boarding and lodging of thousands of devotees, including foreigners, were being made on a war-footing. He thanked Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee for appointing Tulku Lama as a member of the National Minority Commission and said his benign presence there would help the cause of the Buddhists. He said it was for the first time that a representative from Himachal Pradesh had found a place in the commission. Speaking on the occasion, Tulku Lama said he would strive to get Bhoti language included in the eighth schedule of the Constitution, besides working for the preservation of the rich Buddhist cultural heritage. He also thanked the Chief Minister for his concern for the development of tribal areas and the welfare of tribesmen.
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OBCs being neglected, alleges HPCC KANGRA, Feb 4 — The HPCC general secretary and sitting MLA from Nagrota Bagwan, Mr G.S. Bali, yesterday expressed concern over the plight of the other backward classes (OBCs) in the state and demanded the resignation of the Agriculture Minister, Mr Vidiya Sagar. Mr Bali was addressing a press conference following a self-immolation threat by an OBC leader, Mr Surender Brharia, in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office at Dharamsala tomorrow, for being deprived of a job as a law officer in the secretariat. Mr Bali said Mr Brharia had qualified an examination conducted by the H.P. Public Service Commission for two posts of law officer to be filled by a general and an OBC candidate each. He alleged that Mr Brharia was refused the job during the interview on the ground that he had only secured 30 marks and both posts were filled by candidates belonging to the general category and who had scored between 30 and 35. Mr Brharia had alleged that the posts were to be filled by a general category candidate with 45 marks and an OBC candidate with 35 marks. Hence the posts were filled by violating employment norms. The HPCC general secretary said Mr Brharia should avoid taking such an extreme step, adding that he would take up the matter with the Chief Minister and would also raise the issue in the Assembly. Mr Bali, has meanwhile, demanded the resignation of the Agriculture Minister for his "failure" to protect the interests of the OBCs and for loosing the faith of the Chief Minister which was evident when the Agriculture Minister said the Chief Minister had not accepted any of his demands during his recent tour of this district. He said Mr Vidiaya Sagar had either failed to project the local issues or had lost the confidence of the Chief Minister.
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Differences over foundation stone PALAMPUR: Sharp political differences arose between two top leaders of the BJP in the Himachal Pradesh. Mr Shanta Kumar, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, and Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, on the occasion of the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the Neugal Hydel Power Project here on January 25. Mr Dhumal was in the home town of Mr Shanta Kumar to lay the foundation stone of this Rs 92-crore project. Mr Shanta Kumar had specially flown from New Delhi to preside over the function. Accordingly the foundation stone was prepared by the H.P. State Electricity Board authorities carrying the names both of Mr Dhumal and Mr Shanta Kumar. It was fixed at the project site on January 22 carrying the names of both leaders. Surprisingly on the morning of January 24, the foundation stone was removed by certain over-zealous functionaries of the state government. Officials of Om Power Corporation Ltd which is executing the project, had to face an unpleasant situation and rush to Chandigarh to bring a new stone. The new foundation stone carried the name of Mr Dhumal only. The old foundation stone was also found lying near the project site. Ironically, the idea to set up the project at Palampur was mooted by Mr Shanta Kumar in 1990, when he was the Chief Minister. Even the investigation report was prepared under his supervision. Mr Shanta Kumar was also not allowed to address the audience at function organised at the project site. Three Cabinet Ministers, supporters of Mr Shanta Kumar, were unhappy over this incident. Sources close to Mr Shanta Kumar said he had earlier presided over the two foundation stone occasions for Parbati Project and Chamera II in Kulu and Chamba districts, respectively, with the Prime Minister. Both foundation stones carried his name also. When contacted a senior
official of the HPSEB said he was unaware of the
replacement of the foundation stone. However, he admitted
that whatever was done, it was done on the directions of
the higher authorities from Shimla. On the other hand, Mr
Shanta Kumar refused to comment on the issue. |
Delay in grant of allowance
resented SHIMLA, Feb 4 — Resentment prevails among members of the Himachal Ayurvedic Chikitsa Adhikari Parishad against the inordinate delay in the grant of non-practising allowance on revised pay scales. The parishad lamented that while allowances on revised pay scales had been given to medical officers, the ayurvedic doctors had been denied the same. The pay scales had been revised from January 1996, but the parishad members were still drawing a meagre allowance. The abolition of rent-free accommodation had caused financial loss to ayurvedic doctors. It also expressed concern about the failure of the government to grant pay scales to ayurvedic doctors on a par with medical officers. Dr Rajinder Sharma,
General Secretary of the parishad, said despite several
rounds of talks with the Minister of Ayurveda and the
secretary concerned, no decision had been taken on their
demands. In such a situation, the parishad would be left
with no other option but to decide its future course of
action. |
Feb 17 holiday in Solan SHIMLA, Feb 4 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has declared February 17 as a gazetted holiday in the 14-Solan Vidhan Sabha constituency areas on account of the byelection to enable the employees working in government offices, boards corporations, educational institutions and industrial establishments to exercise their right of franchise. This will be a paid holiday for the daily-wage employees an also within the meaning of Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 in the area of the above constituency only, according to a notification issued here today. A government spokesman clarified that special casual leave may be given to those employees who are working in different places in the state but have a right to vote in the Solan constituency on the production of a certificate from the presiding officer concerned that the employee had actually cast his or her vote.
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Five HP police officers shifted SHIMLA, Feb 4 — In a minor reshuffle in the Police Department the Himachal Pradesh Government has shifted four senior officers. Mr V.K. Malik, Additional Director-General of Police, Enforcement, has been shifted to the Armed Police Training in the same capacity. Mr A.K. Puri, Additional Director-General of Police, CID, has been posted as ADG, Enforcement and Vigilance. Mr G.S. Gill, IG, Armed Police Training, has been posted as IG, Police Headquarters (Operations and Mr O.S. Singh IG, Police Rules. Mrs Satwant Kaur, ASP, Shimla, has been shifted to the First Armed Police Battalion, Junga, in the same capacity.
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