H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Drop Mohinder from Cabinet: Sukh Ram
SHIMLA, Feb 28 — The Himachal Vikas Congress chief, Mr Sukh Ram, has asked the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, to drop the PWD Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh, from his Cabinet.

HP to issue kisan passbooks
KANGRA, Feb 28 — The Himachal Pradesh Government would table many revenue law amendments in the coming session of the assembly in order to have major changes to provide speedy and easy justice to the common man.

College gears up for platinum jubilee
DHARAMSALA, Feb 28 — With its strength crossing over 5,000, the oldest educational institution in the State, Dharamsala Government College, is gearing up to hold its platinum jubilee celebrations this year.

Live shell found near rail track
DHARAMSALA, Feb 28 — The police today recovered a live cannon shell from near the railway track in Jasoor, adjoining Nurpur.

Dental college gets clearance
SHIMLA, Feb 28 — The state government has given clearance for the opening of a dental college at Paonta Sahib in the Sirmour district.

Sushant visits RSS camp for employees
KANGRA, Feb 28 — The Himachal Pradesh Government is not going Gujarat way in lifting the ban on the government employees to join the Rashtriya Swyam Sewak Sangh activities and its shakhas in the state. It was no issue with the state government and the employees would continue the same way as in the past.

HP science teachers’ demands accepted
DEHRA (Kangra), Feb 28 — The HP School Science Teachers Association has thanked the HP School Education Board Chairman for accepting some of its long-pending demands.

Drop Mohinder from Cabinet: Sukh Ram
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Feb 28 — The Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC) chief, Mr Sukh Ram, has asked the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, to drop the PWD Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh, from his Cabinet.

It is learnt that Mr Sukh Ram has written a letter to the Chief Minister demanding that Mr Mohinder Singh, who was also vice-president of the HVC, should be sacked from the ministry as he has been suspended from the party.

Sources said Mr Sukh Ram also talked to Mr Dhumal on the telephone and pointed out that Mr Mohinder Singh was inducted in the Ministry as a representative of the HVC and now when he has been suspended for his anti -party activities, he should also be dropped from the Cabinet.

It is learnt that the HVC has also informed the Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha about the suspension of Mr Mohinder Singh.

On the other hand, supporters of Mr Mohinder Singh claim that Mr Sukh Ram has tried to harm the minister to the extent it was possible for him and pointed out that it was the prerogative of the Chief Minister to retain any minister in his Cabinet or not.

Talking to newsmen here today, Mr Dhumal indicated that the situation of dropping Mr Mohinder Singh might not come and the issue might be sorted out through a dialogue with Mr Sukh Ram, who is scheduled to meet him here on March 1.

Mr Mohinder Singh, who returned here last evening from his tour of Sarkaghat, met the Chief Minister this afternoon and is learnt to have discussed the episode in detail.

On the other hand, efforts were being made to defuse the situation and a convention of office-bearers of the HVC up to the block level has been convened here on March 1 to discuss the issue.

Mr Mohinder Singh was delivered the suspension letter this morning, but it did not contain any charge sheet against him, sources said.

Replying to questions, Mr Dhumal denied the allegations that he was trying to break the HVC which is an alliance partner of the ruling BJP. Although the Mohinder Singh issue was their internal party matter, but it would be sorted out.

Replying to another question regarding one of the charges against Mr Mohinder Singh that he had come very close to Mr Dhumal, he said that every minister was expected to be close to the Chief Minister.

Mr Dhumal made it clear that the BJP will continue its alliance with the HVC which had helped "us" in forming the government at a critical time. On the other hand "we" fully compensated the HVC by duly adjusting their each elected legislator.

He denied that Mr Sukh Ram was indulging in his arm twisting to get certain things done.

Clarifying the position regarding the confusion which was created in Solan with candidates of both the BJP and HVC filing their nominations for the byelection, Mr Dhumal said that the parliamentary board of the BJP cleared the candidature of Mr Rajeev Bindal on January 28 only after he (Mr Dhumal) had discussed the matter with Mr Sukh Ram in the presence of his son, Mr Anil Sharma an MP, at their residence at Delhi a day earlier when it was also agreed that the HVC will not contest the seat.

The Chief Minister said the result of the Solan byelection has vindicated his stand and those partymen who campaigned against Mr Bindal stand exposed.

He said that such disgruntled elements have no right to continue in the BJP and suitable action will be taken against them.

Mr Dhumal said there was no proposal before his government to allow the employees to take part in the activities of RSS. Moreover, the controversy has been settled following the statement of the Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, concerning the other states.

HP to issue kisan passbooks
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Feb 28 — The Himachal Pradesh Government would table many revenue law amendments in the coming session of the assembly in order to have major changes to provide speedy and easy justice to the common man.

State Minister for Revenue Rajan Shushant stated this here yesterday while talking to reporters.

He said a high-powered committee comprising senior working and retired revenue officers had been constituted to suggest new amendments in the revenue laws.

He said that 20-page kisan passbooks would be distributed by the Chief Minister to farmers after the conclusion of the assembly session. The passbooks would carry details regarding land, tateema, jamabandi, family history, legal heir certificate and details of the ration card. He said the passbooks would also be used by farmers as identity cards. He said the entries of the sale and purchase of the land would be made in the passbooks.

The minister said in order to avoid "benami" land transaction, the purchaser and the seller would have to produce the kisan passbooks before the registration officers and a group photograph of he seller, purchaser, witnesses and the registration officer would be attached to the land registry documents.

He said those revenue officers who indulged in benami land deals would be declared proclaimed offenders.

College gears up for platinum jubilee
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Feb 28 — With its strength crossing over 5,000, the oldest educational institution in the State, Dharamsala Government College, is gearing up to hold its platinum jubilee celebrations this year.

The oldest college in the state, it was set up in the year 1926. Having come a long way since then, the college apart from the large number of subjects it offers, has three vocational courses: business administration, computer application and tourism and travel.

With the Old Students Association, actively involved with the development and other activities of the college, plans to have elaborate celebrations in connection with the platinum jubilee, on November 11 and 12, this year.

The Principal of the college, Prof S.L. Anand, disclosed that the Old Students Association has a membership of 450. He added that efforts were on to get in touch with more and more old students so as to have their involvement in the development of the college. The college hopes to raise the number of old students life members to 1000.

After having collected money for the construction of the library building, the Old Students Association, now proposes to collect Rs 30 lakh, so that an auditorium can be constructed on the college campus. The auditorium will cost about Rs 1 crore, will be made with the help of 70 per cent matching grant from the State Government.

"We are in touch with a number of old students living abroad so that funds can be raised for the construction of the auditorium," said Mr Anand. He said the auditorium would not only be for the use of the students, but will give a boost to the cultural activities in the town.

A multipurpose complex, was being constructed in the college premises at a cost of Rs 1 crore, funds for which have been collected by the Parent Teacher Association. However, despite a number of new buildings coming up on the campus, with the help of funds from the government also, the burgeoning strength of the college, which stands at 5,200 is making the place unmanagable.

The majority of the teachers in the college, also alumni of the college feel that there is need for another college in the town. They contest that this can be done by creating two separate colleges for science and arts. As colleges at Palampur, Baijnath and Jwalamukhi lack in infrastructure there is too much of burden on this college.

The students on the college too echo the same views. They say at times there are not even enough chairs or space in the classroom, if all the students turn up on a particular day. They feel that opening of another college was a must if the education standard is to be maintained.

Apart from the 5,200 strength in the college, the 800 students studying at the Regional Centre of the university are totally dependent on the college. The Regional Centre of the University exists, but it does not have proper buildings or staff. As such the local government college is taking care of the studies of over 6,000 students.

Live shell found near rail track
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Feb 28 — The police today recovered a live cannon shell from near the railway track in Jasoor, adjoining Nurpur.

According to the SHO, Nurpur police station, a shell weighing about 13 kg, was spotted by the locals close to the railway track this morning. On being intimated about the shell, he visited the spot and said that it was a live shell, lying under a tree, some distance from the track.

The police said that the base of the shell was made of copper, while the upper portion was of iron. Army officials were being contacted to defuse the shell.

The recovery of the shell has caused alarm in the areas, as it was only some time ago that over a dozen persons were killed in the bomb blasts that took place in the Pooja Express, near Damtal. The police apprehends that the shell could have been abandoned by some rag pickers, when they found that it was a live shell. It has ruled out the probability that the shell was placed to cause a train mishap.

Dental college gets clearance
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Feb 28 — The state government has given clearance for the opening of a dental college at Paonta Sahib in the Sirmour district.

It is learnt that the approval for opening the college, which will be the fifth in Himachal Pradesh, has given at a recent meeting of the Cabinet.

Sources said that the college would be opened by the management, which was already running a dental college at Sundernagar in Mandi district.

The opening of the dental college at Paonta Sahib had been in the midst a controversy as the Congress did not grant permission for it.

There are as many as three private and one government run dental colleges in the state.

Interestingly, permission for opening the college at Paonta Sahib has come amidst reports of a move of the Dental Council of India to impose a five-year moratorium of the opening of new dental colleges in the country.

Sushant visits RSS camp for employees
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Feb 28 — The Himachal Pradesh Government is not going Gujarat way in lifting the ban on the government employees to join the Rashtriya Swyam Sewak Sangh (RSS) activities and its shakhas in the state. It was no issue with the state government and the employees would continue the same way as in the past.

Saying this here yesterday Dr Rajan Shushant, State Minister for Revenue, after visiting the first ever three-day camp for the State and Central government employees organised by the RSS at Gupt Ganga in this town. The camp has opened on February 26.

Talking to this correspondent at the local rest house he said that the RSS was a cultural and patriotic to join it was a past practice.

HP science teachers’ demands accepted
From Our Correspondent

DEHRA (Kangra), Feb 28 — The HP School Science Teachers Association (HPSSTA) has thanked the HP School Education Board Chairman for accepting some of its long-pending demands, including a 100 per cent increase in the fee for evaluating practical answerbooks, conducting the practical examinations of eighth class by the board and higher remuneration for the examination staff, according to a spokesman of the HPSSTA, Mr Sukhpal Singh.

The association assured support to the board authorities in their drive against checking the menace of copying in the examinations.