H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

World transformed into big bazaar, says Shastri
SHIMLA, April 24 — Mr Vishnukant Shastri, Governor, today said that the globalisation of trade has transformed the world into a big bazaar, bringing about radical change in the traditional attitude of the people.

Water crisis feared in Hamirpur
HAMIRPUR, April 24 — With mercury rising day by day, the district may face a severe water crisis in the days to come.

8-year-old run over by truck
KANGRA, April 24 — An eight-year-old child was run over by a truck at Bankandi village on Kangra-Dheera road today and died on the spot the police said.

HP orders census
SHIMLA, April 24 — Mr A.K. Goswami, Chief Secretary, said here today that he has directed the district officers to conduct the house-listing operation in a thorough and effective manner.

CPM plans demonstrations on May 3
SHIMLA, April 24 — The state unit of the CPM will organise statewide demonstrations on May 3 in protest against the recent hike in the prices of essential commodities supplied through the public distribution system.

World transformed into big bazaar, says Shastri
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 24 — Mr Vishnukant Shastri, Governor, today said that the globalisation of trade has transformed the world into a big bazaar, bringing about radical change in the traditional attitude of the people.

Inaugurating a national seminar on “Development alternatives for underdeveloped areas”, he said the Indian thinkers considered the world as one big family but it had been virtually reduced to a global market. The dictum “cut your coat according to your cloth” had been completely discarded and everyone was enjoying the “borrowed living”. The hegemonic West wanted globalisation of intellect, money and goods but not of labour which was disadvantageous for the developing nations.

The pace of development could be accelerated by carving out smaller states but there was a limit to it. One could not afford very large number of states. The socio-economic status of the people could be raised by going for labour-intensive investment.

Prof S.K. Gupta, Vice-Chancellor, cautioned against the adoption of per capita-structured, consumerism- oriented, top-down development models, which had caused distortion in our developmental perspective and sharpened inter-regional and inter-personal disparities.

Prof N.K. Sharda expressed serious doubts about the policy of globalisation and liberalisation in relation to the challenges of rural India.

About 65 delegates from all over the country are participating in the seminar.

Water crisis feared in Hamirpur
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, April 24 — With mercury rising day by day, the district may face a severe water crisis in the days to come. The overall water supply situation has started worsening in the interiors of the district, especially in Upper Bamsan, its nearby areas of Mewa and Bijheri due to the hot weather conditions prevailing there.

Reports reaching here from the interiors say century-old water sources have either dried up or started drying up. The worst affected are the government-owned water supply schemes as the discharge of water in the reservoirs has come down by 30 to 40 per cent.

The overall water supply situation at the district headquarters town of Hamirpur is also far from satisfactory. People living on first or second floors of their buildings are the worst hit. These people are forced to go down to the ground floor to fetch water. They say water pressure is very low and its duration is also less.

The failure of the state government to sanction adequate funds for the augmentation of the town’s water supply scheme and to fetch water from the Beas has led to such a pass. The state government has sanctioned a sum of Rs 1 crore for the scheme that needs at least Rs 10 crore.

Shortage of funds as well as technical staff to manage the schemes is also another reason that can be attributed for the shortage of water. The state government has not appointed pump operators and helpers against the vacant posts numbering more than 200 in the district.

The Department of Irrigation-cum-Public Health (I&PH) in the district has made a contingency plan to meet with the prospective water crisis, according to Mr R.N. Sharma, Superintending Engineer of the I&PH, Hamirpur.

Talking to this reporter, he admitted that the discharge of water in many drinking water supply and irrigation schemes had come down. It was the result of hot weather conditions that were not anticipated so early. The department had identified at least 275 such places that were to be supplied with water through tankers and this work would start from the first week of next month.

He said the department had also initiated efforts to repair such handpumps that had developed mechanical snags. This work would be completed shortly as handpumps were the main source of water in most of parts of the district.

Mrs Anuradha Thakur, Deputy Commissioner, said the district administration would do its best to meet with the water shortage situation if it arose.

8-year-old run over by truck
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, April 24 — An eight-year-old child was run over by a truck at Bankandi village on Kangra-Dheera road today and died on the spot the police said.

According to the police, the dead was identified as Jasbir Singh. The police arrested the truck driver and impounded the truck. A case was registered and investigation was in progress.

In another incident a 48-year-old lineman serving in the HP State Electricity Board was killed on the spot at Ram Nagar tehsil near Baijnath when he was electrocuted while repairing a power line.

HP orders census
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 24 — Mr A.K. Goswami, Chief Secretary, said here today that he has directed the district officers to conduct the house-listing operation in a thorough and effective manner.

He said that one of the most comprehensive administrative exercises to be undertaken in recent past, work has started in the state with the launching of first phase of Census 2001. The first phase started on April 17, and will continue till May 6, 2000.

During the phase, the house-listing would be completed. The operation includes marking house number on each house, dwelling, non-dwelling, business places and vacant ones, recording the condition of houses, prevailing sanitary conditions in dwelling houses and availability of amenities like drinking water, latrines, kitchen, rooms and facilities like radio-TV, vehicle, phones etc. In such dwelling houses the total number of persons would also be counted and the other details about individuals to be collected during second phase of census from February 9 to 28, 2001.

The objective of the house-listing operation was to identify locations and number of houses and the living conditions.

CPM plans demonstrations on May 3
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 24 — The state unit of the CPM will organise statewide demonstrations on May 3 in protest against the recent hike in the prices of essential commodities supplied through the public distribution system.

The decision was taken at the meeting of the party held here today. The party criticised the policies of the BJP government, which would lead the country to an economic disaster. While multinational companies were being allowed to rule the roost, the poor people were being subjected to extra financial burden.

Instead of raising resources by taxing the rich, the government decided to hike the prices of essential commodities which would hit the poorest of the poor.

The party also decided to launch a statewide movement in this regard which would begin with a signature campaign.

It also passed a resolution supporting the agitation of contract teachers, and demanded an enquiry into the bitumen scandal.

It demanded immediate filling of vacant posts of doctor and teacher.