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| Saturday, April 29, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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Sukh
Ram to meet Vajpayee Traffic jams on way to Manali
Extension plan for Nahan Panel to conduct public hearings Temple ornaments, cash stolen |
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Bhanu Shimla Press Club
President Winds disrupt power in Mandi Man sentenced to 1-yr imprisonment Rohtang Pass re-opened
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Sukh Ram to meet Vajpayee SHIMLA, April 28 — Peeved at the decision of Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, to retain expelled party leader, Mr Mohinder Singh, the HVC supremo, Mr Sukh Ram, has decided to take up the issue with the BJP high command. A visibly upset Mr Sukh Ram has already discussed the matter with Mr Dhumal and expressed his displeasure over the decision. He told the Chief Minister that by retaining Mr Mohinder Singh as the Public Works Minister against whom there were serious complaints and by "downgrading" Dr Ram Lal Markanda, the lone HVC minister in the Cabinet, who was stripped of the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj portfolios and given the less important Animal Husbandry portfolio, Mr Dhumal had sent the wrong signals. It virtually meant that Mr Dhumal had accorded recognition to the splinter group and an impression had gone around that the state BJP leadership was bent upon splitting the party which was against the coalition culture. However, he hastened to add that he would not do anything that could destabilise the government. He said he would visit New Delhi next week to meet Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee and other senior BJP leaders to apprise them of the situation. Mr Sukh Ram, who played the kingmaker during the installation of the Dhumal government, had been calling shots in the BJP-HVC coalition over the past two years. However,with the BJP gaining complete majority and the split in the HVC with Mr Mohinder Singh extending unconditional support to the government, the HVC supremo has lost his bargaining power. The crisis in the HVC has put Mr Dhumal, who has been able to keep Mr Sukh Ram in humour so far, in a dilemma. A shrewd politician, Mr Dhumal had been engaged in the balancing act as he did not want to annoy any of the two senior leaders. But due to the growing bitterness between the two estranged leaders, it may not be possible for him to continue the tight-rope walk for long. Sooner or later he will
have to take a clear stand and make a choice between the
two factions. The decision, whenever Mr Dhumal takes, it
will have far reaching implications for the future course
of politics in Himachal Pradesh. |
Traffic jams on way to Manali MANALI (Kulu): Traffic jams on the 45-km stretch between Kulu and here have become a major irritant for tourists who are making a beeline to this destination this summer. The authorities have so far failed to take effective steps in this direction. The main bazaar of Kulu has become a major bottleneck where tourist vehicles remain held up for a long duration. Vehicular traffic is being regulated from both directions on one way basis. Long jams are also frequent in the main market here where tourist buses halt right in the middle of the road. The parking lots remain full as a result tourist vehicles remain parked on both sides of the road. The traffic on the road is expected to further increase when the Manali-Leh highway reopens in mid-May. The road of the main market is the only approach for the Rohtang Pass. The entire military convoy crosses through it in summers. The drive between Kulu and here is not as smooth as it used to be before the floods. The road which was washed has been built. The road has sunk at many places. The road on the left bank of Beas going to Naggar is comparatively better than the highway. There is need broadening the bridge over the Beas at Patlikuhl. Tourists coming from the plains enjoy snow at Gulaba on the Manali-Rohtang stretch. The stumps of deodar trees, which were cut in large number sometime ago, are burnt by tourists. The locals providing snow shoes and long coats on hire are doing a good business this time. There are reports that private hotels in the main bazaar offer rooms for anything around even less than half of their normal rent. Travel agents claim that tourists have become wiser and no longer book the accommodation in advance as there is scope for a big bargain once they land here. The H.P. Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) was making efforts to revive the charm of the log huts. These huts have two bed rooms, a richly furnished sitting room and a kitchen, a green space in the front, and the Beas flowing below. The Managing Director of
HPTDC, Mr P.C. Kapoor, said that most of the three hotels
of the corporation were booked for the summer. |
Extension plan for Nahan NAHAN, April 28 — In order to save the hill towns from choking in view of the increasing population and the likely scarcity of water the limited land available would be used scientifically for residential and other purposes. This was stated by Mr Tarun Kapoor, Director Town and Country Planning, while discussing future plans of development with representatives of public here yesterday in the Municipal Committee Hall. He said long-term plans for the town would be drawn for 75 years. In the beginning, extension of the town would be planned for 15 years. Mr Kapoor said the town had capacity for a population of 50,000 on full development and pressure beyond this would lead to degradation of facilities and for the natural beauty of the town. Col IPS Soanky suggested
Chanawala, 6 km from here, for the construction of a
sports stadium and a helipad. Senior citizens and
representatives of social organisations appealed that the
natural beauty and the green cover of the town should be
protected while planning for further extension of the
town. |
Panel to conduct public
hearings SHIMLA, April 28 — The high-powered committee constituted by the Pradesh Congress Committee to frame a charge sheet against the Dhumal government has decided to undertake a tour of the entire state to conduct public hearings from the second week of May. The committee which met under the Chairmanship of Mr Kaul Singh, here yesterday took a serious view of the unreasonable hike in the power tariff immediately after the Budget session, which was against the established norms of the parliamentary convention. Mr Kaul Singh said the
charge sheet would be submitted to the President of India
through the Governor of Himachal Pradesh. |
Temple ornaments, cash stolen SHIMLA, April 28 — Cash and ornaments worth about Rs 20,000 was stolen from the Harihar temple in New Shimla last night. According to residents,
the culprits broke open three locks and decamped with the
cash offerings and ornaments of the idol. They demanded
opening of a police chowki in New Shimla to check
increasing cases of thefts. |
Bhanu Shimla Press Club
President SHIMLA, April 28 — Mr Krishna Bhanu of Rashtriya Sahara was unanimously re-elected President of the Shimla Press Club here today. Mr Shashikant Sharma (Dainik Tribune) and Mr Hridesh Arya (Uttam Hindu) were elected Vice-Presidents and Mr Vijay Puri and Mr Gian Thakur, General Secretary and Treasurer, respectively. The seven-member
governing council comprised Mr Ravinder Randev, Mr Rakesh
Lohumi, Mr Sita Ram, Mr Satinder Sharma and Mr Him Kiran
Manta, Mr Khajuria, Mrs Rama Sharma. |
Winds disrupt power in Mandi MANDI, April 28 — High-velocity winds lashed Mandi region last night, disrupting power and telecommunications. The storm caused widespread damage to the plum and mango crops. Many roofs were blown off. Trees, power and
telephone posts were uprooted. Power supply to the town
was restored today. Disruption of power caused water
shortage in the town as pumps at the Motipur lift
drinking water supply came to a halt. |
Man sentenced to 1-yr
imprisonment SUNDERNAGAR, April 28 — Mr Bhupesh Sharma, Judicial Magistrate, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, has convicted Dushayant Kumar of Takoli sub-tehsil, Aut, Mandi district under Section 420, IPC, and sentenced him to one year’s imprisonment. He was also fined Rs 5000. The accused had to pay Rs 7,467 to Krishan Chand and filed a suit of recovery before Senior Sub-Judge, Kulu. The Senior Sub Judge issued warrants of attachment of property of the Dushyant in lieu of which he gave a cheque. But the cheque was dishonoured. The court did not accept the version of accused that he had made payment to Mr Krishan Chand and held that the accused tried to cheat the court itself. The Senior Sub Judge was
one of the witness in the case. |
Rohtang Pass re-opened SHIMLA, April 28 — The 14,000-foot high snow-bound Rohtang Pass was opened for light vehicles today, about 50 days ahead of the normal. The general reserve engineering force of the Border Roads Organisation had made special effort to clear snow from the pass, leading to the tribal Lahaul-Spiti. According to official
sources, the pass will be opened for heavy vehicles by
May 1. |
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