H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

‘Upgrade’ REC to technical university
SHIMLA, May 15 — The Himachal chapter of the Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers has urged the government to upgrade the Regional Engineering College at Hamirpur to a technical university.

Butail flays hike in power tariff
PALAMPUR, May 15 — Mr Brij Butail, a Congress MLA and president Kangra District Congress Committee, today criticised the BJP-HVC government for ordering steep hike in power tariff in the state.

Special cell to monitor projects
SHIMLA, May 15 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to create a special cell in the Finance and Planning Department to effectively evaluate and monitor the progress of external-aided projects and help the state in securing many more such projects.

Govt flouting rules, allege teachers
BILASPUR, May 15 — The Himachal Pradesh State Government Teachers’ Association has expressed resentment against government "ignoring" rules and regulations and even violating directions of the Himachal Administrative Tribunal regarding appointments of Director, Education, both for the secondary and primary wings.

HVC vows to oust Mohinder
MANDI, May 15 — A district-level conference of the HVC presided over by Mr Sukh Ram unanimously resolved this evening that the PWD Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh, should be immediately removed from the ministry by the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal as his continuance in the ministry "violated the culture of a coalition government."

‘Upgrade’ REC to technical university
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, May 15 — The Himachal chapter of the Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers has urged the government to upgrade the Regional Engineering College (REC) at Hamirpur to a technical university.

In a statement here yesterday, it pointed out that the basic infrastructural facilities required for a university were already available in the college and no extra financial burden would be put on the state.

It demanded that for the speedy and efficient implementation of soil conservation and allied programmes and externally-aided multi-disciplinary projects, a separate agency be set up in the state. Presently, the soil conservation and allied activities and programmes were being executed by the Agriculture, Forest, Rural Development and Irrigation and Public Health Departments. Due to lack of coordination among these departments and different procedures and norms for the works, the soil conservation schemes failed to achieve the desired results, it said.

It said the per-capita availability of water in India had come down from 5,300 cubic metres in 1955 to 2,200 cubic metres and by the year 2025 it would be further reduced to 1,500 cubic metres, causing an all-round water scarcity. Keeping this in view the state should give priority to water harvesting programmes both in the rural and urban areas, it said, adding that traditional abandoned water sources such as ponds, tanks and wells should be repaired.

The society expressed concern over the erosion of fertile land and destruction of public and private properties in the state. For effectively checking soil erosion, the existing wing of soil conservation and engineering in the Agriculture Department should be rationalised and strengthened by setting up at least one soil conservation circle in each parliamentary constituency, one division in each district headquarters and one subdivision in each Vidhan Sabha constituency, it added.

It also demanded that the frequent inter-disciplinary staff transfers between soil conservation and agricultural extension wings be completely banned as it affected the quality of work adversely in the field.

The society also demanded that the existing post of Divisional Engineers be re-designated as Joint Director of Engineering and Technical and the administrative control of all soil conservation and allied schemes be transferred to them immediately to exercise uniform and effective technical and administrative control on their execution.

Butail flays hike in power tariff
From Our Correspondent

PALAMPUR, May 15 — Mr Brij Butail, a Congress MLA and president Kangra District Congress Committee, today criticised the BJP-HVC government for ordering steep hike in power tariff in the state.

Talking to newsmen here he said there was no justification in enhancing power rates when the Budget session of state assembly was on. He said the government should have taken the assembly into confidence before enhancing the power tariff. He said the Chief Minister kept the Vidhan Sabha and even his Cabinet colleagues in the dark before taking the decision. He said the HPSEB had been incurring losses to the tune of crores of rupees because of mismanagement and this hike would not help it much.

Mr Butail regretted that when the decision was taken the assembly was in session, and it was obligatory on the part of the Chief Minister to inform the assembly about the hike in the power tariff. The Congress leader said his party had already announced to launch a statewide agitation in protest against the hike in power rates. He disclosed that mass protest dharnas and rallies would be organised in the state. The Congress would force the government to withdraw the hike, he added.

He criticised Union Government for increasing the rates of sugar, rice and wheat being distributed through the public distribution system. He said this decision of Union Government had put additional burden on the weaker sections of the society. He asked the Union Government to withdraw the hike in the prices of essential commodities.

ASI gives new look to Shiva temple
From Balkrishan Prashar

CHAMBA: The tenth century old Shiva temple which stands in the precincts of the ancient temple of Chamunda Devi is undoubtedly one of the best models of Shikara-style architecture. The temple is located on Shamdhar hillock overlooking Chamba. The shrine of Lord Shiva which lies to the right side of the Chamba -Jhumaar road, is approached by road about 3 km. from Chamba town.

Sadly, owing to the neglect of this temple, the architecture of its walls had been exposed to the vagaries of the climate. The temple had fallen victim to the whims and fancy of frequent interferences of animals and human element thereby disfiguring them. A lot of dust and other superficial material had deposited on the surface even as the outer layer of the walls had fallen off and had cracked at many points.

The temple was affected by the great earthquake of April 4, 1905, and has been in dilapidated state due to seepage of rain water causing the temple to collapse at any moment.

With the passage of time this temple’s control was undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India and the ASI of late in a move to conserve and preserve the ancient monuments, demolished the temple in February and completed its reconstruction by the end of March.

According to Mr C. Dorje, Superintending Archaeologist of the Chandigarh Circle, who visited this temple, the demolition and reconstruction work of this temple duly restoring its old architectural style was accomplished within a short span of two months.

Under the ASI’s move for the conservation and restoration of ancient monuments, temples like Lakshmi Narayan, Hari Rai at Chamba town and Manimahesh temple at Bharmour township in Chamba district have also been renovated and works of art on its walls chemically treated. The pristine temples of Chamba are of historical significance and archaeological interest.

Special cell to monitor projects
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, May 15 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to create a special cell in the Finance and Planning Department to effectively evaluate and monitor the progress of external-aided projects and help the state in securing many more such projects.

Besides, each department will have its own external-aided project (EAP) cells to evaluate and monitor the progress of external-aided projects in respect of the department concerned. Departmental EAP cells will coordinate with the cell in the Finance and Planning Department for guidance. This decision was taken at a meeting presided over by the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, to review the working of the Finance and Planning Department here today.

The Chief Minister said the cell would give utmost priority to get external-aided projects sanctioned for the state to speed up development through external assistance.

Mr Dhumal stressed the need for raising resources and effecting economy in unproductive expenditure so that maximum money could be utilised for developmental purposes. He said the instructions of the government regarding furnishings in offices, use of vehicles and telephones should be followed strictly.

Reviewing the progress of the Urban Development Department, the Chief Minister called for systematic development of the urban areas and stressed the need for launching frequent "polythene bags clean drive" in all major towns of the state of keep them neat and clean.

Reviewing the progress of the Cooperative Department, Mr Dhumal underlined the need for revamping the cooperative movement in the state and setting up of youth cooperatives in order to provide them gainful employment. He also emphasised on making cooperative societies economically viable.

Reviewing the progress of the Ayurveda Department, the Chief Minister said ayurvedic pharmacies in the state should be made economically viable and their output should be increased to compete in the open market.

The meeting was informed that as many as 1,113 posts had been filled during the past two years in the Ayurveda Department. Similarly, 293 posts had been filled under the tribal and difficult area sub-cadre. About 500 posts were likely to be filled soon.

Govt flouting rules, allege teachers
From Our Correspondent

BILASPUR, May 15 — The Himachal Pradesh State Government Teachers’ Association has expressed resentment against government "ignoring" rules and regulations and even violating directions of the Himachal Administrative Tribunal regarding appointments of Director, Education, both for the secondary and primary wings. It warned that if this policy was not reversed and senior-most officers of the education cadre were not appointed Director, Education, in their respective wings, then this association would be forced to launch an agitation, including a "gherao" of the Education Directorates preventing officers who were "unauthorisedly" occupying these posts from functioning.

Addressing mediapersons here yesterday the association’s district president Roshan Lal Sharma, vice president Uttam Dev Dogra and general secretary Rooplal Thakur said the previous Education Director (Secondary) Shiv Chand Roy, the senior-most officer in his cadre, was removed from the post and designated "Educational Adviser". They alleged that Mr Roy had been side lined.

Now the same strategy had been adopted regarding Director, Education (Primary). The HP Administrative Tribunal had ordered that Bhawani Singh Chauhan be appointed Director, Primary Education but he had also been sidelined by posting him as Educational Adviser (Primary).

HVC vows to oust Mohinder
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, May 15 — A district-level conference of the HVC presided over by Mr Sukh Ram unanimously resolved this evening that the PWD Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh, should be immediately removed from the ministry by the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal as his continuance in the ministry "violated the culture of a coalition government."

The conference supported the expulsion of Mr Mohinder Singh, reposed faith in the leadership of Mr Sukh Ram and condemned the misuse of government machinery by the PWD Minister to promote his political interests.

Mr Teg Singh was appointed district president of HVC in place of Mr Jawahar Singh who had defected to the other faction of the HVC.

BJP infighting comes to fore
From Our Correspondent

NURPUR, May 15 — The faction-ridden BJP unit of the Gangath Assembly segment in this subdivision failed to elect its president yesterday.

The differences between the two BJP factions, are headed by the local MLA and Vice-Chairman, HP Finance Commission, Mr Des Raj, and the newly elected member of the Rajya Sabha and close confidant of Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Mr Kirpal Parmar, came to the fore on Saturday when the claimants of both factions could not file their nominations for the party post.

Meanwhile, the Des Raj faction having "dominance" in the party’s cadre alleged that Mr Parmar’s supporters kidnapped the party’s election in charge, on Saturday when all formalities for the poll were completed. As a result, the poll was postponed.

The Parmar faction alleged that the Des Raj faction had ignored the supporters of Mr Parmar during the membership campaign of the party.