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| Thursday, June 29, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Mystery of missing foreigners Cong to give
charge sheet against Govt Cong charge sheet political ploy: CM Shimla MC rejects govt plan China’s White Paper criticised Dhumal inaugurates Himachal Bhavan Computerised
GPO inaugurated |
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Mystery of missing foreigners SHIMLA, June 28 — The police has failed to solve the mystery shrouding the disappearance of foreign tourists in the interior areas of the Kulu district. At least 16 foreigners have gone missing in the valleys of Kulu during the past sometime. However, only one of them could be traced so far. The police has been receiving reports about missing foreign tourists since 1992. Eight of them were reported missing from the Manikaran valley where they were last seen. Six of the missing foreign tourists, were women. A tourist from the Netherlands, Mr Martin Bruzein, and a Russian tourist were recently reported to be missing in the Parvati valley. The Russian Embassy is learnt to have informed the police about the missing tourist. There have been reports that hundreds of foreigners were residing illegally in the interior areas of the district without valid documents. However, the police is not in a position to visit these farflung areas and verify the papers of each foreigner because of shortage of manpower. The Superintendent of Police, Kulu, Mr Anurag Garg, told the TNS on telephone that only 26 foreigners were residing in the district on long term visas after having married local residents. They were getting their visas duly renewed. There was hardly any fresh case of disappearance of foreign tourist, the police claims. The incidence of involvement of foreigners in drug related crimes was sharply increasing in the Kulu district. As many as nine foreigners have been arrested under the NDPS Act during the past five months and 26 cases have been registered, but during the corresponding period last year 10 foreigners were arrested and 13 cases of drug trafficking were registered. Two foreign women have been booked on the charges of drug trafficking this time against only one last year. Mr Garg said 32 kg of charas had been seized so far this year against 6 kg last year, 83 gram of brown sugar has been seized this time against only 9 gram last year during the same period and 6.7 kg of “ganja” has been recovered during the past five months, 10 gram of “speed” was seized last year. According to reports many locals were doing a lucrative business in drugs because of the presence of foreign tourists. A resident of Patiala was arrested last week at Bhuntar and 2.5 kg of charas was recovered from him. Much of the drug trafficking was being done in the Parvati, Sainj, Manikaran, Faujal and Malana vallies. However, not all foreigners came here because of drugs, many of them visit the area to participate in yoga training. A special team of CID was set up last year to investigate cases of the missing foreigners. However, the team failed to reach any fruitful conclusion. The Human Rights Commission had also directed the police to properly look into the matter and submit a detailed report on the issue. The police, in its report to the commission, said all efforts to trace the missing foreigners had proved futile. The crime branch of the CID was investigating some of these cases. Only one Australian tourist, Ms Burfitt Jacqueline Louise, who was reported missing in June 1993, has been traced so far. |
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Search on for
hostages CHAMBA, June 28 — Security personnel of a search operation committee constituted recently by the state police have launched an intensive search to trace the whereabouts of six persons who had been taken hostage by Pakistan ultras during the Kalaban-Satrundi carnages in August, 1998, on the border region of Chamba district adjoining Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir. Disclosing this here today, Mr Rajinder Mohan Sharma, Superintendent of Police, Chamba, said the committee was headed by Mr Padam
Chand, DSP, and comprised another DSP, Mr Krishan Chand, local special police officers
(SPOs). |
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Cong to give
charge sheet against Govt SHIMLA, June 28 — The fact-finding committee of the Congress has asked the people to forward their complaints and grievances against the BJP-HVC combine government to it within 15 days to enable it to finalise the “charge sheet” against the ruling alliance. The fact-finding committee met under the chairmanship of Thakur Kaul Singh here today to finalise the draft charge sheet against the Dhumal government which would be presented to the President of India. In a joint statement, four members of the committee — Mr Kaul Singh, Mr Ram Lal Thakur, Mr Vijay Singh Mankotia and Mr Singhi Ram — said in view of the fact that a large number of requests had been received by the committee from all over the state regarding the acts of “omission and commission” by the present BJP-led government, the committee had allowed a period of another 15 days for the public to forward their complaints and material to the committee. The committee also alleged that the Public Works Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh, had gone on the defensive because of a sense of guilt and had levelled false, baseless and malicious charges against the Chairman of the fact finding committee and others. |
Cong charge sheet political ploy: CM SHIMLA, June 28 — Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said yesterday that the charge sheet being prepared by the Congress was a political ploy to divert the people’s attention from the achievements of his government. Talking to newsmen here, he said the party whose recent campaign against price rise and some other issues had failed to evoke any response was now using the ploy so that it would have something to talk about in the public. Referring to Mr Mohinder Singh’s plea that the CBI should probe the allegations contained in the charge sheet submitted by the HVC against former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, Mr Dhumal said the investigation agency was already on the job. The government had extended its full cooperation and whatever record was being asked for by it was being made available promptly. Regarding the allegations levelled by the Public Works Minister against two senior Congress leaders who were members of the charges drafting committee, he said he had not so far received any request from Mr Mohinder Singh for an inquiry into the matter. If charges could be levelled against Mr Mohinder Singh by Congress leaders, he was also free to make counter-charges against them. He said the Congress had been so irresponsible that it did not
hesitate in levelling baseless allegations even with regard to the distribution of the “Kargil sahayata kosh” despite the fact that every penny collected under the fund had been accounted for. Mr Dhumal ridiculed the Congress for not donating even a single rupee towards the fund and instead sent the amount collected by it to Mrs Sonia Gandhi. It was strange that the party instead of helping the families of martyrs of the state chose to make donations to the central fund. |
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Shimla MC rejects govt plan SHIMLA, June 28 — The Shimla Municipal Corporation has refused to endorse the decision of the government to regularise all illegal constructions. The decision was taken at a meeting of the corporation here today. It is learnt that the state government had sent its draft retention policy for regularising illegal constructions in the area to the corporation for endorsement. However, the house, which is dominated by the Congress, refused to become a party to the decision and observed that the government should take the decision at its own level. All illegal constructions which came up before December last are proposed to be regularised. A Bill empowering the government to regularise such constructions has already been approved. According to rough estimates, over 20,000 unauthorised constructions might be regularised in one go in the state. This is being considered as a populist measure of the government. It is learnt that the general house of the corporation also deferred the decision on a proposal to restrict construction of houses only up to two storeys in the old areas of Shimla town where much damage has been done to the environment because of multi-storeyed buildings being allowed to come up. Sources said the proposal was moved by the Commissioner of the municipal corporation, Mr Manoj Kumar. Certain members are learnt to have pointed out that landslides have been triggered in certain areas because of haphazard constructions. The state government has already frozen approval of all new building plans for the old town for three months. A fresh construction policy is being drafted for the area. |
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China’s White Paper criticised DHARAMSALA, June 28 — In a sharp criticism of the White Paper issued by China, the exiled Tibetan Government headed by the Dalai Lama, today termed it as an effort to stave off US criticism of China’s continuing onslaught on Tibet’s distinct cultural heritage. The Minister for Information and International Relations in the Tibetan Government, Mr T.C. Tethong, said the White Paper was nicely timed during the visit of the US Secretary of State, Ms Madeleine Albright, to China recently. “No matter how many White Papers China issues, these will not change the ground reality,” stated Mr Tethong. He said China viewed the existence of Tibet’s distinct and unique culture as a threat to its rule in Tibet and had unleashed a systematic campaign to sinocise the Tibetan plateau. He suggested that instead of issuing a White Paper proclaiming all is well in Tibet China should allow various human rights groups into Tibet to assess the situation for themselves. He added that if the situation in Tibet was as good as claimed by China then why did China not allow reporters and international media access to the place so that they could judge things for themselves. “The escape of Agya Rinpoche, the abbot of Kumbum monastery, the 17th Karmapa and hundreds of other Tibetans who cross the treacherous mountains every year is a stinging rebuke that China’s rhetoric on paper does not match its policies on ground,” he said. |
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Dhumal inaugurates Himachal Bhavan CHANDIGARH, June 28 — The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, today inaugurated Himachal Bhavan in Sector 28. Constructed over an area of 2.85 acres, the new complex with a covered area of 4,265 sq metres has been completed at a cost of Rs 8 crore. The bhavan has 50 fully airconditioned rooms, including one VVIP room, five VIP rooms, 10 family suites, 34 regular rooms and a large lobby. The rooms are in two blocks — Dhauldhar block and Peer Panjal block. Some dormitories and staff quarters have also been constructed. Of the 50 rooms, 15 have been placed at the disposal of HP government officers on tour to Chandigarh. Rest of the rooms will be used by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation for tourists. Another major attraction of the complex are two airconditioned multipurpose halls — Rohtang Hall and Kailash Hall — with sitting capacity of 800 and 250 persons. These halls will be available to general public for weddings, exhibitions and conferences. The bhavan also has a fully airconditioned multi cuisine restaurant — Chandrataal — for 48 persons. A Press note of the HP government said the bhavan has been constructed with the purpose of benefiting the Himachalis who come to Chandigarh for official tours, education, health, business and other engagements. The note said the government has been very considerate in fixing the tariff so that it suits every pocket. The Chief Minister arrived here more than two hours behind the schedule as most of the guests and newsmen , who were invited to cover the function, had left after a long futile wait. |
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Computerised GPO inaugurated SHIMLA, June 28 — Lt Gen, H.B. Kala, GOC-in-C, Army Training Command, formally inaugurated the computerised counter operations of the local General Post Office here today. This is only the second post office after the AG office branch in the state to be fully computerised. Apart from booking various postal articles on a single window now even the money orders will be sent electronically and will reach the destination the same day. General Kala said computerisation would give tremendous satisfaction to the customers and cut short the long queues generally seen at the post offices. Earlier, in his welcome address, Mr Vijay Bhushan, Chief Postmaster-General of Himachal Pradesh, highlighted the achievements and informed that in the first week of July the head post office of Hamirpur would also be fully computerised. He said five more head post offices of Himachal Pradesh, namely those at Dharamsala, Rampur, Bushahr, Sundernagar, Kulu and Dehra were proposed to be fully computerised during the current financial year. |
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HP plans ayurveda
university SHIMLA, June 28 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has proposed to develop the state ayurveda college at Paproal as a university to help exploit the state’s vast herbal resources. Stating this after unveiling a statue of Dhanwantri, the founder of the ayurveda, here yesterday, Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, said Himachal Pradesh was a treasure trove of aromatic and medicinal plans, which if exploited on scientific lines could bring prosperity to the hill people. He urged experts to put sincere efforts for developing the ayurveda system of medicine. |
Notices issued
on poll petition SHIMLA, June 28 — On a petition challenging the election of Mr Chiranji Lal Verma, pradhan of Janol gram panchayat, the high court has issued notices to Mr Gian Singh Verma and the state. Counsel for the petitioner contended that the petitioner lost this election by just four votes in 1995 and thereafter he approached the high court where he was directed to approach the appropriate authorities. Then he moved the SDM’s court which ordered recounting. The SDM’s order was challenged by the respondent before the Deputy Commissioner, Shimla, who decided otherwise. The petitioner then approached the high court to challenge the order of the Shimla Deputy Commissioner Mr Gian Chand Verma got 274 votes whereas Mr Chiranji Lal polled 278 votes. |
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Boy electrocuted PARWANOO, June 28 — A 10-year-old boy was electrocuted at Tipra village, near Parwanoo, yesterday. According to sources, Ravi Kumar (10) was electrocuted by the 11KVA electric
line. The boy has been admitted to the local ESI hospital. The sources said the boy lives in a rented house at Purolator Colony. They said the boy was flying kite on the roof of the house and the kite got struck with one of the low-lying wire and when he tried to take out the kite he got electrocuted. The police has registered a case against the SDO and the Junior Engineer of the electricity department of the Kalka subdivision under Section 336 of the IPC. 1 dies as vehicle
falls into nullah CHAMBA, June 28 — One person was killed on the spot and another was seriously wounded when their vehicle rolled down a hillock and fell into a nullah, about 40 km from here, on the Chamba-Bairagarh highway yesterday. According to Mr R.M. Sharma, Superintendent of Police, the deceased had been identified as Lal Din of Chamba and the injured, Sanjay Kumar of Sultanpur, was the driver of the vehicle. He was admitted to a hospital for treatment.
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