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| Friday, June 30, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Efforts on for HVC patch-up Summer
festival concludes Source of water or diseases Govt panicky, says
Sat Mahajan HP student associations
hold dharnas |
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Apple growers reject support price Living
in fear of militancy CBI inquiry into land deal sought
HPU introduces BIT Resentment over CM’s
forgotten promises Road washed away in flash floods
Palampur Internet users ‘harassed lot’
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Efforts on for HVC patch-up SHIMLA, June 29 — While a showdown between the rival HVC factions seems inevitable on July 6, the foundation day of the party, a section of the partymen headed by Col D.R. Shandil, the party’s only Lok Sabha member, is making last-ditch efforts for a patch-up. There has been hectic activity at the residences of both Mr Sukh Ram, the party supremo, and Mr Mohinder Singh, HP’s Public Works Minister and leader of the splinter group. Over the past 48 hours, Col Shandil, Mr Bichitra Singh and some other leaders have held a series of parleys with the warring leaders to find an amicable solution to the four-month-old crisis. Lt-Gen R.S. Dayal retd on whose recommendation Mr Sukh Ram had allotted the party ticket to Col Shandil is one of the key persons behind the latest patch-up bid. He met Mr Sukh Ram on Tuesday and discussed the possible way-out to resolve the crisis. According to party sources, those in favour of a patch-up had also suggested a way out to defuse the situation by bringing estranged leaders — Mr Sukh Ram and Mr Mohinder Singh — on one stage on the foundation day. It may be recalled that the two factions have planned parallel rallies to celebrate the day. While Mr Sukh Ram has convened a workers’ conference at Mandi, the rival faction is holding a rally at Paonta. the organisational poll of the faction will also be completed the same day with the election of the President. Instead of holding separate meetings at mandi and Paonta, the foundation day should be celebrated jointly by the two factions by organising a function at Bilaspur, they say. The proposal has been discussed with both leaders and they were likely to give their response only after taking their respective supporters into confidence. Mr Sukh Ram admitted that the proposal had indeed been discussed but it would not help resolve the crisis. At best it could help create an atmosphere conducive for an amicable settlement. He points out that while those expelled from the party could not attend the convention at Mandi all others could participate as delegates. The HVC supremo, who met Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal on Tuesday, is reported to have discussed the issue with him. Both leaders were of the view that the parallel functions on the foundation day would take things to the point of no return. However, Mr Dhumal underlined the fact that a strong and united HVC was in the best interests of the coalition. However, he also made it clear that the crisis plaguing the HVC was an internal matter of the party and it was up to the leaders of the two factions to sort out their differences. Mr Sukh Ram and Mr Mohinder Singh have extensively toured the state over the past one month to muster support for their respective factions. It remains to be seen whether the two leaders, who have so far adopted tough postures on the issue, relent under pressure from workers or go ahead with their planned parallel rallies and formalise the split.
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Summer festival
concludes MANALI, June 29 — Hundreds of domestic
and foreign tourists, along with local residents, had a glimpse of
folk dances of many states at the Summer Festival-2000 which concluded
here last evening at Manu Rangshala in the heart of the town. The three-day festival was organised by the North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala, in association with the district administration, Kulu, and the Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi. The festival saw rendition of folk songs, folk dance performances, and a magic and a puppet show. Hundreds of tourists from all over the country who are here to evade the heat of plains enjoyed watching the various programmes at the festival. Foreign tourists who were camping here in preparation for their journey to Leh-Ladakh and other tribal areas of Himachal Pradesh were seen enjoying the rich cultural heritage of the country. The folk dances presented by various troupes included group dances from Punjab, Haryana’s Ragni, Kulu Natti, dances of Himachal Pradesh, Puja nritya, Punjabi balliet, Assam’s Bihu dance, Cherri dance from Rajasthan, and dances from Andhra Pradesh and Mumbai. According to the Director of the North Zone Cultural Centre, as many as 257
artist from all over the country participated in the festival which was organised under the National Cultural Exchange Programme to promote the cultural heritage of various states of the country. |
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Source of
water or diseases PALAMPUR: Over 30,000 residents living in 25 villages of Palampur subdivision have been receiving muddy and contaminated drinking water for the past few years. This has resulted in various diseases in the area. A survey conducted by a private agency has revealed that 20 villages falling in Bhawarna, Daroh and Garh areas are the worst affected. Every third member of a family in these villages has been suffering from water-borne disease like cholera, typhoid, dysentery, jaundice and gastroenteritis. Even the Civil Hospital authorities here have also confirmed these facts. A medical officer in the local Civil Hospital says that amoebiasis has become a common disease here. He has been examining 10 to 15 cases daily, and every fifth person is a chronic patient of this disease. The sale of anti-amoebiasis medicines have also picked up in the past two years here. The Irrigation and Public Health authorities have been supplying drinking water from Kirpal Chand Kuhal to these villages. This water source has become polluted in the past five years. Effluents and human waste is thrown into this kuhal by residents of Bandla, Ghuggar, Aima and Sughar villages. The villagers have opened their flush pipes into the kuhal. Even some sewers also open into the kuhal. Many times carcasses are dumped in the kuhal. Despite the fact that the Irrigation and Public Health Department is aware about the situation, but the same water is supplied to these villages. A team of mediapersons visited the spot and found that at a distance of half kilometre from the town at Chokki village, the IPH authorities have tapped this contaminated water from open kuhal and supplying it to the rural population of lower areas of the subdivision through their different water supply schemes. Though the department has installed a water treatment plant at Chokki village, but it hardly functions and the residents are forced to use this “most polluted” water. A senior IPH officer admitted that due to the acute shortage of water the department has no alternative except to supply this water. He said in the past five years no funds had been sanctioned for the augmentation of this water supply scheme. He said that for the past 10 years the residents have been drinking water from Kirpal Chand Kuhal. Manifold increase in the population of the town and the absence of a sewerage in upper areas of Palampur has further increased pollution. The situation has gone from bad to worse in the past two years. The Irrigation and Public Health Minister, Mr Romesh Chaudhry, who hails from this district, hasn’t taken any steps to strengthen the water treatment plants in the district. Meanwhile various panchayat pradhans have threatened to approach the Human Right Commission, Himachal Pradesh High Court and the State Pollution Control Board in this regard. |
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Govt
panicky, says
Sat Mahajan DHARAMSALA, June 29 — The Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president, Mr Sat Mahajan, today said that the panic reaction by the government and targeting of Congress members who are part of the committee preparing a charge sheet against the Dhumal government, prove that something was definitely fishy. Mr Sat Mahajan said that such reaction from the Dhumal government even before the charge sheet had been finalised indicated that something was definitely wrong. “By levelling charges against the Congress leaders who form part of the committee framing the charges, the government wants to divert the attention of the public from the main issue,” he stated. The PCC chief said that a former Speaker and MLA, Mr Kaul Singh, who heads the committee, had sought two weeks time for the submission of the charge sheet, as more and more facts were pouring in on their own. Commenting on the criticism by the BJP about the Emergency imposed by Mrs Indira Gandhi, he said that before doing so they should apologise to the nation about the pulling down of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya. He alleged that two senior BJP ministers, Mr Lal Krishan Advani and Mr Murli Manohar Joshi, had been named as those responsible for the pulling down of the Babri Masjid. Mr Mahajan further said that the infighting in the BJP, which was till now behind closed doors, had now come out in the open now. “Instead of paying attention towards the development of the state, the leaders in the Shanta and the Dhumal factions are busy levelling charges against each other, in a bitter power struggle,” he regretted. The PCC chief regretted that due to the rivalry between the Union Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar and the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, the Kangra area was being discriminated against where development was concerned. He said the ambitious Apollo project, to be set up at Holta, near Palampur, had failed to materialise because of this feud between senior BJP leadership in the state. He said Kangra despite being the biggest district in the state, was not being given its due, as far as
development was concerned. HP student associations
hold dharnas SHIMLA, June 29 — Activists of the three students organisations today held rallies and dharnas in support of their demands. The protesting members of the National Students Union of India, the Students Federation of India and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad also tried to stop members of the executive council from reaching the venue of their meeting. Their attempt was, however, foiled by the police. The also unsuccessfully tried to enter the committee room where the meeting was scheduled to take place. However, the meeting was held smoothly. Some irate students also broke windowpanes of the Vice-Chancellor’s office. SP
A.N. Sharma, said a case has been registered in this connection. The activists of the three student bodies also held separate rallies and also submitted demand charters to the Vice-Chancellor. They demanded withdrawal of fee hike and holding of elections to the students central association, improvement in hostel facilities and shifting of the liquor vend at Boileauganj, among other things. Dr
S.K. Gupta, Vice-Chancellor, said while there had been no increase in fees, the issue of shifting of the liquor vend had already been taken up with the government. |
Apple growers reject support price SHIMLA, June 29 — Apple growers have rejected the support price of Rs 3.75 per kg announced by the state government demanding that it should be increased to Rs 5 per kg. In a statement issued here yesterday, Mr Bhim Singh Jhauta, vice-president of the HP Fruit Growers Association, has said there is resentment among the growers over the Rs 3.75 per kg as the support price for apple and mango. He urged the government to review its decision and enhance the support price in view of the escalating cost of production of fruit. The government has ignored the increase in the prices of
fertilisers, pesticides and other inputs while fixing the support price.
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Living
in fear of militancy CHURAH VALLEY (Chamba): Chamba district, located in the north-west corner of Himachal Pradesh has its boundary with Jammu and Kashmir. During the past few years militancy of Jammu and Kashmir has seeped into this border district. In the Kihar area, during the year 1997, Kashmiri militants kept their hostages. Even infiltrators came here from across the border. In 1998, 35 persons were killed in the Kalaban Satrundi area. The Government of Himachal Pradesh has deployed police and para-military forces to control the situation. But this has created some problems . Persons going in the area are interrogated. Labourers working in forests have to give proof of their identity. As a result labourers are reluctant to go to these areas. The forest-lots having salvage markings are not being worked. This has affected timber trade in the district. The locals are hesitant to go to high-altitude areas for collection of medicinal herbs like
banafsha, mushkbala, karoo, dhup, chiraita, kutki. |
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CBI inquiry
into land deal sought KANGRA, June 29 — An impartial inquiry by the CBI was sought today by representatives of four organisations into the deal involving the purchase of 200 kanals of land and acquisition of 600 kanals by the authorities for the expansion of Dr Rajender Prasad Medical College at Tanda near here. In a letter to the Chief Minister, Prof P.K. Dhumal, Lt Col Shakti Chand (retd), state president, All-India Defence Personnel’s Welfare Association, Col S.C. Parmar (retd), district president, HP ex-service men’s Leauge, Kangra, Mr J.C. Patrabal, general secretary, Akhl Bharatiya Girth Bhati Chang Mahasaba, and Mr P.D. Saini, President, HP Saini Samaj, raised the demand for a CBI inquiry into the alleged “murky” land deal so that “ulterior motives” of the officials concerned could be exposed. They alleged that the deals were devoid of transparency. According to them categories like khuliabbal, kulhi dom, kheretar and banjar were clubbed together and the price of all categories was decided upon as Rs 80,000 per kanal. They alleged that the government earmarked 600 kanals of land at Tanda out of which on June 22, 2000, Prem Kumar purchased three kanals of land at the rate of Rs 33,000 per kanal. |
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HPU introduces BIT SHIMLA, June 29 — Himachal Pradesh University has decided to introduce degree and postgraduate courses in information technology. The executive council of the university, which met here today, approved the proposal to start a four-year degree course in information technology (BIT) from the ensuing academic session. The Master of Information Technology (MIT) course will be introduced from 2004. There will be 40 seats in the degree course which is being started under the self-financing scheme. The fees will be Rs 12,000 per semester for Himachalis and Rs 18,000 per semester for others. In case of paid seats the per semester fees will be $ 1000 for the NRIs of Himachal Pradesh and $ 1500 for other NRIs. Besides, the fees for two seats reserved for foreign students will be $ 2000. Unlike other candidates the foreign students will not have to appear for the entrance test. The council also decided to start a regular course in Mass Communication (MMC) and also through correspondence. Both these courses are being started under the self-financing scheme. A decision to strengthen research in biotechnology was also taken. The meeting ended without transacting the full business after the members protested that they received the agenda late. The appointment of the Dean, Students Welfare, Prof Kumar Krishan, was approved till further orders. The executive council emphasised that no fee hike had been made and instead re-evaluation fee had been decreased from Rs 85 to Rs 50. Mr S.K. Gupta, Vice-Chancellor, said steps were being taken to improve the hostels and rid them of unauthorised persons. Regular checks will be carried out in the hostels. |
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Resentment over CM’s
forgotten promises NURPUR, June 29 — The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, after becoming the Chief Minister for the first time visited this oldest subdivisional headquarters exactly two years before and addressed his maiden public meeting here. The Chief Minister had then announced four development works for the town. Two years have elapsed and three out of four promises are still to be kept, causing a lot of resentment among the residents of the area. This area has borne the brunt of infighting between the then Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, and the local M.L.A., Mr Sat Mahajan. As a sequel, the development of this politically significant Assembly segment had come to halt. But during the last Assembly elections Mr Rakesh Pathania, Vice-Chairman of the HP Tourism Development Corporation, won the election on the BJP ticket and the BJP-HVC coalition government headed by Mr Dhumal came to power. The residents of the area hoped the pace of development would be accelerated. The Chief Minister had promised setting up of a district and sessions court, allocation of Rs 10 lakh for the proposed beautification plan of the local historical Brijeshwari pond, opening of a sale depot of the Himachal Pradesh, State Forest Corporation (HPSFC) and installation of a hand pump on the promises of Wazir Ram Singh Memorial. Only the sale depot of the HPSFC has been opened and all other announced promises have not been kept so far. However, the state government had released Rs 10 lakh for the pond beautification plan. Work has not started on this so far. In fact, this plan has become the bone of contention between the local municipal council which proposed it and the Block Development Officer (BDO) as the government had released the announced funds to the BDO, Nurpur, instead of depositing the same with the Public Works Department or the MC as the former was only meant to carry out the development works in the rural areas. According to sources, following a public outcry the deposited funds were transferred to the HP PWD which had yet to launch the work. The opening of the district and sessions court is also proving to be an eyewash as the inquiries reveal the state government has failed to take up this matter with the state high court which is the executing authority for serting up the district and sessions court. Mr Ranjit Bakshi, local former MLA and Congress leader, has alleged in a statement that Mr Dhumal’s government had befooled the residents of the area by announcing these development works to gain a cheap popularity. |
Road washed away
in flash floods CHAMBA, June 29 — The Tissa-Jhajhakothi road has been washed away at different points due to flash floods in the nullahs following heavy rain yesterday in the Churah area of the district. Giving this information here today, Mr T.D. Negi, Deputy Commissioner of Chamba, said cultivable land had also been washed away in some parts of the rain-affected area. He said the local residents had reported to the SDM,
Churah, that their sheep had been washed away in the flash floods. The Deputy Commissioner said search was on to trace the livestock, but so far three carcasses of sheep were found by the revenue officials. He said the revenue officials had already been directed to provide relief to the affected families. |
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Palampur Internet users ‘harassed lot’ DHARAMSALA, June 29 — Most of the Internet users in the Palampur area are facing great inconvenience due to the faulty service by the Telecom Department. They complain the facility has not been functioning properly since its inception. The subscribers have demanded that since they are paying for the facility the department is duty-bound to improve the service or explain the reason for faulty service. |
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