H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

PWD Minister refutes Cong charges
SHIMLA, Aug 20 — Mr Mohinder Singh, the Public Works Minister whose name figures prominently in the Congress charge sheet, has challenged the party to file a complaint with the Lokayukta or move the High Court for a probe into allegations levelled against him.

Army Chief lauds HP Govt
SHIMLA, Aug 20 — The Chief of the Army Staff, Gen V.P. Malik, has lauded the Himachal Government for giving the best package in the country to the martyrs of the “Operation Vijay” and other soldiers who laid down their lives in various military operations.

Need for small dams emphasised
HAMIRPUR, Aug 20 — Mr Ajit Kumar, Secretary of the Dhauladhar Education Public Society and a noted environmentalist, has expressed his concern over the failure of the political parties to discuss in details the onslaught of the Sutlej river which caused heavy damage to life and property in Kinnaur, Shimla and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh.

Relief urged for Barot fire victims
MANDI, Aug 20 — Former Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Thakur Kaul Singh, after visiting the fire ravaged hill resort of Barot in Jogindernagar subdivision, today called upon the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, to provide adequate relief to the victims of the fire who had been rendered penniless.

Monks endorse Ogyen as 17th Karmapa
DHARAMSALA, Aug 20 — The third international Kagyu dharma conference at Gyuto monastery near here yesterday unanimously endorsed Ogyen Trinley Dorjee as the 17th Karmapa.

Development agency constituted
NAHAN, Aug 20 — A Special Area Development Authority for the development of areas beyond the limits of the Paonta municipality has been constituted. It will be headed by the Deputy Commissioner, Sirmour.

‘Ask CISF staff to behave’
CHAMBA, Aug 20 — Mr Dharam Singh Pathania, Chairman of the Salooni Panchayat Samiti in Chamba district, has demanded the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation  authorities to direct the personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force  deployed on the Chamera and Baira Siul hydroelectric projects in the district not to “harass” the vehicle owners crossing the Chamera dam’s common road linking Churah and Salooni tehsils to the Chamba-Pathankot highway.

PWD Minister refutes Cong charges
From Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Aug 20 — Mr Mohinder Singh, the Public Works Minister whose name figures prominently in the Congress charge sheet, has challenged the party to file a complaint with the Lokayukta or move the High Court for a probe into allegations levelled against him.

Addressing a press conference here today he said he was not afraid of facing an inquiry provided the charges were duly supported by an affidavit as required under the law. Terming the “charge sheet” as a “hollow” document he said the worst part was that the committee set up by the Congress to frame the charge sheet, instead of conducting a proper inquiry and procuring authentic documents to substantiate the allegations, had banked on a little known entity “Bhrastachar Nivaran Samiti” the bonafides of which were suspect as its primary source. He said he would urge the government to inquire whether the “samiti” existed at all as no postal address or other information which could help trace its members had been listed in the charge sheet.

He said most of the allegations pertaining to award of contracts by the PWD were frivolous and mischievous as there was a set official procedure from which an officer could deviate at his own peril. The personal charges pertaining to acquisition of assets were not only false but mischievous and politically motivated as well. For instance it had been alleged that his son had set up a crusher at Sandhol at a cost of Rs 67 lakh although in reality only Rs 23 lakh had been invested in it, of which Rs 16 lakh was raised through a loan from the state Cooperative Bank. Similarly, land was purchased by his son in Hamirpur tehsil was worth Rs 80,000 not Rs 16.5 lakh as alleged. He released photocopies of the sale deed.

Regarding the allegation that he had acquired 16 bighas of land in Bhatta Kufer, near here, and in Kala Amb, he said he did not own a single inch of land in Shimla or Sirmaur district and had already filed a defamation suit against the person who first made the charge about four months ago.

Mr O.P. Rattan, the working president of the Mohinder Singh faction of the HVC, said after a thoroughly going through the charge sheet the party would file a defamation suits in respect of personal charges not only against the five members of the committee which framed the charge sheet but also against Mr Virbhadra Singh, the CLP leader, and Mr Sat Mahajan, the PCC chief, who released it to the press.

He said it was surprising that Mr Virbhadra Singh, who had been denouncing charge sheets as political gimmicks while in power, was using the same ploy when out of it.

The BJP had also reacted strongly to the Congress charge sheet, particularly to the allegation of financial mismanagement. Mr Ganesh Dut, the party spokesperson, squarely blamed the Virbhadra Singh government for the fiscal mess which it said was a result of indiscriminate raising of loans through public undertakings in violation of Article 293 of the Constitution and without seeking the permission of the Centre. He said this blatant misuse had cost the state dearly as the Eleventh Finance Commission had not taken into account the interest payable on these loans while assessing the liability of the government. He ridiculed the demand for dismissal of the government and said elected governments were not sacked on the basis of such unsubstantiated political documents.

He alleged that the some annexures supporting the charges bore fake signatures and this aspect should be investigated. Besides, certain sub judice matters had also been made part of the charge sheet. The party was examining the possibility of initiating contempt proceedings in respect of such charges.

Army Chief lauds HP Govt
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Aug 20 — The Chief of the Army Staff, Gen V.P. Malik, has lauded the Himachal Government for giving the best package in the country to the martyrs of the “Operation Vijay” and other soldiers who laid down their lives in various military operations.

He said that Himachal Pradesh was the first state in the country to have come out with such a package for the martyrs’ families which gave a big moral boost to the soldiers.

Gen Malik who called on the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, here yesterday, said that Himachal Pradesh contribution to the Indian Army was also significant as it had more than one lakh serving soldiers and as many ex-servicemen. He said that soldiers from this state had made a mark in the Indian Army by their valour and devotion to duty.

The Chief of the Army urged Mr Dhumal to identify some spots in Himachal Pradesh and develop these for NCC training and other activities to take advantage of varied climatic conditions of the state essential for proper training.

Need for small dams emphasised
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Aug 20 — Mr Ajit Kumar, Secretary of the Dhauladhar Education Public Society and a noted environmentalist, has expressed his concern over the failure of the political parties to discuss in details the onslaught of the Sutlej river which caused heavy damage to life and property in Kinnaur, Shimla and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh.

Talking to mediapersons here yesterday, he said that it was a matter of great concern that not even a single party or any individual even thought of discussing the gravity of the situation arising out of the construction of big dams and making huge tunnels with help of explosion. He said the ecology of the state was in peril and it was due to wrong planning on the part of those in power and managing the affairs of various projects.

Mr Ajit Kumar said under the Chamera project if water of the Ravi river was blocked, there would be heavy damage to colonies and nearby localities.

He said there was a need to construct small dams instead of big dams and to preserve the ecological balance. He said while making plans for new power projects and cement projects, the views of the local people and the environmentalists and their organisations should also be taken into consideration.

Mr Ajit Kumar gave a call to the people to compel their respective leaders to preserve the forests failing which entire state would be converted into a dry desert.

VIPs’ tussle delays auditorium opening
From Ashok Raina

KANGRA: This temple town, which is witness to many invasions and a devastating earthquake, was a business centre of Kangra valley and the divisional headquarters of the northern part of this state. It started losing its grandeur and the divisional and the district headquarters was shifted to Dharamsala and continues till date.

This town does not have that much business now because of increasing unemployment and with youth setting up their own enterprises in small towns such as Gaggal, Nagrota Bagwan, Dari, Rait, Shahpur, Baroh, Jawalamukhi, Lunj and Tiara. This town is now left with just the temple of Barjeshwari and Saraswati.

Among the educational institutions is MCM DAV College, a polytechnic, a medical college, a family welfare training institute, besides the Krishi Vigyan Kendra and Oil- seed Research Station of the HPKV. The town has organisations like Vivekananda Kendra and Rotary Club which work for the socio -cultural and spiritual uplift of society.

This town had been craving for an auditorium or a multi-purpose hall in view of the increase in the number of institutes and socio-cultural organisations to hold seminars, cultural and other programmes.

This dream came true last year when an auditorium costing Rs 1 crore with a seating capacity of 500 — the first of its kind in this district — was constructed on the Polytechnic College premises. The auditorium was completed within a record time of one and a half years and is awaiting inauguration by a VIP.

The auditorium is a complete stone structure (see photo) spread over 850 sq mt with a 24x14 m central hall. The hall has a ceiling with acoustical treatment and is thus sound-proof.

The auditorium has two separate green rooms (make-up rooms) for women and men with attached toilets. This auditorium also has a balcony. The hall has a special lighting system brought from Holland. This auditorium has entrances from three sides.

This Rs 1-crore auditorium was completed in the beginning of this year and has been gathering dust for over six months.

According to sources, a senior minister from the Dhumal Cabinet was eager to inaugurate the auditorium but when a Minister of the State expressed his desire to cut the ribbon and dedicate it to people, it left the authorities in confusion. The Directorate of Technical Education is silent over the issue. This controversy was delaying the inaugural date, month after month and local residents continue to crave for a thing which they had been dreaming of but cannot use.

The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, should use his good offices and settle the controversy once and for all so that the auditorium does not start to rust.

Relief urged for Barot fire victims
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, Aug 20 — Former Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Thakur Kaul Singh, after visiting the fire ravaged hill resort of Barot in Jogindernagar subdivision, today called upon the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, to provide adequate relief to the victims of the fire who had been rendered penniless.

He also requested the Chief Minister to assess for himself the quantum of damage to the people of that backward area.

He consoled the victims and said he would plead their case for rehabilitation and loans for re-building their shops and houses on interest free or marginal rate of interest.

Mr S.P. Rolta, SDM, Jogindernagar, when contacted said immediate ex-gratia relief had been disbursed immediately and the cases were being forwarded to the government for further permissible relief.

This is the sixth major fire in Barot and the surrounding villages of Chuhar valley in recent years. In one case nine years ago five persons were burnt alive in a Harijan village, about five km from Barot.

Mr Prabodh Saxena, Deputy Commissioner, said that residents should refrain from extensive or excessive use of timber in the construction of houses to avoid frequent incidents of fire.

Monks endorse Ogyen as 17th Karmapa

DHARAMSALA, Aug 20 (PTI) — The third international Kagyu dharma conference at Gyuto monastery near here yesterday unanimously endorsed Ogyen Trinley Dorjee as the 17th Karmapa.

The conference which was being attended by delegates from different countries expressed concern over the unseeming controversy raised by Shamar Rinpoche and few others causing great harm to Kagyu sect and called for immediate steps to end this controversy.

The copies of letter written by Shamer Rimpoche to Dalai Lama stating that Ogyen Trinley Dorjee was selected by Situ Rimpoche with Chinese help and the selection of Thaye Dorjee as real Karmapa was made by him and both the Karmapa should be accepted were also distributed at the conference.

The Dalai Lama rejected the theory of two Karmapas and asserted that Ramtek monastery was the real seat of Karmapa and as such Ogyen Trinley Dorjee should be handed over the charge of the monastery.

The speakers asserted that under these circumstances there was no confusion about the real Karmapa. The conference also decided to move a resolution reposing faith in Ogyen Trinley Dorjee as real Karmapa and making appeal to the Indian government to grant him political asylum. 

Development agency constituted
From Our Correspondent

NAHAN, Aug 20 — A Special Area Development Authority for the development of areas beyond the limits of the Paonta municipality has been constituted. It will be headed by the Deputy Commissioner, Sirmour.

This was stated by Mr Rakesh Kaushal, Deputy Commissioner, Sirmour. He said basic municipal services would be provided by the development authority in villages.

He said optimum utilisation of the area could be realised and unauthorised constructions checked by the agency.

The villages falling within the ambit of the agency include Rampur Ghat, Matralian Kunja, Subhkhera, Devi Nagar, Shamsherpur, Nihalgarh, Amarkot, Gondpur, Bherowala, Taruwala, Dharamkot, Badripur, Bhuppur, Kedarpur, Ganguwala, Kishanpura, Battanwali, Sattiwala, Behral, Rajban, Mugawala Kartarpur, Kishan Kot, Naraingarh, Ajauli, Kanshipur, Jawalapur, Mohkam Puranwala Nawada, Akaigarh, Ambwala Sigh Pura, Barotiwala and Patti Nath Singh.

‘Ask CISF staff to behave’
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, Aug 20 — Mr Dharam Singh Pathania, Chairman of the Salooni Panchayat Samiti in Chamba district, has demanded the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) authorities to direct the personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) deployed on the Chamera and Baira Siul hydroelectric projects in the district not to “harass” the vehicle owners crossing the Chamera dam’s common road linking Churah and Salooni tehsils to the Chamba-Pathankot highway.

In a memorandum submitted to the NHPC and the Central Government, Mr Pathania said the staff of the CISF should be directed to behave properly with the vehicle owners and other transporters as people of the area were angry over their conduct.