H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Himachal to honour honest tax payers
MANDI, Oct 20 — Mr Pravin Sharma, Himachal Pradesh Excise and Taxation Minister, today declared the government had decided to honour honest tax payers on the pattern of the Income Tax Department while those evading tax would be dealt with an iron hand.

Remembering martyrs of 1959
Hot Springs (On the Indo - China Line of Control), October 20 — It was at this place in 1959 that 10 personnel of the Central Reserve Force Police were killed and nine taken prisoner of war by Chinese troops.

Power union sore over staff shortage
SHIMLA, Oct 20 — The Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Employees Union has expressed concern over an unprecedented cut in the number of certain posts required for the maintenance of power supply and alleged that the shortage of manpower was responsible for increase in the number of fatal accidents involving workmen.

Old age pension beneficiaries increased 
HAMIRPUR, Oct 20 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to give old age pension at the rate of Rs 150 per month to 13,672 more persons in the state from November. With this, the total number of persons covered under the social security scheme would go up to 1,70,000, in the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal said.

Assault on journalist evokes protest
MANDI, Oct 20 — A silent demonstration was held in the town by over 50 journalists from different parts of the district in protest against the failure of the government to punish those guilty of assault on a correspondent of Ajit Samachar, Prakash Badal, on September 25 at Kangra last month.

IT institute stone laid
HAMIRPUR, Oct 20 — The Himachal, Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, today laid the foundation stone of an information technology institute to be set up at a cost of Rs 3 crore at Samirpour village of the district.

Federation to oppose cut in bus fleet
NURPUR, Oct 20 — The Himachal Road Transport Corporation Employees Federation will oppose any reduction in the existing fleet of the corporation or retrenchment of its employees.

Himachal police on Net
SHIMLA, Oct 20 — The state police headquarters has been put on the Internet to enable general public access to senior officers.

Nine kiosks gutted in fire 
DHARAMSALA, Oct 20 — Nine kiosks were gutted in a fire near Chamunda Temple here on Thursday.

Himachal to honour honest tax payers 
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, Oct 20 — Mr Pravin Sharma, Himachal Pradesh Excise and Taxation Minister, today declared the government had decided to honour honest tax payers on the pattern of the Income Tax Department while those evading tax would be dealt with an iron hand.

Talking to mediapersons at the local Circuit House, Mr Sharma said a sizable reduction had been made in the sales tax rate structure and it was expected that the gesture of the government would be reciprocated by the traders who had to play a big role in the collection of revenue for the state.

Mr Sharma said this government respected the business community unlike the previous government and this entailed a big liability on them to come true to the expectations of the government by abstaining from tax evasion.

He said the tax evaders must be exposed by availing of the new scheme under which the informers, whose names would be kept secret, would be rewarded by paying them 10 per cent of the tax that would have been evaded.

Mr Sharma said the government had started implementing an ambitious plan to simplify the sales tax law, rules and procedure so as to cause minimum inconvenience to the tax payers.

He said the summary procedure of sales tax assessment started last year up to the turnover of Rs 25 lakh had further been extended to cover the turnover of up to Rs 50 lakh. He hoped the trust reposed in traders would not be abused.

Mr Sharma said the government had drawn up an innovative plan under the name of “traders welfare scheme” which would be the first of its type in the country. The government realised the welfare of those who generated revenue was also the prime duty of the government.

Mr Sharma, who also holds the portfolio of Youth Services and Sports, said the site of the swimming pool now under execution near Bhiuli had not been found suitable. He announced that it would be completed within a year at another site.

When a correspondent asked if the minister was aware of the widespread corruption in the department, the minister said the government was seized of the problem and suitable steps were being taken to put an end to it. He made it clear that no officer would be posted in his home district.

Remembering martyrs of 1959
From Amarjit Thind
Tribune News Service

Hot Springs (On the Indo - China Line of Control), October 20 — It was at this place in 1959 that 10 personnel of the Central Reserve Force Police (CRPF) were killed and nine taken prisoner of war by Chinese troops.

These killings not only shocked Indians but also drew criticism from the international community. Subsequently, it was decided that October 21 should be observed as Police Commemoration Day in memory of those who laid down their lives fighting at one of the most remote border posts in the inaccessible and inhospitable terrain.

This correspondent was part of a media team taken by the Indo Tibetan Border Police to Hot Springs. The arduous and bumpy journey to this post from Phobrang, a distance of nearly 60 km over Marshmik La (pass), took the entire day but there was the consolation that this correspondent would be among the first civilians to undertake the journey by road.

The first day was spent at Tishalu and from there it was an hour-long bumpy ride to Karam Singh Hill and another hour to Hot Springs. In the absence of a bridge or culvert we had to negotiate the Chan Chenmo river thrice to reach the picturesque post located at the base of a hill. Till now, all supplies were airdropped at Tishalu, while the officers and men had to undertake the journey on ponies or on foot from Phobrang via Bahu Nullah.

We were taken to the memorial which was renovated recently. The old one was an obelisk atop a platform. Now a marble column has been erected and the steps to it and the surrounding areas have been laid with marble. The names of the martyrs are on brass plaques with a brief history of what happened that day.

The legend on the renovated memorial cites the names of the martyrs — constables Makhan Lal, Puran Singh, Dharam Singh, Norbu Lama, Tshering Norbu, Hangjeet Singh, Sarwan Dass, Shivnath Parsad, Beg Raj and Iman Singh.

Pointing to two empty chairs at the memorial, an official explained that among those killed were two cousins, and sentries manning the posts often see them walking along the border. Some men have had dreams about them and in view of this, the chairs have been placed which are reportedly often occupied.

Intriguingly, the 19-member party, on deputation to the Indo-Tibetan Border Force, is not mentioned as a patrol but is termed as an “ expedition “ to the forward area. Headed by Karam Singh, (rank not mentioned but officials said that he was a Sub-Inspector) and some porters the party started from Leh and reached here a fortnight later.

After camping in an area near K. Hill, two constables and a porter were sent by him to carry out reconnaissance of the area on October 19. When this patrol did not return by nightfall, Karam Singh and some others went to investigate.

They are said to been ambushed by a superior Chinese force well entrenched in the surrounding hills and were outnumbered. The enemy opened up with automatic weapons and mortars while our men were only armed with obsolete .303 rifles. As this party too did not return, Tyagi, the second in command, also went to investigate only to find the men cornered. Fierce fighting ensued with the policemen holding their ground, but by evening they were finally overwhelmed by sheer numbers on October 21.

As many as 10 policemen died while Karam Singh and eight others were captured. The bodies were handed over by the Chinese on November 13 and were cremated the next day. The then government sanctioned an ex-gratia grant of Rs 2, 000 each, besides pension, while the Jammu and Kashmir Government contributed Rs 1, 000 each to the families of those killed.

Such was the outrage that unsolicited contributions were received from schools, colleges and the public at large. Students of Calcutta University erected a memorial in the university those killed while the people of Darjeeling observed a “memorial day” and erected a memorial to three Sherpa constables killed.

Officials explained that following the “forward policy pursued by the then Intelligence chief,” expeditions were sent to patrol the border. Earlier, in the euphoria of “Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai”, the thinking was that in this inhospitable terrain, sans any vegetation with passes at attitudes ranging from 7,000 ft to 18, 000 ft, it was not necessary to have any permanent posts. Police parties from bases in the interior used to patrol the areas and camp there for several months till the onset of the winter.

Unfortunately, since mid-1959, the border became active on account of transgressions by the Chinese and this ambush was the direct result of this, officials pointed out.

We were taken to the Line of Control, a ridge atop a nullah which originates from the other side. Regular long and short-range patrols are undertaken to dominate our area. Chinese patrols, too, frequent their area regularly, an official explained.

Hot Springs is named after some springs in the vicinity of the post.

Apart from loneliness, lack of fresh eatables and the biting cold during the winter, the men are in good shape and in high spirits. As we leave, some of the men smilingly invite us to come back again.

Power union sore over staff shortage
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 20 — The Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Employees Union has expressed concern over an unprecedented cut in the number of certain posts required for the maintenance of power supply and alleged that the shortage of manpower was responsible for increase in the number of fatal accidents involving workmen.

Mr Karam Singh and Mr Chander Singh Mandyal, president and general secretary of the union, respectively, said there had been 25 per cent increase in the number of accidents involving workers engaged in the maintenance of power lines during the past three years.

He said it was strange that the government had chosen to cut the number of posts which were created as per norms.

The leaders condemned the move to trifurcate the board and said the union would oppose it. They said to carry out managerial reforms in the existing set up of the board was need of the hour, and not its reorganisation, which was a ploy to privatise the power sector.

They disapproved of the board’s policy to grant extensions to the officials on deputation.

They urged the management to release bonus to all the eligible employees of the board on the pattern of the Central Government before Divali.

Old age pension beneficiaries increased 
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Oct 20 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to give old age pension at the rate of Rs 150 per month to 13,672 more persons in the state from November. With this, the total number of persons covered under the social security scheme would go up to 1,70,000, in the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal said.

Addressing a series of public meetings in Bamsan and Hamirpur Assembly segments of the district, the Chief Minister said a sum of Rs 50 crore would be spent for various social security schemes in the state during the current fiscal year.

Mr J.P. Nadda, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare said a sum of Rs 50 crore was being spent on health services during the current fiscal year. He said sulabha shauchalayas would also be provided at a cost of Rs 1 crore in all the 12 district hospitals.

Mr Prakash Chaudhry, Panchayati Raj Department Minister, Mr Kripal Parmar, MP and Mr Baldev Sharma, MLA, also spoke.

Assault on journalist evokes protest
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, Oct 20 — A silent demonstration was held in the town by over 50 journalists from different parts of the district in protest against the failure of the government to punish those guilty of assault on a correspondent of Ajit Samachar, Prakash Badal, on September 25 at Kangra last month.

The journalists marched to the office of the Deputy Commissioner and presented a memorandum to be forwarded to the Chief Minister.

BILASPUR: The State Journalists Federation led by its president Jaikumar demanded suspension of the two police officers and full protection to Prakash Badal. The journalists also held a dharna outside the office of the Deputy Commissioner and submitted a memorandum.

JAMMU: The state unit of the Jammu Kashmir Union of Working Journalists condemned the increasing cases of attacks on journalists and criticised the political outfits allegedly providing shelter to criminals involved in such cases.

Similar reports of protest and dharna as have been received from Dalhousie, Banikhet, Chowari and Bharmour.

IT institute stone laid
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Oct 20 — The Himachal, Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, today laid the foundation stone of an information technology institute to be set up at a cost of Rs 3 crore at Samirpour village of the district.

While addressing the public, the Chief Minister said information technology was the need of the hour and all-out steps would be initiated for spreading this technology among the masses. He said the first decade of the new millennium belonged to information technology and the rest of 90 years of the new century were for the biotechnology. He said Himachal Pradesh was the first state where a separate Department of Biotechnology had been set up for diversifying the latest technology to the people.

Federation to oppose cut in bus fleet 
From Our Correspondent

NURPUR, Oct 20 — The Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) Employees Federation will oppose any reduction in the existing fleet of the corporation or retrenchment of its employees.

Mr Rajnesh Sharma, state general secretary of the HRTC Employees Federation, in a statement here today said the HRTC which had come into existence on October 2, 1974, was aimed at serving the people without any loss or profit.

Mr Sharma held the state government responsible for the losses being incurred by the HRTC.

He criticised the government for curtailing the grant-in-aid of the HRTC.

Himachal police on Net
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 20 — The state police headquarters has been put on the Internet to enable general public access to senior officers.

The Director General of Police can be accessed through e-mail address dgphp-sml@Satyam.net.in., the Additional Director General of Police through Addl.dgpol-sml@Satyam.net.in and Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) through ashwini K@Satyam.net.in

Nine kiosks gutted in fire 
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Oct 20 — Nine kiosks were gutted in a fire near Chamunda Temple here on Thursday.

The fire was noticed by people at 3 a.m. Fire tenders from Dharamsala, Yol and Palampur brought the fire under control. Damages worth Rs 5 lakh have been reported.