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| Monday, November 20, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Miffed Markanda lodges
protest Scribe arrested in
hawker case Bitumen emulsion
scam: 3 booked Threat to power projects Auto driver held
on rape charge |
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Spiritualism leads
to success: Dhumal Cong nominees
for Kulu Zila Parisad poll ‘Probe’ hike in
construction cost Shimla journalists elect office-bearers
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Miffed Markanda lodges
protest SHIMLA, Nov 19 — Mr Ram Lal Markanda, Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, is an angry young man these days. Reason: he feels let down by the Minister of State for Primary Education, Mr Karan Singh, who “intruded” into his domain of the tribal Lahaul-Spiti and presided over a meeting of the district-level Planning, Development and 20-Point Programme Committee of which the former is the chairman. Mr Markanda is learnt to have lodged a strong protest on the issue and was reportedly feeling that the ruling BJP was trying to embarrass him on one or the other issue. He belongs to the Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC) which is supporting the BJP government. Mr Markanda was reportedly not even informed about the meeting which was held when he was touring the adjoining tribal district of Kinnaur. He became visibly angry when he came to know of having lost the opportunity to preside over the first meeting of the committee which was constituted earlier this year. The meeting, which was postponed twice in August and October, was finally held on November 11 under the chairmanship of Mr Karan Singh. The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Dhumal, had in his letter to the ministers, who are Chairmen of these committees, on September 26 taken a serious view of these committees not holding meetings of these bodies which function as the policy and planning council at the district level to give direction to the administrative and technical personnel besides according approval, overseeing implementation and monitoring development schemes. Although meetings of these committees were supposed to be held regularly every quarter there were complaints that some of the committees hardly met. The issue came up in the Vidhan Sabha and the government did not have sufficient reasons to justify this, he pointed out. Referring to an official meeting of July 17, the Chief Minister had pointed out it was recommended that in case the Chairman concerned did not fix the meeting even after two to three notices then the respective Deputy Commissioners should hold these meetings under their own chairmanship so that the schemes were sanctioned and cost escalation prevented. Opponents of Mr Markanda point out the incident has come as a tit-for-tat move for him as he had “humiliated” a senior colleague, Mr Mohinder Singh, Minister for Public Works, by inaugurating three roads in Lahaul which were scheduled to be thrown open by the latter last month. The Minister for Public Works received a shock when he was informed Mr Markanda had already cut the ribbon minutes before the former reached the inauguration spot of these roads. Mr Markanda was earlier upset when his important portfolio of rural development was replaced with the insignificant Animal Husbandry Department by the Chief Minister a few months ago. He faced a piquant situation recently when he was not given special treatment and was sent an invitation in routine for the inauguration ceremony of the hops processing plant at Baddi near Nalagarh. Hops is the produce of his constituency of Lahaul-Spiti and he had been expecting some preferential treatment at the function. |
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Scribe arrested in
hawker case DHARAMSALA, Nov 19 — Unravelling the mystery behind the disappearance of a newspaper hawker of Kangra last week, the police today claimed that investigations held so far pointed towards the “involvement” of an “Amar Ujala” reporter. Addressing a press conference here today, the SSP, Mr Prithvi Raj, said the Kangra-based reporter of the Hindi daily, was arrested last night on the statement of the hawker, Raju, made before the local Sub Divisional Magistrate. According to the police, Ajay Sehgal, provoked Raju to disappear to make it appear that he had been kidnapped. After his ‘disappearance on November 12, Raju is learnt to have spent nights at Jammu, Jalandhar, Nangal and finally Nurpur. The SP claimed that the injuries on the body of Raju were self-inflicted and he had not been kidnapped by anyone. The SP said the police suspected the involvement of Ajay Sehgal when during interrogation he tried to mislead the police regarding the calls made by him to his office at Jalandhar and his failure in getting an FIR registered on Raju’s “disappearance”. According to the police, Ajay Sehgal, as per the statement by Raju, had done all this to create a sensation and settle old scores with adversaries, who were also reporters. Interestingly, there were a number of contradictions in the claims of the police and Raju’s version when mediapersons were finally allowed to meet him in hospital. The police, which till yesterday had been talking about the “dubious” nature, was today willing to take his words seriously. The SSP said the police was yet to ascertain as to who had made the telephone call to the “Amar Ujala” office at Jalandhar, placing the four demands for the release of Raju. Claiming that the police had corroborated the statements made by Raju, it was time and again stressed that rivalry among reporters in Kangra town appeared to be the main cause behind the entire episode. |
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Bitumen emulsion
scam: 3 booked SHIMLA, Nov 19 — The vigilance probe into the bitumen emulsion scam in the state Public Works Department, which rocked the state early this year, has revealed two industrial units managed to secure rate contract for government supplies on the basis of false capacity certificates issued by the Assistant Director (Chemicals), Small Industries Service Institute, a central government agency, in connivance with the officials of the State Industries Department. It has been further revealed that none of the two Solan-based units had become operational when they were awarded the rate contract for the supply of bitumen emulsion by the Industries Department. While M/s Surya Steel Industries failed to set up the production unit, the one established by M/s Sudesh Enterprises started production only on December 10, 1998, whereas it had secured the contract on October 24, 1998. The two firms managed false capacity certificates in connivance with the officials. The Vigilance Department has registered a case against Mr Ashok Sharma, Assistant Director, SISI, who issued the false certificate. Besides, two officials of the state Industries Department, Mr Geeta Ram, Extension Officer, and Mr A.R. Verma, Industrial Production Officer, who inspected the units and submitted false reports to the General Manager, Industries, recommending registration of one of the units on March 14, 1998, have also been booked. The scam came to light in December last year and the government ordered an inquiry by the Divisional Commissioner, Mandi, after the issue was raised in the Vidhan Sabha. Mr Sudripto Roy, inquiry officer, in his report said excess purchases of bitumen and other items had been made in the central zone of the PWD. Orders for supply of over 2400 tonnes of bitumen emulsion were placed. The Vigilance Department registered a case on the basis of the inquiry report. |
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Threat to power projects CHAMBA: Constant soil erosion and landslips are a threat to the hydroelectric projects. Afforestation schemes for hill slopes await implementation. This has led soil erosion, silting of dams and tunnels of various projects. And if the process continues, the 100-year lifespan of the Baira-Siul hydroelectric Project (BSHP) and the Chamera Hydroelectric Project (Stage-I) will be reduced. The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) has planned various schemes to rectify environmental damage in the area. The projects include catchment area treatment (CAT) plan, environment management plan, green belt plan, landscape planning. A provision of Rs 14 crore has been made for those projects. |
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Auto driver held
on rape charge MANDI, Nov 19 — Ajit Singh, an autorickshaw (HP-05-918) driver was arrested by the police today for allegedly raping a teenager at Shiba Badar last night. According to the prosecution, three girls hired his vehicle till the Regional Hospital and Khaliar. One was dropped at the hospital. On the way to Khaliar, the driver pushed out one of the two remaining girls and forcibly took the third to a hotel where he committed the crime. The girl who was pushed out informed the parents about the incident. The police arrested the accused after frantic efforts. Mr Vinod Dhawan, Additional SP, said a case under Sections 376, 366 and 342, IPC, had been registered.
Spiritualism leads
to success: Dhumal SHIMLA, Nov 19 — The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, has said development of spiritual power not only leads to enlightenment but can also help one achieve success in the material world. Presiding over the concluding function of a two-day workshop on “Need of spiritual culture for today’s working people” at Kufri Resorts near here today, Mr Dhumal said India had a great tradition of spiritualism and its saints and sages had enlightened the whole world. Their philosophy, he said, would enable not only to fulfil the quest for knowledge but also ensure a better tomorrow. |
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Cong nominees
for Kulu Zila Parisad poll KULU, Nov 19 — The unanimous choice of candidates for the forthcoming zila parishad elections by the Kulu Constituency Congress Committee here, shows that the differences between the two rival factions of the committee have been bridged. Mr Dharam Vir Dhami, president of the committee, told this to mediapersons here on Friday. Leaders of the Virbhadra Singh faction were also present on the occasion. Mrs Kamala Sharma and Mr Ses Ram, sitting councillors of the Municipal Council, Kulu, have been nominated to contest the zila parishad elections from the Nagar and Balh wards, respectively. Mrs Padma Thakur, chairperson of the Panchayat Samiti Nagar, will contest from Katrain, Mrs Deep Lata Sharma, pradhan of Koti Sari panchayat, from the Banogi ward and Mr Surinder Singh from the Neoli ward of the zila parishad. |
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‘Probe’ hike in
construction cost BILASPUR, Nov 19 — Mr Harikrishan, a spokesman for the Himachal Pradesh Vikas Congress, has urged the Chief Minister to order a high-level inquiry into the phenomenal increase in the construction cost of the Ali-Khud bridge here and bring to book those responsible for it. Addressing mediapersons here yesterday, Mr Harikrishan said the bridge was to be completed within three years at an expenditure of Rs 3.63 crore. But the construction work was not completed till 1998, when the present government took over and provided funds for its completion. The bridge was finally completed and made functional in July this year. He said during the period of prolonged construction of the bridge during the Congress regime, there had been allegations of irregularities. This also became an issue during the last General Election when party leaders opposing the Congress, including those of the BJP, had declared that they would order a high-level judicial inquiry into it if their party came to power. Nothing of the sort had been done so far, he added. |
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Tributes paid SHIMLA, Nov 19 — Glowing tributes were paid to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her 83rd birth anniversary today. The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, garlanded the statue of Indira Gandhi at The Ridge. He also administered the oath of national integration on the occasion to the people present on the occasion. Bhajans and songs on national integration were also presented |
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Shimla journalists elect office-bearers SHIMLA, Nov 19 — The Shimla Journalists Association has expressed satisfaction on the setting up of a commission to enquire into the alleged harassment of newspersons by miscreants in
Kangra. The association held its elections in which Mr S.P. Sharma was elected President. The other office-bearers are: Mr Sita Ram Khajuria (senior vice-presidents, Mr Hardesh Arya (vice-president, Mr Gian Thakur (general secretary), Mr Himkiran Manta (secretary), Mr Sunil Sharma (press secretary) and Mr Rakesh Saklani (treasurer). An eight-member executive committee elected comprised Mr Ajay Shrivastava, Mr Shashi Kant, Mr Krishna Bhanu, Mr P.C. Lohumi, Mr Suresh Shandil, Mr Jagdish Prabhakar, Mr Ravinder Randev and Mr R.K. Chhutani. |
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