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| Saturday, December 9, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Rs 12-cr water supply plan for
Hamirpur Dhumal to meet ministers
daily Docs flay HP Govt over pay
scales Maize target
surpassed Letters pile up as strike continues |
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HC dismisses poll plea Holiday in HP areas
on poll dates Ban on sale of liquor
during poll Drilling of oil well
from tomorrow Erratic power
supply resented No nominations filed in 25 wards PCO ransacked, car damaged
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Rs 12-cr water supply plan for
Hamirpur HAMIRPUR, Dec 8 — The Himachal Pradesh government has initiated steps for providing clean drinking water for the people of the district. The state government has sanctioned Rs 12 crore for the lifting of water for the district headquarters from the Beas. Rupees 1 crore more has been given for the augmentation of the scheme in addition to the sanctioned funds given in the annual budget. The district faces an acute water shortage during the summers. The decision of the state government to lift water from the Beas and to supply the same to urban and rural areas of the district may ease water crisis during the lean season. Under the urban water supply scheme, Sujanpurtira, another important town of the district and one time capital of the Katoch rulers of the hill states, has also been brought under the purview of the augmentation to meet the water requirement of the people of the district. The work, which is going on these days, will be completed by March 31, 2001, at a cost of Rs 55
lakh. The augmentation of the water supply scheme of the Nadaun urban area has already been completed and the people there were getting regular water supply. Hamirpur district comprises 1,621 villages and 1,939 habitations as per the 1991 census. However, the total number of habitants has now increased to 2,218. The total number of water supply schemes in the district is 113 and Rs 31 crore had already been spent for the commissioning of these schemes. Although all villages and urban areas of the district have already been covered under the water supply programme, yet the total number of habitations covered under the programme is 884 and that too partly. The department has covered 325 more such habitants with potable water supply till September 30. The department proposed to spend Rs 5.52 crore during the current fiscal year for the supply of water in the district. The department had already spent Rs 2.64 crore of the sanctioned budget of Rs 5.52 crore. Hand pumps are another main source of water supply in the district. Under the Din Dyal Hand Pump Scheme, as many as 1,049 had pumps have already been installed in the district by September 30. During the fiscal year 2000-01, the department proposes to add 50 more hand pumps in the district of which 44 had already been dug and made operational. The department had spent Rs 6.90 crore for the installation of the hand pumps in the district. Similarly, the sewerage schemes for the three urban areas of Hamirpur, Sujanpurtira and Nadaun will also be taken up. While the work for the Hamirpur sewerage scheme has already been started with help of the Central Government, the work of getting administrative approval for the Nadaun and Sujanpurtira towns was in progress. Surprisingly, the irrigation facilities in the district are dismal. Only 3,441 hectares has so for been brought under irrigation. And perhaps that is the main reason for the failure of crops during the drought period in the district. The department has so far constructed 57 irrigation schemes in the district at a cost of Rs 6.75 crore. It has a proposal to bring 78 hectares more under the irrigation facilities by the end of March 31, 2001. A sum of Rs 25 lakh has been sanctioned for the project. |
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Dhumal to meet ministers
daily SHIMLA, Dec 8 — Having done self-introspection of the causes leading to the revolt by six ministers and legislators of his ruling BJP, the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, has reached the conclusion that all this was because of a “communication gap”. Mr Dhumal told this correspondent here today that he had decided to be more accessible to his ministers and legislators so that misunderstandings do not crop up
again. Their problems would be solved face to face. He said that henceforth one hour daily (between 4 pm and 5 pm) would be earmarked for the ministers. Legislators could come anytime, but every Tuesday at 11 am, they could meet him to discuss the problems of their respective areas. Mr Dhumal said that he felt that things could have been settled much early with the ministers and legislators who were annoyed with him, but the matter flared up as time passed with some mediators vainly trying to resolve their
grievances. He did not get any opportunity to hold talks with them as he had to shuttle between Delhi and here for important meetings and visit of the BJP President, Mr Bangaru Laxman, to Una. However, the episode should now be seen as a bad dream as everything has been settled and he wanted to start afresh with a clean slate. He said that his alliance partner, Mr Sukh Ram, leader of the HVC, was satisfied with ouster of the Public Works Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh. The Chief Minister said he rued that he was unable to retain Mr Mohinder Singh in his Cabinet until the marriage of his daughter on December 11. He said now that the crisis had been solved, his priority would be to spend time for the betterment of the masses. Mr Dhumal said that the annoyed ministers had nothing personal against him. His emphasis would now be on bringing efficiency in all government departments. Officers would be made personally responsible for timely implementation of projects and schemes. A review of all departments would be done before January 15. |
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Docs flay HP Govt over pay
scales SHIMLA, Dec 8 — Medical officers of the state Health Department are up in arms against the government over its failure to remove anomalies in their pay scales and ensure a fair deal for ad hoc doctors. Enraged over the belated decision of the government not to grant the benefit of ad hoc service while implementing time scale, the Himachal Medical Officers Association has decided to start a two hour pen-down strike from December 11. It will be followed by mass casual leave and an indefinite strike if no steps were taken to settle their demands. Under the revised pay scales, which were implemented from January 1, 1996, the medical officers were given an increment after four, nine and 14 years of service, accordingly all doctors were given the benefit. However, two months back the government decided that ad hoc service would not be counted for the purpose of time scale and ordered the recovery of arrears paid earlier. The association alleged that the decision was illegal as the government had been recruiting medical officers on ad hoc basis for the past 15 years to meet the shortage of doctors in the state. It had been clearly mentioned in the appointment letters that they would be treated on a par with regular doctors as far as financial benefits were concerned. It urged the government to reverse the decision with immediate effect. It is also demanding the restoration of special increments to medical specialists, which had also been withdrawn without any reason. The association has also taken exception to the government’s decision to post a state administrative officer as additional director in the Directorate of Health. Other demands of the association include release of rural health allowance, academic allowance and conveyance allowance on the Punjab pattern, telephones to medical officers both at office and residence, creation of casualty department and libraries in district hospitals. |
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Maize target
surpassed KANGRA, Dec 8 — The Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Minister, Mr Vidya Sagar, today appreciated the efforts of Agriculture Department officials in surpassing the target of maize production by 20 per cent during the kharif season and announced a target of 17.74 lakh tonnes of the agriculture produce which include 6.70 lakh tonnes of wheat for the ongoing rabi season in Himachal Pradesh. Mr Vidya Sagar, was addressing a press conference here today. He said 7.72 lakh hectares of land would come under the rabi cultivation in the state which include 3.67 lakh hectares for wheat crop. He said 50,600 quintals of wheat seed, 3050 quintals of pulses seed and 1700 quintals of oil seed were distributed among farmers in the state for rabi season. He said the state government had given a subsidy of Rs 200 per quintal on wheat seed and Rs 800 per quintal on pulses and oil seeds during current rabi season. The Agriculture Minister said 21,800 million tonnes of chemical fertiliser were available on all outlets in the state with cent per cent transport subsidy for the current rabi season. Fertilisers like urea and ammonium sulphate, the government was giving a subsidy of Rs 405 per quintal. He said 22,000 agriculture implements with a subsidy of Rs 1500 on hand operated and Rs 5000 on the power operated implements were distributed among farmers. He said the government had spent Rs 53.5 lakh as subsidy on implementing new irrigation technology to cover 238 hectares in the state this year. At least 100 projects which include 50 new projects started this year were working in the state to impart training to farmers regarding vegetable production. The targets for vegetable production was fixed at 5.8 lakh tonnes, for potato 1.6 lakh tonnes and for Ginger 37000 tonnes for this season. He said out of 66000 soil samples, 31720 samples were tested in 11 laboratories and two mobile soil testing vans have been also pressed into service. He said Rs 13.68 lakh would be spent on training 23000 farmers in 230 blocks of the state. The HPKV has approved Mitsubishi power tiller for agriculture. For the
approval of small tillers, a demonstration would be held in Palampur on January 19, he added. |
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Letters pile up as strike continues KANGRA: Work suffered in all post offices of the subdivision on the fourth day of postal staff’s strike. Postal employees held a dharna and a demonstration in front of the Head Post Office here, today. The employees raised anti-government slogans and demanded immediate acceptance of their demands. HAMIRPUR: Employees of the postal department held a demonstration outside the Head Post Office building and held a protest march through the main bazar. They also held a rally at Gandhi Chowk here. KULU: Postal employees held demonstrations and rallies in support of their demands. They staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office. SHIMLA: The postal services remained totally paralysed in Himachal Pradesh for the fourth day today as the employees remained on strike in support of their demands. Mail bags continued to pile up at post offices as there was no mail delivery. The employees staged dharnas and rallies and vowed to continue the agitation till their demands were met. |
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HC dismisses poll plea SHIMLA, Dec 8 — A Single Bench of the HP High Court consisting of Mr Justice R.L. Khurana today dismissed the petition of BJP leader Renu Chadha with Rs 10,000 costs, challenging the election of Asha Kumari, a Congress legislator from the Banikhet assembly constituency. Ms Renu Chadha had alleged in her petition that Ms Asha Kumari committed corrupt practice as envisaged under Section 123(7) of the People Act, 1951, as she had obtained and procured the assistance of a gazetted officer, the then District Primary Education Officer, Chamba, for furtherance of the prospects of her election. It had been averred that Ms Asha Kumari at that time, was the minister in charge of primary education in the Government of HP and by using her influence as minister, she got letters of appointment issued to various people of her constituency on February 6, 7 and 8, 1998. She appointed them as JBT teachers and part-time water carriers. It may be recalled here that the assembly election took place on February 28, 1998. Ms Asha Kumari contested this election on the ticket of the Congress and secured 22,509 votes as against 22,088 votes secured by BJP candidate Renu Chadha and Ms Asha Kumari was declared elected. Ms Asha Kumari, while resisting the petition, denied the allegation of corrupt practice. The Judge observed that the petitioner had failed to prove that Ms Asha Kumari is guilty of corrupt practice of bribery within the meaning of Section 123(1) (A) (B) of the Act. So, therefore, the present election petition of Ms Renu Chadha was dismissed with Rs 10,000 costs. Holiday in HP areas
on poll dates SHIMLA, Dec 8 (UNI) — In view of the coming elections to panchayats, block samities, zila parishads and municipalities, the Himachal Pradesh Government has declared public holidays in particular areas on dates when polling was held in such areas. This was to enable employees working in government offices, boards, corporations, educational institutions and industrial establishments in the state to exercise their franchise. It will be a paid holiday for the daily wage workers within the meaning of Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, according to a notification issued here today. Ban on sale of liquor
during poll HAMIRPUR, Dec 8 — Mrs Anuradha Thakur, District Magistrate, has banned the sale of liquor throughout the district on December 13, 15, 17 and 20 and one day prior to the panchayati raj and civic body poll. The sale of liquor on December 18 would also be banned, the day when counting of votes for the zila parishad election has to take place. |
Drilling of oil well
from tomorrow MANDI, Dec 8 — A sleepy village, Dhaban, in the Balh valley of the district will witness the drilling of the first oil well by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation on Sunday December 10. Top officials and engineers of the ONGC have arrived here to participate in the event. The positive results of the year-long underground exploration and the favourable assessment of geophysical and seismic surveys has lead the ONGC to take up the drilling at Dhaban. The upgraded electric rigs-2000 VIII have been shifted to Dhaban from Bangladesh to carry out the drilling on a war-footing. The myth that no oil reserves were available outside the Brahmputra valley in Assam had been exploded since the exploration of oil in Bombay High which produces nearly 40 per cent of country’s crude oil. The search for the hydrocarbons in the Himalayan foothills was started in 1956 with the very inception of the ONGC. |
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Erratic power
supply resented KASAULI, Dec 8 — Erratic power supply due to a snag in the supply source at Giri Nagar has adversely affected the region for the past few days. The supply remains suspended for hours together in the day time or suffers a breakdown after every hour. Consequently work in various departments, including hospitals, computer institutes, printing presses and water supply is adversely affected. The most affected are the students who have to study for the ongoing examinations. Also hampered is the work in hospitals where no tests could be conducted. Patients, especially visiting the town from far flung villages, were seen waiting for the power supply to be restored. No nominations filed in 25 wards MANDI, Dec 8 — In 25 panchayat wards of Mandi district, not a single nomination has been filed so far, creating a peculiar situation at the panchayat elections here. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Prabodh Saxena, expressed ignorance about the reason for the non-filing of nomination papers. He said elections would be held again in these wards. It is learnt that most of these wards were those which had been reserved for some categories of which no member was presently existing in the ward. Another interesting feature of the elections has been that a large number of candidates had been elected unopposed. As many as 1,170 candidates had been elected unanimously, including one zila parishad member, 12 BDC members, 22 panchayat presidents and 19 vice-presidents. |
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PCO ransacked, car damaged KANGRA, Dec 8 — A PCO booth on the premises of Government Medical College, Tanda, was ransacked and a car damaged last night, the police said here today. According to the police Shyam Sunder, who runs a canteen on the college premises, has alleged that a group of medical college students ransacked the PCO attached to his canteen and damaged his car parked there. The police has registered a case under Sections 147, 149 and 427 of the IPS. |
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