Minor scuffle during poll
From Tribune Reporters

SOLAN, Dec 13 — With the exception of a solitary case of rioting registered at the Bhud police post falling under Barotiwala police station, polling in the first phase of the panchayat elections in this district ended peacefully.

The incident in Bhud panchayat occurred when a polling agent objected to the carrying of certain “chits” by a voter into the booth. This led to a clash between two rival groups. The clash was, however, mild.

As many as 66 panchayats — 11 in Solan block, 8 in Kandaghat, 12 in Dharampur, 13 in Kandaghat and 22 in Nalagarh block — went to the polls in the first phase today.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Sunjay Murthi, said an estimate 70 per cent of the electorate of the 66 panchayats cast their votes. The highest percentage was recorded at Basha in Kandaghat block. Counting of votes started at 5 p.m. and the results are expected to be out later tonight.

MANDI: A new polling record was set in this district on Wednesday when 75 per cent of people turned up to exercise their franchise.

Of the 422 panchayats, in this district, polling took place in 149 panchayats in the first phase.

Two blind men and four blind women of Sarkaghat subdivision Gulbar Jahot village also cast their votes with the help of their relatives.

Deputy Commissioner-cum-district returning officer Prabodh Saxena said the polling concluded peacefully throughout this district and counting had started. Results were likely to be declared by midnight, he said.

NAHAN: Heavy turnout was reported in the first phase of panchayat elections in Sirmour district. The polling percentage in this district was above 85 per cent.

According to police sources, no untoward incident was reported during polling. Elaborate security arrangements were made in sensitive areas.

SHIMLA (PTI): Nearly 60 to 75 per cent voters exercised franchise in the first phase of polling for panchayat elections in Himachal Pradesh, which passed off peacefully this evening.

No untoward incident was reported from any part of the state during elections to 1038 out of a total of 2983 panchayats in the first phase today. The counting of votes is in progress.

The elections are being fought on a non-party basis but major political parties are supporting their candidates.

The Secretary, to state Election Commission said the exact polling percentage was yet to be ascertained but according to information available at the state headquarters, the percentage was between 60 and 75 percentage.

She said there were about 37.50 lakh voters in the state for the panchayat poll and polling for 1014 panchayats would be held on December 15 while the remaining 981 panchayats would go to the polls on December 17.

Dispose of cases expeditiously: CM
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 13 — The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, has stressed on the need for expeditious disposal of enforcement and vigilance cases and ensure that those found guilty did not go scot-free.

Presiding over a joint meeting of Enforcement, Vigilance, Home and Prosecution Departments to review the progress of cases, Mr Dhumal said the government was committed to providing a transparent, responsive and honest administration to the people and would not make any compromise in this respect.

It was informed at the meeting that enforcement cases involving an amount of about Rs 5 crore had been registered this year which was the highest so far. In the past 10 years on an average cases involving an amount of Rs 1 to 1.5 crore has been registered. It was further informed that 62 cases of illicit felling and smuggling had been registered out of which 32 were submitted for prosecution. Sanction for this had been received for 20 cases.

As many as five cases of electricity theft involving amount of Rs 40 lakh had also been registered this year.

The Chief Minister said the government had in principle taken a decision to reward the officers who gave an outstanding performance.

Mr Dhumal complimented the police for introducing community policing in the state and added that it should be a continued process. He underlined the need for displaying citizens’ charter at prominent places, especially at the entry points, to guide the people visiting the state. He also called for strict adherence of traffic rules and also installation of red lights at important points to avoid any inconvenience to the people.

He released Rs 15 lakh for carrying out sports and welfare activities in the Police Department, besides Rs 3 lakh to the Home Guards Department for construction of barracks at Bilaspur.

ROUND-UP
Residents seek dist status
From Rajiv Mahajan

NURPUR: The proposal of the Prem Kumar Dhumal government to create more districts in the state has raised hopes among residents of Nurpur subdivision that their long-standing demand for carving out a district incorporating Nurpur, Jawali and Bhatiyat subdivisions will be met.

The BJP in its poll manifesto had promised more districts to accelerate the pace of development. Significantly, Mr Rakesh Pathania, the local MLA, during his election campaign had promised to launch an agitation for securing district status for Nurpur. He had also promised a government college here.

Nurpur, the oldest subdivision, is situated in the north-west of the state and is a gateway to Himachal Pradesh. This area has remained backward thanks to the “stepmotherly treatment” given to it by previous governments.

Mr Ranjit Bakshi, a former MLA from the Nurpur constituency, has demanded the upgradation of Nurpur to the level of a district.

The local town welfare committee has also appealed to the residents to rise above political considerations and press the government to give district status to the area. The committee in a resolution submitted to the Chief Minister urged him to give top priority to the claim of this area while forming new districts.

* * *

The congested bazars and burgeoning traffic in the town are creating problems for residents. The Municipal Council has failed to check the entry of heavy vehicles in bazars during the day. The haphazard parking of such vehicles usually creates traffic jams. There is a demand for the provision of a parking area and one-way traffic during busy hours.

The situation is similar in Jassur town, a key business centre, where makeshift workshops, wrong parking of vehicles and encroachments on the national highway have created traffic problems.

The state government has failed to either embark on or complete a number of development projects.

These projects include the beautification of the Brijeshwari pond area, for which the Chief Minister had released Rs 10 lakh, and the setting up of a district sessions court here, announced by the Chief Minister in June, 1998.

The construction of a mortuary on the Civil Hospital premises has also been hanging fire even though Rs 2.35 lakh has been released by the state government. Similarly, the Brij Raj stadium and the mini secretariat, approved during the term of the previous government, have yet to be built. Funds for the stadium were deposited with the Public Works Department after the transfer of land to the government.

HP to rename 3 airports
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 13 — The Himachal Government has decided to rename all three airports in the state. The Jubberhatti airport will be named as Shimla Airport, Bhunter as Kulu-Manali Airport and Gaggal as Kangra Airport.

This was decided at a meeting of the Tourism Department which was presided over by Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, here yesterday.

Mr Dhumal said renaming the airports after popular tourist resorts would attract more tourists to the state from all over the country and abroad.

The Chief Minister said the matter regarding the renaming of the Rai-Mehatpur railway station would also be taken up with railway authorities.

Reviewing the progress of various tourism projects in the state, he directed that helipads at Satrundi and Kundi be constructed at the earliest. He said the work on ropeways at the Solang nullah and Neugal be expedited as the projects had already been delayed.

He stressed on identifying new destinations fram the tourism point of view to avoid congestion. He also stressed on the need for identifying places on highways for providing basic amenities to the tourists.

SC panel comes to man’s rescue
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Dec 13 — The National Commission of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has directed the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board to accommodate A.B. Rajbansh, a Scheduled Caste diploma engineer, on any post in the board according to his merits and qualification.

Rajbansh of Ansoli village near here and son of an ex-serviceman had been struggling to get a job after he obtained a diploma in mechanical engineering in 1988 with 56.5 per cent marks. He is a recipient of a Commendation Certificate from the state Vigilance Department.

He had threatened to resort to self-immolation. Mr Tanzin Wangyal, Director of the state office of the commission, in a letter written on November 13 to the Executive Officer of the state electricity board, asked him to try to accommodate Rajbansh against any post.

Programme to streamline health services
From Our Correspondent

JAWALAMUKHI, Dec 13 — The state government has decided to streamline the health services in the state.

Under the programme, the state government has already released Rs 50 crore to the Department of Health and Family Welfare for providing staff quarters and operation theatres.

This was disclosed by the State Health and Family Welfare Minister, Mr Jagat Prakash Nadda, to mediapersons here today. He said the state government had demanded Rs 250 crore from the world power project for providing the infrastructure in various health institutions. He said the government had also signed an MoU with certain companies for setting up health centres at all district headquarters and important towns. Details were being worked out and would be announced shortly.

Mr Nadda said the government had decided to accord the top priority to the health services as well as roads and education. He said the government was preparing standard guidelines for prescription to the medical officer. These would be issued shortly and the medical officer would have to act accordingly. He said the aim of the government was to standardise medicines for patients to save them from quacks.

Himachal govt sitting over demands: teachers
From Our Correspondent

NURPUR, Dec 13 — The Himachal Pradesh Government Teachers Union has expressed resentment against the “apathy” of the state government towards its long-standing demands. Mr Onkar Rana, president of the Kangra district unit, in a statement here today said the government had not been paying any heed towards the teachers’ demands like treating ad hoc and regular teachers on a par regarding financial benefits, retaining the post of Headmaster in all Government Senior Secondary Schools, appointing Education Officers at the subdivisional headquarters and granting two special increments to all teachers after 20 years of service.

15 injured as bus falls into khud

DHARAMSALA, Dec 13 (UNI) — At least 15 persons were injured, two of them seriously, when a private bus carrying them fell into a 30-feet-deep khud at Naizpur on the Pathankot-Mandi highway in Kangra district this evening, the police said. The seriously injured have been admitted to a hospital at Nurpur. The bus carrying 20 passengers was going from Saliali to Jassure. The police said the mishap occurred when the driver failed to negotiate a curve on the road.

Kalyan Sabha holds function
From Our Correspondent

JAWALAMUKHI, Dec 13 — The annual function of the Manav Dharam kalyan Sabha was held here on Wednesday. The State Irrigation and Public Health Minister, Mr Ramesh Chaudhary, presided over the function.