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| Wednesday, December 20, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Govt plans to raise Rs 500 cr as loans Cong designs to put BJP on
mat Cong gets majority in Una ZP
poll All set for MC
poll Nagar panchayat
poll today |
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Mountaineering institute
becomes society Rights panel asks for
treatment record HPMC launches
website Improving Chamba’s
lifelines Army ‘unwilling’ to hand over rape
suspect 2 hurt as bridge
collapses Himachal Home Secy, SP get notices District federation
chief suspended Photo
exhibition on Kargil inaugurated Ephedrine unit
soon: minister
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Govt plans to raise Rs 500 cr as loans SHIMLA, Dec 19 — The fund-starved Himachal Pradesh Government is planning to raise loans totalling over Rs 500 crore from the open market to bridge the resource gap which is expected to be of the order of Rs 1200 crore this year. Highly placed sources said the government had already raised loans up to Rs 738 crore through the newly set up HP Road and other Infrastructure Development Corporation (HPRIDC) and the HP Health System Corporation. This includes a loan of Rs 475 crore by the HPRIDC and Rs 263.30 crore through the Health System Corporation. It is learnt that the government has authorised the HPRIDC to raise a fresh loan of Rs 300 crore through non-SLR borrowings. Interestingly, all these loans are being secured through the Power Finance Corporation (PFC). The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, had confirmed recently that the financial position of the state was “very bad” and he held the previous Congress government responsible for the mess. The sources said a few months ago the state government had decided to raise loans of Rs 1200 crore through non-SLR bonds to bridge the resource gap. The state government is also in a fix over the forthcoming maturity of the non-SLR bonds of about Rs 250 crore of the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB). The investors are being given the option of reinvesting their contributions for a further period of seven years. Repayment of these bonds is due early next year. According to estimates, even without raising a fresh loan for repaying the liability, the debt liability of the HPSEB is likely to be of the order of Rs 2500 crore next year. The board might have to go in for market borrowings of Rs 1500 next year as against that of Rs 1000 crore last year. Against the non-SLR bond issue of Rs 250 crore offered by the Health System Corporation recently, a subscription of Rs 263.30 crore has been received. The PFC, which is handling the issues of the HPRIDC and Health System Corporation, is reportedly being paid advisory charges at the rate of 0.10 per cent. These loans are besides those being raised by the HPSEB from time to time to bail out the state government from the financial crisis. |
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Cong designs to put BJP on
mat SHIMLA, Dec 19 — The Congress is all set to put the BJP government of Prof P.K. Dhumal on the mat in the winter session of the Assembly which begins here on December 21. The “letter bomb” hurled by the three ministers and an equal number of BJP legislators against Prof Dhumal recently has provided much ammunition to the Congress for further embarrassing the government. The Congress Legislature Party (CLP), which will meet here tomorrow to finalise its strategy during the session, is expected to discuss moving a no-confidence motion against the Dhumal government. The issues of corruption, unemployment, rising prices and lawlessness will be raised in the House by the Congress. Congress members are likely to pull up the government on the allegations of favouritism, nepotism, corruption and development of a particular district. These allegations have been levelled in the letter which the rebel ministers and legislators wrote to the Chief Minister and the state BJP chief. The Congress leaders had already said the allegations were endorsement of what the party had been saying against the BJP government for the past few months. The allegations were also listed in the chargesheet which the Congress submitted to the Governor against the Dhumal government. The leader of the CLP, Mr Virbhadra Singh, has already set the tone of the stand which the party will take in the House. He said the Dhumal regime was “unmitigated disaster” in the state. The BJP, which had always been criticising the previous Congress government for having made huge borrowings from the market, might come under attack for burdening the state with an unprecedented debt due to “reckless” borrowings to meet the expenditure. Mr Virbhadra Singh alleged that corruption and nepotism was widespread and there was no transparency in the matter of public appointments. Corruption and nepotism prevailed in the public service commission, Subordinate Service Selection Board and other departments, he alleged. The role of the ousted PWD Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh, will also be discussed during the session. He has made it clear that he will no longer support the BJP government blindly and his support will be on merits. The legislature party of the BJP will also meet tomorrow to finalise its strategy to meet the Opposition challenge. |
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Cong gets majority in Una ZP
poll UNA, Dec 19 — With all results to 17 zila parishad seats in Una district declared here by the District Returning Officer by noon today, the actual picture is clear. Out of 17 zila parishad seats 10 candidates backed by the Congress have won, one seat has gone to the HVC while two clear seats have gone in the BJP kitty. Four seats have been won by BJP rebels. With this the Congress party has established a clear lead over the BJP in the zila parishad elections in Una district. The following is the list of winners of the zila parishad elections: Amb block — (1) Lohara — Kehar Singh (BJP); (2) Amb — Ranbir Singh (Congress); (3) Takarla — Jagjit Singh (Congress).
Gagret block — (4) Dangoh — Laxmi Jaryal (BJP rebel); (5) Nakroh — Beena Bansal (Congress); (6) Ambota — Col Mohinder Singh (retd) (Congress).
Una block — (7) Bahdala — Balbir Singh Bagga (BJP); (8) Raisari — Krishna Devi (Congress); (9) Tabba Jalgran — Pawan Devi (Congress); (10) Raipur Sahora — Puja Sahore (Congress).
Bangana block — (11) Chowni Khas — Karam Chand (Congress); (12) Palata — Virendra Kanwar (BJP rebel); (13) Dhundla — Des Raj Modgil (BJP rebel);
Santohgarh block — (14) Saloh — Dev Jaswal (BJP rebel); (15) Palakwah — Sohan Singh (HVC); (16) Panjawar — Ranjit Singh Rana; (17) Lalari — Chaudhary Yog Raj. All set for MC
poll PARWANOO Mr Sanjeev Lakhan Pal, Deputy Superintendent of Police, said that due to this town being on the border area and the industrial area, all the nine booths had been declared sensitive and police parties, consisting of one rank holder and three constables, had been deployed on each booth to maintain law and order. He added that police patrolling had also been increased in the town and strict vigilance was being kept at the Parwanoo barrier to keep a check on anti-social elements. |
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Nagar panchayat
poll today JAWALAMUKHI, Dec 19 — Campaigning for the Jawalamukhi nagar panchayat elections entered its final stage today. The elections will be held tomorrow. The post of nagar panchayat president is not reserved this time and at least 32 candidates are in the fray. As many as 2,918 voters will exercise their franchise to elect seven ward members. Ward number 7 is reserved for Scheduled Caste women candidates and ward number 4 for women belonging to the general category. The local MLA and IPH Minister, Mr Ramesh
Chaudhry, and other senior leaders of the Congress are camping here to campaign for their candidates. Two contestants have already withdrawn their nomination papers from ward number
5. BJP sweeps zila
parishad poll HAMIRPUR, Dec 19 — The BJP has won 16 out of 18 seats in the zila parishad elections held in three phases in the district. The Congress nominee, Ms Dhruban
Devi, won a seat from Amlehar constituency. Kumari Anita Sharma, an independent candidate, was declared elected from Saproh ward. Mr Prem Kumar
Dhumal, Chief Minister, has thanked the people of the district for reposing faith in him and the
BJP. The Chief Minister claimed that the BJP had won more than 85 per cent seats of panchayati raj institutions in the Hamirpur district. Shimla panchayats
to take oath on Jan 2 SHIMLA, Dec 19 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, will administer oath to the newly elected pradhans and uppradhans of panchayats of Shimla and Kinnaur districts here on January 2, Hamirpur, Una and Bilaspur districts at Hamirpur on January 7, Chamba and Kangra districts at Dharamsala on January 8, Mandi and Kulu districts at Mandi on January 9 and Sirmaur and Solan districts at Solan on January 11. |
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Mountaineering institute
becomes society SHIMLA, Dec 19 — The state government has cleared the conversion of the Manali-based mountaineering institute into a society so that it raises its own resources for survival. The institute has now been named the Himalayan Institute of Adventure Tourism Society. It is learnt the proposal came before the Cabinet which met here yesterday. The institute has been asked to immediately organise trekking, mountaineering expeditions, short duration skiing, water sports packages and other related activities to raise its own resources. The institute is expected to fetch about Rs 11 lakh annually by organising these activities and utilising the existing infrastructure on commercial basis. It has its own auditoriums, mess, museum and other infrastructure which could be put to commercial use. The institute has expertise in mountaineering and was established in 1961. It will now be managed by a five-member society headed by the Director. Sources said the government employees functioning in the institute will maintain their existing status. Having converted the institute into a society, the government will reduce the budgetary support for promotional activities. The institute has been asked to introduce professionalism and develop a commercial outlook. It has also been asked to organise skiing and water sports competitions at the national and international level. It will also survey new potential areas for adventure activities. |
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Rights panel asks for
treatment record SHIMLA, Dec 19 — The state Human Rights Commissions has taken a serious view of the death of a girl, Nirmla, in Kamla Nehru Hospital and has ordered the Medical Superintendent to submit an hour-to-hour account of the treatment given to her. The commission also considered the case of a children’s hostel and working women’s hostel, US Club, Shimla, and it was informed by the general secretary to the HP State Child Welfare Council that out of the total estimate of Rs 1.30 lakh given by the PWD for undertaking civil and electrical works a sum of Rs 90,000 was given to the PWD in 1998 but no work was carried out. The Executive Engineer concerned failed to attend the meeting of the commission and was being issued notice to appear on December 20 for the lapse. Sewa Ram of Munish village in Rampur tehsil of Shimla district died of electrocution in 1998 when he was cutting tree leaves on his land for fodder and the branches of the tree came in contact with an electric wire. The Secretary of the HPSEB was asked to attend the meeting of the commission yesterday and he failed to do so. Fresh notice has been given to him to appear on December 20. |
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HPMC launches
website SHIMLA, Dec 19 — The HPMC launched its website here today to enable apple growers and other fruit orchardists to market their produce on computers. The Minister of State for Horticulture, Mr Narendera Bragta, inaugurated the website. The corporation plans to make the daily market prices of apple available to the farmers from different markets of the country on this site and the growers will be able to regulate their supplies to the markets at their will. This will prove to be a big boon to farmers. In addition to this, going on the Internet will help the HPMC expand its market in the domestic as well international market. Highlighting various achievements of the corporation, the Managing Director, Mr Shrikant Baldi, said this year the corporation had exported 780 tonnes of apple juice concentrate to USA, Germany and Ghana which is a record in the history of the corporation. |
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Improving Chamba’s
lifelines DALHOUSIE: To ensure the socio-economic development of Chamba district, the construction of
roads, the lifelines of the area, is of vital importance. The geographical area of the
district, a predominantly mountainous zone, is 6,528 sq km, including 3,419 sq km of tribal
area. It has 1,591 villages out of which 1,144 are inhabited .Altitudes in the district vary from 1,000 metres to 5,500
metres.There are numerous picturesque spots which are ideal for holidaying.
Besides, fertile valleys in the district are suitable for the growing of off-season vegetables as well as for horticulture. To effectively tap the resources, sustained efforts are being made to construct roads, bridges and buildings in the area. According to the available data, 3,932 km of roads, including 1,328 km of motorable roads, have been constructed, linking 462 villages in the district. Besides, 143 bridges have been built and 12 are nearing completion. According to the Superintending Engineer, Dalhousie Circle of the Public Works Department, the Himachal Pradesh Government has spent about Rs 100 crore during the past two years on the construction and maintenance of roads, bridges and buildings. He says emphasis has been laid on drainage work along roads to reduce the recurring expenditure on maintenance. As most of the areas in the district are slide prone, adequate importance has been given to the provision of roadside structures such as retaining walls. Due attention has also been paid to the strengthening of roads. During the current fiscal year, the state government has earmarked Rs 52 crore for the construction and maintenance of roads, bridges and buildings. As present construction work on 59 km of roads and seven bridges is in progress. Work on roads of vital importance is being executed under a NABARD project. The execution of the Rs 16.88 crore project is at an advanced stage. It is likely to be completed in all respects by the end of this financial year. The circular road from Baloo to Hardaspura has been widened. This road serves as a bypass to Chamba town. A part of the Chamba-Kharamukh road is also being improved. |
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Army ‘unwilling’ to hand over rape
suspect DHARAMSALA, Dec 19 — Dilly dallying by the local Army authorities in handing over an Army intelligence personnel allegedly accused of raping a minor Nepalese of Forsythganj, near Mcleodganj, for the past five days, has led to resentment among the Gorkha community here. Over 200 persons belonging to the Gorkha community, met the Deputy Commissioner and the police, demanding the immediate arrest of the suspect. Despite the incident taking place on December 14 and the matter having been reported to the police the next day, the suspect has still not been handed over to the police by the Army authorities. Though an FIR was lodged in the local police station under Section 376, IPC, the refusal of the Army to hand over the suspect has given him immunity from interrogation. The Additional Superintendent of Police, Mr N.D. Sareen, said the Army personnel, Shekhar, called the girl to the Army intelligence office saying that there was a call for her from Jabalpur. The girl, one of the four children of a deaf and dumb mother, had worked as a maid with an Army officer in Jabalpur. Thinking that her previous employer must have called up, the victim along with her mother came to attend the call. The police said suspect asked her mother to wait outside and took the girl inside, and raped her. Mr Sareen said despite making repeated requests to the Army authorities to hand over the suspect to the police, he had still not been arrested. “Since one of the senior officers is on leave, we have been told that the suspect will be handed over only after his return,” he said. Infuriated relatives of the girl said being in the Army could not provide immunity to the suspect who was roaming scotfree. |
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2 hurt as bridge
collapses CHAMBA, Dec 19 — An old suspension bridge on the Ravi at Mehla connecting Chamba-Bharmour highway with Mehla block offices, about 20 km from here, collapsed last evening when a vehicle fell into the river while crossing the bridge injuring two occupants of the vehicle. Mr Mast Ram, Commandant of the Home Guards, Chamba, said here today that on receiving the information, jawans of the nearby Mehla Home Guards company rushed to the accident site and rescued the two occupants, including the driver of the vehicle. Lavlesh Kumar, driver of the vehicle, has been relieved after the first-aid while another, Paras Ram, is undergoing treatment at the district hospital. The police has registered a case. |
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Himachal Home Secy, SP get notices SHIMLA, Dec 19 — A Division Bench of the Himachal Pradesh High Court comprising Chief Justice C.K. Thakkar and Mr Justice K.C. Sood yesterday issued notices to the state Home Secretary, the SP Shimla, and Mr S.P. Saklani, director of the finance company Sanchyika India Limited, on a petition filed by Ms Vimla Verma in which she alleged that on November 11, 2000, her vehicle financed by the company had been illegally taken away by Mr Saklani along with his agents. She also alleged that when her husband went to the police station to lodge the complaint, the police did not listen to his grievance and ignored the offence committed by the director of the company. Earlier, the petitioner had taken a loan of Rs 3,81,600 from Sanchyika India Limited to purchase a Swaraj Mazda and the former had given Rs 57,260 as margin money to the said company. |
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District federation
chief suspended SHIMLA, Dec 19 — Mr P.C. Verma, president of the Hamirpur district unit of the Himachal Non-gazetted Service Federation, has been suspended on the charges of alleged anti-employee activities. Announcing this here today, Mr Ganga Singh Thakur, president of the federation, said Mr Verma had also failed to attend three consecutive meetings of the federal committee. Mr Ganga Singh has nominated Mr Kishen Singh, senior vice-president of the district, to function as president of the district unit in place of Mr
Verma. Photo
exhibition on Kargil inaugurated KANGRA, Dec 19 — The Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Minister today inaugurated a week-long photo exhibition ‘Kargil aik baimail jang’ (Kargil a war of unequals) at Polytechnic College Auditorium organised by the exhibition division of the state unit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting here. Mr Prmood Kumar, exhibition officer, said the photographs depicting the heroic deeds of the soldiers during the Kargil war. He said the photographs also showed highlights of the ‘Operation Vijay’. He said that victorious deeds of the Himachali martyrs during the Kargil war were also depicted through these photographs. |
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Ephedrine unit
soon: minister SHIMLA, Dec 19 — Mr Kishori Lal, Industries Minister, today said that an ephedrine extraction unit would be set up in the state. He said that ephedrine extracted from herbal grass was used as an essential ingredient for the manufacture of life-saving drugs. He said ephedrine was a herb produced in upper Kinnaur and some parts of Spiti. It would be the first unit in the Himalayan herb producing areas of the country. |
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