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| Wednesday, February
28, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Fireworks likely in HP Budget
session Fire services in bad
shape Alert on Chamba
border HP to formulate policy on
khair Policy on projects irks HP
engineers |
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From prominence to
obscurity School deprived of mid-day meal Minister reiterates offer to quit Students hold rally against
appointments Shift GM for fair probe, say
workers Withdraw entry
tax: parties Two killed in cylinder blast When will water supply scheme start?
Fire in Subathu Central School
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Fireworks likely in HP Budget
session Shimla, February 27 After the Revenue Minister, Mr Rajan Sushant, it was the turn of the Agriculture Minister, Mr Vidya Sagar today to voice his dissent against Mr Dhumal on the issue of reservation for OBCs. The incidents of many ministers and legislators particularly of Kangra district, deserting Mr Dhumal one by one shortly before the crucial Budget session has put him in a tight spot and provided a chance to the opposition Congress to whip the
ruling BJP. This is not the first time that the dissidents belonging to the camp of the Union Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, have struck Mr Dhumal before the assembly session. They had created a difficult situation in November, last year, shortly before the winter session was to begin. The hatchet was supposed to have been buried after a ceasefire between the two groups. However, the Shanta supporters apparently were in a mood to keep the pot of dissidence boiling. However, this time their number has further increased with at least three more ministers joining their ranks and issuing statements against the functioning of the state government. The number of rebels before the last winter session was six, including three ministers. The new enterants, Mr Vidya Sagar and Mr Sushant, were earlier staunch supporters of Mr Shanta Kumar, but had shifted
loyalties to the Chief Minister. Transport Minister K.K. Kapoor, IPH Minister Ramesh Dhwala, and Town and Country Planning Minister Hari Narayan Singh had signed the letter of no confidence along with three MLAs against Mr Dhumal in November, last year. It is being said that at least nine of the 11 BJP MLAs of the Kangra district were now with the dissidents and their number might further increase. The dissidents had gained sympathy following registration of an FIR against three ministers and Mr Dulo Ram, President of the district unit of the BJP, Kangra. The Industries Minister, Mr Kishori Lal, and the Health Minister, Mr J.P. Nadda, were today making efforts to calm down the dissidents, some of whom were on their way to Chandigarh to attend a marriage. Mr Dhumal also had a series of meeting with some emissaries and Mr Jai Kishen Sharma, state chief of the BJP. Dhumal loyalists were also preparing their strategy for the meeting of the BJP Legislature Party here tomorrow in which the dissidents had already announced to raise their grievances. The Congress Legislature Party will also meet here tomorrow to finalise their strategy for putting the Dhumal government on the mat. The party is expected to raise the issues of financial mismanagement, deteriorating law and order, atrocities on women, rising corruption, safronisation of education institutions and growing unemployment. The tone was set by the CLP leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh, who said it was for the first time that the Planning Commission had scaled down the plan size of the state by Rs 338 crore. The financial position of the state government was going from bad to worse, although loans to the tune of Rs 2,100 crore had been raised during the current year and another loan of Rs 350 crore was being added to it. However, all the money was diverted towards the payment of salaries of employees and unproductive expenditure. He added that the issue of deteriorating law and order in the state would be raised in the Assembly. The issue of alleged kidnapping of two women representatives of the Kangra Zila Parishad at the behest of three ministers has come handy for the Congress to raise it in the Assembly. Political pressure was being mounted to hush up the case, he alleged. The HVC leader, Mr Sukh Ram, is apparently unhappy with his alliance partner, and it is to be seen what stand he takes during the session. |
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Fire services in bad
shape Shimla Though the state government has announced strengthening of the department the authorities claim that instead of increasing the fire services, the number is declining. The departments have a fire system belonging to the British era in the town. The fire system is provided to the local people by the department. There are 699 fire hydrants, of which 556 are under the Municipal Corporation but most of them are out of order. The rest are under the Central Government and of which 55 are to be repaired. Around 40 fire hydrants are missing. The Fire Authority claims that it has written many times to the Municipal Corporation but the latter does not bother. Suburbs like
Kusumpti, New Shimla and newly constructed areas have no fire hydrants. If a fire breaks out and the incident is reported on time, the haphazard construction of the houses and encroachment on roads make it difficult fire engines to reach the spot. There is no proper link road to reach the spot. The High Court,
IGMC, Rahat Hotel near Chhota Shimla, AG’s office and Longwood are the main points through which fire services have to pass. But the roads are occupied with the vehicles parked on the roadside which makes it more difficult for firemen to reach on time. Sometimes, there is a traffic jam due to these vehicles. All these things make it more difficult for the fire services to reach the spot quickly. There are 22 fire stations in Himachal Pradesh and each fire station require 32 firemen. This includes one station fire officer, 2 sub-fire officer, four leading firemen, seven drivers and 20 firemen. But all the fire stations have a skeleton staff. Many of the posts in the department have been lying vacant. These include 98 firemen, 35 drivers, three leading firemen, five sub-fire officers, two station fire officers, chief fire officer, two divisional fire officer (one under suspension and one vacant). All these posts have been vacant and the fire authority demands their filling. There is lack of residential accommodation for the fire staff even though they have round-the-clock duty. The Fire Authority pointed out that they had not been paid washing allowance since 1998. In 1993 a meeting of the department was held with the Chief Secretary and washing allowance at the same rate as the police were announced for them. Lack of manpower, shortage of funds and less number of vehicles are various problem the fire service face. Snorkels and ladders are not available which make it hard for firemen to reach the top of a building on fire. There are three fire stations in the town located at the Mall Road, Chhota Shimla and
Boileauganj. There are eight fire engines and four fire jeeps in these fire station. The fire department claims that more staff is required and many of the posts in the department have been lying vacant. There is no proper parking for vehicles at the Mall Road and Chhota Shimla fire stations. The department does not have even drivers for fire engines. These fire engines can carry up to 4500 litres of water and just enough to control the fire initially. There is no proper arrangement for the refilling of the fire engines. The town is facing an acute shortage and the daily demand of the water is 62 to 65 lakh gallons per day. The number of the fire incidents have shot up. Five to six fire incidents have occurred in the past 10 days. The top two storeys of a 100-year-old Railway Board building was the main incident. Almost all the fires took place due to the
short-circuit but electricity department does not seem to bother. Most of the historical buildings of the British period have already been destroyed by fire. |
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Alert on Chamba
border Chamba, February 27 Mr Sanjay Kundu, Superintendent of Police, who inspected the border areas from Kalaban-Satrundi to Langera and took stock of the situation, said the pickets of the police forces camping on the checkpoints were on the offensive and combing the borderline constantly. The SP said with the mounting pressure over the Pakistan-backed militants in Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir, the security forces had intensified its anti-insurgency operation on the borders in coordination with the forces already deployed on Jammu and Kashmir side. The SP said in order to create a sense of security in the border villages of the district, the Himachal Pradesh Police Department had recruited some youths belonging to the border areas as constable. Mr Kundu said strict watch was being kept on the
strangers and infiltrators by the security forces. The SP claimed no untoward incident had so far happened in the border areas adjoining Chamba district. The tourist inflow had also been revised in the region, he added. |
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HP to formulate policy on
khair Nurpur, February 27 Mr Parveen Sharma, Excise and Taxation Minister, while talking to mediapersons here last evening, said the government was concerned over the problems being faced by the farmers and khair tree growers of the lower areas of the state. Mr Sharma was here to hear the problems of the growers who have been agitating since February 14 under the banner of the Kisan Vikas Sabha by divisional Magistrate. He said the Excise and Taxation Department was reviewing the existing taxation structure of khair wood. He said the government was pro-farmers and would ensure that they were not exploited. He pointed out that during the interaction with the khair tree growers, a demand was raised to remove the ban on the supply of the khair wood to the neighbouring states which had been imposed by the previous Congress government by “ignoring the interests of the growers”. The growers also demanded to relax the ceiling of 10-years for felling of khair trees and to alter the mode of measuring the trees before felling. He said the government would take a decision keeping in mind the interests of the growers. He said the government would announce its farmer-friendly policy relating to the felling of khair trees within two months. On the new excise policy on liquor, the minister said the government had envisaged to discourage hard liquor and promote soft liquor in the state. The government had for the first time introduced the tender system for auctioning liquor outlets in the state which was likely to fetch about 20 per cent more revenue to the state exchequer during the coming fiscal year. |
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Policy on projects irks HP
engineers Shimla, February 27 The association urged the government to incorporate the relevant clauses in the MoUs, ensuring gainful deployment of HPSEB engineers. This was all the more necessary when stagnation was rampant in the cadre of project engineers at all levels even though those at the level of assistant engineer were yet to get their first promotion after putting in more than 20 years’ service. In the private sector hydroelectric projects being executed in the state such as those in Malana and Baspa, there was virtually no participation of HPSEB project engineers. Similarly, the 1500 MW Nathpa-Jhakri projected had seen the 27.5-km-long tunnel being completed in record time only because of the untiring efforts of the project engineers who were directly associated with its execution. Their demands for equivalence and deputation terms had however, not been settled satisfactorily till date by the NJPC management. |
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From prominence to
obscurity Dagshai Around 80 per cent of the buildings constructed during the early and mid 19th century are in a dilapidated condition. There are some old buildings whose owners are not known even to the local residents. Before Independence people from far-flung areas used to come here for trading as Dagshai was the main trading centre of Solan and Sirmaur districts. Now places like Solan, Kumarhatti and Dharampur have been developed into major centres. ‘‘Dagshai is dying,’’ says an old man while recalling the British period. While passing through the
town, one can get a few glimpses of the splendour that must have marked the British period. With the passage of time apathy on the part of the authorities
concerned, the rules with regard to the sale and purchase of property and the Kalka-Shimla National Highway that passes through Kumarhatti have pushed Dagshai to an unimportant position. “We have no sources of income here and even for minor repairs to our houses we have to get prior permission of the Cantonment Board,’’ says a resident. The town has the potential of becoming an ideal place for tourists, says Mr G.S. Sandhu, a retired MES official and resident. Like other residents, he too runs a dhaba near Kumarhatti on the National Highway. There is need to construct some tourist huts which will not only make the town a big draw for people from areas such as Chandigarh but also provide employment to residents, he suggests. The Cantonment Board should also construct a guest house in the town, he says. The indifferent attitude of the authorities towards Dagshai can be gauged from the fact that its nearly 2,200 residents have been compelled to depend on only one HRTC bus service every day for a long time. Besides, residents have to trudge a distance of more than 1 km to catch a bus. The poor condition of roads is another problem that plagues the town. Almost all main link roads in the cantonment except those that are maintained by the Cantonment Board are in need of immediate repairs. The Dagshai-Anhech road, which passes through a cemetery, has not been tarred for about 25 years. |
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School deprived of mid-day meal Kumarhatti, February 27 According to the information, 16 students enrolled in this school were supposed to get 3 kg of rice per month under the scheme which they have not received since August. Most of the students are from poor families. The primary schools having less then 20 students are already facing threat of closure. Under the Central government’s midday meal scheme, a student having monthly attendance of 80 per cent or more is to be given the meal which is sent by the Centre free of cost to the state government. The rice is collected by the schools from the ration depot holder concerned who receives it through the State Civil Supply Corporation. The primary school at Gaido is attached with the nearby Government High School, Kakkarhatti, which resulted in delay of supply of rice to the school. Mr Amar Singh, president of Shadiana panchayat, said neither the Kakkrhatti high School and nor the ration depot holder. Thari, had received the supply for primary school. He, however, said the matter had been solved. Meanwhile, the District Education Primary School Officer, Mr O.P. Walia, admitted irregularities in the distribution of rice among the students of some other schools of the district too, when contacted. “We have decided to get receipts from the depot holders for the quantity of rice distributed”, he said. |
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Minister reiterates offer to quit Kangra, February 27 Mr Vidya Sagar was addressing a press conference at the local IPH rest house here today. He said not much development had taken place in his constituency despite his repeated requests to the Chief Minister. He said a fire brigade office and a DSP office were opened in Kangra on his insistence but without buildings and funds. He said Kangra Subdivisional Hospital was upgraded from a 50 bed to a 100-bed hospital but without infrastructure, doctors, paramedical staff and funds. He said despite his requests to the Chief Minister this hospital was without a female doctor for the past two years. He charged the
Chief Minister with ignoring this temple town where more than 10 lakh pilgrims visited every year. He said “I am disturbed and pained that my Assembly constituency, particularly the religious and historical town of Kangra has been deprived of many facilities”. |
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Students hold rally against
appointments Shimla, February 27 Addressing the rally Mr Dilip Kaitha, joint secretary of the All-India Students Federation of India, alleged that the university was violating the UGC rules. He said the executive meeting had opined that merit was ignored in the appointments. The SCA president, Mr Sandeep Chaudhary, alleged that despite the fact that a memorandum of demands had been submitted to the vice-chancellor nothing was done in this regard. The association also urged Dr Suraj Bhan, Governor, to order an inquiry into the appointments. |
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Shift GM for fair probe, say
workers Shimla, February 27 In a complaint to the Chief Minister, the workers union of the factory said that the inquiry has not yet begun. Union leaders have demanded that the General Manager, Finance Manager and Legal Manager be sent on leave to ensure a free and fair inquiry into the functioning of the factory. They allege that the previous management had made promotions without following procedure and labour from other states had been engaged in the factory, ignoring local youth. They demand a thorough inquiry into the purchase of cardboard, foreign tour of the previous Managing Director and commission paid to various agents in J and K and Delhi without formal approval of the Board of Directors. They allege that the top brass is trying to shield “corrupt” officials. Withdraw entry tax: parties Solan, February 27 Mr J.L. Sharma, General Secretary of the nagar mandal of the BJP and six former municipal councillors of the party, in a statement issued here yesterday, said the Congress-led municipal council, by imposing the entry tax had caused harassment to local people whose houses or places of work were situated outside the municipal limits. They had to shell out entry tax daily and were made to make long halts at the entry tax barriers. They also said the municipal council had posted water supply and sanitation staff on entry tax barriers which had adversely affected the work of these departments. |
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Two killed in cylinder blast Shimla, February 27 The fire was brought under control after fire fighters reached Mashobra at about 2 pm. A major part of the Sharewood House was reduced to ashes. The building was locked and this property is looked after by a trust. In another incident, a cooking gas cylinder burst in a kitchen at Dofara village in Rampur subdivision of this district early today, killing two persons and seriously injuring two others. The blast caused a fire in the double-storeyed house and fire tenders had to be rushed from Rampur, the police said. Vinod Kumar and his son Sandeep were killed. Vinod’s wife and his another son were injured and were admitted to a hospital at Rampur.
UNI/PTI |
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When will water supply scheme start? Shimla, February 27 The construction cost was passed a decade ago but no tender has been passed yet. Rs 4 lakh were sanctioned this year for the water scheme. Hattu is the main water source in the area. Due to very low temperature in winters the water in pipelines freezes and this leads to water scarcity. The Hattu water source was constructed five decade ago and no other source was developed although the population has increased. Every winter people face an acute shortage of water. But this year the state experienced water shortage due to the long dry spell. The local residents complain that the department had provided water tanks, but after three days the water tanks were sent back for reasons unknown.
Fire in Subathu Central School Solan, February 27 The loss to property had been estimated at about Rs 40,000. All students, who would normally have been in the class rooms at the time of the fire, were fortunately away attending a farewell party. The fire was brought under control by the Army at
Subathu. |
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