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| Saturday,
March 24, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Congress divided over
toppling HP Govt Disaster control plan on
cards NHRC chief’s stress on police
reforms 4 women killed as bus falls into gorge Bridge at Madooj inaugurated |
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Malana project to be completed in record
time Dispute leads to murder Educational societies
in HP planned Two killed in road mishaps Doctors to strike work on March 26 Mobile phone while driving banned in HP Rs 150 crore grant for roads
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Congress divided over
toppling HP Govt Shimla, March 23 The factions led by the CLP leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh, and the PCC chief, Mrs Vidya Stokes, reportedly were poles apart on the issue. Some Congress leaders were of the opinion that it was time to take revenge by toppling the Dhumal government and installing their own with the support of the BJP rebels as they would reach the magic figure of 35 in the Vidhan Sabha of 68 by joining hands with them. Mr Virbhadra Singh is reported to have said that the Congress was not averse to forming a coalition with the rebels or extending them outside support as the Congress Working Committee had itself cleared the way for coalition at its recent meeting in Bangalore. However, Mrs Stokes is understood to be against any such move. The Congress high command will never accept the “unprincipled” idea, her faction claims. They also point out that forming a government with the support of BJP leaders will make a laughing stock of the Congress which was trying to pull down the Vajpayee government at the Centre on the issue of the Tehelka expose regarding the alleged defence scams. Interestingly, leaders of both factions had earlier been saying that they did not want to fish in the troubled waters of the BJP. It is being alleged that both factions were allowing the opportunity of Congress forming the government to go as none of them wanted the other to occupy the office of Chief Minister. While the rebels had sometime ago contacted Mr Virbhadra Singh, there were allegations that Mr Dhumal has been meeting certain leaders of the other faction of the Congress in a bid to save his chair. March 26, 27 and 28 are crucial for Mr Dhumal as his budgetary demands will be put for voting in the Vidhan Sabha and failure of any of these could result in the fall of his government then and there. Mr Ramesh Dhwala, who had contested the assembly election as a rebel of the BJP, was an Independent member and had first got installed the Congress government by supporting Mr Virbhadra Singh in March 1998, but toppled it by withdrawing support to it after a fortnight and joining Mr Dhumal to form his government on March 24. He was holding the portfolio of irrigation and public health in both governments, but was dropped by Mr Dhumal when he joined hands with the rebels. Mr Mohinder Singh, an unattached member in the Vidhan Sabha and former Public Works Minister, had been supporting Mr Dhumal, but has now changed his tone and is demanding the resignation of Mr Dhumal against whose government allegations of corruption and nepotism have been made by the rebels. It is being watched whether the rebels will stock to their ultimatum of the party high command meeting their demands by March 25 or extend their deadline as they did in the past. |
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Virbhadra ready for coalition
govt Solan, March 23 The CLP leader said that a close watch was also being kept on certain Congress MLAs who “would like to ensure the continuance of Mr
P.K. Dhumal as Chief Minister.” Cautioning such party renegades, he said that a party whip issued in the eventuality of a no-confidence motion being tabled in the Vidhan Sabha, would effectively put an end to their ‘dreams’. |
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Disaster control plan on
cards Dharamsala, March 23 With the devastating Gujarat earthquake still fresh in the minds of the people, the district authorities are undertaking the exhaustive exercise of preparing a disaster management plan (DMP) as a preventive measure. It is expected that the plan, which provides for a coordination mechanism among different agencies, from the field level to the district headquarters and beyond, will be ready by the end of April. Various government departments like the Health, the IPH and the police have been asked to provide their resource inventory and action plan. “The basic idea behind the exercise is to provide a quick and effective response in emergency situations, be it an earthquake or a drought,” stated the Deputy Commissioner, Mr R.C. Kapil. The Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr Rahul Anand, who recently attended a conference on the DMP organised jointly by a high-powered committee of the Union Agriculture Ministry and the CRIID at Chandigarh, said their job was not just to prepare the plan, but to disseminate it right up to the panchayat level so that every individual could be sensitised towards hazard-specific responses, avoiding undue complications. A team of senior scientists visited various sliding zones and vicinity areas to assess the threat perception from the slippage. The scientists, who were here from Amritsar, Chandigarh and Dehra Dun, visited Bhagsu Nag and Naddi areas, where there has been extensional tectonic activity recently in the form of surface cracks. The scientists observed that there were at least 25 very active landslide zones between Dharamsala and Naddi. They found that there were landslides near the villages of Gujiada, Tota Rani, Gamru, Jogibara and Bara Kothi. The Wadia Institute of Seismology has built monitoring points to check the rate of slippage in the area. One of the main reasons being attributed for the landslides is seepage. Since the town of Dharamsala is located on a rock, which has fractures, the possibility of an earthquake is high. As such the Chamba and Dharamsala area is still capable of generating high-intensity earthquakes. The Dharamsala-Kangra area is one of the most active earthquake zones in the Himalayan seismic belt and has experienced several destructive earthquakes in 1905, 1968, 1978 and 1986. |
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NHRC chief’s stress on police
reforms Shimla, March 23 Delivering the keynote address at the two-day workshop on “human rights commissions and police reforms” here today he said the directive, which made it obligatory for the CBI to seek prior permission of the government before undertaking any inquiry or investigation against civil servants of the rank of Joint Secretary and above, was struck down by the Supreme Court. However, ever since the judgement was delivered, deliberate attempts had been made to ensure that it was not implemented fully. He said the police was obliged to function under the mandate of law for governance and not at the whims and fancies of political bosses. Justice Verma emphasised that an impartial and independent police set-up was essential for an independent judiciary unless the investigating agency did its job efficiently and impartially, the judiciary would not be able to do much in ensuring the rule of law. Referring to the slow pace of police reforms, he said lack of political will was the main obstacle. He said it was high time to make the police people-friendly instead of power-friendly so that it could no not be misused by those in power. In a republican democracy every instrument of governance derived its power from the people and thus it should be made accountable to them. The police should become a protector of citizen’s rights and not their prosecutor. Earlier, inaugurating the workshop Mr P.K. Dhumal, the Chief Minister, said there was a need to reform the police as the country no longer required the set-up of the colonial rule. The violation of human rights by police, particularly custodial deaths and rapes, should be checked at all costs. However, when it came to dealing with terrorists, same yardsticks could not be applied. People were suffering because of a nexus between the police, bureaucrats, politicians and criminals, he added. |
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4 women killed as bus falls into gorge Shimla, March 23 The bus was on its way from Begi Pull to here. While three women died on spot, one succumbed to her injuries at hospital in Rampur. Six injured were hospitalised at
Nirmand, eight were taken to Rampur and seven seriously injured persons were brought to Indira Gandhi Medical College Hospital here. The deceased have been identified as Pooja Devi of Bandal village, Tuli Devi of Nor, Simitra of Arsu and Kumbu Devi of
Bandal. The driver and conductor were among the injured. |
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Bridge at Madooj inaugurated Tissa (Chamba), March 23 Speaking on this occasion, the minister said with the commissioning of this bridge of 30-m span and constructed at a cost of Rs 2 lakh, the benefits of Independence had started percolating through to the area which had been ignored for the last 50 years. He said this bridge had connected Bounderi, Mangli and Satyas belts of Churah region, thereby, ameliorating the socio-economic conditions of residents who would now be able to transport their agro-horticulture produce to the markets. The minister said the government had okayed the construction of the Tarella-Mangli road and sanctioned Rs 1.17 crore under the National Bank of Agriculture for Rural Development (NABARD), adding that work on it would be taken up soon on a war footing. The minister while inspecting the 100 kw Juther micro hydroelectric project said it was for the first time that such hydel project had been commissioned in this area of Himachal Pradesh. Though it was a mini-hydel project but it was constructed with high-tech equipment, he added. The minister said this project was supplying electricity to more than eight panchayats of this area. He said in the Churah area 31 km of high voltage and 14 km of low voltage transmission lines had been installed. |
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Malana project to be completed in record
time Shimla, March 23 The project is being constructed by a Bhilwara group. The foundation of the project was laid by the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, on September 27, 1998, and the infrastructure was constructed in the mountaineous terrain within 11 months. According to Mr M.D.
Mundhra, Vice-President (Commercial), the state government will receive 15 per cent free power for the first 12 years which will be increased to 20 per cent for the next 28 years. The work on the penstocks was about 90 per cent complete, the barrage works 75 per cent complete and 75 per cent works had been done in the power house, he said. Mr Mundhra said the project authorities were sensitive to the environment and took extra care that minimum possible number of trees were felled. At least 20,000 trees had been planted in the project area and a sum of Rs 41.75 lakh had been deposited for compensatory afforestation which will be done by the Forest Department. He said locals were being preferred for employment in the project. |
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Dispute leads to murder Dharamsala, March 23 According to the Additional SP, Mr N.D. Sareen, the deceased had a heated argument with Kapil, who later fired upon him, killing him on the spot. The police has arrested Kapil, along with his brother Vivek and father Surinder. It is learnt that the two families had some dispute, which led to the firing. A case has been registered. In another incident, the police has found the body of a Gorkha lady near Sheila Chowk. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination a case has been registered. In another case a woman, Sunita received burn injuries when her cloths caught fire, while she was trying to light a kerosene lamp at Narwana village near here. Her husband, Subhash, also received burn injuries, while he was trying to save her.
Both have been admitted to Zonal Hospital here. |
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Educational societies
in HP planned Hamirpur, March 23 More than 200 posts of college lecturer in various disciplines are lying vacant in the state. The Department of Education had recently sent a proposal for the recruitments of 183 lecturers but that was turned down due to the fiscal crisis the state was facing. Insiders in the state government say that the Finance department has clearly told all Departments that it is not possible to give approval to further recruitments or filling of vacant posts in any department due to bad financial health of the state. The Finance Department has reportedly told other departments to manage their works with the present staff and be ready for even lesser staff in the coming days as no new person will be posted at such places where any one retires or seek retirement under VRS. |
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Two killed in road mishaps Kulu, March 23 Parsini Devi was hit by bus at Akhara Bazar here last night. She was admitted to a hospital where she succumbed to her injuries today. In another incident, a boulder fell on a van at Dawara village on the national highway, about 15 km from here, today. The van was on its way to Katrain from Fozal. The van driver Govind Ram, of Shim village was killed while a woman was injured.
Shimla, March 23 Dr Sanjay Pathak, vice-president of the HMOA, today alleged that the government had backed out of the signed agreement of December 15 for meeting their demands within the time frame.He said the decision to allow private practice to doctors would corrupt the entire system and poor people would suffer. Dr Pathak said doctors would not perform even the emergency services on March 26.
Doctors’ allowance Shimla, March 23 He said issuing of notification to withdraw the NPA was not even under consideration. |
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Mobile phone while driving banned in HP Shimla, March 23 The decision was taken here today at a joint meeting of the HP Hotel and Restaurants Association, Tourism Department and the traffic police to finalise arrangements for the smooth flow of traffic during the coming tourist season. The Superintendent of Police, Mr A.N. Sharma, said it was decided that one-way traffic via Victory Tunnel, Sanjauli, Chhota Shimla, Khalini and bus stand would be followed strictly. Yellow lining would be marked on the road meant for parking places. He said the district administration had been asked to open the Chaura Maidan area for parking of vehicles. Passenger buses would stop only at the specified places. Strict action would be taken against overcharging by commercial vehicle operators and those trying to fleece tourists. |
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Rs 150 crore grant for roads Kulu, March 23 He said the condition of the national highway road from Kulu to Manali could not be properly restored after the 1995 floods and now the work would be done on a war-footing. The government was committed to provide of link roads in all villages. A legislation would be enacted to punish those responsible for lapses in the construction work. Earlier, a warm reception was accorded to the minister on his first visit after he took over the PWD at Dhalpur by the HVC and BJP workers. |
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