H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Vehicles to pay entry tax in HP
Shimla, May 30
An entry tax of Rs 50 for buses and Rs 20 for each car coming to Himachal Pradesh will be charged from June 1. Announcing this here today, an official spokesman said all heavy vehicles entering Himachal Pradesh from that day shall have to pay a tax of Rs 50, private cars and jeeps will be charged Rs 20 and taxis will have to pay Rs 30.

Vajpayee leaves for Delhi
Manali, May 30
The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, today left for Delhi after his week-long sojourn at Prini, 4 km from here, on the Manali-Naggar road.

Stokes: Expose ‘misdeeds’ of HP Govt
Una, May 30
Ms Vidya Stokes, President of the state Congress, yesterday called upon party workers to expose the ‘misdeeds’ of the BJP-HVC government. Ms Stokes was addressing a meeting organised by Mr O.P. Rattan, former MLA, in Mehatpur village, 12 km from here.

Headmasters’ fiscal powers withdrawn
Shimla, May 30
The government has withdrawn the drawing and disbursing powers of about 1,000 headmasters of high schools. District education officers and principals of the nearby senior secondary schools will now handle the financial matters of the high schools.

Minister fails to keep date
Nahan, May 30
Traditional Bishu fair held at Andheri in Sangrah tehsil, about 75 km from here, commenced with fervour yesterday. In absence of the minister who was scheduled to inaugurate the fair, the Tehsildar, Sangrah, had to do the same.

Dialogue best option on  Tibet: NDPT
Dharamsala, May 30
The National Democratic Party of Tibet has urged the US Special Coordinator on Tibet, Ms Paula Dobriansky, to facilitate an early and peaceful solution of the Tibetan problem.

6 injured in 2 accidents
Mandi, May 30
Six persons were injured in two separate accidents last evening on the Mandi-Pathankot road. Five were injured at Tandu, 9 km from here, when a Maruti car in which Mahender Singh Aggarwal of Yamunanagar along with his family was returning from Manikaran was hit by a tourist bus.

Vehicles to pay entry tax in HP
Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 30
An entry tax of Rs 50 for buses and Rs 20 for each car coming to Himachal Pradesh will be charged from June 1. Announcing this here today, an official spokesman said all heavy vehicles entering Himachal Pradesh from that day shall have to pay a tax of Rs 50, private cars and jeeps will be charged Rs 20 and taxis will have to pay Rs 30. The fee for autorickshaws will be Rs 10 and two-wheelers Rs 5.

The state government had earlier abolished the tax being charged by a number of town area committees, municipalities and panchayats following criticism that it was causing inconvenience to motorists and tourists.

The new tax will be collected at the barriers of the Excise and Taxation Department at the inter-state check posts.

A bill was brought during the last Vidhan Sabha session for amendment in Himachal Pradesh Toll Tax Act, 1975, and the Chief Minister Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, had assured during discussion that for the purpose of removing restrictions on tourists and others, all barriers situated within the state would be removed.

The spokesman said that in accordance with the announcement the entry tax, which was charged at various bridges, municipal committees and panchayats was abolished from April 1. He said the government had decided that toll tax and entry tax would henceforth be charged as consolidated tax only. Employees of Excise and Taxation Department would realise this tax at the departmental barriers at inter-state check post.

The spokesman added that the toll tax would be realised once in 24 hours and a provision had also been made for the yearly and quarterly realisation of the tax which would be 20 times of the daily fee for three months and for one year it would be three times of the quarterly fee. He said unrestricted travel facility would be available after the payment of quarterly and yearly fee.

The spokesman said one part of the income derived from this tax was proposed to be given to municipal councils and panchayats in lieu of the abolition of the entry tax by these institutions.

Vajpayee leaves for Delhi
Our Correspondent

Manali, May 30
The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, today left for Delhi after his week-long sojourn at Prini, 4 km from here, on the Manali-Naggar road.

Prominent among those who were present at the Sase helipad at Bahang, 4 km from here, on the Manali-Leh highway, to see off the Prime Minister, were the state Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, the Minister of State for Primary Education, Mr Karan Singh, the local MLA, Mr Chander Sen Thakur, the Parliamentary Secretary, Ms Urmila Thakur, the Chief Secretary, Mr B.K. Goswami, the Director-General of Police, Mr A.K. Puri, the Additional Director-General of Police, Mr B.L. Pandit, the Kulu Deputy Commissioner, Mr A.V. Prasad, and the Superintendent of Police, Mr N. Venugopal.

Mr Vajpayee was accompanied by the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal.

The Prime Minister said he was satisfied with the reply given by Pakistan military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf to his letter inviting him for talks on various outstanding issues.

“I am satisfied with his response,” Mr Vajpayee told newspersons at the Sase helipad before leaving for New Delhi after a week-long vacation at Prini village here.

He said there was no need to write another letter now to the Pakistan Chief Executive and added, “We will go in for talks with General Musharraf”.

Stokes: Expose ‘misdeeds’ of HP Govt
Our Correspondent

Una, May 30
Ms Vidya Stokes, President of the state Congress, yesterday called upon party workers to expose the ‘misdeeds’ of the BJP-HVC government. Ms Stokes was addressing a meeting organised by Mr O.P. Rattan, former MLA, in Mehatpur village, 12 km from here.

She said the BJP-HVC leaders were busy promoting their own interests. Their own ministers and MLAs had levelled charges of corruption against the BJP government.

As per their allegations the government was selling the interests of the state and promoting nepotism, she said.

The HPPCC President justified the merger of the HVP with the Congress, saying that this had been done only after consultations with Ms Sonia Gandhi.

The move had strengthened the party in the state, she said. Mr Lajya Ram, vice-president of the HPPCC, Ms Viplav Thakur, general secretary and Mr Rattan also spoke.

Headmasters’ fiscal powers withdrawn
Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 30
The government has withdrawn the drawing and disbursing powers of about 1,000 headmasters of high schools. District education officers and principals of the nearby senior secondary schools will now handle the financial matters of the high schools. The step has caused resentment among teachers.

Sources said the step had been taken to reduce the number of drawing and disbursing officers because a large number of financial transactions were taking place in treasuries every day and were putting extra burden on the staff.

Moreover, many financial irregularities were recently detected in various educational institutions in the far-flung areas, the sources said.

However, the headmasters of high schools in the tribal areas and far-flung places will retain the financial powers.

Minister fails to keep date
Our Correspondent

Nahan, May 30
Traditional Bishu fair held at Andheri in Sangrah tehsil, about 75 km from here, commenced with fervour yesterday. In absence of the minister who was scheduled to inaugurate the fair, the Tehsildar, Sangrah, had to do the same.

Thoda Nritya, a symbol of traditional warfare of ‘Haties’ of the transGiri area was the main attraction on the first day of the three-day fair. Residents had made elaborate arrangements to receive the Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, Mr Prakash Chaudhary, who could not keep his promise. 

Dialogue best option on Tibet: NDPT
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, May 30
The National Democratic Party of Tibet (NDPT) has urged the US Special Coordinator on Tibet, Ms Paula Dobriansky, to facilitate an early and peaceful solution of the Tibetan problem.

The president of the NDPT, Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok, said yesterday the Tibetans believed that a peaceful and constructive dialogue between the two countries without any preconditions was the best way to resolve the issue.

“Time has come when you can act as the saviour of the Tibetan people and also set up a democratic government in China”.

Mr Phuntsok said the vast knowledge and experience that Ms Dobriansky had would enable her in resolving the issue.

He said the Tibetans would always remain indebted to the previous US Special Coordinator on Tibet, Ms Julia Taft, for raising voice against violation of human rights in the occupied Tibet.

Himachal board plus one results out
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, May 30
Binny Mahendru of St Paul’s Senior Secondary School, Palampur, has emerged the topper by securing 91 per cent marks in the plus one examinations, the results of which were declared by the Himachal Board of School Education here today. The pass percentage stands at 53.07 per cent. A total of 69,590 students appeared in the examinations, of which 36,403 passed, 12,702 were placed under compartment and 15,987 failed.

In the vocational course, 911 students appeared, of which 792 cleared the examination while 70 were placed under compartment.

Along with Binny Mahendru, those who figure in the merit list include Priyanka Sharma of MCM DAV College, Kangra, Anjuly Thakur of Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Nahan, Lakshmi Kumari Sankhayan of MLSM College, Sundernagar, Anshuman Shivam Singh of DAV College, Banikhet, Alpana of MCM DAV College, Kangra, Saurav Mahajan of DAV College, Banikhet, Hetinder Singh of Government Senior Secondary School Surla (Sirmaur), Varsha Sharma of DAV College, Banikhet, and Gulafbha Chaudhary of DAV Senior Secondary School, Una.

6 injured in 2 accidents
Our Correspondent

Mandi, May 30
Six persons were injured in two separate accidents last evening on the Mandi-Pathankot road.

Five were injured at Tandu, 9 km from here, when a Maruti car in which Mahender Singh Aggarwal of Yamunanagar along with his family was returning from Manikaran was hit by a tourist bus.

The driver of the mini bus fled from the scene but was arrested by the police near Mandi and his vehicle was impounded.

Villagers rushed to the accident site and rescued Mr Aggarwal (40), his wife Sandeep (36), two children Saurabh (10) and Sharad (8) and driver Vipin Bakshi. They were taken to Regional Hospital here.

All except Mr Aggarwal and his wife were discharged.

In another accident at Urla on the Mandi-Jogindernagar road, a Tata Sumo skidded down the road. One occupant Usha (55), was injured.