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| Thursday,
June 21, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Six dead,
20 hurt as buses collide 11
villages hit by enteritis Probe
killings, BSP asks Governor Anti-insurgency
steps intensified in HP |
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HP to
recruit 115 doctors on contract 20 cr
being spent on works in Spiti WTO
rules need change: expert HC
issues notice to IOC Cong
stance on user charges ‘misleading’ Campaign
to clean water sources launched Admission
schedule for HP colleges Traffic
cops vs tourists People
made aware of legal rights Migratory
cattle hit by virus Vet
council to implement CM’s directive 6 girls
scale Hanuman Tibba HP Govt
against Dalits: union Bus
operators go on strike CITU
workers hold rally Fine
arts students seek employment Funds
available for hospital: MP
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Six dead, 20 hurt as buses collide Mandi, June 20 An official told this reporter that five persons died on the spot while a three-year-old child of Rohanda village succumbed to injuries at the adjoining health sub-centre. According to eyewitnesses both drivers were driving rashly. Mr Mahashwar Singh, member Parliament, has conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families. District officials have rushed to the site with a team of doctors. Medical aid has also been rushed from the adjoining Kulu district. |
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11
villages hit by enteritis Kangra, June 20 Kangra Chief Medical Officer J.D. Mehta confirmed four deaths due to the disease. He said 13 more persons had been admitted to the health centre at Chidyar. Over 12 patients had been discharged from hospital. Medicines had been distributed among villagers and all water sources had been chlorinated. According to reports, more than 500 villagers have been affected by the disease. Dr
R.L. Kaundal, Senior Medical Officer, CHC, Chidyar, said nearly 300 persons had been affected by the disease in June. |
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Probe killings, BSP asks Governor Jaisinghpur, June 20 Releasing copies of the memorandum sent to the Governor, Dr Suraj Bhan, through the SDM, Jaisinghpur, to the local mediapersons, a senior leader and former general secretary of the Himachal Pradesh unit of the BSP, Mr Puran Chand, said the graph of murders of people belonging to Dalit and backward classes had been rising day by day for quite some time. Citing an example, he said Mr Suresh Kumar, a resident of Ropari village in Jaisinghpur tehsil, had disappeared on January 24 this year from his home under mysterious circumstances. Later, the police recovered his decomposed body on February 28 from Khedilanga. The police had also found a gun at the spot. According to the postmortem report there were no marks of any injuries on the body. The suspect had said in his statement that Suresh had gone for, hunting to the jungle and taken his (the suspect) gun and four cartridges. But the police found two live cartridges from the pocket of the deceased and another one in the gun while the fourth was missing. Mr Puran Chand doubted it was a case of suicide. In another case of a similar nature, Mr Parkash Chand, son of Gareebu Ram, resident of Tang village in Dharamshala tehsil, was murdered but the police treated this as a case of suicide and had not interrogated the suspected persons. The alleged criminals were moving about freely after
committing the crime. The BSP leader demanded that the murders of these youths belonging to Dalit and backward classes should be investigated and the suspected persons be thoroughly interrogated. He said if the mystery surrounding these murders was not solved the BSP would launch a statewide agitation. |
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Anti-insurgency steps intensified in HP Chamba, June 20 Mr Kundu said in view of the mounting pressure of ultras from the Jammu and Kashmir side, the security forces has intensified anti-insurgency operations. He said the 38 checkpoints, already set up on the timberline, had been revamped with an improved communications network which was in constant tough with the security forces camping on either side of Jammu and Kashmir. The security forces, equipped with sophisticated weapons and explosives, had stepped up vigil. Besides, a joint combing operation of the Himachal Armed Police battalions, along with ITBP, had been launched keeping in touch with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir side to counter nefarious designs of terrorists, he said. Mr Kundu said the security forces were keeping an eye on strangers and allowing entry from across the borders in the district only after proper verification. He claimed that during the past two-and-a-half year, the forces had not only maintained normalcy and fraternity and infused confidence among residents of border villages but also revived the tourist inflow to region. The SP said contribution of the 159 village defence committees having 1,441 members was laudable and the 466 local special police officers had boosted the morale of jawans. |
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HP to recruit 115 doctors on contract Shimla, June 20 The Health Minister, Mr J.P. Nadda, told The Tribune here today
that the recruitment of new doctors on contract basis would begin shortly. The Finance Department had given clearance for making these appointments. These posts were earlier referred to the public service commission to be filled up but now the recruitments would be made on contract basis by the Health Department itself. The previous trend indicated that young doctors were not inclined towards government jobs. Against 1041 letters of appointment sent to doctors for government jobs during the past three years, only 599 joined the duty. Most of the posts were vacant in the interior areas of Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, Kangra, Chamba, Mandi and Shimla. It is worth mentioning that the state government had sometime ago started walk-in-interview for doctors but the scheme did not pick up because there were hardly any doctors to take up assignments in tribal and remote areas. Another scheme of paying an advance amount of Rs 1 lakh to the doctors willing to go to these areas failed as some doctors were untraceable after pocketing the amount. The stress of the government now was towards strengthening the existing health institutions instead of going in for opening new ones. Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh had been selected for national award for leprosy elimination. At least 42 of the 70 persons identified with leprosy had been operated upon. |
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20 cr being spent on works in Spiti Shimla, June 20 Mr Subhash Negi, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Tribal Development, said over Rs 19.53 crore were being spent under the tribal sub-plan and Rs 52.04 lakh under special central assistance to Spiti during the current financial
year. Later, Mr Naik also inspected various ongoing development schemes in the Spiti
valley. Meanwhile, a delegation from the Spiti and Kinnaur areas comprising pradhans and ex-pradhans, progressive farmers led by Mr P.S. Negi, Financial Commissioner (retd), met the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, here yesterday and thanked him for accelerating the development in tribal areas and creating infrastructural facilities in Spiti and Kinnaur and in other tribal areas of the state during the past three years. The delegation thanked the Chief Minister for creation of tribal sub cadre by the present government which had solved the problem of staff to a great extent and requested to fill the remaining vacancies in education and health institutions in Spiti and
Kinnaur. |
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WTO rules need change: expert Shimla, June 20 At present, the economic policies of developing countries were being shaped by multinational companies and international financial institutions like the IMF and the World Bank and not by democratic governments. The rules and laws framed so far had been heavily tilted in favour of the developed countries. The extreme form of capitalism being enforced by the WTO was a challenge to all sovereign countries. It was high time that the affected nations waged a united battle within the WTO to ensure a level-playing field for global trade, he said. Mr Nanda further said India, which had the requisite expertise to fight the developed countries within the WTO, should play a proactive role and lead the developing countries for changing the agenda set by the developed countries. He said it was not possible for India to pull out of the WTO at this stage as trade operations would be impossible. However, it could take advantage of the current situation, when a large number of countries were opposing the WTO on different counts, and work for a change from within to ensure that it would not lead to widening of economic disparities and increasing social conflicts he said. It should be understood that there could be no universal standards for the entire world and it would be appropriate to leave the environment safety norms, human rights and condition of workers to the countries concerned to reduce the areas of conflict, he said. Besides, the MNCs should not treat the developing countries as mere markets and try to become good citizens in the host countries and work as partners, he added. Dr
Nanda, who is also president of the Friends of India Society International, said his organisation had been fighting for the cause of people of Indian origin all over the world. |
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HC issues notice to IOC Shimla, June 20 The court also directed to maintain status quo regarding the shifting of areas of operation of members of the federation and shifting of customer from one agency to another agency. The petitioner has alleged the members of the federation had been granted distributorship as per the policy guidelines formulated by the Indian Oil Corporation. It was contended initially the petitioner could
enroll unrestricted number of customer in their area but now the corporation had put a ceiling limit which is 8000 connections in a town bearing 10 lakh population. Mr Rajiv Sharma contended on behalf of the petitioner that the members of the petitioner association had not crossed the ceiling limit. Therefore, there could not be any shifting of the customers. It is further alleged the Indian Oil Corporation had taken a unilateral decision and had not afforded any opportunity of being heard. The petitioner had urged the court to quash the letter of the respondent corporation of shifting the area of the members of the petitioner federation. |
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Cong stance on user charges ‘misleading’ Shimla, June 20 Mr Ganesh Dut, party spokesperson, today said the user charges and other measures under the economic reform programme were being implemented all over the country, including the Congress ruled states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, but the party was opposing the steps in the state. The CPM which had been adopting similar measures in West Bengal to raise resources, had no right to criticise the Dhumal government on this account. He said the decision to convert hospitals into societies was justified as it would improve management and help raise resources required for maintenance of the infrastructure. He, however, conceded that there was a need to raise the income limit for availing free health services in government hospitals. Refuting charges that the Dhumal government had mismanaged the state’s finances, he said the financial woes of the government began after 1989 when Mr Virbhadra Singh, the then Chief Minister, concealed the actual deficit before the Ninth Finance Commission. Consequently, the state received about Rs 1000 crore less from the Centre during the years 1990-1995. The situation became worse when the Virbhadra Singh government resorted to market borrowings. The state had been in the grip of financial crisis ever since. The annual interest liability of the state with annual income of Rs 700 crore had crossed the 1,000 crore mark as a result of indiscriminate raising of loans by the previous Congress government. The successive Congress governments also failed to secure the state’s share in the BBMB projects under the Punjab State Reorganisation Act. It was only the BJP which pursued the issue in the right earnest, he said. |
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Campaign
to clean water sources launched Shimla, June, 20 The Chief Secretary, Mr
A.K. Goswami, yesterday directed the Health, Irrigation and Public Health, Education, Welfare and Rural and Panchayati Raj Departments to motivate and educate the masses through their
grassroot-level functionaries for creating awareness, especially warning them against drinking contaminated water in rainy season. Mr Goswami was presiding over a meeting regarding controlling and preventing water-borne diseases in the state here today in which senior officers were present. He directed the Health Department to ensure adequate supply of chlorine tablets and bleaching powder in all health institutions, besides availability of essential medicines. He also directed the Education Department to issue necessary instructions to head of all educational institutions to educate students during morning assembly for taking preventive measures regarding such diseases. The Chief Secretary said all panchayats, mahila mandals and anganwari workers should be involved to motivate and educate the people in rural areas. He also directed the IPH Department to carry out sample survey of all sources, including traditional sources. He ordered health functionaries to undertake a drive for regular check up of fruit vendors and hawkers selling eatables in urban areas, especially near schools. |
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Admission
schedule for HP colleges Shimla, June 20 The schedule for summer and winter closing colleges will be from June 22 to 30 without late fee and from July 2 to 11 with a late fee of Rs 20. The summer vacation in winter closing Sanskrit colleges and pathsalas will be from June 4 to July 3 and winter vacation from January 1 to 21. In the summer closing Sanskrit colleges and pathsalas, the summer vacation will be from June 4 to July 23 and the winter vacation from January 1 to February 1, 2002. Admissions to both summer and winter closing Sanskrit colleges will be held from June 22 to 30 without late fee and from July 2 to 19 with a late fee Rs 20. |
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Traffic
cops vs tourists Kulu The worst affected are the tourists. Whether it is a two-wheeler or four-wheeler, one has to face their
wrath. One can see long queues at many places from Mohal to Manali on National Highway-21, where police checkposts are a common sight. One of the tourists from Chandigarh, after finishing with the traffic police officer, said, “the cops search for one or the other flaw. These include size of number plate, top blackening of the head-light glass, number of persons travelling in the vehicle. Mr Nitish, a tourist from Gujarat travelling with his wife and three children in a private Maruti van, was told that he was flouting the law as his registration copy showed the seating capacity as four. The children were being treated as adults. To his query: “Whom should we leave behind to meet the seating capacity stipulation”, the police officer relented and did not challan him. |
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People
made aware of legal rights Nurpur, June 20 A large number of panches, panchayat pardhans and members of mahila mandals were apprised of legal rights and free legal aid being rendered by the
LSA. He said women, members of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, minors, mentally challenged persons and those having an annual income of upto Rs 25,000 were entitled to free legal aid. Dr
J.N. Barowalia, District and Sessions Judge, Dharamsala, and Chairman of the district legal service authority, said the masses should be aware of law. The success of law depended on public opinion. He also educated the participants about the legal aspects of cases relating to motor vehicle accidents and atrocities on married women. |
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Migratory
cattle hit by virus Shimla, June 20 It is learnt that hundreds of sheep and goats have died due to the disease which has spread in the Rohru area of the Shimla district and several villages of Sangla valley in
Kinnaur. The worst affected villages are Nichar, Ramni, Batvari,
Shonk, Brua, Janni and Raksham. A team of veterinarians of a Ludhiana-based laboratory has been summoned to identify the disease and provide treatment. A vaccination to treat the disease was still under trial. A doctor of the Veterinary Department said the disease was fatal. A team of the Special Security Board
(SSB), which visited these areas recently, is also learnt to have send a report to the state government. The Director of the Animal Husbandry said the viral was carried by the flocks which migrated to the higher reaches from Sirmour and adjoining areas of Uttaranchal. The first case was detected in Chopal where it was controlled and later it reached Kinnaur when the flocks crossed the
Rupan, Sangla and Buran passes. The flocks carried signs of the disease and also those of pneumonia when these reached the Sangla valley. Veterinary doctors have been sent to the affected areas. |
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Vet council to implement CM’s directive Kulu, June 20 The Registrar of the council stated this in a press note after the concluding function of the two-day seminar on orientation training of the veterinary doctors here at Bachat Bhavan yesterday. The council has also proposed to train the veterinary graduates in the techniques of productivity. It has also decided to propose necessary additions in the syllabus of the Veterinary College, Palampur. Dr V. Rama Kumar, secretary, Veterinary Council of India, pointed out that the college did not have the required number of teachers and departments in spite of the Chief Minister’s assurance two years ago. Earlier, the council expressed concern over the repeated outbreaks of various contagious diseases among animals in the state. The Minister of State for Animal Husbandry suggested vaccination of animals which was endorsed by the council. |
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6 girls scale Hanuman Tibba Manali, June 20 In an official press note issued here Col H.S. Chauhan, Director, Directorate of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali, said out of these six trainees, four girls belonged to Himachal Pradesh. Mr Chauhan said four instructors of the institute also climbed the peak. Mr Rajiv
Sharma, the course in-charge, passed this message on the wireless from the top of the peak. The director added that Parineeta Chauhan (14) of Shimla had become the youngest climber of the 19,450-ft-high Hanuman Tibba peak. |
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HP Govt against Dalits: union Nurpur, June 20 |
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Bus operators go on strike Hamirpur, June 20 They also held demonstration and raised anti-government slogans. They also blocked the road for many hours. The HRTC authorities found it difficult to tackle the situation but helped passengers by overloading and undertaking repeated trips. Owners of taxis and other private vehicles had a field day due to the strike. A spokesman for the bus operators claimed that the strike was complete. However, official spokesman said the strike was partial and private buses plied in all parts of the district, except Hamirpur. |
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CITU workers
hold rally Mandi, June 20 A 20-point charter of demands was presented to the government through the Deputy Commissioner. The workers demanded implementation of labour laws, relief measures for the drought-hit farmers whose entire crop had been damaged, appointment letters to the workers engaged by the private companies at Larji and other projects under execution in the state and withdrawal of hike in water and power tariff and hospital charges. Addressing the rally, the CITU president, Mr Rakesh Singha, warned the government against pursuing ‘anti-people’ policies and ‘saffronising’ the educational institutions. Mr Singha decried the government for its alleged failure to generate employment in the state. He lamented that nothing was being done to promote tourism in the historical town of Mandi which was the gateway to the Kulu valley. |
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Fine arts
students seek employment Shimla, June
20 The president of
the Himachal Post Graduate Youth Art Association, Mr Mahesh Narwal,
said they had been given a step motherly treatment by the state
government. The subjects like Sanskrit, music, home science and fine
arts should be introduced at the school and college-level. Himachal
Pradesh University introduced this course a few years ago just to
adjust some people, he alleged. Many seats are still lying vacant. Mr
Narwal said there are about 586 senior secondary schools in which this
subject had not been introduced. |
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Funds
available for hospital: MP Mandi, June 20 Talking to mediapersons he
said during a meeting with the Chief Minister, he told him that the
reason for his statement that the HVC should come out of the
government and give support to the BJP government from outside was
that development works in Mandi district in general and the Sadar
constituency in particular, had come to a halt. Whatever works were
being executed were out of the funds which he was giving from his
quota as MP. He lamented that the drinking water supply network of
the town had been affected due to paucity of funds. The augmentation
work of Motipur water works had virtually been abandoned for want of
funds. He alleged that Mandi was being discriminated against in
development works. |
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