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Monday,
July 9, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Invitation
to Hurriyat ‘uncalled for’
Financial crunch Cong’s
doing: BJP Govt must
mend ways: Sukh Ram |
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Garbage sullies Shimla’s image Catch killers or face stir: Beopar Mandal Medical needs of poor “ignored” at hospital Sabzi mandi for Jaisinghpur likely Lok Janshakti for CBI probe into purchase scam Restore
portrait, says Mahila Cong Former MLA not invited to meeting Landslides disrupt
highway traffic Govt urged to check
encroachment
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Invitation to Hurriyat ‘uncalled for’ Shimla, July 8 Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Krishnamurti said India had never accepted the Hurriyat as the sole representative of the Kashmiri people and this had been made amply clear to Pakistan. Still, by sending a letter to the Hurriyat leaders General Musharraf had not sent the right message to foster better ties between the two countries. He said over the past fifty years the relationship between India and Pakistan had not been at the desirable level and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had taken an initiative to improve the ties. The BJP chief said he had raised the matter regarding General Musharraf’s letter to the Hurriyat leaders with the Pakistani High Commissioner, who met him two days ago, and told him that this could have been avoided. The High Commissioner, however, maintained that the Hurriyat leaders had been in the past invited to receptions. He cited the instance of 1995 when a reception was hosted by the High Commission during the visit of a national leader of Pakistan to the country. Answering a question whether it was arrogant on the part of General Musharraf to send a letter to the Hurriyat leaders, Mr Krishnamurti said India believed that a soft approach and soft words greatly helped in international relationships. The world community was watching everything and would judge whose stand was fair. In contrast Mr Vajpayee, who was keen to improve relations with Pakistan, had announced several confidence-building measures like the release of Pakistani prisoners. He said it would be a fine gesture on the part of Pakistan if it also released Indian undertrials, languishing in Pakistani jails. This would go a longway in assuring the people of India that Pakistan genuinely desired friendship and peace with India. Regarding the outcome of talks, Mr Krishnamurti said he would consider the summit a success if it helped in paving the way for a regular contact between the two countries for sorting out the outstanding issues. The talks would certainly enable the two leaders to understand each other and the stand of their respective countries on various issues. He denied that there was nay change in the government’s policy on the Kashmir issue and said it had never taken a stand that it would not hold talks on the issue. However, he maintained that there were several issues besides Kashmir, which required to be sorted out. Even the unilateral ceasefire during “Ramjan” was declared to make Pakistan understand the futility of violence and afford it an opportunity to end cross-border terrorism. But it had been made very clear to Pakistan that if violence was continued to be perpetrated then India would take care of it in the manner it should be dealt with, Mr Krishnamurti added. Asked to comment on National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah’s suggestion that the Line of Control
(LoC) should be converted into a permanent international border, he said it was his personal view and it did not mean that the government should accept it. There was no need to take a final view on the matter at this juncture, he added. Referring to the ensuing Assembly poll in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP chief said the party machinery was being geared up and the state unit of the party had completed a mass contact programme covering the 50,000 odd panchayats of the state on July 6. During the programme, party leaders, including ministers, stayed in the villages and interacted with the people to get authentic feedback for preparing the strategy for the poll. In the next phase the central leaders, including the national party President, would undertake an extensive tour of the state to meet workers and assess the situation in each of the 406 Assembly constituencies. Mr Krishnamurti said the meeting of the national executive of the party scheduled to be held in Amritsar from July 18 to 20 had been postponed for August. Mr Krishnamurti maintained that there was no factionalism in the state unit of the party, except minor differences of opinion among some leaders. He said there was a system in the party to take care of such matters and it would act promptly. |
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Financial crunch Cong’s
doing: BJP Shimla, July 8 The state executive of the party, which concluded its two-day meeting here today, accused the wrong fiscal policies of the previous Virbhadra Singh government of burdening the state with loans of over Rs 3,318 crore during its four years in office. The political resolution adopted at the meeting traced the financial woes of the state to the blunder committed by Mr Virbhadra Singh by concealing the actual budget deficit before the Ninth Financial Commission as a result of which the quantum of assistance from the Centre was considerably scaled down. The extent to which the finances had been mismanaged was brought out in the white paper released by the Dhumal government in 1999. As against the actual deficit of about Rs 200 crore for 1989-90, the Virbhadra Singh government showed a deficit of only Rs 8.7 crore before the commission. Instead of mobilising resources to meet the budget deficit, the Congress government raised loans at very high rates of interest. It also paid hefty commissions to middlemen in loan deals. The financial position of the state had deteriorated to such an extent that Mr Virbhadra Singh had to hold the Assembly election a year ahead of schedule. The state was paying dearly for the indiscretions of the previous Congress regime and it had no option but to raise more loans to meet its committed liabilities. The party
appreciated the effort of the Dhumal government to improve the economy by exploiting the state’s vast potential for hydel power generation and tourism. The priority given by it to processing horticultural produce would also strengthen the economy, besides ensuring remunerative returns to farmers. It played down the imposition of users’ charges by emphasising that these would affect only a miniscule minority of well-off people who could afford to pay. It highlighted various achievements of the government which included the transfer of the ownership of trees under the “khudro drakhtan malkiyat
sarkar”, starting work on various hydel power projects, devolution of power and resources to panchayati raj institutions and steps taken in promoting eco-friendly biotechnology and information technology industry in the state. The executive condemned the Jayalalitha government for arresting two Union Ministers and Mr
Karunanidhi, a former Chief Minister, on fabricated charges. Mr K.Jana
Krishnamurti, national President of the BJP, attended the meeting along with Mr
O.P. Kohli, in charge of party affairs in the state. Mr Krishnamurti exhorted partymen to work devotedly to ensure that the BJP secured a majority on its own. This was essential as the party would not be able to implement its agenda until it was able to form a government on its own. Mr Shanta Kumar, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, and Chief Minister
P.K. Dhumal also addressed the meeting. |
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Govt must
mend ways: Sukh Ram Kulu, July 8 He warned if the Dhumal government did not mend its ways, the state would be in a “dead trap” soon. The government had to evolve means to improve its financial position. Mr Sukh Ram said increasing unemployment in the state was a cause for alarm. To provide employment was the first and foremost duty of a welfare state, he said. Mr Sukh Ram claimed the success of the HVC’s Kangra rally had infused confidence in the party workers. The HVC would fight all 68 seats and would be the largest party in the next Vidhan Sabha, he added. |
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Son, mother ‘held’
TN style Bilaspur, July 8 Shocked neighbours, who gathered in large numbers after the police forcibly entered the Sharmas’ house and hounded out both son and the mother, the only inmates, and took them away in a vehicle, said the police refused to listen to anybody. It said an FIR had been registered at the police station against Mr Sharma and his mother under Sections 406 and 498-A, IPC, though it had no warrants from any court of law. The Haryana Police was accompanied by a Head Constable from the Himachal Police who claimed to be from the local Sadar police station. It was learnt that both Ms Antidevi and Mr Sharma were first taken to the Sadar thana here and then whisked away to an unknown destination in Haryana. Their whereabouts were not known to any of their relatives, neighbours or friends who searched frantically for them at the local police station as the news of their ‘arrest’ spread. Agitated and angry neighbours said it was virtually a “case of kidnapping by the police” under the cover of a false FIR filed by the girl who was married to Mr Sharma last year and stayed with him for hardly six days after her marriage. They alleged her behaviour was “abnormal” and everybody suspected her to be “mentally disturbed”. When contacted, a source at the local police station confirmed that the girl had filed an FIR alleging cruelty by her husband and mother-in-law. |
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Garbage sullies Shimla’s image Shimla Though the beautification of Shimla is being done in a big way, the corporation seems to be least concerned about the growing garbage problem. In many areas of the town, residents are virtually forced to live in miserable conditions. Local residents allege that the corporation employees collect garbage regularly only from plush localities, but it takes sometimes a week or so for them to do so in other localities. The garbage is not cleared daily in many areas. The garbage dumps installed by the corporation are virtually useless as litter is scattered outside them and emits a foul smell. People are also to be blamed for the mess as they do not throw the garbage properly into the containers and keep the lid open, which is an invitation to stray animals to feed on them. The containers emit a foul smell and very often people are seen keeping a distance while passing through. Monkeys, stray dogs, goats, too rummage through bins scattering the contents. In many localities the litter is scattered on the road making it difficult for people to cross. People allege that corporation employees do not clear containers regularly. These are often overfilled. This forces the residents to throw the garbage outside which adds to the problem. House owners in the vicinity of the dumps are forced to live with the nauseating stench. Recently the corporation replaced the dumps on the Mall to clean up the environment. But the litter went on piling up on the road. The beautification drive is limited to a few areas and middle-class localities remain filled with trash. During the tourist season, the situation worsens as visitors throw litter with impunity. Empty mineral-water bottles thrown at random adds to this menace. About 60 to 65 tonnes of waste is generated in the town every day. But only half of it is collected and dumped on the hill slopes and in the nullah on the Shimla bypass. Garbage is disposed of within the town limits. As much as 35 to 40 per cent of the garbage remains uncollected. The number of safai karamchari has fallen whereas the town’s population has doubled. The Solid Waste Management Bio-conversion Project has not started yet. The project was to start in June. According to the Deputy Mayor, Mr Shashi Shakher, the corporation is trying its level best to keep this queen of hill stations clean. Even a door-to-door campaign is under way. But people have to be very careful and properly utilise these dumps. |
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Catch killers or face stir: Beopar Mandal Bilaspur, July 8 At a meeting presided over by its president Sitaram Mahajan at Barmana today, the police was criticised for its failure to impound the car and arrest its occupants and driver. Mr Mahajan was riding his scooter on June 18 noon when he was hit by the car which was later found abandoned with deflated tyres. The car papers were missing. The Beopar Mandal also alleged “total mismanagement” and “dereliction of duty” by some doctors at the Regional Hospital here where the victim was rushed by local people. It said no doctor was available for 45 minutes and the victim bled to death. It urged the Health Minister Mr Jagat Prakash Nadda not only to order, a high-level magisterial inquiry into this serious lapse but also streamline the functioning of this “totally sick hospital.” The Beopar Mandal general secretary, Mr Bhagat Ram Mahajan, said traders would hold a demonstration and stage a “dharna” outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office if their demands were not accepted at the earliest. |
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Medical needs of poor “ignored” at hospital Dharamsala, July 8 The convener of Jan Chetna, Kanwar M.P. Singh, said the condition of the hospital, which caters to the patients of three districts, was so bad that even cotton and dressing material was not available. “With the Principal of the college claiming that he has no administrative powers, the patients have to suffer as the Medical Superintendent is never available to take care of the day to day requirements of the hospital,” he regretted. He said the apathy of the health authorities was evident from the fact that the CT Scan machine had been lying out of order for the past five months and the patients had to go to Pathankot, causing a lot of inconvenience and monetary loss to the poor patients. He added that due to this a large number of patients were unable to get medical treatment as they could not afford to get the scanning done from a private clinic. Kanwar M.P. Singh said ignoring the medical needs of the poor patients, the hospital authorities had installed an EEG machine and another for T3 and T4 throat tests at Tanda Medical College, whereas these were required at the hospital here. He demanded that these two machines be shifted to the local hospital immediately. He said despite seven pathologists in the hospital no tests could be done in the afternoon, which was often a hurdle in performing emergency operations. “Unhygienic conditions prevail in the hospital and it stinks as the government has failed to make payments for the past six months to the contractor responsible for cleaning the hospital,” he lamented. The convener said the people were frustrated and angry at the state of affairs in the hospital and would launch an agitation if steps were not taken to improve its functioning and services. The worst hit were the poor, who come from different parts of Kangra, Chamba, Hamirpur and Una for treatment, as they could not afford to go to private doctors. He said the government had also failed to provide life saving drugs in the hospital and the hospital authorities had expressed their helplessness in the matter. |
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Sabzi mandi for Jaisinghpur likely Jaisinghpur, July 8 He said that in the current year a sum of Rs 8 crore would be spent on scholarships to 4,200 meritorious students, which include 2000 from general category, 1000 from scheduled castes 1000 from other backward castes and 200 from scheduled tribes. Each student would be paid Rs 10,000 per annum. He further disclosed that 57 schools had been opened in the Thural Vidhan Sabha area during in the past three years. These schools include 28 primary schools, 18 middle schools, six high schools and five senior secondary schools. The minister hinted at converting Jaisinghpur panchayat into a nagar panchayat. Earlier the minister inaugurated a building of the school and the tehsil complex. He also laid the foundation stone of Bachai Bhavan, being constructed at a cost of Rs 30
lakh. |
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Lok Janshakti for CBI probe into purchase scam Shimla, July 8 The state executive of the party which met here today under the chairmanship of Mr Ramel Singh, its president, accused the government of adopting double standards in taking action on such matters and pointed out that Mr Mohinder Singh, a former PWD Minister, who was not directly involved in the bitumen purchase scam, was removed from the Cabinet but no such action had been taken in this scam which was of a bigger magnitude. He demanded a CBI inquiry into the scam. The party adopted a resolution, urging the government to increase the job quota of the OBCs in the state from the present 16 per cent to 27 per cent. The party accused the HVC of misusing money power and government machinery to draw crowds for its Kangra rally. It alleged that very few people from the valley participated in it and most of those present there had been brought in from other districts. Mr Ramel Singh, while briefing newspersons, said the HVC had become irrelevant and supporting the Dhumal government was a compulsion for the party as its leader, Mr Sukh Ram, was facing trial in several cases of corruption. He demanded Mr Sukh Ram’s resignation. |
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Restore portrait,
says Mahila Cong Shimla, July 8 The protesters led by Ms Krishna Mohini, president of the Mahila Congress, also submitted a memorandum condemning the administration for replacing the portrait with a decorative plaque. It termed the action as a deliberate attempt to undermine the prestige of the great leader and the importance of the momentous peace-making event. It demanded immediate restoration of the photograph failing which, it said, the Congress would be forced to intensify stir and if need be the activists would court mass arrest. |
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Former MLA not invited to meeting Nurpur, July 8 Mr Bakshi said the PCC chief, Ms Vidhya Stokes, who presided over the meeting, must be apprised of the ground realities. He expressed surprise that no body contacted him in connection with the meeting, which was organised in his Assembly segment. Mr Bakshi alleged that during the party elections, the local block committee was packed with those Congressmen, who not only opposed the party in last Assembly elections but were also announcing to do the same in the coming elections. |
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Landslides disrupt
highway traffic Chamba, July 8 According to a spokesman of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation, buses could not ply on the highway. However, the authorities were present on the spot to get the debris cleared. Meanwhile, reports of damage to interior roads and bridges resulting in blockage have also been received. However, experts said the timely rain had not only provided a relief to farmers and orchard owners from the prevailing drought but also brightened up prospects of good harvest. |
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Govt urged to check
encroachment Chandigarh, July 8 |
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