H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Stokes gives memo to Governor on portrait
Shimla, July 9
The PCC president, Mrs Vidya Stokes, today submitted a memorandum to the Governor, Dr Suraj Bhan, demanding restoration of the portrait of Mrs Indira Gandhi behind the Indo-Pak summit table in Raj Bhavan from where it had been removed.

• No picture removed, says Vishnukant

Councillor suspended for month
Shimla, July 9
The Mayor of the Shimla Municipal Corporation, Mrs Jenny Prem, today suspended Congress councillor Vijay Chauhan from meetings of the house for a month.

Cong will sweep Assembly poll, says Mahajan
Chamba, July 9
The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee has predicted that in the light of the prevailing political scenario in the country the Congress will sweep the ensuing Assembly elections in UP, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

Apple growers to get outstanding dues
Shimla, July 9
The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, today directed various procurement agencies to immediately release the outstanding payment of Rs 6 crore to apple growers whose fruit was purchased under the market intervention scheme during the last season.

2 killed in car, truck collision
Kumarhatti, July 9
Two persons died and three sustained injuries when a Cielo car in which they were travelling collided head-on with a vegetable-laden truck near Jabli, about 15 km from here, on the Kalka-Shimla national highway in the wee hours of today.

Probe into arrest of  mother, son sought
Bilaspur, July 9
Several prominent citizens and leaders of various parties, including the BJP and the Congress, have urged the Chief Minister to order a magisterial inquiry into the forcible arrest of an employee of the block development office, Manmohan Sharma, and his mother Antidevi from their house in the wee hours of today. 

A retreat among deodars
Dalhousie
Set in a deodar forest, Kalatop is perhaps one of the most beautiful spots in Chamba’s alpine region. It offers an exquisite view of the surrounding countryside which touches the green hills of Jammu and Kashmir.

Dharna against user charge
Shimla, July 9
The district committees of CITU, SFI, DYFI and Himachal Pradesh Kisan Sabha today organised a dharna outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office here in protest against the proposed user charge.

Stokes gives memo to Governor on portrait
Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 9
The PCC president, Mrs Vidya Stokes, today submitted a memorandum to the Governor, Dr Suraj Bhan, demanding restoration of the portrait of Mrs Indira Gandhi behind the Indo-Pak summit table in Raj Bhavan from where it had been removed.

She urged the Governor to look into the matter and take action against those responsible for removing the portrait.

She said the Congress was not satisfied with the clarification of Raj Bhavan putting the blame on the Chief Architect or other government officials.

Mrs Stokes said the removal of the portrait from its original place had caused resentment not only among Congressmen but also among the people of Himachal Pradesh who felt hurt over the action of the Raj Bhavan authorities. The removal of the portrait had caused disgrace to the work of the late Mrs Gandhi who sacrificed her life to maintain the honour and integrity of the nation.

Mrs Gandhi, who was instrumental in granting statehood to Himachal Pradesh, respected the aspirations, culture and individuality of the people of the state. The people of Himachal Pradesh would always remain grateful for the affection and attention given to them by Mrs Gandhi during her lifetime.

Mr Kuldeep Rathore, PCC secretary also accompanied Mrs Stokes to Raj Bhavan.

No picture removed, says Vishnukant
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 9
The Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Mr Vishnukant Shastri, today reiterated that no picture was ever removed from Himachal Raj Bhavan during his tenure there. In a letter to The Tribune, Mr Shastri clarified that all he said was that during his tenure as Himachal Governor, no picture was ever removed from Himachal Raj Bhavan on his direction.

Councillor suspended for month
Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 9
The Mayor of the Shimla Municipal Corporation, Mrs Jenny Prem, today suspended Congress councillor Vijay Chauhan from meetings of the house for a month.

The action came during a meeting of the house of the corporation this afternoon. Mr Chauhan had allegedly beaten up Mr Manoj Kumar, a former Mayor at a meeting of the house.

The Mayor suspended Mr Chauhan when he refused to submit an apology to Mr Manoj Kumar.

The councillors turned down a proposal to impose a parking fee on vehicles on 12 roads.

Many councillors belonging to the Congress resisted the move and said there was no justification for the same because the municipal corporation had failed to provide good roads to motorists.

The house had earlier approved the step in May last year and got the nod from the government. However, the move was stayed by the court on the basis of a public interest litigation and the municipal corporation was recently allowed to impose the fee on a trial basis for a year. Councillor suspended for month. The proposal was to impose a parking fee ranging between Rs 10 and Rs 30 for a fixed time during the day.

Cong will sweep Assembly poll, says Mahajan
Our Correspondent

Chamba, July 9
The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee has predicted that in the light of the prevailing political scenario in the country the Congress will sweep the ensuing Assembly elections in UP, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

The vice-president of the HPCC, Mr Harsh Mahajan, said today that the electorate had given a massive mandate to the Congress and other secular parties in the elections held in Assam, Kerala, Goa, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal a few months ago.

Mr Mahajan said the entire administrative system had collapsed because of lack of governance by the BJP-led NDA government. He said even the allies of the BJP were not happy with its functioning.

Mr Mahajan flayed the BJP-led government for its failure in putting forward specific policy on Article-370, Ram mandir and the Common Civil Code as had been promised by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in its combined election manifesto.

Mr Mahajan said the HPCC would follow the proposed election strategy and programmes planned by the AICC chief, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, for the forthcoming Assembly elections.

Apple growers to get outstanding dues
Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 9
The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, today directed various procurement agencies to immediately release the outstanding payment of Rs 6 crore to apple growers whose fruit was purchased under the market intervention scheme during the last season.

This also include the central share which has not been received by the state so far. With this, in all Rs 23 crore has been released to growers by the government for the entire produce procured during 2000. Earlier, a deputation of fruit growers comprising minister, vice-chairpersons of various boards and corporations and some BJP leaders met Mr Dhumal and urged him to release the outstanding payment to growers.

Mr Dhumal said his government was committed to the welfare of fruit growers and strengthening of the horticulture economy of the state on which the prosperity of the people of the state depended to a great extent.

The fruit based winery being set up at Pragtinagar in Shimla district and Nagwin in Mandi district would go a long way in ensuring remunerative returns to growers. Besides, five fruit processing plants had also been set up for the benefit of growers in Kangra, Una and Hamirpur districts where citrus fruits are grown.

Mr Narender Bragta, Minister of State for Horticulture, thanked the Chief Minister for ordering the release of the balance payment.

2 killed in car, truck collision
Our Correspondent

Kumarhatti, July 9
Two persons died and three sustained injuries when a Cielo car in which they were travelling collided head-on with a vegetable-laden truck near Jabli, about 15 km from here, on the Kalka-Shimla national highway in the wee hours of today.

The accident took place around 3.30 a.m. when the driver of car reportedly dozed off and could not see the truck coming from the opposite direction.

The victims were going to Shimla and the truck was coming from Kinnaur. According to preliminary reports, the truck was on the right side and it was the fault of the car driver who was driving at a high speed.

Sanjeev Kumar, who was driving the car, died on the spot while Choota Lal, sitting along Sanjeev Kumar, died at the Solan district hospital.

Sources said Rakesh Kumar, driver of the truck, along with the cleaner, pulled out the victims from the badly-damaged car and admitted Nitin and Harpreet Singh to ESI hospital at Parwanoo. The fifth occupant of the car, Navdeep Singh, has been admitted to Solan district hospital.

Probe into arrest of mother, son sought
Our Correspondent

Bilaspur, July 9
Several prominent citizens and leaders of various parties, including the BJP and the Congress, have urged the Chief Minister to order a magisterial inquiry into the forcible arrest of an employee of the block development office, Manmohan Sharma, and his mother Antidevi from their house in the wee hours of today. The police forced its entry into the house and dragged them into a vehicle without any warrant or lady police.

The mere excuse that an FIR had been registered was no reason for the police to behave in the manner it did, the leaders said. The Haryana police got Antidevi admitted to the local regional hospital yesterday evening in an unconscious state. She was not in a condition to tell what happened to her after the arrest. Doctors said she had high blood pressure and depression.

The SP, Mr Atul Verma, said today that the local police only assisted the Haryana police in identifying the house of the wanted persons as an FIR was registered against them in Hisar.

1-yr RI for bid to rape minor
Our Correspondent

Una, July 9
Mr R.L. Raghu, Sessions Judge, convicted Chetan, alias Kala, son of Ram Swaroop of Palakwah village in Haroli sub-tehsil in the district under sactions 376 and 511, IPC, and sentenced him to rigorous imprisonment for one year and fined him Rs 5000 on Saturday.

According to a press note issued by Mr Kulwant Singh, District Attorney, on November 14, 2000, mother of prosecutrix had gone to a nearby jungle for grazing her goats leaving her minor daughter alone at the home. Chetan on the pretext of offering her wild fruits took her in the nearby fields and tried to rape her. Her mother reported the incident to village ‘pradhan’ and had got a case registered with the police.

A retreat among deodars
Balkrishan Prashar

Dalhousie
Set in a deodar forest, Kalatop is perhaps one of the most beautiful spots in Chamba’s alpine region. It offers an exquisite view of the surrounding countryside which touches the green hills of Jammu and Kashmir.

Kalatop (“black cap”) once had a thick growth of deodar trees. Denuding of hillsides began in the tourist area, which was attributed to the ‘‘legalised’’ felling of trees way back in the sixties. However, with new plantation, the area is now regaining its deodar cover.

Situated at an altitude of about 2,440 metres, Kalatop is nearly 8 km from the GPO here. Tourists visiting Dalhousie usually make a trip to the place.

After trudging along a secluded forest road in the upper Bakrota hill area, one reaches Lakkarmandi.

At that place there is a wildlife barrier to control the movement of vehicles on the narrow road that runs 3 km to Kalatop through dense deodar and pine trees.

At Kalatop there is a beautiful forest rest house with sprawling lawns. Even a few hours’ stay there can be an enriching experience.

From Kalatop, one can see the Kalatop-Khajjiar sanctuary which has various kinds of wildlife, including the barking deer, the black bear, the leopard and the chir. It is a paradise for lovers of wildlife and researchers.

Dharna against user charge
Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 9
The district committees of CITU, SFI, DYFI and Himachal Pradesh Kisan Sabha today organised a dharna outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office here in protest against the proposed user charge.

The protesters alleged that the BJP-HVC government was pursuing wrong policies and had emptied its coffers. Instead of correcting its policies and checking corruption, the government planned to raise revenue by taxing the common man under the garb of health service charge.

They said converting hospitals into societies was a step towards privatisation. They said the decision to impose tax on health and educational services would not be tolerated as it attacked the welfare character of the state.

The leaders of these organisations demanded that the Rs 3 crore health scam be handed over to the CBI and all those involved should be arrested.