 |
Friday,
August 24, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
|
Atrocities
on women highest in Kangra CM promises to protect farmers’ interests Governor gives money to monasteries Probe into death of cows ordered Bill on ‘shamlat’ land passed |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sofat nominated
FCI Director Shimla, August 23 Mr Mohinder Nath Sofat, a supporter of Mr Shanta Kumar, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, has been nominated Director of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for two years. Lecturers to boycott
Teacher’s Day
|
|
Atrocities
on women highest in Kangra Shimla, August 23 These figures were given by the Chief Minister, Prof P.K. Dhumal, in a written reply to a question by Mr Gangu Ram Musafir (Cong) regarding the number of rapes, dacoities and atrocities on Dalits in the Vidhan Sabha today. The Chief Minister said 388 cases of atrocities on women were registered in the state between April 1 and July 31 this year. No such case had been registered in Lahaul-Spiti while five cases had been registered in Kinnaur district. The number of cases registered in other districts was Bilaspur 44, Hamirpur 39, Una 15, Kulu 16, Chamba 20, Sirmour 34 and Solan 26. Prof Dhumal said 57 cases of atrocities on Dalits were registered during the period in which Shimla district topped with 11. Kangra and Bilaspur followed with seven and six cases, respectively. Kangra and Shimla recorded eight cases of rape each during the three months. A total of 51 such cases were registered in the state. Seven cases were registered in Kulu, six in Solan, five in Chamba and three each in Hamirpur, Una, Bilaspur, Mandi and Sirmour. Shimla and Mandi had maximum cases of murder with eight each registered in the two districts. A total number of 46 murders were reported in the state in three months. Two cases of dacoity were registered in Kangra while 206 thefts were reported in the state. In a written reply, the Health Minister informed Mr Kaul Singh (Cong) that two FIRs pertaining to the alleged purchase of medicines and equipment by the Health Department had been registered by the Vigilance Department. Dr Sukh Ram Chauhan, Director, Health Services, Dr K.S. Sohal, retired director and Dr Pawan Sood, Joint Director, had been named in the FIR. Hitesh Narula, owner of a Delhi-based business centre, had also been booked. In reply to a question of Ms Viplove Thakur (Cong), Prof Dhumal informed the House that it has been decided to dispose of five cases of the HPTDC, including those at Jaldhara in Bhagsu, Shradhanjli in Panjpula, Geetanjili in Dhundiara, Pancham in Trilokpur and Bhairav in Baijnath. He said 18 other establishments of the HPTDC were running in loss. The issue of imposition of user charges in hospitals again came up during question hour with Mr Kaul Singh and Mr Rangila Ram Rao (Cong) having tabled a question. The Chief Minister said the effort of the government was to provide quality medical service to people. He said hospital charges were fixed by the Congress government in 1974 and then revised in 1988 and 1995. The concept of free medical aid for the poor was introduced during the BJP regime. Mr Virbhadra Singh, Mr Kaul Singh and Mr Rao (Cong) said the fee imposed during the Congress regime was applicable only to those patients who were in private wards. In a written reply to Mr Chander Kumar (Cong), the Chief Minister informed him that a loss worth Rs 1.91 crore had been caused to Binwa and Rs 25 lakh to the Gaj hydel projects due to a flashflood on July 29. |
|
CM promises to protect farmers’ interests Shimla, August 23 The assurance came when Mr B.R. Mandyal of the BJP refused to withdraw his private member resolution in this regard after the detailed reply of Mr Roop Singh, Forest Minister, to the debate. He insisted that the resolution would be withdrawn only if the Chief Minister gave a categorical assurance to safeguard the interests of the farmers. Mr Dhumal appreciated the viewpoints of Mr Mandyal that poor farmers of the state should not suffer economically due to the inability of the State Forest Corporation to efficiently manage its two turpentine factories. The ban on export was also not in keeping with the policy of globalisation. It was a larger issue which had to be decided taking into consideration all aspects but the main objective would be to protect the interests of the farmers. He said the government had increased the procurement price from Rs 1629 to Rs 1725 per quintal this season. However, keeping in view the interests of the farmers it had now decided to give a bonus of Rs 75 per quintal which would in effect mean a return of Rs 800 per quintal to the farmers. Earlier, replying to the debate Mr Roop Singh, said the lifting of ban would further affect the turpentine factories which were already short of raw material. The two factories required 1,11,000 quintals of resin annually but only 93,000 quintals was available. The government forests yielded about 70,000 quintals, the rest was procured from private tree owners. Even then, the factory had to be closed for about one and a half month every year. If the ban on the export of resin was lifted, the factories would have to be closed for five months. The Forest Corporation would have to pay salaries to 250 employees without any work. He said the government was trying its best to help farmers who were suffering due to the unrestricted import of resin under the OGL (Open General Licence) since 1997. The market rate of rosin (processed resin) had come down from Rs 3800 per quintal to Rs 2911 per quintal over the past four years. Consequently, the prices of resin had also plunged from 2700 per quintal to Rs 1600 per quintal. He said if the factories were closed down, the government would lose Rs 1.53 crore as sale tax and excise duty. The Forest Corporation had not only raised the procurement price of resin but also increased the tapping charges from Rs 26 to Rs 30 per blaze for a yield in excess of 40 per section and from Rs 21 to Rs 25 for yield less than 40 quintal. Moving the resolution Mr Mandyal questioned the rationale of ban which directly affected the farmers and encouraged the smuggling of resin. It was not the responsibility of the government to protect loss-making units at the cost of farmers. Mr Chander Kumar (Congress) urged the government to take steps to reduce the wide difference in prices of resin in the neighbouring states and Himachal Pradesh. Mr Praveen Sharma,
Excise and Taxation Minister, too supported the resolution and asked why the prices fixed by the state committee were less by about Rs 300 to Rs 400 per quintal as compared to the rates fixed in Jammu and Kashmir and
Uttranchal, the two other main resin producing states. Mr Kuldeep Kumar, Mrs Viplove Thakur and Mr Ram Lal Thakur, all Congress, also urged the government to take a decision keeping in view the interests of the farmers. The House adopted a resolution moved by Mr Jai Ram Thakur (BJP) calling for a fresh survey to include the left out families in the IRDP. Mr Prakash Chaudhary, Rural Development Minister, said the state would take up the matter with the Centre for relaxing norms for the selection of families under the programme. Mr Jai Ram had pointed out that the norms fixed by the Centre were unrealistic, particularly in the context of a hill state like Himachal Pradesh and the state should seek relaxation. |
|
Governor gives money to monasteries Shimla, August 23 The Governor laid special emphasis on ensuring educational facilities for students in tribal areas.
Expressing concern over lack of staff in Government College, Kucumseri, he stressed on the need to equip educational institutions with proper staff and necessary facilities. He assured the people that he would take up the matter with the government. He suggested to make postings in tribal areas more lucrative with a view to attract officials to serve voluntarily in these areas. During his two day tour of the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti, the Governor visited Tabo, Kaza, Kee Monastery, Kibber, Keylong, Udaipur, Jispa Monastery, Trilokinath and Mrikula Devi temples. |
|
Probe into death of cows ordered Shimla, August 23 The announcement regarding the judicial inquiry was made in the Vidhan Sabha by Mr Dhumal while making a suo motu statement on the incident which had led to a bandh here yesterday. Mr Dhumal said it was a sensitive matter. Mrs Kala Thakur, a resident of Chhota Shimla had reported the death of her two cows on August 13. She had complained that her cows were either poisoned or gunned down. A retired Inspector-General of Police, Mr K.S. Dhaliwal, and his sons were questioned by the police. However, a postmortem report ruled out the death of the cows due to gun shots. The people were not satisfied with this and another postmortem was got conducted by veterinary doctors of Palampur university. The CLP Leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh, and a senior MLA of Congress, Mr J.B.L. Khachi, appreciated that the people had remained calm over the issue. There were noisy scenes in the House as Mr Ram Lal Thakur (Cong) pointed out to the Speaker that some people had raised BJP slogans in the library block of the Vidhan Sabha and blocked the entry of Congress MLAs in the Opposition lounge yesterday. Provoked by the statement, members on the treasury benches raised slogans in favour of Mr Dhumal and the Opposition benches chanted slogans against him. Calm was restored only when the Speaker, Thakur Gulab Singh, assured that he would take action on a privilege notice submitted to him on the incident by seven Congress MLAs. The notice was signed by Mrs Asha Kumari, Mr Ishwar Dass, Mr G.S. Bali, Mr Ram Lal Thakur, Mr Dharampal, Mr Kuldeep Kumar and Mr Chander Kumar who complained that they were stopped by 250 persons from proceedings towards the Opposition lounge. The SDM (Urban) and a DSP accompanied these persons who had come to meet the Chief Minister. |
|
Bill on ‘shamlat’ land passed Shimla, August 23 Among other amendments, Clause 9-A has been added in the Act to provide for review of claims of the people whose “shamlat” land was handed over to the government in 1974. Replying to a debate on the Bill, Mr Rajan Sushant, Minister of State for Revenue, said steps would be taken to return the “shamlat” land to the original owners within six months. He said the problem began due to the 1952 notification wherein wastelands were declared as forest land. The 1974 notification vested ownership rights of the “shamlat” land in the government from the panchayats. Mr Kaul Singh and Mr Chander Kumar (Cong) described it as a gimmick and said the land which had been classified as “forest” could not be allotted to anyone. Mr Kaul Singh wanted the Bill to be referred to a select committee of the House and asked the government not to get swayed by the “whims of bureaucrats” who had drafted the Bill. The House also passed a Bill to amend the Section 10 of the Himachal Pradesh Courts Act,1976, to enhance the pecuniary original jurisdiction of district courts from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. The Bill was moved by the Chief Minister. |
|
Sofat nominated
FCI Director Shimla, August 23 Mr L.R. Vasudev (Punjab), Mr D. Radha Krishna Reddy (Andhra Pradesh) and Mr S. Dev Raj (Karnataka) were also nominated Directors of the corporation as per a notification issued today by the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution.
|
|
Lecturers to boycott
Teacher’s Day Solan, August 23 The president of the association Prof P. S. Thakur, said it had also decided to launch a statewide agitation in case the government failed to respond to their demands soon. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 121 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
