The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

ISU sweeps varsity CSA poll
Solan, August 25
The Independent Students Union, jointly floated by the NSUI, SFI, and HIMSU (Himachal Students Union) to keep the ABVP at bay last year, made a clean sweep of the CSA election of Parmar University, held at the institution's main campus at Nauni, near here, today.

10-yr RI for two under NDPS Act
Una, August 25
The Sessions Judge, Mr R.L. Raghu, today sentenced Naresh Kumar and Piarey Lal, both residents of Una town, to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on each of them under Section 20 of the NDPS Act.

Trees near Central School face axe
Shimla, August 25
The Secretary, Education, Mr S. Roy, today inspected the local Central School, which has been closed since August 13 as a retaining wall had collapsed on the primary section. He also gave instructions that it could be reopened on Monday if trees near the school were cut by the Shimla Municipal Corporation.

Building opened, procedure flouted
Sundernagar, August 25
As many as 60 students of a primary school at Mahadev are forced to sit in the open as the construction of the school building is yet to be completed. Two papers had to be postponed as there was a heavy rain on the examination days. The building, though incomplete, was inaugurated by Mr Tek Chand Dogra, a Congress MLA from the Nachan Assembly segment of the subdivision on August 19.

Worker gets remand in robbery case

CBI clean chit upsets anti-Virbhadra camp
Supporters distribute ‘laddoos’
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 25
The anti-Virbhadra Singh camp in the state Congress is upset over the “clean chit” given to him by the CBI in the cases which were referred by the BJP-HVC combine government to the bureau for investigation.

His opponents in the Congress had allegedly been patting the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, on the back for having sent the 26-point “charge sheet” against him to the CBI.

The “charge sheet” was drafted by close lieutenants of the HVC chief, Mr Sukh Ram, with whose support Mr Dhumal came to power.

One of these lieutenants, Mr Kewal Ram Chauhan, who was most active in preparing the “charge sheet”, was recently admitted into the Congress by the PCC chief, Mrs Vidya Stokes.

Mr Virbhadra Singh had taken strong exception to Mr Chauhan’s inclusion in the Congress and described it as an attempt to belittle him.

Sometime back, Mr Dhumal had said that certain Congress leaders congratulated him for sending the document against Mr Virbhadra Singh to the CBI.

These leaders are also considered close to Mr Sukh Ram.

The CBI’s refusal to book Mr Virbhadra Singh on the basis of the allegations in the “charge sheet” could have been used politically against the BJP-HVC combine government by the Congress, but interestingly, no mention of the development was reportedly made even in the general house of the PCC, presided here today by Mrs Stokes.

It is worth mentioning here that the state government had first tried to frame Mr Virbhadra Singh through its own investigating agencies — the Vigilance Department and the Enforcement Wing. However, at least three ADGPs who headed these organisations from time to time were transferred when they suggested that no case could be made out against the Congress leader.

The HVC circles are also lying low following the CBI’s decision. Their leaders have reportedly been pressurising the central leadership of the BJP and Mr Dhumal to trap Mr Virbhadra Singh in the CBI net.

Meanwhile, reports of celebrations by supporters of Mr Virbhadra Singh have been received from various parts of the state.

His supporters offered laddoos to the people here, as well as in Solan, Kangra, Una, Kulu and other places.

MLAs walk out of Cong meeting
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 25
Provoked by certain remarks of the state president of the Youth Congress, Mr Sukhwinder Singh, six MLAs, who are office-bearers of the PCC, walked out of a meeting of the general house of the Congress in which Mr Satya Jeet Gaekwad, AICC Secretary, had come to mobilise partymen for implementing the recommendations of the Dr Manmohan Singh Committee for raising funds for the party.

The meeting was presided over by the PCC chief, Ms Vidya Stokes.

Those who walked out were Mr Gangu Ram Musaffir, General Secretary of the PCC, Mr Harshwardhan Chauhan and Mr Kashmir Singh, both Secretaries, Dr Prem Singh, Mr Kuldeep Kumar and Mr Raghu Raj.

It is learnt that the MLAs took objection to certain sweeping remarks of Mr Sukhwinder Singh about the collection of party funds.

Most of these MLAs had been abstaining from the earlier meetings of the PCC and had for the first time come to participate today following the visit of Mr Virbhadra Singh to the Congress office on the birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi when he had a meeting with Ms Stokes. The MLAs are considered to be his supporters. Another MLA, Mr G.S. Bali, is learnt to have asked him to confine his speech to the achievements of the Youth Congress in this regard. When contacted, Mr Sukhwinder Singh, however, denied he had made any remarks about the functioning of any leader.

Some other senior Congress leaders are learnt to have suggested that Himachal Pradesh being economically backward, the PCC should be shifted to the “C” category which does not stipulate any number of Congress “friends” to be enrolled for contributing Rs 10,000 each to the party. The AICC has put the state in the “B” category under which 3000 “friends” have to be enrolled.

Certain members took exception to the remarks of a senior leader that Dr Manmohan Singh had no knowledge of Himachal Pradesh and he should not have put the responsibility of enrolling 3000 “friends” here.

Briefing newspersons after the meeting, Mr Gaekwad said Rs 108 crore was expected to be collected from the one lakh Congress “friends” and the amount would be put in fixed deposit.

He said the MPs would contribute their one month’s salary to the AICC, while the MLAs would deposit it with the PCC. AICC delegates would contribute Rs 600, while PCC delegates would contribute Rs 300 each.

Municipal councillors and elected representatives of zila parishads would deposit Rs 200 per year with the PCC.

HP signs pact on water project
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 25
The Himachal Pradesh Government and the Water and Sanitation Programme — South Asia (WSP-SA) today signed a strategic alliance to provide efficient delivery of water and sanitation service in the state.

The Chief Secretary, Mr Harsh Gupta, signed the agreement on the behalf of the state government and Mr Jamal Saghir, Director, World Bank, signed it for the WSP-SA. The programme aims at developing local government institutions and capacity to manage own water and sanitation services.

Under the programme, Sirmour district has been given an initial grant of Rs 20 crore. The WSP-SA will work with the Himachal Pradesh Government to design alternate local government institutions, utilise their capacity and assist the panchayati raj institutions to implement the reform programme initiated in the rural water supply and sanitation sector. At the same time, the WSP-SA would assist the government to carry out reforms in urban and rural areas.

The objective of the alliance between the government and the WSP-SA is to assist the rural population in the state to gain sustained access to improved water and sanitation services.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, said numerous reports and studies in the recent years had drawn attention to the importance of fresh water holds for the world in the 21st century, especially, keeping in view the galloping increase in the population world over.

Mr Dhumal said the initiatives to tackle both issues of financing and efficient and accountable delivery of services in rural as well as urban areas were of immense importance for the state. He said the state government had initiated efforts to involve the local bodies in the management of water.

Mr Sanghir, said efficiency was more important than quantity in term of providing safe potable water. He stressed on the management of water resources and cost effectiveness.

He said the WSP-SA would benefit the people with technical assistance and by sharing global experiences and knowledge.

Mr Junaid Ahemd, member of the WSP-SA team said every citizen should get safe water round the clock.

Sculpture stolen from Roerich gallery
Our Correspondent

Kulu, August 25
A 17th century sculpture of Lord Ganesha was stolen from the prestigious Roerich Art Gallery at Nagar, 27 km from here, on August 22. Mr Ajay V. Prasad, Deputy Commissioner, told The Tribune today that the sculpture was missing since Wednesday, but none of the gallery staff reported the matter either to the police or the administration.

He said he would put three employees of the gallery under suspension regarding the theft. The Deputy Commissioner further said in addition to the police investigation, a magisterial inquiry had also been ordered. The Subdivisional Magistrate, Manali, would conduct the inquiry, he added.

He said there were apprehensions that even the cash might have been stolen from the donation box installed at the gallery. Meanwhile, he has ordered to maintain a daily inventory report of the valuable articles being kept at the gallery. The Assistant Manager of the gallery would hand over the report to the gallery guide in the morning and take over the things in the evening.

Mr N. Venu Gopal, Superintendent of Police, when contacted, confirmed that a case under Section 408, IPC, had been registered in this regard. It may be recalled that the Superintendent of Police and the Deputy Commissioner, Kulu, had been taken as unofficial members of the gallery trust to look into the developmental aspects of the famous Russian artists’ collection here.

ISU sweeps varsity CSA poll
Our Correspondent

Solan, August 25
The Independent Students Union (ISU), jointly floated by the NSUI, SFI, and HIMSU (Himachal Students Union) to keep the ABVP at bay last year, made a clean sweep of the CSA election of Parmar University, held at the institution's main campus at Nauni, near here, today.

ISU candidates won all four posts of the executive body as well as all 17 posts of the class representatives (CRs). Eleven CRs were elected unanimously while the remaining six won with impressive margins.

Vivek Sharma (ISU) has been elected president by defeating Nishet Thakur (ABVP) Anju Bala (ISU) has been elected vice-president by defeating Sunil Kumar (ABVP). Tula Ram (ISU) has been elected general secretary by defeating Ajay Kumar (ABVP), Anam Sharma (ISU) has been elected joint secretary by defeating Rahul Sharma (ABVP).

Trees near Central School face axe
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 25
The Secretary, Education, Mr S. Roy, today inspected the local Central School, which has been closed since August 13 as a retaining wall had collapsed on the primary section. He also gave instructions that it could be reopened on Monday if trees near the school were cut by the Shimla Municipal Corporation.

At least four large deodar trees are precariously standing near the school after the heavy rain. A number of parents accompanied the DFO, Mr Rajesh Sharma, identified the trees which required immediate chopping.

The retaining wall was constructed by the CPWD at a cost of about Rs 23 lakh and it reportedly collapsed within a month of completion.

Building opened, procedure flouted
Our Correspondent

Sundernagar, August 25
As many as 60 students of a primary school at Mahadev are forced to sit in the open as the construction of the school building is yet to be completed. Two papers had to be postponed as there was a heavy rain on the examination days. The building, though incomplete, was inaugurated by Mr Tek Chand Dogra, a Congress MLA from the Nachan Assembly segment of the subdivision on August 19.

The procedure for the completion of the building and starting of classes was not followed. No resolution regarding the completion of the building was passed by the panchayat and the last instalment of the sanctioned funds was also not released by the Block Development office.

Worker gets remand in robbery case
Our Correspondent

Jaisinghpur, August 25
The Lambagaon police arrested Naresh Kumar, an employee of Harsh Petro Fuels, on suspicion and produced him in a court at Palampur yesterday. The court remanded him in police custody for three days. The petrol station was robbed of Rs 1.71 lakh by some persons on August 22. According to Mr Gurmeet Singh Khatda, DSP, Palampur, Naresh was at the petrol station at the time of robbery and was arrested as he gave contradictory statements during police investigation.