H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Chairperson of Tibetan Cabinet takes oath
Dharamsala, September 5
The first directly elected Chairperson of the Tibetan Cabinet, Prof Samdhong Lobsang Tanzin, today said postponing negotiations on the Tibetan issue was a delaying tactic being adopted by China to buy time till the Dalai Lama, would no longer be there to lead his people.

Move to involve coops in hydel projects fails
Shimla, September 5
The move of the state government to involve cooperative societies in a big way in hydroelectric generation by allocating mini and micro hydel projects to them has failed to take off because of procedural wrangles and reluctance of the banks to finance them.

Increase promotion quota: IPH JEs
Kangra, September 5
The Himachal Pradesh IPH Junior Engineers Association yesterday demanded that quota for promotion of diploma holder assistant engineers to the posts of executive engineer should be increased to 50 per cent from 30 per cent.

BJP workers feel ignored
Dharamsala, September 5
As part of its nationwide programme to strengthen the party organisation for the next elections, the district BJP met here today amid allegations by the party workers that their work was not being done by their own government.

BJP leader denies resignation
Chamba, September 5
Mr K.K. Gupta, president of the district unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party, today denied reports that he had tendered his resignation from the party and it had been accepted by the party.

Employees ‘forced’ to donate for hospital
Shimla, September 5
Mr G.S. Bali, Congress MLA, has alleged that some ministers of the BJP government were forcing employees and others in the Kangra district to donate money for the Vivekanand Hospital project, a brain child for the union minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, in the Palampur area.

Gang busted, stolen goods recovered
Dalhousie, September 5
The police has solved several cases of burglary and theft committed and arrested an alleged five-member gang of thieves, including Saleel Sharma, former editor of a local fortnightly, this week.

Chairperson of Tibetan Cabinet takes oath
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, September 5
The first directly elected Chairperson of the Tibetan Cabinet, Prof Samdhong Lobsang Tanzin, today said postponing negotiations on the Tibetan issue was a delaying tactic being adopted by China to buy time till the Dalai Lama, would no longer be there to lead his people.

In his first press conference, after taking oath as the Chairperson of the Tibetan Cabinet (Kashag) today, equivalent to the post of Prime Minister, Prof Samdhong Rinpoche, emphasised that the Tibetan issue was not the personal issue of the Dalai Lama but was of a nation and a race.

Prof Rinpoche, who has earlier served as the Chairman of the Tibetan Parliament, said today even the Chinese were nervous on the Tibetan issue, as there had been growing international support for their cause world over. Following the Dalai Lama’s “Middle Path Approach” for a negotiated settlement to the Tibetan problem, I will make every effort to restore direct contacts with Beijing add to increase international support towards this end, he stated.

Regarding the issue of transfer of power from the Dalai Lama to the Chairperson of the Cabinet, Prof Rinpoche said he was not in favour of all this being done in a haste, as it was only after deep thinking that it can be decided as to how much power and when should it be transferred. “In fact I have requested the Dalai Lama to rescind this decision and continue to exercise his traditional administrative responsibilities in conformity with the provisions of the charter of the Tibetans-in-exile,” he opined.

Prof Rinpoche said he would make efforts for the formulation of clear-cut religious, educational, home and health policies, which will take into account the culture of Tibet and the practical needs of time. He stressed the need for the administration to be transparent and accountable. He said the primary responsibility of the Cabinet under him would be to continue a non-violent struggle for freedom, leading to a meaningful solution to the issue of Tibet.

Prof Rinpoche, warned the Tibetans against all such elements who have in the past tried to play up factionalism, regional and sectarian prejudices in the community.

Prof Rinpoche, who has reluctantly accepted the post of Chairperson of the Cabinet despite getting majority votes, said he would finalise the list of his Cabinet by September 20 as Tibetan Parliament would meet only a day prior to this. There will be an eight member Cabinet, which will require the approval of Parliament.

Move to involve coops in hydel projects fails
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 5
The move of the state government to involve cooperative societies in a big way in hydroelectric generation by allocating mini and micro hydel projects to them has failed to take off because of procedural wrangles and reluctance of the banks to finance them.

Out of the 189 MoUs signed by the state government for such projects so far, only three are with cooperative societies and doubts are being raised whether these would ever be executed

The three projects are Rohru (1 mw), Kulu (1 mw) and Mandi (1.8 mw).

According to official figures, only nine hydel generation cooperative societies have been registered in the state. Of these there are five in Kulu district, one each in Shimla and Chamba and two in Jubal.

Mr Dhumal sometime ago was scheduled to visit China with an official team to see the functioning of mini and micro hydel projects in that country which leads in this field. However, he had to cancel his programme last minute as the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, had come to Manali at that time.

The idea of involving cooperative societies in hydroelectric generation was reportedly mooted by the BJP general secretary, Mr Narendera Modi, who at that time was in charge of the party affairs in Himachal Pradesh.

With great hopes, the state government last year amended the rules for involving cooperative societies in power generation, but this has not yet helped because of various reasons.

The Minister of State for Cooperatives, Mr R.R. Koundal, confirmed that the Nabard has turned down the proposal to finance the cooperative societies for constructing mini and micro power projects.

The bank is learnt to have informed the state government that it could finance such projects only in case the electricity generated from such projects would be utilised for irrigation purposes. The state government is learnt to have moved the case afresh with the required provisions.

Other commercial banks were hesitant to grant loans for these projects as the government has not yet started giving bank guarantee for the loans raised for their construction.

The cooperative banks in the state shall have to amend their bylaws in case they were to finance these hydroelectric projects. The Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources was being approached for finding out a way to release the cash incentives for such projects directly to the cooperative banks.

Increase promotion quota: IPH JEs
Our Correspondent

Kangra, September 5
The Himachal Pradesh IPH Junior Engineers Association yesterday demanded that quota for promotion of diploma holder assistant engineers to the posts of executive engineer should be increased to 50 per cent from 30 per cent.

Mr S.K. Angaria, president of the state unit of the association, and Mr Subhash Tyagi, president of the state Council of Engineers, said according to rules the quota for initial promotion and recruitment for the promotion of junior engineers and draftsmen to the posts of assistant engineer was 50 per cent. They said the rule should be followed for their promotion to executive engineer cadre. Expressing concern, they said only four executive engineers from the diploma engineer’s cadre were in office at present and even with 30 per cent quota the number should have been 21.

They demanded that direct recruitment of the fresh degree holders as assistant engineers through the Public Service Commission for a period of six years be held back unless 400 additional assistant engineers working for the past 28 to 30 years were promoted to the cadre of assistant engineer. They also demanded that the fresh degree holders should be appointed direct to the posts of junior engineer.

BJP workers feel ignored
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, September 5
As part of its nationwide programme to strengthen the party organisation for the next elections, the district BJP met here today amid allegations by the party workers that their work was not being done by their own government.

It was the presence of the BJP organising secretary and in charge of Himachal Pradesh, Mr Avinash Jaiswal, which brought all 11 BJP ministers and MLA from the rival Shanta and Dhumal factions to attend the meeting. It is learnt that the party workers complained that even during the regime of their party Congress workers were able to get their work done, while they were being ignored by their leaders who were in the government. In fact one of the ministers went to the extent of saying that everyone should be alert against forces in the party who were out to create misunderstanding between leaders. Mr Jaiswal admitted that minor difference did exist in the party.

BJP leader denies resignation
Our Correspondent

Chamba, September 5
Mr K.K. Gupta, president of the district unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), today denied reports that he had tendered his resignation from the party and it had been accepted by the party.

Mr Gupta in a press note issued here today stated that it was absolutely incorrect to say that he had ever tendered his resignation.

“In fact I had written a letter to the state unit president and other functionaries of the party which was expressing discontentment prevailing among the rank and file of the BJP in district” says Mr Gupta.

“But surprisingly, the party leaders treated my letter as resignation, lamented Mr Gupta

Employees ‘forced’ to donate for hospital
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 5
Mr G.S. Bali, Congress MLA, has alleged that some ministers of the BJP government were forcing employees and others in the Kangra district to donate money for the Vivekanand Hospital project, a brain child for the union minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, in the Palampur area.

Mr Bali, who was talking to newsmen here today, alleged that not even low-level employees were spread and the name of Mr Shanta Kumar was being exploited for collecting funds.

He questioned the justification of constructing the hospital when a full-fledged medical college of the government was already functioning at Tanda, about 20 km away.

He alleged that the government machinery was being misused for collecting funds for the private medical college for which a trust had been established.

Gang busted, stolen goods recovered
Our Correspondent

Dalhousie, September 5
The police has solved several cases of burglary and theft committed and arrested an alleged five-member gang of thieves, including Saleel Sharma, former editor of a local fortnightly, this week.

Disclosing this here today, SP, Chamba, Mr Sanjay Kundu, said five thieves had been arrested and stolen goods and articles worth lakhs of rupees recovered from them.

The other suspects are Rishu, Ramesh Kumar, Kuldeep Singh and Mahender.

The SP said cases under Sections 457, 380, 109, 411 and 34 IPC, had been registered against them.

The SP claimed that Saleel Sharma confessed that he masterminded thefts in Chamba district and Dalhousie. He was earlier running a printing press and bringing out a fortnightly newspaper but its publication was suspended. The gangsters have been remanded in police custody.