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Sunday,
March 24, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Dhumal govt blamed
for fiscal mess Ex-MLA’s reinduction may be questioned Airstrip expansion disapproved Student ‘harassed’ by
exam superintendent Allowance for
jobless sought |
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PM to address Shimla rally today Hamirpur to promote cultural activities Wildflower staff bus impounded
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Dhumal govt blamed
for fiscal mess Shimla, March 23 In a statement issued on the eve of completion of four years’ rule of the BJP-HVC combine, Mr Virbhadra Singh said all anti-people decisions of the Dhumal government, including the MoUs of power projects, would be reversed. He said a commission would be appointed to inquire into the appointment of undeserving candidates through back-door. The appointment of unqualified teachers in the university would also be looked into, he said. Mr Virbhadra Singh alleged that the government had pushed the state into bankruptcy by raising loans to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore during its four years’ rule. There has been no increase in the plan allocations during these four years, he said. Electricity tariff has been increased thrice and the enhanced water tariff and imposition of users’ charges had hit the poor, he said, adding that by reducing the power tariff for industries, the Dhumal government has proved that it had only the well-being of big industrialists in mind. He said the health services had become out of reach for the poor due to the imposition of users’ charges in hospitals. Over 1.50 lakh employees had been transferred and the repeated reshuffle of officers has put a stop on the development of the state, he alleged. He alleged that the educational institutions had been saffronised and the issues of corruption highlighted by some ministers were being suppressed. He alleged that the law and order situation had deteriorated and womenfolk had become the target of crime. The interests of the state were sold while granting power projects to the private sector, he lamented. |
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Ex-MLA’s reinduction may be questioned Shimla, March 23 Mr Chauhan was recently reinducted into the Congress by Mrs Stokes by ignoring the protests of the CLP leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh. Although Mr Virbhadra Singh was away on a tour to Chamba his supporters here said their stand on the issue had been vindicated as the law had taken its course. Mr Chauhan, who had earlier joined the HVC, was reported to be instrumental in preparing the “charge sheet” against Mr Virbhadra Singh, which was sent to the CBI for enquiry by the BJP-HVC combine government. The faction had sometime ago complained to the central leadership that Mr Chauhan had been re-admitted to humiliate Mr Virbhadra Singh, and the image of the party would suffer as he was facing trial on the charges of illicit felling. Mr Chauhan and his son Virender Chauhan along with four others have been held guilty for illicit felling of trees in Chopal between 1975 and 1977. |
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Airstrip expansion disapproved Kulu, March 23 In reply to a question in the state Assembly the Tourism Minister could not explain the decision of the AAI. The correspondent spoke to the officer concerned here today who confirmed that the proposal had been shelved as the feasibility of extension was not practically possible. He, however, said the shifting of the existing terminal building and the ATC tower would be started very shortly. When asked whether the shifting of the building would enable the landing and take-offs from both ends of the airport, the officer replied in negative. It may be mentioned here that the landings and take-offs were permitted from the southern end of the air strip after the construction of the Manikaran bridge on the northern side of the airport. Arun Sharma, a hotelier, expressed surprise over the decision. Jagan Nath Sharma, president of the Hoteliers Association here also expressed astonishment on the decision of the AAI and said he failed to understand that the extension plan once approved by the technical experts has been disapproved later without reason and logic. |
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Student ‘harassed’ by
exam superintendent Kasauli, March 23 Trouble started after the commencement of the examination when Ghanshyam was asked by the superintendent, Surinder, to sit straight and desist from making use of unfair means in the examination. The student, however, stated that he was indulging in no such tricks and neither was anything recovered from him. He alleged that the superintendent was trying to settle scores with him for reasons best known to him. The superintendent then turned him out. The peril did not end here and a written complaint was sent to the police station by the school Principal against Ghanshyam for creating nuisance and using abusive language towards the staff. Within minutes two policemen took the student to the police station. He was later allowed to complete the examination only after his brother arrived at the police station on being called by the Station House Officer. But when he returned to the school accompanied by the policemen barely half-an-hour was remaining to complete the paper. Not only this the student alleged that he was pressurised to give in writing that he had used abusive language against the teachers and he be punished by the police for the same in case he did that again. The Principal of the school, Mrs Rajinder Kaur, when asked about the incident, however, stated that she was forced to make a written complaint to the police. She denied that the superintendent was trying to settle scores with the student and added that the complaint was withdrawn after the student rendered a written apology. While stating that only half-an-hour was wasted in the whole incident, she added that the student got sufficient time to complete the paper. The SHO stated that he tried to defuse the situation in an amicable way by immediately calling Ghanshyam’s brother to the police station to make sense prevail over him to render an apology. He, however, stated that in case a complaint was made to him about the highhandedness of the superintendent by the aggrieved he would conduct an inquiry into the matter. The student, who has to appear for his science practical on April 6, is apprehensive of going to the school for fear of a similar incident happening again. His father Devi Dayal, who is an employee of the MES, stated that he would send a written complaint to the Chief Minister, Education Minister, Secretary, Education, Secretary, HP Education Board, and the District Education Officer. |
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Allowance for
jobless sought Dharamsala, March 23 Members of the DYFI, along with members of the CPI, the CPM and the Kisan Sabha, today took out a procession and handed over a memorandum to the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr Rahul Anand. They said though the government had made efforts to increase the literacy rate, it had failed to generate employment for the educated youth. They said the number of the unemployed in Himachal Pradesh had crossed 10 lakh. The state president of the DYFI, Mr Kushal Bhardwaj, regretted that instead of providing relief to the poor and those belonging to weaker sections, the government had burdened them by ordering a hike in both power and water tariffs. “Going to a government hospital for treatment is outside the reach of a poor man as user charges have been imposed,” he lamented. He also demanded regularisation of those daily-wagers who had put in more than five years of service. |
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PM to address Shimla rally today Shimla, March 23 The town has been given a facelift. Buntings and arches have been put up at various points to welcome the Prime Minister. Mr Vajpayee will stay overnight at the President’s house at Charabra near here.
UNI |
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Hamirpur to promote cultural activities Hamirpur, March 23 The main emphasis would be laid on the local folk culture, including dance and songs. She said the parishad would also be revamped. She also announced that a “bhajna sandhya” would also be organised at Baba Balak Nath temple at Deotsidh on April 20. |
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Wildflower staff bus impounded Shimla, March 23 According to a spokesman of the hotel, the bus was impounded when it was carrying the women employees back home from duty. The spokesman said they had applied for renewal of the route permit of the bus about a month back, but nothing had been done by the transport authorities. The bus was impounded on the grounds of not possessing the route permit. The action came close on the heels of withdrawal of temporary permission to run the hotel granted by the pollution control board. |
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Paper cancelled
due to copying Dharamsala, March 23 |
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Olodum festival opens at Nahan Nahan, March 23 In his inaugural speech the Deputy Commissioner, Sirmaur, Mr Rakesh Kaushal, asked the students to play a role in the social development of society. |
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