H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Dhumal rules out early poll in Himachal
New Delhi, July 19
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today ruled out early elections in the state, saying poll would be held according to schedule by March next year. Asked about the possibility of early dissolution of Himachal Pradesh Assembly on the lines of what happened in Gujarat today, Mr Dhumal said the situation in the two states was different.

HP fruit crops suffer Rs 81-crore loss
New Delhi, July 19
The Himachal Pradesh Government has suffered a loss of Rs 81 crore due to prevailing drought and natural calamities. State Horticulture Minister Narender Bragta, who met Union Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh here today told him that as against normal fruit production of 5,61,004 tonnes per annum, the production this year was expected to be 3,87,844 tonnes.

Special programme for jail inmates
Dharamsala, July 19
The District and Sessions Judge, Kangra, Dr J.N. Barowalia, said the newly formed Karaagar Sudhar Samiti will help in providing stress-free living to inmates of the local jail. He was speaking on the occasion of a gita-distribution programme organised by the samiti here today.

Telecom services in a mess
Dalhousie, July 19
Telecommunication services in and around the famous hill resort of Khajjiar are in a mess for the past several days, causing resentment among hoteliers, tourists and local subscribers.

• Mahajan told to clear stand on Nurpur

• P. S. Negi

Dhumal rules out early poll in Himachal
Prashant Sood
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 19
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today ruled out early elections in the state, saying poll would be held according to schedule by March next year.

Asked about the possibility of early dissolution of Himachal Pradesh Assembly on the lines of what happened in Gujarat today, Mr Dhumal said the situation in the two states was different. Gujarat, like Himachal Pradesh, was due to face poll in March 2003.

Mr Dhumal said the situation in Gujarat had been politicised by the parties opposed to the BJP and a political colour being given to the situation had hurt the interests of Gujarat and the country. “The best solution is to let the people of the state decide what kind of government they want,” he said. The Chief Minister denied that the BJP was trying to reap political capital by recommending early elections in Gujarat, which had faced massive communal violence three months ago.

He said the state government would soon carve out new districts from Mandi, Shimla and Kangra districts. The three districts accounted for 34 of the 68 Assembly seats while remaining 34 seats were distributed in nine districts.

The Chief Minister would tomorrow call upon President-elect Dr APJ Abdul Kalam and invite him to the state. Himachal Pradesh has a Presidential Retreat and President K.R. Narayanan had been a regular visitor to the state.

Talking to The Tribune here, Mr Dhumal said the biggest achievement of his government was ending the feeling of regionalism and the talk of “lower-upper and old-new areas.” He said the BJP government had implemented its election manifesto in toto and all sections of people, including employees, youth, farmers and weaker sections, were satisfied with the work done by the government.

The Chief Minister said those Congress leaders who were criticising the government’s increase of support price for apples and greater subsidies should not avail of these. “The money saved by the government would be passed on to marginal farmers,” he said. Mr Dhumal said his party had started preparing for the forthcoming elections and its functionaries were carrying the message about the work done by the government to the people.

Mr Dhumal said a decision on whether to contest the forthcoming poll in alliance with the Himachal Vikas Party of Mr Sukh Ram would be taken by the party high command. The two parties, he said, had fought the last elections independently. Mr Sukh Ram met Mr Dhumal in the capital today. 

HP fruit crops suffer Rs 81-crore loss
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 19
The Himachal Pradesh Government has suffered a loss of Rs 81 crore due to prevailing drought and natural calamities.

State Horticulture Minister Narender Bragta, who met Union Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh here today told him that as against normal fruit production of 5,61,004 tonnes per annum, the production this year was expected to be 3,87,844 tonnes.

The minister said the government had formulated a contingency plan of Rs 7 crore for the fruit growers of the state.

Demanding hail-nets on subsidised rates, he sought amendment in horticulture insurance policy.

Mr Bragta also met Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit requesting her to remove 2 per cent extra commission being charged from growers by commission agents in Azad Mandi.

Special programme for jail inmates
Our Correspondent

Dharamsala, July 19
The District and Sessions Judge, Kangra, Dr J.N. Barowalia, said the newly formed Karaagar Sudhar Samiti will help in providing stress-free living to inmates of the local jail. He was speaking on the occasion of a gita-distribution programme organised by the samiti here today. He said the problems facing the inmates were regularly forwarded to the high court which took up the matter with state government.

The secretary of the samiti said though there were few workshops within the prison premises, they could not provide employment for all inmates. He said two income-generating projects would be started soon.

Earlier, Swami Ram Swaroop performed yajna in which prisoners also participated.

Telecom services in a mess
Our Correspondent

Dalhousie, July 19
Telecommunication services in and around the famous hill resort of Khajjiar are in a mess for the past several days, causing resentment among hoteliers, tourists and local subscribers.

Hoteliers allege that their telephones either remain out of order for days together or they are not able to get connected with other townships due to limited channels provided in the telephone cables.

On the other hand, officials of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) maintain that even though the topography of the area and bad weather conditions lead to the faults, the BSNL is always on its to deal with complaints.

Mahajan told to clear stand on Nurpur
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, July 19
Mr Rakesh Pathania, local MLA and chairman, HPTDC in a statement issued here last evening urged the former PCC chief, Mr Sat Mahajan, to clear his stand on the proposal to grant district status to Nurpur by the Prem Kumar Dhumal government.

P. S. Negi
Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 19
Mr P. S. Negi, who retired as the Financial Commissioner-cum-Secretary to the state government, has been appointed Member Secretary of the Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes Commission set up under Article 339 (1) of the Constitution in the rank and scale of the Secretary to the Government of India.