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Wednesday,
July 31, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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NDA govt blamed for anti-employee
steps Dhumal reviews drought
situation Government move on encroachments
opposed Pvt bus operators call off strike Panels to probe drug licence
scam 5 kg silver missing from
temple Cancel transfers of doctors, urges association |
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Section 144 imposed on Chamba Ex-DC ‘assaulted’ in presence of
cops ID cards must
for voting Labourers lock up
school, seek wages Students want transparency in recruitment Students boycott
classes
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NDA govt blamed for anti-employee
steps Shimla, July 30 Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the state executive of the party here, she said the BJP had been accusing the Congress governments in various states of pursuing anti-employee policies but cleverly hiding the fact that these policies had been framed and forced on them by the NDA regime at the Centre in the name of reforms. She said
employees would be shocked to know that the MoU had provisions relating to the retrenchment of more than 2,000 employees every year, making government jobs non-pensionable, freezing of LTC and other allowances, a complete ban on recruitment and no appointments even on compassionate grounds and a legal provision to penalise an officer who recruited even a daily-wage worker. The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, had quietly started the implementation of the MoU two years ago and even suspended the LTC and announced the introduction of a contributory pension scheme. He even took credit for pursuing reforms. However, now when the assembly elections were round the corner, he was talking of having a consensus on the issue of the MoU and had set up a committee of the Vidhan Sabha for the purpose. It was political dishonesty on the part of Mr Dhumal who kept the Opposition and the people of the state in the dark about the MoU and started its implementation on the sly. Mrs Stokes said such tactics did not inspire the confidence of people, particularly employees, and they would not be misled by the employee friendly mask put on by the BJP on the eve of the poll. They know that the party would pursue such policies more vigorously if voted back to power. The PCC chief said the BJP had been shaken by its humiliating defeat in the Shimla Municipal Corporation poll and it was taking decisions in panic to woo the electorate like the regularisation of encroachments and unauthorised constructions, which would only help convince the people that the government was on its way out. She said the Congress was gearing up for early elections though these were due in February. Today’s meeting of the PCC was specially convened to review the poll preparations. The meeting also discussed the drought situation and expressed concern over the failure of the government to release adequate funds to provide relief to the affected persons. An amount of Rs 3 crore released for the purpose was meagre keeping in view the colossal loss, which had been officially estimated at Rs 500 crore. |
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Dhumal reviews drought
situation Shimla, July 30 He asked officers to ensure that people got chlorinated water, especially in areas where water shortage had been reported. He directed the Irrigation and Public Health authorities to ensure cleanliness of traditional water sources. He said hundreds of hand pumps had been installed at various places in the state during the past four years which had proved very useful, especially in drought-prone areas. More funds would be made available to install additional hand pumps. He said Rs 2.25 crore had been released for making drinking water arrangements in the drought-affected areas. The Chief Minister said tentative requirements of cattle feed would also be worked out in consultation with the deputy commissioners so that necessary arrangements could be made. He said a demand for 33,500 tonnes of foodgrains had been placed with the Central Government as a precautionary measure. Besides 10,000 tonnes of damaged foodgrains had also been demanded as cattle feed. He said the Centre had also been approached to provide 60 kg ration instead of 35 kg per month to each eligible family under the public distribution system. Mr Dhumal said the matter pertaining to the deferment of the recovery of bank loans in view of the prevailing drought conditions was under the consideration of the government. He said subsidised seeds would be made available to farmers. He said Rs 2 crore had been released to the Agriculture Department under the plan for distribution of seeds. |
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Government move on encroachments
opposed Chamba, July 30 Mr Rattan Chand, a noted environmentalist of this region and an activist of the Himalaya Bachao Samiti, said here today that the implementation of this decision was going to play havoc with the forest wealth, environment and ecology of the hilly state especially at a time when the people of the world were celebrating this year as an International Mountain Year. He said environmentalist, naturalists, scientists and politicians all over the world had joined hands to make sincere endeavours to maintain the balance of the eco-system taking into account the significance of mountains. Taking exception to this blind move of the government, Mr Rattan Chand lamented that this decision had given impetus to encroachments. In the wake of this decision, Mr Rattan Chand described this year as “a black year” in Himachal Pradesh. He suggested that emphasis should be laid on the cultivation of aromatic and herbal plants on surplus land of this alpine state. He demanded the withdrawal of this arbitrary decision and urged the government to distribute surplus cultivable land free of cost among landless poor. |
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Pvt bus operators call off strike Hamirpur, July 30 A spokesman of the striking bus operators said the Director assured them that all their demands would be put up in the state Cabinet meeting slated for August 9. He said since they were satisfied with his reply, they called off the strike. Plying of buses on all routes of the district became normal after the private bus operators decided to call off their two-day old strike. |
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Panels to probe drug licence
scam Solan, July 30 One committee would look into complaints received from the Shimla zone while the other would cater to the Dharamsala zone. Both committees had been asked to submit their reports within 30 days, he said. Mr Nadda, who earlier presided over a day-long meeting convened to review the performance of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti of the Zonal Hospital here, expressed happiness over the efforts of volunteers in providing improved healthcare services. He said the government had accepted the samiti’s proposals for providing certain essential services at the hospital. The bed strength of the hospital was being raised from 134 to 196. A cardiac care centre, equipped with cardiac
monitors, defibrilator-cum-monitor, and an oxygen concentrator would become functional at the hospital soon. A nine-bed casualty ward with a micro-operating
theater, a portable x-ray machine and an electrocardiogram was also being sanctioned. There was also a plan to shift the orthopaedic ward, from the first floor to the ground floor. It had been noticed that most orthopaedic patients found it difficult to climb the stairs and had to be carried on stretchers as there was no provision for a lift. Cash counters would be computerised and ECG, x-ray and laboratory services at the hospital would soon be made available round the clock. To a question, Mr Nadda said a proposal for setting up a modern trauma centre in the town, situated on a busy national highway, had been sent to the Union Government for clearance. |
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5 kg silver missing from
temple Dharamsala, July 30 The committee comprising SDM,
Jaisinghpur, District Language Officer, District Credit and Planning Officer and Section Officer (Audit) in its report to the Deputy Commissioner revealed that of about 24 kg silver that had been stolen, about 18 kg had been recovered from the thieves while more than 5 kg of silver was unaccounted for. The committee, in its report, had suggested that gold and silver, received as donations, should be converted into bars and silver should be auctioned every year while gold should be invested in gold bonds. It also recommended that a safe be installed in the temple office and a boundary wall be erected around the complex. The committee recommended new rent leases with the tenants occupying temple shops and eviction of those who have defaulted on rent payments. It also recommended that steps be taken to remove encroachments on temple land. According to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr
Saxena, the temple officer had been directed to initiate steps to implement the recommendations of the committee within a fortnight. |
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Cancel transfers of doctors, urges association Chamba, July 30 In a press statement here today, the state president of the association, Dr Om Pal Sharma, urged the government to accept their demands which include rural health allowance at the rate of 6 per cent of the basic pay, the release of non-practising allowance since 1996 and house rent allowance. He also demanded additional pay and residential accommodation for doctors in the rural areas and interior parts of the state on priority. He also demanded the removal of the Joint Director, Health. |
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Section 144 imposed on Chamba Chamba, July 30 Stating this here today, Mr Anand said under the orders it was imperative for the migrant labourers to get details of their antecedents along with photographs registered in the nearby police stations. Besides, he said, the security forces at checkpoints in different border areas would keep a strict watch on the passengers, strangers, suspects and vehicles entering into the district. He said these orders had been issued with a view to safeguarding peace, security and the law and order situation in the district. He directed the security officials manning the checkpoints to allow entry to people only after verification. |
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Ex-DC ‘assaulted’ in presence of
cops Shimla, July 30 Mr Lal, who was booked in connection with the beating up of a 64-year old-woman Mrs Santosh Sharma, and her daughter has also filed an FIR against five persons. He alleged that Mrs Santosh Sharma, her daughter and son-in-law, Col V.B. Singh and his wife had hatched a conspiracy against him. He said there was an altercation over the erection of a gate on the temple premises as Mrs Santosh Sharma claimed that it was being eracted on her land. He said he assured her that the trust would abide by the demarcation of the land scheduled for July 31 and requested her not to uproot the gate. He added that Mrs Santosh Sharma slapped him, while Col V.B. Singh and his wife beat him up with an umbrella in the presence of the police. |
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ID cards must
for voting Kulu, July 30 As many as 3,100 centres would be set up for making digital photo-identity cards. For details, the respective Deputy Commissioners, Additional Deputy Commissioners and SDMs, besides the district election office, could be contacted. |
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Labourers lock up
school, seek wages Chamba, July 30 Mr Thakur Singh, a former legislator, said here today that students were facing a problem due to dearth of rooms in the school and their studies were suffering. He requested the government to clear the payments of the labourers. |
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Students want transparency in recruitment Shimla, July 30 A deputation of the union headed by its convener, Mr Sandeep Kumar, met Dr Bhan at Raj Bhavan here yesterday and underlined the need to take measures, like video-recording of interviews, to ensure fair play in the selection process. It also urged the Governor to issue an ordinance to curb violence on the university campus and ensure that the schedule for elections to the students central association was finalised in consultation with student organisations. Other demands included withdrawal of fee hike in colleges and universities, increase in the reservation quota for Himachali students in the JP Institute of Information and Technology and filling of vacant teaching posts in various departments. |
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Students boycott
classes Hamirpur, July 30 A spokesman for the SFI claimed that the strike was complete and the students warned the authorities that they would intensify their agitation if their demands were not accepted. |
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