H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

50,000 jobs created in public
sector: CM
Una, September 12
The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, has said the development of rural areas had remained a priority with the state government during the past four and a half years as the government felt that the prosperity of the state depended on the prosperity of villages. Professor Dhumal was addressing a gathering at the upgradation ceremony of Government Senior Secondary School, Sarohin, in the Kutlehar area of the district today.

Gurkhas want BJP, Cong ticket for Vidhan Sabha poll
Dharamsala, September 12
The Himachal Gurkha Vikas Parishad has demanded that both BJP and Congress should allow a Gurkha candidate to contest from the Dharamsala constituency in the next Vidhan Sabha elections.

Sat Mahajan attends NSUI ‘Vijay rally’
Nurpur, September 12
Mr Sat Mahajan, former PCC chief and senior Congress leader, addressed a “Vijay rally” at Rehan, 15 km from here, yesterday to celebrate the victory of the NSUI in the students’ election at Government Degree Colleges Dehri and Nurpur.

Chakki bridge in bad shape
Nurpur, September 12
The inter-state 113-year-old Chakki bridge on the Pathankot-Mandi highway, which links Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, has again got damaged restricting the movement of traffic. About a 100-metre-long steel railing and a wheel contour of the bridge, having a 515-metre span, were found badly damaged last week.

Indian novel shortlisted for Commonwealth award
Shimla, September 12
“A Handsome Man”, a novel-embodying ethos of India authored by Mr P.C. Katoch, a bureaucrat writer, has been shortlisted for the Commonwealth writers prize, 2003. The shortlisted books will be referred to a panel of judges for deciding the award, which will be announced in May, 2003. 

3 BBMB divers to search for bodies
Kulu, September 12
Three divers fom BBMB, Nangal Punjab, today reached the site of the accident where a bus fell into the Parvati river on September 8. near Tahuk. A party of NHPC experts along with necessary equipment and an expert Mr Jalam Singh from Sundernagar are trying to locate the remains of the bus.

Notice to Secy, Town Planning
Shimla, September 12
The HP High Court yesterday issued suo mottu notices to the Secretary, Town and Country Planning, taking serious notice of a news report published in a Hindi daily on December 19, 2001, regarding its “flexible retention policy”.

Gang of robbers busted; 6 held
Solan, September 12
Following the arrest of six persons yesterday, the police claims to have busted a gang of robbers who had committed a number of thefts, burglaries and at least one murder in the Arki and Kandaghat subdivision areas, during the past two years.

Guga Mari mela from today
Kumarhatti, September 12
After the initial “hurdles” posed by the Army authorities on account of security, the stage is set for the Guga Mari mela at Subathu, 19 km from here, tomorrow. The four-day mela is considered to be a symbol of brotherhood in which Guga devotees take part.

50,000 jobs created in public sector: CM
Our Correspondent

Una, September 12
The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, has said the development of rural areas had remained a priority with the state government during the past four and a half years as the government felt that the prosperity of the state depended on the prosperity of villages. Professor Dhumal was addressing a gathering at the upgradation ceremony of Government Senior Secondary School, Sarohin, in the Kutlehar area of the district today.

The Chief Minister said roads, education and health had been given priority as these were directly related to the common man. He said about 3,000 km of new roads had been constructed and 3,250 km had been metalled in the state during past four and a half years. He said the budget for roads and bridges had been enhanced from Rs 90 crore in 1997-98 to Rs 346 crore in 2002-03.

He said the welfare of the youth was also being ensured, adding that 50,000 employment opportunities had been created in the government sector alone during this period. To ensure employment to overage youth, the maximum age to enter the government service had been increased to 45 years so that they could get more opportunities in getting employment.

Referring to education, the Chief Minister said endeavours had been made to bring about a qualitative improvement in education in the state and the budget for this sector had been enhanced from Rs 356 crore to Rs 960 crore.

In the social services sector, the social security pension had been enhanced from Rs 100 to Rs 200 per month.

Gurkhas want BJP, Cong ticket for Vidhan Sabha poll
Our Correspondent

Dharamsala, September 12
The Himachal Gurkha Vikas Parishad has demanded that both BJP and Congress should allow a Gurkha candidate to contest from the Dharamsala constituency in the next Vidhan Sabha elections.

In a press note after the general body meeting of the parishad, Capt (retd) D.N. Sharma said the community was unanimous that keeping in view the contribution of the Gurkhas during the freedom struggle and while defending the borders of the country, the seat should be left for Gurkha candidate. In a separate press note, Ms Nandini Thapa, president of the Himachal Gurkha Youth Organisation, has shown concern at the notices served by the army cantonment, Nahan, on Gurkha residents who had been living within the cantonment area for generations.

She appealed to the Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal to intercede with the Defence Ministry on behalf of the Gurkha community and get the orders revoked.

Sat Mahajan attends NSUI ‘Vijay rally’
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, September 12
Mr Sat Mahajan, former PCC chief and senior Congress leader, addressed a “Vijay rally” at Rehan, 15 km from here, yesterday to celebrate the victory of the NSUI in the students’ election at Government Degree Colleges Dehri and Nurpur.

He was weighed against coins.

Mr Mahajan lambasted the BJP-led governments at the Centre and the state as well as made a tacit attack on his adversary Ranjit Baskhi, once his close confidant.

Significantly, Mr Mahajan, after contesting three Lok Sabha elections from the Kangra parliamentary constituency, is now keen on contesting the next Assembly elections from his native place. He announced that he was sure to be allotted the ticket for Nurpur.

Mr Mahajan said the Dhumal government had landed the state in a severe debt of more than Rs 15,000 crore. He criticised the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, for framing “false” cases against the CLP Leader Mr Virbhadra Singh, and other Congress leaders, which he termed as political vendetta.

Mr Mahajan said he was not in the race for the post of Chief Minister if the Congress was voted to power. Mr Vicky Mankotia, Mr Ajay Mahajan, HPCC delegates, and Mr Rakesh Mahajan, president, Nurpur Municipal Council, were present on the occasion.

Chakki bridge in bad shape
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, September 12
The inter-state 113-year-old Chakki bridge on the Pathankot-Mandi highway, which links Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, has again got damaged restricting the movement of traffic. About a 100-metre-long steel railing and a wheel contour of the bridge, having a 515-metre span, were found badly damaged last week. Seventyeight per cent part of the bridge falls in Punjab and the rest in Himachal Pradesh. In September last year the bridge had developed cracks and its iron sheets were damaged. The National Highway authorities had closed the damaged bridge for 20 days for carrying out repairs.

The Superintending Engineer of the National Highway Circle Shahpur, yesterday visited the site of the damaged bridge and directed the local National Highway authorities to start repairing the bridge. According to a spokesperson for the National Highway authorities the bridge railing and wheel contour have probably been damaged by heavily loaded vehicles. The repairs are likely to take a fortnight to be completed, he added.

The bridge, besides being significant for the Himachal Pradesh tourism industry, is important for the movement of security forces to Yol cantonment in Kangra district. It also provides an alternative route to the Kargil sector through the Leh-Mandi route. Moreover, the highway also leads to the border with China.

However, the state government had taken up the issue of reconstruction of the bridge with the Union Ministry of Surface Transport and proposed a double-lane bridge with a span of 540 metres along with a footpath. Sources said the land acquisition proceedings for the proposed bridge by the Himachal Pradesh and Punjab governments had been initiated. According to the HPPWD, the bridge had outlived its utility and can cause a major mishap due to its poor condition.

There is a demand that the Kandwal-Bhadroya link road which provides an alternative to link Punjab and Himachal Pradesh should be repaired for the smooth movement of traffic.

Indian novel shortlisted for Commonwealth award
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 12
“A Handsome Man”, a novel-embodying ethos of India authored by Mr P.C. Katoch, a bureaucrat writer, has been shortlisted for the Commonwealth writers prize, 2003.

The shortlisted books will be referred to a panel of judges for deciding the award, which will be announced in May, 2003. The novel deals with the degeneration of human relations and values, shattered dreams and spread of corruption in the independent India. It depicts the growing dilemmas and inner contradictions of the modern man.

Presently posted as Deputy commissioner of Shimla, Mr Katoch has several literary awards to his credit. These include, the Himachal Sahitya Academy Award, Hindi Rattan Award, Vishva Hindi Avam Sanskriti Alankaran, Punjab Kala Academy Award and the Balraj Sahni award.

3 BBMB divers to search for bodies
Our Correspondent

Kulu, September 12
Three divers fom BBMB, Nangal Punjab, today reached the site of the accident where a bus fell into the Parvati river on September 8. near Tahuk. A party of NHPC experts along with necessary equipment and an expert Mr Jalam Singh from Sundernagar are trying to locate the remains of the bus.

Seventeen teams of the Kulu police 3rd Battalion Pandoh, Home Guards and Fire Department are searching the river bed for bodies.

The SDM, Kulu, Mr M.L. Dhamalu, and DSP (H) Prem Chand are camping at the site and are supervising the rescue and search operation. The ADC Kulu is also camping at the site.

Notice to Secy, Town Planning
Legal Correspondent

Shimla, September 12
The HP High Court yesterday issued suo mottu notices to the Secretary, Town and Country Planning, taking serious notice of a news report published in a Hindi daily on December 19, 2001, regarding its “flexible retention policy”.

While issuing notices to the Director, TCP, and the Director, Urban Development, Municipal Corporation, and the Administrator Notified Area, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice W.A. Shishak and Mr Justice Arun Kumar Goel directed the respondents to give details of unauthorised construction being carried out in areas falling within the jurisdiction of the three newly constituted nagar panchayats as well as those falling within the Municipal Corporation of Shimla.

Gang of robbers busted; 6 held
Our Correspondent

Solan, September 12
Following the arrest of six persons yesterday, the police claims to have busted a gang of robbers who had committed a number of thefts, burglaries and at least one murder in the Arki and Kandaghat subdivision areas, during the past two years.

S.Z.H. Zaidi, SP, told mediapersons here today that vital clues left behind by certain burglars who had struck at a secluded house in Pandhi Bagga village, under Kandaghat police station on September 7 had led to the rounding up of four persons of Bangala tribe from Banjhani village, gram panchayat Syri of this district last evening.

Certain persons had decamped with jewellery and cash after beating up Sunder Ram that day. The modus operandi tallied with the one employed in numerous earlier and similar cases of house break, burglary and assault on old persons.

Police investigations lead to rounding up of Gita Ram, Babloo, Sita Ram and Dila Ram. A search of their cottages led to the recovery of some silver canopies commonly used in temples and wall clocks. The four broke down during interrogation and confessed to having committed numerous burglaries in the area. They also named two other accomplices, Ram Prakash and Piare Lal who were later arrested from Sandholi village, near Barmana cement factory in Bilaspur district.

Mr Zaidi said the arrest of the burglars had solved a number of cases of theft and burglaries committed in this district in the past over two years.

Guga Mari mela from today
Our Correspondent

Kumarhatti, September 12
After the initial “hurdles” posed by the Army authorities on account of security, the stage is set for the Guga Mari mela at Subathu, 19 km from here, tomorrow. The four-day mela is considered to be a symbol of brotherhood in which Guga devotees take part.

The mela is held 15 days after Janmashtmi. Devotees from all over the northern region throng the mela.