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Sunday,
December 1, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Delimitation panel showing undue haste? Sitting MLAs to get Cong ticket HVC not to have poll alliance SP, LJP merge in HP 2 lakh villagers sans potable water |
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Escape: Karmapa denies China gameplan Concern over delay in MBBS admissions British envoy meets Dhumal 591 streetlights removed from trees School
downgradation: residents to meet PM Labour hostel charges to increase Plea on Gagret Constituency
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Delimitation panel showing undue haste? Shimla, November 30 In fact, certain glaring “mistakes” in the draft proposals indicate that the commission has not been implementing its own decisions taken at various stages of the process for "inexplicable" reasons. This has led to serious differences in the commission with one of the three members, Mr K.C. Sharma, raising objections to the notifying of "incorrect" proposals that did not even inform the people of the exact status of a constituency. The case of the Chintpurni constituency has been cited in this regard. According to sources, at the first meeting of the commission held on October 30 suggestions to include certain areas were received. It was decided that the suggestion should either be implemented in toto or rejected altogether. Thereafter a revised working paper was circulated in which the suggestion was not incorporated, implying that it has been rejected as per the decision. Intriguingly, the suggestion was partly incorporated in the final draft proposals notified on November 18. Further, in the draft proposals Chintpurni was notified as an "unreserved" constituency whereas the percentage of the Scheduled Castes population in the segment is the highest in Una district. As such, it should have been reserved for the Schedules Castes in place of Gagret. All this, sources point out, has happened due to the commission’s obsession to complete the exercise, for which it has been given two years ,in just two months. The commission owes an explanation to the people of Himachal Pradesh why the exercise is being carried out in such haste when it showed no such urgency in the case of Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir and is going slow in the case of certain North-East states which are scheduled to go to the polls along with Himachal. It is hardly surprising that the commission is being accused of acting in a biased manner to suit the convenience of the "powers that be" not only by the Opposition but also by senior BJP leaders. Mr Virbhadra Singh, Leader of the Opposition, has termed the entire delimitation process as an exercise for the implementation of the political agenda of Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, to decimate his rivals by creating a situation where they could not contest election from their existing constituencies. Mr Shanta Kumar, Union Rural Development Minister, has also raised serious doubts over the entire process. He has criticised the commission for carrying out the exercise in "undue" haste without even giving enough time to the people for raising objections. Now when a member of the commission has himself pointed out infirmities in the process and the draft proposals, the question being asked is: "Should the commission go ahead with the scheduled public hearings on December 3, 5 and 7 when it has become obvious that the draft proposals are flawed and do not present even the true picture of the delimited constituencies? If it conducts the public hearings on the basis of faulty and inaccurate proposals, the exercise will be reduced to a farce and the charge that it has been accepting and rejecting suggestions on "extraneous" considerations will stick. On the other hand if the "mistakes" are to be rectified, a full meeting of the commission, including the associate members, will have to be convened as the suggestions were discussed earlier at the full meeting. This will require much time and defeat the very "objective" of finishing the exercise before the poll. Political and official circles feel that it is high time for a judicial review of the entire Delimitation Act which has scope for manipulation. In the absence of specific provisions for carrying out the process like definite parameters for carving out constituencies and the time-frame for the publication of draft proposals and inviting objections, it is likely to be reduced to a political exercise. |
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Sitting MLAs to get Cong ticket Shimla, November 30 Addressing a press conference here he said the Congress was set to wrest power from the BJP in the state, but the party would not take any chances and field the best candidates. He said the people were anxiously waiting to throw out the “corrupt and incompetent” Dhumal government which had failed on all fronts. He said rampant corruption during BJP rule, imposition of user charges, growing unemployment and irregularities and favouritism in recruitment for government jobs would be the main election issues. A Congress win in Himachal Pradesh would prove to be the proverbial nail in the NDA government’s coffin. He said the track record of the NDA government was no better than that of the Himachal Government. |
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HVC not to have poll alliance Jalandhar, November 30 Addressing a press conference here today, the former Union Minister alleged that both Congress and the BJP had miserably failed to redress the grievances of the people of the Himachal Pradesh during their rule. “The wrong policies of the BJP government had put the state into a Rs 15,000-crore debt trap. Unemployement in the state had risen manifold in the past one decade, causing great disillusionment among the youth,” he added. Ruling out the possibility of any alliance with both Congress and the BJP during the forthcoming Assembly elections, Mr Sukh Ram said his party had decided to put up its candidates on all 68 seats. “Though the state has rich potential for generating hydel power and become self-reliant, but the opportunity has not been properly explored due to indifference and lack of political will on the part of the government,” he said. |
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SP, LJP merge in HP Hamirpur, November 30 Mr Ramesh Badyal, state president of the Lok Jan Shakti Party, said his party would work for forging a alternative in the state and would hold talks with all like-minded parties in this respect. He charged the state government with adopting an anti-youth stance, leading to large-scale unemployment. He said in the case of his party coming to power, all youth who set up their own businesses would be provided with interest-free loans. |
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2 lakh villagers sans potable water Dharamsala, November 30 Mr Shanta Kumar said that 1.60 lakh villages were without road links and the government could not fulfil this responsibility of providing basic infrastructure in all villages unless the people helped in it. He said his ministry had started a scheme under which mere 10 per cent contribution by the people would ensure the remaining 90 per cent contribution by the Rural Development Ministry for the execution of the work. He said earlier, the centre used to provide 50 per cent funds while the state governments were expected to give the balance but as the state governments did not have funds, schemes were given up. Now the centre had decided to provide 90 per cent funds against the local contribution of 10 per cent only. He said the scheme will start from December 25th this year with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee inaugurating it. Launching a Rs 13.13 crore rural development scheme for Kangra the minister said that it would provide avenues of self-employment to more than 20,000 youths. Earlier Mr J.P. Singh, Director Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department, Himachal explained schemes launched for implementation through panchayati raj institutions. He said Rs 519.58 lakh and Rs 341.48 lakh have been spent. Himachal was one of the state which had implemented the panchayati raj system at the panchayat, Panchyat Samiti and Zila Parishad-level. Kangra Deputy Commissioner, Prabodha Saxena sought funds for a project to improve cattle and increase milk yield. Ms Asha Swaroop, Joint Secretary Rural Development, Union Government and Mr R.C. Panda, Joint Secretary Rural Development, spoke on centrally-sponsored schemes for rural development. Transport Minister Kishan Kapoor and Panchayati Raj Minister Prakash Chaudhary also spoke on the occasion. Representatives from all 732 panchayats, 14 panchayat samitis and the Kangra Zila Parishad participated in the
sammelan. |
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Escape: Karmapa denies China gameplan Kangra, November 30 In an interview to Aaj Tak news channel in Guyto Monastery at Sidbhari today the 17th Karmapa said after his arrival here he was questioned by Central government officials and his attendants. They had clarified their position and briefed them on their escape. He said he was upset and hurt over the charge. He expressed his displeasure that he was not being allowed to go on pilgrimage to holy place of Rumtek despite repeated requests and requests of Dalia Lama, his followers and that of Himachal and Sikkim Governments. He hoped that the government of India might take a decision soon on his visit to
Rumtek. He also expressed displeasure over restricting his elder sister from entering Sikkim for Rumtek pilgrimage by the government of India despite carrying proper documents with
her. Karmapa was also critical of the Central government for deciding to stop his personal attendant Lama Tsewang while on way back to India from Taiwan on flimsy grounds. He alleged that those who decided to stop his entry did not understand the things properly. He gave a clean chit to his other three attendants of having no contacts with China as alleged in posters circulated here. He, however, refused to comment on his maternal Uncle Namgyal Gompo who according to him was moving between China and India. He made it clear that he would not return to Tibet under any circumstances unless Dalia Lama returned after the attainment of his goal of free Tibet. Karmapa said that Kalchakra at Bodh Gaya would be organised despite Nexalite attack at Bodh
Gaya. |
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Concern over delay in MBBS admissions Palampur, November 30 The university has also completed the counselling process. Likewise, the university has also failed to finalise the admissions in the three dental colleges of the state because the common merit list was prepared by the university. According to Mr Ved Sharma, whose daughter has topped in the HP Board of School Education in plus two examination this year and has also qualified for the MBBS entrance test was waiting for the admission letter for the past six months. He said the MBBS session in other colleges of the region had already started long back in July. These students are likely to lose their one semester this year. As per norms of the Medical Council of India, the students have to complete minimum of 75 per cent lecturers in one session. If the classes are started in January next year, it shall not be possible for the first year students to fulfil this condition. This way this batch will complete their degree in five years instead of four years. Because of certain lapses committed in conducting of the MBBS entrance test by the HP University, number of students have moved the court and their writ petitions are yet to be disposed of. A senior officer of the HP University told this reporter that until the final order was passed by the HP High Court, admissions for the MBBS first year could not be finalised. He said the university had already completed the admission process and the writ petitions were likely to be disposed of in December then the admission letters would be issued. |
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British envoy meets Dhumal Shimla, November 30 This was stated by Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, during a meeting with Sir John Robertson Young, British High Commissioner in India, who called on him along with his wife Catherine Suzanna Francoise, here today. He said the government had given top priority to the hydel power sector as the state had an identified hydel potential of 20,376 MW. The government had provided captive power and efficiency-linked benefits to private investors. He said the state was poised to become the "power state of India" by 2015. Mr Dhumal said that the Canadian Government had also shown interest in investing in hydel projects in the state and was associated with the execution of the 258-MW Kashang hydro power project. Sir John evinced interest in the hydro power and education sectors and said he would take up the issue in his country. |
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591 streetlights removed from trees Shimla, November 30 The issue of removing street-lights from trees was raised by Mr Rajeev Thakur, councillors from Summer Hill. The councillors also took up the issue of cable wires on trees. They added that villages under the corporation’s purview were being neglected. The meeting discussed issue of public toilets’ upkeep and the launching of a website. |
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School
downgradation: residents to meet PM Solan, November 30 Residents have decided to take up the matter with the Prime Minister when he visits the town tomorrow. The vice-president of the Mohan Meakin group, Mr
Handa, said the school was a part of the business venture. But since it had become a non-profitable proposition in the absence of the 95 per cent grant-in-aid, they had decided to downgrade it. The school was set up in 1934 as a primary school. It was upgraded to a middle school in 1955 and later to a high school in 1970. But it was downgraded to the middle level in 1978-79 and now the management had decided to further downgrade it. While on one hand the Mohan Meakin group is investing crores for setting up a heritage
centre, it is dependent on government aid to run a middle school, rendering 150 students without their school and some teachers jobless. Citing financial constraints as the reason for this
downgradation, the management had issued letters to the Secretary Education. Director of Secondary Education and Director of Primary Education on November 15, conveying their decision. The teachers and Principal of the school resent the move, contending that it is a clear violation of the natural policy of education. |
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Labour hostel charges to increase Shimla, November 30 Proposal to increase tariff of the labour hostel near Chalet Day School, Chaura Maidan, Phagli, Court Hill and Lakkar Bazar was mooted twice but final decision was not taken. The MC charges Rs 20 per month from the labourers, MC sources say the tariff was fixed in 1986. The MC gets Rs 1 lakh from these hostels, but it spends more than this amount on maintenance. The human rights committee under the chairmanship of the Deputy Mayor has recommended Rs 50 per month and also charging for water and electricity from the
labourers. |
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Plea on Gagret Constituency Una, November 30 He said since 1967, the constituency had been reserved for Scheduled Caste even though another constituency of the district had a much higher population of Scheduled Castes. |
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