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Thursday,
December 5, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Next
winter session at Dharamsala: CM Shanta
gets aggressive Move to
defer delimitation hailed 43 pc farm
graduates ‘jobless’ ‘Publicise’
voters’ I-card exercise |
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Cold
wave sweeps HP No hike
in pvt bus fares: minister Varsity
does little to check expenditure NJPC is
now Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam NAAC
team visits HP varsity 2
infants killed in house fire Husband
booked on murder charge Cattle
disease on rise near Chamba Capt
Partap Choudary dead One
killed in mishap
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Next winter session at Dharamsala: CM Dharamsala, December 4 The Chief Minister was addressing people after inaugurating the first phase of the mini-secretariat constructed at a cost of Rs 3.21 crore here. Starting the election campaign of his party from the police grounds here, the Chief Minister detailed the developmental activities undertaken and completed by his government and blasted the Congress for its “misinformation” campaign. The Chief Minister claimed that the first phase of the Nathpa Jhakri and the second phase of the Baspa hydel projects would be commissioned this month. By the end of 2003, hydel projects, totalling production of 2226 MW, which included 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri, 300 MW Baspa II, 300 MW Chamera II and 126 MW Larjee projects, would start generation. This would result in annual earnings of Rs 250 crore for the state. Mr Dhumal claimed that by 2010, Himachal Pradesh would add 8,000 MW to power generation which would result in the state becoming self-reliant in power generation. The meeting was addressed by Transport Minister Kishan Kapoor, BJP president Jai Kishan Sharma, Rajya Sabha member and party general secretary Kirpal Parmar, Revenue Minister Dr Rajan Sushant and Industries Minister Kishori Lal. The Chief Minister later addressing mediapersons accepted that had the Delimitation Commission acted with more care, unnecessary controversy would not have arisen. He said the commission worked on its own. When asked, Professor Dhumal said every affected MLA or political leader had a right to represent against the recommendations. He said most of the problems would not have arisen if he was allowed to create new districts earlier. The Chief Minister said now when the restriction put by the Delimitation Commission were not there, decision about new districts of Palampur, Nurpur, Dehra and some other areas would be implemented soon but declined to give any time frame for this. State Agriculture Minister Vidya Sagar Chaudhary, who had submitted his resignation in protest against the failure of the Dhumal government in raising reservation for OBCs to 27 per cent and alleging discrimination against Kangra, today received the Chief Minister at the Gaggal airport but boycotted the function at Dharamsala. Later when mediapersons asked the Chief Minister about it, Mr Dhumal said it was not possible for all to attend the function. He, however, said the boycott of such important function which gave new prominence to Dharamsala and Kangra district was not right. |
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Shanta gets aggressive Shimla, December 4 Apparently targeting the Chief Minister, Prof
P.K. Dhumal, the BJP stalwart said it was a deep-rooted conspiracy, a vendetta against rivals. He said the initial proposals prepared by officials of the state government were accepted unaltered by the commission as evident in the case of Hamirpur district. He wanted to know on whose directions state officials drafted the proposals to de-reserve a particular constituency to help a certain individual and reserving others to seal the political fate of others. By attacking the government on the issue, Mr Shanta Kumar has extended open support to certain leaders of Kangra who had opposed the “hasty and illogical” manner in which the exercise was being carried out and even organised a bandh in protest. Some of his supporters were suspended for projecting Prof Dhumal as the “villain of the piece” during the
bandh. The aggressive posture adopted by Mr Shanta Kumar has made it clear that he would not take the “humiliation” of his loyalists lying down anymore. Mr Jaikrishan Sharma, the state BJP chief, had earlier made it clear that blaming the government or dragging the name of Prof Dhumal in the delimitation exercise would be deemed as an act of indiscipline and attract action. Mr Kamal
Padha, general secretary of the Kangra district unit of the party, was suspended from the party for the same reason. Now that Mr Shanta Kumar has put the government in the dock, the crisis in the party will only worsen. It is now quite obvious that the move to have delimitation of constituencies before election has boomeranged. It not only caused a vertical division in the BJP but also severely affected its preparations for the elections. The party had been pre-occupied with the delimitation exercise with one group supporting it and the other opposing it. The exercise had been deferred but the damage had already been done. The delimitation process has only given rise to mutual suspicion and mistrust among top leaders who were to lead the party’s poll campaign. Meanwhile, Mr Jaikrishen Sharma has hailed the decision of the Delimitation Commission to defer the delimitation process. The BJP President said both the Election Commission and the Delimitation Commission were constitutional entities, which did not, and should not, take orders either from the government or any other authority. Mr Sharma said had the state government influenced the proposals of the Delimitation Commission, as alleged by certain detractors of the Dhumal government, it could very well have influenced its decision to postpone the process as well. The latest decision had only proved that the BJP and the government had nothing to do either with the delimitation proposals or its postponement, he claimed. |
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Move to defer delimitation hailed Nurpur, December 4 In a statement issued here yesterday, he said after the postponement of mid-term poll in Gujarat, the commission had taken a bold decision for the state. He asserted that the decision was taken at the right time as delimitation on the eve of the ensuing Assembly elections would be like changing the syllabus before an examination. |
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43 pc farm graduates ‘jobless’ Solan, December 4 Addressing university students on the occasion of the fourth prize distribution function of the college of horticulture, he said the rising unemployment in the country was a serious matter. Advocating the need to adopt organic farming, where the requirement of nutrition is less, he said its adoption could help eliminate poverty. He said it was not sufficient just to acquire a skill but more important to prove its utility by practically adopting the technological know how. With a scenario where one out of every three Indians suffered from malnutrition and the natural resources getting degraded with one out of every two hectare land being degraded there was an utmost need to take the technological advancements to the
fields. |
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‘Publicise’ voters’
I-card exercise Nurpur, December 4 Mr Karan Oberio, president of the committee and Mr Ved Pathania, PCC delegate, in a joint statement here today said the authorities had distributed pamphlets and other publicity material in the neighbouring Gangath Assembly constituency whereas in Nurpur electorates in the rural areas were not aware of any such exercise. He informed that there were 100 polling booths in the Assembly segment out of which voters’ cards had been prepared only in 42 booths. He urged the Election Commission to provide this facility boothwise so that no voter was left
out. |
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Cold wave sweeps HP Shimla, December 4 Shimla and its adjoining areas reeled under onslaught as cold surface winds blew across the capital town. The minimum temperature fell to 3.4°C in the town, from yesterday’s 5.8°C. Similar conditions were present in the tourist resorts of Wildflower Hall, Kufri, Naldehra and Narkanda in Shimla district and Manali in Kulu district, forcing tourists to stay indoors. The entire Kulu and Kangra valleys also faced the impact of the cold. Skies remained clouded, and the occasional appearance of the sun failed to provide much warmth. The absence of sun particularly affected the people in the tribal belt, who already are facing hardships with sub-zero temperatures in the area.
UNI |
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No hike in pvt bus fares: minister Dharamsala, December 4 Mr Kapoor said the new transport policy was drafted according to suggestions of private bus operators. He said the state government had provided 68 per cent relief to private bus operators and it was not possible to accept their demands for fare hike or more tax-free days. The minister said the Special Road Tax was reasonable and the private operators had no reason to complain now. |
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Varsity
does little to check expenditure Solan, December 4 This is despite the fact that audits have been pointing out these flaws for years together. Taking serious note of excessive expenditure, the audit in its 2000-2001 report has pointed out that an expenditure of Rs 60-70 lakh per year is being unduly incurred on a fleet of vehicles provided to employees on concessional rates to undertake journeys from Solan to the university campus. Besides, the Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar, the Director of Research, the Director of Extension, Deans and heads of departments have been provided as many as 45 vehicles. On an average most vehicles run 10 to 20 km in the campus alone. The report further states that air travel and frequent use of taxis, including personal cars, are being allowed in spite of instructions to the contrary by the government. Even approved contract rates are not being adhered to and purchases are being made from the markets. The report suggests recovery of money and action against such cases of dishonesty. Expressing surprise over the fact that the departments had chosen to remain mum on the issues, the report suggests suitable action for negligence. The extent of misuse of vehicles can be gauged from the fact that no reference on log books to the purpose of the journeys is recorded. A sum of Rs 4,46,344 is shown as expenditure incurred on misuse of vehicles. The Vice-Chancellor, Dr S.S. Negi, when questioned about the report, at first expressed ignorance, but later stated that recoveries would be made when the charge of misuse of vehicles was proved and a charge sheet was duly
filed. |
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NJPC is now Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Shimla, December 4 The change of name is in line with the corporate strategy to take up more projects in the Satluj river basin and an endeavour to emerge as a multi-project global organisation, a corporation spokesman said here today. The SJVN (NJPC) will shortly sign an agreement with the Himachal Pradesh Government for execution of the 439 MW Rampur hydro-electric Project. This project will utilise the tail race waters of the 1500 MW Nathpa Jhakari Project as another run of the river scheme. The spokesman said the Corporation was planning to approach the state government for taking up the execution of two more hydro electric power projects upstream of the Satluj river during the 10th and the 11th plan periods. These two projects are the 400 MW Thopan Powari hydro-electric Project and the 400 MW Shongtong Karcham hydro-electric project. The 1500 MW Nathpa Jhakri Project is nearing completion and scheduled to commence trial runs by the close of the year 2002. It would be commissioned progressively during the next year, the spokesman said.
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NAAC team visits HP varsity Shimla, December 4 Prof Satya Prakash, Vice-Chancellor, Jiwaji University, Gwalior, complimented the Vice-Chancellor for providing excellent teaching facilities not only to regular students but also to the students from remote and tribal areas. Prof Satya Prakash said in spite of all odds, various teaching departments of the university were doing a wonderful job. He appreciated the democratic functioning and regular meetings of the university statutory bodies and sound administrative procedures, timely conduct of examinations and declaration of results. |
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2 infants killed in house fire Nahan, December 4 According to police sources the fire broke out at 10 a.m. in the house of Gulam Rasook, in which two infants, Bashr (two-months old son) and four months old daughter Pyari, were burnt alive. The fire was brought under control by the people. Mr Onkar Sharma, Deputy Commissioner, Sirmaur, said that after receiving the information, SDM Paonta and DSP Paonta with a team of doctors, relief workers and fire engine reached the spot. |
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Husband
booked on murder charge Kangra, December 4 Kangra district additional police chief Santosh Patial said Reeta, mother of a three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, was admitted to a local hospital with burn injuries on November 25. She told the police that she was preparing food when her clothes caught fire. Reeta was referred to the Government Medical College in Chandigarh. Her condition worsened and the Kangra police received a message from Chandigarh that the victim wanted to give a dying declaration. But before a police officer from Kangra could reach Chandigarh, she succumbed to her injuries on December 2. On the statement of her brother Vinod Kumar, the police registered the case. He said Reeta and her husband were living in a house provided by the government. He said Sumit was a daily wager had taken Rs 900 from his wife, a patwari, and asked for more which she refused to give. This resulted in a altercation and Reeta was allegedly manhandled by Sumit. Later, he allegedly sprinkled kerosene oil on her and set her on fire, ASP Patial said. The last rites of Reeta were performed today. Her husband is to be interrogated. |
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Cattle
disease on rise near Chamba Chamba, December 4 According to information, there are several veterinary hospitals in Salooni
tehsil. However, there are not many doctors and requisite staff which is making it difficult to combat the disease. Residents have urged the state government to deploy a team of veterinarians in this regard. |
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Capt Partap Choudary dead Kangra, December 4 He was 65. Capt Choudary had been ailing for the past eight months with throat cancer. He is survived by his wife Shashi, three daughters and a son. Ms Shashi is a municipal councillor in the local municipal committee. Capt Choudary was born on July 5, 1939 and joined the Army in 1960. He fought 1965 war against Pakistan in the Chamb Joriana area of Jammu and Kashmir. He was cremated at Purana Kangra this afternoon. A large number of people attended his cremation. |
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One killed in mishap Chamba, December 4 They said the mishap occurred at Bhunai last night, when the sand-laden tractor skidded off the road. The deceased has been identified as Sukhretha, resident of Badanu village, while the injured, Shiv Kumar and Sulekha, have been admitted to a nearby hospital, the sources said. A case has been registered.
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