H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Defying all odds, Virbhadra is back
Shimla, March 5
Defying all odds, the indomitable Raja of the erstwhile Rampur Bushair state is back in the saddle yet again. It will be for the fifth time that Mr Virbhadra Singh will be taking oath as the Chief Minister of the hill state here tomorrow.

Bid to set MLA’s hotel afire
Kangra, March 5
Some miscreants damaged glass panes of Hotel Raj and reportedly made an attempt to set on fire the hotel owned by Congress leader and sitting MLA from Nagrota Bagwan, Mr G.S. Bali this morning. An attempt was also made to set his car on fire which was parked at his residence adjacent to his hotel near the General Bus stand here, the police said today.

Weather vagaries cause loss of over 5 cr
Chamba, March 5
Heavy snowfall earlier in the week in the alpine region and unprecedented rains and flash floods have caused heavy damage to the public and private property, including roads in Chamba district, putting the tentative loss at more than Rs 5 crore in the district.

• Major S.C. Nayyar

• Balak Nath mela from March 14

Heavy snow atop the higher reaches of the Dhauladhar mountain ranges on Wednesday morning. — Photo Chander Shekhar Sharma

Defying all odds, Virbhadra is back
Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 5
Defying all odds, the indomitable Raja of the erstwhile Rampur Bushair state is back in the saddle yet again.

It will be for the fifth time that Mr Virbhadra Singh will be taking oath as the Chief Minister of the hill state here tomorrow. He remained Chief Minister thrice but his fourth stint lasted for just 18 days when he failed to win a confidence vote in 1998. In all, he has so far had a tenure of 11 years, two months and 18 days.

A fighter to the core, Mr Virbhadra Singh has been battling on the twin fronts for the past five years. On one hand he was engaged in bitter leadership tussle with in the Congress and on the other hand, he faced the relentless onslaught of the Dhumal government which left no stone unturned to decimate him politically. Demonstrating rare grit and determination, the Raja steered his party to victory at the hustings and had the last laugh by becoming the Chief Minister.

It is not for the first time that Mr Virbhadra Singh has emerged victorious under trying circumstances. He faced a similar test in 1990 when an attempt was made to corner him after the defeat of the Congress in the Assembly elections. He not only managed to take over the control of the party within two years but also led it to victory in the 1993 Assembly poll. He thwarted all efforts to sideline him and did not allow the high command to install Mr Sukh Ram as the Chief Minister.

This time, too, he created a situation where the high command was left with no option but to gracefully accept him as the leader and bow to the wishes of the majority of the legislators who stood behind him solidly.

A postgraduate in history, Mr Virbhadra Singh entered politics by successfully contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Mandi seat in 1962. He won the seat in 1967 and 1971 but succumbed to the Janata wave in 1977. He wrested the seat in 1980 Lok Sabha poll and became minister of state for Industries in the Indira Gandhi government. He was sent to state in April 1983 to replace Mr Ram Lal as the Chief Minister.

As the new head of state, Mr Vibhadra Singh faces a daunting task of revitalisation the state’s financial health to reduce the debt burden, besides tackling the menace of corruption and the growing unemployment which have been the main election plank of the Congress.

Bid to set MLA’s hotel afire
Our Correspondent

Kangra, March 5
Some miscreants damaged glass panes of Hotel Raj and reportedly made an attempt to set on fire the hotel owned by Congress leader and sitting MLA from Nagrota Bagwan, Mr G.S. Bali this morning. An attempt was also made to set his car on fire which was parked at his residence adjacent to his hotel near the General Bus stand here, the police said today.

Kangra district police chief Rajender Mohan Sharma, who visited the hotel said some car-borne masked miscreants numbering four to five carrying inflammable material, including poetrol, resorted to stone throwing on the hotel owned by Congress leader G.S. Bali. They sprinkled petrol on Mr Bali’s car and on the main door of the restaurant of the hotel and set it on fire. The employees of the hotel who got up following stone-pelting extinguished the fire of the hotel and the car.

Mr Bali was not here at the time of the attack, Mr S.P. Sharma said. He said it was a clear case of mischief by some vested interests. The possibility of some political elements behind this attack can’t be ruled out. A case under Sections 436 and 336, IPC, has been registered. Some anti-social elements were rounded up and interrogated.

Weather vagaries cause loss of over 5 cr
Our Correspondent

Chamba, March 5
Heavy snowfall earlier in the week in the alpine region and unprecedented rains and flash floods have caused heavy damage to the public and private property, including roads in Chamba district, putting the tentative loss at more than Rs 5 crore in the district.

According to preliminary official reports three persons — Shamma Bibi, Ameena and Subhan, resident of Thentha village in Kihar border sector of Salooni tehsil, have been injured after being struck by lightening while a cow and two oxen perished at Kundi village falling in the Kihar area.

Several houses reportedly collapsed due to landslips in Kihar and Tissa sectors of Chamba district. A loss of Rs 1.5 crore had also been reported from Tissa border sector where many houses collapsed and roads were damaged.

The tin roof of a panchayat ghar at Tribhol village in Salooni tehsil of the district was blown off during thunderstorm on Monday.

Almost all roads connecting the district headquarter town of Chamba with the subdivisional townships continue to remain blocked due to landslides at various points except Chamba-Pathankot highway where the vehicular traffic has been resumed yesterday after a gap of two days.

Meanwhile, an official spokesman said more reports of losses cause due to rains and flash floods were being awaited from the interior belts of the district. He said efforts to restore normal life in the far-flung corners of the district were being made and priority was being given to the removal of debris from the roads to resume vehicular traffic as early as possible.

Major S.C. Nayyar

Chamba, March 5
Major S.C. Nayyar of Chamba has been appointed state general secretary (Technical) of the environment, forestry and technology cell of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC), according to a party press note issued here.

Balak Nath mela from March 14
Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, March 5
The month-long mela of Baba Balak Nath will start at Deotsidh in Hamirpur district on March 14.

The mela will end on April 14, according to Mr O.P. Sharma, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Hamirpur.

A meeting to finalise the programme was held here yesterday. Besides two reserve battalions of the Himachal Pradesh police, 40 jawans of the Home Guard will also perform duties at the temple.

The trust will provide langar, medicines and board and lodge facilities free of cost.