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Thursday,
April 17, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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MoUs on
power projects to be reviewed PWD
functioning irks Virbhadra No
truckers’ strike, yet fruit prices up HP to take
action against police officer BJP to
launch agitation |
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Three of
family drowned Miscreants
damage restaurant
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MoUs on power projects
to be reviewed Dharamsala, April 16 Talking to mediapersons here today, Mr Virbhadra Singh termed the MOUs pertaining to the Parbati and Kol Dam projects as sellouts of Himachal’s interests and said the previous government had failed to ensure that the state got its due share . He said hydel generation was one of the most important resources of the state which could make Himachal financially stable if properly utilised. The Chief Minister said despite financial difficulties, he had ensured that Himachal invested with Centre in 1500 mw Naptha Jhakhri hydel project so that the state got 37 per cent free power generated by the project. He said the project would go on stream this year. He alleged that the Dhumal government had agreed for only 12 per cent free power from 2100 mw Parbati and 800 mw Kol Dam projects. Mr Virbhardra Singh declared that all MoUs pertaining to hydroelectric projects signed by the previous government will be reviewed so that youths could be given jobs. The Chief Minister alleged that the HPSSSB at Hamirpur had become a den of corruption where all norms were thrown to winds. He said former Chief Minister could not be absolved of charges of corruption in recruitment racket. MANDI: The Himachal Power Minister, Mrs Vidya Stokes, admitted here today that the pace of progress in the 126-mw Larji project was not satisfactory and despite best efforts she apprehended that it might not be completed by the scheduled date. She was addressing a press conference at Circuit House here. When a correspondent pointed out that the HPSEB engineers in the Larji project were like sleeping partners and the entire work was being executed by certain other companies drawing a comparison with one of the world’s biggest BSL projects executed in the district was conceived, designed and executed indigenously by the engineers of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, Mrs Stokes said, “It is true, but the HPSEB has no infrastructure to execute the projects, while the companies had the latest equipment with them.” She kept quiet when a correspondent asked what was the fun of maintaining an army of engineers when they were to act as mere “supervisors”. |
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PWD functioning irks Virbhadra Dharamsala, April 16 Mr Virbhadra Singh stressed the need for the completion of all projects within the stipulated period and directed officials of Public Works, IPH and HPSEB to ensure this. Mr Virbhadra Singh directed the IPH officials to ensure that arrangements were made before the onset of summer for the regular supply of drinking water in all problem villages of the district. He also asked them to expedite the completion of Dharamsala and Jwalamukhi sewerage schemes and asked them to prepare a plan for laying sewerage in Kangra town. |
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No truckers’
strike, yet fruit prices up Hamirpur, April 16 A visit to vegetable markets in the town showed that the prices have risen by 40 per cent to 75 per cent, creating problems for the common man. Retailers said that wholesalers had increased the prices. Dr K.D. Lakhanpal, ADM, Hamirpur, said that he had instructed the Food and Supplies Department to ensure that there was no hoarding and blackmarketing by traders. |
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HP to take action against police officer Shimla, April 16 Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, told newsmen here today that there was nothing on record to indicate that his services had been placed at the disposal of the Centre. The manner in which the officer virtually slipped out of the state and joined duty at the Union Ministry of Home constituted gross indiscipline which could not be overlooked by any government. Mr Diwakar Prasad had a brief stint in the state. The Centre had the right to recall an officer, but a proper procedure had to be followed for it. The officer had to be sponsored by the state government which was not the case with Mr Diwakar Prasad. It constituted grave impropriety on the part of the Centre to allow the officer to join duty. It seemed that he was brought for a special purpose and left the state in a hurry after the change of government. He said it was a serious issue involving Centre-state relations. Regarding the state’s share in BBMB projects, he said it was the duty of the Centre to enforce the provisions of the Punjab State Reorganisation Act under which the state was entitled to 7.19 per cent share of power. However, it was getting an ad hoc share of 2.5 per cent. |
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BJP to launch
agitation Shimla, April 16 Mr Ganesh Dutt, spokesperson of the party, said here today that these schools were notified by the Dhumal government and it was the responsibility of the new regime to make them functional. However, the government had cancelled the notification. He said the party had directed its workers to start an agitation at the local level in the areas where these institutions were to be opened. Mr Dutt alleged that the Congress government was terrorising employees by ordering “vindictive transfers”. He said thousands of transfers had been ordered without any reason, putting an unnecessary burden on the state exchequer. He took exception to the action of the government in using the photograph of Mrs Sonia Gandhi in an advertisement inserted in various newspapers in connection with Himachal Day. He said the photograph of the head of a political party could not be used in such a manner as it amounted to politicising state and national functions. The government should observe the protocol and refrain from using Mrs Gandhi’s photograph instead of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s
picture. |
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Three of family drowned Chamba, April 16 The victims were identified as Chuhudoo Ram, his wife Leelo Devi and their two-and-a-half-years old child of Deola village in this district. This nullah connects Deola and the Chanju areas in the Rajnagar constituency. Giving this information here, Rajnagar constituency local MLA Surinder Bhardwaj expressed grief and sympathies with the bereaved families. He directed the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Churah to provide relief to next of kin of the deceased as per the relief manual.
UNI |
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Miscreants
damage restaurant Dharamsala, April 16 The proprietor of the restaurant, Mr Jag Mohan Sharma, who is also the spokesman for the District Congress Committee, today alleged that a member of miscreants led by a person close to a Congress leader entered his restaurant late last night when he was away to Chandigarh and damaged the furniture and broke window panes. The restaurant is located opposite the local police station but no cop came to the help of his staff. He said it was a pre-meditated attack. His servants saved themselves by jumping out of the window. The youths ran away after causing the damage. When contacted the Kangra, SP, Mr Zahoor Zaidi, said a case has been registered and two police parties had been sent to identify and arrest the
culprits. |
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