 |
Friday,
June 6, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
|
Shanta leads BJP campaign in Bharmour BJP ropes in Tulku Lama
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
SERC stays power purchase agreement
Hamirpur water crisis
deepens Demand for water tankers up in
HP Killed for being a good neighbour
Advocates panel reconstituted
Garbage Disposal Act to be enforced
Burnt body found in forest
Gen Vij visits ARTRAC Minister’s son
abuses staff of rest house Bus passengers hurt in freak mishap
|
|
Shanta leads BJP campaign in Bharmour Holi (Bharmour), June 5 Surprisingly, the former Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, has left the responsibility of electioneering in Bharmour solely to his arch rival, Mr Shanta Kumar. The former Chief Minister, who has had to pay a heavy price for blaming the BJP regime for his party’s defeat in the polls, addressed election meetings in Bharmour, Holi, Lylh and Belaj villages. Mr Shanta Kumar, after resigning from the Union Cabinet has politically been keeping a low profile. He was also conspicuous by his absence at Manali, during the summer sojourn of the Prime Minister. “Amidst speculation that Mr Shanta Kumar might take political ‘sanyas’ electioneering by him in Bharmour, has fuelled rumours that he will make a comeback in state politics,” said a BJP MLA and Shanta loyalist. “Being a dedicated party worker, it was my duty to campaign for the party’s official candidate and moreover the party cadres were keen that I should address election rallies in the area,” said Mr Shanta Kumar. When asked about keeping a low profile eversince his resignation, he refused to make any comments. Mr Shanta Kumar said there would be a keen contest in Bharmour, as the BJP candidate enjoyed a very clean and good image and the kind of response the BJP was getting in its meetings showed that they were already disenchanted with the Congress government. It is the loyalists of Mr Shanta Kumar, including former ministers, Mr Kishan Kapoor, Mr Ramesh Chaudhary and Mr Kishori Lal, who are holding the fort for the BJP in Bharmour. Amongst Dhumal loyalists, it is Rajya Sabha Members, Mr Maheshwar Singh and Mr Kripal Parmar who have campaigned in the area. On the other hand, the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, has been leading the Congress campaign as he has spent nearly a week touring Pangi, Bharmour and the nine non-tribal panchayats, adjoining Chamba Assembly segment. Other Congress leaders camping in the area include Mr Chander Kumar, Ms Chandresh Kumari, Ms Asha Kumari, Mr B.B.L. Butail and Mr Mukesh Agnihotri. Mr Shanta Kumar in his election speeches has been trying to encash on the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s liberal financial assistance to Himachal Pradesh. He is telling people that Mr Virbhadra Singh has failed to get the kind of assistance the BJP got from the Centre, even when Mr Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister. Demoralised BJP workers feel that though Mr Shanta Kumar has a considerable following in the Kangra-Chamba area, Mr Dhumal should have made at least one visit, even if it was a brief one, to the Bharmour Assembly segment. With two more days left for the close of the campaign, BJP leaders said there was no programme of Mr Dhumal to visit Bharmour. He was restricting himself to Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti, they said. |
|
|
Cong, BJP engage in war of words Shimla, June 5 Mr Jaikrishan Sharma, the state BJP president, condemned the attack on Mr Shanta Kumar, a former Union Minister, allegedly by Congress workers while he was campaigning in Bharmour. He said the Congress government was encouraging lawlessness for political gains. He said Mr Virbhadra Singh had been implicated in false cases and employees who sympathised with the party had been transferred to remote areas. He said the Congress had no locus standi to accuse the BJP of corruption as its own leaders were facing trial in corruption cases. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh continued his attack on the BJP, saying that the party had crossed all limits of propriety by issuing notification for opening educational institutions for 2003-04 in 2002-03. Addressing a series of election meeting at Chitkul, Rakcham, and Tapri in Kinnaur, he said employees posted in educational and health institutions in the tribal areas were transferred without providing a substitute. He said henceforth nobody would be transferred out of the tribal areas until the substitute joined duty. He announced that the BJP was committed to increasing the daily wages to Rs 75 and regularise the services of those workers who had completed seven years of service. Mr Virbhadra Singh said it was the Congress government which had made a provision for a separate tribal sub-plan to ensure that funds earmarked for these areas were not diverted.
|
|
|
Tension after scuffle at election rally Chamba, June 5 The in charge of the BJP election campaign for Bharmaur, Mr Kishori Lal, has alleged that some people pelted stones at the meeting as well as the car of Mr Shanta Kumar, former Union Minister. The matter has been reported to the police for investigation. Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Mukesh Agnihotri, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, also in charge of the Congress election campaign for Kidi belt of Bharmaur, alleged that Mr Krishan Kapoor, a former Transport Minister, had slapped a youth, Arjun Singh, a resident of Kidi, when he asked for answer on four local issues. These issues were construction of Chameenu bridge, Lagga road, a dispensary at Lagga and a bus halt. An FIR in this connection has been lodged with the local police. Mr Agnihotri further alleged that another resident of Kidi, Devi Singh, was also beaten up by miscreants. He said a complaint in this regard had been lodged with the Election Commission. |
|
|
Admn ready for poll Shimla, June 5 Presiding over a meeting to review the arrangements for conducting the poll, she said that 298 polling stations had been set up in tribal areas out of which 57 had been declared sensitive, 49 hyper sensitive and 201 ordinary booths. She said 118 polling stations had been set up in Kinnaur, 104 in Bharmaur and 76 in Lahaul-Spiti. As many as 14 polling stations were situated at a distance of more than 10 km from the road-head where polling parties would move on foot. She said there were 1,18,282 voters out of which 62,040 were male and 56242 female. The Election Commission had appointed five observers to ensure the peaceful conduct of elections in these Assembly constituencies and they have reached in their respective areas. She said 46 poll parties had left today for their respective destinations and the rest 252 would leave tomorrow. As many as 50 reserve sector magistrates and sector officers would be deployed on the day of polling and 112 vehicles would be deployed for the conduct of elections, she added. The Chief Secretary said more than 1,500 employees, including more than 800 police and home-guards, would be on duty to conduct the elections. As many as 209 wireless system network would be working the round-the-clock to ensure prompt flow of information concerning elections. Separate control rooms had been set up, including five at the district level and eight at the subdivisional headquarters, to receive and send information regarding the movement of poll parties. |
|
|
June 8 gazetted holiday Shimla, June 5 According to an official spokesman, since the elections are scheduled to be held on Sunday, all government offices will be closed and it will also be a paid holiday to the daily-wage employees working in various government offices/board corporations, educational institutions and Industrial Disputes Act, including Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. Shops will also remain closed on Sunday in the area of Kinnaur, Bharmour and Lahaul-Spiti constituencies. Special casual leave/maximum facilities will be given to such employees who are working in different places in the state, but have a right to vote in these constituencies. |
|
|
BJP ropes in Tulku Lama Shimla, June 5 Out of the three Assembly segments going to the polls on June 8, Kinnaur has witnessed the most intense campaigning with both Mr Virbhadra Singh and Prof P.K. Dhumal, former Chief Minister, devoting almost a week there. However, the Congress launched its campaign much earlier and its workers have been in high spirits following the party’s impressive win in the February poll. The BJP has tried to make up for the delayed start by bringing in Tulku Lama to canvass for its candidate, Mr Tejwant Negi, a youth leader who is making his debut in electoral politics. The party denied ticket to Mr Chet Ram Negi, Parliamentary Secretary in the Dhumal government, to neutralise the anti-incumbency factor. Mr Tejwant Negi enjoys all advantages of being a new face. He has a good image and there is nothing against him, which the rivals could exploit. He is quite popular among the youth. On the other hand, Mr Jagat Singh Negi, who remained a member of the Vidhan Sabha from 1993 to 1998 has some detractors. The brusque behaviour of his brother has been made an issue by the BJP. However, what matters more is the personal rapport of Mr Virbhadra Singh with tribsmen. Kinnaur has been a part of the erstwhile Rampur Bushair state, which he ruled and as such he is highly respected by the tribesmen who consider him as their representative. Prof Dhumal is in the field without his trusted lieutenants Mr Praveen Sharma and Mr J.P. Nadda who were in the forefront of the vishwas yatra taken out by him in the run-up to the February poll. Instead leaders like Mr Suresh Bhardwaj, Vice-President of the party, Mr Khushi Ram Balnatah, spokesperson, are canvassing for the party.With no leader to match the appeal of Mr Virbhadra Singh, the party is depending on Tulku Lama for votes. He has extensively campaigned in the constituency, particularly in the Pooh area where Buddhist population is concentrated. Interestingly, the Himachal Vikas Congress candidate Mr S.C. Negi also enjoys a good support among Buddhists as his father is a monk. With Mr Sukh Ram, party supremo, having gone abroad for a medical-check up, the HVC candidate has been left to fend for himself. The CPI candidate, Mr Sukh Dev Negi, is a non-entity in the contest. He has some support in Bhabhanagar area. In the emerging scenario, the 10,000 votes the Pooh area will be evenly shared by the three main contenders. The lower Kinnaur, comprising the Nichar and Kalpa areas, which accounts for the remaining 38,000 votes, will decide the outcome of the poll. Both Mr Tejwant who hails from Kilba in the Tapri area and Mr Jagat Singh, who is from Kalpa are from the lower belt. While the Congress is focussing on the issue of corruption and the BJP on development, the people are more concerned about the problems caused by hydel projects being set up in the region. They are particularly against the execution of 1000 mw karcham Wangtu project by the JP Industries as their experience with the 300 mw Baspa project, constructed by the company has not been good. The locals do not get much benefit from, private sector projects in terms of employment or business. Besides environmental problem like drying of water sources, sinking of villages and seepage of tunnel water into hills are their main concern. They are unhappy with BJP for patronising the company and want the Congress to take corrective measures. While highlighting the issue of corruption, Mr Virbhadra Singh has been seeking the support of the people in his election meetings to make the crusade against corruption a success. The alleged involvement of BJP leaders in recruitment scams, as is being revealed by the probe into the functioning of the state Subordinate Services Selection Board, is causing much embarassment to the party. The BJP is harping on the issue of development and warning the electorate that Congress would take more harsh decision like the bus far hike after the election. The Congress, on the other hand maintains that it had withdrawn the service charges in hospitals as per its election promise and asserts that it would implement its manifesto in letter and spirit. Mr Virbhadra Singh and Prof Dhumal will wind up their campaigns by addressing rallies in the constituency tomorrow. |
|
SERC stays power purchase agreement Shimla, June 5 Staying the agreement under which the Chairman of the commission, Mr S.S. Gupta, reserved the detailed order on the issue, the commission had served a notice on the board and the generating company to explain why they had entered into an agreement in violation of Section 22 (1C) of the Electricity Regulatory Act. The clause laid down that the commission would regulate power purchase. The company, however, told the commission that it was not a new accord and was a supplementary agreement to the original PPA signed in 1997. As such, there was no breach of the Act. As per the PPA, the board would purchase power at Rs 3.36 per unit and after paying wheeling charges get a net return of only Rs 2.2 per unit after selling it to Delhi. In all, it would purchase 1272 million units annually and incur a loss of over Rs 125 crore every year. |
|
|
Hamirpur water crisis
deepens Hamirpur, June 5 Though the district authorities are supplying water through tankers, residents feel it is not enough. A group of women from Dhar village of the district staged a dharna outside the locked room of the SDO (I&PH) at Bhoranj last evening, demanding more water supply. They were protesting against the irrational water supplied to them through tankers. Reports from the interiors of the district say that the water supply position had become more acute. The failure of the district administration to supply them water has annoyed the people there and they are planning to come on roads to register their protest. Meanwhile, the Hamirpur district administration today held a meeting with Deputy Commissioner Devesh Kumar who is monitoring the water supply position in the district. Mr Devesh Kumar described this report as false that toxic-lined tankers were supplying water in various parts of Himachal Pradesh. He said there was no possibility of any ailment due to these tankers. |
|
Demand for water tankers up in
HP Shimla, June 5 The water sources are drying up fast and more water supply schemes becoming defunct. Until yesterday, as many as 1,411 schemes catering to 6,129 villages and habitations have been affected. While a majority of them have totally dried up, the discharge in others has come down to 25 per cent or less. A population of over 5.50 lakh has been severely hit. The Irrigation Department has been flooded with a demand for the deployment of water tankers. Already, 370 tankers have been deployed to cater to the villages where the natural sources have dried. It has also installed 172 hand pumps over the past two months in the severely affected villages. However, some hand pumps have also dried up due to sinking of the water table. Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Una and parts of Kangra are among the worst hit districts. The problem has been compounded because of the “uneven distribution” of the available water. Most of the towns, including the state capital, are facing an acute shortage of water. Water is being supplied in Shimla on alternate days as the demand has gone up to over 67 lakh gallons per day due to the tourist influx and daily availability has come down to 45 lakh gallons. The water level at the main supply tank on the Ridge has been hovering around 8 feet as against the normal 12 feet for normal supply. The tail-end areas like
Chakkar, Lower Kaithu, Bharari, Boileauganj are among the worst hit. |
|
|
Killed for being a good neighbour Nurpur, June 5 According to an FIR registered with the police under Section 302 of the IPC, the accused allegedly entered the house of the deceased on Tuesday at 11 p.m. and attacked her with a screw-driver. Later, he strangled her to death. A postmortem conducted on the body revealed that she had died of strangulation. The body also bore injury marks on the face, the stomach and the neck. According to the police, the accused had confessed to the crime. The deceased was a neighbour of the mother of the accused. She often protected her from the accused who would harass and beat up his mother for money. Before committing the crime, he had reportedly thrashed his mother. |
|
|
Advocates panel reconstituted Shimla, June 5 Mr Shanti Lal Vaidya, Mandi, Mr Susheel Kumar Kanwar, Hamirpur, and Mr Pawan Kumar Thakur, Shimla, are the three nominees nominated by the Bar Council. The Advocate General and the Secretary, Law, are ex-officio members and Mr Ajay Kumar, Chairman of the council is the ex-officio Chairman of the committee. This was stated in a press note issued by Mr Prem Goel, secretary, of the council. |
|
|
Garbage Disposal Act to be enforced Shimla, June 5 Presiding over the state-level World Environment Day function here today, Ms Vidya Stokes, state Power Minister, said the NGOs and general masses and voluntary social groups could play an effective role in the development of the ecosystem. She said th rampant deforestation needed to be curbed. The local voluntary groups should be involved in the implementation of various afforestation and environment protection programmes launched by the government. She urged the concerned agencies, including the Pollution Control Board, panchayati raj institutions and social groups, to generate awareness about harvesting rainwater. Plastic and polythene goods had played havoc with the environment, the minister added. Dr Srikant Baldi, member secretary, State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, enlisted various activities and programmes undertaken by the council for the preservation of environment. The Power Minister also gave away prizes to children for taking part in the on-the-spot painting and slogan writing competitions organised on the occasion. |
|
|
Burnt body found in forest Solan, June 5 The body was sighted by Geeta Ram, a local resident, who informed the police. Police officials stated that the woman was mentally disturbed and hailed from Madhya Pradesh. She had casually gone to the nearby forest. She was living in the town with her parents who are employed as construction workers. She had gone missing on Monday and the police had registered a complaint in this regard. Meanwhile, water supply has been adversely hit in Solan town with a spurt in the number of fire incidents in the past few days. A large quantity of water which was diverted to douse the fire has led to a cut in the supply of domestic water, forcing the Municipal Committee to supply water on alternate days to the town. A number of patients who visited the local Zonal Hospital had to return as no water has been supplied there for the past two days. |
|
|
Gen Vij visits ARTRAC Shimla, June 5 General Vij is scheduled to attend a discussion-cum-seminar on various operational issues. He will have a wide-ranging discussions on operational environment. The seminar which will be held at the ARTRAC headquarters will be attended by top military brass. PTI |
|
Minister’s son
abuses staff of rest house Una, June 5 They demanded dinner from the two employees around 3 am and allegedly harassed them. The matter has been brought to the notice of the SE, PWD. The SP of Una and the state CID are making inquiries into the case. |
|
Bus passengers hurt in freak mishap Bilaspur (HP), June 5 When the bus coming to Ghumarwin from Jhandoota, neared Badhaghat, flames from the jungle fire near the road, fanned by the wind, affected the passengers in the bus causing the burns.
UNI |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 123 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
