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Saturday,
June 7, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Local
issues dominate in Lahaul-Spiti Admn all
set for smooth Assembly poll No
reorganisation of districts: CM Officials
booked for ‘aiding’ encroachment in forest area More
water tankers needed 2 more diamond eyes recovered |
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Local issues dominate in Lahaul-Spiti Keylong (Lahaul), June 6 The candidates have been campaigning hard for the past two months to contact voters scattered over vast barren area. The constituency accounts for almost one-third of the state’s total geographical area and has population of just two persons per square kilometre. There are 21,471 voters, including 6,413 of Spiti. After withdrawal of candidatures eight candidates are left in the field. However, three independents retired from the contest subsequently. The real fight is among Dr Ram Lal Markandey, a former HVC minister, Mr Raghubir Singh (Congress) and Mr Yuv Raj (BJP). In the last election Dr Markandey defeated Mr Raghubir Singh by 646 votes. Mr Raghubir Singh is a son of Thakur Dev Singh, a former Minister who won the Lahaul Spiti seat four times from 1967 to 1989. The BJP has fielded a green horn, Mr Yuv Raj, an entrant in the poll arena for the first time. In the last election Dr Markandey won the seat with the support of the BJP. However, this time there is no understanding between the two parties and, thus, the presence of BJP candidate will split the anti-Congress vote. Unlike the issues of corruption and development which dominated the elections in February, this time to local issues top the poll agenda. Nevertheless, the BJP is trying to take credit for the Rohtang tunnel project foundation stone which was laid by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee last year. The Congress is trying to woo the voters by highlighting its policies which reportedly accelerated development in tribal areas over the years and comparing it with the indifferent attitude of the BJP/HVC coalition. Senior party leaders, including Mr Virbhadra Singh and Mrs Vidya Stokes, have addressed public and workers’ meetings in different parts of the constituency. These leaders have called upon the workers to check fake voters, as the margin could be thin in a triangular contest. Although Congress rebel Phunchuk Rai has retired in favour of the official candidates, many of his supporters have not reconciled to his decision and they could harm the Congress. Mr Yuv Raj Bodh, a journalist-turned-politician, has RSS background. His nomination as party candidate caused much unrest in the party ranks. A positive aspect is that the BJP rebel, Rigzin Hararpa, has retired in his favour. However, former district party President, Colonel Hishe Dogia, along with his supporters has maintained low profile. His silence could also queer the pitch for Yuv Raj. The BJP could not bring its senior leaders to campaign in favour of its nominee in the district, however, former ministers Mr Roop Singh Thakur, Mr Roop Das Kashyap and Mr Dile Ram have been camping in the Lahaul valley. Dr Markandey is seeking votes on issues like development, particularly construction of roads, irrigation and telecommunication. The political observers feel that the presence of HVC candidate might be detrimental to the interests of the BJP. They also feel that he may make a dent into Congress votes the Pattan Valley. An important fact is that the Lahaul-Spiti voters are not averse to sending the opposition candidate to the Vidhan Sabha as had happened in 1967 and 1990. With two days left for the election the candidates are making all-out efforts to woo the voters. As many as 76 polling booths, including 50 in Lahaul and 26 in Spiti (Kaza), have been set up. Since the votes of Lahaul region will be divided among the candidates, the electorate of Spiti will play decisive role. |
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Admn all set for smooth Assembly poll Shimla, June 6 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. |
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Poll campaign ends in tribal constituencies Shimla, June 6 The last day of electioneering saw hectic campaigning with Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, and Mr P.K. Dhumal, a former chief minister, addressing a series of election meetings in the Kinnaur constituency. Mr Virbhadra Singh wound up the party’s campaign with a public rally at Neugal Seri, while Mr Dhumal addressed the concluding election meeting at Nichar. Compared to the February poll, the electioneering in the tribal areas has been a low-key affair. There were no star campaigners and the state leaders held the fort in all three seats. The BJP did bring Mr Juol Oram, the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, who has been the only leader from outside the state to participate in campaigning. Election to the 65 out of the total 68 Assembly seats in the state was held on February 26. Polling in the three snow-bound tribal constituencies was fixed for June 8. Mr Virbhadra Singh, who spearheaded the Congress campaign, toured the three constituencies twice He completed the first round of his campaign even before the code of conduct for the election came into force. He addressed as many as 31 election meetings in Kinnaur this week. Ms Vidya Stokes, the PCC Chief, campaigned in Kinnuar and Lahaul-Spiti. All Congress ministers have been camping in the tribal areas for the past two weeks. They have been moving from village to village to seek votes. The BJP campaign picked up only in the final phase of electioneering when Mr Dhumal and Mr Shanta Kumar, a former union minister, joined the campaign. Mr Shanta Kumar addressed meetings in Bharmour constituency, Mr Dhumal campaign extensively in Kinnaur addressing about 20 meetings. Besides corruption and development the Congress also made its policy initiative taken over the years for the uplift of tribals, an issue. It also attacked the BJP for ignoring the tribal areas and alleged that development had come to a stand still during the Dhumal regime. It also took the BJP to task for mismanaging the state’s finances and burdening the government with loans to the tune of Rs 15,000 crore. The BJP on the other hand focussed on issues like 25 per cent hike in bus fare, reversal of the decision of the previous government to open new schools and colleges and the imposition of ban on recruitment. The Congress, it alleged, was doing exactly the opposite of what it had promised during the February poll. The party had also tried to take advantage of BJP’s achievements like starting of work on the Rohtang tunnel and construction of bridges and roads washed away in the Sutlej floods in a record time. The HVC campaign was a lacklustre affair in the absence of the party supremo, Mr Sukh Ram, who is in London these days for a medical check up. Its candidates had to fend for themselves in all seats. The party is in contention only in the Lahaul-Spiti seat from where a former minister, Dr Ram Lal Markandey, is contesting. Soon after the end of the campaign, Mr Virbhadra Singh claimed that a Congress wave was sweeping the tribal areas and the party was poised for a clean sweep in the three tribal Assembly seats. He said the people were keen to strengthen the hands of government for expeditious development of tribal areas. As many as 298 polling booths have been set up for 1,18,282 electors in the three constituencies. Electronic voting machines would be used in the tribal areas for the first time. |
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11 stations in Pangi declared hypersensitive Bharmour, June 6 Mr Rahul Anand, Deputy Commissioner of Chamba, who is also the District Election Officer, said here today that, out of 104 polling stations in the Bharmour constituency, 11 in the Pangi tribal part of Chamba district bordering militancy-infested belts of Jammu and Kashmir had been declared hypersensitive. Besides, 15 other polling stations had been declared sensitive. He said Chask Bhatori, which had the lowest number of voters (62) was at an altitude of 4170 m in the Pangi tribal belt, which also made it the highest polling booth in the district. Bhatwara had the highest number of voters (1163) in Bharmour constituency. All elections officials had left for their destinations carrying electronic voting machines (EVMs) and other election material from Bharmour and Killad, subdivisional headquarters. It was for the first time in the tribal areas of Himachal Pradesh that the EVMs were being for conducing these elections. There were polling stations, to reach where, officials would have to trudge for about 10 km. To reach the Kugti polling station, they would have to walk for 17 km on foot. The Bharmour constituency had been divided into three sectors — Bharmour, Holi and Pangi — for these elections. The number of the electorate was 48, 298, which included 23,007 women voters at 104 polling stations. Close to 350 polling officials and nearly 550 security personnel have been deployed to ensure the smooth conduct of the elections. |
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Minister
flays BJP for ignoring tribal areas Chamba, June 6 Talking to mediapersons here last evening, the Forest Minister said these panchayats included
Kidi, Sarahan, Guwad, Preena, Radi, Kuled, Kuned, Batot and Khundel. He said that even Rajputs of Ulansa village and Pujaris of Hadsar village in the Bharmaur tribal area had also not been given the status of Scheduled Tribe. He flayed the BJP for making false promises to residents of these areas during the last Assembly elections. Mr Chander Kumar assured that the Congress government, led by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, would take up the case of these nine panchayats with the Centre. He criticised the former Dhumal government for its indifferent attitude towards the tribal areas. |
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Cong violating poll conduct: BJP Shimla, June 6 Mr Ganesh
Dut, party spokesperson, said here today that Mr Virbhadra Singh had made an announcement at election meetings that the government would give 10 bighas of land to the landless. Similarly, the announcement that daily wage earners would be engaged for 150 days at a stretch instead of 90 days was also an attempt to influence the electorate, he said. |
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No reorganisation of districts: CM Shimla, June 6 At election meetings in Nichar and Neugal Seri, he said such rumours were being spread by the Bharatiya Janata Party to mislead tribals on the election eve . He repeated the allegations that the budgetary allocations for tribal areas were being diverted and the government proposed to ban recruitment. “All this is part of the misinformation campaign of the BJP which had no real issue to highlight,” he said. The Chief Minister said the Congress government had been the one to introduce a separate tribal sub plan to ensure that funds earmarked for the development of tribal areas were not diverted to other areas. The government would fill all vacant posts in the tribal areas and the endeavour would be to give maximum employment to locals. He said the Congress had always implemented its election manifesto in letter and spirit. “Due to the efficient, transparent and responsive administration given by various Congress governments, the state had witnessed development, but over the past five years of the BJP rule, all development in the state had come to a standstill. The government would ensure that the tribal sub plan was implemented effectively, so that, the backlog could be cleared. Mr Virbhadra Singh accused the previous BJP government of raising indiscriminate loans which had landed the state in a debt trap. The government would raise resources by exploiting the hydel and tourism potential of the state to create more jobs. There would be a review of all agreements signed by the previous government, especially regarding raising employment for locals. Mr Sat Mahajan, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, and Mr Ragila Ram Rao, Excise and Taxation Minister, were also present. Meanwhile, members of the Bonda Panchayat — Mr Rajinder Singh, Sunil Kumar, Mr Ganesh, Mr Bhagwan Singh, Mr Kapil, Mr Ashok Kumar, Mr Dalip Singh, Mr Deep Ram, Mr Amar Singh, Mr Ram Lok and Mr Ganga Singh — today quit the BJP and joined the Congress with their supporters. They announced their decision at Thunag at an election meeting of Mr Virbhadra Singh. Some more local leaders joined the party at
Nichar. |
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Officials
booked for ‘aiding’ encroachment Shimla, June 6 A team of the Enforcement Department, headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police enforcement, had carried out the spot inspection while inquiring into a complaint regarding illicit felling of trees in the DPF. It was found that a road had been constructed and some illegal structures had been raised in the area. A detailed inquiry revealed that about one kilometre stretch of road had been constructed illegally in the demarcated protected forest and Mr Anant Ram Negi had built a “sarai” in Dandhi Ghati without the permission of the authorities concerned. Further, the board prepared a plan to electrify 10 houses at Dandhi Ghati and also sanctioned a low tension line for the purpose but it was not a residential locality and no house existed in the area. Similarly, the IPH department had spent Rs 88,640 for water supply to Dandhi Ghati and had provided water connection to illegal construction raised by Anant Ram Negi. To cap it all, the Telecommunication Department had sanctioned a village panchayat’s telephone in the name of Mr Anant Ram at Dhandhi Ghati and had laid a telephone cable in the demarcated protected forest. The telephone was installed in the illegal structure. The Forest Department sanctioned 18 trees of class-IV in one day, violating the timber distribution and the right holders also misused the timber sanctioned to them. To execute his plans to encroach upon the forest land and raise illegal construction Mr Anant Ram managed to procure a false certificate from Patwari (settlement) that he was a permanent resident of Dhandhi Ghati, whereas no residential house existed there. Infact, he is a permanent resident of Hallaila village, a residential locality. |
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More water tankers needed Hamirpur, June 6 Talking with local mediapersons during the monthly meet-the-Press programme of the administration here this afternoon, he said the water shortage this time was unprecedented and all should join hands to meet the situation. Mr R.N. Sharma, Superintending Engineer of the Irrigation-cum-Public Health Department, was also present at the press conference. He said 17 more tankers were needed to quench the thirst of the people of the district. The Deputy Commissioner said water was being supplied on ration cards so that all households got water for their daily needs. He denied any discrimination in the water distribution in any part of the district and assured that if any complaint came prompt action would be taken. He appealed to the people to conserve rainwater as the government alone would not be able to solve the water crisis in the area. The water table was going down due to excessive heat. He said water harvesting was best suited for the district and many farmers had made full use of these schemes and had been earning huge profits. The SE said the water shortage this time was acute in the Bhoranj area of the district. All government-owned and private water sources had dried up there due to prolonged drought conditions and non-arrival of rains. He said the department had submitted a Rs 54-crore water supply project to Hudco for approval. This project would solve the water problems of 349 villages of the Mewa, Bamsan and Sarkaghat (Mandi) Assembly constituencies of Hamirpur and Mandi districts. These areas face water shortage every summer. He claimed that the water of the Hamirpur town water supply scheme was fit for human consumption. Mr Sharma, however, failed to tell why the water had silt and its colour was light yellow. |
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2 more diamond eyes recovered Una, June 6 According to information a devotee from Delhi had offered two diamond studded eyes to be placed on the idol of Ma Chintpurni about a year back. As the donation was a secret one, no receipt was issued to the donor and the weight of the donated eyes was also not recorded in the temple donation registered. According to information all four diamond-studded eyes resemble each other and the black centre of the eyes has a black stone. So far the police or the temple authorities have not got it verified from any jeweller the black stones were actually diamond or not. According to information Mr Bhasin, a resident of Delhi, had donated these two eyes a year ago. Mr Narender Sharma, president of the Chintpurni Temple Committee-cum-SDM Amb, told this correspondent on telephone that yesterday evening when a suction machine was used to search the drain a few silver coins and a gold-plated eye were also recovered. The two lost eyes were silver plated. He said though the donated diamond studded eyes were entered in donation register but their weight was not mentioned therein as the donation was a secret one. |
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Girl forced to suicide Nurpur, June 6 According to the police, her father Kuldeep Kumar has alleged that his daughter, who was engaged to Rakesh Kumar of Chamba district one month ago, was forced to commit suicide by Murli Ram, his wife and son Sanju, residents of
Khushinagar. He alleged that they had been pressuring her to marry Sanju and had threatened her with dire consequences if she failed to honour their proposal. The police has registered a case under Sections 306 and 34 of the IPC against Murli, his son and wife. |
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British
trekker falls to death Dharamsala, June 6 According to police sources, Mallett Lianne-Marie (20), a British national, died after she fell into a gorge. Lianne Marie, who was on a trekking trip to Triund in the higher ranges of Dhauladhar, near here, slipped at Galu temple. Her body was recovered today and brought for post-mortem to the local Dr R.P.G. Medical College Hospital. The British Embassy has been informed about the accident. In another incident Raj Kumar, drowned while bathing in Neogal river near Palampur. His body has been recovered. Seema Devi of Lagod village under Nurpur police station committed suicide by handing herself. The police has registered a case and her body has been sent for post-mortem examination to hospital in Nurpur. |
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Tribunal
verdict set aside Shimla, June 6 While setting aside the judgement of the tribunal, a Division Bench comprising Mr Chief Justice Vinod Kumar Gupta and Mr Justice Arun Kumar Goel upheld the appointment of Dr Sharma as Associate Professor vide a notification dated November 20, 1989 with all consequences. The court passed the order on the petition filed by Dr Sharma, wherein he challenged the judgement of the tribunal. |
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