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CM defends Speaker’s suspension
MLAs stopped en route to Mall, says Dhumal Mr P.K. Dhumal, leader of the BJP Legislature party, today alleged that he and other party legislators were stopped near the telegraph office by the police while they were proceeding to The Mall. Teacher on dharna against transfer Mr Roshan Lal Banyal (50), a trained Graduate teacher, has been on dharna in front of the office of Deputy Director, Education, here for the past 13 days protesting against his transfer on ‘flimsy’ grounds.
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Varsity amendment Bill introduced IT Dept complex inaugurated Environmental degradation affects Mandi town Mr Gaurav Mahajan, Civil Judge (Junior Division), has restrained Mr Laxmi Singh Machhan and seven other employees leaders from proclaiming themselves as office-bearers of the state non-gazetted services federation in any dealing. Medico death case: husband prime suspect The reason behind the death of a medico from Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana, in a hotel room at Manali, could not be ascertained today as the postmortem report did not confirm the death due to injuries. The viscera has been sent for chemical examination.
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CM defends Speaker’s suspension of 16 MLAs Shimla, December 16 Talking to reporters he said that stand of the party made the BJP-Katwal nexus known and it was resorting to such tactics in the House to divert attention from the main issue of corruption and nepotism in recruitments made through the state Subordinate Services Selection Board. The BJP had become so desperate that it even defied the ruling of the Speaker which was shocking as such a thing had not happened in the House before. He said the protests amounted to wilful defiance of the chair. The Speaker yesterday informed the BJP members that their adjournment motions were under consideration but they still protested and tried to disrupt the proceedings. He said the members were at liberty to debate any issue in House but these had be raised under the rules of business. It was the prerogative of the Speaker to decide which issue was to be discussed under a particular rule. His ruling was final and had to be respected by all members. Dignity of the chair and decorum of the House had to be maintained at all costs. On the other hand Mr P.K. Dhumal, leader of the BJP group, said the decision to suspend the 16 members was pre-meditated. The unwarranted action only indicated that the Congress was afraid of discussing the Katwal tape issue in the House. The members were not only suspended from the House but also asked to leave the Vidhan Sabha complex, which was unprecedented. He said Mr Virbhadra Singh had been behaving like a dictator. During the last session too the BJP legislators were suspended without reason and when they staged a peaceful dharna on the Ridge they were lathicharged. He said there was no occasion for suspending the members. The Speaker could have resolved the issue but he made no effort to end the stalemate. Mr Dhumal said the actions of the government clearly indicated that its confidence had been shattered by the “expose” and its days in office were numbered. The voice of the Opposition could be muzzled in the House but ultimately the political battle is decided by the people. He said he would not attend the Vidhan Sabha and stay out with the suspended members. |
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MLAs stopped en route to Mall, says Dhumal Shimla, December 16 Mr Yog Raj, Superintendent of Police, however, said the police had no intention of stopping the legislators. He said they were only informed about the prohibitory orders which had been in force on the Ridge and the Mall. They were allowed to proceed when they stated that they were on way to the coffee house, he claimed. Mr Ganesh Dut, spokesperson for the party, said an “undeclared” emergency was in force in the state. The government was making all-out efforts to crush the Opposition, he alleged. |
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Teacher on dharna against transfer Hamirpur, December 16 Hailing from Barsar village of the Hamirpur district and working at Government Senior Secondary School, Giara Gran in the district before he was transferred to a remote school of Sirmaur district, he alleges that he has been made a victim of red tapism in the department and certain political reasons. The department has placed him under suspension for not joining at new place of posting and resorting to dharna against the department. Mr Banyal says that while others who have longer stay than him have been allowed to work at their present place of postings, he has been thrown out even after two years of service at the Giara Gran School. Talking to the Tribune this evening, he said that he was shifted on the plea that he was working against the post of a TGT medical person. He questioned the decision of the department on this issue. He said, when more than 36 other TGT (Non Medical)’s have been allowed to work against the posts of TGT (medical), why he has been singled out for transfer. He demanded cancellation of his transfer order and posting in any school in Hamirpur district so that he was able to live in peace and teach students in a proper manner. Mr Banyal threatened to resort to fast strike in the coming days, if his transfer orders were not cancelled. When contacted, a spokesman of the Department of Education justified the transfer and suspension of Banyal. The spokesman said that transfer orders had been issued by the Directorate and he had nothing to say on this issue. |
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Varsity amendment Bill introduced Shimla, December 16 The Bill was not passed yesterday, as reported by UNI. The existing Act empowers the Chancellor to appoint and remove the Vice-Chancellor but there is no provision for his suspension. Besides, the amendment also seeks to empower the state government to inquire into the affairs of the university. Hitherto, only the Chancellor could order an inquiry under his visitorial powers. To check the misuse of emergency powers by the Vice-Chancellor, it has been made mandatory to get ratified from the executive council all decisions taken using such powers within 60 days. It also provides for the appointment of the Registrar and Finance Officer on deputation from the government. An IAS officer with five years of service and a state administrative service officer with nine years of service will be eligible for appointment as Registrar. Similarly, an officer from the state subordinate accounts services, not below the rank of Controller, will be eligible for appointment as Finance Officer. |
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IT Dept complex inaugurated Hamirpur, December 16 Mr B.M. Singh made this call after inaugurating a newly built complex of the Income Tax Department, constructed at a cost of Rs 40 lakh in the Krishna Nagar locality of the town. The building has been constructed by the CPWD. Mr Ashok Manchanda, Commissioner, Income Tax, Mr Sachidanand Sriwastva, Assistant Commissioner, and Mr. J.C. Katoch, ITO, Hamirpur, were also present on the occasion. The Income Tax Commissioner said there were two lakh assessees in the state. He said the department was all set to achieve the target of collecting Rs 226 crore as income tax from the people of the state during the current fiscal. Talking to reporters after the function, Mr B.M. Singh said the department would honour top taxpayers of the state. A state-level function in this regard will be held at Shimla next month. Later, such functions would be held in other parts of the state. Talking about income tax refunds, he said all such cases would be finalised and refund vouchers sent to clients by January next year. Mr B.M. Singh announced that the department would build its complexes in various parts of the state. Land for building a complex has been acquired at Palampur and work will start shortly, he said. |
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Environmental degradation affects Mandi town Mandi, December 16 He stressed that it was obligatory for executing agencies to compensate people for the damage caused by power projects. He said the construction of a weir downstream of the town could provide some relief to the people. He also expressed concern over the ejection of silt from the open hydroelectric channel and reservoir which had not only ravaged the fertile Balh valley, but had also polluted the Beas by releasing huge silt deposits. Mr Handa said the report of the National Environment Engineering and Research Institute, Nagpur, should be implemented without delay. In his paper on traffic congestion in the town, Mr Dhirendra Vaidya, a retired SE, PWD, said in the wake of rapid urban development, the town was facing traffic problems. He suggested the construction of more parking lots, enforcing traffic regulations and imposing restrictions on parking in lanes and streets. He stressed the need for making the Kehanwal bypass functional. Dwelling on the history and cultural heritage of the erstwhile Mandi state, Dr Neelmani Upadhya, a former Principal, stressed that this town of temples should be projected as a heritage town for Indian and foreign tourists. The Deputy Chief Engineer, HPSEB, Mr R.K. Sharma, suggested the overhauling of the outmoded streetlight network. |
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Union leaders restrained Shimla, December 16 Mr S.R. Azad, leader of the rival faction, was not empowered to convene the meeting of the federation and had no authority to expel Mr Ganga Singh and other office-bearers. As such their expulsion appeared to be void ab initio. |
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Medico death case: husband prime suspect Kulu, December 16 Meanwhile, a case under Section 302, IPC, has been registered as her parents who arrived from the USA, expressed suspicion on the nature of the death. Mr Anand Pratap Singh, SP, said the body had been handed over to parents after a postmortem. Sedative tablets — alprex, codine, parvadox and venflexine — have been recovered from the hotel room occupied by the newly wed couple. The SP said Ranjit Singh, her husband, would be arrested on suspicion. |
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No potato seed in govt stores Palampur, December 16 A deputation of potato growers told media persons at Nagrota Bagwan this morning that the sowing period would be over by December 20. The District Kisan Sabha today appealed the Chief Minister to direct the Agriculture Department to make available quality seed to the growers. |
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Practical exams in February Dharamsala, December 16 The board has dispatched books for physically challenged students in children homes, Mr Rahi said. |
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