Three arrested for shooting incident
Dharamsala, February 17
Rivalry between two families took an ugly turn at Mansimbal village, about 35 km from here, on Monday night when one person was fired at and injured. According to the police, Hem Raj Walia, a resident of  Bathal Devi  and his sons Titu and  Praveen attacked Sanjay Kumar a resident of Gaggal Kholi under Palampur police station when he was on his way to his in-laws’ house. 

Hamirpur BJYM chief resigns
Hamirpur, February 17
Mr Jaid Nath Sharma, newly appointed president of the Hamirpur BJYM, yesterday announced his resignation from the post and decided to work as a wholetimer of the party.

Minister against felling by varsity
Solan, February 17
Reacting to the news-item, “University move to fell trees draws flak”, which appeared in The Tribune today, Forest Minister, Chander Kumar today said it was a violation of laid norms and such a large number of trees could not be allowed to be felled.

Sack of service panel chief won’t be easy
Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 17
While the government has taken a serious view of the alleged irregularities in the selection of assistant engineers and wants the Chairman of the state public service commission, Mr Dev Raj Sharma, to quit, his removal from office is not easy. It is a tedious exercise involving the President of India and the Supreme Court.

The Chairman and members of the commission, which is a constitutional body, can be removed for misbehaviour only by the President of India on the basis of inquiry conducted by the Supreme Court.

The procedure laid down under Article 317 of the constitution makes it clear that the Governor will to write to the President who in turn make a reference to the Supreme Court.

The apex court will get an inquiry conducted against the Chairman concerned or member of the commission. In case the inquiry finds the member guilty of misconduct and recommends his removal, the President could sack him.

The Governor has only the power to pass an interim order of suspension of the member against whom a reference has been made to the Supreme Court for inquiry by the President.

Obviously, it will be a long drawn and time- consuming process. In this case the term of Mr Sharma will expire within six months and the government will have to think it over whether it is worthwhile to undertake the exercise. The other option to get the alleged irregularities probed is to register a criminal case. Again by the time investigations, which take a long time, will be completed the term of the Chairman will be over.

Former MLA of Cong joins BJP
Tribune Reporters

Una, February 17
The BJP under the leadership of Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, former Chief Minister, today launched Lok Sabha campaign at Bhadsali village, 4 km from here in the Santoshgarh constituency. Jagroop Singh and Kashmiri Lal Joshi, former Congress MLA, joined the BJP along with their supporters.

Professor Dhumal said the country had progressed greatly under the leadership of Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee the ‘Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna’ had provided relief to the people of villages linking them with state or national highways. Telecommunication system had seen revolutionary changes and during past five years 86 lakh new telephone connections had been provided.

NURPUR: Former Union Minister and prospective BJP candidate from the Kangra parliamentary constituency Shanta Kumar said, “Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh was misleading the public before the Lok Sabha elections in order to conceal his government’s failures”. He claimed that only centre-funded schemes were going on in the state while the state government had failed to launch any development project.

He targeted the poor performance of the Virbhadra government while addressing a public meeting. He said he would set up a Rs 560 crore cement plant in Chamba district and develop tourists spots in Kangra and Chamba.

Residents sore over hydel project tunnel
Our Correspondent

Chamba, February 17
Resentment prevails among residents of Chamba town over the project of the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) involving the construction of a tunnel beneath Samdhar hill near Kumarika village.

The president of the Chamba Welfare Association, Mr Mohinder Chand Marwaha, today asked the HPSEB not to go ahead with the proposed hydel project. He advised them to explore the alternative proposals.

The proposed scheme would degrade the environment, increasing land erosion around Chamba.

Chamba town is located on the slope of Samdhar hill, which is in the earthquake pronce seismic zone five. Therefore, danger to the town due to heavy blasting for the construction of the 10 km tunnel increases manifold.

Plea to promote ayurvedic drug industry
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, February 17
The Himachal Pradesh Ayurvedic Manufacturers Association (AMA) at its second annual meeting in Raja-ka-Bagh this afternoon demanded that state government should formulate a policy to promote ayurvedic medicine industry in the state.

The AMA demanded that the government should make purchases from local units in the state on a quarterly basis. It alleged that there was a regular practice for the past few years wherein purchases were made at the fag end of March and even payments were drawn without the requisite supply of ayurvedic medicines from outside the state.

The AMA also demanded ayurvedic dispensaries to be opened in populated areas to the state.

It also urged the government to direct the government ayurvedic doctors to prescribe strictly ayurvedic medicines in the health institutions.

The AMA constituted a five-member task committee, headed by Mr Ashok Sharma, to relax the condition of goods manufacturing practices (GMPs) and streamline the government’s purchase policy of ayurvedic medicines.

Three arrested for shooting incident
Our Correspondent

Dharamsala, February 17
Rivalry between two families took an ugly turn at Mansimbal village, about 35 km from here, on Monday night when one person was fired at and injured. According to the police, Hem Raj Walia, a resident of  Bathal Devi  and his sons Titu and  Praveen attacked Sanjay Kumar a resident of Gaggal Kholi under Palampur police station when he was on his way to his in-laws’ house. According to Sanjay Kumar, an employee with a liquor vend, Hem Raj fired at him with his gun and he received pellets in his chest and stomach.                            

The police has arrested Hem Raj Walia and two sons. A case has been registered. According to sources , the reason behind the animosity was that Sanjay Kumar was not returning the money loaned to him by Hem Raj Walia.

Hamirpur BJYM chief resigns
Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, February 17
Mr Jaid Nath Sharma, newly appointed president of the Hamirpur BJYM, yesterday announced his resignation from the post and decided to work as a wholetimer of the party.

He announced his decision during a press conference here. Mr Pyere Lal Sharma, distinct BJP chief was also present. Mr Sharma was recently appointed. 

Minister against felling by varsity
Our Correspondent

Solan, February 17
Reacting to the news-item, “University move to fell trees draws flak”, which appeared in The Tribune today, Forest Minister, Chander Kumar today said it was a violation of laid norms and such a large number of trees could not be allowed to be felled.

Talking to this reporter on phone, the minister said that while the research aspect belied all logic, if at all research was to be conducted into the growth of trees, it could have been done by cutting a few trees only.