THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS
50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS
H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Cong’s slide started with Sonia: Shanta
Mandi, April 4
Mr Shanta Kumar, former Union Minister and parliamentary candidate from Kangra said it was an irony that the 120-year old Congress was battling for its survival.

Priyanka to campaign in HP
Hamirpur, April 4
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said here today that Ms Priyanka Gandhi would tour Himachal Pradesh for two days to campaign for the party. However, the dates and venues of her tour were being finalised.

Amitabh not to re-enter politics
Manali, April 4
Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan today reiterated that he would not re-enter politics. Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Bachchan said although he had many friends in the political field, he still would not rejoin politics.

Dhumal faces flak for criticising Cong
Kangra, April 4
State president of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) Kewal Singh Pathania has criticised former Chief Minister Prof P.K. Dhumal for his utterances that there was no development during the past one year of the Virbhadra Singh rule in the state and the Congress had no right to ask for vote on the development poll plank.

Stir threat by college staff over grant-in-aid
Kangra, April 4
More than 600 teaching and non-teaching staff of the eight private degree and Postgraduate colleges of the state have threatened an agitation and fast if the orders of freezing of the 95 per cent grant-in-aid of these colleges were not revoked. 





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Chamba
Hamirpur
Dharamsala
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Solan


EARLIER STORIES

 

Professional colleges oppose industrial growth
Solan, April 4
The manner in which some pharmaceutical firms have proposed to initiate their ventures in the vicinity of professional colleges near Baddi has become a cause of concern for the college authorities.

Discrimination against SCs alleged
Shimla, April 4
The United Sarvodaya Sangthan has alleged that the Scheduled Castes had not been given their due in the hill state. Stating this at a press conference here today, Mr Rattan Chand, advisor of the sangthan, said that the Scheduled Castes accounted for over 26 per cent of the population but the total budget allocation under the special component plan was only 11 per cent.

BSNL begins probe into misuse of scheme
Solan, April 4
The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited has initiated an inquiry into a complaint alleging misuse of its concessional rate scheme, which despite being meant for individual subscribers has reportedly been in use by commercial users here.

Resentment against opening of liquor shop
Solan, April 4
Despite the Deputy Commissioner’s instructions of not opening a new liquor vend on the Old Court Road here after resentment by local residents, the contractor concerned yesterday forcibly tried to open the vend.

No scam in purchase of equipment: Health Dept
Shimla, April 4
The Health Department has denied the allegations of the BJP that medical equipment for three diagnostic centres in the state was purchased in violation of the norms and asserted that there was no irregularity.

Probe sought into purchase of ayurvedic medicines
Chamba, April 4
The All-India Ayurveda Medical Graduates Association (AIAMGA) has supported the probe sought by the Himachal Pradesh Ayurvedic Drugs Manufacturers Association into the purchase of ayurveda medicines made in the past five years during the previous BJP regime.

Payment of ADA to pensioners deferred
Shimla, April 4
The Himachal Government pensioners who used to get arrears of the additional dearness allowance (ADA) released by the government from time to time in cash would not get it this time, as the cash payment of arrears of 4 per cent ADA due from July 2003 has been deferred.

Arki civic body faces fund shortage
Kumarhatti, April 4
Even as the Nagar Panchayat of Arki, about 50 km from here, has started charging house tax amid strong resistance from residents, the poor collection in the past financial year has hit the panchayat.

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Cong’s slide started with Sonia: Shanta
Our Correspondent

Mandi, April 4
Mr Shanta Kumar, former Union Minister and parliamentary candidate from Kangra said it was an irony that the 120-year old Congress was battling for its survival.

Talking to mediapersons at Barot Rest House yesterday, the BJP leader said the downfall of the party had started from the day Mrs Sonia Gandhi took over the leadership of the party. Many had left the party on the issue of her foreign origin. He said political observers had further predicted another split in the party after the outcome of the coming elections of Parliament.

He said the opposition parties comprising groups of heterogeneous ideologies had failed to project any person as their Prime Minister which spoke volumes about their political inconsistency and incapability to rule the country.

Mr Shanta Kumar said the BJP tenure at the Centre had proved a landmark during which the country had achieved successes on all fronts. There had been a marked improvement on all sectors and a new era of friendship and goodwill with the neighbours had ushered in.

Referring to the “pitiable plight” of the Congress in Himachal Pradesh, he said it was happening for the first time that there were no takers for the Congress ticket. The ministers were being forced to accept the ticket and were bound to lose. It was surprising that the AICC had not been able to announce its candidate from Mandi so far. In all four constituencies, the Congress had failed to field its leaders. From Shimla it had fielded a deserter of the HVC, who recently joined the Congress.

Mr Maheshwar Singh, BJP candidate from Mandi, who was also present at the news conference, decried the allegation of Mr Virbhadra Singh that the state was being discriminated in matters of grant of funds by the Vajpayee government. He said “It is a blatant lie”. The Prime Minister considered Himachal as his second home. He released crores of rupees for development and harnessing hydel power potential. During the BJP rule the foundation stones of many big power projects, including the Kol Dam and Parbati projects, were laid on which work was in progress on a war-footing now.
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Priyanka to campaign in HP
Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, April 4
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said here today that Ms Priyanka Gandhi would tour Himachal Pradesh for two days to campaign for the party. However, the dates and venues of her tour were being finalised.

While rounding off his three-day election campaign in favour of party nominee Ram Lal Thakur, he claimed that a pro-Congress wave was discernible in the state and the party would win all four seats. About the Hamirpur seat, he said the contest would be tough but the Congress would carry the day as “people were upset with the BJP for the role played by the BJP government during its regime.

He said Ram Lal Thakur would file his papers at Hamirpur on April 20. This would be followed by a rally of the party, he added.

The Congress leader denied allegations levelled by the BJP leaders that the Congress was misusing the government machinery during the elections. He said he was touring the state along with other ministers in their own vehicles. However, being the Chief Minister, he was entitled to the security as was being enjoyed by two former Chief Ministers — Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal. Mr Virbhadra Singh said that local issues were likely to play a dominant role during the elections and the main issue would be of drought and water shortage. Summer had arrived 20 days earlier and this was the main reason for the drought conditions in the state. He said all Deputy Commissioners had been directed to prepare plans and start distribution of water to the people by all means, including deployment of tankers, trucks, and mules and even on the backs of human beings. Adequate funds would be put at the disposal of the district administrations in this respect, he added.

The Chief Minister favoured the suggestion of Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani regarding the holding of election to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas jointly. However, he said that this suggestion was not practical in the present scenario when elections to various state assemblies were held at different intervals.

The Congress leader said the process for the re-entry of those who were expelled from the party on flimsy grounds was in the pipeline. He blasted the Central Government for spending more than Rs 1.5 crore on the “India Shining Campaign.”

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Amitabh not to re-enter politics

Manali, April 4
Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan today reiterated that he would not re-enter politics.

Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Bachchan said although he had many friends in the political field, he still would not rejoin politics. He even ruled out campaigning for his political friends in the Lok Sabha poll.

Mr Bachchan, who is also popularly known as the Big B, is here for the shooting of the much-publicised Anil Sharma film “Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Sathio”. Also starring in the film are Bobby Deol, Nagma, Sandali Sinha, Akshay Kumar and Divya Khosla.

The Big ‘B’, who is on his first visit to this picturesque hill resort, described the town as beautiful as Switzerland. He said Himachal Pradesh was a place of beauty.

Mr Bachchan said he would always regret the fact that he could not come here earlier and would advise Bollywood directors to shoot their films in scenic beauty here. He described the people of Himachal as very simple, honest and full of warmth.

On the shooting of his film, he said the movie was based on army and patriotism. He said brotherhood and peace would remain between India and Pakistan and this was the motive of this film. — UNI
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Defeat BJP to end corruption, says Virbhadra
Our Correspondent

Dharamsala, April 4
Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today addressed public meetings in Dehra subdivision.

Appealing to people to root out corruption by defeating the BJP, Mr Virbhadra Singh said his government was committed to provide transparent and clean administration and working for the uplift of the poor and needy.

Congress candidate from the Hamirpur constituency Ram Lal Thakur also addressed the public meetings.
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Dhumal faces flak for criticising Cong
Our Correspondent

Kangra, April 4
State president of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) Kewal Singh Pathania has criticised former Chief Minister Prof P.K. Dhumal for his utterances that there was no development during the past one year of the Virbhadra Singh rule in the state and the Congress had no right to ask for vote on the development poll plank.

Pathania was addressing a press conference at the local PWD rest house here yesterday. He said what Prof Dhumal had failed to achieve in the five years of the BJP rule the Virbhadra Singh government had done during the past one year.

He said during the past one year, the state had witnessed a corruption-free administration and the investigating agencies framed the charges of corruption against the Chairman, State Subordinate Service Board, and the Vice-Chancellor of the HP University.

He said 10,000 unemployed youths were given job, 702 new schools opened with 3,500 sanctioned posts of teacher, 143 veterinary dispensaries opened, 18,744 pension cases settled and 14,000 pension cases approved but pending disposal because of the poll.
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Stir threat by college staff over grant-in-aid
Our Correspondent

Kangra, April 4
More than 600 teaching and non-teaching staff of the eight private degree and Postgraduate colleges of the state have threatened an agitation and fast if the orders of freezing of the 95 per cent grant-in-aid of these colleges were not revoked. These employees are without salary from the past five months.

Dr D.V. Pathania and Dr C.P. Kaushal, President and General Secretary, respectively, of the HP Non-Govt College Lecturers Association at a press conference here today said that BJP Government headed by Mr P.K. Dhumal violating the norms on August 6, 2002 decided to freeze the grant-in-aid of 95 per cent of eight colleges of the state at the level of Rs 7.10 crore and directed the managements of these colleges to raise own resources for incremental expenditures of their employees.

Both union leaders said that this decision was affecting SVSD College Bhatoli, GGDS College Baijnath, MSCM College Thural, MLSM College Sunder Nagar, St Bedes College Shimla, DAV Colleges at Kotkhai, Dhaulatpur Chowk and Kangra. They said that the said order issued by the government violated the law of the land as the grant-in-aid rules for these colleges were passed on the floor of the Assembly in 1994 and the notification was issued by the State Governor.

The protesting lecturers said that state government had no powers to freeze the grant-in-aid without seeking approval from the state Assembly. They said the Director of Education on December 18, 2002 issued orders of withdrawing the government order of freezing the grant-in-aid.

The Accountant General of HP raised an objection that Director of Education was not competent to withdraw the government orders thus the teaching and non-teaching staff of these colleges were sandwiched in the official tussle leaving them without salary for the past five months.

Both leaders said that for want of grant-in-aid the Departmental Promotion Committee, Senior Selection Scales, Ph.D. increments other benefits to the employees received a setback creating for families of 600 employees a crisis. They said that the supplementary grants were not given to these colleges in the past few years and Rs 2.50 crore deficit was in the grants to these colleges till the end of 2003-2004 financial year.

The leaders expressed concern over the “silent observer attitude” adopted by the college managements over the issue as it was the responsibility of these managements to provide salaries to their employees and to strive for getting the grant-in-aid. They said that unbecoming attitude of the government was evident by ignoring that more than 24 posts of the lecturer were vacant in these colleges besides MLSM College at Sundernagar was headless where the post of the Principal was vacant. This was affecting the education, they added.

Besides 37 government colleges there are eight private colleges getting 95 per cent grant-in-aid, eight getting ad hoc grants and 15 other colleges running without grants.

They demanded that the state government should withdraw the orders of the previous BJP government freezing the grant-in-aid at Rs 7.10 crore. They said that they had approached Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh several times in this connection who assured that needful would be done. But nothing was done. The Association at a state-level meeting here last evening decided to call on the Chief Minister and threatened an agitation, boycotting of classes which would affect education of 15000 students, if the demand was not met.
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Professional colleges oppose industrial growth
Ambika Sharma

Solan, April 4
The manner in which some pharmaceutical firms have proposed to initiate their ventures in the vicinity of professional colleges near Baddi has become a cause of concern for the college authorities. Not only are the two professional colleges, one dental and another engineering, concerned at the initiation of industrial ventures in their proximity but they feel it will severely disrupt their academic atmosphere.

The two colleges, Bhojia dental college and Institute of engineering and emerging technologies which came into being a few years back, had then sought land use change for this area which fell in the future expansion zone. With announcement of the new industrial policy in Himachal there has been a rush of industrialists seeking to set up ventures here. Not only has most of available area been exhausted in and around Baddi but a couple of industrialists bought land in the vicinity of these colleges to set up industries.

The authorities of the colleges were alarmed to think that pollution emanating from these pharmaceutical firms would create an undesirable atmosphere. Besides they contend that the firms would hamper academic atmosphere adversely and safety of girl students would become risky. They also rued that having declared an institutional area the growth of industries should not have been allowed. It was, however, interesting to note that a proposal to set up a residential school in the same area was still awaiting approval for over a year while industrial ventures had been granted the required approval.

The town and country planning department director, Mr J.R. Verma, when contacted, however, said that since these firms had already invested heavily on land there was little that could be done. While proper procedures were being followed he said investors had to be accommodated. The area came to be called an institutional area since two professional institutes came up and it had not been defined as a specific institutional area. Those proposing to set up ventures were also seeking land use he added.

While asserting that the pharmaceutical firms coming up in the area were only formulation units and not bulk drug manufacturers, the member secretary of the HP pollution environment protection and pollution control board, Dr S.S. Negi, said such units were neither polluting nor were they authorised to grant sanction to the bulk drug manufacturers. If the units had any polluting waste they would be likewise instructed to set up effluent treatment plants, he added. One case which involved bulk drug manufacturing had been sent to the Government of India for permission, he said.
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Discrimination against SCs alleged
Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 4
The United Sarvodaya Sangthan has alleged that the Scheduled Castes had not been given their due in the hill state.

Stating this at a press conference here today, Mr Rattan Chand, advisor of the sangthan, said that the Scheduled Castes accounted for over 26 per cent of the population but the total budget allocation under the special component plan was only 11 per cent. Even the funds earmarked under the plan were diverted for other purposes. Their share in the government employment was only around 15 per cent and that of scheduled tribes was 7.5 per cent, which was on the lower side.

Mr Chand said that there had been some talk of reserving jobs in the private sector and the issue was also discussed during the “vichar manthan shivir” of the Congress held in Shimla last year but not much had happened in this direction. The reality was that Scheduled Castes continued to be subjected to social discrimination and atrocities. He cited the recent killing of two Dalits in Sirmour district and vindictive rape of a Dalit woman in this regard.

Those who were given land for building house under the “nau tor” scheme had so for not been given the ownership of land. In some cases where forestland was involved, the allottees were being ejected.

He disapproved of the government policy to award the sanitary work in government hospitals to contractors and said it should instead privatise the state road transport corporation, the state electricity board and the state tourism development corporation, which were incurring huge losses.
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BSNL begins probe into misuse of scheme
Our Correspondent

Solan, April 4
The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has initiated an inquiry into a complaint alleging misuse of its concessional rate scheme, which despite being meant for individual subscribers has reportedly been in use by commercial users here. The complaint, addressed to the BSNL , CMD at New Delhi, said that despite making an investment of Rs 25,000 on installing specific ISDN equipment, neither the promised speed nor an uninterrupted Internet connection had been granted.

Local BSNL officials have been instructed to submit a report to the CMD in this regard. They initiated checking of all commercial connections on Friday evening after the receipt of communication from the CMD. The scheme, meant for areas where surplus capacity was available, had been provided here where load capacity exceeded the installed machinery, leading to frequent breakdown in internet services.

The Internet was in use for 24 hours in most of the industrial places like Baddi, Parwanoo, Nalagarh, Poanta Sahib, Chambaghat and other industrial areas, which affected cyber cafes and individual subscribers, it was mentioned.
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Resentment against opening of liquor shop
Our Correspondent

Solan, April 4
Despite the Deputy Commissioner’s instructions of not opening a new liquor vend on the Old Court Road here after resentment by local residents, the contractor concerned yesterday forcibly tried to open the vend. This led to a minor scuffle between the contractor’s employees and the residents, led by municipal councillor Sanjay Awasthy. The police had to intervene in the matter.

The trouble started when the contractor’s employees transported bottles of liquor to the site and began opening the vend. This led to a dispute between the two parties. Local residents said that being closed to a religious site from where their religious ceremonies began in the town, the opening of the vend could not be allowed. Mr Awasthy said that not only was the contractor opposing the government instructions, it had led to unnecessary tension in the area.

Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Kumar said since the matter caused dispute, the vend could not be allowed to operate. It was after the intervention of the excise and taxation officials that the contractor consented to leave the place. The Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner had earlier given instructions for not opening this disputed vend. Another beer bar, operating in the Lakkar Bazaar area, had also come in for sharp criticism, especially from women of the area.
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No scam in purchase of equipment: Health Dept
Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 4
The Health Department has denied the allegations of the BJP that medical equipment for three diagnostic centres in the state was purchased in violation of the norms and asserted that there was no irregularity.

A spokesman of the department said Rs 16.33 lakh each had been given to the Chief Medical Officers of Hamirpur, Solan and Bilaspur for the purchase of colour doplers and cardiac monitors. The purchase had been made through the state Electronics Development Corporation after completing all formalities to make the diagnostic centres functional at the earliest.

Since the corporation was involved, there was no question of giving financial benefits to anyone, he added.
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Probe sought into purchase of ayurvedic medicines
Our Correspondent

Chamba, April 4
The All-India Ayurveda Medical Graduates Association (AIAMGA) has supported the probe sought by the Himachal Pradesh Ayurvedic Drugs Manufacturers Association into the purchase of ayurveda medicines made in the past five years during the previous BJP regime.

In a statement here today, the association said that the medicines worth over Rs 15 crore had been purchased without fulfilling formalities as the entire purchase policy had been designed to oblige the favourites outside the state too.

The association demanded a high-level inquiry into the ‘ayurveda medicines purchase during the BJP rule. It also requested the government for formulate a policy and procure medicines from units manufacturing ayurvedic medicines within the state.
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Payment of ADA to pensioners deferred

Shimla, April 4
The Himachal Government pensioners who used to get arrears of the additional dearness allowance (ADA) released by the government from time to time in cash would not get it this time, as the cash payment of arrears of 4 per cent ADA due from July 2003 has been deferred.

The arrears of the ADA from July 2003 to March 2004 would be paid in two instalments. The first instalment would be paid in October 2004, while the other would be paid next year, according to highly placed official sources.

The arrears of the ADA to in service employees would be credited to the general provident fund and the ADA would be paid in cassh to both pensioners and employees in cash from the current month. The government employees were getting 59 per cent ADA, while another 2 per cent ADA had become due from January 2004. — PTI
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Arki civic body faces fund shortage
Jagmeet Ghuman

Kumarhatti, April 4
Even as the Nagar Panchayat of Arki, about 50 km from here, has started charging house tax amid strong resistance from residents, the poor collection in the past financial year has hit the panchayat. In the past year, the panchayat had managed to collect only around Rs 30,000 from house tax . The expected revenue collection target was over Rs. 1 lakh.

The state government had ordered to charge the tax in 1997 but it was delayed due to the opposition by the residents.

The Nagar Panchayat had left with no option than to charge house tax in the financial year of 2003-2004 as the state government had taken serious note of the matter. The annual grant-in-aid to the Nagar Panchayat had been withheld by the government as the panchayat was told to charge house tax. Though the Nagar Panchayat had managed to get the three quarters of annual grant-in-aid of around Rs. 10.20 lakh from the government last year failure to collect the targeted revenue from tax has caused financial crisis for the panchayat.

According to sources, the financial situation of the Nagar Panchayat was getting worse day by day due to a high increase in the routine expenditure. The panchayat was even finding it hard to disburse the monthly salary and wages payment amounting to Rs. 90,000 of its 17 member’s staff.

Ironically, only those have started to pay the house tax who were involved in new construction while most of the residents have refused to pay the tax, sources in the Nagar Panchayat said.
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Child killed in accident

Kulu, April 4
A 10-year-old child was killed after he was crushed by a jeep here yesterday. The victim, Anil Kumar was run over by the jeep when he was standing behind the vehicle. The jeep rolled in reverse gear and crushed the child to death. The driver was arrested. — UNI
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16 women panchayat heads to canvass for Congress

Nurpur, April 4
Several women pradhans of gram panchayats of Nurpur Assembly constituency yesterday joined hands with the Congress. Sixteen women panchayat pradhans of the constituency met Rural Development Minister and local MLA Sat Mahajan at a breakfast meeting hosted by the latter at Raja Ka Bagh. They expressed desire to campaign for Congress candidate Chander Kumar contesting from Kangra Lok Sabha constituency. — OC
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