H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

BJP MLA for probe into scam
Palampur, September 18
Mr Ravinder Thakur, former minister and senior BJP MLA, today asked Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to order a high-level probe into the Rs 50 lakh scam unearthed in a local tea growers’ society.

Absentees marked present at anganwadi centre
Solan, September 18
In a surprise check of the Bathel anganwadi centre, falling under the Barotiwala panchayat, the Assistant Commissioner-cum-BDO, Dharampur, Mr Abhishek Jain, found 47 children who were absent had been marked present. Not only this, their presence had been marked for the next two days also.

EC allows HVC to use phone symbol
Shimla, September 18
The Election Commission’s letter authorising the HVC candidate for the Guler byelection to use the party’s election symbol — telephone — has brought cheer to leaders who had been opposed to the merger with the Congress.

Bollywood actress Sushmita Sen, who is shooting for Herry Baweja's film "Pyar," in Shimla on Saturday. — Photo by Anil Dayal

BJP charges vindicated, says Parmar
Nurpur, September 18
Mr Kirpal Parmar, state BJP senior vice-president and Lok Sabha MP, in a statement here today, claimed that the charges of the BJP against the Virbhadra government had been vindicated by the Congress leader of Kangra district, Mr Vijay Singh Mankotia.

BJP leader for two-kid norm
Hamirpur, September 18
Mr Rajendra Rana, joint media in charge of the BJP in Himachal Pradesh, today supported two-kid norm for all MLAs and MPs.

BJP MLA for probe into scam
Our Correspondent

Palampur, September 18
Mr Ravinder Thakur, former minister and senior BJP MLA, today asked Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to order a high-level probe into the Rs 50 lakh scam unearthed in a local tea growers’ society.

Addressing mediapersons here this morning, he said it was a matter of surprise that a manager of the society robbed the government Rs 50 lakh, which was sanctioned for tea growers as subsidy on fertilizers and other inputs. The office-bearers of the cooperative society remained silent on the issue.

He said he had earlier raised doubts that the subsidies given by the government do not reach the tea growers, but no one in the government had paid head.

He said till 1995, the state government had been sending its representative on deputation to head the cooperative society, and things were moving in the right direction. However, in 1995, when the Congress came to power, the government changed the policy and the society was allowed to appoint its own manager. This decision of the government resulted in a loss of Rs 50 lakh to the state exchequer.

He further said the Chief Minister should ask a retired judge of a high court to look into the facts and records pertaining to previous years. He alleged that some Congress leaders were making efforts to shield the guilty officials and were putting pressure on investigating agencies.

Absentees marked present at anganwadi centre
Ambika Sharma

Solan, September 18
In a surprise check of the Bathel anganwadi centre, falling under the Barotiwala panchayat, the Assistant Commissioner-cum-BDO, Dharampur, Mr Abhishek Jain, found 47 children who were absent had been marked present. Not only this, their presence had been marked for the next two days also.

The 47 children, enrolled since March in age groups from 0 to 6 years, were absent when the Assistant Commissioner, accompanied by the pradhan, visited the school. There was no sign of any meal being prepared on the premises of the centre.

An assistant, Santosh, and helper Saroj had shown the ration provided to the children as per the Integrated Child Development Scheme as having been consumed till September 18. The register for Sunday had also been completed, Mr Jain said, adding that a report had been sent to the Deputy Commissioner and the Child Development Project Officer at Dharampur.

Officials of the Child Development Department said the post of a supervisor at Patta, who maintains a check on these centres, had been laying vacant for the past about seven-eight years. Running since 1983, two women staffers had been serving there. While the government incurred Rs 1.70 per child per day on providing a meal, the money was reportedly being misused in the absence of a supervisor.

EC allows HVC to use phone symbol
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 18
The Election Commission’s letter authorising the HVC candidate for the Guler byelection to use the party’s election symbol — telephone — has brought cheer to leaders who had been opposed to the merger with the Congress.

The Secretary, Election Commission, Mr K.F. Wilfred, in a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer, yesterday conveyed that the candidate put up by the HVC from Guler could be allotted telephone as symbol, which was the party symbol before the HVC supremo, Mr Sukh Ram, announced its merger with the Congress.

The letter, however, specifies that a person who is allotted telephone as the symbol should be carrying the authorisation letter signed by a state-level office-bearer whose name is in the record of the commission at the time when the dispute was initially raised.

HVC leader, Des Raj Sharma, who had been opposed to the merger announced by Mr Sukh Ram with the Congress, said the party would now put up its candidate from Guler.

BJP charges vindicated, says Parmar
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, September 18
Mr Kirpal Parmar, state BJP senior vice-president and Lok Sabha MP, in a statement here today, claimed that the charges of the BJP against the Virbhadra government had been vindicated by the Congress leader of Kangra district, Mr Vijay Singh Mankotia.

He said Mr Mankotia who was removed from the Cabinet, had accused the government of discriminating against Kangra district.

Mr Parmar said the Congress government had been exposed on the issue of the MoU as it had been signed by the present government. He alleged that this government had done injustice to the Assembly segments in the state, while making contractual appointments in various departments.

BJP leader for two-kid norm
Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, September 18
Mr Rajendra Rana, joint media in charge of the BJP in Himachal Pradesh, today supported two-kid norm for all MLAs and MPs.

In a statement here today, Mr Rana chided those who were opposing this concept of the BJP. He said if the population continued to rise, the day was not far when people would face shortage of food, houses, etc.