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Mandi becomes nerve centre of HP politics
CM’s forgotten promises irk residents
Cong betraying youth,
says BJYM
Dal (Mann) to expand base in Himachal
Daily-wage workers yet to be regularised |
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Exploitation of workers worries AITUC leader Khab to be
single-stage project
Dumping of garbage continues
Villagers suffer for want of health centre
Kalam to interact with varsity students
NSUI to ‘expose’ BJP on MoU issue
BJP wants govt to clarify on ‘vidya upasaks’
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Mandi becomes nerve centre of HP politics
Mandi, December 19 This battle for supremacy between the two major political rivals is clear from the fact that the BJP has learnt lately that the party can not return to power in the state not only by the bogey of regionalism against the ruling Congress, which considers the upper Himachal as its ‘first stronghold’. The party learnt this last time when the BJP formed its government in alliance with the then Himachal Pradesh Vikas Congress, which had five MLAs from Mandi district led by Mr Sukh Ram, the former Telecom Minister. The BJP chose to hold its state executive meeting, which was chaired by the BJP vice president and party’s observer for Himachal, Mr M Abbas Naqvi, on December 12 targeting Mandi to undo the damage it received during the last Assembly and parliamentary elections. The Mandi MP, Ms Pratibha Singh, who is the wife of Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, who made her debut defeating BJP’s Maheshwar Singh has toured the constituency several times along with the IPH Minister and the Drang MLA, Mr Kaul Singh Thakur, and Mr Rangila Ram Rao, Gopalpur MLA, and Excise Minister, who are rarely out from the district most of the time, laying foundation stone. Even within the Congress circles, Mr Kaul Singh and Mr Rangila Ram are considered “IPH Mandi ministers”. From a small mela inauguration to the laying down of the foundation stone for a single room bhavan the duo are busy shuttling between Shimla and Mandi, fixing both eyes on their home constituency. Even the Forest Minister, Mr Ram Lal Thakur, who hails from Bilaspur district is more often than not in Mandi, inaugurating no-existent sport meet like Bushu. Political analysts said that the Mandi is important as the Congress rates the Shimla-Sirmaur-Solan-Kulu as its first stronghold, while the BJP rates the Kangra-Hamirpur belt as its first stronghold. But both parties can not return to power without winning the majority in the central political constituency of Mandi, which is the second largest votebanks after the 16-member Kangra district”. |
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CM’s forgotten promises irk residents
Nurpur, December 19 This area has already borne the brunt of infighting between Mr Virbhadra Singh and local MLA Sat Mahajan during the period between 1990 to 1998. But now with the improved and cordial relations between the two stalwarts, people are still awaiting the acceleration of development of this politically significant Assembly segment. The Chief Minister had declared the commissioning of the 100-bed Civil Hospital and promised all infrastructure for it. Mr Sat Mahajan, local MLA, and Panchayti Raj Minister, who took keen interest in the construction of the hospital building had even promised a full-fledged health institution like mini PGI. Amazingly, the Chief Minister had already inaugurated this 100-bed hospital in August, 1996. But so far nothing has been done to provide requisite infrastructure and medical staff as per the requirement of the 100-bed hospital. The Chief Minister had also announced the instalment of lift in the hospital building. The Chief Minister had announced Rs 1 crore for the Science Block of the local Arya Government College which had been taken over by the Prem Kumar Dhumal government in 2002. He had also announced the start of the science faculty in the current academic session. Informed sources reveal that so far no funds have been earmarked for the development of the college. Mr Virbhadra Singh had promised to upgrade the local BTC Government Girls High School to senior secondary school and a special package for the revival of the traditional pashmina and carpet weaving cottage industry of the area. But no steps have been taken in this direction. He had laid the foundation stone of the combined office building (mini secretariat) here but not even a single brick has been laid. Sources reveal that there was no budget provision or administrative approval for these proposed projects even after about one year. Commenting on the announcements and promises made by none but the Chief Minister, the local ex-MLA and former Chairman of the HPTDC, Mr Rakesh Pathania alleged that the state government had only befooled people of this Assembly segment of Kangra district. |
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Cong betraying youth,
says BJYM Shimla, December 19 The state executive of the morcha, which met here today under the chairmanship of its president, Mr Satpal , pointed out that instead of providing jobs the government was resorting to retrenchment of daily-wage workers. The written test for the selection of JBT teachers had been cancelled twice and now the matter was before the court. The government was trying to give jobs to its favourites by coming out with novel methods like a para-teachers scheme in which seniority and reservation to Scheduled Castes and other categories had been give a go-by. The government’s claim that jobs had been provided in the private sector was false and it urged the government to ensure that the educated Himachali youth were given appointment in accordance with their qualification and experience in the private sector. It also condemned the decision to set up industrial training institute in the private sector. Whatever little hope of getting employment was there had evaporated with the signing of the MoU on fiscal reform. The morcha alleged that corruption was rampant under the present regime and the court had issued warrant against some ministers involved in graft cases. |
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Dal (Mann) to expand base in Himachal
Dalhousie, December 19 Giving this information in a press release here today, Dr Ajit Bhardwaj, state president, Himachal unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Mann) said the party had also decided to constitute its ‘youth wing’ in the state with a view to wiping out illiteracy in the state. Dr Bhardwaj said the fiscal health of the nation depended open lesser number of population adding that the youth wing would also educate the people about the national family welfare programmes. Dr Bhardwaj urged the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh to draw up a master plan for bringing Dalhousie on the world tourist map along with Amritsar becoming a world’s popular destination centre for trade, commerce, pilgrimage and tourism. Dr Bhardwaj said his party would work for the inclusion of ‘pahari language’ of Himachal Pradesh in the Constitution. He opined that all official work in the government departments of Himachal Pradesh must be done in the Pahari language and the language should be declared as ‘state language’.
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Daily-wage workers yet to be regularised Shimla, December 19 As many as 13,788 workers, who completed 10 years of service were awaiting regularisation in various departments as on March 31,2004. Out of these 1,796 were in various boards and corporation and 11,992 in government departments. The present policy of the government is to regularise those who completed eight years in March 2000. It clearly indicates that with the Centre stressing on downsizing of the government the state is in no hurry to regularise the workers. About 7,338 workers were working in the Public Works Department, followed by 3,012 in the Irrigation and Public Health Department and 1282 in the Forest Department. The regularisation of daily-wage workers, which started in 1994 on the directions of the Supreme Court, had been a big political issue in the state. Both Congress and the BJP tried to out do each other by promising to regularise workers at the earliest. The apex court had ordered regularisation of those who had completed 10 years of service. However, the BJP promised to regularise the workers after eight years of service during 1998 Assembly poll. Not to be left behind the Congress promised to regularise them in seven years. Subsequently, a promise to regularise workers after five years was also made but not seriously pursued. After coming to power the BJP realised that it had no option but to pursue fiscal reforms. Downsizing of the government was the most important component of the reforms programme. Thus, it decided to go slow on regularisation of daily-wage workers. With the government committed to pursue fiscal reforms in accordance with the MoU the regularisation of workers could only be further delayed. The State Electricity Regulatory Commission has already directed the State Electricity Board to carry out regularisation of workers in accordance with the court orders. It is now quite clear that the two main political parties in the state will not be able to make any more promises at least on this front. |
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Exploitation of workers worries AITUC leader Kumarhatti, December 19 Talking to The Tribune here today, he said most of industrial units particularly the new one were making mockery of the labourer laws meant to check the exploitation of workers. He said Section 10 of the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1970, prohibits the employment of labour through contact in manufacturing units. The Act only allowed engagement of temporary labour in loading, unloading and construction work, he pointed out. The problem of the employment through private contractors had gained alarming proportions as every unit setting up its business in state was hiring labour through private contractors, he maintained. The Labour Department had to issue licence despite the violation of norms mainly under political pressure. The contract labourers were not allowed to work for long in units, he said. They were sacked at the will of the employers. Interestingly the contract labourer force were not even aware of their actual employers even after the discontinuation of their services, he asserted. The labour leader said the state government should come forward to issue notification like Kerala, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh where the contract employment was completely banned in direct work, he asserted. |
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Khab to be
single-stage project Shimla, December 19 Investigations carried out by the nigam while preparing the pre-feasibility reports of the 450-MW Khab-I and 186-MW Khab-II projects under the Prime Minister’s 50,000-MW hydro initiative, indicated that combining the two projects into one will be a far more economical proposition. There will be a huge saving in cost as only one dam to divert the fast-flowing Sutlej will be required for a single-stage project as against two if constructed as a two-stage hydro venture. Dam is one of the most expensive components in hydroelectric projects. Similarly, only one desilting facility and a single-power plant will have to be constructed if the projects were combined into one. More importantly, engineers point out, no crossing of the river will be required which will be not the case if the project was executed in two stages. There will be no loss of head and the length of the head race tunnel will be shortened by a about 2 to 3 km. Only about 18 km of tunnel will be needed as against 21 km for the two-stage project. All these factors will bring down the cost of construction and, in turn, the generation cost significantly. While the cost of generation for the 450-MW stage-I came to Rs 2.30 per unit and for 186-MW stage-II to Rs 3 per unit, it will be only about Rs 2.50 per unit for single stage 636-MW project. The low cost of generation makes it a highly attractive project. Meanwhile, the government has written a letter to the Union Power Ministry informing it about its decision to assign the Khab and Luri projects to the Sutlej Jal Vidyut nigam for execution. It has asked the nigam to go ahead with the preparation of detailed project reports and infrastructure development works of the two projects so that they could be executed in the shortest possible time. It had also asked the nigam to give the time schedule for the completion of the projects. It will take some time to sign memorandums of understanding for the two projects as several issues lime terms and conditions of employees to be taken on deputation from the state electricity board and equity participation will have to be finalised. |
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Dumping of garbage continues
Hamirpur, December 19 It dumps nearly five metric tonnes of garbage of the town in the forest. As a result, the area nearby the forest stinks. This area is frequented by morning and evening walkers daily. However, they, too, are fed up with the foul smell. The worst-affected are the hundreds of students of local schools, government degree college and National Institute of Technology here. They go on foot to their respective institutions. A dumper of the civic body was seen downloading the garbage of the town today. Rag-pickers were also found standing nearby the dump. Off loading of the garbage is carried out at least 10 times a day. The Department of Forests has already filed complaints with the HP Pollution Control Board and the local police against the dumping of garbage their forest. However, nothing seems to have been done as yet. Meanwhile, Mr Ajmer Singh Thakur, Executive Officer of the civic body, has said that the work on the solid waste management project is in full swing and the first phase will be completed later this month. He said he had already instructed the contractor concerned to complete the work at the earliest so that the garbage dumping problem was solved. He admitted that the garbage of the town was being dumped in the Dang-Di-Kwadi forest area of the town. “There is no other option with the civic body at present. I appeal to the people of the town to bear with us for some time,” he added. People of the town in the meantime have demanded from the state government and the district administration that they be saved from the dumping of the garbage on the Hamirpur-Sujanpur highway as it was causing them health-related problems. |
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Villagers suffer for want of health centre
Shahpur, December 19 Since then, the health centre has been running from two rooms constructed to enable an out-patient department (OPD). There is lack of infrastructure at the centre and even minor problems are referred to the Zonal Hospital, Dharamsala. Mr Sunit Kumar, president of the Chari panchayat, said that once there used to be a full-fledged ward at the health centre, but now it had now been reduced to a mere dispensary. “The health centre is spread over nearly 12 kanals, donated by villagers. It even had residential quarters for the doctors to provide round-the-clock services. But now there is not enough space for even the staff to sit,” he rued. He said that several reminders to the government, including the Chief Minister, in this regard had fallen on deaf ears. Although they have constructed one floor of the building, it is far from complete. The health centre now has two posts of doctor, a male and female, but no male doctor has been posted for years. An employee of the health centre admitted that the slow construction of the new building was putting the local population to inconvenience. “Provision for wards and operation theatres would be made in the new building but it all sounds like a dream unless it materialises,” he said. “It used to be a Civil Dispensary when the old building was demolished but now it has been upgraded by sanctioning one more post of doctor,” he added. Mr Sudhir Rana, a village resident, said the large chunk of land was lying waste due to sheer indifference of the government. “The initiative taken by the old-timers of the village to get a good set-up in the village has proved futile. The centre was functioning better when it was raised six years ago,” he said. Mr Sunit Kumar said the health centre caters to the needs of several villages of Shahpur constituency and the government should issue instructions to speed up construction of the building and also fill up the vacant post of doctor. “Patients have to travel at least 30 km to get proper treatment. |
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Kalam to interact with varsity students
Dharamsala, December 19 Disclosing this, the Deputy Commissioner of Kangra, Mr Shrikant Baldi, said the President’s chopper would land on the university campus and the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, and the Governor, Mr V. S. Kokje, would receive him. The President will inaugurate an exhibition put up by the university students before interacting with them. Later, the President will head for the IHBT, where he will interact with students of Jawahar Navodya Vidyalaya, Paprola, and other schools of the district. Mr Baldi said the students would be given an opportunity to share their thoughts freely with the President. The schedule of the President’s visit was finalised here today at a meeting of the heads of different departments. The meeting was held on the university campus. |
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NSUI to ‘expose’ BJP on MoU issue Shimla, December 19 Stating this at a press conference, Mr Kewal
Pathania, president of the union, said it was the Dhumal government which not only signed the MoU on April 10,1999, but also implemented most of its clauses. Now when the BJP was in the opposition, it was trying to mislead the people that its government had not signed any document. The BJP government also sent periodical reports to the centre regarding the progress made in the implementation of the
MoU. It also sent a medium-term fiscal forecast to the Centre listing the steps taken or contemplated by it in pursuance of the
MoU. Mr Pathania said the steps taken by the Dhumal government included abolition of 1006 posts and reduction in retirement age of Class IV employees from 60 to 58, ban on employment on compassionate grounds, introduction of a contributory pension scheme for new recruits, imposition of user charges future and blanket ban on filling of vacant posts. He said that the Congress government renegotiated the MoU signed by the BJP government. There would be no ban on recruitment. In fact the government had already given over 20,000 jobs and the Cabinet had cleared another 6,000 posts recently. The leave travel concession facility, which was withdrawn by the BJP regime, had been restored within the state. |
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BJP wants govt to clarify on ‘vidya upasaks’
Hamirpur, December 19 In a statement here, Mr Rana said that it was essential in view of the fact that the future of these teachers was uncertain and they were living in an atmosphere of uncertainty. Mr Rana alleged that the present Congress government was adopting step-motherly treatment for these teachers because they were recruited during the BJP regime. The BJP leader stressed the need for giving them a fair deal as they were part of the state Education Department. |
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1,000 examined at medical camp
Nurpur, December 19 |
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