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Privilege motion against Dhumal
Abduction of 2 ZP members to be probed afresh: CM
Govt hospitals ill-equipped to handle head injuries
Villages await link roads
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Interlinking of rivers can yield more power, says expert
Docs seek 6 pc rural allowance
Revenue Minister tops expenditure list
MC drive against unauthorised structures
Kalam to interact with villagers
Robbery at bank, cop injured
Undertrial escapes, nabbed
Army recruitment rally from Jan 19
Thakur heads HP Bar Council
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Privilege motion against Dhumal
Shimla, December 21 The notice was given by Mr Ram Lal Thakur, Mr Rangila Ram Rao, Mr Harsh Mahajan, Ms Asha Kumari and Mr Mukesh Agnihotri. The issue was raised by Mr Ram Lal Thakur who maintained that Mr Dhumal had cast aspersions on Deputy Speaker Dharma Pal by stating that “I will not speak in the House when you are in the Chair”. He said Mr Dhumal again repeated those words and his remarks amounted to a breach of privilege and contempt of the House. Mr Gangu Ram Musafir informed the House that he had received the notice and referred it to the privilege committee. He also said he would hold a meeting with the leader of the ruling group and the leader of the BJP group in his chamber to ensure that such incidents were not repeated. He said if the Chief Minister could not make it to the meeting, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs could attend it. It all happened after Mr Ravinder Ravi, who initiated the discussion on the law and order situation in the state, completed his speech. Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, immediately disapproved of the aggressive tone in which Mr Ravi spoke and also counselled that issues should be debated in a dignified way in the House. Joining issue with him, Mr Dhumal said the process should start from the Treasury Benches and pointed out that the Chief Minister had been intervening repeatedly without the permission of the Chair. At this juncture, Mr Dharma Pal , who was in the Chair, asked Mr Dhumal to sit down and let Dr Rajiv Bindal who had also given notice for discussion on the issue speak. While he called the name of Mr Bindal, the BJP members were on their legs urging the Chair to allow Mr Dhumal to speak. However, Mr Pal did not relent and said as per rules the members who had given notices for the discussion would be allowed to speak first. At this Mr Dhumal said “He will not speak when you are in the Chair”. There after all BJP members did not participate in the discussion and left the House. Mr Pal said Mr Dhumal had not given notice for discussion and his name did not figure even in the list of speakers submitted by the party. As such under the rules he could not be allowed to speak. The Congress members demanded action against Mr Dhumal for casting aspersion on the Chair. |
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Abduction of 2 ZP members to be probed afresh: CM
Shimla, December 21 He was replying to a query during the discussion on the law and order situation. He said necessary directions were being issued to the police in this regard. He said the law and order situation was worst during the BJP regime. He said the hill state had been the most peaceful state in the country but still the BJP was focussing on “law and order” as it had no real issues to highlight. Quoting figures, he said the average rate of heinous crimes like murder and rape had been more or less at the same level over the past 10 years. From 1995 to 2003 as on average 123 murders took place annually. The figure up to November 30 this year was 101 which was less than the average. Similarly, as against the average of 716 cases of theft and burglaries, 604 such cases were reported this year up to last month. As far as crime against women was concerned, 839 cases had been registered this year against the average of 900. Not only that no major terrorist-related crime had occurred in the state since 1998. The case of bank dacoity in Nalagarh that took place early this year had been solved. Regarding the case of alleged suicide by a hospital employee in the Ripon Hospital, he said forensic experts had examined the evidence and no foul play was suspected. Earlier, raising the discussion Mr Ravinder Ravi alleged that the Congress government had spent most of its time and energy in harassing the political opponents and diluting cases against the Chief Minister and ministers. Maintaining law and order was not the priority and the police machinery was deployed for other purposes. Politically important cases were being reinvestigated. He said the fact that the government had suspended a munshi for providing an impounded vehicle but taken no action against the officer who used the vehicle reflected the manner it was functioning. Red beacons were being misused by unauthorised persons. He said the police was not being provided requisite funds and telephones at some of the police stations in the state capital had been disconnected because of non-payment of bills. Mr G.S. Bali, Transport Minister, cited the case of abduction of two women members of the Kangra Zila Parishad to drive home his point that even ministers indulged in such acts during the BJP rule. Mr Ram Lal Thakur, Forest Minister, also cited cases involving BJP leaders. |
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Govt hospitals ill-equipped to handle head injuries
Dharamsala, December 21 Even though Dr Rajindra Prasad Medical College and Hospital, Dharamsala, boasts of a surgical ICU on paper, it is non-functional and all complicated cases, like those of head injuries, are referred either to Shimla or Chandigarh. Talking to The Tribune, senior doctors said since a staff of doctors, nurses and anaesthetists is needed to provide round-the-clock ICU services, it is a big task for the already short-staffed hospital. The neo-natal and paediatrics ICUs at the Dharamsala hospital are non-functional and all cases are referred out. Dr Ajay Dutta, president, Himachal Medical Officers’ Association, said besides serious head injuries, cases where patients are unable to breathe properly also need to be admitted in a surgical ICU. “The PGI is a long distance from here and such cases need immediate treatment. The hospital also does not have a neuro surgeon,” he added. Mr Ajit Kumar, a college lecturer, said his niece, who sustained head injuries in a car accident, had to be rushed to the PGI but died on the way. “It is impossible for patients who are already in a critical condition to hold on for a six-hour journey to Chandigarh. A number of patients from the various Civil Hospitals are brought here and from here they are asked to go to either Chandigarh or Shimla,” he said. When contacted, Dr J.R. Azad, Medical Superintendent, said although the hospital had provision for a
surgical ICU, since not many cases came on a regular basis, the nursing and other staff had been shifted in the medical ICU and other departments. Senior doctors at the hospital, however, admitted that they were getting serious cases, especially those with head injuries. Dr Praladh Duggal, president, Resident Doctor’s Association, said that since Dr Rajindra Prasad Medical College and Hospital catered to a large population of the entire Kangra region, it definitely needed the three ICUs —
surgical, neo-natal and paediatrics — in functional condition. “What is the point in having them on paper if patients cannot be admitted there,” he said. Another doctor said that as per the conditions of the Medical Council of India (MCI), the Dharamsala hospital did need a functional surgical ICU. “Maybe the authorities are waiting for the new building to come up to set up the ICU there by bringing in more staff,” he said. |
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Villages await link roads
Shahpur, December 21 It takes nearly two hours to cover the uneven terrain to reach Government Primary School in Manoh village. No wonder, for years, there was only a single teacher managing its affairs and the locals had to appoint a helper on their on expense to run the show in her absence. Pritam Chand, an old-timer, said that it was only last week that another teacher was posted in the school. “Otherwise, it was very difficult for the sole lady teacher to cover nearly 3 km of unmetalled path on foot, especially during rains. The school is also in a dilapidated condition and lacks even the basic facilities,” he said. “Every student used to pay Rs 2 as school fee and Rs 8 towards the salary of the helper who used to teach them in the teacher’s absence. No government employee would like to work here, be it for imparting education or providing medical services, unless the village is connected by road,” said Sarita Rani, another village resident. “In the absence of a dispensary, patients have to be taken to Shahpur or Dharamsala. Since the road is unmetalled, pregnant women have to be carried in a palki. Covering the distance on foot would be impossible,” she added. It is a similar story for Thoth village. Despite repeated surveys, the government has failed to provide a road link to the village and locals have to cover nearly 4 km of kutcha path on foot. “Work on the project had started nearly four years back under a Guru Ravidas scheme as the village has a majority of Scheduled Caste population. A sum of Rs 1.5 lakh was spent on the road but soon we were told that the village had been shifted to the adjoining panchayat and we had no business to build the road. The money received by us under the scheme was returned,” said a member of the Chari panchayat. Mahinder Singh, an ex-serviceman, said that repeated reminders to the government and local administration in this regard had fallen on deaf ears. “They have again got a survey done about two years back but nothing has changed on the ground. Sometimes they say there is a shortage of funds, then they say they are waiting for the weather to clear up,” he said. |
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Interlinking of rivers can yield more
Shimla, December 21 This was stated by Mr M.
Gopalakrishnan, Secretary-General, International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage, here today. He delivered the keynote address at the second Dr
Y.S. Parmar Memorial Lecture organised by the Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd. He said the interlinking of 29 rivers across the country, including 13 Himalayan and 19 peninsular links, had the potential of generating an additional 34,000 MW of hydro-power. “These links would involve construction of nearly 12,500 km of canal length system and result in flood management and drought proofing,” he remarked. He added that the programme drafted by the Task Force, constituted in 2003 by the Central Government, envisaged the interlinking of the 29 rivers would generate direct employment for 10 million persons. The Chief Guest on the occasion, Mr Gangu Ram
Musafir, Speaker of the state Assembly, appreciated the endeavour of the Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam
(SJVN) in promoting the cause of hydro-power generation, not just in Himachal but also in other parts of the country. |
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Docs seek 6 pc rural allowance
Shimla December 21 A deputation of the association met the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, here today, demanding the fulfilling of the long pending demands of the doctors in the state. They said the pre-1998 position of post-graduation increments be restored so that the degree holders get four increments and diploma holders get two increments. They also requested that the PG Registrars, working at the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Tanda Medical College, should be covered under this as they were not getting this benefit presently. They also requested the Chief Minister to fulfill the demand of the grant of 6 per cent rural allowance to medical officers serving in the rural areas on the Punjab pattern. They also requested that the services of the doctors working on adhoc or contract basis be regularised through the Public Service Commission. Mr Virbhadra Singh assured the doctors that the government would sympathetically consider their demands. The Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Mukesh Agnihotri, also requested the Chief Minister to fulfill the genuine demands of the doctors.
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Revenue Minister tops expenditure list
Shimla, December 21 This information was given to the House by the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, during the question hour. The maximum amount of Rs 27,36,391 was incurred on telephone bills, followed by Rs 14,51,335 on daily allowance and Rs 8,23,226 on travelling allowance. While Mr Sat Mahajan, Revenue Minister, topped the list with Rs 6,57,357, including medical bills amounting to Rs 1,76,981, Ms Vidya Stokes, Power Minister, who does not draw salary or claim travelling and daily allowance , was the
last. Her expenses were limited to the telephone bills amounting to Rs 74,791. The Chief Minster was at the second place with Rs 6, 27,024 in which telephone bills accounted for Rs 4,25,961. The expenses of some other ministers included Mr Kuldeep Kumar, Industries
Minister (Rs 4,51,064) Mr Ram Lal ,Forest Minister (Rs 4,49,673), Mr Harsh Mahajan, Animal Husbandry Minister ( Rs 4,22,357) and Ms Chandresh Kumari, former Health Minister (Rs 4,07,489). Answering a question of Mr Habhajan Singh of the Congress the Chief Minister said the circular road in the state capital was being widened at various identified points to ensure smooth flow of vehicular traffic.
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MC drive against unauthorised structures
Shimla, December 21 Compelled by the directions of the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, that electricity and water connections of all unauthorised structures be disconnected within a fortnight, the MC swung into action by disconnecting a few metres in some colonies. It is learnt that the MC authorities are going slow with the crackdown on the unauthorised constructions in view of the visit of the President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on December 22 and 23. Some of the councillors yesterday alleged that the policy of pick and choose was being adopted against the defaulters. The Deputy Mayor, Mr Shashi Shekhar, was sore that certain areas where the encroachments were maximum were being spared while selective action was being taken against other wards. Though the MC Commissioner, was not available for comments but it is learnt that some electricity metres had been disconnected in the Phagli, Nabha and Lal Pani and Chotta Shimla areas. |
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Kalam to interact with villagers
Shimla, December 21 The President, who will arrive here from Palampur, will drive straight from Kalyani airport to Retreat for lunch. After lunch he will drive to Sarol village, 4 km ahead of Fagu. A function has been organised in the ground of Government High School where he will interact with schoolchildren and villagers. From Sarol village, the President will drive to the farm of the Central Potato Research Institute. He will visit an exhibition on potato research and interact with scientists. The President will address the legislators of the Himachal Assembly on December 23 and interact with college and university students at a separate function. He will leave for Delhi in the afternoon. |
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Robbery at bank, cop injured
Nahan, December 21 On hearing about the entry of robbers in the bank, shopkeepers and passersby rushed towards the bank and raised the alarm forcing the robbers to flee. The police at Singhpura was informed about the incident. Youdhbir Singh, a constable, who tried to stop the robbers at Nao Ghat, near Singhpura in Paonta tehsil was fired at by them. Youdhbir Singh received bullet injuries in leg and hand. Robbers fled towards Uttaranchal on their motor cycle. Security arrangements along the border of Haryana and Uttaranchal have been beefed up. Mr Padam Chand DSP, was leading the investigation into the incident. Sources say that several people of the area have informed the police that two unidentified youths were noticed several times roaming about in the Rajpura and Singhpura area for few days. |
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Undertrial escapes, nabbed
Nahan, December 21 According to sources, the undertrial, who belongs to Sonepat district of Haryana, was lodged in Model Central Jail of Nahan. He was handed over to the police by the Jail authorities last evening as he was to be produced in a Sonepat court today. The accused Rajesh Kumar managed to escape from the police custody at night. A manhunt was launched to nab him. He was found travelling in a Shimla-bound bus and arrested. The Sarahan police has registered a case against Rajesh Kumar. Mr S.R. Sharma, SP, said strict action would be taken against the negligent cops. |
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Army recruitment rally from Jan 19
Hamirpur, December 21 Col P.K. Aggarwal, Director (Recruiting), said here today that the youth born between June 30, 1984, and July 19, 1987, would be eligible for the recruitment. He said outstanding sportspersons who had played at the state or national level should bring their certificates which should be duly signed by the SAI authorities. He warned the youth against touts and anti-social elements saying that the recruitment would purely be on merit. Those found using unfair means would be disqualified and punitive action would be taken against them, he added. |
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Thakur heads HP Bar Council
Shimla, December 21 |
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