Shimla, March 15
The question hour in the state Assembly was today disrupted due to raising of slogans and trading of charges between the ruling party and members of the Opposition, who left the House after being dissatisfied with the reply furnished by the government.

It was following a question by a BJP MLA, Mr Harbans Singh Rana, about action initiated against individuals for encroachment on government land in Jwali subdivision that complete pandemonium prevailed in the House, as both the Treasury Benches and the Opposition MLAs indulged in raising of slogans.

Dissatisfied with the information provided by the Revenue Minister, Mr Sat Mahajan, Opposition members left the House. They returned to the House only after business was resumed after the question hour got over. Mr Rana had sought details about encroachments in Tikkan Dhan and Mauja Jwali villages on government land, falling under the Jwali subdivision.

Earlier also there was an uproar in the House when Mr Ravinder Ravi of the BJP raised the issue of unauthorised structures on government land in Mauja Banuri under Palampur tehsil. The Revenue Minister informed that the unauthorised structures had come up on Central Government land, which was later detected by the settlement authorities. He added that by the time the encroachment was detected the structure had already been completed.

Following allegations by Mr Ravi that an attempt was being made to shield the encroachers, the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, said any encroachment on government land would be removed and the guilty punished, as it was a policy decision of his government to remove all unauthorised structures.

In reply to another question by Mr Ramesh Chaudhary of the BJP and Mr Vijai Singh Mankotia about the specifications, bridges and work undertaken on Pathankot-Jogindernagar national highways, Mr Virbhadra Singh said that efforts would be made to complete work on every national highway within the available funds at the earliest.

The Chief Minister clarified that each and every national highway in the state was of great importance and would get equal attention of the state government. “So far 196.80 km length of roads had been double-laned while 77.51 km was single lane. A proposal of Rs 37.29 crore had been made in the annual plan for the year 2005-06,” he stated.

In reply to another question by Mr Kuldeep Pathania, Mr Jai Ram Thakur and other members on roads being constructed under Nabard assistance, the Chief Minister denied that discrimination was being done with any district. “The detailed project reports are made on the priorities listed by the legislator concerned, each one of whom gets four schemes,” he disclosed.

Shimla, March 15
The Assembly today witnessed uproarious scenes as members of the ruling party and the opposition legislators traded charges, following levelling of certain allegations by Mr Mohinder Singh against the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhdara Singh. The remarks were later expunged.

Participating in the debate on the Budget proposals for 2005-06, Mr Mohinder Singh made certain charges to which the Chief Minister objected, stating that the member should either provide documentary evidence to substantiate these allegations or the remarks be expunged from the proceedings of the House. Members from both sides were on their feet as nothing could be heard in the din.

Tempers ran high as Mr Virbhadra Singh dared Mr Mohinder Singh to make these allegations outside the Assembly, as he was taking protection of the privilege of the House. The Speaker later expunged the remarks under Rule 303 of the Rules and Procedures of the HP Vidhan Sabha after Mr Mohinder Singh failed to lay the documents on the table of the House.

Participating in the debate, the Rural Development Minister, Mr Sat Mahajan, said the Budget presented by Mr Virbhadra Singh was a welfare Budget which was public-oriented having a human face. “The very fact that the deficit has been brought down from Rs 1,400 crore to Rs 41 crore shows that the trend of fiscal deterioration has been reversed,” he said.

Mr Mahajan said apart from protecting the interest of farmers, daily wagers and employees, it was a very innovative budget which makes provision for the best highways and collaborations that would give impetus to the development process. He added that there would be special thrust on poverty eradication.

Participating in the debate, the Excise and Taxation Minister, Mr Rangila Ram Rao, sought a detailed investigation into the charges contained in the charge sheet prepared by the Congress during the BJP regime. He demanded that the government must look into the work undertaken by the 5,413 daily wagers who were appointed by the then PWD Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh.

The BJP MLA, Mr Jai Ram Thakur, while accusing the government of acting with political vendetta, said the people had the right to know the achievements of the government during its two-year rule rather than what the BJP regime did during its tenure.

Dr Rajiv Bindal of the BJP demanded that the government should bring in legislation to ensure jobs to Himachalis in the industrial units coming up in the state as the directions in this regard were still not being followed.

The others who participated in the debate included Mr Hari Narain Singh, Mr B.B.L. Butail and Mr Jagat Singh.

Nurpur, March 15
Daily-wage employees serving in the Block Medical Office (BMO), Nurpur have been running from pillar to post to get their nine months’ salary. After approaching the high-ups several times they have now submitted 60-day legal notices on the Secretary and Director, Health.

According to information, these daily wagers had been shifted as surplus employees from the local Nurpur Silk Mill of the State Industrial Development Corporation following its closure in January, 2003.

Enquiries say they got their salaries from January, 2003, to June, 2004. But after that their salaries were not released by the Health Department, causing a lot of hardship to them.

They have urged the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, to intervene and direct the authorities concerned to release their salaries forthwith. Meanwhile Dr Deepak Sharma, Block Medical Officer, when contacted, admitted that the daily wagers had not been getting their salaries for the past nine months.

Mandi, March 15
Over 176 devtas participated in the Shivratri fair procession, led by devta Markandya Rishi and his assistant devta Veer Khatotkach, that concluded here today.

The Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Mr V.S. Kokje, chief guest of the ceremony, was accompanied by other officials who followed the procession from the Raj Madhava temple to the Paddal Maidan.

In the morning, the Shivratri Fair Committee presented “chadars” and puja items to each devta. Last evening, the devtas and devis performed the traditional “Jaag” ceremony, wishing prosperity to the erstwhile royal household of the former Mandi state in the premises of the royal household.

The Chauhata bazaar was echoing with the sound of drums and shehnai.

At the Paddal stadium, schoolchildren and other cultural troupes from Mandi district performed dances in honour of the chief guest.

Mr V.S. Kokje, addressing the gathering, said the committee had organised more activities this time.

Shimla, March 15
More than 50 teachers resigned from the membership of the HP University Teachers Association (HPUTA) today for its failure in taking effective steps for the withdrawal of termination of three teachers.

In a statement issued here today, Prof D.R. Sharma said there was a strong resentment amongst the teachers that despite the assurance given by the HPUTA in the General House meeting on March 4, no substantial steps have been taken. “It is due to political affiliations of the HPUTA and its office-bearers that the matter has not been taken seriously,” he said.

He regretted that despite the teachers expressing full faith in the HPUTA, no attempt had been made even to meet the Chancellor to bring the matter into his notice.

Prof Sharma said as a mark of protest against the inaction by the HPUTA, the teachers had decided to resign from the association and have decided to meet on March 22 to decide the future course of action.