Shimla, May 2
Nineteen persons were killed and 22 injured, five of them seriously, when a private bus plunged into a gorge near Majhiun in Kotkhai, around 70 km from here, today.

The bus (HP 52-3405) was on its way from Kiari to Shimla. While 12 persons died on the spot, three succumbed to injuries on their way to the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) Hospital and four died in the hospital. All injured were brought to the IGMC Hospital, Shimla.

While driver Mina Ram was injured, Gobind, brother of the owner of the bus who doubled as a conductor for the vehicle, was killed. His brother-in-law Vinod was also killed in the mishap. There were three women and two children among the deceased.

The victims were mostly from villages between Kiari and Kupri and some of them had boarded the bus just minutes before the mishap. There were 43 persons onboard in the 44-seater vehicle at the time of the accident.

The injured said there was no fault of the driver who had been plying bus on the route for the past many years. The vehicle was moving at a moderate speed at the time of the mishap. Rajender Chauhan of Koti, who survived with a chest injury, said there was a crashing sound after which the bus veered off the road and fell into the khad.

There was a curve at the spot. However, the road was levelled and there was no gradient there. Some vital part of the bus must have broken down, felt Manmohan of Pandara village, who escaped with minor bruises.

The bus turned over more than once while rolling down into the gorge.

Residents of Majhiun village and the motorists passing by were the first to reach the bus that lay mangled in the gorge. By the time the police and the rescue team reached the spot, some injured persons had already been evacuated and brought to the roadside. The relief and rescue operations gained momentum after Theog tehsildar and DSP Ravinder Sharma reached there with a team of doctors and rescue workers. DC Tarun Kapoor and SP A.P. Singh remained at the IGMC till all the injured were settled.

A.P. Singh said that as per the statements of witnesses it appeared that the accident was apparently caused due to a mechanical failure. The exact cause would be ascertained only after detailed investigations into the mishap.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the accident and announced a relief of Rs 75,000 to the dependents of the deceased and Rs 15,000 to each injured. He also visited the hospital and inquired about the well-being of the injured.

Tarun Kapoor said the inquiry had been entrusted to D.D. Sharma, Additional District Magistrate (protocol).

A pall of gloom descended on Kupri as the news of accident reached the village. Out of the 20 persons killed in the mishap, five were from Kupri and they had boarded the bus minutes before the accident.

Shrishti, a class XII student who was among the injured, lost her parents, Ramesh Chauhan, an employee of the Excise and Taxation Department, and Archna, a housewife. She and her younger brother, a student of class X, have been left alone.

Another family that was devastated due to the accident was that of Rajender Chauhan who died on way to the hospital. He had performed the engagement ceremony of her daughter only two days ago and the family was preparing for the marriage.

Governor V.S. Kokje, transport minister G.S. Bali, MP Pratibha Singh and local MLA Rohit Thakur have expressed shock over the accident and conveyed their sympathies to the bereaved families.

Those killed in the accident have been identified as Prem (42), Ramesh Chauhan (45) of Kupri and his wife Archana (42), Randhir Chauhan (68) of Kupri, Sandhya (37) of Charhol, Mohan Lal (57) of Kupri, Sher Bahadur (45), Panu Ram (40) of Koti, Vinod (26) of Barhau, Karun (26) of Khodvi, Shayama Nand of Pujarli, Pushan Pande (22) and Baliya (25), both of Gobindpur (Orissa), Bijuri Rishi (24), Satpal (35) of Panog, Naresh (38) of Gasi, Rita (38) of Koti and Rajender Chauhan (45) of Kupri.

Those injured were: Mina Ram (driver), Rajender and Anita of Koti, Chetan, Shikha of Gasi, Vishal of Charhol, Neena Mehta of Koti, Kaushalya of Dhilvi, Sanjeev of Naugaon, Madhu of Majholi, Surender of Chunni, Archana of Kupri, Manmohan of Padara, Narender of Kyari, Vijaynagar of Koti, Parkash of Chadol, Sudha Devi of Kurpi, Amar Singh of Chadog, Veer Singh of Kotkhai, Mukesh, Sher Singh of Halai, Shrishti of Kupri and Subhadra of Naugaon.

Dharamsala, May 2
Reacting to yesterday’s incident of clash between Congress and BJP workers, transport and tourism minister G.S. Bali has alleged that the BJP was trying to disturb peace and create a law and order problem in the otherwise peaceful hill state.

Talking to mediapersons here today, he said it was the BJP leaders who instigated their workers to attack the peacefully protesting Congress workers. Showing a video clipping and a few photographs, he claimed that there were enough evidences to prove that the BJP workers had first attacked the Congress supporters that had led to the clash.

He said the workers of the BJP were always looking for a chance to disturb the peace for their vested political interests. He said by creating a law and order problem, the BJP was trying to make it an issue in the coming Hamirpur Lok Sabha elections, which was not only unethical but also a breach of trust with the common people.

Reply to a question, he said BJP national vice-president Shanta Kumar and a former Chief Minister of the state was a responsible and respectable politician; therefore, he should not indulge himself into such gimmicks for vested political gains. “He should not have provoked his supporters to create a messy situation”, he said.

Bali warned the BJP that “Law will take its own course and whosoever found guilty will be punished as per the law of the land”, he said.

He said the BJP leaders after the incident had also tried to ‘terrorise’ senior officials of the district administration to lodge a false complaint against him and his supporters.

shimla: The Congress has blamed the BJP for the clash between supporters of the two parties in Kangra yesterday.

General Secretary of the party Kuldeep Rathore said the entire incident had been video-graphed and a video CD was available with the party. It would be released to the media and submitted to the police to help in investigation, if required.

The BJP was the main opposition and in a democratic set-up it had every right to criticise the government and stage peaceful agitations to highlight its viewpoint. However, the party had been behaving in an irresponsible manner of late and resorting to provocative methods.

He said it had been burning effigies of leaders which was not relished by people as burning effigies of living aroused their sentiments.

Himachal Pradesh was a peaceful state and there was need to have a fresh look on such forms of protest. The Congress would certainly consider the issue and issue directions to its frontal organisations to refrain from such actions in the interest of peace and maintain sobriety in political talks.

Nurpur, April 2
The state BJP unit has demanded Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to remove the transport minister G.S.Bali from his Cabinet on moral grounds in the wake of the clash between Congress and BJP workers in Kangra yesterday.

State BJP spokesperson Rajinder Rana in a statement issued here today alleged that Bali had instigated his supporters and musclemen to indulge in violence against the BJP demonstrators. He termed the attack on the BJP activists by Bali’s supporters as a ‘murder of democracy’ in the state. He also demanded a high-level probe by an independent agency into the role of the local administration and police which remained mute spectators to the hooliganism and attack on the BJP workers with glass bottles and stones by Bali’s supporters.

SHIMLA: The BJP today demanded the dismissal of transport minister G.S. Bali and an inquiry into the shopping complex and bus stand project being made on a BOT basis at Mcleodganj in Kangra.

State BJP general secretary Khushi Ram Balnatah said the Chief Minister should order a probe into the project which had raised so many doubts," he said. If the Chief Minister ordered an inquiry into the project at Mcleodganj, the BJP would provide proof of all allegations levelled against the controversial minister.

The BJP leaders said it was surprising that the Chief Minister was shielding and protecting Bali, who was always in the thick of controversy every now and then. He added that the manner in which the government had given additional land for the construction of the shopping complex along with the bus stand at Mcleodganj, raised doubts in the minds of the people.

"What is the reason that the government refuses to make public the terms and conditions of this controversial project in which the name of the Chief Minister is also being dragged," he remarked. The contractor executing this project had committed all sorts of violations, including those concerning the Town and Country Planning, Forest and Urban Development Departments.

"Despite the BJP alerting the administration about trouble from Congress workers, the authorities chose not to take any preventive measures which could have averted such a clash," he said.

BILASPUR: Prominent BJP leader and former health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda today condemned the violent attack on BJP workers by Congress supporters of transport and tourism minister G. S. Bali at Kangra yesterday, resulting in serious injuries to at least six BJP leaders. Nadda has demanded immediate arrest of the culprits and a high-level inquiry into the matter.

He warned that if the attackers were not arrested within two days, the BJP would be forced to launch a statewide protest. 

Shimla, May 2
The local Indo-Tibetan Friendship Society organised a function at Dorje Duk Tibetan Bauddh Vihar, here at Panthaghati, to commemorate Gautam Buddha’s 2,551st birth anniversary.

Forest minister Ram Lal Thakur, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said the teachings of Gautam Buddha were relevant even today. He said though Buddhism originated in India, the religion had gained tremendous popularity throughout the world. He said the rich and the poor alike were attracted by the simplicity of Buddha’s teachings and his emphasis on equality of all human beings.

He said according to Buddhism, desire was the main cause of all evils and sufferings in the world. Lord Buddha advocated the Eightfold Path consisting of precepts like right conduct, right motive, right speech, right effort, right resolve, right livelihood, right attention and right meditation to overcome suffering.

He appreciated the efforts of the Indo -Tibetan Friendship Society, Shimla, for spreading the massage of Lord Buddha among the masses.

A Thanka painting of Lord Buddha was also unfurled on the occasion. Kempo Rinpoche, vice-chairman, Tibetan Baudh Vihar, Sanjauli, also briefed about the teachings of Lord Buddha.

Daband Yontan, vice-chairman, Indo-Tibetan Friendship Society, Shimla, welcomed the chief guest and others.

The students of Tibetan Central School, Chhota Shimla, presented a colourful cultural programme.

Palampur, May 2
The administration at Baijnath today banned mining in the Binwa khad within the 1 km radius of the ancient Shiva temple situated on its left bank. Unscientific mining and quarrying in the river had endangered the temple. All lease permits for the extraction of stones and sand have been cancelled. Mule owners who were earlier allowed extract sand and bajari had also been barred from entering the khad.

Baijnath SDM Sandeep Kumar issued these orders today. These steps have been initiated after a news item appeared in The Tribune a few days back with the heading " Mining threatens ancient Baijnath temple." Thereafter the administration swung into action and initiated stringent measures to enforce the ban imposed by the HP High Court effectively on the extraction of sand, stones and bajari from the khad.

Official sources told The Tribune Chief Minister Virbhadara Singh was concerned about the safety 1,000-year-old Shiva temple situated at Baijnath which attracted thousands of tourists every year. The Tourism Department had also reportedly expressed concern over the safety of the temple in a letter to the government.

Official sources confirmed that these steps had been initiated to save the historic Shiva temple as the reckless mining in the khad had led to cracks in its retaining walls.

The SDM, who is also the administrator of the temple, said heavy penalties would be imposed on the defaulters. The mining inspector had also been asked to implement the ban strictly.

The temple is under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India. It has spent lakhs of rupees on the maintenance and development of the surrounding area of the temple in the past 10 years.

McLeodganj, May 2
The hill town of McLeodganj, a famous international tourist destination for being the abode of the Dalai Lama and headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile, is losing its natural beauty and fast becoming a concrete jungle because of the construction of unauthorised buildings.

Several builders in connivance with government officials are constructing multi-storeyed buildings. More than 60 notices have been served on illegal constructions during the past several months by the town and country planning department, but no action has been taken.

Undoubtedly, there is a caucus of politicians, officials and builder as the construction work is still going on that has threatened to convert the hill town into a concrete jungle.

Sources have revealed that hundreds of Tibetans have also encroached upon a huge area of the town, besides building byelaws violations by many hotel owners.

A large number of fast food counters, coffee shops and hotels have come up in the outskirts of the town in the reserve forest areas.

A.N. Gautam, divisional town and country planning officer, admits to the construction of illegal buildings in McLeodganj. He says the department regularly serves notices on illegal constructions and asks the local municipal council to take action accordingly, besides requesting the irrigation and public health department and electricity board to disconnect the water and power connections.

"We do not receive any positive response from any of the departments," he alleges.

He says the forest department should come up strongly against the illegal constructions going on in the forest areas.

It may be mentioned that several multi-storeyed buildings have come up on the forestland, especially alongside the narrow roads leading to Bhagsu Nag, the Mountaineering Institute and the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA). These constructions have caused congestion and it is difficult for heavy vehicles to ply on these steep and narrow roads.

The forest department maintains that under the present circumstances it is difficult to demolish these structures. The problem is further compounded since house tax is being charged from the encroachers for the past many years.

Local politicians are being ably supported by some officials in promoting the interests of the land mafia. There is tremendous pressure from the politicians to save certain structures, a senior official admits.

Several builders in connivance with government officials are constructing multi-storeyed buildings. More than 60 notices have been served on illegal constructions during the past several months by the town and country planning department, but no action has been taken.

Shimla, May 2
Rain in Shimla and other parts of the state brought down temperature by four to five notches today, bringing cheers for the local people and tourists reeling under hot conditions for the past many days.

Shimla recorded about 14.8 mm of rain this morning, Met officials said.

Minimum temperature in the city, which was 16.5°C in the morning, came down to 13.2°C after nearly two hours of downpour, they said. Rain was reported from other parts of the state, too. While Dharamsala recorded around 18.6 mm rain, it was 6 mm at Bhuntar.

Though no rain was reported from the famous tourist resort of Manali, overcast condition prevailed there.

Inclement weather forced Jackson Airline to divert its Shimla-Kullu flight to Chandigarh.

Sources in the airline said the flight came to Shimla from Delhi and proceeded on onward journey to Kullu with 17 passengers on board. But, inclement weather forced the aircraft to return mid-way and it was taken to Chandigarh.

Weathermen have forecast rain and thundershowers at many places by tomorrow.

Director of Met office Manmohan Singh said rain was due to western disturbance over Jammu and Kashmir and adjoining areas. — PTI

Nahan, May 2
The BSP has decided to field candidates from all 68 Assembly constituencies of the state in the Assembly polls, due in February next year.

The BSP will emerge as a “big political force” by contesting the next state Assembly elections and the balance of power will be in the party’s hands, party’s national general secretary and in charge of party affairs in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Chandigarh Sardar Man Singh Manhera told mediapersons here.

He said the BSP would launch an agitation against the state government’s failure on all fronts, including rising prices of essential commodities, next month. Besides, the party will also initiate mass contact programme in the state to broaden its reach, Manhera said.

He said party supremo Mayawati was also likely to visit the state in September as a part of the exercise.

Paying tributes to Baba Sahib Bhim Rao Ambedkar, he said the BSP was the sole representative of the backward and downtrodden people and hoped that the section of the society in the state would identify with it.

Launching a scathing attack on both the Congress and the BJP, the BSP leader said while the Congress-led UPA government was pursuing “wrong policies”, the BJP was dividing the people the Ram temple issue.

State party president Balwant Singh expressed optimism that the Bahujan Samaj would support the party in the state. — UNI

Hamirpur, May 2
Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education B.R. Rahi has warned “private schools running education shops” that the board would not allow extortion of money from students in the name of providing education.

Talking to mediapersons here Rahi said “A few private schools were involved in taking money from students in the name of building funds etc should stop the practice, since the board has banned collection of such funds.”

He said, “Despite the board orders complaints have been received against a few schools and action will be taken against them”.

Rahi said the education board was in the process of grading private schools as per the infrastructure and education facilities available with these schools.

He reiterated that the board would not allow violation of norms fixed for providing infrastructure in private schools beyond September 30 and defaulting private schools would face disaffiliation.

Rahi said the education board had introduced reforms in examination system; syllabuses, results declarations etc and students, teachers and academicians had been consulted to make the functioning of the education board transparent and better.

Hamirpur, May 2
When eight-hour duty is the accepted norm everywhere the HRTC is flouting labour laws by denying the same to about 200 contract conductors.

These conductors have to perform 12 to 13 hours duty without any rest and that too without getting any overtime.

On condition of anonymity a conductor told The Tribune “ It becomes difficult to work for such a long period and the situation becomes worse during the summer.”

Interestingly, their regular colleagues get break after eight- hour duty and are paid overtime if they have to work beyond eight hours.

These contract conductors, employed about three years ago, get a fixed amount of Rs 2,000, besides commission. They are not given many other facilities by the HRTC.

When HRTC general manager Rajeev Gupta was contacted to verify if the corporation was flouting labour laws he gave a brief answer that “ there is no provision in the policy for eight-hours duty or overtime.”

However, joint labour commissioner S.C. Awasthi asserted that “ this practice is a clear violation of many sections of labour laws, especially the Transport Workers Act, 1961, and the Minimum Wages Act, 1948.”

Nahan, May 2
Seven persons were injured, three of them seriously, in a clash that took place in the Bohal Talia panchayat of Rajgarh subdivision, around 150 km from here, this evening. The injured were admitted to the Rajgarh subdivisional hospital.

A gram sabha meeting of the Bohal Talia panchayat was convened in the panchayat ghar today. However, the meeting was postponed in the afternoon for the want of quorum. Everything was going on smoothly till the proceedings of the panchayat were on. Trouble started when some people armed with lathis, iron rods and pipes attacked a group of people who were coming out of the panchayat ghar after the announcement of the postponement of the meeting.

The attackers fled from the spot after seriously injuring four members of a political group. Both groups reached the Rajgarh police station and the trouble started again. It was a scene of free-for-all in front of the police station itself. Lathis and stones were used for hitting each other. Three more persons, including former president of the panchayat Som Dutt, were seriously injured.

Members of both groups reportedly kept searching for members of the rival group to settle scores till late in the evening. This led to tension in the area.

Meanwhile, the police has tightened security in the area keeping in view the possibility of another such incident. Medical examination of the injured was on till late in the evening.

Political enmity was said to be the cause behind the incident.

Deputy S.P. of Rajgarh said cross-FIRs had been registered in connection with the incident.

Bilaspur, May 2
The Ghumarwin police arrested Prem Lal for allegedly being responsible for the death of his pregnant wife, Ganga Devi (22) of Chalehali village, about 30 km from here, yesterday. Prem Lal has been remanded in police custody for four days.

Ganga Devi's body has been brought to the district hospital here for a post-mortem. The parents of Ganga Devi had filed an FIR saying that Prem Lal had been maltreating Ganga Devi and her death was result of his alleged cruelty towards her since she was married to him about one-and-a-half-years ago.

Ganga Devi was said to be eight months' pregnant, had told her parents about the repeated beatings and maltreatment by her husband, allegedly under the influence of liquor. On the day of her death also, she informed her parents on the phone that her life was in danger. — OC

Dharamsala, May 2
Senior citizens here have asked the district administration to stop the burning of garbage in the open, as it attracted stray cattle. They said adequate steps should be taken to stop public and government agencies from dumping garbage and muck on the roadsides. Senior citizens’ forum president R.L. Mahajan said on Wednesday that the memorandum will be submitted to the DC on Thursday. —TNS