Nurpur, May 11
BJP vice-president and former union minister Shanta Kumar has demanded a CBI probe into the mysterious theft of Rs 50 lakh from the office of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. Addressing a press conference at the residence of president of BJP mahila morcha, Kangra, Malvika Pathania today, he said the people of the state had the right to know the truth as to whose money it and was and why it was kept in the CM Office. "The non registration of an FIR or a complaint in the mysterious theft has raised suspicion and the Chief Minister himself should ask the CBI to hold an inquiry", he added.

Shanta Kumar said he had reliable information of a suitcase containing cash in the CM Office. It contained Rs 1.15 crore out of which Rs 65 lakh was sent to Delhi and the remaining Rs 50 lakh was stolen by one of the members of the staff of the CM Office. Criticising the UPA government for its decision to import wheat at high prices, the former union minister said the government in spite of giving a reasonable support price to the farmers had been importing wheat. "The country has sufficient wheat production but the farmers are not selling their produce to the government procurement agencies due to a lower support price", he said. He alleged that import and export had become a source of gaining commission and corruption was the main cause of inflation in the country.

Shanta Kumar claimed that by fielding Prem Kumar Dhumal from Hamirpur, the BJP would not only win the byelection but also sweep the Assembly poll due in February next year. The BJP would contest the byelection on issues like corruption, unemployment, price rise and false promises made by the Congress before coming into power in the state as well at the Centre.

KANGRA: Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Senior BJP leader Shanta Kumar demanded immediate action against erring officer who failed to maintain law and order in Kangra town when BJP leaders and workers were attacked by some supporters of a minister recently.

He said the concerned officer responsible for the administrative lapse should have been suspended by now by the government.

Shimla, May 11
Even though less than a fortnight is left for the May 23 MC elections, the BJP is yet to release its election manifesto. The party, which was to release the manifesto on May 7, postponed it to May 11, which had now been set for May 13.

All other main parties like the Congress and the CPM have already released their manifestoes. In the process the Congress has practically hijacked all main issues which the BJP intended to include in its manifesto. While the candidates of all other parties are making special mention of the issues highlighted in their manifestoes, the BJP nominees have no such document to support their claims.

As far as the selection of candidates for the 25 MC wards was concerned, the BJP was unable to finalise its nominees in four wards even after the date for filing of nominations had started. This not only gave an opportunity to the Congress to say that the BJP was a house divided but it also gave less time to the candidates. On the other hand, the CPM was the first to release its list of 12 candidates while the Congress finalised all 25 names before the date for nominations. The Congress has been in control of the MC since it came into being in 1986. At present the Congress has 16 councillors while the BJP has seven and the CPM one.

Una, May 11
The Himachal High court has restrained the government from appointment of employees in various departments due to several PILs pending there, said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh here today. He alleged that former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal was responsible for these PILs, particularly in connection with appointments / interviews in various departments.

He said the BJP was known to protect its MPs and ministers involved in corruption cases as though Suresh Chandel was caught accepting money for asking questions in the Lok Sabha, he was only suspended and not dismissed. Likewise, Bangaru Laxman, Ju Deo and Babu Bhai Katara involved in various corruption charges were only suspended from the party but they continued to remain its members.

The BJP, Virbhadra Singh said, would have to explain to the people of Hamirpur parliamentary constituency as why this byelection was taking place, adding that it was only because Suresh Chandel was removed as an MP whose expulsion was later upheld by the Supreme Court.

The Chief Minister said the Hamirpur byelection result might not have much bearing on the vidhan sabha elections in 2008 yet as issues involved in the parliamentary and Assembly poll were altogether different. 

Shimla, May 11
The Centre has agreed in principle to provide funds under the Jawahar Lal Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM) for the construction of four traffic tunnels to end congestion in the state capital.

Urban Development minister Kaul Singh said originally tunnels were not allowed under the mission but the state government convinced the Centre that tunnels would help save trees as there would be little construction activity on the surface.

The state had imposed a moratorium on the felling of trees as saving the green cover was its prime concern.

He said the length of the tunnel from Lift to Lakkar Bazar would be 350 m, Himfed to IGMC would 1.20 km, and Lift to Himfed would be 950 m. The work on the widening of the existing Auckland had already started. Besides, the 4-km long Sanjauli bypass road was nearing its completion and another bypass had been purposed to circumvent the congested Kufri Bazar.

All these projects along with the proposed double-laning of the Circular Road and shifting of Ananj Mandi, Subzi Mandi, Bakeries, Sadar police station and district courts would end the problem of congestion in the city.

He said the state hoped to get about Rs 1,700 crore under the mission.

Palampur, May 11
Even after the High Court direction to the local municipal council either to dismantle or make the necessary amendments in the design of its administrative block-cum-shopping complex, the council has not yet taken any decision. It may be recalled that the High Court had stayed the construction of this building in 2002 for gross violation of rules.

Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that the council deviated from the original plans approved by the Town and Country Planning Department and laid RCC pillars for the construction of 12 shops in the basement. However, as per the plans, there was only a provision for the construction of a parking space in the basement.

Later, residents of the town through public interest litigation challenged the illegal deviation made in the plans of this building in the Himachal Pradesh High Court. They pleaded before the court that the provisions for a parking space made in the original plans should not be scrapped. While accepting the PIL, the High Court issued notices to the government and the Town and Country Planning Department, asking for their replies.

District Town Planning Officer, Kangra, filed an affidavit along with copies of the original plan, stating that as per the plan approved by him there was no provision for the shops in the basement, adding that the council had tampered with the original plans and laid RCC pillars for the construction of shops in gross violation of rules.

After going through the reply filed by the District Town Planning Officer and arguments placed by residents of the town, the High Court stayed the construction of this building. Later, the High Court in its final verdict ordered the dismantling of the half-built structure and directed the Town and Country Planning to ensure that the new complex was constructed at this site within the framework of law and as per plans approved by his department.

After the HC judgment, the municipal council has no other alternative but to dismantle this building, which would result in a net loss of over Rs 25 lakh spent by the council till date. No senior official was ready to disclose on whose orders the original plans were tampered with.

A senior officer of the Local Self-government Department from Shimla told The Tribune that the department would probe this matter to fix the responsibility for tampering with the plans. The report would be placed before the Chief Minister soon.

Hamirpur, May 11
Former Chief Minister and BJP nominee for Hamirpur Parliament election Prem Kumar Dhumal has thrown a counter challenge to Congressmen, “I am ready to contest Rohru Assembly elections if Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh resigns from his present seat.”

Throwing a challenge to Virbhadra, Dhumal said here, “Till the filing of nomination i.e. May 15, he should contest Hamirpur Parliament polls or resign from Rohru Assembly seat and I will contest from both seats.”

He said “Virbhadra should not make comments about defeats of Shanta Kumar in elections, since he himself has lost twice; once in 1977 in Parliament elections against Janta party candidate Ganga Singh and in Assembly elections against Ram Lal Thakur from Jubbal -Kotkhai as the sitting Chief minister.”

Clarifying about Anurag Thakur’s Punjab connection and affidavit in the Punjab High Court he said “Anurag was living in Punjab in connection with a business and he was not alone whose petrol pump was cancelled and petrol pumps of many Congress leaders, including Moti Lal Vora, Girija Vyas and Oscar Fernandez etc were cancelled too.”  BJP leader also took strong exception to Chief Minister’s remarks of calling them NRI Himachalis and said “Many people from the state have been going out of Himachal to earn their livelihood and it is no crime to become economically self -reliant since only kings could enjoy comforts through exploitation of masses.”

Shimla, May 11
The CPM today sought the intervention of the State Election Commission with regard to promotion and transfer of some medical officers by the state government. In a press note issued here today, CPM Shimla district committee secretary Sanjay Chauhan said the government had transferred and promoted some medical officers.

“This is in violation of para 5.6 of the model code of conduct”, he said.

He said the government was still using the state exchequer to launch publicity campaigns. “Hoardings pertaining to the so called achievements of the party in power are still in abundance at various places within the Shimla MC limits,” he said.