Hamirpur, May 12
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh lashed out at BJP on the issue of corruption at a party rally before the filing of papers by Ram Lal Thakur for the Hamirpur byelection.

He said, “Dhumal was neck deep in corruption while being Chief Minister of the state. It does not look good when he levels corruption charges against others since three ministers and four MLAs of his own government had levelled corruption charges against him in the state assembly and even withdrew support from his government.”

He said the allegations had still not been withdrawn and the Congress would take these charges to the people after obtaining a copy of these from the state assembly.

Not only did the CM make remarks about charges of corruption against BJP leaders, Babu Bhai Katara, Joodeo and Suresh Chandel etc, he also castigated the party for compromising on the corruption issue since all of these leaders had only been suspended from the party and not expelled so far.

State Congress president Viplov Thakur, Congress nominee Ram Lal Thakur and local MLA Anita Verma also addressed the rally. Several ministers, MLAs and other Congress leaders were also present.

Meanwhile, addressing a press conference here, the Chief Minister said the Central and state Congress governments had taken adequate steps to check price rise. He said the prices had gone up sharply throughout the country and these were much higher in the BJP-ruled states. The state government was providing Rs 100-crore subsidy to provide ration at reasonable rates, he added.

Shimla, May 12
The BJP today released its manifesto for the forthcoming Shimla MC elections. The party has promised that the capital allowance will be enhanced to Rs 300 in view of the price rise, while issues like retention policy and merger of SADAs into municipal areas will be reconsidered.

Releasing the manifesto, state BJP chief Jai Ram Thakur said the Congress had failed to provide even basic civic amenities to the people during its 20-year rule. He said the BJP would appeal to the residents to give them an opportunity to serve them so that they could feel the difference in the rule by the Congress and the BJP.

“One of the major areas of concern for the BJP is providing alternative sites to those residing in dharas (illegal structures) so that they can be settled before their structures are removed,” he said.

He said on being voted to power, the BJP would enhance the capital allowance from the present Rs 175 to Rs 300. “Our government will also ensure that the amount collected in the name of professional tax before it was withdrawn be returned to the people from whom it was collected,” he said.

“All that the Congress has given to the people is contaminated drinking water and bankruptcy,” he said. He said providing clean drinking water, adequate parking areas, ensuring cleanliness, traffic regulation, improving public facilities and increasing the income of the MC would be some of the priorities of the party.

He said inclusion of Shimla as one of the 63 cities covered under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) was due to the document prepared by the Dhumal regime. “It was BJP’s concept and the Congress has simply given it a new name,” he said.

He said it was the Shanta Kumar government that took care of the water requirement of the people with the launch of the Ashwani khud scheme, while it was P.K. Dhumal who ensured that there was parking for at least 3,000 vehicles in the town. “It was the Dhumal regime that gave a grant of Rs 32 crore to the MC so that it could tide over its liabilities on account of the water and electricity bills. On the other hand, the Congress government has made the MC bankrupt,” he said.

Kullu, May 12
To curb the drug menace, top officials from the judiciary, the police and the NCB have gathered here at a three day -long workshop on the NDPS Act organised by the HP State Judicial Academy here.

HP High Court senior judge Justice D.D. Sood who inaugurated the workshop said the low rates of conviction, a lack of knowledge about the NDPS Act among the police, prosecution and judicial officers and lack of stringent laws to bring the big fish to book are among factors that need to be addressed.

He said the need of the hour was to first rehabilitate drug addicts, licensed centres to take care of them and villagers need a viable economic alternative.

Justice S.S. Thakur said it needed a comprehensive strategy involving all arms of society to enforce the NDPS Act. NCB zonal director Saji Mohan said the NCB had strengthened its operating mechanism to tighten its noose around the drug mafia operating through Internet and other high-tech channels.

Judicial academy director Justice George said conviction rate remained low due to high rate of acquittals in drug cases registered by the police. Of the 308 cases in courts 133 cases had been disposed off, and 107 cases were acquitted. Reason being poor prosecution and hostile witnesses.

Nahan, May 12
The proposed 40-MW Renuka Hydel Power Project costing Rs 2,065 crore will be able to feed Delhi with substantial water supply by 2010.

The proposed project is coming up in Renuka on River Giri in Sirmour district.

The hydel project now already cleared by the Central Water Commission was initially conceived in May 1997, but Haryana and Punjab reportedly too filed their claims for marginal share in the proposed water scheme, since the pipeline will pass through their territorial region.

Due to the delay, the project has already suffered an additional cost of about Rs846 crores, said Pabbar Power Corporation MD A.K. Awasthi.

The project will help to overcome the acute drinking water shortage in Delhi.

In order to counter the challenge of paucity of water, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit have taken the issue of water seriously and intervened to accelerate the operations of the Renuka project at the earliest.

Over 300 families, however, will be displaced due to the planned hydel project and about 1,200 hectare of land will be submerged by the water expanse, and trees will also be felled in the project area.

The uprooted and disturbed families will be rehabilitated with compensations will be paid from the Central pool, sources added.

Nahan, May 12
Shortage of manpower in the office of the Pollution Control Board, Paonta, has plagued the efficient functioning of the local office here.

Residents continue to bear the brunt as the pollution goes unchecked.

In view of the fast expanding industrialisation in the area, three vacant posts of assistant engineer, senior superintendent and accountant have become a matter of serious concern for residents of the adjoining area local chamber of commerce president Satish Goel said.

The present staff has failed to shoulder the burden of carrying out periodical raids on the pollution emitting industrial units. More than 500 industrial units are functioning day and night, which have remained unchecked and are having a field day in the absence of visits by the pollution control board officials.

Due to irregular vehicular facilities, the office here has not been able to inspect the mining operations. A vehicle is provided to carryout field duties only for 15 days which is normally not in a good condition. Heavy unscientific mining is going unchecked in the Sangrah, Renuka, Kamrau, Banaur, Bhutmari and Khatkar.

Nahan, May 12
A large number of office-bearers and members of three women organisations of Bohal Talia panchayat under the leadership of panchayat president Sulekha, and B.D.C. member Suman, met SDM Rajgarh, Vivek Chandel, today.

They complained that some miscreants under the patronage of the present vice-president and former president of the panchayat were terrorising and threatening residents of the area. They said it had become difficult for them to move freely in the area due to terror of these people.

Women members comprising Mahila Mandal Dhar Pajera president Kiran, Mahila Mandal Talia president Krishna, Mahila Mandal Haloni Pul president Satya Devi, and office-bearers told mediapersons that they had submitted a memorandum to the SDM requesting him to check the ongoing terror in the area. In their memorandum they have expressed apprehension of another bloodshed in the Panchayat.

They said on May 2nd last, this group armed with sticks, iron rods attacked three residents of the panchayat suddenly, without any provocation when they were coming out of the panchayat ghar after announcing the postponement of the general house meeting for the want of quorum.

The injured included Ram Prakash, Raj Kumar and Arjun were undergoing treatment at the IGMC, Shimla.

They said the group belonged to a higher caste and was allegedly terrorising and threatening the people of lower caste in the area. They said they feared another attack.

Women organisations have faxed a copy of this representation to SP Nahan and have raised questions on the role of police in the whole episode.

Palampur, May 12
The Palampur agricultural university has developed five new crop varieties, three of wheat and one each of paddy and ‘moong’ bean, which have been released for general cultivation by the state seed sub-committee.

According to director of research S.C. Sharma, a new variety of paddy ‘Varundhan’ has been recommended for cultivation particularly in Kullu, Mandi and Shimla districts.

This new paddy variety matures in 142-145 days and gives an average yield of 32.1 quintals per hectare.

SML-668, a summer ‘moong’ bean variety, has been recommended for cultivation in low hill areas under irrigated conditions. Suitable for the summer as a contingent crop, it matures in about 75-85 days and gives an average yield of about 1.8 quintals per hectare as compared to the earlier variety SML-134 and Pusa Baisakhi.

Among the three new wheat verities is HPW-211, which is resistant to ‘karnal bunt,’ brown rust, yellow rust and powdery mildew, with an average grain yield of about 46.3 quintals per hectare. It matures in 168 days.

Another variety of wheat HS-420 (Shivalik) has been recommended for the low and mid hill areas. This variety has a mean grain yield of 26.7 quintals per hectare. The third new wheat variety, VL Gehun-829, is suitable for cultivation under early sown rain-fed conditions in the low and mid-hills. It possesses a high degree of resistance against yellow rust, brown rust and loose smut. It gives an average yield of 25-35 quintals per hactare.

The university has released more than 110 varieties of different crops since its inception.

Nurpur, May 12
As many as 2,100 domestic and 220 commercial consumers in the town have been served notices by the Department of Irrigation and Public Health (IPH), to install water meters within two months.

According to the IPH department, the state government had issued a fresh notification on March 23 this year.

Urban consumers had been told to get water meters installed lest they would be charged Rs 120 for the first two months in lieu of the existing tariff of Rs 40 per month for one water connection.

Shimla, May 12
Free of cost cancer medicines will be provided to patients from Himachal at the six-day yoga camp organised by Baba Ram Dev to be held here from May 17.

The camp is being held at Jatthia Devi near Tuttu about 14 km from here from May 17 to 22. Baba Ram Dev will arrive here on May 16 and will stay at Hotel Peterhoff.

The organisers of the camp said the ground where the camp will be held has a capacity of 10,000. Governor V.S. Kokje will inaugurate the camp. The timings of the camp will be from 5 AM to 7.30 AM.

The Himachal Roadways Transport Corporation (HRTC) and the district administration has made elaborate arrangements to ensure that people do not face any inconvenience in attending the camp.

The HRTC will ply special buses from 40 points, in and around the town, from the camp site and back. Free of cost medicines of the Patanjali Yog Peeth Pharmacy will be sold at the Ice Skating Rink.