H I M A C H A L    P R A D E S H    E D I T I O N

Wife, daughter write to PM
Court martialled for whistleblowing?
Hamirpur, September 1
The wife of a serving air force personnel and his daughter have accused few air force officers of Hindon Air Force Centre for allegedly court martialling and giving inhuman treatment to him for raising the issue of corruption prevailing in the centre.

Pensioners can retain GPF in govt account
Dharamsala, September 1
The state government has amended the General Provident Fund (Central Services) Rules, 1960, for the first time. It allows retired employees to keep their general provident fund (GPF) amount in government accounts for an unlimited period and they would also get the benefit of interest on the sum kept in their account.

Settlement work starts in Kasauli
Kumarhatti, September 1
Encroachers could face embarrassing situation as the Revenue Department has started the settlement work of three patwar circles in Kasauli tehsil. The state government has issued a notification in this regard recently after the state high court had directed to conduct settlement in the area where the revenue records were not in a good condition. Currently, the settlement work has started in Dharampur, Guladi and Kot patwar circles where the revenue records were believed to be in virtual mutilated condition.

BSP will form next state govt: Mankotia
Sundernagar, September 1
Convener of the Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) and MLA Vijay Singh Mankotiya said the BSP would fight the forthcoming Assembly election on all 68 seats and would form the next government in the state.While talking to mediapersons today he said the BSP would field 60 per cent new faces, while giving the tickets in the forthcoming elections and there would be no place for tainted leaders in the BSP.

Wife, daughter write to PM
Court martialled for whistleblowing?
Dharam Prakash Gupta
Tribune News Service

Hamirpur, September 1
The wife of a serving air force personnel and his daughter have accused few air force officers of Hindon Air Force Centre for allegedly court martialling and giving inhuman treatment to him for raising the issue of corruption prevailing in the centre.

In a letter written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Meena Kumari, wife of Kashmir Singh, resident of Mair village in the district, and their daughter Poonam have alleged “Kashmir Singh was subjected to court martial on flimsy grounds ie for exposing illicit cutting of trees and using it as firewood to save on LPG cylinders used in the mess, which were illegally sold in the market by few officials.”

Meena Kumari writes further “When Kashmir Singh made a complaint about the corrupt practice to Joint Director (DSC), few air force officers allegedly implicated him in beating of fellow air force personnel on March 6 and registered an FIR against him.”

She said, “My husband (Kashmir Singh) was kept in a dark cell for 28 days and was brought in the light for two minutes when he complained of deterioration in his condition.” Meena Kumari said “After coming to know about this incident, when she went to meet her husband at Hindon, she was not even allowed to meet him.”

On the other hand, their daughter Poonam in a separate letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has alleged “While our entire family is under great mental stress and agony she has lost one year of her studies, though she was doing quite well before this incident.”

The wife and daughter of Kashmir Singh have urged the Prime Minister to provide justice to her husband and guilty be punished after investigations.

When Sq. Leader Satinder Kumar at Hindon Air Force station was contacted on telephone to verify the facts he told “Sepoy Kashmir Singh was court martialled for gross indiscipline and charges of corruption levelled on him were also probed and corrective action taken.”

Pensioners can retain GPF in govt account
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, September 1
The state government has amended the General Provident Fund (Central Services) Rules, 1960, for the first time. It allows retired employees to keep their general provident fund (GPF) amount in government accounts for an unlimited period and they would also get the benefit of interest on the sum kept in their account.

Earlier, there was a provision that the employees could keep the GPF amount for not more than six months in their account.

The rules that has been amended this week states, “Provided further that where a retiree wants to retain his GPF accumulations with the government beyond the prescribed period of six months as prescribed under sub rule (4) of rule 11 ibid, he may be permitted to do so by the concerned head of the office on receipt of a written request from him to this effect”.

In such cases, interest as allowed by the state government on GPF accumulations for subscribers to the GPF from time to time would be payable.

Settlement work starts in Kasauli
Jagmeet Y. Ghuman

Kumarhatti, September 1
Encroachers could face embarrassing situation as the Revenue Department has started the settlement work of three patwar circles in Kasauli tehsil. The state government has issued a notification in this regard recently after the state high court had directed to conduct settlement in the area where the revenue records were not in a good condition. Currently, the settlement work has started in Dharampur, Guladi and Kot patwar circles where the revenue records were believed to be in virtual mutilated condition.

Around 124 villages in Kasauli tehsil have no reliable revenue records. The things came to light after The Tribune carried a new item under heading ‘Mutilated records hamper demarcation’ in the columns on June 27, 2002, followed by a writ field by Ramesh Gupta in the high court. The revenue records of Dharampur circle particularly of Dhar Ki Behr and Batohl villages were virtually non-existent.

The police was helpless to take action against violators for want of physical demarcation of land. Interestingly in 1992, in a civil suit to senior sub-judge, Solan, the Tehsildar, Kasauli, was appointed as local commissioner to demarcate the disputed site. But he failed to do so as no relevant revenue records were available. The inadequate revenue records have led to unauthorized land deeds and violations of HP Land Reforms and Tenancy Act.

Kasauli Tehsildar K.K. Sharma, while confirming the developments said that violators would be detected during the settlement process. The settlement work would take one year to complete, he said. The efforts were also to notify the other villages in the tehsil where revenue data was in bad condition., he asserted.

BSP will form next state govt: Mankotia
Our Correspondent

Sundernagar, September 1
Convener of the Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) and MLA Vijay Singh Mankotiya said the BSP would fight the forthcoming Assembly election on all 68 seats and would form the next government in the state.

While talking to mediapersons today he said the BSP would field 60 per cent new faces, while giving the tickets in the forthcoming elections and there would be no place for tainted leaders in the BSP.

He said in 49 Assembly segments, candidates from the upper castes would be fielded, in 16 reserve candidates would be fielded and in three segments Schedule Tribe candidates would be fielded.

He held Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh responsible for what happened in Shimla and said had the CM not taken out the sword during the rally, the situation would have been otherwise.

He said both the parties had started testing their strength through free fight and that, too, on the roads which caused the death of a four-year-old kid.

Many BSP leaders, including general secretary Man Singh Manhera were present on the occasion.

Bali Episode
BSP chief offers to depose
Our Correspondent

Kangra, September 1
State BSP president Balwant Singh has offered to depose before the one-member O.P. Garg Committee appointed by the Himachal Pradesh High Court to probe the controversial birthday bash of former transport and tourism minister G.S.Bali.

He made this announcement at a press conference after he presided over a day-long meeting of the party functionaries here on Wednesday. He said if the Garg Committee called him for deposing, he would speak the truth. He said the shameful incident had left a blot on the Congress and people of the state were embarrassed following the incident. 

Dhawan’s Dharamsala visit on Sept 8
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, September 1
Senior leader of the Congress and in charge of the state political affairs R.K. Dhawan visit Dharamsala on September 8 to chalk out a strategy for the forthcoming Assembly elections, get a feedback from the party office-bearers and to initiate a damage-control exercise to protect the ruling party from adverse campaign.

State unit president of the party Viplove Thakur told mediapersons here today that all presidents and general secretaries of the block-level Congress committees, besides district-level office-bearers from across the state had been invited for the meeting.

She was in the town to formally hand over an ambulance to the Red Cross Society that had been donated by her from the MPLAD fund being a member of the Rajya Sabha.

It would be the second visit of Dhawan to the state after becoming in charge of the state political affairs around two months ago.

No clue to missing minor girls
Our Correspondent

Kangra, September 1
The police remained clueless about the two minor girls who were allegedly lured by two migrant Bihari youths, 10 days back, and have still not found the whereabouts of the duo.

Kangra SHO Surender Sharma said the two minor girls, one of whom is a student of class X and another a student of Plus I, residing at Ujjain village were allegedly lured by two Bihari youths who had been working with some goldsmith here.

He said the girls did not return home on August 23. A report was lodged on August 26. He said the two accused had been identified as Mrityunjay and Kundan, both residents of Purnia Bihar.

Negligence by doc alleged 
Our Correspondent

Bilaspur, September 1
Surender Soni, who runs a chemist’s shop at Diara Sector, in town here, addressing mediapersons here today said Dr Bhangal of district hospital allegedly refused to conduct an ultrasound test of his child who was suffering from an acute stomach pain as she had to appear as a witness in a court and promised to do so when she returned.

But on her return, she went home instead and her husband Dr Bhangal said that the test could be performed the next day.

He had to immediately rush his daughter to Hamirpur where her test was done at a private clinic and the treatment was started.

BJP observes ‘black day’
Tribune Reporters

Shimla, September 1
BJP workers all over the state today observed “black day” seeking dismissal of the Congress government and a judicial inquiry into the clash between BJP and Congress workers outside the state Assembly on August 29.

Chief of the Shimla mandal of the BJP Madan Sharma and party workers submitted a memorandum to the Governor V.S. Kokje through the deputy commissioner. The BJP workers all over the state observed “black day” at all 68 mandals and submitted memoranda to the official concerned.

HAMIRPUR: BJP activists observed “black day” in the district here today in protest against the police lathicharge on party activists on Wednesday at Shimla and the alleged “dictatorial” attitude of the state government.

Party activists of the Bamsan constituency assembled at Tohni Devi where the protest was led by former Chief Minister and Hamirpur MP Prem Kumar Dhumal.

KANGRA: Hundreds of BJP workers took out a protest rally through the main market of the town and submitted a memorandum to the Governor through the tehsildar demanding a CBI inquiry into the police lathicharge at Shimla on August 29.

The protesters raised anti-government slogans. They were led by former agriculture minister Vidya Sagar and former zila parished chief Rattan Jagatamba.

Former transport minister Kishen Kapoor, spokesman of the BJP, said the demonstrations against the highhandedness of the government was evident from the Shimla incident.

Mandi: The State BJP leaders today held protest march in the district headquarters here, in each division in the state and indirectly blamed the ruling Congress for the death of the four-year-old child, Dinesh. They also blamed the government for the violence that followed after the lathi charge by the police on the BJP leaders outside the Vidhan Sabha at Shimla on August 29.

Addressing the rally, which was held as ‘black day’ here today, BJP chief Jai Ram Ram Thakur alleged. “This they did to divert the attention of the public and the media from the burning issues of corruption in the ruling Congress, including the audio CD issue and Bali birthday bash, as the CM and his Cabinet ministers were neck-deep in corruption”, he alleged.

SUNDERNAGAR: Workers of the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), Nachan and Sundernagar Assembly segment, observed ‘Black Day’ as per a call given by the party high command and submitted a memorandum to SDM Gohar and SDM Sundernagar.

As per reports received, hundreds of workers gathered at Chai chowk in Nachan Assembly segment headed by former BJP minister Dile Ram, held responsible Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh for what happened at Shimla on August 29. The workers raised slogans against the Congress and against Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

BILASPUR: Large number of BJP activists drawn from KotKehloor and Bilaspur Sadar Assembly segments of Bilaspur district led by party state spokesman Randhir Sharma and former health minister J P Nadda on Saturday jointly marched to the DC’s office shouting slogans against the government for the police lathi charge on the peaceful BJP rally at Shimla on August 29.They were observing a “black day”. They held Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh solely responsibility for the atrocity on BJP workers and demanded dismissal of the government.

DHARAMSALA: The local unit of the BJP led by its state spokesman and former minister Krishan Kapoor protested against the state government and burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. The BJP workers later handed over a memorandum to the district magistrate addressed to the Governor demanding a judicial probe into the death of the child at Shimla during rallies of the BJP and the ruling party, early this week.

They also demanded immediate dismissal of the state government paving the way for a fresh election to the state Assembly. The protest was peaceful and no untoward incident was reported here.

KULLU: The BJP activists on their proclaimed ‘Black Day’ today took out a procession and burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh near the deputy commissioner's (DC) office.

They submitted a memorandum to the Governor through the DC, Kullu, demanding immediate dismissal of the present government. Secretary, state BJP, Govind Thakur said the violence done by the Congress was pre-planned as the BJP had already announced its plan to organise a dharna at the Himachal Vidhan Sabha against Virbhadra’s government. 

Branch transfer of goods weighs down on revenue
Our Correspondent

Solan, September 1
The state government is losing revenue worth several thousands of crores in lieu of branch transfer of finished goods to other states.

According to an estimate, this loss runs into nearly Rs 10,000 crores per annum with the key industrial areas of Baddi, Parwanoo and Kala Amb accounting for the maximum losses.

As per branch transfers, industrial units transfer their finished goods to their branch offices located in big cities. Since these goods are not sold in Himachal, the state looses straight revenue in the form of ‘central sales tax’. Further, since raw material is also purchased from outside, the state fails to gain anything from the industrial investment.

With a view to check this adverse trend, neighbouring states like Haryana charge 1 per cent local area development tax (LADT) on such goods and earn revenue. This revenue is used for the development of the same area from where it is collected.

A similar proposal was mooted by the Excise and Taxation Department nearly two-and-a-half years back, but the proposal did not find favour of the state government. The investors in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh industrial area have been crying over the pitiable state of roads and infrastructure.

Had this LADT been enforced the government would have had ample funds to bring about requisite changes, opined an official of the department.

Officials also stressed that there was a need to review this Act governing this arrangement as there was hardly any check on whether the finished goods were transferred to the company outlets or sold to distributors and wholesalers.

They further added that in a bid to earn some revenue, companies were being encouraged to open their branch offices in Himachal. This has led to earning of revenue of nearly Rs 20 to Rs 25 crores per annum. Scores of pharmaceutical units, which earlier sent their goods to Gujarat, are among the first ones to open such offices in Himachal. Since a unit pays a similar VAT of 4 per cent on sale of their goods it involves no tax loss to the companies but it assures a similar revenue to Himachal.

With the Assembly election being less than a year away, there is little likelihood of the LADT getting imposed in the industrial areas as the investors lobby wields a sizeable influence, opined officials.

Stay away from drugs, Shotgun tells students
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 1
Actor turned politician Shatrughan Sinha was the chief guest at the annual day function of DAV Senior Secondary School, Lakkar Bazar, where actor Anupam Kher has studied. “Though George Bernard Shaw said that politics was the last resort of scoundrels but unfortunately today it had become the first preference of such people,” he remarked.

He said it was a matter of great pride that the DAV institutions had given the country three Prime Ministers, including Dr Manmohan Singh, I.K. Gujral and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. “I personally feel that every politician, must learn lessons on discipline and honesty, which has become a rarity in politics,” he said.

Reminiscing his school days, Shotgun said he was amongst the naughty students both in school and college and was not just fined for his conduct but was also thrashed by school teachers. “I have joined politics for ‘paschtap’ for my earlier conduct,” he said.

Interacting with students he said if you can’t be the best then at least be different from others. “Like my three doctor brothers, my parents wanted me to join the medical profession but I chose another line and ended up becoming the health minister of the country,” he said citing an example from his own life.

His piece of advice to the students was to stay away from drugs. “If things carry on the way they are then in the next 20 years every third death will occur due to tobacco consumption,” Sinha said.

On the controversy where Shotgun returned the sweets sent by superstar friend Amitabh Bachhan as he had not been invited to Abhishek’s wedding, Shotgun said that was a matter between two friends. “I hold Amitabh in high esteem as he is not just a good friend but a very good human being and the best personality in the film world,” he said.

He said being contemporaries Amitabh and he had a lot of love and affection for each other which remained just the same. He said let bygones be bygones. 

e-salary system launched
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 1
The administration started using the e-salary software for salary disbursement as part of its initiatives towards 
e-governance.

Deputy commissioner Tarun Kapoor said here today the salary for August was disbursed using this software. “The programme under the integrated pay and accounts office would help the government and the employees as the salary would be issued by the district treasury officer, saving time, travel expenses and paper work,” he said.

He said the e-pension software had already been put to use in the district treasury office for disbursal of pensions. “Over 13,000 retired personnel are getting pension and related information through the website that makes use of the e-pension software,” he said.

He said the software had been prepared by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and made operational by the District Information Centre.

HC directive to SDM
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, September 1
The ongoing legal battle on collection of offerings at the historical Brijraj Swami Temple in the Nurpur Fort took a new turn when the high court passed an interim order directing the latter to supervise Janmashtmi celebrations from September 1 to 7. The copy of the order was received by the local SDM yesterday.

A naib tehsildar should remain present in the temple during the time while offerings are made in the temple and these should be deposited with the SDM. The court has also authorised the SDM to spend some part of the collection on Janmashtmi celebrations. SDM Inder Bhardwaj admitted the receipt of the court order.

LIC’s Shimla division best in country
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 1
The Shimla division of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has been adjudged the best in the Bima Gram Yojna all over the country.

Divisional manager of the LIC M.K. Kemu said villages having a population of over 5,000 and 100 policies were covered under the scheme.

Under it, every village got Rs 25,000 and so far 53 villages had been covered in Shimla.

He said the LIC was celebrating “Insurance Week” and a number of activities would be undertaken.

Plea to activate human rights panel

Shimla, September 1
The Himachal Pradesh Human Rights Forum has urged the government to establish pre-warning centres in different parts of the state to alert people about floods, cloudbursts, earthquakes and storms and other such calamities well in time.

Forum chairman R.K. Sankhyan said the pre-warning system would go a long way in mitigating the impact of calamities. It also urged the government to activate the State Human Rights Commission which had virtually become defunct and introduce employment-oriented education courses to help solve the problem of unemployment. 

Chamba devoid of divisional offices
Our Correspondent

Dalhousie, September 1
Two revenue subdivisions of Bhattiyat and Churah in Chamba district are still devoid of divisional offices of the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department, Public Works Department (PWD), Forest Department, Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB), Depot of Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) and a Sub-Judge Court, despite persistent demands made by the residents of these backward areas.

The absence of divisional offices of these departments is not only a handicap in the way of speedy development in these areas but also an inconvenience being faced by the people living here.

HPTDC foundation day

Hamirpur, September 1
The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) celebrated its 35th foundation day today.

In a programme organised at Hotel Hamir, members of the HPTDC were joined by DC R. Selvam and other officials.

The DC said the HPTDC had done good work during all these years and that was why the it was earning profit. The credit for it should go to its employees since in the hospitality sector service was of utmost importance. He said the HPTDC should explore new avenues to attract foreign and Indian tourists and market Hamirpur district. — TNS

Amartex deposits fine
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, September 1
Amartex Industries today deposited a sum of Rs 77,348 as fine for illegally stocking pulses beyond the permissible limit in their storehouse at Kangra.

Revealing this, district food and civil supply controller Yadwinder Paul said a penalty of Rs 77,348 was imposed on Amartex Industries for illegally stocking pulses beyond the permissible limit.

Man booked for impersonation
Our Correspondent

Solan, September 1
The police has booked a youth Vijay Kumar Sinha, hailing from Rampur village, for impersonating as a public servant and cheating a woman Nisha, alias Bhawna.

According to the complaint, Nisha met Sinha who introduced himself as an IPS official posted as a BSF commandant in Delhi.

The two families later met on December 18, 2006, and engaged the couple for marriage.

They were married on March 8 this year after which Nisha started residing at her in-laws place at Rampur village. She, however, soon learnt that Sinha had befooled her, as he was not an IPS official.

A case under Sections 170, 171 and 420 of the IPC has been registered against Sinha.

Workshop
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, September 1
The district resource centre of PRIA, a non-governmental organisation, organised a one-day workshop for the Dharamsala municipal council and the Nagar Panchayat of Nagrota Bagwan on ‘the status of municipal finance in small and medium towns’ here recently.

The objective of the workshop was to impart knowledge on revenue and expenditure pattern of the municipalities based on a study conducted by the NGO.