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We’ll function beyond Dec 31, asserts CM
Cong ready for battle of the ballot, says Virbhadra
Poll panel formed
Scramble for ticket begins
HPU Youth Festival ends
Two die in accidents
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issues at stake Issues At Stake
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Kokje for equal opportunity in education
Joshi confident of BSP victory
Division in BJP out in the open
Tibetan Health Dept holds meeting
11 trapped in blizzard at Jalsu Pass
BJP to review appointments if voted to power: Dhumal
Kullu Dussehra from Oct 21
Governor launches Youth Red Cross
PR officers at home stations for decades
Poppy husk seized
22 injured in tractor accident
Hiring of contract labour on
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We’ll function beyond Dec 31, asserts CM
Shimla, October 18 He said he would inaugurate the water supply schemes for Bamsan, Shimla and Solan and dedicate the Tanda Medical College to the people as soon as the model code of conduct was lifted. Not only that, the foundation stone for the proposed central university, the IIT and the Bhanupali-Bilaspur rail track would also be laid after the elections. He said the election results would be announced on December 28, but the term of the existing Vidhan Sabha would expire on March 9, which could not be curtailed. Such a situation could have been avoided had the Election Commission rearranged the dates of polling. He said he had the highest regard for the commission and its individual members, but he was sorry to say that it not only announced the election dates without consulting the state government but also ignored the ground realities. He was the longest serving Chief Minister and on all previous four occasions when he happened to be in the office, the commission had not only consulted him about the timing but even about the probable dates of polling. The unkindest cut was that the elections were announced while he was away to the USA on an official tour for holding negotiations with the World Bank. When asked if the present government would continue to function even if the Congress was defeated, he said the party would certainly return to power but in any case it could constitutionally continue up to March 9. “We would cross the bridge when it comes but this could be the scenario courtesy the Election Commission,” he said. The enforcement of the model code of conduct had deprived his government the opportunity to inaugurate several important projects like the Rs 67-crore water supply scheme for Bamsan, the constituency of BJP leader P.K. Dhumal, and the Tanda medical college. The BJP wanted that the Congress should not get credit for its achievements and that had happened with the advancement of poll. However, the people of the state were aware of all that and would stand by it, he claimed.
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Cong ready for battle of the ballot, says Virbhadra
Shimla, October 18 The Congress was more united than ever before and it would proudly enter the electoral fray with its spectacular achievements on all fronts. He also made it clear that there would be no advancement of the second phase of the poll scheduled for December 19 to avoid a clash with school examinations. The government had already asked the Board of School Education to adjust its examination schedule accordingly. He said that it was the duty of the government to bring the ground realities to the notice of the Election Commission and apprise it of the anomalous situation that would arise due to the constitution of the new House months before the expiry of the existing Vidhan Sabha. He said the Congress was the largest and oldest party in the state and had remained in power for the maximum tenure and it was fully geared up for the poll. Without naming the BSP, he said it was amusing that the parties that were yet to prove their electoral worth were saying that the Congress was scared of early elections. Not only that their leaders were promising to take action against former ministers after coming to power. Such parties should first secure a mandate to speak on the behalf of people rather than indulge in such rhetoric to mislead the electorate. The Congress would go to the polls under the overall leadership of national president Sonia Gandhi and he would spearhead the campaign in the state.
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Poll panel formed
Shimla, October 18 There are eight special invitee, including Pratibha Singh, Chander Kumar and Dhani Ram Shandil, all MPs, heads of the four frontal organisations, mahila Congress, youth Congress, NSUI and INTUC, and chief organiser of the Sewa Dal. The election manifesto committee consists of PCC chief Viplove Thakur, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, Vidya Stokes, Anandn Sharma, Sat Mahajan, Kaul Singh, Ram Lal Thakur, Raj Krishan Gaur and Kuldeep Kumar, all ministers, Chander Kumar, MP and A. N.Vidyarthi. Party general secretary Kuldeep Rathore will assist the party.
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Palampur, October 18 Residence of the vice-president the BJP has been witnessing crowd for the past two days as contenders of the party ticket from Kangra, Una and Chamba are approaching him with their supporters. Shanta Kumar said the party would allot the ticket only to the most promising candidates. He said the presence of the BSP had changed the political scenario in the state and it would harm both the BJP and the Congress. He said Kangra district, which has 16 Assembly segments, would play a major role in the state politics. — OC
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HPU Youth Festival ends
Kangra, October 18 Principal of the college V .P. Ahluwalia said 210 participants from 25 institutions of higher education participated in various musical items. Chief guest Susheel Rattan, a freedom fighter, exhorted the students to high goals and preserve the freedom of the nation. Usha Bhagati from Kashmir University, H.G. Roy from the Kathak Centre, Delhi, and Alankar Singh from the HMV, Jalandhar, were the judges on the occasion. The principal of the college honoured Shushil Rattan with a memento, a woollen shawl and a Gandhian cap. |
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Two die in accidents
Chamba, October 18 Surinder, driver of a private jeep, was killed on the spot when the vehicle overturned near Bharmour, about 70 km from here, yesterday. The body of the deceased was handed over to his kin after an autopsy. Cases have been registered in this connection. |
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600 in queue for BSP ticket
Dharamsala, October 18 This was stated by state secretary of the party Prakash Chand Sanyal after a state-level meeting of the party here today. He said the candidates for the tribal constituencies of Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur and Bharmour would be announced by October 22, while those for the rest of the 65 non-tribal constituencies would be finalised on or before Diwali. Adding that the poll strategy was discussed in the meeting, he said party supremo Mayawati would be their star campaigner. The dates of her visit during the electioneering had been finalised and the proposal was being sent to her for approval. He said the party high command had decided to send 200 party poll observers to keep an eye on the campaign and give observations for making it more effective. More than 100 vehicles would be provided to party leaders and candidates for campaigning at party expenditure, he added. He said it was also decided to hold 15,000 public meetings across the state in the coming month, the duties for which had already been assigned to party leaders. State president Balwant Singh, Vijay Joshi and Kewal Singh Pathania, both former ministers who joined the BSP recently, and the state delegates who took part in the meeting expressed confidence in the leadership of Vijay Singh Mankotia, state convener of the party. National general secretary of the party Man Singh Manhera, who presided over today’s meeting, has been camping in the state for the past over six months carrying out the social engineering campaign to garner support for the party. |
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Kokje for equal opportunity in education
Shimla, October 18 Inaugurating a workshop organised by Academic Staff College of Himachal Pradesh University to deliberate on issues on expansion, excellence and inclusion in higher education here today, he said the devaluation of academic degrees and declining standards of academics were a matter of alarm. Further, the medium of instruction with the complex of a particular language had created a chaotic situation on the educational front. He emphasised the need for having a system of education which was relevant for building up a strong and prosperous society. He pleaded for equal opportunity for education but asserted that the quality of premier institutions should not be compromised at any cost. Adviser to the National Knowledge Commission Kiran Datar highlighted the role of education in empowering the eligible age group. She said that time had come to take bold initiatives as the country was fast losing the advantages of education because of certain issues that needed to addressed at the earliest. A new wave of institution building had to be undertaken with reforms at one hand and fast expansion on the other. |
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Joshi confident of BSP victory
Una, October 18 Joshi said that voters who had been testing the BJP and the Congress for long were now in a mood to get rid of both these parties. He was sure that the BSP would form the next government in Himachal Pradesh. Both parties had failed to provide employment to youths, provide corruption-free governance or offer benefits to farmers and the weaker sections in the state. Virbhadra Singh, Joshi said, was very fond of laying foundation stones without providing funds for the schemes. Joshi claimed that dispute over leadership still existed in the Congress as well as the BJP as neither was in a position to disclose the names of their next Chief Ministers whereas BSP had declared Vijay Singh Mankotia its chief ministerial candidate. The BSP would contest all 68 seats of the Vidhan Sabha in Himachal Pradesh. |
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Division in BJP out in the open
Bilaspur, October 18 Led by Chandel, these Nadda detractors said in the last elections it was not the BJP which was defeated, but it was Jagat Prakash Nadda as an individual, who was defeated, since Nadda faced a number of individual charges as a minister, including those of illegal and alleged corrupt practices, and Nadda had failed to explain his position to the voters and even till now he had not cleared himself of the charges in the eyes of the people. Chandel said the party was strong then and it was strong even today and mere flattery of a leader would not lead them to victory but they must choose a leader who was acceptable to all in the party and had a clean image among the people and who could win their confidence once again. At the meeting, Nadda said he knew that there was a section of the party which was angry with him and that he would make all efforts to win their support and would apologise to them for his earlier mistakes. Among others present on occasion were prominent Nadda detractors former nagar parishad member Rajinder Pal Das, former district finance secretary Jagdish Katoch, advocate Shivpal Manhans, Ouhar panchayat president Ram Prakash Sharma, Nand Lal and Jodh Singh Thakur. Nadda supporters included state executive member Subhash Thakur, Seehda panchayat president Ruplal Thakur, Sidhu Ram and Darbari Lal among others.
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Tibetan Health Dept holds meeting
Dharamsala, October 18 Health minister Kesang Yangkyi Takla, health secretary Pema Damdul Arya, chief medical officer of the Tibetan Delek Hospital Tsetan Dorjee, administrator of the hospital Dawa Phunkyi, doctors from Delek hospital and executive secretaries from health centres in 18 Tibetan settlements participated in the three-day conference. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony on Tuesday, Kesang Yangkyi Takla said, “I have witnessed marked development in health care since the establishment of the department of health in December 1983 as an apex body for managing a holistic health care system for the Tibetans-in-exile.” Pema Damdul Arya said, “For the past many years, the department had been working towards integration of traditional system of Tibetan medicine with allopathy.” Tseten Dorjee spoke on tuberculosis and multi-drug resistance. Passang Norbu gave a briefing on tuberculosis and its general control programme. Dadon and Yangzom from Men-Tsee Khang also spoke on mother and child health. Pema Dorjee and. Kunchok Dorjee briefed the participants on HIV/AIDS and substance abuse. Namgyal Tsering and Thupten Gyaltsen spoke on preventive health care.
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11 trapped in blizzard at Jalsu Pass
Chamba, October 18 The reports confirmed that these persons belonged to the Holi area of Bharmour tribal subdivision and were named as Munish, Ravi, Suneel, Manoj, Sher Singh and Sahib Singh. They had gone to collect medicinal herbs. Likewise, five shepherds namely, Milap, Swaran, Finder, Ravinder and Naveen were migrating
to the Baijnath area in Kangra district along with their herds of sheep and goats were also trapped with their livestock. All belonged to
the Holi area. They migrate to the Kangra area along with their livestock every year. Meanwhile, the local administration of Bharmour had launched a
massive search to trace these persons trapped in the blizzard yesterday,
the report further informed. |
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BJP to review appointments if voted
to power: Dhumal
Kanaid (Sundernagar), October 18 He was addressing a gathering at Kanaid near here today. He said while reviewing these appointments, if it was found that some officials had tried to give benefit to anyone, they would be dealt with strictly. No set procedure was followed while filling 22,000 posts of anganwari workers and thousands of these had been challenged, he said. The government scrapped the batch-wise system and filled the posts on political considerations, he alleged. He said the BJP would restore the old batch-wise system of selections and implement the industrial package as per which no new industrial unit would be asked to pay taxes up to 2020. BJP president Jai Ram praised the Election Commission for declaring elections and explained how it deprived the Congress from taking political mileage for works for which no budgetary provisions were made. Ex-minister Dile Ram and other party leaders also spoke on the occasion. |
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Kullu Dussehra from Oct 21
Kullu, October 18 The precedence of the Chief Minister being the chief guest on the closing ceremony will be broken this year due to the declaration of elections and the code of conduct becoming effective. This year, the chief guests at the Lal Chand Prarthi Kala Kendra will be a non-political personality. Superintendent of police G. D. Bhargava said elaborate security arrangements had been made. Six special security zones at the Dhalpur Maidan have been created and the ASP would be the overall in charge of the security arrangements. He further said as many as 1,100 additional police personnel had been deputed for the security. He further said sniffer dogs’ squad and bomb disposal squad had been established, besides putting barrier on the entry of Kullu to check entry of any doubtful persons. A camp fire station will also be established at the Dhalpur Maidan. Traditional rath yatra of Lord Rama, the chief deity of the district, would be led by Maheshwar Singh the descendent of the former ruler of Kullu, Raja Jagat Singh, on the first day in the afternoon. The colourful wooden chariot will be pulled by hundreds of devotees in the Dhalpur Maidan. A trade fair is also organised during the festival offering the visitors a glimpse of the traditional products of the state. In addition to the local varieties of handicrafts, handlooms, fruits and vegetable products, the festival also attracts hundreds of other industrialists and traders from other parts of the country to display and sell their products.
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Governor launches Youth Red Cross
Shimla, October 18 Speaking on the occasion he said that every branch of the Red Cross should provide an opportunity to the young people to help the needy in a practical way. The Youth Red Cross was an important wing as the younger lot was quick to accept challenges and could contribute much in the event of natural disasters, besides social activities like blood donation, first aid and health awareness. He urged members of the Youth Red Cross to conduct a survey to identify health-related problems in the state and prepare a directory of blood donors who could be contacted in time of need. The Governor installed Meera Walia as chairperson and Saroj Bhardwaj as officer in charge of the Youth Red Cross wing. Secretary to the Governor J.P.Singh, who is also the secretary of the State Red Cross Society, detailed the activities of the Red Cross.
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PR officers at home stations for decades
Dharamsala, October 18 As per the details available from the sources in the PR Department, RS Negi the DPRO of Kinnaur based at Reckong Peo is posted in the home district for the past over two decades, except for a single transfer, which was for a period of just six months. He first worked as an APRO and was later promoted and posted there at Reckong Peo. Kangra DPRO Ajay Prashar posted at Dharamsala is also posted in his home district for the past about eight years. No matter, on couple of occasions during the past one year he was reportedly transferred to Una and Chamba districts but his transfers were cancelled. Chamba DPRO Mahesh Pathania, Gurmeet Bedi, Una, Anand Sohar, Kullu Manjula, Bilaspur, Dharmendra Thakur, Nahan, Pradeep Kanwar, Shimla and Babu Ram Chauhan, Solan, are posted at their respective stations for the past over three years. Out of these, the DPROs of Bilaspur, Kullu and Solan are also posted in their home districts. Shimla DPRO Pradeep Kanwar is enjoying his posting at Shimla for the past about five years. Similarly, the joint director of the department, Narayan Dass Badhan, posted at Chandigarh, deputy directors Jagveer Singha posted at Shimla, Rajendra Even as the chief election commissioner, M Gopalaswamy, has asked the state government to transfer officers related to poll duty working at one station for the past over three years and PR Department director Dinesh Malhotra said the PR officers are not directly related to the poll duty. Adding that they just assist the returning officers in issuing press notes regarding important instructions of the EC being issued from time to time during the time of elections, he said therefore they need not be transferred.
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Poppy husk seized
Kala-Amb, October18 The police arrested the driver, Darshan singh, of Mohalla Nanak Nagri, Moga, Punjab, on the spot. The truck was on its way to Trilokpur from Kala-Amb.
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22 injured in tractor accident
Kangra, October 18 According to the Dehra police, the tractor driver has been arrested while the injured have been admitted to the Dehra Civil Hospital . The injured were labourers of a contractor who were on their way to Dr. R.P.Govt. Medical College, Tanda. They all belonged to UP. A case has been registered. |
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Hiring of contract labour on
Kumarhatti, October 18 Thousands of labourers were employed as daily wagers in various units with no record of employment. These labourers were being forced to work at the whims and fancy of the employers. He said the Labour Department was acting like a mute spectator even though the wages of workers were lower than the applicable minimum wages.
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