Sundernagar, November 4
Former Chief Minister and BJP leader Prem Kumar Dhumal today said the BJP, if voted to power, would review all MoUs regarding the allotment of hydropower projects signed in past one month by the Congress government. He said he had received reports that the government had signed some projects even after the declaration of elections, which was wrong.

He was addressing a gathering of workers here. He said there was a wave of change in the state and the BJP would form the next government. He, however, cautioned workers not to be lax in preparations for the elections. He said workers should support candidates allotted ticket by the party.

He said Virbhadra Singh’s present tenure would be known for corruption.

Former forest minister Roop Singh Thakur, president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha Rakesh Jamwal and president of Sundernagar unit of the party Hari Singh Verma also spoke on the occasion.

Earlier Dhumal was given a warm welcome by the workers at the rest house here from where he was taken to Jawahar ground in a procession.

Dharamsala, November 4
Will BJP stalwart Shanta Kumar contest the Assembly elections this time or not? The question has been exercising the minds of people in his home district of Kangra.

Kangra has 16 of the 68 Assembly constituencies in the state.

The BJP has high hopes on Shanta Kumar who has a considerable mass base in the district. But Shanta does not seem to have decided on contesting the elections so far .

Earlier, in his political career, he had contested from the Palampur and Sulah Assembly constituencies.

He contested the elections in 1990 from Palampur securing 58.39 per cent of the total voter turnout defeating Brij Bihari Lal of the Congress who managed to get only 39.06 of the total votes polled.

This time, as many as six aspirants of the party have applied for the party ticket from Palampur. Shanta Kumar has so far not applied for the party ticket, which is a mandatory procedure as per the party traditions. However, the block unit of the party has sent a recommendation letter to the state unit, requesting them to give the party ticket to Shanta Kumar from this constituency.

He won the election in Sulah constituency in 1977, 1982 and 1990. After winning in 1977 and 1990, he twice became Chief Minister of the state. The 1990 election was contested by him from both constituencies.

Political observers feel that both seats are not safe for him because in the past 17 years, he has not won a single Assembly election. From the Sulah constituency, he lost the elections in 1985 and 1993. Shanta has not been given the ticket from Palampur since 1990.

In political circles of Himachal, Shanta is better known for losing the elections. Surprisingly, he lost the 1993 Assembly election from Sulah when he fought it as a sitting Chief Minister. He also lost the 2003 parliamentary election from the Kangra Lok Sabha constituency.

Keeping in view his political career, the BJP is also not clear whether to ask him to contest the election or not? The reason is clear, if he loses the election this time, the party is bound to suffer.

Therefore, as far as initial indications are concerned, he will not be asked to contest the Assembly elections. Later on, if the party manages to get a majority, he may be ‘airdropped’ as the Chief Minister, which is quite common in the BJP.

In 1977, he became the first-ever non-Congress Chief Minister of the state.

During his first tenure as the Chief Minister, he came to be known as ‘paaniwala mukhyamantri’ and started the Antyodaya yojna. His second tenure was marked by his campaign to introduce private sector participation to exploit vast potentials in power generation and tourism.

He introduced the innovative scheme of installing handpumps in every part of the state to overcome water shortage. He succeeded in making the Union Government agree to grant 12 per cent free power to the state from hydro-electric projects established in the state.

As Union Minister for Food and Rural Development, he pioneered the Antyodaya Ann yojna, Hariali and Swajaldhara, which still continue to be popular.

Keylong, November 4
In this landlocked Buddhist Shangri-la, “individual candidates” are larger than parties they represent. All three candidates, Dr Birsingh Rawal (BSP), Dr. Ramlal Markandae (BJP) and Phunchog Rai (Congress) have put into campaign the flags or banners not of state leaders, but of the three top national figures- late Dr.B.R. Ambedkar, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Sonia Gandhi respectively to woo the tribal voters.

“In Lahaul ‘partybazi bahut kum chalta hai’. Even if the candidates do not come to us for votes we will vote for them only, says Dola Ram, 80, a Shansa village farmer, who has no formal education. “I do not understand why they are burning petrol, spending on posters and banners now. We have never see such useless spending in the past elections. Will old peaceful good sense prevail among them”? he asks admiring the same thing that chief election commissioner of India is now trying to enforce and preach among parties and candidates in its model code of conduct.

Dola Ram’s wish has come true. The two election commission observers here -Vijay Kumar Kansi and P Anil Kumar- removed the plastic posters and banners displayed on walls and few other public places in the valley as model code of conduct forbids its use.

But banners atop racing vehicles continue to preach what their top three “leaders” have done for tribal people. The new entrant the BSP has played a smart new card displaying Dr B.R. Ambhedkar as a messiah of the schedule caste and tribal minorities, who gave them their due in the Constitution of India as he was its main architect, say party supporters. Moreover, Dr Ambhedkar had embraced Buddhism in later life and hence his banners jell well with predominant Buddhist population in this district, they added. The BSP has played “Ambhedkar card” just to cut into the votebank of Congress candidate, Rai, who is a Buddhist from Spiti, a predominant Buddhist region, reveal poll pundits here. “On the other, the BJP is also trying to dilute “Buddhist factor” by selling the mage of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who has a summer residence in Manali and has taken the Rohtang tunnel issue with zeal”.

Dr Markanda enjoys an image of an “upmarket shrewd politician, who is accessible to commoner and a hard-task master who makes things work as far as employees” are concerned, comment analysts.

Shimla, November 4
Unable to resist the lure of high-profile political life, several serving and retired bureaucrats, technocrats and academicians are also roughing it out to secure the ticket from the Congress and the BJP.

IPS officer A.N. Sharma has resigned to contest the election on the BJP ticket from Nadaun in Hamirpur. Even though it is not certain if he will be given the BJP ticket his resignation has already been accepted. He is confident of securing the BJP ticket because of his proximity with former Chief Minister and Lok Sabha MP P.K. Dhumal. He was serving as DIG at Police Training College (PTC), when he put in his papers. He had almost four years of service left.

Similarly, former senior police officer in the SPG Nand Lal is making news for laying claim to the Congress ticket from the reserved Rampur seat. With his high-profile Delhi connections, he is already giving sleepless nights to horticulture minister Singhi Ram, who could lose out the race for the party ticket to the former police officer.

Nand Lal was currently a DIG rank officer in the ITBP serving in the SPG. Former IAS officer Bharat Bhushan also quit service to join the BJP some time back. He has staked claim to the BJP ticket from Kasauli.

MBBS doctor Lalit Chander Kant, currently doing his post-graduation in anaesthesia at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) here, could not resist the temptation to join politics. He too has applied for the BJP ticket from Nachan in Mandi district.

“Rather than cursing and being critical of politicians, professionals must also come into this field so that some improvement can be made,” says Dr Kant. He resigned almost a month back before he applied for he BJP ticket.

If there is no dearth of officers preferring the Congress or the BJP, there are some who have opted for the BSP, which they feel could provide the much-needed political alternative in the hill state. Former IAS officer S.K. Alok and former IPS officer V.K. Malik formally joined the BSP some time back.

Not the ones to be left behind, some of the teachers at Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) have also staked claim to the ticket.

Prominent among them is Dr Pramod Sharma of the MBA Department, who has applied for the Congress ticket from Kumarsain. The Deputy Director in the Department of Sports at HPU, Mr Rajender Chauhan, has already made up his mind to take the plunge on the BSP ticket from Jogindernagar.

Solan, November 4
The fresh instructions of the drug controller-general of India (DCGI) to withdraw permission to manufacture fixed drug combinations (FDC) which are licensed by the state licensing authority but not permitted by the DCGI has put the drug manufacturers in a piquant situation. The orders which were issued recently by the DCGI has further instructed all drug controllers in the country to issue notices to the drug units in their respective states and apprise them of this new change.

The instructions have affected the manufacture of hundreds of drugs with every small and big manufacturer being forced to seek permission from the DCGI now for as many as 20 to 30 per cent of their total drugs. Earlier these drugs were being manufactured on permissions obtained by the state licensing authorities.

The letter no. F.No. 19013A/2007-D copy of which was available with The Tribune while elucidating on the details of the matter has issued instructions to the state drug controllers to take necessary action in the matter and communicate it to the DGCI. The DCGI has prepared this exhaustive list on the basis of information obtained from various sources like the Indian Drug Review, CIMS, MIMS, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority(NPPA), etc., They have essentially included four categories which comprise FDCs licensed by the State Authorities but not permitted by the DCGI, FDCs approved by the directorate from 1971 till date, applications of FDCs rejected by the DCGI and the list of banned FDCs reported to be available in the country.

The units would be forced to either seek re-permission for a majority of their products or altogether suspend their production.

The drug manufacturing associations have raised objections before the DGCI.

The DCGI has now assured the industry to reduce the number of FDCs to around 70 from the existing 294 provided the manufacturers certify that these combinations are stable. 

Palampur, November 4
The condition of most of the roads in the district has gone from bad to worse in the past one year. No officer of the PWD is bothered to maintain the roads.

A portion of the state highway between Dehra Gopipur and Ranital has been under construction for the past two years. The construction work is going on at a snail’s pace causing inconvenience to the tourists and other persons visiting the Kangra valley. PWD officers have already released the payment to contractors though the road is still not traffic worthy.

Even the roads of major towns like Palampur, Dharamsala and Kangra are in bad shape. Aima, Ghuggar, Choki, Bindravan roads are worst affected as it has become difficult to drive vehicles on these roads. In many villages, people have been moving from pillar to post for the repair of these roads, but the PWD has only one excuse that it has no funds or there is a shortage of bitumen in the stores.

In rural areas, like Khaira, Lahat, Kotlu, Bhawarna, Panchrukhi, Thural, Lambagaon Sulah and Alampur the conditions of roads is no better.

PWD Superintending Engineer N.L Sharma admitted that there was a shortage of funds for major jobs as the finances were controlled by the HP State Road Infrastructure Development Corporation( RIDC). Until financial approval was not granted by the RIDC executive engineers could not go ahead with the execution of road projects. He said at present, the executive engineers were competent only to take up small jobs and for major jobs they had to wait for the financial approval from Shimla.

Hamirpur, November 4
A three-day state conference of the Students Federation of India (SFI) began on Saturday with an open rally at Gandhi Chowk in which hundreds of students from different educational institutions of the state participated.

Addressing the rally, SFI all-India general secretary K.K Ragesh criticised various governments for ignoring the education sector and adopting the faulty education policy.

He said the budget for the education sector was less and education in the country was being commercialised. The student leader said both the Congress and the BJP governments are to be blamed for the commercialisation of education.

Accusing the state government, Ragesh said the state government was following the policy of the Central government blindly which would have perilous impact on the education system.

The SFI leader demanded that 6 per cent of the GDP should be spent on the education and advised the Congress and the BJP governments to learn from experiences of the Left Front governments of West Bengal and Kerala in the progress made in education sector.

CITU state secretary Kashmir Singh, Kisan Sabha state president Tikender Singh, DYFI state secretary Kushal Bhardwaj and SFI state secretary Ashok Negi also addressed the gathering. Before this the activists marched in a procession to Gandhi Chowk. 

Nurpur, November 4
The local unit of the Himotakarsh Sahitya and Jankalyan Parishad celebrated its fifth annual day at Bharmar today. Central president of the parishad, Kunwar Hari Singh, presided over the function.

Vir Chakra winner ex- subedar Jagdish Pathania from Gangath was given the Shourya award, Baba Faqir Chand from Sugbhattoli the social services award and Surinder Singh Guleria from Suliali was given the best teacher award by the parishad. Scholarships were also given to 125 students selected by the parishad after conducting a scholarship examination in 2006.

The Tagore Hospital, Jalandhar, organised a free medical check-up camp in which as many as 300 patients were examined. The Mahavir Viklang Sanstha, Ambala, also organised a camp and 15 disabled persons were selected for free distribution of artificial limbs.

Shimla, November 4
DGP Ashwini Kumar said here that opening mental healh institutes was not the only option to help those suffering from such ailments. Family and society could play a much more effective role in such cases, he added.

Speaking at a function organised at Rajkiya Kanya Mahavidyalaya on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, he said those having enough time and resources must help those who were facing mental problems.

District and sessions judge R.L. Raghu said people facing mental stress and more serious problems must be provided social, economic and legal security to make them feel relaxed. — TNS

Hamirpur, November 4
The chief medical officer (CMO) will verify the legal status of five ultrasound clinics under the provisions of the NDPT (pre-natal detection test) Act.

The move was initiated when the state government issued directions to the Health Authorities to make a thorough inquiry whether these clinics were following norms.

After reports of female infanticide became frequent, the government put certain conditions on private clinics for putting up ultrasound machines to check illegal sex detection.

Under the provisions of the NDPT Act, a private clinic has to fulfil four conditions for having ultrasound machines, chief among which are - an MBBS - MD degree holder, six months experience or DMRD diploma besides, other norms.

The health authorities had issued notices to five clinics on October 27 to furnish details whether these fulfilled the above norms for providing ultrasound services.

The health authorities cancelled permission to Dogra clinic in Sujanpur two months back for not having trained staff. Five more ultrasound clinics have been asked to provide information.

CMO Dr G.R. Kaushal told The Tribune that there were 19 private clinics in the district and they were verifying whether they were following the provisions of the NDPT Act. He said further action would be taken against clinics violating norms.