Shimla, August 29
The five-day monsoon session of the Vidhan Sabha commencing on September 1 promises to be a lively affair with the opposition Congress all geared up to grill the Dhumal government on the Naina Devi stampede, abolition of the state administrative tribunal, devastation cause by rains and other important issues.

The government has completed eight months in office and the honeymoon period is over. A number of issues have cropped up in between and some controversial decisions like the scrapping of the tribunal has provided ammunition to the opposition to attack the government.

More importantly, the Congress is likely to adopt an aggressive posture with senior leader Kaul Singh taking over the reins of the party in the state.

The worst-ever stampede in the history of the state which claimed 146 lives is at the top of Congress agenda. Kaul Singh has already given notice for a call attention motion on the issue.

Further, the findings of the three-member committee set by him to inquire into the incident will also be released during the session to embarrass the government.

The other major issue is the scrapping of the state administrative tribunal which the party has been vociferously raising outside the House.

The Congress members have put up several questions and also sought discussion
on the issue.

The issue figures in the long-term strategy of the party as Kaul Singh has already announced that on coming to power the Congress will revive the tribunal.

The discussion on damage caused by rain will mainly focus on the failure of the government to promptly restore the roads blocked due to landslides.

Not only the link roads but even national highways and state roads remained blocked for days together.

Kaul Singh said that this had never happened before and some of the link roads had not been opened till today which reflected the quality of governance.

The developments in the power sector, particularly the frequent changes in hydropower policy and the controversial CFL scheme, will also engage attention of the House.

The Congress maintains that there was no transparency in taking decisions pertaining to power sector.

Other issues include law and order situation, especially the incident of firing in Solan, Shoghi and Sawara Kuddu, vacancies of doctors and other staff in health institutions in rural areas, problems of apple growers, price rise and the state of public distribution system.

Shimla, August 29
The issue of giving land to the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) for setting up of a cricket academy dominated the proceedings of the monthly municipal corporation (MC) meeting today.

The HPCA has sought giving of over 2,000 sq meters of land to it near the Government Senior Secondary School for Boys, Lalpani.

The councillors deliberated upon the issue whether MC should just give no-objection certificate without taking any charges for the land or take lease money.

The issue snowballed into a major political debate with heated arguments taking place between the members.

It was finally decided that the land would be given to HPCA after fixing lease money, which would be done at the next meeting.

The MC also decided to convene a special house to discuss the issue of making amendments in the Himachal Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 1994, with regard to enhancement in fines and penalties for various violations.

Since the amendments pertain to several sections of the Act, it was decided to take up the issue at a special meeting on September 10.

The issue of making a hike in the water tariff also came up for discussions. However, there was unanimity among the members that till regular and adequate supply of water was not given by the MC, there could be no increase in water charges.

It was felt that till Giri water supply scheme does not start functioning smoothly, it would be inappropriate to increase the rates.

Shimla, August 29
The executives from public sector need to upgrade their skills in view of the increasing competition from the private sector, according to Chairman of the Public Enterprises Selection Board Naresh Narad.

Inaugurating a three-day workshop organised here to sensitise the participants to the process of selection in the public sector undertakings at the board level he said apart from professional knowledge on the subject the selection interviews were aimed at judging the attitude of the candidates.

The focus of the candidates should be on projecting their potential for their
prospective roles.

In his presidential address Chairman of Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE) S. Behuria said the workshop was designed to prepare the prospective candidates for facing the interviews in relation to the selection frameworks.

The role of the observer in mock interviews would provide mirco-feedback which would prove to be a valuable input in the current business scenario.

He emphasised on the need for succession planning and grooming of the public sectors executives to take over future assignments.

The role of board level executives also involved bringing about the desired change in the management and ability to influence stake holders, he said.

Chairman-cum-managing director of Sutlej Jal Vdyut Nigam H.K. Sharma said that the aim of SCOPE was to make the PSUs competitive in the globalized Indian economy.

The candidates should undertake detailed research on the prospective employer in regard to the vision and mission.

With the increasing competitions from the private sector, the PSUs were facing higher levels of attrition and needed to evolve better retention policies.

About 40 participants of the level of general managers and executive directors from 17 PSUs in the power, telecom, petroleum, steel, aviation sectors would go through various sessions of training like enhancing performance during interview, leadership and governance, succession and career planning.

The workshop is being organised jointly with the International Management Institute under the aegis of Public Enterprises Selection Board.

Manali, August 29
Even after months the central government had awarded the Rs 1,416-crore tender to AFCONS and Startberg, a joint-venture multinational company for the construction of the 9 km-long Rohtang tunnel on the strategic Manali-Leh highway, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) here awaits government’s final nod to start the work on the tunnel.

Though the BRO, the executing army wing, said the road that approached the tunnel portals from Manali and Sissu in Lahaul valley was near completion, it still awaited the government’s nod to start the work on the tunnel.

The Rohtang tunnel will provide an all-weather connectivity to the snowbound Lahaul and Pangi valley in Chamba district.

Both valleys remain cut off from the rest world for more than six months in winter as the 13,050-feet high Rohtang Pass remains closed due to heavy snow.

Residents of Pangi and Lahaul have also expressed their concern over the slow
pace of work.

They face problems in transporting their produce like peas and potato as the Rohtang land route is closed due to snowfall in December.

The 9 km-long Rohtang tunnel will not only reduce the distance from Manali to Lahaul valley by over 46 km, but it will also rope in tourists during winter.

There are fears that delay in the work would push the project behind schedule. Chief engineer, GREF, Brig J.K Narang, who was here to inspect the work, said: “The tender has been awarded to AFCONS-Startberg Company that was the lowest bidder quoting Rs 1,416 crore for the Rohtang tunnel. But we await the government’s approval for starting the work.”

Solan, August 29
A fire in an industrial unit of the Preet Industries led to losses worth lakhs as computers, printers and other gadgets were reduced to ashes.

The fire was reportedly caused due to a high voltage in the LT line.

The fire also damaged some electrical appliances in an adjoining income tax building where some air conditioners were burnt down.

Indian Overseas Bank located in the same building also suffered damages as its master stabiliser was brunt down.

Electricity board officials said offices located on the building had drawn power from a 415 volt LT line through long PVC wires exceeding the safe limit of 500 metres.

Since longer lines lead to voltage drop in between, it was a risky proposition to draw current from long wires.

The income tax Office had, however, been directed to install a transformer to avoid any untoward incident, revealed the officials.

SHIMLA: A major fire in Lippa village in Kinnaur district, about 45 km from the district headquarters of Reckong Peo, gutted two houses.

According to reports, there was no loss of life but one person was severely injured while trying to extinguish the fire.

The villagers had controlled the fire before the fire tenders reached the spot.

According to SP Pupul Dutta Prasad, the fire broke out at 8.30 am and engulfed the houses in no time.

Additional district magistrate, Pooh, Amarjeet Singh, said the total loss was estimated to be around 12.5 lakh.

Second-in-command, Indo-Tibet Border Police, R.S. Chandel, rushed to the spot with two fire tenders and a posse of jawans along with a team of doctors to carry out relief and rescue operations. First aid was provided to the injured on the spot.

The exact cause of the incident could not been ascertained immediately but it was probably sparked off by a short circuit.

The victims have been provided amount of Rs 35,000, tents, blankets and other
essential items.

Solan, August 29
With a view to reduce the gap between the producer and consumer and save exploitation through middlemen, floriculturists in the state could now avail the facility to sell their produce directly at the flower auction-cum-wholesale market at Noida.

K.R. Dhiman, vice-chancellor, Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, while addressing a meeting of flower growers of Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand today said the facility, which has been created by the Uttar Pradesh Krishi Mandi Parishad, Lucknow, would become functional from September.

He said the state would also stand to benefit by this facility as an annual business of Rs 20 crore is generated by floriculture alone.

While promising all help to the growers, he said the state offered congenial agro-climatic conditions for floriculture. Moreover, the top-down approach adopted by the parishad would help producer sell his produce without any middlemen.

Nurpur, August 29
Himachal Pradesh state INTUC, a frontal organisation of the Congress, has alleged that private industries in the state were not adhering to labour laws and conditions of providing 70 per cent employment to the locals.

It also criticised the Labour Department for adopting indifferent attitude in taking action against the violators.

Rajnesh Sharma, general secretary, and Ramesh Saini, vice president of the INTUC, in a joint statement here today urged Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal to take a serious note of the situation.

They also demanded release of 5 per cent interim relief and dearness allowance installment due in January this year to the employees of the boards and corporations of the state.

The INTUC leaders said the organisation would soon launch a special drive to enroll employees as members of the INTUC as in the present scenario workers and employees were divided in various organisations and the state government was on tenterhooks to render them recognition.

They also lamented that certain self-styled leaders were creating an atmosphere of insecurity among the employees by mounting political pressure and exploiting their political links to settle personal enmity.

Kumarhatti, August 29
ASCOT Hotels and Resorts Limited has reportedly given a proposal to the state government to construct a high-class luxury resort near Kasauli.

The company has proposed an investment worth Rs 292 crore for the project. The idea behind the proposal is to tap the high-end tourists visiting the state.

A delegation of the company led by its managing director met the state Chief
Minister yesterday.

They have been assured that the state government would examine the proposal and explore the possibility to sanction the project.

It may be mentioned here that certain rules and regulations were in vogue to regulate development and construction works in the area for which the state government has framed a development plan.

Mandi, August 29
Waking up to plight of small-time artisans facing tough time from upmarket plastic and artificial wares, handloom and extension service centre, Dhalpur, and director, handicrafts and development commission, have joined hands, inviting applications from village artisans to showcase their handmade products at Delhi Haat.

The department spokesperson stated that the artisans should be registered with the handloom and handicrafts office and should not have sold his/her products at Delhi Haat for the last six months.

The idea was to give opportunity to new artisans, he added. He said the applicants would be selected through a draw. After selection, they would be given stalls at Delhi Haat from October 21 to April 2009.

Artisans have demanded that they needed market space to showcase their products as they faced competition from the plastic wares and other machine-made products.

The Tibetans are trying to rope in all kind of support for the protest at the
international level.

They have requested all their sympathisers, including celebrities, to participate
in the protest.

Dharamsala, August 29
The police, college teachers and students are on virtual stand-off over the incident of hooliganism at the girls’ hostel of the local Government College.

The police today arrested Ramesh and Kuldeep, students of the DIET. However, in their statements the students have shifted the onus of the incident on the warden of the girls’ hostel.

The sources in the police said the accused had alleged that they were singing in their hostel campus situated near the girls’ hostel.

The warden of the girls’ hostel along with the cook came to their hostel and started abusing them.

This led to an altercation between them in which the warden of girls’ hostel was thrashed. Kangra ASP Pritam Thakur said the statements were yet to be verified.

Meanwhile, the students today skipped classes to protest against the incident.

They threatened to intensify their agitation in case the police did not take appropriate action against the guilty.

The teachers and students have been alleging that the DIET students had entered the girls’ hostel and dragged out the warden before trashing him.

They alleged that the police ignored the bloodstains in the campus.

They had also accused the police of not reaching the venue of crime in time that enabled the accused students to escape.

Some of teachers, on the condition of anonymity, also alleged that the police was trying to reverse the case on the hostel warden as it was peeved at the teachers of accusing it of incompetence.

Shimla, August 29
With factors like vote politics, caste-based derision and over indulgence in construction works diluting the judicial role of gram panchayats (GP), the need for having separate nyaya panchayats (NP) is being felt.

These are the views echoed by majority of the participants at the advocacy workshop on ‘Gender Justice and Nyaya Panchayats in Himachal Pradesh’ here today.

Most participants felt that there was need to have separate nyaya panchayats in view of the fact that they are most accessible, affordable and acceptable.

It was pointed out that during a study conducted on ‘Nyaya panchayats and Gender Justice’ by Priya Das it was found that merger of the NP with the gram panchayats had led to the influence of adverse vote politics and political interference.

“Even though in Himachal the NP has been merged under GP as its judicial function but due to various factors people, especially women are not getting justice,” said Subhash Mendhapurkar, Director, Sutra.

He explained that in a state like Himachal the role of the NP was even more relevant as accessibility was a problem and local level justice delivery system helps in resolving disputes easily.

The chief guest on the occasion, Dr Syeda Hameed, Member Planning Commission lauded the efforts of Sutra in undertaking the study on role on the NP.

She said once a problem had been identified there was need to work out mechanism where there could be a justice delivery system which was accessible to all.

The Director, Social Justice and Empowerment, Subhashish Panda said that panchayats had the judicial powers but owing to their involvement in development process, mainly construction work they had little time left for shouldering their social and judicial powers.

Shimla, August 29
The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau today opposed releasing of the 15 bank accounts of IAS officer Subhash Ahluwalia and his family members that have been frozen as a case of disproportionate assets has been registered against him.

The Vigilance Bureau today filed its reply in response to an application moved by Ahluwalia in the court on August 22 for the release of his bank accounts. The matter will come up for hearing on Monday.

The Vigilance Bureau has opposed the operationalisation of the bank accounts in the name of Ahluwalia and his family.

They have taken the plea that since the investigations in the case were still going on, it would be premature to release the accounts.

The Vigilance Bureau said details about the money transaction and foreign remittances of Ahluwalia and his family was still being looked into and help of a chartered accountant was being taken in this regard.

The Vigilance Bureau had ordered freezing of all the 15 accounts in the name of Ahluwalia and his family members after a disproportionate assets case was registered against him.

During investigations the bureau found that deposits of about Rs 1.34 crore had been made in various accounts held by Ahluwalia, his wife and their two children.

The Vigilance Bureau is still in the process of making assessment of the financial transactions and property owned by Ahluwalia.

With the son and daughter of the couple living in USA, the Vigilance is also trying to ascertain the details of the amount spent on their studies and foreign remittances received from them.

Apprehending that Ahluwalia was planning to go abroad, the bureau also sought the help of ministry of external affairs to prevent him from doing so.

It was after much delay that he deposited his passport with the bureau. It is learnt that the MEA has also issued a red corner note against him.

The name of Ahluwalia had figured prominently in the chargesheet submitted by the BJP to the Governor.

They had sought an inquiry into his role as principal private secretary to the Chief Minister during the Congress rule.

Shimla, August 29
The national BJP chief Rajnath Singh said the party had been able to reach out to people in all corners of the country as it had been able to establish its identity as a party having an ideology based on the culture and traditions of the country.

Rajnath Singh addressed the party office-bearers at the three- day training camp being organised here to gear up the party for the Lok Sabha elections.

“Atal Bihari Vajpayee had christened the BJP as a party with a difference and we need uphold this image,” he said.

He said the BJP which was initially considered a party confined to the North had now been able to influence people in every part of the country and the formation of its government in Karnataka was a proof of this.

Speaking on the occasion, national BJP vice-president, Bal Apte said that the BJP-ruled states must make policies benefit of which reached right down to the common man.

“Giving good governance should be our endeavour along with effort towards decentralisation and giving powers to the panchayats,” he said.

He said the benefits should percolate to people at the grassroots so that they felt that their interests were being protected.