The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Himachal Pradesh Edition

Winter Session: Day Two
Industrial package extension issue rocks House
Lalit Mohan
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, December 15
The issue of increase in industrial package in state rocked the Vidhan Sabha today on the second day of the winter session. During question hour Rup Singh, MLA from the Sundernagar area, asked the industries minister if the issue of increase in industrial package was being taken up with the Union Government.

To this industries minister Kishan Kapoor gave a detailed reply starting from the history of how the industrial package was given to the state and later diluted. The Congress member interrupted the minister and told him to limit his reply. The independent MLA from Nurpur, Rakesh Pathania, then got up and said it was a ‘shame’ for the state that it had two union ministers and still the industrial package was not being extended.

To this the Congress members got off from their seats and said they were proud that the state had been given representation of two ministers in the Union Cabinet. The CM then got up and said that a resolution would be brought to demand increase in industrial package till 2020.

Later, at a press conference HPCC president Kaul Singh also admitted that till date there was no news regarding increase in industrial package to the state.

He said that the matter was under the active consideration of the Union Government and till date no decision had been taken on the matter.

On the reported statement of Virbhadra Singh that industrial package has been increased by one year, he said that the union minister was misquoted by the media.

Kaul Singh sought information if the government has granted permission to establish engineering college in a tea garden in Shahpur tehsil of Kangra district. Replying to the query the horticulture minister initially said no such permission had been given. However, later he said that permission for raising a building on barren land had been given by the revenue department. The department of technical education has, however, not given any permission to run college to the Dhauladhar Education society.

Parveen Sharma, BJP MLA from Palampur, sought details regarding the number of job cards prepared under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in the Bharwana area of his constituency and the number of people given 100 days of employment. In his reply to the question the minister for rural development and panchayats Jai Ram Thakur said 12342 job cards were made but just 2630 persons completed 100 days of employment under NREGS.

The Congress members raised questions regarding the number of PTA teachers removed from job by the present government. To this the education minister said they were being removed as per the directions of the court and requirements of the education department.

Assembly debates swine flu, UPA affidavit
Lalit Mohan
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, December 15
The Himachal Vidhan Sabha today debated the issue of swine flu deaths in the state on a call attention notice from Kaul Singh, HPCC president. Kaul Singh and Kuldeep Pathania expressed concern at the nine reported deaths due to swine flu in the state.

They said the wide publicity that swine flu deaths in Himachal had got in media had the potential to affect the economy of the state. The maximum economy of state and its people was dependent on tourism industry. However, the coverage regarding swine flu deaths was likely to affect the tourism industry in the state.

Minister for Health Rajiv Bindal elaborated regarding the steps being taken to check swine flu in the state. He said isolation wards had been brought up in all district hospitals to check swine flu. Awareness was also being generated among people regarding the disease.

The CM, while participating in the debate, admitted that there was shortage of doctors in some areas. He, however, said that the position of doctors had improved since the present government took over.

The House discussed the issue of a recent affidavit submitted in the Supreme Court submitted by the UPA government in the BBMB case. The issue was raised by Kot Kehlur MLA Sudhir Sharma. Sharma while speaking on the issue said about 250 villages and Bilaspur town were uprooted due to the construction of the Bhakra Dam. However, still Himachal has not been given its due share in the Bhakra. The present affidavit given by the UPA that Himachal was not entitled to 12 per cent royalty in BBMB projects has the potential of affecting state’s interests in the BBMB case. He alleged that the Congress leadership in the state had failed to protect the interests of Himachal.

Congress MLA Kaul Singh initially objected to debate on the plea that the matter was sub-judice. He demanded that the House should not debate the issue as the case regarding the matter was pending in the Supreme Court. The Speaker, however, rejected the objection and allowed the debate.

3 killed, 34 hurt as bus falls in khud
Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 15
Three persons were killed and 34 injured when a bus of the state road transport corporation fell about 200 m down into a khud near Jabli in Solan district in the wee hours today.

While two persons died on the spot, one woman succumbed to her injuries at Government Medical College, Chandigarh. The ill-fated bus was on its way from Delhi to Bagha (near Daralaghat). Twelve injured persons were referred to Chandigarh, three to Solan civil hospital, and the rest were hospitalised at Parwanoo.

The loss of life would have been much higher but for the fact that the vehicle skidded downhill, without tumbling, after the first plunge.

There were over 40 passengers on board when the mishap occurred. The conductor of the bus rang up the authorities from the spot as a result of which rescue and relief operation started without loss of time. The district administration and the staff of the corporation reached the spot promptly. The CPRF unit at Dharampur played an important role in the relief and rescue opertion. Initial inquiries made by the police and the corporation indicated that the bus first veered to the hillside and there after it turned sharply to the valley side and fell near the Cosmos Ferrite factory.

Somesh Goyal, managing director of the corporation, who was in Dharamsala in connection with the Vidhan Sabha session, rushed to the scene of accident immediately.

He said according to a preliminary inquiry, possibility of human error could not be ruled out. He has constituted a three-member committee under the chairmanship of divisional manager, technical, to conduct an inquiry to ascertain the cause of accident. The corporation would bear the entire cost of treatment of the injured, he added.

The police has registered a case of rash and negligent driving and investigation is on.

Winter session shortened
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, December 15
The winter session of the Himachal Assembly has now been shortened to December 19, from its scheduled December 21. HPCC president Kaul Singh while responding to the resolution regarding shortening of session said as per the rules the House should be in session for at least 35 days in the year.

This year only 34 sittings would be held, including the present winter session. He proposed that another sitting of the House should be held to complete 35 days of session.

Meanwhile, the Tibetan parliament-in-exile will host a dinner for members of the Himachal Vidhan Sabha on December 17.

Chairpersons of Boards
Delay in appointment causes resentment
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 15
Delay in appointment of chairmen and vice-chairmen of boards and corporations even after almost two years of formation of the BJP regime in the state is causing a lot of resentment among party leaders who have been eagerly awaiting their elevation.

The issue came up for discussion at the meeting of the core group of the BJP, held three days back. Some of the senior leaders at the meeting, which was attended by Chief Minister PK Dhumal, Rajya Sabha MP Shanta Kumar, in charge of BJP affairs in Himachal Satya Pal Jain, co-in charge OP Dhankar and state organising secretary Mahender Pandey, pointed out the resentment brewing among party leaders over the inordinate delay.

Barring only half a dozen appointments ever since the BJP formed government on December 30, 2007, the wait for party leaders to get appointments is proving to be endless. “At one point of time it was said the appointments will be made after the Hamirpur Lok Sabha by-elections and then the deadline was extended to the Lok Sabha polls but the wait still continues,” said a senior party leader.

A section of the party leaders said even after by-elections to the Jawali and Rohru Assembly segments have been completed but even now there seems to be no indication of the appointments being made. “There is no denying that making appointments is the sole prerogative of the CM but there is no reason why there should be delay when the government is soon going to enter its third year of rule,” party leaders contested.

Senior party leaders too admit that there is no justifiable reason for the delay but they do not have a say in the matter. Another factor which is causing heartburn to the aspirants is the recent appointment of Vikram Thakur, former MLA from Jaswan in Kangra, who lost the elections. He has been made vice-chairman of the Forest Corporation.

Party leaders also cited the example of Govind Thakur, MLA from Kullu, who has been put on the board of directors (BoD) of the HP Tourism Development Corporation. “Despite being an MLA he has been put on the BoD and it will not be surprising if like Rajeev Bhardwaj he too is made vice-chairman after being a member of the BoD for some time,” the party leaders lamented.

District courts’ website launched
Legal Correspondent

Shimla, December 15
Judicial administration in the hill state took a major stride in switch over to e-governance with the launching of website of all district courts and their linking to the state high court.

Himachal is the only state in this part of the country to achieve e-connectivity from the high court down to the subordinate courts.

Formally launching the website, Acting Chief Justice of HP High Court Justice RB Misra said the website would enable the litigant public and advocates to have an access of cause list of each court and every judicial officer in the district headquarters and also help know the listing of their cases from anywhere in the country and abroad.

Judges of the state HC - Justice Deepak Gupta, Surjit Singh, Dev Darshan Sud, VK Ahuja, Surinder Singh, Sanjay Karol, Kuldip Singh and Rajiv Sharma were present at the inaugural ceremony.

Registrar General VK Sharma, Registrar Vigilance DC Chaudhary, Registrar Rules AS Jaswal, and Registrar Inspection Virender Singh were also present on the occasion.

Villagers hold protest
Our Correspondent

Bilaspur, December 15
Led by Nand Lal Sharma, president of the Bhakhda Visthapit Sudhar Samiti, villagers of the area joined a rally at Jhandutta, near here, last evening and protested against the notices issued to them for vacation of their encroachment on forest lands.

They also objected to the affidavit of the central government in which it had denied any right to Himachal Pradesh in the Bhakra Dam project in the Supreme Court. They called it their betrayal as the present prosperity of the adjoining states was due to their sacrifices which were being ignored by the central government.

The rally was also addressed by Kulbhushan Upmanyu and Guman Singh, president and convener, respectively, of the Himalayan Niti Abhiyan Samiti.

A resolution also demanded that the Forest Rights Act, 2006, should be implemented in the state and the notices of vacation of forest lands by the oustees should be withdrawn.

Left to intensify drive against price rise
Tribune News Service

Mandi, December 15
The Left parties — CPM and CPI — today declared that they would intensify the 15-day-long statewide campaign which would culminate at the state-level protest rally in Mandi on January 23 against the failure of the state and UPA governments to curtail price rise and ensure food security to people in the state and country.

Declaring this at a press conference here today, CPM leader Rakesh Singha and CPI state president Des Raj said the UPA had failed to control price rise that rocketed to 19.4 per cent on November 24 as compared to that of last year. The government has failed to check the forward trading and black-marketing and hoardings that go side by side, they asserted.

Singha said subsidies on food items was being reduced to save Rs 4,000 crore very year. The government should first control forward trading of food items and hoardings and bring all categories under the PDS system and the Food Security Act, he added.

On the other hand, the government gives Rs 52,000 crore as subsidy on food items every year whereas it has given a loan waiver of Rs 1.20 lakh crore to an industrial house alone, Singha charged.

“The prices of diesel and petrol are increased artificially as the government never cut down 50 per cent taxes levied on them,” he added.

The Left will reach out to villages and apprise them of the real reason behind the price rise, he added.

‘Double-lane’ highway for Lahaul
Our Correspondent

Chamba, December 15
The state government has decided to link Lahaul and Pangi valleys from Sansari nullah in Pangi tribal subdivision to Gulabgarh in Jammu and Kashmir through an all-weather ‘double-lane’ highway.

For this, the government has planned to widen the existing narrow road making it a ‘double-lane’ with joint efforts in collaboration with the BRO.

An authoritative official information revealed that the proposed ‘double-lane’ portion of the highway from Sansari nullah to Gulabgarh connecting Killar, the subdivisional headquarters of Pangi tribal, would facilitate the people of Lahaul and Pangi valleys to travel to the outer world during winter.

A joint survey for making this portion of the highway as ‘double-lane’ had been conducted and accomplished by the BRO and the state government authorities, information revealed; stating that during winter season when both Rohtang and Saach passes were closed due to heavy snowfall for about seven months, this highway would be an alternative route for people. Information further divulged that clearance to make this highway as ‘double lane’ had also been accorded by the BRO to undertake the widening work of the highway from three points — Sansari nullah, Tiari and Sohal.

‘Fill vacant posts of teacher’
Our Correspondent

Nurpur, December 15
The Kangra district unit of the government teachers’ union has urged Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal not to implement the continuous comprehensive evaluation (CCE) policy in the summer-closing schools during the current academic session as it would not be implemented in winter-closing schools in the state from the current session.

District president of the union Onkar Rana stated here that two types of evaluation for the same session and classes would be illogical. He also demanded to revoke recent amendment made in the recruitment and promotion rules of deputy directors in the education department which had denied promotions to those who were on the brink of retirement.

He criticised the department’s decision of linking annual increments to the school results and added that teachers were dutifully bound to produce good results but the government should first create congenial atmosphere by filling vacant posts and stop mid-session transfers.

Man gets 10-year RI
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, December 15
Kangra Additional District and Sessions Judge Rajiv Baradwaj today sentenced one Husain Khan, a resident of Chamba, to 10 years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh on charges of drugs trafficking.

Deputy district attorney BK Marwaha, while talking to The Tribune, said Husain was arrested by the Indora police with 12 kg charas at Damtal on December 25, 2007. He was driving his own bus at Damtal. The permit of the bus was, however, for the interior areas of Chamba district.

The police intercepted the vehicle as there was no passenger in it. It later found a white bag hidden under the seat from which 12 kg charas was recovered. The accused was found guilty of drugs trafficking under the NDPS Act.

Cold wave grips valley
Our Correspondent

Kullu, December 15
The entire Kullu valley is in the grip of cold wave following rains lashing the lower region and snow on the higher reaches.

The 13,050-ft-high Rohtang Pass had more than four feet snow while mountain tops around Kullu and Manali experienced moderate snowfall.

Tourist spots beyond Manali on the Manali-Leh Highway, Gulaba, Kothi and Solang nullah, had four to six inches of snow today till the filing of this report. Meanwhile, the snowfall on Rohtang Pass has cut off tribal areas of Lahaul valley from rest of the country.

The timely snowfall this year has brought cheers and hope for farmers and horticulturists. Local hoteliers and travel agents are also hoping for profitable business this season.

Decomposed body found

Nurpur, December 15
The Jawali police today recovered decomposed body of an unidentified woman, about 32-year-old, from a private well of one Narinder Kumar, a resident of Baskwala village in Maira gram panchayat, and suspected it to be a murder.

According to Jawali DSP Badri Singh, the police received information about foul smell emanating from the well from local panchayat pradhan late last evening and deployed police force to check the matter. The police fished out the body and found legs and arms of the woman tied with a dupatta.

A case has been registered. — OC