Jalandhar, July 20
Upset over the premature withdrawal of the special industrial package announced for Himachal Pradesh in 2003, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today said it was owing to sheer bias against the hill state.

“While other hill states of the north-east have got an extension till 2017 on the grant of subsidies to boost industry, we have been discriminated against. Himachal Pradesh was granted the special package till 2013 but it has abruptly been stopped from March 31 this year. Despite our repeated representations to Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, there has been no official response,” Dhumal told mediapersons at a press conference here.

He was here with his son and national BJP Yuva Morcha president Anurag Thakur. Dhumal pointed out that even Punjab had opposed the special incentives to Himachal Pradesh.

“It should have asked for incentives for itself at Pathankot or elsewhere, rather than standing against us. Punjab also wrongly claimed that its industry was shifting to Himachal Pradesh. Most of the pharmaceutical units set up in Himachal Pradesh have actually come from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Moreover, the companies have set up their second, third or fourth units in Himachal, without having shut down the original home unit,” he claimed.

Dhumal said his state would start producing 10,000 MW of power in two years and 15,000 MW by 2017. He also discussed the issue of royalty of waters.

“The Punjab Government has been time and again asking for royalty on waters but the waters flow through our state first. If the royalty issue comes over, our claim would definitely be there,” he pointed out.

On the issue of a ropeway between Anandpur Sahib and Naina Devi, he said, “We are interested in taking up the project. Even Parkash Singh Badal had a telephonic conversation with me on the issue a fortnight back and expressed his keenness on the matter. We will soon proceed further on the matter.”

He said Himachal Pradesh was popularising its “home stay” scheme wherein villagers could accommodate tourists at their places. “While tourists could have the actual feel of the place, it would bring revenue to the villagers who would also not have to pay any taxes. In fact, many foreign tourists have already started writing stories based on interesting facts which they have gathered from different villages, which we plan to collect and release in the form of a book on August 15,” he revealed.

Hoshiarpur, July 20
Activists of the local units of various Hindu organisations, including the Shiv Sena and the Vishav Hindu Parishad, along with some residents of Mohalla Ranjit Nagar, led by Mohinder Pal, a sewadar of the Shiva Temple in the locality, demonstrated and allegedly manhandled municipal councillor of Ward 7 Prem Singh at the Municipal Council (MC) office here today. They were protesting against the demolition of the Shiva Temple and alleged desecration of Shiva lingam and Nag Devta installed in the newly constructed temple by officials of the MC last evening. They also smashed windowpanes and doorpanes and office furniture of the MC office.

On receiving information SDM Karnail Singh and DSP Rajeshwar Singh, along with a police force, intervened and settled the matter amicably. MC president Shiv Sud told mediapersons that Shiva lingam and Nag Devta, which were removed from the temple, had been returned to the residents of the area. He said that nobody would be allowed to construct any religious place on the MC land. The residents could construct the temple at some suitable site.

Vice-president of the state unit of the Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) Ranjit Rana said the MC employees who allegedly desecrated Shiva lingam and Nag Devta and took them away from the temple had felt sorry for their act. A new temple would soon be constructed at a suitable site in the area.

Jalandhar, July 20
Riminder Prakash Singh (83), wife of Victoria Cross recipient Major Prakash Singh (late) died of cardiac arrest here yesterday. The cremation would be held on Thursday at 11 am. She is survived by three daughters. Her eldest daughter Alep Prakash Singh had been residing with her and the other two are settled abroad. While Major Prakash Singh died in the UK in 1991, his last rites were performed in India.

Alep Prakash Singh said that she got her mother admitted to Military Hospital (MH), Jalandhar, after she reported low blood count on July 17. The doctors tried to revive her but she had already died,” she added.

Alep said that her mother was looking forward to attend the reunion function at Buckingham Palace, England, in November. She was a member of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association and had been participating in the function every alternate year.

Major Prakash Singh was an Indian recipient of Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration awarded for valour in the face of enemy to the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries and previously to the British empire.