Shimla, October 20
The government today issued a show-cause notice to Eternal University, Barru Sahib, Sirmaur, following student clashes in the engineering college affiliated to the university on the night of October 14.

The notice was issued by the Director, Higher Education (Education), OP Sharma, to the university VC who has been asked to reply within three days.

Taking a stern view of the violence, Chief Minister PK Dhumal had directed the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, Sirmaur, to look into the matter and take appropriate action. The DC, in his report to the government, has pointed out that the violence that began in the campus spilled outside.

The university authorities have come in for severe criticism for failing to check the clashes in the college. A case has been registered and 18 students found guilty of being involved in the incident have been suspended.

The government is of the opinion that even if the clashes did spill outside the campus, the university should have alerted the police to ensure that there was no law and order problem.

The college management has come in for severe criticism with the incident assuming communal overtones. Injured students have alleged involvement of college teachers and security staff in the violence.

Shimla, October 20
Education Minister Ishwar Dass Dhiman has taken exception to the statement of state Congress president Kaul Singh Thakur blaming the government for recent happenings in Eternal University, Barru Sahib, and accused him of misleading the people on the issue to achieve political ends.

Reacting to the charges, he said the incident was unfortunate but the government could not be held responsible for it and it swung into action without loss of time. Immediately after the incident, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal directed the Deputy Commissioner, Sirmour, to inquire into the matter. The government was committed to provide best academic environment in the educational institutions and was taking every care to stop such unfortunate incidents.

He reminded Kaul Singh that Eternal University was opened during the previous Congress regime and the “Letter of Intent” was also issued by the same government. He should have objected at that time rather than demanding withdrawal of recognition now.

Dhiman claimed that the government was trying its best to ensure quality of education and a legislation to set up a commission to regulate the functioning of private institutions would be enacted shortly. The government had not provided land to any of the private educational institution. It established many national-level institutes in the state during the last 33 months. The ‘Atal Shiksha Kunj’ had been established at Kalu Jhanda in Baddi to set up premier institutions to provide quality education at one place.

Regarding the fake certificate scam, the minister said the practice of issuing fake certificates was going on in the education board for the last five years and the present BJP government had unearthed the scam. Prompt action had been taken by immediately registering a case against 62 persons. The government constituted a high-level probe committee to look into the matter.

Shimla, October 20
With space being a major constraint in the expansion of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), the authorities concerned have sought additional land at Potters Hill to create better infrastructure and modern facilities.

Vice-Chancellor of HPU Prof Sunil Kumar Gupta wrote to the Youth Services and Sports Department last week to transfer back the excess land that was given to them by the university about 15 years back. The land measuring 66 bighas, which was in the name of HPU then, was given to the Sports Department for setting up a firing range.

Of the total land, the department has brought to use only 14 bighas and 10 biswas of land. The university proposes to construct an indoor gymnasium and sports facilities, including an athletics track on the site. Though the university is spread over 200 acres, most land is forest land covered with oak trees.

“Since we now require additional land to execute our expansion plans, we are keen that the excess land is returned to us,” said Vice-Chancellor Prof Gupta. Once the university gets possession of the land, several important projects would be pushed through with liberal funding from the UGC.

The unutilised (excess) land is right below the boys’ hostel at Potter’s Hill and is ideally suited for expansion of the campus. “We have already sent proposals worth Rs 36 crore to the UGC that includes Rs 2.50 crore for a mini-auditorium, Rs 10 crore for engineering and computer building along with other facilities and Rs 2 crore for a girls’ hostel,” Prof Gupta said.

The university was keen to start many new courses and provide the best infrastructure and latest equipment but space was a constraint, he added.

“Once we get the additional land, funds would not be a problem as the UGC provides liberal funding for strengthening the existing facilities and expansion plans,” he said.

Several departments, including Journalism and Mass Communication, Sociology, Geography, Bhoti and Yoga, have less space and continue to run from the old buildings. Facilities like a theatre, photo and video laboratory for the Journalism Department have not been set up due to lack of proper accommodation, Prof Gupta said. With strength of over 5,600 students, the university has fewer hostels, both for girls as well as boys. Though there are 16 hostels and new construction has been undertaken, the pressure still remains.

Solan, October 20
Production came to a halt in about 35 steel units of the state as scrap-laden trucks continued to remain parked near inter-state barriers following refusal of investors to pay 4 per cent entry tax.

The irate investors have now decided to desist from paying power bills amounting to Rs 50 to Rs 62 crore this month. Members of the HP Steel and Alloy Manufacturers Association met Chief Minister PK Dhumal in Shimla today and gave him a representation highlighting their plight after imposition of this tax. They demanded a complete roll back of the tax that they termed the last nail in their coffin.

President of the Nalagarh Industries Association Prem Sharma said this tax had crippled the industry and if it was not rolled back, they would be forced to shift their plants to other states as the high tax structure had burdened the industry.

Association chairman JP Jain said the industry was reeling under crisis and at the beginning of this year, the units were either at par with no profits or at mere 30 per cent margin. But after the hike in power tariff, additional goods tax and 7 per cent tax on furnace oil, the units were incurring losses to the tune of Rs 500 to Rs 750/tonne per month. Now, this 4 per cent entry tax had incapacitated them to even pay their power bills this month.

An investor, Avtar Singh, said the inimical policies of the successive state governments had phased out the steel industry twice in the past and similar circumstances were being created again.

Another investor, Pradeep Aggarwal, said these hikes in one single year had made production uncompetitive as such taxes did not exist in other states. Investor Megh Raj Garg rued that if an immediate roll back was not affected, thousands of trucks would be lined up at all barriers.

Shimla, October 20
Coming down heavily on the BJP regime for its proposal to turn leasehold land into freehold land, the CPM today said this was being done in the interest of the big industrial houses, against the real spirit of Section 118 of the Land Reforms and Ceiling Act.

Member State Secretariat of the CPM Tikender Singh Panwar said the move would only benefit those who had been given land on lease for running universities, cement plants and hydropower projects. “The move will not only dilute the provisions of Section 118 but will make the industrial houses de facto owners of land which was given to them illegally,” he alleged.

He said changing leasehold land into freehold land would jack up the land prices which would in turn help real estate speculators and earn them huge dividends. “Since the BJP assumed power it has been trying to allow the real estate speculators to gain by diluting the provisions of Section 118 which prohibits non-agriculturists from buying land in Himachal,” he said.

Panwar said the BJP initially provided land to big industrial houses on lease and now decks were being cleared to pave the way for transfer of the same land in their own name. “The government must not forget that many of the private universities who have been leased out land do not even have 200 students and later these institutes will play as real estate agents,” he said.

He warned the government to desist from this move that was neither in the interest of the state nor its people.

The Cabinet in its meeting yesterday decided to constitute a Cabinet-sub committee to look into the issue of converting leasehold land into freehold land.

Shimla, October 20
The sleuths of the CID today questioned Parvati Devi, the main accused in the fake certificate case, and got some specific leads which could help unravel the racket which helped her acquire a fake BA-II marksheet.

Parvati Devi against whom the CID had registered a case was questioned at Rampur. “She has given some important leads which will help us get to those involved in the racket,” CID officials admitted. Staff at Government Degree College, Rampur, was also questioned by the CID.

Based on the specific information that the CID got from Parvati Devi, some other persons were interrogated here today. Sources said so far there was no indication of involvement of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) officials but it cannot be ruled out as the fake marksheet was almost like the original one issued by the university.

Hamirpur, October 20
Former chairman of the HP Board of School Education BR Rahi has taken exception to the statement of Vijay Singh Mankotia saying “the seeds of scam in the education board were sown during Rahi’s term”.

Refuting these allegations in a press statement issued here today, Rahi clarified that this statement was not only misleading but also without any substance.

He said it was during my tenure in the board that the recognition of the school run by the main accused of the fake certificate scam, Suresh Chaudhary, was cancelled, which decision was also upheld by the high court.

He alleged, “Mankotia had at that time also supported such school managements and was levelling unfounded statements against the board and later some of these people and even his driver were booked for the fake certificate scam.”

Hamirpur, October 20
Hamirpur-based employees of Life India Insurance today observed an hour-long strike to protest new pension scheme, under the banner of North Zone Insurance Employees Association (NZIEA).

The employees raised slogans against the LIC management and the Central government and also held a rally outside their office which was addressed by NZIEA leaders AC Chauhan, HC Verma and Pradeep Manhas.

Addressing this rally, these leaders criticised the LIC management for implementing new pension scheme despite the opposition by employees and said the pensions of MLAs and MPs were being raised but employees were being deprived from their pension due after serving the organisation throughout their lives.

The employees have also demanded immediate withdrawal of new pension scheme.