Shimla, May 23
After giving him a long rope for several months, the party finally took action against belligerent party MP from Kangra Rajan Sushant and removed him from the BJP state executive for making embarrassing utterances against the Dhumal regime on several occasions.

State BJP chief Khimi Ram, after getting the green signal from the party high command, today issued the order for the removal of the MP from the important BJP state executive. More importantly, he has specified that disciplinary action has been taken against him for indulging in anti-party activities.

Even though loyalists of Chief Minister PK Dhumal had been apprising the party high command about the confrontationist approach adopted by Sushant, no action could be taken against him as being an MP, the party’s central disciplinary committee nod was required. The issue had been pending before the committee headed by OP Kohli and it was expected that some action would be taken against him.

With several BJP leaders owing allegiance to the Chief Minister dragging the Sushant episode to the high command, the action against him will bring them major relief. However, knowing the past track record of Sushant, it is unlikely that he will put an end to his tirade against the Chief Minister and his close aides.

“Though action against Sushant was imminent, it will only fuel infighting in the party as battle lines will be drawn between the two warring factions,” admitted a senior MLA.

The fact that no action had been taken against Sushant till now was making the situation awkward not just for the Chief Minister but also senior leaders.

The CM on his part had tried to ignore his utterances even though these were being viewed as damaging for the BJP regime, especially when the assembly elections are due next year.

The party circles were worried that with assembly elections due next year in December, it was essential to check Sushant or else the BJP could suffer a huge damage.

Mandi, May 23
Unfazed by his removal from the BJP state executive, Kangra BJP MP Rajan Sushant today went a step ahead and declared a war against corruption and vowed that he would expose all “Madhu Kauras and Kanimozhis” of Himachal who had sold the state to 18 private universities.

Addressing a gathering of NGOs, RTI activists and general pubic here late in the evening, Sushant, who was here on a three-day tour

of Mandi and Kullu in support of the Baba Ramdev’s Bharat Swabhiman anti-corruption campaign, stated that he was not afraid of anybody and it was a good news for him that he had been removed. No one could stop him from exposing the corrupt in the state, he asserted.

He did not name any leader or party, but he said, “Madhu Kauras of Himachal will be exposed in front of the public. I have enough evidence and documents to do so”, he warned.

The rural and urban poor who were entitled for the two biswas or one biswas of land to build their houses were not getting land while 18 private universities had been allotted land without mandatory conditions, he charged.

He warned that he would never allow the private universities to run a hotel or other offices except the university for which these had secured lease without terms and conditions.

He said the violations of Section 118 were rampant and tourist destinations in Manali, Dalhouise and Shimla were being sold to benami dealers.

He went on to cut BJP president Khimi Ram to size, stating that he was not leader but a small fry holding party post.

“I will not leave Baba Ramdev’s anti- corruption movement even if he has to sacrifice his party as certain BJP men were targeting him”, he added.

Sushant almost declared a war against corruption in the state urging the right thinking people to join Baba Ramdev movement against corruption.

Referring to BJP action against leaders toeing anti-party line, Sushant said Khimi Ram was a mere party post holder, not a leader. “I pity him. My leaders are of the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, Azad and Gurudev. They were never MLAs or ministers but they served the motherland”, he said.

The district president, Baba Ramdev Sawabhiman campaign, Ranpat Singh

Rana, said the different social organisations, NGOs and students would join the hunger strike at Seri Munch in support of Baba Ramdev strike on June 6. 

Shimla, May 23
The Himachal Government has proposed an outlay of Rs 27,556 crore for the 12th Five-Year Plan, double the size of the 11th plan, for 2012-17 period.

Speaking at a regional-level consultation meeting on the Approach Paper for the 12th plan convened by the Planning Commission in New Delhi today, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said the plan size must be doubled at least in the view of the consistently high rate of inflation.

He requested the Centre to prepare a road map for tapping the hydropower potential during the 12th plan and provide support for various critical issues like expeditious environmental clearance in the sector. He also stressed the need for making adequate transmission arrangements from all the river basins and carrying out speedy distribution to attract investment in the generation sector.

The Chief Minister urged the Planning Commission to address critical issues like forest clearances and payment of Net Present Value (NPV) in the respect of road projects and pointed out that the state was not able to utilise its allocation under the PMGSY as most of the roads involved forest area. He said the inclusion of the NPV in the project cost would ensure faster implementation of the programme.

Dhumal sought a special package for tourism development in the state which provided funds for expansion of airport near Shimla to facilitate landing of big planes like the Boeing and Airbus aircrafts.

He sought adequate funds for targeted completion of all the ongoing railway projects during the plan and drew attention to the slow pace of work with only 36 km of rail tracks coming up over a period of 27 years. He urged the Centre to take up the Bilaspur-Leh rail line as a national project.

Dhumal demanded enhancement in the allocation for calamity relief to hill states, liberal central funding for creating and upgrading strategic infrastructure in the border areas on strategic considerations. He also pleaded for proper compensation to hill states based on opportunity costs on account of the eco-services, the extension of period of the central industrial package in all western Himalayan states and imposition of generation tax on hydropower.

The Chief Minister requested for 20 per cent raise in the present income limit for the below poverty line (BPL) families for the hill states in the view of higher cost of living and a special central financial package to the state during 12th plan in view of unrealistic and gross underestimation of states liabilities by the 13th Finance Commission.

Shimla, May 23
The police will set up four anti-human trafficking units in the state to get the exact picture with regard to missing women and also sensitise people against child and bonded labour.

The crime branch of the police launched two such units in Shimla and Kangra this week only. Four new units are likely to be set up in Sirmour, Solan, Chamba and Kullu districts in the near future.

There have been reports about women going missing from interior parts of Sirmour and Shimla districts, but in the absence of any specific clue, the police has been unable to trace them.

Out of the total 2,456 cases of missing women in the state, 565 still untraceable. “We have written to all district police chiefs to get in touch with the families of all missing women about whom cases have been reported so as to ascertain if they have been traced,” said Prithvi Raj, IGP (Crime).

He said as per the recent crime record, the total number of untraceable cases of missing women out of the total 2,456 was 889.

“It is after running a campaign to cross-check the existing status of these cases, it was found that the number had dropped to 565, but the families had not intimated the police after these women were found,” he says.

There have been reports about women from interior parts of Shimla and Solan district going missing, but the police has not been able to establish any link or trace down the women. The CID wing of the police had even tried to study this disturbing trend by linking it to the socio-economic scenario in the area, but failed to get any specific clues.

The units will be provided with all infrastructure, vehicles and trained personnel with the help of funds provided by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Rs 16 lakh has already been spent on the creation of the two units set up in Kangra and Shimla while more funds are to be placed at the state’s disposal for the reaming four units.

The anti-human trafficking units will also check cases of bonded and child labour and create awareness about it in the public with the help of trained police personnel who will independently investigate all cases of human trafficking.

Hamirpur, May 23
The district administration has ordered to close down the hot mix plant which was being run illegally, by an influential contractor at Janglu village in Nadaun sub-division of the district, after the publication of a news report regarding this plant in The Tribune on Saturday.

After getting instructions from Hamirpur Deputy Commissioner Rajinder Singh Thakur, Nadaun SDM RR Verma had directed the proprietor of this plant to close it.

A hot mix plant was being run at Jangalu by a contractor without obtaining a no objection certificate (NOC) from the local panchayat, the PWD and even from the Pollution Control Board and despite the objection of local villagers.

On the complaint of villagers a team of the Pollution Control Board after visiting the spot of the plant, some time back, had asked the Nadaun SDM to close down this plant since it was being run illegally.

The Naduan SDM said,” The hot mix plant being run at Jangalu village has been closed and its proprietor has been told not to run it.”

Ravinder Kumar, a villager from Jangalu, who had led a campaign against this plant, also confirmed closure of the plant.

Executive Engineer of the PCB at Una Brij Bhushan said, “The proprietor of the plant will have to obtain an NOC from the local panchayat and the PWD and then apply for an NOC from the board”.

“Since residents of the area had been complaining about pollution from this plant we will ensure stringent pollution norms and installation of foolproof pollution control devices at the site of the plant,” he added.

Kullu, May 23
A bird species count was organised by the wildlife division here in Manali and its surrounding areas on Saturday. Bird watchers spent the entire day birding in and around Manali, including parts of the Manali sanctuary. The watchers recorded many species of birds. Later in the evening, the teams compiled the data after sharing personal views.

A total of 111 bird species, including 22 new species, were recorded during the day.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Wildlife, B S Rana said the activity was organised for the first time in Manali. The publicity for the programme fetched a good response while many locals, tourists and bird watchers, besides wildlife officers, students from eco-clubs of Daystar School, Manali, and Government Senior Secondary School, Manali, members of the Pong Birding Society participated in the event. 

Shimla, May 23
With Mayor Madhu Sood taking a U-turn in the rift with the Municipal Council (MC) Commissioner over the controversial Bemloe Developers project, the Congress virtually deserted her stating that it was under pressure and influence that she had retracted from her earlier stand.

The feud between the Mayor and the Commissioner today took an interesting turn with Sood taking a completely different stand and stating that she was convinced with the report given by Commissioner AN Sharma on the Bemloe Development Infrastructure Company.

“With Bemloe developers committing to improve the road to the locality, all the concerns I had raised stand sealed out to the satisfaction of everyone,” she said to the surprise of everyone.

Much to the discomfiture of Sood, her party has taken a very serious view of her sudden change of heart. “This can be her personal view but as far as the Congress is concerned we still maintain that the Bemloe developers project is a fraud and an FIR must be registered for the forged signature of a dead person,” HP state Congress chief Kaul Singh Thakur said.

“It appears she has given the statement under pressure and influence from some quarter,” he added.

Thakur who had held a press conference in the presence of 10 councillors levelling serious charges against the Bemloe developers said the Congress would continue to oppose the project notwithstanding the stand of Sood.

“We demand that it is only a CBI inquiry or a judicial inquiry which can bring to light the facts about the Bemloe Developers project in an impartial manner,” he remarked.

It is not only her party, which has taken unkindly to her sudden retraction, but also the fellow Congress councillors in the MC have practically revolted against her.

Former Mayor and now councillor Narender Kataria said the MC was not the personal fiefdom of Sood and the manner in which she had taken a u-turn it was clear that a deal had been struck between her and the Commissioner.

“We will demand from the government that a probe be ordered into the allegations levelled both by the Mayor and the Commissioner against each other so that truth can be known,” he demanded.

He added that in case the BJP regime did not accept this demand an inquiry by an outside agency would be sought.

Nurpur, May 23
Up in arms against the failure of the Jawali police to arrest an absconding culprit even after over one month of the murder of Shonki Ram of Chhukial village in Naana gram panchayat, villagers today staged a dharna and gheraoed the office of the SDM, Jawali, for about two hours.

The body of the deceased bearing grave injury marks had been found about 100 metre from his house on April 20. The wife of the deceased had named the suspect, who has been absconding since then, to the police.

Kangra district BJP vice-president Utra Guleria led the dharna.

Earlier, residents of Naana gram panchayat, led by its up-pradhan Kuldeep Singh, had given a memorandum with a 10-day ultimatum to the SDM.

DSP, Nurpur, Rajinder Jaswal said the officiating DSP, Jawali, was called by the SDM who rushed to the spot. He told The Tribune that he had pacified the irate villagers and told them that the police would arrest the culprit. A case under Section 302, IPC, had been registered.

Hamirpur, May 23
The state government has issued a show-cause notice to a Primary Health Centre (PHC) doctor at Kutheda in Hamirpur district for disobeying its orders to perform an emergency duty.

The notice has been issued by the Principal Secretary, Health, on the recommendation of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Hamirpur.

Dr Shushil Sharma, working in the PHC Kutheda, was asked to perform an emergency duty in block medical hospital, Toani Devi, a few days back by BMO, Toani Devi.

The district health authorities had taken a decision to appoint medical officers working in the field in nearby hospitals on an emergency basis as they had low workload.

BMO, Toani Devi, Keshav Kaushal, said, “Dr Sharma was directed to perform an emergency duty in the block hospital several times, but he had never complied with these orders”.

The government through this notice has asked the medical officer to explain his position regarding the charge of disobeying government orders of performing emergency duties.

Dr Sharma said, “In the case of my absence from the PHC, local people complain to the local MLA and, thus, it is difficult to perform an emergency duty in other hospitals”.

Solan, May 23
With the PWD’s National Highway (NH) wing failing to undertake timely repair of NH-21A Nalagarh-Swarghat road, villagers of 18 panchayats blocked the traffic for nearly six hours today.

Led by the Pradesh Congress Committee delegate Lakhwinder Rana, the villagers, including women, rued that despite repeated assurances no work had begun on this crucial road and people were forced to use the potholed road where driving had become risky.

Panchayat pradhans, including Iqbal Kaur, Ramkumar Sharma, Ajaib Singh, Sikander Singh, BDC member Husan Chand, and others sat on a dharna at 7 am, thus, disrupting the normal flow of vehicles.

Rana said driving had become risky on the NH-21A and those commuting at night failed to see the potholes, thus, leading to accidents.

They also demanded an erection of a temporary bridge over the Chikni river before the onset of rainy season.

It was after an assurance given by Nalagarh SDM Shubkaran and officials of the NH that the blockade was lifted around 1 am. The police, however, registered a case against 18 persons for blocking the highway. Deputy Commissioner C Palrasu said since the estimate for carpeting was already awaiting approval from the Ministry of Surface Transport and Roads they had begun repair work and potholes would be filled.

Kangra, May 23
Kangra district police chief Daljeet Singh Thakur today ordered an inquiry on the complaint lodged by Gian Chand of Dharghata village falling under the Raintal police that the police post in charge was allegedly having illicit relations with his wife.

SSP Thakur said Gain Chand had locked up the Ranital police post in charge ASI Baldev Singh in a room of his house today alleging that the ASI had physical relations with his wife.

The SSP said Gain Chand informed the police and the SHO, Haripur police station, and the DSP, Dehra, reached the spot, opened the room and the ASI and the woman were brought out in the presence of the local village pradhan and the complainant.

He said preliminary inquiry was initiated, besides a detailed inquiry ordered into the matter.

He said no case had, however, been registered. Onlt after the receipt of the preliminary inquiry report, he would order departmental action against the erring police officer.

Meanwhile, Sanjeev Gandhi, Additional District Police Chief, said the woman had allegedly lodged a report with the police that her husband was physically assaulting her and ASI Baldev Singh had come to enquire about the matter when they were bolted from outside by her husband.

The woman was sent for the medical examination to Dehra. The SSP said a team of forensic experts too were rushed to the village. He denied the allegation that police was trying to destroy the evidence and hush up the matter.

Sundernagar, May 23
Sohan Lal Thakur, former Congress MLA from Sundernagar and spokesman of HPCC, accused the BJP government of depriving the public of the basis facilities, which were available during the previous Congress government rule.

He pointed out that on 15 bus routes in the Sundernagar area the HRTC had stopped plying buses due to which people were facing hardship.

He also pointed out that various health institutions lacked adequate staff and at some places there was no doctor for the last more than two years. — OC