Mandi/Kullu, November 25
The five-member Central Government team headed by Bhagwan Shankar, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, today inspected the cloudburst-hit areas of the snow gallery of the Rohtang Tunnel project and landslides-hit Manikaran roads to ascertain losses of Rs 109 crore due to monsoon in Kullu district and damages to the tune of Rs 297 crore in Mandi district.

The Central team came two months after Chief Minister PK Dhumal had been accusing the Congress-led UPA government of ignoring the state as far as compensation to the state on natural calamities is concerned.

On the other hand, Mandi MP and Union Minister Virbhadra Singh had dismissed Dhumal’s charge as baseless saying that Dhumal was running the state with doles and funds from the Centre as there had been a total mismanagement of economy on all fronts.

The team, accompanied by Kullu DC BM Nanta and other district officials from Agriculture, Horticulture, PWD and IHP and other departments, inspected a few landslide-hit road stretches on the Kullu-Manikaran road and Fingri nullah, the site of the cloudburst that had killed eight labourers working in the snow gallery on July-19-20 last.

Nanta said damages to the tune of Rs 120 crore had been reported in the district due to cloudbursts, downpour and flash floods during the monsoon this year. The damages included losses to crops, IPH schemes, PWD state roads, government properties and others.

“We have submitted the documents to the Central team to seek monetary help,” he added.

Though the team did not visit Mandi, the officials concerned have submitted the report on damage by monsoon in the district to the team, including CDs and pictures and other documents, Mandi DC Devesh Kumar said.

He added that the monsoon damaged PWD roads, crops, IPH schemes and other government properties to the tune of Rs 297 crore in Mandi district this year.

Meanwhile, the Chief Secretary would give a presentation on damages to the team to seek Central compensation. The team also included members from the Planning Commission and the Ministry of Surface Transport.

Jainagar (Nalagarh), November 25
Chief Minister PK Dhumal today blamed the Congress-led UPA government for acting under the pressure of multi-national companies (MNCs) as it had permitted 51 per cent foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail at a Cabinet decision taken yesterday.

Addressing public rallies at Jainagar, Gujarhatti and Ratwari, where a large number of women in particular had turned up in support of BJP’s candidate Gurnam Kaur, the Chief Minister said this decision would adversely affect the livelihood of small kiryana shops owners and unemployed youth and it reflected the anti-people policies of the Congress.

He urged the people to vote against the Congress which apart from suffocating the people with such anti-poor decisions had failed to take measures to contain corruption, price rise and black money which had adversely affected the common man.

The Chief Minister said the state government was trying to give relief to the common man but being a small state they had limited means and could only provide limited succour. He said they had effected a hike of Rs 16,425 per annum in daily wages apart from facilitating women of BPL facilities by providing 50 per cent subsidy on LPG connections.

With a large number of women turning up at the rallies, the Chief Minister urged them to support Gurnam Kaur as she rightfully deserved a chance to represent them as her husband HN Saini had worked hard to develop this area for 13 years. He said they had provided 50 per cent reservation to women in the panchayati raj to increase their participation in the development.

He gave figurative details of developmental works and policies of his government and urged the people to vote for the BJP which was undertaking uniform development of the state.

State BJP president Khimi Ram, while addressing the gathering, said the Congress was steeped in corruption and the common man suffered due to the spiralling rise in the price of all commodities.

He urged the people to give a befitting reply to the Congress in these byelections. Gurnam Kaur urged the people to give her a chance to represent them so that they could develop the area further.

Solan, November 25
Congress leaders today alleged that the BJP was trying to “misuse the money power” as they had detected cash worth Rs 85,000 from Bhagat Ram from a rented room in the Housing Board Colony at Sangarah.

The room was being used for stacking poll material by the BJP for its campaigning. Bhagat Ram is an aide of Transport Minister Mahinder Singh, who was campaigning in Renuka.

Congress leaders, however, informed the police about the presence of the money as they alleged that the money was to be used to influence the elections. The police was investigating about the origin and further use of the money.

Election observer for expenditure Vir Bahadur, who was informed about the incident, videographed the room, including the cash worth Rs 85,000, 86 envelops containing Rs 500 each and polling agent forms of the BJP.

PCC general secretary Kuldeep Rathode, however, said Congress leaders informed the police about the alleged cash having been stacked there for misuse in the Renuka byelection, adding that even BJP’s election material was found in the room. General observer, Renuka byelection, Raju Narayan Swami, said they were aware of the matter and they would inquire into it.

BJP leader and in charge, Renuka seat, Chander Mohan Thakur, however, said 86 envelops containing Rs 500 each, along with the polling agent form in each of the envelops, were found in a room which was being used as the election office. Even the publicity material and the voter lists were found from the room and the money was meant for distribution to polling agents and to meet the day-to-day expenditure of fuel and lodging.

He added that no beneficiary of this money was found and neither had the cash been handed over to any voter and the Congress was making an undue issue of the matter.

Solan, November 25
The byelections for the twin seats of Nalagarh and Renuka have become a prestige issue for both the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress.

While the results will have a bearing on the working of the state government, it will help the Congress in assessing its position well before the Vidhan Sabha poll, to be held next year. The strategy for the Vidhan Sabha poll will be devised keeping in mind the performance of these candidates.

With three of the four candidates being political greenhorns, the results will also help decide whether the parties need to field experienced candidates or rely on new faces.

Interestingly, both parties have the advantage of riding the sympathy wave in one of the two seats thus providing a level-playing field. Political observers feel the sympathy factor will only have a limited impact and since the candidates will have the shortest stint of one year, the voters may consider other factors like personal standing.

The ruling BJP has an edge of recounting before the voters its developmental works. Apart from one byelection, Chief Minister PK Dhumal has won all byelections during his regime. Whether he will be able to maintain this impeccable record remains to be seen though the BJP has put its entire strength in ensuring the party’s victory.

The BJP had gained a lead in the parliamentary poll of 2009 from both Renuka and Nalagarh seats. While in the Renuka seat, the BJP had mustered a lead of 3,885 votes, in Nalagarh its lead was about 8,500 votes. Though these figures place the BJP in a comfortable position, how well the new candidate, Hriday Ram, from Renuka makes his presence felt among the rural masses, who are traditional Congress voters, remains to be seen.

Conversely, the Congress has pitted its old warhorse Lakhwinder Rana from Nalagarh, who despite two consecutive losses, appears to be posing a tough competition for BJP’s Gurnam Kaur, who is a novice. In Renuka, which was traditionally a Congress bastion, the personal standing of the candidate is emerging as an influencing factor though Hriday Ram’s educated and focused approach is also making a mark on the voters.

Nalagarh, November 25
The Congress today blamed the ruling BJP for neglect of the Nalagarh constituency and said the poor condition of roads and bridges cleared showed how development had suffered here.

Addressing public meetings at Gol Jamala, Kumarhatti, Bansai, Riya Thoda and Jhandia, PCC president Kaul Singh urged the people to vote for their candidate Lakhwinder Rana who had been working hard to address the problems of the area.

Rana, while addressing the people, said the issue regarding neglect of this constituency was also raised by the late HN Saini, who was a BJP MLA, and lack of development was clear from the fact that no new school had been opened in the constituency for the past four years.

He said issues like corruption were affecting the common man and the case of the Rajpura Cooperative Society, where a fraud worth crores was unearthed, was a case in point. He said no action had been taken against the corrupt in this case and this showed how the government was shielding the corrupt.

Rana was pleading before the people to grant him one chance as they had seen HN Saini’s working for more than 13 years and they could give him one chance to represent them in the state Assembly. 

Shimla, November 25
Narinder Chauhan, Chief Electoral Officer, today said all voters in the Nalagarh and Renuka Assembly constituencies, who had been issued their electors photo identity cards (EPICs) shall have to produce these cards to exercise their franchise when they go to the polling stations for voting on November 30.

He said the identity cards issued by the electoral registration officer of another Assembly constituency shall be taken into account while establishing the identity of electors. The commission has further directed that if any elector fails to produce his EPIC, such electors shall have to produce any of the alternative photo documents which include passport, driving licence, PAN card or service identity card issued to its employees by the state or Central Government, public sector undertakings, local bodies or public limited companies with photographs, passbooks issued by public sector banks and post office and kisan passbooks with photograph and some other photo identity cards.

Property documents such as pattas, registered deeds with photograph and pension documents could also be used as an alternative identity document.

He informed that any of the above mentioned documents that was available only with the head of the family could also be used for identifying the other members of the family provided all members came together and were identified by the head of the family.

Solan, November 25
The Congress yesterday stepped up its campaign in the hilly areas of the Nalagarh constituency where PCC president Kaul Singh Thakur and AICC working committee member DR Shandil addressed rallies at Doli and Nand to muster support for Lakhwinder Rana.

The Congress leaders said the allegations of corruption raised by the Congress had been vindicated by the BJP ministers and MLAs who had formed the Bhrashtachar Mukti Morcha against their own government.

Kaul Singh said the anti-developmental stance of the BJP government was clear from the fact that the BJP was preparing to close down 2,500 schools in the state.

He said the BJP had sold one lakh bighas of land to outsiders and the state’s land had been virtually put on sale.

Expressing concern over the sorry state of affairs, he said the condition of roads, health services and education were pitiable in the state. Though the BJP had been harping on large-scale development of the state but a visit to this area revealed the difference in what they professed and practised.

Dharamsala, November 25
The meeting between officials of the state Industries Department and representatives of cement companies has been postponed in view of the model code of conduct imposed due to the byelections in Nalagarh and Renuka Assembly constituencies.

Sources said the meeting had now been scheduled for December 1.

The meeting was postponed as the government did not want to earn the wrath of the Election Commission by announcing any decrease in the cement prices during the campaigning for the elections.

The sources said in the last meeting held on November 21, some representatives of cement companies had agreed to reduce the prices of cement bags in the state by Rs 10.

However, Industries Minister Kishan Kapoor was adamant on bringing the cement prices in Himachal lower than Punjab. While bags of cement in Himachal are being sold at Rs 335 to 350 per bag, in Punjab these are being sold at prices ranging between Rs 295 to Rs 300.

The cement industry is blaming the high transportation cost for higher prices in Himachal. They have also been blaming the high transport charges being imposed on them by truck unions of Bilaspur and Solan districts.

Officials maintain that the Himachal government is offering incentives worth Rs 350 crore to the cement industry and in return for that the state residents should at least get cheaper cement.

The cement companies are also opposing any reduction in the cost of cement on the plea that cement is a decontrolled item and the government has no control over its prices.

The sources said after the negotiations, the cement prices were likely to moderate by Rs 15 to 20 per bag in Himachal. However, they would still remain higher than Punjab due to the high transportation cost.

Dharamsala, November 25
Commercial vehicle operators, including small-time taxi operators, are peeved at the recent hike in toll tax imposed by the Yol Cantonment Board.

The board authorities earlier used to charge Rs 4 per trip from commercial vehicles. However, recently the toll has been increased to Rs 10 for light commercial vehicles like taxis and Rs 15 for heavy commercial vehicles like buses.

Taxi operators alleged that they, now, have to pay Rs 10 every time they cross about a 1-km road through Yol. Sometimes they have to pay Rs 50 to Rs 100 per day to the board as toll tax as they have to go to and fro with passengers.

They have to pay Rs 10 to Rs 15 per km for passing through Yol. In addition to that, the board authorities are charging every time the vehicle passes through the Yol town.

The toll charged is also unjustified as the road for which it is being charged is being maintained by the state PWD. They said earlier it did not pinch them as the toll charge was quite low. However, it has increased to an extent that it would hit out the meagre earning, they alleged.

Meanwhile, the chief executive officer of the board justified the increase in toll. He said the increase in toll tax would improve the income of the board.

When asked that the road of the board was being maintained by the PWD, he said the toll had nothing to do with the road as it was the local tax imposed by the board.

The state has, however, abolished all the local taxes imposed by local bodies in the state since long.

The CEO of the board when asked that the state government had already abolished the local taxes collected by the local governments said it was being implemented in all the cantonment boards. The boards were the local bodies that govern civil areas around Army cantonments and they get budgetary support from the Union Home Ministry.

The people living in areas around the Yol cantonment had demanded that the board should be abolished. They alleged that due to inclusion of their villages in the board they have been categorised as residents of the urban area. Due to this, they are being bereft of privileges being granted to rural areas through the Central Government schemes like MNREGA.

Shimla, November 25
The state government has declared November 30 as a gazetted holiday in the areas falling in the Nalagarh and the Renuka Assembly constituencies on account of byelections.

The holiday has been declared to enable employees working in all the government offices, boards, corporations, educational institutions and industrial establishments to exercise their right of franchise.

This will also be a paid holiday to daily waged employees and also within the meaning of Section 25 of the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881.

Special casual leave may be given to those employees who are working in different places in the state, but have a right to vote in these constituencies on the production of certificate from the presiding officer concerned that the employee has actually cast his or her vote.

Shimla, November 25
The state high court today adjourned the hearing on the petition filed by Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh seeking quashing of an FIR registered against them in the alleged CD case by the State Vigilance & Anti-corruption Bureau. The court has adjourned the case till December 2.

The case is registered on the basis of a CD purported to contain the alleged voices of Virbhadra Singh and Pratibha Singh with some other persons.

After hearing the matter at length, the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice VK Ahuja adjourned the matter because the hearing in the case could not be completed today.

The petitioners contended in their petition that the alleged CD case registered against them would amount to the abuse to the process of law as the same has been registered after 20 years of the alleged offence.

The petitioners added that the case against them had no basis in law.

They said the case had been registered on the basis of a CD whose origin was not known.

It was also alleged that the communication had allegedly taken place in late 1989 and beginning of 1990.

He added that at that time audio cassettes were in use and not CDs. There was no evidence about the date and time of recording of the alleged conversation. The alleged offence pertains to 1990 whereas the FIR was registered after almost 20 years.

Virbhadra Singh and his wife have urged the court to quash the FIR.

The petitioners also alleged that the investigating agency was acting under the influence of political bosses, therefore, they urged the court to transfer the probe to an independent investigating agency like the CBI.

Vijay Singh Mankotia had released the CD during the Lok Sabha byelections. The prime witnesses of the prosecution, Kapil Mohan and Prem Chand Jain, in the case, moved the HC and said their statements recorded by the prosecution were false and forged.

Kangra, November 25
The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) teachers yesterday threatened to intensify their agitation and will gherao the state Assembly during its winter session next month at Tapovan, near Dharamsala, if the state government fails to accept their demands.

Kangra district PTA president Rajesh Bhatia and Secretary Ajay Thakur said 6,000 PTA teachers in the state were an exploited and a harassed lot.

They said they had been agitating for a long time and their agitation had entered the third phase which would be an aggressive one.

Among those who suffered the political agony till date were ad hoc teachers, tenure teachers, “Vidiya Upasaks”, voluntary teachers, PAT teachers and last in the trauma were PTA teachers.

They alleged that Education Minister ID Dhiman had also accepted that teachers were an exploited lot, including PTA teachers.

They asked the Education Minister that why his government, headed by Chief Minister PK Dhumal, was not redressing their grievances and regularising them.

They demanded the Chief Minister’s intervention in the matter.

Meanwhile, both leaders said PTA teachers from Kangra district would meet on November 30, at the Police Grounds in Dharamsala to chalk out their future strategy for the agitation.

Chandigarh, November 25
The Himachal government will seize the property of the office-bearers of the Rajpura Cooperative Society, Nalagarh, who are allegedly involved in a Rs 2-crore scam, said Ramesh Dhawala, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Civil Supplies, HP, while talking to mediapersons here today.

Dhawala, who was in the city to inaugurate the 7th National Convention on Consumer Empowerment, said the main supplier in the case was absconding and the police was groping in the dark as the accused had provided a fake address. He said the investigations had revealed that the secretary of the society was involved in the scam, as the main accused had greased his palms for the supply of substandard consumer items.

The statement has come after Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president Thakur Kaul Singh accused the state government of shielding the accused involved in the scam. Kaul Singh had said that despite the lapse of one year, no action had been taken against the offenders.

Launching a scathing attack on the Congress-led UPA government, Dhawala said the Central Government had failed to check inflation. He said it was the duty of the Central Government to provide essential items like rice, wheat, edible oil and pulses to the common man at cheaper rates.

He said the Himachal government had offered a subsidy of Rs 125 crore to provide these items at cheaper rates.