Shimla, January 16
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today virtually put up a show of his political might, tactically timed to coincide with his departure to attend the important AICC session in Delhi.

The first formal interaction with the media, ever since senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley accused Virbhadra of corruption, turned out to be a display of his political clout as he sat on a dais flanked by his ministerial colleagues, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPS) and some party MLAs.

Irrigation and Public Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur, one of the prominent detractors of Virbhadra and strong claimant for the Chief Minister’s post was absent.

Except Kaul Singh and Anil Sharma, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, all ministers ensured their presence. Some CPS, including Nand Lal, ID Lakhanpal, Neeraj Bharti and Vinay Kumar, were also present.

Even as political circles were rife with speculation that all Congress MLAs had been directed to be present at the press conference, not many legislators were present. A majority of the former MLAs and his loyalists appointed as chairmen and vice-chairmen of boards and corporations adorned the dais as he announced the filing of the defamation case against BJP leaders.

Political analysts feel that giving such a show of strength just before leaving for the AICC session was a message to the high command that he enjoyed the support of a majority of the ministers and legislators and removing him would not go down well with the rank and file of the Congress.

The fact that the Lok Sabha elections are just round the corner and the Congress is heavily banking on Virbhadra Singh as the star campaigner in the state is another issue which could go in his favour.

With AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi reiterating his resolve towards zero-tolerance for corruption, the coming days will be crucial for Virbhadra.

Sensing that the onslaught by the BJP on the issue of corruption by making Virbhadra as the focal point could also echo at the AICC session, the Chief Minister gave a glimpse of his political might.

Una, January 16
Leader of the Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha Prem Kumar Dhumal today said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had filed a defamation case against BJP leaders only to mislead the Congress high command.

Addressing mediapersons here, he said there had been no conviction in any of the four defamation cases filed by Virbhadra earlier.

Dhumal said Virbhadra had filed defamation cases against Shanta Kumar and journalist Baldev Sharma, besides two cases against Vijay Mankotia, but he had never won a single case. He said it was good that the CM had gone to the court on corruption charges levelled against him and now the onus of proving his innocence lay on him.

The former CM said going by the present circumstances, mid-term polls were imminent. He alleged that while development had come to standstill, the Congress government was merely indulging in inquiries against its political opponents.

Taking exception to Virbhadra Singh's remarks that Dhumal belonged to an ordinary family while he was the 123rd descendant of the rulers of a princely state, Dhumal asked Virbhadra to respond as to why some time ago, the Shimla Hills Gazetteer of 1910 was burnt to conceal some facts.

Reacting on the phone-tapping issue, Dhumal said intelligence agencies undertook phone tapping on the issues of security and that the taped conversations were destroyed after six months. However, he said after the Congress government took over, the conversations, deleted long ago, were retrieved in violation of the Indian Telegraphs Act.

Dhumal said Virbhadra should clarify how the income for three years from his orchards had increased from Rs 47.35 lakh to Rs 6.56 crore and why he took an unsecured loan of Rs 5 crore when he had Rs 9.5 crore lying in his 17 bank accounts.

He gave a date-wise detail on how Vakamulla Chandershekhar's firm Venture Engineers and Technologies was sanctioned the Sai Kothi power project during the BJP regime and was cancelled soon after. He presented the details when the power project was re-sanctioned to him and given extensions by the Congress government, while other projects, which did not adhere to the norms, were cancelled.

Referring to the new industrial package for Himachal Pradesh as claimed by the state government, Dhumal said there was merely a 15 per cent subsidy on plant and machinery, while the main components such as the total exemption in production tax, Central Excise and income tax were missing. He charged that the CM and the Industry Minister were misleading the people.

BJP state president and Una MLA Satpal Singh Satti was also present on the occasion.

New Delhi, January 16
Unfazed by a defamation case filed against him and Arun Jaitley and PK Dhumal by Virbhadra Singh, BJP leader Anurag Thakur today challenged the Chief Minister to refer the case to the CBI if he believed that the allegations against him were wrong.

“The case against Virbhadra Singh is an open and shut corruption case. There is no corruption charge against me. Rather, it is a vendetta carried out by the Congress to take charge of the stadium and the association which they tried in their earlier tenure as well,” he said.

As part of the ongoing slugfest between the BJP and the Congress, the CM had accused Anurag of being involved in the “Rs-2,800 crore HPCA scam”. Yesterday, Anurag dared Virbhadra to file a defamation case against BJP leaders who had levelled allegations of corruption against him.

Today, he challenged the CM to refer the case to the CBI if the allegations were wrong. Shooting off a list of questions to Virbhadra Singh, Anurag said: “We have given supporting documents to prove corruption charges against him. If he thinks he can escape by filing a defamation suit, he is mistaken”.

Shimla, January 16
Arun Dhumal, son of former Chief Minister PK Dhumal, said today that the defamation case by Virbhadra Singh against BJP leaders just before the AICC session was a ploy to buy time to continue in office.

“I welcome the defamation case, but this is nothing more than delaying tactics by him as the court cases will keep pending for years,” said Arun, addressing a press conference here. He said the day Virbhadra and his MP wife Pratibha Singh resigned, the next day he would file a complaint in the Lokayukta along with an affidavit.

Arun also raised the questions about the financial transactions for the purchase of Mehrauli farmhouse in Delhi, which is the office of Maple Destination and Dream Build, a company owned by Virbhadra's son and daughter.

“It is time the Chief Minister clears the air about the ownership and money paid for the purchase of the 2.25 acre farmhouse at Mehrauli,” he said.

He alleged that the company was formed on May 30, 2011, but a payment of Rs 30 lakh was made to the owners of the farmhouse Picheshwar Gadde and Sunita Gadde on April 18, 2011.

He further alleged that Rs 90 lakh was paid from an HDFC bank account to the owners on August 4, 2011. “Even if all these deals are above board, then what prevented the Chief Minister from reflecting the company and its assets in his election affidavit when he has shown his children as dependents,” he quipped.

He also alleged that there was another farmhouse measuring about 5.5 acres in Mehrauli, allegedly owned by Vakamulla Chandershekhar which was being managed by the same people who were looking after the farmhouse in the name of Maple Company.

Shimla, January 16
The Cabinet today approved Government Engineering College at Nagrota Bagwan in Kangra district, four Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and the Poorna Shakti Kendra (PSK) project for women empowerment in Solan district.

The Cabinet, which met here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, decided that the engineering college to be set up at Nagrota Bagwan would have 120 seats, 40 seats each for students of mechanical engineering, electronics and communication engineering and electrical engineering.

Four ITIs, to be opened at Gagret, Balh, Manali and Patta Mehlog, would have two trades and these would be made functional from the next academic session.

The Cabinet also gave its nod for the launch of the PSK project in Solan district under the National Mission for Empowerment of Women.

Under the project, the focus will be on the socio-economic empowerment of women with emphasis on health and education and access to different government schemes.

At least, 10 Poorna Shakti Kendras in gram panchayats, one convergence and facilitation centre at block/tehsil level and one centre at district level will be opened. The posts for the implementation of this project will be filled.

It approved primary health centres (PHCs) at Sheelghat in Shimla and Patta-Baravery gram panchayat in Solan district.

The Cabinet gave its nod for the opening of a health sub-centre at Dattowal village, Nalagarh. The Cabinet sanctioned a veterinary dispensary at Navi in Domehar gram panchayat in Sunni tehsil of Shimla district.

It also gave the permission for filling of 100 posts of Ayurvedic Medical Officer in the Ayurveda Department on a contract basis.

Fifty posts of clerk on a contract basis by the HP Subordinate Service Selection Board, Hamirpur, against the posts of senior assistant in relaxation of recruitment and promotion rules and eight posts of lecturer in Government Dental College through the public service commission will also be filled.

The Cabinet also approved the selection of Power Trading Corporation India Limited and Tata Power Trading Company Ltd (TPTCL) for one year for sale of government’s entitlement of power from various hydroelectric projects. It was also decided that the trading margin might be increased if better rates for power sale were received.

The Cabinet decided to set up three zonal offices of the Ayurveda Directorate at Dharamsala, Mandi and Shimla.

The approval was granted for filling the post of Director, Sainik Welfare Department, on a regular basis through the public service commission and eight posts of Deputy Director (Gazetted, Class-I) in the Sainik Welfare Department through direct recruitment on a contract basis.

Green light for... Primary health centres at Sheelghat in Shimla and Patta-Baravery gram panchayat in Solan Health sub-centre at Dattowal village Veterinary dispensary at Navi in Sunni tehsil of Shimla 100 posts of Ayurvedic Medical Officer to be filled 3 zonal offices of Ayurveda Directorate in Dharamsala, Mandi and Shimla

Shimla, January 16
The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) and the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) have crossed swords over the issue of blocking entry into HPCA’s Lalpani cricket academy here.

The SMC claims the Shimla Additional Sessions judge has asked it to maintain the status quo over the demolition of the “structure raised by the HPCA" here on Tuesday. The HPCA claims that the additional judge has stayed the demolition order.

As per the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association vice-president Surender Thakur, the SMC has raised a wall blocking the passage to the academy. The Additional Sessions Court, Shimla, had stayed the demolition order issued by the Shimla MC Commissioner on January 8, he added.

He said the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association had challenged the SMC Commissioner’s order under Sections 25(3) of the Municipal Corporation Act, pleading the demolition order ignored the HPCA plea that they had obtained forest clearance from the MOEF for diversion of forest land in the academy.

On raising of the wall, Thakur said they would seek legal opinion. The next date for hearing in the case is February 25.

Deputy mayor Tikender Panwar said the SMC had maintained status quo and entry to the academy had nothing to do with it.

On January 8, the MC Commissioner had ordered the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association to demolish the "illegally raised" three structures in seven days' time as these were in the restricted and green belt notified by the SMC.

The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association had no mandatory permission to raise the structure, it was stated. Even if it had obtained permission from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the HPCA did not put it on record, the order had observed.

Una, January 16
The Una unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today opened its office here.

AAP district convener Prem Chand Sharma said membership of the party was growing at a brisk pace. He said the office would help provide a place for workers to organise themselves and plan activities. A girl cut the ribbon of the new office situated in Friends Colony.

Chinks in the party have already appeared. While one section of AAP in Una district is supporting the candidature of Prem Chand Sharma, who is a practising lawyer at the Una district courts, the other group is reportedly pressing for eye surgeon Dr Chaman Singh Chauhan from Una as party candidate for the Hamirpur parliamentary seat.

Dharamsala, January 16
While mainstream political parties the Congress and the BJP are busy in levelling allegations and counter-allegations of corruption against each other, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has started an aggressive membership campaign in Kangra district.

The party is gaining ground among the middle class in Kangra district, especially ex-servicemen, retired government officials and students. Many ex-servicemen are voluntarily joining AAP.

Aman Guleria, district convenor of the party, claimed they were being invited by people themselves to their homes for the party's membership. "We have already formed bodies in various sub-divisions of Kangra district. Thousands have already been enrolled as members in AAP," he said.

Raghav Guleria, district executive committee member, said, "We have already opened a permanent office in Dharamsala. Besides the direct membership, we are receiving very heavy response as far as the online membership is concerned," he said.

Sources here said many people from Kangra had already visited Arvind Kejriwal.

A college lecturer from Dharamsala Government College who spoke on the condition of anonymity said he had met Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi. "In case AAP comes out directly in Himachal, I will actively participate in the party campaign," he said.

Sources here told The Tribune that some former political leaders who had been sidelined in their respective parties were also trying to search for greener pastures in AAP. However, these leaders had not been given a warm response by the AAP leaders.

However, the AAP might not get that open a response in Himachal as the state has a limited population of just 68 lakh. People of the state are divided into strong party cadres of BJP and Congress right up to villages. Cadres of respective parties that comprise government employees and businessmen draw benefits when a government formed by a party they support comes to power in the state.

Government employees whose numbers are very large in Himachal are afraid of openly being identified with AAP as they fear backlash in the form of transfers to uncomfortable locations.

AAP workers are, however, of the view that they are witnessing a silent revolution in the state and people are joining them as they are fed up with corruption in the BJP and the Congress.

Shimla, January 16
The Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are out to woo social activists and disgruntled BJP and Congressmen of clean public image, thus preparing a political pitch for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

HLP state president Maheshwar Singh, a sole legislator from Kullu, and former BJP Lok Sabha MP Rajan Sushant, who deserted both BJP and Lok Sabha seat recently, have been lobbying hard with the national AAP leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Sushant has not opened his cards till now, but he is facing criticism from state AAP leaders that “he is unstable and had been staking claims for party tickets for his wife and son when he was in the BJP”.

“We are in touch with AAP and Sushant and other leaders have decided to contest all the four Lok Sabha seats, regardless of whether others join them or not,” asserted Maheshwar Singh, who did not rule out any tie-up with AAP in the state.

When quizzed about his plan of joining AAP or the HLP, Sushant said, “I am touring my constituency and will go by the decision of his supporters.”

National executive member and state AAP leader Des Raj said Sushant had claimed tickets for his family members when he was in the BJP and he did not fit in the AAP criteria. Des Raj said AAP had launched a statewide booth-level survey asking social activists to join the party and fight against the BJP and the Congress in the Lok Sabha poll. 

Shimla, January 16
The Himachal Government's decision to exempt vegetables from payment of market fee will severely hit the revenue of Himachal Agriculture Marketing Board, entrusted with the creation of facilities like developing market yards, cold storage and other marketing infrastructure for farmers.

The loss of revenue on account exemption granted to vegetables from payment of 1 per cent market fee to Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees will be about Rs 15 crore per year, which is substantial, keeping in view the fact that the annual total income of the board is about Rs 50 crore.

The notification issued by the government in this regard covered 45 (50 per cent) of the 90 scheduled items on which market fee was levied. The decision was taken at the behest of the Centre, which maintained that keeping in view the rising cost of vegetables and fruits, these items should be exempted from market fee.

The government notification covered only vegetables and other fruits, but the main horticultural crop apple was left out as it was a major source of revenue from market fee, estimated to be between Rs 12 crore and Rs 15 crore.

"We will suffer a revenue loss to the tune of Rs 15 crore annually due to exemption to vegetables from payment of market fee, but we hope the government would substantially increase the grant-in-aid to continue the activities," said Managing Director of Agriculture Marketing Board H S Baweja.

The Union Government has circulated the model Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) bill for reforms in the marketing system and the state government repealed the old APMC bill and incorporated most of the recommendations in the new bill, except delisting fruits and vegetables from payment of marketing fee.

The government accepted the provisions in the model bill for facilitating setting up of private markets, charging market fee only at one point, direct marketing from grower to consumer and contract farming, but dithered on delisting of fruits and vegetables from payment of market fee.

The government even increased the market fee from one per cent to two percent a few years back, but later, withdrew the hike and reduced it to 1 per cent.

Solan, January 16
Terming the extension of the Central investment and transport subsidy for four years by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs as an eyewash, investors today said this would fail to attract any investment as income tax and Central excise benefits, which gave major impetus to investment, had not been extended.

Since the Central industrial package granted to Himachal in January 2003 had been curtailed in 2007 with the withdrawal of the income tax and Central excise benefits, industrial growth had suffered.

While the Central excise alone gave a margin of 15 to 25 per cent to hundreds of units, it was a major reason for their sustenance.

The inordinate delay in the grant of these incentives by the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry had reduced the benefits, it was stated. A transport subsidy worth Rs 229 crore pertaining to several years was yet to be granted to investors and even the claims of the CIS worth crores were pending for more than a year now.

Vinod Gupta, co-chairman, Himachal Drug Manufacturers Association (HDMA), said the CIS comprised a small share of the investment and the transport subsidy could only be availed by heavy and large industries.

SL Singla, president, HDMA,said they had requested the Union Government to extend the Central excise and income tax exemption till 2020 as major units in Himachal and Uttarakhand would become excise-free after the expiry of the two benefits from 2014 to 2017. Since the units had already started packing up due to lapse of the two major benefits, the extension of the CIS and freight subsidy would fail to fetch either employment or investment.

Sanjay Guleria, former convenor, BJP’s Business Cell and former president, HDMA, said the Centre had adopted a discriminatory attitude towards Himachal as neither the income tax nor the Central excise benefits, which were available in other states, had been granted.

Since most of the investors had already set up sister concerns in other units in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East where all incentives were available, the grant of Central excise and income tax exemption till 2020 would not lead to any revenue loss as these units were shifting their products to these units to avail these benefits, explained Gupta.

The HDMA has urged Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Industries Ministries Mukesh Agnihotri to seek enhancement of the Central excise and income tax benefits to ensure the growth of the industry in Himachal.

Shimla, January 16
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has hailed the decision of the Centre for restoring special package of incentives for Himachal Pradesh.

The CM thanked PM Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Union Commerce and Industries Minister Anand Sharma for announcing this incentive for the hill state.

Welcoming the decision, he said this would not only give a boost to industrialisation in the state, but also generate gainful employment, especially for rural youth. He said the special package of incentives had been extended from January 7, 2013, to March 31, 2017. The CM said all new industrial units and existing units on substantial expansion would be eligible for Central capital units at 15 per cent of their investment in plant and machinery.

Shimla, January 16
With a view to provide free legal aid to the poor and needy, the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court, Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir, inaugurated the front office of the HP High Court Legal Services Committee at the court today.

The front office has been established to achieve the objective of providing free legal aid to eligible persons. The office will be manned by a retainer lawyer and a paralegal volunteer, who will be available during the High Court's working hours.

The panel lawyer in the front office will render services like drafting notices, sending replies to lawyers’ notices and drafting applications, petitions etc and place the matter before the HP HC Legal Services Committee, which is presently headed by Justice Sanjay Karol.

Mandi, January 16
A two-member expert team comprising Dr Maj Gen PK Patnaik and Dr Leena Wadhwa from the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) New Delhi today visited the upcoming medical college complex at Ner Chowk.

Accompanied by Regional Director of ESIC Dr BS Negi and Dean of the college Dr DS Dhiman, the team members inspected the infrastructure here.

With the ESIC medical college authorities, scheduled to take over the building in March this year and start of the MBBS session proposed later this year, MCI clearance would be required for starting the classes.

The team members inspected laboratories being created for various departments, faculty and lecture rooms and seminar hall etc.

The team, after inspecting the medical college, visited the Zonal Hospital Mandi to take stock of the facilities here since the state government has signed an MoU with the ESIC for linking the hospital with the medical college.

Review of facilities in the zonal hospital is important as the hospital would be upgraded from the existing 300-bedded status to 500-bedded one.

The medical project was started in 2009 and the college authorities are planning to start classes in the college this year.

Chamba, January 16
The district executive of the All India Kisan Sabha has expressed deep concern over the damage caused to houses, pastures, fertile land and natural water sources in and around the Proutha panchayat of Chamba district triggered by the ongoing construction of a hydroelectric project in their area.

District president of the sabha, Rijhu Ram, and other kisan activists of the area, submitted a memorandum to the state government through the local administration to express their resentment over the way the hydro-power project was executing the construction activities.

In its memo, the sabha president revealed that cracks had developed in the houses, the stream was gradually drying up, fertile land had become unproductive, pastures were under threat of soil erosion and traditional water mills had stopped working.

Rijhu Ram said residents of Proutha, Othal, Sarot, Dhangran, Dobi and Hain villages of Proutha panchayat had been demanding an irrigation channel from the Sirh nullah and conservation of their agricultural land and pastures.

Bilaspur, January 16
Chief Parliamentary Secretary Rajesh Dharmani inspected repairs at the Ghumarwin bus stand here.

He was accompanied by local leaders and private bus operators. He listened to problems of bus operators and assured them of redressing their grievances at the earliest. He asked the authorities to ensure the bus stand was interlocked and defected points were removed. He visited lavatories at the bus stand and suggested measures for proper hygiene. Nagar Parishad president Reeta Sehgal, Block Development Officer Ankush Sharma and BDC member Rakesh Bhardwaj were present on the occasion.

Palampur, January 16
One person was killed and two others were seriously injured when a jeep they were travelling in fell into a 50-foot-deep gorge near Kalu Di Hatti, 5 km from here, last night.

The police said they were going from Manali to Jammu. When their jeep reached near Kalu Di Hatti, its driver failed to negotiate a sharp curve and it rolled down into a gorge killing one person on the spot.

While the deceased had been identified as Abdool Rashid of Jammu, one of the injured, Manjoor Ahmad, was a resident of Koya village in Jammu. Both the injured were shifted to the Tanda hospital where the condition of one of the injured was stated to be serious.

Bilaspur, January 16
Rajo Devi (45), wife of Hari Ram of Kohina village in Dammali gram panchayat (Rishikesh) across the Gobind Sagar, was attacked by a stray bull and died on the spot, 50 km from here, yesterday.

Reports said Rajo came to serve fodder to her cattle near her cowshed in the morning, when a stray bull came in her way and attacked her. She was attacked repeatedly and gored to death.

Her shrieks drew villagers there. But by the time they reached the spot, the woman was dead. The police were informed about this and a case has been registered.

Panchayat representatives, led by president Sarvajit Singh and vice-president Prem Lal Chaudhary, said Rajo belonged to a poor Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) family and her husband was crippled. They had a son studying in school.The village elders demanded the removal of stray bulls from the area and safety for the villagers.

Meanwhile, Tehsildar Daman Chand has given Rs 10,000 as immediate grant from the government to the family.

Hamirpur, January 16
Two siblings were injured when gunshots, fired by their father to scare away monkeys from his house, hit their legs yesterday.

The police said injured Sunil Kumar and Munish were hit by gunshots when their father Swaroop Chand of Dei Ka Naun village fired at monkeys from his licensed gun.

Both were admitted to the Regional Hospital, Hamirpur. The police have arrested Swaroop Chand and confiscated his gun. 

Kullu, January 16
The Kullu police arrested Cherring Dorje of McLeodganj near Dharamsala from Kasol village, 30 km from here, on Monday.

They recovered 1,572 gm of charas from him.

SHO Firoz Khan said the accused was coming on a motorcycle (HP-39-2290) from Manikaran, when he stopped it 15 metres ahead of the naka established by the police near the village. He threw away the bag containing the contraband, which was later recovered by the police. A case under Section 20-A of the NDPS Act was registered.

SP, Kullu, Vinod K Dhawan said the police had declared a war against drug-peddlers in the district.

Bilaspur, January 16
Nirmala Devi, wife of Lachhu Ram of Panoh village, was seriously injured when a speeding jeep (HP-63A-1442) hit her from behind as she was crossing the road at Ghumani Chowk near Kandraur, 16 km from here, yesterday.

Reports said the woman fell headlong on the road bleeding profusely. People rushed her first to a Kandraur dispensary, then to the Regional Hospital and was taken to the IGMC, Shimla.

The police registered a case under Section 279, IPC, and taken the vehicle into their possession.