Shimla, August 20
All-India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Janardan Dwivedi today said the Congress was introspecting into the reasons for the party’s debacle in the Lok Sabha poll but the entire process of formulating and effecting changes would take time.

“We are deliberating about the measures in view of the party’s performance in the parliamentary elections, but all this will take some time,” said Dwivedi, who was here to inaugurate the two-day national working committee meeting of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC).

Dwivedi also said the Congress was already in the process of looking into the corrective measures that need to be taken to strengthen the organisation, he remarked. He also dismissed speculation that the Congress was going through a crisis.

Dwivedi, admitting that in a democracy the public was supreme and the Congress had been reduced to mere 44 MPs, tried to underplay the voice of dissent and many senior leaders quitting the party. “These are normal things and keep happening so it is not something unusual,” he remarked when asked about senior leaders such as Chaudhary Birender Singh bidding adieu to the Congress. The Congress leader refused to join issue on the question of the Congress leader in Parliament being given the status of the Leader of the Opposition. “Well it is an issue which has to be settled by the Speaker of and I would not like to comment on it,” he said, treading a cautious path.

“Hooda had gone to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s function at Kaithal as it was a government function and not a party function of the BJP,” said Dwivedi, when asked about the shabby treatment meted out to the Haryana Chief Minister. Refusing to comment on the issue, he said it would be appropriate for the AICC general secretary for Haryana to comment on it.

“The party has always followed the one-man, one-post principle,” he said in reply to a question. Dwivedi showered special praise on Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh when he said the “Raja” had not ruled over the state six times, but he rules the heart of the people of Himachal. 

Shimla, August 20
The Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) today expressed anguish over not getting cooperation and guidance it received from the Congress during its earlier days.

These were the sentiments expressed by G Sanjeeva Reddy, all-India president of INTUC, speaking at the inaugural function of the two-day National Working Committee meet of the trade union which began here today. “Though INTUC leaders are branded as Congressmen, they bear the brunt whenever the Congress is out of power. We do not get the kind of cooperation we used to get in earlier days,” he rued.

Reddy, who has been associated with INTUC for several decades, said the biggest trade union body which boasts of over 3.30 crore members is not afraid to take on the Modi regime for its anti-workers policy, but it expects the Congress to back and guide it.

“We cannot forget the days of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi when the Congress was virtually like a protective umbrella, but unfortunately the cordial relations that INTUC shared with the Congress no longer exist,” he said.

Reddy said earlier the Congress gave it financial as well as political backing which is now missing.

Janardan Dwivedi said the Congress always accorded due respect and importance to INTUC. “Sanjeeva Reddy is the last one who should be complaining as he is a member of the Congress Working Committee and so are state INTUC chiefs in most states,” he said.

Dwivedi urged INTUC to hold a brainstorming session and come out with important deliberations. “Your strategy should be a perfect blend of tradition and modernity and my opinion is that we must shun this recent trend of having government projects under public-private partnership mode where the common man does not stand to benefit at all,” he advised.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said in Himachal, INTUC had always been given importance and assistance wherever required. “Political situations have kept changing but INTUC has remained steadfast in its goal of protecting the interest of the workers,” he said.

State Congress President Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu also said in Himachal, the Congress had always stood by INTUC and would continue to do so.

Ministers in the Virbhadra government were present on the occasion.

We cannot forget the days of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi when the Congress was virtually like a protective umbrella, but unfortunately the cordial relations that INTUC shared with the Congress no longer exist — G Sanjeeva Reddy, all-India president of INTUC.

Palampur, August 20
Shanta Kumar, MP and senior BJP leader, has been nominated chairman of the committee constituted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to look into civil supply, consumer affairs, public distribution system and food processing. The committee will function under the direct control of the Prime Minister Office (PMO).

A press note said here today that Food and Civil Supply Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on the directions of the PMO has written a letter to Shanta Kumar seeking his consent to head this committee. Later, after the consent of Shanta Kumar, PMO has nominated him as president of the committee.

Official sources said keeping in view the restructuring of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) as proposed by the government, this committee carried much significance and the PMO would act on the advice of this committee to create new entity in place of the FCI.

It was also learnt that since the government wanted to bring radical changes in the public distribution system (PDS) and consumer affairs and food processing, the PMO had kept this committee under its control.

Besides Shanta Kumar, Managing Director of the FCI will be the member secretary of the committee. The other members are Chief Secretaries of Punjab and Chhattisgarh, Prof G Raghuraj, Dean, IIM Ahmedabad, Dr Ashok Gulati, former chairman of the Agriculture Commission of India, Dr S Acharaya, Dean, Hyderabad University, and Ram Sewak, Technical Adviser, Government of India. 

Shimla, August 20
The HP High Court today adjourned the hearing on a petition filed by the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) for September 17.

The matter was listed before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and after hearing the matter, the Bench granted 10 days to the government to file a reply to the fresh amended writ petition of the HPCA and another 10 days to the HPCA to file a rejoinder.

The HPCA has filed this petition against the decision of the state government to cancel the lease deed granted to it and the decision of the Registrar, Cooperative Societies. The petitioner has challenged the decision of the state on the ground that it had not given proper opportunity of being heard before taking the decision of cancellation of lease deed granted in favour of the HPCA. 

Shimla, August 20
Apple farmers have taken the Narendra Modi-led NDA government head-on over the issue of the unbridled import of apple from Chile and the USA as it has triggered crash in the apple markets in the country in the peak season.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today took a dig at the Modi government, reminding the Prime Minister of the promises he had made to apple farmers during the Lok Sabha election rallies he addressed in Solan, Mandi, Palampur and Sujanpur.

“We remind him (Modi) of his promise, where he had said his BJP government will increase the import duty on apple from foreign countries if the BJP comes to power,” he said, answering a media query on the sidelines of Sadbhavana Divas at the Rajiv Gandhi Chowk here today.

On the other hand, information gathered by The Tribune from traders in the markets from Mumbai and Chennai revealed that the commission agents imported large quantities of apples at cheap rates ranging from Rs 2,000 per 20 kg carton to Rs 2,200 per carton from Chile in the peak apple season and stored the fruit in cold stores.

“They also imported the apple from the USA, but its quantity was less as compared to one imported from Chile because the Washington apple costs Rs 2,700 to Rs 3,000 per 20-kg carton,” a trader said.

But as it turned out, the shelf life of the apple from Chile was less and the fruit stored started rotting and commission agents in metros started dumping the fruit wherever they could fetch a good price, revealed the traders.

Because of the distress sale, the Chile apple is being sold in markets at prices ranging from Rs 1,000 per carton to Rs 1,200 giving losses to importers, they said.

The distress sale has hit the state fruit badly as Chile apple has sent apple markets crashing in the country.

“The Centre did not impose non-tariff barriers to check the import, leave alone increasing the import duty on apples as promised by Narendra Modi during elections rallies in the state to woo apple growers,” a farmer said.

“As a result of the unbridled import of apple from Chile, the apple markets in the countries have crashed from Rs 2,500 per carton to Rs 1,000 a carton these days,” he added.

Una, August 20
The DCC organised a blood donation camp on the occasion of Sadbhawna Diwas, birth anniversary of late PM Rajiv Gandhi, at the District Hospital here today. DCC president Varinder Dharmani inaugurated the camp.

Ten party workers donated blood on the occasion. The donors were Vijay Dogra, Rajiv Mehta ‘Marshal’, Shiv Patial, Ashish Sharma, Preeti Solanki, Bhupinder, Nitish, Ram Pal, Gaurav and Ravinder Thakur. 

Mandi, August 20
The District Congress Committee (DCC) today paid floral tributes to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary here.

Addressing a meeting of the committee office-bearers and party activists at the Gandhi Bhawan here, DCC chief Puran Chand Thakur said the contributions of the former Prime Minister to society could not be forgotten and they were still following the path shown by the former PM.

He said Rajiv Gandhi gave the right to vote to the youth above 18 years of age so that they could contribute to the development and prosperity of the country.

Puran Chand said the former PMstrengthened the Panchayati Raj Institutions by giving financial and administrative powers to sarpanches and panches.

Dalhousie, August 20
Sadbhawna Diwas was observed at the local tehsil office today. The function was presided over by Naib Tehsildar MS Rana.

Addressing staff of the offices of Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and tehsil, the Naib Tehsildar spoke on the importance of national integration and harmony.

Rana administered oath to officials to work without any discrimination of caste, community, region, religion and language.

Mandi, August 20
Rajendra Rana, Deputy Chairman, Disaster Management Board, today visited the areas affected by heavy rainfall recently in Dharampur block of the district.

After listening to grievances of affected people, Rana reviewed the ongoing relief work. He also held a meeting with officials of the Revenue, PWD, Irrigation, Power, Health and Animal Husbandry Departments in this regard.

He said the state government was committed to provide relief to the affected people. Water and power supply had been restored in most of the affected villages and essential food items were being supplied to the affected people, he added.

Rana said every affected family would be given a cooking gas connection and two months’ ration in advance. A team of doctors was constantly monitoring the condition of sick and injured people.

He also directed the officials to repair the damaged roads and restore power and water supply in the remaining villages at the earliest.

Meanwhile, Mandi MP Ramswaroop Sharma also visited the affected areas.

He flayed the state government for not providing immediate relief to the affected people.

Kangra, August 20
Three poison cases were reported at the Dr Rajendra Parsad Government Medical College (DRPGMC), Tanda, last evening when a 35-year-old woman of Kangra was declared brought dead by doctors, the police said here today.

The police said Kiran Bala, wife of V Kanwar of Shiv Colony, was lying near the municipal stadium last evening and residents rushed her to the Civil Hospital here.

The police said the doctor on duty called the police and diagnosed it as a poison case and referred her to the Tanda hospital. Doctors declared her brought dead.

Family members said she was under depression and yesterday she left home for collection of funds, as she was working with a finance company. They received information that she was taken to hospital.

In another case a 35-year-old woman from Shiboothan Bharmard village consumed some poison by ‘mistake’ instead of a cold drink. She was rushed to Dehra Hospital from where doctors referred her to the Tanda hospital where she was under treatment, the police said.

The police said in yet another case, Ajeet Kumar (47), a resident of Rajiana in Nagrota Bagwan, in a drunken condition reached his home and asked for dinner. After dinner, according to family members, Ajeet started coughing and entered
his bedroom and by mistake took some poison instead of medicine and was rushed to the Tanda hospital where he was under treatment.

Shimla, August 20
Villagers have demanded that the 660-mw Kishao dam project on the Tons that will supply water to Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan should be scrapped. The dam will render about 6,000 villagers as oustees in the fertile Morad-Mashvad-Dharva belt along the river in Shillai.

Villagers have come under the banner of the Kishau Dam Jan Sangharsh Samiti (KJSS), demanding the scrapping of the project or lowering the height of the dam to save the fertile land from submergence.

The scale of human displacement is huge as the dam will submerge 2950 hectares — 1,500 hectare in Shillai in Himachal and 1,450 hectares in the fertile Kwanu-Batan-Mazhar belt in Uttarakhand, resented the villagers.

Social activist Puran Chand, spearheading the KJSS, said, “The large-scale displacement of villagers in Himachal and Uttarakhand will bring about disaster in the region as the outees have no land as the government has no relief and rehabilitation plan for them”.

Though the project has been assigned to the HP Power Corporation (HPCL) for execution, but the state governments of Himachal and Uttarakhand have yet to sign an agreement on this project.

The Uttarakhand Government has assigned the work to the Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam. The dam water will be shared among Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan, said officials.

The Centre has declared the dam as a project of national importance. But there is no headway on the project as both states have not reached an agreement so far on the contentious issue of water and power sharing, revealed the officials.

Managing Director, HPCL, DK Sharma said both governments had to sign the agreement for the project. The other issues of displacement and relief and rehabilitation would be addressed after there was some progress on the project, he added.

Palampur, August 20
The Kangra District Bar Association today urged the Bar Council of Himachal Pradesh to initiate action against striking lawyers of Dharmsala, who had been opposing the decision of the Himachal Pradesh High Court to create circuit courts in all sub-divisional headquarters for providing cheap and quick justice to public.

The executive committee of the association which met here today, under the chairmanship of Jagmel Katoch, president, unanimously resolved that the Bar Association of Dharmshala sub-division was misguiding the public that circuit courts were against their interest.

In fact, circuit courts saved litigants and their lawyers from visiting Dharmsala time and again for petty matters as Additional District Judges would hold courts at all sub-divisional headquarters, the committee added.

Addressing mediapersons, Jagmel Katoch said the strike of Dharmsala Bar was illegal, uncalled for and against the decision of the Supreme Court vide writ petition number 132 of 1988, titled Captain Harish Uppal Vs Union of India, which had upheld the creation of circuit courts, therefore, they should immediately call off the strike and the court work should not suffer.

Only handful of lawyers, limited to Dharmshala sub division, were on strike while advocates of Palampur, Baijnath, Kangra, Nurpur, Jwali ,Dehra, Gopipur and Indora were not on strike. They were regularly attending the circuit courts and all of these were functioning smoothly in the district, he added.

Shimla, August 20
A meeting of the Executive Council of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) will be held on August 29 to take the final call 
on whether to hold elections to the Students Central Association (SCA) of HPU and affiliated colleges or not.

Caught in the horns of a dilemma, the university authorities as well as the government believe that the election in the present form triggers violence and vitiates the academic atmosphere. Even at the meeting of the college principals convened by the Vice-Chancellor last month, the general view was against holding elections in the present form.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had also said at a function in the university that the present format of SCA polls should be modified to avoid violence and tension. The university authorities are also weighing the repercussions of changing the election format as student bodies have already threatened to launch a state-wide agitation in case elections were scrapped or the present format was changed.

However, it is now certain that the elections to the SCA, if held will be delayed by a few weeks as the decision in this regard will be taken by the EC.

The elections to the SCA are normally held during the month of August, but this year the examination results of several courses have not been declared and classes are yet to begin.

As per the Lingdoh Committee recommendations, the elections should be held within eight weeks and after four weeks of the start of fresh session.

Student bodies are apprehensive about scrapping the elections and have already warned the university against any such attempt.

HPU Vice-Chancellor Prof ADN Bajpai said: “All colleges were given the August 20 deadline to send the awards under RUSA. Hopefully, the results will be declared within a week.”

Shimla, August 20
Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) Vice-Chancellor ADN Bajpai has demanded a UGC NET/JRF science subjects centre on its premises.

In a letter to Union HRD Minister, the Vice-Chancellor has urged for this centre in view of the persistent demand of students under the affiliation ambit of the university.

Bajpai said physics, chemistry, maths, bio-sciences and bio-technology were taught up to the doctorate level. In view of the same, he has urged Union HRD Minister Smriti Zubin Irani to allot the centre at HPU.

Bajpai said due to the non-availability of the centre at HPU, every year thousands of students from the state were forced to spend money not only on travelling, but also on accommodation at a given centre in neighbouring states.