17 houses gutted
UNA, April 12 — Seventeen houses along with cattle sheds, were destroyed in a fire at Kharota village, about 45 km from here, last night. Property worth about Rs 40 lakh was damaged in the fire. However, there was no loss of life.

Move on regulatory authority opposed
SHIMLA, April 12 — The Himachal Pradesh unit of the Indian National Trade Union Congress has opposed the move to create an electricity regulatory authority and restructure the state electricity board.

Plea to implement crop scheme
SHIMLA, April 12 — Mr Raj Pal Chauhan member of the Shimla Zila Parishad has expressed concern about the bleak prospects for the apple crop and urged the government to implement the crop insurance scheme to safeguard the interests of fruit growers.

Six killed in accidents
DHARAMSALA, April 12 — Six persons were killed in separate incidents in the district yesterday.

Linemen seek action against cop
UNA, April 12 — Linemen of the local Electricity Department today raised slogans against the police for allegedly beating up Mohinder Singh, an assistant lineman, yesterday.

• Restricted holiday today

Delay in Jhakri project worries House
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April, 12 — Members of the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha today expressed concern over the inordinate delay in the completion of the 1500 MW Nathpa Jhakri project leading to huge escalations in cost.

The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, informed the House that as per latest estimates the project would cost Rs 8058 crore and the six generating units of 250 MW each would be commissioned between December 2001 and March 2002. However, he said given the past experience, no one could fix to deadline for the completion of the project. The initial cost of the project was Rs 1658 crore but it had gone up due to the delay in starting work.

Mr Virbhadra Singh, leader of the Opposition, said the main reason for the tardy progress of the project was that officers of the Nathpa Jhakri Power Corporation had been trying to execute it through remote control sitting at Delhi. His government had succeeded in getting the head office of the corporation shifted to Shimla. But after the change of government the officers had moved back to Delhi. They had again hired expensive accommodation in the Capital and operating from there.

Mr Kaul Singh pointed out that the Chairman spent only seven days in Shimla and did not visit the project site even once. The key post of Director (Civil) had been lying vacant for the past one year.

Mr Dhumal said the government had succeeded in getting an officer from Himachal appointed as General Manager of the corporation and the posts of Director (Civil) and Director (Presonnel) would be filled soon, one of these would go to an officer from the state. On completion the project would annually yield a revenue of Rs 227.23 crore at global rates.

Replying to another question Mr Dhumal told Mr Jai Ram that a second helipad was built at Shingla in Rampur at a cost of Rs 1.28 crore. Earlier a helipad was constructed in the town by expanding the college ground at a cost of Rs 49.17 lakh.

The Chief Minister informed the House that as many as 96 new offices were opened in the Rohroo and Rampur constituencies and 14 offices were shifted to these constituencies from other places over the past five years.

Mr Roop Dass, Minister for Urban Development, told Mrs Asha Kumari that 15 cases of unauthorised constructions and deviation from the sanctioned building plans had been detected in Dalhousie town.

Answering a question of Mrs Sarveen Chaudhary, Mr Dhumal informed the House that the proposal of the state to set up a Circuit Bench of the high court at Dharamsala had been turned down. He said the government’s proposal was recently considered by the full Bench of the high court and its opinion was that there was no need to have Circuit Bench.

The Chief Minister, who holds the power portfolio, introduced the State Electricity (Supply) Amendment Bill seeking to broadbase the choice for the appointment of members and chairperson of the state electricity board.

The amendment will pave way for appointment MP’s and legislators with suitable administrative, technical and financial management capabilities as members of the board.

The House passed the Himachal Pradesh Regulation of Public Deposits Bill. The Bill provides for action against the non-banking financial companies which fail to make payments to the depositors. Mr Virbhadra Singh, expressed apprehensions that the new law might not prove effective in protecting the interest of depositors as most of the companies were incorporated outside the state and they only opened offices in the state and disappeared after collection of deposits.

Mr Dhumal said it was only a beginning towards regulating the functioning of the financial companies and necessary amendments would be made whenever required.

The Chief Minister reiterated his charge that the Congress government had made recruitment on "chits" and said the report of the inquiry ordered into the scandal would be available shortly.

He was replying to the discussion on the annual report of the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission.

Mr Virbhadra Singh, Leader of the Opposition, objected to the plea of the Chief Minister and said that the allegation of irregularities in recruitment was being repeated for the past one year without providing any proof. He said one could not put blame on the previous regime without the inquiry report.

Mr Dhumal, introduced the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly (Allowances and Pension of Members) Amendment Bill. Which seeks to increase the halting allowance for members from Rs 250 to Rs 300 per month, constituency allowance from Rs 4500 to Rs 5000 per month and secretariat and postal allowance from Rs 1000 to Rs 4500 per month.

It also provides for counting the period of first term of former legislators as full term of five years for the purpose of pension and period of other terms thereafter for additional pension at the rate of Rs 150 per month for every year. Besides the dearness relief up to 1510 consumer price index be merged in the existing pension.

Engineers' plea to govt
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 12 — The Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Project Engineers Association has urged the state government not to hand over any hydroelectric project to the Nathpa-Jhakri Power Corporation until all pending issues concerning the service conditions of the state staff on secondment with the corporation were settled.

Any agreement regarding the execution of the Rampur project should clearly mention the minimum staff share percentage right up to the operation and maintenance stage and the investigation job should be entrusted exclusively to the state electricity board on a deposit work basis.

The terms and conditions of the board staff should be clearly defined, including their equivalence with the direct recruits of the corporation. The state should be given due representation at the level of directors.

It also expressed reservations about handing over the Kol Dam project to the National Hydel Power Corporation. The share component of the board staff should be made clear, deleting the provision for the adjustment of the surplus staff of the NHPC as it would encroach upon the limited employment opportunities in the state.

The equivalence of the regular staff of the corporation and the deputationists should form part of the agreement. The power generated from the project should be available to the state throughout the year and not only from October to March as laid down in the agreement.

Mayor denies allegation
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 12 — Mr Manoj Kumar, Mayor of the Shimla Municipal Corporation, has denied the allegation of BJP ministers that the corporation had allotted shops on the recommendations of Chief Minister, and Ministers and asserted that all the allotments were made under the policy adhering to the prescribed procedure.

He said the ice cream parlour on The Ridge was given through open auction to the highest bidder in 1988 and the BJP councillor who were also present in the house did not object to it. There were no irregularities in the repairs carried out in the corner house, the residence of Municipal Commissioner. The allegations were being levelled to defame the Congress-ruled corporation.

Mr Manoj Kumar alleged that the present Municipal Commissioner had helped a BJP supporter to unauthorisedly construct a shop right on The Mall.

He demanded immediate recall of the commissioner. In case any report had been sent to the government by the commissioner it was a violation of the Municipal Corporation Act as the report had to be placed before the house first.

He also denied the charge that there were differences among Congress councillors.

Candle-light vigil
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, April 12 — The Tibetans in McLeodganj, today organised a candle light vigil in support of the fast being observed by the Tibetan Youth Congress activists in Geneva from April 5.

Dissatisfied by the assurances given to the TYC by various countries and the UN, they decided to resume the hunger strike, which had been temporarily halted, after 67 days last year. The TYC members said that even after the passage of nine months, there were no signs of positive development, compelling them to adopt a path of agitation.

At present, three members of the TYC are sitting on fast, which includes the Vice-President, Karma Yeshi, Secretary, Pema Lhundup and a former political prisoner in Tibet for 22 years. Today was the first day of the second week of the fast in Geneva. The TYC has reiterated that their strike would continue till their demands are accepted.

Six killed in accidents
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, April 12 — Six persons were killed in separate incidents in the district yesterday.

According to the police, a 26-year-olds, IAF pilot, Pankaj Sharma, was drowned in the Beas river at Chamukha, near Jwalamukhi. A group of officers had come here from the Adampur Air Force Station. The officer was accompanied by his wife, who is also a pilot.

In another incident, two persons were killed when a truck hit a car while trying to save a scooterist, near Damtal. The 30-year-old scooterist, Shih Raj Singh, from Mukerian died on the spot while, Ajay Kumar (30) of Faridkot, who was travelling in the car, also died. In another accident, Ashwani Kumar, died near Budoh Road when he was hit by a Tata Sumo. The Delhi vehicle has been impounded.

In yet another accident, one person was killed near Sheila Chowk here when he was hit by a jeep, which was loaded with people returning from the Dari fair. While the person on the road died, the other 18 persons in the jeep received injuries and were admitted to the zonal hospital here.

Thirty-year-old Kuldeep Singh of Laledh village, near Kangra, committed suicide by consuming some insecticide.

17 houses gutted
From Our Correspondent

UNA, April 12 — Seventeen houses along with cattle sheds, were destroyed in a fire at Kharota village, about 45 km from here, last night. Property worth about Rs 40 lakh was damaged in the fire. However, there was no loss of life.

According to Mr K.S. Narang, Deputy Commissioner, a forest fire engulfed the village and heavy winds spread it.

Telecom services in the village were out of order when the fire started and people had to walk 5 km to reach Lathiani village to inform the fire brigade at Una.

The fire tender which was rushed from Una could not reach the scene due to a breakdown of the vehicle 2 km short of the village, resulting in a road block. Later, it was removed and another engine reached the spot and put off the fire.

The district administration has disbursed Rs 43,000 to the sufferers as an immediate relief and started other measures to rehabilitate them.

Move on regulatory authority opposed
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 12 — The Himachal Pradesh unit of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) has opposed the move to create an electricity regulatory authority and restructure the state electricity board.

Mrs Kanta Sood, president of INTUC, said on the one hand it would affect the workers and on the other hand it would lead to a hike in the power tariff.

While hailing the judgement of the state high court regarding the payment of bonus to daily-wage workers engaged in the Giri project which was executed by the state electricity board, she demanded that it should be paid to all such workers of the board from the back date.

Mrs Sood urged the authorities to honour the judgement in letter and in spirit and demanded that the arrears of bonus should be released forthwith.

Plea to implement crop scheme
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 12 — Mr Raj Pal Chauhan member of the Shimla Zila Parishad has expressed concern about the bleak prospects for the apple crop and urged the government to implement the crop insurance scheme to safeguard the interests of fruit growers.

In a statement here yesterday, he said the draught-like conditions prevailing in the state had completely devastated the crop and unless adequate relief was provided to the growers, they might face starvation. He urged the government to immediately make payments to growers whose fruit was acquire under the market intervention scheme last year. The growers did not have money to maintain the orchards and carry out sprays of fungicides and insecticides.

He charged the BJP government with protecting officers responsible for various irregularities in the HPMC, Agro-Packaging India limited and other organisations during Congress rule.

No action had been taken against those responsible for the irregularities in the purchase of land at Chennai by the HPMC. The scandals in Agro-Packaging India Limited which had incurred a loss of Rs 34 crore, were also being brushed under the carpet. Even the Malhotra Commission report had not been implemented.

Linemen seek action against cop
From Our Correspondent

UNA, April 12 — Linemen of the local Electricity Department today raised slogans against the police for allegedly beating up Mohinder Singh, an assistant lineman, yesterday.

Mohinder Singh alleged that he was detained and beaten up by a policeman. He said HPSEB union leaders had gone to the SP's office but he was not there. The DSP had recorded his statement but so far no action had been taken.

The linemen are not attending to complaints and said they would go on a strike if a case wasn't registered against the policeman.

Restricted holiday today
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, April 12 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has declared April 13 as restricted holiday on account of the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of Khalsa to the employees working in all government offices, boards, corporations and educational institutions in the state. A notification to this effect was issued here this evening.