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Wednesday,
October 24, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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BJP, Cong
activists clash Virbhadra
flays HP Government Fear of
thefts grips Shimla Change in
number-plates of vehicles in phased manner Stone laid
for Holta hospital |
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Chamera
tunnel lit up Remote
areas gear up to face winter Sher
Jung’s biography released Banyal cremated
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BJP, Cong activists clash Shimla, October 23 The skirmishes took place as activists of the two parties raised slogans against each other for over three hours and Mr Bragta kept waiting for the situation to normalise before taking out a “vikas yatra” of the BJP. The police came in strength and cordoned the angry activists of the two parties to prevent further clashes among them. Both groups took out processions and raised slogans in violation of a ban on such activities on the Mall. The Congress activists accused the BJP of trying to mislead the people by organising the “vikas yatra” when no development had taken place. The situation was prevented from worsening as some senior leaders of both groups intervened. Councillors of the Congress-dominated Shimla Municipal Corporation, led by the Mayor, Mrs Jenny Prem, staged a dharna in the rain shelter and prevented Mr Bragta from re-dedicating it to the people. They alleged that the BJP government was trying to mislead the people by indulging in such gimmicks. On the other hand, Mr Bragta and the Commissioner of the municipal corporation, Mr H.N. Kashyap, claimed that the re-dedication had been done despite the protests by the Congress activists. Mrs Jenny Prem said the minister was on an inauguration spree of the works of the municipal corporation without taking her in confidence. She said the Commissioner was defying her orders and participating in the tours of the minister while the common people seeking redressal of their grievances in the municipal corporation office were suffering. She alleged that the orders of the court were being defied by the minister while inaugurating various works. Mr Kuldeep Rathore, spokesman for the Congress, said the defiance of the court orders clearly indicated that the BJP did not have any faith in the judiciary. Mr Bragta said the demonstration by the Congress activists indicated their hunger for power. He said as the local MLA and in his capacity as an associate member of the municipal corporation, he was taking interest in the development of the town which the Congress resented. |
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Virbhadra
flays HP Government Shimla, Oct 23 Mr Virbhadra Singh was addressing a rally at Shogi on the outskirts of the town yesterday. Mr Virbhadra Singh alleged that corruption was rampant under the BJP rule and development of Himachal Pradesh had come to a standstill. He said the Dhumal government vainly tried to get him implicated in CBI cases and challenged that nothing would come out again as the Chief Minister was trying to get the matter reinvestigated. He said that the BJP was trying to mislead the innocent people by organising the “vikas yatra”. Most of the development works for which the BJP was trying to take credit were actually started during the Congress regime. Mr Virbhadra Singh alleged that the administrative expenditure had significantly increased and the state government was indulging in witch hunting by ordering large-scale transfers of employees. Grievances of the common people have remained unattended and the visually impaired persons were demonstrating outside the secretariat to seek employment against the jobs reserved for them. He alleged that development was being done at some selected places whereas the order areas of the state were being discriminated. Mr Virbhadra Singh charged the BJP government with providing jobs to only RSS activists. A question mark has been put on the fairness of the Public Service Commission and the State Subordinate Services Selection Board, he said. He said that jobs have not been ensured for Himachalis in the MOUs which have been signed with the NHPC and various private companies for construction of hydroelectric projects. Among others who participated in the rally were Mr Singhi Ram, MLA, Mrs Jenny Prem, Mayor of the Shimla Municipal Corporation, and Mr Shashi Shekhar, Deputy Mayor. |
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Fear of thefts grips Shimla Shimla, October 23 Not only burglaries, what has reportedly added to the fear of the residents of Kumarsein and Kotgarh are a number of thefts and threat letters received by many influential orchard owners. This time the modus operandi of the thieves has been to commit a series of burglaries in a particular locality at one go. The recent targets of the thieves were the cemetery area at Dhalli and Chakkar where a number of thefts were committed during the daytime when the house owners were out. Locks of some shops were also broken. With the festival season ahead and many holidays this week, many residents have chosen to stay here instead of going out because of fear of thefts. Generally thefts are reported here in winters when many houses are locked as people go to the plains, but this time the problem has arisen much early. It is learnt that some policemen at the police post at Kotgarh were also threatened by miscreants. There have been reports that policemen in the Kumarsein and Kotgarh areas are poorly equipped. They had no means to chase a truck which broke the barrier and sped away with six persons. The local SP was not available on telephone this afternoon, but the Additional SP, Mrs Puneeta Bhardwaj, said only one theft was reported in the Kumarsein area and others were just rumours. She said about 30 additional policemen had been sent there and day and night patrolling was being done. Patrolling had also been intensified in the town. Meanwhile, daylight robberies were also reported in the Jakhu area here a few days ago. But the problem here is that police personnel in the respective police stations hardly do any home work to identify the miscreants operating in their areas. With almost all police stations in the state facing shortage of staff, investigation of thefts and other crimes is progressing at a snail’s pace. It is being said here that the police was hardly able to solve any case of theft. A thief who was caught because he fainted after consuming liquor in a house where he had gone to commit theft escaped when he was being taken to the court. Night patrolling is inadequate in many areas of the town which are proving a fertile ground for the thieves to operate. |
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Change in number-plates of vehicles in phased manner Hamirpur, October 23 In the first phase all new vehicles to be registered on or after June 30, 2002, will have high security number plates. In the second phase, all old vehicles will first switch over to the new colour scheme on existing number plates before February 1, 2001, and then to high security number plates by June 30, 2004. Official sources said here today that in view of repeated requests from various state governments, and after reviewing the current status of the proposed new high security status of testing the registration plates at various testing agencies in the country, the Central Government had decided to postpone the introduction of these plates to June 30, 2002. However, all new vehicles to be registered on and after June 30, 2002, shall mandatorily be fitted with such new plates. In case of the already registered vehicles a period of two years from June 30, 2002, would be allowed to change over to the new high security registration plates. Regarding change of colour scheme the Central Government had proposed to the states that the new colour scheme for the commercial vehicles, (black numbers on yellow background), be implemented by January 1, 2002. In case of private vehicles, the new colour scheme (black numbers on white background) was proposed to be enforced from February 1, 2002. Meanwhile, instructions have also been issued to all enforcement agencies of the district and state headquarters belonging to the Transport Department that the police will not challan any vehicle which does not conform to the new specification of high security number plates till the actual enforcement of the notification. |
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Stone laid for Holta hospital Palampur, October 23 Dr Thakur said before Independence good health institutions in the form of medical colleges were available but regretted that their efficacy had gone down. He said since the control of these medical colleges was handed over to the state government, financial difficulties were responsible for all ills. Dr Thakur lauded the role of the trustees of the Vivekanand Medical Research Trust, Palampur. He also complimented Union Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Minister Shanta Kumar for helping setting up this institution. The Union Health Minister said the promise for “Health for all by 2000” could not be fulfilled due to many constraints. He said the present government was planning to ensure that medicines were available at all Public Health Centres and villagers were benefited. The Central Government would contribute for this purpose, he added. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal criticised the previous Congress government for making Holta medical institute a political issue. He said though the foundation stone was laid during the BJP regime in 1992, yet the subsequent Virbhadra Government did not contribute a single penny for it. It also failed to transfer land to the trust. Mr Dhumal said his government was not only fulfilling the promise made by the previous government by running the Government Medical College at Tanda but also had handed over 412 kanals to the newly constituted the Vivekanand Medical Research Trust. Mr Shanta Kumar is the chairman of this trust. Handing over a cheque for Rs 1.04 crore collected during Shanta Kumar’s regime for the Holta project, the Chief Minister said Rs 3 crore collected earlier would also be handed over to the trust after the Cabinet approval. Speaking on the occasion Mr Shanta Kumar said the first phase of construction, which started today, would be completed soon. a 500-beded hospital along with a medical college, a nursing college and a pharmacy would be set up with most modern facilities, he added. |
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Chamera tunnel
lit up Dalhousie, October 23 Disclosing this here today, Mr S.K. Dodeja, Executive Director of the NHPC, said it was a splendid record of tunnelling by drilling and blasting methods in the field of hydropower projects. Mr Dodeja said the completion of excavation of the HRT had eliminated uncertainties involved in the project completion. This achievement had now paved the way for the completion of the project by 2003, he added. Mr Dodeja further stated that the tunnelling work was commenced on October 16, 1999, and the day-lighting of the upper portion of the HRT was done in the presence of Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal on May 5, 2001. Detailing about the project progress, Mr Dodeja pointed out that so far 20.775 km of linear tunnelling had been done, leaving a balance of 231 metres of tailrace tunnel (TRT), which was also expected to be completed this year. He said such experiences of faster tunnelling was expected to usher in a new era of real accelerated hydro development in the country. Mr Dodeja said the Chamera project was being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore on the Ravi in Chamba district. |
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Remote areas gear up to face winter Shimla, October 23 These areas remain cut off for about six months till the snow is removed from roads and passes leading to these places. Occasional helicopter service is the only means of travelling to certain tribal areas during winter. Residents of these areas are also busy storing fodder for their cattle. There was little grass this time because of a severe draught during the summer. Various departments of the government are also stocking their winter requirements. Particularly food grains, kerosene, edible oils and medicines have to be stored for six months. Government employees posted in Lahaul-Spiti and Pangi are given six month’s salary in advance in winter, whereas
uncertain other snow-bound areas advance salary for four months is paid. |
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Sher Jung’s biography released Nahan, October 23 Dr Bhan said the British could be ousted from India due to sustained efforts of freedom fighters. The contributions of lesser-known freedom fighters should be brought to light, he said. Some of them who were alive should be invited in schools so that students could learn from their experiences. Serials filmed on their lives should also be screened in schools. Nirmala Sher Jung, author of the biography and wife of Sher Jung, has recounted his life and personality. She said politics at that time meant sacrifice and anyone who entered it did so with a spirit of patriotism. |
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Banyal cremated Hamirpur, October 23 Banyal had died in New Delhi yesterday. His body was brought to his native village for cremation today. Shops in Mehre Kaswa remained closed during the morning to pay respects to the late Mr Banyal. |
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