Tourist map of HP misleading
DALHOUSIE, July 9 — The tourist map of Himachal Pradesh cartographed for the state Department of Tourism is misleading.

ST on photographs "unjust"
MANDI, July 9 — Mr Birbal Sharma, Organising Secretary Northern India Photographic Society, has described the proposal of the state government to levy sales-tax on photographs as "unjust and illegal"

Don't follow Punjab tax pattern: Sukh Ram
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, July 9 — Mr Sukh Ram, president of the Himachal Vikas Congress, today launched a pointed attack on his archrival and former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, charging him with hatching a conspiracy to finish his political career.
Participating in the general discussion on Budget, he said Mr Virbhadra Singh used all means to tarnish his image and belittle his achievements as Union Communications Minister. He also set a precedent by ordering the state vigilance to carry out raids against the Telecommunication Department, which was under the Centre. He said the CBI raids in his houses were part of a bigger conspiracy involving his political opponents and some private telecom companies.
He said the vilification campaign against him in the media at the behest of his rivals went in vain as the people ultimately elected him and his partymen by thumping margins.
He said in the interest of fair play, the charges against Mr Virbhadra Singh should be investigated. He had not only benefited his close relatives by granting compensation for land which had been vested in the government but also paid commissions in loans raised in violation of constitutional provisions. He alleged that an Australian trust was ready to give Rs 2000 crore at a nominal interest of 1 per cent, but the government did not accept the offer.
Mr Sukh Ram also wanted to know why the report of the Lokayukta, who investigated charges against Mr Virbhadra Singh, was not presented before the House in the past nine years.
He said he had supported the BJP to ensure the end of "rajwarashahi" and restore democratic rule in the state. Under the one-man rule perpetrated by Mr Virbhadra Singh, the voice of dissent was muzzled and a reign of terror was let loose on the opponents.
He urged the government not to follow Punjab in tax structure as Himachal was a consumer state and it could harm the interests of the people.
Mr Virbhadra Singh interrupted Mr Sukh Ram repeatedly and clarified his position by raising a point of order. He said the charges levelled against him by the member were false and malicious. He had already filed a defamation case against Mr Shanta Kumar who made similar allegation regardign loans raised by the government during his tenure as Chief Minister. The matter was subjudice. Some other charges had been adjudicated at various levels, including the Supreme Court and as such there could not be investigation again by any agency.
He declared that he would not only resign his seat but also quit politics if any of the charges pertaining to financial irregularities and corruption were proved against him.
Mr Roop Singh Thakur, Forest Minister, blamed the previous Congress government for the financial woes of the state and said the loan liability and Budget deficit rose sharply during its four-year term. He said while Mr Virbhadra Singh had claimed that the per capita income of the state had increased substantially, the fact was that if the interest liability was taken into account, it would come down by Rs 900.
He called upon the members to rise above party lines and support efforts of the government to protect forest. The state was giving benefit to right-holders to the tune of Rs 300 crore annually in the form TD, fire wood and other forest produce.
Mr Kaul Singh (Cong) criticised the BJP for trying to derive political mileage from the Pokharn nuclear tests. He said it was a matter of national pride but the credit should go to scientists. He said the fact that BJP leaders spoke in different voices after the tests and virtually created a war hysteria in the wake of the tests was a matter of concern.
Similarly, differences among top leaders were discernible on other issues. While Mr Vajpayee had been saying that the party had kept aside its own manifesto and adopted the national agenda, Mr L.K. Advani talked of a hidden agenda.
Mr Kaul Singh pointed out that the Budget proposal did not include steps to curb wasteful expenditure. He said ruling party members had been repeatedly saying that the Congress government had committed an impropriety by opening a large number of educational, health and veterinary institutions which were not included in the Budget. If they considered it a grave irregularity, then they should ask the government to close down the ones opened in their respective constituencies.
He indirectly blamed, Mr Sukh Ram for the failure of the Virbhadra Singh Government to get funds from the Centre when Mr Narasimha Rao was Prime Minister.
Mr Sukh Ram objected to the charge and said it was Mr Kaul Singh and Mr R.R. Rao who had met Mr Rao and urged him not to release the additional Rs 10 crore which he had got sanctioned outside the Plan.
Mr J.P. Nadda, Health Minister, lambasted the Congress for opposing the nuclear tests and said its leaders had been speaking in different tunes on the issue, indicating ideological confusion in the party. He said initially they criticised the tests and its leader like Mr Pranab Mukherjee, termed it an "outright disaster". However, as the entire country backed the government, the Congress changed its stand and started claiming credit by saying that the nuclear programme was started by it and credit should go to the scientists.
He said Mr Vajpayee had displayed courage by conducting the tests, whereas his predecessors declined to do so. He said now certain Congress leaders were suggesting an out of court settlement on the issue of state's share of 7.19 per cent in inter-state power projects under the Punjab State Reorganisation Act. But the moot question was why did their government move court on the issue.

Interstate gang of cheats busted
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, July 9 — The police here claimed to have busted an interstate racket, which cheated innocent persons desirous of emigrating to foreign countries, of lakhs of rupees, with the arrest of three persons who were caught red-handed while striking a deal, here yesterday.
The accused identified as Sohan Singh, Azmer Singh and Tarsem Singh, all hailing from Jalandhar district, were in a hotel where they had called one of the prospective immigrant Mr Mohammed Shameen Akhtar, to pay an advance of Rs 30,000. The police raided the hotel and nabbed the culprits. A sum of Rs 35,000 was recovered from them.
A spokesman of the police said that the modus operandi of the gang was to forge letters of the relatives of the prospective victims living abroad with the connivance of the Railway Mail Service employees in Delhi and Ludhiana. They replaced the original letters in the envelope with forged letters in which amount to be paid for immigration alongwith passport and the place of delivery were mentioned. After collecting the money the passport was returned by registered post after a few days. In this manner the three-member gang duped several persons.
Mr Shameen Akhtar, a resident of Chamkaur Sahib whose brother is working in Bahrain, received a similar forged letter which informed him to pay Rs 30,000 at Rajdoot hotel, Shimla. However, he was aware that one Sarvan Singh of Jatana village in Ropar district, had been defrauded in the same fashion. He contacted Sarvan Singh and the two came to Shimla and informed the police. A trap was laid and the three were caught red-handed.
Possibility of some other persons being involved in the racket could not be ruled out. Investigation to identify other members of the gang was on.

Tourist map of HP misleading
From Our Correspondent
DALHOUSIE, July 9 — The tourist map of Himachal Pradesh cartographed for the state Department of Tourism is misleading.
On way from Pathankot to Chamba, Tunnuhatti, Dundiara, Banikhet and Dalhousie have been shown on the right side of the Ravi, instead of the left.
Likewise, Bharmour, Gehra and Durgathi have been placed on the right bank of the Ravi, instead of the left. Durgathi, too, has been shown on a different route. On way to Manimahesh, Hadsar has been shown first and Bharmour second.
Meanwhile, the Khajjiar hill resort has neither any band, primary health centre, police post nor a patrol station, thereby causing inconvenience to tourists.
The resort is situated 24 km from here and in case of any mishap or illness, the tourists are left in the lurch. Also there is no workshop for the repair of vehicles.