Dhumal, Virbhadra in wordy duel
SHIMLA, Aug 19 — Pandemonium prevailed in the Himachal Assembly today as the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, and the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Virbhadra Singh, lost temper and engaged in angry exchanges during question hour.

Scrap quota in armed forces
SHIMLA, Aug 19 — The Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha today unanimously adopted a resolution seeking to scrap the system of recruitment to armed forces on the basis of population of the state.

Thakur dares CM to contest poll
JWALAMUKHI, Aug 19 — Former Health Minister and Congress nominee from the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency, Mr Ram Lal Thakur, has dared state Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal to contest the Lok Sabha election from Hamirpur to test his popularity in the state.

Vajpayee vs Sonia in HP: Chandel
HAMIRPUR (HP), Aug 19 — Himachal Pradesh BJP Chief, Mr Suresh Chandel said here last night that it would be Vajpayee vs Sonia in the state this time.

Insurance cover for fruits sought
SHIMLA, Aug 19 — Mrs Vidya Stokes, a Congress MLA, has urged the Centre to bring fruit under the crop insurance scheme.

2 held for smuggling deodar sleepers
DHARAMSALA, Aug 19 — The police arrested two persons under the Forest Act for smuggling 37 deodar sleepers and 16 tins of resin, near Baijnath, yesterday.

Col Rajpur's expulsion revoked

Dhumal, Virbhadra in wordy duel
Pandemonium in HP House
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Aug 19 — Pandemonium prevailed in the Himachal Assembly today as the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, and the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Virbhadra Singh, lost temper and engaged in angry exchanges during question hour.

The trouble started when Mr Mohinder Singh, PWD Minister, was replying, to a supplementary of Mr Virbhadra Singh regarding the number of national highways sanctioned in the state in the past two years.

He wanted to know whether or not the original alignment of the Jalandhar-Mandi national highway had been changed to ensure that it passed through the constituencies of the Chief Minister, the PWD Minister and Mr Sukh Ram. Provoked by the remark Mr Dhumal, intervened and said the former Chief Minister had not learnt any lesson from his present plight and also reminded that his party did not make any such accusation when he made a proposal to provide rail link to his home town Rampur.

This infuriated Mr Virbhadra Singh who retorted that his party members had not come to the House to hear the ill-tempered remarks of the Chief Minister. Noisy scenes followed as Opposition members and the Treasury Benches indulged in a shouting match. Nothing could be heard in the din and the Speaker, Mr Gulab Singh had to intervene to restore order.

Mr Jagat Prakash Nadda, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, took exception to Mr Singh's remarks and said the Chief Minister had given the reply in the same spirit in which, the question was asked. Mr Virbhadra Singh, however, maintained that Chief Minister's remarks that he had "not learnt any lesson" was in bad taste. He also made certain other remarks against the Chief Minister which were expunged by the Chair.

However, this did not satisfy Mr Dhumal who said there was nothing wrong with the national highway passing through his constituency from where highest number of soldiers had made the supreme sacrifice during the Kargil conflict. Situation turned worse when Mr Kaul Singh hinted about the Chief Minister's Jalandhar connection. An enraged Mr Dhumal retorted that he was proud that he had his education at Jalandhar and that the member should know that Hamirpur was at that time a part of Punjab and people used to go to Jalandhar for studies.

The continuing angry exchanges made Mr J.B.L. Khachi intervene and save the situation. He said Mr Dhumal as leader of the House should not get provoked in this manner.

Mr Dhumal came with a quick reply that it was the responsibility of both sides to maintain cool and Mr Khachi had not been judicious in giving advice to him only. He was human and had self respect and could not pocket such insults.

However, he lost no time in apologising to the House and said he did not mean to embarrass or hurt anyone. Taking a cue Mr Virbhadra Singh also offered an apology.

Earlier the Opposition grilled the Health Minister, Mr J.P. Nadda, over the failure of the government to post doctors and paramedical staff in various health institutions particularly, those located in the backward and tribal areas. Mrs Asha Kumari pointed out that the reply regarding the vacant posts was misleading as the district-wise total vacant posts added to a higher figure than mentioned in the reply for all the categories.

Mr Kaul Singh and Mr Virbhadra Singh lamented that the government had not been able to fill the vacant posts despite repeated assurances.

Mr Dhumal assured the House that the government would consider to re-employ retired doctors and paramedics to meet the shortage.

Leopards strike terror
From Chander Shekhar Sharma

HAMIRPUR: The people of Hamirpur district are panicky these days due to leopards prowling various parts of the district these days. These huge cats appear from behind and attack human beings as well as cattle and disappear.

A full-grown leopard turned maneater in the Bohni area recently. This leopard claimed the life of an old man, Purshottam Dass Chaudhry at the village. He had gone out of his house to fetch something when the leopard pounced on him and dragged him for about 20 metres. The elder was, however, rescued by villagers when he raised the alarm. He was immediately brought to the Hamirpur district hospital where he succumbed to his injuries despite medical aid.

Hamirpur district has become much-feared due to the presence of leopards for several years. The total number of leopards in the district as per the Forest Department census is about 461, including 143 cubs. These animals had reached Hamirpur after covering a long distance from the Himalayas through other parts of the state. These leopards had so far claimed lives of about 15,000 animals and a dozen humans. More than four dozen persons were also injured seriously.

Official sources in the Forest Department say that every year 50 new leopards are coming to forests of the district. A leopard couple was also seen entering Hamirpur town and claiming the life of dogs and other animals. Their movement is mostly in the forests of Sujanpur Tira, Masyana-di-Dhar, Biheri, Kakker, Charian-di-dhar, Chabutra and even Hamirpur.

Sources add that since 1986 when the first leopard had turned maneater in the district, as many as two dozen leopards had been killed. Six others had been sent to various zoos by rangers.

The outbreak of forest fires in May and deprivation of prey for them has compelled them to come out of forests near bastis and to search for new sources of food. In this process, they reached human habitation and a few of them turned man eaters. One leopard cub was recently shot dead near Samirpur village when it attacked a group of children going to school.

The Himachal Pradesh Government has recently shifted the Circle office of the Wildlife wing of the Department of Forests from Shimla to Hamirpur to protect the wildlife, especially leopards, prowling in forests in the districts of Hamirpur, Kangra, Una, and Bilaspur. But surprisingly, only the Conservator of the department and about dozen clerical employees have joined duty at Hamirpur. No other officer or official directly linked with the department like Divisional Forest Officer, Range Officers, Deputy Rangers and forests guards have been posted here. This has virtually made this office worthless.

Insiders in the department say that Hamirpur is the suitable place for controlling wildlife activities of the district. According to them, with the number of leopards increasing day by day, there is a need for mini sanctuaries at Zeehan, Kakker, Sujanpur Tira, Masiana and Bijheri areas. Once these sanctuaries came into being, not only would wildlife activities be stepped up but also the environment could be saved from pollution.

Will Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, who belongs to Hamirpur district, be able to take effective steps to save the wildlife species and help the environment check pollution from Hamirpur district?

Scrap quota in armed forces
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Aug 19 — The Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha today unanimously adopted a resolution seeking to scrap the system of recruitment to armed forces on the basis of population of the state.

Cutting across party lines, Congress members endorsed the government resolution which was moved in the House by the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal.

All members with one voice demanded that the recruitable male population (RMP) rule should be scrapped as a small state like Himachal Pradesh was put to a loss in recruitments in the armed forces.

The House also demanded that preference should be given to the Himachali youth in recruitment to the paramilitary forces including the BSF, the CRPF, the ITBP etc.

Moving the resolution, Mr Dhumal said that Army personnel from Himachal Pradesh had brought laurels for the state in the recent Indo-Pakistan conflict in Kargil. Of the four Param Vir-Chakras awarded in the country, two had been won by Army personnel belonging to the state. As many as five Vir Chakras had also been awarded to Himachali Army personnel.

The resolution also demanded that a separate regimental centre should be established in the State to enable greater participation of the youth in the Army and also for convenience of the large number of ex-servicemen.

Mr Dhumal said that as a tradition, a large number of people from Himachal had been joining the armed forces, but with introduction of the RMP rule the ratio had come down as the population of Himachal Pradesh was less as compared to the neighbouring states.

He said he had discussed the issue with the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, and the Army Chief, Gen V P Malik.

Supporting the resolution, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Virbhadra Singh, demanded that the previous practice of recruitment should be restored and the RMP rule should be scrapped particularly for the state like Himachal Pradesh which has produced brave soldiers.

Ms Sarveen Chaudhary (BJP) demanded that a separate regimental centre for Himachal Pradesh should be established. Centres of territorial Army and Ecological Task Force should also be opened in which serving and retired soldiers could participate.

Among others who participated in the nearly 135 minute debate on the resolution included Mr Kaul Singh (Cong), Mr Rakesh Pathania (BJP) , Mr Rangila Ram Rao, Mrs Viplove Thakur, (all Congress) and Mr Des Raj, Mr Vipin Parmar, Mr Baldev Sharma and Mr Jai Ram Thakur (all BJP).

The House passed the Bill pertaining to setting up of a separate authority for construction and maintenance of bus stands in the state.

However, Congress members did not approve the move for establishing a separate authority which they said would further burden the exchequer.

The Bill was moved by the Transport Minister, Mr K K Kapoor.

A senior parliamentarian and Congress MLA, Mr JBL Khachi, said that he was not convinced about the need of having a separate authority for maintaining the bus stands, the job should be assigned to the existing staff of the HRTC.

Many other Congress legislators expressed apprehension that the authority was proposed to be established just for raising loans for the state government.

Mr Kapoor, Transport Minister, said the bus operators and passengers were not satisfied with the condition of the bus stands.

The Chief Minister, described it as a step towards improvement of the bus stands and their proper maintenance.

Dr Rajan Sushant, Minister of State for Revenue, introduced a Bill seeking to exempt industrial units and hydel projects from the provisions of the Land Ceiling Act.

Rain, landslips disrupt traffic
From Our Correspondent

JAWALAMUKHI, Aug 19 — Following incessant rain and land slides in the Dehra sub division of Kangra district, several vehicles, including that of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation, were reportedly stranded today on stretches of the Hoshiarpur-Jawalamukhi and Dharamsala-Shimla Alampur-Khundian high way. Many small bridges on the road have been washed away. Labourers are working on warfooting to restore normal traffic.

Heavy rain paralysed normal life in the sub division partly disrupting telecommunication, water supply and power.

The Beas river and its tributries are in spate. Widespread loss has been caused to standing maize crops in various parts of the areas. The rain is considered to be one of the heaviest in the history of the Dehra sub division in the last 20 years.

In Jawalamukhi rain played havoc with the civic amenities. All roads and lanes in the town have been badly affected and drains damaged due to landslide. A large number of vehicles were also stranded in the town due to landslide. The rain water has entered in many houses.

Thakur dares CM to contest poll
From Our Correspondent

JWALAMUKHI, Aug 19 — Former Health Minister and Congress nominee from the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency, Mr Ram Lal Thakur, has dared state Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal to contest the Lok Sabha election from Hamirpur to test his popularity in the state.

Talking to mediapersons here yesterday, he alleged that Mr Dhumal had failed to fulfil his promises and people were fed up with his rule. Even the local MP, Mr Suresh Chandel never raised his voice for the problems of the area in parliament.

He gave a call to soldiers, ex-servicemen and their families to rally behind the Congress and vote for its candidates in the ensuing elections.

It was the Congress government of Mr Virbhadra Singh that had brought the offices of the HP Ex-Servicemen's Financial Corporation and the HP Sainik Welfare Board from Shimla to Hamirpur, he said.

Vajpayee vs Sonia in HP: Chandel
From Our Corespondent

HAMIRPUR (HP), Aug 19 — Himachal Pradesh BJP Chief, Mr Suresh Chandel said here last night that it would be Vajpayee vs Sonia in the state this time. However, Mr Vajpayee's charismatic personality, last thirteen months performance of the BJP government at Centre and success in Kargil would help regain the post of Prime Minister as Mr Vajpayee was the only person acceptable to all the country, he told mediapersons at the Circuit House here.

Mr Chandel, who is Party's nominee for the Hamirpur Lok Sabha elections, claimed that the performance of the party government in Himachal Pradesh was excellent and it would also figure in the elections. The party government had fulfilled most of its election promises in the short span of one a half years only.

Mr Chandel said that as a Member of the Lok Sabha he was able to do a lot for the area. He released a pamphlet containing as many as thirtysix item, which according to him, he got conceded from the central and state government.

Insurance cover for fruits sought
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Aug 19 — Mrs Vidya Stokes, a Congress MLA, has urged the Centre to bring fruit under the crop insurance scheme.

In a statement issued here today, she said the Centre should give a serious attention to this aspect and cover all land holdings of small and marginal farmers.

She said the Himalayan region is the most backward in agriculture, not because of the rocky soil and total dependence on rainfall but even for the reasons of history and its peculiar geography.

How much dependent is the horticulture on the vagaries of nature can be gauged from the drop in the fruit production from 3.52 lakh tonnes in 1996-97 to 2.80 lakh tonnes in 1997-98 and this year too the crop is expected to be only one fourth of it, because of drought and almost a snowless winter.

2 held for smuggling deodar sleepers
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Aug 19 — The police arrested two persons under the Forest Act for smuggling 37 deodar sleepers and 16 tins of resin, near Baijnath, yesterday.

According to the SSP, Mr K.C. Sadyal, 37 deodar sleepers were seized by a police party at Utralla, near Baijnath last night. The driver-cum-owner of the truck (HP-29-0993), Pratap Chand, has been arrested and booked under Sections 41 and 42 of the Forest Act and Section 379 of the IPC.

In another case the police seized 16 tins of illegally extracted resin near Ghatta and arrested Lekh Raj of Gargret. A case has been registered but the owner of the vehicle managed to escape.

In yet another case, the police booked six persons, under the Gambling Act, in Mcleodganj, yesterday.

Col Rajpur's expulsion revoked

SHIMLA, Aug 19 (PTI) — The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee President, Mr Sat Mahajan, today revoked the expulsion of Col R.S. Rajpur of Kangra district and nominated him as member of district Congress executive committee.

He also coopted Sudhir Sharma from Baijnath as member of the HPCC.

Mr Mahajan in contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Kangra seat which comprised of Kangra and Chamba district.