HPU students call off strike
SHIMLA, Aug 30 — The agitating students of Himachal Pradesh University called off their 14-day old strike to press the demands for holding elections to the Students Central Association following talks with the Vice-Chancellor, Dr S.K. Gupta, here today.

Palampur awaits another hero
DHARAMSALA, Aug 30 — A brilliant career, was nipped in the bud, when 30-year-old Major Sudhir Walia laid down his life, fighting the enemy in the Kupwara sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

Don't argue on non-issues: CM
UNA, Aug 30 — Mr Pawan Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, urged his party workers not to enter into arguments with people on non-issues and explain state/central governments' development work to the people.

2 dead as vehicle rolls down khud
SOLAN, Aug 30 — Two persons died and seven were injured, four of them seriously, when a Tata Sumo rolled down a 300-metres deep khud near Parotha village under Kandaghat police station, about 12 km from here on the Kalka-Shimla national highway, from here at 10 p.m. yesterday.

Doctors urged to work in rural areas
SHIMLA, July 21 — Mrs V.S. Rama Devi, Governor of Himachal Pradesh, has called upon doctors to volunteer their services in rural and remote areas where about 80 per cent of the state's population lived.

Virbhadra for probe into cop's murder
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Aug 30 — The Congress Legislature Party leader and former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, has demanded that the BJP-HVC combine government should refer the recent incidents of the alleged burning of a young woman in the Jwalamukhi area and the murder of a police constable in Chopal to the CBI as the local police was trying to "hush up" these cases under political pressure.

Mr Virbhadra Singh, who was talking to newsmen here today, alleged that the law and order situation in the state was deteriorating as certain leaders of the ruling alliance were shielding the culprits.

He alleged that a senior leader of the HVC was shielding the culprits involved in the murder of the police constable at Chopal a few days ago and incidents of murder were being converted into suicide. He alleged that no action was being taken against the culprits involved in the woman burning case, but the police had registered cases against those who staged a demonstration against the murder.

Mr Virbhadra Singh said that his position had been vindicated by the judgement of the High Court in the cases of the so-called concessions worth Rs 33 crore given by his government to Gujarat Ambuja Cement company and the case pertaining to payment of compensation to his step-brother, Mr Rajinder Singh, for land acquired for the Nathpa project. He said that his own government had filed an appeal against the award of compensation in the High Court.

He pointed out that the BJP and HVC had launched a campaign to defame him on these two issues, but had been silenced by the court judgement.

He said that concessions and incentives given to the cement company were strictly in accordance with the industrial policy framed during the BJP regime, when Mr Shanta Kumar was Chief Minister.

He said pressure was being put on the CBI and investigating agencies in the state to register some cases against "me". He was, however, hopeful that the agencies would not succumb to pressure.

He rejected the report of the official committee which probed allegations of his government having made recruitments on the basis of "chits" and demanded that a judicial enquiry by a sitting judge of the High Court be ordered into the recruitments during the Congress regime and the present government as recruitment rules were being violated by the BJP-HVC combine and officers being pressurised to provide jobs to favourites of the ruling alliance. More than 3700 persons have been recruited in a single PWD division at Dharampur in Mandi. 378 appointments were made in HRTC were in total violation of rules.

Mr Virbhadra Singh said that senior BJP leaders had stooped low in casting aspersions on AICC chief Sonia Gandhi. The BJP leadership was resorting to vilification and character assassination just to achieve their political objectives. The Election Commission should take strict action against those indulging in such campaigning he said.

He said the BJP-HVC combine government was doing everything that the two parties had criticised the previous Congress government for the Dhumal government had raised loans of Rs 375 crore from the open market and hired a helicopter.

He said that the Apollo hospital at Holta in the Palampur area had become a victim of the feud between Mr Dhumal and Mr Shanta Kumar. Extension in service had been provided to a large number of retired officers.

He alleged that not a single project had been started or sanctioned ever since the Dhumal government came to power and Mr Dhumal and his ministerial colleagues were inaugurating projects started during the Congress regime.

Thakur promises oil exploration
From Our Correspondent

JWALAMUKHI, Aug 30 — Mr Ram Lal Thakur Congress candidate from Hamirpur parliamentary constituency today declared that exploration for oil and natural gas in the Jwalamukhi area will be restarted, if the Congress was voted to power at the Centre.

Addressing mediapersons at the local rest house before starting his election campaign in Jwalamukhi assembly segment, Mr Thakur charged the Bharatiya Janata Party of doing nothing concrete during their 18-month rule at the Centre.

Mr Thakur claimed that a gas exploration project will definitely given a boost to the economy of the state and generate employment for the youth of the area. He said as per the report a geological survey there are indications of the abundant reserves of oil and natural gas in the 13,500 sq km area of Shivalik Valley in Himachal Pradesh, mainly concentrated in the Jwalamukhi area. Exploration for oil and natural gas was undertaken here in 1952 without success.

He said the Congress first Prime Minister, Mr Jawahar Lal Nehru was responsible for the geological survey.

He said various oil wells for exploration were started in the area. Of these, three in and around Jawalamukhi, one in Changartalai in Hamirpur and one in Punj were abandon one by one. He asked the Bharatya Janata Party to make its stand clear to the people on the issue.

He said a budget of 500 crores was earmarked for states, where there was no possibility of oil or gas being found as per old geological surveys.

Certain states where oil exploration wells had failed to strike oil still had rigs. It is worth mentioning that certain oil wells around Jawalamukhi are still active at Baggi village and near Tera Mandir in Jawalamukhi.

Mr Thakur said the better part of Mr Dhumal's tenure had been utilised to appease HVC Supreme Sukh Ram.

HPU students call off strike
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Aug 30 — The agitating students of Himachal Pradesh University called off their 14-day old strike to press the demands for holding elections to the Students Central Association following talks with the Vice-Chancellor, Dr S.K. Gupta, here today.

The V-C has agreed to set up a committee to work out the pattern of election, modalities and reforms necessary in view of the violence and murders during poll, while the main students bodies the ABVP, SFI and NSUI were divided on the pattern to be adopted. The principals of colleges were opposed to elections altogether. The committee would take into consideration all view-points and submit its report by October end.

As per another decision taken at the meeting, the examination late fee will be reduced from Rs 640 to Rs 150 and a committee will be constituted to rationalise the fee structure.

The failed students will be provided another chance to pass examinations for which they will have to pay Rs 350 as fee.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the ABVP, SFI and NSUI.

As the committee will submit its report after two months, it is obvious that elections to the Students Central Association will not be held this year for the fourth consecutive time. The fortnight-long agitation of the SFI had thus failed to yield any tangible result and the issue of holding election remains where it was.

The students, the majority of whom were against the "education bandh," have been the main loser as classes could not be held for a fortnight.

Palampur awaits another hero
From Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Aug 30 — A brilliant career, was nipped in the bud, when 30-year-old Major Sudhir Walia laid down his life, fighting the enemy in the Kupwara sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

Major Sudhir Walia, of the 4 Jat Regiment, breathed his last after killing nine Pakistani infiltrators on the night of August 29.

Major Walia, was then commanding Bravo Company of 9 Paras, recently shifted from Kargil to Kupwara, when he encountered militants on patrol in the jungle of Afrooda. Major Walia engaged the militants and despite being injured in the leg kept fighting till the last.

He hailed from Banoori village, about five km from Palampur town. After completing his primary education, he joined the Sainik School, at Sujanpur Tira. After passing out from the IMA in 1988, he was commissioned in 4 Jat Regiment. He was later attached with the 9 Para Commandoes and sent for commando training in America.

He excelled in what he did and had won four gallantary awards including two Sena Medals, one for counter-insurgency operations in J and K in 1994.

His father, Subedar Rulia Ram recalled that despite becoming an officer in the Army, he was humble and down to earth, extending a helping hand by delivering milk which his father used to sell when on leave.

Though proud of his son’s sacrifice, Subedar Rulia Ram said that whatever the government might claim the fact remained that the war was still on. "It is only those who loose their loved ones who know how painful the loss is," he laments. He said it is high time the government settle things once and for all so that the sacrifice made by the soldiers do not go waste.

Major Walia, died on the morning of August 29, while being shifted from Kupwara to Srinagar for treatment. His body will reach Banoori tonight. His family had been making preparations for his marriage fixed for October 22. The people of Palampur are now making arrangements for a hero’s welcome for the brave son of the area.

Major Walia, is the third officer from Palampur, to have laid down his life fighting the enemy on the Indo-Pak border. Earlier, Lt Saurabh Kalia and Captain Vikram Batra made the supreme sacrifice.

Don't argue on non-issues: CM
From Our Correspondent

UNA, Aug 30 — Mr Pawan Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, urged his party workers not to enter into arguments with people on non-issues and explain state/central governments' development work to the people.

He was addressing Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha and BJP workers here at Una Town Hall today.

Mr Dhumal asked party workers to work hard for the victory of the BJP candidate, Mr Suresh Chandel. He said that no one was against Ms Sonia Gandhi, but India could not accept a foreign-born person as Prime Minister of India. He said BJP-HVC combine would win all four Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Mr Praveen Sharma, state Sports Minister, Mr Ram Dan Malangar, Deputy Speaker, Mr Vijay Joshi, acting President of the HVCL (state), and Mr O.P Rattan, state HVC General Secretary, also spoke on the occasion.

2 dead as vehicle rolls down khud
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, Aug 30 — Two persons died and seven were injured, four of them seriously, when a Tata Sumo rolled down a 300-metres deep khud near Parotha village under Kandaghat police station, about 12 km from here on the Kalka-Shimla national highway, from here at 10 p.m. yesterday.

The Superintendent of Police, Mr Rakesh Aggarwal said the dead had been identified as Irfan of Ashok Vihar, Delhi and Mohinder Singh of Dakal village in Kotkhai tehsil of Shimla district.

The injured were immediately taken to the Civil Hospital, Kandaghat, from where the four seriously injured were referred to Indra Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Shimla, and three were shifted to the District Hospital, Solan.

Mr Aggarwal said that skid marks on the edge of the road indicated that the driver might have dozed off.

Mohinder Singh was the General Secretary of Kotkhai Mandal of the BJP.

Doctors urged to work in rural areas
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, July 21 — Mrs V.S. Rama Devi, Governor of Himachal Pradesh, has called upon doctors to volunteer their services in rural and remote areas where about 80 per cent of the state's population lived. She said the objective of "Health for all at the doorsteps by 2000" could only be attained if the doctors wilfully came forward to serve the people with dedication. Specialist facilities should be provided in health institutions at the block level for ensuring better health care to the people.

Addressing doctors and medical staff of Indira Gandhi Medical College organised here to hand over beds and other articles to medical institutions donated by Mrs Subhadra Amin Chand, chairperson of the Raisahib Amin Chand Memorial Trust today.

Mrs Rama Devi lauded the philanthropic efforts of the trust and asked people to contribute liberally for helping the suffering humanity and upgrading social services. "Each one should make a positive contribution to society to which we owe so much for our welfare".

The Governor laid special emphasis on creating awareness amongst the people about health education and personal hygiene, which would help in prevention of many diseases. She asked the people to maintain cleanliness in their localities and houses.

Mrs Vidya Stokes, MLA, said that voluntary social service not only set the pace for welfare activities but also gave satisfaction. Special attention should be given to the poor and destitute person.

Dr Lalita Bahl, Principal, Indira Gandhi Medical College, while welcoming the chief guest appreciated the efforts of the trust in social service.

The trust donated 50 bedside benches to Kamla Nehru Hospital, 10 to Indira Gandhi Medical College Hospital and two wheel-chairs to other institutions.