CM flags off 5 truckloads of aid for Orissa
SHIMLA, Dec 6 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, the Chief Minister today flagged off five truckloads of food, clothes and medicines for the cyclone affected people of Orissa.

Hungary envoy meets Dhumal
SHIMLA, Dec 6 — The Ambassador of Republic of Hungary, Mr Andras Dallos, accompanied by the Councillor Economic and Commercial Affairs, called on the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, here today. They discussed various possibilities of collaboration in hydel power generation and horticulture.

Tributes paid to Dr Ambedkar
SHIMLA, Dec 6 — Glowing tributes were paid to Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar, one of the architects of the Constitution on his death anniversary today.

Probe sought into death of workers
SHIMLA, Dec 6 — The Young Workers Council of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) has demanded a high-level probe into the alleged death of workers in the Malana hydel project.

Spiti village on telecom map
SHIMLA, Dec 6 — Losar, village in the Spiti valley, was put on the telecom map today with the commissioning of a telephone exchange there.

BJP govt discriminating against Cong supporters
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Dec 6 — Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee General Secretary and sitting MLA from Nagrota Bagwan G.S. Bali today demanded that an independent enquiry commission be set up for inquiring into the alleged deep-rooted conspiracy hatched by the BJP government to keep away the electorate, who are supporters of the Congress party, from getting registered as the electorate during the recently held electoral process in the state.

Mr Bali was addressing a press conference here today. He said that this amounted to throttling of the democratic right of the Indian citizen and violative of the Constitution. He alleged that those government employees who were linked with the BJP were assigned the job of enrolling fresh voters and correcting of the old one and no information was given to the electorate to come forward for getting themselves enrolled in the voter lists. He said the voters belonging to Congress party could not enrol themselves. Mr Bali said that the opposition party had lost its faith in the present government.

He expressed concern over the alleged 'Kesri karan' of the schools in the state and holding of the RSS shakas in the government schools. He alleged that it was unfortunate that the government officials were attending these shakas which was detrimental for the healthy democracy and the secular fabric of the country.

He blamed the BJP government for appointing BJP supporters in the government jobs violating the recruitment rules. He said this had left the common and the deserving unemployed youths in frustration. He also alleged that the employment exchanges had no utility under the present day set up. He blamed the government for not appointing the Himachali youths in the different hydro power projects in the state thus doing a great injustice to the unemployed youths of this hilly state. He expressed concern over not making public the list of those persons who were appointed during the two years of the BJP rule in the state despite repeated requests by the Congress party.

He alleged that the government, had failed on the industrial front as it has no definite industrial policy. He said even the cottage industry was in shambles in the state.

He ridiculed the Chief Minister Mr P.K. Dhumal for asking the former Chief Minister and leader of the Opposition Mr Virbhadra Singh to resign his seat and contest from the Solan seat. Mr Bali said, "it does not behove the Chief Minister to utter such words and it is not Mr Dhumal speaking but his ego." He said Mr Virbhadra Singh had contributed a lot for the politics of the state and Mr Dhumal had entered the state assembly for the first time just two years back.

He demanded that government should come out with a white paper regarding its financial activities of its two years rule of the state. He said the Congress had already issued a white paper about their financial activities during their rule of the state.

RSS Pramukh for law against conversion
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 6 — Mr Srikant Joshi, Prachar and Prasar Pramukh of the Rashtriya Swayam Sangh, has urged the Centre to enact a uniform law in the country to prevent forcible religious conversions.

Talking to newsmen her today he said certain states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Arunachal Pradesh had enacted the Freedom of Religion Act under which anyone wanting to change his religion was required to give a prior notice and make a statement to this effect before the magistrate. The law if properly implemented could effectively check conversion by allurements and coercion.

He also demanded steps to check misuse of foreign funds by non-government organisations for religious conversion. At present about Rs 20,000 crore was being annually received by various NGOs , a bulk of which was being used for conversions. NGOs had virtually become conduit for inflow of foreign money. The situation was worst in the North East region in Kakching district of Manipur, which had population of less than two lakh, there were about 15,000 NGOs. Practically, each family in the district was a NGO, but there was hardly any activity in the field. There was need to keep a strict watch on NGOs.

Mr Joshi said neglect of the North-East by successive governments was mainly responsible for the separatist tendency among a section of people. The lack of proper road and rail links and a common language for communication alienated the people from the mainstream. The Christian missionaries, communists and Bangladeshi infiltrators exploited the situation to their advantage. However, the activities taken up by the RSS had reversed the trend to an extent. It was running 245 schools, 25-student hostels and several dispensaries in remote tribal pockets.

He alleged that the Baptist church of New Zealand was behind the kidnapping four RSS workers in Tripura and the CPM Government was not making any sincere effort for their release.

Threat to Sanskrit college
From Bijender Sharma

JAWALAMUKHI: Students seeking admission to the 94-year-old Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya have been discouraged. Residents of this temple town feel that there is an insidious design to close down the college.

The institute was set up in 1905 to cater to needs of 200 families of baridars and priests of the temple here.

Till the temple was in the control of baridars the college attracted students . The students made their name in Sanskrit and astrology.

After the takeover of the temple in 1987 the college was a victim of the government neglect. A few years ago the government drew up a plan to upgrade the college.

The college was to have a modern building, library and a playground . Seats for students were also to be increased. Move was afoot to affiliate the college with the state university or Kendriya Sanskrit Sansthan. There was many a change of governments, but the plan remained shelved.

The Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, and Commissioner of the temple, says the number of students for the college has decreased in the past 20 years. However he made it clear that there was no move to close down the college.

Bank staff stage dharnas
From Tribune Reporters

SHIMLA, Dec 6 — Members of the Himachal Bank Employees Federation staged dharnas at all major towns in protest against the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) Bill, here today.

The agitating employees held a demonstration here during lunch hours. They raised slogans against the privatisation of insurance and banking sectors.

Leaders condemned the M.S. Verma Committee report, which if implemented, would undermine job security in the banking industry.

Similar protests were also held in district headquarters and other major towns.

CM flags off 5 truckloads of aid for Orissa
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 6 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, the Chief Minister today flagged off five truckloads of food, clothes and medicines for the cyclone affected people of Orissa.

These articles have been collected by various voluntary organisations with Asha Deep, a Shimla-based non-governmental organisation playing the key role.

Mr Dhumal underlined the need to insure that the relief reached the victims. He said each one of us should contribute a part of his income for helping the needy. “We must learn to live for others”, he added.

The Chief Minister lauded the Shimla district administration and voluntary organisations for their contribution and expressed hope that others in the State would emulate them.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr P.C. Katoch, handed over a cheque of Rs 7 lakh to the Chief Minister to help the cyclone-hit people. The amount has been contributed by people, schools of Shimla district.

Other contributions received for the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund included Rs 2.50 lakh from M/S Dabur Industries, Baddi, Rs 1 lakh from Akal Akademi, Barooh Sahib and Rs 10,000 from the Tempo Truck Operators Union, Palai.

Hungary envoy meets Dhumal
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 6 — The Ambassador of Republic of Hungary, Mr Andras Dallos, accompanied by the Councillor Economic and Commercial Affairs, called on the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, here today. They discussed various possibilities of collaboration in hydel power generation and horticulture.

He offered to collaborate in the execution of mini and micro hydel projects for which Hungary had the requisite experience and expertise. He said Hungary had entered this field way back in 1936 and one such project had been set up by it in Punjab.

The Chief Minister informed the Ambassador that Himachal Pradesh had identified 719 mini and micro hydel projects ranging from 0.5 MW to 25 MW and would welcome Hungary’s participation in their execution.

The Chief Minister said the government had given priority to setting up of fruit processing units in the State.

Tributes paid to Dr Ambedkar
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 6 — Glowing tributes were paid to Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar, one of the architects of the Constitution on his death anniversary today.

The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, garlanded the statue of Dr Ambedkar at Ambedkar Chowk. His Cabinet colleagues, Mr J.P. Nadda, Mr Narinder Bragta, Mr Roop Dass Kashyap and Mr Parveen Sharma, Mr Desh Raj, MLA, Mrs Jaini Prem, Mayor, Shimla Municipal Corporation, also paid floral tributes to Baba Sahib.

Mr Dhumal lauded the services of Dr Ambedkar for the country particularly for the uplift of the down-trodden.

He said that the government was committed for the speedy uplift of the poor and the down-trodden and had taken various steps in this direction.

Under the Ambedkar scholarship scheme 2000 meritorious Scheduled Castes students were being provided free education.

Probe sought into death of workers
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 6 — The Young Workers Council of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) has demanded a high-level probe into the alleged death of workers in the Malana hydel project.

Mr Pramod Sharma, president of the council, alleged that the workers were being meted out inhuman treatment in the project being executed by a private company. He said the workers were forced to work for 16 to 18 hours and they were not being paid wages in accordance with the Minimum Wages Act.

The state government had failed to safeguard the interests of Himachalis who had failed to get jobs in the project. He alleged about 95 per cent of the jobs in the project had gone to non-Himachalis.

Mr Sharma said he would soon submit a report to Mrs Kanta Sood, president of state INTUC, in this connection.

Spiti village on telecom map
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 6 — Losar, village in the Spiti valley, was put on the telecom map today with the commissioning of a telephone exchange there.

Mr B.R. Kashyap, General Manager, Telephones, inaugurated the exchange located at the base of the 13,500 ft Kunjum pass. The area remains inaccessible for six to eight months in a year. Mr Kashyap said some nearby villages would also be provided telephone facility from the exchange soon.

He said during the year 1900 telephones were installed in rural areas out of which 610 were in the tribal Spiti area.