Plea to PM on stone laying
SHIMLA, Dec 11 — Various environmental groups have urged the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, not to lay the foundation stone of the 2051 MWs Parbati hydroelectric project in the Kulu district tomorrow without its clearance from the Environment Ministry.

Records, godowns of PWD sealed
MANDI, Dec 11 — Records and godowns of the Public Works Department falling under the jurisdiction of Chief Engineer, central zone Mandi, Mr S.K. Sikand were sealed by the Divisional Commissioner, Mr S. Roy, yesterday.

White Paper sought on recruitments
SHIMLA, Dec 11 — The president of the Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress, Mr Sukhwinder Singh, has demanded that the BJP government should issue a White Paper on recruitments to government jobs during the past 18 months.

1.75 kg charas seized, man held
SOLAN, Dec 11 — Following a tip-off, a police party led by the Superintendent of Police, Mr Rakesh Aggarwal, rounded up Lekh Ram, resident of Neri village, near Kasauli, from the Jaunaji locality of this town today.

Staff of Tibetan school hold protest
SHIMLA, Dec 11 — Teachers and non-teaching employees of Central Tibetan School here took out a procession today demanding action against the miscreants who assaulted a school employee at Mysore.

Rs 100 as minimum wage sought
SHIMLA, Dec 11 — The INTUC President, Mrs Kanta Sood, has demanded that the minimum daily wage for labourers should be increased to Rs 100.

M. Com course demanded
UNA, Dec 11 — The state Secretary of the NSUI, Mr Onkar Kapila, in a press note issued here today demanded that M.Com course should be started in Postgraduate Government College here.

Plea to PM on stone laying
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 11 — Various environmental groups have urged the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, not to lay the foundation stone of the 2051 MWs Parbati hydroelectric project in the Kulu district tomorrow without its clearance from the Environment Ministry.

These groups have joined together and formed the Shimla Initiative for Nature, Environment and Wildlife to protest against the move of the Prime Minister to lay the foundation stone of the project in the area which consisted of the Great Himalayan National Park.

These groups have faxed messages to the Prime Minister asking him not to go ahead with his foundation laying programme tomorrow.

The Pune based environment action group "kalpavriksha" has sent a separate message to Mr Vajpayee urging him to postpone the ceremony till the time the project was cleared.

Mr B.S. Malhans, co-convener of the INTACH, has claimed that the state government was misleading people by saying that the Environment Ministry has only given clearance for undertaking a detailed environmental impact report on ecological study, rehabilitation, catchment area treatment, disaster management plan, mineral loss and impact on wildlife.

He has said that the group was endeavouring to save the core area and the habitat of endangered species.

Moreover, large hydel projects will destory the wildlife habitat all along the river banks.

Records, godowns of PWD sealed
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, Dec 11 — Records and godowns of the Public Works Department falling under the jurisdiction of Chief Engineer, central zone Mandi, Mr S.K. Sikand were sealed by the Divisional Commissioner, Mr S. Roy, yesterday. Mr Roy is holding an inquiry into the alleged purchases of crores of rupees of bitumen and other items which were not required at the moment allegedly at the instance of the Chief Engineer who is retiring on December 31, this month.

When contacted Mr Roy told reporters that a special team of officials from the Accountant General Shimla was rushing to Mandi and other officecs of the central zone of the PWD to audit the books of accounts. The team had been asked to submit a detailed report of purchases made from April, 1999, up to the day when inquiry was ordered.

When questioned by a reporter if he was a friend of Mr Sikand and if his inquiry would be fair and impartial Mr Roy denied it and added that the matter would be primarily dealt with by the AG team which would not spare anyone however high he may be.

When asked if he would also go into other allegations against Mr Sikand like assets disproportionate to known sources of income, purchase of sub-standard material at very high rates and similar other irregularities, he said "yes", but added that many of these charges were basically to be investigated by the Income Tax department and Vigilance department.

Mr Roy said, "I have to submit my report to the government within a week or so after the AG people complete their job. All that I have to investigate is that if a prima facie case is made out against Mr Sikand."

Replying to another question whether he was aware of inquiries going on against Mr Sikand at places where he served earlier or by the state Vigilance Department Mr Roy said he was unaware of all such inquiries as he was serving in Delhi before coming to Himachal.

White Paper sought on recruitments
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 11 — The president of the Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress, Mr Sukhwinder Singh, has demanded that the BJP government should issue a White Paper on recruitments to government jobs during the past 18 months.

In a statement here yesterday, Mr Sukhwinder Singh alleged that the state government was playing with the future of the youth and had backed out of the promises made to them during the assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

He alleged that the financial crisis in the state was the creation of wrong policies of the BJP government.

1.75 kg charas seized, man held
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, Dec 11 — Following a tip-off, a police party led by the Superintendent of Police, Mr Rakesh Aggarwal, rounded up Lekh Ram, resident of Neri village, near Kasauli, from the Jaunaji locality of this town today.

Charas weighing 1.75 kg was recovered from a gunny bag being carried by Lekh Ram, who had been arrested under Section 20 of the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drugs Act. Lekh Ram had disguised himself as a Kashmiri labourer, apparently to dodge the police.

Staff of Tibetan school hold protest
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 11 — Teachers and non-teaching employees of Central Tibetan School here took out a procession today demanding action against the miscreants who assaulted a school employee at Mysore.

A spokesman of the All-India Central Tibetan Schools Administration Employees Literary Association said rallies were held throughout the country by employees of the schools in protest against the growing criminal activities against the staff.

They were also demanding merger of Central Tibetan Schools, with the Kendriya Vidayalayas.

Rs 100 as minimum wage sought
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 11 — The INTUC President, Mrs Kanta Sood, has demanded that the minimum daily wage for labourers should be increased to Rs 100.

She also demanded that the ADA instalment for the workers should also be released.

M. Com course demanded
From Our Correspondent

UNA, Dec 11 — The state Secretary of the NSUI, Mr Onkar Kapila, in a press note issued here today demanded that M.Com course should be started in Postgraduate Government College here. He also demanded that PMT and REC entrance test centre should be set up in the college.

He criticised the BJP/HVC Government for ignoring college education in the state as number of posts of lecturer were vacant.