Pact on khair quota cancelled
SHIMLA, Jan 13 — The Dhumal Government has cancelled the controversial agreement by which the previous Virbhadra Singh Government had allocated 25 per cent quota of khair wood to a Kala Amb-based katha manufacturing unit.

Animal slaughter hits hygiene
JWALAMUKHI: Jwalamukhi has a unique way of doing things and no care is taken about the ill-effects of such actions on the general health of residents of this Himachal town.

Hindu Mahasangh flays decision
HAMIRPUR Jan 13 — Swami Krishna Nanda, President of All-India Hindu Mahasangh has taken a serious view of the promulgation of an ordinance by the Kerala government giving rights to non-believers of the Hindu religion to elect representatives of two Devaswan boards saying it had given a jolt to the Hindu Community and disrespect to the judgement of Kerala High Court in this respect.

Manali carnival inaugurated
MANALI, Jan 13 — The five-day winter carnival started here with great fanfare at Ram Bagh in the heart of Manali town.

2 killed in accident
DHARAMSALA, Jan 13 — Two persons were killed and four injured when a mini-truck collided with a taxi here today.

CM stresses on equal development of areas
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Jan 13 — Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, has underlined the need for making proper utilisation of funds available for development and ensuring that the benefits of developmental activities undertaken by the Government percolated to the needy sections.

Addressing the two-day meeting convened to hold consultations with legislators to know their priorities for the annual Plan for the next year, he said emphasis should be on the removal of disparities and ensuring equal development of all areas. This could be achieved by decentralisation of the planning process and involving local people.

Mr Dhumal said that poverty alleviation, social services, social development and social security programmes needed to be given top priority so that Himachal became a model state in the country with a high per capita income and better living standards.

He said that with the efforts of the State Government, the annual Plan for this year had been approved for Rs 1440 crore, which was 42.9 per cent more than last year.

He urged the MLAs to give their suggestions and rise above political considerations in the larger interest of development of the State. He said approval of the schemes would be given by the Government after incorporating in the Budget in October so that elected representatives could know the progress in respect of these schemes.

In the forenoon session, MLAs from Shimla, Sirmour, Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur districts participated in the discussions. The Chief Minister detailed the steps taken by the Government for speedy hydel potential to raise the resources and disclosed that the Central Government had given clearance for the 12-MW Khauli hydel project which would be executed by the State Electricity Board with the assistance of Kangra Central Cooperative Bank. He said that improvement in the transmission lines had also been given special attention by raising resources which would need at least Rs 500 crore which would help raise the transmission losses.

The Government had planned to bring one lakh hectares under irrigation in next two decades. It had also taken up the matter with the Government of India for the improvement of existing national highways, besides taking up work on the national highways sanctioned recently.

Mr Dhumal said to avoid the congestion of traffic in Shimla town, which had its own importance from the tourism point of view, the Government had made a proposal for the construction of parking on the railway yard. The sanction for which was likely to be received soon. He said a parking area was being developed near the lift.

Mr Narinder Bragta, Minister of State for Horticulture, stressed for the augmentation of the water supply scheme of Shimla keeping in view the increasing demand of water of Shimla town.

Mr Roop Dass Kashyap, Minister of State for Urban Development, said that the sewerage in major towns of the State was being strengthened to ensure a neat and clean environment.

Mr Ram Lal Markanda, Minister of State for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, stressed the need for promoting tourism, especially in tribal areas.

Mr Chet Ram Negi, Parliamentary Secretary, said efforts should be made for the maximum use of the working season in tribal areas.

Mr K.D. Sultanpuri, MP, suggested development of a satellite town near Shimla to avoid congestion.

Thakur Ram Lal, MLA and former Chief Minister, suggested raising of revolving fund for improvement of roads in fruit growing areas in which growers should also make some contribution.

He said the construction and maintenance of roads be given top priority in the apple belt. He lauded the Government for making good marketing and transport arrangements for apple this year.

Mr Singhi Ram, MLA, called for raising the agriculture production and creating employment opportunities.

Mr Yogendra Chander, MLA, was for giving priority to the construction of inter-area roads and taking only those schemes in hand which could be completed within a year, instead of starting so many schemes.

He said that horticulture should not have been made dependent on subsidies and doles. These would have to be reduced in the time to come. He said that this concept of support price should be cost-effective and not influenced by other considerations.

Mr Gangu Ram Musafir said that Ochaghat-Neripul-Yashwant Nagar and Solan road should be constructed on a priority basis.

The Chief Minister, while concluding the first day discussions, said that government was considering waiving taxes for private transporters who opted to ply buses in interior and backward areas.

He said that backward areas were being given special priority in the matter of development. He said Harijan bastis would be provided electricity on priority.

Govt not going soft on graft cases: Dhumal

SHIMLA, Jan 13 (PTI) — Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has refuted the charge that his government was "going soft" on corruption cases against the previous Virbhadra Singh Government, saying that all cases were being investigated at appropriate levels.

The government would act only on the basis of "solid evidence" to ensure that no guilty person was spared and no innocent harassed, Prof Dhumal told PTI yesterday.

The Chief Minister said the CBI was entrusted with the task of investigating the HVC charge against former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in the interest of a fair and impartial probe.

"The Congress has always had more faith in probes by the central agencies as compared to the state machinery," he said.

Referring to alleged financial bunglings by the previous Congress Government, Prof Dhumal said the government had already detected that over Rs 7.50 crore had been paid by way of commissions for raising loans.

The government would make thorough investigations to identify the beneficiaries of the commissions paid to some finance companies.

Referring to the financial position of the state, he said despite inheriting a "near bankrupt" economy his government had been able to adequately respond to the developmental needs.

The total loan liability had crossed Rs 6,000 crore while the annual interest payment was around Rs 650 crore which was high for a state like Himachal with a total budget of Rs 390 crore, the Chief Minister observed.

He said the policy for allotting "khair wood" to "katha" manufacturers was under review and a new policy ensuring competitive rates would be enforced after scrutiny of the existing policy.

He blamed the Congress Government for creating a "total mess" in the health sector.

Benami land transactions and unauthorised constructions regularised by the previous government would be exposed.

CM’s statement "unfortunate"
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Jan 13 — The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) has termed as "unfortunate" the statement of Mr P.K. Dhumal Chief Minister, in which he dared the party to launch an agitation against the recent hike in electricity charges.

In a statement here today, four Congress leaders, Mr Kaul Singh, Mrs Asha Kumari, Mrs Viplove Thakur, general secretary, and Mr Yoginder Chand, HPCC spokesperson, said the statement of Mr Dhumal did not befit the high office he was holding.

It was a fact that the government had kept the Vidhan Sabha and the public in the dark about the important decision.

It was to be noted that the notification in this regard was issued and implemented at a time when the Vidhan Sabha was in session and it was incumbent upon the government, particularly, the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, who held the Power portfolio, to apprise the House about the hike by making a statement in the House.

By not doing so, he had bypassed it. In the past whenever the state power board increased the tariff, the BJP which was in the opposition used to raise a hue and cry alleging that it amounted to taxation through the back door, they said.

The Congress government had never resorted to such tactics and had always taken the Vidhan Sabha and people into its confidence while revising the electricity tariff.

Pact on khair quota cancelled
From Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Jan 13 — The Dhumal Government has cancelled the controversial agreement by which the previous Virbhadra Singh Government had allocated 25 per cent quota of khair wood to a Kala Amb-based katha manufacturing unit.

The decision to cancel the agreement was taken after the industrial unit failed to respond to the notice served on it last month. It was asked to show cause as to why the allocation of khair wood, which had not been found in order, be cancelled.

The agreement was signed on March 23, a day before the Dhumal Government assumed office. The allocation was made in violation of the undertaking given by the Government to the court in this regard.

Also, the codal formality of taking the case for allotment of khair quota to the Cabinet was also given a go-by.

The industrial unit had submitted an application for grant of 37.5 per cent quota in the khair wood extracted by the State Forest Corporation in August 1997. It had pointed out that the Government had already allotted 50 per cent quota to a Gagyet-based unit and earmarked another 12.5 per cent for katha bhattis. As such, the remaining 37.5 per cent be allocated to it.

The Forest Department had lift the decision to the Government on the plea that it was a policy matter and that a similar case was taken to the Cabinet earlier. Moreover, there were two more such factories and their demand for quotas would also have to be taken into consideration while taking a decision.

Initially, Mr Virbhadra Singh, the then Chief Minister, had rejected the request and observed that at least 25 per cent of the total khair wood should be put to open auction by the corporation to determine the market price correctly. However, later, he directed that the matter be placed before the Cabinet.

Meanwhile, the State went to assembly polls and the Congress failed to get a majority. He recalled the file and allocated 25 per cent quota straightaway without taking the case to the Cabinet. Further, the khair wood was to be supplied at 94 per cent of the market price, which was a deviation from agreements. With other factories which were supplied khair wood at the market rate.

With the allotment of 25 per cent quota only 12.5 per cent of wood was left for open auction, which was not enough to determine the market price correctly.

The matter was also raised in the Vidhan Sabha during the monsoon session. Mr P.K. Dhumal had assured the House that he would review the decision. Mr Virbhadra Singh maintained that he had not committed any irregularity and allotted quota on the precedent the BJP Government which allocated 50 per cent quota to a factory in 1991. He had also said that if the Government felt that the policy was wrong it should scrap all quotas and let the factories procure their requirements through open auctions.

The Dhumal Government had, however, cancelled only one allotment on the grounds that the decision was taken without completing the codal formalities.

Animal slaughter hits hygiene
From Bijender Sharma

JWALAMUKHI: Jwalamukhi has a unique way of doing things and no care is taken about the ill-effects of such actions on the general health of residents of this Himachal town.

Jwalamukhi is already notorious for its pollution and insanitary conditions and the situation is further worsened by the slaughter of chickens on Mandir Road of the town under the very nose of the Nagar Panchayat, which is least concerned about its effect on residents' health.

The most harrowing part of the whole episode is that this town of more than 10,000 population does not have a regular abattoir, where the goats and other animals approved by the health authorities, can be slaughtered. Jwalamukhi town has a large number of meat shops which sell fish and chickens on the roadside near the Bus Stand along Nadaun Road. This area stinks and its surroundings where chicks are slaughtered, are dirty. The main drainage of the Bus Stand, which carries the town's sullage, also stinks.

Similarly, towards Dehra Road, Dharamsala Road, there are a number of hawkers sitting on one side of the road where fish and meat are sold and chickens slaughtered.

Jwalamukhi town has many spots where fish and chicks are sold under unhygienic conditions. The spots are located at the Bus Stand, Nadaun Road, near the car parking place and Dehra Road.

The Nagar Panchayat is supposed to provide licences for the sale of chickens, goats and sheep. It is also required to carry out regular checks on the quality of meat being sold by these hawkers. But the authorities have miserably failed in this duty.

Enquiries made by this reporter show that there used to be a slaughterhouse 10 years ago on Nadaun Road, when the town's population was not high. Goats were properly checked for sale by the Nagar Panchayat's health authorities. This slaughterhouse, was closed and later converted into a store. Since the closure of the slaughterhouse, meat sellers have been slaughtering animals in the open.

The consumption of mutton, chicken and fish at Jwalamukhi is high. The residents of this town do not know if the meat they eat is nutritious or not in the absence of medical checks.

A senior officer of the Nagar Panchayat admitted that there were no checks on the mutton being sold. He said a new slaughterhouse would open very soon.

Jwalamukhi town, being a tourist attraction as well, has thousands of people visiting it daily, a majority of them from Punjab, Rajasthan and Delhi. Tourists are fond of consuming mutton, chicken and fish, particularly on Sundays and holidays. The hawkers depend on the buying capacity of these tourists.

Hindu Mahasangh flays decision

HAMIRPUR (HP) Jan 13 — Swami Krishna Nanda, President of All-India Hindu Mahasangh has taken a serious view of the promulgation of an ordinance by the Kerala government giving rights to non-believers of the Hindu religion to elect representatives of two Devaswan boards saying it had given a jolt to the Hindu Community and disrespect to the judgement of Kerala High Court in this respect.

The swamiji demanded that the Kerala government not to take any decision before determining public opinion on the issue either through holding a session of the state assembly or sittings with Hindu worshippers.

He also demanded immediate rescindings of the order failing which Hindus would be compelled to launch a stir against is imposition.

Manali carnival inaugurated
From Our Correspondent

MANALI, Jan 13 — The five-day winter carnival started here with great fanfare at Ram Bagh in the heart of Manali town.

Mr Maheshwar Singh, member of Parliament, inaugurated the carnival. The five-day winter carnival will conclude on January 17.

Mr R D Dhiman, the Deputy Commissioner and the chairman, Winter Carnival Committee, Manali and Mrs Shashi Thakur, the divisional tourism development officer were also present. A large procession was taken out from Hidimba Devi temple to Ram Bagh in which artistes and villagers dressed in local costumes participated. The Himachal Pradesh government has declared the winter carnival a state-level event from this year. 29 folk troupes will take part in cultural programmes and a winter queen elected.

Mr Mahashwar Singh, announced a grant of Rs 1,50,000 for carnival. He said Indian Airlines will begin a service from Shimla to Bhuntar soon.

2 killed in accident
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Jan 13 — Two persons were killed and four injured when a mini-truck collided with a taxi here today.

The deceased were identified as taxi driver Sikander and a milk supplier, Ajay Kumar. Two other occupants of the truck, Vinod Kumar and the driver, Shakti Chand, were admitted to hospital. The condition of the driver, Shakti Chand, was stated to be critical.