Training course on seed potato begins
SHIMLA, July 27 — With a view to popularising the latest innovations in seed potato production technology the Central Potato Research Institute started here yesterday a week-long national training course on seed potato production and certification.

NSUI members being victimised, says Pathania
DHARAMSALA, July 27 — The state president of the National Students Union of Indian, Mr Kewal Singh Pathania, has said due to the saffronisation of the educational institutions, their activists were being victimised.

Kangra loses another son in Kargil
DHARAMSALA, July 27 — In a bid to get the last posts still being held by the Pakistani intruders, vacated Lance Naik Padam Singh of the 14 J&K Rifles laid down his life in the Dras sector.

Streetlights: Mayor flays HPSEB
SHIMLA, July 27 — The Mayor of the Shimla Municipal Corporation, Mr Manoj Kumar, has criticised the HP state Electricity Board for not providing street lights in various areas of the the town.

Engineers' plea to fill posts
HAMIRPUR, July 27 — The Himachal Pradesh State Power Board Assistant Engineers and Assistant Executive Engineers Association has expressed concern over the failure of the board management to fill vacant posts of their categories.

• Himachal BJP sets up ex-servicemen’s cells
• 1 killed as truck falls into khud
• Speaker visits jawan

Sukh Ram makes jest of Cong statements
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, July 26 — The HVC chief, Mr Sukh Ram, claimed here today the BJP-HVC alliance government in Himachal Pradesh would win all four Lok Sabha seats in the ensuing parliamentary elections.

He said the Shimla seat would be won by the HVC candidate with the active support of the BJP. A vast majority of the Congress vote bank would for the first time support the BJP-HVC alliance and the Congress would not be able to open its account.

He ridiculed the Congressmen for making statements that the Congress would not take back Mr Sukh Ram in the party. "Why do they say it? I have not applied for my entry into the Congress. I have repeatedly said the present alliance government in Himachal would complete its full term", he asserted.

The HVC chief said his party would not merge with any other party and would maintain its independent entity. The rumours about his joining the Congress were being floated by vested interests because it was an open secret that his expulsion from the Congress had damaged it badly and many Congress leaders of the state admitted this stark reality.

Mr Sukh Ram alleged that in Rohru and Rampur areas of Shimla district wasteful expenditure had been made by the Virbhadra Singh government at the cost of neglecting the development works. The condition of roads, the lifelines of the state, was the worst. The present government was taking up repair of roads and other development works aimed at the welfare of the common man, he said.

95-yr-old father’s wait for his PoW son
From Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, July 27 — Even today, 95-year-old Lala Ram Sharma lives on with the hope that he might be able to meet his son, Capt K.C. Sharma, who could be languishing in a Pakistani jail after being taken a prisoner of war (PoW) in the 1971 war.

It was on the fateful night of November, 29, 1971, that his son, a Captain in 10 Bihar Regiment, was reported missing from Akhaura Bridge in Dacca area.

It is this slim hope and the memory of his brave son that has seen him through life. Not willing to meet anyone, he clings on to the fading memories and believes that he will meet his son before his death. It has been the same painful wait for the brother of the missing Captain, who has tried his level best to trace his young brother from whom they have not heard for the past 28 years.

Giving details, Lt-Col J.C. Sharma (retd), elder brother of the missing Captain, said it was on December, 5, 1971, that his father received a telegram from the Army headquarters that his son was missing and had probably been taken a prisoner by the Pakistani forces. Within a month’s time, they received intimation from the Army that their son was dead but neither the body or any belongings were handed over to them.

Colonel Sharma, who personally visited the spot from where his brother went missing, said his unit members had scanned the entire area within one hour of his brother’s disappearance, but his body was not found. "The last he spoke to his CO was to tell him that he had received a simple injury while launching grenades at the Pakistani forces and would join him soon," disclosed Colonel Sharma. Since then the young Captain along with four others went missing. Soon after the family of the young officer was intimated by certain relatives and friends that they had heard his name among the list of prisoners with Pakistan over the radio from the side of the enemy.

The brother and sister-in-law of Captain Sharma, who was barely 25 years old and unmarried at that time, refuse to believe that he is dead. "Since his name was aired over the radio, as a PoW and neither his body nor personal belongings handed over to us, how can we believe that he is no more," says his sister-in-law. They contest it has happened in a number of cases that the Army in order to get rid of financial liabilities of the missing Army personnel has declared them dead in action.

Though for the Army, it is yet another dead soldier but for the family members, it is an ordeal. The father of Captain Sharma has till date not been given any benefits, except the paltry pension of his son. He would any day prefer to get back his son rather than any financial benefits, but one is compelled to think as to what happens to the tall promises of the government and the Army.

The same is the agony of the family of Major Subhash Chand Guleri, who has been missing since the 1971 war, from the Cham Jodian area. "It was within four days of his marriage that my uncle received a call and he left for the war front, never to return again," reminisces his nephew, Vivek Guleri, a lawyer. He said it was on December 10, that they were intimated that he was dead. "However, within two months time his interview was heard by people on Pakistani Radio, thereby substantiating our belief that he was alive and a prisoner," he says.

Major Guleri was 30 years old when he went missing and belonged to 9 Jat Regiment. According to his family members, his name figures in the list of the PoW released recently but till date they have not been able to know his whereabouts, despite repeated efforts. His wife, who was given a gas agency by the government at Amritsar, died in 1991, waiting for the return of her husband. It has turned out to be an endless wait for the family members of Major Guleri, who still haven’t lost hope.

The family of both the officers say it is better to know if a person is dead or alive rather than living with the uncertainty. What is more painful for them is the thought that the two Indian officers could be living a torturous life under inhumane conditions and that too for 28 long years.

The two families, who live in the town, are regretful that the government has let them down and not sufficient efforts were made to find the PoWs and get them released.

Nathpa-Jhakri project officer suspended
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, July 27 — The multicrore scam in the Nathpa-Jhakri project took a new turn today when the General Manager, Mr V.K. Sharma, against whom cases have been registered by the Vigilance Department, suspended Mr A.K. Singh, Deputy Manager, Finance and Accounts, who brought the scandal to light.

No charges have been mentioned in the suspension order. Mr A.K. Singh, when contacted telephonically, said he had been verbally informed about the charges which included leakage of information, insubordination and harassment of contractors.

Mr V.K. Sharma was not available at Jhakri. His private secretary said he was out of station and he was not aware of his tour programme.

Employees of the corporation have given a 72-hour notice to the authorities for revocation of the suspension order, failing which they have threatened to start an indefinite strike from Monday. They have decided to go on casual leave en masse on July 30 and 31. Any further action will be finalised at the general body meeting of the officers and employees unions later.

Employees of the Finance Department began a pen-down strike today.

Senior police officers here said action against Mr A.K. Singh was an attempt to block investigations. Many officer of the corporation were willing to assist the investigating agency.

Besides harassing "honest" officers, the police apprehended that the accused could get the relevant record destroyed.

The Vigilance Department is likely to take up the matter with this chairman of the corporation and the Union Energy Ministry, besides informing the Central Vigilance Commission of the happening.

The police today seized some of the record pertaining to the four cases registered yesterday. The scandal may further delay the completion of the World Bank-aided project which was originally slated for commissioning in 1998.

The project may not be completed even by the revised schedule of December, 2001 AD.

Move on workshop resented
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, July 27 — The move to transfer the mechanical workshop of the Public Works Department from Tara Devi to the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation has caused resentment among engineers of the department.

A spokesman of the Association of Himachal Public Works Department Mechanical Engineers said the step would affect field activity of the department as the workshop was playing a vital role in the maintenance of heavy construction machinery, earth-movers, vehicles and other equipment.

The 30-year-old workshop had contributed significantly to the construction of the Jubbar Hatti airport and the widening of the Shimla-Kalka national highway.

The association pointed out that the master plan to expand and strengthen the workshop, which was located partly at Tara Devi and Bhatta Kufer, could not be implemented due to the lack of adequate space. The transfer would further hamper its functioning. It would also affect the pace of modernisation which was urgently required.

The association urged the Public Works Minister, Mr Mohinder Singh, to take up the matter with the Chief Minister.

Training course on seed potato begins
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, July 27 — With a view to popularising the latest innovations in seed potato production technology the Central Potato Research Institute started here yesterday a week-long national training course on seed potato production and certification.

Twentyfive scientists and officers from the National Seeds Corporation, state agricultural departments and various other organisations are attending this course.

While inaugurating the training course, Dr G.S. Shekhawat, Director of the institute, asserted that potato was the only crop which had the potential to meet the growing needs of food and nutrition of the fast increasing population of the country.

He said that new techniques were available for fast production of seed potato through rapid multiplication (tissue culture), i.e. micro tuber production, mini tuber production in storage over mother potato tubers and also through the adoption of the true potato seed (TPS) technology. Highly refined diagnostic techniques were also available for identifying diseases in the seed crop and for taking appropriate plant protection measures in time. The training programme would also focus on the use of improved agro-techniques for efficient management of natural resources and the other inputs.

NSUI members being victimised, says Pathania
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, July 27 — The state president of the National Students Union of Indian (NSUI), Mr Kewal Singh Pathania, has said due to the saffronisation of the educational institutions, their activists were being victimised.

Addressing a press conference here today, he said as a result of political victimisation NSUI activists were being implicated in false cases. He added that the move of the government to close down the boys hostel in the local government college was a step in this direction as most of the hustlers were NSUI members.

Mr Pathania said the NSUI would not accept the holding of indirect elections.

He said reservation should be granted to the children of the Kargil martyrs.

The NSUI leader said an HPU counter should be opened at the Regional Centre here, so that the students were saved from the inconvenience of travelling to Shimla for getting their results.

Mr Pathania said that the policy of loan against degree, should be adopted to find a solution to the growing unemployment problem.

Kangra loses another son in Kargil
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, July 27 — In a bid to get the last posts still being held by the Pakistani intruders, vacated Lance Naik Padam Singh of the 14 J&K Rifles laid down his life in the Dras sector.

According to details received so far, Padam Singh (28) was killed on Sunday, while fighting the infiltrators. His body will be cremated with full military honours tomorrow at his native village, Baduhi Sahora, in the Nurpur subdivision.

The soldier is survived by his 80-year-old father, Munshi Ram, mother, wife Radha Devi and two children.

Himachal BJP sets up ex-servicemen’s cells
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, July 27 — The BJP has set up ex-servicemen’s cells in all 12 districts of Himachal Pradesh.

Brig Lal Chand Jaswal (retd), state organiser of the cell, said here yesterday that Major D.D. Khanuria (retd), a former MP, would be a senior adviser of the cell while Maj P.C. Thakur (retd) would be the secretary of the cell.

A meeting of the newly appointed office-bearers would be addressed by the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, here on July 28.

Streetlights: Mayor flays HPSEB
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, July 27 — The Mayor of the Shimla Municipal Corporation, Mr Manoj Kumar, has criticised the HP state Electricity Board for not providing street lights in various areas of the the town.

In a strongly worded statement here yesterday, the Mayor has said that the HPSEB has failed to undertake work although the requisite amount has already been released for the purpose.

The HPSEB sometime ago assured that the work will be taken up on a priority basis, but it has not yet been started.

The failure of the HPSEB was causing hardships to the common people and also reflecting adversely on the Municipal Corporation.

All Municipal Councillors have criticised the HPSEB for the delay and have urged the state government to order the board to undertake immediate repair of street lights and provide fresh connections at other places.

Engineers' plea to fill posts
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, July 27 — The Himachal Pradesh State Power Board Assistant Engineers and Assistant Executive Engineers Association has expressed concern over the failure of the board management to fill vacant posts of their categories. The board was getting the work done by making only stop-gap arrangements in the board.

Mr M.R. Sharma, General Secretary of the association, said here today that at present there were 18 posts of executive engineers and 30 of assistant executive engineers lying vacant in the board because of which the work was suffering.

He urged the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, to intervene and direct the board authorities to fill these posts forthwith. He also demanded fresh recruitments for the posts of assistant engineer in the board.

1 killed as truck falls into khud

SHIMLA, July 27 (UNI) — One person was killed and four others were injured when a truck carrying them fell into a khud at Magroli, near Basthan, in Pachhad tehsil of Sirmour district on Sunday, a delayed police report said here today.

The deceased was identified as Subash. The injured were admitted to the Civil Hospital at Nahan. Two of them were stated to be in a serious condition, were taken to the PGI at Chandigarh.

Speaker visits jawan
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, July 27 — Thakur Gulab Singh, Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha, today visited Drahal village of Jogindernagar and called on Yashpal, who badly wounded in the Kargil sector.

The jawan was wounded during a attack on the Pakistani intruders at Tololing.

The Speaker appreciated the courage with which the Army jawan undertook the job.