Cong remarks betray ignorance: CM
SHIMLA, June 8 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister has taken strong exception to the statement of Mr Sat Mahajan, the HPCC President in which he has alleged that the state government had not invited the Opposition to a meeting with the finance commission.

Gujarat doctors to treat lepers
SHIMLA, June 8 — Specialists in reconstructive surgery have been called from Gujarat for treatment of 508 lepers who are among 14,101 persons identified to be suffering from leprosy during a special survey in Himachal Pradesh.

HP, J&K on finance panel’s priority list
MANALI, June 8 — The Chairman of 11th Finance Commission, Prof A.M. Khusro, has maintained that attention will be paid to special category states, particularly Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Headless body of woman recovered
SOLAN, June 8 — The police recovered the headless body of a woman near Kothi village on the Solan-Rajgarh road, 18 km from here, yesterday.

HP appointments
SHIMLA, June 8 — The Himachal Pradesh Government today appointed Mrs Asha Swaroop, Financial Commissioner, Health, replacing Mr Arvind Kaul.

48 hectares of forest land denotified
SHIMLA, June 8 — The Centre has allowed diversion of about 48 hectares of forest land in Solan district for laying a 400 kva power transmission line between Nalagarh and Kunihar.

Cong remarks betray ignorance: CM
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 8 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister has taken strong exception to the statement of Mr Sat Mahajan, the HPCC President in which he has alleged that the state government had not invited the Opposition to a meeting with the finance commission.

Mr Mahajan, he said, seemed to have been kept in the dark about the Finance Commission's visit by his own party leaders. He said he had written a personal letter to all political parties including the leader of the Congress Legislature Party on May 25 regarding the visit of the Finance Commission and asked for their suggestions.

He advised Mr Sat Mahajan to sort out such matters within the party instead of blaming the government.

Mr Dhumal said that the resolution of the Pradesh Congress Committee that the government should give Rs one lakh to the families of Army personnel killed in action recently and employment to one member of the bereaved family revealed ignorance of day-to-day happenings. He said when he visited a bereaved family on June 4 at Nandloo he announced a grant of Rs one lakh, and employment to one member of the family there. Later, returning from Chamba, where he had gone for participating in the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Chamera hydel project stage-II, he had given directions to enhance the monetary grant of Rs two lakh and provide employment to a member of the soldier's family who died in action and free education to his wards up to the graduation level. The government had already issued orders in this regard.

Mr Dhumal also took Mr Sat Mahajan to task for accusing the government of selling out the interests of the state in the Parbati hydel project saying the agreement was the best signed so far. Himachal Pradesh would get 12 per cent free power and 18 per cent on generation cost without making any investment. Besides employment to the people of the state in the project had been written into the agreement. He asked Mr Sat Mahajan whether he had gone through the agreement before making the statement.

Mr J.P. Nadda, Health Minister said by opposing the agreement signed with the National Hydel Power Corporation the Congress was working against the interests of the state.

Gujarat doctors to treat lepers
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 8 — Specialists in reconstructive surgery have been called from Gujarat for treatment of 508 lepers who are among 14,101 persons identified to be suffering from leprosy during a special survey in Himachal Pradesh.

While talking to mediapersons here today, Mr J.P. Nadda, Health Minister, said 75 per cent of the leprosy patients had reached the stage where the disease was highly infectious.

He said 183 new cases of leprosy had been confirmed by the doctors.

Mr Nadda said the Gujarat Government had agreed to send a team of doctors for reconstructive surgery who had been crippled due to the disease. The team was expected to arrive here in the last week of this month for screening the patients.

He added that Himachal Pradesh was determined to enter the next century as a leprosy-free state.

Mr Nadda said the special survey was conducted under the modified leprosy elimination campaign under which 33833 villages and hamlets were covered to identify patients.

The minister said the social aspect was being taken care of during the treatment.

He said the state government had formulated the essential drug policy under which only quality medicines would be supplied.

The World Health Organisation will inspect the 10 pharmaceutical companies from which medicines are proposed to be purchased by the state government and verify whether these firms were adhering to good manufacturing practices. The purchases will be made only after the WHO issues the certificate.

He said two workshops on the rational use of drugs would be shortly organised for doctors. The drug laboratory at Kandaghat would be upgraded.

The minister said a consolidated list of essential drugs was being printed from which the government doctors would be free to prescribe any medicine.

A British tourist’s woes
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 8 — It has been a nightmarish experience for Mr Saeed Uddin Ahmad, a British national of Indian origin, who was on a pleasure visit to his native country along with his wife.

A series of unpleasant incidents forced Mr Ahmed to cut short his sojourn in the Queen of Hills. He lost not only his suitcase but also his wallet, cash credit card and some important documents. His woes started when he was travelling from Aligarh, his native place, to Shimla by Kalka Mail on June 3. When the train reached Delhi at about 10 p.m., two young men boarded the train and occupied two top berths in the AC cabin in which he was travelling along with his wife. In the reservation chart their names were given as Deepak and Rahul Khanna.

However, on reaching Ambala he found that his luggage was missing. After checking from other passengers, he came to know that the two youths had alighted from the train along with his red suitcase minutes before the train came to a halt at Ambala.

His attempts to lodge a complaint with the Railway Police at Ambala proved futile as the officials concerned were not willing to help. He was told to contact the police at Kalka.

The attitude of the officials at Kalka was no different. A senior Railway officer whom he contacted had no time for him. Ultimately he lodged a complaint with the Railway Police before resuming onward journey to Shimla.

His ordeal did not end even in Shimla as while on his way to Kufri from here he found that his pocket had been picked near the lift. He not only lost about Rs 4,000 in cash, but also his credit card and some important documents.

He had planned a week’s stay here before leaving for Manali. But with no money left he was forced to check out from his hotel this morning and returned to Aligarh.

Mr Ahmed is very disturbed over the state of law and order in his native country. More than the loss of cash and belongings, it was the different attitude of the officers which hurt him, he told this correspondent. He said during his talks with various officials he came to know that such thefts were very common in the Delhi-Ambala rail section, but no one was making any effort to check the rising incidence of crime.

Governor flags off trekking expedition
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 8 — Mrs V.S. Rama Devi, Governor, flagged off a 25-km-long all-India girls trekking expedition to Sadhuphul at The Ridge here today. Abot 1,000 girl NCC cadets from 10 states are participating in the four-week-long expedition.

Addressing the cadets the Governor laid stress on inculcating the spirit of adventure, exploration and inquisitiveness among students. She said such expeditions help in overall personality development of the students and youth by developing stamina, endurance, self-confidence and team spirit in them. This helps in promoting national integration by creating cooperation and better understanding among people of different areas and culture.

She said the objective of the NCC was develop qualities of character, discipline, leadership and selfless service among the youth. The NCC was playing an important role in grooming useful citizens, she said, and asked the NCC authorities to open more units, especially in rural schools, with a view to enable more students to take to the disciplined way of life.

The Governor called upon the NCC cadets to devote some of their time for community development services and extending help to the weaker sections of society.

Col K. Randheer Singh, commander, NCC group, HP while welcoming the chief guest detailed the activities of the NCC in the state.

A colourful cultural programme was also presented on the occasion by girl cadets of various states like Punjab, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Girl students of local schools also put up a cultural show.

An air show presented on the occasion by the NCC, Kulu, was appreciated by one and all.

HP, J&K on finance panel’s priority list
From Our Correspondent

MANALI, June 8 — The Chairman of 11th Finance Commission, Prof A.M. Khusro, has maintained that attention will be paid to special category states, particularly Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking to mediapersons here yesterday, he said the final report of the Finance Commission would be submitted by the end of the year.

Mr Khusro said the commission had so far visited 13 states out of a total of 25. It had visited all states of the North-East except Arunachal Pradesh. He maintained that building major infrastructure, power generation, road construction, transport facilities and proper communication system were the main necessities which required top priority in the special category states.

He pointed out that before submitting its final report the Finance Commission would be listening to Chief Ministers, Chambers of Commerce, political parties, municipalities and panchayats all over the country.

Headless body of woman recovered
From Our Corespondent

SOLAN, June 8 — The police recovered the headless body of a woman near Kothi village on the Solan-Rajgarh road, 18 km from here, yesterday.

The body was clad in a white kurta-pyjama and a black scarf.

Mr Rakesh Agarwal, Superintendent of Police, who visited the spot along with forensic experts, said the right hand of the body bore burn marks. It appeared that some attempt had been made to erase an identification mark like a tatoo or a scar. However, there was no other mark of any external injury.

The post-mortem conducted today established that the deceased was five months pregnant. A case of murder under Section 302, IPC, has been registered.

HP appointments
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 8 — The Himachal Pradesh Government today appointed Mrs Asha Swaroop, Financial Commissioner, Health, replacing Mr Arvind Kaul.

Mr Deepak Sanan has been appointed as Commissioner-cum-Secretary, MPP and Power Finance Commissioner, Director, Public Finance and Public Enterprises and Ex-Offico Secretary, Finance. He will also hold the charge of Chief Executive Officer, Himurja.

48 hectares of forest land denotified
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 8 — The Centre has allowed diversion of about 48 hectares of forest land in Solan district for laying a 400 kva power transmission line between Nalagarh and Kunihar.

The state government had sought permission for diverting of land construction of various projects.

Permission for diverting about 100 hectares of forest land for construction of the 2051 mw Parbati hydel project is awaited sources said.