Soldier Dinesh cremated
ANDRAL, (Hamirpur) June 20 —Mortal remains of soldier Dinesh Kumar of the 3rd Punjab Regiment who sacrificed his life while fighting Pakistani intruders on June 17 in the Batalik sector of Jammu and Kashmir were consigned to flames with military honours near here.

Torture perpetrated in one-third nations
PARWANOO (Himachal Pradesh), June 20 —A three-day workshop-cum-seminar on sensitising the media and networking to create awareness about and draw attention to "torture, torture victims and their rehabilitation" concluded at Timber Trail heights here today.

More contribute to funds for martyrs
SHIMLA, June 20 — HP Congress set up a fund yesterday to help the family members of the defence personnel killed in Kargil.

Strict vigil in Pangi areas
SHIMLA, June 20 — The police and paramilitary forces have been alerted in the forward areas of the Pangi valley of Chamba and on the strategic Manali-Leh road following reports that Pakistani infiltrators might make an attempt to blow off the supply line to Kargil.

Allotment of shops cancelled
JWALAMUKHI, June 20 — Allotment of shops at the local shopping complex by the Block Samiti, Dehra, has been cancelled by the Secretary (Panchayati Raj) after an inquiry by the BDO, Dehra, into this matter.

Cong tickets for only ‘winners’
HAMIRPUR, June 20 — Hanumanthppa Rao, the Congress party observer for Himachal Pradesh party elections and a former Andhra Pradesh Congress chief has said only persons with winning capacity will be given party tickets in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Radha Soami hospital OPD opened

Shimla faces traffic glut
From S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 20 — Roads here have become unsafe with the increasing number of vehicles and reported violation of driving rules, particularly by mini-bus operators.

The member of accidents on the roads here has multiplied fast over the years. The volume of vehicular traffic in the town has increased as restrictions on driving on many of the roads have been withdrawn one by one.

Although the roads here are not capable of taking the volume of traffic, but the authorities have not framed any policy to check growth of commercial vehicles. Permits to mini-buses and taxis have been issued indiscriminately by the successive governments only on political considerations.

As against 39 mini-buses plying here in 1995, the number has increased to about 87 now. This is besides the passenger buses of the HRTC running on the city roads.

There has been hardly any improvement in condition of roads after their construction by the British, but the volume of vehicular traffic has been increasing regularly. Nearly 20,000 vehicles are registered with the urban and rural licencing authorities and there is a constant inflow of tourist vehicles almost the year round, as well.

The traffic control scenario is so grim that the police has virtually thrown up its hands. Traffic jams are a common scene on the Cart Road, particularly near the gurdwara and the general bus stand where the traffic police has its control room. Moreover, there is hardly anyone in the police set-up specially trained to control traffic. Anyone from the police station is assigned the duty of traffic control, it has been observed.

Any open space on the roadside suddenly becomes a taxi stand overnight. There is hardly any place left for parking by tourists or private vehicles which are challaned when parked on the roadside.

The situation is worse on both sides of the tunnel below the headquarters of the HRTC where it is virtually survival of the fittest with buses parked in the middle of the road. Tourists are a harassed lot because of the disorderly traffic flow.

Most of the times, the traffic policemen helplessly watch the jams and leave it for the drivers to settle the things among themselves. Mini-bus operators stop their vehicles without any signal anywhere in the middle of the road to drop or pick a passenger.

A study of the traffic scenario conducted by the Academy For Mountain Environics, Dehradun, has pointed out that the town suffers from outdated circulation pattern which was previously designed to suit the pedestrian and animal traffic but is now subjected to heavy flow of vehicular traffic.

Torture perpetrated in one-third nations
From P.P.S. Gill
Tribune News Service

PARWANOO (Himachal Pradesh), June 20 —A three-day workshop-cum-seminar on sensitising the media and networking to create awareness about and draw attention to "torture, torture victims and their rehabilitation" concluded at Timber Trail heights here today.

Next Saturday — June 26 — is the United Nations international day in support of victims of torture; the theme for 1999 is: "impunity — how to end it".

With that as the focus of attention, the media awareness workshop-cum-seminar was organised jointly by the Press Institute of India, the Indian Medical Association and the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT).

A representative group of people from the judiciary, the media medical profession deliberated on the theme as to how best to "expose" torture, considered one of the most alarming human rights abuses. "This is practised systematically by government all over the globe, simply to stay in power. Torture, the participants agreed, is widely used as punishment to obtain information or force confessions and even more so to spread fear, induce shock and passivity in individuals and the community at large. Torture has become a powerful weapon against democracy."

To put it more succinctly, here is what Dr Inge Genefke, IRCT secretary-general, has to say "the fact that the human beings are tortured with the knowledge and acceptance of their own governments — or governments condoned by their own — is despicable". In her keynote address, Dr Genefke outlined the history of how the IRCT came to be formed (it has headquarters in Copenhagen) and how much has been achieved, worldwide, in the past 25 years.She has been poineering the work to expose incidents of torture the methods used, the state in which victims are left to survive (several have even died), how victims could be rehabilitated and what are the available international instruments, resolutions, declarations and statements on torture and which are the organisations, mostly non-government, engaged in this work.

The workshop primarily tended to impress upon society through the media, the National Human Rights Commission (state units included) and medical practitioners how to react to torture practised by the government and create awareness. Every torture victim is traumatised, physically and psychologically. If not cared the victims will loose confidence in fellow human-beings. Therefore, the need is to help victims heal and instil hope in them. There could be no healing or hope as long as "impunity" is granted to torturers for they have to be confronted and punished.

The participants learnt that there were nearly 200 rehabilitation or training centres spread over 88 countries (India has only two-Delhi and Calcutta). Also that, so far, 113 countries have ratified the UN convention against torture; India is not a signatory till now.

CM gives relief cheques to martyrs' families
From Our Correspondent

BILASPUR, June 20 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Himachal Chief Minister, accompanied by Health and Family Welfare Minister, M. Jagat Prakash Nadda, visited the bereaved family of Havildar Udham Singh Patiyal at Chaihadi village near Ghumarwin, about 35 km from here, last evening.

Since the wife of Udham Singh, Nirmal and his only nine-year old son Amit had left for Hardwar to perform religious rites. Martyr's only two daughters and younger brother Rakesh received the Chief Minister who presented a cheque for Rs 2 lakh and declared that "kisan vikas partras" worth Rs three lakh would be sent to the family soon. The Chief Minister declared that a link road would be layed from Delag to Chaihadi village and named after Martyr Udham Singh. Mr Dhumal said the government would break expenses up to graduation for two of his children. One of the dependants would be provided government job.

Present on occasion were also the Cooperation Minister, Mr Rikhi Ram Kondal, 20-point programme implementation Committee Vice-Chairman, Mr K.D. Dharma Urmil Thakur, Deputy Commissioner, Ramesh Kapil and Superintendent of Police Anurag Garg.

Meanwhile, Himachal Congress President Sat Mahajan has charged that BJP leader were politicising even funeral ceremonies of soldiers and officers who had laid their lives for the defence of country in Kargil.

Mr Mahajan alleged that Ghumarwin Congress MLA, Mr Kashmir Singh Thakur, was neither allowed to go near the body of Havildar Udham Singh nor allowed to join the funeral procession yesterday. He said it was after some time that Mohan Kashmir Singh Thakur and several other Congress leaders lodged protest and only then he was allowed to go near the body of this brave hero.

He said the funeral procession was all converted into a"BJP show" though thousands of all sections of society including large number of Congress leaders and party activists had gathered at Ghumarwin and Chaihadi village to pay last respects to this martyr of Bilaspur district. Giving another instance, Mr Mahajan claimed that yesterday here in Bilaspur town Red Cross had organised a blood donation camp, but the venue of this camp was decorated with banners declaring that this camp was being organised by "Chetna", a BJP-sponsored organisation.

He said this resulted in many Congress youths walking out of this camp and not donating blood. He mentioned names of two youths — Hoshiyar Singh Thakur and Shashipal Sharma, who he said, had gone to donate blood but returned as they felt that even blood donation for injured jawans was being exploited for political purposes.

More contribute to funds for martyrs

SHIMLA, June 20 (PTI) — HP Congress set up a fund yesterday to help the family members of the defence personnel killed in Kargil.

While stating this the HPCC general secretary, Ms Asha Kumari, appealed to the Congressmen to donate liberally towards the fund.

Meanwhile, the hospital welfare committee of state Red Cross Society has set up its donation centre on the Mall for helping the army men injured in Kargil.

Hero's farewell to Capt Guleria
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, June 20 — The mortal remains of Capt Deepak Guleria (31) who laid down his life at Kangan in the Kargil Sector of Jammu and Kashmir while fighting infiltrators were consigned to flames with full civil and military honours in his native village Cholthra in Sarkaghat subdivision of this district last evening.

A police contingent fired several rounds in the air and reversed the arms as a mark of respect to the departed soul.

A stream of thousands of mourners started converging on the sleepy village, which plunged in a pall of gloom following the news of the death of the valiant soldier, since morning. Many fought to keep back their tears as the pyre was lit.

Capt Deepak Guleria of Rashtriya Rifles is survived by his father, a retired DIG in the CRPF, Mr M.L. Guleria, mother Satyawati wife Poonam and one-year-old son Dhrubh.

The body of the Captain wrapped in the Tricolour was brought to Cholthra by Army officers headed by Brig G.S. Bhan from Chandigarh.

Public Works Minister Mahinder Singh, Forest Minister Rup Singh, Deputy Commissioner Prabodh Saxena and S.P. Jog Raj placed wreaths on the body.

Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, visited Capt Deepak Guleria's village late in the evening and consoled members of the aggrieved family.

Almost every family in Sarkaghat subdivision has at least one member serving in the armed forces.

Soldier Dinesh cremated
From Our Correspondent

ANDRAL, (Hamirpur) June 20 —Mortal remains of soldier Dinesh Kumar of the 3rd Punjab Regiment who sacrificed his life while fighting Pakistani intruders on June 17 in the Batalik sector of Jammu and Kashmir were consigned to flames with military honours near here. Soldier Rakesh Kumar, elder brother of the martyr lit the pyre amidst slogans of Shaheed Dinesh Kumar amar rahe". Honorary Captain (retd) Bhoop Singh father of Dinesh Kumar was in tears when the pyre was lit. Hundreds of people paid their last respects to the martyr.

A contingent each of the Army and of the Himachal Pradesh police reversed arms and then fired three shots in the air as a mark of respect to the soldier.

Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman, Himachal Education Minister, placed a wreath on the body on behalf of the state government. Lieut Col S.Saxena, Major H.M. Wadhva and Lieut Manpreet Klair represented the Army placed wreaths on the body.

Wreaths were also laid by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Kamlesh Kumar Pant, District police chief, Ahmed Payam Siddiqui, Col (retd) Chet Ram Chauhan, Chairman of the HP Ex-Servicemen Welfare Corporation and Col (retd) Punjab Singh.

No one from the Congress party was present on the occasion. The BJP was represented by its district BJP chief, Mr Anand Swaroop. Earlier, the body was brought here from Hamirpur in a motorcade in the morning. Hundreds of men, women and children lined on roads and showered flower petals on the carriage carrying martyr Dinesh Kumar.

Heart rending scenes were witnessed when the body reached the house of the martyr. Mrs Jankidevi (80) and Smt Vidyadevi (60) grand mother and mother respectively, of Dinesh Kumar wept in inconsolably. They almost fainted on body. They however, offered flower petals and other items Honorary Captain (retd) Bhoop Singh refused to held back tears till the pyre was lit. Talking to reporters at his residence, he said that his son had done him proud by sacrificing himself for the nation. He said that he too was ready to fight the enemy.

Strict vigil in Pangi areas
From S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 20 — The police and paramilitary forces have been alerted in the forward areas of the Pangi valley of Chamba and on the strategic Manali-Leh road following reports that Pakistani infiltrators might make an attempt to blow off the supply line to Kargil.

It is reliably learnt that the Superintendent of Police, Lahaul and Spiti, has been asked to intensify vigil on the 222 -km stretch of the vital Manali-Leh road up to Sarchu which falls within Himachal Pradesh.

The road is an alternative to the Srinagar-Leh highway which is under constant artillery fire by Pakistan. Highly placed sources said nothing was being left to chance and special pickets had been set up at strategic points, including bridges, on the Manali-Leh road from where Army convoys were carrying supplies to Kargil.

The vigil has also been tightened in the Pangi area which adjoins Zanskar tehsil of Kargil. The Manali-Leh road is also approachable from there.

A red alert was sounded recently following apprehension of Pakistan-trained militants having been spotted in Chamba district.

The Director-General of Police, Mr T.R. Mahajan, told TNS process had been initiated for recruiting at least 300 retired Army personnel for being deployed on security duty on the Manali-Leh road and the forward areas of Chamba adjoining Doda district of Jammu.

The Centre had provided only one company of the ITBP to the state. Policemen had been withdrawn from various police stations for being deployed in the Chamba areas.

Fortythree police checkposts had been established in Chamba and Pangi areas as terrorists had usually been taking the Pangi route for infiltrating into Himachal.

The DIG, Northern Range, had been asked to camp at Chamba instead of his headquarters at Dharamsala.

The state government had demanded a special grant of Rs 100 crore from the Eleventh Finance Commission for modernising the police set up, the sources added.

Allotment of shops cancelled
From Our Correspondent

JWALAMUKHI, June 20 — Allotment of shops at the local shopping complex by the Block Samiti, Dehra, has been cancelled by the Secretary (Panchayati Raj) after an inquiry by the BDO, Dehra, into this matter.

According to sources, the inquiry revealed that a few office-bearers of samiti acted in a 'dishonest' manner, while allotting the shops and kiosks at the shopping complex. It is alleged that the Vice-Chairperson of the samiti got one shop 'gifted' to his kin in contravention of the bylaws of the samiti. Startling facts have come to light regarding the rampant favouritism by office-bearers of the block samiti.

According to the probe report, the block samiti committed various irregularities in allotting the newly-constructed shops in the temple town. The report has exposed the malpractices adopted by the allotment committee. The Panchayat Samiti is not competent to execute the allotment work without the prior permission of the state government. However, it is learnt that some of the panel members, including the Vice-Chairperson, 'buldozed' the names of their kith and kin into the proceedings of allotment committee and got their 'misdeeds' approved by the committee.

Subsequently, the matter came to the notice of a minister, Dr R.L. Markanday, during his Jwalamukhi tour. The minister promptly ordered the BDO, Dehra, to investigate into the matter and recommend action.

It has also come to light that sequencing pattern of shops has been arranged to suit a few selected individuals and genuine shopkeepers, who were earlier located at prime positions, have been given disadvantageous sites. It is further alleged that some of the influential shopkeepers are in habit of getting allotment of more than one shop and subletting these at a premium.

Shopkeepers have lauded the efforts of the BDO in unearthing the 'shopping scam'. Mr Dev Raj, a BDC member, while talking to this correspondent, said that culprit office-bearers should be brought to book by the government as their culpability has been amply proved in the report. Mr Sarvan Kumar, a chemist, alleged that allotment panel was working under 'pressure' of some office-bearers of the samiti. He demanded a strict action against erring office-bearers of the samiti.

Cong tickets for only ‘winners’

HAMIRPUR, June 20 (PTI) — Hanumanthppa Rao, the Congress party observer for Himachal Pradesh party elections and a former Andhra Pradesh Congress chief has said only persons with winning capacity will be given party tickets in the coming Lok Sabha elections. The party would prefer new faces, he told reporters here last night.

He said that he would submit his report to the party high command about the views of party workers and leaders by June 30. The announcement of the party candidates for the elections would be made by the second or third week of July so that the selected candidates were able to work in the field.

Replying to a question, he said that one woman candidate would also be given party ticket from Himachal Pradesh as the party was committed for 33 per cent reservation to women in all democratically elected institutions.

Radha Soami hospital OPD opened

SHIMLA, June 20 — The Radha Soami Satsang, Beas, has made OPD functional from today of its Rs 30 crore charitable hospital under construction in Bhota township of Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh.

Spread over a sprawling area of 450 kanal, the hospital project would become functional in next year.

A spokesman for the Satsang today said the Bhota Hospital was being built on the doctor-patient relationship of love, faith and commitment for the ailing by the Radha Soami Satsang epitomising love in action.