Vidya Stokes flays diesel ST hike
SHIMLA, March 16 — Mrs Vidya Stokes, a senior Congress legislator, today said the common man would be hit due to the hike in sales tax on diesel which had been proposed in the state's Budget by Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal.

3-month ban on fishing likely
SHIMLA, March 16 — The Himachal Government is considering to increase the period of ban on fishing from two months to three months.

• Liqour shops' auction nets 8.3 crore
• SFI rally backs workers' stir

Vidya Stokes flays diesel ST hike
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, March 16 — Mr s Vidya Stokes, a senior Congress legislator, today said the common man would be hit due to the hike in sales tax on diesel which had been proposed in the state's Budget by Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal.

Mrs Stokes was speaking on the Budget proposals in the Vidhan Sabha.

She said the Budget lacked a bold initiative. On the one hand sales tax on bricks was proposed to be lowered, and on the other sales tax on diesel was being increased which would make transportation of bricks costlier.

Mrs Stokes said the financial problem of the state would not be solved by only reducing five posts of the IAS cadre. Some concrete steps would have to be taken to overcome the financial crunch.

She said no serious effort had been made by the government to cut wasteful expenditure.

She said the financial burden might further increase with the creation of four new corporations which had been proposed in the Budget. The previous experience had been that most of the state-owned corporations had become white elephants.

She stressed the need for monitoring of road, water and irrigation projects which were the lifeline of the people in the hill state.

Mrs Stokes demanded that a fire brigade should be set up at Theog as fire incidents had destroyed many houses in and around the area. She also demanded that a vegetable processing plant should be set up at Theog which was producing a large quantity of vegetables.

Earlier, Mr Sukh Ram (HVC) said the government should formulate some short-term and long-term measures to reduce expenditure and increase income.

Mr Sukh Ram said certain reports attributed to the CBI sources regarding alleged corruption charges against him were published in The Tribune.

These were part of a "conspiracy" to defame him, he alleged.

Mr Singhi Ram (Cong) said effective steps were not being taken for removing unemployment.

Mr Narendera Bragta (Horticulture Minister) said the BJP government had introduced support price for mango and increased the support price for apple.

Rectify stand on Tibet: Shanta
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, March 16 — Mr Shanta Kumar, MP, has stressed the need for India to adopt a comprehensive policy on the freedom struggle of Tibet.

The BJP leader, who was speaking during the seminar on "Tibet-Role of Bharat", said that the mistakes committed in 1958 should not be repeated and India should now advocate the middle way approach and raise the issue of human rights violation in Tibet.

"I was deeply hurt by the manner in which India remained a silent spectator on to a genocide in Tibet."

He said it was a pity that when a small nation smouldered, there was neither any report nor any UN or Security Council meeting or a fact-finding mission to Tibet to take stock of repression on peace-loving Tibetans. In an oblique reference to the Congress, he said the party which had ruled the nation for major part of five decades, owed an explanation to the people for its silence on Tibet.

Mr Shanta Kumar, said what India did in Bangladeh in 1971 should have been done much earlier in Tibet. India never shared border with China, but even this fact was twisted and contoured by the Chinese, to facilitate their claim on the "roof of the world" and the Indian territorial region, which it occupied in the 1962 aggression, he said. He said the Tibetans must prepare themselves for self rule because their freedom struggle had not only gained momentum in western democracies, but has also seen a new spring on the Indian soil.

Mr Mahesh Chandra Sharma, Rajya Sabha member and All-India General Secretary of the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad, said that Chinese occupation of Tibet was very painful. He said that there was great dichotomy in the stand of the Indian Government. On the one hand it allowed the formation of the Tibetan government-in-exile in India on the other it has not raised its voice in favour of Tibet at international fora.

The seminar was jointly organised by the ABVP and the Tibetan Youth Congress. TYC president Tseten Norbu, also spoke on the occasion.

3-month ban on fishing likely
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, March 16 — The Himachal Government is considering to increase the period of ban on fishing from two months to three months.

Stating this during question hour Mr Kishori Lal, Industries Minister, said that fishing was banned during the breeding season. However, it was being felt that the period was too short and its extension by one month would help increase fish population considerably.

The Norway-assisted trout breeding programme had been a big success and this year two lakh fingerlings were supplied. Besides, 10 tonnes of trout was sold in the market. The government was making efforts to encourage pisciculture and already five private trout farms had been set up in Kulu.

Dr Ram Lal Markanda, Rural Development Minister told Mrs Asha Kumari that out of 132 sanctioned posts of Gram Panchayat Vikas Adhikari in Chamba district as many as 94 were vacant. At least 38 officers were under training and they would be posted on their return from training in June.

Mr Roop Singh, Forest Minister, informed the House that 10,177 cases of illicit felling were detected in the state from year 1996-97 to February 22,1999 out of which 6,840 were compounded and 2,969 were pending. In 202 cases FIRs had been lodged with the police and in 166 cases challans had been filed in court. In all Rs 79.92 lakh was recovered as compounding fee. In 29 cases the culprits could not be apprehended.

Replying to another question, the Forest Minister shared the view of the members that the compensation of Rs 25,000 for the dependants of those killed by leopards was too meagre and needed a revision. In all 173 were injured or killed by wild animals during the past three years and they were paid Rs 4.68 lakh as compensation.

Mr Karan Singh, Minister for Primary Education, told the House that 2,469 posts of teachers were vacant in primary schools. The government was in the process of filling these posts.

It had already renewed the contract of 3,500 teachers and 2,100 vidya upasaks were also appointed to meet the shortfall. The candidates appointed as vidya upasaks would have to qualify the plus two examination and undergo JBT training within five years.

Mr Praveen Sharma, Minister for Youth Services and Sports, informed Mr Chander Kumar that there was a plan to build indoor stadia at Una, Dharamsala and Solan. Besides, 17 stadia were under construction in various places in the state.

Replying to a supplementary, Mrs Vidya Stokes he said efforts were on to construct a stadium in Shimla near Himachal Pradesh University.

Cong not ‘afraid of CBI probe’
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, March 16 — Twentysix legislators of the Congress have said that the party was not afraid of a CBI inquiry against the party leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh, on the allegations levelled by Mr Sukh Ram, HVC leader.

In a joint statement issued here yesterday they alleged that the proposed visit of the CBI team here was deliberately leaked to the press by the BJP-HVC government to embarrass the Congress during the Budget session of the Assembly.

The signatories to the statement, who include senior leaders Thakur Ram Lal, Mrs Vidya Stokes, Mr J.B.L. Khachi, Mr Kaul Singh and Mr Yogendera Chandra, said that they were not afraid of inquiry which was a normal practice, but the leakage to the press was a "mean" attempt to malign Mr Virbhadra Singh.

They condemned this "petty and crude attempt of the government". They hoped that the government will act with more responsibility and dignity in such issues without trying to take political mileage.

Train service not up to mark
From Rajiv Mahajan

NURPUR: The Pathankot-Jogindernagar narrow gauge railway line, which was established in 1929, has failed to provide quality service to thousands of commuters travelling on it. Known as Kangra valley railway service, it remained suspended for four years from 1972 when a vast area near Jawali was submerged during the construction of Pong Dam. The new narrow gauge diverted from Jawali to Guler and Harsar towns.

At present seven up and seven down small trains of Northern Railway run on this track. There is a gap of about three to four hours between each train. However, the frequent delay in the running of these trains and breakdowns add to the woes of the travellers.

This rail service is very important for tourism point of view. Lakhs of pilgrims from other parts of the country thronged Kangra valley every year to visit Jwalaji, Chamunda, Brijeshwari, and Chintpurni temples. Besides, the tourists also visit Pong Dam reservoir, which is an emerging tourist spot.

The trains lack even basic amenities. There are no window panes, no proper lights and fans and the bench-like seats make the journey uncomfortable.

Though there has been a manifold increase in the number of passengers in these trains during the past few years, Northern Railway has failed in providing basic amenities in them.

Overcrowding forces the passengers to sit or stand at the entrance of the trains. Besides, there is no security arrangement as even not a single guard is deputed on the late evening trains to check eve-teasing, sexual harassment and pick-pocketing.

Commuters claimed that their complaints regarding the poor train services to the railway authorities had gone unheeded.

On the other hand, these trains are a haven for habitual ticketless travellers as there is seldom any checking on the Kangra valley trains.

In view of the increasing influx of tourists, the Union Government has announced a new Shatabdi Express between Pathankot to Palampur a year ago. Mr Shanta Kumar, the MP from Kangra parliamentary constituency, had also made a request to the Railway Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, in this regard in December last year. However, the Railway Budget for 1999-2000 has disappointed the residents of Kangra valley as no new train for the area has been proposed in the new Railway Budget.

There is also a demand to shift the ticket window at the Kangra valley platform from where the trains for Pathankot-Jogindernagar depart. At present, commuter have to buy tickets from the main platform, which is far from the Kangra valley platform, causing a lot of inconvenience to them.

Chamba massacre: charges framed
against four
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, March 16 — Mr B.S. Chauhan, Sessions Judge, on March 12 framed charges against four persons arrested so far in connection with the massacre of 35 persons by militants at Kalaban-Satrundi on August 2.

Those charged are Sharif Mohammad, Ahmeddin, alias Baziru, Hassandin and Bali Mohammad alias Billu. They have been charged along with six others.

The trial has been fixed from May 10.

It is reported that six militants of Jammu and Kashmir had sneaked into Chamba district, and in connivance with the above mentioned accused, massacred 35 persons and attempted to murder six others who had been kidnapped by them.

Those kidnapped have not been traced so far.

MC restrained from approving house plans
From Our Correspondent

DALHOUSIE, March 16 — The Sub-Judge on March 10 issued an interim injunction restraining the local municipal council from sanctioning house site plans in violation of the municipal by laws, till March 23, the next date of hearing.

The court has also restrained any constructions on the basis of house plans passed by the council.

The court issued this injunction on a public interest petition filed by Mr Kamal Kant and Mr Rattan Chand, on March 1 seeking permanent prohibitory injunction to the effect as the council had approved 15 "illegal" maps there by violating the by laws.

Liqour shops' auction nets 8.3 crore
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, March 16 — Liquor vends of Chamba district were auctioned for Rs 8 crore 23 lakh 11 thousand against Rs 7 crore 11 lakh 20 thousand last year registering an increase of 15.73 per cent.

The auction was conducted here today under the chairmanship of Mr K.S. Sanjaymurty, Deputy Commissioner of Chamba.

SFI rally backs workers' stir
From our Corespondent

RAMPUR, March 16 — The local unit of the Rampur held a protest rally today in front of the SDM office here in support of Nathpa Jakri project workers' strike, which has entered its 20th day today.

Mr Ravinder Kumar a leader of the workers' union has condemned the police for searching buses.