7 Parmar varsity students held
SOLAN, May 16 — As many as eight trainees of Forest Rangers Training Institute, Balaghat, (MP), were injured when 70 students of the Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry allegedly assaulted them following an altercation at midnight.

SBI directed to pay 50,000 as damages
NAHAN, May 16 — The District Consumer Forum here has directed the State Bank of India, Dhaula Kuan, to pay Rs 50,000 as damages and Rs 1,000 as litigation cost to the complainant Didar Singh, resident of Nihalgarh village of Paonta Sahib tehsil for the non-issuance of a no objection certificate for the route permit of his truck.

Move to delink pay scales: Verma faction
SHIMLA, May 16 — The Gopal Dass Verma faction of the state Non-Gazetted Services Federation has alleged that the Dhumal government in connivance with the splinter group of the federation, headed by Mr Ganga Singh, is trying to delink the pay scales of the employees from the Punjab pattern, which the state is committed to follow.

HP Speaker lauds role of small papers
DHARAMSALA, May 16 — The Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker, Mr Gulab Singh Thakur, said today that media was an important link between the people and the government, but at the same time it should remain unbiased.

Hike in conveyance allowance of JEs
UNA, May 16 — The Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, today inaugurated Press room here at the D.C. Office complex.

BJP, HVC may contest jointly
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, May 16 — The tough postures adopted by the BJP and the Himachal Vikas Congress on the sharing of seats in the Lok Sabha poll notwithstanding, the two coalition partners are likely to contest the elections jointly.

While the BJP is keen on contesting all four seats, the HVC wants the senior partner to leave at least two seats for it. Mr Sukh Ram, president of the HVC, has been warned that the failure of the BJP to leave any seat for it could lead to political instability in the state.

The HVC supremo, who has been calling the shots ever since Mr Dhumal became the Chief Minister with his party’s support, has lost much of his clout over the past six months. The BJP has strengthened its position considerably by winning all byelections held over the past one year. It won 29 seats, two less than the Congress’s tally of 31, in the last assembly elections. However, it has now 34 legislators in the 68-member House, including Mr Prakash Chaudhary and Mr Mansa Ram, the two ministers who were elected on the HVC ticket but joined the BJP as a tactical ploy to prevent the Congress from forming the government. Thus, with the support of the lone Independent it has secured a simple majority and, if necessary, it could make do without the support of the HVC.

On the other hand, the strength of the Congress has come down to 28 following the unseating of Ms Krishna Mohini, its MLA from the Solan constituency. The Congress was is in no position to create instability with the help of the HVC.

However, the HVC, which emerged as the third political force, polling about 12 per cent of the vote in the last assembly elections, was very much in a position to influence the electoral fortunes of the Congress and the BJP, the two main contenders who have held centre stage all these years.

The BJP is aware of this fact and as such, despite repeated assertions that it would go it alone in the Lok Sabha poll, it will like to have the support of the HVC.

Both Mr Sukh Ram and Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, despite their conflicting stands on seat sharing, have been maintaining that the two parties will contest the elections jointly.

Sources close to the two leaders point out that the issue will be ultimately settled with the BJP leaving one seat for the coalition partner.

Mr Sukh Ram is pressing for the Mandi constituency, his traditional seat, which the HVC left for the BJP following an agreement in the last Lok Sabha poll. However, the BJP is not likely to leave the seat, won by its senior leader, Mr Maheshwar, in the last elections. The party may give the Shimla constituency.

The BJP had already launched its campaign and even declared Mr Virender Kashyap, who contested the Shimla seat in the last elections, as its candidate.

But this is the only seat, party sources point out, which could be left for the coalition partner. Unlike the HVC, which is a regional outfit, the stakes are really high for the BJP which requires each and every seat to return to power at the Centre. As such, it will not want to displease its coalition partner and instead try to make a clean sweep of all four seats by contesting the elections jointly.

Mr Sukh Ram and Mr Dhumal have already held three rounds of talks. Mr Sukh Ram has also met central leaders of the BJP and apprised them of his party’s stand. The BJP high command is expected to take a final decision on the issue shortly.

Pvt operators may get inter-state routes
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, May 16 — The Himachal Government may allot inter-state bus routes, at present operated only by the state Transport Department, to private transporters to provide efficient services to passengers.

The new transport policy, approved by the government recently, also aims at simplifying procedures for obtaining various licences and permits and for payment of taxes. Besides, there will be no restriction on grant of permits for maxi cabs ABD goods carriage under the policy.

Permits to private bus operators for inter-state routes will be granted on merit after taking all aspects into consideration-similarly maxi cabs will be issued only to those applicants, who reside in the area and they will not be allowed to pick passengers enroute.

The new transport policy has been framed keeping in view three major areas of concern (1) continuous improvement of the standard of service (2) transport infrastructure and equipment, increasing the efficiency of institutions responsible for the sector's administration and (3) liberalisation of the transport market.

The measures being taken to strengthen the transport network include setting up of a state Transport Development Council on the pattern of National Development Council. The council will meet periodically and review the problems of commuters, bus operators and other transporters. It provides for stringent action against drunken driving. A red entry in the driving licence will be made in the first instance and if the mistake is repeated thrice, the licence of the errant driver will be suspended for a period of three years.

To provide adequate passengers transport services all over the state, the government has decided to identify tax-free routes, and would notify the same from time to time. This facility would be provided initially for a period of five years on non-metalled roads, and the routes where bus services were not available.

It has been decided to introduce Mudrika bus service within municipal areas. These buses will be free to have any number of trips. The rate of fare will depend on flat rate basis and not no the basis of mileage.

Quick and luxurious transport services will be introduced. Every district headquarters will be connected with Shimla by this service. Both public and private sectors will be eligible to ply luxury buses.

The Transport Department will provide space at bus stands to private bus owners for reservations and booking. A scheme to display joint time-table has also been devised.

While granting permits special consideration will be given to unemployed youth, co-operative societies ex-servicemen, physically handicapped, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, sports persons of national repute and those belonging to other backward classes or identified poor families.

Buffaloes succumb to disease
From Our Correspondent

BILASPUR, May 16 — The lack of follow-up in animal diseases has made farmers of Mohin in Barthan panchayat, 45 km from here, once again mute witnesses to deaths of their buffaloes.

During the past few days six buffaloes died, three of them on Friday, causing a loss of Rs 15,000 per buffalo to their owners.

The panchayat president, Mr Krishandass Gautam, a veterinary specialist, said here yesterday the animal starts groaning and develops swelling in the stomach and dies in half an hour.

Mr Gautam said the cattle here were affected by the disease 10 years ago. Within a few weeks as many as 45 buffaloes had died. The disease was controlled by teams of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) and the Veterinary College, Ludhiana

He said yesterday that one buffalo died on May 11 and two other had died a couple of weeks earlier.

He said Dr Kuldeep Singh, Veterinary Doctor posted at the Animal Husbandry Dispensary, Barthain, had performed post-mortem examination on the buffaloes which died on Friday and has sent the viscera to the disease investigation officer, Kamand, in Mandi district. The dispensary has started giving HS and BQ vaccinations to animals in the area, which is not the real treatment for the disease. Mr Gautam said he had already informed the district Administration about the disease.

BJP can't defeat Cong alone: Sukh Ram
From Our Correspondent

BILASPUR, May 16 — A former Union Communication Minister and now Himachal-Vikas Congress (HVC) President, Mr Sukh Ram, has said that it is unfortunate" that some top BJP leaders are "ignoring" the ground reality and declaring that the BJP will go it alone for all four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh.

Addressing mediapersons here today, he said only a combine of the BJP and HVC was capable of giving a crushing defeat to the Congress in the state. Both the BJP and HVC could not achieve this alone.

For the Mandi parliamentary election and the poll for five assembly seats earlier, it was the joint strength of the BJP-HVC combine that defeated the Congress, he said.

Putting forth his claim to the Mandi parliamentary, he claimed that this constituency had always been his stronghold and the BJP should have no difficulty in leaving this seat for the HVC.

Though the Shimla parliamentary constituency had been a stronghold of the congress, the BJP-HVC combine was capable of wresting this seat from the Congress if both parties agreed to a candidate popular among the masses. He said he was facing pressure from his party workers to stake a claim to the Hamirpur seat, for which HVC had at least three popular candidates.

He expressed the confidence that the BJP and HVC would soon reach an agreement on seat sharing so that a joint campaign could be launched for the four Lok Sabha Seats.

He said he would strive hard to ensure that this experiment of a coalition government succeeded in Himachal Pradesh and that both parties resolved to fight all future elections together.

He dismissed as "total trash" and "rumour mongering" reports that after unseating the Congress MLA, Ms Krishna Mohini, through an election petition in the high court, the BJP did require the HVC's support.

7 Parmar varsity students held
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, May 16 — As many as eight trainees of Forest Rangers Training Institute, Balaghat, (MP), were injured when 70 students of the Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry allegedly assaulted them following an altercation at midnight.

The injured, along with 41 others, including six cooks, came here on Saturday. They were staying in Framer's Hostel of the university. Yesterday, they had gone to Chandigarh and returned at about 10.30 p.m. One of their cooks told them that some "drunken" students had allegedly beaten him up. The students were attending a farewell party in the hostel.

Seeing the dazed condition of the cook, the trainees remonstrated with the students, who were as many as 20. The university students left the hostel quietly. However, they again gathered in strength and allegedly attacked the trainees residing in the hostel. At that time most of the visitors bolted their rooms. Eight of them, who failed to bolt the doors, were dragged out and beat up badly.

The mob later went on a rampage damaging the hostel furniture and buildings, including the two buses in which the visitors had come here.

One of the trainees lodged a report with the local police. The injured were admitted to the District Hospital where the doctors discharged two out of the eight injured after giving them first aid.

The police has registered cases of rioting and causing damage to public property and arrested seven students, Munish Thakur, Vivek, Subhash, Roshan, Siddharth, Arun and Sunil Rana.

The Vice-Chancellor, Mr R.P. Awasthi, was on tour. The Dean, College of Forestry, Mr L.J. Srivastava, said no action could be taken as it was holiday today. He, however, confirmed the "clash".

The Students' Welfare Officer, Mr A.S. Chandel, said some students had come to him claiming that the clash was sparked off by "the unseemly behaviour" of the visiting trainee rangers. They had demanded that he (SWO) should accompany them to the police station to lodge a counter report, failing which they gheraoed him.

SBI directed to pay 50,000 as damages
From Our Correspondent

NAHAN, May 16 — The District Consumer Forum here has directed the State Bank of India, Dhaula Kuan, to pay Rs 50,000 as damages and Rs 1,000 as litigation cost to the complainant Didar Singh, resident of Nihalgarh village of Paonta Sahib tehsil for the non-issuance of a no objection certificate (NOC) for the route permit of his truck.

Didar Singh, in a complaint filed before the Forum alleged that he purchased a truck (no HPN-2045) with the financial assistance of the State Bank of India, Dhaula Kuan, in 1981. The truck was hypothecated with the bank. The route permit was to be renewed from February 1992 onward, for which a NOC of the bank was required. He approached the bank to issue the NOC but the bank did not oblige. He could not earn his livelihood as he could not ply the truck without a route permit. He claimed Rs 50,000 as damages and requested the court to direct the bank to issue him NOC.

The bank in its reply denied the charges and pleaded that complainant had been a habitual offender in the repayment of bank loans, and he had further sold the truck to some other person without repaying the loan.

The Forum held that the bank could not establish its stand by producing documents. The court further held that the NOC was issued by the bank on November 17,1992, immediately after the complaint was filed before the Forum on November 11, 1992. The bank sat on the matter from February 26,1992, to November 17,1992. The Forum held that services rendered by the bank were deficient and passed the order. The bank has been directed to comply with the order within 30 days.

Move to delink pay scales: Verma faction
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, May 16 — The Gopal Dass Verma faction of the state Non-Gazetted Services Federation has alleged that the Dhumal government in connivance with the splinter group of the federation, headed by Mr Ganga Singh, is trying to delink the pay scales of the employees from the Punjab pattern, which the state is committed to follow.

The denial of allowances to the state employees on the Punjab pattern and the demand of Mr Ganga Singh that the state should have a separate pay commission clearly indicates that a definite move is on to delink the pay scales it has pointed out.

The Ganga Singh group had by accepting a meagre increase of Rs 50 in the compensatory allowance, "sabotaged" the cause of employees. The demand was that the government should increase the allowance keeping in view the price rise and raise its maximum limit to Rs 1000, the Verma faction has said.

It criticised the Ganga Singh faction for not raising the demands of the employees of Chamba district at the joint consultative committee meeting.

Besides, it also did not discuss the transfer policy and thus "betrayed" the employees.

HP Speaker lauds role of small papers
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, May 16 — The Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker, Mr Gulab Singh Thakur, said today that media was an important link between the people and the government, but at the same time it should remain unbiased.

Mr Gulab Singh was speaking on the occasion of the anniversary of a local weekly published from here. "Media is rightly considered the fourth estate in a democracy, but journalists must avoid yellow journalism and sensationalism," he opined. It is only through newspapers that the people can make their voice reach the government, he added. He felt that media could check the government if it acted in an unbiased and independent manner.

The Speaker lauded the role being played by small and local papers in highlighting the problems of a particular area. He felt media could play a very important role in popularising Himachal Pradesh as a tourist destination.

The Transport Minister, Mr Kishan Kapoor, also spoke on the occasion. The Editor of the paper, Mr Praveen Rai, highlighted the problems being faced by the small and local newspapers. Seventeen personalities were honoured on the occasion.

Hike in conveyance allowance of JEs
From Our Correspondent

UNA, May 16 — The Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, today inaugurated Press room here at the D.C. Office complex.

Speaking on the occasion the Chief Minister emphasised the importance of media and Press in building and guiding society. He added that objectivity and right information should be the guiding spirits of journalists so that facts comes before the people.

He said the Press had played a significant role in the freedom movement and expressed the hope that in future also it would play a similar role in nation building.

Mr Dhumal said, the endeavour of the government would be to help journalists in the discharge of their duties.

He also laid the foundation stone of the building of the excise and taxation and Public Relations Departments. Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated the Non-Gazetted Employees Association (NGO'S Bhavan) Bhavan here.

He reiterated his government's resolve for the welfare of employees and other sections in the state.

Mr J.P Nadda, Health Minister, Mr Parveen Sharma Minister of State for Youth Services and Sport, and Mr Suresh Chandel, former MP and President, state BJP unit were also present.

The Chief Minister had also inaugurated a high school at Gagret.

He stressed for qualitative improvement in education and added that steps were afoot in this direction.

He said 13,612 new rooms would be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 126 crore for primary schools by March 2002.

Mr Dhumal, today announced the enhancement of conveyance allowance of junior engineers of the state electricity board from Rs 200 to Rs 450 per month. He also announce the increase in the promotion quota of diploma holder engineers from 28 per cent to 32 per cent. He further announced to create 30 posts of assistant engineer so that junior engineers of the Board could be promoted.

Emphasising that the hydel power was renewable and pollution-free source of energy, Dhumal said due to the wrong policy adopted in the past the hydel-thermal ratio which was 40.60 had gone down to 25.40 in states like Himachal Pradesh. He said the present government took up this case with the Centre as a result of which it was agreed to reverse this ratio again to 40.60.

The Chief Minister stressed for the timely completion of hydel projects to avoid cost escalation, besides reducing transmission losses and also power thefts.

He said a canard was being spread that the proposed State Electricity Regulatory Authority would harm the service interests of employees of the board and clarified that the purpose of setting up of this authority was to decide the tariff rate of electricity generated and also fulfil a pre-condition of the World Bank to give loan to the state electricity board on cheaper rate for hydel power generation. He said it had nothing to do with the service condition of the employees.