BJP-HVC rift comes to fore
SHIMLA, Oct 21 — The rift among the ruling alliance partners, the BJP and the Himachal Vikas Congress have come in the open once again with Mr Sukh Ram publicly objecting to the efforts of the BJP to weaken his HVC with whose support Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal came to power.

Shimla MC may charge entry tax
SHIMLA, Oct 21 — The financially starved Shimla Municipal Corporation is likely to be armed with the powers to impose an entry tax an tourist vehicles to raise its resources.

Congress men for elected HPCC chief
SHIMLA, Oct 21 — Senior leaders of the Congress today demanded that a duly elected president and not a nominated person should head the organisation in Himachal Pradesh where the party suffered a humiliating defeat in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

Hamirpur to be made model district: Dhumal
HAMIRPUR, Oct 21 — HP Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal thanked the people of Hamirpur district for their support to the BJP in the recent Lok Sabha elections and said the government would initiate all-out efforts to make Hamirpur a model district.

• Transporters begins stir

• 6 dengue cases detected

BJP-HVC rift comes to fore
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 21 — The rift among the ruling alliance partners, the BJP and the Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC) have come in the open once again with Mr Sukh Ram publicly objecting to the efforts of the BJP to weaken his HVC with whose support Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal came to power.

This time the differences between the two alliance partners were exposed during Dasehra celebrations at Bashil village in Solan district where Mr Dhumal and Mr Sukh Ram were sharing the dais.
Mr Sukh Ram reportedly utilised the opportunity to have a dig at the BJP which was allegedly making systematic moves to weaken the HVC.

The latest provocation for Mr Sukh Ram apparently was the increasing proximity between Mr Dhumal and his HVC minister, Mr Mohinder Singh and also the newly elected MP Lt-Col Dhani Ram Shandil (retd) HVC circles fear that both of them well being weaned away to the BJP.

The Dasehra function where Mr Sukh Ram reportedly could not suppress his annoyance with the BJP was held in the native village of Mr Shandil.

Although Mr Mohinder Singh has denied that he intended to join the BJP, a section of the HVC fears that he might take over the reins of the party from Mr Sukh Ram as he has been growing popular not only in Mandi district but also in parts of Sirmour and Shimla districts.

While significance is being attached to Col Shandil not obliging Mr Sukh Ram by publicly declaring his continued loyalty to the HVC on whose symbol he won the recent Lok Sabha election from the Shimla (reserved) constituency.

While replying to Mr Sukh Ram's objections, Mr Dhumal politely asked him to first keep his own house in order instead of accusing the BJP of weakening his party.

What has apparently been worrying Mr Sukh Ram is the rising popularity graph of Mr Mohinder Singh who has refused to play the role of his 'yes man' Mr Mohinder Singh did not endorse the idea of projecting Mr Anil Sharma, a member of the Rajya Sabha and son of Mr Sukh Ram, for being included in the Vajpayee Ministry at the Centre. He pleaded the inclusion of Col Shandil instead with the portfolio of Defence.

Mr Mohinder Singh recently told newsmen here that Mr Anil Sharma was yet to get mature in politics. However, Mr Sukh Ram has denied that he sought a ministerial berth for his son.

Mr Sukh Ram was conspicuously absent in the recent celebration of the victory of his own party's candidate, Col Shandil, at the official residence of the Chief Minister. No other senior leader of the HVC, except Mr Mohinder Singh, was present in the function in which a large number of people from the Jubbal-Kotkhai segment participated.

In what could be described as a shock to the HVC camp, Col Shandil described Mr Dhumal as his "political guru" while addressing the gathering.

It is for the past few months that Mr Sukh Ram has allegedly been trying to twist the arms of Mr Dhumal on one issue or the other. He had fixed a timeframe for ordering a CBI enquiry against his arch rival, Mr Virbhadra Singh.

Mr Sukh Ram suffered a setback recently when two of his legislators and ministers, Mr Mansa Ram and Mr Prakash Chaudhary, who were earlier made by him to go to the BJP camp as a part of his "masterstroke" were confirmed as members of the BJP group in the Assembly. This has further consolidated the position of the BJP which had so far been surviving on a razor thin majority in the Assembly.

A section of the HVC visualises Mr Mohinder Singh as a possible threat to the unquestioned leadership of Mr Sukh Ram in the party. It is widely believed that the HVC won the Shimla Lok Sabha seat largely due to the efforts of Mr Mohinder Singh who also secured the highest lead in the state for BJP candidate Maheshwar Singh in his home segment of Dharampur in the Mandi constituency.

Shimla MC may charge entry tax
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 21 — The financially starved Shimla Municipal Corporation is likely to be armed with the powers to impose an entry tax an tourist vehicles to raise its resources.

It is learnt that the government was examining the proposal to allow the corporation to impose the tax. The issue is expected to be discussed by the Cabinet shortly.

All tourist vehicles, including private cars, taxis and buses, entering the corporation limits from outside the state will have to pay entry tax.

The Municipal Corporation is facing an acute financial crisis. Against its monthly income of about Rs 35 lakh, its salary bill alone is Rs 75 lakh per month. Other liabilities were being met through government grants.

It is learnt that the government was also examining various other measures for improving the financial health of corporation.

It was proposed to give a share of 2 paise per unit of electricity being consumed within its limits to the corporation. Besides, the Excise Department might be asked to release the tax of Rs 2 per bottle of liquor to the corporation. The Excise Department has so far collected about Rs 4 crore on this account.

There was also a proposal to allow the corporation to levy a sewerage tax on residents of the town. A share of 2 per cent on the registration value of properties will also be given to the corporation.

The financial burden of the corporation has increased steeply with many new areas being merged in its territory. However, its sources of income have been squeezed with the government not permitting the corporation to levy various taxes defined in the Municipal Corporation Act.

Most of the roads within the town are in a very bad condition and require immediate repairs. The corporation has hardly any money for this purpose.

The Municipal Corporation and the HPSEB have been at loggerheads over the poor streetlighting. Many areas of the town remain dark at night.

Many of the smaller municipalities and town area committees in the state have already started charging entry fee on all vehicles coming in their respective limits. Motorists get irritated as they have to stop at short intervals to pay the tax. This has also made driving more costlier.

Congress men for elected HPCC chief
From S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 21 — Senior leaders of the Congress today demanded that a duly elected president and not a nominated person should head the organisation in Himachal Pradesh where the party suffered a humiliating defeat in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

This was stated by various Congressmen at a meeting of the general house of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) which was held here to ascertain the causes for defeat of all four party candidates in the state.

Most of the members said the organisational structure should be reorganised to revitalise the party whose workers were demoralised due to the defeat. They said the new chief should be elected democratically in the forthcoming organisational elections.

The PCC office-bearers have been invited to Delhi on October 24 by a fact-finding team on election results.

Although the meeting of the PCC, which started at 11.30 a.m. was continuing for the past seven hours at the time of filing the report, but according to what was trickling outside, most of the members particularly from the Shimla and Kangra constituencies pointed out that the traditional vote bank of the Congress had this time tilted towards the BJP. The ex-servicemen and OBCs switched over to the BJP en mass, they reportedly said.

Several members are learnt to have pointed out that rootless persons were made office-bearers of the party ever since Mr Sat Mahajan was nominated the PCC chief. Those who were expelled from the party for having contested the last assembly elections as rebels against the official candidates of the Congress have been taken back which was resented by grassroots workers.

They wanted that a free hand should be allowed to the district and block Congress committees without any interference from above.

Many members wanted that the senior leaders should shun groupism and get united to strengthen the party.

Certain leaders claimed that the failures of the ruling BJP and other issues were not properly highlighted in the election campaign.

It was also pointed out that certain senior leaders, in whose segments the Congress candidates suffered a major defeat, were busy campaigning in Delhi.

It was pointed out that overconfidence among the partymen, particularly in the Shimla (reserved) constituency, resulted in the defeat of the party candidate.

A senior Congress leader and a sitting MLA, Thakur Ram Lal, left the meeting at lunch time as he had to attend a marriage at Jubbal, Mr Gangu Ram Musafir and Mr Ram Lal Thakur, who faced defeat in the Shimla and Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituencies, respectively, did not attend the meeting.

Senior leaders, including Mr Vijay Singh Mankotia and Mr Vidaya Dhar, are learnt to have pointed out that the complacent attitude of the party bosses, particularly in the Kangra area, had resulted in shifting of the traditional vote bank. They alleged that the ruling BJP-HVC combine grossly misused power to allure the voters.

It was pointed out that the Koli community got annoyed with replacement of Mr K.D. Sultanpuri as the candidate for the Shimla seat. His replacement by Mr Musafir at the last minute did not help. Moreover, the Congress announced its candidates for the four seats just about a month before the elections, whereas the BJP and the HVC had started campaigning even before the election dates were announced.

A sitting MLA, Mr Harsh Mahajan, and the state Youth Congress chief, Mr Sukhwinder Singh, are learnt to have sought greater participation of youth in policy making bodies of the organisation.

Parking area eats up trees
From M.C. Thakur

MANALI:- The booming tourism industry in Kulu-Manali has brought prosperity amongst the public at large and other people connected with tourism activities. The increase in tourist influx has also increased the number of vehicles into Manali, but the shortage of vehicle parking areas had been of great inconvenience to the tourists.

Keeping in view this aspect, the Nagar Panchayat, Manali, is creating new parking areas in different locations in Manali town. One such parking area is being created just adjacent to the Nagar Panchayat toll bar post at Manali, a place having about 18 trees of different species, including deodar, spruce and blue pine trees nearby.

The parking area should have been created by filling the low land area with stones and soil, but the Nagar Panchayat, Manali, has dumped garbage and kitchen waste collected from the town. A thin layer of soil is being spread on top. The decomposition of garbage and kitchen waste emits poisonous gases, acid and toxic byproducts which are going to the roots of these trees in this area. As a result one pine tree has died and one huge old deodar tree and one pine tree are waiting an unnatural end. They have started shedding pale leaves. One by one all these majestic trees are bound to die if corrective steps are not taken immediately.

According to reliable sources a sum of Rs 3.60 crore has been sanctioned to create the parking areas in Manali town. The parking areas, no doubt will solve the problem of traffic jam and traffic hazards in the town, but the implementation of the plan has to be carried out in consonance with the environment and in a more systematic manner.

Environmentalists have expressed deep concern, at the creation of the parking areas in a haphazard manner. The garbage and kitchen waste dumped should be removed and replaced with stones and soils so that the trees are saved.

Hamirpur to be made
model district: Dhumal
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Oct 21 — HP Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal thanked the people of Hamirpur district for their support to the BJP in the recent Lok Sabha elections and said the government would initiate all-out efforts to make Hamirpur a model district.

Mr Dhumal said this at a district- level 'Victory Rally' organised here today. It was Mr Dhumal's first tour after the landslide victory of the BJP in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

Earlier, Mr Dhumal and BJP and HVC leaders were accorded a reception at Jai Parkash Narain Chowk. They were taken in procession through the main bazar of the town.

The Chief Minister said the victory of the BJP-HVC combine in the state was due to the positive and result oriented policies of the state government in general and the charisma of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in particular. The people had voted for a stable and clean government at the Centre.

Mr Dhumal said the BJP-HVC combine would continue to rule the state. His party had no intentions to harm the Himachal Vikas Congress, he added.

Referring to the suggestion made by Public Works Minister Mohinder Singh to open another office of Chief Engineer, Public Works Department, at Hamirpur, he said efforts would be made to set up this office at Hamirpur.

Mr Mohinder Singh, who belongs to the HVC, said that his party would continue to be the BJP's coalition partner in the state. He chided those who were spreading rumours about him and the HVC. Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman, Education Minister, and Mrs Urmila Thakur, HP Parliamentary Secretary also spoke.

Transport union begins stir
From Our Correspondent

BILASPUR, Oct 21 — The Himachal Pradesh State Ex-Servicemen Transport Union working under HP State Ex-Servicemen Welfare Corporation at Barmana near here, for cement loading work in ACC cement factory, has started an indefinite strike resulting in total stoppage of any cement loading since yesterday. The strike entered the second day today.

Union general secretary Roop Lal Thakur told mediapersons here today the strike was against the alleged high-handedness and irregularities being committed by corporation authorities and not only against over-charging of Rs 50 instead of Rs 30 as "parchi fee" per trip from each truck. He said the orders of the Chief Minister to hand over the entire loading work to the union totally as was the case earlier were ignored.

The union is also resentful that more than 1,000 trucks have been illegally attached with it by the corporation. The civil trucks are eating away most of income of loading quota of ex-servicemen which is resulting in heavy losses to them and they are unable to return their bank loan instalments.

6 dengue cases detected

SOLAN, Oct 21 — Six dengue cases were detected in the Nalagarh-Barotiwala areas of this district last week, according to Chief Medical Officer, Dr L.B. Purohit.

He said here today that he had ordered comprehensive spraying of DDT in and around all inhabited areas bordering Punjab. Special teams of health workers had been set up to make people aware about dengue fever.

The SDM, Nalagarh, had also been requested to arrange facilities at the Civil Hospital, Nalagarh. People were directed to contact the nearest health centre in the case of any symptoms of malaria like fever.